[grafan92]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THMC7...e_gdata_player

[grafan92]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK8aB...e_gdata_player

[SelesGOAT]

gabybackhand, is that you playing tennis in the avatar you have?

[gabybackhand]

Yeah SelesG, that's me
Were you just curious about it?

I just watched the videos graffan posted, and they're great! I love Steffi's voice, her serene gentleness, and she is an attractive woman at my eyes, her hari, her eyes, and she still has those legs...

[Anabelcroft]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHMaZOd5TCg

[XTN]

Originally Posted by Anabelcroft

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHMaZOd5TCg

thanks for sharing this link.

[Ms. Anthropic]

Originally Posted by Anabelcroft

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHMaZOd5TCg

It is good to see that tradition of Steffi Graf references on NBC shows continues!

[Ms. Anthropic]

GRAF LIKES WAY PENDULUM SWINGS
Peter Alfano
The New York Times
Nov. 24, 1986

The paradox surrounding Steffi Graf's year was that the better she played, the less opponents feared her. She began 1986 with modest goals, hoping to win her first tournament and break into the top-10 ranking. She ended it yesterday, No. 3 in the world and an eight-time winner, making a shambles of her own timetable.

"A year ago," Graf said, "opponents were scared of me because I was young and had nothing to lose. Now, they play as if they have nothing to lose. They are not scared."

Losing to Martina Navratilova in yesterday's final of the Virginia Slims championships did not diminish Graf's accomplishments this year at the age of 17. She defeated Navratilova and Chris Evert Lloyd for the first time, which she said lifted her confidence, immeasurably.

"It was a difficult thing to do and that made it an unbelievable season," she said. "This year, I wanted to just improve my serve and backhand, but now, I have no time to improve. I don't have the life I had two years ago and it is very important not to think about what people expect of me."

It is a life, though, she said she would not trade. She will return to West Germany, play an exhibition match or two, perhaps also in the German championships, then put down her racquet until February. She will stay in shape by playing basketball and she is also planning a ski vacation.

"My father makes sure I do not play too much tennis," Graf said. "It's tough keeping my hands off a racquet. During my time off, there will be three and a half hours every day when I will have nothing to do. After a week, I get crazy." The emergence of Graf coincided with Boris Becker's rise to prominence on the men's tour. They were child prodigies, the best hopes of the West German Federation. They have succeeded in making tennis a national craze, although Becker's two Wimbledon championships has earned him more attention.

"When Boris came along, I had some quiet," Graf said. "There was no pressure."

Now, the pressure will mount. Graf has the potential to be No. 1 someday, but her most difficult task next year will be trying to equal this year's harvest. She is a baseliner who relies on a topspin forehand that many of the women say is the best on the tour. But it is also a Linus blanket, which can impede the development of her overall game. One of the things she will work on during the holiday season, is coming to the net.

"I can play the net," Graf said. "The trouble is getting there." She has more than enough time, however. When Navratilova was asked how much longer she can continue to dominate the tour, she said: "It depends on how much better Steffi gets."

[Stef-fan]

Lucky one!!

https://mobile.twitter.com/taniaobst...867968/photo/1

[djul14]

Originally Posted by Ms. Anthropic

It is good to see that tradition of Steffi Graf references on NBC shows continues!

??

[Ms. Anthropic]

Originally Posted by djul14

??

There are a surprising number of TV shows on the NBC network that have somehow mentioned Steffi from time to time. (Especially since tennis is not a top tier sport here, and one would think if a tennis player is going to be mentioned it would someone like Evert, Connors, or McEnroe from the Seventies Boom Time, or someone like Sampras, Agassi, or the Williams sisters from more recently.) First there was "Friends" when Joey says he is going to "buy the Knicks and Steffi Graf" if he wins the lottery. Then there was the "Mad About You" episode that had a quip about Viagra and a certain Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

Then there was a "West Wing" episode that had this exchange (I'm sure it's one Youtube but I lack the inclination to find it):

TOBY: You know the thing about you, Mr. President? It isn't so much that you cheat. It's how brazenly bad you are at it.

BARTLET: I beg your pardon?

JOSH: Toby's got a point there sir.

BARTLET: When have I ever cheated?

TOBY: Up on Florida, playing mixed doubles with me and C.J. You tried to tell us that your partner worked at the American Consulate in Vienna.

BARTLET: And she did!

TOBY: It was Steffi Graf, sir.

BARTLET: Well, I will admit that the woman bore a striking resemblance...

TOBY: It was Steffi Graf, you crazy lunatic! You think I'm not gonna recognize Steffi Graf when she's serving a tennis ball at me?

JOSH: Steffi Graf's won quite a few championships, sir. We've had many opportunities to see photographs.

And now this show, "Parks and Recreation," where one of the main characters has a definite "thing" for Steffi. I get the feeling it's a kind of private joke from behind the scenes.

[XTN]

Originally Posted by Ms. Anthropic

First there was "Friends" when Joey says he is going to "buy the Knicks and Steffi Graf" if he wins the lottery.

I vaguely remember this! And wow, that is quite a lot of Steffi Graf references. I think the Parks and Recreation one is the most interesting because it comes 13 years after Steffi's retirement.

[XTN]

Here's the Friends episode you mentioned: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHwci2b9Cb0

And apparently there's another one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGHbfwBqSss

[djul14]

Ah ok I didn't know there was so much references, all from NBC shows , I knew about the 2 from "friends" for sure (I am a huge fan) (Joey and Geller's Father) and the one from "Mad about you".
I remember I was curious back then, as before the internet here in France we only had "friends" available with french language, to know if they changed the name of the sportswoman to make it more european (they sometimes did it with some references), but no in the original version it was still Steffi

[Ms. Anthropic]

I think something important in Steffi's career happened today (October 18). How can it be 30 years already?