man-on-womens-sports2007

pause for the cause

2009-02-15T01:13:00.009-06:00

Recently, I have spent day and night viewing every news video on President Obama and the financial crisis I can find (I am an economist). (I used to tell friends and coworkers almost proudly that finance was my weakness.) Of course additionally there is all the news no one can miss about the new president. But in all I have seen and heard, this photo brought tears: Denzel Washington . . . Denzel . . . waiting, first to appear, for the inauguration. Denzel.

Hey if Denzel, man mustn't I.

Photo source: msn.com/AP

Slovakia's other up-and-comer

2009-02-10T07:19:00.009-06:00

She was felled by the mean Russian Dementieva (below) in the quarters of the Australian Open.

With (right of) Fed Cup captain the Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.

Photo sources: Yahoo! News/Reuters/Petar Kujundzic; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rob Griffith; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/CTK, Jakub Sukup

The Jelena-Dinari quarter-final match was Australia's most watched women's Open match ever

2009-01-31T07:50:00.005-06:00

Safina-Dokic Breaks Viewing Record in Australia

Photo source: Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rick Stevens

Serena: Australian Open IV

2009-01-31T07:13:00.007-06:00

Serena dropped only one set: to Kutzi in the quarters 5-7 7-5 6-1. Dinari Safina had a three set second round, a three set fourth round (against Alize Cornet of France) that Dinari barely survived, a three setter against Jelena Dokic in the quarters, and then 6-3 7-6 (7-4) in the semis when it finally dawned on her that she needed to play to get off the court. Hey, with Serena in the finals it was 6-0 6-3.

Photo source: Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Dita Alangkara

So the ROCians (Hsieh Su-wei, in blue) and PROCians (Peng Shuai) speak the same dialect after all (even if it's English)

2009-01-31T06:56:00.008-06:00

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Mick Tsikas; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Darren Whiteside; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Darren Whiteside; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Darren Whiteside

Serena and Venus take the doubles, yes, but over . . . Ai Sugiyama and the Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia

2009-01-31T05:41:00.017-06:00

The women's double tournament at the Australian Open has been just incredible throughout. First there was the team of Su-Wei Hsieh(ROC) and Shuai Peng (PROC), who suprisingly enough were the number 16 seed: tennis diplomacy off the table? The first two rounds unfolded pretty much according to the rankings, but in round three Hsieh and Peng took out the number 2 seed Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual while the number 3 seed USA's Lisa Raymond and co lost to France's Nathalie Dechy and co. In the quarters the Hantuyama unit as they are called sent the no. 1 seed home, while Serena and Venus took a little while with Hsieh and Peng. I stopped keeping up at that point, because I saw that Serena and Venus faced Francesca Schiavone and partner in the next round. Francesca Schiavone can be tough, but Serena and Venus handled the team 6-0 6-2. The Hantuyama unit sent Nathalie Dechy and Italy's Mara Santangelo packing. That's good tennis.

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rick Stevens; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Darren Whiteside; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Darren Whiteside; Yahoo! News/ REUTERS/Daniel Munoz; Yahoo! News/ REUTERS/Daniel Munoz; Yahoo! News/ REUTERS/Daniel Munoz; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama; and, Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Darren Whiteside

Is this a big vote of no confidence in US figure skating or what?

2009-01-31T02:26:00.003-06:00

I still do not know what happened with the broadcast schedule for the US figure skating championship last week. The two hour segment that I saw was the men's short and long (I didn't actually watch it, but checked in several times to see if any other groups were skating), and icenetwork.com blacked out its webcast during the same period. I don't know the schedule. I am trying not to stumble into it, because I would rather watch the webcast not knowing who won anything.

But that's just the point: In a week's time, I have stumbled into nothing about US figure skating. There's a two hour NBC segment scheduled for 12 hours from now, but that . . . is very strange. In the past, a broadcast a week later would be . . . exhibitions.

Hmmmm.

Taken to the wire, Dinari nevertheless brings Jelena's Cinderella run to an end in the quarters

2009-01-27T04:58:00.007-06:00

Click for larger view.

Australian Open '09: first four rounds

2009-01-27T01:13:00.015-06:00

Round One: Powerful ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland out to Kateryna Bondarenko of the Bondarenko twins doubles team: that is almost a joke.

Round Two: (You have to gain some composure from the Radwanska result for this): number six seed Venus out to Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro. (I told you to get composured.)

Round Three: PRC's Jie Zheng takes out Kateryna Bondarenko, while Kutzi takes out her sister. Hmmmm, this bears watching this year: France's Alize Cornet (no. 15 seed) (pictured) took out no. 19 the Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia. France, hmmmm. Alize (please do not even think a French hope in France.) Ana Ivanovic (the no. 5 seed) out. Jelena Dokic 3-6 6-1 6-2 over eleventh seeded Caroline Wozniacki. Marion Bartoli (another French), who I expect to do well this year, on to meet Jelena Jankovic.

Round Four: Marion Bartoli defeats Jelena Jankovic 6-1 6-4. Jelena Dokic on to the quarter-finals of the year's first major 7-5 5-7 8-6 over Russia's Alisa Kleybanova. Jie Zheng retired in the first set, waving through the Russian Kutzi to meet Serena in the quarters. All in all, a superb image surfing op.

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rick Stevens; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rob Griffith; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Darren Whiteside; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Petar Kujundzic

No Emily Hughes but not last year's Zhang either: the results after the short

2009-01-25T00:18:00.006-06:00

New York Times: Injuries Force Meissner and Hughes to Pull Out of Nationals. Whatever may happen at worlds in LA, Ca next month, don't be surprised if there is an American ladies figure skating Olympic gold 13 months from now. Don't have time to search to find out what happened with what I thought was to be two nights of prime time coverage on NBC, but thanks for making within slacker get off said butt and get that icenetwork.com subscription he's talked about for more months than it is propitious to recount. 'Da bomb! Way to go.

Jelena is on to round 2

2009-01-21T08:54:00.004-06:00

One win, but a victory: Jelena to round two at the Australian open to face the tough Anna Chakvetadze

2009-01-19T15:02:00.009-06:00

Photo source: australianopen.com

Mao

2009-01-15T19:46:00.004-06:00

Photo source: Yahoo! News

. . . and danced

2009-01-15T19:33:00.008-06:00

Photo sources: Yahoo! News

. . . and danced . . .

2009-01-15T19:26:00.005-06:00

Photo source: Yahoo! News

She just danced . . .

2009-01-15T19:11:00.006-06:00

Photo sources: Yahoo! news

new jelena news pics

2009-01-11T01:22:00.016-06:00

Back on August 28, 2007, I mentioned that Roberta Flack, who was one of "nearly two dozen other pioneering black women" (ESPN) honoring Althea Gibson on the fiftieth anniversary of Ms. Gibson's US nationals title, is one of my favorite singers. Just before Christmas, I passed a nice little covey hole in the lower end of downtown Houston I frequented regularly a while ago. Despite the fact that now it is next to a deeper ditch where important city negroes eat, I stopped to look in. It was still nice. Wine coolers were not bottled for consumers then, and theirs were delicious. In fact, the place is a Mexican restaurant now, but at least it is open again after . . . decades . . . of closure.

But what drew me to that place then- I always went alone and always sat alone- was one tune on their box I could find nowhere else: "Trade Winds" by Roberta. Then I was more considerate, and I played it only intermittently (now I'd dropped a role of quarters in and could care less.)

But after just popping my head into the place a couple of weeks ago, I felt a strong compunction to try a search again, for the grazillioneth time. I got home, the impetus was still there, so I started typing: T-r-a-d-e and the search engine clue beneath showed "Tradewind". I had always entered it as two words, so when I saw that I immediately clicked it, and voila! Not only, but searching on showed that there might be Roberta (that's albums (note plural)) I may not have heard. Albums. (Okay, their cds now.)

I've been really calm. It's been 10 days, and I'll go Monday and check at the post office. I'll start with these three, then dig through my . . . albums . . . to check on the others I saw.

This has happened before: I have an obsession to bring the works of Talcott Parsons into the practical. I spent of all of January 1, 2000, and days after searching: nothing. Three years later, I tried again, and I now have an extensive Talcott Parsons collection. (I have finally stopped beating myself over the head at learning, after his death, that he was at Berkeley when I was there. My escape was the graduate social science library, and he was there. Just two questions, three tops!)

Hey, does it get better.

New Jelena news pics. She lost to former world number one Amelie Mauresmo in a tough one 7-6 (11-9) 7-6 (7-5) in the first round of Brisbane on January 5th.

We Dokic fans are a stalwart bunch.

Photo sources: (both) Yahoo! News\AP Photo\Steve Holland

Second after the short and Yu-Na Kim on her home turf, Mao Asada nonetheless reigned over the Grand Prix

2009-01-11T00:28:00.007-06:00

FPl.

Name

Nat.

Points

Mao ASADA

JPN

188.55

Yu-Na KIM

KOR

186.35

Carolina KOSTNER

ITA

168.01

Joannie ROCHETTE

CAN

166.36

Yukari NAKANO

JPN

161.93

Miki ANDO

JPN

158.25

where "SP" is the short program result and "FS" is the free skate standing. The table was lifted from here, where notice at the bottom that the series in 2009 will not begin with Skate America, but with Skate France. Skate America will be the second to the last event, which, please excuse my cynicism, places it closer to the 2010 Winter Olympics.

she keeps her eyes on the prize: this is why she is fast becoming one of my heroines

2009-01-11T00:14:00.008-06:00

Photo sources: Yahoo! News

So, the Grand Prix final was set, but . . . but . . .

