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Home / Archive: 21. March 2009
by Mike Allder… Growing up in “the
Jungle,” my coin bank was usually very light. I never really got
allowance and it never actually bothered me. I had everything I needed,
not everything I wanted. I always seemed to have the necessities as my
mother called them and that was more than most kids in “the Jungle”
had.
I was a happy kid; I was content playing road hockey outside after
school and on weekends. We spent hours and hours developing the skills
needed for our weekly neighborhood road hockey games. Having little
money, meant that hockey sticks were scarce. If I broke my stick then
chances were I was not getting a new one anytime soon. I was going to
have to put one of those replacement plastic blades on the shaft.
All the kids used the plastic blades anyway. You could heat them up
and put on the biggest banana curve. You could always tell when a
custom curve job was in progress because the smell of the bubbling
melting plastic would stink up our apartment for hours.
Just like cooking fish had a smell, the smell of the melting plastic
just before it was submerged in a sink of cold water to lock the
desired curve also had a strong stench. Many oven mitts were ruined
after the plastic got too soft and it would stick to the mitt hand
after my custom curve was applied.
Next week, the curve would be redone if I had a bad game. It always
had to be the blades fault so back to the stove for another afternoon
of stench. Some guys would grind the blade down to a lethal sharp point
at the tip of the blade. They were the ones that always seemed to shoot
from everywhere and could rarely hit the net.
When a blade got real cold, it would crack when slashed by another
players stick. A crack meant a quick repair and another trip to the
stove, melting the plastic and smoothing the crack together with a
butter knife. This generally was a temporary repair and meant another
Superblade would have to be purchased in the near future.
I remember two brands of blades were most popular; you could buy
them at the Canadian Tire store. Cooper made the Superblade; it was
white and sold for a little more than a buck. The best blade though,
was a Mylec or Mytec, I do not remember the actual name but I do
remember Phil Esposito who was one of the best players in the NHL in
the early seventies pitched the blade.
The reason this blade was better was it came with two little screws
that held the blade more securely on the shaft. The color was an
off-white. It was my favorite blade and it sold for about $2.
The same company came out with the orange hockey ball that did not
bounce, perfect for road hockey. The only problem was the ball was very
hard when it got cold it would leave a large nasty welt on any thinly
clothed body part that it struck. Tennis balls developed better eye
hand coordination since they were always bouncing.
Looking back, we probably used both balls equally. I preferred the orange hockey ball, though.
The combination of cold days, super banana curves and orange hockey
balls made for many painful afternoons. I remember many times getting
stung in the face as I would do my Borje Salming imitation sliding in
the hard packed snow to block a shot.
Most my welts and bruises I sustained on my legs and thighs. Road
hockey was great fun and great exercise. We spent hours in the fresh
cold air and would play well into the night when our only light would
be a single street light. Many times games ended when the ball got lost
or we just could not see the ball anymore.
We always tried to have two goalies and tried to have two real mesh
tube nets. Many times the goals were made of winter boots, or a dirty
chunk of ice that we banged of a cars wheel well. I never really
developed that booming slap shot.
I was always afraid of breaking my stick, so I forever would become
the playmaker. I always looked to pass and even in my adult years, I
still favour a perfect pass to set up a goal than scoring a goal
myself. I guess old habits stay with you for life, I know that is one
habit, I will never break, even though I can now afford a new stick.
by Brian Oswald… The relationship between boxing and MMA is reminiscent to another in the sports world: the one between Formula One and NASCAR. The two are the two most popular and beloved track-based motorsports in the world, but yet are complete polar opposites - the the chalk and cheese of motorsports.
A siimilar relationship is shared by boxing and MMA in the combat sports world - a world where fans often debate which sport is superior once the rubber meets the road.
(The full parallel between the sports can be saved for another article, although one might think Formula One would be the “sweet science” while NASCAR is akin to the world of mixed martial arts.)
Formula One racing is held in high esteem throughout the world as the greatest form of motorsports on the planet. Aficionados get a kick out of analyzing the fuel-corrected qualifying times while the romantic’s heart beats faster at the thought of the G forces in the cockpit.
NASCAR fans will counter that, while not a perfect sport, when it comes to competition, entertainment and fighting, NASCAR is simply better.
One thing is fairly certain: fans of both will never see an event that features a race with F1 cars followed by a race which features modified stock cars. The logistics alone would be a nightmare, although the potential fights between pit crews just might be worth it.
This Saturday night, the world of combat sports will get its first real taste of what boxing and MMA will look like on the same fight card. Eight-time world boxing champion Roy Jones Jr. may not be ready to sport four-ounce gloves himself, but he is eager to promote the fighters who do.
