What makes the Connors-Roddick matchup fascinating is the question of whether Connors can pass any of his die-hard attitude on to Roddick.

In case you were wondering if Jimmy Connors had any plans to turn into a mellower version of his former self, don’t worry, he plans to pass his fierce me-against-the-world attitude on to his new pupil, Andy Roddick. In an interview on Jim Rome’s radio show Friday morning, Connors wasted no time going to battle for Roddick. He complained about people bashing Roddick because he hasn’t been winning tournaments lately.

I’m tired of seeing him get hit with a heavy sledgehammer all the time.

This is 100% Jimmy Connors. When Roddick was asked about the criticism last week in Los Angeles, he said that he didn’t think personal comments about him were fair but if people criticized him for playing badly and his numbers weren’t good, he had no problem with it. You do not hear Andy Roddick complaining about sledgehammers.

A few minutes later, Connors complained that people build you up as you rise to the top but once you get there, they’re just as quick to tear you down.

I’m looking forward to getting his [Roddick’s] game up to where he’s back where he wants to be and winning so that revenge can be part of his vocabulary too.

So far we’ve had Roddick getting hit by a sledgehammer and now we’ll see him celebrating his revenge. Classic Jimmy Connors but hardly Roddick’s m.o. Roddick is more likely to laugh wryly at himself than promise a revenge sandwich the next time he wins the US Open. He’s not likely to talk about the next time he wins the US Open at all.

What makes the Connors-Roddick matchup fascinating is the question of whether Connors can pass any of his die-hard attitude on to Roddick. It’s that nature versus nurture debate. You can teach a talented athlete how to hit harder and run faster, but can you teach them to be mentally tougher? Malcolm Gladwell pointed out in his excellent book, The Tipping Point, that a study of children known as the Colorado Adoption Project showed that adopted children are no more likely to resemble their parents personality traits than two random people on the street.

If a personality trait doesn’t rub off in sixteen or seventeen years, how is a coach going to make a difference? Brad Gilbert got Roddick to dump the visor and replace it with a cap – I suppose it was an issue of manliness – and he didn’t like Roddick’s habit of applauding his opponent’s good shots, but that’s baby stuff compared to what Connors is looking for.

That kill-or-be-killed attitude …was something that I took onto the court with me and I left the court with that too. …Once you get on there, friendship ceases and, really, afterwards it’s the same. It’s tough just to throw that away and say, o.k., everything’s fine now.

How will that go over in a world where Federer prides himself on getting along with all of the guys in the locker room and Federer and Nadal exchange a low-five handshake as they round the Wimbledon court with their respective trophies? This is not Jimmy Connors vs. John McEnroe or Dale Earnhardt against every other NASCAR driver. This is the era where women’s tennis went prime time with matches between Serena and Venus and they love each other.

This is also the corporate world of sports where top players make as much money from endorsements as they do prize money. Football player Reggie Bush already had deals with Pepsi, Reebok, Subway and Hummer when he finally signed a contract with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints. Maria Sharapova is fourth on the income list for athletes – she earned $25 million dollars last year – and she’s won exactly the same number of slams as Roddick: one. If, as reported in US magazine, Roddick really is dating Sharapova, why should he worry, he’s got the girl and the endorsements.

Money has partially replaced the importance of winning because you can be paid handsomely without winning handsomely.

So Connors has a few things working against him. But there is hope. We know that Roddick feels some desperation else he would not have reached out to Connors, an untested coach. People in dire straits are open to change because what they’ve been doing hasn’t worked. It’s not like Roddick needs a personality transplant or a tennis overhaul. He’s a fiery, passionate player with the best serve in the game and one of the best forehands. If Connors can change his mentality enough to make him more aggressive on the court