11/23/24
June 21, 2004
John McEnroe really is being serious: -- he firmly believes he could take on Serena and Venus Williams at the same time and beat them.
"I believe I could beat them playing them either individually or at the same time," said the Wimbledon champion turned TV tennis guru.
"In fact it would probably be easier playing them together because they would confuse each other."
He must been wandering around the house, looking for a racket, and found some coke he stashed in the 80s.
posted by tieguy at 07:30 AM on June 21, 2004
I'd love to watch that game. I'd back Jonny Mac every time. It's a no brainer - he might be old, but he's still class.
posted by JJ at 07:41 AM on June 21, 2004
"You cannot be serious." Sorry, it was way too easy. "List price $25.95. Price $6.99. This is a bargain book. Note that some publishers and distributors mark their bargain books with a black marker or a small stamp on the bottom of the book. These small marks identify the book as a remainder to the industry but do not mean the book is defective." ..and the book's not the only thing that's remaindered. When has McEnroe competed lately? And please, let's not talk about the Davis Cup.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:13 AM on June 21, 2004
I don't know if McEnroe is saying these things just to invite controversy, but he's certainly capable of pandering for TV. Remember The Chamber, that short-lived extreme reality show that he hosted? The guy's a great tennis broadcaster, so he doesn't really need to be the 21st century of Bobby Riggs. I would be surprised and disappointed if he could beat either Williams in a singles match today.
posted by rcade at 10:46 AM on June 21, 2004
I love McEnroe, he is the best thing that America has ever produced.
posted by Fat Buddha at 10:47 AM on June 21, 2004
I love McEnroe, he is the best thing that America has ever produced. Better than air conditioning and soft-serv ice cream? What kind of American are you?
posted by lil_brown_bat at 11:36 AM on June 21, 2004
It's good to have asshole John back.
posted by lbergstr at 11:39 AM on June 21, 2004
Did anyone else notice that the news story made no mention of the word "tennis"? Johnny Mac wants to take on the Williams sisters, either one at a time or in a threesome, but never mentioned the game ;-) In all seriousness, like most people that grew up watching Johnny Mac play, he was always an enigma to me, the unravelling of which was very poorly executed by sports writers like Bud Collins (who never really seems to have a sophisticated understanding of anything, let alone tennis) or Frank DeFord, (who projects too much of himself on his subject) back in the day. I was googling the other day and found this article on Johnny Mac on Salon. It is the best piece I have ever seen on this larger than life, tragiocomic figure.
posted by psmealey at 12:01 PM on June 21, 2004
lil_brown_bat: What kind of American are you? Fat Buddha is nothing of the kind. He's British, and, as far as I can see, bloody proud of it. McEnroe is a nut job.
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:06 PM on June 21, 2004
McEnroe is a nut job. Soon to have his own nightly show on CNBC. This has got to be a publicity stunt. (as usfbull pointed out above - note to self: stop skimming)
posted by Ufez Jones at 12:12 PM on June 21, 2004
The fact `McEnroe was a great player` can't be denied. Please leave him alone. Just laugh at what he says and please don't say bad about a legend. "McEnroe can beat Williams Ha Ha Ha..." Over :)
posted by babuchutkan at 01:24 PM on June 21, 2004
McEnroe was a great player. And a nutjob.
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:32 PM on June 21, 2004
Oh man, you lot don't appreciate what you have. You should cherish McEnroe; it's his nuttiness that makes him so great.
posted by Fat Buddha at 04:11 AM on June 22, 2004
Guys, whatever his motives for once again bleating about this, McEnroe would beat either Willams sister, or both... i saw him hitting with one of America's top juniors on the outside courts at Flushing Meadows last year and he was giving this kid the complete runaround. Whatever else you think about him, he competes regularly on the senior's circuit and this ain't against walking stick-toting has-beens, this is against Thomas Muster, Petr Korda, guys who have been out of top flight tennis for only a year or two. Back in the 80s, then-world number one Chris Evert used to say she was regularly beaten by her brother John, a former college player. Not much has changed. The women have got stronger and fitter, but so have the men. The new technology in rackets allows McEnroe, Becker, Leconte et al to hit as well as ever. If he is fit, and Mac is, then he's the winner hands down against any woman. Similarly, former British number one Andrew Castle said last week that, given three month's practice, he would be very disappointed if he was not able to beat every woman in the top 100. I'm not so sure about that, but McEnroe is still a class act on a tennis court.
posted by ossian72 at 03:01 AM on June 27, 2004
No surprise here. Looks like McEnroe is taking the low road to raise awareness of his new talk show.