The Buffalo Bills announced that a uniform change would be coming for the 2011 NFL season. Thanks to a Madden '12 promo video, the uniform changed was leaked. From what I've seen, it's a good change. The Washington Wizards also changed their unis, and unveiled them this week. Again, a change for the better. It got me to thinking about all of the horrible uniform changes throughout all of sports. Teams want to up their merchandise revenue, so they change colors, designs, even logos. While they may seem necessary, they don't always work out.
My first list will be NFL. No uniform is more representative of its sport than the NFL uniform. No faces, huge pads, big helmet logos....all you see is the uniform. It better look great. Here are my top 10 NFL uniform changes that should have never happened.
10. Detroit Lions: This may be the laziest change on the list. The change wasn't necessarily a bad one. In fact, it's a bit of an improvement. But based on what was actually done, it was completely useless. The Lions added black....that's about it. The logo went from looking out of focus to having a little bit of detail. The stripe on the sleeve became a little more solid, and the silver looks a bit brighter. What was the point? The logo is still boring. No one saw the new one and ran out to buy a new hat. Black alternative jerseys are nice, but they look like the Panthers at a glance. Try a little herder Detroit. This just seems lazy.
9. San Diego Chargers: The Chargers were due for a change. The fans all wanted it. The problem is, they made the wrong change. No jersey in the NFL gets more play than the powder blues. The Chargers started wearing the powder blues as a throwback in the early 2000's. They got immediate positive feedback. The color jumped off the field. In 2007, they unveiled their new uniform design. The white helmets looked great. The subtle change to the bolt was just enough to keep the tradition of the logo, but give it an updated feel. There was just one problem. The powder blue that everyone wanted, was nothing more than an accent. An alternate powder blue was unveiled, by why was it only an alternate? Ditch the navy, and go with the powder as the full time look.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jags took the coolest part of their jersey (the jaguar on the sleeve), and replaced it with some weird stripe that goes over the shoulders and meets at the small of the back. Their was really no reason to change the overall design of the jersey. A color change wouldn't be bad. That green/blue color is hard to look at and makes no sense for a jaguar. The black works, but change the rest if you really need to make a change. Get rid of that stripe and bring back the Jag.
7. Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks took what they had, and exaggerated it by a thousand. They had a small accent of green in the original uni, now the green looks like the lime popsicles I used to eat as a child. While it's still only an accent, they went ahead and made an alternate jersey in that green, and might just be the loudest jersey in sports history. They had blue, a very nice blue. Now they have a mutated blue that doesn't show up on any color wheel. Then they compound the ugliness of it by wearing the same colored pants and helmet. It looks like a wetsuit. And what happened to the silver? Like the Lions, they got really lazy with the logo. It was a wholesale change on color, but a "meaner looking eye" on the logo? Very lazy Seattle.
6. N.Y. Giants: I don't dislike the Giants uniforms overall. I just think they are really plain. The home blue jerseys used to have some red outline on the neck and sleeve. The blue had some life to it, as well. The road white jerseys had the same look to them with red and blue stripes on the neck and sleeve. The change was a throwback to the old Giant days. Like I said before, I don't dislike it, but it's extremely boring. The jersey is a plain, flat blue, with no design to it what so ever. The grey on the pants looks old and worn out, and is also very flat. The away jersey has red stripes on the sleeves. I don't understand why the home and away jerseys are two different designs. I like the change back to the old logo, and the blue on the helmet is great, but the flat color scheme and different home/away designs are lacking.
5. Houston Texans: This wasn't a uniform change, it was just a poor choice to begin with. The Texans have good looking uniforms. They have a clean look, and good logo. My question is, why choose a color scheme that resembles so many other teams? At the time of the Texans inception, 6 other teams were wearing navy blue jerseys; Bills, Patriots, Titans, Broncos, Rams, and Chargers. They have since added a red alternate jersey that actually looks pretty good. But why go with a jersey that is so similar to so many others? You are a brand new team without limitations.....be creative.
4. New England Patriots: Why did they lose the red? The red jersey with the white helmet was great! For some reason, the Patriots decided to lose the red jersey, white helmet, and "Patriot snapping the ball" logo, and switch to blue jerseys, silver helmets, and whatever that logo is now, back in the early '90's. Then they took the new blue, and turned it to navy blue in 2001. EVERYONE goes to navy blue. The Patriots lost everything that was good about their uniform. They brought it back a couple years ago as a throwback alternate, and made everyone remember just how good those uniforms were.
3. Philadelphia Eagles: I wasn't a huge fan of the Eagles old green and grey uniforms, but they were head & shoulders above the new ones. The new green is flat out ugly. It's also very dark, too dark for black to be the accent color. The logo is bad too. The Eagles did what too many other teams did with their logo, made it just the head in a charging style position. The old logo was an actual eagle clutching a football in its talons. It had life and detail. The new one is boring. I think they should bring back the grey if they plan on keeping the dark green. There's just not enough contrast with the black. And please, bring back the eagle.
2. Buffalo Bills: The bills have made a few changes. The uniform change from the O.J. Simpson days, to the Superbowl era, Jim Kelly days, was a good one for the most part. The logo got a little tougher, though I don't like the red helmet. The colors stayed the same on the uniform, but it was given an updated look. In 2002, the Bills forgot they were in the NFL, and went with an arena league looking uni. The first mistake was the navy blue. Stop with the navy blue. The second was wearing navy blue pants with the navy blue jerseys. Too much. The third, and worst, was the road jersey. What the hell is that? It looks like they ran out of white material, and had to finish the shoulders with blue. It looks like a bib! They are terrible. The only reason the Bills are ranked #2, is they announced in February '11 that they were changing them again. From what I've seen, it will be their best change yet.
1. Denver Broncos: Why? Orange was the Broncos. The "Orange Crush" defense. As recognizable as the "Purple People Eaters" in Minnesota. Orange jerseys in Denver were like the star on the Cowboys helmet, Silver & Black in Oakland, the Terrible Towel in Pittsburgh, the....well you get the idea. Denver became another team that went to navy blue. They also ruined their logo. The bronco coming through the "D" was perfect. It represented the team, and the city. The new one is the same as the Eagles, Panthers, Patriots, Rams, Jaguars, and Cardinals. It's just a head seemingly rushing forward. They did themselves a favor by adding orange alternates, but the old brighter blue worked a lot better with the orange than the navy. This is definitely a uniform that should have never changed its colors, or logo.
I'm sure not everyone will agree with this list. Maybe your favorite team made a change you don't like. Maybe you like one of the changes that I didn't. Let me know. I wan to hear some feedback on this.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Boxing vs MMA
Can we stop the argument that MMA is SO much better than Boxing. Every time a high profile Boxing match disappoints, MMA supporters jump at the chance to KO Boxing. Why? What does one sport have to do with the other? Why are MMA fans so against Boxing, and Boxing fans so against MMA?
This past weekend. Manny Pacquiao stepped into the ring against Shane Mosley. The fight turned out to be a bit disappointing in the eyes of most fans. Pacquiao hurt Mosley early, and Mosley ran for most of the fight. It happens. But that wasn't the only fight on the card. The three fights leading up to the main event were filled with action. I didn't hear a single MMA fan talk about the 12th round TKO of Vasquez by Jorge Arce. No one mentioned the 10 rounds of constant punches thrown in the Pavlik vs Lopez fight. If all people focus on is the main event, then why did so many people tune in to UFC 129? Georges St Pierre is a great fighter, one of the best. But his fights have become predictable, and boring to watch. He takes away his opponents biggest attribute, and stays out of harms way while out scoring him. MMA fans loved 129 because of how action packed the whole show was, not just the main event result. Why doesn't that logic apply for Boxing?
On the flip side, Boxing fans like to attack MMA for how violent it is. "MMA is just a bunch of barbarians beating the crap out of each other. There isn't any skill involved in MMA." What load of you know what! First of all, if MMA is too violent, then what the hell is Boxing? In MMA, if you get knocked down and are hurt, the referee will jump in and stop you from taking more punishment. In boxing, the referee gives you 10 seconds to get up, pretend like you're not hurt, and go back for more punishment. MMA has several different disciplines; Mui Tai, Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling, Boxing, Grappling, all of which require a great deal of skill to be able to compete at an elite level. Boxing has just one, Boxing. Known as, "The Sweet Science," it can be a thing of beauty to watch. It is, however, just one discipline. Those who master it make it look effortless, but it shouldn't be regarded as a more difficult, or as a better skill than the ones MMA fighters have to learn.
