An Analysis Of Tracy Austin’s Predilection For Lindsay Davenport & Racial Bias Against The Williams Sisters!!!

Many people have wondered why did Richard Williams slam former tennis champion Tracy Austin in a recent interview? Some people will brush off Richard Williams comments as just Richard being controversial. It is true Mr. Williams was a bit inimical in his comments about Austin. Richard didn’t have to use scatological language against Tracy Austin.

However, if you dig a bit deeper there is indeed some veracity to Mr. Williams views about the American tennis expert Tracy Austin. For instance, anyone that has bothered to pay close attention to Tracy Austin knows she has an axe to grind against the Williams Sisters. Everyone knows Austin has an intense fondness for Davenport but it also demonstrates a lack of professionalism. What has Tracy Austin accomplished other then being a former teen prodigy that failed to live up to her potential? Austin burned out due to injuries and indifference to the game.

In a recent media report Davenport claims she asked Venus and Serena to play Fed Cup but both declined. First off, Lindsay Davenport has also been cruel to the Williams Sisters for many years since they were teenagers. Why should Venus and Serena support Lindsay? Venus played Fed Cup last year after she won Wimbledon. Venus only had one week to prepare for Fed Cup but she played anyway because she respects Zina Garrison. Venus also played for her country in 2005 after her stunning Wimbledon victory in 2005 as well. Serena played for the United States last year in Fed Cup in Spring 2007. Davenport has no right to insinuate that the Williams Sisters don’t support their country.

Austin doesn’t have to “like” the Williams Sisters but her complete lack of respect for Venus and Serena borders on the delusional aspect of Austin’s personality. Venus and Serena are the only Americans still consistently winning grand slam singles titles. On the ATP Tour Andy Roddick and James Blake are not slam contenders they are pretenders. On the WTA Venus and Serena may not be ranked at the very top but they are great champions and deserve our respect.

How can tennis fans take Tracy Austin’s comments seriously when she doesn’t acknowledge the fact Lindsay Davenport is a chronic underachiever and consistent choker? For many years French tennis star Amelie Mauresmo has been hammered in the media for choking the big matches. However, if you look at Lindsay Davenport’s career she’s had more opportunities then Mauresmo to win slams yet Davenport always fades into oblivion in the crucial matches. If Davenport is so great why does she only have three grand slams titles? Three slam victories is nothing special it means a player is good but this is not legendary status. I must also point out Davenport has only won the Australian, Wimbledon, and US Open events once in her career.

Tracy Austin has an intense irrational jealousy towards the Williams Sisters because they are the road blocks in Davenport’s career. Tracy Austin is so enraged when Venus and Serena consistently defeat Lindsay that she has a sad sulk on her face after the routine losses. Venus and Serena stopped Davenport from winning more grand slams because they are superior tennis players. The Williams Sisters never follow the crowd they create their own rules and it works for them. Venus and Serena don’t need to prepare for grand slams like the other women. Venus and Serena can show up at a grand slam play their way into form and destroy the competition. At the 2007 Australian Open and Wimbledon championships Serena and Venus blasted the women’s field off the court. It was a repeat of the 2005 Australian Open and Wimbledon Serena and Venus rolled over the competition.

Austin surreptitiously coats her comments with petulant remarks about the Williams Sisters she is careful not to use racial slurs but her objective is still the same. Austin has a problem with the fact the most successful American female tennis players of this generation are black women.

If you read between the lines Austin’s negativity against Venus and Serena is easy to point out. Austin is a two slam wonder she’s not even close to being as good as Venus and Serena. It is well known in the tennis world Tracy Austin is not only a hypocrite she’s also a pernicious termagant.

For instance, after Venus won Wimbledon for the fourth time Austin’s MSNBC.COM article claims Venus victory was due to “magic”. It was an insult and a backhanded complement by Austin. Since Venus has won Wimbledon four times it is not “magic” it is called “talent”. Venus joins an elite group Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King are the only other women to have won Wimbledon four times or more during the Open era.

If you ever listen to American tennis analyst Tracy Austin you know just like clockwork she will gush on and on about Lindsay Davenport. Yet Austin will never be critical of Davenport’s constant choking during the big grand slam semifinals or final matches. At the 2004 Wimbledon Davenport had a 6-2 3-1 lead against Maria Sharapova yet lost the match 2-6 7-6 6-1. At the 2004 US Open Davenport was coming off an impressive summer she won four hard court titles leading into the US Open. However, against Svetlana Kuznetsova Davenport crumbled under the pressure again losing 1-6 6-4 6-2. Davenport is known for being a chronic underachiever in the grand slams.

