MEP vs ET Players - Original TT Epic

Who wins?

  • Ian to dish out bagel and a stick

    Votes: 9 9.1%
  • Ian Wins

    Votes: 43 43.4%
  • Ian just manages to win

    Votes: 22 22.2%
  • Green shirt teaches Ian a lesson

    Votes: 6 6.1%
  • Green shirt wins

    Votes: 13 13.1%
  • Green shirt shocks the tennis world

    Votes: 6 6.1%

  • Total voters
    99
  • Poll closed .

AnyPUG

Hall of Fame
I believe MEP asked for all of those matches as opposed to the ET team twisting his arm.

To clarify - I didn't mean to imply that there was arm twisting(persuasion by some sort of pressure). I mentioned "heavy handedness" and unnecessary force to deal with the level of opposition - it means using more force with severity than what's reasonably necessary in a situation. I do hope MEP was able to put up a compelling performance and provide material for some interesting videos - without disrespecting his ability one bit, I'll be surprised (however pleasantly) if matches with ET crew(especially Ian) turned out to be on equal footing in terms of competitive match-up. And it's primarily (and perhaps solely) because of the depth of tennis background ET folks have in comparison to a rec player however unique and with prior achievement (still at rec level).
 

happyandbob

Legend
One fact - two polar opposite reactions! I had my surprise element eliminated when I discovered Scott is a teaching pro(as he appeared to be a high level player with traditional strokes)

Haha. That's what happens when you get stuck in a mode of thinking I guess. It was obvious that he was a high level player with excellent technique, but I was impressed with him because I thought he was just a rec player vs. a pro. I'm not less impressed with his game now, but it makes more sense to me now how he got there.
 

srimes

Rookie
The truth is either way Ian has already won. With all the hype and extra vids he must be making enough off this match to retire. He could lose, make one last sad video about shutting down the channel, and go console himself on a tropical island for the rest of his life.

The real question is, what's GSG's cut for making this possible?
 

sureshs

Bionic Poster
The truth is either way Ian has already won. With all the hype and extra vids he must be making enough off this match to retire. He could lose, make one last sad video about shutting down the channel, and go console himself on a tropical island for the rest of his life.

The real question is, what's GSG's cut for making this possible?

I already asked him that and he answered. He is taking no money but asked Ian to donate something to a charity. He was also given a non-alcoholic beer endorsement opportunity but asked that anything be donated to charity.
 
The truth is either way Ian has already won. With all the hype and extra vids he must be making enough off this match to retire. He could lose, make one last sad video about shutting down the channel, and go console himself on a tropical island for the rest of his life.

The real question is, what's GSG's cut for making this possible?

I think you are really over valuing how much he is probably making off this video. Not a single one of his videos in the past year have cracked over 500K views. His most viewed videos are court level views of pros practicing in slow motion.
 

chazz

Rookie
I think you are really over valuing how much he is probably making off this video. Not a single one of his videos in the past year have cracked over 500K views. His most viewed videos are court level views of pros practicing in slow motion.

He's making most of his money from the 3.0 level players who fly in and drop major dollars to have Ian analyze their strokes in slow motion. He also holds tennis clinics as he's mentioned he lost major money when he had to cancel a large tennis clinic when covid hit. There's also his online tennis courses. All together he's probably doing very well.
 
He's making most of his money from the 3.0 level players who fly in and drop major dollars to have Ian analyze their strokes in slow motion. He also holds tennis clinics as he's mentioned he lost major money when he had to cancel a large tennis clinic when covid hit. There's also his online tennis courses. All together he's probably doing very well.

I never said he wasn't doing well. I am sure he is doing great.

I am just saying his video with MEP isn't going to be raking in these huge sums of cash like the other commenter claims. It's not like he will suddenly have enough to stop making videos.
 

sureshs

Bionic Poster
He's making most of his money from the 3.0 level players who fly in and drop major dollars to have Ian analyze their strokes in slow motion. He also holds tennis clinics as he's mentioned he lost major money when he had to cancel a large tennis clinic when covid hit. There's also his online tennis courses. All together he's probably doing very well.

I don't think so. Those working at camps/clinics at famous resorts managed by PBI or Drysdale make regular money. not Internet coaches doing this sporadically.
 
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AnyPUG

Hall of Fame
ET finally published who all played MEP. - Sean(ET subscriber from Chicago who played as mystery challenger a few months ago), Topher, Scott and finally the man, the myth, the legend and one and only Ian.
 
Like seriously, when is the stupid video getting posted of the match? Starting to get annoying.
LMvsnvi.png


Looks he played 4! matches. Presumably Ian will be last and everyone will have highlights, Part 1, Part 2 posted a few days apart. So to actually know the result of vs Ian I'd check back in about 2 months time.
 

dman72

Hall of Fame
LMvsnvi.png


Looks he played 4! matches. Presumably Ian will be last and everyone will have highlights, Part 1, Part 2 posted a few days apart. So to actually know the result of vs Ian I'd check back in about 2 months time.
I hope Ian realizes this GSG buzz thing is going to get old pretty quickly and if he keeps milking it, in a few months no one is going to care.

