oh, I can see how bringing Jimmy Buffett to tennis would remove a baby boomer vibe

Now that's really wicked, Grant. But you know what I mean. You know what I mean? You know what I mean!!!

""Fat Tire, anyone?""

How 'bout a pint of Polygamy Porter?

There doesn't seem to be a new podcast up via the link.

Pete,
At least the ATP found a main sponsor to replace Mercendes Benz. Now, if Sony Ericsson decides to end their contract with the WTA, who do the WTA go after and why?

Well, yeah Pete. There's been a bit too much of tennis as a "lifestyle sport", and a lot of that image has been driven by sponsors who want to be viewed as lifestyle products. For example, I saw like 800 Grey Goose Vodka ads during the AO, and at a certain point it just felt like "Tennis: for people who want to pay more to feel better about themselves."

"And you don't have to deal with too many grim, binocular-toting eco-tourists in their zip-off pants and windbreakers, whom so many natives despise because they're not very friendly and cheapskates to boot."

He he. I like it when Pete gets rollin'. :)

Glad you had a great time, Pete. Welcome home.

Any of the Fed faithful have an update on Rog's health?

Sorry about Westbrook, Pspace. Though I can't see him staying healthy enough to be very productive anyway.

Hi everyone.
Yesterday, i said that finally the ATP had started marketing to me. Apparently, they have also started marketing to Pete. By the way, coffee in your lap? Ouch!
I dont know if we'll get one of those smackdowns, though. Fed is sick, and who knows if he will even play, and Rafa, well, who knows with him anb his knees anyway. I think IW and Miami would do well getting ready for a couple of Kolya-Muzz finals. Not that there's anything terribly wrong with that.

Belarus-Switzerland tied at 2 late in the 3rd. I can't decide if the Swiss would be better since the U.S. already beat them, or judging by that Swiss-Canada game, if I want no part of them again.

Who was that guy who played an exo set against Rafa just before RG last year? Marcos Daniel?

"Belarus-Switzerland tied at 2 late in the 3rd. I can't decide if the Swiss would be better since the U.S. already beat them, or judging by that Swiss-Canada game, if I want no part of them again."

Jonas Hiller can get hot and steal a game from anyone. You'd be better off with Belarus.

Welocme back Pete,

Ouch hot coffee in your lap with seat belt intact!

I'll drink that too...LOL

Ahh, excellent point, Grant. Thank you. :)

"You mean the Miller Lite, Coors Lite, Corona and Labatt's Blue I've been drinking all these years are actually considered good beers?"

I am reminded of an old joke about certain beers being like making love in a canoe.

*waves hello*

Welcome back, Pete. :)

Hm...would love a Rafa-Roger final. Or SF, or QF. ;-) But I could easily see it not happening in these two tournaments given they'll both be coming back from injury/illness. On the other hand, it's Roger and Rafa so it's hard to count it out altogether.

Great post Pete. Does anybody know if this is a real picture. Did Rafa every play Serena?

Sherlock, yeah, that's true about Westbrook.

Regarding Federer, I'm curious to see if he might use this time to take a break from the game. Perhaps skipping both IW & Miami. It would give him a chance to work on his clay game.

But, I hope at least two out of Fed, Rafa, and Elf come back for these tournaments.

By the way, i guess you guys have already commented on it, but i saw the Spanish DC team. It was more or less what i expected, with the exception of Granollers in Flo's place. I guess if they couldnt have the Pretty Boys team, Costa chose to pick the other semi-stablished team Spain has. We play at home, so we should win. If Ferrero and Ferrer keep the form they have been showing on clay in South America, it should be enough. However, if Stan plays out of his mind, the Swiss could have a chance.

Hi there, Jewel. I missed y'all, but it's nice to see that some things/people never change. You too, MA, Gree. . . aw, hell, I can't name everyone.

also: nice picture. :)))

"It would give him a chance to work on his clay game."

I wanted him to play Davis Cup for this reason also. Maybe the latest illness makes it a moot point anyway. But skipping both IW and Miami seems way too much. I think he'll be back in IW. Rafa should be back as well, not sure about DelPo.

Samantha, look closely at the photo. They are satnding on water! Well, not really, obviously:)
It was some kind of promotional work they did a couple of years ago (i think), but no, they didnt really play each other.

