Margaret Court - Australian tennis champ in the 60's

The 70-year-old made headlines around the world in December after saying marriage should be between a man and woman, and was criticised by openly gay tennis stars including Rennae Stubbs and Billie Jean King.

Gay activists launched a Facebook campaign asking Australian Open spectators to wear rainbow colours and wave flags at the show court named after the former player on Friday.

Court, a former World number one tennis player who was the first woman to win all four Grand Slam tournament titles, said she loved gay people and even worked with them.

“But what concerns me so much is the amount of hatred that has been directed at me,” she said.

Court said she did not intend to attack the gay community but instead was trying to plea for the nation to retain its morals.

The 69-year-old Court, an 11-time Australian Open champion who is now a Christian pastor, caused a stir before this year’s tournament when she told media in Western Australia that “politically correct education has masterfully escorted homosexuality out from behind closed doors, into the community openly and now is aggressively demanding marriage rights that are not theirs to take.”

Navratilova was gracious when talking about the venue and scheduling of her opening match.

“Playing on Margaret Court Arena, it’s an honor, as always, to be on that court,” Navratilova said. “You know, it’s not a personal issue. Clearly Margaret Court’s views that she has expressed on same sex marriage, I think are outdated.

“But it’s not about any one person. It’s not about religious rights, it’s about human rights. It’s a secular view, not a religious view.”

Navratilova said she hadn’t spoken to Court for years.

What do you think about Margaret Court’s views?

Many golf companies make golf balls, but many cannot match the quality of Srixon golf balls. Srixon does not just list their golf balls as “premium,” they actually are. The company offers three different families of balls – Tour, Premium Distance, and All-Ability. Each family of golf balls is meant to perform a separate task. The Tour balls are designed to have the best spin and acceleration. Premium Distance are best for using on the first shot to gain the most distance.

After experimenting with different types of golf balls, Srixon was definitely a quality ball, and they lived up to the expectations. The ZSTAR XV Tour series in the Tour family impressed me most. At only $44.99, these balls blew me away. On Srixon’s website, they said that the ZSTAR XV Tour can be compared with the Titleist Pro V1X, Nike One Tour D, Callaway HX Tour, Bridgestone Tour B330, and TaylorMade TP Black. I found that the ZSTAR XV Tour adequately compared with all of those models. Besides the premium selection of balls, Srixon also offers cheaper models. In the All-Ability category, Srixon offers the AD333 balls for $24.99 for two dozen. The premium golf balls, the AD333, are the number one balls in the United Kingdom. It has a high launch angle and penetrating trajectory for greater distance.

All in all, I really enjoy Srixon’s golf balls. They compare to all of the top brands and the prices are quite fair. I definitely suggest one of the three tour yellow golf balls or the All-Ability at the very least. The prices beat some other manufacturers $70+ range and definitely match the quality.

I had the hardest time thinking of what to get my husband for Christmas this year and part of it is because he already has everything he could ever want. He as the hardest time telling me what he wants which mean I just have to guess. This year was different though because for the last three months he’s spent just about every waking moment at his friend Benny’s house and now I know why – Benny’s got Directv packages that get all the games! So for the holidays I’ve gotten my hubby the best package I could find and I know he’s going to be OVERJOYED. He’s really into basketball and with the strike just about over I know he’s going to love it when he opens up the picture of the satellite dish I wrapped up for him to open on Christmas morning! I can’t believe we haven’t thought of this before now but I guess it’s better late than never, you know what I mean?hubby gift

One of my favorite things about fall is that you can really spend a whole lot of time just decorating with a whole bunch of scary decorations. It really is a great thing and I love seeing other people’s reactions to it. My family would never really decorate our house for Halloween besides a simple little jack o lantern and I always wished that they hung up some really scary decorations like some of our neighbors.

I don’t come up with all of my decorating ideas on my own. I actually look online to get inspiratoin for a bunch of them. While I was online doing that before I started decorating for this Halloween, I ran across soem info on internet providers visalia. After I looked through it alittle bit I decided to change over my internet service to one of those providers.

