Glorious Name, Inglorious Performance

Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (L) takes a right hand from Brian Vera

When you hear the name Julio Cesar Chavez, what exactly comes to your mind? Warrior. Winner. Legend.

When you hear the name Julio Cesar Chavez JUNIOR, what exactly comes to your mind? Slow-starter. Poor work ethic. Lacks commitment. Power puncher but has yet to impress consistently. 

When a future star(?) was paired with 6-loss veteran Brian Vera, Chavez Jr. looked anything but impressive. The punches may not have wobbled the Mexican, but his face told the story. Combinations were unleashed. The frequency of punches thrown were bordering around Paul Williams territory each and every round. Wait, this guy was an easy opponent?

As the final scores were read, eye-rolls were met with the decision, justifiably, with Vera’s support group caught saying “THAT’S BULLSHIT” as cameras deadpanned. They were right. A fighter called on to be a tune-up for one of Top Rank’s money-making fighters was outclassed. He landed a few power shots here and there that certainly rocked Vera, but the 31 year old from Fort Worth, Texas was anything but sufficiently hurt. It is a tough loss indeed. One that, say Chavez Jr. had a different last name with a different father, may have got the decision Vera deserved.

What We Learned – Chavez, Jr.

Per the usual, he started slow. His work ethic and training have always been in question, rightfully so when HBO’s 24/7 series documents a fighters every move and he procrastinates working with one of the best trainers of our generation in Freddie Roach for the BIGGEST fight of his career against Sergio Gabriel Martinez. Chavez lacked confidence as Vera, the smaller man, continually bullied him round after round, backing up Jr. up until the ninth when urgency set in.

There were plenty of instances when he tried to bait longtime referee Lou Moret that punches were low. This was not a fight for a major star, rather a bout that showed Chavez’s true colors; when he lets his hands go opponents are stopped in their tracks. When he refuses, rounds are lost (or so we think).

His countrymen want him to be great, the question is does Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. himself want to be great? Does he have the fire to be great? 

Maybe if he sets the alarm clock before the sun sets precious time will be saved to savor his career.

Floyd Mayweather Dominates Canelo Alvarez

Floyd Mayweather (R) dominates Canelo Alvarez
at the MGM Grand on Saturday, September 14th, 2013.

Floyd Mayweather showed his brilliance. Jab, jab jab right down the pipe of the guard(?) of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, who clearly still has potential, but is simply no where near the same planet that “Money” Mayweather is currently on. Domination, round after round. Every time there was slight pressure from the 23 year old Mexican who has been straggled along by Golden Boy, Mayweather evaded, confidently escaping any potential harm. He claims to have dislocated his left shoulder. This is the second consecutive fight where he fought with injury (i.e. Robert Guerrero and a broken hand). Yet for some reason, as I watched with friends and family, I knew one thing: if it was not for me encouraging tonight’s fight down their throats, none of them would watch it. None of them would even know of Canelo, who my mother hilariously called “Connor” because she thought he was Irish. This is the story of what is to come. Will those who are just being exposed to pay-per-view Boxing for the first time want to return? Will they dig into their pockets in the year 2013, where the unemployment rate in the United States this past month was 7.3%?

For those of us who love the Mayweathers and the Rigondeaux’s, we question what could be next for Mayweather. Here’s one avenue of thought, go to ESPN.com’s boxing rankings. Search from junior welterweight (140 pounds) to junior middleweight (154). Here are the bouts the moderate Boxing fan may want to see…

Jr Welterweight

-       Lucas Matthysse

o   Just lost to Danny “Swift” Garcia on Floyd’s undercard. Floyd proved against Canelo that power punchers cannot find him and if you try to outbox him he’ll send you home frustrated. Not going to happen.

-       Danny Garcia

o   Just solidified the best win of his career. Showed as much defensively as offensively. Could win more rounds than Canelo. My take (Larry David voice), “Sure why not!”

-       Mike Alvarado

o   No.

-       Brandon Rios:

o   If he beats Pacquiao, maybe, just maybe. Until then: no.

