A Brief Interview with Matt Cerrone of Metsblog

Since I am new to the blogging community, I figured it was a good idea to interview someone who had established himself as a professional blogger.

Matthew Cerrone is the mastermind behind the most successful blog on the New York Mets. Metsblog reaches over 3.5 million page views every month, and is widely considered to be the authority on everything Mets. I have been a long time reader of Matt's blog and was ecstatic when he agreed to do an interview with me. All the questions I asked him were pertaining to blogging and I want to thank him for being able to add some insight on what it takes to be a professional blogger, and the blogging community.

Justin: Why did you start blogging? Even more specific, why did you start writing about the Mets in particular?

Matt: I am a Mets fan.  I am not a journalist.  I love the team, and I am not unbiased.  I am very much biased, in fact.  I mean, I’m a fan, that’s the point, I want the Mets to win… don’t we all?  I started the blog as a project in college, back in 2003, and modeled it after some successful political blogs I had been reading.  I love politics, but I chose sports because I was living in DC, and was out of market and disconnected with other fans.  So, the blog was a way to stay up on what the team was doing.  The class ended, people kept reading and so I kept writing.  Traffic grew, but the site was just text, literally, there were no graphics.  John Keegan from PressHarbor.com approached me as he was starting a blog hosting company.  He was a total stranger, yet he took me under his wing, helped me to implement technologies like RSS, comments, etc., and as the site grew and grew, going from 100 readers per day in the first few years to thousands per day in 2006, I took the plunge and used BlogAds and Pajamas Media to make MetsBlog a full-time job.  In 2007, with the site delivering roughly 2.5 million page views per month, I partnered with SNY.

Justin: What do you think are the unique aspects of doing a sports blog as opposed to a blog about books, entertainment, etc.?

Matt: I don’t think there are many differences.  I hear from readers all the time who like to tell me what a blog is ‘supposed to be,’ pointing out how I violate their definition.  The truth is, a blog is just an online space to log your thoughts.  That’s it.  It’s an online journal, or log, i.e., web log, or weblog, or blog.  The biggest difference between blogs is not the subject, but the author.  The key to a successful blog is honesty, it’s about being authentic and having the author be true to who you they are.  I think new bloggers always feel they must be someone else, they try to be an expert, but being an expert is overrated.  Instead, the relationship between reader is writer is what’s most important, it’s about trust and honesty, and so the writer must be this way to have the relationship work.  This is the case no matter what you are writing about, be it politics, pop culture or sports.

Justin: If you had any advice for someone who wanted to start a professional blog, what would it be?

Matt: Be yourself, be patient and work hard, work really, really hard.  Seriously, you’ve got to hustle.  In the end, it’s all about creating compelling, useful, honest content that will resonate with your reader.  For instance, people like to criticize me and say I’m just an RSS reader with a lucky domain name.  That’s fair, I guess, but, why then do I do more traffic than most aggregators, and why are only 15 percent of my readers subscribed to my RSS feed, and where is YankeesBlog.com?  Also, I put in more hours writing MetsBlog today, than I did when I started.  My phone is always on.  I get up at 3 am if a story breaks, and keep at it until whenever is necessary.  Additionally, it took me years to find my voice, to trust I could be me, to listen to criticism, and just keep trucking.  In short, know who you are, be unique, be honest and hustle.

Justin: Did you take any classes to learn the intricacies of blogging, or was it something that you learned along the way?

Matt: I learned along the way, as there was no such thing as a class in blogging, or social media tutorials when I started in 2003.  I have to come learn, as I try to help other build their blogs, that blogging is like surfing, which is very, very difficult to teach someone.  You just have to do it, get out there, write, listen to your audience, and surf the ups and downs of making mistakes… eventually, it starts to click, and you and the audience start to connect.

Justin: What kind of blogs peek your own personal interest? Do you read only sports blogs?

Matt: I am a political junkie, I love reading policy papers, and studying political communication.  So, I read a lot of liberal and conservative blogs, ranging from Frameshop to Daily Kos to Instapundit to Hot Air.  I also enjoy the pop culture, gossip blogs, such as Perez Hilton and The Superficial, not so much for the ‘information,’ or gossip, but because these guys are geniuses at using technology, managing the flow of content and building a brand.  Obviously, I read a ton of blogs about new media, specifically Mashable and Gary Vaynerchuk.  In terms of sports, of course I read Deadspin and Big League Stew, and I admire Neil Best’s Watchdog, who I think has done a fantastic job going from newspaper reporter to blogger.

Justin: Finally, this would not be a sufficient Q & A if I didn't ask at least Mets question. I love Brandon Philips, and I think if he is available this off-season we need to go out and get him for our team. Is there any other second basemen that is/ or might be available this season that the Mets should go after and replace Luis Castillo?

