Wimbledon 2008

[Don Wassall]

I'm not sure exactly when wooden rackets stopped being used completely by the pros, but I know there were lightweight aluminum ones being used during the '70s, because I still have one that I used back then, which was a lot like the one Connors used for almost his entire career.


Now the rackets aremade out of titanium and other alloys and are considerably bigger and somewhat lighter than the ones of 30 years ago.

 

[Guest]

Ali would also knock out every boxer today, and 200 pound linebackers would easily shut down a modern NFL offense.

Wait a minute. No they wouldn't. And McEnroe would lose in straight sets to Federer 20 times in a row.

 

[GWTJ]

I was watching McEnroe in one of those tennis exhibitions against Agassi a few years ago. Agassi was one of the top 3 players in the world and Mac was in his forties. When Agassi served it was no contest but when Mac served he was holding his own against him.

I have no doubt that Mac in his prime would/could beat any player from any era. He might not win 7 out of ten but his serve and volley game was as good as it gets.

In his time, Mac caught and replaced Borg as the #1 player in the world. I would not sell him short even against Federer.

 

[Don Wassall]

I was watching McEnroe in one of those tennis exhibitions against Agassi a few years ago. Agassi was one of the top 3 players in the world and Mac was in his forties. When Agassi served it was no contest but when Mac served he was holding his own against him.

I have no doubt that Mac in his prime would/could beat any player from any era. He might not win 7 out of ten but his serve and volley game was as good as it gets.

In his time, Mac caught and replaced Borg as the #1 player in the world. I would not sell him short even against Federer.

I agree. I couldn't stand McEnroe because of the way he comported himself, but at the top of his game he was an amazing player. Great volleyer, cat-like reflexes.


Connors was my favorite player, though he toolike McEnroewas in great need of a few beatdowns.Connors was comparable to Agassi -- masterful at returning service, could hit the ball on the rise as well as anyone and with deadly accuracy.


McEnroe, Connors, Nastasi, those guys were a-holes much like many of today's black athletes. Thankfully that kind of classless behavior was subsequently rejected by white tennis players and white athletes in general.Edited by: Don Wassall

 

[guest301]

Ali would also knock out every boxer today, and 200 pound linebackers would easily shut down a modern NFL offense.

Wait a minute. No they wouldn't. And McEnroe would lose in straight sets to Federer 20 times in a row.

No he wouldn't. McEnroe was one of the best and nobody that has ever played would beat him 20 times in a row as you put it(straght sets too). You can't possibly believe what you posted. In fact, McEnroe's left handed serve and volley game in his prime would give Federer fits.

 

[Matra1]

I'm tired of the veiled criticisms of Tim Henman from the NBC/ESPN commentators. They keep emphasising that Andy Murray and his family show more emotion than Tim Henman and his parents and wife. In doing so they are implying that Murray's behaviour is preferable to the "stiff upper lip" Henman. Personally speaking I find all the fist pumping and screaming after winning a point to be low class and childish. Unfortunately even the British themselves now seem into all this "American"-style public emoting, especially since Diana's death. At this rate rugby players will be expected to do a Chad Johnson dance/performance after scoring a try or they'll be accused of not caring.

 

[guest301]

The fist pumping and "come on" stuff doesn't bother me any. I don't mind emotion in sports, it's more the trash talking and over celebrating that bothers me. I liked the quiet and reserved Henman as well and wish he had won Wimbledon before he retired.

 

[GiovaniMarcon]

I think it's worth noting that while the media tends to give more attention to showboating loudmouths (both white and black) than to athletes who simply do their job with humility and competence, the American public in general (perhaps as a result of TV's influence) likes to see "white jerks" go down in flames where as "black jerks" are supposed to be idolized as if they're "juss doin' they thing".

Point? Whites are held to a higher moral standard than blacks, and it extends to sportsmanship.

 

[Kaptain]

Is there a men's final this year or is it just the women's? Just wondering - been watching ESPN again.

 

[Kaptain]

Or perhaps they took a look at the women in the finals and declared it the Men's final.

 

[Poacher]

Federer just crushed Safin. On to the finals.

Nadal advances.

Media sharpening their knives.Edited by: Poacher

 

[Guest]

Look like Venus won

 

[Weltner]

Look like Venus won

Thanks, all you lower-seeded nobodies, for knocking off the top 5 seeds, allowing the Williams Sisters(?)/Brothers(?)/Hermaphrodytes to cruise to their totally undeserved trophies. Thanks for NOTHING!!!!

 

[Guest]

Look like Venus won

Thanks, all you lower-seeded nobodies, for knocking off the top 5 seeds, allowing the Williams Sisters(?)/Brothers(?)/Hermaphrodytes to cruise to their totally undeserved trophies. Thanks for NOTHING!!!!

How are their trophies undeserved ?. They won their matches to get to the finals. And in truth there was nobody out there that i would have bet money on the beat the williams sisters.

