Two Tennis writers' views of Hit for Haiti incident

E

EKnee08

Professional
Peter Bodo, the co-author of Pete's auto-biography, "A Champion's Mind" and a frequent writer for Tennis Magazine stated his view of the incident in the following two articles:

http://tennisworld.typepad.com/tennisworld/index.html
http://espn.go.com/sports/tennis/blog/_/name/bodo_peter/id/4997105/agassi-broke-unwritten-code


Steve Flink on tennischannel.com, reached the same conclusion as to who was at fault, but for a different reason:
http://www.tennischannel.com/news/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=7189
 
C

canuckfan

Semi-Pro
Flink's article is a clearly written assessment of agassi's behaviour. Agassi is still bitter about losing to pete, and he showed it in a petty and classless way. After all this time andre should be able to take the high road, but he couldn't help himself.
 
Overheadsmash

Overheadsmash

Professional
Flink was right on. As I watch that hilarious train wreck unfold, I know it was much more than just joking. I received Andre's book for Christmas, and I just finished reading it last month. I knew it was Andre lashing out because of Pete.
 
drakulie

drakulie

Talk Tennis Guru
Flink is obviously extremely bias. "Sampras lost his serve cause agassi was talking"? LMAO. Well, what was sampras's excuse for losing serve all the years he was on the ATP? Someone at home watching the matches on TV was speaking and he could hear them?

LMAO. This is absolutely embarassing. I stopped reading right there. As for Bodo, didn't even bother reading any of it. He is the biggest brown noser in the history of the sport, and a horrible analyst.
 
D

Datacipher

Banned
Flink was very accurate, though when he says it was difficult to know what Agassi meant by "Pete, we all know. The secret’s over so let it go. It’s liberating. ", he was wrong. He said back in the 90's, and more recently in his book how he felt "liberated" by shaving his head.

Back in the 90's, I thought he said it was liberating partly to make him feel better about the new "do", and partly because he faced up to the fact that he was balding, and didn't have to wear a baseball cap CONSTANTLY, as he had the last 2 years....going so far as to wear baseball caps to non-tennis formal events!

Now that we know he went so far as to wear wigs....it's even more understandable.

HOWEVER, saying to Sampras "hey! We all know you're balding! Let go! Shave it off!" is NOT COOL. Between good friends, in private? OK. In front of a TV audience and a stadium of people? NOT COOL.

You wouldn't do that to a friend, or even a stranger.
 
S

SJP

New User
Why did Sampras mention Obama? It is a charity event, not really a place to show political views.
 
hoodjem

hoodjem

G.O.A.T.
EKnee08 said:
Steve Flink on tennischannel.com, reached the same conclusion as to who was at fault, but for a different reason:
http://www.tennischannel.com/news/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=7189
Click to expand...
I do wish tennis writers would avoid writing such meaningless, specious drivel:
"It was a rare opportunity for the fans at Indian Wells and Tennis Channel viewers to see perhaps the two greatest players in the history of the sport as a tandem . . . ."

But I guess there's a network of person out there who are finacially committed to enhancing the game's popularity, and thus hyping or exaggerating these things.
 
supineAnimation

supineAnimation

Hall of Fame
I thought the Flink article was based on a false premise that the fans and/or the organizers expected these guys to "to play good tennis... without saying much." I disagree. This was not an exhibition the way that the three Federer/Sampras matches were. This was meant to be entertainment; hence the microphones, and this was for charity. Personally I don't think it's fair to expect Nadal to contribute much to the banter. He barely speaks the language. But I did think he was trying to entertain with his shots and that that, for him, superseded the desire to win. But Agassi and Federer seemed to understand that they were mic'ed and that they were supposed to joke around and get the audience laughing. Agassi took it too far; no question in my mind. Not so much for the bald crack (is there anyone who doesn't realize Sampras is balding?), but definitely for the tipping stuff. But who hasn't said something inappropriate or embarrassing without thinking? I don't think Sampras handled it particularly well (no idea what he meant by the Obama thing), but I'm not sure I would've either. But Sampras didn't seem to feel any obligation to say anything, let alone something funny, and he seemed much more interested in winning the match than entertaining with his shots. So I think Agassi was trying to entertain the crowd and that perhaps, just maybe, he felt more pressure to be witty and to get Sampras involved in the banter precisely because he wasn't saying anything and he was all business with his tennis?
 
