“I believed in myself but now I can’t believe this has happened to me. I wanted this tournament so bad, for so many years.” Juan Martin Del Potro after winning the U.S. Open
I don’t even know where to start with this one…but how about the headlines: Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina celebrates after defeating Roger Federer of Switzerland in the Men’s Singles final on day fifteen of the 2009 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 14, 2009 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Del Potro defeated Federer 3-6, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2.
Going into the Final, most assumed Roger Federer would win. Including R-Fed himself…not to sound redundant or anything, but this is his pattern. I’m not gonna go on a rant about how he expects to win just because everyone says he will, once again, you gotta practice and you can never underestimate your opponent. In this case, a 6’6” stud from Argentina.
“I don’t know what to say about this,” del Potro said. “It is the most amazing thing, it is the most crazy feeling to have…of course when I came closer to winning the match I knew my dream was coming nearer and I was nervous. But I believed I could do it because I have played very good tennis at this tournament and I just focused on continuing like that.”
Del Porto is beautiful in every sense of the word…beautiful because when he won, the last thing on his mind was the $1.8M purse…I know I’m not the only one who thinks sportscaster Dick Enberg needs to apologize to Del Potro. As Dick was explaining the spoils of his victory to him, precious Potro repeatedly asked Dick if he could say something in Spanish…Dick ignored him- instead focusing in on the prizes…eventually, Del Potro asserted himself and was able to say what he wanted with tears in his eyes. A beautiful moment for Del Potro, and a major career tarnisher for Enberg. The favoritism given to Federer was also nauseating…just read the body language in the above photo. Nough said?
I’m not quite sure what it was that Del Potro said in his native tongue, but according to my ears it was something along the lines of: “I try for so long to make a date with this crazy red-headed blogger, now I feel prepared she will say yes, no? As I give her the greatest gift a man could-the US Open trophy I earned from Federer…”
“This one is easy to get over just because I’ve had the most amazing summer and a great run,” Federer said. Oh, have fun getting over it Roger Federer but judging by the look on her face last night, I’m not too sure Smirka feels the same way.
Congratulations to all 6’6” of gorgeousness named Juan Martin Del Potro. You won with class, eloquence and skill. We see you now~
Liquid Nation Ball 6: Flea Receives Humanitarian Award
“Anything that I have ever done, that is good, that is kind, that is helpful…it’s just what you are supposed to do. Nothing I have done is extraordinary or special, it’s just normal and it’s what all of us are supposed to do.” Flea upon receiving the SIMA Humanitarian of the Year Award.
Surfing industry legends and stars turned out in full force last night for the 6th Annual Liquid Nation Ball to honor Red Hot Chili Pepper Flea with the SIMA Humanitarian of the Year Award and raise money for 12 surf-related humanitarian organizations.
The event was held at the ocean front home of Liquid Nation Ball chairman and co-founder, Fernando Aguerre, who should also receive an award for his incredible hospitality and generosity. “The excitement and caliber of this year’s Liquid Nation Ball has taken the fundraising to a whole new level,” Aguerre said prior to the event, “I firmly believe that Liquid Nation Ball 6 will be the best and most successful one yet.” Oh, and it was. From the costumed creature that greeted guests to the never ending crab cakes, empanada’s, skewed chicken and shrimp-(not to mention the numerous open bars and buffets)-it was easy to see why this event sells out every year.
First of all, Aguerre’s home is breathtaking…like a museum. A surfer’s paradise of a museum…the walls are lined with rare, vintage and unique surfboards, as well as some amazing sports related memorabilia-including a Diego Maradona signed jersey and another one signed by the Argentinean soccer team…I was salivating.
Frolicking around the party were numerous celebrity athletes, notably Tony Hawk and Rob Machado. Machado is one of the world’s greatest surfers…and he is also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. I plopped myself next to him in a cabana, eager to ask about him about his charity work. “I do have my own foundation, “ he told me, “It’s the Rob Machado Foundation. I teamed up with the elementary schools in my neighborhood, and we do environmental education programs, anything from your basic recycling programs and organic farming-we have organic gardens all over the property- and we also sponsor ocean week, which is an entire week where all curriculum is geared around protecting the ocean.” And as any good ocean-loven writer would ask, I had to bring up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch: “I’d like to learn more about it, “ he said of the Texas sized wad of garbage floating in the Pacific, “I have a few friends that are working on projects, they’ve gone out to it and they are just blown away.”
