Revised Top 10 For Women All Time - Since some of the true greats are still playing, some names will flip I'm sure:
1) Navratilova - 18 majors (59 total) holds so many records incl. 9 Wimbledons & 4 USO's 2) Graf - Cal. yr Gr Slams & Olympic Gold- 22 majors due to Seles being stabbed in '93 3) Court - Calender year Grand Slam and has 62 majors in singles, doubles, & MD 4) Evert - 18 majors including 7 French Opens and 6 USO's on 2 surfaces 5) S. Williams - 17 majors so far in singles, Olympic Gold in singles and doubles (3) ... 10) BJ King - 12 majors and the mother of the WTA making prize money equitable and WTT
***MODERN ERA ("Open Era Plus") TOP 10 WOMEN 1. Graf 2. Navratilova 3. Evert 4. Court 5. Serena 6. King 7. Seles
And then Goolagong, Venus, Henin, and Hingis in some order. ---
This is a nice "exercise". My rating is based on last 15-20 years but I have images of past players. I counted players like Navratilova, Seles, Graf. Fiero won't like/rate my list at all:
1. S Williams - 17 majors in singles, Olympic Gold in singles and doubles 2. Navratilova - 59 major, 167 singles titles, 177 doubles, #1 over 330 wks, 74 match win str. 3. Seles - stabbed while being #1 and prevented from having a more impressive resume 4. Graf - 22 majors, Golden Slam, #1 over 370 wks, took advantage of Seles' absence 5. V Williams - 7 majors, none off grass since '01, #1 the shortest period since Evonne G.C. 6. Henin - Retired as #1, returned for a while; an overall impressive record on all surfaces 7. Kim - Only mother in recent memory to win a couple majors 8. King - Mother of WTA, WTT, & equal pay - 12 singles majors, 20 Wimbledons 9. Evert = 18 majors in singles, 125 straight wins on clay, 157 singles titles 10. Sharapova - 5 majors - before 2010 (yes,me! b/c of her fighting spirit) ---
I knew it would throw you. I warned you.***
What can I say? I saw Margaret Court here in Chicago against Martina back in '75; VS of Chgo final! Navratilova beat Evert and Court took out Wendy Overton in their respective semi's! Hard to forget; I'm old!
***Nobody can touch Navratilova, when you look at # of titles, years on the tour; nobody comes close.***
Martina's records; both of them will never be broken IMO; length of tenure for Navratilova and of course Hingis' youth w/ her accomplishments!
***...Counting titles doesn't make it for me. Thats why Serena is on top of my list, purely b/c of her tennis level. Don't go mad.***
Even if you don't want to count just titles, I've always had a real problem w/ Serena; coming and going as she pleased, being a rotten representative of the WTA losing it on several occasions at her home MAJOR! I can't remember Martina, Chris, Graf, or Seles getting fined and probation w/ threats of being suspended! So much for being religious acting out like that more than a couple times! Disgusting!
***...Personally I don't find anything wrong w/ Serena's behaviour. She has a right as a free person to not play and get out of the WTA circuit when she needs to. I just say that imo her level of play is the highest I have seen. You probably know more about tennis than I do. I mean it, it's not ironic.***
***I still believe in a Serena come back. She just needs to get her act together and start playing seriously again.***
I thought her problem was overplaying last year; more tournaments than in her entire career! She won, but it had to take a toll in desire mentally as well as the physical side of it! Like Federer, she should have scaled back gradually instead of trying to catch up and do something in the way of formulating a legacy! She could have passed both Chris and Martina in majors years ago; all on her playing part time! The competition's been weak for years w/ her real rival retired years ago in Henin! She's losing to players who've won nothing and it's beginning to get embarrassing for all concerned; family and friends alike!
***Fiero, I find myself agreeing w/ SOME of what you say. The pressure of getting #18 and playing for history has gotten her to the point of not playing to win like she has done for 15 years to now playing not to lose...... makes a big difference in her game. ---
While Dimitrov has had a really good grass season, I think this next round for Andy will be as it was last year v. Verdasco: a tester.***
Oh please, Verdasco's just gutless and has never been able to finish; same w/ Lopez! That was a gift match from Nadal a few weeks ago! These guys find ways to lose matches even w/ huge leads! I told someone after he won those 2 sets from Murray last year at Wimbledon that "he's going to give it all back; mark my words!"
I'll admit I was surprised at the level that Verdasco brought to that match last year, and I think Andy's nerves had something to do w/ it, but it's unfair of you to just proclaim Fernando "gutless." MY point is that Andy got tested in the same round last year, after sailing. I think he'll be somewhat tested by Grigor here, but will come through, and it'll give him a bounce.***
There's a reason 35 of the last 37 majors have gone to only 4 players of the ATP; pretty much the same at most Masters event! Some may call it a "golden age!" I don't see it that way and blame the players; lack of courage and just not very bright in finishing off the "Big 4" when they're down! Even Sampras, who I believe is the consummate grass court artist lost during his reign! He had a rival that could blast him off the court and he actually "finished" by winning the tourney a few rounds later; Richard Krajicek in '96! Players like Federer and Murray are the most vulnerable right now, but you see how it is; players with ability just can't think and do well when it counts! Knocking them out in Cinc. or Montreal isn't going to cut it; reputations are made at the majors and I find it disgusting that only Del Po & Wawrinka have shown any kind of intestinal fortitude to actually challenge the top players and win in the last several years!
***Well said Fiero. All of the big 4 have been on the ropes, have been vulnerable, whether in the Masters or the Slams. When it came down to it, very few of the others have had the fortitude to step up and capitalize on their opportunities. There will always be those who point to the speed of the courts (or lack thereof) as the reason for the Big 4's reign. To some degree I can see their point, but I also believe that those who hold that line will just as readily agree w/ you. There have been numerous situations where 1 or more of the "Four" have been in trouble and their opponent was not able to finish the job.I conclude with one other thought: that there are 4 (rather than 2 or 3), has in itself been part of the problem. Unless there is an early upset - in the Masters and Slams - any other player will find himself facing a gauntlet of at least 2 and often 3 of the "four." To me, that is a much greater "ask" than someone like Krajicek would ever have faced. ---
Fiero, you're comparing Sampras w/ the sum of 4 top players w/ that assessment. Like Sampras, Federer has been beaten at Wimbledon. Nadal has lost at Roland Garros. Djokovic has lost at Melbourne... The main difference is that the field then didn't have 3 or 4 "Sampras" type dominating players to go through. They might knock off 1, but then generally they get another.
Is this unprecedented? No - You could say a pretty similar situation was happening when Borg, McEnroe and Connors were dominating proceedings. If you discount the AO, as these guys rarely played it (I'll even discount Connors' '74 title for the purpose of the comparison), then 3 players won 22 of 27 Slams taking in Wimbledon, USO and FO in the same 9 season time frame from 74-82. That's just 3 players doing the damage, not 4. That was also hailed as a "golden era."
Some players do lack mental fortitude, but that's always been the case. (I agree on Verdasco by the way), but the bigger reason is that they're not consistently good enough. I emphasize "consistently" b/c it's not as if any of these players are titans week in week out and then just folding against the Big Four... They are inconsistent, period. For instance, it's not as if Berdych or Tsonga are dominating everywhere until they meet a member of the elite - they are inconsistent w/o the Big 4 being anywhere on the radar.***
True enough! Well at least you guys understand where I'm coming from when I use the description of "gutless!"
***Outstanding. Kerber didn't choke as she so often does. Bye bye to the horrible stares and screaming and they were stares of despair in the end. Kerber over Sharapova in 3 grueling sets. (clap)***
It looked like Kerber was about to pull a '91 Sabatini; served for it and failed! Maria wasn't playing badly, Kerber just took it; thank GAWD! All that noise is so unnecessary! Why the WTA hasn't done something about it is beyond me! It is most distracting! Looks as if Wawrinka and Lopez had a discussion about the same subject at the end of their match today!
My heart hasn't raced like that in ages! Been saying the men have been gutless, but the women are putting on a show! All the top players are gone again, while the men still have all their top seeds! "Bravo ladies! Too bad I have no idea who you are!" I barely know Kerber and Kvitova is a past champion! No clue about the others; even Halep who's #3 with a chance to get to #1 after Serena's upset!
***Time for an update man! Its your lost. People don't know what they are missing! Ten times more exciting than the men's tennis boring show. I'm totally hooked on women tennis.***
***First time ever watching Kyrgios and what a player! Tough loss for the Nadal camp, but what a great new player on the scene. What does Kyrgios' ranking go to after this? - From #144 to #66 in 2 matches. If he beats Raonic, he's up to #35. Battle of the servers, but Kyrgios has a much better all round game and far better backhand. Should be interesting. ---
This is even more impressive considering Gasquet had 5 MPs to beat him and here he is beating Nadal in 4. Wow; clutch.***
I couldn't be more pleased! It all finally caught up to Nadal; that passive way of playing and dropping those 1st sets!
***Is this the 3rd year Rafa's lost to someone ranked in the hundreds? - #100 + 135 + 144***
Anymore GOAT talk and I'll throw that out and "up!"
***Wonder what the excuse will be this time? I could take an educated guess or two. - If you saw his press conference, he made no excuses. He praised Kyrgios for playing a great 3rd set TB, and for bringing a big serve and power shots. That's it. Don't accuse Rafa of something he didn't do.***
It's such a rare occurrence to give full credit to his opponent; that's his rep! Please don't act like he's some kind of saint in this respect! He and his camp are full of excuses!
***I don't think Serena is a one dimensional player. I think her approach at using her abilities to their fullest potential has been a bit one dimensional in that there is no reason with her 1st serve that she can't serve and volley a touch, get to net more, etc.***
That's why I get so frustrated with today's players; the one dimensional aspect of their games is a choice! Players like Nadal, Murray, and others can do more! They just decide "I'm going to grind it out" even against "also-rans!"
***Well it shows in their injuries. You would think w/ well documented back and knee problems that Serena and Rafa have had that they would be looking to end points quicker and cut down on the wear and tear their bodies endure.***
1 Serbia - Novak Djokovic 26 Croatia - Marin Čilić
3 U.K. - - Andy Murray 11 Bulg. - Grigor Dimitrov
5 Switzerland - Stan Wawrinka 4 Switzerland - Roger Federer
***Made the quarterfinal once in the last 7 years at Wimbledon? Her '04 win is starting to look like a fluke. Pova can't move well enough to win on grass, not to mention the absence of a net game which could have helped her beat Kerber.***
Pova probably played a lot better in this loss than her win over Serena in '04! Kerber just tracked down all those shots and made her hit 3 or 4 more each point! This was a very physical match and neither have anything to be embarrassed about really! I'm no fan of Maria's going back to when she was a kid b/c I didn't see any real skill to just whacking the ball relentlessly! It was impressive she was able to make this a match b/c Kerber was on, served well, and made her work! I normally don't get worked up about a women's match, but this was some contest!
***You're Right Fiero..... I guess Kerber didn't get the Memo.***
JMac already declared Rafa, "The GOAT!" He lost all credibility w/ me w/ that one! At the time Nadal had several FO's, the 2 Wimbledons, only 1 USO, and the 1 AO! I still won't do that w/ more FO's and the extra USO! lol!
***Fiero, in 2011, during Nole's superb run, he was the GOAT according to JMac. His opinion changes from match to match, even from shot to shot.***
Will Mauresmo lose her position on Murray's staff after this straight set loss to Dimitrov? I've said to myself Becker's at risk since Nole hasn't won much during his tenure!
***What a beatdown. Didn't see this coming at all. Tip of the cap to Kieran who predicted the upset and said Murray breezing through could hurt him.***
Don't feel bad; no one saw this coming! Baby Fed was "ON!" He was not going to be denied!
***The best part about this is that Grigor now knows he can beat one of the elite on the big stage. This bodes well for the future. We could have a new elite player on our hands...finally!***
They don't call him "Baby Fed" for nothing! He has it all including the looks of course! I have no sympathy for Murray w/ the way he plays the game! It's ugly in so many ways; laying back against "no names" and allowing them to take him to the limit mainly b/c of stubbornness on his part! He needs to grow the HELL up and see he's breaking down! His career will be cut short playing like this; same for Nadal!
***Djokovic still needs to hold his serve and serve it out possibly in 5 against Cilic. He's had trouble serving matches out recently.***
That isn't a first! I don't know what it is, but against just about anyone, he's lost his serve at inopportune times like his USO year! He should have won in straight sets in the final, but I said to myself, he was going to drop serve to Nadal and lose that TB! It happened! It's not like he made errors; maybe pulled back a bit and players take chances that have paid off! It happens a lot; believe me!
***Well, looks as though Boris gets to keep his job. Novak wins it 6-2 in the 5th. Dodged a bullet there.***
Sorry, but Cilic is the personification of "his pigeon" when it comes to Nole! Players who know they can come back will just about get through every time! Roger should beat Wawrinka comfortably, but I just don't know after seeing them split sets! Fed still has the mental edge, but Stan can surprise; did it enough at AO and Masters win recently on clay!
***Halep has made a final at Roland Garos. This is her first s/final on grass. This is their 1st meeting on grass. After watching both of their q/final wins, I'm favoring Bouchard; should be a good match. Bouchard to win in 3 sets.***
I just have no clue about these girls! I don't know them even though at the top of the rankings! I need to watch the ladies more often, but it's hard w/o a fave like Henin, Hingis, or going back a ways to Navratilova, Goolagong, and Wade! Court was dropped after her rude comments about Martina and her lifestyle! Be religious all you want, but keep your mouth shut gratuitously insulting someone who was so much better!
***Djokovic: - Moves to #1 if he wins the title.
Federer: - Moves to #3 if he reaches the final.
Raonic: - Moves to #5 (ahead of Berdych) if he wins the tournament. - Moves to #7 if Dimitrov wins the title. - Moves to #6 otherwise.
Dimitrov: - Moves to #9 if he loses in semi-finals. - Moves to #8 (ahead of Del Potro) if he is runner up. - Moves to #5 if he wins the title.
Other movers: - Murray drops from 5 to 10 - Gulbis drops from 10 to 13 ---
I don't see that it's time to write Andy off. - For sure. It's what we do as fans. Murray has won a major more recently than Djokovic though, and had back surgery in the interim, so I wouldn't say it's more of an act of faith to fancy Andy's chances going forward than Novak's.***
I've said many times, his only move would be down going with that stupid defensive way of playing! He inevitably would start to break down just grinding out matches every round against absolute nobodies! It works out for a while, but he's put many miles on that body unnecessarily! Grigor took it to him and attacked the net to put away easy volleys again and again! Murray should have been doing that; esp. at Wimbledon! I have no sympathy for his boneheaded way of playing; add Nadal to the mix!
***Regardless of whether Nole wins Wimbledon, Rafa has never defended a title off clay - and his next 3 big events, he's defending champ. I recommend (humbly) that he should focus on the USO and let the ratings look after themselves. ---
Agreed. Novak will almost certainly take the #1 spot back over the American HC season. Then the impetus switches back to him, defending a total of 4000 points in Beijing, Shanghai, Paris and Tour Finals. Rafa defending about 2000 at those tournaments in total? We'll see how the gap is after US Open.***
Don't count on it! There's a reason Nadal flounders and just about disappears in the fall; totally spent! Why should this year be any different? The way he plays is terribly taxing and I feel he pretty must rests on his laurels after acquiring the FO! Why do you think he's only got 2 USO's and 1 AO? It will continue to be the same for him; patiently waiting for the clay season again! He useless the rest of the season for the most part!
***I always thought Sasha was overpraised and overhyped when she was an amateur. I thought she had rather weak edges and her skating in general seemed like style over substance.***
She was still a joy to watch regardless of her results! Sasha was so much more of a ballerina than any other female skater during the time I watched the sport! Most of the time the skaters we produced moved about like they had a stick up their ass! They looked uncomfortable, stiff, w/o a lot of grace! Eldridge probably did more than the women when it came to style and trying to show some grace, but Sasha surpassed them all; including Kwan! ---
***If the women really, really want equality, then let them enter the men's draw and see if they are quite so keen on the idea after the tournament.***
Well that will never happen in my lifetime! The Williams' already got a taste of that kind of defeat when they were a lot younger against some guy not in the top 100! Besides men having more upper body strength, their control in putting the ball exactly where they want is unmatched! Even when I was a teenager, I had no problem beating women who played for their college! They could keep the ball in play ok, but when I really wanted the point, it was mine's with a drop shot, lob over the head, or hitting it right through them! It just wasn't a contest!
***Navratilova doesn't think it's a virus when Serena was so out of it before the doubles match. She didn't suggest what she thought it was, but... here's the link: http://nypost.com/2014/07/03/navratilova...-meltdown/ ***
I thought she had to be disturbed coming out like that! I've never seen anything like it in my life; totally disoriented, couldn't pick up balls, and the serve was non-existent! Who allowed her to come out like that?
***When I saw the video, it looked more like she was having a meltdown of sorts rather than a virus. Who knows? Hope she gets better soon either way. ---
Why is Roddick not w/ any network for Wimbledon? He would add to the whole experience.***
Network? Coverage has contracted of late! No Wimbledon on NBC? It's been decades; no "Breakfast At Wimbledon!" Already over run w/ significant retired "vets" like Martina, Jimmy, both McEnroe's, and of course Mary Carillo! I haven't even mentioned the also-rans from Down Under, Mary Joe Fernandez, and Davenport! There's no place for him with more current retirees like Courier and Annacone dropped by Federer! Roddick can't be too bright as well; so much for his MOJO!
***I would take Andy's wit and intelligence over all of the above combined. Besides, he is closer to the game than the others, he has actually played w/ these guys. He has a better understanding of what it feels like to face a Rafa top spin forehand for instance. - Roddick does have wit and intelligence. Would love to have him commentate instead of some others. Carillo needs to be removed. She is useless.***
***I would like to say that Serena should slap Chrissy and Pam w/ a lawsuit for character assassination when they implied that she was on drugs. I can't believe that they would do something like that in a public forum where millions of people are watching w/o evidence and "Jon 'Worthless'" repeated the same crap. I hate those people w/ a passion. Don't let me start on Martina....I wonder if it were one of the other "players" would they have made the same statement?***
Drug use was implied, but never really voiced! I assumed the same thing watching her "stagger" around like a junky; sorry! Venus and others close to her should have said, "you can't go out there like this!" She will be tested since Wimbledon's a major and what will be said if they find something? Will you apologize for the truth being expressed by legitimate commentators? If it was a virus, why was she out there? She was struggling without illness; what made her think she could win totally disorientated? Again, I've never seen anything like this before and I've been associated with the game since '71! If you don't want to fault her, question the common sense of her handlers, family, and friends there! On ESPN's PTI, they referenced Serena's own comments from Feb. about taking the most potent pain killers allowed due to a back problem! Maybe she was on vicodin or something! Who knows?
***...and this type of white people disgust me. Martina, and Evert and all these types...That is all and you all know what I mean.***
Well 'spain it to us! Your going for a walk doesn't explain someone going onto a tennis court on int'l tv looking like she was totally whacked! Did you see those serves? It was embarrassing for all concerned b/c it looked so bad! If you don't want assumptions made, you don't go on the court like that! Venus didn't seem too concerned for some reason! It was just very odd!
***Serena couldn't retire before the match. It would have made them look bad, like in IW. She probably didn't know how bad her situation is until she got to the court. She also preferred for anyone to see her in that state rather than retire like a diva before the match. She had to show everyone that she is REALLY sick and not faking it to avoid the bad mouths out there.***
Mission accomplished I guess! I've been ragging on both the Williams' for years for coming and going as they pleased; resulting in this situation! As the #1 player in the world, she has a responsibility to the WTA, the fans, and everyone associated! B/c of their history, she then felt compelled to go out there looking as if....well you tell me! I don't even smoke cigarettes! It just looked real bad; NUFF SAID!
***So you agree w/ me that she did her best, good. Imagine if she didn't show up at all. No one would have believed them that they cant play.***
Ahhhh, NO! What I agree w/ is she brought this on herself b/c of her rotten history of playing when she feels like it! It didn't always have anything to do w/ illness, or something personal; she would just leave the tour! No other top player in my memory has acted this way; even if pregnant like Evonne or Kim! No one thought any thing of them taking time away, but Serena is making tv appearances, walking red carpets, and trying to establish a fashion line; she won't get the benefit of the doubt! Coming out like that will haunt her and be added to the list of other humiliating events we all know about at the USO! It's her own fault!
***Let me add that if Murray thought he was going to push his way to a title defense...well....***
That was a "pipe dream" really! He hadn't been playing, was getting over a serious injury, and trying out a new coach! He was lucky to make it as far as he did in this "so called" title defense! He wasn't that great to begin with; how could rational people think he could waltz in and take another major? He overachieved as far as I was concerned and probably maxed out what little talent he had! He's stubborn, refusing to 'take it' to even the lowest of player; he can't expect to do much against the top echelon w/ his attitude of playing so defensively?
***A bit extreme, but Fiero makes a valid point, you must agree.***
I understand counterpunching, but that doesn't mean you continue to let others attack and get away w/ running you around indefinitely! Evonne Goolagong was one of my favorite players back in the 70's and was the best at it; playing defensively at times, but had the sense to attack herself; esp. with her serve and volley talents! IIRC Murray was quite willing to play offensive tennis, but changed his mindset several years ago and decided to what I call "an ego trip" of winning w/ guts and guile! ...Murray waits until he's about out of the tournament before realizing he needs to make some kind of change; then it's too late like against Grigor yesterday!
***Lads, stop slagging the counter-punchers! Rafa counter-punched his way to 14 majors, that right, Lux?***
Nothing embarrassing about having 14 majors, but it took him longer to get there due to the way he plays! He's breaking down in so many ways and has had to take extended periods off the tour like no #1 player in the history of the game! I've been saying the same about Murray and Serena, playing defensively when they have the ability to finish off points and opponents a lot sooner! It eventually catches up to you as evidenced by what we hear in the news of late! For Nadal to allow qualifiers and WC's to take him to the limit and at Wimbledon to actually beat him just proves my point! Federer hasn't missed a major since he started his run over 10 years ago; these other players can't say the same! I wish I could get through to people without thinking I'm trolling; these are just facts! These players can close out the "also-rans" a lot sooner and maybe extend their careers! Serena's waited too late and won't approach the longevity of Martina; finally thinking of her legacy last year and overdid it BIG TIME! It's all catching up to her so we shouldn't be surprised by her results!
***Kieran, ...You are looking only at # of Slams, but not age or # of years. I think part of Fiero's point is that since playing his first Slam, Rafa has missed 6 and Roger none.
Consider also:
- Rafa won his 14th Slam just after turning age 28. On his 28th birthday, Roger had won 15 Slams.
- Rafa won his 14th Slam in his 12th year playing in Slams. Roger had won 16 Slams in in his 12th year playing in Slams.
Some other facts to consider, that aren't necessarily meant to prove any point but just to throw in the mix:
- Both Rafa and Roger have won Slams within a 10-year stretch (so far). - Rafa's Slams are more spread out, with only three multi-Slam seasons (so far) and at least one Slam in each of those 10 years (to Roger's eight years in a row). - Roger's Slams are more clustered, with five multi-Slam seasons (including 3 three-Slam years to Rafa's one).
Anyhow, they've taken 2 routes to similar results. Ten years from now people will likely still be debating who is greater, but I'm guessing the view will be that they're both similar, with Rafa being the greatest specialist of all time and Roger being the greatest generalist.***
***It's impossible to accept Fed as better than Rafa and impossible to accept Rafa as better than everyone whoever played the sport.***
No one's had the balance of a career as Federer regardless if you think he's the GOAT or not! I put more stock in Wimbledons and USO's! He has 7 W's and 5 USO's while Rafa has only 2 of each! The FO is a major, but has never had the status of the other 2; or reverence for that matter except to players who coveted the event and only had a chance there like an Andres Gomez in '90! Borg made his name at the FO, but his 5 straight Wimbledons put him on the world map and historically great! What hurt him the most was never acquiring even 1 USO; esp. when it was on clay! That tourney was his bugaboo and terribly unlucky for him in so many ways; court change, Tanner serve in a night match, and of course a couple injuries ('77 defaulting to Stockman w/ bad shoulder)!
***I get that Wimbledon has always been the most prestigious event, but in my mind the FO and USO have been roughly similar for most of history. Obviously the AO was less highly regarded until the late 80s or 90s, and may even still be a slight tick below the other 3, but the FO is certainly on par with the USO, esp. in the relevant time-frame.***
I put more stock in Wimbledons and USO's; sorry! He has 7 W's and 5 USO's while Rafa has only 2 of each! The FO is a major, but has never had the status of the other 2; or reverence for that matter except to players who coveted the event and only had a chance there like an Andres Gomez in '90!
***Fiero, you've said this before and I just don't see it. I mean, I get that Wimbledon has always been the most prestigious event, but in my mind the FO and USO have been roughly similar for most of history. Obviously the AO was less highly regarded until the late 80s or 90s, and may even still be a slight tick below the other 3, but the FO is certainly on par with the USO, esp. in the relevant time-frame. - (Or are you a secret Sampras fan?)***
People don't skip the USO while the FO has had on many occasion turned into #3 in the minds and heart of the ATP and WTA! Even Borg and Lendl skipped it sometimes for different reasons! Before Fed came along, I actually did have Sampras as an honorary GOAT; even w/o a FO! He was like Roger in respect to having a well balanced career w/ several titles from the other majors including the Masters!
***This may have been true at some point, but no longer - and certainly not for the span of Roger and Rafa's careers. BTW, the only FO's that Lendl missed were in '90 and '91, when he was starting to slip. I'm not sure why he missed them, but his 1st daughter was born on May 4, w/ the tournament starting just 3 weeks later.
As for Borg, he only missed 1 FO in '77. According to Wiki, he skipped it b/c of a contract w/ the WTT. Anyhow, certainly some players in the 70s-90s missed FOs perhaps more often than Wimbledon and the USO, but not so much over the last 20 years or so.***
Believe me I know those dates very well and Lendl skipped to get more practice on grass; nothing mysterious about it! He even won Queens taking out Edberg and Becker respectively in semi and final one year! It wasn't that he was slipping! He very well could have won 1 or 2 more, but decided to bypass the slow clay of RG! That's the way people thought about the surface back then; detriment to Wimbledon aspirations! Heaven knows it hurt Edberg in '89 just making the final! He went out meekly to Becker in that subsequent Wimbledon final!
***Chris Evert, Pam Shriver, ESPN – "You All Owe Serena Williams An Apology"***
More victimhood huh? Why would Serena be the most tested tennis player in the game; cause she wins? Spare me please! If she comes out staggering around like that, what do you expect people to think? Blame her family and handlers for allowing her to come out like that! The commentators were only voicing the obvious; esp. that she no longer gets the benefit of the doubt b/c of her wretched history of pulling stunts after a loss!
***That Bambi video has it. I have had feeling like they were playing on ice instead of grass.***
The ball stayed low, but slipping wasn't the main problem 20 or more years ago; it was the bounce itself! You just never knew when the ball would practically roll under your racket! I give Borg more credit for his 5 titles since he played w/ a wood racket w/ strings so tight, the sweet spot was about the size of a small fist! He got by McEnroe in '80 and personally stopped Connors from acquiring more titles at least 4 times! Connors returned the favor at the USO on clay and HC unfortunately!
***Congrats to Nole for surviving. This could have gone either way in the 4th and 5th set, anyone can get tight. Grigor has the game; that's for sure. He needs to work on the shot selection and watch that 2nd serve. Congrats to him for holding his own.***
I have no doubt Grigor will win eventual! I just hope he waits his turn for now! lol! I'm not ready to dismiss Nole yet! Love those underdogs who just work so hard like a Borg or Lendl! He should surpass them after all is said and done, but has a little more work ahead of him! I think he'd have a better chance against Roger even w/ his 7 titles! Raonic, like Roddick in his hey day can just blow you off the court!
***Man, the Fedal Battle is like a whirlpool that everyone gets pulled into. So tiresome.***
Numbers don't lie when it comes to Roger! He has so many records that have little chance of being broken! His number of majors right now is in jeopardy, but the rest having to do w/ his consistency over the years is unmatched; even before "Open Tennis!" Same w/ my other faves; Martina Navratilova and Hingis! In my lifetime, you might as well chisel it in stone!
***Roger's #'s are, overall, the best of the Open Era - but Rafa is closing the gap. As for pre-Open Era, you have to consider 4 players: Laver, Rosewall, Gonzales, and Tilden. It is too hard to compare, esp. with Pro Slams. How do they compare to current Grand Slams?
***Hingis? OTTOMH, here are women that are better: Graf, Natratilova, Court, Evert, King, Seles, Henin, both Williams sisters. After that it get's dicey and there are some players that are probably on a similar level as Hingis--like Mandlikova, Vicario, Capriati, etc--but those nine were all clearly better players.***
I never said Hingis was better, but she has a ton of records due to her tender age of winning! Those may never be broken; that's what I was referencing! When are you guys going to learn? Forty plus years in the game, I know a little bit of something and make "some" good points; I have to! lol!
***It is crazy to think that Hingis is only 33 years old, but her last Slam win was 15 years ago, in the 20th century - and in the Clinton admin.! Man, she peaked young. As a side note, I'm guessing Martina Hingis is the only player--male or female--to win multiple Slams in her teen years, but none after. I know Michael Chang won his sole Slam as a teenager, and possibly someone else (a female), but I'm guessing no other multi-Slam winners.***
Not that I can think of; how old was Graf in '88? Little Mo and others in the amateur game maybe!
***Steffi was 19 in '88 and won 6 Slams before turning 20, but of course she won 16 after!***
Not that I can think of; how old was Graf in '88? Little Mo and others in the amateur game maybe!
***Roger needs this more than Nole, as long as he doesn't make a mess of the final I think he wins. Not sure fitness will be a factor since it's grass and play is a lot quicker. If Roger is tired by the 4th or even 5th set on grass then his prospects going forward are really bad.***
Oh please; Roger needs nothing! This is all gravy for him at this stage in his career! Not that it will matter to me one way or the other, but if anyone needs it, it's Nole! He's been "Slamless" since AO last season! For him to be a legitimate representative of #1, he should be carrying this title! Roger's had his time and has more than overachieved by hanging on this long IMO!
***Well as of right now, Roger has played the better of the 2. Nole is going to have to find another gear if he wants to win this. Nole's play has been very uninspired as of late which is good news for Roger. The real question is will Nole be his own worst enemy on the court? ---
I watched Sampras' swan song at '02 USO too and I never felt Andre was a real threat to win that match. I don't think Andre felt he could beat Pete at the USO. As in the '95 US Open final, certainly Andre did not bring to that 2002 final match the kind of tennis he'd been playing. And Pete was simply better than Andre on faster surfaces [grass, USO, carpet] anyway, while Andre was better on the slower surfaces [clay, AO Rebound Ace].***
Andre may have done his best, but he always was Sampras' pigeon in big matches; esp. at the USO and Wimbledon! Andre got him at the FO and AO when Pete was distraught over Gullikson's collapse and subsequent diagnosis of a brain tumor!
...Roger's had his time and has more than overachieved by hanging on this long IMO!
***Agreed. Roger's legacy is already in the bank. Even 2012 Wimbledon was gravy IMO. If winning 17 Slams already and setting a record for weeks at #1 isn't satisfactory for some fans, then they really need to re-evaluate their personal definition of what constitutes a successful career.***
I think I read a post asking if Federer's '12 Wimbledon was equivalent to Sampras' '02 USO! That's a little extreme since Fed got back to #1, but this really could be his last chance at a major; on grass and Nole not at his best! Maybe this is equivalent to Connors' '83 USO if he wins!
***Popsicle and Sock beat Bryan brothers in a 5 setter to win the doubles titles, in their debut together. It's just amazing what those 2 achieved, whom they have beat this past 2 weeks. Hats off.***
Obviously few people care about the doubles! They had plenty of time available since Petra made short work of Bouchard, but it's just not a priority anymore! I think it was more significant to the viewers if the top players participated and did well! I still remember odd pairings like Ashe and Connors, Connors and Nastase, and more well known specialists like McEnroe/Fleming, Ramirez/Gottfried, Smith/Lutz, Stewart/McNair, and Hewitt/McMillan! They would make time to show their matches; not so much now!
***Come on Fiero, you of all peeps should know how Serena has complained in the past how the drug testers have invaded her privacy in the past so many times to test her. You follow the game. They have been trying for years to bring her down b/c she doesn't look like their idea of the ideal tennis Tennis champion. The biggest example is a while back when Wimbledon admitted to putting her out on court 1 or 2 b/c they wanted the beautiful blondes on Center Court. ...Compare how many times Fed, Nadal, and Murray have played on outer courts to how many times Serena has. Shabby way to treat a 10 time Champion.***
Nope! I've told you guys, I have no idea who these new players are since I just don't watch the them much these days! It's just unwatchable for the most part; not to mention all the squealing and grunting which is so unlady-like! I never missed past #1's like Henin and Hingis! As for the apparent victim-hood of Serena, I'm sure others are tested enough; they just don't whine about it!
The Williams' have always felt "put upon" from the very beginning! I always said "cry me a freakin' river" when the entire family were so abusive of Hingis; such a little girl at the time! Even Richard had some juvenile comments referencing the #1 player back in '97! I'm quite aware they may not have been welcomed with open arms, but they didn't help themselves w/ some of their own behavior! Both would say some of the tackiest stuff at press conferences after a loss; "she didn't beat me, I beat myself!" I'd tell them to "keep walking bitches" if I were a fellow player of the WTA! Shriver did her part to make them feel a part of the tour, but they still complained; usually playing the race card! If you're looking for resistant, you'll find it even if it doesn't exist! Being Black myself, I never felt anything like the stuff voiced by both the girls, but I guess it helped coming from a mixed family (step-father Jewish), so I just never thought about it!
***Grigor's thumping of Murray was glorious... on Centre Court, Wimbledon w/ the whole crowd solidly in Murray's corner. He didn't just shut down Murray, he shut down everyone there. Heck, by the way it read in the press, he shut down the UK.In the semis, it was obvious that being there had an effect on him. Had Novak remained focused, it may have been over in a quick 3. Credit to Grigor, when Novak lost the plot he stepped up his game hugely, and it was a lot of fun to watch. Slams are never a given, but if anyone has the potential to win 1, he does.***
Nole has these "walkabouts" at times; usually when in the lead serving it out! Too often he's winning his serve comfortably, then all of a sudden he'll break himself; a drop shot miss, a double fault, and a net cord that goes against him! Kinda weird! You can't get away with that on grass as much as other surfaces! He has to eliminate those periods of indecision and peek!
***Yep. Comfortably in the lead, on a roll, and then it unravels. And on grass, as you say, the window to rein things in is a lot smaller.***
Nole's still been in complete control of things even with Roger's good serving! This probably SHB a straight set win! I see Djokovic closing it out in 4! - How many times does this have to happen; serving for the match and giving away his serve? Ridiculous; you can plan on it each time! Well he tried to give it away, but he finally finished Federer off in 5 sets and 4 hours! I can't even be happy for him; just ridiculous that this went so long! He was in complete control, but tried to give it away to Roger!
***Fantastic win, really really happy! 2nd Wimbledon title, 7th Slam overall, beating "The GOAT" on his home ground, World #1 again. This win means a lot! I walked out in the 4th. Couldn't bear watching anymore after Novak got broken at 5-5. Luckily he rightened the ship. Congrats to all his fans out here!***
If he had lost this match, I would have been through with Nole! This kind of thing keeps happening, giving me gray hairs I haven't earned! It's not nerves; just really unlucky! His opponent doesn't give him any gifts, a bad bounce, and of course his own tentativeness hoping his opponent gives it to him! He's so lucky to take this even though he was in control most of the way!
***Congrats to Djokovic for his win. This was a great match by both Champions. After losing 4th set from match points, he stayed there and won. As he rightly said that to win a match like this in 5 sets on grass against a champion like Federer makes him happy. I wanted Roger to win this GS, but I'm happy for Nole for his highly competed Wimbledon win. This was an excellent final. Roger did great and just came little short.***
Novak Djokovic (SRB) Roger Federer (SUI) 13 Aces 29 3 Double faults 5 108 of 174 = 62% 1st serves in 133 of 192 = 69% 79 of 108 = 73% 1st serve points won 102 of 133 = 77% 43 of 66 = 65% 2nd serve points won 26 of 59 = 44% 124 MPH Fastest serve 127 MPH 116 MPH Avg 1st serve speed 115 MPH 92 MPH Avg 2nd serve speed 100 MPH 26 of 35 = 74% Net points won 44 of 67 = 66% 4 of 15 = 27% Break points won 3 of 7 = 43% 64 of 192 = 33% Receiving points won 52 of 174 = 30% 68 Winners 75 27 Unforced errors 29 186 Total points won 180
Fed wins in (Aces - Doublerfaults) with a score of 24 to 10. Fed wins in (Winners - UFE) with a score of 46 to 41.
Fed's second serve points winning % is bad. That seems to be the only other stat that stands out that can explain the result may be. ---
According to you guys, it's been a decade since he won a slam, so...***
He's been consistent overall, but Nole hasn't been winning any majors of late; been well over a year except for a couple Masters! Anyone can win those; even Stan on clay! Going this long w/o a major has to be devastating! If he had lost this, he may not have recovered his confidence after losting FO so recently!
***...Top quality match... best I've seen Novak ever play on grass.***
The score looked more impressive than the actual content; sorry! There were plenty of sitters that Nole missed; big time! That match should have been over in straight sets; 4 at the most! Federer played as well as he could, but Nole was not on his game; grass or not! There were so many balls floating he normally would have either put away or made Roger run like a dog! It didn't happen and that 4th set collapse is just so typical of him these days! He can't finish it when he could have so much earlier!
***I've got to say that was the best I've ever seen Novak play on grass, largely b/c other than a blip toward the end of the 4th, he never really dipped out of the intensity levels - something I expected him to do. He was totally focused from start to finish. From the opening bell, he looked like he was in the zone - The eye of the tiger.***
***Ok I am still not done sulking...5th set is what troubling me. After great 4th set, it seemed like Roger left all his fight behind... and that last game was a throwaway.***
Roger should feel great that it wasn't a straight set drubbing! Nole was off; esp. on "sitters" and his forehand! He should have run Federer around like a chicken, but just didn't have his usual sharpness! The UFE were inexplicable at times, even though overall there weren't that many in comparison to winners!
***Nole had like 25 UE's in 5 long sets (granted that's Wimbledon scoring). Even Roger played relatively clean. His problem is he wasn't playing aggressive enough, particularly on the forehand wing. Roger should feel great about nothing. In the end he got a dinner plate and some nice cash. The former was never good enough for him and he doesn't need anymore of the latter.***
You're obviously having vision and interpretive problems! Absolute sitters were missed into the net again and again! His backhand DTL was almost non-existent! I've watched him destroy Nadal, Federer, and Murray; even on clay and expected more from him! Sorry if you can't see that!
***How many sitters were missed time and time again? I remember about 3-4 really awful misses from each player yesterday. That's going to happen when there are almost 400 points in the match. Nole hit plenty backhands DTL, but he's obviously not going to mind cross court backhand exchanges w/ Roger.***
Maybe I'm just spoiled by perfection in past finals! Borg played Connors in a 5 set marathon in '77, but only had 5 forehand errors and returned all but 2 of his serves! He did that w/ choppy, slick grass and a wood racket strung as tight as a pane of glass! That's hard to match I guess! I want more, I want more, I want more out of the top players!
***I remember the Borg-Connors match; Bjorn was 4-0 up in the 5th and the raging bull brought it back to 4-4 - then dropped a calf. The grindin', fightin' Connors found it easy to be tough when he was cornered, but soon as he had a chance to win, his bottom dropped. It was a great match though and Borg won a great 5 setter a couple of days before, 8-6 in the 5th against Gerulaitas.***
***I think until now it's hard to make a case that getting to #1 is a problem for Novak. In '11 he was assured of the top ranking after winning the Wimbledon SF and then not only won the final, but also the 1st tourney he went into as #1 (Can), the USO, & the AO '12. Then after getting it back in the fall of '12, he won the WTF and AO '13. So in the short term being #1 seems to be more of a good than a bad thing to Novak. ---
I for one think that Roger still has a chance of beating Rafa. Consider that their last 5 meetings were the AO and in '13, the time when Roger was really struggling. Before that Rafa was still dominant, but it wasn't absurd - Roger would still beat him every once in a while - at IW in '12 is the last time, then the WTF in '11. The Roger we're seeing today is closer to the 2009-12 Roger than the '13 Roger. That Roger was probably the fave on grass, indoor HC, and if not even on outdoor HC was at least competitive.***
The problem is 5 sets w/ Roger against Rafa being run around like a chicken, reaching up for his BH's where he can't get much on the ball! He would have to be playing "lights out" and Rafa struggling a bit; indoors Fed's best chance at this stage in his career!
***I agree. Roger's most likely chance of beating Rafa would be indoors. It wouldn't surprise me if he beats him in London or Paris, i.e. But best-of-5? It has only happened 3 times, the last of which was 7 yrs ago.***
What was that all about w/ Federer; changing rackets after the break and making Nole wait? It may not have been "bush," but it was strange!
***So which is it? Nadal the only offender or maybe a little gamesmanship from Roger? Surely, none from Djokovic…even w/ a tender massage on his calf.***
What do you want me to say? Ok, they all do it! HAPPY?? This goes back to the 90's w/ the women calling out a trainer at strategic times! I quite remember at Hilton Head on clay, Gabriella Sabatini took an "attire break" twice; each time when Graf was serving for the set and was broken subsequently! Gabby won in straight sets 7-5, 7-6 when Steffi was up a break in each set! It happens and works at times!
***Yes, I am happy. Perhaps now you won't go around proclaiming Nadal as a cheater, someone you can never forgive for things that you now admit everyone does. You don't like his tennis, I get it. Like so many, that's mostly about the fact that he beats your fave. Now perhaps we can leave off the gamesmanship conversations and go back to talking about the game, eh?***
Wrong on all counts! I've never cared for Nadal's gamesmanship from day 1; his self-entitlement, stalling, toweling off after every point, receiving coaching from the stands, and his ridiculous idea of a 2 year ranking to save his #1 status a few years ago! I'm more a purist and just hate the way he plays; so defensively when I know he could be doing more to close out matches against "also-rans!" He allows absolute nobodies to take him to the limit! Overall his game is one of the ugliest in the history of the game! Nole didn't look that hot yesterday w/ that flailing FH; esp. when he missed badly! I have no dog in this hunt any longer! All my real faves are retired or close to leaving the game so you're whistling in the dark about that! This Wimbledon final has been the first I've gotten up to actually watch live in quite a while; I've been so uninterested in today's play!
The women's game isn't even on my radar and had no clue who those women were besides Kvitova and I only know her b/c she won it all back in '11! I'm not telling you anything new; no secret how I feel about things and how disillusioned w/ the ball bashing and defensive way most players show on the court! It's boring and takes too long w/ matches going over 3-4 hours routinely; even the women w/ best of 3! Petra made quick work of Bouchard though and is probably the most impressive performance of a women since Henin!
As for Evert and Shriver's comments on Serena, they've always sang her praises, so the backlash is still shocking to me!
***OK, I think too much race card is being played here. I believe Evert and Shriver would have reacted in the same way if some other white player had behaved on court in such a disoriented manner. This is not to say that the suggestion that Serena was on drugs is true. However, unlike you are medical expert knowing different kinds of weird ailments, the 1st reaction of an ordinary person (including a commentator or professional tennis player) would be to think that Serena is on some kind of drugs. We all have to realize here that we are not talking about poor play here, we're talking about having basic control over your motor action. To think that a 17 time GS champion will enter the court lacking basic control over motor action is difficult.
I don't have any problem over Evert and Shriver's initial reaction. What I have trouble is w/ their dishonesty is not owning their initial reaction the next day. Evert was saying that she did not mean to suggest Serena was on drugs when she clearly did. She suggested she could be wrong as she is not aware of all kinds of ailments. Instead, they took a damage control operation of putting a black guy in the midst and making him say various things which they themselves did not want to say directly.***
Brilliant, thoughtful post rather than just going off the deep end coming up with comparisons that are about as accurate as apples and oranges!
***I think it's b/c Roger playing well even against most other top players often meant he wins in 4 sets at most. So if he played well and was taken to 5, he was not used to the fight until the end; w/ his game off anyway, that could be exploited in a 5th.***
I've always thought a player's mental toughness was the 1st to go instead of knees like most people think! When Martina reached her 30's, no one could have been in better shape; even w/ Graf around! Her problem to me was her confidence and more of a mental stress thing; esp. when she was leading in a match she lost! It all started in '87 where she made final after final the first 6 months of the year! Even at Eastborne, she supposedly was up 5-1 and lost the match in straights! She managed to turn around her fortunes at Wimbledon beating Graf in the final, but you could see something was wrong! She finished up well beating Graf again at the USO in straight sets and taking a few VS titles that fall, but the top ranking was gone, never to be recovered!
At Wimbledon in '88 she was up a set and break again to Graf and only won 1 more game the rest of the way! In '89 at the USO, she was up a set, a break, and just 2 games from winning and dropped the match again in 3 sets! Martina took on BJK to help her out and she was able to take one more major at Wimbledon in '90; lucky Graf and Seles had been upset by one of her pigeons, Zina Garrison who she beat easily in the final! Roger is having the same questions of confidence and 5 sets is too long to try and stay ahead of the other top players! His best chance was this past Wimbledon; I think he's done winning these big titles!
***Funny you mention Martina, I remember she said something similar. "You get more nervous as you get older," she said. I didn't detect that from Roger on Sunday, in fairness: he always looked like he believed he could win.***
***As has been said many times before, Novak is a highly demonstrative, emotional player. I think this win will give him just the shot of confidence he needed to win the big matches w/ Nadal more consistently. I think the interesting challenge is how he balances personal and work life. People say Fed can do it (now w/ 4) so certainly Novak can, except they are obviously 2 very different people w/ different temperaments.***
It's strange that Nole hasn't been given more credit in "handling" Rafa like no other player! I hadn't thought about it until '09, but even Roger had been struggling to keep him in check; grass being an equalizer I guess until '08! Nadal still has a winning record over most of his competitors, but Djokovic has several winning streaks against him that others can only dream of; 7 in a row back in '11 through '12 AO, then the 4 after last season's USO through the fall Masters and WTF, concluding w/ a clay court win in Rome! No one's done anything like that; even Roger in his prime!
***There's been a fair amount of credit given I believe. The commentators all say that Novak is the only player who has forced Rafa to change his game; obviously that was due to the prolonged runs of match losses to him. It's been discussed here as well. Thing is, Ralf does make the adjustments and the runs have swung the other way too.***
Maybe it's just me, but what I keep hearing about are their FO matches and how Nole keeps coming up short; again and again and again!
***Nope, that's not just you... In 2011, it was "Novak never beat him in a final, Novak never beat him in best of 5, Novak never beat him on clay, Novak never beat him on real clay, and Novak never beat him on grass." One by one, all of those mantras fell by the wayside that year. Roland Garros is the only major tournament where Novak has played him and not won... yet. ---
I don't suppose Nole has done himself any favors by talking about how much he wants to win RG, but it IS actually true that he has fallen short, so I don't know why Fiero should feel like he's alone in hearing it, or that it's esp. ill-mannered to say. Though, as you mention, Djokovic has climbed past a lot of other things he'd never done against Nadal, so surely hope is not lost. ---
It's not that he's alone in hearing it.... it's just the last thing the Rafa fans can say Novak hasn't done when facing their man, so he's just saying he hears it often. I simply affirmed that fact. - In the direct H2H, it's the only thing he hasn't beaten Nadal at, I think. So, yes, he would hear about it, from the media in general, and the forums. That would be expected. ---
I'd expect Rafa to be really hungry at the USO, but I wouldn't be surprised if the '14 Wimbledon marks the end of his reign as the #1 player in the sport. His clay court season wasn't quite as potent as in years past and he struggled on grass. Still, Rafa seems to play best from behind, so maybe he'll have a surge this year. I do expect him to remain an elite player for some time yet, but maybe not quite as dominant as he was in his best years. ---
Although I don't think Rafa will get the #1 back anytime this year, contrary to Dude's opinion, I think Rafa has another stint at #1 in him. - Could be a hard call, but Rafa comes back from the dead often enough. He's got a lot to defend through the USO, and I don't think he'll defend all of it. And he didn't do poorly in the fall of last year, so his chances of passing Novak are slim, unless Novak dumps some points. So unlikely this year.***
***What exactly is it about socialism that attracts such illogical, uncritical, & blind devotion—even in the face of overwhelming evidence this theory is utterly flawed? Or, is there some universal rule which dictates that intellectuals, Hollywood players and so-called journalists must be liberal, socialist, Marxist or communists?***
What is it about socialism that most people don't seem to understand? W/o it, we wouldn't be as great a country! Gov't programs like Social Security, Medicare, fixing roads and bridges, patents, welfare, and other things run by our representatives are all Socialist! Try dropping some of it!
***Did you guys see Piers Morgan farewell on CNN? He's SO right that guns belong on the battlefield and NOT in civilized society! The bottom line is over 6 BILLION people or over 90% of the world live just FINE w/o guns and a 2nd Amendment! What does it get you? 35 people killed and over 200 shot every DAY by guns!***
Everything he says may be true, but "people round here don't cotton some foreigner tryin' to tell them what to do!" If he weren't such an obnoxious twit, the message wouldn't be falling on deaf ears! We're idiots; no doubt about it, but they also doomed his show!
***Gun deaths per year: Japan: 4, - UK: 35, - Australia: 150, - United States: 30,000+ - GET RID OF THE DAMN GUNS!***
I suppose we've gotten more stupid recently w/ law passed around in some states allowing these fools to go into restaurants and department stores packing! We're truly brain dead idiots and it's only going to be worse w/ all these guns, all at the ready!
***GOP Stuck on Stupid - Romney never did or could articulate how his policies would put people back to work. "The GOP needs to move on and find a standard bearer who will unite the GOP and lead us to victory in '16. Romney has not shown this ability and at his age, likely he never will.***
Well Romney couldn't be too bright if he puts himself and family through this kind of humiliation again! Everytime the vote was counted somewhere in the country, it wasn't in his favor! I won't go down the states he lost and by how much, but Repub truly "have to be stuck on stupid" if they were to run him again; even though they have few others to take his place! There's one nut after another that can be looked at, pointed to for incompetence; I'm at a loss! Christie still thinks he viable, but he'll be lucky if he isn't indicted for his antics in New Jersey! Any "Tea Bagger" like Paul or Cruz are instantly thought of as "nuts;" nuff said! Huckabee? Don't make me laugh! He's become too much of a money HO and isn't about to give up his gig on Fox News and drop his profitable speaking engagements! The rest are just plain small like Walker from Wisc., Jindal in Louisiana, and Perry from Texas! I'd love for another Bush to run so we can go down the many reasons and legacy of the past 2 tenures! Anybody else?
Obama may not be a favorite of Repubs and Dems alike, but under his admin., unemployment just dropped to its lowest levels since the 90s tech book at 6.1, he brought our weary armed forces home from 2 ridiculous wars we didn't need to fight, the stock market DOW has exploded from a start under 6600 to now over 17,000 points; all this with the foot-dragging "the Sequester," Congress passing no jobs bills, and constant panning of all that is going well by Republicans! His legacy is secure with the Affordable Care Act, regardless of all the imagined scandals that have little to nothing to do w/ him!
***If anyone runs a senior citizen who lost last time around, it'll be the Dems.***
Yeah, I'd love for conservatives to try that after throwing Reagan and McCain out there; 2 senile old goats! I'll take Hillary over any of those loser Repubs even though they've started hitting her hard and often! Get it all out of your systems, she's still on track to be the 1st woman POTUS!
***Personally, although there is no way of knowing, I think there is a possibility that Romney would have made a better President than Obama. Assuming that when in office Romney found his center and jettisoned the chameleon-like all things to all people act. I tend to think we would have gotten clearer answers on Benghazi and the IRS scandals... I think we would have a clearer direction on the present immigration issue. Just to mention of few.
I don't see President Obama communicating a clear leadership vision... Sure his hands were seriously tied back in '08, but that was then, this is now. Given how far we are into his 2nd term I have serious doubts he ever will provide clear leadership. Hillary...? Sorry I don't get the appeal. Never have.***
It's not like I'm a fan of Hillary or any Democrat, but anything is better than a sleazy Republican! Look at what they've done to try and hold back the economy, making up conspiracies and scandal out of any event having to do w/ the gov't! They're just as culpable and should take the responsibility for the IRS, VA, and immigration problems we have! They've done nothing in months; hell years! It's ridiculous that they keep getting re-elected when their polls show them well below Obama! The people have to start taking responsibility for our troubles; not the POTUS!
***"I completely reject the idea anything is better than a sleazy Republican!" - I don't. Sleaze in either party is what we don't need.***
How? They were willing to undermine the economy by shutting the gov't down twice just to politically hurt Obama! Reps have endorsed "no compromise" on issue after issue; even when they supported it before he was President! There's talk of suing him, impeaching him, Hell they talked about his MOMMA! Please! Reps are the scummiest creatures on the planet who don't give a SHIT about their own country as long as they aren't in power! I could go on, but I don't need my BP going up thinking how hateful McConnell, Boehner, and your ex-Majority leader Cantor have been since "before" the man took office! Tell me where you think I'm lying or even made a mistake? I'm not even a fan of his Presidency; terribly selfish of him taking away the childhood of his own children, knowing how bad it would be in getting anything done including his signature healthcare program, and most of all like me, "doesn't suffer fools!" He did what was necessary, but he may have not compromised enough; maybe to lie prostrate on the White House steps while they whipped him! Maybe Boehner would give in after a few lashes, nothing short of that no doubt about it! Over 2 million people could be put to work next week, but JOBs bill/law languishing to deal w/ infrastructure like bridges and roads which are in disrepair, but Republicans don't seem to care; so why should I? We can all go to HELL watching political farces perpetrated on us week after week, month after month, and year after year! I'm done!
***It's like you read my mind! Of the U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), former Speaker Newton Gingrich (R-GA) said: "She's serious, she's hard working, she is a 1st rate professional." Supplementing that, (then) current RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman said: "Senator Clinton is smart, uh, she's effective, uh ... very hard working." Source: NBC-TV 'Meet The Press' June 5, 2005***
***I remember riding Nadal off around this time last year. I specifically recall saying to myself - "Nadal is only going to win on clay from now on." The prospects of him winning the USO, as well as Cincinnati and Toronto seemed very foreign. After all, his experience on the HC's weren't exactly at a high during '13 and the second half of '12. He played IW, but then skipped Miami. I think Nadal is going to be the man to beat from here on out. I expect Djokovic's confidence to skyrocket too and Wawrinka should have a promising rest of the year.***
All that success, but at what cost? Whenever Nadal has had amazing string of wins out of the ordinary, he usually can not replay his act, only being able to defend clay titles! He did well to win last summer, but look what it's done to him for the last several months; going down in flames at his favorite events in the spring on clay! It was made even worse by losing to his normal pigeons which are his teammates! All those problems culminating in him going out to a wildcard at Wimbledon! He has too many points to defend and there's no reason to believe he can do it; never done it before! Why now when he's a year older and breaking down? If you won't write his epitaph for this year, I certainly will; it's his own history I'm going by!
***Well, what cost, actually? Bad back at the AO final, yes. Didn't defend everything on clay, but still won the FO. Did better at Wimbledon than the last 2 years. (OK, still not such a great success.) He's holding 2 of the 4 Slam titles though. We are going into his least historically successful time of the year, outside of the USO, but are you really prepared to completely write him off for the year; with 4 months left? ---
I thought the same thing last year. Look, you could very well be right, but the point of my post is - don't write him off. You clearly can if you like, but I won't. Remember the 1st tournament he came back from last year? He lost a clay 250 (or was it 500) event against a relatively unknown player. That looked indicative of some worrying times right there, but to his credit, he fought back and did things I never thought he had in him.***
You see any reason why we should be confident he can do more? He might take something, the rest of the tour are still as gutless as I've been saying! It won't be on him as much as them giving away their chance to take him out! He's very vulnerable at this time; history tells us so! I haven't exaggerated anything, no matter my animus; still honest about the facts!
***Given the hoopla surrounding Serena in the doubles, I will bet the farm that the drug testers were at her door as soon as possible after this incident. Haven't heard anything about a positive test for anything illegal yet... 2 weeks later. If there was, I know it would have been front page news. They have been trying for 15+ years to take her down. They would not miss this opportunity. Actually I am curious: Does anyone believe after what happened that they didn't test Serena? ---
I think she'd be tested anyway. It seems highly unlikely that they'd think she was doping in the changing rooms just before a match. That would be weird and career suicide. This one should be simplified: she looked ill out there.***
Stranger things occur all the time! I believe anything is possible these days! People always think to themselves, "that won't happen to me!" I really don't care what caused Serena to come out on court staggering; why was she even allowed to do so? Venus didn't seem too concerned! Where were her team of handlers? That was about as stupid as coming out with a 104 degree temperature! Maybe it's something mental; b/c she had to be a little "bent" to think she could get through a match in that condition! They had had a tough time in previous matches even when she was at her best health-wise!
***...One big difference is Kyrgios has one hell of a serve unlike Carreno Busta. That should makes things much easier in theory and his ground game is also excellent. Fingers crossed he'll finally be one who's here to stay and progress well.***
Well I hope this kid doesn't disappear into obscurity like so many others before him after having one great performance in a major! We need some new blood on tour; esp. w/ the decline of our own Isner, Harrison, and Querrey! Is Sock good enough after taking a Wimbledon doubles title off the Bryan brothers? I haven't seen him play that much! Does he have a weapon of any sort to challenge the top echelon; serve, forehand, BDL, or volley? ---
***Fumie had the better career. Sasha was the better skater.***
Agreed! It was unfortunate something kept Sasha from performing a clean 2 performances at event after event; even ones she won! Fumi was competent, but far from the style, class, and grace of Sasha! Fumi outdid Sasha enough to take at least bronze medals at multiple world events while Sasha salvaged something w/ silver at Turin in '06! I almost would call Sasha the "Liz Manley" of her era, but didn't do quite as well when it counted; heaven knows w/o all the baggage!
***Yeah it is a travesty we are even comparing the careers of Sasha and Fumie when Sasha was about 5 times more talented. Nothing against Fumie, I like her a lot, hard working and dedicated, good all around, quiet and humble, and obviously loves skating to keep doing it into her 30s. She isn't a special talent like Sasha though. Fumie was a major overachiever and Sasha a huge underachiever. I don't think anyone would say Fumie was as talented or as good a skater as even say Joannie Rochette, yet has more success than Rochette. ---
...Maria's SLC SP was probably one of the poorest clean shorts she ever did, which is why she placed low. The elements were mostly shaky and of low quality, and the performance was slow, stiff, and scared looking. She has done tons of SP in her career way better than SLC though. Sarah Hughes decided otherwise.***
I still say that shouldn't have happened! W/ the "ordinal system," Sarah should have only gotten silver but for putting Michelle in 1st after the SP w/ a 2-footed triple flip! If it was a travesty in Russia w/ generous scoring for their compatriots, our country benefitted as well and was just as guilty! Irina pretty much owned Michelle by then and no way in any other circumstance would she have even sniffed Gold in SLC!
***Yeah, Irina should have won the short and thus the gold in Salt Lake City. Sarah should have been 7th or 8th in the SP. Cohen should have beaten Kwan in the long program and won silver overall. Bronze to Kwan or Hughes overall, even w/ Hughes probably being 1st in the LP. The judging was a farce.***
I suppose that was a travesty, but how many titles did Michelle take that she didn't earn? What was worse was one of those pro-am events in Canada where Josée Chouinard fell 3 or 4 times and they still gave it to her; Michelle was at a loss! That was so funny; the looks, grins, and eye rolls were priceless! It was almost as hilarious as the GPF you mentioned! MK was on the way down and on the outs with judges probably! lol!
***Oh yeah, that Kwan really ended up such loser w/ all those titles and medals she won afterwards. I guess when a skater you hate wins as much as she did or at least lose, but still skate respectfully, a detractor has to grab on to that Pro-Am that she lost. I'm sure Kwan never lived that one down. ---
I think Fiero's point is the judges were contradicting upon his perceived blatant favoritism of Kwan from them for years previous, by blatantly robbing her at event by a splatty Josee. I don't consider Kwan as held up/gifted as he probably does. I do think she was on the overscored side a bit, and got some boost from her name, but that's true of at least 80% of skaters who become legendary and are from a powerful country, so I wouldn't begrude her specifically of that. However he probably isn't the only one who feels Kwan was a judge's pet or held up figure over time. It is not like Kwan is the only one who has a # of people having that perception of them, many have that perception (rightly or wrongly) of Chan, Gritschuk & Platov, Baiul, Cohen, Duchensays, recently Davis & White, Volosozhar & Trankov, Sotnikova, Lysacek, and who knows how many others. Probably some of those that perception holds even more strongly than Kwan, I do notice Chan and Sotnikova and Baiul esp. tend to get bashed upon a lot for the judges scores of them. I think people in this sport just naturally like to complain and it would take a lot to have them totally satisfied. There are very few skaters people probably perceive as neither overrated/overscored, underrated/underscored, or a combination of both at different times. Being a judge is the most thankless job there is in this sport, and even more when as far as I know they aren't even paid (other than those who accept backroom deals/bribes).
I also don't think that particular result was even necessarily wrong, just as I don't consider Kwan as held up and as huge a judges favorite over the years as some others might. Josee did fall and did many less triples than Michelle, but she had a program ideally suited to the pro am format, while Kwan did not, just doing the type of pretty program she would do in any other competition. That is why Josee won w/ her ingenius Mime routine, even with a far technically inferior effort. That loss didn't mean much to Kwan, but it meant a lot to Josee as she mentioned in her book. ...***
I only call it like I see 'em! I definitely was no fan of Kwan's and it didn't bother me in the least when she was cheated out of a couple wins here and there! It happened enough to other skaters when she was subpar! Going back to when she was only 13, I thought she was overscored and held up, but that's nothing new as other people well know! I've seen Chan flop all over the place and barely lose; once by the 3 points deducted for falls! It's one reason the sport isn't taken seriously, but is still the featured event of the Winter Olympics! They've even created a team event to get them out there more besides the added exhibitions! No other sport abuses their athletes this much!
***Is Rafa declining? IMO, yes. Doesn't mean isn't still insanely good and very close to his highest level, but if careers and athletic physicality have a peak and then some sort of decline from that, then he is definitely not as good as his absolute best years, and I don't see him having another 2010 or even quite 2013 again. Two out of 3 majors competed in and 5 Masters won't happen again, IMO. He could still win 2 majors in one year though, although next year would be his last really good shot at it.
Statistically, Nadal should be in plateau years. Which implies no more than flashes of the former brilliance, but a solid level, and still capable of beating anyone. Which is what we saw, essentially from Federer at 28. So the diminishment of results seems not surprising, but anyone who thinks he's in a steep decline, is probably fooling themselves.***
Nadal's w/o a doubt the strangest top player I've ever seen! He goes up, plateaus, then breaks down where he has to take extended time away! He then resurrects himself back to the top only to fall back to the pack after having a career season! It's just bizarre; happening several times! I guess you can say Serena's going through the same thing; just not as extreme!
***Nadal is not as inconsistent as you would think. However, I think the Serena comparison is not wrong: sometimes they seem a bit out of the conversation, and then suddenly they're completely back in the game. ---
Declined from his absolute peak? Sure. He'll still have his moments and tournaments, but chances are he'll never have another '08, '10, or '13. But is he significantly worse than he was at his peak? No, at least not on clay or HC. He seemingly can't hang on grass any more, which speaks of some decline. And I honestly wonder how he's going to do on HCs this year, but he's still one of 2 truly great players right now and better than everyone else - including Roger, Andy, and the rest.
I've done research that shows that the vast majority of players peak from around 21-26, then plateau from around 27-31, w/ a steep decline at 32 and after. I don't expect Rafa to be any different, although given his physical style of play, I wouldn't be surprised if his decline occurs a year or 2 earlier. But even so, we've got 2-3 years left of plateau, so that's a lot of good tennis left.***
Well everyone needs to get off the "Big 4" stuff; esp. since Murray has dropped to #10 in the world! He lost a lot of points and if he doesn't do well this HC season, he might fall out of the top 20! That's what happens to players who have a nice spurt of wins, but can't defend the titles! I can't imagine anyone thinking he could keep it up; esp. since Lendl dropped out as the coach!
***Better Touch than FEDERER? You Decide. Mecir, Nastase, Rosewall, Panatta were classy too and what to say about King Stefan...he was just fantastic. There's a lot of players w/ a good touch in the past and (hopefully) in the future even if game is more brutal nowadays, guys try to hit the ball the hardest they can; it's a pity for the game.***
In the old era, I'd definitely have to put Nastase at the top of the list! He made shots no one else would even think of under the most excruciating pressures of a match! I learned the Bucharest backfire from him and shocked people w/ that shot over the shoulder through the 90's!
***Well everyone needs to get off the "Big 4" stuff; esp. since Murray has dropped to #10 in the world! ...That's what happens to players who have a nice spurt of wins, but can't defend the titles!
"Spurt of wins?!" Give me a break. Murray has been consistent for at least 5 years. A rankings drop b/c of injury is not that shocking, or w/o precedent. It's the "also-rans" that come up w/ a "spurt of wins." Or worse, a big upset, and then not follow up. Until someone makes a big and consistent name for himself, I'm going to still talk about the Big 4, if you don't mind.***
"Spurt" of major wins genius; an Olympic medal, a USO, ending in Wimbledon! All that happened in a year's time! That's called a spurt! It was the spurt of wins that propelled Roger back to #1, but even Murray never came close, so how consistent was he that he's dropped to #10? Nadal never fell below 5 and was gone longer! HELLO; wake up!
***...Andy is still trying to find himself since coming back from surgery, both mentally and physically. He has been seriously in the mix for 5 or 6 yrs and to propose that he is merely a flash in the pan is just silly.***
I never thought Murray was a "flash in the pan," but it did promote my past theory of the ATP being kind of gutless; unable to knock off even one of these guys! It took surgery to significantly make a change in the top echelon so they still can't take a bow! Wawrinka's the first one to break through the glass ceiling of the big 4 since the last decade! Delpo has to be thought of as an "also ran" b/c he hasn't backed up his USO from '09 even w/ Nadal and Murray out for extended periods! ---
***I was surprised that "some players" didn't consider the FO that important. (Newcombe was mentioned as saying that he focused on Wimbledon, the USO, and DC.) It has been said here before in discussions about the FO, but I wonder if that was just amongst the players who didn't play well on clay, since the others were played on the lawns for so long.
