CNN’s Andy Scholes said Tuesday he was “not entirely surprised” by news Tiger Woods was involved in a car accident, leading to backlash online. Scholes has since apologized.
Asked by anchor Brianna Keilar for his response, the sports reporter said, “Stunned, I guess, but not entirely surprised by what we’re seeing here. Tiger, back in 2017, was found by police pulled over to the side of the road, asleep in his car. He had said he had taken a lot of painkillers at that time because we all know Tiger has undergone a lot of surgeries over the years and painkillers have become a part of his life.”
The single-car crash is under investigation, but L.A. Country Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters Tuesday afternoon that Woods was conscious and showed “no evidence of impairment” when he was pulled from the wreckage. The golfer underwent surgery Tuesday for “serious” injuries to both his legs, LACS officials said.
CNN Sports anchor says he wasn't surprised by Tiger's car crash because 'painkillers have become a part of his life' https://t.co/2RtxpUBTBm pic.twitter.com/An4QpDMDEM
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) February 23, 2021
NFL social media producer Kylie Callura called the commentary “trash” while USA Today’s Hemal Jhaveri called it “irresponsible journalism.”
Scholes apologized repeatedly and personally to a number of tweets referencing his on-air comments.
Woods was hospitalized on Tuesday after being injured in a single-car accident in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, when his car flipped over and sustained major damage. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department, Woods was the sole occupant of the vehicle when the accident occurred at 7:12 a.m. PT.
“Mr. Woods was extricated from the wreck with the ‘jaws of life’ by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics, then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries. The traffic investigation is being conducted by investigators from LASD Lomita Station,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.
Leave a Reply