The two sports have some similarities. They are both one-on-one contests. They both involve hand-to-hand combat. They are both violent! But that's where the similarities end. Why can't there be enough room for the two sports to co-exist without all of the trash talking?
I have been around Boxing since I was a kid. I wasn't introduced to MMA until I was 22 years old. I love them both. They each have their own flair. For all of their similarities, there are a million differences. Stop talking so much garbage, and take the time to look a little deeper into the other sport. You might like it.
This past weekend. Manny Pacquiao stepped into the ring against Shane Mosley. The fight turned out to be a bit disappointing in the eyes of most fans. Pacquiao hurt Mosley early, and Mosley ran for most of the fight. It happens. But that wasn't the only fight on the card. The three fights leading up to the main event were filled with action. I didn't hear a single MMA fan talk about the 12th round TKO of Vasquez by Jorge Arce. No one mentioned the 10 rounds of constant punches thrown in the Pavlik vs Lopez fight. If all people focus on is the main event, then why did so many people tune in to UFC 129? Georges St Pierre is a great fighter, one of the best. But his fights have become predictable, and boring to watch. He takes away his opponents biggest attribute, and stays out of harms way while out scoring him. MMA fans loved 129 because of how action packed the whole show was, not just the main event result. Why doesn't that logic apply for Boxing?
On the flip side, Boxing fans like to attack MMA for how violent it is. "MMA is just a bunch of barbarians beating the crap out of each other. There isn't any skill involved in MMA." What load of you know what! First of all, if MMA is too violent, then what the hell is Boxing? In MMA, if you get knocked down and are hurt, the referee will jump in and stop you from taking more punishment. In boxing, the referee gives you 10 seconds to get up, pretend like you're not hurt, and go back for more punishment. MMA has several different disciplines; Mui Tai, Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling, Boxing, Grappling, all of which require a great deal of skill to be able to compete at an elite level. Boxing has just one, Boxing. Known as, "The Sweet Science," it can be a thing of beauty to watch. It is, however, just one discipline. Those who master it make it look effortless, but it shouldn't be regarded as a more difficult, or as a better skill than the ones MMA fighters have to learn.
The two sports have some similarities. They are both one-on-one contests. They both involve hand-to-hand combat. They are both violent! But that's where the similarities end. Why can't there be enough room for the two sports to co-exist without all of the trash talking?
I have been around Boxing since I was a kid. I wasn't introduced to MMA until I was 22 years old. I love them both. They each have their own flair. For all of their similarities, there are a million differences. Stop talking so much garbage, and take the time to look a little deeper into the other sport. You might like it.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Paquiao, Mosley review
Everything was in place for an exciting finish to a solid night of boxing. Everything, that is, except for a willing challenge from Shane Mosley.
In the nights main event, Pacquiao delivered a win to his millions of fans. It was not the most exciting, or entertaining win in his Hall of Fame career. Both fighters looked extremely tight in the beginning. Neither wanted to engage the other, showing a lot of respect for each other. Pacquiao picked up the pace a little in the 2nd, while Mosley was still willing to paw with his jab and try to find his range. The 3rd round started with a bit more fire than the previous two. Mosley looked like he was finally ready to start fighting. Then, it happened. As Mosley was leaning forward after throwing a left, Pacquiao unleashed a straight left of his own, landing it on the left side of Mosley's face and dropping him to the canvas. Mosley had a very shocked, and nervous look in his eye as he got back to his feet. Later he would say he couldn't remember the last time he felt power like that. The knockdown turned Mosley from a fighter looking for a way to get to Pacquiao, to a fighter looking for a way out of the ring. The next several rounds were filled with accidental head-butts, Pacquiao combinations, and several touches of the gloves by the two combatants. By the 7th round, it obvious that Mosley was only looking to not get knocked out. In the 10th, Mosley was credited with a knock down after pushing Pacquiao with his right hand while standing on his foot. Kenny Bayless, who was the referee, mistakenly called it a knock down. For Pacquiao fans, it may have been the best part of the fight. The bad call lit a fire under Pacquiao, and he began to pummel Mosley with combo after combo. The last two rounds were nothing more than a Pacquiao showcase of hand speed and punching power, as Mosley back peddled and did all he could to make it to a decision. Pacquiao won a UD, 119-108, 120-108, 120-107.
The nights other 12 round title fight was exactly what you would expect from a Mexico vs Puerto Rico bout. Undefeated WBO Jr Featherweight Champion, Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. (Puerto Rico) put his title on the line versus former champion, Jorge Arce (Mexico). Arce came out looking fast, and strong against the younger champion. Vasquez landed some hard shots in the 2nd, but Arce just smiled and continued to press forward. Arce dominated the 4th round for 1:59. That's when the two simultaneously threw left hooks that both landed. Arce received the worse of the two punches, dropping to the mat at the bell. He quickly got back to his feet, and returned to his corner. The two traded shots through out the middle rounds. Vasquez hit the canvas in the 10th and 11th rounds, both were called slips. It was the 3rd and 4th time he went down on a slip, evidence of Arce's relentless pressure. As the 12th round started, the decision seemed to be up in the air. The winner of the 12th would more than likely be the winner of the fight. Both men looked to finish strong throwing punch after punch. Arce backed Vasquez in into the ropes landing several punches. Just as it looked as though Vasquez was going to get out of trouble, his father threw in the towel from his corner, giving Arce the TKO victory, and the WBO belt.
Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik made his return to the ring after a 13 month layoff, part of which he spent in rehab for alcoholism. His opponent was undefeated WBC Continental Americas Champ, Alfonso Lopez. Pavlik looked every bit like a fighter who hadn't fought in a year in the early rounds. Threw the first three rounds, Pavlik threw one punch at a time, while Lopez threw combinations. Heads collided early in the fourth round opening a cut on Pavlik. The cut was not above the eye, and didn't seem to bother Pavlik too much. It did seem to wake him up, though. Pavlik began to land harder shots with more regularity. Lopez looked as though he was tiring as his pace slowed in to the 7th round. Midway through the 7th, the action was stopped to warn Pavlik for hitting below the belt. The rest seemed to revive Lopez. Through the 8th & 9th rounds, Lopez looked like he did in the first three landing combinations, and controlling tempo. I had Lopez ahead by one round going into the 10th. Pavlik must have the same score, because he came out on a mission in the final three minutes. Pavlik assaulted Lopez with power shots in bunches. The fight went to the scorecards. One judge had it the same as me, 95-95. The other two saw a very different fight, and had Pavlik winning easily 99-91, 98-92 for the majority decision, and the WBCCA title.
The fourth fight featured two knockout artists, Mike Alvarado (29-0, 21 KO's), and Ray Narh (25-1, 21 KO's). Both men fired power shots at each other right from the beginning. Though neither seemed to be hurt, the shots from Alvarado landed with great regularity. Everything he threw connected with Narh's face. After the 3rd round, Narh walked back to his corner with a very dejected look on his face. When the bell rang to start the 4th, Narh refused to get off his stool, effectively saying "No mas", ala Duran, and quitting, giving Alvarado the vacant WBCCA Super Lightweight Championship.
In the nights main event, Pacquiao delivered a win to his millions of fans. It was not the most exciting, or entertaining win in his Hall of Fame career. Both fighters looked extremely tight in the beginning. Neither wanted to engage the other, showing a lot of respect for each other. Pacquiao picked up the pace a little in the 2nd, while Mosley was still willing to paw with his jab and try to find his range. The 3rd round started with a bit more fire than the previous two. Mosley looked like he was finally ready to start fighting. Then, it happened. As Mosley was leaning forward after throwing a left, Pacquiao unleashed a straight left of his own, landing it on the left side of Mosley's face and dropping him to the canvas. Mosley had a very shocked, and nervous look in his eye as he got back to his feet. Later he would say he couldn't remember the last time he felt power like that. The knockdown turned Mosley from a fighter looking for a way to get to Pacquiao, to a fighter looking for a way out of the ring. The next several rounds were filled with accidental head-butts, Pacquiao combinations, and several touches of the gloves by the two combatants. By the 7th round, it obvious that Mosley was only looking to not get knocked out. In the 10th, Mosley was credited with a knock down after pushing Pacquiao with his right hand while standing on his foot. Kenny Bayless, who was the referee, mistakenly called it a knock down. For Pacquiao fans, it may have been the best part of the fight. The bad call lit a fire under Pacquiao, and he began to pummel Mosley with combo after combo. The last two rounds were nothing more than a Pacquiao showcase of hand speed and punching power, as Mosley back peddled and did all he could to make it to a decision. Pacquiao won a UD, 119-108, 120-108, 120-107.
