Muzza questions Boggo fighting spirit

DJ · County player

RE: Muzza questions Boggo fighting spirit

Drew · Sep 23, 2008

OldEchoMan wrote:

Dear All,
It would be remiss of me not to answer some of the charges levelled against myself and fellow members of the press in this thread. Madeline, you are entitled to your opinion of journalists but you tar an awful lot of good people with a very thick brush. 'Despise' is a very emotive word. The vast majority (and I mean vast) of journalists are thoroughly professional, straight and do an exceedingly good job (it cannot be any other way in this country with the strict nature of our libel laws). In my case, I try to report fairly, based on what I see, what I hear, what I learn and what knowledge I have accumulated across many years covering this sport.
It is true that Alex mentioned his hamstring injury in his press conference and that I did not mention it and neither did my colleagues. You could regard that as an oversight meant to darken his name or some media conspiracy but I can honestly say that I don't talk to other people about what I am writing and neither do they tell me what they are saying. I have no explanation as to why no one considered it apposite enough to report it, except that a lot of other things that may or may not have been more pertinent in our opinion needed to be said.
I do not think that any Monday morning reports made mention of Andy's muscle injury that caused him to miss the doubles (the captain's decision, it was stated) and yet which did not seem to impede him against Melzer. Why was that overlooked? Your guess is as good as mine but, as I said, other things were deemed more relevant.
My job is to report, comment and make any judgments that I consider important to the whole story. I was critical of many elements of the tie as you have no doubt seen (if you know who I am, that is!!) My intention always is to write pieces that are factually correct and give opinions honestly held. You cannot ask for anything more than that.
OEM

I know that you are on balance a very fair, objective and knowledgble tennis writer who really loves the game.

I was in the all the press conferences for britishtennis.net and Alex made it abundantly clear how the inury affected his performance. How this could not have been pertinent does baffle me slightly. The main focus in those last few PC's was all about Andy and John Lloyd. Andy made his comments regarding Boggo prior to Boggo's own PC so obviously was not aware enough of the injury. Lloyd was quizzed repeatedly on how to keep Andy happy so he would continue to play DC tennis. Those issues took centre stage.

In a way most people expected Boggo would lose so In peoples minds perhaps any viable reason why he didnt play so well was not so important.

You asked Andy about upcoming talent...and thats the crux of the matter. We really dont have enough top talent to get into, stay in or progress within the elite world group.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

DJ wrote:

Absolutely, Count, with a note to the effect that these are the top 100 guys whom Alex has beaten.

-- Edited by DJ at 13:05, 2008-09-23

done :)

of cousre its only players who were in the top 100 at the time of the match, not players who have subsquently made the grade or used to be and had previously been then dropped out, that list would be huge!

DJ · County player

Excellent phrasing, Count - "Top 100 Conquests ...... and counting:" I like it!

The Hoose · Satellite level

I'll save you some time. There are 10 of them.

DJ · County player

Very sharp, esooH ehT!

indiana · Tennis legend

Been a bit busy, so missed all the discussions on Andy's comments and behavior and have been reading now.

Essentially, I was very disappointed by Andy's behavior and agree with much of the good writing on this.

1) Leaving courtside during the Bogdanovic match "for a better view" was absolutely unforgivable and sent out all the wrong messages to Alex, the Austians and the crowd. I trust John Llyod will ensure that that never happens again.

Andy thinks Alex should have been firing up the crowd does he ? ( not in Alex's nature ). How about Andy being visible, firing up Alex and the crowd ?

2) To accuse fellow team mates, effectively, of not giving 100% would had it been true been something that should remain private but clearly stated if he wanted to get it off his chest Personally, I don't believe it. The doubles team basically played very badly for whatever reason. Alex lost because of a combination of his nerves and the injury problem. For all he has been through before, and watching him, I just cannot believe anything other than he wanted and tried to win so much, maybe too much.

Sorry Andy, you seriously let yourelf down again by some of your post match comments.

I do agree agree that Alex does not look like an athlete, probably because he has not been trained properly to be a real athlete. Yet again I ask with all the coaches and money around, why is our no 2 tennis player at age 24 still not in better physical condition, just as I occasionally mention the pathetic ( and I use the phrase comparatively ) physical condition of some of our woman players

Alex himself of course bears a great responsibility for his physical condition, but that is past failings catching up on him. To me, on the occasion he really wanted to win so much, and will not have been helped in any way by Andy sticking the boot in.

-- Edited by indiana at 19:07, 2008-09-23

-- Edited by indiana at 19:11, 2008-09-23

-- Edited by indiana at 19:13, 2008-09-23

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

I agree Andy would have done better to keep quiet, but it is not his nature, is it? Any more than racquet breaking is in Alex's.

To be fair his remarks were before he knew that Boggo was injured, though why Lloyd kept this from the rest of the team I do not know. They would surely have been more supportive if they had known.

-- Edited by Madeline at 19:41, 2008-09-23

murrayfan99 · Lower Club Player

I'm relieved that DJ recognises that Jamie had to be in the team - I was begining to think that the consensus of several denizens of englishtennis.net was that Jamie shouldnt have been in the team and his place was only won by some dastardly Caledonian conspiracy. Also good that DJ has Jamie B in mind as an alternative - I was wondering if he'd retired since he didnt appear to be on anyone's long list of alternatives for future ties.

It is ironic that the some of those bleating loudest about unfair comments re Alex are also indulging in deranged bashing of Jamie M and were conveniently forgetting that Jamie B is 2-0 on Peya.

I have to say that some of the Jamie (M) bashing on this and other threads is so deranged it's quite funny. I'm really not close enough to all this to understand the axe grinding of the various little factions - but thanks for the amusement.

Andy is coming in for a lot of stick - I love a consensus - I got to wondering - who is the next best player who would have to carry such a lame team - I think I'm right in saying that the nearest equivalent would take you a long way down the list to Baghdatis (or by current ranking Nieminen)

Baghdatis - WR 42
Cyprus - pop < 1 Million
Tennis budget - probably less than 1 percent of ours!

British tennis has problems - Andy isnt one of them!

It was great to see him playing with such passion at such an ungodly hour of the day - it's way too much to expect him to sit there waving the pom-poms trying to gee up Alex regardless of how bad it gets. Allow him some dignity!

RedCabbage · Club Coach

How bizarre!

john · Top national player

Strange post