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Or Big John, or as I like to call him "The Is" - so I can say, "Nobody Beats The Is, Nobody!" (That's yet another deep reference to a Seinfeld episode - Nobody Beats the Wiz. And yes, I know I make a lot of Seinfeld references. You'll just have to deal with it if you want to read this blog, or have a conversation with either Jeff Carlton or me).

Isner's "out of nowhere" performance at the Legg Mason tourney last week has lots of tennis honchos talking. Given his four years at Georgia, it's no surprise that he's quickly become a poster boy for the "college tennis can be good for you," folks.

Naturally, there has been plenty of gushing over Isner's exploits. Not from John's mom, Karen, though, who admits she thought he'd go out in the first round in D.C.

Actually, the comments from Isner's mom may say as much about his fast start in pro tennis as anything else. After listening to many parents trumpet their kid as the next great thing, it's pretty refreshing to hear a parent admit that their kid is far outperforming her expectations. That approach, I think, is a big reason why Isner spent four years in college rather than rushing to turn pro and why he seems so ready for pro tennis now that he's there.

On second thought, after seeing this priceless video, I now know why Isner did so well in D.C. He had to have had one of the rowdiest cheering sections ever in a pro tennis tournament.