Naomi Osaka | Page 2 | Vital Football

Naomi Osaka

MedwayModernist said:
The reason they are paid that much isn't because of stress, or anything, it's because what they do brings a lot of money in from sponsors and fans, which is the same in any sport. So to say that stress is factored in to how much they earn is not true.
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That's not true. Why are the very best Tennis players better than the next tier? It isn't all physical ability. There was one recent Women's final when a player couldn't cope. The commentator (Tracey Austin) wasn't impressed.
 
I’m with those that wonder why we have immediate post match interviews anyway. In any sport. I’ve never found any of them remotely interesting or enlightening. Purely full of pre media-trained fluff or complete nonsense.

Here in Oz there is a particular frenzy to interview players or coaches as they are walking from the (football) field at half time and full time. You can imagine the nonsense that gets spoken at those times.

And it’s the usual rubbish question “Your team is 3-0 down, how do you think you are going?”. WTAF?

And the more astonishing but very usual retort “We are hanging in there. A bit of adjustment and I think we can win”. Complete bollux.
 
If you ever needed a cliche, Hess was your man.
I must admit that I really enjoyed the interviews with Jordan Graham.
He came across really well and was an excellent speaker.
BFSE always gives value for money where interviews are concerned.
 
OneSirKeefy said:
I’m with those that wonder why we have immediate post match interviews anyway. In any sport. I’ve never found any of them remotely interesting or enlightening. Purely full of pre media-trained fluff or complete nonsense.

Here in Oz there is a particular frenzy to interview players or coaches as they are walking from the (football) field at half time and full time. You can imagine the nonsense that gets spoken at those times.

And it’s the usual rubbish question “Your team is 3-0 down, how do you think you are going?”. WTAF?

And the more astonishing but very usual retort “We are hanging in there. A bit of adjustment and I think we can win”. Complete bollux.
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I remember the live half time interview Sam Burgess gave at the rugby league grand final. How's your cheek Sam? It's fucked.
 
OneSirKeefy said:
I’m with those that wonder why we have immediate post match interviews anyway. In any sport. I’ve never found any of them remotely interesting or enlightening. Purely full of pre media-trained fluff or complete nonsense.
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I could be wrong on this, but I thought Osaka's issue was with the press conferences. I thought after her first round match she actually completed one of those immediate post-match interviews.

In any case, I'm all for interviews like that if it gives us more like Kai Havertz's last weekend -
 
LockdownLife said:
99% of interviews are full of dull clichés or interviewers trying to make something out of nothing. It's be nice to get rid of them but the media need to fill airtime and inches and maybe they'd come up with even more rubbish without them.

As it's about money (from the tournament/sponsors/media side) why not make them optional and the player can get a fee for doing them if they want?
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Here’s a cliche interview for you. Guess who it is...

‘He’s an excellent signing and he’s become a fans favourite. He had a lot of offers higher up in the pyramid but he chose to come to us. All credit to the chairman to get the deal over the line. We’ve got the lowest budget in the league so we have to spend every penny wisely. And the player has shown his desire to come and play by taking a pay cut. He’s a fit kid and his parents should be very proud. They’re wonderful people - salt of the earth’
 
just an observation, interesting that she is currently mentally challenged to do tennis interviews but in the past specifically used them to further her political leanings.

in general I do not like post match interviews - its claimed the public demands it and needs the hard questions asked. Also do not like the way sky and BT decide what we need to watch live - view of someone in the stand whist the game is going on comes to mind.
 
As far as I understand it, when you become a world class sportsman, you actually make more from sponsorships than you do in prize money or wages.

That involves attending all sorts of corporate events on the sponsor's behalf, meeting the public, doing Q&As and signing autographs, etc.

I presume that Ms Osaka's agent has turned down all such sponsorships as she is too fragile to even cope with a 15 minute press conference.

If that is true, she has my sympathy and I do not think she should be fined or punished.

Otherwise, it is sort of similar to the likes of Klopp moaning about the amount of games that Liverpool play before taking the first team off to the Far East to play some lucrative friendlies in the close season.
 
Trashbat said:
Here’s a cliche interview for you. Guess who it is...

‘He’s an excellent signing and he’s become a fans favourite. He had a lot of offers higher up in the pyramid but he chose to come to us. All credit to the chairman to get the deal over the line. We’ve got the lowest budget in the league so we have to spend every penny wisely. And the player has shown his desire to come and play by taking a pay cut. He’s a fit kid and his parents should be very proud. They’re wonderful people - salt of the earth’
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hmmmm !
Salt of the earth I’ll give you but sorely lacking in over the moon or honest bunch of lads
 
madrid_gill said:
I could be wrong on this, but I thought Osaka's issue was with the press conferences. I thought after her first round match she actually completed one of those immediate post-match interviews.

