Apple Falls Far From the Tree as a Player Clears His Own Path

The New York Times (registration required) features a Sam Querrey profile today, and it's a very interesting look at his father Mike's athletic career and how it played a role in his son's choice to forego college.

Sorry I don't have any photos more recent than last year's Open Jrs. It is, gulp, the last time I've seen Querrey play, live. If he can win a couple of rounds at the Open next week, maybe he'll still be around when I arrive for the junior event. Or maybe, like Andy Murray, there won't be a need for photos of him from the past, as there are so many from the present.

Amateur Hour: Journalism without Journalists:: The New Yorker

There probably aren't going to be many posts on Zootennis that will cite New Yorker stories, but this one, by Nicholas Lemann, raises some very interesting issues about the rise of internet journalism, including blogs.

With the torrent of comments that have poured in lately, I've been thinking a lot about how to best handle them, and as you all certainly know, I have no way of verifying the identities of those commenting, nor am I able to determine what is fact and what is perception in these comments. Some good friends have begun to express reservations about what's going on with all these comments, and have warned me that the direction it is heading may drive away the valuable, reasonable readers, leaving only those who have a specific, personal agenda.

I have, from the start of Zootennis in January of 2005, refrained from gossip, innuendo and rumor; I confirm facts with sources before I publish and if I am voicing an opinion, I hope it is clearly understood to be that. I appreciate hearing from readers who know things I do not. The more information I'm exposed to, the better, as it will provide me knowledge that will lead to better reporting and writing. But ultimately, I need to take responsibility for what goes up on this site, and that means some comments will not get to the wider audience. I will read every one, but that is all I can promise.

If there is one part of the New Yorker article that resonated with me it was this:

Reporting—meaning the tradition by which a member of a distinct occupational category gets to cross the usual bounds of geography and class, to go where important things are happening, to ask powerful people blunt and impertinent questions, and to report back, reliably and in plain language, to a general audience—is a distinctive, fairly recent invention. It probably started in the United States, in the mid-nineteenth century, long after the Founders wrote the First Amendment. It has spread—and it continues to spread—around the world. It is a powerful social tool, because it provides citizens with an independent source of information about the state and other holders of power. It sounds obvious, but reporting requires reporters. They don’t have to be priests or gatekeepers or even paid professionals; they just have to go out and do the work.

I intend to keep going out and doing the work, and I appreciate any help you can give me.

SMASH Column, Post-Nationals Edition

My SMASH online column went up today.

Last night, I had an opportunity to do an interview with Kevin McClure, who does a weekly tennis podcast with "The Koz" that I've been listening to for several months.

Those of you who would like to listen to the interview and hear a little bit more about my personal background can find it here. It's over 30 minutes long, so consider yourself warned.

And finally, I wanted to make sure you all know that Marcia Frost, of collegeandjuniortennis.com is covering the qualifying at the U.S. Open. She'll be at Flushing Meadows for most of the next three weeks, so take advantage of her insights and reporting.

Murray's Mother Sets Pushy Parents Straight

With all the comments lately on parents and their role in junior tennis, I thought a link to this article in the Sunday Times would be appropriate.

Judy Murray, Andy's mum, is behind a new website called britishtennisparents.com that provides a comprehensive and well-organized look at the issues that arise in high level junior tennis. It is debatable whether Andy Murray is a model to emulate (mercurial is one of the nicer adjectives describing his behavior), but his mother does seem to be an intelligent and realistic type who genuinely wants to help other parents. I'm still waiting to see my first parent "chart" a match, but it's not a bad idea. Maybe it's a British thing.

Helgeson Transfers to Georgia

What's been a rumor since the NCAAs in May has been confirmed: Travis Helgeson, who spent two years at the University of Texas, will join the Georgia Bulldogs.

With John Isner, Luis Flores, Helgeson and incoming freshman Jamie Hunt, coach Manny Diaz has a very impressive lineup to begin the year, and Nate Schnugg has verbally committed and may join the team in January. After falling just short in their quest for a national title in May, they are now the overwhelming favorites. And the NCAA Championships will be in Athens in 2007. It's a script the Stanford women followed perfectly in 2006.

Nats Most Memorable Moments of 2006

The long-awaited (by Austin anyway) Most Memorable Moments of 2006 are up at ustaboys.com. I think that is the final Nationals story of 2006.

I'm going to be away from my computer for most of this weekend, so those of you commenting (and I'm excited that there's so many of you now) will see a delay in those comments being published. Again, please refrain from personal attacks under the cover of anonymous. To use a name while commenting, use the "other" selection on the comment page.