Adorable
January 20, 2012 11:53 PM   Subscribe

 
Is it beneath Cedrik-Marcel Stebe's station to remove the cockroach himself? I don't know who he is, but I now have no respect for him at all. "Minion... remove this." It would have taken him 5 seconds to walk over and kick the cockroach off the court if he couldn't lower himself to pick it up and throw it.

Alison is a much better person than I am. I would have walked over, staring at Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, stomped on the bloody thing leaving its guts smeared on the court, and walked off with middle finger raised.

Perhaps this is why I'm not a ball girl.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 12:13 AM on January 21, 2012 [18 favorites]


Well, tennis is sort of considered a rich person's sport, I guess. So that kind of attitude doesn't surprise me that much.
posted by delmoi at 12:15 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


If I was trying to maintain deep focus for a world class competition vital to my career, I probably wouldn't want to break out of the zone to poke at unknown bugs either.

I also pick out my seating before exams though so whatever.
posted by Winnemac at 12:23 AM on January 21, 2012 [6 favorites]


Her reaction at the end of the video was simply adorable! It made my night!
posted by Hey Dean Yeager! at 12:25 AM on January 21, 2012 [3 favorites]


Hence the title of the post, I suppose.
posted by Hey Dean Yeager! at 12:26 AM on January 21, 2012


I don't know if it a cockroach. Cockroachs are pretty rare in Melbourne. We sometimes get small ones around leaf litter in the yard, but we don't get then like Sydney or Brisbane does.
posted by mattoxic at 12:26 AM on January 21, 2012


Wat a primadonna that fella is.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 12:35 AM on January 21, 2012


"Big" ?
posted by New England Cultist at 12:48 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


That tennis player is a goddamned disgrace. What a prick.
posted by Decani at 12:54 AM on January 21, 2012


I saw this on TV, I thought it was a cricket, not a cockroach. (maybe a cicada?)
posted by titanium_geek at 1:17 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


This is a man who is as far away from home as he possibly could be, having fought to qualify for a spot in the Australian Open, and he's matched up against a former world champion who's playing in his home country. He is in direct competition with Lleyton Hewitt, who at one point in time was considered the absolute best men's singles tennis player in the world. This was a time frame which lasted for 80 weeks. Even past his prime, Hewitt is still a formidable opponent to say the very least. I'm not exactly going to hold it against Stebe that he was probably a little too wound up with focus and nerves to handle a cockroach.

Why would this be a big deal? Is it because he's a man and he had a woman take care of a bug for him?
posted by Saydur at 1:57 AM on January 21, 2012 [24 favorites]


Yeah, Saydur, I wanted to hate this guy as well, but up upon reflection, I think that perhaps it's all too easy to mock what seems like arrogance, when possibly it's more a matter of being extremely focused.

This is the Australian Open, correct? Kind of a big deal in the tennis world, I seem to recall. Tens of millions of dollars invested, major sponsorship That's why they have all that TV coverage, and all those officials charged with the running of the event. I think that from a professional perspective he did what he needed to do, and probably was not putting much thought into the un-manlyness of having a cute girl remove an on-court hazard.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 2:04 AM on January 21, 2012 [4 favorites]


Why refer to them as "ball girls" at all? If they at going to have an oppressed underclass who's place it is to fetch balls and bugs at least show them the respect of referring to them as "ball women". Are there "ball boys" too? I doubt it, men flourish on the field of battle, engaged in an archaic display of masculine prowess while women stay in their place, on the sidelines.

The entire sport is a disgrace.
posted by Ad hominem at 2:27 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Ad hominem: " Are there "ball boys" too?"

That's "ball chaps" to you, sir.
posted by vanar sena at 2:32 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Of course there are ball boys too. You're just ranting because you have no idea what you're talking about.
posted by Spacelegoman at 2:33 AM on January 21, 2012 [61 favorites]


Yeah, there's ball boys too. My understanding is that the ball boys and girls are often junior tennis players who have the chance to see the champions play, not merely good-looking decorations.

