Tiger Woods. A week ago, this name was associated with stellar golf skills and worldwide fame. Now, it’s synonymous with scandal and betrayal. This isn’t the media’s fault; it’s not his wife’s fault; it’s Woods’ fault. In the past few weeks, Tiger Woods has really messed up.

In the early hours of the morning (sketchy?) Nov. 26, Woods lost control of his SUV while backing out of his driveway, crashing into a fire hydrant and a tree outside of his Florida home. News flurried across the Internet and TV with reports that the golf phenomenon was in critical condition and close to death. Luckily, these were gross exaggerations, and Woods left the hospital later that day in good health.

But what Woods did next was a bad decision to say the least. If this is the way he chooses to deal with a crisis, it’s a mystery to me how Woods has maintained such a pristine image for the past 10 years.

First, he refused to talk to the authorities all weekend. He constantly scheduled and cancelled police meetings, with excuses ranging from needing rest to spending time with his family. Woods should have either promptly talked to the police (the best choice), or told them that he didn’t want to talk at all (since he is under no legal obligation to do so).  The constant dodging and hiding just made Woods look more suspicious and obnoxious.

These suspicions led to malicious rumors about Woods’ infidelity and problems within his family. Woods continued to ignore the rumors and only issued statements through his website. It was obvious that he was trying to hide something, and it was also obvious that he was failing.

In response to the rumors, Woods posted on his website that the incident was “a private matter” and that he wanted to “keep it that way.” Seriously? Is this a realistic request for one of the most famous athletes and public figures in the world, who has millions of fans that have followed him throughout the years? After years in the spotlight, privacy for Woods is no longer an option.

Finally, on Dec. 2, Woods came clean, or at least, he almost did. He admitted to “transgressions” and offered his “profound apologies” to his family and fans. But the damage is done. As a world renowned athlete, Woods is supposed to be a role model for kids everywhere. But through his own actions alone, he has diminished his status.

Maybe if Woods had handled the whole incident differently, the public’s reaction wouldn’t have been so harsh. One fan who set up “A First Church of Tiger Woods” website as a shrine to his hero took it down in disgust days after the accident. If this is how his “number one” fan acts, it’s no wonder that most Americans are disappointed with Woods.

Tiger Woods has fallen from his pedestal. And what a fall it’s been.