John McEnroe: My parents died within months
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- John McEnroe somberly discusses his struggles coming to grips with the deaths of both his mother and father in 2017 and how their passing has served as a reminder to stop and smell the roses. The tennis star also looks back on a privileged upbringing with parents who pushed him towards tennis and academics.
The full interview with John McEnroe is available on the In Depth with Graham Bensinger Podcast, available at the links below and wherever you enjoy listening to podcasts:
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He seems like a very intelligent and thoughtful man. I used to cheer against him because of his on court antics, now he is my favorite tennis player.
He may have been hot headed in his younger years, but he had talent. I think watching this interview has changed how I thought of him, he loves his wife, his children and his family. G-d Bless.
I concur with the sentiment.
Australia.
I agree. I thought he was a prick of a person through his whole career but he's definitely changed. It's a pleasure to sit here and listen to what he has to say.
Tomorrow is never promised. My Papa died and Mumma came to live with my Husband and I for several months that has turned into 4 years.
Having my Mumma all to myself has been fabulous. We play tennis, bridge and chess. We have watched years of movies and all the vision from my childhood which I have placed onto dvds.
Each morning I climb the stairs with our breakfast tray and sit in bed talking and eating.
The universe was showing off when my Husband was made as he stepped aside for my Mumma and I to strengthen our bond.
Nice
My Dad and his Dad went to high school together. Stayed friends for 50 years. Wonderful people 😀
Wow... McEnroe Sr., was quite a accomplished M and A attorney, from what I gathered..
Michael Hegyan...to say the least. A partner at a top law firm in NYC. Man could he tell a joke. Took my Dad and 4 of my friends to the 87 US Open ( 5 sets Lendl vs. Wilander ) cuz they didn’t want to go. Their box. Incredible seats. What a day !
@@brianskolnik7834 did you by any chance meet Johnny Mac..?
Michael Hegyan yes...maybe 5 times though. In 1979, we were invited to their home in Douglaston for Thanksgiving. We all watched the football together. Pretty cool. But Dad made sure to tell me “ treat him like a regular guy. Don’t talk tennis lol “. Had a great sense of humor. Mom went to his first wedding to Tatum on like 2 hours notice lol. Dad introduced John Sr. to Kay. They came over to the house lots of times. They were so down to earth.
@@brianskolnik7834 Yeah . Cool..!!
Love John McEnroe. Always followed his tennis career and subsequently as a broadcaster. He's a great character and obviously interesting too plus he's undoubtedly very intelligent - always a plus point. Kudos to the guy - been thru a lot and seems a stronger person as a result. God speed JM. Rx
Agree, HOWEVER many times he treated most fans and assorted other humans like garbage back in the 80s. And he has expressed only minor regret for his actions. Yes, he's a step up from the phony Jimmy Connors, who is not a smart or good human. Mac is educated and generally pretty thoughtful, but still, he has a history of some bad incidents.
John McEnroe was blessed with two amazing parents. Far too many parents today have painfully low expectations for their children which then causes those children to have low expectations for themselves throughout their lives. Parents should push their child toward excellence but just not too hard or too fast which is indeed a balancing act that is difficult to gauge. John's life has honored his parents and I'm glad he is strong enough to discuss these issues in public - it helps us all.
I concur with your sentiment.
My Daddy always said to my Brother and I
"Coming Second is the First Loser!"
Harsh however true.
Australia.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom, it is clear you have mastered spouting meaningless platitudes...
Thanks for sharing Dr. Phil....😅
He got a sense of humor about himself as he aged. Well done John. Had he not gotten caught in the wood to graphite transition he would have won even more.
Tragic...I lost both my parents within a year time. I lost my mind for a couple of years due to the circumstances. Grew up watching John play...great athlete!
Mac is so talented and inspiring. He still shines with his intellect.
I like seeing John being mellow. He’s interesting without the temper tantrums
I miss those 80’s tennis years. Johnny Mac and Borg along with the numerous different game styles and personalities really made the sport interesting. Kill the racquet and string power and bring back those old school style battles!
Amen to that. Tennis has become so bloody boring these days.
Losing both parents so close would be tough!
@@theunknown4570 that would be difficult.
I lost my parents exactly one year apart. It was a rough 3-4 years.
Yup, lost mine 6 months apart
I lost my father at 15, my grandmother who lived with me all my life at 17, and my mother at 19.
@@richardleonardon2192
Likewise. They're always in my thoughts.
Great personality John Mc Enroe. I did not appréciate his bad behaviour on the tennnis court but I enjoy his comments when working on TV during tennis matches.