2009-01-10T23:19:00.009-06:00

The ISU Grand Prix final was set (a pdf): Yu-Na Kim, Joannie Rochette, Mao Asada, Carolina Kostner, Yukari Nakano and Miki Ando. But knocking hard at the door were two Americans among the three subs: Rachael Flatt and Alissa Czisny, along with the Japanese almost Russian Fumie Suguri.

But, again, the reigning US champion was seventeenth in the ranking, while Kimmie Meissner was twenty-first.

Even worse Caroline Zhang was eleventh. Caroline Zhang is just what a floundering US figure skating least needs at this moment: she showed her fair ass at US nationals last year. She dissed her couch, Michelle Kwan; she turned her nose up at everybody and everything. I mean, what is she or who is she? Far worse, she does not know what she is or who she is. A third generation of this missy: enough already. One more event of her, and USA figure skating will be where USA bball is in my book: can kiss the blackness. International bball, yes: the home clowns, hey. If women don't want to be explicit about where they're coming from, then maybe it just does not need to be said. Man. But what is worse is when women rank women at the bottom of the respect ladder. I'd rather not partake, thanks.

But, and this is going to be painful to missy, last year's nationals lacked Emily Hughes.

Tokyo was an all-Japanese affair

2009-01-10T22:36:00.012-06:00

Still, USA's Ashley Wagner (pictured below) was fourth, although Mirai Nagasu, the daughter of Japanese immigrants and the reigning USA champion, copped an eighth.

Photo sources: Yahoo! News

Mao Asada's start in Paris was less than had been expected as Joannie Rochette took a second gold; Carolina Kostner takes gold in Moscow

2009-01-10T21:33:00.007-06:00

Of course, none of the headliners are in the picture above, but, busily taking it (click to enlarge) and more like it, I missed the image surfing op on the ice skaters. Sorry.

While Joannie Rochette was growing better at Skate France, Mao had a less than spectacular Grand Prix series start. Still, USA's Caroline Zhang was third and Beatrisa Liang was fifth.

Quietly, USA's Emily Hughes was ninth, but back nonetheless from last year's season ending injury. She could be just the spark needed by Team USA, particularly Kimmie Meissner who was a disappointing eighth the next week at Cup of Russia. Again still, USA's Rachael Flatt was second and Alissa Czisny was fourth. Photo source: mine (© 2009)

At Cup of China, Miki takes silver behind again Kim Yu-Na

2008-12-29T22:28:00.019-06:00

Still lacking a really strong convention about the usage, the US press seem to want to employ the surname (family name) placement of the country of origin- Ando Miki-, but she's probably one of the reasons the convention isn't holding. Ando Miki. Kim Yu-Na, yea, we can do that one. But she finished 21 points ahead of Miki, her closest competitor, at Cup of China. Sweden's Sarah Meier, the 2006 Grand Prix final bronze medalist, was sixth. China was probably less than happy with their ninth, tenth and 12th place finishes. Below Ashley Wagner . . .

. . . and, uh, Miki . . .

Photo sources: Yahoo! News

Although Skate Canada was all Joannie Rochette, US' Alissa Czisny took bronze

2008-12-29T22:07:00.007-06:00

Skate Canada results were remarkable: Fumie Suguri silver, Carolina Kostner not on the podium, US' Caroline Zhang and Beatrisa Liang 5th and 6th respectively just behind Carolina. Below, Alissa Czisny at Skate Canada:

Photo sources: Yahoo! News

Mao

2008-12-28T20:20:00.003-06:00

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man

Jelena is in!

2008-12-26T05:32:00.002-06:00

Backing up her boasts, Jelena has won a wildcard berth in next month's Australian Open. Okay, it took her two hours to put down the junior Monica Wejnert 6-7 (3-7) 7-5 6-3 and okay her wildcard position almost guarantees her a first round against a really top seed, but, for the first time in years, she is in.

There's even been talk of her representing in some Fed Cup action. (We Dokic fans are a stalwart bunch.)

Some additional expressions from Skate America

2008-11-22T06:32:00.008-06:00

Kimmie Meissner

Rachael Flatt

Mirai Nagasu

Photo sources: Yahoo! News

Hide this story under lots of good

2008-11-22T06:06:00.005-06:00

I have fallen behind only in writing: I have been . . . (sorry academic world I have been . . . so . . . intruding into). . . so blogging with my feet: I've actually pursued my druthers with most satisfying results. I'll get to these, but since I have so much to catch up on today, I'll make this the bottom story (and I hope it shows the commercial, too):

Ivanovic finding love?

Venus takes the Doha dukeout

2008-11-10T06:54:00.002-06:00

Checking the results link of the just previous post below, it was Venus.

Doha dukeout: the results so far

2008-11-06T05:43:00.006-06:00

I am getting something of a headache trying to decipher the official results. I believe that the 4 players in both groups play each in the group, then the two best records in each group based on matches won-lost and sets won-lost advance.

The press has made much ado of a Serena/Venus match up, but they must play each other in even these preliminary rounds: they are both in the Maroon group.

Ana (pictured) is fighting a virus, and hasn't eaten in two days. Her two loses to this point reflect that. Story.

Photo source: Yahoo! News/AP Photo / Kamran Jebreili

If I had my d'ruthers . . . complex (pictured: prescient Yukari Nakano during the long at Skate America)

2008-11-03T04:42:00.030-06:00

Let me help rescue the blogosphere from idiots like me who so want to mirror something mainstream, whatever something that is (I guess in a McLuhan sense it is an extended type of both Jungian and Aristotelian social unconsciousness being.) Perchance these reflections appear anything other than personal, let me explicitly interject "self". First, background-wise, this is what I am "supposed" to be doing.

Okay? Feel better. ...(?)

So I returned from my Ike displacement, and finally got lights. On the scheduled Saturday, I was out on my annual photo must-do (preempting even Shawn Johnson and Co. several blocks away), so Ma Bell actually called knocking Sunday. Nice dude. He's been here before (and I pride myself that my service is as effectual as all the telecommuters in the current endeavor.) He also suggested a very plausible explanation for how our five buildings could have no electricity while there was light as far as our eyes could see. CenterPoint, responsible for the grid (and I have nothing but the highest compliments for them since they've taken over these past few years) started with the interruptions from the power plants to those wires connected immediately thereto and solved half their problem. Then they went from those to those big wires you see with the 6, 8, 12 rows of lines and solved another fourth of their problems. Then they went on down the line in the grid until they came to the individual wires that run down the streets, then to the individual houses. Makes sense.

But that is not the story here of my druthers. The next weekend after my return from San Antonio, I was back in San Antonio for the WNBA playoffs. That following weekend, however, I was home, and Saturday morning I was up promptly for my cartoons. No cable. I was up Saturday morning for my cartoons, and there was no cable. No prob, I should be much calm by Monday when they'd be open (one did not call that answering service with anything near that attitude.)

"We've stopped servicing that complex." Complex, indeed. Their affordable $10 monthly service gave the major locals, TNT, TBS, FAM and ESPN. Earlier this year, they suddenly dropped WGN, the station I got the service for.

The reason I've avoided full cable or satellite is that I live in a library, and all this must be read. So, with the cable unhooked, nothing (I thought) happened on the TV without an antenna. This is mostly true, but I've rescanned most of my devices for channels, and I can get some of the major local stations. But decision time: outdoor antenna (in an apartment complex where recently if I go out at 5 am looking for the newspaper delivered 10 minutes earlier I am most often totally out of luck) confining myself to the locals, cable, satellite, ATT's provision, etc. But, if I get anything other than the RCA Flat Indoor Amplified Antenna I am going to pick up Tuesday after voting, I d'ruther have the Tennis Channel included (and, of course, that's part of only the most expensive plans.) But, you know, if I really had my druthers of all the women sports, there would be professional indoor volleyball in the United States. And I was thinking that I'll defer a decision on paid service until the first of the year when I'd try catching the college vball games.

But waiting on something to work while working the other night, I thought I'd check to see when the NCAA vball season began. Began, indeed: it's almost over (didn't I just finish writing about last year's three California school final four a month ago?) Note: those rankings are rpi.

Plan B: antenna and catch some live vball action. Adopted. But you're talking about complex: next weekend, the Division III regionals will be in San Antonio (man, were I from Houston I'd have a complex about how much NCAA action SA sees) while SWAC will be at Grambling. Grambling, SWAC, pickup tickets for the turkey day Bayou Classic in New Orleans (Grambling vs Southern University football) (hey, they have cheerleaders and (the event's stars) majorettes), spend the night in New Orleans on the way back this trip (pics of the levees that failed in reconstruction, make turkey day weekend reservations.) Division III in San Antonio.

Complex? Miki Ando's expression during the women's long program last Sunday (I was not only able to see the NBC broadcast but also able to produce a (really snowy) recording.) It wasn't so much that, determined not to fall, she executed jump after jump, then in the last 90 seconds "threw in" some "artistry" (reflected in the technical score that exceeded Yukari Nakano's by 0.03 points but trailed her execution score by almost four and a half points). Miki . . . never smiled: there was no "Miki".

