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BOXING NOTES

March 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I know Bernard Hopkins is heavily favored to avenge his last defeat and beat Roy Jones, Jr. this Saturday, but I’m not so sure….

Before we get started, though, don’t send me any E-Mails stating that Bernard has lost twice to Jermain Taylor and to Joe Calzaghe since his defeat against Roy in 1993….

The Executioner won all of those fights and in my book has lost only to Jones in the past 17 years….

I’ve seen Hopkins listed as a 6-1 favorite in some books, which means Jones is a great play….

Sure, Jones has lost five times in recent years, including three scary knockouts; but I have a feeling this one is not going to be easy for Bernard….

In Roy’s last fight, he suffered an embarrassing first round knockout against a white Australian named Danny Green, but in my opinion Green caught him cold and it was a fluke….

The official also stopped the fight way too soon….

Before that, however, Jones looked very good in dominating Felix Trinidad and knocking out Jeff Lacy….

Hopkins is not known for pressing the action and knocking people out, but is going to have to fight that way Saturday night….

If it’s a game of cat-and-mouse, with both fighters laying back and looking to counter, Bernard could be in trouble….

Roy is still quicker than Bernard and will win if the fight is contested on the outside….

Sure, Hopkins is 45 and Jones 41, but Bernard is fresher and the better fighter….

I like The Executioner by unanimous decision; getting revenge for his loss 17 years ago….

This rematch should have happened years ago….

The perfect time would have been in 2001, when Jones was still undefeated and Bernard was coming off a great win over Trinidad….

Unfortunately, the two of them could never agree on money and every time we thought a fight was made it fell through….

Now, in 2010, almost nobody cares and I’ll be shocked if anyone buys this fight. In this economy, $49.99 is an awfully steep price for two guys over 40….

Here’s what I would do if I were Team Hopkins: Immediately after the fight, I’d challenge WBA Heavyweight Champion David Haye….

The British Haye is a small heavyweight who has shown a weak chin in the past; a perfect opponent for Bernard….

Another selling point is Haye’s personality, because he’s a very funny guy; gregarious, fun loving and talkative….

He has some Muhammad Ali in him and the pre-fight build up would be great….

Hopkins also talks a lot of trash and famous for serving up a “last meal” at the final press conference….

I’m sure Bernard will have a plate of fish and chips ready for Haye….

Now this is a fight which would sell….

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WEEKEND NOTES

March 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Whenever I think of Tom Izzo, I wonder why his name isn’t mentioned alongside Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Rick Pitino and John Calipari. All he’s done is win a National Championship and go to the Final Four six times in the past 10 years, but for some reason you don’t hear his name among discussions of elite college coaches….

This year he’s done it again, and without his best player….

It’s a tremendous accomplishment, but I have a bitter taste in my mouth after watching his Spartans defeat Tennessee in their regional final….

Not because I care about Tennessee or had any action on the game, but because the officiating left a stink….

With the game tied and 1.8 seconds remaining, a Michigan State player went up for a shot and the zebra blew his whistle. At full speed, it looked to me like a clean block, but the replay took away all the mystery….

The Volunteer player got all ball and a foul should not have been called. I know it looked like a violation, because the defender swung his arm at the ball, but it clearly was not a foul….

And even if there was some contact, a whistle should never be blown in that situation. It should always be the players who decide games, not the zebras….

Nobody in the arena paid to see the referees and they should swallow their whistles in the final seconds….

With 1.8 seconds remaining in a tie game with the Final Four on the line, only attempted murder should draw a whistle….

I commend Volunteer coach Bruce Pearl for his class and composure, because I would have gone after that official and beaten the living hell out of him….

I’ve spent too much practice time and dedicated too much of my heart to my players to allow some idiot with a whistle to steal a game from me….

After the Spartan player made the first free throw and missed the second, there was no time to get off a decent shot and Tennessee’s season was over….

But dammit, those officials did it again….

Even though I’ve watched very little college basketball this season, I did pick West Virginia to win the National Championship and they’re still alive after defeating Kentucky on Saturday. If they win it all, it will prove what I’ve suspected all along; none of the “experts” have any idea what they’re talking about….

I did see West Virginia once or twice and loved how hard they play, but I’ve watched almost no games and should be considered a novice. Which explains why my pick is still alive….

I was impressed with Baylor against Duke, but the Blue Devils prevailed. And for once, they didn’t seem to get the benefit of all the calls….

Sure, the game ended ugly, with the teams nearly coming to blows and the Bears getting a technical; but the fouls and free throw attempts were even and I don’t believe the zebras assisted Duke….

But the Blue Devils have been handed victories countless times in other tournament games and seem to be this era’s UCLA….

Except unlike John Wooden, Coach K seems to run a clean program….

