The Commish - Man in the Closet

MAN IN THE CLOSET

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. No, the real shame lies with the man who hides in the closet, cloaked in shadows, shrouded in secrecy, murmuring in the dark while the world stumbles in the light of day. In the realm of tennis, where the sun should shine on open courts, and honest competition should reign supreme, there lurk those who prefer the confines of the closet to the light of transparency.

Behind the polished facades of the USTA, Director's Club of America, and the United States Professional Tennis Association, there lies a web of darkened rooms and hushed whispers. These are the places where decisions are made, not in the bright light of open debate, but in the shadows where accountability cannot find them. The leadership, rather than standing tall in the arena, chooses to huddle in corners, clutching at power like a moth hoarding its final shred of light.

They are the men and women who shy away from the sun, who scuttle like shadows along the walls of the organizations they purport to lead. They are not the ones who sweat on the courts or who strive under the glare of public scrutiny. No, they are the ones who prefer the cloak of secrecy, the comfort of the dark, where their missteps are hidden, and their shortcomings concealed.

In the closet, there is no need for courage, for the light of day does not penetrate, and the challenges of leadership are easily avoided. It is easy to whisper plans in the dark, to make decisions without the prying eyes of those who will be affected. In the shadows, there is no need to stand accountable, no need to defend one's choices. Here, power is a secret game, and the players are known only to those who dwell within the shadows.

But what of the arena, where the true measure of a leader is taken? What of the bright courts where the future of the sport is played out, where decisions must be made in the harsh light of day? These leaders, ensconced in their closets, have forgotten the arena. They have forgotten that leadership is not about hiding, but about standing tall, facing the light, and making choices that can withstand the scrutiny of those who will live by them.

The man in the closet is not the man who leads; he is the man who hides. He is not the one who fights for the betterment of the game, but the one who shields himself from its realities. He is not the man who earns the respect of his peers, but the one who avoids their gaze. In the darkness of the closet, there is no glory, only the hollow echoes of decisions made in secret, and the creeping shadows of doubt.

And so, as we look to the future of tennis, we must ask ourselves: do we want to be led by the man in the closet, who fears the light and shuns the arena? Or do we want leaders who step into the sun, who face the challenges head-on, and who are unafraid of the scrutiny that comes with true leadership?

The closet is a place of fear, of shadows, and of secrets. The arena is a place of courage, of light, and of transparency. The choice is ours, and it is one that will define the future of our sport. Will we follow the shadows, or will we step into the light? The man in the closet cannot lead us there, for he is too afraid to step out of the darkness.

So let us leave him where he belongs, among the shadows, and seek out those who are unafraid to face the light. For it is only in the arena that the true leaders are found, and it is only in the light that the future can truly be seen.