June 2009 Archives

Barring a shocking loss by either girl on Thursday, we'll have another final between the Williams sisters. They are just smoking everyone right now, sometimes laughably. Victoria Azarenka was actually laughing during her match with Serena today after about the 10th rocket serve that nearly knocked her over (she also applauded one absurd running forehand winner). On another occasion, Azarenka actually swung and missed on a second serve.

Elena Dementieva cruised in her quarterfinal today, but she'll be lucky to take one set in the semis if Serena is half as good as she was today.

Venus will take on Safina in the other semifinal, but the talented headcase almost melted down today and only prevailed because her opponent wasn't all that great. Venus will be in her head from the start, which is good for viewers because Safina will be screaming obscenities in Russian all day.

But while it's impressive to watch Serena and Venus dominate and play amazing tennis, isn't it a tad perplexing at the same time? Why haven't they been able to dominate like this all the time? Shouldn't we be at the point where they both have as many Grand Slams as Federer? I realize that different surfaces can even things out, but bottom line is that both, despite their greatness, never reached their full potential.

Tuesday is always Ladies' Day at Wimbledon, with the four quarterfinal matches being played on Centre Court and Court 1. We're already underway on a hot (for London) afternoon.

• Venus Williams hammered Agnieszka Radwanska in 2 sets, 6-1, 6-2, and has looked unbeatable the last couple days. Ana Ivanovic was spared even more embarrassment by retiring early in the 2nd set yesterday, and the girl who she beat today who I don't feel like re-typing her name again never had a shot. She managed to break Venus early in the 2nd, but Venus broke right back and didn't drop a game for the rest of the match.
• Right now on Centre Court, Dinara Safina is down a set to Sabine Lisicki. That's back-to-back days on the main show court for Safina, which decisively debunks this myth. (To be fair, Lisicki is rather pleasant looking). In the 1st set tiebreak, Safina double-faulted at 5-6, slammed her racquet in frustration, and got a warning for racquet abuse by the umpire. Lisicki just double-faulted in the 2nd, and Safina is up a break.
• Later today, in the match of the day, Victoria Azarenka plays Serena Williams. Azarenka threw a world-class tantrum yesterday in her win, once walking over to a comatose line judge and sarcastically shaking her hand. Great stuff. Anyway, Serena doesn't like to put up with a lot of crap, so don't be surprised if things get a little snippy. Cat fight!
• The other match is Francesca Schiavone from Italy against Olympic champ Elena Dementieva. Both these ladies scream a lot when they hit the ball. Always a joy.

 

-Matt Casey

As usual here, a solid Middle Monday. They played under the roof for the first time, Hewitt came back from 2 sets down to win, and Victoria Azarenka threw a
temper tantrum. Oh, and James Blake and Mardy Fish won their doubles match. They're unseeded, but would meet the Bryan Brothers in the final if both teams win their next two matches. And at around 10:40pm Andy Murray won what is now the
latest finishing match in Wimbledon history.

We also learned that the All England Club is being accused (by whom I'm not exactly sure) of being sexist.  Supposedly they have come close to admitting that they put the best looking ladies' players on centre court, rather than just the highest ranked. The best part of this was the awkward moment where a reporter asked Serena Williams about it, basically saying, "if it's true that they are putting the best looking women on centre court, how does that make you feel as a top player?" which to me would sound like, "how does that make you feel, as someone who's not that hot?" Serena plays most often on Court 2. Luckily for that reporter, Williams laughed it off with a comment about how attractive she finds Roger Federer. 

The five-time champ, playing deservedly on Centre any way you look at it, beat Robin Soderling for the second time in 22 days and the 11th time in their careers. Hopefully Federer isn't planning on doing any extra running in the off-season, because when forced to choose something he could actually beat Federer at, Soderling picked the marathon.  Watching him lose for 3 hours on court was bad enough today, I really hope I never have to watch that.

- Lena M. Glaser

Just started raining here at Wimbledon, and the Safina-Mauresmo match is in a delay. As soon as the tarp was brought out, the fans went nuts, presumably hoping for the roof to be closed for the first time.

After a couple minutes of contemplating, it looks like they'll get their wish. It takes 8 minutes to close, and then another 15-20 for an airflow system to suck all the moisture out of the air before they can resume play.

It's 4:40 right now. We'll see when they start it up again. Stay tuned.

UPDATE - 4:47: Roof just closed and people cheered even louder. Tarp is off. Now they're on the clock for the airflow.

UPDATE - 4:49: Turn on NBC right now. Airing a feature about the roof cut by Matt Marvin in a couple minutes.

UPDATE - 4:57: The players are still in the training room. Only a matter of time before the fans start doing the wave. Kill me.

UPDATE - 5:01: Word is the players will be out in 9 minutes, at 5:10. Or 10 past, as they say here.

UPDATE - 5:02: BBC just showed about 5 different fans taking a nap. I guess staring at an empty court for 20 minutes would be a bit boring.

UPDATE - 5:07: Line judges are making their way back.

UPDATE - 5:12: Mauresmo and Safina are back on the court. Of course, the tarps are off all the side courts and the rain has stopped.

UPDATE - 5:19: Play resumes. Nearly a 40 minute delay. We'll let you know what they do for the rest of the day, including the Murray match. Would assume they keep it closed the rest of the day.

 

-Matt Casey

Playing the hilariously snarky Cousin Avi in Snatch, Dennis Farina had, among others, this gem: "Blagged? Speak English to me, Tony. I thought this country spawned the [bleepin] language, and so far nobody seems to speak it."