-       Lamont Peterson

o   No.

-       Amir Khan

o   No.

Welterweight

-       Juan Manuel Marquez

o   Marquz is hot after sending Manny Pacquiao into a coma. If he beats Bradley, well good for him. Fact is, we have already seen his true colors vs Floyd in 2009. In short: no.

-       Timothy Bradley

o   The only reason you would want to see Mayweather fight Bradley is if you despise “Desert Storm.”

o   Quick note: Floyd’s nickname is “Money.” When one of the two fighters on pay-per-view do not represent that term, it’s uninteresting. Enough said, not happening.

-       Adrien Broner

o   Will absolutely never happen

-       Devon Alexander

o   Uninterested after his lackadaisical performance against Randall Bailey. Sure he knocked out some guy named Purdy, who came in overweight, and who also has the same last name as my high school gym teacher. Quick answer: Nah, I’m good.

Jr Middlewieght

-       Austin Trout

o   Trout was a tough customer for Canelo Alvarez, who if your name is not CJ Ross, you had Mayweather pitching a shutout. While Trout is a very nice opponent, headlining him against Mayweather is not a fan-friendly affair.

-       Miguel Cotto

o   See Cinco de Mayo, ’12.

-       Erislandy Lara

o   Good boxer, showed myself and “The Cool Out’s” Britton Hardin a lot when he rallied to beat Alfredo Angulo in Carson, California. Still it would be a snooze fest.

Manny Pacquiao

Yes the man deserves his own special little section with his name in bold. Pacquiao faces Brandon Rios since he was knocked unconscious against Juan Manuel Marquez in their 4^th affair. Can the mega-fight between Floyd and Manny happen? Absolutely. If he beats Rios by decision, of course I’ll watch. If he wins by knockout, that will only sweeten the deal for Mayweather.

Recently on TYTSports you saw myself, Britton Hardin (youtube.com/TheCoolOut) and R.A. the Rugged Man, legendary hip-hop artist from New York and big Boxing fan. We talked many subjects, including Floyd-Manny. R.A. made the strongest point of all; the fight should have happened years ago. My viewing pleasure will be blinded during those 36 minutes of action, but afterward, it being a one-sided match, I will still have the thought in the back of my mind: why couldn’t Top Rank and Mayweather Promotions put down their swords, FOR THE FANS? The fight will be good, I will certainly watch, but after the final bell rings and the majority decision goes to Mayweather, we as Boxing fans will all have a sour taste in our mouths, knowing that the biggest bout in the sport’s history should have already occurred.

So Who Should Floyd Fight Next?

My short list is below in no particular order.

-       Manny Pacquiao

-       Danny Garcia

-       Sergio Martinez

-       Gennady Golovkin (Robert Ecksel’s pick)

Before you say (Stephen A. Smith voice) “BLASPHEMY! BLASPHEMY!” let’s just have fun but also be true to the argument at hand. Floyd Mayweather has made the best competition for the last 17 years look at times amateur. He is a great champion, but now is the time to prove he belongs in the argument with Sugar Ray Robinson as the greatest boxer of all-time. Step up to fights that are unimaginable to the most loyal fans of the sport. Fight Sergio Martinez, albeit he has suffered injury after injury. A win at a catch-weight will silence the Mayweather naysayers saying he has not fought the best. Fight GGG and dispel the myths of the Kazakh fighter being elite. If he fights these two AND wins, there is no doubt that counter-arguments to Mayweather doubters will be on-point and precise. Go for the big wins. Push the envelope with your competition. Prove you are the best.

Rick's Random Thoughts, Vol. 1

I recently did a video on TYT Sports regarding Gregg Williams getting caught running a Bounty System. I posed a question, albeit I did receive some criticism, even from my dad(!), about my hypothetical’s; what-if a player were to have his career ended from a hit by one Saints defender. What-if a player was hit so hard by these Bounties that the athlete went from highly skilled, athletic competitor to suffering brain damage and being a vegetable in the hospital. What-if the worst of the worst happened; a bounty completed its mission, and took out their opponent…for life. These are hypothetical’s, I completely understand, but when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell discusses how to improve player’s safety, they discuss these sorts of hypothetical’s. Why is this? Because knowing what could happen puts you one step ahead in minimalizing it actually occurring.

