Freshly brewed: Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

Eddie Murphy and Jerry Seinfeld share a good laugh
in a 2004 Porsche Carrera GT

Freshly brewed episodes of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s talk show that combines good laughs, great coffee and colorful vintage cars into a series of quirky but likable “caffeine-fueled adventures” with the sharpest minds in comedy, rolled out last week on Netflix.

The latest batch of 12 episodes of  Comedians ... features 11 comedians, 11 different cars, endless pots of coffee – especially prominently-featured Lavaazza Italian espresso – and lots of laughs. Among the featured guests this season are: Ricky Gervais (in back-to-back episodes), Eddie Murphy, Seth Rogen, Matthew Broderick, SNL’s Melissa Villaseñor and Martin Short. As for the cars, let’s see, they include: a 2004 Porsche Carrera GT, a 1976 Dodge Monaco, a 1969 Maserati Mistral and a 2018 Lamborghini Huracán Performante.

Each episode is touching in its own way, and thanks to Seinfeld – still curious at age 65 – the art of conversation remains alive and well. Seinfeld is one of the best when it comes to the art of observational humor, whether talking about personal relationships or the nuances of uncomfortable social obligations. It’s what we loved about the New York native in Seinfeld, which spanned 180 episodes over nine seasons from 1989-98 on NBC. The series remains a fixture in reruns across the country.

Now, having successfully transitioned from broadcast TV to an internet series, Seinfeld has taken an offbeat approach that shows another side of the comedy world. It’s something the comedian feels talk shows and interviews can’t or don’t let you see. The web-based comedy series he created, directs and stars in debuted in 2012 and is shot using DSLR and interior-mounted Go-Pro cameras.

“It’s a show about trust,” said former Daily Show host Jon Stewart.

Nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Series or Special, in Comedians ... Seinfeld connects with those whom he admires the most and the show shines in its ability to go inside the minds of some of the word’s funniest people. A who’s who of contemporary A-list comedians, including Chris Rock, Sarah Silverman and Amy Schumer as well as iconic ones Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Don Rickles and Jerry Lewis, have been coffee companions of Seinfeld’s. So have present and past late night TV hosts Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, David Letterman and Jay Leno. Seinfeld co-stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander and Michael Richards have also made appearances.

Each 12-to-20-minute episode of Comedians ... follows a premise of Seinfeld introducing a vintage car such as a 1983 Mercedes Benz station wagon or a 1991 Nissan Figaro, then picking up his guest comedian in that vintage car, driving around and sharing conversation, and, finally, stopping for coffee and more conversation. Seinfeld films most episodes in New York and Los Angeles, but has also ventured to New Jersey and Massassuchetts – even Portland, Ore.

In this season’s episode with Broderick, for instance, the two drive around the actor’s childhood Manhattan neighborhood, reminisce about their mutual love for Mel Brooks and share laughs about Brook’s original film version of The Producers. (Broderick co-starred as Leo Bloom in the Broadway musical adaptation as well as a 2005 remake of the film.) They also live out a baseball fantasy of being New York Mets ball players at Citi Field. The camera captures them walking into the clubhouse to don their Mets jerseys, then follows them out on the diamond hitting and fielding. Finally, we see the two sitting in box seats eating hot dogs while discussing Broderick’s 1986 film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which prominently includes the central character driving around Chicago in a sporty fire engine-red Ferrari and spending an afternoon in the bleacher seats at Chicago’s Wrigley Field cheering for the Cubs.

Meanwhile, when Seinfeld meets up with Short in L.A., not only do we get to re-live some of the best of Jiminy Glick, Short’s fictional Comedy Central talk show host character, but the former SNL and SCTV star also shares how appearing in a Canadian production of Godspell helped launch his comedy career and those of Gilda Radner, Eugene Levy and Paul Shaffer.

Whether meaningful or meandering, silly or deep, the unscripted conversations between Seinfeld and his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee companions are hardly a show about nothing.

Cover photo: Courtesy of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee website. Video: Courtesy of YouTube.

On Wimbledon: Gentlemen’s final was like none before it

Throughout the gentlemen’s singles final at the Wimbledon Championships Sunday, the margins were so small, the tension and excitement of a five-hour classic so great. It didn’t matter who won or lost. Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer entertained the world their excellence, in which the winner saved two match points and the outcome was decided in a first-of-its-kind tiebreaker.

The No. 1 seed Djokovic, 32, captured his fifth Wimbledon crown and his 16th Grand Slam title overall, outlasting the 37-year-old Federer 7-6 (5), 1-6, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 13-12 (3). The fifth set, alone, which was decided by a 12-games-all seven-point tie break, lasted two hours.

For much of the match, it was Federer who seemed to be the better player on Centre Court. But in the end, although he was on top of most of the statistical categories – which one Twitter pundit likened to winning the policy debates and popular vote in a U.S. presidential election, but ultimately losing to the Electoral College count – statistics didn’t count for a thing.

The latest Djokovic-Federer clash had something for everyone. It was tense, it was brilliant, it was bold, it was baffling, it had star power. It had royalty, movie stars, dot.com titans and Hall of Famers watching from the Royal Box. At times, Federer’s wife, Mirka, could be seen – picked up by the BBC cameras – with her head buried in her hands, too nervous and unable to look up at the action down on the court. Other times, Djokovic’s mother, Dijana, was shown clutching a religious pendant with both hands, perhaps, seeking divine intervention. Interspersed, there was plenty of superior, high-quality play displayed by both superstars. Each took time looking for weaknesses in each other’s game. There was much creative shotmaking throughout by both Federer and Djokovic to appreciate. Long, back-and-forth rallies were plentiful and not uncommon.

