Even rarer than the eclipsing of the Sun is the forthcoming quarterfinal match between two bright stars of the ATP circuit: Marat Safin and Feliciano Lopez. Indeed, this stellar event has only occurred five times in the last six years.
Please heed this dire Public Servicing Announcement!
Such a collision of exquisiteness is hazardous to your health. The simultaneous impact of the imposing, rakish Russian and the suave Spaniard in the same orbit is unfortunately too much sensory stimuli for most #### sapiens to endure!!!
Particularly those that described Tuesday’s 25 degree Celsius (77F) temperature in London to be “boiling.” Hmmm... royalty unfamiliar with cauldron and oil? Surely, they jest!
Bah! They've yet to know HOT until Safin and FeLo grace the grass!
The athleticism of this masculine pair of celestial bodies has potential to render you sightless! Deafen your ears!! Outright SLAY you!!!
In the self-interest of philanthropy, I have agreed to take on the burden of your Court One tickets, whilst you instead fortify your vision with vitamin C & manganese-rich strawberries. Cream if you desire.
My bravery will afford you the opportunity to lay eyes on the green lawns of the All-England Club once again. Even as soon as the Arnaud Clement-Rainer Schuettler match, which is a more humanly sufferable amount of charm on one court.
Please bequeath all tickets to:
The Ever-Obsessed Ambassador MCLioness
Solo Inhabitant of the Safinfatuated Solar System
Allsaid paper tokens shall be duly recycled.
Those with Ground Admission tickets, please refrain from alms, though your intent is appreciated. I’ve no aspirations to be a jill on Henman Hill. (Lo, I cannot touch the lately christened Murray Mound... though begging for punnery, I favor the more Middle-Ages Brit to the Scot Brat!)
To further proffer my body in the names of both Science and Deity, I shall bear witness to this heavenly event at the risk of losing ALL my senses! I will do so without the projection of a camera obscura! Without shield for my orbs! No plugs for my ears or nose! I shall even deny myself garments as inspiration to the combatants!!!!
I have been training myself for ages, hardening myself with the virtual countenance of Safin more than any body has thus far or shall again.
The afterimage of his visage already engulfs my brain, an affliction I do not wish to share with my worst enemy, nor any other soul. What remains to be tested is my forbearance to withstand his entire physical, sweaty, screaming, ball-pounding presence. I even dare to measure his luminosity in foot candles!
Please, please, Peasants... You marvel at my generosity and sacrifice, but reassure yourselves that my personal gratification is well in hand.
The 187 cm (6’2”) Lopez has less of an influence on my involuntary and voluntary responses. However this lefty, whom flirts on the verge of pretty, moonlights as a model for a reason.
You've done it again- I laughed the whole way through, and I must say, it was good to once again experience the flowery narrative voice that is MCLioness. I thought about you when Wimbledon started and wondered if you were still obsessed with Marat Safin. I guess this answers my question, but little could I have known that he would be joined by another... you are brave indeed- But i beg you: if their radiance becomes too intense, at least put on some sunglasses!
I wouldn't even know where to start making snarky comments with this cornucopia of a blog. Maybe with the phrase "personal gratification is well in hand".
Rock on, you Funhouse front-pager! And enjoy your...uh, court candy?
Cornucopia... that's a comment I'll treasure. Maybe better than booty... it's a toss o.. um, toss up.
Ah, the best part is that sultry Safin look & caption on the Funhouse front page -- spread the goodness! Might I be one step closer to that source of ecstasy?!
So he's "equaled his best effort" here; that's a theory I'd like to test...
Ha Ha says the Joker to the le'fem- this will only be hot unto the female speices- I would rather watch the ladys myself..very well writen blog and very humorous,
I give props to Fox for headlining parity... The splendor of Safin (!) alongside their Babe of the Week feature. They are wise to feature his features... :)
Marat's a man's man, too... funny, forthright... I could go on & on, and often do!
MC Lioness You're a stickler for punishment one way or another. If it's not Marat then that's it. What happens when he disappoints on the court ? I believe that you're liable to drown your sorrows. I'm taking nothing away from him. But he hasn't been the player he once was in years , injuries or no injuries. It's either that his mind is elsewhere or he's just not that into the game anymore.
See my Wimbledon post on why US men's tennis is in such a rut. It's titled The Yanks Are Coming The Yanks Are Coming Only They're Not Doing So Well ! Let me know what you think as to the merits of the piece ? I'll look forward to reading your comments as and when you're ready.