Matt: I have not heard for myself that the team is looking to trade Castillo and replace him with anyone specific, but I think it’s pretty clear based on reports that this is what is happening.  I have to think they’ll look in to Orlando Hudson, and I think the Chone Figgins talk is more about second base than left field.  The team is going to value defense at this position, though, because they know they must be strong up the middle if they plan to win in Citi Field.


Thanks again for the interview Matt!

Again, you can find Matt on Metsblog. You should really check it out!


[Image via Sportable]

What I'm Reading: Link Round-Up for Monday 11/30

Scotland's The Daily Record reported that Britain's Andy Murray split with his long-time girlfriend Kim Sears. The break-up could explain why Murray didn't make it out of the round robin portion of the Barclay's ATP World Tour Final.

Speaking of the World Tour Final, Nikolay Davydenko defeated Juan Martin Del Potro to win the title of this illustrious event. It seems that my predictions were pretty far off considering I gave Davydenko really no chance to win this event. Either way, I want to say congratulations to Davydenko for being one of the most consistant players on tour and finally winning a major title.

Are you feeling a little bitter that the tennis season as officially ended till January? Well, Peter Bodo, a blogger for ESPN, gives you all the reasons to be thankful for professional tennis. Unfortunately, he rips the lions in the title to his post. We all know they suck Pete, you don't have to make me feel any worse about being a lions fan.

Apparently, The Austrian Open has been removed from the ATP schedule. There was a tennis tournament in Austria? No skin off my back with this news.

Finally, I can't end this post without some Tim Henman love. Another thing we have in common, we both love the Nintendo Wii.

[Image via The Daily Record]

Federer v. Verdasco Liveblog

6:00|  No such luck seeing Roddick one more time. Now it is time to stop watching the Tennis Channel ,and start watching some football. Thanks for reading my live blog, and have a good night. 


5:58| The post-game report is next, and I am sticking around for one more commercial break to maybe see Andy Roddick again. 


5:57| Federer cruises in his final service game. he won the game at love and locked up the match. He won the final set 6-1. 


5:55| Verdasco finally gets on the board. Nothing to write home about. 5-1 Federer


5:53| This match is so boring now. Verdasco is playing awful.


5:50|  Federer holds serve again. Damnitt Verdasco!!! I knew you were gonna blow it!! 5-0 Federer

5:49| Wow! Verdasco is on the verge of having an epic collapse. Federer breaks Verdasco again easily, and looks to have this match in control. 4-0 Federer.

5:43| I can't stop listening to "Down by the River" by Neil Young.

5:42| I think that was the shortest game of the match. Federer hit four winners in that game to win it without any real resistance. 3-0 Federer


5:41| Federer does break Verdasco in the longest game of the match. It's going to be hard for Fernando to stop the Fed-Express now. 2-0 Federer.


5:39| I have decided the computer screen and the television are making my eyes hurt. I put on some sunglasses to remedy that problem.

5:37| Verdasco fought back hard to force a duece point. 


5:35| Verdasco seems to be in trouble this game. Federer smashed two backhands cross-court that just blew Verdasco off the court.

5:33| Federer won the game at love. He hit an ace to add insult to injury at 40-0. 1-0 Federer.


5:31| Federer will open the third set serving to Verdasco.


5:30| Verdasco had to take a pee break before the second set. Unbelievable they need to get this train-a-movin'.


5:25| Verdasco didn't seem to be handling the pressure in that decisive game. He got broken at 40-15 and lost second set to Federer. First Set: 6-4 Verdasco, Second Set: 7-5 Federer. One more to go.

5:20| Federer pulls the game out. He barely holds serve and Verdasco is looking to close the match out in two sets. 6-5 Federer.

5:18| Verdasco missed a couple very close shots to let Federer go up 40-30. He then forced a duece point.

5:17| Verdasco hits a miracle lob over Federer's head to go up 30-0 on Fed's service game. 


5:16| Verdasco wins a huge point with a Federer unforced error at 30-30.  He then hits a huge forehand to hold serve. 5-5.

5:12|  I see something new every time that Roddick commercial is on. It never gets old.


5:11| Federer holds serve with ease again. Verdasco is really having a tough time winning any points on Fed's serve. 5-4 Federer


5:08| Verdasco rallies to win four points in a row to hold serve. 4-4.


5:06| Federer goes up 0-30. Could be trouble

5:04| Too busy looking up Roddick commercials and forgot to watch this game. 4-3 Federer.

5:03| My new favorite commercial

5:00| Federer plays a really strong game. Verdasco responded nicely with a few big shots on some very important points. Verdasco takes a very tight game. 3-3.

Live Blog: Federer v. Verdasco, Sunday 11/22

The first round of the Barclays ATP World Tour Final is on Sunday.

The two matches are between Andy Murray v. Juan Martin Del Potro, and Roger Federer v. Fernando Verdasco

The Federer match will be on the Tennis Channel at 2:00 PM (EST). I plan on watching the entire match, and relaying my comments on Breaking Back throughout.

