Roddick Tallies Ace Hiring Connors

*This column was to be printed for The Daily Gamecock, the student newspaper at the University of South Carolina. I'm not sure that it made it in, but it was to be published about one day into the U.S. Open. As I watch Andy Roddick take a 2-set lead on a long-time nemesis of his, Lleyton Hewitt, the old Roddick is definitely back. Roddick's showing genuine excitement from tennis - something I haven't seen in some time.*

These days tennis columns are typically confined to Roger Federer’s world dominance and Maria Sharapova’s...well, just Maria Sharapova.

But as the U.S. Open’s first week unravels in New York it’s worth noting that hometown hopeful James Blake is not the lone American competitor. Andy Roddick has emerged from public criticism this summer and is seen as one of the tentative favorites.

In June, Roddick punctuated a year of letdowns with a third-round loss to rising Brit Andy Murray. Something must have hit him. He then latched onto eight-time grand slam champion Jimmy Connors as his new coach and has reemerged ever since.

Since, Roddick has made a final, won the Cincinnati Masters and claimed the U.S. Open Series crown (the latter refers to the player who earns the most points during the tour’ series of American hard-court tournaments). He also took off a couple weeks between these honors to reportedly nurse an injury. This may be true, but one speculates whether he was just having a “getting-to-know-you” session with Connors.

Either way, Roddick appears healthy and more importantly, back to his style of play – intimidating, energetic offense. To top it all off, he seems to be having fun. This is trivial to some athletes, but Roddick is all about fun. He loves taking a risky forehand down the line, punching a 125 mile per hour second serve out wide or rebuking an official when he feels it necessary.

“It's a lot of fun right now. I don't think you can overemphasize how important that is,” Roddick told ESPN.

This all sounds a lot like Connors. Connors loved risk and reward, is second only to John McEnroe in passionate yelling and OK, he didn’t hit 125 mph second serves. But Connors was also master of celebrations - joyous leaps, glaring smiles and famously slapping hands with on-court fans.

But Connors is about his business more than Roddick has been in the last year. Roddick’s missed the physical intensity that Connors clung to, even in utter frustration.

Connors has been the arrogant, excited personality on and off the court. He’s played in the shadows of greats like Bjorn Borg. He’s the opportunist who would always take that daring shot. He’s the free spirit Roddick was when he won the 2003 U.S. Open.

Perhaps Connors’ most remarkable moment came at age 39, when he made it to the U.S. Open semifinals nearly 20 years after his first grand slam title. He found his intensity and flair one last time. Roddick may not win this Open, but he’s found his coach and their very similar flair.

Now I know I haven't updated the blog in some time, but waking up to this was too good to be true. Following is the AP briefing in the latest escapade of the one, honorable, upstanding Maurice Clarett.

Police use Mace on Clarett, arrest him after chase

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Maurice Clarett was charged with carrying a concealed weapon after a highway chase early Wednesday that ended with police using Mace on the former Ohio State running back and finding four loaded guns in his sport utility vehicle, police said.

	Clarett

Officers used Mace to subdue Clarett after a stun gun was ineffective because the former Fiesta Bowl star was wearing a bullet-resistant vest, Sgt. Michael Woods said.

"It took several officers to get him handcuffed," Woods said. "Even after he was placed in the paddy wagon, he was still kicking at the doors and being a problem for the officers."

The complaint police filed when they charged him with carrying a concealed weapon without permit said he had a 9 mm handgun under his legs in the driver's seat of an SUV.

Police also charged him with failing to maintain a continuous lane, which they said was for Clarett making a U-turn on the freeway. More charges are possible, Woods said.

Clarett did not speak to police who tried to interview him at the station before he was moved to the Franklin County Jail.

Wearing tan jail-issue clothes, he talked on the telephone in the booking area, separated from reporters by a window. He was to be held at the jail at least until an arraignment Thursday morning, unless his attorneys work out an agreement for his release, police said.

Clarett made an illegal U-turn on the city's east side and failed to stop when officers, in a cruiser with lights flashing, tried to pull him over, Woods said.

Police said they pursued Clarett onto the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70, one of the city's main freeways, when he darted across the median and began heading west. Clarett drove over a spike strip that was placed on the highway, flattening the driver's side tires of the SUV, Woods said. A police helicopter in the area helped track the vehicle.

Clarett exited the highway and pulled into a restaurant parking lot about 10 minutes after police say they saw him make the U-turn. Officers removed him from the SUV after he failed to obey numerous orders to exit the vehicle, Woods said.

After Clarett was placed in a police van, officers discovered a loaded rifle and three loaded handguns in the front of his vehicle, Woods said.

"We don't have any idea why he had them or what, if anything, he was going to do with them," Woods said. Police don't know where Clarett got the guns or where he was headed or coming from in the SUV. Federal authorities plan to trace the guns' ownership.

A half-full bottle of vodka was found in the SUV, but no breath test was administered because police had no indication that Clarett was intoxicated, Woods said.

The 22-year-old Clarett is currently awaiting trial on two counts of aggravated robbery, four counts of robbery and one count of carrying a concealed weapon in a separate case. Authorities said he was identified by witnesses as the person who flashed a gun and robbed two people of a cell phone in an alley behind the Opium Lounge in Columbus in the early hours of Jan. 1.

