OT (well, kinda...)

Few of you are tennis (rather than golf) buffs away from football, as I am...but
shed no tears for Andy Roddick, who was packed into retirement by a tall powerful
Gaucho last night. I'll take this "consolation" any old day...!

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/gratuitous-sports-photo-week-gallery-1.48625

Wow! As for Andy, always thought he would take that next leap. His biggest problem was that his career happened at the same time as Federer and Nadal. Two all time greats.

People on Twitter are treating it like he is one of the all time greats and an American hero. Just shows you how starved our country is for good male tennis players. At least I can still remember Sampras and Agassi. We once had men that actually won.

Willie---your point is well taken, in the context that A-Rod was never a big winner in Grand Slam counts(1), unlike Pete's 14 or Andre's 8.

But FGB hit it dead-on: Andy was a "victim", of sorts, of his birthdate (only a year, almost to the day, younger than the Rajah...who, for the humiliating record, was something like 22-3 lifetime against him...ugh!)

Speaking in tennis terms, I always felt Andy's biggest weakness was a lack of diversity: 80% of his game was that record-velocity serve and huge forehand. When either failed, he was very ordinary. Or, when the top stars like Roger or Rafa simply blocked it back (which all ATP players can, same as all major-league hitters can hit fastballs when they know one's coming), Andy was like a fish (not Mardy) out of water; instead of charging net and putting the weak "dink" away, he got into a ground rally...the last thing he or anyone wants to do against those two (or the Djoker).

And, of course, once his serve's velocity began to decline (which, ironically, from what I saw anyhow, coincided with his weight loss under former coach Paul Annacone's tutelage), he wasn't even top-10 anymore.

Still, thanks for a great career, always a class act (no Connors or MacEnroe he), and the memories, Andy. Best wishes---like you need it, with your missus!!!