I had a laugh at the player not wanting to deal with the bug, because it does look pretty weak to just point at one and wait for someone else to deal with it. But I don't blame him really. And that's why they have all sorts of other staff, so the players can focus on playing without having to break their concentration. If Stebe goes on to win big, he won't care what people thought of this, and if he doesn't, then at least he'll know it wasn't because of an on-court bug.
posted by harriet vane at 2:36 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Spacelegoman: "You're just ranting because you have no idea what you're talking about."

I'm assuming (hoping?) there's an implied HAMBURGER to ad hominem's comment.
posted by vanar sena at 2:37 AM on January 21, 2012 [6 favorites]


The bug situation Down Under.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 2:42 AM on January 21, 2012 [4 favorites]


Well, did he win the match?
posted by furiousxgeorge at 2:55 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Are there "ball boys" too?

there's "bat boys" in baseball

of course, if there was a bug on a baseball field someone would just spit a glob of tobacco on it
posted by pyramid termite at 2:57 AM on January 21, 2012


The terms ball boy and ball girl are both used. For example.
posted by pracowity at 3:01 AM on January 21, 2012


furiousxgeorge: "Well, did he win the match?"

Nope, Hewitt beat him. Which is sad, because Hewitt is a tool.
posted by vanar sena at 3:07 AM on January 21, 2012 [5 favorites]


Why refer to them as "ball girls" at all? If they at going to have an oppressed underclass who's place it is to fetch balls and bugs at least show them the respect of referring to them as "ball women". Are there "ball boys" too? I doubt it

Well, you know, they are referred to as girls and boys because THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE. They are all under-age.
posted by crossoverman at 3:12 AM on January 21, 2012 [2 favorites]


He was playing old ley ley Hewitt? Ball girl should have run around to the other side of the court and thrown the offending insect at Leyton.

And if this is the worst thing that happens at this year's Australian Open, it'll be a big improvement on the sex crimes and racially motivated violence that have marred recent years.
posted by Hello, I'm David McGahan at 3:37 AM on January 21, 2012


"Big" ?

Perhaps I'm a lesser man, but I would have gone with the stereotypical: "You call that a bug? This is a bug!" reference.
posted by fairmettle at 3:44 AM on January 21, 2012


> "Big" ?

Yeah, I came in here to say that. I'm no expert on Australian insects, but I have visited twice and whatever that thing was, it was a tick compared to some of the bugs they have over there.
posted by The Card Cheat at 3:47 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


You call that a ball girl? This is a ball girl.
posted by pracowity at 3:50 AM on January 21, 2012 [32 favorites]


Well, did he win the match?

No, he lost. (5-7, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7.)
posted by WalkingAround at 4:00 AM on January 21, 2012


At the time this happened, Stebe had lost the two first sets, so he was well on his way to a first round defeat - maybe that counts as an excuse too.
posted by WalkingAround at 4:03 AM on January 21, 2012


I missed vanar sena's answer - sorry.
posted by WalkingAround at 4:06 AM on January 21, 2012


Incompetent ball snack
posted by vanar sena at 4:07 AM on January 21, 2012


Yeah, when I saw "gigantic bug", I was picturing him being attacked by something like this or this, what with this being Australia and all.
posted by sour cream at 4:14 AM on January 21, 2012 [2 favorites]


It is strange that the person asking for the bug to be removed is the one holding the tennis racquet. I hate bugs and am thoroughly scared of them, except for the approx. 45 mins every five years when I have a tennis racquet in my hand and can freely say, "Bring it on boggle-eyes." You know, just swipe it away, you dick.
posted by cincinnatus c at 4:46 AM on January 21, 2012 [3 favorites]




You call that a ball girl? This is a ball girl.

