Naomi Osaka withdraws from the French Open

[Softball Bat]

"Who? Who cares?"
You might say this.

Well, yes.
But there are some bigger sports issues at play here.

Osaka is currently ranked #2 in the female tennis world.
She has won the last two majors.

She refused to participate in the mandatory post-match press conference after her 1st round win at the French Open, and she was hit with a $15,000 fine.
Apparently all four of the major tournaments are in solidarity on this issue.
I'm not sure where the player's association comes down on this.

After being hit with the fine, Osaka, 22 years old, dropped out of the tournament.

She issued a statement which said, paraphrasing, that she has battled depression and mental health issues for a number of years.
She has social anxiety and it becomes very problematic for her when she is confronted with awkward or uncomfortable questions in press conference settings.
Rather than absorbing $15,000 fines after each win, and being a distraction to the event, she felt it best to drop out.


What about this?

She didn't drop out because performing in the arena is too much for her.
She dropped out because she isn't down with facing the media, and if the powers-that-be declare that she has to face the media or be fined, she needs to pack it in.

If you ever watch tennis losers in their post-match media sessions you'll see that they are sour, grumpy, and sometimes combative if they feel a reporter is saying things they don't want to hear.
They definitely DO NOT enjoy being in that room.

So if you set a precedent by letting Osaka slide on the media appearances, you might then get a slew of players opting out, especially when coming off a loss.
You know, mental health and stuff.


Discuss...

[Mikey]

You get paid a lot of money. It’s part of the job. If you feel you can’t do it then find another job.

One added thought...WGARA

[smackaholic]

What Mikey said, especially the WGARA part.


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[Softball Bat]

You get paid a lot of money. It’s part of the job. If you feel you can’t do it then find another job.

I understand the take, and a corner of my mind is very comfortable with it.

However, consider a few things...

If Osaka had gotten to the semifinals (a pretty safe bet), she would have earned $454 000.
It is actually quite possible/likely that she would have made the finals, or even won the event -- and earned a lot more than that.
But let's be conservative.

By winning five matches (to get to the semis) she would have racked up fines of $75,000 for not speaking to the press.
So she would have come away from the event with just a bit under $400,000.

As it is, she came away $15,000 in the hole.
Not only that, she blew a chance to win another major, which would have been her 3rd in a row.
She also badly hurt her chances of reaching #1 in the world.

That is quite a self-inflicted wound she decided to deliver to herself.

She is also not embroiled in any kind of feud with the media.

So my read on this situation is that she is not trying to be "uppity," or bratty, or a kunt.
She could have rolled like that and played all of the matches -- and maybe even had won the event.

Nope.
My read here is that she has a legit mental issue.

In fact, there was an incident with her and the press after one of her matches at Wimbledon two years ago.
She broke down in tears during the post-match press conference.

If it is in fact a real mental issue, I assume the take from both of you is that she should get professional help so that she can fulfill her obligation to speak to the press after her matches.

Then I would ask you...

Why should the players be required to speak to the media?

Players in other sports sometimes do not.

Both of you probably remember that one of the great left handed pitchers of all time, S. Carlton, refused to speak to the media for nearly all of his career.

Why can't the tennis players just choose not to speak?

[smackaholic]

Why can’t you just mind your own fukking bidness?

A person can make a large sum smacking a tennis ball because large numbers of people find it interesting.

If the media is shut out, those paydays end. It’s a pretty simple concept.

The organization that writes the checks also writes the rules.

If they say you must take part in press events, you must......if you wanna get paid.

No one is forcing her to do a fukking thing.


It’s a shame only one corner of your small brain can grasp this concept. Every last bit if mine, what there is of it, can.


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[Softball Bat]

A person can make a large sum smacking a tennis ball because large numbers of people find it interesting.

If the media is shut out, those paydays end. It’s a pretty simple concept.

Osaka never demanded to be highly paid.

