tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34570945826383474382024-03-06T01:05:04.117-05:00Davis Cup Final 2007I was there for tennis history when the U.S. defeated Russia to win its first Davis Cup since 1995. Check here to see news, notes and commentary from Portland, Oregon.Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-82807885059316397172008-04-06T10:28:00.002-04:002008-04-06T10:29:57.407-04:00New Site: The Topspin Blog at www.topspinblog.comFor continued coverage, including articles and updates on the U.S. vs France Davis Cup match in Winston-Salem in April 2008, go to <a href="http://www.topspinblog.com/">www.topspinblog.com</a>.Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-80895589400993425852007-12-03T10:56:00.000-05:002007-12-05T11:15:00.742-05:00One Last Shot<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8uWn2okGob3qYq5nC6Rn9Gu85K_a-G5BWyNFPyOiP_cXincYvvCfkbWJFSNgL4OxTf7Xx-UjQR6z6ktm44oI90AikK-Nue-Tzld3ZXsOGZ49hHN3ukC8oe7wk8Dhkihit-gL4vYes5ED9/s1600-r/cup+winners.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139777742349488178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_AoWF3Ln7zzYGGTtRHhlxdSQeDMHQ46LmM0hJBxqhfBrftPSvKUbHlH7J-2LTGB25EJr7TAqS6Oy4mrGRhTIZxukJMsUhnV2BAwrUD3RQ5YYrebC3I301lZQ0zygj-zYJLDY5kyYKQcyA/s400/cup+winners.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />There were no epic matches in Portland, but the 107-year-old silver hardware will be in the states for at least a year. The U.S. <a href="http://www.daviscup.com/results/index.asp">posted wins</a> this season over the Czech Republic, Spain, Sweden and Russia. Above the team poses with the cup Sunday afternoon, one night after <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/sports/tennis/03tennis.html?ref=tennis">the sure-to-be legendary team party</a>. The <a href="http://www.atptennis.com/1/en/blog/bryans.asp">Bryan brothers' blog</a> Sunday night confirmed that Andy planned to "tie" one one and bail out on Sunday's match. Bob Bryan wrote, "It was about 6 o'clock last night when Andy told me that he wouldn't be ready to play today - he'd had a few too many at the victory celebrations."<br /><br />The champs have only two months to enjoy the victory until the first round of the 2008 draw begins. The U.S. team will travel to <a href="http://www.daviscup.com/ties/tie.asp?tie=100010163">Vienna, Austria to play indoors</a> on slow, red clay Feb. 8-10. <span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline"></span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/sports/tennis/03tennis.html?_r=1&oref=slogin"><br /></a>Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-61019916706598043212007-12-02T12:41:00.000-05:002007-12-03T10:55:49.015-05:00From Competition to Exhibition: “Dead Rubbers” Fulfill the Three-Day PassImagine in the World Series after the winning team sweeps the series in game four and celebrates on the field and in the clubhouse, they returned to play games five, six and seven just for the hell of it.<br /><br />That’s essentially what the Davis Cup does. Although the U.S. won the tie yesterday by winning the first three duels, two more meaningless <a href="http://www.daviscup.com/ties/tie.asp?tie=100008940">singles matches will be played today</a>. The USTA sold only three-day passes, so they have obligations to meet. The biggest event will be the U.S. team posing with the trophy, a colossal piece of hardware that must run up one hell of a shipping bill. <div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br />The matches played after the tie is decided are known by the highly questionable term “dead rubbers,” a phrase that could serve as excellent inspiration for many jokes that are unfit for a family friendly blog such as this one. Speaking of terminology, the description of the competition as a “tie” is peculiar and confusing to all but the most seasoned of Davis Cup fans. Can’t we let go of this semantic tradition and simply call it a team match like every other tennis team in leagues across the country do? <a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_a_Davis_Cup_match_called_a_rubber">A USTA official said </a>that "tie" was chosen by the International Tennis Federation to distinguish the overall competitions from the individual matches, but there has to be a better name. (The term rubber comes from cricket, apparently.)