Charlie Owens convinced many of the virtues of the drop shot. Years ago! (See MAESTRO and MAESTRO REVISITED ). I listened with amusement yesterday as commentators at the French Open extolled these virtues as if the drop shot was new.

What is new is the level of skill that the players have developed, the frequency of use, and how to defend against it. Carlos and the Joker most noticably.

Drop shots, drop shot defense, swinging volleys–“adapt or perish”!

Homework? Someone will soon add a most killer TOPSPIN LOB “.

https://chatgpt.com/c/683f7fdd-da30-800e-a98e-4aa642665397

AI rules ! Access to data gives new insight to college tennis. See link:

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/KtbxLwHLrjstJvBXlcDmJWKrLDTdjcHrbq

I repeat this observation of the recent tournament

“Wake Forest University won the 2025 NCAA Men’s Team Tennis Championship. They beat Texas Christian University 4-2. Both are elite private, protestant schools. In the title match both teams played only the same six team members in singles and doubles. There was one American that played for WFU. One for TCU.

The unitiated might think this 5:1 ratio favoring international starters is unusual or new. Sadly the truth is it is a typical formula among men and women, NCAA Divisions 1 and 11, NAIA , JUCOS. Often total rosters and six starters is just as common.”

Here is some more amateur research:

Sixty two teams qualified.

Ten players was the average squad size. About 600 squad members.

Men are allowed 4 and1/2 scholarships. About 270 grants.

Assuming sholarships are awarded to the players that actually play ( 6 or 7), rosters and box scores reveal that about 80 grants of the 270 go to Americans.

While there were exceptions ( Stanford started 5 Americans ), the “typical ” squad of 10 listed 7 international members. The average ratio of starters was 5:1 international.

Thirty three of the 60 teams had zero or only one American starter.

2025 NCAA MEN’S D1 CHAMPIONSHIPS –MEDIA GUIDE

https://d3ms8mre5rhtvu.cloudfront.net/index.html?hash=QzU1OThENjZBRUQrdDkwYjhhbGs5cw%3D%3D&p=1

I’ll follow you down ’til the sound of my voice will haunt you

(SILVER SPRING ) by Fleetwood Mac.

Most college spring sports are over. Baseball never quits . Anything emerge with all the changes this year?

I played and coached college basketball and college tennis.

Here is an earlier quote that panned out:

It is pretty obvious some fundamental changes occurred in the 2025 FINAL FOUR college basketball tournament : No Cinderella, all four top seeds make it. Best bet is a large state University that can pay em, a seasoned and proven coach, some internationals to augment big, fast dudes. No need to recruit high school aspirants other than the rare Cooper. 18 years old—need not apply. 

This a link to the whole article:

WHAT NOW?

Wake Forest University won the 2025 NCAA Men’s Team Tennis Championship. They beat Texas Christian University 4-2. Both are elite private protestant schools. In the title match both teams played only the same six team members in singles and doubles. There was one American that played for WFU. One for TCU.

The unitiated might this 5:1 ratio favoring international starters might be unusual or new. Sadly the the truth is it is a typical formula among men and women, NCAA Divisions 1 and 11, NAIA , JUCOS. Often total rosters and six starters is just as common.

The first “small town” I lived in was Madison , NC ( Age 3 to 12 , 1943-1952 ). Mel’s Dad , Mutt–Mother, Polly–and sister, Carol went to my minister Father’s First Baptist church. While they were at our place on Sunday’s, our gang of boys gathered most days at the Steeles. Two main reasons were their family and their location near the banks of the Dan river.

I just read two biographies. One on Tom Brokow, the other on Al Pacino: What impressed me about Brokow’s was where he wound up , having a Father who quit school after the second grade. Pacino seemed to dwell on his childhood days , even in view of his fascinating acting career. I soon realized I do the same childhood “reflecting “. So when I read the article below ( see link
https://richardnilsen.com/tag/mel-steele/ ). And looked at Mel’s work I remember those days fondly. Mutt was a “man’s man”. First –he was a tough boxer! As we got older we appreciated that he was an accomplished tradesman, and teaching all kinds of skills to his talented Son.

Our move to another small NC village (Robbins, NC ) introduced me to Willis Williams. The late Dr. Williams , a classmate, was a world class surgeon, saving countless children with heart problems.

