Monthly Archives: August 2013

Fed the Spoiler

Posted on August 28, 2013 | 7 comments

The idiomatic nature of language is a funny thing. Roger Federer can probably attest to that more than just about anyone since it seems he speaks about a thousand languages – he actually speaks four fluently and bits of others. Federer has mastered his languages much as he has mastered his play on the tennis court, with a grace and panache that is generally found at a cocktail party, not a sporting event. Federer’s poise has the remarkable ability to humble fans while at the same time endearing them to his manner. It would take a thorough review of a thesaurus to make a comprehensive list of the glowing adjectives used to describe Federer throughout his career, yet perhaps the one word (and its many variations) that best describes him and his success is: spoiler.

Federer cemented his place in the tennis world with a great big spoiler. Then a 19 year old up-and-comer, Federer defeated four time defending champion Pete Sampras in the quarters of Wimbledon 2001. Looking back at that match, it seems scripted that the greatest grass court champion of his generation, Sampras, would lose and in many ways pass the torch to the man, Federer, who would go on to break Sampras’ own record of all time Grand Slam titles. It wasn’t until 2003 that Federer broke through for his first title at the All England Club, which was also the first of the record 17 Slams, but that spoiler against Sampras remains one of the most iconic moments in a dazzling career.

Over the next decade Federer didn’t do a whole lot. He only broke or tied just about every single Open Era record that tennis has to offer. He only completed a career Grand Slam, and was only the most dominant man in sports. There were points when that dominance was borderline boring. He spoiled fans and for that we became complacent. Rafael Nadal entered to provide a rival for Federer, but even the greatest clay court player of all time could only slightly slow Federer from plowing through the record books with more verve than James Bond.

2003-2013 should forevermore be declared the decade of Roger. So complete was his mastery (and spoiling) of his sport that fans and media actually began to act entitled when it came to his success. His recent “decline” is the most indicative pulse of that achievement. For the first time in his career the tennis world has questioned Fed. He is out of the top four in the world rankings for the first time since the Wimbledon title in 03. He has only one Slam title since the beginning of 2010 (Wimbledon 2012). He lost in the second round of Wimbledon this year, his first lost before the quarters of a Slam since 2004, a streak of 36 quarterfinals. He only has one individual tour title all year (Gerry Weber Open). Yet despite all that perceived decline, Federer still finds himself a Top Ten player (7th) and in good health for his age.

Often taken for granted over Federer’s run, was that health. The man – besides a case of mono – never seemed to miss any time on the court. In fact he barely ever saw a trainer. That itself spoiled us. Nadal brings a lot to the table, but coming off a seven month lay-off for his knees, many already question how long Nadal can keep it up. Having recently turned 32, Federer looks as if he could keep playing at a high level – not by his standards, but by mortal ones – for at least a few more years. It’s unclear whether he might hang up the racket early if he isn’t achieving his desired success, but Federer has always been hyper competitive and has a love for the game that seems unmatched, so I wouldn’t bet on him retiring any time soon.

Coming off that disappointing defeat at Wimbledon, Fed finds himself with much to prove at this U.S. Open. He arrives at Flushing Meadows with the role of spoiler back on his shoulders – not the spoiler of fans, as he was for his decade, but once again spoiler of the draw. Not many pundits are not giving the Swiss legend much of a chance, but the man is still the gold standard for the “golden era” of men’s tennis. The fact that Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, and Nadal are still in the primes of their respective illustrious careers doesn’t give many other men much of a chance, but Fed is not another man, he is a tennis demi-god. Until that gorgeous one-handed backhand, that impeccable court movement, that flair for creativity, and that overbearing forehand retire from the game with him, Fed will continue to spoil in every way. Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone, but with Federer it isn’t hard to see we’ve got a legend. Keep spoiling us with your tennis artistry, Roger, we promise to enjoy every moment.

