- Sep 22, 2013
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In 1988, women's tennis icon Steffi Graf (Germany) achieved a remarkable feat by winning the Golden Slam, winning all 4 Grand Slam tournaments (Australian, French, Wimbledon, US Open) and the Olympics Gold Medal in the same year.
It was an incredible accomplishment for women in sports, and Graf became to women in sports what Babe Ruth was for American male fans of professional baseball --- a symbol of folklore.
Yes, 1988 was a great year for women in sports, but for Graf to achieve this, she had to defeat the valiant Gabriela Sabatini, her Argentine rival in the US Open final. Graf had to overcome Sabatini in the Olympics Gold Medal match that year (which she did) and now had to face Sabatini again in the US Open final.
Graf was dominating women's tennis so pronouncedly that year that sports-writers, critics, and fans were making comments like, "Graf is even making tennis boring" (not unlike the comments NFL Patriots QB Tom Brady was receiving after winning his 4th Super Bowl title in 2014).
Therefore, the US Open final in 1988 required a certain 'pizzazz' and Sabatini would have to step up to offer fans and writers the right dose of intrigue and competitiveness to make Graf's quest for the Golden Slam that year something worthy of folklore. This was also the cementing of the Graf-Sabatini rivalry.
It was as if sports-marketing as it related to gender consciousness was on trial, since two rivals in women's tennis were putting on a show about the quality of folklore/celebrity. Is it therefore possible to imagine that such a tennis championship in women's sports could generate a potential media-themed discussion between two etiquette-analytical robot-warlords (such as Cyclonus and Rodimus) who represent chauvinism-intrigue? Such a diorama would surely reflect the social appeal of a gender-missionary film such as Veronica Guerin, wouldn't it? Sports should, after all, symbolize civilization etiquette.
Anyone a fan of the classic era of Sports Illustrated?
====
"So you're intrigued by this 1988 US Open Women's Final, are you Rodimus?"
"I surely am, Cyclonus; as I'm sure you are as well, my clever rival!"
Cyclonus and Rodimus had been rivals in warfare for a long time. Cyclonus was the war-specialist of the evil army of robots known as Decepticons on planet Cybertron. Rodimus was the war-choreographer of the valiant Autobot robots of Cybertron. Cyclonus believed in Machiavellian ruthlessness and piracy, while Rodimus espoused democratic values, Christian faith, and teamwork spirit. Now, the two rivals had landed on Earth's moon and were spying on the 1988 US Open women's tennis final match between German star Steffi Graf (who sought the first Golden Slam in tennis) and Argentine rival Gabriela Sabatini (who'd just be content to give the tennis audience/fans a decent showing by at least making a good game with a Graf who was poised to be an unstoppable/runaway train). Cyclonus and Rodimus were interested to see how women's athletics in human civilization reflected a media-network interest in 'gender theatrics' (since both warrior-robots were fascinated by social customs).
CYCLONUS: I can't believe it...Sabatini's won the 2nd set!
RODIMUS: This is the first set Graf's dropped in 1988...
CYCLONUS: Not a quiet story for a Golden Slam quest-year.
RODIMUS: No; Sabatini has given tennis audiences a real treat!
CYCLONUS: Sabatini was expected to do the impossible --- topple Graf.
RODIMUS: Sabatini would've been satisfied with just offering a good contest.
CYCLONUS: Sabatini has achieved that; Graf has lost her first set in 1988!
RODIMUS: So media-coverage in women's sports creates ample gossip.
CYCLONUS: Media in human civilization symbolizes 'democratic communications.'
RODIMUS: Perhaps Graf-Sabatini will be considered a 'television trophy.'
After Cyclonus and Rodimus concluded their viewing of the 1988 US Open women's tennis final, which Graf ended up winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 (bouncing back soundedly after dropping her second and only set of 1988 to her Argentine rival Gabriela Sabatini), the two robots returned to Cybertron to present their report to their respective armies. Cyclonus told his fellow Decepticons that the Graf-Sabatini rivalry revealed competition-etiquette in women's sports media on Earth; Rodimus told his fellow Autobots that the Graf-Sabatini rivalry revealed competition-praise in women's sports media on Earth. Both Cyclonus and Rodimus agreed that the 1988 US Open women's tennis final was a grand showing of 'sportsmanship aesthetics.'