This year, I’m making my yard into a little graveyard, complete with some shaking coffins. It’s a little tough to do without destroying my yard, but I think that I figured out a good way to do that.

University of Alabama Tennis Shirts worn by their own players

Shane Lyons will work hand in hand with Billy Pate, head coach of the Alabama tennis team. In fact, the men’s tennis team enjoyed a successful day one at the 2011 USTA/ITA Southern Regional Championships, which are being held at the Yarborough Tennis Center at Auburn University. The Crimson Tide collected a combined seven wins on Thursday at the four-day tournament.

“I was very pleased with the results today and was especially pleased with the effort and energy,” said Alabama head coach Billy Pate. “Each guy played hard and with good focus.” Of course they looked good sporting their University of Alabama shirts.

Of course, let’s focus on this new athletic director shall we. “Shane Lyons accepted our offer early last week and we have finalized an agreement to add him to our athletic staff,” Moore said. “Shane brings to our department impressive administrative experience, having served at the ACC for more than 10 years while just completing his term as Chairman of the NCAA’s Division I Legislative Council. I am delighted to welcome him to our staff.”

Lyons’ role at Alabama will focus on assisting the Director of Athletics with the day-to-day operations of the athletic department, helping lead the administrative team. A 1987 graduate of West Virginia University with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management, Lyons also earned a master’s degree in Sport Management from WVU in 1988.

“I am extremely excited to join the Crimson Tide family,” Lyons said. “It’s an honor to be part of an exceptional academic and athletic institution with great leadership. I am looking forward to working with such a quality athletics community of administrators, coaches and student-athletes.”

Lyons has more than 25 years of administrative experience in college athletics and is recognized as one of the most capable and skilled professionals in the nation. He has deep experience in the areas of strategic planning, compliance and policy implementation on both the conference and national levels. Since joining the ACC in 2001, Lyons’ duties have focused on conference-wide compliance and academic initiatives, providing direct assistance to the conference’s presidents, chancellors and athletics directors in matters dealing with NCAA regulatory matters. In addition, he served as the league office’s Human Resource Manager and was responsible for the administration, negotiation and mediation of the employee benefits program and managing the conference’s organizational policies and procedures. Lyons also was part of the administrative team for ACC events, including the ACC Football Championship Game, the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament and several men’s and women’s NCAA basketball events.

“Over the past decade, Shane has been a trusted and loyal colleague that has made valuable contributions to the ACC,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “This is an excellent opportunity for Shane and I’m extremely pleased for him and his family. He will do a terrific job for Alabama.”

I just hope he can bring the tennis team up to the next level!!

Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said alcohol did not kill Heffron, 20, who died at 1:11 a.m. Sept. 10 at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.  The nurses were wearing their normal medical scrubs when this happened.

But the coroner confirmed that toxicology revealed Heffron had a .253 blood alcohol level, which is three times the legal definition of intoxication in the state of South Carolina for driving purposes for of-age adults. This would mean he had to have had 10 drinks in the span of 1 hour.

“A large mass of food was removed by Emergency Physicians at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center,” Clevenger said in a release. “At autopsy the following was recorded: ‘Mr. Heffron died as a result of respiratory insufficiency secondary to aspiration of food (so called café coronary).’ The elevated ethanol level may have contributed to the vomiting episode which led to extensive aspiration of food.’”

Heffron’s death has been ruled as accidental.

Heffron collapsed on the bathroom floor at Shipp Residence Hall at Wofford College just after midnight on Sept. 10. Such a sad end to a shining star in the tennis community.  Of course you still will not see nurses playing tennis in the emergency room, http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/.  They keep that to their free time.

