[RicyReetred]

Got my new issue of ESPN The Magazine in the mail today. Maria Sharapova is on the cover and is the guest editor. The magazine's website hasn't been updated with the current issue so I can't provide a link, but here are some of Maria's choice words from the ...I'd Fix My Sport article:

DON'T LET THE DOGS IN Everyone knows I love dogs (I have a Pomeranian named Dolce), but the player's lounge is not a vet's office. Players carry around their dogs in little bags and let them run all over the place. They put bowls of water on the floor, and it spills everywhere. It's a tournament -- leave the pooch at home.

GET RID OF THE RIFFRAFF And while I'm on the subject: The Players' lounge isn't a nightclub, either. It's hard to get ready fora match when there's a bleached-out blonde in six-inch stilettos and a denim miniskirt hanging out. Who is this person, and why is she here?

GIVE ON-COURT COACHES THE BOOT I would ban all contact with coaches between sets. I'm sure when the male players see coaches walk onto the court during our matches they laugh.

DON'T HIDE THE GAME FACE When I was side-lined with my shoulder injury, I watched a lot of tennis on TV. Sometimes I thought, Why do these girls wear so much makeup? I can't even figure out how they keep their eyeliner from running. Athletes should play au natural.

IGNORE THE PAIN Limit on-court injury timeouts to two per season. I've asked for a trainer twice in my career, but I've played against girls who call for an injury timeout in every match. They're just buying time; it's laughable.

...RECRUIT FASHION POLICE In my tennis, a board would approve all outfits before players could wear them on court. There are some tacky outfits out there!

___________

Among the other more interesting tidbits include:

-Those Canon commercials do not feature the real Dolce.
-Her list of the 10 Worst Dressed in sports includes Radek Stepanek, Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Phelps, Ben Roethlisberger, and Brad Gilbert.
-Her list of 10 Best Dressed includes Chris Fowler

[RicyReetred]

I like this honest Sharapova.

[anderriter]

Not sure if this is the whole thing, but this page contains a lot of the article you mention: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/ten...ory?id=4263479

[spacecrafty]

Nice! Very smart.

[MilenaMKB]

Got my new issue of ESPN The Magazine in the mail today. Maria Sharapova is on the cover and is the guest editor. The magazine's website hasn't been updated with the current issue so I can't provide a link, but here are some of Maria's choice words from the ...I'd Fix My Sport article:

GET RID OF THE RIFFRAFF And while I'm on the subject: The Players' lounge isn't a nightclub, either. It's hard to get ready fora match when there's a bleached-out blonde in six-inch stilettos and a denim miniskirt hanging out. Who is this person, and why is she here?

GIVE ON-COURT COACHES THE BOOT I would ban all contact with coaches between sets. I'm sure when the male players see coaches walk onto the court during our matches they laugh.

This is a joke right? She's complaining about on court coaching? As for the "riff raff" why is a bleach blonde in stilettos in the WTA players lounge a distraction?

[anderriter]

I love her suggestion for the surprise draw tournament.

[Mark_NyB]

It's hard to get ready fora match when there's a bleached-out blonde in six-inch stilettos and a denim miniskirt hanging out. Who is this person, and why is she here?

It's called a mirror, Maria. Most locker rooms have them

...RECRUIT FASHION POLICE In my tennis, a board would approve all outfits before players could wear them on court. There are some tacky outfits out there!

All kidding aside, this is a really sad comment. I hope it was in jest.

[hacyOrgachbic]

OUCH!!! Those things she pointed out??? They are barbs at select players. I know Vee brought her tiny pooch to a couple of events. And who is the bleached blonde?

I like that she spoke her mind. But the way she did it was T A C T L E S S and....

I think she better watch her back cuz she probably pissed off a horde of hormonal WTA players!

[Khurlxgq]

Sharapova's always been an outsider/loner on the tour, I doubt she gives two craps about what anyone else there thinks of her.

[RicyReetred]

The cover shot:

[Stovegeothnon]

Seriously, we're taking offense?

Love the Brad Gilbert shout out.

