The Australian Open starts today where it is already tomorrow (Monday, January 19th) in Melbourne. The tournament draws the most talented tennis players in the world and is the first Grand Slam tournament in 2009.
The draws for the 2009 tournament can be viewed here.
ESPN2 will be broadcasting most of this tournament again and while they start tonight at 7pm (which is channel 850 in HD if you have Comcast in the Boston area), you can view the complete broadcast schedule by linking here.
Tagged BosGuy, Boston Guy, Sports
One of the reasons I started my blog was to record my thoughts and so as 2008 draws to a close, I wanted to revisit some of the high and low points from the year.
THEATER
Although there were no visits to Broadway shows in NYC this year, I was able to get out and see the following shows: Spamalot, Avenue Q, Whizzin, The Light in the Piazza, Varla Jean Loves a Foreign Tongue, and All About Eve. Additionally, I went to see both Margaret Cho and Kathy Griffin when they visited Boston. I also had excellent seats to see George Michael who put on a fantastic show.
TRAVEL
As with most Americans the majority of my travel this year was close to home, but I was able to get away a few times. I started 2008 in sunny, warm Fort Lauderdale. In the spring, I spent a cozy weekend with my entire family on the coast of Maine and later in the summer I spent long weekends in both Newport, RI and Provincetown, MA. I also made a mad dash to NYC to see the US Open in August with my former co-worker and friend Stephanie. This past November / December I visited Brasil and spent time in Belo Horizonte, Buzios, and Sao Paolo. Lastly, I will be leaving tomorrow to say good bye to 2008 from chilly Provincetown. All, told I visited 8 cities / towns and packed my bags for vacation a total of 7 times – not shabby.
CHANGES IN 2008
In February, I accepted a job to work for a well respected professional services firm and left my job at The Bostonian Group after nearly 4 years of service to the firm. The chance to join the Healthcare practice at this firm was a no brainer and something I have no regrets about but it was difficult leaving an organization where I had made so many wonderful friends.
The most upsetting change in 2008 happened on May 21st when my grandmother “Nana” passed away. Her passing was a forgone conclusion and had been expected for several months but it was still very upsetting and she is dearly missed. I can see how much she is missed in the eyes of her children who have spent the past 6 months learning to cope without their mother.
In June candidate Obama clinched the Democratic nomination making him the first man of color from either party to accomplish such a feat. Five months later he would go on to be the first African American elected to be President of the United States. Finally, after eight years, I felt like reason and intelligence won the day over fear and a desire to elect a President you would want to share a beer with – jeesh!
Other Great Moments in 2008
– Gov. Deval Patrick is one of the first (if not the first) sitting governor to walk in a Pride Parade. He does it to show his love and support for his daughter as well as to show his support for GLBT equality.
– The Red Sox and Patriots season may not have ended in victory but the Celtics accomplish an amazing turn around thanks to the addition of Kevin Garnett and others. Helping the Green Machine crush the LA Lakers (how sweet) and win their league leading 17th NBA Championship title.
– I attended my very first Tennis major by going to the US Open in NYC and was able to see first week matches played by Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams. Sweet!
– The Beijing Olympics and Michael Phelps combined for a one-two knock out punch that made the 2008 Summer Olympics probably the most amazing I will ever see in my lifetime.
Thank you for the memories 2008… I look forward to 2009.
Tagged Art and Film, BosGuy, Boston, Boston Guy, Gay, Politics, Sports, Theater, Travel
The 43rd annual Head of the Charles Regatta will be held later this month on Saturday, October 18th and Sunday, October 19th. Just as Patriot’s Day (a.k.a. the running of the Boston Marathon) signifies the start of spring to many Bostonians, the regatta held along the banks of the Charles River signifies that it is Autumn. Few cities have so much tradition and history and while many complain that such rituals are stifling, I find them a source of pride.
This years event will draw more than 7,500 athletes and attract upwards of 300,000 spectators making it the world’s largest two day rowing event. For those who have never been one might wonder why so many people attend such an obscure sporting event, but to look at this as just a rowing event is to miss the point and sell the regatta short. The event is so much more than just watching people race down the Charles River. There is plenty to see and do walking along the river banks and watching the races, looking at all the vendors and sponsors who line the river, chatting with people you meet who have travelled from across the country and in some cases the world, cheering rowers as they row feverishly and of course walking through Harvard Square which comes alive in a way that you only see once a year during this event.
I take great pride in these unique traditions and celebrations put on for the benefit of all and free to watch. I wish there were more opportunities like this and look forward to spending some time that weekend in Cambridge cheering, drinking and enjoying myself in general. I would encourage others to take advantage of this annual tradition too. You might be surprised by how much you enjoy yourself.
