Fantasy Super Six Boxing Tournaments

I have been a huge fan of Showtime’s Super Six Super Middleweight tournament because of it’s multiple fight format that forces the best to fight the best and more than once as well as the importance of each and every fight.  Despite even it’s recent problems I remain a huge fan of it as well as the tournaments format.  Although I don’t see it happening again anywhere or anytime soon, I’d love to see a Super Six happen in other weight divisions too.  Here’s who and what I’d like to see

Heavyweight Tournament

I want a Super Six to happen in this division for several reasons but more than any other…to force a Haye/Klitschko matchup. This tournament might also produce a Klitschko vs. Klitschko matchup.  I’d also like to see Povetkin, Boytsov, and Adamek face the three title holders of the division as they’re pretty much the only meaningful fighters that haven’t.  I’m leaving out Chambers, Arreola, and Valuev because they’ve already been tested at the elite level and failed miserably. Additionally those guys aren’t ever going to bring enough talent or skill to the ring to beat the best.  This list also has plenty of power punchers in it too which will add huge excitement to this thing. Predicted winner: Wladimir Klitschko/David Haye.  Shamefully however even if such a tournament were proposed you could count just about ever fight out of this one for one reason or another.

Participants

• Wladimir Klitschko
• Vitali Klitschko
• David Haye
• Tomasz Adamek
• Alexander Povetkin
• Denis Boytsov

Middleweight Tournament

This like the Heavyweight division has seen its fair share of ducker’s and excuses for fights not happening in the past few years.  A Middleweight tournament would help settle who’s the best in the division by pitting these guys against each other possibly more than once.  It’d be interesting too to see who wins this one.  It’s a tough one for me to call too.  A few years ago I would have picked Pavlik but he’s become one of the sports most disappointing fighters for a number of reasons.  Pavlik aside though there isn’t a lot of power punchers in my fantasy tournament but there’s some good action fights here.  Predicted winner: Paul Williams

Participants

• Sergio Martinez
• Paul Williams
• Kelly Pavlik
• Dmitry Pirog
• Felix Sturm
• Sebastian Zbik

Jr. Middleweight Tournament

This division has a lot of talent floating around in it. Unfortunately a Super Six style tournament is the only way the majority of them will ever face one another. The last two fighters I included because undefeated fighters add some excitement to the mix. Predicted winner: James Kirkland

Participants

• Miguel Cotto
• Alfredo Angulo
• Kermit Cintron
• James Kirkland
• Sergei Dzinziruk
• Vanes Martirosyan

Jr. Welterweight Tournament:

This is another weight division that’s seen it’s fair share of lame excuses and even blatant ducking recently.  There are very few fighters in the modern boxing era that want to take any meaningful risks.  It’s all about padding your record and rationalizing mismatches and “mandatory” fights to fans.  That said a Super Six in this division would force all of these guys, who always have one reason or another for not fighting each other, to square off against one another.  It would also give boxing fans some terrific matchup’s that we would otherwise most likely miss out on without the tournament. None of these guys nor their management/promoters would allow or want them involved in this thing.  Predicted winner: Amir Khan

Participants

• Timothy Bradley
• Amir Khan
• Devon Alexander
• Marcos Maidana
• Victor Ortiz
• Juan Urango

Will any of these tournaments actually happen?  No, nor do I expect them too.  I do believe however that if any Super Six style tournaments where to be made in any of the aforementioned divisions that they’d feature different, less risky rosters for all those involved.  When Showtime’s tournament started each one of those guys was potentially putting his career on the line.  For some it was the start, for others it was the end, but in the end I have nothing but praise and admiration for all involved with the Super Middleweight tournament, even if it’s not progressing as many of us had hoped.  I’d also love to see multiple tournaments going on at once to fill in the gaps between other tournament fights or group stages and to fill in gaps left by injuries and withdraws.  Of course I’d prefer to see all of these happen on Showtime which I realize is practically an impossible feat but who wouldn’t want to see more Fight Camp 360′s?

I guess for the time being and for the foreseeable future us fight fans will have to deal with excuse after excuse why this guy can’t/won’t fight that guy etc and the endless debates over who’s the best in any respective division will continue.  I love this sport but it occasionally tries my patience!

Showtime’s Super Six Super Middleweight Tournament: Group Stage 3 Predictions and Opinions

Now that Showtime has managed to salvage its Super Six Super Middleweight tournament, group stage III is scheduled to get underway on November 27 with a double header no less! Thus far this super middleweight tournament has offered lots of drama, controversy, and excitement. Admittedly it has also had its fair share of disappointments, delays, and politics but it’s nice to see things supposedly getting back on track.

Here are my predictions for the group stage III matchups:

Arthur Abraham vs Carl Froch – I’ve been anticipating this fight more than any other since the tournaments inception. I tend to be a bigger fan of brawlers and boxer-punchers that I am of the slick and all too happy to run boxer. That said everyone knows this fight is likely going to be a shootout and its winner determined by who connects first. I see Arthur Abraham walking away from this fight with a win by knockout. Admittedly Froch has good power in both hands and Abraham could find himself in trouble should Froch find a way to connect or breakthrough his shell defense but I believe Abraham to be too fast, too strong, and too strong on defense for Froch to handle. Additionally Froch has been hurt by other fighters who are far less powerful than Abraham is so I see Froch having a hard time in this fight. If Jermaine Taylor could drop him and Kessler could rock him late, it could be a short night for Froch come November 27. Froch is a good fighter but in this fight he is simply outgunned.

Andre Ward vs Andre Dirrell – Though I find myself intrigued and excited about every single fight and potential fight in this Super Six tournament I have to admit that if there is going to be a complete snooze-fest in this tournament it’s going to be this fight. Ward the tactician and Dirrell the defensive minded and quick footed boxer who doesn’t like to take chances should make for what is potentially the most boring fight of this tournament. In this fight I see Dirrell walking away with a win via split decision. Ward is good no doubt but because he’s not that aggressive and doesn’t take too many chances, I see Dirrell using his superior speed of foot and hands to walk away with a victory. I don’t expect much action in this fight nor do I believe either man is really going to put his foot on the gas pedal at any point. Not just because they are friends but also because neither one likes or wants to get hit and neither one is knockout minded.

Allan Green vs. Unnamed Opponent – There’s good reason to believe that Light Heavyweight Glenn Johnson will be dropping down to Super Middleweight and joining this tournament. At least that’s the “word on the street” anyways. There’s a lot of fans bemoaning this choice but I find that those people are generally the same ones who find weakness in this tournaments structure rather than strength, despite some of it’s problems. I digress however and will say this. I think Glenn Johnson even in his 40′s is more than a match for Allan Green. He’s also a much better option than any of the other available and willing fighters. If Glenn turns out to be Green’s opponent, call me crazy but I see Johnson winning the fight by unanimous decision. Why? Green is a career underachiever who’s skills at making excuses far exceed his skills in the ring. Green has come up short against all credible opponents and lost to gatekeeper Edison Miranda. Green’s self imposed limited ring ability as well as his soft resume tell me that he’s going to struggle against the always ready and willing Johnson. I expect a slightly more energetic performance from Green should this one come off but I don’t see Green being able to handle Johnson’s pressure. Unless Johnson ages overnight that is and even then I don’t see Green being able or perhaps capable of stepping his game up and finishing strong. No matter who they match Green up with I just don’t see him winning. The abysmal performance against Ward, his excuses fight after fight, and his inability to step his game up against gatekeeper and world opposition tell me everything I need to know It’s as shame too because I like Green’s personality.

Will Haye Ever Fight A Klitschko?

On August 3rd, 2008 after knocking Enzo Maccarinelli out, WBA title holder David Haye proclaimed in a post fight interview that was just as exciting as the preceding fight,  that he was moving up to heavyweight where he vowed to clean out the garbage and put an end to boring fights and end the era of overweight, over-the-hill contenders.  He vowed to take on all comers and said more than anything he wanted to end Wladimir Klitschko’s reign as Heavyweight Champion of the World.  This news and Haye’s public and entertaining confrontation of Wladimir Klitschko had many boxing fans overly excited and had me elated.  As a fan of knockout artists I had been a casual fan of Haye’s since the Fragomeni fight but it was during that post fight interview with Al Bernstein that turned me into one of Haye’s more ardent supporters.

