more US Open

Here's Dave in front of John McEnroe's plaque at the Court of Champions at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Also my folks in front of the Davis Cup.

I'm really disappointed that this was the USA network's final year of television coverage of the US Open. I think that the USA broadcast team of Ted Robinson, John McEnroe, and Tracy Austin is the best in the business. Add to that Michael Barkann's on-court player interviews and Jim Courier's analysis, and you've got an A grade team. Contrast that to the weekend coverage on CBS and you want to press mute. While Dick Enberg is a broadcast legend, he's awfully long in the tooth and you can clearly tell that he doesn't really follow the game anymore the way that Ted Robinson does. Mary Carillo is incredibly annoying and she talks way too much on the air. Mary Jo Fernandez's on-court interviews pale in comparison to Michael Barkann's work.

Next year the weekday coverage moves from USA to ESPN2. Who knows who ESPN2 will hire for its broadcast team. I'm afraid, though, that there will be endless promos for NFL football (who cares?) and SportsCenter (who cares?). Nothing will surpass Ted Robinson, John McEnroe, Tracy Austin, Michael Barkann, and Jim Courier.

Plus even though he's straight, I think Jim Courier is hot, hot hot.