Excuse me, but didn't they play tennis before Andre the great

[WCGreen]

retired....

I mean he was good and had a great career and all, but....

Listening all day yesterday about how much he changed tennis and how the tennis world will never be the same was starting to make me, well sick...

Now Arthur Ashe, he changed tennis...

But getting back to Andre the greatest man who ever picked up a tennis racket....

Haven't they always hit the ball back and forth over a net and the one who misses the least is the winner?

Anyway, I guess having long hair or wearing outlandish tennis shorts and colorful T-Shirts now constitutes a revolution in certain sports...

[Oeditpus Rex]

1. It's the same with Tiger Woods

and Michael Jordan. The media made them bigger than they are.

[WCGreen]

3. Andre isn't in the same league as Jordon or Woods...

At least in my opinion...

His competition wasn't nearly as keen as it once was...

[Oeditpus Rex]

10. Maybe, but that isn't my point

There are legitimate stars and there are media-created stars. I can't speak to Agassi, since I don't follow tennis, but guys like Jordan and Woods are creatures of the Age of Hypermedia.

Let me amend that: There are legitimate stars whose level of stardom is a media creation. I didn't mean to imply that they aren't worthy of star status.

[WeRQ4U]

12. Those two were successful regardless....

Now, they may not have made as much MONEY without the media, but they have track records to support their stardom. Both, statistically, are some of the best athletes in their respective sports.

[Oeditpus Rex]

14. I'm not arguing that

But both have been given god-like status, courtesy of a media given to "infotainment."

[WCGreen]

15. As with LeBron James...

He is an outstanding player and I am lucky to live in the city he plays....

But he has been so over hyped it is pathetic...

Kudos to him and his people for not letting it go to their heads...

Another case in point, this weekend the Norte Dame Game....

Brady Quinn is not the second coming of Jesus...

But to Hear Brent Fushbudget calling the came, you would think old Brady had dragged himself off of Mt. Sinai long enough to play a game of football....

[WeRQ4U]

17. I think, more than any other athlete, Brett Favre is an example of this...

He's won ONE superbowl....ONE. Sure, he's played a lot of games and has a cannon arm, but he also makes a LOT of mistakes. The media would have us believe that his shortcomings are all part of his divine plan. ANd I'm not saying this jsut because I hate the Packers either.

[WCGreen]

18. Yea, you're right about that one.....

[JVS]

2. How come he was considered a rebel because he had long hair...

but McEnroe's rebel side wasn't cashed in on. Give me a raging temper over some long hair any day!

[WCGreen]

4. Maybe because he came back after loosing his hair....

You know, overcoming the loss of that which made him great....

[JVS]

6. Pfeh! I'd much rather see McEnroe flip out and break shit than watch...

some prematurely bald guy show up with his head shaved

[WCGreen]

8. Well Stated.....

[WeRQ4U]

11. "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!!!!"

I can still watch footage of those outrages. Funny as hell. ALthough he always seems like a spoiled little brat.

[WeRQ4U]

5. I think it's OK to honor someone like him.

He was a very successful, very unique individual. He was good for tennis. He may not have changed the game, but he may have changed the way people felt about it. If they did this type of gushing about any old person, I would agree, but they don't. I don't mind when they dote on good people who went about their business in a decent way. Plus, I think he deserves it.

And just in passing......Jordan was as good, if not better, than the media made him out to be.

[WCGreen]

7. I personally think they just gushed way too much....

It was getting so I couldn't watch the damn Open anymore...

[WeRQ4U]

9. Well, lucky for you, he's out now.

That Andy Roddick vs. Andre Agassi would have been ridiculously hyped and most-likely anti-climactic. lol

[xchrom]

13. andre agassi is fantastic...

he won all five grand slams -- something very few players have done in the whole history of tennis.

the greatest return of serve ever.

and that's something considering how fast serves came in his time.

he is in the class of rod laver, and every other giant who held a tennis racket.

her some links to groove a little on his greatness -- including his awesome charitable foundations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Agassi

http://www.atptennis.com/1/en/blog/current_agassi.asp

http://www.agassifoundation.org/

http://www.askmen.com/men/sports/39_andre_agassi.html

http://lasvegas.about.com/cs/andreagassi/a/Agassi.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/5136472.stm

http://www.agassiprep.org/

[xchrom]

16. now there's crickets?

sigh.

[jus_the_facts]

19. I agree with you....

....always thought he was awesome...Pete Sampras too...you already know how I feel about Andy!:evilgrin: :hi: