Carol35 said:
El Dude said:
Carol35 said:
http://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/18570743/australian-open-far-more-line-australian-open-trophy-roger-federer-rafael-nadal
I like what Mary Carillo says here:
"People conflate [Federer's] beauty with supremacy and blur the line between high art and [Nadal's] impossible-to-ignore domination," Carillo says. "I think Roger Federer is the most stylish, elegant and gifted tennis player I've ever seen. Roger is all that is right in this tennis world. Rafa Nadal is his perfect rival -- powerful, explosive, gritty and gutsy."
That quote really highlights how these two together deserved the shared GOAT title.
I do not enterly agreed with "beauty, stylish and elegant" but I do with a player who knows to read the opponent game, changing the tactics and powerful, this gives more interest and emotion besides to be a smarter player. I've always said and I will repeat for ever and ever, if Rafa should have had a VERY good serve (like Federer) I would like to know how far he would have gone and probably also avoiding some injuries
Carol, your response is telling. I offered a view--as did Carillo--that gave respect to each of the two, in different ways. Your response basically negates Roger and props Rafa up...again. For whatever reason you refuse to give appreciation to Roger. It is...weird, like he has personally offended you, or something. I can't help but wonder if you care at all about tennis outside of Rafa, if you have an appreciation for the storied history of this sport, which would inherently include a respect for all of the greats.
It is my observation that in sports there are basically two types of fans: One, those who are first and foremost fans of the game itself, secondly of individual players; two, there are folks who are first and foremost fans of a particular player (or team) and secondarily (or not really at all) fans of the game itself. It is clear that you are the latter. I am the former, which is why I hold Rafa in enormous respect. But I must say it annoys me when folks can't do the same of Roger (or any great, really), because anyone in their right mind will recognize that he is an amazing player who plays with unsurpassed beauty, style, and elegance. In the same sense that while I don't love Rafa's style, I cannot but respect him for his efficiency and amazing tenacity.
Any true fan of the sport will honor and appreciate all the greats. This is what separates folks like Kieran--who is a Rafa fan, but a fan of tennis first and foremost--from you, who seems to not really care or appreciate the sport itself, but is instead fixated on and obsessed with your precious Rafa. For whatever reason, you seem unable to realize that appreciating other players doesn't in any way negate Rafa's greatness.
Or to put it another way: Rafa can be great while not being the greatest in every way. If you don't realize or accept that, I don't know what to say.
uzzled 
