Talk About Tennis 2.0

Deuce wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 4:15 am ^ That's why they're referred to as being 'the good ol' days' - before sponsors, etc. totally controlled what players can do, etc.
While it wasn't perfect, there was considerably more freedom back then.

I don't know about 'more freedom'. Maybe fewer obligations, but players today have quite a bit of financial freedom derived from those sponsor obligations.

New babysitter!

Called it.

David Goffin got married to his longtime girlfriend Stephanie

Men are really doing more with color now. Monfils wore a lavender colored tux I think? I wish them well.

And Lucie Safarova got married the other day to her longtime boyfriend Tomas (also father of her child)

ti-amie wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 5:09 pm Men are really doing more with color now. Monfils wore a lavender colored tux I think? I wish them well.

Yeah, he did. Looked great.

skatingfan wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 12:24 pm

Deuce wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 4:15 am ^ That's why they're referred to as being 'the good ol' days' - before sponsors, etc. totally controlled what players can do, etc.
While it wasn't perfect, there was considerably more freedom back then.

I don't know about 'more freedom'. Maybe fewer obligations, but players today have quite a bit of financial freedom derived from those sponsor obligations.

Any 'freedom' obtained by jumping through the hoops you're obligated to jump through in order to obtain the money to purchase it is not true freedom by my definition.

JazzNU wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 5:21 pm And Lucie Safarova got married the other day to her longtime boyfriend Tomas (also father of her child)

That's Tomas Plekanec, longtime player for the Montreal Canadiens NHL hockey team.

Deuce wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 8:40 pm Any 'freedom' obtained by jumping through the hoops you're obligated to jump through in order to obtain the money to purchase it is not true freedom by my definition.

How is that different from the way that anyone earns money?

skatingfan wrote: ↑Sat Sep 25, 2021 1:35 am

Deuce wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 8:40 pm Any 'freedom' obtained by jumping through the hoops you're obligated to jump through in order to obtain the money to purchase it is not true freedom by my definition.

How is that different from the way that anyone earns money?

There are similarities, of course. Which is why I believe that very few people are truly free. Maybe those who honestly love their job, etc. I think it's a true shame that the majority of people work primarily - and often exclusively - for the monetary reward, and not instead for the enjoyment of it. This helps to explain why so many things are not done well or efficiently. ("Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it." - Thoreau)

But there are significant differences, as well. In most jobs, the employer does not tell the employee that he/she is only permitted to wear clothing from a certain company... I cringe every time I see a player scramble to put his watch on his wrist after a match before the post match interview - I find it ridiculous, and even degrading. There's no way in hell I'd ever allow myself to be controlled to anywhere near that degree - not for any amount of money.
Integrity is paramount.
"There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity." - Tom Peters

Deuce wrote: ↑Sat Sep 25, 2021 2:22 am But there are significant differences, as well. In most jobs, the employer does not tell the employee that he/she is only permitted to wear clothing from a certain company... I cringe every time I see a player scramble to put his watch on his wrist after a match before the post match interview... There's no way in hell I'd ever allow myself to be controlled to anywhere near that degree - not for any amount of money.
Integrity is paramount.
"There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity." - Tom Peters

Approximately half of all workers wear a uniform for their job. I worked for more than a decade at Canadian Tire where a I wore a shirt with the company logo on it. This is the norm for millions of workers every day, and there's no loss of integrity for any of them. Your inability to see beyond the limited scope of your own experience is staggering.

skatingfan wrote: ↑Sat Sep 25, 2021 2:27 am

Deuce wrote: ↑Sat Sep 25, 2021 2:22 am But there are significant differences, as well. In most jobs, the employer does not tell the employee that he/she is only permitted to wear clothing from a certain company... I cringe every time I see a player scramble to put his watch on his wrist after a match before the post match interview... There's no way in hell I'd ever allow myself to be controlled to anywhere near that degree - not for any amount of money.
Integrity is paramount.
"There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity." - Tom Peters

Approximately half of all workers wear a uniform for their job. I worked for more than a decade at Canadian Tire where a I wore a shirt with the company logo on it. This is the norm for millions of workers every day, and there's no loss of integrity for any of them. Your inability to see beyond the limited scope of your own experience is staggering.

Are you honestly comparing wearing a store uniform during working hours so that customers can easily identify those who work in the store and who might be able to help them to players not being permitted - by contract - to EVER - on the court or off of it - wear any clothing from a company other than the one they've signed a contract with? Or to ever wear a watch from a company other than the one he/she has signed a contract with?
Seriously?

As I've stated - I have my definition of freedom, and I'm quite happy with it. And that is the freedom I value.
I object to being ridiculously controlled in exchange for a certain sum of money. I consider it 'selling out'.

No one is forcing Rolex down Roger Federer's throat and he doesn't NEED the money. There are few more freely made decisions than top tennis players signing on with a luxury watch company.

Garbine was in Wisconsin for the Ryder Cup. The IG post has additional videos of walking the greens for anyone interested, just scroll through to the videos.