At times, both played like they were the best player in the world. Djokovic is the current No. 1 and Federer is a longtime former No. 1, who is currently ranked third. In losing, Federer came close to winning. In the fifth set, he had two championship points on his racquet, serving for the match at 8-7, 40-15, and was unable to convert either of them into his ninth Wimbledon singles championship, which would have tied him with Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova. He won 36 games during the match to 32 for Djokovic. He hit 94 winners compared to 54 for Djokovic. He hit more aces, 25-10, converted seven of 13 break point chances and, more often than not, controlled many of the points until he didn’t.

A match for the ages…

The moment @DjokerNole retained his crown to become #Wimbledon champion for a fifth time after a historic men’s singles final#JoinTheStory pic.twitter.com/zDQlEBviMD

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 14, 2019

When he was asked during his post-match interview session what went wrong at the critical point of the championship match, Federer said simply, “One shot I guess. Don’t know which one to pick. Your choice.”

However, in the tightest moments of the match – the three tie-break deciders that came in the first, third and fifth sets – Djokovic reigned supreme. He proved more mentally fit and physically tougher. Meanwhile, Federer made some questionable decisions in each of the tie breaks, and each time, they came back to haunt him.

“I thought most of the match I was on the back foot,” Djokovic said during his news conference about beating Federer for the third time in a Wimbledon final. “I was defending. He was dictating the play. I just tried to fight and find a way when it mattered the most, which is what happened.”

In the end, on Djokovic’s championship point, Federer shanked a return high into the air – and it cost him dearly. The native of Belgrade, Serbia won the match and his fifth Wimbledon crown, not because he was necessarily the best player on Centre Court Sunday. Instead, Djokovic played the best when he needed to the most.

Roger Federer / Post-match news conference

Reflecting on what might have been, Federer said, “I just feel like it’s such an incredible opportunity missed, I can’t believe it.”

Federer was asked how his latest Grand Slam setback at Wimbledon compared to his epic 2008 loss to Rafael Nadal. “This one is more straightforward maybe in some ways because we didn’t have the rain delays, we didn’t have the night coming in and all that stuff,” he recalled. “But sure, epic ending, so close, so many moments. I mean, sure there’s similarities. But you’ve got to go dig, see what they are. I’m the loser both times, so that’s the only similarity I see.”

And what did Djokovic think of winning his 16th career major after being on the brink of defeat? “It was kind of a flashback,” he said, remembering that he saved two match points against Federer in the semifinals at the U.S. Open in both 2010 and 2011. “But look, in those kind of moments, I just try to never lose self-belief, just stay calm, just focus on trying to get the ball back, return, which wasn’t serving me very well today.”

Djokovic called his latest classic encounter with Federer, which was his fifth straight win over the Swiss star and fifth straight in Grand Slam play, “the most mentally demanding match” of his career. While he said that his nearly-six hour 2012 Australian Open final against Nadal was “the most physically demanding match” he’s ever played, against Federer Sunday, “mentally this was a different level because of everything.

“You need to be constantly playing well throughout five hours if you want to win a match like this. I guess there is an endurance part. But I think there is always this self-belief. You have to keep reminding yourself that you’re there for a reason and that you are better than the other guy.”

Photos: Courtesy of Wimbledon.com. Video: Courtesy of Wimbledon Twitter.

Thoughts on TV: ‘Chef’ has been turned into a TV show

Looking for something fun and enjoyable to watch on TV one recent evening, my wife and I came upon The Chef Show, which reunites multi-talented producer/actor/director Jon Favreau with Los Angeles chef Roy Choi. It’s the latest foodie offering from Netflix, which in recent months has very nicely taken over food TV with Chef’s Table, which explores the discipline and culinary talent of world-renowned chefs such as Mashama Bailey and Dario Cecchini; Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, based upon Samin Nosrat’s book of the same name in which she travels the world to explore how these principles fuel good food; David Chang’s Ugly Delicious, in which the James Beard Award-winning chef uses food to break down cultural barriers; and the Great British Baking Show.

The Chef Show is all about bonding over the joy of cooking – in a kitchen – with friends. Each episode takes place around a place to eat or cook without being like a travelogue. Favreau described it for Grub Street as a “dinner party in the back of the house” kind of atmosphere. The series took its name from the 2014 film, Chef, which starred Favreau as Carl Casper, a chef who opens a Cuban food truck with his son in Miami. Choi, of Kogi Korean BBQ food truck fame, was the film’s food consultant and created all of the dishes that were featured – including the deliciously mouth-watering Cubano and grilled cheese sandwiches.

After watching the first three episodes of The Chef Show – there are eight in all and it’s quite easy to binge watch – it becomes evident from the beginning that Favreau and Choi have developed a deep and wonderful rapport in the kitchen – built upon mutual respect for one another – and they share a similar taste in food. Each episode always welcomes banter between hosts – taking with each other without looking directly at the camera – and celebrity guests such as actress Gwyneth Paltrow, Avengers actor Tom Holland and Sin City director Robert Rodriguez.

What viewers get to enjoy in this documentary-style series is the showcasing of Choi’s technique and enthusiasm for the craft of cooking and Favreau’s interest in absorbing this knowledge and wisdom while keeping things light and funny. Choi is the master chef and Favreau is both his student and best buddy.