7 Comments

Posted in Tennis

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Fantasyland

Posted on August 23, 2013 | 2 comments

 Last Friday I picked up former Saints and Colts coach Jim Mora from his hotel. Among the many promo shoots he had to do that day, Mora still found time to talk football. The conversation eventually found itself on the topic of fantasy football. Pushing eighty these days, Mora is still as sharp as ever. When you hear a former NFL head coach speak, you generally are inclined to listen. Mora said that he doesn’t like fantasy football because it’s not like real football. Though he was not actually arguing in favor of the recreation, he was speaking to it’s biggest appeal: fantasy football is make believe, wonderfully delicious make believe.

Fantasy is an alternate reality: a supplement for a football crazed nation, a side-dish for team diehards to chow down on, a little dose of crazy to go with a big dose of testosterone. The concept is brilliant in it’s ego massaging essence. Letting an individual have the chance to create that one great team is something any frustrated sports fan is inclined to jump at. Fantasy adds an element of control that is nowhere to be found in reality sports (my name for recreation played on a field rather than a computer). Of course it’s easy to forget that a good fantasy player isn’t necessarily a winner on the field, and vice-versa, but don’t bother mentioning that during a good, old-fashioned  “water cooler” argument.

The craze of fantasy football was born back in the early sixties. Some members of the Oakland Raiders front office and a few journalists created the GOPPPL (Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League), a touchdown only scoring entity that exists to this day. Since then the virtual sport has undergone many evolutions. The advent of computers let the scoring and logistics become more fluid and less time consuming –  you wouldn’t know that given the hours I spend glued to a screen in hopes of squeezing a few extra points out of my backup wide receiver slot. As the game has become more organized and eventually corporate, it has became an opiate for adults missing the joys of elementary competition. It is estimated that anywhere from 27 to 47 million people play fantasy football each fall, and the business side produces upwards of 1 billion dollars annually. Perhaps even more telling is that a study conducted in the fall of 2012 estimated that over the course of a the fantasy football season (NFL season), employed players cost their businesses a combined 6.5 billion dollars. Though the winning and losing may be virtual, that number certainly isn’t. Leagues also often feature a buy in and money prize, but the real plunder is bragging rights and the opportunity to lord over your friends or co-workers. That spirit of fantasy domination has even been adapted into a TV comedy, The League (if you’re not a fan of fantasy football or sports, the show is still an absolute riot).

Fantasy football is taxing, traumatic fun. Depending on where you finish in your league it can be the height of sports utopia, or a 1984 like culture of oppression. Whether you end up on Mount Olympus with the fantasy gods, or deep in the heart of Hades’ underworld with other hapless team owners, the journey getting there is a lively, spirited obsession that can break friendships, ruin minds, and make Sunday the most stressful day of the week. For all you fantasy lovers, go decimate your league and bask in the glory of an artificial victory high! For you newcomers, come on in, the water is just fine – and very addictive.

2 Comments

Posted in Football

Tagged , , , , ,

Simply Isner

Posted on August 18, 2013 | 2 comments

With Andy Roddick’s announcement that he would retire from tennis after the 2012 U.S. Open, American men’s tennis seemed in a world of trouble. With no heir apparent, the mantle of top U.S. dog found itself alone on the broad shoulders of a lanky giant. John Isner was not unknown, but perhaps his most famous moment was the longest professional match in history against Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon in 2010. Suddenly, by default, Isner found himself in the most prominent position of his career, not by some personal victory, but by another player’s career decision.

Isner was a late bloomer. He didn’t turn pro in his teens, forgoing the circuit for a four year career at the University of Georgia. As a Bulldog, Isner was an All-American and a national champion, but collegiate success does not generally lend itself to a hyper-successful pro career. However, Isner has one thing that most tennis players – pro or not – don’t have: a 6’10” frame.

Currently the second tallest player on tour (Ivo Karlovic is 2cm taller), Isner has turned that height into perhaps the best serve in the game today. The pace and angles that his height affords has made for a relatively simple style of play: serve big and hope your forehand creates some break opportunities.

