Neither Brains, Nor Sleet, Nor Sleep, Nor...

1) On Monday/Tuesday this week, the lamiacs at the US Open, in the appropriately named Flushing Meadow, made their best corporate customers and guests wait two hours to even ENTER Arthur Ashe Stadium at 8PM to see any tennis. They were treated to a great comeback-from-the-brink win by the No.1 Seed, Caroline Wozniacki.          

But, let's face facts: these fans were there to see Fed, even if some of them had never seen a tennis match in their lives. Many TV fans felt the same way. So, what did those true incompetents of the USTA and US Open do for them? They began F's match at around 11:30PM.

F, interviewed before the match, said all the right things, sort of. Like Maria Sharapova earlier in the tourney, he mentioned this kind of thing as being "part of the NY Open." Well, that's nice, for the players. But, what about the real fans, the ones who know and care about tennis, play tennis, and want their children and grand-children to play tennis? And, what about the corporate clients paying top dollar to insult their guests by making them stand in long lines, pay for their own food, and then get home at 2:30AM?

Not to mention the advertisers in what ESPN calls "Tennis in Prime Time." Please. The clients were texting and emailing their demands for commercial replacements or refunds, while on their way home in their limos and falling asleep on their comfy pillows.

And, the USTA wonders what has happened to tennis in the US? Answer: them!

2) ...and speaking of tennis's loss of popularity in the US (only 11% of players in the 2011 Open are Americans), maybe it's time that ESPN and the USTA examine the fact that one of the key players in the future development of US tennis is John McEnroe.

How can he continue to serve two masters without at least the appearance of a conflict of interest? Would he have passively accepted an 11:30PM start when he was a player? Where was his sense of outrage on behalf of the live fans,  TV fans and advertisers? Could it be that he did not want to criticize those with whom he has an important relationship...the USTA itself?

Can he be serious!

It's fine to believe that true New Yorkers think nothing of late-night/early morning events. But, most of these people are not important to the future development of players, since they care for the event and telling their friends and colleagues that they were there more than they care for the game so many others  love.

3) While The Swiss Fed was beginning his late night repast and quick consumption of somebodiova or other, I was nodding-off thinking, "They'd never do this to Derek Jeter." Wrongeddy-Wrong!

The Yankees began  their game against the hapless Orioles at 11:08PM Tuesday and finished after 2AM Wednesday. The Yankees. Powerless. Did they offer discounted food/beverages to the fans at the game? Please, MLB has the same screw-the-fans attitude as the Open flushers do.

Is there a connection between the fact that sports fans accept complete exploitation and manipulation and the general American malaise and political/economic decline? (See item #4 below for answer)

4) Fans of the US Postal Service woke this week to find that their favorite team, which hasn't won a pennant or much of anything else in decades will be about $10Billion in the hole this year. Also, they need a quick $5.5Billion to avoid a default. 

Loyal USPS fans, who so lovingly open ten pieces of junk mail from near-bankrupt banks every day, were more than mildly surprised by this. Strange, but they thought that someone would have done something a long time ago to avoid such a, well, Greek-like thing to happen. One Senator's solution was to ask more citizens to write letters to each other. We didn't make that up. Maybe he should run the USTA?

Oh yes, we forgot to say that the Postmaster General has recently wanted to close some post offices, eliminate Saturday deliveries, and lay-off 120,000 workers. If that last number surprises you, sports fans, imagine our surprise when we found out that this is only 10% of workers and that there is a law saying that all postal lay-offs (potential Ex-Feds? Sorry) are illegal. Talk about a federal jobs program!

5) A certain Alfred E. Newman used to wonder, "What, me worry?" I think that even
 he would be seriously thinking more along the lines of "Me worry? Me Gone!"

They say Portugal is lovely at this time of year.

Ed Note: We are not big fans of our competitor Thomas Friedman of the Times, but we think his referral to the following article is noteworthy for anyone who cares about the truth regarding what is really happening in the world today:
http://www.mahbubani.net/articles%20by%20dean/Gaddafis%20and%20wests%20love%20of%20the%20big%20lie.pdf