I’ll never forget the 1970 NCAA Championship game, when a great Jacksonville team got screwed over by the officials and lost to UCLA, 80-69….

That Dolphins team had the original twin towers in 7’2″ Artis Gilmore and 7′ Pembrook Burrows III. They also had an All-American guard in Rex Morgan….

After dominating play and jumping to an early 17-7 lead, the officials took over and made certain the Bruins would win….

Jacksonville was the first college team to average over 100 points per game, but the constant whistles took them out of their flow….

Sidney Wicks blocked five of Gilmore’s shots, but at least three of them were goal tending….

Two officials with clear views, on national television, ignored clear goal tending violations….

But the real story was the free throw attempts….

In an unbelievable display of crooked officiating, UCLA attempted 35 free throws and Jacksonville only 8….

And the Big 3 of Gilmore, Burrows and Morgan combined for ONE free throw attempt in 40 minutes….

You read that right. ONE free throw attempt from their three best players….

That explains why the Dolphins were held to only 69 points and were completely out of rythym. The officials stole the game from them….

To this day, I believe that Jacksonville team and the 1983 Houston Cougars are the best teams not to win the National Championship….
The other team in the Final Four, Butler, is a great story and they’ll be playing in their home town of Indianapolis. And if they win the National Championship Hollywood will come calling….

This one would be too easy and has “Hoosiers” written all over it….

Come on, a small college in an unknown conference wins the national title? And not only are they from Indians, but playing in Indianapolis when the complete their improbable run? I might write the screenplay….

Even though I picked West Virginia, I’m pulling for Butler.

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MARCH MADNESS NOTES

March 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Yes, I liked Cornell in their Sweet 16 matchup against top-seeded Kentucky, so I was disappointed with the result. But that defensive display by the Wildcats was devastating….

Sure, UK has all the physical advantages, but that could also be said about Temple and Wisconsic; the Big Red’s previous victims….

Cornell runs a beautiful offense, is loaded with Seniors and makes 10 three-point shots a game; but was completely stifled by Kentucky….

The Wildcats switched and doubled every high screen-and-roll, rotated quickly to uncovered players and took away everything Cornell wanted to do….

At times it looked as if UK had seven players on the floor….

For the first time in the tournament, the Big Red looked like a slow, white, unathletic team….

Despite his tremendous record, John Calipari gets criticized for not being a great game coach; evidenced by his decision not to foul in the closing seconds of the Memphis-Kansas championship game two years ago….

But last night’s game plan was a thing of beauty….

Sure, he has a team of mercinaries who aren’t students and won’t be around next year, but Calipari deserves credit for this team. They play hard, play good defense, share the ball and seem to be ego free….

In the other night game, we nearly had a scandal of epic proportions; as the referees nearly stole a victory from Kansas State in the closing seconds of regulation….

Up three with five seconds left, K-State coach Frank Martin did the right thing and ordered as foul; except a crooked zebra three feet from the play did not blow his whistle. Since all these guys do is call ticky-tack fouls and ruin games, why would this idiot pick such an inopportune time to swallow his whistle?….

After a Wildcat player bear hugged a Xavier player near midcourt, nothing was called and a second Kansas State player attempted to foul….

Except this time the Xavier player knew it was coming and threw the ball toward the basket, drawing a three-shot foul. Naturally, the Muskateer made all three free throws and we went to overtime….

To his credit, commentator Jay Bilas ripped the official and said “that was a terrible non-call.”….

Fortunately for Kansas State, they found a way to win in double overtime. Because if they’d lost, that official would have lived in infamy and proabably would have been banned permanently from Manhattan, Kansas….

And by the intense look on Coach Martin’s face, the zebra might not have made it out of the building….

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NOTES ON A SCORECARD

March 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The story of the Tournament so far is Cornell, who have somehow managed to reach the Sweet 16, even though the school does not offer athletic scholarships….

In their first two games, against favored Temple and Wisconsin, the Big Red systematicaly took apart their more talented foes with unselfishness, great outside shooting and excellent defense….

Unlike the old Princeton teams, which threw a scare into #1 seed Georgetown and upset defending NCAA champion UCLA years ago, this Ivy League team has talent and can lock you down defensively….

They are extremely well coached, experienced, know how to play together and fully capable of defeating #1 seed Kentucky on Thursday night….

Sure, the Wildcats are more talented and capable of a blowout win; but a team of Seniors almost always has an advantage over a team of Freshman….

Cornell has eight Seniors, play beautifully together and know how to get the ball to the right players in the best position to score. Also, all of them can shoot and they have a seven footer who can play….

If Cornell hangs in there, those kids playing for Kentucky are going to tighten up and find a way to lose. They’ve had two blowout wins so far, but against these guys are going to have to play at their best to win….

