Wednesday, July 27, 2016

What's Up? Topic #20; entries 8/16 - 10/16



Anything c/b posted here! We'll talk about politics, sports (tennis & football.), & TV! Posts framed w/ "***" from other contribs! (- Closed -)



100 comments:

  1. ***Djokovic All-X tournament records:

    Tournament - - Since - - Record accomplished - - - - Players matched

    ATP Rankings - '73 - Highest # of ranking pts as World #1 (16,950) SA
    Grand Slams - 1877 - Holding all 4 Majors - 3 diff. surfaces @ once SA
    Grand Slams - 1877 - Non-Cal. Year Grand Slams - - - - Stands alone
    Grand Slams - 1877 - 88.4% (114–15) - HC match winning % - - SA
    ATP World Tour '70 - Holding all 4 Grand Slams & YEC @ once SA
    ATP World Tour '70 - 34 Top tier HC tourneys won (Big Titles) - SA
    ATP World Tour '70 - 10 Top tier tourneys won in a season ('15) - SA
    ATP World Tour '70 - 18 Top tier tourney finals in a row - SA
    ATP World Tour '70 - 15 str. finals reached in a season ('15) SA
    ATP Mas's 1000 '70 - 30 titles overall - - - - - Stands alone
    ATP Mas's 1000 '70 - 22 HC titles overall - - - - Stands alone
    ATP Mas's 1000 '70 - 6 titles won in a single season ('15) - SA
    ATP Mas's 1000 '70 - 1+ titles @ 8 diff. tournaments - - - SA
    ATP Mas's 1000 '70 - 82.8% (288–60) career match winning % - SA
    ---

    Big 4 = 100 Masters? - Yes, even if Fed & Rafa are finished, Djokovic & Murray will win 6 more:

    Djokovic 30
    Nadal 28
    Federer 24
    Murray 12

    The Emperor @ 30 & still going strong. The others? Well, let's just say perhaps a few more for Murray, but that's it!
    ---

    I mean pretty obvious some don't know jack about tennis more than 10-15 yrs ago & don't even try to pretend they do nor do they make an effort to learn. I think most here can agree that Agassi is a superior baseliner to Murray on HC's. Yet in the '94 YEC semi: Sampras won 42.4% of pts longer than 7 strokes, but also 56% of pts lasting longer than 10 strokes. In the '95 AO final he won 47% of pts 7 strokes or longer & 53% of pts lasting longer than 10 strokes. This is absolute peak Agassi vs avg Sampras on a slow HC. '95 USO final: Sampras won 53% of pts lasting longer than 7 strokes.

    This is even better:
    Sampras vs Agassi in '01 @ Miami: Sampras won 4 of 6 pts lasting 7-9 strokes & lost the only pt lasting 10 or longer. Close to peak Agassi vs post prime Sampras @ the frickin Miami hellhole. '02 USO final, Sampras won 61% of pts lasting longer than 7 strokes.

    Bonus:
    '96 USO final Sampras won 61% of 7 strokes or longer rallies. Chang was playing well in this match & he's a solid baseliner.
    ---

    list for cons. yrs reaching @ least a final, down to 10:

    19 Connors ['71-89]
    17 Federer [2000-16]
    16 Lendl ['79-94]
    15 Orantes ['69-83]
    14 McEnroe ['78-91], Moya ['95-08]
    13 Edberg ['84-96], Noah ['78-90], Sampras ['90-02], Ferrero ['99-11], Nalbandian ['01-13], Nadal ['04-16]

    12 Becker ['85-96], Vilas ['72-83], Gomez ['80-91], Smith ['69-80], Roddick '01-12], Berdych ['04-15], Murray ['05-16], Monfils ['05-16]

    11 Chang ['88-98], Nastase ['69-79], Gottfried ['73-83], Gerulaitis ['74-84], Tanner ['72-82], Muster ['88-98], Gilbert ['84-94], Ramirez ['73-83], Ferrer ['05-15], Djokovic ['06-16]

    10 Ivanisevic ['89-98], Hewitt ['98-07], Agassi ['87-96], Wilander ['81-90], Krajicek ['91-00], Kafelnikov ['94-03], Rosewall ['68*-77], Simon ['06-15], Monaco ['07-16]

    ...and here's the list for cons. yrs winning at least a title, down to 8:

    15 Federer [01-15]
    14 Lendl ['80-93]
    13 Connors ['72-84], Nadal ['04-16]
    12 Edberg ['84-95], Becker ['85-96], Roddick ['01-12]
    11 Sampras ['90-00], Chang ['88-98], Vilas ['73-83], Gottfried ['73-83], Djokovic ['06-16], Murray ['06-16]

    10 Nastase ['69-78], Hewitt ['98-07], Agassi(1/2) ['87-96]
    9 Ivanisevic ['90-98], McEnroe ['78-86], Krajicek ['91-99], Kafelnikov ['94-02], Dibbs ['73-81], Davydenko ['03-11]

    8 Agassi(2/2) ['98-05], Laver ['68*-75], Newcombe ['68*-75], Borg ['74-81], ...***

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  2. Djokovic @ this X so reminds me of the era of Lendl where he couldn't catch a cold w/ the likes of Borg, Connors, & McEnroe in the headlines! He performed better, was beating all comers, had won 3 USO's in a row, and all they could talk about was his not having a Wimbledon on his resume!

    ***The dude is dominating a super weak era playing the most boring style ever and wants us to apprec. him j/b he's winning?
    ---

    Federer 17 majors + 6 WTFs + 24 Masters = 47 "Big" titles (tourneys w/ most top players playing).
    - Djokovic 12 Majors + 5 WTFs + 30 Masters = 47 "Big" titles.
    Whereas Federer w/b pushing it to reach 50 ('11 thru '16, 2/3/0/2/1/0), Novak can probably reach 60 ('11 thru '16, 8/5/5/6/10/6+).***

    As long as we're not trying to compare them; Roger significantly older! IMO, it's ridiculous to compare w/ Nadal! Again it w/b like comparing apples & oranges! We're desperate to have a true rivalry, but the only 1 there is right now is w/ Nole and Andy; #1 & #2, born w/i a wk of 1 another, had the same comp. in Fedal! Rafa has a lot more mileage on him, so I can't even group him w/ Murkovic! When he started dropping clay matches to Murray, we all had t/b in agreement he's "past it!"

    ***Fed wasn't close to being in his prime in '11, but Nadal most certainly was & he had the finals to show for it. He beat more top 10 players in '11 than '10, was better vs the field (69-9 v 69-10 the year before vs players other than Djokovic) and had tougher draws en route to reaching the slam finals that he did, beating Fed.

    ...Nadal might not have been as great in '11 as he was the year prior, but Hell, he wasn't THAT far off. He made more finals and objectively performed better vs the rest of the field. Also, once Djokovic hit his stride it was clear that he was a better player than Peakdal could hope t/b on HC's or indoors, which comprises 60+% of the tour, and was at least a formidable enough foe on grass to warrant a comparison btw the 2. ...that Djokovic @ his best could overtake a peak Nadal in the rankings, or @ the very least muster up enough fight to make it photo finish.
    ---

    If Nole wins OSG this year, he will join Agassi in the elusive "Career Super Slam" club, edging ahead Nadal (who only has a Career GS, since he does not have WTF) & Federer (who only has a CGS, since he doesn't have OSG). This Olympics matters a lot more to Djokovic's legacy than people thought.
    ---

    Is there a name for winning all 4 GS, 9 Masters, WTF, OG, DC in a career? The PhD of tennis? Pure Holy Dominance? Does a player then turn his attention to completing his ATP 500 collection? - Career GOAT Slam.
    ---

    The GS is the historically recognized & accepted marker of a GOAT player. The very reason the tennis world began this year wondering if Djokovic might reach a level no male player has reached in 47 yrs--the GOAT-defining achievement of the Grand Slam. It's the same reason the entire sports world was hanging on every moment in the '15 USO as Serena was trying to win the GS. We know you would love to erase the >est tennis achievement to protect / clean up Fed's standing, but that's not going to work now, or ever. No Grand Slam = no GOAT player.
    ---

    You're just making this up. No one agrees w/ you that a GS is a 'must' t/b GOAT, or any single criteria is the be-all & end-all. The most objective method to evaluate the player's all X greatness are based on the following essential criteria:

    * # of Major Titles won
    * Overall performance @ GS Events
    * Player Ranking
    * Performance @ ATP/WTA events
    * Performance (Win/loss record) at Davis & Fed Cup events
    * Records held or broken
    * Intangibles (contribution to tennis)***

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  3. ***Since no tennis player in history won all big tourneys, or even was fairly close to winning them all - that kind of acomplishment never got its name. It was just unimaginable for someone to win everything. When I say "all big/important tourneys", I mean - all GS + YEC + all Masters1000 + DC + OGM (singles).

    Total # of GS-winning yrs & there is GS-winning year streak:

    Nadal is 10 & 10
    Sampras is 10 & 8
    Federer is 9 & 8
    Borg is 8 & 8
    Novak is 7 & 6
    I felt Novak could finish 10 & 9
    ---

    I think 9 is reasonable. I can see 2 more pretty good yrs by his standard, & then 1 yr of slippage, but still managing to steal a slam thru grit & will ala Fed in his later yrs. From then on, maybe he can win 1 more in the last 2 or 3 yrs of his career. I'm looking at 18 Slams as a possiblity & 16-18 as the most likely final range.
    ---

    ...how you'd characterize Fed's '12 Wimbledon victory. Fed destroyed the world #1 on the way to his title that year... & then followed that up w/ a comprehensive win over Murray in the Final.
    ---

    I wouldn't say Fed destroyed Djokovic, it was a 4 set win, they were dead even after the 1st 2 sets, each winning one 6-3. But I would say that Federer overall outplayed him, like he did Murray in the final. As for Djokovic tossing aside the world #1, it will have to happen at AO t/b fair, since Fed did it on his best surface, & I think even in a yr 1/2, Novak will remain a formidable player on Plexicushion.
    ---

    Well, in this moment of tennis history, there's a fair chance for Novak to win it all. He could achieve this before USO '16. Even if he doesn't make it this year - he has rest of his career to try. This means there is justified need for naming such a remarkable achievement, and my proposal is "Royal Slam". I see it as adequate name for something so big, & steel non-reached.
    ---

    It's just silly to put only Majors in tier 1. There's already a name for that - GS Tournaments. It's obvious that GS, Masters & YEC are most important tourneys in tennis game, and it's not unusual to put them in a group of most important. That group should have a name, which w/b the matter of consensus. If majority of (i.e.) this forum wants to call it "tier 1." I'm ok w/ that. - Djokovic will win more GS + YEC + Masters (all-together) titles than Federer.
    ---

    ...Federer has the mental edge over Murray, as well as more the talent. Murray would certainly feel the pressure to claim *his* chance & beat probably his toughest opp. in Majors. It's a damn shame this didn't happen last year, but as they say that's sport, & comments about how "if Federer can't do it now he doesn't deserve another Major" are ridiculous.***

    It's like I'm in the Twilight Zone; and people not even considering that Fed may be "past it!" Mon Dieu; he's 35 going on 50! Due to how mentally weak today's players have been, he's been making a respectable living, but majors, OG, & DC aren't in the cards! He might steal a Masters if he dares show his face next season!

    ***The heavyweight champion's 1 way from holding the mystical infinity slam, having won USO '15, Shanghai '15, Paris Indoors '15, WTF '15, AO '16, IW '16, Miami '16 and Canada '16...only 1 HC title remains. Cincy. Will Earth's Mightiest Warrior try to do what has never been done before & hold the ever elusive Infinity Slam w/i his Iron Grip, or will he just skip the event all together? This maybe the 1st & only X we may ever get to see someone hold all 9 HC titles @ the same X.
    ---

    ...Is it wrong to say Connors & Lendl have > tour-level titles than Federer? - No, b/c it's a fact that Connors & Lendl have more than Federer does. It's, however, not a fact that Masters are "Tier 1" events b/c that's a designation you're making up to help your insecurities.***

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  4. ***If President Obama thinks that his statement will make the Trumpanzees rethink or withdraw their support, he is dead wrong. In point of fact, it will absolutely solidify their support.***

    Obama very well knows any supporter of Trump is a "lost cause;" his shout out was for those numerous "Independents" who have a brain and common sense!

    ***It didnt stop anyone from voting for Trump. All it did was once again show how petty Barack Obama is. A trade meeting w/ a guy from Indonesia & Obama starts taking shots at Trump? Keep it classy Barack!***

    PETTY? Obama's intelligence, patriotism, & his very citizenship was ??ed by this moron! He's lucky I'm not running against him; wouldn't spare him or his wretched family's feelings like Trump did to the Obamas!

    ***I hear what you're saying, Fiero, but Obama shouldn't stoop to their level. As for Obama's intelligence... I believe he's 1 of the most intelligent Presidents we've ever had; unfortunately, this is Kardashian America. Intelligence seems to have no place in the mainstream anymore. It's all about the cult of celebrity, where the only bad press is no press at all, & Trump has milked that to the hilt.
    ---

    I'm proud Obama stood up & finally blasted this idiot in full force w/ all the might of the Presidential Pulpit. Like Obama says...ENOUGH. This man is a disgrace to every American who was ever born. - Who is to blame for Donald Trump's candidacy?***

    It really goes back to the hubris of "how many actually ran" w/o a chance; Carson, Walker, Santorum, Paul, Perry, Huckabee, and so many others! The only viable candidates were Cruz, Rubio, and if you want a fringe candidate, allow Trump to come along for the ride! They sabotaged themselves; stupid Reps! - The Rep. Party is imploding! At Town Hall for Trump, a woman who explained she had a son in the army and fighting 'over there' & since she ??ed Pence about Trump's disrespect for that Gold Star family; the Kahns lost their son in '04 got boo'd! The Rep. Party has been exposed by Trump!

    ***What about Reps constantly bashing Gold Star Mother Cindy Sheehan?***

    It's ok if they do it! Hypocrisy is the MO of the Rep. party! After 4 yrs, they're still trying to blame Hillary for Benghazi! I say, lets be fair & go way back to the 80's when 252 US soldiers were blown up in their barracks in Beirut! I can't remember anyone holding Reagan responsible! Slowly these sleaze-balls are trying to make a hero out of "W" when his wars were initiated under a LIE, but why quibble about that? Hillary's emails has made us < safe!

    ***Reps who still support Trump-
    This is simply the latest debacle your nominee has been involved in. It's not the 1st and won't be the last.

    You are appearing ridiculous to the gen. population.
    You are defending the indefensible.
    Nothing any of you have posted in this thread is an excuse or excuses what your piece of crap mouth piece did/ is doing to this family.

    How low will he sink, at this point there appears to be no bottom.***

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  5. ***Is Trump trying to lose the election? - Unfortunately there w/b a backlash when he loses & American credibility will suffer.***

    Even if the collusion was admitted to, Reps didn't have to vote for this loon! It's not like all the evidence was hidden! The problem is they've been exposed; booing a Gold Star mother for asking a ?? of Pence, cheering Trump receiving a Purple Heart, denying endorsement as the standard bearer of the party!

    ***Oh yes, as I said, the blame for Trump is mostly at the feet of primary voters. Of course they won't admit the collusion, which is probably a federal crime.
    ---

    Dems pretending to care about 'Gold Star Families'***

    And the same c/b said about "conservatives" & Reps when they reference minorities, immigrants, women, gays, etc, etc! They invoke Chicago talking about the shootings almost everyday; why? Do they think this embarrasses Obama? Heaven knows they don't really care about these people!

    ***Dems have long been the party most concerned about soldiers while Reps often did not care about them except as political props. I.E., Dems mostly voted against the Iraq War, wanting to keep American troops out of harms way unless nec. When the war did happen, the Dems fought to give the troops adequate armor as opposed to a Rep. party which fought their efforts, forcing soldiers' families to buy commercial bulletproof vests to send their loved ones and forcing soldiers to salvage scrap metal from junkyards to up armor their Humvees. Clinton in particular voted to dramatically increase the death benefit avail. to Gold Star families to help them weather the financial hardships caused by the death of their loved one.
    ---

    Funny how all the Clintard Parrots-- that had no clue what a "Gold Star" was until they learned it from CNN or MSDNC, ...are such great "support the troops" advocates and "patriots" over "Gold Star" Khhaaaan's political theater.
    ---

    I had almost forgotten the X Bill Clinton said that oral sex isn't sex & he found a passage in the bible to prove it. - Bill was always entertaining, & he did little to mess up the awesome Reagan/Bush economy.***

    I keep having to say this to people w/ no sense of reality; "BILL AIN'T RUNNING losers!"

    ***I stay away from criticizing Bill Clintons Presidency. He presided over a good X in the country. That was partly due to him and partly due to his working w/ Reps. ...It's hard to not like Clinton. He's the dude.
    ---

    The economy sucks, home ownership is plummeting, food stamps are @ a record level, work force participation is highest in modern times, family income is way down, terror is out of control, cops are being hunted, race relations are set back 50 years, illegal immigrants are pouring over the border unchecked, & all they got is that Trump insulted a Gold Star family?
    ---

    Says the idiot who pretends to care about soldiers while supporting someone who hates captured troops. Facts have an anti-Trump bias. Deal w/ it retard.***

    Yeah, you have Rep. trying to say things are bad, but forget where the country was just 7 yrs ago; hemorrhaging jobs at 800,000 a month, the DOW around 6600 (now over 18,000), unemployment well over 10% (now under 5%), the auto industry about to collapse (now thriving)! I could go on, but some are just 'Debbie Downers' trying to gain power through fear, anger, & hatred! - So much for the 11th Commandment; talk about animals "eating their young!" This is hilarious! Reps have truly been exposed!

    ***Ahhh, Shaddup! You're supporting a candidate that wouldn't be hired as a cashier at McD's or be given security clearance at Amazon, who cheated her way to the Dem. nom.***

    If my only choices were Trump & a "chimp," I'd go w/ the chimp! More rational behavior w/b on display; just not dressed in a suit! I expect Trump to drop 'em 1 day so he can grab his shit & throw it like a simian in a zoo!

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  6. ***Rep. Nat'l Committee head Reince Priebus, former Rep. NY City mayor Rudy Giuliani & former House Speaker Newt Gingrich are among the Trump endorsers hoping to talk the real estate mogul into a dramatic reset of his campaign in the coming days, sources tell NBC News.

    What are the team's options...?

    1) Re-set & "pivot" to Trump's vast policy base and argue the issues. (chkX)

    2) Recommend bringing in an acting coach (Palin option).

    3) Recommend a trip to the Betty Ford Clinic.

    4) Furgitaboutit...... Phone it in ya sick and don't show.***

    No wonder they got on so well yrs ago; Palin & Trump are totally sympatico! I didn't think anyone c/b as "bent" as Sarah Palin, but Trump has proved me wrong! He c/b an even > DISASTER than Palin running as VP! When the world is blowing up around him, Trump is concentrating on TWEETS, FB entries, & the MSM who criticize him! He c/b talking about the hostages being released at the same X we're sending $400 M back to Iran, the bad economic #'s, & Hillary's email situation, but Trump would rather beat up a Gold Star family, insult his party by withholding endorsements, & brag about a Purple Heart someone gave to him yesterday!

    ***It shouldn't be so difficult to fathom that people will have legitimate grievances against Hillary's platform, the same as any other political figure who has ever existed throughout history. Also, while a woman being elected as the POTUS would indeed be historic, that is not a justifiable reason for voting for someone.***

    There was NEVER any legitimate grievance or reason to "HATE" on this woman! It started 20+ yrs ago when she made a comment about "staying home, baking cookies, & having TEAS!" Reps flipped out & it "been ON" since! The more success she had, the more frustrated they got! While a Senator & SOS she got nothing but glowing reviews; now running for President, she's the worst! I can't handle it!

    ***When Bill was elected, he pitched the idea Hillary w/b part of the bargain. Certain types were furious at this concept as they elected Bill, not Hillary & didn't want any 2 for 1 deals so they dragged her through the mud as best they could. Her desire to help the < fortunate was seen as holier than thou.
    ---

    And after Bill's 2nd term ended, the Repubgnatives just wanted her to go away. She didn't. So they've been going after her harder & harder, hoping THIS TIME she'll either be arrested or just give up & lead a quiet life. It BURNS them that this strong woman is stronger than ANY one of them. Some of what she's hated for is her own fault. But the other 85% is just right-wing conspiracies created to affect her poll #'s (and that was ACTUALLY SAID by congressional repubgnatives). I mean seriously, what happened in Benghazi was tragic, but there is NO LOGICAL REASON for there to be ELEVEN congressional inquests. NO LOGICAL REASON!!***

    They just can't help themselves! ;-)

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  7. Trump decides to "diss" Wisconsin sons when rally scheduled for tomorrow in GB! Senator Johnson, Priebus, Ryan, & Walker wi/b conspicuously missing! Go figure!

    - http://www.wiscnews.com/news/state-and-regional/article_b9755677-0c92-586d-b38d-d3b0019f28c3.html -

    ***...Keep nominating clowns & future/past reality show celebrities & you are handing the election to Dems.***

    The Dems may take ownership of the Presidency for the foreseeable future due to the narrow-minded twits on "the right!" This w/b the 1st X in my life they've won 3 in a row! As long as Reps are @ war w/ each other, nationally they'll continue to suffer! Their influence will finally fade in Congress & we can "be on our way!" How many X's do we have to "go under" when they're in charge to prove they're clueless? Lowering taxes, but unable to really make any significant budget cuts is always a killer of the economy sooner or later! Infrastructure spending by Hillary will infuse & build the economy for a while anyway! It's so simple you'd think the other side whd it & taken credit! Idiots!

    ***...Your dreams of a 1 party authoritarian system arent going to happen, bucko.***

    We can have 2 parties as long as we have competent, conciliatory types who can compromise! Right now, that word is DIRTY! The real animus comes from the "right!" They are the ones that threatened our credit rating, wouldn't pass a budget in a timely fashion causing gov't to shut down, & of course wasted billions of $$'s! The Dems have nothing to do w/ Tea-Bagger psychos!

    ***So what did the Dems offer for their part of the compromise?***

    You can't compromise w/ Reps; they want it all! They've wasted X, energy, & paper trying to repeal Obamacare well over 50 X's! What are the Dems supposed to do: "ok, we'll destroy our President's greatest achievement just to placate morons on the right!"

    ***They overpoll women & cut out millennials. Trump's score is always 10 pts > than reported. - I think the polls will stay about where they are...& send me & other Trump voters str. to the polls on Nov. 8th. Let's keep the Clinton voters comfy, cozy & sipping their herbal teas like the "old bag ladies" I envision them. - - Dick Morris is posting on IMDb!***

    Remember when Dicky was "freaking out" along w/ Karl Rove on FNC when they were so sure Romney would win in '12? They didn't think the same people that came out in '08 would stand in those long lines in '12; they're underestimating us again!

    ***I didn't see it live, but read about it later. Very silly man. If he told me the Sun was going to come up tmrw, I'd expect the end of the world.
    ---

    I still follow WI politics fairly closely and I think that Johnson's likely to lose. It's a shame. I guess they want career politician Russ Feingold.
    ---

    Personally, I have never understood how career became a dirty word... But, ya know I ain't a rightwingnut either.***

    I seem to remember Reps repeating that term of "career politicians" b/c they were trying to break the lock the Dems had on Congress! They had been out in the woods for over 40 yrs & thru nagging of the electorate, they got people to turn against Congressmen who had made a life being a Senator & Representative! Of course as soon as they got in 30 yrs ago, it's ok for them; just nor the Dems! Term limits were touted, now you never hear about it w/ Reps running Congress into the ground!

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  8. ***Hardest slam draws conquered?***

    ...OTTH '90 USO where Sampras had to overcome Lendl, McEnroe, & Agassi to take his 1st major comes to mind! As a 19 yo, he chb in awe of both Lendl & McEnroe, but, blew them off the court w/ his serve! ...Sampras went ahead & annihilated his childhood rival in strs! Funny, I thought after so many other failures in major finals, he could at least rise to the occasion vs a known quantity! I went out and played myself so sure he would win; what a shock to find Pete destroyed him in about an hour/half!

    ***If Novak is given an option btw winning Cincy + OG or just the USO, which 1 would he choose?

    Olympics + Cinci w/o a shadow of a doubt. Only a CYGS w/b bigger, but that ship has sailed for this yr.

    The Olympics are the real major in all sports, and it’s every 4 yrs. No way I would prefer a so-called “major” which is 16 X's as often & where I could say to myself after every loss: “Nevermind, in a few months there's another chance anyway.”

    As I said in another post: In 100 yrs, if anyone of today’s players w/ just 1 big title w/b mentioned by statisticians, it won’t be Del Potro or Cilic, but Massu. That’s b/c the Olympics are so unique in forcing interest to the whole world of sports fans. And nobody will care if in the then ancient history guys like Laver weren’t able to play there. Look, even today only a few historians care about the situation before the Open Era and are able to explain why Emerson isn’t > than Laver despite having 1 more of today’s majors.

    So imagine how many more important will the Gold medal be for a player like Djokovic who already has 2 USO anyway? Cinci looks like the icing on the cake, but it’s also a huge achievement itself. Djokovic would not only complete his career Masters set, but hold all 9 big annual HC titles simultaneously (USO, Shanghai, Paris, WTF, AO, IW, Miami, Canada, Cinci) & would have won all 15 big singles titles (Slams, WTF, Masters, Olympics) during a span of only 17 months since MC '15.
    ---

    Cinci, which w/b played after the OG, is the only big title he's missing - which is why he's going to Rio hugely motivated. 8 yrs ago Djokovic won bronze in Beijing, in London in '12 he was 1 of the faves, but lost in the SF, as well as the 3rd place match. Having now spent 210 wks as a world #1 & w/ the win in Toronto, Djokovic now has just under 6000 pt lead over 2nd placed Murray in the rankings, while his lead in the Race to London's now 1815 pts.
    ---

    Can Novak complete his collection of the 16 biggest trophies in tennis in the year '16? And even bigger, if he wins the Olympics & Cincy this yr, he whd all that in '15 & '16 alone (apart from DC, but that’s of course a team comp). Just imagine a 2-yr-ranking-system!

    AO: '15, '16
    IW: '15, '16
    Miami: '15, '16
    MC: '15
    Madrid: '16
    Rome: '15
    FO: '16
    Wimbl: '15
    Canada: '16
    (OG's: '16 ?)
    (Cinci: '16 ?)
    (USO: '15, ?)
    (Shanghai: '15, ?)
    (Paris: '15, ?)
    (WTF's: '15, ?)

    I’m a Federer fan, but considering he's out now until '17, I would have preferred Djokovic winning Wimbledon b/c him chasing the Golden Slam whb the only thing which could make the rest of the season really interesting. However, what Djokovic achieves these days is admirable.***

    A 2 yr. ranking was proposed by Nadal if you can believe it! He was running out of steam and about to lose his #1 ranking to Nole the 1st X & while VP of the ATP, he was pushing for it! Roger was the President @ the X & put the kibosh on it; poor thing! Rafa isn't as innocent & slow as we think; always maneuvering & "running game" on all of us & his fellow competitors!

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  9. ***Any tournament where you are beating the best in the field s/b considered a "big title," whether it's a BO3 or BO5. The fact that they made Masters mandatory made their importance go up a lot more. These tournaments will continue t/b important long after Federer & Djokovic are done, & players will strive for them, just like Slams.
    ---

    Ok, so let's say Djokovic finishes his career w/ 16 slams & 30 Masters while Federer finishes w/ 17 & 24 resp.? Whose career are you taking if we assume everything else is = just for simplicity?
    ---

    ...You value the #1 ranking, but not Masters; how do you think players achieve that #1 ranking? Of course, casual fans only care about Slams.
    ---

    ...I don't agree that Masters & Slams belong anywhere near the same category. You can still call them important b/c they're full field events, but historically the diff. btw slams & Masters is too big for me to consider them as big titles. And that includes WTF's = though they are slightly >er than Masters. Slams are the only "big" titles to me, but any #1 stats & slam distribution are also important. I just have Masters too far down the list; mostly to use as a TB.
    ---

    I mean, seriously. Nole's a late-bloomer, but it's just way too late for him to come even close to Fedal. There are 4 main tennis acomplishments to compare - GS titles won, wks @ #1, Masters titles & CYGS/NCYGS, & Nole's far behind by all counts. Fedal has 31 GS titles, & Novak only 12. Fedal has 443 wks @ #1, more than double than Novak. 52 Masters titles > poor 30. Numerous CYGS & NCYGS vs only 1 NCYGS. So, it's pretty clear IMO - Whatever he does, Djokovic'll never be as good as Fedal.***

    Well I guess comparing 2 careers to 1 would make a significant diff., but Nole's adding to his totals everyX he enters an event!

    ***Fiero, why do you have such a disdain for the Wms sisters?***

    I have disdain for most American players going back to Evert, Jaeger, Austin, Connors, McEnroe, & Agassi! There's this sense of entitlement, playing the victim, & media coverage usually going overboard! As much as the Williams' are lauded, I think they woefully underachieved; outside interests, their own apathy, & injury due to inconsistent training up until now! It used t/b the topic of conversation how Serena would play herself into shape @ the AO every yr coming in there overweight & not sharp! I've just never seen a #1 player w/ the up & downs of a so called "GOAT!" I could write a book over reasons I wish they'd all go away!

    ***Even Sampras?***

    He was pretty much a good guy overall, but he had his moments; DC & of his being #1 w/o a major @ the X! He was asked to play vs Russia, kept saying "NO" until the last day when he decided he did want to perform! Then there was that period when the next gen. was lobbying for McEnroe t/b the DC captain & as soon as he took the job, they stopped playing! John quit after only 6 months or so! Pete's hypocrisy comes into play when he added his voice to the snide remarks of Courier & Agassi about Muster being #1 & getting special dispensation to play only clay events due to his knee injury & surgeries! I seem to remember @ least Muster owned a FO title unlike Pete who would acquire the top ranking just before Wimbledon in '93 & he hadn't won a slam since USO of '90! I guess you had to be there!

    ***This sounds personal.***

    What's your pt? That's how most people show their preferences; "it's personal!" As much as I touted Sampras as the GOAT 10 yrs ago, even he showed some hypocrisy & of being a prima donna I can do w/o! Give me the boring & dull like a Borg or Djokovic anyX who are gentlemen & always praise their comp. w/o the rolling of the eyes!

    ReplyDelete
  10. ***ERA OPEN:

    BIG TITLES post Canada '16
    1) Connors 8 + 45 = 53
    2) Lendl 8 + 41 = 51
    3) Federer 17 + 30 = 47
    4) Djokovic 12 + 35 = 47
    5) McEnroe 7 + 38 = 45
    6) Nadal 14 + 28 = 42
    7) Borg 11 + 26 = 37
    8) Sampras 14 + 22 = 36
    ...................
    9) Agassi 8 + 18 = 26
    10) Becker 6 + 18 = 24
    11) Wilander 7 + 8 = 15
    12) Edberg 6 + 9 = 15

    RESULTS:
    1) 75500 FEDERER / 3775 = 20,00
    2) 70100 CONNORS /3775 = 18,57
    3) 68500 SAMPRAS / 3775 = 18,15
    4) 67500 DJOKOVIC / 3775 = 17,88
    5) 65200 LENDL / 3775 = 17,27
    6) 65400 MCENROE / 3775 = 17,09
    7) 63000 NADAL / 3775 = 16,69
    8) 54700 BORG / 3775 = 14,49

    RESULTS + "EXTRA"
    1) FEDERER 30,00
    2) BORG 24,49
    3) CONNORS 23,57
    4) NADAL 22,69
    5) SAMPRAS 22,15
    6) MAC 21,09
    7) DJOKOVIC 19,88 (17,88 + 1 + 1 for history.. 4 slam)
    8) LENDL 17,27
    ---

    Lendl pts:

    8 Majors 18500 (3500 x 3 US + 2000 x 3 RG + 1000 x 2 AUS)
    5 Masters NY 7500 (1500 X 5)
    2 Dallas - WCT Finals 2600 (1300 X 3)
    38 other BIG titles (ATP)
    Ft. Myers ('85) 900
    Cinci ('82) 900
    Las Vegas ('81) 1000
    Canada ('80) 1000
    Canada ('81) 1000
    Canada ('83) 1000
    Canada ('87) 1000
    Canada ('88) 1000
    Canada ('89) 1000
    Canada ('90) 1000
    Tokyo ('83) 900
    Tokyo ('85) 900
    Tokyo ('90) 900
    Tokyo ('92) 900
    Tokyo ('93) 900
    London Wembley ('84) 900
    London Wembley ('85) 900
    London Wembley ('87) 900
    Philadelphia ('86) 1000
    MC ('85) 1000
    MC ('88) 1000
    Rome ('86) 1000
    Rome ('88) 1000
    Boca West ('86) 2000
    Miami ('89) 2000
    Stockholm ('89) 900
    Milan ('83) 900
    Milan ('86) 900
    Antwerp ('82, '84, '85, '87, '89) 5000 (5 X 1000)
    Challenge of Ch. ('82, '85, '88) 3000 (3 X 1000)

    51 BIG TITLES 65200 PTS
    ---

    Federer pts:
    17 majors x 2500 = 42500
    6 ATP Finals x 1500 = 9000
    24 M1000 x 1000 = 24000
    47 BIG TITLES 75500 PTS

    Nadal pts:
    14 majors x 2500 = 35000
    28 Master1000 x 1000 = 28000
    42 BIG TITLES 63000 PTS

    Sampras pts:
    14 majors 44000 (12 x 3500 + 2 Australian x 1000)
    5 ATP Finals x 1500 = 7500
    17 Master1000 x 1000 = 17000
    36 BIG TITLES 68500 PTS

    Djokovic pts:
    12 majors x 2500 = 30000
    5 ATP Finals x 1500 = 7500
    30 Master1000 x 1000 = 30000
    47 BIG TITLES 67500 PTS
    ---

    Borg pts:

    11 Majors 28000 (3500 x 5 W + 1500 x 3 RG 1974-75-78, + 1500 x 3 RG 1979-80-81)
    2 Masters NY (2 X 1500)
    Dallas - WCT Finals 1200
    24 other BIG titles:
    Las Vegas ('79) 1000
    Las Vegas ('80) 1000
    Barcelona ('75) 900
    Boston ('74) 900
    Boston ('75) 900
    Boston ('76) 900
    Tokyo ('78) 1000
    Tokyo ('79) 1000
    Canada ('79) 1000
    Stockholm ('80) 900
    Memphis ('77) 900
    Birmingham ('78) 900
    Challenge Cup ('79) 900
    Tourn. of Champs ('78) 900
    Rotterdam ('79) 900
    Richmond ('79) 900
    Milan ('78) 900
    Rome ('74) 1000
    Rome ('78) 1000
    Boca Raton ('77-78-79) 3000 (1000 X 3)
    MC ('79) 900
    MC ('80) 900
    38 BIG TITLES PTS 54700
    ---

    Nole's 1st titles (before '14):

    Grand Slams
    Aussie Open: def. Federer ('08)
    Wimbledon: def. Nadal ('11)
    U.S. Open: def. Nadal & Federer ('11)

    Masters
    IW: def. Nadal ('08)
    Miami: def. Nadal ('07)
    Monte Carlo: def. Nadal ('13)
    Madrid: def. Nadal ('11)
    Rome: def. Wawrinka ('08) (& beat Nadal in '11)
    Canada: def. Federer '07
    Shanghai: def. Murray ('12)
    Paris: def. Nadal ('09)

    Davis Cup
    Title: '10

    He won 80% of his titles before '14, having to go thru Nadal & Federer 80% of the X. But yeah..."weak era."***

    ReplyDelete
  11. ***I believe Murray c/b this gens Agassi. Becoming the top player in his later yrs as both were considered under performers in the young days.***

    Agassi wasn't as much a gym-rat! Murray's taken it to a new level; terribly overdeveloped in the arms & legs! I think it'll all catch up w/ him; HELL he's already gone through back surgery! Both Nadal & Murray will NEVER get to Roger's age & level of play! It w/b all downhill sooner or later & no 1 s/b surprised when it starts!

    ***Nadal has been on the major decline for about 2 yrs now. - Andy can again give Novak a run for the YE #1 Prize.***

    When did this happen or are you talking about other players in general; not just Andy? Most of his reign has had Nole doubling his closest rivals; gotten closer of late, but Andy has to sweep the rest of the season! That's a lot of playing; esp. since he's not done at the Olympics yet while Nole's resting, out of the singles & doubles!

    ***Which bubble are you in? After Wimbledon win, Andy was w/i an earshot of Novak. But, once Novak won Toronto., it looked improbable again.
    ---

    Djokovic seems mentally burnt out since the FO. He may have physical issues or whatever the rumours on it are, but mentally he's out of it.***

    I keep saying, Nole hasn't played top notch, supremely confident tennis since Qatar where he annihilated Rafa in the final several months ago! He's gotten thru, won 4 Masters & 2 majors, but he hasn't been sharp! Kei almost got him, Andy's been on the cusp taking Rome final, but Bo5 events s/b Nole's BF on clay & HC for the next 2 yrs!

    ***Who else doesn't care about the Olympics anymore?***

    Besides surfing by due to their taking over so many cable channels, if not for "figure skating," I would drop the Olympics altogether! It's a joke; esp. when they allowed pros & established famed athletes to perform! I'd have to say watching it has been @ the bottom of my "must-see" list since '92 w/ "The Dream Team" of basketball & then allowing pros from baseball, hockey, & tennis to literally take over the event!

    ***I'm confused, do you think the sprinters, gymnasts, etc. shouldn't be allowed to compete either then? They are also pros. Why would you want to take away things like Usain Bolt becoming the fastest of all X? The whole idea of the Olympics is the best atheltes from each country competing. Why would you want to restrict the actual best athletes from competing?***

    The best "amateur" athlete IMO! I really don't care as much about most of the sports like running, gymnastic, skiing, figure skating, & soccer, but multi-millionaire athletes in tennis, basketball, baseball, & hockey should not be allowed to participate in the Olympics!

    ***I agree. There shouldn't be an Olympic event for popular sports like tennis, football, basketball, etc. All of them are already very popular as they are & don't need a defining event t/b recognized worldwide. - ...The best "amateur" athletes would exclude all those sports you mention as well. They all make $$ off their sports. Wanting athletes to not be paid for what they do is such an outdated & frnakly ridiculous concept.
    ---

    Young GUNS: 1st Majors won:

    '52: Connors ('74, 21)
    '56: Borg ('74, 18)
    '59: McEnroe ('79, 20)
    '60: Lendl ('84, 24)
    '64: Wilander ('82, 17)
    '66: Edberg ('85, 19)
    '67: Becker ('85, 17)
    '70: AAgassi ('92, 22)
    '71: Sampras ('90, 19)
    '81: Federer ('03, 21)
    '86: Nadal ('05, 19)
    '87: Djokovic ('08, 20)

    I think that list shows us 2 things: 1, teenage Slam winners aren't totally unheard of, but very rare in tennis history. IDK about players w/ < than 5 Slams, but the only 2 5+ Slam winners who won their 1st as teenagers before Borg were Rosewall & Vines. 2, as we know there was a cluster of them in the 80s-90s, unlike any we have seen in tennis history.***

    ReplyDelete
  12. ***The YE rankings & pts from '10 to '15 year are:

    '10
    1 Rafael Nadal 12450
    2 Roger Federer 9145
    3 Novak Djokovic 6240

    '11
    1 Novak Djokovic 13630
    2 Rafael Nadal 9595
    3 Roger Federer 8170

    '12
    1 Novak Djokovic 12920
    2 Roger Federer 10265
    3 Andy Murray 8000
    4 Rafael Nadal 6690

    '13
    1 Rafael Nadal 13030
    2 Novak Djokovic 12260
    3 David Ferrer 5800
    4 Andy Murray 5790

    '14
    1 Novak Djokovic 11360
    2 Roger Federer 9775
    3 Rafael Nadal 6835
    4 Stanislas Wawrinka 5370
    5 Kei Nishikori 5025d
    (6 Andy Murray 4675)

    '15
    1 Novak Djokovic 16585
    2 Andy Murray 8945
    3 Roger Federer 8265
    4 Stanislas Wawrinka 6865
    5 Rafael Nadal 5230

    So, we can clearly see that Fiero's off by a bit- Novak hasn't been "doubling his closest rivals" for "most of his reign." The ratio of pts for Novak to the top non-Novak pts total (Novak/Highest non-Novak) for that X is:
    '10: 0.5012
    '11: 1.4205
    '12: 1.2586
    '13: 0.9409
    '14: 1.1621
    '15: 1.8541

    Which leaves us w/ exactly 1 yr where he nearly doubled his closest rival (Andy last year). HOWEVER, he has doubled up Andy himself far more often- that ratio (Novak/Andy) for the X period is:

    '10: 1.0833
    '11: 1.8469
    '12: 1.6150
    '13: 2.1174
    '14: 2.4299
    '15: 1.8541

    Personally, I want Andy to catch up b/c I'd like the end of yr tourney to mean something. Here's hoping Cincy goes well for Andy!
    ---

    Tier 1 - Fed/ Pete/ Laver/ Borg/ Rafa

    Tier 2 - Novak, McEnroe, Connors, Agassi,Lendl, Wilander, Edberg/ Becker

    TIer 3 - Courier, Kuerten, Murray

    If not, will 1 more major do to elevate Nole to Tier 1?
    ---

    1. If Pete, Borg & Rafa are Tier 1 then so is Nole.
    2. OG not relevant for tiers. Has emotional appeal though.
    ---

    Murray may not reach the heights of the other members of the "Big 4," but b/c he's a member/contemprary of that group, I think he'll often get the nod of approval btw the X-time slam champions; X being the amount of slams he ends up w/. In other words, I say put Murray 1/2 a tier above the 1 you are considering.***

    Murray's done more than Gerulaitis, but he's like him compared to his contemporaries of Borg, Connors, & McEnroe! Yrs down the line, Andy w/b the topic of conversation if he manages to take another GOLD medal @ this Olympics! Winning 2 Wimbledons & a USO isn't going to do it alone; SORRY! It's hard to even equate him w/ Courier since he did own the #1 ranking for a while! Murray's only been close; NO CIGAR!