If Commissioner Goodell comes down hard on Gregg Williams, he will instill a fear in others to slowly veer away from these bounty programs. Come down hard Commissioner, very hard.

The Chicago Blackhawks have no identity without Jonathan Toews in the lineup. The game I saw tonight against the Blues was just flat out boring. They have no charisma, they play with no swagger, just frustrating man. They were outshot by 11 (31-20), ouhit (is that a word?) 27-11. They’re 3-4 in their last 7 games.

A good game I watched today: Arsenal vs. AC Milan. My goodness the Blackhawks could take a page out of Arsenal’s energy today. Down 4-0 on aggregate, the Gunners were tagged as 33-1 underdogs by the bookies. They took complete charge in the first half as if this was their last hoo-rah. Laurent Koscieln scored in the 7^th minute. The crowd at Emirates Stadium was loud, but kept the reality of the game in their backpockets; their club were still chasing 3 goals.  In the 26^th minute Thiago Silva could not clear the ball out of the penalty area. Tomas Rosicky, the 31 year old midfielder from Czechoslovakia, stroked one inside the near post.

2-0. Still chasing 2 on aggregate.

In the 43^rd minute Chamberlain made a fabulous run, sliding his way in between a pair of Milan defenders and drawing contact. The referee pointed straight towards the spot. Penalty.

Robin Van Persie, who has been so clutch and wore the captaincy on his sleeve, was set to take it. The referee made Van Persie re-spot the ball twice. It seemed like years before we would see the result of this PK. Van Persie went through his normal routine, lined ump, and smashed it right into the back of the net.

They were chasing one. Goal.

Would we witness history? Would we have seen the impossible?

Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. Van Persie had a golden chance, receiving a rebound from the foot of Gervinho. He could not bury it, the Gunners gave up possession to Milan a majority of the second half, and the bookies could exhale.

More on TYT Sports tomorrow.

YouTube.com/TYTSports

Paul Williams: Life on the Line

Can you ever recall that moment in your life where you said to yourself, “this is it.” Where one moment of time, one small, 36-minute window decided your entire career? Whether you continue on a difficult road to redemption, or just get written off? Where you came into the public’s eye as a champion, and on one bad night at the office, you are not even mentioned anymore?

Meet Paul “The Punisher” Williams.

He stands 6 feet, 2 inches tall and is a former WBO Welterweight champion/WBO Interim Junior Middleweight champion. On an average night he will throw over 100 punches per round. He succeeded with the angles he chooses to attack, fierce relentless in attacking his opposition, great stamina and strong chin.

The Aiken, South Carolina native is 39-2 with 27 knockouts. He has faced the likes of Antonio Margarito, Carlos Quintana (twice), Verno Phillips, Sergio Martinez (twice), Kermit Cintrol and Ronald “Winky” Wright, all former champions.

Williams has never ran from a fight. Now, he’s fighting for his career.

After dispatching Phillips and Wright, Williams faced Martinez in what would be an epic fight. Both fighters knocked the other down in the 1^st round, battling through tough shots from one another throughout the fight, battling fatigue and leaving it all in the ring. Williams would win via decision on the scorecards. A freaky ending to Williams’ brawl with Cintron led to a rematch with Martinez at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, the same place these two had one of the greatest fights in years.

Then Williams’ career took a complete 180.

It was vicious. The sound every Williams supporter will remember.  The sound, of a man, knocked unconscious. It was that kind of knockout that had most people, even if they bet on Martinez, having their hand over their mouth. (The knockout can be seen here). “This is part of our business,” Williams said after the fight. “You can’t accept winning if you can’t accept losing.” 

