Wednesday, Surviving “Paradise” day!!

Posted on July 17, 2013 by admin

It is Wednesday, officially Surviving “Paradise” day, at least at this blog!!  OK, so let’s cover a few events in the sports world first.  The NL fell to the AL in the MLB All Star game last night, 3 – 0.  Bummer!  As a Braves fan, I pull for the National League and this marks the first time in three years the AL has defeated the NL.

Moving on, in tennis, Roger Federer waves his new “larger” magic wand in Hamburg, Germany today to defeat D. Brands but he needed three sets, losing in the first set, 3 – 6, and then taking the second and third sets respectively, 6 – 3, 6 – 2.  Has to be a bit of practice time for the maestro testing out the new larger Wilson racquet (98″ as opposed to the 90″ Wilson racquet he has used for a decade).  Fellow “old” guy Tommy Haas also advanced in three sets.  Going to be really interesting to see how Federer adjusts to this equipment change with the US Open looming in early September.

British Open Golf Championship gets underway tomorrow, at the unimaginable hour of 4:00 am EST.  Not to worry, replays will follow later in the day!

NBA news:  The Lakers are planning to go after Mello and LeBron in 2014.  Really?  Gee, I don’t know what to say except, REALLY?  Carmelo Anthony I can see, but LeBron to LA from Miami?  Hey, I would go to LA from Miami in a heartbeat, but as for LeBron, I am not feeling it.  We shall see.  Anyhow, it is still all about Kobe in LA (as far as the Lakers (and me) are concerned, not the Clippers!).

Moving on to the event of the day, promoting my book Surviving “Paradise” by Susan Willoch Shaver.  Really great story about neighborhood mayhem in Sarasota, FL.  Have you ever had a nasty neighbor?  What about a bunch of nasty neighbors?  It is a story that is must read.  It is relevant, entertaining, funny and really sheds some light on what ordinary people can experience in southwest Florida.  Please check it out at Amazon.com for $9.99 in paperback, $4.99 in kindle edition, and $4.99 at Barnes and Noble nook.  Just signed a contract with a ghost writer for screenplay for submission to directors, agents, and producers.  Hope it will be coming to TV and/or a theater near you ( and me) in the  near future!


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Roger Federer to unveil new larger Wilson racquet!

Posted on July 16, 2013 by admin

OK guys, I know the MLB All Star game is on tonight.  Tomorrow night we have the ESPY’S.  Then, Thursday the British Open Golf Championship gets underway (albeit at the horrific hour of 4:00 am EST in the states!).  All three are events I cannot wait to watch!  But I have my own priorities, and Roger Federer news is always at the top of my list!  After the great Swiss was dismissed in the second round at Wimbledon, he announced he had added two small tournaments to his schedule.  (He was certainly playing a reduced schedule this year, especially as compared to last year when he won Wimbledon and regained the #1 ranking). So, one had to assume something was in the works!  As a Fed fanatic, I will admit he has had a sub par year so far this year and it was time to make some kind of a “change”, a tweak in equipment perhaps.  Well folks, that is exactly what the great Maestro is doing!  Roger opens play tomorrow in Hamburg against Daniel Brands using a new, 98 ” square head Wilson racquet.  Fed has played with his traditional 90″ square head Wilson racquet for more than a decade, refusing stubbornly to change.  Many analysts have called for Roger to upgrade the size of his racquet, especially in light of his age, and the racquets used by his top competitors.  For example, Andy Murray, current Wimbledon champ uses a 98″ racquet.  Rafael Nadal and world #1 Novak Djokovic both use racquets that are 100″ in diameter.  So at long last, we see the picture.  Roger has announced his intentions to play at both Hamburg and Gstaad, Switzerland in the small tournaments to test out the long anticipated equipment change.  Very smart move by Mr. Federer and his team.  Gives him an opportunity to get used to the larger racquet before the North American hard court swing gets underway leading up to the US Open.  This racquet will provide him with a larger sweet spot along with more power and more spin.  Cannot wait to see how Roger and this equipment change perform.  Here’s to hoping it turns this 2013 season around for Roger and also enables him to perform at peak performance for a few more years to come.  He is currently ranked #5 in the ATP rankings, his lowest ranking since 2003 (gasp!) and noone wants to see his brilliant and unparalleled career end on a downward swing (no pun intended).  I hope this equipment change brings Fed right back up to the top of tennis, where he rightfully belong before he bids us adieu (a day that will be sad for anyone who truly loves tennis and appreciates his unmatched greatness)!