The nights other 12 round title fight was exactly what you would expect from a Mexico vs Puerto Rico bout. Undefeated WBO Jr Featherweight Champion, Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. (Puerto Rico) put his title on the line versus former champion, Jorge Arce (Mexico). Arce came out looking fast, and strong against the younger champion. Vasquez landed some hard shots in the 2nd, but Arce just smiled and continued to press forward. Arce dominated the 4th round for 1:59. That's when the two simultaneously threw left hooks that both landed. Arce received the worse of the two punches, dropping to the mat at the bell. He quickly got back to his feet, and returned to his corner. The two traded shots through out the middle rounds. Vasquez hit the canvas in the 10th and 11th rounds, both were called slips. It was the 3rd and 4th time he went down on a slip, evidence of Arce's relentless pressure. As the 12th round started, the decision seemed to be up in the air. The winner of the 12th would more than likely be the winner of the fight. Both men looked to finish strong throwing punch after punch. Arce backed Vasquez in into the ropes landing several punches. Just as it looked as though Vasquez was going to get out of trouble, his father threw in the towel from his corner, giving Arce the TKO victory, and the WBO belt.
Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik made his return to the ring after a 13 month layoff, part of which he spent in rehab for alcoholism. His opponent was undefeated WBC Continental Americas Champ, Alfonso Lopez. Pavlik looked every bit like a fighter who hadn't fought in a year in the early rounds. Threw the first three rounds, Pavlik threw one punch at a time, while Lopez threw combinations. Heads collided early in the fourth round opening a cut on Pavlik. The cut was not above the eye, and didn't seem to bother Pavlik too much. It did seem to wake him up, though. Pavlik began to land harder shots with more regularity. Lopez looked as though he was tiring as his pace slowed in to the 7th round. Midway through the 7th, the action was stopped to warn Pavlik for hitting below the belt. The rest seemed to revive Lopez. Through the 8th & 9th rounds, Lopez looked like he did in the first three landing combinations, and controlling tempo. I had Lopez ahead by one round going into the 10th. Pavlik must have the same score, because he came out on a mission in the final three minutes. Pavlik assaulted Lopez with power shots in bunches. The fight went to the scorecards. One judge had it the same as me, 95-95. The other two saw a very different fight, and had Pavlik winning easily 99-91, 98-92 for the majority decision, and the WBCCA title.
The fourth fight featured two knockout artists, Mike Alvarado (29-0, 21 KO's), and Ray Narh (25-1, 21 KO's). Both men fired power shots at each other right from the beginning. Though neither seemed to be hurt, the shots from Alvarado landed with great regularity. Everything he threw connected with Narh's face. After the 3rd round, Narh walked back to his corner with a very dejected look on his face. When the bell rang to start the 4th, Narh refused to get off his stool, effectively saying "No mas", ala Duran, and quitting, giving Alvarado the vacant WBCCA Super Lightweight Championship.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Pacquiao, Mosley preview
For most, Cinco De Mayo is synonymous with celebration. For Las Vegas, it means another big fight is coming. This year will be no different. On Saturday, May 7th, at the MGM Grand Arena, Top Rank brings you an amazing card for this years big fight weekend.
The main event should be a great one. Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao (52-3-2) will be taking on "Sugar" Shane Mosley (46-6-1, one no contest), for the WBO Welterweight Championship.
Pacquiao is considered the pound-for-pound champ by most boxing writers and fans. He is the only fighter to win a title in 8 different weight classes, and the only one to win 10 world titles. He has fought as low as flyweight (112), and as high as junior middleweight (154). Manny's resume is filled with the best his generation had to offer. From Eric Morrales, to Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Juan Manuel Marquez. He has ducked no one. In a stretch of 12 fights from 2003-2008, Manny fought 11 Mexican fighters. He was an impressive 9-1-1 in those fights, earning him the nickname, "The Mexicutioner". In his last fight, Pacquiao took on his toughest opponent to date, Antonio "Tonio" Margarito. The Light Middleweight contest was fought at a catchweight of 150lbs, a weight Manny never even reached. He stepped into the ring 17 pounds lighter than his opponent, and dominated every round, winning the title by unanimous decision.
Pacquiao's opponent on Saturday will be former three division champion, "Sugar" Shane Mosley. Mosley is coming off of two very bad performances. The first was a showdown with self proclaimed greatest boxer of all time, Floyed Mayweather Jr. Shane hurt Mayweather in the second round, and almost finished the fight right then, but Floyd recovered and went on to out box Mosley for the last 10 rounds winning a unanimous decision. His last fight was against "The Latin Snake" Sergio Mora, of "Contender" fame. The fight was a contrast of styles. Neither fighter looked comfortable. The fight went to the scorecards and was ruled a draw. Both of these fights came directly after Mosley looked like the 28 year old version of himself, defeating Antonio Margarito by TKO in the 9th. Mosley too, has never ducked anyone in the sport.
This fight could be a Pacquiao showcase. It has the potential, though, to be a classic. Neither fighter backs up. Both are offensive minded, and like to move forward. Manny has fought a lot of guys with speed. He has fought a lot of guys with power. I don't think he has fought a guy that has as lethal a combination of the two as Mosley has. Even at 39, Mosley is a dangerous fighter. Fast hands, good power, great chin. Pacquiao has all of those things too, and at 32, has something Mosley does not....Youth.
Jorge Arce (56-6-2) will be taking on Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. (19-0-1). I have been to a lot of fights in my life, and none seem to have the electricity of a Mexican vs a Puerto Rican. This fight will be no different. Mosley and Pacquiao are both soft spoken men who seem to genuinely respect one another. Arce and Vasquez took that as an opportunity to liven up the press conferences. On Thursday, during their press conference at the MGM in Las Vegas, Arce said he didn't know what would happen, but that he would win by KO. Vasquez replied, "Arce is talking about a knockout. He is crazy. I'm ready for him." The fight will be for the WBO Super Bantamweight (122 lbs) title, held by Vasquez. Both are action fighters, and should provide some great entertainment early in the evening.
The return of "The Ghost." Kelly Pavlik is coming off of a 13 month layoff in which he spent some time at the Betty Ford Clinic for alcohol rehabilitation. Pavlik is a former Middleweight champion, earning the title by 7th round TKO over Jermain Taylor, then later defending it with a 12 round unanimous decision over Taylor. Saturday, he will be fighting undefeated Alfonso Lopez III (21-0). The fight will be at a catch weight of 171 lbs. This a huge opportunity for both men. Pavlik is looking to show his fans he is back, and that his weight and alcohol problems are behind him. For Lopez, it's a huge step up in competition, and a chance to put a big name on his resume.
If you love to see someone get knocked-out, then Raymond Narh(25-1) vs Mike Alvarado(29-0) is a must watch. The two have a combined record of 54-1. Even more impressive, they each have 21 KO in those 54 wins. Neither man wants to be in the ring too long. The fight will be for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight (140) belt. Narh is a native of Ghana, and looks to follow in the tradition of other great Ghanaian fighters like, Azumah Nelson, and Ike "Bazooka" Quartey. Alvarado has not had a fight go the distance in two years. 11 of his last 13 wins have come by KO. Both of these men have heavy hands, and love to throw them. This is the one fight you have to set your DVR for. Blink, and it may be all over.
The main event should be a great one. Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao (52-3-2) will be taking on "Sugar" Shane Mosley (46-6-1, one no contest), for the WBO Welterweight Championship.
Pacquiao is considered the pound-for-pound champ by most boxing writers and fans. He is the only fighter to win a title in 8 different weight classes, and the only one to win 10 world titles. He has fought as low as flyweight (112), and as high as junior middleweight (154). Manny's resume is filled with the best his generation had to offer. From Eric Morrales, to Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Juan Manuel Marquez. He has ducked no one. In a stretch of 12 fights from 2003-2008, Manny fought 11 Mexican fighters. He was an impressive 9-1-1 in those fights, earning him the nickname, "The Mexicutioner". In his last fight, Pacquiao took on his toughest opponent to date, Antonio "Tonio" Margarito. The Light Middleweight contest was fought at a catchweight of 150lbs, a weight Manny never even reached. He stepped into the ring 17 pounds lighter than his opponent, and dominated every round, winning the title by unanimous decision.