For IW, looks like Rafa will be there (the guy will explode if he misses more tournaments, he cant help himself), but i have my doubts about the other 2. If i remember correctly from the time Delpo's injury was announced, the timing indicated that he would probably be out of IW and maybe Miami. As for Fed, i guess nobody can really tell now.

oh hey i just saw a garth brooks ad on this site the image change is working already

Ah, shucks. I was so immersed in score-boarding. Sorry. Welcome back, Pete.

Samantha, that is a real picture. Rafa and Serena played a tennis-on-water type exo last year in Miami.

Oh, what the heck. I wasnt gonna do it, but i will, just to stir the pot a little bit.
Here we go:
http://cowbell.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83423e30253ef0120a8ca3c2a970b-pi
Now, that's more like it:)
I can already hear AM:)

Sherlock - well then undoubtedly you won't mind if I roll right back. It has been my experience as someone who has both been a tourist, (lots of times), and who lives in a tourist spot, that the cheapest tippers are the 'hummer/huge SUV drivin', MacCondo livin', over priced tchochke inhalin' bozos. They are very dear with the dollar. You know, like Pete Sampras.

Sebastian Grosjean is still around, and leading against a guy called Daniel Brands 4-2. Grosjean used to be an entertaining guy to watch, he had that jumping 2HBH.

"Here we go:
http://cowbell.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83423e30253ef0120a8ca3c2a970b-pi
Now, that's more like it:)"

Oh my. Turn your eyes away, Aussiemarg!

It seems the Enrique-Kournikova fantasies that people were having are actually coming true. :-)

He he, CL. Fair enough. :)

I'm neither, so I just enjoy the view from the bleachers. Me and Harry Caray. :)

I can't see that Roger will be back for IW or if he does, that he'll get far. His symptoms last week sound rather severe, bad enough to go to hospital. Nothing
"weird" about it, probably pneumonia.
Raf, on the other hand, may well come roaring back after all this rest and practice.

Oh, Mr X, now - that is just not fair. :)

As I already promised myself I need to Move On after that "disgusting video"

I see a certain poster has decided to give me grief and test my patience

May I remind that certain poster I am in Lent

Hell has no fury ok.

Oh, and Pete is wrong about something else as well. I have been to Culebra several times and Vieques once, and there are plenty of eco tourists. They flove the bio luminescent bay in Vieques. As a matter of fact, would you believe it, some people on Culebra actually even CAMP!!!! But few, if any, in my experience are "grim." Having much too good a time snorkling and kayaking and doing other eco-touristy things.

hummina, hummina, Mr. X!

Still not buying it. Can't get past the boy living with mommy and daddy and chaperoned by his uncle:)....now maybe marat...hmmm

Hey is there any room for moi in the Rafa fan club?

*reads crazyone's posts on the other thread, goes to look up France vs. Germany DC noms*

France: Tsonga, Monfils, Benneteau, Llodra
Germany: Kohlschreiber, Becker, Greul, Kas

Yeah, I don't see Tsonga's undefeated streak in DC (11-0) getting broken here.

Welcome back Pete. I have to disagree with you. I don't like the 'angry Fed' because more or less that means he's losing. I like the calm, cool Roger - the one we saw in the AO Final. That's the guy I love. The one now playing without any pressure. I just hope Roger gets well. Seems like he was going so well and now this illness has been a set-back for him. The problem with being sick is that he can't practice so if he comes back for IW, I wonder how much 'practice' time he would have had before the tournament? He just needs to get well....that's what I want to see.

Mr. X, now you've done it. :)

That Rafa/Shaki pic is really...something.

*fans self*

Vamos Shaki!

Isnt Lent kind of a time to withstand the temptations of the devil? Well, there are the temptations, AM:)

"They are very dear with the dollar. You know, like Pete Sampras."
LOL, Andre. I mean, CL.

"Pspace (Proud Rafaelite since Shakira)"

LOL!

"Hey is there any room for moi in the Rafa fan club?"

More like "jealous of Rafa" club.

I'll see your Rafa fan club, Pspace, and raise you a delPo fan club.

The more the merrier, I say, Spacie. :)

Sherlock - Everytime I start to get...um...snarky.. about the ski tourists who flood down off the mountain and bring all traffic, on the one road, to a halt between 4 and 5 pm, and then flow into the one grocery store, ("Oh, look hon, they even have bananas up here - isn't that cute!"), and take up 2 parking space instead of one with their humungous cars, and are generally obnoxious... I TRY to remember the words of a fellow Vermonter who shrugs it all of and say, "Oh well, imagine how the people in Florida feel about US!" :-)

I really do TRY! :-)

"Hey is there any room for moi in the Rafa fan club?"
The real question is: is there any room in the Shakira fan club?

