First of all, Riggs was a wrinkly 55 years old. He was out of shape and lacked energy. That explains his unwillingness to charge across the court.
Also, in a match of this sort, where Riggs was representing the entire male population, money couldn’t have been only thing that mattered. He must have known that losing the match would make him the laughing stock of the nation.
One of Riggs’ friends stated as much, saying that Riggs was “depressed for six months” after losing the match.
I would put this theory at a coin toss. I could see this happening if Riggs was desperate for money and placed the bet on Billie Jean, not realizing that losing the match would mean a legacy of humiliation. Because after he placed the bet, it would be too late to come to his senses.
That harsh reality check would certainly cause six months of depression.
But it’s just too close to call.
3) The Patriots’ miracle championship season of 2001 was hand-crafted by the NFL
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