One of the really classic movie lines to my mind, is when Tom Hanks as manager Jimmy Dugan yells at Evelyn the outfielder in "A League of Their Own". Evelyn has just missed the cutoff gal, and as a result several extra runs are scored by the other team. When they finally get the third out, Evelyn comes running into the dugout and Jimmy yells at her. Evelyn gets all upset and starts crying, at which point he says "There's no crying in baseball!"
This seems to be appropriate considering the recent run of at times great athletes who totally tanked it in their respective matches, and then proceeded to go off and blame other people, while filling the air with expletives. First, there's Serena Williams, the most ungracious of all the recent Grand Slam champions, going off on a line judge. Then there's Kyle Busch going off about how it's everyone else's fault he missed the Chase. And how about Jay Cutler, going off on his receivers and the referees because he's the one who threw four interceptions against the Packers. Let's not forget his highness Roger Federer, who pulled a Serena in his Championship match last night. And don't even get me started on Michael "Mr. Everyone says I'm the greatest person who ever lived and obviously I did it all myself" Jordan who perhaps gave the most disingenuous Hall of Fame acceptance speech ever.
Please - Serena, Kyle, Jay, Roger, Oh High and Mighty One - now say after me: "There's no crying in baseball (or tennis, or basketball, or NASCAR, or the NFL)." Let's not blame the officials, or the teammates, or the coaches. If you didn't play well, step up and take some responsibility for it, and give some credit to the other competitor. And just be grateful you have umpteen gazillions of dollars and that everyone bows and kowtows to your every whim. GET OVER IT!
This seems to be appropriate considering the recent run of at times great athletes who totally tanked it in their respective matches, and then proceeded to go off and blame other people, while filling the air with expletives. First, there's Serena Williams, the most ungracious of all the recent Grand Slam champions, going off on a line judge. Then there's Kyle Busch going off about how it's everyone else's fault he missed the Chase. And how about Jay Cutler, going off on his receivers and the referees because he's the one who threw four interceptions against the Packers. Let's not forget his highness Roger Federer, who pulled a Serena in his Championship match last night. And don't even get me started on Michael "Mr. Everyone says I'm the greatest person who ever lived and obviously I did it all myself" Jordan who perhaps gave the most disingenuous Hall of Fame acceptance speech ever.
Please - Serena, Kyle, Jay, Roger, Oh High and Mighty One - now say after me: "There's no crying in baseball (or tennis, or basketball, or NASCAR, or the NFL)." Let's not blame the officials, or the teammates, or the coaches. If you didn't play well, step up and take some responsibility for it, and give some credit to the other competitor. And just be grateful you have umpteen gazillions of dollars and that everyone bows and kowtows to your every whim. GET OVER IT!
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