I hope Naomi Osaka is the beginning of a new trend of athletes protecting their most valuable assets, their mental and physical health.

I of course never made $55million, but I did once have a job ask me to go to a very intense meeting while I was dealing a serious health condition.

I told my boss that I was not comfortable with the meeting and that I would call in. He lost his shit. He thought I should be honored to sit around a table of people 40 years or older and listen to them criticize me and give me more work.

I remember how empowered I felt in saying no, even if it meant my job might be in jeopardy.

The usual suspects are criticizing her.

Either way, this should be a good step forward for athletes.

If you take the money you take the job requirements. She withdrew, which was a good call. If you show up for an event or job and want the money, you have to perform those job requirements. No different than any other job. Athletes should always be made to do interviews. They are welcome and free to not sign up for the job or the money.

In the major sports leagues like the NBA, NFL, etc. the media interviews are directly tied to their salaries since they are employees of their team, and their contracts with those teams require media access. The leagues have huge contracts with the media networks paying billions of dollars for broadcast rights, including access to the players in those contracts.

In tennis though, she can pick and choose what tournaments she wants to enter, and if she specifically has an issues with the French media, she could just not play there. She's lose out on the potential money from the French Open, along with the prestige/ranking impact of missing one of the four majors, but she can still make millions from all of the other tourneys she enters - without dealing with the stress of the French media. On the other hand, in the NBA a player can't opt out of playing in Boston to avoid the Boston media.

she said as much in her statement. this is all about her struggles on Clay and not wanting to face questions about it. Her sister posted on reddit that even her family is starting to ask her wtf is up on clay and it's getting to her mentally.

and if doubt creeps in after these interviews I can see why she doesn’t want to do them.

but hell, I hate having quarterly reviews at my gig but its part of the job.

choose what tournaments she does.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

Athletes should
>always be made to do interviews.

yes but the TIMING of the interviews is where there should/could be some flexibility

tennis players are playing multiple matches, back to back, within one tournament...is it really necessary for them to give an interview at the end of each match? could interview requirements just be for once they are either eliminated from the tournament or at its conclusion?

or if "after each match" is deemed necessary, couldn't there be some flexibliity around how long after the match? maybe not directly after...maybe give players a two hour rest period before interviews?

all of those things are what SHOULD be considered by not just tennis, but all sports leagues

you can require interviews while still centering the needs of the athlete.

d



"But rest assured, in my luxurious house built on the backs of people darker than me, I am sipping fine scotch and scoffing at how stupid you are." - bshelly

you agree to the terms and conditions of the event. One of those is media requirements. Otherwise just dont play in it. I'm sure the smaller tournaments (from experience putting on USTA tournament) will be more flexible w/ her because they need her but the majors do not.

She needs somebody around her like Richard Williams because like I said in my other post even her family is starting to get in her head about her poor clay game it's weighing heavily on her.

I agree tho, while I sympathize with her its something she is contractually obligated to do.

its 100% the clay and the questions/doubt it creates for her

edit: here's an article w/ some quotes before the tourney from her
https://www.essentiallysports.com/karolina-muchova-mutua-madrid-open-2021-wta-tennis-news-im-not-a-professional-clay-court-player-naomi-osaka-opens-up-on-her-discomfort-on-clay/

like I said in the OKS thread.

When she beat Serena the first time and couldn’t process that the boo’s from the crowd weren’t directed at her it made me wonder if she has trouble putting things in their right place.

We will see how she moves going forward.

I recently re-read a NYT article about it and from what I remembered I'm sure it must've been pretty horrible from her POV, being a Serena fan since childhood and all. Serena cussing out everyone and the crowd booing all night, she even apologized as she accepted her trophy lol :(

Even though they weren't all necissarily booing AT her, the fact that you've got a mob booing all night as you finally step up and win your first big trophy is very un-tennis like lol. No wonder she was shook from it, if already she's very shy / introverted / socially anxious etc to begin with


>like I said in the OKS thread.
>
>When she beat Serena the first time and couldn’t process
>that the boo’s from the crowd weren’t directed at her it
>made me wonder if she has trouble putting things in their
>right place.
>
>We will see how she moves going forward.

in her decision...FWIW

https://old.reddit.com/r/tennis/comments/noog5u/mari_osakas_deleted_post_about_naomi/

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jun/01/french-open-hastened-naomi-osaka-exit-but-also-refused-tricky-questions-tennis

"With her departure, she explained that she suffers from depression and is struck by anxiety before press encounters."

Isn't that exactly what she did?

She didn't want to do interviews. Interviews are a requirement for the tournament, so she withdrew from the tournament?

I've seen the "its part of the job" logic which is fine, but people have a right to quit jobs too which is what she did.



>you agree to the terms and conditions of the event. One of
>those is media requirements. Otherwise just dont play in it.
>I'm sure the smaller tournaments (from experience putting on
>USTA tournament) will be more flexible w/ her because they
>need her but the majors do not.
>
>She needs somebody around her like Richard Williams because
>like I said in my other post even her family is starting to
>get in her head about her poor clay game it's weighing heavily
>on her.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

for not fulfilling the terms of the event. i just dont like the narrative being created by folks that dont understand how this stuff works. folks wanted them to just change shit for her because she asked for it. itd be nice but that isnt how it goes even for the elite of the elite. the French Open did nothing wrong here.

I just hope the lesson learned from this is that she has power. I'm sure future tournaments will gladly make concessions to her.

I used to work the Winston-Salem Open in conjunction w/ my job and the negotiations at that level are different w/ every player in order to get bigger names to show up since it's so close to the US Open.

I think some people athletes want to opt out. They reserve that right. If they feel like the long term implications will cause more emotional or physical harm.

I think it is a good practice to walk away from something even if it involves a contract. Take the money. I will keep my peace of mind.

We don't owe it anything. We can change it any time, with sufficient willpower. That takes a lot more than just imagination - but if we can't even imagine a universe where an absurdly wealthy and powerful professional athlete can just say "pass" to the unnecessary nonsense that her job pretends it can impose on her, then it's definitely never going to change.

Or, to put it another way, what's actually at stake here? It's a tennis tournament, run by sports bureaucrats and funded by sponsors. They're gonna find a way to get their cut, but they're not responsible for the public's interest in the French Open. The players are, and the sport (any sport) needs one of those groups a lot more than the others.

I'm not sure why I'm surprised at this point with this place, but it's so weird seeing all these "well that's what she signed up for..." takes.

Makes this more powerful. Look at all the money these players have, yet they are still out having unfortunate consequences of pushing their minds and bodies to unhealthy limits. Should an athlete really suffer through miscarriages, premature babies murdering, raping, committing suicide, falling into deep depressions and ailments, while these sports institutions keep moving forward.

Maybe sports, winning and money isn't all it's cracked up to be. Maybe Naomi stance is an opportunity for athletes to find some harmony between competitiveness and peace.

>Look at all the money these players have, yet they are still out having >unfortunate consequences of pushing their minds and bodies to unhealthy >limits. Should an athlete really suffer through miscarriages, premature
>babies murdering, raping, committing suicide, falling into
>deep depressions and ailments, while these sports institutions
>keep moving forward.

I hate that your list here is so tragically specific and yet not at all an exaggeration. I *love* sports, but I don't want to be responsible for somebody putting themselves through that to entertain me. It's bad enough that I kind of feel guilty about how my favorite players' knees are gonna feel in twenty years.

And we loved these things before they were multi-billion dollar enterprises, which means that it's not impossible to just dial everything back a bit.

Christ, part of the reason that she's made so much money and is so popular is the additional job requirement of developing para-social relationships with fans. So if we're going to pretend that watching this woman play tennis means she's our literal friend (we probably shouldn't do that, to be clear - but we're pretty much already there) then maybe we could follow that logic and tell our friend to do what she's got to do to be healthy and happy.

>Maybe sports, winning and money isn't all it's cracked up to
>be. Maybe Naomi stance is an opportunity for athletes to find
>some harmony between competitiveness and peace.

Well put! And I hope so. It's supposed to be fun, after all.

not trying to sound harsh but going pro comes with pressure and responsibilities.. and a boat load of cash.

I have empathy for her and want her to do what is best for her mental health but if and when she returns she will have to do interviews.

>but if and when she returns she will have to do
>interviews.



Aaaaand maybe she won’t. Again, its not as much about «interviews periodt» but more about her saying for this tournament I’d like to strictly play my games and to do little to no press (she did answer some questions on Sunday for certain outlets)

And if she chooses not to in the future, maybe she’ll be allowed to opt out. We (me), the fans only wanna see her play, the postgame interviews at these tournaments are completely irrelevant as far as entertainment goes to us (me) the fans

We’ll see, maybe she’ll make some headway with this, maybe not. Time will tell. But I’m not 100% on «when she returns she will HAVE to do them»

the fines and other tourney’s pushing back forced her to leave the tourney.

will be interesting how long she stays away.

maybe she has enough pull that Tennis changes the format for her but again.. I doubt it.

