I hate to see Andre Agassi retire because he matured into a true professional athlete, dedicated to perfecting his skill and advancing the game. He attacked his last US Open with no less than everything he had and closed his career with grace and humility, tearfully thanking his fans for one of the greatest runs in the sport. After watching his parting comments on the news I was left with one thought: if only there were more like him.
Watching most pro sports these days it’s hard not to draw the conclusion that the athletes are all about money and fame, not the game. Andre showed integrity in his final outing, sport for the sake of pure competition. May the best man win and in the end we’ll all benefit from the challenge. I can think of a few other names from recent years whom I admire as much for their character as for their skill: Jerome Bettis and Michael Jordon. They loved their game and it showed. There was none of the trash talk so prevalent today. No disgusting celebrations. No dancing in the face of their opponents. Watch college sports and tell me that type of behavior has not made its way down to the kids.
Twenty-one years after his brash debut here, a sobbing Andre Agassi said goodbye to his adoring throngs and to the US Open on Sunday, but only after putting in three performances that, considering his health, have to be considered super-human. As he promised, Andre left the only way he knew how: by leaving everything he had on the court he had made his home.
{ 1 comment }
He is one of the athletes that you have to like, isn’t he? I definitely respect him.
Comments on this entry are closed.