Djokovic, Murray, Federer and Nadal: Men for all seasons?

October 23, 2015

Novak Djokovic’s dominance of men’s tennis in 2015 reminds Tennis magazine’s Steve Tignor of Roger Federer in his prime (2006), which has brought out all the Federinas, Nadalistas, Djokovicians and – what do we call Andy Murray’s fans ? Murrayans? – in a favorite game of My Guy is Better Than Your Guy. Honestly, some posters even accuse Tennis mag of finding the ugliest pictures of Nole, Rafa and Andy to make the naturally graceful Fed look even more elegant. Hey,some people are more photogenic than others. Doesn’t make them better-looking. (Perfect example – Marilyn Monroe, a genius in front of a camera, particularly a still camera, but not a great beauty.) ...

No deflating Mets, Packs, Djoker

October 21, 2015

Sunday, Oct. 18 was a great sports day as Novak Djokovic, Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers and the New York Mets all continued to roll and Colin Kaepernick’s San Francisco 49ers continued to improve on the comeback trail.

Nole in particular is having an amazing run as ESPN noted:

“He became one of three men to play in all four Grand Slam finals in a single season in the Open era, joining Roger Federer and Rod Laver. ...

Peerless Nole, awesome Aaron: Djokovic and Rodgers on a roll

October 18, 2015

“Happiness,” New York Yankees’ owner Col. Jacob Ruppert said in the 1920s, “was watching the Yankees score eight runs in the first inning and then slowly pull away.”

Oh, for those days, right, fellow Yankee fans?

But Green Bay Packers’ fans and those of tennis No. 1 Novak Djokovic understand the sentiment. Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Nole are quite simply on a roll in their respective sports. Yes, the San Diego Chargers could route the Packers Sunday, Oct. 18 while half a world away Jo-Wilfried Tsonga could defeat Nole in the finals of the Shanghai Rolex Masters. ...

Shanghai surprise for Federer

October 14, 2015

It’s the end-of-the-year, Asian swing of the men’s tour in tennis and as usual it’s fraught with drama.

Will Nick Kyrgios – tennis’ reigning bad boy, on the brink of a suspension after swatting a ball into the stands during his losing quarterfinal match at the Japan Open and being fined at the Shanghai Rolex Masters for his outbursts about the court, the ball kids, the everything – be able to rein in his temper? (Oh, Nick, so attractive and so talented. Just shut up and play, huh?) ...

Rafael Nadal and Colin Kaepernick: Running to daylight

October 13, 2015

When things are going bad, you look for any sign of hope. Rafael Nadal lost the China Open Sunday to Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, while the Colin-Kaepernick-led San Francisco 49ers lost to the New York Giants 30-27.

Rafa is having one of his worst years, and the Niners are off to a terrible start (1-4). And while there are plenty of naysayers for both, I prefer to accentuate the positive, as the song says. ...

Nice work if you can get it – Rafanole in Thailand

October 5, 2015

Did you see the pictures of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in Thailand? Didn’t they look lovely in their silk jackets – Rafa in blue for the queen, a bespectacled Nole in yellow for the king? And how respectful were they as they lay wreaths at the Erawan Shrine, site of an Aug. 17 bombing that killed 20 and injured more than 120.

Rafa and Nole, in turn, received gifts, including ceremonial loincloths, enjoyed a little retail therapy and played a one-hour exhibition – which Nole won 6-4, 6-2 and for which they were each paid a little more $2 million, no doubt for their respective charities.

Still, that’s right, one hour, $2 mill. As the Gershwin song says, “Nice work if you can get it, and you can get it if you try.” ...

Mr. (Aaron) Rodgers’ imperfect neighborhood

October 1, 2015

There’s something magnificent about watching an athlete in his prime. Witness Novak Djokovic. The same can be said of Aaron Rodgers, arguably the NFL’s finest player. Having won the league’s MVP Award last season, he’s off to a dream start as his team, the Green Bay Packers, has gone 3 and 0, including a decisive 38-28 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. (Next up – the troubled San Francisco 49ers, whose QB, my beloved Colin Kaepernick, isn’t exactly inviting comparisons to Rodgers this year. Did anyone say 4 and 0?)

Rodgers, the NFC’s offensive player of the week, is probably what casual observers think of when they think of a quarterback. (And indeed, he was in part the inspiration for Tam Tarquin, the golden QB and love interest in “The Penalty For Holding,” the forthcoming novel in my series “The Games Men Play.”) ...