Usta League/poor Sports Engage In Mudslinging

[Backboard]

When some people lose they react by whining and mudslining. They make malicious and untrue allegations about those who do win. In some perverse way it makes them feel better about themsleves. Sick ... but true. It certainly is true for some USTA League players.

If fact it is almost part of the USTA League process. One team wins and some of the losing teams immediately begin to complain.

The whiners, upset that their team did not win, sling mud at those who did win. If the winning team wins by a lopsided score, the whiners complain that the winners are out of level. If the winners win by a close score, the whiners say the winners were not trying. If the winners lose a line, the whiners say the winners were intentionally playing to lose. No matter what the result, the whiners have something to complain about. They cannot stop whining no more than an addict can stop taking drugs.

When you see those comments, just look at the source. These comments come from poor sports who are disgruntled because their team got beat.

 

[Topaz]

Really? That hasn't been my experience at all. Maybe this post should be in rants and raves?

 

[SlapShot]

Really? That hasn't been my experience at all. Maybe this post should be in rants and raves?

Or even more accurate, is there a "trolls" section on here?

 

[takl23]

I think we found a whiner...

Cheers,

Tim

 

[cknobman]

Backboard, did you play on the Dallas, Tx team by chance?

 

[goober]

LOL- 3 posts by Backboard all on the same topic. Have an axe to grind? A little defensive are we?

 

[cknobman]

LOL- 3 posts by Backboard all on the same topic. Have an axe to grind? A little defensive are we?

He must have played on a team full of sandbaggers!!!!!



lmao, j/k

 

[Cruzer]

When some people lose they react by whining and mudslining. They make malicious and untrue allegations about those who do win.

I hardly ever hear losers complain about the winners unless they were making bad line calls. Instead I hear losers come up with any number of excuses for why they lost including but not limited to the following.

1. I have a sore pinky toe/ankle/shin/knee/finger/wrist/elbow/shoulder/head or some combination thereof.

2. I ate too much last night/I haven't eaten all day.

3. My kid/dog/hamster/goldfish was sick all night and I didn't get any sleep.

4. It was too sunny/cloudy/hazy.

5. It was too hot/cold.

6. My shoes were too loose/too tight/have lost their cushioning/have lost their grip.

7. I wore the wrong socks/shorts/shirt/underwear.

8. I forgot my hat.

9. My strings are too loose/tight.

10. My racquet needs restringing/my racquet was just restrung and I couldn't play well with it.

11. My grip is worn out.

12. The court was dirty/had cracks in it.

13. It was too windy.

14. I just took a lesson/I need to take a lesson and my game is "off".

15. The balls were too lively at the beginning of the match/dead in the third set.

16. I couldn't focus because of work/family worries.

And the most common complaint after a doubles match, 'my partner played like crap'.

 

[JavierLW]

I hardly ever hear losers complain about the winners unless they were making bad line calls. Instead I hear losers come up with any number of excuses for why they lost including but not limited to the following.

1. I have a sore pinky toe/ankle/shin/knee/finger/wrist/elbow/shoulder/head or some combination thereof.

2. I ate too much last night/I haven't eaten all day.

3. My kid/dog/hamster/goldfish was sick all night and I didn't get any sleep.

4. It was too sunny/cloudy/hazy.

5. It was too hot/cold.

6. My shoes were too loose/too tight/have lost their cushioning/have lost their grip.

7. I wore the wrong socks/shorts/shirt/underwear.

8. I forgot my hat.

9. My strings are too loose/tight.

10. My racquet needs restringing/my racquet was just restrung and I couldn't play well with it.

11. My grip is worn out.

12. The court was dirty/had cracks in it.

13. It was too windy.

14. I just took a lesson/I need to take a lesson and my game is "off".

15. The balls were too lively at the beginning of the match/dead in the third set.

16. I couldn't focus because of work/family worries.

And the most common complaint after a doubles match, 'my partner played like crap'.

How about:

18. I couldnt serve because the ceiling was curved strangely.

19. I lost because I had trouble playing such a sucky opponent.

20. You dont hit enough pace, otherwise I would of won.

21. Ummmm.....ya.....Well.......Ummmm......But.....I wasnt really trying very hard today. (I hate it when my opponent says this after a match)

 

[Sakkijarvi]

Reasons for losing are legit

Everyone seems very emotional on this topic. From my experience coaching team sports, working with individual athletes, and my own play of team and individual sports -- I tend to be analytical.

There ARE reasons one side/person prevailed over another. Afterward, whether it be a postgame meeting, or my own personal tennis notes, I look to break it down. Identify the causes, and collectively, or as an individual they DO often include lack of effort, hustle, failure to deal with environmental conditions -- including raucous crowd at an away game, unfair calls by the refs, antics by opposing players and coaches that break your focus, better athletes overall or in specific positions, bad job/plan by coaching staff, injuries, etc., etc.

Most people no more allow you to talk about the reasons for losing (i.e., they readily jump at the chance to accuse others of various flavors of the loser's lament) than analyze success (the losing party is assumed not to have the stomach for it).

