Watchable TV In Detroit & Cleveland

Well how lucky are local networks around the local Detroit & Cleveland area? On Thursday afternoon Lions spokesmen Bill Keenist confirmed news we all eagerly anticipated. The game between the Browns & Lions would be blacked out because the team didn't sell over 7,000 tickets. Instead of watching two dreadful 1-8 teams, fans in those areas get a real treat. A black screen with some sort of text message about a supposed game going on in Detroit. That will likely pull higher ratings for the local networks then this game ever could have. Now all we have to wish for is that the Thanksgiving Day game doesn't sell out either & have a National Black Out. More surprisingly is the fact the Lions sold every seat for the exception of 7,000 or so. How the hell did they do it?

Pacman's Impressive Show

WOW!!! That's how you describe the Boxing clinic held by one Emmanuel Pacquiao last Saturday. A 12th round TKO victory over a brave Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao's win was so indelible, that a 3 year old I tucked into bed that night said, "he...he just kept punching him." That he did Junior...that he did.

Going into the fight it was supposed to be Cotto's power vs Manny's speed. But by the end of the night, it was Manny's power vs Manny's speed. & Pacman used both in devastating fashion to defeat a WBO Welterweight Champion Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao's punchstats were so more than dominant. He out landed Cotto in every round. Pacman enjoyed a huge power punch advantage in every round, but an astounding gap after round 4 of 187 to 40, after knocking Cotto down in the 3rd & 4th. It got so bad for Cotto, that his child & wife Melissa left the arena after the 9th round. All they missed was the continuous onslaught by Pacquiao.

After the 11th round, Miguel Cotto's father didn't want him to come out for the 12th. Cotto didn't appear to want anymore of Manny either. His body language said as much (regardless of what Miguel said in his postfight interview) before the round & during the 55 seconds of the 12th. At one point Manny even looked at referee Kenny Bayless with his hands up as to say, "hey man, he isn't swinging or anything." Pacquiao was right...Miguel didn't connect at all in the final round only throwing 8 feeble punches. Moments later, Bayless mercifully stopped the brutal beating that Cotto's corner ignorantly kept going. Cotto's corner offered no support & no solution through most of the fight. Either the corner was incompetent or Pacquiao had them just as puzzled as he had Cotto.

After the win, many spectators were chanting "we want Floyd." As in Floyd Mayweather Jr, a fight I personally don't see happening within the next 18-24 months if ever. The respective camps are already fighting over money. Earlier this year, negotiator for Top Rank Boxing Bruce Trampler told the LA Times, "If Floyd comes in here with that, 'I'm 'Money' Mayweather' thing, then I've got news for him: There's no way Manny's only going to take half." After Mayweather's victory in September over Juan Manuel Marquez, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Shaefer was quoted saying “Love him or hate him, he (Floyd Mayweather) is the biggest name in the sport, and the biggest revenue stream doesn't come from the Philippines. The U.S. is the capital of boxing, and Floyd Mayweather is the president of the capital."


So it looks like both fighters are looking for 55% of the purse. This Pacman-Cotto fight (as well as the expected PPV Sales), are big victories for the Pacquiao camp, as it will undoubtedly have more PPV sales than Mayweather-Marquez. But Mayweather's camp can argue (& will argue), the Floyd sold that fight by himself. Furthermore, Mayweather has outsold Pacman in 3 other events with similar opponents.

1. Floyd did 2.45 million against Oscar De La Hoya; Pacquiao did 1.25 million.
2. Floyd did 1 million against Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacman fought Marquez twice but only one was a PPV bout & no where close to 1 million sales.
3. Floyd did 940,000 with Ricky Hatton and Manny did 810,000.

"Those are the numbers and the numbers don’t lie," said Leonard Ellerbe (Mayweather's manager), adding his fighter is willing to take the fight, but the lion’s share of the money would have to go to Mayweather. Undoubtedly this will go back & forth for some time while both boxers take other fights. Maybe the winner of Mosley vs Berto for Mayweather, while the other fights Pacman (or vice versa), maybe a bout for either against undefeated Ukrainian Vyacheslav Senchenko. But any thoughts of this happening before 2011 is not realistic because there is too much pride at stake. So now we play the waiting game. No matter the hype & attention the other fights get...nothing will compare to what Mayweather-Pacquiao will bring in PPV Sales. The fight will live up to expectations, as both fighters are too gifted not too.

