The Sports Rumors

Today’s Rundown 9/3

*Pedro Martinez returned for the New York Mets today and threw his 3000^th career strikeout in the process.  Martinez helped the Mets cruise to a 10-4 victory over the Reds and improve their record to 77-60.  Martinez pitched five innings, while throwing 76 pitches, striking out four, walking three, and giving up two runs.  The Mets now lead the division by five games over the Philadelphia Phillies. 

*While the Mets were winning, the team across town was losing to the Mariners by a score of 7-1.  The Yankees dropped their second straight game and the Mariners won their first game in ten contests.  To make matters worse, Roger Clemens elbow had some tightness and was taken for an MRI after the game.  The Mariners have cut the Yankees wildcard lead to one game, with two games remaining in the Bronx. 

*New York Giants crybaby defensive end Michael Strahan has ended his holdout and reported to Giants’ camp today.  The seven time pro bowler missed all of camp and all four preseason games, costing him over half a million dollars in fines.  Really makes no difference if he’s there or not because the Giants are going to be terrible.  If I were the running the Giants, I wouldn’t even want Strahan and his baggage back.  Save the money, the cap space, and get that loudmouth over the hill bum out of New York.  But what do I know. 

*The Cleveland Browns have selected Charlie Frye to be their starter for week one.  Yeah, Frye really is best for the future of the Browns.  Not the quarterback you drafted 22^nd overall and has all the potential.  Whatever, it’s the Browns.  I don’t know why I even bother reporting on them. 

*James Blake lost in five sets in the U.S. Open and Andy Roddick advanced in just two.  Roddick has to beat Feliciano Lopez Monday night and his reward is a matchup with No.1 seeded Roger Federer.  I heard that Federer guy is pretty good, and I also heard that he owns Roddick.  Yeah, I heard something along those lines. 

Today’s Rundown 7/31

*Last night, the college football season kicked off and there were some major throttlings that occurred courtesy of LSU, Louisville, Boise State and Rutgers.  I knew the games wouldn’t be close but wow, didn’t think people would get spanked like that in week one.  The aforementioned teams outscored their opponents, if you even want to call them that, by a margin of 212-20.  Yes, you read correctly.  Two Hundred and Twelve points to Twenty.  Of the four teams that won, I think Louisville looked the best, by far.  Brian Brohm, the Heisman hopeful quarterback who I predict will be the first overall pick to the Falcons next year, looked phenomenal.  Yes I realize that he was playing Murray St. but don’t tell me that 16/21 for 375 yards and 4 touchdowns along with a rushing touchdown, ALL IN THE FIRST HALF, isn’t impressive.  The Cardinals scored 73 and easily could have scored 100 if they wanted to.  I’d say that’s a good start. 

LSU dominated Mississippi St. as well with a 45-0 beating, but they didn’t look AS dominant as I had thought they would (which is great because my Virginia Tech Hokies are going to shock them in Baton Rouge in week two of the season).  Their offensive line looked spotty and made some of the guys on Mississippi St. look like they played for Texas instead.  However, 45-0 is still a damn good start no matter who you play. 

Boise St. and Rutgers looked good as well but it’s hard for me to get excited for college football teams located in Idaho and New Jersey.  Sorry, I’m just being real. 

*American Tennis star James Blake, ranked sixth, defeated Fabrice Santoro in a match that lasted 3 hours and 25 minutes.  I really don’t know too much about how this went other than Blake won and it was a long, grueling match. It’s good to see an American tennis player doing well.  You can check out the details of the match by clicking the link above.

*A high school student was suspended for tricking fans of an opposing rival to hold up signs that collectively read “We Suck.”  The student was suspended from school for three days and all extracurricular activities because the prank showed lack of sportsmanship. 

Wow, how terrible and absurd is that?  This kid tricked a number of people all at once to make a complete fool of themselves in some harmless, fan-vs.-fan fun and he is being punished for it like he brought a knife to school.  It irks me when principals of high schools think they are Roger Goodell and come down with unrealistic and harsh punishments for kids who are having a good time with a clean prank.  No one’s car was vandalized, a battery wasn’t launched from the stands at an opposing player, no one was in a fist fight, racial slurs weren’t yelled, kids didn’t show up drunk to the game.  Those are reason’s to be suspended.  Not for tricking some bozo fans from your rival to hold up a sign that says “We Suck.”  My hat’s off to the kid and the principal should take a hard look at what warrants a suspension and what doesn’t.  Jerk.

Quick Thoughts on Federer v Nadal

Originally, I was going to write a whole column about this rivalry and break it down from all different aspects. Then I realized that I don’t know enough about tennis or it’s history to accurately paint a picture for my readers and let them know where I’m coming from. Since I base my writings off of accuracy, true knowledge and interest, I don’t want to sell people short by writing about something I don’t know enough about. So instead of a whole column, here is my opinion on the rivalry:

I think it is one of the best rivalries in sports today. I don’t think it’s on the level of Red Sox-Yankees and others because to be quite honest, not that many people tune in to tennis. However, watching that match was amazing. It was a few successful returns by Nadal away from being an upset of Federer. I do know enough about tennis to say that I think Federer, when it’s all said and done, will go down as the best to ever play the game. I do believe he will surpass Sampras’s mark of 14 Grand Slams (Federer currently has 11).

Nadal is 21, not at his prime yet and Federer is 25, at the peak of his prime. This is why I usually stay away from the debate about who is better because both players are phenomenal, but are also at different stages of their careers. It’s clear to see though that Nadal is catching up to Federer on grass while Federer still struggles on clay. “Doesn’t that make Nadal the better player then? I mean he’s catching up to Roger and he’s not even at his prime yet, like you said.” This is the argument I get from friends on this topic. My response is no, he’s not better because he hasn’t won the way, or dominated the way that Roger has. I don’t have the stat infront of me (if someone can find it and send it to me, I’d appreciate it), but I want to know what their head to head record is, and how many of the games were on clay and how many were on grass.

I heard an interesting viewpoint the other day about the rivalry and the debate about who is better. The person said that this is similar to an NBA Playoff Series in the sense that, it hasn’t really begun until someone beats someone on their homecourt. If i win my two games at home, and you win your two games at home, we’re still even and the series hasn’t started yet. But if you come into my house and beat me, then you have the upperhand and it’s on at that point. I feel its the same concept with Federer v Nadal. Until one of the two beats the other on their tourney (Wimbledon for Federer and French Open for Nadal), we don’t have a clear cut, 100% leader because they are so neck and neck.

Now that being said, my prediction is against what most people foresee. I think Roger will beat Nadal in the French Open before Nadal beats Roger in Wimbledon. When that happens, game on.

(Yeah, I’m sure they really love each other.)