Mac has always one of the best interviews in sports.
Wonder if his mom died from a broken heart. His parents seemed like genuinely wonderful people. Always loved reading their comments about John. May they rest in peace.
B S Hancock it was cancer.
Death of parent is very difficult as Mac, has mentioned. Having just lost my mother to Alzheimer's, in March of 2020, and my father in 08', still..at times, lose focus concentrating..at simple tasks
I concur with your sentiment. My Daddy was my first love, because he loved me so well I knew what to look for in guys.
Sorry for your loss sorry
Sorry for your loss. May her soul Rest In Peace. I pray for that as my passed away too! So much pain... I can understand when Johnny Mac says he is still not through since 2017.
The interviewer is very callous while addressing death of his parents.
@@vidyasonavane9602 thank you..
Yes, losing a parent is a very tough row to hoe. When my Dad (the funniest and brightest person I ever knew) passed at age 70, I was in a kind of shock for many months. After his death, I would have a sudden thought that I wanted to share with him and actually reached for my telephone - and then sadly remembered. I can fully relate to what John McEnroe is talking about here. When Dad was in a "coma" and supposedly (according to his Doctor) could not "hear" me any longer, I asked him to find the prettiest place on the "other side" and to save a "good spot" for me. He answered with the most beautiful smile ever - and peacefully passed the next day. See you later Dad!
I'm 59 years old...never liked this guy when he was playing ...but after seeing this video I totally respect him as a man.
He's got a big heart---and a fine mind....thoughtfully analytical and reflective....he tries very hard to get everything he does ---right.
He's a big favorite of mine ever since I used to love to root for him every match. He's a great person.
So precious, love u John, ur honesty is humbling & shows how ur loss has impacted u. Nothing can prepare us for losing our parents. It is tough.♡♡
John it's very tough to losing both of your parents in the same year. John I really enjoy your sense of humor. I lost my Mom in March 13th 2015 and
my dad in February 8th 2017. My Mom 89 years old when she passed and my Dad 94 years old when he passed away. I miss both of them
I still cry a lot.
best series of interviews I've seen in years...JMcE is absolute class and was incredibly generous with his responses to a great interviewer.
I'm old enough to remember John in the beginning ... when tennis was pretty much "must-see" TV. It's been decades since that was the case. He was so polarizing back then ..... and I for one never cared for him. As I now approach 60 myself and watch some of these interviews I am so struck at his ability to express himself in all ways. The way he can reflect really amazes me and I have a complete opposite view-point on him at this point. Nice job Graham as usual in the ability to get the guest to reach the depths of reflection which you seem to have the knack for on a regular basis.
John McEnroe will always remain my all time favourite tennis player. I lost interest in the game after he retired.
I concur with with your sentiment 100%
Australia.
Ditto !
Same here.
Be greatful if you have parents so long .mine were both dead before I was thirty.mum when I was just a boy.
Most interesting man in tennis.
Most interesting man in the world.
Condolences John & Patrick. U guys aren't the Lone Ranger here. I will turn 70 this yr, we r next then u guys. Stay strong, and make the best which u guys know how to do! Peace!!
John's kept himself in good shape.
He looks fab for his age!
He was 60 when this interview was done. I think he's aged a lot. I was surprised how old he looked for just 60. His mind is vibrant, though. An interesting person for sure!
I always wish that he would rejoin the tour as a professional tennis coach. He was a great Davis Cup coach.
pam0626 he was a great player too. Remember the 7 hour match against Edberg ? I forget what year.
Brian Skolnik I don’t remember that one. Was it a Davis Cup match?
So Sorry for your Loss
sorry for your loss!!!
I like him. He is a real character.
I lost my parents a year apart on almost the same day. It was tough the first three years, but it has become easier.
Such a lovely and handsome family.....his parents seemed very classy.
colderbeer they were...I knew them quite well
Graham you’re a good interviewer, I saw John years ago in forest hills, he’s still a good guy
With due regard and commiseration, a great narrator John. Sympathies with him🤗 for his loss!
My Mom always loved John McEnroe. She said he reminded her of me. I never really asked her what about me remind her of him because I was afraid of what her answer might be. Hopefully, it was because he was sensitive and wasn't afraid to express his mind. I do agree with what somebody wrote here: he is, indeed, the most interesting man in Tennis.
genius and artistry. Kindness loyalty sincerity openness might be other possibilities
@@pamrogers5979 Yeah, that's surely why McEnroe reminded my Mom of me. You know, I was trying to be funny when I wrote that . . . but looking over your words again, I think my Mom very well could have seen those qualities in me. We were great friends, went through many challenging times together, and shared much joy. I was blessed to have such a mother. And the fact that she loved and saw goodness in Johnny Mac when the popular thing at the time was to throw stones says a lot about her as a person. He remains today one of my very favorite sportscasters.