This video is fake, it's an ad for Gatorade.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 5:08 AM on January 21, 2012 [9 favorites]


I don't know that losing a game excuses much. I realise he might be in a zone, but shouldn't someone's attitude when they're under pressure reflect on their character even more than when they're on top?

There was footage the other day of a different tennis player who was upset with his performance sitting down between sets and systematically bashing all his tennis rackets to bits - I was in a room with a bunch of people when that was on and we all thought he was acting like a child. I realise "it's just a game" doesn't really work when there's potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake (or millions, counting endorsements), but still, tennis seems to bring out a lot of people's inner douches.
posted by Silentgoldfish at 5:08 AM on January 21, 2012


I don't buy the "he was in the zone" excuse. It's equally as distracting to stand there pointing like a moron and wait for some poor kid to take it away as it would be to just use your racquet to bat it towards the sidelines. The latter is quicker and lets you get on with the game.
posted by afx237vi at 5:34 AM on January 21, 2012


while women stay in their place, on the sidelines

lol wut
posted by chronkite at 5:52 AM on January 21, 2012 [2 favorites]


Holy mackeral ... Amazing ball girl was, well, Spidey-wow. Thanks, Pracowity!
posted by thinkpiece at 6:01 AM on January 21, 2012


Oh oops just saw Pyrogenesis. :(
posted by thinkpiece at 6:02 AM on January 21, 2012


An alternative to the "in the zone"/"jerk" dichotomy - people are phobic about bugs, and phobia's are real to those who suffer from them. Speaking as the person with claustrophobia who forgot and started down the one-way stairs to an underground cave. And had to walk back up against a heck of a lot of traffic, trying not to trample anyone.
posted by Peach at 6:10 AM on January 21, 2012 [3 favorites]


That's "ball chaps" to you, sir.

That's rough, man.
posted by indubitable at 6:10 AM on January 21, 2012 [3 favorites]


For everybody feeling contemptuous toward the player, I think it is the ball girl's job to clear anything off the court. I don't know if he was refusing to do it himself so much as just pointing it out to her and waiting for her to do it while he got in position for the next game. Usually when anything blows onto the court or falls from the stands the ballgirl or guy runs out very quickly to clear it so the players don't even have to think about it.

If there must be a culprit here, maybe its the person who oversees the ballpeople and didn't think to provide them with gloves in case they had to remove something distasteful or creepy.
posted by Max Udargo at 6:13 AM on January 21, 2012 [5 favorites]


Is it beneath Cedrik-Marcel Stebe's station to remove the cockroach himself?

I saw more fear in his eyes, than arrogance. I suspect he's not interested much in Australia's version of insect life.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 6:28 AM on January 21, 2012 [2 favorites]


If I was that player, I would have naturally thought that this Australian bug was probably the world's most poisonous and assumed the ball girl was supplied with a shotgun for these occasions.
posted by orme at 6:34 AM on January 21, 2012 [10 favorites]


This looks like an appropriate thread to signal my mate suitability by indicating that I would treat women better than all other contemptible men some of whom may try and adopt my strategy but with some critical differences that I can call them out on with even greater contempt.
posted by srboisvert at 6:35 AM on January 21, 2012 [10 favorites]


I just don't understand why she didn't use her hat. That brim looks perfect for scooping.
posted by blue_beetle at 6:37 AM on January 21, 2012


Wow, you guys ruin everything!
posted by Edogy at 6:49 AM on January 21, 2012 [3 favorites]


This is one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't things. He kills a bug - PETA is all over him for harming another organism. He concentrates on the game - he's afraid of a bug and needs rescuing from a ball-girl.
posted by Fizz at 6:52 AM on January 21, 2012


[Uninformed rant]... The entire sport is a disgrace.
posted by Ad hominem at 2:27 AM on January 21


Eponysterical!