Now he’s in the fight of his life on Saturday, July 8^th at the same place he experienced so much triumph over the years, and also the worst defeat of his career. His opponent: Erislandy Lara, a 27 year old Cuban fighter who is a southpaw like Martinez and won the amateur world championship at welterweight in 2005. Lara may not have any significant victories thus far in his career, but he plans to land it over Williams. "I will finish where Martinez left off…After I'm done with him, there won't be any further returns because I'll end his career."

The true grit, will, and champion in Paul Williams will be proven Saturday. These are the fights champions are made of; when pressed against the ropes and literally fighting for your life. Will it be the end, or a new beginning?

College Ballin Focus: The Mighty Big East. 1-31-10

It comes as no surprise to the college basketball fanatic that the Big East is by far the most powerful and toughest conference to play in. Like the Southeastern Conference is to college football, the Big East is to college basketball. Thunderous players with sky’s the limit talent and teams that just simply do not care to respect one another. It gets chippy, the games are scrappy, and the list of coaches are notable. Every game is a dogfight with the opponent and this BCS conference puts it on full display almost every night. (Why else did ESPN & ESPN2 make a contract with the conference to air their games?)

Since 2003 the conference, based in Providence, Rhode Island, has had eight teams make it to the Final Four. Syracuse won in 2003 (right) for their first title ever in school history. The following year the University of Connecticut, with the inside-outside game of Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon, won their 2^nd title in school history (below), all under Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun. Marquette (2003), Louisville (2005), Georgetown (2007), Uconn/Villanova (2009) and West Virginia (2010) have been semifinalists since 2003. This versatile conference also accomplished a note-worhty feat: In 2006 they sent the most teams to the tournament with 8. In 2008, they sent 8 yet again.

Calhoun & Uconn
in 2004

Here’s just a quick glimpse of how competitive it really is…

Notre Dame (ranked 11^th in the nation) loses to Marquette. Following game they lose at St. John’s. 6 days later they win against Marquette. Next game they win AT Pittsburgh (ranked #2 at the time).

How about Rick Pitino and Louisville? They lost at unranked Providence, yet won back-to-back games vs. West Virginia at home and went on the road to defeat #5 Connecticut and one of the best scorers in the nation. Syracuse won 18 in a row to start the season, including wins over Notre Dame, Providence, at Seton Hall and at St. John’s. Since, they have lost 4 straight and are tumbling in the polls. Back-to-back losses at home to Seton Hall by 22 and on the road visiting Marquette resulted in a heartbreaking loss by 6. Villanova, ranked #6 overall in the preseason polls, beat (then-#17) Louisville at home and Syracuse (then-#3) on the road. However, they have lost to then-#8 Uconn, unranked Providence, and #20 Georgetown.

However, these teams cannot do it without good coaching. The list of coaches is below.


