Honorable Mention: Auto Racing-NASCAR Federated Auto Parts 400 (Saturday 7pm from Richmond live on ABC); Boxing: Andre Ward vs. Chad Dawson (Saturday 9:45pm from Oakland live on HBO); High School Football: Catonsville @ Perry Hall(Friday 7pm), Patriot Football Classic: DeMatha vs. Calvert Hall (Friday 7:30pm Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium), St. Peter’s Prep vs. McDonogh (Saturday 10:30am Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium), Landon vs. Annapolis Area Christian School (Saturday 1:30pm Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium), Don Bosco vs. Gilman (Saturday 7:30pm Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium)
I’m an unabashed Third Eye Blind fan. This tune rules. See you Saturday.
I couldn’t tell you if I enjoyed Joe Nichols. I can tell you that I enjoy sleepy little smiles…
Were you listening to “Web Junk” the other day when I played the clip of Boyz II Men singing “End of the Road” with Charles Barkley? Did you hear me singing along? You can assume I am again as you listen this time…
Sister Hazel is playing Arundel Mills on my birthday. Don’t ask. Just invite.
I once stumbled into the Ukrainian Festival after a Ravens game once a few years back. I couldn’t have had more fun. There was dancing, sausage and potato pancakes. It was a lot like my 13th birthday party…except we did all of those things at the old Funjungle in Perry Hall.
And since there’s at least half a chance I’ll forget to say something about these guys during the course of RennFest, I should probably do it now. These guys are Hack and Slash. They’re humorous fellas…
Over the past decade, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and more recently, Novak Djokovic have dominated professional tennis. Andy Murray is in that conversation as well but has consistently showcased a lack of mental fortitude that is needed to win a major.
Andy Roddick and the Williams sisters have been the lone representatives for the Unites States and have had success. Serena and Venus have been dominant and credit is due for all of their accomplishments. That said, the Williams sisters and Andy Roddick are coming to the end of their careers. Venus was recently ousted in the first round of Wimbledon and was visibly distraught throughout the match.
Since the days of Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, and John McEnroe have passed, elite American tennis have been hard to come by. John Isner and Mardy Fish seem to be the only American tennis players that are relevant as of now. The Williams sisters are fantastic but are coming to the end of their careers.
So who will be left to carry the torch? John Isner is a fan favorite in many cities. This is mostly because of his marathon match against Nicolas Mahut in 2010 at Wimbledon. Isner is known for his serve and is very difficult to break. While his size is an advantage for serves and net play, his size is a detriment when it comes to footwork and movement. Sure, Isner moves very well for a man his size but he gets into a lot of trouble against players like Federer and Djokovic who can neutralize his serve and make him work for every point.
One of the larger problems for American tennis is the lack of court variety in the Unites States. Across the country, there are only five grass courts and a limited number of red clay courts. Younger players need to be exposed to these kinds of courts in the United States.
Even today on their natural surface, Americans are struggling to win on hard courts. This is because tennis clubs and facilites have failed to adapt to the new technologies in shoes and racquets that put more emphasis on footwork and topspin rather then power alone.
Americans have always been taught that in order to win, you must have a big serve and forehand. That philosophy has changed over the past decade and is why Europeans have dominated the sport for so long and is exactly why Andy Roddick could never beat Roger Federer.
Honorable Mention: WNBA-Seattle Storm @ Washington Mystics (Tuesday 7pm from Verizon Center live on ESPN2), Connecticut Sun @ Washington Mystics (Friday 7pm from Verizon Center live on Comcast SportsNet), Phoenix Mercury @ Washington Mystics (Sunday 4pm from Verizon Center live on Comcast SportsNet/NBA TV); Auto Racing: NASCAR Quaker State 400 (Saturday 6:30pm from Sparta, KY live on TNT); Pro Wrestling: Ring of Honor (Friday 7:30pm Du Burns Arena); Cycling: Tour de France (Stage 1 Saturday 8am from Liege, BEL Stage 2 Sunday 8am from Liege, BEL to Seraing, BEL Stage 3 Monday 8am from Vise, BEL to Tournai, BEL. All cycling live on NBC Sports Network)
I may only LIKE Norah Jones, but I LOVE this Norah Jones tune…
I quite much enjoy the tunes of The Lumineers…
Wait, The Offspring and Goldfinger in the same section of T10BD? Is this 1996?
