Simply Amazing

Well I was going to write today about how hard I've been working at my job lately, how incredibly tedious it can be sometimes and about how I just have to persevere even though I work harder than anyone I know a lot of times and often with relatively little to show for it. But then this tennis match came along and made me forget all about my day-to-day complaints about anything.

Well, let's go back a step first. The World Cup actually became damn interesting on Wednesday morning. I was off site and unable to really enjoy it, but I did get to listen through most of the game on my commute into work yesterday, and the tension levels -- and the corresponding level of interest in the game -- was just incredible. As we stayed tied at 0-0, and with England grabbing the early 1-0 lead over Slovenia, everyone listening or watching the U.S. - Algeria soccer game knew that either one of two things could happen -- in fact, needed to happen -- for the U.S. to make the Round of 16. We either needed to score a goal, or we need Slovenia to score a goal. Either option would get us through the Group and into the next round, but as the U.S. missed chance after chance after chance, the tension just grew and grew for U.S. soccer fans all around the world. As someone who thinks most soccer players in this country are huge dorks and certainly doesn't give a crap about the sport or its success here, I have to admit, it actually got really interesting to me. As the time ticked away and England grabbed their victory, our game entered stoppage time and we knew at that point it had to be us, and when Donovan was in the right place after rushing the net on the offensive drive to put back the easy rebound, I will admit something I won't ever probably admit to again: I screamed. Out loud. I was in my car and I actually rolled down the window and screamed. It was that exciting.

Anyways, originally this post was going to be a whine about how hard I've been working, but then after the World Cup actually found a way to make me interested, then they were going to be the topic of today's post instead, and I was already imagining writing it in my head. But then this tennis match happened.

59-59? I mean, is that for real? I had to watch SportsCenter just because I had to make sure it wasn't just a typo. A typo repeated all over every sports ticker on tv, internet site and media outlet this side of TASS. I had to watch just so I could see what 59-59 looks like on the scoreboard at Wimbledon.

It's pretty rare that something comes along and shatters an all-time record by this much. I mean, this is like the equivalent of someone showing up and hitting 125 home runs in one year, or someone in the NFL throwing for 90 touchdowns in a season. So you take the longest tennis match ever played in the history of the sport, and then add 66% to that. And that's just how long the match is so far. These two guys are still tied. At 59 games apiece in the crucial fifth set.

Tell me something -- is there any way we can just give them both the victory, and let them take on the next opponent in the tournament as a tag team? They can alternate playing by games or something. I mean, who do you think is going to be more fatigued in this one? The guy having to play every game against two men who are alternating games? Or each of the two guys who can barely walk let alone run or swing a racket, having to play every other game against a well-rested young guy who has played only one match in the past two days, not three full matches (at least)?

It's either that, or just make the winner of this match this year's overall Wimbledon champion, and go ahead and award the trophy and everything right there after this thing ends today. Hopefully!