It's fair to openly wonder whether Tiger Woods is juiced, Bill Plaschke writes in the LA Times

Here (courtesy of our old pal Bangkok Al) is a pretty interesting take by L.A. Times columnist Bill Plaschke on the shift in the Tiger Woods saga away from questions about his [insert updated number here] adulterous affairs to questions about doping in the wake of the news that a doctor who promotes human growth hormone and had been treating Tiger is under “investigation for providing athletes with performance-enhancing drugs.”

A few key lines from the Plaschke column guaranteed to make Team Tiger cringe:

* “If a guy is a chronic cheater off the course, what kind of leap is required to believe he could be the same sort of cheater on the course?”

* “In past cases, from Olympians to major leaguers, nearly anyone involved with a steroid salesman is eventually found to have been using steroids. Yet while the PGA Tour tests for performance-enhancing drugs, no sporting organization has found an acceptable noninvasive test for HGH.”

* “The public thinks, if there’s even a chance he’s guilty of running a harem while married with two young children, there’s a chance he could be guilty of anything.”

* “It’s fair to openly wonder now whether Woods is juiced.”

* “The sad reality is that the once-supernatural Tiger Woods has become one of them, nothing special anymore, now perceived as just another jock for hire who will do anything to win.”

To be fair, in an e-mail to the Associated Press, Tiger’s agent, Mark Steinberg: “The treatment Tiger received is a widely accepted therapy, and to suggest some connection with illegality is recklessly irresponsible.” To that, Plaschke answers: “You know what’s really recklessly irresponsible? Dealing with a doctor who has a history of using and prescribing the banned HGH substance, that’s what.”

Lastly, on an semi-related note, amid sponsors’ exodus from their once-golden boy, Team Tiger is surely looking for new products to pitch. Here’s an angle to consider.