That was 2008 and my how  things have changed.  In the 2 years since putting the heavyweight division on notice and giving boxing fans something to salivate over, Haye’s had just 3 fights, which from a boxing fans perspective looks horribly unambitious especially for a talented man in his prime.  Rather than doing as promised and disposing of “fat/old bums” and taking on the Klitschko’s, Haye has instead spent his time making excuses, backing out of fights, and taking fights with opponents that truthfully had no business being in the ring with him.  These mismatches came against B and C level fighters all of whom where either well past their prime and/or where never that great to begin with.  This however is the David Haye of 2010, a new man, a business man who consistently looks to the road that poses the least amount of risk and the highest reward.  Some boxing pundits and even fans might argue that boxing is a business and that this is true of all fighters.  While this may or may not be true Haye’ has made a career out of doing as little as possible for as much money as possible and over time, especially as of late, it’s turned the majority of his fan base off.

Haye’s career from the summer of 2008 – present has been plagued by excessive inactivity, excuses, less than spectacular opponents, and talk, talk, and more talk. I found the talking entertaining up until Haye backed out of two fights with the Klitschko’s.  While there may indeed have been “slave” contracts that would have handed control of Haye’s career and money over to the Klitschko’s the manner in which Haye pulled out at the last minute and with excuses looked awfully suspicious.  What I call “Haye’s Syndrome” seems to reoccur prior to and just after a Haye fight.  A long layoff coupled with lots of trash talk and information about a possible opponent is how it begins.  Then after months of additional silence, team Haye announces there’s trouble with negotiations (regardless of opponent) and that a new opponent will need to be found.  A few more months pass and Haye announces an opponent who’s either way past their prime, severely faded, or was never really that good to begin with.  The post fight symptoms of Haye’s Syndrome are talking/hyping up a fight with a Klitschko, trash talking other heavyweights who he’ll never fight, retirement at the age of 31 and of course how he only wants to fight the best.  Haye’s Syndrome is like clockwork and it’s as predictable as time itself.

Haye’s talked extensively about fighting both Klitschko brothers and unifying the division.  For a long time this remained exciting, entertaining, and gave boxing fans something to look forward too…a meaningful and exciting heavyweight championship fight.  Unfortunately the chances we’ll see a  fight with either Klitschko grow smaller and smaller by the day.  For a long time I defended Haye’s decision to back out of his previous supposed fights with the Klitschko’s on the basis that they simply wanted to much control over Haye’s career and money.  Well recent negotiation breakdowns between Haye and Wladimir Klitschko have me rethinking things.  Haye has repeatedly complained that the Klitschko’s where being unfair in negotiations and that he wanted to fight them badly but would do so only if the terms and contracts where fair.  Very recently Haye got what many feel was an extremely fair deal from Wladimir Klitschko.  Apparently the deal was for a 50/50 split on the fight purse with no future contractual obligations to team Klitschko yet Haye’s people now claim this isn’t a fair deal either.  It’s been reported that Haye refused the offer because Klitschko wants to split all the TV revenue 50/50 as well which I believe is more than fair considering Klitschko is the one who’s recognized as the Heavyweight Champion of the World.  Haye’s merely a title holder and the WBA title holder at that.  Given the fact that Haye goes out of his way to call out the Klitschko’s, trash talk them, and repeatedly claim he wants fair options I find the TV revenue to be a suspiciously convenient and trivial matter.

If David Haye really wanted to fight Wladimir he’d make the fight happen.  Even with the WBA strap, Haye’s nothing more than a Heavyweight titlist, he is not, I repeat, not the Heavyweight Champion of the World.  If he so desires to be he must travel down Klitschko Road and beat the number one man in the division.  Haye stands to make much more money fighting a Klitschko than any other fighter as well, even with or without TV revenue’s so again I find it curious that Haye is unwilling to fight.  In fact I believe Haye’s marketability and career are going to suffer as a result of his latest refusal.  Fighting Audley Harrison later this year will be like pouring salt onto an open wound too and isn’t going to do anything good for Haye.

Wladimir Klitschko calls out David Haye

While I used to defend and support Haye, I now find myself in a much different position.  The excuses, long layoffs, weak opponents and talk have gone from entertaining and exciting to old and irritating.  Haye promised to change the heavyweight landscape and bring excitement and athleticism back to the division.  The division has seen no change and the excitement we’ve seen has had little to do with Haye.  The outcome of the fight against Barrett was predictable, the Valuev fight was boring and I thought Valuev won by 2 rounds, and the Ruiz fight was nothing more than a gross mismatch cooked up by boxing politics.  I’ve been a boxing fan for nearly 30 years and in that time I’ve seen fighters drop belts and titles to make fights happen.  I’ve seen fighters accept what many would consider questionable terms and contracts in order to get a fight they want to move ahead.  I’ve also seen fighters work aggressive to secure the best opponent possible and to fight as often as possible.  Some I’m left wondering, what’s Haye’s excuse?  What’s the holdup?  What the real reason Haye won’t fight a Klitschko (in this case Wladimir)?