People don't think they're taking a side when they say "that's the way it works" but they are. It's the side of bosses, landlords, venal bureaucrats, HR, guys with sunglasses who make cranky YouTube videos in their cars, cops, and various other anonymous jerkoffs who prefer to yank stuff out of the world rather than put stuff into it.

most of the people saying that’s the way things are say it because.. thats the way things are.

Maybe she forces them to change but I doubt it.

It would be nice if she was able to get things to change but.. that’s a big ass barge she is trying to turn

>for not fulfilling the terms of the event. i just dont like
>the narrative being created by folks that dont understand how
>this stuff works. folks wanted them to just change shit for
>her because she asked for it. itd be nice but that isnt how it
>goes even for the elite of the elite. the French Open did
>nothing wrong here.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

>for not fulfilling the terms of the event. i just dont like
>the narrative being created by folks that dont understand how
>this stuff works. folks wanted them to just change shit for
>her because she asked for it. itd be nice but that isnt how it
>goes even for the elite of the elite. the French Open did
>nothing wrong here.

I don't like the narrative being created by folks who don't understand how mental health works. She's not going to handle all this the way onlookers deem appropriate. She's going through something.

Those of us who are on the outside have the opportunity to do better.

Post match interviews aren't the be all and end all. Lives don't depend on them. The rules don't have to be immutable.

she is a major draw.

If you were a reporter you definitely see the interview after the match is your time to “shine”

media is a necessary evil unfortunately.

>she is a major draw.
>
>If you were a reporter you definitely see the interview after
>the match is your time to “shine”
>
>media is a necessary evil unfortunately.

Isn't good enough to report without bias.

Media might be necessary but the one format that Osaka wants to avoid right now isn't.

just pointing out how everyone has a job at these events and the post game interview is where these people get to “shine” as in do their job.

watching tennis players who aren’t as good as Naomi Osaka do news conferences.»


lmao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2KPPzKJrbg

She'll be alright, just gotta learn how to handle the pricks like the NBA players do.

Like.... She's shy AF, she doesn't have a TEAM, I agree toughening up would be good for her but at the same time she's whoever she is and as long as she plays (great) tennis that should be enough. I signed up for a new subscription just to watch her and Roger Federer play this French Open, and now she's out of the tournament and honestly I'd probably never watch as much as one interview even if she gave them

Solo sports gotta be a lot tougher to deal with media BS.

Hopefully a few athletes that have been through thw wringer might reach out and offer her some advice or mentorship.

first thing they need to get handled is why her own family is putting doubt into her head
Because that is wild to me

he sounded so polished and like a grown ass man..

he was born for this.

Osaka cane off as a kid who has all the talent but wasn’t really coached on the media.

One thing that stood out to me is that she stated she has been dealing
with depression and mental anxiety since 2018.

*record scratch*

Wait, what?

We have always known that she is introverted or reticent, but the public
and press were not aware of her having psychological issues or being
unable to cope with her tennis life. This is new to everyone.

Why was she playing in tournaments?

She should have stepped away a long time ago to address her disorder,
so I have to question the position of her management team and family.
She was practically forced to step away due to the rules and regulations
of Grand Slam tourneys. That is the best thing for her. So now she has to address
her disorder to get better....and it took the French Open doing what they did for that
to happen.

Playing tennis or competing should be the last thing on her mind right about now.
In the world of sports, there will be pressure from dealing with fans, the press,
sponsors, and opponents. That requires a certain mentality, and everyone is
not cut out for it.

I have NEVER heard anyone tell male or black players for stop playing until they address their mental health.

When John McEnroe broke tennis rackets on the court, no one said, he needs to take a break

When, countless athletes are charged with abusing partners or people, no asks them to stop winning touchdowns.

This logic is very bizarre.

If the take is that all of our favorite athletes and artists should «step back / fall back and deal with it» every time they encounter hardships wether they are emotionally, physically or mentally what the f would the state of sports and entertainment be? The fact that people actually push through their (personal) challenges and still deliver on court or stage is incredible, and we should applaud Naomi for standing her ground and prioritizing her health in this instance rather than saying she should've stayed off the court in 2018 when she first encountered depression. Both sexist and stupid




>I have NEVER heard anyone tell male or black players for stop
>playing until they address their mental health.
>
>When John McEnroe broke tennis rackets on the court, no one
>said, he needs to take a break
>
>When, countless athletes are charged with abusing partners or
>people, no asks them to stop winning touchdowns.
>
>This logic is very bizarre.

When he didn’t want to talk to the media anymore and whatd he do? Came back and just started talking about the shit he wanted to talk about when they asked him ball questions. Racism, Palestine, the WNBA, etc

smart/dumb

This goes for everyone! Male or female.

If you can’t cope, step way to take care of whatever is
stressing you, because it is going to get worse.

John yelling on the court has shit to do with being
depressed or admitting to having a mental issue...John was just an asshole.

Male or female, you have to address your mental state and health first,
because trying to carry stuff and address a mental issue never works out.

Always pulling the sexism card!

We said the same thing regarding Ron Artest...it took a focking
brawl for him to get the mental help that he needed ...he was forced to
step way from the game to get help.

He got the help that he needed, came back and became a champion
and good human being.

Got to address that first

in 2007 for a domestic dispute when he played for the Kings

It was part of his sentencing.

and even though he lost a lot of money and endorsements, he was forced to
reflect on his mental state and behavior for the first time. And he knew
he had to improve as a person.

His road to recovery didn’t happen immediately after he came back,
because he still endured problems on and off the court, it was a push into
the right direction.

The court might be her happy place. It doesn't seem like she has any issues with the game of tennis itself, but rather everything that comes with being a successful pro athlete.

If she's an introvert, then it's hell for her when people demand she behaves as an extrovert, and acts like something is wrong with her naturally-introverted self.

I also gotta imagine the media is harsh on her in a way that might be unique to her (biracial black/japanese woman from NYC that represents the very-racially-homogenous country of Japan).


All this to say that I think she's doing the right thing by playing on and attempting to work out her problems instead of running from them.

>
>All this to say that I think she's doing the right thing by
>playing on and attempting to work out her problems instead of
>running from them.

and once wore a helmet while giving an interview

that’s the rub. Some people just want to play the game.. but there is so much more to it at that level

She even stated that people in the media have been nice to her
and even befriended her.

She has been the darling of tennis since beating Serena,
which is why people were caught off guard.

This is a sport and it’s about ruthless competition, and it’s get harder
the more you win. It will only get tougher. Imagine an opponent knowing
that you’re emotionally weak, they are going to target that....the fans will target
that as well.

That’s the problem with people discussing mental health. People think it makes them weak which is why people don’t speak on it.

No one is going to talk her out of her game. She may never conquer Clay but that’s fine.

Gotta let people deal with their ish without bashing them for speaking up on it

Because homey swears he knows what would have been the best thing for Old Girl to do better than she, her family and management.



**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

She has certainly had to show alot of mental fortitude to get to the level she was getting to in 2018. And to just be breaking into that superstardom level where it's all truly paying off... it would take someone supremely self-aware and mature to say I'm going to jeopardize everything I've worked on so far just as they're reaching the top of their profession.

I'm sure she thought she could work through it but that idea has seduced alot of successful people in every field, even those that are much older and have more life experience.

And really, this is a relatively soft landing for her because usually people don't take the break they need until they've done irreparable harm to their health, relationships, or careers.

when you are at the bottom with nothing to lose its much easier than having a bunch of Billion dollar companies reminding you to stay on top

Their mortgages aren't going to take a break because she needs time to recuperate... so it's got to influence their advice to her.

neither should anyone else be.
This is such a non-issue.
She did what she had a right to do and French open folks did what they had a right to do.

not mad at her. just a bit jealous

there are clear protocols in most major sports on how to handle physical health issues yet most mental health issues are viewed as weakness or a case of an athlete being difficult...

i hope her move brings about a change.... EVERYBODY should protect their mental health at all cost

physical and mental illnesses are different, though, at times, connected.

the way to heal physical injuries or mental health issues isn't by domination, strength, or just pushing through. it's difficult to heal what you ignore, push through, or allow to fester--as if it isn't happening or isn't that big a deal. that approach often causes more injury and complications.

the pandemic has underscored that society isn't well and does a poor job of providing/encouraging/incentivizing all manner of things that promote physical and mental wellness (attitudes, habits, on & on).

if Naomi and the gst can find a way to create a work environment that promotes mental health and safety? i'm all for it. and i'm all for people normalizing the "ask" and expectation that a work environment shouldn't tear down or erode their mental health.