Tagged BosGuy, Boston, Boston Guy, Sports
I’ve just returned from my first visit to the U.S. Open. Last night I was fortunate enough to see both Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal during the first week of play. While their competitors hardly stood a chance, it was still fun to be in Arthur Ashe Stadium watching the night matches.
Invited to join a friend as a V.I.P. guest of J.P. Morgan, we spent a few hours at the posh hospitality booth enjoying food and drink before heading in to the stadium. We did not walk the grounds as much as I would have liked, but it is difficult for me to turn down the chance to be pampered so it will be upon my next visit to Flushing Meadows that I’ll have to do more sight seeing.
Tagged BosGuy, Boston Guy, Sports
I have been glued to my TV thanking the broadcast gods that I am able to watch the Olympic Games in high definition, and never was a moment better suited for the super clear images of HDTV than last night when Michael Phelps tied Mark Spitz record of 7 Gold Medals in one Olympic Game by winning the 100M Butterfly by .01 of a second.
The first week of the Beijing Olympics has concluded and tonight Michael Phelps could possibly make history by winning his 8th Olympic Gold Medal. With two of my favorite sports in the summer Olympics winding down (swimming and tennis), my attention will now turn to diving and track and field, but no matter what happens in the second week, I’m inclined to believe that these Olympic Games will always be tied to the name of Phelps. Last night’s (Friday, August 15th) dramatic finish earning Phelps his 7th Gold Medal by .01 of a second is the stuff of legends.
I’ve included a video download of Phelps that is popular on YouTube right now. Pardon the cheesy soundtrack.
Tagged BosGuy, Boston Guy, Sports
I’m not one for superstitions but in the past I’ve also hesitated to dwell on the recent good fortune that Boston sports fans have been able to revel since the New England Patriot’s ended the city’s championship drought in 2001, out of fear I might jinx the teams. However, last night’s blow out by the Boston Celtics over the Los Angeles Lakers has given me pause to consider how this most recent championship has helped re-shape the Boston sports fan’s psyche.
I’m not a die-hard sports fan, but collectively what these three teams have done (Patriots, Red Sox and Celtics) winning a total of 6 Championships in a span of 8 years must be a record. I have attended more celebratory parades in tribute to Boston teams winning championships than many cities have collected in their entire history.
Boston has always been a big sports town and maybe that is part of the recipe for their success. Fans and journalists alike are hard on the athletes and coaches and their scrutiny can be difficult to take especially when a team is not winning. However, since the start of the century, there has been a lot to be proud of and no doubt this will be looked back upon as the ‘Golden Age’ for Boston sports. I feel badly for Boston fans living from afar, because the intensity of the moment and the passion that is unleashed is powerful but temporary and if you are not here to appreciate it – you really are missing something special.
Tagged BosGuy, Boston, Boston Guy, Sports
The 2008 French Open did not disapoint even if the finals for both men and women lacked the drama and intensity of the 2008 Australian Open. Both Nadal and Ivanovich dominated their adversaries. Nadal’s thumping of Federer was surprising in so much that I can never recall seeing a match where Federer lost 6-0 in a set. It is worth mentioning that with Nadal’s victory, he ties Bjorn Borg’s record of 4 consecutive wins at the French Open and barring any illness or injury it looks like a 5th consecutive win is likely in 2009 – Amazing.
Unfortunately, American’s had a disapointing showing at the 2008 French Open with only Rob Ginepri really showing any promise. By contrast, the French (all too often absent from their home tournament) showed in great numbers even with Australian Open finalist Tsonga out due to a knee injury. Indeed one of my favorite matches came in the semifinals when Gael Monfils gave Roger Federer a run for his money. I’ll continue to keep my eyes on Monfils who seems to cover the court with the same speed that distinguishes Nadal. Now if he can just learn to hit the ball like Rafael.
Now all eyes will turn to Wimbledon, a surface more friendly to Federer. However, both Nadal and Djokovic will be worthy adversaries looking to unseat Federer, and for the first time in recent memory, it looks distinctly possible that they just might. We will have to wait and see when the tournament begins in a few weeks time. Until then, I’ll continue to dream about travelling to visit and watch the fortnight of world-class tennis in person as opposed to on ESPN.
Tagged BosGuy, Boston Guy, Sports
It is Memorial Day weekend and everyone has left the city for the coast to celebrate the long weekend. This is when Cape Cod and other coastal communities officially kick-off the summer season. Places like Provincetown, MA and Ogunquit, ME will be packed as everyone makes a dash to the coast to enjoy the sun and warmth.
I’m in town spending much of my Sunday watching the first day of tennis at the French Open. It was several months ago in late January that I commented on the exciting two weeks of tennis at the Australian Open. Since then, I have waited patiently for the start of what I like to refer to as ‘Grand Slam Season’. The slow courts of Roland Garros have not disapointed providing several excellent first round matches. Two weeks from now a champion will be named, and I can guarantee that I will have be watching.
