Monday, February 16, 2015

What's Up? Topic #15; Entries 03/15 - 07/15


Iron Man


Anything can be posted here! We'll talk about politics, some sports (football, baseball, & tennis), movies, tv! Posts framed with "***" are from other contributors! - - (Closed - 100 posts)



Thor

99 comments:

  1. ***...Obama is a MUSLIM SPY working to divide Americans against the other. I see much in common btw Obama and Hitler.***

    I won't even dignify such an idiotic comment! Why are people such hateful a-holes toward this man? He can't do anything right even though unemployment is way down, price of gas is cheap, the stock market is over 18,000 pts. after being down at 6600, and Detroit auto industry is saved! These bitches are never happy and they'll always find something wrong to kvetch about! They are just disgusting animals!

    ***Ted Cruz is just another sorry azz identity candidate; just like President Obama, only w/ even less experience.***

    Obama may be a lot of things, but he's far from sorry! From being raised by a single mother, being moved around the world as a child, getting educated by the best schools, marrying well w/ 2 beautiful children, then becoming a 2 term President; I think he's done more than ok! How much have you achieved? Jealous of his accomplishments would say you probably have done little to say such a thing about this man! I suppose you are flying high managing a McDonalds in some hick town! Obama's not perfect, trying to get along rather than pursuing his agenda! He can't placate these animals on the "right" who would sooner the country burn than show the least bit of compromise and reciprocity! Even w/ all the obstruction and foot-dragging, we're doing ok! I can't say the same about the tenure of "W" or the anticipation of a Cruz term!

    ***Why don't the Reps concentrate on sending those people a message about why they will be better for their well-being?***

    Mainly b/c Reps have nothing! All they can do is point out what's wrong! I haven't heard a real solution out of these losers in years! They can obstruct, say "no" to everything, make life miserable for everyone including their own constituents, but real solutions; NOT IN THEM! Fools who put them in power deserve that kind of representation, but what did the rest of the country do to earn such MOHRONS holding up everything? We had a budget surplus, stock market flying, low unemployment, but "W" turn it into a huge recession we're still trying to get out of! We would be on easy street now if not for Reps throwing a monkey wrench into anything that would actually help the country! Again, we deserve it, listening to their BS!

    ***This thread only proves, beyond a shadow of any doubt, just how much gang banger Rep. voters truly do "suck."***

    I feel your frustration! It's only gotten worse over the last 30 years where a cultural insanity has taken over their party! You can't reason w/ them and TRUTH and facts mean absolutely nothing! I'm still waiting for the country to collapse b/c of Obamacare! Such idiots who have nothing to replace it b/c it co-opted all their ideas w/ Mitt's program from Mass.! Cruz is still talking about repeal even though 16 million have been added! These people are true, hateful tools that obviously care nothing about this country and the populous!

    ***Dems like George Wallace and Robert Byrd made civil rights happen!

    I shb more specific; Johnson as President pushed civil right legislation through! He knew the South w/b lost to the Dems after getting the job done and he was right; it's gone totally RED w/ "blue dog" Dems becoming Reps! That's nothing to be proud of, but I'm sure they're still patting themselves on the back after all these years! It's a shame our country is still as divided as it was when I was a child and not looking to progress further anytime soon!

    ***Fiero, actually I think the Johnson quote was "Those N*ggers w/b voting Dem. for a 100 years!"***

    Oh, I'm sure he was as offensive an a-hole as you, but he still got it done regardless! He at least has a legacy worth looking back on rather than a scumbag like "W!"

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  2. ***Uhhh...so let me get this straight...GOP made a direct quote of your Dem hero using the "N" word......a racial slur and you...then call GOP an "a-hole."... and you think GOP is "offensive?"***

    Even the "Founding Fathers" owned slaves while being hypocritical about "all men being created equal!" That doesn't take from their greatness of est. this country to be one of the most renowned and powerful in the history of man! I know the concept is hard for some uneducated, low info losers!

    ***IDT the Clinton's are coming up so short these days w/ their level of accomplishments, both respectively and as one of the best political shapeshifting machines this country has known. In fact, our Founding Fathers had their own initial reign of political and physical terror, albeit clandescent, in attempting to est. a free country for.. well.. almost everyone that is.

    Before politicians are anything else, they're still human. There's really no way for 1 to gage how they will handle notoriety and power. Hillary came from an ultra conservative family and turned liberal when she became involved in part in the investigation of the Watergate Scandal. Young, brilliant and ambitious, that was the stepping stone that catapulted her into an American Icon. Good or bad, I'm sure as most humble beginnings, she had good intention. Many prosecutors start off the say way. Many find their way into a star chamber. And many find their way into the oval office. LBJ comes to mind among several. I do hope that the many faces of Hillary Clinton does not show up as either the shadow of her husband, or in the legacy of what has become the defective leadership of this country.***

    Impressive analysis! It can be difficult for so many out here that are frustrated the Clintons still draw breath!

    ***Thanks Fiero. The older I get, the more it becomes apparent to me that while no-one is perfect, understanding human nature's endless fallibilities as something we share, raises a greater sense of urgency that we must produce better leadership, among ourselves for the rest of the masses. How to do this starts w/ encouraging the position of true values among those candidates who actually demonstrate them. You can rally a herd of horses into the corral, but no fence is going to keep a stallion away from it's true calling. A good female! :) ***

    At this time, no one is more qualified than Hillary! I can understand opponents' jealousy, animus, and even outright hatred, but they expose other things at X's w/o even realizing it! I don't have anything good to say about Reps due to what they've tried to put the Clintons, Obamas, and the country through due to their own self-hating attitudes! It's been going downhill for them for the last 30 yrs and it's hurting the country each X they take power! It's really unfortunate b/c it taints and costs us all!

    ***Fiero, When I said a good female, I was referring to this country; not an actual female. Be it whomever and whatever gender may turn out as our next president, Hillary Clinton is not to be trusted. She herself threw away what may have been easily won in her last election race over things that were ridiculous. ...There are entirely too many rolling stones inside what she believes to be a rock solid foundation under her house of politicism.***

    That's disappointing you can be so 1-sided against this 1 woman, but think nothing of others w/i reach of taking over this office like a Cruz, Paul, Rubio, and worst of all another Bush! I'll take her anytime over those losers! Reps can't be trusted in or out of power as far as I'm concerned! They cost us so much w/ gov't shutdowns, obstructing normal business in DC like creating budgets, authorizing job programs, and approving candidates nominated to fill positions desperately needed! Have fun living as a 1-sided conspiracy nut! I can back up my paranoia of "right-wing" nuts, while you're living w/ FNN talking points!

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  3. OK Frat Boy Apologizes For Racist Chants - Oklahoma frat boy who led racist chant meets with black leaders on apology tour ...as lawyer for Sigma Alpha Epsilon says no other members will be expelled. Levi Pettit has apologized to one of his most vocal critics, Oklahoma state Senator Anastasia Pittman. She has arranged a meeting w/ black students, church leaders, and other politicians. Attorney for Sigma Alpha Epsilon announced he had reached a deal in his legal filing against the University of Oklahoma. No other members of the now-defunct fraternity will be expelled.

    ***IDK if he's an idiot, Fiero, but he did an idiotic thing. I think the punishment has been severe enough to the point he will actually learn something from this experience unlike the scumbag racists we have on this board. I want him to go on to be successful and not have this incident mar his life, but rather shape it so he can be a better person. Hopefully it will, only time will tell.***

    It's unfortunate this happened to him, but these kids never seem to learn! You can't just say anything you want today; sorta like that other college student calling a little girl pitcher, Mo'Ne a slut in a Tweet earlier this month! How many X's does it have to happen before they stop? I have little sympathy for him b/c of the X's; a Black President, obvious and rampant news of Black boys being shot and killed for nothing, and all the news on TV about it all! These are supposed to be college students! I know I wasn't that much of a knucklehead at my university and shunned any as classless pigs to behave in such a way! Alcohol can't be the fall back excuse I hope!

    ***Only Obama has had the political will and strength of character to confront Netanyahu. The next necessary step is to present and pass a resolution in the UN to get Israel back inside of it's legal borders, then assist in the formation of a Palestinian State. Obama is acting in the best interests of Israel and the United States.***

    I can't wait! I want this idiot to pay a significant price for his arrogance! He's been acting w/ impunity for decades going back to Reagan and I think he finally went too far; and he knows it! That UN vote will be very interesting and I'll be glued to C-Span to see what happens!

    ***It could precipitate a vote of confidence in the Knesset and force another election.***

    That's what I'm hoping since this scumbag lied just before the election about the 2 State policy and was bigoted enough to besmirch the vote talking about Arabs being bussed in! BiBi's such a loudmouth and disgusting pig; he'll deserve to be removed! Israel needs us more than we need them; w/ or w/o BiBi!

    ***The Palestinians have never had any significant arms or military training, and the Israelis have continually murdered them, stolen their land and homes, and forced them into concentration camps in tiny areas of their own country. The Palestinians earned their independence by helping the allies in WWI. The Israelis did nothing to earn anything and are the ones in violation of the treaties.***

    Not that I've paid that much attention, but b/c of their actions, the United States has been Israel's only supporter in the UN; being the lone vetoing country to save their bacon X and X again! Obama's done and I hope it all finally blows up in BiBi's face!

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  4. Watching FNN this morning and the polls for Cruz ain't gotten any better after all this exposure! He announces he's going to run for Prez, makes the rds on talk shows, including an hour on Hannity, and he still can't break 5% in polls! He's way behind the likes of Bush, Walker, & Paul! Steven Hayes of course make excuses about the MSM making a caricature of the man! You can't filibuster for hours reading a child's book while the economy crumbles around you! Too bad he has no chance! No one represents the cultural insanity of his party more than CRUZ!

    ***Hypocrite Ted Cruz is Getting Obamacare - The loon is worth $4M and can afford to get his own private insurance. So the man who wants to kill the ACA is now taking part in it.***

    I've been saying for years the RNC should add an "H" for hypocrisy in their seal! It's like anything; oil prices, the economy, unemployment, and any # of other issues! You don't hear any bitchin' about those subjects b/c "it's all good" and they can't stand it! Bush said, "I'm a compassionate conservative!" Two wars started, budget deficits increased, bills passed w/o paying for them! I could go on, but it would only be repetitious info we all know! Reps don't seem to care, so why should I?

    ***...younger people own America today and look for fresh starts like they did w/ President Obama for 2 terms.***

    And it's killing the "right!" They can't stand it so they will blow this story up about this poor guy and his family just to try and embarrass Obama! It's so pathetic, but what can you expect from them? They're ignorant, petty, vindictive, and unpatriotic when it counts! The country was blowing up a few years ago and all they could do was object, obstruct, and say "NO" to everything! Even if the ideas were originally theirs, if Obama announced agreement, it was all over! They're still threatening our well-being w/ the budget and Nat'l debt ceiling elevations! After all they've done, we're still moving along so they can't kvetch about unemployment, the oil prices, and the economy in general! They'll still make disparaging remarks, but no one's listening! I've given up on them totally; sorta like they have on their own country! Maybe they should try and get elected to the Knesset so they can fully support the leader they prefer in PM Netanyahu!

    ***Harry Reid To Retire In 2016...NY liberal Sen Chuck Schumer may vie for that slot.***

    Schumer or Durbin from my state of IL! Either will do a good job I'm sure! Good ol' Reed held up well and kept Reps in check for the most part! He did a good job!

    ***Florida Senator Bill Nelson would also make a great Senate Leader.***

    He might be too nice! The Dems have found out the Reps will run all over them when they're civil! It's unfortunate all concerned have to wallow in shit to get the real work done of Congress!

    ***Yes, both Nelson and Warren are probably "too nice" to rule over those unconscionable bastards.***

    Too many are getting Soc. Sec. benefits they don't even need believe it or not! Even Reagan's tax return showed he was not only getting his Presidential pension, he got SS as well! I wouldn't doubt Nancy got her cut as well! There are people eating cat food and rich people living in mansions bought by friends still collecting benefits! NICE right?

    ***I thought for a long time that wealthy people should donate their Social Security Benefits to the less fortunate as opposed to collecting and adding to their fortune; maybe have a net worth cap to qualify is best. - Exactly! Reform is definitely needed but I don't know of 1 Dem politician willing to support such change.***

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  5. ***Ind. Gov. Pence showed up on this Sunday's, "This Week W/ George Stephanopoulos." He refused to answer a simple yes/no question whether the law enables businesses to engage in discrimination called the "Religious Freedom Law. The question was asked multiple X's. Pence refused multiple times. This is the problem w/ cultists. They show up peddling the appearance they are there to discuss the merits of their ideas, etc, but that's all they're peddling; 'appearances.' Any actual discussion? Naw.***

    His state will pay for this! Even Gov. Brewer of AZ learned her lesson when they lost a Superbowl! Idiots! It sounds so benign and reasonable until you look at the fine print! We passed it in IL, but other laws giving protection for alternate lifestyles was passed as well! We all know the track record of Indiana and other narrow-minded states are just looking for any reason to keep certain people "in their place" I guess! How far will they go to save this law "as is?" Only time will tell!

    ***Pence wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal in which he claimed that the law does not allow discrimination (even though the law does provide solid grounds for a defense), but then he went on to say that "if he saw a restaurant refuse to serve a gay couple he wouldn't patronize that restaurant" - funny but, if the law doesn't allow discrimination, there is no way the restaurant could refuse to serve that gay couple. How effing stupid can he be?***

    Poor Pence! I used to think him one of the more rational Reps in Congress, but his performance in the last few days has been embarrassing! He stood up there for 45 min. speaking at that news conference "saying nothing!" It's going to cost him and his state; so much for their "super majority" in the Indiana House! We'll see if they can get this straightened out by the weekend or they'll lose a few more events! They're lucky the NCAA Final Four doesn't have time to move or they would have lost that too! Hotels, convention centers, and other businesses are up in arms! Real idiots in that local legislature!

    ***On FNS today, George Will said something I'm disappointed in. He said the notion that if we'd left another ten or 20,000 U.S. military troops in Iraq, none of this would be happening.***

    Both Dems and Reps will never learn we can't control everything that goes on in the Middle East! You see what happens just about every time we interfere! Big mistake to oust Saddam who terrorized his country, but things were orderly! Same in Libya before overthrowing Kadafi! We were after Assad, now we're backing him to the hilt! Right now we're playing both sides in Iran while a treaty summit is coming to a close! They want sanctions removed immediately! If they had been a little more cooperative earlier, it might have been possible! With falling oil prices, the country's economy is suffering BIG TIME! No one cares really since they are viewed as a "terrorist state!" Enuf said what a mess the Israeli partnership is now; BiBi went a lot "too far" and there's no "backtracking" w/ us now! He's screwed along w/ his country's will!

    ***Obviously. But some have said we might have been able to preserve Iraq's sovereign borders if we'd left a viable combat force there. Though George Will's assertion is UNDENIABLY true, it also may confuse some into thinking that no matter how many troops we retained in Iraq, ISIL would still occupy the portion of it that it does. That's almost certainly not true.***

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  6. ***...I don't trust Cruz, the guy who was willing to defend Homeland Security over an Obama decree that could not be shut down via the Senate.***

    You covered it! Cruz is far from being as dumb as Santorum, but his dishonesty is showing along w/ a massive ego! Being smart only makes it worse IMO; Santorum just didn't know any better! His own staff implied he was the dumbest Senator in modern history!
    ---

    Obama To Visit Kenya: Birthplace of his father - Obama Will Visit Kenya For Global Entrepreneurship Summit In July

    http://www.ibtimes.com/obama-will-visit-kenya-global-entrepreneurship-summit-july-1865114

    "President Obama will co-host a forum on entrepreneurship in Kenya as part of his 4th presidential trip to sub-Saharan Africa. The Global Entrepreneurship Summit brings together business owners, educators, policymakers and investors to support the growth of new enterprises in developing regions. Obama has played a major organizing role in the annual meetings, which began after his 2009 speech in Cairo emphasizing the importance of entrepreneurship for development."

    Gov. Sununu has the nerve to say Obama's inflaming the "Birthers" by doing this! Why isn't this man in a mental ward with a straight-jacket? He only embarrasses himself and his party when he speaks! After all these years, it's hard to believe Obama's birth is still an issue with anyone in America that has a brain!

    ***...I'm just as "qualified" as you who labels whole groups of people.....whom he has never met....as "loons." - Sorry, "loon" is not a psychological disorder of personality; narcissism is. I, in fact, got that from one of your right wing Gods, Bill O'Reilly. I figured since he calls everyone on the left that, I could do the same for the "right."

    According to Bill, he NEVER calls anyone outside of their name! He's precipitously has lost touch w/ reality year after year! Rachel Maddow has excoriated him for the misinformation, exaggerations, and outright lies that have come out of his mouth just this year, but he and the network don't seem to care about his credibility; or lack thereof!

    ***...This "Religious Freedom" law has nothing to do w/ bakeries or photographers. This is about the outrage mob punishing 'thought crimes.'

    What's your point? Gay people have been persecuted for the way they've thought for generations! They don't even have to of done anything to receive condemnation; including children before they even mature by the freakin' church! So again, what's your point? Thought crime has been punishable by hanging, burning, and life imprisonment for as long as I can remember and before I'm sure! There are always people out there willing to say to them, their God, and anyone within ear shot that "if you don't believe what I believe, it will be treated as heresy and punishable by death;" Bloody Mary leading the way after the "Inquisitions!"

    ***Discrimination is perfectly legal in America - My belief is, if you have a business in the public market place you should NOT be practicing discrimination. What is so damn religious about baking a cake or making a pizza? ...I have never read that in the Bible, "thou shall not make cakes for homos", have you? How can you sell a cake to gay person, but not make one for their wedding; what is that?***

    The hypocrisy is worse than the hate! CNN visited 5 florists in GA where they're planning on legislating the same stupid law! A shop owner approved saying she should have a right to deny service due to the religious reasons in the Bible, but admitted she would sell to an "adulterer!" They can't even keep their reasons straight in their empty heads! I wouldn't sue any of these losers, but it will happen unfortunately for them! They'll never learn; ya gotta move out of the dark ages! The 2004 backlash was pronounced, swift, and long lasting; "thanks bigots!"

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  7. ***I just love living in a country where people can openly display their hatred of our Prez and gov't. Let the hate flow thru you and let it dominate your thinking.***

    The problem w/ some people, they hate him enough to hurt their own well-being! How disgusting to see Obama's detractors and noble obstructionists willing to shut down the gov't and put our credit rating in jeopardy! We're trying to recover from the worst recession since "The Great Depression" and you have people like Senators Cruz and Paul filibustering normal business to make a name for themselves! We're already hamstrung w/ "The Sequester," but then we lose $23+ B due to their antics! Obama will leave office in less than 2 years and he'll still have a list of accomplishments including saving US auto makers, the Affordable Care Act, and limiting the damage done by Rep. so called leadership!

    ***W/ as much debt as the country has racked up since Obama took office, unfunded liabilities, Obamacare causing companies to reduce working hours and what could happen if / when interest rates pick up again, I don't expect a long-term, booming economy any time soon.***

    Even w/ Rep. obstruction, we've had 50+ months of economic growth w/ the jobless rate going down! The DOW was around 6600 a few years ago! It bounced over 18,000 pts. this year! Most of the debt we've accumulated these last few years are the wars and Bush programs that weren't funded; totally off budget!

    ***I still don't understand how some can claim the ACA is a success when we still have yet to enact the employer mandate. This is a huge part of this bill and it's been delayed for political reasons. When the law is being fully enacted, which IMO the President doesn't have the authority to do what he did and delay it, but that's for another discussion, then we shall see how big of a success this law is.***

    All you need is for those boneheads on the "right" to come around and tweak the thing instead of trying to kill it! That would make more sense than eliminating it altogether! This has been a 100 years in the making and a start was needed w/ "something getting passed!" Having "nothing" on the books only allowed spiraling healthcare prices to blow up w/ no restraint! It has done "some" good even w/ the knife at the throat of the law since day 1! I keep asking, what's the alternatives and so far it's been dead silence on the Rep. side; even Cruz signing up for it since his wife on leave from her job! Hypocrisy reigns w/ people like him w/ no real character to their so called conviction!

    ***We had Medicaid and it badly needed overhaul. The ACA doesn't make medicine better. It has a few points; my fave is 'preexisting conditions' cannot disqualify you. Things like that could have been implemented by regulation of the free market and not going into the insurance business.***

    Any law will have flaws when the opposition only tries to kill it! The reason laws like Soc. Sec., Medicare, Medicaid, and other Nat'l programs flounder is b/c Reps want to eliminate them, but people came around seeing the benefits! If there was just a little cooperation, this country whb on easy street years ago, but if there's "hating" going on on both sides, nothing gets done! It's a miracle Obama has accomplished as much as he has w/ so many detractors! Everything's a battle w/ no honeymoon! One side does that while the other acts w/ decorum and respect for a little while at least! Bush got all he wanted and Obama can't even get a full cabinet! The hypocrisy isn't lost on me; Dems are suckers! Only Reid tried to even out the playing field; and it was ugly, but that's the only thing "the right" respect! You have to wallow in the sewer w/ them to get anything done these days! The frustration of seeing things come to a screeching halt like this for yrs is inexcusable!

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  8. ***What a shock, Coulter supports discrimination!***

    This woman is so twisted; totally shameless! She has to be smart to be friends w/ Bill Maher, but all she really does is try to shock! Her books are unreadable and FOX loves to have her in for commentary! W/ Sean, it's unwatchable how insanely they merge in their bigotry and mutual ignorance!

    ***Right, she is friends w/ Maher. I wonder, could she be playing 'the right' for a fool? She did date the Penthouse founder! Maybe she's like Colbert! Wouldn't that be hilarious if she was 'right wing loon' for pay?
    ---

    Obama's been a flop as President. Everyone thought he'd change the world when in fact he's done the opposite.***

    W/ no cooperation, a President can only do so much! Obstruction was swift, insane, and long lasting! He's gotten a lot done, but w/ NO help from his opposition! The "right" was willing to trash the country to just hurt the man; and they call him un-American! Idiots!

    ***I oppose nearly everything Mr. Obama supports, and I support many things he opposes. So, obstruction to his destructive plans has not been nearly sufficient IMO. - A leader creates cooperation.***

    Leaders like Boehner and McConnell wouldn't even take Obama's phone calls for congratulations or dinner invitations! McCain came out like a grumpy old man when Obama tried to honor him! It was 1 slap in the face after another! There has to be a willingness to talk and Reps had decided before Obama was Inaugurated that they would deny, obstruct, and not even try to compromise on ANYTHING! They took the country to the brink several times doing things unpardonable IMO w/ the budget and "debt ceiling!" Normally there would be some infrastructure work being created w/ so many roads and bridges in disrepair, but they won't even discuss it! Fine; sooner or later it'll have to be done and w/ any luck the benefits will continue to be another for the Dems; maybe w/ Hillary!

    ***Has it occurred to you that every time we were "taken to the brink," Obama could have avoided it by cooperating?***

    You mean pull his own law or legislation like the ACA? Like passing individual pieces of the budget? No I couldn't see him doing that! That's all "on them" and the people said it in every poll! Obama's problem was he even tried! They would move the goal post every time he agreed to something that they would normally not have a problem w/! He was a fool, but sees where they are now! They're willing to attack his patriotism, his wife and kids, and to punish the country for having the audacity to elect him twice by an overwhelming vote! You're deluding yourself if you believe any differently! He's held up well while Reps are sneered at even though they've gerrymandered their Congressional advantage! Even w/ all their hating, things are still looking better than the final year of "W!"

    ***So you cannot see a President going to one side that he needs to negotiate w/ and asking for suggestions or a compromise in the middle situation? I thought that was the job of politicians was to argue back and forth until they came to a consensus that both sides could agree on that fit what the public most closely wanted or needed.***

    Common courtesy would have been nice! After Obama was elected, why not stop the "birther nonsense?" Stop questioning his patriotism, undermining his wife, and railing about the kids having Secret Service protection! Those ignorant sods are Senators and Congressmen in the House! No President in history has had to deal w/ this level of disrespect and intentional opposition to anything he has to say! It could be right in their wheel house about any subject and they couldn't help but express their "differences w/ the President!" It's been ugly and terribly disrespectful of the man and the office! I better not ever hear BS about civility when these animals speak on the subject!

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  9. ***Why is war criminal Cheney even in today's news?***

    This shows how pathetic the Rep. party is at this time that they can still regard Cheney w/ any fondness! What halfway intelligent person would listen to this old fool? I suppose the gullible, stupid, and more bigoted of us need somewhere to worship!
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    South Carolina police officer charged w/ murder after shooting man during traffic stop - ...authorities said Tuesday. The decision to charge the officer, coming after a tense year of protests and demonstrations over excessive police violence, was announced by the city’s mayor and chief of police at a news conference Tue. afternoon. Authorities said the decision to charge Michael Slager, the officer, was made after they viewed video footage of the incident that showed him shooting the other man in the back as he was fleeing the scene.

    It's coming out now that if not for the video, the cover-up whb successful and this cop would have gotten away w/ it! The local press had already bought his explanation! The brother of the victim tried to record the scene and had his phone confiscated! All that compassion by the police chief and mayor that was emoted earlier today was total BS!

    ***I learned about the killings watching TV news yesterday. Trouble is you think you know it all and if it isn't on Fox News it didn't happen.***

    I've seen them try to "whitewash" this killing on Fox News; gets harder when video is staring them in the face, but it doesn't stop them from embarrassing themselves! They don't care so it's par for the coarse; making a quick commentary or going all the way equating it to Ferguson! While a city burns, all Fox can do is rail about Hillary's email server and an old deserter from the army, Bowe Bergdahl!

    ***Fiero, what would you like them to report? The guy looks guilty as sin. What exactly can be added to that? There will be a trial and he'll likely be found guilty and sentenced. That's how things are supposed to work. You have a BIZARRE fixation w/ FNN.***

    You can say the same about Fox! They spend a segment every hour whining about how corrupt the MSM is, naming names like Matthews, Maddow, Shultz, & the Big 3 networks along w/ major newspapers like the NYT! It's relentless, paranoid, hypocritical, and delusional of them! At least when I make comment about them, I can say I watched unlike FNN zombies who just chant the "party line!"

    ***I don't quite get the objection over this. This guy is being charged w/ murder as it appears he warrants.***

    But only b/c the video was found to exist! They were on their way to a cover-up w/ false reports about life-saving treatment done by cops on the scene! The papers had already written a normal blurb about a shooting and a suspect w/ a long police record killed! That was it! If not for that video, that "flat-foot" would be cruising around in his car looking for more trouble! This isn't his 1st rodeo BTW! Look at the real news where you'll see another complaint is still being processed w/ assaulting an innocent person at his home in front of a witness telling him that was the wrong man; tased and assaulted on the ground, this town will be paying a lot of suits!

    ***Is your point that police and gov't often corrupt? Yes, they are.***

    The mayor and police chief sounded so magnanimous turning the investigation over to "SLED," saying they are sick over this, and were in constant communication w/ the family! That was total BS when we find out the brother of the victim tried to record the scene and had his phone confiscated! He was told to get away and they hadn't spoken to the mother at all! It was all a canard to shape appearances!

    ***Fiero, OF COURSE I care about the truth. I'm asking you what you would like done when there isn't evidence of guilt?
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    G, if they change the evidence to fit their version of the truth, we will never know what the real truth is. You seem to be saying that is ok. That is wrong.***

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  10. ***...the bright yellow stuff that Sean Hannity probably eats on his private jet thinking it makes him a man of the people, that was $1.69.***

    Well he needs something! Good one! He's such an a-hole! He spent most of his show last night condemning Obama for not being a Christian w/ criticism of "prayer breakfast" and showing video clips of Rev. Wright! "No, I ain't a racist scumbag!" He makes it hard not to think that way of him! If he's not pounding Obama for some made up conspiracy or scandal, he's b!tchin' about Hillary, Benghazi, and her email server! He's so pathetic! When Alan Colmes worked w/ him, the show was on an even keel; no more!

    ***Complaining about the price of mustard when Zero and Moochie spend millions of tax payers money on luxurious vacations.***

    I say the same thing w/ the "right" and their obsession w/ Benghazi, Hillary's emails, Bowe Bergdahl, and whether Obama is a Christian due to his comments at "prayer breakfast!" The world's crumbling around our feet and this is what they whine about daily!

    ***Well, Debbie Whatshername Schulz made clear the official position of the Dem. Party. I think this s/b a question for every Dem. candidate. "Do you think it s/b legal to kill 7 lb babies before they exit the birth canal?"***

    Well that's one way to deflect even though Rand's supposed to be against gov't intrusion! Again, he's turning into a huge hypocrite, trying to please all constituents! He'll never be able to balance that many balls in the air and still blow up at questions from female interviewers when this is only the beginning! How can he handle the job of President if he can't take the heat asking about his views on topics he already laid down markers a couple years ago? If there's a change, we deserve answers just like they put to Hillary!

    ***Ahhhh, the old evil "Halliburton" Hadn't heard that 1 in a while. What about it?***

    More hypocrisy; esp. w/ Reps going back to the 70's w/ Whitewater that had nothing to do w/ Nat'l security! W/ the way they've run things w/ all the troubles in the world, they should hold their heads in shame! Since taking over the Senate, nothing's gotten done! I haven't even heard of a vote! Heaven knows the new AG is waiting for them to bring up her nomination finality; if ever! They love Holder so much, they won't let him go! More hypocrisy since they b!tch incessantly over what he does in the Justice Department!

    ***Dick Cheney resigned his position at Halliburton the minute Bush picked him VP! Unlike Hillary who's foundation STILL accepted foreign donations while she was Sec. of State despite Obama wanting her to stop it.***

    Gullibility runs deep w/ some people! I'll stick w/ the Clinton who are raising money to alleviate hunger and suffering around the world unlike the money HO's of Halliburton and their ilk! Please spare me; that canard of implicating Clintons to wrongdoing b/c of foreign donations makes no sense! If it doesn't come from here and our people, it's gotta come from somewhere; just like Bush and his dealings abroad! Why not scrutinize him sometime; esp. since he's a bona fide war criminal!

    ***Dick Chenney CEO of Haliburton, resigns to become VP. We go to war w/ Iraq. Presto, the aftermath, Haliburton gets all the NO BID contracts. There's nothing suspicious about that all though, right!***

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  11. ***How Corrupt Would Be Enough For Dems To Care? - There is no limit. These are the people who destroyed the black family to save it, they rip babies from the womb while defending the right to life of serial killers, they stew in their corruption and moral filth and they love it.***

    I'll take those villains over the other side who threatened the credit rating of the country a couple time in recent years, opposed anyinfrastructure bills to pass to keep the economy on life support alone; dragging their feet at every opportunity! Then you have gov't shutdowns that cost us over $24 B and strictly enforced the Sequestor railing about cuts even to pay for disaster relief! They also tried to kill US auto makers, totally against a loan which has since been paid back and millions of jobs saved! I can't tell you the amount of disgust I have with Reps! Dems could start making Soylent Green and I'd applaud them over any motives of the opposition! They stink, are unpatriotic, and close totreacherous in undermining this President at every turn! "He not a citizen of this country, he's a Manchurian candidate (Cheney), his wife and kids are (this and that), his mother this, and his father that...;" just hateful shit so vitriolic of Rep. leadership, not some hick from Lookout Mountain Tenn.!

    ***W/ Clinton widely expected to announce her candidacy for the Dem. presidential nom. over the weekend, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz emphasized her neutrality on Friday – and went on to praise Clinton and the history making nature of her run. The Weston congresswoman was a prominent Clinton supporter in '08, when she lost the nom. to Barack Obama. Since 2011, she has been Obama’s handpicked chairwoman of the Dem. Nat'l Committee.

    “Sec. Clinton, I think is arguably one of the most qualified people – assuming she announces her candidacy – who have ever run for president. I was proud to support her in 2008. Of course as DNC chair, I will neutrally manage our primary nomination contest, assuming we have one,” Wasserman -Schultz said in a brief interview Friday after the dedication of a new South FLA regional FBI HQs in Miramar.***

    Like who would Wasserman-Schultz be being impartial btw? Only Reps have declared! They can delude themselves as much as they want trying to make her look bad, she's still leading most everywhere! There will always be pockets of haters who will vote for anyone or anything as long as it's not named Clinton! The candidates who supposedly lead her in the polls can't even get the nom! What a joke! FNN spends all their time trying to undermine this woman who they say isn't qualified! Why are they working so hard if she's so lame? Idiots!

    ***Why is it that Obama will sit down with terrorist and communist oppressors, but refuses to negotiate w/ his fellow Americans? - B/c they are world leaders not common sot nut-jobs like his fellow Americans (R) are...***

    Obama was a little slow in learning his lesson! There was NO honeymoon period w/ obstruction and "no compromise" the watch-words of the century for Reps! Funny you have people saying he should have been working w/ his opposition! That's a laugh since these animals wouldn't even answer his phone calls half the time! They wouldn't show up for state functions w/ dignitaries from other countries as well! I'm more po'd that Obama even gave these losers the time of day! It was proved how much they hated him when they gambled w/ our credit rating and the Nat'l debt they increased with gov't shutdowns! It'll probably be the same w/ Hillary, but I'd rather have her in there than one of these boneheads like Paul, Rubio, Walker, or even Bush! If they have an "R" behind your name, they can't be trusted to fulfil any of their promises; it's congenital!

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  12. ***Nadal is the greatest #2 of all time. He held the spot for a record 160 weeks. That was at the height of the Fed era.***

    Nole will sweep past him in the weeks at #1 since winning the IW and Miami combo for the 3rd time today! Nadal has dropped to #5 and needs to acquire some pts on clay before going to the FO!

    ***Murray to win in Miami!***

    Oh well; maybe next time! Another 6-0 finish for Nole to take the IW/Miami combo! "Thanks Andy!"

    ***Almost like there's a 'non compete' clause btw the 2...***

    I rail about the way Murray plays! He allows absolute nobodies to take him to the limit due to his passive/aggressive way of playing! Nadal does the same thing, hanging back and allowing people not even ranked in the top 100 to keep them on the court for hours and miles of running! It's so ridiculous; even old man Roger is attacking and ending points at the net more! Nole's in his groove and seems to be developing a competent game plan which has taken care of all comers these days! He's very impressive; even more so than Roger way back when! He doesn't seem to tire, is quite limber for someone of his height, and just gets the job done even when he isn't playing well!

    ***I find it difficult to reconcile the Big 3 being called all time greats and their competition being labeled as a weak era. Either the Big 3 are who we think they are, therefore their competition isn't quite as bad as we think they are, or the Big 3 aren't as good as they're made out to be.
    ---

    I didn't say the "competition" was weak, but the younger generation is. Do you disagree that the generation that includes Nishikori, Raonic, Dimitrov, Tomic etc isn't weak?***

    I coined a phrase describing this newer generation; "unable to finish!" They can be serving for a match, most times 2 pts away from victory, on a few occasions w/ multiple mp's like Tsonga at the FO vs Djokovic a couple years ago, and this 2nd tier of players find a way to lose it vs the top rung! They just can't help themselves w/ isolated victories like Fabio over Rafa 2 months ago in Rio SF! He had an isolated chance of winning and he took it w/ a great "get" on his part to win in 3 sets on Nadal's beloved clay! The 2nd tier have all the tools to break through and a little of it happened last season w/ Wawrinka, Cilic, and Nishikori! Raonic has made strides by winning over Rafa recently, but falls to Isner later; so there are setbacks each time to keep Nole, Roger, and Rafa "right there" time and time again eventually! I'm hopeful they will step up and get the job done this year; not like I want them to take out Nole! This is his time to shine and he seems to be right on schedule taking his "pet" Slam a couple months ago! He has to have his sights on the FO, but I'm hoping he doesn't put pressure on himself and end up falling before the semi's!

    ***Just noticed Fiero's banned along w/ Rafa's son. What happened? - Really? I think it is a shame. He is quite straight forward in his opinions, but I am really surprised. Maybe this is just a timeout and not a permanent ban. Let's wait and see. - I enjoyed his posts actually. Should we start a petition to have him brought back?
    ---

    Wow Fiero banned?? See what happens when you don't like Nadal's game. - So can we find out the reason why he was banned? - Let me ask you this, why would he be banned for talking about Nadal? There is only 1 Rafa fan mod. Well it would be nice to have him back.
    ---

    Sorry, but I like Fiero, so it's only natural for me to come to his defense. Anyway it's the board's loss as he's entertaining and knows a lot about tennis. - We like Fiero. His ban is not permanent. We hope he comes back, even the best posters can overstep their bounds sometimes and might need a break.***

    Thanks a lot guys! I was debating about coming back, but since you care so much! lol!

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  13. ***Obama is destroying America; Hillary would finish the job. - You give them both too much credit.***

    ...or too much blame! Reps own Congress, 30 state legislatures, and do nothing but tear down their own country and populous! They hate minorities, women, gays, and foreigners, but whine about it when shown proof! When will these guys take responsibility for undermining us all at every turn?

    ***I need a good whine, can you show me proof?***

    Look at your own record if you identify w/ these animals! Just off the top of my head:

    The repeated and never-ending disrespect of this President from day one! The shots at his wife and children; even for having Secret Service protection! What haven't your Ilk said about Obama's patriotism, religion, and legitimacy concerning his birth! Do I really need to go on here?

    Plenty of lip service concerning an immigration bill, but even when Bush was running the show, you struck down every attempt to pass the most meager of legislation! At least Obama has exercised Executive Orders to override your hypocritical opposition! I say hypocritical b/c you still want the cheap labor so you overlook a lot, talking out both sides of your mouths!

    A congressional panel is called of all men to discuss women's health needs! The assault on Planned Parenthood has closed down so many clinics that screen them for cancer, many women will start dropping like flies in those hellish areas of the south! It's hard to have any sympathy for them since they voted for these idiots!

    Bush, Cheney, and the rest of his admin. are true war criminals w/ their party condoning torture, renditions, and locking up men at Qitmo w/ little or no evidence using a canard they'll only go back to the battlefield if released! What battlefield; that place of paranoia that is used to scare people for no good reason?

    There's plenty more, but I have a life to go back to! You can delude yourself to believe none of this is true, but sooner or later, the country will wise up and "turn all of you out!" We can only hope they come to their senses by next year in time to save us from another disastrous Rep. admin!

