Which
brings us round to the French Open in Paris, one of the truly great settings
for this much admired sport. 2013 play on that infamous red clay was
extraordinary by anyone's standards. Yet a very real danger hangs over the head
of this masterpiece. It has nothing to do with the red clay and the generally
unfavorable weather sans roof. Certainly no blame can be laid on the shoulders
of the players. It has everything to do with the chattering American television
commentators. And part of this has to do with our national tendency to talk a
lot more and listen a lot less. European broadcasters tend to let play speak
for itself, not so for those of us on this side of the pond.
This
time out John McEnroe, Mary Carillo and Ted Robinson were at it again. McEnroe truly knows the game and the nuances
of same. Yes, he would be better off by
putting the lid on his “bad boy” days. Realistically the best we can hope for
is that he minimizes recalling his own mischievous antics. Mary Carillo becomes
less likeable with every outing. She is constitutionally incapable of shutting
up. Ted Robinson, playing the role of Ed McMahon to McEnroe as Johnny Carson,
spends most of his time feeding John opportunities to talk about what he did in
the long ago. This year Ted got so gushy it was a better deal to turn down the
sound.
And
it was certainly a better deal to turn the sound OFF when Maria Saharipova and
Victoira Azarenka shrieked with every shot. They set a decibel high that will
remain unmatched for the ages. They are both gifted athletes and selective
commentary would help television viewers enjoy their play. But who can handle
the headaches?
The
next French Open will probably be 10 S N E minus this 1.
