WEBVTT - Patrick McEnroe 0:00:03.360 --> 0:00:05.760 Welcome to The No Sports Report, a production of I 0:00:05.880 --> 0:00:14.040 Heart Radio Entry Fort Media. My name is Jensen Carpet. 0:00:14.040 --> 0:00:16.640 I'm a sportsman, and yes I'm excited about the never 0:00:16.760 --> 0:00:19.040 ending breaking news about what leagues are coming back soon, 0:00:19.400 --> 0:00:23.040 but also so many athletes are testing positive. Malcolm Brogden, 0:00:23.200 --> 0:00:26.880 Charlie Blackman, Novak Djokovic. The Phillies disclosed that seven players 0:00:26.880 --> 0:00:30.080 have had COVID nineteen and an astounding student athletes at 0:00:30.080 --> 0:00:33.560 Clemson University have tested positive. So let's not pretend like 0:00:33.560 --> 0:00:35.559 we're out of the woods yet. Every day is going 0:00:35.560 --> 0:00:37.680 to be an adventure. And I think we're just touching 0:00:37.680 --> 0:00:40.280 the surface. And after you touch a surface, please wash 0:00:40.320 --> 0:00:42.800 your hands. And yes, I'm still talking to athletes and 0:00:42.840 --> 0:00:45.920 sports industry professionals about what they're doing during this weird time, 0:00:46.240 --> 0:00:48.599 hoping to figure out if famous competing as much as 0:00:48.600 --> 0:00:50.760 I miss watching it. This is the No Sports Report, 0:00:51.040 --> 0:00:56.960 with some sports now over forty episodes in and tennis legend. 0:00:57.000 --> 0:00:59.960 Pat McEnroe is my first guest who was actually diagnosed 0:01:00.040 --> 0:01:02.920 with coronavirus. The former captain of the U. S. Davis 0:01:02.920 --> 0:01:05.360 Cup has had some success in singles, but was a 0:01:05.440 --> 0:01:08.720 highly decorated doubles player with sixteen titles, most notably one 0:01:08.760 --> 0:01:11.960 at the French Open. His brother John might be more 0:01:12.000 --> 0:01:14.560 remembered for his signature temper on the court, but Pat 0:01:14.560 --> 0:01:16.040 has went on to work in the development of young 0:01:16.120 --> 0:01:18.880 tennis players as an Olympic captain at Athens two thousand 0:01:18.920 --> 0:01:21.160 four and the former general manager of U s t 0:01:21.319 --> 0:01:24.240 A player development. He's also a prolific tennis announcer and 0:01:24.280 --> 0:01:27.279 an analyst for ESPN. Who, yes, back in March, tested 0:01:27.280 --> 0:01:30.280 positive for COVID nineteen. He spent two weeks in his basement, 0:01:30.280 --> 0:01:32.760 avoiding his wife and teenage daughters like some sort of 0:01:32.760 --> 0:01:35.200 tennis racket, holding Bob a duke, and was able to 0:01:35.200 --> 0:01:37.920 actually be productive if you can believe it. Now, out 0:01:37.959 --> 0:01:41.280 of captivity, we speak about his symptoms, diversity and tennis, 0:01:41.319 --> 0:01:43.960 and our favorite Ben Stiller movies. Let's find out more 0:01:44.000 --> 0:01:46.240 about this virus that halted sports in the first place 0:01:46.480 --> 0:01:49.920 with Pat McEnroe on this episode of the No Sports Report. 0:01:50.480 --> 0:02:01.880 With some Sports Now, Patrick back in Rome to except 0:02:02.000 --> 0:02:06.560 press one. Patrick, Yes it is Jensen. Yes, Well, I 0:02:06.560 --> 0:02:08.919 wanted to start off by just asking, we've been going 0:02:08.919 --> 0:02:12.120 through this insane time in American history. Where have you 0:02:12.200 --> 0:02:14.600 been quarantining sort of hold up with and who have 0:02:14.639 --> 0:02:17.280 you been with? Well, I've been with my family. Luckily, 0:02:17.320 --> 0:02:19.720 we lived just outside New York City up in Westchester, 0:02:19.919 --> 0:02:22.240 and we moved here a number of years ago, so 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:25.760 we were already sort of in a self quarantine, self 0:02:25.840 --> 0:02:28.960 imposed in early to mid March, and about a week 0:02:29.080 --> 0:02:31.080 or so into that, and my kid that already started 0:02:31.400 --> 0:02:33.600 their online school. I said to my wife one night, 0:02:33.680 --> 0:02:35.760 you know, I'm I haven't been feeling well for a 0:02:35.800 --> 0:02:38.120 couple of days. And looked at her and I said, yeah, 0:02:38.120 --> 0:02:40.240 I think it's time maybe to take my temperature. So 0:02:40.280 --> 0:02:43.320 I took my temperature. Sure enough, I was over a hundred. 