The Big Red also scored 87 points against Wisconsin, which is another reason not to compare them to the typical Ivy League team. They don’t run the weave for 30 seconds and lok for a backdoor cut; they run their offense and attack. On defense, they don’t pack in a 2-3 zone and hope their more talented opponent has a cold shooting night….

They play teams straight up, play man-to-man defense, attack the basket and so far have controlled their opponents….

There is no doubt Kentucky has more talent and should win, but this is a one-and-done tournament and I don’t trust a team of talented Freshman against an experienced group of seniors….

Oh, and another thing: One thing I trust less than Freshmen are referees and I have a feeling UK is going to be the beneficiary of a lot of whistles. Traditionally, teams like Kentucky get the majority of calls and unfortunately this game will not be different….

By the way, has there ever been such a contrast in two Sweet 16 opponents?….

Kentucky has a history of cheating, low academic standards and has a sleazy coach who has a history of violating NCAA rules and leaving his school holding the bag while he runs to his next job….

The Wildcats also have a core group of rent-a-players who are only in college because of David Stern’s one-year-in-school rule….

All of them will drop out of school as soon as their NCAA Tournament run ends and Lexington will never see them again….

They have about as much business in college as Dave Smith….

Everything people say is wrong with colege basketball is encompassed in the Kentucky program….

On the other hand, Cornell does not grant athletic scholarships, has real students on the floor and does things the right way….

Their players actually want to be in college, enjoy the experience, stay out of trouble and will earn their degrees. They will be Cornell Big Red for life and proud of it….

They are not rented mercinaries….

In a perfect world, Cornell wins and shows you can do things the right way and succeed….

And if Cornell wins, the sky is the limit and they will have as good a chance as any to win the National Championship….

And if that happens, it will be the greatest story in college sports history. Movies will be made, songs will be written and this team will be immortalized….

Prediction: I like Cornell to pull off another upset….

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NOTES ON A SCORECARD

March 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Granted, I haven’t watched a colelge basketball game all season and have little interest in March Madness, but I did sit down to watch some of the opening games on Thursday and was appalled at the horrendous officiating. All the commercials and stupid music on CBS was bad enough, but once again the zebras are deciding games and sending deserving teams home….

A great example was the Robert Morris-Villanova, which was literally stolen from little RMU by crooked and incompetent officiating….

I’ve seen a lot of poorly officiated games over the years, but this one might take the cake. I knew Tim Donaghy was released from prison, but had no idea he’d been hired by the NCAA…

On second thought, I take that back. Donaghy was never this crooked….

Scottie Reynolds, Villanova’s star player, evidently is the Michael Jordan of college basketball; because even though he shot only 2-15, the officials put him on the free throw line 16 times. Every time a Morris player got near him, one of the boobs in a striped shirt blew his whislte and called a foul….

In overtime, with RMU down by four, they ran a half court trap and forced a jump ball. The problem was a corrupt referee called a foul; even though he was far away from the play and had his vision blocked by several players….

I don’t know who Robert Morris’ coach is, but if it were me some of those officials would have been missing a few teeth after the game….

Kudos to Chris Chase of Yahoo Sports, who blasted the officials in his column: In case you missed it, here it is:
With help of refs, Villanova avoids historic upset to Robert Morris
By Chris Chase

Twenty-five years ago, Villanova pulled the biggest upset in college basketball history when Rollie Massimino’s team stunned mighty Georgetown in the NCAA championship. Today, the Wildcats narrowly avoided being on the other side of a tournament stunner. They can thank the referees for helping them do so.

Some controversial calls aided No. 2 Villanova in a thrilling, 73-70 overtime win over No. 15 Robert Morris in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Robert Morris, a tiny school of 4,000 in Pittsburgh, had led the Wildcats for much of the game but fell victim to some dicey officiating near the end of regulation and in overtime.

Villanova star Scottie Reynolds, who was benched at the start of the game for discplinary reasons, was the beneficiary of many of the whistles. Though he was an ice-cold 2 of 15 from the field, he shot 16 free throws and seemed to get away with multiple charges, push-offs and hand-checks. On The Dagger’s live chat, one panelist said Reynolds was getting as many calls as Michael Jordan in his heyday.

One call was a microcosm of the rest of the game: With Villanova leading by four in overtime, Robert Morris ran a defensive trap at midcourt and appeared to cleanly force a jump ball. But an official whose vision of the play was obscured by the bodies of the three players involved in the scrum whistled a foul on the Colonials. Objectively, it wasn’t even close.

After Villanova received a No. 2 seed in the tournament, critics complained that the team was overseeded. The Wildcats had lost five of its last seven games and hardly seemed worthy of the No. 2 placement in what was deemed the weakest of the NCAA’s four regionals. Jay Wright’s team did nothing to disprove that notion today.

