We rarely cover sports-related events here, because I know few of you, like myself, are all that interested in sports, but I wanted to share this story because it has to do with Americans' standing abroad. Maybe.
Greg Couch wonder aloud why it is that Serena Williams, arguably the best tennis player in the game today, is not playing center court where the Queen will be watching. Williams has been moved to a court farther out, where the Queen will not be able to see her, and Couch thinks that a "disservice."
In his article, Couch wonders first if race has anything to do with it, but dismisses the notion (rightly so, I would think), and settles on Serena Williams' profanity-laden outburst at Wimbledon last year. He then points-out that the BBC network admitted that looks factor into deciding who plays center court, which is why some virtual unknowns have played there the last few years. But it's not like the Williams are ugly!
We can't really fault the English for wanting to showcase homegrown talent, and I truly doubt race played any part in this decision, whatsoever, but it does reek of yet another American snub from the Europeans. Yes, I have frequently opined that we do, by and large, deserve some amount of the disdain we are often shown around the world, but in this case, Serena Williams, who was busy practicing her curtsy when she spoke to Couch for his article, does not deserve to be snubbed.
Nor does the Queen. While I'm sure she's there more for appearance than her love for the game, shouldn't she see the best the world has to offer? Shouldn't Wimbledon officials be more concerned with entertaining Her Majesty than they are in punishing the foul-mouthed American? What is really going on here?
© C Harris Lynn, 2010
A rambling melange of pop-culture.
No comments:
Post a Comment