Featured

Anthology

On By ethomasparhamIn A2. THE LITTLE GREEN BOOK OF TENNISLeave a comment
Image of all of Tom Parham's books

For anyone who is interested in my writing, here are links to free versions of all of my books. Just tap the book title to access a free PDF file on Google Drive.

Little Green Book of Tennis (3rd edition)
A new 2023 digital-only version of the Little Green Book edited to only tennis related writing, including some new chapters from the past few years. You can also download the3rd edition— a revised edition. Play is Where Life is is the first book I wrote.


Em Ole Coaches
Lessons learned from my family, friends, and colleagues over my career. This book is a personal collection of insights from some of my favorite people.


A Level of Thinking
A collection of essays on a wide variety of subjects including sports, politics, and American culture.


Helping
A collection of essays on tennis and coaching, many of which are posted here on the blog. The second half of the book chronicles the impact of international players on college tennis.


Thanksgiving
A collection of personal thoughts, stories, and pictures. Many of the essays were also posted here on my blog.


Nearly Fifty
For almost fifty years, my closest friends gathered once a year for a men’s weekend. This book collects some of my favorite stories and pictures from this tradition. If you would like a copy of this book, please email me.

SOME OLD, SOME OLDER

On By ethomasparhamIn Wilson, RaceLeave a comment

JUSTIFIED’S Raylan: “It is hard to imagine the wonderful things that might happen if you can plant the seeds of distrust among a garden of assholes.”

Winston Churchill: “When you are going through hell, keep going.”

“The secret to management is to keep the guys who hate you from the undecided.” Casey Stengel.

One golfer said another was even tempered on the golf course: “He was an asshole the whole round.”

•Tom Brokaw concluded: “For parents, bribery is a white collar crime. For grandparents, it’s a business plan.” 

At a recent post-golfing social event, I overheard one wife chastise another. “Alice, you’ve got the wrong name tag on.” Alice: “… I’m much too drunk to wear my own name tag.”

JAMES ALLEN ROSE
•A local high school running back was extremely quick and agile. A zig-zagging touchdown kickoff return brought this comment from an admiring hoi toiler coach: “My lord Son, you run ‘er like a hard crab”.

Unrelated favorites:
1. Women and cats will do as they wish. Men and dogs should get used to this fact.
2. The game film looks suspiciously like the game. Coach Bum Phillips
3. On Coach Landry of the Dallas Cowboys: “Does the coach ever smile? Player (Walt
Garrison) “I don’t know, I’ve only been here three years”.

t know, I’ve only been here three years”.
4. “…if you could have a conversation with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?”
Response: “Living—-you think I am stupid?” From Jim Hightower.
5. Eulogy at “Curly’s funeral. “God, we give you Curly. Don’t piss him off!”
From “City Slickers 2”.
6. From Coach Darrell Royal
A: …faster than small town gossip”.
B…”I had hoped God would be neutral”.
C ”You are “what-iffing”. Anybody can “what- if”.
7. Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. W.B Yeats.

8. Every harlot was a virgin once. W. Blake
9. Courage is fear, holding on a minute longer. G. Patton
10. Buy the ticket, take the ride. Hunter Thompson
11. Don’t go around thinking the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first. M. Twain
12. If today was a fish, I’d throw it back in.
13. Jesus was a Jew, yes, but only on his mother’s side. Stanley Ralph Ross.
14. It is better to be a coward for a minute than dead for the rest of your life. Irish Proverb.
15. Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life a champion. Muhammad Ali
16. Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.
7. He that hath no children brings them up well.
18. A good scare is better than good advice.
19. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.
20. For three days after death hair and fingernails continue to grow but phone calls taper off. Johnny Carson
21. Diplomacy is the art of saying “Nice doggie” until you can find a rock. Will Rogers. •22. One Father is worth more than a hundred schoolmasters. George Herbert
23. Of all the animals, the boy is the most unmanageable. Plato
24.”…he that is without sin…Pick some up”. Barry Saunders
25. “I graduated with a 4.0, but it was my blood alcohol level.” James Carville.
26. “I cussed him out in Spanish, and he threw me out in English”. Lou Pinella, on being
thrown out of a game by umpire Armando Rodriguez.
27. “I can’t believe that out of 100,000 sperm, you were the quickest. Steven Pearl.
28. “All pro athletes are bilingual. They speak English and profanity.” Gordie Howe
29. “Thank you from the heart of my bottom”. Nick Faldo.
30. “I’ve been around since “Preparation A”. Jack McKeon
31. “Think you are a leader? Turn around and look back: if no one is following, you are just taking a walk.”
32. “It’s hard to kiss the lips at night that chew your ass out all day long”. Vince Gill in drag (You Tube)
33. I used to be Snow White, but I drifted. Mae West
34. I’ve been in more laps than a napkin. Mae West
35. I have a rock garden. Last week three of them died. Richard Diran •

COMEDIC HISTORY

COMEDIC HISTORY

Obama vs Trump

On By ethomasparhamIn M. POLITICSLeave a comment

Boxing was a big deal in 1955.

Televsion was new. A lot of disagreements ended in fist fights. Knives and Glocks now.

