Manny Gets KO'd

Tonight was the fourth matchup of Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao and Marquez drew the first matchup, then Manny won the last two the with their third matchup being a highly disputed decision in Manny's favor. Marquez got his revenge in a highly entertaining fight. Both men traded knockdowns in the earlier rounds and the fifth round in particular had some very entertaining boxing. Pacquiao was winning the sixth round (coincidentally, I was scoring the bout 47-46 in Manny's favor, along with all the judges) when right before the bell was rung, Marquez threw perfect shot in Pacquiao's face to knock him out cold. Great win and well deserved for Marquez.

This is the second straight loss for Pacquiao and while the loss to Timothy Bradley was considered a travesty, tonight's loss is much more resounding. For the last three years, Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather kept avoiding each other which would have been the biggest match in boxing since perhaps Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson in 2002. Now that Manny has lost a couple, and in such a loss in this night, there is no point to them fighting and boxing is the biggest loser of all.

Tonight's winners, along with Marquez of course, is anyone who saw this person at the fight:

Mitt Romney's got another politician who he can talk about losing big matchups.

(h/t to Bryan Armen Graham for the GIF and photo)

UPDATE: I now have a video from the 6th round until the end. The announcers are Spanish, and simply delightful.

Randomness While Hoping Jay Leno Doesn't Take My Blog Away

Before I start the post, I'd like to take the time to show my support to the people of Haiti and those Americans of Haitian descent who are dealing with the devastation after the earthquake there, particularly one of my best friends.

-NBC this week has really proven to be the dumbest of networks. Following an embarrassment of an announce team they put together for the Jets-Bengals, now this Leno-Conan issue has completely blown up in their face. They too quickly wanted to keep Conan from leaving to another network, so they rushed him into the Tonight Show slot. When Leno didn't want to leave, they gave him the 10pm slot, screwing Conan and their affiliates in the process. Now, NBC wants to get everything back to how it was, with Leno late, followed by Conan and Jimmy Fallon. It's such a mess, you'd think Jim Dolan was in charge of NBC.

-Harrison Ford's film legacy should be as the best at finding roles which he can utter famous lines in serious movies. His latest one was so received, it has it's own YouTube clip before the movie comes out. Not even Jack Nicholson is as good with finding these roles, despite two famous lines. Not when you consider Indiana Jones, The Fugitive and Air Force One.

-Now to sports, let's start by saying I completely agree with Kevin Iole in his column about the failed Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. It's everyone's fault. Yes, I include you Floyd, you're the bully, with Pacquiao's career and reputation damaged by this. Meanwhile, Bob Arum and everyone else are just vindictive fools who'd rather have a pissing match then make money. An agreement should of been made, it wasn't because just like in Kindergarten, everyone involved couldn't get along with others.

-I'm going to make this a two-part Randomness, with Babe of the Week tomorrow. First things first, I've starting contributing at Gonzo Ball, the official SBN site for Seton Hall men's basketball, though I would probably post other sports should someone at SHU do something noteworthy. I started with covering last Thursday's loss to Georgetown and should write more posts as the season goes along. So be sure to follow me there, as well as the outstanding founder of Gonzo Ball and the soon-to-be official cast of writers.

-Time for my picks for Saturday's Divisional Playoff games. Let's start with the soon to be high-scoring fest in New Orleans, as the Saints take on the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals will score on the Saints unless Kurt Warner has a stinkbomb of a game (which is very possible, though in playoff time, not as likely). However, when will the Cards stop Drew Brees and the Saints offense, at home no less. I think this plays like the 1999 game between Warner's Rams and the Vikings with Cris Carter and Randy Moss. The Rams won that one 49-37 because their offense was a little better than the Vikings that year (since Jeff George was the Vikes QB). I think the same thing happens today, except against Warner here. Saints (-7.5) over Cards; final score: 41-31.

-In the nightcap, Baltimore goes to Indianapolis (gee, where did we hear that one before) with the Ravens coming off a dominating performance against a clearly inferior Patriots team. The Colts, on the other hand, staggered into the playoffs after losing their last two games, ending a 14-0 start. The manner in which they lost seemed to infuriate everyone, since the Colts sat their starters, giving the Jets a win which put them into the playoffs. People always look at the Ravens defense and figure they will play a close game, and give Manning trouble. However, historically, Peyton Manning has gone 7-2 against Baltimore, the two losses in the only two years the Colts missed the playoffs in the Manning Era (yes, it includes one in Jim Mora's final season, the week after the "PLAYOFFS" rant). Also, Manning has thrown 17 touchdowns with only 5 interceptions with a 65 percent completion and a 103.8 QB rating. These stats tell me that Manning has the Ravens number and add the fact that the Colts are the best at primetime (which this game is being played), I have to think the Colts take care of business. Especially once the Colts know that they just need to make Joe Flacco beat you. Colts (-6.5) over Ravens; final score, 27-10.

