It's A Hard Knock Life

A man's home is suppose to be his castle, but at my condo the drawbridge is stuck. A week ago a water pipe on the 18Th floor burst. As a result the stairwells of the building and elevator shafts became waterfalls. From then until now, only one elevator has been operable. However when I arrived home this evening after having completed 18 rounds of boxing training, and then taken 20 minutes to walk home, I was informed that all the elevators were malfunctioning.

So I sat in the lobby of the building for 10 minutes tweeting on my Blackberry in complete denial that I would have to walk up 14 flights of steps to get to my apartment. Maybe I wasn't in denial, I just needed a moment to feel sorry for myself.

Once I got my resolve together, I chalked the whole situation up to the hard knocks of life. On the bright side, I'm glad I don't live on the 33rd floor.

Reasons For Going To The Gym

1. Walking next to the man/woman on the treadmill beside you is the closes you have been to being on a date in weeks.
2. The receptionist at the front desk has to pretend that he/she is glad to see you.
3. The gym is a hunting ground for same sex relationships.
4. The locker room is nicer than your bathroom at home.
5. You save money by using the club's Internet connection and satellite TV service.
6. Joining the gym was the only way you could get the free bag, towel and water bottle.
7. By virtue of being there, it makes you feel like you're taking an active interest in your health.
8. You want to keep your weight issue from escalating to clinical obesity.
9. You sprained your wrist picking up a heavy beer mug at a Christmas party, and you need to rehab it before the Super Bowl.
10. You miss the 80's, and you needed an excuse to wear leg warmers and leotards.

Can Manny Pacquiao Be Beaten?

First, the circumstances of the question need to be clarified. I'm speaking of an opponent at a feasible weight class being able to beat Manny Pacquiao while he is at the pinnacle of his boxing career.

Realistically the competitor should weigh from 135lbs/61.2Kg (lightweight) - 147lb/66.7Kg (welterweight). The event has to occur within a 2 year time frame starting on January 1, 2011, ending on December 31, 2012.

Whether or not Pacquiao has completely matured and developed as a competitive prize fighter is a subjective argument, but I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that he has based on his performances over the last 2 years. I will also assume that his present physical condition and skills are not in jeopardy of declining for at least 2 more years.

Now let's address the fact that Pacquiao has already been beaten 3 times in his career. Two of those losses are by way of knockout. Rustico Torrecampo is responsible for the first KO loss in 1996, and Medgoen Singsurat gets credit for laying Pacquiao down in 1999. Ironically, each KO took place in the 3rd round, and both were the result of a single body shot. Some might argue that Pacquiao's current trainer, Freddy Roach, hadn't started training Pacquiao when he suffered these 2 KO losses, which otherwise might have helped Pacquiao avoid them. Perhaps it would have made a difference, but we will never know. So it's a moot point; moving on. Erik Morales is the last opponent to beat Pacquiao by way of a unanimous decision at the end of 12 rounds in 2005. Since then Pacquiao has gone on a undisturbed 5 year winning spree, in which he has been nothing short of exceptional throughout. Now having won 8 world boxing titles in 8 different weight classes Manny Pacquiao is boxing's current best pound-for-pound fighter and on the brink of reaching boxing immortality. A win over Floyd Mayweather Jr., the perceived second best fighter in the world, would all but assure Pacquiao being crowned the best pound-for-pound boxer ever.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. represents the only shred of doubt to Manny Pacquiao's legacy. Pacquiao is arguably the best offensive fighter in the sport of boxing today. However, one doesn't have to stretch their imagination to believe that Mayweather Jr. is presently the best defensive fighter and counter puncher. Both fighters are great competitors for different reasons. One could build a strong argument in either case why one fighter is better than the other. Only a dual can decisively answer the question of who is the better of the two, regardless of which fighter is your favorite to win.

Who can beat Pacquiao at the height of his carreer is not nearly as interesting a question as how that task can be accomplished? There have been plenty of seemingly qualified competitors to challenge Pacquiao in the last 2 years starting with Oscar De La Hoya, then Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, and lastly Antonio Margarito. All of whom Pacquiao fanatically imposed his will over.

Besting Pacquiao at this point of his career requires 3 key ingredients: speed, stamina, and a high boxing I.Q. Each boxer that I just mentioned is missing at least one of these 3 essentials. De La Hoya, Cotto and Margarito were too big to keep pace with Pacquiao. Meaning their weight to muscle ratio didn't favor them being able to through as many punches over a 12 round period as Pacquiao. Lightweight compact fighters are like little Energizer Bunnies that just keep going and going and going, which is what Pacquiao is. But Pacquiao's punches don't just come fast and frequently, they are also accurate and strong. De La Hoya and Margarito were too slow to be able to avoid Pacquiao's assualt, or be able to return fire. Cotto was able to match Pacquiao's speed, but not for the full length of a 12 round fight. In the first round of their meeting, Cotto backed Pacquiao up with fast, hard, crisp jabs. If Cotto had been able to sustain that punching intensity, he might have pulled off the upset. In terms of boxing I.Q., De La Hoya and Cotto are smart technicians inside the ring. Margarito is a true warrior, but his boxing skills are only fair at best. As a note, Margarito was beaten-up the worst by Pacquiao amongst the three.

Ricky Hatton proved to be the easiest opponent for Pacuiao to beat. Hatton is a brawler with a low boxing I.Q. He just recklessly runs straight into the line of fire. For a deadly accurate puncher like Pacquiao, Hatton presented no more of a challenge than a heavy bag drill. Consequently, Hatton was dropped by a hook he never saw coming in the 2nd round. To Hatton's credit he did enter the fight well conditioned. But his speed and ring generalship weren't even close to being on par with Pacquia's skill sets.

Joshua Clottey was an interesting opponent, but not competitive. Clottey is highly defensive; almost too defensive. He took very few chances in his match with Pacquiao. The strategy allowed him to last 12 rounds with Pacquiao; only sustaining minimal damage. But it also nullified any chance of Clottey to win the bout. Because he wasn't willing to engage Pacquiao, Clottey never got a chance to showcase his very good inside fighting skills. In retrospect, even if Clottey had come forward on Pacquiao, he doesn't have the speed and footwork to keep Pacquiao trapped on the ropes long enough to be able to put in effective body work. But an attempt would have made the fight more interesting to watch. Clottey gets a "A" for defense, "B-'s" for speed and stamina, and than "F's" for offense and aggression. That spells an average performance which doesn't win world titles.

Based on these 5 fights is there a blueprint that has emerged for beating Manny Pacquiao? Maybe; maybe not. But you certainly get a clear idea of what strengths Pacquiao brings to the boxing ring. I believe the following conditions have to be met to legitimately challenge Pacquiao.

