The Traditional Handshake...

[don_budge]

The Handshake...you know, right before the "traditional" curtain calls.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/30/sport/tennis/tennis-handshakes-murray/index.html?iid=article_sidebar

[gzhpcu]

Don't worry, just a matter to time before it goes with the Dodo...

[klacr]

How much longer does our sport have before players simply nod their heads in each other's direction from opposing service lines as the new form of post match handshake. Long lost is the art of going to the net with hand extended and respectful eye contact to say "Great match!" or "Well Done". Scary how many juniors don't know what to do at the end of a match. Great study in society and culture is watching kids figure out how to deal with post match protocol.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[hockeyscout]

How much longer does our sport have before players simply nod their heads in each other's direction from opposing service lines as the new form of post match handshake. Long lost is the art of going to the net with hand extended and respectful eye contact to say "Great match!" or "Well Done". Scary how many juniors don't know what to do at the end of a match. Great study in society and culture is watching kids figure out how to deal with post match protocol.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

For instance, a story that has been told here often about how a couple of the 83 Oilers walked by the Isles dressing room and saw how damaged, not celebrating, sitting down in their stalls and saying nothing. The Oilers were walking around normally, not worse for wear and obviously this taught them that there is a bigger price to pay to win.

So, yes, you can often learn a lot by facing your enemy after the game!

[don_budge]

John McEnroe vs. Guillermo Vilas 1980 Davis Cup

How much longer does our sport have before players simply nod their heads in each other's direction from opposing service lines as the new form of post match handshake. Long lost is the art of going to the net with hand extended and respectful eye contact to say "Great match!" or "Well Done". Scary how many juniors don't know what to do at the end of a match. Great study in society and culture is watching kids figure out how to deal with post match protocol.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6CIttvDOA8

My favorite "handshake" story of all time. There was no traditional handshake at the net...Guillermo Vilas was mobbed by hundreds of his Argentine countrymen. But John McEnroe...he who is so guilty to those that are holier than thou...felt compelled to make his way to the Argentine locker room just to shake the hand of his opponent. Spare me the tales of his misbehavior...nobody ever told me that I had to act like him.

It's not that he was there for my amusement. He was a tennis player...during the transition stage of tennis. From classic to modern. He made the transition...but he may have lost his mind doing so. He wasn't the tightest wrap in the first place. So spare me...in advance.

But this act of McEnroe traversing the real estate on the way to Vilas', his opponents locker room who had just vanquished him in the most trying of circumstances...it is the act of a great sportsman. A sportsman who is cognizant of the moment and what it means. He knew that somehow it was ultimately important for him to chase down the man who beat him and congratulate him...like a gentleman. Like a man if not a true and genuine gentleman. Somehow it was important enough...nobody was going to see it. It was just between him and his opponent. Just like it is ultimately on the court...and in life.

I believe that this is quite an interesting story and should give people reason to pause and reflect...that we are all human. Therefore...subject to error. Not perfection. So why are people so hell bent on pointing their fucking fingers to point out that "there's the bad guy"?

[gzhpcu]

I think these videos speak for themselves...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8Nyc9jzSDg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmJi_oc7t10

Saint Phil

[don_budge]

People...

I think these videos speak for themselves...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8Nyc9jzSDg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmJi_oc7t10

Saint Phil

...pointing fingers. Saint Myass.

[don_budge]

John McEnroe...at his worst is better than most Saint's at their best...IMHO

I think these videos speak for themselves...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8Nyc9jzSDg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmJi_oc7t10

Saint Phil

Yeah...good old Saint Phil...every single time I post something about McEnroe you are there to point out what a rotten human being he is or post videos of him at his worst. Or you don't like him because he did this or he did that. As if it matters. You want a polite discussion about morality. About who is good or who is bad. Camp out at the Vatican for a spell.

It must be nice to be so perfect...to be so humble as you always claim to be. "IMHO" you like to say. That's a great way of putting it. Leaving yourself an out...I'm almost on the verge of saying what I really think...just like good old Johnny Boy.

[gzhpcu]

My, my.... temper, temper...

[10splayer]

My, my.... temper, temper...

hahaha, yeah, and if you've read one of his lectures here on freedom of speech, you'd swear he was one of the founding fathers, or a Kennedy.

[GeoffWilliams]

Anybody who stiffs stringers is a rotten human being. Just ask the stringers stiffed.

[klacr]

I've heard both good and bad stories about McEnroe. Just like I've heard good and bad stories about everyone else. But his actions off the court have nothing to do with his brilliance on the court. It's hard for many people to separate a person's personal strife with their athletic performance.

It's funny, growing up I remember watching the NBA and my favorite player of all time was and still is Dennis Rodman. At the time, he played for the Detroit Pistons. "The Bad Boys". Such a great team with a cast full of characters. People scoff at me to this day when I tell them my favorite player was Rodman. Taking the wedding dress wearing, pink feather boa donning, pierced and tattooed covered, alcoholic and rehab lifer out of the picture, look at Rodman for the type of player he was. He always hustled, always followed the basketball script and one of the greatest rebounders in NBA history. The man was a genius when it came time to grab those boards. He was an athletic freak. I can admire him for that. We can always pick and choose the strong attributes we like in people and maybe try to ignore or simply compromise on the negatives.

There is always a little bit of madness within genius.

McEnroe may not be everyone's cup of tea and Its certainly not the behavior I always like to see, but what can we learn from his tennis game? As this being an instructional site, what tips, techniques and tricks can we use to assist us or our students that McEnroe employed? He was a very special player to watch no doubt. His tennis IQ was high and his ability to move forwards and hit volleys will always be respected. His strokes were unique but possess some really great elements.

We've all done things on and off the court that we have regretted. I know I have. But we've also done lots of things on and off court that were admirable and deserve kudos.

Sven Groeneveld discusses the value of working on your strengths in an video featured on tennisplayer.net. This video doesn't just have to do with a person's tennis game, it can also have something to do with their life.
McEnroe is far from being my favorite, but damn his strengths were pretty incredible. We can learn from everyone's best and we can take lessons from everyone's worst.
Just food for thought.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[GeoffWilliams]

Strenths/ speed at net fueled by horse steroids, admittedly so, and lied about, and admitted as well. Oh well, it's a bin filled with: Tilden, peter pearson, Roscoe tanner, and the stringer stiffer.