2010 Toronto Masters 'Battle of the Boards' pick 'em contest

steven · Tennis legend

RE: 2010 Toronto Masters 'Battle of the Boards' pick 'em contest

LadyTigress · County player

I hate to say this, but I now need Berdbrain to take out Sashko.

steven · Tennis legend

LadyTigress wrote:

I hate to say this, but I now need Berdbrain to take out Sashko.

... unlike Pabbers, whose faith on Lu and Dolgo may have gone a round too far, in which case she'll crash and burn today. If they do the business again though, she could soar into a huge lead!

eblunt · Club Coach

PHM has taken GEMness to new levels. You know they're going to surprise and infuriate you, either by losing dismally when you had them to go deep (e.g Dammit) or completely unexpectedly doing well when you had them to go out (Chardy). What you don't expect is to be tearing your hair out as they throw the match from a set up when you never even picked them at all.

LadyTigress · County player

steven wrote:

LadyTigress wrote:

I hate to say this, but I now need Berdbrain to take out Sashko.
... unlike Pabbers, whose faith on Lu and Dolgo may have gone a round too far, in which case she'll crash and burn today. If they do the business again though, she could soar into a huge lead!

Well... we'll see. I plan on tuning in to Sashko's match at 4pm later today and sitting on the edge of my seat for that one. It's not that I don't have confidence and faith in Sashko's abilities... I just don't feel like it's that "time" yet. We're still in the "on the way up" phase, we're not yet in the "break-through-into-quarters-and-beyond-everyone-suddenly-notices-who-I-am" phase. At least, I don't think so. Which is why I picked Berdych to knock him out here, hoping also that Berdy had retained some of his Wimbledon form to be able to do so.

This is a most odd feeling though. I distinctly want to be supporting Sashko in this match, not Berdy... and yet I need Berdy to win... so, does that mean I'll be wring my hands with worry if he starts muppeting it away?! I just don't know how to react if that scenario comes up! Whether I ought to be happy or annoyed or what! Oh, I'm so confused about this match up!!!

indiana · Tennis legend

Lady T, be happy for Dolgo if he does well and indeed wins. You've watched him develop and now he is beginning to show folk what he can really do and this may be his time.

Yes, you may have picked Berdbrain, but ultimately this is only a game so doesn't really matter.

Sorry, just returned to reality, THIS IS PICK 'EM, and I picked Berdbrain too, Go Tomas and put this overachieving wannabe in his place !

RobH · Social player

Nosebleed time

Shame I've already lost 1 finalist.

steven · Tennis legend

eblunt wrote:

PHM has taken GEMness to new levels. You know they're going to surprise and infuriate you, either by losing dismally when you had them to go deep (e.g Dammit) or completely unexpectedly doing well when you had them to go out (Chardy). What you don't expect is to be tearing your hair out as they throw the match from a set up when you never even picked them at all.

That masterpiece is hereby awarded quote of the week, even though I had to split it over 3 tweets biggrin

steven · Tennis legend

LadyTigress wrote:

steven wrote:

LadyTigress wrote:

I hate to say this, but I now need Berdbrain to take out Sashko.
... unlike Pabbers, whose faith on Lu and Dolgo may have gone a round too far, in which case she'll crash and burn today. If they do the business again though, she could soar into a huge lead!
Well... we'll see. I plan on tuning in to Sashko's match at 4pm later today and sitting on the edge of my seat for that one. It's not that I don't have confidence and faith in Sashko's abilities... I just don't feel like it's that "time" yet. We're still in the "on the way up" phase, we're not yet in the "break-through-into-quarters-and-beyond-everyone-suddenly-notices-who-I-am" phase. At least, I don't think so. Which is why I picked Berdych to knock him out here, hoping also that Berdy had retained some of his Wimbledon form to be able to do so.

This is a most odd feeling though. I distinctly want to be supporting Sashko in this match, not Berdy... and yet I need Berdy to win... so, does that mean I'll be wring my hands with worry if he starts muppeting it away?! I just don't know how to react if that scenario comes up! Whether I ought to be happy or annoyed or what! Oh, I'm so confused about this match up!!!