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Roger Federer to unveil new larger Wilson racquet!

Posted on July 16, 2013 by susan

OK guys, I know the MLB All Star game is on tonight.  Tomorrow night we have the ESPY’S.  Then, Thursday the British Open Golf Championship gets underway (albeit at the horrific hour of 4:00 am EST in the states!).  All three are events I cannot wait to watch!  But I have my own priorities, and Roger Federer news is always at the top of my list!  After the great Swiss was dismissed in the second round at Wimbledon, he announced he had added two small tournaments to his schedule.  (He was certainly playing a reduced schedule this year, especially as compared to last year when he won Wimbledon and regained the #1 ranking). So, one had to assume something was in the works!  As a Fed fanatic, I will admit he has had a sub par year so far this year and it was time to make some kind of a “change”, a tweak in equipment perhaps.  Well folks, that is exactly what the great Maestro is doing!  Roger opens play tomorrow in Hamburg against Daniel Brands using a new, 98 ” square head Wilson racquet.  Fed has played with his traditional 90″ square head Wilson racquet for more than a decade, refusing stubbornly to change.  Many analysts have called for Roger to upgrade the size of his racquet, especially in light of his age, and the racquets used by his top competitors.  For example, Andy Murray, current Wimbledon champ uses a 98″ racquet.  Rafael Nadal and world #1 Novak Djokovic both use racquets that are 100″ in diameter.  So at long last, we see the picture.  Roger has announced his intentions to play at both Hamburg and Gstaad, Switzerland in the small tournaments to test out the long anticipated equipment change.  Very smart move by Mr. Federer and his team.  Gives him an opportunity to get used to the larger racquet before the North American hard court swing gets underway leading up to the US Open.  This racquet will provide him with a larger sweet spot along with more power and more spin.  Cannot wait to see how Roger and this equipment change perform.  Here’s to hoping it turns this 2013 season around for Roger and also enables him to perform at peak performance for a few more years to come.  He is currently ranked #5 in the ATP rankings, his lowest ranking since 2003 (gasp!) and noone wants to see his brilliant and unparalleled career end on a downward swing (no pun intended).  I hope this equipment change brings Fed right back up to the top of tennis, where he rightfully belong before he bids us adieu (a day that will be sad for anyone who truly loves tennis and appreciates his unmatched greatness)!


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British Open pairings announced

Posted on July 15, 2013 by susan

The British Open (3rd golf major of the year) gets underway on Thursday from Murfield Country Club in Scotland.  Some interesting pairings have been announced!

Tiger Woods, Graeme McDowell and L. Ooshuizen; Rory Mcilroy, Phil Mickelson, H. Matsuyzma; Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Freddie Couples; Justin Rose, Ernie Els (defending champion), Brandt Snedeker; Bubba Watson, Nick Colsaerts, Dustin Johnson; and Adam Scott, Matt Kuchar, Luke Donald.  Quite an impressive array of pairings to open the event.  Only problem, time difference, as live coverage will begin at 4:00 am EST on ESPN.  As if Wimbledon was not difficult enough?  4:00 am EST folks!!  Well, there will be replays for sure on Golf Channel!  Here’s to hoping there is not a repeat of the round of 81 Tiger shot in 2002.  Would not make me happy to see, would surely not make for a happy Tiger Woods either!

