04/16/24
June 29, 2005
"He's lightened up. : He was able to say, after the Hewitt match, 'he's a better player than I am,' which is progress for the man but fatal for the competitor; in life, in everything but sports, it's best to know your limits." Nice piece by S.L. Price on the winding down of a career.
posted by lil_brown_bat to tennis at 09:14 AM - 8 comments
This is a good piece, lbb. I think most athletes (ex-athletes...whatever) can connect with never being "more than a middling player", if the ego allows. Gimelstob seems to be on the right track to life after sports.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 10:27 AM on June 29, 2005
I would never have picked Gimelstob as someone who would grow, y'know, up. Good on him for finding adulthood and a relationship. And yeah, that is a good piece of writing.
posted by chicobangs at 11:26 AM on June 29, 2005
Thanks for posting this, lbb ... if this is Gimelstob's attitude, he might turn out to be a pretty damned good announcer -- provided he knows the English language better than, say, Joe Morgan.
posted by wfrazerjr at 01:07 PM on June 29, 2005
I remember when he was 18 and won the US Nationals. I wondered if he would do as well on the tour because he wasn't your prototypical player. I knew he would be great in doubles because of his size and quickness. And now it seems like 3 days later and he's talking about retirement? Jesus, I'm getting old. Wait, this isn't about me... Good read lbb.
posted by smithnyiu at 06:13 PM on June 29, 2005
That was nicely written* - so much so that I found myself interested in someone I have to confess I don't ever remember hearing of before. Thanks lbb. *For the linguistic pedants - in the article, the writer uses the expression: "But Justin came through it better than anyone could expect;" instead of: "But Justin came through it better than anyone could have expected;" Is this a mistake, or an Americanism?
posted by JJ at 03:55 AM on June 30, 2005
Is this a mistake, or an Americanism? As a nation, we have a poor understanding of the pluperfect. ;-)
posted by lil_brown_bat at 06:21 AM on June 30, 2005
Damn it, JJ, are you questioning the American grasp of the American language?!? BOMB THEM! /George Carlin
posted by wfrazerjr at 10:43 AM on June 30, 2005
Nice little piece by Price - he's an underused asset over at SI. That said, Gimbelstob is completely forgetable as a player. Not a has been, but a never-was (save for the mixed doubles crowns). He makes Daniel Nestor look super-successful.