Deep Thoughts: FML

I gave Argentinian Juan Martin del Potro zero chance of defeating Roger Federer. I figured Federer, owner of the U.S. Open, would take the final in straight sets.

When I think of Federer, I think of the saying: "the relentless pursuit of perfection." And I want him not to deviate from that path. I want him to be perfect. I want him to be, without a doubt, the best tennis player to have ever played the game. While in every other scenario as a fan I cheer for the underdog, I find it impossible not to root for Roger Federer. It shouldn't, and it sounds rather juvenile, but it sucks when he loses.

Here's hoping he takes the Aussie. Greatest Tennis Player of All-Time. GTPAT ...

You can add last night's ridiculous Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots Monday nighter to the list of Bills-related nightmares I suffer from. Some night's it's Scott Norwood's "wide right." Other nights, Troy Aikman. Sometimes Emmitt Smith makes an appearance. One of the worst is a trip down "Music City Miracle" lane. Even the 2007 Monday night epic failure at home to Dallas stings in ways it probably shouldn't.

It's amazing how many different ways the Bills have found to kick their collective fan base in the nuts. And each time hurts just as much, if not more, than the one before it.

Growing up, a young eyebleaf and his older brother became Bills supporters because two of our best friends (the same age as big bro and I, and our respective tennis doubles partners) had family in Buffalo, and were fans by proxy. Without a home team to cheer for (sorry Boatmen), we hopped along for the ride. Who knew it would be so tragic?

Thankfully those four Super Bowl losses happened when I was nine through 12 years old. Little time, and emotion, had been invested then. Imagine, now, watching the Toronto Maple Leafs lose four straight times in the Stanley Cup Final? I'm not sure I'd ever recover.

There aren't many people in this world whom I'd wish Buffalo Bills fandom upon. It's not the best way to live. I hate you today, Leodis McKelvin. And you too, Tom Brady ...

The Toronto Blue Jays. Those bastards. Unfortunately, they're still playing. And you knew you could count on them to blow a 5-2 lead, and add to an already miserable Monday night.

You know why people are sick to death of this team? You know why nobody is showing up at the SkyDome? Because Brian Wolfe has pitched 12.1 innings this season, while Jeremy Accardo has pitched only six and two-thirds more. That's bullshit, plain and simple. And there is no excuse. There can't be for not be fielding the best possible team, night in and night out.

Errors be damned, Marco Scutaro is still the man. Yeah, he fucked up last night. Yeah, his .770 August OPS and .598 September OPS aren't exactly worthy of phone calls home. But he'll have to mail it in a lot worse than that for me to start taking away from what he's been able to accomplish in 2009.

The Blue Jays cannot play out the stretch soon enough. If you're not depressed enough, read the most recent from Jeff Blair.

I don't know about you, but I'm doing my best to forget this season ever happened. I'm looking towards the future. Stay tuned, either late today, or Wednesday morning, for a Q&A between 2009 Blue Jays third-round draft pick Jake Marisnick and the few, the proud, the Blue Jays blogosphere.

I Hate Rafael Nadal

Nadal is the Toronto Rogers Cup champion. Oh joy.

I'm sick of seeing him bite all these trophies he's winning. It's lame.

I'm more of a Roger Federer type of guy. He's humble. Doesn't grunt. And doesn't bite his trophies like a lunatic.

The U.S. Open should be a beauty.

Federer or Woods?

This just in: Roger Federer is good at tennis. Federer won his fourth straight U.S. Open title on Sunday, and so the debate rages on - who's better at what they do? Federer or Tiger Woods?

I'm having a hard time believing that this Roger Federer fellow is human. The man is simply a tennis machine. What he's been doing in tennis is simply incredible. Watching him in action is like watching Michael Jordan on the basketball court, or Wayne Gretzky on the ice. He is the best in tennis today, and is making a strong bid for the title of the best tennis player ever.

Federer is the first man since Bill Tilden in the 1920's to win the U.S. Open four times in a row. It was his 12th major tournament title and, at a remarkable 26 years old, he's only two major's away from the record of 14 set by American Pete Sampras.

I watched a lot of Pete Sampras as a youth. He was a phenomenal tennis player, and was my favourite growing up. I'll never forget the classic Sampras-Agassi battles. It is, however, Federer's time. Move over, Pistol Pete. At only 26, there isn't a doubt in my mind Federer will break Sampras' record. All records are made to broken, right?

What makes it easy to cheer for Federer is the fact that it's impossible to hate him. Seriously, I've never met anyone who actually hates Federer. It truly is impossible. He's a man of few words and emotions, and is a humble superstar. He knows he's the best tennis player on the planet, but you wouldn't know it by his actions.

Federer also, it seems, does not feel pressure. None. Nada. Zilch. In the final against Novak Djokovic, he held five set points in the first set, and another two in the second set. It was incredible to watch. It was like he just flipped a switch, took control, and simply refused to lose. A stunned Djokovic could only look to the heavens and wonder how he could possibly let seven set points go to waste.

The exploits of Roger Federer and Tiger Woods cannot be overlooked. We, as sports fans, have the privelege of watching two of the finest athletes of our time dominate their respective sports in ways no men ever have. Both Federer and Woods have a way of making tennis and golf - two rather difficult sports - look ridiculously simple.

After winning the PGA championship in August, Tiger Woods now has 13 career major titles under his belt, and 60 career tournament wins overall. He's only five away from the record of 18 majors, set by none other than the Golden Bear Jack Nicklaus. Woods is only 31 years old. Nicklaus was 35 when he won his 13th. It's only a matter of time before Woods becomes golf's greatest statistical player.

On a side note, I wonder how many gold and green jackets Tiger actually has in his closet. I wonder if he wears the jackets at home. I wonder if he wears them to parties, or when he has company. Hmm...

Tiger Woods was born to play golf. Roger Federer was born to play tennis. It's as simple as that, folks. At the end of the day, however, I've got to go with Roger Federer on this one. Simply because tennis is so much more of a physically demanding sport.

Federer has such immense talent and endurance. He has won five straight Wimbledon titles, and now four straight U.S. open titles. His consistency, both physically and mentally, is nothing short of astounding.

But you tell me, who would you take?