L.A. Pride is a true sports enthusiast.  A former youth, and division II assistant basketball coach, who studied the martial arts, he enjoys and follows all sports, even hockey.  His quick wit and insight brings a fresh view to the world of sports. You may not always agree with him, but you will enjoy his highly opinionated thoughts.

Is it me…

Or do two wrongs not make a right?  They do however make a left-right.  Which is what Mayweather hit Victor Ortiz with in the fourth round, knocking him out.  Ortiz was having a point taken away for an intentional head butt on Mayweather.  Ortiz met Mayweather in the center of the ring to apologize.  They touched gloves, hugged briefly and stepped back, at which time Mayweather sucker punched Ortiz with a left-right combo.

Ortiz committed two mistakes during this sequence, he head butted his opponent and he didn’t protect himself “at all times”.  Floyd and his camp were quick to point this out.  Floyd was beginning to figure Ortiz out and would have won easily.  However, this ending does leave a strange taste in your mouth.  It is like kissing a relative, it is a kiss, just not a passionate one.

 After the fight Mayweather refused to be interviewed by Larry Merchant, prompting Merchant to say he would kick Floyd’s ass if he (Merchant) was 50 years younger.  We can’t show the video because HBO has filed a copyright claim.  HBO made millions on the fight and they are nickel and diming the public over a four minute excerpt.  Go figure!!!!!!

 Only in boxing!

Is it me…

 Or is Cam Newton the best winless quarterback in the NFL?   Cam Newton and the Panthers loss to the Green Bay Packers Sunday, 30-23.  Newton, once again, passed for over 400 hundred yards in a losing effort.  Newton briefly held the record for the most passing yards in the first two games  of a season before Tom Brady broke it later Sunday.  Newton continues to impress in his first season.

Did Tony Romo read last week’s column and decided to prove he could play an entire game without shooting himself in the foot?  Romo led the Cowboys to an exciting overtime victory against the 49ers in San Francisco.  This, despite playing with fractured ribs.  Romo gutted out the win and came from 10 points behind to capture the game.   It was weird watching the game because it sounded as if there were more Dallas fans in the park than 49’er fans.  When the Cowboys kicked the winning field goal in overtime the place erupted, go figure.  I guess that is why they call Dallas America’s team.

 Are Buffalo and Detroit for real?  Both undefeated and playing well.  The Colts are 0-2, the first time since ’98.  Michael Vick’s celebrated return to Atlanta was marred by an injury to the QB, a concussion.  Vick’s wide open style of play lends itself to plenty of contact, which leads to injuries.  We wish him a speedy and healthy recovery.

NFL teams continue to adjust and shape their rosters;

A list of current NFL transactions can be found at:

 http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/transactions/

 Is it me …

Or did we hear “magic number” (combinations of wins and losses need to clinch a certain spot or position) in recent conversations about baseball?  The baseball season is winding down and there is  talk of clinching spots for the playoffs-magic number.    The current leaders in the American league are the Yankees, Tigers and Rangers. With the Phillies, Brewers and Diamondbacks leading in  the National League.

Boston leads in the wild-card standings in the AL and  Atlanta in the NL.

The marathon, the season, is ending, and we are moving to the sprints, the playoffs.

Congratulations to Mo Rivera, of the New York Yankees, for breaking the all time save records.  He has recorded 602 saves throughout his career.

 

Is it me…

Or did we sleep on the WNBA playoffs?  Sorry ladies, we forgot to mention the start of the playoffs last week. The opening round matches went as follows:

New York Liberty (who play in Newark, NJ) loss to the  Indiana Fever;

Atlanta Dream defeated the Connecticut Sun;

Phoenix Mercury over the Seattle Storm;

Minnesota Lynx versus San Antonio Silver Spurs  (played last night after we went to press.  The winner meets the Mercury in the Western conference finals

Is it me …

Or is the college football landscape about to change forever?  More and more schools are switching conferences (Pitt and Syracuse are joining the ACC), or thinking about switching. It appears  that college football is headed toward creating  several mega conferences that will bolt the NCAA and do their own thing.   In spite of all the talk about this being  good for college sports, and it may be, it is good for the colleges’  “pocketbooks” and that is what drives all sports, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Edited by D. Pride.