Andy Murray! Woohoo! Finally...

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:14 am

Bout damn time. Let the bagpipes play their merry tunes....

Post by **snarl** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 10:25 am

He has massively improved under Lendl.

I am knackered.

For some reason, (lets call it stupidity) their is a vocal portion of brits that don't like him.

Darth Aux · Post by **Darth Aux** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 4:45 pm

Saw it on the news at lunch, well done indeed. I knew that Olympics win was just the confidence boost he needed. He was like the worlds second best player, could beat the big 3 in a semi, but none of them in a final (and as a result was always 4th in the rankings).

Well done Andy, you've made Britain proud!

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:19 pm

snarl wrote:For some reason, (lets call it stupidity) their is a vocal portion of brits that don't like him.

I think maybe it's because of his former whiny, yell-at-my-team-for-my-own-mistakes attitude. Looks like he's conquered that too. Like Aux said, probably at the behest of Lendl, who don't take no **** and knows what it takes to win a Slam or two or eight.

I love Andy, personally. He's like a dorky Transformers fan who plays video games all day but put a racket in his hand and he becomes one of the worlds best athletes.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:23 pm

I don't like him.

But then I don't really like any tennisers.

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 3:39 pm

I was pretty happy. Watched the match live and everything. I've got lots of sympathy for all the good tennis players not named Roger, Rafa, or Novak. Especially for Andy, 'cause of the history and everything.

After the Olympics, I was hoping that would be what he needed. After Federer got eliminated, I was confident he could get it done. And he did.

Although, wow, the wind in that match! IN-sane.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 6:05 pm

Shanti418 wrote: Although, wow, the wind in that match! IN-sane.

I never go to the U.S. Open because, well, it's a **** tournament, to be honest. They made the stadium too damn big, so you get these swirling winds and the players look like ants unless you pay out the wazoo for great seats. Then, it rains too much, and because they made the stadium too big, they can't put a retractable roof over it like they do for Wimbledon or the Australian. Then, it's too crowded. I've gone a couple times and every time has been a miserable experience.

Much prefer the smaller tournaments, like Miami. Everybody shows up and Key Biscayne is beautiful. Got to meet Rafa there, and got up in Feds face for a picture and he was annoyed. hehe. Took a picture of my ex with Andy Murray (who at the time wasn't top five yet). It's very personal, yet because it's a major tournament, you get a Slam kind of vibe. Indian Wells is supposed to be gorgeous too.

Darth Aux · Post by **Darth Aux** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 8:39 am

Shanti418 wrote: got up in Feds face for a picture and he was annoyed. hehe

He does come across, now that he isn't winning everything all the time, as a bit of an ass at times. Wondered if it was just that I can't take to him or that he is just that arrogant.

(Not that I know him personally or anything)

sheesh if the Mrs read this, I would get a lecture on "how can you say that? Do you know him? blah,blah,blah, yadda, yadda. oh just ignore me then!" /SLAM

think I let a bit too much out there lol

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 9:50 pm

Darth Aux wrote:
Shanti418 wrote: got up in Feds face for a picture and he was annoyed. hehe
He does come across, now that he isn't winning everything all the time, as a bit of an ass at times. Wondered if it was just that I can't take to him or that he is just that arrogant.

(Not that I know him personally or anything)

sheesh if the Mrs read this, I would get a lecture on "how can you say that? Do you know him? blah,blah,blah, yadda, yadda. oh just ignore me then!" /SLAM

think I let a bit too much out there lol

First, I didn't say that. Typo police!

Second, Roger's always come off to me as a nice, warm guy (although growing up with Sampras, I suppose an ice cube would come off as warm to me). To me, Novak is always the one where I'm like, "Wow, I bet that guy's a total asshole. ESPECIALLY with his entourage of snooty Eastern Europeans wearing a bunch of clothes plastered with elitist brands worth thousands of dollars." But then when he opens his mouth, I'm like, "Wow, that guy is just the sweetest! So well mannered. I must remember to compliment his mother."

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sat Sep 15, 2012 5:06 am

Darth Aux wrote:
Shanti418 wrote: got up in Feds face for a picture and he was annoyed. hehe
He does come across, now that he isn't winning everything all the time, as a bit of an ass at times. Wondered if it was just that I can't take to him or that he is just that arrogant.

Actually, if you saw how close to his face I was with my camera, you could understand his annoyance. It was like almost touching his cheek. He was none to pleased. I think he's actually a real nice guy. Stuck on himself, sure, but seems like he's genuinely a kind person.

To me, Novak is always the one where I'm like, "Wow, I bet that guy's a total asshole. ESPECIALLY with his entourage of snooty Eastern Europeans wearing a bunch of clothes plastered with elitist brands worth thousands of dollars." But then when he opens his mouth, I'm like, "Wow, that guy is just the sweetest! So well mannered. I must remember to compliment his mother.

Can't stand Novak, mainly for his entourage. They have to be some of the most annoyingly arrogant people in sports. Novak has always been a cheap player, IMO. For example, down 5-2 in the fifth, and what's he do? Takes a lame injury time out to throw Andy off. You'd never see Fed do that. I will say Nole is most gracious in defeat, however, and is always quick to credit his opponent.