No it's certainly not just the players who didn't play well on clay. Even Llendl skipped it one year. It got its cachet in the mid to late 80s. I guess a relative oldie like me will always have a bias for Wimbledon and Flushing b/c they've always been the big 2, not b/c Roger won both of those for 5 consecutive years. ---
...the FO, it simply was not talked about as much in int'l tennis when it exploded in the 70s tennis "rock" era of Connors-Borg-McEnroe. Since most marketing dollars flowed from the USA back then, the USO was always prominent, along w/ Wimbledon. It was the historicity of these 2 events that got most of the press and that all the really big players played. New York went from grass to green clay and then settled in on hard court in the space of 4 years. Wimbledon remained the ancient grass court jewel and the French (until Borg made it more of a headliner after winning it so many times) was the major that was won mostly by clay courters who hardly won anything off of that surface (the Swede and Vilas were notable exceptions). They tended to be Euros or South Americans who played most of the year in Europe, or at least that was the perception of many in the USA back then. Panetta, Orantes, Noah and others only fared well on the red clay over there, or that was (again) the perception. I think that is why SW19 and NY held a special position (AO was too far away for most in the 70s) amongst the majors--they were simply the best known and marketed. I agree that things changed with the Sampras-Agassi era and the internalization of tennis in that era right under their noses with Bruguera, Gomez, Gaston, Muster and the rest. I question how big an impact Wilander's 1987 and Agassi's capturing the FO turned out to be in terms of making the quest for all 4 being a really big deal.***
***Rafa is a unique specimen, but his uniqueness may be offset by the wear and tear and physicality of his game so that in the end it evens out and we may see normal aging patterns. What that would mean, as I've said, is another few years of a high level of play (plateau), with Slams sprinkled in, but probably no return to a 2010-level of dominance. ---
...with Roger - at age 32 - he's capable of playing at a very high level for bits and spurts. But we also saw something at the Wimbledon final that we probably wouldn't have seen when he was 25 - he started missing shots and lost his serve in the 5th set, presumably due to fatigue. I also think it is clear that, with Roger, while he's done an amazing job at adjusting and compensating, there's no denying that his physical skills have eroded a bit.
...But if you add the two together - that Rafa is still chasing Roger for the Slam record AND the younger generation, while showing a bit more life of late, is still not much compared to what Roger had to deal w/ - then perhaps Rafa's decline will be slower and later than it might have been w/o those 2 factors. ---
Now we have Rafa at a similar stage of his career, at least age-wise, as Roger in '09. Yet while Roger had a 22-23 yr old Rafa and a 21-22 yr old Novak & Andy to face, there are no true equivalents for Rafa, no elite younger players - only a few who seem like they could be 2nd tier talents. He does have Novak and Andy to face, but he's grown up w/ them; they are his generation, his peers - like Hewitt, Roddick, Nalbandian, and even Marat Safin for Roger (it is crazy to think that Safin is only a year and a half older than Roger - he's been gone so long). But the best young players on the rise are Raonic, Dimitrov, and Nishikori. I suppose we could throw in Gulbis, Janowicz, etc - but they're all a step down. Vesely, Thiem, and Kyrgios are all a bit younger and have yet to sniff the top 20.
To put it another way, Raonic/Dimitrov/Nishikori won't quicken Rafa's (and Novak's and Andy's) decline as much as Rafa/Novak/Andy did for Roger. I do have hopes that as Dimitrov enters his peak, and those 3 enter their plateau, that he'll be on a similar level as them. But we haven't quite seen it yet, but he's close! - As an aside, as a group it seems that Roger had a wider field of very good players to face, but none as good as Novak or Andy. Rafa has fewer very good players, but more great ones to face.*** ===
***...Sasha Cohen at least has gorgeous lines, positions, elegance, and first rate spins, spirals, and jump rotation.***
Sasha was so mesmerizing on the ice, during her "Romeo & Juliet" exhibition after Worlds, Buttons and Fleming couldn't speak! They just let the performance speak for itself! Even during the replays of some elements, there was just silence! That never happens!
***Exactly. Which is why I nearly split my side laughing at anyone calling Fumie more talented than Sasha. Nothing against Fumie, but she was just a good 2nd tier kind of skater, even at her best. You would never be mesmerized or in awe of anything she did.***
***Sasha would have won Nat'ls in '03, '04, & '05 if she skated clean. In '03 she made too many mistakes to even beat Sarah who was a shadow of the skater she was the year before. Going into the competition she was the new GPF champion and dominated her GP events. She was totally the favorite entering that competition. In '04 she received a 6.0 for a program w/ a fall and another small error, before Michelle skated. ---
If they were willing to give her the '03 title over Michelle, they would have put her over a very subpar Sarah even w/ her falls and mistakes. Add to that the '03 Worlds qualifying round where Sasha skated clean with 7 triples, Michelle had only 6 and stumbled, and Michelle was 1st and Sasha 3rd in their pool. Those 2 things combined make it clear the judges would not favor a perfect Sasha over a good Michelle in '03. Sasha had a better shot of the 2000 title than the '03 one. ---
Well, that's already good to be a good 2nd tie kind of skater. My problem w/ Sasha is that I can't forget her flaws when I watch her. Fumie is more of an all around skater, nothing spectacular, but nothing particularly shocking. ---
What would Olympic podiums from '92-2014 been if everyone skated cleanly? Ladies 2002 Gold- Slutskaya, Silver- Kwan, Bronze- Cohen. Too much is made about Kwan's SP win. I thought Irina's SP in SLC was only about 60% as good as her shorts at the GPF, Worlds, Goodwill Games, and she had 2 obvious errors for me- ...She still lost the short by only .1 and would have easily won it with any of her much better shorts that season. Kwan's triple flip btw was NOT 2-footed, definitely not.
Ladies 2006 Gold- Slutskaya, Silver- Shiz, Bronze- Cohen Slutskaya was the sentimental fave in her last Olympics and in Europe. She was never losing if she skated clean (by clean I mean w/o the really shaky landings she had on a few jumps and missed levels, besides the obvious mistakes) even if Shizuka and Cohen were sublime. Shizuka's 3-3s would carry her past Cohen and even if they didn't her jump GOE would do the trick.
Men 2010 Gold- Lambiel, Takahashi, or Abbott, Silver- Lambiel, Takahashi, Abbott, or Chan, Bronze- Lambiel, Takahashi, Abbott, Chan, or Joubert. As you can see not really sure how this would go. Neither Lysacek or Plushenko would even medal though.
Men 2014 Gold- Hanyu, Silver- Fernandez, Bronze- Chan
Ladies '94 Gold- Baiul or Sato, Silver- Baiul, Sato, Kerrigan, or Bonaly, Bronze- Baiul, Sato, Kerrigan, Bonaly, or Chouinard. Another 1 I'm not sure of. Dont think Chen would have ever medaled w/ the others skating cleanly though since the judges always underrated her then.
1992- Kristi wins, Midori 2nd, Tonya 3rd 1994- Yuka wins, Lu 2nd, Surya 3rd 1998- Tara wins, Michelle 2nd, Maria 3rd 2002- Irina wins, Michelle 2nd, Maria 3rd 2006- Irina wins, Shizuka 2nd, Sasha 3rd 2010- Yu Na wins, Mao 2nd, Joannie 3rd 2014- Adelina wins, Yu Na 2nd, Mao or Julia 3rd
Those are the placements if everyone skates perfectly.
1992- Victor wins, Kurt 2nd, Petr 3rd 1994- Viktor wins, Kurt 2nd, Scott 3rd 1998- Ilia wins, Todd 2nd, Alexei 3rd 2002- Evgeny wins, Alexei 2nd, Tim 3rd 2006- Evgeny wins, Stephane 2nd, Jeff 3rd 2010- Brian wins, Stephane 2nd, Daisuke 3rd 2014- Hanyu wins, Fernandez 2nd, Patrick 3rd
Again with everyone perfect these are placements and medals.***
***I know Roger likes to say he's as motivated and works harder than ever before, but you've got to wonder about the psychological effect when he won his 15th Slam. He was out in open waters, and w/o Pete ahead of him, there wasn't that extra bit of incentive. ...I think he was simply eclipsed by a younger, hungrier, and eventually better generation of players. It happens to everyone. Professional sports is a game of millimeters - and if you lose just a bit of edge, you can lose a lot of ground (Or, if you gain just a bit of edge, you can take a massive step forward - which is what I think we're seeing w/ Dimitrov. The '14 version isn't that different than '13 physically, but he's a lot hungrier and more intense).
But if you add the 2 together - that Rafa is still chasing Roger for the Slam record AND the younger generation, while showing a bit more life of late, is still not much compared to what Roger had to deal w/ - then perhaps Rafa's decline will be slower and later than it might have been w/o those 2 factors. ---
You've made many good points above Dude, but I wanted to highlight and discuss this one: That when Roger hit 15 Major wins, he was entering "unchartered waters," as you say. I do believe him when he says he still loves tennis, and he's a great front-runner, but it's hard to imagine how being so far above the field feels. And I do think it helps Nadal to have a specific goal. In this way, he's always been chasing Roger. I'm sure they both try to focus on the task at hand, but it seems that Nadal's "carrot" is more obvious and specific.*** ===
***Sochi '14 was the most blatant cheating in the last 90 years of figure skating history. That's the only title Yuna should have won that bothers me. But I agree that if she were American or Japanese, she would have won '07, '08, & '11 Worlds for sure and maybe '10; whether merited or not.***
You say Sochi; evidence and remedies proves it was SLC! They actually gave out 2 GOLD medals in an event to deal w/ obvious, duplicitous behavior! Jamie whined enough and made such a stink they almost had no choice!
***I say Sochi b/c the difference in abilities btw Kim and Sotnikova, as well as what they put out on the ice that competition; was night and day, 2 different leagues. At least in SLC the difference btw the dance teams was small. ---
She had to return her Silver in order to get the 2nd gold, but then she complained afterwords and requested the Silver medal back as well. Poor Jamie, they refused her that request in the end. Perhaps had they given her that back, she would have demanded the bronze, and perhaps then now truly a 2nd gold medal (as in a 2nd that she alone owns this time) too.***
I accepted the initial result b/c of Sale & Pelletier using an old program! I still don't understand why? I lost so much respect for them going from venue to venue, interview to interview bellyaching like they were the first skaters ever cheated out of a win! I was disgusted and never watched them again! I hope she feels severe shame now for her petulant behavior!
***Of course they did. The IOC has a long history of awarding duplicate Gold medals; just b/c people whine and it's broadcast on US network TV. They did for Men's basketball in Munich anyway.***
Excuse me; the whining was there and prevalent, but no remedy was initiated! The US just didn't accept their Silver medals; supposedly sitting in a lockbox of some sort in Munich!
***Kim SNH accepted the Silver they gave her at Sochi either, but she's too gracious for that. Nevertheless that does not diminish the fact that the competition was rigged and a joke, and as much as I like Sotnikova, she will always be remembered now as the Phoney Queen of Sochi.***
***...again, my quarrel isn't w/ Ted Kennedy, it's w/ those who were willing to tolerate his waitress sandwiches.***
No one's tolerating anything! They're just letting the guy rest in peace! You want to dig him up and kick him around some more? Talk to Sen. Hatch who used him as a prop in his argument for an example saying, "if Teddy were alive we could get this bill done!" Such a DICK who hated and fought w/ the man day in and day out! Republicans in general are so full of shit!
***Fiero, yeah... how lame to notice when a guy is a serial assaulter of women.***
Saying it "over and over and over" isn't going to make the statement more relevant sweetie! Get over yourself! I mention how inept Bush was as President and how he left the country floundering and you and others don't seem to care, so why should I about anything you have to say? ...and your hypocrisy will be pointed out by me! The only way for you guys to triumph is for me to forget to check back and make you accountable for your BS!
***Again....what "hypocrisy" is involved in remembering Clintons womanizing.....and what on Earth does it have to do w/ "Bush?" Did Bush do the womanizing things Clinton did or not? If so you would have a point.....but the point is....you have no point. You seem to have a problem w/ the thread topic.***
The hypocrisy is your not looking at the members of Congress "on the right" who have done worse; including solicitation of prostitutes, adultery, and sexual harassment! The list would be too long for me to go check them out, but you are being a hypocrite if you don't take note of them just as much as Clinton! The one that bothers me the most is Vitter; on 2 lists for solicitation and use of women and his stupid wife stood right there w/ him w/ that look of "why in the fuck am I here?" The hypocrisy continues w/ Sanford who was thrown out and re-elected to Congress when his indiscretions were revealed! Please look in the mirror when you point fingers like this!
***It's old history that Hillary smears victims of sexual assault and rape?***
It's called "defending" her husband and her own legacy! If something happened to someone related to you, I doubt you would wash your hands of them; PLEASE!
***Hillary Clinton is the enabler of Bill Clinton's womanizing.***
...and? Goes on all the time; esp. w/ mothers who won't see how rotten their "bad seed" kid is; "my baby wouldn't do such a thing!" Again, get over yourself! When will you understand, there are just too many holes in any argument you have; esp. when you criticize just one side of an issue? There are always counter-arguments to make you look foolish! I'm no genius, but you make it easy even for a "dead head" like I am these day w/ my sleep apnea!
***Liberals really want us to swallow that the GOP have a war on women . . . I'm not going to allow myself to gag on that and I'm rather peeved at them, but I'll be peeved for real reasons, not for some liberal fantasy!
Who's pushing for invasive examinations of women to see a fetus? Who doesn't care if women don't make as much as men? Who rips women a new one if they have the nerve to comment about equal rights? That's hardly liberal Democratic thinking! Sounds like more regressive GOP repression to me!
***Howard Stern responsible for Malaysian plane....MSNBC said so - Actually, it's a right-wing loon caller who said it was Howard Stern.***
I'm just waiting for FOX NEWS to blame Obama! You know it's going to happen! They only have one "talking point;" everything's Obama's fault!
***Before you hit "post" on this, did it ever occur to you to ask yourself, "Does this have anything to do w/ Fox News?"***
Well FNC didn't wait even 2 days before harking back to Reagan and his response to a flight being shot down in '83; where he took 4 days! Obama had a news conference within 24 hours, but that doesn't stop McCain on the right and Krauthammer on Fox News to criticize his so called indecisiveness! What a bunch of idiots; so expected!
***Why don't any Dems here ever go, "yeah... Christ... Clinton groping and raping those women was wrong, someone probably should have said something about that. It was horrible the way the Democrats covered up for that guy who drowned that girl?"***
Hilarious! What does that say about Republican candidates who have lost to Dems w/ such horrendous histories and reputations? Clinton and Obama will still make more of a mark than any other President in the recent history of 3 Bush terms; collapse of the economy, banks going under, high unemployment, huge deficit spending doubling the Nat'l debt! Just keep it coming; doesn't make you guys look much better w/ sterling reputations! Just too funny for words! lol!
***...The hypocrisy comes from the delusional fools Obama the Incompetent surrounds himself w/.***
I'm no fan of Obama and he's made a LOT of mistakes, but b/c of people like you who "cry wolf" so much, no one, and I mean no one can take you seriously! He's blamed for everything under the sun even though parts of the gov't has been running as such for generations! He's not responsible for anything that goes on at the VA, IRS, and other bureaucracies that have nothing to do w/ the Presidency! If he actually does something wrong, it falls on deaf ears b/c of the constant refrain that "Obama this" and "Obama that!" I'm trying to help you guys believe it or not! If you keep lying to each other like that, you're never going to win another nat'l election! You can't keep blaming everything on a party or even an individual so much; it's just not true most of the time!
***Oklahoma's Same-Sex Marriage Ban Overturned - Man, what did Harvey Milk think about gay marriage?***
What a bunch of idiots! If this many states have overturned bans, other states are only wasting time and money fighting the tide! Blame "W" and his campaign of hate in 2004! The country was against gay marriage back then, but Rove and his sychophants turned the tide; "thanks Karl!" Mohrons!
***Fiero, it's like Scalia knew something about the tide of judicial activism in his dissent in the early 2000's... I don't know what "campaign of hate" Bush put forth.***
I don't know why I bother, but the Republican campaign was all about hate in 2004; their main talking point was about being against gay marriage! It was the most irrational campaign to date, but it worked along w/ maligning a war hero like Kerry! What did those schlubs like Cheney and Rove do during the war? NOTHING! But they actually attacked Kerry's record and his activism after Viet Nam! It was the sickest things I've ever seen, but as I've said, the country overall isn't too bright and they'll believe anything if they're so inclined!
***One of the reasons people have grown so angry over Obama´s manufactured shit is that everything we are told is a lie. That´s consistent w/ the belief that the benighted knuckle-dragging xenophobic citizens of the United States have nothing to say about shit - it´s a decision that will be made by the Ruling Class, in accordance w/ their political and economic interests. You taxpaying chumps will be told whatever the Ruling Class thinks you need to hear, whenever they think you need to hear it, w/ the truth either suppressed or kept on ice. ---
...and Hamas will reap the destruction of the Palestinian people as long as they continue to fire thousands of rockets into Israel using Mosques, Hospitals and Schools as protection. Are the Israelis suppose to do nothing?***
It's a "no win" situation; esp. w/ the pictures of dead children strewn about! These people have been at each other's throats for generations! There's just not a lot we can do w/ these so called intellectuals! They're so smart that they can't figure out a way of not killing each other daily!
***...So Sasha has the edge in everything until we get down to the 5th most important thing; then Fumie starts to get some edges. Seems clear Sasha wins this career argument. Take away her Olympic Silver and she probably still beats Fumie's. Add her Olympic Silver and the comparision is so lopsided it is no longer even a real discussion.***
Regardless of titles, I still prefer to watch Sasha! Fumie's probably a sweetheart, but her skating was nothing special; sorry! Sasha could hypnotize you w/ her grace and line! Fumie struggled w/ the simplest of elements! The commentators make such a big deal out of Yulia Lipnitskaya's spins, but Sasha did it all 10+ years earlier!
***I liked Fumie when she 1st emerged in '99, and again when she had a resurgence after an early slump in 2001-2002. By '03 something happened to her skating. She started having some ugly positions and not so good aspects of her style, which either weren't there before or just became more noticeable now that she was a top skater. Either way I feel she just gradually got worse after being an exciting up and comer. She did remain solid and steady for the most part, although like Sasha, often not really delivering in the big event too. ...Thankfully by '07 and the emergence of new stars like Kim and Asada that nonsense of overscoring her stopped and the judges have tried to show her the door since, and will keep doing so until she finally accepts her reality and takes it. ---
Aren't there adult competitions. Why doesn't she enter those? That is where she belongs now. Midori Ito does them, so it is not like they're demeaning to a skater of her stature.***
Japan has been "deeper" than the United States for years! She has to be delusional to think she could even qualify with so many great skaters on the National team! Years ago, it was just her and Honda; those days are "long gone!" I'm jealous like other countries!
***Maria also skated with no artistry in her '98 Olympic LP when it's usually her strength. She was so stiff and nervous, she not only missed over half her jumps, but skated w/ no emotion, style, performance level, or feeling for the music. Had she skated w/ any of her usual artistry, she probably would have won the Bronze even w/ all the missed jumps. The same was true of her 2000 Worlds LP.***
What Maria could you possibly be referring to? lol! I've always thought Butyrskaya looked stiff out there, with jarring landings even at her best! I can remember appreciating her just once; at the 2000 NHK where she should have beaten Irina, but past over scoring caught up with her! It was like "don't cry for me Argentina" when she skated beautifully, landing 2 great triple lutzes! Even Peter Carruthers thought she was the new champion! She of course was crestfallen as was I even though I preferred Irina who took Gold! Earlier in Paris Maria was flopping all over the place taking 1st place, but Jennie Kirk skated very nicely, ending with a 3-Lutz and wound up with Bronze! Loved Maria's SP to Brightman's, "Scene d'Amour" though!
***Those points all fall under common sense and even ultra lib Maher recognizes it.***
Agreed! I just hope he doesn't go the route of Dennis Miller who totally went off the deep end! He was so liberal 20-30 years ago, now he's slurping Bill O'Reilly weekly!
***Mark Levin is a windbag who just yells at callers and has very little basis for anything he rants about. The ironic difference is that Stewart's show, while being a comedic parody of news shows is more informative than garbage opinion pieces from Levin. ---
Levin is smart enough to know that all he has to do is sling insults to remain on the air. He is a classic fear peddler who takes advantage of the general stupidity of his listening audience to make money. Any time someone calls in to argue w/ what he says, he goes nuts.***
If I need a real laugh, I just go to YouTube to listen to this disturbed individual! He's hilarious and can never make sense even w/ the most elementary of subjects! Fear monger is right; just like his good buddy Rush Limbaugh! They each ran Bill O'Reilly off the air several years ago since he critiqued them harshly more than a few times! Nothing like conservatives at war w/ each other even though Bill says he's independent! "Yeah; right!"
***...So perhaps the eastern oil "exploration" announcement is Obama possibly trying to save face in case he's permanently blown the Keystone opportunity. - I'd rather him double down on investment on alternative energy sources and re-open the nuclear certification process. Thus reducing the need to drill for oil in the 1st place.***
If these people weren't so sloppy and incompetent w/ their greed I'd say go ahead, but we get nothing w/ the Keystone really! They will continue to make mistakes, spill and leak oil all over the place, then make us deal w/ the consequences; typical! People don't hear about the minor leaks that occur w/ these pipelines, but they don't live on them; the smell, tainted water, and killing the surrounding habitat! There's reason in his apparent madness and I appreciate Obama not succumbing to political pressure from Congressmen who are in the pockets of the OIL industry!
***Widow of Cop-Killer Upset that he Didn’t Kill More Cops***
Stupid idiots who think nothing of killing cops who are paid to "serve and protect!" It's hard to have any sympathy for the type that think it's dishonorable to turn in real criminals'; esp. if they're from "the hood!" They will continue to live in shit b/c of their honor code or lack thereof! I'm embarrassed to say "these are supposed to be MY PEOPLE!" My mom says they just don't know any better! That doesn't make it any easier to swallow their cultural stupidity!
***If the '08 or '12 general elections were held today, Obama would still prevail.***
Agreed! These people just don't have a clue! The country would still take Obama over any of the losers on the "right" who are pushed in front of the cameras! All of them are an embarrassment to their party and the human race! Palin, McCain, Romney, Paul, Huckabee, Cruz, Rubio, Walker, and all the rest don't even have a prayer against Hillary who hasn't even announced yet! They're so afraid of her, they've already started trying to "tar and feather" her and I think it's pathetic! What do you expect from inferior politicians without a complete brain to share amongst them all?
***Hillary isn't going to run, she has too much baggage. Hillary's already offering excuses as why she might not run. Warren is from the left wing kook brigade. Oh my the left wing freaks have the same problem again. Nobody wanted the job. Be prepared for a Republican Senate & House...so we can watch Obama twist in the wind.....LOL - Btw 60 million is less than 1/3 of the "country"... Obama was selected by the free loading freaks of the country....the everyday bottom feeders.***
***...Yeah they will b/c according to them anything that happened was Bush's fault!***
Well if it's true you need to accept it! Bush was one of the worst Presidents in the history of this country! This is the man who said he looked into Putin's eyes and saw his soul! Laugh that off JOKERS! We would be in world war three w/ Korea, Iran, and Russia if it's up to those idiot Neo-Cons on the "right!"
***Actually, what Bush said was: "I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straight forward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to uhm, get a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country, and the best interests of his country." U.S. President Bush (the younger) assessing Russia's Vlad Putin in June, 2001 - "trustworthy?" Bush is a buffoon. And I wouldn't trust Putin as far as gramma could throw him. ---
Tony Dungy says that he would not have taken Michael Sam in the NFL draft - ...the man has the right to choose whom ever he wishes, if he doesn't want a homo on his team that's his right.***
...and people have a right to judge him just as harshly! Intolerance, b/c of nature is not acceptable to most people! It can always turn on the person who's being so narrow-minded and bigoted! Typical religious zealot who will pay for his intolerance in the end! I expected better from the man, but I guess I was wrong! What a troll!
***I have found it's always best to keep that love life, sex life to yourself... nobody needs to know what anyone does in the bedroom. Most don't want to know or even have to think about it.***
Agreed, but "straight" people do it all the time. I'd love for them to keep whatever they do behind closed doors to themselves, but they can't help it either! They grope each other in the park, on buses, and walking down the street! Tell them too! For them it's natural! So hypocritical! Poor Dungy is getting excoriated around the clock on all the sport shows and regular news! Maybe he'll learn to keep his views to himself! Doubtful though!
***There is 'sex' on tv in one way or another all the time. From shows to commercials. 99.9% of it is hetero leaning. But let one gay couple hold hands or kiss and homophobes go apeshitcrazy! As for Dungy, if he chooses to take the heat and condemnation and stick to his guns, more power to him. He only has control of himself and nobody else, so it is just his thoughts and views. But his career in sportscasting may be over.***
***Why Have a Short Program At All? Under the current competition format, it is unclear to me why we need to have a SP in addition to a free skate. Sure, the short program rules mandate skaters to perform certain jumps, and for senior/junior men and junior ladies they are now required to perform triple jumps in the SP, b/c fewer rotations will result in no credit. However, the types of technical elements required in the SP are no different from those "recommended" for a "well-balanced" free skate. Who's going to leave out anything from the "well-balanced" element list unless they absolutely cannot do it? Free skate is not really free, and the short programs simply have fewer jumps and fewer spins.I think it makes no sense that we get two programs that are very very similar and measure almost exactly the same thing (the only difference they really measure is stamina). Nowadays the SP is just half of a free skate.***
They've already gotten rid of compulsory figures; now you want to eliminate the SP! So I guess you wouldn't mind some slug having the skate of their life on that one night and taking a major event? I think they should go as far as the old format of the GP Final with 3 performance; 1 SP and 2 LP! That weeds out the riff raff and makes sure the best skater wins!
***Which two skaters fan base have the most heated rivalry? Seeing all the sparring wars btw the various fan bases makes me wonder which 2 fan bases have the most intense rivalry. Certainly there are many candidates for that.***
I went w/ Plushenko & Yagudin, but since I just started posting here, I'm just going by the visceral antagonism that went on when both were competing! I place more blame on Alexei since he wanted Mishin to himself which wasn't practical! He had tons of other students; he just wanted Evgeny gone more than anything! His animus hurt his career along w/ the pressure Plushenko put on him physically and mentally due to his quad being superior; doing 2 in each program! Alexei could beat everyone else w/o even 1, but w/ Evgeny around, he couldn't win the major events! It took its toll which is why he had to retire from the amateur ranks after the 2001-02 season! To this day, he probably can't stand Plushenko!
***ITA, it seems that even Plushenko's much longer career still not enough to ease his fans' mind. No matter how much shit you shed on this board, you can't change the fact that Yagudin's early retirement was b/c of his congenital joint defect. And you can't change the fact that Plushenko couldn't out jump Yagudin, even though he was younger, was trained by Alexei Mishin, and worked much more on jumps. While Yagudin was coached by Tarasova, wasn't ambitious about jumps, has a congenital joint defect, he still out jumped Plushenko easily. Out jump Yagudin and you win. LOL!***
Even if Yagudin is thought of as the better skater, I'll take Plushenko's longevity w/ 4 Olympics medals; 2 Gold, 2 Silver! We'll see who's more highly regarded after time goes by! Numbers will sooth Plushenko's historic achievement!
***2 Gold LOL, then why don't you wait a little bit longer? ...Right now people are still remembering how they win their titles; how's their programs? LOL***
***The Kwan supporters, and I don't even mean the fans as being the worst, but Kwan worshipping journalists like Bitchy Brennan were brutal to poor Tara.***
I so much agree; which is why I've never been a fan of Kwan or her fandom from the beginning! The constant "fawning" by all concerned was sycophantic and nauseating, ignoring her deficiencies, and forgiving all mistakes! The judges were just as culpable giving her gratuitous 5.9's and 6.0's even if she fell! That was just too much for me and I couldn't wait for her to retire!
***That Kwan supporters were whining about her coming 2nd at events in early '97 when she was falling all over the ice (I on the other hand was baffled how she finished that high, minus the '97 Worlds) was a total turn off for me from her band of supporters for good. ...Maybe they had a crystal ball and could see Patrick Chan in the future, so figured their goddess deserved what Patrick Chan would one day be getting. Not sure why anyone would want to be the future most hated skater in the sport (Chan in 2011-2013) anyway. Christine Brennan is vile thrash in any vein anyway, whether she is fawning over Kwan, ripping Tara a new one, or someone else. The type of person who was only brought into the sport thanks to Tonya Harding. For that alone Harding deserves her perm. ban.***
I loved when Brennan was banned for a while due to her book noting the deaths of so many skaters and coaches due to Aids! She was on the "outs" for a few years from what I remember!
***I have been posting here for like 9 years and i have never seen anyone ever say the Kwan/Slutskaya rivalry was invented. I also posted on MKF way back in the day, and never saw anyone say that.***
Both took titles from the other they may not have deserved regardless! Nothing more funny than Irina's GPF win w/ just 3 triples! All the Kwan supporters backstage could do was smirk and give quizzical looks to one another! lol!
***Kwan fans to resent Slutskaya's very existence at times. They pass her off as a terrible artist, w/ sloppy technique, who would be lucky to make top 5 if she weren't Russian. I have seen some Slutskaya fans who potray Kwan as an overrated hack who would have been lucky to win Worlds even once. So Kwan-Slutskaya is the worst. Neither fan base respect the other.***
Even w/ my animus towards MK, I'd still admit if I thought Irina had been over marked and was elevated above her ability! I personally thought she came into her own as a woman and a skater! I loved her programs and taped quite a few of them; esp. her SP, "Serenade" in the Olympic season of '01-'02! She outskated MK many times and deserved her wins over Michelle most of time!
***If Sotnikova dominates the next 4 years and wins another Olympic Gold medal, I can see her going down in history like Grishuk/Platov. She may gain huge defenders who think she's great (like the Pasha Brigade and many ice dance fans who at least respect what G/P brought to the discipline), but she'll have her fair share of haters.***
Well technically she's already ahead of the game w/ 2 Gold medals; 1 single, 1 team!
***Close! Russia didn't select Sotnikova for the team event and only used Lipnitskaya. Therefore she won a singular gold medal.***
I guess I didn't pay attention! I thought they all contributed and got medals; sorta like those tv team events of the past!
***Obama in a Downward Spiral -- Will the Dems Go With Him. BHO's polls are plummeting. Of course he does not give darn that they are. I am sure he would like to not lose the Senate in Nov., which is why he is eternally on his fundraising excursions as "Rome" burns; however, can the Church of the Dems be saved w/ money alone. IMO Obama's legacy might be saved by GOP Senate --worked for Clinton anyway.***
If his polls were great, conservatives and other right-wingers would dismiss all polls! Funny they make comment on Obama's polls, but never mention his #'s are 3 X's better than theirs! They would love to have his poll #'s which is why he's going nowhere; esp. from "Impeachment" talk! Reps have no creditability after making an issue of where he was born, talking down the country's recovery through obstructive behavior, and trying to undermine his foreign policy! They've been despicable and wrong in everything they've said about unemployment, the stock market, jobs, and of course the ACA! If they would have shut up even a little, Obama might have stumbled and made himself look bad, but w/ the constant refrain of the "sky is falling," these people who hate his guts aren't listened to; even their base is embarrassed by them!
There's a reason Reps have lost important race after important race; esp. the Presidency of late! You're stuck in the past of "bad mouthing" someone w/o real facts and reason; which is why Clinton will go down in history as being so much better than any of your heroes like Reagan, "W," and even Eisenhower! Dem Presidents have done significant things that helped minorities, the poor, seniors, and now "the sick!" As "The Prince Of Darkness," Bob Novak once said, "Reps haven't done anything original since freeing the slaves!"
***Could you be an executioner?***
It just shows the hypocrisy of the country's people to be this barbaric; I don't care what the charge! It makes us look uncivilized!
***B/c there really isn't 2 parties, there is a bigger agenda and anyone who doesn't go along is thrown out by the media. Obama is really just an extension of what Bush did.***
True enough, but if someone's a Rep, they have to be suspect in so many ways! Things just don't go well under their admins and they feel compelled to satisfy the "conservative" base to the detriment of the country all too often! You have to question Paul since he's been busted plagiarizing whole entries from Wikipedia; where that information can be suspect as well since ordinary people make additions all the time! I can't trust someone who would be that sloppy, taking Wiki as gospel!
***That is why the Rep part keeps and will keep on losing. But the Rep establishment would rather lose than allow a true conservative or someone who would put an end to much of the corruption. Both parties vote and do basically the same things. There is always some "maverick" politician who will "cross the isle in a bi-partisan effort" when needed. Meanwhile, the rest of the votes are largely for show to keep the voters happy. If you only need X amount of votes to get something passed, the rest of those votes can vote against it for appearance. The ones who vote yes across party lines are ones that can generally get away w/ it. There are very few in office who actually vote for what they think is best for the country, rather than gov't and their own power.
It's the rhetoric that is different, and the ignorant masses treat red and blue as if they were sports teams. Even if Romney won, we'd still have the ACA; it would just be called Romneycare. B/c the same damn lobbyists who wrote it would still be writing it, and it's what the insurance companies paid for; guaranteed customers who are forced to take coverage they might not need. Allowing the insurance companies to raise rates and blame the gov't for it at the same time.***
And so it continues with this insane Congress! They make such a stink about how bad conditions are w/ the VA, but sit on the appropriation bill for 6 weeks refusing to pass it b/c Republicans say "it's too much money!" These scum suckers just can't help themselves; bitch about something, then don't do a damn thing to fix it! We get what we deserve w/ these losers! Keep on blaming Obama guys; of course he can authorize all spending bills w/ an executive order! Fk'n animals!
***The Republicans must be thinking - 'hey, we're sure-fire winners in the mid-terms... how can we screw this up?' - The neocons want war perpetual or our involvement in every world conflict, yet find it too tough to actually take care of the soldiers who have fought and need care. Extremely shameful assholes. ---
Typical. Partisans start throwing blame at the other party instead of looking for solutions. Throwing money at the problem doesn't solve the issues. When will people learn that? Fix the problems first, then you can start spending money on the solutions that work. Not the other way around. It's damn pathetic the way sheep behave even on important issue like our veterans. It makes me sad.***
Then why blame Obama? Another one of these made up scandals that's going nowhere; just like the IRS, ACA, and foreign policy! They can't or won't do anything about the problem, but the "right" bitch about it anyway! "Thanks electorate; you're responsible for putting these a-holes in office!" They've Gerry-mandered all their districts so they feel safe to do nothing!
***Same with both parties. It is Bush's or Obama's fault. When in reality it is the fault of BOTH parties in Congress. Both pander to their districts to feel safe. - Why doesn't Obama just use his phone and his pen?***
I love it when Obama does his job, signs Executive Orders, and tries to work w/ Congress by inviting them to lunch or dinner; then they turn him down sighting scheduling conflicts only to sue him later! They'll never be happy until they destroy the country and I'm starting not to care! We are responsible for putting these a-holes in office for 20-30 years!
***EVERYONE bitches about everything, You show your TRUE colors when you point fingers at one side w/o mentioning the other side is just as responsible for the problem. You are part of the problem. Neither side is doing much of anything, but you seem to single out the side you don't align w/ instead of saying they are all fuckups. It's quite sickning when either side of the partisan divide does it.
You don't think that the IRS or ACA don't have serious problems? Sheep on sheeple if you believe that. And this POTUS' foreign policy can be described as a failure at best. There is no way around that. Gerrymandering happens on both sides of the aisle, but yet again, you think it is only a problem on one side? By the way, what solutions other than throwing more money at a problem has the Dems in Congress come up with? You are partisan hack. And before you start spouting off any BS about me being conservative or neo-con, think again. Keep pointing fingers, it's what people like you do best.***
***...Russia on Sat. accused the United States of adding fuel to the fire of the Ukraine crisis, and suggested that Obama administration “lies” about Moscow’s involvement in the downed Malaysian jetliner leading European nations to impose new sanctions on Moscow.***
Lying? That's rich after the previous admin. just about destroyed the economy, doubled the Nat'l debt, and started 2 wars; all on LIES! You guys are so pathetic and transparent; more so than "W" and Cheney who have little to no regrets over how they left this country in straights! You need to think your BS through; history will tell all and it "ain't" pretty!
***Every other word out of the azzhat Obama's mouth has been a lie. Trouble is him being the liar he is, he forgets the lies he's already told. That's what happens when you're a liberal low life.***
I'll take this liar over a Republican one anytime! Keep ignoring how well we've recovered even w/ constant obstruction, a true lack of solidarity in trying to get anything done; he's done a great job!
***Congress refusing to pass a bill. Well that's a true shock. That hardly ever happens. Sounds like breaking news to me.***
But the Republican base loves to hear nothing is getting done; even for veterans it seems! It's like they think they're hurting Obama when he has little to do w/ this intransigence! Watching FOX News, they keep talking about him not inviting Republicans to lunch and dinner to talk over issues! They must have forgotten how Boehner and McConnell wouldn't even accept phone calls from the President and have skipped events they have been invited to b/c of "scheduling conflicts!" These people are so full of shit I've stopped caring! If these same nitwits are elected and re-elected again and again, we deserve the results!
***Actually the VA has not been underfunded in over 10 yrs. They have more money than they actually know what to do w/. It comes down to accountability and not funding. Accountability is what is needed. Not another 25-30 billion on a 1 time band aid. Also the proposed budget for fiscal year 2015 is 145 billion.***
Paying for crooked staff no doubt! They need severe change there; too huge a bureaucracy! I've been hearing about the malfeasance since Reagan w/ cracked walls, pests running around, and water leaks! They slap on a coat of paint for news reports, then let themselves fall back in to disrepair again and again! So disgusting for words; esp. w/ politicians harping about taking care of and honoring our fallen wounded! They're all full of shit!
***For the life of me I cannot name 1 Republican politician that could be considered "wise".***
The problem is they're all gutless turds! They can't stand up to a few nuts in their base! If 1 or 2 of them lose a primary, they freak out and go nuts themselves trying to hold onto their jobs! Dems aren't much better, but they aren't willing to trash the economy and the country to do so! You wouldn't find a Democratic Congress jeopardizing the full integrity of our credit time and time again like Republicans did a couple years ago! Boehner and McConnell will burn in HELL for the stuff they've pulled during the Obama years!
***Obama just sent Hamas 87 million tax payer dollars w/ John Kerry (the traitor). He communicates w/ them very well.***
Posting it twice doesn't make it more true! People aren't necessarily pro-Hamas; just not too thrilled w/ the civilian casualties! Politically Israel looks bad w/ innocent men, women, and children's bodies strewn about! They can justify it due to the shelling they're dealing w/, but the pictures and #'s show only Palestinians are suffering w/ their homes bombed, no electricity, and little hope of a resolution any time soon!
***...Then that makes you another delusional partisan who cares more about party than America.***
Another deluded person who can ignore unemployment under control, deficits smaller, auto industry saved, and the stock market going through the roof! You people need so much help, it's a wonder a good man or woman would even want to lead this ridiculous country w/ people like you not supporting their efforts!
***Americans Save $2billion under Obamacare Premiums - ..."can expect," "will save," "estimates?" ...Americans haven't realized any of this yet, have they? Since it is coming from the Obama admi., I'm sure you will understand if I wait to see it for myself before I believe it.***
Twenty million have healthcare they didn't have a few months ago! Republicans can't stand it and are now trying to sue the President for giving relief to small businesses that they opposed just last year! The hypocrisy is stunning! lol! Let them try to take away the ACA now and they will pay for it politically! People are happy w/ the coverage and they need to move on and accept it!
***What happens to Ben Carson if another Dem is elected?? He keeps being trotted out by Republicans b/c he's a "Black Conservative."***
Like people will blindly listen to him; I think not! I have no regard or respect for him or Clarence Thomas just b/c they're BLACK! The words coming out of their mouths are just as inflammatory as if it were coming out of a redneck; no matter their education! They're traitors as far as I'm concerned acting as if there's no inequity in the world and everyone is treated the same; that's the way it should be, but isn't! They're idiots in other ways!
***...and yet here you are bitching about the GOP not throwing more money at the problem.***
I have no idea what will fix the problem! All I know is that Congress has passed few if any bills to deal w/ things like infrastructure, catastrophic events, and extraneous budget needs! They are doing the minimum, but unfortunately for them, the country is still coming back! The Sequester didn't derail us, opposing every initiative of this President hasn't done it, and we're still chugging along even w/o the help of those slimy Republican in Congress!
***...The President of the United States, if you remove his blackness, then just ask the question, is he a good President, or a bad President of the United States? Just remove the blackness and make that decision.***
The problem is you can't separate his influence running the country from being Black! What other President has had historic disrespect by his opposition? They've impugned his citizenship, patriotism, wife, kids, and mother! These people have been disgusting and shameful and they'll pay for it in future elections as a whole! He's doing exactly what the American people want him to do; "stay out of int'l conflict!" What do you expect him to do; throw troops out there? Congress is always bitchin' about cost of things, but I guess they'd find the dollars to bomb locations! The problem is the lack of intelligence in what to hit! Hypocrisy reigns as usual! Whatever he does, Republicans will be contrarian and oppose it; no matter what it is!
***Republican in the White House and much of the world burns; Hell on Earth like it was with Bush/Cheney.***
Republicans know it, but they'd rather suffer under their leadership they hate this President so much! It's sad and ridiculous! Arkansas had a bad storm and the Representative from that district supposedly was looking forward to working w/ agencies to help them recover! He forgot he voted against the bill that supported those efforts so they'll have to live in shit for now w/ limited means! I have little sympathy for them b/c he did what they wanted; obstruct, side-track, and cause as much mayhem in DC so nothing gets done!
***President Bush went through far worse. Suck it up libera;l be a man for a change. Obama is doing what a tiny minority of left wing fanatics want and America knows that.***
You are as crazy as any of them on "the right!" During 911, Dems put down their bayonets and supported him for the good of the country! They passed his Prescription Bill and supported his efforts abroad! You're deluding yourself if you can ignore the hateful remarks made about Obama concerning his family, his abilities, and international affairs! They have nothing good to say about him, ignoring the strides we've made to recover after a disastrous tenure of the last President!
***Bullshit liberals were writing books and plays about murderering Bush. They have hung Bush in effigy and called him every filty name in the book. But if you build a parade float w/ Obama in front of the White House, partisans like you will allow their heads to explode and the first word out of their mouth is 'racist.' You clowns have run that word into the ground; it no longer has any serious meaning.***
Well if you are, you are! Tough! There may be a double standard, but that is the case b/c of so much inequity in this country!
***I predict 14 or 15 majors for Djokovic if he can stay injury free. I think he now knows how to win Wimbledon and I would put him as the favorite ahead of Nadal or Murray. I predict 3 more Wimbies, 3 more AO's, and 2 US Opens.***
I hope you're right! I'm just not sure about his health; physical and mental! The rest of the tour are gutless for the most part, but sooner or later someone else has to make a breakthrough! Stan waited to late IMO! I went w/ about 11 or 12! If it was that easy for so many players to break Emerson's record, it would have happened more often w/ Borg, Connors, and Lendl! The tour is tough for the most part, but the same players still vie for the main titles! ---
Years ago, I never missed "First Take;" now I can't stomach it for more than a few minutes! Bayless is going senile and repeats himself to no end! He harps on certain facts to incessancy and can be abusive on a moment's notice; usually outrageously petulant and "high school!" Years ago, he beat up on LeBron for the entire 2 hours and even though I'm no fan of "The King," I couldn't stand it and wrote extensive online about it! He was a kid and no one deserved to be maligned and taken to task so much and for so long; bordered on bullying! What did he want the kid to do, commit suicide like Moore decades before? He has got to learn to let things go and leave some issues alone! He thinks he's so intellectual, but he's reverting back to childhood in so many ways! He's probably gotten worse as he's aged into senior citizenship!
***This was one of the Smith rants where he tried to act cool and started talking about the brothas as he put it. He fucked up and sounded like an idiot. He obviously didn't mean exactly what he said, but his history of comments might do him in. I read some old tweets that Lana Berry put on Twitter. When you read them together it doesn't look/sound good for his stance on women.***
Just cancel the freakin' show! It's nothing like what I used to watch every weekday morning! Skip is going senile and the past guest hosts I liked have all been exiled for saying something offensive unfortunately! It just isn't worth looking at for more than a few moments these days!
***Excuse making - ...In contrast, try saying "Rafa would have played well in AO final if only he did not injure his back" or "Fed would have played well in Olympics final if only he had more time to recover." Do they sound somewhat reasonable despite being debatable?***
I'll never understand why someone just can't say they were beat and leave it at that? They almost never do; women being even worse in that respect! I can still see and hear The Williams' say something like, "she didn't beat me, I beat myself." They are very offensive!
***Serena's got a lot better in recent years and praising her opponents, but she has been a sore loser in the past alright.***
***Who was the better pro skater Yamaguchi or Sato? Kristi for me... she did all the jumps except the salchow for 10 years of pro skating, had so many different kinds of programs over the years and consistency.***
I'm no fan of either, but from what little I saw of them, Yamaguchi didn't let her skills slip in the least; maintaining complete programs w/ a 3-Lutz! Sato's jumps were never that great to begin w/, but her presentation was great w/ spins, edging, and grace!
***Although she was often underscored as a pro, I would throw Surya Bonaly into the mix. Her longevity has been incredible and she's been a pro in every sense of the word - she'll never let a producer/audience down. Her fitness was always impeccable and she kept a big bag of tricks all the way along. The results of the World Pros always seemed irrelevant to what had happened on the ice.***
Surya was always a favorite of mines, but no one gave her much credit; esp. Sandra Bezic who ripped her a new one every chance she got! SB loved Oksana, who might have flopped all over the place, but the commentary was always over the top; "she is loved!" No she wasn't; a diva w/ a drinking problem! I don't think so! Surya was a sweetheart who didn't mind passing out autographs and talking w/ her fans unlike Baiul!
***Saying that Kostner had to face Lipnitskaya and Sotnikova to win Euros is like saying Slutskaya had to face Bonaly.***
Fortunate for Irina, Surya was already past it! She had had severe surgery done on her Achilles in '96 and was never the same even though she won Goodwill Games in 2000 over Sato! She had a good season w/ that Emma Shapplin - Cuor Senza Sangue program; even outperforming Sarah Hughes in a team competition!
***A prime Slutskaya would make mincemeat of a prime Bonaly. Generally speaking is there anything Surya did better than Irina? She certainly isn't a better jumper and that was by far her best feature.***
Believe it or not Bonaly's spins were superior than most anyone's at the time! It didn't travel like Irina's and she could keep it going for a couple minutes, changing feet and positions! Check what she did in that Cour Senza Sangue program at the start in 2000! It was magnificent!
***Bonaly certainly isn't a better spinner than Irina, even w/ the travelling on some of her more difficult spins. Bonaly might have been one of the better spinners in her prime in 93-95, but that was compared to people like Chen, Kerrigan, Szewcenko, Kiellmann, Baiul, so little wonder, lol! The only really good spinner of that whole period was Sato. I did really like her pro work, and her skating style was better suited to pro skating than amateur.***
If you say so! Seems like a contradiction if you admitted Irina's spins traveled! Oh well, whatever!
***...Even if you regarded their spins as close, Irina's footwork and spirals were far above Surya's; who could barely do a footwork or spiral sequence at all.***
Well that's one way to deal w/ a discrepancy; change the subject to footwork and spirals! Way to go! lol!
***Best pair team in history - ...They were dominated by Sale & Pelletier and Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze when those teams skated. They then met Sale & Pelletier in some pro ams in 2002-2004 and lost each time. This was when they had entered their so called prime.***
Normally I'd say Dmitriev and anyone! I like Kazakova & Dmitriev, but her death spiral was poor! Did she fix that as a pro?
***Sale & Pelletier on the poll!? What for. Maybe I am reading the title wrong, but it seems to say best pair ever, not most overrated, biggest abusers of a one note style or single program, or the whiniest pair ever.***
A couple weeks ago I "ripped them a new one" for their behavior in SLC! I've never seen such whining and caterwauling in my life from skaters! There have been many injustices, but for them to make the rounds the way they did was insufferable and won't be forgotten anytime soon!
***I always thought Kostner was way overrated, but I was really glad she came on strong at the end of her career and her SP at the Olympics was A+.***
No one was more overrated than Lu Chin IMO! She had 4 good performances that made her name, but the commentators went overboard concerning her ability and consistency! She performed well enough to acquire 3 or 4 medals at the Olympics & Worlds, but that was it! As a pro she flopped all over the place, but commentators never took her to task!
***I agree Chen was overrated, but in fairness to her she was extremely consistently and always put out very good (but not great) performances from 92-95, esp. all the way through the 92-93 and 93-94 seasons. She was the only women you could count on to medal in each major event since she would always put on a very clean performance that was well balanced in both the technical and artistic side, while it was almost certain enough other contenders would always make some mistakes to allow her w/ clean and high level skating to sneak into at least a bronze, even if she was not spectacular in anyway. Still hearing people insist repeatedly she should have won all of the '93 Worlds, '94 Olympics, 96 Worlds is funny, and shows that she is indeed overrated by many people. There are valid reasons she didn't place better in all of those events.
People talk about her like a perfect skating package but she was not. Her jumps usually lacked flow out, even though they were pretty good size at her peak in 95-96. She was probably the poorest spinner of the top ladies in her time. She didn't have the skating skills of someone like Yuka Sato. She generally didn't have the extra personality or star factor of someone like Baiul, for all her other flaws. Before 1995 her programs and choreography were nice, but lacking in any extra style, memorability, or extra grace or beauty; and as mentioned her consistent and solid jumping and technical skills before '95 went downhill fast starting then, and never really stopped going downhill.***
***All the world can thank (the original) God Republicans don't have the White House any longer.***
Thank Gawd and hallelujah to that! This Beard person is delusional with wishful thinking! He just can't let it go and take in the truth that Republicans don't have a standard bearer at all; actually backing a nitwit in 2000 and 2004! If they're all that disturbed, I don't fear anyone they put up against Hillary if she runs!
***...52% don't want Obama and the Democrats there - 62-63 million Americans granted Obama 2 terms of office in reality...***
...and it's been killing "the right" ever since! They figured if they obstruct and try to make him look bad, his numbers would fall; which they have, but not enough to really want a Republican back in control! They'll never learn; you have to be "for something" instead of "negative nancies" always scowling and finding fault with no solutions!
***Rednecks and elderly old bitties who flock to the Republican cause are not noted for intellect are they?***
Obviously not! They vote against their own interest everytime they vote for Republicans! The "right" has nothing good to say about government, but don't want to give up their jobs! They rip Social Security, Medicare, and now the ACA mercilessly! These morons don't see that if Republicans had unfettered control, they would discontinue all the programs they now enjoy! True idiots!
***VA Bill Stalls In Congress - This thread, started by you, is bitching about the GOP blocking the bill that just adds money to the VA. Then you say that adding more money won't do anything, but changes are needed.***
Well if money wasn't the problem; tell that to Congress! They just struck a $17 Billion deal and compromise by both sides of the HILL! They will work hard to get it written up for the President by the end of the week!
***Money wasn't the issue. MONTHS ago a bill was passed by the Dems and Republicans in the House that would have held VA executive's responsible and it was shot down by Reid and his gereatric army. The problem was that the GOP wanted accountability and that's an enemy of the Democrats.***
Experts already said middle management corruption is the problem; DUH! I was just reporting what happened; "breaking news!" I personally couldn't care less! We elect fools that do nothing for the most part and when they do act right, it doesn't actually fix the problem! I've been done with it all for ages!
Weak isn't the word for it! Palin, Cruz, Paul, Rubio, Walker, Perry, McConnell; try mentally deficient! It's so sad, I'd cry for them if I cared! As long as they only destroy their own districts, fine! Leave national politics to the big boys; eerrrrr girls!
***Republicans knew how to run the country, unlike these incompetent 'Flower Children." - Bush/Cheney Republicans ran the nation and the world straight into Hell... They run it all right, straight into the ground.***
Thank you! The delusions run deep w/ these people! It's like they can't read statistics, the news, and most of all voting trends! They've been abysmal for years and it's all catching up w/ them! They were supposed to take over the Senate twice and they shot themselves, not in the foot, but the freakin' head; and I appreciated it! Saved us all a lot of misery under their so called leadership!
***Ahhh... John Bolton got booted from UN for lack of diplomatic skills. He has no business publishing anything today.***
Just look at the man; "skill" shouldn't be used in connection w/ the man at all! He was a blight on the UN when he was there! A real loser, making us look so bad in the eyes of the world!
***...The things that that idiot listed are beyond our control. 'TELL' them to do something or what?***
I've been saying that about all this international stuff out of our control! If Europe and The Middle East aren't willing to help themselves, what are we supposed to do? You see what happened in IRAQ; spent all that time and money training a force for them to turn tail and run like rats! Now look at the country: thanks "W!" What an idiot leader! Totally screwed it up and just walks away taking no responsibility; but leaves Cheney out there for a distraction! Gawd help us w/ that mohron!
*** Feds quietly dump 100's of illegal immigrants in Tennessee w/o notice from the Obama admin. - we have over 300,000 of these illegal wetbacks in my state.***
Typical; "oh we're not racist!" Yeah right! Pathetic!
***...it's not a racist term; it relates to those who came or come illegally by swimming across the Rio Grande.***
Delude yourself all you want! I'll take it as pejorative every time! Say it in a crowd and try to survive the heat idiot! Being gutless, you only do it here anonymously!
***Wow! HUGE protest against illegal immigration in Massachusetts! - I'm surprised, I thought the irish were for everyone and everything as long as it is illegal. What the Hell; Ted must be rolling in his grave.***
I haven't read about it in decades, but intolerance is no stranger there; book burning and an absolute revolt with school busing integration was well documented! I'm shocked since they're reputed to be so liberal; according to the "right" anyway!
TBH I stopped watching FS for a decade after Robin Cousins' retired! I didn't particularly care for the era of Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano, and Katarina Witt; only coming back w/ the Tanya Harding scandal! Loved Alexei Urmanov, Surya Bonaly, and Ilia Kulik and stayed w/ the boom that was produced through Yagudin and Plushenko careers! After the coverage slid, I really missed a lot; even Europeans and Worlds! The pro ranks were disgusting; giving gratuitous 10's to Scott Hamilton and it was just too hard to watch, but I still tried to deal w/ it to see Surya who was always underscored! They'd rather give high score to Lucinda Ruh who just spun around than give Bonaly credit for all her jumping!
***Bonaly was even more underscored as a pro than an amateur since her weaknesses were not as important in pro skating as amateur. Ruh was definitely overscored as a pro as much as I appreciate her amazing spins. Don't even get me started on Hamilton. I remember one cheese competition the audience judged, and he came out dressed like a witch and hid under this large cocoon or shell for a long time. He came out and and did a double toe and double salchow as his only jumps and got almost a perfect score and won easily.***
I felt so badly for the male skaters who were ripped off! The only person he didn't get away w/ that crap was against your compatriot and one of the best skaters ever in the amateur or pro ranks, Kurt Browning! Surya got her due when she teamed up w/ him as well!
***Back in '94, did you expect Baiul would dominate the sport for years to come. Scott Hamilton sure did, implying she might win the next 2 Olympics.***
Well we all know Hamilton's an idiot and doesn't know what he's talking about most of the time! Hard to believe Oksana would rule; esp. since Surya defeated her at Europeans! How good could she have been if the maligned Bonaly could beat her out w/ her so called inferior technique? The person that surprised me for jumping ship so soon was Tara! Even Sarah leaving wasn't a shock! Some skaters and handlers know when they're lucky to win that Olympic gold and won't even go to Worlds that season to validate and solidify their huge triumph! MK salvaged her Olympics by taking Worlds after losing in '02; same with Yagudin! He probably should have skipped it! Alexei was never the same and had to retire later that year!
***I'm surprised she went pro only since she was so young. Also at the time there didn't seem to be any threats on the horizon. Chen was no threat to her ever, Bonaly wasn't much either, Kerrigan and Sato were retiring, and Szewcenko and Kwan looked a long way from challenging her in '94.***
I know it's just your opinion, but to totally dismiss a 5 time champion shows a little...what should I say? I'll leave it alone! If Surya isn't on the list, something's wrong with you!
***Well all those skaters won World titles. All except Biellmann won Olympic medals, and Biellmann won the LP at the Olympics. As I am sure you know, Bonaly never won either a World title or Olympic medal.***
Well we all know judging is subjective and she was hosed more often than not; regardless if you cared for her skating or not! I have more regard for her career than most since I've seen too many injustices to count of other skaters to ignore!
***Yu Na and Mao hate each other. They make ugly faces at each other all the time as shown on Youtube videos. Irina and Michelle were more friendly, but their fans are even worse than Yu Na and Mao fans, esp. Michelle fans. ---
A simple poke around google images will find several photos of Yuna and Mao smiling and taking pictures together at off-ice events. They have never been anything but respectful of each other as worthy adversaries.***
When it came to "high emotions," I can only come up w/ 2 couples; Lysacek/Weir and Plushenko/Yagudin! There was a lot of animus between those 2 twins of powers! lol!
***...Some portray Weir as this great talent (exaggerated IMO) and Lysacek as just this hard working overachiever. Yet Evan has the far better career and often crushed Weir even when he was working hard too and skating his best in competition. In actuality I think the 2 are probably about the same level in talent, just like Plushenko and Yagudin are, but a much lower base and level of talent than Yags and Plushy is all. ---
By the summer of '94, there was already serious backlash against Oksana Baiul -- chronically two-footed jumps, choreography that featured excessive standing in place, weak combo jumps, no sit spins, etc. The ISU was using her Olympic-winning free skate as the defining example of poor choreography in instructional seminars to judges, and later put out an instructional video that ripped the program to shreds. Had Baiul continued, I expect she would've been put under a microscope and "torn down," much the way Sarah Hughes was.Plus, Baiul was erratic at best. It's nothing short of a miracle that her 2 good competitions were a World Championships and an Olympics. Two good competitions in her entire career. There's no track record of sustained performance at any level. She's more like Naomi Nari Nam than she is Sarah Hughes or Tara Lipinski in that regard.***
She had a great performance going on at 2000 GWG's, but messed it up due to her ego! She actually had a perfect triple lutz that made Nancy Kerrigan's jaw drop! She was doing well, but doubled her salchow! At the end of the performance, she retried it with no speed and fell; IDIOT! That put her back under Kerrigan and above Dorothy Hamill in her score when she had it w/ her other triples!
***Poor Sandra Fluke Can’t Afford to Buy Her Own Birth Control, But She Can Spend $100K On her campaign for offi - Too lazy to look it up, but she never claimed she couldn't afford it. Only that it was completely unethical that she (and others) should have to pay for it out of their own pocket.***
Yep; that's the case! It wasn't a problem she was having; more w/ friends and other women! People are such idiots; listening to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Savage, and the rest trying to make their point off of misleading pontification! It's like they don't care that these medications are used to regulate more than birth control and many women need them for hormonal reasons! ... It's hard to feel sorry for women when they vote against their interests; a vote for a Republican sets them back 40-50 years! How they win any election; local or nat'l is still amazing after how they've behaved during Obama's time in the chair! They are punishing women, illegal immigrants, gays, Blacks, and anyone else they don't think want to vote for them! It would be so much easier if they acted like human beings, put down the bible, and dropped the conservative "talking points!"
***Given the choice of candidates Republicans propose, I'd vote for Obama again in '16 no problem.***
Ain't it the truth; it's a sad day that there are so few out there you would want to trust to do the job! I'm not even a fan of Obama's, but I'd sooner leave the chair empty than select someone from this sorry list of folks interested in the job! They aren't gaining any respect with their actions of late; unable to pass the simplest of legislation and going on vacation without dealing with what they considered so important to national security! Boner is a truly weak Speaker who allows a handful of Tea-Baggers to run the House! It's more than sad and pathetic, it's disgusting! He's gutless and will go down in history as one of the worst in memory!
***Judge Rules Admin. Must Comply W/ Subpoena - On July 18 the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the Dept of Justice must "provide a detailed listing of all [Fast and Furious] documents that it has withheld from Congress."
This is so ridiculous since this program was started under Bush! How they think it involved Obama to try and embarrass him is beyond me? Holder stopped the program after he found out about it, but Congress persists in trying to implicate him, wasting time and money!
***MSNBC seems to understand that they are in an Obama rut, but I noted the commenter admitted that--by the end of his spiel he began doing spade work for Hillary. In '08, the left wing rads had opted the country had "Clinton fatigue" and they hopped on the Obama train for whatever direction that was going. If all MSNBC can come up for this rut is to return to the Clinton rut, then I'm very skeptical that MSNBC will ever get out of any rut."***
I watch MSNBC enough, but they seem to just want something to say; regardless if it helps or hurts Obama! The man isn't going to run again anyway so they're wasting their time b!tchin' about stuff he has no control over! He can't make Boehner bring legislation to the floor when he knows it'll pass! Obama's probably just happy the economy is coming back slowly but surely even w/ the obstruction and uncooperative Congress! Just think how great things would be if these fools compromised just a little, invested in the crumbling infrastructure, and raised the minimum wage! Job growth would soar, but Republicans don't want to see that happen; esp. before the midterms! If Gerry-mandered districts continue to vote for a "do nothing" Congress, we deserve what we get! If I were Obama, I'd kick back and let happen what happens! He can't write laws to help things go; it has to be done by us by electing competent, caring people who want more for the people rather than holding onto their jobs; LOSERS!
***Republicans have a real problem finding viable candidates; seems they are all deadheaded. You have to pose someone who can win hearts and trust like Obama did, and they simply don't have one.***
You know it! After the way these animals treated this man from day one, they've lost a huge swatch of voters; never to return! They just don't understand alienating voters, then trying to limit access by cutting early voting and absentia ballots! People aren't going to forgive or forget their behavior; even in the red states where it's all the rage to screw over minority voters!
***Uh huh... Fiero check w/ me in Nov. from Mary Landrieu's victory party.***
They keep trying to write her off every time she runs and somehow she keeps pulling it out! She's no fave of mines, sorta gutless at times trying to survive in a red state! People like Landrieu and McCaskell in MO. need to stand up for Democratic principles or just leave IMO!
***Fine, how about Begich's victory party, or Pryor's, or Hagan's, or Walsh's.... get back to me about how the GOP's horrible treatment of our poor victim president has hurt them this fall.***
Republicans are slowly but surely shooting themselves in the foot and head costing them these elections they should win! I've been hearing this BS the last election cycles and Harry Reed continues being the Senate Majority leader! When will you guys learn? It's hilarious to watch the gnashing of teeth and pulling out of hair when they sabotage themselves cycle after cycle! Wake up people! You can't act like this in a vacuum of complacency only to be totally shocked when it backfires!
***OK, Fiero, you're right. The GOP is just too mean to our poor victim President. He shouldn't have to follow the law at all.***
If you're so sure he's doing something wrong, why don't they impeach him; I keep asking? You and I know why, it's b/c they don't have a leg to stand on; esp. with half the executive orders of the past Presidents! Did you complain when Bush held up implementation of his "prescription drugs" bill 10 years ago? I can tell you NO! Both sides of the aisle accepted it and moved on! Such hypocrisy and vindictiveness that won't help you in '14 and esp. not '16! Whoever the Dems put up there will swamp candidates like Paul, Cruz, Walker, Perry, and Christie! Polls show it already that it would be a landslide for Hillary even with the so called "Clinton" fatigue! At least we prospered under his leader unlike Bush where the economy went into the tank and unemployment skyrocketed! How do you forget all this stuff? Are you guys totally blind to historical facts? Dispute any of it; I dare you! It's all documented for the lamest of Neanderthals on the "right!" That's why they lose again and again; by landslides!
***Fiero, impeachment is a political thing. It's not good politics. Dems in this country don't care if the President has undisputably committed felonies; they protect their own.***
If you're so sure he's committed "high crimes and misdemeanors" they would be taking the vote now and you know it! They're just being gutless b/c it will only backfire on them, just like when they went after Clinton! What was so sad, the same people making such a big deal out of Clinton infidelity, they were doing the exact same thing and got caught and run out of office including Gingrich, Livingston, and Barr! We all know that Vitter and Sanford have been busted and they screamed the loudest about family values! Who do these people think they are to be passing judgment on anyone when they can't keep their own house in order? Again, all documented facts! You gonna keep ignoring all this great info? Probably! You can't face up to it like most in your party! That's why you'll continue to be frustrated and lose again and again and again! It all comes out and the electorate just shakes it's head in disgust!
***Impeachment is a political judgment and the GOP understands that the smart politics is basically to ignore the empty suit in the White House and prevent him from doing any further harm. Get a Rep. President in there in '16 who can make any law he wants w/ the new precedents that Obama has issued in b/c he too will "Have a pen and a phone."***
Well that's one way to handle the frustration, just totally overlook all the evidence that shows "the right" is full of shit and that's why they won't overtake the evil Dems anytime soon! If Obama was truly doing all these bad things, his polls would be in the toilet w/ Congress who are in single digits! As much as people are unhappy w/ him and his being so mild-mannered and seeming to not be doing much, he's still doing a lot better in opinion than Boehner, McConnell, Cruz, & the exiting Cantor! "Bye ex-House Majority leader!"
***This is potent stuff. Reps can appeal to minorities over the money happily spent by Obama on illegals that he doesn’t spend on inner city children.***
You'd bitch about that too if he did it; special treatment for BLACKS! It's a no win situation and it's no longer surprising to anyone! Crying wolf so often about Obama being so bad is now falling on deaf ears! "NOBODY CARES" as John Stewart said on one of his shows! Just keep ignoring that the stock market has more than doubled since he took over, unemployment is near 6%, and things are looking brighter even w/ the foot-dragging and obstruction of a Rep. House! We would be on easy street if they would do their job, invest in infrastructure, and stop wasting time and money trying to sue the President!
***Obama and Reid are spending billions of dollars on the illegal immigrants they're encouraging to cross the border. How're you doing? You've voted for Dems your whole life.***
Years ago I voted for Republicans before they went culturally insane! We've had several Rep. Governors here in Il. and CA., but they've been in as much trouble! Please don't assume anything; makes an ass out of 'u and me' ya know! Just keep ignoring all those facts I've thrown at you, bringing up illegal aliens and the like! Ya can't speak on something that could be taken care of in days like passing bills to deal w/ infrastructure & farming! Just stay w/ those idiotic talking points; it pacifies your base! When bridges & roads start crumbling, I suppose that'll be Obama's fault too! The electrical grids are ancient and need an upgrade; blackouts occurred in the west and east coast! What do you say about something that affects people; not your fear mongering about aliens?
***You have to love the party of fiscal responsibility. It just boggles my mind that people watch these guys in action (or inaction) and still vote for them. It's really sad.***
People have been voting against their own interests for years! Most seniors vote Rep. being conservative, but the hierarchy would love to stop all their programs like SS & Medicare! Why women would vote for any Rep. after the way they've attacked them is beyond me, but it still happens! Some Latinos still vote for them even though they call them every name in the book! Some people are just idiots, but in the end Obama still won comfortably; twice!
***Where, exactly, has the GOP attacked women ... and what 'every name in the book' has the GOP called Latinos? Are you one of those that 'bought into' all that "War on Women & Minorities" stuff too?***
Just keep deluding yourself! That's about as ridiculous as Boehner saying "no one's talked about impeaching Obama!" He has seen how it's backfired on them and now they're pretending they haven't been so dismissive and disrespectful of the Prez! Even if Boehner & McConnell stay quiet, they still have to deal w/ Bachmann, Palin, & the rest of the FNN crowd that do nothing but bitch about the man's performance; or lack thereof!