An exaggeration for sure. But one thing that stands out about this country is that it's not as easy to understand people as you might think. Head to a country in Europe, you expect a communication barrier, but that's because they're speaking another language. In England, they talk like us back in the States, only they don't really talk like us. (They probably feel the same, that we're butchering their native tongue - probably true - but whatever.)

The accent can confuse things, and the different inflections on words makes everything sound like a punchline and nothing sound like a question, even if they're asking you a question. But more so it's the different lingo. Here's a quick little decoder manual, in case you come across the pond in search of some fish and chips fries:

Cheers is the biggie - it has multiple meanings, but usually hello or thanks. Basically it's your safety valve. Don't know what to say when you meet someone or accidentally bump into someone rounding a corner? Just say cheers and everything will be fine.

We say drunk or hammered or dozens of other creative ways of describing that you had too much to drink. They say pissed.

When we say where we did what they call drunk, it's the bathroom. Here it's the loo.

If you think we have a hundred ways of saying drunk, there are about a thousand to describe a hot girl (smokeshow is my personal favorite). Here, a girl is simply fit.

I'm glad that when we're tired, we say tired. Two syllables (sometimes only one if you're southern and you're used to compacting), easy to say. Would be tough to generate the energy when we're tired to spit out knackered. Still waiting for confirmation on the proper use of knackering.

Back home, sacked is usually reserved for football, whenever a monster like Julius Peppers gets to the QB or that one time when Brett Favre fell down and gave a gift to Michael Strahan. But in England, it's what they say when someone gets fired.

In terms of phones, they'll always try and ring you on your mobile, which must be awfully difficult to understand for a 12-year old American girl with a JT or Kanye ringtone for their cell.

The number 30 also gets short-changed over here, particularly when discussing time. It's always half-past (pronounced "hof-possed").

Mate is what they call a friend or buddy, which is fine until you hear "Me and my mates ..."

Pretty sure that "also" isn't in their bank of usables - as well will do.

And quite is the substitute for "very," as in "quite well." The Brits seem to understate things quite a bit.

 

-Matt Casey

The only greater unlikelihood than good weather at Wimbledon: an American woman whose last name isn't Williams making the second week of the tournament.

17-year old Melanie Oudin defeated Jelena Jankovic in three sets.  Oudin, who has only been on the pro tour since 2008, was just trying to qualify here - which she had to win three matches to do. She traveled with her coach, although she suspects that her parents
are going to try to surprise her and show up next week. Hopefully Oudin doesn't get discouraged by the way Jankovic went after her in the post-match press ("She doesn't make so many mistakes, but she doesn't do anything either"), and gets some of the credit she deserves. She hung with the former No. 1 for 2 hours and 52 minutes, including three sets and a tiebreak in the first. Basically she's fresh-faced and adorable and everyone is going to love her for the next two days. Hooray!

Next up on Centre Court is Andy Murray, the day's headliner and Greatest Man Ever to Live in Britain. The roof remains open, so hopefully he can close out Troicki before the clouds roll in and everything goes back to normal.

--Lena M. Glaser

Less than 3 weeks after winning his first French Open, completing the career grand slam, and tying Sampras' record for 14 major titles, 5-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer might as well not be here.

On day 2, Murray's Mount (formerly Henman Hill) was as packed for a 1st round match as it usually is for the Men's final. Every sports page, every day, seems to have a Murray headline - even on days he's not playing. In the press room, the British reporters, known for their
(no offense) kind of nosy questions, are asking about details of his life down to when he plans on getting his driver's license, and whether he's been practicing since he got here (he said he's been a little busy). They are not shy about demanding to know how he intends to bring the Brits their first Wimbledon title since Fred Perry in 1936.

When asked how significant a win here would be for British tennis, he said "I'm sure it would be huge, huge news for quite a few weeks and stuff. But, you know, I don't know. You never know until those things happen. It's been such a long time, and people have been waiting for it for -- well, forever now."

So of course he gets it. But he's pretty good at brushing off the attention without sounding impatient, although he did say that it doesn't matter "if some guy thinks I can win the tournament, or, you know, whatever."

My favorite bit of Murray Mania so far comes from a nearby church in the Village, known for posting Wimbledon-themed messages during the tournament rather than scripture:

Two years ago, the same sign said "God Made Roger Federer."

So, no pressure.

--Lena M. Glaser

Check back here for update blog posts from on the scene in London.

If it weren't for lists the internet would simply collapse in on itself.

So, doing my part to ensure it does not, I spent four days (pockmarked by heavy procrastinating) compiling this list of the 10 Best Moves of the Offseason. And, never wanting to seem too congratulatory, I provided a companion 10 Worst Moves.

Read 'em all here.

One of the fascinating quarterback duels shaping up in this offseason is out in San Francisco where Alex Smith, the No. 1 overall pick in 2005, tries to realize the potential the Niners thought he had when they drafted him. Ahead of him by a hair? Shaun Hill.

Tuesday, on the final day of mini-camp, Niners coach Mike Singletary said in comments distributed by the team, "I think the playing field is level now. I think before the offseason really started, I wasn't really sure where Alex was. He's been through a lot in four years. I think in order for he and Shaun to compete on level ground, he had to get healthy. I think he had to get his mind focused. I think he had to let go of some of the bitterness that's happened to him, some of the bad things and get the bad taste out of his mouth and be ready to go. I think that's happened. Very excited about that. So, he and Shaun, when we come back, it will be a great competition."

When the Niners media contingent pressed Singletary on whether Hill had been passed by Smith, Singletary said, "I don't think anyone's leading the competition right now. I've never heard anybody say that Shaun was leading the competition."