0:02:43.480 --> 0:02:45.400 Wasn't that bad. I was about a hundred point five. 0:02:46.040 --> 0:02:48.079 But I've been feeling weak and sort of tired and 0:02:48.160 --> 0:02:50.160 a key for a number of days. So then we 0:02:50.280 --> 0:02:52.400 put me in the basement. Luckily, we've got a basement 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:55.760 which actually have access to go inside and outside the house. 0:02:56.400 --> 0:02:58.200 I was able to see my I was able to 0:02:58.200 --> 0:03:00.799 see my family just sort of from a since. But 0:03:00.919 --> 0:03:03.519 I stayed in the basement. I could walk outside and 0:03:03.720 --> 0:03:05.480 you know, take my dog for a walk, and my 0:03:05.520 --> 0:03:09.960 wife would deliver me meals inside in my area to basement, 0:03:10.000 --> 0:03:12.360 so she would come down with gloves and mask and 0:03:12.520 --> 0:03:14.840 deliver me food. So that's how we survived for about 0:03:14.840 --> 0:03:16.720 a month doing that. Wow, I mean, I know you've 0:03:16.720 --> 0:03:18.880 been talking about it NonStop for months. You are actually 0:03:18.960 --> 0:03:21.959 my first guest who did positively test for COVID nineteen. 0:03:22.000 --> 0:03:23.760 We've had athletes who think they have, but we all 0:03:23.800 --> 0:03:26.640 know those people. First symptom you're saying was just a 0:03:26.680 --> 0:03:28.960 little bit of a fever. That was truly the first 0:03:29.000 --> 0:03:32.240 feeling you had. Actually before that, I had a little 0:03:32.240 --> 0:03:34.960 more of a I would just say overall fatigue and 0:03:35.360 --> 0:03:38.000 body aches, and that was a little unusual. I was 0:03:38.280 --> 0:03:40.440 having a little trouble sleeping at night, so I just 0:03:40.440 --> 0:03:43.440 just wasn't really feeling myself for a couple of days. 0:03:43.520 --> 0:03:46.080 And uh, it was really when I took my temperature 0:03:46.120 --> 0:03:48.360 that I realized, Okay, I might, you know, maybe actually 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:51.400 have this. I had a little bit of shortness of breath, 0:03:51.480 --> 0:03:53.840 which kind of came and went throughout a month or so. 0:03:53.920 --> 0:03:56.160 In fact, I still feel that a little bit now 0:03:56.320 --> 0:03:58.320 when I take a deep breath, when I talk a lot, 0:03:58.360 --> 0:04:00.800 when I maybe run up a hill something like that. 0:04:00.840 --> 0:04:03.960 So it feels like there's a little something maybe left 0:04:04.040 --> 0:04:06.440 over from it. But I never felt at the point 0:04:06.520 --> 0:04:08.960 where I was in any danger I needed to go 0:04:09.000 --> 0:04:10.840 to hospital. You know. I was in communication with my 0:04:10.960 --> 0:04:15.240 doctor fairly regularly. Of course, at that time, everything was 0:04:15.680 --> 0:04:17.840 hitting the fan here in this area, particularly in New 0:04:17.880 --> 0:04:20.960 York City and in Westchester, So my doctors and the 0:04:21.000 --> 0:04:23.240 people that were speaking to were dealing with generally much 0:04:23.279 --> 0:04:25.599 more serious cases than mine. Yeah, and so you have 0:04:25.720 --> 0:04:29.320 three teenage daughters. You also, your wife is a Broadway actress. 0:04:29.360 --> 0:04:32.719 Her obviously her industry was pretty much decimated at that 0:04:32.760 --> 0:04:35.440 time too. I mean, were there any nerves about you 0:04:35.480 --> 0:04:38.400 passing it along? Did anyone else feel sick at the time, Well, 0:04:38.400 --> 0:04:41.520 no one felt sick. You know, my wife is pretty healthy. Obviously, 0:04:41.560 --> 0:04:44.040 we were. We were nervous about it. Our kids as well, 0:04:44.080 --> 0:04:46.800 but you know, they'd have You always go back and think, well, 0:04:46.839 --> 0:04:49.400 did someone have a cough at some point? And one 0:04:49.440 --> 0:04:52.160 of my twins, my twins are eleven, my oldest is fourteen. 