***...You have just sued Obama for exceeding his Constitutional authority w/ EOs, now you are giving the same President the power to fix the immigration issue with EOs? The same people who sued Obama want Obama to ignore the '08 law about immigrant from Central America and accelerate the deportation of the same people? Will that not usurp the power of Congress since you need to repeal the '08 law before this can be effected? Now they want Obama to ignore the law they do not like and implement what they like. It is so fucked up, it is not even funny. No wonder, Ted Rafael Cruz is the real Speaker of the House.***
They can't keep the BS straight these days! How they allow Cruz to run the House is beyond me! In the old days, they used to be offended if the other chamber even made a suggestion, now Cruz is openly having meetings telling them if he approves or disapproves of how the Speaker is running things! Ridiculous!
***Repubs HAVE TO stay united together, they can't break ranks and start passing good legislation now with bi-partisanship. Cruz says what he wants and does what he wants b/c the ONLY THING the Repubs can do at this point is stay w/ their main theme...NO to anything Obama...Why?
Disenfranchise the voters of this country in the upcoming mid-terms...the less voters from the left that vote, the better the outcomes for the "right." I'll give the Repubs one thing...they are GOOD at what they are doing. Even IF it will cost them needed voter bases in '16 for the WH.***
Well it's not hurting Obama in the least; only putting Republicans in disrepute! The thing is, they have and continue to break ranks! Boehner has been forced to ask and get Dem votes to pass some legislation that couldn't wait for them to come to their senses! He's shown himself to be the weakest Speaker in memory! "GO CRUZ!"
***Benghazi's been mentioned in 950 threads since it happened on the PF. That's more than 20% of all threads. All of a sudden nobody wants to chat about it. Weird.***
You can say that about a lot of topics! They don't have much to complain about w/ unemployment that's going down, the ACA which people love, the stock market which has more than doubled since he took office, and other things that are going in the right direction! You still have to deal w/ hyperbole and delusional people like Cruz, King, and others that ignore facts, but for the most part, Obama has little to worry about! As long as the lunatic fringe are running the show, he can kick back and let them self destruct! Even McConnell sounds like an idiot talking badly about health care coverage since Kentucky has taken it on as "Connect;" take it away? I think not! What a moron! I used to think he was rational, but listening to him go after his opponent for another term, he really sounds like a spoiled, petulant child just making up stuff as he goes along!
***...Marijuana is illegal still b/c it's a giant cash cow for the criminal justice system. Then you have people who have grown up w/ decades worth of propaganda being shoved into them voting on the issue.***
Just shows the hypocrisy of our country; always talking about a free state, but they have to control you somewhere! It never stops; going back to prohibition back in the 20's! They successfully destroyed the economy, increased crime exponentially, and we still haven't learned our lesson! Alcohol and tobacco are 10 times worse and people die in the 100's of thousands every year! No one's died from a joint; how sick is this country?
***Irina is the best European skater ever. Why is she only 4th on this poll?***
Just shows that reputation is more important than what people actually see! To even put Henie in the conversation is a joke b/c she didn't have to do that much! ...she was reported..., little singles and half-jumps just don't measure up to the strength and power of an Irina & Surya! IMO the worst skaters would annihilate her!
***You really expect a skater in the '30s to be performing triple jumps when it was revolutionary to even wear short skirts? Let's not even get into how old generations have to form the technique and training methods ....***
I just think it's silly to try and rate all skaters on the same bell curve! It's ridiculous, esp. when you see highlight reels of skaters from the 30's, 40's, or even the 80's; training, diet, & standards have changed drastically over the years! ---
***Seems some are a bit quick to write off Rafa & Andy. I look forward to those people eating those words.***
It's wishful thinking on my part; just some of the ugliest tennis out there! Both Rafa and Andy offend my sensibilities so much w/ the way they play the game!
***Fiero, maybe you can explain this to me. What is it that you find so ugly and offensive about their tennis?***
It's what they do to allow absolute nobodies to extend them to the limit; usually playing so defensively! The stroke production is ugly; esp. w/ Rafa and the way he cocks that forehand! Then there's the backing up like Monica Seles when they're half way to the net on short balls! There's more style and grace w/ other players like Federer, Wawrinka, Nole, Gasquet, and "Baby-Fed," Dimitrov!
***Murray's become a lot more aggressive since Lendl came along, but before then I'd agree he was defensive & passive as hell. He can veer back into passive mode a lot, but then so can Federer. Must say though I do find Murray's game style a lot more watchable since Lendl came along. Before that it was very much like Wozniacki and Radwanska pusher tennis, just hoping to make the opponent lose rather than trying to win.***
The last several years, I have complained about Federer reverting to defensive tennis! It's like he thinks he's 10 years younger and can wait out other players when he does lose to people we don't even know! He probably should have won that Wimbledon match against Nole, but he thinks he can slug it out w/ 30 stroke points and it's just not true! He may have a nice showing, but in each match that he loses, esp. if it's close, it's b/c he becomes passive, being very stubborn and not attacking when he has opportunities!
***Yup. Passive play beats nobodies, but it also beats nobody good!***
Well said! Last season he blamed it on the racket, mono, a back injury, & lack of desire, but playing defensive got him nowhere; esp. on clay! He was embarrassed by players I'd never heard of like Stakhovsky, Brands, Delbonis! "WHO?"
***I agree. Roger for the most part has not adapted his game as he aged, esp. on the return. He can get away w/ blocking 2nd serves back against lesser players, but it gets him into a lot of trouble vs. anyone good as he does not win many neutral points vs. Nole, Rafa, & Murray. It's one thing he's never changed.
Aside from that, the passive play we see from the baseline at times is down to 1 thing; he misses a few forehands and then is afraid to pull the trigger. I've noticed it for years and this past Wimbledon final was another example. Overall Roger played a very clean match, but then he wasn't putting much on the forehand once he misfired on a few of them. He looked more Gilles Simon than Federer. Roger will NOT make any inroads vs. Nole & Rafa from the baseline if his forehand isn't clicking. That's what lost him Wimbledon this year, he was easy pickings from the baseline.***
***Republican-led Benghazi probe ends, clears administration; for now.***
Funny, but the Reps haven't given up! People like Rand Paul are still trying to disqualify Hillary Clinton from running for President by tarnishing her name with his BS; not to mention the special committee with Trey Gowdy still being run by these lunatics in the HOUSE! More money wasted unfortunately! How these people think they can ever be elected to Nat'l office talking like this is beyond me! Their #'s are in the toilet and falling precipitously, but they can't help themselves; then stop already! It's so sad to see whole groups not only shooting themselves in the foot; more like the fukin' head!
***The one w/ Trey Gowdy will be the last, I suspect, but I could be wrong. This select committee was est. back in May '14 before Issa's oversight committee arrived at their conclusion. You want to stop these committees, then have people tell the truth and then Congress won't feel the need to waste more money. - And this committee is going to offer what that hasn't already been explored. ALL of the investigations so far have been done by the GOP and nothing has been found incriminating. To suggest we waste more money simply b/c lives were lost is reckless. But b/c the GOP has done relatively nothing for the last 2 years, they continue this extravgent waste of money in the hopes of finding a needle in a haystack.***
It's so disappointing to find people can still justify what these people are doing! They must love you and your ilk! Not a lot can be said to people like this since no amount of money is enough to try and embarrass and humiliate a person for electoral purposes; so sad and pathetic!
***So you're saying when the Dems tried to impeach Bush, they got nothing whatsoever out of it politically? --- I must have missed the Congressional hearings and committees on the articles of impeachment for President Bush, b/c I don't recall the results.***
Yeah, me too! The Dems had more cause with the WMD's, but Pelosi stepped out there w/ more credibility than Boehner and said "Impeachment" was off the table! Why is it these LIARS come out of the woodwork to be exposed so easily? It's so embarrassing for their side when we show them to hypocrites and pathological liars within mins of the BS posts!
***Watergate was also a waste of taxpayer money.***
True enough, but Nixon thought he could beat the charge even w/ Reps on his ass to resign! Obama hasn't been caught up in anything illegal, but they continue to dig trying to impeach the man! At least going against Nixon, it changed the face of politics and Reps have been trying to live it down ever since! Going after Clinton only embarrassed and hurt them in the midterms, but again they try to trash the legacy of another Dem. President and it's only hurting them as a party!
***It's time to get rid of party labels and impose term limits.***
Well that's one way to trick the electorate! Too bad we need to know ahead of time where their allegiance is before voting for these clowns! I remember Reps making a big deal about term limits in the 90's, but after they got in office, "it's the people's will" and it was dropped after promising to step down after 2 or 3 terms! These people are just brutal liars and you can't take them seriously; esp. in Nat'l elections! I'm still being haunted by so called "compassionate conservatism" that put us in 2 wars, gave tax breaks to the rich, doubled the nat'l debt, and about destroyed our economy! Thanks "W!"
Further info: Iraq and weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda, Downing Street memo, Bush-Blair memo, Legitimacy of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and Bush-Aznar memo
The first 4 impeachment articles charge the President w/ illegally creating a case for war w/ Iraq, including charges of a propaganda campaign, falsely representing Iraq as responsible for 9/11, and falsely representing Iraq as an imminent danger to the US.
Legitimacy of invasion
Further info: UN Charter, War of aggression, Jus ad bellum and Legitimacy of the 2003 invasion of Iraq
Articles 5–8 and 12 deal w/ the invasion of Iraq and include charges that funds were misspent before the war, that the war was in violation of HJRes114, that Iraq was invaded without a war declaration, that the war is a violation of the UN Charter, and that the purpose of the war was to control the country's oil supplies.
Conduct of the Iraq war
Further info: 2003 invasion of Iraq Articles 9, 10, 11 and 13 deal w/ conduct of the war, including failing to provide troops w/ body armor, falsifying US troop deaths and injuries, establishing a permanent military base in Iraq, and creating a secret task force to develop energy and military policies w/ respect to Iraq and other countries. Articles 15 and 16 cover contractors in Iraq and charges that the President misspent money on contractors and provided them w/ immunity.
Valerie Plame
Further info: Plame affair Article 14 is about the revelation of the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame.
Treatment of detainees
Further information: Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse, Bagram torture and prisoner abuse, United Nations Convention Against Torture, Geneva Conventions, Command responsibility and Hamdan v. Rumsfeld Articles 17–20 concern the treatment of detainees, the "kidnapping" and detention of foreign nationals, and the use of torture.
Attempt to overthrow the gov't of Iran
Article 21 claims that the President misled Congress and the American people about threats from Iran, and supported terrorist organizations within Iran, w/ the goal of overthrowing the Iranian gov't.
NSA warrantless surveillance controversy
Further info: NSA warrantless surveillance controversy and Separation of powers Articles 24 and 25 charge the President w/ illegally spying on American citizens, directing US telecom companies to create databases of citizens, and violating the 4th amendment of the US Constitution.
Signing statements
Further info: Signing statement § Controversy over George W. Bush's use of signing statements Article 26 concerns the Presidential use of signing statements.
Congressional subpoenas
Article 27 is about failing to comply w/ congressional subpoenas.
Kitchen Sink
Article 27.5 concerns official Congressional Investigation into videotaped evidence that Donald Rumsfeld and the President both peed in the sink of the House Coffee Shop on several occasions...they appeared to be giggling.
2004 elections
Further information: 2004 US election voting controversies. Articles 28 and 29 charge the President w/ tampering w/ the 2004 elections and violating the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Medicare
Article 30 states "Misleading Congress and the American People in an Attempt to Destroy Medicare."
Katrina
Further info: Criticism of gov't response to Hurricane Katrina Article 31 concerns the supposed failure to plan and respond to Hurricane Katrina.
Global warming
Article 32 charges the president w/ "Systematically Undermining Efforts to Address Global Climate Change."
9/11
Articles 33, 34 and 35 concern 9/11, alleging that the President failed to respond to prior intelligence, obstructed post 9/11 investigations and endangered the health of 9/11 1st responders ---
This is shocking. Is it too late to impeach him?***
If anyone deserved it, it was "W!" Him and bunch of other SHB arrested and tried for war crimes! How these people can mouth off about what Obama's up to is beyond credulity!
***29 Democratic Senators voted Yes on the Iraq Resolution. They too are war criminals for giving the green light for the war.
Lincoln (D-AR) Feinstein (D-CA) Dodd (D-CT) Lieberman (D-CT) Biden (D-DE) Carper (D-DE) Nelson (D-FL) Cleland (D-GA) Miller (D-GA) Bayh (D-IN) Harkin (D-IA) Breaux (D-LA) Mary Landrieu (D-LA) Kerry (D-MA) Carnahan (D-MO) Baucus (D-MT) Nelson (D-NE) Reid (D-NV) Torricelli (D-NJ) Clinton (D-NY) Schumer (D-NY) Edwards (D-NC) Dorgan (D-ND) Hollings (D-SC) Daschle (D-SD) Johnson (D-SD) Cantwell (D-WA) Rockefeller (D-WV) Kohl (D-WI)
I agree. If we go after Bush, lets get Clinton, Schumer, Kerry, Reid, Biden & Feinstien. Lock those crazy bastards up!***
Bush picked and chose out of reports to justify his big lie! There's no comparison! Get over yourself and quit trying to make excuses for the worst President in memory! Thanks for completing my blog entry for the gutless turds that were too afraid of being labeled cowards or unpatriotic and voted for this shit even though they knew BUSH was lying! I do fault them because if I knew Bush was a pathetic liar, they had to know!
***I don't think he picked and chose anything. He was shown intel and ran with it. Bush was given bad intel and the Senate's report acknowledges that, but then goes on to say that instead of confirming the intelligence, they just ran w/ it. Cheney is a vile human and he had heavy influence in the gov't w/ his connections; Rummsfield too. Some old school dogs going back to early 80s. They had been around Washington a long time, too long imo. Anyway I've been very public of why I think we went to war in Iraq and it has nothing to do with WMDs. I know you are kinda new around here and don't know my stance on it, but it's all good. Those Senators were not in the dark either. They voted the way their donors wanted them to vote and the donors wanted war.***
Well at least you know what's what! So many today are still trying to give all of them cover; lying to themselves really! Bush is doing well to stay underground and keep his mouth shut b/c he allowed Cheney to get away w/ murder!
***...But I guess since the fringe right now controls the GOP I guess you somehow believe the fringe left had control of the Dems; well my friend that is revisionist history at it's finest.***
That must be it! If one liberal says something, it's painted as if he's running the show, but w/ conservatives, if one says it, it's like following lemmings off a cliff and they all agree! lol!
***If one of the things you don't like about Nadal and Murray is that they play defensively, and let "nobodies" push them to the limit, how does Federer make your list of guys whose play you DO like? I know you're arguing that Fed shouldn't play that way, but you're also saying that he does. So, either he should fall off your list of admired players, or you shouldn't object that Murray and Nadal have success playing that way. Even if Roger doesn't, if you find it egregious to the point of insult when some players do it, then you should judge your favorites by the same stick.***
Federer used to have the best game in tennis, winning almost everything in sight; 3 majors a year in fact, but I've been one to think he's past it! He has his moments, but overall he's playing too defensively and will only embarrass himself unless he starts to move forward and finish points quicker! He's down to winning a major once every 3 years! That won't cut it unless he's willing to allow the humiliation to continue in the intervening periods! This past Wimbledon was his best chance to break the trend, but he couldn't finish! He needs help to take a biggie, but so far Nole, Rafa, and Andy haven't accommodated him like they used to!
***Seeds falling left and right in Canada! Djokovic, Wawrinka, Sharapova, Kvitova... add Kerber to the list!***
No big deal! Been happening as long as I can remember! Few take this tournament that seriously anyway! Started out on clay and went to HC to keep up with changes at the Open as a tune-up! Even Martina Navratilova went out in the quarters in '85! Lendl winning 6 titles was the only real workhorse and always tried to do his best at this tourney! Even Borg only won once IIRC; '79 being his top year!
***I looked it up. Federer's 100 v. 35 against lefties, and 23 of those losses were to Nadal. So he's pretty good against lefties, otherwise. (90 - 12)***
...Love Feliciano's play and appreciated him taking Eastborne over Gasquet in June, but he'll find a way to give it away to the old man!
***W/ Cincy points removed, Milos is 895 points ahead of Murray and Grigor is 560 points ahead of Murray. So, for all practical purposes, Murray will not be getting a top 8 seeding unless Rafa withdraws from USO.***
I wouldn't be surprised if he did take a powder! After winning another FO, Rafa isn't beyond discounting the rest of the season! He knows he can only go down in the rankings anyway when having to defend so many points from last year! ===
***ESPN has suspended Dan LeBatard for 2 days for this... LeBron billboard? Stunt? For The Win***
I'm still trying to figure out what the problem is? Is this Nike objecting or ESPN really? I can do without both LeBatard and Baseless! Years ago I never missed "Cold Pizza," now "First Take," but I can't listen to either Skip or Smith! Both are "know-it-all" obnoxious twits! Smith proved me right with giving Rice an out in his assault case! Skip is like a petulant child who will repeat himself, no matter how stupid the statement! He's senile and has lost touch with reality IMO! I'm no fan of LeBron, but it made no sense to bash the man for 2 hours on one of the shows a couple years ago! "Grow up old man!" It's getting harder and harder to watch anything on ESPN with the so called talent they've been hiring of late! I still glance at Olbermann most nights!
***You are just being silly. How can he be anywhere near being the goat? By having the most Masters titles and being tied for the 2nd most Slams of all time. I neither believe in the goat concept nor that rafa is yet the "goat," but he's about as near goat you can be, w/o being Federer. Get real Fiero. Gloat by all means, but be honest.***
Some believe he's the GOAT already b/c he "owns" Federer; esp. on clay! After all is said and done, we might see Nole owning him; catching up fast! No one has been as successful against Rafa as Djokovic, winning every way you can on clay, in majors, straight sets, and 2 big streaks! Roger never has been that effective against him!
***Novak fan here, but irrelevant. The point is Rafa deserves credit for being great. He is, he deserves it, so give it to him. I don't like him either, but you are lying to yourself if you don't believe he is in the top 5 all time, probably #2, and at least in converstation for #1 goat.***
I'm just venting since I can't stand Nadal; gloating a little! How people think this guy is anywhere near being "The GOAT" is beyond me! Doesn't defend any title off of clay, takes vacations when other players are working hard the entire year, and disappears altogether for months at a time; supposedly w/ a serious injury!
***There are 10 guys in the list of non-big-4 Master's winners. Of them Stan has a GS and so is not eligible to be a SHEEP. The other 9 don't and so are eligible to run for SHEEP Award. Among them, Davydenko stands out as a SHEEP Contender as he has 3 Master's Trophies (and a WTF too). For the uninitiated, SHEEP is a poor man's version of GOAT and stands for Slamless Heroic Everlasting Excellent Player***
I instantly thought of Nalbandian since he's one of many who take Paris and he beat Federer in 5 to take a WTF! I still can't believe he gave Cilic that Queen's Club CHP a few years ago by assaulting a linesman w/ a tirade while in the lead! What an idiot! Normally top echelon are burned out by the fall and odd players take those later Masters! Surprising that Nole only seems to get stronger around that time of the year; almost ruling time after USO each season!
***While both Nalby and Davy has a WTF, Davy has 3 Masters cups in contrast to mere 2 by Nalby. Also, both of Nalby's Masters were won after USO, when many players are tired. But Davy has a Miami won. Further, Davy is the only active player w/ a winning record against Nadal, I suppose. So, I say give the Modern SHEEP to Davy. I will worry about the SHEEP contenders from yesteryears some other time.***
***Which is more serious: Being sued or impeachment? The Dems tried to impeach Bush - something you said you 'missed' happening. The GOP is doing the same thing to Obama that the Dems did to Bush. You just want to pretend like the attempt to impeach Bush was just nothing at all. They're both political stunts designed to help in an election year.***
You're delusional if you think the Dems have anywhere near approached the level of hatred and disrespect that Obama's had to deal with w/ these animals! The Dems didn't shut the gov't down, "W" wasn't sued or impeached by them, and they didn't hold 50 symbolic votes to try and eliminate a signature piece of legislation! I could go on, but it would only make you look more foolish thinking the Dems are anywhere near as hateful that they would hurt the country just to get back at him! I'm pretty sure the Dems didn't disrespect his wife and kids either! Dream on and delude yourself if you wish, but it really angers me that you could even think there's a comparison!
***Glad I could piss you off there, Capt. Icon. - The best evidence you have of an attempt of impeachment is a bill that was submitted to committee, that never was mentioned in committee, let alone made it to the floor of the House. So all you can say is the author of said Bill attempted to impeach Bush, but to say the Dems as a whole did is disingenuous at best. B/c if it was the party as a whole, it would have at least made it out of committee and had the support of party leadership (like the SOH Pelosi, who actively squashed the impeachment talk). Impeachment of Bush was nothing more than a wet dream of the extreme elements of the Dem party, to say otherwise is revisionist history.***
Notice he couldn't dispute a thing! I hear the constant refrain of "we're not racists!" Well what's their excuse for acting so boorishly and unpatriotic? These people should feel all kinds of shame, but they obviously have none! Trying to trash the economy, heaping blame for every little thing on him is so disgusting, but they just can't seem to help themselves! There were Rep primaries yesterday and w/ questions of why races were so close, they invoked Obama's name! These are supposed to be smart politicians, but they sound insane even mentioning him! Will probably be upset if he plays the USO!
***How come Yuku Republican voter's jokes are never very funny?***
It takes a bit of knowledge, intelligence, and wit; they have none! I feel for 'em! It's like shooting fish in a barrel whenever I grace this horrible sight! If these people would halfway know what they're talking about, it would be more worth it for me! I have to smack around the same idiots w/ obvious facts that just won't sink into their thick skulls and it's getting old! There's no challenge or real debate! They have their bigotry and limited memory of misinformation they get from FNN and they won't get off of it! What's really funny is that w/ all the so called great ratings of Fox, it appears their main demographic are old folks where the average age is 71 1/2! That's something to write home about!
***Bingo! The thing is that is actually funny about rightwingnut jokes are the their responses...Lacking knowledge, intelligence, and wit; the responses are exercises in politics for dummies and worse. At best, you have your Palin politics for dummies. ---
I don't blame Bill Clinton for going after other women considering who he's married to.***
Yawn - Funny how the Rep party is so big on family, criticized Bill and Hillary, but most of these clowns have broken marriages, been married 3 or 4 times, and have been caught up in as much scandal; esp. Senator Vitter on 2 lists dealing w/ prostitution in DC and NO!
***Dumb Conservatives Actually Believe Their Own Lies - http://newsbusters.org/blogs/geoffrey-dickens/2014/08/14/todd-takeover-top-10-list-most-liberal-outbursts-new-meet-press-ho#ixzz3ATnaRmcs -
10. Dumb Conservatives Actually Believe Liberal Bias “Myth”
“There are fewer and fewer Republicans who will go on non-Fox shows....I think that the mythology of the big, bad non-conservative media has gotten into some offices...and then these guys, they actually believe the spin that’s out there, ‘Oh, my God, that’s what the mainstream media does, they do anything to disrupt the conservative agenda.’ And so literally, you only — Lindsey [Graham], John McCain, you know, that’s been my — I just fear that it’s sort of like this whole — there’s this whole sort of this, the mythology of this, the media’s out to get conservatives is believed among more and more actual staffers.”
— NBC political director Chuck Todd on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Feb 19, '13 talking about why so few conservative members of Congress are willing to go on liberal talk shows.
9. Fox News Not Staffed With Real Pros - Like Us at MSNBC
“When a news executive goes out there and states a crazy accusation like that, that it ends up, it only ends up probably hurting what they're trying to do, but it creates, it only denigrates all of us....And, I'm sorry, there are certain news organizations out here whose agenda is to undermine the 90 percent of journalists who are just simply trying to cover stories out there.”
— NBC White House correspondent and MSNBC daytime host Chuck Todd on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Feb 8, '10, reacting to Fox News Washington managing editor Bill Sammon’s statement the previous day that “the mainstream media hates the Tea Party movement almost as much as it hates Sarah Palin.”
8. Why No Public Love for Obama’s “Enormous Amount of Legislative Victories?”
“You’ve had an enormous amount of legislative victories - it’s comparable to any President in history. It has not translated into political capital with the public. Honestly, are you frustrated by that?” — NBC’s Chuck Todd to President Obama in an interview excerpt shown on MSNBC’s Hardball, July 16, '10.
7. Getting Ready to Bash GOP for “Beating Up Two Women”
Anchor Chuck Todd: “Any danger that the Samantha Power nomination [to become U.N. Ambassador] becomes sort of a proxy that some Senate Republicans try, b/c that is a Senate confirmation appt. And that some Republicans try to somehow go after her b/c they can’t go after Susan Rice?...Beating up on 2 women, I think, would be something that the Republican Party brand doesn’t need.”
Politico’s Lois Romano: “They don’t need it, but they — they haven’t had much, you know, problems beating up on Susan Rice.” - Todd: “True, before. That’s for sure.” — MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown, June 5, '13.
6. Distorting Facts to Declare Obama’s IRS Scandal Over
“The IRS ‘scandal’ [makes air quote marks] looks like it’s a bureaucratic scandal, not the political scandal that Republicans were wishing that they had come up w/....This sort of brings me to [House Chairman] Darrell Issa at this point. I mean, this is the guy who is — I mean, he is living the fable of the boy who cried wolf, at this point.”
— Anchor Chuck Todd setting up a panel discussion on MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown, June 25, '13.***
***5. Palin Will Still Draw Political “Car-Wreck Watchers”
“Look, she may spend the next year campaigning for Republicans all across the country. She’s probably going to be the person that can attract the largest crowds, some of it is car-wreck watchers - you know, they just are coming, kind of curiosity-seekers.”
— NBC White House correspondent Chuck Todd talking about Palin’s resignation, July 3, '09 Nightly News.
4. “Clean White Suit” Obama a Victim of His Own Virtue
“The President is coming under some criticism for tonight’s big-ticket events b/c they are taking place just a stone’s throw away from Wall Street....One Dem strategist said that part of the President’s problem is simply his own expectations. Some of the rhetoric he said on the campaign trail made it seem as if he was coming into office in a clean white suit. So now any speck of mud - like raising money from Wall Street donors - shows up a lot clearer than if he came in just as another politician wearing just another gray suit.”
— NBC White House correspondent Chuck Todd on Nightly News, Oct 20, '09.
3. Susan Rice: “Victim” of Conservative Media
“It [criticism of Susan Rice] was all driven, in many cases, by some conservative outlets who were making her the center of the Benghazi story....She sort of became a victim of this....You can become collateral damage in a hurry in just the way you can get piled on, whether it’s Twitter, whether it’s advocacy journalism, whatever you want to describe it, talk radio. And that’s what she was. She became political collateral damage.”
— NBC News political director Chuck Todd during live MSNBC coverage on Dec 13, '12 after Rice withdrew her name as a potential Secretary of State.
2. No Such Thing as “Unanswered Question” About Benghazi
“It certainly looks more partisan than it looks like a serious inquiry....You know, I’ll hear from Republicans that say, ‘But there are unanswered questions!’ Well, no, all the questions have been answered. There’s just some people that don’t like the answers, that wish the answers were somehow more conspiratorial, I guess....To sit here and investigate talking points seems to be totally missing the larger point here. It’s like investigating who cut down a tree, one tree, in a forest that’s been burned down.” — NBC political director and chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, May 13, '14.
1. Mocking IRS’s Targeting of Tea Party: “Are There Any Actual Real Victims?”
“Here is the story many are missing: Why should primarily political organizations get a taxpayer exemption, basically get a handout from the tax code?...So while the IRS is certainly not a good guy here — they have been terrible about being forthcoming — are there any actual real victims?...We know what really is working here for Republicans. Beating up the IRS, good for the base. Good politics there makes for great fundraising e-mails. But let’s remember what the controversy itself is about.”***
Very nice thread! Thank you to the OP! Very informative and can be read over and over and referenced! - This is all moot! The cop wasn't aware of this kid being a suspect in a so called "strong arm" robbery! The cop is still in serious trouble! The chief used the term "was" in describing this fool! He's done on this force and any other; even if he beats the rap and isn't sent to prison for murder!
***...This maybe very cold, but maybe this cop saved a future innocent life. More than likely, this was not his first time at stealing.***
You said it; VERY COLD! Black boys' lives just aren't worth anything in this country! You're just being an atypical person with a very common misconception about us; THANKS!
***5. Palin Will Still Draw Political “Car-Wreck Watchers”
“Look, she may spend the next year campaigning for Reps all across the country. She’s probably going to be the person that can attract the largest crowds, some of it is car-wreck watchers - you know, they just are coming, kind of curiosity-seekers.”
— NBC WH corr. Chuck Todd talking about Palin’s resignation, July 3, '09 Nightly News.
4. “Clean White Suit” Obama a Victim of His Own Virtue
“The President is coming under some criticism for tonight’s big-ticket events b/c they are taking place just a stone’s throw away from Wall Street....One Dem strategist said that part of the President’s problem is simply his own expectations. Some of the rhetoric he said on the campaign trail made it seem as if he was coming into office in a clean white suit.”
— NBC WH correspondent Chuck Todd on Nightly News, Oct 20, '09.
3. Susan Rice: “Victim” of Conservative Media
“It [criticism of Susan Rice] was all driven, in many cases, by some conservative outlets who were making her the center of the Benghazi story....She sort of became a victim of this....You can become collateral damage in a hurry in just the way you can get piled on, whether it’s advocacy journalism, whatever you want to describe it, talk radio.”
— NBC News political director C.Todd during live MSNBC coverage on Dec 13, '12 after Rice withdrew her name as a potential Secretary of State.
2. No Such Thing as “Unanswered Question” About Benghazi
“It certainly looks more partisan than it looks like a serious inquiry....You know, I’ll hear from Republicans that say, ‘But there are unanswered questions!’ Well, no, all the questions have been answered. There’s just some people that don’t like the answers, that wish the answers were somehow more conspiratorial, I guess....” — NBC political director and chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, May 13, '14.
1. Mocking IRS’s Targeting of Tea Party: “Are There Any Actual Real Victims?”
“Here is the story many are missing: Why should primarily political organizations get a taxpayer exemption, basically get a handout from the tax code?...So while the IRS is certainly not a good guy here — they have been terrible about being forthcoming — are there any actual real victims?...We know what really is working here for Republicans. Beating up the IRS, good for the base.”***
Very nice thread! Thank you to the OP! Very informative and can be read over and over and referenced! - This is all moot! The cop wasn't aware of this kid being a suspect in a so called "strong arm" robbery! The cop is still in serious trouble! The chief used the term "was" in describing this fool! He's done on this force and any other; even if he beats the rap and isn't sent to prison for murder!
***Whatever happened to 'Looters will be shot on sight'? - You guys are arguing about things for which no evidence has been shown. Maybe the cop was wrong it has nothing to do w/ whether the actions since being unjustified by both the looters and the cops. ---
Let's just presume you're Ten Trillion % True. It has NO BEARING on the issue of the predicate issue. The issue is the slaying of a Black boy in the custody of an apparently non-Black policeman in Ferguson MO.***
That's what apologist do when there's bad police behavior in evidence! I was trying to watch FNN, "The O'Reilly Factor" and Laura Ingraham was guest hosting! She was totally behind the cops, being a total apologist for their behavior, even when reporters were harassed and abused; w/ a smile on her face saying they were just there to stir up trouble! ...Last night was ridiculous with the cops! I thought I was looking at footage from IRAQ with Humvee tanks, camouflage gear, armed to the teeth, with guns trained on the crowd that was doing absolutely nothing! They're going to be sued big time! "Get your checkbook ready MO!"
***I seriously doubt this kid ran up on the cop car and just out of the blue started assaulting the police officer. That is idiotic at best. Then again it is you we are talking about. It's not our culture and hertiage dipfuck! What is interesting is this the black race is the only one that was enslaved by whites in this country and this is where we are seeing problems. You will never admit to that, will you Einstein!***
Some would prefer to forget about that along with other atrocities like Japanese internment camps, witch burning, and the like! The history of this country is littered with it, but we love passing judgment on other countries for their behavior and politics!
***You see, this is why you fools can't be taken seriously on any subject concerning this country. You have no solutions just complaints. If this admin. takes a left, you think they should have taken a right and if they take a right, you say they should have taken a left. NOTHING they do is going to be good enough for you even if it's what you want them to do. I have to say I am glad I have friends that are real conservatives and are able to articulate their issues w/ this admin. and actually have good points on how to handle some of them. I sure don't get that here from the cons! It's really sad.***
You are so right! If Obama didn't want to do something about the Middle East problems, he's being weak and ineffectually as "Commander-In-Chief!" If he decides to actually do something, they won't authorize the mission, threatening to cut off all funding! His detractors are so full of shit, it's a wonder they can move around! He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't; ANYTHING! The "right" are just pure contrarians who aren't hurting, but only making themselves look bad! They have no shame so it's a waste pointing it out to them! I used to have respect for Senators like Lindsey Graham, but he's too busy trying to hold onto his job he can't see straight; so to speak! He's a real piece of work these days and he's too disgusting for words!
***David Gregory Replaced by Chuck Todd as moderator of Meet the Press - Almost sounds as if Gregory was fired! His last show was this past Sunday. I liked Gregory, but he was no Tim Russert! I like Todd too; he's all about #s, so I'm not sure how that will translate into interviewing the type of guests that 'MTP' brings! ---
Reps were getting off too easy under David Gregory, and ratings were in the tank. He's more a "fall guy" as producers invite the guests.. more Reps have a voice than Dems.***
The show lost a lot of credibility during the Russert era really when he allowed Cheney and other political hacks to come on the show spouting nonsense that justified getting into 2 wars! He didn't come back at them with credible sources that thought it was all fabricated or exaggerated! The show has definitely fallen off even more since his death, but Gregory is "the fall guy!" Something's going on b/c it was rumored he was toast a while back! He's never been a fave of mines, but Todd can be just as arrogant and obnoxious when he wants to be! lol!
***Gov. Perry indicted on abuse of power charges - Apparently a DA was recently convicted of drunk driving....and BTW, the states Public Intergrity Unit operates out of her office. Can't make this stuff up, folks. So Perry said that unless she resigns, he'd veto a bill that would give $7.5M to the Public Integrity's office. She didn't resign, so he vetoed the bill and charges were brought against him. I wasn't aware that a Gov. or President needed to give a reason for a veto. Thoughts?***
I find it hilarious Republicans like to invoke how corrupt Obama's home state is when the last 4 governors that are in trouble, indicted, on trial, or convicted are all fellow "righties;" Christie, Ryan, Perry, and McDonnell! What a collection of slimeballs; always passing judgment on others, but don't look in the mirror enough!
***...No, but the fact that he did, and in the way he did is what's causing the problem.***
From what I hear, the money had already been appropriated and he had no power to hold those funds! He might have been able to do a line item veto on the budget initially, but not as a political threat! He also offered her another positions and she turned him down flat! He would have been able to put one of his flunkies in there and he might have gotten away with a lot more without her due diligence! Bravo for her! He's a real tool who has turned that state into a toilet; letting business run rough shot over things, polluting the air and water with impunity, decimating their schools, and allowing Texas to become a dumping ground from surrounding states! He's a real piece of work! I have little sympathy for the people! They should have gotten rid of him years ago!
***TX Gov. Rick Perry (R) was indicted on felony charges Friday by a grand jury in Austin for allegedly abusing his veto power to force the resignation of a Dem prosecutor. The grand jury indicted the 2016 presidential hopeful on 2 felony counts – coercion of public official and abuse of official capacity.
Perry, 64, must turn himself in to the Travis County Jail, where he will be booked, fingerprinted and have his mug shot taken. The charges stem from an ethics complaint filed last year by Texans for Public Justice, a left-leaning gov't watchdog group, claimed that Perry abused his official powers by threatening to veto money for public corruption prosecutors in the state in order to pressure a local district attorney to resign.
The public integrity unit is housed in the Travis County district attorney's office. Perry called for the resignation of DA Rosemary Lehmberg after she was arrested and pled guilty in April 2013 to drunken driving. Lehmberg, a Dem, did not resign. Perry eventually made his veto threat a reality. The special prosecutor on the case worked to show evidence that Perry's threat to veto $7.5 M over 2 years was unlawful.
"The grand jury has spoken that there is probable cause to believe that he [Perry] committed at least 2 felony crimes," special prosecutor Michael McCrum told reporters, according to Reuters. The counts are 1st and 3rd-degree felonies, w/ charges ranging from 5 to 99 years and 2 to 10 years, respectively. The indictment says Perry, "w/ intent to harm another, to-wit, Rosemary Lehmberg and the Public Integrity Unity of the Travis County DA's Office, intentionally or knowingly misused gov't property."
Perry used "coercion" by "threatening to veto legislation that had been approved and authorized by the Legislature of the State of Texas" to fund the Public Integrity Unit unless Lehmberg resigned, according to the indictment. It was in another Travis County judicial court that a grand jury in 2005 indicted former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay on charges of illegal money laundering to candidates in Texas. "For the sake of Texas, Governor Perry should resign following his indictment on two criminal felony counts involving abuse of office," Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) tweeted.***
***Christie collapsed under his own weight - Even if Christie might have a chance to beat a Dem in the general election, I doubt he could the Rep. nomination; even if he does lose 150 lbs.***
It was a total "pipe dream" to "think" it was possible for him to get past the primary process! Christie has done and said too many things in opposition to Rep. tenets to get elected and keep his job as Gov! Romney was allowed to backtrack off all his BS beliefs, but the Repn party has become even more radicalized in the intervening 4 years since the last election! The Tea Party, conservatives, and real hardliners aren't a majority, but they sway the more rational and reasonable players! Even people like Lindsey Graham have been behaving outrageously trying to save his own electability! I really don't know who they can run and make a credible challenge to any Dem nominee; esp. against Hillary! They've already started trashing the woman which proves they're worried, but I can't see candidates like Paul, Perry, Walker, and others making a race of it! Their big mouths have already been documented of how ridiculous and radical they can be when they weren't running for the Presidency!
***You know as well as anyone the ham sandwich thing; anyone can be indicted.***
We're talking about a sitting governor! That says something about the seriousness of the charges! He'll be turning himself in soon, have fingerprints and mug shots taken like any other thug! Good for them! I hate BULLIES and Perry leads them down there in those kinds of tactics! I find it hypocritical of him to talk about settling political scores w/ this indictment; what are they doing to Obama? Sounds like the same thing to me and they never had a leg to stand on; didn't stop them!
***DeLay and Perry are being implicated in allegations of criminal behavior, not "politics"***
It's the usual "deflecting" they accuse Dems of doing! They're masters at it along w/ their hypocrisy! All Rep. are full of shit! Years ago, some had some common sense and decency, but since Clinton and the way they treat Obama w/ such disrespect, I wouldn't vote 1 for local dog catcher! They're all disgusting animals as far as I'm concerned who care more about their party than doing a good job and doing the right thing! They're so busy trying to undermine Obama, they're trashing the country w/ inaction and foot-dragging to make sure he has nothing to hang his hat on! I will never forget or forgive it and I'm no fan of his! Their behavior these last few years have been deplorable and anyone who would vote for them is endorsing said behavior and should feel the same amount of shame!
***W/ Bush and Cheney DWI convictions, they couldn't be trusted w/ the keys to a car... so what did America do next?***
Well they're Republicans; we're supposed to move on and ignore their hideous past!
***Those DWI arrests and convictions made Bush and Cheney "good ol' boys"... now let's elect them into power. It took the US Supreme Court meddling to seat them in 2000.***
I haven't had ANY respect for the Supreme Court since they voted 9-0 to allow lawsuit of Paula Jones to proceed against President Clinton saying "this shouldn't cause any problems in the day to day operation of running the country!" It turned this country upside down and I was disgusted by these people; even the liberal ones! They've been wrong so often, it's hard to ignore their incompetence!
***Yes you believe the President is entitled to sexually assault employees.***
That bitch didn't have a leg to stand on! Besides a statute of limitations, it was all backed by conservatives just to harass and embarrass the Clinton! Get over yourself and stop being a tool for the "right!"
***Yes. I'm sure she was lying. There wasn't any corraborative evidence at all that Mr. Clinton ever sexually exploited employees. Just a vast right wing conspiracy.***
***ITA that the electorate punished the Rep brand in rejecting McCain and Romney. Meaning, it's not that the Dems won, it's that the Reps lost. I don't think the Democrats can rely on that much longer. It would be fantastic to get a real political conservative in office. Ron Paul may not wish to run again. He's been running for POTUS since the '80's. Rand might be pretty good, though he's going a tad wobbly at the moment.***
ITA! No one wants to be bothered w/ so called "compassionate conservatism" for the foreseeable future! Every time they gain power, the country tanks, budgets are out of control, and the next thing you know we're fighting some war we're talked into! "W's" lasting legacy will be OBAMA! Only a disaster that big could elect the man! It certainly wouldn't have happened if not for gross incompetence of Bush, Cheney, Rice, and all the rest!
***I like Obama.***
He could have been so much better, but he was too busy placating the "right!" He thought if he compromised, things would work out swimmingly; they just took advantage of it and made him weak! He should have been more a hardliners in the beginning and telling them "he won the election!" It wasn't their job to obstruct in the day to day workings of the gov't, almost trashing out credit rating in the process! He finally realized he can't do anything right in their eyes; even if it's something they've backed in the past! They will always fall on the opposite side of an issue thinking of bringing him to heel! I will never vote for another Rep after the way they treated this man! If it isn't racism, they need to come up with another reason they could treat an American President so shabbily! He could do no right in their eyes and I find that disgusting in so many ways!
***Reps had issues w/ America electing Clinton for 2 terms as well...***
They will always have a problem w/ a Dem in the chair, but they went the extra mile questioning his citizenship, religion, patriotism, his parents; it never stopped! You have to admit no one went through so much shit as this man when it came to being the President! His kids weren't even immune to getting harangued; "why do they need Secret Service protection?" These people are animals; esp. Palin, Cruz, Gingrich, Issa, and many others!
***Yes, but I hope that's not the entire Rep party. I'd like to think the birthers are a radical minority. I don't recall Boehner or McConnell ever spewing the birther line.***
Since they were the leadership, they gave that mealy-mouth response of "I take him at his word!" How these people sleep at night is beyond me! If it were anyone else, none of this crap would have been said or done! Reps as a whole hit a new low during this man's tenure and they feel no shame in acting this way!
***I think you're being too harsh on them. What would you have preferred them to say? ...Not just his "contract on America", but the silly impeachment of President Clinton. Sure, it's gotten worse since then in some respects. His Congress passed more bills than this one.***
They could BE MEN and take their party to task; "let's drop all this BS about Obama being a Kenyan, Muslim, and unpatriotic!" That's what real men would have done, but the leaderships of both HOUSES are gutless turds afraid to embarrass or insult their base! Dems aren't that wishy-washy and they criticize one another w/ impunity! Republicans can't do that; always concerned about a challenge from the "right!"
***...Finally, the oddsmakers have come to senses and recognize that Fed is the 2nd favorite.***
That's if he hasn't worn himself out winning that last Masters tournament in Cinn.! He went 3 sets a lot and being over 30 doesn't help! I wouldn't mind him winning, but I wouldn't put any money on him making the final; even with Rafa out of the USO!
***Rafa's withdrawal from the US Open means that Roger will almost certainly surpass him in the race to London rankings after the tournament, although he's still got a ways to go to catch Rafa in the live rankings. But there's a chance that the #1 ranking will be decided at the WTF, which is always fun - unless, of course, Novak wins the USO and/or sweeps Shanghai and Paris, and then I think he'll be able to coast in.***
And so it continues; Rafa being touted as "The GOAT," but unable to defend titles off of clay! He was due another one of his famous vacations, skipping another major; as usual! I've never seen a top player have such an uneven career; esp. someone of Rafa's caliber!
***Fiero, I don't know whether Rafa is the GOAT or not, but he's certainly in the conversation. As I've said before, I'd prefer to just speak of plural GOATs rather than the singular GOAT. But, still one stands out.***
Denial of the term being used gets me worked up though; either way! It's hard for me to give Nadal full credit for his achievements b/c of his inconsistency even playing a full 2 seasons consecutively! Besides that, dropping his numerous FO titles, he has 2 USO's, 2 Wimbledons, and just the 1 AO! Impressive for the most part, but hardly GOAT worthy! Players like Borg, Sampras, Federer, and even Lendl had plenty of other titles! Nadal's king of the Masters1000, but that's all I'll give him!
***Oh, and he has more GS titles than Lendl and Borg, and level w/ Sampras, and closing in on Federer. But apart from this, I agree with you. ...
Leif reached the 1984 Queens Club final, losing in 3 to J P McEnroe. Pretty good going considering that was McEnroe's best year and one of the best years by any player in the Open era.***
'84 was a magical year for McEnroe; and if he had held his temper, it could have been even more historic w/ a FO title! How someone who was up by 2 sets and a break can let themselves get distracted by cameras and whatever machinations are going on is still beyond belief! He was in the zone and should have won that match over Lendl going away! He had been taking a beating by Lendl for a couple years ('81-82) and actually got embarrassed a few times! I don't know if it was Budge or Kramer that supposedly sat him down in the locker room and told him he had to relentless attack! He recovered his dignity and started winning again and had Lendl down at that FO final in '84! I could be wrong in how I saw it; been 30 years, but he had it and allowed himself to lose concentration giving the match to Lendl in 5 sets!
***That loss still haunts him -- and it should. He talks about it every year at RG. The sight of him stomping away from the trophy ceremony like a bratty, angry child is something I'll never forget.***
***...It's silly to expect Republicans to lavish praise on Obama. They're in opposing parties.***
Well it would be nice if they didn't talk about his wife, kids, and mom like dogs! It's toned down of late, but they were relentless and disgusting until '12, totally embarrassing themselves with the way they were treating a sitting President! Nothing was out of bounds and to conservatives not in office, anything and everything is still being said! You're being too kind! Maybe I watch and listen to political shows more; I hear it all! These people are vile and they just can't help themselves! It's one thing to say and do what they do, but they taint their whole party when they allow it go on w/o one person saying "that's a bridge too far and we need to stop it!"
***Agreed. Ironically, the two most recent First Families had 2 daughters each. There doesn't seem to be a drunk in this one as there was in the last one. Perhaps in time. But I agree, some of the criticism of the FF is quite low. It does more to undermine the critics than it does to undermine the FF. ---
MSNBC's Mark Halperin: Perry Indictment 'Stupidest Thing I've Seen in My Career'***
More deluded thought! This isn't about anything else but politics! Perry just wants to be able to fill the position w/ one of his compatriot hacks in the Republican party! The state is doomed as it is when it comes to oversight! That's all those guys needed was to politicize the lone office to keep Perry in check! They might have a chance now that his chain has been yanked and an entity will let the people know when he does something to the detriment of state! So far Texas is already on a desperate path, fastly becoming the toilet of the south allowing business carte blanch to pollute the water and air! Cutting budgets had firemen "let go" while a big fire waged on for weeks! Perry actually asked for "volunteers and to bring your own shovels!"
***CNN desperately wants some shit to go down. They are reaching right now. Its pretty dead there.***
What are you talking about? Watching FOX News, they lead w/ the video of looting, gun shooting, and the use of smoke and gas to deal w/ the crowds! Camouflaged military-like soldiers and tanks prowl the streets and push the crowds back! Come on; still in denial to what's really going on in Ferguson?
***If Obama says something or appears, he's using it for political gain. If he stays quiet, he's doing nothing but playing golf. Just more team politics.***
The man will never be able to win in a race run by you guys! Even when he agrees w/ past conservative ideals, you go 180 thinking it'll hurt him! You're just hurting yourselves when you double down on hatin'! It's so embarrassing to say we're the ideal democracy around the world when we have representatives who behave like petulant children!
***My..... you have such a short memory that you don't remember the vast hatred for Bush......or are just a colossal hypocrite. You decide....***
It was never this dysfunctional! Bush got all he wanted and more; got his cabinet filled in a timely fashion, and Dems never shut the gov't down! There's nothing comparable to Republican obstructionism; the country be damned!
***He's a colossal hypocrite w/ a short memory***
As compared to colossal exaggerators of fact! Delude yourselves all you like! Nothing was like the incompetent tenure of BUSH; NOTHING in our memory!
Watching FNN they pound it that Obama's the worst, his foreign policy is a complete failure, blah, blah! What does that say about all the clowns on the "right" who couldn't beat him in '12, even w/ all the foot dragging of Congress?
***Just switched channels, Fox to CNN to MSNBC and Chris Matthews was on! Who watches this crap? You are correct; they have one of the lowest cable news ratings around!***
People here ask about the obsession most have w/ FOX NEWS, but all they do is bitch and moan about MSNBC being in existence! WTF; why care? All through prime time, FNN commentators are referencing their rival and whining about the anchors! It makes no sense if their ratings are so low; why give free advertising to them daily?
***Reps are whiners. "The squeaky wheel gets the grease." The whiners attract the attention. But that's not an accurate gauge of which of these 2 cable channels is the more partisan or extreme. I like FNS. My biggest complaint about Chris Wallace is he's rather tough on Rep interviewees. I generally like their panel, more so now that George Will has left ABC "This Week" and joined FNS. George Will is my main man.***
Polar opposites, but we've agreed on "common sense" situations, facts, and theories! I've watched FNN since '97 when I got back to Sac! I thought it was new, but it had been in existence the year before! I liked the prime time line up w/ O'Reilly, Hannity & Colmes, then Catherine Cryer! It got hyper-partisan w/ Clinton scandal; Monica! Fox slowly lost it's mind, actually criticizing people that would support the President! The Reps had to pull back on that when it backfired on them in '98! I still watch a little of O'Reilly and Kelly each night, but they're hard to take seriously when they say such ridiculous things and go on offense when challenged! It gets ugly fast on both shows! Kelly relentlessly beat up on ex-Weather participant, Professor Bill Ayres on one of her extended interviews! She's such a pretty, amiable looking person, but no one I know can look more like something out of an "Exorcist" movie when peeved! Megan loses it if you challenge FNN & does her best work over-talking her guests when she doesn't like what she's hearing! O'Reilly is the same way and isn't even polite about jettisoning someone who's not playing by his rules!
I rarely miss "Journal Editorial Report," but getting harder and harder to stomach their "right-leaning!" Nothing Obama does is right, "he's weak, he's going to cost the Dems seats in both Houses!" Same ol', same ol'; and when found to be wrong, they laugh it off and say "it's America enduring" regardless of the leadership! I still try to catch the "Beltway Boys" on Bret's show in the early evening, but Krauthammer needs to be called out for being perpetually wrong about everything! Chris Matthews quotes and lauds him all the time as some expert at conservative thinking, but if your advice proves erroneous, why is he still referenced favorably all the time? I think Will had to be let go from "This Week" b/c he was starting to be rather do'er & relentlessly bashing Obama! They're hiding the lone honest man; Shephard Smith! I still smile when people were rationalizing "intensive interrogation" methods and he went off live, "we don't fuk'n torture!" I never heard an apology, but he probably did sometime later! It wasn't bleeped; totally live! Wallace has his moments, but that slimy interview where he used off-camera conversation of Biden didn't sit well w/ me! This is foreign policy stuff going on and Chris is featuring it like "Al Capone vault" being cracked into! It's getting harder and harder to watch FOX w/ the constant refrain of how high their ratings are, but they never acknowledge the median age is 71 y.o.!
***No doubt at all, this DA was drunk...Absolutely true! AND: No doubt at all that such potential unfitness for the office of one individual justifies gubernatorial / CEO effort to defund the office entirely.***
What was Perry's excuse for being "toasted" during the '12 Primary? I think his people put it on prescription meds; he'd know better of course! All I can do is picture him cradling that bottle of syrup like it was a cupie doll, shrugging his shoulders in embarrassment!
***Oh but it gets better....Gov. Sanctimonious ...Wait we are talking about ...Oooops. ---
I support a 3rd term for President Obama - 25 To Life***
Most would take him over Romney, Paul, Perry, Walker, Santorum, Huckabee, Christie, and any # of Rep. losers who don't have a prayer against Hillary; if she runs!
***America wants nothing more to do w/ Billary. We have had enough of her and her misanthropic old man...***
We'll see! I just can't see any of these guys on the "right" being able to dirty them up enough! That's all they've been able to do the last few election cycles; not for anything, but totally against everything! Nothing is safe! That only works for so long unless you're a rube from the SOUTH! They'd sooner their state turned into a toilet than agree w/ anything a Dem proposes!
***I have to admit that when Obama won the Dem nomination I thought it was a good thing. After all, he'd saved us from Hillary. And then McCain ran one of the worst campaigns I've ever seen. It's safe to say that the Dems did not win but the Reps lost. But to top it off, Obama's performance in office has been worse than I could ever have imagined.***
His detractors successfully waited all of us out! They can say they were trying to be fiscally responsible shutting down the gov't, the Sequester, and foot-dragging on appropriations for common sense infrastructure bills, but even w/ all their vile tactics, the country has chugged along! It would explode w/ a pay raise to minimum wage, spending on bridges and roads, utilities and the like, but Reps want to pray and hope one of them wins the Presidency so they can get all the credit for everything turning around since "W!" That's his true legacy; not 2 wars, unpaid for mandates like "No Child Left Behind" and his "Prescription Drug Bill, it's Obama's 2 terms!
***Obama was a pathetic incompetent. You voted for and supported him....deal w/ it.***
Better than Palin being one heartbeat away w/ McCain or the shadiest duo w/ Romney and Paul! Heaven knows where we would be if they ever had control over it all! We barely survived Bush and his incompetence! I'll take Clinton Redux anytime over the alternative!
***America has done far worse under Obama, Bush only run up 5 trillion in 8 years...Obama has run up 7+ trillion in less than 6 years... 47% of Americans on food stamps...and 9+ million unemployed...black unemployment over 10%...teen unemployment over 20.4%... America is in a down hill slide...Thanks Obama - but you chose party over country.***
...and this is Obama's fault how? We're still trying to get from under the "W" cloud! We're still paying for his blundering! Get real; know what's what before coming at me w/ these "slanted" #'s that have NOTHING to do w/ Obama! He presided over the worse economy since the Depression while George jr. inherited a booming economy and pissed it all away! Thanks again!
***...as saying he really didn't have a problem hiring the 1st black manager, but he did say he didn't want to be the 1st person to FIRE a black manager.***
Race will continue to be difficult to handle since we're not willing to accept the atrocities of our own history concerning the subject! 2014 and it's still a big deal Obama was elected; twice! How we criticize other countries dealing w/ their civil rights issues is still amazing to me; what hypocrisy!
***There are some exceptions, but usually dancers don't last long either; the average is about 15 years I think. Most dancers careers are over when they are in their mid 30s; some earlier.***
It's more a mental thing with most professions! You can make it work for as long as your mind compensates for advancing age! Martina Navratilova had the desire to play tennis until she was almost 50; winning her last MD's major title at 49 years and 11 months at the USO '06!
***True, but not many people can do what Martina did though. I have to admit it was very admirable! Most of the time (and I'm really talking about pro athletes and not dancers) the body wants to quit before the ego. ---
So Stan is the next one to qualify if he plays some decent tennis in USO.***
I could be wrong, but I think by virtue of his Australian Open title, Stan's already "in like flint!" The next question is will Nadal play even w/o his point total, enough that he owns FO?
***That is true, but the ATP will not announce officially a player that he is qualified by default virtue his Slam win until the very end in case he does not make it otherwise by his cumulated points. But Stan is going to make it by points as well, b/c his total will be more than enough when all is said and done. The battle ground is below him in the current 5-12 range. ---
I've not seen Federer booed, once in I think 2009 he smashed his racquet and got booed and that's the only time I've seen it happen. So where is the crowd booing him b/c he is good as stated above?***
I can't remember, but my guess is it had to be from last season when he was trying out a new racket, had back issues, some bad loses to "nobodies," and possibly a crisis of confidence!
***Yeah I know he had a bad back and issues w/ confidence, I'm a big Fed fan, but I do not know what match you are talking about that he said that or was booed either. Plus again, he was not booed for being good!***
No doubt he's a class act, but he was still the #1 player in the world! You can't get there being a saint, so it doesn't surprise me he blew up a couple times on court! It's his own fault IMO, being quite stubborn trying to play like he did 10 years ago as a kid! Hiring Edberg, that should have encouraged him to move forward and cut off some of those interminable rallies of 20-30 strokes at the net! ---
WOW; No mention of Hingis and Pennetta? They haven't even lost a set! Martina's been in just about every event she plays! Since they don't show doubles like they used to, I can only assume she's playing well enough; all on her partner keeping up w/ her excellence! I have no idea what her chances are now w/ upsets of Williams sister and 2 other top seeded teams at this year's USO!
***Here is the thing to me on why doubles is fruitless for the Williams sisters at this point. They are losing to the teams that play consistently at most of the events as they should. Unfortunately for Serena mostly and Venus to an extent, playing a full singles and doubles schedule would drain them. ...I would revisit it in a couple years when things are slowing down a bit in the singles arena.***
***It is a travesty that they use a super tie-breaker in mixed doubles at Slams. Come on, there is enough time in the grand scheme of things to completely play out a 3rd set in case the score is one set all after the 1st 2 sets are over.
Note that I am ok w/ a regular TB in the final set in case the game score comes down to 6-6. I'm not asking for no TB in the last set policy. I sure hate the super TB. We should avoid deciding titles by lottery as much as possible. I have a problem w/ ultimate set TB's!***
After all these years, I'm still holding onto what is perceived as some kind of integrity in the game! I liked what Wimbledon was doing up to the mid or late 70's; TB at 8 all instead of 6 and none in the 5th set (3rd for the ladies)!
***Since Lendl came in the Masters events have been approached as tune-ups, ... Murray may have been able to do that in the past when he was ranked in the top 2-3 places and was reaching slam finals, but now he needs to build himself back up. I think he has a good chance of a good run in Shanghai; perhaps things can start there.***
I think people continue to overlook the main problem Murray has; his mindset to play passive for the most part! He allows players we don't even know jump on him, take a set or 2, then he has to grind out a hard fought win that was totally unnecessary! It's all good if it works, but he's lost matches for the simple reason as Federer; ego thinking they can slap winners from the baseline and outlast younger players!
***B/c Murray has won 2 majors, he could just focus on playing well on smaller tournaments w/o having the huge pressure on whether or not he would win a Slam at all.***
You would think, but after you've won a couple majors, I think the pressure is on to add to the total! Even 2 can be considered a fluke! There are plenty of players w/ his resume and I think expectations have been terribly overblown and exaggerated! In a lot of ways Murray's underachieved IMO b/c of the way he plays the game!
***...Roger played already when Sampras and Agassi were around. Also, sometimes chaos is good. This is one of those cases w/ Kei and Cilic in the USO final. It is more intriguing.***
The BIG 4 made sure there never was much of a chance for chaos! In the old days, you had upsets like this all the time with "no names" in the final! We've been spoiled by Nole, Roger, and Rafa! This will be only the 2nd winner of a major outside of them since Delpo in '09 over Roger!
***I think Novak is temporarily distracted from marriage/baby--and won't "be back" until the Australian Open.***
Age and ego is definitely catching up to Roger! This may have been his last great chance at #18! I had thought his road too easy and was tested all along the way; esp. by Monfils! I really never saw him making the final, but w/ what was left in the draw, he'll be tossing in his sleep b/c of it!
***In boxing, it often said a fighter gets old during the course of one fight...and it is true, but not in tennis. I don't think anything caught up w/ Roger. He went as far as he could go after a long summer, and a pretty physical 5 setter.***
All the more reason Roger should be attacking the net more and cutting on these, long interminable rallies of 20+ strokes! In my day you had a few of those; now it's routine! No No Roger can't allow no names to keep him on the court for 3 hour matches! I've been saying the same thing about Murray; cut off some of these points at the net!
***Yeh, it's really easy...just absorb 110 mph ground strokes and stroll to the net.***
Hmm, how well did he do staying on the baseline against Monfils and now Cilic? You have a marathon on one hand, then a drubbing from the baseline today! Hmmm, might have been an idea to attack thrown out there by his coach, Edberg!
***I agree in that I enjoy attacking, "Samurai duel" tennis, but ultimately I'd like to see an era of diverse styles rather than a narrow range of any kind of tennis.***
I 2nd the emotion! I guess I can stop saying the ATP is "gutless!" It's not like I wanted either or both Djokovic and Federer to lose, but I've found it ridiculous that they along with Nadal always seemed to make quarters and semi's w/o much sweat! They're getting challenged more, but still taking the top titles for the most part! Will this be a trend to continue with Kei and Cilic trumpeting the charge? Bout time if it is the case!
***Even if Halep somehow ended the year ranked #1, no one is going to look at her as legitimate. - Let's say she does hit the top spot, then you'll have the #2 player as holding a slam and w/ several of the biggest events outside of the slams, and the #1 player neither holding a slam or any of the big tour events. ---
I'm just saying I want Serena to hold onto #1 - it would be her first time holding onto #1 for a full calendar year if she can do it. I think she will. - She's never been #1 for one full calendar year? That seems astonishing. I had no idea.***
Both Williams' underachieved by so much! Venus only held the top spot for 15 min.! Both who supposedly have the best serves in tennis! It took Serena until recently to overtake Hingis' record at being #1! That's why I've never been able to give her the NOD of GOAT the way Patrick McEnroe is surmising by 2015! He's an idiot! It's the same reason I've never given Nadal his due; the intermittent best and playing when they felt like it! At 32, she wants to get serious?
***Fiero, you do like to grasp onto one thing an go all hysterical...in this case the Williams sisters and the #1 ranking...but I have to think at this point you're kidding. Underachieved? Really? I'm sure you're joking.***
Just look at their history! They played "part time" in their prime years! Venus hasn't replicated winning a major off grass since 2001! Busy dealing w/ fashion, acting, public appearances, and red carpets left them little time to practice and play 10 years ago! Losing to players considered their inferiors; extended if not losing to people they should wipe out! Yeah, underachieving! DID I STUTTER? Lol! Both should have a lot more chps w/ both being on the tour since the 90's! Martina won 167 singles titles in her 20 years! Serena and Venus combined don't come close! Same w/ the doubles; Martina 177 titles w/ many partners and the Williams w/ a lot less playing w/ each other!
***You didn't stutter, but you're blustering a bit on this one. Is 18 Majors from Serena and 7 from Venus underachieving? They're both on the all-time greats list for lots of reasons. Venus has 45 titles, which is more than any other active player except Serena, who has 63. Venus was #1 three different times in her career, and Serena has been 6 times. They have 4 Olympic Gold medals.
Who are you to say they shouldn't have taken time for their other projects? And at (nearly) 33, and 34, they're still in the game in a real way. You've made a case that they might have achieved even more, if they'd been solely tennis players, but they are women w/ varied interests.***
***Like I said about foot-faulting, name a female player that this has happened to every year at the US Open other that Serena Williams. - That's kinda lame back-tracking. Several people have provided examples of prominent players getting called for FFs at the US Open in the last 10 years.***
I just think it's outrageous to be that close to the line; even if a "S & V'r!" Back when I was 19 playing in the finals of a club tournament, my father let me know I was foot-faulting and I henceforth stepped back w/ no loss of effectiveness! Why in the world are these people who almost never go into the net stand so close? It's the most ridiculous thing to see again and again w/ the pros; then have the nerve to gripe about being called out on it!
***Race to London Points after the USO is over. Those in bold face have already qualified. Cilic and Nishikori are at the top of the serious contenders list. Due to his GS win, Cilic has special exemption and will be considered qualified as long as he finishes within top 20 and that is virtually certain. So, in reality there are only 3 open spots for the WTF.
1. Novak Djokovic 8150 2. Roger Federer 6880 3. Rafa Nadal 6645 4. Stan Wawrinka 4725
Did you take in consideration that Rafa might not come back at all this season; as he's done before! That would qualify another person if he takes a powder until next year!
***Who said Open era began in 1968; Open era begins now.***
It's about time; 4 different winners of the majors and not the 4 we normally get! I guess I can hold off calling the ATP gutless w/ an expansion of the elite! They need to stop referencing Murray in that group! He's fallen way back! Something's missing! He's had moments, but that's about it!
***There is an interesting twist here. Currently there are 3 active players w/ 1 slam each: Wawrinka, Delpo and Cilic. Just imagine one of them clinches a 2nd one, before Murray wins a 3rd; I would like to see what would be then the narrative. ---
It wouldn't put them instantly in the same conversation as Murray as they're far below him in other big titles won, and years at the top tier of the rankings, and challenging the other Big 3. Remember, even Del Potro has yet to win a MS1000. It's not all about Slams. ---
To be fair, Cilic beat Birdy at Wimby and then gave a good effort against Novak. So, it's not coming totally out of the blue, at least in retrospect to him winning the USO.***
Not at all; very "Del Potro-est!" Very impressive beat down in the SF and Final of a major! He was in the zone with his serve, groundstrokes, and head! "Congrats Marin!" Great showing by Kei!
***Actually, even Del Potro didn't come out of nowhere. He won Washington DC and then performed well in the Masters before clinching USO.***
***Andy Murray is now officially booted out of top 10. He is currently ranked #11. The last time he was ranked outside top 10 was more than 6 years ago on 23rd June 2008. This would mean that his draw will continue to be very tough and he will not get a Bye in Shanghai.***
IMO, it was inevitable! I saw it as "over-achieving" on Murray's part and it all finally caught up with him! That style of defensive counter-punching will always make the player "pay" for it eventually; aches, pains, injuries, and in general being "run down" after a few years of success!
***While you may not like Murray's style of play, I think it's a bit much to say he's overachieved. He beat Djokovic to win both of his major titles (to date,) and Federer on grass to win the Gold OM. I hope he'll return to form soon. As to the list of new highest rankers, there is a lot to be happy for and excited about, as others have mentioned.***
True enough, he beat a couple quality players in those major finals; still only happened 3 times! He had a period of being in the zone; Wimbledon '12 to Wimbledon '13! He hasn't really done much since; injury, surgery, and what I'm thinking, mentally spent! His style takes a toll on a player and Murray exacerbates the situation by training so hard! Like Nadal, I'm just not sure he'll come close to the longevity of Federer or Agassi!
***Ferrer continues his slide toward falling out of the top 10. I think the trend downward will continue w/ maybe somewhat of a bump during clay season.***
Which makes me think of resurrecting my assertion that the ATP was gutless! Ferrer has no real weapon and like Nadal, allows absolute nobodies to take him to the limit, match after match! So often Ferrer's allowed to come back and win matches when most players just don't know how to close the deal in an upset! Happening more lately obviously; thank goodness! Go Stan, Marin, & Kei! ======
***Romo has had bad games before and been torched for it, but nothing like Im seeing and hearing today. Even the Pro Romo media guys are ripping him. This isnt good at all.***
Even the guest host on "Rome" is eating Romo's lunch! I'm almost starting to feel sorry for the guy! The 2nd & 3rd segments were almost devoted to Dallas even though Rice should be the big news of the day! Like some, I don't understand why The Cowboys are even spoken about until Thanksgiving? This fuels Jerry's ego that even with a losing product, The Dallas Cowboys still make NEWS! Moronic!
