When sports news is not news: Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniacki break off engagement

I was engaged once many moons ago.  It didn’t take.

After many years of ups and downs, my long-term girlfriend at the time and I had grown apart.  It happens.

But at least we didn’t send out wedding invitations.  (I shudder at the thought.)

Rory and CarolineThe same cannot be said for professional golfer Rory McIlroy and his former fiancée Caroline Wozniacki.

The two high-profile athletes were engaged, sent out wedding invitations, probably paid a pretty penny for them considering their salaries, then days later mutually decided to break off the engagement.  Good thing guests hadn’t already booked their flights.

We’ve all been in long term relationships before and we’ve all had to explain to our friends and loved ones why we broke things off.  That’s bad enough, that awkward final conversation with her folks about how much you loved her, thanking them for everything if only but.

Now try that same speech in front of an entire planet of sports fans with media members asking personal questions they in all decency have no business asking.  It takes a nation of millions to hold them back.

Tiger Woods privacyMcIlroy and Wozniacki had been intimately involved since 2011.  They got engaged.  They broke it off.  End of story.  At this point, I’m guessing McIlroy is not sweating the money back for the ring.

Personally, I couldn’t care less why they broke things off nor do I want to hear some persnickety ‘journalist’ pry into their personal lives looking for an explanation during some uncomfortable press conference.  As much of a dick Tiger Woods is, there’s a reason he owns a yacht named “Privacy.”

When news of the break up became public, ESPN ran with the headline McIlroy Calls Off Wedding, as if Rory had just shot an 87 at Augusta.  Dear, four-letter.  Leave the couple alone and let them focus on their careers.  Or just rename the website TMZSPN and be done with it.  When did my sports news network become a tabloid?

Celebrity sportsMcIlroy (25) and Wozniacki (23) are both too young to get married in my mind but that is none of my business.  They have their entire futures ahead of them, fond memories of their relationship together and more fond memories left to create.

Let us please allow them to do so without sticking our noses in their personal business.

I’m not a journalist.  I’ve never wanted to be one and never professed to be one.  I do, however, like to think I know when not to overstep the boundaries of right and wrong, the difference between what’s public and what’s private.

The sooner we can get back to talking about their respective golf and tennis careers, the better we’ll all be for it.

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30 Replies to “When sports news is not news: Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniacki break off engagement”

  1. At least there’s no sex tape and real titillating story to come out of this non event . Whereas, we now know that Lindsey Vonn and Elin Nordergren have spent time together , having gone on holiday . Must’ve been great , with each having a story to tell , concerning Tiger Woods .

  2. To counter the PG crap, when does the Elin/Lindsay sex tape come out??

  3. How about the Bucs? Several prognosticators have given them top grades on their draft and off-season generally… Don’t know if any of them broke off their engagements though…

  4. Dwin….

    Since you’ve moved out west, I can tell you that the entire Bay area, while tempering their expectations, still likes the direction the organization is headed.

    We shall see.

  5. Upon further review the lawsuit is an obvious hoax…….Atleast I hope so??

  6. Bets…

    Don’t let J-Dub catch wind of some crazy woman in Florida complaining that she saw Johnny Football’s football.

    That story is so weird. Totally reminds me of an Elmore Leonard novel.

  7. I do agree with you … and really where would we be without songs like Paparazzi, the regular people would have nothing to feel superior over if we could not read about the rich and the beautiful having bad relationships “like OMG, did you see (enter star, athlete, celebrity name here ______ ) was cheating? Just like my last relationship!” the people do LOVE their gossip (apparently sports fans are not excluded). Gossip bring them to our level, since you know they are like everyone else, just ask OJ!

  8. Chris

    There’s always action wanted, when it’s girl on girl , especially when it involves the likes Elen Nordergren and Lindsay Vonn . Me likes !

    Your thoughts on both NBA Conference Finals’ series so far ? In response to your question concerning the vacant Knicks’ and Lakers’ coaching positions . What gave you the impression that either position was actually worthy of any coach , seeking to further their career at the NBA level ? Have you looked at the makeup of both teams who runs their respective front offices at present ? Phil Jackson has become an egotistical ba$tard , both Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss over the last two years have shown he basketall acumen of a brick .

