Who's Laughing Now?

Joke-a-vic Spoils A-Rod's Punchline

Some people just can't take a joke. Novak Djokavic is one of them (pictured at left, not laughing). Picking up where sore loser Tommy Robredo left off, world no. 8 Andy Roddick had a little fun mocking the third-ranked Djokovic's injury woes (he called the trainer to address back and ankle injuries during his five-set win over Robredo in the Fourth Round of the 2008 U.S. Open) at a press conference leading up to last night's match between the two. Asked about Djokovich's sore ankle, this exchange transpired:

Roddick: Isn't it both of them? And a back and a hip?

Reporter: And when he said there are too many to count ...

Roddick: And a cramp.

Reporter: Do you get a sense right now that he is ...

Roddick: Bird flu.

Reporter: A lot of things. Beijing hangover. He's got a pretty long list of illness.

Roddick: Anthrax. SARS. Common cough and cold.

Asked whether he believed all the injuries...

Roddick: If it's there, it's there. There's just a lot. You know, he's either quick to call the trainer or he's the most courageous guy of all time. I think it's up for you guys to decide."

Turns out the joke was on Andy as the Djokerman spoiled A-Rod's punchline in four sets, 6-2, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5). I have a lot of problems with Roddick, both with his game and his attitude. First off...

Here's the thing about injuries, Andy. You get them from playing a busy tour schedule, not by "resting up" for the U.S. Open. You see, Roddick was the only Top 10 tennis player in world to skip the Olympics, opting to rest up for his vanity project, the U.S. Open - incidentally, the only Grand Slam he's ever one, though it was way back in 2003. Selfish? Of course - he chose personal glory over representing his country at the Olympics. I know, I know - he's the most consistent Davis Cup player and Patrick McEnroes loves him and all that jazz, but this was a major miscalculation.

Moreover, what should have been a walkover at the tune-up Legg Mason Tennis Classic tournament in Washington, D.C., turned into an embarassment, as Roddick lost to Viktor Troicki - not just another Serb, but a B-list one at that (world ranking no. 71). Only then did Roddick question his Cowboy Diplomacy, fire his brother as coach and hire patrick McEnroe in a panic to get him prepped for the Open. But it was all downhill from the moment he made the poor decision to wear that hideous Lacoste shirt - the worst clothing at the U.S. Open this year. That black bumble-bee Lacoste ensemble (officially known as the "Short Sleeve Tennis Super Dry Stripe Polo with Zip") was just ridiculous-looking, too aggressively preppy for my taste. Good thing that it was specially made for Roddick and unavailable in that color for the masses. (The best kit was easily Marty Fish's burgundy K-Swiss Primacy Crewneck, which reminds me of FC Barcelona's soccer logo and colors).

And while I'm harping on A-Rod, let me just add that his fiancee has a dumb, trendy name. C'mon now, Brooklyn? (Isn't that what Posh Spice and her tattooed love boy Becks named one of their progeny?) That's like Djokavic having a girlfriend named Belgradia. It guess it could be worse - at least she's not named Yonkers! But what kind of parents name their daughter after New York City's reigning bastion of Yuppiedom? Rich ones, I reckon.

As the blogger at The Spoke put it, "Brooklyn Decker has the legs of a runway model, the body of a swimsuit model, and the face and hair of your local trailer trash lady that likes to hang out at 7-11 while drinking her big gulp...Fortunately for Brooklyn, only 2 of the above said things really matter." And speaking of big gulps, check out her cups-runneth-over picture below:


Brooklyn: A Match Made in 7-11 Heaven

Anyway, before the U.S. Open, when sports pundits questioned whether Roddick - approaching his 26th birthday at this year's Open - was finished, Roddick angrily retorted: “They said I was through in 2006, which was ridiculous - so I’ve been under the radar before, and responded very big.” This comment was an obvious reference to his runner-up finish to Roger Federer that year in the U.S. Open Final. Then Roddick added, “I know I can compete in the Open, and I know this is the one slam that fits my game. If it wasn’t for a couple of injuries, this would be a different conversation.”

Ah yes, playing the injury card...guess it takes a whiner to know one, right Andy?