Race will continue to be difficult to handle since we're not willing to accept the atrocities of our own history concerning the subject! It 2014 and it's still a big deal Obama was elected; twice! Will we ever grow the HELL up?...
***What utter BS. The atrocities of our history are well documented and drummed into the head of every kid in our schools and Hollywood every few years launches some epic antebellum multi hour movie or TV special to remind us. ...Truth is no person alive today had anything to do w/ slavery, all those people are dead, most for over a 100 years. ...Well here it is, I don't give a damn about your ancestors; mine were living in poverty in Europe so they left and the truth be told Af/Am should celebrate the fact that for whatever reason they now live in America and not that shithole called Africa. Get over it, only liberals take your claims seriously and frankly they are even getting tired of the same old BS and excuses. ---
...don't let facts get in the way of a good hate rant. Why are these left wingers always so hateful and pissed off?***
Go ahead and deny my statements! You've also set a precedent when it comes to foreign policy! That's supposed to be the domain of the President, but since Obama's been in office, every 'neck has an opinion in Congress along w/ the press, finding fault left and right; no pun intended! "Yeah, lets jump head first into the MIDDLE EAST again; by all means!" Idiots!
***It doesn't make sense they won the selection, they are the angriest winners I ever saw...***
...and you guys are the bitterest losers in history! Before the man took office, plans were already in the works to undermine and obstruct everything Obama promised! That's ok; still got a lot done! It's all gravy now! We survived over all the backstabbing, threatening and sabotaging of our credit rating, and being a totally "do nothing" Congresses! History won't punish him half as much as the leadership of both Houses!
***All conservatives have done is laugh at this miserable incompetent Obama, and that just eats you left wing nut jobs alive...LOL***
That's funny when you compare tenure of Bush twice, then Clinton and Obama! The numbers don't lie; but Republicans do! They're all full of shit and they take us down a peg each time they happen to win on the national stage! They're an embarrassment and the rest of the world hates our guts w/ their cowboy attitude and actions!
***98% of the members of this forum would throw Raonic under the bus if it would be possible.***
Why would Raonic have so many annoyed fans out there? I'm no fan, but it wouldn't bother me if he was part "of the future" of men's tennis! He has a lot of work ahead of him, but he has the tools!
***Quite apart from most people not particularly enjoying his style of play, he was involved in a cheating controversy last year. IIRC, he touched the net, but didn't own up to it. ...interviewed later saying that while he knew he'd touched the net, he didn't see it as his responsibility to own up. Uggh...I believe he's since regretted his actions, but my suspicion is that's b/c so many people disapproved.***
As long as I've played tennis though, I've never been able to understand why we allow 1 point to affect our psyche? There's frustration, a sense of victimhood, then of course the inevitable "quit" of the player!
***I think the situation is now a bit similar to that on the women's side where you also have sorta, kinda a big 4 w/ Williams, Sharapova, Azarenka and Kvitova. They aren't invincible. The Big 4 on the men's side are no longer invincible either. Djokovic & Rafa are still the best players by a considerable margin and Federer is clearly the #3 guy.
Murray starts to worry me b/c he really can't seem to get going again. While Nadal is still clearly top 2 material whenever he's playing, he's starting to struggle more and more w/ all kinds of injuries. Federer is still doing fab, but he's 33. It would be unrealistic to expect that he's gonna be even better when he's 34 or 35. Meanwhile guys like Dimitrov, Nishikori and Raonic keep getting better all the time. ...Partly as a result of that Tsonga has been able to win another Masters 1000 and Cilic now a Slam. ...***
ITA; this could be a sea change for both tours! The top echelon are getting old and the younger players are coming into their own! I've been very disappointed by both due to their inability to finish an upset just points away! The leaders definitely aren't as invincible as they once were as evidenced by multiple major winners this season; thank GAWD! It's about time!
***Doctors have cautioned against Rafa coming back too early b/c, if he has a relapse, the recovery could be long. ...Nadal will play an exhibition in Kazakhstan wi/ Tsonga on 25 Sept, which does imply they're feeling good about a comeback for the end of this month.***
This is why I continue to fight any inference to Nadal being the GOAT! Margaret Court didn't take so much time away from the tour having her children! He plays a very physical game; understood it to be a turbo charged version of all the Spaniards including Ferrer, Verdasco, Granollers, & Lopez! I have a real problem w/ pros who play part time; already hit on The Williams! He very well could surpass Roger in majors one of these days, but I'd still have reservations of crowning him "The Greatest!" Rafa still hasn't defended a title off clay surface, has only 2 USO, 1 AO, & 2 Wimbledons! Those are "big ONLY's," but I still gave Borg more credit due to his greatness showing through by winning 5 Wimbledons w/ 6 straight finals; wood racket btw! Nadal has huge holes in his resume that I can't overlook like no WTF wins, early exists at Wimbledon in consecutive years, and more, but it would seem like piling on and nitpicking! lol!
***...ITA. I had an issue with the GOAT accolade for my documented reasons. Otherwise we might as well crown Margaret Court as the GOAT of singles, whether you look at men or women! It would be absurd and no one should agree w/ that. Similarly we could say that Navratilova is the GOAT period as she has more titles than anyone else in history, but I think we all know that she would get smoked by even journeymen male players.***
...Rafa; one occasion losing all 3 of his RR matches at the WTF! Why bother? ...
***But Nadal was in the final of WTF in 2010. And last year Nadal beat Federer and made the final again. Looks like a very worthwhile endeavor.***
Beating Roger nowadays shouldn't be a highlight of Rafa's career! He owns the man for the most part! If he loses even a set to Federer, he should be embarrassed!
***Well the surface is Rafa's biggest hurdle there, but in fairness he's done a lot better there than Ferrer. I'm not putting Rafa's lack of success there down to fatigue as he doesn't overplay anywhere near like Ferrer. Most don't in fact. Ferrer is just like Davydenko was before his pretty much sadly career ending wrist injury in 2010, he plays practically every week to stay in the top 10. No wonder he's wrecked by Nov.
Nadal deserves his place there for his ranking and while the same applies to Ferrer, he gets there the hard way. Nadal wins more big events to justify his WTF qualification than Ferrer scraping in by playing 250s in the middle of nowhere just to make sure he gets there. Of course he's done well in slams the past few years too, but every small tournament he plays adds to the points from Slams and Masters events that are enough for Nadal to qualify. It took til a 1/4 final at Beijing for Ferrer to qualify last year. Nadal qualified by winning Roland Garros months before Ferrer. ---
LOL @ Nadal playing "part time." Yeah, he's been on tour for over a decade, and was going deep in most tournaments since the age of 19. What's this "part time" you're talking about? And how ironic, you have an issue w/ a player taking time off to injury, but champion Borg, who got out of the game at 26. I guess "part time" is not acceptable, but an "early retirement" is.***
Borg was already seeded 5th or 6th at Wimbledon at 15 due to men's boycott in '73! No one played as much or as hard as Borg! He never took off weeks and months like Rafa; NEVER! He was truly burned out and the ATP sabotaged themselves by not giving him a break or lighter schedule when he asked; hence the new rules for veterans!
***Well, Borg was never injured like Rafa. If he was, he'd have had to take time off. It's simple, really...***
...and? He didn't or wasn't so your point is MOOT! He was injured quite a few times, but he never took extended time away from the tour! He was a great representative of the ATP being their #1 player! He was the original "rock star" of the sport!
***I agree, he was the dude of the tour, but he didn't take injury breaks like Rafa has b/c he wasn't injured like Rafa is. If he was, he'd take the breaks. You said, "He never took off weeks and months like Rafa; NEVER!"***
***People have a love/hate relationship w/ Sharapova. They don't like the screaming, but they love her inner-Jimbo. Her "I would rather die than lose" attitude.***
But that's what frustrates me the most; allowing absolute nobodies to take her to the brink so she can have this courageous rally to win! Three sets and 3 hours is just ridiculous to allow match after match!
***In a lot of matches some of these women that do have Sharapova on the ropes, don't seem to have the mental belief that is needed to go all the way and win. ---
Well her game at the moment is rather limited, and it isn't like she surprises anyone. So why wouldn't people be able to take her to 3 sets consistently. With Maria, you know you are going to get a shot b/c her serve isn't what it used to be and she only hits the ball at one speed. If you are a consistent opponent who can hit w/ some pace or throw curve balls at her, you can take her to 3 or score a win. ---
Yes, 2nd career Sharapova is not the same player as 1st career Sharapova was. It's mostly on the basis of her 'refuse to lose' attitude that she's able to still do so well. And there aren't that many "absolute nobodies" around anymore. Lower ranked players beat top 15 players almost everyday. ---
It is sad, but on another hand, I thought coming after such an absence and playing right away in 3 consecutive events, was a stretch for Del Po. Finally, how can a bad technique in forehand cause a left wrist injury to a right handed player.***
It his technique in his forehand that's killing him; the slapping of the ball! He obviously isn't making adjustments and he continues to develop the same injury again and again! Who's working w/ this guy? - Which is why I referenced Nadal! It's not like I care a lot! Del Po never came close to the promise and prognostication of his fans; that he was the next member of the BIG 4! He doesn't even have very many upsets of them and hasn't come close to winning a major since taking the USO in '09! I love the way he plays, that technique in fact was more prominent in my era to get more pace on the ball using antiquated equipment! Players on both tours slapped at the ball; esp. on the rise to get a little more stick on the ball! Nastase, Goolagong, Curren, and others were quite proficient in the technique; esp. on the forehand!
***This conversation got me curious about the "Slam win rate" of all-time greats - that is, what % of Slams they played in and won.
Anyhow, it wasn't surprising to see Borg on the top of the list as he retired in his prime. A couple other interesting things that popped out at me: One, Roger has now played more Slams than any other tennis great of the Open Era. He's tied w/ Lleyton Hewitt for 2nd on the all-time list, behind #1, the incomparable Fabrice Santoro with 70 Slam appearances.***
***GOP wants more conflict and more obstruction, more lawsuits and talk about impeachment, more votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or even shut the gov't down - “Frankly, if we lose these midterm elections, it’s going to be a whole lot harder to finish what we started,” the first lady said, predicting “behavior that just wastes time and wastes taxpayer dollars.”
“We’ll just see more conflict and more obstruction, more lawsuits and talk about impeachment, more votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or even shut the government down,” she said.
The first lady went on to attribute opposition to her controversial school lunch program to partisan politics in Washington. House Republicans want to loosen restrictions requiring schools to serve meals with less sodium, whole grains, and reduced sugar and fat, saying the requirements are straining school budgets — and that children aren’t interested in eating the healthier meals.
“That’s really saying something,” Obama said. “I mean, for most folks in this country, making sure that our kids get decent nutrition isn’t all that controversial, because as parents, there is nothing we wouldn’t do for our kids -— nothing.”
The first lady went on to say that Democrats could help Georgia elect Senate candidate Michelle Nunn and gubernatorial candidate Jason Carter if they improved registration in districts favorable to the party by just 3 percent.
“If just 50 Democratic voters per precinct who didn’t vote in 2010 get out and vote this November -- just 50 per precinct -- then Michelle Nunn and Jason Carter will win,” Obama said. “Think about it.” ---
Bill Clinton decried Republicans for spending “all their time dissing the President and dumping on the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Half the time they’re not even running against their opponents. They’re trying to get you to check your brain at the door, start foaming at the mouth. The last thing they want you to do is think. ---
Juan Williams (FOX): GOP right content to attack the President - Last week, an ABC poll found 67% of conservative Republicans and 62% of all Republicans say they want to vote in the midterms to “express opposition to Obama.” Compare that against the 64 percent of independents and 63 percent of moderates who reported that President Obama is not a “factor” as they decide how to vote this year.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Ky.) apparently agrees w/ limiting the GOP brand to being anti-Obama. The Nation magazine recently published a tape of promises he made at a Koch brothers event regarding his agenda if the GOP retakes the Senate majority. McConnell said a Republican-led Senate would stop the Obama administration “on healthcare, on financial services, on the Environmental Protection Agency, across the board.” He also promised not to hold a vote on raising the minimum wage. But he offered no positive agenda of his own.
...Recently a Wall Street Journal editorial lamented how the “lack of any common GOP agenda is leading to the perception of a policy vacuum.” Maybe the reason President Obama has been unable to deliver on his promise to end political polarization is that extremists have taken over the GOP. He never had a partner to work w/ him.***
***...Hence why Rafa's beaten Federer only once at the WTF b/c that topspin FH to BH tactic doesn't work there and a 32 yo Federer having one of his worst years on tour only at that. And it's not just against Federer, but everyone that his topspin loses its bite.***
Quite a bounce back for Roger who was #4 behind his countryman, Stan! I had no reason to believe he could approach #2 w/ Rafa's slide due to absence and Stan remaining static in his point totals; even w/ AO and MC this year! There's a scenario having him get back to #1; "let's calm the fuck down btw!" Nole's still the man and he's not going to just roll over and give up his status even though the family man might take a hit in his passion for the game! It'll all come down to WTF no doubt! The Asian swing is pivotal! Djokovic has owned it the last couple years, but he had his name added to the AO cons. years and finally lost it to Wawrinka in Feb.! Stan might fall out of the Big 4 if he doesn't get busy! Love his game, but he's disappeared; w/ all that talent! - Any comments now that Serena has tied both Martina and Chris at 18 majors and counting? It really took a lot longer than it should; esp. w/ how "helter skelter" the WTA has been w/ retirements, injuries, and a lot of inconsistent play!
***18 is more a symbol than anything else. If Serena would have ended her career w/ 17 majors, I wouldn't have considered her a lesser great than Chris or Martina. And if she has 19 I won't consider her a greater great than them either. The obsession that the tennis community has had since the mid-80's w/ counting Slam titles to the exclusion of anything else to decide on a ranking order of all time greatness has resulted in that current players are now trying to break records that older champions weren't trying to set.
Chris Evert Slam count for example could have been in the region of Graf's and perhaps even Court's if she had bothered to compete in all 4 majors instead of 2 or 3 for much of the 70's when she was the best player in the world. She skipped 3 FO's in the middle of her 125 winning streak on clay at a time when she was as dominant on that surface (if not more) than Nadal is today. Add those 3 to the 18 majors she already has and you have 21 already. And there are all those AO's as well. Most of those were won by Evonne Goolagong who was a great player herself, so we can't take for granted that she would have won all of those, but it's not all outrageous to think that Evert would have won at least a few of them. - There are tournaments other than the majors to consider. And there's winning %, consistency, h2h records against your most important contemporaries, and so on. Some things will speak for this ATG, other things will speak for another one. But in the end it's too close to call. ---
OK, for 2014, Masha added one to her resume, she now stands at 5. I hope she can turn the one every other year to 1 or 2 a year; that's if she wants to reach the magic 10.***
Dream on! I just SMH not being able to understand the interest, admiration, or even respect for Maria! I always have the feeling she's only taking advantage of upsets by other players! She legitimately beat Serena 10 years ago as a teenager, but I can't think of anything comparable in her winning of her "meager majors!" W/ the way she's talked about in the press and during her matches, she's obviously the biggest underachiever since Andre Agassi; more flash than anything IMO!
***Well I will always give credit where it is due...she is a tough competitor.***
***OPINION: The SS Barack Obama is sinking fast - "He is sinking fast and could soon pass the point of no return. In fact, it may already be too late to save the SS Obama. The whole 2nd term has been a string of disasters, w/ the toxic brew of his ObamaCare lies, middling economic growth, and violent global breakdown casting doubt on the President’s stewardship. Six years into his tenure, nothing is going as promised." ---
You preferred Bush and Cheney w/ their criminal arrest records and DWI convictions... greater America is appalled at your choices.***
Yes they do! They actually think we miss Bush! We have some rather disturbed people who are literally hoping for disaster so they can say, "I told you so!" If there was a true disaster in my lifetime, it was "W's" tenure in office! We did a 180 from prosperous and growing to being in debt and a depression! "Thanks guys!"
***After Bush/Cheney, the Conservative brand is tainted.***
Tainted? I'd say eviscerated! I've been hearing for the last 3 election cycles, The Republicans are going to take the Senate back! Surprise, they shoot themselves in the F'kn head every other year and they don't even come close! It's supposed to happen this year as well, but the polls show, people are coming to their senses and evicting favorites like the Rep. Gov's of Kansas and Pennsylvania! Senate races in red and purple states are not even safe when they thought they had it all wrapped up! IDIOTS!
***You like dictatorships?***
Oh, I hated the Bush dictatorship; FOR SURE! "If you're not w/ us, you're against us!" Phone calls being monitored using the "Patriot Act" overzealously! TARP funds demanded by the admin. and Paulsen has no idea where all that money ($350 B) went; NO ONE PROSECUTED! No admin. signed into law so many bills that weren't paid for and we wonder why the Nat'l debt was doubled! FOOLS! Wake up already! Get off Obama's arse and put the blame where it belongs!
***Eric Holder Bowing Out - One always has to worry if dumber is going to be replaced by dumbest. At this point in Obama's Admin., I'm thinking dumbest, but we will all soon see.***
Who are you; Madame Curie? Idiots can give their opinions anytime they want, I couldn't care less, but the man is leaving and you bitches still aren't happy! "Oh, we're not racist BTW!" Well if your type isn't, you have a lot of explaining wi/ the chronic disrespect of this AG who worked for 6 Presidents including "W!" When you reference DUMB, pls park a mirror by the terminal! Maybe you'll rethink it w/ the reputation, experience, and good work of this man regardless if you didn't care for him! I didn't care for the previous admin. and his staff, but I never just made up shit trying to tarnish their tenure the way you animals have w/ Obama and Holder! Get over yourselves!
***300 Mexican citizens dead w/ Holder/Obama guns...***
You're full of shit! Holder stopped the program started by Bush which had guns going back and forth over the border! Get your story straight before passing on "talking points" from losers who couldn't care less about any deaths; just wanting to make an issue to embarrass this President and nothing else! Screw all of 'em!
***The FO meant NOTHING to Sharapova today when she played Timea and looked like she is gone die there. She's a mental case suffering from Serenities; your FOs addition makes her look more stupid, not less stupid.***
The woman was overhyped and under-achieved as far as I was concerned! Since she won that '04 Wimbledon over Serena, she's been about as relevant as Anna Kornikova; just some titles to go w/ all that worldwide fame, press, and adulation!
***I feel you and I dont care about her sick head. She suffers when she plays. Thats why she needs mental help. Money and fame don't console her b/c her tennis soul was killed by Serena. Her body language tells the true story. It's funny how her fans also convince themselves that Masha feels good w/ life; the illusion.*** ---
Passing On Point of #1 Mantle - Was just watching the '83 USO women's final w/ Navratilova and Evert Lloyd! Martina had already started her absolute dominance of the WTA 2 years before, but Chris was still hanging on, actually thinking she had a chance to make more of a mark on the game! Evert had 6 USO at the time, but w/ 5 straight losses to her rival, she got the crowd to feel sorry for her! Even Chris was in total denial when asked how she felt about losing those last 5 to Martina and she retorted back that it was "the last 3!" I found that funny to hear a player say something like that to a reporter or commentator who know the record! Where was her mind? Well I digress: we all know Martina annihilated Chris 6-1, 6-3 and officially and w/o a doubt took over the mantle of #1! If Evert had any further doubts, it should have been re-enforced when Navratilova continued her dominance to 13 matches through 1985; that including a total arse-kickin' at the FO the following year in '84! On Chris' beloved clay, she was toyed w/ and dismissed 3-6, 1-6! What examples of the changing "of the guard" do you feel took place on the men's or ladies' tour?
***Yeah, but you forget to mention that Chris beat Navratilova in Paris in '85 &' 86 and at the AO in '88.***
Hardly! I'm quite aware she caught back up to Martina, but Evert was far from being the dominant player she had been before! It went from Evert to Martina to Graf, then Seles! Martina surprised everyone by going into '91 USO, 5th ranked and seeded 6th, but raced to the final taking out Graf in the semi; there wasn't another "sea change" b/c of that one loss! Big deal right?
***Steffi beat Martina at Wimbledon in '88 and I think that marked the end of Martina as a #1; though I may have gotten the dates wrong.***
Steffi officially took over #1 just before the '87 USO, but Martina beat her in straight sets nullifying that change in status IMO! As much bad luck as Martina had in this tourney, she only lost one to Graf in '89! Navratilova's most emotional win had to be a couple years later in '91 when she went on a late "tear" to the final beating Meleeva, Sanchez-V, and then Graf in 3 sets w/ multiple tie-breakers! Seles ended Martina's run there in "straights" and in the YEC in 4 sets!
***Rafa and Roger played a little match at Wimbledon in '08 which a few people have mentioned here and there.***
But that wasn't exactly a "sea change" to the rankings for good! Nadal has been up and down since '08! Even Nole taking #1 away from him a couple times!
***I agree, I don't think there has been a dominant player in men's tennis since '07. First it was Roger and Rafa and then Nole joined them in '11. They all took turns in being #1 and nobody could maintain it for 2 straight years (maybe Nole did in '11 and '12).***
***Navratilova lost #1 rank for last time, summer '87..august I think. By then Graf was picking up ranking points; missed summer '86 when she skipped Wimbledon. Graf won her 1st major at French Open in '87; def Navratilova after Martina was serving for the title. Navratilova beat her in Wimby and USO finals.***
That was the strangest year for Martina! She was making final after final from Jan. to June, but hadn't even come close to winning! I didn't see it, but I heard she was up 5-0 in the Eastbourne final in '87 and still lost in straight sets to Sukova; the same player that stopped her legitimate Grand Slam in '84 by beating her in 3 sets in the Aussie semi at the end of the year! Martina saved her season by winning Wimbledon and The USO, but she was almost DONE by then, giving way to the dominance of Graf and Seles to come! It just came out of nowhere; the decline! She did turn pro in '73 before she was even 18 so I give her a bit of a break! The mental strain of being almost perfect from '82 to '87 had to be crippling! She could overpower people, but she still had some competition in Evert, Mandlikova, Shriver, and a surging Graf! Hana probably the most talented, but too much of a headcase and underachieved by a lot, only winning 4 majors!
***...I have no idea why his fans are so blind and "oblivious" to the strange occurrences involving Nadal.***
Not me! Never cared for the guy! He exacerbated my animus by trying to get the ATP to go to a 2 year ranking to save his being @ #1 a few years ago! It was pathetic and it was a good thing Federer was the President to totally blow it off! I wish I knew where people got this impression that they're great buddies! I never believed that either!
***I do think 2015 will be different to what we have gotten used to expecting, as '14 was. I don't think it will bring a new YE #1 though. Depending on Rafa and Murray I suppose, but those guys should still be fit to duke it out w/ Djokivic & w/ others still working their way in. Maybe next year is another transition year like this was. But I do wonder what the landscape looks like in 2016? (Olympic year; some folks hanging in for that...& '17? Probably a whole new ballgame.***
I suppose something momentous could happen, but every time we write off the top echelon, they surprise us w/ historic efforts! Since these top 3 players have taken over the tour in '04, there's only been 3 other players to win a major! I've been calling the 'also-rans' "gutless," but I guess I have to hand it to the BIG 3, "THEY TRULY OWN IT!" I can't imagine who or what will change it! Roger will be upset periodically, but Nole and Rafa will continue on for the next 2 or 3 years! The USO occurred w/ something new, but will it be a trend? I just don't think so! There's no reason Nole shouldn't continue his dominance, Federer taking an elixir of youth periodically like the mummy, and the rest of the tour is too afraid to knock Nadal off on a regular basis! Both Wawrinka and Cilic are on the way out and I can't see either of them backing up their lone major w/ another!
***I think Chrissy and Martina winning 18 when they had to face each other about a 100,000 times is greater than Serena winning 18 when her main opposition is Twiddly Thumbs and Barbie Dolls. No doubt Serena is great, but she's suffered from not having a giant as a rival. Who knows how many Chrissy or Martina would have, if they only faced the broads Serena faces?***
Henin was Serena's last real rival! The "also-rans" of today are all head cases, led by Sharapova and Azarenka!
***I managed to watch Nole vs Dimitrov last night at China Open and I feel that Nole isn't in his best form, but he played decently. He really likes playing there. I think that gives him more motivation to do well in Beijing. It is going to be tough against Andy in the semi.***
I watched most of it, but people ask why Nole gets no "love," even though he owns the tourneys over in that part of the world?
***Uhm, I don't get why Nadal is complaining about the 'changing' of the balls on tour. He hasn't been on it for months. How can he know? Anyways, now that he is eliminated in China, he has more time to adjust to the balls in Shanghai. So he can't complain there.***
That's ironic; him taking off months at a time, but still kvetchin'! He resigned from player's council when he didn't get his way concerning a 2 year ranking system! It was only 'sour grapes' on his part when Nole overtook him for #1 in 2011! He's a real piece of work! lol! I suppose he needs an excuse going down to another qualifier; what a loser!
***Novak beating Rafa at Wimbledon in 2011 was one of those transitions, a rubberstamp moment where the inevitable came to pass, and it was also maybe Nole's best performance in a major final. Nothing lasts forever, so Rafa getting to the top in '08 came to an end through injury in '09, but still, his win against Roger at Wimbledon struck the blow which said that Rafa would beat Roger anywhere. ---
Drug testing is very important and should be intensified, but clean drug tests don't mean anything, somehow (I personally think the latter contradicts the former but what do I know?)***
I've never understood testing in tennis, golf, or any other individual sport! It doesn't make you more skilled or talented! The best it can do is help w/ stamina and quick recovery as far as I'm concerned! All we've done is marginally change people's training and playing; maybe embarrassing a couple pros who have used controlled substances that can only hurt their play! I didn't agree w/ any of the matters settled like Korda, Gasquet, or Cilic!
***Stamina and quick recovery is a HUGE benefit in tennis.***
I guess it's easy for me to say since my game had little to nothing to do with endurance or recovery! I played in an era where aggressive net play won the day! There were too many players who were stronger and legitimately practiced! The only way for me to win, and I did quite a bit was through relentlessly attacking the net; serve and volley, chip and charge on my opponents serve, and keeping the points short! That's probably why it's so hard to watch pro tennis today; 18=24 stroke rallies are the norm, not the exception! In a club tourney I played and won in '77, most of the matches were done in 40 minutes! The semi went 1:15 b/c I lost 2nd set TB; I was a kid and hated them! Normally I won sets w/ the loss of only a few games just pressuring my opponent into errors quickly so I didn't get tired!
***Yeah, the game has changed a ton. The Beijing courts look pretty damn slow and hard to hit winners on and s&v looks extremely hard there unless you've a very powerful 1st serve or great angled placement. The benefits of huge stamina and recovery are even greater if all things being equal you're as good as your opponent and can outlast them or recover 100% for your next match. I don't for one minute think all the advancements these days are due to better fitness methods. It has some effect of course, but there's definitely some foul play going on out there regarding stamina and it's obvious.***
***The sky has not fallen, even after years of Holder in high office.***
Holder has put "Justice" back on good footing after the disastrous tenure of Gonzalez! Overall Holder did a great job, but could have done more if not for relentless attacks from "the right!" The level of disrespect for this man who's worked for 6 Presidents only can be explained by racism and bigotry! How we criticize other country's civil rights is beyond me at times when ours is under assault all the time!
***LMAO, you are just like Holder and Obama, a one tune pony, civil rights! We just elect the first self identified Black man as President and confirm overwhelmingly the 1st Black AG and the first thing on their agenda is to prove America is racist... ---
...FRANKLY I AM BEYOND FED UP W/ THE RACE CARD***
Well give me a better reason when the 1st BLACK President has to deal w/ charges of being a racist himself, that he wasn't American and born in Kenya, and is unpatriotic! What other guy has had to deal w/ that type of VILE attack before he even took office? Explain what else could possibly be in the minds of conservatives who thoroughly hate this man before he did anything? These aren't rednecks on the mountains of Tenn. we're talking about! These are people in leadership spewing this stuff; the best was from Boehner saying "I take him at his word!"
***The US Secret Service (USSS) is in a slump.
It used to be part of the Treasury Dept. That was b/c, when the Service was est. in 1865, "one-third to one-half" of all currency in circulation in the United States was counterfeit. What w/ this being just 3 months after the end of the Civil War and all, the Secret Service's job was to put a stop to that. Presidential protection began as an "informal" part of the Service's duties in 1894 in President Grover Cleveland's 2nd term.
The Secret Service got into the Presidential Protection business in earnest after the assassination of President William McKinley, when it assumed full-time responsibility for Presidential protection by assigning two (2) agents to watch over the 42-year-old Theodore Roosevelt who had been McKinley's VP. In 1922, President Warren Harding asked that a special force - the White House Police Force - be created to protect the Exec. Mansion. That force was folded into the USSS and in 1970 was renamed the Executive Protective Service. Seven years later it was renamed, again, to its current Uniformed Division of the Secret Service.
In March, 2003 the USSS was officially transferred from the Treasury Dept to the newly created Dept of Homeland Security. Although the new dept didn't have much to do w/ Presidential protection or counterfeiting, it did get responsibility for cyber-crimes which had been put into the USSS' portfolio as part of the U.S. Patriot Act in 2001.
(made up letter from the President) - "...The current theory is that moving the USSS from Treasury to DHS is responsible for a slump. I don't know if that's correct or not, but I have appointed a committee of Cabinet Dept Secretaries:
-- Secretary Lew at Treasury,
-- Attorney General Holder at Justice,
-- Secretary Johnson at DHS and
-- Secretary Hagel at Defense
As he has already announced his impending retirement, I have asked the AG to chair this committee.
The committee will convene immediately and report back to me within 30 days w/ their recommendation(s) as to what I can do, as the head of the Exec. Branch, to make your job more precise, your role more focused, your home life more stable.
The USSS has a long and proud tradition of being among the most elite law enforcement units on the planet. That still is, and will continue to be, the case. The Secret Service is still a fearful team of accomplished hitters and I am asking you - on behalf of every American - to keep grinding. Thank you and stay safe."***
***...At least Nole can't play both Roger and Kei in Shanghai, but Andy is in his quarter again; 3 tourneys in a row.***
In Beijing, Nole got hosed again in his half w/ Grigor and Murray while Nadal had a qualifier in the 3rd round w/ Berdych later! This happens all too often with Rafa getting sacrificial lambs from his country and other pigeons like Berdych! lol! Must stink to be in the Nadal household after this tourney! He better do better in Shanghai or he might not hold onto #2 ranking IMO!
***WTH Andy? Reflecting on it, he's not going to have any impact at the O2 even if he makes it at the moment. Not going to get too upset if he doesn't manage it. This year has been a write off. Hopefully he can rectify it at least to some extent in 2015.***
I don't think Andy's playing poorly; being outplayed really! For the most part he's playing his same game; well behind the baseline, retrieving all shots, blasting a ball out of the blue, and still hitting amazing passing shots! The other pros have just caught up for the time being! We'll see what happens against NOLE for the 2nd straight week! After Novak's close call today, Andy better get it done or he will be out of WTF and might as well W/O this season! I just wish people would stop calling him part of the BIG 4! He's not even in the top 10 now!
***...For those unaware of history, about 10 years or so ago, there used to 2 end of year tournaments; one run by ATP and the other run by ITF. The ITF tourney was called Grand Slam Cup and they invite all GS winners of that year and throw in a few wild cards as well.***
I thought it ridiculous to have 2 YE tourneys! I didn't pay too much attention to the GS Cup; I think the draw may have been 12 players! I know they manipulated the format and formula many times going back to Lendl v Connors when it was blatantly obvious Ivan lost RR match to Jimmy so he wouldn't have to play BORG until the final! Borg had defaulted a match due to the FLU, IIRC, giving him a 2-1 record! If Lendl had beaten Connors, he would have been 3-0 and no one wanted to play Borg in those final years! I still remember Connors shaking his fist at Lendl for meandering into the net and losing points! He wasn't happy, but he couldn't do the same thing! Totally classless, but Lendl was from Czechoslovakia!
***It would be a very odd season if a player won a major and didn't finish in the top 20. Last year, the 20th ranked player had 1685 points at the end of the year (Kevin Anderson), so the 2000 points for winning a major almost certainly guarantees a top ten finish.***
You would think! I don't know what Andy can possibly be complaining about? He's not part of the BIG 4 anymore, so he needs to move on, work hard, and up his game to get back! Off the top of my head, Manuel Orantes won the '76 USO and a couple other smaller tourneys like The Canadian Open when it was still on clay and he wound up being #4 in the world! I would say it's probably damn near impossible to win a major and not be in the top 10 and make Masters! They purposely give GS tourneys significantly more points to win it to make sure within the last couple decades!
I know better than to even look at clip of Ferrer and Simon! It's absolutely criminal watching these guys who can do so much more, but revert to this kind of defensive game so inexplicably; same with Murray today struggling for well over 3 hours in Valencia vs Robredo!
***Well Robredo really should've won both their last encounters and is actually playing very aggressive lately, but he's equally a great defender. A ridiculous amount of match points blown in 2 successive matches against Andy here in Valencia.***
It goes back to what I think of the 2nd tier that can't seem to "finish!" Why continue to play a defensive game when you get ahead? You just give your opponent time to regroup and then start attacking back! Robredo gave this away more than Murray winning it! This is so "Maria Sharapova;" getting into unnecessary battles "playing back deep" and making bad UFE's! I won't say totally gutless since there have been several huge upsets the last couple weeks! "The Big 3/4" are having to work for it!
***There's something about Roger these last few months. Even when he's losing or having a tough match, he's digging deep and making guys earn it. It's great to watch. ---
Now watch him lose to Rafa at the semi-finals of the Australian Open and everyone lament the disappearance of said toughness during another "inexplicable" performance against Rafa.***
You're assuming a lot; not like it'll be a cakewalk for either! Both have had trouble just making the semi of late in some majors! It'll only get worse as the years tick on!
***I'm not assuming a lot when I assume Nadal will beat Federer. I'm assuming the norm.***
That is an embarrassing record even if clay matches taken out of the equation! In the past, the GOAT of his era always ruled and had winning records over his closest rivals! Borg owned Gerulaitis, the Bagel Twins (Dibbs & Solomon), and to an extent Connors and McEnroe! Sampras bested Agassi, Courier, and the rest until the end at '02 USO! Neither Evert or Navratilova had glaring embarrassments in their records, BUT Roger and Nadal rivalry is turning into a joke! I gave him every benefit of the doubt, but as time goes on, even when he has a good chance on hardcourt or grass, the results have been the same! Roger's lucky to take that 1st set taking advantage of Rafa's slow starts!
***...Obviously, the faster surfaces neutralize some aspects of the match-up and it becomes easier for Roger to play "his game," but this isn't 2006. He still gets moved around the court and he can't grind as much, and he's still prone to just making errors. You call the errors unjustifiable, but maybe after 33 meetings in which this happened at least 23 times, there's something more to it.***
The record, dynamics, and history making of this rivalry will go on longer than their tenure at the top! I didn't think we'd see anyone better than Sampras, but it happened and we're witnessing a couple sea-changes after Emerson held record for decades! Even w/ Laver being denied entrance to MAJORS for 5+ prime years, after what we've seen Roger and Rafa do w/ more competition and different surfaces, those memories will fade of pre-Open tennis! Rafa still has a chance to overtake Roger and cement his legacy even w/ limited dominance of his era!
***If the Lakers experience a rash of injuries again this year and make the lottery, then I doubt the NBA lets them fall out of the top 5. It's just not good for business.***
It wouldn't be the first time things were manipulated to save the Lakers! When I lived in Sacramento, I seem to remember Stern changed the 1st round playoff series from best of 5 to best of 7 when the Kings were good and ran away w/ the Pac. Div.! It may take a few years, but I'll be glad when the so called best Commr is exposed for being one of the shadiest characters around! ===
***It used to be the case that if you can muster 3000 points, you are likely to be in top 10. This year all players in top 10 have at least 4000 points each. This is an artifact of the stranglehold of "big 4" loosening up. They used to gobble up almost all the points before leaving very few up out there making the cut off for top 10 so low. Now that more and more big points are being garnered by other folks (2 GS and 2MS this year), the cut off for top 10 has increased to 4000. I think it will remain that way for the next few years.***
Yep! After Wawrinka beat Nadal in OZ, I had to come off the 'gutless' moniker for the 2nd tier! Grigor, Kei, and others have come through; not nearly as much as I think they should, but at least it isn't looking like Fed and Nadal were their Gods! Nole's playing well, but it's no cakewalk! He had to fight to get his latest major and he hasn't done much since but "hold on!"
***Congrats Novak; your 1st match win as a Daddy!!***
Looking at the draw, Nole's getting the worst of it again; Isner/Monfils winner, and potentially Dimitrov or Murray in his top half! OTOH Federer has personal pigeons like Wawrinka and Berdych! There's just no justice in this world! As the #3 player he was hosed, then as #2 behind Nadal who got guali's, also-rans, and wildcards! Now as the #1 player, Nole catches Murray again who' s barely in the top 10! Not sure Andy will survive long after surviving that war against Robredo a couple days ago in Valencia!
***Stan is the epitome of inconsistency and may well be considered a past pigeon of Roger's, but he beat him at Monte Carlo and played him tough at Wimbledon this year; so you never know. Berdych's form has been pretty bad most of the year, but I'd never call him Roger's pigeon ...Roger needs to really be on his game to win and serve big. As impressively as Roger's been playing lately, I'd be even more impressed if he beats Berdych. Going by respective form of Stan and Tomas, Roger should win pretty comfortably, but anything can happen. ---
Oh well that's the draw. I will put all my focus towards Novak on retaining the #1 position in the world. His ROS in his match against Phil K. at times was just a pleasure to watch. His wrist action is so loose; no wonder he's the best returner in the world. - Fed is gone from Bercy! I guess the #1 talk is over now, huh?***
Thank GAWD! I love Fed, but he's been gifted a # of matches this season! He's playing well, but his opposition are still choking like dogs in the crunch! Milos finally showed up and did what I've been thinking he was capable of; classic serve and volley and over-powering tennis! It's so 'Richard Krajicek over Pete Sampras!' If you can't break serve, you're in trouble!
***Federer won't be eliminated from #1 contention even if Nole wins the Paris Masters, but what are the chances Nole won't qualify for the semis of YEC? ---
I'm really not bothered. I would rather Federer just focus on and wins the YEC. If he gets #1, great! But for me the # of titles is what I want him to target. When I saw how slow Bercy is, I really just wrote this one off. I would rather he goes out here than concede ground in the h2h w/ Novak!***
I'd rather Nole attend to titles over status at #1! It normally takes care of itself anyway! I just want him to complete the circle and take at least 1 French Open and Cinn. Masters! He'll have a HOF career and the most complete of all players if he succeeds in doing that! He'll be far behind others in majors, but still quite impressive!
***Lights out, don't know where those two shocking service games came from with Murray. Pretty sure it was the WTA. ---
After cheering for Raonic for the 1st time ever, I will make the ignominy complete by hoping Ferrer wins tonight over Kei.***
That type of play from Ferrer just gets on my nerves! Just whacking away like that, running everything down isn't entertaining! He can volley, but rarely moves in, allowing floaters to push him back and restart points!
***Milos won't ever be #1, probably won't get to #2.***
It shouldn't take much to get to #2; esp. after Roger, Nole and Rafa drop out! In the old days we've had notable #2's like Tommy Haas and Michael Stich! You just need one major final appearance and a couple other good showings in a Master! The men have a wealth of riches w/ 3 super talents competing at the same time! They have had unprecedented results, when 30+ year tennis records have been matched and surpassed in just the last 5! Only b/c of the depth of the ATP is dragging Stanley down at this time! Even w/ a major win at OZ and a Master, he might not even finish in the top 4! Murray's made a last minute push to get back there by season's end!
***Murray made a push all right, but the push so far brought him only to make the final. The race within 4-8 is wide open; any of those players can be finishing anywhere, depending how they do there.***
***Nadal has clearly been the best clay courter of this generation and Federer has been a distant 2nd, w/ Novak in 3rd. Federer has clearly been the best grass and HC player, w/ Rafa 2nd on grass and Novak a close 2nd on HCs, while Rafa has been 3rd best on HCs and Novak 3rd on grass. I guess the point is that all 3 are in the top 3 across all surfaces, much as Connors and Borg were in their time (neither Mac nor Lendl were at the same levels as top players on clay or grass, respectively, like Jimbo and Bjorn were). Sampras was best on grass and HCs, w/ Andre close behind on HCs, but really distant on grass and clearly 1 up on Pete on clay.
I don't buy much into the weak field argument. Each player--Connors, Borg, Lendl, Sampras included--comes up and faces the fading legends, plus the guys they battled through the juniors, and then--if they last and remain top players for more than a year or 2--they face the future top guys. Sampras, Connors and Federer have seen that and Rafa has been around long enough at the top to include on that list. Novak, if he is at or near the top another couple years, will be in that group too. So, I still think we are in a truly golden age of legendary players still playing against each other and the next generation, after disposing of the former top players like Hewitt, Roddick, Safin and Ferrero (and Pete in one match). These guys have been as good or better as any other crop of top dogs that we have seen. But does that mean Roger on grass was as good as Pete or that Borg would have outlasted Nadal on the clay of Europe (as he thinks he could have)? We will never know. ---
With Bercy over, here is the situation. Novak and Fed will occupy #1 and #2 in some order (w/ Novak having very high chances of being #1). Even though, Rafa is out of action, he's safe to retain his #3 rankings going into '15. But, w/ respect to #4 position in the rankings chart, the story is totally different. Any one of the 6 players (Stan, Kei, Andy, Bird, Milos and Cilic) could end up being #4 w/ just 715 points separating them w/ the WTF to go. ...every one of them will play hard not only in matches against other contenders for #4, but also against Fed and Novak. ...that would make this WTF interesting.***
This is such a rare event; been years even w/ Rafa taking off ever so often for months at a time over the last several years! I have to tip my cap to the 2nd tier who have really performed this past season, but w/ advancing age and injury hitting all concerned, not sure how long it'll last!
***Kei has proven that he is able to beat Novak, Roger and Rafa and pretty much everyone else. I think he can position himself in the top 4 next year. He will have to fend off Murray or Roger though in order to do that.***
I just watched bits and pieces of Kei's match, but he shoots himself in the foot by playing like his coach; very defensively! I hate that he'll put this great serve in or hit a shot putting his opponent on the run, then allow the guy to float something back and Kei waits for it to bounce deep! It's so insane to see again and again when he's halfway to the net already and could have closed the point out right then! All players are doing it, but you have some like Kei, Raonic, and Murray who get into these wars w/ nobodies when they should cut so many shots off and make them quick battles! Idiots!
***Fed was a longshot for #1 and I don't think that's a big priority for him.***
...a very big longshot! Nole has #1 nailed down! It's not like he's going to drop 3 RR matches in London next week! That's more likely to happen to Nadal who might be "cycling off" PED's! Djokovic is at his best this time of the year the last few seasons and there's no reason he shouldn't take his 4th title w/o losing a match!
***You probably only ever watch Nadal when he's playing Federer. I can understand why that upsets you.***
When was the last time they played? I'm over Federer; the GOAT for now, but I can't see him making a difference when it comes to competing against the best! He's having enough trouble w/ "also rans," nobodies, and never-weres; going 3 sets all the time! He's playing well, but it's still a battle to win the simplest of matches! He has got to attack the net more and stop thinking he can rally w/ the "big boys" for 20-30 strokes for any length of time! Roger's been fortunate that some players just "choked" away their match against him even though playing at a high level! He hasn't hit "Martina Navratilova's" end in '94 yet, losing in the 2nd and 3rd rounds of tourneys, but it's coming! His attempts at winning majors will only get harder! His last best chance was at Wimbledon this past July, but he blew it by allowing Nole back in! It was his for the taking! I appreciate it as much as Djokovic, but sometimes you just have to say "good-bye!"
***@ WTF '14 - Group A:
Djokovic leads Wawrinka 15-3
Djokovic leads Berdych 16-2
Djokovic leads Cilic 10-0.
Group B:
Federer and Nishikori tied at 2-2
Federer and Murray tied at 11-11
Federer leads Raonic 6-1.***
As usual, Nole gets hosed again; 2 other major winners in his group while Federer gets the leftovers! I just don't understand how this keeps happening? When Roger or Rafa are reigning #1's, they get qualifiers, wildcards, and over the hill "pigeons!" lol! Neither Kei or Andy are pigeons, but they've had a very long season and are coming off tough losses in the last couple weeks! Murray won a couple smaller events as well and should be exhausted by now!
***It's called a draw Fiero. That's how the cookie crumbles. Nole doesn't always get hosed. He's had some easier draws throughout his career. Besides, #1 should be able to beat anybody on any given day, right? - I'm really surprised you think Novak's draw is tougher than Roger's. Cilic and Wawrinka have really stunk up the joint in the last month. And let's not even talk about what Berdych suffered against Novak in Beijing. On the other side you have arguably the 3rd best player in the draw, the guy who just beat Federer and a guy who always plays tough against Roger. Believe me if we could switch, I would take Novak's side for Roger every day of the week and Sunday.***
I don't doubt what you say, it's "the moment" being such a big event that Nole has the VETS while Roger has some players that may be a little fragile b/c of it being their first appearance there; except for Andy who s/b "bone" tired!
***If these newbies could withstand a Slam final, then they should be OK here. The only person I would consider a little 'green' is Milos. He hasn't ascended to a major final just yet and may succumb to nerves. We'll have to see how it plays out. - The only draws that really got me worked up were the 2011 ones where they kept putting Federer in Novak's half and Murray in Nadal's. Not that it mattered that year.***
I railed about that too! From '11 on since Nole ascended to the top, I see these draws and wonder! Rafa comes back after one of his extended layoffs and even as a 4th or 5th ranked player, he was catching breaks in his draw! It was no wonder he cleaned up taking another FO, USO, those Masters, and the #1 ranking last season! This is the Masters; you can lose a match and still take the title! I didn't say it wouldn't be difficult for Roger, but he has an opening w/ newbies in his group and a breaking down, defensive counterpuncher who's about "punched" out!
***If the surface at London O2 is not quicker than at Bercy, I don't see Roger winning. On the other hand, if the conventional wisdom is true and the courts are indeed quicker, that would give some advantage to Roger.***
Funny I grew up in the 70's w/ the cocktail generation, often making drinks for my parent's company, but I never really got into it! We had a complete wet bar w/ backed chair stools, psychedelic lights in the brick foundations, w/ everything you could imagine behind the bar! I was lucky if they pushed a small glass of Mogen David Concord Grape down my throat over the holidays! I still go months w/o any thing alcoholic! Others I've associated with need to go through a 12 pack every night! Pass! Too many empty calories! Same w/ smoking; every one including my parents, brother, college roommate, and coworkers smoke! I can't stand it to this day and at 57 you'd think I couldn't smell it! I can get whiffs off idiots outside! It's just gross; add booze and a "date" is stinking! ---
***I don't have a passport either; no desire to leave the US at this time.***
I never know when I might need to get away! I keep my passport 'up to date' even though I haven't been abroad in 10+ years! It was only convenient to get one when I lived in SF! Anywhere else in the country it takes months! I used to love visiting friends around The States, but I've felt like cattle being herded since '911!' A trip to Amsterdam had them treating me better on British Airways! I just stay home; really hurting our economy when people just say "screw it," not worth the trouble!
***ITA Fiero! Actually, @lld I had no interest in a passport and it's no chump change to get one, but my brother wanted me to do some research w/ him in Toronto and Calgary, etc some time back and I needed a passport if I was going to do that or if we wanted to vacation w/ friends. I figured, 'what the heck.' The great thing is it's good for 10 years and it is an excellent form of ID that I use everywhere (it's actually better than a license, etc). Also, I have moved a few times due to work and before, b/c of family obligations, it isn't always easy to keep dropping cash on state IDs (I don't drive) each place I go. This way I don't need to worry in the meantime - have the passport. It came in handy many a time and if, as Fiero rightly points out, if I ever HAVE to get away (LOL), I'm prepped! ---
I think a lot of people don't understand what it takes to get an ID and why it is so hard for poor people. A lot of IDs run in the $20 plus range - that can be a week's worth of food. Not to mention getting to the location to get the ID - if you have no car, no bus service, are disabled, etc. There are not offices on every street corner. ...*** ===
Why should we be any different that Russia? I used to think cons/Reps could contribute, but the fact is collectively they've lost it! I think they're stuck in some kind of "time warp" and can't advance to the present! When you see the open contempt they have for gays, women, Blacks, and brown people, what else can be said? They now seem like it's better to trash the country than allow it to go in the direction it's going! The politics of the US has become so polarized, nothing gets done anymore! We're lucky to be treading water w/ the way Congress has been behaving since '10! Years ago, I could see myself voting for the best person for a job, but if there's an "R" behind their name from here on out, FORGET IT! Like the "Prince Of Darkness," Bob Novak once said before he passed on, "Republicans haven't done anything [original] since they freed the slaves!"
***Republicans favored to take the Senate.***
I'm hoping The Republicans shoot themselves in the Fk'n head again and don't take the Senate! It was supposed to happen in '10 and '12! Notice most of them are keeping their idiotic, foolish, and stupid mouths closed for a change! That'll change when they take over and plow the rest of the economy into the ground! Such treacherous people always talking about patriotism! BIGOTED SCUM!
***Nah, You aint petty.. you just ain't gonna ever show Rafa any love... it ain't happening.***
I think we all have what some might call a bias, when in our minds we have a legitimate reason why a particular player is not so deserving of all their accolades! In my era the top dog was Connors and the obvious villain and foil when there's a single's contest! He has the most complete record for his time winning 3 majors (AO,W, USO) in '74 alone, but like Rafa, he had obvious holes in his game and weaknesses were glaring! He came along w/ a very aggressive game from the baseline as well and took advantage of the players put forth; old man Rosewall in both W and USO finals in '74! His confidence was fueled and he went from there until his opponents started being more cerebral in their approach to playing him; Ashe & Borg @ W, Orantes @ '76 USO, and Ilie Nastase when he could control his emotions! I feel good about Connors' status as it is now; recognized well, but nowhere near as ICONIC as he would have thought when he retired!
I can only hope besides Roger holding onto his legend and records, that other players like Nole will surpass Rafa in some circumstances as well! In my mind, I won't ever be able to get it to wrap around such a player being THE GOAT w/ obvious deficiencies! Like Serena w/ her on again off again willingness to play and represent "the game," Nadal hasn't been able to hold onto the #1 ranking for any real length of time in comparison to Fed and Sampras! He normally fades after the summer w/ horrible losses in the fall and no Masters win! Even players like Nalbandian, Corretja, and Davydenko have won the WTF! He owns all 4 majors and should be commended for it, but it's a little weighted on clay winning 9 FO! Other greats have more of a balance w/ more USO's and W's! He has got to take another 2 majors in London and NY before I get off this feeling! So far, it hasn't looked promising losing earlier and earlier on grass to WCs, qualifiers, and never-weres! You just didn't see that happen too often to Sampras, Fed, Borg, Connors, and even Lendl!
***Yes Nadal's markedly stronger on clay than on other surfaces, but I think he's done enough on other surfaces to garner respect. If I have any issues where he's concerned it's more to do w/ his antics which - IMO - border on unsportsmanlike (time-wasting, opportune injury/ toilet breaks and of course the biggest one... coaching).***
You hit the rest of it about his "unsportsmanlike" behavior! My post was already the length of a pamphlet! lol!
***Didn't Fed say after the match that he was surprised that he was able to take it to a 5th at Wimbledon?***
So was I; but not really! It keeps happening to Nole; esp. in majors when he's serving for a match! Against Rafa at '11 USO & '12 AO, then Wimbledon against Federer in July, he was serving for it and the next thing you know he's broken and he loses the set in a TB! It's not like he pulled back or made errors! Somehow they weather the storm to extend the matches, but losing it to Nole eventually! He has got to learn and "push" to close these matches out sooner! He'll start losing them if he persists in allowing this to occur again and again!
***Nerves Fiero. Even the best have them and cause them to miss opportunities. Coaches say: "Novak needs to finish certain points faster. We'll work on it, but it's a balance that needs to be found. He's not Federer. He needs to construct his points. We've changed his service motion a bit. His accuracy is fantastic, but we still can get a bit more power.***
***It's bogus to claim that Rafa and his fans use injury as an excuse "every time he loses." We've had this thread before and anyone who persists in it is being typically dishonest... ---
For me it's not so much the injury excuse, but more the excuses in general that are a bit annoying. The narrative is that as nobody is capable of beating Nadal when at his best. Losses can always be ascribed to something, as if everything is on his racket.***
This is akin to The Williams who would say, "she didn't beat me; I beat myself!" No one alive has the real ability to defeat Rafa; has to be an injury, food poisoning, grass courts weren't bouncing his shots high enough, etc.! It's offensive to the rest of the tour; even if it's somewhat true at times! No one's more anal retentive in their "nervous ticks" than Rafa so it's hard to know when to accept his BS or not! I personally think he's been like a petulant child since the beginning and couldn't care less what we think! He hasn't sped up "his act" yet; still getting warnings from the umpire in each match!
***In that '08 Wimbledon final against Nadal, out of a 400+ point match w/ over 60 games, Roger was bound to play great at some point. Roger played a great 3rd set TB even for his standards and then was clutch after Rafa opened the door in the 4th set breaker (after he played awful to lose 5 of the prior 6 points to get down 5-2). Let's not forget how ridiculously poor Roger was in the big moments of sets 1, 2, and 5.***
I've posted before that I see so many parallels w/ the careers of Navratilova and Federer; esp. the later parts! They're both winning in their respective twilights, the last major win being a Wimbledon ('90 & '12), and only challenging the "top dogs" sporadically in smaller events; making another Wimbledon final w/ a real chance ('94 & '14)! The only difference is, Roger has a little more life in him and can take a few more Masters at least! Navratilova was done after that '94 Wimbledon final loss to Martinez! I see a lot of weaknesses, but the other tour players still have some reverence for him and allow his escapes! We'll see what happens next week since this has been a long year for Roger w/ more victories than the other players on the ATP even though no major wins!
***Kei played much more aggressive than Murray and once his nerves settled in, he actually started to hit inside the court more at WTF. Andy will find it hard to get back to the level of tennis from '12/'13, it seems.***
It was a stupid way to play! True enough he won The Olympics and USO playing like that, but it was obvious his tenure would be short; same for RAFA!
***I agree w/ you Fiero, players have to find a way to finish their points quicker and try to play more aggressive. Although that has to be part of their tennis DNA, you can't just tell some of them: be aggressive. - Rafa won his HC slams only when he was playing very aggressive and served extremely well. ...But other surfaces - nobody can win w/ just good defensive plays.***
Being listed on a Major trophy always overshadows consistent play IMO! Before he retired, Andres Gomez was highly regarded, but his FO win over Agassi in '90 makes him immortal; esp. in his country!
***Not disputing that, but if we're to go by points won then Cilic and Stan pretty much made the bulk of theirs w/ the slam wins and a few decent wins here and there. Overall Nishikori has been much more solid year long and would be a more deserving #4 should he get there imo. He has more top 10 wins than Stan and Cilic also this year.***
***I wonder if Kei can get a Slam next year? Should probably be a hc one although he was beating Nadal in the final at Madrid until he got injured. Should be in the top 4 next year at a consistent basis if his body stays healthy. He should play less events probably. ---
I'd love to see it. He's one of the most entertaining players to watch imo. Very aggressive and takes the ball so early. The Davydenko comparison made earlier in the thread is dead on in that regard. Agree about playing less, but hopefully he'll get stronger and the injuries will be less frequent.***
As aggressive as you think Kei is in comparison to other players, I still see him playing a bit defensively; allowing floaters to drop deep instead of taking them in the air and following the shot into the net for a "put away!" It bugs me so much to see today's "so called" tough men look so weak at times! It's bad enough w/ all the 2-handed backhands, but backing up that way only extends matches into possible losses that should be winners!
***True, a lot of players lack the insight and killer instinct to get to the net to finish off points, but he's definitely better than many of them out there at getting the point won sooner rather than later. He certainly doesn't hope to win points by moonballing/pushing the ball back in play and waiting for his opponent to miss. He goes for winners, but agree about the net part alright. ---
Kuerten became YE #1 in 2000 w/ just 75 points lead. Guerten 4195 compared to Marat 4120 (old system - GS got you 1000).
The WTF Chp match really decided the winner, even though the 2 contenders were not directly fighting w/ each other.***
This is why I've had such a problem w/ today's male pros! For too long you've had the same 3 dominating; others not even close! W/ Murray winning a major and the Olympics, he still didn't move up! There are plenty of players who have the game, but they must have fluff in their brains when it comes to finishing off Roger, Nole, & Rafa all too often! Kei was unlucky enough to get injured when he was killing Rafa in Madrid on clay earlier this year, but he probably would have choked anyway! ===
GB outdid themselves tonight! Leading the Bears by 41 late in the 4th quarter, Cutler barely completed a 3 yard pass on 1st down and these fools challenged since it was off the shoe tops! A-Holes! Of course they were wrong and I hope they make nat'l news for the next few days for being that stupid! Rodgers was a favorite of mines even though I live in Chicago, but they can all GO TO HELL after that!
***Can't blame anyone but McCarthy for that as he's the one who decides to challenge. It definitely was stupid and kind of classless to say the least. - The Bears looked like they gave up last night by the end of the 1st half. I'd say that bodes poorly for Tressman staying as coach. They are done for the season, but hopefully they help GB out and beat Detroit. ---
It was a dumb challenge....but relax, they weren't trying to rub the Bears face in it...otherwise we would have went for the TD on 4th and 1 w/ Rodgers in. THAT would have been unsportsmanlike. Its a little Karma for knocking Rodgers out last season.***
The Bears are only able to surprise these days; no real consistency and have a major issue w/ the QB! I've tried giving him every benefit of the doubt even when getting tagged negatively by Rivers when he went against SD while still being in Denver!
***I don't think that repealing Obamacare is really in the cards. It's been in place long enough that it's effed up the insurance market to the point that simple repeal will be virtually impossible.***
GO ahead! It'll be the end of the stupid Republican party! Take away a benefit and not replace it will sure make a lot of people angry; please do! Just what we need after barely surviving the last time they were in power! Yeah, let's go back to starting wars, giving tax breaks to people who don't need them! We get what we deserve by allowing these animals to exist in a civilized, orderly society! Putting them in power in so many state houses won't help us either; we're fuk'n doomed! Next will be Bush 44; just what we need! We're such idiots!
***...The only thing I can predict is that, if Obamacare survives the latest Supreme Court challenge, whatever is in place 5 years from now won't even resemble the current bill. [We've already seen over 40 changes to the ACA and we're hardly started yet.]***
Smart people would try and fix the thing instead of repealing! National healthcare has been dream for over a 100 years and now these animals want to take it away? Idiotic! These people have already shown they can't be responsible or even knowledgeable; "there's no climate change, ebola is going to be used against us in a terror attack, and oil pipelines don't pollute!" I should have moved abroad when I had the chance!
***We're not animals. We simply understand that the "rugged individualism and self-reliance" that made our nation great while we were in ascendency is being taken from US. And the more that's taken from us, the more we head toward decline.***
You should know what decline is all about! Bush 43 took a thriving economy, peace, a budget surplus, and low unemployment and turned it into shit; "thanks 'W'!" When Obama took over, the nat'l debt had been more than doubled by him and his Republican Congress, 2 unnecessary wars had been started, and b/c of consistent de-regulation of Wall Street, the stock market blew up! Their campaign of hate against gays and minorities in general have shown them to be truly loathsome creatures! The way they've treated Obama and his family shows exactly where I'm coming from! Animals must have a very short memory!
***Everything was fine until Pelosi and Reid took over. .. They promised change.***
And you guys promised to destroy it all! McConnell: "My goal is to make sure Obama is a one term President!" Idiot! Bigots, racist, and other stupid a-holes make up the Republican party! Dems might have a bunch of mohrons out there, but they never go out of their way to trash the country to make a President look bad! You guys are treacherous and there's nothing that will change my mind on that! Make all the excuses you want about self-reliance and you're still being hypocrites; still take Medicare, Soc. Sec., and any # of programs to make sure we don't have people dropping and dying the streets! We're more socialist than you know; will ever know really!
***For purpose of this post, I'll give Obama the benefit of doubt. I'll guess he meant well. I'll even go so far as to consider that he may have believed "if you like your plan you can keep it," when he said it. But it is not the equal of European systems. And rather than bending down the cost curve; I gather our health care remains some of the most expensive per capita on Earth. Not highest quality, merely the most expensive.***
Now that was a competent retort to a serious situation! Obama may not end up being the best President, but he didn't trash it like past losers like "W!"
***Fiero... as for calling us bigots and racist. ... did you see what Dems said about Mia Love And Tim Scott? Do you spit or swallow?***
Add Clarence Thomas who I have just as much contempt for; allowing himself to be used by "the right!" I have no respect for them; esp. when you see them side w/ bigots, racists, and other a-holes! These same people you align w/ have leadership that thinks nothing of trashing the country, their President, his wife and children, and question his patriotism and citizenship! Yeah, you guys are real civilized! - As for the rest, it depends on how hot the guy is! (duh) And you wonder why I don't support a group that hates my actual presence on this Earth! Screw them all and their mommas!
***Correct me if I'm wrong, but reconciliation would only be a 'moral' win for the GOP? President Obama is sure to veto it. So why even go down that road?***
Why did the House try to repeal Obamacare 50+ times since it became law? They're fk'n idiots obviously! They are so full of their own BS about abortion, taxes, and the economy, logic has been totally lost to these people for decades! They always overplay their hand and it costs them every time; eventually!
***Stop calling us racist and bigots b/c you have nothing else that you can make up.***
Stop disrespecting Black people then fool! The lack of decorum w/ this President, his AG, and other officials of color only showed what you are as a party! You brought in the man's wife, children, and parents into your hate-filled arguments against his even being elected! What you guys did during his tenure will boomerang on you for all time; ignore that at your peril!
***Oh please... Stuff it already. You must have been asleep for the 8 years of Bush or just stupid...***
No more asleep or stupid than you obviously! No matter what Dems felt about Bush, he got "everything" he wanted! How soon you forget all the programs and laws passed that weren't paid for! He not only didn't pay for his shit, he cut taxes twice when war was waging in 2 countries! What part of "BANK buster" don't you and your friends understand?
***While there's plenty of blame to go around, if you really want to point fingers and try to claim a single individual, or party was responsible, it would be at Barney Frank and the Dems.***
Way to overlook "deregulation" and allowing Wall Street to "sink us" again! It happened during his father's tenure w/ banks going under for their own greed and incompetence, ponzi schemers, and others; almost none of them prosecuted! And here we go again! "Oh look, maybe the morons of this country will go w/ the 'hat trick' and take on Jebster too!" You know how psychotic the people are in this country, thinking another result will occur w/ the same stupid act; again and again and again?
***One thing to remember is there are 2 governing bodies that give out YE #1's... the ATP and the ITF. Last year the 2 organizations split the title btw Nadal and Djokovic. Doesn't happen often, but it does happen. If Fed is within a few hundreds points in 1, he could be over in the other. I'm thinking that if Federer wins the YE Championship this week, the ITF will award him YE #1 regardless of what the ATP does.***
They could do it, but it would be ridiculous IMO! Nole beat him at Wimbledon, has had a stellar record on the ATP winning several Masters, and had better things to do than play as much as Roger! Quality vs Quantity huh?
***Federer is now 70-11 in '14. Who was expecting 70+ wins this year?..not me daddio.***
Funny that Serena and Roger wait until their twilight years to over do it! It got ugly for Serena there for a while, but she salvaged her season w/ another USO title and YEC! I hope Roger doesn't come out in '15 like she did this season! I guess winning another USO would make it all worthwhile!
***Nole going for 3-in-a-row?..Yes, Ivan Lendl won 85, 86, & 87. Though the crazy schedules back then saw the '85 WTF/Masters held in jan '86 where sadly McEnroe went awol after losing to Brad Gilbert.***
Lendl winning twice in '86 like Martina for the ladies is a record that won't ever happen again in our lifetime! I suppose a big war could delay a YEC into the following year! Ya never know!
***Nole's indoor winning streak is the 3rd-longest of all-time, according to the ATP. Here are the top 5:
1. John McEnroe 59 2. Ivan Lendl 37 3. Novak Djokovic 29 4. Roger Federer 26 5. Boris Becker 19
Wow at McEnroe and Lendl, that is going to be awfully hard to come close to! Nole is also bidding to become the 1st man to 3-peat at this event in nearly 30 years. Impressive streak for Djokovic. I'm surprised Roger didn't have a better streak than 26, I'm guessing it's due to Nalbs in '05 and again in '07 that stopped him from having a much longer streak. ---
The irony of that obliteration by Federer of Murray at the O2 starting off 0-30 to Andy on Fedster's serve. Murray won almost all of his points in the entire match right there.***
I'm pretty sure I said Murray's tongue would be hanging out of his mouth playing so many weeks in a row! Sure, he won a couple small titles to make the WTF, but it might have been better to skip it looking this bad losing in straight sets to Roger and Kei! It was truly ugly; maybe Nadal had a lot more sense to skip it!
Anything can be posted here! We'll talk about Politics, Sports (B-ball, Fig. Skat., tennis, & football), TV, & Movies (Batman & X-Men)! ;-)
Revised Top 10 For Women All Time - Since some of the true greats are still playing, some names will flip I'm sure:
ReplyDelete1) Navratilova - 18 majors (59 total) holds so many records incl. 9 Wimbledons & 4 USO's
2) Graf - Cal. yr Gr Slams & Olympic Gold- 22 majors due to Seles being stabbed in '93
3) Court - Calender year Grand Slam and has 62 majors in singles, doubles, & MD
4) Evert - 18 majors including 7 French Opens and 6 USO's on 2 surfaces
5) S. Williams - 17 majors so far in singles, Olympic Gold in singles and doubles (3)
...
10) BJ King - 12 majors and the mother of the WTA making prize money equitable and WTT
***MODERN ERA ("Open Era Plus") TOP 10 WOMEN
1. Graf
2. Navratilova
3. Evert
4. Court
5. Serena
6. King
7. Seles
And then Goolagong, Venus, Henin, and Hingis in some order.
---
This is a nice "exercise". My rating is based on last 15-20 years but I have images of past players. I counted players like Navratilova, Seles, Graf. Fiero won't like/rate my list at all:
1. S Williams - 17 majors in singles, Olympic Gold in singles and doubles
2. Navratilova - 59 major, 167 singles titles, 177 doubles, #1 over 330 wks, 74 match win str.
3. Seles - stabbed while being #1 and prevented from having a more impressive resume
4. Graf - 22 majors, Golden Slam, #1 over 370 wks, took advantage of Seles' absence
5. V Williams - 7 majors, none off grass since '01, #1 the shortest period since Evonne G.C.
6. Henin - Retired as #1, returned for a while; an overall impressive record on all surfaces
7. Kim - Only mother in recent memory to win a couple majors
8. King - Mother of WTA, WTT, & equal pay - 12 singles majors, 20 Wimbledons
9. Evert = 18 majors in singles, 125 straight wins on clay, 157 singles titles
10. Sharapova - 5 majors - before 2010 (yes,me! b/c of her fighting spirit)
---
I knew it would throw you. I warned you.***
What can I say? I saw Margaret Court here in Chicago against Martina back in '75; VS of Chgo final! Navratilova beat Evert and Court took out Wendy Overton in their respective semi's! Hard to forget; I'm old!