Elsewhere, Meta World Peace is headed to the Big Apple.  He has inked a two year deal with the New York Knicks.  So long Staples Center, hello Madison Square Garden.  Also in CFB news, Johnny Manziel continues to make an a — of himself, leaving the Manning Brothers Passing Academy this past weekend due to “illness”.  Johnny is young, 20 years old, but he needs to get it together as SEC media days get underway this week.  Plus, time to put the big boy pants on and quit behaving like he is too big for his britches.

MLB home run derby on tonight from Citi Field on ESPN.  Tomorrow night, the MLB All Star game from Citi Field (home of the NY Mets) live at 8:00 pm EST.  And finally, Wednesday night, catch the ESPY’S!

Over and out for today!!


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Indy Racing from Toronto…all about Scott Dixon

Posted on July 14, 2013 by admin

What a weekend in Toronto for Scott Dixon of Gnassi Race team.  He won both races in Toronto, Saturday and Sunday (both road courses, or as my Indy insider calls them, “parades”).  Scott finished first on day one, followed by Bourdais and then teammate Dario Franchitti.  There was some controversy for Dario, he got into a bit of a tangle with rival Will Power on turn three and it was announced he would be accessed a penalty and stripped of his third placed finish.  Then the racing gods intervened and the penalty was reversed (as it should have been, Will Power is such a whiner) and Dario did indeed maintain his third place finish on day one.  Today, again, “Dixie” won the race.  What a three weeks for Scott Dixon and Gnassi Race team as they make a furious comeback in the Izod Race Series this year.  Dario finished fourth, there was again some controversy regarding his tires, but all was well, 4th place for Dario.  Second place today went to Castroneves and third to Bourdais.  Heck of a comeback this year for Chip Gnassi and his race team as things have not gone quite so well in the earlier races.  What a great second part of the season for Scott Dixon.  Could not happen to a nicer guy.  Glad to see Dario doing so much better as well.  Still waiting for Dario, (my guy!) to win one this year.  Stay tuned!


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Pop Culture – Romantic Comedies

Posted on July 13, 2013 by admin

Well, in the aftermath of Wimbledon, (what a Wimbledon it was!) and awaiting the start of the third Golf major event next week, the British Open, I have been amusing myself by enjoying one romantic comedy after another!  What can I say?  Sometimes, I really am “just a girl’!  I have watched the Meg Ryan oldies but goldies, You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle.  I have watched Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel (how I love him) in Life As We Know It (I watch it every time it is on)!  Then there has been the Hugh Grant series, Notting Hill with Julia Roberts, Two and a Half Weeks with Sandra Bullock, and perhaps one of my all time favorites, About A Boy.  If anyone can watch the scene where he comes out on stage to join Marcus at the school concert to sing “Killing Me Softly” with the guitar and not fall in love with him, well then you must be dead inside.  I find that scene to be one of the all time greats in movie history.  I save it to my DVR every time and then I move and it goes away, along with so many special moments, like Roger Federer winning Wimbledon last year (see my last post)!

Anyhow, I guess I have been on a bit of a much needed emotional hiatus.  Still watching ESPN, the Braves (way to go Freddie Freeman, All Star first baseman!) and reading ESPN.com and Bleacher Report.  Not too sad to see Dwight Howard leave the Lakers, never a good fit for them or him.  But for some reason, all these great old movies have been keeping me company.  Never fear, life as we know it (no pun intended) returns next Thursday when the British Open kicks off.  Should be interesting to see how Tiger fares.  Also, Roger Federer will be returning to tennis action in a couple of smaller tournaments in Switzerland and Germany before the North American hard court tennis action gets underway.

Gotta say, I have really enjoyed watching some of these great movies.  Also, forgot to mention, The Wedding Planner.  Realized it was missing from my DVD collection, took care of that today!!