    ReplyDelete
  13. ***In relation to slams, Masters 1000's are meaningless IMO. - I disagree. Players who win these events often go on to win Slams (not always, but more often than not). They're an important warm-up for many Slam events. ...The tour would not survive if it just consisted of the 4 Slams.
    ---

    ...Now, if Novak turns up & routines everyone @ the USO, barring the odd match that he's known to throw in every slam, then ultimately while the boat had been rocked, it still stayed on course. Novak ends the yr the world #1, 13 slams, & majority of the people will look at W & Olympics as a blip. - - A slam is a slam is a slam.***

    It is NOW due to most all top players attending each season! In the past, there were some inferior draws giving us winners like Kriek, Johansson, & Gerulaitus @ the Aussie Open! If not for Borg, the FO would have lost a lot of luster back in the 70's since most top players knew to skip the slow red clay of RG! Hard to call this a weak era w/ 3 of the all X GREATS vying for all available slams & Masters 1000's! The comp. isn't that bad, actually pushing the elites, they just can't seem to finish the deal most of the X; hence the "Big 4" holding most of the top tourneys creating records unlikely to beat anyX soon!

    ***...you need to go out & play some actual tennis. ...I've been hit in the face w/ overheads @ net before, & it's just an expected part of the sport.***

    I played & taught for 30 yrs buddy! It's not a part of the game! W/ all the single, doubles, & MD I can count on 1 hand even getting nicked by the ball! ...In a doubles match, I was at the net & the returner tried nailing the ball down the line! I stabbed at it; barely cleared & w/ all the backspin began to come back my way! I stood there & dared the guy to reach over & take his legitimate swing @ the ball! It was the final & the whole club was watching! Being a 19 y.o. kid, he would have looked the worst coming after me even though legal! A pt isn't worth losing civility! I didn't go after women like some other guys either when playing MxD's; once w/ my mom! It was usually to their detriment to target me b/c I could lose it & retaliate! That did happen w/ some tough guy deciding he had to nail my mother at the net! "It was on" & we had a very entertaining match w/ her just getting out of the way & allowing me to take over the court! The only game the guy won was serving bombs! He brought that on himself! Nadal hitting Nole may have triggered something that brought him to this level! That's why it isn't worth it to me to hit people when I can avoid it!

    ***What do you mean "played?" I've been watching some college doubles & hanging in no-mans land isn't so bad when playing thugs. The doubles game has evolved while the singles has devolved, from a strat POV. A lefty & righty standing close in doubles to cover both sides w/ FH's, then wide on other side, etc.***

    I played for HS team, local tourneys, club chps; winning in all disciplines! It was my life from 14 on w/ school getting short-shrift b/c I played everyday; during the summer from 9 am into the night! I began to help a tennis teacher after 3 yrs of play & branched out on my own after college! I watched all TV matches & learned a lot; more so from the women who were more strategic w/ their tactics! After all these yrs, & w/ all the GOAT's seeming t/b of this gen., my era will always have paved the way w/ our ATG's of the X; Court, King, Goolagong, Navratilova, Evert, Borg, Laver, McEnroe, Connors, Vilas, Nastase, & Rosewall!

    ***Well that teaches me to jump to conclusions. Anyway, I maintain that Djokovic should not have reacted in that way. Getting hit at net is an expected part of it, even if you aren't meant to consciously aim for the person at net.***

    ReplyDelete
  14. ***We can say Fed fans think tennis ended in '07 & Nadal fans think tennis ended in '10. But it came back @ Wimbledon '12 & yr '13 for the FO & USO.***

    Ya had to love '12; esp. if a Federer fan! All 4 majors split amongst the "Big 4," Roger extending his majors' lead to 17, held the #1 ranking for a while (ended @ 302 wks.) until Nov. (Nole took it back @ YEC) & Madrid tried going to "blue" Har-tru surface aiding him to his final clay Masters! Murray finally broke through beating AO winner Nole in the USO final & took Gold @ Olympics over Roger while Rafa continued his run in Paris acquiring his 7th FO title!

    ***Nole was planning to skip Cincy even w/o wrist injury. He has right to skip 1 mandatory tournament (and not get penalized). So, this was expected.***

    I'm not greedy! I've been more than thrilled w/ Nole's success this season even though I don't think he's played that well; last X maybe in Qatar over Nadal! He added to his pet list of tourneys to win & completed his Nole Slam taking FO 2 months ago! There had t/b a let down & him giving away Wimbledon made sense to not have the CYGS hanging over his head in an Olympic season! At his age, I thought it was too much & hoped he'd skip Rio! After 1st Rd loss, he might as well have done just that! He's out of Cincy so that's another "wait til next year" record! I'll be happy enough if he closes out w/ another USO to keep "major" record in reach! W/o it, he'll end up being 2nd fiddle to Fedal even if he goes past Nadal's 14 next yr! The YEC s/b up for grabs IMB!

    ***It seems like Nadal is tired...he's just trying to survive this match in Rio.***

    ...tired, OLD, & run down! His saving grace is the gutlessness of today's tour "also-rans" and losers! They've allowed 4 players to rule for 10 yrs, only taking a handful of majors or Masters titles outside the "Big 4!"

    ***...Nadal's never lost in the 1st Rd of the USO. However, he won it in '13 after not even participating in '12...***

    Ok, it was the 3rd Rd after being up 2 set to love to Fognini! Does that make you feel better? I know it does a lot for me! MHB thinking of Verdasco taking Nadal out in the 1st Rd at AO this past Feb.! The USO's Nadal's last chance before going over 2 yrs w/o a major win; the last being '14 FO! Just watched Fognini over Nadal; hard not to pick him as underachiever w/ X victories over an ATG! He's been as successful as anyone outside of Nole vs the clay master; pushing Roger even further down the list of players who were true rivals to Rafa! Roger's one in name only by way of a favorable press elevating him to Gawd-like status! Historians will put it all into perspective; we're not capable of it at this X!
    ---

    Britain was so bereft of male talent, they began to rent or annex of late! The women have traditionally done better going back to Virginia Wade, Sue Barker, & Jo Durie! In my day, I think John Lloyd upsetting #4 seed Roscoe Tanner in the 1st Rd of Wimbledon in '77 made the era for the Brits! Wade winning the ladies plate was almost an afterthought w/ Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee! IMO, it wasn't that much of an upset since Roscoe had been elevated a few spots due to his serving prowess; esp. on grass!

    ***Ah, I'm guessing PDJ was referring to Greg Rusedski then? '77 was a bit of a highpoint for British tennis. Lloyd went on to make the final of the Dec. version of the AO that yr (lost in 5 sets to Gerulaitis), but Wade winning Wimbledon was the high watermark for British ladies (none have made a Slam final since). Tanner, of course, went on to make the final of '79 Wimbledon (lost to Borg).***

    ReplyDelete
  15. ***What is Donald Trump hiding? He won't cough up those tax returns. - Where are Hillary's 33,000 deleted emails and speeches to Wall Street?***

    Such losers; which is why Hillary's going to put them all to shame w/ a landslide victory in Nov.! And they wonder why she's so guarded; can't say or do anything w/o it being scrutinized! Now Sean Hannity devoting X trying to make her seem mentally out of it; bringing on so called experts to look at video clips & diagnose her!

    ***They are desperate as hell, bless them. Hillary's too smart for them though.
    ---

    What Happens To The GOP After Trump Loses? - ...But that's exactly what needs to happen.***

    Adapt w/ insanity? Might as well go the way of the "WHIGS" & start over under another TAG! This election cycle looks t/b going down for the Reps! They are openly revolting, pledging to not only vote for Hillary, but help raise $$ & work for her! She's up in the polls in all the battleground states; even GA! All the states Trump's losing is hurting the senator & are assured of losing their majority!

    ***Hey Fiero. Yeah I agree. I believe that I'll faint if GA turns blue!!***

    Funny to see the "talking heads" trying to reassure everyone that Trump can still turn this thing around! How are people supposed to forget all he's said & done over the last year? This is the most self-destructive campaign I've ever seen & been watching since '72! It's as if Trump's working "FOR" the Clintons instead of running vs them! If he's a Manchurian candidate, it isn't for Putin but for Bill himself!

    ***...Hillary's so smart she sent classified emails on an unprotected server.***

    And after all that kvetchin' about it, the American people are backing her to the hilt! Trump is fading & will have trouble even holding onto states Romney & McCain won in '12 & '08 respectively! The "talking heads" & pollsters are saying she's making inroads to take 'red states' from him! So you guys keep harping on Benghazi, emails, her server, & Bill's history! ...You know what; it's like the kid who cried "wolf!" WOLF was cried too many X's & people just aren't listening! They overplayed their hand & now are facing a possible Dem landslide!

    ***Killer's Dad Haunts Clinton's Audience***

    I guess what's good for the goose is good for the gander! Trump has his own little embarrassment brewing when I just heard on MSNBC that he had an unwelcomed guest on the stage behind him during his rally; disgraced FLA Congressman Mark Foley of "DC Page scandal" fame from 10 yrs ago! Is Donald & his sycophants going to explain that after trying to link Hillary to a mass murderer?

    ***Who would even recognize Mark Foley after 10 yrs? - No "disgrace" for this when it's a Dem doing it. - Why would Trump back out of the debates? Hillary's going t/b ridiculed w/o the media backing her up?***

    Hillary's accustomed to ridicule; problem is w/ Trump being exposed! No one's beaten her in a debate including Obama 8 yrs ago! The Donald w/b seen as the ignorant, useless human being w/ no real solutions to the country's ills! He's absolutely clueless!

    ***The polls prove that the public prefers Clinton over ignorant Trump.***

    Notice if Trump brings up polls, it's something obscure; used to tout them for an hour! What happened? - The whole world was fearful until these latest polls show he's probably going t/b swept; even in the South! GA, FLA, VA, SC, COLO, & even Kansas & Utah of all places are in play for her to take & change to "blue!"

    ReplyDelete
  16. The Clintons have overcome idiots, mohrons, & the most hateful people in the world trying to bring them down! It's gotta be driving you losers to distraction that Bill wound up having 1 of the most successful 2 terms in history, but he got his wife elected to the Senate and soon to take his old office herself next January! There's been a cottage industry devoted to destroying these people and they have endured; will continue to do so!

    ***Obama stops DOJ investigation into Clinton Foundation***

    The desperation's acute! Sean Hannity's been going another route; undermining her health making it seem like she has a tick or 2 due to past concussion! Really slimy of him to invite FNC med-heads, but even they wouldn't go as far as he wanted them to go by replaying stumbles or head-gyrations on a loop! What an idiot, but what would you expect from a Trump sycophant? I put it right up there w/ being treasonous promoting such a clown to the highest office in the land!

    ***When millions of people notice her stumbles, head movements, & facial distortions, it w/b ridiculous to not expect the media/public t/b interesnted / concerned. Why would we want a president w/ brain problems, esp. 1 like Hillary that would never step down no matter what?***

    Like her speeches & emails, let's see "anything" of Trump's! It's all about placating him instead of seeing his constant refrain of corruption, cheating, & the cover-up of the FBI & DOJ concerning Hillary! When has he turned over anything except excuses for stupid statements? Where are his tax returns, financial statements, & medical history? I love how this 1 way street runs w/ Reps & cons who kvetch so much as perpetual "victims!"

    ***The MSM continue to chirp that Trump's tax records will show that he's not worth as much as he says he is, but I've explained to them at least a dozen X's that you can't tell a person's net worth simply from their tax returns. Doesn't stop them 1 bit from continuing to cart that media-fed line out.***

    Trump should have kept his mouth shut concerning Romney in '12! He's the 1 that made it a big deal to reveal those tax returns! Besides Obama's birth certificate, his transcripts shb made available as well! Hypocrisy is Trump's "MO!" Kvetchin' about emails & undermining FBI & DOJ, but won't come clean concerning his own history of shady dealings! What a sleaze!

    ***Trump still hasn't offered documentation proving he wasn't born in Borneo as the bastard love child btw his mother & an orangutan either. - If it's unacceptable to call Obama & Hillary "founders" of ISIS - Since Isis was founded in '99, I don't think either 1 had a hand in it.***

    Just reinforces everyone's 'take' on this fool; "he's unhinged" & just can't help himself! I blame the idiotic voters! What could they have possibly been thinking?

    ***...Demagogues violate established rules of political conduct; most elected to high office changed their democracy into some form of dictatorship.***

    Most Reps, cons, FNC commentators, & sycophantic lackeys of Trump! Liberals have their moments, but aren't have as bad as the "right-wingers" who "demagogue" just about everything from Soc. Sec. to "food stamps!" Abortion's at the top of their list though & it shows them t/b terribly hypocritical concerning the topic! If it's their 16 yo daughter about to embarrass them, what would you bet they w/b in the car or a plane on their way to "have it taken care of?" The poor, Blacks, & Latinos are criticized for having too many kids, but abortion can not be the solution! They reserve the right to kvetch about it though!

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  17. ***Too many Americans look to other people for all the answers never learning them on their own by study & learned thought.***

    Unfortunately that's not what Reps are all about! It's more to do w/ them "pointing out" all our ills w/ no solutions & passing blame on Dems & liberal media! This scratched record has been playing for over 30 yrs; since Reagan really! He didn't solve any problems, doubled the debt, & just about destroyed our economy w/ idiotic "trickle down" that has been proven not to work! All the benefits we give business to incentivize them into creating new jobs is just being pocketed; such "greedy bastards!" Interest rates have been non-existent w/ pay levels going down instead of up for yrs while seeing more & more wealth going to the top 1%; w/ these losers unable to invest in their own country! "Thanks Reps; you're doing such a great job running things in Congress!"

    ***Fiero, your comments read as if you read what Quick had to say rather than the article. That says more about you than the GOP. - Presidential Debate Schedules Set.***

    I doubt Trump will show! Hillary will have his lunch; the man can't study! He'll go in there more unprepared than Romney who thought he could bluff his way thru a campaign vs Obama! Clinton couldn't have gotten a better "schnook" to help her take this office; "thanks Donald!" I think he's going to come down w/ some health issues so he can avoid this arse-kickin'!

    ***I actually think he CAN'T WAIT to have at her. He's going to bring up every single thing that the press has given her a pass on. He's done nothing but SAID things (things that aren't PC but millions of people in the country think) that politicians aren't supposed to say - and the press has eviscerated him for it. Meanwhile, Hillary has DONE things that have kept her in Scandal-Mode for years now and the MSM has barely mentioned them. Oh, he's ready to bring out every last thing she's gotten away w/; and she knows it! If anyone dodges the debates, it'll be Hillary. I.E.: Trump hasn't released his tax returns. Hillary destroyed 30,000 emails, knowing they were going to be evidence against her. Which do you think is worse?***

    You need special help! No 2 people have been invetigated & put thru the ringer like the Clintons! Spare me the victimhood! AnyX Reps & cons are unhappy, they ask for hearings & investigations! All these a-holes will burn in HELL after all is said & done; just malicious behavior! Manafort's getting some of it back w/ all his Russian dealings coming to light! What about that $12+ million? You want to go "scorched Earth;" The Clintons have seen & done it all! You guys haven't learned these people will always come out "on top!" Get used to it losers!

    ***Citizens United ruling came about when Reps complained about a fake documentary they propagandized vs Hillary Clinton in a former election cycle was unlawful. They create a imaginary fault line in the nation's political circles and stand to defend the utterly indefensible based solely upon imagined opposition. They create the division that America splits apart... fails. They are clearly not very "smart" people.
    ---

    ...To recap:
    17% of Americans think Trump is honest & trustworthy
    11% of Americans think Clinton is honest & trustworthy
    17% of Americans think Trump has the personality & temperament to serve as President, but
    42% of Americans think Clinton has the personality & temperament to serve as President.***

    Must be the selective editing like the "talking head" sycophants working for Trump! They have the nerve to ?? Hillary's trustworthiness, but listen to Trump's lies everyday; recorded in polls @ a 75% clip of everything he says! "Talk about calling the kettle black!" It w/b funny if not so pathetically sad!

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  18. *** The avg. American probably doesn't know any American player besides Isner. And the true tennis fans really don't care about most of the young guys other than Tiafoe & Fritz. I'd give Harrison a wildcard over Del Po due to the injuries, but at least 1 or 2 of those WC's s/b used for a foreigner instead a bunch of U.S. tomato cans.***

    We were spoiled from the beginning of the "tennis boom" w/ Connors, McEnroe, Gerulaitus, Gottfried, Tanner, Ashe, Stockton, Mayer Brothers, The Bagel Twins (Solomon & Dibbs), Smith, & so many others in singles alone! The doubles has usually been anchored w/ world class teams due to the college system; Smith/Lutz, Stewart/McNair, McEnroe/Fleming, & others! The good X's continued to roll for us w/ a new crop starting w/ Agassi, Courier, Chang, & Sampras! Our "also-rans" were better than most countries w/ the likes of Washington, Martin, Gilbert, Brown, Denton, & plenty more! How the mighty have fallen when the last player of note from the US is Roddick! Now the standard bearers are Isner, Querrey, Harrison, Young, Sock, & some newbies!
    ---

    Del Po's brittle body contributed to some thinking this is a weak era! As another thread stated, "we've been robbed of Del Po's talent" the last 5+ yrs! He was a legitimate successor and had proved his mettle 1 USO in '09 annihilating Rafa in the semis & coming back from the dead to take out Fed in 5 sets! I always thought he would have wrist problems from technique used to get that little extra "ummph" on the forehand! Shocking as it was to find, he actually had surgery on the left wrist as well! He really put stick on the ball; little margin for error & he just took "your X" from you b/c the ball was traveling in a str. line instead of being looped! I feel Goolagong similarly would "slap" @ the ball to get a little "something" on a shot using those old clunky wood rackets! Her problem was the Achilles! I'm still sorta haunted by her shriek when Navratilova served down the middle on MP in the semi! Evonne won the following yr over Evert!

    ***I can't see this Olympics not helping Del Po. He took out Djokovic, Nadal, & is giving Murray all he can handle. If this doesn't give him confidence, IDK what will.***

    The problem w/ Del Po isn't his confidence; more a physical thing! He has made news whenever he could; just hasn't been able to stay on court that long! Back in their prime, he won USO over Nadal & Roger, took Nole out of the Olympics twice, & is on another comeback trail competing for his 2nd medal!

    ***I'd have to say that I just witnessed the best match of the year. That was huge; Murray over Del Po in 4 sets.***

    Better than '16 FO; Nole winning to complete a "Nole-Slam" & potential for a OGCYGS?

    ***Nah, that match was good for 2 sets, then Andy fell away. Tonight Delpo never fell away & was metaphorically carried by the Argentines in the crowd, + the playing style contrast made it a joy to watch. It was better than the Rafa match slightly b/c of that more exaggerated contrast.
    ---

    I could see why people would put Novak over Borg now, but there are a lot of interesting arguments for each. ...They have Borg to thank for their emphasis on fitness & the prominence of tennis that gives them their big pay days. Has Novak done more now? He has. But he's specifically chasing things that Borg wasn't even thinking about in the 70s & 80s. I find them esp. difficult to compare.

    They both have about an 83% winning % & Borg has 64 titles to Novak's 66. However, Borg won his 1st major his 2nd yr on tour & won all 11 of his w/i 8 yrs. Novak won his 1st in his 5th yr on tour & all the rest from his 8th year onward. Djokovic took X to develop, but there is the argument that he had to wait for Fedal to fade. Borg was the comp. when he played. Tough call.***

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  19. ***'12 was the only yr. all of them were in their prime.

    - '11 - Fed having a bit of an off yr, Nadal pretty good, Djokovic @ his very best.

    - '13 - Nadal, Murray & Djokovic all high quality. Federer completely gone by this pt (losing to Stahkovsky @ Wimbledon? Lmao)

    - '14 - Nadal great in 1st half of the yr, but fell off; MUGray, some improvement in Federer's form, but still not enough to beat the best @ slams.

    - '15 & '16 - only Djokovic left now really. Murray finally starting to step up & win a slam & some other titles recently though which will hopefully continue.
    ---

    This era which has included Fed, Nadal, Djokovic & Murray is widely considered the greatest era in mens tennis. You can deny it in any way, but the dominance and the stats produced and the sheer # of titles, achievements won from '05 onwards stipulates never before seen dominance in men's tennis. ...These 4 players have won a combined 14 Wimbledon titles for 14 cons. yrs which is the longest dominated GS tournament by 4 players ever in Open Era history.
    ---

    '12 was the last truely strong yr. All 4 won a slam each and all 4 were beating 1 another. There was no single dominant figure like in other yrs (not nec. a bad thing tbf) & the matches they played were actually pretty exciting.

    '13-14 was the tail end of the Golden Era IMO. Fed fell off a cliff in '13, but improved in '14 while the op. was true for Murray (back surgery.) Nadal's '13 was impressive, but ultimately couldn't repeat it in '14 due to injuries and whatnot. '13-14 for Djokovic was quite disappointing in terms of slams IMO. These 1 slam yrs c/b crucial in terms of the all X slam record- if Djokovic fails to hit 17, then I think he would kick himself for not winning more than 1 slam in '13-14.
    ---

    Fed's won 7 Wimbledon titles
    Nadal has 2, and has made 5 finals
    Murray has won 2, & reached the final 3 X's
    Djokovic has won 3 & reached the final 4 X's

    Also worth noting that Federer has a Silver medal & Andy a Gold for an Olympics played on the grass courts of SW19. So, how much more until you consider that t/b deep. - Federer defeated Djokovic 3 X's in '15, 1 of those wins were in finals, & the other @ the WTF RR stage, + he reached 2 cons. GS finals.***

    They use that to undermine the era saying it's "weak" since a doddering old man held onto #2 ranking for so long! The era is great due to the GOAT's who rule the record books, but the true Golden Age was 20 yrs ago; esp. w/ the USA's gen. of champions!

    ***Obviously the 80's & 90's. 100's of millions more people were playing, the talent pool was infinitely deeper, the quality of play was > across the board, & there were more contenders. The fact that the surfaces were actually diff. & demanded diff. strategies was just icing on the cake.
    ---

    No 1's gonna watch someone w/ like say the talent Raonic dominates the game; or a horrible field w/ no talent year after year.***

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  20. ***I don't get it; Federer's won everything there is "barring OG," he won that in '08...still won 1 in Dubs. It's this imperialist viewpt which really is grating. Making stupid comments like "Murray's the GOAT" or "can Murray win 18 slams?"....Murray is not even in the same league in a career achievements POV. It's like Fed's 'Mary Poppins' & Murray's Dick Van Dyke after cleaning the chimneys; she's like "look at him, that scruffy no mark." Like Dick, Murray'll charm his way into the Fed fans. - - They (Fed fans) are the most hated fanbase in tennis. Nadal, Djokovic, Murray fans hate these cult worshippers. Djokodalray fans have more class & don't need to bang it in people's faces or literally post the same "Fed is GOAT" rubbish on every internet forum website. Djokodalray's resume speaks for itself.
    ---

    Brother, it doesn't have t/b always pointed out that not only can Andy beat Novak @ a slam, but he has beaten him at slams; in 2 finals no <. J/b Novak's making hay vs a downtrodden, weakened field, we shouldn't make the mistake everybody made during Federer's glory days & mistake this for a sign that they're better than they are. I think Andy's showing clear signs of ascendancy & he's obviously claiming titles, banging out results & filling up w/ confidence. He's going to go to Flushing Meadows even stronger than he was in '12.
    ---

    People just don't see or want to admit that Murray's a great champion & player in his own right. When he loses, fans will say well he's a mental midget & that he's not as great as Fed, Nadal, & Djokovic. But when he wins major titles, people will say that "he did not beat 1 of the Big 3" or "this X player was not 100% fit." It's like they do not want him to get full credit that he deserves.
    ---

    I wasn't to try to discredit Andy recent success but I am being honest. Murray in a grandslam final vs Djoker is not good but I guess it is what it is. I was just looking at the past few years where Djoker has taken him to the woodshed and 'Shawshanked' Andy.***

    Oh Gawd; AGAIN? Murray had the same unlucky break that Nole had initially; playing at a X when a couple GOAT's would come into their own before him! The "Big 4" all could have ruled past eras due to their superior conditioning, drive, heart, & technique! Roger got the jump on all of them by being a little older & taking advantage of a so called weak era where he had unprecedented success; esp. at the top 2 majors in London & NYC! His foil in Rafa came along making his job harder; esp. on clay & actually took over their rivalry! Nole put in his bid for >ness, allowing Rafa to take the stage for a season, but has "OWNED IT" for the most part of 5 yrs! Andy has the game t/b #1, to have won more majors, & set himself up in the record books but for the real GOAT's! He's done the best he can for the most part, but his defensive way of playing will shorten his career before he really makes a mark outside of the Olympics & DC! I give Murray all due credit in being better than many players from past eras w/ half his game, but due to timing achieved more; Becker, Edberg, Roddick, Rafter, & Rios just to name a few!

    ***What to expect from rest of '16? - A new slam champion at US Open is what I am expecting.***

    Nyah; let's have the same ol' boring winner in Nole to make it interesting for the Fedalovic historians! I wouldn't mind his coasting the rest of the season; let the rest of the Masters 1000 titles go & allow new winner @ YEC after 4 (5 overall) reigning years!

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  21. ***I'm a supporter of Murray and he used to annoy me a lot too, but I'm seeing something diff. now. He's matured, calmer, & now very successful; very current. ...He's consistent b/c he's a brilliant tennis player & his tennis was out of this world tonight. There's no 1 w/ a better current introductory resume than the Wimbledon & 2X Olympic Champion.***

    Let's hope it's not short-lived j/b he's winning! We've been down this road before w/ his last great run of '12 OG, '12 USO, culminating in '13 Wimbledon! That was then; this is now! He needed to win 1 of those AO finals vs Nole to really make his mark! The 2nd OG will make him more "trivia worthy," but unless he can overtake Nole & own the #1 ranking for a wk., he'll be as forgotten as Michael Chang IMO! To this day, he's still an afterthought w/ Fedalovic playing @ this X! Murray very well could have ruled another era of tennis, but happenstance has changed his destiny! Lendl seems to have gotten something out of him he can't seem to muster on his own! We'll see how long it lasts as I said!

    ***I think b/c Murray is playing at the same X w/ Fedalovic, he won't be forgotten as Chang (even though I guess that also depends who you ask). But getting to #1 w/b very significant.
    ---

    Since start of April...

    Murray - 1 Major win, 1 Major final, Olympics gold, 1 Masters win, 1 Masters final, Queens win
    Djokovic - 1 Major win, 2 Masters win, 1 Masters final

    Even more apparent since start of grass season:

    Murray - 1 Major win, OG, Queens win
    Djokovic - 1 Masters win

    For a comparison, his 2 best periods look like this:

    Aug '12-Jul '13 - 2 Major win, 1 Major final, OG, 1 Masters win, 1 Masters final, Queens win
    May '16-Aug '16 - 1 Major win, 12 Major final, OG, 1 Masters win, 1 Masters final, Queens win

    That is, Murray achieved almost the same in 4 month's X what he had previously best achieved in 12 months. If Murray wins USO this year, he has already =ed his best X on tour. Looks like Murray is going through his best period in his career!
    ---

    Post French, definitely the collapse in the final was epic; Andy could have won that. Novak's a little down from achieving so much. - Andy's the #2 player in the world, has won multiple slams & other big titles, & beaten the best players in the world X X's. ...***

    IMO he's not a real Brit; esp. after vote for Brexit! How's that going to work now? Economically they're supposed to split; will the sporting teams do the same as well? I think they're going to go about "a re-do" if you ask me! Leaving the EU will cripple them in the long run; needing to come up w/ new trading deals, diplomatic immunities, sanctions t/b determined, etc.! You just don't walk away like that; sorta like Texas or Alaska deciding to secede from the US!

    ***Scots are Brits b/c they're part of the UK like the English & Welsh. If Scotland does split however, I have a feeling Andy will apply for dual nationality just like Irish people living in the UK currently do.***

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  22. ***You switched from 1 successful horse (Federer) to another (Djokovic), but it doesn't matter what you hope for. By the end of the year you m/b disappointed to have to mount yet another horse (Murray).***

    I've never understood why noses get out of joint b/c "I move on" when it comes to fandom! Roger's still the GOAT; what else would you like me to say? I'm always for the underdog going back to Lendl 30+ years ago when he was picking up the crumbs of Borg, McEnroe, & Connors! Fedal gets all the press now, the hype, adulation, & even made into a faux rivalry while Nole has quietly gone about his business pounding the typewriter making his own history in the record books! I appreciate that of players who can't seem to catch a break, no matter what they do! I get more critics about him playing in a weak era or Fedal being on their last legs! It doesn't matter that '11 was smack dab in the middle of their run for immortality & he stopped it! Nadal very well could have run the tour for yrs but for Nole coming into his own! Rafa had his last gasp in '13 w/ a good-bye gift of '14 FO & Roger tagging one more Wimbledon in 2012! It's been all about Nole, his being #1, and the records he's setting by going out on the court every day! What am I to do, jump in the grave with my original fave Bjorn? I gotta watch someone; might as well be DJOKOVIC! He's a class act! - BTW, you'll be waiting a long X for me to come around w/ that hideous game of Murray's!

    ***Oh, nobody disputes Djoker is something of a class act. I suppose what's remarkable about you is that ya jumped ship from a current player to another, based soley on the latters results. In other words, you didn't think Fed suddenly became an aestehtically < attractive player, but Djokovic got >er in that regard. No. The results changed and you followed the $$. That's your prerogative, but can you imagine jumping ship from Borg to McEnroe, or Sampras to Agassi?***

    Borg & Sampras were about the same in that respect; the best of their eras and at the same X were unassuming & humble! That was why the press was pushing McEnroe, Connors, & Nastase; made good COPY! Never a chance I'd jump on bandwagons of "bad guys" like John, Jimmy, Andre, or Boris! The greatest at the X just happen t/b current faves; Pete, Bjorn, Ivan, & now Nole!

    ***(Cough) You forgot Federer...***

    Nyah, the longer he 'hangs on' the worse he's beginning to look! Roger's had his moments! That YEC semi 2 years ago w/ Stan comes to mind! Fed killed himself to win the match while Mirka offering rude commentary in the stands, and Roger's so injured there was no final vs Nole the next day! All this occurring on the cusp of the 2 going for a DC title!

    ***I agree, it's making Novak look bad that he can often barely beat a 35 yo. Other than that though it's not embarrassing anyone. Djokovic lost 3 X's to old man Federer last year so I guess Djokovic isn't really all that great. Put them both vs each other in their primes and that'd be fugly for poor Novak most of the X. - ...it took Novak 5 sets & 6-4 in the 5th to beat a 33 yo Federer at Wimbledon in '14. Given he got injured, Fed was the only guy challenging Novak on tour & had the most wins vs him the last few yrs. Now I think we both agree that a younger prime Federer w/b playing a lot >er than a 35 yo greatly declined version of himself so have a wild guess who'd win most of the X.***

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  23. ***Novak began the season w/ 14 str. match wins, taking the title in Qatar and the Aussie Open before losing to Feliciano Lopez in the QF of Dubai. He then went on a 14-match streak, including titles at IW and Miami, w/ a 28-1 record through Miami. He then lost to Jiri Vesely in MC, won Madrid, but lost in the Rome final to Murray; rec.@ 37-3. He then won RG & was sitting on a rather magnificent 44-3 (94%) rec. @ the midpoint of the yr, 2-for-2 in Slam titles w/ 3-of-5 Masters in his trophy case.

    Since then, Novak lost in the 3rd Rd of Wimbledon to Querrey, won Canada, & lost to del Potro in the Olympics for a 7-2 record. His season stands at 51-5 (91%), which is his 3rd best winning % after '15 (93%) & '11 (92%), & his only 2-Slam season after those two 3-Slam seasons.

    ...Here are his win-streaks btw losses going back to his loss to Fed @ Cinci a yr ago:

    Fed @ Cinci '15
    23 wins

    Fed @ WTF '15
    17 wins

    Feliciano Lopez @ Dubai
    14 wins

    Viri Vesely @ MC
    9 wins

    Murray @ Rome
    9 wins

    Querrey @ Wimbledon
    5 wins

    del Potro @ Rio Olyms

    Make of that what you will. The ?? is whether he can re-focus & regain control of the reins of the tour, or whether this is a sign of further slippage to come. My guess is that he stabilizes for 2 yrs @ a slightly reduced level, more along the lines of "1st among =ls" in '12-14 rather than the utter dominance of '11/15. We shall see.
    ---

    In '15 the top guys were the least of Rafa's worries. He was busy losing to just about everyone. In '10 it was relatively awful for Roger after the AO that year, his SF streak was broken by Sod @ RG & then he lost easily at Wimbledon to Berd in the QF. In the semis of USO vs. a very weak version of Nole he choked away the match. Rafa was the least of his worries that year, he wasn't even getting far enough to play him.

    I don't think Nole's '16 is even remotely comparable in achievements and level of play if we are being honest. Nole has had 2 bad losses after a historic feat, but that doesn't make up a whole yr. Even if he doesn't win the USO, it's still been a tremendous year & he probably will still be #1 at YE.
    ---

    ...The next best player is Murray, who is what I would call a "near-great," but not in the same category. After him you have a host of tier 2 players: Wawrinka, Cilic, Tsonga, Ferrer, Berdych, Nishikori, Raonic, Del Potro, etc, some of whom are starting to fade a bit, some of whom appear t/b in their prime. But of players w/i the rough broad prime range of yrs, say age 21-29, there are no other true ATG's, and only 3 other Slam winners (Stan, Marin, & Juan Martin).

    So let's translate that Roger in '10. You have to completely erase Novak, Rafa, & probably Andy from the mix. Then you have to say that the next best player is someone like Roddick @ his very best, or perhaps a more consistent Safin or an in-prime Hewitt. In other words, to approx. Murray, you could pick 1 of those 3 & juice them up to their very best. Then you have a host of players similar to Roger's peers: Ferrero, Nalbandian, Davydenko, Ferrer, Coria. Those are the bulk of the top 10. Finally, you have a couple of aging former greats, perhaps Agassi & Sampras in their 30s. Then you have to imagine that the next great player is a teenager.***

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  24. ***I think that Trump supporters are a lost cause anyway. I don't think anything will sway them. What's important is that Clinton isn't losing voters & that undecided voters don't become Trump supporters.***

    Some people are like lemmings & will all walk off the side of the cliff when their leadership does it! It's like they're living in another reality & can't see "their compulsive insanity" of lowering taxes, becoming austere, & limiting gov't! It will fail the country each X it's inflicted on us! We allow ourselves to believe "it'll work this X" & it never does; getting progressively worse each X from Reagan, to 41, & almost wiping us out w/ 43! We're still trying to climb out of "W's hole! The constant "panning" of everything doesn't make them look any better when they're the one's usually seeing things through "rose-colored" glasses! Last night's rally; what was that the Vienna Boys Choir? Trump can't even get permission to use music created in this century!

    ***What else can you expect from a "reality show" celebrity. Maybe these followers don't realize that this is real life. They like Trump when he's off the rails, insulting people & entertaining the crowd. Then they have a canned reaction when he's talking about real issues, like there is an applause sign somewhere when he pauses after repeating something 2 or 3 X's. And then let's all chant "Trump, Trump" for the TV cameras. Scary, scary, scary.
    ---

    ...He's not the only 1. Tony Schwartz, Trump's ghostwriter ("Art of the Deal"), has also called him a sociopath & quite bluntly stated that if elected, Trump w/b a danger to the country & the world at large. - It only rivals the crazy if they agree w/ that assessment. I assume most of them don't & see Schwartz as a disloyal traitor whose word can't be trusted.***

    Traitor? A ghost writer is supposed to ignore the obvious mental problems of Trump b/c he was paid? He talked about how difficult the project was to perform since Trump couldn't concentrate on 1 thing for very long! Schwartz was about to quit when an idea & proposal was made to just listen to Trump's dealings; on the phone & in meetings! That's on Trump if he wanted that much exposed! All he did was confirm what everyone else is saying; the man needs help! Hopefully his kids have a reservation made at an institution after this ridiculous exercise is over in Nov.!

    ***I'm not saying that Schwartz is a traitor and disloyal. I'm saying Trump supporters don't share your world view. And that, by not recognizing that, you are contributing to the problem of how polarized our political system has become. I'm seeing a lot of arguments in this thread about Trump supporters m/b crazy & how Trump must be out of it, but they all stem from believing that the world is a certain way and not understanding that other people don't see the world that way.***

    SomeX's things are actually "b&w" and if you see something that's definitely diff. from the masses; that's what happens! If Trump says something absolutely vile and it's accepted like grouping all Mexicans as rapists & murders, Muslims as dangerous where we should limit their entrance into the US, w/ his constant critique of women in a < than flattering way, I'll call you crazy too! Kellyanne Conway can sit up there and make excuses & criticize feminist ideology all she likes; she just appears to look a little bent for being so easily bought!

    ***I agree. I think Trump probably has some psychological problems that lead him to act the way he does and say the things he says, but he has attracted a lot of people who really feel disenfranchised and (unfortunately) see him as the way to change a system that doesn't work in their favor.***

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  25. Hillary w/b in trouble; @ least have a closer race if someone else was running vs her! Even that sleazebag Cruz & neophyte Rubio would test her campaign! The Reps blew it by not taking the ire of their constituents into consideration! I can still hear the constant refrain of "Donald Trump will not be the nominee of the Rep. Party" from all the hierarchy of the RNC! McConnell, Ryan, McCain, King, Ayotte, & so many others are still eating their words & not willing to take all the ??'s of Trump's antics!

    ***Sooo, what do they expect when they keep electing candidates who tell us that gov't doesn't work?***

    Reps sent "Tea-Baggers" to DC to bring things to a screeching halt; that was the plan! No 1 s/b surprised & I'm offended by Reps trying to make it out like it's Obama's fault things aren't running smoothly! Moderate Reps have been systematically run out of office b/c "compromise" is a dirty word in the lexicon of the "right!" I feel terrible for LA for their flood issues, but if they're in bad shape, they have no 1 to blame but their own leadership! ...Jindal left the coffers empty after leaving office w/ his tax cuts! In the meanX Zika's coming to the fore down in FLA while Congress' on vacation! They're in charge of the purse-strings; "who ya gonna blame New Orleans?"

    ***...Trump does a couple of non-idiotic things & people decide he's not so bad after all & his #'s go up, or hers go down? His commercial is totally sleazy.***

    Hillary's detractors have been relentless since leaving gov't service as Sec. Of State! While she was working, everything's fine, but the moment she left, it was "all hands on deck! Let's go after her trustworthiness! She's a liar & we need to keep driving that home!" Reps are the scum of the Earth, willing t/b as hypocritical enough to find fault for things they perpetually do as well! If they make an accusation, 9 X's out of 10 they're just as guilty including cheating, lying, & being incompetent! Remember these are the same people ??ing the patriotism, citizenship, religion, & intelligence of Obama! All of them will burn in HELL if there's any justice! The open bigotry & "dog whistles" are things I won't ever forget or forgive!

    ***Trump's going to lose in the greatest historic loss since 1828.***

    I think he's choreographing it that way; can't possibly want to win acting & talking the way he does to people! Supposedly he's nothing like this persona we see on TV, but I couldn't care <; he's a pig, a liar, & a bigot & nothing anyone says is going to change my mind on the subject! The way he treated & maligned Obama shows all you need to know about that a-hole! How do you explain the vicious attacks & LIES perpetrated by this guy? His supporters have t/b as disturbed as him!