I think it will be a lot of fun, and I hope you guys all tune in

[Images via Perunotas and Carine06]

Preview: Masters Series Event in London

Three days from now the end of the year tournament in London will begin. The Barclays ATP World Tour final is the biggest tournament of the year that is not a Grand Slam event (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and The U.S. Open).

What makes this tournament so exciting is that only the top eight players on the tour get to participate in this final event. Usually this holds true, but this year Andy Roddick had to pull out due to injury, and was thus replaced with the French Open runner-up, Robin Soderling.

The format of the tournament splits the eight players up into two different groups (Group A and B) of four. In those two groups of four players each player plays every other player in that group. The two players from each group with the best record out of the round robin portion of the tournament go to the semi-finals. Who plays who in the semi-finals is determined by the best individual records from the previous round. The player with the best record from group a will play the player with the second best record from group b. And, vice-a-versa.

The groups are organized as such:

Group A:                                                     Group B:
Roger Federer                                             Rafael Nadal
Andy Murray                                                Novak Djokovic
Juan Martin Del Potro                                  Nikolay Davydenko
Fernando Verdasco                                      Robin Soderling

The big question here is who will advance in these specific groups.

The first group presents a lot of problems for the #1 player in the world, Roger Federer. His record against Andy Murray isn't good. Federer has a lot of problems with Murray, especially on the hard courts this tournament will be played on. Also, Federer suffered his most devastating loss of the season at the final of the U.S. Open in September to Juan Martin Del Potro. Despite all of this, I think it is hard to bet against Federer to make it out of this first round.

Murray is coming off of an injury, so it is hard to tell just how well he will play at this event. However, he does have winning records against every player in the group. I think this gives him a great chance, injury or not, to move on.

Winners of Group A: Federer and Murray

The second group is extremely tight as well. Djokovic is coming off a huge win in Paris, and will be tough to beat in this early round. Nadal had a disappointing result in Paris losing to Djokovic in the semi-finals. Davydenko is of no threat to either player in this round, and I believe the same goes for Soderling.

Winners of Group B: Djokovic and Nadal

I believe the semi-finals will shake out like this.

Semi-Finals:
Federer v. Nadal and Murray v. Djokovic

Even though Federer has a losing record against Nadal, I don't believe Nadal is playing his best tennis. This should make things easy for Federer to move on to the finals.

Djokovic and Murray should be a more interesting match, and could really go either way. Murray is the sentimental favorite for me, and he is playing on his home turf in England. However, I think Djokovic is playing too well right now, and will beat Murray in a tough three-set affair.

Finals:
Federer v. Djokovic

Even though Federer has had the better of Djokovic throughout their careers, I think Djokovic will take the title. He has had the better of Federer recently, and beat him the last time they met in Switzerland.

Winner:
Novak Djokovic

Nevertheless, this tournament should be excitng.

I hope to live blog one of the matches next week. I will be trying to live blog during the final match whomever maybe involved in it.

[Image via InfoTennis]

Maybe I Should Mellow Out a Bit

In an earlier post I listed six particular songs that helped to pump me up before a big match.

All the songs I listed were really heavy, and don't really reflect my actual taste in music. So, the question I have to ask myself is why do I like listening to this heavy rock music before a match, and not something more mellow?

I guess it has something to do with the fact that the heavy rock music gives me more energy and gets me excited to start playing. There might be a problem with listening to these songs is it gets me too hyped up, and I cannot relax while I am playing my match.

So, the next time I play tennis I will listen to six completely different songs that I really love which might mellow me out and help me to focus on playing my game. The six songs I will listen to are listed below.

1. The Meeting Place: The Last Shadow Puppets
2. Fluorescent Adolescent: Arctic Monkeys
3. Dear God: Mosnters of Folk
4. Dig a Little Deeper: The Watson Twins
5. Ragged Wood: Fleet Foxes
6. The Great American Smokeout: The Snake The Cross The Crown


[Image Via I Am MintCondition]

What I'm Reading: Link Round-Up for Monday 11/16

This weekend held the final of the last Masters Series event in Paris before the year end round robin event in London.

Novak Djokovic narrowly beat Gael Monfils in a three set thriller. Monfils had a good shot at taking this match down, and I think he is finally starting to come into his own.

Next week is the beginning of the end of the year Masters Event in London. Only the top 8 ranked players in the world qualify for the tournament.

The tournament should be exciting considering all the big names that will be playing in this event. The complete list of players includes Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Roger Federer, and Djokovic.

The Bleacher Report provides a preview on the event. The article thinks Djokovic has a good shot at it being the defending champion.

For more information, Ricky Dimon at Tennis Talk will write a preview of what we can expect to see from every player at the final tournament. He starts with profiling Fernando Verdasco.


I just can't see Federer not winning this event, even though he went out early in Paris. His only real challenge would come from Andy Murray, but he seems to still be suffering from a lingering injury.