0:04:52.320 --> 0:04:55.080 She had a a little bit of cough at one point, 0:04:55.160 --> 0:04:58.279 and and funnily enough, he actually went into the antibody 0:04:58.279 --> 0:05:01.480 test just last week. And one of my eleven year 0:05:01.520 --> 0:05:03.919 olds was the only one to test positive for the 0:05:03.960 --> 0:05:07.080 anti bodo. I did not test positive for the antibis, 0:05:07.160 --> 0:05:09.839 so it's very strange. You know, the doctor can't make 0:05:09.839 --> 0:05:11.919 the heads or tails of it. So I think, like 0:05:11.960 --> 0:05:15.360 everything else that's happened with the virus, it's basically the 0:05:15.400 --> 0:05:18.040 medical community seems to be playing a guessing game as 0:05:18.040 --> 0:05:21.560 they get more information Seymour cases, and that appears to 0:05:21.600 --> 0:05:24.159 be basically where we are. Still, does that mean that 0:05:24.200 --> 0:05:26.400 the eleven year old did have it? We don't know 0:05:26.520 --> 0:05:29.159 for sure. I mean we think it's it's certainly possible, 0:05:29.240 --> 0:05:32.040 but you would think so. Actually, our neighbor next door 0:05:32.040 --> 0:05:33.880 neighbor is a family of five as well. They have 0:05:33.920 --> 0:05:36.720 older kids that are also in a ten ten year 0:05:36.760 --> 0:05:39.200 old girl, and she was the only one to test 0:05:39.200 --> 0:05:42.520 positive in their family. So who the heck knows. Maybe 0:05:42.600 --> 0:05:45.200 I gave it to my daughter, maybe she gave it 0:05:45.240 --> 0:05:47.520 to me. You know, most kids luckily knock on wood, 0:05:48.000 --> 0:05:50.919 don't um, you know, fight it off pretty quickly. I 0:05:51.080 --> 0:05:53.680 was lucky to also fight it off pretty easily as well. 0:05:53.960 --> 0:05:56.400 So sense of smell and taste, all that that weird 0:05:56.440 --> 0:05:58.800 thing we hear from people. Did you lose that I did? 0:05:58.800 --> 0:06:00.640 Not lose that, but I had a quite a few 0:06:00.680 --> 0:06:03.440 friends I actually live in my neighborhood that had lost that. 0:06:03.480 --> 0:06:05.960 I had a few other friends and men in my 0:06:06.080 --> 0:06:08.719 age group forty five to fifty five in that range 0:06:08.720 --> 0:06:12.320 that I communicated with. I had much worse symptoms at night, 0:06:12.440 --> 0:06:16.679 especially with the sweats and the very high fever. Really, 0:06:16.760 --> 0:06:19.320 skies have really struggled with it. So I felt again 0:06:19.360 --> 0:06:21.360 that I was pretty lucky that I never had that. 0:06:21.680 --> 0:06:23.560 In fact, when I finally went to the test, I 0:06:23.600 --> 0:06:26.240 was a little surprised that I still had it, because 0:06:26.279 --> 0:06:28.280 I felt pretty good. Had been down to my basement 0:06:28.279 --> 0:06:29.880 at that point for about two weeks. It took me 0:06:29.920 --> 0:06:32.080 a while to actually get the tests, you know, the 0:06:32.120 --> 0:06:34.680 state was just getting the testing system up and running. 0:06:35.000 --> 0:06:37.120 So I went to one of those drive through locations. 0:06:37.160 --> 0:06:39.039 Finally it took about a week and just booked the 0:06:39.080 --> 0:06:41.400 test and they asked you all the questions, you know, 0:06:41.480 --> 0:06:43.159 have you been out of the country, how sick have 0:06:43.240 --> 0:06:45.520 you been? Have you been in contact with people that 0:06:45.960 --> 0:06:48.120 have had it? Of course I had no idea. I've 0:06:48.160 --> 0:06:51.080 been to Australia for the Australian Open at the end 0:06:51.120 --> 0:06:53.440 of January, so I was a little surprised when it 0:06:53.480 --> 0:06:56.159 came back positive. Uh. And then I went back for 0:06:56.200 --> 0:06:58.479 a test with my wife a couple of weeks later, 0:06:58.560 --> 0:07:02.000 and we both tested negative. I mean, it's so confusing, 0:07:02.400 --> 0:07:04.719 Like you said, there's so many conflicting reports about what 0:07:04.760 --> 0:07:06.480 we should be looking for. I mean, one of them 0:07:06.480 --> 0:07:09.400 that I think I'm I'm most bewildered by is if 0:07:09.440 --> 0:07:11.360 we can catch it a second time or not as 0:07:11.400 --> 0:07:13.240 someone who's already had it. What do you know about it? 0:07:13.600 --> 0:07:15.920 I don't know much about it other than it's possible. 