That recipe has made him a staple in the Top 25, and even allowed a brief time in the Top 10. But though the height and frame makes his serve great, to this point in his career it has stymied the growth of the rest of his game. Because of the massive talent on the tour, Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, and the rest, Isner has been exposed at times, being forced to lumber around the court.

Isner’s matches offer an interesting juxtaposition, both tactically and physically. His prowess on serve combined with his struggles in the return game leads to a lot of holds on both sides. The marathon match against Mahut was actually just an exaggeration of the rule, not the exception, for Isner. The drawn out play takes more of a toll on the big fella that it does on most of his opponents, and because Isner is so attuned to his strengths and weaknesses, the matches become even further exaggerated the longer they play out: Isner putting his energy in his serves, and then conserving it on returns.

To this point, that style has allowed Isner to pull off some huge upsets, while too often falling to some lesser opponents. This past week in Cincinnati demonstrated why he can compete with the best, and even with his fantastic play illustrated some of the weaknesses of the power game.

A three day run of beating Top 10 players is impressive. When one of those players is Djokovic, it makes it all the more so. Isner did that this week thanks to that big serve and some timely forehands. And what did he get rewarded with? That would be a date with the scorching hot Rafael Nadal. Isner played about as well as he could today. He didn’t face a single break point in the match, but eventually lost in both tie breaks. Though he played well, the match was a nut-shell for Isner. He didnt have many chances, and Nadal’s well rounded game saw most prolonged rallies fall the Spaniard’s way. But Nadal was also almost hopeless on Isner’s serve. With a few minor improvements to his ground game and court movement (easier said than done considering his size), Isner probably would have taken this match, and the Western and Southern title along with it.

With those adjustments there is no reason Isner should not be a fixture in the Top 10 himself. His serve and forehand give him the ability to go on impressive streaks. At this point it’s about limiting the dips in energy and focus that make him susceptible. After a tough first half of the season that saw Isner deal with the injury bug, the big man has put himself in a great position heading into the U.S. Open next week. Realistically a semi-final birth would be more than even Isner could hope for, but if he serves big and is aggressive on the returns it is very concievable that result is in his future. He will never be as good as Roddick maybe, and won’t challenge for a number one ranking anytime soon, but for Isner and his simple power, the big boy title in U.S. tennis is a mantle he deserves in every way.

Notes:

Seven of the fourteen sets Isner played this week went to a tiebreak.

Isner defeated Raonic, Djokovic, and Del Potro in consecutive days.

With his runner-up finish, Isner rises to fourteenth in the world and receives a top sixteen seeding for the Open.

2 Comments

Posted in Tennis

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

A Summer to Remember for U.S. Soccer

Posted on August 14, 2013 | 5 comments

Jurgen Klinsmann took over the United States Men’s National Team in late July of 2011 with much fanfare. Some questioned the hire, but there was no doubt that the former German international and coach brought a pedigree and validity that was unseen in his predecessors, Bob Bradley and Bruce Arenas. The Klinsmann era began with a 1-1 draw against bitter rivals Mexico thanks to a Brek Shea goal.

From there started a stretch of almost two years that saw Klinsmann’s lead questioned. Fans and media alike were perplexed as to why the changes by Klinsmann weren’t bearing any positive fruit. The team was not getting results against opponents big or small. By the early part of this year there were some already calling for a change in direction. A slow start to World Cup Qualifying added further fuel to the fire of the rumor mill.

To his credit, Klinsmann never wavered. He stayed the course and believed in his system and players. That faith, to the relief of many fans, was finally rewarded this summer.

Heading into a two month stretch that lined up three World Cup qualifiers, the Gold Cup, and a handful of friendlies against staunch European opponents, the outlook was not overly positive given the team’s lackluster form. The first game, May 29th against Belgium did little to ease the minds of the U.S. faithful. The Americans were thoroughly outclassed, 4-2, by a young and upcoming Belgian squad led by Aston Villa frontman Christian Benteke who netted a brace.

