From: jules- a real personality (of a papercup)
Category: Amis
Date: 7/8/99
Time: 1:10:12 AM
Remote Name: 152.163.206.201
Saw The Charlie Rose Show last night and John McEnroe was "on" for the whole hour, he is almost 40 now and on a presumable "comeback" surge. He talked about the various tennis' personalities' of his career, but mentioned Ron Laver's name throughout the hour as a current master of the game; you could tell he idolized the guy. McEnroe said his best friend was Björn Borg and was shocked when he upped and quit tennis.
They showed a tape of the late Arthur Ashe [talking about McEnroe] who claimed John could do things with his hands to a racket and with a ball that everyone else had to practise, study, and then, never achieve.
Hey, i was imporessed with the guy; he kept talking about his kids (6 between him and his new wife, Patty) and one one on the way. He told about his first tantrum at Wimbleton as a kid of 23, and how it made the crowd crazy, and he loved it- being a shy guy at heart, then, incoporating this part of his "persontality" in his game. John said the fans demanded it (his explosive temperament and arrogance) He was arrogant, in a way, on the show last night but it was based on true talent obvious intelligence, and savoir-faire.
In my book, the guy is a genius at his craft, is that so wrong? Besides, McEnroe came across as a nice guy. He even spoke kindly, admirably of Jimmy Conners who walked off the court in their last game together and still refuses to talk to him. His last comment about womens' tennis-that it was taking the limelight lately because it was more interesting; he said," Mens' tennis just doesn't have the "personalites" anymore." I laughed.