Brown Out

At what point does a team become unwatchable? 14 years ago, when the Cleveland Browns were set to leave town in favor of Baltimore, many fans cried. Not only that, but many demanded the franchise history & colors stay in Cleveland & that they be given another franchise. A new franchise was indeed given to Cleveland, but after 10 years of mediocrity (8 of which are double digit losses if you count 2009) the appeal has worn off to the point many fans are wishing, they never fought so hard. While many seats were empty during the Opening Kick Off (due to a fan walk out planned by season ticket holder Mike "Big Dawg" Randall), fans still had to sit & endure the torturous 3 hours of an offense without a playmaker, & a QB who couldn't hit his targets even if he had stars on offense. & while the defense played well, they didn't create any turnovers for their lackluster offense.

Words, not even pictures can describe how bad the Browns have been, so I'll try stats. They are dead last in points scored (78), next to last on 3rd down conversions, & last in turnover differential. Needless to say, that's a recipe for disaster. On offense the Browns have 5 TD's all year & have given up 3 TD's on offensive side, including another last night. Browns QB Brady Quinn couldn't make any passes on target. He threw behind receivers or over their heads by 15 feet. The Browns had no running game, they didn't pass deep, & had inopportune penalties that pinned them to constant 3rd & long situations. They had 5 plays in Ravens territory...5 & NONE past the 45. The Browns never threatened to score & never did. End result was a 16-0 shutout infront of what was rumored to be a national audience.

In closing, I know a lot of people complain about the games put on TV & how the networks only have a few select teams on. But there is a reason for that & if you saw last nights Monday Night game, you found out why. Sports is supposed to be entertaining. Last night wasn't. So can you really blame the networks for wanting the better games when they are only trying to provide us with a better product? I wouldn't subject any sports fan to the garbage I forced myself to watch. Last night, ESPN played the role of Brandon Spikes, & I was Washaun Ealey.

Alex Rodriguez's Dimise Greatly Exaggerated

I really couldn't wait to write this article when all the negative steroid news came out about Alex Rodriguez at the beginning of the year. First I'd like to thank Alex Rodriguez, Kate Hudson, Selena Roberts, & the NY Yankees for making this so easy to write & stick it to all the A-Rod haters. Coming off his most accomplished season ever, clearly all the Rodriguez haters are FOREVER SILENCED!!!

In February, many expected Rodriguez to collapse under the immense pressure of the steroid controversy. Selena Roberts published a book & printed 150,000 copies (only sold 16,000), he was going through a divorce, & a June slump where pitchers went right after him with fastballs. As always, questions persisted on how Alex would do in the post season. But a funny thing happened on the road to oblivion. From the first pitch he saw this season, Alex started hitting in pressure situations early & late. Another 30 HR & 100 RBI season, after missing 6 weeks. He even produced in the post season, while carrying NY into the World Series, & exercising all the demons of post seasons past by winning a championship. Personal accolades aside, Alex made his team better immediately upon his return. Before Rodriguez's triumphant return to the Yankee lineup, New York was 13-15. After May 8, the Yankees won 2 out of every 3 games the rest of the season. That is what we call, IMPACT!!!

"But wait!!!" said the detractors. "Let's see in the postseason...he'll CHOKE!!!" The very thought that Rodriguez would NEVER hit in the post season was beyond ludicrous. Alex is simply too talented to NOT hit. Alex owned pitching through the first 2 rounds going 14-32, 5 HR, & an RBI in every game for the exception of 1 (Game 5 ALCS). Then, in the midst of "he took steroids" chant in Philadelphia (how quickly Philly fans forget about David Bell), Alex simply continued the timely hitting. Game 3, a HR opposite field off the camera, an RBI double in the 9th in Game 4 to put NY ahead, & 3 more RBI in the Game 5 loss, that kept NY in the game. Alex Rodriguez tallied a Yankee record 18 RBI during the 2009 post season...cut straight to the Yankee-o-graphy folks, this is how legends are made, nothing else needs to be said.

But for you haters scoring Alex at home:

Fame...CHECK!!!
Looks...CHECK!!!
Money...CHECK!!!
Hot Girlfriend...CHECK!!!
Your Girlfriend's Approval...CHECK!!!
Championship...OH YEAH...CHECKMATE!!!

You're O for everything, he's 6 for 6...