0:07:15.960 --> 0:07:18.400 So every time I go out or uh, you know, 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:21.040 I'm wearing my mask, you know, look to me, is 0:07:21.160 --> 0:07:23.120 change at least in the last month or so. Is 0:07:23.120 --> 0:07:26.320 that doesn't appear where it's concerned about getting it by 0:07:26.320 --> 0:07:28.880 touching things. You know, initially we were you know, it's 0:07:28.920 --> 0:07:30.560 wearing gloves to go to the store, to go to 0:07:30.560 --> 0:07:32.360 the pharmacy. I was sort of the one that would 0:07:32.360 --> 0:07:35.400 pick by the family to go out and pick things 0:07:35.480 --> 0:07:37.560 up when we needed them. So I would do that, 0:07:37.600 --> 0:07:39.560 I would wear the mask, the gloves, et cetera. That 0:07:39.640 --> 0:07:43.080 doesn't seem to be what the current you know, medical 0:07:43.440 --> 0:07:46.320 uh knowledge says. It's more about the transmission through the air. 0:07:46.400 --> 0:07:48.400 So you see a lot of people, at least here 0:07:48.400 --> 0:07:50.640 in this part of the country where I go, wearing 0:07:50.720 --> 0:07:53.800 masks when when they're out going to the store, etcetera. 0:07:53.960 --> 0:07:55.560 You can't even go into a store if you don't 0:07:55.560 --> 0:07:58.360 have a mask. So, uh that that to me seems 0:07:58.360 --> 0:08:00.560 to be the biggest issue at this point. But the 0:08:00.640 --> 0:08:03.320 short answer your question is who the heck nots? Yeah, 0:08:03.320 --> 0:08:06.120 who knows you? You're a busy guy all over the place, 0:08:06.160 --> 0:08:08.920 so many different jobs over your career. You quarantined yourself 0:08:09.000 --> 0:08:11.480 in a basement until you were negative, you said about 0:08:11.480 --> 0:08:13.880 a month. There's a part of me that would love 0:08:13.960 --> 0:08:17.240 to be completely shut out, not have any responsibilities. What 0:08:17.280 --> 0:08:19.640 did you do in the basement? But when you got 0:08:19.680 --> 0:08:21.920 this time to yourself, what did you check off the list? 0:08:21.920 --> 0:08:24.040 Did you did you finally watch the wire? Did you 0:08:24.080 --> 0:08:27.240 did you take up a hobby? Well, I finally cleaned 0:08:27.240 --> 0:08:29.640 my office which is downstairs here in the basement, So 0:08:29.760 --> 0:08:32.160 I I did that. That took me a couple of days. 0:08:32.200 --> 0:08:34.400 And then, uh, you know, I watched some shows that 0:08:34.679 --> 0:08:37.160 you know, being a being married and having three young kids, 0:08:37.160 --> 0:08:39.200 you don't have we don't have that much time to 0:08:39.200 --> 0:08:41.360 get into a particular show. So I watched a lot 0:08:41.440 --> 0:08:45.520 of old episodes of Homeland and I started um Ozark, 0:08:45.679 --> 0:08:48.079 so I like, I enjoyed that. That that lasted for 0:08:48.120 --> 0:08:50.040 a little while, but then I got into this podcast. 0:08:50.080 --> 0:08:53.400 I had a podcast portable machine in my basement that 0:08:53.440 --> 0:08:56.560 I had been preparing to start my own podcast really 0:08:56.559 --> 0:08:59.800 going back to last year, and so it was some 0:09:00.000 --> 0:09:01.640 and that I had on my mind for a long time. 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:04.319 Then I had the idea to interview people that were 0:09:04.360 --> 0:09:07.160 successful in their own right, in their own world and 0:09:07.240 --> 0:09:11.359 had an interest in tennis, but tennis wasn't necessarily their profession. 