Real sports—oh, how I’ve missed you.
Those of you who have followed my writing for the last eight years know I’m a passionate football fan. Other sports leave me feeling unfulfilled, restless and bored.
So it will come as no surprise that in July I’m typically involved in things not related to sports, unless you consider barbeques, swimming in the pool, and lounging in the sun to be sports. But an interesting thing happened on my way to complacency this July Fourth weekend. I not only watched sports, I watched sports of the best, most entertaining, and thrilling kind. And the names of the athletes?
With the exception of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (who played an absolutely incredible tennis match), these athletes names are not household names, yet.
Track and Field
LoLo Jones
Tyson Gay
Swimming
Michael Phelps
Natalie Coughlin
Amanda Beard
Haley MacGregor
Katie Hoff
Dara Torres
Cullen Jones
But let’s go back to the men’s singles championship match at Wimbledon for a moment.
There was a lot on the line for the defending Champion Roger Federer, and almost as much for twenty-two-year-old Spaniard Rafael Nadal. He’s the first Spanish man to win at the All England Club since Manolo Santana in 1966.
I enjoy watching the Wimbledon matches; there is always a heightened sense of anticipation for these matches. I noted that here on the West Coast, the men’s singles match was had a start time of 6 a.m. I awoke at 8 a.m. and turned it on; I figured the match would be nearing the end and I could catch the last set.
But they had only played two sets and Nadal had won them both! I will not give you a blow by blow of this match. There are just some things in life you must experience yourself to appreciate. If you didn’t watch the match, get a copy somewhere and watch the whole thing. It was an exquisite example of athletic skill, determination, and heart. Federer and Nadal played wonderfully and in the end, after five incomparable sets, after rain delays and almost five hours of play, Rafael Nadal took the match. Now that was fun!