@@miraclemeditations3919 i loved him too. Just stumbled on these interviews and young ones too - he clearly had such quality from the start. My mum was lovely too
@@pamrogers5979 I am glad you also had a lovely mum. Life is certainly much easier and more joyful when you have been raised by a loving mother.
Graham is an EXCELLENT Listner...😊
One of the greats and no better doubles player
Wayne Mathews number 1 in singles and doubles at the same time 👍
I grew up Playing Tennis in a Small Midwestern Town of 2,800 people I played USTA Sanctioned Tournaments! The Big Tournament was Rockford Illinois my Parents would come to watch me along with friends that lived there!
He’s lucky. I was in my mid 40’s when my parents passed.
You're lucky. I was 29 when my mother died.
I got to see it from both sides.my parents died 45 years apart.
I was 27
My all time favorite player. Growing up in the 80s it was popular to watch these players. McEnroe, Lendl, Agassi, Bjorn, Steffi Graff, Chris Everett, Sampras, Martina. It was great. Arthur Ash was our hero but listening to him describe his opponents like McEnroe whom he considered the best is what peaked my interest.
Eighty-one is still relatively young.
Sorry, John and Patrick, for your loss.
I lost my parents with in 12 months I am dealing with it Time helps
he is fascinating. i remember him from the the time when played against aborg
He's a great communicator.
We played at the Guilford Tennis Center in Rockford!
LOL Looking back to age 18, McEnroe considered himself "mature beyond his years". And he was being serious.
2017 was a terrible year for me too. 2020 was no fun, too.
I think all of our lives while different, are contextually similar. We start out thinking we know it all and as e progress we become more doubtful of the validity of that, then we finally discover we're wrong and from there on we grow emotionally. John has obviously reached that part of his life and that is reassuring to me, that my life is on the proper trajectory. I hope my children live long enough to follow that path. Question, is it better to die young thinking you knew it all? I think not.
Loved watching Borg McEnroe
With technology today some line calls are reversed. John protest of line calls possible he was RIGHT on some. He was SERIOUS
HE GREW INTO A PERSON I CAN RELATE TO....NOT THE "BRAT" I ONCE OBSERVED. GOOD FOR HIM.
Freud died a long time ago. They won't be able to call him.
They once asked Goron Usuavanish what he thought about when he Served? His answer was I don't think!
Have always liked Mac.
Unsure who is really the GOAT, but to me it's between Rod Laver and Johnny Mac. Boring ace machines like Sampras and Federer don't stand a chance.
Federer doesn't stand a chance? Come on now Glip.....even Mac would snicker at your comment...
Rubbish! Mac is no match for Roger....
Glib...Agree with Arturo...Mac would agree with you 100% regarding Laver, but to put himself above Federer?! He would chuckle, be flattered, but kindly tell you, you are quite wrong.