0:09:11.880 --> 0:09:14.840 So I was stared at this machine. I said, you know, 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:16.560 maybe now be a good time to figure this thing 0:09:16.600 --> 0:09:19.120 out and learn this. And so I did that, and 0:09:19.160 --> 0:09:21.719 then I you know, started looking at people that I've 0:09:21.760 --> 0:09:24.400 come across over the years that I know and basically 0:09:24.440 --> 0:09:26.400 just did it myself, figured out how to use the machine, 0:09:26.559 --> 0:09:29.959 started calling people, and started my own podcast. So that's 0:09:29.960 --> 0:09:31.560 been a lot of fun. That's kept me busy. In 0:09:31.559 --> 0:09:34.040 the last month. We've been able to get back, you know, 0:09:34.040 --> 0:09:36.280 our tennis academy. I work at the John Macino Tennis 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:39.280 Academy that my brothers started here in New York City 0:09:39.400 --> 0:09:41.760 about ten years ago, so I joined up with him 0:09:41.800 --> 0:09:44.959 there about four years ago. We haven't been able to 0:09:45.040 --> 0:09:48.000 yet open our facility in Randall's Island, which is part 0:09:48.000 --> 0:09:50.080 of New York City, but we've been able to open 0:09:50.200 --> 0:09:53.720 other clubs that the company owns in the New York era. 0:09:53.800 --> 0:09:55.920 So I've actually been going out and and working with 0:09:55.960 --> 0:09:58.679 the kids and even adults, giving lessons to the club 0:09:58.760 --> 0:10:00.520 to try to help the club just back on his feet, 0:10:00.559 --> 0:10:02.480 and so that's been a lot of fun. So between 0:10:02.520 --> 0:10:06.199 the podcast and obviously managing the home front with my wife, 0:10:06.200 --> 0:10:09.160 who's been amazing through this aduce at her career, at 0:10:09.240 --> 0:10:14.120 least performing live um in front of people has disappeared, 0:10:14.120 --> 0:10:15.760 but she's been able to do a lot of performing 0:10:15.920 --> 0:10:17.640 from the house and doing a lot of shows. You've 0:10:17.640 --> 0:10:20.800 got another one coming up shortly. So she's really learned 0:10:20.840 --> 0:10:23.120 as well how to use a certain mic, use a 0:10:23.160 --> 0:10:26.040 certain lighting system. And I've had obviously do some of 0:10:26.080 --> 0:10:28.640 that as well with the podcast and also with just 0:10:28.720 --> 0:10:32.000 doing interviews here at home. More with Patrick after this 0:10:34.480 --> 0:10:38.200 now let's get back to Patrick. So on the tennis front, 0:10:38.640 --> 0:10:40.640 the US Open is set to be one of the 0:10:40.679 --> 0:10:43.760 largest American sporting events back up in action quickly set 0:10:43.800 --> 0:10:45.720 to begin at the end of August. But there's still 0:10:45.720 --> 0:10:48.280 some mystery around if players will be comfortable. You're seeing 0:10:48.280 --> 0:10:50.400 that in the NBA and Major League Baseball. There's so 0:10:50.400 --> 0:10:54.360 many regulations and questions about safety. If you were still playing, 0:10:54.720 --> 0:10:57.720 what would you do well, it's a great, great question. 0:10:57.760 --> 0:10:59.560 I mean, first of all, let's put this on the 0:10:59.600 --> 0:11:03.240 table that tennis is arguably the most global sport there 0:11:03.320 --> 0:11:05.040 is as far as players coming from all over the 0:11:05.080 --> 0:11:06.960 world and having to travel all over the world. Even 0:11:07.000 --> 0:11:10.120 the Gulf Tour, which is very global, it's essentially the 0:11:10.160 --> 0:11:12.480 most of the American players play in America and most 0:11:12.480 --> 0:11:14.960 of the European players play in Europe. They don't hop 0:11:15.000 --> 0:11:17.880 scotch the world as much as tennis players do. So 0:11:17.960 --> 0:11:20.880 that's a complication for tennis because you've got to deal 0:11:20.920 --> 0:11:24.560 with many different countries and governments and where they at 0:11:24.640 --> 0:11:27.520 in this process. But tennis of the sport is a 0:11:27.600 --> 0:11:30.719 very easy game to manage, so I think as a professional. Uh, 0:11:30.760 --> 0:11:32.920 the other thing, you have to remembers that most tennis 0:11:32.920 --> 0:11:36.120 players essentially go paycheck to paycheck. I mean, they make 0:11:36.160 --> 0:11:38.440 their money, how well they do in tournament. Of course, 0:11:38.480 --> 0:11:41.400 you hear about Nadow and Fetter and Serene Williams and 0:11:41.559 --> 0:11:43.719 and they've made tons of money. They don't need, per 