Nothing against GSG, he is who he is, but Ian is trying to gather a click storm on it....meanwhile while he's been trying to milk it, GSG lost handily to solid 4.5 player "boss" or whoever, which takes some of the shine off the proverbial..whatever shine comes off of.
 

happyandbob

Legend
What did I tell you? Mark is too full of himself to play.

and you’re sure that he didn’t play for that reason and not:
  • He bowed out because everyone wanted a shot
  • He wanted to play but asking MEP to play 5 matches was too much even for him
  • He had conflicts with scheduling for his own YouTube channel
  • He was abducted by aliens during MEPs trip
Any of these seem just as plausible as your ad hominem attack/conclusion.

some people here hate Ian and some hate GSG and some hate Mark. I don’t get it
 

sureshs

Bionic Poster
and you’re sure that he didn’t play for that reason and not:
  • He bowed out because everyone wanted a shot
  • He wanted to play but asking MEP to play 5 matches was too much even for him
  • He had conflicts with scheduling for his own YouTube channel
  • He was abducted by aliens during MEPs trip
Any of these seem just as plausible as your ad hominem attack/conclusion.

some people here hate Ian and some hate GSG and some hate Mark. I don’t get it

Nobody hates GSG
 

giantschwinn

Semi-Pro
and you’re sure that he didn’t play for that reason and not:
  • He bowed out because everyone wanted a shot
  • He wanted to play but asking MEP to play 5 matches was too much even for him
  • He had conflicts with scheduling for his own YouTube channel
  • He was abducted by aliens during MEPs trip
Any of these seem just as plausible as your ad hominem attack/conclusion.

some people here hate Ian and some hate GSG and some hate Mark. I don’t get it
I am 90% sure playing GSG is too beneath him. Plus he is just starting a channel, can't lose credibility.
 

chazz

Rookie
I am 90% sure playing GSG is too beneath him. Plus he is just starting a channel, can't lose credibility.
I think it's more fear of losing to GSG because that would hurt his YouTube channel. In fairness, Mark has had Seirea, a YouTuber who's a 3.5 player warm him up for a big tournament. Not the same as playing him but he could have gotten a much higher level player to be his hitting partner.
 

sredna42

Hall of Fame
I hope Ian realizes this GSG buzz thing is going to get old pretty quickly and if he keeps milking it, in a few months no one is going to care.

Nothing against GSG, he is who he is, but Ian is trying to gather a click storm on it....meanwhile while he's been trying to milk it, GSG lost handily to solid 4.5 player "boss" or whoever, which takes some of the shine off the proverbial..whatever shine comes off of.

to be fair, il monstro verde seemed out of sorts in that match, and seemed off.
he was actually making unforced errors, and trying to hit topspin bh, which usually he seems allergic too. Maybe trying something different, I dunno.

but definitely not the "eater of souls" I've seen in other videos.

the most interesting thing about that vid was watching Boss 4.5's confidence grow as he started to win, making him swing even harder, compounding the success
 

FiddlerDog

Hall of Fame
The sheer number of people who manage to see these things in MEP's game mystifies me. I see an out of shape middle aged guy who fails to track down balls three steps away from him on a regular basis.

I see a 4.5 player with an 11-1 record at 4.5
And I see a green shirt.
I see a real tennis player.
As real as it gets compared to fakers who refuse to play matches.
 

GuyClinch

Legend
I think you are really over valuing how much he is probably making off this video. Not a single one of his videos in the past year have cracked over 500K views. His most viewed videos are court level views of pros practicing in slow motion.


This. Ian isn't making money from the videos alone. He uses them to get students in door. I bet he charges like $300/hr for a private.. I think Ric Macci charges like 500/hr. That's why I speculate that high..

Videos though really can elevate your profits. This last summer I took 2 lessons from a guy who was an ex college player and was currently playing in 5.0 USTA. The guy would have destroyed Ian in terms of tennis playing - he was young too - in his twenties. Only cost me $50 an hour.. So basically his videos can jack up his rates.

Then you have video courses which I am sure Ian has some of .. In short Ian doesn't need super high view counts to make a profit from his videos - as they are a gateway to his other money makers.. He does need to thrash MEP and win convincingly but not like it was super easy. Then he can paint a nice experience for the potential customer. "I learned to beat the dreaded pusher - and now I can show you the way!"

Good marketing. I heard the FYB guy is the ultimate at this kind of thing - top marketer in tennis.. This is the same approach all the fitness guys use as well - I went from "fat to a "six pack!" etc etc.

And let me be clear - this is not hate. I like ET's business moxie. Same with FYB guy.. It's impressive.
 
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sureshs

Bionic Poster
After last year, tennis pros need to make money. Good thing tennis is booming now. Wonder how long it will last.
 

AnyPUG

Hall of Fame
The latest video "He's Here" (especially the scene that shows Ian dropping off MEP at the airport) gives away too much about what transpired... ET folks reading this - edit out the return trip airport scene!
Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Non-fiction Series goes to ... nothing else even comes close.
 
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sureshs

Bionic Poster
The latest video "He's Here" (especially the scene that shows Ian dropping off MEP at the airport) gives away too much about what transpired... ET folks reading this - edit out the return trip airport scene!
Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Non-fiction Series goes to ... nothing else even comes close.

Can you post the video?
 

sureshs

Bionic Poster

Thanks a lot. Is it just me or did I sense a distinct tension between the two at departure time? "Something was missing .. Trip was OK .. Not all that I had expected .. I guess we have different standards." This is shaping up to be an emotional roller-coaster.
 

davced1

Hall of Fame
At this point I don't care about the score anymore. Maybe Ian want's to teach us a life lesson here and we will all realize that the journey is what matters, not the score.
 
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