One of the funniest bits that delivers a big laugh – and, thankfully, it didn’t wind up on the cutting-room floor – shows Favreau attempting to make New Orleans-style beignets made famous at Cafe Du Monde. After making the dough by just adding water, then cutting it into individual squares, deep frying them, and showering them with powdered sugar, Choi bites into one of them. He throws the rest into the garbage. Favreau deadpans, “It’s not quite like there.” Looking for the right response, Choi pauses for a moment, then with a serious look on his face that turns into a big grin, he looks at Favreau and says, “I can tell they were a year old.” Both burst out laughing. Choi adds: “I didn’t want to say it on camera, but f••k it, this whole thing isn’t about lying.”

In a recent story about The Chef Show, Eater’s Greg Morabito wrote: “This new series allows the chef to showcase his obsession with technique and enthusiasm for the craft of cooking in ways that we’ve never seen on TV before. In every kitchen sequence, he drops culinary knowledge like an older brother handing you a mixtape of his favorite jams. Favreau, meanwhile, manages to keep the spirit light, even as he tackles new culinary challenges at the encouragement of his friend. Part of the fun is watching (Favreau) gradually increase his skill level and build more confidence in the kitchen.”

As Favreau told Grubstreet.com in a recent interview, “I’ve watched all these episodes a dozen times in the process of making and defining the show. Every little thing, a lot of care went into it. The animation, the way we talk, there’s recipes in it, the way the food is filmed. It’s just incredibly personal and something we both like a lot. It’s just really nice to share.

“It’s like you cooked a meal you want to eat, and now you’ve invited people. It’s mind-boggling to me that there’ll be someone sitting on the opposite end of the world watching the most personal, specific story. I’m really interested to see who connects to it because if they do, there’s nothing else like it that they’ll find about people in L.A. cooking and talking about Korean food. It’s such a specific thing about what Roy and I geek out about.

“Hopefully, there’s some humanity and personalness. And then people who like to cook and want to just go and show people who cook for real, and not try to present it any other way. And what it’s like to be there by the side of someone who is really great at what they do and learning from them. I wanted to show what that was like.”

Adds Choi: “It’s really honest and tender. It’s really funny, too.”

Indeed, it’s funny – an absolute delight.

Note: The Chef Show (eight episodes) debuted via Netflix on June 7.

From tennis prodigy to cricket and back again, Ashleigh Barty is now a Grand Slam champion

Ashleigh Barty went from being a tennis prodigy who briefly traded her racquet for a cricket bat to becoming a skilled tennis professional with a solid all-court game. Only 23 years-old, the native of Ipswich, Queensland, is now the queen of the red clay and the pride of Australia.

On Saturday, the affable and talented Barty triumphed over Marketa Vondrousova, 19, from the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-3, to win her first Grand Slam title at the French Open while playing in her first Grand Slam final. She became the first Australian woman to win the French Open since Margaret Court in 1973.

“For the last fortnight, the stars have aligned for me. I have been able to play really good tennis when I’ve needed it,” said the No. 8 seed Barty during her post-match press conference.

“This is just incredible. I never dreamt that I’d be sitting here with this trophy here at the French Open. I mean, obviously, we have dreams and goals as children, but this is incredible.

“I just kept saying to myself, I may never get this opportunity ever again, so try and grab it with both hands.”

At just 5-feet-5-inches (1.66 m), Barty possesses an abundance of natural skills, lower body strength and tremendous hand-eye coordination. Her overall game is technically sound – and she trusts it. With Barty, her game includes a dynamic kick serve, plenty of topspin forehands, lots of slice, and for an element of surprise, a few timely and well-placed drop shots.

“It’s been a natural progression of becoming stronger, not growing any taller, but getting stronger and being able to trust myself and hit my spots on my serve,” explained Barty.

“My serve is a massive part of my game, and I try and think my way around the court. I know where opponents like to return, and if they shift their position, where they return. And I try and expose those spots as best that I can.”

Ashleigh Barty reacts to winning
her first Grand Slam title.

Throughout the Paris fortnight, it became apparent how Barty developed her talent into a game that’s full of artistry as well as movement and power.

Against the left-handed Vondrousova, whom she had already beaten twice, the beguiling Barty took control of the match early by winning points with her forehand, using her sliced backhand to force her opponent into committing errors (22 unforced errors), and hitting winners (27). Her adroit volley skills enabled her to win 15 of 20 points at the net. It seemed the was little Barty could do wrong.

“I felt like for me it was the perfect tennis match, considering the situation, the conditions. It was amazing,” said Barty.

It’s a testament to what Barty’s done in just three years after taking a gap year to step away from the sport after she struggled with the expectations she had set after being a tennis prodigy and winning the Wimbledon junior girls’ title at age 15. She was ranked in the WTA Top 50 in doubles when she left the sport.

“For me, I needed time to step away, to live a normal life, because this tennis life certainly isn’t normal. I think I needed time to grow as a person, to mature,” recalled Barty.

So, Barty took up professional cricket in Australia in 2015. Then, after missing the “one-on-one battle, the ebbs and flows, the emotions you get from winning and losing matches,” she came back to tennis.

“You can only get them when you are playing and when you put yourself out on the line and you become vulnerable and try and do things that no one thinks of,” said Barty.

“I think it was just a natural progression for me coming back to tennis. Certainly, it’s alway been a big part of my life. Tennis will always be a big part of my life.”