It took some big shots and some favorable whistles to avoid becoming only the fifth No. 2 seed ever to lose in the first-round of the NCAA tournament. The win was there for the taking for Robert Morris. But Villanova and the officials did just enough to snatch it away.”

Reaction: Here’s a guy not afraid to tell the truth and more power to him.

On the other hand, we have the ESPN and CBS crews, who had nothing critical to say about the crime which occured on national television….

Gutless….

Just got back from the gym. just in time to see Wake Forest almost get screwed out of a win against Texas. With the Deacons up by one and 12 seconds left, a Longhorn player drove the lane, got caught in the air and threw up a wild shot….

In the NBA, this would always be a no call, because professional officials are taught two things: 1) Don’t bail out a player who is out of control 2) Swallow your whisltes in the final seconds and allow the players to decide the game….

But this is the NCAA, where the officials think they are the stars and need to decide the outcome….

Even though the Wake player was moving backward and had his hands in the air, the zebras rewarded the Texas player for jumping into the defender and heaving a desperation shot….

Luckily for the Deacons, Texas made only one of the free throws and the game went into overtime. But it should have been over and Wake Forest should be moving into the second round….

Hopefully Wake will win in O.T. and justice will be served….

We’ll see….

Earlier, I tried to watch the Washington-Marquette, but after ten minutes I’d had enough….

There were already 20 minutes of commercials and CBS was simply not going to allow anyone to enjoy the game….

Every time there was any flow, I heard that horrible time out music and we had yet another five minute break….

No thanks….

I know people love March Madness and millions are wagered, but how in the hell can anyone sit through this? If you haven’t DVR’ed the games, it’s simply not possible….

Well, for once justice was served, as the Deacons made a last second shot to win the game….

Now I’m going to catch the end of Montana-New Mexico, with the Lobos leading 53-52 with 3:36 left….

Let’s see if the zebras will allow us to enjoy a little basketball….

Good finish, as New Mexico holds on and wins….

I might just DVR that New Mexico-Washington game Saturday….

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WEEKEND NOTES

March 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

As most of you know, I no longer follow college basketball and didn’t have much interest in yesterday’s Selection Sunday show….

My reasons for not watching?….

-Too many teams get in, which make the regular season irrelevant.

-Every good player leaves after one season, due to David Stern’s asinine rule forcing kids to go to school for a year.

-The officiating is horrendous and ruins games. In half the games during the tournament, the wrong team wins due to getting jobbed by the zebras. The whistle blows constantly, elite players are taken out of the game and it’s a parade to the free throw line.

-With eight TV timeouts per game, six coaches time outs and all the whistles, it’s impossible for a game to have good flow.

So I’ll pass on the whole thing….

I’d make my Final Four predictions, but since I haven’t seen any games it would be ridiculous….

Oh, what the hell. Here they are:

Georgetown, Syracuse, West Virginia and Villanova….

The winner? West Virginia….

Sleepers? Washington, North Texas and Siena….

This ought to be interesting….

Going into Saturday night’s Welterweight Championship fight, Joshua Clottey was known for the following things: 1) Very strong, hard puncher, great chin and a guy who gives everyone hell. 2) Excellent defensively, keeps his hands up, comes forward and extremely difficult to hit. 3) Tends to be too cautious at times and does not throw enough punches. 4) Seems to always find a way to lose against top-notch opposition. Yes, he’s always on the verge of winning, but doesn’t throw enough punches late in fights….

As much as I like Clottey, I picked Manny Pacquiao to win, either by unanimous decision or late knockout, because of reasons #3 and #4….

Against Pacman it’s not a good idea to fight defensively and punch sporadically. A lesson Clottey learned the hard way….

After giving away the first two rounds, Joshua opened up a little bit and was effective in Round 3. I gave him the round and thought we were going to have a war, but unfortunately Clottey went back to covering up and fighting defensively….

This is a very good strategy if the goal is to last 12 rounds, but if the objective is to win the World Championship it’s not going to work….

Of course, Manny had a lot to do with this, because he throws punches non-stop, from all angles and applies constant pressure. Had Clottey exchanged and tried to win, he would have gitten knocked out….

Easy for me to say, because I’m not in the ring with Pacquiao, but I’d rather go out on my shield trying to win than simply cover up and go the distance….

To Clottey’s credit, he fought hard in the last three rounds. But by that time it was all over and his only chance to win was by knockout….

As for Manny, he continues to climb the ladder as one of the greatest fighters of all time. To win World Championships from Flyweight to Welterweight is incredible and makes him the Henry Armstrong of this generation….

If someone had told me a few years ago that the 126 lb. Pacquiao would systematically destroy Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey, I would have called for the guys in the white coats and butterfly nets….

But that’s exactly what Pacman has done and hopefully his next bout will be against the winner of the Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley fight….