Randomness While Channeling My Inner Barry Switzer

And apparently, this guy above also did the same thing. Bill Belichick did everything to lose that game Sunday night in that final Patriots drive. New England enters this drive with two timeouts and blows one before the first play for no reason. After setting up 3rd and 2, Belichick calls a pass play, instead of a run to set up the two minute warning, and that pass is nearly run back for a pick six. As the Pats offense leaves the field, Belichick arrogance comes into play and calls for another pass play on 4th and 2 at their OWN 28. The confusion of that play made the Pats burn their last timeout. That timeout was important as the Pats missed converting on the 4th down play on a close play that either you could use the timeout to challenge or save for the Colts possession and give Tom Brady more than 10 seconds to drive down the field.


Monday, I heard half the sports world rightly kill Belichick for his handling of the 4th down play and the other half defend him because "he's unconventional" and obviously anything he does is always the right call. The fact is, Belichick should have punted, and everyone expected it, which is why the Pats threw on third down (which you can't do) and threw basically the same route on fourth down. You can't take a chance that Peyton Manning gets 30 yards to win a game, but make him go 60-70 yards against you're defense that has made him uncomfortable all night, including a couple of interceptions (one in the fourth quarter).


Random note: I know about the video of Belichick's bodyguard knocking over a cameraman as they left the field. The thing that cracks me up is after Belichick shakes Jim Caldwell's hand, Jim Sorgi randomly approaches Bill just as the cameraman was taken down. Random note two: Since I didn't post this after this article, I must give Ed Werder credit for the "channel his inner Switzer" line. We both thought it, he put it on record first, plus he actually spoke with Barry Switzer about it, so he deservedly gets credit.


Good luck for the NY Jets, who have to face the Patriots who after their last loss beat the Titans 59-0. Add that the Pats lost the way they did, that the Jets beat them in September and how Belichick just plain hate the team, I wouldn't be surprised if 59-0 is the halftime score.


Jets have their own problems after another tough loss to the Jaguars Sunday. The key play was Maurice Jones-Drew stopping at the one yard line, a la Brian Westbrook, in order to run the clock down for a winning field goal. Gregg Easterbrook in his comprehensive TMQ column made an interesting point on the play, not by calling MJD dumb for trying to run the clock, but stating that Jack Del Rio would be to blame if the Jags somehow missed the FG because all they did was take knees to set the kick up (also you see him defend Belichick's fourth down decision, which I'm sure he was fight 100 bolts of lightning in doing so).


This is about the Jets, who have self-destructed before our very eyes, at least to those who live in New York. They lost Kris Jenkins and Leon Washington, Kerry Rhodes is the anti-Ed Reed, Mark Sanchez is playing like a rookie and Rex Ryan is coaching without a clue. This is a team that has talked like they won the last ten Super Bowls, where the coach has no clue about clock management and how to use his timeouts, where a rookie QB reads a prepared statement and thinks he can get away with pissing off the New York media. Now they're 4-5, certain to be 4-6 and headed to a 6-10, 7-9 season. The Rex Ryan Era Everybody!!!


Where last Sunday was an awful day for the Jets, it was golden for the Giants. Why? They didn't play. Also, the Cowboys, Eagles and Falcons lost, with all three and the Broncos each losing key players to injury. In a related story, the Giants play all three teams in the next four weeks. If Chris Simms is the starter on Thanksgiving, no chance do the Giants lose, hell the Lions or the Rams have as good a chance of winning. Thus, the Giants could avoid Brian Westbrook (concussion), Kyle Orton (ankle) and Michael Turner (ankle), plus the Cowboys had multiple injuries.


The Bengals are for real and no one can ignore them anymore. They swept both AFC Championship teams from a year ago, plus they have Oakland, Kansas City, Cleveland and Detroit which will get them into the playoffs. The defense is very good who have absorbed the loss of Antwan Odom without losing the ferocity of their pass rush and they have the best pair of corners for any team (with Green Bay the one possible exception) in Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall.


I remember back in the mid-90s that Bud Adams was one of the worst owners in sports with how he handled coaches and obviously how the Oilers left Houston for Tennessee. Then, he has seemed like a good guy during the Jeff Fisher era, but giving him the Cowher treatment and not firing him. After last Sunday, I'm glad that Adams can be hated once again after his two bird salute to a Bills section, not to mention Commissioner Roger Goodell.