You know, when I saw "Australia" and "gigantic bug" in the same sentence, I expected something a little... I don't know, bigger?
posted by WalterMitty at 7:08 AM on January 21, 2012


If I'm ever in Australia and I see any bug at all I am going to ask the nearest little girl to remove it for me because I am a big fat scaredy cat when it comes to bugs.
posted by bondcliff at 7:12 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


PareidoliaticBoy nailed it; if I were in Australia and saw a bug, I would assume it had about 27 different ways to kill me, like most of the flora and fauna there. Best to leave such things to the professionals.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:28 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Something about his demeanor and body language through the entire episode says "Privileged".
posted by davebush at 7:51 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


while women stay in their place, on the sidelines

You really don't know what you're talking about. Currently, women's tennis is far more popular, and the top players earn more money than the top male players. Tennis is well on its way to be the first global, year-round televised sport where the women's game reverses the past and eclipses the men's.

This is significant, as other sports where the women's game is more popular -- gymnastics and figure skating, for example -- are terribly niche, and rely on Olympic seasonality.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 7:52 AM on January 21, 2012 [4 favorites]


Well, you know, they are referred to as girls and boys because THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE. They are all under-age.

Maybe at the Australian Open and definitely at, say, Wimbledon, but at the US Open you have to be at least 16, and they prefer 18 due to the weird hours required. I seem to recall a father-and-son team a while back. (Three-time US Open ballgirl!)
posted by shrieking violet at 7:52 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


But still girls and boys. (Other than the odd dad muscling in on what should have been a kid's spot.)
posted by pracowity at 8:24 AM on January 21, 2012


The video's been pulled.
posted by dirigibleman at 8:58 AM on January 21, 2012


"Poor ball girl asked to cat..."
This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Tennis Australia.
Sorry about that.

posted by Sys Rq at 9:01 AM on January 21, 2012


It's a good thing Tennis Australia was able to assert their status as rights holders! Who KNOWS how much of their hard-earned money the thieves were stealing?
posted by kavasa at 9:20 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]




I am sympathetic to the ball girl--her reaction was braver than mine would be and she is very cute. At first I sort of thought the tennis player was being a bit of a spoiled brat about it, wanting someone else to remove the bug, but upon reflection, I think Saydur is right: "I'm not exactly going to hold it against Stebe that he was probably a little too wound up with focus and nerves to handle a cockroach."

I used to be involved in community theatre--very tiny amateur things--I would manage the backstage stuff or just help out doing technical stuff, take care of props, whatever. Although I was outwardly patient, I would sometimes be privately exasperated at the weird demands of the actors, who always wanted everything precisely so.

But THEN, one day I allowed myself to be coaxed into doing a supporting role onstage. It was fun, but nerve-wracking, and very odd to be on the other side, so to speak. I remember waiting nervously to go onstage on opening night, worrying about getting my lines right, and being suddenly thrown off when I realized that the prop that was usually right there beside the entrance wasn't where it had ALWAYS been during rehearsals. It put me in quite the tizz, even though later it all turned out fine and of course the stage crew was in control and doing what they were supposed to be doing.

That was when I realized WHY the actors always wanted everything precisely so. You don't want anything ruining your concentration, which, let's face it, is pretty delicate at crucial moments. It gave me more sympathy for the actors the next time I helped out backstage. And it gives me sympathy for this tennis player too.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:47 AM on January 21, 2012 [7 favorites]


The video's been pulled.

We need another Black Out
posted by philip-random at 10:39 AM on January 21, 2012


nah, hurdy gurdy girl - actors are just self-centered dicks.
posted by Navelgazer at 10:42 AM on January 21, 2012


(I'm half-kidding. But growing up in the theatre tends to not give you much sympathy for actors' demands.)
posted by Navelgazer at 10:46 AM on January 21, 2012


Player asks ballgirl to do her job. Ballgirl does her job. Would this thread even be here if the genders were reversed?
posted by Pater Aletheias at 11:30 AM on January 21, 2012 [4 favorites]


if the ball guy was just as adorable, yes.
posted by lester at 11:51 AM on January 21, 2012 [4 favorites]


Also, there would be a lot more talk about what a whiny bitch the player was.

