The longest thread ever

[DukieInKansas]

Creaking sound? I think your tv has residents.

Maybe it's just my joints.

Why did Nadal decide to start wearing sleeves? He has such great shoulders and arms, it is a shame to cover them up with sleeves.

[sue71, esq]

Maybe it's just my joints.

Why did Nadal decide to start wearing sleeves? He has such great shoulders and arms, it is a shame to cover them up with sleeves.

Got me, but what leg injury? Roger is reverting to sets 1 & 2.

[sue71, esq]

D A Y U M.

Wow what an end to the 4th.

[DukieInKansas]

And to a 5th set we go. I'm going to have to catch up in the am. I'm supposed to be somewhere at 8am, so I better get some sleep.

[sue71, esq]

And to a 5th set we go. I'm going to have to catch up in the am. I'm supposed to be somewhere at 8am, so I better get some sleep.

Yikes! G'nite, mate (since it's the Aussie Open & all).

[-bdbd]

Living in the DC area (VA side) - located so near to the MD journalism school -we have to suffer through media bias towards MD (and to lesser extent for VPI and maybe UVA), which usually means at least some "Duke hatred" in the media. So it is soooo much fun to see them try to find ways to make the game today NOT sound too bad... Tonight's examples in local TV and radio included emphasizing that Duke is, after all, about to become the #1 team in the nation (so apparently not bringing it with your players is therefore "undersandable"). The other theme has been that CIS is such a historic/rough place to play (even "though populated with fans named Biff, Taylor and Chase"). I am STILL waiting to hear one of them go to the usual Terp standby -- "the refs cost us this game." Which would mean, obviously, that they msde about 20 totally biased/unfair calls (and none for MD).

BTW, in discussing the outcome with a few MD fan friends today, quite amazingly NONE said they WATCHED the game... only to later argue with me about what actually happened on a certain play... Hmmmm.

-BDBD

[YmoBeThere]

Ahhhh, Twerp fans...thankfully not many around here.

[Lavabe]

Ahhhh, Twerp fans...thankfully not many around here.

Fortunately, I have two in my family. One of whom is my brother (who went to Louisville and loves Carolina). This is the same brother who earlier this year said that Vasquez was the second best point guard in the ACC.

Ooooooh, I'm waiting to call him up this morning.

[ArkieDukie]

Spins count too in the new system, a lot. Alissa Czisny's spins are so far superior to Rachel Flatt's, well, they aren't even in the same spinning ballpark. Did you see how centered Alissa's spins were? TO DIE FOR!!!! Yes, she fell on her second triple lutz but she was far enough ahead after the short that she could afford that one mistake. I liked Rachel's skate, she's a nice skater, but I have no problems with the order of finish.

Ashley Wagner dug herself too big a hole (12th place and I don't know how many points) to overcome Caroline Zhang in the short program. Don't feel too bad for her though, under the old scoring system it's highly unlikely she would have been able to rise up to 4th place no matter how well she skated. Yes, Zhang needs to work on jumping technique and she's got to skate faster if she ever wants to be world champion but again, spins, TO DIE FOR Part 2. I love the new scoring system cause it rewards the spinners. Have you noticed how few 'all jump - no spin' skaters win anymore? Hooray! If she were skating today, Suraya Bonaly probably couldn't crack the top 5 at worlds, ever.

Fair points, all. Up until she fell, I thought that Alissa had it locked up. She was temporarily rattled by the fall (subsequent popped jump, where I thought she lost it), but then she pulled herself back together and finished strong. I do hope that Caroline the Contortionist gets the rest of her technique together. If she ever does, she'll be truly phenomenal. She reminds me of Sasha. Prediction: I think Rachael will finish ahead of Alissa at Worlds. Rachael is a much steadier competitor. I'd love to see Alissa hold her nerves in check for Worlds, but I'm still skeptical.

BTW, ITA about Surya Bonaly. I couldn't stand her skating. All she did was jump. Everything else was just skating to get up speed for the next jump.

[ArkieDukie]

Alissa also has better extension and did you notice how long she held her positions in the spiral sequence? OMG!!!!! The only thing Rachel did better in her program was land her second triple lutz. I mean really. That shouldn't make the difference. Sorry Arkie, but I definitely disagree with you, I don't think Alissa's score was padded at all.

Can you tell I don't view FIGURE skating as purely a jumping competition?

I still have the competition recorded; I'll have to go back and watch it again. I love the fact that NBC showed the final 12. We got the opportunity to see some great up-and-coming skaters that have great presentation but are a bit behind on jumps.

