Rafateers Ahoy!!!

Miami Sound Machine ...

After a run to the final of Indian Wells, where Rafa mysteriously left his form in the toilet, we now move on to one of his favourite locations, full of latino flava and great Rafa support ... Miami.

For the man who holds the record of winning the most Masters Serious titles, this is one of few that eludes him. He's been to the final only once before, and last year saw one of the saddest sights I can ever recall of Rafa ... that of him cursing and beating his leg above the knee as it seemed that his knees where once again failing him.

The doubles are dropped for this tournament, and Uncle Toni is back in town. Rafa dropped out of playing in the charity football match for Japan stating that with this tournament and for what is to come, he's entering the most important phase of the season for him, and he has to be careful.

He faces one of his more difficult draws for a while, and with Novak rising to Number 2, this is the first tournament where we have Rafa and Feds drawn to meet in the semi-final. Can Rafa steer his way through an un-chartered draw? Will he meet Novak once again in the final and is he the man to end his fantastic winning streak? Can he finally get a title that eludes him in the so-called "5th Slam" and will he celebrate by swimming with the dolphins or will Dorky go and re-acquaint himself with his old mate Goofy in Disneyland?

C'mon Rafa ... you can DO it!!!

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Welcome to the Rafael Nadal chat thread. This is a place to celebrate, be positive and to have fun whilst discussing Rafa, the Armada and tennis in general. So whether you are a long-time poster, a newbie, or maybe a nervous lurker, if you can meet Rafa's triumphs and disasters and treat those two imposters just the same, then this is the place for you. All are welcome, so please feel free to join in with the fun ...

Good morning all lovely Rafateers!!

Well, Rafa announced via Facebook that he set off for Belgium yesterday to join up with the rest of his team-mates as they prepare for the DC this weekend.

The usual airport footage showed him wearing Armani jeans and a little certain something just peeking out from the top.

http://postimage.org/image/14w5dsmkk/

Rafa's had a good weekend at the football with his celebrity mates who even found time to pass his watch amongst them ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gv8UJuzhSc

I'm looking forward to seeing him on the court again ...

Wooffie wrote:Good morning all lovely Rafateers!!

Morning Woofie

I'm not a rafateer but love watching Rafa play........he's my second favourite player after Andy.......so I'll enjoy having a read of your thread.

I don't remember seeing a thread for Rafa on 606<insertconfusedemoticonhere>.

Anyway thanks very much for your work in starting the Rafa fan thread........hope the rest of the Rafateers come and join you

Solerina

Hi Solerina!

We've been around on 606 for a couple of years now and I've been facilitating a thread, but it always disappears from the main board after a month and we are doomed to the anals of 606 <muhahahahaha>

We'll see if this takes off.

Wooffie wrote:Hi Solerina!

........but it always disappears from the main board after a month and we are doomed to the anals of 606 <muhahahahaha>

So Wooffie....... are you saying that on 606, after a certain amount of time a thread will drop off the board and won't come up to the top even if someone makes a new post on it? <inserttwoconfusedemoticonshere>

Solerina

That's exactly it, Solerina.

You can only access a thread for a month via the main board from whichever option you choose, regardless if someone has just posted on it. So for our thread, for instance, we can have 2000 posts which does take some time to use, but we post every day only to become lost when the month timeframe is up. So you either have to keep making multiple threads to keep yourself up there, or do what we do which is just bookmark, or add to favourites and keep on posting that way. It never bothered us that it disappeared because it was just our gang of Rafateers that used it. But you can't attract any new posters if it disappears.

Thanks Wooffie.......goodness that is strange, for a forum to allow a popular thread to drop from the main board.

Anyway at least it explains why RJI ignored a post I made on an old thread of his a few months back.......he couldn't have seen it.

I wonder if he'll come to v2.......I very much doubt it...........he'd be very handy to have posting on our racing forum right now.
Never mind....at least the tennis pages were given a huge boost last night......with the help of you lovely people from 606

Solerina

So here we are in a new home, ready to chat all things Rafa tough work, but someone's got to do it

I hopw he's fully recovered and raring to go for this weekend with his mates...reckon after the usual setbacks he seems to have at the beginning of the year, he'll really want to send a message to everyone to let them know he's back with a vengance

I'm never really happy with him when he plays in the US, so will be pleased to see him back on the clay, especially as we'll be there watching him (fingers crossed) <unjinx>

It's all warming up rather nicely...Djoko is having a really good run as is <dimples>....Feds isn't at his best and I really do think he'll never be at his best again. DP seems to be finding some form after his long injury layoff and Muzza....god only knows

Yey!! Its lovely Denzy Glad you made it over here.