This was written in memory of him:
Randall George Heffron, Jr. was born on April 10, 1991 and entered into eternal rest on September 10, 2011. He was the son of Robin Walker Heffron and the late Randall “Randy” George Heffron, DMD. He was the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. W. Howard Walker and the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Heffron, Sr. and brother to Walker Heffron, a member of the BEHS Class of 2011 and a member of the freshmen class at Wofford College. Randall attended Mason Preparatory School where he was awarded The Roy Barth Tennis Excellence Award. He was a 2010 graduate of Bishop England High School where he played JV basketball as a freshman and varsity tennis for four years. He served as captain of his tennis team and led them to the state playoffs all four years earning 2010 Player of the Year honors. Randall was the recipient of a 2010 South Carolina Tennis Patrons Foundation Scholarship and The J.C. and Alberta Long and Pinckney Scholarships through the Community Foundation and was entering his sophomore year at Wofford College having earned both Wofford tennis and academic scholarships.

Randall was a member of the Wofford College Tennis Team where, in a short time, he had made significant contributions to the spirit of his team. Coach Ray of Wofford College has commented that Randall was “going to be something …not just in tennis but in life.” Wofford President Bernie Dunlap commented, “He already had made an impression on many at Wofford College.” His teammates have talked about the tremendous elements he brought to their team outside of his athletic ability… his smile, his humor and his heart. Randall was selfless, and more times than not he chose being with friends or helping a friend over himself. He was a good teacher on many levels reminding us often not to “sweat the small stuff” and to look for the bigger picture. His contribution to junior tennis spans beyond his awards as many junior players have shared that they were inspired to play the sport because of Randall and his brother, Walker. He was a good listener, he gave great hugs often, and he leaves a legacy of love to all those who knew him. He was a member of the United States Tennis Association, Intercollegiate Tennis Association and All Saints Lutheran Church.

Randall will be missed by all who knew him but will be sadly missed by his family, which includes his brother Walker Heffron, Juanita Louis, his Godmother and Aunt Terry Byrd and his Godfather Gedney Howe, his cousins: Jonathan Byrd and Family, Jennifer Byrd, Tres Heffron and Family, Jason Heffron and Family, Brent Heffron, Jr., Bradley Heffron, and Emory Heffron, his Aunts: Gaby Tyler, Lindsay Heffron and Ruth Heffron Vernelson (John), and his uncles: Stephan Walker and Brent Heffron, Sr. Randall was preceded in death by his father Randy Heffron and two uncles: Richard W. Tyler and Robert C. Heffron, Jr.

The relatives and friends of Randall Heffron, Jr., are invited to attend his Funeral Service on Saturday, September 17, 2011 in St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church at 2:00 p.m. Burial will follow in Bethany Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Friday, September 16, 2011 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 405 King Street, Charleston, SC 29401. Arrangements by J. HENRY STUHR MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL.

The family requests memorials may be made to The Randall Heffron Memorial Scholarship Fund at Bishop England High School, 363 Seven Farms Drive, Charleston, SC 29492 or The Randall Heffron Endowed Scholarship Fund, c/o Wofford College, 429 N. Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303.

Memorial messages may be written to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.

POEM

To an Athlete Dying Young
by A. E. Housman
The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.
To-day, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.
Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields were glory does not stay
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.
Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears:
Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.
So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.
And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl’s.

Interestingly enough the first thing I noticed about my new wetsuit was the fact it had handy pockets for keys something that had always worried me about surfing alone. After this discovery Harry asked if I had any intention of trying it on! Of course I was pessimistic about getting most wet suits on as it had always seemed a stressful procedure that certainly did not look flattering on a beach in front of the Harry and his surf friends.

Luckily Body Glove is way ahead of me when they designed wetsuits for women. Conveniently placed zips increase the likelihood I would be able to independently get my wetsuit on without a team of assistants. So here I am on my third surf lesson and strangely enough I haven’t even noticed whether the water was cold or not!