    ***Hillary was clobbering all potential rightwing Rep. candidates. The same rightwing clowns on this forum started panning polls claiming it's a liberal media bias and that it's too early to put any credibility in them some 18 months to elections. Now after Hillary has taken a pounding from both right wing and liberal media over alleged email scandals w/ the poll showing Rand Paul after favorable reviews from MSM suddenly has a slight edge over Hillary (all within the margin of error), rightwingnuts on this forum are orgasmic and believing in polls now. It would have been comical were it not pathetic. - I have only gotten so far in this thread, but I did not see one person gush about these polls other than Speedy which is the person who started the thread.***

    Reps are still the biggest hypocrites concerning polls! They poo-poo them when they don't show them in a good light and extoll them when they do! It's so hard to listen to anyone on the "right" b/c it appears they will say and do anything to frame their argument; even if it's full of lunacy! The polls told them immigration reform s/b taken care of! They're in charge now of Congress and we still haven't seen any movement! If not for Obama's EO's, nothing would be getting done on the subject!

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  14. ***She Was A Rep.? 5 Things You Should Know About Hillary Clinton...- Sure looks suspicious to me! But I have suspicion, NOT proof.***

    Reps have "cried wolf" so often, no one's listening to their BS! When you constantly bitch and moan about someone like Hillary, people's eyes have to glaze over eventually and it happened years ago! Watching FNN daily, they can't stop themselves; even if they have to make up a controversy! If they would stick to truths, I think they'd have a better chance, but the more they do it, the better I say! Keep bringing up those stupid emails and Benghazi which has been investigated by both the Senate and House for almost 3 years; it's all such a waste of time and effort! The problem w/ Reps, they got nothing! No one person has been analyzed and scrutinized more than this woman; in the world! Finding something new will be a real stretch! The serious problem they also have is too many low information candidates! Even the smart ones like Cruz and Bush look like idiots b/c they're still affiliated with obstructionists, bomb throwers, and religious zealots! I can't wait for '16!

    ***It's one of the many reasons I'm so resentful of the birthers. They've done such serious damage to the ostensibly conservative brand, that when they (we) actually get the goods, it may be dismissed; just like the birther palaver has rightly been. - Is it even in dispute that she was taking money from foreign gov'ts while Secretary of State? Is that the product of "right wing nuts" or something?***

    There you go proving my point! She personally wasn't doing anything if you're talking about the Clinton Global Initiative! It's called charitable contributions to help feed and house the less fortunate! I know "the right" doesn't know much about that as their credo is "only the strong should survive; and w/o assistance!"

    ***Mike Huckabee thinks if senators run for higher office, they can't do their job while campaigning; should resign to campaign.***

    I agree w/ that for the most part, but there's nothing new; regardless if they're running for President or not! Senators don't really do the work; more a face identified w/ a vote! They have staffs larger than a CEO of a Fortune 500 company! It's a joke how little they actually have to do; not to mention getting full salaries for PT work! When Reps are in charge, you're lucky if Congress w/b in session 3 of the 5 weekdays! I guess that's another reason they wanted it back so much; a much lighter schedule!

    ***Which candidate can win over President Obama's 65 million voters? I don't see any Rep. even coming close to that achievement.***

    Why do you think Reps have been trying to make it harder and harder to even vote? Their jihad on the Post Office is almost complete having a true vendetta against any union that support the Dems! I just don't know how these people sleep at night w/ how they try to take rights away from some while taking us back to pre-civil rights era w/ their tactics!

    ***No one ACTUALLY thinks that evangelical Christians are the same as radical Muslims in the extremism dept., do they? I mean when was the last beheading by a band of Christians?***

    No, they just target Doctors, nurses, and families that have the audacity to work w/i the confines of a legal procedure; certified by the SC back in the 70's! There has been continuous public shaming, assaults, bombings, and outright murders of people; all in the quest for freedom and LIFE I guess! Wow; sounds a lot like terrorists among us!

    ***And how many X's has that happened in the history of the USA compared to the # of people being slaughtered by radical Islam today?***

    How many times does it have to happen for it to be wrong? Just like simple traffic stops turning into unarmed black boys and men being killed, it seems to be acceptable to some of you since you don't hear about it happening that often!

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  15. ***Obama was, w/o a doubt, the most personable, presentable candidate since Kennedy. The sitting Rep. Prez was the most unpopular since Nixon. The US was involved in 2 wars and the economy was starting to tank. Add the fact that the press was totally in the tank for Obama.
    ---

    You really think Obama isn't that great a President? How do YOU explain why he is a 2-termer and Bush (elder) had 1?
    ---

    I think that Bush the elder simply sat back and coasted during his 2nd campaign. If he'd campaigned hard after the Gulf War, he may well have won.
    ---

    Seems to me there's more involved here than candidate qualifications. Otherwise based on lack of experience, Obama wouldn't have stood a chance.***

    Nice assessment! You covered it except how Ross Perot influenced the results of '92 & '96! Besides him splitting the conservatives, he got all the "anyone but Bill" vote (wing-nuts, gun lobby, etc)!

    ***So true and all the Dems need is another wingnut like that to run this time and they'll win the Presidency hands down (hopefully not Hillary). Btw the Tea Party and Libertarian voters on the Rep. side and their F Y "line in the sand," I will find it amazing if any Rep. could win the White House in '16. - I'd rather see a new fresh mind like Rubio as President rather than a 60 - 70 year old fading mind leading our nation.***

    You sound like someone who justifies voting against this woman while at the same time complaining about a lack of representation! Women are the majority of the electorate, but they are woefully underrepresented and it's their own fault; esp. in the Senate and House! Reps love you I'm sure!

    ***Vote for aging lady parts!***

    Like Obama running back in '08, this is a chance for women to actually have a say in what goes on! If they skip this opportunity w/ Hillary, they deserve to be relegated to the back of the bus allowing Reps to step on them as they have for so long concerning healthcare, equal pay, and in general respect for their being! If not now, when? Fiorina is nowhere near as qualified! I love how she's picked up that mantra of "what has she accomplished!" Hillary's done more than most regardless if her name is all over documentation! There are Senators in office for 20 years I still wouldn't vote for "dogcatcher," but her resume is a lot more extensive than most; esp. losers like Rubio, Cruz, Paul, and Perry! What have they accomplished while she rose from First Lady to Senator, then Secretary of State! I'd love for these idiots to try and undermine her work ethic in comparison to theirs!

    ***Fiero, what's she done? Please name her top 5 accomplishments aside from opening up some jobs in Libya through her inaction on security. I understand she employed some people to help her set up a home brew email system. Is that an accomplishment?***

    You can ask that of every person in Congress and they'd all fail! Just having a public job is enough, but of course Hillary's done a lot more than most going back to Watergate 40 yrs ago! You need to turn your question on real neophytes like Rubio, Paul, Cruz, & Walker! What have they done but make their electorate miserable?

    ***"Ted Cruz shut down the gov't by not bringing the bill to the floor? Weird, I didn't know he was the Senate Majority leader at the time.
    ---

    "Shutting down the government in my view is not conservative policy. I don't think a 2 wk paid vacation for federal employees is conservative policy. - A # of us were saying back in July that this [gov't shutdown] strategy could not and would not work. And of course, it didn't. So there'll not be another one. You can count on that." Senate Majority leader at the time: Sen. McConnell (R-KY) CBS-TV Face The Nation 13/10/20

    Cruz needn't have been in role of authority
    Cruz was in the role of leadership
    Cruz wanted the shutdown
    Cruz got the shutdown***

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  16. Hillary's so bad, such a wretched person, but people have to keep going after her like she killed their dog! Fine; the voters will totally tune out the noise! It's just so repetitive and w/o foundation! She's done more than all of these losers in their entire, corrupt lives!

    ***Romney made his millions at the expense of countless families.***

    I have nothing against wealth, but how you make it off the backs and misery of others, I find a problem w/ that! Other people probably feel the same way; Kennedy's had wealth, but were obviously committed to all, not just their own wallets! Romney wrote off a horse as a medical expense for his wife; "dressage" horse training the therapy! This guy has over $100 million in an IRA and he's still running game on the system!

    ***I've got no special truck to carry for Sarah Palin, but having NOTES written down is the basis for calling her a twit? She shb reading off a teleprompter?***

    How would she be able to pound Obama for his reading of a teleprompter? That was what they had on the man; day one! He read speeches from a teleprompter! Well at least he entered the 21st century while Palin is still jotting down notes on her hand! Does that go back to her time in school? It took 5 universities to get her certified to be "the head twit in charge" of the Tea Party!

    ***She had a few words written on her hand - that's very different from reading an entire speech off of a teleprompter. And have you ever watched Obama when he has to deviate from his prepared speech?***

    At least Obama speaks English! I was never sure what "W" was talking about; a total foreign language w/ words made up by him alone! Truly pathetic!

    ***I'd seriously like to know how many network news stories there have been of Marco Rubio taking a drink of water during a speech versus a Secretary of State taking money from foreign gov'ts.***

    I haven't seen or heard that mentioned once! What is this, a preemptive strike? If that's the best you got, Hillary has little to worry about! Her detractors are just very tired, promoting controversies that don't exist!

    ***Wasn't Rubio giving a Rep. rebuttal? Didn't the press call it the "aqua-lunge"?

    What's news-worthy about it is how unpolished it was.
    Stage fright can dry one's mouth.
    Anyone running for president s/b self-possessed enough not merely to know that, but also to be prepared for it.
    Rubio wasn't properly prepared; he just looked not ready for prime-time.

    Was it the end of the world? No. Just an obvious indication he's young; needs more experience.***

    You can't take Rubio seriously after that! Obama stood there for an hour and a half for the SOTU and didn't lick his lips, then Rubio came on in rebuttal and was coughing sawdust after 10 min.! I thought if that bottle of water wasn't there he might have started hallucinating!

    ***Jeb has said he agrees w/ his brother on everything. But Jeb had no legislative authority on it.***

    Neither was Obama who was still in the Il. House, but his objection to giving "W" authority in dealing w/ Iraq got him elected over Hillary in '08! Even phantom votes matter I guess!

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  17. ***After Murray is finished enjoying his time with his new bride, he's scheduled to play in his 1st ever 250-level clay event @ Munich on April 27, and then Madrid and Rome Masters. Murray's no slouch on clay so this could be interesting. He needs to get a 2015 title under his belt and keep building up his confidence.***

    What confidence? The Big 3 still own him; esp. Nole and the rest of the tour isn't afraid of him! He's still playing that same game of counter-punching and allowing matches to go 3 sets unnecessarily! Not like I'm a fan, but that's been my thinking of players like Murray and Nadal who work too hard in earlier rounds of an event!

    ***Today, Nole has moved into outright 6th place in the list of players who have spent the most wks at #1 in the ATP Rankings. He's been at the top of men's pro tennis for 142 wks, 1 wk more than Nadal, and now has his sights set on John McEnroe @ 170 wks. W/ a 4,310 point lead over #2-ranked Federer, if he were to maintain his firm grip on #1, which he reclaimed on 7 July 2014, he would start his 171st wk at #1 on 9 Nov this year. After that only Connors (268 wks), Lendl (270 wks), Sampras (286 wks) and all-time leader Federer (302 wks) are in front of Djokovic for most wks spent at #1.

    WEEKS AT #1 (Active)*
    Players who have ranked #1 for at least 100 wks:

    1. R. Federer (SUI) 302
    2. P. Sampras (USA) 286
    3. I. Lendl (CZE/USA) 270
    4. J. Connors (USA) 268
    5. J. McEnroe (USA) 170
    6. N. Djokovic (SRB) 142*
    7. R. Nadal (ESP) 141
    8. Bjorn Borg (SWE) 109
    9. A. Agassi (USA) 101

    Although Novak had won the '08 AO and 5 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophies, Djokovic’s 1st truly great year was in 2011, when he 1st became #1 on 4 July. Ever since, Djokovic’s business has been winning tennis matches. Since '11 to today’s milestone, he has compiled a 305-39 match record and won 33 of his 51 trophies to date. He has won 7 of 17 GS titles and finished runner-up in another 5. He has also taken home 17 trophies from of a possible 35 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments that he has contested (134-17 match record).

    Widely considered to be one of the greatest returners and movers in history, Djokovic continues to push every other player to compete better. W/ Marian Vajda and Boris Becker, he has developed an ability to quickly breakdown and nullify strategy, to win when not playing at his best. These are trademarks of all great players, like Federer and Nadal, who he will battle this week in Monte-Carlo.

    As a 3-time year-end #1 in the Rankings ('11, '12 & '14), the responsibility of leading men’s tennis is a source of great pride for Djokovic. Yet, off court, little has changed for the Belgrade native.
    ---

    Nole is on another planet and I see no one able to challenge him consistently for titles. Fellow ATPers will have to resign them to the fact that there will be no titles available unless someone catches him on a very bad day and they play lights out. Until then, he will shine brightly until he burns himself out.***

    - - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novak_Djokovic - -

    - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novak_Djokovic_career_statistics -

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  18. ***The majority of tennis fans are in some part of the Fedal camp. Nole's always going to be the odd guy out. And if he continues to make history, he may find himself even less liked. As it is, he seems pretty comfortable in his own skin these days.***

    Nole's career and record mirror Lendl's in a lot of ways w/ him playing 2nd fiddle to McEnroe, Connors, and Borg! No matter what Djokovic does, as long as Federer and Nadal are out there, he'll never get that feeling of universal love! Even when Roger had fallen a bit in the ranking a couple years ago, his endorsements, magazine covers, and advertisements of the tour featured the aging Swiss player! Commentators give him his due, but you would think Roger and Rafa are playing for all the marbles "still!"

    ***An ugly win by Rafa over Ferrer in QF of MC. What shb 6-2, 6-0, turned into a nearly 3-hour 3 setter. I'm disappointed in Dimitrov, but impressed that Monfils didn't do the typical post-beating-Big-3 fold of losing in the next rd. His win of Roger was spectacular. Djokovic is on fire.***

    Nothing new as I've said repeated; they're all ugly wins! The only think beautiful about Rafa's game is when he goes down in flames! I hope Nole stays on course and continue his dominance of the tour right now!

    ***This match is mainly about helping Djokovic remove the wart of a losing record to Nadal for his career from his resume. Other than that, Kieran is of course right that Djokovic has yet to play anywhere near his capability in the final of Roland Garros and send Nadal packing w/o the trophy.
    ---

    But try to keep in mind that Rafa still is not playing anywhere near his capability which he could do it at any time - If Djokovic wins 6x4 7x5, then ok, let's wait for the next rounds, but if he thrashes Nadal like 6x1 6x1, how can we say that this would not have an effect for RG? Sure as hell that it would.
    ---

    ...There is no formula by which Rafa plays poorly/Novak beats him in the clay season that adds up to Nadal losing at RG, up to this point. A commentator last year said that Nadal has an instinct for peaking the 2nd week of the French. Until he loses it again, there is no predictor for Rafa not hefting that trophy.
    ---

    And about Isner...I don't like too much his game, but I think that he's not doing so bad on clay (better than Cilic)***

    Isner's a throwback; sorta like Roddick in his day! All serve and a big forehand; but w/ more heart I guess! He still needs to move forward sooner and finish off matches quicker; and not get into TB wars again and again! He has the game to sneak a title here and there, but never anything of consequence! He just works too hard that he's usually "done" by a semi or final; if he makes it that far! A # of players are like that these days including Kei, Milos, and Dimi!

    ***...Yeah, '04, '07 Rafa was 17 and 20 years old when Ferrer beat him on HC and in the AO 2011 when Rafa got an upper-leg tear, but even that he played the whole match.***

    Is it Nadal or Uncle Tony that promote this notion that Rafa only loses when he's incapacitated!

    ***Relax, nobody's saying that he loses when he is incapacitated, I'm just saying why Nadal lost against Ferrer in that AO; it's a fact if you like it or not.***

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  19. ***What I mean by "big titles" is the 14 biggest tournaments of the year: the 4 Grand Slams, the World Tour Finals, and the 9 Masters events.

    Since 1990, here are the best yrs in terms of # of big titles won:

    8: Federer (2006), Djokovic (2011)
    7: Federer (2004), Nadal (2013)
    6: Sampras (1994), Federer (2005), Federer (2007), Nadal (2010), Djokovic (2014)
    5: Sampras (1997), Nadal (2005), Nadal (2008), Djokovic (2012), Djokovic (2013)

    As you can see, the most common #'s is only 3 big titles, but all of those happened btw 1991 and 2003, meaning since 2004 there has been a more dominant player of the year.

    Some interesting years:
    - In 1995, 3 players tied for 4 big titles each - Sampras, Agassi, and Muster
    - In 1997, Pete Sampras won 5 big titles and was the only player to win more than 1; it was also 1 of only 3 years in which 10 different players won a big title (others being '90 & '02)

    - The year w/ the fewest big title winners was '13, w/ only Nadal (7), Djokovic (5), & Murray (2)
    ---

    If Novak...

    ...wins Monte Carlo he will become the 1st player to win the opening 3 ATP Masters 1000 events of a season

    ....wins Cincinnati he will become the 1st player who completed career sweep of all nine Masters

    ....wins 6 Masters in 2015, he will break the record for Masters titles in a single season (5)

    In the Fedal era, he does what he can to carve out a little bit of history for himself.***

    Nole and Rafa have carved out their own little piece of history for themselves already; Masters wins, Rafa at FO, Nole at AO, top 10 and weeks at #1!

    ***How can a player who has been in top 10 for years be labelled a 1 year wonder? I don't understand it. A chance presented itself to him to win one of the 4 biggest titles in tennis and he took it. ...I would say that he has had a great career and it's not over yet.***

    That's the way people think of Nole; some kind of "also ran" that just carries the bags for Roger and Rafa! Even the press and so called expert commentators defer to the "Top 2" not a Top 3 deep down! When Roger fell off a bit, was changing rackets and trying to get over injures, he dropped to a solid #3, then dipped a toe for about a minute at #6! The endorsements and magazine covers never even slowed down! Nole had the best year in '11 and it's still thought of as him being a "1 hit wonder!"

    ***What do they know then? I think everybody has been aware of how good Nole is for a while now. You can't do anything about endorsements, those last for years once you sign them. But Nole has done pretty well for himself despite trying to earn a living in the toughest era. When he's on, Wawrinka has such a beautiful and strong BH and FH. It's hard to maintain good form for a long period of time. That is his biggest problem, IMO. But from X to X he shines and surprises everybody. In winning a major, he has done better than most of the players on ATP tour. Maybe he strikes again and wins something big soon; I wouldn't be surprised.
    ---

    I'm not a big Djokovic fan, but I'd rather see him win than Nadal any day of the week. And after repeated failures against Nadal at the RG, any clay win has to be a boost for Djokovic's confidence as he heads to RG to win his 1st title there.***

    ReplyDelete
  20. ***Some Nole history:

    1st player to win the first 3 Masters 1000 tournaments to start the year

    1st player to win AO and 1st 3 Masters 1000 tournaments

    1st player to win 6 straight tournaments that are 1000 and above (Paris, WTF, AO, IW, Miami, MC)

    Masters titles since 2011 - Djokovic = 18; Federer + Nadal + Murray = 18
    ---

    Last year Nole didn't play in Madrid alleging that he had a wrist injury so we'll see how they treat him after last season's controversy w/ Dimitrov, but I'm not sure if he wants to play there.***

    So reminiscent of Lendl's tenure as #1! Players like McEnroe and Connors could berate officials, have a tantrum on court, & belittle the tour, but they were always cheered while Lendl dealt with boo's and just went about his business winning and establishing himself as one of the greats of the game!

    ***Djokovic's only opponents are himself and the pressure now.***

    That's been the case since the beginning! From years ago, he was a solid #3 who rarely lost to unheralded players and was his own worst enemy when he was favored to win a title! He may not acquire the record # of majors or have a great run of wins at 1 of the top 2; Wimbledon & USO! Federer has the major title record along w/ 2 huge runs at those majors that can't be surpassed by a current rival like Nadal! Rafa owns the FO like no other player since Borg; taking on all comers where most top players skipped this clay major to participate in WTT and WCT events in past eras; supposedly kept Connors from completing calendar year Slam in '74! Nole has a lot going for him; playing well within himself, grounded w/ a family, has a great team, and seems to be the fittest he could ever be! He doesn't have to win much else for the rest of the season just to hold onto #1 ranking, but he looks to be carving out a better season than he had in '11!

    ***...Come on, it's ok that you are a hard Novak's fan, but the facts are facts and you should be very happy for what is going on these days before some things change.***

    It's not as much being a fan, but feeling that this is NOLE's time! Even holding tons of records, having great seasons, he's still holding the bags for Roger and Rafa! I ranted yesterday comparing Lendl's career and lack of fan affection while maniacs like Nastase, Connors, and McEnroe were the faces of the tour! There's just no justice when Novak can surpass his '11 season and most people and so called experts will invoke Roger and Rafa before him; no matter how far they fall in the rankings!

    Nole's never had extended stays off the tour like other players of this era; sorta like the way I feel about Serena and Venus playing part time for so many years! They will say there was injury, tragedy, and other interests, but I have a real problem w/ breaks in careers! Navratilova never did it, but her namesake Hingis is trying another comeback in Fed Cup and is winning doubles' majors after all these years! Some will get grief for it and some won't!

    ***Of course Nole never (until today) had extende stays off the tour b/c he never has had an injury (disconfort is diferent story), but unfortunately not everyone has that good luck, you should ask Delpo, Muzz, Tsonga, Monfils, Haas and many other players who has been off the court for long periods and how much those injuries have hurt their careers; not just their game, but also their mind and confidence. No one likes to be off, but sometimes they don't have any option - Rafa was 7 months off because the doctors told him take very serious care of his knee otherwise it could be the end of his career. He decided to do it and at the present, his knee seems to be in good conditions.***

    ReplyDelete
  21. ***I don't believe for a second that Nole, Federer, Berdych, Ferrer and some others are just somehow gifted and injury-proof.***

    Players who are oft injured are doing something to hurt their durability! Many players have long, consistent careers b/c they think about what they're doing and don't over train like some who are "hurting themselves" for the most part when you hear about extended absences! I have so much more respect for Martina and Roger being respective "goat's" b/c they never took off much w/o sacrificing their rankings! Players like Rafa, Venus, Serena, Haas, and Del Po can't say the same!

    ***One thing I have to add Fiero, sometimes players feel obligated to keep playing and participating in certain tourneys and sometimes some just hate the notion of losing so they will try to do anything to win. ...I'm pretty sure that Nole could serve harder than he usually does, but what is the price for that? He paid the price in '11 when he started to feel wear and tear of the season and instead of passing on the DC tie, he decided to play and injured himself. I think he learned that lesson well and when he feels he can't push anymore, he won't force it. Fed is a master at that; balancing his health, schedule and matches.
    ---

    I really want to see Nole win the French, and he might just be able to do it now. If Rafa is healthy, I just don't see it happening.***

    I was hoping Rafa would be 5th seed with Nole taking him on in the QF where there would be less fanfare! Can it still happen? Need to go check the points in the rankings!

    ***Djokovic crumbled in the latter stages of the 2nd set in last year's FO final b/c he was sick to his stomach. Last year's final tells us basically nothing.***

    It's always something w/ a player! I've "lived & died" w/ players; esp. from past eras w/ their winning or losing a title! The player I was the most vested in probably was Borg! He didn't disappoint much at Wimbledon and the French, but no player was more unlucky than Bjorn trying to claim just 1 USO! The injuries, night matches, and bad draws just annihilated his chances even w/ his pet surface being laid out for him for 3 tries in the final 3 events at Forest Hills! What an embarrassment; 2 surface changes over 4 years, a relocate, and no love lost w/ the new venue! People used to speak of an A-bomb drop on Flushing! Btw the flights overhead and fear for your life coming and going from the place, I seriously think that it would be the last ranked major but for it's history!

    ***I'd just say a loss by Nole to Roger or someone else at RG this year wouldn't shock me as much as Roger losing to someone aside from Nadal in 2009. - It would shock me a helluva lot more...***

    It's the reason I've called the ATP "gutless" for so many years! It's not like I want an upset of the top players, but it should occur more often! The 2nd and 3rd tier players have opportunities and can be as close as match point, but find a way to give it back so we have the same semi's and finals for most majors and Masters' events! Last season was the first time there was a real breakthrough except at the FO of course! That's been about as routine as "love in Paris in the spring!" Soderling should get more credit for his 2 finalist runs back in '09 & '10! The women have outdone the men in that respect, having a variety of winners; some true "dark horses" taking major titles over the years of late! We can only hope the trend continues; unless Nole's vying for the title of course! If he's going to make a significant mark and impression on Roger and Rafa's fandom, it has to be this season w/ such a historic beginning! I think '11 can wind up being just a footnote to his career if he plays it smart; and so far Nole's been very smart and judicious in his play!

    ReplyDelete
  22. ***IDK what to think Fiero. I've suspected that Senator Clinton actually opposed the Iraq War, but may have feared if she voted against it, that vote would have been used by Reps as a reason to not vote for her for President.***

    That's why I call Dems "gutless" for the most part! They have values, ideas, and plans, but Reps have been allowed to intimidate and politically whack them over the head when it comes to defense, patriotism, and even religion! I could never be in that august body where you're expected to be civil even if your detractors are slime-balls! I can't and won't come up w/ euphemisms if I think someone's a lying sacks of shit! That's been the main problem I've had w/ Dems; not willing to wallow in the gutter and permitting Reps to abuse them over trivial stuff! Reps can threaten our credit rating, Social Security, Medicare, and the economy, but Dems are easily cowed by being accused of being soft on terrorists! They've taken advantage of political speak for years, but Reid fought them off and got a little dirty himself! He took no prisoners at times and I thank him!

    ***Republicans sure have changed since Calvin Coolidge***

    W/ what's happened w/ the country and the juxtaposition of the 2 Nat'l parties; the North going Dem. and the South going Rep. (Blue Dog Dems), none of these comparisons or differences are valid! The Rep. party has gone through a drastic change just since Reagan w/ the conservative and Evangelist movements and corresponding demands to take us back to the 50's before civil and equal rights legislation was passed! The assault on women, minorities, gays, and aliens prove they know they're losing their juice w/ more people leaning progressive; gay rights and abortion on demand! It shows how much these people are stuck in the past; still trying to undermine gains made by these groups concerning civil liberties and rights! As a monolithic group, they're dying off with the percentage of their base vote dropping under 70% recently! They're losing kids, women, Blacks, and Latinos! B/c of their intransigence, they've lost the popular vote nationally 5 of the last 6 cycles; why else would they be going after unions, the post office, voting registrations, and clinics? ...They have no real solutions and past history shows they can't be trusted w/ the office; "thanks 'W'!"

    ***Destroy Hillary now and it leaves Dems btw a rock and a hard place. Here's how to brand Hillary. This will be fun. It's like shooting fish in a barrel. Hillary makes this job a joy!***

    Typical, since Reps "got nothing," they spend every waking hour bitchin' about why we don't need Hillary! There's almost 20 of these clowns thinking about or actually running, but have absolutely nothing to offer on why they would be better! They're all losers and they know it; which is why this tact is being taken! The Dems are going to be laughing and back-slappin' all the way to her Inaugural! Just keep on attacking this woman out of hand w/ women the majority of the electorate! Please continue!

    ***The strong majority will in all likelihood vote against the Rep. Party in 2016 no matter who the candidates are.***

    I've seen demonization programs before, but the MSM is having a field day stringing the comments together of each Rep. candidate as they rip Hillary out of hand! Carly Fiorina looks the worst since she's a professional woman undermining another woman; just trying to keep up w/ the fellas I guess! It's most pathetic and I hope they keep on "crying wolf!" Majority of people w/ common sense tuned them out 20 years ago! ...Cruz and Paul criticized Obama for being a 1 term Senator who obviously don't own any mirrors! Huckabee? Trump? Christie? Walker? Jindal? Yeah, winners all!

    ReplyDelete
  23. ***Tennis.com is celebrating the 50th an. of their Tennis Mag. by doing a Tourn. of Chps. They have picked 32 Grand Slam title winners from the last 50 yrs, seeded them by how many GS titles they won, and decide the winner by deciding who would win on grass, clay and HC's. The 1st set is played on clay, the 2nd set on HC, & the final set is on grass.

    The men's seeds:

    #1 Roger Federer
    #2 Rafael Nadal
    #3 Pete Sampras
    #4 Roy Emerson
    #5 Bjorn Borg
    #6 Rod Laver
    #7 Jimmy Connors
    #8 Ivan Lendl
    #9 Ken Rosewall
    #10 Andre Agassi
    #11 John McEnroe
    #12 Novak Djokovic
    #13 Mats Wilander
    #14 John Newcombe
    #15 Boris Becker
    #16 Stefan Edberg
    #17 Jim Courier
    #18 Guillermo Vilas
    #19 Manuel Santana
    #20 Gustavo Kuerten
    #21 Arthur Ashe
    #22 Jan Kodes
    #23 Johan Kriek
    #24 Lleyton Hewitt
    #25 Andy Murray
    #26 Marat Safin
    #27 Patrick Rafter
    #28 Sergi Bruguera
    #29 Yevgeny Kafelnikov
    #30 Stan Smith
    #31 Ilie Nastase
    #32 Fred Stolle

    The Brackets - Men's Results:

    #1 Federer d #32 Stolle 6-4, 6-4
    #2 Nadal d #31 Nastase 6-4, 7-6 (5)
    #3 Sampras d #30 Smith 6-4, 7-5
    #6 Laver d #27 Rafter 6-4, 7-6 (4)
    #7 Connors d #26 Safin 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-4
    #8 Lendl d #25 Murray 6-3, 7-6 (5)
    #9 Rosewall d #24 Hewitt 6-4, 7-6(5)
    #10 Agassi d #23 Kriek 6-4, 6-4
    #11 McEnroe d #22 Kodes 7-5, 6-3
    #14 Newcombe d #19 Santana 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6)
    #16 Edberg d #17 Courier 4-6, 7-5, 7-5
    #18 Vilas d #15 Becker 6-3, 7-6 (10)
    ---

    #4 Emerson d #29 Kafelnikov 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
    #5 Borg d #28 Bruguera 6-3, 6-4
    #12 Djokovic d #21 Ashe 6-3, 7-5
    #20 Kuerten d #13 Wilander 7-6(4), 7-6(5)

    This sets up 2nd rd.

    #1 Federer d #16 Edberg 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
    #2 Nadal d #18 Vilas 7-5, 6-4
    #3 Sampras d #14 Newcombe 7-6(5), 7-6(4)
    #4 Emerson d #20 Kuerten 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
    #5 Bjorn Borg d #12 Djokovic 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
    #11 McEnroe d #6 Laver 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(10)
    #10 Agassi d #7 Connors vs. 7-5, 7-6(6)
    #9 Rosewall d #8 Lendl 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
    ---

    QF matchups:

    #1 Federer vs #9 Ken Rosewall
    #2 Nadal vs #10 Andre Agassi
    #3 Sampras vs #11 John McEnroe
    #4 Emerson vs #5 Bjorn Borg
    ---

    Federer d Borg - Sampras d Nadal

    Our Winner: #3 Sampras over #1 Federer - 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4
    ---

    I'd have it reversed. Roger whb the fave vs Pete on any HC, and a pretty big one on slower HC's. They did have the semi w/ Rafa correct though similarly, Rafa w/b fave on slow HC's while Pete w/b fave on fast HC's.***

    Interesting! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  24. ***Rafa will play in the Stuttgart grass tournament - This means he wants to find both his feet (one in Stuttgart and other in Queens) on grass before Wimby this year.***

    OMG, that's almost desperate! Looking back, I can't remember this much of an over-reaction due to past results at Wimbledon! I guess you could say no other top player has had such a dismal run on grass allowing "no names," qualifiers, wildcards, and never-weres to take them out of Wimbledon so many early rounds! In my day, most players skipped all warm-up or would half-heartedly "try" through a couple rounds, never putting forth a real effort to win the event! Lendl was the 1st IMO taking out McEnroe and Becker in succession back in '90 after skipping the FO! I still remember hearing Fassbender taking Connors out of Queens in '73! I thought that meant something until I learned top players do that sort of thing ever so often! If it had been a Major, blood whb left on the grass!

    ***While Novak has distanced himself in both races, the other 3 of the Big 4 are not really shining this season. While the other ranking, the ATP official list still has them as 2-3-4, the other one, reflects a tight race for positioning in the top 10. - It looks like there is a big '1' right now.***

    Even Federer in his best days didn't rule like this; 4 major wins before May (AO & 3 Masters)! Looks like 2011 will only be a footnote in comparison if this plays out like it looks; Nole not at his best, but still finding a way to keep on winning! Sampras was never this dominant! I didn't think anyone would come close to what Federer could do in a single season, but Nole's threatening it!

    ***Well, yes, and it doesn't mean the calendar Slam is any more likely than it ever is, but I think El Dude's original point was only that Djokovic has a chance to run a lot titles this year w/ relatively little competition. If only Nadal, Federer and Murray can hope to stop him. It indeed can be another impressive year for Nole. - Hoping Tsonga can get back up there. Ferrer-Berdych-Tsonga need to resume their 'who-gets-a-GS-1st' race.***

    Dream on! As long as one of the Big 4 get to the final, it's a done deal for the exclusivity to continue! In my day, you had more upsets and 2 majors (AO & FO) routinely skipped by the elite, but now I just can't see any 1 of these guys breaking through in their later years! I'd think more in the way of Raonic, Kei, or other "dark horse!"

    ***I know, I know... It's a huge pipe dream, but it sure w/b awesome to see. We've all seen Ferrer celebrate winning a 250. Imagine what his reaction w/b when he wins a Slam. - Cilic has won a GS, I don't see the diference btw both players excluding the torpedo serve. And what about Wawrinka?***

    They both over-achieved last season in the twilight of their careers and were "in the zone" for a good stretch of time, but they've come back to Earth; all but falling out of the top 10! It was inevitable!

    ***...Nole is a great player, but Paris is a ways off and SW19 is no gimme for him. New York? I think he will always be in contention there for a few more years.***

    They're all lucky the grass is so well manicured w/ such even bounces these days! Federer and Nole whb upset more than once if they played in past eras; sorta what Rafa's going thru now! That's what made Borg's run so miraculous; surviving 6 str. yrs of chopped up grass and dirt, no warm-up events played, w/ every imaginable assault being made to bring him down! He still won 5 in a row and played in 6 str. finals!

    ReplyDelete
  25. ***So just to post the final scores of the T of C

    QF's:
    #1 Federer d #9 Rosewall 7-6(4), 7-5
    #2 Nadal d #10 Agassi 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(5)
    #3 Sampras d #11 McEnroe 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
    #5 Borg d #4 Emerson 6-4, 5-7, 6-4

    Semifinals:
    #1 Federer d #5 Bjorn Borg 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
    #3 Sampras d #2 Nadal 4-6, 7-5, 6-4

    Final:
    #3 Sampras defeated #1 Federer 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4
    ---

    ...Would love to see a Nishikori-Ferrer Barcelona final again!***

    You and me both; not as much the final, but what precipitates it! What upset are you thinking of; Fognini today? lol!

    ***Maybe Rafa should play Istanbul for some confidence...it's only Roger there.***

    Passed out after Fabio went down that break in the 2nd! Woke to the good news! Unbelievable! HELL truly froze over!

    ***When was the last time Rafa lost to the same guy back to back on clay?***

    Only b/c I just watched it on videotape, Nole back in 2011 owned him taking Nadal out in straights at both Madrid and Rome!

    ***I'm not panicking at this stage, but it's both natural and curious what's happening. ...He hasn't had a good run of results since the 2nd week in Paris last year - and before that it was Oz. So there's a lot of reasons to think that he's in the middle of something terminal, but we can't see it b/c we know he's looked terminal before. - Yes I would much rather see Novak beating a healthy Nadal playing well, not a knackered version hobbling about.***

    It probably won't matter! Rafa's always given the benefit of the doubt when he loses; esp. on clay! Something must be wrong; injury, confidence, change of rackets! It's terribly insulting to his rivals which is why he probably has a rotten repoire w/ a lot of them! I know I couldn't be bothered w/ his whole act; toweling off, stalling, ticks, coaching from Tony, and challenging every close call!

    ***...Since 2011, Novak leads the h2h on clay 5-5, including 4 straight set wins. You're selling Novak short by a large margin.***

    I watch those Nole victories in Madrid, Rome, and Monte Carlo over and over again! A chink in Rafa's armor appeared, but repaired in time to win RG each time afterwards!

    ***Me too Fiero; esp. the '11 ones! - Rafa leads him 3-0 in Paris though. I think you're selling Rafa a lot short by suggesting that Nole could beat 'peak' Rafa at RG.
    ---

    But still, when it comes to RG, he's usually a different sort of animal. Will that happen this year? We can only wait and see. I admire Nole much more than Roger in this regard, that he's always tried to improve his game to beat Rafa in the big ones. Roger more or less didn't bother w/ all that stuff.***

    Like I've said for years, it's the gutless ATP tour you have to blame for allowing 1 player to win a title that many X's! You can say the same thing happened w/ Nole @ AO and Federer @ Wimbledon and the USO! The "also-rans" of the ATP are the ones more responsible for this kind of domination at major events! They're a lot more athletic and skilled than past eras, but something's obviously wrong in the heads of these guys to allow this to go on year after year; season after season! There's a crack in the lock started last season w/ Wawrinka, Cilic, and Kei making USO final to keep the "Big 4" on the sideline for a change, but so far Djokovic has owned everyone! Someone posted that instead of the "Big 4," maybe it s/b "The Big 1"+3, and all the rest!