And in fact, per my post, she willingly went $15,000 in the red -- when she could have easily chosen to play on (without speaking to the media) and earned hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not over a million dollars.
It is conceivable that she would have won the event.


But I will correct one thing from my previous post.
She did not lose $15,000 in this event.

She won $72,000 by winning her first round match.
Subtract $15,000 from that.

She came away with $57,000, but forfeited a whole lot more than that.

[Mikey]

If there's a legit mental issue then she should seek professional help and get a doctor's note to get out of the pressers. That, to me, would be OK. Other employers make similar compromises to allow their employees to do their jobs.

In this case, her employer is the WTA or whatever. If they require their employees to do the pressers, then what other athletic enterprises require is pretty irrelevant. She's not a free agent. If they want to back off, it's up to them. The tour and the major tournaments enable her to make loads of cayshe. If she wants to participate then she should do what's required of all the other employees. Unless she has a doctor's note.

[Diego in Seattle]

[Kierland]

You get paid a lot of money. It’s part of the job. If you feel you can’t do it then find another job.

One added thought...WGARA

How retarded. She plays tennis. Only snowflakes want her to talk.

[Innocent Bystander]

You get paid a lot of money. It’s part of the job. If you feel you can’t do it then find another job.

One added thought...WGARA

Depression is real, anxiety is real. She's just a kid, and because she's blasian, she's going to be asked questions others aren't The burden is heavier.

Let her decompress. She'll come back, if it's something she really wants to do.

[Jay in Phoenix]

This whole thing could have been easily solved if a compromise could have been reached to make Naomi more at ease, by say, having a specific interviewer doing it as a one-on-one, which is something she probably would have been okay with. She isn't psychologically comfortable in a media circus setting, so just tone it down. Of course, this probably wasn't even considered and that's the French Open's and fans loss.

[Softball Bat]

If there's a legit mental issue then she should seek professional help and get a doctor's note to get out of the pressers. That, to me, would be OK. Other employers make similar compromises to allow their employees to do their jobs.

In this case, her employer is the WTA or whatever. If they require their employees to do the pressers, then what other athletic enterprises require is pretty irrelevant. She's not a free agent. If they want to back off, it's up to them. The tour and the major tournaments enable her to make loads of cayshe. If she wants to participate then she should do what's required of all the other employees. Unless she has a doctor's note.

Now to open up a new can of worms...

And what if your employer requires you to stand up for the national anthem?

[Softball Bat]

She's just a kid,

This is also a good point.

22 years old.

What was our maturity level at agee 22?

Honestly think about yourself at that age.

[Diego in Seattle]

She's just a kid,

This is also a good point.

22 years old.

What was our maturity level at agee 22?

Honestly think about yourself at that age.

So should males under 22 be executed for their actions, or just the dark-skinned ones?

[Slap]

If it is too much for her to meet with the media they should work out a creative solution for the young lady. After the first round she could go to a back room and fellate the head tennis writer from the NY Times. After round two she could do the same for the dude from the BBC. And so on.

I'm good at thinking outside the box.

[Bill in Houston]

So, she gave up a potential... what, $400-500k?

Endorsement brings it to $1MM?

And she walks. Good for her.

Know who the biggest loser is? The tennis federation/sponsors. They lost the world #2. Prolly millions of lost revenue. WAY more than what she loses and far more damaging to the organizers than to her.

She stood up for herself. Good for her. Screw WTF.

[L45B]

News flash.

There’s no such thing as the French Open.

It’s called Roland Garros.

There’s no British Open in tennis either.

[Softball Bat]

News flash.

There’s no such thing as the French Open.

It’s called Roland Garros.

And are we supposed to say that with our pinky extended?

[Softball Bat]

So, she gave up a potential... what, $400-500k?

That's about what it adds up to if she had played and made it to the semifinals.

The winner of the tournament receives 1.7 million dollars.

She has won the last two majors, so her winning this event would not have been a stretch.


Whatever the exact amount is that she forfeited, it is considerable.