1. The opponent has to be naturally 140 - 150 pounds. Fighters past this weight have too much baggage to drag around the ring to keep pace with Pacquiao for the entirety of a 12 round championship bout.
2. They must obviously be as fast, if not faster than Pacquiao.
3. Their footwork must be excellent. This skill is needed to help force Pacquiao towards the ropes, and then keep him from sliding laterally into open space. Pacquiao is noticeably less effective fighting with his back on the ropes, than when he is in the center of the ring. When cornered, he holds his guards up high. At that moment he is open for uppercuts and hooks to the body. Remember, body shots are what lead to Pacquiao's 2 KO losses. In his recent fights verses De La Hoya and Margarito, the one punch that either was successful in landing against Pacquiao was the uppercut to the body. They were just too slow and easily made tired to do it often enough.
4. Back Pacquiao up with hard fast jabs, and then go underneath. Pacquiao is short, agile and fast, so it is very easy for him to slip under punches over the top. Bringing an aggressive inside fight to Pacquiao would help minimize his speed, while punching underneath would keep him from slipping under shots.
5. Now you just have to find one fighter that can fulfill each condition and carry out the tasks with vigor for 12 grueling rounds. Not too much to ask.

Is Floyd Mayweather Jr. up to the challenge?

Mr. Heatmiser Music Video

When I was a kid, this was my favorite song and dance medley from the TV Christmas special, "The Year Without A Santa Claus", a certified classic.

Be Careful Of What You Ask For

There has been a lot of buzz around the web about the possibility of England's WBA junior welter weight champ, Amir Khan, squaring off against Floyd Mayweather Jr. It's not an unlikely scenario. But is it one that Amir is ready for?

Admir's trainer Freddy Roach, who also trains Manny Pacquiao, has said, " he has the key to beat Mayweather Jr." That might be true depending on who is turning the key, especially if that someone is Manny Pacquiao. Unlike Pacquiao, Amir has yet to face an opponent anywhere close to the caliber of Mayweather Jr.

Amir's last 5 fights have highlighted his potential to be a great boxer, and made him popular around England. But that is only good enough to get inside the ring with Mayweather Jr.; not beat him.

If this match does take place next year, Amir is going to find out the hard way just how high the step-up to world class really is. Mayweather Jr. is too much, too soon for Amir at this juncture of his boxing career.

Draw?

The fight between Bernard Hopkins vs. Jean Pascal at Pepsi Colisee in Quebec City, Canada ends in a majority draw, which allowed Pascal to retain his WBC Light-Heavy Weight Title.

I previously stated that Jean Pascal would have to knock Bernard Hopkins out to remotely make the bout interesting. But the seasoned vet, Hopkins, just one month shy of turning age 46 next month put on a performance that was exciting and skillful. These are not adjectives I would have used to describe Hopkins' last fight against Roy Jones Jr., which is why I didn't anticipate the entertainment value he would bring to this particular match.

One judge scored the bout 114 - 112 in favor of Hopkins. The other two judges scored the fight even (113 - 113, and 114 - 114). Although Hopkins won the majority of rounds during the bout, he suffered 2 knock downs. The first knock down occurred in round 1 from a hook that clearly hit Hopkins in the back of the head while he his bent over. The second knock down took place in round 3 from a hook to the body. In either case, Hopkins did not appear to be significantly hurt or hampered.

Despite the 2 knock downs and probably having lost the first 3 rounds, Hopkins kept his veteran poise and statistically out-boxed Pascal the remainder of the contest. The only exception is round 12, which could have gone in favor of either fighter. Pascal was noticeably tired by round 7 from the steady assault of lead hooks and upper cuts Bernard used to ascend from the hole he was in at the early onset of the bout.

However, only one judge thought Hopkins had done enough to overcome the 2 knock downs and win the fight. The other two judges were impressed to the point that they felt Hopkins was able to draw even. I scored the bout 114 - 112 in favor of Hopkins. I didn't award Pascal with a knock down in round 1, because it came as a result of an illegal punch to the back of the head.

In a post interview Pascal claimed victory over Hopkins, but the statical numbers measuring the effectiveness of each fighter tell a different story. Pascal retains his belt. But the majority of boxing fans will probably perceive Hopkins as the winner, especially fans over the age of 40.

Full Fight Video

We've all heard about people having guts or balls. But do you really know the difference between them? In an effort to keep you informed, the definition of each is listed below:

"Guts" is arriving home late after a night out with the guys, being assaulted by your wife with a broom, and having the guts to say, "are you still cleaning or are you flying somewhere"?

"Balls" is coming home late after a night out with the guys smelling of perfume and beer, lipstick on your collar, slapping your wife on the ass and having the balls to say, "You're next"!

The Color of Success

Most practitioners of Tae Kwon Do (Korean martial art) begin training with the objective to achieve the rank of black belt. Although the black belt is a symbol of advanced skill, its attainment does not mark the end of a journey, rather it is an exploratory phase of one's physical, intellectual and emotional self.

It takes several years of dedicated training, blood, sweat, and pain to become a first degree black belt. But the reward for those who are able to endure is increased physical and mental ability, and extraordinary focus and discipline. If you continue training past the rank of first dan (the beginning rank of a new black belt in a succession of 10), you will discover there are even greater rewards and opportunities to be realized.

The Philosophy Of The Belt System
Early pioneers of TKD (Tae Kwon Do) did not use a belt to indicate rank, but merely as a practical means to hold one's clothing in place. But over a long period of time, as they practised their belts would become soiled and darkened. Eventually a darkened belt of a TKD practitioner began to symbolize someone who had practiced extensively, and was well versed and highly-skilled in the art.

In the modern era of TKD a black belt still symbolizes a practitioner of advanced skills. However, the black belt is part of an incorporated belt-ranking-system which not only outwardly indicates a practitioner's physical proficiency, but their mental and philosophical growth as well. The WTF (World Tae Kwon Do Federation) has standardized the progression of belts and recognizes five belts below the black belt: white, yellow, green, blue, red. The beginning students wear the white belt. The absence of color symbolizes innocence and purity as evident by a beginning student's lack of knowledge of TKD. Next the yellow belt represents the rising sun, the source of all life. At this stage the student begins to flourish and learn the basics of the art. The next belt is green, the color of well-rooted things growing upward toward the sky. During this stage the student starts to develop power. Next is the blue belt, the color of the sky, boundless and ever reaching. At this stage a student begins to stabilize their power and focuses on reaching their fullest potential. The color belt before reaching black is red, the color of blood which is the vital essence of life. Students at this level are refining and deepening their power and control. Finally, the black belt represents the color of all the belts combined. This stage represents technical mastery executed with calm dignity and sincerity.