>most mental health issues are viewed as weakness or a case of an >athlete being difficult...

agree.

it's not right, in my mind, to qualify Venus and Serena as strong because they "can handle" the press if the goal is to use their "strength" as a ruler for Naomi--or anyone else.

besides, Naomi strikes me as mentally strong.

depression and anxiety don't happen because someone is mentally weak, nor is it resolved when people become mentally strong or suffer through the symptoms.

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/31547549/grand-slam-tennis-leaders-pledge-address-naomi-osaka-concerns-players-mental-health

Grand Slam tennis leaders pledge to address Naomi Osaka's concerns about players' mental health

The leaders of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments reacted Tuesday to Naomi Osaka's stunning withdrawal from the French Open by promising to address players' concerns about mental health.

The pledge came in a statement signed by the same four administrators who threatened the possibility of disqualification or suspension for Osaka on Sunday if she continued to skip news conferences.

The four-time major champion and No. 2-ranked player was fined $15,000 when she didn't speak to reporters after her first-round victory at Roland Garros on Sunday. The next day, Osaka pulled out of the tournament entirely, saying she experiences "huge waves of anxiety" before meeting with the media and revealing she has "suffered long bouts of depression."

Osaka, a 23-year-old who was born in Japan and moved with her family to the U.S. at age 3, said she would "take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right I really want to work with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans."

Tennis players are required to attend news conferences if requested to do so; Grand Slam rules allow for fines up to $20,000 if they don't show up.

"On behalf of the Grand Slams, we wish to offer Naomi Osaka our support and assistance in any way possible as she takes time away from the court. She is an exceptional athlete and we look forward to her return as soon as she deems appropriate," Tuesday's statement from those in charge of the French Open, Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open said. "Mental health is a very challenging issue, which deserves our utmost attention. It is both complex and personal, as what affects one individual does not necessarily affect another. We commend Naomi for sharing in her own words the pressures and anxieties she is feeling and we empathize with the unique pressures tennis players may face."

French tennis federation president Gilles Moretton, All England Club chairman Ian Hewitt, U.S. Tennis Association president Mike McNulty and Tennis Australia president Jayne Hrdlicka pledged to work with players, the tours and media "to improve the player experience at our tournaments" while making sure the athletes all are on a "fair playing field, regardless of ranking or status."

In a separate statement issued Tuesday to the AP via email, International Tennis Federation official Heather Bowler the sport will "review what needs to evolve" after Osaka "shone a light on mental health issues."

"It's in all our interests to ensure that we continue to provide a respectful and qualitative environment that enables all stakeholders to do their job to their best ability, without impacting their health, and for the good of the sport," Bowler wrote.

Various players, including Serena Williams, offered support for Osaka and praised her for being forthcoming in her statement on social media Monday.

"It's hard. Nobody really knows what anyone is going through, no matter how much they choose to show on the outside. I had no idea about her. But I respect her openness," Ann Li, 20, of the U.S. said after winning her first-round match Tuesday at Roland Garros. "Our generation is becoming more open and open, which can be a good thing and also a bad thing sometimes. I hope she's doing OK."


Gael Monfils, 34, who also won Tuesday in Paris, said he could relate to Osaka's concerns to an extent.

"It's a very tough situation for her. I feel for her, because I have been struggling quite a lot as well," said Monfils, of France. "What she's dealing is even tough for me to even judge, because I think she has massive pressure from many things. I think she's quite young. She's handling it quite well. Sometime we want maybe too much from her ... so sometime, for sure, she is going to do some mistake."

And then Monfils offered a sentiment surely shared by many around tennis, from tournament and tour officials to athletes to the sport's fans.

"We need Naomi. We need her definitely to be 100%," Monfils said. "We need her back on the court, back the press conference -- and back happy."






*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

and injuring a knee or ankle.

*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

You can’t just up and announce that you’re not going to do something, or
veer away from the rules without approval or communication.

Prior to the tourney starting she announced on SOCIAL MEDIA that
she wasn’t going to do press conferences. That occurred 4 DAYs before the
start of the tourney.

Her agent, managers, or publicist didn’t reach out to the French Open prior to the
announcement. So they we’re blind sided. They didn’t go to the officials of the
tourney to try to work something out or work around it, and when the officials
reached out to her, she didn’t respond.

Tournament events, programs, and schedules are formatted months in advance.
There are contractual obligations for players, for sponsors, and for tv networks, so
any issues or discrepancies need to be communicated immediately and effectively.
And none of that took place from Naomi’s Camp.

So tournament officials were in the right by issuing a fine, and also explaining to her
IN GREAT DETAIL the code of conduct of the French Open. Having a mental illness
doesn’t mean that you’re allowed to be unprofessional or breach policies and
protocols without being penalized.

And her approach was highly unprofessional and she was rightfully penalized for it.

This entire predicament could have been handled amicably behind closed doors
had information been properly provided.

>You can’t just up and announce that you’re not going to do something, or
>veer away from the rules without approval or communication.


financial freedom enables her to do this. she called in sick. said what she needed. they refused and mocked her. she pulled out. they lose, not her. more people know her name and face today than they did yesterday, and she is the good guy, and they are the bad guy. whether you disagree with her way of doing it, she did it.

because one it’s not a regular occupation, and ,two, there
are protocols and regulations in place that don’t operate that way.

Even injuries don’t operate that way. Official medical reports have to be
implemented and communicated by the tournament or player’s physicians.
You can’t just up and say “I’m injured” without proof of said injury, or you
will be fined or suspended. That’s with any sport.

Communication is always necessary and important,
and no one is above that....because the show will go on.

Imagine your job finding out that you’re not coming in via
twitter instead of you personally contacting them. No job
would allow that.

they need her more than she needs them. if they fine her or sue her or pursue further legal action, it will cost THEM way more than it ends up costing her.

she called in sick. i stand by that. she said "my mental health will not allow me to participate in the non-competition aspects of this tourney. take it or leave it" and she has won in the court of public opinion.

she can afford the financial ramifications of her decision, should there be any, which I HIGHLY doubt.

Rules apply to everyone, and people find out the hard way.
You have to pay taxes. You have to abide to civilian laws.


They don’t need her, because she is easily replaceable. They are tons
of professional women tennis player who can do her job, and will.

She misses out on being crowned champion, and this hurts her rankings,
and it hurts her earnings. Champion payout is 2 million dollars.

There will be a champion crowned that will not be her, giving someone
else shine.

She has a lot to lose.....a lot. It comes and goes just like that.

She is a huge draw and the reason the 4 majors are getting together to discuss this is because she called their bluff and withdrew from the event.

They need her.

which is why the tourney is rolling on without her and there will
be a champion. She has never won a French, not advancing further
than the 3 round I believe....so this tournament has never needed her

No one is bigger than the game....which is why the game is still playing
, and I will be watching ,cheering for another woman tennis player.

Need means something cannot go on without it......The French open
had games today, and will have games tomorrow and so on.

Serena is playing
Coco is playing
Venus is playing...
Nadal is playing
Monfils is playing.

regardless of when she would’ve exited, they would prefer it happen on the court and not from a withdraw

again, if they didnt care the other majors wouldn’t be coming together to discuss how to move forward with her.

..and every player that you mentioned is currently showing support and encouragement of Osaka's decision and current stance.




*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

Did the tourney stop? Did they give in to her boycott?

No.

She is not in the tourney, and her spot has been replaced by
someone else. The player she was supposed to face gets to advance.

Bottom line she isn’t there, and winning creates amnesia.

..The tourney continued (as we knew it would) without her. At the same time, GST is currently doing damage control for their original position. That shows that the rest of GST values Osaka enough to come to the table with a better solution. We'll have to wait and see just how serious they are about it.

What we clearly see is that they're not willing to simply move on without her.



*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

just cause the tourney is being played, the narrative is about osaka and the biggest names in sports backing her up. and GST being backed into a corner to try and figure out a compromise going forward. I'm not optimistic they will, but she is using her platform to make change, for herself, and for those that come after her.

she absolutely is winning this fight. someone will win the tourney, no doubt, and it won't be tainted by her not playing, but her absence is a bigger story than whoever wins.

and yes, her financial freedom and platform allow her to do this. no fine or contractually malfeasant act will change that.

..You speak about the previous rules as if those rules were ever designed to addressed the current issues plaguing the situation (they weren't). You continue talking about what she "should have done" without recognizing that you aren't in the position to make such a definitive statement. You don't know her, her life, or the challenges she faces daily. She doesn't owe you or anyone else an explanation. She spoke to GST more than once about this in private, this isn't brand new or last minute. They backed her into a corner with their response to her voicing her opinion regarding the media instead of offering other solutions. She's been speaking about this for years (infamously in the wake of her match against Serena) in public and private and took the proper measures to arrive at her current decision. Just because you can't wrap your brain around this context doesn't mean she's wrong in her approach.