</div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div>Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-26615332303981989422007-12-01T19:30:00.000-05:002007-12-03T10:50:08.826-05:00Day 2: Bryan Brothers Bring It Back Home<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGakT1OWEtQnSZ2E2F3fwoWFJmKY-9xU3fwbnUdqmRmbsJxgKu-mr0jUfv5-KFISV7iowrrkoYyIm0xf64W7WBIim1qX_hdS7h4MGbjOOgwjpB3D_UhdjtlSgDxUjI9kJmqW0Tr-yp09e/s1600-r/Bryans+playing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139187016842563570" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPCig2OrNU7OM-k1VSxDnAyXcNFltMxIwFokoRiVZPTMSnB0e7sPpm6u9hQe7qaLafNzlsE10CVqc7oRvhlP2A-G3-oRbgzLyK-vUSKkhKQ6g1bGcz77PZ8ANKaygFk4-cRYxoY6I7qHU7/s400/Bryans+playing.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Bob and Mike Bryan, the all-American doubles duplicates, buckled down Saturday and overcame a 1-3 deficit in the first set tiebreaker, winning the first set and never looking back until red, blue and silver banners streamed from the roof of the Portland Memorial Coliseum and the engraver began scratching American names onto the trophy.<br /><br /><div>"We've been working for this since we were two-years-old," said Bob, or maybe it was Mike. "All I can say is <em>whew</em>!"</div><br /><div>The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bryans</span></span></span></span> dominated the Russian pair of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Davydenko</span></span></span></span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Andreev</span></span></span></span>, singles stars whose strategy consisted of staying on the baseline and whaling at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">groundstrokes</span></span></span></span>, a plan that was doomed on a hard fast <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">court</span>. The Bryans win that clinches the first Davis Cup for the U.S. since 1995 will be a career cornerstone for the number one doubles team in the world that is now 13-1 in Davis Cup play. Considering the anonymity in which doubles teams toil, it was a great moment to see the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Bryans</span></span></span></span>, who turn 30 next April, clinch the victory. </div><br /><div>Other musings from my notepad: Day 2 started and ended with members of the Russian team and coaches playing soccer on one end of the court, with folding chairs set up for the goals. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Andreev</span></span></span></span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Youzhny</span></span></span></span> participated in the morning three-on-three soccer <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">matchup</span></span></span></span> before <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Davydenko</span></span></span></span> came out and he and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Andreev</span></span></span></span> warmed up. After the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Bryans</span></span></span></span> won and the celebration began to wane after <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">twenty</span> minutes of photos and smiles, the Russians emerged from the locker room and swept away the streamers from one end of the court, this time with enough people for a five-on-five game, including yesterday's losers <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Youzhny</span></span></span></span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Tursonov</span></span></span></span>, neither of whom seem too heartbroken, unless perhaps they were trying to distract themselves from the agony of defeat with the joy of kicking a ball...Although the Russians lost the tie, they won the contest of the coolest <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">warmups</span></span></span></span>, these red duds with this wild looking logo that looks like some sort of combination of a heart and vines, sprawling down the left side of the jackets...During the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">warmup</span></span></span></span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Andreev</span></span></span></span> several times swiveled the racket sideways and smacked shots with the frame of the racket...The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">USTA</span></span></span></span> honored Stan Smith before the match, member of seven Davis Cup championship teams, including the classic match against Ion <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Tiriac</span></span></span></span> <a href="http://daviscupfinal2007.blogspot.com/2007/11/us-beats-budding-billionaire.html">written about here earlier</a>... After more flag presentations and ceremonial <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">hooptedoodle</span></span></span></span> (including a speech by Patrick McEnroe who maybe exaggerated just a little when he called the competition a worldwide peacemaking event), pyrotechnics