With some of my regular opponents, breaking it down is a LOT of the FUN. We talk at the courts, b.s. on the phone between matches, keep track of and discuss one another's league matches, and all that.

I find it lame to be so ready to slam any discussion of reasons for an outcome...and perhaps this is a hindrance in obtaining feedback...you don't want to be perceived as a 'whiner' by all the 'instant experts' in any tennis realm you inhabit, from club to vapidware.

The pros used to say they 'didn't have it' that day when they lost. Tursunov didn't have it against Roddick in their DC match, clearly.

So when Tursunov (or any pro that loses a match) gets with their coach afterward, does it go like this:

Coach Tarpishchev: What happened out there today?

Tursunov: I just didn't have it, Andy hit me these powder puff returns early and I didn't adjust. Then the crowed took me out of my game, I couldn't focus.

Coach Tarpishchev: You awful, awful whiner. Wait until I tell the people at the Tennis Warehouse message board! I will no longer take your checks and am going back to my job at Walmart.

Or should it be:

Tursunov: Roddick took me out of my rhythm with soft returns and the crowd made it worse.

Coach Tarpishchev: Dmitry, Dmitry. You are a great man, just try and not go for so much when your opponent offers you no pace. Make the capitalist weakling hit one more stroke. And ignore his decadent followers, their children will all be working in our collective farms someday.

 

[chlsmo]

I'm sorry but in my first year (2007) I have played four tournaments. 1st one was 108+ degrees in August. 2nd was rain delayed/rainy (I actually won my first round here), 3rd and 4th were in ridiculous wind 60+mph. With my lack of tournament experience, and stupid weather, I really feel like there are/were conditions that impacted my game negatively. I realize that my opponents were also under the same horrible weather, but I think that is where match experience may have helped, nothing I could do about that at the time. So I have a terrible tournament record this year, I don't think it accurately describes my ability. Hopefully this weekend will have more moderate weather and I can play my game a bit better.

Bottom line is sometimes there are legit excuses for losing. I would never tell my opponents "Hey I only lost because the weather sucks." But when I am driving home I can't help but to think that things could have gone better weather permitting.

After my last loss my opponent apologized (unnecessarily) for the wind and admitted that "This wasn't even tennis." (He got bumped up to 4.0 last week too) Anyway I will persevere.

 

[Cindysphinx]

How about:

18. I couldnt serve because the ceiling was curved strangely.

19. I lost because I had trouble playing such a sucky opponent.

20. You dont hit enough pace, otherwise I would of won.

21. Ummmm.....ya.....Well.......Ummmm......But.....I wasnt really trying very hard today. (I hate it when my opponent says this after a match)

22. I just got my period/I'm about to get my period/I wonder how come I didn't get my period.

 

[volleyman]

22. I just got my period/I'm about to get my period/I wonder how come I didn't get my period.

Ah the horror of being male - I'm stuck with only 21 excuses for losing.

 

[peter]

Ah the horror of being male - I'm stuck with only 21 excuses for losing.

22(male): My girlfriend just got her period/is about to get her period/didn't get her period.

There! No problem you just got your 22:nd excuse too!

 

[volleyman]

Thanks peter, I feel much better now. I have a WTT match coming up Wednesday night, and knowing that I have excuse parity with my mixed doubles partner greatly eases my mind.

 

[Tennis-Chris]

The most common reason for losing yet the thought is rarely shared, to my opponent I say, "Today you were better than me. Congratulations.":mrgreen:

 

[Backboard]

Tennis-Chris

RIGHT ON!!!!

 

[TennisDawg]

Or as Serena might say:
I was only at 20%.

 

[TennisDawg]

And the most common complaint after a doubles match, 'my partner played like crap'.

I wouldn't use those words, but that is a legitimate complaint, especially in league tennis where partners aren't matched up to their abilities or strengths. i.e. a 4.5 player matched up with a 4.0 player playing against two solid 4.5 players. That can be a very frustrating match, but no I don't believe you disparage your your opponent, afterwards.

 

[TennisDawg]

Still learning this forum, excuse me if not posting clearly.

 

[ssjkyle31]

The last excuse should be
###10000. Your just a better player this day.

 

[Shosho]

I'd prefer saying: "You played well". Nice to give someone a plain ole compliment.

 

[lostinamerica]

I'd prefer saying: "You played well". Nice to give someone a plain ole compliment.

Yeah... me too. I do get perturbed when they act as if they played awful... and still beat you.

 

[Backboard]

I hope in 2008 we have less mud-slinging and better sportsmenship.

 

[JavierLW]

I hope in 2008 we have less mud-slinging and better sportsmenship.

And less whiny champions would be nice as well. Have some class why dont you?

A little self esteem goes a long way....

 

[don_nguyen11490]

This happened to my high school tennis team. Ours is in division IV with about 5 other schools. For the last 4 years we've been dominating in league games, and 3 out of 4 of those years have gone undefeated. They complained and now we've been moved up a division, who we will ALL surely lose to.