Cincinnati - Mick Cronin
- Cronin took Murray State to a 69-24 record over 3 seasons. At 38 years of age, he took the reins at Cincinnati in 2006. So far this season, Cronin and the Bearcats have an overall record of 18-4. 
Connecticut - Jim Calhoun Jim Calhoun
- Calhoun, a Hall of Fame inductee in 2005, has won both national championships in the men's program. 
- Been at Uconn since 1986. 
- Has guided the Huskies to 9 regular season championships, 6 Big East tournament championships and 3 Final Fours.
DePaul - Oliver Purnell
- Purnell is making his debut in the Big East this year after going 394-280 with Clemson of the ACC. Depaul is a high mountain to climb to compete in the Big East, but Purnell is up to the task.
Georgetown - John Thompson III
- Princeton-offense based coach and son of the great Georgetown coach John Thompson. 
- Overall record of 203-101. 
- Has taken the Hoyas to the Sweet 16 in 2005-2006 and the Final Four in 2006-2007. 
Louisville - Rick Pitino
- 1996 National champion coaching Kentucky. 
- John Wooden National Coach of the Year in 1987.
- SEC Coach of the Year in 1990, 1991 and 1996. 
- Big East regular season & tournament champs in 2009. 
- 5 Final Four appearances.
Marquette - Buzz Williams
- Took over after Tom Crean departed for Indiana University.
- In 2 seasons at Marquette he continues to recruit well and has taken them to the NCAA Tournament both years.
- At 38 years old, Williams is an intense coach. One notable of Williams: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKdC3xvtUrQ&feature=related. A must see.
Notre Dame - Mike Brey
- 2x Big East Coach of the Year (2007, 2008)
- When hired at Notre Dame, the Irish had not been to the Tournament since 1990. In his first 3 years as coach, Brey led Notre Dame to two 2nd-round appearances and a Sweet 16. 
Pittsburgh - Jamie Dixon
- Only head coaching job Dixon has ever had.
- Has taken every team at PITT to the tournament, most notably Sweet 16 in 2003-2004/2006-2007 & Elite 8 in 2008-2009.
- Big East regular season champs in 2004.
- Big East Coach of the Year in 2004.
- Big East tournament champs in 2008
- Naismith College Coach of the Year in 2009.
- Won gold in FIBA under-19 world championships in 2009.
- USA Basketball Coach of the Year in 2009.
Providence - Keno Davis
- Only 38 years of age.
- Took Drake, first head coaching job, to a 28-5 record (15-3 in conference) and an NCAA Tournament appearance. 
- AP National Coach of the Year in 2008.
- Sporting News Coach of the Year in 2008.
- Hugh Durham Award for Mid-Major Coach of the Year in 2008.
- Basketball Times Coach of the Year in 2008.
- Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2008.
Rutgers - Mike Rice Jr.
- 41 years old.
- Took first head coaching job at Robert Morris. Led the Colonials to an NIT appearance in first year and NCAA Tournament appearance in second & third years at the helm (first Robert Morris appearance to tournament was in 1992).
St. John's - Steve Lavin
- Well-experienced coach.
- Assistant for Gene Keady at Purdue from 1988 to 1991. 
- 6 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
- National Rookie Coach of the Year in 1997.
- 5 Sweet 16 appearances in 6 seasons.
- While at UCLA, led the Bruins to 6 consecutive 20-win seasons.
Seton Hall - Kevin Willard
- 2nd head coaching job (first at Iona from 2007-2010).
- Most notable win: Beat Syracuse on the road by 22 points.
- Was an assistant under Rick Pitino for 10 years.
South Florida - Stan Heath
- Former Arkansas head coach.
- Assistant under Tom Izzo for 5 years.
- Was featured in SI column of 5 coaches waiting to get their first head coaching job in 2001. 4 weeks later, Heath was named head coach at Kent State.
Syracuse - Jim Boeheim
- Inducted in Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005.
- Head coach of Syracuse since 1976.
- National Champion in 2003.
- 3 FInal Four appearances.
- 8 Big East regular season champs.
- 5 Big East tournament championships.
- Clair Bee Coach of the Year 2000.
- Naismith College Coach of the Year in 2010.
- AP Coach of the Year in 2010.
- NABC Coach of the Year in 2010.
- Sporting News National Coach of the Year in 2010.
- Big East Coach of the Year 4x.
Villanova - Jay Wright
- From 1994-2001 turned the Hofstra basketball program completely around.
- Led Hofstra to conference championship in 1999-2000 and 2000-2001. 
- Eastern Basketball Coach of the Year in 1999.
- Naismith College Coach of the Year in 2006.
- Big East Coach of the Year 2x.
- 1st Final Four appearance in 2009.
- Big East regular season champs in 2006.
- 2 Elite 8's.
- 4 Sweet 16's.
- 7 NCAA Tournament appearances.
West Virginia - Bob Huggins
- Coached at Akron, Cincinnati, Kansas State and West Virginia.
- 81-30 overall at West Virginia.
- 2 FInal Four appearances.
- 18 NCAA Tournament appearances.
- Conference-USA Coach of the Decade in 2005.
- Conference-USA Coach of the Year in 1998, 1999 and 2000
- 8x Conference-USA regular season champs.
- 4x Conference-USA tournament champs. 

