Highlights of Days 2/3, Day 4 Preview

 Like Serena's $40k earrings? 

Serena and Venus Williams are on a collision course for a fourth round matchup.  Both have strolled right along having no problems so far.  Venus has a tough third round opponent in Daniela Hantuchova, the 20th seed.  Serena has to play Francesca Schiavone, the 25th seed to move on to a matchup with big sis.  Matchup's between the sister's have been uneventful for the most part.  You'd think one of the sister's says to the other 'Okay, I'll let you win today.'  The normal fight they have in matches just isn't there when they play each other.

Federer completely domolished Ivo Minar.

Roger Federer, seen above, had little trouble trouncing Ivo Minar, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1.  Federer's first real test won't come until he faces Lleyton Hewitt in the semi's.  Hewitt will have to face American Taylor Dent in the third round if they keep winning. 

By now we all know Andy Roddick is out of the tournament.  Giles Muller played superbly using his left handed serve to perfection.  Roddick looked completely out of sorts throughout the entire match.  I hate to harp but Roddick needs more of an all around game.  I don't care he's the # 3 player in the world.  He can beat 99% of the players on tour with what he has, but he won't beat Federer. 

John McEnroe made some comments tonight, Wednesday, during the show about the crowd 'not helping Roddick out enough' during his match.  I'm sorry, but if you are ranked # 3 in the world you shouldn't need the crowd to help you through.  You should be able to do it on your own.  Muller is no slouch.  I've already talked about what he's done over the summer.

Fernando Verdasco took out Tim Henman in straight sets.  I honestly feel badly for Henman.  He just doesn't have the game to keep up anymore.  Anymore?  Well, he's never really had the total package now has he? 

On to another Brit, better yet, a Scot, Andy Murray.  Murray took out a battletested Andrei Pavel in the first round.  Murray, at 19, has a great all around game and keeps a level head which can't be said about a lot of the youngsters these days.  Murray faces Arnaud Clement on Thursday.  Clement is another tough journeyman who has won the French Open.  That's a match to watch. 

 You didn't think I would waste an opportunity to put a pic of a Scot (Andy Murray) up, do you?

Rafael Nadal finished off Scoville Jenkins in three sets, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.  Jenkins put up much more of a fight then the whipping he received at the hands of Andy Roddick last year.  Jenkins had a good game plan trying to serve and volley as much as possible.  Why didn't it work you ask?  Jenkin's volley's are so-so and Nadal is as fast as the tazmanian devil. 

McEnroe had some funny comments again during this match.  They mentioned in the booth that Nadal 'doesn't work out in a gym' to which McEnroe responded by saying 'Yeah right, and I never yelled at Umpires.'  Nadal is built like a rock and that's just not natural. 

And to finish this off Justin 'I'm no beached whale, but some of the ladies on tour are' Gimelstob was ousted, surprisingly enough, by Max Mirnyi in straight sets.  Maybe next time GimelSLOB will keep his mouth shut and just play tennis.  Leave the blogging to me Justin.

Full tournament coverage can be found at the US Open's website here. 

Day 4 Preview (Schedule of Play)

Giles Muller, who looked smooth as silk vs Roddick Tuesday night, faces his doubles partner, American Robbi Genepri.  This would be a great night match for television, don't you think?  Both up-and-comers.  Yet is it?  No, they are showing James Black against some no-name from Slovakia or something.

Andre Agassi plays 6'10 Ivo Karlovic, who looks like a thinner Andre the Giant.  Guillermo Coria plays Vince Spadea, German Rainer Schuettler plays countryman Tommy Haas and Gustavo Kuerten plays Spaniard Tommy Robredo.  If you like men's tennis this is the time to start watching.  Tough matches every day from here on out for the best players in the world.

I would like to mention Serena Williams, after her match tonight, said for every ace she hits for the rest of the year she is giving $100 to the Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans.  Let's just hope she doesn't get hurt and not play again this year.  John McEnroe also said he was giving $25,000 for the relief fund. 

 

Day 1 Review / Day 2 Preview

Highlights of Day 1 at the Open :

 Beautiful site isn't it?

The reigning women's champion, Svetlana Kuznetsova, was beaten 6-3, 6-2 by Ekaterina Bychkova.  It was the first time EVER a women's champ had been beaten in the first round.  If you follow tennis, you'll remember Svetlana is the one Russian women who doesn't approve of Sharapova getting all the endorsements and money which follows her good looks.  Kuznetsova doesn't get the same endorsements, because, well...she doesn't look like Sharapova.

 Oh Svetlana, life will go on...

Andre Agassi, starting his 20th Open, rolled 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 over Romanian Razvan Sabau.

Number one seed Maria Sharapova ripped Eleni Daniliidou, 6-1, 6-1.  Her grunting just keeps getting louder and louder. 