Starting from the bottom, ranked 623rd, she had to qualify just to get into main draws. Now, with her first Grand Slam title secured, she is now ranked No. 2 in the world, behind No. 1 Naomi Osaka. This year, she’s won tournaments on both a hard court (Miami) and clay (Roland Garros), and compiled a 33-6 win-loss record in all competitions (27-5 in WTA tour events).

“It’s about creating your own path, creating your own journey, and embracing it,” expressed Barty. “There’s no formula how to, you know, become a professional tennis player. It’s your own, it’s unique, your own journey, your own path, your own experiences.

“I think the best thing to do is learn from your mistakes, learn from every single experience that you have, whether it’s good or bad. That’s the only way to go about it, only way to grow as a person and as a player.”

Ashleigh Barty shares a hug with
Marketa Vondrousova after their French Open final.

Throughout Australia and the rest of the tennis world, fellow pros offered hardy congratulations via social media for the engaging Barty soon after she won her first Grand Slam championship. She heard from Hall of Fame great Evonne Goolagong Cawley, one of her idols, who like her is an indigenous Australian and won Roland Garros in 1971. Barty was touched when she lifted the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen and saw Cawley’s name inscribed on the trophy.

“What a wonderful result for Australia and how exciting that another Aboriginal has won at the French. I’m almost scared to say it but it’s now 48 years ago since I won my first Slam there too,” Cawley expressed via Tennis Australia.

“Tennis Australia and all lovers of tennis here and around the world will be delighted by the natural skills and flair Ash possesses.”

In sharing her personal narrative during her post-match press conference, Barty admitted that there’s no way she would have won the French Open title if she hadn’t taken a sabbatical from tennis. Now that she’s back, she credits her team – coach Craig Tyzzer and mentor and performance coach Ben Crowe – for helping her thrive.

“I’m not the only person out there. I have an extraordinary group of people around me,” said Barty. “I love working with them every single day. “They’re with me at the hardest times of my life, and there with me in some of the most amazing times. I think, for us, it’s a celebration of the journey we have been on for the last three years.”

Cover photo: courtesy of rolandgarros.com. Screenshot photos: courtesy of NBC Sports images.
An original version of this story appeared in Tennis TourTalk (www.Tennis-TourTalk.com).

Trinity Church: Responding to a big city’s changing needs

Trinity Church /
New York City

One of the great joys during my recent visit to New York City was the opportunity to worship at historic Trinity Church, located near the Financial District, where Broadway intersects Wall Street.

Trinity Church was founded in 1697 as the first Anglican, or Church of England, parish in the colony of New York. Imagine, at the time, the entire city of New York lay south of the church – south of Wall Street!

The first church building opened on its current site in 1698.

Back during the Revolutionary War years of 1775 to 1783, Trinity parish soon expanded. It included two “chapels-of-ease”: St. Paul’s and St. George’s, which allowed it to serve a growing Anglican congregation. However, during this period, the Great Fire of 1776 destroyed the first Trinity Church building. St. Paul’s Chapel was used for worship until the second church building was built and opened in 1790.

I learned how among our country’s founding fathers – and mothers – that George Washington, our first President of the United States, worshipped in Trinity parish during the time when New York City was our nation’s capital (before it moved to Philadelphia and, subsequently, to Washington, D.C.). The first Justice of the Supreme Court, John Jay, was also a Trinity parish member as were the first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, and his wife, Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, who was a philanthropist and orphanage co-founder. Both Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler Hamilton are buried in the churchyard at Trinity Church.

Alexander Hamilton and his wife,
Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, are buried
in the Trinity Church churchyard.

When structural damage to the second Trinity Church, caused by a heavy snowfall in 1838, occurred, the architect Richard Upjohn was hired to design a new church building, which still stands today. The third – and current – Trinity Church was consecrated in 1846.

By the late 19th century, thanks to immigration and industrialization, which transformed New York City, Trinity Church saw an expansion of its ministries. It began to operate a mission house, a day school, a night school, an industrial school, a cooking school and a ladies’ employment society. It also added worship services catering to business people.

As New York City continued to grow and expand to the north, Trinity parish included 11 chapels located in neighborhoods around the city, including the Church of the Intercession, located on 155th Street, and St Cornelius on Governors Island.

Inside Chapel of All Saints /
Trinity Church

As the 20th century arrived, the Chapel of All Saints was added to Trinity Church in 1913. It was designed by architect Thomas Nash in a fourteenth century English Gothic style. I learned that Nash used the buttresses of Trinity Church as “the piers” for the south side of the chapel. Eight representative saints from church history support the chapel ceiling: St. Peter and St. Paul, St. Ignacio’s and St. Clement, St. Augustine and St. Athanasius, and St. Patrick and St. Aidan.

During the 20th century, Trinity Church continued its mission of responding to the city’s changing needs. It began offering music ministries that were innovative, it supported homeless services, and it went about building a diverse congregation that was color blind. Most chapels became independent parishes by the 1970s.

Which brings us to Trinity Church today in the 21st century. As Trinity Church undergoes a two-year renovation, it continues a tradition of supporting its neighborhood through its work on social justice initiatives, conducting workshops and offering daily worship services. It remains a growing and vibrant Episcopal community that “seeks to serve and heal the world by building neighborhoods that live Gospel truths, generations of faithful leaders, and sustainable communities.”

