Delaying tactics...

...'cause I need a 'moment'.
=============================================================================
by PAM

I know I should be talking about Roger Federer's record-setting 8th Wimbledon Title - his 19th Grand Slam over all.  Yep, his 19th won at SW19 - a feat that only he has achieved so far in the Open Era of the sport.  I posted something on Facebook... but I can't even write a proper caption.  I re-tweeted something from @Wimbledon on Twitter, but I know it's not enough.  I need a moment... surely, any tennis fan must understand, it's an emotional occasion for me: I just witnessed tennis history unfold.  I mean, history, man!  It's probably worthy of World History, too, given that Sports has become a big part of 'pop culture'... and the world has become a big 'pop world'.

So, yeah, I'm gonna need a few days to drink it all in... keep re-playing that magical moment on Centre Court of the All England Club - on my computer, and in my head.  It's just way too special to be treated as 'just another summer' in Wimbledon.

So, while I allow myself to be all-sentimental about this latest history-making achievements of RF, please allow me to share with you a few laugh-out-loud, aaaww and 'whoa!' moments in Tennis 2017 that I've enjoyed tremendously so far.

                               Fan:    "Go, Roger!"

                               Stan:  "He's not here.  You go to Rod Laver."

Stanislas Wawrinka (Stan, "The Man") is hilarious! 😂 My goodness, I almost choked laughing at this.  I didn't see it coming, I just kept the videos roll... and then this one above from the Australian Open (AO) 2017 came up.  It seemed that somebody confused him with RF when it was announced that he was Switzerland's #1 male player, which was correct, given that RF took six-month hiatus prior to AO 2017.  Or, perhaps the fan was disgruntled that he was unable to get a ticket at Rod Laver Arena.  I love it that Stan didn't miss a beat, and just replied matter-of-factly.  And he even made an effort to point to the Rod Laver Arena. 😁 Seriously hilarious!  He was runner-up to RF at the BNP Paribas Open 2017 last March.  His trophy acceptance speech, in which he called RF an "as---ole", also cracked me up.  Seriously, "The Man" is funny!

While I was gallivanting in Italy last January, the first Grand Slam of the year was happening in the land down under.  The AO is a special Grand Slam in its own right because it heralds the new year of big occasions in the tennis world.  Of course, the highlight of that occasion in Oz was the meeting up of the old 'rivals', RF and Rafael Nadal in the men's singles final.  And, because it's the most 'epic' rivalry in tennis history... and, perhaps, one of the most gigantic in all of sports world, there were many "whoa!" and "aaawww" moments and other stuff... which begin with their matching pink tennis shoes.  Aaawww! 😊  But, this one here was one of those so unforgettable "whoa!" moments...

Whew!

An epic 26-shot rally, played as if it was happening nine years ago!  Their speed was blinding, the intensity nerve-wracking, and the excitement heart-stopping.  The guys just seemed to have gotten better... and they're both over thirty years of age!  It was a competition that could've gone any other way, given the level of intensity in how both men were playing.  But this rally was extra-special because RF fired a gorgeous winner and won the point - on Rafa's serve.  And, AO 2017 was extra-special because RF won his 5th AO title, which was his 18th Grand Slam title - a record. But, of course, as we all know by now, he just topped that with a bolder stroke in history books in Wimbledon.

But before we get to that, I think I'm going to have to shut this blog down if I didn't put the 5th set of the men's final at AO 2017 up here.  So, here it is...

"It's perfectly amazing...Federer flying in the court again now...

...oh, yeah, we are all really fortunate to be seeing this right now...

...the remarkable Roger Federer!"

But more than the trophies, historical wins and all the glamour of being 'Roger Federer, the Champ', what draws multitude of loyal fans to him is his grace... good looking and carries himself well, so urbane, talks intelligently, funny at times, and seems to usually do the right thing at any occasion.  He simply commands respect.

I'm going to update this post at some point.  But for now, this will suffice because... 'I need a moment', truly. 

Excuse me.  

*victory dance* 🙌🎊🎉✨🍸👌

***
Video credits:  Thanks, YouTube, for the video links.

***

Game on...

...in Wimbledon!
==========================================================================
by PAM


It's been a while, and I need to really do this!  I need to write about Wimbledon 2017, especially that so much drama has been unfolding.  It wasn't even quarterfinals yet, and Rafa Nadal has been ousted already... and it was in 4.5-hr five-set epic of a match with Gilles Muller.  My heart went to Rafa... seriously.  And yet, I'm very happy for Gilles Muller.  He did fight a good fight at SW19, but it wasn't so much his tennis as his resolve to win that was absolutely impressive.  What with Rafa, who just snatched an unprecedented 10th title at Roland Garros, on the other side of the net?  Rafa Nadal was looking and moving imperious on court - looking absolutely unbeatable.  Muller really packed a steel of nerve in his mental game, and just fired away.  He was rewarded in the end... but to the dismay of the multitude of Nadal fans who watched their idol walk out of Center Court in defeat at the end of the match, and it was only the Round of 16.

Gilles Muller was eventually beaten by Marin Cilic in the Quarter-final.  And then, one by one, the 'big four' bowed out.  The defending champion, Andy Murray, fell in the hands of Sam Querrey in another

Garbine Muguruza: A new ladies tennis superstar is born...
and she took on both Williams sisters in the 'big courts'.

five-set slug-fest in their QF match.  A few minutes later, Novak Djokovic retired from an elbow injury after losing the first set on a tie break and the first two games in the second set to Tomas Berdych in their own QF.  That left Roger Federer as the only 'survivor' of the 'big four' into the semi-finals after beating Milos Raonic in straight-set.