That one is tough to call, but I think Floyd is just a little quicker, just a little faster and will win a close decision….

After that, if I’m Team Pacquiao, I give Team Mayweather one week to accept our terms: We will not subject Manny to random, unannounced, round-the-clock blood testing. We will abide by the rules of the Nevada State Athletic Commission (The probable location of the fight), or the Texas State Athletic Commission (If Jerry Jones steps up and makes this happen)….

No more wrangling, no more negotiating and no more bulls***. One week to accept these terms or we move on to someone else….

Team Mayweather’s steroid accusations are unfounded and ridiculous, because Pacquiao has never failed a drug test. Floyd needs to man up, take the fight and prove to everyone he’s the greatest fighter of all time; which is how he refers to himself….

To be the best, you have to beat the best: And so far in his career the Pretty Boy has not been sufficiently tested to call himself the best ever….

A win over Pacquiao, however, launches Floyd into all-time great status….

So the ball is in Floyd’s court: Step up and accept the challenge or forever be known as a whiner who avoided his toughest opponent….

The ironic thing is I think Mayweather would win the fight. Pacman has never faced an elite, black American fighter and would be facing hand speed, reflexes and quickness he’s never experienced….

Floyd would be in and out, counterpunch and frustrate the charging Pacquiao all night long….

If Juan Manuel Marquez outboxed Manny over 24 rounds, the Pretty Boy should be able to deliver a boxing lesson….

It looks like The Matador against The Bull to me….

But first, Mayweather has to cut the bulls*** and get into the ring….

In Manny’s last loss, to Erik Morales in 2005, Pacman suffered a nasty cut early, fought the rest of the fight with one eye and lost a unanimous decision. After the fight, Pacquiao admitted he “freaked out” at the sight of his own blood….

He reportedly has a fear of needles and his own blood, which is what I believe is the crux of the matter in Floyd’s steroid accusations….

Mayweather is very good at playing mind games and does everything in his power to give himself an advantage….

In my opinion, Team Mayweather doesn’t believe Pacquiao is on steroids; they want him to be stuck with needles several times and see his own blood….

They know he’s queasy about that and want to mess with his mind….

If Manny is lying in bed every night, worrying if there’s going to be a knock on his door for a blood test, Mayweather is already winning the fight….

Hell, if Floyd gets his way there could be a suprise blood test the night before the fight….

Freddie Roach and Team Pacquiao should tell Team Mayweather to go f*** themselves….

Mayweather needs Pacquiao a lot more than Manny needs him….

If Floyd wants to give away a $25M payday over this, more power to him….

Accept the rules of the state athletic commission or watch Manny find another opponent….

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NOTES ON A SCORECARD

March 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I know many people don’t like Jerry Jones and feel he’s an egomaniac, but as a huge boxing fan I love what he’s doing for Saturday night’s Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight….

Back in boxing’s heyday, the biggest fights were held in stadiums and everything seemed much bigger….

Bringing this fight to Cowboys Stadium is a beautiful thing and fight fans everywhere owe a debt of gratitude to Jones….

He loves boxing and the sport needs people like him to elevate boxing to mainstream levels again….

I love going to Las Vegas, but the fights aren’t really for the public. All the best seats are reserved for the casino high rollers and corporate sponsors, which eliminates the real fans….

Pacquiao-Clottey, however, will be held in front of a sell out crowd of 45,000 and hopefully begin the dawn of a new era in boxing….

Jones wants to do two or three big fights a year at his stadium, which will be great for the sport. Hopefully we’ll get the Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather blockbuster in Dallas this fall….

That is, if both of them win. Not a guarantee by any means….

Both Clottey and Sugar Shane Mosley are dangerous and can win….

Prediction: Pacman by late stoppage or decision in a very tough, grueling fight.

Prediction #2: Mayweather by controversial decision that most people feel Mosley won….

Bob Arum, the promoter for Pacman-Clottey, is also bringing boxing back to Yankee Stadium, home of some of the greatest fights in boxing history….

In June, it’s going to be 154 lb. champion Yuri Foreman defending his title against Miguel Cotto. This might seem intriguing to the average fan, but this is going be be huge and draw a large crowd….

Why? Well, for two reasons: 1) Foreman is white, 28-0, Jewish and can fight. He’s also studying to be a rabbi and with the large Jewish population in New York will certainly sell a lot of tickets. 2) Cotto is Puerto Rican, a former world champion and has sold out Madison Square Garden in the past….

An undefeated white, Jewish world champion against a Puerto Rican world champion at Yankee Stadium? What a great idea and Arum should be congratulated….

Another step in the right direction for boxing….

When I think of Yankee Stadium, I think of Joe Louis vs. Max Baer, Louis vs. Max Schmeling, Louis vs. Billy Conn and Rocky Marciano’s fights against Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore….

