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Here is what Bill Simons says about Naomi. Thoughts?
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Thanks johnyandell for soliciting an exchange of thoughts. Bill Simon is out to lunch. He can drone on and on about the romance of post match interviews or any interview for that matter concerning an athlete. Naomi Osaka is entirely within her rights to not participate if she doesn't see fit too. Apparently there are rules in place that could potentially default Naomi if she doesn't comply.Originally posted by johnyandell View Post
Sports writers are a low form of human life in general. This is according to many athletes and is what Naomi is alluding to. She could very well have a valid point. Simons on the other hand is trying to dress up these hopeless sessions to having some sort of cultural validity and the truth is they very rarely do. There are certain individuals that are entertaining in what they have to say but the reality is that 99% of them are dreadful bores and trying to get something interesting out of them is like pulling teeth and just as painful to watch.
This is the first occasion that I have had to be somewhat interested in what Naomi has to say and ironically it is about the fact that she doesn't want to say anything. Which I am whole heartedly in favour of. Interviews with players should be optional for the player just as they are for the observer to listen to them. I always turn off the athlete...unless of course it is Roger Federer. Naomi Osaka is not the first athlete to be disgusted with the sports writer in general. There are questions that I would like to ask Roger for instance that never get asked by the tone deaf drones that end up asking the questions.
Sorry Bill Simons...you are totally out of touch with reality. -
Athletes in general are like children...they should be seen and not heard. Another irony in life. That is how it used to be but now children are always the centre of attention in any gathering. Everyone fawning over every little stupid thing that they do. See the similarity? Everyone is fawning over these overpaid morons. Lebron James comes to mind.Comment
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Actually the article starts well and is eloquently written. It describes what both parties should aspire to, at least in theory, in a good interview - namely, skilful questioning to gain insight. The author accepts many interviews amount to not a lot while others (not many) turn out to be nuggets. The trouble is the second half of the article dissolved into mush and he just waffled on about Osaka.
I used to enjoy Agassi's interviews which were often thoughtful and insightful. Lendl's were always pretty good too. Nastase's could be comical.
The modern player is way too guarded these days and always mindful not to say the wrong thing. Most pressers are dull as a result.
Osaka isn't the most interesting person to have a presser with from what I have seen.
Roger's pressers have improved over the years and he has developed a gift for concisely summarising his matches in terms of how they were won or lost. His command of the English language is better than most Brits.StottyComment
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Dear Naomi...
You are an idiot.
Yours truly,
don_budge
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I just cannot wait to see what Bill writes. Naomi makes a move...Bill must counter. Oh...the drama. Naomi is a "Drama Queen". He said...she said. An ultra foolish move from a foolish young lady. Using Lady liberally. Maybe she doesn't identify as a "Lady". She is one of these "woke" people. They can find an extremely important issue in the most inane subjects. She is mentally ill. I believe that is her message to the public at large. I think she is a spoiled child. Always a terrible interview. If she is sick...seek help. But why advertise it on social media. She is sick. One sick puppy.Comment
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The Best of Naomi...
She's a real character. Goodbye Naomi...enjoy your time off. You have single handedly done more to disrepute your sport that anyone since Serena had that hissy fit in the finals of the U. S. Open...playing Naomi. Going down that path. It is a path of regret. Foolish decisions trying to make foolish points. There was a much better and "sane" tact to take in this matter. She chose to make a spectacle of the game. Tennis can bring out the best in some people...unfortunately it can also bring out the worst.Comment
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Naomi has created some of her own problems by revealing a political bent. Professionalism has changed ( corrupted?) the sport in that the “system” (television, sportswriters, agents, sponsors, ATP bureaucrats.etc.) have a vested interest in somehow fabricating a story bigger than tennis. Sport becomes subject to financial and political forces and can lose its identity if forced to be a beacon for cultural change. Olympic tv coverage is now dominated with the athlete’s personal story and less about the sport. Celebrity athlete persona distractions created by the system. if allowed to grow unchecked, can fundamentally change sport. Imagine the damage the media. and the financial interest they represent. could cause if embedded journalists were allowed free rein to create the celebrity soldier.Comment
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Watch this clip of a reporter with a 14 year old tennis player ...
You wonder why Osaka hates press conferences?
Last edited by tenniscoach1; 05-31-2021, 04:52 PM.Comment
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DB,
I agree with you on many things. I disagree completely on Naomi and Serena. They have both struggled on many issues and I admire them both.Last edited by johnyandell; 05-31-2021, 10:40 PM.Comment
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Tennis makes Bloomberg again! Just click on the Are you a robot? to get to Naomi Osaka story.Comment
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Thank god for Naomi Osaka - l would never in a million years allow my 15 to 23 year old daughter to be put under that sort of pressure and microscope - and especially it is made her nervous and even more if she is asked questions that are very inappropriate.
When Naomi began tennis at 6 year old, worked hard over the years and finally made it .... she in no ways signed up for this BS.
The tour is getting bad PR now - and now they are so concerned. The president of the tour and all the big boys "are not doing interviews to explain themselves and have issued a statement." I propose after each match Naomi issues a statement over twitter/instagram and gives everyone the big middle finger. I think she played this one perfectly myself - and future generations of woman tennis players will be thanking her. Interview the coaches, interview the event officials or heaven forbid have the high paid color commentators do their jobs.
If it was your son or daughter - and they said "no" - well, that means no.
And frankly speaking the heads of these associations/tournaments hide behind statements - post smart-ass shit like "Nadal and others did it" (and then delete it) - and force players to sign one way take it or leave it contracts.
Tell you what - I think any tennis player can choose to do as many press conferences as Joe Biden or they can do as many as Donald Trump. Personal preference - obviously Trump/Biden should do them as they signed up for that shit - but, not a tennis player that is just in pro tennis because they had passion for the sport at 10, were members of the lucky sperm club and know how to work harder than the next kid.
Naomi Osaka - if I was her agent I would advise her not to do press conferences where her 50$ million dollar a year brand could be effected by one 23 year old careless remark that could follow her around for the rest of her life - its okay for it to be a business for the four majors but not okay for it to be a business for the players? I see a bit of an uneven field here. But, Naomi ain't stupid - I think they see she ain't playing around now. And, look every player does have stress from this situation - its not pleasant - and you'd think people would have learned something from how Princess Diana was treated.Last edited by tenniscoach1; 06-01-2021, 11:08 AM.Comment
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Naomi’s fight for independence reminds me of when Willie Nelson left Nashville and charted his own path.....his gamble paid off.Comment
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I used to go to a lot of press conferences. I would try to get the first question in; "What was the story of the match?" Let the player give his views. Typically the players seemed to like that and were responsive. But eventually I stopped going because I found most reporters--many of whom knew nothing about tennis--always dug for the negative. They made statements in the form of questions. They seemed to understand nothing about the psychology of match play. The McEnroe ones were the tensest...Comment
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