Yesterday was the big Semi-final matches between RF and Berdych, and between Cilic and Querrey.  RF beat Berdych in a straight-set while Cilic was given a run for his money by Querrey in a four-set thriller.  These leave the Gentlemen's Championship match to be truly special with RF on the verge of making history with a record-breaking eighth win at Wimbledon, and 19th Grand Slam titles overall to his name.  On the other hand, Marin Cilic could be the first player in fifteen years to win Wimbledon outside the formidable 'big four' in Men's tennis. So much is at stake... so much to look forward to.  Game on!

But, today, the spotlight is on the women.  The really charming, Garbine Muguruza of Spain, set up a championship clash with five-time Wimbledon winner, Venus Williams. Garbi, the 2016 Roland Garros winner, clashed with Serena Williams at SW19 two years ago, and she finished as a runner-up to the mighty Serena.  Now, with Serena on leave, Venus was dominating the All England Club among the ladies.  But, Garbi was unstoppable today... she walloped Venus, big time, 7-5, 6-0, and snatched her first Venus Rosewater Dish.  She carried her trophy as if it was meant for her... one would think that she was born for this... to be a Champion at Wimbledon. And, what a beautiful champ she is, too! 🎾🏆

Congrats, Garbi! 🎊

Here's a piece of that adorable Spanish charm...

"...once I go to a big court, I feel good.  I feel like that's where I wanna be.
That's where I practice for. That's where I play good."

***
Video credit:  Thanks, YouTube, for the Wimbledon video link.
Photo credit:  The photo was snapped on tv screen during the live coverage of Ladies Championship match in Wimbledon by Fox Sports via Skycable - thanks.

***

If one's great...

...one's really great.  And it's great!

#Federer through to the quarterfinals! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/Trk7Oto2q9

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2017

This is great...  Roger Federer is great!  

***
Video credit:  Thanks, Twitter and @AustralianOpen, for the video share.

***

And Andy grabs the big green one...

...for the 'first time'.
===================================================================
by PAM

It must have been truly special for Andy Murray, as he hugged the Wimbledon Gentlemen's Singles Championship trophy to himself, after beating Milos Raonic from Canada in this year's championship in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2) at the All England Club.  

The temperamental Scot was absolutely emotional from the time he raised his hands in victory, more so when he received his trophy.  One would think it was his first time to win the championships when, in truth, it was his second time.  The first time he won in

To win the second time is sweet, one can cry.

Wimbledon was three years ago, in 2013 - against the Number One player in the world, Novak Djokovic.  The year before that, he was runner-up to Roger Federer, who collected his 7th Wimbledon title to equal the record set by Pete Sampras in 2000.  Prior to this, Murray and Federer clashed at SW19 for the 2012 Summer Olympics where the Scot emerged on top of the Swiss Maestro to win his Olympic gold for Great Britain. It was a big win for Andy, and for Team GB, too.  But the man and the country remained wanting for more, hungry for more, thirsty for the 'big green one', the one that belonged to the British soil.  Both finally quenched their thirst when, after 77 years, Murray won their first Wimbledon - and from a back-breaking, nail-biting terribly exciting of a contest with the 'iron man' himself, the World #1, who was perceived by many then as utterly unbeatable.  That year, Murray took the Wimbledon title as the reigning Olympics gold medalist - only the second tennis male player to do so in the open era, after Rafael Nadal.  Now, he is the first male tennis player in the Open Era to win SW19 twice as the reigning Olympics gold medalist.  

In 2013, when he collected his first Wimbledon championship trophy, it was for his

country, and only a little bit for himself.  UK had waited long enough to see a Brit win in

Dave Cameron, the outgoing Brit PM, took the jeering with humor.

the most revered tennis court in the world.  Before seeing Murray win in 2013, the whole nation would usually express their 'eloquent disappointment' whenever he came up short within mere inches from the trophy... and it drove him over the edge, making him not just temperamental and moody, but utterly sulky.  His self-doubt was almost tangible, palpable, always muttering to himself on court at every error - forced or unforced... and the whole tennis world grieved with him, while the Brit crowd expressed how unforgiving they can be.  Such is the terrible cruelty of the British public when their lofty expectations are not met.  Andy knows this, that was why he felt compelled to sort of defend the outgoing British Prime Minister, David Cameron, when he was jeered at by Brit fans when Andy acknowledged his presence. 

But, yes, in 2013, UK's #1 son in tennis finally delivered the goods: he won Wimbledon for the 'first time'... and it heralded a national celebration that freed Murray from the 'obligation' to win any more.

Therefore, when lady luck favored the Scot to get a hold of the Wimbledon trophy once again, he hugged it to himself - this time, he won it for himself.  This one he will keep as his, and his alone.  This one he will actually enjoy, and the taste of victory in garnering it he will savor with true gusto.  And we all rejoice with him - nuts of tennis fans that we all are!

Congrats, Andy!  Enjoy your victory... you so deserve it!

***
Photo credit: The photos are a screen captures I took from the live telecast by Fox Sport - thanks.

***

Stan-ning...