Black is the color of the spectrum in which all colors blend into one.

Each One Teach One

Chokyonim (which means instructor) is the title given to a student who reaches the rank of first degree black belt or first dan (which is the minimal level of competency required to teach what he/she knows). At this point a student has a moral obligation to give back to TKD from which they have received by passing along the knowledge they have learned to other students following in their footsteps. Secondly, teaching helps to hone and consolidate a black belt's skills and understanding, bringing them more and more in accord with themselves in mind, body, and spirit. This understanding extends to all practitioners of the martial arts including the masters. In addition to reaching for a higher understanding, new black belts are expected to solidify their physical capabilities through constant training with the goal of increasing speed, precision, power, agility, stamina, and flexibility. The idea is to exhibit total will over the body, to achieve a state of perpetual readiness, able to attack or defend at any point and time along a 360 degree radius. Achieving near flawless execution of this kind will require many years of training, but time passes quickly for those who are dedicated.

You can tell the experience of a black belt practitioner by the shading of his/her belt, ash being the noblest.

***************************************************

How To Pursue Excellence

How often one should practice depends on how good he/she wants to be. Repetition is the tool of permanent impression. If one practices their craft with enough frequency and attention to proper form, it is possible to rise to a level of proficiency whereby the execution of their practiced skill-sets becomes so fluent and effortless that minimal conscious consideration is spent performing these task(s). This is training to the point that the complex is made to look simple.

All meaningful practice should encompass the following variables:

1. Duration - time spent performing the task(s).
2. Intensity - the level of challenge needed to evoke a positive intellectual, neurological, physiological or emotional response.
3. Frequency - the number of episodes of training it takes to reach a desired goal(s).
4. Volume - how many meaningful tasks will be included with each episode of training.
5. Desire - the emotional satisfaction derived from practicing an activity.

The application of these 5 variables determines how worthwhile a practice session is. Any competitor wishing to reach the echelon of their sport must be willing to commit their mind, body and soul toward his/her goals every day, and by virtue of the process they will be rewarded. For it is the pursuit of goals that gives meaning to achievement in sport, and life in general.

Second Wind

After yesterday's long exhausting workout, I had it in my mind that I was going to rest today. I've changed my mind. I'm going to do some dumbbell and suspension training instead. I can rest when I die.

I'm Exhausted!

20-minute walk to the gym,

5 minutes of dynamic stretching,

2 x 3-minute rounds of shadow boxing,

2 x 3-minute rounds of jumping rope,

12 x 3-minute rounds of heavy bag training,

20-minute walk back home,

Now I'm too tired to even blink!

Saturday, December 18, 2010, Bernard Hopkins (51-5-1) will face-off against Jean Pascal (26-1-0) in Quebec City, Canada.

This isn't a fight that is going to have boxing fans on the edge of their chairs. Jean Pascal is an up and coming fighter just starting the climb to notoriety, and Bernard Hopkins is a boxing legend that should retire. Bernard's style is stale and boring, and his skills are no longer at a level that he can handle world class contenders without the risk of getting seriously injured. These aren't the ingredients that make for good fights and sell out arenas, which is probably one of the reasons why this bout is taking place in Canada; not under the bright casino lights of Las Vegas. Secondly, Pascal is from Canada, so it's likely that hometown fans will show up to the fight to support one of their own.

I expect Bernard to try to weather the initial attack of the younger faster Pascal, and then attempt to take advantage of his ring experience to unravel the spirit of Pascal in the later rounds. Unraveling in B-Hop's case means head butting, holding, rabbit shots, liver shots, etc. All of his usual well documented tactics for bulling his opponents. If the fight plays out this way, it's going to come down to a long drawn-out ugly anti-climatic decision.

Pascal will have to knock B-Hop out for this fight to be remotely exciting. At the very least Pascal needs to win, otherwise he will be casted back into the shadows of obscurity. A win for Bernard might be considered impressive considering the fact that he is 46 years of age. Not a bad way to cap-off a long and successful career. But supposing Bernard does win, he still needs to retire. His last fight against Roy Jones Jr. was less than stellar, and it exposed the growing number of chinks in his armor. Pascal might just prove to be the straw that breaks the bulls back.

For the record, I would like to see B-Hop win. He is from Philadelphia, and so am I. That's reason enough for me.

Ring Theory: Do not conceive to the point that you miss out on doing.

I don't like to live life through exhausting amounts of thinking. Frankly, it is a waste of time. Life is the here and now. I can only control what is before me; not events of the past, or future. My actions at the moment are my only concern. When that instance is gone, then I move on. In this way my mind is never cluttered with over-analytical evaluations. People often think to the point that they frustrate and confuse themselves. They stumble over ideas and concepts to the point that they can no longer decipher between what is real and concrete, and what is abstract and surreal. Instead, one should take from a lesson what is needed, and then discard what is not.

Improve your ring generalship by applying minimalist thinking inside the ropes. Once a match has begun don't bank on your opponent waiting for you to decide what is the best course of action. One has to know and feel what needs to be done. Indecision and hesitation is a disaster waiting to happen when your sparring. The knowledge that you need to defend yourself against an adversary should be at the forefront of your mind instilled through constant training. A good fighter remains in a state of readiness, so that their actions are in the present; not an after-thought that came too late. Readiness is derived through practice that teaches the processes of conceivable reactions in the ring. Master the processes and you will be able to act without thought.

Gym Fashion Mistakes

Discretion is the better part of valor. Exercise good judgment when you decide what to wear to the gym. I understand that fashion is a matter of personal choice. But frankly some wardrobe decisions do not make sense to me. Just because some popular clothing item looks good being adorned by a mannequin in a store front window, does not mean it will flatter you in the same way.

Whoever said, "clothes make the man", clearly did not live during the age of spandex. It seems the fashion police and animal rights activists have been so concerned with manufacturers and consumers of fur clothing that they let the spandex abuse crisis slip under the radar. I blame spandex for my chronic case of T.M.I. (Too Much Information), which is what I get every time I have to bear witness to a guy walking around the gym in tight spandex shorts with a clearly formed impression of his tally-whacker and goody-bag highlighted like an outlined chalk figure at a murder scene.

Women are also culprits of committing heinous acts of spandex abuse. Some women try to squeeze into elastic outfits that did not fit them 3 years ago, when they were ten pounds lighter and two sizes smaller. The elasticity of spandex does have its limits. Tease me with a little flesh, and save some for the imagination. The seepage of ass, breasts, love handles and saddle bags, along with textile jammed into the crevices of a woman's body is not sexy at all. The only things ladies will attract with this look are maladjusted perverts, and yeast infections.

