This Is Awesome

I can't always describe to others the almost desperation I feel to succeed at things; why I can stay up until four in the am writing or why I can run in the morning every day even though I hate running... It starts with a goal.

http://youtu.be/Jal4OkZtz8g

Be NOT like Serena

I have to say, I was disappointed with Serena's performance during the 2011 US Open women's final. She's beginning to remind me of the diva-zilla stories you hear about stars demanding spring water from far away countries for their tea cup dogs to drink or demanding that every pregnant woman in a 10 mile vicinity donates their placentas so that she has shampoo for her performance wigs.

I hate whining. And that is exactly what Serena did when finding herself on the losing end of a match. Its the same thing she did in 2009 when again, she found herself losing.

Just play harder.

I understand how much Serena hates to lose. I remember a 2008 Wimbledon where she lost to Venus and had to play doubles with her later that day. To say things looked awkward on the doubles court is an understatement.

But, in the words of the guys from the Monday Night Football Pregame Show... C'MON MAN!

And it's not just Serena. Sadly, too many top Americans seem to be afflicted with the you-owe-me attitude. You can see where Serena can have that attitude. Television viewing for the women's draw was up more than 100 percent from last year where someone we never heard of beat someone else we don't remember in the final, which has been the case since the Williams' sisters have been MIA from the tour. But the others? Andy Roddick, James Blake, Donald Young, Ryan Harrison.

C'MON, MAN!

When characterizing American tennis players, do we really want crybaby and sore loser to be the first words that pop into our heads? Do we want to conjure images of someone so mentally fragile the whispers of a court side opponent makes them lose? Or someone whose winning game depends on a chair umpire and lines people scared to make calls?

While these guys are whining and taking their frustrations of losing out on lines people and reporters and the USTA, other people are simply working hard. Simply getting better. And simply learning from their losses.

Yes, Donald Young has seemed to mature. Yes, James Blake has mellowed. Not sure what to say about Andy... But young Harrison. Does acting like my six-year old nephew when he has missed his nap really help "geek" you up for games? Besides acting like an infant, you lose matches that you were often in control of.

Its to the point, I can't wait for the "old guys/girls" to retire. Let those like Christina McHale and John Isner and Jack Sock step up and prove that you can act classy like Venus Williams; losing graciously and winning with style.