Thoughts on Wimbledon

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer out by the second round.  Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka also.  Serena Williams ousted before the quarterfinals.  The last four days of Wimbledon must have been horrible.

Or maybe not.

Congratulations to Andy Murray especially.  Finally a Brit winning Wimbledon.

Congratulations to Marion Bartoli.  Wins the championship without dropping a set.

The championship matches did not live up to what took place two days prior, respectively.  Murray and Bartoli dispensed of Novak Djokovic and Sabine Lisicki in straight sets.  Props to Murray and Bartoli.  They both played very, very well.

On the women's side, Lisiscki was gassed, both mentally and physically.  A three set win over Serena in the round of sixteen in which she was down 3-0 in the third set only to come back. Then in the semis, she pulled the same trick on Agnieska Radwanska.  Finally winning 9-7 in the third.

One of the most entertaining matches on the WTA we have seen in recent years.

But that was only a prelude to the Djokovic match against Juan Martin del Potro.  A five set insta-classic.

Both gentlemen battled, gutted, dug deep.  The fourth set tie-break, won by Del Potro, should be played on a loop on the Tennis Channel when they are lacking for programming.  We would watch.  It was that good.

Djoker will get another Wimbledon at some point.  Maybe Lisicki will get her first.

The finals were a celebration of Murray and Bartoli, not a referendum on Djoker and Lisicki.

Things just got interesting going into the hard court season.  US Open, we can't wait.

NFL Preseason: Avoid at All Cost

I enjoy the NFL. I follow the NFL. The NFL is great.

The NFL also has a huge scam going on the with fans. It's called the preseason. It's the worst excuse for football that is put out for public consumption. A bunch of 6-year-olds playing flag football is better.

From what I hear, some people actually watched the first NFL preseason game, the Hall of Fame Game. I'm sad for those people. For the rest of us, here's all you need to know to get you through until the real games begin.

What to look for: An escape. A back door.Plausible deniability. A conveniently timed illness. A sudden urge to take up hot yoga. A neglected dog to walk. A "CSI" marathon. Anything.

How to interpret what you see: You cannot. Because if you were smart, you didn't see a thing. If you did happen to see anything, it means nothing to the average fan. It's all evaluations for who gets the 53rd roster spot.

What to take from the final score: Nothing. The final score means nothing. Preseason records mean nothing. You shouldn't even care.

How to avoid watching: Take an interest in MLB baseball, ATP and WTA tennis, mow the lawn, clean the house, go out for dinner, play with the kids, take in a movie, wash your hair, read a book, anything. As a sports fan, I immerse myself in the pennant races that are heating up in MLB, the tennis tournaments leading up to the US Open and the US Open itself. There's also golf, which is really good if you need a nap. 

What to do if it seems like viewing is imminent: Immediately find a sharp pointy object and stab yourself in the hand, skillfully avoiding any nerves, tendons and ligaments. Make sure it requires stitches so a trip to the ER is unavoidable.

See you in September.