To avoid social embarrassment, ridicule, finger pointing, and disgusted looks, here is a list of ten gym fashion faux pas:

1. If you decide to go commando (under-wear free) underneath your bottoms, make sure there are no peek-a-boo gaps that will allow everyone to see your secret garden.
2. Full-figured women and husky men should stay away from horizontal lines that run across the body. It gives the visual perception of making one look bigger, in addition to looking like a prison escapee.
3. If you need to get a running start to get into a pair of shorts or pants, they are too small for you. You probably have not fit those bottoms since primary school. Likewise, if putting on your top feels like a wrestling match, once again it is too small for you!
4. There is a casual atmosphere at the gym, but it's not so casual that you can start wearing your under-wear as outer-wear. Perhaps people who spend a lot of money shopping for these items at expensive boutiques do not want attention to their bloomers to be limited to themselves.
5. Wearing shades while listening to, "I Wear My Sun Glasses At Night" on your ipod might seem like a nostalgic idea. It's a thought that should be saved for karaoke night. Sporting shades inside the gym makes you look either blind or stupid. The eighties are gone, get over it.
6. Tying a sweat shirt or jacket around your waist does not avert attention to your ass. It is like trying to throw a napkin over an elephant to disguise the fact that it is there. It only makes sense that if you add layers to an area that is already pronounced, it is just going to appear even bigger.
7. Do wear gender appropriate clothing. Guys wearing crushed velvet scooped neck tank-tops from the Miss teen section is a no-no. Only Prince can pull off some fashion discord like that. Women should not try to look like studs. It's unattractive to see a woman wearing over-sized men's clothing draped all over her body. A sweat shirt that has sleeves five inches past the tip of the longest finger, and bottoms with an inseam twelve inches from the ground will make any woman look like M.C. Hammer.
8. Don't show up to the gym an expect to workout with boots, sandals, dress shoes or some other ill choice of footwear. The reason should be self explanatory.
9. If you workout in the same outfit 5 days a week, but wash it only once a week, than you are both stinky and unfashionable. You should give serious consideration to adjusting your wash-to-wear-ratio.
10. No man or woman should wear leg warmer socks. The Jane Fonda/Flash Dance era is over.

Note: in case I go senile in my older age and I am unable to make this plea, if anyone out there ever sees me at the gym wearing a tank-top, suspenders, plaid Bermuda shorts hiked up to my chest, long dress socks to my knees, and sandals, do be kind and shoot me.

Thursday, 9 December 2010, the AirAsia Philippine Patriots came from behind in the waning seconds of the game to beat the Westports KL Dragons at Ynares Sports Arena 73 - 71. However, any discouraging effects the Dragons may have suffered from the loss were laid to rest by thoroughly beating the #1 team in the ABL, the Chang Thailand Slammers, 77 - 57 this Sunday, 12 December 2010, at MABA Stadium, Kuala Lumpur.

Both the Dragons and the Slammers came out the gates slow. The conservative pace continued throughout the first two periods. In the second half the Dragons finally decided to shift the fast-break from 2ND to 5Th gear, and then red-lined there way to a decisive victory.

The Dragons' over-all performance was very good for several note worthy reasons. The team showed it can bounce back from a disappointing loss. Secondly, bench players made a significant contribution towards the Dragons' win tonight, which shows these players are starting to develop confidence and skill. Delivering quality minutes off the bench takes some of the pressure off the starting 5 and will go a long way in closing out the season with a winning record to secure a play-off spot. Third, the defense was awesome. The Dragons nearly contested every Slammer who tried to score inside the paint. Nakiea Miller didn't just block Slammers' shots tonight, he engulfed them, and then stamped the ball with 'return to sender'.

What wasn't positive are some problems the Dragons have been routinely suffering from as a team: missed free-throws, streaks of poor shot selection, and bad execution of set-plays. Errors like this cost points, or lead to mismanagement of the clock. The Dragons' coaching staff needs to address these issues immediately; it has been going on for far too long.

The stats for the Dragons' top performers haven't been released yet. But since I witnessed the game, I can tell you that Nakiea Miller, Guganeswaran Batumalai and Rudy Lingganay will be on that list. But regardless of who scored the most points, it was the entire Dragons' defense that scorched the Slammers to get the 'W'.

Partner Ab Exercise

There is a limit to what you can ask your training partner to do for you. This ab exercise crosses those boundaries.

How To Tell If Your Girlfriend's a Psycho

Does your girlfriend...

1. Constantly call you throughout the day to update you about what she is doing and/or she wants you to update her about what you're doing?
2. Ask your opinion about how she looks, and then harshly judges the sincerity of your answer?
3. Tell you "if you loved me, you would do it" (which means anything from showering her with a dozen roses to throwing yourself off a high cliff)?
4. Obsess over getting ready to go out to the point that it grates on your nerves and leads to an argument (thereby sapping any joy out of attending social gatherings together)?
5. Celebrate the anniversary of every event and occurrence in your relationship including the mundane?
6. Feel the need to assert to other women that you and she are an item?
7. Seek the attention of other men, even in your presence?
8. Tell you " she likes taking care of you?
9. Tattoo herself to you every moment you are together?
10. Talk about what the future of the relationship will be (i.e. marriage, kids, residence, etc.) without having any prior discussion with you on such matters.
11. Have dramatic mood swings from she loves you more than life itself to throwing angry public tantrums?
12. Try to be physically intimate at inappropriate times, ask you sensitive questions in mixed company, or provoke any other actions that makes it seem like she is testing you?
13. Become physical during arguments?
14. Tell you "I don't know what I would do if you left me"?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you have a crazy and deranged fatal attraction on your hands. Take out a restraining order, and then run for the hills.

Do You Know The Difference Between Whole Grain & Whole Wheat?

Both terms sound like healthy options, which they are. This is especially true when you compare whole grain and whole wheat products to bleached flour products such as white bread.

Ultimately, whole grain reins supreme over whole wheat, because of the way the grain flour is processed. With whole-wheat flour, the grain goes through a refining process that strips the end product of some vital nutrients. Whole-grain flour is exempted from this process, and thus the end result still maintains all of its nutritional content.

For better health choose whole grain products over whole wheat. Bleached flour products should be eaten sparingly, or avoided altogether.

On Saturday, 4 December 2010, the Westports KL Dragons didn't have a stellar performance, but it was gutsy enough to beat the Brunei Barracudas 95 - 87 in over-time at MABA Stadium, Kuala Lumpur.

