It's the same song and dance that the New England Patriots seems to take with their players when regarding contract talks. Though many Patriots fans will try to defend and deny that such a thing occurs, they would need to reconsider their stance. When it comes down to it, the Patriots play hardball with their 'loyal' star players. In 2003, former Patriot Lawyer Milloy wanted to renegotiate his contract to get paid a little bit more. Result: Patriots cut him a week before the start of the season. In 2009, Richard Seymour was in the last year of his contract with the Pats, and wanted to renegotiate a new deal. Result: He was traded to the Oakland Raiders just days before the Patriots' first game of the season. Even players who played out their rookie contracts like Vince Wilfork and Logan Mankins were hard balled by Pats management, even after having Pro Bowl caliber years. Now, we come to the most recent victim of all this: Wes Welker. Since coming to the Patriots in 2007, Welker has been the most consistant and dangerous weapon in Tom Brady's arsenal. In 4 out of 5 seasons he's been in New England, Wes Welker has caught more than 100 passes and gained over 1,000 yards each time. The only time he did not reach the 1,000 yard mark was in 2010, where he was coming from an offseason of rehabilitation due to an ACL/MCL injury. He's also coming off a 2011 campaign where he posted career highs in receiving yards (1,569), receiving yards per game (98.1), and receiving touchdowns (9). Also, 2011 was the last year of his most recent contract. Now most football teams would give Welker the farm for his consistency, hard work and dedication to the team, as well as being a model citizen. But unfortunately, the Pats think otherwise of their most productive offensive weapon. While most players would complain about getting the franchise tag, Welker quietly signed his tender, a 1-year $9.5 million dollar, in hopes that the Patriots will be able to give him a reasonable contract extension. Instead, the Patriots awarded starting tight end Rob Gronkowski a 8-year $54 million dollar extension including an $8 million signing bonus. Then just recently they inked Aaron Hernandez to a 5-year, $37.5 million extension including a $12.5 million signing bonus. Now with the season opener rapidly approaching, one can only imagine where Wes Welker's situation will turn next. If history holds up, Patriots fans should not be surprised if Welker gets traded to another team two days before the Patriots open up against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. After all, it's how the Patriots treat their players during contract negotiations. -Ryan L. Fox The fans have been crying for it. The experts demanding it. This past weekend the Red Sox front office executed one of the biggest trades in Major League history. Unloading upwards of $250 million in salary to LA, and wiping theproverbial slate clean. An unorthodox deal that centered around All-Star first baseman Adrain Gonzalez. The deal was not only a financial breather for the Sox it was also a huge power shift in the National League and perhaps in all of baseball. After last season's clubhouse antics, many placed pitcher Josh Beckett a head of the sour grape committee. Involved in multiple incidents in recent years, Beckett has been ridiculed by his peers and fans for his above-the-law attitude. His teammate Carl Crawford's situation was a little different. After signing a legendary multi-year contract worth over $145 million, Crawford did not produce at a high level. Often injured, missing most of last season and the current season, he Sox looked to be saddled with Crawford and his high price tag for the next 5 seasons. Much like Beckett, a high salary made things difficult when seeking a trade. Unless of course the Red Sox were willing to eat most of the financial responsibility. In order for this deal to have gone through, according to Major League rules the player or players have to clear waivers. This means any team that would like to acquire the said player on waivers would have to claim him. The team with the worst record has first choice (second worst gets second choice, and etc.). This fact is important because Red Sox GM Ben Cherrington did something in completing this deal that he had yet to do.....Impress Red Sox Nation. Make no mistake here, this deal took some brain power and, dare I say, a little moxy. In order to unload both Crawford's and Beckett's money, the Sox had to sacrifice what they thought was their future. They had to think outside the box and lure the right suitor in. That's just what they did by placing Gonzalez on waivers. this was a move few would haveever anticipated. Yet, as expected the Dodgers came forward with their checkbook in hand. Los Angeles had already added close to $40 million in payroll last month with the additions of All-Stars Shane Victorino, Hanley Ramirez, as well as others. Led by a new ownership group, the Dodgers made a statement of their own; win now, win often at any cost. The addition of Gonzalez legitimizes their offense. Beckett brings valuable postseason "big game"experience. What remains to be seen and will not be clear