    ***Election 2016 Clinton Trump Spread
    RCP Poll Avg 46.8 41.5 Clinton +5.3
    4-Way RCP Avg 42.6 37.1 Clinton +5.5
    Favorability Ratings -11.3 -29.3 Clinton +18.0

    Electoral College Clinton Trump Spread
    RCP Electoral Map 272 154 Clinton +118
    No Toss Up States 362 176

    Battlegrounds Clinton Trump Spread

    Penn. 49.2 40.0 Clinton +9.2
    Mich. 43.3 36.0 Clinton +7.3
    Ohio 45.0 42.4 Clinton +2.6
    FLA 46.0 41.5 Clinton +4.5
    Iowa 41.8 41.0 Clinton +0.8
    Wisc. 46.7 37.3 Clinton +9.4
    N. Carolina 45.3 43.3 Clinton +2.0
    Virg. 49.0 37.8 Clinton +11.2
    New Hampsh. 45.0 35.7 Clinton +9.3
    GA 43.3 43.0 Clinton +0.3
    MO 39.0 44.3 Trump +5.3
    Colo. 46.4 35.6 Clinton +10.8
    Nev. 43.3 41.0 Clinton +2.3
    Ariz. 43.0 43.3 Trump +0.3***

    ReplyDelete
  26. ***Just 1 day after Donald Trump's new campaign manager claimed her boss "doesn't hurl personal insults," the GOP nominee took to his fave social media platform to direct his venom — in the most personal way possible — at the co-hosts of MSNBC's "Morning Joe." [Is it any wonder why Trump can't keep a campaign manager? You stick your neck out for Trump and the next day he chops you off at the knees. Utterly hopeless.]

    "Tried watching low-rated @Morning_Joe this morning, unwatchable! @morningmika is off the wall, a neurotic and not very bright mess," Trump said of Mika Brzezinski, who co-hosts the program w/ Joe Scarborough. [Ya gotta give it to Trump, Trump does have a way w/ the ladies doesn't he.]

    Trump then went a step further. "Some day, when things calm down, I'll tell the real story of @JoeNBC and his very insecure long-X girlfriend, @morningmika. Two clowns!" Trump tweeted. [Searching, searching for how this could possibly be relevant to the presidential race. Oh wait... Maybe it's just another reminder how much Trump likes to promise he'll do something in the "future" we all know he will never do.]

    Scarborough shot back at Trump w/ his own rant on Twitter. "@HillaryClinton is targeting key swing states today while Trump starts his day obsessed w/ cable news hosts while channeling Gawker. SAD!" Scarborough wrote. "Neurotic and not very bright? Look in the mirror," he added.
    ---

    Joe Scarborough? Is he still alive? A living ex. of a limp wrist "Republican."***

    Joe's still a cons. DICK, but even he had to back off support for the "disturbed one!" Trump's slowly running his fans away & I can only think "he's a Manchurian Candidate" out to destroy the Rep. party! He disproves that old adage of "....you can't fool all of them all of the X!" The "right" is hopeless & it couldn't happen to a better group of slime-balls! X's finally caught up w/ them due to sleazy tactics so habitual, it's almost saying something when they act w/i ethics! Reps used t/b a noble crew, but the juxtaposition of the SOUTH forever changed them into narrow-minded FATHEADS I'm glad was taken off the Dem. tickets! The good RINO's have been run off & the "remains" cheer the insanity! There's going t/b a rude awaking for these losers come Nov. & I'm not sure how they're going to play off this disaster! After '12, they came up w/ "an autopsy" & promised change! The only change has been the crazies @ the top!

    ***Yes... OF COURSE Hillary lied... She lies about the lies she's told. She lies ABOUT saying things that are on film..... and leftists A) don't CARE and B) say she didn't.***

    LIAR, dishonest, & untrustworthy are words bandied about for & in support of "a habitual, congenital, & inveterate LIAR;" TRUMP's the epitome of all those adj.! Congrats for being led right over a CLIFF in Nov.!

    ***...More than HRC? You've got t/b kidding! Part of the donations to Trump's campaign is flowing into his own pockets - this article deals mostly w/ the rent increase for Trump's campaign office & the office space is in 1 of Trump's buildings.

    - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-campaign-rent_us_57bba424e4b03d51368a82b9 -***

    The Clinton wealth is real while Trump is subsisting on personal loans & foreign money from shady gov't officials in Russia & China! If Hillary was beholden to Communist or Soviet Oligarchs like Trump is right now, I think Reps w/b flipping a gasket cover! The hypocrisy of it all!

    ReplyDelete
  27. ***Stich was @2, won Wimbledon & played finals @ the others. Cilic career high is #8. Ivanisevic was #2 w/ 4 Wimbledon finals. In the end it c/b 50-50 to make HOF call, but IMO Cilic lacks the charisma to induce the + vote.***

    ...When I think of #2 in the world, I invoke Evert, Graf, McEnroe, Connors, & Nadal! About 20 yrs ago w/ the lack of depth in tennis, we started having #2's out of nowhere w/o major wins like Haas! He's never even played a MAJOR final; how does that happen? I think they decided to up the value on majors to eliminate some of that! It got worse on the ladies' side w/ a couple majorless, but holding the #1 ranking! That's only happened once on the men's side w/ Rios; Lendl in '82 the closest w/ his WCT successes & pretty much owning McEnroe to that pt!

    ***Haas being #2 is some incredible case which would prob. never happen again considering that the ranking is close to perfect now. Most career high # 2 are actual legends of the game - Chang, Ashe, Murray, Vilas, Orantes. - Stich was #2 from Nov. '93-July '94 & then got back to #2 for another month or so in Sept. (after making the USO final). The top 5 in '93 was #1 Sampras, #2 Stich, #3 Courier, #4 Bruguera, & #5 Edberg and the top 5 in '94 was #1 Sampras, #2 Agassi, #3 Becker, #4 Bruguera, & #5 Ivanisevic. It was a pretty impressive accomplishment for Stich t/b #2 behind Sampras & ahead of these other players for 9 months.***
    ===

    ...At the top of the list is Robin Soderling who deserves all kinds of apprec. by Roger! After Rafa was taken out, it gave Roger a clear path to his lone FO title taking his GOAT status out of immediate jeopardy! He's already got an anchor around his neck w/ his H2H record vs 2 other ATG's! I suggested w/ all his millions, Fed should @ least buy the man a house back in his native Sweden!

    ***Serena should send Pliskova a gift-basket as she was basically @ her mercy, so to speak. If Pliskova lost to Kerber, there is nothing that Serena could do to keep her ranking and the record. Also, this being a record at cons. wks, she surely would not get another chance @ her age. OTOH, if Soderling did not defeat Rafa, it's still quite conceivable that Roger could have defeated Rafa THAT YEAR not withstanding his general dismal performance vs Rafa at RG. That beating's good enough in lieu of gift-basket.
    ---

    ...The "anchor" nonsense I see you're applying to Djokovic as well as Nadal. Good 1 since Nole's only gotten ahead in the h2h when Roger turned 34; sad.***

    ...See how Emerson's totally dismissed w/ all his records in all the disciplines of the game during it's Pre-Open days? He played the cards that were dealt him, but w/o this "blurb," no 1 else will even invoke his name! The same will inevitably happen to Roger in 20+ yrs, maybe sooner when someone comes along w/ all the gifts, style, consistency, & class and he'll become someone that m/b used to measure >ness like Borg & Sampras were for my gen! He w/b surpassed eventually! Roger probably should have grabbed a few more majors to make it more difficult! USO SF losses to Nole in '10 & '11 w/ 2 MP's brings things even more into prospective of how close these guys have been for well over 5 yrs! Trying to undermine what Nole's gone thru overcoming 2 ATG's is beneath you! Roger was still handling Murray; embarrassing him @ Wimbledon in '14!

    ***We both know Murray's no ATG though so Roger still beating him at his age is no surprise. Anyway, Murray is likely doped off his tits as he never ever gets tired & there's much talk about it on other forums. I like your posts.***

    ReplyDelete
  28. ***Murray beat Nadal in the clay season, Nole on clay, & Stan in the FO SF as defending champ. He beat a very in form Del Po.
    ---

    I feel like you are going to say they are only in form if they beat Murray.***

    It's still just a "good run" which can turn anyX! Consistency along w/ big wins is how you become #1! Nole's not nec. playing well, but he still has 2 majors & 4 MS 1000's!

    ***I didn't say he was, I merely contested the fact that he has not beaten any in form top players.***

    Even if he did win while "in form;" SO WHAT? So Murray got a win here & there this year! Can he keep it up? I think he works too hard to win so by the YEC, he'll be as weak & rung out as a wet dishrag!

    ***I have not said that Murray w/b #1 or start beating Djokovic more often than losing to him or that he will win the WTF.
    ---

    Andy Murray might win the USO, have a yr up there w/ the greats & still not be #1. (I'm not sure it w/b a > yr than any produced by Sampras or Borg, but still an excellent yr).***

    I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone someX's! A few good results & a nice run and we're ready to bestow deification on a player; RIDICULOUS! Someone needs t/b beat trying to compare the brilliance of Borg & Sampras to this Mugrat w/ a game I'd rather not watch!

    ***I think it's the result of judging yesterday's players by today's standards. By today's standards, a Murray w/ a USO title might indeed have a claim to have had a better year than any of those of Sampras or Borg, b/c:

    a. Murray would have 2 Slam titles & neither Sampras nor Borg ever won 3 in a year.
    b. Murray whb in all 4 Slam finals, & neither Sampras nor Borg ever achieved that.
    c. Murray would also have the Olympic title.

    Today's standards aren't the universal, timeless standards by which all players from all X's m/b judged. Things have changed somewhat since the mid-to-late '90s when Sampras was around, & they have changed a lot since the late '70s when Borg was in his heyday. In particular:

    a. There was no tennis at the Olympics when Borg was around, and the event was really not very important when Sampras was around. Barcelona '92 got a good field but tons of upsets. Atlanta '96 & Sydney 2000 had rather mediocre fields to begin w/.

    b. The AO wasn't very important in Borg's day. It was much more important in Sampras's, but arguably not as important as it is today.

    c. The YE events were very important during both the Borg & Sampras eras.

    d. The Masters 1000 series didn't really exist in Borg's era & wasn't compulsory in Sampras's and so wasn't nearly as important as it is today.

    e. The regular ATP events were thus slightly more important than they are today.

    A Murray w/ the USO title would have 5 titles from 9 finals in '16. He'd have won Wimbledon, the USO, the Olympics, Rome, & Queen's, and lost the final of the AO, RG, Madrid, & Cinci. A great year, yes. But here's Sampras's '94:

    won the AO & Wimbledon.

    won the ATP Tour World Chps, which is now the tour finals. [for the sake of argument, let's call this equivalent to Murray's Olympic title].

    won IW, Miami, & Rome. [3 MS 1000 events to Murray's 1].

    won Sydney, Osaka, Tokyo, & Antwerp. [4 regular tour events to Murray's 1].

    won titles on grass, clay, HC, & carpet.

    Had a match record of 77-12 [86.52%, Murray w/ a USO title w/b, assuming he didn't benefit from any withdrawals, 57-7, or 81.43%]. He reached 12 finals overall, losing Queen's & the GS Cup.

    I think that's at least comparable to Murray's '16 even w/ the USO title, unless Murray also does something of note during the fall.***

    ReplyDelete
  29. ***If I had $$ to burn & were a betting man, I'd be tempted to put a few bucks on Stan, Cilic, Rafa, & Thiem.***

    It takes me back to '85; Becker came out of nowhere to win Queens & BJK thought he had a great chance to take Wimbledon! How could she know Curren w/b "in the zone" taking out a "stupefied" & staggering McEnroe & an "overmatched" Connors, w/ frequently interrupted matches due to torrential rains?

    ***"...Well it's kinda hard to keep winning Slam after Slam at the age of 30+.

    So here:

    4 Slams - Rosewall

    3 Slams - Connors. All 3 won after Borg retired which rattled Mac (he said he lost motivation for a good portion of 2 yrs)

    3 Slams - Agassi. His '01 & '03 draws apart from Rafter in '01 were weak too. Clement and Schuttler in his finals.

    2 Slams - Wawrinka even there looks like he's done winning Slams (1 > @ the very most)

    1 Slam - Lendl. A retirement in the final too.
    1 Slam - Ivanisevic (his only Slam & even though he had a hard draw Fed had to beat Sampras earlier for Goran)

    1 Slam - Korda (only Slam)
    1 Slam - Gomez (only Slam)
    1 Slam - Newcombe
    1 Slam - Federer
    1 Slam - Sampras (easy draw & Agassi cleared the path for him by beating Hewitt in the SF after a long match)

    1 Slam - Ashe
    1 Slam - Gimeno

    Even if Nole wins 4 of the next 6 Slams which will put him @ 16 Slams, there's only 1 player who won a Slam @ an older age than Djokovic's age after the '18 FO after '75 (31 yo) & that's Agassi @ the '03 AO where he faced people like Ferreira & Schuttler in the SF & F & beat only 1 player in the top 25 whose name was Grosjean (12th). Fed played absolutely fantastic tennis for a 33-34 yo in '14-15 & he still lost to people like Gulbis, Cilic or Seppi in the Slams.
    ---

    Nice stats. However, no matter how much you say age is a factor, you do notice Nole is the youngest player in the current top 5 right? Does Nole look like he'll physically break down before anybody else in the top 5? Will the current top 5 just stop winning slams next yr & no longer be top 5? Is that what you are predicting?
    ---

    I said Djokovic will win 2-3 more Slams. He could win the USO, 1 more next year & 1 more later on. What I mean is that he won't keep dominating the game for the next 2-3 yrs cause that's exactly what's required of him if he wants to break Federer's record (6 more Slams). Do you honestly imagine Djokovic winning 2 Slams a year for the next 3 yrs? Honestly?
    ---

    The only thing that could prevent Novak from breaking that record is father X. It w/b interesting to see how he adapts his game as his body reaches the oh so deadly age of 30. Should he suffer a Nadal like breakdown as far as his body goes, then yes he probably won't break the record, but I believe he's got a few yrs of dominance left so it will be hard, but w/i reach. It's not like there's a lot of emerging younger players that could knock him off his throne anyX soon. Right now, he looks distracted and not too inspired since the FO. However I expect him to shake this off pretty soon. He's a champion after all.
    ---

    I agree, my 2 cents:

    1) ...Djokovic needs his legs more. I said it somewhere else but I expect Djokovic to go the Nadal route rather than Federer's. The min. he loses his physical advantage over the tour he'll be pretty much done winning Slams on a regular basis.

    2) I've given up on the new gens; these guys are completely useless. A couple of them could still surprise me like Kyrgios, Zverev, Fritz, etc., but before they reach a level when they can beat Djokovic, you need to wait at least 2 more yrs.***

    ReplyDelete
  30. ***700 Inmates Have Been Released From Gitmo -- More Than 200 Have Returned To The Fight***

    Prove it! You can't believe anything a Rep. Congress says concerning ANYTHING; esp. on terrorism where their MO is to scare us all! They're total A-holes & treacherous bastards IMO! They'll never be happy what Obama does concerning the job; "bitch, bitch, bitch, that's all they ever are!"

    ***So we shouldn't fear people who for some strange reason, have been locked up in Gitmo for years? I know. And Liberals never bitched night and day, 24/7/365 over Bush, did they? You don't seem to get that OF COURSE Reps are going t/b against a Liberal president's agenda - EXACTLY LIKE Liberals were dead set against the last Rep. president's agenda. Can you really not see that it was EXACTLY the same - but reversed - when Bush was in office?***

    Oppose all you want & I'm not arguing that; problem is Reps go that extra mile to actual "sabotage" the country & good work being done! Obamacare's something Reps have been trying to destroy for yrs, but have yet to come up w/ a replacement! That's what they say to themselves & gullible people, "repeal and replace," but nary a plan has been expressed to me, just 50+ bills trying to take away health care from the poor & children! Shutting down the gov't is also a Rep staple costing us $$ & respect in the world! Dems don't pull crap like this ever so often to PROVE pts!

    ***And this cretin has the unmitigated gall to accuse Hillary of enriching herself through the Clinton Foundation & during her term as Sec. of State? This guy has got t/b either kidding or completely nuts! - How is it that we read all this stuff and they barely mention it on the news, & then let Trump followers change the subject? Shove it in their faces, tell them to explain themselves or shut up.***

    Reps and cons don't like "double standards" unless it helps them out politically! Hypocrisy reigns w/i their ranks! So pathetic of "the right" to resort to such tactics! They can't win the Presidency on ideas & their own character so they spend 24/7 trying to tear down everyone around them so they don't look so bad! There's a special place in HELL for the people pushing to shut down the CGI w/ all their good works! Millions get lifesaving drugs, 18M students here in the US get scholarships, teachers are rewarded for good work, & all Reps can do is try to undermine it w/ their pea-brain accusations! "Enjoy eternity on fire A-Holes!"

    ***...You mean the former 1st lady who's worth is about $100 million who demonizes rich people to pander votes from poor low info voters? lol...you crack me up man.***

    SO much talk about Hillary raising $$ for her campaign when there's been an earthquake in Italy killing people & more shootings at American University in Kabul, Afghanistan! Idiots! FNC actually began an hour w/ Clinton in California mugging w/ Justin Timberlake & his wife Jessica! Glad to see a serious news organization at work!

    ***I can't help but wonder just who was being enriched by those 'tuition payments' that went to Trump U and those ??able exclusive luxury condos that bore the TRUMP name & cost the buyers many 1000's of their $$'s? Isn't he 'lucky' that we won't be able to start trashing that name until after Nov. 8th? FK!!***

    Normally I'd feel sorry for his kids, but they're just as bad; not just defending his sleazy practices, but assoc. w/ crummy working conditions for their workers in foreign countries! Jacking up the rent at TRUMP TOWER for their campaign location tells you all you need to know! As soon as the $$ started rolling in from contributions, they're ALL pocketing quite a sizeable chunk amongst them in the Trump family!

    ***Like FATHER...like SONS...& apparently daughter as well. Jeez...what a family tradition. They probably fight over who'll get the biggest chunk.***

    ReplyDelete
  31. ***CNN is carrying a speech by Trump live the last X I checked & he was screaming about Hillary being a crook.***

    This is how they operate on the "right!" Pick something & drill it home over & over & hopefully it'll stick as something so unsavory, people will have to vote against them; heaven knows few outside crazy Reps would want to vote "for them" these days! Obstruction & foot-dragging are the watchwords of this era; no compromise & run RINO's out of office! They're a sick org. these days if they're willing t/b led by a knuckle-dragger like TRUMP!

    ...It's hilarious hearing his words come back to haunt him & she's going down every stupid thing he's said and done over the months!

    Listening to the "talking heads" on cable news, I just keep asking "what do they want from HRC?" Anything short of her death doesn't seem to placate these animals! No one's been more under scrutiny, but Reps & cons keep talking about the MSM & Dems protecting her! WTF are these people talking about? Who has been under investigation more than the Clintons w/ hearings, special prosecutors, & the piling on of the media for well over 25 yrs? These mohrons are sick & STUPID w/ no credibility!

    ***Text of Hillary's Reno speech:

    - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hillary-clinton-speech-text_us_57bf4575e4b02673444f2307? -

    ...Everywhere I go, people tell me how concerned they are by the divisive rhetoric coming from my opp. in this election.

    It’s like nothing we’ve heard before from a nominee for President. From the start, Donald Trump has built his campaign on prejudice & paranoia. He’s taking hate groups mainstream & helping a radical fringe take over one of America’s 2 major political parties. His disregard for the values that make our country great is profoundly dangerous.

    In just the past week, under the guise of “outreach” to Afro-Americans, Trump has stood up in front of largely white audiences and described black communities in insulting and ignorant terms: “Poverty. Rejection. Horrible education. No housing. No homes. No ownership. Crime at levels nobody has seen… Right now, you walk down the street, you get shot.”

    …..He doesn’t see the excellence of historically black colleges & unis or the pride of black parents watching their children thrive…And he certainly doesn’t have any solutions to take on the reality of systemic racism and create more equity and opportunity in communities of color. It takes a lot of nerve to ask people he’s ignored and mistreated for decades, “What do you have to lose?” The answer is everything! ...

    Trump is reinforcing harmful stereotypes and offering a dog whistle to his most hateful supporters. It’s a disturbing preview of what kind of President he’d be. This is what I want to make clear today: A man w/ a long history of racial discrimination, who traffics in dark conspiracy theories drawn from the pages of supermarket tabloids and the far reaches of the internet, should never run our gov't or command our military.

    ...And let’s not forget Trump first gained political prominence leading the charge for the so-called “Birthers.” He promoted the racist lie that President Obama isn’t really an American citizen – part of a sustained effort to delegitimize America’s 1st black President. In 2015, Trump launched his own campaign for President w/ another racist lie. He described Mexican immigrants as rapists and criminals.

    ...His campaign famously posted an anti-Semitic image – a Star of David imposed over a sea of $$ bills – that 1st appeared on a white supremacist website. ...

    ...The de facto merger btw Breitbart and the Trump Campaign represents a landmark achievement for the “Alt-Right.” A fringe element has effectively taken over the Republican Party.

    ...B/c I believe we are stronger together. ...Let’s stand up vs prejudice and paranoia. Let’s prove once again, that America is great b/c is America is good. Thank you, and may God bless the USA.***

    ReplyDelete
  32. ***Conway's even more of an idiot than I thought...***

    Kellyanne Conway has been explaining & making excuses for Reps for years; usually deflecting by invoking something a Dem did 10-20 yrs ago! She smart; just not too bright & ethical! She's been around since the old "Crossfire" days off CNN before she got married & was Kellyanne Fitzpatrick! She absolutely hates the Clintons & I think that's what keeps her going; even though you'd think her family w/b enough! Truly pathetic woman; just not as sleazy as Ann Coulter!

    ***The thing is, there's probably nothing she can invoke about the Clinton's that hasn't already been dragged through the mud, so it's old news & I'm not sure old news will get Trump more votes. However, I think it's a journalist's job to pt out when a ?? hasn't been answered & to keep asking that ?? until it's answered. Make everyone aware that the people interviewed are deflecting & let them not get away w/ it. It's pretty hard t/b sleazier than Ann Coulter. Unless, of course, you're Roger Ailes or Steve Bannon.***

    Gowdy's still embarrassing himself, harping on Comey's comments about Hillary! He can't figure out why she wasn't brought up on charges? What an idiot; I wish someone would investigate that pencil-neck & see if he's as on the 'up & up' like he expects everyone else! IMO, no 1 can stand the withering & continual investigations that a relentlessly small set of individuals perpetrate on the country trying to undermine & tarnish the reps of the Clintons! Losing battle after battle doesn't seem to do any good; still a cottage industry writing fake books & subpoenaing documents & records from the CGI to pour over to find 1 decimal pt out of place! Hopefully there's a special place in HELL set up for these people trying to jeopardize life-saving work & medicines going to impoverished countries, healthcare & scholarships for kids here in the States, etc.! I'm disgusted; just can't stand it anymore! - Coulter doesn't even pretend t/b civil! You must have forgotten how she talked about women who lost husbands/firemen due to "911!" What did she call these widows on NBC's "Today Show" one morning, "911 HO's?" It's hard to beat her comments on them "reveling in their husbands death after getting $millions$!"

    - http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/ann_coulter_says_911_widows_enjoy_husbands_deaths_today_show_video/ -

    ***Hannity is angling for a central mouth piece job on the All Trump news network after Fox cans him & Trump loses.***

    Well if it's started by Trump, we know it won't last long! He has a way of running just about every business into the ground; casinos, airline, water, steaks, etc.! Reps try to make an issue of Hillary's poor record of accomplishments; TRUMP has a few buildings w/ his name on it & he thinks he's the most successful businessman in the history of NY; NOT!

    ***Revealing tax return's only a custom and a recent 1 at that. If The Donald hadn't been so boastful about his wealth & business acumen, he mhb able to quietly skate past the custom w/ hardly anyone noticing.***

    He did bring this on himself; esp. after his haranguing of Romney back in '12 under the same circumstances! Trump's a hypocrite, liar, & con man & anyone who's dumb enough to trust him deserves t/b taken!

    ***...I say, if Obama c/b blamed for something, then blame him. God knows he's given credit for shit he has nothing to do w/.***

    You mean like the budget deficits & Nat'l debt? Heaven knows Sean Hannity seems to forget we're still paying for "W's" wars & incompetence! He loves saying Obama's created more debt than all the other presidents combined; so full of shit! There's a special place in HELL for a-holes & liars like this idiot!

    ReplyDelete
  33. ***...I think Scarborough's an asshole the way he talks over her and when he's not on the show, she actually makes some intelligent points. YMMV.***

    Scarborough believes himself t/b the smartest person on the planet so he must express every bit of insight on a subject before you can get a word in edgewise! He tried to pull that crap on Mika's father & he was made to look like a fool! ZBig took X to spell out what really happened on a subject during the Carter yrs & Joe tried to recover by saying to himself "what a waste it is for me to read The NY X's" among other pubs backing up his thoughts! It's was funny; probably still out on You Tube!

    ***How would Chgo be diff. if it was run by Reps? - If it were run by today's establishment Reps whose only concern is how the media presents the, it probably wouldn't be much different.***

    That's the way it works nationally as well! It's all about how they're perceived until of course there's a revolt & they shut the gov't down on a whim! It's the reason they're on the Clintons' case 24/7! They got nothing, but if they keep asking ??'s, their prays w/b answered & they'll be destroyed! It's been killing them slowly how w/ all the investigations, special prosecutors, & committee hearings, the Clintons have survived & seen as the most influential couple in the world!

    ***B/c people are willing to turn a blind eye to their criminality & dishonesty. If Clinton wins, we will get the president 1/2 the country deserves.
    ---

    Would u still vote for Hillary if she was wheeled out in a comatosed state & hooked up to a respirator & had tubes coming out of her mouth & drool & vomit dripping from her face to the floor?? - A large handful of people would still support her. It illustrates a truth. - The thread is a stupid one!***

    She'd still be more lucid than Trump & any of his supporters! - IDK; you see the Rep. hierarchy isn't actually running to Trump's defense when Clinton & Kaine have been labeling him a bigot & racist! Only his shills, bought & paid for can form the words to try and make him look like a human being! Kellyanne Conway's valiantly trying to hold it together, but she m/b @ the end of her rope as well!

    ***The entire Establishment opposes him, which includes frauds like Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney, etc. They know he would destroy their cushy status quo. Clinton's indiscretions are just a part of a system that the powerful from both parties are trying to preserve.
    ---

    The best "anti-Trump force" seems t/b Donald Trump himself.***

    I find it hilarious when "talking heads" on the news kvetch about Hillary not having a Press Conference for 200 & some odd days! Why should she when Trump is self-immolating before our very eyes? She doesn't need to do much of anything; just run the clock out!

    ***The Green Party & the Libertarian party, IMO, have made a huge mistake focusing all of their X & resources on the Presidential race. They s/b attempting to win local, state, House, & Senate races every 2 years. Once they have X politicians in positions of prominence I think more people w/b willing to vote for their Presidential candidates.***

    People have obviously forgotten what happened in 2000 w/ Nader & Gore! FLA made the diff. along w/ the SC & that changed our future forever! The Nat'l DEBT was scheduled t/b paid off in '12, but 2 wars got started instead, tax breaks turned our economy upside down, our auto industry almost went out of business, ..."need I say more?"

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  34. ***...Tarasova tells, that the doctors say to her: "Can't you say Yagudin, that he shouldn't jump?" He shouldn't have been jumping all these yrs...I think Urgant was cruel to Evgeni. ...***

    Thinking of Yagudin breaking down & subsequently retiring so abruptly, it comes to mind that KARMA smacked him good! I was a huge fan; esp. when he was taken under the wing of Mishin & Urmanov! When I heard of his treatment of Evgeni & ultimatum he hit his coach w/ about it being "him or me," I was done! Alexei wound up flourishing under Tarasova & had it all in his jumps and choreography, but he was being pushed to the limit to overcome Evgeni who was a jumping-jack w/ his quads! Alexei could have skated for quite a few more yrs, winning everything in sight but for Evgeni forcing him to add not 1, but 2 quads to his performances! It all caught up w/ him; stressing to win Europeans, GP Final, the Olympics, then Worlds in '02! He was on his way to immortality, but he showed up here in Chgo for Skate America in the FALL, was warming up, then the next thing I heard, he was "DONE!" The spotlight & expectations all fell on Evgeni & he reigned for quite a while, taking everything including 3 more Olympic medals! I wonder does Alexei think about "what chb?"
    ===

    ***From the beginning of 11--a span of now 6 yrs--Novak leads the h2h 19-7. In other words, for the last 6 years he's been about as dominant over Rafa as Rafa has been over Roger.***

    But "some" like to say Nole took over after Rafa was broken down; totally overlooking the fact Rafa had a spurt where he took back the #1 ranking & won 3 more FO's! These "experts" need to have some consistency in their BS! Either it's been a weak era or it hasn't w/ 3 of the ATG's coming to the fore!

    ***Actually, Novak took over when Rafa was @ his very best. If you look at his record in '10, his best yr--& '11, when Novak took over--Rafa's record is exactly the same vs non-Novak opps. In other words, Novak @ his best surpassed Rafa @ his best. But then '13 came around and, for a X, Rafa repaid the compliment. It didn't last & I think overall we have to say that peak Novak is better than peak Rafa, at last slightly & overall.***

    ...It's automatic for Hewitt into HOF; 2 majors & held #1 ranking for well over a yr! It's a no-brainer even if you dislike the guy! ;)

    ***Plus he deserves it. He was a great player. Tennis wise probably roughly = to Murray, even though Andy will end up achieving more than him.***

    Not sure if he's hurting himself b/c of his retirement! I heard he wound up being a gambler; among playing "Texas Hold 'em" poker! Safin m/b in the same boat; former #1's w/ 2 majors & excluded from the HOF! I'm just not sure, but those are my thoughts!

    ***Safin's in now. Much more popular player than Kafelnikov.***

    I haven't cared about the HOF in yrs! After both Martina's retired, there was no need to even watch! I'll look for Henin & Nole; the only players of late I've been a real fan of tbh! Women's tennis is so hard to watch most of the X and it gets old the new/next generation just beginning to step up & test the "Big 4!" Up to now, only Cilic, Wawrinka, & Del Po have been able to break up their near monopoly on Majors & MS1000's!

    ***Raonic splitting w/ McEnroe...- I read somewhere that Mcenroe has a chance @ coaching Kyrgios. Kyrgios coachless atm I believe.***

    Seemed like a good match & John got something out of Milos making Wimbledon final along w/ other good results! Some stars aren't that good @ coaching; look @ Connors! His tenure's usually even shorter than John's! Lendl's got the right temperament & has taken Murray to heights he's never seen w/o him! We'll see if Kyrgios c/b more calm w/ someone as volatile as McEnroe!

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  35. ***What's the status on Taylor Townsend's game? I know fitness was 1 thing that was critical in her early yrs. - She's kinda disappointing. ...This girl has a lot of talent & her game's better than Sloane or Keys.***

    Agreed! She had a chance to break back vs Caroline & blew it! I haven't seen Townsend in a while; seems she still hasn't done much in the way of conditioning! Very impressive draw w/ major winners & finalist going down to the 7th seed! I like the top 4; 3 separate major winners of the season w/ #1 ranking on the line! Been ages since something like that's been in doubt; esp. w/ the ladies!

    ***...I'm growing in dislike of players who have game who can't seem to pull it together to have a consistent year like Muguruza & Kvitova or as I like to refer to her as Kshitova.***

    That's pretty common on both tours, but I have hope w/ a couple newbies that have been on a steady trajectory going up; Thiem, Zverev, Poille, Goffin, Keyes, Bacsinszky, Bencic, & a couple Russian or Eastern block girls I need a dictionary to spell their names!

    ***I think Djoke will not get as far as he has in recent yrs due to the wrist. This is Andy's opportunity to capitalize; the other "Big 3" absent or hurt.***

    Seems so! I'm happy enough w/ how things have gone; 2 majors, 4 Masters, & going to the YEC! After '11 & '15 w/ 6 majors & 11 MS1000's; I ain't greedy w/ what's been achieved in '16 already by Nole!

    ***If JJ had an ou. of brain, he could have won. Anyone in the top 20 definitely would have beaten Djoke in that injured state. Let's see if he gets his body in order for Rd. 2.***

    Gutless & brainless; been talking about it for yrs! That's the major deficiency in this current crop of players w/ so much ability & experience! They obviously inflate their heads w/ helium before a match while their brains are left on the top shelf of their locker! How else can you explain the dominance of the "Big 3" over players like Wawrinka, Cilic, Berdych, Gasquet, Tsonga, & so many veterans? W/ 20 ops they might have 2 wins overall, maybe 1, w/ the most mindless having no victories! In my day you had a little of that w/ Borg over a handful of players, but it wasn't as prevalent as it is today w/ seasoned, experienced stars who lose countless matches vs the elites again and again; someX's w/ X MP's like Tsonga @ the FO vs Nole a few yrs ago! IIRC, this super athletic guy was playing well, attacked when to his advantage, & had 4 MP's to close out an ATG & he couldn't do it! Bad enough he lost that set, he totally "went away" dropping the 5th 1-6! You get a lot of that w/ Ferrer, Berdych, Cilic, & a handful of others! It's frustrating; not like I want them to win, but @ least make the era comp.! This is why historians will probably undervalue the accomplishments of Fed, Rafa, & Nole b/c of their apparent ownership of the majors & MS1000 events!
    ---

    Fiero, you're absolutely spot on. Never happened to me, but the consistent losing to the Big 4 is like being in HS & not getting any attention from the prettiest girls b/c they're admiring the jocks or the popular guys. You have t/b confident in yourself & what you have to offer or bring to the relationship. Can't let those other "bastards" take "Everything." Damn!
    ---

    W/ Tsonga, it's all about how he can manage the "Jo Willie T's;" his nerves. Jo gets lazy w/ his ftwork @ the wrong X's & doesn't play the high %'s. I think Jo's mentality's tougher than Monfils, but neither have the mentality to endure for 2 full wks. I thought he would break thru before Cilic or Stan. I'd hope if Rafa can't, this or any slam that 1 of the Frenchmen (Gael or Jo Willie T's) could secure @ least 1 GS before their careers come to an end.***

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  36. ...If it shouldn't be about "the $$," why do Reps & Bernie get on the Clintons' case for making a LOT of it? The hypocrisy's mind-numbing! If Trump were as successful as he pretends, he could cough up at least 1 tax return; the Clintons have 30 online for all to see! It would come out eventually that Trump's the biggest fraud in the history of 'pyramid schemers!' ...His legacy w/b a colossal yoke hanging around the necks of his kids! Only X'll tell I guess!

    ***That's the reason most aren't voting for Hillary Clinton. They are tired of rich assholes trying to buy the Presidency. LOL***

    Right; like it wasn't cons that went out of their way to eliminate restrictions on campaign contributions! Heard of Citizen's United someX in the last 1000 yrs? The only thing that truly PO's "the right" is that the Dems have caught up when it comes to "buying the office!" Bill showed them how it's done & that's the reason for trying to destroy a past President w/ impunity! If The Dems went after "W" for all his criminal acts & war crimes, I'm sure you would wonder "WHY?" You're all FOS & total hypocrites, but you're going to end up being punished w/ "The Clintons, Pt 2!"

    ***Clinton as of today leads in EVERY category: favoribilty, electability, battleground states, electoral college, etc! If I were you I would take off your Trump cheer skirt & dump the Pom Poms!***

    Poor Kellyanne Conway on Fox News Sunday is visibly beginning to break under withering ??ing by Chris Wallace! She stayed on message totally doing backflips to explain how Trump supposedly "hasn't" changed his stance on "immigration," but we've heard about 5 variances this past wk alone! Conway just deflects, attacks Hillary for raising $$ in Hollywood instead of "standing w/ mothers of "Sanctuary City" murder victims!" The woman needs to go behind the scenes & try to come up w/ something better than banter to explain her boss & the decision to bring Bannon of "Breitbart" on board!

    ***She was an advocate for moderate immigration reform before Trump waved some $ in her face.
    ---

    The 258 People, Places & Things Donald Trump Has Insulted on Twitter: A Complete List:

    - http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/28/upshot/donald-trump-twitter-insults.html?_r=1 -

    Since declaring his candidacy for president last June, Donald Trump has used Twitter to lob insults at presidential candidates, journalists, news orgs, nations, a Neil Young song & even a lectern in the Oval Office. We know this b/c we’ve read, tagged & quoted them all. Below, a dir. of sorts, w/ links to the orig. tweets.
    ---

    ...Trump's threatened the media's "freedom of the press" rights; already revoked press credentials. What do they have to lose? Why do they keep giving him a "get out of jail free" card on everything?***

    Reps have inoculated themselves from most criticism by "whining" & pretending the bad ol' liberal media's in the pocket of Hillary! It doesn't matter this woman's been the most scrutinized person in the world for 30 yrs; the most quoted, analyzed, & investigated the entire X & these FOOLS have the nerve to cry foul? The problem w/ Reps' is they've cried 'wolf' entirely too many X's; almost inoculating Hillary if something's done that warrants a ?? or 3! By turning over every rock since she arrived in DC, "no ones' listening to their BS" on the right! They've just kept after the Clintons & all it's done is make them more influential in the world! Their detractors can't stand it & are so desperate, they've begun to embarrass themselves; LIKE THEY CARE!

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  37. ***With 5-7 hrs since the last posts, it appears all the dingbats of People's Politics are sleeping & hanging upside down from rafters in their dark caves... lol***

    It's beginning to sink in fortunately! Only the hired sycophants are able to tout Trump as having a real chance & they look ridiculous doing it; esp. Boris! Attacking Hillary tangentially when asked about Trump just makes them all look all the more desperate & pathetic! They're all being tainted for all X; sorta like the loser cabinet members of the "W" admin.! He took career POLS w/ fantastic reps & made them all look like lying sacks; Trump's doing the same except most w/ any kind of respect for themselves & their party haven't jumped on board that sinking ship! Most are even openly supporting Hillary & raising $$ for her believe it or not! That has t/b stressing out Priebus, Ryan, McConnell, & all the rest! I'm seeing a landslide w/ all the races that are close like McCain's going BLUE in the end!

    ***...The US have made this moron a millionaire (despite him being quite avg.). Maybe it's X Kap gave it up & moved elsewhere.***

    The same c/b said for anyone; even TRUMP! We're a selfish & unappreciative LOT here in the STATES! We have it so much better in comparison to most places in the world, but we can't help but kvetch morning, noon, & night! Reps can invoke all that's wrong w/ the country & the world, but has nary a real solution; just bluster that the other side made it so bad for all of us! Idiots!

    ***Trump Wrecks Election Hopes Turning Immigration Policy Speech Into A Klan Rally - ...was so full of vile hatred & hot air that it virtually destroyed whatever chance he had left of winning the election. His speech rehashed all of his scare tactics about immigrants coming to the US & killing white people. Trump repeated his widely debunked claim that immigrants come to the US & steal jobs from American workers & added the claim that immigrants in the country illegally are treated better than veterans.

    ...The Rep. nominee’s speech was ugly, & certainly turned the stomachs of the exact voters that Trump needs to sway to win. Trump lied & claimed that Clinton's promising Soc. Sec., Medicare, & benefits for illegal immigrants. He rehashed the same strategy of negativity & ugly hate that caused his poll #'s to crash after the Rep. convention.

    Trump kept referring to his plan, but his plan consisted of repeating his pledge to build a “great wall” along the Southern border. He claimed that the leaders of Mexico "don’t know it yet, but they are going to pay for the wall; 100%." He promised to build an impenetrable wall that w/b both above & below ground beginning on day 1 of his admin.

    ...Donald Trump also promised to deport 2M “criminal aliens” on the 1st day of his admin. & he blamed all crimes in America on immigrants. He wasn’t done w/ the hate. He promised to create a special deportation task force among ICE to deport immigrants. The Rep. nominee suggested that maybe ICE could deport Hillary.

    Much like his Rep. Conv. speech, Trump seemed Hell bent on bludgeoning voters w/ a sledgehammer of hate. The nominee also appeared t/b trying to break his record for nonstop screaming. By the X Trump got to pt 10 of his plan, all that was missing was a burning cross on stage behind him.***

    ReplyDelete
  38. ***With 5-7 hrs since the last posts, it appears all the dingbats of People's Politics are sleeping & hanging upside down from rafters in their dark caves... lol***

    It's beginning to sink in fortunately! Only the hired sycophants are able to tout Trump as having a real chance & they look ridiculous doing it; esp. Boris! Attacking Hillary tangentially when asked about Trump just makes them all look all the more desperate & pathetic! They're all being tainted for all X; sorta like the loser cabinet members of the "W" admin.! He took career POLS w/ fantastic reps & made them all look like lying sacks; Trump's doing the same except most w/ any kind of respect for themselves & their party haven't jumped on board that sinking ship! Most are even openly supporting Hillary & raising $$ for her believe it or not! That has t/b stressing out Priebus, Ryan, McConnell, & all the rest! I'm seeing a landslide w/ all the races that are close like McCain's going BLUE in the end!