GST has options in their rules to govern scenarios like this and its not limited to fines and/or punishment.

Naomi Osaka just exercised her right to say no. She told the world that she would rather preserve her mental health than subject herself to continued abuse under the premise of tradition.

This isn't about money. This isn't about prior obligations. This is about recognizing the truth in this moment, as it stands, and finding better ways to move forward.




*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

She announced it on Twitter. Prior to that, the French Open was not aware
of her struggles with depression or mental anxiety.

What agent or management team would allow someone who is worth 55 million
dollars to make a random PERSONAL announcement regarding their health/business
on social media?

Where is her publicist? Where is her manager? Where is her family?
Where is her support team? She is the one making all the public statements,
and she is doing it via social media.

That’s red flag number 1 that her professional base isn’t stable, as well
as other questionable situations she has handled on social media.

How can I help or assist you if I don’t know about your situation?

And that was the predicament The French open was in. And again
they reached out to her for clarification and to have a meeting to discuss
her mental illness( after they found out). She didn’t respond to their request.
She basically turned down their offer.

She backed herself into a corner with her approach and ultimatums.
And now she is no longer in the tourney. She misses out on prize money.
She misses out on rankings, and she misses out on the opportunity
to be crowned a champion....and the tourney will roll on.

Don’t you think it’s ironic, that a girl who doesn’t want attention, criticism,
or the spotlight, does a ton of social media communicating ,where the criticism
and trolling is ten times worse?

Something is terribly off here.

..But its the other way.

Everything you just typed is bullshit. Naomi Osaka is a professional athlete. She doesn't work for anyone but herself. She's not obligated to perform for anyone but herself. She has a right to accept or decline invitations.

Osaka exercised her rights. GST exercised theirs. She chose to withdraw (She never gave an ultimatum).

If what you said about her being ruined or destroyed behind these current actions were true, then GST wouldn't have issue the statement they made today (conceding the need to address her concerns). They stated that she's mentioned this in previous convo (interviews and otherwise).

However, you were correct about ONE statement:

>Something is terribly off here.

You're right. Something is off here. That "something" is you and everyone else like you standing on the wrong side of history.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

for acting like someone with mental health issues instead of your sensibilities.

Yeah that'll help.

a tough time at home and it was throwing me off at work. Shxt was outta control on both ends. I was late to work, or absent; when I was there I was there physically but not MENTALLY.

My manager didn't like 'how I handled it'; I had an 'off-the-clock' convo with my immediate supervisor and he was like 'you got decisions to make' - he was right and that was the closest I could get to 'support from management'

some people were in my corner about my emotional reactions, and some had valid points regarding my lack of proper protocol (you should've gone to E.A.P. - employee assistance) .

She's going through a thang right now, and that's really all we should be saying, but people are gonna people.

I think she'll be OK

her way through the questions? Just show up and say thank you to everybody?

..granted, not exactly what Lynch did, but the same sentiment.

She clearly wasn't comfortable with the nature of those press conferences and each time she voiced her opinion about it, the media made even more of a spectacle of it (instead of actually addressing her concerns).

When she speaks up for herself, she's called "weak" and told to simply suck it up and deal with it because its traditionally a part of the process. It may be well within the rules, but none of that is necessary or right in order for Naomi OR GST to succeed.

Her withdrawal lead to immediate reaction to her original point: protecting/preserving her mental health while attempting to continue her incredible career.




*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

the media made even more of a spectacle of it (instead of actually addressing her concerns).
^^^

they'll eat you alive. it takes a lot of concentration to not get sucked into that.

I support her either way. Thanks for the clarity.

I keep thinking about the cliché that health is wealth. 

What do people value? And how do they show you what they value?

Naomi is right to speak up for herself when she encounters people, organizations, or attitudes that send the message that they don't value Naomi. She gets to set the terms for deciding what that looks like (and why).

If you're silent about your pain, they'll kill you and say you enjoyed it. --Zora Neale Hurston

I hope Naomi has the right kind of support so that she doesn't feel brow-beaten, bullied, judged, contracted, or guilted into accepting what others value in lieu of her own sense of her self and what matters. That's hard to do at 23. She's made a really important step, though, and should be cheered on. Those who have the bandwidth should take up the cause and exert some pressure to change the situation....

People who don't respect boundaries are a huge red flag, especially if the rationale offered for their disrespect is that they have a right to trample a set boundary because of money or power. And so, I hope Naomi doesn't sell herself out. So far, it seems that she's not willing to.

I wish Naomi well. Generally, it can be difficult for Black women to find adequate mental healthcare service delivery and treatment, no matter how much money they make or what types of access they have. The disparities and outcomes are serious. Depression and anxiety shouldn't be conflated with normal feelings or thoughts that make us have bad days where we want to call out of work. We should listen when people say they are hurting or struggling, in order to understand how to help them and prevent ruined lives and tragedy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPmR1moD2UA/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Think this adds some insight into some of the issues Naomi is addressing

stepped in to protect her.

Then when the reporter tries to pick away at that confidence you see where it really came from - her father instilled that confidence and protected it in the most beautiful way.

I think that clip pretty much shows the "unsaid and unseen" when Fathers instill confidence in their children.

It is also an early lesson on building that thick skin that her and her sister would inevitably need as we watched their careers play out in front of the world.

Dope.

Seeing Venus' smile get even bigger when Pops shut that nonsense down.... <3

in the throat...

can she not just take the Marshawn route?

i want her to do what's best for her, but if there's no recourse out of doing the media stuff, doesn't the contract only state that she has to make herself available? can't she just not answer their questions while being available...or at minimum give one word answers or go "next question" or whatever?

that said, i'm granting for the fact that even having to show up for press even if she could do the Marshawn thing might be bad for her mental health, and at that point you have to have another solution.

just wondering if this isn't a simple "work around" for her. maybe not? i would have thought someone would have brought this up to her.

so even if she tries to go that route there is more press because of it.

is she ready for that type of scrutiny? It got a lot worse before it got better for Lynch.

EVENTUALLY, the reporters will get tired and stop asking, or at minimum ask once vs. how they just bomb athletes with the same shit over and over.

anyhow, anything that puts athletes in the drivers seat i'm cool with and i hope thats what this does, and you should always put your health and happiness (physical or mental) first over everything, so i hope she ends up ok out of this process.

..Marshawn clearly stated that he held no desire to participate in press conferences. While the rest of the world laughed and made memes about the entire fiasco surrounding his desire to avoid the press, Lynch maintains that he simply suffered through the abuse. Hence, the catch phrase:

I'm just here so I don't get fined © Marshawn Lynch


Name another profession where a person suffering from anxiety would be forced to appear in front of people who continue to berate them with insensitive comments/questions (some of which have absolutely nothing to do with their profession and were down-right disrespectful). How many times have we witnessed professional athletes being asked the exact same questions redundantly during the same press conference, only to continue stating, "next question?"

The sad thing about this is that there's responsibility held by all parties involved, yet no one seems to hold the press accountable for their abusive/derisive actions.

Ask yourself:

What are the rules/regulations of engagement regarding the media and who holds them accountable?



*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

but it doesn’t change anything

if anything we just laugh at the coaches when they go off on reporters

..Coaches & players have always stood up for themselves (to varying degrees), but none of that has ever resulting in any improvement regarding the overall relationship btwn professional athletes and the media that covers them.

Who holds the media accountable for their actions? What are the fines/punishment/sanctions in place to maintain order and balance so that all parties involved remain professional?

Players/coaches/etc are all subject to fines/suspensions/etc to maintain that relationship for their respective leagues, yet the press is granted access and allowed to say/publish whatever they want without repercussion.



*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

now, i'm not in that man's head so i can't say that it wasn't a factor.

but, he just became less productive and whenever NFL backs become less productive, regardless of the name on the jersey, they become unwanted and they ultimately retire. this is coming from a Seattleite who LOVES Marshawn, thinks he should be in the NFL HOF and should (and i pray will) be in the Seahawks Ring Of Honor ASAP.

also, he's been wildly smart with his money during his career and when you do that, it's easier to retire and stop chasing the check.

also, because of the sort of character he created, partly due to how he dealt with the media, he started to get other opportunities outside of football.

..you stated that the situation with Lynch "got better" once he gave into their demands.

I didn't say that Lynch retired because of the media abuse. I simply stated that the situation didn't improve, he simply conceded/endured for the sake of his team (and the constant distraction it was causing, although he did NOTHING wrong to begin with). The media continued with the same behavior. *Please note: tennis players have NO TEAM to appease in that sense.

*Also: Lynch already had a capable PR firm handling his branding/opportunities. He never needed the media for that. Just because his clash with the press became public fodder doesn't make it ok.

His advertising endorsements were all centered on his off-beat (T'REAL) personality and his love of skittles (not the press).



