So...Nadal finally makes it clear when he's returning

by lydian Tue 02 Oct 2012, 2:13 pm

First topic message reminder :

He'll return from knee injury at the Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament, Dec. 27-29.
Guess makes sense, low key event but with strong opposition (e.g. Murray).
Looks like AO2013 is on then too.

http://www.tennis.com/news/2012/10/nadal-targets-return-december-exhibition/39631/

by **JuliusHMarx** Wed 03 Oct 2012, 6:46 pm

It Must Be Love wrote:a bit of light hearted stuff wouldn't be too bad

Last night I shot an elephant in my pajamas....

by User 774433 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 6:48 pm

JuliusHMarx wrote:
It Must Be Love wrote:a bit of light hearted stuff wouldn't be too bad

Last night I shot an elephant in my pajamas....

by lydian Wed 03 Oct 2012, 6:49 pm

I hope that isnt a euphemism JHM Wink

by lags72 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 7:35 pm

They must have been a really tight fit, surely ?

And what on earth was an elephant doing wearing your pyjamas in the first place ..... ??? Erm

(or in ANY place for that matter)

by CAS Wed 03 Oct 2012, 8:43 pm

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/15030038/nadal-aiming-for-atp-tour-finals-davis-cup-final/......are we sure? I hope this is the one thats true!

by Josiah Maiestas Wed 03 Oct 2012, 8:54 pm

This is god's honest truth no one dishes it like fed fans

I'm not trying to point score in favour of Federer though am I, when have I said Federer is a better player/person? I've criticised Federer as much as Nadal you just never take much notice of me WHEN I AM! Because you have the intelligence of a Pot Noodle enthusiast.

by User 774433 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 9:02 pm

Einstein loved Pot Noodles.

by socal1976 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 9:18 pm

Haddie-nuff wrote:Socal
I will agree you have always stood by your man and I for one commend you for it. We are all entitled to our loyalties no matter who you support.
Lydian and others know me for the Nadal fan I am but I defy ANYONE to say I have ever leveled the negative, sniping and openly denegrating remarks to Federer or indeed any player that seem to be banded about when discussing Nadal. They ALL make their contribution to the game that MOST of us love beyond the players themselves.
Of course everyone is entitled to their opinions and criticisms of players... but there is a line that is crossed on MANY occasions with regard to Rafa. Insinuations that have been made about Rafa regarding PEDS, silent bans and God knows what else would never dare be spoken about Federer.
Its WUMS and TROLLs that peeeeee me off and I and other Nadal fans will not be drawn by those who cannot enter into a discussion without one liner comments that are intended to provoke his fans into an argument. To those I say grow up.

Like Socal I may be unpopular but I stick by my belief that Nadal is worthy of more respect than he gets as a perrson and as an elite tennis player. I will agree that it is nowhere as bad as it was but Nadal fans are an open target and fair game for needless comments that contribute nothing to a discussion about tennis.

I agree Haddie maybe some of this stuff needs to be aired out and not just fester and annoy us without being able to speak up. I for one have nothing but respect for all of these top pros and the fans that passionately follow the sport. But I do get upset if I feel like my positions are being mischaracterized and distorted to further a mean spirited agenda. Either way my position has been and always remains that if people show me respect I always try to give it back.

But we have to be honest about what the problem is and who caused it before we can solve it. There is a very clear timeline of when all the fighting started and anyone who posted in the old days can vouch for me or dispute this as they deem fit. When this forum was all murray, djoko, an Nadal fans no fighting. All of sudden a new wave came in of very hardcore and aggressive fed fans boom the fighting started. Other great fed fans came along who are very reasonable and add a great deal to the forum. Still there seems to be a certain type of fed fan that loves to take shots at posters and other players and does not see mischaracterizing their positions as a problem in their desire to get someone.

There I have said my piece on the issue people are free to take it how they like.

by socal1976 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 9:21 pm

Josiah Maiestas wrote:
This is god's honest truth no one dishes it like fed fans
I'm not trying to point score in favour of Federer though am I, when have I said Federer is a better player/person? I've criticised Federer as much as Nadal you just never take much notice of me WHEN I AM! Because you have the intelligence of a Pot Noodle enthusiast.

what?

by User 774433 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 9:24 pm

socal1976 wrote:
Josiah Maiestas wrote:
This is god's honest truth no one dishes it like fed fans
I'm not trying to point score in favour of Federer though am I, when have I said Federer is a better player/person? I've criticised Federer as much as Nadal you just never take much notice of me WHEN I AM! Because you have the intelligence of a Pot Noodle enthusiast.

what?

