Marat Safin officially ended his career with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 defeat by Juan Martin del Potro in the second round of the Paris Masters. The 29-year-old Safin, a two-time Grand Slam title winner, "put on a great performance on center court Wednesday against the U.S. Open champion but was unable to extend his career for at least one more day." Afterward, he flashed a rare smile -- he really is excited about quitting tennis! -- then received the key of the Bercy stadium as a farewell trophy.
I've always like the recalcitrant Russia, but was annoyed to see that he's joined Martina Navratilova on the bash Agassi bandwagon. If anything, shouldn't they be ripping into the ATP for letting Agassi "get away" with using meth -- which is HARDLY a performance-enhancing drug -- instead of demanding that he
“give his titles, his money and his Grand Slam titles” back? I'm no fan of Agassi's, for myriad reasons, but Martina's
comparison to Roger Clemens just makes no sense. Yes, both lied. But Agassi lied at the time to save his ass and has since come clean. Clemens' career was pretty much over when he lied and he continues to lie to this day to save his legacy. How is that the same thing? Agassi has damaged his legacy by BEING honest, something he certainly did not need to be. Before they judge him again, both Martina and Marat need to take a long look in the mirror and remember that Agassi is the one who HAS done something worthwhile in life outside of tennis. They could be stand to learn something from his post-tennis example.
Marat Safin officially ended his career with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 defeat by Juan Martin del Potro in the second round of the Paris Masters. The 29-year-old Safin, a two-time Grand Slam title winner, "put on a great performance on center court Wednesday against the U.S. Open champion but was unable to extend his career for at least one more day." Afterward, he flashed a rare smile -- he really is excited about quitting tennis! -- then received the key of the Bercy stadium as a farewell trophy.
I've always like the recalcitrant Russia, but was annoyed to see that he's joined Martina Navratilova on the bash Agassi bandwagon. If anything, shouldn't they be ripping into the ATP for letting Agassi "get away" with using meth -- which is HARDLY a performance-enhancing drug -- instead of demanding that he “give his titles, his money and his Grand Slam titles” back? I'm no fan of Agassi's, for myriad reasons, but Martina's comparison to Roger Clemens just makes no sense. Yes, both lied. But Agassi lied at the time to save his ass and has since come clean. Clemens' career was pretty much over when he lied and he continues to lie to this day to save his legacy. How is that the same thing? Agassi has damaged his legacy by BEING honest, something he certainly did not need to be. Before they judge him again, both Martina and Marat need to take a long look in the mirror and remember that Agassi is the one who HAS done something worthwhile in life outside of tennis. They could be stand to learn something from his post-tennis example.
1 comment:
I'm not sure I can agree with you on this. Once again, some celebrity -and I use the word loosely - comes clean about years of drug addiction and publishes a memoir, goes on all the talk shows, does a little crying, a mea culpa here and there and where all suppose to stand up and say, well you did bad for a few years, but look at all the super things you’ve done since.
Please, forgiveness cannot always be handed out like Halloween candy. If Agassi real feels any guilt for what he did, he should give back his titles and money earned. He’s tarnished his sports by lying and blaming it all on how he hated playing tennis.
Boo hoo.
The criticism leveled at him is deserved. This culture of celebrity some seem to live by appears to blind people to reality.
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