Speaking of Federer, Paul Kimmage of the Times Online writes a great article on Federer's life as a new father. It's nice to see just how human these professionals really are.


Plus, Tim Henman is mentioned. Yeah!

[Image via Sports Illustrated]

Wild and Crazy Tennis

(Via Drew Nolan)

To commemorate Friday the 13th, I thought it would appropriate to take a look at some of the more bizarre moments in the history of tennis. Enjoy!

The Women of Tennis

(Via Drew Nolan)

Lets face it, there are some amazingly beautiful tennis players. While this can be said about most sports, it seems as if every female tennis player could easily make the transition from athlete to model. I don't claim to know much about tennis, and I have difficulty pronouncing most of the names below. That being said, after doing some extensive research, I have concocted a list of the top five most beautiful tennis players on Earth

1. Anna Kournikova 
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Age: 28
Career Prize Money: $3,584,662

(via HollywoodTuna)

2. Maria Sharapova
Birthplace: Nyagan, Russia

Age: 22

Career Prize Money: $13,067,900

(via DallasObserver)

3. Ashley Harkleroad

Birthplace: Rossville, Georgia

Age: 24

Career Prize Money: $1,009,244

(via JerseyChaser)

4. Caroline Wozniacki
Birthplace: Odense, Denmark

Age: 19

Career Prize Money: $3,250,358

(via LetsGoViral)

 5. Maria Kirilenko

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Age: 22

Career Prize Money: $2,343,064

(via GlobalGiants)

Who's Who of Mario Tennis

(Via Drew Nolan)

It's no secret that I love Mario Tennis, which was released in 2000 for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It's true that the video games of 2009 outperform Mario Tennis in terms of graphics, game play, and depth. I won't dispute that. But there's something so simple and addictive about Mario Tennis that the game has remained relevant long after it should have died out.

One of the most appealing things about the game is that almost anyone can learn how to play. The game only requires the use of two buttons and a joy-stick. Plus, it's always nice to be able to revisit the things we loved as kids. It's for this same reason I love watching reruns of Saved by the Bell and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Somethings just never get old.

I consider myself something of a Mario Tennis expert. The most important bit of advice I have is to always choose your character wisely. Choosing the wrong character can easily lead to an embarrassing defeat. That being said, here is some advice on picking your character...

Time to Switch it Up (Drew Nolan)

(Via Drew Nolan)

Justin,

Here at Breaking Back, it is clear that you run a tight ship.  Your content is always cool and fresh, and is presented in a way that makes me want to read it. Frankly, everything about Breaking Back is on point. I only have one complaint: I'm thinking the title needs to go.

Now look, I understand it's a clever, tennis-related title. That being said, I really don't think it does justice to the rest of your blog. You need a title that grabs the attention of the masses. It needs to be relevant, interesting, and maybe even a little controversial. To help come with up a new title, I did some brainstorming. Here are five of my favorite prospective titles.

1. Fuzzy Balls: Bouncing Back to Glory
2. Kiss My Ace
3. Oh, My Fault: A Second Chance at Tennis Glory
4. It's All Love, All the Time
5. Smashin' that Ace

What Drew's Reading: Link Round-Up

(Via Drew Nolan)

In an attempt to sell lots of books set the record straight, Andre Agassi recently admitted to using Crystal Methamphetamine throughout the course of his career. But fear not, tennis fans, because Agassi says that today's tennis drug program is much tougher.

The program is apparently so tough, that Yanina Wickmayer was afraid of getting tested. As apart of the program, tennis stars have to report their whereabouts to the World Anti-Doping Agency. Wickmayer failed to do so on three separate occasions, and has been suspended for a year.

Maybe John McEnroe's ridiculous behavior throughout the course of his career was drug related? I'm thinking Angel Dust. That would make perfect sense.

Remember Serena Williams' tirade at the U.S. Open? Well as it turns out, Serena will not be banned from the upcoming Australian Open. She will, however, get hit with a fine. I think she can afford it.

Cal Sophomore Jana Juricova didn't threaten to kill an innocent line judge like her idol Serena Williams, but she still managed to win the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Women's Single Tennis Championship. The tournament, despite its obnoxiously long name, is considered one of the most important collegiate tournaments in the country.

Tennis obviously isn't much of a contact sport, but injuries are still fairly common. Don't believe me? Well check this and this out. Ouch.

And last but not least, the video of the week.

A Grumpy Intruder

(Via Drew Nolan)

When Justin asked me if I wanted to take over Breaking Back for a week, I jumped at the opportunity. Now look, I don't claim to know anything about tennis, except for the fact that Anna Kournikova is a goddess. I've dabbled in the world of tennis in the past, but I never really paid attention to the sport on the professional level, or any level for that matter. Frankly, I would much rather play Mario Tennis than watch a balding, crystal meth addict running around in flamboyant outfits. But I digress.

