US Open

[poptart]

They are on opposite sides, Wagon.

It's possible that we'll have a Roddick - Federer final.

[The phantorino]

No, guys don't get taken out of soccer games unless they've torn something, or tactics change.

Right.

Soccer player flops on ground writhing in agony after being "tackled" and they bring a stretcher out to haul his ass off the "pitch". 5 minutes later Allah has miraculously healed his injuries and he's back in the game.

And this is the only sport that features gamesmanship like this? Don't get me wrong, I fucking hate it. The World Champion spagghetti-eating, wine-guzzling, blue-wearing, Eyetie fuckheads have always done it. With the spread on International transfers, they exported it with them to other leagues, and non-eyeties playig in their main league are forced to do as the rest of the team do. Luckily, not everyone does it. (Go, my English dudes, the three lion wearing, roast-beef-eating, non-teeth cleaning bunch of fucking penalty kick missers.)

Point is, don't we have floppers in the NBA? How about tennis time outs for injury? NHL specialist 'players' that goad other players into fights/fouls? NFL QB's throwing passes with the only expected outcome of a defensive foul being drawn?

Little Pot and Kettle, methinks

[poptart]

Didnt that middle guy try to Karate kick Dave Lettermen in the 80's?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALapHYNSmoA

He be trippin'.

[orcinus]

I feel pretty ...

[Trampis]

"Paul,is there anything youd like to add?"
"Uhh,no"

[War Wagon]

Federer is just a tennis machine, the whole deal of perfection in all the shots and shot selection.

Yup.

Roger is w/o a doubt the greatest tennis player I've ever watched play in the 30 some years I've been following the sport, and quite possibly will go down in history as the best ever. The only guy whom I've seen even come close is Ivan Lendyl.

First player ever to win three consecutive Wimbledons and U.S. Opens.

Rack! this guy.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Rack Federer.

That dude is sick to watch.

[Ang]

Even sicker is how loose he strings his racquet. I was looking into obscure tennis facts the other day and found that Federer strings his at 52 lbs., Roddick at 64 and Blake at a bit higher. Thing is the fewer the lb. pressure, the more power generated by the raquet but most players lose control the lower they go...Federer doesn't seem to have any problem with controlling his shots and he's far lower in lb. than the only two guys that took a set from him in the tourney. That explains Blake saying that Federer just seems to invent pace out of nothing. That on top of having the best consistent control of varied shot placement that anyone has seen in like...forever.

And WW, I have to disagree with your other best. I think Sampras was a better all round player than Lendyl, although Lendyl is right up there with the greatest ever.

Fun couple of weeks of tennis! The US Open is always a great watch. I like it almost as much as college basketball :).

[War Wagon]

True, Sampras was a great Champion.

I guess I'm trying to compare somebody who had the same type game as Federer, and Lendyl is the only one who comes close in the same calculated steely precision of shot making.

Pete was more of a serve and volley type.

Be that as it may, Federer would have smoked both.

[poptart]

I'd take Federer over Lendl on grass or hard court.
On clay I think Lendl would have beaten him.

Federer would have a hard time with Sampras' serve.
But by the same token, Sampras would have had a hard time with Federer's overall dexterity and court coverage.
Federer might have the best balance and court coverage of any player I've ever seen.

On grass, Sampras beats Federer (although Federer DID beat Pete at Wimbledon near the end of Pete's career).
On clay I'd clearly take Federer over Sampras.
On hard court ..... slight edge to Federer, but if Pete had a big serving day, look out.