Photo sources (in order): Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Robert Sorbo; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Robert Sorbo; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey); Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Robert Sorbo; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey

Ana wins Linz in a stunning 6-2 6-1 victory over Vera Zvonareva

2008-10-29T23:49:00.001-06:00

Story

Photo sources: (all) Yahoo! News/AP Photo/rubra

So going into the long, its Yu-Na Kim, Miki, Yukari Nakano and the the US

2008-10-26T00:18:00.010-06:00

Actually, here is that international panel for the short from the ISU's offical Skate America site. With the long scheduled for broadcast on NBC at 3 CDT I see, this was these are the results in the women's short program this evening:

Current Standing	Name	Nation	Total
1	Yu-Na KIM	KOR	69.5
2	Miki ANDO	JPN	57.8
3	Yukari NAKANO	JPN	57.46
4	Mirai NAGASU	USA	56.42
5	Rachael FLATT	USA	54.92
6	Kimmie MEISSNER	USA	54.9
7	Annette DYTRT	GER	48.32
8	Susanna POYKIO	FIN	47.82
9	Yan LIU	CHN	46.96
10	Mira LEUNG	CAN	45.74
11	Tugba KARADEMIR	TUR	41.26

Miki Ando does . . . Skate America, again

2008-10-25T22:29:00.017-06:00

The results of the short program are just beginning to come in, but I see that Miki Ando (pictured immediately above and below from practice yesterday) chose to do Skate America again this year. Wasn't that part of the very same strategy that kept her out of the Grand Prix finals last year and - oops, I don't know how she did at worlds last year because I still have not watched my taping of it? On it. Official lineup I am sure that there is an international panel of judges for the event, but it seems so hard for a non-American to win our ISU Grand Prix event.

And in that lineup, Mirai Nagasu (below also from yesterday's practice session), who just whisked, just swept, just stormed her way to the US (senior) championship title last year, is listed as the world junior bronze. Oops. Rachael Flatt is reigning junior world champion. (Wait, last year's worlds is coming back to me: the US continent who were old enough to go, didn't they totally embarrass themselves or something. I watched.)

Photo sources: (all) Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

this! is what I've been waiting on . . .

2008-10-24T21:11:00.000-06:00

'Dis hea'! battling for 'dat $million. No Sharapova. Jelena Jankovic has been on a tear since her US Open final lost of dat $million to Serena (who has tasted 'de sweet taste of 'dat $million now). Heck, only half the field is Russian, what's up wid' 'dat, huh?

Ana has floundered, as I expected, since Wimbledon, but (big but) I expect her in every final every slam next year. Ana has stepped into the public eye (GOD forbid); that takes some adjustment. She'll make that adjustment to her liking (that's her fight here) in the (brief) off-season, but (big but again) she could break out here, too.

Jelena and Nadia lean on the Porsche Carrera 911

2008-10-11T20:24:00.002-06:00

Jelena Jankovic won it in her 6-4 6-3 victory over Nadia Petrova in the final of the Porsche Grand Prix tournament in Stuttgart, Germany on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008. But Nadia is hanging around later and later in the tournaments, and that is good news: Nadia is good people. What actually caught my attention about the tournament, though, was Jelena's 6-7 (6-8) 7-5 6-2 victory over Venus the day before. During the US Open, I was really pulling for Venus over Serena in the semis, because I thought that Venus would more probably win the tournament. Serena beat Venus then Jelena Jankovic to win the Open. So, I guess all is well, huh?

Ike sent hiking . . . to a couple of WNBA playoff games

2008-09-25T07:51:00.006-06:00

Okay . . . wait, strike that . . . not okay.

See, it wasn't so bad not having electricity: it was seeing everyone literally as far as the eye could see not not having electricity. Five buildings in a forty building complex with no electricity. All of the residences and businesses south of what may become an increasingly definitive artery in this area- West Belford Boulevard- all lit up. I watched my unopened box of Klondikes slowly but completely leak out upon the freezer bottom.

That was the last straw.

But mind you - and this was utterly important in my decision making processes: I was not hiking away from Ike. Houston is beginning to learn that New Orleans and Katrina is a special case of a city built under the coast it sits on. You sit on your porch in New Orleans staring at the levees 50 yards away. New Orleans, quiet as it is kept, is zero miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Houston is 50 miles inland. A 50 foot storm surge is not going to travel 50 miles inland. So we are learning to hide from the wind, stay our bucks off the freeways and let the people who really need to flee the surge do so.

So I was not running from Ike: this was a pull in the after wake of Ike. How do I telecommute with no electricity?

Frustrated, I went to San Antonio.

Now remember, as far as the eye could see was lit up. I was thinking to myself: there's something else at work here. Something not in the ordinary . . . so let me check the ticket sources to see if the Silver Stars have any games left in their WNBA season. Sure enough there was a game showing for Saturday. And versus Sacramento.

I had seen a line of something somewhere suggesting that Ruth Riley was with San Antonio. That alone would have gotten me to a San Antonio game even without Ike. Then there's the knuckle head who thought like most Americans that the Cold War was over: excuse me, with even just week's left in his presidency, and I'll leave that there.

But I knew that Sacramento would never part with Nicole Powell, and to me she is an incredibly beautiful spirit. But I really wanted to see Sacramento, though, because of Kara Lawson: I loved her Olympic gold medal game. Kara came in halfway through the first quarter, and said: "This game is over." It was never close again!

Wow, sistu!

I was still in SA for game three. Caught that one, too.

I am back in Houston, commuting to the brick and motor (by car, by rented car) 60 miles each way in, not Houston's, but the nation's worst traffic situation.

But I'll be back in SA Saturday v LA.

Godspeed, Becky

2008-08-03T14:54:00.008-06:00

This was hushed: South Dakota born and raised Becky Hammon (center front) was not among the 29 players selected to tryout for the US Olympic women's basketball team. It is not so hushed now: and the sheer incredulity! Unimaginable. The star player on each of the WMBA teams - the two star players- at least should be invited. Becky Hammon has been the face of the WNBA this century. America needs to pause, and listen. I am a Becky Hammon fan: always have been, always will be.

With not really representative pics of Australia's Penny Taylor

No surprises in the selection of the US Olympic women's indoor volleyball team. Unfortunately.

2008-08-01T15:10:00.011-06:00

I have searched for three hours now for a good picture of the US women's indoor volleyball team, and found not one. Mug shots of the twelve players, yes: a good picture of the team, no. I am convinced that such does not exist. How about, instead, a coupl'a two three good photos of the Japanese swimming team arriving at the Olympic village with . . . adrenaline and humility and modesty in the face of a world of competitors; not 'ho-bitch funky attitude that this retarded world just does not appreciate that this sport belongs to us, adrenaline in the Olympic village. Humility. Adrenaline.

2008 USA Women's Olympic Indoor Volleyball Team

#	Name	Pos	Ht	Hometown	College	Born
1	Ogonna Nnamani	OH	6-1	Bloomington, Ill.	Stanford	7-29-83
2	Danielle Scott-Arruda	MB	6-2	Baton Rouge, La.	Long Beach State	10-1-72
3	Tayyiba Haneef-Park	OPP/OH	6-7	Laguna Hills, Calif.	Long Beach State	3-23-79
4	Lindsey Berg	S	5-8	Honolulu, Hawai'i	Minnesota	7-16-80
5	Stacy Sykora	L	5-10	Burleson, Texas	Texas A&M	6-24-77
6	Nicole Davis	L	5-4	Stockton, Calif.	Southern California	4-24-82
7	Heather Bown	MB	6-3	Yorba Linda, Calif.	Hawai'i	11-29-79
9	Jennifer Joines	MB	6-3	Milpitas, Calif.	Pacific	11-23-82
10	Kim Glass	OH	6-3	Lancaster, Pa.	Arizona	8-18-84
11	Robyn Ah Mow-Santos	S	5-9	Honolulu, Hawai'i	Hawai'i	9-15-75
12	Kim Willoughby	OH	6-0	Napoleanville, La.	Hawai'i	11-7-80
15	Logan Tom	OH	6-1	Salt Lake City, Utah	Stanford	5-25-81

Head Coach: Lang Ping Assistant Coaches: Yong Li, Sue Woodstra, Tom Hogan

Lang Ping is currently the only female head coach of a national volleyball federation with a team in the top 20 world ranking.

This is the official site for indoor volleyball.

Women's Olympic Games 2000

Qualified Teams

1.China (host country)

2.Italy (1st World Cup)

3.Brazil (2nd World Cup)

4.U.S.A. (3rd World Cup)

5.Algeria - Africa

6.Kazakhstan - Asia *

7.Russia - Europe

8.Cuba - Norceca

9.Venezuela - South America

10.Poland (1st World Olympic Qualification) *

11.Serbia (2nd World Olympic Qualification) *

12.Japan (3rd World Olympic Qualification) *

* The Asian Continental Qualification Tournaments were played combined with the World Olympic Qualification Tournaments in Japan

FIVB World Ranking: 1. Brazil 2. Italy 3. Cuba 4. USA 5. Japan 6. Serbia 7. China 8. Russia 9. Poland 10. Korea * 11. Dominican Republic * 12. Kenya * 13. Germany * 14. Netherlands * 15. Peru * 16. Turkey * 17. Thailand * 18. Chinese Taipei * 19. Puerto Rico * 20. Egypt * 21. Algeria 22. Kazakhstan 29. Venezuela * not qualified for the2008 Olympic Games

Ouch, again: sobriety can be painful: " . . . but when you preside over an interest-starved sport . . .." Ouch, too cold.

2008-07-22T02:55:00.004-06:00

A somber, sober retrospective of the "Danica" whoever story that was all over the websphere Sunday, and why it was all over the websphere Sunday. (Thanks, Fox.) Links to the video and to photos are included in the story.

Ouch?

2008-07-20T19:15:00.003-06:00

Michelle Wie DQ'd from State Farm over scorecard mishap It is hard not to feel with her. And this is the second time she has been similarly disqualified during her professional career.

Literally out of nowhere: a moment of sobriety for the US Track and Field contingent to Beijing: she doesn't need to win, just to go

2008-07-07T02:12:00.006-06:00

"Muna Lee (2nd L) crosses the finish line to win the women's 100m final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon June 28, 2008. Torri Edwards (L) finished second and Lauryn Williams (2nd R) finished third." (I know: it is terrible when you have to borrow the picture and the caption, but I can't beat this one.)