  9. Mare…

    I guess the thing that bothers us the most is, we’re sports fans, and while some of this might be news, we just want to see our scores, some highlights and some analysis.

    We could live without the rest of the gossip and TMZ crap. And unfortunately, that’s a lot of what ESPN has become.

  10. Al…

    We got ourselves the best four teams.

    Unfortunately, what we’re starting to learn is that the better two of those teams are far superior than the other two.

  11. Well I’m now gearing up for the World Cup in Brazil and I’m likely put up a few pieces on my thoughts concerning the event (begins 12th June) . Behind the scene it has been a complete debacle with some venues not yet completed with the ongoing civil unrest , widespread corruption . Soccer’s governing body FIFA has been painting a completely different picture concerning the upcoming event . and the things that are said to have taken place .

  12. The Eastern Conference may be inferior but they still boast the best team in the league. At least they have the last two years. We’ll see if that’s the case again in 2014.

    It looks like people are lining up to buy the Clippers. And why wouldn’t they? It continues to be a franchise on the rise.

    Ongoing civil unrest in Brazil, Al? Not too surprising. We’ll see if this Cup goes off without a hitch. Don’t hold your breath.

  13. The Heat won last year’s title through San Antonio’s complacency as several times during that series they had the chance to seal the deal and just couldn’t get it done. Miami for their part this season are proving that the Pacers remain mentally and physically soft . In reality Indiana should be leading the Heat 3-1 rather than being down by that same score .

    Miami have been the best team in the league by way of their title wins , but in reality the gap between themselves and their conference rivals is extremely wide . Do you honestly feel that if the Heat played in the West they would be finish as a top five team in that conference ? Really think about it before coming up with an answer .

  14. Bribery corruption , civil unrest prior to a sporting tournament . Hell it’s par for the course when it involves either FIFA or the IOC .

    Both the Rays and Red Sox are playing some bad baseball at present . Tampa’s loss to the Blue Jays was abysmal display and you can no longer use the excuse about injuries to primary pitchers .

    Joe Maddon’s players are mentally soft and prone to making idiotic mistakes as exhibited in yesterday’s game . It has been repeatedly done over their past few games and yet no one seems to be observant of that fact . Where is the so called leadership coming from on this roster ?

  15. Al…

    The Heat don’t play in the West so I’m not sure what you’re getting at. Would they have made three straight Finals, on their verge to a fourth, were they in the Western Conference? Maybe. Maybe not.

    Would the Rays fare better were they in the National League and not in the AL East? Probably.

    Would I be richer if I had more money?

    At this level, I don’t think teams make excuses. They play the cards they’re dealt. If the Heat win their third straight title this year, I don’t think that feat will be diminished because they didn’t play in the Western Conference.

    Like it or not, what they have accomplished thus far is impressive, belittle it all you want.

    Re: the Rays, they’re just as inconsistent as they’ve ever been, if not more so.

    They sweep the Red Sox, which ordinarily would be an impressive feat until you consider that team was mired in its worst losing streak in ten years.

    All is not lost as that division is still up for grabs. A touch over 90 wins might win that thing.

  16. Chris

    In all honesty even you would have to admit that the Heat would have a tough time notching up a 50 win season were they Z playing in the Western Conference or any of the divisions there . For the most part in the East simply look at the teams there are barely above . 500 in terms of the wins’ total , where that mark is forty-one wins (41) .

    Your thoughts on the fine that Paul George was penalized ($25K ) with for being so critical in the officiating in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals ? The Heat went to the free throw line with such regularity that I was under the impression that referees were showing their favoritism throughout the entire game from that standpoint. That being said , that wasn’t the sole reason the Pacers lost that contest .

    The Rays and inconsistency go hand in hand and you can see that in the games they’ve lost this season and how they have played in those defeats . Typical once again were the losses to the Blue Jays in the games just played at the Rogers Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada . The pitching and hitting were atrocious but even more so more the mental lapses defensively . When was the last time that you saw a Rays’ team perform so badly from a defensive standpoint ?

    tophatal …….