...for the love of clay!
====================================================================
by PAM


Yep, I've been paying attention - I swear! :) 

Uh-huh, of course, the allure of the beautiful red clay distracted me some from my deadlines, what d'ya think!  I did see a little of that Roger Federer-Gael Monfils fourth round bit before passing out from exhaustion, working on something... and, of course, that Novak Djokovic-Andy Murray semi-final bit, too.  Before that, I was admiring the courage of David Ferrer as he battled Murray for a place in the semis, and how great it was to witness that muscled battle for a place in the semis between the King of Clay', Rafael Nadal, and the king of... uh, 'everything'?  As in, everything - now - Djoker, of course.  I remember being a bit shock as I watched Djoker unseat the King of Clay... whew!  I know that Nole has beaten Rafa a few times... but never in Paris, well, not until this year anyway.  And, the minute Stanislas Wawrinka secured a place in the semifinal, at the expense of RF, I knew he had a chance in conquering Paris... notwithstanding Djoker or Rafa and Murray.  The pounding of Jo-Wilfred Tsonga by 'the other Swiss' in their semifinal duel was a clear warning to Djoker that capturing Paris was not going to be a walk in the Park.  What with Stan's canon backhand?  

That dazzling 'dirt' in the City of Light...
...and the men that make it special.

I gotta admit though, great as tennis's big men were, and magnificent as they were on clay, they didn't have my full attention.  I was quite distracted by my-- well, ya know what - my work, what else. :(  Old news, old excuse... and, just what do we do about it?  We'll know in a few months... but that is not the point of this post. :)

Goin' back to tennis... I'm really glad to see 'Stan the Man' triumph in Paris, congrats to him!  He may have reduced RF to a mere QF-er, but the same feat kind of crowned him as the next victor of Paris... for it has become a pattern, whoever beats Federer in the QF or Semis, goes on  to win the final.  It's like an anointment to become a champion... the way Djoker rose to being the Number One player in the World, the way Nadal became another legend of tennis, the way Murray found and embraced his own greatness, the way Juan Martin Del Potro found the Champion's way.  They all had to go through the Swiss Maestro.  I know, I'm biased... too much of an RF fan, I am, admittedly. :)

***
Photo credit:  I took all the photos from the live coverage of the French Open 2015 by Balls, Channel 34 on Skycable.  

*** 

US Open 2014...

...yay!
======================================================================
by PAM


Yep, I've been paying attention... even if that doesn't seem to be the case.  In fact, I've seen this live on cable TV, too...

Man, this is like the RF of the not-so-distant past! 

Luv it!  Luv him! :)

...and boy, was it worth all the chasing of "lost" time later! :)  The commentator is right, it was indeed "a highly entertaining match"!  

I'm on self-imposed long work hours daily (yep, including weekends). I can't help it, there's just too many things going on.  Therefore, my other passions are taking the backseat.  And that happens often enough, too, that I feel I have "no life".  People from different groups at work expect me to be physically present in the Office, from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Monday to Saturday... while other groups who believe that I should represent my Office in every single "important event" expect me to be in their events, which usually happen simultaneously, too.  So, what to do when the going gets too tough that you feel like screaming already?  Well, watch tennis... uhm, Roger Federer's brand of tennis to be precise, what else?! :)  

Now, I feel so much better!  See?  ;)  Thank goodness for tennis... and for RF! :)  And, thank goodness, RF won that tough but really exciting match.

***

Video credit:  Thanks, YouTube, for the video link.

***

2014 Aussie Open: Yep, I'm paying attention...

...oy, oy, oy!
============================================================
by PAM

Yeah, I've been following the matches at the Aussie Open...

Stan attacks... Djoker stretches to a split to respond.
It's cut-throat down there in Melbourne, whew! 

I just can't find the time to sit and write about the matches... but, yeah, I'm paying attention.  I loved the QF match between the defending Champ, Novak Djokovic, and Stanislas Wawrinka (Stan, the man), which finished just a couple of hours ago.  Stan got Djoker stretched to his limit right there... but I had a feeling Djoker was unprepared for the mighty Swiss attack launched by 'The Man'.  If Stan could keep it up... and I think he will with Tomas Berdych, he might just find himself in serious trophy-grasping contest with the world #1, Rafael Nadal... or, maybe, El Maestro himself, Roger Federer.

'The Man' is through... and I don't think Berdych could stop him.

'The Man' is in his elements... awesome!  He'd might just be the 2014 Aussie Open's version of Juan Martin del Potro in the US Open back in 2009... we'll see.  'The Man' is scary... in a totally unscary and, actually, exciting way!

***

QOTD

QOTD #14: The 'landscape' is once again evolving in the Tennis World.
=====================================================================
by PAM 

"That is the trouble with being a world-class tennis player in the modern era. Eight years ago, Andre Agassi made the final of this tournament without beating anybody ranked higher than Tomas Berdych, then a promising 19-year-old who stood at No. 34 in the world.

"But those were the days before Roger Federer had changed the whole rhythm of the sport by going to the last four of every single slam, every single year. 

"His patterns have since been imitated by his two closest peers – Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic – so that there is rarely any such thing as a free lunch anymore, particularly in the hard-court events. You have to beat the best in the world, and keep beating then, set after set after set. This explains why modern slam winners tend to come from a small group of names."