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Pop Culture – Romantic Comedies

Posted on July 13, 2013 by susan

Well, in the aftermath of Wimbledon, (what a Wimbledon it was!) and awaiting the start of the third Golf major event next week, the British Open, I have been amusing myself by enjoying one romantic comedy after another!  What can I say?  Sometimes, I really am “just a girl’!  I have watched the Meg Ryan oldies but goldies, You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle.  I have watched Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel (how I love him) in Life As We Know It (I watch it every time it is on)!  Then there has been the Hugh Grant series, Notting Hill with Julia Roberts, Two and a Half Weeks with Sandra Bullock, and perhaps one of my all time favorites, About A Boy.  If anyone can watch the scene where he comes out on stage to join Marcus at the school concert to sing “Killing Me Softly” with the guitar and not fall in love with him, well then you must be dead inside.  I find that scene to be one of the all time greats in movie history.  I save it to my DVR every time and then I move and it goes away, along with so many special moments, like Roger Federer winning Wimbledon last year (see my last post)!

Anyhow, I guess I have been on a bit of a much needed emotional hiatus.  Still watching ESPN, the Braves (way to go Freddie Freeman, All Star first baseman!) and reading ESPN.com and Bleacher Report.  Not too sad to see Dwight Howard leave the Lakers, never a good fit for them or him.  But for some reason, all these great old movies have been keeping me company.  Never fear, life as we know it (no pun intended) returns next Thursday when the British Open kicks off.  Should be interesting to see how Tiger fares.  Also, Roger Federer will be returning to tennis action in a couple of smaller tournaments in Switzerland and Germany before the North American hard court tennis action gets underway.

Gotta say, I have really enjoyed watching some of these great movies.  Also, forgot to mention, The Wedding Planner.  Realized it was missing from my DVD collection, took care of that today!!


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Surviving “Paradise” on Wednesday

Posted on July 10, 2013 by susan

It is Wednesday and to be perfectly honest, I am still recovering from Wimbledon, which concluded this past Sunday.  What a Wimbledon it was.  My guy, Mr. Federer going out in the second round (ouch!), the surprise women’s winner, Marion Bartoli of France, and then, of course, the emotional win by Andy Murray ending the 77 year drought (no British man had been the men’s title holder since Fred Perry).  So, all I can say is whew…let me get over it before we move on…British Open Golf Tournament is on the immediate horizon.

Meanwhile, it is Wednesday and that is the day I promote my book Surviving “Paradise” by Susan Willoch Shaver.  It is also the reason I work so hard on thisSurviving Paradise Sports and Pop Culture blog.  I hope that those of you who come across my blog posts will enjoy my writing and take a look at my book.  It is a funny, entertaining read, perfect for summer reading by the pool or at the beach.  It is also the perfect book to pick up and/or download before you hop on a flight.  What can be more entertaining than crazy neighborhood mayhem in southwest Florida.  We all know Florida, is well, Florida, kind of “different”!  So please check it out at Amazon.com, $9.99 in paperback, $4.99 in kindle edition and also at Barnes and Noble nook for $4.99 as well.

Thanks guys and let’s read!!


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Wimbledon 2012 to Wimbledon 2013

Posted on July 8, 2013 by susan

My how time flies when we are having fun!  (or perhaps not!!)  Anyhow, after enjoying and languishing over Wimbledon 2013, it has given me some thoughts regarding the past year, where I was and what happened at Wimbledon 2012 and where I am now, and what happened at Wimbledon 2013.  Last year, I was in an apartment in Jacksonville, FL while I had numerous packers from Two Men and A Truck packing up my apartment while I watched Roger Federer win his 7th Wimbledon, capture his 17th Grand Slam, and regain the #1 ranking in the world.  Other than the incredible hassle I was experiencing, I was on top of the world.  My beloved Roger Federer had done what most people thought he could not do, not only capture another Grand Slam title (Wimbledon title on top of that), but he once again had regained his rightful place atop the world of tennis at #1 in the world.  It just could not get any better than that.  My biggest regret was that I had to turn in my Comcast DVR and I would not have the moment to savor forever.

