Last Sunday here on the Irish Riviera (one nickname for Scituate, MA) was not a great day for outdoor activities. The day was a complete washout reminiscent of South Florida style storms complete with thunder and lightning. Frequently on days like this, I have a saying that it is “a great day for indoor sports”.
That could mean going to the gym, having a Sunday funday brunch, or settling down to watch something good on the tube. I opted for numbers 1 & 3, and boy was I happy with my choices.
The viewing started when I decided to check into the Wimbledon finals. I thought that I just wanted to get a feel for what was going on and see what the Brits were up to, but I couldn’t turn it off. This had to be one of the best matches in the history of the game. Both players left it all on the court, with the score bouncing back and forth between the two great finalists Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. One seasoned champion and one destined to become one battled for nearly 5 hours in front of the sellout crowd.
The 20-year-old Alcaraz finally won, but I was most taken by the speech delivered by Djokovic after his defeat. I’ve always liked him as a player, but now I’ve grown to really appreciate him and love his candor, honor, humility and fortitude. What a great human being he is. I really believe that at 36 years old, this loss will make him stronger and keep him in the running for a few more years.
What I kept thinking during his speech was about the ungrateful US athletes who dump on the USA and get political after they win a big game or championship. Whether it is the WNBA loudmouth or the football players refusing to stand for the national anthem, these people really bother me. I know this is a free country, but it is time for our country to get the respect it deserves, from everyone whether you make nothing or $50 million a year for putting a ball in a hoop. And for those who can’t stop dumping on the USA, consider tracing your ancestral roots and heading back there; I’m sure it will be better for you.
To close out the afternoon, I flipped on the Scottish Golf Open only to see Rory McIlroy drain an 11-foot putt to win on the 72nd hole. Another class act that Rory, and while he beat a young Scottish kid who would have made the locals proud, a second-place finish paid him well for the week. Someday I hope to finish a golf round as Rory did and birdie the last two holes. Yesterday, for example, I played with friends at Sacconnesset in Falmouth only to wreck an otherwise great round to finish with two triple bogies!