Until the over-time period, neither team was able to establish more than a marginal advantage over the other. The lead swung back and forth for 3 and a half periods. Then the pillar of the Dragon's Defense, Nakiea Miller, fouled out with about 5 minutes left in regulation. Once the perennial shoot blocker vacated the floor, the Barracudas wisely started attacking the rim. They eventually pulled ahead of the Dragons, and then held a 3-point edge with 16 seconds remaining in the game. At this juncture the Dragons called timeout to set-up their final play, a 3-point shot by Patrick Jan Manlawe Cabahu. He missed and got fouled in the act with just 1.6 seconds from the final buzzer. Unfazed by the pressure, Cabahu confidently preceded to bury all 3 foul shots to send the game into over-time. The momentum of surviving an 8-count carried the Dragons through OT, and allowed them to finally distance themselves from the Barracudas.

There is a saying, "sometimes it's better to be lucky, than good". The Dragons were a little of both last night. From my line-of-sight, Cabahu's rushed and off-balance 3-point attempt in the closing seconds of the game didn't look likely to go down. Thus fouling the shooter in this particular instance was a huge mistake by the Barracudas, and a lucky break for the Dragons. However, the fact that Cabahu nailed all three foul shots in crunch time was skill.

Besides winning the contest, the Dragons proved to themselves that they could resourcefully do so without one of their key starters for a long stretch of the game. Good teams find a way to pick each other up, when the x's and o's aren't going quite the way they planned. I noticed when Miller fouled out of the game, he was cheering and imploring his Dragon mates to rise to the occasion louder than anyone else in the stadium.

Top performers for the Dragons include Nakiea Miller with 28 points and 12 rebounds, Patrick Jan Manlawe Cabahu scored 16 points (3 of those points with the weight of the game on his shoulders), Alex Hartman contributed with 12 points and 7 assists, while
Angelus Raymundo finished the game with 12 points and 8 rebounds.

Compliments of last night's victory, the Dragons move up from #3 to #2 ahead of the AirAsia Philippine Patriots, who they defeated a week ago. Ironically, it's the same team they play next at Ynares Sports Arena in the Philippines. This should prove to be a firecracker of a game, because of the equal competitive nature of both squads. Also, dare I say that some Philippine Patriots' fans might be looking for some pay-back for the bottle of liquid that was thrown at the head of a Patriots' player during the last meeting between the two teams on the Dragons' home court. Granted, the Dragons organization offered an official apology. The ABL fined the Dragons USD5,000. Now no outside food or drinks are allowed inside MABA Stadium.

The Gatorade I purchased at the game was promptly dispensed into a light-weight flimsy plastic cup minus a quarter of the bottle's content that didn't fit into the cup, but I had to pay for every once none the less. I was not even offered a straw_I suppose it might have been maliciously used to spout liquid or blow darts. However, all this may not be enough to satisfy some angry emotionally charged fans in the Philippines.

If it is any consolation to Philippine Patriots' fans, I would like to break my size 12 Timberland boots off in the ass of the person responsible for making me have to drink my Gatorade out of the crappy strawless cup in the picture.

Last Sunday, 28 November 2010, the Westports KL Dragons bested the AirAsia Philippine Patriots at MABA Stadium, K. Lumpur, 96 - 81. The contest proved to be confrontational and emotionally charged. Referees had to constantly get in between players from both sides responding to one another after hard fouls and rough-house tactics. Following a clothesline foul across the face of Nakiea Miller committed by a Patriots' player, one ill-mannered spectator struck a Patriots' player, who was not involved in the infraction, in the head with a plastic container of liquid. Since the incident occurred on the Dragons' home court, the ABL has fined the Dragons' organization USD5,000 for not "safely securing the vicinity". However, I am under the opinion that the buck should not stop there. The fan who threw the bottle should be criminally charged, fined, and banned from all ABL games for a period of no less than 3 years. The league needs to send a strong message to both the culprit and would be copy cats that there is "0" tolerance for such poor and unnecessary behavior.

The hard-knock physical play was ignited by Patriots' frustration, rather than genuine animosity. The Philippine squad fell behind by double digits early in the game, and then stayed between a rock and a hard place for the remainder of the contest. Although there were standout individual efforts, most notably by Little & Wright, the Patriots lacked team continuity. They were grossly outscored by the Dragons in every period, except for the 4th. But by then the damage was already done, and it was just a matter of making the final score look more respectable. The Patriots' zone defense was mostly ineffective, as the Dragons were able to readily exploit mismatch coverages. Consequently, The Patriots turned to man to man defense, but they also got physically reckless and emotionally unbalanced in the process. The hap hazard state of body and mind lead to the Patriots' launching a hack-attack: three point shooter fouled with just 1.6 seconds remaining before half-time; big mistake, picking up fouls on simple inbound plays, 2 technical fouls in the second half; one of which threatened to cause a bench clearing brawl. By the time the Patriots found some composure at game's end the Dragons were well on their way to a convincing victory.

Statistically, the Dragons had a good all around team performance. Guganeswaran Batumalai contributed with 10 assists, Patrick Jan Cabahug's jumper was on fire; he finished the game with 23 points, Nakiea Miller recorded another double-double with 19 rebounds and 24 points and Alex Hartman added to the total with 20 points.

With the win the Dragons move from the 4th to the 3rd position in the league standings; just behind the Patriots. Their next game is 4 December at MABA Stadium against the Brunei Barracudas.

I managed to secure 2 seconds of fame playing the role of a security guard in a WRIGLEYS DOUBLEMINT COMMERCIAL "ZHOU XUN" AIRING IN CHINA. Unfortunately, the production company didn't allow me to punch, kick, or submit anyone, but I made a nice lateral step to cut off the entrance to the VIP section. The footwork in the gym really paid off.

I had to take a second look at the David Haye vs. Audley Harrison fight one more time just to count the number of punches Harrison threw the entire fight up until he was TKO with 1 minute and 8 seconds left in the 3rd round. The summary is as follows:

Round 1 - 5 jabs

Round 2 - 12 jabs

Round 3 - 7 jabs

Average - 8 jabs/round

Harrison didn't connect on a single jab he threw, and he made no attempt to throw any power shots (i.e. hook, upper-cut or cross).

With stats like this, Harrison wouldn't have even won a pissing contest against Haye; or anybody else for that matter.

Another One Bites The Dust

I just finished watching the David Haye vs. Audley Harrison WBA Heavy-Weight Championship fight which took place on November 13, 2010 in Manchester.

Harrison never remotely gave himself a chance to compete with Haye in this match; I can count the number of punches he threw the entire fight on 1 hand. So it comes as no surprise that Harrison got hammered and dropped by Haye in the 3rd round, which was then followed by Haye continuing the assault with a series of headbangers causing the referee to put a halt to the contest.