Just four days later, the U.S. hosted the Germans in DC. Admittedly the Germans didn’t bring their full arsenal of players, many of whom were resting after the Champions League final that involved domestic clubs Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. That, however, did little to reassure that the U.S. wouldn’t get thrashed again. To the surprise of many, and aided by some poor German goal keeping, the Americans were able to hold off a late flurry for a 4-3 win. Even more importantly were the contributions from regulars Clint Dempsey who chipped in with a brace and Jozy Altidore who added another goal.

There was still skepticism around the team going forward, but at least they weren’t heading into the all important qualifying matches on the heals of a loss.

On June 7th the U.S. packed their bags and headed down to Kingston to face the Jamaicans. Despite the setting, this trip was not about reggae and beach bumming. Klinsmann made it clear that the team was all business.

The game was not a signature performance by any stretch. The Americans took the lead thanks to a Altidore strike in the 30th minute. That looked to be enough until a Jermaine Beckford strike tied it up for the home team in the 89th minute. Fortunately, some stoppage time dramatics from the unlikely source of defender Brad Evans salvaged a full three points for the U.S.

The trip to Kingston was a success on paper, but the performance left a lot of room for chatter, with many claiming good fortune as a main component of the result. However, the trip to the Caribbean island did seem to wake up a player that American fans seemed to have given up on just a year ago.

Altidore was supposed to be the goal scoring savior of American soccer. He made his senior team debut in 2007 against South Africa just days after turning 18. Jozy, though, never quite lived up to the hype. He bounced around various club teams, and he always seemed a bit lost for the national side, too often letting the play come to him instead of vice-versa. He scored some goals, but fans often didn’t like the inconsistency of his play. The summer of 2011 saw Altidore sign with Dutch squad AZ Alkmaar of the Eredivisie. His first season with the team was a solid one that finished with him as the seventh leading goal scorer in the league. Nonetheless, his performance with the national team still wasn’t up to snuff. But his second season with AZ saw the New Jersey born striker really come alive. Altidore shredded the Dutch League on his way to 23 goals, most ever by an American player in a European league.

With the national team seemingly stuck in a rut, it was imperative that Altidore translate his club success into national contribution if the Americans were going to have a successful summer. Boy did he ever. After Jamaica, Altidore scored the winning goal in the next two Word Cup qualifiers, victories over Panama (2-0) and Honduras (1-0) respectively. The U.S. team found themselves suddenly in prime position in the hexagonal and well on track to qualifying for Brazil 2014.

After the Honduras fixture, the Americans turned their sights on a different test: the Gold Cup. The North American tournament, run by CONCACAF, is a bi-annual affair that affords the winner a chance to compete at the Confederations Cup. The Gold Cup, often a tournament that sees national teams testing out young players, is not held in as high regard as other competitions. For Jurgen Klinsmann, though, it was the perfect place to get some new young blood into the team, as well as welcome back an old familiar face, one Landon Donovan.

Donovan returned to the national team after a long hiatus, and though he is perhaps the most recognizable American soccer player of the last decade, he found himself having to prove he belonged if he wanted any shot of making the squad for Brazil.

Well the tournament was a rousing success, both for the team and Donovan. The Americans smashed their way through to a Gold Cup crown on the heals of Donovan’s dominant play. His effort was rewarded with the Golden Ball (given to the tournament’s most valuable player). Donovan during the tournament also became the first international player to record 50 assists and 50 goals for his national team, a pretty remarkable achievement given the current talent in world football.

The victory in the Gold Cup left the Americans with a national record eleven straight wins, and a friendly date with Bosnia and Herzegovina before resuming qualifying for the Word Cup in September.

Like Belgium, the Bosnians are an up and coming young team. On top of their own group for Word Cup qualifying, they came into the match with a country best FIFA ranking of thirteen.

The first half saw the Americans fall behind quickly 1-0 thanks to some poor defending and a good second effort from Man City striker Edin Dzeko. By halftime the deficit had been doubled, and already the grumblings were starting again: the U.S. can only beat lesser opponents, they always struggle against the big boys. it was only a matter of time before they started playing poorly again.

