Wholistic Fitness

Most Noble Sangha!

This week’s Dharma Question c(om)es courtesy of Tribal Fan,  Matt Patterson who lives s(om)ewhere east of Colorado…

Q:  Most Noble Coach!  What are your TAFs about the whole Naomi Osaka thang?   You know,  how she is taking herself out of the French Open because she is refusing to do Press Conferences as mandated by the French Tennis Organization.  Thanks for all you do on all your social media;  you stay humble yet consistent across all platforms!  I think Buddha woulda done the same.   LOVE YOUR WEEKLY VLOG!   THANK YOU!

A:  Most Noble Student (yeah, if you are following feeble ilg across ilg’s paltry social?  You are more than a fan, you are a Student of this amazing Path that flows through its feeble Conduit!) MP!    Okay,  GREAT QUESTION and ilg even reached out to a few others for input.

So, if you have like little or zero idea about Haitian and Japanese total tennis baddass Naomi Osaka?   then, climb out fr(om) beneath the rock you’ve been hunkering under and go HERE.

Was ilg a bit conflicted on this?    Yup.   So, this baddass power player on the Courts turns out to have fantastic mental tenacity on the courts yet?  Off the courts when dealing with people and the press?  Huge anxiety.  Feel for Her.  Even feeble ilg had a micro dose of dealing with a teeeensy tiny dosage of worldwide fame during ilg’s OUTDOOR ATHLETE/COVER OF OUTSIDE MAGAZINE daze and in my LA years of being a celebrity personal trainer and yoga teacher … ilg knows that environment.  People get crazy when in a contact high with a celebrity.  It’s toxic, for sure.  Chronic Toxicity?   Dat’s gonna make ANYBODY go awry fr(om) Center.

So, Naomi admits to suffering high anxiety and depression after speaking to the Press before/after her tennis matches.

Naomi also says that she is a “child of the internet,” and has relied on the internet for most of her knowledge about society.

Well, right there is the smoking gun of her social anxiety.

If her parents (who seem very distanced from her professional career) did not, were not THERE during her younger years as she obviously became a true world-class contender in tennis?  Then, that explains a LOT!   If they WERE there at those pivotal points where her talent became so obvious that she could make a living at tennis?    Then, right THERE AND THEN, there shoulda been a huge sit-down to let a young, physically gifted Naomi know there were societal challenges that ALSO were part of the PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE game:  namely?  Learning how to deal with the MANDATORY PRESS CONFERENCES!   WIN or LOSE!   It’s PART OF THE JOB, babe!    Learn to Deal with it, or? Pick another job!

Maybe?

Being a Pro Athlete is NOT really what you were wholistically cut out for!

With $3 million dollars in prize money (this does not take into account the zany millions of sponsorship dollars)  already in her bank account?  Skipping the French Open as the Returning Champion?

Not gonna hurt her wallet.

Feels to ilg like she is trying to make a statement (in poorly constructed/timed fashion) for Depression Sufferers…

yet this old-school multi-sport athlete who qualified for and c(om)peted in 7 World Championships across 5 physiologically diverse sports and never earned more than product-only and Race/Event Fee along with Traveling Expenses?

Yeah, no.

Step up, Naomi to the mandatory Press Conferences just like extremely Media Shy Federer and Nadal have done,  or?

Pick another profession.

head bowed,

coach ilg

PS:  WHAT ARE YOUR TAFs (THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS)??!?!?!