For the next week, I hope to bring some new and exciting content to Breaking Back. So be on the look out for some crazy, ridiculous posts that I will some how try to relate back to a sport I really know nothing about. Enjoy!

Breaking Back Guest Blogger

Dear Readers,

Next week I am going to be guest blogging on Kali Zigrino's media blog. I will be checking back here periodically and posting a few things here and there.

Don't be worried though! Andrew Nolan, who blogs at The Grumpy RA will be filling in for me.

I am sure he will provide some excellent insight and  perspective on the game of tennis, and maybe a little humor.

I look forward to reading his thoughts, and I hope the rest of you do as well.

- Justin

If my Racquet Could Talk

What exactly would my flexpoint radical say?

I like to think of him writing me a letter of all his thoughts rather than talking to me out in the open. Mostly because a talking tennis racquet would scare the crap out of me.

So, if my racquet wrote me a letter I think it would sound something like this.

Dear Justin,

You know things haven't been good between us in a long time. You never take me out anymore! I just sit in the house all day and you never bother to take me out so we can have a good time. I feel like we are strangers living in the same room. When was the last time you bought me anything? You never make me feel special by getting me re-strung, or changing my grip. I must be the frumpiest looking tennis racquet in all of Albany. If you do not start showing me more attention and pampering me a little bit I will call the authorities and tell them about that time you threw me against that fence! Don't think for a second I forgot that! I still have the scars! You need to take a good long look in the mirror and remember all the great times we had together, and ask yourself if you really want to let this relationship wither and die.

Sincerely,

Flexpoint Radical

My Favorite Spinal Tap Quotes

People ask me all the time, "Justin what is your favorite movie?". Well, there is not really an answer to that question.

I have many favorite movies, but not one clear cut favorite. If I had to pick just one, I would say it is the 1984 mockumentary "Spinal Tap."

Why is this movie so funny? Well, it has many memorable quotes which provide non-stop laughter. Below are my 11 favorite quotes from this hilarious film.

11. "Certainly, in the topsy-turvy world of heavy rock, having a good solid piece of wood in your hand is often useful". - Ian Faith

10. "May I start by saying how thrilled we are to have you here. We are such fans of your music and all of your records. I'm not speaking of yours personally, but the whole genre of the rock and roll". - Lt. Hookstratten

9. (When asked what to put on his epitaph) "Here lies David St. Hubbins... and why not"? - David St. Hubbins

8. "As long as there's, you know, sex and drugs, I can do without the rock and roll". - Mick Shrimpton

7. "You can't really dust for vomit". - Nigel Tufnel

6. "Dozens of people spontaneously combust each year. It's just not really widely reported" - David St. Hubbins

5. "We've got Armadillos in our trousers. It's really quite frightening". - Nigel Tufnel

4."This tasteless cover is a good indication of the lack of musical invention within. The musical growth of this band cannot even be charted. They are treading water in a sea of retarded sexuality and bad poetry". - Marty DiBergi

    "That's just nitpicking, isn't it"? - Nigel Tufnel

3." Well, I'm sure I'd feel much worse if I weren't under such heavy sedation". - David St. Hubbins

2. (When discussing one of the many Spinal Tap albums, "Shark Sandwich") "The review for "Shark Sandwich" was merely a two word review which simply read "Shit Sandwich". - Marty DiBergi
 
1."We're very lucky in the band in that we have two visionaries, David and Nigel, they're like poets, like Shelley and Byron. They're two distinct types of visionaries, it's like fire and ice, basically. I feel my role in the band is to be somewhere in the middle of that, kind of like lukewarm water". -Derek Smalls

[Image via SpinalTapfan.com]

Breaking Back Mailbag: Brief Interview

I recently received an e-mail asking me to answer a few random questions about myself. While the questions really have nothing to do about tennis, they are interesting none the less.

Without further adieu.

1. What is your favorite spring break spot?


Umm I have never really been anywhere for spring break. So, I would have to say my mom's house maybe?

2. Coke or Pepsi?


Coke. I like the taste of coke better. Plus, Grant Hill drinks sprite which is owned by the Coca-Cola company.

3. Have you ever been to a movie underage?

Yup!

4. What is your favorite rock band?


The answer to this question changes all the time. As of right now it is The Snake The Cross The Crown. Mostly because there was a documentary about them released last month that has re-introduced me to their music and thus dominated my ipod.

5. What is your least favorite smell?

                           Bruce (the dog above) when he doesn't get a bath for a week.

6. What is your favorite moment?

Mets. Only disappointment since.

7. What is your most embarrassing moment?


Not being able to find first class freshman year. I wandered Albertus hall like an idiot for an hour or so.

8. If you were a cat, what kind of cat would you be?


Heathcliff

9. Kirk or Picard?


Professor X vs. Priceline Spokesman.

It's a toss up.