    ***I don't think the players are necessarily more athletic and skilled than past eras, rather there have been major increases in the whole area of science that's making them fitter than they actually are.***

    ReplyDelete
  26. Tournament of Champions (Women)

    The men's seeds are:
    #1 Margaret Court
    #2 Steffi Graf
    #3 Chris Evert
    #4 Martina Navratilova
    #5 Serena Williams
    #6 Billie Jean King
    #7 Monica Seles
    #8 Justine Henin
    #9 Maria Bueno
    #10 Evonne Goolagong
    #11 Venus Williams
    #12 Martina Hingis
    #13 Maria Sharapova
    #14 Kim Clijsters
    #15 Hana Mandlikova
    #16 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
    #17 Jennifer Capriati
    #18 Lindsay Davenport
    #19 Virginia Wade
    #20 Ann Haydon Jones
    #21 Amelie Mauresmo
    #22 Svetlana Kuznetsova
    #23 Li Na
    #24 Tracy Austin
    #25 Mary Pierce
    #26 Victoria Azarenka
    #27 Petra Kvitova
    #28 Nancy Richey
    #29 Leslie Turner Bowrey
    #30 Gabriela Sabatini
    #31 Conchita Martinez
    #32 Jana Novotna
    ---

    1st Rd results:

    #1 Court d #32 Novotna 6-3, 6-3
    #2 Graf d #31 Martinez 6-2, 6-2
    #3 Evert d #30 Sabatini 6-3, 7-5
    #6 King d #27 Kvitova 7-5, 7-6 (5)
    #7 Seles d #26 Azarenka 6-3, 7-6 (4)
    #8 Henin d #25 Pierce 6-3, 6-2
    #10 Goolagong d #23 Na 7-5, 3-6, 6-3
    #11 V. Williams d #22 Kuznetsova 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
    #14 Clijsters d #19 Wade 6-4, 7-5
    #17 Capriati d #16 Sanchez Vicario 4-6, 7-6 (8), 7-6 (10)
    #18 Davenport d #15 Mandlikova 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
    #24 Austin d #9 Bueno 7-6 (5), 7-5
    ---

    #4 Navratilova d #29 Bowrey 6-4, 6-2
    #5 Serena d #28 Richey 6-3, 6-1
    #13 Sharapova d #20 Jones 6-4, 6-4
    #12 Hingis d #21 Mauresmo 7-5, 6-4
    ---

    2nd Rd results:

    #1 Court d #17 Capriati 7-6(4), 6-4
    #2 Steffi Graf d #18 Davenport 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4
    #3 Evert d #14 Clijsters 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
    #4 Navratilova d #13 Sharapova 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4
    #5 S. Williams d #12 Hingis 6-4, 6-4
    #6 King d #11 Williams 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(5)
    #7 Seles d #10 Goolagong 7-6(5), 7-5
    #8 Henin d #24 Austin 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
    ---

    Quarterfinals:
    #1 Court d #8 Henin 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4
    #2 Graf d #7 Seles 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 6-4
    #3 Evert d #6 King 6-4, 7-6(5)
    #5 S. Williams d #4 Navratilova 7-6(5), 7-6(6)

    Semifinals:
    #2 S. Graf d #3 Chris Evert 5-7, 7-5, 6-4
    #5 S. Williams d #1 Margaret Court 7-5, 7-5

    Final: #5 S. Williams d No. 2 Steffi Graf 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(5)***

    Serena Williams moved up to #3 after winning '15 AO

    ReplyDelete
  27. ***Does anyone remember Nole/Rafa match; '08 SF at RG? That was a very high-level, competitive match, IIRC.***

    I've already indicated how unwatchable Nadal was back then; esp. when he won! Never saw it; PTL! Rafa's whole "act"* is so offensive and technology helped win him more titles than his talent IMO!

    * - Stalling, relentlessly toweling off, challenging calls unsuccessfully, positioning his water bottles, and resentment if called out by the umpire when taking too long or receiving coaching from Uncle Tony! He's robbed his opponents of victories w/ these tactics!

    ***People have been speculating about Rafa having a short career since he began. "He'll burn out, injuries will get him." Funny enough, injuries have gotten him and forced him to rest, possibly prolonging his career. He looks keen, and he's fit, so it's not an issue. I expect he's going to compete as long as he can.***

    I won't miss him! I sorta hope he hangs on and starts to embarrass himself like losing to F3 twice this season, long strings of losses to Nole, and more disappointments on clay! OMG; I've been the head-cheerleader saying all these things and more about the way he plays! He has and will break down prematurely! I'll put money on it w/ anyone here! I think he works too hard to win over the most obscure players; same w/ Andy! It's gotta cost them in the long run! In basketball, even Blake Griffin said he's going to slow down on the slam dunks knowing he only has so much left in his legs!

    ***Yes, w/b nice if he sticks around long enough to give Novak the positve h2h. - If you check, you'll see that there are 5 players separated by less than a 1000 points, if you discount the next 5 weeks points. #4 is up for grabs.***

    I know we've thrown dirt on Nadal's grave before, but this looks and feels a bit different! He's not injured so he can't say that's the reason he looks abysmal out there; even on his beloved clay! He's not only been little challenge for Nole of late, he's laboring against "also rans," qualifiers, and wildcards! Finally dropping a match to Berdych at the AO earlier this year should have given us a clue something's seriously wrong! He's in flux w/ his rackets as well looking for more power and spin! I think he has to be nuts; already doing too much! His game was hideous enough w/o tinkering w/ it! I'd sooner think he might recover enough to win The FO, but I can't see him defending those points in Madrid and Rome! He may not even make the final; depending on the draw and if he hits Nole in the SF again! I see a fall; which can be salvaged w/ a 10th FO! Here's hoping that isn't happenin'!

    ***Same has been true w/ Roger. As it will be w/ Djokovic.***

    Well I'm over Roger! He's the GOAT, but he's well past it! If not for the rest of the gutless tour, he would have been pushed out already! He's still only won 1 major in the last several years, squeaking out a Masters win here and there! IMO, this is Nole's time and Roger can only be a hindrance; having that great day like at '11 FO SF against him! He won't win the tourney, but maybe cause someone a small headache! His last best chance was at Wimbledon, but I'm thinking the new guns might get him this year! Federer's been sorta hot, winning Dubai and taking Nole to 3 sets in IW, but with the clay season here, I see him receding just a bit, maybe dropping in the ranking by the summer! JMHO!

    ***Surely not.***

    Yeah, he is! Rafa owns him; true enough, but his rival has a lot going against him! Roger has the consistent play and ranking, tons of records behind his name, and has 2 long series of wins at the 2 "biggies;" Wimbledon and USO! Nadal owns the FO, has never defended a title off clay, and seems to be breaking down; taking long breaks to recover from something or another! Federer still has more majors overall and going strong! If not for Rafa and Nole, he might still be ruling the tour!

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  28. ***"I want to see 1 of the GOP candidates call out Hillary and her supporters" claim that b/c her husband was President and she lived in the White House, this is an accomplishment that qualifies her for the office.***

    If you want to expand it, why not ask what ANY OF THE candidates done? Several Rep. candidates are 1st term Senators just like Obama! DUH! Christi, Jindal, and Walker are failing Governors w/ huge budget deficits, diminishing credit ratings, and not a lot of common sense! I'll put any of these clowns up against Hillary anytime; intelligence, resume, and accomplishments! She overshadows them all; get used to it! She's likely to be your next Prez w/ this collection of losers including Fiorina, Pataki, Trump, Huckabee, and others!

    ***There is nothing you can say or do that would influence my low opinion of Marco Rubio, it ain't gonna happen anytime soon. Any Rep. President in '16 would prove to be a horrible mistake. They appear to just be dumb people to me.***

    This crop in particular are as dumb as a bag of rocks; esp. Walker, Jindal, Santorum, Trump, Rubio, and Huckabee! That isn't saying much for the people that support them! It's easy for us to take shots at these people, but history has proved Reps are no good for the well-being of this country! Things go to shit under their stewardship and it takes a Dem. like Clinton and Obama to clean up the fk'n mess! The country does it to itself selecting a mental midget like "W" to run things into the ground after being so prosperous under Bill! Will we make the same mistake as 2000? Getting people so worked up about the trustworthiness of Hillary to deflect from the moral bankruptcy of their candidates shouldn't be enough, but you never know w/ the boneheads on the "right!" They're willing to cast us into oblivion just b/c they hate the Clintons so much!

    ***Yet, any of them could easily beat Hillary! All of them are better qualified than Clinton or Obama!***

    Delude yourself as much as you need! This coming election is in the bag for Hillary! Her detractors will overplay their hand, vilifying her to no end! It's just noise that most people can't hear; too many X's crying "wolf!" There's plenty to go after her legitimately, but you guys can't help embellishing your criticisms; sorta like "birthers" against Obama! That was so whacky all Reps lost credibility in criticizing him! By all means keep it up!

    ***Right wingers, Conservatives, GOP Voters (all the same) lie to themselves; and to one another 24/07/365, then swear to each.***

    If any right-winger or cons. says honest things about anything, I will forever be shocked! They lost their way 30 odd years ago! They can't even stick to their own tenants/11th Commandment about not speaking ill of another cons.! It's been getting uglier and uglier w/ every passing year! I have such contempt for their actions, I can't even speak civilly of them anymore! They say they aren't bigoted, misogynistic, or any host of things, but they prove to be lying about just about everything! The thing is, the ones that had common sense are so gutless, they go along w/ the mass insanity! Every time I think they'll come around, they outdo themselves! When you saw how they shut down the gov't and threatened our credit rating, I knew I was done w/ them for all time! They can't be trusted w/ the future of this country or the world! They're too busy consolidating their power grab!

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  29. ***Murray's 1st clay final. Sounds weird, but there it is. I mean, clay might be your worst surface, but a good player like Andy should have found ways way before today. Better late than never I guess here in Munich. - It's understandable though as he's not good enough on the surface to make Masters finals given the quality and consistency of the other guys out there. He could easily have entered minor clay tourneys at any point and done what he's done this week.***

    Not to defend Murray, but plenty of top players have holes in their resumes! IIRC Becker the biggest star I can think of without a clay title; playing 2 finals like MC and ROME and lost eventually! It happens! McEnroe and Connors were lucky enough to come along w/ the advent of Har-Tru and took a title here and there on that slippery surface here in the States! McEnroe got to 2 semi's and one FO final, but he was nowhere near the talent of Federer who got to final after final before taking his lone title! Connors never got to a final, actually losing to Vitas Gerulaitus in an '80 semi.! That was his personal "pigeon" and he still let it get away from him! You also need luck as well as skill to win on red clay in Europe!

    ***My least fave time of the season is upon us. Not a big fan of clay tennis, but I'll watch.***

    I'm about the same! Nole makes it palatable by winning an event or 2; esp. in 2011 beating Nole in conseq. events in straights! Borg was my fave player as a kid, but if he got into a 5 set marathon in Paris final against Orantes or Vilas, I'm going out to play instead! We had a glut of tennis on TV back in the mid 70's w/ the ascension of Connors and Evert anyway! I swear this happened; BJK was playing on all 3 networks one sat. back then; 1 live w/ the other 2 taped events! I'm sorry people of this era missed that particular golden age w/ Borg, Connors, Evert, King, Goolagong, Navratilova, Wade, Laver, Nastase, and Court! You guys missed out on some great exhibition events pitting men and women on equal footing called WITC inviting the 4 top players from both tours and trying to acquire points by winning in singles, doubles, and Mx'd D!

    ***It was a bit surprising, but I'm wondering if Rio is positioning itself to get a MS1000 for So. America one day. Not sure how that would work...replace Miami? But it's hard not to think that they wanted to dispel the notion that S. America = clay.***

    Why would it replace Miami? It's huge and smack dab in the middle of the tennis community! I'm still shocked they got the Olympics! W/ all that chaos going on, it's just inconceivable that they'll be ready! Russia's supposed to be more civilized and it was a disaster with water, toilets, malfunctioning equipment, doors, etc.! Seemed to be a nightmare! Why would Rio fare better?

    ***...they call Nole's 2011 "underrated." Who underrates it?***

    ....Most of the populous that doesn't know better! All the people who aren't "in the know" still think Roger and Rafa rule the tour; Nole just carries their bags! It's like that in advertising as well no matter what and how much Djokovics wins! It's a little obscene IMO!

    ***Well, "most of the populous" doesn't follow tennis that much, but anyone who knows our sport to any extent knows that Novak's 2011 was one of the best ever in tennis. As to advertising, ...Federer and Nadal have bigger name recognition w/ the general populace, which is just a product of years at the top, so, yes, they would be valued higher w/ advertisers. This will likely change with time for Djokovic, as well.***

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  30. ***I bet John McEnroe still thinks that if he got a good sunny day, he could beat anyone at Wimbledon.***

    I thought Sampras was "done" and only embarrassing himself, losing to "nobodies & never-weres;" even at Wimbledon! He went over 2 yrs w/o a title IIRC! He took Wimbledon in 2000 and didn't get a sniff of another major until his last in '02 at the USO after allowing his ranking to hit the 20's! Lucky for him, his pigeon was on the other side of the net in the final! Agassi won just a handful of meaningful matches against Sampras w/ Pete pretty much owning him from their 1st encounter, slaughtering him in straight sets at 1990 USO! So it began and ended at Flushing Meadows! I had only heard of Pete by way of a 2nd rd upset of Wilander the previous year at '89 USO! It didn't mean much to me since Matts had plummeted in the rankings after becoming #1 w/ a fabulous '88 over Lendl at every turn!
    ---

    ***Rafa doesn't like to start w/ tall guys w/ big serves. It's frustrating and doesn't help w/ his rhythm.***

    OMG, these Madrid draws are brutal! I just can't see the top 4 making it through to the semi's! The women have it even tougher; Azarenka took out #16 Venus yesterday! Halep's gone along w/ Bouchard and Kerber! The same is quite likely to happen in the men's draw in very early rds! If I know all the players and their potential, that's saying something! I just haven't paid that much attention to the "also-rans" on either tour, but they're definitely better than past pros and capable of upsetting the top echelon; esp. since it's clay!

    ***Rafa still believes that his place is at the top of the ranking, as it was a year ago in this period.***

    What would be the point if he didn't believe and say that? Roger's in it for the same reason; even though it's getting harder and harder to stay there for both of them! Roger's the strangest #2 outside of "also-rans" like Haas, Ivanisevic, and Stich back in the day! He hasn't won a major since 2012 Wimbledon and only played 1 final since IIRC! This has got to blow up sooner or later; "the Big 4" may be crumbling w/ Raonic, Kei, & others knocking on the door finally! Did I see Rafa drop to #7 in the world? He's got a lot of points to defend and I just can't see it even on clay here in Madrid and next week in Rome! His draw is tough w/ Isner playing well in his next match!

    ***IDK why Andy gets such a hard X on this forum, but I like him. I hope he has a great rest of the year, including another Slam.***

    I like to think we're just putting his record in perspective! Compared to "The Big 3," he's fallen off a little; not nearly as competitive as a 2 years ago against them! I never made a big deal of Lendl or Nole crapping out in those finals; all a part of a past season! Things happened, he had a window of opportunity and took full advantage taking 2 majors and an Olympic Gold! He'll never be a fave of mines w/ defensive way he plays allowing "no names" & "also-rans" to take him to the limit; sorta like Rafa! They both work entirely too hard in early rds!

    ***...Did tell you that Lukas was looked upon as a clown.***

    He's just 1 of a couple players who definitely made an impression and made Nadal flinch; Rosol and Soderling! Rafa had to be really embarrassed and regretted allowing these players to affect him on court, then afterwards in interviews! Their main claim to fame is actually beating him at a major and not much else! Robin also took him at WTF, but Rafa lost all 3 of his RR matches that year in '09 IIRC! He couldn't have wanted to be there!

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  31. ***...you just might have to skip watching the FO final.***

    It's been the least viewed final by me going back to Borg/Orantes! That kind of tennis just isn't watchable for me for the most part! If I like the result, I might catch the last set of a match! Since it's been "Breakfast in Paris" since '84, I tend to just wake halfway through and judge whether to sit down and record it! Haven't seen much of any of those Nadal/Federer matches w/ all the stalling, toweling off, and other ways to drag the matches out; 'cept that 1 shellacking I guess! If Nole gets to the final against someone else, I'll consider getting up early to watch his triumph! If Nadal's there too, I'll wait to hear what happened!
    ---

    I'm 1 who does remember just about every loss! Nole's been the most vulnerable at X's over the yrs, but he's turned that around of late! I look at the Masters' record book all the X and it's just fascinating that these 3 players will probably end up being the best of all time! I still remember fudging Sampras' record to proclaim him the GOAT just 10 years ago; even w/o a FO final to his credit! Now he's likely to fall out of the top 5, actually giving Rod Laver more credit now for his career w/ 2 cal. yr. GS's!

    Roger's the 1 we'll have to give some accommodation since he's gotten a little 'long in the tooth,' but it is still an event when Rafa loses; esp. on clay! He's a victim of his own record, ego, and over-promotion by all the experts that "something must be wrong if Rafa loses ANY match!" It 1st began years ago w/ Uncle Tony letting it out Rafa has a nagging injury of some sort! Now he's not safe on clay and we all know he's in fine fiddle! He can't blame it on age, injury, or time away from the tour! He's been losing, even on clay and I find it hilarious! It's still shocking to him to see how far he's fallen in the last year w/ his FO being his lone face-saving win! I guess he s/b lucky to still be in the top 10 in some parlance!

    ***Uncle Tony is part of Rafa 's team and an uncle who Rafa never puts a gag order over his mouth. Very similar to the Williams sisters father Richard.***

    I remember when Hingis' pro career started back in the mid 90's and her subsequent rise to #1! Nothing was more ridiculous than Richard getting into media wars w/ a 16 year old child!

    ***You and your buddy(GSM) need to reread my post, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS CENSOR A FAMILY MEMBER***

    Sure you can; Rafa's the boss! Commentators made a big deal out of saying Tony gets a salary like any other employee! That s/b enough reason to keep his mouth shut regardless if he's told to do so or not! That's why I say it's condoned and accepted; Rafa needs that coddling!

    ***Rafa's match was very well played at the net and the serve by Johnson, a good test for him.***

    Rationalizing? Johnson's a solid player and will have a moderately successful career, but lets not exaggerate his weapons; there are few if any! If he ever even takes a set off the top echelon, I'll be shocked! Isner has proved at least w/ his serve he has a chance! There's absolutely nothing I saw that would make me think Johnson will "ever" do anything memorable, historic, or even mildly shocking when it comes to tennis! Sorry! Even Querrey has only gotten so far w/ his game and he keeps sliding back when he hits the top 20! I see nothing to make me think Johnson will excel past where he is "right now;" akin to Donald, Ryan, and maybe even Jack! Sock probably has more an upside and takes chances in his matches and plays a mean game of doubles!

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  32. ***...the country & media is just dying to have an example made of corrupt police. All 6 cops were indicted for different levels of neglect and malicious treatment leading to this guy's coma and subsequent death.***

    This is still shocking to see happen so quickly! I guess they were truly paranoid of the city burning to the ground over the weekend; a preemptive strike and very effective IMO! ...w/ so many witnesses, video, and the country raw after so many other events like this? Just shows the arrogance of authority that they thought nothing of doing this so recently after other shootings of guys being arrested!

    ***They were pissed he ran and were probably out to teach him a lesson. IDT they meant to kill him, but the lot of them probably have double digit IQ's and went overboard.
    ---

    That being the case, I believe that it'd be manslaughter. IDK about proving actual intent to injure...more a matter of gross negligence or recklessness, which might still support a manslaughter conviction. - There was no grounds for the initial arrest... cops are charged w/ that too; false imprisonment and misconduct.***

    Thank you! This was the 1st time an official actually said something like that; "he shouldn't have been under arrest regardless!" It doesn't matter what drugs CHB in his system, they had no probable cause to do more than detain and question him, not wrestle him to the ground, break a leg, snap his neck, then throw him in the back of a paddy-wagon like garbage! It didn't matter that he had a rap sheet as long as my arm, cops can't do that to their citizens! Have these people learned nothing by all the other cases around the country? Idiots!

    ***IDK why prosecutors always over charge in stuff like this? To try to pressure a plea deal? IDT that sort of thing works in a case like this b/c I have my doubts the prosecutor will be amenable to a plea bargain in this case anyway.***

    That's what normally happens w/ criminal behavior! Cops trump up all kinds of BS when they arrest someone; resisting arrest c/b as little as "questioning" why?! Whenever I see or hear obstruction, resisting, and any other charges you know they got nothing! Gray s/b alive & running around now! This was the most senseless of acts considering the past month's other altercations!

    ***What Conservatives refer to as "God" only exists btw their own 2 ears, nothing but wishful thinkers...***

    It's not even that real if you look very deep at the so called "religious" types! They reveal what they think others believe to be their stance on issues; when we well know behind the scenes thoughts are very different and quite hypocritical! It's easy to say "I'm no saint and I try not to pass judgment on others," but that's exactly what they're doing w/ every breath they take! Someone as "holier than thou" like Reverend Falwell has said some very hateful things about God's wrath on NY for "911" and other places when a disaster hits! These jerks actually have followings and I'd be more embarrassed than proud to be a part of such a movement!

    ***Carly Fiorina: 'I'm Running for President' seeks Rep. nom. - Can she get it? Would you vote for her?***

    She's been making the rounds and mouthing off for years; throwing her hat into the ring for the Senate out in Cal. a few years ago! Her claim to fame IMO is rising to President & CEO of H/P only to be unceremoniously DUMPED due to her incompatibility to work w/ others! She's certainly smart and she won't hesitate to make sure you know it, but I find it terribly hypocritical of her to devote the entirety of her campaign to just beating up on Hillary who's done incredible things! How dare she try to undermine this woman who I believe genuinely cares! My opinion is Carly couldn't care less; it's all about exposure and getting people to talk about her upcoming book!

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  33. ***RuPaul Drag Race Stats:

    Demography:

    - White (non-Hisp.): 38
    - Black (non-Hisp.): 19
    - Asian: 8
    - Hispanic: 21
    - Native Am: 2

    Most ethnically diverse: S 4 (31% White, 31% Blk, 16% Asian, 23% Hisp)

    Least ethnically diverse: S 7 (64% White, 22% Blk, 7% Hispanic, 7% Native Am)

    White winners: 2
    Black winners: 2
    Hispanic winners: 1
    Asian winners: 1

    Queens by Age:
    - <24: 19
    - 25 to 29: 42
    - 30 to 34: 11
    - 35 to 39: 11
    - 40 to 44: 4
    - >45: 1

    Youngest Season by Mean Age: S 2 (27.58)
    Youngest Season by Median Age: S 1 (26)
    Oldest Season by Mean Age: S 7 (30.07)
    Oldest Season by Median Age: S 4 (29)

    Season w/ smallest age range: S 3 - 13 year difference btw oldest contestant (Raja, @36) & youngest contestant (India Ferrah @23)

    Season w/ largest age range: S 7 - 24 year difference btw oldest contestant (Tempest Dujour @ 46) and youngest contestant (Violet Chachki & Max, both 23)

    Youngest queens to compete in their season: Tyra Sanchez, Tatianna, Kenya Michaels, Lashauwn Beyond & Serena ChaCha - All 21

    Youngest queens to compete by birth year: Violet Chachki & Max - born 1993
    Oldest queen to compete: Tempest Dujour - 46

    Youngest winner: Tyra Sanchez - 21
    Oldest winner: Bianca Del Rio - 37

    Queens by Decade of Birth:
    - 1960s: 1
    - 1970s: 17
    - 1980s: 57
    - 1990s: 13

    1st queens to compete who were born '90s: Kenya Michaels & Lashauwn Beyond - S 4

    Queens by State/Territory:
    - CA: 15
    - NY: 14
    - Fla: 10
    - Puerto Rico: 8
    - GA: 6
    - IL: 5
    - TX: 4
    - Mass: 3
    - OH: 3
    - Penn: 3
    - Wash: 3
    - Nev: 2
    - North Carolina: 2
    - Wisc: 2
    - AZ: 1
    - IA: 1
    - KY: 1
    - Mich: 1
    - Minn: 1
    - New Jersey: 1
    - Tenn: 1
    - VA: 1

    Challenge Wins:
    Highest ranked queen to have never won a challenge: Jujubee - 3rd
    Highest ranked queen to win only 1 challenge: Nina Flowers - 2nd
    Highest ranked queens to win 2 challenges: Bebe Zahara Benet & Jinkx Monsoon - 1st

    Highest ranked queens to win 3 challenges: Tyra Sanchez, Raja & Bianca Del Rio - 1st

    Only queen to have won 4 challenges: Sharon Needles

    Lowest ranked queen to win only 1 challenge: Madame LaQueer - 10th
    Lowest ranked queen to win 2 challenges: Max - 9th
    Lowest ranked queen to win 3 challenges: Alexis Mateo - 3rd

    Other queens who won 1 challenge: Nina Flowers, Rebecca Glasscock, Tatianna, Yara Sofia, Detox, Darienne Lake, Coco Montrese, Jessica Wild, Alyssa Edwards, Sahara Davenport, Willam, Ivy Winters, Morgan McMichaels, Stacy Layne Matthews, Laganja Estranja & Lineysha Sparx

    Other queens who won 2 challenges: Raven, Chad Michaels, Alaska, Phi Phi O'Hara, Roxxxy Andrews, Courtney Act, Latrice Royale, Ongina, BenDeLaCreme & Shangela

    Other queens who won 3 challenges: Manila Luzon & Adore Delano

    LSFYL:
    Winners who never had to LSFYL: Tyra & Bianca

    Winners who LSFYL once & survived: Bebe, Raja, Sharon Needles & Jinkx

    Runners-up who never had to LSFYL: Nina Flowers, Alaska & Courtney Act

    Runners-up who LSFYL once and survived: Manila Luzon, Chad Michaels, Phi Phi O'Hara, Roxxxy Andrews

    Highest ranked queens to LSFYL once and lose: Ongina & Pandora Boxx - 5th
    Highest ranked queens to LSFYL twice: Raven & Adore Delano - 2nd
    Highest ranked queens to LSFYL 3 X's: Jujubee & Alexis Mateo - 3rd
    Lowest ranked queen to LSFYL twice: Serena ChaCha - 13th
    Lowest ranked queen to LSFYL 3 X's: Milan - 9th

    Other queens who LSFYL twice: Rebecca Glasscock, Shannel, Tatianna, Yara Sofia, Kenya Michaels, BenDeLaCreme, DiDa Ritz, Joslyn Fox, Trixie Mattel, Morgan McMichaels, Stacy Layne Matthews, Laganja Estranja, India Ferrah, The Princess, April Carrión, Monica Beverly Hillz, Vivacious

    Other queens who LSFYL 3 X's: Latrice Royale, Detox, Carmen Carrera, Shangela, Alyssa Edwards, Akashia, Sahara Davenport, Delta Work, Trinity K. Bonet, Jiggly Caliente, Jaidynn Diore Fierce, Kandy Ho

    Only queen to LSFYL 4 X's: Coco Montrese

    Miss Congeniality:
    Highest ranked queen to win Miss Congeniality: Nina Flowers - 2nd
    Lowest ranked queen to win Miss Congeniality: Ivy - 7th***

    Thanks!

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  34. ***...Most probably it does not mean anything and we see Basel only b/c it's Federer's home tourney and he's sure of playing there. On the other hand, assuming he can win Wimbledon, maybe he just wants to play in Basel and call it a career.***

    Doubtful! He should have pulled a Sampras after winning Wimbleson in 2012, but he thought this was his best chance to take Olympic Gold as well on grass! It didn't happen and I think he's destined to limp out of here instead of leave on a high note! Regardless, no way would Federer leave this sport w/o a lot of fanfare! He'll want to "make a retirement tour," going to event after event so they can laud his record and express what he's meant to the sport!

    ***I have to agree w/ Fiero to some extent, though I don't agree he'll "limp out." Nor that he should have pulled a Sampras and gone out after the 2012 win at Wimbledon. He's still #2, FFS. He'll play the Olympics next year. And when he's done, I think he'll do some version of a victory lap. Why not? The people would rather demand it. But I seriously doubt that it's imminent. However, Basel may be where he calls it a day. I've always thought that.***

    Not the best #2 right now! It would be nice to hold at least 1 major while being that high in the rankings! Roger has only played 1 final since winning his last Wimbledon, but somehow he's a firm and consensus #2! The rest of the tour is falling down on the job! It'll be rather strange for Nole to be the only player holding a major in the top 5 or 6 w/ Stan, Cilic, and Nadal going down in the rankings, not up! Runner-ups are doing better; too strange w/ Tomas, Andy, Raonic, Kei, & David!

    ***I too agree w/ Fiero on the swan song part. So, it won't be a sudden thing or a surprise to anyone. ...1st he did not give anything when the year started saying he wants to wait and see until AO is done. Then he gave out changing schedules for the clay season overriding himself right the next day (this is also understandable as it involved some negotiations w/ Turkish people to sell out for millions). What is your actual position on Fed retiring?***

    I have a love/hate relationship w/ faves and players I consider "The GOAT!" On the ladies' side, I obviously defend Martina Nav.'s record over all others! She truly was limping out of the game save her last run at Wimbledon in '94! (Bless Lori McNeil for knocking Graf out in the 1st rd) - Now we have Fed w/ so many parallels incl. a great run at Wimbledon! IMO, this is Nole's time! I just see this ending poorly even though Fed's still winning!

    ***Madrid Masters '15 Final: Nadal-Murray - Rafa leads the h2h 15-5, w/ their most recent meeting on clay having been the RG '14 semi. Can Muzz trouble The Bull tomorrow?***

    I'm only hopeful! Every time you count out Rafa he surprises you, but Murray certainly has a chance! He has to be super-aggressive as his finishing kick in the match today! I was cracking up seeing him trying to play a defensive game and Kei was making him pay! If Andy had lost the 2nd set, I'm not sure he could have held on! He was getting shakier and shakier; being warned by the ump for taking too much time! It's only going to be worse tomorrow, but we'll see what he does! Which Murray decides to play this particular match? We all know what Rafa brings!

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  35. ***Someone may very well be responsible for this young man's death in Baltimore. It would have been nice if they had conducted some sort of investigation to determine that and charged that person appropriately rather than just blindly charging everyone associated w/ this incident.***

    That's what prosecutors do when all concerned are LYING about what happened with this guy! They were already busted not reporting that 2nd stop; ALL of them in their reports! That's a crime IMO! They deserve no consideration because of being cops; all the more reason for them to be more forthcoming! One actually took the 5th! A cop saying such a thing would warrant immediate dismissal in my book! They have a higher responsibility and we shouldn't be lowering the bar just because the person that died is a felon! "Big Brother" is not too far around the corner if we allow this to happen without some kind of punishment! There's still a question of WHY were they arresting him? We haven't seen this mythical "switch-blade" yet! So in your mind, it's worth a life? Gotcha!

    ***Some of us are holding our breath for the happening on the 19th for the demise of Hillary's incipient campaign. Great news for Reps.***

    Clinton's detractors will obsess in telling the populous why she isn't to be trusted, blah, blah, blah, but these clowns can't come up w/ a reason to vote for them! These are real losers and no matter how much they try to undermine her, they'll always look worse! The hypocrisy is mind numbing since all the things they criticize can be reflected right back at them! How many of these same people were saying Obama's just a 1 term senator and what makes him qualified to be President? "Hello Rubio, Paul, and Cruz!" You have 3 or 4 gov's who are just 1 step ahead of prosecution for how they've run things! Finally self-proclaimed conservatives who've never held elective office of any kind like Carson, Fiorina, & Trump think they have a chance! I would like to think panderers like Bush, Huckabee, Perry, Santorum, and the rest aren't electable since they can't stand on their own principles! I can show hypocrisy on their part w/ every statement they make; just gutless individuals!

    ***...but the pattern that is documented is telling that it's possibly not and someone s/b looking into it w/ a fine tooth comb (which i think they are currently doing on the Clinton Foundation Tax issues).***

    "Pattern" isn't evidence of ANYTHING! Rep. talking points trying to connect dots that don't won't help their cause! They do nothing but tear down instead of uplift which is why they've lost 5 of the last 6 popular votes in Presidential years! ...You're in denial if you don't realize even Reps will cross over to elect this woman! She's the most qualified, has a vision, and we need to keep "right-wing" loons out of that chair for the time being!

    ***Behavior pattern my ass. Either Clinton did favors or they dd not. ...He claims Clinton was against the Uranium and India deals and b/c the money flowed to the Clintons she dropped her opposition. But a simple look at her statements in 2006 and 2007 before even all this stated the opposite. You rightwingers as always tread on very thin ice when the Clintons are concerned.***

    The "right" had nothing to say about Reagan acquiring a house as a gift from his buddies out in California! He got a couple million dollars for a couple speeches in Japan when he left office as well; NOTHING! This man not only had his severance from being President, he filed for and was receiving Soc. Sec.! That's a lot worse than all this trivia about the Clintons!

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  36. ***Nole would complete the career Slam w/ a FO and bump himself to 9 majors in total, while keeping alive hopes of the Holy Grail: a calendar yr Slam. Others to watch and expect great things from: Andy, Kei. What about Nick? He loves the big stage. Will he be the youngest Slam winner in 10 years?***

    What seed will Rafa earn for this FO? 2 years ago he was ranked #5, but due to Andy's early withdrawal, he was spared the ignominious possibility of running into a top player in the QF! It all worked out taking his 8th title! It shouldn't matter who he plays and when along the way, but Nadal's confidence has to be flagging! The other players are starting to feel they have a chance and there are strategies that can be employed if the player has the ability! It's all a matter of confidence; or a lack thereof!

    ***Rafa's 1st tourn. back in '13, and Zeballos totally stepped up to the plate. 1 of those guys who stepped out of the shadows, kept his nerve, and took Rafa when he was a little more there for the taking.***

    Rafa was up in the 2nd and couldn't finish! Horacio was in the zone and hooked back some shots Rafa wasn't ready for; as if he didn't realize the guy was also a left-hander! That final game was worth the price of admission; actually got the crowd to "roar" at the same time due to fabulous "gets" by Zeballos! Another guy who's real claim to fame is beating Rafa on clay or in a major! I guess that's a tribute to him!

    ***If you think that Zeballos beating Rafa was merely an embarrassment to Rafa, then you deny your own assertion that undercard players should step up when they have a chance, which is exactly what Zeballos did when Rafa was just back from a lay-off.***

    True enough I've asked the rest of the tour to step up, but for so long they didn't! Even when there was an isolated loss or 3 by Rafa to some nobody like Dodig, it was always explained away by injury, exhaustion, or whatever Uncle Phony decided to leak to the press! Nadal's become a victim of his own success; like Borg it's a real event if he loses to anyone, but esp. telling if it's to someone outside the top 50!

    ***If Rafa does not win RG, he will definitely drop out of top 8. He may even drop out of top 16 depending on how early he loses at RG. - Fed was #6 ranked in '13. Later he didn't have to defend almost any points and he got the #2. I still hope that Rafa can win RG, but anyway after that tourn. he will not have any points to defend at Wimbledon, none in any HC tourn. & USO, London, AO & the next tournaments; & he still will be 29 and probably more healthy than these last years.***

    Why should he get any better this summer? He's had a couple good HC seasons leading into the USO, but overall this is when he begins to fade IMO! If perchance Rafa doesn't successfully defend this FO, there's all kinds of pressure for him to do better at Wimbledon where he's the most vulnerable! He could have another disastrous or avg. summer and still fall out of the top 10 w/ it not being too much of a stretch!

    *Rank - - - Name - - Nat. - - Pts- Wk-/+ Trn. Pl'd - 5/11/15
    - 1 - Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 13,845 0 18
    - 2 - Federer, Roger (SUI) - 8,645 0 19
    - 3 - Murray, Andy (GBR) - - 7,130 0 22
    - 4 - Raonic, Milos (CAN)- - 5,160 2 23
    - 5 - Berdych, Tomas (CZE) - 5,140 2 23
    - 6 - Nishikori, Kei (JPN) - 5,040 -1 22
    - 7 - Nadal, Rafael =(ESP) - 4,990 -3 20
    - 8 - Ferrer, David =(ESP) - 4,310 -0 24
    - 9 - Wawrinka, Stan (SUI) - 3,575 -0 21
    -10 - Cilic, Marin - (CRO) - 3,360 -0 20
    -11 - Dimitrov, Grigor (BUL) 3,075 -0 21

    - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Novak_Djokovic_tennis_season -

    - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novak_Djokovic -

    - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novak_Djokovic_career_statistics -

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  37. ***1. Everybody by now knows that it was more than 10 years ago when Rafa was ranked outside top 5. The last time he was ranked outside top 5 (2nd May 2005), he was ranked exactly the same as today viz., #7.

    2. There were 6 players ahead of him on 2nd May 2005 and 6 players ahead of him today. There is only 1 person common to these 2 sets of 6 players. The other 5 in 2005 were Hewitt, Roddick, Safin, Gaudio and Henman.***

    This group was supposed to be the changing of the guard? Hewitt never duplicated his initial years at #1, Roddick was all serve, Safin a headcase but talented, Guidio who I missed winning FO, while Henman has just "been there" w/o doing too much! Those years are a blur in tennis w/ Hingis missing in action, Martina Navr. doing her thing in MxD w/ not too much coverage, while Federer was routinely winning 3 majors a year! Nadal was the only player in his path in Paris year after year! I can't tell you how amazing this has been for all of the "Big 3!" They have already shattered all the records I thought would last my lifetime; been totally obliterated and they're still going strong! Not sure these records will ever be touched w/ the mediocrity being bred in today's pros; it's just been embarrassing save Stan, Milos, Kei, and Andy of course! They had a little success, but it barely gets them into the HOF!

    ***I find it difficult to reconcile the Big 3 being called all time greats and their competition being labelled as a weak era. Either the Big 3 are who we think they are, therefore their competition isn't quite as bad as we think they are, or the Big 3 aren't as good as they're made out to be.***

    Well I guess I should put in my 2 cents since I've commented on both sides of the issue! Fed, Rafa, & Nole are that good while the rest of the field is lacking something in comparison! Strong words since I believe many have the ability to take out any of the "Big 3," but it rarely happened until recently! Going back to Borg, Connors, and McEnroe era, any of them were vulnerable and it often happened and was expected! W/ this current 3 we expect them to get through and we're right to think so! There's something that keeps that 2nd tier from getting across the finish line to take out certain players and I see both sides where it's frustrating, but at the same time gratifying seeing a "great" overcome defeat! How many X's are Nole, Rafa, and Roger down a MP only to come back and win? Happens too often IMO! Today's rackets help a lot! Miss-hits back "in the day" might roll to the net! Now they're saving players! I'm still amazed at the record books where these 3 guys own it all w/ only scraps going to the rest of the tour! It's dominance not seen in my lifetime for such a long period of time!