Now, a year later I am in Atlanta, my hometown, and not altogether so happy to be “home”.  I dream of living in southern California as I have since I was a little girl.  Note to everyone:  Please check out my most excellent book Surviving “Paradise” at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble nook.  I truly hope to make it into a great TV/film project and I am hard at work talking with various aspiring screenwriting students to make this dream a reality.  I promise you it really is that good.  I would never lie to you!  Also, please buy it so it becomes popular and attracts the attention I need for it to become a “story to remember”!  Anyhow, back to Wimbledon 2013.  Rafael Nadal is one and done, out in the first round to a guy named Steve (Darcis).  Last year Rafa went out to a guy named Lukas Rasol.  So same story, different round.  BUT, and I do mean but, this year, Roger Federer was two and through (a popular basketball term along with one and done).  He lost in the second round to a guy with the last name of Stakhovsky.  Horror!  How could this be?  Well, it was and Fed was sent packing and this year was all about Andy Murray and the end of the 77 year drought that all of Great Britain has lamented over.  Andy won over world #1 Novak Djokovic in straight sets, a very long three set match given that these two play the same kind of tennis.  It goes on and on with each one hitting the ball back as hard as they can until one finally misses.  I know people will say sour grapes, but still, this is not the kind of tennis I truly want to see.  I miss Fed and his enormous variety of shots, even Rafa with his powerful and punishing ground strokes.  But still, all congratulations go to Andy Murray and his historic victory at the All England Club this year.  It has been a long time coming and very well deserved.  So are Djokovic and Murray the new dynamic duo in tennis?  Perhaps, but do not forget about Rafa and Roger.  Nadal will continue to battle with chronic tendinitis in his knee.  It is a result of his style of play and something he will have to figure out as the months and years come.  As for Roger, he is definitely dealing with father time, he will turn 32 before this year’s US Open.  Still, do not count out these two great players.  Rafa will be heard from, if not on the hard court, certainly on clay.  As for Roger, never, ever count out Roger Federer.  As for me, never, ever count me out either!  Best to you all, and I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July!


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Indy Race from Pocono, PA, Ganassi Race Team goes 1,2,3!

Posted on July 7, 2013 by admin

It has not been a good year for the Chip Gnassi Race Team in the Izod Indy Race Car series this year.  Perhaps today they turned a corner.  In Pocono, PA, Target – Gnassi went 1, 2, 3 with Scott Dixon winning the race and Charlie Kimball finishing in second and Dario Franchitti (my guy!) finishing in 3rd.  WOW!  200th win for Gnassi on the Indy Race circuit and 1ooth win for Target as the Gnassi race team sponsor.  Record setting day for sure.  Dario, who has certainly had a less than stellar year so far, went from 20th position to finish in 3rd.  Way to go Dario.  Franchitti is in the midst of a divorce from actress/activist Ashley Judd as many of you may know.  My Indy insider who spotted for Orial Servia at the Indy 500 has assured me Dario is doing just fine (means he has a hot girlfriend, knowing my Indy insider and friend!).  Anyhow, great to see Scott Dixon, Charlie Kimball and Dario Franchitti finish 1, 2, 3, and hopefully this can turn the season around for these guys.  Love Dixon as well.  For those of you who follow racing, you all know about the horrible crash last year that resulted in the death of the much beloved Dan Wheldon.  Well, Scott Dixon and his wife, Emma, relocated from their home in Australia to St. Petersburg, Florida, to spend time with Dan’s widow and his children to make sure they “adjusted” as best as they could under the horrific circumstances.  What can you say?  Just class acts and kind people.  Great to see “Dixie” (as Dario affectionately refers to him) on the top of the podium, joined by his two teammates.  Glad to see Dario on the podium as well.  Next up, Toronto!


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