Tennis Talk

I don't understand why it has to be so cold out. It just doesn't make sense. Anyway, we all know that there is a lot of tennis going on. I like tennis, but I do think that the games are very long. I know many people will say that I like long games because I like baseball. I most definitely do like baseball, but there is a lot more to baseball that changes over the duration of the match. Baseball on the other hand could be a totally different game in the ninth inning than it was in the first. I realize that tennis does change as well, but it is still one player on one player. Saying all of this, I do enjoy tennis. I think that it is definitely a fun sport that takes a lot of skill to play well or even adequately. I do enjoy it in small doses when it is a really tight match and when I am watching with someone who really enjoys the sport. That is a lot of it; when you're with someone who enjoys whatever they are watching, you catch on as well. So, enjoy the Australian Open and remember that Roger Federer is the man!

Photo by dcJohn on Flickr

French Fun

As I was watching the French Open coverage yesterday, it struck me about how good these players are. When you watch Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal totally dominate a match, it doesn't mean that their opponent is bad. In fact, it is quite the contrary. Their opponents are really good compared to what you and I might see where we go down to the Barre City tennis courts on a nice warm summer night. It just shows how amazing guys like Federer are and how much talent you really need to become a tennis pro. This doesn't only apply to tennis though. Whenever somebody is good enough to be at the elite level, even if he or she is the worst player on that circuit, he or she is still a very talented player.

Another thing I noticed about the French Open was the fact that life on clay can be a bit of an adventure. I love how there is no bounce to the court. It makes the drop shot insanely effective, but it also slows down the play. That's good because we have DirecTV, so we about have five channels of extra tennis coverage beyond ESPN2. The problem with these channels is that ESPN2 obviously has the best announcers. Nevertheless, you can still enjoy the matches but don't expect the most exhilarating coverage you have ever heard.
Photo by StuSeeger on Flickr