Is it just me, or is the tone of this CNN Agassi piece a little...bitchy?

[Human Torch]

Agassi's tearful goodbye

A career for the ages came to a close Sunday when Andre Agassi lost to the 112th-ranked player in the world. Playing with the spirit of a champion but a creaky body that needed three injections, the end came with Agassi looking like what he'd become -- a 36-year-old man with a bad back trying to play tennis.

FULL STORY

http://www.cnn.com/

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. snarky, at least. nt

[Missy M]

2. I agree it is a little bitchy.....

in his first matches he wasn't "trying to play tennis", he played great tennis. I was really rooting for him but I knew he was doomed when his back started acting up. Tennis won't be the same with Agassi gone.

[pitohui]

3. well understandably so

i for one am sick of old men trying to play young men's sports, tennis is a very damaging sport to someone much above age 30

if i got 3 injections before playing sport i'd be kicked out of the competition for cheating wouldn't i?

[rockymountaindem]

5. I don't see what the problem is

Despite all his injuries, he maintained a ranking in the top 50, far above many players over a decade younger. I could understand your sentiment if he were just hanging around with a #250 ranking expecting to be treated like a champ regardless. But that's not what happened. Agassi earned his way into this tournament and into this part of his career. Just the other day he beat a 21 year-old man who is the 8th best player in the world, so it isn't like Agassi hasn't been competative.

The shots he recieved were anti-inflammatories, not performance enhancers, and they were all cleared by the tour before he got them.

[President Jesus]

13. can someone explain how cortisone is *not* "performance enhancing"?

I don't get it.

[rockymountaindem]

17. He had an injury and was treated for it.

By your standard, aspirin could be considered a performance-enhancing drug because it makes it easier to play without a headache. Cortisone does not improve performance over the long-term the way steroids do. In any event, it isn't banned by the ATP Tour, so he was free to use as much as he needed.

[kestrel91316]

22. Cortisone is an adrenocortical steroid. That class of steroids is

INTIINFLAMMATORY. Like NSAIDS (aspirin, tylenol, naproxen, etc). Your garden-variety pain reliever. Not considered cheating.

The naughty steroids are the anabolic steroids - the male hormone-like ones specifically. They build muscle and decrease body fat. This is considered cheating.

[LostinVA]

26. It isn't performance enhancing

[President Jesus]

27. so his performance would have been the same...

...had he not gotten the shots?

I'm not asking if cortisone is legal or within the rules. I'm simply questioning the labeling of it as not "performance enhancing."

Seems kinda obvious to me that it clearly is.

[tabasco]

7. That is an incorrect and stupid statement.

Tennis is a wonderful sport for people of all ages.

Laziness and lethargy are the greatest health problems these days.

[zonkers]

18. Amen.

[MuseRider]

10. He is one of the good guys.

Please, he does so much for others. He earned this place.

[Kailassa]

11. Tennis is not a "young man's sport", 36 is not "old",

and discriminating on the basis of age is stupid.

He won his place in the competition, and had as much right to play as any 21 year old.

If he was injecting somthing illegal he would have been kicked out. He was not.

[xchrom]

12. lol -- that's pretty nuts right there.

sports inflict tough injuries at eighteen{with the attendant cortisone shots} let alone thirty six.

he and martina navritilova are doing great things for extending careers in sports -- as well as michael jordan, jimmy connors, etc.

it's arrogant, ignorant, and just plain dim to say ''i for one am sick of old men trying to play young men's sports,''

[guinivere]

14. There are people in their 50s and 60s that

play tennis. It's fabulous exercise.




on edit --
Yes, a definite bitchiness there. Uncalled for.

[Scout1071]

21. Half or more of the NFL and MLB would fit this category.

Cortisone injections are common.

Shit. I have had 2 in the last 2 months.

[LostinVA]

25. Good grief -- you love pushing the envelope, huh?

[Ksec]

4. Andre rocked

His match with Baghdatis the other night was epic. He looked a bit flat today against Becker but what a career hes had. Andre is a much loved pro athlete, and he has my respect. Have a good life Andre.

[tabasco]

6. "trying to play tennis"

I wish I could try to play tennis so well. Whoever wrote this is a dumbass.

[MisterHowdy]

8. Why the negative spin?

One of the best tennis players of all time just stepped down after giving a good couple rounds of Tennis.

Why the negative spin?
Is Agassi a Democrat?

[Island Blue]

9. I don't know if it's the reason for the spin, but yes he is a Democrat!

Here are his donations to prove it!

http://www.newsmeat.com/sports_political_donations/Andre_Agassi.php

[newyawker99]

23. Hi MisterHowdy!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Botany]

15. Agassi has come a long way.

I love tennis and his game of return of serve was outstanding. His match against Baghdatis (# 8 in the world)
was great. And yes the article was real bitchy too.

<The last injection came Sunday, before facing Becker, a German who won the 2004 NCAA singles title for Baylor University but is so unaccomplished he needed to go through qualifying just to make it into the Open.>

the man won the NCAA singles and is into the third round of the US open .... he must be O.K..

[MuseRider]

16. He has

one hell of a serve. He sprayed a lot of balls but I thought he was good, especially for a qualifier. That serve did him well, 143mph at one point I think.

Love Andre. His first two matches were outstanding.

[Botany]

19. I couldn't watch all his match today.

When Andre could not take one step to hit an easy backhand in the second set
I had to turn it off.

[MuseRider]

20. I almost did.

I spent a good deal of time reading during the match, it hurt a lot to watch him. I TIVOed it for my sons since they were both busy doing whatever 20 year olds do (nope, I do NOT want to know). I loved his speech after.

[bigtree]

24. I watched him from the start of his fame

I had tears before he did. He's older, but he had an ability to adjust his game as he aged and developed. I missed the long hair (that's what got me watching his game so long ago, at a time where his colors and style were an abberation to the predictable boxer-type shorts and white on white of past eras. It was a hoot to watch him play and win. You just KNEW his style was pissing someone off. Good for *rebels* like me. Funny how all of that is eclipsed now by even more outrageous attire and hairstyles . . . and he chose to go bald.

Well, that's it for that. Another milestone, another loss. Great memories.