  17. Al…

    If you’re asking me to speak hypothetically as to how many wins the Heat would win if they played in the Western Conference, I don’t know what to say. Are you implying they’re not a good team? They barely got 50 wins in the East this year. Not sure what you’re getting at with your hypothetical argument. We know the East is bad. Is that your only point or is it that the Heat wouldn’t have won three straight titles? That’s all that matters anyway, isn’t it? The regular season in the NBA is for the more part irrelevant.

    Here’s what I don’t understand about the NBA fining athletes like George for criticizing the refs. He says something derogatory about the officiating. He gets a fine. He then says something derogatory about the fine. Shouldn’t he be fined again?

    And you’re right about the Rays. This is their worst defensive team we’ve seen in years.

  18. If the Heat played in the West do you honestly believe that they would be able to notch 50 win seasons in three of the last four years as they have been able to do in the East bearing in mind the opponents faced ? Ask yourself that, as a premise , rather than looking at the bare bones of the situation .

    Paul George gets fined $25 K for what he feels is the favoritism shown by the referees in game four wherein the Heat went to the free throw line far more often than the Pacers . Your thoughts on that and whether or not George has a point concerning that issue ?

    The Rays have become far too lax a team and poor one defensively , especially in the series so far against the Blue Jays . Relatively poor hitting , pitching and fielding against the AL East leaders .

    So Mike Pouncey still believes his actions in the in the Incognito debacle in Miami was really nothing ? How much of an @ss is that kid to begin with ? He was just as much to blame for that idiocy and immaturity shown by his teammates as well as the whole lack of understanding and complete inaction shown by the entire Dolphins’ coaching staff , head Joe Philbin , in particular and front office . Ted Wells’ report was a damning indictment of that franchise as well as the entire NFL as a whole .

    tophatal ……………..

  19. I counter your question with another question, Al, since Miami, Florida is about as East as one can get in this country.

    Perhaps you’re better off asking, were the Eastern Conference not as shabby, would the Heat still have won those titles?

    Just seems to me like you’re trying to diminish their accomplishments when they’re on the verge of winning yet another title. Are you suggesting their potential three-peat have an asterisk?

    I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but that LeBron guy, regardless of what conference he plays in, is pretty fucking good.

  20. LBJ could play in any era and still be great . Can the same be said or Wade or Bosh , would be more to the point , as the latter duo have lived of James’ exploits over the past two seasons and that is a proven fact. Next question ?

    The last team from the East to win the NBA other than the Miami Heat , was ? It seems like eons ago that the Pistons trounced the Lakers in that rather lopsided series that everyone believed that Phil Jackson and the team that had , Bryant , O’Neal , Payton , Malone and others would have crushed the Detroit Pistons mercilessly . And you questioned why I wasn’t giving Jackson any due respect ?

    tophatal …………….

  21. I think at his best, Al, Wade was a pretty dynamic player. Don’t forget he willed that first Heat team to a championship with an aging Shaq and Pat RIley whispering in his ear all the time that he was the best player in the league. Would you consider Wade a Top 50 player of all-time?

    And actually, Al, the book does give a pretty good explanation as to why that final Lakers team failed to win a title (if not even a game) against the Pistons.

    Oh, and don’t forget that Celtics team that won a championship. Only seven different teams have won a title since ’99, four from the East and three from the West. Slim pickins for the rest of the league.

  22. Well, I was rooting for these crazy kids but when I heard they were dating it seemed to me the odds were long they’d make it long-term. The one thing many are fascinated with more than power people are power couples. Since one of them decided to talk break-up to the press ya gotta cover it like you would even if the other prison wasn’t famous because broken relationships can affect performance. And God knows we break down performance 24 hours a day until the next game, round, match, race, etc. So I get the coverage to a point…but the “worldwide leader” long ago gave up leading in anything…but excess.

  23. I noticed I typed “prison” instead of “person” above. No subliminal statement about relationships…just a typo…(my wife made me clarify that)

  24. Yeah, this is what it has come to… and has been this way for a while. Any celebrity in sports or entertainment is going to be subject to these kind of headlines. This story was actually a fit for TWHS in a sense… but only in the way of their sports performances following… that she faltered big time at the next tennis major and he went on to win a tournament and then lead the next one.

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