LESSON NINE:You Can Be Serious

John McEnroe

Citizenship: USA Born: February 16, 1959 in Wiesbaden, Germany Played: Left-handed John McEnroe was Pablo Picasso using a tennis racquet instead of a paintbrush. "The greatest compliment I ever got was when people called me an artist," McEnroe said. "I understand that solo aspect of being an artist, when you're in there by yourself, trying to do something great."

​MEET MAC: One of the greatest compliments ever paid to John McEnroe was whenever someone called him an artist. Anyone who knows tennis and has seen him hit a drop volley understands. His election to the Hall of Fame in 1999 was a no brainer despite his temperament. See the website for a further portrait of the artist.

---

​MORE MAC: For a recap of young McEnroe’s larger than life 1980 season, pick up Matthew Cronin’s Epic (2011). The 1980 Wimbledon final ended with twenty-one-year- old McEnroe’s defeat by his idol, Bjorn Borg, and is often considered the greatest tennis match ever played. McEnroe got his revenge later that summer in what is considered the greatest U.S. Open final ever. Gone were wooden racquets and a country club stodginess. Rock-and-roll tennis was born. 

---

Serious by John McEnroe (Paperback)

Get FREE shipping on Serious by John McEnroe, from wordery.com. John McEnroe enjoyed tremendous success at all levels of tennis, and he owns 77 career singles titles, including 7 Grand Slams. He joined the circuit in 1978 and it took him only three years to attain the No. 1 ranking.

THE MOST MAC: Still think emotions might help win the day from time to time? Time to get serious. McEnroe disagrees, though he is a bit more polite about it these days. He writes in his autobiography, Serious (2003), that calming down would have helped his performance. 

---

GO UGLY EARLY: Brad Gilbert was never called an artist, and his record against McEnroe was a dismal 1–13 all time. Nevertheless, Gilbert perfected the art of hanging around and turned the skill into a career that included twenty career titles and a perennial ranking among the top ten in the world. His book, Winning Ugly (2013), teaches us to fall out of love with how things look and focus on the result. Gilbert, in his own words, has a lesson for tennis, investing, and life: “The perfect match is finding a way to win that match.” 

Drucker: Nothing prettier than winning ugly

Leave it to tennis to invoke notions of beauty -- and in the process divert itself from its essence. Did Joe Montana ever appraise the aesthetics of a fourth-quarter drive? Does Kobe Bryant apologize for the awkwardness of a tip-in? Tennis seduces and deceives itself. Perhaps its country club roots confer notions of elegance.

---

CONSIDER THE OPTIONS: The narrator of this piece from OptionAlpha.com, sure sounds serene:  But have no doubt, his strategy of identifying and trading on fourteen different emotional stages would make a younger McEnroe proud. And probably confused. McEnroe didn’t have more than three emotions. Ever. Keep in mind with emotion-based trading, it doesn’t really matter how YOU feel, it matters how all the other players, billions of them, feel. And you don’t get to know that. Ever. ​

---

​GET SERVED: Need to brush up on your forehand and back- hand without leaving the couch? Grab a copy of EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis 2 to play against over twenty legendary pros including the cover boy, Johnny Mac himself. With the computer calling the lines, what could possibly go wrong? 

Grand Slam Tennis 2

Feel the true excitement and emotion of championship tennis with Grand Slam Tennis 2. Coming to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2012.

---

LEND ME YOUR EARS: Need more proof that such emotions are fleeting? Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield would reconcile, even become friendly. Indeed, as this video shows, Holyfield was presented for induction to the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame by none other than Mike Tyson.