And she'd have fewer apologists.
posted by Sys Rq at 11:58 AM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


It's about adorable/awesome people being awesome/adorable. I can't relate to the tennis guy, but I can relate to the ball girl, her challenge, and her resolution. Good on her!
posted by SPrintF at 12:01 PM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


    "Also, there would be a lot more talk about what a whiny bitch the player was. And she'd have fewer apologists."
The gentleman being perceived as being insufficiently manly compared to a young woman seems to have a lot of people talking about what a primadonna he is and precious few apologists in this thread. I suspect that if the genders were actually reversed the thread wouldn't look much different and it wouldn't be any less sexist.
posted by Blasdelb at 12:28 PM on January 21, 2012


what's to complain about with this guy's behavior? what the hell is he going to do with a bug on the court? if anything he was being kind, not wanting to squash the thing.
posted by facetious at 12:33 PM on January 21, 2012 [3 favorites]


I feel kind of sorry for Stebe -- both for losing his matches, and now for being known primarily for this (when I agree with those people making points about his focus, and the fact that removing things from the court was her job rather than his). Still, I had to laugh when I saw his Wikipedia page:

During the 2012 Australian Open Stebe revealed himself to be a wuss, when he forced a ball girl to remove a cricket that was on the court rather than do it himself.

Wondering how long that will take to get edited out.
posted by forza at 2:03 PM on January 21, 2012


I was in a room with a bunch of people when that was on and we all thought he was acting like a child. I realise "it's just a game" doesn't really work when there's potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake (or millions, counting endorsements), but still, tennis seems to bring out a lot of people's inner douches.

Are you not familiar with other professional sports? Some of the best athletes at the top of their game are quite like this. A fragility of ego that is quite frankly astounding. The world itself working against them. Tennis players are hardly unique in this. It's not in all of the best but it seems to be in a lot of them. I wouldn't be their friend. They'd not be mine either I wouldn't doubt.
posted by juiceCake at 4:04 PM on January 21, 2012


A fragility of ego that is quite frankly astounding.

Top athletes, like top [xyz], experience extraordinary ego-dissolution during moments of peak focus. This is good for their game -- removing perceptual filters and so forth -- and it's silly to complain about it.
posted by waxbanks at 4:23 PM on January 21, 2012


Damn guys, some of you really need a sense of humor.
posted by Ad hominem at 4:53 PM on January 21, 2012


Of course there are ball boys too. You're just ranting because you have no idea what you're talking about

Sigh, one person with comprehension problems ruins everything. By the way, in case you never figured it out, Swift wasn't really serious about e Irish eating their own children. I sometimes forget some people have problems with abstract thought.
posted by Ad hominem at 5:33 PM on January 21, 2012 [2 favorites]


Something about his demeanor and body language through the entire episode says "Privileged".

Thanks god there's body language experts like you here to help everyone delineate the deserving from the undeserving. God help me if I'm ever in a position where i have to rely on the jaundiced eye of someone like you.
posted by smoke at 6:59 PM on January 21, 2012


Sigh, one person with comprehension problems ruins everything.

Yes, how stupid of them to comprehend the words you wrote as they were written! How idiotic to fail at such elementary telepathy? Why, it's almost as if they can't read minds at all! For shame! For shame!!!

Now that's sarcasm.
posted by Sys Rq at 7:41 PM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


I know, I sometimes expect too much. There isn't much of a tradition of facetious or satirical writing, I should use it more carefully lest people think I don't know there are women tennis players.
posted by Ad hominem at 7:54 PM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Shit. I did it again. By "There isn't much of a tradition of facetious or satirical writing" I meant it is a tradition as old as written communication. For thousands of years people piced up on satire without telepathy. In fact, I believe Americans are taught the concept well before graduate level studies, sometime around 6th grade or so.
posted by Ad hominem at 8:08 PM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Fuck, assuming everyone here learned about satire is an example of privilege isn't it. Sorry, I'll keep it simple enough for everyone to keep up in the future.
posted by Ad hominem at 8:10 PM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Before satire can be appreciated, one must convey the notion that one is being satirical. One has failed to do so.