***Nobody can touch Navratilova, when you look at # of titles, years on the tour; nobody comes close.***
Martina's records; both of them will never be broken IMO; length of tenure for Navratilova and of course Hingis' youth w/ her accomplishments!
***...Counting titles doesn't make it for me. Thats why Serena is on top of my list, purely b/c of her tennis level. Don't go mad.***
Even if you don't want to count just titles, I've always had a real problem w/ Serena; coming and going as she pleased, being a rotten representative of the WTA losing it on several occasions at her home MAJOR! I can't remember Martina, Chris, Graf, or Seles getting fined and probation w/ threats of being suspended! So much for being religious acting out like that more than a couple times! Disgusting!
***...Personally I don't find anything wrong w/ Serena's behaviour. She has a right as a free person to not play and get out of the WTA circuit when she needs to. I just say that imo her level of play is the highest I have seen. You probably know more about tennis than I do. I mean it, it's not ironic.***
***I still believe in a Serena come back. She just needs to get her act together and start playing seriously again.***
ReplyDeleteI thought her problem was overplaying last year; more tournaments than in her entire career! She won, but it had to take a toll in desire mentally as well as the physical side of it! Like Federer, she should have scaled back gradually instead of trying to catch up and do something in the way of formulating a legacy! She could have passed both Chris and Martina in majors years ago; all on her playing part time! The competition's been weak for years w/ her real rival retired years ago in Henin! She's losing to players who've won nothing and it's beginning to get embarrassing for all concerned; family and friends alike!
***Fiero, I find myself agreeing w/ SOME of what you say. The pressure of getting #18 and playing for history has gotten her to the point of not playing to win like she has done for 15 years to now playing not to lose...... makes a big difference in her game.
---
While Dimitrov has had a really good grass season, I think this next round for Andy will be as it was last year v. Verdasco: a tester.***
Oh please, Verdasco's just gutless and has never been able to finish; same w/ Lopez! That was a gift match from Nadal a few weeks ago! These guys find ways to lose matches even w/ huge leads! I told someone after he won those 2 sets from Murray last year at Wimbledon that "he's going to give it all back; mark my words!"
I'll admit I was surprised at the level that Verdasco brought to that match last year, and I think Andy's nerves had something to do w/ it, but it's unfair of you to just proclaim Fernando "gutless." MY point is that Andy got tested in the same round last year, after sailing. I think he'll be somewhat tested by Grigor here, but will come through, and it'll give him a bounce.***
There's a reason 35 of the last 37 majors have gone to only 4 players of the ATP; pretty much the same at most Masters event! Some may call it a "golden age!" I don't see it that way and blame the players; lack of courage and just not very bright in finishing off the "Big 4" when they're down! Even Sampras, who I believe is the consummate grass court artist lost during his reign! He had a rival that could blast him off the court and he actually "finished" by winning the tourney a few rounds later; Richard Krajicek in '96! Players like Federer and Murray are the most vulnerable right now, but you see how it is; players with ability just can't think and do well when it counts! Knocking them out in Cinc. or Montreal isn't going to cut it; reputations are made at the majors and I find it disgusting that only Del Po & Wawrinka have shown any kind of intestinal fortitude to actually challenge the top players and win in the last several years!
***Well said Fiero. All of the big 4 have been on the ropes, have been vulnerable, whether in the Masters or the Slams. When it came down to it, very few of the others have had the fortitude to step up and capitalize on their opportunities. There will always be those who point to the speed of the courts (or lack thereof) as the reason for the Big 4's reign. To some degree I can see their point, but I also believe that those who hold that line will just as readily agree w/ you. There have been numerous situations where 1 or more of the "Four" have been in trouble and their opponent was not able to finish the job.I conclude with one other thought: that there are 4 (rather than 2 or 3), has in itself been part of the problem. Unless there is an early upset - in the Masters and Slams - any other player will find himself facing a gauntlet of at least 2 and often 3 of the "four." To me, that is a much greater "ask" than someone like Krajicek would ever have faced.
ReplyDelete---
Fiero, you're comparing Sampras w/ the sum of 4 top players w/ that assessment. Like Sampras, Federer has been beaten at Wimbledon. Nadal has lost at Roland Garros. Djokovic has lost at Melbourne... The main difference is that the field then didn't have 3 or 4 "Sampras" type dominating players to go through. They might knock off 1, but then generally they get another.
Is this unprecedented? No - You could say a pretty similar situation was happening when Borg, McEnroe and Connors were dominating proceedings. If you discount the AO, as these guys rarely played it (I'll even discount Connors' '74 title for the purpose of the comparison), then 3 players won 22 of 27 Slams taking in Wimbledon, USO and FO in the same 9 season time frame from 74-82. That's just 3 players doing the damage, not 4. That was also hailed as a "golden era."
Some players do lack mental fortitude, but that's always been the case. (I agree on Verdasco by the way), but the bigger reason is that they're not consistently good enough. I emphasize "consistently" b/c it's not as if any of these players are titans week in week out and then just folding against the Big Four... They are inconsistent, period. For instance, it's not as if Berdych or Tsonga are dominating everywhere until they meet a member of the elite - they are inconsistent w/o the Big 4 being anywhere on the radar.***
True enough! Well at least you guys understand where I'm coming from when I use the description of "gutless!"
***Outstanding. Kerber didn't choke as she so often does. Bye bye to the horrible stares and screaming and they were stares of despair in the end. Kerber over Sharapova in 3 grueling sets. (clap)***
It looked like Kerber was about to pull a '91 Sabatini; served for it and failed! Maria wasn't playing badly, Kerber just took it; thank GAWD! All that noise is so unnecessary! Why the WTA hasn't done something about it is beyond me! It is most distracting! Looks as if Wawrinka and Lopez had a discussion about the same subject at the end of their match today!
My heart hasn't raced like that in ages! Been saying the men have been gutless, but the women are putting on a show! All the top players are gone again, while the men still have all their top seeds! "Bravo ladies! Too bad I have no idea who you are!" I barely know Kerber and Kvitova is a past champion! No clue about the others; even Halep who's #3 with a chance to get to #1 after Serena's upset!
***Time for an update man! Its your lost. People don't know what they are missing! Ten times more exciting than the men's tennis boring show. I'm totally hooked on women tennis.***
***First time ever watching Kyrgios and what a player! Tough loss for the Nadal camp, but what a great new player on the scene. What does Kyrgios' ranking go to after this? - From #144 to #66 in 2 matches. If he beats Raonic, he's up to #35. Battle of the servers, but Kyrgios has a much better all round game and far better backhand. Should be interesting.
ReplyDelete---
This is even more impressive considering Gasquet had 5 MPs to beat him and here he is beating Nadal in 4. Wow; clutch.***
I couldn't be more pleased! It all finally caught up to Nadal; that passive way of playing and dropping those 1st sets!
***Is this the 3rd year Rafa's lost to someone ranked in the hundreds? - #100 + 135 + 144***
Anymore GOAT talk and I'll throw that out and "up!"
***Wonder what the excuse will be this time? I could take an educated guess or two. - If you saw his press conference, he made no excuses. He praised Kyrgios for playing a great 3rd set TB, and for bringing a big serve and power shots. That's it. Don't accuse Rafa of something he didn't do.***
It's such a rare occurrence to give full credit to his opponent; that's his rep! Please don't act like he's some kind of saint in this respect! He and his camp are full of excuses!
***I don't think Serena is a one dimensional player. I think her approach at using her abilities to their fullest potential has been a bit one dimensional in that there is no reason with her 1st serve that she can't serve and volley a touch, get to net more, etc.***
That's why I get so frustrated with today's players; the one dimensional aspect of their games is a choice! Players like Nadal, Murray, and others can do more! They just decide "I'm going to grind it out" even against "also-rans!"
***Well it shows in their injuries. You would think w/ well documented back and knee problems that Serena and Rafa have had that they would be looking to end points quicker and cut down on the wear and tear their bodies endure.***
1 Serbia - Novak Djokovic
26 Croatia - Marin Čilić
3 U.K. - - Andy Murray
11 Bulg. - Grigor Dimitrov
5 Switzerland - Stan Wawrinka
4 Switzerland - Roger Federer
8 Canada - Milos Raonic
WC Austr. - Nick Kyrgios
***Made the quarterfinal once in the last 7 years at Wimbledon? Her '04 win is starting to look like a fluke. Pova can't move well enough to win on grass, not to mention the absence of a net game which could have helped her beat Kerber.***
ReplyDeletePova probably played a lot better in this loss than her win over Serena in '04! Kerber just tracked down all those shots and made her hit 3 or 4 more each point! This was a very physical match and neither have anything to be embarrassed about really! I'm no fan of Maria's going back to when she was a kid b/c I didn't see any real skill to just whacking the ball relentlessly! It was impressive she was able to make this a match b/c Kerber was on, served well, and made her work! I normally don't get worked up about a women's match, but this was some contest!
***You're Right Fiero..... I guess Kerber didn't get the Memo.***
JMac already declared Rafa, "The GOAT!" He lost all credibility w/ me w/ that one! At the time Nadal had several FO's, the 2 Wimbledons, only 1 USO, and the 1 AO! I still won't do that w/ more FO's and the extra USO! lol!
***Fiero, in 2011, during Nole's superb run, he was the GOAT according to JMac. His opinion changes from match to match, even from shot to shot.***
Will Mauresmo lose her position on Murray's staff after this straight set loss to Dimitrov? I've said to myself Becker's at risk since Nole hasn't won much during his tenure!
***What a beatdown. Didn't see this coming at all. Tip of the cap to Kieran who predicted the upset and said Murray breezing through could hurt him.***
Don't feel bad; no one saw this coming! Baby Fed was "ON!" He was not going to be denied!
***The best part about this is that Grigor now knows he can beat one of the elite on the big stage. This bodes well for the future. We could have a new elite player on our hands...finally!***
They don't call him "Baby Fed" for nothing! He has it all including the looks of course! I have no sympathy for Murray w/ the way he plays the game! It's ugly in so many ways; laying back against "no names" and allowing them to take him to the limit mainly b/c of stubbornness on his part! He needs to grow the HELL up and see he's breaking down! His career will be cut short playing like this; same for Nadal!
***Djokovic still needs to hold his serve and serve it out possibly in 5 against Cilic. He's had trouble serving matches out recently.***
That isn't a first! I don't know what it is, but against just about anyone, he's lost his serve at inopportune times like his USO year! He should have won in straight sets in the final, but I said to myself, he was going to drop serve to Nadal and lose that TB! It happened! It's not like he made errors; maybe pulled back a bit and players take chances that have paid off! It happens a lot; believe me!
***Well, looks as though Boris gets to keep his job. Novak wins it 6-2 in the 5th. Dodged a bullet there.***
Sorry, but Cilic is the personification of "his pigeon" when it comes to Nole! Players who know they can come back will just about get through every time! Roger should beat Wawrinka comfortably, but I just don't know after seeing them split sets! Fed still has the mental edge, but Stan can surprise; did it enough at AO and Masters win recently on clay!
***Halep has made a final at Roland Garos. This is her first s/final on grass. This is their 1st meeting on grass. After watching both of their q/final wins, I'm favoring Bouchard; should be a good match. Bouchard to win in 3 sets.***
ReplyDeleteI just have no clue about these girls! I don't know them even though at the top of the rankings! I need to watch the ladies more often, but it's hard w/o a fave like Henin, Hingis, or going back a ways to Navratilova, Goolagong, and Wade! Court was dropped after her rude comments about Martina and her lifestyle! Be religious all you want, but keep your mouth shut gratuitously insulting someone who was so much better!
***Djokovic:
- Moves to #1 if he wins the title.
Federer:
- Moves to #3 if he reaches the final.
Raonic:
- Moves to #5 (ahead of Berdych) if he wins the tournament.
- Moves to #7 if Dimitrov wins the title.
- Moves to #6 otherwise.
Dimitrov:
- Moves to #9 if he loses in semi-finals.
- Moves to #8 (ahead of Del Potro) if he is runner up.
- Moves to #5 if he wins the title.
Other movers:
- Murray drops from 5 to 10
- Gulbis drops from 10 to 13
---
I don't see that it's time to write Andy off. - For sure. It's what we do as fans. Murray has won a major more recently than Djokovic though, and had back surgery in the interim, so I wouldn't say it's more of an act of faith to fancy Andy's chances going forward than Novak's.***
I've said many times, his only move would be down going with that stupid defensive way of playing! He inevitably would start to break down just grinding out matches every round against absolute nobodies! It works out for a while, but he's put many miles on that body unnecessarily! Grigor took it to him and attacked the net to put away easy volleys again and again! Murray should have been doing that; esp. at Wimbledon! I have no sympathy for his boneheaded way of playing; add Nadal to the mix!
***Regardless of whether Nole wins Wimbledon, Rafa has never defended a title off clay - and his next 3 big events, he's defending champ. I recommend (humbly) that he should focus on the USO and let the ratings look after themselves.
---
Agreed. Novak will almost certainly take the #1 spot back over the American HC season. Then the impetus switches back to him, defending a total of 4000 points in Beijing, Shanghai, Paris and Tour Finals. Rafa defending about 2000 at those tournaments in total? We'll see how the gap is after US Open.***
Don't count on it! There's a reason Nadal flounders and just about disappears in the fall; totally spent! Why should this year be any different? The way he plays is terribly taxing and I feel he pretty must rests on his laurels after acquiring the FO! Why do you think he's only got 2 USO's and 1 AO? It will continue to be the same for him; patiently waiting for the clay season again! He useless the rest of the season for the most part!
***I always thought Sasha was overpraised and overhyped when she was an amateur. I thought she had rather weak edges and her skating in general seemed like style over substance.***
ReplyDeleteShe was still a joy to watch regardless of her results! Sasha was so much more of a ballerina than any other female skater during the time I watched the sport! Most of the time the skaters we produced moved about like they had a stick up their ass! They looked uncomfortable, stiff, w/o a lot of grace! Eldridge probably did more than the women when it came to style and trying to show some grace, but Sasha surpassed them all; including Kwan!
---
***If the women really, really want equality, then let them enter the men's draw and see if they are quite so keen on the idea after the tournament.***
Well that will never happen in my lifetime! The Williams' already got a taste of that kind of defeat when they were a lot younger against some guy not in the top 100! Besides men having more upper body strength, their control in putting the ball exactly where they want is unmatched! Even when I was a teenager, I had no problem beating women who played for their college! They could keep the ball in play ok, but when I really wanted the point, it was mine's with a drop shot, lob over the head, or hitting it right through them! It just wasn't a contest!
***Navratilova doesn't think it's a virus when Serena was so out of it before the doubles match. She didn't suggest what she thought it was, but... here's the link: http://nypost.com/2014/07/03/navratilova...-meltdown/ ***
I thought she had to be disturbed coming out like that! I've never seen anything like it in my life; totally disoriented, couldn't pick up balls, and the serve was non-existent! Who allowed her to come out like that?
***When I saw the video, it looked more like she was having a meltdown of sorts rather than a virus. Who knows? Hope she gets better soon either way.
---
Why is Roddick not w/ any network for Wimbledon? He would add to the whole experience.***
Network? Coverage has contracted of late! No Wimbledon on NBC? It's been decades; no "Breakfast At Wimbledon!" Already over run w/ significant retired "vets" like Martina, Jimmy, both McEnroe's, and of course Mary Carillo! I haven't even mentioned the also-rans from Down Under, Mary Joe Fernandez, and Davenport! There's no place for him with more current retirees like Courier and Annacone dropped by Federer! Roddick can't be too bright as well; so much for his MOJO!
***I would take Andy's wit and intelligence over all of the above combined. Besides, he is closer to the game than the others, he has actually played w/ these guys. He has a better understanding of what it feels like to face a Rafa top spin forehand for instance. - Roddick does have wit and intelligence. Would love to have him commentate instead of some others. Carillo needs to be removed. She is useless.***
***I would like to say that Serena should slap Chrissy and Pam w/ a lawsuit for character assassination when they implied that she was on drugs. I can't believe that they would do something like that in a public forum where millions of people are watching w/o evidence and "Jon 'Worthless'" repeated the same crap. I hate those people w/ a passion. Don't let me start on Martina....I wonder if it were one of the other "players" would they have made the same statement?***
ReplyDeleteDrug use was implied, but never really voiced! I assumed the same thing watching her "stagger" around like a junky; sorry! Venus and others close to her should have said, "you can't go out there like this!" She will be tested since Wimbledon's a major and what will be said if they find something? Will you apologize for the truth being expressed by legitimate commentators? If it was a virus, why was she out there? She was struggling without illness; what made her think she could win totally disorientated? Again, I've never seen anything like this before and I've been associated with the game since '71! If you don't want to fault her, question the common sense of her handlers, family, and friends there! On ESPN's PTI, they referenced Serena's own comments from Feb. about taking the most potent pain killers allowed due to a back problem! Maybe she was on vicodin or something! Who knows?
***...and this type of white people disgust me. Martina, and Evert and all these types...That is all and you all know what I mean.***
Well 'spain it to us! Your going for a walk doesn't explain someone going onto a tennis court on int'l tv looking like she was totally whacked! Did you see those serves? It was embarrassing for all concerned b/c it looked so bad! If you don't want assumptions made, you don't go on the court like that! Venus didn't seem too concerned for some reason! It was just very odd!
***Serena couldn't retire before the match. It would have made them look bad, like in IW. She probably didn't know how bad her situation is until she got to the court. She also preferred for anyone to see her in that state rather than retire like a diva before the match. She had to show everyone that she is REALLY sick and not faking it to avoid the bad mouths out there.***
Mission accomplished I guess! I've been ragging on both the Williams' for years for coming and going as they pleased; resulting in this situation! As the #1 player in the world, she has a responsibility to the WTA, the fans, and everyone associated! B/c of their history, she then felt compelled to go out there looking as if....well you tell me! I don't even smoke cigarettes! It just looked real bad; NUFF SAID!
***So you agree w/ me that she did her best, good. Imagine if she didn't show up at all. No one would have believed them that they cant play.***
Ahhhh, NO! What I agree w/ is she brought this on herself b/c of her rotten history of playing when she feels like it! It didn't always have anything to do w/ illness, or something personal; she would just leave the tour! No other top player in my memory has acted this way; even if pregnant like Evonne or Kim! No one thought any thing of them taking time away, but Serena is making tv appearances, walking red carpets, and trying to establish a fashion line; she won't get the benefit of the doubt! Coming out like that will haunt her and be added to the list of other humiliating events we all know about at the USO! It's her own fault!
***Let me add that if Murray thought he was going to push his way to a title defense...well....***
ReplyDeleteThat was a "pipe dream" really! He hadn't been playing, was getting over a serious injury, and trying out a new coach! He was lucky to make it as far as he did in this "so called" title defense! He wasn't that great to begin with; how could rational people think he could waltz in and take another major? He overachieved as far as I was concerned and probably maxed out what little talent he had! He's stubborn, refusing to 'take it' to even the lowest of player; he can't expect to do much against the top echelon w/ his attitude of playing so defensively?
***A bit extreme, but Fiero makes a valid point, you must agree.***
I understand counterpunching, but that doesn't mean you continue to let others attack and get away w/ running you around indefinitely! Evonne Goolagong was one of my favorite players back in the 70's and was the best at it; playing defensively at times, but had the sense to attack herself; esp. with her serve and volley talents! IIRC Murray was quite willing to play offensive tennis, but changed his mindset several years ago and decided to what I call "an ego trip" of winning w/ guts and guile! ...Murray waits until he's about out of the tournament before realizing he needs to make some kind of change; then it's too late like against Grigor yesterday!
***Lads, stop slagging the counter-punchers! Rafa counter-punched his way to 14 majors, that right, Lux?***
Nothing embarrassing about having 14 majors, but it took him longer to get there due to the way he plays! He's breaking down in so many ways and has had to take extended periods off the tour like no #1 player in the history of the game! I've been saying the same about Murray and Serena, playing defensively when they have the ability to finish off points and opponents a lot sooner! It eventually catches up to you as evidenced by what we hear in the news of late! For Nadal to allow qualifiers and WC's to take him to the limit and at Wimbledon to actually beat him just proves my point! Federer hasn't missed a major since he started his run over 10 years ago; these other players can't say the same! I wish I could get through to people without thinking I'm trolling; these are just facts! These players can close out the "also-rans" a lot sooner and maybe extend their careers! Serena's waited too late and won't approach the longevity of Martina; finally thinking of her legacy last year and overdid it BIG TIME! It's all catching up to her so we shouldn't be surprised by her results!
***Kieran, ...You are looking only at # of Slams, but not age or # of years. I think part of Fiero's point is that since playing his first Slam, Rafa has missed 6 and Roger none.
Consider also:
- Rafa won his 14th Slam just after turning age 28. On his 28th birthday, Roger had won 15 Slams.
- Rafa won his 14th Slam in his 12th year playing in Slams. Roger had won 16 Slams in in his 12th year playing in Slams.
Some other facts to consider, that aren't necessarily meant to prove any point but just to throw in the mix:
- Both Rafa and Roger have won Slams within a 10-year stretch (so far).
- Rafa's Slams are more spread out, with only three multi-Slam seasons (so far) and at least one Slam in each of those 10 years (to Roger's eight years in a row).
- Roger's Slams are more clustered, with five multi-Slam seasons (including 3 three-Slam years to Rafa's one).
Anyhow, they've taken 2 routes to similar results. Ten years from now people will likely still be debating who is greater, but I'm guessing the view will be that they're both similar, with Rafa being the greatest specialist of all time and Roger being the greatest generalist.***
***It's impossible to accept Fed as better than Rafa and impossible to accept Rafa as better than everyone whoever played the sport.***
ReplyDeleteNo one's had the balance of a career as Federer regardless if you think he's the GOAT or not! I put more stock in Wimbledons and USO's! He has 7 W's and 5 USO's while Rafa has only 2 of each! The FO is a major, but has never had the status of the other 2; or reverence for that matter except to players who coveted the event and only had a chance there like an Andres Gomez in '90! Borg made his name at the FO, but his 5 straight Wimbledons put him on the world map and historically great! What hurt him the most was never acquiring even 1 USO; esp. when it was on clay! That tourney was his bugaboo and terribly unlucky for him in so many ways; court change, Tanner serve in a night match, and of course a couple injuries ('77 defaulting to Stockman w/ bad shoulder)!
***I get that Wimbledon has always been the most prestigious event, but in my mind the FO and USO have been roughly similar for most of history. Obviously the AO was less highly regarded until the late 80s or 90s, and may even still be a slight tick below the other 3, but the FO is certainly on par with the USO, esp. in the relevant time-frame.***
I put more stock in Wimbledons and USO's; sorry! He has 7 W's and 5 USO's while Rafa has only 2 of each! The FO is a major, but has never had the status of the other 2; or reverence for that matter except to players who coveted the event and only had a chance there like an Andres Gomez in '90!
***Fiero, you've said this before and I just don't see it. I mean, I get that Wimbledon has always been the most prestigious event, but in my mind the FO and USO have been roughly similar for most of history. Obviously the AO was less highly regarded until the late 80s or 90s, and may even still be a slight tick below the other 3, but the FO is certainly on par with the USO, esp. in the relevant time-frame. - (Or are you a secret Sampras fan?)***
People don't skip the USO while the FO has had on many occasion turned into #3 in the minds and heart of the ATP and WTA! Even Borg and Lendl skipped it sometimes for different reasons! Before Fed came along, I actually did have Sampras as an honorary GOAT; even w/o a FO! He was like Roger in respect to having a well balanced career w/ several titles from the other majors including the Masters!
***This may have been true at some point, but no longer - and certainly not for the span of Roger and Rafa's careers. BTW, the only FO's that Lendl missed were in '90 and '91, when he was starting to slip. I'm not sure why he missed them, but his 1st daughter was born on May 4, w/ the tournament starting just 3 weeks later.
As for Borg, he only missed 1 FO in '77. According to Wiki, he skipped it b/c of a contract w/ the WTT. Anyhow, certainly some players in the 70s-90s missed FOs perhaps more often than Wimbledon and the USO, but not so much over the last 20 years or so.***
Believe me I know those dates very well and Lendl skipped to get more practice on grass; nothing mysterious about it! He even won Queens taking out Edberg and Becker respectively in semi and final one year! It wasn't that he was slipping! He very well could have won 1 or 2 more, but decided to bypass the slow clay of RG! That's the way people thought about the surface back then; detriment to Wimbledon aspirations! Heaven knows it hurt Edberg in '89 just making the final! He went out meekly to Becker in that subsequent Wimbledon final!
***Chris Evert, Pam Shriver, ESPN – "You All Owe Serena Williams An Apology"***
ReplyDeleteMore victimhood huh? Why would Serena be the most tested tennis player in the game; cause she wins? Spare me please! If she comes out staggering around like that, what do you expect people to think? Blame her family and handlers for allowing her to come out like that! The commentators were only voicing the obvious; esp. that she no longer gets the benefit of the doubt b/c of her wretched history of pulling stunts after a loss!
***That Bambi video has it. I have had feeling like they were playing on ice instead of grass.***
The ball stayed low, but slipping wasn't the main problem 20 or more years ago; it was the bounce itself! You just never knew when the ball would practically roll under your racket! I give Borg more credit for his 5 titles since he played w/ a wood racket w/ strings so tight, the sweet spot was about the size of a small fist! He got by McEnroe in '80 and personally stopped Connors from acquiring more titles at least 4 times! Connors returned the favor at the USO on clay and HC unfortunately!
***Congrats to Nole for surviving. This could have gone either way in the 4th and 5th set, anyone can get tight. Grigor has the game; that's for sure. He needs to work on the shot selection and watch that 2nd serve. Congrats to him for holding his own.***
I have no doubt Grigor will win eventual! I just hope he waits his turn for now! lol! I'm not ready to dismiss Nole yet! Love those underdogs who just work so hard like a Borg or Lendl! He should surpass them after all is said and done, but has a little more work ahead of him! I think he'd have a better chance against Roger even w/ his 7 titles! Raonic, like Roddick in his hey day can just blow you off the court!
***Man, the Fedal Battle is like a whirlpool that everyone gets pulled into. So tiresome.***
Numbers don't lie when it comes to Roger! He has so many records that have little chance of being broken! His number of majors right now is in jeopardy, but the rest having to do w/ his consistency over the years is unmatched; even before "Open Tennis!" Same w/ my other faves; Martina Navratilova and Hingis! In my lifetime, you might as well chisel it in stone!
***Roger's #'s are, overall, the best of the Open Era - but Rafa is closing the gap. As for pre-Open Era, you have to consider 4 players: Laver, Rosewall, Gonzales, and Tilden. It is too hard to compare, esp. with Pro Slams. How do they compare to current Grand Slams?
***Hingis? OTTOMH, here are women that are better: Graf, Natratilova, Court, Evert, King, Seles, Henin, both Williams sisters. After that it get's dicey and there are some players that are probably on a similar level as Hingis--like Mandlikova, Vicario, Capriati, etc--but those nine were all clearly better players.***
ReplyDeleteI never said Hingis was better, but she has a ton of records due to her tender age of winning! Those may never be broken; that's what I was referencing! When are you guys going to learn? Forty plus years in the game, I know a little bit of something and make "some" good points; I have to! lol!
***It is crazy to think that Hingis is only 33 years old, but her last Slam win was 15 years ago, in the 20th century - and in the Clinton admin.! Man, she peaked young. As a side note, I'm guessing Martina Hingis is the only player--male or female--to win multiple Slams in her teen years, but none after. I know Michael Chang won his sole Slam as a teenager, and possibly someone else (a female), but I'm guessing no other multi-Slam winners.***
Not that I can think of; how old was Graf in '88? Little Mo and others in the amateur game maybe!
***Steffi was 19 in '88 and won 6 Slams before turning 20, but of course she won 16 after!***
Not that I can think of; how old was Graf in '88? Little Mo and others in the amateur game maybe!
***Roger needs this more than Nole, as long as he doesn't make a mess of the final I think he wins. Not sure fitness will be a factor since it's grass and play is a lot quicker. If Roger is tired by the 4th or even 5th set on grass then his prospects going forward are really bad.***
Oh please; Roger needs nothing! This is all gravy for him at this stage in his career! Not that it will matter to me one way or the other, but if anyone needs it, it's Nole! He's been "Slamless" since AO last season! For him to be a legitimate representative of #1, he should be carrying this title! Roger's had his time and has more than overachieved by hanging on this long IMO!
***Well as of right now, Roger has played the better of the 2. Nole is going to have to find another gear if he wants to win this. Nole's play has been very uninspired as of late which is good news for Roger. The real question is will Nole be his own worst enemy on the court?
---
I watched Sampras' swan song at '02 USO too and I never felt Andre was a real threat to win that match. I don't think Andre felt he could beat Pete at the USO. As in the '95 US Open final, certainly Andre did not bring to that 2002 final match the kind of tennis he'd been playing. And Pete was simply better than Andre on faster surfaces [grass, USO, carpet] anyway, while Andre was better on the slower surfaces [clay, AO Rebound Ace].***
Andre may have done his best, but he always was Sampras' pigeon in big matches; esp. at the USO and Wimbledon! Andre got him at the FO and AO when Pete was distraught over Gullikson's collapse and subsequent diagnosis of a brain tumor!
...Roger's had his time and has more than overachieved by hanging on this long IMO!
ReplyDelete***Agreed. Roger's legacy is already in the bank. Even 2012 Wimbledon was gravy IMO. If winning 17 Slams already and setting a record for weeks at #1 isn't satisfactory for some fans, then they really need to re-evaluate their personal definition of what constitutes a successful career.***
I think I read a post asking if Federer's '12 Wimbledon was equivalent to Sampras' '02 USO! That's a little extreme since Fed got back to #1, but this really could be his last chance at a major; on grass and Nole not at his best! Maybe this is equivalent to Connors' '83 USO if he wins!
***Popsicle and Sock beat Bryan brothers in a 5 setter to win the doubles titles, in their debut together. It's just amazing what those 2 achieved, whom they have beat this past 2 weeks. Hats off.***
Obviously few people care about the doubles! They had plenty of time available since Petra made short work of Bouchard, but it's just not a priority anymore! I think it was more significant to the viewers if the top players participated and did well! I still remember odd pairings like Ashe and Connors, Connors and Nastase, and more well known specialists like McEnroe/Fleming, Ramirez/Gottfried, Smith/Lutz, Stewart/McNair, and Hewitt/McMillan! They would make time to show their matches; not so much now!
***Come on Fiero, you of all peeps should know how Serena has complained in the past how the drug testers have invaded her privacy in the past so many times to test her. You follow the game. They have been trying for years to bring her down b/c she doesn't look like their idea of the ideal tennis Tennis champion. The biggest example is a while back when Wimbledon admitted to putting her out on court 1 or 2 b/c they wanted the beautiful blondes on Center Court. ...Compare how many times Fed, Nadal, and Murray have played on outer courts to how many times Serena has. Shabby way to treat a 10 time Champion.***
Nope! I've told you guys, I have no idea who these new players are since I just don't watch the them much these days! It's just unwatchable for the most part; not to mention all the squealing and grunting which is so unlady-like! I never missed past #1's like Henin and Hingis! As for the apparent victim-hood of Serena, I'm sure others are tested enough; they just don't whine about it!
The Williams' have always felt "put upon" from the very beginning! I always said "cry me a freakin' river" when the entire family were so abusive of Hingis; such a little girl at the time! Even Richard had some juvenile comments referencing the #1 player back in '97! I'm quite aware they may not have been welcomed with open arms, but they didn't help themselves w/ some of their own behavior! Both would say some of the tackiest stuff at press conferences after a loss; "she didn't beat me, I beat myself!" I'd tell them to "keep walking bitches" if I were a fellow player of the WTA! Shriver did her part to make them feel a part of the tour, but they still complained; usually playing the race card! If you're looking for resistant, you'll find it even if it doesn't exist! Being Black myself, I never felt anything like the stuff voiced by both the girls, but I guess it helped coming from a mixed family (step-father Jewish), so I just never thought about it!
***Grigor's thumping of Murray was glorious... on Centre Court, Wimbledon w/ the whole crowd solidly in Murray's corner. He didn't just shut down Murray, he shut down everyone there. Heck, by the way it read in the press, he shut down the UK.In the semis, it was obvious that being there had an effect on him. Had Novak remained focused, it may have been over in a quick 3. Credit to Grigor, when Novak lost the plot he stepped up his game hugely, and it was a lot of fun to watch. Slams are never a given, but if anyone has the potential to win 1, he does.***
ReplyDeleteNole has these "walkabouts" at times; usually when in the lead serving it out! Too often he's winning his serve comfortably, then all of a sudden he'll break himself; a drop shot miss, a double fault, and a net cord that goes against him! Kinda weird! You can't get away with that on grass as much as other surfaces! He has to eliminate those periods of indecision and peek!
***Yep. Comfortably in the lead, on a roll, and then it unravels. And on grass, as you say, the window to rein things in is a lot smaller.***
Nole's still been in complete control of things even with Roger's good serving! This probably SHB a straight set win! I see Djokovic closing it out in 4! - How many times does this have to happen; serving for the match and giving away his serve? Ridiculous; you can plan on it each time! Well he tried to give it away, but he finally finished Federer off in 5 sets and 4 hours! I can't even be happy for him; just ridiculous that this went so long! He was in complete control, but tried to give it away to Roger!
***Fantastic win, really really happy! 2nd Wimbledon title, 7th Slam overall, beating "The GOAT" on his home ground, World #1 again. This win means a lot! I walked out in the 4th. Couldn't bear watching anymore after Novak got broken at 5-5. Luckily he rightened the ship. Congrats to all his fans out here!***
If he had lost this match, I would have been through with Nole! This kind of thing keeps happening, giving me gray hairs I haven't earned! It's not nerves; just really unlucky! His opponent doesn't give him any gifts, a bad bounce, and of course his own tentativeness hoping his opponent gives it to him! He's so lucky to take this even though he was in control most of the way!
***Congrats to Djokovic for his win. This was a great match by both Champions. After losing 4th set from match points, he stayed there and won. As he rightly said that to win a match like this in 5 sets on grass against a champion like Federer makes him happy. I wanted Roger to win this GS, but I'm happy for Nole for his highly competed Wimbledon win. This was an excellent final. Roger did great and just came little short.***
***Wimbledon 2014 Final: Federer vs Djokovic
ReplyDeleteHere are the stats of the match:
Novak Djokovic (SRB) Roger Federer (SUI)
13 Aces 29
3 Double faults 5
108 of 174 = 62% 1st serves in 133 of 192 = 69%
79 of 108 = 73% 1st serve points won 102 of 133 = 77%
43 of 66 = 65% 2nd serve points won 26 of 59 = 44%
124 MPH Fastest serve 127 MPH
116 MPH Avg 1st serve speed 115 MPH
92 MPH Avg 2nd serve speed 100 MPH
26 of 35 = 74% Net points won 44 of 67 = 66%
4 of 15 = 27% Break points won 3 of 7 = 43%
64 of 192 = 33% Receiving points won 52 of 174 = 30%
68 Winners 75
27 Unforced errors 29
186 Total points won 180
Fed wins in (Aces - Doublerfaults) with a score of 24 to 10.
Fed wins in (Winners - UFE) with a score of 46 to 41.
Fed's second serve points winning % is bad. That seems to be the only other stat that stands out that can explain the result may be.
---
According to you guys, it's been a decade since he won a slam, so...***
He's been consistent overall, but Nole hasn't been winning any majors of late; been well over a year except for a couple Masters! Anyone can win those; even Stan on clay! Going this long w/o a major has to be devastating! If he had lost this, he may not have recovered his confidence after losting FO so recently!
***...Top quality match... best I've seen Novak ever play on grass.***
The score looked more impressive than the actual content; sorry! There were plenty of sitters that Nole missed; big time! That match should have been over in straight sets; 4 at the most! Federer played as well as he could, but Nole was not on his game; grass or not! There were so many balls floating he normally would have either put away or made Roger run like a dog! It didn't happen and that 4th set collapse is just so typical of him these days! He can't finish it when he could have so much earlier!
***I've got to say that was the best I've ever seen Novak play on grass, largely b/c other than a blip toward the end of the 4th, he never really dipped out of the intensity levels - something I expected him to do. He was totally focused from start to finish. From the opening bell, he looked like he was in the zone - The eye of the tiger.***
***Ok I am still not done sulking...5th set is what troubling me. After great 4th set, it seemed like Roger left all his fight behind... and that last game was a throwaway.***
ReplyDeleteRoger should feel great that it wasn't a straight set drubbing! Nole was off; esp. on "sitters" and his forehand! He should have run Federer around like a chicken, but just didn't have his usual sharpness! The UFE were inexplicable at times, even though overall there weren't that many in comparison to winners!
***Nole had like 25 UE's in 5 long sets (granted that's Wimbledon scoring). Even Roger played relatively clean. His problem is he wasn't playing aggressive enough, particularly on the forehand wing. Roger should feel great about nothing. In the end he got a dinner plate and some nice cash. The former was never good enough for him and he doesn't need anymore of the latter.***
You're obviously having vision and interpretive problems! Absolute sitters were missed into the net again and again! His backhand DTL was almost non-existent! I've watched him destroy Nadal, Federer, and Murray; even on clay and expected more from him! Sorry if you can't see that!
***How many sitters were missed time and time again? I remember about 3-4 really awful misses from each player yesterday. That's going to happen when there are almost 400 points in the match. Nole hit plenty backhands DTL, but he's obviously not going to mind cross court backhand exchanges w/ Roger.***
Maybe I'm just spoiled by perfection in past finals! Borg played Connors in a 5 set marathon in '77, but only had 5 forehand errors and returned all but 2 of his serves! He did that w/ choppy, slick grass and a wood racket strung as tight as a pane of glass! That's hard to match I guess! I want more, I want more, I want more out of the top players!
***I remember the Borg-Connors match; Bjorn was 4-0 up in the 5th and the raging bull brought it back to 4-4 - then dropped a calf. The grindin', fightin' Connors found it easy to be tough when he was cornered, but soon as he had a chance to win, his bottom dropped. It was a great match though and Borg won a great 5 setter a couple of days before, 8-6 in the 5th against Gerulaitas.***
***I think until now it's hard to make a case that getting to #1 is a problem for Novak. In '11 he was assured of the top ranking after winning the Wimbledon SF and then not only won the final, but also the 1st tourney he went into as #1 (Can), the USO, & the AO '12. Then after getting it back in the fall of '12, he won the WTF and AO '13. So in the short term being #1 seems to be more of a good than a bad thing to Novak.
ReplyDelete---
I for one think that Roger still has a chance of beating Rafa. Consider that their last 5 meetings were the AO and in '13, the time when Roger was really struggling. Before that Rafa was still dominant, but it wasn't absurd - Roger would still beat him every once in a while - at IW in '12 is the last time, then the WTF in '11. The Roger we're seeing today is closer to the 2009-12 Roger than the '13 Roger. That Roger was probably the fave on grass, indoor HC, and if not even on outdoor HC was at least competitive.***
The problem is 5 sets w/ Roger against Rafa being run around like a chicken, reaching up for his BH's where he can't get much on the ball! He would have to be playing "lights out" and Rafa struggling a bit; indoors Fed's best chance at this stage in his career!
***I agree. Roger's most likely chance of beating Rafa would be indoors. It wouldn't surprise me if he beats him in London or Paris, i.e. But best-of-5? It has only happened 3 times, the last of which was 7 yrs ago.***
What was that all about w/ Federer; changing rackets after the break and making Nole wait? It may not have been "bush," but it was strange!
***So which is it? Nadal the only offender or maybe a little gamesmanship from Roger? Surely, none from Djokovic…even w/ a tender massage on his calf.***
What do you want me to say? Ok, they all do it! HAPPY?? This goes back to the 90's w/ the women calling out a trainer at strategic times! I quite remember at Hilton Head on clay, Gabriella Sabatini took an "attire break" twice; each time when Graf was serving for the set and was broken subsequently! Gabby won in straight sets 7-5, 7-6 when Steffi was up a break in each set! It happens and works at times!
***Yes, I am happy. Perhaps now you won't go around proclaiming Nadal as a cheater, someone you can never forgive for things that you now admit everyone does. You don't like his tennis, I get it. Like so many, that's mostly about the fact that he beats your fave. Now perhaps we can leave off the gamesmanship conversations and go back to talking about the game, eh?***
Wrong on all counts! I've never cared for Nadal's gamesmanship from day 1; his self-entitlement, stalling, toweling off after every point, receiving coaching from the stands, and his ridiculous idea of a 2 year ranking to save his #1 status a few years ago! I'm more a purist and just hate the way he plays; so defensively when I know he could be doing more to close out matches against "also-rans!" He allows absolute nobodies to take him to the limit! Overall his game is one of the ugliest in the history of the game! Nole didn't look that hot yesterday w/ that flailing FH; esp. when he missed badly! I have no dog in this hunt any longer! All my real faves are retired or close to leaving the game so you're whistling in the dark about that! This Wimbledon final has been the first I've gotten up to actually watch live in quite a while; I've been so uninterested in today's play!
The women's game isn't even on my radar and had no clue who those women were besides Kvitova and I only know her b/c she won it all back in '11! I'm not telling you anything new; no secret how I feel about things and how disillusioned w/ the ball bashing and defensive way most players show on the court! It's boring and takes too long w/ matches going over 3-4 hours routinely; even the women w/ best of 3! Petra made quick work of Bouchard though and is probably the most impressive performance of a women since Henin!
As for Evert and Shriver's comments on Serena, they've always sang her praises, so the backlash is still shocking to me!
ReplyDelete***OK, I think too much race card is being played here. I believe Evert and Shriver would have reacted in the same way if some other white player had behaved on court in such a disoriented manner. This is not to say that the suggestion that Serena was on drugs is true. However, unlike you are medical expert knowing different kinds of weird ailments, the 1st reaction of an ordinary person (including a commentator or professional tennis player) would be to think that Serena is on some kind of drugs. We all have to realize here that we are not talking about poor play here, we're talking about having basic control over your motor action. To think that a 17 time GS champion will enter the court lacking basic control over motor action is difficult.
I don't have any problem over Evert and Shriver's initial reaction. What I have trouble is w/ their dishonesty is not owning their initial reaction the next day. Evert was saying that she did not mean to suggest Serena was on drugs when she clearly did. She suggested she could be wrong as she is not aware of all kinds of ailments. Instead, they took a damage control operation of putting a black guy in the midst and making him say various things which they themselves did not want to say directly.***
Brilliant, thoughtful post rather than just going off the deep end coming up with comparisons that are about as accurate as apples and oranges!
***I think it's b/c Roger playing well even against most other top players often meant he wins in 4 sets at most. So if he played well and was taken to 5, he was not used to the fight until the end; w/ his game off anyway, that could be exploited in a 5th.***
I've always thought a player's mental toughness was the 1st to go instead of knees like most people think! When Martina reached her 30's, no one could have been in better shape; even w/ Graf around! Her problem to me was her confidence and more of a mental stress thing; esp. when she was leading in a match she lost! It all started in '87 where she made final after final the first 6 months of the year! Even at Eastborne, she supposedly was up 5-1 and lost the match in straights! She managed to turn around her fortunes at Wimbledon beating Graf in the final, but you could see something was wrong! She finished up well beating Graf again at the USO in straight sets and taking a few VS titles that fall, but the top ranking was gone, never to be recovered!
At Wimbledon in '88 she was up a set and break again to Graf and only won 1 more game the rest of the way! In '89 at the USO, she was up a set, a break, and just 2 games from winning and dropped the match again in 3 sets! Martina took on BJK to help her out and she was able to take one more major at Wimbledon in '90; lucky Graf and Seles had been upset by one of her pigeons, Zina Garrison who she beat easily in the final! Roger is having the same questions of confidence and 5 sets is too long to try and stay ahead of the other top players! His best chance was this past Wimbledon; I think he's done winning these big titles!
***Funny you mention Martina, I remember she said something similar. "You get more nervous as you get older," she said. I didn't detect that from Roger on Sunday, in fairness: he always looked like he believed he could win.***
***As has been said many times before, Novak is a highly demonstrative, emotional player. I think this win will give him just the shot of confidence he needed to win the big matches w/ Nadal more consistently. I think the interesting challenge is how he balances personal and work life. People say Fed can do it (now w/ 4) so certainly Novak can, except they are obviously 2 very different people w/ different temperaments.***
ReplyDeleteIt's strange that Nole hasn't been given more credit in "handling" Rafa like no other player! I hadn't thought about it until '09, but even Roger had been struggling to keep him in check; grass being an equalizer I guess until '08! Nadal still has a winning record over most of his competitors, but Djokovic has several winning streaks against him that others can only dream of; 7 in a row back in '11 through '12 AO, then the 4 after last season's USO through the fall Masters and WTF, concluding w/ a clay court win in Rome! No one's done anything like that; even Roger in his prime!
***There's been a fair amount of credit given I believe. The commentators all say that Novak is the only player who has forced Rafa to change his game; obviously that was due to the prolonged runs of match losses to him. It's been discussed here as well. Thing is, Ralf does make the adjustments and the runs have swung the other way too.***
Maybe it's just me, but what I keep hearing about are their FO matches and how Nole keeps coming up short; again and again and again!
***Nope, that's not just you... In 2011, it was "Novak never beat him in a final, Novak never beat him in best of 5, Novak never beat him on clay, Novak never beat him on real clay, and Novak never beat him on grass." One by one, all of those mantras fell by the wayside that year. Roland Garros is the only major tournament where Novak has played him and not won... yet.
---
I don't suppose Nole has done himself any favors by talking about how much he wants to win RG, but it IS actually true that he has fallen short, so I don't know why Fiero should feel like he's alone in hearing it, or that it's esp. ill-mannered to say. Though, as you mention, Djokovic has climbed past a lot of other things he'd never done against Nadal, so surely hope is not lost.
---
It's not that he's alone in hearing it.... it's just the last thing the Rafa fans can say Novak hasn't done when facing their man, so he's just saying he hears it often. I simply affirmed that fact. - In the direct H2H, it's the only thing he hasn't beaten Nadal at, I think. So, yes, he would hear about it, from the media in general, and the forums. That would be expected.
---
I'd expect Rafa to be really hungry at the USO, but I wouldn't be surprised if the '14 Wimbledon marks the end of his reign as the #1 player in the sport. His clay court season wasn't quite as potent as in years past and he struggled on grass. Still, Rafa seems to play best from behind, so maybe he'll have a surge this year. I do expect him to remain an elite player for some time yet, but maybe not quite as dominant as he was in his best years.
---
Although I don't think Rafa will get the #1 back anytime this year, contrary to Dude's opinion, I think Rafa has another stint at #1 in him. - Could be a hard call, but Rafa comes back from the dead often enough. He's got a lot to defend through the USO, and I don't think he'll defend all of it. And he didn't do poorly in the fall of last year, so his chances of passing Novak are slim, unless Novak dumps some points. So unlikely this year.***
***What exactly is it about socialism that attracts such illogical, uncritical, & blind devotion—even in the face of overwhelming evidence this theory is utterly flawed? Or, is there some universal rule which dictates that intellectuals, Hollywood players and so-called journalists must be liberal, socialist, Marxist or communists?***
ReplyDeleteWhat is it about socialism that most people don't seem to understand? W/o it, we wouldn't be as great a country! Gov't programs like Social Security, Medicare, fixing roads and bridges, patents, welfare, and other things run by our representatives are all Socialist! Try dropping some of it!
***Did you guys see Piers Morgan farewell on CNN? He's SO right that guns belong on the battlefield and NOT in civilized society! The bottom line is over 6 BILLION people or over 90% of the world live just FINE w/o guns and a 2nd Amendment! What does it get you? 35 people killed and over 200 shot every DAY by guns!***
Everything he says may be true, but "people round here don't cotton some foreigner tryin' to tell them what to do!" If he weren't such an obnoxious twit, the message wouldn't be falling on deaf ears! We're idiots; no doubt about it, but they also doomed his show!
***Gun deaths per year: Japan: 4, - UK: 35, - Australia: 150, - United States: 30,000+ - GET RID OF THE DAMN GUNS!***
I suppose we've gotten more stupid recently w/ law passed around in some states allowing these fools to go into restaurants and department stores packing! We're truly brain dead idiots and it's only going to be worse w/ all these guns, all at the ready!
***GOP Stuck on Stupid - Romney never did or could articulate how his policies would put people back to work. "The GOP needs to move on and find a standard bearer who will unite the GOP and lead us to victory in '16. Romney has not shown this ability and at his age, likely he never will.***
Well Romney couldn't be too bright if he puts himself and family through this kind of humiliation again! Everytime the vote was counted somewhere in the country, it wasn't in his favor! I won't go down the states he lost and by how much, but Repub truly "have to be stuck on stupid" if they were to run him again; even though they have few others to take his place! There's one nut after another that can be looked at, pointed to for incompetence; I'm at a loss! Christie still thinks he viable, but he'll be lucky if he isn't indicted for his antics in New Jersey! Any "Tea Bagger" like Paul or Cruz are instantly thought of as "nuts;" nuff said! Huckabee? Don't make me laugh! He's become too much of a money HO and isn't about to give up his gig on Fox News and drop his profitable speaking engagements! The rest are just plain small like Walker from Wisc., Jindal in Louisiana, and Perry from Texas! I'd love for another Bush to run so we can go down the many reasons and legacy of the past 2 tenures! Anybody else?
Obama may not be a favorite of Repubs and Dems alike, but under his admin., unemployment just dropped to its lowest levels since the 90s tech book at 6.1, he brought our weary armed forces home from 2 ridiculous wars we didn't need to fight, the stock market DOW has exploded from a start under 6600 to now over 17,000 points; all this with the foot-dragging "the Sequester," Congress passing no jobs bills, and constant panning of all that is going well by Republicans! His legacy is secure with the Affordable Care Act, regardless of all the imagined scandals that have little to nothing to do w/ him!
***If anyone runs a senior citizen who lost last time around, it'll be the Dems.***
Yeah, I'd love for conservatives to try that after throwing Reagan and McCain out there; 2 senile old goats! I'll take Hillary over any of those loser Repubs even though they've started hitting her hard and often! Get it all out of your systems, she's still on track to be the 1st woman POTUS!
***Personally, although there is no way of knowing, I think there is a possibility that Romney would have made a better President than Obama. Assuming that when in office Romney found his center and jettisoned the chameleon-like all things to all people act. I tend to think we would have gotten clearer answers on Benghazi and the IRS scandals... I think we would have a clearer direction on the present immigration issue. Just to mention of few.
ReplyDeleteI don't see President Obama communicating a clear leadership vision... Sure his hands were seriously tied back in '08, but that was then, this is now. Given how far we are into his 2nd term I have serious doubts he ever will provide clear leadership. Hillary...? Sorry I don't get the appeal. Never have.***
It's not like I'm a fan of Hillary or any Democrat, but anything is better than a sleazy Republican! Look at what they've done to try and hold back the economy, making up conspiracies and scandal out of any event having to do w/ the gov't! They're just as culpable and should take the responsibility for the IRS, VA, and immigration problems we have! They've done nothing in months; hell years! It's ridiculous that they keep getting re-elected when their polls show them well below Obama! The people have to start taking responsibility for our troubles; not the POTUS!
***"I completely reject the idea anything is better than a sleazy Republican!" - I don't. Sleaze in either party is what we don't need.***
How? They were willing to undermine the economy by shutting the gov't down twice just to politically hurt Obama! Reps have endorsed "no compromise" on issue after issue; even when they supported it before he was President! There's talk of suing him, impeaching him, Hell they talked about his MOMMA! Please! Reps are the scummiest creatures on the planet who don't give a SHIT about their own country as long as they aren't in power! I could go on, but I don't need my BP going up thinking how hateful McConnell, Boehner, and your ex-Majority leader Cantor have been since "before" the man took office! Tell me where you think I'm lying or even made a mistake? I'm not even a fan of his Presidency; terribly selfish of him taking away the childhood of his own children, knowing how bad it would be in getting anything done including his signature healthcare program, and most of all like me, "doesn't suffer fools!" He did what was necessary, but he may have not compromised enough; maybe to lie prostrate on the White House steps while they whipped him! Maybe Boehner would give in after a few lashes, nothing short of that no doubt about it! Over 2 million people could be put to work next week, but JOBs bill/law languishing to deal w/ infrastructure like bridges and roads which are in disrepair, but Republicans don't seem to care; so why should I? We can all go to HELL watching political farces perpetrated on us week after week, month after month, and year after year! I'm done!
***It's like you read my mind! Of the U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), former Speaker Newton Gingrich (R-GA) said: "She's serious, she's hard working, she is a 1st rate professional." Supplementing that, (then) current RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman said: "Senator Clinton is smart, uh, she's effective, uh ... very hard working." Source: NBC-TV 'Meet The Press' June 5, 2005***
***I remember riding Nadal off around this time last year. I specifically recall saying to myself - "Nadal is only going to win on clay from now on." The prospects of him winning the USO, as well as Cincinnati and Toronto seemed very foreign. After all, his experience on the HC's weren't exactly at a high during '13 and the second half of '12. He played IW, but then skipped Miami. I think Nadal is going to be the man to beat from here on out. I expect Djokovic's confidence to skyrocket too and Wawrinka should have a promising rest of the year.***
ReplyDeleteAll that success, but at what cost? Whenever Nadal has had amazing string of wins out of the ordinary, he usually can not replay his act, only being able to defend clay titles! He did well to win last summer, but look what it's done to him for the last several months; going down in flames at his favorite events in the spring on clay! It was made even worse by losing to his normal pigeons which are his teammates! All those problems culminating in him going out to a wildcard at Wimbledon! He has too many points to defend and there's no reason to believe he can do it; never done it before! Why now when he's a year older and breaking down? If you won't write his epitaph for this year, I certainly will; it's his own history I'm going by!
***Well, what cost, actually? Bad back at the AO final, yes. Didn't defend everything on clay, but still won the FO. Did better at Wimbledon than the last 2 years. (OK, still not such a great success.) He's holding 2 of the 4 Slam titles though. We are going into his least historically successful time of the year, outside of the USO, but are you really prepared to completely write him off for the year; with 4 months left?
---
I thought the same thing last year. Look, you could very well be right, but the point of my post is - don't write him off. You clearly can if you like, but I won't. Remember the 1st tournament he came back from last year? He lost a clay 250 (or was it 500) event against a relatively unknown player. That looked indicative of some worrying times right there, but to his credit, he fought back and did things I never thought he had in him.***
You see any reason why we should be confident he can do more? He might take something, the rest of the tour are still as gutless as I've been saying! It won't be on him as much as them giving away their chance to take him out! He's very vulnerable at this time; history tells us so! I haven't exaggerated anything, no matter my animus; still honest about the facts!
***Given the hoopla surrounding Serena in the doubles, I will bet the farm that the drug testers were at her door as soon as possible after this incident. Haven't heard anything about a positive test for anything illegal yet... 2 weeks later. If there was, I know it would have been front page news. They have been trying for 15+ years to take her down. They would not miss this opportunity. Actually I am curious: Does anyone believe after what happened that they didn't test Serena?
---
I think she'd be tested anyway. It seems highly unlikely that they'd think she was doping in the changing rooms just before a match. That would be weird and career suicide. This one should be simplified: she looked ill out there.***
Stranger things occur all the time! I believe anything is possible these days! People always think to themselves, "that won't happen to me!" I really don't care what caused Serena to come out on court staggering; why was she even allowed to do so? Venus didn't seem too concerned! Where were her team of handlers? That was about as stupid as coming out with a 104 degree temperature! Maybe it's something mental; b/c she had to be a little "bent" to think she could get through a match in that condition! They had had a tough time in previous matches even when she was at her best health-wise!
***...One big difference is Kyrgios has one hell of a serve unlike Carreno Busta. That should makes things much easier in theory and his ground game is also excellent. Fingers crossed he'll finally be one who's here to stay and progress well.***
ReplyDeleteWell I hope this kid doesn't disappear into obscurity like so many others before him after having one great performance in a major! We need some new blood on tour; esp. w/ the decline of our own Isner, Harrison, and Querrey! Is Sock good enough after taking a Wimbledon doubles title off the Bryan brothers? I haven't seen him play that much! Does he have a weapon of any sort to challenge the top echelon; serve, forehand, BDL, or volley?
---
***Fumie had the better career. Sasha was the better skater.***
Agreed! It was unfortunate something kept Sasha from performing a clean 2 performances at event after event; even ones she won! Fumi was competent, but far from the style, class, and grace of Sasha! Fumi outdid Sasha enough to take at least bronze medals at multiple world events while Sasha salvaged something w/ silver at Turin in '06! I almost would call Sasha the "Liz Manley" of her era, but didn't do quite as well when it counted; heaven knows w/o all the baggage!
***Yeah it is a travesty we are even comparing the careers of Sasha and Fumie when Sasha was about 5 times more talented. Nothing against Fumie, I like her a lot, hard working and dedicated, good all around, quiet and humble, and obviously loves skating to keep doing it into her 30s. She isn't a special talent like Sasha though. Fumie was a major overachiever and Sasha a huge underachiever. I don't think anyone would say Fumie was as talented or as good a skater as even say Joannie Rochette, yet has more success than Rochette.
---
...Maria's SLC SP was probably one of the poorest clean shorts she ever did, which is why she placed low. The elements were mostly shaky and of low quality, and the performance was slow, stiff, and scared looking. She has done tons of SP in her career way better than SLC though. Sarah Hughes decided otherwise.***
I still say that shouldn't have happened! W/ the "ordinal system," Sarah should have only gotten silver but for putting Michelle in 1st after the SP w/ a 2-footed triple flip! If it was a travesty in Russia w/ generous scoring for their compatriots, our country benefitted as well and was just as guilty! Irina pretty much owned Michelle by then and no way in any other circumstance would she have even sniffed Gold in SLC!
***Yeah, Irina should have won the short and thus the gold in Salt Lake City. Sarah should have been 7th or 8th in the SP. Cohen should have beaten Kwan in the long program and won silver overall. Bronze to Kwan or Hughes overall, even w/ Hughes probably being 1st in the LP. The judging was a farce.***
I suppose that was a travesty, but how many titles did Michelle take that she didn't earn? What was worse was one of those pro-am events in Canada where Josée Chouinard fell 3 or 4 times and they still gave it to her; Michelle was at a loss! That was so funny; the looks, grins, and eye rolls were priceless! It was almost as hilarious as the GPF you mentioned! MK was on the way down and on the outs with judges probably! lol!
ReplyDelete***Oh yeah, that Kwan really ended up such loser w/ all those titles and medals she won afterwards. I guess when a skater you hate wins as much as she did or at least lose, but still skate respectfully, a detractor has to grab on to that Pro-Am that she lost. I'm sure Kwan never lived that one down.
---
I think Fiero's point is the judges were contradicting upon his perceived blatant favoritism of Kwan from them for years previous, by blatantly robbing her at event by a splatty Josee. I don't consider Kwan as held up/gifted as he probably does. I do think she was on the overscored side a bit, and got some boost from her name, but that's true of at least 80% of skaters who become legendary and are from a powerful country, so I wouldn't begrude her specifically of that. However he probably isn't the only one who feels Kwan was a judge's pet or held up figure over time. It is not like Kwan is the only one who has a # of people having that perception of them, many have that perception (rightly or wrongly) of Chan, Gritschuk & Platov, Baiul, Cohen, Duchensays, recently Davis & White, Volosozhar & Trankov, Sotnikova, Lysacek, and who knows how many others. Probably some of those that perception holds even more strongly than Kwan, I do notice Chan and Sotnikova and Baiul esp. tend to get bashed upon a lot for the judges scores of them. I think people in this sport just naturally like to complain and it would take a lot to have them totally satisfied. There are very few skaters people probably perceive as neither overrated/overscored, underrated/underscored, or a combination of both at different times. Being a judge is the most thankless job there is in this sport, and even more when as far as I know they aren't even paid (other than those who accept backroom deals/bribes).
I also don't think that particular result was even necessarily wrong, just as I don't consider Kwan as held up and as huge a judges favorite over the years as some others might. Josee did fall and did many less triples than Michelle, but she had a program ideally suited to the pro am format, while Kwan did not, just doing the type of pretty program she would do in any other competition. That is why Josee won w/ her ingenius Mime routine, even with a far technically inferior effort. That loss didn't mean much to Kwan, but it meant a lot to Josee as she mentioned in her book. ...***
I only call it like I see 'em! I definitely was no fan of Kwan's and it didn't bother me in the least when she was cheated out of a couple wins here and there! It happened enough to other skaters when she was subpar! Going back to when she was only 13, I thought she was overscored and held up, but that's nothing new as other people well know! I've seen Chan flop all over the place and barely lose; once by the 3 points deducted for falls! It's one reason the sport isn't taken seriously, but is still the featured event of the Winter Olympics! They've even created a team event to get them out there more besides the added exhibitions! No other sport abuses their athletes this much!
***Is Rafa declining? IMO, yes. Doesn't mean isn't still insanely good and very close to his highest level, but if careers and athletic physicality have a peak and then some sort of decline from that, then he is definitely not as good as his absolute best years, and I don't see him having another 2010 or even quite 2013 again. Two out of 3 majors competed in and 5 Masters won't happen again, IMO. He could still win 2 majors in one year though, although next year would be his last really good shot at it.
ReplyDeleteStatistically, Nadal should be in plateau years. Which implies no more than flashes of the former brilliance, but a solid level, and still capable of beating anyone. Which is what we saw, essentially from Federer at 28. So the diminishment of results seems not surprising, but anyone who thinks he's in a steep decline, is probably fooling themselves.***
Nadal's w/o a doubt the strangest top player I've ever seen! He goes up, plateaus, then breaks down where he has to take extended time away! He then resurrects himself back to the top only to fall back to the pack after having a career season! It's just bizarre; happening several times! I guess you can say Serena's going through the same thing; just not as extreme!
***Nadal is not as inconsistent as you would think. However, I think the Serena comparison is not wrong: sometimes they seem a bit out of the conversation, and then suddenly they're completely back in the game.
---
Declined from his absolute peak? Sure. He'll still have his moments and tournaments, but chances are he'll never have another '08, '10, or '13. But is he significantly worse than he was at his peak? No, at least not on clay or HC. He seemingly can't hang on grass any more, which speaks of some decline. And I honestly wonder how he's going to do on HCs this year, but he's still one of 2 truly great players right now and better than everyone else - including Roger, Andy, and the rest.
I've done research that shows that the vast majority of players peak from around 21-26, then plateau from around 27-31, w/ a steep decline at 32 and after. I don't expect Rafa to be any different, although given his physical style of play, I wouldn't be surprised if his decline occurs a year or 2 earlier. But even so, we've got 2-3 years left of plateau, so that's a lot of good tennis left.***
Well everyone needs to get off the "Big 4" stuff; esp. since Murray has dropped to #10 in the world! He lost a lot of points and if he doesn't do well this HC season, he might fall out of the top 20! That's what happens to players who have a nice spurt of wins, but can't defend the titles! I can't imagine anyone thinking he could keep it up; esp. since Lendl dropped out as the coach!
***Better Touch than FEDERER? You Decide. Mecir, Nastase, Rosewall, Panatta were classy too and what to say about King Stefan...he was just fantastic. There's a lot of players w/ a good touch in the past and (hopefully) in the future even if game is more brutal nowadays, guys try to hit the ball the hardest they can; it's a pity for the game.***
In the old era, I'd definitely have to put Nastase at the top of the list! He made shots no one else would even think of under the most excruciating pressures of a match! I learned the Bucharest backfire from him and shocked people w/ that shot over the shoulder through the 90's!
***Well everyone needs to get off the "Big 4" stuff; esp. since Murray has dropped to #10 in the world! ...That's what happens to players who have a nice spurt of wins, but can't defend the titles!
ReplyDelete"Spurt of wins?!" Give me a break. Murray has been consistent for at least 5 years. A rankings drop b/c of injury is not that shocking, or w/o precedent. It's the "also-rans" that come up w/ a "spurt of wins." Or worse, a big upset, and then not follow up. Until someone makes a big and consistent name for himself, I'm going to still talk about the Big 4, if you don't mind.***
"Spurt" of major wins genius; an Olympic medal, a USO, ending in Wimbledon! All that happened in a year's time! That's called a spurt! It was the spurt of wins that propelled Roger back to #1, but even Murray never came close, so how consistent was he that he's dropped to #10? Nadal never fell below 5 and was gone longer! HELLO; wake up!
***...Andy is still trying to find himself since coming back from surgery, both mentally and physically. He has been seriously in the mix for 5 or 6 yrs and to propose that he is merely a flash in the pan is just silly.***
I never thought Murray was a "flash in the pan," but it did promote my past theory of the ATP being kind of gutless; unable to knock off even one of these guys! It took surgery to significantly make a change in the top echelon so they still can't take a bow! Wawrinka's the first one to break through the glass ceiling of the big 4 since the last decade! Delpo has to be thought of as an "also ran" b/c he hasn't backed up his USO from '09 even w/ Nadal and Murray out for extended periods!
---
***I was surprised that "some players" didn't consider the FO that important. (Newcombe was mentioned as saying that he focused on Wimbledon, the USO, and DC.) It has been said here before in discussions about the FO, but I wonder if that was just amongst the players who didn't play well on clay, since the others were played on the lawns for so long.
No it's certainly not just the players who didn't play well on clay. Even Llendl skipped it one year. It got its cachet in the mid to late 80s. I guess a relative oldie like me will always have a bias for Wimbledon and Flushing b/c they've always been the big 2, not b/c Roger won both of those for 5 consecutive years.
---
...the FO, it simply was not talked about as much in int'l tennis when it exploded in the 70s tennis "rock" era of Connors-Borg-McEnroe. Since most marketing dollars flowed from the USA back then, the USO was always prominent, along w/ Wimbledon. It was the historicity of these 2 events that got most of the press and that all the really big players played. New York went from grass to green clay and then settled in on hard court in the space of 4 years. Wimbledon remained the ancient grass court jewel and the French (until Borg made it more of a headliner after winning it so many times) was the major that was won mostly by clay courters who hardly won anything off of that surface (the Swede and Vilas were notable exceptions). They tended to be Euros or South Americans who played most of the year in Europe, or at least that was the perception of many in the USA back then. Panetta, Orantes, Noah and others only fared well on the red clay over there, or that was (again) the perception. I think that is why SW19 and NY held a special position (AO was too far away for most in the 70s) amongst the majors--they were simply the best known and marketed. I agree that things changed with the Sampras-Agassi era and the internalization of tennis in that era right under their noses with Bruguera, Gomez, Gaston, Muster and the rest. I question how big an impact Wilander's 1987 and Agassi's capturing the FO turned out to be in terms of making the quest for all 4 being a really big deal.***
***Rafa is a unique specimen, but his uniqueness may be offset by the wear and tear and physicality of his game so that in the end it evens out and we may see normal aging patterns. What that would mean, as I've said, is another few years of a high level of play (plateau), with Slams sprinkled in, but probably no return to a 2010-level of dominance.
