Tank McNamara by Bill Hinds for June 18, 2021

It’s a hard road to hoe for anyone at any world-class level of performance; athletic, artistic, academic, or scientific. It is the life each chooses, hopefully knowing what they will be in for if they succeed. While I can sympathize with her anxiety or depression or whatever, that doesn’t alter the essential nature of the profession as it exists. If she is unable to meet those requirements, then she should withdraw. It’s not the end of her career or her life. All world-class sport depends on media attention to thrive and pay the amount of prize money that it does. It is thus an essential part of the job for players to help feed the media machine.

On the other hand, most of the media “moments” are the athletes saying “I was just happy to get the win”, “My opponent was really tough”, “I just happy to be here”, and the other countless clichés they are taught to say. Very little substance is revealed these interviews, and I rarely feel like I know an athlete or understand the game/match better from having watched them, which I rarely do. Think about the scene from Bull Durham https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v1m4JKH3AM The game is the attraction.

Tennis players make more money from endorsement deals and appearance fees. Some have done quite well never even winning.

Tennis players can make more solo shots than other athletes.

Or J.J. Watt….

Suh is a very dirty player. As the Det Lions discovered

You mean she doesn’t have Suh trying to bite her.

Tank has a good point.

Maybe not on the court…

Yeah right. Second place at the French Open was 900K.

“Psycho” Suh: that guy belongs behind bars.