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Jacksonville - this week.

7.06.2008

Rainbledon Day 14

It's raining! Supposedly, the rain will cease around 2:30pm with some sunny and rainy intervals after that. I really don't want to be here tomorrow with tennis being played. I would much rather be here tomorrow packing equipment for its journey to Jacksonville and Evian.
Even though today has started out "tickety bummer," yesterday proved to be a day of firsts.

Joanne and I completed our first doubles match with the new stats system that will be used at the US Open. It's fair to say that we mangled a few points but we did manage to keep the score correct. Let's just say that my voice radio will be turned off for the first day of stats at the US Open. I do not want to hear "come in court 11... court 11 your score is wrong... court 11 the director is screaming at me... court 11 you are an idiot." I am certain that there will be at least 4 or 5 significant mistakes on each of the stats courts on day 1. I really do like the new system because of the detail that is included. However, it will just take some getting used to.

Also on Day 13, Venus Williams hit a new record serve - 129mph - in her effort to win the Championship. It bears mentioning that the Williams family took home over 2.3 million dollars yesterday in the Singles final and the Doubles final combined.

It took a junior player to win the first Wimbledon title since 1983 (I think). Laura Robson (GBR) won the Girls Junior singles title yesterday. Now the immense pressure for this 14 year old to follow up her success will no doubt be the same pressure that leads to her ultimate demise. But, in the mean time, let enjoy this one for the Britts.

I also filled out my first "full report" on an apparent incident of pressing importance. Every now and again, you will hear a message that begins with "staff announcement." This is a cue to place some security symbols on our scoreboards. We heard that announcement on Friday and we placed the symbols on the scoreboard. We then took them off knowing that it was just a test. I guess we didn't have them on long enough because the person in charge of health and safety for the Championships was not pleased. What I'm not pleased about is the fact that we are never notified when to take the symbols down. We have these stand-down pagers that are supposed to indicate when it is time to take the symbols down. They haven't worked from day one. So, for now on, I'll leave the symbols on the scoreboards until the cows come home or until I get a call from the safety office telling me to do so.

STOP RAINING!

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