ReplyDelete---
...with Roger - at age 32 - he's capable of playing at a very high level for bits and spurts. But we also saw something at the Wimbledon final that we probably wouldn't have seen when he was 25 - he started missing shots and lost his serve in the 5th set, presumably due to fatigue. I also think it is clear that, with Roger, while he's done an amazing job at adjusting and compensating, there's no denying that his physical skills have eroded a bit.
...But if you add the two together - that Rafa is still chasing Roger for the Slam record AND the younger generation, while showing a bit more life of late, is still not much compared to what Roger had to deal w/ - then perhaps Rafa's decline will be slower and later than it might have been w/o those 2 factors.
---
Now we have Rafa at a similar stage of his career, at least age-wise, as Roger in '09. Yet while Roger had a 22-23 yr old Rafa and a 21-22 yr old Novak & Andy to face, there are no true equivalents for Rafa, no elite younger players - only a few who seem like they could be 2nd tier talents. He does have Novak and Andy to face, but he's grown up w/ them; they are his generation, his peers - like Hewitt, Roddick, Nalbandian, and even Marat Safin for Roger (it is crazy to think that Safin is only a year and a half older than Roger - he's been gone so long). But the best young players on the rise are Raonic, Dimitrov, and Nishikori. I suppose we could throw in Gulbis, Janowicz, etc - but they're all a step down. Vesely, Thiem, and Kyrgios are all a bit younger and have yet to sniff the top 20.
To put it another way, Raonic/Dimitrov/Nishikori won't quicken Rafa's (and Novak's and Andy's) decline as much as Rafa/Novak/Andy did for Roger. I do have hopes that as Dimitrov enters his peak, and those 3 enter their plateau, that he'll be on a similar level as them. But we haven't quite seen it yet, but he's close! - As an aside, as a group it seems that Roger had a wider field of very good players to face, but none as good as Novak or Andy. Rafa has fewer very good players, but more great ones to face.***
===
***...Sasha Cohen at least has gorgeous lines, positions, elegance, and first rate spins, spirals, and jump rotation.***
Sasha was so mesmerizing on the ice, during her "Romeo & Juliet" exhibition after Worlds, Buttons and Fleming couldn't speak! They just let the performance speak for itself! Even during the replays of some elements, there was just silence! That never happens!
***Exactly. Which is why I nearly split my side laughing at anyone calling Fumie more talented than Sasha. Nothing against Fumie, but she was just a good 2nd tier kind of skater, even at her best. You would never be mesmerized or in awe of anything she did.***
***Sasha would have won Nat'ls in '03, '04, & '05 if she skated clean. In '03 she made too many mistakes to even beat Sarah who was a shadow of the skater she was the year before. Going into the competition she was the new GPF champion and dominated her GP events. She was totally the favorite entering that competition. In '04 she received a 6.0 for a program w/ a fall and another small error, before Michelle skated.
ReplyDelete---
If they were willing to give her the '03 title over Michelle, they would have put her over a very subpar Sarah even w/ her falls and mistakes. Add to that the '03 Worlds qualifying round where Sasha skated clean with 7 triples, Michelle had only 6 and stumbled, and Michelle was 1st and Sasha 3rd in their pool. Those 2 things combined make it clear the judges would not favor a perfect Sasha over a good Michelle in '03. Sasha had a better shot of the 2000 title than the '03 one.
---
Well, that's already good to be a good 2nd tie kind of skater. My problem w/ Sasha is that I can't forget her flaws when I watch her. Fumie is more of an all around skater, nothing spectacular, but nothing particularly shocking.
---
What would Olympic podiums from '92-2014 been if everyone skated cleanly? Ladies 2002 Gold- Slutskaya, Silver- Kwan, Bronze- Cohen. Too much is made about Kwan's SP win. I thought Irina's SP in SLC was only about 60% as good as her shorts at the GPF, Worlds, Goodwill Games, and she had 2 obvious errors for me- ...She still lost the short by only .1 and would have easily won it with any of her much better shorts that season. Kwan's triple flip btw was NOT 2-footed, definitely not.
Ladies 2006 Gold- Slutskaya, Silver- Shiz, Bronze- Cohen Slutskaya was the sentimental fave in her last Olympics and in Europe. She was never losing if she skated clean (by clean I mean w/o the really shaky landings she had on a few jumps and missed levels, besides the obvious mistakes) even if Shizuka and Cohen were sublime. Shizuka's 3-3s would carry her past Cohen and even if they didn't her jump GOE would do the trick.
Men 2010 Gold- Lambiel, Takahashi, or Abbott, Silver- Lambiel, Takahashi, Abbott, or Chan, Bronze- Lambiel, Takahashi, Abbott, Chan, or Joubert. As you can see not really sure how this would go. Neither Lysacek or Plushenko would even medal though.
Men 2014 Gold- Hanyu, Silver- Fernandez, Bronze- Chan
Ladies '94 Gold- Baiul or Sato, Silver- Baiul, Sato, Kerrigan, or Bonaly, Bronze- Baiul, Sato, Kerrigan, Bonaly, or Chouinard. Another 1 I'm not sure of. Dont think Chen would have ever medaled w/ the others skating cleanly though since the judges always underrated her then.
Ladies '98 Gold- Lipinski, Silver- Kwan, Bronze- Butyrskaya
---
Ladies:
1992- Kristi wins, Midori 2nd, Tonya 3rd
1994- Yuka wins, Lu 2nd, Surya 3rd
1998- Tara wins, Michelle 2nd, Maria 3rd
2002- Irina wins, Michelle 2nd, Maria 3rd
2006- Irina wins, Shizuka 2nd, Sasha 3rd
2010- Yu Na wins, Mao 2nd, Joannie 3rd
2014- Adelina wins, Yu Na 2nd, Mao or Julia 3rd
Those are the placements if everyone skates perfectly.
1992- Victor wins, Kurt 2nd, Petr 3rd
1994- Viktor wins, Kurt 2nd, Scott 3rd
1998- Ilia wins, Todd 2nd, Alexei 3rd
2002- Evgeny wins, Alexei 2nd, Tim 3rd
2006- Evgeny wins, Stephane 2nd, Jeff 3rd
2010- Brian wins, Stephane 2nd, Daisuke 3rd
2014- Hanyu wins, Fernandez 2nd, Patrick 3rd
Again with everyone perfect these are placements and medals.***
***I know Roger likes to say he's as motivated and works harder than ever before, but you've got to wonder about the psychological effect when he won his 15th Slam. He was out in open waters, and w/o Pete ahead of him, there wasn't that extra bit of incentive. ...I think he was simply eclipsed by a younger, hungrier, and eventually better generation of players. It happens to everyone. Professional sports is a game of millimeters - and if you lose just a bit of edge, you can lose a lot of ground (Or, if you gain just a bit of edge, you can take a massive step forward - which is what I think we're seeing w/ Dimitrov. The '14 version isn't that different than '13 physically, but he's a lot hungrier and more intense).
ReplyDeleteBut if you add the 2 together - that Rafa is still chasing Roger for the Slam record AND the younger generation, while showing a bit more life of late, is still not much compared to what Roger had to deal w/ - then perhaps Rafa's decline will be slower and later than it might have been w/o those 2 factors.
---
You've made many good points above Dude, but I wanted to highlight and discuss this one: That when Roger hit 15 Major wins, he was entering "unchartered waters," as you say. I do believe him when he says he still loves tennis, and he's a great front-runner, but it's hard to imagine how being so far above the field feels. And I do think it helps Nadal to have a specific goal. In this way, he's always been chasing Roger. I'm sure they both try to focus on the task at hand, but it seems that Nadal's "carrot" is more obvious and specific.***
===
***Sochi '14 was the most blatant cheating in the last 90 years of figure skating history. That's the only title Yuna should have won that bothers me. But I agree that if she were American or Japanese, she would have won '07, '08, & '11 Worlds for sure and maybe '10; whether merited or not.***
You say Sochi; evidence and remedies proves it was SLC! They actually gave out 2 GOLD medals in an event to deal w/ obvious, duplicitous behavior! Jamie whined enough and made such a stink they almost had no choice!
***I say Sochi b/c the difference in abilities btw Kim and Sotnikova, as well as what they put out on the ice that competition; was night and day, 2 different leagues. At least in SLC the difference btw the dance teams was small.
---
She had to return her Silver in order to get the 2nd gold, but then she complained afterwords and requested the Silver medal back as well. Poor Jamie, they refused her that request in the end. Perhaps had they given her that back, she would have demanded the bronze, and perhaps then now truly a 2nd gold medal (as in a 2nd that she alone owns this time) too.***
I accepted the initial result b/c of Sale & Pelletier using an old program! I still don't understand why? I lost so much respect for them going from venue to venue, interview to interview bellyaching like they were the first skaters ever cheated out of a win! I was disgusted and never watched them again! I hope she feels severe shame now for her petulant behavior!
***Of course they did. The IOC has a long history of awarding duplicate Gold medals; just b/c people whine and it's broadcast on US network TV. They did for Men's basketball in Munich anyway.***
Excuse me; the whining was there and prevalent, but no remedy was initiated! The US just didn't accept their Silver medals; supposedly sitting in a lockbox of some sort in Munich!
***Kim SNH accepted the Silver they gave her at Sochi either, but she's too gracious for that. Nevertheless that does not diminish the fact that the competition was rigged and a joke, and as much as I like Sotnikova, she will always be remembered now as the Phoney Queen of Sochi.***
***...again, my quarrel isn't w/ Ted Kennedy, it's w/ those who were willing to tolerate his waitress sandwiches.***
ReplyDeleteNo one's tolerating anything! They're just letting the guy rest in peace! You want to dig him up and kick him around some more? Talk to Sen. Hatch who used him as a prop in his argument for an example saying, "if Teddy were alive we could get this bill done!" Such a DICK who hated and fought w/ the man day in and day out! Republicans in general are so full of shit!
***Fiero, yeah... how lame to notice when a guy is a serial assaulter of women.***
Saying it "over and over and over" isn't going to make the statement more relevant sweetie! Get over yourself! I mention how inept Bush was as President and how he left the country floundering and you and others don't seem to care, so why should I about anything you have to say? ...and your hypocrisy will be pointed out by me! The only way for you guys to triumph is for me to forget to check back and make you accountable for your BS!
***Again....what "hypocrisy" is involved in remembering Clintons womanizing.....and what on Earth does it have to do w/ "Bush?" Did Bush do the womanizing things Clinton did or not? If so you would have a point.....but the point is....you have no point. You seem to have a problem w/ the thread topic.***
The hypocrisy is your not looking at the members of Congress "on the right" who have done worse; including solicitation of prostitutes, adultery, and sexual harassment! The list would be too long for me to go check them out, but you are being a hypocrite if you don't take note of them just as much as Clinton! The one that bothers me the most is Vitter; on 2 lists for solicitation and use of women and his stupid wife stood right there w/ him w/ that look of "why in the fuck am I here?" The hypocrisy continues w/ Sanford who was thrown out and re-elected to Congress when his indiscretions were revealed! Please look in the mirror when you point fingers like this!
***It's old history that Hillary smears victims of sexual assault and rape?***
It's called "defending" her husband and her own legacy! If something happened to someone related to you, I doubt you would wash your hands of them; PLEASE!
***Hillary Clinton is the enabler of Bill Clinton's womanizing.***
...and? Goes on all the time; esp. w/ mothers who won't see how rotten their "bad seed" kid is; "my baby wouldn't do such a thing!" Again, get over yourself! When will you understand, there are just too many holes in any argument you have; esp. when you criticize just one side of an issue? There are always counter-arguments to make you look foolish! I'm no genius, but you make it easy even for a "dead head" like I am these day w/ my sleep apnea!
***Liberals really want us to swallow that the GOP have a war on women . . . I'm not going to allow myself to gag on that and I'm rather peeved at them, but I'll be peeved for real reasons, not for some liberal fantasy!
ReplyDelete- http://nypost.com/2014/07/12/why-liberal-hollywood-hates-women/ - ***
Who's pushing for invasive examinations of women to see a fetus? Who doesn't care if women don't make as much as men? Who rips women a new one if they have the nerve to comment about equal rights? That's hardly liberal Democratic thinking! Sounds like more regressive GOP repression to me!
***Howard Stern responsible for Malaysian plane....MSNBC said so - Actually, it's a right-wing loon caller who said it was Howard Stern.***
I'm just waiting for FOX NEWS to blame Obama! You know it's going to happen! They only have one "talking point;" everything's Obama's fault!
***Before you hit "post" on this, did it ever occur to you to ask yourself, "Does this have anything to do w/ Fox News?"***
Well FNC didn't wait even 2 days before harking back to Reagan and his response to a flight being shot down in '83; where he took 4 days! Obama had a news conference within 24 hours, but that doesn't stop McCain on the right and Krauthammer on Fox News to criticize his so called indecisiveness! What a bunch of idiots; so expected!
***Why don't any Dems here ever go, "yeah... Christ... Clinton groping and raping those women was wrong, someone probably should have said something about that. It was horrible the way the Democrats covered up for that guy who drowned that girl?"***
Hilarious! What does that say about Republican candidates who have lost to Dems w/ such horrendous histories and reputations? Clinton and Obama will still make more of a mark than any other President in the recent history of 3 Bush terms; collapse of the economy, banks going under, high unemployment, huge deficit spending doubling the Nat'l debt! Just keep it coming; doesn't make you guys look much better w/ sterling reputations! Just too funny for words! lol!
***...The hypocrisy comes from the delusional fools Obama the Incompetent surrounds himself w/.***
I'm no fan of Obama and he's made a LOT of mistakes, but b/c of people like you who "cry wolf" so much, no one, and I mean no one can take you seriously! He's blamed for everything under the sun even though parts of the gov't has been running as such for generations! He's not responsible for anything that goes on at the VA, IRS, and other bureaucracies that have nothing to do w/ the Presidency! If he actually does something wrong, it falls on deaf ears b/c of the constant refrain that "Obama this" and "Obama that!" I'm trying to help you guys believe it or not! If you keep lying to each other like that, you're never going to win another nat'l election! You can't keep blaming everything on a party or even an individual so much; it's just not true most of the time!
***Oklahoma's Same-Sex Marriage Ban Overturned - Man, what did Harvey Milk think about gay marriage?***
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch of idiots! If this many states have overturned bans, other states are only wasting time and money fighting the tide! Blame "W" and his campaign of hate in 2004! The country was against gay marriage back then, but Rove and his sychophants turned the tide; "thanks Karl!" Mohrons!
***Fiero, it's like Scalia knew something about the tide of judicial activism in his dissent in the early 2000's... I don't know what "campaign of hate" Bush put forth.***
I don't know why I bother, but the Republican campaign was all about hate in 2004; their main talking point was about being against gay marriage! It was the most irrational campaign to date, but it worked along w/ maligning a war hero like Kerry! What did those schlubs like Cheney and Rove do during the war? NOTHING! But they actually attacked Kerry's record and his activism after Viet Nam! It was the sickest things I've ever seen, but as I've said, the country overall isn't too bright and they'll believe anything if they're so inclined!
***One of the reasons people have grown so angry over Obama´s manufactured shit is that everything we are told is a lie. That´s consistent w/ the belief that the benighted knuckle-dragging xenophobic citizens of the United States have nothing to say about shit - it´s a decision that will be made by the Ruling Class, in accordance w/ their political and economic interests. You taxpaying chumps will be told whatever the Ruling Class thinks you need to hear, whenever they think you need to hear it, w/ the truth either suppressed or kept on ice.
---
...and Hamas will reap the destruction of the Palestinian people as long as they continue to fire thousands of rockets into Israel using Mosques, Hospitals and Schools as protection. Are the Israelis suppose to do nothing?***
It's a "no win" situation; esp. w/ the pictures of dead children strewn about! These people have been at each other's throats for generations! There's just not a lot we can do w/ these so called intellectuals! They're so smart that they can't figure out a way of not killing each other daily!
***...So Sasha has the edge in everything until we get down to the 5th most important thing; then Fumie starts to get some edges. Seems clear Sasha wins this career argument. Take away her Olympic Silver and she probably still beats Fumie's. Add her Olympic Silver and the comparision is so lopsided it is no longer even a real discussion.***
ReplyDeleteRegardless of titles, I still prefer to watch Sasha! Fumie's probably a sweetheart, but her skating was nothing special; sorry! Sasha could hypnotize you w/ her grace and line! Fumie struggled w/ the simplest of elements! The commentators make such a big deal out of Yulia Lipnitskaya's spins, but Sasha did it all 10+ years earlier!
***I liked Fumie when she 1st emerged in '99, and again when she had a resurgence after an early slump in 2001-2002. By '03 something happened to her skating. She started having some ugly positions and not so good aspects of her style, which either weren't there before or just became more noticeable now that she was a top skater. Either way I feel she just gradually got worse after being an exciting up and comer. She did remain solid and steady for the most part, although like Sasha, often not really delivering in the big event too. ...Thankfully by '07 and the emergence of new stars like Kim and Asada that nonsense of overscoring her stopped and the judges have tried to show her the door since, and will keep doing so until she finally accepts her reality and takes it.
---
Aren't there adult competitions. Why doesn't she enter those? That is where she belongs now. Midori Ito does them, so it is not like they're demeaning to a skater of her stature.***
Japan has been "deeper" than the United States for years! She has to be delusional to think she could even qualify with so many great skaters on the National team! Years ago, it was just her and Honda; those days are "long gone!" I'm jealous like other countries!
***Maria also skated with no artistry in her '98 Olympic LP when it's usually her strength. She was so stiff and nervous, she not only missed over half her jumps, but skated w/ no emotion, style, performance level, or feeling for the music. Had she skated w/ any of her usual artistry, she probably would have won the Bronze even w/ all the missed jumps. The same was true of her 2000 Worlds LP.***
What Maria could you possibly be referring to? lol! I've always thought Butyrskaya looked stiff out there, with jarring landings even at her best! I can remember appreciating her just once; at the 2000 NHK where she should have beaten Irina, but past over scoring caught up with her! It was like "don't cry for me Argentina" when she skated beautifully, landing 2 great triple lutzes! Even Peter Carruthers thought she was the new champion! She of course was crestfallen as was I even though I preferred Irina who took Gold! Earlier in Paris Maria was flopping all over the place taking 1st place, but Jennie Kirk skated very nicely, ending with a 3-Lutz and wound up with Bronze! Loved Maria's SP to Brightman's, "Scene d'Amour" though!
***Those points all fall under common sense and even ultra lib Maher recognizes it.***
ReplyDeleteAgreed! I just hope he doesn't go the route of Dennis Miller who totally went off the deep end! He was so liberal 20-30 years ago, now he's slurping Bill O'Reilly weekly!
***Mark Levin is a windbag who just yells at callers and has very little basis for anything he rants about. The ironic difference is that Stewart's show, while being a comedic parody of news shows is more informative than garbage opinion pieces from Levin.
---
Levin is smart enough to know that all he has to do is sling insults to remain on the air. He is a classic fear peddler who takes advantage of the general stupidity of his listening audience to make money. Any time someone calls in to argue w/ what he says, he goes nuts.***
If I need a real laugh, I just go to YouTube to listen to this disturbed individual! He's hilarious and can never make sense even w/ the most elementary of subjects! Fear monger is right; just like his good buddy Rush Limbaugh! They each ran Bill O'Reilly off the air several years ago since he critiqued them harshly more than a few times! Nothing like conservatives at war w/ each other even though Bill says he's independent! "Yeah; right!"
***...So perhaps the eastern oil "exploration" announcement is Obama possibly trying to save face in case he's permanently blown the Keystone opportunity. - I'd rather him double down on investment on alternative energy sources and re-open the nuclear certification process. Thus reducing the need to drill for oil in the 1st place.***
If these people weren't so sloppy and incompetent w/ their greed I'd say go ahead, but we get nothing w/ the Keystone really! They will continue to make mistakes, spill and leak oil all over the place, then make us deal w/ the consequences; typical! People don't hear about the minor leaks that occur w/ these pipelines, but they don't live on them; the smell, tainted water, and killing the surrounding habitat! There's reason in his apparent madness and I appreciate Obama not succumbing to political pressure from Congressmen who are in the pockets of the OIL industry!
***Widow of Cop-Killer Upset that he Didn’t Kill More Cops***
Stupid idiots who think nothing of killing cops who are paid to "serve and protect!" It's hard to have any sympathy for the type that think it's dishonorable to turn in real criminals'; esp. if they're from "the hood!" They will continue to live in shit b/c of their honor code or lack thereof! I'm embarrassed to say "these are supposed to be MY PEOPLE!" My mom says they just don't know any better! That doesn't make it any easier to swallow their cultural stupidity!
***If the '08 or '12 general elections were held today, Obama would still prevail.***
Agreed! These people just don't have a clue! The country would still take Obama over any of the losers on the "right" who are pushed in front of the cameras! All of them are an embarrassment to their party and the human race! Palin, McCain, Romney, Paul, Huckabee, Cruz, Rubio, Walker, and all the rest don't even have a prayer against Hillary who hasn't even announced yet! They're so afraid of her, they've already started trying to "tar and feather" her and I think it's pathetic! What do you expect from inferior politicians without a complete brain to share amongst them all?
***Hillary isn't going to run, she has too much baggage. Hillary's already offering excuses as why she might not run. Warren is from the left wing kook brigade. Oh my the left wing freaks have the same problem again. Nobody wanted the job. Be prepared for a Republican Senate & House...so we can watch Obama twist in the wind.....LOL - Btw 60 million is less than 1/3 of the "country"... Obama was selected by the free loading freaks of the country....the everyday bottom feeders.***
***...Yeah they will b/c according to them anything that happened was Bush's fault!***
ReplyDeleteWell if it's true you need to accept it! Bush was one of the worst Presidents in the history of this country! This is the man who said he looked into Putin's eyes and saw his soul! Laugh that off JOKERS! We would be in world war three w/ Korea, Iran, and Russia if it's up to those idiot Neo-Cons on the "right!"
***Actually, what Bush said was: "I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straight forward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to uhm, get a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country, and the best interests of his country." U.S. President Bush (the younger) assessing Russia's Vlad Putin in June, 2001 - "trustworthy?" Bush is a buffoon. And I wouldn't trust Putin as far as gramma could throw him.
---
Tony Dungy says that he would not have taken Michael Sam in the NFL draft - ...the man has the right to choose whom ever he wishes, if he doesn't want a homo on his team that's his right.***
...and people have a right to judge him just as harshly! Intolerance, b/c of nature is not acceptable to most people! It can always turn on the person who's being so narrow-minded and bigoted! Typical religious zealot who will pay for his intolerance in the end! I expected better from the man, but I guess I was wrong! What a troll!
***I have found it's always best to keep that love life, sex life to yourself... nobody needs to know what anyone does in the bedroom. Most don't want to know or even have to think about it.***
Agreed, but "straight" people do it all the time. I'd love for them to keep whatever they do behind closed doors to themselves, but they can't help it either! They grope each other in the park, on buses, and walking down the street! Tell them too! For them it's natural! So hypocritical! Poor Dungy is getting excoriated around the clock on all the sport shows and regular news! Maybe he'll learn to keep his views to himself! Doubtful though!
***There is 'sex' on tv in one way or another all the time. From shows to commercials. 99.9% of it is hetero leaning. But let one gay couple hold hands or kiss and homophobes go apeshitcrazy! As for Dungy, if he chooses to take the heat and condemnation and stick to his guns, more power to him. He only has control of himself and nobody else, so it is just his thoughts and views. But his career in sportscasting may be over.***
***Why Have a Short Program At All? Under the current competition format, it is unclear to me why we need to have a SP in addition to a free skate. Sure, the short program rules mandate skaters to perform certain jumps, and for senior/junior men and junior ladies they are now required to perform triple jumps in the SP, b/c fewer rotations will result in no credit. However, the types of technical elements required in the SP are no different from those "recommended" for a "well-balanced" free skate. Who's going to leave out anything from the "well-balanced" element list unless they absolutely cannot do it? Free skate is not really free, and the short programs simply have fewer jumps and fewer spins.I think it makes no sense that we get two programs that are very very similar and measure almost exactly the same thing (the only difference they really measure is stamina). Nowadays the SP is just half of a free skate.***
ReplyDeleteThey've already gotten rid of compulsory figures; now you want to eliminate the SP! So I guess you wouldn't mind some slug having the skate of their life on that one night and taking a major event? I think they should go as far as the old format of the GP Final with 3 performance; 1 SP and 2 LP! That weeds out the riff raff and makes sure the best skater wins!
***Which two skaters fan base have the most heated rivalry? Seeing all the sparring wars btw the various fan bases makes me wonder which 2 fan bases have the most intense rivalry. Certainly there are many candidates for that.***
I went w/ Plushenko & Yagudin, but since I just started posting here, I'm just going by the visceral antagonism that went on when both were competing! I place more blame on Alexei since he wanted Mishin to himself which wasn't practical! He had tons of other students; he just wanted Evgeny gone more than anything! His animus hurt his career along w/ the pressure Plushenko put on him physically and mentally due to his quad being superior; doing 2 in each program! Alexei could beat everyone else w/o even 1, but w/ Evgeny around, he couldn't win the major events! It took its toll which is why he had to retire from the amateur ranks after the 2001-02 season! To this day, he probably can't stand Plushenko!
***ITA, it seems that even Plushenko's much longer career still not enough to ease his fans' mind. No matter how much shit you shed on this board, you can't change the fact that Yagudin's early retirement was b/c of his congenital joint defect. And you can't change the fact that Plushenko couldn't out jump Yagudin, even though he was younger, was trained by Alexei Mishin, and worked much more on jumps. While Yagudin was coached by Tarasova, wasn't ambitious about jumps, has a congenital joint defect, he still out jumped Plushenko easily. Out jump Yagudin and you win. LOL!***
Even if Yagudin is thought of as the better skater, I'll take Plushenko's longevity w/ 4 Olympics medals; 2 Gold, 2 Silver! We'll see who's more highly regarded after time goes by! Numbers will sooth Plushenko's historic achievement!
***2 Gold LOL, then why don't you wait a little bit longer? ...Right now people are still remembering how they win their titles; how's their programs? LOL***
***The Kwan supporters, and I don't even mean the fans as being the worst, but Kwan worshipping journalists like Bitchy Brennan were brutal to poor Tara.***
ReplyDeleteI so much agree; which is why I've never been a fan of Kwan or her fandom from the beginning! The constant "fawning" by all concerned was sycophantic and nauseating, ignoring her deficiencies, and forgiving all mistakes! The judges were just as culpable giving her gratuitous 5.9's and 6.0's even if she fell! That was just too much for me and I couldn't wait for her to retire!
***That Kwan supporters were whining about her coming 2nd at events in early '97 when she was falling all over the ice (I on the other hand was baffled how she finished that high, minus the '97 Worlds) was a total turn off for me from her band of supporters for good. ...Maybe they had a crystal ball and could see Patrick Chan in the future, so figured their goddess deserved what Patrick Chan would one day be getting. Not sure why anyone would want to be the future most hated skater in the sport (Chan in 2011-2013) anyway. Christine Brennan is vile thrash in any vein anyway, whether she is fawning over Kwan, ripping Tara a new one, or someone else. The type of person who was only brought into the sport thanks to Tonya Harding. For that alone Harding deserves her perm. ban.***
I loved when Brennan was banned for a while due to her book noting the deaths of so many skaters and coaches due to Aids! She was on the "outs" for a few years from what I remember!
***I have been posting here for like 9 years and i have never seen anyone ever say the Kwan/Slutskaya rivalry was invented. I also posted on MKF way back in the day, and never saw anyone say that.***
Both took titles from the other they may not have deserved regardless! Nothing more funny than Irina's GPF win w/ just 3 triples! All the Kwan supporters backstage could do was smirk and give quizzical looks to one another! lol!
***Kwan fans to resent Slutskaya's very existence at times. They pass her off as a terrible artist, w/ sloppy technique, who would be lucky to make top 5 if she weren't Russian. I have seen some Slutskaya fans who potray Kwan as an overrated hack who would have been lucky to win Worlds even once. So Kwan-Slutskaya is the worst. Neither fan base respect the other.***
Even w/ my animus towards MK, I'd still admit if I thought Irina had been over marked and was elevated above her ability! I personally thought she came into her own as a woman and a skater! I loved her programs and taped quite a few of them; esp. her SP, "Serenade" in the Olympic season of '01-'02! She outskated MK many times and deserved her wins over Michelle most of time!
***If Sotnikova dominates the next 4 years and wins another Olympic Gold medal, I can see her going down in history like Grishuk/Platov. She may gain huge defenders who think she's great (like the Pasha Brigade and many ice dance fans who at least respect what G/P brought to the discipline), but she'll have her fair share of haters.***
Well technically she's already ahead of the game w/ 2 Gold medals; 1 single, 1 team!
***Close! Russia didn't select Sotnikova for the team event and only used Lipnitskaya. Therefore she won a singular gold medal.***
I guess I didn't pay attention! I thought they all contributed and got medals; sorta like those tv team events of the past!
***Obama in a Downward Spiral -- Will the Dems Go With Him. BHO's polls are plummeting. Of course he does not give darn that they are. I am sure he would like to not lose the Senate in Nov., which is why he is eternally on his fundraising excursions as "Rome" burns; however, can the Church of the Dems be saved w/ money alone. IMO Obama's legacy might be saved by GOP Senate --worked for Clinton anyway.***
ReplyDeleteIf his polls were great, conservatives and other right-wingers would dismiss all polls! Funny they make comment on Obama's polls, but never mention his #'s are 3 X's better than theirs! They would love to have his poll #'s which is why he's going nowhere; esp. from "Impeachment" talk! Reps have no creditability after making an issue of where he was born, talking down the country's recovery through obstructive behavior, and trying to undermine his foreign policy! They've been despicable and wrong in everything they've said about unemployment, the stock market, jobs, and of course the ACA! If they would have shut up even a little, Obama might have stumbled and made himself look bad, but w/ the constant refrain of the "sky is falling," these people who hate his guts aren't listened to; even their base is embarrassed by them!
There's a reason Reps have lost important race after important race; esp. the Presidency of late! You're stuck in the past of "bad mouthing" someone w/o real facts and reason; which is why Clinton will go down in history as being so much better than any of your heroes like Reagan, "W," and even Eisenhower! Dem Presidents have done significant things that helped minorities, the poor, seniors, and now "the sick!" As "The Prince Of Darkness," Bob Novak once said, "Reps haven't done anything original since freeing the slaves!"
***Could you be an executioner?***
It just shows the hypocrisy of the country's people to be this barbaric; I don't care what the charge! It makes us look uncivilized!
***B/c there really isn't 2 parties, there is a bigger agenda and anyone who doesn't go along is thrown out by the media. Obama is really just an extension of what Bush did.***
True enough, but if someone's a Rep, they have to be suspect in so many ways! Things just don't go well under their admins and they feel compelled to satisfy the "conservative" base to the detriment of the country all too often! You have to question Paul since he's been busted plagiarizing whole entries from Wikipedia; where that information can be suspect as well since ordinary people make additions all the time! I can't trust someone who would be that sloppy, taking Wiki as gospel!
***That is why the Rep part keeps and will keep on losing. But the Rep establishment would rather lose than allow a true conservative or someone who would put an end to much of the corruption. Both parties vote and do basically the same things. There is always some "maverick" politician who will "cross the isle in a bi-partisan effort" when needed. Meanwhile, the rest of the votes are largely for show to keep the voters happy. If you only need X amount of votes to get something passed, the rest of those votes can vote against it for appearance. The ones who vote yes across party lines are ones that can generally get away w/ it. There are very few in office who actually vote for what they think is best for the country, rather than gov't and their own power.
It's the rhetoric that is different, and the ignorant masses treat red and blue as if they were sports teams. Even if Romney won, we'd still have the ACA; it would just be called Romneycare. B/c the same damn lobbyists who wrote it would still be writing it, and it's what the insurance companies paid for; guaranteed customers who are forced to take coverage they might not need. Allowing the insurance companies to raise rates and blame the gov't for it at the same time.***
And so it continues with this insane Congress! They make such a stink about how bad conditions are w/ the VA, but sit on the appropriation bill for 6 weeks refusing to pass it b/c Republicans say "it's too much money!" These scum suckers just can't help themselves; bitch about something, then don't do a damn thing to fix it! We get what we deserve w/ these losers! Keep on blaming Obama guys; of course he can authorize all spending bills w/ an executive order! Fk'n animals!
ReplyDelete***The Republicans must be thinking - 'hey, we're sure-fire winners in the mid-terms... how can we screw this up?' - The neocons want war perpetual or our involvement in every world conflict, yet find it too tough to actually take care of the soldiers who have fought and need care. Extremely shameful assholes.
---
Typical. Partisans start throwing blame at the other party instead of looking for solutions. Throwing money at the problem doesn't solve the issues. When will people learn that? Fix the problems first, then you can start spending money on the solutions that work. Not the other way around. It's damn pathetic the way sheep behave even on important issue like our veterans. It makes me sad.***
Then why blame Obama? Another one of these made up scandals that's going nowhere; just like the IRS, ACA, and foreign policy! They can't or won't do anything about the problem, but the "right" bitch about it anyway! "Thanks electorate; you're responsible for putting these a-holes in office!" They've Gerry-mandered all their districts so they feel safe to do nothing!
***Same with both parties. It is Bush's or Obama's fault. When in reality it is the fault of BOTH parties in Congress. Both pander to their districts to feel safe. - Why doesn't Obama just use his phone and his pen?***
I love it when Obama does his job, signs Executive Orders, and tries to work w/ Congress by inviting them to lunch or dinner; then they turn him down sighting scheduling conflicts only to sue him later! They'll never be happy until they destroy the country and I'm starting not to care! We are responsible for putting these a-holes in office for 20-30 years!
***EVERYONE bitches about everything, You show your TRUE colors when you point fingers at one side w/o mentioning the other side is just as responsible for the problem. You are part of the problem. Neither side is doing much of anything, but you seem to single out the side you don't align w/ instead of saying they are all fuckups. It's quite sickning when either side of the partisan divide does it.
You don't think that the IRS or ACA don't have serious problems? Sheep on sheeple if you believe that. And this POTUS' foreign policy can be described as a failure at best. There is no way around that. Gerrymandering happens on both sides of the aisle, but yet again, you think it is only a problem on one side? By the way, what solutions other than throwing more money at a problem has the Dems in Congress come up with? You are partisan hack. And before you start spouting off any BS about me being conservative or neo-con, think again. Keep pointing fingers, it's what people like you do best.***
(yawn)
***...Russia on Sat. accused the United States of adding fuel to the fire of the Ukraine crisis, and suggested that Obama administration “lies” about Moscow’s involvement in the downed Malaysian jetliner leading European nations to impose new sanctions on Moscow.***
ReplyDeleteLying? That's rich after the previous admin. just about destroyed the economy, doubled the Nat'l debt, and started 2 wars; all on LIES! You guys are so pathetic and transparent; more so than "W" and Cheney who have little to no regrets over how they left this country in straights! You need to think your BS through; history will tell all and it "ain't" pretty!
***Every other word out of the azzhat Obama's mouth has been a lie. Trouble is him being the liar he is, he forgets the lies he's already told. That's what happens when you're a liberal low life.***
I'll take this liar over a Republican one anytime! Keep ignoring how well we've recovered even w/ constant obstruction, a true lack of solidarity in trying to get anything done; he's done a great job!
***Congress refusing to pass a bill. Well that's a true shock. That hardly ever happens. Sounds like breaking news to me.***
But the Republican base loves to hear nothing is getting done; even for veterans it seems! It's like they think they're hurting Obama when he has little to do w/ this intransigence! Watching FOX News, they keep talking about him not inviting Republicans to lunch and dinner to talk over issues! They must have forgotten how Boehner and McConnell wouldn't even accept phone calls from the President and have skipped events they have been invited to b/c of "scheduling conflicts!" These people are so full of shit I've stopped caring! If these same nitwits are elected and re-elected again and again, we deserve the results!
***Actually the VA has not been underfunded in over 10 yrs. They have more money than they actually know what to do w/. It comes down to accountability and not funding. Accountability is what is needed. Not another 25-30 billion on a 1 time band aid. Also the proposed budget for fiscal year 2015 is 145 billion.***
Paying for crooked staff no doubt! They need severe change there; too huge a bureaucracy! I've been hearing about the malfeasance since Reagan w/ cracked walls, pests running around, and water leaks! They slap on a coat of paint for news reports, then let themselves fall back in to disrepair again and again! So disgusting for words; esp. w/ politicians harping about taking care of and honoring our fallen wounded! They're all full of shit!
***For the life of me I cannot name 1 Republican politician that could be considered "wise".***
The problem is they're all gutless turds! They can't stand up to a few nuts in their base! If 1 or 2 of them lose a primary, they freak out and go nuts themselves trying to hold onto their jobs! Dems aren't much better, but they aren't willing to trash the economy and the country to do so! You wouldn't find a Democratic Congress jeopardizing the full integrity of our credit time and time again like Republicans did a couple years ago! Boehner and McConnell will burn in HELL for the stuff they've pulled during the Obama years!
***Obama just sent Hamas 87 million tax payer dollars w/ John Kerry (the traitor). He communicates w/ them very well.***
ReplyDeletePosting it twice doesn't make it more true! People aren't necessarily pro-Hamas; just not too thrilled w/ the civilian casualties! Politically Israel looks bad w/ innocent men, women, and children's bodies strewn about! They can justify it due to the shelling they're dealing w/, but the pictures and #'s show only Palestinians are suffering w/ their homes bombed, no electricity, and little hope of a resolution any time soon!
***...Then that makes you another delusional partisan who cares more about party than America.***
Another deluded person who can ignore unemployment under control, deficits smaller, auto industry saved, and the stock market going through the roof! You people need so much help, it's a wonder a good man or woman would even want to lead this ridiculous country w/ people like you not supporting their efforts!
***Americans Save $2billion under Obamacare Premiums - ..."can expect," "will save," "estimates?" ...Americans haven't realized any of this yet, have they? Since it is coming from the Obama admi., I'm sure you will understand if I wait to see it for myself before I believe it.***
Twenty million have healthcare they didn't have a few months ago! Republicans can't stand it and are now trying to sue the President for giving relief to small businesses that they opposed just last year! The hypocrisy is stunning! lol! Let them try to take away the ACA now and they will pay for it politically! People are happy w/ the coverage and they need to move on and accept it!
***What happens to Ben Carson if another Dem is elected?? He keeps being trotted out by Republicans b/c he's a "Black Conservative."***
Like people will blindly listen to him; I think not! I have no regard or respect for him or Clarence Thomas just b/c they're BLACK! The words coming out of their mouths are just as inflammatory as if it were coming out of a redneck; no matter their education! They're traitors as far as I'm concerned acting as if there's no inequity in the world and everyone is treated the same; that's the way it should be, but isn't! They're idiots in other ways!
***...and yet here you are bitching about the GOP not throwing more money at the problem.***
I have no idea what will fix the problem! All I know is that Congress has passed few if any bills to deal w/ things like infrastructure, catastrophic events, and extraneous budget needs! They are doing the minimum, but unfortunately for them, the country is still coming back! The Sequester didn't derail us, opposing every initiative of this President hasn't done it, and we're still chugging along even w/o the help of those slimy Republican in Congress!
***...The President of the United States, if you remove his blackness, then just ask the question, is he a good President, or a bad President of the United States? Just remove the blackness and make that decision.***
ReplyDeleteThe problem is you can't separate his influence running the country from being Black! What other President has had historic disrespect by his opposition? They've impugned his citizenship, patriotism, wife, kids, and mother! These people have been disgusting and shameful and they'll pay for it in future elections as a whole! He's doing exactly what the American people want him to do; "stay out of int'l conflict!" What do you expect him to do; throw troops out there? Congress is always bitchin' about cost of things, but I guess they'd find the dollars to bomb locations! The problem is the lack of intelligence in what to hit! Hypocrisy reigns as usual! Whatever he does, Republicans will be contrarian and oppose it; no matter what it is!
***Republican in the White House and much of the world burns; Hell on Earth like it was with Bush/Cheney.***
Republicans know it, but they'd rather suffer under their leadership they hate this President so much! It's sad and ridiculous! Arkansas had a bad storm and the Representative from that district supposedly was looking forward to working w/ agencies to help them recover! He forgot he voted against the bill that supported those efforts so they'll have to live in shit for now w/ limited means! I have little sympathy for them b/c he did what they wanted; obstruct, side-track, and cause as much mayhem in DC so nothing gets done!
***President Bush went through far worse. Suck it up libera;l be a man for a change. Obama is doing what a tiny minority of left wing fanatics want and America knows that.***
You are as crazy as any of them on "the right!" During 911, Dems put down their bayonets and supported him for the good of the country! They passed his Prescription Bill and supported his efforts abroad! You're deluding yourself if you can ignore the hateful remarks made about Obama concerning his family, his abilities, and international affairs! They have nothing good to say about him, ignoring the strides we've made to recover after a disastrous tenure of the last President!
***Bullshit liberals were writing books and plays about murderering Bush. They have hung Bush in effigy and called him every filty name in the book. But if you build a parade float w/ Obama in front of the White House, partisans like you will allow their heads to explode and the first word out of their mouth is 'racist.' You clowns have run that word into the ground; it no longer has any serious meaning.***
Well if you are, you are! Tough! There may be a double standard, but that is the case b/c of so much inequity in this country!
***I predict 14 or 15 majors for Djokovic if he can stay injury free. I think he now knows how to win Wimbledon and I would put him as the favorite ahead of Nadal or Murray. I predict 3 more Wimbies, 3 more AO's, and 2 US Opens.***
ReplyDeleteI hope you're right! I'm just not sure about his health; physical and mental! The rest of the tour are gutless for the most part, but sooner or later someone else has to make a breakthrough! Stan waited to late IMO! I went w/ about 11 or 12! If it was that easy for so many players to break Emerson's record, it would have happened more often w/ Borg, Connors, and Lendl! The tour is tough for the most part, but the same players still vie for the main titles!
---
Years ago, I never missed "First Take;" now I can't stomach it for more than a few minutes! Bayless is going senile and repeats himself to no end! He harps on certain facts to incessancy and can be abusive on a moment's notice; usually outrageously petulant and "high school!" Years ago, he beat up on LeBron for the entire 2 hours and even though I'm no fan of "The King," I couldn't stand it and wrote extensive online about it! He was a kid and no one deserved to be maligned and taken to task so much and for so long; bordered on bullying! What did he want the kid to do, commit suicide like Moore decades before? He has got to learn to let things go and leave some issues alone! He thinks he's so intellectual, but he's reverting back to childhood in so many ways! He's probably gotten worse as he's aged into senior citizenship!
***This was one of the Smith rants where he tried to act cool and started talking about the brothas as he put it. He fucked up and sounded like an idiot. He obviously didn't mean exactly what he said, but his history of comments might do him in. I read some old tweets that Lana Berry put on Twitter. When you read them together it doesn't look/sound good for his stance on women.***
Just cancel the freakin' show! It's nothing like what I used to watch every weekday morning! Skip is going senile and the past guest hosts I liked have all been exiled for saying something offensive unfortunately! It just isn't worth looking at for more than a few moments these days!
***Excuse making - ...In contrast, try saying "Rafa would have played well in AO final if only he did not injure his back" or "Fed would have played well in Olympics final if only he had more time to recover." Do they sound somewhat reasonable despite being debatable?***
I'll never understand why someone just can't say they were beat and leave it at that? They almost never do; women being even worse in that respect! I can still see and hear The Williams' say something like, "she didn't beat me, I beat myself." They are very offensive!
***Serena's got a lot better in recent years and praising her opponents, but she has been a sore loser in the past alright.***
***Who was the better pro skater Yamaguchi or Sato? Kristi for me... she did all the jumps except the salchow for 10 years of pro skating, had so many different kinds of programs over the years and consistency.***
ReplyDeleteI'm no fan of either, but from what little I saw of them, Yamaguchi didn't let her skills slip in the least; maintaining complete programs w/ a 3-Lutz! Sato's jumps were never that great to begin w/, but her presentation was great w/ spins, edging, and grace!
***Although she was often underscored as a pro, I would throw Surya Bonaly into the mix. Her longevity has been incredible and she's been a pro in every sense of the word - she'll never let a producer/audience down. Her fitness was always impeccable and she kept a big bag of tricks all the way along. The results of the World Pros always seemed irrelevant to what had happened on the ice.***
Surya was always a favorite of mines, but no one gave her much credit; esp. Sandra Bezic who ripped her a new one every chance she got! SB loved Oksana, who might have flopped all over the place, but the commentary was always over the top; "she is loved!" No she wasn't; a diva w/ a drinking problem! I don't think so! Surya was a sweetheart who didn't mind passing out autographs and talking w/ her fans unlike Baiul!
***Saying that Kostner had to face Lipnitskaya and Sotnikova to win Euros is like saying Slutskaya had to face Bonaly.***
Fortunate for Irina, Surya was already past it! She had had severe surgery done on her Achilles in '96 and was never the same even though she won Goodwill Games in 2000 over Sato! She had a good season w/ that Emma Shapplin - Cuor Senza Sangue program; even outperforming Sarah Hughes in a team competition!
***A prime Slutskaya would make mincemeat of a prime Bonaly. Generally speaking is there anything Surya did better than Irina? She certainly isn't a better jumper and that was by far her best feature.***
Believe it or not Bonaly's spins were superior than most anyone's at the time! It didn't travel like Irina's and she could keep it going for a couple minutes, changing feet and positions! Check what she did in that Cour Senza Sangue program at the start in 2000! It was magnificent!
***Bonaly certainly isn't a better spinner than Irina, even w/ the travelling on some of her more difficult spins. Bonaly might have been one of the better spinners in her prime in 93-95, but that was compared to people like Chen, Kerrigan, Szewcenko, Kiellmann, Baiul, so little wonder, lol! The only really good spinner of that whole period was Sato. I did really like her pro work, and her skating style was better suited to pro skating than amateur.***
If you say so! Seems like a contradiction if you admitted Irina's spins traveled! Oh well, whatever!
***...Even if you regarded their spins as close, Irina's footwork and spirals were far above Surya's; who could barely do a footwork or spiral sequence at all.***
Well that's one way to deal w/ a discrepancy; change the subject to footwork and spirals! Way to go! lol!
***Best pair team in history - ...They were dominated by Sale & Pelletier and Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze when those teams skated. They then met Sale & Pelletier in some pro ams in 2002-2004 and lost each time. This was when they had entered their so called prime.***
ReplyDeleteNormally I'd say Dmitriev and anyone! I like Kazakova & Dmitriev, but her death spiral was poor! Did she fix that as a pro?
***Sale & Pelletier on the poll!? What for. Maybe I am reading the title wrong, but it seems to say best pair ever, not most overrated, biggest abusers of a one note style or single program, or the whiniest pair ever.***
A couple weeks ago I "ripped them a new one" for their behavior in SLC! I've never seen such whining and caterwauling in my life from skaters! There have been many injustices, but for them to make the rounds the way they did was insufferable and won't be forgotten anytime soon!
***I always thought Kostner was way overrated, but I was really glad she came on strong at the end of her career and her SP at the Olympics was A+.***
No one was more overrated than Lu Chin IMO! She had 4 good performances that made her name, but the commentators went overboard concerning her ability and consistency! She performed well enough to acquire 3 or 4 medals at the Olympics & Worlds, but that was it! As a pro she flopped all over the place, but commentators never took her to task!
***I agree Chen was overrated, but in fairness to her she was extremely consistently and always put out very good (but not great) performances from 92-95, esp. all the way through the 92-93 and 93-94 seasons. She was the only women you could count on to medal in each major event since she would always put on a very clean performance that was well balanced in both the technical and artistic side, while it was almost certain enough other contenders would always make some mistakes to allow her w/ clean and high level skating to sneak into at least a bronze, even if she was not spectacular in anyway. Still hearing people insist repeatedly she should have won all of the '93 Worlds, '94 Olympics, 96 Worlds is funny, and shows that she is indeed overrated by many people. There are valid reasons she didn't place better in all of those events.
People talk about her like a perfect skating package but she was not. Her jumps usually lacked flow out, even though they were pretty good size at her peak in 95-96. She was probably the poorest spinner of the top ladies in her time. She didn't have the skating skills of someone like Yuka Sato. She generally didn't have the extra personality or star factor of someone like Baiul, for all her other flaws. Before 1995 her programs and choreography were nice, but lacking in any extra style, memorability, or extra grace or beauty; and as mentioned her consistent and solid jumping and technical skills before '95 went downhill fast starting then, and never really stopped going downhill.***
***All the world can thank (the original) God Republicans don't have the White House any longer.***
ReplyDeleteThank Gawd and hallelujah to that! This Beard person is delusional with wishful thinking! He just can't let it go and take in the truth that Republicans don't have a standard bearer at all; actually backing a nitwit in 2000 and 2004! If they're all that disturbed, I don't fear anyone they put up against Hillary if she runs!
***...52% don't want Obama and the Democrats there - 62-63 million Americans granted Obama 2 terms of office in reality...***
...and it's been killing "the right" ever since! They figured if they obstruct and try to make him look bad, his numbers would fall; which they have, but not enough to really want a Republican back in control! They'll never learn; you have to be "for something" instead of "negative nancies" always scowling and finding fault with no solutions!
***Rednecks and elderly old bitties who flock to the Republican cause are not noted for intellect are they?***
Obviously not! They vote against their own interest everytime they vote for Republicans! The "right" has nothing good to say about government, but don't want to give up their jobs! They rip Social Security, Medicare, and now the ACA mercilessly! These morons don't see that if Republicans had unfettered control, they would discontinue all the programs they now enjoy! True idiots!
***VA Bill Stalls In Congress - This thread, started by you, is bitching about the GOP blocking the bill that just adds money to the VA. Then you say that adding more money won't do anything, but changes are needed.***
Well if money wasn't the problem; tell that to Congress! They just struck a $17 Billion deal and compromise by both sides of the HILL! They will work hard to get it written up for the President by the end of the week!
***Money wasn't the issue. MONTHS ago a bill was passed by the Dems and Republicans in the House that would have held VA executive's responsible and it was shot down by Reid and his gereatric army. The problem was that the GOP wanted accountability and that's an enemy of the Democrats.***
Experts already said middle management corruption is the problem; DUH! I was just reporting what happened; "breaking news!" I personally couldn't care less! We elect fools that do nothing for the most part and when they do act right, it doesn't actually fix the problem! I've been done with it all for ages!
***Republicans sure pick up weak leaders.***
ReplyDeleteWeak isn't the word for it! Palin, Cruz, Paul, Rubio, Walker, Perry, McConnell; try mentally deficient! It's so sad, I'd cry for them if I cared! As long as they only destroy their own districts, fine! Leave national politics to the big boys; eerrrrr girls!
***Republicans knew how to run the country, unlike these incompetent 'Flower Children." - Bush/Cheney Republicans ran the nation and the world straight into Hell... They run it all right, straight into the ground.***
Thank you! The delusions run deep w/ these people! It's like they can't read statistics, the news, and most of all voting trends! They've been abysmal for years and it's all catching up w/ them! They were supposed to take over the Senate twice and they shot themselves, not in the foot, but the freakin' head; and I appreciated it! Saved us all a lot of misery under their so called leadership!
***Ahhh... John Bolton got booted from UN for lack of diplomatic skills. He has no business publishing anything today.***
Just look at the man; "skill" shouldn't be used in connection w/ the man at all! He was a blight on the UN when he was there! A real loser, making us look so bad in the eyes of the world!
***...The things that that idiot listed are beyond our control. 'TELL' them to do something or what?***
I've been saying that about all this international stuff out of our control! If Europe and The Middle East aren't willing to help themselves, what are we supposed to do? You see what happened in IRAQ; spent all that time and money training a force for them to turn tail and run like rats! Now look at the country: thanks "W!" What an idiot leader! Totally screwed it up and just walks away taking no responsibility; but leaves Cheney out there for a distraction! Gawd help us w/ that mohron!
*** Feds quietly dump 100's of illegal immigrants in Tennessee w/o notice from the Obama admin. - we have over 300,000 of these illegal wetbacks in my state.***
Typical; "oh we're not racist!" Yeah right! Pathetic!
***...it's not a racist term; it relates to those who came or come illegally by swimming across the Rio Grande.***
Delude yourself all you want! I'll take it as pejorative every time! Say it in a crowd and try to survive the heat idiot! Being gutless, you only do it here anonymously!
***Wow! HUGE protest against illegal immigration in Massachusetts! - I'm surprised, I thought the irish were for everyone and everything as long as it is illegal. What the Hell; Ted must be rolling in his grave.***
I haven't read about it in decades, but intolerance is no stranger there; book burning and an absolute revolt with school busing integration was well documented! I'm shocked since they're reputed to be so liberal; according to the "right" anyway!
TBH I stopped watching FS for a decade after Robin Cousins' retired! I didn't particularly care for the era of Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano, and Katarina Witt; only coming back w/ the Tanya Harding scandal! Loved Alexei Urmanov, Surya Bonaly, and Ilia Kulik and stayed w/ the boom that was produced through Yagudin and Plushenko careers! After the coverage slid, I really missed a lot; even Europeans and Worlds! The pro ranks were disgusting; giving gratuitous 10's to Scott Hamilton and it was just too hard to watch, but I still tried to deal w/ it to see Surya who was always underscored! They'd rather give high score to Lucinda Ruh who just spun around than give Bonaly credit for all her jumping!
ReplyDelete***Bonaly was even more underscored as a pro than an amateur since her weaknesses were not as important in pro skating as amateur. Ruh was definitely overscored as a pro as much as I appreciate her amazing spins. Don't even get me started on Hamilton. I remember one cheese competition the audience judged, and he came out dressed like a witch and hid under this large cocoon or shell for a long time. He came out and and did a double toe and double salchow as his only jumps and got almost a perfect score and won easily.***
I felt so badly for the male skaters who were ripped off! The only person he didn't get away w/ that crap was against your compatriot and one of the best skaters ever in the amateur or pro ranks, Kurt Browning! Surya got her due when she teamed up w/ him as well!
***Back in '94, did you expect Baiul would dominate the sport for years to come. Scott Hamilton sure did, implying she might win the next 2 Olympics.***
Well we all know Hamilton's an idiot and doesn't know what he's talking about most of the time! Hard to believe Oksana would rule; esp. since Surya defeated her at Europeans! How good could she have been if the maligned Bonaly could beat her out w/ her so called inferior technique? The person that surprised me for jumping ship so soon was Tara! Even Sarah leaving wasn't a shock! Some skaters and handlers know when they're lucky to win that Olympic gold and won't even go to Worlds that season to validate and solidify their huge triumph! MK salvaged her Olympics by taking Worlds after losing in '02; same with Yagudin! He probably should have skipped it! Alexei was never the same and had to retire later that year!
***I'm surprised she went pro only since she was so young. Also at the time there didn't seem to be any threats on the horizon. Chen was no threat to her ever, Bonaly wasn't much either, Kerrigan and Sato were retiring, and Szewcenko and Kwan looked a long way from challenging her in '94.***
***Top 5 from the past 50 years:
ReplyDeleteDenise Biellmann
Carolina Kostner
Gabby Seyfert
Irina Slutskaya
Katarina Witt ***
I know it's just your opinion, but to totally dismiss a 5 time champion shows a little...what should I say? I'll leave it alone! If Surya isn't on the list, something's wrong with you!
***Well all those skaters won World titles. All except Biellmann won Olympic medals, and Biellmann won the LP at the Olympics. As I am sure you know, Bonaly never won either a World title or Olympic medal.***
Well we all know judging is subjective and she was hosed more often than not; regardless if you cared for her skating or not! I have more regard for her career than most since I've seen too many injustices to count of other skaters to ignore!
***Yu Na and Mao hate each other. They make ugly faces at each other all the time as shown on Youtube videos. Irina and Michelle were more friendly, but their fans are even worse than Yu Na and Mao fans, esp. Michelle fans.
---
A simple poke around google images will find several photos of Yuna and Mao smiling and taking pictures together at off-ice events. They have never been anything but respectful of each other as worthy adversaries.***
When it came to "high emotions," I can only come up w/ 2 couples; Lysacek/Weir and Plushenko/Yagudin! There was a lot of animus between those 2 twins of powers! lol!
***...Some portray Weir as this great talent (exaggerated IMO) and Lysacek as just this hard working overachiever. Yet Evan has the far better career and often crushed Weir even when he was working hard too and skating his best in competition. In actuality I think the 2 are probably about the same level in talent, just like Plushenko and Yagudin are, but a much lower base and level of talent than Yags and Plushy is all.
---
By the summer of '94, there was already serious backlash against Oksana Baiul -- chronically two-footed jumps, choreography that featured excessive standing in place, weak combo jumps, no sit spins, etc. The ISU was using her Olympic-winning free skate as the defining example of poor choreography in instructional seminars to judges, and later put out an instructional video that ripped the program to shreds. Had Baiul continued, I expect she would've been put under a microscope and "torn down," much the way Sarah Hughes was.Plus, Baiul was erratic at best. It's nothing short of a miracle that her 2 good competitions were a World Championships and an Olympics. Two good competitions in her entire career. There's no track record of sustained performance at any level. She's more like Naomi Nari Nam than she is Sarah Hughes or Tara Lipinski in that regard.***
She had a great performance going on at 2000 GWG's, but messed it up due to her ego! She actually had a perfect triple lutz that made Nancy Kerrigan's jaw drop! She was doing well, but doubled her salchow! At the end of the performance, she retried it with no speed and fell; IDIOT! That put her back under Kerrigan and above Dorothy Hamill in her score when she had it w/ her other triples!
***Poor Sandra Fluke Can’t Afford to Buy Her Own Birth Control, But She Can Spend $100K On her campaign for offi - Too lazy to look it up, but she never claimed she couldn't afford it. Only that it was completely unethical that she (and others) should have to pay for it out of their own pocket.***
ReplyDeleteYep; that's the case! It wasn't a problem she was having; more w/ friends and other women! People are such idiots; listening to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Savage, and the rest trying to make their point off of misleading pontification! It's like they don't care that these medications are used to regulate more than birth control and many women need them for hormonal reasons! ... It's hard to feel sorry for women when they vote against their interests; a vote for a Republican sets them back 40-50 years! How they win any election; local or nat'l is still amazing after how they've behaved during Obama's time in the chair! They are punishing women, illegal immigrants, gays, Blacks, and anyone else they don't think want to vote for them! It would be so much easier if they acted like human beings, put down the bible, and dropped the conservative "talking points!"
***Given the choice of candidates Republicans propose, I'd vote for Obama again in '16 no problem.***
Ain't it the truth; it's a sad day that there are so few out there you would want to trust to do the job! I'm not even a fan of Obama's, but I'd sooner leave the chair empty than select someone from this sorry list of folks interested in the job! They aren't gaining any respect with their actions of late; unable to pass the simplest of legislation and going on vacation without dealing with what they considered so important to national security! Boner is a truly weak Speaker who allows a handful of Tea-Baggers to run the House! It's more than sad and pathetic, it's disgusting! He's gutless and will go down in history as one of the worst in memory!
***Judge Rules Admin. Must Comply W/ Subpoena - On July 18 the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the Dept of Justice must "provide a detailed listing of all [Fast and Furious] documents that it has withheld from Congress."
This is so ridiculous since this program was started under Bush! How they think it involved Obama to try and embarrass him is beyond me? Holder stopped the program after he found out about it, but Congress persists in trying to implicate him, wasting time and money!
***MSNBC seems to understand that they are in an Obama rut, but I noted the commenter admitted that--by the end of his spiel he began doing spade work for Hillary. In '08, the left wing rads had opted the country had "Clinton fatigue" and they hopped on the Obama train for whatever direction that was going. If all MSNBC can come up for this rut is to return to the Clinton rut, then I'm very skeptical that MSNBC will ever get out of any rut."***
I watch MSNBC enough, but they seem to just want something to say; regardless if it helps or hurts Obama! The man isn't going to run again anyway so they're wasting their time b!tchin' about stuff he has no control over! He can't make Boehner bring legislation to the floor when he knows it'll pass! Obama's probably just happy the economy is coming back slowly but surely even w/ the obstruction and uncooperative Congress! Just think how great things would be if these fools compromised just a little, invested in the crumbling infrastructure, and raised the minimum wage! Job growth would soar, but Republicans don't want to see that happen; esp. before the midterms! If Gerry-mandered districts continue to vote for a "do nothing" Congress, we deserve what we get! If I were Obama, I'd kick back and let happen what happens! He can't write laws to help things go; it has to be done by us by electing competent, caring people who want more for the people rather than holding onto their jobs; LOSERS!
***Republicans have a real problem finding viable candidates; seems they are all deadheaded. You have to pose someone who can win hearts and trust like Obama did, and they simply don't have one.***
ReplyDeleteYou know it! After the way these animals treated this man from day one, they've lost a huge swatch of voters; never to return! They just don't understand alienating voters, then trying to limit access by cutting early voting and absentia ballots! People aren't going to forgive or forget their behavior; even in the red states where it's all the rage to screw over minority voters!
***Uh huh... Fiero check w/ me in Nov. from Mary Landrieu's victory party.***
They keep trying to write her off every time she runs and somehow she keeps pulling it out! She's no fave of mines, sorta gutless at times trying to survive in a red state! People like Landrieu and McCaskell in MO. need to stand up for Democratic principles or just leave IMO!
***Fine, how about Begich's victory party, or Pryor's, or Hagan's, or Walsh's.... get back to me about how the GOP's horrible treatment of our poor victim president has hurt them this fall.***
Republicans are slowly but surely shooting themselves in the foot and head costing them these elections they should win! I've been hearing this BS the last election cycles and Harry Reed continues being the Senate Majority leader! When will you guys learn? It's hilarious to watch the gnashing of teeth and pulling out of hair when they sabotage themselves cycle after cycle! Wake up people! You can't act like this in a vacuum of complacency only to be totally shocked when it backfires!
***OK, Fiero, you're right. The GOP is just too mean to our poor victim President. He shouldn't have to follow the law at all.***
If you're so sure he's doing something wrong, why don't they impeach him; I keep asking? You and I know why, it's b/c they don't have a leg to stand on; esp. with half the executive orders of the past Presidents! Did you complain when Bush held up implementation of his "prescription drugs" bill 10 years ago? I can tell you NO! Both sides of the aisle accepted it and moved on! Such hypocrisy and vindictiveness that won't help you in '14 and esp. not '16! Whoever the Dems put up there will swamp candidates like Paul, Cruz, Walker, Perry, and Christie! Polls show it already that it would be a landslide for Hillary even with the so called "Clinton" fatigue! At least we prospered under his leader unlike Bush where the economy went into the tank and unemployment skyrocketed! How do you forget all this stuff? Are you guys totally blind to historical facts? Dispute any of it; I dare you! It's all documented for the lamest of Neanderthals on the "right!" That's why they lose again and again; by landslides!
***Fiero, impeachment is a political thing. It's not good politics. Dems in this country don't care if the President has undisputably committed felonies; they protect their own.***
If you're so sure he's committed "high crimes and misdemeanors" they would be taking the vote now and you know it! They're just being gutless b/c it will only backfire on them, just like when they went after Clinton! What was so sad, the same people making such a big deal out of Clinton infidelity, they were doing the exact same thing and got caught and run out of office including Gingrich, Livingston, and Barr! We all know that Vitter and Sanford have been busted and they screamed the loudest about family values! Who do these people think they are to be passing judgment on anyone when they can't keep their own house in order? Again, all documented facts! You gonna keep ignoring all this great info? Probably! You can't face up to it like most in your party! That's why you'll continue to be frustrated and lose again and again and again! It all comes out and the electorate just shakes it's head in disgust!
***Impeachment is a political judgment and the GOP understands that the smart politics is basically to ignore the empty suit in the White House and prevent him from doing any further harm. Get a Rep. President in there in '16 who can make any law he wants w/ the new precedents that Obama has issued in b/c he too will "Have a pen and a phone."***
ReplyDeleteWell that's one way to handle the frustration, just totally overlook all the evidence that shows "the right" is full of shit and that's why they won't overtake the evil Dems anytime soon! If Obama was truly doing all these bad things, his polls would be in the toilet w/ Congress who are in single digits! As much as people are unhappy w/ him and his being so mild-mannered and seeming to not be doing much, he's still doing a lot better in opinion than Boehner, McConnell, Cruz, & the exiting Cantor! "Bye ex-House Majority leader!"
***This is potent stuff. Reps can appeal to minorities over the money happily spent by Obama on illegals that he doesn’t spend on inner city children.***
You'd bitch about that too if he did it; special treatment for BLACKS! It's a no win situation and it's no longer surprising to anyone! Crying wolf so often about Obama being so bad is now falling on deaf ears! "NOBODY CARES" as John Stewart said on one of his shows! Just keep ignoring that the stock market has more than doubled since he took over, unemployment is near 6%, and things are looking brighter even w/ the foot-dragging and obstruction of a Rep. House! We would be on easy street if they would do their job, invest in infrastructure, and stop wasting time and money trying to sue the President!
***Obama and Reid are spending billions of dollars on the illegal immigrants they're encouraging to cross the border. How're you doing? You've voted for Dems your whole life.***
Years ago I voted for Republicans before they went culturally insane! We've had several Rep. Governors here in Il. and CA., but they've been in as much trouble! Please don't assume anything; makes an ass out of 'u and me' ya know! Just keep ignoring all those facts I've thrown at you, bringing up illegal aliens and the like! Ya can't speak on something that could be taken care of in days like passing bills to deal w/ infrastructure & farming! Just stay w/ those idiotic talking points; it pacifies your base! When bridges & roads start crumbling, I suppose that'll be Obama's fault too! The electrical grids are ancient and need an upgrade; blackouts occurred in the west and east coast! What do you say about something that affects people; not your fear mongering about aliens?
***You have to love the party of fiscal responsibility. It just boggles my mind that people watch these guys in action (or inaction) and still vote for them. It's really sad.***
People have been voting against their own interests for years! Most seniors vote Rep. being conservative, but the hierarchy would love to stop all their programs like SS & Medicare! Why women would vote for any Rep. after the way they've attacked them is beyond me, but it still happens! Some Latinos still vote for them even though they call them every name in the book! Some people are just idiots, but in the end Obama still won comfortably; twice!
***Where, exactly, has the GOP attacked women ... and what 'every name in the book' has the GOP called Latinos? Are you one of those that 'bought into' all that "War on Women & Minorities" stuff too?***
Just keep deluding yourself! That's about as ridiculous as Boehner saying "no one's talked about impeaching Obama!" He has seen how it's backfired on them and now they're pretending they haven't been so dismissive and disrespectful of the Prez! Even if Boehner & McConnell stay quiet, they still have to deal w/ Bachmann, Palin, & the rest of the FNN crowd that do nothing but bitch about the man's performance; or lack thereof!
