Views, views, and more views… 
   In March, in the best boxing match I’ve ever seen, Israel Vasquez showed immense courage in coming back to win a decision over Rafael Marquez. Two warriors showed the meaning of “blood and guts”, giving and taking punches and displaying heart and went beyond what most humans would in an epic battle, and I was lucky to be a part of a crowd that was in awe of these two fighters to see it…
   Three months later, I was in San Diego to see the third round of the US Open and saw Tiger Woods make some of the most amazing shots ever in an atmosphere that only be called electric. Two days later Tiger went 19 holes in a playoff to beat Rocco Mediate in what many have called the best US Open ever.  The greatness of the event was made even more special when it was revealed that Tiger was playing with a badly injured knee. Again I thought to myself, “It can’t get any better than that.”…
  But Sunday, in a sport that I really love to watch, tennis, I was riveted to my seat as Rafael Nadal, the 22 year old Spaniard, dethroned the King Of Tennis, Roger Federer, on in Federer’s personal backyard, Wimbledon, in the greatest tennis match I have ever seen. Nadal went up 2 sets, then Federer, facing a young lion who was hungry and at the top of his game, battled to take the match to a 5th set, where the two contestants battled more than four and a half hours, waited through rain delays, and into the darkness before Nadal willed himself to the championship 9-7 in a match where, as the saying goes, there really was no loser. Nadal finally proved he was more than a one trick (French Open) pony, and Federer may have even proved to have more heart in defeat than in the 12 majors that he has won. Federer was down  2 sets to one and 0-3 and 2-5 in the fourth set and faced two championship points against him and could have packed it in one several occasions, but hung in there and it looked like he just got too tired and was up against a determined player who just outlasted him physically but not in the heart department. There was no choking and certainly no disgrace in defeat. This was one match where there was a winner—the sporting public who got all that they could have asked…
  How great has 2008 been? I mean, great sporting events (I won’t even mention the incredibly absorbing drama of Joey Chestnut eating 59 hot dogs in 10 minutes, then willing himself to eat 5 more to beat the real Kobe, Kobayashi, in the Hot Dog Eating contest) and the return of Dave Smith to the air waves? How blessed are we?…
  Before I get away from the hot dog eating contest, I have a major complaint. The “competition” was shortened from 12 minutes to 10 minutes. I mean, isn’t that like going from 15 rounds to 12 rounds? Is it really a true championship? Did the organizers really think that eating less hot dogs was healthier? What’s the difference between the 64 Chestnut devoured this year and the 66 he did last year?
  I loved how the announcers compared Joey’s grit and determination and the courage he showed in winning to that of Tiger in the U.S, open. I mean, who are they kidding?   You can’t possibly be serious. Joey Chestnut could make a 20 foot putt. Tiger Woods could never eat 59 hot dogs in 10 minutes. But then again, why would he want to? Who would? Oops, maybe Phil Mickelson would…
  The other night I caught a replay of the “fight” between Manny Pacquaio and David Diaz that was on pay per view. Evidently the pay per view must have been advertising a public execution. What I watched was a beat down of nearly disastrous proportions. I was watching it with my daughter and her friend and Diaz was taking such a beating that they were closing their eyes and asking me how I could watch something so cruel. And, to be honest, I asked that of myself later. Diaz was talking a lot of solid punches, he was bleeding profusely, and didn’t have enough power in his fists to have the proverbial “puncher’s chance”. He was too brave for his own good and I was disgusted that his corner wasn’t humane enough to stop the fight. In the ninth round Diaz walked straight into a sledgehammer left hand and knocked out on impact, and fell to the ground face first, his face thudding into the canvas full force. Boxing was fortunate, no LUCKY, that it didn’t have a death on his hands. It was unpleasant at beast and disgusting at worst and I was ashamed to call myself a boxing fan…
   Of course, when the stench And guilt of watching disappears in a few days now that Diaz seems to have recovered,  I will anxiously be awaiting the next pay per view, a great fight between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito, a sure fire bloodletting that Dave will be inviting the contributors of the website over to his house for. BYOB, of course…
