US Open: Verdasco notches comeback win

Down 2 sets, Spanish tennis player Verdasco just kept plugging away to finally defeat countryman Ferrer. Amazing effort: he never gave up, the key to every comeback. We loved every minute of it.  In the picture below, Verdasco had just sprinted cross-court to punch a drop shot back, win the match -- and collapse in elation.  Full story.

One newspaper called it this way:  "One of the best matches of the tournament ended with arguably the best shot of the tournament — Verdasco's winner in a 5-7, 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory over No. 10 David Ferrer in the first of two all-Spanish matchups Tuesday night at Flushing Meadows."

See the exciting last point live on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEuAyEkRwrM

First, George Steinbrenner had to make a comeback --

We note the passing of Yankee boss George Steinbrenner, sports legend and pop icon as Costanza's boss in Seinfeld.

But before he became a legend, even Mr. Steinbrenner had to make a comeback. The Cleveland, Ohio native's (said he was the son of "one tough German") first involvement in pro sports was as an owner of the Cleveland Pipers, a short-lived basketball team that went bankrupt.

After that setback, his initiative to buy the Cleveland Indians? Rebuffed. So, now, 2 setbacks and counting. Third time's a charm, they say, and he went to New York with some $10 million and the rest is history.

His mantra was simple: win. For this writer of the comeback blog, that conveys also "never quit." For that tough-as-nails attitude, everyone knew him, and most loved him for it. Not so widely known was his active philanthropic activity, helping others in need, often average Joe's he read about in the newspaper. He didn't seek publicity for these acts.

R.I.P., George Steinbrenner.

Has there been a bigger comeback week in sports in recent memory?

USA soccer scores in the 92nd (injury minutes are tacked on to the basic 90 minute game time) minute to advance in the World Cup. After the last rites had been given multiple times by ESPN commentators.

John Isner and Nicholas Mahut keep coming back, point after point, game after game, to complete their epic, heroic five set match over three days at Wimbledon. In doing so, they set numerous records for length of play, aces, games in a row without being broken, you name it. This was once in a lifetime -- we will never see this again. Period.

Most importantly, these great soccer and tennis athletes imprint some of their spirit on our hearts and minds, our consciousness, the message, always being the same: never quit, never, never, never quit. When you make that resolve, you permit great things to come your way.

Great things came all our ways -- this very special week.

On a personal note, we got to see Johnny Isner play up close and personal at the 2009 Winnetka Challenger (Chicago). He was coming off mononucleosis, and wasn't 100%. He was eliminated in the second round. I remember him looking a little lost, a little spent, late the night of his defeat, as he walked off into the darkness.

Out of that darkness, was to come great things.

One year later: ranked no. 19 in the world, he made tennis history, and made the name "Isner" (and "Mahut") synonymous with an almost unimaginable level of exertion, commitment, and ultimately in the case of our hometown hero, victory.

Dubbed "worst team in pro sports" (2005) to ---

2010 Stanley Cup champions. Hats off to the Chicago Blackhawks!

Back to school and out for baseball -- at 58

Here's the whole amazing, and inspirational story.

Comebacks all around usAt Winter Olympics, e.g.

Speed skater J.R. Celski, 19, was told to forget about competing:

".....perhaps the most unlikely Olympian competing in the Vancouver Games which kick off today with the opening ceremony. Five months ago Celski suffered what many thought was a career ending injury, surely a season ending one. He crashed into the boards during a race at the U.S. Olympic Trials and sliced his leg with his own skate. The gruesome cut went all the way to the bone and just missed his femoral artery by an inch."

Read the whole story.

Another comeback engineer: medalist skier Lindsey Vonn, who battled shin bruises, and considered dropping out, but is glad she didn't. Yet another: Bode Miller, highly vaunted 4 years ago at Torino, but came up empty and slipped out of the public consciousness. Now, in Vancouver, reprising his winning ways.

Sports reminds us:

Where there's a will to compete, a will to win, great things can happen.

After 9 months on his back

...as part of a 2 1/2 year stint of surgeries and rehabs, and after doctors said he'd never play tennis again, Taylor Dent thrilled tennis fans around the world by advancing to the third round of the 2009 US Open. He achieved this with a stirring fifth set tiebreak win over Navarro. It took no less than Andy Murray, a top 5 player, to stop him, but Dent won a legion of fans and admirers, and told media he was satisfied with his progress. Indeed. Hats off to Taylor Dent, an extraordinary comeback...! Read more