         -  Simon Briggs 
            Tennis Section
            The Telegraph
            September 7, 2013

After watching RF exit in the Round of 16 at the 2013 US Open - the last Grand Slam in the calendar - via Spaniard Tommy Robredo's racquet, something snapped somewhere in my heart.  :(  Yep, RF has become "human"... he was chasing the ball with speed less than what's required, and returning it on the other side of the net with the accuracy of an amateur.  Oh, boy....  The once impeccably clean look all throughout the match, with hardly a drop of sweat, is gone... he was sweating like an old cow - unbelievable!  It was hard to watch... so, I stopped watching somewhere around the third set... when I was quite certain that the RF I knew was not going to show up. :(  But, oh well, I already released him

The changing (changed?) landscape in Men's Tennis.
(Images source: Zimbio.)

from the "bondage" of my tennis "idolatry" last year after watching him fetch his 17th Grand Slam title - in Wimbledon no less. Therefore, he is now "free" to lose in the Round of 16. I watched him exit Wimbledon as a defending Champ this year - in the 2nd Round!! I sat through it all - without breaking down... so, I'll survive this one, too.  Besides, like what Simon Briggs pointed out, RF is the one who changed the tennis world to what it is today - highly, highly competitive, with innovative training for ultrapowerful players, and hi-tech racquet with 'new materials' utilized by the players.  Therefore, RF revolutionized tennis to an exciting sport that a fan can be unashamedly passionate about these days.

Speaking of ultrapowerful players, in one of the semi-final matches the other night, Stanislas Wawrinka gave Djoker a serious run for his money.  The World #1 was 'Stanned'!  It was a grueling five setter, 2-6, 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4!  And boy, did I know exciting!  Djoker prevailed in the end... but, in my opinion, it was a victory for Stan, 'The Man'. After 'Stanning' Andy Murray, ending the latter's hope of defending his "King of Queens" crown, en route to the semis, the 'other' Swiss made Djoker doubt his chances at getting his second US Open title - that's for sure!  Rafa, on the other hand, had an easier QF round with Richard Gasquet , finishing in a straight-set win. So, he will come into the Final fresh and good, and ready for "guerra". He is a hard-to-handle "red-hot" energy on a roll, too, not losing a hardcourt match getting into the US Open.

So, it will be another bionic man vs. never-say-die warrior Nofael Djodal marathon Championship match then?  Yes, it is!  Man, I can't wait! :)        

Oh, and I just completed 'four centuries of blogging', and starting a new one... this is the 401st entry in this blog. :)

***

My world of sports...

...can it get worse? ==================================================================================
by PAM


Tennis, football... what on earth is happening?  It feels like the planets have been re-aligning or something.  Yes, of course, I've been paying attention!  I just didn't have enough leisure time to supply the sports ingredient in my blog these days.  But today, I feel I need to make time for it... or the balance in my world would tip to the dangerous 'burnout' end.  I have to say though that all is satisfying in the work front as far as outcomes are concerned... but burnout is slowly creeping in, too... and it's not even one year yet.  I'm feeling the pressure on my body... and it doesn't feel good. 

Therefore, bring on football and tennis!

***
Alright, football first... let's break it down.

First, Sir Alex Ferguson retired, ending his 27-year tenure as Manchester United's big boss... but that happened ages ago already, it seems, at the rate things are going in the football world.  It's just that Foodball Captain chose to write about David Beckham's retirement - only - when the 'shake-up' was happening.  I needed to rely on FC that time just because I was too busy with my 'day job' to write about my sentiments.  Oh, well... what can I say, except you go for what's in front of you... and complain later? :)

Second, Pep Guardiola, my man, finally started his stint with FC Bayern Munich last month... and it felt odd to see the cule legendary coach mentoring the already 

Pep Guardiola (5th from left, 2nd row) is the Bundesliga

Champs' new boss.

(Photo credit:  grabbed from Daily Mail UK.)

'perfect' Bundesliga current champions... okay, not to mention the UEFA Champions League holders, too. Okay, in fact, they are treble winners last season.  So, there, big job to keep that up - perhaps, even for Pep!  Pep was greeted by a jab on the face by Bayern Munich's reserve goal keeper, Tom Starke.

On the other hand, Barça's future seems uncertain, even when they regained the Spanish La Liga Primera crown back to Camp Nou (yaay!)... an achievement that contributed to the shortened stint in Madrid of the, now confirmed, not-so-special-one, Jose Mourinho, who is now back at Chelsea FC's helm.  Yep, when a 'Pep news' comes up, somewhere, somehow, a 'Mou news' pops up, too.  But, who cares?  About the Mourinho out-of-Madrid, gone-to-Chelsea piece of news, I mean.  Well, it matters to Roman Abramovich, obviously... and, perhaps, John Terry, who was assured - not - by Mou of being in the first team.  Alright, here we go... more colorful drama at Stamford Bridge next season!  Bring on the popcorn!   In the meantime, we wait in giddy anticipation of the Bayern Munich-Chelsea match soon... and the Bayern Munich-Barça match even sooner!  Big matches, alright.  Hah, sorry work, you just gotta share time with football now - seriously! :)

Third, so many player movements across teams and Leagues... and even across continents!  Barça's very good home-grown young midfielder, Thiago Alcantara, for instance, is now Pep's new recruit - from Catalunya to Bavaria.  David Villa now plays for Atletico Madrid.  Brazil's current best player, Neymar, is Barça's newest 'boy wonder #2'... Lionel Messi being (and always will be) #1.  How would that figure in Leo's false 9 position in the Barça scheme... we shall see - soon enough.

Fourth, Tito Vilanova's cancer so sadly recurred... and he had to step down as FC Barcelona coach two days ago to resume treatments. :(  Oh, boy... talk about uncertain future!  That piece of news was

Snatched from the touchline by a horrible illness... anims, Tito!