*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

they still have a job to do. they are gonna get fired if they don't TRY asking the questions.

but living in Seattle and being a Seahawks fan, i saw way more Marshawn press conferences than you did.

it got better. they finally started to realize they were losing the war and by the time he was ending his career here they would give it their little try and then leave him alone.

my point was, *IF* Osaka cannot completely get out of that obligation, this might be her most successful route of relief.

..he simply compromised for the sake of his teammates. Hence the phrase "..I'm just here so I don't get fined..."

That's not better for Lynch, but clearly the press was happy because they were able to continue doing the exact same things they've always done.

*Btw: it's 2021. Press conferences have been available to anyone with internet access for more than a decade now. Please stop acting like sports coverage is limited to regional access. You don't have more access to press conferences (regional or otherwise) than me or anyone else in this modern world.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

you can be wrong but think you're right. i'm fine with that.

be well my g.

*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

I wasn't in Seattle but from what I saw, he still wasn't exactly opening up and giving them insight into himself or the game... but he became enough of a character that at least they could write a little something about "that quirky Marshawn Lynch" to fill up some space in a story.

They stopped treating him like someone they could get serious information from and more like a joke. Not in a demeaning way though.

I think that worked for him because he'd truly be happy outside of the limelight while Osaka is trying to use her tennis fame as a social justice platform. So it would be hard for her to be milquetoast through interviews but then be taken seriously when she wants to say something meaningful. If you're out there giving opinions on racism, they're going to want comments on your clay court play.

If she doesn't want to be asked probing questions, she'd have to basically commit to being like Bill Belicheck... a known thoughtful person, off-the-record, who tries his best to never say anything interesting on-the-record.

and the boos came. it may not have been directly at her, but as an 18 year old you cant help but feel the hisses/boos/whistling were indirectly at her cuz everyone including the GOAT wanted to win. instead NO win and she's on the verge of crying and saying "i'm sorry..." to her idol for whipping SW ass.

yeah that would phuck with her mentally years to come and the pressure to be/remain at the top w/ your family asking/demanding wtf is wrong w/ you when there's millions at stake.

i watched lil league baseball and see how these parents foam at the mouth at these 8 year olds for not pitching/hitting right. i can only imagine what her haitian dad (if ya'll were raised by these men...sheesh) snapping/exasperating/frustrated with her. athletes are humans too.

after watching that clip with Venus' Dad checking the reporter: is there definitely more shade/antagonism from press when it's tennis players like Naomi, Serena, etc getting interviewed v. other um, "more traditional" (eg. European), tennis players??

I mean I rarely watch the sport, but I've heard/seen over the years Serena getting body-/outfit-shamed for being thick, and I read (although not sure if true) that one of the topics Naomi's uncomfortable talking about is her record on clay (a phrase I don't quite know the meaning of, forgive me lol).

Are there even examples of non-Black tennis players being subjected to shaming or confidence-deflating questioning? Or, would you say it's mostly gendered? Like are male tennis players ever subjected to shady questioning or is it usually only female players?

I think I have an idea what the answer is lol, but also don't want to assume since I don't follow firsthand.

Tennis does come across like one of those stuffy communities tho - eg. golf, polo, the art auction world etc - where there's a clear cultural component that ends up being kinda hostile for "outsiders" (who are usually racialized). edit: and I have zero interest/exposure to these communities so I don't really care, but situations like Naomi's do make me feel for talented folks that kinda get stuck in that space.

it's a mix between on-court stuff (performance/match decisions/what they think of other players)
and then celebrity type stuff (dating life, outfit questions, etc) to help promote them and build out their personas

the Williamses got it the worst than the rest but Naomi has been the press darling so far.

but she prolly see’s it totally different.

ok, thx for this breakdown

clay is the court used for the French Open. Most surfaces are asphalt but Clay is that old school surface and you have to adjust your game to compensate for the sliding that occurs vs that grip you have on asphalt. Its hard for some players to adjust.

Osaka doesn’t fair well on clay and that could be part of the reason for her mental health when it comes to the media in France.

..and its the French. They are known to be a bit petty.

I don’t know if the media is harder on Osaka and Black athletes but its Earth and its predominantly a white sport so I’m sure they deal with more pressure to perform well.

I just think its one of these areas where a white person asking a question in a certain tone can make you feel some type of way. But look at players in the NFL and NBA also hate the media. The media loves to poke players and when you hear the same question 20 different ways it can wear on you. Especially if the media pool is 99% white.

Especially for breaking down the whole clay thing lol


But ya, the whole of what you're saying makes a lot of sense.


And re: other sports, I was kinda thinking along those lines actually, with regards to the whole stuffy culture thing. Like, sports where there's more diversity in the players, staff/admin, press etc seem to have less stuffy cultures, generally (tho I've never played or followed to know, just my impression). But then, there's also predominantly White sports that seem to lack the stuffy culture thing too (eg. hockey... baseball?)... and I was trying to think if this press shade/antagonism happens with Black players in those spaces too (even tho it may not be fair to compare to pro tennis since there's more parity between the exposure women's and men's tennis receive than between that of women's and men's hockey, for example).

But I guess, as you say, this is planet Earth we're talking about lol. There's always bs.

Tennis is highly protected from the press than any other sport, because
there is no locker room access, which is why press conferences are highly important.
That is the only time the press has access to the athlete to ask them questions.

The press is not allowed to go into the locker room to ask questions, nor can they
meet them outside the stadium. They are only allowed to access the athlete during
that 10-15 min press conference. And that was set up to protect the younger athletes
so they wouldn’t get overwhelmed.

Also, keep in mind that the press is different in every country. The European press is
the most aggressive press there is, especially in France. France is a country that
feels they can talk or ask anything, regardless of how sensitive or aggressive it is.
So Naomi’s boycott was ,in a way , directed towards the Press in France. She didn’t
boycott the press in Australia, nor were there any issues in Australia. That was
another issue I had with how everything was projected. It threw all media outlets
under the bus, when all country’s don’t have the same media platform.

In general, all tennis players endure the same repetitive questioning,
where some of the questions may be aggressive and insensitive, and some
are just basic, simple questions.

But no tennis player in the world gets more bad press than Nick Kyrgios.
No one. He gets degraded constantly. And I’m still trying to understand
what bad press Naomi has received....I don’t recall any. Questioning
someone’s ability on a particular surface is not bad press or attacking
someone. Those are just specific questions about someone’s ability in the
game. It’s fair questioning.

>Tennis is highly protected from the press than any other
>sport, because
>there is no locker room access, which is why press conferences
>are highly important.
>That is the only time the press has access to the athlete to
>ask them questions.
>
>The press is not allowed to go into the locker room to ask
>questions, nor can they
>meet them outside the stadium. They are only allowed to access
>the athlete during
>that 10-15 min press conference. And that was set up to
>protect the younger athletes
>so they wouldn’t get overwhelmed.
>
>Also, keep in mind that the press is different in every
>country. The European press is
>the most aggressive press there is, especially in France.
>France is a country that
>feels they can talk or ask anything, regardless of how
>sensitive or aggressive it is.
>So Naomi’s boycott was ,in a way , directed towards the
>Press in France. She didn’t
>boycott the press in Australia, nor were there in issues in
>Australia. That was
>another issue I had with how everything was projected. It
>threw all media outlets
>under the bus, when all country’s don’t have the same
>media platform.
>
>In general, all tennis players endure the same repetitive
>questioning,
>where some of the questions may be aggressive and insensitive,
>and some
>are just basic, simple questions.
>
>But no tennis player in the world gets more bad press than
>Nick Kyrgios.
>No one. He gets degraded constantly. And I’m still trying
>understand
>what bad press Naomi has received....I don’t recall any.
>Questioning
>someone’s ability on a particular surface is not bad press
>or attacking
>someone. Those are just specific questions about someone’s
>ability in the
>game. It’s fair questioning.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

countries re: the way their press behaves. I hadn't thought of that.

Also, with respect to the modes of access press is limited to when it comes to athletes in tennis v. other "locker room" sports. That's a pretty thoughtful logistical consideration.

I'm pretty pro-Naomi/athlete in this instance tho bc I do think mental health is as critical as physical health, and if her boycott starts some serious conversations/reforms that protect athletes more as she phrased it that is ultimately a very good thing (and likely long overdue). Even if it makes things a bit trickier for the press.

BUT. I do get where you're coming from here. There is hopefully a compromise point where athletes have more protections/freedom and the press can still serve their function.

I wasn’t making light of her situation. That’s why I said, hey, she should
step away from the game to get her mind right.

I also feel that some aspects of the press should be reformed, like comparing
athletes based on their cultural makeup is a no-no in my book.
However, questions about someone’s ability to play in a tournament is fair critiquing, because it’s about the game.