I also had the privilege of speaking with Flea (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) about his charity work, his Silverlake Conservatory and how it felt to receive the Humanitarian of the Year Award…instead of transcribing the interview, I’ve opted to simply post the video of his acceptance speech after Tony Hawk and Izzy Paskowitz presented him with the award…Flea is one of the most sincere and genuine people I’ve met, with a deep-found belief in giving back. Simply put, he rocks.
Flea pretty much sums it up there…and might I suggest that next year you buy your tickets to this event the minute they go on-sale. Each year its sells out quicker than the previous year…please visit SIMA for more information or any of the links provided in this post-all the organizations are doing incredible things for our kids and the environment. Special thanks to four-time world surfing champion Lisa Anderson for all her hard work, Mandy Johnson from SIMA, Tony Hawk for finally remembering me, Rob Machado for being a classy stud with great follow through skills, Flea for being who he is and Fernando Aguerre for inviting us all into his home for a great cause.
About SIMA: The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is the trade association of competing surf industry product suppliers working together to magnify their power for the development of the surf industry by: Promoting awareness and participation in the sport of surfing, which will result in increased sales of members’ products; Endorsing industry trade shows to assist members in bringing their products to market; Providing programs, services and information that will assist members in improving their business operations; Supporting oceanic environmental efforts through the SIMA Environmental Fund to ensure future growth of the sport and understanding of environmental activism.
About The Rob Machado Foundation: (RMF) is a California based 501c(3) not-for-profit private foundation. Founded in 2005, RMF was created to support charities dedicated to environmental programs within Southern California. Our primary mission is to provide funding and initiate educational programs focused on helping children understand their contribution towards a healthy earth. Annually, in September, the foundation hosts the Rob Machado Golf Experience in Solana Beach, CA as a means to support our efforts.
About Silverlake Conservatory of Music: The mission of the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, a non-profit organization, is to facilitate basic music education. Our primary focus is on the youth of the community but all are welcome and encouraged to participate. The Conservatory offers private music lessons at a reasonable cost and grants scholarships to children in need, providing free lessons and instruments. The study of music enriches the life of the student as well as the community and society.
Derek Fisher is Character Driven: Life, Lessons, and Basketball
Los Angeles Laker Derek Fisher can do no wrong…at least in my book. But don’t take it from me, Derek Fisher has just released his own book, Character Driven: Life, Lessons, and Basketball… And we all know he’s got plenty to share when it comes to life lesson and hoops…
Derek Fisher is a man of exceptional character…a few years ago Fisher was playing for the Utah Jazz when they faced the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals…at the time, Fisher’s then 10-month old daughter Tatum had been diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a degenerative and rare form of eye cancer, which required an emergency three-hour surgery at New York’s Presbyterian Hospital…Fisher flew to NY with permission from the team, stating he would try to return in time for Game Two. After his daughter’s surgery, he and his family flew from New York and landed in Salt Lake City with the game in progress. He arrived at the arena and entered the game in the middle of the third quarter…I can still remember the standing ovation he received…late in the fourth, Fisher made a critical defensive move, sent the game into overtime and in the closing minutes, landed a three-pointer that sealed an emotional victory…soon after, Fisher asked the Jazz to release him from his contract so he could relocate to a team and city that would have the “right combination” of specialists that could help fight his daughter’s retinoblastoma. The Jazz honored his request and Fisher joined the Lakers who went on to win their fifteenth NBA championship (making it number four for D-Fish)…
About the book: In Character Driven, the NBA champion and starting point guard for the Lakers shares his life story and the inspirational values that have led to his success. Since his rookie season with the Lakers in 1996, Derek Fisher has had a dramatic impact on — and great success with — the NBA. Playing alongside legends like Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, Fisher has held his own at point, exhibiting his exceptional floor leadership and participating in some of the most dramatic post-season games and thrilling moments in recent memory. In his compelling new book, Fisher shares the values that have guided him on the court and off. From his roots in Little Rock to his record-breaking college career at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, his four NBA championships, and his position as president of the Players Association, Fisher shows readers what it’s like to play — and achieve — at the highest levels. Drawing on the power of faith, he demonstrates how anyone can play for a successful team: whether that team is family, community, or just happens to be one in the NBA.
