Like James Blake needed more things to be pissed off about.
The American, who's returning from a 10-week layoff due to a knee injury and whose ranking now sits at No. 109, layed into resident soccer mom Pam Shriver after overhearing her commentary for ESPN during a critical point in his opening round match which he eventually lost. It happens around the 4:30 mark of the video.
The exchange goes a little something like this...
JB: "Amazing you used to play tennis. I can still hear you."
PS: "James just yelled at me . . . I'm way above the court, but evidently he can hear me. He's got rabbit ears."
JB: "You have to be an ass about it, too? . . . And act like I'm at fault."
PS: "And there he is, talking again. It's amazing. I had no idea."
But Pammy it seems you had an idea after he yelled at you the first time. And, the commentary you were providing wasn't exactly the kind you'd want to hear while you're going down to someone ranked even lower than you. Like No. 151 lower.
However, according to Busted Racquet she later admitted she was speaking loudly but stopped short of an apology.
Nice one, Pammy. You've now officially entered Michael Barkan territory. I wish you well.
UPDATE: More of Pammy's explanation via Doug Robson's piece for USA Today...
Reached later, Shriver explained that she had sought out shade in a new commentary position on Court 5 and didn't realize Blake could hear her. She called the incident "regrettable."
"As a commentator, you never want your voice to be heard," said Shriver, who doesn't believe that Blake could hear what she was saying but could detect her voice.
Shriver, a Hall of Famer who won 21 singles titles and 112 in doubles, said she understood an athlete's irritation when struggling.
"I've been there before. I get that part," she said. She added that neither she nor Blake owe the other an apology. "We were just doing our jobs," said Shriver, who said Blake could simply have instructed her to lower her voice. "I call it like I see it," she said. "I've irritated people before."
Ooh, thanks for filling us in, Rich. This is the kinda stuff you almost nevuh hear about...well, unless you go blog surfing!
ReplyDeleteYour fashion re-cap is awesome, love the detailed descriptions of the players garb...
Funny- I watched this match. Bitter are we Blake?
ReplyDeleteShe seriously doesn't think she needs to apologize? Last time I checked, there's supposed to be silence during points and that goes for commentators too so if Blake (and perhaps Haase) could hear her, she was in violation of common tennis etiquette. Blake behaved like an a$$hole but she needs to admit she was in the wrong not just call the incident "regrettable."
ReplyDeleteSara
I think Pam Shriver is the asshole ... I hate it when she does this ... "commentate" at courtside.
ReplyDelete