I'm a strong believer that championships have to be taken; they are never given. When you are in the mist of an epic moment, this is not the time to be cautious and reluctant. By doing so, you will find yourself on the short-end of the stick more times than not. Harrison claimed he was destined to be a champion. He was in the amateur ranks. Harrison's amateur boxing achievements easily dwarfed his long ago friend's, Haye, accomplishments at the same level. But as Dwarth Vader said, "I've been waiting for you Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete; when I left you, I was but the learner, now I am the master", such is the case with Harrison and Haye.

Harrison will be left to wonder what would have happened if he had truly felt the power of the force. He might have fulfilled his self- proclaimed prophecy of being a professional world champion boxer, a fate his highly successful amateur career made seem inevitable. Instead, boxing will remember Audley Harrison as an English man without a lion's heart.

Paco Gonzales is a Keiser International Cycling Master Trainer and presenter and is one of the most popular and sought-after trainers in the world. He has successfully created many training programs for cycling, indoor cycling and fitness in general, as well as instructor training.

Paco has presented Keiser indoor cycling programs and training in over 20 countries, as well as at major conventions throughout the world, including IDEA, IHRSA, Club Industry, Can Fit Pro, Asia Fit; and the Fitness and Fitness Pentatlon conventions in Spain.

Paco has been a well-respected and motivating instructor for over 10 years, presenting indoor cycling extension courses at several universities in Spain, including the National Institute of Education in Barcelona and the University of Gran Canary in Tenerife.

F1 Recreation will be hosting a 1-day Keiser m3 Cycling Foundation Certification Camp/Workshop taught by featured Master Trainer, Paco Gonzales. Refer to the information below to attend.

DATE: 30th November or 1st December ( Please select the date )

Location: F1 Recreation Showroom Gym @ No:12, Jalan Shamelin Niaga 1, Shamelin Heights Business Park, Taman Shamelin Perkasa, Kuala Lumpur, 56100 Malaysia

Duration: 8 hours ( 1 day workshop)

Time: 8.30am - 6pm

Lunch/ Coffee & Tea Included.

Fees: RM50 – Administration & Certificate

To attend: contact Jeannie Fung - Director F1 Recreation Sdn Bhd by Email: jeannie@f1-recreation.com.my

There is a merciful God. How else could you explain back-up quarterback Jon Kitna's 13 of 22 passes for 327 yards and 3 touchdowns, which helped lead the Cowboys to a 33 - 20 victory over the New York Giants. I certainly did not expect my favorite NFL football team with a record of 1 and 7 to walk into the home stadium of one their division rivals, and then actually beat the best team in the eastern division.

When a state-of-the-art 1.6 billion dollar stadium experiences an unlikely blackout in the 3rd quarter which is then followed by the Cowboys scoring on their second play upon the lights returning via a 71 yard screen pass to running back, Felix Jones, you have to wonder whether the intervention of God is at work. I can't say for sure. I'm just happy that God is apparently a Cowboys fan.

Touched by Speed

If you are a boxing fan, then you already know that Manny Pacquiao beat the snot bubbles out of Antonio Margarito for his 8th crown. If you didn’t know this, than you truly aren’t a boxing fan. At which point, you can stop reading this post.

Despite Margarito’s menacing reputation as a hard hitting brawler he lost badly against Pac-man, because speed kills. Choosing between being bigger and stronger or faster and more agile than my opponent is an easy choice for me to make. I will always choose the later. Combine speed with stamina, then you can chop a whole lot of over-size aggressors down to size. This is how Pac-Man has beaten every fighter that he has faced in the welter and middle weight divisions; he has simply been faster than they are stronger.

After trailing the entire first half of the game, the KL Dragons rally to defeat Satria Muda BritAma 85 – 72.

The Dragons came out flat at the start of the game and struggled both on offense and defense. Satria Muda BritAma controlled the tempo of the game for much of the first half. They were able to score on Dragons’ defenders with dribble penetration, as well as high pick and rolls that created wide open 3 point shots. However, the Dragons scrapped back and managed to end the first half only down by 3 points, with the score standing at 53 – 50.

After sleep walking through the game’s first 2 periods, Dragons’ player, Nakiea Miller, finally decided to come alive. By game’s end, he recorded a double-double with 31 points and almost as many rebounds, 28 boards. Alex Hartman, the Dragons' leading scorer, who usually averages 20 + points a game had a more subtle contribution toward the Dragons’ win with 14 points. But the slack was picked up by the guard play of Guganeswaran Batumalai, who scored 12 points, and Rudy Lingganay, who scored 11 points.

The key to the Dragons’ turn-around was defense. Any good coach will tell you that defense leads to offense. Once the Dragons started stepping up the defensive pressure on Satria Muda BritAma, it lead to easy fast break points on the other end of the court. By the mid-point of the 4th period the Dragons were cruising their way to a decisive victory.

The Dragons will need to carry the lesson of defense first into their next game, when they face-off against the AirAsia Philippine Patriots, the #1 team in the league, on November 28, 2010 at MABA Stadium.

Roc-It @ Elements Gym

On the request of a friend, I just recently paid a visit to Elements Gym located on the 7th floor at G Tower in KL. The club definitely delivers on aesthetics. As you enter the gym, you are treated to a view of the facility’s horizon pool which seemingly pours into the skyline view of the surrounding luxury condominiums and offices buildings that includes the Twin Towers. Care has been taken to include the elements of wood, stone, water, earth and metal in constructing the Zen-like facades which are orchestrated throughout the gym. I particularly thought the use of bamboo rods to create naturalistic barriers which gives the impression of privacy without feeling confined was a nice touch.

Spacious walkways made it easy to move from one corner of the club to the next without having to dodge trainees in mid-workout. Elements Gym also boasts four studios. One for private Pilates training, a second for group Pilates classes, a third for cycling classes and another for Les Mills programs.

Putting aside the gym’s tasteful interior, what stood out for me was the management’s decision to use the complete gamete of Hoist Roc-It selectorized equipment as one of Element’s offered circuit lines. Being away from the States for the last 3 years, it’s been a while since I had last seen Hoist in active use. I remember Hoist machines being a bit bulky and somewhat industrially awkward looking. But it is apparent that the manufacture has taken steps to smooth out the rough edges and inject a contemporary style into the Roc-It RS series. According to the club’s manager the decision was made to purchase the line because it offered a unique function and look compared to what other clubs in the area were providing gym participants. Mission accomplished. To my knowledge no other commercial outfit in KL to date uses Hoist equipment. Correct me, if I’m wrong.