With daily and Sunday morning worship at Chapel of All Saints as well as daily and Sunday worship services at St. Paul’s Chapel (on Broadway at Fulton Street), both offer sanctuaries of quiet and churchyards full of historic memorials and monuments.

Photos: Trinity Church exterior, courtesy of church website. Alexander Hamilton tombstone and Chapel of All Saints interior, by Michael Dickens © 2019.

Bill James: Baseball is universe you can figure out

Since 1977, Bill James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics. During that time, he’s worn many influential hats in and around the National Pastime as a baseball writer, historian and statistician. In 2006, Time named him to the Time 100 as one of the most influential people in the world. Currently, James is a senior advisor on Baseball Operations for the Boston Red Sox.

James coined the term sabermetrics in homage to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), in which one scientifically analyzes and studies baseball – think of Moneyball  by Michael Lewis – often through the use of statistical data that goes beyond mere home runs, runs batted in and batting averages in an attempt to determine why teams win and lose.

On Saturday, James visited the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., where he spoke on a variety of subjects in conversation with D. Bruce Brown, president of the Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter of the Society of American Baseball Research.

Why do you like baseball?
“You can trace it and study it unlike much of the rest of the world.”

Is research ruining the romance of baseball?
“We can get so wrapped up in what we do that it drives people away, dying the game. It’s a legitimate concern.”

What is the future of baseball?
“It’s old and has the ability to adapt. What I see as the next thing to save the game is – and I don’t know how or where it will happen – but it has to go broader. You can change everything (about the game) and it’s still baseball.”

How does your affiliation with the Red Sox change your outlook on the other 29 teams?
“I may have at times spoken disrespectfully of teams, but I would never write a book telling secrets. You have to have respect for secrets.”

Who was your favorite team growing up?
“I grew up a Kansas City A’s fan and became a Royals fan. (James was born in Holton, Kan.) I’m more of a Red Sox fan (now) than I was ever a Royals fan. It was difficult rooting for a team owned by Charlie Finley.”

What have you changed your mind about in 40 years?
“I used to think if you had a player who played second and shortstop, you made him a shortstop because he was more valuable. Maximize team value.”

James was asked to name his All-Time team:
C – Yogi Berra
1B – Lou Gehrig
2B – Joe Morgan/Eddie Collins
3B – Mike Schmidt
SS – Cal Ripken
OF – Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ted Williams
P –  Lefty Grove/Roger Clemens

A few closing thoughts ...

“Younger people now have a better command of the game than before.”

“Are you trying to win or entertain the fans? Many teams now put (those principles) on equal footing.”

Photo: By Michael Dickens

A night with no regrets, UCLA handles defeat with grace

Senior Katelyn Ohashi’s ‘perfect 10’ floor exercise routine
was a viral sensation on YouTube.

The UCLA women’s gymnastics team did not repeat as national champions this year. However, they handled defeat with grace and humility. Sometimes, as the Bruins learned on a recent April Saturday night in Fort Worth, Texas, when they finished in third place behind Oklahoma and Louisiana State after winning the 2018 NCAA championship, that takes more strength.

By the end of the evening, the Bruins shed plenty of tears and, yet, still they danced.

Looking back, perhaps not winning it all was a better sendoff for UCLA’s legendary coach Valorie Kondos Field, who taught her gymnasts to savor the joy of competing as much their victories.

The Bruins left the 2019 NCAA Gymnastics Championships with no regrets and they did one final dance for their Miss Val, who is retiring after 29 years as head coach. A trained ballet dancer, she coached UCLA to 19 Pac-12 Conference championships and seven NCAA national championships. She counted the late, legendary UCLA men’s basketball coach John Wooden as a mentor and friend, and it was him who taught her the importance of love and balance as well as value of accountability. As a lasting tribute to Kondos Field, during their last home meet in Pauley Pavilion this season, the bright blue competition floor was renamed Valorie Kondos Field Floor in her honor.

Throughout the 2019 season, the Bruins gave their fans so many great moments – the perfect 10s scored by Kyla Ross on each apparatus as well as Katelyn Ohashi’s floor exercise routine, also a perfect 10, which went viral – seen by YouTube viewers more than 117 million times – and turned the diminutive, former U.S. Junior National Team gymnast into an overnight sensation as she celebrated female empowerment while performing to music by Beyoncé, Tina Turner and Janet Jackson.

UCLA’s dance routines, all choreographed by Miss Val, were as entertaining as they were difficult to execute. Each of the core group of gymnasts who competed in floor exercise brought a sense of elan – an out-of-body experience that connected to their audience – to their memorable and enjoyable performances. Whether it was Nia Dennis portraying the Queen of the Nile, colorfully accenting her routine by air-signing her name; or Gracie Kramer’s “Hardley Sane,” whose escape from an insane asylum while wreaking havoc is completely believable and done in a “Twilight Zone” trance. There’s Margzetta Frazier’s ode to voguing runway models as she prances the floor to “Din Daa Daa,” by Kevin Aviance; and Pauline Tratz’s channeling of Coco Chanel possessed by an alien performed to Guns N‘ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle.” Finally, there’s Felicia Hano’s 1920s tribute to City of Atlantis mermaids as “Lone Digger” by Caravan Palace sets the mood, and Ross as the 10.0 thief dancing to Throttle’s “Hit the Road Jack” with toes pointed and a big, radiating smile that lights up sold-out, 10,000-strong Pauley Pavilion.

“They can forget the fact they’re a gymnast and they’re simply performing,” said Kondos Field in a Los Angeles Daily News interview earlier this year, “and in that performance, there are flips and twists.”