When it was pointed out that Hill was said by Singletary to be ahead of Smith, Singletary said, "Yeah, in principal I'm saying that, OK. But, as far as the competition is concerned, I just want to see both of those guys continue to compete. So, from that standpoint, you can say, technically, Shaun is the guy until proved different."

 

 

A couple of hours ago, we linked to TV reporter Josina Anderson's report that had Broncos owner Pat Bowlen trying to accomodate Brandon Marshall's trade request.

Well, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels isn't just on a different page than his owner, he's in a different library.

Via The Florio at Pro Football Talk, McDaniels told The Denver Post, "We look forward to having Brandon at training camp."

Let the territory peeing begin.

And tomorrow, we'll provide an exhaustive list of all NFL wideouts not embroiled in some kind of agitation with their teams.

The agent for Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall said that Marshall did request a trade during his meeting last week with Broncos owner Pat Bowlen.

And Bowlen told Marshall he would do everything in his "power to accomodate his wishes," according to agent Kennard McGuire. 

Josina Anderson, a reporter for KDVR's Fox 31has blogged and tweeted this news saying that McGuire told her, "Yes, there was a meeting between Brandon and Mr. Bowlen. There was a request for a trade. Mr. Bowlen has said that ownership will do everything in its power to accomodate his wishes."

It's worth noting that McGuire and, by extension, Bowlen, used the word "ownership" as opposed to "team".

This could allow Bowlen to say that he was overruled on this football matter by the coaching staff and didn't see fit to emasculate them further in this offseason from hell.

Either way the Broncos are heading into dangerous and uncharted waters here.

Has any team ever acquiesced to the trade demands of their two best offensive players in an offseason? And what is the fallout if they do? Do more players make a run for the lifeboats? What do you do if Champ Bailey says next that he's ready to move on?

Marshall is underpaid relative to his onfield production (set to make $2.2 million this season). He is the best young receiver in the game. He is also prone to getting in trouble with the police, has a history of violence against women and doesn't really seem an ideal teammate or locker room guy.

How do you set the value on a guy like that who, given that he seems to have no qualms about being a distraction, may eventually force your hand if you don't deal him?

Somebody will take Brandon Marshall off the Broncos hands. And Denver will be able to say that he - like Jay Cutler - is somebody else's headache. But the price of having a distraction-free locker room is getting unprecedentedly high.

For weeks, Brett Favre's actions have said that he's hoping to play again in the NFL.

Given the chance Monday night on HBO's debut episode of Joe Buck Live to confirm that notion, Favre said, "Maybe. ... I am considering it."

The rest of Favre's interview, however, left little doubt as to his intentions.  Favre confirmed most the reports that have been written about him over the last month. 

• Favre confirmed that Dr. James Andrews performed surgery on him more than two weeks ago.  He's already throwing again, and should be fully recovered in roughly two more weeks. 
  
• Favre admitted that he's been in contact with the Vikings coaching staff, and that coach Brad Childress requested that Favre show up to last week's OTAs, even if he wasn't go to practice.  Favre declined, apparently just in case his arm doesn't recover like he hopes, in order to avoid a media circus. 
  
• The Vikings sent a trainer to meet with Favre Sunday, in order to go over some exercises that would be helpful in his recovery ... as if he's already a member of the team.
• Favre loves the idea of playing for the Vikings because of his familiarity with Childress' West Coast system.  "I could teach the offense." 
  

By the time Favre used the word "we" to refer to the Vikings, it seemed like his eventual signing was just a formality.  Favre admitted that the health of his arm was the "big question" to be answered in the process.  All indications are that the procedure Favre underwent was relatively minor and that he will be throwing well soon enough.   

Favre has tried to avoid feeding the media beast for as long as possible, but there will be no avoiding it soon enough.  Vikings vs. Packers is less than four months away.   

Ever wonder why Julius Peppers' standoff with the Panthers gets so little play? I have, many times.

What, for instance, is his exact gripe with Carolina? Who on the team, coaching staff or front office peed in his Wheaties? Don't know.

Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer wrote a column about the reluctant Panther that expresses the same confusion about what motivates Peppers and his desire to play somewhere else. A good read.

The basic facts in Peppers' situation are pretty clear. He can either play defensive end for the Panthers in 2009 and be paid $17 million or he can stay home and A) hope for a trade or B) wear out his Netflix account.

And while the choice would be simple for 100 percent of the Regular Joes and Janes to make, for an enigmatic person who does not sweat his longterm financial security, predicting what Peppers will do is a lot harder.

Having contributed somewhere between 75,000 and 100,000 mouse clicks to Mike Florio's Pro Football Talk since finding it in about 2003 (and yes, I did the math), I feel uniquely qualified to react to the news that he's now partnered up with NBCSports.com.

My reaction? Tre. Men. Dous.

I have no idea if I was one of the first NFL beat writers to find PFT back when I covered the Patriots for the Providence Journal, but I do know I was one of the first to be proudly out of the closet about reading it. How do I know this? I'd be checking PFT before, during or after games in the press box and other writers would sniff about how they never read it and never would.  

Now? You simply cannot cover the NFL adequately without doing so. And nobody would ever admit to not reading. They may sneeringly say they "check it every couple days" but everybody's reading it.  

The reason? As reporters, you find the spot from where the information flows. And more information - first-hand stuff generated by Florio and second-hand info culled from scads of media sources around the country - is generated on a daily basis by Florio than anyone. Or at least it seems that way.

If I write a story that's got some bite or an angle, I send Mike the link to it. He gets what I like to call "walk-up traffic" so if he pops it out there, the story is more widely read. But also, I want to see his take on it. And Florio's take is what makes PFT more than just a clearinghouse for stories.

So, Mike, let me say welcome to you and your millions of twisted minions to the site. As always, please use coasters and if the toilet keeps running, just jiggle the handle a little.

