Average American is so ill-informed on tennis

[8F93W5]

Originally Posted by TMF

American only care if their players dominated the sport. ...........

No, most people in USA knew who Anna Kournikova was when she was playing. What about that?

[PCXL-Fan]

Why can't we put Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians and South Africaners in the same boat as Americans? Why always berate Americans?

[LaneMyer]

Originally Posted by 8F93W5

No, most people in USA knew who Anna Kournikova was when she was playing. What about that?

and Sharapova who has been a presenter at ESPN's ESPY Awards and...I believe she pitched some digital camera here too. So yeah, be great and/or be hot...then we know thy foreigners.

[LaneMyer]

Originally Posted by PCXL-Fan

Why can't we put Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians and South Africaners in the same boat as Americans? Why always berate Americans?

because we're the only country that has rich, obese, violent, self-absorbed peoples, silly.

[zam88]

I think a truly average american would know McEnroe, Agassi (he was more of a commercial success here than Sampras), and Pwnerer, and would definitely know the Williams sisters.

[jrs]

I think the USA is overloaded with Football (American - not the real one!), basketball and Baseball. With very little coverage given to other sports such as Tennis or Football (the real one!).

So I can see people not knowing anything about Tennis or any other sport than the big 3. For example who's the best Rugy or Cricket player in the world....I don't know....but I'm sure millions of people do.

[Bobby Jr]

Originally Posted by PCXL-Fan

Why can't we put Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians and South Africaners in the same boat as Americans? Why always berate Americans?

I'd hazard a guess that a much higher percentage of people on average everywhere outside the US knows more about most sports and current events in general. It's just how it is.

[LaneMyer]

Originally Posted by Bobby Jr

I'd hazard a guess that a much higher percentage of people on average everywhere outside the US knows more about most sports and current events in general. It's just how it is.

current events, maybe...but there are a lot of variables there. Sports though, highly unlikely. I don't think anyone obsesses about sports (in general) quite like we do. Again we just have more variety, more options. Most countries have on average 2 widely followed sports. Soccer and....maybe tennis, maybe golf, maybe auto racing depending on which country we're talking about. We have 2 widely followed sports at the college level before even getting to the pros. Besides, I'm not seeing many sites/blogs etc devoted to hardcore statistical analysis like American sports. Soccer and tennis are just now getting involved in statistical analysis to the basic levels baseball or football had 15 years ago. How has range factor not been an analyzed stat in soccer yet? When I look at a friend's soccer site, I see a bunch of basic level analysis that any random person could regurgitate. Go to baseballprospectus or fangraphs or baseballreference and you'll see what I mean.

When it comes down to it, soccer is just boring to a lot of people..and a lot of players play a boring style of tennis these days for the average fan. It's just the way it is. If the ATP is going to keep the courts slow enabling all these pushers and grinders, it's just going to continue to circle the drain in popularity. I have a difficult time believing that the world's youth, in this age of time intensive video games and social media and hundreds of channels and various electronic devices, is going to sit there and watch a 4 hour Djoker vs Murray grindfest no matter what country you're from. Like boxing is dead, and baseball is slowly dying with our youth in America, tennis is already there. Like hockey, it's not a great television product, and when you consider football - it requires one 3 hour commitment per week to watch your favorite team in a short 16 game season that means every game carries some significance. Even for me it's tough to watch tennis daily for 2 weeks during a grand slam with the defense first sludgefest that most players drop these days.

All that said, I don't think there is any question that more Americans follow European soccer leagues than Europeans that follow baseball or football or basketball here. And I'm saying that fully aware that basketball has become more and more popular in Spain, Germany, Greece, Italy, and some of the Eastern European countries. But they still have a ways to go to catch up to China and the Philippines who are rapidly exploding as major revenue streams for the NBA.

[LaneMyer]

Originally Posted by jrs

I think the USA is overloaded with Football (American - not the real one!), basketball and Baseball. With very little coverage given to other sports such as Tennis or Football (the real one!).

So I can see people not knowing anything about Tennis or any other sport than the big 3. For example who's the best Rugy or Cricket player in the world....I don't know....but I'm sure millions of people do.

by the "real one" you're talking about the one where greasy haired dudes get tripped and rive around in pain until the World War 2 stretcher is wheeled out, correct? Not the one where Hall of Fame safeties lop off fingers so they can stay in the game, or Hall of Fame linebackers reset their own separated shoulders, right?

[jokinla]

Could you change the title of your thread to "Average TT poster is so ill-informed on tennis". Thanks.