There’s so many things worth mentioning about what was to like about UCLA gymnastics this season, but it all points back to Miss Val. Last year, she wrote a book, “Life is Short, Don’t Wait to Dance,” that was part autobiography, part self-help, part leadership, in which Kondos Field, a breast cancer survivor, shared her insights on how to use one’s uniqueness and authenticity to achieve success. Its principles are something which each member of her UCLA gymnastics squad embraced.

Although I’ve never met Miss Val, I’ve always admired her sense of curiosity, creativity and attention to detail – and above all, the unwavering care, love and well-being she showed for each of her student-athletes.

Last week, The Players’ Tribune published a 10-plus-minute video letter, “Dear Valorie,” in which Kondos Field poignantly detailed in a first-person essay how she became Miss Val. Watch it at least once and allow yourself to shed some tears.

The UCLA gymnastics season has been over for a little more than a week, but the tributes for Miss Val continue to pour in. After I saw the Players’ Tribune video, which I learned about via Twitter, I left a note for Miss Val that read:

Thank you #dearmissval for all you’ve given to women’s gymnastics and to UCLA athletics. Coach Wooden was a very good mentor. As a fan, it’s been a pleasure to see how you’ve touched so many lives in such a positive manner. Indeed, #lifeistooshortdontwaittodance #noregrets 👏❤️☮️

I’m happy to note that Miss Val liked my comment. Indeed, #lifeistooshortdontwaittodance

Photo: Courtesy of Google images. Video: Courtesy of YouTube and Players’ Tribune.

’Our Lady of Paris’: Watching beauty on fire

Monday night, 6 p.m. Eastern / Midnight in Paris

Notre-Dame de Paris, meaning “Our Lady of Paris,” is a medieval Catholic cathedral, a sacred space of splendid beauty symbolic of French Gothic architecture. Built during the 12th century and completed in 1345, the cathedral’s stone walls and oak spires have stood tall and majestic over the city of Paris, a familiar presence on its own separate island along the banks of the Seine river. This cathedral represents the hopes and dreams of everyone. It’s also been the inspiration of great literature, too.

“Great edifices, like great mountains, are the work of ages,” the author Victor Hugo wrote in “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.”

Regardless of one’s own faith, Notre-Dame has always opened its doors to people of all faiths and denominations. It is a vast and peaceful space filled with humility and pageantry, as well as relics, rites and rituals. Replete with its gigantic twin towers, 295-foot tall main spire, and flying buttresses, Notre-Dame has been a highly-identifiable symbol of Christianity – not only in the capital city of Paris and throughout France, but also worldwide, where it’s been a positive symbol for so many Catholic worshipers. This cathedral has been an essential place for spiritual renewal as well as a gathering place, too. Notre-Dame welcomes 30,000 visitors each day through its doors, about 13 million annually.

I’ve been privileged to visit Notre-Dame several times since 2000, to climb its bell towers and stand among its stone gargoyles – which provide a gorgeous and breathtaking view of Paris – to listen to organ concerts, and to worship in both French and English while sitting among the faithful in its sprawling pews.

Inside historic Notre-Dame, an abundance of beautiful art and artifacts that record so much of our religious history – and has been so magnificently restored and displayed – is likely gone from tonight’s horrific fire. Think of the architectural achievement of this cathedral; it’s something bigger than ourselves. Notre-Dame is one of the most recognizable places in the entire world. Now, much of its insides resemble a charred mess. I’m hopeful that the twin towers with their majestic bells can be saved. Late word from French fire officials seem to suggest they will.

I close my eyes, and inside Notre-Dame, I visualize the Nave, the many ornate side chapels, the majestic pipe organ with its 8,000 pipes unleashing joyful sounds. So much work by so many, so much history within its stone walls. Tonight, it is on the verge of being gone – during Holy Week of all times. Thank God, there doesn’t appear to be any injuries or loss of human life as far as we know. However, we must ask: How will the Catholic Church react? How will the world respond? Where will the cathedral’s parishioners celebrate Easter Mass on Sunday? Where will people go to congregate now?

Seeing Notre-Dame on fire Monday evening – even from across the Atlantic Ocean while watching via CNN International and on MSNBC – witnessing the middle spire topple over from the fire – brought sadness and tears to my eyes. I never thought I would see something this horrifying in my lifetime.

I watched in horror and felt helpless, then couldn’t turn the TV set off. I’m sure I was not alone. This has been a day of emotional sadness – to see an architectural icon go up in flames.

The television images and the up-to-the-minute internet graphics being transmitted by the BBC, The New York Times and NPR, among many, were haunting and horrible – heartbreaking to say the least  – but very real. There wasn’t anything remotely “fake news” about this spectacular and staggering tragedy.

The Notre-Dame cathedral and its common history reminds us there is still an appreciable beauty in a world that lately has been rearing its ugly and intolerant head. Sadly, tonight, the Parisian sky is filled with smoldering fire and smoke. Life in Paris has come to a halt while the first responders try courageously in the coming hours to put out the colossal fire. We hope they are successful in containing the damage. The whole world will be watching, hoping, praying.

“We will rebuild Notre-Dame,” said French President Emmanuel Macron tonight from Paris, “because the French want it.”

Former U.S. President Barack Obama took to social media to share his thoughts with the people of France. He tweeted: “Notre Dame is one of the world’s great treasures, and we’re thinking of the people of France in your time of grief. It’s in our nature to mourn when we see history lost – but it’s also in our nature to rebuild for tomorrow, as strong as we can.”