When going over topics for this week's Three and Out, our producer Matt Casey didn't want Brett Favre included.  He was worried the story would change quickly and make the video look old, plus he was tired of number four.  I argued that Favre is still the most searched NFL player on Rotoworld (by far), so people were clearly interested. 

I should listen to Matt more often.

Our Favre video still makes sense, but already there is a new twist to the story.  The Vikings will reportedly send a trainer and a member of the coaching staff to work with Favre in the next few days.  Presumably, it's a progress checkup after Favre reportedly underwent surgery two weeks ago. 

The meeting only supports the feeling that we are no longer wondering if Favre will sign, just when.  It sounds like we may not have to wait much longer. 

As for Three and Out, well, thankfully Casey insisted we talk about Favre on his own. So listen to Tom Curran and I talk Ocho Cinco's rebound and the team of the decade without any pesky outdated Favre material.

There was a time in Michael Vick's career, around Atlanta's playoff win in Lambeau Field, when it felt like his Falcons career would be something special.  Something different. 

On Friday morning, when the team finally released Vick from his ten-year, $103 million contract, the move was just a formality.  The Falcons disowned him a long time ago. 

Don't expect this to speed up the process of Vick re-entering the league.  Interest in the quarterback has been minimal since he was released from prison, and is unlikely to pick up until Commissioner Roger Goodell reinstates him from suspension.  There is no timeline for that move, although speculation has centered on a meeting of the two parties in August. 

Today's release was a recognition by the Falcons that no team was going to give up even a conditional seventh-round draft pick for the right to re-negotiate Vick's onerous contract.  If Vick makes it back to the NFL this year, it will be at the bottom of the NFL payscale.

FOXBORO - Another good nap day in the Boston area - temperature around 55 and a steady rain falling. But the Patriots are currently going through their final OTA of this offseason before tomorrow's mini-camp and they are out on the field in the wet.

What makes this detail noteworthy is that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is participating fully in this practice just months after his reconstructive knee surgery.

The fact that he is (and it's been raining since mid-morning so the field's not completely saturated) shows how strong he believes the knee feels. It also shows the team feels he can take reps without limitations.

And while I don't normally tend to Chicken Little on what can go wrong when a football player (gasp!) plays football, you have to wonder how prudent it is to allow him to be out there in May with a recently reconstructed knee  since there will dozens of "weather days" on which he can test how it feels on a slick track.

 

For someone five months older than Brady Quinn, 49ers quarterback Alex Smith has been through a lot in his career.  The No. 1 overall pick of the 2005 draft led perhaps the worst NFL offense of the decade as a rookie; he looked like a rising star while taking every snap in his second season; he was called an injury-prone bust the last two years.

Now he's trying on a new role: underdog.  By all accounts, it's suiting him well. 

Smith, widely expected to backup Shaun Hill to start the season, has made great progress coming off shoulder surgery.  He's reportedly outplaying Hill in practice, and coach Mike Singletary has made it clear they won't announce their starter until they see some preseason action. 

If standout 49ers beat writer Matt Maiocco is penning articles hinting that Smith could supplant Hill before anyone expected, well, there's clearly something to it.  

As San Jose Mercury News columnist Tim Kawakami points out, it shouldn't be a shock that Smith looks so good in practice compared to Hill.  Smith has superior physical skills, but that hasn't been his problem as a pro.  Smith must also prove to Singletary that he has the leadership skills the intense coach is looking for.

Speaking on Boston's WEEI this morning, Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork said he skipped last week's OTA practices because of dissatisfaction but added that he's "going to give 100 percent" adding "I'll be ready to play this season.

Wilfork is entering the final year of the six-year deal he signed as a rookie. He's due to make $2.2 million in salary this year. His value as one of the NFL's premier 3-4 nose tackles is much higher, however.

Wilfork wants to get it done with the Patriots.

"I could care less about what people think...I don't want to leave," he said. "We're doing everything in our power to get (a contract) done. I try not to talk about it, I'm trying to stay positive. I want to be a Patriot, but there's a business part of it."

Brett Favre doesn't seem to be in a hurry to make a decision about his NFL future. If he was, he probably would have undergone arthroscopic shoulder surgery earlier than late May to ready himself for the 2009 season.

The Vikings, however, suddenly seem to be getting antsy.  ESPN.com reported Monday that Vikings coach Brad Childress has set a deadline of this week for Favre to decide whether he's going to play in Minnesota. 

Why the rush now?  If Childress is trying to show who's boss, he's picking a strange time for it.

The Vikings are winding down their pre-training camp practices this week.  Very little will happen as a team between now and late July, so it makes sense for the Vikings and Favre in the health of his shoulder before getting hitched. 

Favre famously hates surgery of any kind, so his decision to go under the knife indicates he'll do everything possible to return to football.  And the Vikings clearly prefer Favre to Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson or they wouldn't be going through all this.

Favre will increase his post-surgery throwing over the next week.  But he's reportedly reluctant to commit to returning until he's sure that he's eliminated all all of his problems related to his torn biceps tendon. This is one time where his caution seems well-founded.

Childress has put himself in a potentially vulnerable situation.  Let's say Favre ignores the deadline until he feels comfortable with his shoulder, then says he wants to play three weeks from now.  Would Childress really turn him down then?  

NFL writers are cheering this news, because it appears we'll have a resolution shortly.  Considering this is Brett Favre, I wouldn't be so sure.  

In about 45 minutes, Roger Federer will attempt to equal Pete Sampras' all-time record of 14 career grand slam titles.