So what’s unique about ‘Roc-It’? In terms of style, other reputable equipment manufactures easily match Hoist machines in look and craftsmanship. Roc-It is unique, because it continually adjusts the position of the user relative to the line of exertion. In layman’s terms the machine rocks while you use it. It’s kind of like the Health Rider meets selectorizied equipment.

What I thought. I didn’t use every machine in the Roc-It RS line that was available. Instead I tested the leg press, calf raise, lat pulldown, low back and seated mid row. The machines’ adjustments were easy to make, the pulley system was smooth, construction was solid, and the seating was comfortable. But I would expect nothing less from any commercial grade machine. What I didn’t like was how easy the Roc-It system made it to cheat. For instance, pressing down on the foot rests with your legs while using the low back machine causes the hips to move into extension, thereby eliminating the need to use your lower back to do so. It defeats the whole purpose of the machine, if the exercise is performed wrongly in this matter. Be assured that an inexperienced member will do just as I described; if not from the first repetition, surely when he/she starts to get tired. It’s a matter of seeking the path of least resistance. However, Roc-It applied to the lat pulldown provided a modest applicable advantage without allowing me to cheat. With the exception of the lat pull, I didn’t feel there was any real value added to the exercises by the Roc-It motion. When I return to the center next Wednesday, I’ll have a go at the machines I didn’t use. Maybe I will make a startling observation I had previously overlooked.

Cowboys Out For The Season

To say it delicately, “The Dallas Cowboys are in deep shit up to their eyeballs”. With a record of 1 – 5, I’m sure the Head Coach Wade Phillips feels the noose tightening around his neck. It’s a good bet that he should start shopping his resume now.

Cowboys’ starting quarterback Tony Romo is out for the rest of the season with a broken clavicle. His replacement, Jon Kinta, hasn’t started a game since 2008. This is definitely not a promising substitute, especially since the Cowboys are at the bottom half of the league for rush yards per game. Couple this with the fact that there are issues on the offensive line which allowed Kinta to be sacked 3 times in his start against the New York Giants. One gets the feeling that the Cowboys’ playbook has been reduced to a single option; hell-Mary. That play should be good for 6-points in every 3 games. Throw in an extra point and a field goal, and you’ve got double figure scoring. I know sarcasm is the lowest form of humor, but as a Cowboys fan it’s the only thing I have left, and the promise of a first-round draft choice at the end of the season. Can we use that pick to get a new team owner?

Dragons Get The Win, But The Referees Get The Gas Face

On the eve of Halloween the KL Dragons received a treat by winning their second straight game, after routing the Brunei Barracudas 87 – 48. The game ended by default with 7:55 remaining in the 4th quarter, when all but two Brunei players fouled out of the contest.

The KL Dragons’ Nakiea Miller recorded his second straight double-double. He scored 16 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. While Alex Hartman rained in shoots to the tune of 24 points to go along side his 7 rebounds. He led all scorers on the evening.

The Dragons’ efforts have moved them from the #5 position to the #4 spot in the ABA, after they started the season 0 – 3. A win against their next opponents, Satria Muda BritAma, would even their win to losses and place them back into the hunt for the play-offs.

While the game was a success for the Dragons, it was a disaster for the referees. I’m not exaggerating, when I say,

“it was the worst officiated basketball game I have ever seen in my life;
professional or amateur”.

There were blatant fouls committed by both teams that were ignored or just unnoticed. But there seemed to be no end to the tic-tac fouls being called as though there was a fire sale on them. Incidental contact that does not impede a player’s progress should be seen as ‘good hustle’; not a foul. On the other hand the refs should have been blowing their whistles in synchronized harmony when Hartman, a Dragons’ player, got wrapped to the groin area, and again when William, a Barracudas’ player, was slapped across the face.

Worst than the botched calls was the apparent fact that the refs had no idea as to what the rules are when a team is down to 5 eligible players, and then one of the players fouls out to leave them with just 4. In the case of this game the officials allowed the Barracudas' squad to dwindle to 2 players, before a halt was finally put to the ridicules episode. Maybe the ABA doesn’t have a rule concerning this situation. I’m not sure what sanctioned rules the league has adopted. But I do know how it would have been handled in the NBA and WNBA which is as follows:

In the NBA and WNBA, if a team is reduced to five players and one commits a sixth foul, that player must stay in the game; one additional free throw is awarded to the opposing team. Even if there are no free throws to be awarded because of an offensive foul, the one free throw will be added irrespective of offensive or defensive foul. A one-free throw penalty will also be awarded if said team has a player who must leave the game after being injured, and has no legal substitutes; the last player to foul out rejoins the game with the one free throw penalty. Thus, no team can be reduced to four players in those leagues.

The bottom line is that if particular ABA officials don’t know the rules of basketball and/or how to administer them, they have no business being on the court. Do your damn jobs refs!

Official Rules of the NBA CLICK & LEARN

First 1 In The Win Column

The KL Dragons put on a good performance while hosting the Singapore Slingers at home this Saturday afternoon, mainly because they won the contest. The team’s back was against the wall having already lost 3 straight games since the start of the 2010/2011 season.

In a previous post I suggested the Dragons would continue to suffer defeat, unless they found a way to challenge opponents inside the paint both offensively and defensively. This message must have been telepathically conveyed from me to the KL Dragons’ head coach, Goh Cheng Huat, because tonight’s win was a direct result of acquiring Alex Hartman & Nakiea Miller. Both Hartman and Miller were absent from the Dragons’ rooster prior to today’s contest, but now that they are on the team presumably for the remainder of the season, ooh what a difference they make.

Hartman is a versatile scorer that can hit from beyond the arc, or drive the ball straight to the rim. He is likely to be a double figure scorer in most games, and he will help the Dragons’ cause by throwing in some assists, steals and rebounds.

Miller is more of an opportunistic scorer that skirts and bangs his way to the basket. He sinks the eight-ball the hard way. But more importantly, Miller is an outstanding rebounder and shot blocker. When he wasn’t able to block the shots of the Slingers, he was forcing their penetrating dribblers to make poor interior passes, or alter their shot selections.

Hartman & Miller combined for 44 points out of a total of 81 points, which represents 54% of the offense in the Dragons’ first win this season. Individually, Hartman finished the game with 27 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. Miller recorded a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. In addition he also had 6 blocked shots and 2 steals.

Guganeswaran Batumalai came off the bench strong and dropped in 12 points, while the rest of the Dragons combined for 25 points.

All and all it was a good outing for the Dragons, who hope to burn it up again in their next contest against the Brunei Barracudas next Saturday, 30 October at the MABA Stadium, K. Lumpur (game time 4:00 P.M.)