10. If you were a food, what kind would you be?


McDonalds' french fry

My Favorite Tennis Players

Since I write about professional tennis a lot I wanted to list my six favorite tennis players.


So, in pictures here are my favorite players I have ever had the privilege to watch.

1. Tim Henman

2. Andy Murray

3. Gael Monfils

4. Jo-Wilfried Tsogna

5&6. Bob and Mike Bryan (Doubles Team).

Top 6 Warm-Up Songs

There are times when I just do not feel up to playing tennis.

I could have had a long night the night before, or maybe i just feel like being a couch potato.

Whatever the reason I sometimes need a little music to get my energy level up, and get ready to play. So, these are my top 6 favorite warm-up songs.

1. Holy Diver: Killswitch Engage
2. You're Ever So Inviting: Underoath
3. Planning a Prison Break: The Receiving End of Sirens
4. Welcome Home: Coheed and Cambria
5. Jamestown: The Movielife
6. Never Scared (Remix): Bone Crusher

What I'm Reading: Link Round-Up for Tuesday 11/3

CNN is reporting that the #1 German tennis player Tommy Haas has pulled out of the rest of the end of the year tournaments because he has contracted the swine flu.

I always figured being in top physical condition would keep you immune to the swine flu. I guess that is not the case, good luck Tommy!

Over at TennisX they profile Marcos Baghdatis' first tournament victory since 2007 in Zagreb, Croatia.

The Cypriot fell out of shape (he isn't the skinniest guy on tour) after making a miracle run to the Australian Open final in 2007. He became one of my personal favorites because of his light-hearted attitude and what seemed to be a love for the game.  Hopefully this victory propels him back to the top of the men's rankings.

According to the Mercury News, Andre Agassi's admittance to using     crystal meth will call for an anti-doping investigation.                                       

However, since it happened more than eight years ago, the ATP cannot do anything to Agassi. The investigation is pretty much pointless.

Staying on the same subject, The United Kingdom's Daily Mail provides a must read story by Piers Morgan on Andre Agassi, and why doing crystal meth is a forgivable offense.

Plus, he writes a little about Tim Henman, what's not to love?

Speaking of Tim, Bleacher Report looks back to the 2003 Masters Series event in Paris in which my man Tim Henman went on a miracle run to capture the title.

Oh how i miss those days, please come out of retirement Tim!

[Image Via J_Circle_Sh]                                 

Public Transportation and its Discontent

Like most residents of the great city of Albany, New York, I try to shy away from driving my own vehicle anywhere.

Traffic is usually a nightmare, and I hate trying to parallel park in a spot that is usually way to small for my car to even fit into.

This becomes a problem when I want to try and play tennis during the winter months.The amount of snow doesn't usually make playing tennis outside possible, so I have to go find indoor courts to play on. However, since being a student at the College of Saint Rose allows me to ride the bus for free it gives me an alternative mode of transportation.

This is where the real problem arises, I hate taking the bus.

The bus is always extremely crowded, and having to stand next to 500 or so people is not an ideal situation for me.

I hate having to be on the buses' schedule. I want to leave when I want to leave, stop making me go by bus time!

The amount of time it takes for me to get anywhere on the bus is also outrageous. Having to stop at every intersection to pick up one more person to cram in a congested bus really irritates me to no end.

I would agree that having free public transportation is helpful, but in my experience i try to avoid the bus at all costs.

My Favorite Lidz

I know that I have stated before that I don't like wearing hats during my tennis matches, I do like wearing them during my down time.

Major League Baseball hats are my favorite to wear. Since I own a large variety of them, I decided it would be fun to list my top six MLB hats.

6. Alternate Toronto Blue Jays Home Hat. This hat is cool because it is a hat that has a throwback look to it, but is made of the new material that the official major league hats are made out of. Plus, the team wears the hat and this uniform, which is hilarious.

5. Arizona Diamondbacks on Field Hat. I gotta represent the state i grew up in for the most part. So, i have to pay my respects to my old stomping ground, Phoenix, AZ, and Chase Field.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers Authentic On Field Hat. I like Dodger blue, and Manny Ramirez. So, i like the hat.

3. New York Mets Authentic On Field Road Hat. Sometimes you just need a two toned hat.


2. New York Mets Authentic On Field Alternate Hat. Sometimes you don't need a two toned hat.

1. New York Mets Inaugural Season On Field Hat. I love this hat because it was only available this season, and the patch is nice. Also, I got it on my trip to Citi Field, which was a blast.

Is it obvious that my favorite team is the Mets??

More Tiger Tim

Hopefully this blog brings in readers that care about my tennis journey. But hopefully it also shows some people just how great my favorite tennis player, Tim Henman Actually is.

Don't believe me, huh!?!?

Check it, yo.



Who else has their own Wimbledon tribute video!?!?

Brings a tear to my eye everytime.