    ***...and looking at the youngsters who seem to be coming up more fearlessly against the Big 3/4 and the field: while that group just behind Fed/Nadal/Djokovic/Murray may actually be weaker, and lacking in weapons, (or cojones,) they might just also have come to maturation in a time when they felt like breaking through wasn't possible, given the dominance of the all-time greats just above them. Perhaps the younger ones, like Kyrgios, Thiem, Coric, etc. see that the Big 4 can't last forever, and they are young and brash enough to begin to feel their oats. They also know that, when they are really getting to peak, in the next couple of years, that the Big 4 will have one foot out the door. I'm saying they may feel free to swing for the fences in a way that that "post Big-4 generation" did not. Of course, it still doesn't excuse that a talent like Dimitrov or Tomic didn't have the brass ones to push into the conversation. And Nishikori may yet hold up the standard for his era, this year, or next. But, in sum, isn't it possible that the skip-generation is in a better position b/c they haven't spent their careers fearing the Big 4?***

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  38. ***This period is very similar to what Roger faced, except now you actually have non-3 players winning things. Two of the last 5 Slams (w/ 1 completely non-4 Slam final), some MS events, Rafa being knocked off here, Roger being knocked off there, Waw and Nishi beating Nole on HC's at a major.***

    Not much different from what I've been saying about the "state of affairs" on the ATP tour and it's hierarchy! Things are getting "mixed up" just a bit w/ Kei, Milos, Andy, & Tomas, but at the same time Nole's separating himself from the rest like Fed did for a few years "way back when!" To some of us this has been a "Golden Age" where the record-books are being obliterated; surpassing our previous era where Sampras looked to go down in history as "The GOAT!" There's no more talk of that w/ Federer already well past him w/ Nadal and Nole already proclaimed as being better than what we considered our finest; Sampras, Agassi, Courier, McEnroe, Connors, etc.! I'm looking forward to seeing how it all shakes out in the next few yrs!

    ***I looked at every Slam, WTF, and Masters final since the 1st 1 won by 1 of the Big 4, and then turned it into a % of 28 finalists per year (8 Slam finalists, 2 WTF finalists, and 18 Masters finalists).

    2015: 92% (thru 11 tourneys)
    2014: 68%
    2013: 71%
    2012: 82%
    2011: 82%
    2010: 61%
    2009: 71%
    2008: 68%
    2007: 75%
    2006: 57%
    2005: 46%
    2004: 29%
    2003: 11%
    2002: 7%

    2002-04 is just Roger. '05 sees Rafa enter the mix; Novak comes in in '07, Andy in '08. As you can see it fluctuates, but the avg from '07 to '15 is 74% - almost 3/4 of the finalists during the last 9 yrs were members of the Big 4. The peak was 2011-12, although this year has a chance to be even more dominant.
    ---

    ...But I feel Federer's got a good run in a clay tourney before we move on to grass. One thing I don't want to see is a Fed-Rafa clay court match though. ...but guaranteeing a Federer or Nadal victory is dangerous these days.***

    This had to happen sooner or later; unprecedented losses by our faves! Even w/ Rafa's stellar record at the FO, he's been struggling of late on clay! Those Wimbledon early exits shb scrutinized more! Most thinking it just an aberration, but the players taking him out? OMG! Both Roger and Rafa are a step slower; we know it, but expect them to be in the semi each major tournament! That streak has to come to a halt and I see it only getting uglier this season; Roger needing to push himself to get through early rds in Masters!

    ***Are Roddick, Hewitt and Safin not more accomplished and better players than today's generation?***

    I didn't pay that much attention to those years; more into the WTA w/ Henin! But for obvious reasons Rod, Hew, and Saf are 10 X's more accomplished than the 2nd tier of stars today! They each held the #1 ranking, won a major or 2; 2 maxing their potential, while Safin a terrible underachiever! W/o a doubt he was the most gifted player who had every shot! He could take the cover off the ball w/ full blooded strokes, painting lines, and in the next instance play the most delicate of drops w/ touch! He's embarrassed Sampras and Federer in a major who we think of as succeeding GOAT's!

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  39. ***Really hope Andy gets another shot at Novak in the FO.***

    Best of 5 on clay; you really want that for Murray? I think he's sorta wasting his time unless he commits to attacking the way he did in Madrid! It's painful to see a match full of these 20-36 stroke rallies! Kei should have won that match in the semi but for critical UFE when Andy was "gassed" w/ his tongue hanging out! Murray may not make it to wk #2 of the FO if he persists in getting into battles w/ nobodies and "also-rans" early on!

    ***Roger had one shot at this thing today and it was at 4-4 when he had the break point. Had he converted and served the set out, things might have been more interesting in Rome. - Perhaps, sure, but probably not. My gut tells me even if Roger had broken, Novak would have broken right back.
    ---

    Very likely. But at that point in the match, there was literally nothing btw them and you know how good a front runner Roger is. He could have served it out. Or not...***

    The problem for Roger is he would have to play like that all match long! If he leaves the door cracked even a little, Nole's going to charge through and annihilate; sooner or later! Roger still has the game to beat anyone, but at his age, "it's all in his head" and he has to decide what tactic to use and stick w/ it!

    ***Rafa's movement is about the same as it was at this time last year which was good enough to defend his title against Novak. Rafa has stated it's a confidence issue that he foolishly admits to the world in January this year. He said he is playing nervously during those pressure points or situation. Nerves has little to do w/ movement. IMO***

    Tennis like any sport is all about confidence! You don't have to be injured to have a crisis and esp. in tennis, w/o confidence in play, you can't win! Getting into senseless battles with players not in his class has finally caught up to Rafa IMO! Against Murray he started attacking the net, but you always felt it was in desperation rather than a mindset change! All these older players need to start moving forward more; esp. when the opponent in on the run floating a weak shot back!

    ***I agree. Rafa has wasted and expended a lot of energy against lesser players when he should have just pounded them off the court. There are X's in a match when Rafa sees that his opponent is hitting a slice ball down the line to his backhand, Rafa sprints to that side of the court, runs around his backhand to take control of the point by hitting an inside out forehand to his right handed opponent's fh. This is usually a good indicator that he is confident in his movement, but unfortunately he isn't that thrilled about hitting his backhand. I never have heard Rafa mention he felt his movement wasn't where it needs to be. - I'd say you forgot how Roger capitalized 17 X's!***

    Roger may have capitalized for those 17 majors, but he did blow a couple others! He got a gift or 2 from Roddick at Wimbledon so it all balances out! This generation has taken advantage of their chances; hence the record-books being obliterated by these 3 top players like no others in "Open" tennis history! Murray's been on the next level winning his 3 biggies (2 Slams, OG) and taking a few Masters, but I still feel he gave away a few of those finals, "waiting out" his opposition rather than taking the initiative! He should know by now Roger, Rafa, and Nole aren't going to just "give it to you!"

    ***Every player has got a "gift" from someone or other, includ. Novak. At the end of the day the winner won so not much history will remember really about missed MP's and chances.***

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  40. I feel fortunate that I can look back w/ fond memories the victories & accomplishments of Borg, Navratilova, Goolagong, Lendl, Sampras, Hingis, Henin, Federer, & Djokovic!

    ***Hey Fiero! You jumped camp to Djokovic?***

    I have no shame in doing it! This is Nole's time and I look forward to him adding to his stellar record! Roger can only be an annoyance like '11 FO! If he beats Nole, the least he can do is go on and win the tourney! Such a waste! He's less of an embarrassment at Wimbledon, but will have to play better if he hopes to make it to week #2!

    ***I thought Nole struggled to get to the final in Rome, no? Losing a set to each if I am not mistaken en route to final? Federer at this stage might have been a bit out of gas but still, I don't think he would have had a chance against a peak Nole anyway.***

    True enough Nole lost the middle set along the way in 3 matches; totally planned IMO! He took off Madrid and needed the practice after 3 wks of inactivity! If you play, you well know you can choreograph your matches; esp. when you know you can beat the person! I did it all the time! I met my dentist in the 2nd rd of a club tourney! I wasn't going to smoke him 2 and 2; allowing a 7-5, 7-5 score for the draw so he wouldn't be embarrassed since I was only 19 y.o.!

    ***I did think that. Nole was losing all those sets deliberately as strange as it sounds. I find both Rafa and Nole a bit too clever. Both Andy and Federer might just be a bit more on the simpleton side. Nole definitely missed Madrid deliberately; had a bad experience there w/ the crowd, but Rome seemed like the target.
    ---

    After RG, Rafa will be ranked somewhere btw #9 and #16 (prob 9 to 12) and what I am saying is that from there he can climb back to somewhere btw #5 and #8 (prob to #5) by the end of the year.***

    Rafa may be considered a top 10 player, but the results don't show it! He hasn't won anything of substance since Paris last year; taking only BA a 2+ months ago since! It has nothing to do w/ injury so we need to get off this kick that he deserves consideration at FO b/c of his low seed of #7! If Tomas volunteers to drop a notch to #5; fine, but I don't think he's going to do that!

    ***Wait! If Rafa wins Paris yet again, he goes down to #16?***

    He's going to lose 2000 points from last year so I think the consensus is that he'll drop out of the top 10 if he doesn't win Paris next month!

    ***...Nadal, Djokovic and Murray have had very stiff competition at the top of the game, which is mostly where they've dealt w/ each other. And of course, Roger has still risen to the challenge. But it's disingenuous to exclaim about Roger's earlier competition as talented when he didn't have to face them as regularly, and not nearly as many that were make-or-break finals; even excluding Slams. I know the notion of a "weak-era" is tainted, and, as I said, I'm not a proponent. I'm only saying that I think the argument is more complicated. Roger probably got a leg-up at the beginning of his domination. It's not a terrible thing to say, given that he's kept making the most of his tennis.***

    All you have to do is look at the ATP record book where these 3 top players have obliterated icons of the sport w/ the level of their excellence! They've had to battle each other more X's than past era stars who played many years longer! Those rivalries were short in comparison to Fed/Nadal, Nadal/Nole, & Nole/Murray! The amazing thing is, they're not done, so all they can do is add to their legend!

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  41. ***...By the time Rafa hit his prime Roger was already out of his and we had not seen the true rise of Djokovic or even Murray. Rafa before 2011 had 9 slams. So in essence Rafa won most of his slams by age 24 and w/ just 1 major force to deal w/ (Roger) which he obviously did great in dealing w/. Interestingly enough Roger won just 4 slams before Rafa won his 1st RG. Rafa has owned Roger H2H and that accts for almost all the difference in the stats.***

    Those lost MP's saved by Nole in cons. USO semi's has to wear on Roger after all these yrs! Roger has also been a thorn in Nole's side in Dubai and his worst defeat coming in '11 FO semi when he was on a 41 match winning streak! - There are so many things he's on the precipice of achieving including a career GS, winner of all Masters' events, & Masters leaders in titles all time!

    ***I know Nole has had quite a few of those matches where he seemed on his way out only to find some extra something to pull it out and win it at the end: the matches vs Federer at USO those 2 yrs, against Tsonga in Paris, against Murray in China are the most memorable to me.***

    Was that China or Shanghai where Nole saved a MP against Andy w/ a "tweener?" It was fantastic!

    ***So far, which Djokovic has had the better season leading up to the FO; the 2011 or 2015 version? I'm coming to the point where I think it's a toss up. Djokovic has seemed invincible since March, even when he drops a set. You just feel that he controls the match no matter what his opponent does.***

    That's a very good question! Which is more impressive; undefeated until FO in 2011 with a 41 match winning streak or this season? I'll put in my bid that this season's run is more impressive w/ so many other good competitors out there; including some "young guns" like Kei, Milos, & Kyrgios!

    ***Nole himself thinks he's playing better this year than in '11. To me: 2015 has been more impressive than '11 honestly, j/b he had to deal w/ a lot more off court stuff this year than in '11. In '11, he didn't know any better: just play and win. He might have sneaked up on a lot of players in 2011, but it is impossible to do in 2015 as everybody is gunning for him. This year he played DC so it is more impressive what he has been able to achieve this year, trying to incorporate traveling w/ a little baby, wife & 2 dogs. If he doesn't win 3 majors this year, then '11 will remain his best year, but as for up to now: 2015 it is.
    ---

    There's been talk of how it's harder for Novak to get into the tennis recordbooks, but there are a few highly realistic targets that Novak can aim for that no one has ever done before; over the next year.

    - As people have mentioned today, Novak has just passed Fed for Masters titles; 3 behind Rafa. A very doable record there - he could achieve it over the next year. And by the end of his career, he could have a # of Masters titles records that will stand for a very, very long time.

    - He needs 2 more Masters titles this year to solely hold the record he currently shares w/ Nadal, Laver and Connors for most Masters in 1 season.

    - 1st player to win all 9 Masters events - if he can win Cinci.
    - 1st player in history to win all of the 'big 15' tourneys in tennis - all 4 GS's, all 9 Masters, WTFs and Olympic singles gold - he's 3 titles away from this - RG, Cinci and Olympics. Nadal is 4 away - he needs Miami, Shanghai, Paris, & WTFs. Fed needs MC, Rome and Olympics. I think we'd all agree that whilst Fed or Rafa achieving this feat seems like a long shot, Djokovic achieving it seems reasonably likely.

    And of course there are the things that others have done, but very few:

    - The Career Slam - still something only 7 guys have ever done.
    - Career Golden Slam - if he can win Olympics next year. Only 2 guys have done it.
    - Calendar Slam - still a realistic possiblity if he can win RG - only 2 guys have ever done it.

    - 12 cons. Masters 1000 final wins.***

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  42. ***Right now Novak seems invincible. - As I've said before, in my "generational theory," tennis gens last roughly 5 yrs and can best be defined by birth years ending on a 9 and a 4. So for instance, Rafa, Novak & Andy are in the 1984-88 gen; Nishikori, Raonic, and Dimitrov are in the 1989-93 gen. - a gen. which begins w/ Nishikori ('89) and ends w/ Jiri Vesely and Dominic Thiem (both '93). - Now consider that players seem to be peaking a bit later these days. Djokovic was in the top 10 by the X he was around 20, but didn't reach his peak until he was 23-24 in '11. Andy's trajectory was about a year later. In this regard, Nadal is a bit of an outlier or a throw-back to an earlier era. We can also look at players like Berdych, Ferrer, & Wawrinka who are having their best years in their late 20s, even early 30s. So we could look at a player like Dimitrov, who just turned 24, and hope that he can get a bit better, but probably not much more.

    I think things could start getting interesting in '17, when Novak and Andy turn 30 and you have Nishikori, Raonic, & Dimitrov "ripe on the vine" - past the pt of hungry into starvation. A 23-yo Grigor Dimitrov looks anemic versus a 27-yo Novak Djokovic, but how will it look when Grigor is 26 and Nole 30? So all 3, and perhaps 1 or 2 others of their generation c/b perpetual dark-horse candidates to upset the top guys. But then you have players like Kyrgios, Coric, and others coming more fully into their own.

    By the X we get to 2018, we'll be seeing a regime change w/ the possible emergence of a new superstar or 2 that year. Certainly by '19, Novak's unlikely to remain the top-dog. But I suspect he'll hang around the top 5 for another year or 3, not unlike Roger once he hit his 30s. - Nole has been dominant in Oz, but not in the way that Ralf has been at RG. Rafa is 1 AO away from having a double career Slam. Roger is of course a FO chp short. If Novak doesn't complete at least a career slam, but matches Ralf's count, then it w/b a no (IMO).***

    Some, esp. McEnroe put Rafa in the GOAT position, not only for his wins in Majors, but his dominance of Roger! That's 1 thing that will help Nole; close to surpassing Roger and Rafa H2H as well as in Masters! Only time will tell if he can get closer in Majors, but IMO, he's already there b/c he has so much more in him! If he takes that FO title, he'll definitely have arrived! Federer's '09 FO settled some of the argument about being Rafa's pigeon!

    ***Who w/b the man Nole would least want to face in the final - if he gets there, and Rafa doesn't?***

    I'll have to stick to the most obvious candidate to upset Nole; Roger! Even on clay he has a chance if he plays his game and attacks the net, serves lights out, and frustrates Nole! It happened in 2011 when Djokovic was still undefeated at 42 matches! There was the added pressure of that, but it was still on clay! Roger obviously has a mental thing going on which caused Nole to drop serve twice at Wimbledon last season trying to wrap it up in 4; couldn't do it! The problem is I don't think Roger will get a sniff of another final; even seeded #2! He has to get past so many young guns who are hungry and see he's vulnerable in his aging state of decay!

    ***Even though I'm a fan, I don't see Roger defeating Novak at RG. The key differential btw them is in baseline rally play. You can't totally avoid baseline game, esp. on clay. Novak outscored Roger about 3 to 1 in the baseline war in Rome final.***

    I don't think it's going to happen; question was "who would Nole least like to meet in the final?"

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  43. ***Why you like so-and-so...***

    Going back to the beginning when I 1st started watching tennis in '74, I had to like the person's style of play! Way back when, "double-handed" backhands were something new w/ Connors, Evert, and Bjorn Borg, but I instantly took a dislike of Connors and his antics! W/ Borg the anti-thesis of the "Belleville Basher," he became my fave! Borg was also easy on eye and kept his mouth shut unlike many others who thought it was cool to "have personality" out there on court! For the ladies it was pretty much the same w/ Evonne Goolagong who was the most graceful ballerina on court and delighted crowds giving Chris Evert a lot of heartburn!

    After she left I picked Martina Navr. as the next great thing on court and in '82 she broke out and took over for a good 5 years, beating Evert 14 X's in a row at 1 X; a couple of those matches on Evert's beloved clay in Paris! I latched onto Lendl around then due to his animus towards McEnroe and Connors! I graduated to Sampras and Hingis, then Federer and Henin, settling on Nole and Radwanska now! I need to like a top player to get me to watch the tour, so I fell down on the job keeping up w/ the ladies when Hingis and Henin retired! It was boring watching Nadal and Federer while winning most everything in sight year in and year out, so I'm loving that Nole's broken up the exclusive party! Fed is still considered The GOAT IMO, but I live for Nole and him taking everything these days! I'm still holding all hope that Navratilova will be considered The GOAT for the ladies w/ her "Box Set" of Majors unmatched by anyone in the OPEN era!

    ***I think you never had much stress as a tennis fan b/c you always chose the best players of each generation.***

    True, but they hadn't become the "best player" when I took them on as faves! I have to enjoy watching to keep interests in their tour! Borg lost 7 str. matches to Connors before turning it around and owning him 16-8! Hingis came along in a very down period when Seles and Graf were on their last legs! Some players I loved due to what they could do to another player I couldn't stand; Sampras beating Agassi like a drum was always fun and that was 1st done in '90 before he even reached the top 10!

    ***There were only 7 career GS winners - 2 from 30s, 2 from 60s, & 3 from recent times.***

    What's been the most amazing so far is in quick succession how we had 3 X major winners in the last decade; 3 for Roger alone! We hadn't had 1 of those since Connors in '74; Lavers '69 GS before that! Add Nole soon to the CGS winners; we can only hope!

    ***I'm saying you might feel the same sympathy for Nadal's fans.***

    Things like this run in cycles! Back in my day, the ones treated like "villains" were actually #1 in the world; Navratilova and Lendl! They never got the recognition of their accomplishments outside the tennis hierarchy; lack of sponsors while nobodies w/ few wins were cleaning up! The animus was palpable at times; actually hearing boos from the stands, open hostility w/ the press, and tears being shed on court! Talk to me when it gets that bad w/ a fave of yours!

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  44. ***IMO, early 20's for "prime" is outdated; 24-26 s/b more like it.***

    Due to the previous generations starting earlier and retiring well before their 30's, we seem to forget that this age range was the norm at the dawn of Open tennis! It was the exception like a Connors, Arias, Agassi, Austin, Jaeger, Evert, Borg, and the rest who excelled very early (most leaving early as well), but most classic players arrived and hit their primes much later like a Laver, Ashe, Nastase, Navratilova, Court, and others who played well into their 30's! People think it strange Roger's still going strong, but as far as I can tell, it's the old norm! True enough the competition is a lot better overall, but their brains just can't get them over the hump! Something's holding back so many GOOD players who have all the ability in the world, but win little and only surprise periodically like a Grigor, Milos, Kei, Andy, Tomas, & David! It's getting better w/ the "young guns," but the "Big 1 +3" still rule the tour; taking most majors and Masters titles! There's been a little crack in their armor w/ Nadal and Federer sliding just a bit w/ real doubt at what's to occur at this French Open! This Chp. will spark the interest of many sports fan, not just the regulars w/ this possible "changing of the guard!"

    ***Rafa's H2H vs. Fed is down on the list of reasons I don't like him. I've always liked Nole despite dishing out 3 of the most painful losses of Roger's career (USO '10 & 11, Wimby 2014). Also like Berd despite the fact he has been a major thorn for Roger since 2010. It isn't all about the 'threat' to our fave players.***

    We feel about the same except for Berdych who's too frustrating for words to watch! Like Ferrer, he's more than competent and has been a very successful top 10'r, but something btw the ears keeps him from excelling! An upset or 2 a year of the top echelon isn't going to do it; making only 1 or 2 appearances in a major in a career! Even "also-rans" like Philippoussis and Pioline did better back in the day! I saw good things for Nole even though for a while it seemed like he couldn't get over that #3 hump w/ the genius of Roger and Rafa! He bided his time and finally arrived in 2011 and has only had a handful of hiccups over the last 4-5 years! It didn't bother me that he defeated "The Goat" in those 2 USO semi's either; feeling Roger can't and shouldn't win them all!

    I've never been that greedy and appreciate the titles acquired by my faves! I never liked Rafa from day 1; going at length how I can't stand his entire act! I do feel fortunate to have seen tennis rise from obscurity in the early 70's to a billion dollar industry of playing, viewing, and merchandise sold and traded! Every time I think the "best ever" has retired, another shows; from Laver to Borg to Sampras to Federer! NOLE? It's doubtful getting such a late start w/ Roger and Rafa in the way, but he's done an amazing job and will easily surpass pretenders to the throne in Connors, McEnroe, Lendl, w/ Laver's 2 GS's in the conversation!

    - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Slam_(tennis) -

    - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATP_Masters_Series -

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  45. ***Best Federer Statistics I've Ever Come Across - Definitely the most staggering #'s I've seen:

    - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_career_achievements_by_Roger_Federer -

    - http://essentiallysports.com/top-roger-federer-stats-you-havent-heard-of/ -***

    We well know Federer will leave the sport holding a multitude of records that may never be broken! Nole's going to take a few of them, but that's to be expected; esp. having w/ Masters Series! IMO, he'll still be the GOAT regardless of what Rafa and Nole do; so many deficiencies that Roger never had! Nadal's clay dominance overwhelms his record while his inability to defend any titles off the surface doesn't look good either in comparison to Borg, Sampras, Nole, Lendl, Roger, & Connors who were more balanced players! After all is said and done, I think Roger will OWN most of the records due to his lengthy and consistent career; same for Martina Navr. on the ladies' side of tennis!

    ***Muzza's potential FO ops:

    R1 Qual
    R2 Pospisil/Sousa
    R3 Kyrgios
    R4 Isner
    QF Ferrer
    SF Nole/Rafa

    Certainly not an easy draw. Was hoping for another Djokovic-Murray final. How about a Murray-Nishikori final?
    ---

    Muzza will get killed by Kyrgios and if he manages to survive that, he will go a long way until he gets killed by the winner of Rafa/Novak.***

    I really can't see Andy getting through that gauntlet of top players, no matter how well he's playing! He falls back into a defensive mode so quickly and best of 5 is going to do him in long before he gets to the semi IMO! He peaked too early winning Munich and Madrid like that; can't last!

    ***The best scenario for Novak w/b to meet Rafa in 1/4. Novak can focus on prior matches w/o distractions. Assuming he can win out the QF against Rafa, Novak may lose focus a little bit in his SF match; but, his opponent is likely to be weaker than his F opponent and so the minor loss of focus may only cost him a set or 2 and not the match.***

    It's truly tough on the top seeds; Nole and Serena! Rafa's in his 1/4 as #6 seed and Murray in the semi if all reach appointed round in 2 wks! Speculation has Nole winning and sending Rafa to a low of 12th in the world w/ potentially another very low seeding on grass at Wimbledon! For Serena, her sister Venus is in her 1/4 along w/ lowly seed and pigeon, Vika Azarenka:

    - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_French_Open_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_Singles -

    - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_French_Open_%E2%80%93_Women%27s_Singles -

    ***The ideal situation has worked out for Novak.

    1. Rafa will not lose before facing Novak, so no pressure early on Novak.
    2. Novak will defeat Rafa in QF (most probably in 4 sets).
    3. Novak will lose focus and be pushed to 5 sets in SF by Andy/Ferrer, but will eventually win.
    4. W/ deadly focus, Novak will defeat the finalist in 3 sets.***

    My thinking exactly! I wasn't off by much w/ Nadal dropping to at least #5, ending up ranked #7, but seeded #6 at FO! Everything is going exactly as I imagined! I love catching Rafa earlier in the tourney, but I also thought the same about their semi a 2 years ago!

    ***This draw is the ultimate test for Roger's focus. Is he going to be able to beat the people he's supposed to beat even if 1 catches fire like Gulbis did, or is he just going to look ahead and see himself in the final and as a result, lose to a nobody in the process.***

    I say he's in trouble regardless! He's nowhere near being #2 and is lucky the ranking is cumulative or he'd barely be in the top 10! Murray's the rightful heir, but will have to wait until at least the summer for the #'s to change significantly! Even though FO is looking to be HUGE, I'm looking forward to Wimbledon and what happens then; esp. w/ the seedings so tenuous for a certain player that's been struggling of late!

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  46. ***...I don't just dislike Djokovic, I dislike his game. His FH has gotten uglier over the yrs w/ the spin he added to it. I just fail to realize how such a nervous and arrogant person could have achieved so much.***

    I wouldn't have to change much but the name to Nadal and switch his "ugly" BH to what you think of Nole's FH! My dislike of Rafa was est. even earlier w/ his total act of stalling, toweling off, and being "SO" wrong in challenging calls! He takes offense at losing single pts all the time; even if he's killing the guy 6-0, 5-0, 40-love! I've seen him embarrass himself when his opponent is already demoralized! He's been what I'd consider a real "punk," entitled, and spoiled from the beginning!

    ***No no, it's DJOKOVIC'S (at X's) grinder game that I can't watch.***

    While both Nole and Rafa can hit offensively from a defensive posture, Nole almost never gets caught up in such rallies, putting an offensive shot back at his opponent changing the dynamics surprisingly well! Rafa's stabbing, slicing, and dicing making his opponent hit 1 more shot! The reason I have little respect for it is due to the cowardice of his opposition to allow him to get away w/ floating balls back to the baseline and not cutting them off at the net; totally gutless play! Nole isn't just doing "his thing" against the 2nd and 3rd tier players, embarrassing Roger, Andy, and Rafa this season; putting some serious hurt on their confidence! The record proves it w/ a major and 4 Masters wins already before JUNE! He can possibly coast the rest of the season, but has every opportunity to push himself and "finish" up on a run not seen in decades!

    ***Wow, didn't realize Rafa was #11 in the live rankings w/ only 2580 pts. The best he can do is finish the tournament at #6. Anything less than a win and he's no higher than #9. - McEnroe said that he would have seeded Rafa #2 at RG. "Rafa isn't using his lower core of his body which makes me think that maybe his knees are not 100% and that's why Rafa's using so much of his arms."***

    People think he has all kinds of time this season to recovery since he isn't defending many pts! Why should he do better this year in the summer and fall? His 2013 is the only decent result he's had overall w/ terrible upsets and absences from the tour that time of the year! I'm amazed he's hung on this long w/ the way he plays the game!

    Mcenroe's been Rafa's biggest cheerleader for yrs; giving him major props! He all but dismisses Roger b/c of the H2H! I can't give it to him due to his inability to defend "ANY" title off clay and is missing a few Masters titles! Both Roger and Nole are more complete players and I'm hoping they wind up being the proverbial #1 & #2 "all time!" Rafa's hoarding of FO titles is impressive, but shows him to be more of a 1-trick pony w/ isolated success elsewhere!

    ***McEnroe is just brutally honest and has no reason to be biased against Novak or Fed. We all have endured his brother Patrick's lips glued to Roger's backside for years.***

    But that makes sense! I spend a lot of time, going back to the 70's really, collecting and studying the recordbk as it just gets annihilated by Fed and his sustained excellence! Like Navratilova for women, Roger will own most records having to deal w/ tourney wins, streaks in the majors, years at the top of the game, etc. after all is said and done!

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  47. ***I love the irony of how the "left" demands Cruz answer the question(s).***

    You mean like those stupid questions about Benghazi that's been investigated for 3 years, several committee hearings and reports done, along w/ experts that have said NOTHING's there? ...we can always dredge up all the people who died under other admin's like those Marine barracks bombing losing 250 soldiers! The Dems didn't make a Fed case out of that and Reagan went about his business!"

    ***The reporter kept asking Cruz, "Why do you have personal antipathy to homos?"***

    The reason you have to ask is b/c just a decade ago, Reps used the issue to run on a Nat'l level and succeeded! The problem is, they overplayed their hands and it ended up backfiring w/ most states already passing legis. to approve gay marriage!

    ***New questions raised on Benghazi from Hillary's illegal emails now coming out.***

    Reps can question things all they want; still got nothing! Why don't they talk about what they would do if elected rather than spending all their campaign time whining about Clinton? That's why Reps have lost 5 of the last 6 Nat'l popular votes; ripping off 1 election w/ the help of the Supreme Court in 2000! They'll go down in history as some of the worst jurists in history if you ask me; esp. w/ rulings allowing unlimited moneys in campaigns! They're such idiots who don't seem to see or care about the slippery slope of influence and cash peddling and buying pols!

    ***I figure she'll be in prison before she gets to the WH. After she gets out, if she's still alive, she can go visit it on a public tour. I see about 20 yrs of Reps controlling the Fed Gov't and states.***

    Funny you talk about Clinton going to jail, but half the Reps running are under investigation or indictment for different reasons! You guys are real JOKES after seeing losers like Christi, Walker, Perry, Huckabee, Jindal, Fiorina, and Paul embarrass the brand even more than possible!

    ***The polls matter now. ;-) Let's drag her in on Benghazi some more. And keep the email drip up. Adding to the further erosion of trust.

    Down, down, down... The phony meets w/ campaign staff disguised as voters. And no questions from the media.***

    Well at least you admit it unlike your pathetic brethren who have no answers to problems, just telling us how bad things are! That lasted for quite a while at the beginning of Obama's term; constant refrain of where's the jobs, what about those oil prices, blah, blah, blah! It all came and went w/ small surges of good news even w/ the foot-dragging and tactics of sabotage by Reps! They actually threatened our credit rating on several occasions! All they can drone on about is old news like Benghazi, a Sec. of State that's been out of office for 2 years, gaffs by the VP, and still holding onto all hope they can repeal Obamacare! It's pathetic since they have no real solutions, just more bitchin' about nothing! They would rather take those millions off whatever coverage found and go back to people just dropping dead; last reported to be 44,000 per year before the ACA! "Thanks Obama and Dem. Congress!" Now that Reps have taken over, you see nothing is getting done as usual! No bills passed to maybe do some work on infrastructure that's collapsing, to upgrade electrical sites on both coasts, and do something w/ the rail system that's so antiquated, we can only hope we don't have more crashes and spills!

    ***...I would respect Cruz's answer had he chosen either option. He however decided to throw out everything but the kitchen sink and avoided answering the questions.***

    The problem is Cruz and other cons. are trying to play both sides of the street; be against gay marriage, but not say it openly hoping we're stupid enough to let 'em get away w/ it! Going on the attack, vilifying the MSM isn't going to save them! Their #'s are getting smaller w/ each election cycle!

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  48. ***Does anyone know what the max penalty is for Violation of Federal banking laws and making false statements to the FBI. At this point it seems like the worst thing for Hastert whb for the cops to do nothing and let the scumbag pay out the rest of the $3.5 million. Now he gets to save the money he hasn't paid yet.***

    Prosecutors know what's what and I'm sure Hastert will take a plea and it'll be dropped for the most part w/ probation! No crime here except lying to the Feds! At his age, I'm sure they won't go for the max! I would since the bastard was passing judgment on Clinton while he's got this huge secret during impeachment hearings! I guess Reps thought they were moving up from a Gingrich and Livingston who were adulterers to what we now believe to be a sexual predator in HS for boys! They love passing judgment on others, but the news is all too full of their own indiscretions!

    ***Let's just say this is rampant on both sides of the party line. Sadly you may be right about how little this costs him in time and money. Personally, I'd like to see restitution to the courts, IRS and 20 yrs to life for the perv. - So he will end up w/ probation and not having to pay the rest of the blackmail. Seems like a good deal for him. So they rename a few buildings at Wheaton College.***

    Of course no side is immune, but Dems aren't always trying to prove they're "better" human beings! Reps and conservatives alike have been touting their family values for years while "us" Gawd-less heathen progressives are proclaimed and destined to burn in HELL for all eternity!

    ***Meh, Conservatives claim people that don't believe like they do will suffer in the afterlife. Liberals claim people that don't believe in their way of thinking are worthless in this life b/c it's the only one they believe in.***

    You w/b "hard pressed" to find a Dem, Liberal, or progressive as insane as "the right!" To this day, 25-33% of them still believe Obama's a foreigner, a Muslim, and any other # of ridiculous accusations! Please don't even try to compare both sides b/c there is NO comparison!

    ***...I w/b hard pressed to get you to acknowledge it if I took the time to present 50 indisputable examples***

    Fine, be that way! Ignore how all this began w/ Rep. leadership undermining the new President w/ a stupid comment of "I take him at his word he's American and a patriot!" These animals have spoke disparagingly about his wife, his kids, his parents, and his very being, so please spare me the pitying victimhood! "We're not bigots or racists," but they can't say what the HELL they really are except a-holes!

    ***PETA votes Dem. You are high; both sides have batshit crazy people. Feminists too. Don't be stupid.***

    I'm talking about the STUPID LEADERSHIP of the party; not some rube in the backwoods of Lookout Mountain, Tenn! People like Boehner, McConnell, and rest of the high visible idiots on the "right" like Paul, Cruz, Rubio, Walker, Christy, and Huckabee say some of the most disturbing things! This country will never move forward as long as there are gutless turds like these guys who pander to their filthy base!

    ***Oh looky! A story and 'bust' of another ex-pol we can all get giddy about. Anything to get the 'spotlight' off Hillary.***

    Gotta work Hillary's name in their somewhere! Ya just can't help yourselves! She's been in the Nat'l spotlight for over 20 years! We know just about everything about this woman, but Reps invoke her name like GAWD every 5 min.! It's pathetic and sad that they have no message; just a need to harangue the opposition! Since they have no real solutions, that's all they can really do!

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  49. The next President is going to get so much credit for jobs exploding when these fools in Congress finally pass transportation bills, start fixing infrastructure and the like, and in general "stop obstructing;" the economy will take off! Millions of jobs will be created, all those part timers will move to full time, and a total flip of this whole mess created by Boehner, McConnell, and the Tea-baggers will end! This has been going on since Obama rained on their parades in 2008 and 2012! SIMPLE!

    ***Hilarious how leftists believe that gov't action is what creates economic growth. - It worked building great Dams and coast to coast superhighway systems pretty well now didn't it?***

    People forget The Gov't is the biggest employer in this country! Btw the Post Office, the VA, congressional agencies, etc, that is a fact, "gov't action is what creates economic growth!" DUH! When they cut budgets, they contributed to the jobless rates! They did everything they could to sabotage Obama and his agenda, but somehow we rode out this wave of insanity where you actually had Congress working to undermine their own economy! "Thanks Reps; I laugh at you every time I hear BS about patriotism concerning any of you scumbags!"

    ***LOL.... where do you think the money comes from for the gov't to spend?***

    It's called the cycle of our economy! If business weren't such greedy bastards hoarding the profits, a middle class w/b created from the ashes left by "W" and we'd be back on our way to prosperity during the initial Clinton years! History can repeat itself to our benefit and you can't stand it I KNOW!

    ***Obama:
    - graduated Harvard Law
    - was elected to 2 different legislatures
    - ran for President twice, and won both Xs

    Obama was inaugurated when the U.S. economy and (much of) the world economy were in serious downturns, and has had the U.S. economy on the mend for 6 yrs. Our deficits are frightful, but they're on their way down. Our unemployment figures are inaccurate, but improving.

    The previous President started out w/ things in pretty good shape; the U.S. was at peace, and our economy relatively stable. 8 yrs later we were at war, losing 800K private sector jobs per month. Bush / Cheney / Paulson's $700 B $TARP didn't fix our economy. All it did was hold it together long enough for them to get out of town; toss the flaming potato into Obama's lap. Obama's made some mistakes, but by and large, he's been much better for our economy than W.***

    This reminds me of Santorum's comments from 2 years ago when Obama had the audacity to muse about all Americans getting a college education; (from Santorum) "what a snob!" I tell you these people need serious psychological care! I thought there were just a few loons back in the 80's led by Delay, Gingrich, Barr, but they've all gone over to the "dark side" and can't be saved even by the last Jedi Knight! When they threatened the credit rating of the country, I knew we were doomed and nothing would get done! What was once minor budget housekeeping during Reagan and Bush was now going to cripple us! "Thanks knuckleheads on 'the Right'!"

    ***When people think that paying others to destroy their cars is STIMULUS, what can you expect in their economic thinking?***

    Still better than what you guys wanted to do; "let them go bankrupt!" Idiots! Thousands of jobs were saved with the help of loans to auto industry and they're back! Loans paid back and they're off and running! Why can't YOU PEOPLE give credit to what Obama did to save jobs, that industry, our economy, and health care? Are you that stubborn to never give in to the truth?

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  50. I wouldn't have minded FO adjusting the seedings just a bit, but in this instance, Nadal doesn't deserve any consideration after such an abysmal season! If he had been coming back from injury and was playing his way back and looking good, putting him at #4 wouldn't have bothered me at all! It whb unfair to Berdych, but his level of play is nothing to write home about; not entertaining and is as predictable as ants at a picnic! I feel for fans of Tomas who works amazingly hard; sorta like Ferrer, but it does them no good! It only keeps them in the top 10 normally unable to knock off the top echelon w/o assistance! One appearance in a major is almost not worth it! In my day total nobodies did better; Pioline, Philippoussis, Gerulaitis, among others!

    ***Guess Ralf made it to Chartrier thanks to his opponent. The French don't seem to be Nadal fans.***

    Tourneys get tired of some champions! I remember Chris Evert relegated to a couple outside courts at Wimbledon along the way; same for Connors and even Navratilova!