(Photo credit:  Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)

the turning point for me.  It made me decide to snatch back some of my personal time from my 'day job' to write something here!  Just when I'm beginning to really, really like Tito's calmness, and his thoughtful and serene-looking face in a handsome stance on the Barca touchline... he leaves!  What's more, it's all because of a life-threatening illness. :(  I feel guilty for not writing about his stint with Barça, which I appreciated and enjoyed, too.  The Barça players lead the football world in wishing Tito the very best... because, as Andres Iniesta points out, in the end, this more about a man's life rather than just football.  Anims, Tito! 

Now, the search is on for the next Barça coach. Who would it be? I hope it'd be Rubi. His ideas seem fresh, and his personality seems right for the Barca philosophy: work hard, observe discipline, be a teamplayer, keep ball possession and bring it to the goal, play well - to win... and play beautifully.  He seems to be passionate enough about leading and leading well a great football team, and he seems to have enough youthful energy to match that passion.  He could be in the same wavelength as most of the key Barça players.  He has Pep's aura... not to say that Barça needs to look for another Pep, because there is only one Pep Guardiola... and he is now in Allianz Arena in Bavaria.  Just look for one who respects the Barca philosophy, and will keep it alive and well.

Man, I lied low on my 'football thing' here for a few months, and I came back to a completely new world of football!   Whew!  But, life goes on... the ball rolls on the turf, and the men kick it to keep the beautiful game alive and well.  Therefore, we hope for the best... and we get ready for schedule adjustments to accommodate football in my sked.  I'm excited!  :)

***
Next, tennis...

Yes, yes, and yes, I have been paying attention to tennis, too! 

And yes, I did follow the French Open and the Championships at Wimbledon... alright, I admit, I did an unacceptable in-and-out (of consciousness) in the middle of matches.  I was just too tired to stay awake most days... but, hey, I exerted tremendous effort to stay awake.  That should keep my "licensed" tennis fan status! :)  

I have to admit that I almost fell from my seat when Roger Federer exited Roland Garros in the quarter-finals.  But, I was totally, totally awed by the greatness on clay by Rafael Nadal!  He was sooooo awesome - on clay - the greatest ever, in my book!  I'm so glad he was back to play strong, and regain his seat as one of the Top 4 players in the world.

Ooops, I know, I know, I spoke too soon... because Rafa exited Wimbledon, a few days later - in the (freak of a) first round - against an unseeded player!  Imagine?  A day later... there went the defending Champ, Roger Federer, out of Wimbledon, too - in the second round!  Ow!  Just a year ago, after bowing to Andy Murray in the London Games to claim the silver medal, the King of Grass was back, and made history by claiming his 17th Grand Slam in Wimbledon - the most GS ever by a male tennis player in the Open Era.  This year, he was not good enough to overcome the challenge of another unseeded player, 'causing him to slide down the ranking to #5 - for the first time since 2002!  Ow, ow, ow!  Too bad, there hasn't been enough time for the world to watch the cute antics of his adorable twin girls.  Oh, well....

There's a saving grace though... Juan Martin del Potro is towering tall again on court, giving Novak Djokovic a spirited run for his money in the Wimbledon semis, and the Andy Garcia look-alike, the beautiful Spaniard, David Ferrer, went up to #4 in the ranking, for the first time... and played in the semis in Wimbledon - for the first time, too.  Woot-woot!  And the biggest tennis drama of the year went off from the tough, tough racket of Andy Murray... he claimed his FIRST Wimbledon Cup - the first British man to win in more than 70 years!  Woohoo!  You can just imagine how happy Judy Murray was... immensely happy - maybe, happier than Andy himself! ;)  By the way, that was heartfelt, the woot-woot, I mean... CONGRATULATIONS, Andy!  :)

Alright, I have work to do *sigh* .... ciao!

***

Talkin' like April...

...under the PI sky.
=========================================================================
by PAM


Did you miss me?  :) 

Sorry, been busy... uhm, relaxing.  Emphasis on the 'relaxing' rather than the 'busy' part, mind you.  Yep, I know the meaning of the word 'relaxing', too, believe it or... don't!  :)

Soul vacay with soulful people. 

So, yeah, you joke around, sing at the top of your soul, eat like there's no tomorrow, shop cheap, and talk non-sense with really nice, humble people all weekend long... and your awareness of how wonderful this life is transcends mere knowing, it becomes true conviction.  Uhm-hmm, yeah, that's experience talkin' right there, my friend!

Yep, I had a chance to spend a couple of days away from that tiring den of bulging egos, and it was awesome!  :)  Then again, "that den" doesn't necessarily have to be dominated by a few bulging egos... we have wonderful people - humble, productive, sincerely focused on serving, and serving well.  I had a chance to bond with 35 of them for two days, and it energized me tremendously.  We did nothing but talk... 'talk like April' - warm, sparklingly light, cheerful, and relaxed.  For the first time in many days, I didn't have to pay too much attention on what I had to say or do... no one was waiting for me to err so they could have a chance to pounce or berate me like it was a precious prize to be able to do so, no one was thinking I'm too lucky that a killer whale should swallow me alive, no one was secretly wishing I'd drop dead. :)  It was blissful!  Whew!  :)

This life is teeming with good things, good people and good deeds.  I'm lucky to be working with so many incredible souls... soulful beings - pure, real, sincere and honest.  Or, perhaps, I'm lucky that I learned to focus on them rather than on those who think so highly of themselves... those who take it their mission in life to ruin our day - every single day - with unabashed conceit and unbriddled selfishness.  I'm lucky I've learned how to put them on the faded area of my peripheral vision, so they don't count... much.  Ah, life is good... thank you, oh, Lord!