My thoughts and prayers – and solace – go out to the people of Paris, to France, and to anyone in the world affected by this unfortunate Holy Week tragedy.

God bless us all and please help us understand this unprecedented catastrophe we are witnessing in real time.

Oh, Canada! These kids are all right

They’re just three Canadian teens with the now-familiar names: Bianca Andreescu, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov. After an incredible run of success in March, in which each made plenty of headlines both back home throughout the provinces of Canada as well as across the globe. I’m happy to report: These kids are all right.

It’s a great time to be a Canadian tennis fan, isn’t it?

For starters, Andreescu, 18, who began the year ranked 152nd in the world and entered March at No. 71 after reaching the final in Auckland and semifinals in Acapulco, shot up to No. 23 by winning her first WTA Premier Mandatory title at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.

Meanwhile, Auger-Aliassime, also 18, won eight straight matches in Miami – including two just to qualify for the main draw – and improved his win-loss record to 19-9 in all competitions. He reached the semifinals in Miami after beating Nikolaz Basilashvili and Borna Coric, in the round of 16 and quarterfinals, respectively. Auger-Aliassime has enjoyed a stellar few weeks on the U.S. hard courts that began with a run to the third round at Indian Wells after beating fellow Next Gen ATP star Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets.

Finally, Shapovalov, 19, who had his coming out on the pro tour two summers ago when he beat then-World No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the Rogers Cup, broke into the Top 20 by reaching the round of 16 at Indian Wells. Then, he followed it with a memorable performance in Miami, where he strung together four impressive wins before falling to his idol, Roger Federer, 6-2, 6-4, in the semifinal round.

Together, Andreescu, Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov played a total of 30 matches during March in Indian Wells and Miami Their combined win-loss record of 25-5 was nothing short of fabulous. Characteristic of their wins, each was able to control the outcome of their matches by over-powering their opposition. When they lost, they went down with a fight.

Each of these prodigies wowed the tennis world – and the tennis media that cover them – by striking the right balance with their youthful exuberance and enthusiasm coupled with their obvious talent between the lines. Suddenly, thoughts of Grand Slam success started to murmur through stadium crowds and in broadcast booths – and on social media – during both Indian Wells and Miami.

“There has been all kinds of talk about the talent of this trio of young Canadians but one basic fact remains,” wrote Tom Tebbutt in an article for TennisCanada.com.

“They hit harder and bigger than their opponents.”

The BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells provided such a memorable stage for Andreescu, born in Mississauga, Ontario, to experience overnight stardom. She won by showing a gritty variety in her game, thanks to her arsenal of backhand slices and well-disguised drop shots. Plus, she displayed a strength of hitting from the baseline that goes beyond her years.

Along the way to winning the first leg of the “Sunshine Double,” Andreescu beat four Top-20 players – Wang Qiang, Garbiñe Muguruza, Elina Svitolina, and in a dramatic final, Angelique Kerber, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. With hopes of another deep run in Miami, she began with wins over Irina-Camelia Begu and Sofia Kenin, then garnered a big victory in her re-match against Kerber, prevailing 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 Finally, into the round of 16, Andreescu’s painful right shoulder could withstand no more and the pain forced her to retire early on against Anett Kontaveit. Her spirit might have been broken, but she didn’t break out collective hearts.

Auger-Aliassime, who began the year ranked 109th, generated the same kind of excitement as Andreescu. As if expected, he became the youngest to reach the Miami Open semifinals in the tournaments 35-year history. Then, in the biggest match of his young career, age finally caught up with the promising Auger-Aliassime as the upstart qualifier was unable to close out either set of his 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4) semifinal loss against John Isner, one of the game’s best servers. “For sure, nerves,” said Auger-Aliassime, a native of Montréal, who has improved his ranking to No. 33. “It was like I caught a virus of something.” After he lost, disappointed but not dejected, Auger-Aliassime gathered himself alone on the practice courts to work on his serve that had failed him against Isner.

As for Shapovalov, from Richmond Hill, Ontario, he celebrated a recent victory by breaking out an original rap verse in the middle of an on-court interview that immediately went viral on social media. The lanky lefty with the one-fisted backhand and backward ball cap also displayed some pretty fine tennis in stringing together six wins during an eight-match run. Shapovalov showed his superiority in beating a pair of his Next Gen ATP contemporaries, Tsitsipas and Frances Tiafoe, in back-to-back matches. Finally, his luck ran out against a vintage Federer, as the Swiss maestro won 91 percent of his first-serve points and his serve was only in danger two times. Although neither he nor Auger-Aliassime were able to make the next leap in a Masters 1000 tournament and reach the final plateau, each now knows what it takes to get there. There will be better days ahead for these kids.

The reception each has received following the “Swing through Spring” in Indian Wells and Miami has been welcoming. There have been lots of smiles and happy faces. Both in Toronto and in Montréal, it’s been game recognizes game. Andreescu was feted at a recent FC Toronto football match after returning home, in which she presented the game ball, and last week, she threw out the ceremonial first pitch as a Toronto Blue Jays baseball game, adorned in a bright blue Blue Jays jersey. Plus, she held a big Q & A with her fans on Twitter, where she has more than 340,000 followers. She said, “What really motivates me is the love of the game. I enjoy playing. Having the opportunity the inspire others and travel around the world is also a big part of why I enjoy it so much.”