MEET DEREK FISHER: Los Angeles Lakers star Derek Fisher will be signing copies of his book “Character Driven: Life, Lessons, and Basketball” on Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 at the Barnes & Noble store at The Grove at Farmers Market in Los Angeles, starting at 7pm.
Mbah a Moute: From Africa to the NBA, Without Borders
“In Africa, we’re beginning to see new countries challenging the traditional powers like Angola — the Ivory Coast, Tunisia. I’ve said this before: Africa could be a continent as important to the development of players as Eastern and Western Europe combined.” David Stern, N.B.A. commissioner
Finally the NBA is getting IT. Some of the most gifted athletes in the world come from Africa. We need more of them. We need more humble athletes who don’t forget the struggles of everyday life. We need inspirational athletes for our kids to look up to, and we need more mighty-mighty-fine men who appreciate their stance in life…and now we’ve got one. His name is Mbah a Moute (pronounced BAH-ah-MOO-tay), and he hails from Cameroon.
His journey reads like a dream come true…he didn’t play basketball until he was 14 years old. By the time he was 16, the kid from Cameroon had been chosen to attend the inaugural Basketball without Borders event in Johannesburg…within two years he was the best youth player in his country, three weeks later, Mbah a Moute was on a plane heading to Florida to attend prep school at Montverde Academy…and now, the 6’8” rookie is playing hoops with the Milwaukee Bucks, “It all happened so fast, but it changed my life.”
Following the footsteps of other great NBA players, Mbah a Moute went back to Johannesburg last week for Basketball Without Borders, where he joined Dikembe Mutombo (above), Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki, Vladimir Radmanovic, and DJ Mbenga, among others.
As the first alumnus of the camp, Mbah a Moute is the ultimate rags-to-riches story, and a powerful inspiration for kids participating in the N.B.A.s Basketball Without Borders program. “Three weeks after this camp I left for the U.S. and started my dream,” he told the children, “That’s why I’m back here today to tell you this is a great experience, take advantage of it.”
But the Basketball Without Borders’ athletes do much more than just talk to the kids…along with Habitat for Humanity, they’ve built 9 homes since 2007…they’ve planted gardens, played soccer, learned traditional African dances, and they’ve spent endless hours interacting with students helping them learn the fundamentals of basketball as well as life…and as evidenced above by Dwight Howard, the hotties are doing it exceptionally well.
Basketball without Borders (BWB) is the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development program that uses the sport to create positive social change in the areas of education, health and wellness. The camps have been held in Beijing, China, Mexico City, Mexico and Johannesburg, South Africa…to read more, visit the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders site…they’ve got a daily run down, including photos from a visit to the Apartheid Museum, as well as feedback from some of the players including Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh after they finished planting a peach tree for a Home Based Care Facility in Soweto.
Will Ferrell is at it again…the philanthropic funnyman joined tennis players Andy Roddick, James Blake, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Roger Federer and others for the annual Arthur Ashe Kids Day at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York.
The fan-friendly event, which was founded 14 years ago, featured a performance from Jordin Sparks and some humorous antics on the court including a mixed doubles match featuring Kim Clijsters and James Blake taking on Ana Ivanovic and Devin Britton with Will Ferrell calling the shots as the chair umpire- dressed as Blake, wearing a headband and bald wig. Priceless. Simply priceless.
Later…Ferrell, Roddick, Williams, Sharapova and Federer participated in a target-hitting contest to raise money for their respective charities…by the end of the contest, a total of $67,000 was raised, with $10,000 benefiting the National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network…the NJTL was established in 1969 by Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder to develop the character of children through tennis and education…looks like they’re doing one hell of a job too. Video highlight of the event on YouTube.
He once said he wanted to be remembered for his commitment to humanity…and throughout the years, Dikembe Mutombo has lived that commitment with ease born to men destined to do great things…
Yesterday, The Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center (BMMH), in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) launched two Centers of Excellence at the state of the art medical facility founded by NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo. The two centers, an Immune System Monitoring Laboratory and an Occupational Safety Center for Health Workers, will train more than 300 clinicians and improve monitoring and treatment of patients living with HIV/AIDS.