Sounds like you've got your zip-off pants all in a bunch, CL, and for a moment there I almost forgot that you know everything!

Sherlock - btw - which Harry Caray? the baseball announcer or the actor?

Correction - Zonger's 12-0 in DC (he played dubs last year too).

Rolls Eyes

sbliby Vamos Shaki??????????????????????

CL, that's ok. We feel the same way about most Californians. They just come up here and drive up our home prices. :)

Except for Vetmama, Greenie, Sblily, Beth, Jenn, and others of course. :)

"Yeah, I don't see Tsonga's undefeated streak in DC (11-0) getting broken here."

If it does, I know where to find you. Sorta.
Benji can be scary at times. And Kohli too obviously. Also depends on what Tsonga shows up.

[LOL, Andre. I mean, CL.]
Bwahahahaha.

Bloody Belarus. Through the overtime and still tied.

Hmm, why do I find it so easy to root against the Swiss?

Hey, Pete.....I was a flight attendant twenty pounds ago...can't tell you how much spilled coffee I was responsible for (before those pesky lawsuits has us serving it lukewarm). Can't feel your pain, but can truly imagine your reaction...

I gonna need some Corona's after seeing that Rafa is going commando in that video.

Hold the limes please...

Mr and Mrs D I always dreamed of becoming a "mature flight attendent".

AM - LOL. What can I say? I gotta respect Shaki's hustle. :)

Mr. and Mrs. D. Oddly enough, the Continental Airlines attendants never got the memo about lukewarm coffee. Seriously, the stuff almost blistered me. BTW, I also walked on with an eight-inch, lock-back knife (it was in my traveling backpack that went through the X-ray machine) that I carry at all times and usually store in my luggage.

LOL, Grant and Mr. X. We got some good fan clubs going here.

Nah, Pete - Not EVERYTHING! Just what you don't know. And that's aLOT!

AM: those "mature" flight attendants worked the best flights....I was always in the air on holidays and stuck in rinkydink towns.

CL, I had to look up the actor. Forgot that was his name. I loved that guy! :)

rudy3 - Good catch. And after further examination, I think you're right...

Well done, Shaki!

"Hmm, why do I find it so easy to root against the Swiss?"

The tragic death by chocolate of your parents when you were a child?
Your harrowing experience marching elephants over the Alps to make war on the hated Romans?
That bloody Ricola ad?

Pete: I resigned immediately after 9/11....not the same job now, I'm sure.

BTW Pete - I genuinely DO hope that you and your family did see the bio-luminescent bay...even if you were only comfy seeing it from a cigarette boat, I still would want you to experience it.

Uh-oh, the capitals and missing line-space. You're awful easy, CL.

sblily I will give that Latin Diva more than "hustle" believe me.

"Why do I find it so easy to root against the Swiss?"

Fear of cuckoo clocks? A perfectly rational fear, IMO. Never turn your back on those things.

LOL! Too good, Grant. :)

Great, now I've got to frazzle about the Swiss and U.S. tomorrow, AND I've got that damn Ricola ad in my head. :)

My, how kind of you, Queen Mother of the Bio-luminescent Spheres!

I'm "easy"? And a typing critique? That's all ya got? Really? tsk.

Tipsy-Murray might be fun tomorrow or whenever it is.

and yay for my beloved football team. :)

Late here, going to bed, goodnight, everyone. :)

where are my manners...Welcome Back Pete. Thanks for the new post.

now back to obsessing over a 30 second video clip.

"Queen Mother of the Bio-luminescent Spheres!"

Aw, aren't you a sweetie, though. Promoting me from a mere bay, all the way up to an entire sphere!

AM, i think that "Latin Diva" has gotten herself enough, if you know what i mean:)

I see you guys are excited with the Winter Olympics. The one piece of news from there that has gotten my attention is the, um, "celebration" one guy did of his medal:)

You know one of the wonders of being from Jamaica and growing up here is that we believe that we brew the best beer in the world, Red Stripe, for those of you who did not know. Now Pete asks the question as to when was the last time you saw someone in a Ralph Lauren polo shirt belly up to the bar with a Corona, or words to that effect. My answer: every single Friday night at every Jamaican hot spot that you can think of. The beer of choice, Red Stripe. Not Red Stripe Light either, the real thing. In Cayman where I worked for a number of years whenever we left the office and went to the usual Friday evening happy hour haunts the drink of choice would be Corona (guess because they were cheap, a bucket of beer (6) for like US$10.00). They were usually accompanied by lime wedges. I tried it once but it was not my thing. I went back to my Red Stripe, after all, I am Jamaican first.

