The Deuce Club, 1.8
Evening, guys! How did the first week of 2010 treat everyone? Have you given up on your resolutions already? I've been following through on mine - never mind the fact that it's only been a few days. Baby steps.
This past week has been special for reasons other than being the first of the new year; it also saw the birthdays of three lovely TWibers - Tari, C Note, and Annie (and maybe some others?). Happiest of birthdays to you all, and I hope you'll be around tonight for a belated celebration here in the Deuce Club!
The tennis season has only just begun, but you wouldn't know it by all the activity here in TW; looks like we're already in the swing of things! (Pun intended.) If you're like me, you've spent the last several days juggling multiple livestreams and scoreboards, trying to keep up with the various tournaments. How do you feel about the goings-on thus far? Have the results changed your thoughts on how the Australian Open will play out?
Justine Henin's return has piqued my interest the most. She was one of my WTA favorites prior to her "retirement," so I'm over the moon that she's back - and nearly picking up where she left off. Of course, this comes on the heels of Kim Clijsters's return to action; it seems comebacks are all the rage at the moment.
Those who are closest to me - or my followers on Twitter - know that Justine's isn't the only comeback I'd been breathlessly awaiting. This past Monday night, my favorite pro wrestler, Bret "Hit Man" Hart, returned to wrestling after retiring almost a decade ago. (Longtime readers of the DC will recall that I wrote a post about meeting him a little over a year ago.) I never dreamed the day would come, considering he left wrestling under some rather inauspicious circumstances, so Monday's events left me in a state of total shock. But a good shock - like a you can't believe your eyes, but the last thing you want to do is blink shock. And though it didn't live up to my impossibly high expectations, I was delighted - moved, even - to see him again in the middle of the ring.
I was reminded of Michael Jordan's (first) comeback, which felt like a godsend to every Chicago Bulls fan at the time. MJ was someone I hoped would never leave, would never get so aged as to not be able to continue dominating his sport. His return only bolstered those hopes, especially since it led to more championships for his team!
It got me to thinking about other comebacks that touched me, and not only in sport. Mickey Rourke came to mind. As did Britney Spears (don't laugh). I wondered, what are some other comeback stories that are emblazoned in our memories?
Tell us about your favorite comeback story. "Comeback" can mean coming out of retirement, returning after an extended hiatus, or merely finding success again after a downfall. It can be a tennis comeback, like those of the aforementioned Belgians, or one from a different sport. Consider fields like film, television, or music, too. Or maybe you've made a comeback of your own! Whatever the arena, let us know which one(s) affected you the most and why.
As always, this is your OT space for the weekend ... and feel free to use it for match calls, as well. Have a good weekend!