You can't win 'em all

Last night, Rodger lost a match to his recent nemesis, Novak Djokavic in a three-set match at the 2011 Australian Open. I can't say I don't miss the days when Roger could beat anyone. Literally, anyone! He was unbeatable for so many years that tennis fans everywhere got used to Roger winning. It was only a matter of how long it would take and how hard he would have to work.

Now, there appears to be some change and instead of being completely dominant, Roger wins some and loses some - This is the way it's supposed to be! You're not supposed to win 'em all! Many fans get hung up on the fact that Roger now loses a match here an there and we lose sight that Roger Federer had accomplished something virtually unparalleled in sports and entirely unheard of in professional tennis.

And from this most recent match of Roger Federer, I was reminded that: Sometimes, despite our greatest effort, we lose. We just do. We can't win 'em all. And for Roger, who is still playing great tennis, maybe it does have something to do with age. It's no secret that the career of an elite athlete is limited. The human body can only take so much constant pressure at that level. Recently, Gil Meche, a pitcher for the Kansas City Royals announced his early retirement and sacrifice of millions of dollars of pay due to him because he was in regular pain. As the Royals' general manager said, "You only have so many throws in you." Roger still has quite a few left. And when he doesn't, he'll do what we all have to do, move on to the next thing, whatever that may be.