And we here that all the time from athletes in other sports...”hey, say what you want
about my game or ability, but don’t ask me anything outside of that.”

suggestion that she should've stepped away from the game tho.

It's true that this hardly seems to be asked of male athletes (even when they're clearly struggling), and it's also problematic that there isn't an accepted framework for athletes to just focus on the competitive aspects of their sport for a temporary or sustained period of time. Naomi clearly still wanted to play.

People watch sports to see the athletes play not to watch the interviews after, no? So in that sense, I have to applaud Naomi's strong af Gen Z energy wrt the way she called out how hard the system can be on players in the interest of not only her own mental health but that of other athletes - and stood firm on her boundary even if (and perhaps because) it hit the system where it hurts. Most of the activism we hear from athletes tends to be about money, politics, etc (which I also think is brave)... but we don't often see agitation about issues like this. Good for her.

But ya, hopefully a good compromise comes out of this.

>Tennis is highly protected from the press than any other
>sport, because
>there is no locker room access, which is why press conferences
>are highly important.
>That is the only time the press has access to the athlete to
>ask them questions.
>
>The press is not allowed to go into the locker room to ask
>questions, nor can they
>meet them outside the stadium. They are only allowed to access
>the athlete during
>that 10-15 min press conference. And that was set up to
>protect the younger athletes
>so they wouldn’t get overwhelmed.
>

Thank goodness for this ^^^^. Not to take away from Naomi, but the William sisters were absolutely brutalized by the media, yet these teen women had the mental capacity at that time not to lash out in front of reporters/cameras who purposely tried them.

An incident, that Serena wrote in Time Magazine stood out, when her sister, Venus withdraw from the Indian Wells Tournament due to an injury and a racial comment/epithet was hurled at her father in front of her by a spectator. They both walked back to the locker room, and Venus lashed out by breaking her racket and some equipment, while seeing her dad cry and boycotted the event for 15 years. And the media saying they taking it too far.

and years later, Venus isnt too fond of the press "you'll never light a candle to me." i know that's right.

>But no tennis player in the world gets more bad press than
>Nick Kyrgios.
>No one. He gets degraded constantly.

He's had a lot of instances of being a flat out asshole. And I don't even get made at him for supposedly half-assing it when he plays. If his heart isn't in it 100% but he's still good enough to play among the best, so be it. But that doesn't excuse all of his piss-poor behavior.

He still gets degraded and disregarded. Every time I read about him his
game is getting questioned by the media. A lot of times they are right, because
he doesn’t give his all, and he treats tennis like he doesn’t really care.

Maybe he cares more about the entertainment of the press than the actual game...
who knows.

its how aggressive they are when questioning her game.

its probably tone and repetition or questioning her skills on clay where doubt creeps in

If she had twisted an ankle and had to ease up on practice time, everyone would understand.

If her press appearances were causing her enough anxiety that it affected her ability to play well, she should have every right to back out. I get the desire for access to the players but the matches are the prize. Her ability to focus on winning is the most important thing.

And there's no shortage of other players who are more than ready to jump in front of a mic and talk to the press.

some would say greats like Jordan or Tyson have been asked - right before a pivotal game or match against a highly-regarded rival:

"are you scared you might lose tonight?"

"you lost to - this person/team - in 2015 on the world's greatest stage; what can we expect tonight to keep that from happening again?"

SOME athletes can handle that, some can't.

When I read Serena's quote about 'some people being thin(skinned)' I interpreted that as "Naomi doesn't have the mental fortitude to deal with that. She can't necessarily separate herself from the question and follow-through on court without hearing that shxt echo in her mind AND THAT'S OK

at a professional level, some are of the opinion that you shouldn't be 'worried about missing shots you haven't taken yet' and that is sound thinking, humans are gonna human.

YES IT'S AFFECTING HER ABILITY TO PLAY...and since she quit we seem to be arguing about if it SHOULD affect her...and there's no answer.

Some of yall in here typing tough and get shook when ya boss come around; it shouldn't matter...but it DOES

low-key trolling the press about the body-/outfit-shaming she was subjected to. Like, a double-entendre kind of in solidarity with Naomi.

Serena doesn't seem like the type to punch (somebody when they're) down like that. Especially one of the few other Black women. But who knows I guess.

>
> When I read Serena's quote about 'some people being
>thin(skinned)' I interpreted that as "Naomi doesn't have the
>mental fortitude to deal with that.

Serena and Venus really don’t give a fock. That’s what I like about them.
They are pro-coco in a way ( Venus and coco are now doubles partners).
And that’s why the media likes them too..they will dish that shit back...

Man, I wish I were that reporter...I would have said: “ And Lord knows your ass is thick... but, yeah, you were saying.”

lol

And if you had been the reporter and said that, it would have constituted sexual harassment.

We don't need all that

>And if you had been the reporter and said that, it would have
>constituted sexual harassment.
>
>We don't need all that

All the players are required to talk to press and frankly it has the ability to affect every players game.

Better stated here:

Osaka doesn’t get to skip press conferences when everyone else has to do them. “You cannot allow a player to have an unfair advantage by not doing post-match press,” ESPN tennis analyst Rennae Stubbs told the New York Times. “It’s time consuming, so if one player is not doing that and others are, that is not equal.” Maybe there’s a conversation to be had about whether press conferences are, as Osaka put it, “outdated,” whether they put too much strain on athletes during the most stressful moments of their careers. But it’s not something that Osaka just gets to decide, out of the blue, right before a tournament starts.

This came from an article in general I thought was pretty even handed.

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/06/naomi-osakas-french-open-exit-a-good-faith-discussion.html

https://uiaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Will-Leitch-833x555.jpg

yeah..

>All the players are required to talk to press and frankly it
>has the ability to affect every players game.

I would think a pre-game press conference is more of a distraction than post-game. If you're trying to focus on a match you're playing in an hour, I can see it.

I imagine there are some players that love the attention of a press conference and may thrive on it. Others might see it as a distraction or an annoyance. Is it fair to say that Naomi sees it as detrimental to her on-court game? (I don't know if she actually said that or not)

I guess the big question is should players be able to opt out and if so, should they have to suffer or pay some type of penalty?

Coach Pop used to roast them when it was implemented

I think a lot of arguments about Mental Health miss the simple point that she shouldn't be allowed the competitive advantage of not having to do what everyone else has to do made here:

"Osaka doesn’t get to skip press conferences when everyone else has to do them. “You cannot allow a player to have an unfair advantage by not doing post-match press,” ESPN tennis analyst Rennae Stubbs told the New York Times. “It’s time consuming, so if one player is not doing that and others are, that is not equal.” Maybe there’s a conversation to be had about whether press conferences are, as Osaka put it, “outdated,” whether they put too much strain on athletes during the most stressful moments of their careers. But it’s not something that Osaka just gets to decide, out of the blue, right before a tournament starts."


"https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/06/naomi-osakas-french-open-exit-a-good-faith-discussion.html


Now again, I think all of this is moot because she acted like a professional and withdraw from the tournament rather that tried to push that she should get a special exception.



**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

Everything needs to be fair across the board, and it always has been.
If one player is allowed to skip, while other players have to abide to
the protocols, not only could that be viewed as favoritism, but could
also lead to a counter-boycott by other players.

You have some players who like press conferences, because it gives them
a chance to promote their brands and to have more visual media that they
can add to their social media platforms. Press conferences are not the basic,
simple conferences they used to be. They are now decorated with logo
back splashes of tournament sponsors, and the players wear apparel
with brand logos from head to toe. That is by design, making press conferences
a 10-15 min commercial. That’s not going away...too much money involved.

This isn’t a league where everything is uniformed across the board. Sports Leagues
have main sponsors on their uniforms, as well a main sports drink, and teams
have a main sponsor. So that’s all you see during the press conferences in sports leagues.

In Tennis, each player has different sponsors, from the gym shoes, to the apparel,
to the tennis racquet, to the watches they wear, and to the sports drinks they drink....
and press conferences play a huge role in the promotion of those items.

So Nike misses out big time when their top women’s tennis money maker is not
sitting in a press conference to promote their brand...it allows their competitor
to get ahead of them.

Press conferences are a big deal, and is more than just the Q and A game.

That's not my point at all.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

But I was adding another point as to why press conferences are important,
because they are more than just Q and As.

They are Q and As, they are advertisements, and they can also be used
as a form of strategy.....

Which any other player is free to do if they want to.

Also getting help with mental illness isn't a competitive advantage, it helps to level the playing field with those who don't suffer.

skip the interview and pay the fine.

Players would gladly pay a $15K fine if it actually gave them an advantage.

but in addition to that, she is taking a stand for every player and every future player. she is willing to eat the cost, both financial and media attacks, for not participating in something that is outside the actual court.

There are posters in this thread who trash and degrade athletes
on the sports board, stating how weak and soft a player is.