Last Tuesday, Auger-Aliassime received a tremendous ovation while attending a Montréal Canadians ice hockey match in his home town. For now, each is relaxing away from competition – as a recent Instagram photo showing Auger-Aliassime enjoy a quiet home at home playing Yiruma’s “River Flows In You” on the piano shows.

Looking back, Shapovalov recently tweeted how it was “so great” to see biodegradable string bags being used at the Miami Open. “I used 42 bags just this week alone. Think about how much plastic we are wasting yearly. We need to see more of this on tour and try to be more #EcoFriendly.”

Not long from now, new challenges will await each, beginning on European clay next week, and later on, there’s the grass-court season culminating at Wimbledon. A lot can happen between now and the time each returns home this summer for the North American hard-court season and receives a hero’s welcome at the Rogers Cup (men in Montréal and women in Toronto). One thing’s certain about Andreescu, Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov: They are young talent ready to shine on big stages. Each in their own way has made watching tennis fun again.

Photos: Courtesy of Google Images.

(A version of this essay first appeared in Tennis TourTalk, www.Tennis-TourTalk.com.)

These are my (social) media habits

In our modern age of 24/7 social media and never-ending news cycles – plus our desire to stay ahead of the latest cutting-edge trends in music and pop culture – what does our media habits reveal about us?

With a shout out to The Monocle Minute newsletter for its list of questions it often asks movers and shakers, here’s a few things you might like to know about my media habits ...

What news source do you wake up to?

NPR, home delivery of The New York Times, and the Washington Post online. On Sundays, I also receive home delivery of the Washington Post. 

Coffee, tea or something pressed to go with headlines?

As I am not a tea drinker, I have three different-sized French presses at home at the ready and plenty of Community Coffee brand French Roast. Also, I maintain a supply of Community Coffee instant coffee & chickory, and once a week I treat myself to a Starbucks grande mocha.

Something from the FM dial or Spotify for your tunes?

When I’m driving up and down U.S. Highway 1, between College Park and Washington, D.C., and occasionally elsewhere within the confines of the Beltway, I enjoy – borderline love – listening to classical music via WETA. The more Dvorak the better. Otherwise, when at home, I enjoy listening to the “Morning Becomes Eclectic” show via KCRW, the Santa Monica, Calif.-NPR affiliate. While I’m late to the Spotify phenomenon, I enjoy putting together some simply playlists centered around some of my favorite musicians, such as Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, Wynton Marsalis and Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Pink Martini.

Papers delivered or a trip down to the kiosk?

At home, it’s seven-day delivery of The New York Times and the Sunday Washington Post for me. When I’m traveling, I usually look for the nearest destination that carries The New York Times. There’s something about holding it in my hands every day and reading it wherever I am in the world. However, if that’s not possible, I’ll fall back on looking at the Times, either online or via its app. 

Magazines for your weekend sofa-side stack?

I look forward to perusing my two faves, Monocle and Racquet. The former I stop by one of the Hudson News kiosks at Union Station to purchase my monthly copy, while I subscribe the the latter, which is published quarterly. For years, I used to subscribe to The New Yorker just to make sure I never missed reading Roger Angell’s wonderfully penned baseball tomes. Eventually, I fell behind reading the magazine, week to week, and let my subscription lapse. If I’m going on a vacation trip, I might be tempted to buy a good travel magazine to put me in the right mood.

Are you a subscriber or more of a newsstand browser?

A subscriber although if I’m in a good bookstore, like Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle or Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C., I’ll be tempted to browse a bit just to see what I might be missing out on. As someone who is interested in content and design, occasionally I buy Dwell, which is all about design and technology.

Bookshop for a drizzly Saturday afternoon?

In Seattle, Elliott Bay Book Company on Capitol Hill. In Washington, Politics and Prose on Connecticut Avenue NW. In San Francisco, Book Passage in the Ferry Plaza Building. All of them are independent booksellers. Sorry, no Barnes & Noble for me.

Sofa or cinema for the evening?

A little of both, although much of my cinema going takes place on Sunday mornings, as my wife and I belong to a cinema club in Washington, D.C. Otherwise, I spend a lot of time looking for hidden gems to view via Netflix or watch tennis on Tennis Channel because my job as a contributing editor for an English language tennis website based near Munich, Germany, requires me.

What’s the best thing you’ve watched recently on TV and why?

Two shows, actually. First, Good Karma Hospital, a British dramedy about a disillusioned doctor who heads to South India for a fresh start. It’s available via Acorn. Second, Kim’s Convenience, which is available on Netflix, is a Canadian sitcom about a Korean Canadian family who run a convenience store in the Moss Park neighborhood of Toronto. Each includes people of color in starring roles and the stories are believable.

Sunday brunch routine?

It starts with bringing in the Sunday newspapers from the front porch, turning on the radio to “Weekend Edition Sunday” and fixing coffee for myself. Brunch at home usually consists of a parfait of vanilla yogurt accented with maple pecan granola, a small glass of orange juice and a bagel with cream cheese or, possibly, coffee cake made by my wife. 

Last media of the day?

Usually before lights out, I make one final, brief pass through my Facebook and Twitter feeds. Sometimes, it’s valuable if there’s a late-break story worth reading or a sports score I’m searching for. Also, I’ll check to see if any of my family or friends has tried to text me or shoot me an e-mail. Then, it’s lights out by 11.

Illustration: Courtesy of Google images.