Enter Mr. Altidore. The Americans came roaring out of the second half gate with Altidore supplying an assist to Seattle Sounders man Eddie Johnson, who himself had a great Gold Cup. After that Altidore was done sharing, netting a sublime second half hat-trick highlighted by a stunning 25 yard freekick into the upper left corner. A late goal by Dzeko made it 4-3, but the Americans escaped with perhaps their most impressive, and first come-from behind-victory, of Klinsmann’s tenure. Though only a friendly, the performance was an absolute treat, not only for fans of the American team, but also for fans of soccer in general.

Perhaps the only down moment of the summer was yet another devastating injury to midfielder Stuart Holden, who had just worked his way back into the national fold. Holden tore his ACL in the final of the Gold Cup against Panama.

Next up for the Americans is a trip to Costa Rica on September 6th when they resume qualifying. They have four qualifiers left, and it all wraps up on October 15th with another journey to Central America to face Panama.

The U.S. haven’t cemented their place on the world stage just yet, but just six months removed from calls for Klinsmann’s job, the country finds itself in the midst of the most successful spell in National Team history. I say enjoy the ride, because it has been a blast so far.

Notes:

The current twelve game win streak is the longest in the world, and seventh longest all time. Spain holds the all time record with fifteen straight victories.

Altidore’s streak of a goal in five straight matches is the longest in U.S. National history.

Donovan is the all time leader in both assists and goals for the National Team.

5 Comments

Posted in Soccer

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Jerry Romig: Voice of the Saints

Posted on August 14, 2013 | Leave a comment

Sports and their voices often become synonymous. Vin Scully and the Dodgers, Harry Caray and the Cubs, Dick Vitale and Men’s College Basketball, Marv Albert and the NBA. For fans these voices become as recognizable and familiar as the players and sports themselves, a sort of stable, guiding light. For over forty-four years that guide for Saints fans has been Jerry Romig.

Romig began his career at sixteen working for the Times-Picayune and after an almost seventy year career spanning everything from production, to writing, to the announcing he was most known for, Romig informed the Saints this afternoon that his last game behind the mic would be this Friday.

Romig has never once missed a Saints home game in his time as announcer, a stretch that spans 445 games, 446 on Friday. That dedication and endurance was not lost on Saints fans, many of whom were sad to hear the legend would be hanging up his microphone. But in true New Orleans fashion many celebrated the memories of a voice and man they grew to love.

This afternoon I was lucky enough to conduct an interview with Mr. Romig for WDSU at his home in Harahan. On the drive over to his house there was a large billboard for McDonald’s promoting their affiliation with the Saints. In the middle of the billboard was one phrase: “It’s Good!” Along with “Firstdown Saints,” “It’s Good!” is Romig’s most famous call, and one he yells after each Saint’s made field goal or extra point. The Golden Arches taking advantage of the golden voice of the black and gold, well it all fits rather nicely together.

Romig doesn’t move very well these days. A fall at the Super Dome led to two back surgeries, and was ultimately the reason he decided to call it quits, but the man still has the same voice and passion for Saints football. He has fond memories of his time: from Tom Dempsey’s record breaking kick at old Tulane Stadium, to the Saints win over the Vikings in the NFC Championship Game that sent the franchise to its first Super Bowl. For Romig, though, the most special part about his announcement is not looking back to the memories of the past, but rather looking forward to the future. That’s because Romig’s son Mark will be taking over his father’s post, rightfully keeping a Romig in the box.

When the Saints take the field to open the season against the Falcons on September 8th, fans in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome will be missing out on Romig’s famous calls, but dont worry, he will still be in the announcer’s box enjoying the games and guiding his son much in the way he guided Saints fans for over forty years.

Notes:

Romig will call Friday’s game against the Raiders, his last time in the booth.