[ArkieDukie]

In order to qualify it as a game, don't two teams have to show up?

I don't know about you, but I couldn't tell that Vasquez was playing in his house.

[ArkieDukie]

Oooh I missed this today. Oh well. Worlds are at Staples Center in LA... maybe I can figure out a way to go to those for a session or two.

You lucky dog! That would be pretty cool.

[ArkieDukie]

Living in the DC area (VA side) - located so near to the MD journalism school -we have to suffer through media bias towards MD (and to lesser extent for VPI and maybe UVA), which usually means at least some "Duke hatred" in the media. So it is soooo much fun to see them try to find ways to make the game today NOT sound too bad... Tonight's examples in local TV and radio included emphasizing that Duke is, after all, about to become the #1 team in the nation (so apparently not bringing it with your players is therefore "undersandable"). The other theme has been that CIS is such a historic/rough place to play (even "though populated with fans named Biff, Taylor and Chase"). I am STILL waiting to hear one of them go to the usual Terp standby -- "the refs cost us this game." Which would mean, obviously, that they msde about 20 totally biased/unfair calls (and none for MD).

BTW, in discussing the outcome with a few MD fan friends today, quite amazingly NONE said they WATCHED the game... only to later argue with me about what actually happened on a certain play... Hmmmm.

-BDBD

My first thought while watching the game (after sheer enjoyment ) was that the calls for Gary's job would intensify. It amuses me that they're making excuses.

[ArkieDukie]

Fortunately, I have two in my family. One of whom is my brother (who went to Louisville and loves Carolina). This is the same brother who earlier this year said that Vasquez was the second best point guard in the ACC.

Ooooooh, I'm waiting to call him up this morning.

That could, indeed, be fun. So, are you going to rub it in, or are you going to use the "Maryland is so far beneath us that it's really not even worth discussion" strategy? That could potentially be even more fun.

[sue71, esq]

You lucky dog! That would be pretty cool.

We'll see. Would love to, but could possibly be tied up w/ work that weekend and won't know until the week prior (ahem), so it's going to be a last minute call.

As an aside, and I think you'll get a kick out of this, when I was in grad school, I had to take an Event Management class. Our final project was a group project where we had to develop and submit an RFP and do a presentation as if we were trying to bid on an event (to host it). It was a MASSIVE undertaking. Massive is actually an understatement, and there were about 8 people in my group. What event did we choose? The State Farm US Figure Skating Championships.

Our professor and the panel brought in to evaluate the RFPs and presentations said we were so thorough, we could actually put on the event. We'd consulted w/ the USFSA when gathering information, and they even asked us for some of what we did.

[ArkieDukie]

We'll see. Would love to, but could possibly be tied up w/ work that weekend and won't know until the week prior (ahem), so it's going to be a last minute call.

As an aside, and I think you'll get a kick out of this, when I was in grad school, I had to take an Event Management class. Our final project was a group project where we had to develop and submit an RFP and do a presentation as if we were trying to bid on an event (to host it). It was a MASSIVE undertaking. Massive is actually an understatement, and there were about 8 people in my group. What event did we choose? The State Farm US Figure Skating Championships.

Our professor and the panel brought in to evaluate the RFPs and presentations said we were so thorough, we could actually put on the event. We'd consulted w/ the USFSA when gathering information, and they even asked us for some of what we did.

That's great! I'm impressed that you thought to consult with USFSA, and that they thought enough of what you did to ask you for your work. Good job!

[Fish80]

Bear Grylls is in the jungle, eating the liver of a monitor lizard.

[Lavabe]

That could, indeed, be fun. So, are you going to rub it in, or are you going to use the "Maryland is so far beneath us that it's really not even worth discussion" strategy? That could potentially be even more fun.

I'm waiting for the discussion of Vasquez. I'm thinking of leading off with:

"How many points?"

"Second best point guard?"

I'll wait a little bit longer.

[ArkieDukie]

I'm waiting for the discussion of Vasquez. I'm thinking of leading off with:

"How many points?"

"Second best point guard?"

I'll wait a little bit longer.

I feel a bit sorry for Vasquez. Poor guy was obviously rattled - maybe he couldn't handle the pressure of playing in his house?

I have one question: maybe he meant 2nd worst point guard? If he's 2nd worst, how bad is the worst?

[YmoBeThere]

I'm waiting for the discussion of Vasquez. I'm thinking of leading off with:

"How many points?"

"Second best point guard?"

I'll wait a little bit longer.

To mangle Dennis Green's phrase:

"He is who we thought he was, and we hooked him good!"