If your mem’ry serves you well
You’ll remember you’re the one
That called on me to call on them
To get you your favors done (THIS
WHEEL’S ON FIRE–bob dylan )
GOOD JOB
Just read the whole article in New York Times.
This is good analysis, writing , AND COACHING.
Analysis from James Hansen, senior editor for tennis
In this specific matchup, Michelsen’s ability to hit down-the-line and cross-court on his backhand from almost any position prevented Tsitsipas from using his favorite tactic. He knows his one-handed backhand can hamper him, so tends to try and hit an inside-out forehand (a forehand from the ad-court) as early as he can in a rally. To do this, he shuffles to his left, but this leaves him open to being attacked if his opponent can hit a backhand into that space. Michelsen can do that.
Tsitsipas could neutralize that problem with a slice, or a short ball, but he isn’t comfortable playing those kinds of shots. As a result, he found himself caught in a tactical fight he could not win.
(Graham Denholm / Getty Images
For Now?
INTERNATIONAL NIL COMPENSATION==NCAA/FEDERAL RULES
SANCTUARIES
They named the Cardinal the North Carolina state bird recently.
My Mom’s sister. Olive Phillips , was our family’s ecologist and a bird lover. So when she saw me gun down a Blue Jay with my Daisy air rifle, she lit me up. Aunt Ollie was also the closest thing I had to a rich relative. So. puzzled about her concern about a bird, I still remembered Christmas and my birthday. She subscribed to AUDOBON magazine and saved her copies for me.
My college friend , Watson Hale . told about a question from a co-worker. “Watson , what does it mean when you enter a town and a sign says ” Bird Sah koo cherry”? ( Sanctuary).
Watching our birds flutter around their feeders, I wonder if there really is a Sanctuary in the sky for the souls of beat up old North Carolina coaches?
I’d like to request a Cardinal to take me to the airport.
MARCUS FREEMAN- COACH
He said, ‘History is written by conquerors, and we’re holding the pen.’ … We believed that we could do it and we went out there and did it,”
ON DOUBT
From CONCLAVE
Cardinal Lawrence : “…What I fear most is certainty. With certainty there is no doubt. Without doubt there is no mystery. Without mystery there is no need for faith. “
There are decades when nothing happens, and there are weeks when decades happen.
In an op-ed for The New York Times, opinion columnist Thomas Friedman likened artificial intelligence advances to opening Pandora’s box. “We as a society are on the cusp of having to decide on some very big trade-offs as we introduce generative A.I.,” he writes. “And government regulation alone will not save us.”
One of these Pandora’s boxes is labeled “artificial intelligence,” and it is exemplified by the likes of ChatGPT, Bard and AlphaFold, which testify to humanity’s ability for the first time to manufacture something in a godlike way that approaches general intelligence, far exceeding the brainpower with which we evolved naturally.
The other Pandora’s box is labeled “climate change,” and with it we humans are for the first time driving ourselves in a godlike way from one climate epoch into another. Up to now, that power was largely confined to natural forces involving Earth’s orbit around the sun.
“WHOA, NELLY!”
REDSHIRT (Definition of an athlete staying out of college competition for a year to develop one’s skills and extend one’s period of playing eligibility: He redshirted last season.
Most humans max out physically at about age 27 or 28, College freshmen start college at 17 or 18.
Aspiring professional tennis players have long been advised to not go to college.
A new scenario has emereged !
The first and main problem listed is described this way:
“… if you don’t start out with a trust fund, you’re stuck, especially for a sport like tennis that requires years of youth investment. This is a major, fatal disadvantage for American tennis. In Europe, South America and lately in Asia, kids from all social classes have a shot at a tennis career. If they show sufficient talent and motivation, there are numerous community organizations, government programs and general social assistance systems to help build up their careers, in part because these other societies strongly support investment in their youth. “
My inclination is to cite #1 as the core flaw to be dealt with.
Best current estimate for annual pro tour ? $100.000. PLUS A COACH! Big dogs now have a TEAM.
This hopefully covers travel , room. meals , coaching. facilities use, equipment. Stringing cost Borg $60K in 1980. Bottom line annual expenses – 200k plus. Average annual prize money ? About 25k.
Very few make the top 200, who about break even, The conditions are often horrible, lonely and dissapointing. One fine college player after trying the pro circuit said ” I got tired of eating mayonaisse sandwiches. You need about 3/4 years to develop physically”.
The galloping aullure of American College Tennis is attracting more and more, better and better potential pro players, who are betting on a different developmental arena.
