A look, via links, of the N.F.L. season previews written by Andy Benoit for The Fifth Down. If you’ve missed them, the analysis and level of detail are impressive.
NFC East
NFC North
AFC East
NFC South
AFC South
AFC North
Extra point: Unfortunately, Andy won’t be able to complete the previews this year because of a death in the family. Here is donation information for a scholarship fund. Toni Monkovic
Petra Cetkovska became the 14th player to withdraw or retire from this year's US Open
There are some strange goings on at Flushing Meadows. The tally of injured, ill, or indisposed creaked up to 15 on Thursday, more if you count the already absent Kim Clijsters and Lleyton Hewitt, and all in just four days of competition.
At the time of writing, the following had left the heart of Queens not entirely well: Petra Cetkovska (withdrew), Radek Stepanek (retired), Venus Williams (withdrew), Robin Soderling (withdrew), Yanina Wickmayer (retired), Louk Sorensen (retired), Conor Niland (retired), Jamie Hampton (retired), Kei Nishikori (retired), Ayumi Morita (retired), Misaki Doi(retired), Frank Dancevic (retired), Karol Beck (retired), Marinko Matosevic (retired), Lara Pous-Tio and Carla Suarez Navarro (retired).
Such a litany has leant an aura of sick bay syndrome to the year’s fourth and final major. While the likes of Andy Murray are avoiding the locker room and watching their food like a hawk for fear of the lurgy rubbing off , players must be going into their matches never quite sure if they’re going to be handed an easy pass, or not. Is there something wrong with their opponent? Or are they completely fine? A bit like waiting for the ref’s whistle to blow.
And even if it should eventuate that the person on the other side of the net is injured, or struggling, as we know all too well, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll win. Remember what happened to Viktor Troicki, playing a one-legged Murray in Paris? He armaggeddoned completely.
Fellow British No 1 Elena Baltacha touched on this when she faced a cramping Jamie Hampton in her first match in New York.
“Sometimes it’s hard when you know someone’s injured or something like that happens and they can’t really move that great,” she said. “Somtimes your game can just completely go. So I really tried hard to concentrate and stay there and keep that control and get ahead as much as I could.”
Some of the injury-related revelations, such as that of Venus Williams, are serious indeed. Big V explained that she is suffering from Sjögren’s syndrome, a chronic autoimmune disease in which people’s white blood cells attack their moisture-producing glands. For an athlete, that is very bad news indeed. Even worse news is that she presented similar symptoms as long ago as 2007, so who knows how long this particular bedevilment has been lurking.
Others, such as Conor Niland, whose stomach was doing somersaults on him as he tried to play the best player in the world on the biggest court on the world, will be fine in a few days. His body just played a mean trick.
But the increasingly large procession of players through the medical centre yet again highlights the battering that tennis inflicts on the human body. Because ultimately, no matter the drive, desire, and death stare, if the body says no, that’s it.
It’s something Tim Henman pointed out recently, while discussing Roger Federer’s 30th birthday. According to Henman, one of the reasons Federer is still playing to such a high level, and will continue to do so, is because his body has let him. Whether that’s because of his sensible scheduling, or the way he plays, all grace and guile, or just luck – a smidge of all three, I would wager – Federer has been remarkably injury-free. The Swiss won his 225th Grand Slam match last night, second only behind Jimmy Connors on 233.
His body will catch up eventually, like it did for Andre Agassi, who spent his final year on the tour aged 35 sleeping on the floor rather than in a bed because his back was so bad. At that point it’s more than time to wave farewell.
Of course, style of play is not the only culprit. You could play like a turbo-charged Rafael Nadal for every second of every match, and if you only had to play for five tournaments a year, the chances are, you wouldn’t get injured. Even if you played like Gael Monfils, who managed to hit a ball while flat on his back yesterday.
And so it is that the debate about the length of the season rears its Medusa-esque head once again.
The tennis calendar has been disected and discussed almost as much as Fred Perry and 1936. Is it too long? Are there too many hard court events? Where should things like Davis and Fed Cup fit in? When do players ever get to take a break?
It is a punishing schedule. Start the year in Australia, in the heat, dip in and out of Asia, if you feel like it. Then to America, for the two hard court Masters, then to Europe for the clay and Roland Garros. Then, quick-step and bend the knees to Wimbledon, for some grass. Then back to the States and the hard courts before dropping in on New York, and then, more hard courts, in Asia and Europe, before finishing off in either London or Istanbul. And then do a whole load of weights and sprints before doing it all over again. The ATP powers that be may be lopping two weeks off the end of the season next year, but they also have to fit in the Olympics as well.
All of which means that by this time of the year, with eight months gone and still three to go, it’s no surprise to see more than a few players wilting like tired spinach.
