As promised

I said I'd be back by Sunday, and I shall deliver. I am even feeling mellow enough to discuss what happened on Friday. But first, some news.

• Tommy Haas absolutely crushed Andy Roddick today. It wasn't pretty. I watched the whole match and Roddick looked how I feel out on court lately. I remember some of the numbers...Roddick's first serve percentage was like 22% for most of the match. Just won't win many matches like that.


• By the way, Haas didn't face a break point during the entire tournament. = amazing


• Venus Williams apparently won a tournament. That statement should tell you how much I care.


• This is some upsetting news. Joachim Johansson, Pim Pim, to some of you, had another shoulder surgery. He is always getting injured, and that sucks because he is amazing. I remember watch him play Agassi a few years ago at the US Open. He lost, but he hit like 47 aces in four sets. It was ridiculous.

I don't normally do this, but the trip and the delay calls for some personal explanation.

About Friday: I had class until noon, then I downed a delicious BBQ sandwich from a local sub shop. I fired up the TiVo and watched Liverpool beat down Barcelona (still pumped about that), and then at 3 I went up to school and we set out for the USAFA to play Weber State.

So we get to Springs and the traffic is terrible, nothing new...finally get to the Academy and find the proper field house. The facilities are AMAZING. I have some pics coming -- they are on my buddy's camera but I will get them soon. So we got there during the lowering of the colors and it was a very eerie experience. This weird bugle sound was warbling over the top of the hill and everyone was standing perfectly still facing the hill...nevermind.

We get inside and sat around for over an hour while UNC finished playing the Academy. We finally got a court to warm up on...7 guys, one court, cool... At 6 when our match was supposed to start, I go up and take a seat (I was playing singles, not doubles). There was some delay, and then when matches started, of course one match had to be tight and took about 80-90 minutes. Then our first four singles matches went on -- I was playing 6th that day.

Finally at 9 pm I got a court. I hadn't eaten a meal since noon; my only bio fuel was a soggy PBJ that I had put in my bag. The courts were Rebound Ace, and the elevation was like 7000 feet, so it was really awkward. The ball was all over the place.

That's one of the things I have come to realize: The great players at this level will make that adjustment in 20 minutes and have a competitive match. Me -- I will take about 2 sets to get to feeling like I know what the ball is going to do and then the match is over and I'm headed back to Pueblo and my shitty hardcourts and my 4000 some feet. I wish I could adjust faster.

Anyhow, long story short, we got back to Pueblo starving and defeated so we headed to Buffalo Wild Wings for some comfort food. Our wings took over an hour to prepare, apparently, but when they got there, oh man...delciousness times TEN. I took some people home, it started to snow, the wind started to blow, I got to bed at 2, I got up at 7 and had to work at a conference at school all day. It was amazing. Hope that explains the delay.

We are going to Kansas on Wednesday, so I will be doing a Road Trip feature type thing. I'm also going to try to invest in a new camera before then, so be prepared for some amazing footage.