Muna Lee clipping recent USC grad Allyson Felix' heels in the 200:

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Steve Dipaola; Yahoo!News/AP Photo/David J. Phillip

Some good news going into the Olympics: Wimbledon '08 was all Venus and Serena

2008-07-07T01:17:00.009-06:00

Singles:

Doubles:

Lisa Raymond has often complained that she is the highest rated doubles player in the USofA and that it should be she not Serena or Venus representing at the Olympics. Clockwise from top left: Serena, Venus, Lisa and her doubles partner Samantha Stosur of Australia.

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus; Yahoo! News/Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Who is?

2008-07-07T00:41:00.009-06:00

Hint:

The use of these images is not intended to defeat the owner's copyright interest, but the images are used under the "fair use" exception to the copyright laws for public comment on a public broadcast of an event of public importance. The use here implies no copyright interest of any sort in the images.

Wimbledon '08: week 1; second pass

2008-06-30T10:48:00.003-06:00

In women's singles: the second round stats for Ana Ivanovic "over" Nathalie Dechy were 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-3) 10-8 with elapsed time by set of 58, 63 and 83 minutes. Sharapova did lose in round 2.

Wimbledon '08: week 1, first pass: Sharapova's tux

2008-06-30T10:30:00.002-06:00

Perhaps it is ill-advised to remind other competitors that you are the highest paid woman in all of sports; I mean, they have their complete lack of sympathy for Anna Kournikova as a predicate.

Photo source: Yahoo! News/AFP/Carl de Souza

Wimbledon '08: week 1, first pass: Venus, round 2, form

2008-06-30T09:59:00.009-06:00

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Alastair Grant; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Alessia Pierdomenico; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Alessia Pierdomenico; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Alessia Pierdomenico; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/REUTERS/Alessia Pierdomenico

Wimbledon '08: week 1, first pass: Ana's loss in the second round that she won

2008-06-30T09:32:00.004-06:00

When I first saw this photo of Nathalie Dechy during her second round match with Ana I sensed a disbelief on her part that Ana was still out there. It is not a look of respect or admiration, just disbelief: "I can't believe you're still out here!" Perhaps Nathalie watched (the US) coverage of the French Open final where they talked about nothing but how Ana's team shielded her from this and didn't tell her that. Well, they couldn't shield her from the shock of what Nathalie put on her buck. Ana won, but she . . . herself . . . does not know how. And in that she lost: she lost what made her number one. This could have repercussions well beyond this season: she has got to reclaim what made her number one, and take that to the next level (and that "and" is a "must!")

Wimbledon '08: week 1, first pass: Ana, round 1 , form

2008-06-30T08:27:00.009-06:00

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus

Wimbledon '08: week 1, first pass: Venus, round 1, form

2008-06-30T06:10:00.008-06:00

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Wimbledon '08: week 1; first pass

2008-06-30T05:52:00.002-06:00

I've actually been right on top of Wimbledon this go round, but that is in terms of my image surfing. At this point, I have not visited the official site, or looked at schedules or perused the draw, but I have seen some things: Venus' form, Ana Ivanovic's loss in the second round she won, and I think I've seen suggestions that Sharapova is out. I want to take a quick pass at these, then go out and get some official information for the coming week . . ..

pre-Wimbledon '08: Jelena's smileys

2008-06-25T14:33:00.007-06:00

It's a good thing that, though I am a computer geek, I am not a nerd (well not too much of a nerd), because I would have a field day and a half making smiley gifs of Jelena Jankovic pre-Wimbledon practice "I-am-so-upset-that-Ana-has-gotten-a-ticker-tape-parade-and-all-kind-of-attention-and-I-am-going-to-win-this-tournament-and-have-me-a-ticker-tape-parade-and-none-of-you-clowns-had-better-get-in-my-way" smileys.

Below, world number 1 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia in Serbia June 10, 2008.

Photo sources: Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Alastair Grant; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Alastair Grant; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Srdjan Ilic

Now . . . French Open '08: Ana!

2008-06-14T02:56:00.004-06:00

Photo sources: (both) Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Christophe Ena

French Open '08: it was Ana, but wait . . .

2008-06-08T20:34:00.000-06:00

Ana held, but wait . . .

French Open '08: through day 12: Dinara

2008-06-06T02:34:00.003-06:00

In Berlin she took out Justine Henin then Serena back to back. Here in Paris she sends her then favored home sister Sharapova packing 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-5) 6-2, sidesteps homegirl Dementieva 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-0, then just walks on home people Kutzy 6-3 6-2.

The finals (Saturday morning here) is going to be 'da bomb: Ana, Dinara: both young (notice Dinara's stamina in her third sets), both pretty eager for a slam title. Both seeing this as a superb opportunity to get that first slam title. Both knowing that if it's going to happen soon, it going to be here. Can't wait. This is game.

women's singles draw

French Open '08 (in Henin's absence): through day 4, results best left without comment

2008-05-29T22:55:00.004-06:00

women's singles draw

2004 . . . even the queen . . . in the final attempt to take Olympic gold in her signature event . . .

2008-05-29T22:08:00.003-06:00

. . . and the not so royal dismounted Canadian, who alone gives all the women in America a run for their money on "sharin' 'da lub'" . . .

Used without permission under the Fair Use Exception to the Copyright Laws for public comment on issues of public importance.

Ana in Berlin May 7th during her unsuccessful title defense this year . . .

2008-05-29T20:53:00.009-06:00

My bad in my post May 12th: Ana did not successfully defend in Berlin this year, and the caption I was looking at clearly said "2007 German Open tennis tournament, in May 2007, in Berlin". Ana actually lost in the semifinals May 10th to Dementieva (right below) (and I saw that). Elena defeated Serbia's Jelena Jankovic in the quarters.

More importantly, Russia's Dinara Safina, left above, took out Justine Henin 5-7 6-3 6-1 on May 8th, then Serena 5-7 6-3 7-6 (7-5) in the quarters the next day on the way to the title.

And this has to be like day 6 of the French Open . . ..

US gymnasts are in Houston this week . . .

2008-05-24T20:06:00.006-06:00

Well, were here at least. It was VISA Championships for the men (wrapping up even as I . . . type . . ..) But it was also determinative to the US Rhythmic contingent to Beijing, and important for qualification for twelve to the women's VISA Championships next month. More as I sort my images (yes, from a digital original capture device, thank you) . . ..

2004 . . . missed the teddy bears . . .

2008-05-12T14:21:00.003-06:00

. . . missed the podium. . .

Used without permission under the Fair Use Exception to the Copyright Laws for public comment on issues of public importance.

Ana during her title win in Berlin May 7th

2008-05-12T13:25:00.004-06:00

. . . and in Key Biscayne March 27th.

Photo sources: Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Miguel Villagran; Yahoo! News/AFP/Getty Images/File/Matthew Stockman

2004 . . . even Venus faltered

2008-05-11T22:48:00.003-06:00

What was this like Mary Pierce's first ever win over Venus this century?

Used without permission under the Fair Use Exception to the Copyright Laws for public comment on issues of public importance.

2004 . . . (and 2000 and 1998)

2008-05-05T03:33:00.008-06:00

Used without permission under the Fair Use Exception to the Copyright Laws for public comment on issues of public importance.

2004 . . .

2008-04-27T08:52:00.005-06:00

Used without permission under the Fair Use Exception to the Copyright Laws for public comment on issues of public importance.

2004 . . .

2008-04-23T22:31:00.004-06:00

Used without permission under the Fair Use Exception to the Copyright Laws for public comment on issues of public importance.

This takes a big anticipatory, pregnant "whew": the news we all knew

2008-04-22T04:18:00.006-06:00

Everybody knows that we won the Olympics in Athens. Just want to take a glance back at the news.

For four years, I have been mildly upset with USAToday for the amount of effort they forced me to give to save copies of their Internet Olympic photos: it took all my geekiness and just plain resolve to save them. (Yes, I additionally daily did collect the newsprint supplement. Still have them; may scan some.) But now I'm happy that the paper was such an image surfing bane: this was the news we all "saw". Here is the media's proof that they reported the objective news.

man, Tasha got married and disappeared; no recent news on her sister either; got to get an update . . .

2008-04-14T06:28:00.005-06:00

Video source: this link is now broken, so I'm sticking an errant "www" in the link so that if you choose to go out there, you're on your own; httpwww://www.kristypage.com/tasha/pictures/sydneyprep.htm (some other site is redirecting it's visitors) I guess I could have edited out the little ad at the end, but, hey, do unto others . . ..

the '04 sendoff from the US Nationals

2008-04-14T05:11:00.003-06:00

My pause has taken me into some exciting directions, best expressed by one of the community's, if not the area's, most renown mathematicians. In undergrad at Texas Southern, I took several mathematics courses from Professor Wiley, including abstract algebra ("Including some English courses, too" a voice in my inner being would chime if I leave this phrase dangling.) Professor Wiley would be at the board, 'into it': "This is good stuff! Good stuff!" I've got some good stuff (and even better direction (directions?)), starting here . . ..

Photo source: (sorry, long since lost.)

Dementieva takes Dubai

2008-03-13T22:33:00.003-06:00

Again, the line from the pros: "Russia's Elena Dementieva poses with her trophy and unidentified dignitaries after beating compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova at the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships March 1, 2008."

Photo sources: Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Steve Crisp; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

Ana in Doha

2008-03-13T04:17:00.003-06:00

Photo source: Yahoo! News (not MSN News)/REUTERS/Fadi Al-Assaad

Talking about who is: is this the same Nathalie Dechy I have seen before but never seen before?