What I'm Reading: Monday's Link Round-Up

Cheryl Murray's TennisTalk contains a very interesting post about rising tennis star, and one of my personal favorite tennis players Gael Monfils. Cheryl talks about some rabid middle aged fan who tries unsuccesfully to catch up with Monfils in a golf cart while screaminng "Montiff".

Monfils is also coming into his own by winning his first match in the warm-up tournament in Vienna for the end of the year Masters event in London. His second match is today at 11:00 AM.

Sean Randall on TennisX posts an article about a professional ATP player Ernests Gulbis getting arrested in Sweden for apparently taking home a prostitute.

Well done sir.

 Andre Agassi, one of the many "good guys" of professional tennis admitted to using crystal meth in 1997 during one of the peaks of his tennis career. This comes as no surprise to me when you see what Agassi was wearing back in those days.

GoToTennis posted some of the more memorable quotes from the last Masters series event in Shanghai.  My personal favorite is the one from Mr. Safin in which he discusses his upcoming retirement. This heartfelt quote shows how much he has matured since the video from below was taken. You can see him in his glory at the 57 second mark.






Speaking of funny and weird tennis moments, check out this link from a professional doubles match.

Randy Johnson esque if you ask me.

Then There Was a Bump in the Road

I suffered a bit of bad news on Thursday in regards to the mission of this blog.

I woke up Thursday morning with a twinge of pain on my lower back and I was having trouble walking. I just shrugged the pain off and figured it was just me being sore from the tennis I had been playing lately.

However, the pain persisted through my morning class and became pretty intense, so i decided to take a trip to the Prime Care medical center to get myself checked out.

Turns out that I have a polynomail cyst on my coccyx.

While the injury is not really all that serious it is extremely painful until the anit-biotics kick into my system and eliminate the cyst completely.

The point of me writing about this is to say that I will have to take a temporary hiatus (about a week or two) from playing tennis.

However, this will not prohibit my Wii table tennis training and the eventual tournament.

More details on the tournament to come.....

Wii Resort Table Tennis

One of my roommates came home with the new wii resort last night. All the games are pretty standard, except for the table tennis game which is AWESOMMEEEE!!!

I may have never been able to take a real set of tennis off of Cory yet, but I have his number in this game. We played seven rounds and went a perfect 7-7.

Here is a gameplay video of the game below....




I am issuing a challenge to anyone of my readers who wants to take me on in this game, i guarantee victory.

Also, we are having an apartment wide table tennis tournament, we need three more people to make an even 8 person draw if anyone is interested.

Results will be posted later this week.

The Re-Match

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon when Cory and I decided to finally take to the court again to see if I could do the impossible and take a set off of him.

Standard rules applied with a best two out of three sets. The first player to win six games in a set wins the set.

I began the set serving and was broken at love (without winning a point to those of you who are not familiar with tennis lingo). 0-1

Cory then double faulted an entire game as his serving troubles have continued. 1-1

Some botched drop shots, and a few misplaced back hands cost me another service game. 1-2

Cory double faults four more points in a row and I win another game without having to put the ball in play. Cory then proceeds to scream at the top of his lungs, and chucks his racquet against the fence surrounding the court. Luckily the stick survived without cracking.  2-2

Who Art Thou Cory!?!

With my upcoming showdown with Cory quickly approaching, (Wednesday afternoon), I realized that my millions of readers might want to know who exactly Cory is.

Cory has been my best friend since the day we met seven years ago. That we played the same three sports, were involved with all the same extracurricular activities, and shared most of the same classes throughout high school basically meant that we had to be friends.

The problem with this friendship: we have played 500 plus sets of tennis, and I have never won a single one of them.

Zero

Zip

Nada

Nil

The underlying goal of this blog for me is to finally get to the top of the mountain and beat Cory. Since I have yet to accomplish this in the 7+ years of tennis we have played against one another I feel the hike is going to be pretty steep. I do have a couple ideas on how to beat Cory.Here's the tale of the tape:

                   Justin                     Cory
                      
Serve:           X                             -

Forehand:      -                             X

Backhand:     -                             X

Volleys:         X                             -

Intagibles:       -                            X


As seen from the highly technical chart from above Cory has the advantage 3-2.

My serve is better, and thanks to my doubles experience in high school i can volley quite well.

Cory's groundstrokes are much better than mine because he is much more consistent. Also, since I have never beaten him I gave him the edge in the intangible department because of the psychological advantage he has on me.

How do I beat him? I need to draw him into the net and put pressure on his serve because those are the weak points of his game. Hopefully, by using my knowledge about his game, various strategies and different racquets I will hopefully be able to finally get the monkey off my back and beat him.

          

Favorite Tennis Commercial

I was watching the tennis channel today and I came across this commercial, which is one of my favorites of all time. The professional player in the video is Taylor Dent who was an up and coming American star at the time.