Henin is the only player that i would bet money on to beat the Williams Sisters

 

[Don Wassall]

How are their trophies undeserved ?. They won their matches to get to the finals. And in truth there was nobody out there that i would have bet money on the beat the williams sisters.

Henin is the only player that i would bet money on to beat the Williams Sisters

And you post on Caste Football because, what, blackathlete.com has suspended new user registrations?

 

[Iron]

It would be gut wrenching to see Federer lose this final when he's so close to history.Nadals a great tennis player,great athlete but he posseses no where near Federers natural talent.This rivalrys similar in many ways to the Graf/Seles rivalry of the early 90's where for a time Seles because of her intensity and guile started to dominate their head to heads even though most would have considered Graf the better natural player.Hopefully Nadals not in Federers head to much.

 

[Poacher]

Fed down 2 sets to 0. He dropped the first set but had Nadal down 4-1 in the second but still lost. Not looking good.

Rain delay.

Maybe that's what Fed needed, some divine intervention. He's got a solid chance at 5-4 in the third to take the set. We'll see.

5-5 in the third. Federer cannot win a big point to save his life. 12 break chances and he's converted one.

OMG! Fed has just forced a fifth set! Epic!

Well, that's it. Nadal got him. Too many unforced errors and too many break chances squandered by Fed.Edited by: Poacher

 

[Don Wassall]

I don't think there are sufficient superlatives in the English language to describe how good that match was.

I was rooting for Federer but Nadal is a very deserving champion. Both are tremendous athletes and were still going full boor after 4 1/2 hours. I'd love to see a representative of the "superior athletic race" do that.

 

[Poacher]

I don't think there are sufficient superlatives in the English language to describe how good that match was.

I was rooting for Federer but Nadal is a very deserving champion. Both are tremendous athletes and were still going full boor after 4 1/2 hours. I'd love to see a representative of the "superior athletic race" do that.

Yes. It was competition at the highest level. Nadal doesn't know how to quit.

 

[white lightning]

Out here where I live, the hispanics are going crazy becuause anyone from the spanish to the italians, they claim to be part of LaRaza/The Race. They will say that a hispanic won Wimbledon when we know what the truth is. What will the media do? I'll bet it will be just like Tony Romo. He can't be white. He is hispanic pure through and through.

What a great match. Both guys played with an intensity rarely seen. I was rooting for Federer but Nadal pulled it off. I hate the way Nadal dresses, and screams like a woman when he hits the ball but he is very talented. I give him his credit. He was classy as well in the speech. Hopefully we will have more classics to come in the future. Federer is not done yet. Not by a long shot!

 

[Poacher]

I don't think Fed has lost anything either, more like Rafa has elevated his game.

 

[darthvader]

That could be the greatest tennis match I have ever seen and maybe will see in the future. I was rooting for federer as well but nadal deserved it. Right now nadal is federer's kryptonite and will be unless federer develops his groundstrokes. That's where nadal has the advantage. Federer relies too much on his artistry because nadal simply wears him down and hits the ball with alot of topspin which could be why federer had too many unforced errors. Federer has to hit the weights not to the point where he becomes so big that he loses his agility but just enough where he can pound those groundstrokes and pin nadal to the baseline much like agassi did to his opponents. So far this has not been a good year for federer and he may not win the us open but I know he will be back for sure because he has to much talent.&nbsp ;

 

[white is right]

Out here where I live, the hispanics are going crazy becuause anyone from the spanish to the italians, they claim to be part of LaRaza/The Race. They will say that a hispanic won Wimbledon when we know what the truth is. What will the media do? I'll bet it will be just like Tony Romo. He can't be white. He is hispanic pure through and through.

What a great match. Both guys played with an intensity rarely seen. I was rooting for Federer but Nadal pulled it off. I hate the way Nadal dresses, and screams like a woman when he hits the ball but he is very talented. I give him his credit. He was classy as well in the speech. Hopefully we will have more classics to come in the future. Federer is not done yet. Not by a long shot!

Spaniards consider themselves white. There is no denying that. He isn't Geurillmo Villas (who was an Argentine) who could also say he is Latino. As for the match it was outstanding theater. I still think Federer lost the match as Nadal won the match. If Federer stops his unforced errors he can reign again.

 

[GWTJ]

I too, was rooting for Federer a lot. But by the 5th set, I was much more ok with Nadal winning. Not only did he earn my respect with his play, but so did his father. I noticed that when Federer hit a great winner, Nadal's dad clapped for the quality shot he saw.

I like that. We do the same thing in baseball. A great play gets applauded even if it was made by the other team. A class family! Congratulations to the whole Nadal family!

 

[Bart]

Roger kept coming back when it seemed he was going under. He gathered a bit of momentum, but the rain delay halted the action. You'd think the extra rest would have given him the edge as he had time to recharge his batteries. He missed several easy shots though, and Nadal was very, very opportunistic. Great match by two fabulously talented and athletic shot makers.