 

[fe6250]

And less whiny champions would be nice as well. Have some class why dont you?

A little self esteem goes a long way....

Javier - I'm sure you aren't actually counting on him getting some class are you? Do you believe in Santa Claus? ;-)

 

[JavierLW]

Javier - I'm sure you aren't actually counting on him getting some class are you? Do you believe in Santa Claus? ;-)

No, people usually dont change who they are.

But there is nothing worse then a sore winner...

He won the championship yet he's the one who's continuing to cry about it, that's rich....

It's awesome actually on many levels because it means that the sandbagging claims have struck a chord and he has very little self esteem to stand on.

 

[10schick]

When some people lose they react by whining and mudslining. They make malicious and untrue allegations about those who do win. In some perverse way it makes them feel better about themsleves. Sick ... but true. It certainly is true for some USTA League players.

If fact it is almost part of the USTA League process. One team wins and some of the losing teams immediately begin to complain.

The whiners, upset that their team did not win, sling mud at those who did win. If the winning team wins by a lopsided score, the whiners complain that the winners are out of level. If the winners win by a close score, the whiners say the winners were not trying. If the winners lose a line, the whiners say the winners were intentionally playing to lose. No matter what the result, the whiners have something to complain about. They cannot stop whining no more than an addict can stop taking drugs.

When you see those comments, just look at the source. These comments come from poor sports who are disgruntled because their team got beat.

As in life, sometimes people try to make others look bad so that they "may" look better. The trouble is, that never works! They will LOSE in the end - in everything! Believe in yourself, and/or your team and you will always win... no matter what the score is. :wink::wink:

 

[fe6250]

As in life, sometimes people try to make others look bad so that they "may" look better. The trouble is, that never works! They will LOSE in the end - in everything! Believe in yourself, and/or your team and you will always win... no matter what the score is. :wink::wink:

Hang around this board some more and you will find that the people you are referring to is Backboard!

 

[Applesauceman]

Yet another post?! Some congratulations are in order!

So has everyone congratulated you to your hearts content? Let congratulate the winners, congratulate the losers, congratulate the sandbaggers, congratulate the self-raters, congratulate sportsmanship, and most of all let's congratulate the USTA for putting up with all of our ****. Grace and peace to us all.

 

[Applesauceman]

There's also such a thing as a poor winner.

 

[HowardH]

Someone will always win and someone will always lose. No matter the weather, attitude or anything. It all boils down to the fact that someone was able to adjust to the external or internal pressure better than the opponent.

I have a hard time playing and winning in extreme heat but I try not to make excuses as to why I lost. My opponent just adjusted better than I did, part of the game. I hate playing in one particular indoor court. The lights are too dim for me and the ball makes a dull thud when it bounces. My opponent just adjusted better than I did.
I use to console myself by saying "I would have one if. . ." I felt better until I lost when all of the conditions for me were perfect. No excuses then.

Everyone has worries and distractions, it really all boils down to who can adjust there game to the environment better, no matter what that may be.

 

[HowardH]

Losing hurts and can hurt bad, especially when your opponent runs away with the match. Sure I'm upset, usually at myself more than anything, sometimes embarrased by the way I played, but I walk to the net, smile and congratulate the winner. I always respect and appreciate that attitude when I win.
I'm not being self righteous here because underneath I want to throw my racquet and be a sore loser but I don't.

 

[fe6250]

I'm not being self righteous here because underneath I want to throw my racquet and be a sore loser but I don't.

I know the feeling, although I've never thrown the raquet. It gets easier as I get older, perhaps that thing called maturity is factoring into it afterall.

 

[JavierLW]

There's also such a thing as a poor winner.

Yes there is.

Things that make you a poor winner:

(I know the people that do this will never see this in themselves because they are probally childish and they have no respect for their opponent)

1) Over celebrating a win, especially before you shake hands. Most of us are not winning the finals at Wimbledon, so there isnt much need to go too bananas out there.

2) Saying things like "I wasnt even playing my best today...". (although poor losers probally say this much more often which is worse)

3) If you only play good and enjoy the game when you are winning, but you are miserable when you are losing (and probally play bad or give up), then you are a poor winner. Being a REAL winner isnt as much as how you deal with winning as much as it is how you deal with losing as well. (a winner wont appeal or self rate down because he's afraid of losing, he'll be challenged to continue to strive to do better at whatever level he's at)

4) Finally a poor winner is one who is so self absolved that he actually cares what others think of his win. So much so that he goes on some insane rampage on a message board making post after post after post because either he just HAS to convince people he deserves some credit, or he just likes to hear himself talk.

COME ON ALREADY!!!! If he has any self respect or pride in himself, he would of given up months ago. You won, you can feel happy about yourself all you want, but other than maybe being impressed for 5 minutes, dont expect anyone else to care if they dont want to.

 

[Applesauceman]

So true, so true. Having some class is not only congratulating the winners and losers, but also not bragging about winning to anyone and everyone that will listen or be forced to listen.