I think everyone's aware that the Yankees have won more games that the Nets, Knicks, Giants AND Jets combined in November. But does anyone know that the Seton Hall Pirates hold that same claim and they started playing games last Friday. Just sayin'. (This is no longer true because the Knicks remarkably won in Indiana, holding Danny Granger to three second half points. So now it's a tie.)


As for the Pirates, I believe they will make the tournament, despite Keon Lawrence getting suspended for DUI. Herb Pope will make the difference and finally give the team the size they've been lacking. I rarely pick college in November because a) too many new players so I have no clue how they mesh and b) I know teams that are thought of as good fall on their faces way too often.


After blowing the draft pick this year and selecting Jordan Hill over Brandon Jennings and a still questionable Danilo Gallinari pick last year, should Knicks fans be concerned that Donnie Walsh is the GM? Also, does this make it a good thing the Knicks don't have a draft pick in 2010, thus Walsh can't screw up another one?

Huge weekend boxing where Manny Pacquiao puts himself in the elite class of fighters after his dominant win over Miguel Cotto. There were some shades of the Ali "Rope-A-Dope" in the early rounds which Cotto was forcing the action, before one switch at the ropes and Pac Man was brutal the rest of the fight, forcing Cotto's wife and son fleeing the arena (just like Mick Foley's wife and kids). Now, the entire world is salivating over a fight between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, hopefully to be seen on the unofficial fight weekend of the year, Kentucky Derby day (doubling as the weekend of my 24th birthday).


Pacquiao supporters can claim that he dominated Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton better than Floyd and that Miguel Cotto was the best fighter either guy faced. While Mayweather supporters can claim the win of Juan Manuel Marquez is better than Pacquiao's struggles with the guy, the fact is, Marquez was a better fighter at a lower weight. One thing that's true about Pacquiao, he hasn't lost his speed as he moves up weight class and winning titles in seven divisions is as good a feat as ever done in boxing, while Mayweather must continue to stay unbeaten because that's his claim to fame, aside from a lot of bravado and boring defensive fights (he's clearly the San Antonio Spurs of boxing for the simple fact that I think he can throw when he wants to which he did against Hatton, just as the Spurs could score with the Suns when necessary). Pacquiao's place in boxing history will be looked on kind regardless of a win/loss against Floyd, but Mayweather can establish himself in a greater light. That's why Floyd needs this fight, though not more than the sport of boxing itself.


Finally, the World Cup qualifying ended Wednesday as the last six teams made the 32-team field which will be played in South Africa next year. Kudos must go to our upset winners in Greece (who I always root for, except against the U.S., in deference to some of my cousins) and Slovenia, who knocked off Ukraine (leading to this scene being rehashed) and Russia respectively (think of Russia's luck, they probably were among the top 5 teams in qualifying, but they had to be grouped with Germany and couldn't beat them. They win if grouped with France or Italy). Algeria won a special playoff over Egypt, Uruguay won their playoff with Costa Rica while Christiano Ronaldo can breathe easy because his Portugal squad made the field without him.


The final one was between Ireland and France. The French won the first leg 1-0 in Ireland and the Irish scored first in the second game leading to extra time. For anyone who doesn't know, because both teams scored one goal and on the road, they needed the extra time; if France would score, it would force Ireland to score or the French move on. In the 103rd minute, the play that happened will instantly be compared to Diego Maradona, the Montreal Screwjob, the Bennett Salvatore Game, Jeffery Maier, and No Goal among the list of worst officiating moments in sports history. Thierry Henry clearly touches the ball with a handball, which gets uncalled and the France win on the ensuing goal. Personally, I'm done talking about it, the Irish were robbed and France will undeservedly go to South Africa, it's that simple.


Here's my pick for tonight's NFL Network game. Home team in CAPS
CAROLINA (-3) over Miami- Without Ronnie Brown, the Wildcat isn't as effective and the Dolphins will lose tonight. Please don't make me curse picking you Jake Delhomme.

What's Next for Floyd

Sorry I'm late with my review about Floyd Mayweather's win over Juan Manuel Marquez, but NFL over the weekend and the trip to Los Angeles has slowed down the blog this week. Fortunately for you, I'm writing this here in the hotel computer and have given you an article to read before I write my football friday spot as well the eventually completion to my N.Y. Rangers What If's column once I return.


