Tennis - where are all the young guns??

Tennis needs them, badly... The top has been the same for too long - Fed, Nadal, Andy, Joker, Ferrer, Soderling, etc. Now, OLDER who have been in the game for quite some time are hitting the top ten and cracking the top 15 - Monfils, Meltzer, FIsh, Andy, Youszney, etc... Where are the YOUNG GUNS - 18 - 20 year olds who strom the scene the way Becker, Sampras, Agassi, Chang, Edberg, Lendyl, Mac did... It seems you see all the same names every tournament... I like Raonic alot - big serve and big groundies, and I thought Tsonga had a chance to win a major, but tennis is lacking in young guns wgo can challenge Nadal, Fed and Joker . . . Perhaps the game is not developing players as it used to or the current wave of players is just not that good. Ryan Harrison, a current young US player on the rise as most say, is only 5'8" and in my opinon just does not have the size nor the power to really ever make a dent in the top players. Grigor Dmitrov, the next FED some said, is hovering around the 80 mark and has yet to do ANYTHING in big tourneys... Where are you guys? Are you hiding? Are you scared and waiting for Nadal and Doker to get older? Are you guys not ready for the stage? I mean, lets go youngsters, show some guys, some sweat, some tears, some toughness and show tennis that you young guys have a heartbeat. Tennis needs you!!!

The "Fed Express" is at the end of his tracks

For the past 8 years, we have watched, Roger Federer, arguably the greatest player of all time. He dominated the sport reaching a record number of semi finals in grand slams, something that will never be reached in my opinion. He has won 16 majors, been ranked number 1, won masters events and won with class... BUT, sadly, time and age is catching up to him. He is 30 yrs young very soon and in tennis years, at the twilight of his tennis game. His legs and speed and quickness is just not where it was 5 years ago... He is losing to players he would beat with his hands tied behind his back (all 'cept for the spaniard), and he just does not have the zip he once had on his shots. That BITE on his serve, the pin point piercing forehand are not what they used to be, but whats truly missing is the incredible "concentration" Roger possessed... I think Roger wants to win still as who does not, BUT i think the HUNGER in his stomach is just not what it was in his prime. Fed is still in great shape, works hard off the court and prepares as well as anyone, but whats missing is that "hungry blood tears and sweat filled" matches. He is missing points he never missed. . . The tracks had to run out sometime, but what a train its been.

Tiger's coach has to say, wheww, thanks goodness he hit it well.

Tiger had it. He had the look back, the piercing iron shots, the 300 yard drives, the focus and look he had when he dominated and I am sure, he felt good... BUT there was someone else i bet my bottom dollar felt better - Sean Foley. Foley has been under enormous critiscm since taking over and rehauling Eldricks swing, and though he states he doesn't listen to the criticism, you know darn well, Sean, you were relieved to see Tiger playing well... If not for Tiger's putting (and his feet are closer together on his putting than in his past), he had a heck of a chance to win. . . The swing to me, looked like the old swing - - - longer backswing, weight more loaded on the back foot, power fade compared to what he has been doing under Foley. Maybe Tiger and Sean "tweaked" a little more of the older Tiger swing and incorparated it more, i do not know, but seeing your star pupil struggle so mightily, and FINALLY under the spotlight, able to play well, had to make Foley breath a sigh of relief... Will this launch Tiger now, we will see...

AND down the stretch they come!!!!!!! Masters

Unbelieveable. I have never seen more players having a chance to win the masters on the back nice - especially with only 5 holes to go. I do believe there was close to 8 PLAYERS in the hunt. I felt like this was a horse race with all the horses bunched up as they made the final turn to the homestretch. . . AND the S. African makes a move on the outside, Scott is there, Day, there all vying for the crown at this years MAsters, as its anyone;s tourney, and down the stretch they come . . . and finally its Schwartzel at the wire !!! . . . Unreal. I thought Scott had it when he nearly holed out for a hole in one on that last par 3, but then its was the gritty S. African who refused to quit. . . The interesting thing about THIS YEARS masters was when Tiger tied for the lead, in the past, i and most would've bet it was over. BUT, these young guys, who hit the ball as far as TIger, do not fear Eldrick as much as the former generation of great players - Love, Rocco, Leonard, etc. These kids embrace it. Tiger ties for the lead on the front and makes up 7 SHOTS in 8 holes, thanks to the putter of Rory... But then ,Tiger needed more, and didn';t have it. In the past, it wouldv'e been enough, but not now, not with these guys cracking the ball 300 + and not with kids swagger... Congrats to the champion, as he won with class, grit, toughness, and lastly, a gorgeous compact swing...

Here he comes ...

Something about the MAsters always seems to brinbg out the best in legends... Arnie, Jack's run at 46, and now Tiger, having the WORST run in his career, looking like the old Tiger on the back nice on Friday. He is aiming at pins and knocking down putts as he was doing when he was dominating the game... and though he has been fortunate off the Tee with some crazy drives, it hasn't hurt him... If he gets to - 6 or 7 going into the weekend, Rory, the talented 21 year old who dissed Tiger at last year's Ryder cup, I guarantee you will be thinking "where is the big cat" when he is playing... It should be an interesting weekend...