For the record, the new Offspring tune is pretty good. They clearly decided they wanted to sound as much like the Foo Fighters as possible. That’s not a bad thing…
There are humorous things going on here. One-I actually think Ted looks fairly funny. Seth McFarlane and Mark Wahlberg kinda nail this one…
Also, 21 Jump Street was almost unquestionably the most pleasant surprise of the last year the last five years the last decade my life? Honestly this was a quality flick. Language NSFW…
Honorable Mention: Boxing-Victor Ortiz vs. Joselito Lopez (Saturday 9pm from Los Angeles live on Showtime); WNBA: Washington Mystics @ Phoenix Mercury (Wednesday 10pm from Phoenix live on WNBA.com), Washington Mystics @ Seattle Storm (Sunday 7pm from Seattle live on WNBA.com); Pro Lacrosse: MLL Boston Cannons @ Chesapeake Bayhawks(Saturday 7pm from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium live on Comcast SportsNet); U.S. Olympic Trials: Diving (Wednesday 12am & 10pm Thursday 10pm Friday 11pm live on NBC Sports Network, Saturday 4pm Sunday 3pm live on NBC. All diving from Federal Way, WA); Track & Field (Friday 9pm live on NBC Sports Network Saturday 8pm Sunday 7pm live on NBC Monday 9pm live on NBC Sports Network. All track from Eugene, OR); Swimming (Monday 6:30pm live on NBC Sports Network 8pm live on NBC. All swimming from Omaha)
I like Donald Glover on “Community” (Six seasons and a movie!) and all, but I was always skeptical about him as a performer. But honestly, not bad (lyrics NSFW)…
Quick. Favorite Counting Crows song ever. I’ll go with this…
Wale and Kevin Durant have something in common. I like them both a LOT but would like them a hell of a lot more if they weren’t Redskins fans…
Fiona Apple is coming to town. Anyone remember their awkward feelings about seeing her in her underwear in the “Criminal” video? I can’t tell you how confused I was about myself watching it the first time…
I’ve already established that “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” is the greatest Beach Boys song of all time. Now I point out that I’m an absolute hack because I also enjoy this clip from Full House…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOZ5dEiZYCo
A lot of people know I’m a significant Dave Matthews fan. But do you know that I’ve proclaimed my all time favorite Dave Matthews tune to be THIS?…
And if you go see DMB don’t stay in the parking lot too long. Gary Clark Jr. is freaking AMAZING. You may remember him from a collaboration he had with Ray Lewis a few weeks back at the NFL Draft…
Wait…The Cult? Isn’t that the band that does the song from that commercial in that Super Bowl?
Ryan Chell and I are going to see That’s My Boy Tuesday night. It will probably make six billion dollars and everyone involved will get new cars. It used to piss me off because I don’t really find Adam Sandler’s shtick to be funny anymore, but there are a couple issues involved. One-Adam Sandler sat down with us at the Super Bowl and was really nice. He even opened up about my idol Chris Farley, which is something I found out later he really never does…
Two-over the past few months I’ve developed a unique friendship with Happy Madison star Peter Dante, who might be the best human being on the face of the planet. He’s the guy on the right below…
So now I hope the movie is funny and they make a billion dollars. Damn you, nice guys.
There was a time in my life when I genuinely enjoyed the tunes of Gavin DeGraw. Maybe that’s not something I should be broadcasting…
Since Foster The People are coming to town and the Beach Boys are putting out a new record, here’s FTP’s EXCELLENT take on the greatest Beach Boys tune of all time…
Any excuse to share a Carbon Leaf tune is a good one…
I wish I could go to RHL Saturday night. Civil Twilight is excellent too…
You know Prometheus as THAT MOVIE EVERYONE IN THE WORLD WANTS TO SEE. Well, at least until “Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter” comes out, at which point they might as well just stop making movies.
Honestly, there is no single greater gift you could ever purchase me than this movie poster…