The most spectacular collapses in Davenport’s career was in the year 2005. For example, during the Wimbledon women’s final Davenport served for the match even had a match point but lost to Venus in the marathon match. Davenport was controlling the tempo of the match it was in her grasp yet Davenport doesn’t have the mental fortitude of the Williams Sisters. On the crucial big points as usual Davenport lost her composure and choked.

Tracy Austin was stunned that Venus won the 2005 Wimbledon she also was extremely obnoxious during the trophy presentation ceremony. Austin made excuses especially this comment “why did Lindsay have the back injury up 4-2 in the third set?”It’s not Venus problem that Lindsay got injured that’s Lindsay’s problem. All Venus can do is play her own game and she won.

Austin was just being a typical racist termagant she refused to acknowledge Venus Williams incredible fighting spirit and refusal to give up. It was a disgraceful and disgusting comment on Austin’s part because prior to the back injury Davenport had numerous chances to win the match but capitulated as usual.

After Venus incredible comeback victory Austin kept on using the line Lindsay was “classy” during the trophy ceremony. It was just another typical snide backhanded comment by Tracy Austin. Austin was attempting to mock Venus because Venus was so thrilled and happy to win the tense women’s final. Venus has a right to display her happiness after winning a match she was losing and pulled through to win. Austin has no right to tell Venus how to express herself either.

Earlier in January 2005 Davenport won the first set against Serena at the 2005 Australian Open only to lose the match 2-6 6-3 6-0. The excuse was that Davenport had a tough doubles match the day before. It’s not Serena’s problem that Davenport is not in top physical condition. If you are an athlete at the top level of your profession you better be in maximum physical shape. Davenport capitulated the final set and didn’t even try. Davenport gave up in the final set due to lack of fitness she simply is out of shape. During the ESPN television broadcast Mary Carillo even said Davenport is a very “moody woman”. It is obvious Davenport can’t handle pressure very well.

Now to be fair Davenport is a three time grand slam champion and former world number one. However,Lindsay Davenport is not the best American female tennis player of her generation. Venus and Serena are superior to Davenport. Austin obviously doesn’t like this but the results are the facts.

Davenport is a solid player but Austin’s comments about Davenport have zero objectivity. Tennis fans also need to know Davenport and Austin shared a former coach Robert Landsorf. Austin’s reticence about the weaknesses in Davenport’s game are a complete joke and ruin her credibility.

For instance, during the 2008 Australian Open the media hyped the Davenport and Sharapova second round match. I picked Sharapova to win and she blasted Davenport off the court 6-1 6-3. Austin will comment about Davenport having hard hitting groundstrokes but Davenport lacks the variety, speed, and mental toughness of Sharapova, Williams Sisters, and Justine Henin. Davenport has also lost every single grand slam final she’s competed against the Williams Sisters. Venus and Serena have a combined 4-0 record against Davenport in the grand slam finals. Davenport is 1-5 against Sharapova as well. Justine Henin has blasted Davenport off the court multiple times in the last few years.

Austin attacked Serena’s fitness at the 2007 US Open John McEnroe defended Serena against Tracy Austin’s bitter, idiotic, acidic, immature outbursts. Tracy Austin of course will never admit the truth she is completely unprofessional and has a lack of class. Venus and Serena have brought tennis to a wider audience across the globe.

After the Williams Sisters retire they will be remembered as great female tennis champions. Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe opened the door for blacks in tennis. The Williams Sisters kicked the door down. Venus and Serena know they are good and this irks some people. In terms of pop culture the Williams Sisters have a bit more cultural resonance as well. The Williams Sisters proved you don’t need to be white, rich, play junior tennis to become tennis champions. Only hardcore tennis fans will remember Lindsay Davenport.

DVD Review: Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle

In the summer of 2004, John Cho and Kal penn finally made their first major breakthrough in Hollywood. Cho and Kal Penn have been working diligently for years often in secondary roles . Cho was most famous for his role in the WB sitcom “Off Centre” and “American Pie”. Kal Penn was known for his role in the teen comedy “Van Wilder.” Finally, John Cho and Kal Penn were given the opportunity to shine in the leading roles of Harold Lee and Kumar Patel in the stoner comedy “Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle”.

Although “Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle ” made $18 million at the box office the movie gained cult status due to DVD sales. Since the DVD sales for the first movie were huge a sequel will be released on April 25th 2008. There is more pressure on Cho and Penn because MTV wants the movie to be at least a moderate box office hit. Hollywood is slowly making progress realizing there is an audience that desires to see Asian American men as leading men in the movies. Cho and Penn certainly have the sex appeal and the talent to cross racial boundaries.

Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle” has received a lot of press because the leads are two young Asian American male actors. John Cho is Korean American and Kal Penn is Indian American. Harold and Kumar are also not nerds they are two intelligent, ambitious, and attractive young men. Cho and Penn definitely are eye candy and have the potential to become Hollywood superstars.