   Speaking of boxing, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has called out the HBO boxing team for being prejudiced against black fighters, never calling them great fighters. While the network boxing team has earned their nickname “Horribly Biased for Oscar” in deference to their not so subtle cheerleading and effusive praise of their cash cow Oscar De La Hoya, my opinion is that Floyd Jr. hasn’t taken enough punches to be this stupid. Sure Jim Lampley and Co. have called Kelly Pavlik, a white fighter, boxing’s new hope, and showered praise on a Filipino fighter, Pacquaio, and a Puerto Rican, Miguel Cotto. But it is with good reason. Those three are action fighters who earn their praise and money and bring viewers. But the crew has thrown kind and enthusiastic words towards black fighters like Shane Mosley, Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright. And they have given the “beat pound for pound” title to Mayweather for a long time. To suggest that HBO’s boxing crew is racially biased is downright idiotic…
   When that dreaded thing called the Soccer Euro Cup 2008 was all over television recently, my neighbor was having a big barbecue and invited us over to have free food and drink and watch some “football.” Even though soccer is not something I like to watch, one thing I’ve learned from Dave Smith is that you never turn down a FREE meal and drinks. That is positively un-American. Anyway, wewatched a match that, surprisingly ended up 1-0 (imagine that!) and when my host asked me what I thought, I told him I didn’t see how 65,000 people would pay to sit through that live unless they just wanted to get out of the house. Hey, he asked me my opinion…
  Well, last week he went by and told me had gone to the Angel-Dodger game where the Dodgers won 1-0 without the benefit of a hit and he said, “I was lucky the tickets were free, but not the 16 dollar parking. I can’t imagine why 55,000 people paid to sit through that!” What could I say, other than— Damn, GOT ME!!!
   Speaking of the local teams, yup, hitting is something that seems to be a big problem. Since I could care less about the Dodgers, I can only address the Angel offensive woes. While there is hope they are coming out of their lethargy after scoring 32 runs in their last 5 games, I think there is a big problem when your number three hitter in the order is MAICER ISTURIZ, he of the 5’8 frame with 3 home runs and 28 RBI. When you are asking your third place hitter to BUNT with runners in scoring position, doesn’t that tell you something? When the Red Sox, White Sox, Rays, or any of the Angels’ possible post season playoff foes see a lineup with Maicer Isturiz batting third, they must think that someone is pulling a prank on them. While I believe the Angels must put together a package of minor league prospects Brandon Wood, Nick Adenhardt, and Kendry Morales and maybe a Justin Speier, a middle reliever who may be effective in the Triple A National League, or a Jose Arredondo for a big hitter, a lot of the problems deal with hitting coach Mickey Hatcher. I know Dave says Hatcher was here in 2002 for the Angels’ title, but that was 6 years ago. This team has NO plate discipline. Their hitting with runners in scoring position is terrible because they inevitably hack at the first pitch whether or not it is a strike and find themselves in bad hitting counts. Too many times with runners in scoring position an opposing pitcher throws a pitch outside of the hitting zone and the batter either pops up the pitch or rolls into a double play. The team doesn’t walk enough. They have also lost the art of hitting behind the runner. Too many guys have no balance at the plate. Watch as they almost fall over after swinging and missing. I’m sure Hatcher is a great guy, but he’s falling short in his role as hitting coach. By the way, you know the Angels are going good when they are up by 6 games in their division, have a great record, a great pitching staff and fans like my dumb ass are complaining. But we’re spoiled—only world championships count now!
   I know Florida loves their football, but do they downright despise baseball? The Florida Marlins have won 2 World Series in the past decade, but how many people in Florida know that it happened, or even care? Now this season the Tampa Bay Rays are the best story in baseball, leading the American League East by 4 games at last look. They swept the Boston Red Sox last week and have the best record in baseball. Coming off the sweep of the Sox, the Rays hosted the Kansas City Royals on the 4th Of July. The 4th of July is traditionally the most well attended game in baseball. Even in their down years, the Angels would sell out their stadium, admittedly for a fireworks show, but it was still a sell out. I know the Rays play in a dome, so there’s no fireworks show, say for a display by the Rays’ hitters against the woeful Royals’ pitchers. Tampa Bay attracted 16,300 people. That’s just pathetic. That many people show up for Dodgers’ batting practice. And you know how bad a show that is…