My feeling is Federer in 4 today, but it's certainly been a tough tournament for him - and Robin Soderling is so focused he's almost possessed. Aside from playing the best tennis of his career, Soderling has shown he won't be rattled by the pressures and attention of a major final - he already said that making it to his first semifinal was emotionally a lot easier and less distracting than he expected, and that shouldn't change now.  He also has the added advantage of having defeated Nadal at Roland Garros - something he holds not only over Federer, but over every other player in the world.  He could face anyone today and know he has what he needs to win. 

The general vibe here is as though everyone on the grounds is holding their breath...definitely a little quieter than you'd expect. A year ago I would have said Federer wins it easily, but nobody seems to be of that opinion today. 

The French Open has been filled with high drama, and the final act, Sunday's men's singles final, could be the culmination of great tennis theater. Roger Federer seeks to complete a career Grand Slam, and in doing so match Pete Sampras' record for most majors won (14). Robin Soderling, the No. 23 seed and not even on the radar when this major began, seeks to cap his improbable Roland Garros run with a title.

Federer has never played in a major like this, contesting every game rather than dominating. Rather than hovering above the field, allowing no mortal to challenge, he has been engaged in fierce battles, four times playing from behind to overcome opponents, the best of these efforts coming against Juan Martin del Potro 3-6, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the semifinals.

The Swiss' track record this fortnight in Paris makes a prediction for the final difficult. Federer has reached a fourth straight Roland Garros title match, having lost the last three to Rafael Nadal. But it is not Nadal who is awaiting him this time around, but rather Soderling, who is on a career-best run. Federer is hardly performing at his best, yet he plays on Sunday in his 15th final in the last 16 Grand Slam events. Incredibly, he's also made it to 20 straight semifinals at the majors. We will never again see the likes of such excellence.

Federer's return game is still a notch below what it was in the past. It's well above average without a doubt, but too often opponents are coasting through sets without a push from Federer. And that could be a problem on Sunday. No doubt that Federer handles the moment, his two comeback five-set wins show that he can handle the pressure that grew out of Nadal's early exit. But he will face a man playing superior tennis, the best tennis of his career.

Against Fernando Gonzalez in the semifinals, for two sets Soderling continued the brilliance that got him past Nadal and Nikolay Davydenko. Soderling was playing power clay-court tennis, handling high balls with astounding strength, and hammering wide flat serves to great effect. In essence, Soderling, on the red clay, has forced his opponents out of their game.

Just when Soderling appeared poised to knock out Gonzalez, the Chilean found his serve, and stayed on court long enough to allow Soderling's level to slip. It was the first sign of weakness shown by the Swede in his last four matches, and the dip allowed Gonzalez to reach the fifth set with a 4-1 lead.

And then from somewhere Soderling found one more push. Inspired by the front-row presence of fellow Swede Bjorn Borg, Soderling played well enough to cut his deficit to 4-2. He pumped a fist at Borg, and proceeded to regain the physical edge. Four more games and Soderling was in his first Grand Slam event final.

SUNDAY'S KEYS:

FATIGUE: Does Soderling have the conditioning to rebound from his long battles with Nadal and Gonzalez as well as David Ferrer in the third round? Federer has also played long matches, but his fitness is unquestioned, and he is accustomed to the two-week grind of a major. Until this fortnight, Soderling had not gotten past the third round of a major.

STAGE FRIGHT: Watch Soderling's feet in the first set. Nerves often are exposed by footwork. Soderling has moved beautifully at Roland Garros. If he continues to show that in the first set on Sunday, he will have conquered his nerves.

POWER: Can Federer withstand Soderling's punishing attack? Fair question, it seems, since Nadal used a similar game to take Federer out three years running.

DESTINY: The French Open is the only major Federer has never won. Is the Swiss Master ready for his best chance to win Roland Garros, and earn recognition as the greatest player of all-time?

Is Soderling, who has come out of nowhere in Paris, destined to complete one of the greatest runs ever at a major, beating both Nadal and Federer to win the title?

Sunday will provide the answer, and either way a great story will have been written on the dirt at Roland Garros, one that will go down in French Open lore.

- Ted Robinson 

Roger Federer's streaks of reaching 20 consecutive semifinals in Grand Slam events, and the finals of 14 of the last 15 majors, are the tennis equivalent of Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hit streak.

They are a test of both endurance and excellence. We will not live to see another player approach these marks, just as DiMaggio's streak has had no threat for nearly seven decades.

A great player will have to excel simply to play 20 straight majors let alone avoid upset. Today's tennis demands so much from the body before the mind can be asked to answer that challenge.

And here are the reasons Federer has amassed sports' most underappreciated streak:

BODY: He has stayed healthy, 38 straight majors contested and counting, with a game that limits demands while maximizing output. First thing Federer told me that he did after finishing the hard court season was to work on his fitness. Renowned for conditioning, Federer has used this edge to avoid not just serious injury but the nagging hurts (read: Nadal's knee) that limit others.

MIND: We referenced recently the line between self-confidence and denial. Federer has walked it masterfully at this French Open, renouncing the perilous danger he faced against Jose Acasuso and Tommy Haas while dominating his biggest threat in Gael Monfils. No doubt, the great one has shown vulnerability. And the players sense the slightly wounded warrior. But ready to pounce, they are rebuffed by the self-confident Federer who refuses to accept his mortality.

Never was the difference in a mind more evident than in Wednesday's quarterfinal when Federer exhibited the mind of a champion, while the wildly talented Monfils was still afflicted with the lapses that a top-10 pro should have long ago overcome.

