McEnroe

[david aames]

Ok, I have to vent on this one... I was watching the Tennis Channel this morning - they were showing McEnroe/Bates playing the Albert Hall last december

During the second set tie break, McEnroe went crazy and yelled at someone in the audience 'you call me johnny one more time and I'll have you thrown out you drunk'. The umpire, the public, the BBC commentators stayed silent. Not a word.

I don't see why he gets away with such a bad *ss attitude. It just spoiled the game for me. I mean breaking frames or yelling at the umpire is one thing and it's part of the whole McEnroe circus but going after someone who paid good money for a round of exhibition matches is just ugly.

 

[ucd_ace]

Tiger Woods yells at people talking and what not all the time. In the last paired match thingy... whatever it's called in golf, Davis Love III had a fan ejected for saying "No love." At least McEnroe just yelled. There was that incident a few years back where the Los Angeless Dodgers got in a fight with the crowd... that was the worst. Anyway, get over it; if you're watching McEnroe you have to know that something like that is bound to happen.

 

[Morpheus]

It's part of the game (not tennis, but the money/entertainment game). If people want to see McEnroe, they should expect some outbursts. Why would you expect anything different? Since when do people mellow with age? Just the opposite.

I'm reminded of the scene in Rocky II when he takes on Hulk Hogan in an exhibition match and the Hulkster goes nuts on him. As the Hulkster says, "it's all part of the show."

 

[@wright]

That wasn't the Hulkster, that was Thunderlips. I bet Johnny Mac tones it up now that he's only playing exhibitions, to give the crowd something for their money's worth, cause after all, it's not like they're watching a real tournament.

 

[david aames]

I bet Johnny Mac tones it up now that he's only playing exhibitions, to give the crowd something for their money's worth, cause after all, it's not like they're watching a real tournament.

There is good money involved in those tournaments.

It's easy to see when he is genuinely pissed off and when he is just fooling around. This one was a nasty one -- decisive point in a championship tiebreak.

 

[chad shaver]

@wright,

Aren't you always leaving posts like "Water!!!!"? Now you're gonna kinda defend Johnny Mac?

 

[Camilio Pascual]

I guarantee that if Mac pulled a stunt like that on me, my retort would make him regret he opened his mouth.

 

[pound cat]

Even well-tempered Guga got into a shouting match with a fan and had him ejected. Can't remember exactly when, but I have it on a tape somewhere.

 

[Rabbit]

I saw that match. I thought it was funny. I don't think it interfered with Bates or the match. The guy had apparently been calling McEnroe "Johnny" all night long and finally McEnroe had enough of it. Whether the guy had been imbibing or not is anyone's call. But, what McEnroe said was "You call me Johnny once more and I'll have you thrown out you old drunk!." It wasn't really screaming, it was said in regular New Yorkian (Sean?).

 

[@wright]

Chad, yes I have posted that a couple times in jest, but I wouldn't say I'm "always" doing it. The "water" thing was obviously done rudely to a ballperson, but the thing johnny mac said could have been more playfully than maliciously(kinda like giving the guy a souvenir), that's all I'm saying. Plus I'm a Johnny Mac fan, so I think it's funny(biased?yes). Couldn't you see him throwing little things like that in these exh. matches to give the crowd their money's worth?

 

[tennis*bill]

Times have changed. When he was on tour, people hated him for his attitude. Now that he plays exhibitions, people want to see his tantrums, or they don't feel like they got their money's worth. He does it now just for the fans.

 

[david aames]

Sorry guys but there was no fun or NY accent involved there. Imagine for a minute that the guy involved was sitting next to his son. How's that for a laugh?

 

[Ronaldo]

If his son were sitting next to him, chances are they both received senior discounted tickets. McEnroe was probably surprised to find him awake. Shoulda told the old drunk to go play kick the bucket instead of kick the can.

 

[Morpheus]

I just saw a replay of the Mac match in question, and I have to agree that Mac was especially angry. This was just plain poor behavior. He wasn't playing well against a guy who never broke the top 20 in his day and he became frustrated. He broke his racket on the ground--I hadn't seen him abuse his racket like that before--and he even through it into the net at one point.

Frustrated, angry Mac should be penalized.