Aw, FoT, I don't know enough about Roger's illness to have a strong opinion one way or another, but "lung infection" can mean lots of things, not all of them amounting to a terminal illness. We'll just have to see. . .

Well, "this way madness lies. "

Tell ya what Pete, should we ever meet, I will buy you a beer...Corona or any other beer of your choice...just please, please not Bud...it is soooo bad...ok, Bud if you insist..and maybe we can find a topic on which we can have a pleasant conversation. Here's hoping.

He he, Mr. X. If one wins a medal, they might as well take advantage of it. :)

Ever know anybody who just plain tries too hard?

Ever know a pot who just plain calls a kettle black?

Easy, gang.

Hehehe...smackdown!

""Ever know anybody who just plain tries too hard?""

Andy Roddick!

""Ever know a pot who just plain calls a kettle black?""

Nikolay Davydenko questioning Fernando Verdasco's mental toughness!

Pspace and Beckham were better.

LOL oh you guys are funny,
Mental toughness, trying too hard and Ricola FTW

Ri-co-la.... Ri-co-la... (ok..get out of my head!). I don't know but I tend to cheer for the Swiss now (don't even know most of these people, but I guess being a Federer and Wawrinka fan just brought me a little closer to the 'Swiss' in every sport. Being such a small nation, they have done well.

Back to tennis - I really do hope Roger plays at IW. I'm a 'tennis fan' and I will follow tennis regardless of who is playing, but it really does make it more enjoyable for me when Roger is playing in the tournament.

"Nikolay Davydenko questioning Fernando Verdasco's mental toughness!"

That's really more a pot calling a singularity from which no light can escape black.

Well as a Rafa fan it just makes my day when he is able to actually play in a tournament.

He he. Ricola ftw, indeed. It's like the "Small World" theme at Disneyland. Takes days to rid your mind. :)

Ooohhh, what's going on in here?
Do we have ourselves a little trash-talking?
I gotta go get me some popcorn and maybe some ATP sponsorship.

Wit all this cheering for the Swiss stuff, i'm trying to make memory. Nah, cant recall any time. Certainly, it wont happen in DC. And much less when the World Cup arrives.

I see you read it too, Sherlock:)

Can I please be the kettle in the pot/kettle tandem? So much more figure flattering.

FoT - I agree about Fede making tennis more fun to watch...well, for Fed fans that is...but I am hoping Marin Cilic does really well in Dubai. He is sort of DelPoro lite but for some reason I just enjoy his game more. I hope TC is providing some coverage...having trouble accessing their schedule.

PEEEEEEETE! Welcome back! We missed you. :)

Erm, does this mean I have to start drinking?

""He is sort of DelPoro lite but for some reason I just enjoy his game more.""

CL, hmmm...I tend to think of Marin as more Federer-lite than del Potro-lite. He's always working his way to the net. He uses his body weight in a similar way on his fh...in fact, in the air he looks a lot like Fed. The backhand is, of course, different. But, he does slice a lot. His serve is different from both Fed and Elf.

Or, let's say a middle ground between Federer and Djokovic of '08.

I did indeed, Mr. X. :) Such a funny guy thing to do.

No Swiss love, eh? I find interesting how European folks feel about the different countries over there. I'm sure much will come to light this summer with World Cup. :)

CL, I like Marin too. Quite graceful for a tall, lanky boy. Moves really well. And that serve motion is a wonder. Makes my back hurt watching it, but it's a cool motion. :)

Pspace - really? Hmm...maybe this is why I like him? Maybe its just the height that is leading me to a superficial comparison, but it also seems to me that Marin has that cannon FH like the Ent, no?

Anon- I quite agree.

Red Stripe! A friend from Jamaica who actually worked for Red Stripe has been known to share with her friends. I agree, Karen -- quite tasty.

CL, not really. He hits his fh with a _lot_ of spin...watching live it's a beautiful shot. And, I like that he has his unique flourish in the backswing. Elf hits more flat. In fact, in terms of pace, I think Novak of '08 used to flatten it out more than Cilic.