exploded near the rafters...McEnroe's singing-actress wife sang the national anthem well--her new album will be out in the spring...Moving moments when a wheelchair champion tennis player from Portland tossed the coin, and later had his picture with the team who greeted him warmly...I'm not sure why the coaches both made speeches and the players exchange gifts before the matches on day two. Wonder what they got for each other?...There was little j<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">ingoistic</span></span></span></span> anger between Russians and Americans, and no Americans taunted the alleged <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">matchfixer</span></span></span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Davydenko</span></span></span></span> at all...Davis Cup matches might be the only time that tennis succumbs to the favorite American <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">pastime</span> of fawning for T-shirts tossed into the audience. For some reason, when free T-shirts are proffered, perfectly reasonable people turn into beasts not unlike ravenous monkeys who will kill for a banana or a fresh piece of fruit...My only beef with the Bryan brothers who seem like wonderfully fine fellows is that they both wear big shiny watches on the court. I know they are getting paid by someone to do this, and if I was a pro player only making doubles money (and sharing it with my brother, no less) I would probably agree to wear about anything for cold hard cash. But I'm sick of tennis players trying to sell me a watch. I've had the same watch I got free with a Sports Illustrated subscription six years ago and it serves me just fine. It tells the same damn time as if it was a Rolex....After the Bryan brothers won the first set, they got more aggressive and took over the net and dominated the final two sets. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Kickass</span></span></span></span> power American tennis! It was good to see...The only drawback to the day is that sitting directly behind us was a man there who did not stop talking about the match, sort of our own personal Mary <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Carillo</span></span></span></span> talking in our ears. He constantly moderated the events on courts, repeated things the umpire said, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">embarrassingly</span> tried to analyze the play, and then would <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">occasionally</span> ask his son, allegedly a junior player, questions like, "Which is the deuce side?" I showed great restraint in not trying to strangle him. I much preferred the Russians fans sitting in front of us...To escape the babbling dude's monologue, I took a break during the second set and stopped by the Wilson racket booth where I was disturbed to learn that they are phasing out the N-code rackets, which includes the Blade that I use, and switching them to K-factor. (Does any of Wilson's alphabetic nonsense mean anything to anybody? N-code, K-code, I don't understand, nor do I have time to learn the difference.) Anyway, one of the tennis stores with a booth there has models of my racket that he wanted to get rid of so I bought one for $70 that he is shipping to me. I plan to put it into action next spring for the <a href="http://greenvalleytennisclub.com/Home.aspx">Green Valley Tennis Club</a> 4.5 team of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Haddown</span></span></span></span> Township, N.J., when we win the Southern Jersey division (yeah, I'm talking to <em>you</em>, Cherry Hill) and go onto nationals...I returned to my seat in time to see the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Bryans</span></span></span></span> take the second and third sets in style, dominating the net like you've got to do in doubles on fast courts...</div><br /><div>And finally, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Bryans</span></span></span></span> won the match, and the streamers fell down and the players hugged and then mugged for pictures, signed autographs, and a good time was had by all. </div></div>Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-88015683626898311952007-12-01T01:12:00.000-05:002007-12-01T10:48:00.425-05:00Twins Go For the Win<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBd4X0m0nvRiwfIZmxT2LLGg7KbWDsV2VE2Pr_ozRNTiSXyUKES-4k2__7Ko-T-COJK8FJ33CIM8mwdUL2ZsMGyxfIf0YFNHxqgBLxgoiI-M13ttYjiSQBbSlHLoAGgQSrGfNKC3kRhrvn/s1600-r/Bryans.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139031453127102402" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTgzv5A3dhVOzdhcTqGHMJchWHpx-YGFz3kZygzzsolBmXqPo-j4NRk_XrxUupn-5e8TvIMPwCIt1YPqw_-AE3VBqpej5G7h36fVdWkbl8qMYL9cid6VhomQh56JhNISsQge7ear85wvM/s320/Bryans.