In the words of my apolitical mother, “The French are really making it hard to like them, aren’t they.” That was her mild response to the outrageous behavior displayed by our frog friends during Serena William’s loss to Justine Henin-Hardenne:
However, I thought the crowd at times showed poor taste toward Serena. There were a couple of occasions when the linesperson didn’t call the ball out and Serena stopped in the middle of a point to circle the mark and the chair umpire confirmed that the ball was out. Serena was completely in the right, but the crowd reacted negatively toward her. After that, they proceeded to cheer when Serena would miss the first serve, which is completely inappropriate.
Completely inappropriate is also putting it mildly. Serena’s mother got it right:
Her mother, Oracene Price, was more blunt: “The crowd showed a lack of class and total ignorance – or they just don’t know tennis and the etiquette of tennis.”
Even Henin-Hardenne acknowledged that the crowd’s behavior “sometimes could be a little bit too much.”
The French suck. We simply have to face facts and move on.
Courtney
That’s so rude. I saw it on the news, and I couldn’t believe it! The French aren’t as high-brow as they to claim.
At least one Frenchman has become an unsuccessful terrorist in Morocco:
French Terrorist Suspect In Custody
M. Scott Eiland
I’m not a big fan of the Williams sisters (though I admit most of my distaste is due to the constant presence of their deeply obnoxious and bigoted father), and it’s a sign of how deeply obnoxious the French have become that I feel genuine anger on Serena’s behalf, although losing after winning four Grand Slam tournaments in a row is hardly tragic. Oh well–the French can enjoy their Belgian women’s champion, then look forward to spending a summer with very few American tourists to look down their noses at.
M. Scott Eiland
“At least one Frenchman has become an unsuccessful terrorist in Morocco:
French Terrorist Suspect In Custody”
One of the reasons that the recent “Godzilla” movie (with Matthew Broderick) was so entertaining was the inherent absurdity of one of its major premises–that the French Secret Service was the most competent spy agency in the world. You know, the guys who couldn’t even bomb a Greenpeace boat without getting caught? Those guys?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
*wanders off, wiping tears out of eyes*
Eric Lindholm
Check out some of the things that Serena’s dad said to a French magazine before the match. You might be demonizing the wrong person(s).
vikingpundit.blogspot.com/2003_06_01_vikingpundit_archive.html#95353153
John Cole
He has been an asshole for years- that does not excuse the way the French treated his dughter.
Terry
There’s a great line about the French (from P.J.O’Rourke, I think)that’s something along the lines of: “Did you ever wonder why the big, wide boulevards in Paris are always lined with tall trees? It’s because the French know that the Germans prefer to march in the shade.”
M. Scott Eiland
Hey, if the French were to tie up Mr. Williams and toss him into a vat of cheese products, I’d certainly consider it a goodwill gesture. ]:-)
Eric Lindholm
John, let’s reverse the situation. Say some Frenchy came to America for the U.S. Open and said “My daugh-tor will defeat all ze Americans!” Would you jeer at the girl if she lost?
You bet your ass you would.
Courtney
Eric, you’re right. Out of 270 million Americans, I’m sure there are a whole bunch of assholes who would jeer in that situation. Obviously, that makes what the spectators did okay.
It’s cool, France, never mind! My bad.