2008-03-12T18:09:00.010-06:00

Svetiana Kuznetsova defeated the Fremchwoman on February 22nd

Kutzy

Kutzy vs Nathalie in Doha

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Fadi Al-Assaad; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/ Fadi Al-Assaad; Yahoo! News/oops; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/ Fadi Al-Assaad; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/ Fadi Al-Assaad; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Fadi Al-Assaad; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/ Fadi Al-Assaad;Yahoo! News/RREUTERS/ Fadi Al-Assaad; Yahoo! News/oops; Yahoo! News/RREUTERS/ Fadi Al-Assaad; Yahoo! News/RREUTERS/ Fadi Al-Assaad

Speaking of the two American beauties, they were at Madison Square Gardens March 1st for the Tyson American Cup

2008-03-12T13:07:00.014-06:00

Shawn Johnson

Nastia Liukin

I was so very impressed at the smile that Shawn maintained even as she saw her lead slip away to Nastia (though Nastia is the press poster person, Shawn is the reigning artistic world champion.) I thought that a beautiful spirit (enviably beautiful 'cause I just don't got it.) The question is if the Chinese will find that spirit indomitable.

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Brian Snyder; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Mike Segar; Yahoo! News/AFP/Gabriel Bouys; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Frank Franklin II; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Mike Segar ; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Brian Snyder; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Mike Segar ;Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Ruben Sprich. (The screen shots: The use of these images is not intended to defeat the owner's copyright interest, but are used under the "fair use" exception to the copyright laws for public comment on a public broadcast of an event of public importance. The use here implies no copyright interest of any sort in the images.

Here's the nothing: nothing for nothing

2008-03-07T00:09:00.005-06:00

I just finished watching my taping of the Milrose (track and field) Games aired just prior to the US Figure Skating nationals exhibitions on NBC February 2nd. The message was too clear: expect nothing of US women at the Olympics. (Okay, okay: expect nothing of women period; it is oppressive for me to impose my expectations on women as women move to consolidate sisterhood around the world.) So watch Olympics, be ready to hurl. That's fine: then the Chinese women can win their team gymnastics gold before their hommies, per the national sisterhood. I'm for that, though America's two beauties Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin may not be feeling with the half-heartedness and the immense pressure that the seemingly always so delicate Chinese women gymnasts are facing.

Now, I'm caught up.

Sharapova takes much coveted Qatar Open loot

2008-03-06T22:07:00.015-06:00

Much has been happening in women's sports, and then nothing. But this something demands notice, explicit notice (and I will try to be caught up by worlds.) I don't represent no "heads" ("hard heads", "dudes") here, but I am a photographer and this first photo speaks. Again back to my (segregated) elementary school, the only thing worse than not thinking was the mindless regurgitation of someone else's thinking, even the teacher's. You could do about anything but plagiarize: you'd do it once, and your ears would be booming "Your own words. Your own words. Your own words." for months. Your own words: But I have to borrow Reuters pics and words here; sorry (abdicating responsibility for political correctness to the pros):

"Maria Sharapova (C) of Russia holds up the Golden Falcon award, with Ali Shareef al Emadi (L), Philippe Guys (2nd L), Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al Thani (2nd R) and Sheikh Mohammed bin Faleh al Thani after Sharapova defeated compatriot Vera Zvonareva in the final of the Qatar Open tennis tournament in Doha February 24, 2008."

The official site is here, but be forewarned: draw and schedule information is in pdf format (sonebody has too much money, needs a real job.)

For her part, Justine Henin (below)a week earlier took Antwerp's Proximus Diamond Games tennis tournament title.

Photo sources: Yahoo! (shudder, and already shaking) News/REUTERS/Fadi Al-Assaad; Yahoo! (shudder; steady) News/AP Photo/Abdul Basit; Yahoo! (shudder) News/AP Photo/Abdul Basit; Yahoo! (shudder) News/REUTERS/Thierry Roge

US National Figure Skating Championships had substance

2008-02-20T07:43:00.011-06:00

Just finished watching my tapings of last month's US figure skating nationals, and the event was surprisingly surprising, engaging, exhilarating and otherwise nice. Group 3 of the ladies free skate included Alissa Czisny, Beatrisa Liang and Caroline Zhang. No, that was not the final group: that was the group that preceded the final group. And if you had watched Group 3 during the free skate and had not seen the short programs aired just hours earlier, you would have wondered what trickery the judges could have wrought to foster the expectation that better performances could be had. Well, better performancies were had: much better, excitingly better. Ice dancer Tanith Belbin and her partner Ben Agosto were the only expected gold medalists who were actual gold medalists, but notice the expression of Tanith's face (above) as she awaited the final ice dance performance of the evening of their training partners Meryl Davis and her partner Charles White, who had exceeded the technical marks of Belbin and Agosto in the preceding two dance events. Davis and White (below) did take the ice dance silver. One could not have asked or wished for a better show.

So, you go back to the thing about the waning popularity of figure skating. My attention was not fully on the broadcasts, and there was what appeared to be an endless succession of commercials that made me at one point scream "Who are they talking to?" Women. Oh, yeah, I forgot about them for a second. Rampant cluelessness.

But one commercial really took it up to the next level of thinking: a network commercial for its coming series "Lipstick Jungle" starring Brooke Shields, Kim Raven and Lindsay Price (as to those last two I have no clue.) It appears to be about powerful boardroom women. Take Brooke Shields away, and the chances of its surviving the season, I thought, were nil (Brooke's sitcom survived despite the naysayers, so I'm leaving that alone.) I thought the chance of survival slim, because there is so much female oriented programming already on the majors, giving women alternatives now to even "their" sports. And, from a sociological perspective, women can now choose to value watching "their" sports as they value sports in general in their lives. They have viable alternatives.

And what really got to me in watching the hours of US nationals was the fact that personally I did not tire of watching figure skating, but rather the mindset not female that dominated the production of the hours and hours and hours of figure skating programming that was had in that day.

The use of these images is not intended to defeat the owner's copyright interest, but are used under the "fair use" exception to the copyright laws for public comment on a public broadcast of an event of public importance. The use here implies no copyright interest of any sort in the images.

Priceless.

2008-02-13T01:56:00.006-06:00

Even more so after having been afforded an opportunity of walking away without comment.

To Ana's fashion (color) critics (and that's a strong term to employ against the essentials men just enjoying sports must now cognize) one must ask how many shades of blue are in this photo?

Yahoo! (shudder) News/REUTERS/Tim Wimborne)

US Figure Skating Champtionships is . . . happening . . . somewhere . . . I think

2008-01-26T12:34:00.000-06:00

I see from the TV listings (on my TV, please you don't want to know about it's going out at 2 am and refreshing itself sending out a signal while off whether I want it to or not), that NBC will broadcast the "U.S. Championships pair's final and women's short program" at 3 pm. I saw a glimpse days ago that a skater whose name I never before heard was leading in the ladies' short. But try to find a news story: 'rots-o-'ruck.

Here's what's cold: try going out to the official US of A Figure Skating Association website, and still no scores. Every link sends you to iceNetwork.com What's up?

This USAToday story Note paragraph 4: "After making $12 million a year with its old TV deal, U.S. Figure Skating is now receiving absolutely no rights fee with its new TV deal. There's no title sponsor for the 2008 U.S. national championships . . .." Woe!

Good news is that despite the knowledgeable people quoted in the article, I don't think the article references in any way what is really going on in figure skating, particularly among the women (like Sasha Cohen was such a beacon of maturity), and that gives them time to get it back to going on.

I am not knocking the iceNetwork thing in any way; quite the contrary, I will have subscribed within 24 hours (I am trying to stretch my 12 months, if memory serves me correctly, as far as possible. I was previously aware of the site and it's offering me a chance to make up to myself my missing Skate America on TV in a story about Nancy Kerrigan accepting a position as a commentator for them.) Still, the lamenting continues.

Australian Open '08: Sharapova.

2008-01-26T11:26:00.000-06:00

Just no nonsense: the draw Sharapova has ended the last two seasons almost (if not in fact) in tears at not winning the WTA championship event. She could be dangerous this year. I personally me myself would like to see that. Game!

But Sharapova we know; we're even cognizant of Ms. Ivanovic. But (big but) who is this double trouble doubles champion as we close in on the summer Olympics, PROC (don't start counting up that metal yet), ROC and US of A? Uh-oh. Uh-oh. And Shahar Peer in the finals: no one wants to see her gain any confidence; she would just too mess up tour draws.

Australian Open '08: women's singles semis: enough Jelena Jancovic already this early in the tour year; Daniela's growing force

2008-01-24T01:14:00.000-06:00

It was Maria Sharapova easily putting away Jelena Jancovic's clowning 6-3 6-1, and hardly soon enough. Jelena and compatriot Ana Ivanovic, who outlasted the Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 0-6 6-3 6-4, are taking celebrity hard. Ana had early success last year, and ego-tripped the remainder of the year. Odds are against her beating the methodical, serious, grounded, motivated, ready, hot, down, fixed and did I serious, no-nonsense Sharapova, but should she do so the weight of the title itself should help stabilize Ana's young (sexy, but young) thinking. Daniela, on the other hand, is 24 years old, but is yet improving her game everyday. She's a player.

Australian Open '08: women's singles quarters: notice has been served: in '08, come with it or stay home; Justine, Serena and Venus sent home

2008-01-22T21:53:00.000-06:00

I was noticing scoring during the Venus/Ana Ivanovic match. Venus was up 3-0 in the second set and serving. I thought Venus would take that set and there would be a third set. Back to work. Checked back to see where they were in the third set, and it was Venus down 4-5 still in the second set with Ana serving. Even got to deuce, once. The draw But the Australians are again to be complemented for their seeding, because they have their third, fourth, fifth and ninth seeds in the semis.

Australian Open '08: women's singles round four: eat your heart out US Open!