JM has a habit of talking some nonsense at times Erm

by User 774433 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 9:25 pm

CAS wrote:http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/15030038/nadal-aiming-for-atp-tour-finals-davis-cup-final/......are we sure? I hope this is the one thats true!

Thanks for the link CAS Hug

Lets hope so.

by CAS Wed 03 Oct 2012, 9:25 pm

I think Novak/Rafa and Murray fans should maybe take it as a compliment they get so much abuse from Federer fans. You dont hear nearly as much nasty comments made about Ferrer, Tsonga, Berdych and Del Potro because over the last few years they have not been a major threat to the Swiss.

In football the most hated teams are the best teams, Man United, City and Chelsea for example. Every one likes Everton, Fulham etc because they are no threat. Everyone hated Arsenal, but now they are admired for their style but trust me as soon as they become great, the vultures will circle.

by User 774433 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 9:32 pm

CAS wrote:I think Novak/Rafa and Murray fans should maybe take it as a compliment they get so much abuse from Federer fans. You dont hear nearly as much nasty comments made about Ferrer, Tsonga, Berdych and Del Potro because over the last few years they have not been a major threat to the Swiss.

In football the most hated teams are the best teams, Man United, City and Chelsea for example. Every one likes Everton, Fulham etc because they are no threat. Everyone hated Arsenal, but now they are admired for their style but trust me as soon as they become great, the vultures will circle.

by socal1976 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 9:36 pm

Yes CAS I agree the more grandslams a player wins and the more times that player beats Roger the more the pack gets its tail up and sniffs the blood in the air. Certainly your football analogy is true. It is the same with basketball in the states the most successful franchise is the LA Lakers and by far the most hated with the most chants directed at that team and franchise.

But what I find dissappointing I feel CAS is that we don't see this behavior from Nadal fans directed at fed, from Djoko fans directed at murray, or for the most part from Murray fans directed at either of those two guys. It just seems that there is thought among certain fed fans of constantly attacking other great contemporaries and going after their fans as well. And I just don't see that same mentality among the other three great players and their fans.

by Haddie-nuff Wed 03 Oct 2012, 9:44 pm

CAS wrote:I think Novak/Rafa and Murray fans should maybe take it as a compliment they get so much abuse from Federer fans. You dont hear nearly as much nasty comments made about Ferrer, Tsonga, Berdych and Del Potro because over the last few years they have not been a major threat to the Swiss.

In football the most hated teams are the best teams, Man United, City and Chelsea for example. Every one likes Everton, Fulham etc because they are no threat. Everyone hated Arsenal, but now they are admired for their style but trust me as soon as they become great, the vultures will circle.

How in God's name can you call it a compliment when forever the fans of all three are provoked into trying to "defend" the players they support. And the comments made about Nadal are not confined to his tennis ability they are denegrating about him as a person and totally unneccessary. We do not wish to come on here to have to argue the corner of those players we favour we want to discuss tennis. Not accuse a fan of having the "intelligence of a pot noodle enthusiast".... REALLY is that necessaryt ???? The comments are not just directed to the players but to the fans themselves. Socal and I support the opposite sides of the net.. I may not particularly like Novak but how can you possibly deny that the man has talent. He is a rival not an enemy- Im sure Socal feels likewise because we love the game for its own sake. Any true fan can take honest to goodness criticism but it never stops there unless its Federer of course.

by socal1976 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 9:48 pm

Yes Haddie I think you certainly have a right to be upset, CAS though makes a fair point it isn't so much a direct compliment. But it certainly is a sign of respect. Like when teenage girls talk badly about a pretty girl they are jealous of or fear possibly being upstaged by. They don't mean it as a compliment that is for sure, and there is no excuse for as you say treating a rival and his fans as the enemy. But I do agree with CAS' specific point that it is a sign of respect. The fed extremists don't waste their time on ferrer or gasquet or del po even, they need some painful losses and some fear and respect before they get their blood boiling.

by Haddie-nuff Wed 03 Oct 2012, 9:54 pm

No socal but how they do gloat when they have an unexpected loss .. as though it is the end of their career... But there is always a good reason and then some if Fed loses to a lesser player. I dont see fans of the other three going on endlessly about it because we know that Federer like the rest cant win them all and he will bounce back the way he always does and it was only "a bad day at the office". Wink

But it is only the other three that have the failings of a normal human being. !!!

by **JuliusHMarx** Wed 03 Oct 2012, 10:11 pm

It's not hard elsewhere to find e.g. Rafa fans having a go at Fed, or Djoko fans having a go at Rafa etc etc - just not so much on this forum.