Pacquiao's opponent on Saturday will be former three division champion, "Sugar" Shane Mosley. Mosley is coming off of two very bad performances. The first was a showdown with self proclaimed greatest boxer of all time, Floyed Mayweather Jr. Shane hurt Mayweather in the second round, and almost finished the fight right then, but Floyd recovered and went on to out box Mosley for the last 10 rounds winning a unanimous decision. His last fight was against "The Latin Snake" Sergio Mora, of "Contender" fame. The fight was a contrast of styles. Neither fighter looked comfortable. The fight went to the scorecards and was ruled a draw. Both of these fights came directly after Mosley looked like the 28 year old version of himself, defeating Antonio Margarito by TKO in the 9th. Mosley too, has never ducked anyone in the sport.
This fight could be a Pacquiao showcase. It has the potential, though, to be a classic. Neither fighter backs up. Both are offensive minded, and like to move forward. Manny has fought a lot of guys with speed. He has fought a lot of guys with power. I don't think he has fought a guy that has as lethal a combination of the two as Mosley has. Even at 39, Mosley is a dangerous fighter. Fast hands, good power, great chin. Pacquiao has all of those things too, and at 32, has something Mosley does not....Youth.
Jorge Arce (56-6-2) will be taking on Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. (19-0-1). I have been to a lot of fights in my life, and none seem to have the electricity of a Mexican vs a Puerto Rican. This fight will be no different. Mosley and Pacquiao are both soft spoken men who seem to genuinely respect one another. Arce and Vasquez took that as an opportunity to liven up the press conferences. On Thursday, during their press conference at the MGM in Las Vegas, Arce said he didn't know what would happen, but that he would win by KO. Vasquez replied, "Arce is talking about a knockout. He is crazy. I'm ready for him." The fight will be for the WBO Super Bantamweight (122 lbs) title, held by Vasquez. Both are action fighters, and should provide some great entertainment early in the evening.
The return of "The Ghost." Kelly Pavlik is coming off of a 13 month layoff in which he spent some time at the Betty Ford Clinic for alcohol rehabilitation. Pavlik is a former Middleweight champion, earning the title by 7th round TKO over Jermain Taylor, then later defending it with a 12 round unanimous decision over Taylor. Saturday, he will be fighting undefeated Alfonso Lopez III (21-0). The fight will be at a catch weight of 171 lbs. This a huge opportunity for both men. Pavlik is looking to show his fans he is back, and that his weight and alcohol problems are behind him. For Lopez, it's a huge step up in competition, and a chance to put a big name on his resume.
If you love to see someone get knocked-out, then Raymond Narh(25-1) vs Mike Alvarado(29-0) is a must watch. The two have a combined record of 54-1. Even more impressive, they each have 21 KO in those 54 wins. Neither man wants to be in the ring too long. The fight will be for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight (140) belt. Narh is a native of Ghana, and looks to follow in the tradition of other great Ghanaian fighters like, Azumah Nelson, and Ike "Bazooka" Quartey. Alvarado has not had a fight go the distance in two years. 11 of his last 13 wins have come by KO. Both of these men have heavy hands, and love to throw them. This is the one fight you have to set your DVR for. Blink, and it may be all over.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
NCAA football playoff?
For as long as I can remember, there has been a debate about college football and who the true champion is every season. The reason? NO PLAYOFF. Why not? The teams in the big six conferences (Pac 10, Big 10, Big 12, ACC, SEC, Big East), will tell you it's to keep the "tradition of the bowl season alive." Wrong! We all know that's all a lie. If that were really the case, we wouldn't have over 30 bowls. All you have to do to qualify for a bowl is be a .500 team. How is there any tradition in being average. The bowl tradition is for the elite, the ones who truly earned the right to play in the post season. A 6-6 team is not elite, period. The only thing elite, is the elitist point of view the big conferences have on the "non-BCS" conferences. The BCS is a recent addition to football. Who are they to decide which conferences are "BCS" worthy? The Big East and the ACC have been terrible as conferences lately. The Mtn. West has been very strong in that same time. However, teams like TCU (Mtn. West), Utah (formally Mtn. West), and Boise St. (WAC) have all been passed over when the championship participants were announced.
The debate has now reached the ears of people with influence. A letter from U.S. Assistant Attorney General, Christine A. Varney was sent out to NCAA President Mark Emmert, and BCS Executive Director, Bill Hancock. The letter suggests that the BCS and NCAA are in violation of antitrust laws. I am in favor of anything that takes away a voting system done by people with an agenda, and lets the champion be decided on the field, where it belongs.
Here is the letter. This my be the first legitimate step in getting a playoff in college football.
http://www.attorneygeneral.utah.gov/BCSletter.html
The debate has now reached the ears of people with influence. A letter from U.S. Assistant Attorney General, Christine A. Varney was sent out to NCAA President Mark Emmert, and BCS Executive Director, Bill Hancock. The letter suggests that the BCS and NCAA are in violation of antitrust laws. I am in favor of anything that takes away a voting system done by people with an agenda, and lets the champion be decided on the field, where it belongs.
Here is the letter. This my be the first legitimate step in getting a playoff in college football.
http://www.attorneygeneral.utah.gov/BCSletter.html
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Pretty Funny
I can't stand BYU, and I really hated Jimmer this past season. This, however, is pretty funny.
Augmon, Runnin' again
Stacey Augmon is coming home. UNLV confirmed yesterday, that Augmon excepted an offer to become the third assistant coach hired by new head coach, Dave Rice. This will be the second time the two will pair up as teammates. Augmon and Rice were part of the greatest basketball teams to ever call the Thomas & Mac home. They won it all in 1990, and were 34-0 the following year before losing to Duke in the Final Four (still hurts).
Augmon is considered one of the top players in UNLV history. He is one of eight Rebels to have his jersey retired, and hung in the T&M. He is first in games played (145), games started (137), and steals (275, tied with Greg Anthony). Augmon is third in points scored at 2011, trailing only Sidney Green (2073), and Eddie Owens (2221). He was also the NABC Defensive Player of the Year winner three straight years, '88-'89, '89-'90, '90-'91, one of only three players to ever win it three times. And nobody, I mean nobody, could finish at the rim like the "Plastic Man."
Augmon had a successful 15 year NBA career. He was selected 9th overall in the '91 draft by the Atlanta Hawks. He also went on to play for the Pistons, Trail Blazers, Magic, and Hornets (Charlotte, and New Orleans). Augmon has spent the last four years in charge of player development as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets.
Aside from being a great Rebel name to have on the bench, Augmon brings a lot of experience and knowledge to UNLV. He will be a huge part in the development of a Rebel roster that has a lot of young, raw talent on it.
Having been here for the "glory days," I am thrilled to see a couple of the championship pieces back in the Scarlet & Grey. I'm looking forward to a sold out T&M, "Rebel" chants, and some good old fashion "Runnin".
Welcome home Stacey.
Augmon is considered one of the top players in UNLV history. He is one of eight Rebels to have his jersey retired, and hung in the T&M. He is first in games played (145), games started (137), and steals (275, tied with Greg Anthony). Augmon is third in points scored at 2011, trailing only Sidney Green (2073), and Eddie Owens (2221). He was also the NABC Defensive Player of the Year winner three straight years, '88-'89, '89-'90, '90-'91, one of only three players to ever win it three times. And nobody, I mean nobody, could finish at the rim like the "Plastic Man."
Augmon had a successful 15 year NBA career. He was selected 9th overall in the '91 draft by the Atlanta Hawks. He also went on to play for the Pistons, Trail Blazers, Magic, and Hornets (Charlotte, and New Orleans). Augmon has spent the last four years in charge of player development as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets.
Aside from being a great Rebel name to have on the bench, Augmon brings a lot of experience and knowledge to UNLV. He will be a huge part in the development of a Rebel roster that has a lot of young, raw talent on it.