Yep ... I think our Rafa will be raring to go. Its like his new season hasn't really started yet, and whilst I don't care too much for him playing DC either, I think he'll need these couple of matches to get back into it before IW & Miami. I hope he can just do his best in both of those and at least match last year's offerings ... without beating his knee to death of course.

I am soooooooooooo looking forward to the clay and the change in the tennis season as I get a bit fed up of hardcourts during this long stretch. Rafa our European boy, back on the surfaces he loves best and in the traditional old clubs he feels at home in. Great stuff.

Hola, buenos noches Rafateers <hug>

Hopefully we'll be happy in our new home! Thanks for setting it up Wooffs.

I'm looking forward to any Rafatennis, be it in Belgium, wherever that Nike promo match is on, Indian Wells, Miami and of course <heartskipsabeat> Monte Carlo on the clay. It has been a loooooong month since Rafa last played!

I had a bit of a result today - went over to my sister's for the day and someone had left a spare copy of last weekend's Sunday Times Style magazine - something else fo the scrapbook

Denzy - US Elle is purchased and in my suitcase for when I next see you. Maybe we'll get it personally signed <scream>

Vamos Rafa and the Rafateers!

I just spotted this on vamosbrigade - the top Belgian radio station called Rafa's hotel this morning pretending to be his mum. A very sleepy Rafa answered the phone...http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_29410.shtml.

Warning - nevah evah try this on Wooffs <rofl>

Its lovely Rafan!!

Hola! <doh> I see you are corrupting Denz into evil ways and the pair of you are adding to your magazine collection. <doh>

Rose and I had a very nice day in leafy Lytham, where we went shopping for handbags (didn't buy one) and did lunch ... although she's more well known there now than me!! Work looms again tomorrow ... but news of Wimbers tickets certainly brightened my day.

And its now only 5 weeks and 6 days to MC, eh Rafan??

Darling Woofs and Rafan

Handbag shopping...one of the best things you can do on a day off ....and Thankyou Rafan for my Rafamag...we will try our bist to get it signed by our lovely boy

Woofs....nothing...but nothing could corrupt me....I is pure in every way 8)

Ahoy Rafateers, just a quick hello and welcome

Just to let you know, if you dont want to receive an e-mail notifying you when someone has commented in a post you have, you can edit your settings on your profile options.
Goto preferences and the 5th option down 'always notify me of replies' just click 'no' and save it at the bottom of the page.

Enjoy.........

Aye ... course you is Denz.

Rafan - your link doesn't work. You have to click the 'link' icon then paste the thingy in it for it to work. If you understand me. We just need to get used to this site first and then it will probably all become clear.

I think that trick played on Rafa was cruel and malicious ... to wake a person up early in the morning. Dreadful behaviour. Its like one day when I had a day off and wasn't catching a train till about 11 am, but someone thought fit to text me at about 7.20 am cos they'd seen a massive plane take off from Gatwick. Can't think who that might have been ... <whistle>

Hello Y I Man <wave>

We're just getting the hang of this place. We'll get there eventually.

Denzy <hug> Wooffs <hug>

Ooh Wooffs, you know I is not so good on the technical side of stuff...let's try it here http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_29410.shtml

LOL - I was muy excited seeing that 747 coming into land over my train. And actually it was 8.20

I think it's nice here, don't you?

good stuff m8, will leave you to enjoy youselves, but if you need us, just drop us a private message, or post on the 'help and alert a mod thread'.

I like the way this site notifies you when another post has been made whilst one is busy typing one's tome!

Erm ... it was before the hour of 9 am on a day off, Rafan.

Cruel ... very cruel. <shakeshead>

YI Man ... thanks for that.

Rafan ... I agree!! I read your post before I was making this. Hehe ...

Breakfast will be at 7.30 sharp in MC....and anyone who is found lazing in their pit will have a jug of cold water poured all over them

It's lovely over here...let's hope it stays this way

<sighs> Why do you have to suffer so much to be a Rafa fan?????



Yes, Denz ... so far so good, eh?? Heard from Cats today and she's coming over. I will have to text that pair of reprobates too ...

