The Best Rivalry in Sports Today

By Greg Wiley
The Phanatic Magazine

Mid-Summer Mistake, Dan Patrick is leaving ESPN, PA budget doesn't effect gaming, the Fantasy File

Watching the Wimbledon final on Sunday one thing became painfully obvious: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are clearly the best two men's tennis players in the world -- head and shoulders above the rest. Nobody else is even close. Right now, on a scale of 1-10, Federer is a 10, Nadal a 9.5 and the rest are a 5 at best.

I'm not breaking any ground with that statement, but the duo is so good they might be pound-for-pound the best rivalry in sports today, better than Red Sox-Yankees, Patriots-Colts, Tiger-Phil, UNC-Duke.

The difference between the Federer-Nadal rivalry and the others that were just mentioned is that virtually every time that Federer and Nadal meet it is for a championship. The last two French Open finals, the last two Wimbledon finals, each time it was Federer-Nadal.

What also makes the tennis rivalry so interesting, is that the No. 2 player, Nadal, has actually owned the No. 1 player, Federer, over the course of their head-to-head action. Even with the setback at Wimbledon on Sunday, Nadal has won eight of the 13 matches between the two. Nadal is also the player who has kept Federer from completing the career slam with his two wins in the French Open final.

The one downside to this rivalry is that neither player is American and therefore it is only the tennis fan in this country who cares. Therefore, this rivalry doesn't generate the excitement of the aforementioned rivalries, but that doesn't mean it isn't the best going.

A Mid-summer Classic mistake

With the annual MLB All-Star Game upon us, it's that time of year for me to vent about the meaning of this ridiculous event. The great Bud Selig and the masterful minds that run baseball decided after the 2002 7-7 tie between the American and National leagues, when both teams ran out of players and decided to call it quits after 10 innings, that it would be better to put home-field advantage for the World Series on the line at the All-Star Game, giving players and managers a reason to want to win.

Great.

So the Red Sox, Tigers, Mets, Brewers and all the other possible playoff teams (even Phillies), have players from the Royals, Nationals, Devil Rays and Reds taking part in deciding their fate.

Not that the previous way they determined World Series home-field advantage was better (they alternated leagues each year), but this is ridiculous.

I have no problem with every team being represented in the All-Star Game, but let's not make this event more than it is -- an exhibition.

It's about time that baseball realized it's mistake and make the change. The team that should have home-field advantage in the World Series should be the team with the better record.

En Fuego

Dan Patrick announced on his radio show Monday that he will be leaving ESPN on August 17 after an 18-year tenure that has included host of SportsCenter and various other shows on the Worldwide Leader in Sports. Locally, I'm sure that many radio listeners hope he takes a gig at Sports Radio 950 am so that he can learn a thing or two from the Phanatic's own Tim McManus. However, I'll wager that he ends up as the morning show host at New York's WFAN. Patrick has made no secret that he would like to be in New York and with Don Imus no longer
manning the airwaves at FAN, I wouldn't doubt if Patrick's tenure at the station begins in September.

PA Budget impasse

Well it's good to see that PA Gov. Ed Rendell, a well-known die-hard Eagles fan, and his political cronies have their priorities straight. The result of the state budget impasse on Monday resulted in the shut down of historical sites, state parks and various state offices, but it didn't effect the state-run liquor stores or casinos.

According to an Inquirer story on Monday, state custodian Richard A. Jennings was affected. Jennings told the paper he lives paycheck to paycheck, paying $300 out of his own pocket for medication for his wife, who two years ago underwent a heart transplant.

"If I miss a paycheck it will be a financial crisis," he testified.Hey Richard, at least you can drink and gamble your sorrows away.

Great job Rendell!

Fantasy File

Well, I finally did it this past week, I cut the cord with Manny Ramirez. I traded the disappointing outfielder along with Sammy Sosa and Jonathan Broxton in exchange for Hideki Matsui, Mark Buerhle and Bobby Jenks. The trade will help my pitching staff greatly and Matsui will likely outperform Sosa the rest of the way. Now, I have to turn my sites to helping my average. More than halfway through the season my team is hitting a lowly .267. That's right .267!

A collection of the best players in the league and my club is hitting .267. Do you realize how bad that is for a fantasy team? There are 16 reality teams that have at least a .267 average going into the All-Star break. I mean, the Phillies have a better team batting average than my fantasy squad and the Phillies have Pat Burrell (.215) and Rod Barajas (.213). I don't have either.