Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – Nick Kyrgios & Kansas City Chiefs
Every Monday we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.
HIT – NICK KYRGIOS
Australian star Nick Kyrgios has consistently divided opinion throughout the tennis world with his on-court antics and outspoken comments since turning professional in 2013.
One of only three players to have beaten Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic the first time he played each of them, Kyrgios has often frustrated fans by seemingly wasting his gifted ability.
Kyrgios’ men’s singles world ranking has slumped to 47 as a result, with two quarter-finals his best results in major tournaments – both coming more than five years ago.
He has become infamous for his on-court meltdowns and was even given a 16-week suspended ban and fine in 2019. He has admitted that depression has been behind some of his clashes with fans and match collapses.
This week, the 25-year-old has been at the centre of headlines emanating from the Australian Open, continuing to stir up bad blood with Djokovic, but more than anything, he has helped turn the tide of public opinion towards him.
Clearly Kyrgios isn’t going to win over everyone, but it’s hard to argue that he makes tennis more interesting for viewers. In an era of sports stars often holding their tongue to avoid getting into trouble with relevant authorities, he isn’t afraid to showcase his true personality.
His second and third round matches at the Australian Open were both five-set classics and put on a fantastic show for the lucky fans allowed into Melbourne Park before the government announced a five-day lockdown in Victoria to suppress an outbreak of the UK strain of coronavirus.
Former British number one Tim Henman is working as a pundit for Eurosport’s international coverage of ‘the happy slam’ and gave his take on the Aussie.
“For me, Nick Kyrgios is great for tennis. He’s a volatile character, you never quite know what to expect. He’s a huge talent, one of the best serves in the game,” Henman commented.
“And he’s got a very good heart. He’s supported me and my charity foundation, he does a lot of good stuff off the court.
“If he could maintain that concentration and focus, both on the practice court and match court, I really think he can go on and produce bigger and better results.
“I’m a fan. I hope he can channel that talent to go on and win some big titles in the future.”
Henman did, however, point to the ongoing feud with Djokovic as an example of where Kyrgios could learn to reign in some of his antics.
"It’s a fine line. Obviously he’s a character on and off the court. But it’s very important that he can still concentrate so that these antics don’t become a distraction, they don’t affect his performance.
"Sometimes I think he’s got to learn where to draw the line and get back to the basics of implementing the enormous talent that he has on the court."
While the negatives have often outweighed the positives for Kyrgios in the past, it does feel as if the balance is shifting.
In January, Kyrgios pledged to donate A$200 for every ace he hit at tournaments throughout the month to help those affected by widespread bushfires in Australia. His charitable efforts led to Tennis Australia committing A$100 for every ace served at the ATP Cup and his response showed a genuine side to him rarely seen.
“I just chucked up a tweet and everyone got behind it. It is bigger than tennis,” he said.
“It's going to all the families, firefighters, animals, everyone who is losing homes, losing families. It's a real thing.
“My hometown is Canberra and it's got the most toxic air in the world. That's sad. It is tough.”
His investment in his own NK Foundation also feels like more than just an easy PR win. The Foundation’s mission statement gives another insight into how much he has matured in recent times.
“Tennis is a great life – we are well paid and the perks are pretty good – but it can feel empty if you’re just doing it for the money. I now know what it’s all for. When I work on the NK Foundation and our Melbourne facility, I cast my mind forward to all the disadvantaged kids I will be helping. I’m playing for them now.”
Kyrgios is far from perfect and will undoubtedly make the headlines for the wrong reasons in future, but for now he should be praised for bringing joy to millions of tennis fans this week at a time when it is needed most.
MISS – KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sports events in the United States and understandably attracts the glamour and razzmatazz that comes with such an occasion.
For the Kansas City Chiefs, who ended up losing the game, the focus on the field was understandable, but while sport is an important part of societal fabric, it’s fundamentally important that it never surpasses life and the rule of law.
Three days before the Super Bowl, Chiefs outside linebacker coach Britt Reid, the son of head coach Andy Reid, was involved in a car crash near the team’s training complex that left two young children seriously injured.
The team had said Britt Reid was involved in a multi-vehicle crash last Thursday. He did not travel with the team to the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay and Andy Reid said his son underwent surgery after the crash, but few other details have been released.
Reid was placed on administrative leave the day after the crash and with his contract expiring at the conclusion of the Super Bowl, he is no longer employed by the club.
Reid apparently told police he had “two or three drinks” and had a prescription for Adderall when the accident occurred, according to a search warrant. He served five months in 2007 when convicted of road-rage that included driving under the influence, possession of a controlled substance and the brandishing of a gun. He also pleaded guilty to DUI and drug possession in a separate incident.
In an official statement, the Chiefs said: “The organization has been made aware of a multi-vehicle accident involving Outside Linebackers Coach, Britt Reid. We are in the process of gathering information, and we will have no further comment at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved.”
In the post-game interview, Reid’s father Andy commented: “My heart goes out to all those who were involved in the accident, in particular the family with the little girl who’s fighting for her life.
“I can’t comment on it any more than what I am here. So the questions you have, I’m going to have to turn those down; but just from a human standpoint, my heart bleeds for everybody involved in that.”
A later Chiefs statement said: “We remain in the process of gathering information on the incident, and we will continue to assist local authorities as requested.
“Our focus remains on [the girl] and her family. We have reached out to the family to offer our support and resources to them during this difficult time, and we will continue to pray for her recovery.”
Organisations find themselves in tricky positions when one of their own is involved in a serious incident, often not wanting to draw more attention to it and wary of liability.
But with a young girl in a serious condition, why did the Chiefs not do more and realise that as a pillar of society, they could easily have provided support without any admission of guilt or complicity.
The girl’s family had to set up a GoFundMe page to support her medical care, raising almost half a million dollars.
Why did the Chiefs not offer to provide support for the girl and her family, which would have been the right thing to do and would have given the impression that they were backing up their words with actions?
The Chiefs owners are worth more than $15 billion and could have covered medical bills without admitting liability.
While there are questions over whether Britt Reid was drinking at the Chiefs’ training ground before getting in his car, why are the club not conducting a thorough internal investigation rather than just helping the police with their inquiries?
Despite being the coach’s son, the club must do the right thing and back up their compassion with action and support for a family devastated by the incident on that fateful day, rather than hide behind empty statements that show little compassion for the family or the Kansas community now supporting the injured child in a way they should have done from the outset.