SI's Cover Girl

Sports Illustrated has made a young girls dream come true and at the same time will have brought great joy young boys and men alike. Oh yeah and some woman who are looking for the new fashion in Swimsuits (although they may be in the minority).

Last night it was revealed that this years cover girl of SI’s annual and always anticipated Swimsuit Edition is none other then the lovely Brooklyn Decker. Decker has been working with SI for a few years now and she has finally made it to the pinnacle and is now donning the cover, joining the likes of .. Bar Refaeli, Marisa Miller, Kathy Ireland, Elle Macpherson, and Rachel Hunter, Rebecca Romijn, Cheryl Tiegs and others.

Brooklyn is not only known for being ridiculously good looking and by all accounts (based on interviews that I have heard with her) a very nice person who is surprisingly down to earth considering who she is. What adds to her celebrity is the fact that she is married to the top rated USA male tennis player and former World #1 and US Open champion Andy Roddick.

Roddick is known for having a great serve and was involved in the epic Wimbledon match versus Roger Federer that clinched the 15th Grand Slam of Federer’s career in one of the best matches of all time last year. A fiery competitor he has been known to get over emotional on the court but that did result in one of my favorite quotes ‘You aren’t good enough to be this cocky!’...Classic. He also dropped the "You’re an idiot! Stay in school kids, or you’ll end up being an umpire." Not a bad little power couple and will likely have the most beautiful children ever created. Just wait for a few years when their child hooks up with David and Victoria (Posh) Beckham’s kid and creates the ultimate super child that will one day rule the world.

(Little known fact: This year if/when there is a wardrobe issue the word "Pepperoni" is said as a discreet way of letting the girls know that they need to adjust themselves.)

Good call by SI and congrats to Brooklyn.

One For The Ages...Again!

Breakfast at Wimbledon almost became Supper at Wimbledon

Last year at this time I wrote about probably the greatest Wimbledon Final ever and possibly the greatest tennis match ever played. Today may be the 1A to that match. Different game, different opponents but an epic battle none the less. The only thing that remains the same is the Tournament and Roger Federer, maybe there is a pattern here? Roger Federer and Andy Roddick played in a match that one can only relate to a heavyweight boxing match that should end in12 rounds but is now in its 20th and still going strong with little or no sign of fatigue from either competitor. This was truly a battle of the titans. What makes it even that much more compelling is the fact that Roger Federer is looking to surpass Pete Sampras with 15 Grand Slams. Pete and his wife were also there on hand arriving just after the first ball was struck.

And Roger Federer just did it - he just broke Andy Roddick’s serve for the first time in the Championship Federer is the Wimbledon Champion for the 6th time and is now at he top of the All Time Tennis Mountain and arguably the greatest of all time. 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14.The 30 games in the fifth set established a record for the most games played in any set in a Wimbledon singles final. The previous overall record for games in a set was 24, and 16 games for a decisive fifth set...unbelievable! The longest finals in Wimbledon history.

This match was just a fight with two great competitors both whom relied on huge serves t bail themselves out of trouble. The conditioning of both the finalists was truly amazing there was no let up no giving in. Roddick was still serving at speeds of 136 and 133mph. At times it looked like the net was going to fall with the power behind some of the first serves. I am not a big fan of Andy Roddick. I found his attitude in the past to be that of a jerk, spoiled, a bad winner and an even worse loser. His emotions would get the better of him and when he pouted he did nothing to help his image. Also, perhaps I am little jealous of him as his wife is SI Swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker. But today I feel for the guy, he played the match of his life and really only made 1 mistake...literally 1 mistake and that was all Federer needed to seal the deal. He played composed, kept his cool and unfortunately someone had to loose - deserving or not.

This was like the song from the Lamb Chop song except instead of the Song the never ends it was game that never ends...it just goes on an on my friends.

Any way you look at it the last 2 Wimbledon finals have been instant classics! Bank on this though not everything comes in three’s. There will have to be something ridiculous to happen next year to even come close to what we have seen.

We were just lucky to have gotten the chance to see these matches and this player.
Congratulations Roger Federer.

Nadal Shocked - Sent Packing

So, something happened that has never happened before, it was the unthinkable - Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal finally lost on the famed red clay at Roland Garros. The #1 seeded player and the closest thing to a lock for a victory in the 2nd Grand Slam of the season and by far the best Clay court player in the game today was ousted. Nadal fell to the huge underdog #23 ranked Robin Soderling from Sweden. The French Open title was probably already half engraved with Nadal’s name and with good reason, he had never lost, why would we think he would start now?

One almost has to think that Nadal had something wrong as he just didn’t look like the dominant clay player we have seen throughout his career. What this loss does mean in the greater scheme of things as history is concerned is that it opens the door for Roger Federer to finally grab this title and continue his quest for the often just out of reach Grand Slam and get him one step closer to being the greatest or at least the most successful of all time. Novak Djokovic was also upended taking away another foe of Federers that could have been a huge hiccup for Federer.