0:11:43.760 --> 0:11:47.520 se the money that the tennis tour provides uh to 0:11:47.720 --> 0:11:50.560 keep them going. But a lot of players, even players 0:11:50.600 --> 0:11:52.600 that are pretty highly ranked, I mean, they're not making 0:11:52.640 --> 0:11:56.000 any money. You know, they're not like athletes in basketball, uh, 0:11:56.040 --> 0:11:58.600 in hockey and baseball. Baseball is having their own issues 0:11:58.600 --> 0:12:00.160 at the moment, but you know that they're in team 0:12:00.160 --> 0:12:03.160 sports where they're stilletting a paycheck. So tennis players, I 0:12:03.200 --> 0:12:07.080 think have the way that against obviously traveling, most of 0:12:07.080 --> 0:12:10.680 the players coming from Europe coming to the US being quarantined. Essentially, 0:12:10.760 --> 0:12:13.960 you're having to stay in one hotel by JFK Airport 0:12:14.040 --> 0:12:17.160 and deal with all the parameters that are being put 0:12:17.200 --> 0:12:20.120 in place, which is completely abnormal to what they're used to. 0:12:20.200 --> 0:12:22.800 They could usually have their own entourage, they can stay 0:12:22.800 --> 0:12:24.640 in New York City, they can go out, they can 0:12:24.640 --> 0:12:26.959 basically do whatever they want. But if they're gonna come 0:12:26.960 --> 0:12:29.400 and play in the US Open, at least as far 0:12:29.440 --> 0:12:31.520 as the way the rules are now, they're gonna have 0:12:31.559 --> 0:12:33.640 to bide by a lot of rules and regulations that 0:12:33.679 --> 0:12:36.120 they're not used to. Yeah, and that brings up another 0:12:36.160 --> 0:12:38.240 question that we we see in every sport also, which is, 0:12:38.280 --> 0:12:40.920 you know, Serena Williams saying she will participate in adult 0:12:41.040 --> 0:12:43.800 you know, won't Will this be a real US Open, 0:12:43.800 --> 0:12:46.480 because I'm nervous that all of these sports that are gonna, 0:12:46.640 --> 0:12:48.760 you know, come back in are gonna have these weird 0:12:48.800 --> 0:12:51.880 asterisks next to whoever wins these things. Oh well, it's 0:12:51.920 --> 0:12:54.680 not the same. It was a different surrounding, different environment. 0:12:54.800 --> 0:12:58.400 All the players weren't there. Well, tennis has been through 0:12:58.840 --> 0:13:01.559 something like this or nothing like the pandemic obviously, but 0:13:01.640 --> 0:13:04.600 there's a strike at Wimbledon, you know, back in the seventies, 0:13:04.679 --> 0:13:07.840 and so that affected who wanted. The Australian Open for 0:13:07.880 --> 0:13:10.320 many years was sort of an afterthought until it moved 0:13:10.320 --> 0:13:12.520 to Melbourne Park. It used to be a tournament over 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:14.800 Christmas time and most of the top players, a lot 0:13:14.800 --> 0:13:17.319 of them didn't even go. So of course there will 0:13:17.320 --> 0:13:19.360 be an asterisk, I believe, just like there will be 0:13:19.360 --> 0:13:22.040 if the NBA plays, you know, if if baseball plays 0:13:22.080 --> 0:13:25.080 eight games and the NHL just goes right to the playoffs. 0:13:25.080 --> 0:13:26.880 So I think that will happen. But I think you 0:13:26.880 --> 0:13:29.000 have to weigh that against Okay, what's the alternative you'll 0:13:29.000 --> 0:13:31.559 turn the I mean, assuming it's safe. Okay, that's that's 0:13:31.640 --> 0:13:33.719 number one. Have to be safe and healthy for the 0:13:33.840 --> 0:13:36.600 players and participants in the people involved with putting on 0:13:36.679 --> 0:13:38.840 the on the game, whatever sport it is. If you 0:13:38.880 --> 0:13:41.760 assume that's the case, then it's like, well, you know, 0:13:41.920 --> 0:13:43.880 as I've said many times, if my choice is to 0:13:43.960 --> 0:13:47.440 have a US open with no fans and all these 0:13:47.480 --> 0:13:50.880 other issues and potentially not every player playing for the 0:13:50.960 --> 0:13:54.720 reasons that you outline, or having um no U S open, 0:13:55.120 --> 0:13:57.199 I mean I'll take the former every time. I'll take 0:13:57.200 --> 0:13:59.679 a US open with with