    ***Trump at 40%, Clinton 39%; yeah that's going t/b a landslide....for Trump***

    Remember this day Einstein; foreseen is a race not even close w/ all her negatives & how so many on the "right" harp on them! You're all grasping @ straws & haven't learned you're wasting your X's trying to demonize the Clintons! The whole world reveres them regardless of your unreasonable & pathetic hatred of these people! It's irrational & just makes you look ridiculous! Attacking a charity to score political pts will reserve all of you a room of fire if there's any justice! Good luck in your own private eternity!

    ***Trump Wrecks Election Hopes Turning Immigration Policy Speech Into A Klan Rally - ...was so full of vile hatred & hot air that it virtually destroyed whatever chance he had left of winning the election. His speech rehashed all of his scare tactics about immigrants coming to the US & killing white people. Trump repeated his widely debunked claim that immigrants come to the US & steal jobs from American workers & added the claim that immigrants in the country illegally are treated better than veterans.

    ...The Rep. nominee’s speech was ugly, & certainly turned the stomachs of the exact voters that Trump needs to sway to win. Trump lied & claimed that Clinton's promising Soc. Sec., Medicare, & benefits for illegal immigrants. He rehashed the same strategy of negativity & ugly hate that caused his poll #'s to crash after the Rep. convention.

    Trump kept referring to his plan, but his plan consisted of repeating his pledge to build a “great wall” along the Southern border. He claimed that the leaders of Mexico "don’t know it yet, but they are going to pay for the wall; 100%." He promised to build an impenetrable wall that w/b both above & below ground beginning on day 1 of his admin.

    ...Donald Trump also promised to deport 2M “criminal aliens” on the 1st day of his admin. & he blamed all crimes in America on immigrants. He wasn’t done w/ the hate. He promised to create a special deportation task force among ICE to deport immigrants. The Rep. nominee suggested that maybe ICE could deport Hillary.

    Much like his Rep. Conv. speech, Trump seemed Hell bent on bludgeoning voters w/ a sledgehammer of hate. The nominee also appeared t/b trying to break his record for nonstop screaming. By the X Trump got to pt 10 of his plan, all that was missing was a burning cross on stage behind him.***

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  39. ***They had 1 of those Trump mothers whose son was killed by an illegal immigrant - a DUI - not exactly wandering the streets looking for a legal person to kill. I'd like some statistics on the % of illegal immigrants who commit crimes compared to oh, let's say, every other demographic of criminals: % of legal immigrants, % of blacks, % of whites, % of Dems, % of Reps... And are these illegal immigrants not punished for their crimes just like everybody else (except for white college athlete rapists - uh, sorry, that's another thread...). I get that they are illegal and are stealing jobs from law abiding legal citizens (who probably wouldn't want to do the jobs they are doing anyway), but what do they expect to do, load them up in crowded boxcars & send them back to concentration camps in their country?***

    You c/b assured Trump & his sycophants are exaggerating the problem! They're truly the most disingenuous people alive trying to make this animal respectable! He's a classless, stupid clown w/ no conception of what this job entails! I feel more sorry for his supporters who're obviously bitter, low info losers if willing to side w/ him over a more competent Hillary! ??ing her integrity's rich considering stats show Trump's lying about 75% of whatever he's talking about! He might as well be speaking in a foreign language b/c w/ all his lips moving, he's making little to NO SENSE!

    ***Rassmussen is a lousy right wing biased poll that uses mostly internet & landlines. Their margin of error is 1 of the largest out of all polls. Stick w/ it all the way to the loser column...again!***

    I thought Rassmussen was under disrepute & not even counted in the polls determining the debates! I c/b wrong, but seems like a good idea! They put Romney ridiculously close to beating Obama & it wound up being a rout! Hillary's going to embarrass Trump even worse w/ Reps openly supporting the woman & giving her $$!

    ***The US have made this moron a millionaire (despite him being quite avg.). Maybe it's time Kap gave that up & moved elsewhere.***

    The same c/b said for anyone; even TRUMP! We're a selfish & unappreciative LOT here in the STATES! We have it so much better in comparison to most places in the world, but we can't help but kvetch morning, noon, & night! Reps can invoke all that's wrong w/ the country & the world, but has nary a real solution; just bluster that the other side made it so bad for all of us! Idiots!

    ***...Maddow called out Kellyann for lying to her on TRM show. It's like you better tell the truth! I wish Trump c/b interviewed by Rachel. I may even watch him be embarrassed. ...Rachel showed the Latino #'s & how they could decide this election. Trump's doing even worse than Romney in that demographic.***

    Why do you think Clinton detractors harp on her trustworthiness so much? Trump exaggerates or outright lies about absolutely everything from his wealth to what he said 5 mins ago! How the press allows him to get away w/ this so much is ridiculous! He just over-talks them w/ anything he doesn't want to answer or hear just like his surrogates! All of them in total denial in what's happening no matter how dirty they get! Why haven't the MSM been on his case about lack of transparency w/ his taxes while he's making all kinds of demands of Hillary? The hypocrisy is mind-numbing!

    ***But I was already wondering where's Trump going t/b forced to visit next, a synagogue, a Spanish speaking Catholic church, or a Mosque? Ha!***

    Simple photo ops won't work for this clown; people know him too well! No one looks more uncomfortable or out of place than Trump in normal everyday settings like that! Calling Hillary a bigot & racist only made him look worse IMO! Clinton's closest advisors & confidants are Black, Muslim, women, etc.! He's a fool along w/ the handful willing to go out & pimp his cause of self-aggrandizement!

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  40. ***Karsten Braasch vs the Williams sisters. That upset many an applecart.***

    That shut the Williams' up for a while & stopped that idiotic hubris of either being able to beat men of the ATP! He wasn't even in the top 100, came out hungover, unshaven, smoking a cigarette, & "smoked them both" 2 & 1 respectively! Evert learned a long X ago to stay away from that topic; esp. after she gave Riggs the edge over Court back in '73!

    ***Delpo just won. That FH had vapor trails all night. And I actually liked his footwork very much tonight.***

    After chewing on his words concerning Del Po, Johnson may go into a tailspin! His game reminds me of "my era!" That slice BH's going to do him no good vs the elites; Hell he'll have trouble w/ the newbies not yet ranked! In today's game, you need a serious weapon & the only 1 he has on hand is his big, fat mouth! If you're going to try playing like that, you have to attack the net more regardless of the consequences! He'll just lose in a longer match after running 'Suicides' back & forth vs his "betters!" "Good luck in the Challengers Stevie!"

    ***Andy Murray's next Slam title (#4) w/b a big 1, @ least as far as all-X rankings & consideration goes! Andy has 3 Slams now which ties him w/ Kodes & Kuerten, just behind 4-Slam winners Vilas & Courier, but ahead of the many 2-Slam winners:

    6 Slams: Becker, Edberg
    4 Slams: Vilas, Courier
    3 Slams: Andy Murray, Kuerten, Kodes, Ashe
    2 Slams: Smith, Nastase, Kriek, Bruguera, Kafelnikov, Hewitt, Safin, Wawrinka

    Slams titles aren't everything, but they are the main badge of >ness - ...esp., in rough order: YE #1 & wks @ #1, other big titles like tour finals & Masters, as well as other rankings, Slam results, minor titles, etc.

    When Andy won his 1st, he was probably the best single-Slam winner, or among the very best. When he won his 2nd he stood out above the rest, or at least close to Nastase who's certainly now (again) the >est 2-Slam winner of the Open Era. Among his current group of 2-Slam winners, Andy & Ashe are close & they're both way ahead of Kodes & Kuerten who aren't as good as some of the 2-Slam guys (esp. Kodes).

    If & when Andy wins his 4th, he not only surpasses everyone below him--both b/c of his 4 Slam titles, but the strength & depth of the rest of his record--but I think he becomes the best of the 4-Slam winners. Vilas ranks >er than Courier w/ a much deeper resume. Courier has the #1, but Vilas has everything else (s/b a #1). Andy's overall record's superior to both, even though he doesn't have the #1.

    ...3 have something that Andy doesn't: being #1, even if only a few wks like Becker. Becker has 3 YE titles & 2 WCT titles, & Edberg has the 1 YE final & 2 YE #1. Wilander has a YE #1, but no tour finals. Andy needs to either:
    Win 6 Slams or
    Win 5 Slams and a WTF & get the #1 ranking, at least for a wk

    He probably doesn't have a chance of getting to the next tier: Agassi, McEnroe, Lendl, Connors, & Borg.

    ...Andy's currently ranked among the greats of the Open Era:

    1. Laver (19)
    2. Federer (17)
    3. Rosewall (23)
    4-6. Nadal (14), Sampras (14) & Djokovic (12) in some order
    7. Borg (11)
    8. McEnroe (7)
    9. Lendl (8)
    10. Connors (8)
    11. Agassi (8)
    12. Becker (6)
    13. Edberg (6)
    14. Newcombe (7)
    15. Wilander (7)
    16. Vilas (4)
    17. Courier (4)
    18. Murray (3)
    19. Ashe (3)
    20. Nastase (2)

    If Andy wins #4, he jumps ahead of Courier & Vilas to #16. If he wins a 5th AND is #1 AND a YE final, I'd probably put him ahead of Wilander & Newcombe to #14. If he wins a 6th (in add. to #1 & the WTF), I'd put him ahead of those 2 @ #12. If he has 6 & only the #1, it w/b hard to differentiate him from those 2. If he only has 6 & not the #1 or WTF, I'd keep him at #14.***

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  41. 9 retirements? Thiem waved Del Po thru to 1/4's! They're dropping like flies w/ Nole draggin' as well!

    ***My prediction is a man will win the men's singles title @ the USO! Heard it here 1st.***

    Well that means Murray won't be winning! He was playing like an old broad there for a while w/ the drop shots! He was being matched from the baseline & his tongue was hanging out so he resorted to running the old man more w/ a few deft short balls! Hope someone can return the favor real soon!

    ***Don't like Murray's style at all, and also how he's behaving on court. But it's very difficult to beat him; Dimitrov's not a consistent player. Murray also is very fast and very good in physical stamina.***

    Still has problems w/ senior players for some reason; Fed still owns him for the most part! As for the physical aspect of the game & speed of foot, let's not forget the reigning king of the court! Nole still blows him away most instances! TCC replayed the best of Murray losses @ the AO w/ 1 drubbing after another; the last in strts! Last year had Nole cruising on a 9 game winning streak to close Andy out in 4 & continued the run in '16 going up 5-0 before Murray finally cracked it & won a game!

    ***I was only able to watch the TB, but it was enough to apprec. the poise Poullie showed taking out Nadal in 5. He did not look out of place on the biggest stage at a crucial moment in a huge match. The last winner to seal it was a classic " No guts, no glory" move.***

    I had to go out in the 4th set, but what impressed me up to that pt was Pouille wasn't losing pts; Rafa had to win them! Poor guy was run to death w/ those short balls & drop shots, but Lucas ran for them all & made Rafa hit another shot! He didn't just try to hit a fantastic winner, donating the pt; that's what I got from what little I saw of the match! Looks like the game w/b left in capable hands! I'm quite impressed w/ Pouille, Thiem, Cuevas, Zverev, Sock, & Goffin! I'm over Grigor, Kei, Isner, Querrey, & Milos; just teases!

    ***Unlike his fans, Nadal paints a clear & honest picture. Rafa says "Pouille played well, I did not play bad. I did not play enough well no." Rafa says "He played the last few pts w/ better decision. It is not mental or physical problem. It is just sport. The opponent played little bit better than me and so he won." So, Nadalites stop talking about choking.***

    ...and of course there's the obligatory "stupid & lame" ?? of "PRESSURE!" Rafa swatted it aside invoking his "14 majors!" I'm no fan of Nadal's, but the press is in even < esteem IMB! BTW Pouille won this match; Nadal didn't lose it!

    ***Rafa's loss to Pouille mhb very disappointing after what in some ways is probably a more heart-breaking yr than '15 in that he looked t/b on the verge of coming back to a high level, winning in MC, but then had to WD early from the FO & miss Wimbledon.

    So w/ his loss yesterday, Rafa is faced w/ 2 & a 1/2 Slamless yrs. But perhaps more worrisome is that he hasn't made it past the QF since the '14 FO, & not past the 4R in his last 5 tries & six Slams. This is very diff. from what we saw from Fed during a similar span of X (Roger's '09-11 equates w/ Rafa's '14-16 age-wise) when Roger was, and is, still reaching the 2nd wk of Slams & giving himself a shot at winning it. Rafa can't even get past the 1st wk anymore (and it is a bit odd, b/c he seemed to play better @ Masters this yr).

    What do you all foresee for Rafa going forward? For me I can see him giving it another shot in '17. If he plays better & wins a Slam, I could see a slight resurgence for a yr or so, until he inevitably gets injured again, @ which pt I would guess he would call it quits. The basic fact is that given his record over the last few yrs, you just don't see players comeback at his age. ...***

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  42. ***CNN Poll Shows Trump Now Leading Hillary Clinton - "Trump is now leading w/ 45% of the vote while Clinton is now at 43%. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson has 7%, while Green Party candidate Jill Stein has 2%. Clinton’s 8 pt lead in Aug. has effectively vanished, while Trump has staged a remarkable 8 pt turnaround. In Aug., Trump was polling at 37%. Part of Trump’s success lies in a 20 pt lead among independents. 49% of independents now support Trump while only 29% support Clinton."***

    It's to the benefit of pollsters & the MSM to keep this race looking as if it's close! The constant haranguing of Hillary has had its affect & effect, but when it comes to actually picking the next leader, our sensibilities will prevail hopefully! I have to believe Trump w/b embarrassed by the results in the end; hopefully a landslide vs his crooked ass for the hubris of putting the country thru this horrible period! His lies & lack of knowledge w/b exposed when these debates start no matter how much his surrogates & FNC try to hide it! Already it's come to light about Trump U & his "pay to play" ep. concerning the AG in FLA! Whenever a Rep. try to pt out fault about a Dem, they're usually looking in the mirror; sorta like a child who winces over a fart he produced and asks "who did it!" All Reps are like that it seems, feeling like everyone's against them when most of the X they bring it on themselves thru stupid comments & actions in their official capacities!

    ***Are you serious? Reps aren't a monolithic group and you denigrate the quality of the debate by insulting and dismissing an entire group of people j/b of their political affiliation.***

    It's easy to do since these "scumbags" had little to nothing to say concerning movement to delegitimize Obama speaking on his birth! Reps say they aren't bigots or racists, but few criticized the leadership of that disgusting PARTY when they were @ the height of their insanity 7 yrs ago! They closed the gov't down, filibustered just about everything; even routine housekeeping BILLS, while McConnell & Boehner had little complaint about it! If they don't want t/b thought of this way, m/b they should stop waging war on Blacks, Latinos, gays, & women!

    ***Trump earns endorsement of 88 retired generals, admirals

    - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Donald_Trump_presidential_campaign_endorsements,_2016#Former_Vice_Presidents_and_other_federal_Cabinet-level_officials -***

    Thank goodness these LOONS are ex-generals & ex-admirals; obviously well past it in so many ways!

    - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hillary_Clinton_presidential_campaign_endorsements,_2016 -

    ***What does the GOP stand for; hating Muslims & Mexicans & building the wall? That's it?***

    It's hard to concentrate on more than 3 issues for these goofballs unfortunately!

    ***...lol, of course MSNBC gives better coverage.***

    What are you going to do now? Gretchen's gone & accepted $20 M in her settlement, Greta up & quit today, & Meghan will probably not be renewed since her contract is just about up!

    ***If they get rid of Hannity, I may watch Fox again. Maybe trump will offer him a job and take him away. - Hannity has a low IQ, O'Reilly massages stories a& Gregg Gutmab's an arrogant Neo-Con. What's to watch?***

    Twenty yrs ago, FNC was watchable; esp. w/ Colmes to help keep Hannity from going off the rails! The worst thing for them was allowing that idiot to host a show on his own! He's the most uneducated & ridiculous anchor since "Ted Baxter" of "MTM" fame!

    ***Colmes was paid t/b ridiculed by Hannity.***

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  43. ***Trump help fundraiser for Florida AG after he paid her off - In addition to giving her a $25,000 bribe...sorry, I mean contribution (which he illegally paid her from charity $$), after she conveniently dropped plans to sue Trump's fake university he held a fundraiser at his house:

    - http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_57cf2c6ce4b0a48094a64854? -***

    Nyah, just a clerical error! The $2500 fine by the IRA on Trump was nothing! It's not like CGI; just haven't been able to prove it! There's smoke so there m/b fire!

    ***Outrageous Things Hillary Clinton Said In Her FBI Interview - It's real sad when people knowing Hillary is like this will still vote for her.***

    She literally can shoot someone on 5th Ave. and still win; ala Trump! This country can't be crazy enough to pick a reality show host for President! Reps have steadily lost their collective minds going on 30 yrs so I don't expect rational thought from them! They selected Trump & probably had a good chance w/ ANYONE else w/ how the MSM let's themselves be played by Reps pointing out everything they can imagine the Clintons are guilty of @ any given X!

    ***...They were so ready & willing to call out even the look of impropriety regarding Hillary's term as SoS & the CF, even w/ no proof of any wrongdoing.

    2) They are denying Trump bribed her. Which leads to:
    3) Trump, on NUMEROUS occasions has boasted he bribed politicians. So we are just supposed to believe he bribed others, but not her.

    Right. The longer this election goes on, the more Trump's projecting his own evil deeds onto Hillary.***

    Well there will always be a double standard! An inveterate liar can ?? the trustworthiness of someone like Hillary; w/ his mob ties, fraud, bankruptcies, & malfeasance! What a nerve & BALLS!

    ***If she wins , I bet she'll retire w/i 18 months as her health is on par w/ a patient who has stage 4 cancer w/ that cough.***

    Hannity's disciples @ work; just can't help themselves! Such low info knuckleheads! Their desperation has been showing for quite a while; campaign of her "untrustworthiness" which goes back a yr! It's been their Mantra & it still won't work out for them!

    ***Her health is in horrible shape and you might as well Sanders or Biden - No way this old lady can make it to the finish line***

    Trump w/b lucky to make the debates! That has to scare him since he's so dense & hasn't a clue about "Nat'l Sec.!" Blathering about places being a disaster is no answer to problems facing us & the world!

    ***Yup. ...Every frickin' X a host asks a Trump supporter a ?? about Trump, their replies are always "but Hillary" & vice versa. I'm so fed up @ this pt. So ready for this election t/b over & done w/.***

    That's a Rep. staple going on 20 yrs! No matter the offense; it c/b inappropriate behavior w/ a child page by a Rep. congressman, "but Clinton & Monica....!" It's not so sad they do it, but for so many weak-minded idiots out there; IT WORKS! Her unfavorables are so high & it's a direct result of 25 years of assault on her character & being a woman believe it or not! They're all PIGS!

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  44. ***...Colin Powell is afraid to open his mouth about anything at this pt, I think.***

    Same w/ that idiot FBI Director Comey! B/c of his stupid & unprecedented press conference, he was dragged back in for a hearing & hasn't been able to stop to get over making those comments about Hillary's interview! He won't be asked to stay in his job in Jan.! He thought he was being thorough for his Repu. brethren & didn't expect them to keep dragging out this thing over her emails & rogue server! What an imbecile, but what do you expect from a Rep.? All he ended up doing is being used & abused; thought of as incompetent IMO! When will they learn to stop trying to drag the Clintons down; pretty much impossible! They are so much in control, they just make other look ridiculous; nothing more so than the unrelenting animus they have for the Clintons!

    ***...I'm totally w/ you on this. I have often wondered how any woman can support Trump (other than his immediate family, of course)? His comments about women are disgusting.***

    Well he's paying for his comments on Obama's birthright? He's barely getting 1 or 2% Black support & most of those clowns are on TV talking "him up" & looking foolish while doing it! The Birther nonsense has blown up again for some reason & everyone's being asked "should Trump apologize?" All he says every X it's brought up is "I haven't talked about that in a while!" Lucky for us & all concerned, video lives on & will haunt him for the rest of his pathetic life!

    ***Senate Dems Continue To Filibuster Zika Funding Bill - Killing babies is more important to them than saving babies.***

    You morons; Dems aren't filibustering ZIKA funding; more like Reps playing games trying to defund Planned Parenthood! Talk to those jerks on the "right!" Such deceptive bastards! What c/b expected from losers in every way?

    ***Fiero, why does this have to include PP funding? It's Dems who are filibustering Zika funding... Shows their priorities.***

    Why shouldn't PP be included? Everyone has their priorities I'm sure, but what have people said about those idiots trying to trash & eliminate Obamacare when they knew it was a useless exercise over 50 X's? Please!

    ***Nothing to do w/ Obamacare or PP. They just want $$ for abortions. That's more important to the Dems than Zika funding. That's why they're filibustering.***

    Big lie on all counts! PP does 3% not 97% like you LIARS love to promote! If you didn't do that, you might have more followers, but everytime you're busted exaggerating what's going on, you wind up in disrepute! Sucks I guess to always be diagnosed as wrong!

    ***Tell me Fiero...why is there anything about PP in a bill to fund Zika funding?? What is the connection? Since you apparently support the delay in funding the research, please tell us what is so important that this delay is being brought to us by the Dem. party? - For Dems anything that doesn't ENDORSE abortion & public funding of PP m/b shunned. It's their secular religion.***

    I don't have to explain shit! When Reps pull this crap, I'll always endorse the Dems to go to the mats since these animals "on the right" are the one's who are truly causing the delay; AS ALWAYS! The blame w/b on them in the end; just can't help themselves! In an election yr, all the better IMO!

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  45. ***Kei stepped up & is playing a brave game. When playing Nole/Murray, you have to balance aggression & consistency, not self-explode 1st.***

    He's still 1 of the most careless players; missing shots for no reason! He had a sitter w/ Andy stymied at the net, ticked the net & went out! You just can't do this @ this level; will always cost you eventually! Hard to believe in tennis that I can go back decades & come up w/ a point that turned it all around from a DF, a brave 2nd serve ace, or a ticked net shot that jumps over a players racket at net to save MP! It happens all the X & Kei perpetuates those findings w/ his errors when under no pressure at the X!

    ***I've noticed on here, every time Murray does something + of note like winning a Masters or a Slam he's exulted to some >er platform of Tennis >ness...then when he loses he's a pusher who bathes in melted deep fried Mars Bars. One thing for certain, he'll never be World #1. I think this run was his best chance.

    ... I think us Murray fans have a right t/b critical & to criticize w/o being hateful, it's always a case of hype from the media or other sources. "Murray's an ATG @ the start of unprecedented dominance" & then you get brought back down to Earth w/ the Murray-Go-Round BS. The chances are @ Wimbledon Murray wouldn't have won the title if Djokovic wasn't taken to the stone Querrey. Us Muzzatrons have our hopes ratcheted up, then someone comes along, let's the balloon deflate like a really annoying lingering fart.
    ---

    Murray's probably most talented player who was easiest to distract ever. ...Always gonna remember AO final last year; 1:1 sets & Murray's up 2:0 in 3rd, then Djokovic does one of those fake stumbles where he pretends t/b hurt & Murry just disappear. It's just unbelievable how fast he loses focus.***

    He won 1 more game to go 3 all, but lost the last 9; that continued into the following yr's final when Nole went up 5-0 before Murray finally captured a game! He was holding onto that timeout for a year?

    ***It was so weird man. His box starts yelling after that tumble "you got him; he is all yours. His legs are shot." Presumably Murray yelled back @ them, "shut up; he's doing this all the X." So he knew that Djokovic was messing w/ him & he still fell for it. Just unbelievable.***

    They're supposed t/b junior friends who came up the ranks together! I guess Andy would know; just shocked he screamed it out like that if it happened!

    ***W/O Fed, Murray wins 2 slams (maybe even 3) a year. He loses to the 3 ahead of him so often, not often to those below him. The outlier being the French since he was much worse there until recently.

    Since '09 when he est. himself as top 4:
    ...
    AO '11 F Djokovic
    RG '11 SF Nadal
    W '11 SF Nadal
    US '11 SF Nadal
    AO '12 SF Djokovic
    RG '12 Ferrer
    W '12 F Federer
    US '12 CHAMPION*
    AO '13 F Djokovic
    RG '13 Injured
    W '13 CHAMPION*
    US '13 QF Wawrinka
    AO '14 QF Federer
    RG '14 SF Nadal
    W '14 QF Dimitrov
    US '14 QF Djokovic
    AO '15 F Djokovic
    RG '15 SF Djokovic
    W '15 SF Federer
    US '15 R16 Anderson
    AO '16 F Djokovic
    RG '16 F Djokovic
    W '16 CHAMPION*
    US '16 QF Nishikori

    He's played in 31 majors since '09, won 3, & been elim. by the 'Big 3' 17 X's in total. Specifically the general consensus of his best yrs were gen. '11-13 or '12-13, but if we look at '11-13 only twice did he lose to a non-Big 3 member & won 2 majors. Find any similar level of consistency btw '03-07 from any of those players you think w/b splitting these majors evenly w/ Murray.***

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  46. ***If I had $$ to burn & were a betting man, I'd be tempted to put a few bucks on Stan, Cilic, Rafa, & Thiem.***

    It takes me back to '85; Becker came out of nowhere to win Queens & BJK thought he had a great chance to take Wimbledon! How could she know Curren w/b "in the zone" taking out a "stupefied" & staggering McEnroe & an "overmatched" Connors, w/ frequently interrupted matches due to torrential rains?

    ***"...Well it's kinda hard to keep winning Slam after Slam at the age of 30+.

    So here:

    4 Slams - Rosewall

    3 Slams - Connors. All 3 won after Borg retired which rattled Mac (he said he lost motivation for a good portion of 2 yrs)

    3 Slams - Agassi. His '01 & '03 draws apart from Rafter in '01 were weak too. Clement and Schuttler in his finals.

    2 Slams - Wawrinka even there looks like he's done winning Slams (1 > @ the very most)

    1 Slam - Lendl. A retirement in the final too.
    1 Slam - Ivanisevic (his only Slam & even though he had a hard draw Fed had to beat Sampras earlier for Goran)

    1 Slam - Korda (only Slam)
    1 Slam - Gomez (only Slam)
    1 Slam - Newcombe
    1 Slam - Federer
    1 Slam - Sampras (easy draw & Agassi cleared the path for him by beating Hewitt in the SF after a long match)

    1 Slam - Ashe
    1 Slam - Gimeno
    ---

    Federer did not have a rival outside of FO in that era. So if Murray wouldn't have had a rival like Djokovic in '16 i.e., he would have won 3 slams + more Masters and would have had an insane amount of ranking pts. ...Lets say Nadal wouldn't have been around in the Fed era, but peak Djokovic instead. Then Federer would been fave in Wimbledon. To beat peak Djokovic in AO, USO, & even @ RG whb very difficult for peak Fed. Not saying he couldn't do it, but he certainly wouldn't have won 3 majors every year & wouldn't have had like 15,000 ranking pts. But that's what Murray always had to face: a peak Djokovic in all 4 slams (not just a teen Nadal in FO).
    ---

    Andy has been 1 of the most consistent players on the tour from very beginning of his prime. This season, it seems he matched Djokovic in consistency dept., but what he lacked is the peak level that would win him big titles regardless of the draws/opps he's facing. More or < this has been his problem throughout the career. Had he got enough level to beat Djokovic in 1st 2 Slam finals, he would be leading the race by now. Only winning an occasional big title taking advantage of collapsed draws & absence of big players is not enough to get #1 spot. You have to beat the big players consistently on biggest stages - something Murray's not capable of. He is even struggling to get an occasional win over Djokovic & even old Fed. Right now he's more than enough consistent t/b #1, but what holds him back is his repeated failure vs Big players. So consistency ain't problem, lower ceiling of his game is IMO. If you remove Big 3 from the picture, I don't see anyone stopping him from being #1.
    ---

    The media has been hyping Andy all summer--he's going to threaten Djokovic, etc. He had a great summer winning Wimbledon (not having to play Djokovic or Federer) & the Olympics (same). But at the USO, he gets undone by a malfunctioning PA system & inspired play by Nishikori. I'll believe in Murray when he starts beating his top rivals on a regular basis. He's a solid top 3 or 4 player--period--who will win when the tennis gods are on his side as they were during the summer.
    ---

    Murray has been extremely consistent. Losing a QF in a slam after winning Wimbledon & the Olympics & reaching the final in Cincy isn't exactly a good example of not being consistent. Murrays problem is that he has always played w/ Fed, Nadal & Djokovic; and they're just better, plain & simple.***

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  47. ***In the context of competition, Murray of '12 summer is better than '16. The same to Nole, his '11 is more amazing than '15.***

    People may think of '11 t/b "the season" t/b revered and noted more than '15, but the latter was more profitable; an extra Masters (6), more $$ (20M+), was in 8 finals of Masters' toruneys he played, & took the YEC accumulating more pts than anyone else, setting records that may never be broken! I think '11 w/b right up there since he took 3 majors, 5 Masters, & defeated his top rival in 6 of those finals!

    ***But let's also not under-appreciate him. As I wrote before, there's an argument t/b made that Andy--esp. if he wins just 1 more Slam--is the best player of the Open Era w/ < than 6 Slam titles. What makes him so interesting is that it's hard to crystalize him in our minds. Is he great or just very good? To me he's the definition of a "near-great."***

    ...but nowhere near as great as Edberg, Becker, Agassi, or Lendl! He has more majors than Safin, Kafelnikov, Rafter, Rio, & others who acquired the #1 ranking; but still waiting!

    ***What did he say Djokovic wouldn't ever be able to do?***

    He said on several occasions that Nole would never beat Rafa on clay, wouldn't win a bo5 match, or ever win the FO! Absolutely everything he said never would happen occurred w/i a few yrs! It had little to do w/ Nole waiting until Rafa was past it; esp. since Nadal came back to take the #1 ranking, win several more majors, & set records that have only been broken by Nole!

    ***IDK why, but obviously a lot of you have got it in for Mats Wilander.

    Never cared for him; rotten successor to Borg, hated his lame defensive game of "get it back," & had no real weapons but his ability to drive you insane w/ "gets!" Maybe he's the original "Rafa" of the 80's w/ major success in Paris (3), 1 USO, & surprising wins on grass (2) & HC (1) in OZ! Just never liked him to tell you the truth!

    ***I think instead of getting all worked up and angry you guys should think of him like a batty uncle :-) I like Mats. I take some things he says w/ a pinch of salt. I think he's more like Murray. He loves Murray's game. Murray has the much bigger 1st serve than Mats.

    Have you seen the '87 Masters final btw Mats & Lendl in MSG? Mats tried to make some of the rallies go on forever, trying to tire Lendl out. In the end Lendl had enough of it & smashed him in the 3rd set.
    ---

    ATG's - Grand Slams Won w/o losing a set in SF/Finals:

    Federer - 7 GS -'04 AO,'07 AO,'10 AO,'03 Wimbl.,'05 Wimbl.,'04 USO,'07 USO
    Sampras - 4 GS -'94 AO,'97 AO,'97 Wimbledon,'93 USO
    Borg - 4 GS -'78 FO,'80 FO,'76 Wimbledon,'78 Wimbledon
    Nadal - 3 GS -'08 FO,'10 FO,'10 Wimbledon
    McEnroe - 3 GS -'83 Wimbledon, '84 Wimbledon,'79 USO
    Connors - 2 GS -'74 USO,'78 USO
    Djokovic - 1 GS -'11 AO
    Lendl - 3 GS -'85 USO,'86 USO,'86 FO
    Agassi - 1 GS -'03 AO
    Edberg - 1 GS -'91 USO
    Wilander - Never Did It
    Becker - Never Did It***

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  48. ***...And its a shame to see Fed retire as a washed up tennis player. I know this sounds harsh, but it's the truth. He should retire while he is still a decent top 5 player.***

    That's what I believe will hurt his legacy; staying longer just drags down all of his achievements! IMO, Wimbledon win should have been his swan song, but his ego wouldn't allow it! It's the gutlessness of the other tour players that have allowed him to hang on and make major finals! He still couldn't get past Rafa & Nole when it counted in these last few yrs! His record will get tainted more & more by coming back even for 1 more season! He's already holding or lost the ones concerning longevity, making 1/4's & semi's in majors, & he's hopelessly overmatched concerning Masters 1000 wins! If he wants to continue making $$, I guess that's his prerogative, but it looks bad to me! He can still sneak a 500 here & there I suppose, but for what? Connors had that 1 great run @ the USO in '91! Is that what Roger's looking for somewhere; maybe Wimbledon? Dream on! Even Connors was eviscerated by Lendl in that semi!

    ***...I always admired Federer's longevity & how he's willing to play still @ his age, even after all titles, records, & $$ that he earned. Now he plans to take a break until AO '17. When does he think to retire exactly? When he starts to lose in 1st & 2nd Rds all the X vs 50th ranked tennis players noobs? Do Federer fans deserve that, to see him becoming a shadow of himself, losing to nobodies?
    ---

    Why do people feel that players should always retire when "on top" or "near peak?" If they love the game, it's their prerogative to play for as long as they want to. A good example is Hewitt, who played on for nearly 14 yrs after his last slam win and around a decade since he was a threat at slams. - If Fed keeps it up for a bit longer, Djoko will hit his decline phase & be out of the picture. Federer can play his game until he's 40!***

    ...and you think he won't have trouble w/ this latest crop of the next gen; Thiem, Zverev, Pouille, & so many others making their mark? You have more faith in Roger than I had back 10 yrs ago! I just can't see it; more apt to happen back in the 70's when play wasn't so rigorously fast & powerful! We'll see I guess! - Hewitt wasn't an ATG! Players like Borg, Lendl, & now Nole can't hang around like Roger & Rafa hoping to win something big & drop into obscurity!

    ***Hewitt's status is irrelevant. The point is that players can play as long as they want to, and it doesn't impact their earlier achievements.***

    They can do whatever they want; talking legacy! If Borg had stayed on & lost more, his reputation & GREATness whb in ??! He cemented his record by leaving so abruptly at 26 winning FO & being finalist @ Wimbledon & USO! Connors was the worst example of someone w/ #'s that may never be surpassed, but he hurt his H2H record by playing an added 10 yrs falling to every obscure player you can name! Just going by history! Sampras saw the handwriting on the wall, felt fortunate to take that '02 USO, and we gave him credit as the GOAT until Federer put his #'s to shame in comparison!

    ***I think that you are wrong on this one. Connors is much more appreciated for his longevity than he otherwise w/b. Borg missed later chances by early retirement. Federer's great as he played w/ Sampras & Thiem; was comp. w/ both.***

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  49. ***Since '11, Djokovic's won:

    Aus. Open. 5/6. Wawrinka was the sole other winner. Djokovic probability next yr. is 5/6

    French Open. Won 1 out of 6, but 4 were won by Nadal. W/O Nadal, he got 1 out of 2. Djokovic probability next yr. 1/2

    Wimbledin. Won 3/6. Won 2/4 since Federer won. Probability w/o or w/ Fed is 1/2

    US Open. Won 2 in last yr. Even giving this yr Open to him, he'll have 3/6. His probability next yr. 1/2

    Total probability of CYGS next yr. is 5/6*1/2*1/2*1/2 = 5/48 = 10%

    Actual odds w/b even <.. These s/b maximum odds I can think off***

    Stan's always capable of beating anyone, hitting screaming winners that players don't even move to get back, but w/ this dream draw & X to heal, Nole's gotta suck it up & win this USO in 4! He's capable of completing another matching record of 3 Majors in a season; Roger at 3 fantastic seasons w/ added sweetener of completing a Nole-Slam & CGS!

    ***Djokovic - 1 match away from 3 GS's in a yr for 3rd X - It is quite remarkable to note that from '68 to '03, a span of 36 yrs, on 3 occasions did a man win 3 or more Majors in 1 cal. yr. Now Djokovic's 1 match away from making it the 7th X in the last 13 yrs. It makes me a fan of Sampras wonder how he never had the motivation, talent, luck, etc. to achieve this in his career.
    ---

    It's laughable how easy this has been for Novak if he wins this USO. On the contrary, if he loses, he s/b pretty ashamed & rightly gutted as draws don't get any easier than this, ever. Was RG more dificult for him to win? I don't think so, never better op, it was the perfect X. - He at least had to play all his matches there. This has been a joke. Not his fault btw that his opps are all retiring, but still a joke all the same.***

    All you can do is play when & who's in front of you! We've been more fortunate than past eras when upsets came a lot more frequently; remember McEnroe's '83 Wimbledon final over NZ's, Chris Lewis? At least in this era's upsets, they bear more fruit like Del Po over Federer in '09's USO! Nothing more sorry than Sampras winning X majors over Philippoussis, Martin, or Pioline! Nole's never had it that easy; esp. w/ Stan already having a victory over him on clay last season in Paris!

    ***It's not outrageous to call Murray the (current) best player in the world given the summer the 2 of them have had. Not saying I agree, just saying I can understand where he's coming from. - Maybe, but it takes a little more to actually dethrone the KING! The same happened on the ladies' side of things 30 yrs ago! Steffi Graf was winning everything in sight, beat the top (Martina & Chris), but she didn't reach #1 ranking until the summer! Martina had been a finalist everywhere, but lost again & again until Wimbledon of '87! Steffi's father was enraged & threaten to take her off the tour & start his own! It was insane, but that's how it is; even w/ how they've modified the rankings! It still takes X to finally take over! Murray lost his chance w/ 1 match he probably should have won! People were already anointing him the next #1! Nole'll hold onto it for another yr. it seems!***

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  50. ***WILANDER: DJOKOVIC WILL COMPLETE CYGS IN '16

    - http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2016/01/wilander-djokovic-will-complete-calendar-year-grand-slam-16/57225/ -

    In short, he's just an attention seeker who would say the most outrageous thing to get attention even if it means contradicting himself.
    ---

    ...He also said Tomas Berdych will definitely win a slam, just a matter of when, when Berdych had 1 of his usual good wins in the early Rds before, as always, dropping the bomb vs more comp.
    ---

    After dropping the USO to Stanimal, it's why I don't foresee Nole winning @ least 4-5 more majors b/c it'll get tougher for him physically & mentally in every slam match. However, the 1 thing that bodes well for him in the future is that there's nobody in the tour (younger than him) that could trouble him in the early Rds.***

    I'm not ready to kick dirt on his grave, but I've been saying Nole hasn't played that well since Qatar! I think if he takes some X off, he has every chance to match his usual FALL season & take the YEC! He doesn't need it, but records all add up; esp. since he may not get to 17 after all! He needed this USO w/ all the breaks he got along the way! The GAWDs were looking out for him, but he GAGGED!

    ***I wouldn't blame his loss to Stan on "bad luck."***

    I already said it was for more than this tourney genius! This happens to Nole a lot; making his job harder than it s/b! Remember him 2 service breaks up at '14 Wimbledon vs Roger; lost the 4th set in a TB, then serving for it again in the 5th after being broken! Vs Nadal in that classic AO in '12; again serving for it in the 4th, lost it, then had to come back from a break down in the 5th! Lastly '11; should have been a straight set affair at the USO; serving for it again, & wound up winning in 4! I can come up w/ instance after instance where it's not always Nole's fault; his opps take it, but he's as susceptible to these "brain farts" as any of the other gutless tour pros today when up BIG!

    ***Nadal will likely end up 3rd behind Fed & Djokovic in >ness.***

    We can only hope, but Nole's got to get to 14! The rest of his records concerning Masters 1000's, X @ #1, & his overall consistency over the yrs will set him apart from Rafa; NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!

    ***As of now, I'd say, Stan < Murray <<<< Nadal << Djokovic <<<<<<<<<<<< Federer***

    Only if Roger had retired after winning Wimbledon in '12! He's hurt his standing IMO by allowing Nole to match, then pass him up H2H! That's 2 players that literally own him now! It's hard to put him that far ahead j/b he wound up w/ more MAJORS before they came into their own! His other records are falling by the wayside; give Nole 2 more good yrs! You can take out a bunch of those "<<<<<'s!"

    ***W/ the form Fed had in '12, I doubt anyone would've wanted him to retire. He was in good form, good health, & why not 2 more slams. Unfortunately, Djoko happened then again & he lost many. It's not his fault that Djoko happened. Also, X & again Fed has mentioned that he's not thinking about retiring b/c he's still enjoying the game & his love for tennis is the same - inspite of losing his records & H2H #'s - which clearly shows he's not affected by or playing for the #'s, but he loves the game truly.***

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  51. ***Democrats wonder and worry: Why isn’t Clinton far ahead of Trump? - B/c she's an awful candidate & X corruption fronts all of which are true. She also has 0 charisma, has failing health, & her mental faculties are on the wane. Other than that she's doing ok.***

    ...and we have to take in consideration half the country's NUTZ! Something has t/b seriously wrong w/ people who are supporting this lunatic w/ so little self-control he breached the ethics of non-politicization of his "intelligence briefing!" If I were Obama, he s/b told to wait quite a while for another if any until the election! The MSM are the one's keeping this somewhat interesting, but I have to think the rational majority will go the only way they can in Nov; HILLARY & no one else!