“March Badness” will feature Jones Jr. in his latest homecoming fight, a light heavyweight tilt against the always tough Omar Sheika. The event will take place in Jones’ backyard at the Pensacola Civic Center and will air on pay-per-view for a modest $29.95.
Headlining the MMA portion of the card will be a fight between former IFL and EliteXC alum Roy Nelson and former UFC menace and anarchist Jeff Monson.
Also featured is former WWE star Bobby Lashley taking on Jason Guida, a late replacement for Ken Shamrock, who was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission for steroid use.
Reading through recent interview clippings, Jones’ mission is clear: to “bring together” the two combat sports. Whether or not this united we stand, divided we fall mantra lifts the sport to unprecedented heights remains to be seen, we all know that seeing is believing…or is it?
Whether or not hardcore or mainstream fans buy into the cross-promoting concept will quickly determine its financial fate.
The hybrid MMA/boxing fan remains a rare bird in the world of combat sports and this event will likely be a tough sell for those who have strong allegiance to one religion or the other.
In a recent article on Bleacher Report, a supporting online poll asked readers whether they thought having boxing and MMA on the same fight card was a good idea. 30 percent thought it was a great idea, another 30 percent thought it was a horrible idea and the remaining 40 percent were not sure yet.
At least that provides a glimmer of hope to the vision Jones is trying to sell us.
Perhaps putting a boxing match or two on an MMA card can convert an MMA fan into a boxing fan and vice versa. While anything is possible, it is highly questionable if the overall quality of this card will be the one to actually accomplish this.
Initially, Affliction and Golden Boy Promotions starting “dating” because the two planned to cross-promote on one fight card, but it appears they have cooled to the idea, at least for now.
Instead, the two organizations decided to host separate events on the same night, both in Los Angeles with Shane Mosely vs. Antonio Margarito and the Affliction: Fedor vs. Arlovski event.
While some thought the move would siphon fans from each other, both the boxing card and MMA card were successful in their own right.
The question that will hover beyond “March Badness” is whether cross-promotion is where the future of combat sports is evolving toward or rather a niche market for that rarest of hybrid fans. For most, the answer will be a foregone conclusion, but in sports, history is the final verdict.
It’s not exactly a “sweet science” when attempting to determine what will ultimately resonate in the hearts and minds of the mainstream sports fan.Once upon a time, college football ruled the gridiron and the notion of professional football was considered the laughing stock idea of the sports community.
Back in 1993, the Gracie family helped introduce the world of sports to mixed martial arts. No one could have accurately predicted the meteoric rise the sport has enjoyed based on those first few fight cards.
When it comes to cross-promotion, while these fight cards could find a niche, the concept seems as a whole destined to dither. Don’t tell that to Roy Jones Jr. though. He will be shouting “Can’t we all just get along” as long as he sees dollar signs in his rear view mirror.
by Martin Fitzpatrick… He has one of the best swings in the game and attracts large female galleries that would have you thinking you were on an episode of America’s Next Top Model rather than at a PGA Tour event.
Adam Scott in young, wealthy, spends his downtime surfing at Australia’s many magnificent beaches, and has women throwing themselves at him everywhere he goes.
He was even linked to actress Kate Hudson for a short time earlier in the year after photos surfaced of the two looking rather cozy on the beach in Maui where Scott was attending the Mercedes Benz Championship.
Life is certainly good for this 28-year-old native of Adelaide, Australia, unless of course you take into account the fact Scott is a professional golfer who has been severely struggling on the course for quite some time now.
After his win at the Players Championship back in 2004, many believed Adam Scott was golf’s next big thing.
Talk even began to circulate as to whether Adam Scott would be that long awaited competitor to Tiger Woods.
Scott did win the Tour Championship back in 2006, but aside from that, he has not lived up to the expectations many had for him after he held off Padraig Harrington to win the 2004 Players Championship by one stroke.
Similar to the expectations that have surrounded Sergio Garcia, most would have expected Scott to have won a major by now, or at the very least been a consistent contender at majors.
But Scott has managed to finish within the top-10 at just three majors in the past six years and has never really been in a position where he had a legitimate chance to win.
Over the past year and a half, due in large part to injuries and other off-the-course matters, Scott’s struggles on the golf course have gotten worse; so much so that he has dropped from No. 3 in the World Golf Rankings all the way back to number 20.
Just days before the 2008 US Open, Scott dislocated a finger.
Prior to the British Open, Scott began struggling with a mysterious illness that was causing his throat to swell and was completely draining all of his energy. It wasn’t until after the PGA Championship that Scott was properly diagnosed and treated for a severe case of tonsillitis.