till next season is: Did the Dodgers buy damaged goods? After all Carl Crawford (injured) will not play again until next May, and Beckett's numbers are the worst of his career. For Boston this trade provides a new hope at least for next season. Dropping over $250 million in salary plus the nearly 50 additional million set to come off the books with other expiring contracts is a great start. This off-season the Sox will have the opportunity to sign a big name or two, maybe even retain a couple of their own. For LA, 2012 will be known (either way) as the year they went for it all regardless of the cost. - Pal Stephen Strasburg, the Washington Nationals' young pitching phenom is having a heck of a season. Thus far, the 24 year-old hurler is 15-5 with a 2.85 ERA and 183 Strikeouts in 145 Innings Pitched. Although the first three of those statistics should be cause for celebration, it is the last figure that is causing anxiety for the Nationals. It has been widely reported that Washington intends on shutting down Strasburg's season once he hits a pre-established innings limit of 180. They fear that exceeding this limit will cause Strasburg, the 2009 first overall draft pick's arm to wear down, leading to potential injury. While it is understandible that they would want to proect and preserve such a valuable asset, it is hard to imagine disrupting his stellar season, which has placed the Nationals atop the National League standings. Here is a sampling of how pitching durability has declined throughout the years: We have seen young pitchers shut down due to a innings limit before, but never the number one starter on a contending team. Washington seems content to forego the remainder of the pennant chase, and playoffs without their Cy Young candidate. Granted, Strasburg is only a year removed from Tommy John surgery, but he has shown no signs of slowing or breaking down. They may want to preserve his arm, but this is a team with post-season aspirations, they may be compromising a pennant for an unknown future. It seems to me that this should have been handled better, differently. Rather than letting him pitch every five days, perhaps the Nationals should have had spaced out Strasburg's starts. Now, they find themselves up against their self imposed limit, and have put themselves into a difficult position.
They are in a lose-lose situation. If Strasburg pitches beyond his limit, and suffers an injury, people will blame Washington for wearing him out. If they shut him down, and the team falters, people will blame it on shutting down their ace. The only way Washington makes out is if they win the World Series this year. - Kevin Aherne Last time we checked out the AFC East. This time, we turn our attention to one of the more competitive divisions in the NFL, the AFC North. Three out of the fours teams in the division made the playoffs. Can the same thing happen in 2012? Lets' ask some probing questions to find out! 5. Cleveland Browns (2011 Record: 4-12) Question: Can QB Brandon Weeden succeed where QB Colt McCoy failed? In April's NFL Draft, the Browns used their second 1st Round pick to get Oklahoma State University QB Brandon Weeden. Then in training camp, the team announced that Weeden would be the starter, usurping QB Colt McCoy from the position. Most believe that Weeden has the better arm strength and accuracy than McCoy. Not to mention that McCoy had an iffy year last season as the the starter. However, in his defense, the Browns offense was very questionable. Dealing with no top receiving target, the injured Peyton Hillis, and a poor running game, and having a swiss cheese O-Line, you can't blame Colt for having a poor season. Now going into this season, the Browns drafted Alabama RB Trent Richardson to solidify the running game and began to develop receivers Greg Little and Mohammed Massaquoi. But other than that, you basically have the same offense from last year, just a different QB. Maybe Weeden can succeed where McCoy failed, but more than likely he could face the same uphill battle. 6. Cincinnati Bengals (2011 Record: 9-7) Question: Can QB Andy Dalton and WR A.J. Green replicate the same success they had in their rookie year? It was no question that Panthers' Cam Newton was one of the more prolific rookie QBs last year. However many would have considered Cincinnati's Andy Dalton as a close number two. In 2011, Andy Dalton's stats were: 300 (58.1%), 3,398 yards, 20 TDs and 13 INT, all ranked second among rookie QBs. Then you have his number one target, fellow rookie WR A.J. Green. In 2011, Green led all rookie receivers with 65 catches and 1,057 yards, and was tied for second in receiving touchdowns with 7. They were able to propel the Bengals to a 9-7 record and a wildcard spot, surprising many who thought the Bengals would have an 'off-year'. This year the backfield is more of a commitee than a single running back system. Also, defenders will hone more on A.J. Green as he's the main target on the team. In 2012, can we see lighting strike twice with the Dalton/Green combo? Or will they just be a quick flash in the pan and fall down to mediocrity? 