The most important thing that this picture signifies is that the Texas Rangers are going to the 2010 World Series, and the self-glorified New York Yankees are not. Yes, I hate the Yankees; deal with it.

The Changing Status of the Black Athlete in the 20th Century United States

From Jesse Owens to Magic Johnson, Black Athletes have always been in the news, but their path to fame and fortune has never been easy. Only today are they beginning to gain their rightful place in sport's Hall of Fame. Despite this, problems still remain. In this article, John C. Walter, Ph.D. Professor of American Ethnic Studies and Director of the Blacks in Sports Project at the University of Washington in Seattle explains why.

Them There Eyes

All babies are special and unique. But Laren Galloway is a 1 in a million baby, because he was born with full Afro-American characteristics with the exception of his striking blue eyes. He is not the only Afro-American to be born with blue eyes; it’s just that when this recessive trait appears on someone of color it is usually accompanied by additional Anglo-Saxon characteristics as well.

Unaware to Baby Galloway, who is 18 months old, he received a full contract and a life insurance with Paramount Pictures at 12 months of age; you will see him in movies, commercials and magazines very soon!

I guess you can be born a star…

Tommie Smith is selling the gold medal he won at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, where his Black Power salute on the podium shocked the sports world.

Boxum Bombshell Pointed At Brett Favre

This is not the face that launched a thousand ships, instead it's Jenn Sterger, a former New York Jets reporter, whose allegations that Brett Favre texted her photos of his penis and left her voicemails asking her to meet him at his hotel have launched an NFL investigation into Favre’s possible actions of sexual harassment. If Sterger’s accusations are proven true, she will have essentially sacked the star veteran quarterback both on and off the field.

Details at Fox Sports

Keep It Real

I was reviewing some of the comments left by disenchanted KL Dragons fans on the Dragons’ facebook page. It seems a number of Malaysian basketball fans think that the recruitment of foreign players has not made a significant impact on helping the Dragons win games, and they may be right to a certain degree.

But let’s be honest, the KL Dragons are not in a position to recruit the United States’ and Europe’s best basketball players. It’s not likely that a player the caliber of Lebron James or Dirk Nowitzki would be attracted to playing in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) consisting of 6 teams with limited exposure and funds; of course not. The high profile players are in the United States’ National Basketball Association (NBA), or playing for teams in the European Basketball League (EBL).

The ABL represents a second chance for foreign players (journey men) who were left out of the premiere basketball leagues. So the KL Dragons will have to settle for what they can get, or start grooming their home grown players to perform better.

Manny Pacquiao vs Antonio Margarito

Manny Pacquiao is set to fight Antonio Margarito on November 13 at the Cowboys’ Stadium in Texas for the vacant WBC Light Middleweight Title. Pacquiao looks to covet a title in his 8th weight class, while Margarito is looking to redeem his reputation and sputtering boxing career coming off a loaded-gloves controversy and knockout loss to Shane Mosley.
Some boxing critics and fans believe that Margarito known as a relentless hard hitting bruiser will provide the test for Pacquiao that previous opponents were unable to. I might have been on that bandwagon too, if not for the following facts.

Pacquiao has been able to defy boxing logic. Mid way through his boxing career, the pint size thunder machine actually got stronger, faster and skillfully craftier. Most other boxers would have started to experience a decline in their performance.

Margarito dwarfs Pacquiao in size and height, which normally gives an adversary a definitive advantage; not so against Pacquiao. Pacquaio’s recent winning performances against Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey have established him as a well documented effective giant killer.

Margarito was humiliated after it was discovered he had plaster inside his gloves when he fought Sugar Shane Mosley. To add insult to injury, Mosley, a 4:1 underdog, still knocked Margarito out in spite of the fact that Margarito cheated. Since losing to Mosley, Margarito’s only win in 2 + years is an unimpressive victory in Mexico, while Pacquiao has done nothing but win during the same time period in spectacular fashion.

Prediction:

A win for Margarito, a former welterweight titlist, would instantly vault him back to the top of the division and shed his bruised reputation. This notion should provide Margarito with ample motivation to perform well. However, I don’t think that Margarito will be able to get it together enough to beat Pacquiao. Margarito will probably mark-up Pacquiao. But in the end Pacquiao’s speed and skills will cause Margarito to succumb by a technical knockout in the 10th or 11th round. Margarito’s stormy past and long layoff will prevent him from disrupting Pacman’s winning streak. The only fighter in the sport of boxing capable of defeating the pound-for-pound best boxer is Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Boxing News

CWG: Malaysia's Quest For Boxing Medals Suffer Knockout Punch
reported by Bernama.com


NEW DELHI, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- All seven Malaysian boxers failed to make any impact at the 19th Commonwealth Games (CWG), losing their bouts in early stages.

With the exit of three Malaysian boxers Saturday, Muhammad Fuad, Mohd Subri and Muhamad Ali, Malaysia's hopes for a medal went out of the boxing ring.


Left click the Bernama.com script above to continue the story.

Long Season Ahead

The Westports KL Dragons hosted their first home game in the 2010/2011 season yesterday afternoon at MABA Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, which resulted in a loss to the Satria Muda BritAma from Indonesia. The guest squad jumped off to a fast start and never relinquished their lead throughout the entire contest. The final score was 77 – 68. The Dragons find themselves at the bottom of the league standings (ranked #5 out of 6), now that they have lost their first 2 games of the season; one at home and the other away.

The issue that plagued the Dragons last season is the same one that will bite them in the ass again this year. The Dragons lack a true center that can dominate inside the paint. It’s a fact that is hurting them both offensively and defensively.

The Dragons are a team of undersized point guards and forwards that don’t have the size or strength to pound the ball in from the post position. Nor do they have the emergence of a consistent double-figure rebounder, which means less second shoot opportunities and low scoring. All of which spells trouble for the Dragons’ offense, especially if the backcourt can’t find the inside of the net from the perimeter.

Defensively, the Dragons are getting hammered down low. With no shoot blocker in the middle to alter shoots, Dragon opponents fearlessly go head first straight into the gut of the Dragons’ defense. This void was very apparent in yesterday’s contest. Indonesia’s big men bullied and dunked on the Dragons’ interior defense repeatedly throughout the game. Trying to stop the harassment caused 3 Dragon players to foul out of the game. One Dragon player frustrated with trying to defend Indonesia’s starting center fouled out before the first half had even ended.

While the continued woes in the frontcourt have the Dragons’ head coach Goh Cheng Huat pulling out his hair and suffering from stomach alcers and nightmares, on a more positive note, the strong backcourt play of Guganeswaran Batumalai and Rudy Lingganay provides some limited relief for Dragons’ hopefuls.

But all in all, it looks like Dragons’ fans are in for a long arduous season.