It is now American Andy Roddick who could be the only one left to make things interesting for Roger Federer, especially if Roddick brings in his wife (the lovely Brooklyn Decker) to watch if they do end up against each other. You would have t be made of stone not to be distracted by this SI Beauty.

Quick Hits

A Florida high school pitcher came up short in his bid to throw a fifth straight no-hit game. Patrick Schuster had thrown 4 straight no hitters in high school play. Any time you can throw1 let alone 4 no hitters in a row at any level above t-ball you must be at least pretty good. He is currently ranked the 79th best prospect -- the 42nd best high school prospect in the nation.

Six Olympic athletes have tested positive for doping in a re-testing of Beijing samples. It was told to The Associated Press Tuesday that tests caught three track and field athletes, two cyclists and one weightlifter. 2 of the athletes are medalists one on the track and the other a cyclist. Just when you thought that things from the summer Olympics could be considered over and done with these new allegations have cropped up. It is almost at the point that there is no reason to believe that anything you see is actually happening. Sports may be becoming the equivalent to going to Vegas and watching a magic show...all smoke and mirrors. Well at least it is entertaining if nothing else.

Reasons to root for the Blackhawks during the NHL Playoffs. 1. The youth that is leading the team like Toews, Kane and Havlat can be electrifying and bring you out of your seat. 2. The Ice Crew in Chicago will do exactly the same but in a different way and for different reasons. To see the auditions click here.

Tennis player Andy Roddick has won a Grand Slam and it has nothing to do with tennis. Roddick has married fashion model and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit sensation Brooklyn Decker. I think it is safe to say congratulations Andy....and we all hate you (but in a nice way).

A message to Carrie Underwood, when you are on TV or on a video screen at a sporting event, don’t duck down and hide, just take a page from Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel. When appeared on the jumbotron at the Staples Center last week during an LA Lakers game, they didn't duck their heads but started making out instead. Lets just hope that Jack Nicholson doesn’t try to follow Justin’s lead. We don’t need Jack to try to bring Sexy Back.

In a smart move the New York Yankees have decided to cut the cost on more than 40 percent of their front-row seats by up to 50 percent and announced many of those who bought tickets closest to the field for $325-$2,500 will be eligible for additional free seats. There were hundreds of empty seats in “Premium” areas that have gone unfilled at New Yankee Stadium. Maybe if people in Toronto would do the same thing for Leafs games they may not raise ticket prices every year despite not making the playoffs since the lockout. At least with the Yankees they will win every now and again.

Around the Horn

ESPN has a show called Around the Horn
Not only did they steal the name from me but the show is not good and diminishes this Friday feature. If i had legal ground I would sue, and all I would want is that they send me ESPN programing here in Canada without CRTC regulations screwing me over

Great response from tennis player Andy Roddick regarding the injuries or phantom injuries that Novak Djokovic seems to en cure increasingly more often in matches
"I’ve got to feel good because (Djokovic) has got about 16 injuries," Roddick told the crowd, adding fuel to the fire of their ongoing fued when asked about a Djokovic ankle injury....It is just too bad that he lost to Djokovic later on.
"Isn’t it both of them? And a back? and a hip? And a cramp... bird flu... anthrax. SARS, common cough and a cold.

Olympic hammer throw medallists investigated for doping
Is nothing sacred anymore? How can the purity of the hammer throw be tainted?

Rafael Nadal played Mardy Fish at the US Open in a match that began at 11:30 pm and ended at 2;11 am..the third latest finish at the Open
Even the allure of the #1 player couldn’t keep me up for this one. The late sessions are cool but come on, your crushing your own potential ratings.
At least it wasn’t like the match in Australlia that went to near 5am.

It went Supersonic to Thunder in record time. The former Seattle team relocated to Okalhoma City and have now been named Thunder
In a shocking move at the press conference they played AC/DC’s Thunderstruck.
The potential for a good marketing logo was there but alas they came up short. When I played for a team called Thunder we actually had a cool logo and it was far from a professional team.

Tatum Bell lost his job as running back with the Lions, Rudi Johnson gained a job as running back with the Lions, but lost his underwear
Bell apparently took two Gucci bags that Johnson had received as a Pro Bowl gift, included was about $200 in cash along with his ID and the credit cards. He got the bags back empty, and this is the NFL not the CFL..I just hope that they wern’t his "LUCKY DRAWS"

The Montreal Canadiens are looking at playing an outdoor game at Olympic Stadium as part of their 100th anniversary celebrations.
Great cash grab if you can get 39,000+ in at most likely a somewhat inflated price point.
Opening up the roof at the Big O is like opening Pandoras Box, once it is open you may never get it closed again. Get the hardhats out because you know the concrete is going to fall like rain!

Daunte Culpepper has retired, gone after 9 seasons at only 31
A former MVP and one half of one of the best QB/WR tandems ever can’t even hold a clipboard anymore. A shredded knee has taken him off the map and out of the league.