[abossakon]

I like things like this. I don't care for Maria (I feel like I point that out way too much) but I did enjoy this. I like the honest, catty, attitude-y stuff from players. If Serena gets to call Maria "overrated," Maria should get to speak her mind too. Even if she (definitely, definitely ) won't be getting a Pulitzer prize for it.

[Ikhqgvas]

This is a joke right? She's complaining about on court coaching? As for the "riff raff" why is a bleach blonde in stilettos in the WTA players lounge a distraction?

Sorry for being so late, and I know it's clear you have issues with Maria for no reason. But why is complaining about on court coaching a joke? What's the point of not utilizing something that could help her? Being stubborn and cutting off her nose to spite her face is pointless and immature.

Why should non-players and their teams be allowed in the player's lounge. It's obviously a distraction when you're trying to focus before a match.

Just because you have you hate Maria doesn't mean you should post illogical crap about her. And this isn't the first time you've done it...

[Penisvergroesserung]

Oh dear, here we go again.

[MilenaMKB]

Sorry for being so late, and I know it's clear you have issues with Maria for no reason. But why is complaining about on court coaching a joke? What's the point of not utilizing something that could help her? Being stubborn and cutting off her nose to spite her face is pointless and immature.

Why should non-players and their teams be allowed in the player's lounge. It's obviously a distraction when you're trying to focus before a match.

Just because you have you hate Maria doesn't mean you should post illogical crap about her. And this isn't the first time you've done it...

I really don't "hate" Sharapova. I say this all the time and no one seems to hear it.

I find it hypocritical for her to be against on court coaching when the rule was put into effect because of the brown bottle and banana incident at the US Open that involved - Maria. There was a hue and cry not only from fans but from the press corps that questioned her unmercifully after the incident.

As has been said upthread the barbs in the article are directed at specific players. I don't need to go into who as the person who posted the information names names. I just don't see how a woman dressed like a "slut" in the women's lounge is distracting to other women. We women have an infinite capacity to ignore people or situations we don't like unless they somehow impact on us. I'm just sayin'.

[Ikhqgvas]

I really don't "hate" Sharapova. I say this all the time and no one seems to hear it.

I find it hypocritical for her to be against on court coaching when the rule was put into effect because of the brown bottle and banana incident at the US Open that involved - Maria. There was a hue and cry not only from fans but from the press corps that questioned her unmercifully after the incident.

As has been said upthread the barbs in the article are directed at specific players. I don't need to go into who as the person who posted the information names names. I just don't see how a woman dressed like a "slut" in the women's lounge is distracting to other women. We women have an infinite capacity to ignore people or situations we don't like unless they somehow impact on us. I'm just sayin'.

You're acting as if others never had on court coaching. And making one big assumption that it's because of Maria that on court coaching started.

Really? I see one possible case of one of Maria's claims being towards a select player.

And your last statement is beyond comical. Your innate ability to ignore must not be effective all the time. How can you argue that Maria is not distracted by someone? How can you tell Maria who distracts her and who doesn't? You can't. Plain and simple.

[repldoinfo]

I didn't get a single reference she made (and perhaps offended some player), but I would agree with some of her ideas... (certainly not the clown one..)

[PyncGyncliacy]

I really don't "hate" Sharapova. I say this all the time and no one seems to hear it.

I find it hypocritical for her to be against on court coaching when the rule was put into effect because of the brown bottle and banana incident at the US Open that involved - Maria. There was a hue and cry not only from fans but from the press corps that questioned her unmercifully after the incident.

As has been said upthread the barbs in the article are directed at specific players. I don't need to go into who as the person who posted the information names names. I just don't see how a woman dressed like a "slut" in the women's lounge is distracting to other women. We women have an infinite capacity to ignore people or situations we don't like unless they somehow impact on us. I'm just sayin'.

Oh, you know we women have absolutely no capacity to ignore someone we feel is dressed like a slut invading our space.





However, in reference to ignoring situations we don't like unless they somehow impact on us, TScott (and anyone else), can we please keep this from getting personal? I understand that when you feel a favorite (or, sometimes, any player) is being disrespected, it seems like a personal attack on her or his fans. But, knowing Ti, it's not meant to be. I'm sure she will understand how you feel, however, because I know how she feels when her favorites are being criticized with seemingly no reason.