7. Pittsburgh Steelers (2011 Record: 12-4) Question: Will a 'rusty' offense doom the 2011 Steelers? Aside from the bad 'metal pun', things look bleak for the Steelers going into the 2012 season. We start off with the occurring injuries to the Steelers backfield. RB Rashard Mendanhall will more than likely start the season on the PUP list as he recovers from another injury. Then his backup, Issac Redman is also injured and trying to recover. And then of course, you have the issue with Ben Roethlisberger's health. Rumors of him having an injured rotator cuff as well as receiving multiple concussions make his status very questionable. Not to mention he's been butting heads with new Steelers Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley over not just throwing the ball away and trying to be a 'hero,' risking further injury. However, WR Mike Wallace has provided some relief as he ended his holdout and signed his 1-year franchise tender of $2.7 million. Though the Steelers boast a rugged and tough defense, it'll be tough for them to not only stop the opposing offense but also pick up the slack from their offense as well. 8. Baltimore Ravens (2011 Record 12-4) Question: Can QB Joe Flacco jump out from the middle of the pack into the upper-tier level of NFL QBs? Some of the focus in Baltimore is on whether or not Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will stick around much longer. The bigger question is whether or not QB Joe Flacco will make that jump from being a 'middle of the pack' kind of guy to more of a upper-tier QB like an Eli Manning, an Aaron Rodgers, or Ben Roethlisberger. Flacco has the potential of doing so, but has not yet proven himself. Already he has shown that he's one of the more successful QBs from the 2008 NFL Draft, leading the Ravens to 4 playoff appearances, including 2 AFC Championship games (2008, 2011). He doesn't have the cannon of an arm or the flashy stats like other NFL quarterbacks. But what Flacco does is manage the game and commits very few turnovers, throwing no more than 12 interceptions in one season. He's like what Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger was at the beginning of their careers. Going into 2012, this will be Flacco's chance to show he's ready to make that leap. He's got the weapons on offense with receivers Torrey Smith and Anquan Bolden as well as one of the NFL's top offensive threats in Ray Rice. Now all that's left is winning the Lombardi. That's it for the AFC North. Next time we head South and take at the now rebuilding AFC South Division. -Ryan L. Fox The title says it all. After being signed back on July 11th, the 'Chad Johnson Experiment' in Miami is over. As of August 12th, the Miami Dolphins have cut former Cincinnati Bengal and New England Patriot wide receiver Chad Johnson, formerly known as Chad 'Ochocinco'. Chad Johnson's release comes during the aftermath of being arrested the previous evening for domestic violence between him and his now estranged wife ,Evelyn Lozada. Ironically enough, the entire scene of Chad Johnson being released was televised live during 'Hard Knocks'. Most people would point out the fact that Chad's release stemmed from his Sunday night arrest. However, this was more like the straw that broke the camel's back. Chad seemed to struggle during practice, dropped several passes, and his route running was frustrating the Dolphins' quarterbacks. In his preseason debut last Saturday, a 20-7 loss to Tampa Bay, Chad was targeted only once and dropped what appeared to be an easy catch. Combined with his 'overacting emotions' when on camera, and the fact he signed with the Dolphins after it was announced they would be on for 2012's edition of 'Hard Knocks', it's easy to see why Miami decided that enough was enough and cut their losses. So after being cut by what many considered to be one of the lower-tier NFL teams, what does the future hold for Chad Johnson? Will he just fade away, join some sort of VH1/MTV Celebrity Show, or will he end up in Oakland, since he fits the M.O. of a Raider's player (former talented veteran player + outcast by other teams + trouble with law)? Who knows, who knows? -Ryan L. Fox Photo: Jim Davis/Boston Globe Professional baseball player, manager, coach, and goodwill ambassador Johnny Pesky has passed away at age 92. Pesky (born John Michael Paveskovich) was originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1940, and has spent 72 years in professional baseball. He was a career .307 hitter in his 12 year Major League career as an infielder for Boston, Detroit, and Washington. In 1962, after serving several years as managing in the minor leagues, Pesky was appointed skipper of the Red Sox. He filled that role for the 1962, 1963 seasons, and then again in 1980. He has also served as a color commentator during Red Sox television broadcasts in the 1960's, as a coach, and as the Red Sox team ambassador. What Pesky is most notoriously known for is his eponymous right field foul pole at Fenway Park, the Pesky Pole. This moniker, officially recognized by the Sox in 2006, was attributed to broadcaster Mel Parnell, who created the nickname following a game winning home run hit by Pesky. Ironically, this is thought to be the only dinger Pesky ever hit around that pole, as he finished his career with just 17 home runs... only six of which were at Fenway. Anyone who knew or even met Johnny Pesky knows that he was a man who loved life, baseball, and the Boston Red Sox. He never turned down an autograph request, or a chance to chat with fans about the game he loved. He will be missed. Johnny Pesky 1919-2012 - Kevin Aherne