SUPPORT: Federer is clearly strengthened by his long relationship with Mirka Vavrinec. Their recent marriage is simply a legality given the immense co-dependence so rare in their generation. Federer schedules wisely, understanding he plays to the weekend in most tournaments. Thus, he has avoided the "overplaying" to which Nadal has fallen prey.

Bottom line is this is a man "written off" in the sports psyche. Yet, he has reached the last four finals at Grand Slam events, and as mentioned, 14 of the last 15. He is a heavy favorite Friday to extend that run. There has been one nemesis, Rafael Nadal, but the Spainard has not approached either of Federer's DiMaggio-like streaks.

Like DiMaggio, Federer is a graceful champion, one loathe to displaying emotion, proud perhaps to a fault. Federer does not breed a dislike for publicity as did DiMaggio, neither though does Federer seek the limelight. Simply, he shows up, respects the game, his opponents, fans, sponsors, volunteers and even the press. And then he wins. Yet it took a massive upset of his archrival to once again allow Federer to receive the credit he has truly earned.

Twenty straight Grand Slam event semifinals, and counting. Federer's Joltin' Joe in the 21st century.

- Ted Robinson

-Soderling and Gonzalez proved that the upsets they executed this week were well deserved, going 5 strong sets, and 23rd seed Robin Soderling advanced to his first career grand slam final. In the press room after the big upset on Sunday, Rafa Nadal said that when a player plays badly he deserves to lose and that's what happened to him. We now know for sure that he didn't give Soderling nearly enough credit.

-The general consensus among commentators seems to be that Soderling is not well-liked on the ATP tour, which may be to his advantage if he ends up facing Federer in the final. Soderling definitely won't have the crowd behind him, but if he's used to that, it might
fuel his energy.  Not being the fan favorite didn't hurt him when he took out Nadal, but maybe he was just that focused. In his post-match press conference today he was actually asked why he doesn't say hi to other players more often in the locker room, and he was candid
- he's tense before matches, doesn't like to talk, and nothing's going to change that now that he's made a slam final. When asked how his nerves will be affected by the spotlight of center court, he was equally cool: "It's just tennis, I never really cared how many were watching." I don't think Soderling's aloofness is intentional - he's not being rude, he's just
doing what he needs to do to give himself the best chance to win. He's here for the tennis and nothing else, and it's tough to root against a guy who would want this title more than anything even if the final were on court 14 and he wouldn't win a dime.

-This has been said already, but even though the first semi today was made up of relative unknowns, it was a classic French Open match.  Both guys labored for every point, and Soderling in particular showed signs of the 11+ hours he has spent on court throughout the tournamnet.  His matches have been long and tough on the legs - at one point he called in the trainer for a blister and we saw that his entire foot was covered in tape.

-In keeping with the theme of deserving underdogs, Del Potro can hang with Federer. He took the first set 6-3, lost the second in a tiebreak, and just won the third. If Feds loses this match, the final at Roland Garros will once again be all about Federer & Nadal...it'll just be about how bizarre it is that they're not here.

- Lena M. Glaser 

-Dinara Safina has made her 3rd career grand slam final. Considering the upsets of Nadal, Serena, Djokovic, and Ivanovic in the past week, a #1 seed actually making the final seems almost unexpected. Safina will be appearing in her second consecutive French Open final (she lost last year to Ana Ivanovic). Her opponent is Svetlana Kuznetsova, '04 US Open Champion, who was a finalist here in 2006. All-Russian Women's Final! Don't be fooled by the presence of only one "'ova."

-The Bryan Brothers lost earlier, but one American team has gone the distance - Bob Bryan and Liezel Huber are the 2009 French Open Mixed Doubles Champions. They defeated Vania King and Brazilian Marcelo Melo, the best named team of the tournament.

-Although we've been off for the past three days, there is no escaping the tennis.  Elsewhere in Paris, outside the Hotel de Ville, they have set up a full clay court experience, where people can come and actually play a bit - or they can hang out and watch tournament coverage, which is being streamed live to a giant projection screen.  It's very similar to the way the US Open overtakes New York during Labor Day Weekend - I speak about 5 words of french, all of which can be found on a menu, and I can still tell that everyone is talking about the tournament.

More info from the French Tennis Federation, and some photos can be found here: 
http://www.fft.fr/rolandgarros/rgdlv/en/PDF/concept.pdf

-The hottest topic in town is the loss of Rafa Nadal, but I'm guessing aside from the Spaniards, no one is more put off than Nike. Their flagship store in Paris, a prominent fixture on the Champs-Elysees, features a two-story billboard of the Champ, with the words, "V is for Victory." Yikes. He also has a giant "V" painted in clay on his bare chest. It's a great photo, just unfortunately timed.

 

Could this be the start of a new curse? I've been wondering what Federer will show up wearing at Wimbledon, considering his traditional one-of-a-kind Champion's gear might no longer be entirely appropriate. Maybe capri pants and something showing a little shoulder...

 

-Lena M. Glaser

NBC's two newest analysts, Rodney Harrison and Tony Dungy, jousted about Peyton Manning during a conference call introducing their hiring for Football Night in America.

Manning last week expressed frustration about the confusion surrounding the retirement of veteran Colts coaches Howard Mudd (offensive line) and Tom Moore (offensive coordinator). Both men's retirement pensions figured into their decisions yet there was discussion they might return in consulting roles.

 

"Somebody says one thing, then somebody else says another thing. I'm not sure everybody's on the same page in this building," Manning said during a Colts mini-camp last week.

 

Dungy, who stepped down in Indy after last season, said he was "suprised to see some remarks in public" and noted that the team had to guard against giving off an air of instability now that he, Moore and Mudd were gone.