Having been here for the "glory days," I am thrilled to see a couple of the championship pieces back in the Scarlet & Grey. I'm looking forward to a sold out T&M, "Rebel" chants, and some good old fashion "Runnin".
Welcome home Stacey.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Philly fans got one right
Philadelphia is a passionate city. They love they're sports teams. The Eagles, Flyers, 76ers and the Phillies are all part of the Philly fabric. All 4 teams were playoff teams in the last season. Not many cities can claim such success. Generally, this type of success brings great tradition and pride to a fan base. Though, I'm sure the fans in Philadelphia feel those things, they always seem to take a step backwards when it comes to being civil.
In 1968, fans at an Eagles game boo Santa Clause during half time. Not the worst thing, but they compounded the problem by throwing snowballs at him. Speaking of Eagles fans, there was the 700 level at the old Veterans Stadium. The 700 level was known as a violent, dangerous place for anyone cheering for the opposing team. Sometimes, it was dangerous for Eagles fans themselves. The violence got so bad, they had to install a court, judge, and jail inside the stadium! I would bring up fans booing McNabb at the draft, but who hasn't been upset about a pick or two from their team in the past? Not to be outdone are the Phillie fans. They've stepped it up to a whole new level recently. Last season a rowdy, fan decided it would be a good idea to throw-up on people asking him to calm down. The 5 people he threw-up on were all Phillie fans, and one was a little girl. There was also a fan who ran on to the field during a game. He was so elusive the cops eventually tased him. The list goes on & on....trust me.
On Sunday night, in the top of the 9th inning of a Phillies, Mets game, word began to spread about the death of Osama Bin Laden. Not that he was found dead, or that disease or age had caught up with him, but that a team of Navy Seals had carried out direct orders from the President of the United States, and killed him. It's the top of the 9th, it's 1-1, and the noise from the crowd was not about baseball in any way. It was about patriotism, unity, pride....USA! USA! USA! The chants were faint at first. The news was not on the score board. It wasn't announced by the public address announcer for the entire stadium to hear. Fans were doing what modern day fans do, they were networking. Messages began to poor in on cell phones. Texts, emails, Facebook alerts, tweets. As the news spread through the crowd, the chants grew louder....USA! USA! USA! An energy began to fill the stadium that went well beyond the two teams on the field. A weight had been lifted from the shoulders of an entire country still looking for a way to cope with the 9-11 attacks....USA! USA! USA! Everyone in that stadium remembers where they were on that horrific day. Everyone in that stadium will remember where they were on this day of retribution, as well.
Sports had a way of bringing the country together after 9-11. The Yankees were in the World Series. The NFL was only in it's second week of the season. The patriotism shown by the players and fans was exactly what the country needed to try and feel normal. It's fitting that as news of Bin Ladens death spread, it was a baseball game that housed one of the nights biggest "goosebump" moments.
Philly fans have a bad rep. They've earned it. But on this night, when it mattered most, they got it right....USA! USA! USA!
In 1968, fans at an Eagles game boo Santa Clause during half time. Not the worst thing, but they compounded the problem by throwing snowballs at him. Speaking of Eagles fans, there was the 700 level at the old Veterans Stadium. The 700 level was known as a violent, dangerous place for anyone cheering for the opposing team. Sometimes, it was dangerous for Eagles fans themselves. The violence got so bad, they had to install a court, judge, and jail inside the stadium! I would bring up fans booing McNabb at the draft, but who hasn't been upset about a pick or two from their team in the past? Not to be outdone are the Phillie fans. They've stepped it up to a whole new level recently. Last season a rowdy, fan decided it would be a good idea to throw-up on people asking him to calm down. The 5 people he threw-up on were all Phillie fans, and one was a little girl. There was also a fan who ran on to the field during a game. He was so elusive the cops eventually tased him. The list goes on & on....trust me.
On Sunday night, in the top of the 9th inning of a Phillies, Mets game, word began to spread about the death of Osama Bin Laden. Not that he was found dead, or that disease or age had caught up with him, but that a team of Navy Seals had carried out direct orders from the President of the United States, and killed him. It's the top of the 9th, it's 1-1, and the noise from the crowd was not about baseball in any way. It was about patriotism, unity, pride....USA! USA! USA! The chants were faint at first. The news was not on the score board. It wasn't announced by the public address announcer for the entire stadium to hear. Fans were doing what modern day fans do, they were networking. Messages began to poor in on cell phones. Texts, emails, Facebook alerts, tweets. As the news spread through the crowd, the chants grew louder....USA! USA! USA! An energy began to fill the stadium that went well beyond the two teams on the field. A weight had been lifted from the shoulders of an entire country still looking for a way to cope with the 9-11 attacks....USA! USA! USA! Everyone in that stadium remembers where they were on that horrific day. Everyone in that stadium will remember where they were on this day of retribution, as well.
Sports had a way of bringing the country together after 9-11. The Yankees were in the World Series. The NFL was only in it's second week of the season. The patriotism shown by the players and fans was exactly what the country needed to try and feel normal. It's fitting that as news of Bin Ladens death spread, it was a baseball game that housed one of the nights biggest "goosebump" moments.
Philly fans have a bad rep. They've earned it. But on this night, when it mattered most, they got it right....USA! USA! USA!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
UFC 129 Recap
55,000 fight fans filled the Rodgers Center in Toronto, Ontario for what turned out to be the great fight card we had all hoped for. The night was filled with early round knockouts, and submissions. Even the fights that went the distance were packed with action from start to finish. The three fights that most were waiting for did not disappoint.
The first of the three was Randy Couture vs Lyoto Machida. Couture had said before the fight, that win or lose this would be his last fight. At 47, Couture came into the ring 15 years older than his opponent, and it was obvious from the beginning. Couture had no success closing the space between himself, and Machida. Lyoto's Karate style was every bit as elusive as it was billed to be. The few times Randy got close enough to grab Machida, Machida easily slipped out. The two exchanged punches in the first round with Machida landing the cleaner, more effective strikes. Between rounds, Lyoto must have gone to the dressing room, and had Mr. Miyagi "do that thing with his hands." Machida landed what can only be described as "the crane." Faking with the left leg, leaping in the air, and landing a front kick with the right leg, Machida put an emphatic end on Couture's career. The fight was stopped immediately. Couture was KO'd. The UFC legend congratulated Machida on a "great shot," who in turn called Couture "a true hero." Couture confirmed his retirement, saying he was done fighting for good.
The main event of the evening left us all wanting, as most Georges St. Pierre fights do. Jake Shields is a master in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is unbeatable from top position. Non of that matters, however, when you can't get your opponent to the ground. GSP refused to allow Shields to take him down. He wouldn't even let Shields TRY to take him down. The two stayed on their feet for most of the fight. Shields started to get to GSP later in the fight, after GSP took a thumb to the eye on a takedown of his own. But in the end, it wasn't enough. The most interesting thing about the unanimous decision, was that GSP actually lost a couple of rounds for the first time in his last 30 rounds. GSP retained his welterweight belt, and will hopefully look to move up and fight Anderson,"The Spider," Silva next.
The fight I was most looking forward to, turned out to be the best fight of the night. Jose Aldo made his UFC debut against Canadian Mark Hominick. The two men came out swinging, and didn't stop until the horn sounded to end the 5th round. Aldo came out fast, landing leg kicks to Hominick's left knee that looked like they were going to break his leg. He mixed in punches and kicks from all angles. Hominick took them very well, and settled into a very relaxed & accurate striker. Through the next several minutes of the fight, Hominick was able to slip Aldos attack without ever being out of striking range. He landed punch after punch while Aldo seemed to be slowing down. In the 3rd round it looked as though Aldo realized his chin could handle the Hominick punches. He stepped up his pressure and began to wear Hominick down. Then, in the 4th, it happened. Hominick began to grow a second head! A short elbow to the head of Hominick started the trouble. Hominicks head began to swell instantly. The knot quickly grew to be the size of a baseball. The referee stopped the action for the doctor to take a look. After a quick exam, the doc cleared Hominick and the fight resumed. Between rounds, the corner of Hominick did everything they could to bring down the swelling. It was to no avail. The 5th round started with a second look from the doctor. Again, Hominick was cleared to fight. He pressed Aldo, eventually taking him to the ground with just 2 minutes left in the fight. Aldo spent the last 2 minutes on his back while Hominick pounded his face. Hominick wasn't able to get the stoppage, and the fight went to the score cards. All three judges gave the fight to Aldo, but Hominick had no reason to hold his head down. Both fighters left everything they had in the octagon. Fight of the night for sure.