I'll be there with my cornflakes on the balcony Denz

It has been lovely having an extra day off this weekend, I don't want to go to work tomorrow Still, it is less than 6 weeks, just got to struggle through, and there will be tennissssss to brighten the days and nights

I iz HERE Denzie

Be AFRAID - Be very AFRAID

<screams>

Yummy is in the house!!!!

I'd like to give a big fat juicy welcome to all the new members on the Rafa thread

Thanks for joining us and I hope you'll be very happy in your new home

Solerina

Oh Nooooooooo Yums has found us....hide the booze

Yes Woofs...we need those two as well...if only to pay for the cava

I'll get them over Denz.

But anyone who gets me up too early in MC will be thrown over that damn balcony.

Hello Solerina ... <wave>

<redwine> Nicked it from Yummy ....

Hi Solerina

Thanks for the welcome!

Wadda ya mean *Hide the Booze*

I is still tee-total

Hi Solerina and Yummy!

BTW Wooffs - congrats on the Wimbers tickets - great news! In breaking news elsewhere, people are calling up the press office at Wimbledon to find out whether or not they have been successful in the ballot!

I suppose I manage El Cabinetto for the Rafateers, Yummy. <slurp>

Yes Rafan I see some calls have been made. Are you tempted to try and find out if you've been lucky??

Course you are Yums

I've never heard of anyone phoning up about their ballot tickets before!

I am Wooffs, but is it better to know a negative answer than to await the post each day <yikes>.

I know what I'm like - I'll be on the phone at opening time tomorrow

Well girls, I think you just need to tell them your postcode and they can confirm whether or not you've got tickets and when.

A bit difficult for you Denz since you probably asked half of Cheshire to apply for you ... <run>

True Woofs...true..and a fat lot of good it'll do me

It's all about the instant gratification these days, isn't it? <rofl>

In other tennis news...Delpo leapt 77 places up the rankings last week! And we can make our picks for IW from 8 March - is everyone playing?

Well DP ISD the Teen Wolluff so I guess he can leap
wherever he wants to !!! 8)

As long as it's NOT over the tennissss net - YET

<doom> Rubber chicken has just put in an appearance.

Yep ... I suppose I'll be doing picks. I fink I was our champion picker last year, wasn't I???

What ranking is JMDP now then Rafan, do you know? He could be such a dangerous floater ...

<yikes> Just noticed another feature of this site.

We've done 39 posts on this fred, but ....

... there's been one hundred and eighty seven ... yes, 187 views of it!!

Delpo's up to 89th. It'll be interesting to see how he fares against the "bigger" players again. Do you know - I feel like (even though we've had the AO) the tennis season hasn't even really started yet, it's all before us It's like the AO is the end of the last season rather than the beginning of the next

I thought you hardly played the picks last year Wooffs? I think I was top picker

We've got lurkers <rofl>

so we're still popular then ....I'll do my picks....if I remember...I'm getting seriously addled these days

What you do with that rubber chicken is entirely up to you Woofs....I had a rubber pig once

<rumbled> Rafan.

That was my <firstlie> on here ........................................

I wonder how Rafa feels about it. He schedule always had him with a complete break from the AO till now, as if he factored in his holidays now since he barely had any time off in the so-called "off" season.

<lurkers> are blinking everywhere .... we can't help being fascinating, girls ...

Rubber p.i.g. Denz?? I've been brought a <snowman> now ...

Bailey is flat out, only waking up to bark the place down when he hears bells on the TV - he absolutely hates them! It's time to take him round the block for his last walkies though, so I'm going to sign out for tonight.

Night night all and sweet drims of Rafa, speaks tomorrow

Night night Rafan <hug>

Sweet dreams. Off soon myself.

Night night my loves...speak soon

Night night Denz ...

Good morning Rafateers! <needahugsmiley>

So…I called Wimbledon this morning. I was unsuccessful despite daydreaming on the way to work of being successful to the tune of Centre Court tickets on the first Monday

Returned tickets ballot will be drawn towards the end of March.

Good morning all lovely Rafateers and indeed we DO need a smiley.

Poor Rafan .... Sorry to hear you were unsuccessful, and here I am "full of the joys of Spring" as they say. All hope is not lost yet ... but its a long wait from now until the end of March to find out.

Funding streams prevented me from applying last year, and I had zip for the couple of years before that. In fact ... get this ... the last time I witnessed a competitive match at Wimbers was in 1982 when I went to see my first tennis obsession - Johnny Mac.

Yes ... I really am THAT old ...