 

"One of our things was to keep everything in house," Dungy said. "One thing in Indy which was great was that we had stability on the coaching staff. Now, for the first time in a long time (there have been changes).  I'm sure peyton regrets making those comments publicly now."

 

Following Dungy's remarks, Harrison invoked the name of his former Patriots teammate Tom Brady, saying, "That's one thing that gives Tom Brady the edge in terms of leadership. If you're Peyton Manning, a Hall of Famer and a leader, you need to keep that in house. If this went on in New England it wouldn't come out publicly. I have a lot of respect (for Manning) but he needs to control his emotions and not allow these things to get outside the walls.  As a leader, you can't let the rest ofthe  team see panic. It disappointed me he would come out and say these things."

 

Dungy disagreed that there was "panic" but Harrison circled back and said that, for a player who's been in an offense for "11 years, to publicly get upset like that (this early) gives a sense of panic."

 

Dungy also was strong in his opinions on Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.

 

He said that Chicago made "a risky move but one that was made to beat one team which was the Green Bay Packers."

 

On Cutler, Dungy said, "He's a very talented guy who can throw the ball really  well. But the quarterback position is so much about leadership, so much about performing (under) pressure. We'll see about his maturity level. That's been a question and some of the things that led to him leaving Denver (raised that concern)."

 

Two other quotes of note. 

 

On Vince Young, Harrison said, "Will this guy ever start again? I think he will. But he's in a critical time. If he's not a starter again in the next two years, you'll find him as a career backup."

 

Dungy, who visited quarterback Michael Vick in jail, said Vick, "Paid for his (mistakes) and deserves second chance. He'll have a great story to tell if he does come back (to young people) that one mistake doesn't doom you."

 

Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, who announced his retirement during a conference call this morning, is joining NBC's Football Night in America team.  

Harrison and former Colts coach Tony Dungy will be announced as the latest additions to the FNIA crew during a noon press conference.

Harrison, a 36-year-old, two-time All-Pro made his reputation as one of the hardest-hitting and most passionate players in the league. His style of playing up to (and through) the whistle also earned him a reputation as one of the league's nastiest players.

Asked how if he can bring similar verbal aggression to his analysis, Harrison said this morning, "My goal is just being tough and honest and telling it like it is. When you're honest, sometimes people may not like it, but they also knowyou won't fabricate anything. I am a fan of the game and I respect the game and the players in it. But I will always tell the truth and I think people will appreciate that."

Harrison worked for NBC during February's Super Bowl pregame and spent time this offseason on the NFL Network.  

Stepping into his new role, "gives you an opportunity to stay close to the game and forces you to watch film - which has never been a problem for me."

The lure, Harrison said is, "Being able to watch games and create an overall picture for fans  about what goes on inside and outside the locker room. 'Why did a guy get burned?' 'How can a Patriots defense be exploited or a Cleveland offense?' It about explaining to both the regular Joe who sits for 10 hours watching games on Sunday or the mom who walks in Sunday night and watches for two minutes why things happen." 

 

FOXBORO - Barring a new contract, Richard Seymour will hit the free agent market next March.

And, given that the Patriots 3-4 defensive end hasn't yet turned 30 and has been a five-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro and three-time Super Bowl champion, demand for his services could be...large.

Asked Tuesday whether it's occurred to him that, as one of the top five players at his position, he could cash in large in an uncapped year, Seymour said, "Top 5? I beg to differ but...Uncapped year, capped year. I still feel like I can go out and control what I can control so either way I feel I'm in a great situation. We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Seymour's situation is an interesting one. In the summer of 2005, Seymour - who had outperformed his six-year rookie deal was holding out at the start of training camp with two years left on his deal. The Patriots reached accord on a three-year extension to his original contract that took him through 2009. It's turned out to be a good deal for both sides as the Pats got his services for three more years, Seymour got about $30 million for the three years. 

Now he's on the verge of a new deal with someone while still in his prime. Asked if he wanted to remain with the Patriots, Seymour said, "Absolutely. But it takes two to tango.

"I'll control what I can control," he added. "Always bet on yourself. The great thing is, you as a player control it. You go out and play and let the chips fall where they may."

In a surprising decision, the NFL has cleared Brandon Marshall of any possible discipline for his March 1 disorderly conduct arrest. 

Marshall, who was suspended to start last season for violating the league's conduct policy, was arrested a fourth time since 2006 on March 1.  A police officer reportedly saw Marshall and his fiancee Michi Nogami-Campbell engaged in a fight and arrested them both.  Those charges were dropped the next day, a fact that likely factored into the league's decision not to further penalize the Broncos receiver.

While the news is undoubtedly welcome for the Broncos after an offseason of upheaval, Marshall still has some hurdles to clear before seeing the field again.  He is recovering from hip surgery in Orlando and has a court case still pending from a previous arrest.  

The Broncos probably still isn't ready to give Marshall the money he wants, but at least he'll now have 16 games to show the new coaching staff what he can do.

FOXBORO - Last week, Tom Brady's mere presence on a practice field at Gillette Stadium garnered more attention than his actual performance. In the fine print, though, were words like "rusty," "stiff," and inaccurate.

He didn't look that way Tuesday. In a 90-minute practice wearing shells, Brady moved well, threw hard and accurate and even scrambled and threw on the run during an 7-on-7red zone drill, finding Randy Moss in the end zone.

I was paying close attention to his movements to see if there was any favoring. The only instance I saw came during the first part of practice when the quarterbacks and receivers run through bags. First, they go through straight, picking up their knees to clear the 18-inch bags. Next, they go through sideways leading with a different leg on the two reps. Finally, there was a zig-zag around the bags and on one, Brady didn't seem to push off to start the cut to the right with full intensity. But one step on one bag drill during a June OTA actually demonstrates that there really is nothing limiting him in these non-contact drills.