Could there be other details about the proposed 50/50 deal team Klitschko made that we just don’t know about?  There certainly could be but Haye’s silence on the matter speaker volumes and makes me look at Haye in a whole other light.  Wladimir even went so far as to make a video publicly calling David Haye out, a calling I might add that the biggest mouth in boxing completely ignored.  Months have gone by now and there’s still no response to that video which also adds to my suspicions that Haye wants nothing to do with either Klitschko.  While I don’t for a second believe David is afraid to fight them or anyone for that matter, I do believe that the David Haye of 2010 is more of a business man than a fighter and is looking to milk his WBA title for all it’s worth.  I believe he’ll then retire at the end of 2011 having never fought either Wladimir or Vitali though he will continue to claim that he accomplished great things in the division and was the heavyweight champion of the world.  I know see Haye as a man who wants to take less risk than he’s ever taken before in every one of his fights.  Should he take a fight with a Klitschko and lose his career is, for all intensive purposes, over. Although he would stand to make a large sum of money from just one Klitschko fight, he’ll take the easy road and fight unqualified opponents for less money to ensure that his winning streak continues.

Many will disagree with me but I see Haye beating both Klitschko’s.  He’s faster and hits harder than both of them.  Vitali is great but has looked old as of late and I don’t believe Wladimir will be able to weather Haye’s aggression, should he bring it to the fight that night. Haye wants to retire at the age of 31 and as the unified heavyweight champion (or so he says).  Well Haye had better get a move on.  He’ll be 30 in just a few short months and both Wladimir and Vitali are tied up with opponents this fall.  That means Haye has two choices, remain inactive for the remainder of the  year, or fight another overrated bum.  My money is on inactivity though I won’t be surprised to see a fight with Harrison made very soon.  Haye brings excitement when he actually fights but he no longer fights the best and would rather spend his time making one excuse after another.  Shit or get off the pot David!  You claim the Klitschko’s are boring and bad for boxing but it’s now become a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Prequel Talk -The Thing

As an rabid fan of John Carpenter’s early 80′s sci-fi horror classic, Universal’s prequel has my interest piqued.  While I remain hopeful that the cast and crew find someway of delivering an experience just half as good as Carpenter’s, I have my doubts…to put it lightly and delicately.  Over the last decade or so Hollywood has shied away from niche audience experiences and generally speaking  has produced movies that are safe, sanitized, shallow, and hollow enough as to appeal the broadest possible audience. Finding a movie with any emotional or character depth is a very rare thing these days and that fact alone makes me appreciate Carpenter’s nearly 30 year old effort all the more.

In addition to the production of childish, campy, and disappointing new films over the last decade, Hollywood has also produced a large number of remakes, reboots, and re-imaginings. Most of the criticisms aimed at these”remakes” by critics and fans are well deserved and spotting or predicting another stinkfest is becoming easier by the year and by release. While I agree with the majority of criticisms I do not share with these people the opinion that well enough should be left alone. The Thing was/is such a great story and presented so well that I’d love nothing more than to see more of it, albeit from capable hands.  It’s popular these days to be anti-computer graphics as well but I’m not one of those individuals either. While there’s some merit to leaving well enough alone and to approaching special effects from a more “natural” standpoint, I have no problem with either being done/used so long as they’re not gimmicks and are warranted or help enhance a story.

When it comes to Carpenter’s film the characters and story are the focus.  There’s no camp to be found and the actors and screenplay succeed at taking extraordinary events and presenting them as real world events.  The Thing feels more like you’re watching something horrific and real unfold than it does a movie. Carpenter found or perhaps knew right from the get go the correct pacing for the story.  The Thing is listed as a sci-fi horror film and make no mistake it is, but it’s more a character drama than it is anything else, even if it’s not listed as such.