Louis-Baer sold more than 80,000 tickets, by the way….

With the heavyweight division in disarray, Jones and Arum are making great strides in bringing back the sport….

Outside of the heavyweights, boxing is very entertaining and has loads of talent everywhere except the big guys….

All boxing needs is a great American heavyweight and we could have a tremendous renaissance. There is somebody out there and hopefully he’ll surface soon….

Very interesting story on ESPN.com today:
“Promoter Don King shot down a rumor making the rounds Friday that he had a deal to promote former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in a third fight with Evander Holyfield, but he was evasive about whether he was in talks with Tyson about a comeback against somebody else.

An Internet report citing “a source close to Tyson” said King had a tentative deal for Tyson to return later this year to face Holyfield, but if that didn’t happen there was “a plan B.”

“My man, that is just wishful thinking,” King told ESPN.com on Friday when asked about a third Holyfield-Tyson fight. “It is not true. It is not true about no Tyson-Holyfield fight. That’s wishful thinking. Maybe it’s something I would do for old time’s sake if they were interested in the fight, but I ain’t doing that at this time. I have not even spoken to Evander Holyfield.”

However, when asked about whether he was working with Tyson on a comeback fight against another opponent, King did not deny it.

“I ain’t ready to comment on that,” King said. “Read between the lines. It really is something isn’t it, all the interest there is in Mike Tyson?”

REACTION: I know both Tyson and Holyfield are way past thier primes, but I’d sure as hell watch if this fight happened. With the state of the heavyweight division, this fight would do pretty well on PPV. I know everyone would self-righteously state they will not watch and the whole thing is a farce, but they’re lying.

After Tyson was jailed for rape, almost everyone I knew said they were through with him and would never watch another of his fights. I laughed, told them they were full of s*** and said I’d leave my front door open when they wanted to come over for Tyson’s next fight….

Sure enough, most of them were sitting in my living room when Mike got out of jail and resumed his career….

As for the fight itself, I think Holyfield will destroy him….

Yes, Evander isn’t what he once was, but he’s been fighting, is still in good shape and looked good when he fought Nikolai Valuev for the WBA Title last year….

Granted, the 7′, 340 lb. Valuev isn’t a great fighter, but Evander outhustled him and won easily; except in the eyes of the judges, who somehow gave the decision to the big stiff….

So, at 47 years of age, Holyfield should have a share of the Heavyweight Championship….

Tyson, on the other hand, is grossly overweight and doesn’t want to fight. Unfortunately, he has to because of his tax problems….

He was knocked out by Lennox Lewis in 2002, Danny Williams in 2004 and Kevin McBride in 2005….

To be fair, Evander also has severe financial difficulties and needs a payday….

In the end, Holyfield will knock out Tyson in five or six rounds….

He was better than Tyson when both of them were young and now the gap has widened considerably….

Is the fight a farce? I don’t think so, due to the pathetic crop of heavyweights currently polluting the scene. These two still carry a lot of clout with boxing fans and I predict a big PPV and a lot of interest….

Maybe George Foreman could fight the winner….

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WEEKEND NOTES

March 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Back in the day, the Saturday used to be a great time to watch college basketball. Every Saturday morning, NBC had a matchup between two top-ranked teams; highlited by Billy Packer and Al McGuire arguing with each other….

While the two of them bickered, play-by-play man Dick Enberg didn’t miss a beat….

USC and UCLA would play Pac-10 games later in the day, which made it a college basketball feast….

Then, on Monday, we’d gather in the hall before school and talk about the games….

Oh, how times have changed….

This weekend, there were games all over the dial and I didn’t watch any of them….

In just a few years, I’ve gone from a college basketball fanatic to someone who couldn’t name a player on any of the top teams; including the Bruins and Trojans….

With all the high school players going straight to the NBA, I began to lose interest. But when NBA Commissioner David Stern installed that ridiculous rule forcing players to go to college for a year, that did it for me….

I know I’m being unrealistic, but I really miss the days when players stayed in school for four years. The teams had continuity, the coaches could plan for the future and fans knew who would be on the team from year-to-year….

Now, the teams change drastically every year and nobody but the most hard core fan has any idea who is on the roster….

Add to this the interminable commercial breaks and scandalously poor officiating and you have an unwatchable sport….

A few weeks ago, I watched a few minutes of a UCLA game and was shocked at their ineptitude. They have no talent anywhere on the floor and wouldn’t beat a good high school team….

They’re white, slow, unathletic, can’t shoot, can’t defend and very lucky they play in the Pac-10….

I know they’re something like 13-18, but if they played in a good conference might be something like 5-26….

You have to feel for Ben Howland, who took the Bruins to three consecutive Final Fours and has a proven track record. But with all his good players leaving early for the NBA, the cupboard is bare….