Brady and Moss spent one of the team's 14 "sessions" working with each other on reading the safety in the red zone with Moss noting which way Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio turned his hips as a key to run to the post or the corner.

In December, a source told me Brady was significantly behind in his rehab from the early October surgery that fixed his torn ACL and MCL. A buildup of scar tissue after an infection set in limited the range of motion in Brady's knee and there was laxity in both the ACL and MCL. While the source never said Brady's 2009 season was doomed, it was noted that the laxity could present a problem if the scar tissue and range of motion prevented him from strengthening his leg.

Clearly, Brady's made up whatever time he was behind. Now, the strength of the knee and repair by Dr. Neal El Attrache, who performed the surgery have made the knee strong enough for Brady to participate at a fairly astonishing level in early June.

Health is a transitory thing. And while I most definitely stand by the original story and the bona fides of my source, Brady is certainly not behind schedule now.  

Vince Young has made a few missteps as a pro, but he's notably kept quiet since losing his starting job to Kerry Collins.  Perhaps he hasn't been as engaged as a backup as the Titans would like, but he hasn't ruffled any feathers. Until now.

Speaking to Baltimore station WMAR-TV, Young had this to say about his role as a backup: 

"I'm being very competitive, competing for the job, and I'll let coach Fisher make his own decision after that.  Definitely I want to be in there playing ball. ... At the same time, if those guys don't want me to be in there, it's time for me to make a career change for myself.  Because the fact is I'm ready to play ball.  And if they're not ready for me to play ball, someone is."

Young shouldn't be so sure. His stock around the NFL has reach a nadir, and it's unlikely there are any teams just waiting to hand him the keys to the franchise.  With a huge scheduled raise coming in 2010, Young seems likely to be looking for a job next off-season. 

Young would be well served to work hard, shut his yapper again, and wait for Collins' inevitable decline.  While he may no longer be the future in Tennessee, Young's best chance to rehab his value and "play ball" again will be with the Titans this year.    

Until he steps on the field again, there will remain a lot of questions about Young's game, especially his accuracy and decision making.  But there are even more concerns about his maturity level.  Comments like this won't help.

It struck me when the chair announced "6-1 Soderling" in the fourth-set tiebreak. Rafael Nadal was going down at the French Open. Not to Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic or a veteran dirtballer, but to Robin Soderling, a Swede whose only career achievements of note have been indoors.

Nadal losing on clay to an indoor specialist?

But Soderling employed the tactics many have implored Federer to use against Nadal. Soderling simply went all out on every shot of every point. He whaled forehands boldly, striking lines regularly. He blasted first serves over 130 mph, and we laughed in amazement at the boldness that allowed Soderling to hit 122-123 mph SECOND serves.

Simply put: No one is going to beat Nadal from the baseline at Roland Garros, and Soderling knew he had to put new meaning into playing with aggression. His heavy serve produced an astounding number of short returns from Nadal. I have never seen Nadal lose more three-stroke points, as Soderling repeatedly blasted winners off Nadal's weak replies.

Finally, Soderling never blinked in the big moments. He crushed serves, absolute bombs, in the final set and for the first time, in the words of John McEnroe, Nadal "looked like a middleweight fighting a heavyweight."

Where does it rank as an upset? McEnroe compared this to Michael Chang's unforgettable upset of Ivan Lendl in the 1989 French Open in the Round of 16. Or Peter Doohan taking out two-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker in 1987. I tried Federer over Pete Sampras in the 2001 Wimbledon, the end of Sampras' reign on grass. Admittedly, that's a reach as Nadal is hardly finished on clay.

Simply, we didn't see this one coming, not two days after Nadal dismantled Lleyton Hewitt, not from a Swede with no clay credentials, not at this Roland Garros, where Nadal seemed healthy and strong.

Now what? No doubt Federer just picked up a ton of expectation. He couldn't take down Nadal in four tries in Paris, and now someone else has done the work. And in three and half hours, Federer went from one of the chasers to the prohibitive favorite.

I am not sure Federer is ready for that role. His last two matches have been a struggle and in no way is he playing as smoothly as he has in the last three years here.

But this shocking upset created for Federer a chasm into which he can make history. Win here and he has an irrefutable case for being the greatest player of all time. Win here and he will most certainly add one more major after this to break Pete Sampras' record for most Grand Slam titles (14). Win here and he is still relevant in the discussion for the World No. 1 ranking.

One offshoot of this upset is how great does Federer's run of making 19 straight Grand Slam semifinals look after Nadal's loss? And how about making 14 of the last 15 Grand Slam finals -- all from a guy too quickly written off in the last year?

Federer has a tough road to navigate just to reach next Sunday's final. He's used to the spotlight, but a whole new pressure just landed on his shoulders.

-- Ted Robinson

A quick update from off-site - luckily Federer came back from two sets down against Tommy Haas this morning. I'm hoping he feels better after taking the last three in traditional domninant Federer form (6-4, 6-0, 6-2). We can just forget about the other two for now.

While we wait for the Roddick/Monfils match to start, here's something almost completely unrelated - Tennis on Twitter.

If you're curious about players' schedules and what they do on off days, it's actually not a bad way to get some interesting information. And the occasional restaurant recommendation for those of us in Paris...several of the bigger stars in town are all about it. Check out:

@andyroddick
@justingimelstob (Now a Tennis Channel Commentator)
@andy_murray
@bryanbros (Bob Bryan)
@serenajwilliams

As NBC is not on again until Friday, enjoy the coverage from our friends at The Tennis Channel (who can also be followed at @tennischannel).

-Lena M. Glaser