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWDh2mEPbFCX3Va7mAkBIW4BEBjF750oqGmmzjlMGB5w_LXeROLENxhIpB2qNzF0OAWPzA-X_oQsnIE9KUmG_8WHnDDC0mVOpS-WS_ro-Q7rDpTpvMPj4p7m5Q8M0Rs0nS_GNnWiifvnY/s1600-r/Bryans.jpg"></a>Identical twin brothers <a href="http://www.bryanbros.com/profiles.html">Bob and Mike Bryan </a>can bring home the silver reward that is the Davis Cup with a win today, ending a 12-year-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">trophyless</span> streak for the U.S. team.<br /><br />The only way to tell the 29-year-old brothers apart is that Bob is a lefty and Mike is a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">righty</span>. <a href="http://multiples.about.com/cs/funfacts/a/aatwinhand.htm">Twenty percent of identical twins </a>have such different hand preferences.</div>Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-80371217762636877332007-11-30T23:57:00.001-05:002007-12-03T10:49:42.259-05:00Day 1: Dubious Drop Shot Drops Russians Into 2-0 HoleThe day in the Portland Memorial Coliseum started with a warm-up performer banging on plastic buckets--<em>fresh from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tyra</span> Banks Show, </em>a breathless announcer proclaimed--moved on to Andy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Roddick</span> banging aces (25 in 14 service games), and essentially ended with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mikail</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Youzhny's</span> deleterious decision to hit a drop shot that ended up in the bottom of the net in the fourth-set tiebreaker that he was losing 4-3.<br /><br />All of Russia must have winced when <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Youhzny</span> went for a drop shot from his backhand side. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Youzhny</span> had hit numerous stunning one-handed backhand winners in the hard-fought match, but very few <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">dropshots</span>, so his decision to do so at a critical point in the tiebreaker was ill-advised. Even if the spinning softy had cleared the net, fleet-footed James Blake would have run it down. Blake played two strong points after that and closed out the match, putting the U.S. up by two points in a three point contest. I guess James figured it was someone <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">else's</span> time to choke.<br /><br />The rest of the eight-hour day is recounted in an obscenely long paragraph: American fans politely applaud alleged <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">matchfixer</span> Nikolai <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Davydenko</span> in introductions (we tennis fans are so nice!)..."Rowdy" Davis Cup crowds blow whistles and bang together plastic inflatable tubes, but mostly fall quiet when the ball goes into play...A hearty Russian contingent behind their team bench cheers in their mother tongue (they could be saying terrible things, we'd never know) and blow a deep-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">throated</span> air horn that is hysterically comical, like a lonesome cow in the Siberian plain...mostly gray-haired fans in the front row of the VIP seats on each end ducking for their lives while <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Roddick</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Youzhny</span> hit <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">warmup</span> serves that hop into the seats like missiles...baseline judges using the most-neglected call in all of the tennis, the foot fault, on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Roddick</span> early in the match (although they quit calling it later in the match--I thought he got away with a foot on the line on an ace at deuce at 5-4 in the second set). <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Youzhny</span> also committed a few foot faults. Think of what the line judges would do to serial foot-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">faulter</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Leyton</span> Hewitt...The Portland Memorial Coliseum is an old, second-rate arena that must have been nice in the early seventies. (If any arena is still called simply "Memorial" that means the marketing department has been unable to sell the naming rights). The Rose Coliseum next door is the big hall, and I'm sure it has better concessions than the two choices of hot dogs, one pizza vendor and a Subway franchise with the longest lines