[L45B]

[Mikey]

If there's a legit mental issue then she should seek professional help and get a doctor's note to get out of the pressers. That, to me, would be OK. Other employers make similar compromises to allow their employees to do their jobs.

In this case, her employer is the WTA or whatever. If they require their employees to do the pressers, then what other athletic enterprises require is pretty irrelevant. She's not a free agent. If they want to back off, it's up to them. The tour and the major tournaments enable her to make loads of cayshe. If she wants to participate then she should do what's required of all the other employees. Unless she has a doctor's note.

Now to open up a new can of worms...

And what if your employer requires you to stand up for the national anthem?

Apples and bananas.

[Kierland]

After work you are required to hang out and shoot the shit and if you don’t we fire you.

Sin,
Mikey the Boss

[Mikey]

After work you are required to hang out and shoot the shit and if you don’t we fire you.

Sin,
Mikey the Boss

More apples and bananas. Besides, that's not what I signed up for. The presser is part of the deal. Not that I think it has any usefulness or should be required, but it is. Maybe she should exert some of her influence as one of the top two players in the world to get it changed.

[Screw_Michigan]

The only reason I returned to this festering shithole was to hear Dan Vogel's take on this because I know he's a legit tennis fan and is geniunely level headed.

This argument is about whether elite athletes should have to answer to pointed questions from non peers, i.e. reporters, about their performance soon after great wins or crushing lows. Period. Many people believe that no, they shouldn't. These elite athletes should be able to tell people what they want, when they want, on their insta or Twitter without being subject to questioning.

I think this is completely absurd. Companies and organizations, media or not, pump countless millions into providing the huge championship purses that people like Osaka enjoy. I sympathize with her mental health concerns. I had very poor mental health in January and February due to the Coronavirus and watching the GOP buttfuck our democracy in the mouf. It really sucked, and some days, I could barely focus on work. I wouldn't wish it on my enemy.

But there are also lots of things I had to do during my career that I was very anxious and uncomfortable with, and you know what, I sucked it up, faced my fears, worked on them, and learned how to manage them. Talking to reporters is part of being a professional tennis player.

There's a conversation to be had about the role and frequency of reporter and player interaction in pro tennis, but this totally reeks of Osaka knowing she the #2 player on tour and that she simply didn't want to do this anymore. She's acting like a petulant 23 year old. She's got a lot of people fooled with this "self care" nonsense.

[Screw_Michigan]

News flash.

There’s no such thing as the French Open.

It’s called Roland Garros.

There’s no British Open in tennis either.

Nobody gives even the slightest shred of a flying fuck.

[Softball Bat]

I had very poor mental health in January and February due to the Coronavirus and watching the GOP buttfuck our democracy in the mouf. It really sucked, and some days, I could barely focus on work. I wouldn't wish it on my enemy.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=52049

Is Screwy ok?

I doubt it.

I think he is probably ill.

Very good to see you, SM!

[Screw_Michigan]

Very good to see you, SM!

Thanks, friend! Back at you. To clarify: I didn't contract coronavirus. Instead I had a relatively minor health scare that freaked me out and thankfully I saw a specialist and had it rectified. But going through this stuff in Jan and Feb, combined with the gray winter weather, non stop bad coronavirus news, and the GQP creeping fascism further and further into American democracy, things were very bleak and sad for me. Feeling a lot better now and am looking forward to the summer and fall of 2021.

[Softball Bat]

More apples and bananas. Besides, that's not what I signed up for. The presser is part of the deal. Not that I think it has any usefulness or should be required, but it is. Maybe she should exert some of her influence as one of the top two players in the world to get it changed.

I think this episode is opening a conversation on it.

My own view is that players in any sport ought not be required to speak to the media.
It should be their choice to speak or not speak.
However, if a team mandates that its players speak to the press, they ought to then be required to do so.

In poptart's perfect world, Osaka would not need to speak to the press if she doesn't want to.