The list can go on and on featuring the players that have come out of this conference and the coaches who contribute to the team's success. One thing is for certain: at the end of the year it is up for grabs which teams will be punching their tickets to Houston, Texas. One other thing is for certain; the Big East will give everyone a run for their money.

College Ballin. 1-24-10

 

With conference schedules rolling around and teams having their core lineups in place, it can only mean one thing...March Madness is that much closer. Teams will knock out teams, and rankings will change, however the stars will shine and Cinderellas will still still have the slipper. Welcome to week 12 of the college basketball season.

Tough 2 Game Stretch?

According to the Associated Press rankings, the Wisconsin Badgers of 2010 have gone from unranked in the beginning of the season, to ten weeks later appearing in the top 25. At 15-4, Bo Ryan's club maintains the same philosophy, and that is disciplined basketball. The Badgers, who rank #1 in the country at 82% from the free throw line, will be put to the tests against what could have arguably been one of the best stories of 2010 in the Penn State Nittany Lions on the 29th in University Park, and a showdown on the 1st of February with Purdue. In a 4 day stretch, Penn State nearly knocked off Ohio State, the unanimous number 1, and the Boilermakers, both at home.

                                                    Game of the Week?

Jimmer Fredette

Hands-down, it has to be Brigham Young University(#9 AP/#9 ESPN) vs. San Diego State(#4 AP/#4 ESPN). Wednesday, January 26th, 10:00 PM (Eastern Time), at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah.

The kid who many call "The Jimmer," has shown unlimited range, an ability to create off the dribble, a pure shooter, and just a knack for putting the ball in the hole. Fredette, a 6'2 senior from Glens Falls, New York, currently averages 26.7 points per game, the nation's #1 scorer. However, while all is going well for the Cougars, they face a team that, as of week 12, is 1 of only 2 teams remaining in college basketball with an undefeated record. The other? Unanimous #1 Ohio State. The Aztecs from San Diego State University may be able to keep up with the high-octane Cougars, ranking 7th in field goal percentage (49.2%) and will try just about anything to slow down Jimmer. In a year where the surprises are coming and mid-majors could fight off their power conference foes in March, here is a preview of what two mid-major schools can do and display that there is nothing "mid-major" about them. Get your popcorn ready folks.

College Ballin. 12-21-10

HI-YO!

UCONN
The Huskies are playing solid ball behind, no surprise, Kemba Walker. Now the #2 scorer in the country (Northern Illinois' Xavier Silas is #1; 28.1), Walker is averaging 27.2 points per. Walker is yet to score under 20 points since the first game of the season. He is a tough 2-guard, and just has a knack to score. However, get the 6'1 junior in foul trouble...then what? Sophomore big-man Alex Oriakhi will contribute at a double-double minimum, however, he only averages just over eleven points per contest. The next scorer? Shabazz Napier (8.6). Until they get a real test vs. #6 PITT on December 27th (who lost to the mid-major foe Tennesse), UCONN (8-0) will stay in the top 5 for a little while longer.

HI-NO!

TENNESSEE

Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl

Go back to the Volunteers. Not only did they lose to Oakland (who nearly beat then-#17 Illinois at Assembly Hall and #8 Michigan State by a point), UT suffered defeat at the hands of a 5-6 Charlotte team, who belongs to the Atlantic 10 conference. Seems like a typical season for Tennessee, actually. Just a year ago they beat top-ranked Kansas, then just a few weeks later, lost back-to-back games at Georgia, then at home vs. Vanderbilt. Flashback to 2010. To make matters worse, the Volunteers lost to an underachieving USC team tonight (65-64), who is ranked nearly dead-last in the conference. The last time Tennessee dropped 3 in a row: nearly four years ago; losses to Vanderbilt, Ohio State, and Auburn.

THIS KID IS GOOOOD...

Anatoly Bose - 6'6 senior / From: Sydney, Australia / Attends: Nicholls State University

Bose put up 30 points, including a career-high 7 three-pointers, in a 94-52 rout of Dillard. This is his second time cracking 30 points this season, 5 times he has put up 30+. Bose is the #3 leading scorer in the country, averaging 25 per contest.