Sampras beat #12 ranked Marty Fish in Exhibition

... There it is, more PROOF Tennis needs desperately some young guns to enter the stage. If a retired, out of shape, 40 year old Sampras can beat # 12 ranked player in the world, tennis has some issues. There is no way Sampras should beat this guy. I do not care if Sampras is one of the best of all time. He rarely practices anymore, is out of shape, and has zero sharpness mentality compared the young, in shape, sharp Fish... I said it before that tennis is just recycling the players in the top 20. Besides Rafa, Djoker, and Fed, players simply are playing musical chairs - going from number 7 to 17 back to 7 ... Hopefully, Del Porto can make a dent and get back to his pre injury form... If Sampras is beating players, the game is watered down.

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...