2008-01-21T21:12:00.000-06:00

The draw Justine Henin, Sharapova, Jelena Jankovic, Serena, Venus, Ana Ivanovic, the Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Agnieszka Radwanska to the quarters! Eat your heart out US Open!

Australian Open '08: Third Round women's singles

2008-01-20T09:08:00.000-06:00

The draw Su-Wei Hsieh 6-2 6-7(3-7) 6-4 over Aravane Rezai, interesting. Dementieva is into the fourth round. Jelena Jankovic put aside her theatrics to move on. Mauresmo falls, as do Kutzy and Na Li. The Daniela Hantuchova of Slavokia over Virginia Ruano Pascual. Venus, Serena, Ana Ivanovic, Justine Henin on.

Australian Open '08: Day 4

2008-01-18T06:03:00.000-06:00

The draw Venus and Sania Mirza will duke it out in the next round. Na Li on. Ana Ivanovic on. Anna Chakvetadze on. Spanish doubles queen Virninia Ruano Pascual meets the Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia next: a match for which neither could have wished. Petrova on, but in the next round a young compatriot will test what she still has. Kutzy on.

Australian Open '08: Day 3: Woah.

2008-01-16T07:22:00.000-06:00

I'm looking at the results for the day from the draw information, and with the top two matches there one expects Justine Henin and Francesca Schiavone to move on. That sets up a good match, because Francesca Schiavone can surprise: she will play. Gonna' be interesting.

According to her profile, the ROC's Su-Wei Hsieh previously has not made it out of the first round of any major: she's on to the third. Tatiana Golovin out in the second: what's up with that?

Dementieva and Peer on, but bear watching in the next round. Can Elena pull something together for Peer's test?

USA's Jill Crayas has yet to move past round two in any major except here in 2004 when she advanced to the third round, but USA's Lindsey Davenport 1-6 3-6 to Sharapova. Other's have said there is no substitute for tournament play to get tour ready.

Jelena Jankovic (left attended by a trainer yesterday in round 1 of the first tournament of the year) has been full of it for past six months, and Virginie Razzano is going to test her body, mind and heart in the next match. In fact, if Jelena advances over Virginie, she just may do something other than clown in this tournament.

Here's what I am going to say here: Ai Sugiyama can but will not beat Nicole Vaidisova (it's a mind thing.)

Serena is to the third, but this is normally where her focus wavers: she begins to allow her opponents to tax precious physical and emotional reserves that she will most need in the later rounds.

Australian Open '08: Day 2 photoReal: #1 foxy Ana Ivanovic 7-5 6-3 over Sorana Cirstea of Romania

2008-01-15T17:13:00.000-06:00

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rob Griffith; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Steve Holland; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Steve Holland; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rob Griffith; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rob Griffith; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rob Griffith; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rob Griffith; Yahoo! News/AFP/Peter Parks

Australian Open '08: Day 2 photoReal: #2 eighth seeded Venus 6-2 7-5 over Zi Yan of the PROC

2008-01-15T16:44:00.000-06:00

With Serena as the 7th seed and at the bottom of the draw's first half, they can meet in the finals US Open people may note

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Darren Whiteside; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Mark Baker; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Mark Baker; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rick Stevens; Yahoo! News/(AP Photo/Mark Baker; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rick Stevens; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rick Stevens;Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Rick Stevens

Australian Open '08: Day 2 photoReal: #3 Maria Sharapova 6-4 6-3 over Jelena Kostanic Tosic of Croatia

2008-01-15T16:12:00.000-06:00

In practice January 11, 2008

During practice January 11th

practicing before the tournament

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Steve Holland; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Steve Holland; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Steve Holland; Yahoo! News/(AFP/Greg Wood; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rob Griffith ; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Tim Wimborne; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Tim Wimborne;Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Tim Wimborne

Australian Open '08: Day 2 (and 1) photoReal: #4 etc.

2008-01-15T14:16:00.000-06:00

Sania Mirza (off court controversy) 6-4 6-2 over Iroda Tulyaganova of Uzbekistan

Iroda Tulyaganova of Uzbekistan

the Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-3 7-5 over USA's Vania King

the Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia

Elena Dementieva 6-2 6-2 over Isreal's Tzipora Obziler

oops, Marion Bartoli early exit 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 3-6 to Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden. Oops.

Patty Schnyder 6-3 6-3 over USA's Lilia Osterloh

USA's Lilia Osterloh

Tatiana Golovin 6-1 4-6 6-3 over French compatriot Stephanie Cohen-Aloro

Svetlana "Kutzy" Kuznetsova 6-3 6-1 over Nathalie Dechy

Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic 6-3 6-0 over Ioana Raluca Olaru of Romania

Nicole Vaidisova

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/AFP/File/Tony Ashby; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Petar Kujundzic; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Mark Baker; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Mick Tsikas; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Mark Baker; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Petar Kujundzic; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill;Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Petar Kujundzic; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Petar Kujundzic; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Stuart Milligan;Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Tim Wimborne; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rick Stevens; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Rick Stevens

Australian Open '08: Day 1

2008-01-15T04:08:00.000-06:00

There were no major upsets among the women on day 1 of the Australian Open. Women's singles draw Most of the buzz has been Lindsey Davenport (left), her return and her first round victory, but she faces Maria Sharapova (below) in the very next round. That's gonna' be interesting: two immovables.

What caught my attention was Amelie Mauresmo's three set win over Tatiana Poutchek of Belarus. Although Mauresmo took the final two sets 6-0 6-0, who's telling the French woman that?

Jelena Dokic missed the cut, and no wild card was offered after all. Story

Photo sources: Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill; Yahoo! News/AFP/Greg Wood

Revisiting 2007 FIVB Women's World Cup: Team USA

2008-01-10T17:16:00.000-06:00

Before Peru November 2, 2007

Heather Bown spikes Peru's Milagros Moy (L) and Yulissa Zamudio Ore110207

USA's Ah Mow-Santos Robyn and Nnanami Ogonna celebrate in the match against Peru

After Peru November 2, 2007

Coach Lang Ping talks to her players as they faced Cuba in Hamamatsu, Japan, November 3, 2007

Heahter Bown spikes against Cuba's Yumilka Ruiz

Celebrating a point over Cuba

Pumping up during the match with Cuba

Pumped up during the match with Cuba

USA won the match over Cuba 20-25 25-21 25-18 20-25 15-11

Celebrating their victory over Cuba

Blocking a spike by Carrillo de la Paz Nancy of Cuba

USA's Ogonna Nnamani in the match against the Dominican Republic

Celebrating a point against the Dominican Republic November 9, 2007

Celebrating their victory over the Dominican Republic

US players celebrate winning the second set against Japan November 15, 2007

Heather Bown, right, of the United States spikes the ball against Sachiko Sugiyama of Japan

Celebrating versus Cuba

Photo sources: Yahoo! News and fivb.com

Revisiting 2007 FIVB Women's World Cup: USA's #10, Kimberly Glass

2008-01-09T02:53:00.000-06:00

Receiving from Japan November 15, 2007

Spikes during the Cuban win November 3, 2007

Serving Peru November 2, 2007

Kimberly addressing the Cuban problem

Putting on her best face for this Xinhua News Agency photo v the Dominican Republic

Cuba again

Photo sources: Yahoo! News and fivb.com

Revisiting 2007 FIVB Women's World Cup: USA's #2, Danielle Scott-Arruda

2008-01-02T01:00:00.000-06:00

Danielle Scott-Arruda spikes against Peru's Luren Baylon during their first round match November 2, 2007

Danielle Scott-Arruda (C) and Kimberly Glass jump for the ball from Cuba's Kenia Carcases Opon November 3, 2007

Spikes the ball against Cuba's Nancy Carrillo De La Paz

Danielle Scott-Arruda (L) and Logan Tom jump to block a spike by Bae Yoo-Na of South Korea November 11, 2007

Spikes over Thailand's Amporn Hyapha November 10, 2007

Tayyiba Haneef-Park (l), Danielle Scott-Arruda (c) and Logan Tom v. Dominican Republic's Sidarka Nunez November 9, 2007

Spikes the ball towards Kim Se-young of South Korea

Danielle Scott-Arruda(R) smashes the ball over Thailand's Amporn Hyapha November 10, 2007

Spikes against Peru November 2, 2007

Spikes against Kim Se-Young of South Korea

Spikes the ball against Brizitka Molnar, left, and Stefana Veljkovic of Serbia November 14, 2007

Danielle Scott- Arruda and Logan Tom (rear) attack v Peru

Photo sources: Yahoo! News and fivb.com

Revisiting 2007 FIVB Women's World Cup: Team USA's relative scorers again vs rest of the world 2006

2007-12-29T23:55:00.000-06:00

What a difference a year makes: At the 2006 world championships, Team USA finished ninth in order behind Russia, Brazil, Serbia, Italy, China, Japan, Cuba, and the Netherlands. Below, I give the player scoring ranking for that event: Logan Tom's third place scoring this year would fit around the eleventh to twelfth spot in last year's ranking. And look who the leaders were last year. So, yes, the road ahead for Team USA to the Olympic podium in Beijing is yet steep. Incidentally, the source for the previous tables is the "Best Players" right-side tab here. The 2006 results are here. In terms of New Year's resolutions, I'd like to suggest recruiting Cheryl Weaver as numero uno goal for Team USA. She was Haneef Tayyiba-Park's teammate at Long Beach State and the disappointing runner-up to Logan Tom for player of the year in 2001. I was able to follow her career for a while (I lost her in the Amazon forest somewhere), but it sure would be nice to see her play for Team USA. (Searching through Long Beach State's records, it appears that Haneef and Cheryl played their freshman national championship year there with Misty May. And check this: Danielle Scott and former volleyball Olympian Tara Cross-Battle (I am assuming she has retired though I've seen nothing in print) are also Long Beach State alum's. Haneef and Cheryl lost to Logan and Stanford in the 2001 NCAA finals I do believe.