Recently, while trolling threw the endless scrolls of daily social media updates, I came across a childhood friend's post that stuck with me. The quote read: "Watching the Olympics and my daughter says: "that guy had metal legs, but he can run and rollerskate. He is so cool. He is just like my friend at my old school who had a helper hand. She was cool too." The eyes of a child can often set life back to a kinder, gentler reality. Since the days of the Greeks, the Olympics have endeared the hearts of man. Athletes from every nation compete for the honor of returning home with a gold medal. American pride reigns strong. According to NBC, the 2012 Games has been some of the highest rated programing in television history. Yet, there still exist small minded ignoramuses who ignorantly comment: "That's a sport?" or "The Olympics suck, I'd rather watch preseason football". The amount of blindness circulating in this instant gratification era of man is scary. To not find any pride in watching Michael Phelps dominate in the pool, or engaged when Murray took down Federer in tennis is ludicrous. How about the most obvious story line, the same story rather man that led to this whirlwind rant. Oscar Pistorius the South African runner with metal legs? A double below the knee amputee, but yet, still a track star. I will admit, there are some games that do seem a little foolish, but so is arguing over meaningless football games. The Tebow - Sanchez argument's repitition alone is mind numbing. My point is simple. In a world with such racial, social and religious intolerance; our fast food, instantaneous society... the Olympics, at least for a moment unite us all in the spirit of good will and competition. -Pal Every four years, the world celebrates the spirit of competition, the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat. From blow-outs to buzzer-beaters, or rallying from behind, there are numerous ways in which a competition can be won, or more importantly, lost. While we watch in on athletes from across the globe climb podiums to accept their medals, very little attention is paid to those who came up short. However, today we will celebrate failure, and highlight some of the worst defeats in modern sports history. Top 5 Worst Losses of All Time 5. Wide Right Super Bowl XXV Super Bowl XXV was the most closely contested championship game of the Super Bowl era. The high-powered offense of the Buffalo Bills was coming at full strength at the lockdown defense of the New York Giants, leading to a back and forth battle that lasted for the entire 60 minutes. After Giant kicker Matt Bahr's fourth quarter field goal, New York led 20-19 with just minutes remaining. Both teams traded possessions in the final minutes, and Buffalo ended up with the ball with at their own 10-yard line with 2:16 remaining. Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas were able to lead the Bills down the field, making it to the Giants' 29-yard line with 8 seconds remaining. Head Coach Marv Levy opted to send in Scott Norwood and the kicking unit for a 47-yard field goal attempt that would potentially give Buffalo the lead and ultimate victory. The snap was good, the hold was solid, and the kick had the distance... but Scott Norwood pushed the ball wide right, by a matter of inches. Buffalo would lose the game, as well as the next three Super Bowls. 4. Third Time's A Charm 1972 USA-USSR Olympic Basketball Final September 9, 1972, amidst the contentious Cold War, The USA faced the Soviet Union in the Gold Medal match at the Munich Olympics. Much of the game was fairly uneventful, but a series of events in the final minute would cause the match to become regarded as the most controversial basketball game of all-time. With three seconds left in the game, Doug Collins made two clutch free throws(even though there was an arrant buzzer set off by the scorer's table during his second shot) to take the lead. So, with the USA now leading 50-49, the USSR had only three seconds to travel the length of the court and score. The ball was considered live at the completion of the second free throw, but the Soviets argued that they had attempted to call a timeout. Although the clock had now ticked down to one second, officials ordered a re-play, resetting the clock back to three. On the second attempt, the USSR attempted a full court pass, which was deflected off the backboard, thus allowing time to expire, seemingly ending the game with a US victory. However, the officials cleared the court once again, claiming the clock had not been properly reset. There would now be a third inbound attempt, and a third chance for the USSR to win the Gold. On the third and final attempt, the Soviets threw a full court pass, which made it safely to Aleksander Belov, who was able to complete a layup as time expired. The USSR was awarded the Gold Medal, the USA vehemently protested, and to this day have refused to accept their Silver Medals. 