Here's a little remnant from that uplifting 'soulful vacay'...

"A hundred days have made me older... a thousand lies have made me colder,
and I don't think I can look at this the same."

For as long as the good outweighs the bad, and more good people than bad surround me, this is all worth it.  Therefore, we proceed... vamos!

***
Did you say 'vamos'?

I had a chance tor see the Monte Carlo segment of the ATP Masters 1000 series, where Novak Djokovic dethroned the long-time champ, Rafael Nadal in a straight-set win, 6-2, 7-6 (7/1). 

Okay, so I'm a hardcore Roger Federer fan, but while I've always been a Djoker believer, I've always been a Nadal admirer, too.  Therefore, seeing Rafa lose that tournament made me feel sad.  It was the end of the Spaniard's 46-match winning run in MC... kinda bitter-sweet day for a tennis fan - the end of one great player's reign, the beginning of another great player's reign in that little clay kingdom of Monte Carlo. 

Coming back from a long hiatus because of knee injury, Nadal looked a bit rusty.  I know, it used to be unimaginable to think of 'rusty' and Nadal in one sentence a few years back.  Now, however... just picture this: with a nicely set-up game that was supposed to end in an overhead smash to kill Djoker in the second set, Rafa jumped, reached for the ball, smashed... and sent the ball straight to the net!  Aw, boy!  Obviously, he was not in his 100% winning form - yet. 

On the upside, the long time away from the tennis courts gave Rafa's skin a nice glow... and he seemed to have loosened up a little bit, wearing a pair of shorts that showed more thighs than usual.  Not all that bad.  I hope he recovers his form 100%, in time for the 2013 French Open.  In the meantime, there's Barcelona... vamos! 

***

Oy, heart attack... break!

Oy, oy, oy!
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by PAM


Here's a classic from Melbourne...

It's getting a bit too hot in Melbourne now... Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray just negotiated a 36-shot rally in the third set, which Djoker won.  The World #1 and #3 are trying to settle the dispute over the major silverware in the Aussie Open Men's Singles Championship.  The two players winning one set a piece, with no break of serve so far.  Djoker is looking to break Andy's serve to surge ahead.  The intensity is too much, I need a break!

Therefore, music please!  This is a job for Aztec Camera...

"The one thing that's understood is that you can't buy time...
...all you've got to be is true."

..."Somewhere in my Heart" from one of my fave '80s bands, to calm things down a bit. Deep breath... one, two, three....

Alright, back to the game.....

***

Huh? Aussie Open 2013...

...what do you mean, you're almost over?
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by PAM


Just a few days ago... well, at least, that's how it seems, a High School classmate was so generously offering to treat me to the Aussie Open, the first Grand Slam of the new Tennis season.  My classmate was fanning me with
The Tennis Superstars were 'Nickolodeoned'.
(Photo credit: Graham Denholm/Getty Images)tickets to the men's single semi-finals and the men's single final at the Rod Laver Arena.  "All you have to do," the classmate admonished, "is to stop being boring, make the time, and get on that plane!"   

"Make the time", sure... I wish it's that simple.  I know I'm a big fan of Star Trek, and that's one of my fave topics: making time when something is important enough.  The fact that I have not seen a single match - live - not one, nah-ah, in the Aussie Open 2013 confirms that, sadly, Sports is taking the back seat in my 2013 agenda. :(  I'm not sure if I could stand by that tall order... 'cause it's like asking your lungs to make the most out of 'rationed oxygen'.  But a few things have become more important than, say, the great desire to find out whether Roger Federer would shed tears - again - this year, or to find out if this would be the year when he would actually lose his Swiss cool and smash his racquet in the Marat Safin ultimate mental breakdown fashion.  Or, is this the year when Maria Sharapova would find the volume dial to her throat, which seemed to be synchronized with the movement of
Winners: Viktoria Azarenka and Li Na.
(Photo credit: Scott Barbour/Getty Images)her right wrist?  Apparently, Li Na cannot stand the noise either (well, her husband's mere snoring disturbs her) that she found it in her to silence the leggy Russian in their semi-final match with a straight-sets win.  Ah, relief... for our ears, thanks, Li Na!  Unfortunately, for the powerful Chinese lady, she could not find the right touch and will her bones to stop from breaking so she could silence the 'other noisy' woman on the court, Viktoria Azarenka.  The #1 in the world, Vika, became the least favorite woman by the 2013 Aussie Open crowd after her controversial win over the rising American tennis teenage star, Sloane Stephens - the same girl whose brilliance caused Serena Williams to lose it, and go on spontaneous combustion - on court... again. The win by VA over SS was described by many as undeserved... and I can't argue with that.  Nevertheless, VA went on to snatch the Championship cup - for the second time in a row, despite being walloped by Li Na in the first set.  Too bad for the Chinese lady... and us, who are not all that amused by VA's rough manners on court, not to mention, weird fashion sense. 