    ***There are threads all over this site listing Obama's accomplishments. Look them up. Or are you too lazy?***

    It's called being in total denial! These people can't stand it that Obama wound up having one of the more successfully 2 terms ever, even w/ the foot-dragging & obstruction of the Tea-Baggers, idiot cons, or wimpy Reps too stymied to speak up & say "we can't keep doing this!"

    ***Obama ridicules Reps for sticking w/ Trump - The President argues the GOP has created a monster that'll be the party's undoing.

    President Barack Obama has blamed Reps for creating Trump, & on Tues., he predicted the political juggernaut they’ve unleashed will destroy its creator.

    After 8 yrs — 8 transformative yrs, Obama would argue — the president will leave in his wake a Rep. Party so damaged that they're forced to condemn their standard-bearer, even as they’re unwilling or unable to repudiate him. Obama might have failed to transcend partisan divides, but on Tues. he argued that the opposition party has taken itself out of the governing equation.

    “The ?? you have to ask yourself is, if you are repeatedly having to say in very strong terms that what he has said is unacceptable, why are you still endorsing him?” Obama said on Tues. “What does this say about your party that this is your standard-bearer?”

    He added, "There has to come a point in which you say, enough. The alternative is the entire party & the Rep. Party effectively endorses & validates the positions being articulated by Mr. Trump.”

    Obama's unprecedented rhetorical assault follows the latest Trump-made headache for Reps, after the real estate mogul attacked the family of a Muslim soldier who died protecting his fellow American service members in Iraq. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has condemned the remarks — w/o withdrawing his support. On Tues., Trump told The Wash'ton Post that he wouldn't back McCain in his primary, nor is he ready to support House Speaker Paul Ryan, even though Ryan has, at least on this matter, avoided directly calling out Trump.

    And there were signs on Tues. afternoon that at least some Reps were prepared not only to reject Trump, but vote for Clinton, the Dem. nominee. They included Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.), who had prev. said he couldn’t back Trump. And CNN reported that Maria Comella, who recently stepped down as a top comms aide for NJ Gov. Chris Christie, would also be casting her ballot for Clinton.

    For his part, Christie took the unusual step of calling Trump’s remarks about Khizr & Ghazala Khan “inappropriate.” But Christie, the chairman of Trump’s transition team, did not signal any shift in support.

    - http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/obama-republicans-trump-226575 -***

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  52. ***I believe we need to recognize that Reps aren't evil nor intent on whatever those who're spouting hatred towards them. I know, I'm a Dem. in a sea of family Reps not my sons/daughter in-laws, husband - ... One or 2 I suspect are Trump supporters. ...I wouldn't say they're bad or corrupt or whatever else trait you wish to assign them. We just disagree on issues.***

    After what these people put the country through the 1st sev. yrs of Obama's admin., I'd cut my own family loose! I've seen the worst of people going back to the 60's & my mouth still hangs open w/ the antics, obstruction, & downright bigoted behavior of "the right" these last few yrs! They'll never be able to wipe that slate clean in my book as I'll just have to die an old, hateful man! You can have ignorance all around, but if no one speaks up to condemn it, you're accepting the behavior & I find that as contemptible as the perpetrators! Sorry!

    ***...They actually state that Clinton's est. of "half" was more than accurate & they back it up, it's not just their speculation; and 31 million is a frightening #.***

    The stats show these people have a substantial # who'll believe Obama an illegitimate President! The most corrupt of politicians like Trump still perpetrate that fraud on their supporters dragging down the entire party! I just can't tell you how disgusted I am w/ the former party of Lincoln! I could have voted for many in the past, but no more! They allowed themselves t/b taken over my a fringe element not worth having sympathy for since they know exactly what they're doing w/ their treatment of Blacks, immigrants, gays, & women! And they wonder why nationally they've been swamped in the Presidential yrs! Gerrymandering those districts do them no good in those races & it's getting worse since more & more of their base is shrinking due to present day demographics! They just can't find enough white, non-educated morons to keep them in the race!

    ***...Obama's interview w/ Jeffrey Goldberg rather solidified the notion that Obama viewed his opps w/ a fair amount of contempt. So instead of working w/ Congress, he attempted to work around them; often X's that meant working around fellow Dems.***

    ...and you wouldn't think it justified when these people ??ed his patriotism, heritage, religion, mother, father, wife, & kids? Even the kids weren't spared when actual sitting Congressmen openly vented about the Obama children being shepherded around for school w/ Secret Service protection! The animus I have for them can't be calculated! A special place in HELL is waiting for them all if there's any justice! They don't think they said or did anything wrong which proves their own indecency & classlessness!

    ***...The way I look at is that Hillary is not a God. She is a human being that got sick. I found an article that was very interesting regarding 11 Presidents & the diseases they suffered from. These diseases included dysentery, Malaria, and Yellow Fever. What I found interesting was that many of the leaders/presidents attempted to hide their ailing health from the public which made it a medical & political issue. Of course these were the medical issues known about pertaining to 11 diff. Presidents.***

    They'll say it's disqualifying, even if it's a cold b/c they hate Hillary! It w/b diff. if something came along after elected, but if Hillary has a cough, Trump's on TV diagnosing stage 3 cancer & "she might not make it to election day!" He's such a slimeball! Everyone has to abide by his request for info, but he'll hide his own records until after the election I guess! Don't forget his secret plans to eliminate ISIS & other terrorism going on in the world! Why the MSM & his supporters allow him to get away w/ this crap is beyond me!

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  53. ***Can Trump be any more un-American?

    * He begged Russia to hack American computers;

    * He prefers communist wives & mistresses w/ ties to Russian spy agencies;

    * He pleaded w/ his gun nut base to assassinate Clinton & her judges;

    * He desperately attempts to hide his tax records from voters;

    * He attacked the grieving parents of a fallen US soldier;***

    Trump can always be more of a wanker; there're NO LIMITS! He a cheat, a liar, a racist, a homophobe, a misogynist pig, a traitor, & out of his mind NUTS! ...The man is certifiable and I hope this hubris of running costs him everything!
    ---

    Colin Powell calls Trump a "disgrace!" Some of Sec. Powell's emails have been found telling the person that Trump & his "birtherism" exercise was racist! Will Trump have the nerve to go after him? - Anyone who's supporting Trump is in the basket of "DEPLORABLES" anyway!

    ***The remarks came in a June 17, email to Emily Miller, a journalist who was once Powell’s aide. In that same email Powell also said Trump “is in the process of destroying himself, no need for Dems to attack him. [Speaker] Ryan's calibrating his position again.”

    ...In an Aug. 21 email from Powell to Miller, he blasted Trump for embarking on a “racist” movement that believes Obama was not born in the US. “Yup, the whole birther movement was racist,” Powell wrote. “That’s what the 99% believe. ...”
    ---

    A spokesperson for Colin Powell told ABC that the emails revealed "are accurate," and declined any further comment. - The birther nonsense was not nec. racist, but it was pretty stupid. - What do you mean not necessarily?***

    Oh, it was more than stupid; truly lasted for yrs & all he & his sycophants can say is "he's not talking about this anymore!" No apology of any sort! Until he does, he will wallow in obscurity in the Black community I can tell you! He's disgusting & ANYONE who supports him is guilty by assoc.!

    ***The only disgrace is Colin Powell. He lied about there being "WMD's" in Iraq. He's been completely discredited.***

    Just a mouth for the real liar, "W!" That man ruined many reps of lifelong public servants who went to work for him! None could say no to that a-hole so I have little sympathy for them!

    ***How many former generals does this make, about a 120?***

    Looks like it's all coming to a head for TRUMP! He's being busted over charity donations, lying about it, & misappropriation of funds! I keep telling people, if a Rep. points the finger about something, look at them! He shouldn't have made a big deal out of disparaging CGI that's above reproach; now he's in trouble concerning his which bribed FLA AG to skip investigation/lawsuit of Trump U.!

    ***I hope Hillary w/b pacing herself. She can't be 100% at this point & she's got a long way to go to Nov. 8. - If she "paces" herself too much though, it w/b said that she's "too weak"/"not physically capable" of being POTUS!***

    She has the most powerful surrogates in the world! She can stand to take a few days off! Let Trump bring the issue up; will look like a fool after sending that "deadhead" quack out to talk about his magnificent shape at 70! Please; he's old, fat, bloated, and more! He looks like a cartoon carrot most of the X! How anyone c/b backing this tool is beyond me! It's already cost him business! People have quit, thrown his clothes out into the street at Macy's, lost contracts among other things! He's being exposed thinking he could get away w/ running for president on the cheap w/o letting the world know what a scam artist he's been for over 40 yrs!

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  54. *** Bush to publish book of his paintings of veterans - The only reason why it even gets any gallery space at all & a book to go w/ it is b/c of who the painter is.***

    You mean "W" the "war criminal?" Love for him to fly somewhere & get his ass arrested & sent to The HAIG!

    ***How do Stein & Johnson supporters feel about the fact they are helping Trump? - Polls can't show this. Only a statistical analysis of the actual votes would show if those who voted for Johnson or Stein would have voted for Hillary. Lacking the other options, this same shit people tried to sell in 2000 w/ Nader, which was later proven to be false.

    - http://reason.com/blog/2016/08/03/ralph-nader-did-not-hand-2000-election -***

    Yeah, Nader's a DICK along w/ Bill Mahar & Phil Donahue that were hawking for people to vote for him back in 2000! They may never admit they cost the country peace, prosperity, & even 911! I put it all on them & the few losers that voted for him! It changed our present & future by so much! I don't think it's hyperbole since we're talking about 4 or 5 Electoral votes! Gore hurt himself though by hiding Bill away & ended up losing both his home of Tenn. & Clinton's Ark.! Who's fault is that?

    ***ACC pulling games out of North Carolina. Following in the footsteps of the NBA & the NCAA.***

    Conservatively NC's lost at least $100 M in business! Gov. McCrory's going t/b in trouble in Nov. trying to get re-elected! If he survives, the state will have no one else but themselves to blame being that stupid after signing that stupid law last year; HB 318! He was warned by the NBA & Michael Jordan will have to live w/ the disrespect of being cancelled as host of an All-Star game due to statewide ignorance! Couldn't happen to a better place IMO!

    ***Emails should remain private, no matter who it is or what it says. How many of us have gone off on people via email? Emails are a snapshot of X. It's like a diary. What you write 1 day may not be how you feel the next. I find all of this hacking appalling.***

    Hillary's not allowed any kind of privacy; even her emails to Chelsea! It's a wonder why she's so resentful & cold in public! Anything she says or does is immediately blown up! I feel for her even though not my fave politician! Bill's done a lot worse over the yrs, but we forgive all his indiscretions!

    ***I, too, understand why Hillary's so guarded. There's almost nothing in her life that hasn't been out in the open & discussed. But Powell was correct in saying that her penchant for privacy is her downfall. She needs to just stop being so guarded & leave everything on the table, out in the open.***

    What are we expected to know more about her? She's been in public life for 40 yrs; going back to Watergate Hearings! I think it's asinine when people say she's not transparent! The only thing we don't monitor is her going 'to the can' and Trump tried to make an issue of that in the debate a few months ago when she took too long to get back! He's real scum!

    ***She should release her Wall Street transcripts, do a McCain w/ her medical records, & not hide the fact that she's sick. The news today pounced on the fact that she had been sick for a full wk before her dx of pneumonia. And if she's hiding anything that could/w/b released from hacking emails, she should come out w/ it. Do it on her terms, not Trump's nor the press'. I'm an ardent Hillary supporter, too. But if she's going to win, she needs to stop hiding things. Irregardless of what her motives m/b, people don't trust her, & she needs to improve on that.***

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  55. ...You think Fed won't have trouble w/ this latest crop of the next gen.; Thiem, Zverev, Pouille, & so many others making their mark? ...I just can't see it; more apt to happen back in the 70's when play wasn't so rigorously fast & powerful!

    ***None of the new crop are defenders of the Djoko caliber. Most of the new gen. concentrate on their offensive weapons & don't have the movement needed to really shut Federer's game down. Pouille m/b an exception to that, but we'll see how he plays over X.
    ---

    Fiero, you criticize every player as gutless or lacking in some way...who are you comparing them to? Every player, > or not, was flawed.***

    The problem is, all these players have t/b good t/b ranked in the top 100, but it's amazing how they forget what the HELL they're doing when it gets to the crunch! SomeX's it happens w/ a lead, other X's while behind & they totally disappear! It's just frustrating to see world class athletes look so bad at X's; Monfils a case in pt!

    ***Stan is a great player and really upped his game to grab the slams he has won impressively. The way I see it is Andy plays at a consistently high level, Stan occasionally plays at an extremely high level. For me, he has some ways to go to = or surpass Muzza. Andy has 2 OG's, 12 Masters, 3 GS & 39 titles overall, coupled w/ consistency, over 600 match wins, ranked #2, & a bit years younger than Stan. They are = in terms of slams only, though Stan arguably won his in more impressive fashion, beating the #1 in all 3 as opposed to 2 from Andy.***

    That covers it even though I can do w/o seeing Murray ever play again!

    ***Nole needs 6 Slams to pass Roger & he's only got 1 more chance before his 30th BD. So he needs at least 5 after turning 30. Slams won after turning 30 in the Open Era:

    4: Laver, Rosewall
    2: Connors, Agassi, Wawrinka
    1: Gimeno, Newcombe, Ashe, Gomez, Korda, Sampras, Federer

    None (6+ winners): Borg, McEnroe, Lendl, Wilander, Edberg, Becker, Nadal

    Don't think I missed any. This is not to say that it can't be done, but it is a very tall order. We can imagine that if Novak and Rafa hadn't been around, Roger would have won many more...or it could be that chasing them kept him younger and hungrier than he would have been. You just never know. Novak doesn't have a younger pair to chase, and while this may seem like a benefit it could also hurt, to some degree.

    In the end, we'll just have to see how it plays out. I suspect he'll get his next two relatively quickly, but 15 and 16 will be harder and slower, and then 17 and 18...well, we shall see.***

    I wouldn't have added Borg to that obscure list since he retired well before 30 at 26 y.o.! He owned the FO like Nadal does today! He would have won a lot more if the ATP had just given him a break back in early '82! He could have come back by FO & still won w/ his usual pigeons still haunting the place like Vilas! I hardly think his countryman, Wilander would have had the guts to beat Bjorn in all his glory! No doubt he whb the 1 all were trying to surpass instead of Sampras 2 decades later!

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  56. ***Where I see them as similar is that they both, Rafa & Nole rely upon incredible movement & athleticism. If & when they lose a step, it has a larger impact on their game than someone like Federer i.e., who's more offense-minded. I do think Novak will age better than Rafa, maybe much better. But his level of '15-early '16 is unsustainable, esp. as the field continues to improve over the next yr or 2.

    We won't see a "true changing of the guard" next yr, but I do think we'll see the current guard start looking mortal: more upsets for both Andy & Novak, possibly a new Slam champion even, or at least a new Master's titlist or 2. But I don't think it'll be until '18 @ the earliest, if not '19, that the Novak-Andy-Stan gen. wins a minority of Slams. I could see Novak & Andy winning 2-3 btw them again next yr, w/ 1 new Slam winner, and then in '19 2 btw them, w/ 2 Slams going to younger players. By '20, the guard will likely have shifted.
    ---

    I think Fed's arm strength is underrated. The way he's able to use his wrist indicates that he has strong forearms.***

    Maybe, but everyone's aware of what Nadal does to Federer that really hurts; high loopers to that 1-handed BH of Roger's! It's the major reason Rafa owned him on most any surface! You would think Roger would never lose on grass, but he does to even baseliners due to that one shortcoming! Back in my day, Borg was the 1 to make players reach up trying to hit effective shots bouncing above their shoulders; just couldn't be done effectively! McEnroe took them more on the rise & attacked that way which gave him victories on grass, indoor carpet, & HC!

    ***I love when these classic techniques turn out t/b =ly or at least significantly effective in the current game. Like once insane top spin & pace became the norm in the game, it seemed like some of these old methods (on the rise/short hop) had been out-moded. But no!
    ---

    Looks like men's tennis needs an American in the final to get any decent ratings.. not sure when that will happen.***

    That's always been the case! Harking back 40 yrs, Connors managed to make USO on Har-Tru vs Borg! The rest of the Americans were destroyed except Evert on the ladies side! They couldn't wait to change the surface again knowing ratings w/b triple if an American's in the final; hence all those expected USO matches w/ Connors, McEnroe, Gerulaitis, Tanner, & Borg (The God of his X)! Germany's come up w/ tons of $$ funding the tour, but the ratings will continue to go down w/o decent representation by Americans here & abroad! The same thing happened w/ figure skating IIRC! As long as Eldridge, Weiss, Kwan, & Cohen were around & winning, the ratings were great & you'd see repeats of performances all over the place! You have to hunt it down now w/ only the biggest events being televised!

    ***...W/ Monfils & Tsonga out, I think this result is now almost a coin flip- in true DC fashion. I think GB wins w/ about 60% certainty. Most likely scenario is JMDP wins both of his singles rubbers, but Murray brothers take the doubles & you have to assume Andy beats Delbonis. So the whole tie could come down to a Dan Evans or Kyle Edmund vs. Delbonis match- which on GB soil I give a slight advantage to the home team.***

    Everyone's stacked around the world except "The States!" What happened to us? We barely held on w/ Roddick & that was a drowning nightmare being owned by Federer! The ladies are looking good w/ vets, current stars, & a nice new gen. on the horizon! We can only hope the guys can catch fire or we'll be in the weeds for years to come w/ Thiem, Zverev, Kei, Milos, & others ruling the foreseeable future!

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  57. ***The myth that Channel Slam (RG + Wimbledon in the same year) is the most difficult combination to win.

    WI + US: '69, '74, '81, '82, '84, '89, '93, '95, '04, '05, '06, '07, '10, '11, '15

    AO + US: '69, '73, '74, '88, '04, '06, '07, '11, '15

    AO + WI: '69, '74, '94, '97, '04, '06, '07, '11, '15

    RG + WI: '69, '78, '79, '80, '08, '09, '10

    RG + US: '69, '86, '87, '88, '99, '10, '13

    AO + RG: '69, '88, '92, '16

    As you can see, AO + RG's the most difficult slam combo to accomplish w/i the same year, which makes sense considering that they're 2 of the most grueling venues in tennis: Australia & Paris in the summer. This is b/c AO wasn't played by all pros up until around '90, however if we look @ only the yrs '90 - '16, AO + RG is still the rarest combo to win in tennis.
    ---

    Well if you count up all the Borg wins of course there's going t/b more. Cut it down to just the players and it's 4 each. AO has plenty of crossover w/ RG winners; Rosewall, Vilas, Lendl, Wilander, Courier, Kafelnikov. Thus it's more impressive that some can win both Wimbledon & RG, let alone in the same yr whereas AO - RG winners are more common & the lack of AusO - RG in the same year winners is due to circumstances w/ the tour & the level of comp. more than anything. - If we take away Borg & only count the results from '90 onwards, AO+RG is STILL the rarest slam combo, so I'm not sure what your pt is?
    ---

    5 AO winners since '05. (6 for Novak, 3 for Fed, 1 for Stan, Nadal & Safin).
    4 RG winners since '05 (9 for Nadal, 1 for Stan, Fed & Djoko)
    4 Wimbledon winners since '05. (5 for Fed, 3 for Novak, 2 for Murray & Nadal)
    6 USO winners since '05. (4 for Fed, 2 for Novak & Nadal, 1 for Stan, Cilic, DelPo & Murray)
    ---

    ...Back in the 70s thru the 90s, the diff. in surface & required skill set to excel on both, combined w/ the lack of X to acclimate to the change in conditions is what made winning those majors back to back seen as the most difficult combo (by nearly every pro player & analyst). BTW, Paris is played in the spring, while Wimbledon & the US are played in the summer.

    Secondly, "results" from past yrs aren't indicative of which tourneys are easier or harder to win concurrently. As others have said, many things factor into whether a player c/b likely to achieve success @ any given tourney. Nadal was the clay GOAT in his prime. He hindered Fed from winning the AO/FO double twice & Djokovic 3 X's. If not for 1 player, the AO/FO double would have occurred at least 5 more X's in recent history. Having 3 GOATS existing in the same era, and each excelling on a diff. surface (Nadal clay, Federer grass, Djokovic hard) means that ANY "double" is way harder to achieve in this era than in the past.***

    Of course it's difficult to win those diff. combos; only done by the ATG's & X X's by Borg of course! AO/RG combo so rare, Nole the 1st 1 to do it since Courier over 20 yrs ago! That's the difficult 1 IMO now w/ the homogenized surfaces! Back in the day, Borg made RG/WI routine! Roger only did it due to upset of Rafa & subsequent injury keeping him out of the SW19! Roddick helped by choking like a dog w/ a lead & several pts in a TB to go up 2 sets to love! I knew this OTT of my head! I'm sure someone researched this other stuff & it still makes no sense! Sorry!

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  58. ***Wimbledon's still far < similar to RG than AO. If you say it's no biggie to win RG & Wimbledon in the same year, why hasn't Djokovic done it yet? Don't blame it on Nadal. He chd it last year & he didn't.
    ---

    It's not a myth. Winning both of those slams back to back is 1 epic feat. From start of RG to end of Wimbledon used t/b a 6 wk period, to go from playing on what used t/b absolute polar opposite surfaces in a month 11/2 was an absolutely ridiculous bit of scheduling, and a mammoth thing for anyone that accomplished it.

    Fewer people mhd the AO/French combo, but I'd wager there's a couple of reasons for that - the 1st being the top guys barely played in Australia until like 20/25 yrs ago, the 2nd that both of those slams are played in massive isolation from the others. You can class RG/Wimby as a duo, you could even class Wimby/USO as a pairing, but there are such large gaps btw USO & Oz, and Oz & RG's that I think classing the 2 of them as a pair is a stretch. They have nothing to do w/ 1 another. Fewer people mhd that combo, but it's not the combo that's the issue, it's the shift in playing styles btw clay & grass that makes the channel slam so monumental.
    ---

    I mean there's a reason only Laver, Borg, Rafa & Rog have done it. When looking at Open era (not counting Laver, perhaps THE GOAT) we see that maybe the top 3 or at least 3 of the top 5 best players of the Open era have done it, while Wilander & Courrier who are a Tier below them have pulled off the AO/RG double.
    ---

    SW19, USO - 8 players (Laver, Connors, Mac, Becker, Sampras, Fed, Nadal, Djokovic)
    AO, Open - 6 players (Laver, Newk, Connors, Wilander, Fed, Djokovic)
    AO, SW19 - 5 players (Laver, Connors, Sampras, Fed, Djokovic)
    RG, Open - 5 players (Laver, Lendl, Wilander, Agassi, Nadal)
    AO, RG - - 4 players (Laver, Wilander, Courier, Djokovic)
    RG, SW19 - 4 players (Laver, Borg, Nadal, Fed)

    Given that it wasn't until Lendl/Wilander that top players resumed regular AO appearances, you could still give the nod to the Channel Slam, since it's very likely that Borg at least would've nabbed the AO/RG double once or twice had he returned to Australia after his lone appearance there in '74. Connors, too, had a shot in '74 (won AO, banned at RG due to WTT participation), & whb a serious candidate in '76 had he appeared @ either 1. Lendl '90 & Nastase '73 as well. Maybe Rosewall too in the early 70s.

    ...I'll note that Borg's Channel Slams in '78-80 were the 1st 2 majors of the year since the AO was held in Dec. from 1977-86. On 3 occasions (2 more than anyone else), Borg got to the 1/2 point of the CYGS, only t/b turned away by Connors, Mac, & a redlining Roscoe Tanner. None of this is intended to detract from Djokovic's wonderful AO/RG double this season.
    ===

    I couldn't believe it when Sock lost to Coric- after having done the hard work 2 days earlier beating Cilic. Isner lost to Cilic that day too, but that is kind of t/b expected, honestly. I know this would never happen, but how cool would it be if you could sub players in/out during a match for DC? Isner w/b a great closer- put him in a set where he was already up a break & he would almost never lose.***

    Don't leave the Bryan Bros off the hook! I know they've been around for a long X, but if they can't close it out w/ a 2 match lead from DAY 1, maybe it's X to retire as well as Roger & Rafa! Are they going the route of our DC doubles greats like Smith & Lutz, Stewart & McNair, and McEnroe & Fleming? Boy am I old!

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  59. ***Glad to hear Hillary's going to talk about her policies.***

    She wants to talk policy, but isn't allowed! It's expected to point out his lack of qualifications! The man LIES saying Hillary doesn't have a plan for child care & we hear later that it's been online for over a yr! Ivanka repeated the LIE; like father, like daughter!
    ---

    It seems things are coming to a head w/ the "Birtherism" story! ...He now says "I don't talk about that anymore!" News headlines will come out tmrw w/ him still holding onto this & his campaign is "losing it!" Andy was on CNN & tried to wiggle around Hawaii becoming a state back in '59, then '61! I'm old enough to remember maps that still showed it as "The Sandwich Islands!" ...Add on the issue w/ his taxes, his illegal contribution to AG of FLA, I have a feeling Trump will dodge the debates! He's already hinting that way w/ his whining about Anderson Cooper being a moderator!

    ***No one cares about the birther crap anymore!***

    Wishful thinking on your part! Sorry to tell you it's leading the NEWS; papers & TV! This has blown up again even though Trump's stooges say he doesn't believe it anymore! THE MOUTH that roared hasn't said it himself & he won't get away w/ this racist tactic; esp. among Black voters he's been courting!

    ***The media didn't come out & admit they'd been lying for 5 yrs; Trump did.***

    Trump admitted nothing! He just confirmed what the whole world already knew! He scammed the MSM to help promote the opening of his latest hotel! This so called apology will only create more ??'s asking this fool "when did you come to the realization that Obama's American?" Pinning it on Hillary isn't gonna work either! Strange how Trump was beating up on her for not having any press conferences, but she's had 5 recently while he's running from them! KARMA may have finally caught up w/ this jerk!

    ***I wish I was as optimistic as you. I feel quite discouraged right now. Trump keeps moving forward. He's definitely tapped into something & it's not limited to a party. It means dems, repubs & independents are all attracted to him. It's very scary b/c everyone seems t/b going for the 'energy,' but not for the substance, & nobody ??'s him on whatever garbage he throws at HRC & Obama. I'm really looking into my options to spend the next 4 yrs of my life in. Canada's certainly attractive b/c of the proximity, but I'm not ruling out other options.***

    I'm hoping it doesn't come to that; even though I have duel citizenship due to dad being in the USAF, stationed in Newfoundland, I have to believe the country will come to its senses! People thought Romney had a chance & it wound up being an electoral landslide! We really need for that to happen to stop this madness! Reps need t/b punished for doing this to the country!

    ***Have you noticed how starved the Dems are for anything + they can say about Hillary? ...It has always been difficult t/b a Dem, but never more than now, w/ a candidate having no qualifications, & a need to lie & distract every min.***

    What a joke! Reps are still invoking Whitewater, Benghazi, & the email server investigation! Don't make me laugh when it comes to harking "BACK" relentlessly to make an issue of something old! Pathetic; the hypocrisy!

    ReplyDelete
  60. ***Apparently, that super secret investigative report by that crack team of investigators Trump sent to Hawaii that Trump claimed were discovering "explosive stuff" read........ No Comment.

    Donald J. Trump's comment..... (Light the dumpster fire)

    That is what lots of folks are saying.
    Lots of folks.
    Maybe it's true, maybe not.
    Lots of folks are saying.
    Key folks.
    Important folks.
    Folks who know.
    I am saying it myself.
    Wait, I am not saying it.
    Wait, I am saying it.
    -

    ...15 min. later...
    ---

    Trump Declares 'Bomb' Went Off in NYC Before Anybody Knew. He had just stepped off his private jet for the outdoor rally. At that X, no 1 knew what had caused the explosion.
    ---

    Hillary Clinton has released 8 yrs of tax returns. Where are Trump's? Are his '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, '13, & '14 returns all still being audited?***

    That'll be the day he actually complies! If he turned over those returns, even the old ones will expose him for the liar, con artist he's been for decades! All his bloviating about how much he gives to charity & his income will show what a sociopath w/ the complicity of the MSM! At least they were smart enough to delete all that footage from Friday when he conned the media into covering an opening of another rotten hotel in NYC! I'm sure he's not happy & will vilify them making them look corrupt & in the tank for Hillary! He's so full of it! All the abuse she takes and he thinks they're doing her a favor! What a troll!

    ***Was the whole thing an effort to attract voters who really hate Pres. Obama?***

    Big X! Reps seem t/b the party of "hate" these days! They're no longer considered the party of Lincoln IMO! There's been this juxtaposition from the North to the South; "blue dog" Dems became Reps and changed them into such a hateful group of people! They try to limit access to voting, insulted the 1st Black American President, & turned the country upside down when he was elected by haggling over the budget, raising the Nat'l Debt ceiling, & invariably shutting down the gov't! All that was to try & make him look bad, but all it did was reflect on them! They don't care really! They're proud of themselves & how they've behaved! State gov't couldn't overcome it all, but nationally, Reps have lost 5 of the last 6 popular votes in these Presidential election cycles! Trump has just exposed them for what they've turned into & the few moderates like Speaker Ryan are too weak to do anything about it!

    ***Kasich vs Johnson; who's the biggest DUMBASS?***

    Well @ least Johnson was smart enough to drop out of the Rep. party! They're such an embarrassment after what they put the country thru b/c they couldn't stand Obama being President! When have we ever heard a Minority Leader of the Senate state emphatically, he "would make sure Obama's only a 1 term Prez" shortly after the election? I was disgusted &'ll never forgive that of those animals on the "right."

    ***You realize that Barry was NOT elected KING, right son?***

    The disrespect of the 1st Black American President will not be forgiven or forgotten! It w/b used to beat Reps over the head for the next 20 yrs; long after I'm gone is my hope! If you don't think it matters, remain ignorant of how offensive they've been for the last 7+ yrs! It'll cost you I promise!

    ReplyDelete
  61. NJ Gov. Chris Christie knew about Bridgegate scheme as it unfolded, Feds say:

    - http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/prosecution-rips-ex-christie-allies-start-bridgegate-trial-article-1.2798177 -

    The Bridgegate trial extracted a heavy toll on Christie Mon., when a federal prosecutor said the NJ Gov knew about the petty scheme that caused gridlock in Fort Lee while it was underway. The charge that Christie was told of the alleged political retaliation on the 3rd of 4 days of traffic problems at the GW Bridge contradicted the governor’s previous statements that he was “blindsided” by the scandal.

    Prosecutors levied the stunning allegation during opening remarks in the trial of former Christie assocs, Bridget Kelly & Bill Baroni, who are charged with intentionally causing traffic tie-ups on the GWB in Sept. '13. Kelly & Baroni — along w/ former Port Authority honcho David Wildstein — orchestrated the closures as retribution for the refusal of Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, a Dem., to endorse Christie for reelection, prosecutors say. ...==>

    ***Oh freaking give it up. Bitch from hell running for President knocks off 4 Americans and we're ready to hang donut boy for some bullshit over a traffic jam?***

    Children were stuck on their school busses for hrs! Be unconcerned all you like about emergency vehicles unable to get from place to place trying to make up some BS about Benghazi! You look the fool not me!

    ***...There's small need to defend Hillary for something she never said. The "best," if you can call it that, all the right-wingnut opp. can find is some unpaid, volunteer precinct chairperson out in the boondocks said something no 1 has ever heard before.***

    With trolls on "the right," Hillary doesn't have to do anything to legitimate their kvetchin' about her! When she doesn't give press conferences, they count the days! Trump's been running from the press for wks not wanting to answer ??'s of late & "nothing!" Such hypocritical bastards who'll only be satisfied w/ her death unfortunately! Trump even hinting @ it talking about 2nd Amendment remedies! It's obscene treating 1 person like this for over 30 yrs, blaming her for everything but climate change; only b/c they don't believe in the subject!

    ***...Most people, & esp. people in blue-collar jobs know that someone as rich as him doesn't get that far if they truly care about the 99%.***

    I've heard there's a trail of sanitation wipes after he meets w/ "the common folks" @ his rallies!

    ***Trump has a phobia about germs so that he's afraid to shake hands, esp. the hands of teachers. Trump says teachers have 17,000 germs per sq. in. on their desk, so he refuses to shake their hands. He also won’t push the ground floor button of an elevator b/c of all the germs on the button. He says he has borderline OCD.***

    Do we really want this kind of nut in the White House?

    ***I really think we s/b careful w/ labeling people as "nuts" or making posts that suggest those w/ real, but controlled & treated mental health issues like OCD w/b precluded from being able to perform a job.***

    Tell that to Trump! He makes accusations of Clinton all the damn X! He's a loose cannon & people like you allow him to get away w/ it! According to him, she's a liar, but that's pure deflection since he's the congenital & inveterate LIAR! Stats show that 58% of everything he says is a lie & rated "pants on fire" so get over yourself!

    ***I'd love nothing better than for the press to utterly ignore Trump.***

    You would think they might do that after being suckered into covering the opening of his latest sleazy hotel last wk! They erased the tape, but it's too late! They all showed up to get 30 secs. of saying Obama was born in the USA after touting the opening; under-budget & on X! That was another lie we found out!

    ReplyDelete
  62. ***There are no GOATs. But if there has t/b one, it w/b Federer. Certainly not Nadal.***

    Rafa's much too limited; great on clay, but has no YEC & never defended a title off the dirt! It's btw Roger w/ Nole on the cusp if he can mount 1 more charge next yr! If he winds up w/ only 1 major, he'll forever remain #2 w/ inflated records in all other categories but majors! He owns the Masters & the YEC w/ pet tourneys like AO!

    ***Why does Djokovic bounce the ball so many X's?***

    I felt he started doing it to aggravate & give it back to Nadal; someone notorious for playing the game @ his own pace w/ all his stalling of toweling off, yanking on his junk & back of his shorts, & straightening his hair! I didn't blame Nole for going that route in the least! We see where it's gotten him; ownership of his rivalry w/ Nadal, ensconced as #1 for the foreseeable future, & breaking all kinds of records Nadal has no chance of overtaking!

    ***The arrogant player has won 17 Slams, so it's his right t/b arrogant.***

    Agreed! I still have the right "not to like it!" Reading back I've given all due respect to his accomplishments, marveling at his #'s in the recordbks! I've been a sort of historian going back to Connors/Borg in '74! Roger's the GOAT, no doubt about it, but we know a few things that brings him back to Earth a lit'l by 2 other ATG's! Those H2H's are twisted! I continue to think his legend whb even more noteworthy if he had left after Wimbledon in '12! Of course he always had a chance to take 2 more; esp. accomplishing the feat of retaking the #1 ranking extending his tenure to 302 wks! He went 2 yrs btw '10 AO & his last in '12! It's been 4+ yrs now & lost most of '16 to injury & whatever else's going on behind the scenes! It looks as if his main record'll survive for now when Nole didn't take that USO! ...He still has a chance to at least match Rafa & Pete's 14! He's really taken care of himself giving himself chances to extend records he already holds? After all is said & done, it could still end up being a wash btw the 2 w/ Rafa!

    ***They pretend to like Fed b/c of jealousy of Rafa Nadal.***

    ...He looks to hang on a lit'l too long IMO! The same happened w/ Connors 2 era's back! I really like Fed, his game & even rationalized Rafa was inflating his H2H rec. due to so many meetings on clay, but that was a canard! Rafa truly owned him! Nole caught up & surpassed Roger in fact; his ego notwithstanding & ability to hang near the top! Who knows, he could surprise us all & make 1 last run @ 46; errrr 36!

    ***You misunderstand the GS. The real 1 is the CYGS; holding all 4 Majors in a single yr. ...that Novak did it is not w/o merit.***

    I usually just overlook the misuse of the term "Slam," but since it's being discussed, here's my take! I go back further than most & I believe it began w/ Martina after she won 4 in a row on her way to 6 ('83-84), but I still referred to them as MAJORS! I can accept the wrap-"around Slam" w/ it being 4 in a row, but it drives me bonkers referring to each & every event of the "cal. 4" as "A SLAM!" That's ridiculous; esp. since it's being invoked concerning a player w/ 1 major & never even getting a sniff of a final again like Gomez, Johansson, & Edmondson {who?}! It was initially a tool to bring news & more interest to the game & was created to elevate Agassi after wining FO in '99! A shame for him that his "CGS" w/b undermined by 3 ATG's w/ their own & twice as many major; adding a GOLD medal to boot by 1 of them! I initially thought after Graf's OGGS in '88 that w/b the end of such talk, but it's gotten progressively worse w/ the passing of X!

    ReplyDelete
  63. Youzhny's always had the game, but like most on the tour, he's gutless! There's this huge drop off after the top 4 or 5 encompassing this entire era w/ more than competent players like Berdych, Ferrer, Tsonga, & Gasquet who have remained "@ their level" w/o much to make a name for themselves besides the consistent mediocrity! Making 1 or 2 major finals doesn't cut it IMO, but they seem t/b happy wallowing! I'm hoping the next gen. makes it's mark; so far so good w/ Milos, Kei, Theim, Goffin, Zverev, Kygrios, & Poulle! Cilic got it done before too late, but I've given up on Dimitrov, Tomic, & Monfils! The "BIG 5" were going to win regardless, but the rest of the tour has really fallen down on the job allowing those same players to not only rule the majors, but barely leave scraps taking all the Masters 1000! There were periodic upsets & wins of past eras that just don't happen today! ...I'm hopeful w/ the newbies & look forward to them pulling the trigger when they have an opp. to make that next step!

    ***...Borg said he would go to Australia if the GS was on... and Connors said he would go to try & prevent Borg winning it. It's consistently been the Holy Grail throughout the history of the sport.
    ---

    Yes the CYGS certainly is a slightly > achievement than winning 4 in a row over 2 season as it's the only sequence which leads to holding all 4 titles @ the same X that clearly stands out to the other possibilities & has a historic significance. Interestingly Serena & Novak built their Slams in 3 diff. ways w/ only the CYGS missing.

    What makes Novak's sequence special on a personal level is that he did it at a rather advanced age & esp. finished w/ the major he didn't win before so the pressure he experienced at this year's FO mhb even > than it whb if he had a chance to complete the CYGS @ the USO last year. But the huge relief he felt b/c of that combined w/ him not really having a natural game for grass probably decreased his chances to follow it up w/ a win @ Wimbledon just a few wks later.
    ---

    I don't agree that the CYGS is only a "slightly" > achievement, and I see that opinions vary on that. One way of proving that is rather > is that it hasn't been done in the men's game since '69 (47 yrs) in the women's since '88 (26 yrs). ...I think the last man t/b w/i 2 matches was Roger in '05. ...Novak lost his 1st chance in '12 to Nadal @ RG. It may seem personally special to you that Nole finally won it @ the FO this yr @ a "rather advanced age," in part b/c he got thru past-prime Roger & Rafa. ...I would argue that the pressure for Djokovic was > to win the FO @ all & therefore the CS. The "Nole Slam" was a bonus if you like, but I don't think it was a > pressure than just finally winning @ RG.
    ---

    But on the men's side any combo of 4 in a row hasn't been done since '67 (when the AO & USO were still played on grass), so that doesn't really support the theory that the CS's that much more difficult to achieve & X players being close to it recently only emphasizes that taking the last step is still quite hard, although probably nobody would deny that beating Andy in the final of the FO this year was a significantly easier task than beating a prime Rafa which whb nec. for Roger in '06 & '07 and Novak in '12.

    ...For the most part winning 4 in a row is =ly impressive regardless of where it started, but starting w/ Wimbledon & finishing w/ RG doesn't have a name that distinguishes the achievement while starting at the AO & finishing w/ the US Open does. Also winning 4 in a row on the way to a possible CS hurts the chances to complete it as even dominant players are bound to lose an important match sooner or later.***

    ReplyDelete
  64. ***Fed has demonstrated his strength over X gens:

    1. He & his gen. rose @ the end of the Sampras/Agassi gen. @ age 19-21, helping to push them out.

    2. He dominated @ #1 over his own gen. from Feb. '04 - Aug. '08, age 22-27.

    3. He solidly competed w/ the Nadal/Djokovic gen. from then on, never worse then #3, & even topped them at age 31, reaching #1, & was still #2-#3 in '14-15 @ age 33-34.

    4. The following gen., Nishikori/Raonic leading the way, has posed few problems until this injury ridden yr when he lost to Raonic in the SF @ Wimbl.

    5. The #NEXT gen. has shown some promise here & there, but's still unproven.

    Federer looks like he has won his last major, but I won't rule him out til he retires.

    Nadal looks like he has won his last or penultimate major, but ditto about ruling him out. He has now played 976 matches. His last was at 834 matches, a 142 match diff.

