Since the meaningful part of the season is over (wait, what? Utd is down 1:0 to Blackburn? Hope? Nah, let's get serious) I thought I would give out my (biased) player grades.

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In one of the recent game threads, Joe made a funny comment that Wilton Lopez' intro music should be Taking Care of Business because ... that's what he does. I was thinking what other players' music should be to correspond with what they do. This is what I got:

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I read yesterday that the "Big 3" are stressing the fact as to how much they are sacrificing now by getting paid less so that they can win. I think the exact quote from Wade was "It's about sacrifice now". Jeez, Dwyane, I really hope you and your two amigos can make ends meet with $15 million a year. How are you gonna afford being "the man" at the South Beach parties?  Joining a stacked team and making 15 million a year - what martyrs!

No, the "big 3" are not sacrificing jack. Please, cut that act, no one outside Miami and ESPN is bying it. Let me give a few examples of what sacrifice REALLY is.

Sacrifice is when you get injured in a game but halfway through the locker room you tell the trainer "I gotta get back in the game", you turn around, get back on the court and score 22 points for your team vs the Lakers.

Sacrifice is when you play the Celtics in Boston with only 9 players in uniform and yet you step up and win one of the most memorable victories for your team in recent years. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCh0DRT80Bc

Sacrifice is when you literally sacrifice your teeth to get crucial blocks that help your team win games.

Sacrifice is when you play a whole season without your two superstars and posting great results including achieving the Most Improved Player award.

There is a lot more where these came from but I am sure my point is clear.  The whle free agency drama was ridiculous. But to make it like the "big 3" are actually sacrificing anything is plain insulting our intelligence.

In 2001 Andy Roddick won the Honolulu Challenger. In 2002 James Blake captured the title. Every year, each January, some of the best players on the tour travel to Hawaii to escape from winter and to take part in one of the most prestigious challenger tournaments on the ATP calendar. Timed straight after Australian Open's week one, the Honolulu Challenger provides an excellent opportunity for players to showcase their form at the beginning of the season.

This year's entry list provides for a mix of seasoned veterans looking to capture another peak in their career, as well as young players eager to jumpstart their own career Roddick and Blake-style. Among the most prominent names who confirmed participation include veteran Michael Russel, ranked 83 in ATP and a winner of 21 Pro Circuit titles.

University of Kentucky alumnus Jesse Witten who caused quite the furor at last year's US Open by winning three qualification and 2 main draw matches, will play in Hawaii as well. Furthermore,  US's most promising youngsters Jesse Levine and Donald Young will compete at the Central Oahu Regional Park courts.

The Honolulu Challenger is the perfect opportunity for local players to get a feel for world-class tennis and maybe even get the chance to compete with the best shoulder to shoulder. This week, the USTA Hawaii organizes a Wild Card tournament open to all local players. The winner of the tourney will get a Wild Card for the Honolulu Challenger main draw while the runner-up will settle for a Wild Card for the qualification. 

Some of the best players from Honolulu and the islands will take place. The draw was out yesterday and  number one seed is local star Ikaika Jobe who competed for University of Saint Louis and Boise State posting impressive records at both schools. Number two seed is Andreas Weber, a senior at University of Hawaii who will look to become the second UH player into the Challenger main draw after teammate Leo Rosenberg won the first edition of the Wild Card tournament in November. UH players Daniel llarenas and Chad Rubin will take part as well.

Hawaii Pacific University will also play some of its best players. Number 3 ranked in the West Region Nikola Petrov and teammates Daniel Luedi, Sebastian Bader and Anton Samuilau will take the courts starting January 8th.  The draw will be completed by promising Hawaiian juniors such as state champion Jared Spiker. Other notable names include HPU ex-star Jan Tribler and juniors Matthew Westmoreland and  Quoc Huynh.

Matches start on January 8th at 12pm. The location is Central Oahu Regional Park and the entertainment is guaranteed. 

Check USTA Hawaii and Twitter for updates.