in the history of that ubiquitous, below-average-generic deli. Davis Cup gets the old dingy hall; tomorrow night, eighties has-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">beens</span> Van <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Halen</span> play the Rose Coliseum for the baby boomers who haven't bought a new CD since Reagan was president (I thought the Northwest was supposed to be cool)...I hate to say this, but inept ball children do not get the balls to the players in time, prompting the players and umpires to direct them with waves and scowls. One boy stumbled and fell into the singles sticks while retrieving an errant serrve, knocking the stick loose and requiring the umpire to come down and fix the net. Because of the delay, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Youzhny</span> was granted another first serve and hit an ace. He then went up and high-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">fived</span> the young <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">ballboy</span>...Portland's best singers apparently are nine-year-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">olds</span>, handling the National Anthem and God Bless America with all the skill of eighth-graders (that's a compliment, nine-year-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">olds</span> are fourth grade or so.)...Can anyone explain to me why Blake challenged a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Youzhny</span> serve that was called out? Even though he hit a would-be winner on the serve that was out, the linesman had made a call and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Youzhny</span> stopped, so the best he could win was a second serve anyway. However, the ball was deemed out, as called, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Youzhny</span> was rewarded a first serve for a shot he had hit out already. Confused? I am. Blake, like the gentlemen named Davis who founded this event in 1900, went to Harvard; I only went to more affordable state schools. Did he think his return winner would count if the ball was in?...And speaking of challenges, tennis balls have a very faint skin of yellow felt, almost like little hairs. The rule is that if any part of the ball touches the line, and I assume this means the fuzz, the ball is good. So how do we track these tiny threads? It's too bad my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">USTA</span> league doesn't have these shot spot machines. When I was a kid playing junior tennis in the seventies and eighties, there were a few players against whom you had to hit the ball <em>inside</em> the line to get the call. Anything that touched a line would be called out. Michael Gilbert, you know who you are...Point of the day was at deuce at 2-2 in the third set, won by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Youzhny</span>, a long rally with several major retrievals and an incredible lob by the Russian...Blake and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Youzhny</span> show how truly good they are, smacking manly one-handed backhands <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">crosscourt</span>, powerful shots hit where they were because that was the opponent's <em>weak</em> side...Andy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Roddick</span> on camera chomping on his nails during Blake's match. Get the boy a manicure...<br /><br />And that gets me to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Youzhny's</span> drop shot attempt, after which point we all waited in a long line of traffic to escape the concrete parking deck. Check out the <a href="http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=Davis+Cup&c=news_photos">Davis Cup slide show on Yahoo </a>if you need images to go with these words.Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-65607153684276688382007-11-30T10:54:00.000-05:002007-11-30T12:06:59.955-05:00It's Good to See The Fast, Fast Courts of Home; Replaying ReplaysIn no other sporting event is the home court advantage more <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">significant</span>, primarily because the hosts choose the surface. U.S. Captain Patrick McEnroe chose a Baltimore company to construct a portable cushioned-hard court to his players' liking, <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/673/story/317251.html">The Miami Herald reports</a>. Last year, the Russians beat the U.S. on red clay in Moscow, but today they'll toe the lines on a Maryland-made fast court that was shipped in last week.