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[MIMIC]

It's not a slam but it's the next best thing in tennis and every sportsman in the world wants to win an Olympic gold medal. He beat Djoko and demolished Fed, it's an outstanding achievement.

Tennis tier of importance:

1) Slams
-Wimbledon
-U.S. Open
-French Open
-Australian Open

2) World Tour Finals

3) Olympics

4) Masters

So technically, a gold medal is the 6th most important title in tennis.

 

[ReturnOfTheRAT]

This weekend will shut up the critics of British athletics.

 

[Curufinwe]

What are people using to get the NBC online coverage on their TVs?

 

[LTWheels]

An Olympic gold in a Home Olympics is a once in a life time opportunity.

Stop trying to diminish it.

 

[PaulLFC]

It's hilarious.

Yeah, if Federer had won half of the "it's only a gold medal, the Olympics mean nothing" posts probably would have been about how amazing Federer is and how the gold medal just cements that, etc etc. Not that Federer isn't an amazing player, but really, the reactions to this are hilarious.

 

[Joel Was Right]

Sprint Cycling is my new favourite sport

IMO beating Federer in a best of 5 set final is more significant than winning the gold medal. It signifies that Murray may actually be able to make the step up and win some GS tournaments.

I'm not trying to diminish his achievement but this can have some long term ramifications for Andy that will mean a lot more than a gold medal.

Federer seemed very below par today, according to experts. Not sure how much of this performance you can use as a metric

 

[Mgoblue201]

Yeah, I don't like pulling the "expert" card but anyone saying the Olympics are anywhere close to important as Grand Slams for tennis is talking out of ignorance.

I don't think that's the argument. The argument is that for Murray achieving gold in London is, in terms of sentimental value, a feet that simply is not replicable anywhere else, and that for Federer a single gold might hold more marginal value than yet another first place finish at a Grand Slam event (which is a belief that Federer probably doesn't actually hold, but I wouldn't fault anyone for assigning that sort of value to a gold medal that has remained so elusive).

 

[EdibleExplosives]

Not after that, he's simply a failure now.

Pulp away boys, pulp away.

Need to add a question mark onto his merchandise now:

Remember Federer?

You're acting like people in this thread are actually saying stuff like this.

 

[Nolan.]

any tennis athlete who would choose a gold over a slam win is insane, in my book.

The ones who have both don't need to choose...

 

[Curufinwe]

Tennis tier of importance:

1) Slams
-Wimbledon
-U.S. Open
-French Open
-U.S. Open

2) World Tour Finals

3) Olympics

So technically, a gold medal is the 6th most important title in tennis.

I bet Murray wouldn't trade his gold medal for a World Tour Final victory, and I'm sure Federer would trade one of his 17 slams for an Olympic gold.

 

[mrklaw]

You get 750 points for a gold medal in the men's so its not completely irrelevant to a tennis career

 

[nny]

Tennis tier of importance:

1) Slams
-Wimbledon
-U.S. Open
-French Open
-U.S. Open

2) World Tour Finals

3) Olympics

4) Masters

So technically, a gold medal is the 6th most important title in tennis.

Poor Australian Open (

 

[28 Posts Later]

He's certainly come across as smug in the past.

Given all he has achieved I think he's earned the right.

 

[Yen]

This weekend will shut up the critics of British athletics.

Or make Americans more bitter.

 

[linsivvi]

that's a good example. i will root for murray at the USO if federer doesn't make it.

Yeah, the Olympic is pretty much meaningless for all the major sports with pros that are making a lot of money. For Tennis, it's something a notch above random tournaments but nothing compared to winning a slam.

It will be equally meaningless for golf in the next Olympic.

 

[Zaph]

Justice playing in the velodrome. Wish I was there...

 

[Zutroy]

An Olympic gold in a Home Olympics is a once in a life time opportunity.

Stop trying to diminish it.

This. So pleased for him!

The Scots are rocking the olympics!

 

[travisbickle]

Fed didn't cry. It's clear he didn't mind much =P

He cried in the semi-final, getting a medal meant a lot.

 

[Speevy]

Hey guys, ask yourself if you'd be having this "Olympics don't matter." debate if Roger had won.

From a purely objective standpoint, ignoring the "prestige" associated with this event or the other, Andy Murray took on all comers and won. He was better than the field, and the field included pretty much everyone he had lost to in the past.

Andy emerges victorious, everyone else left in the dust. End of story.

 

[Ark]

Did I miss the Murray interview?

 

[Clegg]

You're acting like people in this thread are actually saying stuff like this.

Don't mind Arnie.

He has become increasingly bitter since he realized the team he supports are distinctly average in every conceivable way.

 

[Steelrain]

Or make Americans more bitter.

*Looks at Medal Count*

Ah...yup. Bitter

 

[Sax Russel]

Murray not far off third-placed Nadal in the world rankings now.

He could overtake him for #3 if he wins in Canada =O

 

[GarthVaderUK]

Winning gold at a home Olympics must feel awesome, wonder if Murray can do it again with Robson in the mixed doubles final?

 

[planar1280]

Hey guys, ask yourself if you'd be having this "Olympics don't matter." debate if Roger had won.

From a purely objective standpoint, ignoring the "prestige" associated with this event or the other, Andy Murray took on all comers and won. He was better than the field, and the field included pretty much everyone he had lost to in the past.

Andy emerges victorious, everyone else left in the dust. End of story.

Yes it still wouldnt matter. The proof in the puddingis many fed fans pulling for murray for Gold

 

[Nolan.]