Rank	Shirt	Name	Team	Spike	Block	Serve	Total
1	17	Darnel Neslihan	TUR	190	21	14	225
2	15	Grün Angelina	GER	176	31	13	220
3	1	Wang Yimei	CHN	165	17	20	202
4	11	Gamova Ekaterina	RUS	152	32	6	190
5	12	Metcalf Nancy	USA	160	16	9	185
6	3	Yang Hao	CHN	146	20	15	181
7	12	Flier Manon	NED	149	17	14	180
8	4	Staelens Chaïne	NED	151	22	2	175
	5	Shashkova Lioubov	RUS	150	21	4	175
10	12	Calderon Diaz Rosir	CUB	148	21	3	172
11	3	Djerisilo Ivana	SCG	136	24	7	167
12	5	Takahashi Miyuki	JPN	154	3	9	166
13	3	Carrillo De La Paz Nancy	CUB	126	29	6	161
14	11	Lin Ching I	TPE	148	10	1	159
15	13	Castro Sheilla	BRA	131	15	10	156
16	3	Haneef Tayyiba	USA	135	10	3	148
	7	Bown Heather	USA	110	32	6	148
18	15	Spasojevic Anja	SCG	123	8	12	143
19	1	Ruiz Luaces Yumilka	CUB	123	13	4	140
	12	Kimura Saori	JPN	117	10	13	140
21	12	Carvalho Jaqueline	BRA	128	6	4	138
22	6	Godina Elena	RUS	96	13	28	137
23	7	Hanikoglu Natalia	TUR	117	10	9	136
24	1	Nikolic Jelena	SCG	112	8	4	124
25	11	Araki Erika	JPN	86	29	8	123
	14	Oyama Shuka	JPN	107	10	6	123
27	3	Togut Elisa	ITA	111	8	3	122
28	12	Piccinini Francesca	ITA	103	13	5	121
29	9	Chen Shu Li	TPE	104	11	3	118
30	5	Ozbek Aysun	TUR	99	12	4	115
	17	Thumm Birgit	GER	96	8	11	115
32	17	Xu Yunli	CHN	82	26	5	113
33	15	Visser Ingrid	NED	74	29	2	105
34	1	Oliveira Walewska	BRA	63	34	7	104
	2	Rinieri-Dennis Simona	ITA	93	8	3	104
	9	Claudino Fabiana	BRA	73	25	6	104
37	2	Scott Danielle	USA	80	20	3	103
38	11	Fürst Christiane	GER	59	35	8	102
39	2	Lin Chun Yi	TPE	74	23	4	101
	9	Sugiyama Sachiko	JPN	73	25	3	101
	11	Citakovic Vesna	SCG	63	31	7	101
42	8	Wilkins Katherine	USA	63	25	9	97
43	7	Kou Nai Han	TPE	83	8	4	95
44	8	Dumler Cornelia	GER	74	7	10	91
45	6	Chen Mei Ching	TPE	58	21	10	89
46	4	Liu Yanan	CHN	67	13	3	83
	10	Gonzaga Welissa	BRA	72	5	6	83
48	5	Krsmanovic Natasa	SCG	48	28	5	81
49	16	Merkulova Yulia	RUS	49	27	4	80
50	7	Zhou Suhong	CHN	72	3	4	79
51	1	Borodakova Maria	RUS	40	26	12	78
	8	Blom Alice	NED	74	3	1	78
53	11	Wensink Caroline	NED	52	23	2	77
54	2	Santos Allegne Yanelis	CUB	45	19	12	76
	18	Ssuschke Corina	GER	59	15	2	76
56	10	Paggi Paola	ITA	53	17	5	75
	12	Gumus Esra	TUR	57	9	9	75
58	6	Ramirez Echevarria Daimi	CUB	56	8	8	72
59	5	Anzanello Sara	ITA	44	21	4	69
60	16	Stam Debby	NED	51	9	6	66
61	4	Gonzalez Dias Yenisei	CUB	27	28	8	63
62	3	Steinbrecher Marianne	BRA	48	10	1	59
63	5	Gattaz Caroline	BRA	34	12	1	47
64	2	Feng Kun	CHN	23	17	2	42
65	4	Ozcelik Ozlem	TUR	34	6	1	41
66	10	Ognjenovic Maja	SCG	14	18	5	37
67	1	Bouagaa Atika	GER	31	2	2	35
	7	Guiggi Martina	ITA	21	12	2	35
	9	Centoni Nadia	ITA	31	3	1	35
70	16	Kozuch Margareta	GER	29	5		34
71	14	Fledderus Riëtte	NED	15	7	8	30
72	1	Ortolani Serena	ITA	24	1	4	29
	2	Rankovic Aleksandra	SCG	17	10	2	29
	11	Mesa Luaces Liana	CUB	21	5	3	29
75	3	Takeshita Yoshie	JPN	9	7	12	28
76	6	Fiorin Valentina	ITA	23	3	1	27
	17	Colombo Renata	BRA	26	1		27
78	15	Ochiai Mari	JPN	22	3	1	26
79	7	Molnar Brizitka	SCG	25			25
	14	Lo Bianco Eleonora	ITA	9	8	8	25
81	9	Joines Jennifer	USA	18	6		24
	18	Akulova Marina	RUS	6	16	2	24
83	15	Erdem Eda	TUR	19	3	1	23
84	7	Safronova Natalia	RUS	17	2		19
	7	Horai Makiko	JPN	16	3		19
	15	Wu Hsiao Li	TPE	3	5	11	19
	18	Zhang Ping	CHN	16	3		19
88	6	Brakocevic Jovana	SCG	17	1		18
	11	Ah Mow-Santos Robyn	USA	4	12	2	18
90	10	Crawford Therese	USA	12	4	1	17
	14	Agca Elif	TUR	6	7	4	17
92	6	Orsel Mirjam	NED	9	3	3	15
93	7	Souza Helia	BRA	5	3	5	13
	16	Tokatlioglu Seda	TUR	10	2	1	13
95	6	Li Shan	CHN	8	4		12
96	4	Pequeno Paula	BRA	9		1	10
	8	Ortiz Charro Yaima	CUB	10			10
	14	Carcases Opon Kenia	CUB	8	2		10
99	1	Yeh Hui Hsuan	TPE	8			8
	6	Benecke Christina	GER	8			8
101	2	Weiß Kathleen	GER	3	3	1	7
	9	Vesovic Jovana	SCG	6		1	7
	10	Kirdar Gozde	TUR	6	1		7
104	17	Kulikova Natalia	RUS	5	1		6
105	4	Bruntseva Maria	RUS	4	1		5
106	12	Sheshenina Marina	RUS	1	3		4
	12	Song Nina	CHN	1		3	4
	13	Simanic Maja	SCG	1		3	4
	13	Tseng Hua Yu	TPE	4			4
110	1	Staelens Kim	NED		3		3
	5	Chu Jinling	CHN	1		2	3
	9	Sanchez Perez Rachel	CUB	2	1		3
	9	Meijners Floortje	NED	3			3
	9	Hakyemez Deniz	TUR	3			3
115	1	Mert Bahar	TUR	1	1		2
	2	Albuquerque Carolina	BRA	2			2
	10	Takahashi Midori	JPN	1	1		2
	16	Juan Pei Chi	TPE			2	2
119	3	Hart Tanja	GER	1			1
	11	Li Juan	CHN	1			1
	12	Schlüter Cathrin	GER	1			1
	18	Busse Cassandra	USA		1		1
Total Tournament				6639	1293	525	8457

Female Athelete of the Year 2007: a segregated looks back on segregation circa 1957

2007-12-25T23:51:00.000-06:00

There were still "colored only" signs here in Houston; the rigid delimiters of our designated place of entry and sitting. I was in elementary school. This was segregation remember. So, 1957 I was what first grade? Just learning to read, but priming for the next two years' . . . current events. Current events was where you went home, clipped newspaper articles, pasted them to mostly Big Chief tablets back then, and brought them to school. Lots of fun, so much so that I know of a certainty that by fourth grade there was no more current events (yes it ends in an "s", but it is singular in this use.)

Anyway, you soon got to current events (and even then this was like once a month or so, too much fun.) Now if we were lucky- and keep in mind this was segregation- if we were lucky, she would tell us the topic of the articles to clip. Okay, so we would clip the articles, (note the gramatical comma) and bring them to school. Fine and good. Swell. But then (and the devil made them do this) the teacher would ask: "But what does it mean?" And of course our first response (silently, oh so silently) was "You don't know?"

"But what does it mean?" "This is second grade, third grade, how am I supposed . . .?" Or, "What did it say?" Of course, if he had announced the topic of the articles, there you go.

Unacceptable, and, though Fifth Ward was tough, I went to school, especially elementary school, with good people, so the anguish was shared. But there was always the eager girls (two of them) whose parents had always evidently taken the time to discuss the articles with them, and they were ready.

Of a truth I can say nothing contrary to news articles about Lorena Ochoa, never heard of her, we're talking totally blank slate. This is the sentence that strikes in the article: "It was the fifth straight year a golfer has captured the Female Athlete award, the longest streak of any sport."

"But what does it mean?" Women have been making marked gains everywhere in everything. But the one place the good ol' boy could retreat was to "'da course", "'da links". (I don't play golf, I grew up in segregation remember. "Golf: you and what national army?") Still, despite the fact that 95% of network evening TV is geared to women, that there's a female announcer on Monday night football irritatingly describing . . . I'll leave that alone. Anyway, the good ol' boy could retreat to the bonding on the course 'cuz if they were also on the course somewhere they were over there in their place (and I have to leave that alone because we are talking out-of-experience for this body.) Anyway, these are the kind of girls "we" like: in their place.

