Out of control athletes; why do we forgive them?

With the Tiger Woods scandal added to the list, there seems to be no shortage of scandals involving superstar athletes and plenty of examples of fans giving them second chances.

In some cases a few apologetic words from a pro athlete can be enough for a career to bounce back.

After Michael Vick's two-year stint in federal prison, outrage over the dogfighting ring dissolved into cheers from Philadelphia Eagles fans.

Andre Agassi admission to using meth during his tennis career turned into a number one best seller.

And Mike Tyson - once jailed for rape - will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

For all athletes in sordid scandals, an immediate apology may be the best strategy.

Brian Wheeler, radio host on 95.5 FM, says that had Tiger Woods apology come sooner sports fans would have been quicker to forgive him.

But here in Portland, the majority of fans seem to be saying that they just want Tiger back on the golf course.

A local psychologist, who KATU spoke with, says that forgiving high-profile people has become the trend in the past few years. The main reason being that it makes us feel good about ourselves when we forgive another person.