Rafa's Time To Shine

 Nadal is back in Paris...and he brought his clamdiggers with him.

Rafael Nadal is rolling.  He's number 2 in the world.  He's 28-3 this year.  He has a 53-match win string on clay which could reach 60 if he wins the French Open starting Sunday.  He's beaten Roger Federer, the best player of this generation, five out of six times.  He's earned almost $6 million.  He's still just 19. 

That 53-match winning streak ties him with Guillermo Vilas' streak from 1977.  Nadal should not have a problem passing Vilas, but he doesn't want one more than Vilas.  He wants 14 in a row, meaning he's won two straight French Opens.  Imagine that.  Two majors and just turned 20 (he turns 20 on June 3).  It feels like Rafa has been around for five years. 

 Holy biceps Batman...

Nadal's main competition in Paris should come from Federer.  Federer has been beaten three times this year by Nadal and each one has gotten closer and closer.  In Rome, Nadal edged Federer 6-7 (0-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5).  Federer had two match points which shows little separates the two.  The two would meet in the final. 

USA Today's Douglas Robson puts it perfectly saying it would be a dream final because 'it's a classic contrast of offense against defense, lefty against righty, one-handed backhand vs two-hander and Swiss precision against Spanish flair.'

A couple other contenders for the title in Paris are David Nalbandian and Tommy Robredo.  Nalbandian, ranked No. 3 in the world, was a semifinalist in 2004 and the Argentinian saves his best for the majors.  Robredo, ranked No. 7, was a quarterfinalist in 2005 and just won his first Masters Series title on clay in Hamburg a few weeks back.  The top American contender should be James Blake who has learned to play better defense on the dirt.  Ranked No. 10 in the world, Blake, like most Americans, learned how to completely pummel the ball playing on hard courts which doesn't work as well on clay.  On clay, the ball sits up and allows the faster players from South America and Spain (countries that grow up playing on clay) to get set up.  Reason #1 why Andy Roddick will never have a chance in Paris. 

*  Another great story out of Iraq:  Two tennis players and their coach were killed on Wednesday for wearing shorts.  No joke.  Check out the story here.

Taliesin

At Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

 

I had the pleasure of visiting Frank Lloyd Wright's first home, Taliesin, and his estate, today.  Amazingly beautiful and a great tour.  It's incredible going to Taliesin with someone who is intelligent about Wright's background.  A fire destroyed the house in 1914; yet, they don't tell you on the tour it was a caretaker of the grounds from Barbados with an axe who killed seven people including Wright's true 'love of his life,' (and her two children) and burned the house down.  You don't learn that stuff on the tour.  I look forward to seeing more of FLW's bodies of work around Wisconsin and the rest of the United States. 

 

*  A good book I'd like to recommend is 'Many Masks:  A Life of Frank Lloyd Wright' by Brendan Gill.  Purchase the book at Amazon.com here.

 

*  Wisdom is not finally tested in the schools, Wisdom cannot be pass'd from one having it to another not having it, Wisdom is of the soul, is not susceptible of proof, is its own proof.  --  A quote engraved on the wall in the theatre at Taliesin by Walt Whitman

Larsson Sets Up Victory

 Barca lift the trophy after a spectacular four minute span in the second half.

With all the talk on world player of the year Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry, it was a substitute who stole the show in the final of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.  Former Celtic star Henrik Larsson came on in the 61st minute to set up two goals in the final fifteen minutes to give Barcelona a 2-1 win over a 10-man Arsenal side.  Arsenal goalkeeper, Jens Lehmann, was sent off in the 18th minute after taking down Barca forward Samuel Eto'o.  Although down a player Arsenal still took the lead in the 37th minute on Sol Campbell's header. 

 Eto'o celebrates the equalizer.

Barca look stuck in quicksand until the arrival of Larsson in the second half.  In the 75th minute, Larsson made mince meat of Arsenal's defense, flicked a pass to Eto'o who beat Almunia, brought on after Lehmann's sending off, with a great shot at the near post.  Four minutes later Larsson set up teammate Juliano Bellitti for a goal through Almunia's legs that gave the Catalans their first Champions League title in 14 years.

Arsenal's Thierry Henry could have scored four or five goals for the Gunners but was constantly denied by Barcelona's goalkeeper, Victor Valdes.  Henry was furious after the game at the officiating, calling it 'horrendous.'  Henry pointed the finger squarely at referee Terje Hauge.  Shaking his head as Hauge received his medal for the game, Henry couldn't help but be upset for the constantly kicking he had to endure throughout the game by Barcelona defenders Carles Puyol and Rafael Marquez saying '"It was more than difficult. Next time I'm going to learn how to dive maybe."