"But what does it mean?" A female golfer has been female athlete of the year for the past five years. What does that mean? It means that the male athlete of the year for at least the past six years quiet's-its-been-kept has been in truth . . . Tiger Woods. Now that's too much for WASPing oinkism! Too much reality! Time to retreat into Rambo-boy fantasy.

That's what it means. Heck, next time . . . announce the topic, and we'll repeat what you tell us.

Revisiting 2007 FIVB Women's World Cup: USA's #3, Tayyiba Haneef-Park

2007-12-24T01:09:00.000-06:00

Versus Cuba with the US winning 20-25 25-21 25-18 20-25 15-11 November 3, 2007

Spikes against Peru's Milagros Moy. The US won 25-23 25-14 25-19

Spikes against Peru's Mirtha Uribe (L) and Leyla Chihuan

With a little emphatic emphasis

This is how we address the recently Olympics qualifying Cubans, politely

dunking on Poland's Anna Podolec November 4, 2007 (okay, dunking would be carrying)

With Jennifer Joines jumpimg to block Team Dominican Republic

Spikes against Thailand's Ampom Hyapha November 10, 2007

lighting some sparks on the hommies, Japan's Yoshie Takeshita November 15, 2007

Spikes against Serbia's Vesna Citakovic November 14, 2007

Emphasizing with South Korea's Kim Yeon-Kuong (C) and Kim Se-Young November 11, 2007

Photo sources: Yahoo! News and fivb.com

This is deflating: Golfer Lorena Ochoa of Mexico is the overwhelming choice as the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year. Again.

2007-12-23T23:46:00.000-06:00

Shows what I know (I have begun to follow the tour . . . some, but I an not a golfer, no): interesting story. For an AP vote and story, it was . . . like . . . difficult to dig this up even in the search engines. What's up with this? Might my gloss be that of audience of the mainline media? I have missed . . . play . . . this big! Oink. McLuhan reflection of too clear underlying (hiding) pork-bellyness. As a man, I am ashamed: this is 2007. The number of women voting for male athelete of the year should equal the number of men voting for female athelete of the year.

Revisiting 2007 FIVB Women's World Cup: Team USA's servers and diggers relative to the rest of the world

2007-12-23T23:00:00.000-06:00

Servers

Rank	Shirt	Name	Team	Aces	Faults	Serve Hits	Total Atts	Avg. by set
14	10	Glass Kimberly	USA	9	18	100	127	0.22
27	3	Haneef-Park Tayyiba	USA	7	18	89	114	0.17
41	2	Scott-Arruda Danielle	USA	5	6	134	145	0.12
42	11	Ah Mow-Santos Robyn	USA	5	8	116	129	0.12
43	7	Brown Heather	USA	5	12	64	81	0.12
56	6	Tom Logan	USA	4	22	107	133	0.10
65	1	Nnamani Ogonna	USA	3	5	49	57	0.07
71	4	Berg Lindsey	USA	2	3	70	75	0.05
100	9	Joines Jennifer	USA	1	1	53	55	0.02
105	18	Busse Cassandra	USA	1	2	15	18	0.02
Total USA				42	95	797	934	n/a
Total Tournament				485	1044	8468	9997	2.06

Diggers

Rank	Shirt	Name	Team	Digs	Faults	Receptions	Total Atts	Avg. by set
4	15	Davis Nicole	USA	109	63	78	250	2.66
13	6	Tom Logan	USA	78	46	102	226	1.90
38	10	Glass Kimberly	USA	35	25	54	114	0.85
56	3	Haneef-Park Tayyiba	USA	23	42	54	119	0.56
62	11	Ah Mow-Santos Robyn	USA	21	23	71	115	0.51
69	4	Berg Lindsey	USA	19	23	39	81	0.46
80	2	Scott-Arruda Danielle	USA	15	13	29	57	0.37
86	1	Nnamani Ogonna	USA	12	13	19	44	0.29
87	7	Brown Heather	12	12	13	16	41	0.29
98	5	Sykora Stacy	USA	9	9	4	22	0.22
104	18	Busse Cassandra	USA	7	5	4	16	0.17
108	9	Joines Jennifer	USA	6	5	7	18	0.15
Total USA				159	171	297	627	n/a
Total Tournament				3742	3015	5361	12118	15.92

Jelena again considered for a wildcard entry to the Australian Open as concern mounts about the safety of the new surface upon which she was injured

2007-12-23T22:06:00.000-06:00

For years, Jelena Dokic's name has been considered among those to receive a wildcard entry to the Australian Open. As a result of recent injury, again serious consideration is being given to a wildcard grant. Jelena, however, believes, and reasonably so, that that may do her more harm than good, because she needs good, challenging matches at this point. Yahoo! News Friday December 21, 03:33 PM Dokic bids to play on despite injury FoxSports: Dokic wants no wildcard favours But, big but, there is now concern that Jelena's injury was due to the new court surface itself, and her injury portends harm to the entire tour during the Open. Yahoo! News Sunday December 23, 07:39 PM Concerns over new courts for the Australian Open

Photo source: Yahoo! News file photo January 16, 2006

Revisiting 2007 FIVB Women's World Cup: USA's #6, Logan Tom

2007-12-21T17:42:00.000-06:00

Though partially hidden, no question that's Logan in front of #15

Again, an intensity matched perhaps only by Cynthia Cooper in women's team sports

Spikes a ball against Peru's Patricia Soto (L) and Mirtha Uribe

Versus Peru November 2, 2007

Peru's Leyla Chihuan spikes against Logan Tom

Logan Tom spikes the ball against Cuba's Yanelis Santos Allegne (R) and Nancy Carrillo De La Paz November 3, 2007

Logan Tom and Cuba's Yanelis Santos Allegne jump for the ball

Logan Tom attacks against South Korean double blockers November 11, 2007

Logan Tom spikes the ball against Poland's Anna Podolec (L) and Eleonora Dziekiewicz November 4, 2007

Poland's Katarzyna Skowronska-Dolata spikes; some of those have got to hurt

Dominican Republic's Sidarka Nunez spikes November 9, 2007

Logan Tom spikes the ball past Thailand's Saymai Paladsrichuay November 10, 2007; hey, can dish it, too

air Logan

La Rosa Zoyla (PER) sets v Logan November 2, 2007

Spikes the ball over Japanese defenders, Yoshie Takeshita(L) and Asako Tajimi November 15, 2007

More air Logan Tom

Blocks versus Peru

Spikes versus Peru

Photo sources: Yahoo! News and fivb.com

Revisiting 2007 FIVB Women's World Cup: Team USA's relative scorers, strikers and blockers

2007-12-18T22:17:00.000-06:00

I'd like to look at some stats from last month's Women's Volleyball World Cup 2007 in Japan. When I finish with the evaluation over several posts, I will point you to the site(s) for the full statistical smorgasbord (yeap, still thinking CA.)

I'd like to look at FIVB player rankings . . . excerpting and magnifying only Team USA as ranked against the rest of the world. Again, when I finish I'll point you to the listings for a full comparison. (The FIVB's reference to "shirt" I believe is the same as our "jersey number". )

First three categories: best scorers, best spikers and best blockers.

Scorers

Rank	Shirt	Name	Team	Spike	Block	Serve	Total
3	6	Tom Logan	USA	134	26	4	164
10	3	Haneef-Park Tayyiba	USA	126	10	7	143
25	2	Scott-Arruda Danielle	USA	74	31	5	110
41	7	Brown Heather	USA	63	14	5	82
51	10	Glass Kimberly	USA	52	10	9	71
66	1	Nnamani Ogonna	USA	38	3	3	44
67	9	Joines Jennifer	USA	28	11	1	40
82	18	Busse Cassandra	USA	18	2	1	21
97	11	Ah Mow-Santos Robyn	USA	4	5	5	14
113	4	Berg Lindsey	USA	2	1	2	5
Total Tournament				5813	1153	485	7451

Spikers

Rank	Shirt	Name	Team	Spikes	Faults	Shots	Total Atts	Succ. %
3	3	Haneef-Park Tayyiba	USA	126	31	102	259	48.65
13	6	Tom Logan	USA	134	37	146	317	42.27
n/a	2	Scott-Arruda Danielle	USA	74	9	57	140
n/a	10	Glass Kimberly	USA	52	21	54	127
n/a	7	Brown Heather	USA	63	12	37	112
n/a	1	Nnamani Ogonna	USA	38	9	56	103
n/a	9	Joines Jennifer	USA	28	6	23	57
n/a	18	Busse Cassandra	USA	18	12	25	55
n/a	11	Ah Mow-Santos Robyn	USA	4		5	9
n/a	4	Berg Lindsey	USA	2	1	3	6
Total Tournament				5813	1987	6166	13966	41.62

Blockers

Rank	Shirt	Name	Team	Stuff Blocks	Faults	Rebounds	Total Atts	Avg. by set
3	2	Scott-Arruda Danielle	USA	31	37	94	162	0.76
6	6	Tom Logan	USA	26	16	36	78	0.63
34	7	Brown Heather	USA	14	21	42	77	0.34
45	9	Joines Jennifer	USA	11	16	37	64	0.27
47	10	Glass Kimberly	USA	10	12	37	59	0.24
49	3	Haneef-Park Tayyiba	USA	10	38	57	105	0.24
72	11	Ah Mow-Santos Robyn	USA	5	16	18	39	0.12
92	1	Nnamani Ogonna	USA	3	5	16	24	0.07
97	18	Busse Cassandra	USA	2	5	11	18	0.05
114	4	Berg Lindsey	USA	1	8	11	20	0.02
Total Tournament				1153	1987	3494	6634	4.91