    Djokovic has played 894 matches. ...However, the main challengers to him come from his gen; Murray, Del Potro, Cilic, & Wawrinka all w/ from 100-400 fewer matches in their bag. I see 2 maybe 3 majors more for Novak based on the historical match wins.***

    ...I can't see Nole playing into his doddering yrs of 35+ like Connors, Agassi, & Federer til now! He might surprise w/ a hot, late run, but he's definitely fallen off since winning the FO! It was such a weight off of him, he's almost feeling like he's done as much as he can do! I keep saying he hasn't been @ the height of his powers since annihilating Rafa @ Qatar event! I'm hoping he can pull it back together, but he's not showing me much; been months; even w/ USO finale & Masters' wins in Madrid & Toronto!

    ***Nole hinted at being mentally off after that huge FO win so he had his 2 mishaps in the majors this yr & can start fresh @ attempting to win 4 in a row again (this X in the same yr, starting in AO '17). ..., but navigating thru the whole season & trying to peak & play his best 4 X's a yr for the duration of majors, that's a big challenge for anybody. S/b interesting to see what happens.***

    The weight of the world fell off Nole's shoulders! He hasn't been the same since winning FO, even w/ 2 Masters' wins & a USO finale! We can only hope he'll get his usual recharge by next month so he can finish strong for last few big titles; 2 Masters, Beijing, & YEC!

    ***Hope so, he has a lot of pts to defend. I'm not surprised he hasn't been right since RG. That's a big goal to replace & he had had a rough few months in the run up. I'd like to see him finish well ahead in the pts.
    ---

    The slams are where history's written. Slam meetings btw the 3 biggest icons of modern tennis: Nadal, Djokovic & Federer.

    Djokovic leads Federer 9-6

    '16 AO - SF - Djokovic 6-1 6-2 3-6 6-3
    '15 US - F - Djokovic 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4
    '15 WB - F - Djokovic 7-6(1) 6-7(10) 6-4 6-3
    '14 WB - F - Djokovic 6-7(7) 6-4 7-6(4) 5-7 6-4
    '12 WB - SF - Federer 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-3
    '12 FO - SF - Djokovic 6-4 7-5 6-3
    '11 UO - SF - Djokovic 6-7(7) 4-6 6-3 6-2 7-5
    '11 FO - SF - Federer 7-6(5) 6-3 3-6 7-6(5)
    '11 AO - SF - Djokovic 7-6(3) 7-5 6-4
    '10 US - SF - Djokovic 5-7 6-1 5-7 6-2 7-5
    '09 US - SF - Federer 7-6(3) 7-5 7-5
    '08 US - SF - Federer 6-3 5-7 7-5 6-2
    '08 AO - SF - Djokovic 7-5 6-3 7-6(5)
    '07 UO - F - Federer 7-6(4) 7-6(2) 6-4
    '07 AO - R16 - Federer 6-2 7-5 6-3

    The Djokovic/Federer rivalry is the closest... Although some may argue that Federer isn't in his prime anymore & therefore losing >, it becomes a lit'l irrelevant when you realize that even during his prime & Djokovic not being a dominant champion yet, Djokovic still managed to beat Federer from X to X. In fact Fed has never been able to beat Djokovic more than 2 X's in a row in slams; = when Fed was in his prime.***

    ReplyDelete
  65. ***Nadal leads Fed 9-2 in the majors:

    '14 AO - SF - Nadal 7-6(4) 6-3 6-3
    '12 AO - SF - Nadal 6-7(5) 6-2 7-6(5) 6-4
    '11 FO - F - Nadal 7-5 7-6(3) 5-7 6-1
    '09 AO - F - Nadal 7-5 3-6 7-6(3) 3-6 6-2
    '08 WB - F - Nadal 6-4 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(8) 9-7
    '08 FO - F - Nadal 6-1 6-3 6-0
    '07 WB - F - Federer 7-6(7) 4-6 7-6(3) 2-6 6-2
    '07 FO - F - Nadal 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
    '06 WB - F - Federer 6-0 7-6(5) 6-7(2) 6-3
    '06 FO - F - Nadal 1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6(4)
    '05 FO - SF - Nadal 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-3

    The Nadal-Fed rivalry's the most 1-sided. A stunning domination. Federer has not been able to beat Nadal outside of Wimbl. The last X he beat him in a slam was in '07. Nadal simply laid down the law & Fed who was so dominant for a long X was not able to solve the puzzle & make a rivalry out of his #1 rival.

    Nadal leads Djokovic 9-4:

    '15 FO - QF - Djokovic 7-5 6-3 6-1
    '14 FO - F - Nadal 3-6 7-5 6-2 6-4
    '13 US - F - Nadal 6-2 3-6 6-4 6-1
    '13 FO - SF - Nadal 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-7 9-7
    '12 FO - F - Nadal 6-4 6-3 2-6 7-5
    '12 AO - F - Djokovic 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7(5) 7-5
    '11 US - F - Djokovic 6-2 6-4 6-7(3) 6-1
    '11 WB - F - Djokovic 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3
    '10 US - F - Nadal 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-2
    '08 FO - SF - Nadal 6-4 6-2 7-6(3)
    2007 WB - SF - Nadal 3-6 6-1 4-1 Retired
    2007 FO - SF - Nadal 7-5 6-4 6-2
    2006 FO - QF - Nadal 6-4 6-4 0-0 Retired

    Again, an easy dom. by Rafa in the big matches. Altho some people keep bringing up the run Djokovic had vs Nadal starting in '11 when he beat him in 3 GS in a row. ...Djokovic has been a diff. opp. for Rafa over the yrs & was able to finally take the lead in their overall h2h this yr @ a ATP 250 event, but when you look at the slam meetings Rafa reigns supreme.

    NADAL * 14 slams * OG * 4 DC * 28 MS 1000 * 69 titles * CGS * 10 cons. yrs w/ a slam title * At least 2 slams on each surface * Most titles @ any 1 slam * Won a GS on clay, grass & HC in same year * 141 wks @ #1 * 3 YE #1 * 9-2 vs Fed & 9-4 vs Djokovic in slam meetings *
    ---

    Remove the 2 majors dominant for either player from the equation. In this case:

    Nadal-Fed
    3-0 AO (adv Nadal)
    0-0 USO (draw, but look who's been more successful there)

    Nadal-Djokovic
    1-1 Wim (Djokovic won the bigger match, adv Djokovic)
    2-1 USO (adv Nadal)

    Great that Nadal was able to keep it = regarding who's > @ which majors rather than only dominating RG, & that's it, simple.
    ---

    In fairness when it comes to Roger he probably whb well =.

    U.S.O - Federer was a pt away from very likely losing to Nadal in '10 & '11. He would have had an outside shot in '11, but no chance in '10. ...If Fed couldnt beat him on grass or a dead tired Nadal in the AO final, his chances here w/b < than either of those, even if Nadal was a bit fatigued & worn by the Open & not @ his best. Fed would have a pretty good shot in '05, '06, '07 I guess, but it isnt a slam dunk in any of those like some think it is. If Nadal is playing well enough to reach the final, he always has a good shot vs Fed in fact.

    Wimbledon - Fed likely would have lost to Nadal if they met in '09, '10, or '11, w/ '09 probably his best shot. Speculating post '12 is hard as that would require Nadal being much >er on grass than he was at that pt.

    Nadal's h2h ownage of Fed outside of indoors' fully legit. He's the much >er player in h2h, but's still the weaker player overall inspite of that.

    Djokovic has basically pulled at least = w/ Nadal = as far as h2h goes, as well as everything else IMO.***

    Add Nadal's relatively short tenure at #1 and his inability to defend any title off the dirt!

    ReplyDelete
  66. ***Everyone knows that the slams are by far what matter most, so of course it's also true for the H2H when the record's about Nadal & Djokovic.***

    ...Players like McEnroe & Wilander lauded Rafa for yrs until Nole came along & put all that talk to a screeching halt & revived Fed's claim since he's been more comp. w/ the current #1!

    ***Congrats to Zverev on his 1st ATP title! He's the youngest player on tour to win an ATP title. Good on Sasha. OTTH, I think he's the 1st teenager to win a title on the tour since Kei in '08. - ...Zverev had to beat Berdych in SF & Stan in F. Thus making Zverev's victory even more remarkable.***

    I'm proud of Sasha & he's fulfilling my hope & his promise for the next gen; Thiem making final as #1 seed in Metz!

    ***...Djokovic reach 17 or 18 or even 19 slams; 16 w/b the minimum. Why? Well look at each slam.

    AO - Can anyone seriously imagine him not winning here again? Probably at least 2 more X's in fact; the clear fave here.

    FO - It's hard to see him not winning at least 1 more here, w/ a chance of 2, altho perhaps more likely 1.

    Wimbl. - People are amazed at practical all his Wimbledon titles. He'll probably get at least 1 more. There's clearly no dominant grass player post Fed.

    U.S.O. - He keeps making finals here practically. When you do that, it'll be hard for him to not get at least 1 more.
    ---

    I think if Djokovic wins the WTF & AO, it's a toss up for HC GOAT btw him & Fed.

    9 slams = 9 slams

    2 more slam finals for Djokovic

    I believe more slam semis for Nole too

    Many more HC Masters for Djokovic

    6 WTF = 6 WTF

    ...8 HC slams & 5 WTFs along w/ a bunch of other HC titles. Nole's already top 3 HC player of all X's. I think Djokovic w/b happy to face Roddick 4 X's, Baghdatis Gonzalez, etc. @ his peak in GS finals if he had to choose.
    ---

    ...Problem is that H2H really is irrelevant. One can speculate as much as one wants, & I really like Rafa, but the man has won "only" 3 slams on HC from '05-16. If some Rafa-fans find so much comfort in throwing the H2H over & over again, be my guest. But Rafa can only blame himself for not winning more HC titles in all those yrs, no matter his record vs Djoker or Fed.
    ---

    Can Novak break Roger's record for total wks @ #1? Currently he leads Andy by 2,055 pts in the race & by 4,695 in the ranking.

    At YE '16, he w/b @ 231 wks*. That'll leave him needing 72 more wks. Consecutively, he'll have to keep it till late May '18. (Altho he could do it in bits & pieces)

    Nole's history @ #1 is as follows:

    53 wks Jul '11 - Jul '12
    48 wks Nov '12 - Oct '13
    130 wks Jul '14 - Dec '16*
    ---

    He's gonna get it; needs a yr & 1/2. Djoko w/b likely #1 @ least until some of his pts continue to drop off, assuming he doesn't play well. Probably not until after the AO & likely not until after RG. At that pt, assuming someone else has played better for a while wk in & out, they'll surpass ND. ...So no reason ND can't take it back from them & be amongst the top 2 or 3 & in contention for the spot for yrs to come. Consider Fed was @ #1 for a brief while at age 31.
    ---

    Novak won only 1 slam in '12 & '14 & was still #1 @ YE easily both yrs. After Wimbledon '13 Murray held 2 slams, is quite consistent himself, held some Masters as usual, & was 1000's of pts behind a 1 slam Novak. It took Nadal winning 2 slams & 5 Masters to barely wrestle #1 away from a 1 slam Novak in '13. ...Novak even winning slams @ the kind of slow rate from now on that prevented him from getting to #17 or #18 w/b unlikely t/b knocked out of #1 anyX soon. There is nobody else consistent enough, and there is nobody good enough to dominate & win slams in bunches if he himself doesn't right now.***

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  67. ***Which male player(s) will win 18 GS? - 18 is hardly insurmountable. Federer would probably have done it were it not for the match up issue w/ Nadal & < choking on BP's. Nadal probably whd it w/ a kinder run w/ injury. The planets will align for a great to rack up more than Federer was able to.
    ---

    Someone will do it. Just don't think it'll be 1 of these guys...***

    I think things will revert back to past eras where results w/b more balanced w/ great careers defined by attaining 8-10 majors! Right now I can't imagine any of these players doing that; physically or mentally! Love Thiem, Zverev, Poulle, & a few other newbies, but not sure they'll evolve into ATG; maybe taking 2-4 "biggies!"

    ***If someone does it, and cracks 72, my biggest ??'s whether they're cons.? You'd have to figure that the 18 GS's w/b back-to-back-to-back, etc. But if not...? IDK!***

    It's the reason we put Fed up there as "THE GOAT" b/c he had 2 great runs at the 2 top Majors; Wimbledon from '03 to '07 & USO from '04 to '08! His taking that final USO put him at possibly "a bad year" for him! It supposedly saved his season after Rafa took over their rivalry & the major wins @ '08 FO & Wimbledon! Nole announced himself w/ his 1st of 6 wins "Down Under!"

    ***Roger's on 17...if you think he can win 1 more, he's the obvious pick for 18. He might just have another Major in him w/ the perfect circumstances.
    Novak has to win 6 more. Long way off, but possible, I suppose. Rafa has 14, but looks to have only chances at RG @ this stage, & that's doubtful. It's possible none of them gets to 18. If Open tennis had come about earlier, even by 5 or 6 yrs, it whb fascinating w/ Laver, Rosewall, Gonzales & others competing w/ Emerson, Santana, Stolle & others for the big prizes.
    ---

    The loss to Sam Querry was undeniably embarrassing for a player in his absolute prime so Novak needed to rationalize the result; he said he was tired. He shouldn't have been though b/c compared to previous gens, he had an extra wk to rest after the FO.***

    And you doubt he was weary? I've already posted a 100 X's that I didn't think Nole's been at the top of his game since Qatar! He found ways to win & kept his streaks going along w/ complicity of the tour unable to dethrone the #1! I have no reason to believe he won't continue his mastery of the fall season and add to his Masters' count! See ya at another YEC; right on schedule!

    ***Declinovic now has to focus on fitness & health, as he can no longer base his success entirely on his raw talent.***

    I tell you that's why he had even this much success this season! He hasn't been playing well; eeeking out close matches w/ players who had chances, but let them get away from them! Physically he helped himself, but I think the mental side has blossomed & "he's found a way to win of late" until Stan a few wks ago!

    ***Nadal stats are ridiculously skewed by his tendency to lose early when he wasn't playing well & his total dom. on clay. ...Off RG, Nadal leads Fed 4-2 & 3-3 vs Djokovic. Fed comes out so badly b/c most of the matches here are way after his peak, even though he could still be comp.***

    ...but sooner or later it's gotta come to a close! The longer he stays, the worse it'll look w/ losses occurring vs this new gen. of Thiem, Zverev, & Poulle among others really making their mark winning their 1st titles! It's about X w/ me totally giving up on Gasquet, Berdych, Ferrer, Dimitrov, & Tsonga! They have woefully underachieved IMO & shm @ least 1 good run to take a major & not just play 1 final over their extensive careers! Kei & Milos still have a chance & Cilic finally got "his" out of the way! Del Po has the game, but not the physical sturdiness; taking '09 USO!

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  68. ***All the Presidents in my lifeX have increased the debt. Except for FDR's WW II spending, by far, the % of increase in debt has been created during Rep. admins. The debt began to explode under Nixon... Since Nixon, Clinton's % of increase in debt is the lowest, Reagan's % of increase in debt is by far the worst.

    U.S. Debt by President: By $$ & %.

    Roosevelt: Added $236 B, a 1,048% increase over $23 B, the debt @ the end of Hoover's last budget, FY '33.

    Truman: Added $7 B, a 3% incr. over FDR's debt level of $259 B @ the end of FY '45.

    Eisenhower: Added $23 B, a 9% incr. in the $266 B debt level @ the end of Truman's last budget, FY '53.

    Kennedy: Added $23 B, a 8% incr. in the $289 B debt level @ the end of Eisenhower's last budget, FY '61.

    Johnson: Added $42 B, a 13% incr. in the $312 B debt level @ the end of JFK's last budget, FY '64.

    Nixon: Added $121 B, a 34% incr. in the $354 B debt level @ the end of LBJ's last budget, FY '69.

    Ford: Added $224 B, a 47% incr. in the $475 B debt level @ the end of Nixon's last budget, FY '74.

    Carter: Added $299 B, a 43% incr. in the $699 B debt level @ the end of Ford's last budget, FY '77.

    Reagan: Added $1.86 T, 186% incr. in the $998 B debt level @ the end of Carter's last budget, FY '81.

    H.W. Bush: Added $1.554 T, a 54% incr. in the $2.8 T debt level @ the end of Reagan's last budget, FY '89.

    Clinton: Added $1.396 T, a 32% incr. to the $4.4 T debt level @ the end of Bush's last budget, FY '93.

    W. Bush: Added $5.849 T, a 101% incr. to the $5.8 T debt level @ the end of Clinton's last budget, FY '01.

    Obama: Added $6.494 T, a 56% incr. in the $11.657 T debt level attrib. to Bush by the end of his last budget, FY '09.

    ...Ahhh yes, those days when the deficits were er.***

    Deflection, delusion, & hyperbole @ work here! Some won't see b/c they refuse to look! Whatever!

    ***Don’t Panic! Why Hillary Clinton Is Still Going to Win

    - http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/09/23/don-t-panic-why-hillary-clinton-is-still-going-to-win.html -

    Yes, the polls have tightened. But polls don’t matter. Targeting does. And on that front, Clinton is light yrs ahead of Trump:

    1. Nat'l polls are largely irrelevant: The NYT knows better than to put its poll on page one Fri. Nat'l polls don’t matter.

    2. Traditional polls are inaccurate: At the end of the '12 Obama campaign, we were not using trad'l polling for assessing the state of the race. ...trad'l polling doesn’t get to what really matters in the last 8 wks of a campaign.

    3. What matters most now is targeting: Or more specifically, targeting 2 groups: Hillary’s core supporters, who the Clinton campaign will make sure come out to vote, & leaning or up-for-grab voters, who're still in play.

    ...Reams of data show that you’ll be more likely to vote if you have a plan to vote, or know that others they know will vote.

    1. All that is unbelievably valuable & effective: The campaign conducts online polls every night w/ these targeted voters, & then runs 1000s of models w/ varying turnout & preferences. These surveys are incredibly precise, far beyond traditional polling.

    2. The Rep. Party's playing catch up in this area; Trump has none of it: The Dems have always relied on grassroots organizing, given their communitarianism philosophy, working class constituency & relative lack of funds. ...but Trump is way, way behind: he has neither a grassroots campaign nor a sophisticated big data operation. It’s Hillary’s secret weapon.

    3. Remember how wrong Romney & Rove were on election night '12? Romney thought he was going to win, & Rove embarrassed himself on FNC, claiming the election was still in play. Still in play? Obama won by 4 pts & 126 electoral votes.

    ...Moreover, young people vote as a social bloc; we saw it in '08, famously, & in '12, it made the diff. in Penn., FLA, VA, & Ohio, putting the President over the top.***

    ReplyDelete
  69. ***How would you Rate DONALD TRUMP's Debate Performance? - I hope I never witness a worse performance by someone wanting to lead our nation.***

    He's not looking to lead; more like "cash in!" He sees the $$B's$$ the Clintons have racked up over the yrs! We all know Trump's foundations are fraudulent & lit'l more than private piggy-banks for his use!

    ***I've had that thought ever since people were talking about Bill Clinton & Trump's phone conversation just before he announced his candidacy. Trump's all about easy $$ & he never seems to bring up Hillary's WS speeches the way other members of the GOP do. Trump certainly doesn't seem to have any interest in the actual work of governing for someone running for POTUS.***
    ===

    Cheap-shot? Trump would know I guess! To date the only real cheap-shot came from Gov./Dr. Dean who suggested Trump m/b a cocaine abuser w/ the sniffling last night! "How do you like that Donald? You & your surrogates were making up all kinds of accusations about her health! How ya like it back?" It's low, but Dems gotta do what they gotta do w/ the idiots on the "right" supporting such a troll!

    ***The Clinton News Network shouldn't be allowed to host a dog fight, let alone a Presidential debate.***

    So ridiculous to keep saying that! The victimhood of cons & Trump in particular has got to stop! It makes no sense! "W" was lauded & helped into his office & Trump got $2 B worth of free advert! Give me a freakin' break!

    ***This constant whining I'm hearing from my brothers in the Rep/right is getting annoying as fuck. - ...I'm not whining as much as I never miss a chance to point out that the DNC owns & runs CNN. It's a fact that most willfully ignore or don't know. - And Fox will have 1 of their own as a mod. next month.
    ---

    Trump has always put women in positions of power. Just like the woman he put in charge in the 80's of a construction project when that was unheard of.***

    ...and he found a way to continue making bad decisions, cheating vendors, not paying some workers, abusing bankruptcy laws, & perpetrated a fraud on senior citizens w/ Trump U!

    ***Cool story bro. Troll much...***

    Don't rant; dispute any of it! That's what kills me about cons & Reps; pointing out facts has been made out t/b partisanship! That's BS & they all need to stop "playing the victim!" It's not becoming at all t/b "whining" about being picked on & making up that ridiculous LIE of the MSM being "in the bag" for Hillary

    ***She looked & sounded significantly healthier than Trump did last night @ the debate.***

    Oh Trump faded fast as the night went on! He started interrupting more & being more belligerent! He was so rude to both Hillary & Lester by just going on & on & on when he was asked to make it brief! It whb impressive if he said something meaningful, but it was all gibberish! I think it sad that some people "hate Hillary" enough to support such a troll! He openly exhibits a mental disorder & it's still a 50-50 proposition! What's wrong w/ this country?

    ***He does it intentionally - or m/b he really is out of control? What's worse? IDK.***

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  70. ***I read a local article about the Hispanics in my state. Apparently many of them dislike Hillary (they don't like Trump either), so they may not vote at all. They don't say why they don't like Hillary.***

    The country never seems to learn, their apathy will come back to haunt them! Taking on "W" in '01 is still costing all of us! The Nat'l Debt was scheduled t/b zeroed out in '12 under Clinton's stewardship; now look at us with debt approaching $20 trillion! And the idiots on "the right" are still talking about tax cuts for the top earners! That proves how "low info" many of us are in the country!

    ***The Right had targeted her even before she announced her candidacy.***

    People don't have t/b suckered! Why allow someone to insult their intelligence, but come back saying "it's not a problem? I'm still voting for the top of the Rep. ticket." Nat'l security & nuclear energy at the top of what people are the most concerned about & I can tell you Trump has no clue, but his support is firm!

    ***Hillary loves her husband, calls out his accusers & stays w/ him. What's the ??! The only marriage I truly care about is mine.***

    I find it hilarious that the ones criticizing Hillary & her marriage have been busted for cheating & remarrying themselves 2 or 3 X's; Giuliani, Trump, & Gingrich! Sleazebags all; such hypocrites!

    ***Been difficult t/b a Dem., but never more than now w/ a candidate having no qualifications & a need to lie & distract every min.***

    What a joke! Reps are still invoking Whitewater, Benghazi, & the email server investigation! Don't make me laugh when it comes to harking "BACK" relentlessly to make an issue of something old! Pathetic; the hypocrisy!

    ***Hmmm, yeah, that's so ridiculous. it's nothing like going back 20 years to investigate some remarks Trump made about one of his employees who wasn't doing her job. Now that's a real scandal!***

    The same c/b said about Trump & his lackeys talking about Bill's infidelity & womanizing; like Hillary s/b made responsible for it since she's running for President!

    ***She's responsible for it. She facilitated it. She intimated his victims into shutting up. She ran the "bimbo eruption squad." How is she not responsible?***

    I'm still trying to figure out what you losers wanted Hillary to do or say? "Thank you Monica for suk'n my husband off in the Oval office" & "good job Jennifer! You kept him busy for over 10 yrs so I don't have any animus for you!" Idiots!

    ***My Rep. sister hates Hillary so much she won't even admit Trump is worse. I don't think she's going to vote for him, but she definitely won't vote for Hillary. She claims Trump won the debate & that Hillary lied more X's than Trump did. ...She said she doesn't believe a person c/b both a Dem. & a Christian. Otherwise we wouldn't vote for gay rights or abortion. Here's my real fear. If Trump wins I expect him t/b impeached the 1st year. Then we get Pence & we'll return to the dark ages if he gets his way. He's a Neanderthal IMO. He not only wants to abolish abortion, but also contraception.***

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  71. ***...I really wanted you to focus on how President Obama address the Unemployment, the recession (Banks & Auto Industry).***

    Even w/ the "foot-dragging" & unprecedented obstruction, Obama wound up having a fairly successful 2 terms! I used to think reaching over the aisles was a good & possible endeavor, but the way The Reps treated the 1st Black President won't be forgotten in my lifeX! To them "compromise" became a "4-letter" word! Tea-Baggers running vs moderates & being kick out of Congress! There won't be any "drinks" after a session where things have gotten truly ugly w/ apparent hate for 1 another! It's mainly something 1-sided where underlying bigotries still lurk unfortunately! That can't be overlooked! You see what's happened to them w/ Boehner gone, Cantor, Kingston, & others voted out, while Ryan, the current Speaker's under assault by his own party! I would have sympathy for him if he hadn't led the charge in making Pelosi & Obama's job so much harder than it had t/b & undermining them both! These people are too vile to have any real hope of serious change!

    ***It has been proven many X's that the Clinton campaign DID NOT start the birther movement, and all the factcheckers are getting pissed @ the people who continue to make this ridiculous claim.***

    Trump & his campaign don't care about facts! An expert says an audit's no reason for him to withhold his taxes, but Trump & his minions continue to use it as an excuse! Truth means nothing to these people! Kelly Anne might have burned him though! There was ?? of him spending $$ in Cuba vs the law! She admitted he spent some $$, but didn't open a business venture! He's in trouble!

    ***That Cuba news came out only yesterday, didn't it? Is Donald playing the distraction game again to draw attention away from Cuba & toward the beauty queen? It's not in a + light, but still it's a distraction from a possibly very damaging issue. Are our media watching? They need to get on Cuba, Trump's business practices, things like that. Let go of the beauty queen. Let Trump drown in his Tweets.***

    There's been such a juxtaposition where Trump & his minions constantly commented that Hillary hadn't had a press conference in 250+ days! Now he's in hiding. giving only friendly interviews on FNC! How the mighty have fallen; the hypocrisy is mind numbing! It was just last week the same people were talking about Clintons' foundation & "pay to play," now Trump's foundation is under legitimate investigation! I really think running for President was just an ego trip where he would have sold the Oval Office & pocketed the change!

    ***He's a fuckin' clown, period....pretty pathetic that so many people are that naive & easily fooled into believing in this charlatan. It doesn't take much w/ the simpleminded low-info voters that he attracts. Tell them what they want to hear, play on their prejudices, & don't worry about details b/c that demographic only needs to hear the slogan; "Make America Great Again." People are fuckin' gullible. LOL.
    ---

    ...Unfortunately the Rep. party will spread lies & fear to convince the public how dangerous Obama (& therefore Hillary) is.***

    I imagined "Brexit" instead of Brieibart! We have our own "Brexit" drama going on; instead of trade issue, more about suing Saudi gov't over 911! So these geniuses in Congress passed this stupid permission, got it VETO'd by the President, & before the ink was dry "overrode the VETO!" Now they're trying to blame Obama for the unexpected consequences by this measure! We're all brain-dead idiots in this country!

    ReplyDelete
  72. ***Nole's All-X rec:

    These records were attained since the Am. era & the Open Era of tennis, since 1877.

    Event - Since - - Rec. Accomp. - - Nole tied/Stands Alone

    G.S. - 1877 - Hold'n all 4 Majors titles - 3 diff. surfaces - SA
    Non-CY - GS - SA
    13 HC F's - SA
    7 cons. HC F's - SA
    88% HC match winning % - SA
    ATP WT '70 Holding all 4 GS's & YEC @ once - SA
    35 Top-tier HC tourn. won - SA
    10 Top tier tourn. won in a sn ('15) - SA
    18 Top tier tourn. F's in a row - SA
    15 str. F's reached in a sn ('15) - SA
    30+ match wins vs Top 10 opps in a sn ('15) - SA
    Defeated all Top 10 players in a sn ('15) - SA
    83% career match winning % - SA
    ATP WT Masters '70 30 singles titles - SA
    22 HC Masters titles - SA
    6 titles won in a single sn (2015) - SA
    31 cons. match wins - SA
    2 years winning 5+ titles - SA
    1+ titles at 8 diff. tourn. - SA
    2+ titles at 8 diff. tourn. - SA
    3+ titles at 6 diff. tourn. - SA
    4+ titles at 5 diff. tourn. - SA
    83% career Masters match winning % - SA
    ATP Rankings '73 >est # of pts accrued as #1 (16,950) - SA
    Paris Masters '68 4 singles titles - SA
    IW's Masters '74 5 singles titles - SA
    China Open 1993 6 singles titles - SA
    Shanghai Masters 2009 3 singles titles - SA

    GS tourn. rec:
    These records were attained in the Open Era of tennis since '68.

    - GS - Year(s) - Rec. Accomp. - Nole tied/SA


    - AO - FO - Wimbl. - US Open

    '15–16 Non-Cal. Yr GS - SA
    '15–16 Holding all 4 Major titles @ once - Laver
    '15–16 Holding all 4 Major titles on 3 diff. surfaces @ once - SA
    '15–16 Holding all 4 GS & YEC simult.- SA
    '08–16 CGS - Laver, Agassi, Federer, Nadal
    '15–16 30 cons. GS match wins - SA
    '10–16 3+ cons. F's @ all 4 Majors - SA
    '15 Reached all 4 GS F's in a CY - Laver, Federer
    '07–08 Youngest player to reach the SF's of all 4 Majors - SA
    '07–08 Youngest player to reach all 4 Majors SF's consec. - SA

    - AO - US Open

    '07–16 13 HC F's overall - SA
    '10–13 7 cons. HC F's - SA
    '05–16 Highest HC match winning % - 88.2% (120–16) - SA

    - Wimbl. - US Open - AO

    '11–12
    '15–16
    2 streaks of 3 cons. Major titles - Federer

    - AO - Wimbl.

    '08–16
    '11–15
    3+ titles each of the 2 Majors - Federer

    - AO - FO

    '16 - AO/FO title double in a season - Laver, Wilander, Courier
    - AO '12 Longest GS F (by duration) vs Nadal - Nadal
    Djokovic's the 8th man in tennis history to win CGS & 1 of 6 players in Open Era (Connors, Wilander, Agassi, Federer, Nadal) to win GS's on 3 diff. surfaces.

    Records @ each GS tourn., since '68.

    - GS - Year(s) - Rec. accomp. - Nole tied/SA

    AO - '08–16 - 6 singles titles - SA
    '08–16 6 F's - SA
    '11–13 3 cons. titles - SA
    '11–13 3 cons. finals - Wilander, Lendl
    '11–14 25 cons. match wins - SA
    FO - '09-16 6 cons. SF's aps - SA
    USO -'12 Longest final (by dur.) vs Murray, Wilander, Lendl
    Djokovic's the 1st & only player in the Open Era t/b undefeated in 6 AO F's, sitting @ a perfect 6-0 record.***

    ReplyDelete
  73. ***ATP WTF's rec:
    Introd. in '70 & was orig. known as the Masters GP.

    X Span - Rec. Acc. - Nole tied/Stands Alone

    '12–15 - 4 cons. titles - SA
    '11 - Qual. early – 18 wks, 6 days - SA

    ATP Masters rec:
    GP Super Series began in '70.
    ATP MS introd. in '90 & renamed ATP Masters 1000 in '09.

    '07–16 - 30 titles - SA
    '07–16 - 43 F's - SA
    '07–13 - 8/9 titles won - SA
    '15 - 6 titles won in a single sn - SA
    '15 - 8 F's reached in a single sn - SA
    '11,'14–15 - Strk of 5 titles - SA
    '12–15 - 12 F's won in a row - SA
    '11 - 31 cons. match wins - SA
    '15 - 39 match wins in a single sn - SA
    '11,'14–15 - 2 strks of 30+ cons. match wins - SA
    '11–12,'15 - 3 yrs reaching 6+ finals - SA
    '11–12 - 2 cons. yrs reaching 6+ finals - SA
    '11,'15 - 2 yrs winning 5+ titles - SA
    '11,'14–15 - 2 strks of 5 titles - SA
    '11,'14–16 - 4 yrs winning 4+ titles - SA
    '11–16 - 4 strks of 4 titles - SA
    '13–16 - 3 strks of 4 cons. tourn. titles - SA
    '07–15 - 4+ titles at 5 diff. tourn. - SA
    '07–16 - rec. holder of most titles won 4 diff. tourn. - SA
    '14–15,'15 - Simult. holder of 6 diff. tourn. titles @ once - SA
    '11–15 - 2 cons. titles @ 6 diff. tourn. - SA
    '15 - 4 cons. title defenses - SA
    '15 - Winning the 1st 3 tourn. of a sn - SA
    '11,'16 IW's/Miami/Montr. M title triple (twice) - SA
    '11,'14–16 IW's/Miami M title double won 4 X's - SA
    '07–16 - Miami/Canada Masters title double won 4 X's - SA
    '13,'15 - Autumn sweep (winning Shanghai, Paris & YEC cons.) - SA
    '13–15 - 3 yrs winning Paris M. & YEC B2B - SA

    Rec. @ each Masters:

    IW - '08–16 5 titles - SA
    '07–16 - 6 F's - Fed
    '14–16 - 3 cons. titles - Fed
    Miami Open '07–16 - 6 titles - Agassi
    '14–16 - 3 cons. titles - Agassi
    '07 - Youngest player to win the title - SA
    Shanghai -'12–15 - 3 titles - SA
    '12–15 - 3 F's - Murray
    '12–13 - 2 cons. titles - Murray
    Paris -'09–15 4 titles - SA
    '13–15 - 3 cons. titles - SA

    Other rec:
    Attained in the Open Era of tennis since '68.

    '16 - >est # of pts accrued in ATP rankings as #1 (16,950) - SA
    '11–15 - Min. of 10,000 pts accrued for 5 cons. yrs as #1 - SA
    '16 - The "player to beat" on hard, clay, grass & indoors @ the same X - SA
    '05–16 - 80%+ win rate on all 3 diff. surfaces: hard, clay & grass - SA
    '07–16 - 47 Top-tier tourn. won (Big Titles) - Fed
    '07–16 - 35 Top-tier HC tourn. won - SA
    '14–15 - 7 Top tier tourn. won in a row - SA
    '14–16 - 2 streaks of 7 cons. Top-tier titles - SA
    '11,'15–16 - 2 streaks of 7 titles - SA
    '15 - 15 str. F's in a sn - SA
    '09–16 - 3-peat @ 7 diff. tourn. - SA
    '06–15 - 20+ wins over each other member of the Big 4 (Fed, Nadal & Murray) - SA

    '06–16 - Winning H2H rec. vs each other member of the Big 4 - SA
    '06–15 - 20+ wins over 4 diff. opp. (Nadal, Fed, Murray & Berdych) - SA
    '06–16 - 26 match wins vs. 1 opp. (Nadal) - SA
    '15 - 31 match wins vs. Top 10 opp. in a single sn - SA
    '15 - 37.8% - % of Top 10 wins to the overall match wins of a sn - SA
    '15 - Def. all Top 10 players in a sn - SA
    '11–15 - 5 yrs winning 20+ matches vs. Top 10 opp. - SA
    '11 - 5 cons. match wins vs #1 player in F's (Nadal) - SA
    '08–15 - 7 match wins over defending GS chps - SA
    '07 - Youngest player to def. the Top 3 players in succ. (Roddick, Nadal & Fed) - SA

    '15 - Most $$ won in a sn ($21,646,145) - SA
    '16 - All-X prize $$ leader ($104,563,310) - SA
    '09–15 - 6 China Open titles - SA
    '12–15 - 4 cons. China Open titles - SA
    '07–10 - 4 cons. YE @ #3 - SA
    '04–16 - 83.0% (742–152) - >st overall match winning % - SA
    84.3% (489–91) - >est HC match winning % - SA
    74.5% (146–50) - >est deciding set winning % - SA***

    ReplyDelete
  74. ***Agassi was favored to win that day in Flushing, but It seemed like Pete took it to him 1 last X. Remember that Pete didn't win any tourn. for 18 months!***

    Agassi was favored the 1st X back in '90; what good did it do him? ...It was beginning to look like Agassi was a colossal choke artist who was unable to close the deal! It was ironic in more ways that 1 w/ his Nike image campaign (image is everything) ringing in our ears, then his 1st major win being at Wimbledon 2 yrs later in '92!

    ***Rod Laver was barred from GS's for 5 yrs = 20 Slams ...How many would he have ended up w/ playing the lot? I think 18 minimum...so it's not impossible. - If you count pro majors, Laver won 19 (slams + promajors) in total. Ken Rosewall won something like 24 majors IIRC. There were only 3 pro majors per yr, so maybe you can even add a few more.

    Note that there were only 2 distinct surfaces in pre-Open era; clay & classic quick grass courts. We have max of 14 during 70s-90's, Open era. We have had 4 very diff. surfaces @ slams. Even AO ^ USO surfaces were very diff. We now have 4 diff. surfaces, but NOT so diff. as 70s -90s.

    If we have a truely dominating player for 6+ yrs like Laver, Gonzales or Sampras; we'll have someone w/ 20+ slams under post-'03 homogeneous surface conditions, IMHO.
    ---

    In that case, Borg & Lendl in particular get 'bumped' b/c Borg won the US PRO, the same tournament Laver & Rosewall won 3 X's; '74-76. He also won the Wembley PRO, the same tourney Laver & Rosewall won once. Lendl won the US PRO & the Wembley PRO, 3 X's each, so now Borg goes up to 15 majors won & Lendl 14 if you take a 'professional' stance.
    ---

    I kind of thought people were exaggerating his supposed problems, but it does seem as though something's not quite right. - Every player's motivated his own way. Fed's playing for the love of the game, Nadal's using tennis court as his sanctuary, & Djokovic's playing w/ a chip on his shoulder. Djokovic was playing to escape poverty, to win recognition, & to win RG. Now he has $$, fame, recognition, & is hard for him to have same motivation. I hope he finds new love for the sport, but he's clearly mentally exhausted. HOF, NFL player Howie Long said that he retired when he couldn't manufacture anger anymore. That's clearly where Novak is now in his career.
    ---

    Novak's won everything (bar the Olympics, which come after the Slam tourn. in importance anyway), been #1 for a considerable length of X now, on par w/ the greats there, & has more than enough $$ for life. Once he won the French, he'll have felt an enormous weight of pressure lifted off his shoulders. In short, he's now basically done everything. He hopes to feel < pressure & hope to enjoy the game more. That's what I think he's trying to say here. He'll still try & win, but it won't be as important...which, will in the end, mean >er chances for the others who can step up, like Murray; even 35 yo Roger, Wawrinka, Nishikori, Del Porto, etc.
    ---

    Dear Nadal & Federer fans, the Djokovic era is upon us:

    •Caught btw the glorious memories of Federer & Nadal, Djokovic will always -- in the eyes of many -- remain the 3rd wheel; a great player who survived until age caught up w/ Fed & injuries w/ Nadal; a player who could have never beaten them @ their best.

    - http://www.firstpost.com/sports/dear-nadal-and-federer-fans-the-djokovic-era-is-upon-us-2339546.html -
    ---

    Yeah, that 1 who was stomping all over Rafa in '11-early'12 , in Rafa's prime, was someone else :D - ...& if Nole wins 2 more majors, he won't bother much that he doesn't have OG ...Rafa's YEC's a >er hole since it's a more important tourney ...- & almost everyone will put him ahead of Nadal then.***

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  75. ***Honestly I feel that Federer 'died' as a tennis great in '08 w/ what Nadal did to him at the FO.***

    We're talking 3 more majors; the USO of '08 saved his season! All he really did was extend his major record to 17, holding of the #1 rec., & invariably losing his H2H record lead over 2 players, not just 1! If he comes back, it'll only end up hurting his legacy more; sorta like Connors those last 5-7 seasons after '84!

    ***I know that you are joking about "NO LOVE for Nole." This guy gets $10 M in endorsements. Where do I need to sign t/b hated as Djokovic is?***

    He's definitely playing 2nd fiddle & 3rd wheel in the Fedal era, but he's done himself proud &'s truly made a name for himself regardless if he matches Fed's 17 or not! Nole's the Ivan Lendl of this gen. who had to deal w/ Borg, Connors, & McEnroe even though he accomplished more overall as #1!

    ***Nole's weakest slam is the USO... He plays horribly there 1/2 the X TBH, but when he wins the title he plays great tennis. He hasn't just lost to Murray, he's lost to much worse players like Nishikori i.e. At Wimbledon he wasn't 100% in '13 after Del Potro dragged out their SF match, throwing everything he had @ Nole. Murray may have won anyway, but Nole was practically a sitting duck in the final.***

    Like Nadal, the summer just isn't his X of the season! Even though he has 2 titles, he was much stronger @ FO losing to eventual champ in the semi or final most of the X! Making the final @ the USO was luck & "acts of GAWD" w/ MP's being saved X X's! I feel badly for him being so close in Paris only to stand there yr. after yr. as someone else accepted the "Coupe des Mousquetaires" until this past June!