gpt

gpt

Professional
theagassiman said:
JEEZE GUYS!
It's all a fun and games till someone gets hurt.
None got hurt right?
So let's just move on?
Click to expand...

how do you know sampras was not hurt?

this wasnt four guys drinking in a bar taking shots ar each other
millions were watching

its easy to look gracious and dignified when taking a bow to four sides of a tennis court after winning a match.

its easy to look like a great guy when offering to help under priviliged children.

not so easy with the pressure of rafter beating you in a wimbledon semi that results in you slamming a ball at a lines woman after you lose.

i suspect agassi imposed pressure on himself to be the wittiest most entertaining guy when mic'd up.

people show their true character when under pressure.

a few years ago it seemed agassi was going to be seen as the dignified tennis statesman that was lost when arthur ashe died.

too bad he does not have the character to pull it off.
 
D

Datacipher

Banned
gpt said:
a few years ago it seemed agassi was going to be seen as the dignified tennis statesman that was lost when arthur ashe died.

too bad he does not have the character to pull it off.
Click to expand...

Really good point. It is a shame, but when you look at the character both showed "under pressure" (as you point out, a very telling time), there is no comparison whatsoever in the way they conducted themselves.
 
supineAnimation

supineAnimation

Hall of Fame
gpt said:
how do you know sampras was not hurt?

this wasnt four guys drinking in a bar taking shots ar each other
millions were watching

its easy to look gracious and dignified when taking a bow to four sides of a tennis court after winning a match.

its easy to look like a great guy when offering to help under priviliged children.

not so easy with the pressure of rafter beating you in a wimbledon semi that results in you slamming a ball at a lines woman after you lose.

i suspect agassi imposed pressure on himself to be the wittiest most entertaining guy when mic'd up.

people show their true character when under pressure.

a few years ago it seemed agassi was going to be seen as the dignified tennis statesman that was lost when arthur ashe died.

too bad he does not have the character to pull it off.
Click to expand...
Agassi does quite a bit more than offer help to underprivileged children and if you're seriously suggesting that one misguided joke says more about his character than his years of hands-on, dedicated work for his preparatory school, you need to take a serious look at your prioritizing system, my man. His school isn't some tax write-off for him. That guy is more closely and operatively involved in that school than any other athlete is with their foundation or charitable organization that I've ever read about. I guess you've never said something that was offensive or hurtful to someone else? If so, beatification is right this way, because you'd be the first person I ever met who's never stepped in it.
 
gpt

gpt

Professional
supineAnimation said:
Agassi does quite a bit more than offer help to underprivileged children and if you're seriously suggesting that one misguided joke says more about his character than his years of hands-on, dedicated work for his preparatory school, you need to take a serious look at your prioritizing system, my man. His school isn't some tax write-off for him. That guy is more closely and operatively involved in that school than any other athlete is with their foundation or charitable organization that I've ever read about. I guess you've never said something that was offensive or hurtful to someone else? If so, beatification is right this way, because you'd be the first person I ever met who's never stepped in it.
Click to expand...

i did not suggest his school was a tax write off and i never said he did not do good things.

of course i make errors of judgement

you missed my point.

i said he did not have the character to become the statesman that i thought he may become.

how come you didnt defend his slamming of a ball at a line judge?
 
D

Datacipher

Banned
supineAnimation said:
Agassi does quite a bit more than offer help to underprivileged children and if you're seriously suggesting that one misguided joke says more about his character than hisyears of hands-on, dedicated work for his preparatory school, you need to take a serious look at your prioritizing system, my man. His school isn't some tax write-off for him. That guy is more closely and operatively involved in that school than any other athlete is with their foundation or charitable organization that I've ever read about. I guess you've never said something that was offensive or hurtful to someone else? If so, beatification is right this way, because you'd be the first person I ever met who's never stepped in it.
Click to expand...

I would like to hear more about his hands-on involvement. Would you please elaborate on your statements?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top