Peter Haas on the "arrogant Swiss"

[felangey]

"I've never seen a tennis player - and I've met many athletes and champions
from all professions throughout Tommy's entire career - as a person and a
complete athlete, Roger is so friendly, so cordial, so open with people.
With zero arrogance. The hair on my arm is almost standing up right now.
What I'm saying, in essence, it's almost unbelievable that this type of
person exists. He's such a pure, class act. In other words, he's humble. Yet
he does not need to be.""

http://www.tennis-prose.com/articles/peter-haas-perspective-on-federer-book-excerpt/

[Whisper]

What you guys are too dumb to realize is Roger is only humble when
everyone fawns over him. As soon as someone else gets some spotlight he
turns into a real bitch.

This has been a constant theme throughout his career, & will intensify
when he retires when people talk less about him. Mark my words.

He most definitely is no Rod Laver. That guy was true class/integrity.

[Scott]

On May 16, 5:52 am, Whisper <beaver...@ozemail.com> wrote:
> On 16/05/2013 10:27 AM, felangey wrote:
>
> > "I've never seen a tennis player - and I've met many athletes and
> > champions from all professions throughout Tommy's entire career - as a
> > person and a complete athlete, Roger is so friendly, so cordial, so open
> > with people. With zero arrogance. The hair on my arm is almost standing
> > up right now. What I'm saying, in essence, it's almost unbelievable that
> > this type of person exists. He's such a pure, class act. In other words,
> > he's humble. Yet he does not need to be.""
>

> >http://www.tennis-prose.com/articles/peter-haas-perspective-on-federe...

>
> What you guys are too dumb to realize is Roger is only humble when
> everyone fawns over him.  As soon as someone else gets some spotlight he
> turns into a real bitch.
>
> This has been a constant theme throughout his career, & will intensify
> when he retires when people talk less about him.  Mark my words.
>
> He most definitely is no Rod Laver.  That guy was true class/integrity.

You are really bitter about having to share the world with Roger,
ain't ya?

[Iceberg]

thing is more people were upset that I lost Wimbledon than Nadal won
Wimbledon.

[Court_1]

On May 16, 5:52 am, Whisper <beaver...@ozemail.com> wrote:

> On 16/05/2013 10:27 AM, felangey wrote:
>
> > "I've never seen a tennis player - and I've met many athletes and
> > champions from all professions throughout Tommy's entire career - as a
> > person and a complete athlete, Roger is so friendly, so cordial, so open
> > with people. With zero arrogance. The hair on my arm is almost standing
> > up right now. What I'm saying, in essence, it's almost unbelievable that
> > this type of person exists. He's such a pure, class act. In other words,
> > he's humble. Yet he does not need to be.""
>

> >http://www.tennis-prose.com/articles/peter-haas-perspective-on-federe...

>
> What you guys are too dumb to realize is Roger is only humble when
> everyone fawns over him.  As soon as someone else gets some spotlight he
> turns into a real bitch.
>
> This has been a constant theme throughout his career, & will intensify
> when he retires when people talk less about him.  Mark my words.
>
> He most definitely is no Rod Laver.  That guy was true class/integrity.

Come on Whisper, Federer can be arrogant at times, is often too
politically correct in his interviews and may be an axe murderer in
his private life for all we know, but when it comes to being the best
possible face of tennis he is the best the sport has ever seen. He
sure as hell is a lot more charismatic than the dull Pete Sampras ever
was.

[Whisper]

Yes, it's these type of comments from Fed (& there are so many) that
disqualify him from the humble sportsman league.

He is only humble when he has all the spotlight. That doesn't count in
my book. No fucking way.

[Whisper]

Even Serena comes across as impossibly humble when she wins. That means
nothing to me.

Roger has a lot of positive qualities, but I'm not going to put him in
the same class as Laver/Rosewall/Edberg types. He's a long way from
that level.

[jlia...@gmail.com]

He is closer to that level than Sampras.

