It’s interesting to read news reports and analysis of Tiger Woods’ April 5 press conference, most notably the comments that follow from readers and viewers.  For the most part, we’re witnessing an icon who has fallen from a very high perch take baby steps to repair a once-golden image, while detractors try mightily to chip away at an already-fractured and fragile persona.

There appears to be an expectation that Tiger will be a changed man a few months after his world came crashing down.  Seriously?  It took more than a decade for Tiger to build this image on and off the course, and while it may not take as long for him to right his capsized ship, he’s looking at a couple of years – if not longer – to regain both the trust and accolades he’s been so accustomed to enduring.

Meanwhile, he’s doing the right things: becoming more public again, taking on more questions while keeping close to the vest what he feels is private (good for him, and can you blame the guy?), and constantly owning up to his errors and commitment to doing what’s necessary to regain trust.

Tiger doesn’t have an easy road ahead of him, and the detractors aren’t going away soon.  Here’s hoping he stays the course and proves them wrong.