 Cute outfit Maria was wearing though.

Rafael Nadal moved right on in his black clam diggers.  The crowd in NYC is going to love him....until that match in the quarters with Agassi.  Then again, I still don't see how they can root against this guy.  He's just flat out fun to watch.

Ninth-seeded Gaston Gaudio was upset by Brian Baker of Nashville, Tenn., 7-6 (11-9), 6-2, 6-4.  Gaudio looked completely out of sorts and Baker just kept coming after him.  Good win for the American.

Young American Scoville Jenkins played a whale of a match beating long time pro George Bastl, 7-6, 6-0, 6-7, 4-6, 7-6.  Jenkins deserved this win after getting completely blitzkrieged by Andy Roddick last year, 6-0, 6-1, 6-1.  First big win for Scoville and now who does he play you ask?  Nadal. 

Read all about Day 1 here.

Day 2 Preview:

US Open homepage / Schedule of Play

Roger Federer starts his Open bright and early as the first match on Arthur Ashe stadium versus Ivo Minar.  Ivo You Havo No Chancho.

Greg Rusedski, the big serving Brit, plays a tough first round match against American James Blake.

Juan Carlos Ferrero has a tough first round match.  El Mosquito, as he is called, plays Frenchman Arnaud Clement.

Another young American, Paul Goldstein, who could win a couple rounds, plays a tough first round opponent in Brazilian 'Guga' Gustavo Kuerten.  Haven't heard much from Guga this year. 

Gael Monfils plays his first match of the tourney against Novak Djokovic.

 Gael Monfils is in top form after winning his first ATP tournament earlier this month.

The beast, Max Mirni, plays Justin Gimelstob.  If you haven't heard Justin's comments from his Sports Illustrated blog about women's tennis please do so now.  Gimel's Blog.  He writes about how women's players should keep their clothes on 'IF THEY RESEMBLE A BEACHED WHALE!'  Oh yeah, he said it alright.

The night session highlights Lindsay Davenport, in perhaps her last Open.  Andy Roddick also opens his play versus a tough Giles Muller.  Muller beat Nadal at Wimbledon and also made it to the finals in Los Angeles where he lost to Agassi.

All tennis this week is on the USA Network.

US OPEN PREVIEW

Flushing Meadows.  The last Major of the year.  Planes flying right overhead.  New Yorkers' screaming just for the heck of it during the middle of a point.  It's US Open time again.  The most exciting time of the year in tennis. 

 Three straight Wimbledon's and not stopping anytime soon.

My Top Eight Questions For This Years US Open:

1.  Watching on tv like the rest of us?  Please don't push mute.  John McEnroe is the best commentator this world has ever seen...for any sport.  I'm sorry, but he is.  He shows more emotion up in the booth than a lot of the players on the court.  (The USA Network a couple of years ago tried Anna Kournikova.  She was walking around the stadium trying to get interviews.  After the first night, yes, the FIRST night, the higher-ups at the channel told her not to come back.)

2.  Who is the mens favorite?  Roger, Roger, Roger.  Federer that is.  Unstoppable.

3.  Who are the handful of players that might have a chance of pushing Federer off his perch?  Rafael Nadal (the all-everything Spaniard), Andy Roddick (very slim chance, see his match vs Roger in Cincy last week), Lleyton Hewitt (has the speed and enthusiasm, but does he have the game?  Not so much.)  If healthy, Marat Safin would have been another pick, but since he's out of the tourney so we really don't have to talk about him anymore.

4.  Who are the women's favorites?  Maria Sharapova is the one seed and can grunt her way to the title.  Lindsay Davenport (I thought she retired?!) and Justine Henin-Hardenne are my two favorites though.  Watch for Kim Clijsters though.  She is playing great this summer, is finally healthy and ready to roll.  The Williams' sisters you ask?  They need to start concentrating more on tennis and lesson on fashion if they want to have a chance to get back to where they were a couple of years ago. 

 Clijsters really is that tough.

5.  What will Serena be wearing?  Just not the black Spiderman outfit of a couple years ago.  I hope that is gathering dust in the back of some closet.  See below.

 Yes, this outfit.  Please not again Serena.

6.  Who might sneak through the draw and make it to the quarter's?  Gael Monfils.  Straight out of France and 19 years old, the best junior in the world for the past couple of years just won his first ATP tour title a couple weeks back.  Monfils has all the tools to go straight to the top.  Watch for him.  By the way, Marat Safin, the five seed, has pulled out because of a nagging knee injury which opens that quarter of the draw for Lleyton Hewitt to walk through to the semi's.  He does have to watch out for Tim Henman though.  The Brit can definitely make....haha, I can't even say that with a straight face. 