Now, about the match, there isn't anything much to write; Floyd was dominant over Marquez. A battle between two defensive fighters which Mayweather was the faster and quicker (yes, there's a difference). Mayweather had a knock down in the second round and as I tweeted, figured he would take the decision and go the twelve rounds as he did. However, the end of the fight turned out to be the real story as Max Kellerman brought over Shane Mosley to talk with Mayweather. During the match, I heard the HBO commentators discuss about Floyd giving Sugar Shane a wink, that seemed to represent him saying "You're next." Thus, Mosley came over and he and Floyd had a shouting match (sorry, the best I can find on YouTube) that was reminiscent to a war of words and mini-fight involving Larry Holmes and Gerry Cooney which Howard Cosell was in the middle of and took a punch in the mouth, before they eventually fought.


Martin Rogers of Yahoo Sports (who I must say have the best writers of any website when you think of Dan Wetzel, Jeff Passan, Kevin Iore, etc.) wrote that Floyd shouldn't get distracted by this nonsense with Sugar Shane and fight Manny Pacquiao. I fully agree; this is the fight that I as a boxing can't dream of missing and is the only fight that can beat what UFC does. I went out to the city to watch the fight Saturday night. I walked from 42nd St and 2nd Ave, over to 3rd Ave where there are plenty of bars, as still had to go to Jack Dempsey's on 33rd and 6th, while passing a few places that had UFC 103 plastered all over in each bar. The heavyweight division will never be on that level again, unless Cris Arreola achieves the promise that Iore thinks he has. All the other division, while good in their own way, don't have captivating fighters for the casual fan, the guy who would rather watch Brock Lesner, Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva instead of a Kelly Pavlik or Antonio Margarito.


Later this year, Pacquiao will face Miguel Cotto since Mayweather used Marquez for a tune up match. Barring an upset by Cotto, we will be set with the best fight since Oscar De La Hoya-Felix Trinidad in 1999, two fighters, in their prime who have opposite tendencies and most importantly, a fighter who Floyd Mayweather would never be able to let hang around because of Pacman's punching power. So Floyd, don't screw this up like the rest of the sport of boxing always finds a way to do.

Sosa used steroids and Pacquiao-Cotto

Big news day required me to do a second post today as we found out that Sammy Sosa's name was on the list of 104 who failed the drug test of performance-enhancing drugs from 2003 and that instead of Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao looks like he will fight Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas on November 14th.

First, this is actually the first time that Sammy Sosa was tied to steroids except for his performance during the Senate hearing when he forgot how to speak English. However, he has been assumed as a juicer by most people for years, even in this blog. It doesn't matter if he did because we have become too immune to steroid revelations. The PTI guys made an interesting point today; almost all the home run hitters of the 1990s and the early 2000s have been implicated one way or another with PED's. They mentioned Frank Thomas and Ken Griffey Jr.; I will add Jeff Bagwell, Mike Piazza, Jim Thome, and even Chipper Jones (who quietly have hit 416 homers and probably will reach 500) to the list of players who aren't associated with steroids. Not to harp on that earlier article, but who will be voted into the Hall of Fame in the 2010s? It's become clear that the current crop of sportswriters better put aside their steroid prejudices and vote for guys like Bonds and Clemens.

Now to the relevant story (though if you don't follow boxing, you would disagree), it looks like we are going to have to wait on a much hyped Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao match until 2010. Now that Floyd's injury is pushing back his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao appears to have decided to fight with Miguel Cotto, who just won disputed decision against Joshua Clottey during his annual pre-Puerto Rican Day fight. As Dan Rafael said when asked on ESPNEWS, and I'm paraphrasing, Pacquiao sees Cotto as vulnerable though still a big enough draw to make money. I agree with that because I'm sure I would try to watch this, plus since both guys are under Bob Arum's Top Rank Promotions, this should be an easy fight to book.

Mayweather and Pacquiao will eventually fight because the money to be made is too great (plenty for Money Mayweather), and this actually should make a fight between these two take place during the biggest non-football sports weekend of the year, Kentucky Derby weekend. All of a sudden, there is always a big fight on the same day as the Derby ('05: Castillo-Corrales I, '06: De La Hoya-Mayorga, '07: Mayweather-De La Hoya, '08: De La Hoya-Forbes, '09: Pacquiao-Hatton). Add NHL and NBA Playoffs (usually a Game 7 in Round 1) and the Derby; plus the fact that it's my birthday weekend (built-in excuse to watch at a bar and/or with a group of people). Perhaps this is the goal for me to do for the readers of The Cycle; plan a trip to Vegas for the weekend of May 1 next year and give out an article from the fight.