The Saints will honor Romig before the season opener against the Falcons with a Super Bowl  XLIV ring, and will also rename the house control booth the “Jerry Romig House Control Booth.”

Romig announced the first four Super Bowls held in New Orleans as well as every Sugar Bowl and BCS bowl held at the Mercedez-Benz Superdome.

Leave a comment

Posted in Football

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Baseball’s Methodical March

Posted on August 13, 2013 | 4 comments

As I sit down to write this, the Baltimore Orioles just got through battling back to tie their game against the Diamondbacks in the ninth, only for Adam Eaton to hit the first pitch of the bottom half of the inning over the fence and into a pool. Yes, that would be the literal pool at Chase Field.

The 7-6 walk off win sent the Diamondbacks pouring from the dugout, and the Orioles headed to the showers. A claw-it-out top of the ninth erased on one pitch in the next frame. In another sport that might mean weeks, months, or even years for the chance to get even, but this is baseball, and these two teams will be dueling it out in less than 24 hours.

Baseball is long. There are complaints of games stretching out to the point that people lose interest. The season lasts from April into the first days of November some years. That doesn’t even count spring training. The history of the game is longer still. Baseball isn’t going to hold everyone’s attention and that’s fine. For the baseball lifers, however, it’s as much about the rich mystique of bygone days as it is about the wins and losses of the current season. It’s as much about the meticulous analysis and fluidity of advanced statistics as it is about the more cosmetic home runs  and stolen bases. It’s as much about hot dogs and hats as it is about bats and balls. The great thing is, each of those little footnotes makes up a new chapter everyday. There is a sense of intense pride in keeping up with all that, certainly not a feeling of boredom.

Football is king in this country. There is no disputing that. I enjoy football as much as the next guy, but whenever I hear people complaining about how boring baseball is in comparison, I have a hard time understanding. When you take into account the fact that football is played once a week, features by some estimates less than eleven minutes of actual action, and that each telecast is about one third commercials, it becomes a lot less exciting. Football lacks rhythm and pacing. Sure once the play starts it has the chance to be exciting, but waiting six days, hearing the same stories rehashed all week, and then seeing your team have about five minutes of offense a game doesn’t exactly scream balls to the wall excitement.

Baseball at the very least gives new material every day. Miguel Cabrera chips in with a nightly highlight, and Chris Davis answers with a home run. Keep watching and Yasiel Puig and Mike Trout continue the fire power out west. Whether it is the ongoing re-surgence of the Buckos, or the nosedive of the Yanks and Nats, baseball gives you more and more data everyday. Even the historically bad Astros are a fun, morbid follow these days.

Baseball isn’t more boring, it just requires more effort. It’s easy to be a football fan. The games are conveniently bunched on the average person’s off day. If you miss a game, the major stories will be talked about all week. If you need to stuff your face with chips, or go to the bathroom to do the opposite, you have ample time to do so. Baseball, on the other hand, is a daily regiment. You miss a game and it snowballs. The news cycle changes. Baseball doesn’t hold your hand and slow down for you to keep up, it just keeps on chugging, not fast, but steady. It’s easy to miss things  if you aren’t tenacious and that makes it a frustrating follow at times. But like anything else, the time put into baseball is rewarding. You get out what you put in.

So the next time you hear someone say baseball is boring (heaven forbid that person be you), remember that baseball gives you a lot more highlights, playing time, statistics, and overpriced beer, hotdogs, and ice cream to be bored about.

4 Comments

Posted in Baseball, Football

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

The Beginning

Posted on August 12, 2013 | 6 comments

After some hounding from friends and family I decided to take the plunge and create a blog. My association with sports and sports media has left me with an opinion and one that I want to share. I can’t promise this blog will always have a central theme, but it will be a place for me to comment on sports stories both in an athletic context, as well as a larger social one. If there is anything – a story, a specific athlete, or even a sport – you as a reader think I should comment on feel free to let me know. Feedback is always appreciated, and I’m excited to share my thoughts with you!

Cheers,

Grayson Osgood

6 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized