Tiger Woods' Latest Bump and Run

Tiger's alleged affair has become a media feeding frenzy. As a divorce lawyer, I am constantly asked as to the reason a married  man with millions or billions of dollars, power and stature would risk it all just for a tawdry piece of tail.  The stories are similar and the search for a logical answer for such  nonsensical conduct becomes  nonexistent .   Obviously, looking for a commonsense answer does not work because affairs of the ego (and "head") do not stem from a sound mind.

Here is how it typically happens: The hunter is bored, starts having a seven year itch or a mid life crisis.  He believes he is omnipotent. After all, look at all he has accomplished and achieved in his life. He meets this "amazing" woman who, for whatever reason, makes him feel like a teenager and the sex is mind-blowing. He cannot control his urges and feels even more invincible. He enjoys the secrecy of this hot and heavy romance and perhaps may actually "get off" on the danger.

Then it hits: The mistress becomes more and more demanding and needy. Mr. Powerful starts feeling trapped, the excitement wanes and so does his libido. The excitement is replaced with conditions  and  perceived nagging. So, he ends the affair and returns to his wife and family.       
 
So, let's fast forward.  The affair is over, the "other woman" is scorned and dumped. Mr. Powerful left all kinds of evidence, including oral evidence such as voice mails on her answering machine, text messages, emails and cards in his handwriting. If he was extra sloppy like Mark Sanford, he charged the items on his credit card instead of paying cash. Voice mails can be used because there is no reasonable expectation of privacy when you know you are being recorded. Text messages and emails or worse, a dress with a certain stain,  if saved properly, potentially link him to the paramour. Essentially, Mr. Powerful has left a paper and evidence trail even O.J's prosecution team could track.     

What "drives" the powerful successful man to cheat  and ignore basic logic is simple-- the adrenaline rush of the conquest coupled  with a megalomaniac ego.  Powerful and extremely successful men have certain attributes and characteristics that inherently make them susceptible to cheating.  Most powerful and successful men have built their empires on extreme risks, incredible sacrifices and their own determination to win at all costs. If we factor in Tiger Woods is an athlete, the explanation becomes even clearer. This type of man is a  ferocious competitors with an ability to exceed the limits of success. They are risk takers with their own set of rules.  After attaining such wealth, eminence and power, they become used to getting what they want and thrive on the challenge itself. 

Along comes another beautiful woman but this time, she is savvy enough to know how to "play" the power game and become the target of his conquest. She knows how to keep him interested by being disinterested and unavailable. This beauty is different or so he thinks.  The "Tiger" becomes unleashed because he now wants what he cannot have.  The hunt begins and all sight of logic and the rules are ignored.  The pursuit and challenge are more important than even the woman...it is about winning.    The problem with such reckless arrogance is that the reality of the downfall or consideration of the consequences is not even an issue. After all, to err is human and forgiveness will follow...or will it?