(the opening photo is a screen capture from the video linked to farther down)

When I was in junior high and high school I couldn’t wait for school to finish so I could spend time in front of the TV watching the Wimbledon Championships. Now, I didn’t really play sports as a kid. My sisters and I would swing rackets in the drive way and I played a small stint of girls softball at one point, but I just wasn’t into playing sports. Watching was different though. Maybe it was my upbringing in the great sports town that is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburghers in general simply switch jersey’s to suit the season. We love our sports teams, to say the least.

So, for a few years I was a huge fan of Wimbledon. I knew just enough about the players to gather who might be a contender. I was team Agassi vs team Sampras. I appreciated the power swings of the 80’s as well, Borg, McEnroe and Becker. On the women’s side I was team Graf. Martina Navratilova was a power house and a force to be reckoned, but there was something about Stefi that was just wonderful. I also admired Lindsay Davenport. The late 80’s through the middle to late 90’s was my Wimbledon time.

I’d follow the other big tournaments a little but Wimbledon was my big focus. Probably because I was able to actually watch the matches. Being off for the summer gives a kid lots of options, and the other tournaments happened while I was in school. As time does though, it moved me onto college and then work life. I would pay attention to news blips and try to catch a match or two, but after a while I lost my obsession for watching the best on grass at the All England Club.

In the last few years I’ve paid more attention to it. Following highlights and at least trying to catch the Semi and Finals matches. This year apart from the great story line Serena brought to the tournament with her amazing turnaround from child birth and surgery and the epic play by the contemporary greats, I noticed an advertisement. Advertisement is really and understatement. “The Pursuit of Greatness” is simply a masterpiece of design and animation. Each time I’d catch it on TV I’d stop what I was doing and watch it. Its a beautiful tribute the the 150 year tradition that is the All England Club. It got me excited for the tradition that is Wimbledon. Maybe its time to fall back into my obsession with it and tennis.

Well done to all involved in the making of this epic ad. (The You Tube clip includes credits to those involved with its creation)

More Later.

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