Venus Williams, has Father Time caught up?

I don't know... perhaps. I know Fr. Time eventually will catch up.

I'm always struck with sadness when I finally come to grips with Fr. Time... having fought him vicariously with sports idols. (Won't get into my personnel battles with him). Floyd Patterson was my 'coming of age' moment regarding sports heroes and Fr. Time.

It wasn't Ali's brash and cocky attitude that kept me from admiring him for several years after he won the title as much as it was his defeating of my hero Floyd - - EVEN THOUGH Ali, I really believe, went as easy as he could on Floyd - I 'think' due to respect for the aging boxer.

"Getting out while still on top".... IMHO is perhaps one of the hardest things a human can do. Take Venus... perhaps just a very bad day but maybe, just maybe, Fr. Time showing his hand. Should she get out? She made the final... my gut and heart says 'hell no'. There is no definitive 'line' with Fr. Time.

Stephen King, the author, wrote what I consider a great line in the short story "Mr.s Todd's Shortcut".... he said, referring to the disappearance of a woman: "Not grieving, exactly, because a disappearance is not exactly like a death. It's not like chopping something off with a cleaver; more like something running down the sink so slow you don't know it's all gone until long after it is."

Fr. Time is like that.

I've never found it in myself to criticize those who stick around a bit too long, or even a lot too long. In fact, I admire it... "Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light". And I think I'm like that because maybe I see 'losing' a bit differently than many... if you're raging against the dying of the light there is no shame in losing.

So I'm waiting for Venus's comeback. Of the two angels sitting on Venus's shoulders... I'm the one saying 'you can do it'.... while the other angel whispers, "Tis time to retire gracefully". - JamesJM