22 July, 2006

Trip: Wow. Dialup :-(

I am miles away from broadband here, and using my grandmother's computer on her 28.8k dialup connection.

I had forgotten the Internet could hurt this bad.

And I don't have my shorthand, either. I actually have to type every word that you are reading!?! How could the world be so cruel. ;-)

Anyway, it is pretty interesting to back in "the valley" down here in Paso Robles. Temps seem to be 110+ and I think the humidity is a little higher than usual at 21%. Of course, you know what difference that made in my tennis. None. Got to play a little twice. I needed to stretch my legs a little.

BTW: If you want to see a passing of the baton in tennis, tomorrow James Blake is going to dismantle Andy Roddick in the Indianapolis final. If you compare Blake to Roddick,
Forehand: Blake - same power, more control
Backhand: Blake - get real. Roddick is just starting to get a backhand
Server: Roddick, but every big server has a weak game or two
Service return: Blake - Roddick's return is an embarassment
Attitude: Blake - He knows how to work through a match. They both can be fragile mentally, but Blake is much tougher than Roddick
Coaching: ? - I don't really know, but Jimmy Connors could be the best thing that ever happened to Roddick. My guess is that Connors won't be able to help him. Connors has the mental toughness that Roddick needs, but it came too easy for Connors. You cannot teach what comes too easily.

Roddick will not be able to win this match on serve and coaching alone. Blake wins in two sets.

Ah well. All this typing reminds me that it's still daylight here on the West Coast. Why am I not out trying to find another chance to hit right now?

10 comments:

Kevin Knox said...

Wow!

I picked the winner, but not the match. Roddick showed up in a way he has not for almost a year. I genuinely felt sorry for him in his defeat.

Anytime the score makes it to 4-6, 6-4, 6-6 @ 5-5, it is as close a match as humanly possible.

It was his own fault that he lost. He kept making old Andy decisions, but he definitely played with new mental toughness. His serve only let him down a couple times - that they were both in the tiebreaker is not a big surprise; it could happen to anyone.

His biggest mistake was not really a bad one. He wanted to throw variety at Blake (good thing) so he decided to attack the net more often than usual (good thing) but he did it at strategic moments (good thing) at which he had hit a barely adequate approach shot (bad thing.) In other words, he played a little too much in his head at critical junctures. One of those poor approach shots cost him in the tiebreaker. Just exactly the wrong moment to be thinking too hard.

I'm glad Blake won, and I hope Roddick isn't too badly broken by this hard to swallow defeat. They both mentally needed this win badly. Blake was just thinnest margin tougher. He deserved the win.

I think Jimmy Connors may have a chance at molding Roddick into something dangerous if this is an example of what he can teach him to do. As much as it hurt, this match was the best news Roddick has had in years.

Kevin Knox said...

I'm pretty sure the tiebreak progression was:
4-4
5-4
6-4
6-5
7-5

So, it was never 5-5, but 6-4, 4-6, 6-6 @ 4-4 is still pretty close. :-) Had to correct that error.

Milly said...

The PBR was a good one. Sounds like we both had a good sports day. :-}

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...Paso Robles...

I'm going to be in Cambria next month.

kc bob said...

Glad to see you back online ... even if it was at a crawl.

I only saw the last few minutes of the tie-break ... I hope both of these guys show up with their A-game in Flushing Meadows ... they'll need it to play Nadal and Federer.

Kevin Knox said...

The PBR is a lot of fun, Milly. Those men set the bar high. I'm afraid I am not the one challenge them, though. :-)

Kevin Knox said...

Well Ellen, you missed the 115 degree spell. I wish you good walking weather while you're there.

I'm back in NorCal now, and much happier. I love the trees and it is a little cooler, anyway.

Kevin Knox said...

No doubt, KB. I'm crawling here in Grass Valley, too, but at least I'm able to check in.

I agree about Nadal and Federer. Roddick and Blake played a great match, but neither of them would have given the masters much to worry about. I think we can look forward to #'s 1&2 in the final in NY.

pearlie said...

And I don't have my shorthand, either. I actually have to type every word that you are reading!?! How could the world be so cruel. ;-)

Now I know why I am always so slow in getting to read and comment ;)
since I am spending all my time typing every letter :P

Kevin Knox said...

I would claim that I was so danged long-winded because of my shorthand, but it's the other way around. I found shorthand because I like to type so very, very much.