In any case, I'm all for interviews like that if it gives us more like Kai Havertz's last weekend
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Me too - there are other entertainers like Usain Bolt and Frankie Dettori that add colour to events. Sport is an entertainment industry when all said and done.

I'm very strong on sexual equality, but the strive for equality isn't helped by the number of women (in sport or other areas) that are suffering from anxiety. Everyone gets anxious don't they? Is it really a mental illness?

I'm sounding like my Dad now, but where was this anxiety 20 years ago?
 
ThreeSixes said:
Me too - there are other entertainers like Usain Bolt and Frankie Dettori that add colour to events. Sport is an entertainment industry when all said and done.

I'm very strong on sexual equality, but the strive for equality isn't helped by the number of women (in sport or other areas) that are suffering from anxiety. Everyone gets anxious don't they? Is it really a mental illness?

I'm sounding like my Dad now, but where was this anxiety 20 years ago?
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https://www.mind.org.uk/information...lems/anxiety-and-panic-attacks/about-anxiety/

Feel free to educate yourself
 
madrid_gill said:
I could be wrong on this, but I thought Osaka's issue was with the press conferences. I thought after her first round match she actually completed one of those immediate post-match interviews.

In any case, I'm all for interviews like that if it gives us more like Kai Havertz's last weekend -
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As I was reading this thread I couldn't help agreeing with those who have been asking what's the point in post match interviews.

However, I also kept thinking if the Havertz interview and would have linked it had you not already done so. I thought it was great!
 
Interesting comments but I think it was the professionals themselves that I heard explaining how necessary the media circus is to promote the sport and the individual players (whatever we think of the kind of drivel that gets asked. But one of the points is to help the fans get to know the players and their individual personalities, not just to analyse the games.)

I don’t think the discrimination arguments come into it - if you are not physically fit to play, it’s not discrimination that you’re only paid for the round that you actually play in. If post-match interviews/press conferences are as important as the players themselves acknowledge - and I think that is the case - then part of competing is being fit to take part in those. Hence Naomi Osaka was right to withdraw because she was unfit.

Nevertheless she was physically fit, and so I think medical certification for exemption from interview on the grounds of mental health is the only way to avoid player withdrawal in such circumstances. Nevertheless obtaining exemption may in itself be too bitter a pill for some to swallow and the Grand Slams would be justified in assessing whether it would be too damaging to the sport to be permitted (but they would have to balance that against the loss of a star).

The irony is that the case is being made for mental illness to be recognised as just as serious as physical illness, and yet there is an unwillingness to accept equivalent consequence - you do actually have to be fit to take part in all of the contractual obligations, or none.
 
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So none of us value or want to listen to these interviews. We find them predictable and formulaic but somehow we argue ourselves into thinking that sponsors have the right to demand them.... because of public demand and the sponsors money. We don't want the bloody interviews.

I'd like to think most Gill's players would do their bit in the community and engagement with fans. I'd hope most would do it through choice but O'd think it reasonable for the club to expect it. It would be cruel and unreasonable to demand any player involve himself in anything that made him anxious.

Pointless, crass post competition interviews... Scrap them. We have enough pundits in the studio to Witter on as long as necessary. Osaka may have done us all a service.
 
While I sympathise with anyone with genuine mental health issues, I think the mental health card is increasingly played and is very much a buzz word these days (particularly since COVID) for people doing things they don’t want to do or to get their point across.

I’ve heard a number of interviews in the news and media during the Covid crisis of people seemingly just throwing about mental health to excuse flouting COVID laws or because they aren’t getting what they want - some may be genuine but I suspect a lot aren’t and it’s just because mental health is the buzz word to use - e.g. on numerous occasions, I’ve heard people talking about not being able to go on holiday, to the gym or to the pub, or if the Covid restrictions aren’t eased next time around they are going to ignore them, as it’s “affecting their mental health”. It seems this is because it’s the buzz word to use at the moment and I think they feel it strengthens their argument when in fact their grievance is more of an inconvenience than a mental health issue, i.e. for some people if anything goes wrong or they don’t get or can’t do what they want, it’s not annoying, but it’s affecting their mental health.