[Whisper]

How do you figure? Sampras avoided the limelight at every opportunity.

Name me 1 time Fed was truly humble in defeat? Never happened from what
I've seen.

[RzR]

you mean than happy nadal won? well whats really wrong with that
statement? its normal that more people wanted roger to win. only a
friggin masochist can want nadal types to succeed in tennis...

[jlia...@gmail.com]

He was way more graciou than Sampras and at very least he did not try to belittle his opponents like Sampras did in his losing effort against Rafter. Sampras' comment after his defeat is worst of any male multiple grand slam winner that I ever heard.

[jlia...@gmail.com]

Sampras comment after his lost to Rafter in 98 also disqualified Sampras from the humble sportman league putting him in even lower league than Federer.

[Iceberg]

so what.

[Ulysses]

"Roger has a lot of positive qualities, but I'm not going to put him
in the same class as Laver/Rosewall/Edberg types. He's a long way
from that level."

And so is everyone else who played the game in the history of the
sport. Rod Laver is obviously in another dimension, as was Muscles,
but that was the era, as well. There were no Mac's, Jimbo's or Nastase
in the 50's and 60's in tennis. Laver has been a great ambassador of
the sport and truly does seem to be almost without ego. Edberg was
also an unbelievably classy, decent, adorable guy.

But that doesn't negate the fact that Fed is also a class act on court
and off court. Bagging on him because he isn't as humble as Laver is
ridiculous, because no one is. Fed being arrogant (as he is
sometimes), is a lot more honest that the asinine false humility act
that Rafa always trots out, "I'm not favorite on clay, no?" Enough
with that disingenuous B.S.

Whisper is right that Fed is only humble when he wins. That is very
true. But that's true of almost every tennis player. Djoker is the
best loser I've ever seen but it reeks of being utterly phony!

[Vlado]

> http://www.tennis-prose.com/articles/peter-haas-perspective-on-federe...

So you want to prove that Roger is not a cold hearted, back stabbing
bitch
but he is really humble ? First of all , why would you want to prove
it ? Is
your self esteem so low that you can't fathom him having any flaws?
And
then you quote some friend or business partner or whatever and you
expect
us to take it by his word?
Why even waste energy and time, we have literally every self styled
expert telling
us all the time how wonderful Roger is?

[felangey]

> So you want to prove that Roger is not a cold hearted, back stabbing bitch
> but he is really humble ?

Hey Vladthelad....timeout for you. You can really be a toxic cesspool of
negativity and bitchiness for someone so keen on the power of hollistics and
positive thinking. Is that a log in your eye?

After me.....*ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmm*......and.....breathe.

[ahonkan]

On May 16, 2:52 pm, Whisper <beaver...@ozemail.com> wrote:
> On 16/05/2013 10:27 AM, felangey wrote:
>
> > "I've never seen a tennis player - and I've met many athletes and
> > champions from all professions throughout Tommy's entire career - as a
> > person and a complete athlete, Roger is so friendly, so cordial, so open
> > with people. With zero arrogance. The hair on my arm is almost standing
> > up right now. What I'm saying, in essence, it's almost unbelievable that
> > this type of person exists. He's such a pure, class act. In other words,
> > he's humble. Yet he does not need to be.""
>

> >http://www.tennis-prose.com/articles/peter-haas-perspective-on-federe...

>
> What you guys are too dumb to realize is Roger is only humble when
> everyone fawns over him.  As soon as someone else gets some spotlight he
> turns into a real bitch.
>
> This has been a constant theme throughout his career, & will intensify
> when he retires when people talk less about him.  Mark my words.
>
> He most definitely is no Rod Laver.  That guy was true class/integrity.

Cross-era comparisons are meaningless, even more so in
this case. Tennis was nowhere near the world sport that it is
now, with very little money and little media exposure. You can't
even begin to compare it with today's tennis what with the
commercial interests, publicity and demands on one's time.
So while Laver will always remain a great, comparing Laver
with Fed in terms of their perceived humility would be completely
unfair.

