tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24784219.post115152950398718565..comments2024-03-06T03:58:39.540-06:00Comments on The Viral Garden: Tennis needs a better serveMack Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02723628321171539590noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24784219.post-37285835090059597422008-03-24T13:29:00.000-05:002008-03-24T13:29:00.000-05:00If tennis is a mainly European game, then so is ba...If tennis is a mainly European game, then so is baseball, loosely based on cricket. Yet baseball is America's pastime. What is the solution for tennis in the US? To find a club, get some lessons, get pros out teaching a few hours a week to grow the game on the public courts, and grow the next superstars. Great athletes in the US go where the guaranteed money is- when you sign a contract with a team, when its encouraged in schools, get a scholarship for baseball, basketball, football. Few and far between is the tennis scholarship, because those who are truly gifted never go to school on a tennis scholarship, they hit the tour immediately. <BR/><BR/>Tennis is a great sport, but there's no interest in the US unless a couple vibrant, exciting Americans are playing at a high level.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24784219.post-1170442728884317572007-02-02T12:58:00.000-06:002007-02-02T12:58:00.000-06:00You have to understand...Tennis is a purely Europe...You have to understand...Tennis is a purely European game...it has a certain european flair that is similar to football (soccer)...the modern sport was really first played in France and then later in England. I believe that the American Public holds tennis as less physically challenging than other sports such as football, basketball or soccer. However, when closely scrutinized, it is just as physically grueling. Throughout the decades, one may argue that tennis has evolved to become the most dynamic sport or game ever invented, because in order to be dominant...you should be the fastest, strongest and smartest, but if you don't have all three virtues... well then you won't be any good. Despite this modernization, at the same time nationally conforming such an ancient, complicated, dynamic, and international game would be arrogant (on the part of the U.S) and extremely detrimental to the entire concept of Tennis.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24784219.post-1151620360172117202006-06-29T17:32:00.000-05:002006-06-29T17:32:00.000-05:00I agree in that I don't know if college tennis wou...I agree in that I don't know if college tennis would get viewers. College baseball doesn't typically get them, and baseball's as American as apple pie.<BR/><BR/>That's not to say I wouldn't like to see it, though. I l.o.v.e. watching tennis (particularly women's tennis.) <BR/><BR/>Oh, and Mack, try "Virtua Tennis" if you're looking for a good tennis video game.<BR/><BR/>My suggestion... have Maria Sharapova play in EVERY match, and bring back Anna Kournikova. Maybe match the two of them up in a strip tennis game.J.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01890955694635838420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24784219.post-1151587514257373592006-06-29T08:25:00.000-05:002006-06-29T08:25:00.000-05:00"- if professional tennis has so few viewers (if t..."- if professional tennis has so few viewers (if that is what is meant by low popularity) nobody would actually watch college tennis, I believe."<BR/><BR/>Depends on the schools involved. There's long been a saying 'around here' that you could show Alabama and Auburn playing tiddly-winks, and sell-out a stadium. IF ESPNU could show the 'name' colleges from the 'name' conferences, I think it could work.<BR/><BR/>"- college sports on TV is mainly a "U.S. thing" and as Tennis is more or less played worldwide, I don't know if that would make much of a difference (except for the U.S., of course)."<BR/><BR/>Should have stated that, but this was how to motivate the US audience, since that's what the story was commenting on. Tennis may be huge still in Europe, Asia, etc, I have no idea.<BR/><BR/>"- Not sure if the prospect of being on TV would motivate the "right" athletes..."<BR/><BR/>Well it certainly couldn't hurt. The promise of endorsement deals would work much better though.<BR/><BR/>As for the negative comments, no biggie, I've always said that negative comments are usually better than positive ones, as long as they are constructive. Thanks for stopping by Ben!Mack Collierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02723628321171539590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24784219.post-1151571492977428972006-06-29T03:58:00.000-05:002006-06-29T03:58:00.000-05:00Hey Mack,wanted to say some things to your post th...Hey Mack,<BR/><BR/>wanted to say some things to your post that came to my mind while reading it:<BR/><BR/>- if professional tennis has so few viewers (if that is what is meant by low popularity) nobody would actually watch college tennis, I believe. <BR/>- college sports on TV is mainly a "U.S. thing" and as Tennis is more or less played worldwide, I don't know if that would make much of a difference (except for the U.S., of course). <BR/>- Not sure if the prospect of being on TV would motivate the "right" athletes...<BR/><BR/>- don't think it's a good idea to shorten games to match the attention span. tennis is a lot about tradition (at least I'd have thought so - maybe that's good marketing?) and you would probably lose the old fan base if the rules of the game are changed? <BR/>still, golf is a lot more fatiguing (for me) and still the quota's better.<BR/><BR/>sorry about all the negative comments, I do agree that tennis is a fascinating sport and I like your ideas, they're good and inventive!<BR/>btw.. like your blog's name, although I don't really like to imagine how viral garden would look in reality (something like a London tube in mid-November, probably ;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com