Another Tough Week for Team America

The U.S. is on one cold streak internationally. Just over the past week their women lost at the world basketball championships, following on the heels of their men, the best American golfers were pounded in the Ryder Cup and the Russians knocked off the U.S. in a Davis Cup semifinal in Moscow. Throw in the World Baseball Classic and Floyd Landis and this is what you would call a slump. ... In that Davis Cup match, Andy Roddick lost the crucial match to Dmitry Tursonov 17-15 in the fifth set. Roddick was beaten by Marat Safin as well, all this coming off his loss to Roger Federer in the final of the U.S. Open. What's Jimmy Connors doing for him again?. ... Andy Fantusz; That's why it's so great to have the Canadian Football League. ... Given that Doug Flutie had such a flair for the dramatic as a player, you'd think he'd have a nose for it in his new role as a broadcaster. Instead, Flutie let his Boston College colours leak through Saturday night when he spent most of ESPN's halftime show in the Notre Dame-Michigan State game making fun of the Irish and saying repeatedly he just didn't think the Notre Dame defence had the athletes to stop the Spartans after MSU had run up 31 points in the first half. After Flutie's mocking had died down, the Irish roared back and won the game in the second half, holding the Spartans to six points. ... Of course visors will be mandatory in the NHL within five years. The fact the NHL Players Association doesn't get behind it now is just more evidence of how lost this group still is. ... Green Riders are now 3-1 since Eric Tillman took over from Roy Shivers as GM. ... A week ago, the New York Giants were celebrating a fabulous comeback win against the Eagles. Today, New York papers are filled with quotes from tight end Jeremy Shockey ripping the team's coaching staff after an ugly loss to Seattle. ... I know I should really know a lot about Trevor Hoffman. I just don't. I knew who Lee Smith was. ... Jocelyn Thibault, not Marc-Andre Fleury, may be the opening night goalie for the Penguins. ... If Markus Naslund moves in beside the Sedin twins, where will that leave Brendan Morrison. ... Tiger Woods; great individual golfer, dicey team player. ... The Hamilton Tiger-Cats should definitely wait until season's end to find a new head coach. They may, after all, get to interview Wally Buono, Danny Barrett and/or Don Matthews the way this season is going. ... Calgary's the best team in the CFL right now. Unfortunately, it doesn't really matter which is the best team in the CFL right now. With an eight-team league, at least six teams are all co-favorites to win the Grey Cup. ... I'm impressed with John Pohl and Ian White. But it sure seems Nik Antropov has returned with the same game, the same snoozy approach. ... Great battle looming in the NHL boardroom over New Jersey's attempt to have Alexander Mogilny's contract wiped off their cap on the basis of long-term disability. Philly GM Bob Clarke is a very interested party, arguing that every team who screws up with a 35-and-older player in the future will just use long-term disability as a way to get out of what the new collective bargaining agreement was supposed to achieve.

Comments

[Mike]

I'm not sure it is fair to make an evaluation of Jimmy Connors' coaching ability yet..........losing to Federer in the US Open final is no disgrace.........and losing two matches in the Davis Cup is significant, however please note the surface they were playing on was clay.........in fact the Russians chose clay because they knew that it was Roddick's worst surface..........why don't you at least wait until the Australian Open before you make a judgement?