Not being an extreme Ukrainophile like yourself wink

the closest analogy I can find is if Muzza played Rafa in the semis here. I've got Rafa to win Toronto (in a deluded attempt to make 'safe' picks to try to defend as many points as possible so that I have a realistic chance of regaining a place in the top 10 of the rankings after the USO - I did die a little as I made that pick), but if he plays Muzza in the semis, I'll want Andy to win 100%. (*)

Then again, in any other BOTB-related match these days, I find myself wanting the player I picked to win, even if I'd strongly prefer his opponent to win if no BOTB points depended on it.

(*) I do actually have Andy winning Toronto in the ATP BC, but I care so little about the ATP BC (apart from the fact that it gives you easier access to H2H data when you're picking) that it makes no difference to the above.

indiana · Tennis legend

steven wrote:

eblunt wrote:

PHM has taken GEMness to new levels. You know they're going to surprise and infuriate you, either by losing dismally when you had them to go deep (e.g Dammit) or completely unexpectedly doing well when you had them to go out (Chardy). What you don't expect is to be tearing your hair out as they throw the match from a set up when you never even picked them at all.
That masterpiece is hereby awarded quote of the week, even though I had to split it over 3 tweets

Yes, it is a classic !

Hopefully, this award will be of some small consolation and in some ways represent all those folk that already had the cross to bear of pick'em predictions sheets showing them picking PHM to reach semis, final or win the thing !

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 12th of August 2010 02:30:31 PM

LadyTigress · County player

steven wrote:

Not being an extreme Ukrainophile like yourself the closest analogy I can find is if Muzza played Rafa in the semis here. I've got Rafa to win Toronto (in a deluded attempt to make 'safe' picks to try to defend as many points as possible so that I have a realistic chance of regaining a place in the top 10 of the rankings after the USO - I did die a little as I made that pick), but if he plays Muzza in the semis, I'll want Andy to win 100%. (*)

Then again, in any other BOTB-related match these days, I find myself wanting the player I picked to win, even if I'd strongly prefer his opponent to win if no BOTB points depended on it.

(*) I do actually have Andy winning Toronto in the ATP BC, but I care so little about the ATP BC (apart from the fact that it gives you easier access to H2H data when you're picking) that it makes no difference to the above.

wink SHHHHH!

Well... sort of I guess. When Andy and Rafa come up against each other it's a different thing for me - I'm genuinely rooting for both, and thus truly happy whoever wins and conciliatory for whoever loses. It's not quite the same feeling as I've got confronting this upcoming match!

Of course, for me it has been a thrill to observe Sashko's progress. "Discovering" him breaking through on the Challengers circuit 18 months ago, realising that here is a major, young talent, watching all my intuition about his future potential coming true... It's a highly rewarding experience, and I love this aspect of my interest in tennis. It's a wonderful feeling. I do really hope he wins here. It takes me back to the good old days of 2008 - Andy's breakthrough year. The excitement as we watched Andy making his and our dreams for him really take off and go nova, the thrill of seeing it all realised, the hard work, the potential!!! The gripping matches, the overcoming of new challenges (first time defeated Djokovic, first time defeated Rafa, first Slam final)... Ahhhhh, those were the days, and I love times like this. aww aww aww

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

LadyTigress wrote:

You had Youzhny getting through, knight.

ouch

LadyTigress · County player

Watching live. Berdych pulls out the first set 6-3. Fairly unremarkable stuff so far. Stands virtually empty, of course.

steven · Tennis legend

LT - I think most people on this board will identify with the fun of spotting a good prospect at Futures or Challenger level and then following their rise up the rankings until everyone else starts to notice the player who has sprung from "nowhere".

LadyTigress · County player

steven wrote:

LT - I think most people on this board will identify with the fun of spotting a good prospect at Futures or Challenger level and then following their rise up the rankings until everyone else starts to notice the player who has sprung from "nowhere".

smile Indeed. Looks like we've got a fight back in this second set. 6-5 to Sashko and on serve. Break point for him too - this could well go to a third.

EDIT: Snatches it on the tiebreaker. We're into a third.

-- Edited by LadyTigress on Thursday 12th of August 2010 04:58:54 PM