7.  Can Andy Roddick do anything but serve and hit a forehand?  I'm sorry, but Andy has nothing more than a great serve and a very good forehand.  His backhand is gawd awful and his volley's are very suspect.  If he makes a run to the final, the one and only reason, in my opinion, is because of the crowd.  He's American and gets the crowd going with his screaming and fist pumps.  The fans will be behind him all the way.

8.  Can Agassi make one last run?  Agassi can still make a run to the quarter's or semi's.  The one problem?  His quarter of the draw includes El Clam Diggers (Nadal).  The two did have a great match a couple of weeks.  In New York, Agassi would have the crowd behind him if this match happened.  I would pay good money to see this match in New York.  What I would NOT do is pay good money to sit at the top of Arthur Ashe Stadium to see this match.  This stadium is way too big for a tennis event. 

Need a good read?  Justin Gimelstob, a touring pro, is writing a blog for Sports Illustrated during the Open.  His comments are starting to get back to him after he wrote 'players and coaches need to keep their clothes on IF THEY RESEMBLE A BEACHED WHALE.'  Rest of the article and Lindsay Davenport's response is HERE.  If you would like to check out Gimelstop's homepage for the blog on SI, that is Gimel's Blog.

Stones Too Old To Rock?

The cover article on AOL's Entertainment section at the moment ponders the question:  Are the Stones too old to rock?  (Article is here)

Haha.  Just look at the picture.  That should tell you all you need to know.  The combined age of the group members you ask?  245.  Hello.  That's TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIVE YEARS.  Think about that.  There's only four members in the band.  Not ten.  You do the math.  Retire already.

I hated Roseanne Barr...Arnold...whatever her name is now.  But one of my favorite moments on MTV's Video Music Awards was like 5 years ago when she was hosting.  The Stones played a song during which Mick Jagger took off his shirt and was prancing around like a ninny.  When the song was finished Roseanne just looked over at Mick and said 'Put your shirt back on Mick, that's disgusting.' 

 

Dumb and Dumber

 

 I smokes the green longs time ago, not no mo.  

On 'Real Sports With Bryan Gumbel,' Randy Moss admitted he smokes the green 'once in a blue moon.'  Why in God's green (no pun intended) earth would he make that known?  Randy...realize something brother.  We realize you guys do this stuff all the time.  We can see the smoke when you get out of your Escalade.  When you hang out with Snoop in the offseason, the general population understands you guys aren't going to the Olive Garden for a soup and salad.   

My Top Eight Dumbest Athletes  

1.  OJ Simpson -- Do I really need to explain this one?  You did it.  Been in a coma for the past 15 years?  Click here.  Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman seemed like two genuinely nice people who should be enjoying life right now.  Not OJ.  

 I'm not even going there.  

2.  Kobe Bryant -- You are not bright.  You cheat on your wife.  Tell everybody Shaq cheated on his wife over and over again.  Then you buy your wife some gigantic rock to try and make it up to her.  Then you make the Lakers stink.   

3.  Todd Bertuzzi -- This guy should be in prison.  If you aren't a big sports fan and don't remember this name.  He plays in the NHL.  In March 2004, while skating down the ice, he came up behind an opponent, Steve Moore, punched him in the face, and drove his face into the ice at full speed.  Yeah, think about that.  Bertuzzi has been reinstated and can play this coming season.  Yeah, that makes sense.  Moore just started exercising recently and might never play professional hockey again.    

Good article on this incident here.  

 Don't cry for me Argentina...I mean Bertuzzi.

4.  Terrell Owens -- This has all been talked about before.  I wrote an article about it a few weeks ago.  I'm not going to explain this brain dead athlete again.  

5.  Jeremy Roenick -- On the NHL Lockout and fans, Roenick said "I will say personally, personally, to everybody who calls us spoiled, you guys are just jealous, and screw you guys because we have tried so hard to get this game back on the ice to make it better for the fans," he said. "And if you don't realize that, don't come. We don't want you in the rink, we don't want you to watch hockey. Period."   

Roenick also said "Pro athletes are not cocky. Pro athletes care about the game. Everybody out there who calls us spoiled because we play a game - they can kiss my ass."  

Well said Jeremy, well said.  Those words will fill up the seats in October.  

6.  Randy Moss -- Explained above.  He's been doing dumb stuff for years.  When he caught a TD in Green Bay last year, pretended to take down his pants and wipe his rear on the goalpost it made me want to smack him.  Thankfully we won't have to see that anymore.  

7.  Kenny Rogers -- 'Get that camera out of my face.'  'Okay thanks, now get that camera out of my face.'  Now, get this camera out of my face.'  Rogers practically beat up a cameraman trying to film him on the baseball field a month or so ago.  Kenny.  You're dumb.   The Smoking Gun always has great articles. 

Read about it here.

   Get him Kenny, get him.  He was totally out to get you.  

