Arlington Valentine's Tennis Tournament

A Valentine's Mixer tennis tournament will be held Sunday, February 10, at the Arlington Tennis Center in Arlington, Texas.

The Hacker's Winter Clothing Guide

When the weather gets unbearably cold, the temptation is to grab a big, thick jacket. That would be a mistake; the big, thick jacket takes away your flexibility if the weather were to warm up; or the big jacket becomes a nuisance to take off or to carry if you had to go in a car or bus or indoors.

The solution: dress in layers; wear a series of lighter clothing. As the weather changes, or if you have to go indoors, it is easier to shed a light jacket or a sweater. The smaller, lighter jacket is easier to pack in a backpack if you are hiking, or tie around your waist if you are jogging.

The first layer should be a thin, synthetic or polypropylene layer; the kind of clothing designed to draw the sweat away from your skin.

The next layer should be a fleece -- for insulation -- jacket(or wool sweater) and pants.

The outer layer should be a waterproof, breathable, shell jacket.

A face mask or scarf helps to warm the air as you breathe. Of course, gloves, hat or wool cap helps.

The ensemble is complete with wet, dry footwear like Teva, Salomon or Keen.

The Tennis Hacker's Memories of Australia: Australia versus New Zealand food fight

Neighboring countries tend to have friendly rivalries. For example, Canadians say America is too loud; Americans say Canada is too bland, has no personality. But the American and Canadian can split the difference and have a drink together.

Not so between the Australian and the New Zealander. Spend any time with an Australian or a New Zealander and it becomes apparent that Australians and New Zealanders are like oil and water. The rivalry is not friendly.

While visiting Australia, I attended an Australia versus New Zealand rugby match. In rugby, there are rules. In real life, no-holds-barred between the Aussies and Kiwis.

The Tennis Hacker's Memories of Australia: Perth, the Dream of a Simple Man

Perth sits on the west coast of Australia and does not get nearly as much attention as its east coast cousins Sydney -- site of the 2000 Olympics -- and Melbourne -- home of the Australian Open. Having visited Perth twice, I am here to say, Perth is worth a visit.

There is a film called Perth; it did not make it to theatres in the United States but is available on DVD. With the Australian Open going on, it is timely.

The movie Perth is actually set in Singopore, but Perth, Australia, is central, an idea. There is a twist, a play on Perth: the revelation would be more enjoyable by viewing the movie than reading it here.

The Tennis Hacker's Memories of Australia

With the Australian Open going on, I thought I would share with you my memories of Australia.

First, the obvious and often-stated geographic fact about Australia: Australia is in the southern hemisphere; so when it is winter in the United States and Europe, it is summer in Australia.

You may have also heard that Australians are easy-going and love to party: it is true. Australians enjoy drinking and during summer time love to hang out at restaurant patios. Ironically, due perhaps to genetics or an active lifestyle, the average Australian tend to have a flat stomach and is in great physical shape.

The famous Bondi Beach in Sydney is a must-see -- and not just because women sunbathe topless. It is a great swim, great place to just lie around.

It is fun trying to pronounce the names of some clubs and towns in Australia; like the Aboriginal name Woolloomooloo Bay. (The Aboriginal art in stores tend to be tourist crap, but occasionally you would run into an Aborigine with the real deal. At a nightclub I was chatting with an Aboriginal lady wearing a jacket with the Aboriginal dot-style art. I literally begged her to sell the jacket to me, but she said she would never sell it: it was made and given to her by her grandmother.)

There is one oddity that struck me about Australia: the few Black men who visit are a curiousity and something of a celebrity and have no shortage of women who want to show them some, shall we say, southern hospitality.

The Tennis Hacker's Runner's Guide

To improve your tennis game, to lose weight, or simply to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you might consider ratcheting up your aerobic activity. The aerobic activity of choice for many is running.

Runners tend to live in a solitary world. It is helpful to learn the secrets of runners -- just jumping in arbitrarily would lead to incredible pain in the legs and feet and you might give up on running all together.

The first secret of runners is a strategy called 'mileage build-up'. It is important to start slowly, say, three to four miles per run, four to five times a week. Run slowly. Feel free to walk, if you get tired. Listen to your body; if your feet or legs hurt on running day, don't run: go for a walk, a bike ride or a swim.

After a few weeks, your legs, feet and body would get used to the running and then you can increase your distance incrementally.

Resources:

Mileage Build-up Running Schedule (This is actually a suggested minimal requirement before training for a marathon, but it can be used as a beginning runner's guide.)

Beginner's Walking Schedule

Arlington Players in Waco Tournament

Arlington, Texas, tennis players are well represented in the Waco Championship Junior Major Zone (CMZ) which continues Sunday, January 13, in Waco. Alexander Reinsch, Jared Walder, Paeden Russell, Gavin Starr, Travis Lamb, Marjorie Antohi and Eileen Guo are all in the tournament.

Above, a light moment after a match in Waco.

Resources:

Scores and results

Coach Dave of Stonebridge Tennis Club explains CMZ and other tennis acronyms

The Unknown Tennis Players

The Tennis Hacker's Businessman's Guide: The Peter Drucker Incompetence Theory

In the 1970's a man named Peter Drucker was fascinated by the Japanese and their meteoric rise in the business world, mainly in car manufacturing and electronics. This fascination led Peter Drucker into a lifetime of studying business and management styles and techniques.

Peter Drucker went on to become an advisor and guru in business management and wrote several books. One of Peter Drucker's enduring theories: a manager would rise to his own level of incompetence.

In the world of sports, Isiah Thomas has proven their is truth in the Peter Drucker theory. If you don't follow basketball, Isiah Thomas was a great basketball player; he is up their with Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird: legends of the game and loved and admired by basketball fans.

After his playing career was over, Isiah Thomas fancied himself a worthy basketball executive, and that is where his story begin to sour. As president of the New York Knicks, Isiah Thomas has a dubious achievement: he has managed to assemble a team that is at once the highest paid and, simultaneously, the worst team in the National Basketball Association.

Isiah Thomas has proven Peter Drucker's theory. Incidentally, President George W. Bush, a Harvard MBA graduate no less, has also proven Peter Drucker's theory. Bush has risen to his own level of incompetence in business and politics. But that is a whole other subject, for another day.

Action Heats up in Walnut Creek ZAT

Kihwan Lee, left, and Chang Zhou.

Chang Zhou defeated Kihwan Lee in the boy's 12 B division of the Walnut Creek ZAT tennis tournament at the Walnut Creek Country Club in Mansfield, Texas.

Kihwan is a lefthander from Bear Creek Elementary School in Euless, Texas. "I think he out-played me," Kihwan said after the match. Kihwan says he tries to have fun while playing but he is just gaining experience and is playing in his third tournament.

The ZAT - the Zone Advancement Tournament - is a way for junior players to gain points in the Texas state ranking system.

The Tennis Hacker's Investment Guide: Dave Ramsey, a Cardio Tennis Workout

Dave Ramsey is like a cardio-tennis instructor. The cardio-tennis instructor's mission is to whip you in physical shape. Dave Ramsey seeks to whip you in fiscal shape.

Dave Ramsey is a radio show host -- heard on A.M. 570 in Arlington, Texas -- who preaches the gospel of 'pay off your debts', 'save money' and other outrageous ideas.

If you are drowning in debt, spending money you don't have and powerless to stop the madness, tune in to Dave Ramsey. Warning: Dave Ramsey has been known to get your blood pumping and light a fire under your butt.