This Chinese Kung Fu Syncro routine hasn't delivered what I was expecting -_-

 

[CrunchinJelly]

Of course the Olympics are special. They come around once every four years... the Slams are once a year. You'll get what, three or four chances at an Olympic medal in your career?

 

[Xun]

Hey guys, ask yourself if you'd be having this "Olympics don't matter." debate if Roger had won.

From a purely objective standpoint, ignoring the "prestige" associated with this event or the other, Andy Murray took on all comers and won. He was better than the field, and the field included pretty much everyone he had lost to in the past.

Andy emerges victorious, everyone else left in the dust. End of story.

Well said.

 

[Clegg]

Or make Americans more bitter.

I'm hoping for this.

American tennis is shite btw.

 

[Withnail]

Ok, lots of trolling going on at the moment. Seems like the time to leave the thread and put the kettle on.

Strangely enough this thread always turns to shit at this time of day. Just as morning breaks in the US. Purely coincidental of course.

 

[7Th]

You get 750 points for a gold medal in the men's so its not completely irrelevant to a tennis career

Of course; but it's not even half of what a GS grants its winner (2000).

 

[Ravensmash]

I bet Murray wouldn't trade his gold medal for a World Tour Final victory, and I'm sure Federer would trade one of his 17 slams for an Olympic gold.

And that's only going by 'ranking points' anyway.

Fails to take into account the privilege of representing your home country, and winning a medal that only comes about every four years (alongside it being a home one for Andy).

Or the amount of exposure and the prestigiousness of an Olympic Gold Medal in the trophy cabinet.

 

[Hoo-doo]

The Netherlands scores again! (Hockey)

NED 2 - 1 GER

 

[MIMIC]

You get 750 points for a gold medal in the men's so its not completely irrelevant to a tennis career

Right. Here's the points breakdown for the tournaments

Slams: 2,000
World Tour Finals: 1,500 (if undefeated)
Masters: 1,000
Olympics: 750
500: 500
250: 250

 

[Mastadon]

Don't mind Arnie.

He has become increasingly bitter since he realized the team he supports are distinctly average in every conceivable way.

That's complete bullsh...

Oh, wait.

 

[danwarb]

More prize money for a slam. That's what it's all about. It's a shame people dont think more of the Olympics.

Murray gets a stamp now though.



Fucking hell the thunder here is terrifying!

 

[Dance Inferno]

WOW! Great Italian hustle!

 

[Peru]

Murray/Robson and the mixed doubles final is at 5.15 local time, 25 minutes.

 

[Diprosalic]

Hey guys, ask yourself if you'd be having this "Olympics don't matter." debate if Roger had won.

i would stand by it. nobody thinks what murray has done isn't very important to him or that it wasn't fantastic or well deserved.
federer plays against the history none of them have a olympic medal because they didn't bother showing up.

 

[MIMIC]

Hey guys, ask yourself if you'd be having this "Olympics don't matter." debate if Roger had won.

From a purely objective standpoint, ignoring the "prestige" associated with this event or the other, Andy Murray took on all comers and won. He was better than the field, and the field included pretty much everyone he had lost to in the past.

Andy emerges victorious, everyone else left in the dust. End of story.

I'd say that it matters more for Fed's career in the grand scheme of things. He already has everything and it would be a significant complement to his already unmatched career.

From Fed's perspective, it's a HUGE loss, while from Murray's perspective, it's only a slight gain

 

[elseanio]

Murray/Robson and the mixed doubles final is at 5.15 local time, 25 minutes.

This one 3 or 5 sets?

 

[Withnail]

Tennis tier of importance:

1) Slams
-Wimbledon
-U.S. Open
-French Open
-Australian Open

2) World Tour Finals

3) Olympics

4) Masters

So technically, a gold medal is the 6th most important title in tennis.

:lol

Nobody became famous outside tennis for winning a world tour final.

 

[Grover Cleveland]

In largely irrelevant news, the American women's basketball team (AKA the good US team) is losing early to China.

 

[kitch9]

Of course the Olympics are special. They come around once every four years... the Slams are once a year. You'll get what, three or four chances at an Olympic medal in your career?

It clearly matters to the players which at the end of the day is what matters.

Sod the butt hurt Internet head slappers.

 

[Meadows]

Fed GAF be mad that Murray beat him on center court in straight sets

 

[Wes]

Winning gold at a home Olympics must feel awesome, wonder if Murray can do it again with Robson in the mixed doubles final?

I think he'll be playing with a lot of freedom and wouldn't really mind getting Silver personally, but wont as he will do everything in his power to get Laura a Gold.

If Murray gets two Golds I don't think Bolt (or whoever wins the 100m) gets the front page of the papers over here unless it's a WR.

 

[LTWheels]

Fed GAF be mad that Murray beat him on center court in straight sets

Not just beat, demolished.

 

[Ravensmash]

I'd say that it matters more for Fed's career in the grand scheme of things. He already has everything and it would be a significant complement to his already unmatched career

Well, after the disappointment of Wimbledon against Fed this Gold will give him massive amounts of confidence, and hopefully be the starting point for many more prestigious wins.

Screw the ranking points though, I'd take winning an Olympic Gold Medal over a masters or world tour tournament any day.

YES MURRAY!

 

[Dance Inferno]

Wow Italy crushing it in women's volleyball. Russia is all over the place.

 

[Clegg]

:lol

Nobody became famous outside tennis for winning a world tour final.

Its not about becoming famous though.

Thats a list of what is perceived to be the most important tournaments for a tennis player.