3. The Comeback Houston at Buffalo: 1992 NFL Wild Card Following a 10-6 regular season, the Houston Oilers traveled to Orchard Park, NY for a Wild Card Playoff matchup against the two-time defending AFC Champion, Buffalo Bills. Although Buffalo was favored in this matchup, the two teams had met in the previous week for the final game of the regular season, where Houston dominated the Bills, 27-3. The playoff matchup picked up where the previous week had left off, as the Oilers jumped out to a 28-3 lead by halftime. Jim Kelly left the game with a leg injury, so this mess of a game was now in the hands of backup, Frank Reich. Buffalo's woes continued into the second half, as Reich proceeded to throw a pick-six on the Bills' first possession of the 3rd Quarter. With a score of 35-3, the game, and the Bills season seemed to be lost. Even worse, pro-Bowl running back Thurman Thomas was out of the game with an injury. The Buffalo sideline was void of enthusiasm or hope, but there was still plenty of football to play. However, with 8:52 remaining in the 3rd quarter, the bills found the end zone for the first time, making the score 35-10. They proceeded to recover the ensuing onside kick, then quickly scored on a 38-yard touchdown pass to Don Beebe, cutting the lead to 18. Houston had now lost their momentum, and was forced to punt for the first time, which led to another score. The Oilers' following possession ended when Warren moon's pass was tipped and intercepted, leading to yet another score. Leading by only 4 points, Houston finally reached the red zone again in the 4th Quarter, but a botched field goal attempt gave Buffalo possession again. Reich led the team downfield to another touchdown, making the score 38-35, and giving them the lead for the first time. Houston then added a field goal, tying the game, sending the teams into overtime. Houston won the OT coin toss, but Warren Moon threw another untimely pick, which was returned to the Oiler 35. A 15-yard facemask penalty put the ball on the 20, inviting kicker Steve Christie to come out and knock in the game winning field goal. The victory was the biggest comeback in NFL history, and allowed Buffalo to move on toward their 3rd consecutive Super Bowl. Houston (as the Tennessee Titans) was able to return the favor to some extent, by defeating the bills in a 2000 Playoff game via the "Music City Miracle." 2. Mookie Wilson's Chopper 1986 World Series: Game 6 Heading into the 10th inning of the sixth game in the 1986 World Series, the score was tied at 3-3. In the top half of the extra frame, Dave Henderson hit a solo home run, followed by an RBI single by Marty Barrett, giving the Sox a 5-3 lead entering the bottom of the 10th. The Red Sox needed just three outs in order to clinch their first World Series title since 1918, but fate seemed to have other plans. The bottom of the 10th inning would feature a chain of events that most Sox fans would soon rather forget. The first such event was a questionable call by manager John McNamara. Normally, in late-innings, aging first baseman Bill Buckner would be pulled in favor of the younger, more defensively apt Dave Stapleton. However, Buckner was sent out to the field for this crucial inning. Next, after retiring the first two Met hitters, Sox' pitcher Calvin Schiraldi gave up 3 consecutive singles, allowing one run in, making the score 5-4. McNamara made a pitching change, bringing in Bob Stanley to finish the game. With the tying run on third, and the winning run on second base, Stanley had two strikes against Mookie Wilson, needing just one more in order to earn a World Series victory for Boston. However, Stanley let loose a wild pitch into the dirt, which skipped to the backstop, allowing the tying run to score. After fouling off two pitches, Mookie Wilson took the tenth pitch of the at bat, and slapped it down the first base line. The chopper made its way to Buckner, who charged to his left, bent down to scoop it up to end the inning, but the ball scooted under his glove and into right field. Ray Knight scored from third, and the Mets took the game 6-5. They would also go on to win 8-5 in Game 7, giving New York the Series, and extending the "Curse of the Bambino" for another 18 years. 1. Three Down, One To Go 2004 ALCS In 2003, the Sox watched a promising postseason fall to pieces after Aaron Boone took a Wakefield knuckleball down the 3rd base line, into the bleachers just inside the foul pole. This Game 7 loss turned Red Sox Nation upside-down, and pushed Grady Little out of town. In 2004, Boston earned the AL Wild Card spot, swept Anaheim in 3 games, and headed back to face off against the New York Yankees once again. However, unlike 2003, this was not a back and forth series. The Yankees looked sharp, taking the first two games at Yankee Stadium, 10-7 and 3-1 respectively. Sox hoped to even things up when the series moved to Boston, but things went from bad to worse... The Sox dropped Game 3 horrifically in a 19-8 blowout. Down three games to none, the