Unless you’re the casual once a month or so movie goer than you know that character driven stories and drama no longer exist. At least not in the purest sense of those words.  Drama these days is either omitted from movies completely or is accompanied by light humor or distractions that take a lot away from central plot points. Character development in modern cinema has been retarded by things like camp, useless romance, or by a complete lack of back story during preproduction and writing.  While Carpenter’s movie didn’t ignore or even downplay the sci-fi and horror elements of the story it instead put character and drama at the forefront of his story.  I don’t care what genre you’re talking about but when there’s good character development and character driven plots it almost always produces a fantastic experience.

In addition to The Thing I’m also an avid fan of Ron Moore’s re-imagined Battlestar Galactica. Battlestar delivered drama and character driven plots just as The Thing does and so when I read that Moore would be penning the script for The Thing’s prequel, well needless to say I was excited.  If there’s anyone out there who can delivery on storytelling the way John Carpenter did with The Thing it’s Ron Moore. Unfortunately however there’s much more to a movie than just its writers.  Producers, directors, actors, etc are all part of the movie making process and when there’s a weakness in any one of those areas or jobs you can be sure a movie will suffer for it.  Ron Moore may have written the greatest screen play in the history of cinema for next years prequel but unless there’s a capable director, cast, and producer it’s possible that this “unbelievable” script could turn into a laughable yet infuriating movie. Moore really isn’t the concern for me however when it comes to the crew responsible for this movie.  First there’s Eric Heisserer one of the scribes responsible for the abysmal A Nightmare On Elm Street remake.  Was that movie pretentious and terrible because of his involvement?  I don’t believe so but like they so often say, “no single raindrop believes it’s responsible for the flood” so he likely played a part in that movie’s torridness.  There’s then the case of director Matthijs Van Heijningen’s involvement.  I have to be fair and admit I’ve never seen one of his movies but from what I was able to dig up on him online, he’s a terribly inexperienced director. Some of the casting choices too make me feel as though this prequel will fit in quite nicely with movies like the Nightmare remake, Transformers, etc.  I tend to think of these movies and others like them as “90210 meets such and such”.  Aesthetically pleasing flavor of the month actors put into a movie for no other reason than to give the film popular appeal.

Movie studios of today are after the quick buck and are rarely if ever interested in building a franchise or a huge following.  They’re also no longer in the business of producing mature movies that take themselves seriously.  There are so many obstacles in the way of this being a great movie it’s hard to imagine it as anything but “90210 meets The Thing”.  Personally I’m remaining cautiously optimistic though I’m not expecting anything but crap from this movie. I believe that in order for it to be a success, it at the very least must deliver a story much in the same manner as did Carpenter’s film.  The moods, atmospheres, acting, and score in that film must be somehow mimicked (not copied) if not improved upon and I don’t think the cast and crew involved with this movie are capable of that.  Hell, that kind of movie many not even be what Universal wants otherwise they might have tasked more capable people with the job.  1982′s The Thing is a movie and story filled with dread, ominousness,  and a bleak outlook whereas I believe the new film will be more akin to a modern slasher film with plenty of gratuitous, meaningless gore for no other reason than to earn itself a R rating. The females in the cast also make me believe there will be some type of romance in the film.  This is the last thing a movie like this needs nor does it deserve it. I believe there’s talented people in Hollywood and other parts of the world who are capable of delivering the type of experience that the first movie gave us but I don’t believe they’re working on this film.

At any rate, I’m looking forward to the trailer so that I can either begin looking forward to the film or loathing it.

Update: I have just read on a number of different websites that Eric Heisserer was brought in to rework or rewrite Ron Moore’s script.  If this is true, no trailer needed, I can begin loathing the film now.  This film is being handled and made by untested, untalented hacks.  I’d be willing to bet my left arm that Moore’s script was to smart and far to serious for both Universal and for those heading the project up so they brought in Heisserer to dummy it down, make it more “fun”.  Shame…..a real shame.

Socialism? You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me!

Let’s get something straight. Obama is not a Socialist nor is he a progressive. I wouldn’t even call him liberal. He is a tool of those who really run this country, the wealthy business owners, in this case health insurance companies. Obama was there (as are all politicians) to give the public the illusion of choice, the false hope of change, and to protect the interests of those who put him in office.