Don't get me wrong though... it isn't like I wasn't following the event.  I saw parts of the Federer-Tsonga QF match as I rushed through breakfast a few days back to catch a 9 AM - 12 PM meeting, and it took the heart of me a little, to watch RF finding the true Champion's touch to stop
Roger Federer @ 31: genius, elegance and grace in pink.
(Photo credit: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)the gritty Frenchman from advancing to the semis.  That's as good as the final for me as far as RF is concerned.  I also saw some parts of the Djokovic-Ferrer semi-final match (on replay, of course).  And, while I was wow-ing and awesome-ing through the beautiful shots from the Djoker racquet, my heart completely bled for the admirable Spaniard who is #5 in the World, David Ferrer, trying to equal Djoker and trying to fill-in the Rafael Nadal shoes in the 'Big Four', but coming up short... too short, actually.  I was especially ouch-ing for DF when he tried to return that baseline powershot from the Djoker racquet, but couldn't jump high enough to catch the ball.  Oh, boy... tough!  And, I dizzied myself to sleep through the (replay of) Federer-Murray semi-final match.  RF was cursing... hah!  Mental breakdown?  Nah... just weird officiating that ought to be questioned, really.  But, that was the first time that these two ran the distance in a Grand Slam:  fiver-setter.  Man, RF still has it in him at 31 to challenge these younger players in the 'Big Four' with iron abs and biceps - awesome!  Oh, and loving the baby pink trimmings of his gear and baby pink shoe laces - too cute. :)

Hmm... how will I maintain my status as a 'card-carrying' tennis fan, when I have not seen any match - live - in the Aussie Open this year?  I'm fearing disbarment from the 'federation of tennis geeks'!  Tsk!   :(  Oh, well....  Fortunately, YouTube is there to the rescue... while it's
Iron men: Novak Djokovic & Andy Murray, who's tougher?
(Photo credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images)not as exciting to watch the replay as the live match (and what is Sports if you take away that sort of nail-biting, nerve wracking excitement?), at least you don't feel left out when your fellow tennis geeks are passionately discussing how incredible it is that Caroline Wozniacki had miraculously held on until the fourth round!  Yeah, imagine that!  :)

Well, it would be exciting to see if, finally, Andy Murray, would find the true 'Brit grit' a la James Bond under a 'licensed-to-kill' sort of a tennis hero mission, as he did in the London Summer Games, and whip the butt of Novak Djokovic to finally earn the right to raise the Normal Brookes Challenge Cup above his head!  Now, this one, I'm going to have make the time for.  I'm really curious to see if they could match the incredible Nofael Djodal iron men match-up last year in Melbourne... and I want to follow - as it happens, live!  With the gruelling grind I had to go through last week and the week before that, I deserve this much! 

Therefore, sorry, work... you are taking the backseat within the next few hours.  Besides, it's weekend for cryin' out loud!  Alright, work, scoot over - now! 

Oy, oy, oy, Aussie, Aussie, oy, oy, oy!  :)

***

Aaaww, Andy!

Finally, A MAJOR!!! ============================================================================
by PAM 

And no tears, too. 

Spotlight on Andy Murray, the new "King of Queens"... sweet!
(Photo: Clive  Brunskill/Getty Images)

And so, it goes... Andy Murray, the "perennial #4", always in the semis, sometimes in the final, always the one who came close, and not quite taking the biggest prize. Well, not tonight in Queens. Tonight, he had the audacity to appoint himself as "the one". He barked himself into gritty fighting mode from one point to the next, got the New York crowd on his side, eyeballed Lady Luck... she blinked, gave him a smile, and Andy quickly snatched the winner's cup from Novak Djokovic. No catastrophic hiccups this time, no emotional blinking.  Aw, relief! 

September 10, 2012... a date to remember, the day Andy Murray finally won his first Major Title at the US Open, becoming the first British man to win a Grand Slam since Fred Perry did in 1936 in Wimbledon.  The dream is finally realized... at the most glorious time in Men's tennis no less, when four of the most talented and ferocious court warriors share the name of greatness - equally now!  The Australian Open "quadrant" held by Djokovic, the French Open by Rafa Nadal, Wimbledon by Roger Federer, and now, the US Open by Andy Murray... all the finals of those Majors were played between any two of the four, plus the 2012 Olympics final.  Yeah, Andy is definitely one of the "Big Four" now... and he has the silverware to show for it, too - and it ain't flat, it holds water!  

The Djokovic-Murray US Open final was a championship match peppered with drama, which lasted just a few minutes less than five hours under extreme conditions in the cavernous Arthur Ashe arena. Two of the toughest "iron men" of tennis measured each other up, the Serbian with blazing eyes stretching his bronze body to near plasticity, the Briton howling wolfishly to scare off whatever defeat demons left lurking in the corners of his mind. Murray brought the "big house" down when, in the fifth set at 4-2, he broke Djokovic on the latter's serve and stared the exciting chance to serve up the championship point to Djoker.  And the Briton triumphed emphatically, 7-6(10), 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2, to the delight of the New York crowd. 

Congratulations, Andy! Tennis fans cheer for you... it's been a loooong journey, but you found your way - through all the winding roads of heartaches and disappointments. If only for that, your victory is the sweetest, not just for you but for us, tennis fans, too. It's your time... and it's the right time. Awww-woooo! 

***

Dang, Citizen Bill!

"Hillary's guy" haven't lost his touch... he just got better!
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by PAM

He brought the house down - as usual!  Only this time, he was so much better than ever before... and I didn't think that was possible at all!