lol
@ Glip Abazza. First, when considering the unanswerable question of which male or female player is the GOAT tennis player, one must first separate the wood/metal rackets era from the graphite era. That said, in my opinion, John McEnroe at his absolute peak in 1984 (especially at the zenith of his ability in his overwhelming defeat of Jimmy Connors in the Wimbledon final that year) is the GOAT of the graphite era of tennis. McEnroe played brilliantly with a wood racket early in his career, but there is no question that the Dunlop Max200G graphite, midsize racket elevated his game a full notch by enabling him to not only hit the ball with more power than his wood racket allowed, but also to put more spin on the ball. The one aspect of McEnroe's magnificent game that all but totally vanished after he made the switch to a graphite racket was the stop volley in which he would pull the racket back at the moment of impact of the tennis ball on his racket strings at the net to drop the ball just beyond the net, that his opponent at the baseline had no chance of getting to, to win a point outright at the net. He obviously realized that the trampoline effect of his ultra -low 40 lbs. string tension and the power of the midsize graphite racket head of the Dunlop Max200G racket would make it very hard to hit stop volleys. As far as the wood era, three players are equally valid candidates for the distinction of GOAT of the wood era: Tilden, Laver and Budge. Equally valid arguments can be made for all three. McEnroe probably is the 4th greatest player of all-time of the wood era just behind those three. Jack Kramer stated in his autobiography, "The Game: My Forty Years In Tennis" that at his absolute best, Ellsworth Vines was the greatest player he ever saw, but that on a day-in, day-out , match-in, match-out basis, Budge was more consistent than Vines. Kramer wrongly in my opinion placed Laver in the second tier of all-time great players when most knowledgeable tennis fans and experts consider Laver to clearly be in the top tier of all-time great male tennis players. Tilden and Budge could win more free points with their powerful serves against Laver than Laver could win against them because although Laver had a very strong serve, it was not as powerful as Tilden's or Budge's serves. Laver was a better volleyer than Tilden, even though Tilden was a good volleyer. Budge is regarded as having one of the greatest backhand volleys in the history of tennis and of course is regarded as having , along with Ken Rosewall, the greatest backhand groundstroke of all-time. As far as the graphite era is concerned what, in my opinion, places McEnroe above Sampras and Federer as the GOAT male player of the graphite era is that McEnroe had a much greater diversity of shots in his game than either Sampras or Federer including the underspin offensive lob, topspin offensive lob, drop volleys, stop volleys, soft backhand drive down the middle of the court against the player at the net (such as Connors) to force the player at the net to hit up on the volley and provide all the pace on the volley, and drop shots from the baseline for winners. Sampras never employed and Federer never employs (with the occasional exception of the drop volley) those shots in their tennis games. In addition, McEnroe had a much better diversity of placement if serve than Sampras or Federer because McEnroe frequently utilized the into-the-body serve otherwise known as the "jammer" serve to draw weak or awkward service returns from his opponents which Sampras never employed and Federer never employs in their games. McEnroe had superior feel ("touch") for the tennis ball on his racket to Federer and Sampras. Contrary to popular belief of most tennis fans, McEnroe was a much more gifted player than Federer, even though Federer is obviously a very talented player. McEnroe played against a diversity of playing styles (i.e., serve-and-volley players, defensive baseline players like Vilas, offensive power-hitting baseline players like Lendl, and players like Connors who liked to come into the net behind deep approach shots). Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are currently playing against just baseline players. There are no great Serve-and-volley players in the men's tour to challenge Federerb Nadal and Djokovic to expose the fact that their statistical achievements in tennis are grossly inflated. Plus the lubricated strings and larger Type3 tennis balls have given those three current players a huge advantage that McEnroe and Sampras and the earlier all-time great players did not have.
Good man
Seek the Lord while he may be found.
or what? you might die your own person, rather than a slave?
@@billplaney2585 and go to hell
@@ianwilliamson2980 LOL. The Catholic church invented it. Gotta keep the fear factor high enough to keep the money rolling in.
@@billplaney2585 I'm not catholic but a born again christian.a saved man washed the blood of Jesus.not interest in silly religious catholic idolatry
It fascinates me that McEnroe became a world class athlete coming out of a posh background -- that's not easy
Hes nice and lean
he was flown to Europe at age 17. 99% of people can't afford that
tonymontana357 maybe they would if they worked as hard as Sr did
Love 💘 Johnny Mac always
Played the game on his terms and that is the best way Thanks for your docile temper lmao
I can respect him, here,
W/this.
Didn’t like him/ behaviors playing tennis
Is this at his Tennis Academy in NY?
What is it? Is there just a tiny little loop here that keeps repeating on and on?
He talks about how he told his dad to back off, when he was 12, and he says 'I didn't want to peak at 12 . . 14 . . 16 . ' and it's probably how he did think as a 12 year old, and it's funny because I guess if you can sense how good you might be, you notice how people will do anything to say they HAD a 'peak' experience, even if it's at 12. I know of this soccer dad and his twin daughters were scoring 6+ goals a game, at age 8, like 2 decades ago. They basically maxed out at 8 years old. Doesn't mean you can't keep peaking, though, as you go through life. Just think it's a funny thing to say. And yes. If you were watching ATP in the 70's, McEnroe's parents were also of interest because McEnroe was a total original and people said he was a 'genius' at the time, and if you saw him play against Borg, those few times, you had no doubts about that being true. It was high drama, a total tight rope trek across an active volcano for 3.5 hours.
My son feels because he has been given a privileged education, upbringing etc that's he isn't entitled to succeed. Sort that one out people. I wish he had been a bit like John..
Stay away from all the toxic foods sold in supermarkets and restaurants. It’s incredible all the crap that’s put in our food these days, all in the name of profits.
John didn’t make it in tennis, he probably would’ve been a fantastic lawyer, himself.