***...You have just sued Obama for exceeding his Constitutional authority w/ EOs, now you are giving the same President the power to fix the immigration issue with EOs? The same people who sued Obama want Obama to ignore the '08 law about immigrant from Central America and accelerate the deportation of the same people? Will that not usurp the power of Congress since you need to repeal the '08 law before this can be effected? Now they want Obama to ignore the law they do not like and implement what they like. It is so fucked up, it is not even funny. No wonder, Ted Rafael Cruz is the real Speaker of the House.***
ReplyDeleteThey can't keep the BS straight these days! How they allow Cruz to run the House is beyond me! In the old days, they used to be offended if the other chamber even made a suggestion, now Cruz is openly having meetings telling them if he approves or disapproves of how the Speaker is running things! Ridiculous!
***Repubs HAVE TO stay united together, they can't break ranks and start passing good legislation now with bi-partisanship. Cruz says what he wants and does what he wants b/c the ONLY THING the Repubs can do at this point is stay w/ their main theme...NO to anything Obama...Why?
Disenfranchise the voters of this country in the upcoming mid-terms...the less voters from the left that vote, the better the outcomes for the "right." I'll give the Repubs one thing...they are GOOD at what they are doing. Even IF it will cost them needed voter bases in '16 for the WH.***
Well it's not hurting Obama in the least; only putting Republicans in disrepute! The thing is, they have and continue to break ranks! Boehner has been forced to ask and get Dem votes to pass some legislation that couldn't wait for them to come to their senses! He's shown himself to be the weakest Speaker in memory! "GO CRUZ!"
***Benghazi's been mentioned in 950 threads since it happened on the PF. That's more than 20% of all threads. All of a sudden nobody wants to chat about it. Weird.***
You can say that about a lot of topics! They don't have much to complain about w/ unemployment that's going down, the ACA which people love, the stock market which has more than doubled since he took office, and other things that are going in the right direction! You still have to deal w/ hyperbole and delusional people like Cruz, King, and others that ignore facts, but for the most part, Obama has little to worry about! As long as the lunatic fringe are running the show, he can kick back and let them self destruct! Even McConnell sounds like an idiot talking badly about health care coverage since Kentucky has taken it on as "Connect;" take it away? I think not! What a moron! I used to think he was rational, but listening to him go after his opponent for another term, he really sounds like a spoiled, petulant child just making up stuff as he goes along!
***...Marijuana is illegal still b/c it's a giant cash cow for the criminal justice system. Then you have people who have grown up w/ decades worth of propaganda being shoved into them voting on the issue.***
Just shows the hypocrisy of our country; always talking about a free state, but they have to control you somewhere! It never stops; going back to prohibition back in the 20's! They successfully destroyed the economy, increased crime exponentially, and we still haven't learned our lesson! Alcohol and tobacco are 10 times worse and people die in the 100's of thousands every year! No one's died from a joint; how sick is this country?
***Irina is the best European skater ever. Why is she only 4th on this poll?***
ReplyDeleteJust shows that reputation is more important than what people actually see! To even put Henie in the conversation is a joke b/c she didn't have to do that much! ...she was reported..., little singles and half-jumps just don't measure up to the strength and power of an Irina & Surya! IMO the worst skaters would annihilate her!
***You really expect a skater in the '30s to be performing triple jumps when it was revolutionary to even wear short skirts? Let's not even get into how old generations have to form the technique and training methods ....***
I just think it's silly to try and rate all skaters on the same bell curve! It's ridiculous, esp. when you see highlight reels of skaters from the 30's, 40's, or even the 80's; training, diet, & standards have changed drastically over the years!
---
***Seems some are a bit quick to write off Rafa & Andy. I look forward to those people eating those words.***
It's wishful thinking on my part; just some of the ugliest tennis out there! Both Rafa and Andy offend my sensibilities so much w/ the way they play the game!
***Fiero, maybe you can explain this to me. What is it that you find so ugly and offensive about their tennis?***
It's what they do to allow absolute nobodies to extend them to the limit; usually playing so defensively! The stroke production is ugly; esp. w/ Rafa and the way he cocks that forehand! Then there's the backing up like Monica Seles when they're half way to the net on short balls! There's more style and grace w/ other players like Federer, Wawrinka, Nole, Gasquet, and "Baby-Fed," Dimitrov!
***Murray's become a lot more aggressive since Lendl came along, but before then I'd agree he was defensive & passive as hell. He can veer back into passive mode a lot, but then so can Federer. Must say though I do find Murray's game style a lot more watchable since Lendl came along. Before that it was very much like Wozniacki and Radwanska pusher tennis, just hoping to make the opponent lose rather than trying to win.***
The last several years, I have complained about Federer reverting to defensive tennis! It's like he thinks he's 10 years younger and can wait out other players when he does lose to people we don't even know! He probably should have won that Wimbledon match against Nole, but he thinks he can slug it out w/ 30 stroke points and it's just not true! He may have a nice showing, but in each match that he loses, esp. if it's close, it's b/c he becomes passive, being very stubborn and not attacking when he has opportunities!
***Yup. Passive play beats nobodies, but it also beats nobody good!***
Well said! Last season he blamed it on the racket, mono, a back injury, & lack of desire, but playing defensive got him nowhere; esp. on clay! He was embarrassed by players I'd never heard of like Stakhovsky, Brands, Delbonis! "WHO?"
***I agree. Roger for the most part has not adapted his game as he aged, esp. on the return. He can get away w/ blocking 2nd serves back against lesser players, but it gets him into a lot of trouble vs. anyone good as he does not win many neutral points vs. Nole, Rafa, & Murray. It's one thing he's never changed.
Aside from that, the passive play we see from the baseline at times is down to 1 thing; he misses a few forehands and then is afraid to pull the trigger. I've noticed it for years and this past Wimbledon final was another example. Overall Roger played a very clean match, but then he wasn't putting much on the forehand once he misfired on a few of them. He looked more Gilles Simon than Federer. Roger will NOT make any inroads vs. Nole & Rafa from the baseline if his forehand isn't clicking. That's what lost him Wimbledon this year, he was easy pickings from the baseline.***
***Republican-led Benghazi probe ends, clears administration; for now.***
ReplyDeleteFunny, but the Reps haven't given up! People like Rand Paul are still trying to disqualify Hillary Clinton from running for President by tarnishing her name with his BS; not to mention the special committee with Trey Gowdy still being run by these lunatics in the HOUSE! More money wasted unfortunately! How these people think they can ever be elected to Nat'l office talking like this is beyond me! Their #'s are in the toilet and falling precipitously, but they can't help themselves; then stop already! It's so sad to see whole groups not only shooting themselves in the foot; more like the fukin' head!
***The one w/ Trey Gowdy will be the last, I suspect, but I could be wrong. This select committee was est. back in May '14 before Issa's oversight committee arrived at their conclusion. You want to stop these committees, then have people tell the truth and then Congress won't feel the need to waste more money. - And this committee is going to offer what that hasn't already been explored. ALL of the investigations so far have been done by the GOP and nothing has been found incriminating. To suggest we waste more money simply b/c lives were lost is reckless. But b/c the GOP has done relatively nothing for the last 2 years, they continue this extravgent waste of money in the hopes of finding a needle in a haystack.***
It's so disappointing to find people can still justify what these people are doing! They must love you and your ilk! Not a lot can be said to people like this since no amount of money is enough to try and embarrass and humiliate a person for electoral purposes; so sad and pathetic!
***So you're saying when the Dems tried to impeach Bush, they got nothing whatsoever out of it politically?
---
I must have missed the Congressional hearings and committees on the articles of impeachment for President Bush, b/c I don't recall the results.***
Yeah, me too! The Dems had more cause with the WMD's, but Pelosi stepped out there w/ more credibility than Boehner and said "Impeachment" was off the table! Why is it these LIARS come out of the woodwork to be exposed so easily? It's so embarrassing for their side when we show them to hypocrites and pathological liars within mins of the BS posts!
***Watergate was also a waste of taxpayer money.***
True enough, but Nixon thought he could beat the charge even w/ Reps on his ass to resign! Obama hasn't been caught up in anything illegal, but they continue to dig trying to impeach the man! At least going against Nixon, it changed the face of politics and Reps have been trying to live it down ever since! Going after Clinton only embarrassed and hurt them in the midterms, but again they try to trash the legacy of another Dem. President and it's only hurting them as a party!
***It's time to get rid of party labels and impose term limits.***
Well that's one way to trick the electorate! Too bad we need to know ahead of time where their allegiance is before voting for these clowns! I remember Reps making a big deal about term limits in the 90's, but after they got in office, "it's the people's will" and it was dropped after promising to step down after 2 or 3 terms! These people are just brutal liars and you can't take them seriously; esp. in Nat'l elections! I'm still being haunted by so called "compassionate conservatism" that put us in 2 wars, gave tax breaks to the rich, doubled the nat'l debt, and about destroyed our economy! Thanks "W!"
***Justification for invasion
ReplyDeleteFurther info: Iraq and weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda, Downing Street memo, Bush-Blair memo, Legitimacy of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and Bush-Aznar memo
The first 4 impeachment articles charge the President w/ illegally creating a case for war w/ Iraq, including charges of a propaganda campaign, falsely representing Iraq as responsible for 9/11, and falsely representing Iraq as an imminent danger to the US.
Legitimacy of invasion
Further info: UN Charter, War of aggression, Jus ad bellum and Legitimacy of the 2003 invasion of Iraq
Articles 5–8 and 12 deal w/ the invasion of Iraq and include charges that funds were misspent before the war, that the war was in violation of HJRes114, that Iraq was invaded without a war declaration, that the war is a violation of the UN Charter, and that the purpose of the war was to control the country's oil supplies.
Conduct of the Iraq war
Further info: 2003 invasion of Iraq
Articles 9, 10, 11 and 13 deal w/ conduct of the war, including failing to provide troops w/ body armor, falsifying US troop deaths and injuries, establishing a permanent military base in Iraq, and creating a secret task force to develop energy and military policies w/ respect to Iraq and other countries. Articles 15 and 16 cover contractors in Iraq and charges that the President misspent money on contractors and provided them w/ immunity.
Valerie Plame
Further info: Plame affair
Article 14 is about the revelation of the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame.
Treatment of detainees
Further information: Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse, Bagram torture and prisoner abuse, United Nations Convention Against Torture, Geneva Conventions, Command responsibility and Hamdan v. Rumsfeld
Articles 17–20 concern the treatment of detainees, the "kidnapping" and detention of foreign nationals, and the use of torture.
Attempt to overthrow the gov't of Iran
Article 21 claims that the President misled Congress and the American people about threats from Iran, and supported terrorist organizations within Iran, w/ the goal of overthrowing the Iranian gov't.
NSA warrantless surveillance controversy
Further info: NSA warrantless surveillance controversy and Separation of powers
Articles 24 and 25 charge the President w/ illegally spying on American citizens, directing US telecom companies to create databases of citizens, and violating the 4th amendment of the US Constitution.
Signing statements
Further info: Signing statement § Controversy over George W. Bush's use of signing statements
Article 26 concerns the Presidential use of signing statements.
Congressional subpoenas
Article 27 is about failing to comply w/ congressional subpoenas.
Kitchen Sink
Article 27.5 concerns official Congressional Investigation into videotaped evidence that Donald Rumsfeld and the President both peed in the sink of the House Coffee Shop on several occasions...they appeared to be giggling.
2004 elections
Further information: 2004 US election voting controversies. Articles 28 and 29 charge the President w/ tampering w/ the 2004 elections and violating the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Medicare
Article 30 states "Misleading Congress and the American People in an Attempt to Destroy Medicare."
Katrina
Further info: Criticism of gov't response to Hurricane Katrina
Article 31 concerns the supposed failure to plan and respond to Hurricane Katrina.
Global warming
Article 32 charges the president w/ "Systematically Undermining Efforts to Address Global Climate Change."
9/11
Articles 33, 34 and 35 concern 9/11, alleging that the President failed to respond to prior intelligence, obstructed post 9/11 investigations and endangered the health of 9/11 1st responders
---
This is shocking. Is it too late to impeach him?***
If anyone deserved it, it was "W!" Him and bunch of other SHB arrested and tried for war crimes! How these people can mouth off about what Obama's up to is beyond credulity!
***29 Democratic Senators voted Yes on the Iraq Resolution. They too are war criminals for giving the green light for the war.
ReplyDeleteLincoln (D-AR)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Dodd (D-CT)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Biden (D-DE)
Carper (D-DE)
Nelson (D-FL)
Cleland (D-GA)
Miller (D-GA)
Bayh (D-IN)
Harkin (D-IA)
Breaux (D-LA)
Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Carnahan (D-MO)
Baucus (D-MT)
Nelson (D-NE)
Reid (D-NV)
Torricelli (D-NJ)
Clinton (D-NY)
Schumer (D-NY)
Edwards (D-NC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Hollings (D-SC)
Daschle (D-SD)
Johnson (D-SD)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Kohl (D-WI)
I agree. If we go after Bush, lets get Clinton, Schumer, Kerry, Reid, Biden & Feinstien. Lock those crazy bastards up!***
Bush picked and chose out of reports to justify his big lie! There's no comparison! Get over yourself and quit trying to make excuses for the worst President in memory! Thanks for completing my blog entry for the gutless turds that were too afraid of being labeled cowards or unpatriotic and voted for this shit even though they knew BUSH was lying! I do fault them because if I knew Bush was a pathetic liar, they had to know!
***I don't think he picked and chose anything. He was shown intel and ran with it. Bush was given bad intel and the Senate's report acknowledges that, but then goes on to say that instead of confirming the intelligence, they just ran w/ it. Cheney is a vile human and he had heavy influence in the gov't w/ his connections; Rummsfield too. Some old school dogs going back to early 80s. They had been around Washington a long time, too long imo. Anyway I've been very public of why I think we went to war in Iraq and it has nothing to do with WMDs. I know you are kinda new around here and don't know my stance on it, but it's all good. Those Senators were not in the dark either. They voted the way their donors wanted them to vote and the donors wanted war.***
Well at least you know what's what! So many today are still trying to give all of them cover; lying to themselves really! Bush is doing well to stay underground and keep his mouth shut b/c he allowed Cheney to get away w/ murder!
***...But I guess since the fringe right now controls the GOP I guess you somehow believe the fringe left had control of the Dems; well my friend that is revisionist history at it's finest.***
That must be it! If one liberal says something, it's painted as if he's running the show, but w/ conservatives, if one says it, it's like following lemmings off a cliff and they all agree! lol!
***If one of the things you don't like about Nadal and Murray is that they play defensively, and let "nobodies" push them to the limit, how does Federer make your list of guys whose play you DO like? I know you're arguing that Fed shouldn't play that way, but you're also saying that he does. So, either he should fall off your list of admired players, or you shouldn't object that Murray and Nadal have success playing that way. Even if Roger doesn't, if you find it egregious to the point of insult when some players do it, then you should judge your favorites by the same stick.***
ReplyDeleteFederer used to have the best game in tennis, winning almost everything in sight; 3 majors a year in fact, but I've been one to think he's past it! He has his moments, but overall he's playing too defensively and will only embarrass himself unless he starts to move forward and finish points quicker! He's down to winning a major once every 3 years! That won't cut it unless he's willing to allow the humiliation to continue in the intervening periods! This past Wimbledon was his best chance to break the trend, but he couldn't finish! He needs help to take a biggie, but so far Nole, Rafa, and Andy haven't accommodated him like they used to!
***Seeds falling left and right in Canada! Djokovic, Wawrinka, Sharapova, Kvitova... add Kerber to the list!***
No big deal! Been happening as long as I can remember! Few take this tournament that seriously anyway! Started out on clay and went to HC to keep up with changes at the Open as a tune-up! Even Martina Navratilova went out in the quarters in '85! Lendl winning 6 titles was the only real workhorse and always tried to do his best at this tourney! Even Borg only won once IIRC; '79 being his top year!
***I looked it up. Federer's 100 v. 35 against lefties, and 23 of those losses were to Nadal. So he's pretty good against lefties, otherwise. (90 - 12)***
...Love Feliciano's play and appreciated him taking Eastborne over Gasquet in June, but he'll find a way to give it away to the old man!
***W/ Cincy points removed, Milos is 895 points ahead of Murray and Grigor is 560 points ahead of Murray. So, for all practical purposes, Murray will not be getting a top 8 seeding unless Rafa withdraws from USO.***
I wouldn't be surprised if he did take a powder! After winning another FO, Rafa isn't beyond discounting the rest of the season! He knows he can only go down in the rankings anyway when having to defend so many points from last year!
===
***ESPN has suspended Dan LeBatard for 2 days for this... LeBron billboard? Stunt? For The Win***
I'm still trying to figure out what the problem is? Is this Nike objecting or ESPN really? I can do without both LeBatard and Baseless! Years ago I never missed "Cold Pizza," now "First Take," but I can't listen to either Skip or Smith! Both are "know-it-all" obnoxious twits! Smith proved me right with giving Rice an out in his assault case! Skip is like a petulant child who will repeat himself, no matter how stupid the statement! He's senile and has lost touch with reality IMO! I'm no fan of LeBron, but it made no sense to bash the man for 2 hours on one of the shows a couple years ago! "Grow up old man!" It's getting harder and harder to watch anything on ESPN with the so called talent they've been hiring of late! I still glance at Olbermann most nights!
***You are just being silly. How can he be anywhere near being the goat? By having the most Masters titles and being tied for the 2nd most Slams of all time. I neither believe in the goat concept nor that rafa is yet the "goat," but he's about as near goat you can be, w/o being Federer. Get real Fiero. Gloat by all means, but be honest.***
ReplyDeleteSome believe he's the GOAT already b/c he "owns" Federer; esp. on clay! After all is said and done, we might see Nole owning him; catching up fast! No one has been as successful against Rafa as Djokovic, winning every way you can on clay, in majors, straight sets, and 2 big streaks! Roger never has been that effective against him!
***Novak fan here, but irrelevant. The point is Rafa deserves credit for being great. He is, he deserves it, so give it to him. I don't like him either, but you are lying to yourself if you don't believe he is in the top 5 all time, probably #2, and at least in converstation for #1 goat.***
I'm just venting since I can't stand Nadal; gloating a little! How people think this guy is anywhere near being "The GOAT" is beyond me! Doesn't defend any title off of clay, takes vacations when other players are working hard the entire year, and disappears altogether for months at a time; supposedly w/ a serious injury!
***There are 10 guys in the list of non-big-4 Master's winners. Of them Stan has a GS and so is not eligible to be a SHEEP. The other 9 don't and so are eligible to run for SHEEP Award. Among them, Davydenko stands out as a SHEEP Contender as he has 3 Master's Trophies (and a WTF too). For the uninitiated, SHEEP is a poor man's version of GOAT and stands for Slamless Heroic Everlasting Excellent Player***
I instantly thought of Nalbandian since he's one of many who take Paris and he beat Federer in 5 to take a WTF! I still can't believe he gave Cilic that Queen's Club CHP a few years ago by assaulting a linesman w/ a tirade while in the lead! What an idiot! Normally top echelon are burned out by the fall and odd players take those later Masters! Surprising that Nole only seems to get stronger around that time of the year; almost ruling time after USO each season!
***While both Nalby and Davy has a WTF, Davy has 3 Masters cups in contrast to mere 2 by Nalby. Also, both of Nalby's Masters were won after USO, when many players are tired. But Davy has a Miami won. Further, Davy is the only active player w/ a winning record against Nadal, I suppose. So, I say give the Modern SHEEP to Davy. I will worry about the SHEEP contenders from yesteryears some other time.***
***Which is more serious: Being sued or impeachment? The Dems tried to impeach Bush - something you said you 'missed' happening. The GOP is doing the same thing to Obama that the Dems did to Bush. You just want to pretend like the attempt to impeach Bush was just nothing at all. They're both political stunts designed to help in an election year.***
ReplyDeleteYou're delusional if you think the Dems have anywhere near approached the level of hatred and disrespect that Obama's had to deal with w/ these animals! The Dems didn't shut the gov't down, "W" wasn't sued or impeached by them, and they didn't hold 50 symbolic votes to try and eliminate a signature piece of legislation! I could go on, but it would only make you look more foolish thinking the Dems are anywhere near as hateful that they would hurt the country just to get back at him! I'm pretty sure the Dems didn't disrespect his wife and kids either! Dream on and delude yourself if you wish, but it really angers me that you could even think there's a comparison!
***Glad I could piss you off there, Capt. Icon. - The best evidence you have of an attempt of impeachment is a bill that was submitted to committee, that never was mentioned in committee, let alone made it to the floor of the House. So all you can say is the author of said Bill attempted to impeach Bush, but to say the Dems as a whole did is disingenuous at best. B/c if it was the party as a whole, it would have at least made it out of committee and had the support of party leadership (like the SOH Pelosi, who actively squashed the impeachment talk). Impeachment of Bush was nothing more than a wet dream of the extreme elements of the Dem party, to say otherwise is revisionist history.***
Notice he couldn't dispute a thing! I hear the constant refrain of "we're not racists!" Well what's their excuse for acting so boorishly and unpatriotic? These people should feel all kinds of shame, but they obviously have none! Trying to trash the economy, heaping blame for every little thing on him is so disgusting, but they just can't seem to help themselves! There were Rep primaries yesterday and w/ questions of why races were so close, they invoked Obama's name! These are supposed to be smart politicians, but they sound insane even mentioning him! Will probably be upset if he plays the USO!
***How come Yuku Republican voter's jokes are never very funny?***
It takes a bit of knowledge, intelligence, and wit; they have none! I feel for 'em! It's like shooting fish in a barrel whenever I grace this horrible sight! If these people would halfway know what they're talking about, it would be more worth it for me! I have to smack around the same idiots w/ obvious facts that just won't sink into their thick skulls and it's getting old! There's no challenge or real debate! They have their bigotry and limited memory of misinformation they get from FNN and they won't get off of it! What's really funny is that w/ all the so called great ratings of Fox, it appears their main demographic are old folks where the average age is 71 1/2! That's something to write home about!
***Bingo! The thing is that is actually funny about rightwingnut jokes are the their responses...Lacking knowledge, intelligence, and wit; the responses are exercises in politics for dummies and worse. At best, you have your Palin politics for dummies.
---
I don't blame Bill Clinton for going after other women considering who he's married to.***
Yawn - Funny how the Rep party is so big on family, criticized Bill and Hillary, but most of these clowns have broken marriages, been married 3 or 4 times, and have been caught up in as much scandal; esp. Senator Vitter on 2 lists dealing w/ prostitution in DC and NO!
***Dumb Conservatives Actually Believe Their Own Lies - http://newsbusters.org/blogs/geoffrey-dickens/2014/08/14/todd-takeover-top-10-list-most-liberal-outbursts-new-meet-press-ho#ixzz3ATnaRmcs -
ReplyDelete10. Dumb Conservatives Actually Believe Liberal Bias “Myth”
“There are fewer and fewer Republicans who will go on non-Fox shows....I think that the mythology of the big, bad non-conservative media has gotten into some offices...and then these guys, they actually believe the spin that’s out there, ‘Oh, my God, that’s what the mainstream media does, they do anything to disrupt the conservative agenda.’ And so literally, you only — Lindsey [Graham], John McCain, you know, that’s been my — I just fear that it’s sort of like this whole — there’s this whole sort of this, the mythology of this, the media’s out to get conservatives is believed among more and more actual staffers.”
— NBC political director Chuck Todd on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Feb 19, '13 talking about why so few conservative members of Congress are willing to go on liberal talk shows.
9. Fox News Not Staffed With Real Pros - Like Us at MSNBC
“When a news executive goes out there and states a crazy accusation like that, that it ends up, it only ends up probably hurting what they're trying to do, but it creates, it only denigrates all of us....And, I'm sorry, there are certain news organizations out here whose agenda is to undermine the 90 percent of journalists who are just simply trying to cover stories out there.”
— NBC White House correspondent and MSNBC daytime host Chuck Todd on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Feb 8, '10, reacting to Fox News Washington managing editor Bill Sammon’s statement the previous day that “the mainstream media hates the Tea Party movement almost as much as it hates Sarah Palin.”
8. Why No Public Love for Obama’s “Enormous Amount of Legislative Victories?”
“You’ve had an enormous amount of legislative victories - it’s comparable to any President in history. It has not translated into political capital with the public. Honestly, are you frustrated by that?”
— NBC’s Chuck Todd to President Obama in an interview excerpt shown on MSNBC’s Hardball, July 16, '10.
7. Getting Ready to Bash GOP for “Beating Up Two Women”
Anchor Chuck Todd: “Any danger that the Samantha Power nomination [to become U.N. Ambassador] becomes sort of a proxy that some Senate Republicans try, b/c that is a Senate confirmation appt. And that some Republicans try to somehow go after her b/c they can’t go after Susan Rice?...Beating up on 2 women, I think, would be something that the Republican Party brand doesn’t need.”
Politico’s Lois Romano: “They don’t need it, but they — they haven’t had much, you know, problems beating up on Susan Rice.” - Todd: “True, before. That’s for sure.”
— MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown, June 5, '13.
6. Distorting Facts to Declare Obama’s IRS Scandal Over
“The IRS ‘scandal’ [makes air quote marks] looks like it’s a bureaucratic scandal, not the political scandal that Republicans were wishing that they had come up w/....This sort of brings me to [House Chairman] Darrell Issa at this point. I mean, this is the guy who is — I mean, he is living the fable of the boy who cried wolf, at this point.”
— Anchor Chuck Todd setting up a panel discussion on MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown, June 25, '13.***
***5. Palin Will Still Draw Political “Car-Wreck Watchers”
ReplyDelete“Look, she may spend the next year campaigning for Republicans all across the country. She’s probably going to be the person that can attract the largest crowds, some of it is car-wreck watchers - you know, they just are coming, kind of curiosity-seekers.”
— NBC White House correspondent Chuck Todd talking about Palin’s resignation, July 3, '09 Nightly News.
4. “Clean White Suit” Obama a Victim of His Own Virtue
“The President is coming under some criticism for tonight’s big-ticket events b/c they are taking place just a stone’s throw away from Wall Street....One Dem strategist said that part of the President’s problem is simply his own expectations. Some of the rhetoric he said on the campaign trail made it seem as if he was coming into office in a clean white suit. So now any speck of mud - like raising money from Wall Street donors - shows up a lot clearer than if he came in just as another politician wearing just another gray suit.”
— NBC White House correspondent Chuck Todd on Nightly News, Oct 20, '09.
3. Susan Rice: “Victim” of Conservative Media
“It [criticism of Susan Rice] was all driven, in many cases, by some conservative outlets who were making her the center of the Benghazi story....She sort of became a victim of this....You can become collateral damage in a hurry in just the way you can get piled on, whether it’s Twitter, whether it’s advocacy journalism, whatever you want to describe it, talk radio. And that’s what she was. She became political collateral damage.”
— NBC News political director Chuck Todd during live MSNBC coverage on Dec 13, '12 after Rice withdrew her name as a potential Secretary of State.
2. No Such Thing as “Unanswered Question” About Benghazi
“It certainly looks more partisan than it looks like a serious inquiry....You know, I’ll hear from Republicans that say, ‘But there are unanswered questions!’ Well, no, all the questions have been answered. There’s just some people that don’t like the answers, that wish the answers were somehow more conspiratorial, I guess....To sit here and investigate talking points seems to be totally missing the larger point here. It’s like investigating who cut down a tree, one tree, in a forest that’s been burned down.”
— NBC political director and chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, May 13, '14.
1. Mocking IRS’s Targeting of Tea Party: “Are There Any Actual Real Victims?”
“Here is the story many are missing: Why should primarily political organizations get a taxpayer exemption, basically get a handout from the tax code?...So while the IRS is certainly not a good guy here — they have been terrible about being forthcoming — are there any actual real victims?...We know what really is working here for Republicans. Beating up the IRS, good for the base. Good politics there makes for great fundraising e-mails. But let’s remember what the controversy itself is about.”***
Very nice thread! Thank you to the OP! Very informative and can be read over and over and referenced! - This is all moot! The cop wasn't aware of this kid being a suspect in a so called "strong arm" robbery! The cop is still in serious trouble! The chief used the term "was" in describing this fool! He's done on this force and any other; even if he beats the rap and isn't sent to prison for murder!
***...This maybe very cold, but maybe this cop saved a future innocent life. More than likely, this was not his first time at stealing.***
You said it; VERY COLD! Black boys' lives just aren't worth anything in this country! You're just being an atypical person with a very common misconception about us; THANKS!
***5. Palin Will Still Draw Political “Car-Wreck Watchers”
ReplyDelete“Look, she may spend the next year campaigning for Reps all across the country. She’s probably going to be the person that can attract the largest crowds, some of it is car-wreck watchers - you know, they just are coming, kind of curiosity-seekers.”
— NBC WH corr. Chuck Todd talking about Palin’s resignation, July 3, '09 Nightly News.
4. “Clean White Suit” Obama a Victim of His Own Virtue
“The President is coming under some criticism for tonight’s big-ticket events b/c they are taking place just a stone’s throw away from Wall Street....One Dem strategist said that part of the President’s problem is simply his own expectations. Some of the rhetoric he said on the campaign trail made it seem as if he was coming into office in a clean white suit.”
— NBC WH correspondent Chuck Todd on Nightly News, Oct 20, '09.
3. Susan Rice: “Victim” of Conservative Media
“It [criticism of Susan Rice] was all driven, in many cases, by some conservative outlets who were making her the center of the Benghazi story....She sort of became a victim of this....You can become collateral damage in a hurry in just the way you can get piled on, whether it’s advocacy journalism, whatever you want to describe it, talk radio.”
— NBC News political director C.Todd during live MSNBC coverage on Dec 13, '12 after Rice withdrew her name as a potential Secretary of State.
2. No Such Thing as “Unanswered Question” About Benghazi
“It certainly looks more partisan than it looks like a serious inquiry....You know, I’ll hear from Republicans that say, ‘But there are unanswered questions!’ Well, no, all the questions have been answered. There’s just some people that don’t like the answers, that wish the answers were somehow more conspiratorial, I guess....”
— NBC political director and chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, May 13, '14.
1. Mocking IRS’s Targeting of Tea Party: “Are There Any Actual Real Victims?”
“Here is the story many are missing: Why should primarily political organizations get a taxpayer exemption, basically get a handout from the tax code?...So while the IRS is certainly not a good guy here — they have been terrible about being forthcoming — are there any actual real victims?...We know what really is working here for Republicans. Beating up the IRS, good for the base.”***
Very nice thread! Thank you to the OP! Very informative and can be read over and over and referenced! - This is all moot! The cop wasn't aware of this kid being a suspect in a so called "strong arm" robbery! The cop is still in serious trouble! The chief used the term "was" in describing this fool! He's done on this force and any other; even if he beats the rap and isn't sent to prison for murder!
***Whatever happened to 'Looters will be shot on sight'? - You guys are arguing about things for which no evidence has been shown. Maybe the cop was wrong it has nothing to do w/ whether the actions since being unjustified by both the looters and the cops.
---
Let's just presume you're Ten Trillion % True. It has NO BEARING on the issue of the predicate issue. The issue is the slaying of a Black boy in the custody of an apparently non-Black policeman in Ferguson MO.***
That's what apologist do when there's bad police behavior in evidence! I was trying to watch FNN, "The O'Reilly Factor" and Laura Ingraham was guest hosting! She was totally behind the cops, being a total apologist for their behavior, even when reporters were harassed and abused; w/ a smile on her face saying they were just there to stir up trouble! ...Last night was ridiculous with the cops! I thought I was looking at footage from IRAQ with Humvee tanks, camouflage gear, armed to the teeth, with guns trained on the crowd that was doing absolutely nothing! They're going to be sued big time! "Get your checkbook ready MO!"
***I seriously doubt this kid ran up on the cop car and just out of the blue started assaulting the police officer. That is idiotic at best. Then again it is you we are talking about. It's not our culture and hertiage dipfuck! What is interesting is this the black race is the only one that was enslaved by whites in this country and this is where we are seeing problems. You will never admit to that, will you Einstein!***
ReplyDeleteSome would prefer to forget about that along with other atrocities like Japanese internment camps, witch burning, and the like! The history of this country is littered with it, but we love passing judgment on other countries for their behavior and politics!
***You see, this is why you fools can't be taken seriously on any subject concerning this country. You have no solutions just complaints. If this admin. takes a left, you think they should have taken a right and if they take a right, you say they should have taken a left. NOTHING they do is going to be good enough for you even if it's what you want them to do. I have to say I am glad I have friends that are real conservatives and are able to articulate their issues w/ this admin. and actually have good points on how to handle some of them. I sure don't get that here from the cons! It's really sad.***
You are so right! If Obama didn't want to do something about the Middle East problems, he's being weak and ineffectually as "Commander-In-Chief!" If he decides to actually do something, they won't authorize the mission, threatening to cut off all funding! His detractors are so full of shit, it's a wonder they can move around! He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't; ANYTHING! The "right" are just pure contrarians who aren't hurting, but only making themselves look bad! They have no shame so it's a waste pointing it out to them! I used to have respect for Senators like Lindsey Graham, but he's too busy trying to hold onto his job he can't see straight; so to speak! He's a real piece of work these days and he's too disgusting for words!
***David Gregory Replaced by Chuck Todd as moderator of Meet the Press - Almost sounds as if Gregory was fired! His last show was this past Sunday. I liked Gregory, but he was no Tim Russert! I like Todd too; he's all about #s, so I'm not sure how that will translate into interviewing the type of guests that 'MTP' brings!
---
Reps were getting off too easy under David Gregory, and ratings were in the tank. He's more a "fall guy" as producers invite the guests.. more Reps have a voice than Dems.***
The show lost a lot of credibility during the Russert era really when he allowed Cheney and other political hacks to come on the show spouting nonsense that justified getting into 2 wars! He didn't come back at them with credible sources that thought it was all fabricated or exaggerated! The show has definitely fallen off even more since his death, but Gregory is "the fall guy!" Something's going on b/c it was rumored he was toast a while back! He's never been a fave of mines, but Todd can be just as arrogant and obnoxious when he wants to be! lol!
***Gov. Perry indicted on abuse of power charges - Apparently a DA was recently convicted of drunk driving....and BTW, the states Public Intergrity Unit operates out of her office. Can't make this stuff up, folks. So Perry said that unless she resigns, he'd veto a bill that would give $7.5M to the Public Integrity's office. She didn't resign, so he vetoed the bill and charges were brought against him. I wasn't aware that a Gov. or President needed to give a reason for a veto. Thoughts?***
ReplyDeleteI find it hilarious Republicans like to invoke how corrupt Obama's home state is when the last 4 governors that are in trouble, indicted, on trial, or convicted are all fellow "righties;" Christie, Ryan, Perry, and McDonnell! What a collection of slimeballs; always passing judgment on others, but don't look in the mirror enough!
***...No, but the fact that he did, and in the way he did is what's causing the problem.***
From what I hear, the money had already been appropriated and he had no power to hold those funds! He might have been able to do a line item veto on the budget initially, but not as a political threat! He also offered her another positions and she turned him down flat! He would have been able to put one of his flunkies in there and he might have gotten away with a lot more without her due diligence! Bravo for her! He's a real tool who has turned that state into a toilet; letting business run rough shot over things, polluting the air and water with impunity, decimating their schools, and allowing Texas to become a dumping ground from surrounding states! He's a real piece of work! I have little sympathy for the people! They should have gotten rid of him years ago!
***TX Gov. Rick Perry (R) was indicted on felony charges Friday by a grand jury in Austin for allegedly abusing his veto power to force the resignation of a Dem prosecutor. The grand jury indicted the 2016 presidential hopeful on 2 felony counts – coercion of public official and abuse of official capacity.
Perry, 64, must turn himself in to the Travis County Jail, where he will be booked, fingerprinted and have his mug shot taken. The charges stem from an ethics complaint filed last year by Texans for Public Justice, a left-leaning gov't watchdog group, claimed that Perry abused his official powers by threatening to veto money for public corruption prosecutors in the state in order to pressure a local district attorney to resign.
The public integrity unit is housed in the Travis County district attorney's office. Perry called for the resignation of DA Rosemary Lehmberg after she was arrested and pled guilty in April 2013 to drunken driving. Lehmberg, a Dem, did not resign. Perry eventually made his veto threat a reality. The special prosecutor on the case worked to show evidence that Perry's threat to veto $7.5 M over 2 years was unlawful.
"The grand jury has spoken that there is probable cause to believe that he [Perry] committed at least 2 felony crimes," special prosecutor Michael McCrum told reporters, according to Reuters. The counts are 1st and 3rd-degree felonies, w/ charges ranging from 5 to 99 years and 2 to 10 years, respectively. The indictment says Perry, "w/ intent to harm another, to-wit, Rosemary Lehmberg and the Public Integrity Unity of the Travis County DA's Office, intentionally or knowingly misused gov't property."
Perry used "coercion" by "threatening to veto legislation that had been approved and authorized by the Legislature of the State of Texas" to fund the Public Integrity Unit unless Lehmberg resigned, according to the indictment. It was in another Travis County judicial court that a grand jury in 2005 indicted former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay on charges of illegal money laundering to candidates in Texas. "For the sake of Texas, Governor Perry should resign following his indictment on two criminal felony counts involving abuse of office," Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) tweeted.***
***Christie collapsed under his own weight - Even if Christie might have a chance to beat a Dem in the general election, I doubt he could the Rep. nomination; even if he does lose 150 lbs.***
ReplyDeleteIt was a total "pipe dream" to "think" it was possible for him to get past the primary process! Christie has done and said too many things in opposition to Rep. tenets to get elected and keep his job as Gov! Romney was allowed to backtrack off all his BS beliefs, but the Repn party has become even more radicalized in the intervening 4 years since the last election! The Tea Party, conservatives, and real hardliners aren't a majority, but they sway the more rational and reasonable players! Even people like Lindsey Graham have been behaving outrageously trying to save his own electability! I really don't know who they can run and make a credible challenge to any Dem nominee; esp. against Hillary! They've already started trashing the woman which proves they're worried, but I can't see candidates like Paul, Perry, Walker, and others making a race of it! Their big mouths have already been documented of how ridiculous and radical they can be when they weren't running for the Presidency!
***You know as well as anyone the ham sandwich thing; anyone can be indicted.***
We're talking about a sitting governor! That says something about the seriousness of the charges! He'll be turning himself in soon, have fingerprints and mug shots taken like any other thug! Good for them! I hate BULLIES and Perry leads them down there in those kinds of tactics! I find it hypocritical of him to talk about settling political scores w/ this indictment; what are they doing to Obama? Sounds like the same thing to me and they never had a leg to stand on; didn't stop them!
***DeLay and Perry are being implicated in allegations of criminal behavior, not "politics"***
It's the usual "deflecting" they accuse Dems of doing! They're masters at it along w/ their hypocrisy! All Rep. are full of shit! Years ago, some had some common sense and decency, but since Clinton and the way they treat Obama w/ such disrespect, I wouldn't vote 1 for local dog catcher! They're all disgusting animals as far as I'm concerned who care more about their party than doing a good job and doing the right thing! They're so busy trying to undermine Obama, they're trashing the country w/ inaction and foot-dragging to make sure he has nothing to hang his hat on! I will never forget or forgive it and I'm no fan of his! Their behavior these last few years have been deplorable and anyone who would vote for them is endorsing said behavior and should feel the same amount of shame!
***W/ Bush and Cheney DWI convictions, they couldn't be trusted w/ the keys to a car... so what did America do next?***
Well they're Republicans; we're supposed to move on and ignore their hideous past!
***Those DWI arrests and convictions made Bush and Cheney "good ol' boys"... now let's elect them into power. It took the US Supreme Court meddling to seat them in 2000.***
I haven't had ANY respect for the Supreme Court since they voted 9-0 to allow lawsuit of Paula Jones to proceed against President Clinton saying "this shouldn't cause any problems in the day to day operation of running the country!" It turned this country upside down and I was disgusted by these people; even the liberal ones! They've been wrong so often, it's hard to ignore their incompetence!
***Yes you believe the President is entitled to sexually assault employees.***
That bitch didn't have a leg to stand on! Besides a statute of limitations, it was all backed by conservatives just to harass and embarrass the Clinton! Get over yourself and stop being a tool for the "right!"
***Yes. I'm sure she was lying. There wasn't any corraborative evidence at all that Mr. Clinton ever sexually exploited employees. Just a vast right wing conspiracy.***
***ITA that the electorate punished the Rep brand in rejecting McCain and Romney. Meaning, it's not that the Dems won, it's that the Reps lost. I don't think the Democrats can rely on that much longer. It would be fantastic to get a real political conservative in office. Ron Paul may not wish to run again. He's been running for POTUS since the '80's. Rand might be pretty good, though he's going a tad wobbly at the moment.***
ReplyDeleteITA! No one wants to be bothered w/ so called "compassionate conservatism" for the foreseeable future! Every time they gain power, the country tanks, budgets are out of control, and the next thing you know we're fighting some war we're talked into! "W's" lasting legacy will be OBAMA! Only a disaster that big could elect the man! It certainly wouldn't have happened if not for gross incompetence of Bush, Cheney, Rice, and all the rest!
***I like Obama.***
He could have been so much better, but he was too busy placating the "right!" He thought if he compromised, things would work out swimmingly; they just took advantage of it and made him weak! He should have been more a hardliners in the beginning and telling them "he won the election!" It wasn't their job to obstruct in the day to day workings of the gov't, almost trashing out credit rating in the process! He finally realized he can't do anything right in their eyes; even if it's something they've backed in the past! They will always fall on the opposite side of an issue thinking of bringing him to heel! I will never vote for another Rep after the way they treated this man! If it isn't racism, they need to come up with another reason they could treat an American President so shabbily! He could do no right in their eyes and I find that disgusting in so many ways!
***Reps had issues w/ America electing Clinton for 2 terms as well...***
They will always have a problem w/ a Dem in the chair, but they went the extra mile questioning his citizenship, religion, patriotism, his parents; it never stopped! You have to admit no one went through so much shit as this man when it came to being the President! His kids weren't even immune to getting harangued; "why do they need Secret Service protection?" These people are animals; esp. Palin, Cruz, Gingrich, Issa, and many others!
***Yes, but I hope that's not the entire Rep party. I'd like to think the birthers are a radical minority. I don't recall Boehner or McConnell ever spewing the birther line.***
Since they were the leadership, they gave that mealy-mouth response of "I take him at his word!" How these people sleep at night is beyond me! If it were anyone else, none of this crap would have been said or done! Reps as a whole hit a new low during this man's tenure and they feel no shame in acting this way!
***I think you're being too harsh on them. What would you have preferred them to say? ...Not just his "contract on America", but the silly impeachment of President Clinton. Sure, it's gotten worse since then in some respects. His Congress passed more bills than this one.***
They could BE MEN and take their party to task; "let's drop all this BS about Obama being a Kenyan, Muslim, and unpatriotic!" That's what real men would have done, but the leaderships of both HOUSES are gutless turds afraid to embarrass or insult their base! Dems aren't that wishy-washy and they criticize one another w/ impunity! Republicans can't do that; always concerned about a challenge from the "right!"
***...Finally, the oddsmakers have come to senses and recognize that Fed is the 2nd favorite.***
ReplyDeleteThat's if he hasn't worn himself out winning that last Masters tournament in Cinn.! He went 3 sets a lot and being over 30 doesn't help! I wouldn't mind him winning, but I wouldn't put any money on him making the final; even with Rafa out of the USO!
***Rafa's withdrawal from the US Open means that Roger will almost certainly surpass him in the race to London rankings after the tournament, although he's still got a ways to go to catch Rafa in the live rankings. But there's a chance that the #1 ranking will be decided at the WTF, which is always fun - unless, of course, Novak wins the USO and/or sweeps Shanghai and Paris, and then I think he'll be able to coast in.***
And so it continues; Rafa being touted as "The GOAT," but unable to defend titles off of clay! He was due another one of his famous vacations, skipping another major; as usual! I've never seen a top player have such an uneven career; esp. someone of Rafa's caliber!
***Fiero, I don't know whether Rafa is the GOAT or not, but he's certainly in the conversation. As I've said before, I'd prefer to just speak of plural GOATs rather than the singular GOAT. But, still one stands out.***
Denial of the term being used gets me worked up though; either way! It's hard for me to give Nadal full credit for his achievements b/c of his inconsistency even playing a full 2 seasons consecutively! Besides that, dropping his numerous FO titles, he has 2 USO's, 2 Wimbledons, and just the 1 AO! Impressive for the most part, but hardly GOAT worthy! Players like Borg, Sampras, Federer, and even Lendl had plenty of other titles! Nadal's king of the Masters1000, but that's all I'll give him!
***Oh, and he has more GS titles than Lendl and Borg, and level w/ Sampras, and closing in on Federer. But apart from this, I agree with you.
...
Leif reached the 1984 Queens Club final, losing in 3 to J P McEnroe. Pretty good going considering that was McEnroe's best year and one of the best years by any player in the Open era.***
'84 was a magical year for McEnroe; and if he had held his temper, it could have been even more historic w/ a FO title! How someone who was up by 2 sets and a break can let themselves get distracted by cameras and whatever machinations are going on is still beyond belief! He was in the zone and should have won that match over Lendl going away! He had been taking a beating by Lendl for a couple years ('81-82) and actually got embarrassed a few times! I don't know if it was Budge or Kramer that supposedly sat him down in the locker room and told him he had to relentless attack! He recovered his dignity and started winning again and had Lendl down at that FO final in '84! I could be wrong in how I saw it; been 30 years, but he had it and allowed himself to lose concentration giving the match to Lendl in 5 sets!
***That loss still haunts him -- and it should. He talks about it every year at RG. The sight of him stomping away from the trophy ceremony like a bratty, angry child is something I'll never forget.***
***...It's silly to expect Republicans to lavish praise on Obama. They're in opposing parties.***
ReplyDeleteWell it would be nice if they didn't talk about his wife, kids, and mom like dogs! It's toned down of late, but they were relentless and disgusting until '12, totally embarrassing themselves with the way they were treating a sitting President! Nothing was out of bounds and to conservatives not in office, anything and everything is still being said! You're being too kind! Maybe I watch and listen to political shows more; I hear it all! These people are vile and they just can't help themselves! It's one thing to say and do what they do, but they taint their whole party when they allow it go on w/o one person saying "that's a bridge too far and we need to stop it!"
***Agreed. Ironically, the two most recent First Families had 2 daughters each. There doesn't seem to be a drunk in this one as there was in the last one. Perhaps in time. But I agree, some of the criticism of the FF is quite low. It does more to undermine the critics than it does to undermine the FF.
---
MSNBC's Mark Halperin: Perry Indictment 'Stupidest Thing I've Seen in My Career'***
More deluded thought! This isn't about anything else but politics! Perry just wants to be able to fill the position w/ one of his compatriot hacks in the Republican party! The state is doomed as it is when it comes to oversight! That's all those guys needed was to politicize the lone office to keep Perry in check! They might have a chance now that his chain has been yanked and an entity will let the people know when he does something to the detriment of state! So far Texas is already on a desperate path, fastly becoming the toilet of the south allowing business carte blanch to pollute the water and air! Cutting budgets had firemen "let go" while a big fire waged on for weeks! Perry actually asked for "volunteers and to bring your own shovels!"
***CNN desperately wants some shit to go down. They are reaching right now. Its pretty dead there.***
What are you talking about? Watching FOX News, they lead w/ the video of looting, gun shooting, and the use of smoke and gas to deal w/ the crowds! Camouflaged military-like soldiers and tanks prowl the streets and push the crowds back! Come on; still in denial to what's really going on in Ferguson?
***If Obama says something or appears, he's using it for political gain. If he stays quiet, he's doing nothing but playing golf. Just more team politics.***
The man will never be able to win in a race run by you guys! Even when he agrees w/ past conservative ideals, you go 180 thinking it'll hurt him! You're just hurting yourselves when you double down on hatin'! It's so embarrassing to say we're the ideal democracy around the world when we have representatives who behave like petulant children!
***My..... you have such a short memory that you don't remember the vast hatred for Bush......or are just a colossal hypocrite. You decide....***
It was never this dysfunctional! Bush got all he wanted and more; got his cabinet filled in a timely fashion, and Dems never shut the gov't down! There's nothing comparable to Republican obstructionism; the country be damned!
***He's a colossal hypocrite w/ a short memory***
As compared to colossal exaggerators of fact! Delude yourselves all you like! Nothing was like the incompetent tenure of BUSH; NOTHING in our memory!
Watching FNN they pound it that Obama's the worst, his foreign policy is a complete failure, blah, blah! What does that say about all the clowns on the "right" who couldn't beat him in '12, even w/ all the foot dragging of Congress?
ReplyDelete***Just switched channels, Fox to CNN to MSNBC and Chris Matthews was on! Who watches this crap? You are correct; they have one of the lowest cable news ratings around!***
People here ask about the obsession most have w/ FOX NEWS, but all they do is bitch and moan about MSNBC being in existence! WTF; why care? All through prime time, FNN commentators are referencing their rival and whining about the anchors! It makes no sense if their ratings are so low; why give free advertising to them daily?
***Reps are whiners. "The squeaky wheel gets the grease." The whiners attract the attention. But that's not an accurate gauge of which of these 2 cable channels is the more partisan or extreme. I like FNS. My biggest complaint about Chris Wallace is he's rather tough on Rep interviewees. I generally like their panel, more so now that George Will has left ABC "This Week" and joined FNS. George Will is my main man.***
Polar opposites, but we've agreed on "common sense" situations, facts, and theories! I've watched FNN since '97 when I got back to Sac! I thought it was new, but it had been in existence the year before! I liked the prime time line up w/ O'Reilly, Hannity & Colmes, then Catherine Cryer! It got hyper-partisan w/ Clinton scandal; Monica! Fox slowly lost it's mind, actually criticizing people that would support the President! The Reps had to pull back on that when it backfired on them in '98! I still watch a little of O'Reilly and Kelly each night, but they're hard to take seriously when they say such ridiculous things and go on offense when challenged! It gets ugly fast on both shows! Kelly relentlessly beat up on ex-Weather participant, Professor Bill Ayres on one of her extended interviews! She's such a pretty, amiable looking person, but no one I know can look more like something out of an "Exorcist" movie when peeved! Megan loses it if you challenge FNN & does her best work over-talking her guests when she doesn't like what she's hearing! O'Reilly is the same way and isn't even polite about jettisoning someone who's not playing by his rules!
I rarely miss "Journal Editorial Report," but getting harder and harder to stomach their "right-leaning!" Nothing Obama does is right, "he's weak, he's going to cost the Dems seats in both Houses!" Same ol', same ol'; and when found to be wrong, they laugh it off and say "it's America enduring" regardless of the leadership! I still try to catch the "Beltway Boys" on Bret's show in the early evening, but Krauthammer needs to be called out for being perpetually wrong about everything! Chris Matthews quotes and lauds him all the time as some expert at conservative thinking, but if your advice proves erroneous, why is he still referenced favorably all the time? I think Will had to be let go from "This Week" b/c he was starting to be rather do'er & relentlessly bashing Obama! They're hiding the lone honest man; Shephard Smith! I still smile when people were rationalizing "intensive interrogation" methods and he went off live, "we don't fuk'n torture!" I never heard an apology, but he probably did sometime later! It wasn't bleeped; totally live! Wallace has his moments, but that slimy interview where he used off-camera conversation of Biden didn't sit well w/ me! This is foreign policy stuff going on and Chris is featuring it like "Al Capone vault" being cracked into! It's getting harder and harder to watch FOX w/ the constant refrain of how high their ratings are, but they never acknowledge the median age is 71 y.o.!
***No doubt at all, this DA was drunk...Absolutely true! AND: No doubt at all that such potential unfitness for the office of one individual justifies gubernatorial / CEO effort to defund the office entirely.***
ReplyDeleteWhat was Perry's excuse for being "toasted" during the '12 Primary? I think his people put it on prescription meds; he'd know better of course! All I can do is picture him cradling that bottle of syrup like it was a cupie doll, shrugging his shoulders in embarrassment!
***Oh but it gets better....Gov. Sanctimonious ...Wait we are talking about ...Oooops.
---
I support a 3rd term for President Obama - 25 To Life***
Most would take him over Romney, Paul, Perry, Walker, Santorum, Huckabee, Christie, and any # of Rep. losers who don't have a prayer against Hillary; if she runs!
***America wants nothing more to do w/ Billary. We have had enough of her and her misanthropic old man...***
We'll see! I just can't see any of these guys on the "right" being able to dirty them up enough! That's all they've been able to do the last few election cycles; not for anything, but totally against everything! Nothing is safe! That only works for so long unless you're a rube from the SOUTH! They'd sooner their state turned into a toilet than agree w/ anything a Dem proposes!
***I have to admit that when Obama won the Dem nomination I thought it was a good thing. After all, he'd saved us from Hillary. And then McCain ran one of the worst campaigns I've ever seen. It's safe to say that the Dems did not win but the Reps lost. But to top it off, Obama's performance in office has been worse than I could ever have imagined.***
His detractors successfully waited all of us out! They can say they were trying to be fiscally responsible shutting down the gov't, the Sequester, and foot-dragging on appropriations for common sense infrastructure bills, but even w/ all their vile tactics, the country has chugged along! It would explode w/ a pay raise to minimum wage, spending on bridges and roads, utilities and the like, but Reps want to pray and hope one of them wins the Presidency so they can get all the credit for everything turning around since "W!" That's his true legacy; not 2 wars, unpaid for mandates like "No Child Left Behind" and his "Prescription Drug Bill, it's Obama's 2 terms!
***Obama was a pathetic incompetent. You voted for and supported him....deal w/ it.***
Better than Palin being one heartbeat away w/ McCain or the shadiest duo w/ Romney and Paul! Heaven knows where we would be if they ever had control over it all! We barely survived Bush and his incompetence! I'll take Clinton Redux anytime over the alternative!
***America has done far worse under Obama, Bush only run up 5 trillion in 8 years...Obama has run up 7+ trillion in less than 6 years... 47% of Americans on food stamps...and 9+ million unemployed...black unemployment over 10%...teen unemployment over 20.4%... America is in a down hill slide...Thanks Obama - but you chose party over country.***
...and this is Obama's fault how? We're still trying to get from under the "W" cloud! We're still paying for his blundering! Get real; know what's what before coming at me w/ these "slanted" #'s that have NOTHING to do w/ Obama! He presided over the worse economy since the Depression while George jr. inherited a booming economy and pissed it all away! Thanks again!
***...as saying he really didn't have a problem hiring the 1st black manager, but he did say he didn't want to be the 1st person to FIRE a black manager.***
Race will continue to be difficult to handle since we're not willing to accept the atrocities of our own history concerning the subject! 2014 and it's still a big deal Obama was elected; twice! How we criticize other countries dealing w/ their civil rights issues is still amazing to me; what hypocrisy!
***There are some exceptions, but usually dancers don't last long either; the average is about 15 years I think. Most dancers careers are over when they are in their mid 30s; some earlier.***
ReplyDeleteIt's more a mental thing with most professions! You can make it work for as long as your mind compensates for advancing age! Martina Navratilova had the desire to play tennis until she was almost 50; winning her last MD's major title at 49 years and 11 months at the USO '06!
***True, but not many people can do what Martina did though. I have to admit it was very admirable! Most of the time (and I'm really talking about pro athletes and not dancers) the body wants to quit before the ego.
---
So Stan is the next one to qualify if he plays some decent tennis in USO.***
I could be wrong, but I think by virtue of his Australian Open title, Stan's already "in like flint!" The next question is will Nadal play even w/o his point total, enough that he owns FO?
***That is true, but the ATP will not announce officially a player that he is qualified by default virtue his Slam win until the very end in case he does not make it otherwise by his cumulated points. But Stan is going to make it by points as well, b/c his total will be more than enough when all is said and done. The battle ground is below him in the current 5-12 range.
---
I've not seen Federer booed, once in I think 2009 he smashed his racquet and got booed and that's the only time I've seen it happen. So where is the crowd booing him b/c he is good as stated above?***
I can't remember, but my guess is it had to be from last season when he was trying out a new racket, had back issues, some bad loses to "nobodies," and possibly a crisis of confidence!
***Yeah I know he had a bad back and issues w/ confidence, I'm a big Fed fan, but I do not know what match you are talking about that he said that or was booed either. Plus again, he was not booed for being good!***
No doubt he's a class act, but he was still the #1 player in the world! You can't get there being a saint, so it doesn't surprise me he blew up a couple times on court! It's his own fault IMO, being quite stubborn trying to play like he did 10 years ago as a kid! Hiring Edberg, that should have encouraged him to move forward and cut off some of those interminable rallies of 20-30 strokes at the net!
---
WOW; No mention of Hingis and Pennetta? They haven't even lost a set! Martina's been in just about every event she plays! Since they don't show doubles like they used to, I can only assume she's playing well enough; all on her partner keeping up w/ her excellence! I have no idea what her chances are now w/ upsets of Williams sister and 2 other top seeded teams at this year's USO!
***Here is the thing to me on why doubles is fruitless for the Williams sisters at this point. They are losing to the teams that play consistently at most of the events as they should. Unfortunately for Serena mostly and Venus to an extent, playing a full singles and doubles schedule would drain them. ...I would revisit it in a couple years when things are slowing down a bit in the singles arena.***
***It is a travesty that they use a super tie-breaker in mixed doubles at Slams. Come on, there is enough time in the grand scheme of things to completely play out a 3rd set in case the score is one set all after the 1st 2 sets are over.
ReplyDeleteNote that I am ok w/ a regular TB in the final set in case the game score comes down to 6-6. I'm not asking for no TB in the last set policy. I sure hate the super TB. We should avoid deciding titles by lottery as much as possible. I have a problem w/ ultimate set TB's!***
After all these years, I'm still holding onto what is perceived as some kind of integrity in the game! I liked what Wimbledon was doing up to the mid or late 70's; TB at 8 all instead of 6 and none in the 5th set (3rd for the ladies)!
***Since Lendl came in the Masters events have been approached as tune-ups, ... Murray may have been able to do that in the past when he was ranked in the top 2-3 places and was reaching slam finals, but now he needs to build himself back up. I think he has a good chance of a good run in Shanghai; perhaps things can start there.***
I think people continue to overlook the main problem Murray has; his mindset to play passive for the most part! He allows players we don't even know jump on him, take a set or 2, then he has to grind out a hard fought win that was totally unnecessary! It's all good if it works, but he's lost matches for the simple reason as Federer; ego thinking they can slap winners from the baseline and outlast younger players!
***B/c Murray has won 2 majors, he could just focus on playing well on smaller tournaments w/o having the huge pressure on whether or not he would win a Slam at all.***
You would think, but after you've won a couple majors, I think the pressure is on to add to the total! Even 2 can be considered a fluke! There are plenty of players w/ his resume and I think expectations have been terribly overblown and exaggerated! In a lot of ways Murray's underachieved IMO b/c of the way he plays the game!
***...Roger played already when Sampras and Agassi were around. Also, sometimes chaos is good. This is one of those cases w/ Kei and Cilic in the USO final. It is more intriguing.***
The BIG 4 made sure there never was much of a chance for chaos! In the old days, you had upsets like this all the time with "no names" in the final! We've been spoiled by Nole, Roger, and Rafa! This will be only the 2nd winner of a major outside of them since Delpo in '09 over Roger!
***I think Novak is temporarily distracted from marriage/baby--and won't "be back" until the Australian Open.***
Age and ego is definitely catching up to Roger! This may have been his last great chance at #18! I had thought his road too easy and was tested all along the way; esp. by Monfils! I really never saw him making the final, but w/ what was left in the draw, he'll be tossing in his sleep b/c of it!
***In boxing, it often said a fighter gets old during the course of one fight...and it is true, but not in tennis. I don't think anything caught up w/ Roger. He went as far as he could go after a long summer, and a pretty physical 5 setter.***
All the more reason Roger should be attacking the net more and cutting on these, long interminable rallies of 20+ strokes! In my day you had a few of those; now it's routine! No No Roger can't allow no names to keep him on the court for 3 hour matches! I've been saying the same thing about Murray; cut off some of these points at the net!
***Yeh, it's really easy...just absorb 110 mph ground strokes and stroll to the net.***
Hmm, how well did he do staying on the baseline against Monfils and now Cilic? You have a marathon on one hand, then a drubbing from the baseline today! Hmmm, might have been an idea to attack thrown out there by his coach, Edberg!
***I agree in that I enjoy attacking, "Samurai duel" tennis, but ultimately I'd like to see an era of diverse styles rather than a narrow range of any kind of tennis.***
ReplyDeleteI 2nd the emotion! I guess I can stop saying the ATP is "gutless!" It's not like I wanted either or both Djokovic and Federer to lose, but I've found it ridiculous that they along with Nadal always seemed to make quarters and semi's w/o much sweat! They're getting challenged more, but still taking the top titles for the most part! Will this be a trend to continue with Kei and Cilic trumpeting the charge? Bout time if it is the case!
***Even if Halep somehow ended the year ranked #1, no one is going to look at her as legitimate. - Let's say she does hit the top spot, then you'll have the #2 player as holding a slam and w/ several of the biggest events outside of the slams, and the #1 player neither holding a slam or any of the big tour events.
---
I'm just saying I want Serena to hold onto #1 - it would be her first time holding onto #1 for a full calendar year if she can do it. I think she will. - She's never been #1 for one full calendar year? That seems astonishing. I had no idea.***
Both Williams' underachieved by so much! Venus only held the top spot for 15 min.! Both who supposedly have the best serves in tennis! It took Serena until recently to overtake Hingis' record at being #1! That's why I've never been able to give her the NOD of GOAT the way Patrick McEnroe is surmising by 2015! He's an idiot! It's the same reason I've never given Nadal his due; the intermittent best and playing when they felt like it! At 32, she wants to get serious?
***Fiero, you do like to grasp onto one thing an go all hysterical...in this case the Williams sisters and the #1 ranking...but I have to think at this point you're kidding. Underachieved? Really? I'm sure you're joking.***
Just look at their history! They played "part time" in their prime years! Venus hasn't replicated winning a major off grass since 2001! Busy dealing w/ fashion, acting, public appearances, and red carpets left them little time to practice and play 10 years ago! Losing to players considered their inferiors; extended if not losing to people they should wipe out! Yeah, underachieving! DID I STUTTER? Lol! Both should have a lot more chps w/ both being on the tour since the 90's! Martina won 167 singles titles in her 20 years! Serena and Venus combined don't come close! Same w/ the doubles; Martina 177 titles w/ many partners and the Williams w/ a lot less playing w/ each other!
***You didn't stutter, but you're blustering a bit on this one. Is 18 Majors from Serena and 7 from Venus underachieving? They're both on the all-time greats list for lots of reasons. Venus has 45 titles, which is more than any other active player except Serena, who has 63. Venus was #1 three different times in her career, and Serena has been 6 times. They have 4 Olympic Gold medals.
Who are you to say they shouldn't have taken time for their other projects? And at (nearly) 33, and 34, they're still in the game in a real way. You've made a case that they might have achieved even more, if they'd been solely tennis players, but they are women w/ varied interests.***
***Like I said about foot-faulting, name a female player that this has happened to every year at the US Open other that Serena Williams. - That's kinda lame back-tracking. Several people have provided examples of prominent players getting called for FFs at the US Open in the last 10 years.***
ReplyDeleteI just think it's outrageous to be that close to the line; even if a "S & V'r!" Back when I was 19 playing in the finals of a club tournament, my father let me know I was foot-faulting and I henceforth stepped back w/ no loss of effectiveness! Why in the world are these people who almost never go into the net stand so close? It's the most ridiculous thing to see again and again w/ the pros; then have the nerve to gripe about being called out on it!
***Race to London Points after the USO is over. Those in bold face have already qualified. Cilic and Nishikori are at the top of the serious contenders list. Due to his GS win, Cilic has special exemption and will be considered qualified as long as he finishes within top 20 and that is virtually certain. So, in reality there are only 3 open spots for the WTF.
1. Novak Djokovic 8150
2. Roger Federer 6880
3. Rafa Nadal 6645
4. Stan Wawrinka 4725
---------- Serious Contenders -------------
5. Marin Cilic 3935
6. Kei Nishikori 3675 ----- 260
7. David Ferrer 3535 ----- 140
8. Thomas Berdych 3510 ----- 25
9. Milos Raonic 3425 ----- 85
10. Grigor Dimitrov 3335 ----- 90
11. Andy Murray 3155 ----- 180
----------Long Shot Contenders-------------
12. Tsonga 2555 ------ 600
13. Gulbis 2400 ------ 155 ***
Did you take in consideration that Rafa might not come back at all this season; as he's done before! That would qualify another person if he takes a powder until next year!
***Who said Open era began in 1968; Open era begins now.***
It's about time; 4 different winners of the majors and not the 4 we normally get! I guess I can hold off calling the ATP gutless w/ an expansion of the elite! They need to stop referencing Murray in that group! He's fallen way back! Something's missing! He's had moments, but that's about it!
***There is an interesting twist here. Currently there are 3 active players w/ 1 slam each: Wawrinka, Delpo and Cilic. Just imagine one of them clinches a 2nd one, before Murray wins a 3rd; I would like to see what would be then the narrative.
---
It wouldn't put them instantly in the same conversation as Murray as they're far below him in other big titles won, and years at the top tier of the rankings, and challenging the other Big 3. Remember, even Del Potro has yet to win a MS1000. It's not all about Slams.
---
To be fair, Cilic beat Birdy at Wimby and then gave a good effort against Novak. So, it's not coming totally out of the blue, at least in retrospect to him winning the USO.***
Not at all; very "Del Potro-est!" Very impressive beat down in the SF and Final of a major! He was in the zone with his serve, groundstrokes, and head! "Congrats Marin!" Great showing by Kei!
***Actually, even Del Potro didn't come out of nowhere. He won Washington DC and then performed well in the Masters before clinching USO.***
***Andy Murray is now officially booted out of top 10. He is currently ranked #11. The last time he was ranked outside top 10 was more than 6 years ago on 23rd June 2008. This would mean that his draw will continue to be very tough and he will not get a Bye in Shanghai.***
ReplyDeleteIMO, it was inevitable! I saw it as "over-achieving" on Murray's part and it all finally caught up with him! That style of defensive counter-punching will always make the player "pay" for it eventually; aches, pains, injuries, and in general being "run down" after a few years of success!
***While you may not like Murray's style of play, I think it's a bit much to say he's overachieved. He beat Djokovic to win both of his major titles (to date,) and Federer on grass to win the Gold OM. I hope he'll return to form soon. As to the list of new highest rankers, there is a lot to be happy for and excited about, as others have mentioned.***
True enough, he beat a couple quality players in those major finals; still only happened 3 times! He had a period of being in the zone; Wimbledon '12 to Wimbledon '13! He hasn't really done much since; injury, surgery, and what I'm thinking, mentally spent! His style takes a toll on a player and Murray exacerbates the situation by training so hard! Like Nadal, I'm just not sure he'll come close to the longevity of Federer or Agassi!