But, on the other hand, look at Novak Djokovic. The perfect counter-argument. After barely a week off in between 2010 and 2011, much of which was spent celebrating and manicuring his shaved head, the super Serb has pit-stopped through all those events, winning all but one of them. He has played 61 matches to date this year, lost just two of them, and apart from the odd knee niggle and shoulder tweak, looks a picture of health. Perhaps it’s the great anti-gluten move.
So, what to conclude? Have too many colds, sore limbs and dodgy takeaways all happened to collide in the first week of this Slam? Or is there more to it? We’ll find out as the days go by.
Mardy Fish, 29, is playing in his 11th U.S. Open. He's never gotten further than the quarterfinals. It is, Fish says, something that disappoints him about his career. It is the place where he thinks his game is best suited, and yet success hasn't come.
Fish won his second round Thursday over qualifier Malek Jaziri of Tunisia 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. Fish had the same effortless winning style in the first round as well, advancing 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 over Tobias Kamke of Germany. Fish, who is modest and never one to overestimate his level of play, said he hasn't gotten much sense, yet, of how well he is playing.
"I haven't really been tested that much," he said. "I can't do anything about that. I can't do anything about who I come up against. Just happy to move on."
Jaziri, 27, was the first Tunisian player to have reached the third round of a Grand Slam event in the open era, and the U.S. Open was Jaziri's first tour-level event other than Davis Cup. So Fish was clearly the class of the matchup.
"I think I'm playing well," Fish said. "I'm very confident right now. That guy is in the second round for a reason. He's won four matches in a row [including qualifying]. But, yeah, he's in a position that he's never been in before. I guess I took advantage of that."
Next up for Fish will be big-serving South African Kevin Anderson who upset 29th-seeded Michael Llodra of France 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.
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Serena Williams, Roger Federer cruise to victory at U.S. Open
Venus Williams exits U.S. Open because of autoimmune disease
-- Diane Pucin in New York
Photo: Mardy Fish returns a shot during his second-round match against Malek Jaziri at the U.S. Open on Thursday. Credit: John G. Mabanglo / EPA
The Trojans do not play rival UCLA until the final game of the season in late November.
But USC Coach Lane Kiffin and his staff got the Trojans in the mood for the Bruins on Thursday. During the final scrimmage portion of practice, scout team players donned powder blue jerseys with gold numbers.
"I guess they put them in UCLA jerseys to make it a statement as an enemy,” tailback Curtis McNeal said. “It was pretty funny."
Kiffin said, "Hopefully they’ll be motivated to get off the service team so they won’t have to wear the powder blue jerseys."
Were the jerseys a symbolic message?
“Not really,” Kiffin said. "We were bored.”
More later at latimes.com/sports
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USC football: Willie Mack Garza resigns from coaching staff
USC football: NCAA President Mark Emmert addresses questions about Trojans
-- Gary Klein
Gymnasts, kayakers, rowers and swimmers seem to get their moments of glory every four years during the Olympics. The training to reach that moment can be expensive, and that’s where a group called Southern California Olympians and Paralympians comes in.
The group, comprised of athletes who took part in the Olympics or Paralympics, mentors kids and holds fundraisers to help aspiring Olympians realize their dreams. The group’s next fundraiser will be Sept. 13 at the Cannery in Newport Beach and will feature an illustrious roster.
Special guests will include the indomitable Louis Zamperini, a 1936 Olympian and subject of the best-selling novel “Unbroken”; swimmer turned motivational speaker John Naber; gymnast Peter Vidmar; four-time shooting medalist Kim Rhode, who has qualified for the 2012 London Games next summer; swimmer Brian Goodell; cyclist/speedskater Connie Paraskevin; 1948 and 1952 diving gold medalist Sammy Lee; and kayaker Cathy Marino. The event will feature a reception, three-course dinner and conversations with the Olympians.
Tickets are $275 per person or $1,500 for a table of six. Proceeds will go to the Koroibos Foundation, a nonprofit that provides financial aid to potential Olympians.
Naber, an accomplished master of ceremonies, will lead a question-and-answer session that should be the highlight of the event.
“Everyone there wants to do this to give back and help Olympic hopefuls who are training for London,” said Marino, an Olympic kayaker in 1988 and 1992. “We have athletes who are struggling to pay their airfare to events. We fill in the gap between what’s provided by the U.S. Olympic Committee and national governing bodies and what they need.
“We know what it takes. We’ve been there. We want to help.”
For more information, contact Marino at cathymarino@live.com. The Southern California Olympians and Paralympians also have a Facebook page that includes updates on activities of athletes and the governing bodies of Olympic sports.
-- Helene Elliott
Times USC reporter Gary Klein previews Saturday's game against Minnesota:
Baze was taken off his mounts Thursday at Del Mar.
--Eric Sondheimer
Photo: Tyler Baze. Credit: Associated Press.
