I'm not defending the ATP, but what he said put it in a delicate position. The ATP allowed him to win a lot of tournaments, a lot of money. It kept his secret. Why does he need to be so cruel with it?
If he is as fair play as he says he is, he has to go to the end. You know, the ATP has a bank account and he can give the money back if he wants.
Me, I don't need money. The question is: Why did he do this? What is done is done. Does he hope to sell more books? It's absolutely stupid.
- Marat Safin on Andre Agassi
Great sound bite Marat and it got you in the media big time on your way out. No surprise there - you've been doing this your whole career - though me thinks you doth protest too much.
There must be shady things going on around the Tour that the public doesn't know about (like, duh) and it seems he'd like it kept that way. For instance, are there other incidents of ballers successfully "getting over" on the ATP + ITF who have kept their mouths glued shut and gone on their merry way? I don't know for sure but I'd say there's probably been some based on his reaction.
Has Marat lost his marbles or does the Russian have a point here? Or here's the bigger question: should a baller keep these lies hidden from the public forever to protect the image of the sport or is it better come clean, whether it's today, tomorrow, or 20 years from now?
If he is as fair play as he says he is, he has to go to the end. You know, the ATP has a bank account and he can give the money back if he wants.
Me, I don't need money. The question is: Why did he do this? What is done is done. Does he hope to sell more books? It's absolutely stupid.
- Marat Safin on Andre Agassi
Great sound bite Marat and it got you in the media big time on your way out. No surprise there - you've been doing this your whole career - though me thinks you doth protest too much.
There must be shady things going on around the Tour that the public doesn't know about (like, duh) and it seems he'd like it kept that way. For instance, are there other incidents of ballers successfully "getting over" on the ATP + ITF who have kept their mouths glued shut and gone on their merry way? I don't know for sure but I'd say there's probably been some based on his reaction.
Has Marat lost his marbles or does the Russian have a point here? Or here's the bigger question: should a baller keep these lies hidden from the public forever to protect the image of the sport or is it better come clean, whether it's today, tomorrow, or 20 years from now?
(image via bleacherreport.com)
Tacky guess: Something along the lines of we don't snitch....
ReplyDeleteI think Andre did what was best for his conscious, period. However if any player were to keep a big secret about drugs or anything else he/she would possibly be subject to blackmail by others who know the secret. Andre did best by coming "clean" even if may also help sell some books, etc. No one is perfect.
ReplyDelete-M
I think his conscience has nothing to do with his confession. I think selling more books has. Like Safin said, if he wants to have his conscience clean, then he should at least give back the money he earned during the period when he should have been banned.
ReplyDeleteGasquet is still under investigation for cocaine abuse, Hingis was banned. I wonder how they must be feeling right now.
Anyway, I don't like it when people try to be on the spotlight one way or the other, and I think that's what Agassi is doing right now.
meli
his mouth is full of reason
ReplyDeleteI heart Marat and I heart Andre.
ReplyDeleteI think whether or not an athlete "owns up" to certain deeds depends on what kind of an person he or she is. Both at the time of the deed, as well as later on, if they mature and/or progress on in life.
For me, personally, I like laying everything on the table right up front. But then, nobody cares what I've done, because I'm not in the public eye. Sweet! :D
Agree with Marat, Andre did not make a right choice. At the end of the day, those titles were won cuz he took the drugs.
ReplyDeleteA fair and true champion would not do something like this. Its awful he did and that it was covered up.
Props to Marat for saying this
agree with marat?!?! those titles were won because he took the drugs?!?! um...if he wanted to do drugs to become better, he would have taken performance ENHANCING drugs, which he did not.
ReplyDeleteDrop the holier than thou act Marat. Its not sexy.
ReplyDeleteAndre did what was best for book sales. If he was serious, he'd be offering the book proceeds to go to charity to benefit kids trying to get off (or not start) drugs. Everyone else is to blame but Andre. You'd think because he shed a tear he had a halo around him. At least if he was gonna use the system he could remain loyal to it .. instead he's still profiting from said system. I smell bs .. and it's not coming from Marat.
ReplyDeleteI think marat definitely has a point. at the same time, i do see how much agassi does for children with his charity, so if his book sales go up that could potentially lead to more money spent on charitable causes. i would say that agassi did what was best for him for sure (otherwise he would have come clean while he was still on tour), but if agassi should give away the money he made during the time he should have been banned, i don't think it should go to the ATP (the ATP makes enough off of every player ie creating an 11 month long calendar that puts players in a position where their physical condition becomes an issue which leads to medication which leads to the risk of taking a banned drug, and pretty much EVERYTHING is banned these days in the tennis world), but to better causes. and agassi has given away a 100 times more than what he made during that time which he technically could have been banned.
ReplyDeleteI think it was better and braver to be honest. I don't understand the criticism that Andre is crazy for wanting to tell the truth and come clean. If you value honesty and truth then you intuitively understand what Andre is trying to do here. The message seems to be that pleasing fiction should never be marred by reality when reality doesn't live up to expectations. I think there is more to learn from him telling the honest story. He made mistakes, picked himself up, and went on to do great things. Alot of the criticism in these comments seem to have no idea. They weren't performance enhancing drugs. They were self-destructive escapist drugs. And Andre already does tons of charity to benefit kids. He really does. People You can't handle the truth
ReplyDeleteI used to be a big Agassi fan back in the day but I have lost a lot of respect for him over this. Not because he took drugs but because he lied, let the authorities cover it up, spent years acting like some kind of elder statesman/saint figure, waiting until he was damn sure there would be no legal repercussions, THEN decided to "come clean". And he seems to think we should pat him on the back for this belated honesty. Sorry Andre but it's a bit late for that now. Oh and thanks for giving WADA another stick to beat today's players with.
ReplyDeleteHe has a point. We all say the ATP is gullible and stupid now but I mean back in the day, i'm pretty sure a lot of us would've believed that Agassi didn't take crystal meth out of his own accord. It's like accusing a parent of their lying kids of being gullible and stupid, have we forgotten who actual wrong person is?
ReplyDeleteSo it's true that the ATP gave Agassi these opportunities and Agassi did put the ATP in a tough spot now to prove that they are not gullible idiots, and look what happened to Wicky and Malisse.
I still think Agassi's choice to take crystal meth was really selfish. I understand he had a lot going on in his life but the consequences of doing something like that are grave not just for him but for others too.
And I usually think being honest is a great thing, but not when it's going to affect a lot of people negatively. If you can't live with the guilt you should've thought about it when you did it or straight after you know? Not years after when everyone BUT you will get in trouble.