All right, hats off to Melanie Oudin and Bethanie Mattek-Sands (she of the old-school socks, above) of the U.S. for slashing through their singles matches on Saturday. The Americans finished the job today, on this, the ultimate sports day in the U.S., Super Bowl Sunday.
I went to the supermarket last night and had to smile at the devastation wrought in the snacks aisle - the only potato chips left appeared to be the organic, baked, low-fat, low-sodium ones in that slick, predominantly green Garden of Eden propoganda bag. And was that "flavor" really Bean Curd and Heart of Palm?
I'm sure glad my fellow citizens can't be fooled by every bad idea that comes down the pike in the name of enlightened change - and also that I ultimately found my oil-baked, sea-salt and vinegar chips, the kind with ridges that make it easier to avoid breaking each individual chip as you scoop up that sour cream and onion dip. I am still amazed at how a pint of sour cream mixed with a cheap French Onion soup and dip packet yields something so delicious - better even than a jalapeno popper!
As for the big game, I'm really torn. Your heart has to go out to the New Orleans Saints, but the Indianapolis Colts are such a talented, well-balanced team. To make matters worse, Drew Brees is such an appealing guy and fine quarterback - yet he's gunslinging against Peyton Manning, the closest thing the NFL has to a Roger Federer. I mean, how can you not be pulling for Manning to add another championship that his talent and leadership certainly merit?
That he's only won one Super Bowl underscores how much better off a tennis player is, maybe even how much better a measure of real, fundamental athletic talent tennis is. For in tennis, you put up or shut-up; nobody can claim to be the greatest this or the most deserving that unless he has the hard-earned titles to back up the claim.
It's such stand-off in my mind that it will be easy to sit back and enjoy the game (I wish I can say the same for our Beth and even moreso for our Bobby C., a naturalized cajun who's bouncing off the walls hoping that the Saints can do it). Either way, I also hope the U.S. can wrap up the first-round tie with France quickly and without a huge amount of drama [Editor's note: They did.], so the girls can get a chance to watch the game. Will they be able to get it in France, I wonder?
Oddly enough, I was talking with Pat McEnroe yesterday and he told me that Fed Cup captain Mary Jo Fernandez was really fretting over the U.S.'s chances earlier in the week, because the girls were, well, playing like crap. Every one of them. That's another great thing about tennis - things can change, awfully fast. For better, or worse. In the blink of an eye.
Enjoy whatever it is you're watching today, and feel free to chatter about Fed Cup, or the Super Bowl, here. Go, canonized equines!
-- Pete