Furthermore, satire must have an underlying reason for being—some covert communication to be ascertained by the reader. Just what, exactly, was the satirical message you wished to express? Was it that feminists are shrill and clueless? That seems to be the only message I can wrangle from your comment if I read it ironically. Frankly, it's not an improvement.

As goes ye olde epigram, "Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence." Hence, rather than being a sexist douche, we all assumed you were merely uninformed.
posted by Sys Rq at 8:12 PM on January 21, 2012 [3 favorites]


No, I was making the point that claims of sexism can be off base. The ball person's job is to clear things from the court, that is why they are employed, so people who are in the middle of the match don't have to. I think it is odd that some people seem to think that women should not be asked to handle bugs. Somehow, handling insects is still thought of as men's work. This attitude, that handling insects is somehow undermine, is part of the attitude that science, or natural study, is icky and for boys. Everyone should be encouraged to handle insects.

I haven't called anyone who thought she shouldn't be asked to handle bugs a sexist douche, I simply assume they hold some retrograde ideas about what is and is not women's work.
posted by Ad hominem at 8:22 PM on January 21, 2012


Sorry, I should have written, "...rather than assuming that you are a sexist douche..."

But if you were attempting to be the opposite, more power to you. Missed by a mile, but, hey.

There wasn't much call for it, though, unless preceding your comments there were a buch that got deleted saying "EW BUGS ARE GROSS BUGS ARE MEN'S WORK" and the like. The closest I can find refers to the player exploiting his station to order the staff around.
posted by Sys Rq at 8:35 PM on January 21, 2012


I don't need to address previous comments. I was making a comment "not at other members of the site", As it says right under the comment box.

You going to come up with another reason why I am somehow in the wrong? It says something that if people don't get what I am saying, which of course can be my fault, they don't simply ask me. The hurf durf pile on and passive aggressive favoriting is not exactly conducive to any kind of intelligent discussion.
posted by Ad hominem at 8:44 PM on January 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Meanwhile, this is how they deal with animal intruders over at the Bluegrass Festival.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 9:13 PM on January 21, 2012


the hurf durf pile on and passive aggressive favoriting is not exactly conducive to any kind of intelligent discussion.

Did it not occur to you that the hurf durf sarcasm and beachball-blunt attempt at satire was equally unconducive? You made a bad joke that no one got. Let it go, dude.
posted by smoke at 10:14 PM on January 21, 2012


Mod note: Let's all let it go. Please.
posted by taz (staff) at 10:43 PM on January 21, 2012


There was footage the other day of a different tennis player who was upset with his performance sitting down between sets and systematically bashing all his tennis rackets to bits - I was in a room with a bunch of people when that was on and we all thought he was acting like a child. I realise "it's just a game" doesn't really work when there's potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake (or millions, counting endorsements), but still, tennis seems to bring out a lot of people's inner douches.
posted by Silentgoldfish at 5:08 AM on January 21 [+] [!]


That would have been Baghdatis from Cyprus, who is known for such displays. Personally, I dislike tennis, because most of the professional players are big spoilt babies prone to such displays. You wouldn't see a squash player act like that.

But more seriously, by Australian standards that's a tinnnnyy insect. We had to deal with mosquitoes with inch long noses at my alma mater. It was pretty funny the day we watched an American exchange student trying to pat a possum though. Less fun was walking through the campus after dark wondering if you were about to walk into a massive spider web.
posted by Hello, I'm David McGahan at 2:39 AM on January 23, 2012


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