Tennis is Why We Have the Mute Button

The Australian Open is now in the books. Congratulations to Novak Djokovic and Victoria AzaSHRIEKA Azarenka for their hard earned victories. Now that the tournament is over, I can reflect on the value of my TV remote's mute button. Eugene Polley and Robert Adler are widely credited with the first remote control to have a mute button in 1956. They must have been tennis fans and knew what was coming for the rest of us! I love watching tennis, but my ears want to remove themselves from my head and run away during most matches. The decibel level and rapid fire nature of the game's worst offenders is just too much for my delicate sensibilities. Sharapova and Azarenka are the worst in my book on the women's side. The men's tour is not off the hook either. When I watched the semis, I found myself thinking "What the hell is that noise" every time Ferrer struck a ball. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I am only one button push away from pure, silent, bliss. I become free to watch the drama of the point unfold without wondering which linesperson is running a dingo through a blender off court.

The mute button is doubly effective as it eliminates the drone of commentators as well. Andy Roddick made a nice point the other day as he observed that a commentator encouraged a player to "be more aggressive" then barely a few points later, chastised the player for not being "more patient." The mute button lets me add my own commentary, which is always insightful and spot on :).

On an interesting side note, one of the men credited with the remote control, Robert Adler, passed away right here in Boise, ID in 2007.

On ANOTHER interesting note, I did some research today and found a technology that will solve the WTA's current "grunting" issue. Right here right now, I am calling for Hawk Eye on every court and the new "SHUT IT BOX" on every court. Here are the details on what could change the future of tennis:

SHUT UP GUN INVENTED IN JAPAN!! 

"The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed." - Martina Navratilova