The first of the three was Randy Couture vs Lyoto Machida. Couture had said before the fight, that win or lose this would be his last fight. At 47, Couture came into the ring 15 years older than his opponent, and it was obvious from the beginning. Couture had no success closing the space between himself, and Machida. Lyoto's Karate style was every bit as elusive as it was billed to be. The few times Randy got close enough to grab Machida, Machida easily slipped out. The two exchanged punches in the first round with Machida landing the cleaner, more effective strikes. Between rounds, Lyoto must have gone to the dressing room, and had Mr. Miyagi "do that thing with his hands." Machida landed what can only be described as "the crane." Faking with the left leg, leaping in the air, and landing a front kick with the right leg, Machida put an emphatic end on Couture's career. The fight was stopped immediately. Couture was KO'd. The UFC legend congratulated Machida on a "great shot," who in turn called Couture "a true hero." Couture confirmed his retirement, saying he was done fighting for good.
The main event of the evening left us all wanting, as most Georges St. Pierre fights do. Jake Shields is a master in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is unbeatable from top position. Non of that matters, however, when you can't get your opponent to the ground. GSP refused to allow Shields to take him down. He wouldn't even let Shields TRY to take him down. The two stayed on their feet for most of the fight. Shields started to get to GSP later in the fight, after GSP took a thumb to the eye on a takedown of his own. But in the end, it wasn't enough. The most interesting thing about the unanimous decision, was that GSP actually lost a couple of rounds for the first time in his last 30 rounds. GSP retained his welterweight belt, and will hopefully look to move up and fight Anderson,"The Spider," Silva next.
The fight I was most looking forward to, turned out to be the best fight of the night. Jose Aldo made his UFC debut against Canadian Mark Hominick. The two men came out swinging, and didn't stop until the horn sounded to end the 5th round. Aldo came out fast, landing leg kicks to Hominick's left knee that looked like they were going to break his leg. He mixed in punches and kicks from all angles. Hominick took them very well, and settled into a very relaxed & accurate striker. Through the next several minutes of the fight, Hominick was able to slip Aldos attack without ever being out of striking range. He landed punch after punch while Aldo seemed to be slowing down. In the 3rd round it looked as though Aldo realized his chin could handle the Hominick punches. He stepped up his pressure and began to wear Hominick down. Then, in the 4th, it happened. Hominick began to grow a second head! A short elbow to the head of Hominick started the trouble. Hominicks head began to swell instantly. The knot quickly grew to be the size of a baseball. The referee stopped the action for the doctor to take a look. After a quick exam, the doc cleared Hominick and the fight resumed. Between rounds, the corner of Hominick did everything they could to bring down the swelling. It was to no avail. The 5th round started with a second look from the doctor. Again, Hominick was cleared to fight. He pressed Aldo, eventually taking him to the ground with just 2 minutes left in the fight. Aldo spent the last 2 minutes on his back while Hominick pounded his face. Hominick wasn't able to get the stoppage, and the fight went to the score cards. All three judges gave the fight to Aldo, but Hominick had no reason to hold his head down. Both fighters left everything they had in the octagon. Fight of the night for sure.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
UFC 129 Weights
Here is a quick rundown of the weights for tonights fights.
Main Event – UFC Welterweight Championship
Georges St-Pierre 169.5 vs. Jake Shields 169
Co-Main Event – UFC FeatherwChampionshipeight
Jose Aldo 145 vs. Mark Hominick 145
PPV-televised
Randy Couture 203.5 vs. Lyoto Machida 204.5
Vladimir Matyushenko 205.5 vs. Jason Brilz 204.5
Mark Bocek 155 vs. Ben Henderson 156
SPIKE TV PRELIMS
Nate Diaz 171 vs. Rory MacDonald 170.5
Sean Pierson 170 vs. Jake Ellenberger 170
FACEBOOK PRELIMS
Claude Patrick 169.5 vs. Daniel Roberts 170.5
Ivan Menjivar 136 vs. Charlie Valencia 135.5
Jason MacDonald 185 vs. Ryan Jensen 185
John Makdessi 155.5 vs. Kyle Watson 155
Yves Jabouin 146 vs. Pablo Garza 145
Main Event – UFC Welterweight Championship
Georges St-Pierre 169.5 vs. Jake Shields 169
Co-Main Event – UFC FeatherwChampionshipeight
Jose Aldo 145 vs. Mark Hominick 145
PPV-televised
Randy Couture 203.5 vs. Lyoto Machida 204.5
Vladimir Matyushenko 205.5 vs. Jason Brilz 204.5
Mark Bocek 155 vs. Ben Henderson 156
SPIKE TV PRELIMS
Nate Diaz 171 vs. Rory MacDonald 170.5
Sean Pierson 170 vs. Jake Ellenberger 170
FACEBOOK PRELIMS
Claude Patrick 169.5 vs. Daniel Roberts 170.5
Ivan Menjivar 136 vs. Charlie Valencia 135.5
Jason MacDonald 185 vs. Ryan Jensen 185
John Makdessi 155.5 vs. Kyle Watson 155
Yves Jabouin 146 vs. Pablo Garza 145
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Ridiculous Rule!
It's January. Your favorite football team is driving down the field late in the game for that winning score. With just 35 seconds left on the clock, they get their touchdown! Your team is now ahead by 3 with only half a minute to play. The kicker lines up, takes aim, and heads for the ball. He sends a towering kick 8 yards deep into the end zone. The opposing team quickly calls a timeout. When your defense comes out to play out what should be the final 30 seconds of the game, they find themselves deep in their own territory, backs to their own goal line, feeling as though they had been penalized in some way. The opposing team was awarded the 25 yard line....YOUR 25 yard line!! Why? Because they had one timeout remaining? The offense was given 3/4 of the field because of a called timeout? That seems absolutely ridiculous, doesn't it?
Well, such is the case in the NBA. In the last 2 minutes of a game, a team may call a timeout after a change of possession, and advance the ball beyond midcourt without any time coming off the clock. Really? This, in my opinion, is taking away the work that the other team just put in to take the lead. You are rewarding a team for having a timeout. They didn't earn that "special" timeout. It was given to them at the start of the half. It was given to them as just a regular old timeout. Somehow, miraculously, it transformed into this ball advancing wonder that saved their season.
In last nights Memphis vs San Antonio playoff game, such a travesty took place. With just 1.7 seconds showing on the clock, Memphis in-bounded the ball, and was immediately fouled. They went to the free throw line, and hit both FT taking a 3 point lead. In college, this is when you get to see something like Grant Hill throw a 3/4 court pass, Laettner catching, making one move, and then breaking the hearts of Kentucky fans around the world. That's EARNING a win. In last nights game, you instead see the Spurs call a timeout, (exciting) get the ball beyond half court to in-bound, (no work had to be done, no time off the clock) and hit a 3 pointer as time expired to send it into OT. The Spurs eventually won the game in OT.
In my opinion, the final shot, pass, run, or hit, depending on your sport, should be earned. I don't see 3rd base being awarded on a bunt single in the bottom of the 9th......Do you?
Well, such is the case in the NBA. In the last 2 minutes of a game, a team may call a timeout after a change of possession, and advance the ball beyond midcourt without any time coming off the clock. Really? This, in my opinion, is taking away the work that the other team just put in to take the lead. You are rewarding a team for having a timeout. They didn't earn that "special" timeout. It was given to them at the start of the half. It was given to them as just a regular old timeout. Somehow, miraculously, it transformed into this ball advancing wonder that saved their season.
In last nights Memphis vs San Antonio playoff game, such a travesty took place. With just 1.7 seconds showing on the clock, Memphis in-bounded the ball, and was immediately fouled. They went to the free throw line, and hit both FT taking a 3 point lead. In college, this is when you get to see something like Grant Hill throw a 3/4 court pass, Laettner catching, making one move, and then breaking the hearts of Kentucky fans around the world. That's EARNING a win. In last nights game, you instead see the Spurs call a timeout, (exciting) get the ball beyond half court to in-bound, (no work had to be done, no time off the clock) and hit a 3 pointer as time expired to send it into OT. The Spurs eventually won the game in OT.