“The doctors and nurses at the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital are saving lives every day and helping improve health care in the DRC which has been ravaged by more than a decade of war and disease,” said Mr. Mutombo at the opening ceremony. “These Centers of Excellence are an important milestone in improving the quality of life for those who live with HIV/AIDS and in training new health care workers to help prevent the spread of disease.”
Around half a million children under the age of five die every year in the DRC, mostly from preventable causes, such as diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria, tuberculosis, malnutrition and measles. Over one million people in DRC are living with HIV/AIDS. Sexual violence of the most brutal form has been carried out against tens of thousands, over half of them children…compels me to say we NEED more Mutombo’s in this world, for the sake of the kids and for the sake of the DRC.
Mutombo was joined at the opening ceremonies by UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman, BD Executive Vice President Gary Cohen, and the DRC Minister of Public Health, Mwami Mopipi Mukulumany.
“It is such an honor to be here today at the hospital founded in the memory of Dikembe’s mother,” said Ms.Veneman. “He is a true friend of UNICEF and his dedication for his home country is an inspiration to us all. Dikembe continues to give a voice to the voiceless people of Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
About the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation: The Dikembe Mutombo Foundation is dedicated to improving the health, education and quality of life for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Foundation strives to accomplish this goal not only by providing comprehensive health care at the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, but also through an emphasis on primary health care and disease prevention, the promotion of health policy, health research and increased access to health care education for the people of the Congo. www.dmf.org
About UNICEF: UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. www.unicef.org.
Last weekend, UFC stud Randy Couture hosted his second annual ‘Operation All In’ charity poker tournement in Las Vegas to benefit his Xtreme Couture GI Foundation that supports injured American soldiers.
“I started this foundation about two years ago to raise awareness for the guys, especially the wounded guys, coming back from the war,” Couture said, “We’ve raised about $150,000 for the guys so far.”
Couture is an Army veteran himself, so it’s no surprise that he’s stepping up for the troops. And he’s stepping up in a big way…aside from his annual charity poker event, he’s got more events going down…how about joining the beast for an ‘Extreme Combat Weekend’ of Charity Paintball Games? Sure, you may come home with a few bruises, but playing paintball with Couture for charity sounds like one hell of a way to say ‘thank you’ to our troops.
This video from the Gratitude Campaign is unrelated to Couture and his mighty-mighty-fine heart however, it certainly gets the message across…
About the Xtreme Couture GI Foundation: Honors the veterans of America’s armed forces. The foundation was especially formed to raise money and awareness for those wounded in action and their families. To date, more than 24,000 U.S. troops have been wounded in the war against terrorism, which doesn’t include the many more suffering the mental effects. Many of the injuries are traumatic amputations, gunshot wounds, burns and blast injuries that will retire these brave men and woman from the armed forces. Even though some of these men and woman are severely injured, they have the courage, strength and determination to win this battle.
It’s a struggle for me to write anything good about baseball…that is, until something more important than my distain for the tainted sport surfaces. And last month, the New York Yankees caught my attention as they continued their HOPE Week (Helping Others Persevere and Excel) by hosting an incredible event for some very special kids.
These children had the entire place-and players- to themselves as they enjoyed a ‘carnival’ style event which took place at 3 o’clock in the morning. So who would bring kids to Yankee Stadium in the middle of the night, and why would players show up at the hour? Amazing story…the children came from Camp Sundown in Craryville, New York. All of them suffer from a rare disease called XP- xeroderma pigmentosum. Most who suffer from XP don’t live to see their 21st birthday…they can’t even be exposed to the slightest bit of sunshine or they’ll develop cancerous tumors…even fluorescent lights can fry their skin…so getting them to Yankee Stadium was no easy task, but worth every effort.
To get the children from the front door of Camp Sundown to the heavily curtained bus with double-tinted windows that took them to Yankee Stadium, all the kids had to wear hats, tinted eye shields, sunblock, turtlenecks, long-sleeve shirts, long pants and gloves. To get the kids out of the bus and into the stadium, Yankees media-relations director Jason Zillo (the mighty-fine man who dreamed up the idea) - had to take them through a maze of back staircases and tunnels to avoid any fluorescent lights. After the game, the stadium lights had to be dimmed to 30 percent
“I saw one little girl,” said organizer Zillo afterward. “When the centerfield wall opened and the whole carnival started coming out — she just started jumping up and down, over and over. She wouldn’t stop, she was so excited. People wanted to thank me. But that’s all I needed.”