When my mom told me she and my dad were getting divorced
I was pretty shocked. They’d been married over 30 years and I didn’t
really understand now that I’m 25 why they felt like they didn’t want to
be together anymore but I talked to both of them and it seemed to be
really amicable and they’re still great friends so I’m trying to be
supportive. I even went with my mom a few months ago to look for a new
house which was totally weird but we found her one and I even went to www.Allhomesecurity.COM
to see about getting her an alarm for it, too, since she’d be living
alone for the first time in decades. They both seem really okay with
this change and I’m sure I’ll get there eventually, too, but for now I
feel really lost and like my whole childhood was kind of a sham. I’ve
been thinking about joining a kids of divorce support group but I’m
worried I’ll be the youngest one there!

Chris Evert & Greg Norman divorce

Maria Sharapova screaming yelling at Wimbledon

The Russian 2004 champion is engaged to New Jersey Nets guard Sasha Vujacic and the Slovenian has been at the courtside throughout Sharapova’s Wimbledon campaign. He also has hearing loss now….. hehe………

“It certainly helps that he understands what I have to go through in preparation and everything for tennis (all of the yelling techniques she practices at home in front of the mirror). It’s quite different than when you don’t have a match day, of course,” Sharapova said on Monday.

It seems Sharapova never has a sore throat, her voice always works.  She could even teach Adele something about keeping her voice healthy. Is it sexy? Or just distracting?

Shaarpova has this to say on why she screams so much, “I am not doing it to piss somebody off, it’s natural. I started doing it when I was a kid. I was very weak and I needed that extra bit of push and power to hit the ball over the net.”

“Your body is like a machine, it makes noises. So for me it’s perfectly natural now.”…. that’s what she said………. (sorry about that)

As I posted back in 2009 on “Screaming & grunting to be banned from tennis, really“:

Here’s a quick list of the 4 worst screamers in tennis:

• Venus and Serena Williams have hit 90 decibels
• Monica Seles’ screech was measured at 93 decibels at Wimbledon in 1992.
• Maria Sharapova occasionally topping 100 decibels.
• Michelle Larcher de Brito – 109 decibels – a level slightly lower than a jet taking off

Got custom eye black with a tennis logo?

The stripes of grease swiped under the eyes are usually the reserve of football and baseball players, but Mattek-Sands is bringing eye black up a notch, with stick-on strips adorned with little silver Bs — for Bethanie.

In the normally conservative world of tennis, Mattek-Sands’ penchant for tattoos, knee-high socks and zany outfits pushes the boundaries. She played the 2007 U.S. Open in a gold lamé number over what looked like a black push-up bra, has been fined for wearing a cowboy hat during a match, and plans to attend the Wimbledon players’ party in a dress crafted entirely from tennis equipment by one of Lady Gaga’s designers, Alex Noble.

She said the eye black helps her game, but she also doesn’t shy away from the extra attention it has gotten her this year.

Bethanie Mattek Sands sports her eye black at her recent tennis match

“I had tried it a while back and the reason I did it again is I found it reduced the glare,” Mattek-Sands, 26, said from Paris. “Besides that, it’s something different, it’s something funky. I think tennis is pretty conservative and I’m just not. I just want to bring a fresh look to tennis.”
According to wikipedia I found this info on eye black.

Traditional grease consists of beeswax, paraffin, and carbon. Anti-glare face stripes that emulate the grease are also commonly used. One of the earliest known instances of a player wearing eye black is baseball legend Babe Ruth, who, in or around the 1930s, used the grease in an attempt to reduce sun glare. According to Paul Lukas of ESPN.com, eye black caught on with football player Andy Farkas. He also states that the original eye black was made from burned cork ashes.

A 2003 study by Brian DeBroff and Patricia Pahk tested whether black eye grease actually had anti-glare properties. The subjects of the study were divided into three groups: wearers of eye black, wearers of anti-glare stickers, and wearers of petroleum jelly. The subjects’ vision was tested using an eye chart while being exposed to natural sunlight. The study concluded that eye black reduced glare of the sun and improved contrast sensitivity

So do you think more tennis players will start sporting eye black?