[Sumo]

Originally Posted by LaneMyer

by the "real one" you're talking about the one where greasy haired dudes get tripped and rive around in pain until the World War 2 stretcher is wheeled out, correct? Not the one where Hall of Fame safeties lop off fingers so they can stay in the game, or Hall of Fame linebackers reset their own separated shoulders, right?

Don't forget about the magic cold spray! It has saved countless lives this year alone!

ps....I love soccer.

[underground]

LOL who cares ask the average guy on the street who's World Number 1 I can guarantee you 50%+ will say Roger Federer.

[BrooklynNY]

Doesn't help that when ESPN did their intro to the Masters Cup finals... when they said #1 vs #2, they actually showed images/video of Federer when they said #1, and Nole when they said #2.

This would lead the average fan to think that Fed is actually still #1, not Djokovic.

Terrible trickery by ESPN that doesn't go unnoticed

[Rhino]

Originally Posted by PCXL-Fan

Why are Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians and South Africaners so ill informed on tennis?

Are you joking? Have you ever been in Melbourne during the Australian Open? Everyone is talking tennis. Even old ladies in the hotel elevator will say "Good morning. Tomic played well last night didn't he?", or whatever else is going on at the Open.

As a contrast, I've been in NYC during the US Open, and outside of the tournament grounds nobody seems to be aware of it at all. Once again, if I mention it they think I'm referring to golf.

[joeri888]

Originally Posted by LaneMyer

by the "real one" you're talking about the one where greasy haired dudes get tripped and rive around in pain until the World War 2 stretcher is wheeled out, correct? Not the one where Hall of Fame safeties lop off fingers so they can stay in the game, or Hall of Fame linebackers reset their own separated shoulders, right?

So now the real sports are about pain resistance and toughness? Than what the hell are you doing on a tennis forum? Go watch some boxing! Like tennis, real football (the name itself tells ya it's more suited to the real than to american football) not only asks a player to be physically fit. It also requires great flexibility, coordination, technique, ball control and skill. Whereas like you say, american football is mostly about being tough. It's a bit like your crazy *** Hulk Hogan fightacting... Americans just like your imagination being stretched so far that you are not jealous of that person doing this stuff anymore. You want to be comfortable in your chair.

Anyways, it's not like europeans are the only ones liking football. They adore football from China, to India, to Africa, to south America. You on the other hand are kinda on your own. That's why tennis and football are my two favourite sports: 1) it's worldwide 2) it takes a lot of SKILL instead of fysical power.

Anyways, like some people here already mentioned. Americans dont care if its worldwide. They just care if theres one of theirs winning.

[Alchemy-Z]

only thing harder than being a tennis fan in America.

is being a F1 fan

[namelessone]

Originally Posted by Alchemy-Z

only thing harder than being a tennis fan in America.

is being a F1 fan

F1 is in weak era now anyways.

I'm not even a big motorsports fan but I watched every Sunday to see the Schumacher-Hakkinen duels.

[LaneMyer]

Originally Posted by joeri888

So now the real sports are about pain resistance and toughness? Than what the hell are you doing on a tennis forum? Go watch some boxing! Like tennis, real football (the name itself tells ya it's more suited to the real than to american football) not only asks a player to be physically fit. It also requires great flexibility, coordination, technique, ball control and skill. Whereas like you say, american football is mostly about being tough. It's a bit like your crazy *** Hulk Hogan fightacting... Americans just like your imagination being stretched so far that you are not jealous of that person doing this stuff anymore. You want to be comfortable in your chair.

Anyways, it's not like europeans are the only ones liking football. They adore football from China, to India, to Africa, to south America. You on the other hand are kinda on your own. That's why tennis and football are my two favourite sports: 1) it's worldwide 2) it takes a lot of SKILL instead of fysical power.

Anyways, like some people here already mentioned. Americans dont care if its worldwide. They just care if theres one of theirs winning.

Satire is indeed dead. I'm not a soccer hater, bro. Just keep the "real football" garbage for soccer forums. If you don't think the theatrics of Euro soccer players isn't a major factor in the general lack of popularity of the sport in North America then you're kidding yourself. And save the "skill" argument for someone else. You're a soccer and tennis fan because that's what's popular and ingrained in the culture of whatever country you're from. (I'm assuming UK from your spelling). Otherwise you'd be a baseball fan because there is no greater sport of skill than baseball.

[Goosehead]

Originally Posted by 8F93W5

No, most people in USA knew who Anna Kournikova was when she was playing. What about that?

thats because they wanted to take her into the cloakroom boris becker style..and give her one

[Bobby Jr]

Originally Posted by Rhino

Are you joking? Have you ever been in Melbourne during the Australian Open? Everyone is talking tennis....

Yeah, if there are two countries which are noted for an extremely high amount of playing and following sports in general it's Australia and New Zealand.