    ***Will Novak reach 303 wks @ #1? - Currently he leads Andy by 2,055 pts in the race and by 4,695 in the ranking.

    At the end of '16, he'll be @ 231 wks*. That'll leave him needing 72 more wks. Consecutively, he'll have to keep it til late May '18.

    His history @ #1 is as follows:

    53 wks Jul '11 - Jul '12
    48 wks Nov '12 - Oct '13
    130 wks Jul '14 - Dec '16*

    (*assuming this for convenience. Not intended as a slight to Andy or his excellent fans. Easier to remember 231 wks @ YE '16, rather than 216 in Sept. Will make relevant changes if Andy takes #1 in '16)
    ---

    ...good chance of breaking this record & in many ways is deservingly...as great as Federer was his talent was largely winning Slams, Djokovic will in many ways be defined by his consistency & the dominance he has shown over extended period.

    I've been saying for some X now that Murray's best chance to challenge for #1 ranking will likely come at '17 IW/Miami tourn. and obviously for this to remain true he'll need to keep the pressure on & probably win at least 1 of either WTF or '17 AO...even though Djokovic is largely defending max pts throughout this stretch.

    At this stage it's hard to see Djokovic holding #1 spot continually thru to pt he would brk rec...I think he'll lose it at some pt next yr, but will regain it; again in doing so will go on to break record.
    ---

    ...As a result there's no doubt that Fed's record @ #1 is impressive it probably never felt as though he was as dominant as Djokovic compared to rest of the field...or at least over prior 18 months from this years FO. I think we can all agree that Djokovic's dominance over rest of the field has w/o ?? diminished in recent months & therefore next 18 months is going to be a real battle for him and will determine how likely he's to achieve rec. wks @ #1.
    ---

    ...I was a bit flippant & short-sighted in my original comment...feel that Djokovic has somewhat raised the bar in terms of dominance over the field & needless to say that's due to a combo of factors, some w/i his control & others due to inconsistency of others.***

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  76. ***Do you think Djokovic is legend? - He's not on my tennis/Open Era Mount Rushmore, but he's certainly a tier 1 ATG & legend.***

    IDK how he can't be w/ his name slashing thru the record books! His '11 & '15 alone does the job, but add 6 AO''s, 3 Wimbledons, 5 YEC so far, a CGS, approaching top of list to hold #1 ranking, & he's not done yet! If Connors, McEnroe, & Becker are thought of as legends, Djokovic has already put himself near the top!

    ***Seems pretty strange to me why so many people claim that Nadal has a matchup disadvantage vs Novak. He was leading the H2H from May '06 - Nov. '15. That's 9 1/2 yrs. Novak has been leading the H2H for < than a yr. And until '15, Nadal had a clear advantage in their meetings. In the Rafa-Nole & Fed-Nole match-ups, none of them had matchup advantage or disadvantage. That was/is present only in the Fedal rivalry.
    ---

    How can someone have a clear advantage in their meetings & then suddenly in same year to lose H2H advantage? Only X Rafa had a clear advantage was in early days on clay. Everything else is blurred w/ Novak having clear advantage in '11. - Well, Rafa had the advantage from '06-10 & in '12. Nole had it in '11, '15-16. They were even in '13, but Nadal won the big matches & '14 is debatable, as Nadal won their GS meeting. So it's fair to say that none of them have matchup adv./disad. over the other.***

    ...Djokovic completed his "Nole-Slam" w/ title @ RG; mediocre results since! I won't believe this is anything serious unless Nole drops his dominance @ AO next yr! If he coasts & doesn't take his 6th YEC, I won't be too disappointed! If the desire isn't there, "don't force it!"

    ***It w/b a bit sad if Nole doesn't secure the YE #1. He had the best results at Slams & already has won the most Masters of all. Here is hoping he successfully crosses that finish line.***

    It's not only important to finish YE as #1 for the sake of it alone, but there's so many wks of "dead periods" waiting for something significant like the AO to make a diff. in the rankings! It's 1 of the reason Federer holds the record; w/ all those YE rankings in his favor, he has a year's worth @ the top not even needing to play! Murray has gotten a lit'l too close for my comfort! Hard to believe he's even w/i shouting distance of Nole who has 2 majors & 4 Masters' wins under his belt!

    ***Got to give Murray credit for showing some very impressive consistency. Djokovic made it messy w/ the early Wimbledon exit, that's pretty much it. Everything else this season has been just fine or amazing.
    ---

    Lucas. But it's a pity for Poulle's loss to Grigor in Beijeng, b/c I'm enjoying his & Zverev's recent runs of good form...***

    I couldn't be more thrilled for both; along with Thiem! We can only hope it continues & we finally get a challenging new gen.! I love checking out the record books w/ the "Big 4" dominating like no other era, but there s/b some odd wins sprinkled in there; a lot more than done by Wawrinka, Cilic, DP, & even Murray! Andy's had many chances, but Lendl's been the only coach to bring it out of him! I know I go on and on about the Golden Ages I got to witness w/ Borg/Connors/McEnroe/Lendl, Sampras/Courier/Chang/Agassi, culm. in what we have now! The thing is, the previous 2 eras had quite a few winners of majors due to apathy by the top players & occasional upsets; esp. "down under" & RG! I can recall "Black Monday" @ FO in '90 when the tourney lost both Edberg & Becker! That just never happens anymore! Those past eras @ any given tourn., you could have as many as a dozen winners of majors! TODAY? Fuggedaboutit!

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  77. We need to test the competence of "W's" apologists after seeing the country go from peace & prosperity to a depression, 2 wars, & Int'l disrepute! I doubt if 911 would have occurred if the SC hadn't intervened & decided to anoint the election to Bush like they did! Their history w/b as tainted as his for all X IMO! Obama may never get any credit for bringing the country "back," but that's the case! The DOW had dropped to 6600 (now over 18,200), unemployment exploded to well over 10% (now under 5), gas prices were well over $4 (now $2), deficits going down the fastest period in history, saved the auto industry, ...! Just keep ignoring all this along w/ the passing of other important leg. like the ACA, = pay, etc.!
    ---

    ...Say what you will, the Clintons w/o a doubt are the most influential couple in the history of the world! Reps & cons have been trying to destroy them for decades, but they just get "bigger!" They w/b @ the heights when she finally takes over the Oval Office making Bubba the "First Dude!" The opp's probably @ work already trying to undermine her admin.! ...the more they vilify the Clintons, the more durable they become! Nothing affects them & "the right" can't stand it!

    ***Kathleen Willey is no one to use as a reputable source...a known liar; ask Ken Starr, he'd confirm it.***

    Besides, Hillary shb thanking these women I guess! Heaven knows why her detractors keep trying to make "something" of her defending her family! "Yes, thanks Monica for giving Bill countless hummers!"

    ***What're they influencing; all the people they fk'd over?***

    No, that w/b Trump who's got over 3500 lawsuits filed vs him for fraud, breach of contract, etc., etc., etc.!

    ***It seems the MSM find scandals more interesting than policies, b/c scandals get them instant high ratings. They have done great disservice to Clinton & our country.***

    Amen & hallelujah to that! Our press is an embarrassment! When I've gone abroad, the news is totally diff.; usually starting w/ conflicts & wars, gov't elections, & stats having to do w/ society! Ours might begin by talking about Kim Kardashian's plight in Paris! It's a crime & I'd hate to admit where I'm from when visiting foreign lands! We're an Int'l laughing stock w/ what's going on now!

    ***-When Trump does business w/ other nations including Russia or China, it's OK with you?

    -When he asks Russia to hack his opp's emails so he can win the election, that is not treason for you?

    -Hillary was not born w/ millions of $$'s. Neither was Bill. They worked hard to develop their careers & served the public too. Why is that not OK, but Trump using his father's $$, then going bankrupt 6 X's, and swindling his contractors & employees is all OK?

    -Trump foundation uses other people's $$ for Trump's benefit & that's OK w/ you, but CGI that has done very good work to help people in the world is not OK?

    You seem to HATE the Clintons without a reason. Just admit it. No need to give flimsy excuses.***

    Hypocrisy has been the basic MO of the Rep. party for as long as I can remember! They hated the Clintons so much, they made their exit the most unpleasant it c/b! Bill couldn't even open his transition office w/o them kvetchin' about the cost! Funny they knew Reagan was "out of it," but he had a fully staffed office! I really just hate these people now! The way they've gone after the Clintons so relentlessly will garner them a special place in HELL if there's any justice!

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  78. ***I'd still say Kaine has a slight edge in the debate b/c I consider content more important than presentation.***

    As I've been saying the last few cycles; Dems are just giving Reps & cons their own treatment & tactics back at them! Being calm & gentlemen wasn't doing them any good; losing Congress for an extended period of X! If they want to harangue a candidate w/ their own words and history, that's the least the Dems & liberals can do to make them pay for this relentlessly childish tactic! ...form an opinion of which candidate is best to get us back on track to a truly healthy economy rather than limping along! It c/b infused right away w/ infrastructure legis. being passed as soon as Hillary takes office! We need to get stuff passed early so it c/b enacted early '18 since Obama will have already signed '17 CR's by a gutless Congress!

    ***...One of dozens of examples when Trump chooses his business over the role as a potential president.***

    More reason to laugh in the faces of Clinton detractors whining about the CGI when no charity has been more open about its dealings & collecting $$ from around the world! The Clintons have saved lives w/ immunizations, food, scholarships, & contributing to other charities! Trump has committed repeated acts of fraud concerning his charities & business dealings fattening his own wallet! Nuff said!

    ***...I do think the Trump campaign could come up w/ that.***

    Is this a campaign? Trump has the lukewarm backing of the RNC, a few Congressmen & Senators no one knows, & has mouthpieces on Fox News! He's made it comp. = though Hillary has unprecedented support; never seen or heard of in the history of this country or the WORLD! ...we' re on the precipice of becoming a 3rd world nation w/ this clown keeping it close! Hillary has cheerleaders from every facet of society; a current popular president, 2 past presidents, current & past VP's, The FLOTUS, Secs of past Rep. admins, generals, Hollywood, & LeBron! Talk about flawed candidates; t/b this polarized is insane! There's only 1 choice, but for some reason FATE is trying to test us!

    ***Trump's Tax Records: A tale of business failures again & again. Trump's not a self-made man. He's a self-made disaster who only avoided personal bankruptcy thanks to his father being there to clean up his messes.***

    I've said from the beginning, this act of hubris would end up blowing up in Trump's face; hurting his brand, losing customers, & being exposed! He was already set to sell the OVAL Office; funny he said the Clintons were destined to do the same! Unfortunately for him, they'll be the only ones to have a chance!

    ***I hate BOTH major parties equally.***

    Well that's a problem since the parties aren't =ly culpable! Starting with the "Birther" crap, shutting down gov't twice, and politicizing normal budget housekeeping to make Obama look bad will always make me call "foul" on the Reps/Cons! I'm embarrassed for them all since I'm 1 not to forget this heinous behavior; esp. of the Rep. hierarchy! Cantor, Boehner, & Kingston elim. by 'their own' & were after the latest Speaker; Ryan! How can gov't work when these animals are eating "their own?"

    ***I agree that the GOP is horrible. ...Dems used t/b good on economic issues & for awhile they were the saner bunch when it came to foreign policy, but now they seem t/b just as hawkish as the GOP. Also, Obamacare doesn't solve our healthcare problems, it only exacerbates them (and it's really only benefiting the fatcat health insurance companies) - we need universal healthcare, once & for all! Sanders & Stein are great on that issue. Too bad Bernie lost the primary (and under dubious circumstances)... Dems (and Greens) are right about climate change, too.***

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  79. ***...Pence's demeanor was more steady & pleasant in the debate. Kaine's strategy was to attack. The interrupting was annoying.***

    Maybe, but both got what they wanted out of it! Pence tried to make their candidacy more sane; being in control of his emotions even if he had t/b lying thru his teeth! Kaine wanted t/b the attack dog, defend Hillary to the hilt, & get his talking points out there! On his own, I don't think he would have behaved like that w/ most believing him t/b the most temperate person on the HILL! Dems learned a long X ago that Reps will slither in the sewer if it means winning an election! You can't be civil w/ these animals who will attack anything; patriotism, intelligence, honesty regardless of how challenged they are on the subject! I'm disgusted by all Reps unfortunately! They've allowed themselves to look & act as poorly as in any period in our history which would include slavery, Japanese internment, Tuskegee, The Klan, & Civil Rights marches! They're all tainted by allowing their Rep. hierarchy to act in "Obamanable" ways which won't be forgotten anyX soon!

    ***I'm perplexed about why people & the media are all of a sudden surprised & indignant over what Trump said in that old video. He's been saying truly vile & disgusting & similar stuff since this damn campaign started, but it seems the diff. is that this is an Access Hollywood video...
    ---

    ...That's exactly who Donald Trump has shown himself t/b: a braggart who loves attention, wants t/b treated like a star, has no self restraint & likes to promote the special "powers" & "rights" he has. - So believing a man doesn't have the right to grab a woman's private parts makes Americans prudes? The issue w/ Trump's comments is not the use of language like pussy, but rather w/ the promotion & admission of sexual assault & harassment. Thankfully, the media I have seen makes this distinction pretty clearly.
    ---

    Richly ironic, disgusting & funny @ the same X. How weirdly apropos indeed. Surely Billy Bush was crossing his fingers the tape never materialized over the airwaves since it doesn't show him in a good light either, if he even remembered the freaky frat-boy ep. But then again, BB ain't runnin' for U.S. President. ...Even wackier Karma for Trump that Billy Bush (reportedly) ain't exactly that close w/ the 'loftier' Bushes, i.e., they ain't kissin' cousins. - Karma comes after everyone eventually. You can't get away w/ screwing people over your whole life. What goes around comes around. That's how it works. Sooner or later the universe will serve you the revenge that you deserve.
    ---

    I suspect that this campaign is going to get even dirtier, beginning at the next debate. Trump isn't too bright, so he might not have the guile or the wit to score pts off Bill Clinton abusing his position to commit adultery in the Oval Office, while the feminist Hillary talked about "bimbo eruptions" & went on mad harridan campaigns to destroy all the women Bill slept w/, abused, & allegedly raped. I wouldn't worry, Fiero, those of us watching from outside the States, but who love America, don't think worse of Americans that these pair are the best you could dredge up from the slime. It's happening everywhere, that democracy itself is in some sort of terminal crisis. IDK what the solution is, but it's not only happening in America.***

    I find it hilarious when Hillary's detractors criticize her for not "thanking the women" involved w/ her husband! I guess she was supposed to ignore their participation, divorce Bill, & forget her dreams to make them feel better! Did you see the biggest jerks taking her to task? Trump, Giuliani, & Gingrich have all been busted for cheating & have all been married 3 X's! Who are they to make an issue of anyone's marriage & subsequent actions to cheating?

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  80. ***Rafa said today "was a disaster." He lost 2 & 4 to Grigor in Beijing 1/4! ...Rafa just has too many matches in him. He'll have a couple of fair matches if he doesn't get challenged too much, & then an awful 1; esp. anyone w/ fair defense & controlled aggressive play. Playing on HC's only makes it worse. I think his only chance was to shut down his season after the USO, get completely healthy & then work on his fitness, practice & play on the clay, much as he did in '12-13, & stay on it as much as possible next yr thru to RG. But I think that chance is gone now.***

    He might think he can swipe a YEC w/ Nole down, Roger out, & many other players worn down like Thiem & Kei! IDK how anyone can call this guy "The GOAT" w/ his abysmal rec. @ the YEC, no defense of a title off clay, & limited X @ #1!

    ***I certainly think he's 1 of the GOATs on that record!***

    ...For Mats or JoMac to even think Nadal was ahead of all others was hubris allowing the world to know they're "past it!" Nadal isn't even in my top 6 for obvious reasons w/ the tech & homogenized cts! He wouldn't have survived past gens of truly great players who would abuse his defensive style! The only player it seems that could sustain greatness playing like that was Borg; which is why he's a true legend w/ 5 str. Wimbledons & 6 FO's alone!

    ***Murray & Wawrinka are proving that this era is the strongest era ever. In other eras Murray would have 8+ slams & Wawrinka 6+, but b/c they're playing in the era of Novak, the best player to ever play this great sport of ours, they're both stuck on 3.
    ---

    Nah. That's the marvel of Wawrinka's career: almost maxed it out. You could make a case for him having a shot at '13 AO & '15 USO. But really, he got what he deserved & deserved what he got. Fed & Nadal got a slam or 2 more than they deserved. Djokovic clearly missed out on big fat chances. Murray vultured adequately well, w/ an outside shot at '15 Wimbl. if he hadn't been swatted in SF.***

    No matter what Nole does; even if he zips past Federer in majors, wks @ #1, & overall winning %, FEDAL has already been carved in the Tennis "MT. Rushmore" w/ Tilden, Laver, Borg, Connors (oh pls), Sampras, now Fed & Nadal! Nole w/b the honorable mention; sorta like Lendl was an afterthought when Connors, McEnroe, & Borg ruled! Lendl accomplished more except in tourn. ct, but he's hardly on the radar of tennis historians! Poor Nole'll probably wind up on the same literary & historic scrapheap!

    ***12 majors, a Novak-slam, & in every final for pretty much 2 yrs? If that isn't legendary, IDK what is. - Putting men & women on the same list makes no sense, but since they elected to, ranking Fed over Graf & Serena is ridiculous.***

    If you're talking about that top 100 list of all X on TCC, everyone was under the spell of what Roger was able to do in such a short period of X! He catapulted himself above the other male greats w/ 3 seasons of near perfection; only spotted up a bit by his top rival taking up residency in RG! IIRC, Serena may have had about 12-13 majors which didn't even put her in the top 10 overall; I'm thinking #12, well behind other ladies like Graf, Court, Navratilova, & Evert! I didn't see this late career surge & agreed w/ her placement! The biggest ?? still persists; can Roger be the GOAT if 2 players own him lock, stock, & barrel after all's said & done? Graf's supremacy is also in ?? since Seles stabbed taking her out of the game for 2 1/2 yrs! Steffi wouldn't have =ed Martina & Chris IMO!

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  81. ***Sampras/Nadal/Federer/Djokovic : GS Win/Loss ratios v top 10 opps in (N)CYGS attempts:

    Sampras:
    AELTC '93 WON (bt 2 top 10 opps)
    US '93 WON (bt 1 top 10 opp)
    AUS '94 WON (bt 1 top 10 opp)
    RG '94 quarters (bt 0 top 10 opps...lost to 1 top 10 opp)

    TOTAL WON 4 LOST 1

    Notes...Interestingly, in the pre-tourn. hype, Courier said, "We w/b waiting for him" & Pete lost to Courier 1/3

    Nadal:
    RG '10 WON (bt 1 top 10 opp)
    AELTC '10 WON (bt 2 top 10 opps)
    US '10 WON (bt 2 top 10 opps)
    AUS '11 quarters (bt 0 top 10 opps...lost to 1 top 10 opp)

    TOTAL WON 5 LOST 1

    Notes...Lost to Ferrer 0/3 (injured)

    Federer:
    AELTC '05 WON (bt 2 top 10 opps)
    US '05 WON (bt 2 top 10 opps)
    AUS '06 WON (bt 1 top 10 opp)
    RG '06 R-up (bt 1 top 10 opp...lost to 1 top 10 opp)

    TOTAL WON 6 LOST 1

    AELTC '06 WON (bt 2 top 10 opps)
    US '06 WON (bt 3 top 10 opps)
    AUS '07 WON (bt 3 top 10 opps)
    RG '07 R-up (bt 2 top 10 opps...lost to 1 top 10 opp)

    TOTAL WON 10 LOST 1

    GRAND TOTAL WON 16 LOST 2

    Notes...The only player featured who had 2 cons., though unsuccessful attempts @ the NCYGS...Of course both losses were to Nadal 1/3

    '06 (RG) was the closest in that Federer served to take the match to 5, but lost in the 4th set TB

    Djokovic:
    AELTC '11 WON (bt 1 top 10 opp)
    US '11 WON (bt 2 top 10 opps)
    AUS '12 WON (bt 3 top 10 opps)
    RG '12 R-up (bt 2 top 10 opps...lost to 1 top 10 opp)

    TOTAL WON 8 LOST 1

    AELTC '15 WON (bt 2 top 10 opps)
    US '15 WON (bt 2 top 10 opps)
    AUS '16 WON (bt 3 top 10 opps)
    RG '16 WON (bt 2 top 10 opps)

    TOTAL WON 9 LOST 0

    GRAND TOTAL WON 17 LOST 1

    Notes...RG '12 loss of course was to Nadal 1/3 (5/7 in the 4th)

    The only 1 of these players, so far, to successfully complete a Non_CY_GS & only the 3rd person in the game, all X***

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  82. ...True enough both Evert & Nadal have won the most FO's, Evert has 7 to Nadal's 9, but she has been more of an ATG! She held the #1 ranking for quite a while, defended titles off the dirt, & wasn't as fragile as the BULL! He in turn owned his rivals until Nole caught up late! Federer & Navratilova own Wimbledon, 7 titles & 10 finals for Roger, while Martina acquired 9 titles w/ 12 finals IIRC! Both ruled for cons. yrs holding #1 ranking the longest (...@ the X anyway for Martina), dominated the YEC respectively, but Navratilova added to her greatness being the top doubles player of her X as well! I need to sit w/ the record books to write-up something showing the parallels! Fascinating!

    ***Fedal out of the Top 4 for the 1st X since '03 - Federer &/or Nadal had been in the top 4 since 7/7/03 after Federer won his 1st major @ Wimbledon & rose from #5 to #3. Fed's currently #7, suffered a knee injury & opted for surgery after the AO, only played 28 matches w/o winning a title, & hasn't played since losing in the Wimbledon SF this yr, calling it a season to rest & rehabilitate. Nadal's currently #5, has played 52 matches w/ only .750 win pct., matching last yr which is his lowest win % since '04, but was still able to win successive singles titles on clay in MC & Barcelona. Is this the end of Fedal's X in the Top 4 or will 1 or both return?***

    Maybe Nadal; Fed's done!

    ***The problem w/ grass, & hence AELTC, is that it's way to capricious a surface to hang your career on...

    A good indication is that last Pete match:
    Pete fought back (on ct #2, a great 'leveller') to 2 sets all & 4/4 in the 5th & = led 30/0 on serve

    Then df'd, bh return winner, couple of good returns 4/5, then Pete is basically out of the match before he had X to regroup

    Same w/ Roger, last match AELTC:
    Led 2 sets to 1, looked like the >er player, then serving 5/6 in the 4th, led 40/0

    Then 2 df's, bh winner & suddenly Roger's faced w/ a TB w/ all the momentum on the other side of the court...

    The problem w/ RG is the same, but on the other extreme...The guy can always get 1 more ball back, even when you are playing way >er

    So a really good retriever will always be able to level out conditions

    The most accurate indicator of real form is HC
    Not so capricious as Grass & no so extended as Clay
    So AUS & USO are great indicators of the best players w/o playing conditions leveling great form:

    There you have Roger on 9 HC slams, Novak on 8 HC slams, Pete on 7 HC slams & Rafa way back on 3 HC slams***

    Nice! - Losing that USO to Stan hurt! Even if he never gets to match or > Roger's 17, he needs @ least 1 > title from each major t/b in rarified air & be as legendary as other ATG's:

    A nice count of 7 AO to stand up to Nadal's 9 FO & Sampras/Federer's 7 Wimbledons

    3 USO's (even Rafter has 2)
    4 Wimbledons puts him 1 ahead of his coach
    A 2nd FO's necess.! (any goober can have 1; even Roger)
    - That would put him @ 16 & in a class w/ just 1 other

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  83. ***Agree w/ the list except Navratilova s/b #1 or #2. She is far far far far far more accomplished than any other player in tennis history. If Steffi & Roger s/b ahead of her, then consider only singles results & accomplishments. Even w/o her doubles achievements, Navratilova ranks heads above everyone else. Most match wins, most singles tourn. wins, 20 cons. Wimbledon QF (17 SF's or better), longest singles match win streak, 9 Wimbledon singles wins w/ 6 cons., 1 loss season that was followed by a 2 loss season ('83-84), & 6 cons. GS singles wins are all records belonging to Navratilova. Most career doubles titles, winning each GS doubles @ least 7 X's, the Career box set (1 of 3 players), the triple crown @ the '87 USO, & winning @ least 3 GS titles in 4 diff. decades are just the cherry on top.
    ---

    Nadal deserves his injury j/b of his playing tactics. It's not about "start winning again," but about how he can win in the condition of being not as fast (staminal) as he was. In the recent 2 yrs, his best performance in GS was just breaking into QF, this makes his success on clay courts this yr look like an exception. It's hard to say what Novak or Federer can do if they go thru what Nadal has. But they all can avoid such injury b/c of their < consumption-oriented playing style. So they don't need to consider such ??. But Nadal has to. W/o super speed & wild stamina, his playing style has been a heavy burden to him. I don't think he can rise again esp. if considering his growing age. Nowadays, what Nadal has are his fame & his mental strength, but @ the level of tennis, his performance only =s to what a mediocre player can give. You can't argue the fact.
    ---

    Lol; mediocre? Who else has won @ least a Masters 1000 or >er this yr: Djokovic, Murray, Wawrinka, Nadal & Cilic? That's it. Players like Raonic, Nishikori, Monfils & all these amazing youngsters you all brag about have NEVER done it. So please if Nadal is mediocre then 99% of the tour is beyond mediocre. And for you to say that he deserves his injury makes you a horrible human being.
    ---

    While I agree in theory that Novak's style of play is closer to Rafa's than Roger's, and thus would imply a shorter shelf life, when we look at their actual past history, Novak has been extremely healthy, more akin to Roger than Rafa's walking wounded path of debris. I also think that Novak's overall skill set will weather aging >er than Rafa's.

    What remains to be seen is whether Novak's last few months is an adjustment to a 30-something slow decline in which injuries become more and more relevant or merely a glitch in the matrix. I'd like to see how he finishes out the yr & even more so, how he looks in Jan. @ the AO. It is a weird thing to say, but he really needs to win the WTF and/or the AO if he wants to re-establish himself as the top dog. Right now there's a growing perception that he's mortal, which may translate to results on the court.
    ---

    Djokovic GOAT on HC in terms of winning % @ 84.3; followed by Federer, Connors, & Lendl. - Novak's ability t/b consistent across the slams & masters has been incredible for many yrs now. His conversion rate at the USO leaves a lot t/b desired though in terms of overall GOAT'iness. The conditions for the rest of the year m/b where Djokovic is @ his very best. He might add another couple of 1/10's of a %. - Yes, Novak is almost certain to become the HC GOAT. One more HC slam & the claim w/b his.
    ---

    True. 2 wins from 7 finals (losing to 4 diff. opps, 3 of whom are not as strong as him on HC's) is a big demerit.***

    Like Nadal, the late summer USO tour/series Nole's @ his worst; a little tired, getting over niggling injuries, w/ a lack of motivation! Not everyone's that keen to win the USO; even though from the States, I place Flushing in the toilet!

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  84. ***Somehow I doubt Trump just goes away even after the election (presuming he loses). He and his clan/Klan have already been making noise about how, if he loses, the election was obviously "not legit," & you know the media w/b there to cover every salacious lie.***

    After all these conspiracies, MSM bias, bad mik @ debate, etc., nothing much is said about Trump's lack of support by the party itself! Trump's lone endorsement might come down to FNC & his own kids by now! Kellyanne Conway m/b tearing out what lit'l bleached blond hair she has left after this last scandal! I love how convenient it is to whine about something said & done 11 yrs ago, but think nothing of going back to the 70's on the Clintons! What haven't they been accused of? And after all the investigations, wasting of $$, X, & effort, THEY GOT NOTHING! They're still standing & have a chance to make the whole world eat crow when both of them are President of this ungrateful country!

    ***Today's debate expected t/b very nasty as Trump appears alongside women whom Bill was accused of abusing.***

    If there's any justice, this'll blow up in his face & w/b the end of his stupid campaign!

    ***It looks like "Bill's Women" seated @ the front row might have acted like nuclear weapons providing restraint for both parties from getting into dangerous territories during the debate.***

    Pretty much an embarrassing snooze-fest! If I were Hillary, I would definitely punish these broads! There's a statute of limitations on stuff like this ya know? Their stories go back almost 40 yrs! No 1 cares; esp. me! "Go write your stupid books & go cry on Sean Hannity's shoulder & maybe that'll placate your lack of a LIFE!" Fk'n idiots!

    ***In '98 Trump said Paula Jones was "a loser," & "ugly," but yesterday he said Paula and the other women were courageous. ...Trump m/b the biggest doucebag in the history of Presdential elections. - So apparently the Trump campaign paid Kathy Shelton $2500 to appear in the press conf. yesterday & is making arrangements to provide payment for the other women:

    - http://www.vox.com/policy-and-polit...2/trump-roger-stone-paid-kathy-shelton-debate -

    IDK how this all works, but it strikes me as very shady.
    ---

    Paul Ryan basically endorsing Hillary:

    - http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/10/politics/paul-ryan-said-he-wont-defend-donald-trump/index.html -***

    They're actually talking "sweep" believe it or not! With Trump's dismal #'s & lack of support from the party, The Dems were already expected to take the Senate; now the HOUSE is in jeopardy! The generic poll has Dems up by 7%, 49-42 in preference of what party should run Congress! Past "wave" referendums occurred w/ 5%!

    ***U.S. Presidential Election 3 - The "Homestretch" Lasts Forever***

    I pray this is such a slaughter we never have to see the orangutan ever again! Anyone stupid enough to pay him for a speech are obviously as bent as he is at this very moment! He's behaving unhinged while ranting about Bill from 20 yrs ago! It's pathetic & I'm embarrassed for his kids! How will they ever be able to live this disaster down; a tarnishing of their brand for all X? That's all they had & they're being exposed as con artists, frauds, facilitators, & probably just as crooked as their dad!

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  85. FNC tried to pull a fast 1! Hillary rally supposedly had over 10,000 people down there in OHIO, but Lou Dobbs expressive made up this lie about 700 being squeezed into the shots to make it look more crowded! He is such an embarrassment to journalism! CNN must wonder what they saw in him for so many yrs! The guy is "bent!" Always talking about the liberal MSM, but he's practically shilling for Trump! Sick!

    ***It's '12 all over again. They'll be proven wrong once again in '16. They'll say the same nonsense in 2020.***

    I'll be looking forward to the usual election "freak out;" esp. w/ Rove pulling out what little hair he has left trying to make it seem like "we still have a chance!"

    ***Trump is fk'd.***

    The funny thing is, w/ all his troubles & lack of support from the RNC, he's had a modest tick up in the polls! Some people are just plain stupid & don't care! Their irrational hatred of the Clintons wouldn't stop their internal insanity!

    ***Yes, a guy that says pussy vs a guy w/ an $850K sexual assault settlement is = in the eyes of the insane!***

    It also shows where you are if you need to keep harping on Bill when he isn't on the ballot & it happened 20-30 yrs ago! I find it hilarious & hypocritical for Reps to kvetch about making such a big "to do" about something that happened 10 yrs ago on Trump @ 59 yo when they have gone over 40 yrs back to persecute the Clintons! You reap what you sow!

    ***The Hildebeast stated that Blow Job w/b in charge of the economy in her regime.... If it wasn't for Gingrich as head of the house not stepping on BJ @ every step, it whb an economy like the Obama-Nations.***

    You poor pathetic creature! You rant & rave b/c of the frustration that the only X things are running like a well-oiled machine is when the Dems are in charge! Under Clinton & Obama over 50 M jobs were created, the Dow doubling & tripling respectively, while our lone memories of "W" is losing 800,000 jobs a month, 911, a DOW @ 6600, 2 wars started on a LIE dealing w/ WMD's, & worldwide disrepute!

    ***Trump's campaign is TOAST - It's worse b/c he actually believes he's not losing!***

    Couldn't have happened to a better group of people! Reps created this monster, let it get out of control, & now it's come back to "feed on them!" Even Frankenstein was stopped before it got this bad! I go back to Watergate & that was mild compared to what's going on now w/ cons!

    ***It's a shame the Trumpanzees have dragged much of the rest of America down to their level, or at least in the eyes of the civilized world. - Megyn Kelly Skewering Trump Tonight over the latest alligations.***

    It just figures Trump was pushing the "Bill did it too" bit b/c he had to know this was coming! The women are going to start coming out of the woodwork! The only ?? is, "will he be like Cosby & say they're all lying?"

    Just goes to prove, the more someone's accused of something, all eyes s/b on the accuser; usually more culpable than the 1 being fingered! Happens again & again w/ cons. making out someone's a liar, a this, & that, but it keeps blowing up in their faces! I find it hilarious after Trump elevates, promotes, & puts Bill's accusers on center stage, but when women come out of the woodwork relating stories of their experiences w/ Trump, we're supposed t/b skeptical! What a sleaze & his supporters look absolutely ridiculous trying to defend him!

    ***Great, great speech by Michelle Obama right now. One for the ages. CNN carried it live; brilliant, unbelievably powerful speech.***

    Trump has just been cooked by Michelle who's words w/o = mentioning his name were DEVASTATING!

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  86. ***Why does Trump hate America? - Most Reps want t/b emperor. It's the party of hubris. A bunch of blind fools, all hoping that they're the 1 who somehow becomes the 1-eyed king. We can't count on the GOP to do the right thing ever again, which is why it needs t/b replaced.***

    There you go; it's Reps that hate America! They're constantly running it down, making out we aren't doing that well economically when the rest of the world is in a recession, & purposefully trying to bankrupt us so entitlements w/b eliminated! They hate Soc. Sec., Medicare, Welfare, & even food stamps! Who else would start 2 wars & give a huge tax cut to people who didn't need or ask for it? "W" was a fool & ran the country into a ditch; just another stupid Rep!

    ***Billy Bush is HW's nephew? - Yep. W's his cousin. No 1 needs to cry over him losing his job...he'll be just fine.***

    After those lecherous comments about the actress, Bush practically facilitated Trump by encouraging her to hug them both! I lost all sympathy for the jerk! He's going to lose a lot of $$ being part of the "Today Show!" What a sleaze; no sympathy in the least!

    ***Yeah...after what he'd just heard, it's like he was setting her up for assault. As more's coming out now, it appears all his 'Today Show' coworkers detested him. He was prone to a lot of arrogance & diva meltdowns it seems. And 1/2 the X, no 1 had a clue what he was throwing a fit about.***

    Willy, Jones, & Broaddrick got interviewed by Hannity tonight! Talk about desperation! They talk about being afraid that Hillary will become ruler of the world, but there they are talking shit 20-40 yrs "after the fact!" What else can they possibly say that anyone would want to hear but sick people who just HATE THE Clintons? They always talk about forgiveness & moving on, but when it comes to Hillary & Bill, all that goes out the window! They want a thank you by Hillary maybe? Fk'n idiots!

    ***It's a Bimbo Eruption - copyright, Hillary Clinton. ...***

    Like we're supposed to have sympathy for Trump after inviting Bill's bimbos to the debate to make a nuisance of themselves! "Yeah, let's stick to issues" after they talk about Bill's indiscretions from 30 yrs ago even though not on the ballot! Reps are universally "bent" I'm afraid; & terrible hypocrites!

    ***Fiero, I bet you gave him a pass, b/c he's a Dem. Hillary went attack dog on the girls and women he abused, and people said, "uh, how would you think she should react, bring 'em around and make 'em some cookies?"

    ...But in terms of Trump & the allegations he faces, I'm sure you agree w/ me that the timing is suspicious, & that in a debate, if your opp's being hypocritical in their attack, you are not only entitled to, but you are wise if you point this out...***

    I certainly did; it was their business! The problem IMO are the hypocritical detractors who were doing the exact same thing! They've always been the type who point fingers, but usually more culpable; esp. when it comes to cheating! Whenever someone touts their family values, my eyes roll thinking 'he's got a piece on the side!' Trump's "scorched Earth" tactic blew up in his face just like the Reps back in the 90's when Larry Flint exposed some of them! Gingrich was run out of office & his successor as Speaker, Livingston was busted as well! After all's said & done, Bill survived, several Rep. congressmen lost their seats, & Hillary won her 1st senate race in NY! The rest is "Herstory!"

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  87. ***...as you say, Bill isn't running. Hillary's being hypocritical herself in attacking Trump for allegedly doing the same things Bill was doing - altho w/ Bill, the allegations were far more serious?***

    I expected nothing < from her when the family dynasty was put in jeopardy! She had big plans & so far, every dream has come true; though delayed by 8 yrs of Obama! If it meant Bill's bimbos would get their feelings hurt & their reputations tarnished, SO BE IT! ..."it's on" from here on out!

    ***Thanks for the insight. You consider yourself a Hillary supporter?***

    Not really, but I'd just assume the world get blown up than deal w/ a Rep. as president ever again! They've shown themselves to be collectively insane, repeating the same idiotic cutting of taxes, deregulating Wall St. so they can "tank" again, & think nothing of starting conflicts somewhere in the world, forcing more residual forces after they're done! We're spread so thin as it is trying to clean up the last mess of "W's!" I have nothing but contempt for Reps after the way they've treated Obama! I'm no fan of his! They treated him shabbily; pretty much outright hatred & bigotry! It was like they felt he wasn't entitled t/b in that chair and they showed every way possible they not only had no respect for themselves, they had none for him or the office!

    The Rep. Party went "commando" determined to make Obama's political life as impossible as they could make it! When not in power, everything was filibustered, normal budget housekeeping was held up causing gov't shutdowns, & 1 by 1 they spit in his face! Boehner would make an agreement, the T-Baggers would tell him to "get lost" & he'd go back on his word which was useless soon after taking over as Speaker! He was weak & obviously couldn't count votes allowing his own caucus to have initial failures in passing bills! One despicable character actually screamed out @ Obama "you lie" in the middle of the "SOTU!" Half those animals stoked the belief that Obama was Kenyan, a Muslim, unpatriotic, & some kind of Manchurian Candidate! They say "en masse," WE'RE NOT RACIST! What do you call how the hierarchy of the party has treated Obama?

    ***...I see you like Hillary. I don't mind that b/c that's your choice, & media are enabling her. She's not going to win the election b/c she's a great candidate. She was struggling in the polls until the media went into killer mode.***

    Seek serious help guv'nor! I always SMH when I hear or see this BS about the media protecting the Clintons! Mon Dieu, they've been put thru the ringer for over 20 yrs! What haven't they been accused of; murder, drug running, influence peddling, illicit use of gov't offices, etc.? After 100's of invests. & Congressional hearings, they still got nothing! I'm no fan of Hillary's, but I have sympathy for what she's had to go thru in this "man's world" trying to penalize her for being smart & ambitious! There's the hypocrisy & it's on the other side; her disgusting detractors! Nothing short of their deaths will appease some of you I'm sure; after all the backbiting, attacks, & slander! They'll go down in history as the most successful couple in the history of the world! You guys can't stand it so you're trying to undermine her victories by deflating her comp. along the way! They mhb pathetic, but what other woman has gotten this close w/ so many animals nipping @ her heels?

    ***...I was more thinking about GSM's funny post about Trump and all the 'wimmin' complaining about him. Similarly to Bill, Trump now needs an exhaustive list to show who's who & what's what.***

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  88. ***...if you are implying President Obama isn't smart, that's is your prerogative.

    The highest IQ of the past 50 yrs:

    1: Clinton
    2: Obama/Carter
    3: Kennedy
    4: George H. Bush

    Presidents who accomp. the most while in office:

    1: Kennedy
    2: Reagan
    3: Clinton
    4: Obama***

    So disappointing to see someone using lame "talking points" that were debunked yrs ago! Doesn't matter, they got it out there & it's so beneath intelligent people to allow oneself t/b dragged into the sewer by low-life detractors & "hatah's" of the Clintons! This Jihad has been going on for almost 25 yrs & due to these losers crying "WOLF" so often...! Ya really need to change the channel to something that might work; THIS AIN'T!

    ***Google the charity work that the CGI's done. Trump's no Bill C. w/ his charities. He's just a racist bigot businessman who only cares about himself & Ivanka.***

    The Clinton "hatah's" don't care about "good works;" more important to undermine to try & make the lives of Hill and Bill more difficult! This is a way of life, an "industry" for some to do everything possible to draw - attention to these poor people! They couldn't care < how many millions of lives have been saved by the CGI, schools opened & scholarships bestowed, w/ not a whiff of impropriety due to transparency; these JERKS still say "SHUT IT DOWN!" If there's a special place in HELL reserved for these people, I'll die happier!

