European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 29, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Page 23 commentary Mcenroe missed the crowd s Point it is the Peculiar Genius of John Mcenroe to reach Back into the mists and discover his magic Corkscrew shots again cd to remember mainly the fleeting backs of he fellow americans whose hunger outweighed their patriotism. What Mcenroe did not re alive was thai the locals had shut Down the Concession stands Early not be Lieving that the absence of a tiebreaker could Lead to a Long Day s journey into night. While Junior and Boris Becker were just begin Ning their epic 28-game second set fans were forced 1o seek food in the steaming Barren streets of Down town Hartford. One Quarter of the people arc left and one half of them Are rooting for a Guy from another country Mcenroe lamented after his epic 6-hour.38-minute, loss Friday night to Becker As fans steadily departed. Of Well one could say the Davis cup officials will get i right the next time As the United states starts its Odyssey through the lower depth of Davis cup Tennis from now through 1989. Mcenroe did the Best he could playing after a seven week Layoff but he cannot carry a nation s Tennis Fortune on his Back. Dozens of other nations Are producing one or two Elk Cellery players just As this huge country produced Jimmy Connors and Mcenroe in he past 15 years two driven champions whose Genius transcended any master plan any coach any discipline. Mcenroe should have been pleased he even said he was after flicking his Vintage Fly Fisher Man shots before Becker wore him Down. But Junior could not hide his disdain for Becker he s 19 How much does he Lake in or his scorn for the crowd like a modern Day coriolanus a in me Mcenroe said later of his passion for the National team  has led him to 35 victories and Only 7 losses in singles play. Warrior isolated from the people he represents. Mcenroe who has usually played in the Davis cup when the Tennis Pooh Bahs would have him. Feels american crowds should Back heir team the Way Mel fans and giant fans support their teams. Bui this was not the Bear baiting atmosphere of the . Open in Flushing Meadows nor was it the Coin throwing insult hurling Call cheating Environ ment the United slates recently encountered in its loss in Paraguay. This was a polite regional crowd thai included a few Hundred German fans waving Black red and yellow flags and correctly twirling unobtrusive Clack cars after Points won by a clan and Becker but there were also americans who thought Becker was their kind of Guy. Becker s Popup Artty indicates Many americans recognize the commonality Between the two nations in this , and that Doris Becker with his soccer player fives his competitiveness. His Energy is a global boy a Chi door like Joe Bob. The neighbor s son who grew up to play linebacker for Oklahoma or Willie Down the Block who grew up Coplay Power Forward for Georgetown. These were not just teeny toppers applauding Becker either but adult americans who love a Good sporting match a circumstance which drove Mcenroe absolutely wacko. The Davis cup brings out the Best and the worst you put on  and i toc added. It s the closest Ichini situation we have. Tennis is is sickening. It Rould he positive. Positive things Point in into uni normally wrapped up in his i of the world. Mcenroe inc to his old antagonist. Jimbo Conn s  men loan Hampi Type individualistic it s Mcrice needs some in Mirom red Siew Lake the Towd like re so jump his Fisl. Shaking his emaciated body and Sorel chm ins arms in an exercise Ilia seemed suspiciously like Che Reading. Only rarely was jul emf vicious As when the a roved cheered Hecker in Ilu second Sci and Mcenroe snarled go cat some Snurr Kravil. Right and Keek or said he was Slig Lith frosted by Marouc and the other american players cheering in Rily for Mcenroe. But with by Cukr s victories the United slates was on ils Way to the minor Ica pues Despic All those Tennis academies in the suburbs. Academics Don t produce great planers said Tom Gorman the Davis cup Caplin. Who a cliches geniuses arc born not made. Mcenroe in fact. Was nurtured by the i nil Washington Tennis Academy on Lon Island. N.v., until he became a bit Loo much of a pain in the neck to the no nonsense leaders Llu re Bui lie is one of a kind in a nation where Lalen led Athl Clos want in be Mark Mcgwire and Michael Jordan. For he moment John Mcenroe s Brave and Artis tic loss on Friday was merely a Gallant gesture on the Way to the Boondocks of world Tennis Mac s almost Back but . Tennis in t by Bob Greene Hartford Conn. A Mac is nearly Back and he wants to gift Ameri Ca s Tennis fortunes with him. Although he split his two singles matches during the United stale Davis cup relegation round loss to West Germany this weekend John Mcenroe displayed the skills and Geni us that have carried him to three Wimbledon titles and four . Open singles championships. The loss drops the United Stales to zonal Competition for 19bs and leaves West Germany in the world group. It tells me i m coming along Mcenroe said of his 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 Victory sunday Over Eric Jelcin. On Friday he lost a 6 i hour five set match to Boris Becker 4-6, 15-13, 8-10, 6-2, 6-2. He played superbly in the first five hours before tiring. I m feeling More comfortable with what i m doing maybe that i m on the right track he said. I think i m a Cou ple of months Sway if 1 keep at  when Mcenroe look nearly seven months off at the beginning of 1986. American men s Tennis fortunes nosedive with his absence As Only Jimmy Connors who will turn 35 in september remained a Force in the grand slam tournaments. But Connors has t won a tournament in nearly three years. Enough bad things have happened recently to american Tennis thai people Are looking at it carefully now and hopefully doing something positive. Giving More kids the Opportunity to play. Mcenroe said. The United stall s Tennis association should be spending some of the million1, of dollars they make in the . Open to open up some can lots so kids hate a Chance to play Mcenroe Laid then you la we some great players if of can one the minorities a Chance to participate in the Spon we re going to find some phenomenal athletes. It May be Down the Road a bit but it s something we should be pushing  Connors also has been critical of the Usta recently saying it has failed to set up a program to develop the nation s Junior Talent properly. There arc a lot of Guys out there that i grew up with and they have All been in the lop 10 in the world and they would love to get involved and help bring out the Talent and work to he a pan of that operation said Connors who has won 105 tournaments the most of any Man. He said however that the players to whom he referred would demand pay ment for their coaching. The Usta Wilh the amount of Money they make off the . Open alone there should be some kind of funds available to work that thing out he said. Connors said France and Switzer land have set up excellent development programs for Young Tennis players. He said that although he might not be right on All Points at least i have ideas that would develop the Talent Hal they have had for the last 20 years. Now that they Don t have the Talent they arc panicking which is a shame. On the other hand there is an Over abundance of Young Talent out there thai i just waiting in by drawn  both Mcenroe and Connors Haie been champions. And it Lonroe sees the same thing in Becker. He s got he feeling of a  Mcenroe said of the 19-year-old West German Ace who Al roads has won two Wimbledon Ulics. He pot something Mhz can l explain that i noticed. Maybe Sweden s Hor no Borg and Connors noticed it from me and that s How it its. Those Guss Only come one every Lue or 10 years Litho Matt narc leads  his Lifur mar Krie