image restoration in the apologetic rhetoric of professional athletes

93 Pages·2017·1.16 MB·English

IMAGE RESTORATION IN THE APOLOGETIC RHETORIC OF PROFESSIONAL
ATHLETES: A CASE STUDY OF TIGER WOODS, KOBE BRYANT, AND
MICHAEL PHELPS
by
Adam Epstein

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of
The Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Arts

Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL
May 2017
Copyright by Adam Epstein 2017
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would first like to thank my wife Nicole, my parents, sister and extended family
for their unconditional support and patience throughout this process. The extended years
of study were not easy for those around me. Without them, this accomplishment would
not have been possible.
I would also like to thank my Thesis advisor Dr. Becky Mulvaney for the
tolerance to work with me for these past years. Her guidance has allowed me the
opportunity to finish my research and become a better version of myself in the process.
Lastly, I must thank Mrs. Jamie Spooner for her tireless help reading,
proofreading and reading again over the years. Thank you.
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ABSTRACT
Author: Adam Epstein
Title: Image Restoration in the Apologetic in the Apologetic Rhetoric of
Professional Athletes: A Case Study of Tiger Woods, Kobe
Bryant, and Michael Phelps

Institution: Florida Atlantic University
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Becky Mulvaney
Degree: Master of Arts
Year: 2017

This purpose of this study is to investigate the apologetic rhetoric of professional
athletes’ off-field scandals. The three case studies used were Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant,
and Michael Phelps. A genre analysis was conducted to determine the success or failure
of the speech by examining the image repair strategies used during the rhetoric.
Further research revealed that the audiences’ perception plays a large role in
determining if the rhetoric was successful or not. Two factors that aid the audience are
the medium in which the public address was given, and the time it took to deliver the
speech once the off-field scandal took place.
The findings determined that Tiger Woods apologia was not successful, while
Kobe Bryant’s was successful. The rhetoric of Michael Phelps’ speech lacked in delivery
and strategies chosen. To have a successful apologia, one should have a clear use of
strategies as well as a timely public address.
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IMAGE RESTORATION IN THE APOLOGETIC RHETORIC OF PROFESSIONAL
ATHLETES: A CASE STUDY OF TIGER WOODS, KOBE BRYANT,
AND MICHAEL PHELPS
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................1
Background ............................................................................................................. 2
Thesis Questions ..................................................................................................... 3
Literature Review.................................................................................................... 4
i. The Rhetoric of Apologia ..................................................................... 4
ii. Apologia and Image Restoration .......................................................... 6
Types of Apologia................................................................................................... 9
i. Political Apologia ................................................................................. 9
ii. Religious Apologia ............................................................................... 9
iii. Athletic Apologia ................................................................................ 10
iv. Criticism of Image Repair Theory ...................................................... 12
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 15
CHAPTER TWO: METHODOLOGY ............................................................................. 16
i. Genre Criticism ................................................................................... 16
ii. Criticisms of Genre Analysis .............................................................. 20
iii. The Apologia Genre ............................................................................ 22
Selection of Case Studies ...................................................................................... 26
Artifacts................................................................................................................. 27
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Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 27
CHAPTER THREE: CASE STUDY 1: TIGER WOODS ............................................... 28
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 28
Context .................................................................................................................. 28
Analysis................................................................................................................. 31
Woods' Apologia Strategies .................................................................................. 33
i. Denial .................................................................................................. 33
ii. Evading of Responsibility ................................................................... 34
iii. Reducing Offensiveness of Event ....................................................... 34
iv. Corrective Action ................................................................................ 37
v. Mortification ....................................................................................... 39
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 40
CHAPTER FOUR: CASE STUDY 2: KOBE BRYANT ................................................ 44
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 44
Context .................................................................................................................. 44
Analysis................................................................................................................. 46
Bryant's Apologia Strategies ................................................................................. 47
i. Denial .................................................................................................. 48
ii. Evading of Responsibilities ................................................................ 48
iii. Reducing Offensiveness of Event ....................................................... 48
iv. Corrective Action ................................................................................ 49
v. Mortification ....................................................................................... 49
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 51
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CHAPTER FIVE: CASE STUDY 3: MICHAEL PHELPS ............................................. 54
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 54
Context .................................................................................................................. 54
Analysis................................................................................................................. 57
Phelps' Apologia Strategies .................................................................................. 58
i. Denial and Evading of Responsibilities .............................................. 58
ii. Reducing Offensiveness of Event ....................................................... 58
iii. Corrective Action ................................................................................ 59
iv. Mortification ....................................................................................... 60
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 62
CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................... 64
i. Summary of Findings .......................................................................... 64
ii. Limitations and Further Research ....................................................... 70
APPENDICES .................................................................................................................. 73
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 79
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Five Strategies and Key Characteristics of Mortification ................................... 25
Table 2: Strategies Employed in Tiger Woods’ Apology Speech .................................... 42
Table 3: Kobe Bryant’s use of Benoit’s IRT in His Apologia .......................................... 52
Table 4: Michael Phelps’ Employment of Benoit’s IRT Strategies in his Apology ......... 62
Table 5: Summary of Apology Techniques Employed by Aforementioned Athletes ...... 67

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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
The professional sports world has a vast following, and with the help of today's
technologies, sports events have spread to all corners of the globe. With increased
viewership comes an increased fan base. However, multitudes of fans mean athletes have
an increasingly difficult time keeping their private lives private. The media and the public
have become increasingly interested in the misfortunes and scandals that surround
professional athletes. The following study is an in-depth look into three specific case
studies of sports figures and their private actions becoming public. The study focuses on
examining the rhetorical process of image restoration used in the apologia speeches of
three athletes in their discursive attempts to offset negative implications of specific
scandals. The study examines Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and his alleged
marijuana pipe smoking, National Basketball Association superstar Kobe Bryant and his
charge of sexual assault, and professional golfer Tiger Woods and the allegations that he
cheated on his wife. This study deepens our knowledge of the rhetoric of apologia, and
more importantly, the apologia rhetoric of athletes.
This chapter includes a brief description of the background of the issue, an
introduction to the main thesis question, a review of relevant literature on the rhetoric of
professional athletes, apologia, and image repair strategies.
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