Tagged BosGuy, Boston Guy, Sports
Marathon weekend started with beautiful weather and continued through last night, but today was decidedly cooler and tomorrow (Marathon Monday) will be downright chilly in the shade with temperatures hovering in the upper 50s if the local meteorologists are correct. I’ll be bundling up to see the Red Sox (hopefully) sweep the Texas Rangers. Then I will meet up with friends to cheer on the runners and try to see a few friends who I know are running in this year’s marathon.
The city is abuzz with all the excitement. Adding to all the drama, the Bruins have done an amazing job evening the playoff series against the Canadiens proving the pundits wrong and showing that they deserved their playoff bid. The Celtics have started their playoff series against Atlanta as well so there is a little bit of something for everyone this weekend. Now if only the sun will do its part and warm up the city a bit more everything will be perfect.
Tagged BosGuy, Boston, Boston Guy, Sports
It is Marathon weekend in Boston with the 112th Race scheduled for Monday, Patriot’s Day (April 21). Just walking around you can see that the city is abuzz readying for Marathon Monday. This is another tradition I love about Boston and look forward to each year. As with Easter, the Marathon is another one of those events that I automatically associate with the spring season. I hope the weather is sunny and a bit warmer than the mid50s that is forecast.
In addition, I’ll be going to my first Red Sox game of the season so I’m really looking forward to the long weekend and hope to have a lot of fun cheering for the Red Sox and then visiting the race to look for my friend Paul who is running his first marathon.
Tagged BosGuy, Boston, Boston Guy, Sports
I feel as if life is passing me by this month. Changing jobs and adjusting to my new routine has really made me very self absorbed. I could not believe that last week spring had officially arrived. The cold weather ensured that it did not feel like spring, but Easter came and went and for me that holiday always signifies the change of seasons.
I am finally starting to get accustomed to my new routine. I won’t say that I’m totally comfortable and that the ‘adjustment phase’ has concluded, but things seem like they are getting back on track. I even went out a bunch this weekend, starting on Friday when a group of us went to dinner and then to see Avenue Q. And on Sunday I went to my parent’s house for the Easter holiday. I ate far too much and had a great time.
Yesterday (Monday) was a friend’s birthday. He planned to have a large (20+ people) dinner party at Ashmont Grill in Dorchester. Normally I’m not a fan of large groups going out to dinner but last night definitely exceeded expectations. Suffice it to say, it was both delicious and a lot of fun.
And lastly, today, the Red Sox won the first game of the season against Oakland in extra innings in Tokyo. I look forward to the baseball season, because if Easter signifies spring – baseball makes me think of summer, and I love summer in Boston.
This afternoon I watched the 2008 Men’s Australian Open Championship between Jo Wilfried Tsonga and Novak Djokovic. This year with no Americans in the draw going into the semifinals, I found myself cheering for a number of underdogs. Earlier this week I was stunned to see Tsonga absolutely dismantle Nadal and Djokovic beat the best tennis player in the world, Federer.
Today’s championship match was incredible. Watching them play definitely helped get the blood flowing again and despite my previous entry bemoaning my loss of passion because of the winter chill, at least for today the cold had no affect. Several times I found myself shouting outloud at the shots / plays both men made. The real winner of this championship match was the fans. These two men represent some of the best tennis has to offer. No disrespect to the ladies who played two days earlier and also had a hard fought championship, but I was blown away by the sheer power and fortitude of these two men who played such an intense 4-set match. Bravo!
Tagged BosGuy, Boston Guy, Sports
Each year hundreds of Bostonians participate in a short road race in nothing but tiny little speedo bathing suits to raise money for charity in something called the Santa Speedo Race. Now if Boston was in a more temperate climate this might be considered quite festive, but anyone who has ever visited Boston in December knows this is not the case. Earlier this week our fair city received a sizeable snowstorm and since that time the mercury has not ventured far above the freezing mark. Despite the frigid temperatures spirits were high (as were some of the runners no doubt — or at least a bit buzzed to be able to brave all the ice and snow), when they took off yesterday in the 8th Annual Santa Speedo Run. If you would like to see pictures from this year’s race visit Edge Boston.
According to the Santa Speedo Run website, the run has raised over $150,000 over the past 7 years for the following charities:
September 11th Children’s Fund
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
Children’s AIDS Program at Boston Medical Center
Children’s Hospital Boston
The Ellie Fund
Eliot Community Human Services
No estimates for the number of runners or the amount of money raised for this year’s charity, Women’s Lunch Place,was published initially but you can check the Santa Speedo Run website in a few days and I’m sure the information will be available.
BosGuy 