I am generalising and get that mental health issues have increased during COVID, but I am without doubt that it is a card being played by many in recent times as it’s the thing to do and buzz word. I have no idea whether this is the case with Osaka and sympathise if she has genuine mental health issues, but I do know that she was courting attention and using press interviews and coverage to further her message and agenda about BLM just a few months ago, something has dramatically changed for her. There does seem to be a bit of a Harry and Megan aspect going on here.
 
SteveTreacle said:
While I sympathise with anyone with genuine mental health issues, I think the mental health card is increasingly played and is very much a buzz word these days (particularly since COVID) for people doing things they don’t want to do or to get their point across.

I’ve heard a number of interviews in the news and media during the Covid crisis of people seemingly just throwing about mental health to excuse flouting COVID laws or because they aren’t getting what they want - some may be genuine but I suspect a lot aren’t and it’s just because mental health is the buzz word to use - e.g. on numerous occasions, I’ve heard people talking about not being able to go on holiday, to the gym or to the pub, or if the Covid restrictions aren’t eased next time around they are going to ignore them, as it’s “affecting their mental health”. It seems this is because it’s the buzz word to use at the moment and I think they feel it strengthens their argument when in fact their grievance is more of an inconvenience than a mental health issue, i.e. for some people if anything goes wrong or they don’t get or can’t do what they want, it’s not annoying, but it’s affecting their mental health.

I am generalising and get that mental health issues have increased during COVID, but I am without doubt that it is a card being played by many in recent times as it’s the thing to do and buzz word. I have no idea whether this is the case with Osaka and sympathise if she has genuine mental health issues, but I do know that she was courting attention and using press interviews and coverage to further her message and agenda about BLM just a few months ago, something has dramatically changed for her. There does seem to be a bit of a Harry and Megan aspect going on here.
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Interesting point and there is probably a lot of truth in what you say Steve.

Although I get everybody’s situation is different, in my opinion The holiday and gym stuff to me is complete bollocks. We all want a holiday, if not getting one is affecting somebody’s mental health that much I suggest they have greater issues. The same with gyms. Yes, exercise is good for you, I get that. I enjoy exercise myself, but exercise can be performed anywhere. It doesn’t need to be in a gym.

The house lockdown is a little different. I consider myself fortunate - the last year has seen my family stuck at home on and off. But my home is a 5 bed detached. With a garden. And a trampoline. Just a 3 minute walk from the beach. With 2 comfortable wages coming in. And an abundance of devices for the kids to do schoolwork on.

I compare that to the single parent with 3 kids on floor 15 of a high rise in Bermondsey. And think their mental health may get affected a little more than mind should another lockdown get announced.
 
Rob_b100 said:
Although I get everybody’s situation is different, in my opinion The holiday and gym stuff to me is complete bollocks. We all want a holiday, if not getting one is affecting somebody’s mental health that much I suggest they have greater issues. The same with gyms. Yes, exercise is good for you, I get that. I enjoy exercise myself, but exercise can be performed anywhere. It doesn’t need to be in a gym.
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Funnily enough, I heard further evidence of this on LBC this morning on the Matt Frei show. They were talking about holidays and he spoke to a number of people in the travel industry and I get that they are struggling like lots due to Covid and I know some people in the industry whose jobs are in turmoil and understandably stressed and suffering fiancially. However, the line from Frei and a lot of the pundits was everyone "needs" and is "entitled" to a holiday. I think this attitude it why we are seeing this frivellous throwing out of the "mental health" card, because people aren't able to go on holiday ABROAD (or other nice but not essential things like going to gyms, pubs etc.) this year. I haven't had a proper holiday abroad for over three years and would love to go on holiday this year. I had a holiday to the Caribbean cancelled last Easter and was gutted about it, but there's more to life for me and I've accepted that it's best not to go abroad this year for me and others (both in the UK and abroad) and have booked a couple of UK short breaks.

So in short no one "needs" to go on holiday and, in fact, people "can" go on holiday, but it is easiest and safest if that's in the UK this year. I heard one pundit on Frei this morning from the travel industry rightly bemoaning her bad luck due to Covid and the effects on her business, but then she started going on about the general public and throwing about mental health frivellous. The actual words she used were the government is not thinking about the general public who need to go on holiday and it will "cause mental health for many years", which, apart from actually being meaningless, is a clear example of just throwing out the mental health card frivillously without thinking about it. I guess what I'm saying is that there mental health exists and needs to be taken seriously, but there are so many people throwing the card out there frivilously at the moment, it's difficult to appreciate who is genuinely suffering and who is just throwing it in in a buzz term way.
 
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