Farewell and good luck Mario Ancic

Mario Ancic, a Croatian born professional tennis player, turned pro in 2001, and on February 21, 2011 he announced his untimely retirement due to recurring bouts of illness and injuries.  He stated that; "Heart wanted, but body couldn't, this is the toughest moment of my life. I have never ran away from responsibility. I've always stroved for perfection, and when I realized that my body can not provide the kind of tennis I can play, there was no other solution".  He was born in Split, Croatia on March 30, 1984 to a father who owned a supermarket chain & a mother who was a financial advisor.

During his career he won 3 ATP singles titles, and 5 in doubles - overall he had 208 wins/135 losses.  Mario is known as the last player to beat Roger Federer at the 2002 Wimbledon in the first round (before Rafael Nadal did it in the '08 finals).  His highest ranking came back in 2006 when he reached number 7 in the world.  One year later in '07 he was diagnosed for the first time with mononucleosis, which would come back often, and along with back injuries caused his early retirement.  Here's he is spotlighted on ATP Tour Uncovered in 2010 just as he was trying to make another comeback.

He's best performance in a major was at the 2004 Wimbledon championships where he reached the semifinals.  Outside of his other 3 singles titles, his career highlights were winning the Bronze medal (w/Ivan Ljubicic) at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and helping Croatia win the 2005 Davis Cup. 

Ivan Ljubicic (left) Mario Ancic (right) celebrating their Bronze medal win at the 2004 Athens Olympics

He studied law from 2002-2008 at the University of Split, and graduated with a law degree on April 14, 2008.  After graduation, Ancic began his residency at the Law Offices of Turudic in Zagreb in 2009 having missed most of the tennis season due to illness.  He put his law residency on hold to continue his tennis career.

Mario Ancic (left); Ralph Macchio (right)

I liked this guy from the first time I saw him - he reminded me of my childhood crush (one of them at least), Ralph Macchio - the original Karate Kid.

I will miss seeing him on the tennis court, his fire was fun to watch and it was obvious that he loved playing the game, but I wish him the best w/his legal career and his life in general.

 

Mario Ancic will be this week's Hottie.

Hottie of the Day/Week - Wayne Rooney

Today's hottie is none other than the sexy, block-headed, striker for Manchester United, Wayne Rooney.  I don't care that he allegedly had sex with a prostitute, or that he's pale as a ghost.  I don't care that he's kinda funny looking, that he's going bald, or that he's not the norm when it comes to the hot factor...he's British & he looks like he can split the wood - that's good enough for me!  Wayne Rooney is a man's man & a bad ass - period.  I'm not saying at all that he is the greatest footballer on the planet, but just know this...Wayne Rooney is sex on wheels.


Check out this video of Wayne Rooney bicycle kick from Manchester United's game Saturday Vs Manchester City. 

 Now, enough of the appetizer, let's move on to the entree, the obligatory pictures...

End note...good grief!

Hottie - Richard Wolffe (of Newsweek)



Richard Wolffe - Sex on Wheels


I think there is nothing sexier than a good looking, smart man with a British accent (or any accent for that matter) - Mr. Richard Wolffe fits the bill - perfect combination of an English father and Moroccan mother.  Yes, some may think he is a 'scrawny Lil pipsqueak', but what's not hot about that!  I can't pinpoint what it is about him that attracts me to him - maybe it's the lips, or the bright, wide eyes - whatever it is, I'd put it on a plate & sop it up with a biscuit!  No need to define it, let's just give a shout to Richard Wolffe for representin' all the sexy dorks/geeks of the world.

Richard Wolffe



The Lips




The Eyes




Booyah

Too f'in cute!

He's happy b/c he knows he's the ish



Hottie of Day/Week/Everyday - Anderson Cooper

Today's (everyday's) hottie is none other than CNN's Silver Fox, Anderson Cooper.  This man is funny, smart, entertaining, pale as a ghost, & absolutely gorgeous - I love him, I really, really love him.


Anderson Cooper



AC looking oh so dapper in black & white.

You can  lust after watch him on AC360 on CNN at 10p Monday thru Friday. 
You can follow him on twitter or facebook - I suggest that you do both!  He makes watching the news worth switching the channel from one of the many mindless shows on the networks.  He's dedicated to keeping them honest.  He often leaves the comfort of his New York studio to go to war torn or other areas of the world going through some type of strife.  Last January, he traveled to Haiti to cover the earthquake's aftermath - at one point becoming part of the story by carrying a bloody child to safety.  Right now, he's currently in Egypt covering the anti-Mubarak protesting & taking some hits, literally, in the process.

On a lighter note, here is a funnier video of the Silver Fox talking about some drunk girls he encountered one night while going to the ATM machine - the story ends w/a John McEnroe comparison, which AC didn't seem to like, but I think Johnny Mac is a hot piece too.  Also, a video of Planet in Peril outtakes.





AC in Haiti

AC doing 'Planet in Peril' documentary w/Jeff Corwin

AC Yummy!

AC on location in New Orleans

AC ... no words

And of course, more pictures of his Silver Hotness.  It's also worth mentioning that his tight black t-shirt won an award at the Rally to Restore Sanity!

