Author: ethomasparham

COLLEGE TO PRO?

On By ethomasparhamIn C. COLLEGE TENNIS and INSTRUCTION, D. INTERNATIONALS, E. SPORTS COMMENTARYLeave a comment

As the world turns !

(From—ESPN Wimbledon broadcast of the Ben Shelton–Otto Virtanen first-round match yesterday, the commentators had a brief discussion about the changing path from college tennis to the ATP Tour.

The main points they made were:

  • College tennis is no longer viewed as a detour from professional tennis. The commentators noted that more elite players are spending one or more years in college before turning pro because the level of competition is so high.
  • Ben Shelton was used as the prime example. They pointed out that Shelton played at the University of Florida under his father, Bryan Shelton, won the NCAA singles championship, and then made an exceptionally rapid transition to the ATP Tour.
  • They mentioned that NIL opportunities have changed the equation for top American juniors. Players can now earn meaningful income while competing in college, making it less financially urgent to leave school immediately for the lower levels of professional tennis.
  • The discussion also touched on how college players now receive:
    • world-class coaching,
    • strength and conditioning,
    • sports science,
    • and frequent competition against future professionals,
      making college a stronger developmental pathway than it was a decade ago.
  • They contrasted today’s environment with previous generations, when the expectation for top juniors was often to turn professional immediately if they had the opportunity.

This wasn’t presented as a formal statistic but rather as commentary on how the landscape has changed, with Shelton serving as an example of a player who successfully used college tennis as a springboard to the top of the professional game.

SAINT AUGUSTINE

On By ethomasparhamIn E. SPORTS COMMENTARYLeave a comment

From today’s THE ATHLETIC (by Austin Meek), a comment on the current state of college athletics:

” By now, it should be obvious that “equitable reform” and “competitive advantage” don’t fit neatly in the same box. In trying to have it both ways, leaders in college sports sound a lot like St. Augustine: God, grant me chastity, but just not yet.”

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 )