College tennis is becoming the minor leagues of International tennis. 2024 was ample proof that that day is already here. And why not? Annual expenses? That is up to you. Great facilities and coaching, schedules featuring high quality match play. Fine practice partners (a team full ), not to mention a free college education. That most often is worth more than tennis.
And don’t forget- Pro tennis expenses come after years of very similar amounts of annual costs to be in the hunt.
The KICKER–The portal and likeness monies will make very lucrative possibilities for the best borderline international players. True too of the very top Americans. But only a few. Already the first year rumor mill is adrift with wildly questionable numbers and propositions being floated.
THE BAD NEWS IS A LOT OF FINE AMERICAN ASPIRANTS WILL BE IGNORED, And the same is probably true of many “global ” sports. Basketball, golf, soccer, volleyball, track and field are right behind. Tennis just got there first. See NEXT PLEASE ( https://wordpress.com/post/littlegreenbookoftennis.com/6105 ).
Currently college coaches go after the best players . Pretty simple. Earlier the players came from the student body. Then they recruited areas, then statewide, regionally, nationally, and internationaly. Now we are attracting elite players world wide. Is Mars next?
We have created a pathway only possible for the very best and richest, What about the majority of our kids?
THE CURRENT RUBICON
The NCAA holds it’s Convention in January. Changes are inevitable. Now is the time for wise choices that affect our children and our populace. Education, reason, health-physical and mental, sportsmanship , teamwork, on and on.
Do tennis players pay their own travel expenses?
The enormous and uncertain costs. PLAYERS ARE RESPONSIBLE for paying for their own transportation to and from tournaments, as well as the support staff who travel with them, including coaches and physios.Jan 17, 2023
“…as they start their journey toward the higher echelons of the tennis world. If we’re honest, prize money at this level is modest, with tournament funds typically totaling somewhere between %15,000 and $25,000. This is to say that the winner takes home anything from $2000 to $4000.
ATP Challenger Tour saw players competing for prize money ranging from $36,680 to $156,240 per tournament, with approximately $21 000 going to winners on average. ( 2021 )
to qualify for Grand Slams, a player usually needs to be ranked amongst the 104 best players in the world, which is not an effortless accomplishment.
NOMENCLATURE
I asked my dieting friend , Russell. if he’d like a piece cake?
Russell, wistfully viewing the cake : ” POUND CAKE! Whoever named that, got it right.!”
GOLLY PETE TONEY
JIM TONEY
* JULY 4, 1985. AW LED ME DOWN A NARROW PATH WITH DOZENS OF CARS PARKED NEARBY. OPENING. TENNIS COURT, POND, HOUSE AND POOL. EVERY ONE HAD EITHER TENNIS RAQUET OR A BUD DRAFT FROM RH BARRINGERS IN HAND. SOFTLY, BETWEEN INTRODUCTIONS, DR WHITE WHISPERED, WE NEED YOU TO MANAGE THIS TOURNAMENT. I ALMOST WENT BACK TO WILSON.
IT WAS A HAPPENING. AND RAISED A TON OF $ FOR TENNIS SCHOLARSHIPS AT ELON. J.POWELL WAS THE $, LACY HALL WAS THE PARTY, JERRY TOLLEY WAS THE DESIGNER.
OVER MY EARLY YEARS TWO THINGS THAT EMERGED WERE A DEEP FRIENDSHIP WITH JIM TONEY, AND A REALIZATION THAT A MAJOR INCARCERATION WOULD LIKELY ACCOMPANY THE TSHF DOUBLES CLASSIC.
HOW CAN WE REDIRECT THE EFFORTS AND POWER OF THIS GROUP?
THE JIMS, POWELL AND TONEY AGREED LETS FOCUS ON KIDS.
THUS BEGAN THE ALAMANCE JUNIOR TENNIS FOUNDATION. AND A DEEPENING KNOWLEDGE OF JIM TONEY.
HE CALLED ME TOAMY. WE NEED A PLAN. YOU GOTTA HAVE A PLAN. A GOAL.
WE ESTABLISHED THAT OVER DOZENS OF LUNCHES ( A VEGETABLE PLATE AT BAKATIAS), OFFICE MEETINGS, DISCUSSIONS AT MATCHES OR ON THE PHONE.
OUR GOAL WAS HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS BETTERMENT. HE BOUGHT MY SUGGESTION TO FOCUS ON TENNIS FACILITIES. THERE IT WAS: WE WON’T QUIT UNTIL ALL SIX HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE GOOD COURTS.