Dr. Willis H. Williams was a classmate of mine and a friend for over seventy years.   His entire life through high school was lived in Robbins , NC.  

He was eulogized by Dr; Robert Guyton.  

I have enclosed a video of Dr. Williams funeral.   Dr. Guyton’s talk appears at minutes 25  through 38.  

There was also an Astronaut from that Moore County mill town.

My guess is small towns all over provide many opportunities .

I asked my friend Earl Boykin who the famous people from his home town of Rock Ridge, N.C. were?

” I guess me and Ava Gardner and Gov. Hunt were the pick of the litter.”

Congratulations to the Elon University Women’s Tennis team for winning the 2025 Colonial Athletics Association team title. Great coaching by Coach Elizabeth Anderson.

HEADS UP

August 5th, 1999 From TENNIS WORLD by Beth German:
“The NCAA is also to be blamed for not keeping tennis specific numbers. It is impossible to find out how many international players take roster spots, scholarships or Graduate from college.”

Thankfully the NCAA and the ITA have made data much more available. And the ITA video on the history of college tennis in America cites the long standing issue surrounding international players that continues . (See SEVEN MINUTES–below ).

https://tomparham.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=6532&action=edit

(SEVEN MINUTES )

As the spring tennis season ends with the upcoming National Championships, would this be a good time to “…let it all hang out” ?

• HOW MANY INTERNATIONALS ON YOUR ROSTER? HOW MANY OF THOSE PLAY IN THE LINEUP AND AT WHICH POSITIONS (1-6 SINGLES. 1-3 DOUBLES?) CHECK THIS ON LINEUPS FOR “CRUCIAL” MATCHES.

The fact is American College sports will have more and more appeal and possibilities for all global sports.

“like a snowball rolling down the side of a snow covered hill—it’s growing!” (The Temptations )

SEE-

https://tomparham.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=6296&action=edit

( WHOA, NELLY)

SEE–

https://tomparham.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=6105&action=edit  (NEXT PLEASE)

“Wait till next year !” (The Brooklyn Dodgers lament ).

Okay, but how to plan, pay , personnel ?

It is pretty obvious some fundamental changes occurred in the 2025 FINAL FOUR college basketball tournament : No Cinderella, all four top seeds make it. Best bet is a large state University that can pay em, a seasoned and proven coach, some internationals to augment big, fast dudes. No need to recruit high school aspirants other than the rare Cooper. 18 years old—need not apply. Guards must be able to palm the ball. Players understand the coach is willing to give up my life for the school.

Athletic Directors must realize “HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL” rule will cause all kinds of ill will and bad behavior, for appoval or to sort out. And quickly a youngster with a hand full of cash will find mischief. “”They gonna wreck some of them cars.”

Plenty of questions. Here are a few for the School Presidents, Boards of Trustees, State Legislatures.

Do we give up academic freedom for federal money ? Sure ? Your soul could cost a billion bucks at some major institutions. Vote is due for all—soon.

Big time requests for a General Manager to pay the players–salary a million plus. And payroll for players (no salary cap ) and no telling how much.

A basketball budget that matches the cost of a needed new library? How big is my donor base? Do we

even consider faculty salaries? The faculty will.

Gamblers salivate. Parents pay. Community Colleges grow.

When we graduated from college my roommate and I were the last to vacate the dorm. He then rode off. Alone–I gazed over the campus and wondered, “…What do I do now?” I am always reminded of that sinking feeling , when watching the faces of NCAA basketball players the moment their team is through.

This is from an earlier article I wrote on March 19, 2025 (BALLOTS IN ) :

Will Universities indeed go bankrupt for actually endorsing “Academic Freedom?”

How about a DEI University? 

Am I mistaken?  Aren’t there alot of people who believe what we were  taught?

Got a dictionary?– See egregious. See exigency.  Endowment reserves?  This is war time:  Colleges and Universities, Administrations, Trustees, faculties, students, parents, donors,  public educators and public patriots.  Vote for education.  Your silence is a vote for Fear.

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

Barack Obama spoke at Hamilton College on April 3, 2025. In concluding his talk he admonished American Higher Education to act rather than just talk. And cited endowments as the way to protect “academic freedom”

Don’t bow down.  

“There must be some way outta here, said the Joker to the Thief….”