Written in 2019 :

” Wednesday night was a big night later at the Ritters. Gillette’s Cavalcade of Sports (Boxing on TV). Remember the big parrot carrying the round numbers?
Walt, the old man was a big burly, funny guy. And sober he was a treat. Sober didn’t happen with a lot of mill workers, but on Wednesday night we watched the fights. Walt pulled for whoever the white guy was. For me, Kid Gavilan, Jersey Joe Walcott, Joe Louis, and Rocky Marciano, were gods.

No duels, but certain words had meaning : ” Say that to my face” .

Did Obama just call Trump OUT?

Have they crated that death cage off the front lawn?

Pay for View bonaza !!!!!

I’d still pull for the black guy.

DEEMS

On By ethomasparhamIn F. MADISONLeave a comment

My list is getting short. Retired at the coast, calling and receiving calls from friends is a boon. Some, sadly , left early. Recently –the oldies. “Dr. Know” John Eatman, Dr. Willis Williams , Joe , “Country”, “Bonehead” Dennis, Sweet Lou Harper, Alton, and today Deems.

I can’t claim him as a brother, but a lifetime close friend is a minimum.

The several places I have lived all were nice places. And maybe childhood anywhere is indelible—and Madison N.C. was it for me. And my buddies, Tuddy *Sterling” Webster. Billy Fulton. and Deems (Tuddy’s little brother.)

Close neighbors, we found the tree house, Highway 220, McFalls Drug Store, The Patovi Theater (9 cent tickets) and the Mighty Dan River, the dirthole, and a rope to swing over the big ditch. The town clock could be altered!

Deems was my first “player “. I taught him a batter’s stance and how to swing the orange bat, with a nail and scotch tape hopefully mending the broken handle.

The Websters didn’t seem to mind, so I took him, from diapers to his injured knee,back from Vietnam, to Key West. Got some great help from Liz Lear. And always Madison.

ADDENDUMS : FROM PLAY IS WHERE LIFE IS
(MADISON CHAPTER)

CHILD PSYCHOLOGY
CUZZINS

Tuddy

MACK PETE

Gone since 1952, I guess some think me overly nostalgic. What I think is I had a happy childhood. Friends, adventure, sports, aticipation, characters, my first Team.

There were injuries, fights , freedoms that don’t exist for today’s youngsters. Bumps make boys.

********

“If you are ever up a tree just call on me, Rodger Dodger !”

********

” I love you now and evershall.

But there’s no one left to tell.

The world has gone dark

before my eyes ” ( Bob Dylan )

AMERICAN STRUGGLE

On By ethomasparhamIn K. PHILOSOPHY, L. RACE, M. POLITICSLeave a comment

NEW BOOK RECOMMENDED !

AMERICAN STRUGGLE- Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union

( by Jon Meacham ) 2026.

This is great American history, quite thorough.  I must say the last commentary (“THE PATH TO AMERICAN AUTHORITARIANISM:  WHAT COMES AFTER DEMOCRATIC BREAKDOWN” ) BY Steven Levitsky and Lucan A. Way ) is quite frightening 1.  In its summary of the present and 2.  In its vision of the looming future.

LOW LIFE

On By ethomasparhamIn K. PHILOSOPHY, M. POLITICSLeave a comment

At one point, a fighter took the mic and made a nasty joke about Michelle Obama while standing in front of the house she once lived in with her husband, daughters and mother.

Even for a president with a lifelong penchant for P.T. Barnum-esque gambits, this one was in a league of its own. (NEW YORK TIMES )

*************************

Raylan Givens: Sometimes, we have to make deals with lowlifes because we have our sights set on life forms even somehow lower on the ladder of lowlife than they.
(JUSTIFIED )

HACKALOOSKI REVISITED

On By ethomasparhamIn C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTIONLeave a comment

“I learned to listen to an old man, who had been there, even though I didn’t think he knew much. ” ( Thomas Linne, 1984 ).

This was a comment from one of my players after our team won The NAIA national championship.

My son and I discussed how to advise his 10 year old tennis aspirant. Recently I reminded them of two suggestions I felt were very sound for any level of player:

!. Hit your first serve UP enough.

2. Play AHEAD. 40-15 and 30 -0 points. Up a break. Up a set and a break.

Play ahead, Stay ahead.

Often players grind out a tough point to get AHEAD. Winded or tired they then take an unwise shot.

****Develop this better thought : “Okay –I may be tired but they are too. If I grind out this point too, the odds go way up in my favor.

Believe an old man.

HACKALOOSKI–WHEN A LIMITED PLAYER TELLS A GOOD PLAYER WHAT TO DO.

Even the great players often play these “aheads” too loosly.

Believe an old man.

THE FAMILY NAIA FRENCH OPEN

On By ethomasparhamIn Wilson, RaceLeave a comment

My Grandson just won the Family NAIA French Open .

  1. We have a spin wheel for order of the draft. #1 gets first pick. The one who draws last makes their pick and also the next pick, with the draw order in reverse back to #1.

2. Any event is okay. If you pick Men’s Singles, coaches continue the draft of the total field until you have selected SIX players for your team.

3. Once the tournament begins, your team gets one point for each match your six players win. The six with the most wins is the Champion.

LENNOX WON THE FRENCH