You Cannot Be Serious (43 page)
Read You Cannot Be Serious Online
Authors: John McEnroe;James Kaplan
Tags: #Sports, #McEnroe, #Personal Memoirs, #Biography, #United States, #John, #Tennis players, #Tennis players - United States, #Biography & Autobiography, #General, #Tennis, #Sports & Recreation
Carlos Goffi. Your enthusiasm and belief rubbed off on me. Your friendship has been so important, and your favorite phrase, “Tough it out,” still rings in my head.
Tony Palafox. You taught me how to play. You were a great coach, and you are an even nicer man.
Sergio “I’ve got to go to the bathroom” Palmieri. All these years you stood by me through thick and thin, and made me feel at home in Europe.
Gary Swain. Still working tirelessly after all these years, trying to keep the Mac train rolling.
Bill Norris, ATP trainer and John Denver look-alike. You always brought a smile to work, and we players appreciate it.
Todd Snyder, ATP trainer. Thanks for keeping the body together, and for the locker-room support.
Bobby Russo.
Lamar Hunt. Thanks for your immense contribution to tennis, and for the integrity you brought to the game.
All my friends at Tennisport: Fred and Andrea Botur, Daniel, Juan Carlos, Alex, Luis, and Mike, among others.
Vitas Gerulaitis. I still miss you.
Dr. Irving Glick. No, I don’t need any more minerals, but I did always value your support.
Dr. Omar Fareed, Davis Cup doctor, probably the world’s nicest man, with the world’s nicest tan.
Other tennis thank-yous go to Peter Fleming, Peter Rennert, Yannick Noah, Pat Cash, Mel Purcell, Gary Muller, Tom Cain, Bill Maze, Andres Gomez, Diego Perez, Mats Wilander, Matt Mitchell, David Dowlen, Dave Sherbeck, Guillermo Vilas, Brian Teacher, Jim “Rock” Courier, Andre Agassi, Hank Harris, Joe “Right-hand Man” Guiliano, Tony “Left-hand Man” Graham.
Marshall Coben. My old L.A. friend, always calm around the storm.
Patrick O’Neal. We’re still friends—need I say more?
Eric Fischl. You helped me more in the art world than anyone else. And your enthusiasm for tennis continues to rub off on me.
Joe Namath and Rod Laver. My idols growing up, and two great, down-to-earth guys.
George Foreman. My new inspiration: to be the George Foreman of tennis.
Kenny Margerum. Once a buddy, always a buddy.
Eric Heiden. I tried to emulate your drive; your legs are a little too big.
Chris Mullin. Another Irish city boy who did good.
Steve Dinkes. For making my U.S. Opens more pleasurable, and for being a friend.
The John McEnroe Band: Chris Scianni, Rich Novatka, John Martarelli, Dave Borla, and Keith Mack. Rest in peace.
Chrissie Hynde and Martin Chambers, the last Pretenders. For teaching me about rock and roll.
Lisa Robinson and Ron Delsner, ditto.
To my friends in Sun Valley, particularly Tom Drougas and Adi Erber, for making me feel at home.
Other thank-yous for keeping my body and mind together go to Cynthia Tucker, Martin Barlow, Drew Francis, Dan Harvey, and especially Tony Meduri, for being there at a tough time.
My friends in L.A.: Lou and Paige Adler (for loving Emily so much); Chris Chelios; Fred Hoffman; The Irish Mafia: John Cusack, John C. McGinley and D.B. Sweeney; Dennis and Caroline Miller. Dennis, our friendship was really strengthened when we were canned from ABC within a week of each other! And Jack Nicholson, for telling me not to change a thing.
Bill Acquavella. Thanks for the honest art advice.
Larry Salander. You are a wild and crazy guy, and a friend!”
Jerry Lee. My bus driver from Buckley, who made me feel special at an early age.
The lady from Nedick’s in Penn Station, who, when I was in ninth and tenth grade, gave me more free hot dogs and Cokes than I could imagine. I wish I knew your name; I’d love to pay back your kindness.
Jordan Tinker. My gallery right-hand man—now it’s time to be an artist.
Chuck Bennett of IMG. For kick-starting my TV career.
Richard Lynch. A fellow tennis player who lived on my block in Douglaston when I was growing up, and who perished in the World Trade Center disaster.
The New York City firefighters. The real heroes.
—
John McEnroe
I would like to acknowledge the following people for providing invaluable background information on John McEnroe’s life and career: Mary Carillo, Bud Collins, Jim Delaney, Peter Fleming, Andrew Franklin, Dick Gould, John and Kay McEnroe, Mark McEnroe, Patrick McEnroe, Bill McGowan, Tony Palafox, Sergio Palmieri, Stacy Margolin Potter, Peter Rennert, Doug Saputo, Eugene Scott, Patty Smyth, Gary Swain, and Richard Weisman.
I would also like to thank Philippe Dore, Jim McManus, and Greg Sharko of the Association of Tennis Professionals for providing essential ranking data.
I am most grateful to Ted Panken for his superbly intelligent transcription.
And to Joy Harris, for taking me through the dark forest, and bringing me out of it.
Last, I would like to express gratitude beyond measure to Karen Cumbus and Roberta Wennik-Kaplan.
—
James Kaplan
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