Tennis Demagogues & the Self

[Chopin]

borg number one: do you get the TTC? If so, did you happen to watch the Laver v. Borg clay court match the other night? It had been a while since I'd seen it and I was, as always, impressed by Borg's brisk, determined player. He was like a machine when he was top form. People often compared Nadal to Borg, but Nadal's intensity boils to the surface whereas Borg was operating like a finely tuned machine (quiet but incredibly efficient).

[Chopin]

Let me tell you guys a story I told to someone else on these boards once upon a time:

I've had the pleasure of snorkeling at Waterlemon Cay, which is widely considered one of the best snorkeling spots in the USVI. The cay is only accessible via a hiking trial that leads onto a rocky beach lined by sea urchins. And once you're in the water, you must swim across a deep expanse where all sorts of larger creatures pass through (reef sharks, great barracuda)--it can be a unnerving experience depending what great creatures meet you from the deep! And due to the cay's proximity to the open ocean, the current can be quite, quite strong. It's not a trip to be taken lightly. But once you reach the blindside of the cay facing the open ocean, you're often greeted by a wondrous sight! A diversity of corals, fish and invertebrates well worth anyone's time. I once saw the beautiful spotted eagle ray, gracefully gliding through.

And perhaps most importantly, when I'm at the mercy of the great sea, surrounded by nature's glory and life's beauty, I realize how perilously we exist, even in our day to day existence. The experience is nothing short of sublime. I hope you see, then, that I'm not afraid to see things for what they are--whether they be tennis or life. I'll continue to make my threads and make my arguments, no matter how much criticism or praise they receive.

"The breaking of so great a thing"--Caesar, Anthony and Cleopatra

[borg number one]

Great stuff and writing I might add Chopin. Never change your approach for anyone, but it's good to listen to advice, that's what I think. In the end you have to act and form opinions based on your own inner compass. If you really believe in what you are doing and how you are doing it, that is exactly the way to be (within reason of course, you don't want to be someone that doesn't even listen to advice).

That Borg/Laver match, I've only seen clips of it on YouTube. Unfortunately, when we switched from DirecTV to AT&T, I lost the Tennis Channel, but hopefully I'll start getting it again later this year. Thanks for the above on Borg/Nadal. I agree. The thing with Borg was that he was fast/quick, and SO EFFICIENT. Yes, that's it exactly. He's like that finely tuned luxury vehicle that just purrs down the road, barely making a sound, but boy when it needs to accelerate, boom, off it goes, like a leopard or cheetah after its been crouching in the brush. He doesn't waste much energy does he, and he always looks like he's reading the paper or watching TV casually, NEVER giving anything away to his opponent. That's why he won so many matches, per McEnroe, "before ever stepping on the Court". Players knew they had to play their best tennis the whole match, on every point against him, especially in the Slams (a bad loss is very hard to find).

Also, I love the story you put up there. That seems like a very serene, "mind expanding" experience. I bet you get some of your best ideas down there in the water, am I right? It's sort of like going for a long run, or meditating/praying, you know? Thanks again.

[Chopin]

^^I agree that listening to advice and evaluating its merits honestly is always a wise choice. Are there times when I could have toned down my rhetoric on the boards? Absolutely. But one thing I try to do in my threads is take people outside of their comfort zones without resorting to personal attacks. It's sometimes a fine line, but I believe that when people are genuinely pushed, that fruitful discussion follows. Some people really dislike my posts, but as one poster noted, they often lead to lots of meaningful discussion. And of course, some of my posts are just meant to make people smile

If I can contribute/create discussion on the boards and make people smile at the same time--mission accomplished, right?

I hope you get the TTC again--there was a great special on the history of tennis on recently talked about the very origins of the game and the sports/games that proceeded modern tennis. It was really fascinating.

Glad you liked the story. It's an interesting thing: how natural environments shape and move us as people. I can honestly say that I'd be surprised if my perspective on life were not quite different had I not discovered my passion for marine life (among other things).

You're welcome to post in any of my threads.