no fans, and because I 0:13:59.720 --> 0:14:01.440 think that's in the best interest of the game and 0:14:01.480 --> 0:14:04.400 certainly for the majority of players. At least you give 0:14:04.440 --> 0:14:07.840 them the decision. Uh, it's in their hands. If you come, 0:14:08.160 --> 0:14:10.040 you can play, and you can make a living. It's 0:14:10.080 --> 0:14:13.480 also obviously just important for our entire country, in our society, 0:14:13.559 --> 0:14:17.160 right to get back to some semblance of normalcy, whatever 0:14:17.200 --> 0:14:19.960 that may be. Restaurants in my town are opening, they're 0:14:20.000 --> 0:14:23.240 all outdoor seating. You know, things are starting to open up. 0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:25.440 At least here in the New York area. So I 0:14:25.480 --> 0:14:27.840 think that this would be a step for tennis to 0:14:27.960 --> 0:14:31.480 do the same. And you are a prolific play by 0:14:31.480 --> 0:14:34.360 play announcer. What what does broadcasting of tennis look like 0:14:34.400 --> 0:14:36.200 at the US Open? Do do we see a change 0:14:36.200 --> 0:14:37.640 in that as well? You guys gonna be on the 0:14:37.680 --> 0:14:39.760 other side of the court. I think there's gonna be 0:14:39.840 --> 0:14:42.280 a huge change. I mean, first of all, with no fans, 0:14:42.280 --> 0:14:44.680 it's gonna be a whole different sound that you hear 0:14:44.680 --> 0:14:46.640 over over. In fact, that was on a zoom call 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:49.440 with all of our announcers at ESPN and our our 0:14:49.560 --> 0:14:52.120 coordinating and producer just the other day when the USC 0:14:52.240 --> 0:14:55.440 announced their plans. So it's going to affect our plans, 0:14:55.480 --> 0:14:57.120 you know, in a big way, not just obviously the 0:14:57.120 --> 0:14:59.400 production side. How many people are allowed on the site, 0:15:00.040 --> 0:15:03.800 who's allowed to get into the facility? Well, what if 0:15:03.840 --> 0:15:05.920 we have a courtside person that we normally do, the 0:15:05.920 --> 0:15:07.400 players will be able to hear them because there'll be 0:15:07.480 --> 0:15:10.600 no fans, you know, there's no buzz, even even the commentators. 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:13.480 So the one part of it is it will likely 0:15:13.560 --> 0:15:17.600 be the only broadcasting company there because of this, So 0:15:17.640 --> 0:15:21.720 all the Europeans and the international television companies will likely 0:15:21.760 --> 0:15:24.120 not be there. So that means that all those areas 0:15:24.160 --> 0:15:26.280 where they normally rent them out from the US, they 0:15:26.320 --> 0:15:28.240 will be open. So I don't think we'll have any trouble, 0:15:28.520 --> 0:15:31.560 I meaning an ESPN distancing if you even have two 0:15:31.680 --> 0:15:34.640 commentators in a commentary booth, because they're usually pretty big, 0:15:35.000 --> 0:15:36.920 and if not, you could just put one here, one 0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:39.760 there and spread us out pretty easily. Yeah, I mean, 0:15:39.760 --> 0:15:42.480 it is comical to think that they might hear you, guys. 0:15:43.400 --> 0:15:46.320 I know because usually Arthur asked, stadium we're about midway 0:15:46.440 --> 0:15:48.920 up uh in the stadium, but it's open, you know, 0:15:48.920 --> 0:15:50.600 because it gives you a feel, it gives a fresh 0:15:50.600 --> 0:15:52.840 air and get a feel for the environment. But if 0:15:52.840 --> 0:15:56.680 there's no um people there, the players will definitely be 0:15:56.720 --> 0:15:59.400 able to hear, you know, particularly in a broadcasting voice, 0:15:59.400 --> 0:16:02.520 where usually up the volume a little bit. So you know, Wimbledon, 0:16:02.600 --> 0:16:04.640 for example, we're right next to the court when we 0:16:04.720 --> 0:16:07.160 do the Wimbledon finals from what's called the bunker. They're 0:16:07.280 --> 0:16:09.440 right by court side, so when the players play, we 0:16:09.560 --> 0:16:12.920 close the window. There's otherwise they could hear you very clearly. 