[trr]

On May 16, 8:55 am, Vlado <vlado2...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On May 15, 8:27 pm, "felangey" <oncl...@nine.com> wrote:
>
> > "I've never seen a tennis player - and I've met many athletes and champions
> > from all professions throughout Tommy's entire career - as a person and a
> > complete athlete, Roger is so friendly, so cordial, so open with people.
> > With zero arrogance. The hair on my arm is almost standing up right now.
> > What I'm saying, in essence, it's almost unbelievable that this type of
> > person exists. He's such a pure, class act. In other words, he's humble. Yet
> > he does not need to be.""
>
> >http://www.tennis-prose.com/articles/peter-haas-perspective-on-federe...
>
> So you want to prove that Roger is not a cold hearted, back stabbing
> bitch
> but he is really humble ?

Good insightful post

> First of all , why would you want to prove
> it ? Is
> your self esteem so low that you can't fathom him having any flaws?
> And
> then you quote some friend or business partner or whatever and you
> expect
> us to take it by his word?
> Why even waste energy and time, we have literally every self styled
> expert telling
> us all the time how wonderful Roger is?

If Rogi is so wonderful why is his slam record dismal vs Nadal?

[bob]

On Thu, 16 May 2013 19:52:53 +1000, Whisper <beav...@ozemail.com>
wrote:

exactly. as long as he won, or as long as nobody is challenging him,
he's great. it's in those tough moments after big losses that he
changes. also, his arrogance is quite subtle, he's say many modest
things and close with, yes, i even amazed myself once again.

bob

[felangey]

> If Rogi is so wonderful why is his slam record dismal vs Nadal?

It isn't, yet. He leads 17 > 11 in the slam record.

[Iceberg]

So what, two wrongs don't make a right. You can't eat your cake, Fed
is arrogant, full stop, it wouldn't matter if Nadal was even more so.

> Whisper is right that Fed is only humble when he wins. That is very
> true. But that's true of almost every tennis player. Djoker is the
> best loser I've ever seen but it reeks of being utterly phony!

I'd say Djoker and Roddick are the best losers. Been in a bar with
Roddick, right after he lost Wimbledon and he was a top bloke, despite
the circumstances.

[TT]

I was in bar with Sampras, he was pretty cool considering he just lost
at RG first round. We ate pizzas and had couple beers. Unfortunately he
suddenly got some sort of emergency, had to leave in a hurry and forgot
to pick his tab. Great guy, would be fun to meet again.

[Manuel aka Xax]

+10

[phamqua...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, May 18, 2013 12:56:29 AM UTC+10, TT wrote:

> I was in bar with Sampras, he was pretty cool considering he just lost
> at RG first round.

If I was Sampras and just lost RG first round I'd be pretty cool too! :)

[Whisper]

Sampras was a throwback to tennis playing rather than bumrooting.

[pltrgyst]

Le jeudi 16 mai 2013 17:38:31 UTC+2, Ulysses a �crit :

>....There were no Mac's, Jimbo's or Nastase in the 50's and 60's in tennis....

Sigh. Big Pancho. Dennis Ralston.

-- Larry

[Vlado]

positive thinking?
Is that like marketing and Tony Robbins?
I mean please, forced positivity is the worst trait I could imagine
and
always creates the opposite effect.

[drew]

On Friday, 17 May 2013 10:56:29 UTC-4, TT wrote:

> I was in bar with Sampras, he was pretty cool considering he just lost
>
> at RG first round. We ate pizzas and had couple beers. Unfortunately he
>
> suddenly got some sort of emergency, had to leave in a hurry and forgot
>
> to pick his tab. Great guy, would be fun to meet again.

As long as you don't mind picking up the tab...

[Dave Hazelwood]

On Sun, 19 May 2013 23:43:04 -0700 (PDT), drew <dr...@technologist.com>
wrote:

Pete NEVER picks up the tab. Not even for Bridgette.

[Whisper]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EePtIkuy5lg