Withdrawal symptoms

 I'm only here so I don't get fined.

Kyle Busch said that, once upon a time. Marshawn Lynch, too, once upon a Super Bowl. And Bob Knight was probably thinking it all those times he lumbered into the postgame presser like an angry bear, punishing us for this distasteful duty by snarling at student reporters and sneering as only he could when our questions didn't pass his muster.

Every once in awhile, he'd play games with us. Talked about fishing for ten minutes, on one famous occasion. Occasionally would send in three guys who hadn't gotten off the bench during that part of our media "availability."

This Naomi Osaka deal, though ...

Well. That's a new one.

One of the world's top two women's tennis players, she's actually decided to withdraw from the French Open rather than present herself for mandatory media duty. It stresses her out, she says. It affects her mental health, because she's an introvert and having to sit up there in front of all those inquiring minds and TV cameras is something she dreads the way other people dread snakes or spiders or a root canal.

I am not trying to make light here. Far from it.

What I'm thinking instead is if Osaka is really this uncomfortable facing the media scrum, then she's not exaggerating the mental health issues she's indicated she has. Because, honestly, speaking as member of the sports media for four decades, we're not that scary. 

In any event, Osaka is taking some time off. She says she's been battling depression and anxiety for three years now, so here's hoping she finds a way to get on top of it. 

This is not just because she's a dazzling talent, and tennis is diminished without her. It's because, as a dazzling talent, she cannot live in a vacuum. There are going to be crowds and fans clamoring for autographs, and, yes, media obligations. It's part of the deal when you ascend the sort of heights Osaka has ascended. It's the price that comes with excellence.

This isn't meant to sound harsh or cruel, understand. It's simply an acknowledgment of the way things work when you are as gifted as Osaka at what you do.

Osaka, an intelligent and classy young woman, understands this. And if she's in a place where she's unable to cope with it, that's fine. Despite what you may have heard from people who think they know how journalists are wired but actually don't have a clue, no journalist I know would begrudge her for it. 

I can't say the same for the confederacy of foofs who run professional tennis these days.

First they fined her. Then they threatened to suspend her. Finally, whoever's in charge of the French Open these days sent out a catty tweet for which the individual responsible should have been headslapped.

The tweet praised players for attending media pressers with these words: "They understood the assignment."  It was a clear shot at Osaka, and was quickly deleted.

Shame on whoever sent that out. Shame on anyone who'd exhibit the same attitude. Every one of them should be shown the road.

Media or otherwise.