8.  Andy Katzenmoyer -- You all remember the Ohio State linebacker of a few years back.  He was a monster on the football field.  In the classroom?  Not so much.  Talk about a box of rocks.  While playing for the Buckeyes, he obviously went to ZERO classes.  His GPA was like .0027.  During the summer one year to stay eligible these are the classes he took:  Golf I; AIDS: What Every College Student Should Know; and Music 140,Music Cultures of the World.  What degree are those classes getting him ready for exactly?   

Those are my dumb athletes.  I know there have been many more.  Do you have a dumb athlete you would like to recommend for this list?  If so, comment below.   

WOW!!!

Incredible.  Was I close enough to Chris?  Best show ever.

Have a good time sis?

My Top Eight Moments of Coldplay

1.  Chris taking a cell phone from a girl in the front and singing the entire song to somebody listening on the other end.

2.  I guess it's not just one moment but having Chris singing in a crouched position about three feet in front of you.

3.  Being on the big screen with my sister...then again we didn't see it;  friends did.  Better than nothing I guess.

4.  Putting a flask of vodka down after my sister and I used it up...a security guard walks by and says 'Whose is this?'  Oh yeah, like we are going to jump up and down and say 'ITS OURS, ITS OURS!!'  Right.

5.  Getting a smile from guitarist Jon Buckland for wearing an England t-shirt.  At least that's why I'm hoping he smiled...

6.  Just witnessing Fix You in person.  Chris swinging the single light bulb over the crowd. 

7.  Martin's stage presence.  He can sing.  He can dance.  He can control a crowd. 

8.  During the acoustic 'Til Kingdom Come' (see pics), a girl behind me about four feet, during a slow part in the song, yelled out 'CHRIS, I LOVE YOU!!!'  He stopped singing and told the band to stop playing.  He asked 'Who said that?'  The girl was ducked down, beat red.  That was hilarious because they were playing three feet in front of us and the girl was right behind me.  Just awesome.

Some great articles and sites:

Savior's of the Music Industry?

Coldplay

Great Coldplay fan site here

 

COLDPLAY!!!

Finally tonight.  I have seen a million concerts.  U2's been great.  DMB has been awesome every time.  Green Day many times.  And on and on and on....but nothing will compare to Coldplay.  Live from Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, Wisconsin.  Front row.  They are going to take over the world. 

My Top Eight Coldplay Songs:

1.  In My Place

2.  Yellow

3.  Green Eyes -- not in the recent set lists, so it's doubtful they will play it tonight.

4.  Fix You -- watch the new video...starts slow, but wait for Chris to start running.

5.  Speed of Sound

6.  God Put A Smile Upon Your Face

7.  Square One

8.  Low

Terrell Owens

 Terrell says 'I love my teammates.  They are swell.'

Terrell Owens.  My favorite professional football player.  What a complete pain in the butt this guy is.  First of all, San Francisco isn't good enough for him.  He yells at his quarterback.  He yells at his offensive coordinator.  Okay, the 49ers weren't the best team in the world.  I'll accept that.  He requests a trade.  He gets what he asks for.  He goes to Baltimore.  He wants out about 37 seconds after that deal goes through saying the Ravens don't have a quarterback who can get him the ball.  Okay, I can live with that.  Kyle Boller can't seem to get anybody the ball (yet I saw him throw 65 yards in college on ONE KNEE!!!  Anybody else see that video?  Holy nellies.  Talk about out of this world.  Wow). 

So Terrell gets his wish.  He goes to the Eagles.  Super Bowl contender.  Great QB.  Solid running game.  Terrell is the man.  He signs a deal for seven years worth $49 million.  After taking the Eagles to the Super Bowl, he wants his deal negotiated.  He wants more money.  $7 mil a year can't support his family.  Owens opened up earlier this week to former Eagles WR Irving Fryar on WPVI-TV, and said: "I had a talk with [his family] before I got here. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here. . . . They said to stay strong throughout everything. They know it is not fair and we're honest about it."

THEY KNOW IT IS NOT FAIR?!?!  Are you serious?  Shut up you idiot.  What's not fair is you not trying in San Francisco.  What's not fair is you not playing for Baltimore.  You signed that deal LAST YEAR.  You were traded to a team you wanted to play for and a year in you are complaining about money, McNabb, the Eagles owner and anything else on your mind.  You make me sick. 

Here's what the Eagles should do.  Stick him on IR.  Say screw him.  Play without him.  I don't care if they go 8-8.  That'll shut him up.  The Packers are doing it with Grady Jackson (thanks Josh).  Then again Grady is not Terrell.  Tough comparison to make.  I think Terrell helps the Eagles a bit more than Grady helps the Packers but so what.  It will shut him up.

So what do you say Philly?  Can you take my advice and put Terrell on the IR?  What are the chances of that? 

Comments are welcomed.