President's Blog: Tennis Rules

Hmm.  Maybe we should apply Tennis Rules to Joint Sessions of Congress.   Yesterday, Tennis Superstar Serena Williams learned the hard way that you can't just go shouting out whatever you darn well please when you're playing by U.S. Tennis Rules.   She lost the U.S. Open because she lost her temper. According to various accounts, the Wimbledon Champion uttered several "bleeping" words at the line judge who called a foot-fault on her, as in "…shove this "bleeping" ball down your "bleeping" throat," not words associated with the genteel sport of tennis.   This outburst resulted in a point penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, which cost Williams the match, giving the win to Kim Clijsters who will move on to the U.S. Open Finals.  (See the ESPN video on the controversy here.)

Sports at all levels have fairly strict rules that require athletes to control their emotions or risk being assessed penalties, time outs, even ejection from the game.   The ideal of "good sportsmanship" even in the midst of a very tough battle to win the game seems like a concept worth considering for our national political debates.   Play the game as hard as you can, but stay within the boundaries of fair and decent conduct.   Win on talent, not cursing out your opponent.   Seems like Tennis Rules set the common sense standard for adult behavior everywhere.  (Are you paying attention, Joe Wilson??)

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