Given that there are Rafa, Djoko and Murray fans on here that are quite happy to be here, I'm not sure why others wouldn't also be happy here. It would be a case of the more the merrier.

by hawkeye Wed 03 Oct 2012, 10:14 pm

socal1976 wrote:Yes CAS I agree the more grandslams a player wins and the more times that player beats Roger the more the pack gets its tail up and sniffs the blood in the air. Certainly your football analogy is true. It is the same with basketball in the states the most successful franchise is the LA Lakers and by far the most hated with the most chants directed at that team and franchise.

But what I find dissappointing I feel CAS is that we don't see this behavior from Nadal fans directed at fed, from Djoko fans directed at murray, or for the most part from Murray fans directed at either of those two guys. It just seems that there is thought among certain fed fans of constantly attacking other great contemporaries and going after their fans as well. And I just don't see that same mentality among the other three great players and their fans.

Maybe what is annoying to fans of players other than Nadal and Federer is that they are just SO good. I guess I could be accused of "attacking" their contemporaries because if their fans try to say that another player comes close I just want to say "Huh!" It's not that I don't "like" other players. In particular I really like Djokovic and admire his achievements. It's just my honest opinion of their relative levels of play.

What I really don't understand is why so few Federer fan's admire Nadal and vice verca. If anyone's got good enough taste to appreciate one how can they not appreciate the other? To me that is one of the great mysteries of life...

by User 774433 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 10:16 pm

Post me a link JM???

On 606v1 there were some Sampras fans who pretended to like Nadal to down Federer, and this was shown by how they turned into Djokovic 'fans' in 2011.
Can you find an example on a current forum of that?

by socal1976 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 10:19 pm

Hawkeye I think your big issue is with murray that is fine I don't find you mean spirited as a poster though per se. But you do have to be honest you do have a bug in your bonnet about murray that causes you to analyze him much too harshly. I don't actually think you have a particularly negative or positive view of Novak one way or the other.

by **JuliusHMarx** Wed 03 Oct 2012, 10:20 pm

It Must Be Love wrote:Post me a link JM???

On 606v1 there were some Sampras fans who pretended to like Nadal to down Federer, and this was shown by how they turned into Djokovic 'fans' in 2011.
Can you find an example on a current forum of that?

PM'ed a couple of easy-to-find examples

by User 774433 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 10:31 pm

JuliusHMarx wrote:
It Must Be Love wrote:Post me a link JM???

On 606v1 there were some Sampras fans who pretended to like Nadal to down Federer, and this was shown by how they turned into Djokovic 'fans' in 2011.
Can you find an example on a current forum of that?

PM'ed a couple of easy-to-find examples

Replied

To be fair one of them is a Federer fan in disguise, while the other doesn't directly target Federer fans.

by **JuliusHMarx** Wed 03 Oct 2012, 10:45 pm

It Must Be Love wrote:To be fair one of them is a Federer fan in disguise, while the other doesn't directly target Federer fans.

Hmm, we each see what we want to see perhaps.
And I'm sure there are plenty of other examples out there.

by User 774433 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 10:52 pm

JuliusHMarx wrote:
It Must Be Love wrote:To be fair one of them is a Federer fan in disguise, while the other doesn't directly target Federer fans.

Hmm, we each see what we want to see perhaps.
And I'm sure there are plenty of other examples out there.

Well the latter wasn't a forum, it was a blog Wink

The former was a fake Djokovic fan Wink

Anyway two wrongs don't make a right anyway, so it doesn't excuse anything, as I'm sure you'll agree.

by Danny_1982 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 10:55 pm

hawkeye wrote:
What I really don't understand is why so few Federer fan's admire Nadal and vice verca. If anyone's got good enough taste to appreciate one how can they not appreciate the other? To me that is one of the great mysteries of life...

I agree. I would put it right behind "why are we here?" and "why did the Big Bang happen?" in terms of life's great, deep mysteries!

In fact, maybe it's a deeper mystery than those things.... I know that if we could only have the answer to one of these great existential questions it would probably be the Rafa-Roger one! picard

by **JuliusHMarx** Wed 03 Oct 2012, 11:26 pm

Danny_1982 wrote:...great existential questions...Roger...

If Mirka is always expanding, what's outside Mirka?

by Danny_1982 Wed 03 Oct 2012, 11:37 pm

JuliusHMarx wrote:
Danny_1982 wrote:...great existential questions...Roger...

