Two forces that will decide if Federer will bag Roland Garros and the GOAT title.

There are two elevators moving south for totally different reasons. And there’s a point on their journey downward which can pop Roland Garros into Federer’s lap depending on which elevator hits that spot first. Anybody has any idea what BS I am talking about here or what I have just done smoking?

You see, both Federer and Nadal are on their way down for their own obvious reasons. Nadal’s may be more subtle due to his showing this year, but this latest knee incident which at least on surface appears ‘graver’ than previous such injuries is just another step in that direction.

If you accept that premise AFTER you can understand it, that is – you will understand what I was barking about in the first paragraph.

So as Nadal’s knees continue to soften, Federer is riding on his own mono train and the age clock, if not the back, to move both of them southward.

If Federer can somehow hold his elevator from plummeting down long enough so that Nadal’s hits that sweet spot first, you will see the birth of a Roland Garros and the GOAT title.

Translation for toddlers in this day care center: As Nadal’s knees deteriorate, his ability to win Roland Garros will go with them. But Federer is going down too to negate any gain. So………… if you don’t get this, please visit my basement tonight after 11:00 PM. Bring a pair of crutches, you will need after you are done. Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!

What are the two main benefits of the Daylight Saving Time?

Click here for the answer.

Is Nadal where Woods was a decade ago or three months ago?

For rock people, Tiger Woods started to have trouble with his knees almost a decade ago, but decided to play on. Few months ago, it reached a point where he could not longer continue and had to be operated upon resulting in missing the rest of the season and possibly more if not the whole freaking career.

We know this is not the first time Nadal has had trouble with his knees, but is it still at the decade stage or the leap has already been made considering he usually doesn’t walk on pristine grass while winning tournaments?

Will the age difference between the two stars determine how much play time is left? Or will one fool learn from another to plug the bleeding?

Nadal’s knees are progressively getting worse, despite the trouble free run he has had this year. Wonder why that is?

Or is the Borg-McEnroe dynamic in play here? Nadal’s intensity is directly related to Federer’s presence on the tour?

What can instantly solve Nadal’s knee problems? Roddick-like serve.

Nalbandian vs Tsonga stats. Will aces decide the winner?

Joker	Aces	Ist serve pct.	Sets lost	Tie breaks	Bk pt conv %	Time on court.	Matches played
Nalbandian	17	58	1	2	41	7:00	4
Tsonga	43	63	3	1	45	7:39	4

Nalbandian vs Tsonga at Paris.

Nalbandian continues to roll.

He takes out Davydenko in three sets a day after dispatching a red hot Murray in straights. Either the indoor courts are just ideal for his game or Nalbandian’s success is predicated on how much rest he takes before a tournament.

Based on that he should either go on hunger strike to move a Grand Slam inside (other reasons will not hurt either), or go in hybernation before each major, considering he has been carrying that envious ‘best player to never win a Slam’ label all his career.

If you can have a 8-10 H2H against Federer smack in the middle of the greatest run in the history of the sport on hard and grass AND send a young hot upcoming joker rolling in straights, there’s something happening around this time that needs to be studied meticulously to duplicate these results in Slams.

While Nalbandian may have dodged bullets with both Federer and Nadal retiring before facing him, Tsonga is coming in with some momentum too, not to mention being at home.

Tsonga’s youth and power from the forehand and the serve will be what the crafty Nalbandian will have to dilute to have any chance of winning tomorrow.

Nalbandian is known to do just that to his opponents if nothing else. He has no one huge weapon relying exclusively on his exploitation of his opponent’s weaknesses to the hilt. He comes as close to perfection as anyone when using the court to the best of his ability.

Although his shots lack the crispness and sharpness of Federer, he more than compensates that with his guile and placement. Look for most everything to fall on Tsonga’s backhand with an occasional bullet to the open court.

But if Tsonga’s serve is clicking, Nalbandian may face the dilemma he faced against Federer at Basel: Inability to get into rallies. Tsonga is clearly faster off the court, but he lacks the control needed, comparatively, to guide the ball with precision and conviction, allowing Nalbandian sometime to set his feet to fire that angled shot to Tsonga’s backhand.

That’s one of the reasons why most Nalbandian matches are far more interesting since there’s a lot more strategy involved to counteract the lack of sheer speed and movement. Santoro comes as close to him in that respect than anyone else.

That also is one reason most fans would love to see a three setter whenever Nalbandian takes court since his craftiness is then on full display against an increasingly frustrated opponent. If Nalbandian can produce a decent return on Tsonga’s booming serves, he will end up winning most of the points. 

Confidence and conviction wise, Nalbandian being a defending champ, having defeated Murray, memory of those bra-less see through apparel girls around him etc. should have an edge over Tsonga, despite the solid support of the home crowd Tsonga will undoubtedly enjoy.

Hope it turns out to be a chess match to lend some excitement to this anti-climatic final.

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Darkness Approaches. From Imaginaryband. Thanks.