The plot is simple Harold and Kumar are two young Asian American men that are restless, sexually frustrated, and also craving some weed. Harold Lee is a junior analyst at a business firm he is hardworking but also lonely and depressed because he has no love life . Harold is an attractive man, yet he has no self esteem he doesn’t believe he is worthy of true love.

The only woman that showers Harold with attention is a young Asian American female Cindy Kim. Cindy is a student at Princeton University she is also the president of the East Asian club. Cindy is attracted to Harold and she is stereotyped in the movie as a nerd. Harold is nice to Cindy they talk a lot but he’s not interested in Cindy he fears he will have to date an Asian American woman. Harold even says Cindy calls him a “twinkie” yellow on the outside and white in the middle. I do have a problem with the Cindy Kim character why is an Asian American woman stereotyped as just a nerd?

I kind of wish the movie explored Harold’s fascination with Maria a bit more. Maria is depicted in the film as Latina but she clearly is a white hispanic. The writers of Harold &  Kumar are white males and they are promoting the racist stereotype that men of colour have an insatiable desire for just white women.  Why was Harold so against dating an Asian American woman? What was so wrong with Cindy Kim? Cindy’s kind of cute I didn’t understand what was wrong with Cindy? Is Harold interested in Maria more because she’s from a different culture?

It is easy to understand why Harold would be sexually attracted to Maria she is svelte, sexy, curves in all the right places. I wasn’t sure what to think of the character Maria? Maria hardly has any lines and she appears to just be a sex object for Harold’s sexual desires. By contrast, Cindy Kim is stereotyped as an aggressive, desperate, unattractive, nerdy, Asian student. Is the movie trying to say ambitious women are not appealing to heterosexual men? Why was Cindy Kim such a caricature? I think if Cindy Kim was less of a caricature perhaps this would have been more interesting?

Kumar Patel he is an aspiring medical student he’s a bit more outgoing than Harold and kind of is the leader. One evening after Harold returns from work he and Kumar decide to instead of eating KFC or take out they crave White Castle hamburgers. Kumar appears to be in love with no one except his desire and craving for weed. There is even a funny sequence when Kumar marries a bag of weed although I did cringe when Kumar uses scatological language to describe his “wife”.

Harold and Kumar definitely has some funny moments for instance Neil Patrick Harris plays an extreme role of himself as a womanizing heterosexual drug user. According to media reports Harris was hesitant of taking the role because he first thought the movie was going to make fun of him. The screenwriters actually wrote a role specifically for Harris. Another funny scene is Chris Meloni’s cameo “Freakshow”. “Freakshow” is a Christian man that looks like a grotesque monster out of an old Halloween movie.

Some women may not like “Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle” because the female characters really have no purpose other than being sex objects . There is also female nudity in the movie this might be a turn off for some women as well. I have read in the sequel there will be more balance there will definitely be male nudity so that’s fair. There is also some jokes in the film that may be interpreted by some as homophobia. I didn’t think the movie was homophobic at all. I think the movie was trying to demonstrate that Harold and Kumar have an intense platonic friendship some people may interpret as homoeroticism. There is a really cool scene the Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds is a male nurse. After operating on a patient Reynold’s character starts hitting on Kumar telling him he likes his “chocolate lips”. There is also another scene where Kumar is licking Harold’s face after he passes out.

I think this is perhaps the main weakness in the film. In one scene two female English foreign exchange students talk to Kumar at Princeton and tell him they wouldn’t mind smoking a joint with him. Kumar tells Harold in an explicit manner what he thinks of the two English students. Perhaps Harold and Kumar is a way to peek into the minds of heterosexual men? Harold and Kumar isn’t meant to be a serious film it is a comedy. A part of me felt conflicted watching the film some feminists will not enjoy the crude humor. The sections of the movie I did enjoy is when the film explored the issue of race, racial profiling, becoming independent, and living your own dreams.

Kal Penn, John Cho, and Neil Patrick Harris all say the movie changed their lives and careers. Harris credits the movie for launching his comeback on to television on the CBS show “How I Met Your Mother”. Kal Penn desperately wanted to audition for the male lead in Mira Nair’s “The Namesake”. Cho told Penn about “The Namesake” while filming “Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle”. Penn and Cho attempted to buy the rights to “The Namesake” but learned they were too late. Penn started an aggressive campaign to obtain Nair’s attention but this proved futile. The reason Kal Penn got an audition for “The Namesake” is because Nair’s teen son was a fan of “Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle”. John Cho credits the film for giving him the opportunity to be one of the stars in the new Star Trek film.

Harold and Kumar isn’t rocket science the chemistry between Cho and Penn makes the movie endearing. You sense that Cho and Penn genuinely like each other and get along well. The magic to the film is the fact you are rooting for Harold and Kumar not just to reach White Castle but to gain independence and start to live their lives on their own terms.