<br /><br />Viewers today should also plan on watching that digitized image of the ball flying down and hitting (or missing) the lines again and again. Unlike Grand Slams where players have two challenges per set, this weekend will have unlimited challenges -- why not get a second opinion if the call doesn't goes your way? <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3065760">McEnroe is against it</a> but could not sway the International Tennis Federation who calls the shots.Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-68080416404102660722007-11-30T10:44:00.000-05:002007-11-30T10:53:32.801-05:00U.S. Beats a Budding Billionaire in Bucharest '72It was Bucharest, Romania, 1972, when Romanian Ion Tiriac and Stan Smith played a dramatic five-set match on tedioulsy slow, red clay courts groomed with the home team in mind. The linesman and umpire had been hand-selected by the Romanians, favoring the burly Tiriac with bad calls and allowing him to stall and take as much time as he wanted. It didn't matter, the more-talented Smith won the fifth set 6-0 and secured the cup for the U.S. At the handshake, <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3128143">ESPN reports</a> that Smith said, "Ion, I will always respect you as a competitor. But I will never respect you as a man."<br /><br /><div>Tir<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJE1gwANaWbdcU1SvwomHMeAd9hLwPd5_KDDjm5RFo7WJ92TLbddJ2meL_TeyJQYoToZPuFDaFcQjCWpImxcOhZbUPBdcCIcYz0OOyuK66zzVwsFot38uv2BWs8YBxX58hb-jQBeQy0P7F/s1600-r/tiriac+fist.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138660275468574322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41gTALfi4YKQ9btccEKSy1pbfv0UP7gSlf2TryGc_wz74kC3I2JZ7pDUIL7kd2bu6VPXoN13NnpCsev2EjF90zeq7juxi3d6vi9HXc9uoxi3hd3EnawCIjp7d_L3teomx16VXeOVvW8VK/s200/tiriac+fist.jpg" border="0" /></a>iac, a hockey player turned tennis pro, admittedly didn't have what it took to be a top player -- he once<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkffBP2QS7fDKz4uJP7jiUbim1SA1vndlKcYKw-vo2bZNP8Es0YP0L0dd9LCupdjOfTjWIYdab7cTKsGXPv12at5EVAFVBsmBUTqHPKX4t8ZB9ghmno-35Hl1rQ4xIOaeuu0jPmXyyvFm/s1600-r/tiriac+fist.jpg"></a> said "I am the best tennis player who cannot play tennis" -- but had the game in the business world. When the iron curtain fell, Tiriac went onto become Romania's first billionaire. A magnate in banking and insurance and other interestes, he is the 840th richest man in the world, according to <a href="http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/10/07billionaires_Ion-Tiriac_TLQ2.html">Forbes magazine</a>'s ranking of the rich. </div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjCN214pQqeo3kp1SUis3KRbUtQjr-SIUU2P9OlCxwIsHJXMhZmn7rEqUJivQvSmH8KjmkDcrKmsBfiePMkOypam_9-7_G0t3vLFFWhjtycwwOA__khoKj0QrHE3DKMfb0Bh2TsdIHnIS/s1600-r/tiriac+playing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138660550346481282" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gcFJ5VHNyZzgXpWZYpjHCDo4ZxZzUqBknG19j1pImSahhbja-GViMgTUv28_RFk013GnDFjYSeGa2OBHsn_ECogWW1ROkVy0-JL65XXea_JBXfou2dYmsr7HW5DRJDqNremxYHvfYcON/s400/tiriac+playing.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />He also was a great source for <a href="http://www.tennisontheline.org/quotes.shtml">quotes</a>, saying of his infamous Davis Cup partner Ilie Nastase with whom he is pictured here, he "does not have a brain; he has a bird fluttering around in his head." </div><div></div><div></div>Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-29336816785032786122007-11-29T18:16:00.000-05:002007-11-29T19:17:58.032-05:00Russian Role Reversal, or the Rankings Mean Nothing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75hL96qYi7WH5bqlNSEiEvPjRPvFVvr7jQ3hc_eBaaaswrslQ9WvediSwZ69eewQMwuKm3HhB0qxFV4k6JpaYwGdpVLlDk3qDerHl24uWFX-c4JuwLufdzn-Ve8OGcFUmUafycePmMPkf/s1600-h/roddick+%26+tursonov.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138416244016750082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75hL96qYi7WH5bqlNSEiEvPjRPvFVvr7jQ3hc_eBaaaswrslQ9WvediSwZ69eewQMwuKm3HhB0qxFV4k6JpaYwGdpVLlDk3qDerHl24uWFX-c4JuwLufdzn-Ve8OGcFUmUafycePmMPkf/s320/roddick+%26+tursonov.