AS WE DEPARTED I REMEMBER THINKING, “…IF I STAY HERE TEN YEARS I MAY SEE THIS COMPLETED. IT TOOK ABOUT A YEAR.”
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THERE “TONEY SIGHTINGS”. FROM JOE BARBOUR ( THE MAYOR ) , HAROLD OWEN ( RECREATION DIRECTOR ). AND JOHN BOY WALTON ( DIRECTOR OF TENNIS ).
*COACH, HE WAS WAITING IN MY OFFICE WHEN I GOT TO WORK.”
*HEY PARHAM, CAN YOU BACK YOUR BOY TONEY OFF A LITTLE?”
**TOM—I HEARD HE HAS MADE APPOINTMENTS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, ALL THE PRINCIPALS. ADS, COACHES. COMMUNITY LEADERS AND TENNIS PEOPLE. GRANTS, MATCHING GIFTS.”
I SOON GOT A CALL FROM HAROLD AND JOE. ESSENTIALLY THEY SAID PARHAM YOU GOT THIS GOING. WE MAY BUILD A CITY FACILITY AND WE WANT YOUR HELP. SURE. MORE FUNDRAISING!
ODDLY—NO MORE CALLS. THEN I HEARD SOMEONE SAY IT LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING DOWNTOWN. OK—THE CALLS WILL COME SOON. NOTHING. 3 WKS LATER I’LL RIDE DOWN THERE AND SEE IF THE GROUND IS READY. BURLINGTON TENNIS CENTER. NEARLY DONE.
I LOOKED OVER AND THERE WAS TONEY. HE SMILED.
THAT LASTED A DAY. I WANT TO DO CUMMINGS HIGH SCHOOL NEXT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE KIDS HAVE TENNIS.
SO, WE WANDER AROUND THERE, WALKING OFF THE AREA, WHAT NEEDED MAJOR REPAIR. NEXT, THE WALKERS LED WESTERN ALAMANCE. TO SIX BEAUTIFUL COURTS AND GREAT TEAMS.
“NOTHING LIKE THAT GONNA HAPPEN AT SOUTHERN!” OH YEAH? TELL THAT TO ELANOR JOHNSON AND A MRS BONNIE MARROW WHO WRITES A 50K CHECK FOR THE PATRIOTS TENNIS COURTS.
JOHN WALTON AND I SHOOK OUR HEADS IN AMAZEMENT. IT WAS FRIDAY –WE WERE THROUGH.
MONDAY AM —JOHN BOY. Coach—you ain’t gonna believe this. WE NEED MIDDLE SCHOOLS TEAMS. ALL COME TO BTC 4 MATCHES AT A TIME. INSTRUCTION. COACH THERE IS NO MIDDLE SCHOOL PLAY IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
THEY MADE A GREAT PICTURE OF 85 KIDS AT MIDDLE SCHOOL TENNIS DAY.
HOLD THAT THOUGHT AND BACK UP SOME 30 YEARS. ROBERT AND TOM REGISTER HAVE BURST ON THE JUNIOR TENNIS SCENE IN A FLURY OF RACKET THROWS AND SALTY LANGUAGE. AN ACKNOWLEDGED FINE ADULT PLAYER OFFERS TO PLAY WITH THEM. ONE BROTHER SUGGESTS “…HAVE YOU NOTICED HE NEVERS SAYS ANYTHING BUT GOLLY PETE , TONEY, WHEN HE MAKES AN ERROR?
“WISELY THEY AGREE TO ADAPT HIS POLICY. ONLY “GOLLY PETE TONEY” FROM THE REGISTERS. NOT ONLY THAT IT BECAME FAMILY VENACULAR USED IN BOTH ADULT HOMES. SECOND NATURE.
FLASH BACK TO THAT OPENING MIDDLE SCHOOL DAY AS FATHER ROBERT TAKES MIDDLE SCHOOL DAUGHTER TO HER FIRST TENNIS DAY. ROBERT WALKS ALEX UP TO THE COMMISIONER AND PROUDLY INTRODUCES ALEX TO MR. JIM TONEY.
AS THEY WALK AWAY ALEX ASKS HER DAD, “…DADDY, IS THAT GOLLY PETE TONEY?
THEY NAMED THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD THE “GOLLY PETE TONEY “ AWARD”. ALEX REGISTER WON THE FIRST ONE.
The Little Green Book of Tennis 