If Mirka is always expanding, what's outside Mirka?

I subscribe to the multiple Mirka theory.

by sirfredperry Thu 04 Oct 2012, 9:41 am

So it's now clear when Rafa will return? All I can say is that there are newspaper reports today that he could play in London at the WTF and/or in the DC final. So clear as mud, then?

by Haddie-nuff Thu 04 Oct 2012, 10:00 am

Yep just keep making it up as you go along. If there is one thing the Spaniards are incredibily good at its "lets keep moving the goalposts" keep em guessing.. That also works for the Government too. Rolling Eyes

by Guest Thu 04 Oct 2012, 10:07 am

When has ambition ever been a bad thing?

by lydian Thu 04 Oct 2012, 10:24 am

Well if he was to return at WTF that would certainly lance the boil of those who think he's on a 6 month silent ban Wink

by Haddie-nuff Thu 04 Oct 2012, 10:44 am

When I hear that he has actually picked up a racquet and gone out on court, and not just having been in the gym, swimming and playing golf I will believe he has been declared fit. But nothing will silence those who would believe that he has some deep dark secret he has been covering up (Lord if Wills and Kate cant keep their private life away from the media I dont know how Rafa manages it he has the paparazzi following him everywhere ) and if he does show up in Abu Dhabi it will be "because he needs the money"!!!! Wink

by Josiah Maiestas Thu 04 Oct 2012, 11:52 am

lydian wrote:Well if he was to return at WTF that would certainly lance the boil of those who think he's on a 6 month silent ban

Don't you think he should be banned losing to a player like Lukas Rosol in such pathetic fashion??

by hawkeye Thu 04 Oct 2012, 2:20 pm

lydian wrote:Well if he was to return at WTF that would certainly lance the boil of those who think he's on a 6 month silent ban

Ha ha! Nothing will silence those that are desperate to prove that Nadal can't possibly be that good. Maybe it's a sort of distraction technique? I mean look at Federer who plays marathon matches without any physical preparation and doesn't even break sweat. Djokovic who you used to swoon clear away if the temperature rose above 21, he had a sniffy nose or he had to hit more than four shots in a rally but then was suddenly transformed into super Djokovic in 2011. Also Murray who used to be a six stone weakling until he returned after one christmas holiday as the incredible hulk. It's all a bit dodgy... or not depending on what you choose to believe.

by Haddie-nuff Thu 04 Oct 2012, 2:30 pm

hawkeye wrote:
lydian wrote:Well if he was to return at WTF that would certainly lance the boil of those who think he's on a 6 month silent ban

Ha ha! Nothing will silence those that are desperate to prove that Nadal can't possibly be that good. Maybe it's a sort of distraction technique? I mean look at Federer who plays marathon matches without any physical preparation and doesn't even break sweat. Djokovic who you used to swoon clear away if the temperature rose above 21, he had a sniffy nose or he had to hit more than four shots in a rally but then was suddenly transformed into super Djokovic in 2011. Also Murray who used to be a six stone weakling until he returned after one christmas holiday as the incredible hulk. It's all a bit dodgy... or not depending on what you choose to believe.

So true ..but its amazing what a gluton free diet can do Wink

by socal1976 Thu 04 Oct 2012, 5:13 pm

Haddie-nuff wrote:
hawkeye wrote:
lydian wrote:Well if he was to return at WTF that would certainly lance the boil of those who think he's on a 6 month silent ban

Ha ha! Nothing will silence those that are desperate to prove that Nadal can't possibly be that good. Maybe it's a sort of distraction technique? I mean look at Federer who plays marathon matches without any physical preparation and doesn't even break sweat. Djokovic who you used to swoon clear away if the temperature rose above 21, he had a sniffy nose or he had to hit more than four shots in a rally but then was suddenly transformed into super Djokovic in 2011. Also Murray who used to be a six stone weakling until he returned after one christmas holiday as the incredible hulk. It's all a bit dodgy... or not depending on what you choose to believe.

So true ..but its amazing what a gluton free diet can do

A bit of an over exaggeration Djokovic was hardly a physical weakling before the glutten free diet and 2011 you guys do remember the 4 hour 3 setter he played with Nadal in 09 Madrid or 2010 semi win against FEd? I understand you are being sarcastic here but I don know if fighting inneundo with more unsupported innueno really makes much sense.

by Danny_1982 Thu 04 Oct 2012, 5:18 pm

So the way to silence those that make suggestions of wrongdoing on Nadal's part is to suggest that others are guilty too?