Never thought I’d say this…but thank you Yankees, what an amazing and beautiful gift you gave these kids.
Camp Sundown was founded 14 years ago by Caren and Dan Mahar whose daughter suffers from the disease…there is no cure for XP and there are only 250 known cases in the U.S.
Next month, skateboarding icon Tony Hawk and Surfers Healing’s Izzy Paskowitz will present Flea with the 2009 Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) Humanitarian of the Year Award. Proceeds from the September 11 event will benefit 12 surf-related humanitarian organizations.
The official fundraiser for the SIMA Humanitarian Fund is set to be held at the ocean front home of Fernando Aguerre: “The 12 extremely deserving Liquid Nation Ball beneficiaries fight every day to make this world a better place,” said Aguerre. “Supporting Liquid Nation Ball is just one way we can help these organizations and give back to serious issues such as breast cancer awareness, malaria relief, spinal cord injury prevention, and urban youth outreach just to name a few. And on top of fundraising we are also lucky to be honoring Flea, who is someone who has also affected the lives of many.”
Granted, the music of the Red Hot Chili Peppers would be nothing without the wicked bass-playing skills of Flea, but hottie has left his mark on far more than music industry. His tireless humanitarian efforts include hours of volunteering with autistic children via his involvement with Surfers Healing and he also co-founded the Silverlake Conservatory of Music- a non-profit music school providing scholarships and affordable music lessons to children in the community.
I highly suggest getting your ticket to this event before it’s sold out…tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis for $300 each…only 400 will be sold. Will you be one of the few to enjoy a night of dancing, live music, great food, open bar, a silent and live auction of unique one-of-a-kind items to benefit the 12 surf-related humanitarian organizations? The SIMA Humanitarian Fund Board of Directors aims to continue the record fundraising legacy and raise $250,000 at Liquid Nation Ball 6. To purchase tickets, please go to www.liquid-nation.com.
I chose to spotlight this event for a couple reasons…it benefits 12 incredibly worthy organizations…most people aren’t aware of Flea’s humanitarian work…and the price of admission is nothing compared to the experience you’ll receive in exchange for helping others. Check out my previous post HERE.
“…my mom, she never let anything distract me when I was in grammar school [or] high school. She never let me think of myself as bigger than anyone else.” Derrick Rose
NBA player Derrick Rose has been getting a lot of heat lately for some apparent youthful mishaps. I read enough to know it’s much ado about nothing. What I find scandalous is that buried within the bullshit-I was only able to find ONE sentence that mentioned that the Chicago Bulls babe was hosting his first annual Derrick Rose Basketball Camp.
It may appear that I look at the world with Rose-colored glasses, and in this case I certainly do, but generally my glass is half-empty, its only when the water line rises-as is the case with Rose’s activities-that I notice the glass is actually half full.
Rose hosted his first annual Derrick Rose Basketball Camp at Joy of the Game in Deerfield, Illinois. Kids aged 9-18 joined him for the four-day session that offered hands-on coaching from Derrick and other instructors.
Judging by the photos, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year gave all the kids in attendance an experience to remember. It’s just too bad there isn’t one quote from Rose about his camp experience …on his website, there’s an older interview he did with ESPN where he was asked: ‘Do you want your legacy in the city to be just about basketball?’ His answer: “No, not just about that. Also about helping where I’m from, the community. Just to let them know that hope is still there. Don’t give up. In my era, where I’m from, I only had Donald Whiteside. He’s from Englewood and he’s the only one that came out of Englewood. Other than him, I really didn’t have anyone else to look up to that was from my area. So in seeing him, I never gave up hope, just kept playing and then I realized that I might have a future in basketball.”
He also spoke about what he’d like aside from a wicked hoops career: “Definitely doing more things with some kids. NBA Cares stuff, charity stuff. I really think about that a lot because they really look up to us.” Thank you D-Rose…hold your head high and keep my glass half full. For more info on this mighty-mighty fine 20-year old, visit his website at D Rose Hoops.
… And we all know he’s got plenty to share when it comes to life lesson and hoops…