On a personal note, Scott also broke up with his longtime girlfriend just prior to the 2008 season, and as we all know, even the slightest lapse in a golfer’s mindset can be detrimental to his performance.
Then, just weeks before the start of the 2009 season, where Scott was surely looking for a brand new start after a dismal 2008, he dislocated his knee during a surfing accident in Australia. This caused him once again to have to compete while injured.
Although a slew of injuries and personal matters certainly contributed to Scott’s struggles during the 2008 season, he was already struggling prior to that.
Scott had a great year in 2006 that included a win at the Tour Championship, a third place finish at the PGA Championship and 14 top-25 finishes in 18 events, not to mention over $4.9 million in earnings.
Scott’s struggles really began in 2007 where he finished within the top-10 at just four out of 16 events and finished within the top 25 at just one of the year’s four majors.
Despite entering the 2009 season playing on a recently dislocated knee, Scott performed extremely well in Hawaii, finishing tied for 18th at the Mercedes Benz Championship before tying for second place at the Sony Open the following week.
But following his solid start to the 2009 season, Scott disappeared for five weeks and didn’t make his next appearance until the Accenture Match Play Championship where, as would be expected, a good deal of rust had accumulated on his game.
Scott’s game was nowhere near its top form out in the desert and he was eliminated by Sean O’Hair in the first round of the Accenture Match Play Championship
Following his early exit at the Accenture Match Play Championship, Scott attended the WGC-CA Championship where he finished tied for 66th and displayed a game that was far from what a formerly third ranked player in the world would consider to be “sharp.”
With the Masters looming just three weeks away, Scott will need to drastically improve his game if he wants to contend at any of the year’s majors.
Though it’s hard to believe because it seems like he has been around forever, Scott is still only 28 years old and he is certainly not lacking in the talent department.
Now, at least somewhat healthy and approaching the prime years of a golfer’s life, it will be interesting to see if he can live up to the hype he produced after his win at the Players Championship way back in 2004.
by Stoker Dafire… The bible of boxing, Ring Magazine, religiously lists their top ten pound-for-pound list every month, and if we the people, the fans, believe in this holiest of boxing scriptures, then we have to subscribe to its preachings.
That being said, their are a few agnostics who chose not to believe the listings of the historic boxing magazine.
They say it doesn’t clearly reflect the actual fighter who is at the pinnacle of the worlds’ greatest sport.
According to the rankings, Manny Pacquiao, 48-3-2 with 36 knockouts, who hails from the Philippines, is the number one man in all of boxing.
However, if we turn the page we can see that Pacquiao is ranked number five in the welterweight division and number two in the lightweight division, but holds no Ring title belt.
The Ring Magazine lightweight champion is a fighter named Juan Manuel Marquez 50-4-1 with 37 knockouts.
It,s also duly noted that Marquez is the current WBA, WBO and IBO Lightweight World champion. On May 8, 2004, Márquez met Pacquiao in the ring for the first of two highly entertaining and controversial bouts.
Marquez was knocked down three times in the first round but rallied back; and from the second round on, he dictated much of the fight.
Unfortunately, however, he was unable to overcome the early points deficit and the two fought to a draw.
This result was extremely controversial, as judge Bert Clements scored the first round as 10-7 for Pacquiao, instead of what normally would have been a 10-6 round.
Due to this overlooked anomaly the fight was declared a draw instead of a split decision for Pacquiao.
Also a post-fight claim by boxing scribe Thomas Hauser surrounding the alleged illegal use of a string inside a cut over Marquez’s right eyelid during the fight also caused quite a stir.
Keith Kizer, director of the Nevada State Athletics Commission, dismissed the allegation and stated that the string had simply been used in place of gauze in an attempt to stem the flow of bleeding.
The final scores were 115-110 for Marquez, 115-110 for Pacquiao, and 113-113.
It was almost four years in the making, but on November 29, 2007, it was announced that Marquez would defend his championship title in a highly anticipated rematch against Pacquiao.
Almost one year ago from today, on March 15, 2008, Marquez lost his Super Featherweight Championship to Pacquiao in one of the closest and most controversial fights in history via the highly disputed split decision.
Compubox, the computerized scoring system, had Juan Manuel Marquez landing 42/201 (21%) jabs to Pacquiao’s 43/314 (14%) jabs; it also had Marquez scoring 130/310 (42%) power punches to Pacquiao’s 114/305 (37%) power punches.
Marquez suffered what was ruled a knockdown in the third round, and this proved to be the deciding factor in the judges decision as the remaining rounds were all scored dead even.
