Charity, A Wee Bit at a Time

After winning in the second round of the U.S. Open yesterday, superhumanoid from the future Serena Williams announced she would give $100 for every ace to victims of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast. This is a noble thing, sure; she didn't have to give anything, so let's not look a gift horse in the mouth, or however that phrase goes.

But we've still always found it strange when athletes tie their charitible contributions to their athletic achievements. One hundred bucks per ace? Is that supposed to be incentive for her, or for us? One imagines a starving Mississippian, displaced from his home, dead broke, wondering what he will do with the rest of his life, watching the U.S. Open and muttering, quietly, so as not to wound his pride, "Serena ... just one more ace ... I know you can do it ... please ... I am so hungry ..."

Serena's Storming [NY Daily News]