Greetings from SoCal.

I certainly have more thoughts on the GOAT math. Interesting that Novak has pulled out of IW. I had no interest in that tournament this year either way. I saw some incredible tennis down there going back to 2012. Great venue. But didn’t have it on the calendar this year and surely the lack of a GOAT renders the tournament more of that futuristic alien beast we look at with apprehension, perplexed by this new, finally Big3-less, manifestation.

Let’s see how this year plays-out for Novak. Is he on the verge of another Djokollapse, which we covered quite spectacularly back in 2016. He had a similar one in 2013. In other words, Novak has come under such spells before. The 2021 USO was a collapse of sorts though I think we can say his mental and physical fitness, along with a tough draw (and the collapse of the other half of the draw), contributed to said 2021 collapse.

Does he play Paris and Turin? Does he finish with his 7th YE #1? We’ll have to wait and see, but I do suspect that I will get around to exposing you to my latest GOAT goulash in which a comparison is made between Federer and Djokovic, which separates them more from everyone’s favorite Spaniard, a comparison that likely clarifies the discussion heading into this afterlife of sorts that we are starting feel and see in our collective horror.

But there is some light at the end of this tunnel. I will be attending the San Diego Open tomorrow for some QF play. One QF is already set: Rublev vs Schwartzman. Here’s the rest of the R16:
Shapovalov vs Fritz
Norrie vs Evans
Hurkacz vs Karatsev
Dimitrov vs FAA
Sonego vs Korda
Murray vs Ruud

I will be at the night session, so I should get a couple of decent matches. The venue is simply in my old neighborhood where I grew up; my kid has taken tennis lessons there, which is simply referred to as the Barnes Tennis Center. 😀

However, tomorrow’s potential excitement is preceded by tonight’s Pat Metheny concert down on the San Diego bay, at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. Metheny is one of my favorite musicians. He’s with a new band tonight, one he’s started touring with recently. Can’t wait.

That’s some Thursday/Friday snap crackle pop.

Get after it, all you knuckleheads. Hopefully you’re vaccinated and wearing a mask when the situation arises. If not, fuck off.
🙂