Sure, you could make a case that he didn’t prepare and should have recruited better, but when every good player you recruit leaves after a year, eventually it’s going to catch up with you….

Look at North Carolina. I read the other day that Roy Williams is under .500 and the Tar Heels are terrible, which shows it can happen to anybody….

And it looks like UConn won’t make the tournament, either….

The good news for Carolina, UConn and UCLA is that one good recruiting class can get you back to the Final Four….

Kentucky had a losing record last season, but look at them now. John Calipari brought in a monster recruiting class and the Wildcats could win the National Championship….

Of course, Calipari will lose at least three of his star players to the draft and start over next season; which is why people like me don’t watch college basketball anymore….

Unlike most people, I don’t think Manny Pacquiao is going to have an easy time this Saturday against Joshua Clottey….

The African fighter is very strong, has a good chin, hits hard and is the biggest, strongest fighter Pacman has ever faced….

The 50,000 people watching inside Cowboys Stadium are going to get an entertaining fight….

In fact, this is a much better fight than Pacquiao-Mayweather would have been….

The problem for Clottey is he fights mechanically, coming straight forward and looks to beat his opponent into submission….

Manny, on the other hand, gives you angles, punches in combinations and shows a variety of looks….

Pacquiao has the advantage in hand speed and reflexes, which is why he’s going to win….

But it won’t be easy and Clottey is going to inflict some damage….

Unlike Miguel Cotto and Oscar De La Hoya, who are shot fighters, Clottey is in his prime and very, very strong….

I like Pacman by unanimous decision or late stoppage….

Filed Under: Dave Smith Tagged With:

GOD BLESS HANK GATHERS

March 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

On the 20th anniversary of the death of Hank Gathers, ESPN Classic has been showing games from the 1990 season, which should have been a National Championship year….

To this day, I believe the Lions would have won the title with a healthy Gathers….

That team was on a roll at the time of his passing, playing as well as anyone in the country and set to make a historic run….

Even though short-handed after Hank’s death, the team played unbelievably and honored his memory by making a run to the Elite Eight….

Included in that run was the single-greatest performance I’ve ever seen in a tournament game….

After a 111-92 win over New Mexico St. in the opening round, LMU was up against it, having to face defending national champion Michigan; which boasted a roster of Sean Higgins, Terry Mills, Loy Vaught and Rumeal Robinson….

On paper, it looked like a mismatch….

And that’s what it turned out to be, as the Lions blew out the Wolverines, 149-115….

That’s right, 149 points against the defending champs….

To this day, I have never seen a performance like that, and it was even more special being in the Long Beach Arena and witnessing it first hand….

I sat there in disbelief as LMU took Michigan apart. Fast break after fast break and three-point-shot after three-point-shot destroyed UM; whose players looked gassed and shell-shocked midway through the first half….

The emotion in the building was incredible, as Lions fans cheered, cried and waved towels which said “Hank’s House.” The wave of emotion, the Lions great play and the tragic story of Gathers made the afternoon one none of us will ever forget….

In honor of Gathers, Bo Kimble shot his first free throw of the game against New Mexico St. with his left hand and continued to do so throughout the tournament and his NBA career….

When his left-handed shot swished through the net, grown men around me had tears running down their faces….

Incredible….

Watching that game yesterday afternoon, I got emotional and thought about all the great times I had watching that team….

At the time, I was a high school coach and fascinated by coach Paul Westhead’s frantic, shoot-within-10-seconds offense. I had a friend on the LMU team and was granted access to some of the practices; which showed me how disciplined and well run the fast break offense was….

I didn’t miss a home game from 1988-90, the three years Bo Kimble and Hank were there, and to this day those Lions are my all-time favorite college team….

I installed the systwm with my team and we had a blast; winning a league championship and scoring over 100 points several times….

I remember watching Bobby Knight doing an interview during the 1990 Tournament and he predicted LMU’s style of play “was the wave of the future” and said more and more teams would use Westhead’s system….

Unfortunately, that did not happen and college basketball has evolved into the slow, walk-the-ball-up-the-floor, call-fouls-every-two-seconds, break-a-million-times-for-commercials, games-in-the-60′s bore we see today….

Which is the reason I haven’t seen a game all season….

You’d think some smart coach would realize that playing this way could put his team on the map and get them nationally televised games….

But alas, most coaches are robots and play the same way as everyone else….

Twenty years later, it was still a thrill….

I DVR’d the game, as well as the Sweet 16 win over Alabama, two regular-season games against LaSalle and Gonzaga and a show titled “The Death of Hank Gathers…..

And they are going in the “Keep until I delete” list….

What a joy watching that team and what great memories….

