Hype Fatigue

'Tis the season for hype, an assault on our sporting senses from a variety of fronts.

Perspective, my friends, is so very easy to lose at this time of year.

We are only halfway, for starters, through the annual two-week's worth of Super Bowl hype. This was an event born in hyperbole - the SUPER Bowl - and that personality has only grown with the game over the decades.

Last week, it was all about Tom Brady and his choice of supermodel girlfriends. This week, there will endless analysis, right down to the kickers, all building and building and building to the opening kickoff.

And, of course, Paula Abdul's halftime appearance. If only Simon Cowell was going to be there to say in his over-baked Brit accent, "That was awwww-ful."

The NHL gets into the hype thing too, of course, with its all-star weekend, but this year there was the added tomfoolery of a judged breakaway competition in which players were going to unveil their inner Picasso and show the world the marvellous magic of which they are capable when armed only with hockey stick and puck. Every bit of the weekend is delivering with breathlessness, as though its utterly incredible the league can find a way to get Tim Thomas and Mike Ribeiro both in Atlanta on the same weekend. Well, somehow they pulled it off.

The NBA all-star game is just around the corner, and not to be left out, the Pro Bowl will rear its glorious head a few weeks down the road.

It's all an exercise in meaningless hype.

The exception - and yes, as a tennis fan, this is surely a biased perspective - was the conclusion to the Australian Open on the weekend. Four colorful participants in the men's and women's final - Novak Djokovic, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic - waged heavy battle in the first Grand Slam event of the tennis season.

Tennis isn't what it was in the 1970s, and yes, it lags behind the leisure activity known as golf when it comes to TV numbers.

But perhaps the death of tennis has been over-done. Over-hyped, maybe?

It has four major events every year - Down Under, French Open, Wimbledon, U.S. Open - that draw huge crowds in major world markets, attract lucrative sponsorships and drag in millions of TV viewers.

Each Grand Slam event has its unique personality, none as dowdy and bland as, say, the PGA Championship in golf. The problem for tennis, surely, is that the rest of its schedule, including the Toronto/Montreal events, are light years removed from the quality and dramatic effect of the Grand Slam events.

But when they do battle in the biggees, it's exciting, tense and, in the case of the men's five setters, absolutely rivetting in terms of athletes being pushed to the limit.

And that's no hype, folks.

Comments

[Shane17]

I agree with your opinion on the excitement of the Grand Slams in tennis (I am first and foremost a hockey fan (unfortunately a dwindling fan of the Leafs of late), but also huge tennis follower). This weekends Australian open was proof that these events are becoming even better - no slight to the great Federer/Nadal matchups of late, but lets face it - it was refreshing and especially exciting to see two new young competitors on the grand stage. The excitement of the Djokovic-Tsonga final, especially that which was produced in the end of the first set was rivetting. Both the skill of the players and the roar of the crowd was unbeleivable. Surely every sport has it's great moments, but I agree, many are over-hyped (insert NFL and All-Star games here). Grand Slam tennis does not get it's due recognition for the thrilling moments it often produces.

[John]

Damien, you're right when you say that tennis players are truly superior athletes. They train every bit as hard as a marathon runner, but the real differentiator is how mentally sharp they have to be to win. Golfers compare, but not physically.

On another subject, can the Blue Jays really be intending to play another season with Greg Zaun behind the plate? How could any other signee - read Borajas - not be considered the starter? All the excuses in the world about slow moves to home can't make Zaun acceptable... can they?

[Johan Kriek]

Djokovic likes to poke fun and do impersonations of the other players. Maybe he could show up for a match wearing one of those 1982-era bright orange CBC Sportsweekend jackets to mock that ridiculous sport coat that Federer shows for his matches in. At least his personality is a welcome change to the men's side.

[chris]

You want a sporting event that matches the hype, Damien? Then look no further than Tiger Woods winning... er excuse me, dominating his first tournament of the year this past weekend then saying that he believes he's only going to get better .

When Tiger became a pro a decade ago, so much hype and so many expectations were made of him that any other person would have been crushed beneath it. Tiger has carried all that like a waiter delivering your meal to you. If he's is not yet considered the greatest golfer of all time, he will be shortly.

[Mark]

Right on Damien.

I have absolutely no interest in all star games of any sort. It's just a nuisance event that creates a break during which I can't watch any "real" games that count for something. I was forced to take in an AHL game for my hockey fix. I even had to drive to Hamilton to do it. And you know what Hamilton is like.

The two week break in the NFL between the conference championships and the "Advertising Bowl", oops, I mean "Super Bowl", just kills it. Wake me up when it's kick-off time,...if I'm still interested. After all, it's only a couple weeks until pitchers and catchers report for spring training.

The only thing that interests me about tennis is how many good looking Russian women there are that play pro tennis.

Golf is a sport for people who don't bore easily. I'll give them credit for their attention span. It kills me when my brother-in-law, who is a golf fanatic, tells me how physically demanding golf is. After all, they have to walk the entire course...ooooh....that must take a lot of serious work-out time in the fitness club.

Yes, Damien, it's the mid-winter blues and I'm crabby about everything, except those Russian tennis women.

[Iain Wood]

Gotta agree Damien. The NHL All Star weekend is a dud. Superboring.

How about having the AHL affiliates play for their team's NHL points on that weekend?

That would raise interest in other US markets plus showcase up & coming AHL talent.

Maybe each NHL team would be allowed to send a couple "All Stars" down from the parent club.

Imagine if the Leafs playoff hopes were pinned on the Marlies beating Syracuse! Imagine the intensity we'd see from AHLers who have a chance to be on national TV!

Maybe a shoot-out or slapshot skills competition could be tacked on at the end of the game. Would an AHLer win the fastest skater or hardest shot?

Just an idea - but it beats the pants off watching another bumbling bore-fest. There was more excitement at the Magnetawan Fall Fair baking competition. Lemon pie nudged out the carrot cake - but only after judges reviewed the play.

Mercy.