Since this commercial Dent has had some struggles with his body requiring a few different back surgeries and never really living up to his potential.

Dent's game was all about the serve-and-volley which is why I included the video, that and the fact that he almost gets his ass beat by a little kid (Agassi and Graf's son) is absolutely hilarious.

Enjoy!

Top 10 Best Tennis Shots Ever

I was poking around the internet for some tennis stuff today when I found this nugget of gold. My personal favorites are number 6 and number 2. How do you get a ball stuck into such a hard surface????

Unreal

What do you guys like best??

"Very superstitious, writings on the wall"

I think in any sport there are superstitions that are followed by the athletes involved. Some professional players even have some of the weirdest quirks I have ever heard of.

Raphael Nadal will place all his water bottles in a row before each match, and will drink out of every single one evenly and not misplace the water bottles from there designated area in the row.

John McEnroe and Martina Hingis refuse to step on any of the white lines while they are walking around or through the court before or after matches, sets, or games.

Top woman's player Jelena Dokic refuses to read the draws of the tournaments she is in more than one round in advance.

Much like many of these top professionals, I also have a weird quirky superstition.

Hats!!

I cannot wear hats, headbands, bandana's....nothing!! When I play my head has to be completely uncovered.

Why is this!?!

Not entirely sure

I have just never been able to play with a hat on. I had lost some bigger matches in high school when i wore a hat, and now everytime I wear one I psych myself out, thinking I am going to lose the match before it even begins.

I know that a hat really cannot effect my tennis performance one way or another, but it does however effect how I feel in a way I cannot fully describe.

Am I crazy? Possible but it does make me feel a little better to know I am not alone in my own weird superstitions.

Player Profile: Tim Henman

In my last post I talked about what serve-and-volley tennis is, and how to implement that strategy into your individual tennis game.

I then got to thinking about how the best way to show exactly what serve and volley tennis was. This thought brought me to doing a player profile on one of my favorite tennis players of all time, the pride of England, Mr. Tim Henman

It is obvious that he is my favorite tennis player from his rugged good looks which can be seen to the right of the screen on the wikipedia page. However, despite his boyish charm I always loved watching him play tennis. His serve and volley style was a throwback to the 60's and 70's era of tennis. Also, watching him try and compete with the baseliners of the modern day game always gave his matches a little more excitement.

Even though he retired at the end of the 2007 season without a major championship to his credit he never tried to change his style of play, and was close to the top of the rankings for many years. If it wasn't for the fact that he played during the Agassi/Sampras era he probably would have had a few more titles to his credit.

I have included a few videos just to show what a true serve-and-volley game looks like (aside from Sampras of course), and I believe Henman was the best example of this because he did indeed follow the serve and volley fomat to a T and throughout his career hit amazing shot after amazing shot at the net.

Video: Tiger Tim Henman Benzer: tiger, tim, henman, tennis, sport

As you can see from these videos Tim is not always up at the net, but he does spend alot of time up there, and his volleys are always extremely crisp. This is what I hope to accomplish to some extent when I play my next match.

Talkin' Tennis Strategy: Serve-and-Volley

Serve and Volley tennis is a style of play in which the player rushes to the net as often as possible to hit more volleys and fewer ground strokes. Below are a couple videos from the best serve-and-volley player of all time, Pete Sampras.






I chose to use this style because it's less tiring to serve-and-volley. Hitting a serve and coming into net repeatedly it drastically shortens the points. After a player hits the serve and comes up to the net he can either A. a shot out of the air as a volley which gives the player a good shot at putting the point away right there, or B. get passed by the returner.

If a player hits a bad serve or something that the person on the other side of the net is anticipating he/she can hit a good shot off the server and give that player a tough shot from closer to the net or get the ball hit passed them on either side of the court. In either instance, the points will be shorter than grinding out a match from the baseline. If both players hit shots from the baseline the whole time you can get into long rallies and become more susceptible to fatigue.

Which was the problem in my last match with Cory.

I also wanted to implement the serve-and-volley technique because I played doubles for a good portion of my high school tennis career. Through all this doubles playing experience I was stuck at net alot and had to learn how to volley properly to win matches. So, having the experience volleying I think that this technique might work for me considering that volleying is one of the strongest aspects of my game.

While I think this technique could work for me, I also think it has its disadvantages for me. I am not confident enough in my serve right now in this stage of my epic comeback to think that i can set myself up for a good ball to volley consistently. I am hoping that I don't just keep serving winners that Cory can smack by me at any given time.

I am also shorter and have a greater risk of having the ball lobbed over my head. If I am consistently at net Cory will realize to just pop the ball over my head so I cannot reach it and thus lose the point. The lob is also one of Cory's best shots, which hurts me even more when coming into net.

Ultimately, this technique can win me some more points and hopefully games because of the strength of my net game.

By keeping the points shorter as well I hope to be able to keep a higher level of energy throughout the match and not be completely fatigued so early.