Interesting approach.

by hawkeye Thu 04 Oct 2012, 5:31 pm

socal1976 wrote:...but I don know if fighting inneundo with more unsupported innueno really makes much sense.

Maybe I'm being overly pernickety here but shouldn't it be "fighting UNSUPPORTED innuendo with more unsupported innuendo"?

by Haddie-nuff Thu 04 Oct 2012, 5:33 pm

Danny_1982 wrote:So the way to silence those that make suggestions of wrongdoing on Nadal's part is to suggest that others are guilty too?

Interesting approach.

Not at all (it was actually a bad joke on my part).. but you cant single one player out without suggesting that they may all be "guilty" of what it is that Nadal has supposed to have done. I dont believe that Novak has done anything no more than I believe that Nadal has. Those that do must be watching too much tv...Im sure those who rub shoulders with all the top players would have let slip by now of any wrongdoings by any of the players no matter who they are. As we have recently witnessed with Wills and Kate some would sell their mother if the temptation was great enough

by hawkeye Thu 04 Oct 2012, 5:34 pm

Danny_1982 wrote:So the way to silence those that make suggestions of wrongdoing on Nadal's part is to suggest that others are guilty too?

Interesting approach.

Ha ha! Those that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. And if the form of attack is unsupported innuendo who doesn't live in a glass house?

by Danny_1982 Thu 04 Oct 2012, 5:41 pm

Its not you Haddie, I could see you were joking. The original post seemed a bit more sinister though.

It's just a bit silly really. If HE suggests others may be guilty of wrongdoing then she can't really complain if people are suggesting it about Rafa. It's either all ok, or none of its ok.

You can't complain of baseless allegations... And then with the next breath make some if your own. It's hypocritical.

by hawkeye Thu 04 Oct 2012, 5:45 pm

lydian posted two articles on the 2nd of October. One a general one for two current tournaments featuring two of the top four players and another yet more speculation about Nadal's future return to play (3 months time?). The current tournament thread has attracted 57 comments despite these tournaments now being at the quarter final stage (I think?) but there are 90 comments speculating about the future return of Rafa. Ha ha! Rafa may not be popular here but he sure is popular...

by hawkeye Thu 04 Oct 2012, 5:53 pm

Danny_1982

Well if baseless allegations are going to be liberally thrown about why should only one player get repeatedly hit? I'm all for a fairer distribution of baseless allegations. My allegations have just as much "base" as the ones thrown at Nadal.

by Danny_1982 Thu 04 Oct 2012, 5:54 pm

Fair enough, just don't complain when they're against Rafa then. That would make you a hypocrite.

by Haddie-nuff Thu 04 Oct 2012, 5:55 pm

On that I have to agree in part HE. The speculation about Rafa´s return is just that speculation.. every article you read does NOT quote Rafa. As I have said I know that he has not yet picked up a racket .. his blog shows him only in the gym, swimming pool or being coached in poker (that apparently is in order to keep him focussed and able to concentrate) WHEN and in my view only WHEN Rafa takes to the courts to practice will be be able to say if he is fit.. he has said it umpteen times... he will be back when he feels he is fit and ready.. to quote him "step by step" If he does play in Abu Dahbi I doubt you will see much of his game... he will be there to put bums on seats.
Yes he is popular if only for those posters who would like to take "pieces" out of him. Whistle

by **JuliusHMarx** Thu 04 Oct 2012, 6:00 pm

Haddie-nuff wrote:...some would sell their mother if the temptation was great enough

Actually I have a funny story about that. Well, not so funny for my mother obviously...

by Haddie-nuff Thu 04 Oct 2012, 6:14 pm

Well I just hope you got a good price.. secondhand mothers don´t fetch much these days . ( I know) .possibly because they learned too much the first time round Wink

by User 774433 Thu 04 Oct 2012, 6:20 pm

Danny, HE wasn't singling out Murray.
The point is we can speculate anything. The top 100 could all be doping.

Even if we retrieved the drug test results, and they were all negative, we could claim they are all rigged etc.

by hawkeye Thu 04 Oct 2012, 6:23 pm

Danny_1982 wrote:Fair enough, just don't complain when they're against Rafa then. That would make you a hypocrite.

Well only if the unsupported allegations about other players exactly matches the number of unsupported allegations about Nadal. I reckon there is quite a bit of catching up to do so Nadal should be left alone while we all speculate about the dubious practices of Federer, Djokovic, Murray and others. So what do you think they have been up to?

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