Former United States President, Bill Clinton, formally nominated the current President, Barack Obama, for re-election in the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.  And, man, was he AWESOME!  He has always been a charismatic leader and exceptionally good orator, but I
Bill Clinton: "What works in the real world
is cooperation." (Photo: Charlie Neibergall/AP)don't think I've seen him give such an incredibly eloquent, engaging, heavy-punching and humorous speech ever before. Ah, talk about wine getting better with age!  Bill Clinton made a case for Mr. Obama's re-election in a way that no one - not even Mr. Obama himself, I think - could ever do.  His speech was well-written, brilliantly structured to send an irresistible message about Obama's inclusive policies and essentially "Middle Class First" Programs while assuring the world that "America is your friend" through his foreign policies. This as he leads the US to a long and hard road to recovery after eight years of war and gut-churning excesses at Wall Street that brought their economy (and the world's economy with it) to its knees four years ago under the watch of the Republicans.  Without sounding like offering an excuse for Pres. Obama's failure to make good his promises from four years ago, Mr. Clinton delivered the message so effectively that it electrified the Democrats - worldwide, I suppose - and maybe brought an approving smile to the "undecided" voters' lips. My attention was glued to the TV screen - in awe - the whole time.  It's a good thing that he didn't talk about abortion though.   

I specifically liked how he emphasized "advancing equal opportunity and economic empowerment is both morally right and good economics, because discrimination, poverty and ignorance restrict growth, while investments in education, infrastructure and scientific and technological research increase it, creating good jobs and new wealth for all of us" just because they were some of the things that I appreciated in the State of the Nation Address of our own President, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, in July.

I was just recovering from the 'man, that Paul Ryan charisma has serious wattage, it actually convinces' thing, and the 'hey, Mitt is human, too' dramatic revelation in the Republican National Convention last week.  Those got me seriously
Obama + Clinton, 44 + 42... "Arithmetic!"
(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)'scared'. Oh, boy, Americans aren't letting those Wall Street vultures take us to another free-falling economic ride, are they???  But the Democrats came back punching - with their biggest and most dazzling superstar no less.  If there had been doubts as to whether or not Mr. Obama can win the election in November against the gathering momentum of the Romney-Ryan campaign... well, it looks like Citizen Bill might have just won it for him right there!  I think it might just be 'game over' for Mitt Romney. Too bad for Paul Ryan.

Former President Clinton's leadership was one of my inspirations in pursuing the dream to obtain Fulbright Scholarship about ten years ago or so... to learn the positive things about the American Higher Education System and the American "can-do" attitude and bring them home to hopefully help complement ours in the Philippines, and keep moving forward.  I was fortunate to attend Cornell University in Ithaca, New York for five years.  His wife, Sec. Hillary Clinton, of the Department of State now was the New York State Senator then, and she visited Cornell a few times while I was there to look at progress in research at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences that would help the New York Agriculture sector. It was a most wonderful experience, of course.  Then again, it's probably the people I met - in Cornell and in Fulbright (and the US Department of Agriculture and Department of State) - who became very good friends that made the experience wonderful more than anything else.

***
In the local politics front...

I had a tough day yesterday and I woke up late today.  But I woke up to Karen Davila's interview of the newly appointed Department of Transportation and
Sec. Jun Abaya and Karen Davila at "Headstart".
(Photo: Karen Davila)Communications (DOTC) Secretary, who is also the elected Representative of Cavite, Sec. Joseph Emilio Abaya.  It did give me a good "Headstart" that I even found the time to drop by here and talk a little bit - to the cyberspace.  Sec. Abaya is a University of the Philippines Applied Physics guy who obtained his M.S. in Electrical Engineering in Cornell, which I know for a fact to be a very tough Program, among many other outstanding academic achievements.  I think the Basic Science and Engineering training is very useful for systematic, disciplined, problem solving-savvy and low-profile sort of leadership.  Just look at the late Sec. Jesse Robredo whose basic training was Engineering - he made problem solving in governance looked so easy.  While he has yet to obtain the nod of the Commission on Appointments, I think Sec. Abaya will do a great job at the DOTC because he has a very good track record in his relatively short career in public service and politics... but more than that, he has good things in mind that he wants to accomplish for the country's better future.  Looks like we have another young and brilliant, less-talk-more-positive-action guy in the Aquino administration - excellent!

Good luck, Sec. Abaya!

***  
Wait... tennis and football!

Oh, and I enjoyed Maria Sharapova and Marion Bartoli's quarter-final match at the 2012 US Open!  Maria dug herself out of a deep hole where the gritty
Maria Shhhh... (Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)Frenchwoman pushed her in in the first set and first half of the second set... and the stylish Russian screamed herself out the hole - emerging as the winner in a three-set battle of wits and wills, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.  Maria's consistently steel determination to win is so awesome!  Win or lose, you know for sure that she always puts up a good fight.  Respect.  Never mind how loud she plays (boy, she's loud!) - ear plugs help, ya know.

Aw, wait... did Roger Federer just crashed in four sets against Tomas Berdych in their QF match??  Dang, I was just going to write about his Olympics Silver medal, Cincinnati triumph and nice form getting into the US Open (eons ago, of course)!  What can I say...  besides 'I am a grown up with grown up concerns who blogs during free time' that is?  Oh, well....

The footie boys are on an International break... and Cristiano Ronaldo is apparently 'sad' at Real Madrid, and it isn't about the money, mind you (according to him, anyway)...and that Lionel Messi couldn't be bothered to comment! :)  And Barça's "pale assassin", who tied the knot last summer, showed both Crissy and Messi who was boss - he won the 2012 UEFA Best European Player award!  So, is that why Crissy is sad?  Aw!  Congratulations, Andrés Iniesta!  Better late than never.

***