Rafa is my guy, but I'm kind of souring on his "the schedule is too long" but then "Yeah, I'm playing in this exhibition next week for one million dollars". I can hardly blame him about the pay, but stop with the whining about the grueling schedule if you're choosing to play those exhibition events.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:38 pm

I think some Brits got annoyed with him because he joked that he wouldn't be supporting the English football team as he was, you know, Scottish.

But he seems game for a laugh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3ynYHHH9e0

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:57 pm

I went to see him in Dunblane the other day, it was really nice. He didn't jog through or anything, he stopped at every barrier and signed stuff, shook hands, talked to people etc. Then he posed for pics with local kids and walked around the town square (more of a circle) showing people his medals. He took about 5 hours to walk about a mile, as he spoke to as many people as he could, there were thousands there, crammed along the main street (Dunblane is very small).

I've never seen him look more tired, by the end of it.

There were no bagpipes.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 1:07 pm

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 5:06 pm

KingMob wrote: There were no bagpipes.

No bagpipes? WTF kind of celebration is that?

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 5:15 pm

A humane one.

inflatable dalek · Post by **inflatable dalek** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 7:43 pm

He's going to be a good be for BBC Sports Personality of the Year now isn't he? It was always going to be a gold winning Olympian, and having won something else big right afterwards that no Brit has done in decades is very likely to be a deal breaker.

The main thing counting against him is most UKers only really care about Wimbledon when it comes to tennis. He could win every other tournament in the world and cure cancer whilst he did it and we won't think he's really arrived till he's either won that or killed Cliff Richard in the attempt.

Darth Aux · Post by **Darth Aux** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 9:40 pm

Shanti418 wrote: First, I didn't say that. Typo police!

oops deleted the wrong name from the quote.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 11:27 pm

inflatable dalek wrote: The main thing counting against him is most UKers only really care about Wimbledon when it comes to tennis. He could win every other tournament in the world and cure cancer whilst he did it and we won't think he's really arrived till he's either won that or killed Cliff Richard in the attempt.

Surely an Olympics gold at Wimbledon and a victory at the U.S. Open would equate to very few who believe he's now incapable of a Wimbledon title? I mean, we'd have to say it's now very probable. He knows how to handle the pressure of big moments now.

Either way, we're going to see a very different Andy Murray from here on out, with two possibilities:
1. Andy Murray driven to win everything he enters, including a Wimbledon
2. Andy Murray satisfied by what he's done and goes back to playing video games.

Which will we see will be the question.

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 1:18 am

There's quite a few in the running for Sports Personality of the Year, deservedly so. But I'd like it if Murray won. I think people reacted well to his emotional moments on camera this year, which is going to help.
I don't know about you, but I like it when sportsmen and women seem like people I could empathise with and get along with, despite the fact that they are mega-rich, insanely fit and dedicated to achieving perfection, while I'm...not.

I have friends from Dunblane and they say that by all accounts he's a pretty normal bloke (ie a typical grumpy Scotsman). I think what you see with him is what you get, and his grumps and temper snaps when he's not doing so well are similar to frustrations we all sometimes express. He's not one of those machinelike players who're able to maintain a 'professional' demeanour. He said some really nice things at his parade, and his family put a lot back into the town. I'm happy he's having some success. I don't think he'll slack off, though I wouldn't be surprised if there was a small dip in his performance, apparently he trained like a sonnuvabitch in the run up to the Olympics and the US Open. Going to be hard to keep that up.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 5:09 pm

KingMob wrote:I have friends from Dunblane and they say that by all accounts he's a pretty normal bloke (ie a typical grumpy Scotsman). I think what you see with him is what you get, and his grumps and temper snaps when he's not doing so well are similar to frustrations we all sometimes express. He's not one of those machinelike players who're able to maintain a 'professional' demeanour. He said some really nice things at his parade, and his family put a lot back into the town. I'm happy he's having some success. I don't think he'll slack off, though I wouldn't be surprised if there was a small dip in his performance, apparently he trained like a sonnuvabitch in the run up to the Olympics and the US Open. Going to be hard to keep that up.

Well, this is the very reason I like Andy Murray. Out of all the players, he strikes me as The Nerd that Got Zapped by the Superpowers Ray-Gun type I think the average, well, nerd can relate to. He seems very genuine and the least bit influenced by his new role as superstar tennis icon. I met him in Miami three years ago and asked him if I could take his picture, and the guy seemed flattered. Flattered! Dude, you're a worldclass top ten tennis pro! That's why I like Andy Murray.

If there isn't a dip in his tennis play, I'd be very surprised. I expect him to show up at the World Championship finals (still in London?) and likely give Fed a run for his money there too.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:25 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:He's going to be a good be for BBC Sports Personality of the Year now isn't he?

My money's on Jess.

Post by **snarl** » Thu Sep 20, 2012 8:59 am

I'd be surprised if Ennis won it. IMO That's a three horse race out of Wiggo, Farah and Murray.