I've been watching a lot of the live feeds of the Pacific Life, which do not include commentary, so I don't know if this has been explained.

 

What is on Rafael Nadal's left hand? It looks like there is a ton of writing. What is it?

 

-Josh

It says " Remember to scratch butt and bounce the ball 25 times before a big point"

Gimelstob asked him yesterday but I think he said it's a secret

FUNNY...... :)

I can't believe his NIKE handlers haven't tried to break him of that habit as it does not speak to the comfort their tennis "pants." 

 

I am starting to think he does it

as 'part of his routine'

and in other words he is doing it ANYWAY... whether his underwear has 'ridden up'

in the playing of the point

 ..........OR NOT! 

If a guy wears a jock he doe snot have to worry about that deal happening; sorry to be so graphic but it is the truth. You won't have underwear ride up on you...... if you are NOT..... wearing it! That's what a jock is FOR! You wear the jock to KEEP.... from having... the underwear ride up on ya!

---

Carpe Diem, my friend... all the way to the end:
http://www.motionbox.com/videos/d496d2b51c19e1cd5b

A few of us from the board (Scoop and Redhead) went to Nike headquarters in December during Davis Cup and believe it or not, someone asked the Nike execs "Why can't you design shorts so that Nadal isn't always picking at his butt before each point - that can't be a great selling point for the shorts?"

Their response was basically that they had in fact gone to him and asked him if there was anything they could do, any design change they could make, the the way they cut the shorts, etc. Nike said Nadal told them no, it's not the shorts it is just a nervous habit he has.

You must be confusing him with Djokovic, who intentionally bounces the ball 25 - 40 times to destroy his opponents' momentum....and he doesn't even need to be faced with a big point to do this!

RP:

A few of us from the board (Scoop and Redhead) went to Nike headquarters in December during Davis Cup and believe it or not, someone asked the Nike execs "Why can't you design shorts so that Nadal isn't always picking at his butt before each point - that can't be a great selling point for the shorts?"

Their response was basically that they had in fact gone to him and asked him if there was anything they could do, any design change they could make, the the way they cut the shorts, etc. Nike said Nadal told them no, it's not the shorts it is just a nervous habit he has.

It is a nervous habit. On the Tennis Channel they had one of those off court show featuring Nadal. In one segment he was in his hotel room  and was wearing jeans; he was chatting away and suddenly he starts picking at his butt.