    ***That's true. It's really become standard to have the top players in the show courts in the last decade. I think it's the Roger effect. I know for a fact that if Roger was on one of the outside courts or even court #1 at Wimbledon there w/b a ridiculous drain from Centre court. I've seen that type of thing before. It just makes the organisers look foolish.
    ---

    ...b/c I analyze Tomasi K. seeing him for the 1st time. He's got some game for sure, no wonder he climbed the ranking so quickly.***

    Where did this resurgence of Australian tennis come from? Shocking! Some really good players; actually playing each other a couple days ago in Tomic and Kokk! I can remember 30, 40 odd years ago, they barely had 1 top 10'r in the ranking at any given time; McNamara, Cash, or Philippossis! That was quite a "come down" after the likes of Laver, Newcombe, Rosewall, etc.! They look to have some nice talent coming along to outdo Hewitt one day! We're looking a little weak here in the States except for Sock! Querry, Isner, Harrison, Young, and all the rest just aren't going to be able to "do it!" We've had some down time, but at least there was something to "hope" for; not seeing it! Anybody? The US ladies have made a huge comeback and won't be dependent on the Williams' for much longer!

    ***Isner did a lot more than the other US players you have mentioned him w/. Let's not bunch them like that together b/c it is unfair for him.***

    If you can't make QF and semi's of majors, you have nothing to brag about IMO! At least Andy Roddick did the bare minimum; won 1, made others! Isner has barely had sniffs at Masters! Let's not give him too much credit after those horrendous DC losses to Britain! BRITAIN? They haven't been a power since the Lloyd bros of the 70's!

    ***What does 'whinging' mean? Never heard it before.

    - http://www.thefreedictionary.com/whinge - Thx, IDK if it is worth remembering this word, it looks like mostly Britains use it.***

    I love that word; describes Andy's act all too vividly! Many do it, but Murray takes it to a new level; IMO bordering on Hamlet when things go "south!" Besides the constant "kvetchin," ya have to take notice of the injuries; real or imagined! They come and go along w/ the whining of "woe is me!"

    ***Looks like we will have the battle of the clay court 250 champions in the round of 16; Sock vs. Nadal.***

    Who would have thought it would happen this soon; besides me of course? A possibility of dropping out of the top 10 if he doesn't get past Nole next wk; already #11 on live rankings! Wow; the only thing to make it better is a win by Djokovic next Sunday! If perchance Roger can get through and Nole's been knocked out, I wouldn't mind him taking 1 more major, but I doubt it'll happen!

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  51. ***So lets see what will Wed. bring. Will this be Dooms Day in tennis history or not? - Why would it be Dooms Day? if Rafa would lose, it wouldn't be the 1st X. He lost in '09 and the world continued rotating and later he won 5 more RG's.***

    We can only hope Rafa's deal w/ the devil has expired and we get a new winner after all these years. People have already welcomed the loss of Roger, stating "at least the final will have a new member outside the 'BIG 4' for a change." Kei and Stan couldn't be better choices to see play in the bottom half! They at least have clay court wins recently in Europe! Roger was a #2 seed in # only at the FO, holding onto the ranking over the aggregate year, but he's more like #5 or 6 in the race for the YEC! He's not even assured to make it yet! He has a lot of points to defend; esp. making final at Wimbledon last year! He might miss being so close to Rafa in the rankings and start dropping down to commiserate!

    ***Roger's FH can still be good, but there was a X where just getting on to his forehand was a virtual point ender. Nothing lasts forever.***

    All the more reason he needs to revise his schedule as he puts on miles and years; skip the FO altogether! It seems he's all about the records now and keeping that cons. streak going! He'll never catch up to Robredo's record in the # played, but his ego may have something to do w/ his attending the FO and wasting his X and energy! It's a miracle he survived until today even though I've thought the rest of the tour gutless in allowing the "Big 4" to rule all majors and Masters! Only Berdych failed to make the QF's; unheard of on clay! Someone SHB upset; esp. Roger! He must have had a dream draw w/ his pigeon waiting, but this is clay and all 3 losses to his compatriot have been on this surface!

    ***My goodness, this thread day by day seems to be " the Novak fan club"***

    He's just getting his due b/c he's having such a great run and any comments on it seems to be overdone! The thing is fans of Roger and Rafa have been doing it for years! They were "tennis gods," above the rest of the tour, and even the so called experts were seduced and made to go overboard in praise of their record and rivalry!

    ***Wonderfully said Fiero. Even now when he is clearly above the rest, he doesn't get respect from some here, but it's fine, I'm satisfied w/ overall recognition. I'm always happy when I read 1 of your posts about Nole, or any other fan of his, and those are the ones that really matter to me. - Nole losing to Federer in '11 FO semi has to be up there as one of the biggest upsets.***

    Roger is Nole's headache to deal w/ periodically! Every player has an annoyance no matter how old and out of their prime! In my day old man Laver owned Arthur Ashe even when reigning #1! For Roger, it's Rafa who has embarrassed him more Xs than he'll ever want to acknowledge! For Nadal, it's been Nole w/ more winning streaks over him than any other player! Rafa's last vestiges of dominance and respect have been pierced and he must win FO unless he wants to wallow in the basement outside the top 10!

    ***...Nole was on an insane run leading up to that match in '11 and everybody was expecting another Nole vs Rafa final. Nah, I think Federer beating Nole from X to X is not the worst thing that can happen, as long as it's not in a major. Actually I think it is healthy for all players to lose from X to X.***

    Well it finally happened; ytd ranking has Federer dropping to #5 w/ Berdych and Ferrer jumping over him to #3 & #4 respectively! Roger still holding onto #2 on the ATP computer! Nole and Andy already on top and to qualify for YEC by now!

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  52. I've been pretty appalled how overall this FO has been hyped w/ pedestrian results; top players not even dropping a set! Only #4 Berdych didn't make the QF; to me that s/b impossible but for the uninspired play of the "also-rans!" I've slept through most of it and the replays don't make it any better! This Nadal/Djpokvic match will have to save the tourney IMO!

    ***I can certainly concede this: everyone who is not a Nadal fan, even likely the casual observer, wants someone else to win this year.***

    Tournaments and fans alike can be fickle; cheering for you 1 moment and later trying to sabotage a run made by a player! I still remember how openly hostile fans were when Navratilova was winning everything in the mid 80's! She had to withstand cheering her mistakes, jeering if she questioned any calls, and sites not giving her the best court assignments! To this day, I still think Wimbledon tried to make sure they had a competitive final keeping McEnroe in the tourney when he was "out of control" in an early rd match where any other player whb disqualified! I think everyone may have been tired w/ Borg winning 5 in a row and was looking for someone to take him out in '81! When were they supposed to stop catering to the great 1 after 9 titles? At least they didn't manipulate the seedings for Rafa, so maybe they're ready for another champion as well!

    ***The only good thing for Nadal to face Novak early is that if he wins, it's almost guaranteed he will win the FO. The confidence problems that Nadal has been having this season would not be there anymore. - I'm not completely convinced, though a win over Nole would surely be a big confidence booster. But Murray and Wawrinka, should that be the path, have had strong wins over Nadal this season, and I think they'd both still be a hurdle.***

    It's one thing to overcome Nole, Andy, and JWT/Kei as the #1 player in the world, but Rafa's got to have some kind of crisis of confidence! I think it would be "reaching," even w/ his OWNERSHIP of this tourney after 9 titles to continue this run! I felt the same about Roger! He was seeded #2 and made the QF, had a gift draw, but I still think he was lucky! He had hurdles to overcame, but as I've always said, gutless play of the "also-rans" give "The Big 4" so much cover! Roger's ranking is being artificially held up and is more like #5 or 6 in the YEC race!

    ***Well, I'm rooting for McMuzza, but I sure ain't betting any money on it.***

    After that dream draw of Roger's, the least that should happen Karma-wise is Murray knocked out! Why should Nole have to go through the defending champion in the QF, the legitimate #2 in the semi, and a barn-burner of a final either way w/ Wawrinka or Tsonga?

    ***He won't have to worry about it.***

    I'm not really sure it matters! Nole's been so on top of the ball, actually crushing it by the 3rd set; hence the bagels being served all over the place even at the AO months ago!

    ***I've been waiting for Rafa to lose at the French since Soderling took him out. I have to say it feels kind of anticlimactic. It's not the wonderful schadenfreude I wanted. Still I'm happy for Novak. His playing at a ridiculously high level this year.***

    You would have felt better if Nole had won one of those closer matches like in '12! W/ the way Rafa's playing now, no matter how emphatic Nole wins this tourney, his detractors will point out how "down" Nadal had been; barely in the top 10!

    ***Well...Rafa is down. He's #7 in the world and he's lost more matches on clay this year than he did btw '06-'10. He's won a 250 tourney over the last 12 months. Even prime Roger might have beaten him today, that's how down he is.***

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  53. ***Congrats to Djokovic for beating Nadal at Roland Garros. - He doesn't have a lot of pts to defend for the rest of the yr; 270, so he has a great chance to return to the Top 8.***

    You're assuming a lot! Most of the X, Rafa's summer and fall are abysmal! He had a decent '13, but 2 yrs is a long time on those wheels! More people will feel empowered to challenge him; mark my words!

    ***Hard to believe Novak's now over 10,000 pts ahead of Rafa.***

    Rafa at #10! If Nole completes this run on clay in Paris, then head back to the States to acquire his last Masters in Cinci., he won't have to catch up to either Roger or Rafa to have a look at a few of his yrs and the amazing #'s he's producing! ...Pretty soon there won't be a deficit H2H or in the # of Masters won by Nole!

    ***Getting ahead of yourself there w/ surpassing a lot of Roger's records.***

    In comparison to past eras, you just didn't have that kind of dominance w/ Masters! IIRC, Roger actually missed winning 1 one year early on; a season after he had won his 1st! It happened and winning those titles were tough for different reasons; surfaces, X of the year, and if some 2nd or 3rd tier person like Nalbandian or Davydenko played lights out and upset a couple top pros to take 1! That just doesn't happen much these days; what, maybe Tsonga sneaking 1 in Canada 2 years ago? Right now it Djokovic across the board and I just can't believe this dominance after living through the career of Roger! I just didn't think anyone would come close! In another yr, none of that will be true concerning Nole when it comes to the 2 GOATS!

    ***There's no doubt in my mind that Novak will end up w/ the most Masters wins of the top guys on tour when all's said and done, but that alone does not mean surpassing a lot of Roger's records; merely one. - Hey Fiero, did you pause for breath btw ditching Federer and hitching your horse onto Nole's bandwagon?***

    Federer's just an annoyance these days who hasn't won a major in 3 yrs, making only 2 finals! Murray's done better than that, but I'm no fan so I'll still be rooting for Nole from now until he's ready to pass the baton! I felt the same about Navr. on the women's side when she started sliding in '93! It was X for her to go and the good-bye present was a Wimbledon final chance in '94! Roger should have taken the hint last season! That #2 ranking is very deceptive; more a #5 or #6 IMO!

    ***So how do you choose which bandwagon to leap shamelessly into?***

    I have to like the player personally! Nole's just a great guy, always says the right thing, and isn't offensive in the least on court! Players like Murray aren't the least bit likable w/ his rants! ...Hingis had a cpl good yrs and I didn't abandon her; she left me! I still think she's one of the greatest players who got the most out of her game and body! The LEAPS:

    Men - From Borg, to Lendl, to Edberg, to Sampras, to Federer, now Djokovic; w/ Safin the overall genius IMO

    Women - From Goolagong, to Navratilova, to Hingis, to Henin, now Radwanska who isn't doing very well

    ***Does it help you to like the player more when they're the current #1 and winning everything in sight?***

    It makes no sense to root for Roger when he's obviously in decline and can only be an irritant to the top players; not a real player in deciding what goes on! Those faves of mines weren't #1 when I took them on! I liked Borg b/c he owned Connors, then Lendl owned McEnroe, Nole has turned it around on Rafa, and Navratilova was Evert's #1 rival! None of them were #1 at the X of them becoming faves; just liked how they played and relished when they took out the top player!

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  54. ***I think Rafa will be lucky to get to 16 majors; likely 14 or 15. Even if Rafa returned to '13 form, he's facing a very good Nole and Andy. In order to pass Fed, he would have to have at least 1 dom. yr, and I just can't see it. He has produced 2 wks of GS level tennis in the last 2 seasons. Hasn't produced any of it now going on 12 months. He will be lucky to get 1 more IMO. He's a fighter, so won't write him off, but... U don't lose like this, then come back. So far this season, it's like Fed '13, and Fed is better, but still isn't that strong a bet to win a Slam. - Novak The 1st Man to qualify for WTF***

    W/ Nole winning the AO, he's all but assured a spot! Roger's not in yet even though ranked #2; should start dropping if he doesn't make Wimbledon final! He's legitimately #5 or #6 IMO, being artificially held up; sorta like Rafa, but it finally caught up w/ him dropping to #10! Both may be lucky to be in the top 8 much less the top 4 by years end! It all depends if Milos comes back and Kei stay healthy I guess! Stan will have a lot to say as well after his showing here in Paris! Someone else has a real chance w/ the 9 X's defending champion OUT and just holding the trophy until Sunday where he'll pass it on; preferably to Nole!

    ***Could Andy Murray Be the Greatest Player Ever to Never Reach #1?***

    I was about to acquiesce and "give it" to Murray seeing as he's won 2 majors and an OGM, but checking the history of #2's, I think Guillermo Vilas deserves consideration at least! He had to deal w/ his nemesis and friend Bjorn Borg who banged on him like a drum, personally taking him out of 2 FO finals back in the 70's! Connors was also tough to beat, but he did manage it at the USO in '77; the same year he won the FO over Brian Gottfried! I think j/b I'm from that era and saw how hard he worked to get past those 2 legends, I'm gonna say my vote goes to Vilas w/ Murray a very close 2nd; AGAIN w/ no pun intended! Murray was holding 2 majors at the time, but Vilas actually won 2 in a calendar year and still only mustered a ranking of #3 behind Borg & Connors! Vilas was also closer to being #1 in '75, but due to posting dates, he was never granted #1 status even though it was thought legitimate for maybe a few wks back then! Evnonne Goolagong had to deal w/ the same oversight and shb listed as #1 for at least 2 wks way back when!

    ***And Rafa says: "I lost in '09 and it wasn't the end, this one won't be neither. I'm going to work hard to be ready. I'm going to play in Stuttgart, Queens, & Wimbledon; I will play better."***

    How low will he have to drop in the rankings for it to sink in that Nadal's on the decline? I'm not trying to pile on, but this is getting real ugly; the losses to players he's owned and not winning tourneys even on clay! Should I make a thread asking/polling about "2013 being his last stand?" It's been all downhill since and was overlooked until he found himself ranked #7, seeded #6 at his beloved FO, then going out in "straights" in the QF! I'm sure his fans think he'll have another "Phoenix" act, but what do other people think? I say he's seeded outside the top 10 at Wimbledon and is lucky to make it to the 3rd rd! If he plays a lot of warm-ups events as promised, his confidence won't be enhanced, it will be shakier!

    ***Nadal is going on 30 y.o. It happens. Read an amazing article the other day about the age 28 curse in tennis. The guy who wrote the piece backed it up w/ stats and history. When a player hits the age 28 plateau things start going astray. Rafa's next BD will be his big 30. I know he just turned 29, but Djokovic handled him and did not seem bothered by Nadal at any X. Djoker had a dip in set 1, but big deal Rafa could not sustain his effort. X's change. Father X waits for no man. As Nadal got into Federer's head, Novak has gotten into Nadal's psyche.***

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  55. ***Murray "took it" to Djokovic. He was aggressive and didn't allow him to dictate pts. He just needs to bring the aggressiveness throughout the match.***

    Not that I'm a fan, but I keep asking myself why doesn't Murray do this all the time? He has the ability, but falls into a defensive-counterpuncher which only extends matches, not necessarily win them! Nole fell asleep and allowed Andy to get aggressive instead of closing it out; but it's not like this hasn't happened several X's before! We need to come up w/ a new description for Nole and his "walkabouts" at the end of a match! It's not like he did anything wrong, his opponent just played better, but it shouldn't have happened! Murray was "dead man walking" and the whole stadium knew it! What is it; sympathy on Nole's part? So weird to see over and over again!

    ***Came back expecting to see Nole in final and am surprised were in a 4th set now. wtf happened!!? Must be rain again.***

    It's what always seems to happen to Nole; on a roll and in complete control! He might pull back just a little and his opponent started playing better and hanging in those long rallied points! Nole also stepped backwards toward the end on 2nd serve returns allowing Andy time and air! As well as Murray played, it still was on Nole who had another "walkabout;" committed a couple errors out of nowhere for no reason! Weird!

    ***Murray will come back and win this match in 5 sets.***

    If it happens, I won't cry any tears! This was all on Nole who should have wrapped this up today in strts! In my day, when you got an opponent down, you go in for the kill, not lay back and hope they donate the match! I chipped and charged my way to many a win over better players just b/c of my aggression and covering of the net w/ volleys and overheads; not too much on tour these days w/ these guys! It's as if they're afraid to volley; esp. players like Berdych, Ferrer, and even Nole! When things are tight, they will butcher the easiest of volleys that's for sure!
    ---

    I applauded Roger's hiring of Edberg figuring he was going to get serious about being more aggressive to finish off pts sooner at the net! It's only marginally increased and he's going down in flames behind the baseline! I'd rather lose doing something like attacking the net than letting other players run me around like a chicken w/ my head cut off, my tongue dragging on the ground, and ready to call for oxygen at some point!

    ***Seriously Fiero, he's 1 of the most aggressive players on tour and he's really only losing to the top echelon and big hitters. Have you seen what happens when he does mindless "Roddick headless-chicken" net rushes against Novak? It works maybe 1 X of 20. The rest of the time he gets passed easily 'cos those passing shots are easy for Novak. Mostly 'cos his approach shots are poor. He's not losing much to nobodies though still even in '15 at close to 34. If he was he wouldn't be world #2.***

    You may be right, but the way I see it, he still hangs back too much whacking away w/ those short, top-spinning BH's that players can jump on! He could take more balls out of the air when he does see he's hurt his opponent w/ his FH! I go absolutely nuts when I see Nadal running around near the backstop, flagging down great shots, while his idiotic opponent is hanging back as well, allowing the ball to bounce deep to restart the pt! If they had been at the net, it would have been over 9 X's out of 10! It just makes no sense to see how gutless today's players are; being so afraid to come into the net except to shake hands and collect the check!

    ***Sadly his FH is pretty pedestrian for yrs now save for the occasional exception so he rarely hurts opponents that much w/ it. In his prime if you gave him a shot on his FH, you basically lost the point 9 out 10 X's. That hasn't been the case for yrs now so he doesn't have that luxury.***

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  56. I started playing at 14 y.o. in '71! Step-dad bought me a racket and I played everyday to get where I was; tourneys, teaching, a life! Didn't start watching on TV until '74 when tennis exploded due to winnings of Evert & Connors at Wimbledon! Borg was my fave and I still own 1 of those huge posters of the Swedish Thunder-Gawd! If someone wants it, let me know and I'll go track it down in storage! Before Navratilova, Goolagong was the ballerina on court I enjoyed watching the most!

    ***I'm not sure I'm in favour towards the trend of indoor Slams. I know they thought they needed a roof at Wimbo, but I been watching it decades and it only ended a day late once in 2001, and that gave us a final to remember. I think unless they can cover all courts, it's unfair.***

    Well back in the old days, the finalist were permitted to wear spikes on grass; even at Wimbledon! Same situation; change of rules just for the final! You need the certainty of a final like a Super Bowl where you can't just cancel or move to the next day; people have lives and situations to attend to! This really hurt I think; seen momentum change j/b of a rain break like this! It saved Arantxa S-V 1 yr she was being blown off the court by Mary Pierce! That match was going about as fast as the semi where Graf was blasted 2 and 2 by Mary! You need a roof over center court at least; saves at least 1 good match if it rains early on in the tourney! OBTW, there have been other Monday finals; '88!

    ***Novak Protects Roger's Legacy***

    A nice gift basket and a car shb sent to both of Robin's homes; Sweden and MC! For obvious reasons, Nole should get tons of credit! He single-handedly has prevented Nadal from acquiring at least half a dozen majors! Rafa would have zipped past Roger and solidified his status as the GOAT instead of Fed, absolutely "owning" his closest rival at the time! That won't be the case very much longer w/ Nole who's just 3 Masters titles and 2 H2H match deficits IIRC! I'll always think of Roger as "The Man" as things stand now, but how do you explain that record vs Rafa? It's ugly; real ugly! If it were just a few matches; but even if you dismiss the clay surface chps, Roger's still owned!

    ***Novak isn't protecting Roger's legacy any more than Rafa protected Pete's. Everybody's playing for himself.***

    True, but there's happenstance! McEnroe jumped on the bandwagon yrs ago saying Nadal w/b the GOAT after all is said and done! Rafa very well could have taken over the lead in majors by now, but b/c of Nole coming into his own in 2011, he has put the brakes on that kind of talk; esp. by me! We thought 2011 was one of the best and most productive years in tennis history, but he's re-writing the recordbooks, looking to outdo himself on the verge of adding to his legend! Taking out Nadal in the QF and Murray in the semi, he's made his job a lot easier in challenging for his 1st FO Sunday against Wawrinka!

    ***How in the world did Andy just disappear in the last set? This is even worse than losing in 4.***

    I'm starting to think Nole's choreographing his matches! Had a tight 4th finish, then got bored and closed this out neatly in the 5th! He does love serving bagels and breadsticks these days!

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  57. Obviously Federer's at the top of all "all time" lists since he won 5 strt Wimbledons & USO's w/ 17 overall! Borg will be 4th w/ 4 FO's (6) and 5 Wimbledons in a row; 11 majors overall! Some will say Nadal's s/b in 3rd place w/ 2 FO streaks of 4 and 5 in Paris and 14 majors overall! Nole's in here somewhere since winning 3 strt AO (5) is unprecedented in the Open era w/ 8 majors and counting! Lendl's in the top 10 w/ 3 strt USO wins and 8 finals; another record! Any ideas? Just OTTH:

    1) Federer - 5 str Wimbledons and USO's (17 total majors)
    2) Sampras - 3 & a 4 Wimbledon streak (14 majors overall)
    3)
    4) Borg - 5 str Wimbledons and 4 FO's; 6 overall (11 total majors)
    5) Nadal - 4 & a 5 FO streak (14 majors overall)
    6)
    7)
    8) Lendl - 3 str USO's and 8 finals (8 majors)
    9)
    10) Connors - No real streaks, but honorable mention of 5 strt. aps. @ USO winning on 3 different surfaces ('74 grass, '76 clay, '78 HC) - (8 majors)
    ---

    I didn't think anyone could impress me as much as Roger "in the day," but Djokovic's really made me stop and take notice; now reviewing my argument of who's the GOAT! It could all change within the next 5 yrs!

    ***Sorry Fiero, but I reckon Novak's left it way too late to win 9+ more Slams.***

    ITA; Nole can't catch Roger and Rafa in that way, but he can take and dominate in other ways by having "greater single years" and acquiring a lot more Masters!

    ***If Wawrinka wins, he will have as many Slam titles as Murray. That's kind of a depressing thought.***

    Which is why I smirked in the past when he was grouped w/ Nole, Rafa, & Roger! He's a competent player who's won multiple Masters events, but he needs to add to that total in the "majors" column to be thought any better than a Roddick, Wawrinka, or Pat Rafter! He'll make the top 20 all time w/ his body of work, but just barely IMO! Right now I have Murray as a legitimate #2 w/ Roger being held up just for the time being! If and when he drops those pts from Wimbledon, Murray should leap frog him sometime this summer; maybe in X for the USO seedings! I need to go take another look to be sure!

    ***Stan won this match. It saddens me that so quickly after one of the great Slam finals, the winner's performance is being dismissed.***

    Oh Stan played well, but Nole helped quite a bit! Those s & v points lost it, the incessant drop shots; losing a lot of those as well! When Nole doesn't get more free points on his serve and has to work the ball around to tire out his opponent, he wears himself down as well! That was ugly! He'll be fine, but will remember this one for a while! I'm not happy, but won't be greedy; at least Nadal didn't get there again! That was just as important to me!

    ***There's no doubt that Novak could have played better. But Stan put a lot of pressure on Novak's 2nd serve, and surprisingly it broke Novak. The thing w/ tennis is that it's very unusual for 2 players to play their very best at the same time. ...Clearly the situation got to Novak somewhat. All that drop-shotting was clearly a symptom of fatigue or a mental choke. I think Novak is enough of a big time champion to give him the benefit of the doubt.***

    Nole went into that cannon a few X's and paid the price! That's where I faulted him the most; attack, but they were hapless attempts hit short and giving Stan a target! The BH is his bread and butter; always has been the case! What was on Nole's mind; or was he thinking at all? As I said, he didn't look comfortable out there, was kvetchin' about the court, and wasn't as effective breaking serve when he had opportunities! It was just a bad match on Nole's part when Stan saw and took chances that paid off! Congrats to Stan! He won't be a fave of mines even though I appreciate his game! He's being held back by his own mental weakness; should have won a lot more over the years but for the "Big 4!"

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  58. ***Up until the middle of the 2nd set, Novak was considered the prototype of the complete tennis player.***

    Success breeds that kind of discussion! I still blame Evert for almost killing tennis; esp. for women! You had a glut of little girl phenoms like Austin, Jaeger, Bassett, and Tesmesvari who all broke down trying to challenge women who were experienced athletes w/ moonballs, drop shots, and being human backboards for the most part! Graf took it to the next level w/ a dominating serve and FH, but the 80's were dismal for the ladies w/ Martina and Evert owning the tour for a while there and clear dominance over the rest of the ladies! You had a sprinkling of success w/ Mandlikova, Shriver in doubles w/ Martina, then the coming of age in Graf, Sabatini, Seles, & Sanchez-Vicario!

    ***Stan has the honor of having never lost a GS final too of course.***

    He still has to get there! He goes out "early" a lot more often than make a major final! Live ranking has Wawrinka jumping 5 spots to #4!

    ***- in 2011, it was the 1st X that Nole took over #1, but behind him, there was still the group dominance of the "Big 4." They had all the final spots at the slams and shared all the 1000s. Of course, they came in 1-2-3-4 at the end of the year ranking.

    - 2012 was THE true Big 4 year, w/ them splitting the Slams, and coming in as a closely contested top 4 in the rankings as well.

    - '13, is probably the beginning of the end for the Big Four, as Fed really slumped - The other 3 shared the slams, and while there were non-Big Four 1000 finalists, no big winners came from outside the circle.

    - still, despite Fed's comeback, in '14, the cracks in the Big Four image became bigger. For the 1st X in forever, there were 2 non-Big Four winners of slams and 2 of 1000 events in 1 year w/ Stan, Cilic & Tsonga; the 1st Post-Big 4 year.

    Now?

    - Novak, clearly the best and most consistent player on the tour. a deserved #1, (...- Nadal's 2013, and of course Nole's '11) - he could get there again, but that remains to be seen.

    - Fed at #2, on the strength of a good '14 and inspired play even in smaller events. but not at the slams (3 yrs since he last won). He's not really putting fear in the heart of the pros anymore.

    - Murray - a strong #3, the only guy other than Novak who won a 1000 this year (when Nole wasn't there). It'll soon be 2 years since he won his last slam. So is there any real reason to put him above Stan who's won two since then?

    - Rafa? He now has gone a full year w/o any big titles.

    - Stan. the 5th guy to win more than 1 slam since '02, a strong #4, an Olympic gold medalist (*cough*) and true Davis Cup Champion. Right now, he can probably beat anyone, but is he really dominating like the Big Four did back when the term was adequate? He's won 1 (one) Masters 1000 in his career, and played 2 finals. (Murray, as the weakest link of the Big Four, has 10 - and 4 more finals). He's never been to the finals of the WTF (okay, last year was close). this year, from mid-feb. to mid-may, he went through a series of 5 tourneys, never making the quarters, going 4-5. That's not quite dominating, I'd say. So on what basis would we really make him a Big Four/Five kind of guy?

    What else do we have? Cilic, struggling to fight against the one-slam-wonder tag. Kei playing strong, but w/ physical limits that realistically speaking probably restrict where he can go. Berdych is strong, Tsonga can be; Raonic as well. Guys like Kyrgios have shown they can blow Big Four members off the court. It used to be: beat one of them and you'll have to face 1 or 2 more, and that drove people to near despair. Now, the field is wide open. Don't get me wrong: Novak is the man to beat - but there's more than 1 guy who can do that, and once he's out, all titles are up for grabs.***

    Well done! Thx!

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  59. ***Being stuck in the past is Fed fans' job.***

    No one does it better than me! Thirty years ago I would be arguing for Laver and Court! It's all changed and they're barely footnotes w/ calendar year Grand Slams listed under their resumes! I still pound the table for Navratilova even though a couple players have more single majors! Her "BOX Set" is something I can't see being equaled: EVER! The true love of the sport w/ a desire to make history was in abundance in her and it may have undermined her attempts; exhausted a lot of the X's playing every event each major! Mentally and physically that had to be draining and I'm sure it cost her a few of those matches in singles; esp. at the FO finals in '85, '86, & '87! I would have happily turned the GOAT moniker over to Serena if she had taken the sport a little more seriously! She lost a lot of years w/ outside interests and not really "working" for it! How many X's have commentators lauded her for "playing herself into shape" during a run at the AO? Have we ever heard of such a thing in a top pro? Right now, Martina continues to reign supreme IMO and still wins it seems; played w/ Clijsters and won the Legends' event at FO! Federer still has my support as the GOAT even though I believe this is NOLE's X and look forward to him winning more!
    ---

    I guess we could give credit to Andy for softening up Nole's confidence, taking him to 5 sets and 2 days to knock him off in the semi! IMO it's his own fault having a walkabout near the end of set 3! This is still his X, but his detractors will have 1 more piece of ammunition to detract from his record and accomplishments!

    ***Since Becker coming on board, Novak still hasn't won Paris. He hasn't won the USO since 2011. He did get Wimbledon again last year, and of course he won in Melbourne this year (but that's something he can practically do in his sleep). Does Becker still serve a purpose? If so, what? Or should Novak dump him and hire Magnus Norman?***

    I asked the same thing? Nole's definitely moving into the net more, but it's not exactly been w/ dominating results! He loses a lot of those "touchy feely rallies" trying to be cute w/ drop shots and lobs that didn't fall in today; NONE of them! It was just a shaky performance from the beginning that I saw even after winning the 1st set!

    ***And what about 5 cons. Wimbledon finals by Nadal? He did it for 5 years. Was that not sustained enough or did he have to do it for another half decade?***

    These upsets in the last 3 yrs of Nadal at Wimbledon is something I expected long before the decade even began! I've called players gutless trying to slug it out from the baseline like Ferrer, Almagro, Berdych, Tsonga, and all the rest against the elites! They played right into their hands, choking like dogs w/ multiple MP's, serving for it, or missing sitters to all but eliminate Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic! I can go on and on w/ examples like Tsonga's 4 MP's against Nole a few years ago in Paris! This 2nd and 3rd tier just don't know how to finish like past generations; sorta like a Nalbandian or Daydenko who took advantage of opportunities and won Masters' titles unexpected!
    ---

    Looking at the draw in the inagural grass warm-up tourney at Stuttgart, I was commiserating w/ the players who don't normally have to deal w/ top flight entries, but I forgot even though Nadal's seeded #1, he's just barely in the top 10! He will have a real "time" trying to get through this field of players on grass w/ such a lack of confidence! How's he supposed to even make the semi? It doesn't look good for Rafa! ;-)

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  60. ***Nole's slam final record is far from stellar, which distanced him from Fedal. Will he become another Lendl w/ losing record in slam finals? ...I am sure he will end w/ 10+ slams, but not that much about career slam after loss to Stan today.
    ---

    I think that Nole definitely choked far more in the past. These days in finals of Masters and GSs, he's far more likely to have a brief walkabout/loss-of-concentration than to lose the match entirely. As a Nole fan, I'm totally at peace w/ his loss today. I think it had almost everything to do with Stan's level and little to do w/ Nole's play.***

    He may have underperformed, but who hasn't! Navratilova had the same problem in fact; making final after final winning half, but the thing is "you can't win them all!" I'm happy enough that Nole still has X to achieve his goals and take a FO! The way I see it, he may have won a couple of other titles that he shouldn't of due to luck and other circumstances! That final in 2011 USO wouldn't have been possible if he hadn't saved 2 MP's against Fed in the semi that he obviously stroked w/ his eyes closed! Everyone's been in this situation of being the fave, it's all set up for a quick major added to their totals, but upsets occur: Jimmy Connors was set up to win '75 USO after Orantes played into the night, well past midnight to overcome a 2 set deficit to take out Vilas! He came out the next afternoon and played passively, but overcame the star power of Connors to win in straight sets! It happens!

    ***I think 8-8 isn't a great record in slam finals. He's done great to get there, but look who he faced! Nole has often underperformed just when you want him to step up. Happened in the finals that Murray won, and it happened in some SF's too. Put against this, he often plays outrageously large to pull off a result, like the matches Fiero mentioned above. I still have him as a brittle player, occasionally untouchable, and often unreliable.***

    Nole has to be one of the unluckiest players in some of these situations! You have the opponent who's on a roll playing well, Nole pulls back just a little on his groundstrokes and the next thing you see, "he blinks" on long rallies! When that starts happening, he panics like any other player; S & V into a cannon, excessive drop-shotting, and not receiving any free points on serve, spinning them in! He's doomed psychologically and is guaranteed to lose!

    ***I'm still not convinced that Becker has brought anything significant to the table. Would Djokovic be doing any worse if he wasn't on-board? I have a hard X thinking so. But Becker says he's there more for the mental aspect, so who knows.***

    That's the last weakness of Nole; more a psyche thing! It bothers him when the fans aren't on his side and when adversity hits, he goes into a funk and walkabout before righting himself! Anything could have happened if he had been able to close out that 4th set and gotten into that 5th! Stan was playing well, but Nole was helping his effort quite a bit w/ sloppy, incomprehensible play! Supposedly Becker's helps him in that respect to right the ship by the end of most match! I too haven't seen it, but if Nole believes it helps, more power to him!

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  61. ***Folks will argue about majors Nole should have won, but where he lost as a fave? I'm thinking: '12 USO, '13 Wimbledon, and '15 FO this yr. I'm wondering how many FEDAL lost as the favorites.***

    W/o looking, almost none! Hence Fed winning 3 majors a yr 3 X's w/ the scraps of a FO going to Rafa! Murray had his chance at Wimbledon against Fed in '12; waited until next month to win at same venue in Olympic final for the GOLD! Stan got his win over Rafa in AO last yr, but he wasn't given much credit w/ Rafa "limping around" by the 2nd set! Del Po was probably the most definitive in his upset win at '09 USO; wiping out Rafa in straight set semi and outlasting Federer in a 5 set final!...I think Nole's # of 1000's will cement his legacy even though he doesn't have a chance of catching Roger and Rafa in the GS count!

    ***Yes, you've said it a fair few X's. Surely, Roger was fave to win Wimbledon in '08, AO in '09, and USO in '09. I don't think he lost other Majors when he was favored. Nadal probably hasn't lost any, given that he's won all at RG, and nobody favored him, specifically for the off-court majors he won.
    ---

    Both Stan and Murray are underdogs when facing the 'BIG 3,' ...Stan beat each of BIG 3; Nole @ AO & RG, Fed @ RG, Rafa @ AO. He proved himself in the last 6 slams. Murray is a bit unlucky that he faced Nole thrice in a row. I cannot wait to see how he will play against Fedal.***

    It's still all about the matchups; Nole over Murray, Nadal beatin' Federer, and Murray having intermittent success over Nadal and Federer! Nole being the least vulnerable w/ the homogenized surfaces and play! He has the fewest weaknesses, is hitting his prime, while Rafa and Roger are on the way "down!" Murray's a legitimate rival, but you have to win sometime for it to be considered as such! How many losses before it's a trend instead? Grass is Murray's best chance against them all!

    ***Take only the 2 previous yrs from the current moment. Consider only the 14 Biggies (4 GS, 9 MS and 1 WTF). Don't even give credit for finalists, semifinalists, etc. Give pts, exactly how much they earned, only for the winners. So, for a yr the maximum pts will be 8000 (4GS) + 9000 (9 MS) + 1500 (WTF) = 18,500. For 2 yrs, it will be 37,000 pts. Among these pts, during the last 2 yrs (From Wimbledon 2013 to RG 2015), only 8000 pts are won by 'Non-Big-4' players (2 Slams by Man, 1 by DA, Monte-Carlo by Man and Canada by Tsonga). That works out to 21.62% of the market share by 'Non Big 4' Players while 78.38% of the market share of available pts is still held by 'Big Four' Players.***

    Remember when Flushing 1st opened up in '78? The court was thought to be playing like a pane of glass! IIRC, they lost Vilas early against some NOBODY called Butch Walt! They almost lost Connors in the 1st rd to Panatta in 5 sets, but survived to win the tourney over Borg who had an injured thumb! Bjorn couldn't even hold his racket by the final, slamming his racket to the ground after a few serves that all he could do was watch the return come back w/ no stick in his hand! I was rather embarrassed for the USO; the change of location, multi-surfaces, and playing "best of 3" up to the QF really lowered the status of the tourney! That was a wild 4-5 years! I guess you could say McEnroe brought stability to the event the following yr; esp. winning for 3 str. yrs and the last 2 over Borg!

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  62. ***...Djokovic broke the record for most sets won against Nadal at the FO (7), became the only man to ever beat Nadal at all 4 of the Grand Slam tournaments, became the 1st man to beat Nadal in straight sets in a best of 5 format match on clay, and also the only man to beat Nadal on clay 6 X's:

    All matches: Nadal, 23–21 - All finals: Djokovic, 12–10
    GS matches: Nadal, 9–4 - - Aussie Open: Djokovic, 1–0
    French Open: Nadal, 6–1 - - Wimbledon: Tied, 1–1
    US Open: Nadal, 2–1 - - GS finals: Nadal, 4–3
    Tennis Masters Cup/ATP WTF matches: Tied, 2–2
    Tennis Masters Cup/ATP WTF finals: Djokovic, 1–0
    ATP Masters Series/ATP 1000 matches: Djokovic, 14–9
    ATP Masters Series/ATP 1000 finals: Djokovic, 7–5
    DC matches: Nadal, 1–0 - - Olym. matches: Nadal, 1–0
    ---

    I thought Novak was going to ask for a WC to Queens? It's a long break btw RG and Wimbo this year...- He has not signed up as a regular entry guy for any warm-ups. IDK whether he plans to ask. It would make sense to ask though.***

    Has he ever? I can't remember, but it's not like I'm a full-time Nole fan; just someone who knows who's the best at this X! Way back when, Borg never played them going back to his 1st win at Wimbledon in '76! He would just get extra practice in seclusion and somehow manage something incomprehensible at the X; 5 straight Wimbledon wins! Something like that you expect just once in a tennis generation, but to have Federer do it twice at the 2 premiere top events (5 Wmbl's & 5 USO's), all you can do is shake your head! Nadal puts them in perspective w/ his 9 FO's, 4 and 5 win streaks respectively! This homogenized court doesn't worry me like the old choppy and slick stuff; he s/b fine!