In my opinion, the final shot, pass, run, or hit, depending on your sport, should be earned. I don't see 3rd base being awarded on a bunt single in the bottom of the 9th......Do you?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
UFC 129
Toronto will be the place to be this Saturday night as UFC 129 invades Canada. The card should be a good one. A mix of past champions, current champions, and great youth fill the card.
The highlight for the Canadian fans will no doubt be Georges St-Pierre. His MMA record is 21-2-0, 14-2 in his last 16, and 8-0 in his last 8. He will put his Welterweight Title on the line once again as he faces off against Jake shields (26-4-1). Shields is one of, if not the best, at controlling the action from the top position once on the ground. The problem is getting GSP to the ground, and putting him on his back. If Shields can accomplish that, he should be able to control GSP for the duration of the fight. If he can't, look for GSP to do what he always does....use his amazing ability to strike, take you down, and control.
In a fight of "big names," Lyoto "the Dragon" Machida (16-2-0) meets up with "the Natural" Randy Couture (19-10-0). After his dismantling of Rashad Evens, many people thought Machida was untouchable. Then he met Rua. In their first fight, Machida won a very controversial unanimous decision. Rua took matters in to his own hands in the rematch knocking out Machida in the first. Machida again looked human against Rampage as he lost a split decision. His opponent will be 48 years old in June. Couture just never seems to get old, although he said he will retire after this fight. His last couple of fight were not against "top" competition (an old Coleman, & boxer turned MMA James Toney), but he dominated both fight and won easily. If Couture can get to Machida, he should be able to use his strength to overpower him. If not, Machida will keep Couture at range and pepper him with his Karate.
The fight I am personally most excited for is the UFC debut of the UFC featherweight champion (he inherited the belt when the WEC & UFC merged in December) Jose Aldo (18-1-0). He will square off against Mark Hominick (20-8-0). Mark is riding a 5 fight win streak. Hominick, like St-Pierre, is a Canadian & will no doubt have 55,000 strong behind him. Hominick is a lightning fast striker and has great speed moving around the cage. He will no doubt want to keep this fight on its feet. Aldo is the real deal. Brazilian born, his ground game is at the top of any list. He dealt with a vertebrae injury that sapped his strength and kept him out of his last fight. Aldo says he is at full strength for this fight. This fight expects to be fought at a very high pace, and should be action packed!
The highlight for the Canadian fans will no doubt be Georges St-Pierre. His MMA record is 21-2-0, 14-2 in his last 16, and 8-0 in his last 8. He will put his Welterweight Title on the line once again as he faces off against Jake shields (26-4-1). Shields is one of, if not the best, at controlling the action from the top position once on the ground. The problem is getting GSP to the ground, and putting him on his back. If Shields can accomplish that, he should be able to control GSP for the duration of the fight. If he can't, look for GSP to do what he always does....use his amazing ability to strike, take you down, and control.
In a fight of "big names," Lyoto "the Dragon" Machida (16-2-0) meets up with "the Natural" Randy Couture (19-10-0). After his dismantling of Rashad Evens, many people thought Machida was untouchable. Then he met Rua. In their first fight, Machida won a very controversial unanimous decision. Rua took matters in to his own hands in the rematch knocking out Machida in the first. Machida again looked human against Rampage as he lost a split decision. His opponent will be 48 years old in June. Couture just never seems to get old, although he said he will retire after this fight. His last couple of fight were not against "top" competition (an old Coleman, & boxer turned MMA James Toney), but he dominated both fight and won easily. If Couture can get to Machida, he should be able to use his strength to overpower him. If not, Machida will keep Couture at range and pepper him with his Karate.
The fight I am personally most excited for is the UFC debut of the UFC featherweight champion (he inherited the belt when the WEC & UFC merged in December) Jose Aldo (18-1-0). He will square off against Mark Hominick (20-8-0). Mark is riding a 5 fight win streak. Hominick, like St-Pierre, is a Canadian & will no doubt have 55,000 strong behind him. Hominick is a lightning fast striker and has great speed moving around the cage. He will no doubt want to keep this fight on its feet. Aldo is the real deal. Brazilian born, his ground game is at the top of any list. He dealt with a vertebrae injury that sapped his strength and kept him out of his last fight. Aldo says he is at full strength for this fight. This fight expects to be fought at a very high pace, and should be action packed!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Panic....Really?
The Lakers and the Hornets played in game 4 of their NBA playoff series last night in New Orleans. The Hornets won a close game evening the series up at 2 games apiece. If you did not have any knowledge of the series, and only heard the post game reaction, you would think that the Lakers were down 15 points in the final minute of an elimination game. The reaction around the sports world is; "Is it time for the Lakers to panic?" Why would the Lakers have any more reason to panic than the Hornets do? Lets look at the facts. The series is tied at 2-2. Let me repeat that...THE SERIES IS TIED AT 2-2!! Each team has won a game on the other teams home court. None of the games have been real blowouts. There are potentially 3 games left to be played in the series, and 2 of them will be in LA.
This is not exclusive to basketball either. One week into the MLB season, the Boston Red Sox were 0-6. The word panic was thrown around the baseball world as though it were late September and the Yankees were 5 games up. 0-6.....IT'S A 162 GAME SEASON!! As of today, the Sox are 3.5 games out of first, and only have 141 left games to crawl out of that hole. Think the panic talk was a little premature?
Until the game, series, and season are realistically out of reach, lets keep the panic talk under raps. I think it's a little overused, and a little ridiculous.
I can't wait for the Colt, Patriots, Packers, or any other Super Bowl contending team lose their opening game of the season. Listen for all of the "panic" talk fly around sports TV and radio. "Only 15 games left....not enough time." Ridiculous.
This is not exclusive to basketball either. One week into the MLB season, the Boston Red Sox were 0-6. The word panic was thrown around the baseball world as though it were late September and the Yankees were 5 games up. 0-6.....IT'S A 162 GAME SEASON!! As of today, the Sox are 3.5 games out of first, and only have 141 left games to crawl out of that hole. Think the panic talk was a little premature?
Until the game, series, and season are realistically out of reach, lets keep the panic talk under raps. I think it's a little overused, and a little ridiculous.
I can't wait for the Colt, Patriots, Packers, or any other Super Bowl contending team lose their opening game of the season. Listen for all of the "panic" talk fly around sports TV and radio. "Only 15 games left....not enough time." Ridiculous.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Super Heavyweight
Pardon the pun, but boxing has had a bit of a black eye for several years now. One thing people like to point to as a reason for this is the lack of American talent in the Heavyweight division. Although that is a major factor, I believe it goes deeper than that. The Heavyweight division is loaded with men who have no business stepping in to the ring as "Heavyweights."
If you take out the Heavyweight division, you are left with 18 divisions. Those divisions start at Strawweight (105) and end at Cruiserweight (200). There is a 5.3 lb average in weight increase from one division to the next within those 18, and if you take out the 15 lb jump from Light Heavy (175) to Cruiser (200) the average drops a full lb. This makes for very exciting, and more often than not, very fair fights.
In Muhammad Ali's prime, he fought between 205-220. Evander Holyfield also fought in that same range. He actually started his career at 175 lbs. Even "Big" George Foreman was in the 220 lb range in his early days. Mike Tyson was at his best when he weighed 215-220 lbs. These guys were true Heavyweights.
The men who are on top of the division now, and have been for a while, are NOT in the same weight class as those other men. Lennox Lewis was one of the first to break on to the scene. Lewis was 6'5" tall, and in his prime weighed in at around 245 lbs! Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko stand at 6'6" & 6'7" respectively, and weigh in the 245 lb range. It is normal for these fighters to get in the ring with an opponent who is not only 3-4 inches shorter, but outweighed by as much as 30 lbs. Go back to the first 18 weight divisions....5.3 lb average in weight increase. Go to Heavyweight.....30 lb difference within a single fight.
The way to revive the Heavyweight division in boxing is simple, put the extraordinarily big men in their own division, the Super Heavyweight division. Guys who are 6'2" 215 lb should not be penalized because boxing is too lazy to add another division. Give these guys a cut off at around 225 lbs, and let the "bigs" slug it out in their own division. There are already 19, whats one more?