IMAGINARYBAND

Darkness Approaches

It’s slightly damp underfoot, and after initial uncertainty about a quick downpour, there’s more frequent dribbles from the oddly pregnant sky overhead and the covers are coming out. Federer’s spirits are more unsettled than this summer weather because he’s losing the first set, badly. His head’s not exactly in the towel but it wants to be. To begin with there were clear blue skies, the crowd was electric, and all was new hope after his initial breakthrough – the manner in which he won his first service game. But now, ridiculous it seems to him – that holding a single service game is considered a breakthrough. Thinking, what was he? For four straight years, when facing him, feel this way did everyone else?

Should he succumb to the young beast Nadal’s utter belief in forehand and backhand, and legs like organic turbines? A belief that, like compound interest, thrives upon increments with unnerving patience, takes grim pleasure in well-timed flashes of unequivocal talent, and inch-by-inch assembles steamroll victories against opponents who may come out of a tight battle having felt they were close… but then spot the surprisingly humiliating scoreline.

What was a few minutes ago is now – it seems – irretrievably changed back to the natural order ever since this young man beat him in 70 minutes on a hard court in a startling first encounter in 2004. The force is strong with this one.

How did it come to this, yet again?:
First set. He is 1-1 and up 40-30 when his moderately routine choice of serve allows Nadal to return quicker than expected, to level. The next point Nadal cannily picks his moment and rushes the net on a standard return to Federer’s backhand. His experience and intuition tells him Federer will cross-court slice, so he’s there waiting, and makes no mistake with the volley. Advantage Nadal. The first serve Federer pushes a little too much – the linesman cries “fault!” a little too loudly. Prickling sensation. Crowd hushed. Second serve is a high-bouncing body serve that would just about do the trick on a hard court, but once again Nadal, anticipating well, has already positioned himself wide and returns it. More than that in fact, he’s made a viciously twisting topspin off-backhand from the inside… it’s really quite good. The terrified little yellow ball bounces high over Federer’s left side but he takes it with a powerful topspin backhand and sends it back across court… into the high part of the net. Odds are stacked.

It’s brutal and the Jedi Master surely faces another moment of truth:

So soon. Somewhere between the extreme tenets of blind denial and calm acceptance lies the path I must take. Blind denial means only one acceptable outcome – I must brush Nadal aside, clearly out-class him. Surely this is of no urgency, it being only three games into the match. Surely this is an unnecessary added pressure. So, a more conservative strategy must apply. But how it stings to acquiesce!

Calm acceptance is a sensible strategy though, I can regain my composure. The down side is – my bleeding ego is begging me for restitution! No, no. Reckless! I must remember my opponent’s mantra is to remain unperturbed. I am not playing for him or what he thinks of me, nor for the audience and what they think – to do this is to embark on the dark path, where gifted jokers have fallen. So an approach based on what others expect must be irrelevant. To stay calm, for now.

So instead of acting as if nothing has just happened when he knows first hand it bloody well has, Federer gives Nadal a wry smile and claps his racquet, shaking his head in slightly exaggerated but genuine disbelief. Step two.

From here, however, the gentle ego-stroke Federer offered Nadal proves ineffectual – as if it was a ploy anyway – for Nadal consolidates easily to 3-1. Then in the fifth game, playing like lightening, he breaks Federer for the second time in about five minutes. Never was the term “break” more apt – many in the crowd gathered here today would later claim they’d actually heard a fractured psyche snap gruesomely. The final straw. Those people have an over-developed sense of the dramatic, but in this particular universe Rafael Nadal understands drama, and knows the importance and process of speeding up and slowing down time to suit him alone – from his clay beginnings there was absolutely no mistaking his use of the tactic. So Nadal has earned 4-1 before the crowd could draw breath and Federer’s resulting vulnerability is emphasized by the emergence of a nervous “Ro-ger, Ro-ger” chant as the players sit down to rest at the change of ends.

Federer is back on court first, looking up at the brooding grey clouds. The umpire calls “time” and Nadal, as if on his own clock, moves casually into position and takes his time preparing to serve. It’s well past ninety seconds and here is another moment when a less classy opponent might take umbrage. Perhaps Federer should too, but he remains cool. As thanks Nadal rattles off three points in a row: serve/volley, serve/dropshot and serve/whipped-forehand – deftly carrying him to 40-0. An ace down the middle completes his service game in daunting style. It’s now 5-1.

Just as Federer prepares to serve to stay in the set raindrops begin to fall in earnest, and one thought crosses his mind:

“This is not Wimbledon.”

Shame on Federer. From TuckerP. Thanks.

TUCKERP

What is this guy talking about? I’ve seen many people post videos when they are high on youtube, and this is one example. This guys is talking about how Federer is not intelligent, and that it is immoral to take money for his tennis talent…what? To me this is just gibberish, and it seems to me this guy was definitely smoking something. The first couple of minutes is not very important. He starts talking about Federer around 3:50. If anyone can understand his logic, please care to explain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=related&v=nuS4NhyfHS4

Sports’ Great GOAT Debate. From Allen. Thanks.

