It's a Sledge Hammer.

This post is in homage to the Wilson Sledge Hammer 2.8. Tonight, this blog played what will probably be its last tennis match with this beautiful implement of destruction.

This blog first discovered the racket when looking for its first good tennis racket early in this blog's tennis career. The year was 1996, and Wilson had come out with the Sledge Hammer series of rackets, which aside from being extra stiff for more power, also took on a different shape to get closer to the maximum (legal) hitting surface.

As a beginning tennis player getting by with natural ability, this racket was right up this blog's alley. Given this blog's height, and the x-treme amount of power that could be generated when adding that much more height to a racket, it was a pretty awesome match even when getting to balls was no longer a concern.

This blog must have won about 200 matches with the 2.8, broken about 40 strings, won a WIAA state tennis match, hit innumerable improbable shots, and essentially became an extension of this blog's arm.

Lasting a decade, the racket was able to serve differently than others because the extra width allowed for extra spin and more downforce on kick serves. Now this blog will have to shorten up its service motion a degree or two and cope with a slightly smaller racket face. But that's all good, this blog can take the heat.

So here's to you, Sledge Hammer, Pun City Commends You. Your efforts will not be in vain.