What will happen to tennis in this country when Serena Williams retires? There are very few reasons for me to even watch the game anymore, because American players normally get eliminated by someone who was born elsewhere and trained here in the United States.
Tennis as we know it is nearly on life support. If the Americans do not have a late-round presence in a Grand Slam event soon, the games will have an audience the size of Roller Derby on Channel 11.
Wait, Roller Derby is not on Channel 11 anymore? It’s been off for 20 years? That is where interest in tennis will be soon if something does not happen with respect to new blood that can play the game and can be found in a U.S. phone book.
Stay healthy and interested, Serena. You have gone way beyond to prove you are the best ever. Saving the sport is not your problem anymore.
Tiger-Sergio thing
With the U.S. Open underway in Philadelphia, the spotlight has again been turned on Tiger Woods and his latest bid to win another major – that, and flat-out stupid distractions. This whole Tiger-Sergio Garcia thing will not go away no matter how many times the two golfers say it. They do not care for each other. End of story.
After awhile, it gets silly. Some commentators will not let it die, as if the two golfers are going to throw down at the No.10 tee box. The story is as old as the last time Tiger won a major. Memo to those who still think we care and continue to report on it: WE DON’T.
The good news is, it could be a really good weekend to watch golf.
(Re)tired story
Why do we continue to follow and report on players who no longer play? Chad Johnson had a run-in with a judge over a domestic issue. He will do 30 days in jail. Hey, Chad does not play anymore and did not play last year, so why should I care about this guy’s personal problems? Who cares? Surely there are better stories to cover in the actual games of sports?
Same story
Tis the season for the annual complaint in baseball. The All-Star Game. The early voting is in, and instead of the best players being voted onto the field it has turned into a popularity contest. This gripe will run two more weeks leading up to the game, and like the questions that are raised at the beginning of every season – “Why are there no black players in baseball like there used to be? and what is being done about it?” – it too will fall on deaf ears.
More dopes
How about the list of alleged performance-enhancing drug users that is being floated around? Yes, here we go again. It seems like a eternity ago when Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay popped the question to Mark McGwire, and yet here we have a new cast of characters who may not want to talk about the past.
Players that dope obviously know better. They thought making millions of dollars through enhanced performance was worth the risk to cheat. Since they knew all of that when the needle was going in, if they are found in violation, they should have the book thrown at them and the subject raised every time they come up for Hall of Fame consideration.
Circus Tebow
Tim Tebow signed with New England. If there are two people who deserve each other, it would be Tebow and the great cheater himself, Bill Bellichik. Wait, he is not a great cheater; he got caught.
The circus has now arrived in New England. Most players in Tebow’s cleats would have made a position change, no questions asked, or he would have been released once and for all. Instead, Tebow gets more chances and excuses on why he cannot play the quarterback position at this level.
You have to ask, is it worth the distraction? I guess we will find out starting in July .
Hard ball
I dig the WNBA. Yes, I like what they do. These players can play. I went to a WNBA game recently, and there is plenty to do. It is innovative, fun and, yes, physical.
One problem. This is not the ‘90s, and their impersonation of the “Bad Boys” of Detroit does not work. They play for keeps, and I can assure you that that style will put them out of business. Nothing wrong with physical play, but to turn it into a cat fight is not my idea of basketball.
Come on gang, you all are better than that.
Team LeBron
I have no dog in this fight, as the Lakers are at home watching the Finals and hoping Dwight Howard finds work elsewhere, but did ESPN forget that LeBron plays on a team? Can someone alert the “experts” that other players have to step up and contribute in order for the Heat to win? The Heat dominated the regular season because they played as a team. They had a greater margin for error because they have LeBron on their team. With that said, they are beat up, hurt, and not as good as they were three months ago.
RIP
On a more somber note, my condolences to my good friend Wiley Price who lost his mother, Bessie (Becky) (Mitchell) Price, last week. Wiley and I broke into this business around the same time. He is a much classier man than many in the media business, but is respected by all, and I suspect his upbringing had a lot to do with that, as both his mother and the Wiley Price Sr. were stand-up people. She will be missed but not forgotten, as Wiley continues to be a great example of how to do it the right way.
Adios to Rahn Ramey. Many knew Rahn as a talented comedian who had made his mark locally and then on the national scene. His wit would get your attention, if not his ability to play the “dozens” of the deserving. He was more than that, though; Rahn was a teacher to people.
He was a warm, caring man with a big heart who left us too soon. He left us too early, as I am sure he is about to open on a bigger stage now. Heaven just got funnier. Thank you, Rahn. We will do the best with what we have to work with here, only we are one short now.