Sports’ Great GOAT Debate
by JA Allen

As mere mortals we are often humbled and humiliated by our own inertia—our inability to rise up off the couch and take matters into our own hands. This may explain why the sports arena appeals so broadly and so intensely to the masses—we wretched souls interred in stained t-shirts with drive-through convictions.

Those we watch and revere move forward, act bravely and overcome stiff resistance. We admire the sheer will that propels them to the finish line—a place that often eludes us.

A very few of these athletes whose lives we covet inspire us, take away our collective breath and bend us toward worship.

These gifted athletes create a vivid visual work of art—a kinetic canvas in motion. In perfect rhythm they flow effortlessly from one posture to another. They exude a luscious liquidity beneath potent power—all with perfect poise and purpose.

Often they may appear to defy natural laws like gravity and dimensional depth. Watching them, your senses beg for the action to slow because the human eye is incapable of recording the speed of their reaction time.

In that case you may be left wondering…what did I just see?
Sometimes it takes a slow motion replay to document the subtle details of their perfect timing.

They possess an innate ability to see more—their vision extending beyond obvious focal points to the larger field of play…the big picture is in focus at all times.

Exhibiting early prowess, these rare specimens absorb the fine points and recognized boundaries of their respective sports. Ultimately they will explode these limits and alter the landscape of the sport they play.

There are four athletes who exemplify these rare characteristics and more. During my lifetime I have been allowed to witness their brilliance.

Carl Lewis
Carl Lewis sprinting or Carl Lewis leaping was a true miracle of precision, power, and speed. He won 10 Olympic Medals, nine of them gold. His career spanned from 1979 through 1996. He still holds a world record for the indoor long jump set in 1984, 8.79 meters.

I admit that I am enamored of track athletes. Is there anything more aesthetically pleasing than a perfect baton pass in a sprint relay as the next runner explodes into the lead at mind-numbing speed, leaning into the curve, every part of his body in motion except his head which remains perfectly steady, eyes fixed on the next exchange or the finish line.

Carl Lewis did it better than anyone and he made it look so easy, by far the greatest track athlete of the twentieth century.

Walter Payton
I have never been a true fan of professional football. I have watched a great many games without really caring who won. But there was a team I did follow closely—the Chicago Bears in the mid 80s. Mike Ditka’s 1985 Super Bowl Team was also the best pro football team of all time, all because of Walter Payton and a vaunted Bear defense!

His nickname was “Sweetness” and I think it was a reflection of his moves—so sweet it made your mouth water. Watching Walter Payton run was also a thing of beauty. His power and determination in contrast to his off-field demeanor may have lulled his competition into a sense of containment.

But Sweetness could sidestep, kick step, stop and start on a dime, twist and turn, making the defense miss tackles as he turned up field and out ran the competition…and he made it look effortless. He is the forerunner of all great running backs…and certainly the best I’ve ever seen.

Michael Jordan
The windy city also served as a welcome mat to another pro athlete who played basketball. Well, we mortals play basketball and Michael Jordan played something else. His court presence required a bigger stage than anyone could build.

Jordan could suspend himself mid-air on the way to the basket. Hanging, he could alter his shot and even switch hands, often leaving his opponent awestruck and flat-footed. He could fly from the free throw line to the hoop and slam dunk the ball…and for him it was as simple as breathing.

Michael Jordan was the Chicago Bulls—the greatest pro-basketball franchise in the history of the game.

Roger Federer
With a forehand that David Foster Wallace described as a “liquid whip,” Roger Federer has impressed the sporting world with his immense talent on the tennis court. His impeccable timing, incredible foot speed and versatile shot arsenal give him immense power while his elegant movement along the baseline and smooth net coverage elevate his play to artistry.

Like Jordan he appears to fly, to skim the surface and soar. He dances as Payton did always balanced and ready to move in any direction, stopping and starting, changing directions as the need arises.

Like Lewis, Federer has explosive speed and reaction time. He does it all with such ease and grace that it appears like he is hardly moving.

The debate here has ended for me—Federer is the greatest athlete ever to play the game of tennis.

The Debate
There are taboo topics you should avoid discussing with people you like as well as those who control your economic destiny. The most compelling of these is the great GOAT debate—Greatest of All-Time, for the uninitiated.

If you elect to enter into one of these mind-numbing discussions it is possible to subdivide your suicide into specific sports, eras and personalities.

Disagreements on this verboten issue will surely marginalize marriages, frazzle friendships, and indeed may cast you down amongst the sodden caste of those on the brink of bankruptcy.

I tell you with all honesty that it is a pointless debate—but then most are. I will put up my four fantasy guys against yours any day and we will rail until the end of time. In the end you will walk away with your entourage intact and I’ll tuck mine away for another day or until I die—whichever comes first!