***Ferrer continues his slide toward falling out of the top 10. I think the trend downward will continue w/ maybe somewhat of a bump during clay season.***
Which makes me think of resurrecting my assertion that the ATP was gutless! Ferrer has no real weapon and like Nadal, allows absolute nobodies to take him to the limit, match after match! So often Ferrer's allowed to come back and win matches when most players just don't know how to close the deal in an upset! Happening more lately obviously; thank goodness! Go Stan, Marin, & Kei!
======
***Romo has had bad games before and been torched for it, but nothing like Im seeing and hearing today. Even the Pro Romo media guys are ripping him. This isnt good at all.***
Even the guest host on "Rome" is eating Romo's lunch! I'm almost starting to feel sorry for the guy! The 2nd & 3rd segments were almost devoted to Dallas even though Rice should be the big news of the day! Like some, I don't understand why The Cowboys are even spoken about until Thanksgiving? This fuels Jerry's ego that even with a losing product, The Dallas Cowboys still make NEWS! Moronic!
Race will continue to be difficult to handle since we're not willing to accept the atrocities of our own history concerning the subject! It 2014 and it's still a big deal Obama was elected; twice! Will we ever grow the HELL up?...
ReplyDelete***What utter BS. The atrocities of our history are well documented and drummed into the head of every kid in our schools and Hollywood every few years launches some epic antebellum multi hour movie or TV special to remind us. ...Truth is no person alive today had anything to do w/ slavery, all those people are dead, most for over a 100 years. ...Well here it is, I don't give a damn about your ancestors; mine were living in poverty in Europe so they left and the truth be told Af/Am should celebrate the fact that for whatever reason they now live in America and not that shithole called Africa. Get over it, only liberals take your claims seriously and frankly they are even getting tired of the same old BS and excuses.
---
...don't let facts get in the way of a good hate rant. Why are these left wingers always so hateful and pissed off?***
Go ahead and deny my statements! You've also set a precedent when it comes to foreign policy! That's supposed to be the domain of the President, but since Obama's been in office, every 'neck has an opinion in Congress along w/ the press, finding fault left and right; no pun intended! "Yeah, lets jump head first into the MIDDLE EAST again; by all means!" Idiots!
***It doesn't make sense they won the selection, they are the angriest winners I ever saw...***
...and you guys are the bitterest losers in history! Before the man took office, plans were already in the works to undermine and obstruct everything Obama promised! That's ok; still got a lot done! It's all gravy now! We survived over all the backstabbing, threatening and sabotaging of our credit rating, and being a totally "do nothing" Congresses! History won't punish him half as much as the leadership of both Houses!
***All conservatives have done is laugh at this miserable incompetent Obama, and that just eats you left wing nut jobs alive...LOL***
That's funny when you compare tenure of Bush twice, then Clinton and Obama! The numbers don't lie; but Republicans do! They're all full of shit and they take us down a peg each time they happen to win on the national stage! They're an embarrassment and the rest of the world hates our guts w/ their cowboy attitude and actions!
***98% of the members of this forum would throw Raonic under the bus if it would be possible.***
ReplyDeleteWhy would Raonic have so many annoyed fans out there? I'm no fan, but it wouldn't bother me if he was part "of the future" of men's tennis! He has a lot of work ahead of him, but he has the tools!
***Quite apart from most people not particularly enjoying his style of play, he was involved in a cheating controversy last year. IIRC, he touched the net, but didn't own up to it. ...interviewed later saying that while he knew he'd touched the net, he didn't see it as his responsibility to own up. Uggh...I believe he's since regretted his actions, but my suspicion is that's b/c so many people disapproved.***
As long as I've played tennis though, I've never been able to understand why we allow 1 point to affect our psyche? There's frustration, a sense of victimhood, then of course the inevitable "quit" of the player!
***I think the situation is now a bit similar to that on the women's side where you also have sorta, kinda a big 4 w/ Williams, Sharapova, Azarenka and Kvitova. They aren't invincible. The Big 4 on the men's side are no longer invincible either. Djokovic & Rafa are still the best players by a considerable margin and Federer is clearly the #3 guy.
Murray starts to worry me b/c he really can't seem to get going again. While Nadal is still clearly top 2 material whenever he's playing, he's starting to struggle more and more w/ all kinds of injuries. Federer is still doing fab, but he's 33. It would be unrealistic to expect that he's gonna be even better when he's 34 or 35. Meanwhile guys like Dimitrov, Nishikori and Raonic keep getting better all the time. ...Partly as a result of that Tsonga has been able to win another Masters 1000 and Cilic now a Slam. ...***
ITA; this could be a sea change for both tours! The top echelon are getting old and the younger players are coming into their own! I've been very disappointed by both due to their inability to finish an upset just points away! The leaders definitely aren't as invincible as they once were as evidenced by multiple major winners this season; thank GAWD! It's about time!
***Doctors have cautioned against Rafa coming back too early b/c, if he has a relapse, the recovery could be long. ...Nadal will play an exhibition in Kazakhstan wi/ Tsonga on 25 Sept, which does imply they're feeling good about a comeback for the end of this month.***
This is why I continue to fight any inference to Nadal being the GOAT! Margaret Court didn't take so much time away from the tour having her children! He plays a very physical game; understood it to be a turbo charged version of all the Spaniards including Ferrer, Verdasco, Granollers, & Lopez! I have a real problem w/ pros who play part time; already hit on The Williams! He very well could surpass Roger in majors one of these days, but I'd still have reservations of crowning him "The Greatest!" Rafa still hasn't defended a title off clay surface, has only 2 USO, 1 AO, & 2 Wimbledons! Those are "big ONLY's," but I still gave Borg more credit due to his greatness showing through by winning 5 Wimbledons w/ 6 straight finals; wood racket btw! Nadal has huge holes in his resume that I can't overlook like no WTF wins, early exists at Wimbledon in consecutive years, and more, but it would seem like piling on and nitpicking! lol!
***...ITA. I had an issue with the GOAT accolade for my documented reasons. Otherwise we might as well crown Margaret Court as the GOAT of singles, whether you look at men or women! It would be absurd and no one should agree w/ that. Similarly we could say that Navratilova is the GOAT period as she has more titles than anyone else in history, but I think we all know that she would get smoked by even journeymen male players.***
...Rafa; one occasion losing all 3 of his RR matches at the WTF! Why bother? ...
ReplyDelete***But Nadal was in the final of WTF in 2010. And last year Nadal beat Federer and made the final again. Looks like a very worthwhile endeavor.***
Beating Roger nowadays shouldn't be a highlight of Rafa's career! He owns the man for the most part! If he loses even a set to Federer, he should be embarrassed!
***Well the surface is Rafa's biggest hurdle there, but in fairness he's done a lot better there than Ferrer. I'm not putting Rafa's lack of success there down to fatigue as he doesn't overplay anywhere near like Ferrer. Most don't in fact. Ferrer is just like Davydenko was before his pretty much sadly career ending wrist injury in 2010, he plays practically every week to stay in the top 10. No wonder he's wrecked by Nov.
Nadal deserves his place there for his ranking and while the same applies to Ferrer, he gets there the hard way. Nadal wins more big events to justify his WTF qualification than Ferrer scraping in by playing 250s in the middle of nowhere just to make sure he gets there. Of course he's done well in slams the past few years too, but every small tournament he plays adds to the points from Slams and Masters events that are enough for Nadal to qualify. It took til a 1/4 final at Beijing for Ferrer to qualify last year. Nadal qualified by winning Roland Garros months before Ferrer.
---
LOL @ Nadal playing "part time." Yeah, he's been on tour for over a decade, and was going deep in most tournaments since the age of 19. What's this "part time" you're talking about? And how ironic, you have an issue w/ a player taking time off to injury, but champion Borg, who got out of the game at 26. I guess "part time" is not acceptable, but an "early retirement" is.***
Borg was already seeded 5th or 6th at Wimbledon at 15 due to men's boycott in '73! No one played as much or as hard as Borg! He never took off weeks and months like Rafa; NEVER! He was truly burned out and the ATP sabotaged themselves by not giving him a break or lighter schedule when he asked; hence the new rules for veterans!
***Well, Borg was never injured like Rafa. If he was, he'd have had to take time off. It's simple, really...***
...and? He didn't or wasn't so your point is MOOT! He was injured quite a few times, but he never took extended time away from the tour! He was a great representative of the ATP being their #1 player! He was the original "rock star" of the sport!
***I agree, he was the dude of the tour, but he didn't take injury breaks like Rafa has b/c he wasn't injured like Rafa is. If he was, he'd take the breaks. You said, "He never took off weeks and months like Rafa; NEVER!"***
***People have a love/hate relationship w/ Sharapova. They don't like the screaming, but they love her inner-Jimbo. Her "I would rather die than lose" attitude.***
ReplyDeleteBut that's what frustrates me the most; allowing absolute nobodies to take her to the brink so she can have this courageous rally to win! Three sets and 3 hours is just ridiculous to allow match after match!
***In a lot of matches some of these women that do have Sharapova on the ropes, don't seem to have the mental belief that is needed to go all the way and win.
---
Well her game at the moment is rather limited, and it isn't like she surprises anyone. So why wouldn't people be able to take her to 3 sets consistently. With Maria, you know you are going to get a shot b/c her serve isn't what it used to be and she only hits the ball at one speed. If you are a consistent opponent who can hit w/ some pace or throw curve balls at her, you can take her to 3 or score a win.
---
Yes, 2nd career Sharapova is not the same player as 1st career Sharapova was. It's mostly on the basis of her 'refuse to lose' attitude that she's able to still do so well. And there aren't that many "absolute nobodies" around anymore. Lower ranked players beat top 15 players almost everyday.
---
It is sad, but on another hand, I thought coming after such an absence and playing right away in 3 consecutive events, was a stretch for Del Po. Finally, how can a bad technique in forehand cause a left wrist injury to a right handed player.***
It his technique in his forehand that's killing him; the slapping of the ball! He obviously isn't making adjustments and he continues to develop the same injury again and again! Who's working w/ this guy? - Which is why I referenced Nadal! It's not like I care a lot! Del Po never came close to the promise and prognostication of his fans; that he was the next member of the BIG 4! He doesn't even have very many upsets of them and hasn't come close to winning a major since taking the USO in '09! I love the way he plays, that technique in fact was more prominent in my era to get more pace on the ball using antiquated equipment! Players on both tours slapped at the ball; esp. on the rise to get a little more stick on the ball! Nastase, Goolagong, Curren, and others were quite proficient in the technique; esp. on the forehand!
***This conversation got me curious about the "Slam win rate" of all-time greats - that is, what % of Slams they played in and won.
Borg 40.7% (11/27)
Nadal 35.9% (14/39)
Federer 27.4% (17/62)
Sampras 26.9% (14/52)
Djokovic 17.5% (7/40)
Wilander 15.9% (7/44)
McEnroe 15.6% (7/45)
Connors 14.0% (8/57)
Lendl 14.0% (8/57)
Agassi 13.1% (8/61)
Becker 13.0% (6/46)
Edberg 11.1% (6/54)
Courier 9.5% (4/42)
Vilas 8.2% (4/49)
Nalbandian 0.0% (0/36)
Anyhow, it wasn't surprising to see Borg on the top of the list as he retired in his prime. A couple other interesting things that popped out at me: One, Roger has now played more Slams than any other tennis great of the Open Era. He's tied w/ Lleyton Hewitt for 2nd on the all-time list, behind #1, the incomparable Fabrice Santoro with 70 Slam appearances.***
***GOP wants more conflict and more obstruction, more lawsuits and talk about impeachment, more votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or even shut the gov't down - “Frankly, if we lose these midterm elections, it’s going to be a whole lot harder to finish what we started,” the first lady said, predicting “behavior that just wastes time and wastes taxpayer dollars.”
ReplyDelete“We’ll just see more conflict and more obstruction, more lawsuits and talk about impeachment, more votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or even shut the government down,” she said.
The first lady went on to attribute opposition to her controversial school lunch program to partisan politics in Washington. House Republicans want to loosen restrictions requiring schools to serve meals with less sodium, whole grains, and reduced sugar and fat, saying the requirements are straining school budgets — and that children aren’t interested in eating the healthier meals.
“That’s really saying something,” Obama said. “I mean, for most folks in this country, making sure that our kids get decent nutrition isn’t all that controversial, because as parents, there is nothing we wouldn’t do for our kids -— nothing.”
The first lady went on to say that Democrats could help Georgia elect Senate candidate Michelle Nunn and gubernatorial candidate Jason Carter if they improved registration in districts favorable to the party by just 3 percent.
“If just 50 Democratic voters per precinct who didn’t vote in 2010 get out and vote this November -- just 50 per precinct -- then Michelle Nunn and Jason Carter will win,” Obama said. “Think about it.”
---
Bill Clinton decried Republicans for spending “all their time dissing the President and dumping on the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Half the time they’re not even running against their opponents. They’re trying to get you to check your brain at the door, start foaming at the mouth. The last thing they want you to do is think.
---
Juan Williams (FOX): GOP right content to attack the President - Last week, an ABC poll found 67% of conservative Republicans and 62% of all Republicans say they want to vote in the midterms to “express opposition to Obama.” Compare that against the 64 percent of independents and 63 percent of moderates who reported that President Obama is not a “factor” as they decide how to vote this year.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Ky.) apparently agrees w/ limiting the GOP brand to being anti-Obama. The Nation magazine recently published a tape of promises he made at a Koch brothers event regarding his agenda if the GOP retakes the Senate majority. McConnell said a Republican-led Senate would stop the Obama administration “on healthcare, on financial services, on the Environmental Protection Agency, across the board.” He also promised not to hold a vote on raising the minimum wage. But he offered no positive agenda of his own.
...Recently a Wall Street Journal editorial lamented how the “lack of any common GOP agenda is leading to the perception of a policy vacuum.” Maybe the reason President Obama has been unable to deliver on his promise to end political polarization is that extremists have taken over the GOP. He never had a partner to work w/ him.***
***...Hence why Rafa's beaten Federer only once at the WTF b/c that topspin FH to BH tactic doesn't work there and a 32 yo Federer having one of his worst years on tour only at that. And it's not just against Federer, but everyone that his topspin loses its bite.***
ReplyDeleteQuite a bounce back for Roger who was #4 behind his countryman, Stan! I had no reason to believe he could approach #2 w/ Rafa's slide due to absence and Stan remaining static in his point totals; even w/ AO and MC this year! There's a scenario having him get back to #1; "let's calm the fuck down btw!" Nole's still the man and he's not going to just roll over and give up his status even though the family man might take a hit in his passion for the game! It'll all come down to WTF no doubt! The Asian swing is pivotal! Djokovic has owned it the last couple years, but he had his name added to the AO cons. years and finally lost it to Wawrinka in Feb.! Stan might fall out of the Big 4 if he doesn't get busy! Love his game, but he's disappeared; w/ all that talent! - Any comments now that Serena has tied both Martina and Chris at 18 majors and counting? It really took a lot longer than it should; esp. w/ how "helter skelter" the WTA has been w/ retirements, injuries, and a lot of inconsistent play!
***18 is more a symbol than anything else. If Serena would have ended her career w/ 17 majors, I wouldn't have considered her a lesser great than Chris or Martina. And if she has 19 I won't consider her a greater great than them either. The obsession that the tennis community has had since the mid-80's w/ counting Slam titles to the exclusion of anything else to decide on a ranking order of all time greatness has resulted in that current players are now trying to break records that older champions weren't trying to set.
Chris Evert Slam count for example could have been in the region of Graf's and perhaps even Court's if she had bothered to compete in all 4 majors instead of 2 or 3 for much of the 70's when she was the best player in the world. She skipped 3 FO's in the middle of her 125 winning streak on clay at a time when she was as dominant on that surface (if not more) than Nadal is today. Add those 3 to the 18 majors she already has and you have 21 already. And there are all those AO's as well. Most of those were won by Evonne Goolagong who was a great player herself, so we can't take for granted that she would have won all of those, but it's not all outrageous to think that Evert would have won at least a few of them. - There are tournaments other than the majors to consider. And there's winning %, consistency, h2h records against your most important contemporaries, and so on. Some things will speak for this ATG, other things will speak for another one. But in the end it's too close to call.
---
OK, for 2014, Masha added one to her resume, she now stands at 5. I hope she can turn the one every other year to 1 or 2 a year; that's if she wants to reach the magic 10.***
Dream on! I just SMH not being able to understand the interest, admiration, or even respect for Maria! I always have the feeling she's only taking advantage of upsets by other players! She legitimately beat Serena 10 years ago as a teenager, but I can't think of anything comparable in her winning of her "meager majors!" W/ the way she's talked about in the press and during her matches, she's obviously the biggest underachiever since Andre Agassi; more flash than anything IMO!
***Well I will always give credit where it is due...she is a tough competitor.***
***OPINION: The SS Barack Obama is sinking fast - "He is sinking fast and could soon pass the point of no return. In fact, it may already be too late to save the SS Obama. The whole 2nd term has been a string of disasters, w/ the toxic brew of his ObamaCare lies, middling economic growth, and violent global breakdown casting doubt on the President’s stewardship. Six years into his tenure, nothing is going as promised."
ReplyDelete---
You preferred Bush and Cheney w/ their criminal arrest records and DWI convictions... greater America is appalled at your choices.***
Yes they do! They actually think we miss Bush! We have some rather disturbed people who are literally hoping for disaster so they can say, "I told you so!" If there was a true disaster in my lifetime, it was "W's" tenure in office! We did a 180 from prosperous and growing to being in debt and a depression! "Thanks guys!"
***After Bush/Cheney, the Conservative brand is tainted.***
Tainted? I'd say eviscerated! I've been hearing for the last 3 election cycles, The Republicans are going to take the Senate back! Surprise, they shoot themselves in the F'kn head every other year and they don't even come close! It's supposed to happen this year as well, but the polls show, people are coming to their senses and evicting favorites like the Rep. Gov's of Kansas and Pennsylvania! Senate races in red and purple states are not even safe when they thought they had it all wrapped up! IDIOTS!
***You like dictatorships?***
Oh, I hated the Bush dictatorship; FOR SURE! "If you're not w/ us, you're against us!" Phone calls being monitored using the "Patriot Act" overzealously! TARP funds demanded by the admin. and Paulsen has no idea where all that money ($350 B) went; NO ONE PROSECUTED! No admin. signed into law so many bills that weren't paid for and we wonder why the Nat'l debt was doubled! FOOLS! Wake up already! Get off Obama's arse and put the blame where it belongs!
***Eric Holder Bowing Out - One always has to worry if dumber is going to be replaced by dumbest. At this point in Obama's Admin., I'm thinking dumbest, but we will all soon see.***
Who are you; Madame Curie? Idiots can give their opinions anytime they want, I couldn't care less, but the man is leaving and you bitches still aren't happy! "Oh, we're not racist BTW!" Well if your type isn't, you have a lot of explaining wi/ the chronic disrespect of this AG who worked for 6 Presidents including "W!" When you reference DUMB, pls park a mirror by the terminal! Maybe you'll rethink it w/ the reputation, experience, and good work of this man regardless if you didn't care for him! I didn't care for the previous admin. and his staff, but I never just made up shit trying to tarnish their tenure the way you animals have w/ Obama and Holder! Get over yourselves!
***300 Mexican citizens dead w/ Holder/Obama guns...***
You're full of shit! Holder stopped the program started by Bush which had guns going back and forth over the border! Get your story straight before passing on "talking points" from losers who couldn't care less about any deaths; just wanting to make an issue to embarrass this President and nothing else! Screw all of 'em!
***The FO meant NOTHING to Sharapova today when she played Timea and looked like she is gone die there. She's a mental case suffering from Serenities; your FOs addition makes her look more stupid, not less stupid.***
ReplyDeleteThe woman was overhyped and under-achieved as far as I was concerned! Since she won that '04 Wimbledon over Serena, she's been about as relevant as Anna Kornikova; just some titles to go w/ all that worldwide fame, press, and adulation!
***I feel you and I dont care about her sick head. She suffers when she plays. Thats why she needs mental help. Money and fame don't console her b/c her tennis soul was killed by Serena. Her body language tells the true story. It's funny how her fans also convince themselves that Masha feels good w/ life; the illusion.***
---
Passing On Point of #1 Mantle - Was just watching the '83 USO women's final w/ Navratilova and Evert Lloyd! Martina had already started her absolute dominance of the WTA 2 years before, but Chris was still hanging on, actually thinking she had a chance to make more of a mark on the game! Evert had 6 USO at the time, but w/ 5 straight losses to her rival, she got the crowd to feel sorry for her! Even Chris was in total denial when asked how she felt about losing those last 5 to Martina and she retorted back that it was "the last 3!" I found that funny to hear a player say something like that to a reporter or commentator who know the record! Where was her mind? Well I digress: we all know Martina annihilated Chris 6-1, 6-3 and officially and w/o a doubt took over the mantle of #1! If Evert had any further doubts, it should have been re-enforced when Navratilova continued her dominance to 13 matches through 1985; that including a total arse-kickin' at the FO the following year in '84! On Chris' beloved clay, she was toyed w/ and dismissed 3-6, 1-6! What examples of the changing "of the guard" do you feel took place on the men's or ladies' tour?
***Yeah, but you forget to mention that Chris beat Navratilova in Paris in '85 &' 86 and at the AO in '88.***
Hardly! I'm quite aware she caught back up to Martina, but Evert was far from being the dominant player she had been before! It went from Evert to Martina to Graf, then Seles! Martina surprised everyone by going into '91 USO, 5th ranked and seeded 6th, but raced to the final taking out Graf in the semi; there wasn't another "sea change" b/c of that one loss! Big deal right?
***Steffi beat Martina at Wimbledon in '88 and I think that marked the end of Martina as a #1; though I may have gotten the dates wrong.***
Steffi officially took over #1 just before the '87 USO, but Martina beat her in straight sets nullifying that change in status IMO! As much bad luck as Martina had in this tourney, she only lost one to Graf in '89! Navratilova's most emotional win had to be a couple years later in '91 when she went on a late "tear" to the final beating Meleeva, Sanchez-V, and then Graf in 3 sets w/ multiple tie-breakers! Seles ended Martina's run there in "straights" and in the YEC in 4 sets!
***Rafa and Roger played a little match at Wimbledon in '08 which a few people have mentioned here and there.***
But that wasn't exactly a "sea change" to the rankings for good! Nadal has been up and down since '08! Even Nole taking #1 away from him a couple times!
***I agree, I don't think there has been a dominant player in men's tennis since '07. First it was Roger and Rafa and then Nole joined them in '11. They all took turns in being #1 and nobody could maintain it for 2 straight years (maybe Nole did in '11 and '12).***
***Navratilova lost #1 rank for last time, summer '87..august I think. By then Graf was picking up ranking points; missed summer '86 when she skipped Wimbledon. Graf won her 1st major at French Open in '87; def Navratilova after Martina was serving for the title. Navratilova beat her in Wimby and USO finals.***
ReplyDeleteThat was the strangest year for Martina! She was making final after final from Jan. to June, but hadn't even come close to winning! I didn't see it, but I heard she was up 5-0 in the Eastbourne final in '87 and still lost in straight sets to Sukova; the same player that stopped her legitimate Grand Slam in '84 by beating her in 3 sets in the Aussie semi at the end of the year! Martina saved her season by winning Wimbledon and The USO, but she was almost DONE by then, giving way to the dominance of Graf and Seles to come! It just came out of nowhere; the decline! She did turn pro in '73 before she was even 18 so I give her a bit of a break! The mental strain of being almost perfect from '82 to '87 had to be crippling! She could overpower people, but she still had some competition in Evert, Mandlikova, Shriver, and a surging Graf! Hana probably the most talented, but too much of a headcase and underachieved by a lot, only winning 4 majors!
***...I have no idea why his fans are so blind and "oblivious" to the strange occurrences involving Nadal.***
Not me! Never cared for the guy! He exacerbated my animus by trying to get the ATP to go to a 2 year ranking to save his being @ #1 a few years ago! It was pathetic and it was a good thing Federer was the President to totally blow it off! I wish I knew where people got this impression that they're great buddies! I never believed that either!
***I do think 2015 will be different to what we have gotten used to expecting, as '14 was. I don't think it will bring a new YE #1 though. Depending on Rafa and Murray I suppose, but those guys should still be fit to duke it out w/ Djokivic & w/ others still working their way in. Maybe next year is another transition year like this was. But I do wonder what the landscape looks like in 2016? (Olympic year; some folks hanging in for that...& '17? Probably a whole new ballgame.***
I suppose something momentous could happen, but every time we write off the top echelon, they surprise us w/ historic efforts! Since these top 3 players have taken over the tour in '04, there's only been 3 other players to win a major! I've been calling the 'also-rans' "gutless," but I guess I have to hand it to the BIG 3, "THEY TRULY OWN IT!" I can't imagine who or what will change it! Roger will be upset periodically, but Nole and Rafa will continue on for the next 2 or 3 years! The USO occurred w/ something new, but will it be a trend? I just don't think so! There's no reason Nole shouldn't continue his dominance, Federer taking an elixir of youth periodically like the mummy, and the rest of the tour is too afraid to knock Nadal off on a regular basis! Both Wawrinka and Cilic are on the way out and I can't see either of them backing up their lone major w/ another!
***I think Chrissy and Martina winning 18 when they had to face each other about a 100,000 times is greater than Serena winning 18 when her main opposition is Twiddly Thumbs and Barbie Dolls. No doubt Serena is great, but she's suffered from not having a giant as a rival. Who knows how many Chrissy or Martina would have, if they only faced the broads Serena faces?***
Henin was Serena's last real rival! The "also-rans" of today are all head cases, led by Sharapova and Azarenka!
***I managed to watch Nole vs Dimitrov last night at China Open and I feel that Nole isn't in his best form, but he played decently. He really likes playing there. I think that gives him more motivation to do well in Beijing. It is going to be tough against Andy in the semi.***
ReplyDeleteI watched most of it, but people ask why Nole gets no "love," even though he owns the tourneys over in that part of the world?
***Uhm, I don't get why Nadal is complaining about the 'changing' of the balls on tour. He hasn't been on it for months. How can he know? Anyways, now that he is eliminated in China, he has more time to adjust to the balls in Shanghai. So he can't complain there.***
That's ironic; him taking off months at a time, but still kvetchin'! He resigned from player's council when he didn't get his way concerning a 2 year ranking system! It was only 'sour grapes' on his part when Nole overtook him for #1 in 2011! He's a real piece of work! lol! I suppose he needs an excuse going down to another qualifier; what a loser!
***Novak beating Rafa at Wimbledon in 2011 was one of those transitions, a rubberstamp moment where the inevitable came to pass, and it was also maybe Nole's best performance in a major final. Nothing lasts forever, so Rafa getting to the top in '08 came to an end through injury in '09, but still, his win against Roger at Wimbledon struck the blow which said that Rafa would beat Roger anywhere.
---
Drug testing is very important and should be intensified, but clean drug tests don't mean anything, somehow (I personally think the latter contradicts the former but what do I know?)***
I've never understood testing in tennis, golf, or any other individual sport! It doesn't make you more skilled or talented! The best it can do is help w/ stamina and quick recovery as far as I'm concerned! All we've done is marginally change people's training and playing; maybe embarrassing a couple pros who have used controlled substances that can only hurt their play! I didn't agree w/ any of the matters settled like Korda, Gasquet, or Cilic!
***Stamina and quick recovery is a HUGE benefit in tennis.***
I guess it's easy for me to say since my game had little to nothing to do with endurance or recovery! I played in an era where aggressive net play won the day! There were too many players who were stronger and legitimately practiced! The only way for me to win, and I did quite a bit was through relentlessly attacking the net; serve and volley, chip and charge on my opponents serve, and keeping the points short! That's probably why it's so hard to watch pro tennis today; 18=24 stroke rallies are the norm, not the exception! In a club tourney I played and won in '77, most of the matches were done in 40 minutes! The semi went 1:15 b/c I lost 2nd set TB; I was a kid and hated them! Normally I won sets w/ the loss of only a few games just pressuring my opponent into errors quickly so I didn't get tired!
***Yeah, the game has changed a ton. The Beijing courts look pretty damn slow and hard to hit winners on and s&v looks extremely hard there unless you've a very powerful 1st serve or great angled placement. The benefits of huge stamina and recovery are even greater if all things being equal you're as good as your opponent and can outlast them or recover 100% for your next match. I don't for one minute think all the advancements these days are due to better fitness methods. It has some effect of course, but there's definitely some foul play going on out there regarding stamina and it's obvious.***
***The sky has not fallen, even after years of Holder in high office.***
ReplyDeleteHolder has put "Justice" back on good footing after the disastrous tenure of Gonzalez! Overall Holder did a great job, but could have done more if not for relentless attacks from "the right!" The level of disrespect for this man who's worked for 6 Presidents only can be explained by racism and bigotry! How we criticize other country's civil rights is beyond me at times when ours is under assault all the time!
***LMAO, you are just like Holder and Obama, a one tune pony, civil rights! We just elect the first self identified Black man as President and confirm overwhelmingly the 1st Black AG and the first thing on their agenda is to prove America is racist...
---
...FRANKLY I AM BEYOND FED UP W/ THE RACE CARD***
Well give me a better reason when the 1st BLACK President has to deal w/ charges of being a racist himself, that he wasn't American and born in Kenya, and is unpatriotic! What other guy has had to deal w/ that type of VILE attack before he even took office? Explain what else could possibly be in the minds of conservatives who thoroughly hate this man before he did anything? These aren't rednecks on the mountains of Tenn. we're talking about! These are people in leadership spewing this stuff; the best was from Boehner saying "I take him at his word!"
***The US Secret Service (USSS) is in a slump.
It used to be part of the Treasury Dept. That was b/c, when the Service was est. in 1865, "one-third to one-half" of all currency in circulation in the United States was counterfeit. What w/ this being just 3 months after the end of the Civil War and all, the Secret Service's job was to put a stop to that. Presidential protection began as an "informal" part of the Service's duties in 1894 in President Grover Cleveland's 2nd term.
The Secret Service got into the Presidential Protection business in earnest after the assassination of President William McKinley, when it assumed full-time responsibility for Presidential protection by assigning two (2) agents to watch over the 42-year-old Theodore Roosevelt who had been McKinley's VP. In 1922, President Warren Harding asked that a special force - the White House Police Force - be created to protect the Exec. Mansion. That force was folded into the USSS and in 1970 was renamed the Executive Protective Service. Seven years later it was renamed, again, to its current Uniformed Division of the Secret Service.
In March, 2003 the USSS was officially transferred from the Treasury Dept to the newly created Dept of Homeland Security. Although the new dept didn't have much to do w/ Presidential protection or counterfeiting, it did get responsibility for cyber-crimes which had been put into the USSS' portfolio as part of the U.S. Patriot Act in 2001.
(made up letter from the President) - "...The current theory is that moving the USSS from Treasury to DHS is responsible for a slump. I don't know if that's correct or not, but I have appointed a committee of Cabinet Dept Secretaries:
-- Secretary Lew at Treasury,
-- Attorney General Holder at Justice,
-- Secretary Johnson at DHS and
-- Secretary Hagel at Defense
As he has already announced his impending retirement, I have asked the AG to chair this committee.
The committee will convene immediately and report back to me within 30 days w/ their recommendation(s) as to what I can do, as the head of the Exec. Branch, to make your job more precise, your role more focused, your home life more stable.
The USSS has a long and proud tradition of being among the most elite law enforcement units on the planet. That still is, and will continue to be, the case. The Secret Service is still a fearful team of accomplished hitters and I am asking you - on behalf of every American - to keep grinding. Thank you and stay safe."***
***...At least Nole can't play both Roger and Kei in Shanghai, but Andy is in his quarter again; 3 tourneys in a row.***
ReplyDeleteIn Beijing, Nole got hosed again in his half w/ Grigor and Murray while Nadal had a qualifier in the 3rd round w/ Berdych later! This happens all too often with Rafa getting sacrificial lambs from his country and other pigeons like Berdych! lol! Must stink to be in the Nadal household after this tourney! He better do better in Shanghai or he might not hold onto #2 ranking IMO!
***WTH Andy? Reflecting on it, he's not going to have any impact at the O2 even if he makes it at the moment. Not going to get too upset if he doesn't manage it. This year has been a write off. Hopefully he can rectify it at least to some extent in 2015.***
I don't think Andy's playing poorly; being outplayed really! For the most part he's playing his same game; well behind the baseline, retrieving all shots, blasting a ball out of the blue, and still hitting amazing passing shots! The other pros have just caught up for the time being! We'll see what happens against NOLE for the 2nd straight week! After Novak's close call today, Andy better get it done or he will be out of WTF and might as well W/O this season! I just wish people would stop calling him part of the BIG 4! He's not even in the top 10 now!
***...For those unaware of history, about 10 years or so ago, there used to 2 end of year tournaments; one run by ATP and the other run by ITF. The ITF tourney was called Grand Slam Cup and they invite all GS winners of that year and throw in a few wild cards as well.***
I thought it ridiculous to have 2 YE tourneys! I didn't pay too much attention to the GS Cup; I think the draw may have been 12 players! I know they manipulated the format and formula many times going back to Lendl v Connors when it was blatantly obvious Ivan lost RR match to Jimmy so he wouldn't have to play BORG until the final! Borg had defaulted a match due to the FLU, IIRC, giving him a 2-1 record! If Lendl had beaten Connors, he would have been 3-0 and no one wanted to play Borg in those final years! I still remember Connors shaking his fist at Lendl for meandering into the net and losing points! He wasn't happy, but he couldn't do the same thing! Totally classless, but Lendl was from Czechoslovakia!
***It would be a very odd season if a player won a major and didn't finish in the top 20. Last year, the 20th ranked player had 1685 points at the end of the year (Kevin Anderson), so the 2000 points for winning a major almost certainly guarantees a top ten finish.***
You would think! I don't know what Andy can possibly be complaining about? He's not part of the BIG 4 anymore, so he needs to move on, work hard, and up his game to get back! Off the top of my head, Manuel Orantes won the '76 USO and a couple other smaller tourneys like The Canadian Open when it was still on clay and he wound up being #4 in the world! I would say it's probably damn near impossible to win a major and not be in the top 10 and make Masters! They purposely give GS tourneys significantly more points to win it to make sure within the last couple decades!
I know better than to even look at clip of Ferrer and Simon! It's absolutely criminal watching these guys who can do so much more, but revert to this kind of defensive game so inexplicably; same with Murray today struggling for well over 3 hours in Valencia vs Robredo!
ReplyDelete***Well Robredo really should've won both their last encounters and is actually playing very aggressive lately, but he's equally a great defender. A ridiculous amount of match points blown in 2 successive matches against Andy here in Valencia.***
It goes back to what I think of the 2nd tier that can't seem to "finish!" Why continue to play a defensive game when you get ahead? You just give your opponent time to regroup and then start attacking back! Robredo gave this away more than Murray winning it! This is so "Maria Sharapova;" getting into unnecessary battles "playing back deep" and making bad UFE's! I won't say totally gutless since there have been several huge upsets the last couple weeks! "The Big 3/4" are having to work for it!
***There's something about Roger these last few months. Even when he's losing or having a tough match, he's digging deep and making guys earn it. It's great to watch.
---
Now watch him lose to Rafa at the semi-finals of the Australian Open and everyone lament the disappearance of said toughness during another "inexplicable" performance against Rafa.***
You're assuming a lot; not like it'll be a cakewalk for either! Both have had trouble just making the semi of late in some majors! It'll only get worse as the years tick on!
***I'm not assuming a lot when I assume Nadal will beat Federer. I'm assuming the norm.***
That is an embarrassing record even if clay matches taken out of the equation! In the past, the GOAT of his era always ruled and had winning records over his closest rivals! Borg owned Gerulaitis, the Bagel Twins (Dibbs & Solomon), and to an extent Connors and McEnroe! Sampras bested Agassi, Courier, and the rest until the end at '02 USO! Neither Evert or Navratilova had glaring embarrassments in their records, BUT Roger and Nadal rivalry is turning into a joke! I gave him every benefit of the doubt, but as time goes on, even when he has a good chance on hardcourt or grass, the results have been the same! Roger's lucky to take that 1st set taking advantage of Rafa's slow starts!
***...Obviously, the faster surfaces neutralize some aspects of the match-up and it becomes easier for Roger to play "his game," but this isn't 2006. He still gets moved around the court and he can't grind as much, and he's still prone to just making errors. You call the errors unjustifiable, but maybe after 33 meetings in which this happened at least 23 times, there's something more to it.***
The record, dynamics, and history making of this rivalry will go on longer than their tenure at the top! I didn't think we'd see anyone better than Sampras, but it happened and we're witnessing a couple sea-changes after Emerson held record for decades! Even w/ Laver being denied entrance to MAJORS for 5+ prime years, after what we've seen Roger and Rafa do w/ more competition and different surfaces, those memories will fade of pre-Open tennis! Rafa still has a chance to overtake Roger and cement his legacy even w/ limited dominance of his era!
***If the Lakers experience a rash of injuries again this year and make the lottery, then I doubt the NBA lets them fall out of the top 5. It's just not good for business.***
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't be the first time things were manipulated to save the Lakers! When I lived in Sacramento, I seem to remember Stern changed the 1st round playoff series from best of 5 to best of 7 when the Kings were good and ran away w/ the Pac. Div.! It may take a few years, but I'll be glad when the so called best Commr is exposed for being one of the shadiest characters around!
===
***It used to be the case that if you can muster 3000 points, you are likely to be in top 10. This year all players in top 10 have at least 4000 points each. This is an artifact of the stranglehold of "big 4" loosening up. They used to gobble up almost all the points before leaving very few up out there making the cut off for top 10 so low. Now that more and more big points are being garnered by other folks (2 GS and 2MS this year), the cut off for top 10 has increased to 4000. I think it will remain that way for the next few years.***
Yep! After Wawrinka beat Nadal in OZ, I had to come off the 'gutless' moniker for the 2nd tier! Grigor, Kei, and others have come through; not nearly as much as I think they should, but at least it isn't looking like Fed and Nadal were their Gods! Nole's playing well, but it's no cakewalk! He had to fight to get his latest major and he hasn't done much since but "hold on!"
***Congrats Novak; your 1st match win as a Daddy!!***
Looking at the draw, Nole's getting the worst of it again; Isner/Monfils winner, and potentially Dimitrov or Murray in his top half! OTOH Federer has personal pigeons like Wawrinka and Berdych! There's just no justice in this world! As the #3 player he was hosed, then as #2 behind Nadal who got guali's, also-rans, and wildcards! Now as the #1 player, Nole catches Murray again who' s barely in the top 10! Not sure Andy will survive long after surviving that war against Robredo a couple days ago in Valencia!
***Stan is the epitome of inconsistency and may well be considered a past pigeon of Roger's, but he beat him at Monte Carlo and played him tough at Wimbledon this year; so you never know. Berdych's form has been pretty bad most of the year, but I'd never call him Roger's pigeon ...Roger needs to really be on his game to win and serve big. As impressively as Roger's been playing lately, I'd be even more impressed if he beats Berdych. Going by respective form of Stan and Tomas, Roger should win pretty comfortably, but anything can happen.
---
Oh well that's the draw. I will put all my focus towards Novak on retaining the #1 position in the world. His ROS in his match against Phil K. at times was just a pleasure to watch. His wrist action is so loose; no wonder he's the best returner in the world. - Fed is gone from Bercy! I guess the #1 talk is over now, huh?***
Thank GAWD! I love Fed, but he's been gifted a # of matches this season! He's playing well, but his opposition are still choking like dogs in the crunch! Milos finally showed up and did what I've been thinking he was capable of; classic serve and volley and over-powering tennis! It's so 'Richard Krajicek over Pete Sampras!' If you can't break serve, you're in trouble!
***Federer won't be eliminated from #1 contention even if Nole wins the Paris Masters, but what are the chances Nole won't qualify for the semis of YEC?
ReplyDelete---
I'm really not bothered. I would rather Federer just focus on and wins the YEC. If he gets #1, great! But for me the # of titles is what I want him to target. When I saw how slow Bercy is, I really just wrote this one off. I would rather he goes out here than concede ground in the h2h w/ Novak!***
I'd rather Nole attend to titles over status at #1! It normally takes care of itself anyway! I just want him to complete the circle and take at least 1 French Open and Cinn. Masters! He'll have a HOF career and the most complete of all players if he succeeds in doing that! He'll be far behind others in majors, but still quite impressive!
***Lights out, don't know where those two shocking service games came from with Murray. Pretty sure it was the WTA.
---
After cheering for Raonic for the 1st time ever, I will make the ignominy complete by hoping Ferrer wins tonight over Kei.***
That type of play from Ferrer just gets on my nerves! Just whacking away like that, running everything down isn't entertaining! He can volley, but rarely moves in, allowing floaters to push him back and restart points!
***Milos won't ever be #1, probably won't get to #2.***
It shouldn't take much to get to #2; esp. after Roger, Nole and Rafa drop out! In the old days we've had notable #2's like Tommy Haas and Michael Stich! You just need one major final appearance and a couple other good showings in a Master! The men have a wealth of riches w/ 3 super talents competing at the same time! They have had unprecedented results, when 30+ year tennis records have been matched and surpassed in just the last 5! Only b/c of the depth of the ATP is dragging Stanley down at this time! Even w/ a major win at OZ and a Master, he might not even finish in the top 4! Murray's made a last minute push to get back there by season's end!
***Murray made a push all right, but the push so far brought him only to make the final. The race within 4-8 is wide open; any of those players can be finishing anywhere, depending how they do there.***
***Nadal has clearly been the best clay courter of this generation and Federer has been a distant 2nd, w/ Novak in 3rd. Federer has clearly been the best grass and HC player, w/ Rafa 2nd on grass and Novak a close 2nd on HCs, while Rafa has been 3rd best on HCs and Novak 3rd on grass. I guess the point is that all 3 are in the top 3 across all surfaces, much as Connors and Borg were in their time (neither Mac nor Lendl were at the same levels as top players on clay or grass, respectively, like Jimbo and Bjorn were). Sampras was best on grass and HCs, w/ Andre close behind on HCs, but really distant on grass and clearly 1 up on Pete on clay.
ReplyDeleteI don't buy much into the weak field argument. Each player--Connors, Borg, Lendl, Sampras included--comes up and faces the fading legends, plus the guys they battled through the juniors, and then--if they last and remain top players for more than a year or 2--they face the future top guys. Sampras, Connors and Federer have seen that and Rafa has been around long enough at the top to include on that list. Novak, if he is at or near the top another couple years, will be in that group too. So, I still think we are in a truly golden age of legendary players still playing against each other and the next generation, after disposing of the former top players like Hewitt, Roddick, Safin and Ferrero (and Pete in one match). These guys have been as good or better as any other crop of top dogs that we have seen. But does that mean Roger on grass was as good as Pete or that Borg would have outlasted Nadal on the clay of Europe (as he thinks he could have)? We will never know.
---
With Bercy over, here is the situation. Novak and Fed will occupy #1 and #2 in some order (w/ Novak having very high chances of being #1). Even though, Rafa is out of action, he's safe to retain his #3 rankings going into '15. But, w/ respect to #4 position in the rankings chart, the story is totally different. Any one of the 6 players (Stan, Kei, Andy, Bird, Milos and Cilic) could end up being #4 w/ just 715 points separating them w/ the WTF to go. ...every one of them will play hard not only in matches against other contenders for #4, but also against Fed and Novak. ...that would make this WTF interesting.***
This is such a rare event; been years even w/ Rafa taking off ever so often for months at a time over the last several years! I have to tip my cap to the 2nd tier who have really performed this past season, but w/ advancing age and injury hitting all concerned, not sure how long it'll last!
***Kei has proven that he is able to beat Novak, Roger and Rafa and pretty much everyone else. I think he can position himself in the top 4 next year. He will have to fend off Murray or Roger though in order to do that.***
I just watched bits and pieces of Kei's match, but he shoots himself in the foot by playing like his coach; very defensively! I hate that he'll put this great serve in or hit a shot putting his opponent on the run, then allow the guy to float something back and Kei waits for it to bounce deep! It's so insane to see again and again when he's halfway to the net already and could have closed the point out right then! All players are doing it, but you have some like Kei, Raonic, and Murray who get into these wars w/ nobodies when they should cut so many shots off and make them quick battles! Idiots!
***Fed was a longshot for #1 and I don't think that's a big priority for him.***
...a very big longshot! Nole has #1 nailed down! It's not like he's going to drop 3 RR matches in London next week! That's more likely to happen to Nadal who might be "cycling off" PED's! Djokovic is at his best this time of the year the last few seasons and there's no reason he shouldn't take his 4th title w/o losing a match!
***You probably only ever watch Nadal when he's playing Federer. I can understand why that upsets you.***
ReplyDeleteWhen was the last time they played? I'm over Federer; the GOAT for now, but I can't see him making a difference when it comes to competing against the best! He's having enough trouble w/ "also rans," nobodies, and never-weres; going 3 sets all the time! He's playing well, but it's still a battle to win the simplest of matches! He has got to attack the net more and stop thinking he can rally w/ the "big boys" for 20-30 strokes for any length of time! Roger's been fortunate that some players just "choked" away their match against him even though playing at a high level! He hasn't hit "Martina Navratilova's" end in '94 yet, losing in the 2nd and 3rd rounds of tourneys, but it's coming! His attempts at winning majors will only get harder! His last best chance was at Wimbledon this past July, but he blew it by allowing Nole back in! It was his for the taking! I appreciate it as much as Djokovic, but sometimes you just have to say "good-bye!"
***@ WTF '14 - Group A:
Djokovic leads Wawrinka 15-3
Djokovic leads Berdych 16-2
Djokovic leads Cilic 10-0.
Group B:
Federer and Nishikori tied at 2-2
Federer and Murray tied at 11-11
Federer leads Raonic 6-1.***
As usual, Nole gets hosed again; 2 other major winners in his group while Federer gets the leftovers! I just don't understand how this keeps happening? When Roger or Rafa are reigning #1's, they get qualifiers, wildcards, and over the hill "pigeons!" lol! Neither Kei or Andy are pigeons, but they've had a very long season and are coming off tough losses in the last couple weeks! Murray won a couple smaller events as well and should be exhausted by now!
***It's called a draw Fiero. That's how the cookie crumbles. Nole doesn't always get hosed. He's had some easier draws throughout his career. Besides, #1 should be able to beat anybody on any given day, right? - I'm really surprised you think Novak's draw is tougher than Roger's. Cilic and Wawrinka have really stunk up the joint in the last month. And let's not even talk about what Berdych suffered against Novak in Beijing. On the other side you have arguably the 3rd best player in the draw, the guy who just beat Federer and a guy who always plays tough against Roger. Believe me if we could switch, I would take Novak's side for Roger every day of the week and Sunday.***
I don't doubt what you say, it's "the moment" being such a big event that Nole has the VETS while Roger has some players that may be a little fragile b/c of it being their first appearance there; except for Andy who s/b "bone" tired!
***If these newbies could withstand a Slam final, then they should be OK here. The only person I would consider a little 'green' is Milos. He hasn't ascended to a major final just yet and may succumb to nerves. We'll have to see how it plays out. - The only draws that really got me worked up were the 2011 ones where they kept putting Federer in Novak's half and Murray in Nadal's. Not that it mattered that year.***
I railed about that too! From '11 on since Nole ascended to the top, I see these draws and wonder! Rafa comes back after one of his extended layoffs and even as a 4th or 5th ranked player, he was catching breaks in his draw! It was no wonder he cleaned up taking another FO, USO, those Masters, and the #1 ranking last season! This is the Masters; you can lose a match and still take the title! I didn't say it wouldn't be difficult for Roger, but he has an opening w/ newbies in his group and a breaking down, defensive counterpuncher who's about "punched" out!
***If the surface at London O2 is not quicker than at Bercy, I don't see Roger winning. On the other hand, if the conventional wisdom is true and the courts are indeed quicker, that would give some advantage to Roger.***
Funny I grew up in the 70's w/ the cocktail generation, often making drinks for my parent's company, but I never really got into it! We had a complete wet bar w/ backed chair stools, psychedelic lights in the brick foundations, w/ everything you could imagine behind the bar! I was lucky if they pushed a small glass of Mogen David Concord Grape down my throat over the holidays! I still go months w/o any thing alcoholic! Others I've associated with need to go through a 12 pack every night! Pass! Too many empty calories! Same w/ smoking; every one including my parents, brother, college roommate, and coworkers smoke! I can't stand it to this day and at 57 you'd think I couldn't smell it! I can get whiffs off idiots outside! It's just gross; add booze and a "date" is stinking!
ReplyDelete---
***I don't have a passport either; no desire to leave the US at this time.***
I never know when I might need to get away! I keep my passport 'up to date' even though I haven't been abroad in 10+ years! It was only convenient to get one when I lived in SF! Anywhere else in the country it takes months! I used to love visiting friends around The States, but I've felt like cattle being herded since '911!' A trip to Amsterdam had them treating me better on British Airways! I just stay home; really hurting our economy when people just say "screw it," not worth the trouble!
***ITA Fiero! Actually, @lld I had no interest in a passport and it's no chump change to get one, but my brother wanted me to do some research w/ him in Toronto and Calgary, etc some time back and I needed a passport if I was going to do that or if we wanted to vacation w/ friends. I figured, 'what the heck.' The great thing is it's good for 10 years and it is an excellent form of ID that I use everywhere (it's actually better than a license, etc). Also, I have moved a few times due to work and before, b/c of family obligations, it isn't always easy to keep dropping cash on state IDs (I don't drive) each place I go. This way I don't need to worry in the meantime - have the passport. It came in handy many a time and if, as Fiero rightly points out, if I ever HAVE to get away (LOL), I'm prepped!
---
I think a lot of people don't understand what it takes to get an ID and why it is so hard for poor people. A lot of IDs run in the $20 plus range - that can be a week's worth of food. Not to mention getting to the location to get the ID - if you have no car, no bus service, are disabled, etc. There are not offices on every street corner. ...***
===
Why should we be any different that Russia? I used to think cons/Reps could contribute, but the fact is collectively they've lost it! I think they're stuck in some kind of "time warp" and can't advance to the present! When you see the open contempt they have for gays, women, Blacks, and brown people, what else can be said? They now seem like it's better to trash the country than allow it to go in the direction it's going! The politics of the US has become so polarized, nothing gets done anymore! We're lucky to be treading water w/ the way Congress has been behaving since '10! Years ago, I could see myself voting for the best person for a job, but if there's an "R" behind their name from here on out, FORGET IT! Like the "Prince Of Darkness," Bob Novak once said before he passed on, "Republicans haven't done anything [original] since they freed the slaves!"
***Republicans favored to take the Senate.***
I'm hoping The Republicans shoot themselves in the Fk'n head again and don't take the Senate! It was supposed to happen in '10 and '12! Notice most of them are keeping their idiotic, foolish, and stupid mouths closed for a change! That'll change when they take over and plow the rest of the economy into the ground! Such treacherous people always talking about patriotism! BIGOTED SCUM!
***Nah, You aint petty.. you just ain't gonna ever show Rafa any love... it ain't happening.***
ReplyDeleteI think we all have what some might call a bias, when in our minds we have a legitimate reason why a particular player is not so deserving of all their accolades! In my era the top dog was Connors and the obvious villain and foil when there's a single's contest! He has the most complete record for his time winning 3 majors (AO,W, USO) in '74 alone, but like Rafa, he had obvious holes in his game and weaknesses were glaring! He came along w/ a very aggressive game from the baseline as well and took advantage of the players put forth; old man Rosewall in both W and USO finals in '74! His confidence was fueled and he went from there until his opponents started being more cerebral in their approach to playing him; Ashe & Borg @ W, Orantes @ '76 USO, and Ilie Nastase when he could control his emotions! I feel good about Connors' status as it is now; recognized well, but nowhere near as ICONIC as he would have thought when he retired!
I can only hope besides Roger holding onto his legend and records, that other players like Nole will surpass Rafa in some circumstances as well! In my mind, I won't ever be able to get it to wrap around such a player being THE GOAT w/ obvious deficiencies! Like Serena w/ her on again off again willingness to play and represent "the game," Nadal hasn't been able to hold onto the #1 ranking for any real length of time in comparison to Fed and Sampras! He normally fades after the summer w/ horrible losses in the fall and no Masters win! Even players like Nalbandian, Corretja, and Davydenko have won the WTF! He owns all 4 majors and should be commended for it, but it's a little weighted on clay winning 9 FO! Other greats have more of a balance w/ more USO's and W's! He has got to take another 2 majors in London and NY before I get off this feeling! So far, it hasn't looked promising losing earlier and earlier on grass to WCs, qualifiers, and never-weres! You just didn't see that happen too often to Sampras, Fed, Borg, Connors, and even Lendl!
***Yes Nadal's markedly stronger on clay than on other surfaces, but I think he's done enough on other surfaces to garner respect. If I have any issues where he's concerned it's more to do w/ his antics which - IMO - border on unsportsmanlike (time-wasting, opportune injury/ toilet breaks and of course the biggest one... coaching).***
You hit the rest of it about his "unsportsmanlike" behavior! My post was already the length of a pamphlet! lol!
***Didn't Fed say after the match that he was surprised that he was able to take it to a 5th at Wimbledon?***
So was I; but not really! It keeps happening to Nole; esp. in majors when he's serving for a match! Against Rafa at '11 USO & '12 AO, then Wimbledon against Federer in July, he was serving for it and the next thing you know he's broken and he loses the set in a TB! It's not like he pulled back or made errors! Somehow they weather the storm to extend the matches, but losing it to Nole eventually! He has got to learn and "push" to close these matches out sooner! He'll start losing them if he persists in allowing this to occur again and again!
***Nerves Fiero. Even the best have them and cause them to miss opportunities. Coaches say: "Novak needs to finish certain points faster. We'll work on it, but it's a balance that needs to be found. He's not Federer. He needs to construct his points. We've changed his service motion a bit. His accuracy is fantastic, but we still can get a bit more power.***
***It's bogus to claim that Rafa and his fans use injury as an excuse "every time he loses." We've had this thread before and anyone who persists in it is being typically dishonest...
ReplyDelete---
For me it's not so much the injury excuse, but more the excuses in general that are a bit annoying. The narrative is that as nobody is capable of beating Nadal when at his best. Losses can always be ascribed to something, as if everything is on his racket.***
This is akin to The Williams who would say, "she didn't beat me; I beat myself!" No one alive has the real ability to defeat Rafa; has to be an injury, food poisoning, grass courts weren't bouncing his shots high enough, etc.! It's offensive to the rest of the tour; even if it's somewhat true at times! No one's more anal retentive in their "nervous ticks" than Rafa so it's hard to know when to accept his BS or not! I personally think he's been like a petulant child since the beginning and couldn't care less what we think! He hasn't sped up "his act" yet; still getting warnings from the umpire in each match!
***In that '08 Wimbledon final against Nadal, out of a 400+ point match w/ over 60 games, Roger was bound to play great at some point. Roger played a great 3rd set TB even for his standards and then was clutch after Rafa opened the door in the 4th set breaker (after he played awful to lose 5 of the prior 6 points to get down 5-2). Let's not forget how ridiculously poor Roger was in the big moments of sets 1, 2, and 5.***
I've posted before that I see so many parallels w/ the careers of Navratilova and Federer; esp. the later parts! They're both winning in their respective twilights, the last major win being a Wimbledon ('90 & '12), and only challenging the "top dogs" sporadically in smaller events; making another Wimbledon final w/ a real chance ('94 & '14)! The only difference is, Roger has a little more life in him and can take a few more Masters at least! Navratilova was done after that '94 Wimbledon final loss to Martinez! I see a lot of weaknesses, but the other tour players still have some reverence for him and allow his escapes! We'll see what happens next week since this has been a long year for Roger w/ more victories than the other players on the ATP even though no major wins!
***Kei played much more aggressive than Murray and once his nerves settled in, he actually started to hit inside the court more at WTF. Andy will find it hard to get back to the level of tennis from '12/'13, it seems.***
It was a stupid way to play! True enough he won The Olympics and USO playing like that, but it was obvious his tenure would be short; same for RAFA!
***I agree w/ you Fiero, players have to find a way to finish their points quicker and try to play more aggressive. Although that has to be part of their tennis DNA, you can't just tell some of them: be aggressive. - Rafa won his HC slams only when he was playing very aggressive and served extremely well. ...But other surfaces - nobody can win w/ just good defensive plays.***
Being listed on a Major trophy always overshadows consistent play IMO! Before he retired, Andres Gomez was highly regarded, but his FO win over Agassi in '90 makes him immortal; esp. in his country!
***Not disputing that, but if we're to go by points won then Cilic and Stan pretty much made the bulk of theirs w/ the slam wins and a few decent wins here and there. Overall Nishikori has been much more solid year long and would be a more deserving #4 should he get there imo. He has more top 10 wins than Stan and Cilic also this year.***
***I wonder if Kei can get a Slam next year? Should probably be a hc one although he was beating Nadal in the final at Madrid until he got injured. Should be in the top 4 next year at a consistent basis if his body stays healthy. He should play less events probably.
ReplyDelete---
I'd love to see it. He's one of the most entertaining players to watch imo. Very aggressive and takes the ball so early. The Davydenko comparison made earlier in the thread is dead on in that regard. Agree about playing less, but hopefully he'll get stronger and the injuries will be less frequent.***
As aggressive as you think Kei is in comparison to other players, I still see him playing a bit defensively; allowing floaters to drop deep instead of taking them in the air and following the shot into the net for a "put away!" It bugs me so much to see today's "so called" tough men look so weak at times! It's bad enough w/ all the 2-handed backhands, but backing up that way only extends matches into possible losses that should be winners!
***True, a lot of players lack the insight and killer instinct to get to the net to finish off points, but he's definitely better than many of them out there at getting the point won sooner rather than later. He certainly doesn't hope to win points by moonballing/pushing the ball back in play and waiting for his opponent to miss. He goes for winners, but agree about the net part alright.
---
Kuerten became YE #1 in 2000 w/ just 75 points lead. Guerten 4195 compared to Marat 4120 (old system - GS got you 1000).
1 Kuerten, Gustavo (BRA) 4,195 0 23
2 Safin, Marat (RUS) 4,120 0 30
3 Sampras, Pete (USA) 3,385 0 16
The WTF Chp match really decided the winner, even though the 2 contenders were not directly fighting w/ each other.***
This is why I've had such a problem w/ today's male pros! For too long you've had the same 3 dominating; others not even close! W/ Murray winning a major and the Olympics, he still didn't move up! There are plenty of players who have the game, but they must have fluff in their brains when it comes to finishing off Roger, Nole, & Rafa all too often! Kei was unlucky enough to get injured when he was killing Rafa in Madrid on clay earlier this year, but he probably would have choked anyway!
===
GB outdid themselves tonight! Leading the Bears by 41 late in the 4th quarter, Cutler barely completed a 3 yard pass on 1st down and these fools challenged since it was off the shoe tops! A-Holes! Of course they were wrong and I hope they make nat'l news for the next few days for being that stupid! Rodgers was a favorite of mines even though I live in Chicago, but they can all GO TO HELL after that!
***Can't blame anyone but McCarthy for that as he's the one who decides to challenge. It definitely was stupid and kind of classless to say the least. - The Bears looked like they gave up last night by the end of the 1st half. I'd say that bodes poorly for Tressman staying as coach. They are done for the season, but hopefully they help GB out and beat Detroit.
---
It was a dumb challenge....but relax, they weren't trying to rub the Bears face in it...otherwise we would have went for the TD on 4th and 1 w/ Rodgers in. THAT would have been unsportsmanlike. Its a little Karma for knocking Rodgers out last season.***
The Bears are only able to surprise these days; no real consistency and have a major issue w/ the QB! I've tried giving him every benefit of the doubt even when getting tagged negatively by Rivers when he went against SD while still being in Denver!
***I don't think that repealing Obamacare is really in the cards. It's been in place long enough that it's effed up the insurance market to the point that simple repeal will be virtually impossible.***
ReplyDeleteGO ahead! It'll be the end of the stupid Republican party! Take away a benefit and not replace it will sure make a lot of people angry; please do! Just what we need after barely surviving the last time they were in power! Yeah, let's go back to starting wars, giving tax breaks to people who don't need them! We get what we deserve by allowing these animals to exist in a civilized, orderly society! Putting them in power in so many state houses won't help us either; we're fuk'n doomed! Next will be Bush 44; just what we need! We're such idiots!
***...The only thing I can predict is that, if Obamacare survives the latest Supreme Court challenge, whatever is in place 5 years from now won't even resemble the current bill. [We've already seen over 40 changes to the ACA and we're hardly started yet.]***
Smart people would try and fix the thing instead of repealing! National healthcare has been dream for over a 100 years and now these animals want to take it away? Idiotic! These people have already shown they can't be responsible or even knowledgeable; "there's no climate change, ebola is going to be used against us in a terror attack, and oil pipelines don't pollute!" I should have moved abroad when I had the chance!
***We're not animals. We simply understand that the "rugged individualism and self-reliance" that made our nation great while we were in ascendency is being taken from US. And the more that's taken from us, the more we head toward decline.***
You should know what decline is all about! Bush 43 took a thriving economy, peace, a budget surplus, and low unemployment and turned it into shit; "thanks 'W'!" When Obama took over, the nat'l debt had been more than doubled by him and his Republican Congress, 2 unnecessary wars had been started, and b/c of consistent de-regulation of Wall Street, the stock market blew up! Their campaign of hate against gays and minorities in general have shown them to be truly loathsome creatures! The way they've treated Obama and his family shows exactly where I'm coming from! Animals must have a very short memory!
***Everything was fine until Pelosi and Reid took over. .. They promised change.***
And you guys promised to destroy it all! McConnell: "My goal is to make sure Obama is a one term President!" Idiot! Bigots, racist, and other stupid a-holes make up the Republican party! Dems might have a bunch of mohrons out there, but they never go out of their way to trash the country to make a President look bad! You guys are treacherous and there's nothing that will change my mind on that! Make all the excuses you want about self-reliance and you're still being hypocrites; still take Medicare, Soc. Sec., and any # of programs to make sure we don't have people dropping and dying the streets! We're more socialist than you know; will ever know really!
***For purpose of this post, I'll give Obama the benefit of doubt. I'll guess he meant well. I'll even go so far as to consider that he may have believed "if you like your plan you can keep it," when he said it. But it is not the equal of European systems. And rather than bending down the cost curve; I gather our health care remains some of the most expensive per capita on Earth. Not highest quality, merely the most expensive.***
Now that was a competent retort to a serious situation! Obama may not end up being the best President, but he didn't trash it like past losers like "W!"
***Fiero... as for calling us bigots and racist. ... did you see what Dems said about Mia Love And Tim Scott? Do you spit or swallow?***
ReplyDeleteAdd Clarence Thomas who I have just as much contempt for; allowing himself to be used by "the right!" I have no respect for them; esp. when you see them side w/ bigots, racists, and other a-holes! These same people you align w/ have leadership that thinks nothing of trashing the country, their President, his wife and children, and question his patriotism and citizenship! Yeah, you guys are real civilized! - As for the rest, it depends on how hot the guy is! (duh) And you wonder why I don't support a group that hates my actual presence on this Earth! Screw them all and their mommas!
***Correct me if I'm wrong, but reconciliation would only be a 'moral' win for the GOP? President Obama is sure to veto it. So why even go down that road?***
Why did the House try to repeal Obamacare 50+ times since it became law? They're fk'n idiots obviously! They are so full of their own BS about abortion, taxes, and the economy, logic has been totally lost to these people for decades! They always overplay their hand and it costs them every time; eventually!
***Stop calling us racist and bigots b/c you have nothing else that you can make up.***
Stop disrespecting Black people then fool! The lack of decorum w/ this President, his AG, and other officials of color only showed what you are as a party! You brought in the man's wife, children, and parents into your hate-filled arguments against his even being elected! What you guys did during his tenure will boomerang on you for all time; ignore that at your peril!
***Oh please... Stuff it already. You must have been asleep for the 8 years of Bush or just stupid...***
No more asleep or stupid than you obviously! No matter what Dems felt about Bush, he got "everything" he wanted! How soon you forget all the programs and laws passed that weren't paid for! He not only didn't pay for his shit, he cut taxes twice when war was waging in 2 countries! What part of "BANK buster" don't you and your friends understand?
***While there's plenty of blame to go around, if you really want to point fingers and try to claim a single individual, or party was responsible, it would be at Barney Frank and the Dems.***
Way to overlook "deregulation" and allowing Wall Street to "sink us" again! It happened during his father's tenure w/ banks going under for their own greed and incompetence, ponzi schemers, and others; almost none of them prosecuted! And here we go again! "Oh look, maybe the morons of this country will go w/ the 'hat trick' and take on Jebster too!" You know how psychotic the people are in this country, thinking another result will occur w/ the same stupid act; again and again and again?
***One thing to remember is there are 2 governing bodies that give out YE #1's... the ATP and the ITF. Last year the 2 organizations split the title btw Nadal and Djokovic. Doesn't happen often, but it does happen. If Fed is within a few hundreds points in 1, he could be over in the other. I'm thinking that if Federer wins the YE Championship this week, the ITF will award him YE #1 regardless of what the ATP does.***
ReplyDeleteThey could do it, but it would be ridiculous IMO! Nole beat him at Wimbledon, has had a stellar record on the ATP winning several Masters, and had better things to do than play as much as Roger! Quality vs Quantity huh?
***Federer is now 70-11 in '14. Who was expecting 70+ wins this year?..not me daddio.***
Funny that Serena and Roger wait until their twilight years to over do it! It got ugly for Serena there for a while, but she salvaged her season w/ another USO title and YEC! I hope Roger doesn't come out in '15 like she did this season! I guess winning another USO would make it all worthwhile!
***Nole going for 3-in-a-row?..Yes, Ivan Lendl won 85, 86, & 87. Though the crazy schedules back then saw the '85 WTF/Masters held in jan '86 where sadly McEnroe went awol after losing to Brad Gilbert.***
Lendl winning twice in '86 like Martina for the ladies is a record that won't ever happen again in our lifetime! I suppose a big war could delay a YEC into the following year! Ya never know!
***Nole's indoor winning streak is the 3rd-longest of all-time, according to the ATP. Here are the top 5:
1. John McEnroe 59
2. Ivan Lendl 37
3. Novak Djokovic 29
4. Roger Federer 26
5. Boris Becker 19
Wow at McEnroe and Lendl, that is going to be awfully hard to come close to! Nole is also bidding to become the 1st man to 3-peat at this event in nearly 30 years. Impressive streak for Djokovic. I'm surprised Roger didn't have a better streak than 26, I'm guessing it's due to Nalbs in '05 and again in '07 that stopped him from having a much longer streak.
---
The irony of that obliteration by Federer of Murray at the O2 starting off 0-30 to Andy on Fedster's serve. Murray won almost all of his points in the entire match right there.***
I'm pretty sure I said Murray's tongue would be hanging out of his mouth playing so many weeks in a row! Sure, he won a couple small titles to make the WTF, but it might have been better to skip it looking this bad losing in straight sets to Roger and Kei! It was truly ugly; maybe Nadal had a lot more sense to skip it!