Tennis icon Patrick McEnroe is pushing for federal reform in college athletics while weighing in on transgender participation and the mysterious weed stench that hit the U.S. Open this year.
Appearing on OutKick’s “Tomi Lahren is Fearless,” the former U.S. Davis Cup captain sounded the alarm on foreign recruits dominating American college rosters, calling tennis the ultimate “canary in the coal mine.” Watching a marquee matchup between top SEC and ACC teams, McEnroe noticed a staggering imbalance: 21 of the 24 players on court were foreign recruits.
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
McEnroe stressed, “So I knew that the numbers were getting pretty high in tennis. I’ve been in tennis my whole life. I played college tennis, had an amazing experience, and I became, quite frankly, deeply concerned.”
McEnroe is taking a stand in order to award the most opportunities possible to American collegiate athletes. The response prompted McEnroe to pen a Wall Street Journal op-ed and take his fight straight to Capitol Hill, meeting with Washington politicians to push a new bill currently heading before the House of Representatives.
SENATE MOVES TO REIN IN COLLEGE SPORTS ‘WILD WEST’ WITH SWEEPING NEW RULES FOR PLAYERS, SCHOOLS
“American universities were put in place, the athletic departments, to help our kids, to educate them, to give them opportunity,” McEnroe argued, stressing U.S. schools should prioritize domestic talent over international pros.
McEnroe didn’t pull punches on trans athletes in women’s sports either. As a father of three daughters, McEnroe wants to protect young girls in sports.
“I’m not for a trans playing in female sports, no, I’m not,” McEnroe said.
The veteran broadcaster also weighed in on the marijuana haze that disrupted play at the U.S. Open, urging complaining players to lighten up. McEnroe blamed tournament workers taking quick breaks on the street behind the venue.
TENNIS STAR ARYNA SABALENKA SUPPORTS WTA TRANSGENDER RULES, SAYS MALES SHOULDN’T FACE WOMEN
“Instead of taking a break and having some Gatorade, I guess they were taking a little puff,” he joked.
Broadcasting one night with brother John, Patrick admitted he actually misses the old days when charcoal grill smoke drifted over the courts.
“I kind of miss the smell of the burger,” McEnroe laughed. “A little weed, if I smelled it in the air, wouldn’t affect me as much as a burger, the smell from the charcoal of the burger.”
“Get over it,” McEnroe declared. “Making a mountain out of a molehill, not that big of a deal.”
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