Same cats were trashing Kyrie Irving and saying how soft he was about
not wanting to do press conferences, and that he should just retire.
And when he sat out games because of mental/personal issues, same
cats were saying he was a disgrace and unprofessional. And that all
happened this season.

That goes for other athletes like Ron Artest, Brandon Marshall,
and Antonio Brown.....same posters trashed those players during their
mental episodes and issues with the press.

But now we have Naomi Osaka, who isn’t even getting harsh treatment
from the media like those aforementioned players, and now it’s: press conferences
aren’t really needed and she shouldn’t be subjected to that.

I’m going to dig up those threads.

Sounds hypocritical and sexist to me.

>I’m going to dig up those threads.
>
>

as other players and I think mental toughness if a big part of being a successful athlete, but I also think she has a right to not play in a tournament she doesn't want to play in and love her throwing the spotlight on how asinine some of the questioning of the reporters are.

And like someone else mentioned above, if she were on a team and pulled out because of not wanting to deal with reporters and left her teammates stranded in big games, that would be an entirely different conversation.

But you talking about her letting Nike down? LOL.

**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

I think you have to be mentally tough as nails to admit you struggle with anxiety and take the necessary steps to protect your mental health instead of being a weak ass who goes with the flow because you don’t want to upset your masters or teammates.

Fuck them..

We always out here trying to shame people for not doing what WE want them to do.

It takes courage to give up a chance to make millions at the French Open because the shit aint right.

all of this.

I think one YUGE aspect of this that isn't getting enough attention is the solo sport athlete

She doesn't have a team
She doesn't have a choice
It's just her.

Also, one of the replies that didn't get a response was about her W vs Serena

People see Naomi as a strong, powerful athlete

But that moment made it clear her personality is different than her appearance

I've never seen an athlete breakdown like that, at the pinnacle of her career success...because she felt bad

If you can't see how Naomi's situation and character are different than 'Rie trolling the media with flat earth comments...that's a you issue.

who admitted his struggles and had the courage to speak on it.

I’m sure there are a lot of athletes who suffer in silence on teams who deal with the same shit.

IIRC, Brandon Marshall was getting into off the field trouble, domestic issues...

...and then he was clinically diagnosed, and got the professional help he needed

Was Meta clinically diagnosed?

should be evident...mental health is an evolving topic and this is where it's at today

Hopefully we continue to learn and grow...instead of whataboutisms

but it was mostly before we knew what he was going thru. Once we got the details people pulled back.

but in 2021 for a woman like Osaka to get pushback on this or called mentally weak when she is the #2 player in the world and routinely beats Serena with ease.. hiw can she be viewed as mentally weak?

EXACTLY!!!

This stereotype of the stoic pro athlete is being chipped away by reality

Mental Health is a bit of a new arena

I don't understand the misunderstanding

Congrats to everyone's blessed life that hasn't had to work through something similar...or have a loved one/relative with mental health issues

In a country where suicide is an epidemic
That doesn't get the attention it needs
and has been compounded by the pandemic

It needs to be talked about...not debated.

fall short or show weakness.

and when they do the first thing we do is joke them be ause they make the naanw amounts of money.

preach.

for speaking on mental health

That is really disrespectful and shows how people just don’t understand how this works.

I will admit I was one of those people who never considered it when bashing players who just seemed out of it or bailed on their team. Now.. some of those athletes were just selfish players who didnt give af but any player who says “I deal with anxiety” should get space to heal


I used to think Ricky Williams was just off.. then he spoke on his anxiety and it all made sense.

When you witness depression or folk with issues it gives you a better understanding on how to navigate these discussions.

Its sports tho so you have a bunch of dudes who talk tough like they been on the trenches when most haven’t done shit besides watch the games.

Another that crossed my mind was the formerly know as Chris Jackson

When he converted to Islam, changed his name to Mahmoud and started to sit for the national anthem...the NBA fined and suspended him for choosing not to stand during the national anthem

...which has absolutely nothing to do with the actual game of basketball...

They eventually worked out a compromise...and I'm sure there can be some middle ground with Naomi

The zero tolerance stances never work.

If we're being really real...Naomi is also addressing the sad state of journalism today

These reporters don't want access so they can ask some insightful question that will enlighten readers

They want to go viral
They want that reaction or moment that will raise their profile

The competition and game play has enough compelling drama to write an article...I think we're missing the issue of journalistic integrity in 2021

They out for clicks.

So you waited until he almost reached the point of insanity to pull
back on trashing him.

Trash them until they can’t take it anymore.

That sounds sexy...do you not see the irony in that?

You motherfockers can’t have it both ways.

Either all players are allowed to be judged or critiqued or they are not.

I'm not sure why this is affecting you so much

?

Rules and laws in society apply to all who are part of that society.
So if you want to exist in that society, you have to endure those rules,
until they are changed or modified....and then those new rules should
be abided by all.

Natural law is the same way. Prey/Predator. Nature doesn’t
make specific laws for certain animals, all animals fall under the
same rules of survival. It doesn’t matter if you’re a sheep or a lion.

Whatever rules or protocols that are in place, no one should
be exempt from them. They should apply to all persons. Period.

So either players are allowed to be critiqued, judged and questioned
by the press in regards to their game, or they are not. It’s as simple
as that. There can’t be a rule to exempt certain players, while others
have to follow the rules and protocols.

Pressers are not natural selection, predator/prey situations...

You've deflected to...sheep and lions...in a post about press conferences?

I have no idea what point you're trying to make anymore TBH

Good day.

I’m simply saying that all rules apply to all
parties who are involved or associated. There
should be no exemptions, and I’m glad The French
Open stood their ground.

Now if the rules and protocols change in regards to press
conference in GST, then those rules and protocols should
be supported as well. Based on the current rules, players
are required to do press conferences if they want to play in
the tournament. Now if they are uncomfortable for whatever
PERSONAL reason, and they refuse to do the press
conferences, then they will be fined or suspended.

So unless there is an official rule change, she has two choices:

Don’t enter the tournaments, or abide to the rules and protocols
of the tournament. It’s that simple. There will be no exemptions,
and there shouldn’t be. It’s called equal and fair treatment towards
all players.

It’s not tennis’ job to be her therapist. It’s like Artest stated:

My problem wasn’t David Stern, or the press, or other players. My
problem was me, and I had to address that in order to improve myself.

Naomi has mental anxiety issues, and trying to put a bandaid on it
is not going to correct the issue, because pressure and people aren’t
going to go away. She needs to address the central issue, and ,hopefully,
she does that while she is on this sabbatical. ....and I hope she comes
back stronger.

She stepped away 3 days ago and you keep screaming

“SHE NEEDS TO STEP AWAY FROM THE GAME!”

Is your internet slow? You watching her earlier matches on Tivo?

>>You watching her earlier matches on
>Tivo?
>
>

not his mental health.

That is the difference. People are free to trash Osaka’s backhand or her game on clay on message boards.

You are trashing her mental health.

and I said “some folk” prolly trashed Love when he left the game because they didn’t know why or what was going on. Once he spoke on anxiety and mental health most people respected it and applauded him for speaking up on it.

I’m saying if she has a mental disorder or issues coping, then she needs to step
away to address that, because that’s the main issue. If the mind isn’t right,
then nothing will ever be right.

And listen to what you just said, you said people are free to trash
her backhand and her clay game.....Well, that’s what the press was doing,
and they were not doing it in a harsh way. She wasn’t receiving bad press,
it’s just that they were critiquing her game....So with that perception ,the press
isn’t wrong in their approach, as long as it is about her game, correct?

She doesn’t want to endure the questioning because it leads to her doubting
herself, correct?

So where does the problem really exist?

The problem is her mind sate, correct?

So that is the first thing that needs to be addressed and cured before anything else.

players.. not the media.

and she stepped away so I’m not sure why you keep yapping like she is insisting to play on her terms.

You also admitted the french press is trash.

Osaka said she didnt want to be a distraction and thanked everyone. So wtf are you really mad about?

Did you ever dig up all the hypocritical post to expose the hypocrisy?

But with that, are you saying it’s okay for fans to question
or critique her court game, but reporters shouldn’t be allowed to question
or critique her game?

If people on a sports board can question her game, or any
other athlete’s game for that matter, why would those same
people call out the press or say the press is too negative,
and that she shouldn’t have to endure press conferences?

Do you see what I’m getting at?

and I think the media is free to question her game.

that is totally different than the media requirement where you are forced to answer questions on your game in real time. If her head starts playing tricks on her after these interviews I dont blame her one bit for wanting to skip them.

Something about it doesn’t feel right to her.. and she should be able to process it without being punished or called weak.

Tiger Woods isn’t part of a team. He does press conferences before and after,
and he is under a way bigger microscope, and had to endure racism from
peers and critics, especially during his sex scandal....He lost a lot of support
during those personal episodes, and there were people on the sports
Board who trashed him.