That's jmo.

[Softball Bat]

Feeling a lot better now and am looking forward to the summer and fall of 2021.

I am glad to hear that.

[smackaholic]

She's just a kid,

This is also a good point.

22 years old.

What was our maturity level at agee 22?

Honestly think about yourself at that age.

So should males under 22 be executed for their actions, or just the dark-skinned ones?

Can you EVER not go to the race card, douchebag?


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[Diego in Seattle]

This is also a good point.

22 years old.

What was our maturity level at agee 22?

Honestly think about yourself at that age.

So should males under 22 be executed for their actions, or just the dark-skinned ones?

Can you EVER not go to the race card, douchebag?

Awwww, did my question trigger you?

Has all the discussion of the Tulsa Black Wall Street Massacre got you down?

[Screw_Michigan]

Awwww, did my question trigger you?

Has all the discussion of the Tulsa Black Wall Street Massacre got you down?

[Softball Bat]

Feeling a lot better now and am looking forward to the summer and fall of 2021.

Damn it SM, glad you are back and ok.

And a bunch of tards around here need your ass kickings.

Werd.

We need some S_M vitriol!

[Left Seater]

Glad to see SM is back. Sorry you struggled and hope your health is back to normal.

Shocker, I agree with his take. The rules are the rules and she knew them going in for the most part. We make a choice to suck it up and deal with things or not.

I have been very close to pro sports for years. Damn near every pro sport requires some sort of post game media access. Team sports can somewhat limit individual interaction but individual sports don’t have that luxury. Maybe the young lady can hire a publicist/handler that will accompany her to these pressers in the future.

[Softball Bat]

I will push back here a bit.

Why should tennis players be required to do media after a match?

As I see it, a player doesn't owe anyone anything.
They play their match and people can write or say whatever they want about it.

If they care to talk, they talk.
If not, they don't.

Why must they talk about it?

I don't get it.

[smackaholic]

What part of those that write the checks make the rules do you not understand?

No one is forcing her to do anything.

They are simply saying if you want to take part in this organization, these are the rules. Follow them or go do something else.


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[smackaholic]

If I were her, I’d go to the press conferences and be the worst fukking interviewee ever. Just mumble signal word responses.

They can require you show up. They can’t require you be interesting to listen to.


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[Softball Bat]

They can require you show up. They can’t require you be interesting to listen to.

And you've unknowingly adopted my position.

I understand that they are requiring players do to post-match media.

But by your response here (she should just go and mumble) you are agreeing with me that a player should be free to snub the media if they want to.


Philosophically, why do tennis players owe the media anything?


As I see it, if a player wants (for whatever reason) to speak, speak.
If a player doesn't want (for whatever reason) to speak, don't speak.

As a fan, I am not owed anything from the players,
They are just out there competing for prize money. And I can enjoy watching that.
I am certainly not owed their responses to reporters.
Wtf?

"The media" can get off their fvcking high horse. :)

[LTS TRN 2]

Look, Soft Bat, it's a complicated matter of Kokujin...which is being a Nippon but having a black Jamaican asshole as your dad. And yep, while the social and psychic toll is steep, the rewards can occasionally--that is athletically--pay off. :doh:

[Kierland]

Glad to see SM is back. Sorry you struggled and hope your health is back to normal.

Shocker, I agree with his take. The rules are the rules and she knew them going in for the most part. We make a choice to suck it up and deal with things or not.

I have been very close to pro sports for years. Damn near every pro sport requires some sort of post game media access. Team sports can somewhat limit individual interaction but individual sports don’t have that luxury. Maybe the young lady can hire a publicist/handler that will accompany her to these pressers in the future.

Tow the Corp line.

And SM should be ashamed of himself, “I had some issues but I don’t care if she does.” Talk about a lack of empathy.

CAN she be required to show up at a dog and pony show so fat cats can get fatter? Yes. SHOULD she be required to do so? No.