*  A couple quick notes from the game:

     -- This was Larsson's last game for Barcelona.  He will end his career playing in his native Sweden.  Not a bad way to finish as a Barca player.  The win also gave Celtic a spot directly into the group stages of the Champions League instead of having to qualify.  Thank you Henrik.

 Larsson was a God in Glasgow for Celtic.

     -- Henry said after the game about his future "I'll start to think about it tonight."  Think about a Barcelona side with Henry and the Cameroon international Eto'o with Ronaldinho slotted right behind them.  Not many defenses in the world can stop that.

 Ronaldinho and Henry shake hands before the game

     -- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger realized the team's future lies with the signing of Henry in the summer.  Arsenal's young squad will suffer deeply if they lose the Frenchman to Barcelona this summer.  Wenger said "We have many young players in our team. We have a big future as a big team but we need Thierry Henry to achieve that.  He has such an influence on our side and can help us become a major force in the world. He said he would sort it out before the World Cup and there's not long to wait now."

 Henry doesn't look satisfied with that second place medal around his neck

 

27 Days and Counting...

With the World Cup less than a month away, European football leagues are wrapping up and some big news is coming along with it.

 Mr Andriy Shevchenko would be a scary addition to the Chelsea line-up.

*  Andriy Shevchenko, one of the top 3 strikers in the world, has said he wants to leave AC Milan this summer.  Milan's President was talking to some kids a couple days ago when one kid said 'Shevchenko is my favorite player,' to which the President replied 'He wants to play in England.'  On another note, Chelsea's manager Jose Mourinho has said he wants to sign a striker this summer.  Tough call who he might be looking for. 

*  Chelsea are also on the verge of signing Germany and Bayern Munich midfielder, Michael Ballack.  Ballack is out of contract with the German side this summer and has said he wants to move abroad.  Ballack has met with Mourinho but nothing has been signed yet.  The German midfielder mentioned a couple days ago he will let his intentions known before the World Cup starts June 9 where he will be playing in the future.  One rumor has it that Ballack has asked Mourinho for a guaranteed starting spot and Mourinho has declined.  This has been fueling speculation Ballack might look elsewhere with Chelsea being absolutely loaded in the midfield.  Saturday was Ballack's last match for Munich as they won the German title.  The German side's fans aren't taking too kindly to him leaving this summer...read about it here.

 Liverpool's Steven Gerrard holds up the FA Cup trophy with his teammates.

*  Liverpool beat West Ham on Saturday in the 125th FA Cup Final on penalties, 3-1, after the game finished 3-3.  'Pools Steven Gerrard tied up the game in the 90th minute with a 30-yard volley that sent the game into extra time.  Read more about what many are calling the best FA Cup Final of recent times here at the BBC's website.

*  Juventus goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, is being investigated for betting on football games across Europe.  ESPN Soccernet reports "Juventus are one of four top Italian teams whose officials are under investigations for 'criminal association' and 'sporting fraud' in what has developed over the last few days into one of the biggest scandals to hit the game."  This is big news for Buffon, the world's most expensive goalkeeper.  On Monday, the Italian national side is to be announced for the World Cup.  This could put his place in lingo. 

*  The final of the UEFA Champion's League is Wednesday, May 17th, in Paris.  Barcelona, led by World Player of the Year Ronaldinho, face Arsenal and their all-world striker Thierry Henry.  For those of you who don't know what the Champions League is it's Europes club championships.  One big story line for the final is that Ronaldinho has been saying for month's he would love to have Henry (pronounced On-ree) in Barcelona next year.  Henry hasn't signed a contract extension with Arsenal.  His current contract ends at the end of next year and if Arsenal don't sign him he can leave the London side for free next summer. 

 One player I didn't think would be leaving Manchester for a long time, van Nistelrooy.

*  Manchester United and Holland striker, Ruud van Nistelrooy, and manager Alex Ferguson have been at odds for months about van Nistelrooy's playing time and starting spot with the English club.  The day before a testimonial match for Roy Keane, who left Man United for Scottish club, Celtic, last winter was to be played Ferguson told van Nistelrooy he wasn't going to be participating.  This may lead to van Nistelrooy out of Manchester this summer.  On a similar note, Ferguson has been to Lyon to watch star midfielder Mahamadou Diarra, who the manager sees as a long-term replacement for Keane.  Lyon officials are saying they would look into a player for player swap with van Nistelrooy for Diarra. 

*  27 days and counting until the world's most popular sport starts in Germany.  Who will take home the trophy?  David Beckham's England squad?  Ronaldinho and his loaded Brazilian squad?  How about the home squad Germany with all world star Michael Ballack?  How far can the USA go?  Dissecting the World Cup in the coming weeks.