    ***Reading your posts is like listening to the commentary by Chris Evert or Johnny Mac. Always talking about old stuff. Let us learn to live in the present.***

    We're old! What can we do? We talk what we know! The last X I seriously cared, played and taught was back in the 90's; sorry! It's all been a blur since w/ me only being able to keep up w/ what's going on b/c there are so few actually winning! Back in the day you might have 12 GS winners in a main draw of a major! It's more likely to happen w/ the ladies these days in comparison to era where Martina and Chris ruled! The pendulum will swing back sooner or later, but by then I'll be "dust in the wind!"

    ***...I was a fan of the "Bagel Twins," Solomon and Dibbs. I liked McEnroe b/c he could beat Borg, and Connors b/c he was a fighter. I really disliked Lendl, as I actually thought he was an automaton.***

    Ahhh, the "Bagel Twins;" thought to deal w/ their heritage! I thought it was more how Borg beat them like drums, never losing to either along w/ Vitas who he OWNED! They were the equivalent of Ferrer, Almagro, Berdych, and a few other "human backboards!" Notice they never really won anything; barely making appearances in major semi's and finals if at all! The top echelon back then was nowhere near as invincible w/ obvious weaknesses that c/b exploited! All that was needed was a more cerebral approach to the match and not play right into the strength of that top player! Like Nole when he started beating Nadal, he pounded his BH corner relentlessly; esp. on approaches to the net! After a while Djokovic went after the strength, but that was when the BH broke down and confused Nadal! Watching Berdych and the rest who are mindless ball bashers, you see why they'll NEVER win ANYTHING of substance! BTW, I guess I was Lendl's only supporter b/c he was such an artisan and could challenge and beat McEnroe into submission! Those 8 strt USO finals, winning 3 will live on for generations IMO!

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  63. ***House GOP to Release Full ObamaCare Backup Plan***

    I think they're going to lose and the Supreme Court will ratify Obamacare b/c there's nothing to take it's place! The Reps have to give the SC some cover making it actually seem like they have a legitimate replacement, but it's "gaslighting" us all! These people don't care if we start dropping in the freakin' street! Reps and McConnell in particular are still batting 1.000 w/ failure to renew Patriot Act; couldn't even get some amendments attached to House Bill sent over from last month! No more MASS HARVESTING of phone data folks! "Get that warrant you lazy slugs!"

    ***The look on Karl the "Marx" Rove's face when he was challenged by Megan Kelly that Obama had actually won after he spent tens of millions of dollars on "you didn't build this" shit.***

    That was hilarious! The YouTube videos d/l used terms like "ROVE and his freak out on election night!" No one sounded more disturbed w/ the way he was analyzing polls leading up to 2012 and he was sure the #'s were being exaggerated by at least 8% points due to Obama landslide in 2008! He didn't think that c/b duplicated and was POSITIVE Romney was going to win going state to state and reasoning why "this is in the bag!" He's such a tool and I just can't believe they still listen to him on Fox! He holds no credibility of any kind!

    ***Hawaii’s state Obamacare exchange has failed, after over $200 M in Federal taxpayer funding and many millions more of state funding.
    ---

    It's so funny, rightist think that insurance companies should deny people who are sick or were sick! If you are ill you don't have a right to health insurance, dying is your only option. Nice message! I hope it plays well for you in 2016.***

    People who care would normally wish the system c/b fixed rather than fail so they can gloat about it! It's so pathetic, but what are you going to do? Reps, conservatives, The South, and all who are looking for this President to fail just so they can say "I told you so!" Nauseating! And people really think we've come so far! BS! Even after Hillary ascends the thrown, it'll be the same; "hatah's gonna hate!"

    ***I've seen video of a sink in a 120 year old farm house, flames coming out of the faucet. Why would that not happen for over a century; and then suddenly begin after the neighbor sets up a fracking operation next door?***

    Has there been any mention in the increase in "tremors" in areas where fracking is out of control? Near the airport in Colorado, they actually legislated "no more fracking" in the area b/c of more overall earthquakes where they were RARE! TX is more likely to fall into the GULF than California into the ocean b/c of so much fracking going on all over the state! Perry has turned that state into a toilet not worth visiting; "bring all your garbage, radioactive materials, and frack til your heart's content!" Now he jumps ship; who'll clean it up? That idiot in the wheel chair? Doubtful! Those people will never learn they're not being served well by their leadership! Now w/ all the abortion restrictions, down to 10 clinics in the entire state! Some people drive 600 miles so the conservative idiots can have peace of minds in their homes that people aren't doing anything they disapprove of! So glad I told Perot and his company to FO about relocating to Austin; 5 months was long enough doing a project for them years ago!

    ***Perry will never get a conviction and I still doubt it will ever get to trial. ...Wassername Schultz says something about a clown car and you guys cant even come up w/ original BS.***

    BS! The Reps run things down there in that HELL hole! Perry did what he thought was ok; just like Rod Blagojevich in IL! Both thought themselves entitled to do just about anything and it's going to cost him right in the middle of his LAME ass compaign for President!

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  64. ***Rafa plays tomorrow at 3.30 local time... Mercedes Cup: Stuttgart 250***

    IDK how Nadal's supposed to get past these players on grass w/ his confidence in such turmoil? He has to contend w/ Bags tomorrow, then the winner of Haas and Tomic w/ Monfils in his 1/2 of the draw! I'll be truly impressed if he makes if he makes it to the final! I may have to wake up early to catch this!

    ***It's a tune-up and the idea is to get his grass feet. He doesn't have to get past all of them or even win it. The confidence will come w/ match wins. I'm pretty sure he's playing another tune-up too.***
    ---

    The "Big 4" per era:

    1970's - Borg, Connors, Nastase, Gerulaitis (w/ a touch of Ashe, Vilas, & McEnroe)
    1980's - McEnroe, Lendl, Connors, Wilander (splash of Cash, Becker, & Edberg)
    1990's - Sampras, Agassi, Courier, Becker (mention Chang, Rafter, & Philippoussis)
    2000's - Agassi, Federer, Nadal, Djokovic (sprinkling of Murray, Nalbandian, & Davydenko)
    2010's - Djokovics, Nadal, Federer, Murray (fillers of Wawrinka, Nishikori, & Raonic)

    Just OTTH! What are your choices if old enough to remember?

    ***B/c you added Wilander in the 80s Big 4, you can be my new best friend.***

    He was the 1st of the top players to go "down under" on a regular basis, winning it 3 X's; twice on grass! Wilander also won 3 FO when Lendl was "The Man" in his prime! He also did something we're waiting to happen w/ Rafa; make consecutive USO's, winning 1 over Lendl in '88 as he took 3 of the 4 majors that season! He made it to the QF of Wimbledon several X's IIRC which is impressive in itself! I always see him as someone who should go out in the 1st round like he did against some hard-hitting, Tiriac phenom named Slobodan Živojinović! He reminds me of Rafa so much; just an annoyance that made you hit several winners to take a single point! He drove Lendl insane on more than a few occasions and depressed his record when he was favored in '85 FO, '88 USO & Masters, '83 AO!

    ***Btw them, the 'Big 4' have won 37 of the last 41 men's major singles titles; '05 FO - '15 FO. They have also won 10 of the previous 12 WTF, w/ Federer winning 6 and Djokovic 4. They have regularly occupied the top 4 places in the year-end rankings btw '08 and '13, w/ Murray being the only member not to have been ranked #1, having reached a career high #2 on several occasions.

    Of the 4, Federer leads w/ a record 17 GS titles followed by Nadal (14), Djokovic (8) and Murray (2). Federer and Nadal have completed a Career Grand Slam by winning each of the 4 Majors at least once, w/ Nadal also winning a Gold medal at '08 Olympics for a Career Golden Slam. Thus far Djokovic has not won the FO. Murray has won neither the FO nor the AO despite reaching the final 4 X's in Melbourne, but won the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics. Furthermore, at ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, Nadal leads w/ a record 27 titles, followed by Djokovic (24), Federer (23), & Murray (10).***

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  65. ***...Just a few nitpicks. Guillermo Vilas was a far more dominant player during the 70s than Gerulaitis. Also, I don't see how you can mention Philippoussis for the 90s, but not a 1/2 dozen better players: Kafelnikov, Muster, Rios, Bruguera, Ivanisevic, etc. ... Roddick has to be in there before Nalbandian...sorry!***

    Of course Vilas was a superior player, but he wasn't counted as being part of that current "Big 4!" He had also been suspended for a X for accepting appearance money and was never the same after that! W/ the 90's, there were just certain names I heard again and again; esp. in major finals! Of course Kafelnikov, Muster, Rios, Bruguera, & Ivanisevic were superior, but only their fans knew them even after they won something! The "Big 4" is about how onlookers see tennis and their leaders, not necessarily what's real! Roddick was an enigma, wrapped in a mystery, shrouded in illusion! He was the biggest waste of space produced by our media to satisfy the need for someone in the top 10 from the US after Sampras and Agassi were gone! lol! Unlike Roddick, Nalbandian actual won something over Federer as well; '05 Masters! It's just how I saw the Big 4 in each era! You have no imagination I guess! No problem! I'll live on!

    ***Lol! If it's about imagination or who's specifically memorable to you then I take it back. I mean... if you look at the WTA, I would place Kournikova in my big 4 along w/ Venus, Serena and Sharapova if it's just based on memories. I thought it was about achievement though.***

    Well that is some imagination! What's funnier is that the "Big 4" has Nadal barely in the TOP 10! So obviously we're all drunk!

    ***Just strikes me as odd that we can miss out a 3 X'r, and include some 1 slam wonders. Nobody's even mentioned Safin!***

    Why is this so difficult to understand? I'm talking about referring to 4 players of each era regardless of their record! BTW, no one loves and respects Safin more than me! I've already giving him props saying he was probably the most talented player w/ every stroke in the book, massive power, and delicate touch! His only deficiency obviously was btw the ears! Of course people w/ less than impressive records will be acknowledged as being the public's choice as members of the "Big 4!" Gerulaitus had no weapons, but he was still elevated to elite status even though he almost never won a match from Connors, McEnroe, or Borg!

    ***So you're talking about perception, not reality - as in the 4 most visible, popular players rather than the best players. I get that. I also think it is valid to discuss how that perception didn't always equate with reality. I was just a kid during Gerulaitis's career, so don't remember how he was perceived. But clearly Vilas was the better player. - For instance, I think you could look at '98 to 2003 as an era until itself; the transition from Sampras to Federer w/ Agassi probably being the overall best player, but a host of players percolating up to the top - Kuerten, Safin, Rios, Kafelnikov, Rafter, Moya, Hewitt, Roddick, Ferrero, etc. But my point is, the mini era works best if you include a few years on either side of the millenial shift, so we could call this the "Millenial Era."***

    I've always thought the careers and populous feelings of Nole and Lendl were pretty much the same! There's a true lack of respect for their accomplishments even though the H2H is soon to turn around for all concerned! Federer and Nadal are thought of as GAWDS while Nole picks up the scraps even though he's the clear #1 player in the world! The press still flocked around McEnroe and Connors even though both were in decline! The exact same thing is happening with Nole while Federer still represented the tour at the top even when he dropped to #6 or #7 briefly!

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  66. ***The ATP are hardly going to be quoted as saying Mr. Nadal is moaning (again) about the long schedule so we've given in to his demands and changed the calendar so he can go back home to go fishing w/ his uncle.***

    But everyone knows the top players are like that; looking out for themselves! They don't realize the rest of the tour need every event possible to acquire $$$ and points! It's always been this way; constant kvetchin' about the long seasons on both ladies and gents' tour, but the most caterwauling comes from the top players that win! Typical!

    ***I've always thought that the 2 wks btw such different majors did Wimbledon an injustice. Who knows, w/ this extra wk, we may see less upsets on the grass than before. And I'm not really sure why Nadal's troubles is so much cause for concern. The fact that he can't cope w/ the change should have absolutely nothing to do w/ how much X there is btw the majors. Believe it or not, the tour does not move around to accommodate Nadal. He seems to want it to, but it won't.***

    I feel the same way about the Masters! They shouldn't be back to back the way they do it w/ the doubles of IW/Miami, then Madrid/Rome, finishing up w/ Canada/Cinn.! Only the very top players have a chance, w/ few upsets enough to get a winner like Tsonga in Canada! I sorta miss those old days of Ljubičić taking an IW title or Davydenko winning in Miami event!

    ***The current clay court schedule was pretty much decided based on Rafa's wishes. Initially, they wanted to have a Masters and then Barcelona and then another Masters. Rafa vehemently complained that he would have to play 3 wks in a row and got that changed. Madrid and Rome got interchanged as per Rafa's request (although this 1 makes sense for everybody as Rome plays closer to RG).
    ---

    The addition of a wk before Wimbledon benefits them. ...The big change in the European clay season was downgrading Hamburg and inserting Madrid, which actually hurt Nadal in 2 ways: as the then-#1, he was pressured to play Madrid in a way that he wasn't always to play Hamburg, and he had to sometimes sacrifice Barcelona, which is a "home tournament" for him, and is played on a more suited surface for RG prep. ...Otherwise, the insertion of a week before Wimbledon might have favored Nadal a couple of years ago, but it only just helps a bit, now. In general terms, it is meant to help all the players, as the transition from clay to grass is pretty brutal. Those 2 Majors are by far the closest in the calendar and, additionally, we've all been clamoring for a little more of a grass season.***

    ...If Nole wins b/c I see this as his X; more power to him! If Fed can turn back the clock and make this Wimbledon his swan song and even out his majors to 18, I wouldn't be unhappy! Andy's had his X in the lime light and every one knows my animus towards Rafa and his ugly game! I'm more vested in Hingis' comeback in doubles! She was my last real fave; really enjoying her chessboard style of tennis!

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  67. ***Who's The Greatest Player To Date? - 1st of all, I assume you mean overall career greatness and not only how good a player was at their very best. Anyhow, ...the results are inconclusive, if we want to talk tennis history. But if we look at the entirety, IMO there are / players who stand out above the rest - what I'd call the "Herd of GOATs:"

    Tilden, Gonzales, Rosewall, Laver, Borg, Sampras, Federer, Nadal. - Just outside of those 8 you have a few players that don't quite make the cut: Budge, Connors, McEnroe, Lendl, & Djokovic (has a chance to expand the "herd" to 9). Then there's a 3rd group of a dozen or so players which includes players like Renshaw, Larned, Perry, Riggs, Cochet, Kramer, Newcombe, Wilander, Edberg, Becker, Agassi, and many others.

    Anyhow, of those 8 it's really hard to narrow them down. But if we're going to go thru a process of elim., I'd cut Borg 1st - mainly b/c he retired in mid-career. ...But we have to look at what he did, which was remarkable, below the other 7. Plus the fact that he never won the USO mars his record.

    So now we have 7. It is hard to cut any. Tilden was the greatest the game had seen up to that point, and the overall most dominant player of 2 decades--the 20s and 30s--and played all the way into the mid-40s. He supposedly has a historical best career match record of 93.6%, which is just absurd. There were some other players who were as great as him for periods of X in the 30s and 40s, but none for as long.

    Gonzales is criminally underrated b/c he played most of his career as a pro and was banned from the amateur Slams. He won 17 majors in all and was the best player of the 50s.

    Laver is often considered the GOAT for his 2 calendar Slams, and was clearly the greatest player of the 60s; probably as good a candidate as any. Rosewall was to Laver what Agassi was the Sampras - not as good, but with greater longevity. Rosewall won Slams over a 20 yr period; '53-'72, and has more majors than anyone w/ 23 in all.

    Borg was the greatest player in the world for a few short years, but never won the 2nd most prestigious tourney in tennis history and quit while still quite young. I already cut him out.

    Then we have Pistol Pete, who like Borg had a white whale he was never able to catch: the FO. We can forgive him b/c of the tremendous court differences, but his main (and lesser) rival, Andre Agassi, was able to win all 4. Pete also retired relatively young for a GOAT candidate.

    Finally we have Fedal, who if we want to take the view that the game gets better & better c/b considered the greatest players of all X (so far). Roger doesn't really have any negative marks on his record, despite the ghost of the supposed weak era and Rafa's dominance over him. But in terms of career accomplishments, his record is easily the greatest of the Open Era.

    A couple years ago it looked like Rafa could take up the mantle. He could still win a couple more Slams, but the big mark on his GOAT candidacy is the lopsidedness of his Slam record. His non-clay record is great, but not GOAT-great. In order to be considered the sole GOAT, I think he needs at least 2 more non-clay Slams, & maybe a WTF (consider that over the last 40 years, of all 4+ Slam winners only Rafa, Wilander and Courier haven't won the ATP Finals...Vilas, Connors, Borg, Lendl, McEnroe, Edberg, Becker, Agassi, Sampras, Fed, & Nole have all won it).

    So where does that leave us? If we split btw pre-Open and Open it makes things a bit easier. I'd say:

    Pre-Open Era
    1. Laver
    2. Rosewall
    3. Gonzales
    4. Tilden
    5. Budge

    Open Era
    1. Federer
    2. Nadal
    3. Sampras
    4. Borg
    5. Connors, Lendl or Djokovic

    If push came to shove, I'd probably rank the dozen GOATs in this order:

    1. Laver
    2. Federer
    3. Rosewall
    4. Gonzales
    5. Tilden
    6. Nadal
    7. Sampras
    8. Borg
    9. Connors
    10. Lendl
    11. Djokovic
    12. McEnroe***

    Interesting! Thanks!

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  68. ***Why Laver over Federer, EL Dude?***

    Even though I don't like him, I'm shocked "NO AGASSI" w/ a career GS and Gold Medal! - I'm calling Fed the GOAT b/c of all the records he owns in the OPEN era, but if a group agrees to Laver, I would easily acquiesce! He was the one I grew up w/ acknowledged by all the experts that if not for that silly rule separating the amateurs and pros, he would have cleaned up; probably had a couple more GS! He was a tough lefty, coached by the legendary Harry Hopman, and teamed w/ the best group of players at the X; Rosewall, Newcombe, Roche, Hoad, and many other HOF'rs!

    ***I've never thought the Olympics should involve tennis, so don't really look at it as an event.***

    I've been disgusted w/ the Olympics for years; only watching the figure skating in the Winter Games! The commercialism, the obvious corruption in choosing the site, and the constant additions of events just makes it not worth my X! They started w/ about 41, 43 events back in the late 1800's; heard they're up to well over 340 w/ proposals to increase the #! No wonder people try to excel at the most mundane and stupid activity; could become an event to win GOLD one day! When they get to long distance spitting, I hope to be "long gone!"

    ***I don't think grass Masters will ever happen. - Halle and Queens are quite competitive w/ each other and both would want the grass Masters if there were 1. Queens does not have facilities needed for a Masters tourney, but has history. Halle can easily organize a Masters, but it does not have history and may not get it. SO, in the end they will maintain equal status and be 500s.
    ---

    Besides, I am not very sure that there is support from players to have a grass Masters. While players want enough X to get their grass feet, they do not necessarily want a duel on grass before Wimbledon.***

    You covered it! Few would really want it! It wouldn't be difficult to create; but WHY DO IT? It's not like we have this huge crop of S & V's on the horizon! I can't see it; NOT EVEN A DISCUSSION!

    ***Queen's could easily be made into a Masters Tournament***

    If it were to happen in yrs to come, Queens would have the gravitas of Rome by then and could have themselves as a Masters "on the cheap!" They would get the prestige of being a "1000" event and not have to supply as much for the purse! Shanghai is almost bribing the players to attended their event w/ so much money being offered when the tennis quality inevitably falls due to how tired most of the players are by that X of the year! Only Nole seems to be able to overcome the grind of the tour and maintain a consistent level, winning all of Asia the last 2 yrs w/o much trouble! Paris can also get away w/ almost 1/2 of what Shanghai's being held hostage to pay the tour to make sure there aren't last min. wthdrl!

    ***It is crazy to think that Connors outlasted all of them! Even if we don't count 1993-96, as he didn't play in any Slams; only a few smaller tournaments. He still played in Slams in '92, McEnroe's last year, and just 2 yrs before Lendl retired.***

    History repeats itself w/ Federer trying to do the same thing; outlast them all! I remember those days of Connors' ranking dropping precipitously,

    but kept at it! My mom says "he had no life;" sorta like John McEnroe now! I see him playing more than anyone w/ the senior tour! I haven't been watching it much, but Courier was "ruling" for a while until Roddick arrived w/ his serve! Will Roger hold on too long like past pros?

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  69. ***...in the specific case of Connors. We have to be nuanced when looking at that particular statistic and his h2h matches againszt his rivals!***

    Connors started just as "legends" were coming to the end of their reigns; Laver, Rosewall, Newcombe, Smith, etc! It was a case "senior citizen" abuse in his '74 Wimb. a& USO finals against "Muscles!"

    ***Sure, Rosewall was ancient when Connors beat him in 2 Slams in '74, but you seem to forget the fact that he also beat Borg, McEnroe, & Lendl in Slam finals. People often talk about how Connors was "owned" by his younger golden era rivals, but some nuance to the H2H is required. He was quite a bit older than Borg (4 yrs) and esp. McEnroe (7 yrs) & Lendl (8 yrs). He and Borg were a bit closer than Fed and Nadal, but not by much.
    ---

    It is crazy to think that Connors outlasted all of them! Even if we don't count '93-'96 as he didn't play in any Slams; only a few smaller tourneys. He still played in Slams in '92, McEnroe's last yr, and just 2 yrs before Lendl retired.***

    Poor Connors had to deal w/ Borg and McEnroe in his prime, then Wilander, Becker, & Edberg, wrapping it up w/ Sampras, Agassi, & Courior as he faded! History repeats itself w/ Federer trying to do the same thing; outlast them all!

    ***For goodness sakes, the guy is ranked #2 in the world!! If he was outside of the top 10 I might get it. Are you saying that Rafa should pack it in then? That is NOT what champions do.***

    I guess you could say I was spoiled by players who most believed left "all too soon;" Borg, King ('75), Hingis twice! You didn't see them floundering in the least, all at the top of their games when deciding to leave the game!

    ***And what do we all say about Borg now? His place in history is not as high as it chb. No one gives him bonus points for chucking it in early. Everyone applauds Connors for his longevity. The way I see it tennis players, play for the love of the sport. Why would you give up a sport early when less than handful of players on the planet are better than you.***

    It's not something for you to understand! It's a feeling I have when it comes to pros in this sport and others! I felt the same about Michelle Kwan who hung on a bit too long in figure skating! She was still in the top rung of the sport, but at the same X, she was a nuisance and specter over the development of her successors like Sasha Cohen! Connors didn't win much of anything after '83 USO; more like a thorn in the sides of upcoming US players! There's something to be said about 'being in awe' of a forefather and that's the way I see Roger now! He'll have a good run here and there, but he can only be a pest when it comes to Nole and Murray!

    ***I may be in the minority, but the way Borg just left at the age of 26 w/ 11 Slams already to his name only elevates him in my eyes. There's a whole "what if" about him that only makes him larger than life almost. The longer Connors stayed on, the more human he seemed. Those last few yrs only hurt his legacy IMO.***

    Of course you have to keep in mind "what if" w/ Borg! He wasn't just a #2 player; had just won his 6th FO and was a finalist in the other 2 majors of W & USO in '81! I put him on a pedestal as well; only makes sense! The ATP ran him away when he just asked to pull back a little on his schedule! Blame those idiots of the Council! They've since fixed the rules dealing w/ seniority like his and now w/ Federer, Nole, Andy, & Rafa!

    ***I know what you mean. There is a mystique about him, and his win % may never be beaten. And I do agree he was pretty much forced out and it's probably b/c of him that they've wised up to keep the legends playing as long as possible.***

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  70. ...I blamed loss of FO final on Nole being taken out of his rhythm since he didn't have an off day; carryover of Murray semi couldn't have helped his chances! I've seen it happen all too often!...

    ***They started the 2 semis awfully late to begin w/ ... They had known about the bad weather all along. It was almost given that it was mostly going to affect the 2nd match and yet, they didn't do anything about it. It's really unfortunate b/c after beating Nadal and Murray, Nole really needed recovery X and it's so unfair that 1 player got almost 2 days off while the other got nothing in btw.
    ---

    Does anyone know what Rafa's grass seedlings; ranking is at this point? - I believe #11***

    Annacone spoke to it last week; if Rafa's btw #5-12, it's not a problem! You wind up meeting the same players in the draw; just upside down #'s w/ Rafa's low seeding! It's going to happen to Roger next if he doesn't defend those points at Halle, Wimbledon, & Cinn.! Just OTTH, I see Roger dropping to #6 before the year is out! He's already there in the race to the WTF!

    And beating Nadal at RG is still a HUGE deal despite his lackluster performance throughout the clay season this year. ...it's always Nole who was supposed to dethrone Nadal properly, b/c he's the one who'd been threatening Nadal all along and on a consistent basis, not Soderling. And could Fed or Murray have beaten an out of sorts Nadal at RG this year? I highly doubt it. Perhaps Stan could have w/ his 1 dimensional powerful and mindless game, but after beating Nadal, he would have become a non-factor.

    ***Djokovic is the safest bet to clear up at this stage and "complete his resume" by taking a FO, Cinci. Masters, & Gold OM. - I've never thought the Olympics should involve tennis so don't really look at it as an event. It's like the NBA in Olympic basketball; it's sweet that Rafa won it, but it's not a resume-maker/breaker. Djokovic's the 1 w/ the X and legs to get some things he hasn't yet got.***

    Many of us don't think Nole can catch Rafa or Roger in the "GS majors" #, but having a complete RESUME and owning the record for Masters would put him up there w/ them w/o question! I have complete faith that he has the X and ability to do it! Rafa and Roger are probably "past it" in trying to complete their resumes!

    I don't think pros s/b going to the Olympics either; esp. millionaires from tennis and basketball! I have huge reservations concerning Rafa and his legacy! His main claim to fame after all is said and done is he did "reach #1," but couldn't hold it b/c his consistency was nowhere near the other greats! The 9 FO's will lead the headlines in the OBIT! He has NEVER defended a title off the clay surface which is very strange! Even the most obscure of champions like a "Pat Rafter" retained his USO title years ago! Rafa hasn't done it at a 250 or 500 on HC, grass, or indoor court; much less at a Masters! The most criminal part of Rafa's record is that he does own Roger: lock, stock, and barrel; esp. on clay!

    ***Completing some box set of MS will not get Novak into the conversation. It's all about the Slams. ...That he dominated the other greatest of his era, Federer, and at X's held a H2H advantage over basically all of the field that mattered, is a point worth making. His X at #1 was pretty good, given his absences for injury. And you often harp on him not defending titles, when, that doesn't really matter, if you win other ones. Rafa has won all but 2 of the MS & all of the Majors.***

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  71. Not sure we can survive another era of conservatives undermining the middle class, giving benefits to their buddies in the top 1%, weakening regulations in commerce, and trying to take the country backwards in social matters! They're like the puppy running after a car; w/ Obamacare on the line in the SC, they don't know what to do w/ it now! If we lose coverage of 16 million people, they'll have plenty of 'plainin' to do! Any patch to get us through the year will only infuriate their base after they maligned the law from the beginning! I can't wait for the entertainment!

    ***Congressional Dems SLAM both Obama, and the nation, by nixing Obama's trade negotiation w/ Pacific rim.***

    I had to laugh when Paul Ryan of "W & M" was on FNN trying to make out this is a significant defeat for Obama! That is a colossal joke since Reps run Congress; getting a huge majority to pass that BILL in the Senate! This was Boehner's inability to rally his troops who just want to screw Obama! This isn't on him and his last min. politicking; all on them since he's almost out the door! ;-)

    ***So you're ok w/ free handouts like a bunch of stray cats lining up to be fed and multiplying. Same old derp nice liberal copy and paste job from cloakalicker.com tho.***

    You can distort the record all you like! I've lived through Reagan's "trickle down," the bank & stock market crash of Bush sr. in the 80's, and the horrendous change of prosperity to a recession/depression under "W!" Vilify Clinton and Obama all you like, the country thrived under their Presidencies w/ MILLIONS of jobs created, Int'l respect, and people w/ a feeling of hope! When the country is suckered into doing it the cons. way, we have crippling deficits, wars, inappropriate tax cuts for the rich, a Pentagon out of control, continued VA problems while making commitment to the Defense Dept. that they never seem to solve! True enough Clinton and Obama have had their foibles and they've been made to look bad from all sides, but I'd rather have a moderate/liberal Dem. over a bigoted, sexist, scum-sucking, cons. Rep anytime!

    ***Politics has little to do w/ it, it's just economic cycles: Growth, Exuberance, Correction...Any asshole w/ any ideology can be President and it pretty much stays the same. Living Proof: Jimmy Carter - The delusion is in thinking your ideology or party can essentially defeat the cycle.***

    How pathetic that Reps have to continually go back 40 yrs to beat up on an old man! Carter will be more significant outside office than those Rep clowns were while in the chair!

    ***But going back 6 yrs is ok right? Pretty convenient to make someone off limits if he was President long enough ago. That way, we can't expose the actual results of liberal policies. How about going back 100 years to beat up on a dead guy? Woodrow Wilson did more damage to this country than any of them.***

    I can't; I just can't!

    ***Of the 13 Rep. candidates I see, none worthy of the position to lead the US Armed Forces into battle... Reps did such a good job at preventing anything bad happening on 09/11/01, we should all jump up and vote for more of the same?***

    Most of them can't even acknowledge 911! Giuliani went overboard referencing it so much that he totally blew it off later saying "under Bush, there hasn't been another terrorist attack in the US since!" That was supposed to be reassuring I guess even though 911 was all on him and his admin., we should put it behind us and move on! Reps don't have a monopoly on patriotism, pandering for a strong defense, & family values anymore! After their dismal record the last couple terms, it's amazing JEB can stand there w/ a straight face thinking he's deserving of the seat!

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  72. ***The private sector only invests in projects that have a significant enough profit margin. The problem is many public services don't meet that threshold. Here's a prime example, the postal service. It's one thing to set up a letter/package service in a densely populated area. Plenty of volume for customers and low travel costs. But what about the small, remote town? It would have a large transportation cost, and w/ only a handful of customers at the other end, to turn a profit one would need to charge the folks in that town a ridiculous rate. Thus we have the postal service, which guarantees that service to all citizens, at a reasonable cost.***

    I don't think people realized what the Reps were doing when they went to war w/ the PO! It was totally self-serving on their part since the gov't wasn't losing any money on them! To pass that idiotic BILL to force them to finance their pensions at $75B over 10 years was just punitive and I hope these people burn in HELL when and if small towns are "cut off" when cuts close down those local post offices!

    ***The Pope Believes in Global Warming: Whatever Will Right Wing Christians do Now? - Pick and choose the stuff they believe and the stuff they ignore according to their personal agendas just like they always have.***

    So true! I couldn't believe Paul and Santorum actually tried to "check" the POPE! These people just aren't too bright to actually refute something from this man; very popular at that around the world! He's not a narrow minded, Medieval Pontiff; I can even appreciate his efforts! He's the realest Pope since the "short-lived" John Paul I! I still say he was knocked off b/c he was going to clean up that sinkhole called the Vatican!

    ***...but what particular person has told an explicit lie on their FNN broadcast? I mean NBC has the whole blowing up of vehicles and stuff. CNN admitted to lying to keep access to Iraq. I don't mean an error... I'd just like to know something FNC has had to admit they LIED about. -...than FNC, w/ its geriatric demographic leading the way!***

    I've watched FNN since '97 w/ Catherine Cryer, Bill O, and Hannity & Colmes so I know of what I speak; anything after 7 pm, EDT starting w/ Greta! It's all suspect; even the names and party affiliations! More than a few X's FNN couldn't even be trusted to identify a politician properly under investigation or scrutiny for some reason! When Rep. Foley of Fla. was busted for having inappropriate texting w/ Congressional pages; was labeled a Dem. w/ a huge "D" behind his name! They've done that several X's and it means something or they wouldn't do it over and over again! The Dems have enough sleaze-balls w/o Fox trying to inflate the #'s! I only continue to watch to have ammunition when conservatives perform Hamlet, whining about how oppressed they are by the MSM! You may not like how it's reported, but every fact is there for all to see, dissect, and argue over! FNN is almost becoming a caricature of itself obsessing on Benghazi, Hillary's every breath taken, and how the liberal society is undermining their saintly lives!

    ***Obama told a lie of substance today when he said that mass shootings don't happen elsewhere. He can't NOT know that isn't true.***

    How many X's does it have to happen here before you clowns wise up? We lose our credibility when we criticize other countries supposedly b/c of rampant violence and a corrupt governmental base! So far we have no moral authority to be telling anyone, anything; including Putin! We invade, occupy, demand and observe elections, bomb weddings and funerals by mistake; AMONG OTHER THINGS! I could go on, but it w/b cumulative and unnecessary for normal intelligent people I would think!

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  73. ***The 2015 USO has the widest fairways in the history of the tourney.***

    The course is awful; "lakes" of finely powdered steel-gray sand w/ "rough" islands in the middle! I've never seen anything like it and I've seen some real bad courses in Scotland that looked like Hitler had ordered a bombing! The traps were so deep, ladders may have been required! This is the 1st X I've seen a trap w/ several steps on the edge b/c they're so treacherous trying to get out of them! Woods is not going to make the cut; once winning by 15 shots, now trailing by 15! Oh the humanity; last X out playing his final rd. alone! How the mighty have fallen!

    ***I don't understand what these guys were complaining about. The course is awesome.***

    Being picturesque doesn't make a course playable for these spoiled, pampered babies! I feel the same when it comes to tennis pros whining about noise or movement in the stands during play! I played on a public court in a park across the street from my home! While I played, I had to deal w/ 2 or 3 baseball games going on, a basket ball court w/ some serious players flying through the air, a playground w/ kids, and a volleyball net set up just behind the court! All that was going on w/ traffic, horns blowing, and sirens going off! "Get bent" is probably my refrain to them as well! lol!
    ===

    ***...Why Sweden's produced the great players they have in the first place?***

    That's been a reoccurring refrain; believe it! It's been asked of Sweden, Belgium (Henin/Clijster), & other small nations w/ limited resources! In my day I wondered why South Africa had so many pros in the top 100 b/c Martina had to win Wimbledon 1 year defeating 3 of them in route to '83 Chp! It's amazing the droughts we've had here in the States w/ so much in the way of opportunity! The women are coming back, but not sure about the guys! Socks will end up being a more improved Roddick, but not a world beater!

    ***SA is not surprising, b/c all of the Anglo-phone nations were strong in the early days. But as you mention, Belgium is surprising in the same way that Sweden is, though even smaller, and has come up w/ even creditable players on the men's side.
    ---

    ...But if Nadal loses to Fed, then we know the wheels (legs) really have come off? Maybe not so much if the match is on grass. - Surely not so much on grass. Don't let the Federer people hear you say that him beating Nadal on grass means that the wheels have come off for Rafa. They're reluctant to believe that Nadal beating Roger in '08 means that he actually had grass chops.***

    I wouldn't say "grass chops;" just beating his pigeon! At the X it was shocking b/c I wasn't paying much attention to the game after Hingis retired there for a while! I just figured it had to be an upset until I started looking at the cold, hard record! Roger had been having problems w/ that kid for a while; clay just 1 advantage! The best chance Roger had to win was on a fast court and to finish it in 4; if he couldn't do that, it was unlikely he'd have the gas to complete the job like Nole! We were starting to see chinks in his armor and most of us weren't acknowledging it! Roger's best last chance to win a major was against Nole last yr! He has the most success at "moments" in time at majors; '11 FO comes to minds! HOW? Flashes of greatness, only to be wasted in the final against Rafa who owns him lock, stock, & barrel!

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  74. ***On your rankings for Swedes all-time, you put 'my' all-X fave player under Edberg!***

    Edberg's few good years IMO were greater overall; Jr GS, 2 Wimbledons & 2 USO's trump Wilander's 3 FO and 1 USO! Matts also dropped like a stone after reaching #1 in '88; just fell off the side of the planet! It couldn't have gotten any worse than the defending champion being upset by some unknown 17 y.o. called Petros Sampras in the 2nd rd of the '89 USO in 5 sets! He was officially DONE! lol!

    ***Wilander's '88 record is one of the greatest seasons in tennis history.***

    True enough, winning 3 majors and the Masters s/h sealed his legend, but it didn't! He's noteworthy, but like Nadal, he was just a human backboard that ran down shots and made you hit 3 or 4 winning shots to take a point; BORING! OTTH, his '88 looks as impressive as Nole's '11, but it isn't "to me" or most other commentators and so called experts! There's winning w/ confidence and ability, then there's war of attrition and waiting out the opposition! He couldn't sustain it and was "burned out" after such a great season! Like McEnroe after his '84 season, he never won much else, not even making major finals!

    ***Bear in mind, Fiero, that your idol Borg was the original and best attritional tennis player. There wasn't much more to his game than a safety-1st checklist and the ability to rally his opponent until they began to snooze.***

    He started out like that and believe it or not, I thought he was unwatchable at X's! I can still remember '74 FO w/ Borg/Orantes; I left to go play myself! I was not sitting through 5 sets of his moon-balling! Borg got more offensive later, esp. after winning Wimbledon in '76 so he vacillated btw being a backboard and offensive juggernaut at X's losing only 1 more match to Connors at USO in '78; injured hand kept in mind though!

    ***He didn't really become an actual "offensive juggernaut" but he was more aggressive as he became better, particularly on serve, and at X's when he was digging himself out of holes in the early rds of Wimbledon, against blokes like Amaya and Armitraj, he almost looked reckless in the way he flailed ruthlessly at the shot. But his default gameplay was to wear the opponent down. He only swung wildly when it seemed all was hopeless.

    ...He didn't face any greats of that surface until McEnroe. The man was built on clay and he adjusted slowly on grass, playing himself into the tourney, then dispatching useful players like Nastase and Gerulaitus, not to forget Tanner, and genuine great players like Connors - 3 X's, including 2 thrashings - and Mac. Borg, anyway, is the greatest of the Swedes, still the most iconic star the sport has seen, and his 5 in a row was something ridiculous and unheard of at the X. Every year it seemed like an unwritten dogma of life: Borg was Wimbledon champion.***

    The 2 baseliners ruled for the most part; Borg on clay and grass plus Evert on the ladies' side w/ 4 strt. USO's, 3 on clay and quite a few FO's!