Differnences in Tiger's Foley Swing v. Haney swing

For those who are curious on what the new Tiger swing is and the all these changes to his swing - new takeaway, hands closer to body, hands lower at address, more shoulder steepness, pivoting on his front side, pushing his hips vs rotating his hips, etc . . . All of this is true, BUT the BIGGEST DIFFERENCE in Tiger's swing now is his SPINE ANGLE at the top of his swing. If you pause his swing at the top, he is very centered over the ball with his head almost in front of the ball. His old swing, he had a nice tilt with his head BEHIND the ball. The differnce or what will this cause in striking the ball? - it causes a much more severe steep swing into the ball ALSO making it much more difficult to get the club back on the correct path to hit the ball square. . . The results when you swing with your head IN FRONT of the ball at the top of your backswing will be MANY more wild pulls / hooks, and chunky or fat divot shots... I heard in one practice round with FOLEY, Tiger hit two balls off the tee into the water on the left, THEN on his 3rd ball, he pushed it right... Without looking at his swing, I'd be willing to bet, Tiger's spine angle, being over the ball caused these mistakes... PLay around with your own swing and at the top PAUSE, and THEN PUSH YOUR HEAD forward so it is in front of the ball, and see how hard it is to swing down on the correct path... You should see a differnce...

Uconn's size too much

Uconn 's size was too much, both in the semi's and in the final... Last year we called the game between Duke and Butler - David v Goliath, but this year, it truly played out to this tune. . . Uconn just was too big and athletic for Butler. Give Butler tons of credit and most notably, Brad Stevens for the incredible job he has done in 4 short years, they LEAD at halftime. . . But, if you watched that first half, you could see, the size of the huskies was taking it s toll on Butler. The butler big men could not get anything inside. Compare this to throughout the tournament, they were bullies inside with Howard... Kemba and this team, played as good a defense as I have ever seen. I witnessed them first hand in DC where they just donimated and continued. I thought Kentucky would beat them and their run would end, but that DEFENSE and size proved otherwise. . . Calhoun has had more talented teams - remember the Rudy Gay team? - but this team was the essence of what a TEAM is and should be. They had a star, a budding star, a young point, and quality bigs that played like a train throughout the tourney... Calhoun has won three titles, pretty incredible, especially with this team.

Phil the thrill delivers on Sat and Sun.

For a guy who said going into the tourney he didnt really care about his score and just wanted to work on his game in prep for the Masters, it sure worked out for Phil. -20 !!!!! Are you serious Phil? This is just what he need sgoing into the Masters He stated many times this year how he is hitting the ball well, but just not scoring. Well, that all changed this weekend as he torched a course that he admittedly said is not the best course for him. Due to the narrowing of the fairways at about the 285 mark, it forces players to hit 3 wood off of the tee more. Phil said he was going to still hit driver all week and prepare for the master.s If only I could practice or prepare for an event and make a nice million in doing so, it would make preparing for things much easier. lol... But the fact is, he has his swing right now and you never know what will happen in a major, but with his length and if he can control and keep his drives in the fairway, he should be in contention.

Novak is the man right now...

Djoker, Djoker Djoker!! Novak is the guy right now. He is the number one player in the world. I know Rafa is ahead of him in points, but Novak is UNDEFEATED in 2011 winning 24 in a row. This is Roger like... Its nice to see him finally using his head out there and not fall into so many mental "Novak" monents as in the past. He is keeping his composure better and not losing his focus as he has done in the past. He has beaten Rafa TWICE now in back to back finals and is closing in fast on him. I am sure, Rafa and the clay could not come at a better time. Reasons he is playing so well - the SERVE. His 1st serve is a major weapon. It has improved so much since last year. Watching him play in the Australian this year vs last was night and day... Also, his conditioning is better as his temperment. he used to unravel so fast, you just waited for it to happen... and he is playing like he has nothing to lose. Rafa and Novak are the best right now, hands down. Roger (who is my personal favorite) is trailing them. Not by a ton, but he is still tailing them... Can Novak unseat Rafa at The French, if he plays like he is, keeps his temper under control, and if Rafa has one of those "mysterious" Rafa injuries, then yes...

Nadal kills Fed

Rafa again takes it to Federer, this time on hard courts. The conditions, obviously being on hardcourt you would assume, favored Roger, but not in this match. The classic Rafa forhand to Fed backhand did it again to the dancing express... And the Roger "outwide serve to Rafa backhand" was not there this time... What I am surprised about is how easilt Roger goes away when he id down vs. Rafa. If he gets broken early, his whole body language changes as if a horse goves another horse a lead... I ve said once, and I ;ll say it again, Roger plays Rafa so wrong. He cannot play behind the baseline and cannot try and "hit through the court" by Rafa, espcially on clay or a slower hard court. Rafa is a human backboard as he will get almost EVERYTHING back. Instead, Roger should slice him to death, keep the ball low, angle him off the court and drop shot him. By bringing Rafa in, you are negating Rafa's speed and making him a normal player instead of speedy gonzales out there... I watched how Roger made so many mistakes, especially on the forehand side, trying to hit the ball by Rafa. it is not going to happen on slower courts. Instead, when Roger gets shorter balls, he should drop shot him, or take some off and angle Rafa into the double alleys or off the court and come in... Is this the end of Roger? No, not yet, but for Roger fans, I think ONE more slam will only happen at this year or next years Wimby... But, what a career its been.