Michelle Wie is a female golfer who has encountered pushback and sexist
comments....she isn’t part of a team.

Go to the sports board right now, and players are getting trashed left and right. People can shit on Kyrie, but Naomi deserves a pass?

Let’s be honest and call it what it is, and stop all this bullshit.

You're referencing Tiger and Wie isn't the cyse you think it is

I mean, we all know what happened to Tiger
You think that's unrelated to the intense spotlight cast on him since a child
?

Wie was off the tour...for a couple of years...I think that's the situation we're trying to avoid

There should be space for people to work through these issues

Not banished

physically and mentally IMO. He is not “good” and hasn’t been the same since his pop passed. He also used to tell fans to stfu so maybe he doesn’t struggle with mental health the same way Osaka does..

Wei struggled. They banned her father and she never lived up to expectations. I didn’t even know she was still playing the game. Again.. did she admit to mental health struggles?

did any of these other players openly admit mental health struggles?

I’m not sure what your point is.. sure, players get trashed on OKS and you seem to suggest its wrong bit since they got it she should get it too?

are you saying we SHOULD trash players since other players were treated harshly on OKS?

IMO the more we know the more we should prolly chill on bashing players who admit to mental health struggles.


just sounds like you made up a strawman to knock down.

better than me so you don’t phase me...but everyone handles it differently

i love sports journalism. sure there are some clowns, and they usually get outted as clowns by their own questions and the players reactions to their dumbass and self-serving questions. but why do actually care about their "right" to a press conference?

you hear so many stories of legendary beat writers talking about how they had to spend weeks/months/years trying to develop relationship with players to maybe, MAYBE get a one-on-one interview or soundbite. Have you seen the zoom press conferences and even live press conferences since COVID? Any clown with a camera and a credential can ask the most nonsense questions to athletes.

And like i said, it only takes one bad apple journo to cause a stir in one of these conferences, but it really fucks up the players.

why do the press have a right to speak to athletes? or why should they? i should give a fuck about the bottom line of ownership groups?

this is not an argument against sports journalism. i just am trying to consider what being good at a sport has to do with being forced to communicate with and answer questions.

Having a post match press conference isn't a human rights issue.

There's an opportunity to change the paradigm in a way that helps troubled geniuses share their talent for our enjoyment with greater longevity.

But people say rules are rules, on this site, which ought to know how unjust rules can be and how problematic resistance to change is in the face of suffering.

people always talk about rules and “this is how its always been done”

foh.

grow some balls

Like I remember our CTO explaining the "ghosting" they were dealing with where a new employee would be hired, have a set day to start and the day comes and they never show up and you can't reach them anymore.

Or in general the way younger employees avoid confrontation at all cost but are willing to spill on social media.

I wonder if there will be a spike in Gen Z employees taking mental health days after this?

And Yes Walleye, I am probably overly idenitifying with my capitalist overlords, but if you have ever managed Gen Z employees you will know what I am talking about.



**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

people have been not showing up to new jobs since the beginning of time.

fuck your job offer.. I got a better one.

I had 2 jobs to choose from and dude called me up and said “I’m going to bar for you, dont fuck me”

Well, after they changed my job title and told me I would get 5 PTO days I fucked him.. lol.

acting like a job will get you into heaven. fuck that job.

It’s pure insanity, and it’s growing. And these individuals will evolve to
become managers, directors, and owners. What will the business world
be like at that point?

It’s down right scary and frustrating. That mentality and behavior is a byproduct
of the rise of social media platforms and digital devices. Through those inventions
people can simply text, as opposed to having verbal over the phone conversations,
or face to face conversations......

Generation Z was born it, so they are not educated or familiar with face to face
communication the way that we are. Now imagine how the next generation is
going to be, as they come up in a world of self-driving cars, automated customer
service, and lab created nutrition...

Could this lead to a paradigm shift, where athletes have zero contact or
communication outside of their social followers, where it’s just direct access
with fans through social platforms? We already see exclusive press communication
with certain musicians. Could that carry over to athletes?

Good post!

America?

lmao.. yall sound old and misguided.

“how dare these youngins buck against massa”

They're so much more humanist than us millenial and gen x capitalist-drone heathens and go to bat for the system overhauls that will ultimately help us too in critical ways (especially in our old age).

Basically, we let Boomers and Silent Gen slide on a lot of shit and I am both delighted and embarrassed by Gen Z's disgust at our capitulation.

A lot of the stuff they call out really is sociopathic lol

or end up like us. They are our children so I am pulling for them.


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

we just tend to bash the youth mostly out of jealousy and envy for the freedom they have that we didnt..

and of course we want the credit for making it easier for them to succeed.

For the...dem the rules crowd...they changed the rules on her

She played her first round match and was prepared to pay the fine for not doing press

Officials from ALL the grand slam events, not just the French open, got together and issued a statement that threatened to expel her from ALL future events...

...if she continued to skip press conferences...

That would be unprecedented

and I’m sure threatening to end someone’s career isn’t good for their mental health

I hope she stays away until she is ready.

i remember when i first read that i was like "damn."

That was always stipulated in the code of conduct policy, and it can
be implemented by one or all GSTs.

What manager, agent, etc, would allow their client to continuously pay
a 15,000 fine?

That’s financially reckless and dumb.

you're so concerned with who is losing money/making money. this is about her health, her voice, her choice.

Athletes speak and they're told to shut up and dribble. They don't want to speak and they're called babies and gen-z-entitled, weak.

SHE IS ONE of the BEST players in the world. She has all the money she could spend in 30 lifetimes and her team will be fine. She is taking a stand. Why are you so obsessed with everyone else? its so unsettling

thats why

I’m a Steeler fan and on a message board fans were complaining because the union rep told rookies they shouldn’t feel pressured to go to OTA’s

fans lost their mind.

They really do see athletes as zoo animals that are just there to entertain people.

And clearly you’ve never worked in finances or had to manage business
accounts l

The job of managers, agents, advisors, etc is to not only protect
the interest and assets of the client, but is to also protect the client from
him or herself.

It doesn’t matter how rich or wealthy a person is, the goal is to prevent
revenue loss. This is why you have athletes who appeal fines no matter
how much money they make.

15,000 over just 4 matches is 60,000, and over 8 matches is 120,000.
It doesn’t matter if she makes 2 million off the tourney. Thats a huge loss.
Savings account interest @3% on 120,000 is close to 4,000 dollars, and
that compounds. That shit could be put away in a foreign account.

Now an athlete wouldn’t understand that, which is why most end up
broke at the end of their career. That’s why financial advisors are in place
to TELL THEM NO. They are not their to be yes men.

This is why people get in trouble on twitter on social media
and in business situations, because they are surrounded
by yes men.

You sound like a yes man.

its her money.. the agent works for her.

If she wants to pay fines to protect her health AND play better that is her right.

She made 50 mill last year.

She is fine and unless her parents steal all her money she wont ever have to worry about money for 3 lifetimes.

$50 mill and you are worried about $120K in fines.. lmao

like she's putting an hourly bi-weekly check in the bank.

thats her money..

and she doesn’t work for the agent. The agent works for her. If they dont like it.. leave or get fired!!!

Round 1 players get 70K
Round 2 players get 100K
Round 3 140K

now, her family may be like whoa.. lets talk about this. But her agent would gladly let her take the fine if it meant she would get to the finals or semi’s and make a mill or 750K

The focal point is to protect the client and the assets of
the client, even if you have to protect them from themselves.

Athletes, musicians, and movie actors do dumb shit socially
and financially. We see it all the time on social media and in
financial news. That’s what happens when they have nothing
but YES men around them.

Your financial calculation is not smart, because it doesn’t address
the revenue loss from the fines, which eats away at her purse. And no
financial advisor would agree to some dumb shit like that.

This is why based on her verbal behavior on Twitter, and her willingness
to accept all fines, leaves a lot of question marks in regards to her
support base from all aspects.

She’s an extremely young woman, so complete maturity has not settle
in yet. You remember what you were and how you were when you were
young. It was easy to fock away money, and to make snap immature judgments
that came back to haunt you later on......This is why it is extremely important,
especially in this day and age of major distractions, to have good advisors and
managers in place.

you keep focusing on the money.

Fuck the money. She has enough already. Even if she went from $50 mill to $30 mill
next year she is good if her mental health improves.

and these people who work for her are worried about their profit margins being compromised.. not hers.

we see what happens when a person only focuses on money. They end up sounding
loud and wrong.. aka dumb as FOCK. Which is why 99% person of the board thinks you are the worst person ever to contribute to OKP.. lol.

Mental health



"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPqjPiPslYx/

and Wimbelton is iffy right now.

Got wonder, what is Cordae telling her!?!


**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

I think part of this is also getting ready to rep for Japan.