Sunday, February 25, 2007

Backlogged: RMK 2007

12 Things I've Learned This Week:

01) Tommy Haas really, REALLY likes Starbucks.

02) Andy Murray favors Pau Gasol. (Not a bad thing!)

03) Andy Roddick drinks LOTS o' water during matches. (I counted 8 bottles opened during the semis)

04) Otherwise healthy athletes can get the stomach bug too! No one is immune.

05) Venus Williams is back. She is!

06) Jamie Murray is everywhere. He's on the courts, he's watching courtside, and apparently he and I are in the SAME hallway at the SAME time on a regular basis.

07) There are no bad seats in Morgan Keegan Stadium. (I've sat almost everywhere except
courtside....PLEASE?)

08) The men AND ladies prefer the cap over the headband. (sorry Mardy Fish)

09) No matter how often a serve clocks in over 100 MPH, I am still going to be really, REALLY impressed.

10) Google this: "Andy Janet Memphis" and my blog comes up on the first page. I don't really know what that means, but it's cool!

11) Not only are Wozniacki and Gabashvili fun to say, they can play tennis too!

12) This whole thing starts over again in less than a year and I'm already counting down the days!

~~J

(originally "blogged" at The Memphis Edge)

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Backlogged: RMK 2007

Last night I went to bed with visions of Roddick dancing in my head.

I felt as if I was trying to unravel a mystery that everyone else already knew the answer to. But, when early morning thunderstorms rolled through, I awoke with a thunderbolt. Literally. It had to be a relatively close strike. But that's how it hit me. WONDERBOY.

Yes, like the wooden baseball bat that was carved from the tree that was hit by lightning in front of Roy Hobbs house. (say that three times fast)

Andy is the ultimate WONDERBOY, the all-American hero we love! He's just cocky enough on the court, walking a fine line between arrogance and good-natured fun. He can hit the tennis ball fast enough to make every person in the crowd flinch. BAM! Or maybe that's just me?

He talked out loud, scared a ball boy with his display of anger but still managed to make the crowd laugh. We were supporting and rooting for him throughout the match last night.

"Come on, Andy!" says the girl behind me. She's probably 17.

"You can do it, Andy!" says the woman next to me. She's probably 65.

And then similar words came from my mouth as well, unexpectedly. There's no yelling in tennis. WRONG! I was clapping and vocalizing just like everybody else. Age? Somewhere between the other two.

He struggled a bit and his frustration showed. His racket took the brunt of his power and was crushed. But after the win, he autographed it and allowed it to be auctioned off for St. Jude.

Also, when asked to buy the first ticket for the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway at $100 a pop, guess what? He offered to buy the first TEN tickets.

How can you NOT love the guy? Big serve. Big Heart.

Let's Go ANDY!

~~J

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Backlogged: RMK 2007

Tennis Players gone WILD! No. Just kidding.

I admit that I like it when they get a wee bit feisty though!

Andy Roddick was definitely feisty last night. He was offering up verbal jabs with the chair umpire over first service calls. BAM! The ball slams and the line judge dodges out of the way. BAM! again!

I guess it's human nature to run away from a speeding bullet, but when it's your JOB to watch and see where the ball lands...what do you do? Andy says you need to go ahead and get hit.

What? I bet a small object traveling at 120+ MPH would hurt. Of course, that's what a line judge is paid to do. There is always a chance of being hit by a ball.

Hazard pay? Maybe.

& now Andy Murray is also having a running conversation with the chair umpire today.

Scandal?
No. Of course not.

This is the game of gentlemen and ladies. I doubt there will be a rumble between the players that spills into the stands anytime soon. Fans might scramble for balls or towels thrown by players into the crowd. We can handle that!

~~J

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Backlogged: RMK 2007

(originally posted at The Memphis Edge)

As I drove around town today (literally ALL around: Downtown, Midtown, East Memphis, Bartlett) I kept having to remind myself that it's February. There is a tennis tournament going on, it's pushing 70 degrees AND it's February.

Could it be because of all the hot tennis players we have in our midst?
Andy(s), Tommy, Mardy, & Venus: this means y'all!

After enjoying a wonderful evening of tennis last night (parking issues solved by my very own "chauffeur" experience in a Saturn) I can't wait to see what they have in store for us tonight. I won't be there in person (have I mentioned that already?), but I'll be glued to the television. Comcast, don't let me down.

A quick HELLO again to the person driving an "official car" down Poplar this afternoon. I waved. We're just THAT friendly here.

Predictions? I think/hope the Andy(s) (Roddick and Murray) will pull through.

~~J

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Backlogged: RMK 2007

Someone once said, "Into each life some rain must fall." Look outside, I'm not kidding. It seems as if the sky is going to burst forth soon.

It might as well be ME crying, because Andy Roddick isn't going to be featured on Stadium court tonight. He will be there tomorrow, but I don't have tickets for tomorrow. What is a girl to do?

When I finally decided upon my ticket purchases I was sure that Andy would be my first "real live" tennis match. I was so intent on this that I took a week of vacation to be free to watch as much tennis as possible!

I have decided to forgive Andy, just this once, because every cloud has a sliver lining, and this cloud has TOMMY HAAS and VENUS WILLIAMS tonight!

Now I recall watching Tommy quite clearly during the U.S. Open this year. Unfortunately he lost that Quarterfinal match, but made his way into my heart. I didn't get to watch him win the RMK Championship last year (evil job!) so forgive me for missing that one, please.

Secret German Message to Tommy: Du bist Klasse!

I definitely watched last night as Venus made her comeback. WAY TO GO!

These two matches tonight have got me over the moon, despite the weather. (Now if only I can figure out the parking situation)

~~J

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