If you take out the Heavyweight division, you are left with 18 divisions. Those divisions start at Strawweight (105) and end at Cruiserweight (200). There is a 5.3 lb average in weight increase from one division to the next within those 18, and if you take out the 15 lb jump from Light Heavy (175) to Cruiser (200) the average drops a full lb. This makes for very exciting, and more often than not, very fair fights.
In Muhammad Ali's prime, he fought between 205-220. Evander Holyfield also fought in that same range. He actually started his career at 175 lbs. Even "Big" George Foreman was in the 220 lb range in his early days. Mike Tyson was at his best when he weighed 215-220 lbs. These guys were true Heavyweights.
The men who are on top of the division now, and have been for a while, are NOT in the same weight class as those other men. Lennox Lewis was one of the first to break on to the scene. Lewis was 6'5" tall, and in his prime weighed in at around 245 lbs! Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko stand at 6'6" & 6'7" respectively, and weigh in the 245 lb range. It is normal for these fighters to get in the ring with an opponent who is not only 3-4 inches shorter, but outweighed by as much as 30 lbs. Go back to the first 18 weight divisions....5.3 lb average in weight increase. Go to Heavyweight.....30 lb difference within a single fight.
The way to revive the Heavyweight division in boxing is simple, put the extraordinarily big men in their own division, the Super Heavyweight division. Guys who are 6'2" 215 lb should not be penalized because boxing is too lazy to add another division. Give these guys a cut off at around 225 lbs, and let the "bigs" slug it out in their own division. There are already 19, whats one more?
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
With warm months, comes a warm voice
With the close of every NCAA basketball season, comes the beginning of every baseball season. For us this means spring, warmer days, hot dogs, (or Dodger dogs if you're like me) and all of the sounds that go with Americas pass time. Baseball has a very unique soundtrack. There is the unmistakable sound of a bat connecting with a ball on the "sweet spot." There's the organ playing as it crescendo's towards the cries of "CHARGE!!!" The 7th inning stretch and 50,000 fans singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Even the nonsense mumbles of heckling fans as they try to disrupt a player, or get under the skin of an umpire...."Heeeey batter batter batter, SWING!!" Or, "Get off your knees blue, you're blowing the game!" Baseball is full of great sounds, but the best sounds are in the voices.
In Philadelphia, fans will tell you about Harry Kalas and his "outta here" phrase uttered after every home run. He was a Phillie from '71 until his death in 2009...38 years. In Detroit, they'll tell you about Ernie Harwell. Ernie was a Tiger for 42 years. The Tigers replaced Ernie one year, but the outcry from his fans forced the Tigers to bring him back the following season. He retired in 2002, and died just last year. On the north side of Chicago, it's all about the gruff, sometimes mumbled sounds of Harry Caray. Caray was loved by Cubs fans maybe more than they loved their own players. From his home run call, "It might be, it could be, IT IS!! A home run!!" to the now famous tradition of singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" from the broadcast booth along with the fans of Wrigley..."and uh 1, and uh 2, and uh...." And even though John Sterling provides Yankee fans with his signature "Thaaaaaa, Yankees WIN!" I think the voice most remembered by NY fans will be the one that came from public address announcer Bob Sheppard. Sheppard was the PA man from '51-2007. His calming, melodic voice was loved not only by fans, but by the Yankee players he introduced. So much so, that Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter has a recording of Sheppard's voice introduce him to this day. Sheppard died in 2010 at the age of 99.
For me, and just about every Dodgers fan out there, the voice of baseball has always been Vin Scully. Vin has been a Dodger for 62 years, going all the way back to the Brooklyn Dodgers days. He has been there for every one of their World Series titles. His voice has been part of some of the most historic games in baseball. Bill Buckner in '86...."Behind the bag!!" Sandy Kofax perfect game in '65. Hank Arron breaking Babe Ruth's Home Run record in '74. And of course, Kirk Gibson and "The Natural" moment of his career, the Game 1 home run in the bottom of the 9th in the '88 World Series. But Vin is more than that. His voice coming from another room where the TV or radio is on is as familiar as your Grandfathers voice calling out your name. It's soothing, comforting, and unmistakable. No one can paint a picture better than Vin. You will know exactly how the sky looks, the shape of the clouds, and how cute the little girl in the front row is, all dressed up in her dodger gear, watching the game from the safety of her daddy's lap. He can tell stories from baseballs past, and seems to have enough knowledge to fill hours of broadcast time. But he also know the enormity of "the moment." Several times in his career, he has been praised for knowing when to sit back, be quiet, and let the sights and sounds of that moment tell their own story.
Baseball has a wonderful soundtrack. It's one I look forward to every Spring. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe Vin is on, and I have some listening to do.
In Philadelphia, fans will tell you about Harry Kalas and his "outta here" phrase uttered after every home run. He was a Phillie from '71 until his death in 2009...38 years. In Detroit, they'll tell you about Ernie Harwell. Ernie was a Tiger for 42 years. The Tigers replaced Ernie one year, but the outcry from his fans forced the Tigers to bring him back the following season. He retired in 2002, and died just last year. On the north side of Chicago, it's all about the gruff, sometimes mumbled sounds of Harry Caray. Caray was loved by Cubs fans maybe more than they loved their own players. From his home run call, "It might be, it could be, IT IS!! A home run!!" to the now famous tradition of singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" from the broadcast booth along with the fans of Wrigley..."and uh 1, and uh 2, and uh...." And even though John Sterling provides Yankee fans with his signature "Thaaaaaa, Yankees WIN!" I think the voice most remembered by NY fans will be the one that came from public address announcer Bob Sheppard. Sheppard was the PA man from '51-2007. His calming, melodic voice was loved not only by fans, but by the Yankee players he introduced. So much so, that Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter has a recording of Sheppard's voice introduce him to this day. Sheppard died in 2010 at the age of 99.
For me, and just about every Dodgers fan out there, the voice of baseball has always been Vin Scully. Vin has been a Dodger for 62 years, going all the way back to the Brooklyn Dodgers days. He has been there for every one of their World Series titles. His voice has been part of some of the most historic games in baseball. Bill Buckner in '86...."Behind the bag!!" Sandy Kofax perfect game in '65. Hank Arron breaking Babe Ruth's Home Run record in '74. And of course, Kirk Gibson and "The Natural" moment of his career, the Game 1 home run in the bottom of the 9th in the '88 World Series. But Vin is more than that. His voice coming from another room where the TV or radio is on is as familiar as your Grandfathers voice calling out your name. It's soothing, comforting, and unmistakable. No one can paint a picture better than Vin. You will know exactly how the sky looks, the shape of the clouds, and how cute the little girl in the front row is, all dressed up in her dodger gear, watching the game from the safety of her daddy's lap. He can tell stories from baseballs past, and seems to have enough knowledge to fill hours of broadcast time. But he also know the enormity of "the moment." Several times in his career, he has been praised for knowing when to sit back, be quiet, and let the sights and sounds of that moment tell their own story.
Baseball has a wonderful soundtrack. It's one I look forward to every Spring. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe Vin is on, and I have some listening to do.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
NCAA
In what was a very entertaining tournament, the final game left most fans wanting. Only UCONN fans can truly be happy with the end result. A sloppy, ugly, basketball game that saw one team make 3 2pt baskets over the whole 40 minutes while shooting a miserable 18% for the game (an all time low). Butler can't even blame it on the "1 and done" trend in the NCAA, They are full of seniors with championship game experience. Maybe they choked. Maybe UCONN's defense was really that good. Or maybe, in a year that saw a very average group of top tier teams, Butler just got lucky. A last second put back, a ridiculous foul with no time on the clock, an amazing run by VCU....who? Last years Butler team would have beat this years team by 15 in last nights game. Butler did what it needed to do to get back to the final 4, but lets not put this team in an "all time team" conversation. The Rebels of the 80's & 90's, the 80's Hoyas. the Duke's of the 90's & early 2000's, Arkansas 40 minutes of hell, even the Fab 5 would have embarrassed both of those teams last night.
The tournament is fun no matter the quality of the field. We still get our buzzer beaters, our Cinderella's, and even our one shining moment. But please, what ever you do, don't put these teams in an all time conversation. They had good runs against average competition. Leave the history talk for the teams that actually made history.
The tournament is fun no matter the quality of the field. We still get our buzzer beaters, our Cinderella's, and even our one shining moment. But please, what ever you do, don't put these teams in an all time conversation. They had good runs against average competition. Leave the history talk for the teams that actually made history.
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