Richard Schaefer, Golden Boy Promotions CEO, stepped up right away in defence of his fighter and offered a $6 million guarantee to Pacquiao for a rematch.
Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, said, “I’m not saying they’ll never fight again, but you have to let it bake for awhile.”
Pacquiao, for his part, said, “I don’t think so, this business is over” as he plans to move up to the lightweight division.
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, has also given his two cents worth to the boxing media:
“I don’t want to see Manny in any more wars,” said Roach. “I’d like him to change but I don’t think he ever will; one thing is for certain we cant have what we experienced against Marquez to happen again.”
He finished by saying, “Manny is like my son, and I don’t want to see him get hurt.”
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- In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.
- Mahatma Gandhi
Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)
by Kevin van Steendelaar… Despite being the Montreal Canadiens’ leading goal scorer this season, Andrei Kostitsyn will likely be in the press box for Saturday’s tilt with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Kostitsyn has been struggling to find the score sheet in the last 12 games despite being placed with different linemates by former coach Guy Carbonneau and interim coach Bob Gainey.
At the Canadiens’ afternoon practice today, Max Pacioretty took Kostitsyn’s place on the line with Alex Kovalev and Tomas Plekanec.
Matt D’Agostini was also an extra skater and will likely join Andrei as an observer. Ryan O’Byrne and Mathieu Dandineault will also miss the game.
Georges Laraque practiced on a line with Gregory Stewart and Glen Metopolit. There was speculation that the Montreal enforcer’s season was over after a recurring back injury, and he could still be a game-time decision by Gainey.
The Canadiens’ defensive pairings at practice were Mathieu Schneider and Andrei Markov, Roman Hamrlik and Patrice Brisebois, and Mike Komisarek and Josh Gorges.
Jaroslav Halak will get the start in goal.
Yes it’s that time of year…what time of year? Well it’s Spring Madness, Spring Fever. The race to see who goes to hockey’s playoff dance is tight as usual with The Leafs trying to play spoilers for the 3rd year in a row. The Raptors are dwelling in the basement of the division, but at least March Madness is in full swing. I call it Playoff Hockey on the hard-court, you just don’t see that kind of hustle in the NBA.
The Jays are in full swing, Toronto FC kick of the season with high expectations. Toronto Sportsmen’s Show is on at the Direct Energy building till Sunday, so much to see and do. Fishing season is just around the corner, the golf season too. Plus walking the streets of Toronto are gifts, yes as my good friend The King puts it “Gifts”. Bountiful beautiful women, walking the streets of TO, shedding their winter wardrobe is a sure sign of spring… and you know what? I’m lovin’ it! Speaking of gifts…
v
By English Paul…
I pride myself on being objective when writing columns, considering as much information as possible before giving my opinion. With that in mind, I make no apologies for the fact that this particular article is the most subjective piece I’ve ever produced for T.O. Sports.
The 2008/09 season, has been a nightmare for the Toronto Raptors. But a funny thing has happened throughout it all. I realised I still give a damn about them. They say you can tell how much you care when your team’s losing. People ask how I can remain so positive and continue to support them. Here’s why:
When I first became interested in Basketball I attempted to pick a team to follow. I considered the Orlando Magic (Penny Hardaway), the New York Knicks (they play in New York) and the Utah Jazz (my uncle worked in Utah for three years.)
These may sound like obscure reasons to pick a team, but that’s what happens when you follow sports from across the Atlantic Ocean. In any event, I couldn’t decide on anyone. However, I still followed the NBA as I enjoyed the game.
Fast forward to 2004, when I’d made the decision to save up and travel to Canada for a year. I wanted to watch live basketball and Toronto was the only place that could offer this.
I started buying Raptors games on DVD. This helped me get to know the team and see what they were like. It didn’t look good. I remember thinking, ‘I’ll be happy to watch a team playing .500 ball.’
I liked the feisty Sam Mitchell, saw the promise of Chris Bosh, discovered Morris Peterson was Mr Raptor and you had to love the ‘Red Rocket’ Matt Bonner.
Luckily, by the time I arrived in Toronto during 2006, Bryan Colangelo had entered the fold. He went straight to work, getting rid of the likes of Rafael Araujo (I sympathised with him being the fans’ whipping boy, but to be fair, he was bad) and Charlie Villanueva (talented but missing something.)
In came T.J. Ford, Anthony Parker, Rasho Nesterovic and the player who would become my favourite Raptor, Jorge Garbajosa. Together with an all-star in the making (Bosh) and the top draft pick, (Andrea Bargnani) I felt optimistic about the coming season.
