Sunday, July 3

Say it Loud....

VENUS WILLIAMS defeats Davenport!!!!
For years I have had an issue with the way commentators, report the Williams sister's tennis matches..and for the way their fellow professional tennis players talk about them. Whenever talking about a Willliams' win, they love to point out the injuries of the opponents and how Venus just barely outlasted or Serena pulled ahead due to her opponents foot, finger or knee injury..and yadda, yadda, yadda.....Just say it loud......the Williams sisters are skilled, gifted and proud.... Is that wrong?

I've also heard a lot of "Oh Venus was lucky this" and "Serena was lucky that" and luck..luck...luck...

Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity. -Oprah Winfrey

Venus and Serena are lean mean PROFESSIONAL tennis playing machines....Just face it......In the great words of Notorious B.I.G. -"Player haters get away or my lead will spray". It took too many years and this EPIC win for Lindsay Davenport, who I could kind of like (because she reminds me of Sally Fields- bitter version) if I didn't question her sincerity, to give a smidget of the load of respect Venus Williams as a professional tennis player deserves. Professionals, professionals..professionals who work hard on their craft to perfect it.....remember this fact and stop talking about them and treating them like they are just some really lucky inner city kids. Yes, Venus Williams outlasts Lindsay Davenport to take the Wimbledon.....She also outplayed her.
and yes I did miss it competely...I had to read about it on-line. Coulda' gone to a sports bar....but I don't really like to watch these matches in mixed company. The usual feel I get from watching a Williams match, especially when she is gaining on her competitor, is not "Venus was lucky the ball cleared the net" or "Serena was lucky with her 110mph serve", I'm more reminded of a lion tossing a mouse back and forth between his paws before he dines.

Still floating in the river of Da' nile about Luther Vandross....sad loss for the musical world.....relief (I'm sure) for his soul...RIP.
The first substantial amount of money I won on a casino slot machine was during the intermission at a Luther Vandross concert in Atlantic City, NJ. One of my buds worked at Epic records...we had backstage passess and the ability to come and go as we pleased. The man put on a show....his voice thundered across a venue like a direct order from Mt.Olympus, commanding well deserved attention and keeping it on him as he graced us with songs embedded in my psyche. I haven't had a mini Luther concert in forever....maybe I'll jump in the car with a collection of his work and take a cruise on the PCH while inhailing the fresh ocean breeze.