"This could be unbelievable for golf, If Tiger gets divorced and starts dating, look out. It was one thing for people to watch golf to see Tiger's skill. Now he could take golf to the rock 'n' roll level."

Understand, neither Houskeeper nor I endorse cheating, lying and/or infidelity.

Let's assume that Woods doesn't attempt a flimsy PR cover-up to recapture his pure image, that he doesn't resort to wailing penitence and professional rehab to put Bad Tiger behind him.

Let's assume he does what he should do, which is work like a dog to make amends to Elin and the kids, make the divorce as easy on them as possible, then get back to the business of being what we now know is the real Tiger: a golfing Elvis.

Obviously, Tiger was horribly miscast as Ozzie Nelson.

"Rehab?" says Houskeeper. "Geez, I hope not. Let Tiger be Tiger."

It worked for Joe Namath, among others. Namath was a very good football player, but his popularity transcended football because he was a famous bachelor in New York, living out everyone's craziest famous-bachelor fantasies.

As for Tiger's lost endorsement opportunities?

"Who cares about the wuss sponsors who dropped him?" Houskeeper asked. "He'll have companies lined up at his door."

Remember how San Francisco was fascinated with Don Johnson when he brought his "Nash Bridges" TV cop show to town in '96? Two tabloids, the Globe and the Star, set up bureaus here to chase Don Johnson-on-the-town stories. They found several.

Houskeeper, who was on the "Nash" production staff, says the publisher of the Globe and the Star considered Johnson the new Errol Flynn.

America's swashbuckler. That could be Woods' title, assuming he upgrades the quality of some of the swash that he buckles.

Houskeeper says Johnson was a man who pounded pavement, but, "Tiger Woods beats anybody I've ever worked with, and I worked with Morrison, ("The Who" drummer) Keith Moon, Janis Joplin ... Tiger out-Jaggers (Mick) Jagger. He's beyond rock star, and he does this sober."

You know that it would be untrue, you know that I would be a liar, if I was to say to you, Tiger couldn't get much higher.