Haterade is Bitter, But Tastes So Good.

[tisha]

I don't know whether anyone else is old enough to remember Pam when she was touring, but I do. She was the first top 10 player IIRC with a Prince racquet--the original ones with the green neck--and she was so tall and gangly with a hideous Jew-fro (except she's a gentile, but whatever) and always won doubles with Martina; I was torn because I loved (and love) Martina but hate hate hate Pam. And god help me I still remember that her birthday is July 4th because of all the times she was in the Wimbledon doubles finals on her birthday.

Anyhow, SHUT UP PAM

[boringmember]

What the hell Roger? Why don't you play like you're the effing defending champion? And that went for you too Kuzzy.

[apocalipstick]

I'm putting this in the Haterade thread because it's totally mean.

So...I have this image of Federer at home getting the news about dropping in the rankings. He shouts "I'm the World No. 1!" like Jonathan Rhys Meyers shouted "I'm the King of England!" in the Tudors.

Youtube makes it funnier.

[vallegirl]

This is an utterly ridiculous hate, but I really hate when McEnroe calls the score "30-5" or "40-5." I know that's the practice in league play or any play where you call your own score...but this isn't that situation. Just call the score correctly. It's not that hard.

Also, American sportscasters: Stop projecting. Really, stop it. Just because someone wins a GS tournament doesn't mean that person is going to win the next one, the next three or THE NEXT NINE. Seriously, people. Serena is not "close" to catching Martina or Chrissie since she's still five behind them AND will be 29 in September. She's never won a calendar slam, only won the French once, so to just assume she can win the next nine Slams is ridiculous.

Similarly, Nadal is now comfortably set in the second tier of "all time greats." He hasn't established himself as a potential "Greatest of All Time" but he has time. Let him actually get to the door before you welcome him in. When he has 10 and/or a USO title, he might start getting consideration with the caveats, but seriously, he's not even at Borg's level, yet. He has the time, don't rush it.

[roseha]

vallegirl, I've been thinking the same exact thought as you just have. I think part of it (and maybe I'm being charitable here) comes down to the commentators feeling the need to hype whoever wins this year's title. Nadal having 8 Slams obviously doesn't put him anywhere near the top. Clearly he is great but that's an exaggeration.


I think they think that if they don't hype this year's champion to death the casual viewer may tune out, especially when it's a straight sets final like both of this years.

[vallegirl]

With Serena, they've been wanting this storyline to materialize since she was 18, but she and Venus were too busy being celebrities through their early 20s to commit to being great tennis players. She may still be able to pull off something miraculous and win those nine GS titles, but it won't be in the next two years, and each year she'll be a year older.

With Nadal, it feels like they want to be ahead of the curve or supporting the contrarian opinion. It reminded me of the "OMG, Agassi won the French. GREATEST EVER!! (Or at least better than Pete.)" But if Federer does decline and Nadal does go on to dominate, and even get close? Look for whomever is the "next best thing" to suddenly get the "Is he possibly the GREATEST EVER??!??! Nadal's over, he's done!!" It just seems to be the nature of the beast.

[apocalipstick]

Can I just add in the hate that I think Borg still thinks John McEnroe is an annoying snotrag? The looks Borg was giving him were like "John, are you ever going to let it go?" Borg, so classy and still hot. McEnroe, still whining but at least his hair has improved.

Y'all are right about the annoying media overhype of winners and predictions of doom for the rest of the top 10. Rafa doesn't buy into the idea that he's the greatest ever, nor does he buy into the idea that Roger is done. He's not just being humble; he's a realist.

So shut up John McEnroe. SHUT UP.