CAMELOT FANTASIES

Quote from: thetruth on February 19, 2014, 12:16:15 pm

Quote from: thetruth on February 19, 2014, 01:12:22 am

Quote from: Clay Death on February 18, 2014, 12:39:24 am

uncle tony is signing autographs in Rio:

I'd take one. Uncle Toni is the bomb. A master.

I think Uncle Ton is a fascinating character. I'd ask him:

1. What made him take his approach to training Rafa so strictly? Was it because he was privileged and he wanted him to understand his blessing, and to know that those blessings came at a price to someone else, and that he too must pay his due?

2. Would he ever coach another player besides Rafa, in the event that Rafa retired?

3. Is he training his sons to become the next Rafas?

4. Does he advise Rafa not to marry yet?

5. How does Rafa's parents feel about his methods now?

I hear his sons are playing tennis but I don't have any details.


as for his methods, they all worked out. rafa is worth around $250 million. his 8 RG crowns will net him another $500 million over a lifetime in endorsement income. some of his records can never ever be broken as the sport is just too demanding. his domination of clay for a decade cannot be equaled. it is something only a superhuman armed with ridiculous will could do.


he is one of the greatest to have ever played the sport. he has a chance to go after the slam record. he has his bouts with injuries and his setbacks but it does not really get much better than this. he has a chance to stare down history if he can stay healthy and cut back on his hard court activity to some extent going forward.


so I am not sure if I would work tony over too much but I would probably ask him why he did not get rafa some help with the sliced backhand and his volleys when he was a kid.

Oh no, I'm definitely not working Toni over. I think what he did was phenomenal and you're darn right, it worked out well.

But what interests me is the fact that Rafa was born with privilege and it is not often that those who don't have to worry about money and careers, and choose whatever they'd like to do, would have this approach.

Gulbis comes to mind. How difficult must it be for him to strive, compete, and keep plugging along when the money that he makes is probably peanuts to him.

Rafa, though nowhere near as wealthy as Gulbis, still hasn't had to face the hunger of competition like those who came from middle or lower class families. Those people may have a lot of different motivations and strive forever to get there.

But, when you already have money, I'm curious as to how you also get the eye of the tiger.

I think Toni's strategy is genius. He knew to erase so many negative factors such as: status, prestige, wealth, arrogance, conceit, etc., and replace them with positive qualities such as: humbleness, work ethic, never taking anything for granted, not vaunting himself over others, and acceptance.

This is what I find most intriguing about their partnership. I can't understand how Rafa pulled it off.