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Being number four in the world doesn't get you into the singles lineup for the Russian Davis Cup team--at least on day one. Russian Captain Sham<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiz9ShFEhkU6AoFXZT-N0TNv0zhJskE7ePnId9XMgRaYZpnL1nxxaIre480tmlqPwD4MYvWWld15mxp5mB2YGNERjPvxqSS-1v4C5vxwW816iDzVdjKjkRRxZkJ7DSrrZnDvXzwHwLHhq/s1600-h/roddick+%26+tursonov.jpg"></a><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">il</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tarpischev</span> bypassed 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span>-ranked Nikolai <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Davydenko</span> and picked 35<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">th</span>-ranked <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Dmitry</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Tursunov</span> and 19<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">th</span>-ranked Mikhail <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Youzhny</span> for singles Friday. Sixth-ranked Andy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Roddick</span> will play <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Tursonov</span> first (both pictured here), followed by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Youzhny</span> against 13<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">th</span>-ranked James Blake in the second match of the afternoon.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Davydenko</span> and 33rd-ranked Igor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Andreev</span> are slated to play the top-ranked doubles duo of Bob and Mike Bryan on Saturday, but the Oregonian reports that <a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/sportsupdates/2007/11/davis_cup_final_a_surprise_dra.html#more">U.S. Captain Patrick McEnroe is suspicious </a>that the doubles lineup will change before Saturday. Both Russians are known for the singles prowess, not tandem tennis. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Tursonov</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Youzhny</span> played doubles in Russia's win over Germany in September.<br /><br />And speaking of the Oregonian, be sure to check out the <a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/sportsupdates/davis_cup_final/">paper's blog </a>for more Davis Cup news, photos and videos. <a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/sportsupdates/2007/11/davis_cup_final_james_blake_sp.html#more">Doug Perry kindly referred to my blog </a>as "literate musings" on tennis. (I guess that means I'll have to write harder this weekend.) He also has a <a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/sportsupdates/2007/11/davis_cup_final_james_blake_sp.html#more">good trivia question </a>on the page that only the most knowledgeable (or perhaps lecherous) of tennis will be able to answer.Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-87259981215710386522007-11-29T03:57:00.000-05:002007-11-29T04:50:55.447-05:00Keep the Smelling Salts at the Ready<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYj1NZqiKZ0c1BK_IcTid9wKWRvk43nEe0iJUFxElPZSFbcD5KPaKiP0d3qjGLiDqO168kne5ssH1git4ciww2DvuR4tqRvvq_IM7lV-TaqpRSPM4JU-5_d7ZLS51K_wY9DNPmjgLQvf_/s1600-h/roddick+flag.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYj1NZqiKZ0c1BK_IcTid9wKWRvk43nEe0iJUFxElPZSFbcD5KPaKiP0d3qjGLiDqO168kne5ssH1git4ciww2DvuR4tqRvvq_IM7lV-TaqpRSPM4JU-5_d7ZLS51K_wY9DNPmjgLQvf_/s200/roddick+flag.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138191501782314162" border="0" /></a>The ceremonial draw where the players are definitively announced and the order of play for this weekend's five matches is determined takes place today at <a href="http://www.oregonsports.org/davis-cup-draw-ceremony/">noon Pacific time at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts</a>. While I can find no record of boxing-like antics between players at these events (imagine <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Roddick</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Safin</span> cursing and trying to strangle one another--the publicity would be tremendous!), drama ensued ten years ago when American player Todd Martin passed out on the stage during a <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01EEDD1E38F93AA2575AC0A961958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all">1997 draw ceremony</a> in Washington while a Louisiana Senator <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">pontificated</span>. Who can blame him? It wasn't a bad omen, however, as the U.S. went on to beat Australia in that semifinal match 4-1, although they ultimately lost to Sweden 5-0 in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Davis_Cup#Draw">that year's final</a>.Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-26233461577410537822007-11-28T20:27:00.000-05:002007-11-28T21:17:18.393-05:00Ladies and Gentleman, Marat has left the building...