    ***Aside from 2011, Nole's always been beatable at Slams.***

    That's what makes Nole "great" IMO b/c he is the most vulnerable of the Big 4; often going on walkabouts and giving other players chances to beat him! The last 2 yrs, he's come through admirably; consistently making 1/4's, semi's, and finals, actually punishing players w/ finishing bagels who have the nerve to challenge him!

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  75. ***After a short break finishing his semi over Troiki, Murray takes down Anderson in straights for his 34th ATP title!***

    Lucky the 1st rd of Wimbledon won't be until next wk; normally he might have to play Tues. or Wed.! I wonder would they have done something to accommodate Murray being a Native SON? That 3 all, 1st set continuation is probably a worse scenario than Nole at the FO who had a major final the next day instead of having a day off like Stan! Nothing chb more insane though 31 yrs ago in '84 at the Italian Open! Manuella Meleeva was made to finish a 1/4, win her semi, then rest up before taking Chris Evert out in the final, all in 1 day! I still SMH over that 1! If she had lost, all kinds of uproar whb heard giving an easy victory on clay over this young whipper-snapper from Bulgaria! The rest is history and she will forever be remembered for that noteworthy accomplishment!

    ***I think most everyone will be rooting for Fed this year. This may be the last year he has a shot at it. I expect a decline from him next year and it could be big.***

    I wouldn't mind him leveling at 18 majors like Martina and Chris, but not at the expense of Nole's run! If Djokovic's upset before the final, fine, but right now I see this X as belong to the #1 player in the world! Roger's had his X in the spotlight that continues, but he's nowhere near Nole and will drop precipitously in the rankings if he doesn't hold onto the runner-up points at Wimbledon IMO! He's playing well enough, but not truly threatening to Nole for the most part; esp. in best of 5! Last season was his best chance and got it to the 5th, but ended up getting punished like most people who have the audacity to keep him on the court that long serving bagels and breadsticks in semi's & finals!

    The seedings are locked in at Wimbledon for the men anyway:

    1. Djokovic
    2. Federer
    3. Murray
    4. Wawrinka
    5. Nishikori
    6. Berdych
    7. Raonic
    8. Ferrer
    9. Čilić
    10. Nadal

    I think Seppi jumped 20 places in the ranking due to his showing in Halle; #25 seed! Congrats to Fed and Murray who won at Gerry Webber & Queens respectively! The Wiki draw for Wimbledon has been started:

    - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Wimbl...7s_Singles -

    ***As Fiero posted, the seedings are set (unless there are some withdrawals before the draw is made). You can find the break-up of the points used for determining the seeds as per the formula here. The first number is the ATP ranking points, the second number is the sum of all grass points earned in the last 12 months and the third number is 75% of the BEST grass points earned in ONE event in 12 months prior to that.

    This slightly shuffles the ATP ranking order, but not by much. ...For Men, the committee does not "subjectively" decide the seedings and so it's official. However, Wimbledon will "announce" the seeds only a day before the draw ceremony (as they want to wait for possible withdrawal announcements from injured players).***

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  76. ***...But you still think Rafa has 2 more Slams in him.***

    You have to say that b/c of how "weak-minded" and "gutless" the rest of the tour has shown themselves to be in the past! I've talked extensively how disappointed I've been in the 2nd & 3rd echelon of players that have allowed the "Big 4" to rule the majors for so many years! Outside of Stan, Cilic, and Del Po, no one else has been able to break the lock on 1000's & 2000 events; even when Roger fell off 2 yrs ago, he was permitted to rise back to #2 in the world! That just shouldn't happen w/ the talent there is on tour; problem btw the ears of these guys who "can't seem to finish" when they have opportunities to take down a huge scalp!

    ***I voted "zero" Fiero. In the past I never counted Nadal out of a come back, but seeing him this year, there's nothing that says there is anything left. Roger's game could be tweaked to keep him competitive and his serve would always be there to keep him in a match. Same cannot be said for Rafa. His movement is diminished and that explosiveness that he seemed to be able to muster at will is nowhere to be found - except maybe in spurts. I could be wrong, but (imo) he's done.
    ---

    Nadal is much slower: His muscle mass is much diminished - He no longer has the explosive power he used to have - He is getting beaten w/ some regularity. He has had 1/2 a year to come back to form and is in some ways further from it. So why do you believe he still has 2 Slams in him?***

    I've already said before how pathetic the rest of the tour has been for yrs! I can imagine these guys forgetting how to play in the crunch and allowing him to win at least 1 more major! He still made it to the QF against Nole who was on top of his game! Murray is always vulnerable to the top 3, and you never know what Stan would show up in that final! Rafa very well could have won this 1 if not for Nole and this fabulous season of his!

    ***Looked up the days telly for june 24th 1985 on BBC genome site. John McEnroe opening the tourney on Centre Ct, defending the title he would never win again.***

    Wow, that brings back all kinds of memories! Boris Becker had just won Queens a couple days before and BJK gave him a nod as a WC to win Wimbledon! He was assisted by the wettest fortnight in memory; rushing down the stairs like a waterfall! The grass was soft, choppy, slick, brown, and a perfect venue for players who did little but slash and dash! Curren took out McEnroe and Connors on his way to the final and Becker was saved by the rain against the Swedish wildman, Anders Jarryd! I was so hoping he could rekindle their dominance at Wimbledon, but years later it's well known the gamesmanship of Becker to help him in matches against superior players like Edberg, Wilander, and the rest of the Swedish DC team!

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  77. ***Here's a crazy stat. Since 2011 Novak has won 19 of 41 Masters; 19 of 37 played in - that's more than 1/2! Can we say that Novak is Master of the Masters?***

    That's the record that NOLE will OWN after all is said and done! Rafa and Roger near the end while Nole's about to zoom past them both; H2H and in the Masters' count! That will be 1 thing solidly listed under his name as a record!

    ***In fairness one would expect him to end ahead of Roger in the h2h given the age gap, but so far the old fart is holding up his side of that bargain pretty well.
    ---

    ...if Novak passes Rafa in the H2H, it will also have been past Nadal's prime, as well as when he passes him in MS count, which seems a certainty. Currently: Nadal has 27 W v 14 L; Federer 24 W v 18 L; Djokovic 24 W v 10 L. Nole is all but certain to get the "box set" when he finally gets Cincy. Roger and Rafa each are missing 2, w/ Rafa still having an outside chance at Miami. So as to Master of the Masters, I think it'll be Nole.
    ===

    ...So you could say: Vines > Hoad > Safin > Nalbandian > Monfils > Gulbis - They're different orders of ability and accomplishment, but all 6 players were viewed as being more talented than their actual results would entail.***

    I've elevated Safin to "great" status even w/o superior results! Even though he underachieved, he had it all except what it took tw the ears! He also reached #1 in the world, won 2 majors, and destroyed his opposition when "ON" his game! He eviscerated Sampras in 2000 USO final! OTTH, IDK much about Vines, but HOAD was reputed to be very good; at 1 X being 8-0 over Laver and reached #1 as well! If not for his playboy antics, marrying at 21, going into the army, and wanting to be a regular guy, he might have a bigger name in the game!

    ***Hoad gets a bad rap on this board if he's being compared to Safin and boys like him. According to fellers who played him, and who watched, Lew Hoad was a giant. It isn't his fault the game wasn't codified the way it is now. He just went out there and played who he played, and was the best at it according to many who'd seen him; includ. Frew McMillan, who, as late as 2001 said that Lew Hoad was "certainly the greatest of the greats that I have seen..."
    ---

    Only 24 matches lost from 2004-2007 by Federer. That's absolutely nuts. Another record of Fed's that's not gonna be broken anytime soon.***

    Really? I guess I need to go look up the record! When it comes to near PERFECTION; I think BORG! Over a 4 year period, "24" w/b a lot of losses for him! In his PRIME, even though he played a defensive style, he only lost "here and there;" almost negligibly! He single-handedly stopped Connors from winning 3 or 4 more Wimbledons, almost never lost to other top baseliners like Vilas, The Bagel Twins (Solomon/Dibbs), Gerulaitis, Orantes, and Nastase! That's what made it so criminal when the ATP gave him a hard X about taking some X off! He had to be mentally exhausted and being pulled in so many directions b/c "HE WAS TENNIS" from '78-81! What other sport does such a thing; actually cut it's own throat and wrote an awful ep. in it's history?

    ***Don't forget that Johnny Mac stole the crown from Bjorn in '81, so Borg's reign was more accurately '78-80, or mid '81 (Wimbledon).

    Borg's best 4-year span was 1977-80. Take a look:

    '77: 76-7
    '78: 70-7
    '79: 84-6
    '80: 70-6
    '81: 35-6

    So Borg was 300-26 during 1977-80, just shy of Roger's 315-24.***

    Well make me a liar then! Nice to know I was close!

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  78. ***...I don't particularly care for Sean Hannity's schtick, but as far as I know he doesn't make up stories on his network.***

    It's the way he eviscerates the accomplishments of others that make me want to "call out" Hannity! He has too much going on for him to look like a fool trying to undermine Clinton, Obama, and others he doesn't like even if he has to make up controversies! There's enough out there w/o harping on ancient history no one had control over; Obama's heritage is not one of those things to make an issue of! Low info losers who actually think that Obama's a Muslim, Kenyan, and a communist; 22-40% still do think such things depending on the FNC poll! How do we compete internationally when we have so many blockheads to overcome? And they call themselves a "news network;" what a joke!

    ***...John McCain, a veteran war hero that was also a POW, to them!***

    W/ McCain, I wish his devotees didn't nauseate me w/ the hyperbole of him being a war hero! If he hadn't stayed a POW, he whb court-martialed for disobeying orders, getting shot down and captured in the 1st place! He wasn't being brave or magnanimous by staying at the Hanoi Hilton when he chb released due to his father being an Admiral! Hypocrisy and senility is also ravaging his mind and body when he kvetches about being self-sufficient, among other things when he's been on the public dole since birth!

    ***...I know we see a lot of Black murderers, but usually they're relegated to like 1 person. You just never see a Black guy go in to Starbucks or Kinkos and blow away 12 White people at once... Whats up w/ that?? I mean the LAST Black serial killer was almost 10 years ago and even that guy just killed 1 person at a time til he got to 5; was called Rwanda. Shit still happens in Africa every day.***

    If it's true, it's true! You still won't find this kind of insanity in the Black community! You see what happened when Charles Stuart and Susan Smith just accused a Black man of something; the whole area went nuts! Mayor Flynn assaulted the Black neighborhoods looking for that woman's killer only to find out later Charles did it himself! The supposed kidnapping of Smith's kids didn't help, but I doubt too many apologies were forthcoming!

    ***Ummm .. what are you talking about?***

    Obviously I gave you reason why you won't find Black people going psycho serial or spree killer; our press is bad enough from Fox News, rednecks, and Reps in general! We don't need to bring more attention in such a negative way! According to them only Black folks have illegitimate kids, kill 1 another, and survive on Welfare!

    ***Clinton Confederate flag campaign memorabilia... Those were not official campaign buttons...sheesh!***

    This is why NO ONE even listens to the Clinton detractors! They can't be satisfied w/ facts, actual events, and true controversies, they have to create most of their BS out of whole cloth! This is why The Clintons have been so successful; nothing touches them b/c of the eggs and tomatoes Reps and conservatives hurl ALL THE TIME! Crying "wolf" that much does little good IMO!

    ***While he was President, Bill Clinton apparently didn’t really make an issue of the Confederate Flag from the White House either, according to the Daily Caller:

    When the Confederate flag issue arose in the 2000 election, Matt Drudge reported that then-President Bill Clinton’s spokesman Joe Lockhart was asked about the issue. Lockhart told reporters, “I’ve just never heard any discussion or any objections that the President has raised.”***

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  79. ***Affordable Heath Care Act is UPHELD! - Wow....Stick it to right-wingers! Tens of millions of the working poor are still either totally uncovered, woefully undercovered, can't afford their premiums or copays or can not find doctors or facilities that accept ACA ; w/ no answers from the Dems in sight. Yet there goes that "My Team Won" mentality again. Pathetic. ...We should have had controlled single-payer Universal Healthcare via block pools and mandates.***

    Not too much kvetchin' I see; maybe "Hari-Kari" committed by most who thought the law was "dead!" They'll never learn; "stop overplaying your hand!" Their handpicked Chief Justice even told conservatives to "buzz off; law affirmed!" That makes 2 SCOTUS opinions, an election talking point, and 60 bills to repeal the ACA!

    ***...The bill was wildly unpopular when it was passed in '10 and still, 5 yrs later, unpopular. But since when does that matter to your ilk.***

    I heard the same BS about Soc. Sec. and Medicare! A smarter group would embrace a law like this; 100 yrs in the "passing" and maybe try to fix deficiencies instead of destroy it! The SC saved the Rep's bacon! They whb destroyed if 8+ M people lost their health insurance! Boehner and McConnell breathed a sigh of relief and can now "rail" about this law, making it another useless talking point for '16; which I welcome!

    ***Statutory law no longer exists. Lawmakers can now pass a law by writing into the law language what ever is needed to get it passed. Later they can say that is not what we meant. When challenged they will say we meant "such and such" and any and all appellate courts will refer to the Supreme Court's precedent setting ruling decision on Obamacare subsides to uphold what the lawmakers say they meant. Future SC's will then let the lower court decisions stand as they're generally (99.99999999% of the X) loathe to overturn precedent.
    ---

    SUPREME COURT EXTENDS SAME-SEX MARRIAGE NATIONWIDE - The SC declared Friday that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in the US.

    Gay and lesbian couples already can marry in 36 states and DC. The court's 5-4 ruling means the remaining 14 states, in the South and Midwest, will have to stop enforcing their bans. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the majority opinion, just as he did in the court's previous 3 major gay rights cases dating back to '96. It came on the anniversary of 2 of those earlier decisions. "No union is more profound than marriage," Kennedy wrote, joined by the court's 4 more liberal justices.

    ...There are an estimated 390,000 married same-sex couples in the US, according to UCLA's Williams Institute, which tracks the demographics of gay and lesbian Americans. Another 70,000 couples living in states that do not currently permit them to wed would get married in the next 3 years, the institute says. Roughly 1 million same-sex couples, married and unmarried, live together in the US, the institute says. The Obama admin. backed the right of same-sex couples to marry. The Justice Dept's decision to stop defending the federal anti-marriage law in 2011 was an important moment for gay rights and President Obama declared his support for same-sex marriage in '12.***

    I wish it was that simple to say to bigots and idiots that they don't have to "do it!" My parent's mixed marriage whb illegal in some Southern tates in my lifetime! If you have that much ignorance just 40-50 years ago, expect "some" to be losing their shit for a while to come over this decision! Scalia embarrassed himself attacking and insulting his fellow jurists and s/b impeached/removed for intolerant behavior and comments in consecutive dissents; yesterday over Obamacare!

    ***True. The SC ruled that "anti-miscigenation" laws were unconstitutional in '67, but the last of those laws wasn't actively repealed until 2000.***

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  80. ***...H2H is a different issue, as beating a '06 Federer isn't the same as beating a '13 Fed. Beating a '10 Nadal is not the same as beating a '15 Nadal, and it works in reverse too, as beating a 2006 Novak is not the same as beating a '15 Novak.***

    A 100 years down the line, no one will care about dates, ages, or the period when in their prime! Connors had been around for well over 5 or 6 yrs before McEnroe came along! This was about the same dynamics as Federer and Nadal except that the dominance went 1 way and rarely went the other way! Connors actually had a resurgence in '82 & '83, taking 3 majors w/ Borg not around to thwart him! Lendl was still a little emotionally fragile initially against Jimmy, but when he took over the rivalry, it was 1-sided; just as it was w/ Borg! I just can't see Roger being able to turn it around; even on grass at this point! Rafa's struggling, but I'm not sure he'd lose to Roger at Wimbledon!

    ***You're all counting up a lot of stuff in advance for Nole again, things he hasn't done yet. This happened in Paris too, the celebrating before the job was done, then dreaming of the calendar year slam.***

    By whom? Fans are responsible for Nole coming up short? I'm pretty sure he wasn't counting his chickens before they were hatched! Do you think he had already checked the FO off his list of things to do?

    ***No. But I know that you and others had already checked it off as a "thing done" - when it wasn't.***

    So you're saying it is "WE" the fans that caused him to lose that final? I see!

    ***Although I am not worried, it is interesting to note that all early opponents of Fed have grass chops, except for the 1st rd. Sam Querry's a finalist in Nottingham & Fed had to play him in Rd 2.***

    Nole has the same kinds of landmines; Tomic, Janowicz, Kokkinakis, & #33 Kohlschreiber in the 1st rd! I thought the FO draw was tough w/ Nadal and Murray in his path! Both Roger and Nole are going to be put 'under the gun' from opening rds!

    Men's Bracket - Projected 4th rd:

    #1 Djokovic vs #14 Anderson
    #5 Nishikori vs #9 Cilic

    #4 Wawrinka vs #16 Goffin
    #7 Raonic vs. #11 Dimitrov

    #3 Murray vs #13 Tsonga
    #8 Ferrer vs #10 Nadal

    #2 Federer vs #15 Lopez
    #6 Berdych vs #12 Simon

    ***Novak has a tough 1st 2 rds (as tough as c/b), but really it shouldn't be much of a problem, although the toughest opening rd. Given this is a grass tourney, I think Novak got the best draw of the top 4.
    ---

    I just saw the draw and had to LMAO b/c just as I suspected - Murray is NOT in Djokovic's 1/2 of the draw. He was miraculously drawn in the same 1/2 as Federer and Nadal - and in the same 1/4 as Nadal. Therefore the Wimbledon official have just handed Djokovic a walk thru to the finals and ensure that the possibility that he'll play 1 of the other 3 big names. Still, this is just like last year when they seeded Murray above Federer even though he was ranked lower and claimed it was a special "grass court-related performances" seeding. ...He hasn't beat Nole in 2 1/2 yrs. He hasn't beat Federer in 2 yrs. The only good news for Brits is that he's split the last 4 matches w/ Nadal - and it's grass...and Nadal sucks right now.
    ---

    Unless Stan makes it to the semis and beats him - I'd be surprised if he even lost a set on the way to the final. Nole's 1/2 of the draw is filled w/ nobodies, wimps (Nishikori), wannabes (Raonic, Kyrgios, Thiem, Tomic, Kokkinakis), and headcases (Dimitrov, Cilic, Wawrinka). Yes, I included Stan in the "headcases" category. Ya just never know which Stan is going to show up.***

    Here we go again; total overconfidence of our guy NOLE! I learned my lesson after FO result!

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  81. ***Dammit... the "ultimate" Fedal thread keeps finding its way into all the others.***

    The obsession is mind numbing; esp. since there's no rivalry! Nadal owns Federer lock, stock, & barrel! Nole's coming on strong and will pass both, H2H and in the Masters race! Taking 4 of the 5 elim. Roger's hold on #2!

    ***Frankly who cares about Masters?***

    That's what you say when that's all you can really achieve after starting so late w/ 2 other great champions sharing the spoils for so many years! Nole can't do much w/ the FO but hope to take 1 or 2 before it's too late! He'll never overtake Nadal and Federer in the majors' count and Roger holds most records dealing w/ cons. events, finals, semi's, & QF's! You take and brag w/ what's available! lol! Nole's calendar year GS was shattered by Stan; the other possibility gone for now!

    ***There WAS a rivalry though. Why does everyone forget what it was like in 2005-'09? Do you not remember their memorable matches (and I'm not even talking about Paris, Wimby or AO)?***

    Believe, on faith for years I called it a rivalry, but looking at the cold hard X's over X, I see where it was more luck than anything that took some of those victories from Rafa! I always thought there was something Roger could do to counteract Nadal's strengths, but he rarely did what I thought he should which is relentlessly attack! True enough he'll get passed many X's, but in my era, it was expected! Today's pros are so gutless, you pass them a couple X's and the next time they approach the net is to shake hands after a loss! Even on clay courts, if that's your game to attack the net, you have to keep on doing it! You just lose slower by playing into the strengths of a baseliner hanging back!

    ***Relentless attack over best of 5 is extremely difficult, esp. on clay and that's why his RG 2008 game plan sucked so badly 'cos that's pretty much what he did there.***

    McEnroe and Edberg; not gonna get to more than 1 FO final, much less win it w/o doing just that! Sometimes that's all you can do! Adriano Panatta beat Bjorn Borg twice, only b/c of attacking tennis! No one else came close! Back in the 70's, it was routine for Borg to use a FO win as a springboard to another Wimbledon title! lol! Who else will ever win the FO and Wimbledon back to back for 3 strt yrs and come w/i a match of making it 4; '78-'81!

    ***Even Toni Nadal said Roger did not play well in that final in '08, fully admitting it was more about Roger playing crap than his nephew playing amazing in that final. So I think that tells you what playing non-stop net rushing and mindless 1st strike aggression does on clay against Nadal. It may work on a faster court like Madrid which plays more like hard court than clay and this is backed up by Roger actually beating him there, but the courts at RG are way different and this most definitely will not work. If it did, do you really think he'd not at least have won more than 4 games in the whole match? Btw, Novak does not beat Rafa playing w/ non-stop aggression either. He picks his moments and that's totally different than nonstop, attempting winners from impossible angles/positions.***

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  82. Over the lst 2 yrs:

    #1. Djokovic
    12 titles & 3 finals - 11 MS1000 & GS

    #2. Federer
    9 titles & 8 finals - 2 MS1000

    #3. Murray
    6 titles & 2 finals - 1 MS1000

    #4. Wawrinka
    6 titles & 0 finals - 3 MS 1000 & GS

    ***Federer's the legit #2 even based on your more specific criteria of Slams & Masters 1000's.***

    It's a tenuous #2 that is very close to collapsing into itself! He must get back to this Wimbledon final, then defend those summer pts! The last X I looked, even though he's #2, looking at this year alone, he's more #4 and hasn't qualified for the WTF!

    ***...I would say the same thing to those who believe Rafa never lost a match due to injury.***

    Who ever doubted that? For the most part, the more obnoxious fans of Nadal will say "the only X Rafa loses is due to injury!" Heaven knows when winning a point, he's running like a deer, "drum majoring" around the court, but if run like a chicken w/ his head cut off, the next winning shot against him is accompanied by him holding the back of his thigh; then a distinct limp! Some say the same of Nole! Federer's normally above that type of gamesmanship!

    ***Of course the most obnoxious Nadal fans think that. My post was referring to the opposite bunch, the Nadal injury deniers.
    ---

    In 2002 Sampras was ranked #13 in the World, and retired later that year. You saying Ralf is about to go the same way?***

    Nyah, Rafa isn't that smart! Sampras had gone over 2 yrs w/o winning a title by that X! After he had won his last Wimbledon in 2000, it wasn't until he caught fire at 2002 USO that he looked like his old self, blasting serves past all comers! Luckily his fave pigeon was waiting in the final and he took Agassi out in 4 sets! His ranking had dropped to #22 before the USO, but was seeded #17! That #13 year end ranking was a gift and he left the game while the "getting was good!" lol! Rafa will hang around longer I'm sure, probably having a lot of commitments and endorsements he's not willing to drop! More power to him! I'll have a separate tape handy to record the humiliations!

    ***Rafa is ranked 10th and hasn't won as many Wimbos, or even come close in 5 years. Pete had won it as recently as 2000, and was the 7X champ. I certainly wouldn't be surprised if Rafa finds himself off the show courts at least once. - Rafa's nowhere near retiring. If he was at that stage, he wouldn't have bothered to come back. Next year is the Olympics, I can't see any of the top players retiring before that happens.
    ---

    14 GS titles, only player who has a career h2h record over the recent top 30, including twice as many wins over defeats over the beloved "GOAT" of his generation. Yeah, that young fella isn't "Smart"***

    So you're 1 of those people who equate physical prowess to intellect? I'll have you know, Borg was thought a genius, when in fact he read comic books and slept an inordinate amount of X! His brand of tennis was every bit, if not more debilitating to him mentally and physically due to the inferior equipment utilized! He didn't go out of his way for intellectual stimulation of any kind; actually breaking up his 1st marriage b/c he'd rather stay home when Mariana wanted to go out and "boogie!" Rafa's been a pro since 15 IIRC and after all this X, his English is about as bad as some who've never left their village of birth! This guy has been around the world many X's over and I don't think he's grown in the least! The other players I see it all the time; Nole, Roger, and others are brain surgeons in comparison! Sorry, but that's how I see it!

    ***No, I am a guy who has an IQ over 165, ...and currently get my ass kicked on weekends by teenagers and ex-college players at USTA tourneys. My point is to be a top ranked player, it takes more than physical prowess to beat the so called smart players consistently. IMO***

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  83. ***My party does not undermine all that is good in this country. I don't agree w/ my party on every issue, every X. But you're out of your fucking mind, if that's how you see us. Do the country a favor...get some help w/ your anger issues before the next X you vote.***

    I can back up my claims w/ proof; examples, facts, deeds! You will never be able to explain the attitude and treatment of this President from day one; the level of disrespect and making disparaging comments about his heritage, patriotism, wife, children, & parents! They are all disgusting animals as far as I'm concerned; led by McConnell and Boehner! They can't answer his phone calls or accept invitations for meetings w/o getting approval from the "Tea-Baggers!" You better believe I have anger issues w/ people in complete denial!

    ***Why isn't Obama attending the funerals of any of the countless Blacks being killed by other Blacks in his town of Chgo? Why no "Amazing Grace" for them?
    ---

    President Obama was a personal friend of the Pastor who was shot and killed by 1 of you gun lovers. - Cons are stupid. Now he can't even sing "Amazing Grace" w/o them getting their panties in a wad.***

    Every X I think Obama's detractors can't get more cretinous, they always seem to exceed all expectations by there brethren! It has to be some kind of contest to keep outdoing 1 another! lol!

    ***...My point was to prove that the job of the S.C. is to rule on interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. They grossly overstepped that on Friday, setting a very dangerous [PRECEDENT] that may well end our nation.***

    When don't they overstep their bounds; esp. making "PRECEDENT" that can be overturned on a whim? "Citizens United" comes to mind and weakening the Voter/Civil Rights in southern states! The hypocrisy is mind-numbing; if you like the decision others should respect the decision! Cons and other troglodytes feel empowered to lambaste the SC w/ impunity when they don't like it! When they started telling the POPE to STFU concerning "climate change," I knew "it was on" and these people have truly slipped off the cliff!

    ***While the decision on "Citizens United" was a stupid one, it was an attempted Constitutional interpretation of Federal law - the job of the S.C. Friday was not. It was an creation of law, by the S.C. - But the SC just mobilized at least a 100 million po'd Christians. I wouldn't want to be a Dem. come next Nov.***

    Believe me, those people already had enough HATE in their hearts! They showed it everyday w/ the open contempt allowed by Reps of this President! I'm not even an Obama fan, knowing this country wasn't ready, and for MANY never will be ready for a Black President! It didn't have anything to do w/ ability, smarts, or willingness to negotiate and compromise, but I WELL knew there are many that would just as well DESTROY the planet than accept this man! When you still have 25-33% that truly believe he's illegitimate, being Kenyan, Muslim, unpatriotic, a socialist, and Nazi among other things; point proved! Those budget and credit rating eps are all you need to know how much they were willing to sacrifice just to undermine this man!

    ***...You righties make a big fuk'n deal that Obama's ancestors owned slaves; we're supposed to "get over" all of the Blacks who were slaves to other people. Do you know any Blacks that were slaves to Obama's ancestors? Get over it.***

    You can take comfort that these same idiots are sabotaging their efforts to take the WH; thank GAWD! They constantly "cry wolf" and overplay their hands so we get decisions like Friday's on Gay Marriage rights! If they hadn't been total A-holes running against gay unions back in '04, we wouldn't be here right now totally equal! Such idiots; "thanks for all your help!"

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  84. ***...That doesn't work when people are already assuming they are being victimized. The accusations will fly.***

    You mean like cons and Reps that are always bemoaning the MSM's treatment of them? They whine, bitch, and moan about being oppressed even after they took ownership of Congress, 30 Governorships and State Houses; they feel so put upon b/c of their cons. and religious beliefs!

    ***Marriage equality. Now the law of the land!***

    I find it HILARIOUS to see the same people who criticize Obama for questioning a Supreme Court decision and the Justices by name, are hitting back hard themselves; Huckabee willing to totally ignore it! Even more disturbing was Scalia actually lambasting his fellow jurist and the Chief Justice in particular! It's gonna get uglier before all is said and done! This decision is supposed to take it out of the political arena for '16, but some won't let it die! Fools!

    ***...So you're not saying it's ok for the judges to legislate, but you're ok w/ it? LOL***

    I said it's a fact of life! Both sides have complained and lauded the Supreme Court for different decisions they've made! I haven't had ANY respect for them since the political decisions during the Clinton years! They allowed a common lawsuit to be put on the fast track saying "it won't disrupt the running of the country and Clinton isn't above ...blah, blah, blah!" The country was turned upside down by Cons supporting a petty lawsuit against Clinton b/c he was getting things done and making them look like assholes; esp. when they shut the gov't down twice! Then you had them choosing the President in 2000; Bush v Gore! That will live in infamy even if few bring it up; we barely survived what they did! The country turned from a robust economical juggernaut, w/ a budget surplus, and peace in the world to near Depression Era statistics!

    Too many couldn't be satisfied w/ good X's under a Dem. Admin. and they did all they could to undermine this man including getting the Supreme Court to allow Clinton's Secret Service detail to be deposed to find out facts during the Lewinsky affair! I can't be more disgusted w/ these people! They don't even pretend to be non-partisan and there's nothing you can say to make me think any differently! Thomas has been an embarrassment, just parroting the thoughts of Scalia; what a fool! Need I say more about the hypocrisy of these people belonging to cons. think tanks and groups, receiving money, and being caught not disclosing it? Dems could make a field day about making these shady characters look more like the criminals they judge!

    ***...It just shows how much the left hates Black cons.***

    No, just the stupid ones! The ones that agree Obamacare can be repealed b/c there are laws stating "all ER's must treat you!" If you have something debilitating, you're lost w/o the ACA! That's a conservative for you; Black or White!

    ***The problem being that the Left regards all Black Cons as stupid. And Obiecare most assuredly CAN be repealed...and should. But not until we have a better law to replace it. We really DO need healthcare reform. I'm not in favor of going back to the way it was. - So you hate all Cons. That's no surprise.***

    If you support a party that undermines everything about half the pop.; you better believe I hate them! Cons/Reps have been on a JIHAD against, Blacks, voting rights, women, immigrants, and common sense for 30-40 years! History shows X and X again, Reps destroy things while the Dems have to build it back up! How often does it have to happen? All politicians suck, but none more than "the right!" They're evil, hateful people who couldn't care less about their own country! Why else would they threaten our very credit rating years ago! They're pathetic and their supporters a little more than disturbed after seeing what they perpetrate on the country every X they're in power!

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  85. ***The "SAW" Franchise

    Saw 1: One of my top 2 thrillers (Silence of the Lambs) and 1 of the greatest movies ever made. Seriously incredible. One of my favorite movie endings of all time. 10/10.

    Saw 2: First 75 mins are booooring. All of the characters in the house are 1 dimensional and Franky G needed to be the 1st person to die. His Macho bull-crap really ruined it for me. That being said the ending was VERY clever and while not as clever as the ending of the 1st, it was still legit. The key to a twist ending is that the movie has to distract you from a small detail that the story doesn't want you to realize. While the movie does effectively do that, the first 75 minutes of the movie are incredibly unengaging and the twist ending is not as effective as it SHB. 6/10. The last 15 minutes prevented this from being a 4/10.

    Saw 3: From this point on, the series takes a MASSIVE decline. The series should have taken the route of "Screw the story and put in as many traps as possible" b/c it tried to be a good thriller and it ABSOLUTELY FAILED. This movie could have succeeded as a trap orgy, but it neglected to do so. The story was far less engaging and you do not give 2 craps about the main character going through the traps. The acid trap and the rack definitely skeeved me out, so the movie earns a star each for those 2 traps. I was meh w/ the rest of them. The characters were so incredibly 1 dimensional (w/ the exception of Jigsaw). If there is any 1 underdeveloped character in this series its Amanda. None of the twists in the end are thrilling in their own right and made for an unsatisfying ending. 4/10 stars.

    Saw 4: Again, should have gone the trap orgy route b/c the plot is booring, the characters are too. There is too much uninteresting focus on the police goings-on. For an attempt at a thriller, there is nothing interesting going on. The traps were better than the 3rd 1, but the characters are equally as one-dimensional as Saw 3, except no Jigsaw. Also, none of the traps skeeved me out. 2/10 stars.

    Saw 5: From here, the series takes a HUGE step up. They actually take the X to explain the backstory for 1 of the characters in an interesting way, causing the audience to (WHAT A NOVEL CONCEPT) give a crap about 1 of them. In addition to this, the traps had the most interesting dynamic for the traps: work together and you will survive. I really liked this b/c it was a change-up from the rest of the traps. In addition to this, the movie does the smart thing and avoids what the previous 2 movies did: It stops trying to be a thriller and just tells you the info as to what is going on. It lets the traps do their thing and does a good job setting up the sequels. 7/10 and is my 2nd fave Saw sequel.

    Saw 6: While the story in the individual movie lacks, in the grand scheme of things it does a good job of wrapping some details up. So long as the audience understands that this is setting things up, the movie becomes more enjoyable, despite the lack of interest from in in-movie story.. Some of the characters are fleshed out (pun intended) and prevent this movie from being a full-fledged disaster. I really liked the traps in this film, b/c I did not feel like my intelligence was being insulted (IE the furnace in Saw 2).

    Saw: FINALLY! The film series does what it should have done at Saw 3: They said "Screw the story and lets fit as many traps into the film as possible." This movie does not try to maintain its own story and does a good job closing out details from the previous movies in btw the orgy of traps. I say orgy b/c it has more traps than any of the previous Saw movies, and it is AWESOME. Sure its brain-numbing, but the traps more than made up for the story. In addition to this, the movie ends on a good note that closes out the series as a whole, while leaving the right questions unanswered. I genuinely did not see the twist coming and it was FANTASTIC. This is easily my fave "Saw" sequel.***

    Not really my thing, but I checked it out on You Tube! Silly, but interesting!

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  86. ***Pete's letter to himself @ 16 yo

    Dear Pete,
    You’re about to go pro, ...You’ll have your early ups and downs, but in just 2 yrs, you’re gonna fight your way into the Top 5 in the world rankings, and you’ll win the U.S. Open, beating the likes of Lendl, McEnroe and Agassi in the process. At 19, you’ll be the youngest player to ever win it.

    ...You play tennis b/c you love the game, not b/c you love the limelight. Put the newspaper down. Don’t read what people are saying about you. On top of that, don’t forget to take care of your most important weapon: your body. Be aware of what you’re eating. There will be X's when you wake up in the middle of the night before a match craving crazy things like hamburgers and pizza.

    This will never be more apparent than at the '96 USO. You’ll face Alex Corretja in the 1/4's, and in the 4th set, you’ll run out of gas b/c you didn’t eat properly before the match. You’ll need a boost, and you’ll reach for a can of Coke. That’s not the answer. All that’s gonna do is make you throw up on the court during the 5th-set TB. You’ll go on to win the match, but believe me, it won’t be fun.

    ...But when you leave the court for good, there is 1 opponent whose name will be mentioned alongside yours forever. Andre Agassi. You’ll rise to be the best in the world together, and it’s always gonna be a heavyweight match when you play. You’ll be fortunate enough to play against him in 5 GS finals, and you’ll win 4 of them. But if you want to win all 5, hear me out.

    In the '95 AO Final, you’ll be be tied at 1 set apiece. You’ll be up 6-4 in a TB, serving for the set, which would put you up 2 sets to 1 and in pretty good shape. Don’t serve out wide. Go up the middle. If you go out wide, he’ll pass you on the FH, and he’ll go on to win the set, the TB and the match. It’ll be the only GS final he beats you in.

    You’re gonna win your 1st and last GS against Andre, and somewhere in btw, you’ll start to understand how important that rivalry is to American tennis and how special it is to both of you as individuals. This rivalry will be bigger than either of you could ever dream. Your games are so different, as are your personalities.

    It’s not just Andre and that rivalry you should stop to appreciate, either. There will be many people who will have an enormous impact on your tennis game and on your life — none more important than your future coach, mentor and friend, Tim Gullikson.

    During that same ’95 AO where you’ll lose to Andre in the finals, Tim will mysteriously collapse and forced to miss the tourney. Seeing him in the hospital and seeing his brother in tears will be more than you can handle alone.

    Talk about it. I know, you’re introverted and reserved. But this 1’s too big for you to take on alone. If you don’t talk about it, it’ll build up inside and come boiling over in 1 big rush of emotion during the 1/4's vs Jim Courier, and you’ll break down and cry right there on the court.

    Tim will eventually succumb to the brain cancer that caused him to collapse, and that will hit you even harder. Don’t go at it alone. Appreciate him while you have him, and talk about it when he’s gone. You’ll thank me later.

    It’s the people in your life — people like Tim — that will shape you. Appreciate them.

    Appreciate your sisters, Stella and Marion, and your bro Gus. Listen to them. They have good advice. And know that they will always support you no matter what.

    Appreciate your parents. They give you the coaching you need. They always support you. They let you be your own man. And now that you’re ready to go pro, appr. that they’ve given you as much of a normal childhood as possible. They never have and never will put too much pressure on you. Those are things you can’t see as a 16-yo — the sacrifices your parents make.

    ...Take time to appreciate your major wins and share them w/ your family and friends. Take advantage of your youth and enjoy it. Play hard, do it on your own terms and stay true to yourself. Do that, and you can’t go wrong.

    Sincerely, Pete***

    Interesting read! Thx!

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  87. Doctor on cable talking about the surviving escapee from NY now about the care this captured "dirt-bag" is getting; radiology, a huge team of specialist, blah, blah, blah! It's embarrassing watching this a-hole bragging about all they're doing to keep this murderer alive while politicians want to take HEALTHCARE away from children and seniors!

    ***Doc... yes... so a person who said that the state should not recognize same sex marriage is a bigot. They have this WEIRD thing that about 1/2 of the country holds. More than 1/2 of your state in '08.***

    Why is the adjective "bigot" such a dirty word to people guilty of it? OTTH it only means being irrationally fearful, ignorant, or hateful of a subject matter! What do you want to call people who are defined by these states?

