Dexter's Vantage Point!

Tennis fans were hoping for another Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal final at the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Mason, Ohio last week. Just like at the French Open Federer kept up his end of the bargain by reaching the final. Nadal didn’t make it because Novak Djokovic got into the way by beating him in the semis. Federer looked razor sharp against Djokovic during the entire match, particularly in the first set. After a thirteen minute second game Federer finally broke Djokovic in running away with the first set 6-1. Second set was highly contested before Djokovic succumbed to the Federer arsenal. He displayed an array of penetrating ground strokes and crisp volleys in capturing the second set and the championship 7-5. Last year at this time Federer was struggling and was ranked No. 2 behind his arch rival Nadal. He had no grand slam victories to his credit and was struggling to regain his dominant form. Somehow at last years US Open Federer summoned past glory to ...

Embattled former New York Giant wide receiver Plaxico Burress pled guilty to weapons charges yesterday. Now he’ll serve a 2-year prison bid for shooting himself in the thigh with an unregistered handgun last November in a Manhattan night club. If Burress didn’t plead out he could’ve gotten as much as 3 ½ years behind bars. For some reason that just doesn’t sound right. A man shoots himself and gets a 2 year bid and Donte Stallworth was in jail for 24 days for killing a man while driving intoxicated. Does the time fit the crime? The New York City law is a joke-far too harsh. It makes no sense for a man to serve 2 years for being stupid. Yes, Burress should have exercised better judgment by simply registering his gun. But don’t you think 2 years in prison for being stupid is fair? One thing is being overlooked here is intent. It’s plausible to assume Burress didn’t leave his home, go to the nightclub with the intent of shooting himself. He didn’t intend to harm himself or anyone else. Bu...

Brett Favre flew in to Minnesota yesterday afternoon cavalier style to become the newest Minnesota Viking quarterback. After being followed by a helicopter as he was in the air to being flanked by Viking personnel as he landed head coach Brad Childress finally got his man. This news came out of the bushes to become the story of the day in sports. But questions linger. Can Favre still play? Will Minnesota make it to the Super Bowl? How do the fans feel in Packer-land? Given Favre’s wayward decision-making on retirement in recent years does anyone care anymore? Favre inherits a team that features arguably the best running back in the game in Adrian Petersen, a great defense led by Jared Allen and an offense he’s very familiar with. Seems like all the ingredients are in place to make a run at the Super Bowl but the key is will Favre’s throwing arm hold up long enough. One can question how the Favre signing went down. Why did the Viking organization have to do it such secrecy like the Phil...

Tiger Woods got looked squared in the eyes by self-taught golfer S. Korean Y.E. Yang on Sunday and tamed Tiger. Yang snatched the PGA Championship away from arguably the greatest player of all time. It was essentially match play golf for the last 18 holes as no other players seriously threatened Woods or Yang. But at days end the 37 year-old hoisted the trophy in triumph while Woods abruptly left the course refusing to speak to course-side reporters. We all know Woods resume. We know of his perceived invincibility, the legendary shots, his 70 tour victories and his 14 Major Championships, and mental toughness. But not of that seemed to matter to Yang yesterday. We know that Woods will probably go down as the greatest of all time, but yesterday Yang was just better. Yang’s Victory has to be one of the greatest upsets in sports. Yang didn’t take up golf until he was 19 years old who never had a coach until recently. The 110th ranked unknown got his first tour of the year at this year’s H...

On August 8th Rod Woodson entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame. While beginning his speech he quickly issued the following, “But first I want to thank my lord Jesus Christ. He is my savior. He died for my sins and my salvation, and really without him I would not be here.” Woodson continued, “And without his mercy, without his love, and without his compassion for me as a person, as a human being, as one of his children, I wouldn’t be here. So I say thank you Jesus.” The most poignant moment for me during his speech was when Woodson spoke about race and ethnicity and growing up in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He talked about how people still unfortunately judge you by color over character. Woodson issued the following, “I grew up in the 1960’s and 1970’s, in a biracial relationship. And it taught me a lot. I think it taught me early in life that people will judge you by your skin color. Not the content of your character.” Woodson continued, “Society wants us to choose what side they’re on. You ...

The recent rumblings that Commissioner Bug Selig may consider lifting the ban on Pete Rose and allow him in the chance of getting into the Hall of Fame got me to thinking: if Rose is being considered why isn’t…. Not so fast. Without question 1969 was a historic year in society and sports. Man walked on the moon. In sports Rod Laver won the Grand Slam of tennis. The New York Jets behind quarterback Joe Namath “guarantee” beat the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Bill Russell led his Boston Celtics to an NBA Championship as player/coach. The New York “Ya Gotta Believe” Mets won the World Series. Watching the Major League All-Star game in St. Louis several weeks ago ignited memories of those great Cardinal teams of the 1960’s with Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Tim McCarver, Bill White, and Roger Maris. But there was a diminutive center fielder that was fleet of foot, hit for average, stole bases, and was a gold-glover with the Cardinals. This player was a part of two Cardinal World Series Cham...

The late historian Carl Degler stated the following many years ago: “The central question of the twentieth century is whether the United States will be able to work out a biracial society in which blacks and whites will be able to live together in mutual respect and justice. That question is still open, not only because such a society has not been achieved in the United States, but because it has not been achieved in any nation in which whites dominate.” That statement still rings true today. When President Obama extended an invitation to Henry Louis Gates and SGT. James Crowley many thought there would be sweeping change and we could rally around this “teachable moment” that was about to take place. Yeah right. When Professor Henry Louis Gates was arrested by SGT. James Crowley of the Cambridge Police Department several weeks at his home on disorderly conduct charges it ignited uncomfortable dialogue about racism and racial profiling. Gates felt he was unnecessarily harassed by Crowle...

Michael Vick is back. But when will he suit up? Commission Roger Goodell reinstated Vick but only on a conditional basis. He can sign with a team and practice and he’s permitted to play in final two games of pre-season (providing he finds a team to sign him) but its possible Vick won’t be fully reinstated until October. Huh? I’m sorry but this makes no sense. Didn’t this guy serve 23 months of federal time? Has he taken a snap in the NFL since December of 2006? Vick has paid his debt in full to society and the NFL. The conditional suspension simply adds salt to the wounds of Vick. During his 23 month sentence Vick lost his job, money, endorsements, and more importantly the respect his name use to garner. Now the commissioner gives him even more time away from potentially working his magic. To make things worse ESPN ran recent poll of asking participants who they thought were the most disliked athletes in sports were. Of the top ten athletes 8 were African American and Hispanic. Number ...

T.O. speaks! And surprisingly it was highly relevant. Terrell Owens recently spoke on Michael Vick’s recent conditional reinstatement and suspension. Owens suggested Vick has paid his debt to society and he shouldn’t have been punished further by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Speaking at Buffalo Bills training camp the wide receiver recently issued the following on Vick: "I think the way the commissioner is handling it is unfair to Michael Vick," Owens said. "I think he's done the time for what he's done. I don't think it's really fair for him to be suspended four more games. It's almost like kicking a dead horse in the ground.” Owens continued: "A lot of the guys around the league need to speak up. I think the players' union needs to step in because the guy's already suffered so much, and to add a four-game suspension onto a two-year prison sentence, I mean, that's ridiculous." Also, after his press conference Owens suggested ...