    ***Agreed. Excel. post. It's amazing how Kieran talks about not being partial, but never speaks of any + about the Clintons. Clearly he's an avid FNC watcher. - "These poor people." The Clintons? Is this humour?***

    Tell me about it! I never thought I'd grow into an old partisan, but "the right" has made it too easy "to hate on them" due to how they treated this President, the choice of standard-bearer, & how little shame they show doubling down on their narrow-minded ways! If there's something they don't want to hear, they'll talk over you like a 5 y.o. petulant child! It's embarrassing how low this campaign has fallen & I've seen many going back to '72! They say you can't talk religion or politics; I can w/ people who have common sense! Right-wingers are sharing a common brain & march in lock-step no matter how obscene the circumstances! Some are still defending Trump's abuse of women when he tried to drag Hillary down w/ rehash of Bill's past! The hypocrisy's mind-numbing after he paraded those women in front of the Clintons @ last Sunday's debate! I wouldn't vote for a Rep. to catch stray dogs & cats!
    ---

    How would you like absolutely everything you do being scrutinized, including your personal emails to family & friends? Of course you'll say 1 thing now, but it's t/b expected; partisans can't help but be hypocrites! I'm no Hillary fan, but no one's been beat up as much as this woman & her detractors can't even come up w/ anything more than a generic "she's not trustworthy!" Like Trump's as honest as the POPE! Get lost!

    ***...However you blame President Obama when all he did was stop the Iraq war that was initiated by those 2 twin devils of evil Bush/Cheney (really Cheney/Bush because W was barely a C student in college). Now you want to take a chance on Trump over Clinton cause she's a woman & her husband committed adultery. Trump never held 1 pol. office, has been in financial bankruptcy more than 5 X's & Kieran wants this idiot to lead the country? I understand Hilary isn't mother Theresa, but she's an adult that would provide safety for Eastern world as she obviously would do for the Western.***

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  89. ***OK, let's have a proper age-to-age comparison:

    Federer was Djokovic's current age (29 y, 5 mos) around the end of '10/early '11. @ that X his HC record was 451-99 or 82% considerably <er than Djokovic's 492–91 or 84.4%
    ---

    Djokovic was winning masters & reaching slam SF/F age 20. Fed was 22 before he reached that level. Nole's decline w/b much more painful since his pushing /grinding game doesn't translate well into old age. Fed's all court supreme GOAT gliding game does, which is why he sustained success into his 30s. ...seeing as Fed barely cared about masters & focused on slams since he played in a strong era where he had to concentrate his efforts.
    ---

    It's fairly obvious that Djokovic'll drop his level considerably from where it has been for the past 18 months leading up to this yr's Wimbledon. If he can't win AO, then his next big chance is USO. I don't think he will win AO b/c unfortunately it's the next slam taking place. If AO was 2 slams away he would have X to re-find his game, & grow in confidence in X for it's arrival. As it is, he won't have enough match play before Jan. & likely Murray'll win his maiden title, given how on form he currently is. So I don't see '17 being a very good yr for Novak, however it's possible that he recovers in X for USO, by which X Murray might not be quite so red hot. Djokovic could win both '17 USO & '18 AO & retire w/ 14 slams like Nadal. I don't think he can possibly win 17 slams or stay #1 @ 303 wks anymore. Those goals are too far from reach now, & I find it unlikely that he'll reach the final of another slam after AO '18.***

    I don't like it, but it's probably prophetic! Up to this season's FO, he was a lock making his opps look helpless; esp. Rafa @ Qatar! Something's going on we don't know about b/c he hasn't been himself in months! I predicted he'd take '15 fall season w/ China, Paris, Shanghai, & London, but any predictions this fall is hubris! I didn't think it possible to lose the #1 ranking, but it's touch & go w/ Murray coming on strong! We'll see!

    ***Nole loses Shanghai SF to RBA! He's still had the best yr on tour. He'll end his career winning more MS titles than anyone else. He lost a match vs a guy who showed @ the FO he could cause Djokovic some problems. 2 slams, a few masters, a slam runner up. Why are people calling this a crisis? The only bad loss he's had this year was vs Querrey. He basically didn't even turn up for that match. I still think Djokovic will win the AO, & win 14 slams @ the least. He just won't be making finals of every tournament of the yr in the future (which is something I've only see Djokovic do anyway).
    ---

    NOVAK DJOKOVIC - Optimistic (20%): After some time off with the family, he comes back strong next year and wins AO, regaining confidence and returning to his his 2015-early 2016 form, winning at least two Slams in 2017, a couple more in 2018 to tie Federer, and then one or two more in 2019 or later to solidify his crown as the GOAT with most year-end #1s, Slams, Masters, and WTFs of all X.

    Pessimistic (10%): This is the beginning of the end, & not only that it's coming quicker than we thought. He loses the #1 to Andy & struggles next yr, winning 1 Slam @ most, & perhaps just that 1 more for the rest of his career. He plays on a few more yrs, but greatly diminished.

    Realistic (70%): He finds a form somewhat similar in level to '12-14 for another yr or 2, when he remains the overall best player in the game, but now 1st among =s. He wins a few more Slams, passes Pete & Rafa, but can't quite get to Roger. He loses the #1 ranking someX in '17, but gains it back, & loses it again--swapping it w/ Andy, & then other players in '18 & beyond before losing it entirely in '19 or so.***

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  90. ***After Shanghai we have 1 Masters (Paris), a pair of ATP 500s (Basel & Vienna), & 3 ATP 250s (Moscow, Antwerp, & Stockholm). The ATP 250s come 1st & are all next wk; then we have Basel & Vienna the wk after that, & then Paris. The most pts a player could gain are 1750, & that's if they not only played all 3, but won them. Just something to bear in mind as the final 8 settle in.

    So we have 5: Novak, Andy, Stan, Milos, & Kei. Then we have:

    6. Monfils 3625
    7. Rafa 3300
    8. Thiem 3205

    Thiem's 3205 is the #1 of the next group has to reach, & that's assuming he doesn't accrue any more pts. Here's who still has @ least a snowball's chance to make YEC:

    -9. Berdych 2880
    10. Goffin 2645
    11. Cilic 2590
    12. Kyrgios 2460

    ...Kyrgios is a dark-horse, b/c @ some pt he's going to go on a tear. I suppose Cilic fits a similar profile. Goffin's steady & could sneak in if others collapse, but I don't see a huge push. Berdych has the best chance pt-wise, but even he's a long-shot: has to out-play Thiem by 325 pts.

    All said & done, it looks like our final 8 are probably set for London. Monfils' almost a lock, Rafa should get in, & Thiem's chances are looking good.
    ---

    OK, so Andy has a path to #1. It is narrow, but possible. He's 915 points behind Novak.

    Presumably both will play in an ATP 500; of the 2 in the following wk, the Paris Masters, & the WTF - a total of 3000 poss. title pts. Sounds like a lot. Essentially Andy has to do = or > than Novak @ every tourn., & then win the WTF. Here are the pt ranges @ each:

    ATP 500: 500, 300, 180, 90, 45, 20, 5
    Masters: 1000, 600, 360, 180, 90, 45, 25/10
    WTF: 200 each RR win, +400 for final, +500 for title - so: 1500/1200 for win, 1000/800 for F, 600/400 for SF, 200/0 for RR.

    To make the YE #1 a realistic prop., Andy needs to win the WTF. Let's say he wins, but w/ 1 defeat, & Novak's the F. That means Andy gets 1200 pts to Novak's 800 or 1000, so Andy will get +200 to +400. That means he needs to win 1 or both of the ATP 500 & Paris, or at least do significantly > than Novak. If he wins WTF undefeated, & Novak loses once in the RR, but still makes the F, he's +700 over Novak, so needs a slimmer margin in the earlier tournaments. ...If Novak wins Paris, it's over.
    ---

    Are you 1 of the people who believe that a defensive player, no matter how good he is, will always lose to any attacking player at theit best?***

    Ya can't win them all! Last season, Nole cleaned up, has been a little lackluster the last several months, & the bad X's just keep on going! He can salvage the 2nd 1/2 of this season if he can @ least win the YEC! I'm not greedy even expecting him to repeat in Paris; give it to an up & comer!

    ***...not sure how any of this is related.***

    Related to your topic of aggression overcoming defense goes back to 1 of the greatest rivalries featuring it; McEnroe/Borg! Borg could win if at the top of his game, but if not, John had the style that could overwhelm him! Roger used to own Nole; even stopping his winning streak in '11 @ the FO! On clay, good aggressive play can win which makes me pause thinking Roger the GOAT being owned lock, stock, & barrel by Rafa who is far from the most aggressive player around! The match-up never changed the dynamics of the contests & I still SMH seeing Rafa win most of the X! Nole held off most top players, but even he's fallen back to Earth and's shown t/b human!

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  91. Navratilova's the ultimate GOAT ever due to being the most complete player! She started winning & making major finals in the mid '70's, exploded in the early 80's almost unbeatable in singles & doubles, finished in singles strong w/ 18 majors & playing her final 1 in her swan song at '94 Wimbledon beaten by Martinez! She stepped away for over 6 yrs to come back & win in dubs & MxD, completing her "Box Set" @ '03 AO MxD final w/ Paes! She wrapped it up for good winning '06 USO MxD w/ Bryan just a month before her 50th BD! Not sure what you want to take from that; the tour sad & pathetic or she's just plain GREAT?

    OTTH she left w/ 59 Majors, #1 for over 300 wks., won 6 majors in a row ('83 Wimbl - 84 USO when AO @ YE), won 6 str. Wimbledons ('82-87; 9 in total), won X events like the YEC & other top tier events 8-12 X's, & owns best ever rivalry w/ Evert up 43-37! Fed has good #'s; even great w/ streaks that may never be matched, but he has 2 rivals that overtook him, 1 that owns him lock, stock, & barrel, w/ just 1 FO, & tarnishing his halo the longer he hangs in there; ala Connors! Right now he's just taking up room in a draw & the rankings! A good swan song chb his winning Wimbledon in '12, but holding the #1 ranking, most thought it insane! Looking @ it now, he's made some finals, but overall level of play just isn't good enough to get it done in the crunch of majors w/ BO5 vs the other elites of the game!

    He's the ultimate male GOAT & I give it up to him well knowing his name's plastered @ the top of most recs! But this is NOW & I'd just assume he not come back! For endorsement purposes, he could j/b teasing us w/ stories of practice going well behind the scenes! We know, there's nothing like actually playing on the tour & few can get away w/ leaving extended periods of X w/o some OUTSIDE help, ala Nadal!

    ***While I do not think Murray will surpass Djokovic in the rankings this year, I do think he has a great chance of surpassing him early next year.

    From this pt on until the Miami Open, here are the pts they are defending:

    Djokovic:

    Paris Masters: - 1,000
    WTF: - 1,300
    Doha: - 250
    AO: - 2,000
    Dubai: - 90
    IW: - 1,000
    Miami: - 1,000
    Total pts: 6,640

    Murray:

    Paris Masters: 600
    WTF: 200
    DC: -275 points (he'll lose pts)
    AO: 1,200
    IW: 45
    Miami: 45
    Total pts: 2,090

    Clearly, Murray has a lot of ops to gain pts over Djokovic in the next 2 months. In addition, if he wins Vienna, he could gain 500 pts over him. The 2 most important tourns. here though are the WTF & AO. He HAS to win either 1 of those tourns. if he truly wants to surpass Djokovic in the rankings. If he can not do it, then he'll never become #1 in the world.
    ---

    I'm not saying Djoker is in decline, but the "main rival" thing is a myth. It's usually quite the op. You start to make more & more surprising losses to relatively mediocre opps. Look at Fed in '10. Some people try to put it as if Rafa & Djoker "stopped" him. He made numerous more or < surprising losses before he even played Rafa & Djoker that season. Same goes to Rafa some yrs later & eventually Nole. It's not 1 or 2 players that "stop" you. The stats says it all; no male player has won more than 2 slams after turning 30 (since Laver), so unless Nole turns this upside/down, it's pretty clear that it is the age (and mileage) that stop you.
    ---

    '10 61–18 (77.21%)
    '11 70–06 (92.1%)
    '12 75–12 (86.21%)
    '13 74–09 (89,15%)
    '14 61–08 (88.41%)
    '15 82–06 (93.18%)
    '16 59–07 (89.39%)

    ...Fedal decline started just after they dominated ATP ('13 & '09). So I'm confident that Djokovic's decline has started, but as good as he is & there's no new GOAT prospect, he might still have a chance to surpass Nadal & Sampras next 2 yrs.***

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  92. ***I think both Fiero & AP have misunderstood my (and possibly Kieran's) position. We are not saying Trump's a better choice than Hillary. We are simply saying there are so many negatives about Hillary that are being ignored by Dems & liberals, j/b she's one of their kind.
    ---

    GSM, we didn't misunderstand you. Fiero & I both acknowledged that Hilary & the Clintons' clan are some real POS politicians, but there's no choice here really. Not only is the Donald The Devil, but he's the pure definition of the anti-Christ! His rise to power has been the most unnatural rise in the history of world politics; isn't that The Beast?***

    Some are just looking for something to kvetch about! Private emails that are more honest about how they feel about the stupid electorate! Who would have thought? I doubt even you would want your mail scrutinized by everyone; esp. when being honest about your feelings on loved ones, politics, religion, & current affairs! Most of this crap doesn't even have anything to do w/ Hillary; staff yacking! So what? Get a life!

    ***I believe Clinton to be the >er of 2 evil's. Yet every supporter I'm come across says rainbows fly out of her butt. The same cannot be said of Trump supporters who know he's a human being w/ flaws & just wants to get the country back on track.***

    You're not listening or reading in the right places! Check the public record for all the lawsuits, investigations, judgements, & failures of this colossal loser! Trump's the biggest fraud since Jim Jones & Ghana; & he's being exposed bit by bit! He'll wish he had stayed on that stupid show & peddled his ties produced out of China! He's likely to lose it all b/c his "BRAND" is shit!

    ***...Meanwhile Trump's constantly re-Tweeting from Twitter users who just started new accounts. Nothing suspicious there.***

    Twitter is the extent of Trump's campaign! Poor Kellyanne Conway was just on and she looks haggard trying to juggle her reasoning to continue her support! Attacking Clinton for what she may have said & done to the women who Bill diddled 20+ yrs ago isn't talking about "the issues" which she keeps whining about not being focused on! It was Trump who paraded those women on Nat'l TV last Sunday before the debate! Hypocrisy's the Rep. way it seems; "do as I say, not as I do!"

    ***He'll be gone in 3 wks.***

    The hubris of running is going to destroy his "brand!" That hotel he faked the press into promoting in DC is almost empty! I know I won't be supporting anything w/ his name on it! Macy's threw his crap out into the streets last yr after the "Mexican are rapists" comments! Who hasn't he offended?

    ***Well, 1 group still loves him...older, white, poorly educated males...& some of their "devoted' spouses...
    ---

    If shooting breaks out, the Secret Service have been instructed to use Hillary as a shield.***

    The rep. of the SS's so bad these days, I wouldn't doubt it! They've been a disgrace & a joke for yrs; esp. since the Clinton's 1st admin.! They have big mouths, are a bunch of alcoholics, have the nerve to get in haggling matches w/ hookers in So. Am., have allowed sev. incursions on the WH w/ 1 getting inside the Residence, & are caught driving back to the WH intoxicated, hitting barricades, & causing a lot of commotion! They should have nothing to say if those losers were more prof'l!

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  93. ***A video could surface of Hillary shooting a whistleblower in the back of the head & you people wouldn't care because Trump made a Tweet & said pussy.***

    No, you well know there's a lot more than that! OTTH:

    - Called Mexicans rapist & drug runners
    - Wanted to build a wall btw us & Mexico & force them to pay for it
    - Wanted to screen all Muslims & prevent them from entering the country
    - Wanted to disband NATO
    - Allow Korea, Japan, & other places nuclear weapons
    - Lauds Putin & says that he's a stronger leader than Obama
    - Thought we should start a war w/ IRAN due to being taunted
    - Cheered on Russian hackers

    Do you need more to make it evident this guy does not have the temperament t/b President of a golf club, much < the country? He's disturbed in so many ways; like father like son! Why aren't people bringing that up?

    ***(Some of the) illegal Mexican immigrants, to clarify. Hopefully you figured out that he didn't say all Mexicans (doubtful). Anyway, no free ride for the Clintons.***

    It's like you're living in an alternate universe; what free ride? You must have missed out on the special prosecutor turning the country upside down & getting nothing out of it! Clowns went all the way back to the 70's w/ Whitewater to keep the Clintons busy w/ their BS! According to Heritage Foundation, Bill needed t/b investigated for murder, drug running, & creating climate change; well maybe not! I won't even dignify your joke of a comment about a "free ride!"

    ***From the media. The FBI already gave Hillary 1 it seems.***

    Again, you have t/b on heavy drugs! The MSM has taken apart the Clintons for well over 20 yrs, analyzing every word they say! The CGI has been sifted, her emails screened & made into Nat'l fodder, & you got into Bill's pants wanting to know where he's been putting his dick! I can't believe I'm having this argument; like you must only watch FOX to keep the tunnel-vision going!

    ***...More name calling by The Corrupt Clintons.***

    Hilarious w/ the likes of Trump calling Hillary everything from corrupt & crooked to an enabler & abuser of women victims! Whatever the "right" throws @ you is more than likely reflective of themselves; sorta like Gingrich & the rest impeaching Clinton, then being found t/b doing the same thing! Henry Hyde called his a "youthful indiscretion!" Reps truly make me nauseous!

    ***Does the same rule apply to Clinton calling Trump a "racist" & a "bigot?" ..."irredeemable deplorables," etc.)***

    Do I really need to go down the "hate" list from Trump's own disgusting mouth? ...Hey, the truth is always an affirmative defense! Trump's all those things & more!

    ***Please tell me what on this list constitutes "hate." I'll wait...***

    OK, some are just plain stupid! Did that help you out?

    ***Kettle - Black ...***

    Oh, you mean like the impeaching Congress of Clinton got busted by Larry Flynt? I heard sev. wives called to beg him not to reveal more than the cheating of Gingrich, Livingston, Hyde, & Barr! Then there's Michigan where Reps own it, but after disparaging past Dem. Admin., they allowed Flint MI t/b poisoned by their own water! I can keep going! It's so easy; Reps are so full of shit, always @ the ready to accuse & blame rather than trying to compromise & have solutions! I know that's a dirty word "on the right!"

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  94. ***Trump's the 1 who relies on shouting & repetition to get his propaganda out. His rants are a Nat'l disgrace. Imagine a grown man shouting "She's the Devil!" Who's he talking to Grade 2 kids in a bible belt school?***

    ... Rep's constant refrain is "she's been in power for 30 yrs!" Which is it, she an anonymous "Manchurian Candidate" or has she been a power broker knowing all the dirt on everyone? These people can't have it both ways! I say she's been in the Nat'l spotlight for over 20 yrs & we don't need to see or hear anything else; the cake's baked! Same for Trump; we all know he's a future psycho patient! The net's @ the ready when he gets humiliated next month! He'll definitely go off the deep end!

    ***She has spent decades being a pol spending her X w/ the rich & powerful. It has been yrs since she last drove a car, went to grocery store, had a job or did anything that most normal people do every day. ...
    ---

    ...I think Ivanka's love for her father is probably making her blind to his faults. I hope she & Chelsea can still be friends. It is nice to see that she and her brothers love their father despite his divorce from their mother. I'm not impressed w/ her brothers. They are carbon copies of their father.***

    Not sure I c/b friends w/ someone w/ a parent as vile & disgusting attacking my mother & father w/ obvious lies & vitriol! A couple yrs ago, everything's cool & Trump's defending the Clintons! What's changed to make him say they're the most corrupt couple in the history of the country? I'd tell Ivanka & her 2 mutant brothers to take a hike over a cliff w/ their father; but that's just me!

    ***At this pt Melania acts as though she is a "pawn" w/ no mind of her own. She m/b able to accept a husband who behaves like an "adolescent." Such a person should not be the President of the US; much <, an example to, and leader of the Free World.***

    The poor thing is going to get it tonight! It's been observed that her words defending her husband on CNN were pretty much the same Hillary used 20 yrs ago when Bill was being attacked for 'bimbo eruptions!' So now some idiot on the campaign has plagiarized 2 people & put the words right in Melania's mouth! She's worse than just a pawn; more like a puppet w/ actual strings attached!

    ***Melania's defending him after he has already confessed to the deed & basically said the exact same thing his surrogates has been saying all last wk. I don't think she's convincing anyone. I also find the timing rather odd. ...I do agree about not attacking Melania. I think she's irrelevant.***

    Oh, I have no intentions of bothering, but far from sorry for her! After all these yrs, even someone deaf, dumb, & blind would know Trump's a sleaze! If she defends it, the hypocrites should get off Hillary's back trying to save her marriage & ambition! Who's Trump to throw stones being married 3 X's? This country has real problems to allow something like this to occur! Anyone else might have beaten Hillary, but it's too late now! You had so many saboteurs taking up space w/ no chance of winning! The same might have happened w/ the Dems; Bernie whb burned b/c of his label of Socialist, Joe Biden's the crazy old UNCLE people like, but wouldn't support en masse, & most others totally unknown! At this X, Hillary's saving our bacon!

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  95. ***Can Djokovic defy history? In the Open Era, looking @ players that have won 10+ slams. Nobody has won more than 1 slam past the age of 29.

    Slams won after turning 29:

    Borg, 0(retired at 26).
    Sampras, 1
    Federer, 1
    Nadal, 0
    Djokovic, 1 - 1st he has to break out of the "1 group"
    ---

    He'll probably win another slam & thus become the 1st guy to win 2 after his 29th BD (@ least Open Era). The real ??'s always some form of "Can Djokovic break the GS record?" The answer is yes, but it's unlikely & you're starting to see why in the 2nd 1/2 of this yr. - ...He'll go into the AO as the underdog if he doesn't win the YEC & Murray does. I realize that sounds insane, since he's won the AO 6 X's, but he's checked out of the game mentally.
    ---

    '11 proved that no version of Djokovic could beat peak Federer on any surface except maybe AO after they slowed it down.

    '11 RG proves that any version of peak Fed owns Djokovic there
    '12 Wimbledon grandad Fed owning peak Djokovic puts any argument there to bed
    '11 USO grandad Fed outplays Nole, but blows MP. Any '04-09 Fed wins that in straights vs peak Nole

    '11 AO Nole was very lucky 1st 2 sets then Fed gave up. Fed was playing about 1/2 his '09-10 level... and even way < than his '04-07 levels. Peak Fed no doubt wins here too. Djokovic was playing well, but lucked out majorly, esp. 2nd set vs post prime grandad Fed.

    TBH '11 is the luckiest yr I've ever seen. I mean '15 was weaker by far... but AO those 1st 2 sets vs Fed were unbelievable... then the USO SF robbery... then avoiding Fed by virtue of a GOATing Tsonga, who then decides to mug up the SF after playing his best ever match vs Fed...
    ---

    Even if you take Federer out of the equation, there's still the small matter of a 6-0 H2H Djokovic had over Nadal that yr, all in finals, & on 3 diff. surfaces no <. That's 1 of the many reasons why '11 will always be regarded as 1 of the all X great seasons, & very deservedly so.
    ---

    A great yr, but too many '*' for me. Wimbledon is "avoided Fed" USO is "Fed choked the SF" Even AO Fed should've had a 2 set lead, but ends up str. setted after blowing 5-2 on his own serve.
    ---

    You really don't wanna be going down the old '*' road where comp's concerned, not when Nadal & even '11 Federer were light yrs ahead of anyone Roger faced during his peak yrs. Anyway I've been over this a million X's before & I really don't care to debate it all again.
    ---

    Djokovic's peak level is better than Nadal's everywhere except clay. Yes even better on grass. Although Nadal's peak on grass is lower than Djokovic's, it is more effective vs Federer b/c of the matchup. So Fed beats Nadal in 5 on grass, but str. sets Djokovic, who in turn beats Nadal in 4.***

    Believe it or not, before the FO he was ok; esp. in Qatar destroying Nadal in about an hr! He didn't miss, ran Rafa to death, & actually toyed w/ him like a cat w/ a mouse! I can watch that match over & over again! ;)

    ***Every match involving Djokovic & Nadal often produces that result; a hopeless Nadal vs an imperious Djokovic. I actually enjoy when he beats Nadal badly. The patch btw MC '12-USO '13 didn't show up that kind of level Djokovic set himself to beat Nadal, + Nadal's new tactics. I don't like Djokovic, but I do really enjoy when he destroys Nadal. Didn't watch Doha, but it was unreal. Hope to see many more of those trashings yet again, even if the prize @ stake is a GS.***

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  96. ***What is the >est & the least >est achivement btw Federer's 17 GS titles, Djokovic's Non-CY GS, & Nadal's 9 RG titles?

    I would say:

    1. Federer 17 GS (Most GS titles)
    2. Djokovic NCYGS (The 1st player to win 4 in a row in the Open era)
    3. Nadal 9 RG (Great achivement for him, but not as good as the other 2)***

    IMO "Nole's 4" is huge & probably more significant b/c it hasn't been done by anyone since Laver in '69! Nadal's 9 c/b taken as him being the clay-Goat or the result of gutlessness of the opp. who had the ability, but choked away chances to win; esp. in earlier Rds when more vulnerable! Federer's 17 is tainted in so many ways; the lack of comp. during his best yrs w/ a teenager holding the fort in Paris to keep him from becoming immortal! I've been calling the ATP gutless for yrs allowing "The Big 4" to rule for so long @ majors & Masters' events! It makes sense to take a little off the top of Roger's big head; esp. since he has 2 players who have a winning record over him! The 17 is official, but due to pre-Open/Pro tennis, you had a split w/ the best players in the world on "the outs" until the USO in '68! Laver alone missed out on 5 1/2 yrs of prime play along w/ his rival Rosewall who has the legitimate majors rec. well over everyone @ 23!

    What is it they say, "there are lies, damned lies, then there are statistics?" Federer's got it for now w/ Nole coming up to surpass Nadal hopefully! Since I go back a little ways, it's hard for me to cut the cord w/ all the Greats from Tilden, Budge, & Gonzales to Connors, Lendl, McEnroe, & of course Borg! I give them more credit than the current crop b/c of what they had to go thru to become great! They didn't have "teams" working for them, private jets, consistent court surfaces, & racket tech that's gotten out of hand! I won't be around to see Roger's achievements finally surpassed just like Sampras' an era later! Only X will tell!

    ***Isner - Bumbling around the court, always sulking, doesn't seem t/b enjoying himself. Ranking is dropping.

    Verdasco - Terribly inconsistent, serve & FH a mess. Ranking's dropping.

    Ferrer - The little fighter always giving his best, but has been erratic this yr. Ranking at #15 right now.

    Berdych - Still posts pretty good results, but soon t/b out of the top 10 IMO. More sporadic play here, similar to David.

    Lopez - Ranking's dropping, getting on in yrs.
    Simon - Has been crap all yr, posted some great results this past month, otherwise poor. Ranking dropped to #32, now #25 after that Shanghai SF.

    Tsonga & Gasquet declining. Expect both t/b out of the top 20 soon.

    You have players who have been on tour for some X steadily fading away. Monaco, Benneteau, Seppi, Stepanek, GGL, Chardy, Berlocq, Haase, Mathieu, Mannarino, etc.

    Almagro, Baghdatis & Youzhny have made decent comebacks, but can't seem to break inside & stay in the top 30. Gael has done very well this yr, which came as a surprise.

    Then you have some of the newer stars making waves. Doesn't have t/b young guns, just players w/ little mileage on them.

    Goffin, RBA, Zverev, Thiem, Kyrgios, Edmund, Sock, Pouille, all posting some excellent results this yr.
    Had little peeks @ a few players like Thompson, Evans, Fritz & Khachanov. All in the top 100. It's nice.

    I watch a lot of tennis & for the 1st X in quite a while, it feels like the field is slowly, but surely changing. About X as well.

    You still have your Murray, Djokovic, Nishikori, Raonic & Wawa @ the top though. Those guys are more unpredictable.

    Rafa and Fed. Well, it's gonna be interesting. The next 2 yrs s/b telling.***

    I couldn't agree more! It's truly about X w/ me totally giving up on Dimitrov; supposedly "Baby Fed!" More like "huge disappointment!" I love the newer crop of Thiem, Zverev, Goffin, & a few others!

    ReplyDelete
  97. ***Always nice to see someone trying hard to discredit Roger. - 17 is class act over an entire career. NCYGS is dominance over a period. 9 in a single GS is like a flower-pot-cracker rising high for 5 seconds & then fuzzing out to die for the rest of its life.***

    No discredit; just a caveat! All players have it; Borg has no USO, Lendl missed out on a Wimbledon, & Sampras never even played a FO final! Does that soften it for you? - ...I won't be around to see Roger's achievements finally surpassed just like Sampras' an era later!...

    ***No faith in "Nole" achieving 17 in the next few yrs? ;)***

    Little after not taking this past USO; really needed that since he's approaching 30! I've thought he might get to 16 @ the most in majors! The fire isn't there, he's gotten older, & the next gen. is making their mark slowly but surely!

    ***Pt is Djokovic will have to contend in '17 w/ 4 factors:

    Murray & Stan are top slam contenders for all 4
    Nadal remains a huge threat @ RG
    The young guns will finally emerge as serious upset threat (Thiem, Zverev)
    A potentially rejuvenated Federer w/b a huge threat @ Wimbledon

    If he can manage to win 2 Slams despite all that, then he's GOAT.
    ---

    The last 3 are lol-worthy, & + for the 1st 1 Murray being a challenge for Djokovic in slams is ??able @ best.
    ===

    Roger, Rafa & Novak meet God - It's the yr 2030 & the 3 GOAT's are retired. The publics' interest in the men's game is lower than ever. To keep some of the sparkle around the game alive, ATP decided - unknown to the media - to use 1/2 of the entire calender yr's price $$ to pay Federer, Nadal & Djokovic to play exh. matches.

    The 3 greats were all in the same plane, headed to an exh. match in DC, hosted by President Michelle Obama, when a tornado tore the plane apart. All 3 (& the pilot Andy Murray) died.

    High, high up in the blue, blue sky, Roger, Rafa & Novak reach the pearly gates where they are welcomed by St. Peter who directly leads them to God himself. The 3 step up to God who sits on his throne. God then says:

    - Rafa, what is the best thing about tennis?
    Rafa bows & answers:
    - The best thing about tennis, for sure, is that I have been able to spread joy to the people, earn $$ for my living & seeing the world, no?
    God felt it was a good answer. He said:
    - Well said Rafa, come & sit on my left side.

    God then looked @ Novak & said:
    - And you Novak, what is the best thing about tennis?
    Novak responds carefully:
    - Lord, I come from a difficult background & have managed to show my fellow man that there is a way out of it all & that 1 isn't doomed to a life of misery. Tennis has given me all that & @ the same X, I also have been able to spread joy to the people w/ my unpredecented actions of love.
    - Good answer Novak, God said, come & sit on my right side.

    God then looked @ Roger and said:
    - What about you Roger?
    Roger looks up, clears his throat, spits on the ground & says:
    - You're sitting in my chair. I sit when I wanna sit, okay?***

    ReplyDelete
  98. ***AO '12 >est match @ the AO? - ...Well Ivanisevic went 15/13 in the 5th last match on semis AELTC 98 yet still took Sampras to 5 in the finals

    I see you mention AUS '12, where Djokovic won semis over Murray 7/5 in the 5th & final over Nadal 7/5 likewise despite being dead tired & even falling over w/ exhaustion after a long rally deep in the 5th

    11 hrs total play & yeah I know he was younger, BUT Federer never came anywhere close to achieving this in his entire career

    Fed's lagging behind in this dept, which is mental as well as physical.
    35% of Fed's entire GS losses, have come from just 2 players.
    In winning 17 GS's, the most # of sets he lost in SF winning combo was 2.
    Otherwise, if he lost more than 2 sets, he LOST, period...End of story.

    Compare that to Djokovic:
    4 X's he WON GS's w/ an aggregate set loss of 3 or 4 sets in the SF's combo

    And even Nadal only won 1 GS after losing an aggregate 3 or 4 sets in the SF's combo

    Although that was in similar brilliant circumstances to Novak
    Nadal's was AUS '09 : semis 6/4 in the 5th over Verdasco & finals 6/2 in the 5th over Fed (w/ 1 days < rest)

    Djokovic : 12 GS including 4 w/ 3/4 sets lost sf/f combo
    Nadal : 14 GS including 1 w/ 3/4 sets lost sf/f combo

    then:
    Federer: 17 GS including NONE...0...nada w/ 3/4 sets lost sf/f combo

    Borg : AELTC '77
    sf) 8/6 in the 5th Gerulaitis
    f) 6/4 in the 5th Connors

    McEnroe: USO '80
    sf) 7/6 in the 5th Connors
    f) 6/4 in the 5th Borg
    Edberg USO '92 & many other examples over the yrs

    NONE involving a combo winning Federer
    And only 2 finals he won in 5 sets (both after 3/0 semis)
    The 1st X involving dreadful scheduling for Nadal AELTC 07 (@ 1 pt Nadal fell 5 days behind Fed in the schedule)
    And the other involving Roddick AELTC '09 (who had a full days < recovery X, playing SF's back-to-back days whilst Fed rested)

    Fed doesn't have a great GS victory ground out w/ a sf/f combo
    Fed is 2/4 in 5 set GS finals
    Nadal is 2/2 in 5 set GS finals

    Djokovic's 2/1 in 5 set GS finals
    ---

    IMO, there aare 3 major tourneys that could determine whether or not Murray will get the #1 ranking or not:

    1a. WTF's
    1b. AO
    3. Vienna
    ---

    ... - Murray has 1200 to defend at the Aussie himself so he would need for Djokovic to lose early in the tourn. & then win the title himself. And in case you haven't noticed - the Australia Australian has pitched a 5-0 shutout vs Murray. He's lost every final he's been in - 1 to Fed, 4 to Djokovic. In fact, Djokovic wouldn't even have 12 Slams if Murrray had been able to beat him in more than 2 of their 7 finals. That's another story though. Pt is - Murray has had problems closing the deal @ the AO & in Slam finals in gen. 3 for 11 is NOT a great result.
    ---

    If Novak doesn't lose the #1 this year, he'll probably lose it to Andy in the 1st 1/2 of next year, @ least for a short X. Why? Well, Andy's 2nd 1/2 this yr was better than Novak's. Novak has a ton of pts to defend thru RG. Consider:

    Pts won @ big tourneys (Slams, Masters) thru RG:
    Novak: 7610
    Andy: 4450

    Pts won @ big tourneys after RG (so far, thru Shanghai):
    Novak: 2650
    Andy: 3960
    ---

    Well, if Murray wins the AO, then @ the very least he will gain 1600 pts if Djokovic loses in the finals. At that pt, that gap m/b enough for Murray to overtake Nole. While I do agree that Murray has a great problem in closing in the AO title, he did face 2 GOAT's in this era. We will see how it goes...that's why this next couple of months will determine whether or not tennis will see a new #1 player in the world.***

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  99. ***That's why Fed's not going 5 sets/5 sets or 4 sets/5 sets sf/f anywhere above, nothing that's going to require it - this side of a drastic loss of form

    This is what Djokovic gets sf/f in his 12 slam wins:
    Federer 3-0/Federer 3-0/Murray 3-0 (F)/Nadal 3-1 (F)/Federer 7/5 in the 5th/Nadal 3-1 (F)/Murray 7/5 in the 5th/Nadal 7/5 in the 5th (F)

    Murray 3-1 (F)/Dimitrov 13 seed/Federer 6/4 in the 5th (F)/Wawrinka in 5/Murray 3-1 (F)/Gasquet 3-0/Federer 3-1 (F)/Cilic/Federer 3-1 (F)
    Federer 3-1/Murray 3-0 (F)/Thiem 15 seed/Murray (F)

    The only unseeded opp. sf/f was right back at AUS '08; Tsonga finals
    Djokovic gets Gasquet semi he wins 3-0 same as Federer
    Djokovic's draw have been generally stronger than Federer's hence more sets lost sf/f. Just unseeded players alone, it's 1/5 against, in favor of Fed

    There are gaping holes in Fed's resume centered around his never having won a slam the gruelling way Djokovic & Nadal don't have any qualms, generally as a result of stronger draws, their end of things

    OTOT; 35% of Federer's entire GS losses have come from just 2 players...who additionally, generally have stronger draws to contend w/, along the way as well
    ---

    Had Fed had more mental strength, he would have won 23+ majors. And no, I don't expect him ever to have beaten Nadal @ RG. But he sure as hell should have won the '09 AO & USO, '05 AO & the Wimbledon finals vs Djoker, among others.

    Nadal's mental strength was sublime @ his peak. He was mentally a beast even as a teen. Djoker had to transform himself into a mental beast, which might be even tougher.

    In any case, both are head and shoulders above Roger in that dept.

    At their best and even avg/overall, the mental strength of all 3 was/is superb.

    What you are doing is looking at 1 particular aspect of mental strength, during mostly the player's peak yrs, & comparing the best of Nadal/Djokovic vs. Federer's worst moments.

    What about post-'11, from '12-13, when Djokovic should have started winning X majors a yr & had a 2-yr AO-only period? What about his inability to capitalize on his 1st opportunity in a FO finals, or his struggles w/ motivation & burnout after the FO this yr? What about Nadal's routine losses in the 1st wk @ Wimbledon beginning in '12? What about the last 2 yrs from Nadal where the last thing he won was the FO in '14? Although I think he had a good shot this yr & was playing @ a FO-winning level & injury derailed him. It seems clear that since the FO '14 he hasn't had answers to fix his game, hasn't reinvented his game or made the difficult decision to find a new coach, and seems mentally worn out & quite weak.

    Federer has reinvented his game several X's & added components to it, & did very well this yr @ Wimbledon to even get to the SF. I've never seen him lacking for motivation or love of the game, & he has shown a willingness to change in ways that Nadal/Djokovic haven't. (That said, he was < willing to change when losing to Nadal @ the FO).

    So depending on how you look @ it, what X-period you're looking @, what kind of mental strength you're looking @, that can change your answer quite a bit. I think that given that they all are double-digit Major winners & that they're all mentally strong overall, it is a bit simplistic to just look @ 1 aspect & X-frame & make conclusions from that.***

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  100. Trump had a chance to @ least have a good debate, but he couldn't help himself; going on the attack & misrepresenting facts! Saying "you're such a nasty woman" j/b she uses his own words vs him only makes him look delusional; esp. blaming women for coming forward to complain about their treatment by him! What a disgusting fool!

    ***Well in fairness, Hillary blamed the women who complained about Bill, so they're both = in that regard. In the last election, Obama was ignorant about the threat of Putin, & Romney was correct. Now the Dems have changed their tune. Where Trump really blew it was in his bizarre stance that he'll win the election, & if he doesn't it's rigged. This is idiocy. Otherwise, we're still where we were, w/ Hillary's humor< bitch smile, & Donald's eyebrows & hair. The real battle now is for the seats in Congress.
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    The only reason anyone would vote for Hillary... - OMG DONALD TRUMP SAID MEAN THINGS!! HE HURT MAH FEELINGS & OMG HILLARY IS AN ANGEL!***

    Says more about you to gamble w/ the future of the planet to someone so obviously unprepared for the pressures of this JOB! Get real; the guy can't handle Hillary at a debate! How is he supposed to deal w/ Putin, Korea, IRAQ, NATO, nuclear weapons? Do I need to go on? I don't think a lot of you "low info" supporters have a clue! - ...On FNC the're absolutely freaking out; 1 side are the hardcore defenders of Trump while the other side's excoriating the MSM for not taking him down months ago! Bill Krystol went off on Joe & Mika on "Morn. Joe" talking about how easy they had gone on him last Dec.; accommodating in every way! Wound up being a screaming match w/ Joe saying, "you're crying here & we got it on tape!" I guess this is what's considered a wave of inevitability!

    ***The Presidential election is over. In other things, I expect the Dems to get a narrow majority in Senate, but the Reps will probably keep the House. - Hillary Clinton added NOTHING in any debate. She won debates by saying nothing.***

    She didn't need to add anything! Her whole agenda is online! Too much X's spent trying to discredit the woman when things might have looked better sticking to issues! Trump did well enough & was on an even keel w/ Clinton concerning abortion, immigration, etc., but he can't help going into the gutter, interrupting the woman, & denying things everyone knows he said! The Reps are @ war & I'm more than a little amused seeing them battle over this situation! The hubris of so many running caused this polarization, allowing Trump to use the dissatisfaction of a segment of the party & they were allowed a head of steam that couldn't be stopped! They did it to themselves!

    ***Term limits aren't necessarily a bad thing. Sure, they suck when the leader's good, but they're a blessing when the leader's bad. ...***

    If the leader's bad & they continue to elect them, they get what they deserve! Rep. Trafficant of OHIO was in jail & he still got 25,000 votes! Another Rep. was elected the last term during prosecution, found guilty, & he's escorted to Congress everyday, then heads back to the clink at night! Who's fault is that?

    ***And what about everyone who didn't elect that person; esp. in the US where you don't need to win the popular vote?***

    Well there are always "2nd Amendment" remedies! ;-) Trump's inciting his minions into insurrection!

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