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQX-neOEyrieYGE4RSzc5usaBTpZMupXSgj92BM-vSB0xxVnhqEHW5ldYukv4opUUPLeZUMKev9Au3iYlvqcj2tZhphxfR06uhIyePb9ZpqE4sxReAOSEmNW9ILCmb1O8ek_M35mwvZSzJ/s1600-h/marat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQX-neOEyrieYGE4RSzc5usaBTpZMupXSgj92BM-vSB0xxVnhqEHW5ldYukv4opUUPLeZUMKev9Au3iYlvqcj2tZhphxfR06uhIyePb9ZpqE4sxReAOSEmNW9ILCmb1O8ek_M35mwvZSzJ/s320/marat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138069000725097618" border="0" /></a>Or has he? <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3129952">ESPN reports</a> that Marat <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Safin</span> appears on the Russian team's rooming roster despite assurances by the team's coach that he absolutely will not compete in this weekend's matches.<br /><br />Andy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Roddick</span> and the Bryan brothers said Tuesday they would not be surprised to see him across the net come this weekend.<br /><br />The final draw will be revealed at noon Portland time on Thursday.Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-5302086549545854582007-11-28T20:13:00.001-05:002007-11-28T20:26:55.410-05:00Food Tasters, Anyone?The <a href="http://http//www.thetennischannel.com/news/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=3557">Associated Press reports</a> that International Tennis Federation says that there is no evidence that someone poisoned German star Tommy Haas before his final match in Moscow at the September meeting between Germany and Russia. Haas was unable to make his final match, and the Russians prevailed 3-2.Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-26310606224716747312007-11-28T15:05:00.000-05:002007-11-28T18:47:32.817-05:00Is Tenni$ Becoming Boxing of the 21st Century?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLFRKDUcqZvQbBXpxOaTuCgARcLlXFYLyAqSLaCzSZleCi_aERdd7AtNvkErBUzljGVopoLedGi3XlKG_RryqdwE6W5kS-sbj-Kdsa84wNp_Qo4bJ8ygbc_ook7hyphenhyphenidkWv8y3fdSIeGEs/s1600-h/davy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137991167327759458" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLFRKDUcqZvQbBXpxOaTuCgARcLlXFYLyAqSLaCzSZleCi_aERdd7AtNvkErBUzljGVopoLedGi3XlKG_RryqdwE6W5kS-sbj-Kdsa84wNp_Qo4bJ8ygbc_ook7hyphenhyphenidkWv8y3fdSIeGEs/s200/davy.jpg" border="0" /></a> You can expect NikolayDavydenko to get an earful from rowdy U.S. fans in Portland this weekend in light of allegations he threw a match for money earlier this summer. According to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/25/sports/tennis/25tennis.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1196280652-TQeJFTxQpitUFEO/9/42hw">Sunday's story in The New York Times</a>, the ATP has not concluded its investigation, but says that Davydenko has refused to turn over his phone records.<br /><br />Most incriminating is the report that bets against the heavily-favored Davydenko, who is ranked fourth in the world, increased even <em>after</em> he won the first set 6-2 against 74th-ranked Vassallo Arguello in Poland in July. That would be akin to putting money on the Atlanta Falcons to beat the Green Bay Packers when they are down 21-0 at halftime. More than $7 million was riding against Davydenko, the story said.<br /><br />Davydenko, of course, went on to lose the second set to Arguello and retire in the third set claiming an ankle injury. Perhaps someone in Portland this weekend should print up rubles with Davydenko's picture on the bills.Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3457094582638347438.post-25975533225555360572007-11-27T22:24:00.000-05:002007-11-28T20:35:31.298-05:00Davis Cup 1937: "Yes Mein Fuehrer"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTLvWf9ypSFNwSEnwgiyHFc_5YzA58Wf6Zl4h8b5dwFs4oOwAU-mOpIqiHshxf3WyDkvzXpNOZKShl8qv6RouAY29YqLkYQe-09clvBLQLRw1cSF-vesW1ehJpCaQh3okpiISHv6RvPIx/s1600-h/1937_davis_cup_team.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTLvWf9ypSFNwSEnwgiyHFc_5YzA58Wf6Zl4h8b5dwFs4oOwAU-mOpIqiHshxf3WyDkvzXpNOZKShl8qv6RouAY29YqLkYQe-09clvBLQLRw1cSF-vesW1ehJpCaQh3okpiISHv6RvPIx/s320/1937_davis_cup_team.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138069868308491426" border="0" /></a>Seventy years ago when the U.S. and Germany matched up in the Davis Cup final, Don Budge defeated Gottfried Von Cramm 8-6 in the fifth set of the deciding match despite a phone call from Adolf Hitler before the match who tried to give Cramm a pep talk. Read about the match <a href="http://www.authentichistory.com/1930s/sports/1937_Don_Budge_on_Davis_Cup_SF_Win_Over_Von_Cramm.html">here</a>. (Budge is the middle in the back row of this picture of the 1937 U.S. team.)<br /><br />Let's hope that Putin and Bush stay out of the matchup and Portland this week.<br /><br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/WINDOWS/TEMP/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" />Joe Samuel Starneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11050005411107535325noreply@blogger.com