🙏💟♾️
A lot of left-handed people have this strange mechanistic way of moving and thinking. most of them do suck terribly at dancing.
Really...? How'd you get over it?
They expected achievements. In what ways?
I thought I was fidgety, Mc Enroe gets the Acadeny Award for fidgety.
thats your best most intelligent effort to add something?
conqururfear What are you Plato, no Aristotle incarnate? This guy is always praised for his interviewing skills and he did not comment nor ask about his fidgetiness? McEnroe is the king of fidgetiness and he did not ask. Even Trump with the in your face fake hair gets asked all the time . Because it is so in your face ya gotta ask.
Bensinger? Nada! Nothing! The body language coming off him was saying way more to me than the words coming out of his mouth. Bensinger never picked up on that? What? It was as obvious as a bugger hanging from his nose.
And you make this stupid comment to me about intelliegence? Go change that 60 watt lightbulb of yours. I suggest the 80 watt. That will take you straight out of the dark ages into enlightenment.
T Hyslop John McEnroe once said that his parents got him into tennis in order to channel his excess energy.
He said that today he'd be labelled as having ADHD and probably put on ritalin.
Might account for the fidgetiness.
Ha thanks...
It's not always easy to discuss emotional issues during a personal interview. I did notice his fidgeting but when he commentates he is always on point.
I'm trying to figure out what's going on with his hair. His front hairline seems lower and denser than in the past. In the years after his headband wearing days he mostly had a somewhat receding hairline and a high forehead.
His personality reminds me of Howard Stern’s.
with all his opportunities Underachiever
Luck is a pagan concept
What's that get up he's wearing? Lol.
Clothes😊
without his families money he would have been lucky go play division 2 college tennis.
Hi, Tony, Without your parents we would not have to be exposed to your sill y comments.
So who to hell is tonymontanna but a lamebrain nobody jealous that someone had parents who would instill perfection into their child.
Obviously your parents kicked you out of the room the day after you were born and did not like you.
tonymontana357 He knows that. Please don't state the obvious.
Have you thought about speaking to a mental health professional
Really? stupid comment Conners didn’t come from money, talent and will rises...
A wasted talent. Won his last major at the ripe old age of 25.
7 Grannies is a waste? What were you doing at 25?
he still had the wood racquet strokes/grip even after switching to the max 200G, pushing the ball around instead of whipping it with heavy topspin. couldn't compete ultimately with Lendl and Agassi who were just more powerful from the baseline. still, he did manage to win tournaments in the last half of his career, just no more slams.
There's only 1 way to be that skinny and squirmy at 60....
A lot of talking. Not saying anything significant.
Come on oh poor John 81 is definitely past the sell by date. A lot of people have never had parents and no doubt you were also spoilt and well educated with tons of opportunities at private schools, poor thing l don’t feel sorry for him one bit.
You were a bad sport with a bad temper who needed anger management. I’m surprised you even found a wife, let alone a famous one with tons of her own bad issues, bad combination.
Janet Michel he never asked for your pity, boob.
Cold, cold heart. Have compassion, Janet
You seem to primarily resentful his parents wired hard so he could have opportunities and yours didn’t. Perhaps you need to address that with your parents or see a mental health therapist
Janet Michel, you are one cold bitch. You talk about a guy losing both parents within 5 months of each other, and compare it to what; an expired quart of milk? And " a lot of people never had parents"....first, most DO. It's the minority that do not. But even if that were true; so what? Like he's gonna miss his parents less because somewhere in the world are people who never knew their parents? You're a fucking idiot.
That’s harsh.
spoiled average talent
tonymontana357 what drugs are you on. McEnroe was brilliant.
Not a chance...McEnroe, for all of his faults, was a genius with a tennis racquet.
Ignore this fucktard. Sure they were middle and then upper middle class. Fact of the matter is MOST pro players come from similar backgrounds. This guy tonymontana357 is just a fucking hater, a pure blowhard who prolly doesn't know his slice from flat.
Yeah, i would agree with that. i have been watching tennis for 35 years. In fact, i started when McEnroe was just coming into his "pomp". Not saying that he is the greatest tennis player ever (though, he wouldn't be far behind). However, McEnroe was sheer poetry to watch. If ever anyone played the game correctly (minus his tantrums), it was JP McEnroe!!
I'm just glad he had that moment in time before the big power game came into play to showcase his skills. The Mac/Vitas matches were a thrill to watch too. And where is the full Mac/Nasty match from '79? I want to see ALL of that. Nasty on the way out but still a hoot.