One of Clarett's attorneys in that case, Nick Mango, said he was going to the jail to see Clarett to "make sure he's OK emotionally and mentally." Clarett has not asked Mango to represent him on the new charges.

"I'm shocked as everyone else is about the allegation," Mango said. "Obviously, he's a young man with a lot of weight on his shoulders."

The home address Clarett gave police was his mother's house in Youngstown. A message seeking comment was left at the home.

Clarett scored the winning touchdown in the second overtime of the Fiesta Bowl against Miami to lead Ohio State to the 2002 national championship, the school's first since 1968. But that was the last game the freshman played for Ohio State.

He sat out the 2003 season after being charged with misdemeanor falsification on a police report, then dropped out of school. He sued to be included in the 2004 NFL draft and lost in court.

A surprise third-round pick in the 2005 draft, he was cut by the Denver Broncos during the preseason.

Clarett plans to play for the Mahoning Valley Hitmen, one of five teams in the Eastern Indoor Football League. The team, based in Clarett's hometown of Youngstown, is to begin play in January.

Hitmen coach and owner Jim Terry said that there was no indication that anything was wrong when he spoke with Clarett by cell phone early Wednesday morning about the team's upcoming tryouts. The call was disconnected around 1 a.m. and Terry missed Clarett's second call about an hour and a half later, which would have been near the time when police say they saw Clarett make a U-turn.

The arrest will not affect Clarett's status with the team, Terry said.

"We gave him a chance and now we'll wait to see what happens," he said. "I've seen far worse situations than this."

Clarett has not signed a contract with the team yet, pending a fire marshal's inspection of the team's home field. Clarett's proposed contract includes attendance incentives which cannot be finalized until the fire marshal determines the capacity of the team's arena.

There aren't enough words to editorialize on this guy and situation, but here's a few questions/comments:

1. Four guns? Who was Maurice going to pick up?

2. More importantly, where was he headed? Was he going to brutally murder people, four guns strapped to him and all?

3. Isn't his old trial starting like, tomorrow?

4. Shouldn't stun guns be able to shock through a vest?

5. If this guy doesn't see 20+ years, I will have lost all faith in the judicial system.

"It's weird seeing the Knicks this bad and in such disarray."

That's the type of intimidatingly simple, but enlightened thought I had after hearing the Larry Brown media blitz. Knicks fans are supremely dedicated. The rest of us couldn't care less but for one simple reason: Now that Dolan's made this insane move, what will he do with these players?

We all know the Knicks are not a team, but a handful of their players can contribute on an actual team. It's insensible to consider Channing Frye as more valuable than even a Jared Jeffries, let alone Kevin Garnett. But, Jared Jeffries is becoming a vital part of the Wizards' scheme, especially defensively. Quentin Richardson displayed his value as a role player for Phoenix. Malik Rose contributed solidly for the Spurs during their recent runs.

Each NBA team that is still alive is playing team basketball, within its system. Jason Williams is playing unselfish basketball for the Miami Heat - who would have thought? This is the NBA today and in its future. So consider - what might a trade with a combination of the Knicks talented players be worth? Maybe a legit player(s).

NBA Takes a Tip from the Past

Now we all wish Larry’s sweet J still teased NBA nets, that Magic still threaded backdoor passes, and that Hakeem still fooled centers with his ‘Dream Shake.’ It’s unfortunate that we no longer see these heroes in their bliss, but it doesn’t mean we can’t recognize a “rebirth” of their style of play.

This rebirth can first be marked by the reemergence of driven superstars. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Gilbert Arenas and Steve Nash are only a handful of players in a tidal wave of NBA talent. One can only imagine how irked an Iverson, Duncan or Garnett fan would be if they read the previous sentence. This is recognition of the NBA’s talent and its current balancing act.

These leaders value the idea of possessing a complete game. Almost every one understands the importance of sacrificing his body for a charge, finding the open man when he’s trapped, and shielding his man before elevating for a rebound. “Pistol” Pete, Oscar Robertson, Magic and MJ are among many who pioneered these intricacies. Playing with such grit helps identify each teammate’s role for the whole’s good.

Teamwork is the product of these superstars and this style of play. I’m sure Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes would occasionally be frustrated at LeBron’s shot total if he wasn’t so damn good at getting them the ball. Iverson’s teammates could be upset with an occasional 8-24 shooting night if he didn’t get 13 assists to substitute. To be frank, it doesn’t always happen that way. But Hughes knows that if he extends his jump shot beyond the three-point line in the next year, LeBron’s going to find him a couple open threes every game.

Teams win when they discover this trust, this chemistry. It’s no secret that Chauncey Billups and Tim Duncan aren’t always the first people one thinks of when you think – superstar. That’s because their teams, who have hoisted four of the last seven championships, are teams – not groups of undisciplined players.

While the Pistons and Spurs have doctorates in this unselfish play, rising clubs like Dallas and L.A. (yes, the Clippers) are quickly learning the value of role players. These emerging clubs are learning that in the end, Josh Howard making a defensive stop like Tayshaun Prince can be just as valuable as Dirk sinking a teardrop jumper. This is the script for beautiful basketball and even better – winning.