THE END
====
It was an incredible accomplishment for women in sports, and Graf became to women in sports what Babe Ruth was for American male fans of professional baseball --- a symbol of folklore.
Yes, 1988 was a great year for women in sports, but for Graf to achieve this, she had to defeat the valiant Gabriela Sabatini, her Argentine rival in the US Open final. Graf had to overcome Sabatini in the Olympics Gold Medal match that year (which she did) and now had to face Sabatini again in the US Open final.
Graf was dominating women's tennis so pronouncedly that year that sports-writers, critics, and fans were making comments like, "Graf is even making tennis boring" (not unlike the comments NFL Patriots QB Tom Brady was receiving after winning his 4th Super Bowl title in 2014).
Therefore, the US Open final in 1988 required a certain 'pizzazz' and Sabatini would have to step up to offer fans and writers the right dose of intrigue and competitiveness to make Graf's quest for the Golden Slam that year something worthy of folklore. This was also the cementing of the Graf-Sabatini rivalry.
It was as if sports-marketing as it related to gender consciousness was on trial, since two rivals in women's tennis were putting on a show about the quality of folklore/celebrity. Is it therefore possible to imagine that such a tennis championship in women's sports could generate a potential media-themed discussion between two etiquette-analytical robot-warlords (such as Cyclonus and Rodimus) who represent chauvinism-intrigue? Such a diorama would surely reflect the social appeal of a gender-missionary film such as Veronica Guerin, wouldn't it? Sports should, after all, symbolize civilization etiquette.
Anyone a fan of the classic era of Sports Illustrated?
====
"So you're intrigued by this 1988 US Open Women's Final, are you Rodimus?"
"I surely am, Cyclonus; as I'm sure you are as well, my clever rival!"
Cyclonus and Rodimus had been rivals in warfare for a long time. Cyclonus was the war-specialist of the evil army of robots known as Decepticons on planet Cybertron. Rodimus was the war-choreographer of the valiant Autobot robots of Cybertron. Cyclonus believed in Machiavellian ruthlessness and piracy, while Rodimus espoused democratic values, Christian faith, and teamwork spirit. Now, the two rivals had landed on Earth's moon and were spying on the 1988 US Open women's tennis final match between German star Steffi Graf (who sought the first Golden Slam in tennis) and Argentine rival Gabriela Sabatini (who'd just be content to give the tennis audience/fans a decent showing by at least making a good game with a Graf who was poised to be an unstoppable/runaway train). Cyclonus and Rodimus were interested to see how women's athletics in human civilization reflected a media-network interest in 'gender theatrics' (since both warrior-robots were fascinated by social customs).
CYCLONUS: I can't believe it...Sabatini's won the 2nd set!
RODIMUS: This is the first set Graf's dropped in 1988...
CYCLONUS: Not a quiet story for a Golden Slam quest-year.
RODIMUS: No; Sabatini has given tennis audiences a real treat!
CYCLONUS: Sabatini was expected to do the impossible --- topple Graf.
RODIMUS: Sabatini would've been satisfied with just offering a good contest.
CYCLONUS: Sabatini has achieved that; Graf has lost her first set in 1988!
RODIMUS: So media-coverage in women's sports creates ample gossip.
CYCLONUS: Media in human civilization symbolizes 'democratic communications.'
RODIMUS: Perhaps Graf-Sabatini will be considered a 'television trophy.'
After Cyclonus and Rodimus concluded their viewing of the 1988 US Open women's tennis final, which Graf ended up winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 (bouncing back soundedly after dropping her second and only set of 1988 to her Argentine rival Gabriela Sabatini), the two robots returned to Cybertron to present their report to their respective armies. Cyclonus told his fellow Decepticons that the Graf-Sabatini rivalry revealed competition-etiquette in women's sports media on Earth; Rodimus told his fellow Autobots that the Graf-Sabatini rivalry revealed competition-praise in women's sports media on Earth. Both Cyclonus and Rodimus agreed that the 1988 US Open women's tennis final was a grand showing of 'sportsmanship aesthetics.'
THE END
====