    ***NBC to Donald Trump: You’re Fired

    - http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/06/29/nbc-to-donald-trump-youre-fired/?_r=0 -

    NBC just told Donald J. Trump, the Rep. Pres. candidate and former star of “The Celebrity Apprentice” reality show, that 'he’s fired.'

    Following inflammatory remarks that Mr. Trump made about Mexican immigrants during his presidential announcement, NBC said in a statement that it was ending its business relationship w/ the billionaire real estate and media mogul. During his June 16 announcement, Mr. Trump referred to immigrants as “rapists” and “murderers.”

    Citing “derogatory statements,” NBC said that it would no longer air the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants that were part of a joint venture w/ the network. ...***

    Talk about "self-destructive!" What a tool! He can live off his billions; NOT! - I find it hilarious when I see FNC start their hourly programs w/ whole segments trying to discredit Clinton! It's so fruitless; really making themselves look desperate! Brit Hume started his commentary trying to list apparent mistruths or rehashing Whitewater and the stock purchase from the 70's! They are so pathetic; it truly shows they have no confidence in the losers that are waiting in line to become relevant for 5 min.! That's about all that's going to happen; even to the more well known candidates like Paul, Cruz, Rubio, Walker, Christie, and even Trump eventually! We all know he isn't actually going to run and has until the fall to back out when his financial disclosure forms will be due! He will never even come close to revealing how much of a fraud he's been for the last 30+ years! This will be so amusing to watch; "keep on keepin' on!"

    ***What it actually shows is how incompetent the Rep. party is. They lost the '08 election to Obama b/c they remained in attack mode instead of solution mode, and it has continued. Hell, Obama is not even running in '16 and I still hear Prez candidates slamming him. LOL! They are incapable of coming up w/ a solution they can present to the American people, so attacking Hillary is all they have. You would think that for the years the ACA has been in place, they would offer a workable solution instead of simply repealing and attacking.***

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  88. ***If you don't believe there's anything wrong w/ homosexual marriage, I would hardly expect you to oppose it.***

    Conscientious objectors have considered not issuing any marriage licenses in their counties or states! They'll actually go that far as to not even give straight couples the opportunity to marry! Hilarious! Someone mentioned that the Fed won't make up the shortfalls in the fees they depend on in their tight State budgets! I can't wait until it blows up in their faces; the lawsuits, penalties, and officials made to resign! Idiots!

    ***Fiero will not respond w/ anything meaningful, just drivel that is liberal party talking points that add up to nothing important or noteworthy.***

    ...and I'm still right each X! All you can do is deflect, bitch, and moan! I have to repeat myself b/c "low info" persons have to have "talking points" drummed into their heads to overcome the fluff from FNC, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Mike Savage, and all the rest that misinform and rile you guys up; "we're losing folks! We need to fight these progressive, wine swilling, cheese eaters!" More idiots!

    ***Also... do you leftists not consider Biden to be presidential material?***

    I'll never understand it when I hear cons. and Reps telling Dems and progressives what they s/b doing! They're insane; can't handle their own shit, but are always trying to make decisions for everyone else! Real fk'n idiots! They hate Dems, but can't help making suggestions that make no sense! I wish they would all go fk. themselves!

    ***Fiero... so was she telling the truth or lying when she said she'd turned over all of her emails to State?***

    I don't understand what the HELL you guys can possible gain trying to overblow this email and Benghazi story? It's so sad, esp. when investigators from 2 yrs ago, run by Reps btw, have said over and over again; "there's nothing there!" So they continue to waste X and money investigating absolute trivia! What they s/b doing is going after Wall Street and some of those BANKS! Where did trillions of $$$ disappear in 2007-08? Idiots; morons!

    ***Yeah, this onslaught from the right wing to destroy HRC I think is having effects. I'm starting to think she won't survive this. If she actually deleted portions of emails and turned them over to State....that is corrupt. It's just hard for me wrap my head arond. She knew she was going to run for president. I don't get why she wasn't above board. Hell, Jeb Bush just released 33 years of tax returns. I seriously doubt she can match that.***

    Well that's all "well and good," but what is she supposed to be hiding? I keep asking that question and I keep getting a generic, "something must be there!" WTF can they possible find that would hurt this woman after 30 years of these animals after her? Are you Fk'n kidding me? These morons can imply, infer, and malign people w/ absolutely nothing and stupid people eat it up! I ain't that stupid and hope I don't know anyone that stupid! What's the choices we have outside of her; loons, psycho, bigots, racists, and assholes? PASS!

    ***... She set up a private email server while Sec. of State and hid it.***

    HID WHAT? Name it genius! You can't just say I want to see all your shit so I can nail you on something! You gotta have some evidence of malfeasance and I'm just not seeing it! Powell had his own private account he used while in the job! Go FK w/ him; I dare you!

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  89. How Will Repub. Kick Obama as he Leaves Office? - When Rep. Presidents leave office in near disgrace and under a cloud, Dems let them leave w/ little fanfare! On the other hand, if a Dem's in his last days, Rep. are bitchin' and moanin' about PARDONS given, actually making a Fed case out of the office designated to his exiting and maintaining his Presidency after leaving office! They make up even more crap instead of just letting the guy leave w/ any kind of grace! It wasn't enough that these animals had wasted the country's X impeaching him, they had to make up all kind of shit about leaving the offices torn up w/ "W" keys taken out of keyboards! Supposedly Hillary had taken away WH memorabilia, AF1 silver and napkins, along w/ anything else she could strap to her back on the last day!

    I SO FK'n hate Rep. politicians! They are just irredeemable! The big question is, what will they hit Obama and his family w/ when he leaves in 2017? It'll have to be huge to exceed the other crap already made up about them! Idiots! I hope Hillary initiates an investigation into "W" admin. about leaks, misappropriation of Billions in bailout and TARP funds, not to mention ....never mind! What's the use? No one cares how corrupt this man and his admin. was! Ya'll cared more about who was giving Clinton a hummer! Fk'n idiots!

    ***The hate.***

    This is such a joke; esp. since Christie couldn't win his own state of NJ! Why is he wasting all of our X! He's probably going to be indicted anyway; not just concerning "Bridge-gate," the Exxon settlement he ordered is under a lot of scrutiny! How do you drop a multi-billion dollar award to $250 M? Somebody's head has got to roll over that; might as well be Christie's!
    ---

    How ignorant of Gov. and local counties refusing to issue these marriage licenses! These people are so insane; "the Supreme Court has spoken," as well as the 5th Circuit which these local municipalities were waiting! Supposedly this is the final nail in their bigoted coffins! How many will be jail, sued, fired, or all of the above? These are civil servants, paid by the people they're saying, "I'm not going to do my job; I don't care what you say!" Please spare us from such Neanderthals!

    ***Oh Good... our resident Mensa member decided to come out and tell us about how civil servants have to follow the law.***

    What's good for the goose, is good for the gander! This directly impact's people! Rightwing sniping is lost on most people!

    ***Nobody believes these bullshit unemployment #'s. The fact that they don't count people who have given up looking for work is crazy pills.***

    Nothing new really! Over 30 years ago Reagan cooked the books taking people off the count if they stopped looking or if a veteran IIRC! "Morning In America" was a joke, but they believed "granddad!" If only they knew we were on the precipice of Iran/Contra and another bank collapse w/ stock market crash that we still haven't learned our lesson! Reps will do this to our economy again and again w/ their deregulation, allowing their crony friends to "sell us out" and in turn wipe out the middle class! How many X's does it have to happen? "W" turned a thriving economy, peace, and the Nat'l debt going down b/c of budget surpluses! We can't have that and it's all been history since! Obama's brought us back, but I can see this silly ass country electing a nitwit like Walker and repeat the same STUPID cons. jihad on our economy! We're such idiots; I wouldn't doubt it!

    ***Yeah, I know they've all been doing it. The reporting is BS. They need to go back top simply reporting the actual unemployment rate.***

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  90. ...Nole's nowhere near the end like Sampras in '02 when he was upset by some nobody called Bastl from Switz!

    ***This win over Nadal in 4 was great - Dustin Brown's the man. Proving yet again that real grass tennis can be done, even in X's like this. Chip & charges all over the place, very fast paced tennis w/ so much variety all over the court never letting Nadal get his rhythm. This is real tennis IMO. Shame that this type of play isn't rewarding due to surface homog.. Such talent goes to 'waste' due to selling different kinda style over the years w/ 6 hr. matches of grinding tennis.***

    I've been saying it for yrs; this kind of tennis can be done and win! The homog. courts don't reward aggressive play, but Brown gave us a 'blast from the past;' and quite welcomed! The replay is going on now! I loved how everything Brown did was contrary to how Rafa wanted things to go! The pace was quick wi/ service games over in less than 1.5 min.! There were almost no extended rallies so Rafa couldn't get into his usual "forehand" groove! He was jerked around and almost hit a couple times! These are things he likes to do to his opposition and he couldn't have liked the feeling! Overall, this was the best performance by "an also-ran" all year! Fognini beat Rafa on clay twice; true enough, but this was far more entertaining!
    ---

    I tend to watch players w/ some consistency! I don't need the heartache of favoring a player like Monfils who you have no idea how he'll perform from day to day! I adored Goolagong; X's of brilliance w/ other X's she looked like she shb on her way to a class for beginners! That was enough of that! No one's been more consistent than Nole of late, that's for sure! Before that it was Nadal and before him Roger! X's change; who's next and when? Murray? Nyah! Raonic? Not in this lifetime! Kei? Weak as water; can't stay on the tour longer than a few wks!

    ***...everyone would be talking about his FH being as good as Federer's, or some kind of sublime shot in tennis history.***

    I've watched Federer for over 10 yrs; any single stroke is the last thing I think of when his name comes up! It's his overall bearing and tactical way of playing you have to relish, want to emulate, and see over and over! He had a good FH, but IMO, he wouldn't be in my top 5 of any 1 shot OTTH! FH goes to Borg, Nadal, Sampras, and 2 others! BH is Borg again, Agassi, Connors, Vilas! Serve to Sampras, McEnroe, Edberg, & Becker! Volleying to Edberg, McEnroe, & Nastase! Return of serve: Djokovic, Agassi, & Connors!

    ***...No way Nadal of the past would have missed that shot.***

    "But ya are Blanche; ya are stuck in that chair!" Boo-hoo; it has to come to an end sooner or later! I blogged years ago that the way Rafa plays will become debilitating and it'll all come crashing down! You can't get into 4 and 5 set battles w/ "nobodies" and "also-rans" rd after rd, tourney after tourney, and season after season! Nadal's put a lot of miles on that body and I'm only surprised it didn't happen sooner; this fall from grace! Who would have thought he would be ranked #10 last year? People whb asking, "what are you drinking?" That same brand of tennis is what really put Borg out of the game besides the idiots of the ATP; absolute exhaustion from "wars on court" over the years! Going back to when he was a teenager, Bjorn was playing 5 set marathons against veteran players and winning FO finals! Where have we seen that? The only question right now is "how far will Rafa fall?" It looked like the end for Roger 2 yrs ago w/ a bad arm and testing new rackets, but he's hung on a lot better and he's years older! This is beginning to be embarrassing for the youngster! I'm sure Rafa thought he w/b saluting Roger leaving the game and at this X, it looks as if the opposite might happen!

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  91. How many bad loses does it take for people to come around to the fact that Nadal's just about "lost it?" I'm not trying to kick him when he's down, but Federer was almost laid to rest by many when he slipped just a little! Nadal's not even winning on clay; 2 losses to F3 alone! When he starts losing on HC to his compatriots like Verdasco, the end has to be near! He's owned them for as long as I can remember; allowing them huge leads, only to come back again and again! He's even dropping matches where he had MP; something 2nd and 3rd tier players are always susceptible to, but this is supposed to be a former #1 and winner of 14 majors!

    Nadal either needs another one of his vacations/injury leaves (wink) or maybe he should think about "packin it in" like BORG! I've seen it happen before so it'll never be a shock; esp. w/ the way he's playing! When Bjorn left, he still won another FO and was a finalist in 2 other majors! Nadal's not making it to the 2nd wk these days! How ugly does it have to get is my question? I saw Connors fall from grace and be just a storyline w/ a history! If that's what Rafa wants to do, be my guest! It's his legacy!

    ***Fiero425, I think it is simply b/c we've all seen Rafa falter and then rise back to the top again. Now he's never faltered like this before, and chances are he won't rise back to the very top again, but the guy deserves the benefit of the doubt. I know Rafa wants another chance at the WTF, so he's unlikely to take a break this year, but on the other hand it might be a good idea for him to take a break after the USO, then focus on preparing for next year - give it another go. If he can't get it back by clay season next year, then I think he's done.
    ---

    I think we're all being a bit dramatic. Yes he probably needs to adjust his game. He's not as fast as he used to be which is normal, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's done. The guy is an all X great, he has huge talent, and w/ a bit of work can at least attempt to re-work his game to his new situation. Federer has done it, I think Rafa should be able to. Realistically he is not going to be the all conquering warrior he used to be, but there is no reason why he won't still be relevant. This is the life cycle of pro tennis, and we have the opportunity to observe the possible transformation of a once great player into a great player again. It s/b entertaining, whether he succeeds or not. We might need to dial down our expectations of him, but there is no reason why Nadal fans should stop hoping for the glory days. Not yet...
    ---

    Rafa tried new racquet earlier this spring and gave it up once he lost early in Barcelona. Now that he has almost nothing to defend, it's probably a good idea for him to change the stick and stick to it instead of waiting for the off season to make the change. If he makes the change only in off season, again he would need 3 months to get used to it. Instead, if he changes it right away, he will get used to it by the end of year and he can begin to do some damage next year.
    ---

    When Nadal 1st came up, I thought he would be done winning slams by the age of 25. His playing style was too hard and I didn't think he could keep it up; esp. when he 1st had that big break in '09, I thought it was the beginning of the end. The guy has proven me and many others wrong X & X again. But when I saw him at the '14 AO, I was surprised by how thin, even gaunt he seemed, esp. in the face. Just looked worn out. It's still awkward to see him losing so often so many X's and I can never write him off, but it's looking more and more likely that he's done.***

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  92. ***Fascinating listening to the British press. They are completely ignoring Federer and talking about a Murray/Novak final which they believe Andy will win. Words fail me.***

    You're kidding right? I know the world has its reverence for Federer, but we can't possibly expect Britain to "bow & scrape" to "The GOAT" w/ "their own" in the running to take Wimbledon! The only way for Roger to truly make news is if he manages to actually take out Andy in the semi! On current form I don't see it happening! They've had their contest in the past on grass and when Murray's playing his best, Roger's the most vulnerable of the top players; SORRY! I know it's sacrilege to even think such a thing, but that's the way it is right now! It's sorta like Serena being shocked the crowd today was giving due deference to their girl Heather Watson!

    It's hard to ignore the current #1 player; esp. since he's won just about everything this season! The final everyone wants is Djkovic/Murray! Roger's just thought of as a speed-bump in England this X around!

    ***Fiero, IDK what you've been smokin' but it sure doesn't smell like logic! Come on! If Federer continues this easy march thru the draw, his match w/ Murray c/b very interesting. Now if he struggles in beating Murray in a long match, then Djokovic won't have too much trouble w/ him. Or the same w/ Murray if Berdych gives him trouble in the 1/4's.***

    So these "tomato cans" Roger's beaten so far has impressed you huh? I guess more than 1 of us is smokin' something! Džumhur and Querrey are WORLD beaters in your eyes w/ Groth and Basilashvili/Bautista Agut winner before Murray! I must have missed their rise to power! Nole and Murray are actually beating players that "have game," are on winning streaks, and playing well; esp. Kohlshreiber!

    ***Roger isn't really as dismissible as you make him out to be. He's the greatest active grass-courter, 1 of the best all-X, and last year's finalist. An easy run to the QFs benefits him at 33; no one is denying that. But his form is looking very good. Yes, potential landmines exist, but it's not like he hasn't got a legit shot. ...I'll be honest to say that I don't think Roger will win another Slam, but I wouldn't be so cavalier as to put it out of the realm of possibility, or to sneer completely on Fed's chances.
    ---

    Look at Stan garnering his slams later in life. Marin snagged his 1st at 25 last year. Kei's is smaller and light boned. Raonic has battled the injury bug as well. Let's give them some time to see how they come along. - Dimi suffers from...Cluelessness? Lack of motivation?***

    I've been using the adjective of "gutlessness" w/ these tech. superior athletes! Knocking off Rafa these days is like waiting to beat Laver & Rosewall at their career ends! It whb a lot more impressive if some of those guys w/ MP's finished the deal in the crunch at a major of an elite player at their best; just once or twice whb nice!
    ===

    Nothing better than the '85 Bear season! They've been highlighting games, players, and the complete SB game since this is the 30th an.! The only thing that could have made this season more "magical" is if they completed it by beating Miami and being undefeated! They did it all; a beat down in Dallas 44-0, a MNF comeback against Minn. w/ McMahon off the bench, 2 close games w/ GB and "The Refrigerator" playing an integral part of the wins, and of course the laughable massacres in the playoffs; actually shutting out 2 teams along the way to their SB win! A SEASON for the ages!

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  93. ***I'm sorry that Monfils couldn't pull that 1 out vs Simon. He is entertaining, and Berdych's matches are rather boring to me.***

    W/ this loss, Federer has had a dream draw! What few seeds have gone out have been in his 1/2! Poor Nole still has Wawrinka, Gasquet, and possibly Kyrios in his section of the draw! If Roger can't handle Murray after all these easy matches, he doesn't deserve to make the final!

    ***...and what's w/ Simon, king of grass all of a sudden?***

    It seems a # of players have at least 1 good Wimbledon; JWT and Berdych (making 2010 final) over Federer a few yrs ago! Back in my day, it was a Pioline that surprised all by making final against Sampras! Never heard of Chris Lewis after he lost final to McEnroe in '83! I really expected 1 of the young guns w/ a huge serve would make their mark by now; still waiting! Most are just plain physically fragile; breaking down after a few good wks of results! An upset here and there won't do it at Wimbledon! I'm very disappointed in Krygios; couldn't back it up!

    ***Um, Novak has Anderson, then probably Cilic. If he wins there, he will only face either Wawrinka, Gasquet, or Kyrgios in the semi.***

    I'll put Nole's opposition against Roger's anyX and bet on them! Wawrinka has taken Nole to the brink and beaten him the last 2 years; only Kygrios? Murray's been on a losing streak to the top echelon; there's no comparison in the level of play! Murray's been good of late, but still hasn't been tested! Beating Rafa on his last legs is not impressive these days!
    ---

    ...Since he doesn't have X to surpass Roger and Nadal in so many other ways and results, Nole seems to have a potential lock on all RECORDS dealing w/ Masters' events and WTF!

    ***Sometimes I think that this is the glory days of the Masters 1000 events. Sure the ATP has set it up where there's more riding on these events and the top guys have to make them a priority, but will we still be talking about Masters records in 2035? The set up and system of the ATP always evolved and changed and it would be silly to think that anything besides the GS's would not change over the course of X. ...The Masters will probably change. Will that take away the luster of Novak's title as Lord of the Masters?
    ---

    He has to win 2 more to equal the Lord of Masters, but hey, I can't even say a decent prediction as in a #. He might as well end up w/ 35-40 of those. - Yeah, I spoke w/ the thinking that he will eventually end up w/ the record. Seems like a foregone conclusion right now.***
    ---

    The USO has been an embarrassment for as long as I can remember; the incompetence concerning the draws "knows no bounds!" Besides having to be re-pulled after some shady seedings, you had open favoritism! My mouth still hangs open to what they did to "one of their own;" another American! Maybe 30 yrs ago someone by the name of Brown went well past midnight to finish a 5 set match! They had him out there against Connors at Noon the same morning! I was disgusted and figured they like being relegated to the worst Slam of the 4! The surface changes, playing best of 3 early on in the tourney, starting play under the lights in '75; costing some upsets! They thought they were cutting edge; I called it a 2nd rate event! I still remember a pro back in '78 saying, "they ought to A-Bomb this place!"

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  94. ***Now please Fiero, remind us all who has been in office since '09. When did unemployment rise to its highest in 30 yrs? Seems to me that the bullshit you're peddling is just that, bullshit. Those economic policies are causing the gap to widen by their biggest margin since the mid 80's. That whb during the Reagan and Bush era, when they had inherited Carter's fucked up mess and was trying to right the ship from his horrible policies.***

    True enough, but Obama came in at a very volatile X! The auto industry was about to go belly up, accounting firms were found to be shady as HELL, Banks over-leveraged, we were hemorrhaging 650,000+ jobs a month at the end of "W's" term, and the DOW had fallen to 6600 points! Obama became complicit helping the crooks, hoping they would act right w/ a bailout and actually pay their taxes and employees! It never happened; hoarding of capital by Wall Street, hiding money abroad, and closing business here only to open them back up in another country! That was Obama getting suckered, but that really isn't all on him! Congress legislated criminal behavior of the 1% allowing them to screw us over every 10-30 yrs!

    ***...It's that Reps remain in disarray after the monumentally destructive Bush admin., AND REMAIN IN DENIAL ABOUT IT!!! "It's been over 4 yrs Newt, and Reps are more politically cacophonous than I have known them in my 60+ years. I'm NOT disagreeing w/ you sir. I simply observe: your visionary prescription for healing the party has gone near totally ignored.***

    So much for the "Autopsy" of the last election! They've learned nothing and are unwilling to compromise in the least; actually saying the word is "dirty!" Reps will continue to lose on the Nat'l stage since they're still stuck in the past w/ cons. leanings taught by Reagan! Unfortunately, I think they only got 20% of the message since the old man did work w/ Tip O'Neil and the country didn't fall into the sea! If you listen to them these days, it's "my way or the highway!" No compromise is possible; at least they admit it!

    ***Christie To Run '16 amid accusatiosn of 'Bridgegate' - ...These 3 or 4 worked directly w/ Christi right? And are indicted for crimes (not ethical failures) right? Your ridiculous attempt to create some sort of false equivalence is ridiculous.***

    Could you keep from laughing yesterday watching that FNC interview? Christie was so detached; "it happened on my watch! I fired the people responsible! I obviously wasn't aware, but we handled it!" Like this was some trivial thing he was totally absolved of! There's a new book out there about this guy and the author devotes quite a bit to lies perpetrated on his constituents! Hell, the Dems in the State House already got a taste 3 years ago w/ the Christie making promises he hasn't kept and actually "line item" vetoed a provision agreed upon just to get the vote going on the budget! Christie's scum and he'll burn sooner or later! The problem for me is, eventually he'll just blend in w/ the rest of the criminals in NJ!

    ***That's so Cruz's supporters could understand him......he know's his audience so acts out accordingly for them.***

    I keep hearing how intelligent this guy's, but when he was holding up compromise on the budget and "credit rating," I had to question it; SORRY! Supposedly he was a clerk for the SC, but misspeaks about the law and branch responsibilities all the X for effect! He's really no better than a carnival barker like Trump and won't get a sniff of being the candidate for the RNC! He's alienated his own party and has NO SUPPORT 'on the hill!' They openly disparage the man on and off the floor; "loony, hypocrite, etc!"

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  95. ***...I love it! Put those parasites from the press back where they belong. She's got my vote.***

    People don't realize she has little, if any control over her security! It's forgotten she has a detail probably larger than Obama's b/c of status as FLOTUS, a Senator, Secretary Of State, now Presidential candidate! "Talk to the Secret Service people!"

    I keep hearing how intelligent this guy is, but when he was holding up compromise on the budget and "credit rating," I had to question it; SORRY! ...They openly disparage the man including other Senators on and off the floor; "loony, hypocrite, etc!"

    ***Ted Cruz is clearly of above average intelligence and ambition, AND possibly a psychopath. Cruz is never playing the advertised game. Psychopaths never are. ...How many people viewing Cruz's fiscal cliff speech assumed Cruz was engaged in a legitimate filibuster? I did. It certainly had the appearance of one; but it wasn't, was it?

    How many people viewing Cruz's prez campaign announcement at Liberty University assumed the students were there voluntarily and in support of Cruz? My natural response was to assume so. But, it wasn't, was it. What is Cruz's response to getting caught red-handed pulling shit? Cruz just smiles. He puts all his energy into fronting the fact he is doing the wrong thing and is caught really doesn't matter at all. That is psychopathic.
    ---

    Actually Cruz's intelligence is quite high; 140+ I.Q. level. He was also a champion Ivy League team debater. The man knows EXACTLY what he's doing. Now I whole heartedly agree that what Cruz does is not the hallmark or any form of intelligence; EXCEPT to pander to his base. Which is gaga for him. Being I'm not part of his base, I despise the man. He is everything ruining the GOP. I'm from the moderate, pragmatic Eisenhower school of political thought.***

    Geo. W. Bush Charged Wounded Vets Group $100K For Speech - Members of the Texas-based Helping a Hero charity told ABC News that Bush charged $100,000 for his '12 speech at a charity fundraiser for vets who lost limbs in the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. The former president was also given use of a private jet at a cost of $20,000 and former 1st Lady Laura Bush was paid $50,000 to speak to the group last yr.

    ***I didn't know Bush is still our president. Did I miss something?***

    Carter's been out of office for over 30 years and you guys "on the right" can't help "invoking" his name every X you have a hankering to lambaste Dems! Notice most don't say much about Clinton since "the good X's rolled!" They can call him all kinds of stuff; murderer, rapist, among other things, but this country was at peace, the budget deficits had a surplus, and the Nat'l debt was actually going down! It was under $6T in 2000; thanks "W" for starting wars, lowering taxes, starting programs w/o paying for them, and deregulating banks so we ended up in a severe recession; near DEPRESSION! We're approaching $20T b/c of legislation that wasn't paid for by Rep. Congresses 10 yrs ago! Fk'n idiots!

    ***...The gov't can have a surplus even if it has trillions in debt, but it cannot have a surplus if that debt increased every year. This article is about surplus/deficit, not the debt. However, it analyzes the debt to prove there wasn't a surplus under Clinton.***

    Get a life! We were on a positive trajectory instead of going TO HELL under Rep. leadership!

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  96. ***Whatever your view of Obama's success - the Reps have nothing to put up against it. ...It is possible that a charismatic Rep. w/ the funds and organization to win is out there somewhere.***

    You covered it; Reps have nothing but a legacy of obstruction and political backbiting! Even when the country was "on the brink" of collapse, they were still playing games, undermining this President, and showing that acquiring their power is more important than the country! IDK how anyone could forget the heinous acts perpetrated on us back in the early days of Obama's admin.? They wanted to let the auto industry to just DIE! Obama pushed for a loan and it's been paid back! We were hemorrhaging 600,000 jobs a month and there was Boehner bitchin' about "where are the jobs" while he's slashing budgets everywhere causing more unemployment! We now actually have the infancy of universal, Nat'l healthcare, but to this day the a-holes "on the right" would rather repeal it and have nothing just so they can say Obama's legacy is limited! Unfortunately for them this is just as momentous as Soc. Sec., Medicare, and CIVIL rights legislation signed in the 60's and Reps can't stand it! It's pathetic and people should punish them instead of a reward by keeping them in power! They don't have much chance for the Presidency w/ a very strong Hillary machine, but Congress is going to take work since the districts have been so massively Gerrymandered!

    ***...When you understand that Obama's mission was to create as much chaos as possible and to bring the US down, and to pave the way for full communist takeover by globalist authoritarian Marxists, then YES, he's been extremely successful. Obama is successful in the way a 12,000 lb wrecking ball is successful in taking down a building.***

    Losers and traitors will always see the worst when things are going well! Reps are the "NO" party and aren't "for" anything but consolidating their own power! Disgusting! Ask them and you get "what we need to do," but no reasoned plan to get there; just more BS rhetoric!

    ***So its funny, i get a bullshit from Fiero, who apparently doesnt see that Bill Clinton has been cheating on his wife since likely before they got married (while engaged), but is a known womanizer and philanderer....***

    It's not your business if Clinton was faithful to his wife! Reps cheat too; hence resignations or embarrassments for Gingrich, Livingston, and Hyde! Spare me! This country was running like a clock and "the right" couldn't stand it! Going after this man for his personal foibles only turned the country upside down for a while, but all it did was make him stronger! You ended up looking like fools! Thanks for trying, but you're still all losers!

    ***Honestly, how can you live w/ yourself knowing that you sell out to the lowest common denominator of human life; one that will lie to a person he took as a spouse? ...Clinton's infedelity is an issue to some of us.***

    Don't get on your high horse too fast; you have no idea how I feel about Clinton's lapses in judgment! I didn't like it, don't condone it, just saying it's not our fuk'n business! It's up to Hillary to decide how she will handle the situation! You want the world stepping into your relationship trying to tell you how it should work? GET REAL! He wasn't going to step down for a "hummer;" you have to be dense to believe that would happen short of murder! Heaven knows some losers out there tried to pin that on him too; Vince Foster's suicide was left at the Clinton door as well! Such ass-holes "on the right!"

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  97. ***Other Presidents have been able to cross the aisle and get bills passed while having a minority of his party in the Senate and House.***

    Get real; Reps agreed to "no compromise" w/ the President before he took the oath of office! They went as far as to pan ideas and plans they liked! If Obama praised a crackdown on child porn, they'd be against it! They are truly disturbed people in the Rep. leadership that have allowed 60 Tea-Bag assholes to run the country into the ground; tried anyway! Obama's been lucky enough that the #'s moved in his favor as compared to what was happening under "W" the last year! Unemploy. is down regardless if you make a big deal out of participation! The DOW stock market was around 6600 points just a few years ago! It's been flirting w/ 18,000 for the past year! Gas prices are down, the auto industry came back, and of course we have the makings of Universal Healthcare even though Reps have tried to kill it since "birth!" Funny, I thought they were against ABORTIONS! lol! Hypocritical assholes!

    ***Rand Paul is doing well right now against Clinton. Now the bad news--he's still 3rd-5th among all GOP candidates.***

    This is going to be a blood-bath w/ all these clowns on the "right" thinking they have the inside track to beat Hillary! The problem is, they'll never survive the primary process! Every X I keep hearing this nonsense about Reps will only support a true cons! That's been total BS for as long as I can remember; I go back to Nixon btw! They've all ended up being more moderate and level-headed, regardless of how they politicked! Nixon was more a socialist if you look at some of things supported including the creation of the EPA! Reagan extolled how gov't isn't the solution, but is the problem! Gov't grew "big X" while he was in office! He didn't raise taxes per se; labeled as "fees and revenue enhancers!" ...; another pretend cons. called George H.W. Bush made a promise not to raise taxes! I didn't fault him for going back on it since it saved our economy, but narrow-minded cons were irate and supported Perot in the next 2 election cycles! Then we have his pathetically, stupid son take over in '01! What was once a thriving economy, this compassionate cons. trashed it all, dereg. so much we wound up in another recession w/ losses of 600,000 jobs per month in the last year of his admin!

    "W" didn't raise taxes, totally going the other way, abusing the "US CrCard," starting 2 wars, and signing bills into law w/o paying for any of it; including "Prescr. drugs, no child left behind, etc." The bill arrived the 1st day of the Obama admin! He got nothing but undermined in trying to turn things around, and things still "came around!" W/ that kind of record, IDK how any of these clowns can claim any high ground! Their High Priest, Reagan actually was found to be selling arms to Iran and diverting the money to "Freedom Fighters" in Cent.l Am.! "Mistakes were made!" Mistakes? Hitting the acc. and running over your husband in the driveway can be a mistake! His admin. was found to be a cesspool of criminals; 252 indicted, prosecuted, or/and jailed!

    ***Yeah, history is written by the victors ... and the Confed. lost. Deal w/ it.***

    The South is still fighting the "Civil War;" such idiots! I feel sorry for the kids who might not be able to fight off the ignorance and grow up to be just as narrow-minded! They're still trying to save a piece of cloth that Blacks obviously feel insulted by, but that won't stop these "clueless rebels w/o a cause!" Loved how Boehner got caught up in this BS about these flags! Pelosi is working him over and mark my words, after you get these geniuses on the record, it's gonna cost them!

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  98. ***...Vika has a potty mouth and she swears often, although today I did not hear anything.***

    The stuff that goes on today would get you imprisoned in "tennis jail" if you tried any of it 30+ yrs ago! There were only a handful of players who had so little respect for the sport and themselves; Connors, McEnroe, & Nastase led the way! Officials in the chair and tourney officials would disqualify you in 3 min. if you acted out for 2! They stretched it w/ these guys due to their starpower, but eventually even their light burned out and each was suspended for offenses late in their careers! Lendl took artisan to a new level of pickiness w/ his rackets, the balls, and even the officiating, but he wasn't too bad! He and Jose Luis Clerc began abusing the timeclock toweling off; even after serving an ace! I really can't remember too many occasions when I thought the kids were being abused by anyone in the past, but they all do it these days; all the prima donnas out there!

    ***Federberg, recently argued w/ me that he refuses to believe this is a weak gen. & that the top guys are just that good (I agree w/ the 2nd part, but they're not mutually exclusive). Kieran famously claimed this generation is "no worse" than Safin/Nalbandian/Roddick & Co. And of course there's the Great Nishikori Scare of '14 in which he was the man to challenge the top 4. Herios swears Raonic's just slowly improving...***

    Most pros today are "gutless" and waste what talent they have! They're unable to finish most upsets of "The Big 4!" Quite a few are just physically fragile and are breaking down on an accelerated pace not seen before! At least Safin & Roddick won majors! Roddick probably should have won at least 1 of those 4 Wimbledon finals; esp. in '09 w/ an easy volley for a 2 sets to 0 lead! Roger was toast but for that missed opportunity in the TB!

    ***Ferrer peaked really at 31, Wawrinka's "at peak period" which last now for 1.5 yrs and he's 30 yo. I can see Wawrinka still winning big titles and being a top 4 a yr from now.***

    You would hope, but Stan is notorious for unexpected losses in early rds! He has all the game in the world, can beat any of the top 3, but the mental side is what makes him more akin to the 2nd tier of players! That loss to Roger at the WTF last season tells you all you need to know about the guy! He can have MP's, but find a way to lose it; even against an injured player!

    ***I am not saying he will win day in day out; that is not his thing. But he can come out of nowhere, seeded 8, then get through any of them and win. That is what matters.***

    I wouldn't expect that from anyone; including Nole, but this generation of players have allowed the Top Tier ownership of majors and Masters never seen before! I still smh looking at the recordbooks; 3 players have taken over like no others in history! It's not like I want Roger and Nole to lose, but it should happen more often! Something's holding back that 2nd & 3rd tier of players! Even Borg, Connors, and McEnroe couldn't pull out the HOUDINI acts routinely done by "The Big 4" these days! You had a career year occurring and made noteworthy for a decade like Laver's '69, Connors' '74, McEnroe's '84, and Sampras' '95! Now it seems to happen w/ regularity of the current crop of stars winning 3 majors and X Masters! This should not be happening w/ this kind of frequency but for the ineptitude of the tour "also-rans!" They all have so much ability, but it has only paid off a handful of X's in the last decade and all I can do is smh!

    Federer has 3 seasons w/ 3 majors & Masters' wins: '04, '06, & '07

    - Nadal has 2: '10 & '13

    - Djokovic's on the list w/ historic '11 & '15 (TBD)

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  99. ***The British media is beyond stupid. They were writing so much crap about Djokovic. Kinda desperate.***

    What could they possibly say? He's been near perfect all season! I don't even have to look it up to know "no one in the OPEN era won the AO, was a finalist in Paris, and had 4 Masters under his belt! Roger's come the closest recently, but even he couldn't take all those 1000 events along w/ the majors in the 1st 6 months of the year! Courier actually won the 1st 2 Slams in '92, but didn't come close to winning all those Masters' events! I mused that Nole could possibly take the rest of the season off he's been so good early on! Unfortunately for the rest of the tour, he's "right there" again in another major semi; vs Gasquet who he owns! Poor Richard has just about gone as far as he can on a great run at his age! That 5 set extended match against Wawrinka s/b it for him and Nole should finish him off in straight sets! Taking another Wimbledon depends on the other semi and how intense and long it goes w/ Roger and Andy! Roger needs it more since he's in the twilite of his career, but I think Andy will win in 4! This final will be the most watched if Murray gets there again vs Djokovic!

    ***I never saw some of Agassi's major wins, or I don't remember them. The '92 Wimbledon is the only 1 I remember. And I remember Agassi's losses more, like to Sampras in 1990; Edberg in '91, Sampras in '95, Sampras in 2002.***

    I had to wait yrs to see the '90 USO! I had gone out to play myself figuring I'd miss a set! It was over in less than an hour and a half! Some "nobody" who I only knew his name from his win over Wilander in the 2nd rd the year before! Obviously Sampras' serve was on and blew away like dust in the wind, Lendl and McEnroe IIRC! TCC and ESPN have replayed the final and it was like other finals Andre lost like Gomez earlier in the season in Paris final! I found Agassi to be so over-rated, who obviously didn't train or eat right, switched rackets in the middle of a season for $500,000 from DONNAY; dropping Prince! It contributed to the losses some say anyway, including Becker! It was nice that Agassi c/b Pete's pigeon to the very end in their last contest; '02 USO final! What a nice 'going away' present for the old man who had dropped out of the top 20 by then due to no tourney wins in over 2 yrs; 2000 Wimbledon over Rafter! I feel fortunate that I saw the top GOAT's of a few eras; Laver at the end, Borg, Sampras; now a wealth of talent in Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic! I think each will be remembered for different reasons!

    ***I thought Federer played fantastic against Murray in the semi. He was aggressive at the right X's, and solid defensively. Can he beat Djokovic in the final; (Nole d Gasquet)?***

    Roger's playing better than I thought! He always has a chance, but he'll need 2 things to happen; continue serving out of his mind and Nole will have to of forgotten he's the best returner in the game! This is Roger best and last chance IMO w/ a "cakewalk" to the final of players who shouldn't have been in their position or forgot how to play when it counted! I was more impressed by Groth and Goffin the last few wks! Simon has been struggling and overachieved this tourney!

    The 2 top players got there, but I had "doff" my cap to the real and apparent #2 in Andy Murray! He blew my prediction and faith right out of the water! It was a horrible performance; not that they weren't both playing well, but that defensive game isn't going to win over the other top players! Murray has to take it to them "sometime," not just try to wait 'em out as a human backboard! I understand how he feels; when in training, I got a real rush out of being a counter-puncher and running down the best that was shot my way, but he needs to push, esp. when down 2 sets to 0! :(

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