series result seemed to be an inevitability. Once again, the Red Sox looked to be on the verge of the type of disappointment that had occurred far too often in the previous 86 years. At this point, the only hope amongst Sox fans was to prevent a sweep from the dreaded Yankees. However, by the way things started in Game 4, a sweep seemed to be unavoidable. Entering the 9th inning, the Sox trailed 4-3, and Mariano Rivera was throwing heat on the mound. Following a lead-off walk to Kevin Millar, speedy veteran Dave Roberts was sent in to pinch run. Following three straight pickoff attempts from Rivera, Roberts took off on the fourth pitch, narrowly beating the throw and arriving safely at second on a head-first slide. This stolen base would prove to be vitally important, as Bill Mueller proceeded to knock him in on a bloop single, sending the game into extra innings, where David Ortiz blasted a 2-run walk-off home run to win the game. Using these late game heroics as momentum, the Sox proceeded to take Game 5 on another walk-off hit from David Ortiz in the 14th inning. Boston also took Games 6 & 7 completing the improbable comeback and utter collapse from the Yankees. The Boston Red Sox continued their win streak, proceeding to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in four games on way to their first World Series Championship since 1918. Honorable Mention: Valeriy Borchin Olympic Race Walker (Photo Below), 2003 Chicago Cubs, 2011 Boston Red Sox, 2007 New York Mets, 1978 Boston Red Sox, 2007 Dallas Mavericks - Kevin Aherne
Hello folks, this is the Rainman here. After months of waiting, football season is around the corner. Though I'm sure many are excited and giddy with anticipation, many fans have at least a few questions and concerns about their team(s). Though there are many questions to be asked, yours truly has decided to ask just one question per team. We kick things off first with the AFC East Division.
2. Miami Dolphins (2011 Record: 6-10) Question: Which Dolphins Quarterback will be under center in the first regular season game? In the 2011, the Miami Dolphins started off the season by losing their first seven. However, they were able to finish strong going 6-3 in their next nine. During the winning streak, QB Matt Moore passed for 2,497 yards, 16 TDs, and put up a QB rating of 87.1 to cap off what was considered to be an abysmal season. This offseason, the Dolphins brought in Free Agent QB David Garrad and drafted Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill in the first round. Though Garrad missed the entire 2011, he was named the starting quarterback going into training camp with Moore and Tannehill listed as backups. With two capable starting quarterbacks and a 'QB of the future' waiting in the wings, it seems there is an ever growing pod of Dolphin QBs in Miami. But sometimes having too much of a good thing can have some undesireable effects on your team.
4. New England Patriots (2011 Record: 13-3) Question: Is the window of opportunity closing for the Patriots to win another Super Bowl? The Patriots have surprised many this offseason. Taking on the role as the aggressive buyer in the offseason, grabbing free agent WRs Brandon Lloyd, Jabbar Gaffney, and Dontae Stallworth. They also added Bobby Carpenter and Will Allen, while drafting two highly touted pass rushers in Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower. That being said, there's the possibility that WR Wes Welker could walk at the end of the season and the looming fear of QB Tom Brady possibly retiring in a year or two. If you combine the fact that the Patriot's defense is still young and trying to find its identity in the vastly improved AFC East. Though the Patriots were able to make it to the Super Bowl in 2011, but can they have the same amount of success in 2012? Or has that window closed on them? We will soon find out. Up next, the AFC North.
-Ryan L. Fox Winning In front of his home crowd with the world looking on, Andy Murray poured his passion and desire in very shot. The vicotry was set up perfectly, in what instantly will likely be known as one of the greatest moments in the British Olympics. Matched up against recent rival Roger Federer, the spotlights were beaming. The tennis gods were smiling down on the young Mr. Murray. The veteran Federer certainly did not roll over for the young Brit. Fighting for every volley and match point, Federer's attack was almost flawless. In the end, the gold-winning point would be decided on Murray's powerful ace, aimed directly at the Wimbledon Champ. A normally quiet English crowd cheered and jeered, loud and proud for their countryman. Upon victory, Murray jumped into that same crowd to embrace his family and friends. An emotional moment for an emotional athlete. An Olympic memory for those who watched, as they were rewarded with an historic tennis match. Andy Murray played is heart out and defeated the favored Roger Federer, who just a month earlier defeated him on the same court for the Wimbledon tournament victory. Taking the one thing the great Federer does not have, An Olympic Singles Gold Medal. -Pal |
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