Look at those guns!

OMG

Aussie Open Final Review - Novak Djokivic Vs Andy Murray

Nole dominates!

Andy Murray (left); Novak Djokovic (right)



Pre-match festivities

The match started off with all the pomp and circumstance expected of the final in a major, even when the game began, one would think this is going to be a good match - maybe even a five setter - no such luck for Andy Murray. 

The first set started off with Djokovic looking sharp & going for his shots, and Murray playing defense - nothing out of the ordinary.  Nole held his service games with ease and had a couple of break points on the Murray serve doing the first set, then with Murray serving at 4-5, Nole pounced - first set to Djokovic 6-4. 

Then in the second set, the bottom fell out for Murray - he looked dejected, with good reason.  Nole's defensive skills were on full display, and the offense he showed should put the other players on notice for the rest of the year.  Djokovic, looking like a man on a mission, broke Murray's serve time after time.  Finally, while serving at 0-5, Andy Murray wins a service game, and gets on the board.  Now, on the board, a glimmer of hope pops up for Andy Murray when he breaks Djokovic's serve, but it didn't last long - Djokovic immediately breaks back to take the second set 6-2.

Andy Murray

Andy Murray looked flat throughout the match up to this point.  His feet seemed like they were glued to the court, he was constantly blinking/rubbing his eyes and grabbing at his left leg.  Nole took no pity on him. 

Novak Djokovic



Novak



Andy & Novak

Game one of the third set should a little promise for the Scot, breaking the Djokovic serve.  That lead didn't last, nole immediately breaks back, then on Murray's next service game, he is broken again - now down 3-1.  The storm seemed to end for Murray when he broke Nole's service game, then held his on serve to get the set even at 3-3.  But once again, Hurricane Nole roared thru, holding his service game & then breaking Andy to go up 5-3.  Then finally, with a forehand shot from Murray that goes into the net, Mr. Djokovic is no longer a one slam wonder, taking the set & the match 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. 

 None of what Andy Murray used to get to the final was highlighted today.  Aside from the first seven games of the match, he was like a deer caught in the headlights.  There's no doubt Andy has the game to win a major, but he's head definitely fails him.  Nole on the other hand looks like a guy who can & should overtake 'The Federer' for the number two ranking position before the end of this 2011 season.

The hottie of the day is none other than the 2011 Australian Open Men's Champion, Serbia's pride & joy, Novak Djokovic!

 

Nole after winning '11 Aussie Open



Aussie Open 1st Men's Semi Djokovic vs Federer review

Let me start off by saying that I really love what Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have done for the sport of tennis.  Between the two of them, they have won 21 of the last 23 majors that have been played.  The 2008 Aussie Open (Novak Djokovic defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final, Roger Federer in the semi-final), and the 2009 US Open where 'The Fed' was beaten by Juan Martin Del Potro in the final - getting hit off the court in the fifth set - were the only two breaks in their party.  Bravo, job well done guys - but other guys in the mix would without a doubt make things much more exciting. 

A lot of the top guys definitely have the game to battle Rafa & Fed, but they seem to be losing matches against the 'Big 2' before they even get out on the court.  Maybe this Aussie Open is the beginning of an thrilling year of Men's tennis - a year where names other than Nadal & Federer are etched onto the trophies & winner's checks.  Now admittedly, Rafa had a bit of bad luck in his quaterfinal match against David Ferrer - the Aussie hard court has never really been his body's friend (he also had to retire in a match last year), but even without the injury, I was expecting the scrappy Ferrer to take that match. Federer on the other hand got beat.

Novak Djokovic (left); Roger Federer (right)

Nole came out for his semi against Federer with that look in his eye.  Roger was just his normal chill self, maybe thinking about his head-to-head record against the Serb.  The first set was a tight one, even the tiebreak, there was just one mini-break against Federer and that's all it took.  Second set, Nole breaks, then Roger breaks back.  Roger breaks again to go up 5-2, before Nole starts to swing free again & levels the set.  Mind you, Federer made a lot of errors in the second set (and the match as a whole), those errors were because the guy on the other side of the net had gotten in his head, thus getting him off his game.  In the first service game of the third set, Nole saved 3 break points.  Nole goes on to break the Federer serve, but then Roger breaks back to get the score back to 4 all.  But that was it for Roger, as Nole got back the belief that took gave him a win over Roger in their last meeting at the 2010 US Open semi-finals.  Will this be another flash in the pan for the Serb, or has he truly come to break up the Federer/Nadal dominance of the past five years?  That book is still unwritten. 

In Sunday's final, Nole will face the winner of the Murray-Ferrer match.  David Ferrer is a hell of a player, but if the Andy Murray we've seen throughout this tournament shows up, we will see a Djokovic-Murray final.  If Murray reverts back to his passive style of play, Mr.  Ferrer will run over him.  Either or, this Sunday's finals proves to be a good one, even if it's Nadal/Federer-less.

Buckle your seatbelts tennis fans, I think this year is going to be an exiting one!

In honour of his semi-final birth, today's hottie will be Spain's own, David Ferrer.  Vamos!