0:16:13.120 --> 0:16:15.280 So close to the court so depending on what the 0:16:15.280 --> 0:16:18.280 tournament is, what the environment is, We're pretty much used 0:16:18.280 --> 0:16:19.840 to whatever it is. I used to call tons of 0:16:19.880 --> 0:16:23.240 matches when I first started ESPN from the studio in Connecticut, 0:16:23.280 --> 0:16:25.600 you know, called the Italian Open, called the French Open. 0:16:25.680 --> 0:16:29.080 So and tennis channel still does that, So that's certainly doable. 0:16:29.120 --> 0:16:31.800 It's always better to be there and and to feel 0:16:31.800 --> 0:16:33.520 the energy. I was going to say the players and 0:16:33.680 --> 0:16:36.000 the crowd, but there will be no crowd. So the 0:16:36.040 --> 0:16:38.200 other question is do you bring in sound? You know, 0:16:38.400 --> 0:16:40.080 you come up with fakes, sound like they're doing that 0:16:40.120 --> 0:16:43.200 in Europe and in soccer. They're having one channel where 0:16:43.240 --> 0:16:46.080 you can listen to just the sound of what's going 0:16:46.080 --> 0:16:47.600 on in the field, and then they have another one 0:16:47.640 --> 0:16:50.840 that has sort of simulated crowd noise as well. So 0:16:50.880 --> 0:16:53.280 I think they left the viewer decide which one they'd 0:16:53.280 --> 0:16:55.000 like to do. It's like an SAP button on your 0:16:55.040 --> 0:16:57.040 TV if you want to hear in Spanish, so they 0:16:57.120 --> 0:16:58.760 might try to do that in tennis as well. It's 0:16:58.760 --> 0:17:02.280 an opportunity for us and broadcasting certainly to try some 0:17:02.400 --> 0:17:04.720 different things because obviously we're gonna have to keep the 0:17:04.760 --> 0:17:08.320 attention of the viewer um without having you know, the 0:17:08.320 --> 0:17:10.760 crowd and all the different shots you can show, because 0:17:10.800 --> 0:17:13.080 remember in a tennis match, you're just watching two players. 0:17:13.440 --> 0:17:16.119 You know, golf tournaments different you follow a golf tournament, 0:17:16.119 --> 0:17:18.880 you could pop around to each different hole and even 0:17:18.880 --> 0:17:22.600 in the final round you can see loads of different players. Tennis, 0:17:22.880 --> 0:17:25.480 you've got to do a little more sometimes to entertain 0:17:25.520 --> 0:17:28.639 the audience than just having two players, particularly the matches, 0:17:28.640 --> 0:17:31.919 and that compelling after this more with tennis legend and 0:17:31.920 --> 0:17:40.040 host of the podcast, Holding Court Patrick McEnroe. Right now, 0:17:40.119 --> 0:17:44.160 Feeding America is working tirelessly to ensure our most vulnerable populations, 0:17:44.240 --> 0:17:47.160 like students who are out of school, the elderly individuals 0:17:47.160 --> 0:17:50.119 whose jobs are impacted, and low income families continue to 0:17:50.160 --> 0:17:53.000 have access to food and other needed resources during the 0:17:53.000 --> 0:17:56.399 COVID nineteen pandemic. The Feeding America Food Bank Network is 0:17:56.440 --> 0:17:59.320 committed to serving communities and people facing hunger in America, 0:17:59.560 --> 0:18:02.280 and they're gratest need is donations and support of local 0:18:02.320 --> 0:18:05.359 food banks. This podcast is committed to donating a portion 0:18:05.400 --> 0:18:08.000 of the proceeds from the show to Feeding America, and 0:18:08.040 --> 0:18:09.679 we hope that you can join us in this effort 0:18:09.680 --> 0:18:12.440 to find out how you can help feeding America dot 0:18:12.520 --> 0:18:22.040 org backslash covid nineteen. Now here's the rest of my 0:18:22.119 --> 0:18:26.440 chat with ESPN tennis commentator Patrick McEnroe. Let's talk about 0:18:26.480 --> 0:18:28.680 some other world changes. I have a one year old, 0:18:28.720 --> 0:18:31.280 so people have been interviewing who have teenagers. I've asked 0:18:31.320 --> 0:18:34.080 them the same question, how you've been dealing with this 0:18:34.160 --> 0:18:37.800 time while raising in your case teenage daughters. Luckily, we've 0:18:37.840 --> 0:18:39.959