Speaking of Westhead, he’s currently coaching the Oregon women’s team. And with the Ducks men’s team in last place in the Pac-10, the thought corssed my mind about Paul replacing Ernie Kent as the Ducks new coach….

Wouldn’t it be fun to watch his system run in the Pac-10? If the Oregon AD decides to make a change, he’d be wise to hire Westhead and his system….

It’s hard to believe 20 years have passed since Hank died and I still have nightmares. I was in my normal seat a few rows from the court when Terrell Lowery threw a lob pass to Gathers, which he finished with his usual power dunk….

The crowd was going crazy, Hank slapped hands with Lowery and the Lions had an early 25-12 lead over Portland….

Suddenly, Hank hit the floor and the place went eerily quiet. He rolled onto his knees and Terrell’s brother Josh, who played for Portland, offered his hand….

But Hank went into cardiac arrest and started convulsing on the floor….

The only sound I heard was Gathers’ mother, Lucille, shouting “Somebody do something!” as they put Hank on a stretcher and carried him outside….

As they wheeled him toward the ambulance, the Pepperdine team was getting out of their vans and looked on in horror as Hank wheeled past. I was standing next to an older gentleman who said “There’s no way he’s going to live. He’s turned green.”….

That man was Doug Christie’s father….

I was right outside the back window of the ambulance as the paramedics tried to resuscitate Hank. They were working furiously, doing CPR, and then they made the short drive to Daniel Freeman Hospital….

We walked back into the arena and the P.A. announcer said, “We’re all concerned about Hank and we’ll let you know the minute we hear anything.”….

About an hour later we got the awful news and none of us have ever been the same….

But for a day at least, thanks to ESPN Classic, Hank Gathers and his memory lived again….

I’ll never forget the last conversation I had with Hank, the night before he died. After an easy opening round win in the WCC Tournament, Gathers was sitting with his family and friends near the court. After we said hello, I mentioned the Clippers had two early first round picks in the draft….

“Wouldn’t it be great,” I said to him, “If the Clippers took you and Bo with those picks, then hired Westhead as the coach?”….

Typical of Hank, he flashed that great smile, laughed out loud and said, “Now that would be great. You go and make that happen.”….

Less than 24 hours later, he was dead….

R.I.P. Hank and thanks for the great memories….

Filed Under: Dave Smith Tagged With:

NOTES ON A SCORECARD

March 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

After hearing the NCAA plans to expand their basketball tournament to 96 teams, there was the typical outcries of the whole thing being watered down and rendering the regular season meaningless….

I’ve got news for you, the regular season has been meaningless for years, topped off by money-grabbing obscenities called conference tournaments….

So an expansion to 96 doesn’t mean anything to me, because I’ve already stopped watching regular season games….

I’ve been saying for years the NCAA should go all the way and invite all 256 teams; thus making it an Indians high school-style open tournament. It would only add one week to March Madness and eliminate all the whining and crying about teams getting screwed out of their “rightful” spot….

Hell, if you’re going to water the thing down and make the regular season a series of exhibition games, let’s look for some real cinderella stories….

Imagine the excitement if some 2-22 team wins a couple of games….

Sure, they have no business being there, but the media would have a field day….

In my opinion, there’s only two ways to go with this: 1) Go back to the days when only conference champions qualify, thus making the regular season relevant again and rewarding only the truly elite teams 2) Completely sell out and let everyone in….

Or how about this? Narrow the field to 32 and break it up into an Olympic-style eight groups of four teams each….

Each group plays a round robin format for a week and the top two teams advance; which means a team can lose a game and stay alive. This is the way they do it in the Olympics and World Cup soccer and I’ve always enjoyed the format….

After the opening round-robin, you have 16 teams remaining and then it’s single elimination….

This would be fair for two reasons: 1) One bad night doesn’t ruin your season and the best team would probably win. 2) So many games are decided by the corrupt officials and this would go a long way toward fixing that….

How many times have the zebras nailed a star player with a few bogus fouls and decided the outcome? The way college basketball is officiated infuriates me and this is the problem the NCAA should be dealing with; along with the interminable time outs and stoppage of play….

With eight TV time outs, six coaches time outs and the crooked officials blowing their whistles every two seconds, there’s almost no chance for a game to have a good rythym….

So here’s my solution to March Madness: Pare the thing down to 32 teams, use the round-robin format and then take the officials to a two-week boot camp to re-train them….

Only fouls in which the opponent gains an advantage will be whistled and from now on PLAYERS will decide the outcomes; not some corrupt fat slob in a striped shirt….

Then, we cut the number of coaches time outs from six to two. I understand this is a business and the TV time outs are here to stay, but with eight TV breaks there is no need for six coaches time outs….

So cut the field, swallow your whistles and let the players relax and take away four time outs from control-freak coaches….

Wow, I’ve done it again….

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