I wasted no time buying game tickets for the home opener against the Milwaukee Bucks. Upon arriving, I felt the buzz of hope and anticipation in the air. I was hooked from the word go.
I remember the crowd was deafening. It was a full house; I remember an unbelievable dunk by Fred Jones; most of all though, I remember the Raptors winning.
There were teething problems along the way, (5-10 at the end of November, including a 0-5 showing in their first road trip of the season. Ford and Parker missing playing time) but it helped develop the team’s resolve.
Unexpectedly, it was an injury to Bosh, which proved to be the turning point. It gave a team with surprising depth belief, as they went 6-6 without their superstar.
It was also evident that as well as gelling on the court the players genuinely enjoyed each other’s company, going out to dinner together on a regular basis. Apparently the general public viewed them as one of the most well liked teams in the history of Toronto team sports.
I ended up going to over half of the home games. I hadn’t planned it, but when you invest time into something; you start to become emotionally attached.
Case in point, when I went to a game against Cleveland. There was a bunch of guys in front of me and some people came over to talk to them. They were all standing around blocking my view. Despite being on my own, I had no hesitation in angrily telling them all to sit down or at least move over. Stupid maybe, but I was into the game!
I enjoyed watching Bargnani’s development. T.J. Ford was lightening fast, and seemed to be the one player who you could trust with the final shot, even more than Bosh. (Like the game winning shot on the road to beat the Clippers.)
Mo Pete, he was the man. I still get chills when I remember that miracle shot to tie the game at the end of regulation in Washington, leading to a win in overtime. That was the point when I realised the season had developed into something special.
With the regular season nearing its end, they looked certain to get the third or fourth seed and go deep into the playoffs.
Then, disaster struck. Garbajosa suffered a sickening season-ending leg injury in a road loss to Boston. He was chasing a lost cause on a breakaway by the Celtics, typical of the man.
They had overcome so much during the season due in part to the strength in depth, everyone thought the Raps would be ok. Because of his lack of standout stats, no one realised how important Garbo was. Unfortunately it would become evident in the playoffs.
For now though, the Raptors went on to secure the number three seed, equalled they’re record for most wins in a regular season and clinched the first ever-divisional title.
It had seemed all but certain that Toronto would face Washington in the playoffs. With they’re numerous injuries, (including Aeneas Williams) it appeared inevitable we would beat them and advance to the second round.
Fate however, had other ideas. By seasons end, New Jersey had somehow landed in sixth place. It was meant to be. Vince Carter was returning to Toronto.
The Raptors lack of playoff experience showed up big time as they lost game one at home. Carter was feeding off the Toronto crowd and Jason Kidd was inspired. (I’ve never seen Kidd play so well, averaging a triple-double throughout the series.) I was concerned.
A good friend got tickets for game two. I WAS GOING TO A PLAYOFF GAME! As vocal as the crowds had been throughout the season, nothing had matched the home opener against the Bucks………until now.
I can’t even begin to describe the feeling and the atmosphere at that game. As we walked out to our seats, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. It was a caldron of energy and noise.
My friend said he was taken aback as he’d never seen someone so pumped up for a game. It apparently had comedy value as well because I was screaming, swearing and shouting. Everyone kept looking around wondering who the hell this guy was with the English accent, obviously needing anger management counselling. I didn’t notice and even if I had, I didn’t care. The Raptors won, sending me home a happy man.
Unfortunately, they just couldn’t win on the road. Bosh seemed to miss Garbo more than anyone, as he struggled to deal with the pressure of his first ever playoff series. Knowing he was the main man weighed heavily on him.
(I was impressed with how cool Bargnani was throughout the series. I know he took a step back last season, but he’s back on track. He has such a smooth shot. Next season, he’ll be a 20-8 guy, with a couple of assists thrown in for good measures.)
Ultimately, it came down to game six in New Jersey. I kept thinking ‘Just win ONE on the road and bring it back home for game seven.’ And they almost did, putting up their best road effort in the series.
I was on a work night out, but remained glued to the screen for the entire game at the bar we were in. We played our hearts out until Richard Jefferson made a lay-up right at the end and then stole a pass on the Raptors final possession.
Dejected, I slumped back in my chair and proceeded to get drunk. I maintain to this day we’d have won if Garbo had played, but I’ll never know. Overall though, it was an amazing season and I’m glad I was a part of it all.
Since returning to England, I’ve witnessed a 41-41 season, Garbo being released, T.J. Ford being traded and Sam Mitchell getting sacked. It reminds me that nothing lasts forever.
However, I’ll never forget that magical season in 2006-07. And that’s why I will always be a Raptors fan. Through thick and thin.
Paul Taylor can be contacted at [email protected]
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