Also try the following piece titled To Serve But To Do So With Distinction And Pride !
Part of the wonder of Safin is his obvious humanity. I'm loyal through & through!
The delay has helped him, but he still seems a touch off concentration right now. I don't know what's going on with NBC... they're not live, but are showing Murray-Gasquet even though play is back on.
Love Radio Wimbledon, especially since I can get a Court 1 feed. I tried to buy Wimbledon Live, which has video, but it won't run on a Mac.
MC Lioness
That's the inherent problem with regard to the coverage. If it's not on NBC then it's ESPN2. I don't that it's being shown either on BBC America's own cable outlet here in North America. However what I try to do is to catch it via whatever cable or satellite outlet that I can.
I think that the Nadal, Murray matchup'll have the Brits chompin' at the bit.
On the women's side the talk is a Williams sister's matchup. But with Zheng Jie in the mix. She could spoil things for them.
Safin's first SF on the year... first SF at Wimbly... first Russian to the SF here. It's Fed time now! Hmmm, could this be a deja vu for the SF in Australia '05???
MC Lioness
If he proves his worth then I for one will commend him on that. As he's had a heard time as of late. As to what'll happen in the latter rounds is most certainly open to conjecture.
From now on whatever content matter that I contribute within the forum'll will be done here under this guise.
MCLioness
We've known that to be his problem over the years. And it certainly has been his mentally capacity and temperament that has always come into question when he's lost a game.
If he can keep his psyche in check then he ought to do well.
But it's as I've alluded to earlier it's about what he's capable of doing on the day.
Once again we're doomed to be disappointed once again. As another Brit fails when too much is asked of him. Poor ol' Andy Murray , opines about the other British players being selfhis and not working hard enough. And all he does is fold his tent as if it'd been blown away by a sandstorm. To my mind he's overrated and opining pompous a#s !
Safin has all along been talking match-by-match and downplaying his chances... acting the anti-Djokovic. So maybe that's what is working for him right now. I love to see him verbally swagger, but his internal conversations are most important. He's showing maturity, but does need that self-belief.
He needs to know he's Marat Safin!
I thought Murray would give Nadal more trouble as well. Sure, he'd be tired... not just with the length of his 4th round, but the emotion he threw into it. The hoopla may have been too much.
I would have like to seen more of Gasquet; his net play against Murray was beautiful.
Hello, sls & jon... I will continue in a new comment....
Husker: "Gross" is the LAST adjective that comes to mind regarding Safin.
Justan' appreciates a lady who matches you fellas in appreciating members of the opposite sex. You guys don't corner the market on scoping! ;)
Marat is merely the standalone top of what is hot in men's tennis!
Both of you: I give you props for picking Ana, though... my favorite WTA star was Clijsters and I haven't found a replacement yet. Ivanovic has the same kind of class Kim does...
Though I'm sure that's not your sole criteria for posting her picture...
slshusker
I've not forgotten the ladies but with all due respect to MC , I seriously doubts that she'd want her post to have too many females adorning it. But for you here's India's Sania Mirza .
Nicole Vaidisova .......
MCLioness
Murray is as we Brits would like to say a big piece of dog's p*o*op that's best avoided. Here he is saying that his fellow countrymen are lazy and uninspiring. But yet he folds his tent against Nadal as if he'd been swept up in a friggin' sandstorm. He's a big turd that's always worth avoiding. The hype surrounding him just isn't worth it !
justan: You know, once the seeds started dropping, I thought Vaidisova had a crack at this...
As for Murray, he was the "lion-hearted" for a day and then followed up meekly. The sport is led by 2 men who fight every single match...
Similarly, Safin needed a better attitude than he brought today, but he foreshadowed this effort. At least he is playing better and showed a few points of brilliance today. If he would have the mental will that he showed coming back to Australia in '04 & '05, more Slams could be his. But he -- and any of the men -- have to be willing to bleed and still lose to Rog & Rafa. With that kind of attitude, they could possibly win one off the world's top two.
I'd say I'm more athlete than fan. I hope I can say that all my life.
After Marat Safin, is there anyone else?
Some of my other favorite athletes include: Dmitry Tursunov, Kim Clijsters, Roger Federer, Tedy Bruschi, Cory Schlesinger, Brian McBride, Lynn Hill & Dean Potter.
I truly appreciate any advice or criticism. Thank you.
