9/3/06

Agassi's farewell

So there it was: A career that started out as a flamboyant crazy-haired kid who claimed: "image is everything " ended as a role model with a "buddhist monk-like" shaved head accompanied by the wisdom that comes with it. ;) Teary-eyed, Agassi reflected upon the career that was:
"The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn't say is what it is I have found.
"And over the last 21 years, I have found loyalty. You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I've found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed sometimes even in my lowest moments.
"And I've found generosity. You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams, dreams I could have never reached without you.
"Over the last 21 years, I have found you. And I will take you and the memory of you with me for the rest of my life.
Thank you."

I guess going from being on the top of the world to being called a joke, playing in places such as Little Rock and coming back to win all 4 majors will give anyone a unique perspective.
I would say that it is not a bad speech ,especially a few minutes after a heartbreaking loss. I usually have a hard time saying the right words when saying goodbye to an old friend so to pull off a speech with perspective and thoughtfulness in such conditions.....well, thanks and so long, Andre !
Here is a video with French subtitles of the Kafkian metamorphosis of Andre Agassi.
The ultimate irony is that the guy who once yelled during an Agassi-Connors Game in 1988: "Jimmy, you are legend, Andre is just a punk" was probably also crying when Agassi said farewell on Sunday. What a difference 20 years make !

PS: I am also glad we can move on to the rest of the tournament and appreciate Federer, Blake, Nadal and Gasquet as we should.
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3 comments:

  1. Unknown9:37 AM

    >Jogany: ;), you are not even remotely touched by the whole redemption story ? ;) A bit "supersized" (it's the US) for sure, but I think his (and the crowd's) emotions were real. And just because he had the good taste of marrying the queen of tennis, 5 more pts :)
    >Harinjaka, I like that analogy very much :) here is a follow-up:
    “Our passion are the true phoenixes; when the old one is burnt out, a new one rises from its ashes.” Goethe. Federer comes to mind...;)

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  2. Anonymous5:57 PM

    Bye bye Agassi snif snif...On the same topic but totally different person and circumstance, bye bye Mr crocodile hunter! Man I can't belive he is gone. No more crikey?
    :(

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown9:14 PM

    sad sad indeed :(

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