This health care bill is not a gateway to Socialism nor does it address any of the problems with our current health care system. There are those who claim this bill will impose harsh penalties and regulations on health insurance companies and while that’s true to a very small extent, the penalties and regulations in this bill don’t actually hurt these companies. In fact under this legislation it’s actually cheaper for insurance companies to deny people care with pre-exisiting conditions and pay the fines than it is to insure them. These “changes” or “improvements” are designed for one thing and one thing only, to distract an ignorant public mass from the fact that the US government will soon be forcing everyone but the extremely destitute and old to purchase health care. Protect the public from greedy health insurance organizations? The government just handed health insurance companies all the business they can handle on a silver platter.

I see a lot of individuals claiming this health care bill is a gateway to Socialism which is absolutely ludicrous and laughable. This bill does very little for the uninsured and for those who can not afford health insurance. The health care legislation recently passed isn’t even a liberal piece of legislation let alone a Socialist one. Its purposes are to give the illusion of change and to bring health insurance companies more business and money.

I also see both conservatives and people claiming to be liberal that we can’t afford health care reform in any form. Really? We can certainly afford to fight two meaningless propaganda bases wars and yet for some reason we can’t afford to take care of, or at the very least lend a helping hand to people who are sick or dying. Our Senators, President, and House representatives all earn bloated unjustified salaries in addition to the already obscene money they receive from the wealthy to look the other way or to help pass and/or defeat legislation.

I wonder, now that the government can require by law that its citizens purchase health care what’s coming down the line? Imagine a bill that ordered every citizen to buy the extended warranty on all their appliances? Imagine a law that made it illegal not to own the latest piece of technology? How about a law that requires all US citizens own a high priced car whether or not they can afford one?

This health care legislation is nothing short of a joke and an insult. I often wonder what those against universal health care would think or how they would feel if they became ill and were bankrupted by a system design solely to profit from their sickness and disease. If they lost their job because they were to sick to work and lost their home as a result how would they then feel about our current health care system or the legislation that’s recently been passed? Not only that but they’d also have to deal with being denied treatment or a doctor visit because they simply had no money to pay for those things. I wonder if they would enjoy sitting at home knowing that they could probably be cured if they were able to afford health insurance or all the things that insurance doesn’t cover.

In addition to all of this there are still people out there that honestly believe that health decisions are made by a doctor and his/her patients. While this may be true when it comes to minute details, insurance companies routinely deny surgeries and treatments to sick people even when it means these things could save their lives. True health care reform would at the very least provide universal and unlimited health care to those who want it. For those individuals who enjoy paying overinflated premiums and co-payments, well they should be allowed to keep making unscrupulous people rich if they so choose to, but I guarantee as soon as they are denied something that could make them well or at least extend their lives, they’d be all over the free option.

No my friends, this health care legislation is anything but Socialism. It’s a scam designed to make people believe that our government actually did something for it’s people, that those who serve in public office care for someone other than themselves or those who keep them in office. Bottom line is that profiting off of sickness, disease, and death are as deplorable as war profiteering and while many people still believe that our government works for them, those that do would do well to remember that unless there’s a profit to be made in something, real change and improvements won’t ever be made.

Many individuals on the right oppose universal health care only because they believe it to be the “government” coming to get them, losing their freedoms, or because they believe that a government run health care system would be a disaster. I don’t care who’s running the health care system but if there’s no profit in it, there is far less motivation to do harm to human beings. Oh and just a quick note, we have no real freedoms or rights in this country, only a set of temporary privileges that can easily be taken away whenever it suits those who have power. Ever hear about the Japanese Americans during World War II?

Those cheering Obama on through all this should also remember that the health insurance industry was one of his biggest campaign contributors and that he’s received other monies from them too long after the election concluded. Obama is a criminal as are most of the people who serve in our government whom seek only to further their own ambitions, even at the cost of your health and life.

Ridiculous Arguments – Accepting Blame

Tonight’s post is more a rant than anything else but I felt the need to vent and my blog is the perfect place for venting.

I’m the type of person owns up to his mistakes, and admits when he’s wrong though there are just some people in this world that, despite this, insist I’m at fault for something for which they are at fault for, even if it’s only in parts large or small.  Tonight was one of those nights where such a person accused me of doing wrong yet it was clear through logic and reason that it was not I who was in the wrong.  I’ll draw out the scenario in bullet points to keep things simple and to keep myself from becoming long winded.

• I was asked by someone to be somewhere at a very specific time.
• I told this person that I would be busy recording music for an hour or so but that I would complete the project as quickly as possible and then arrive ASAP.
• After an hour of recording, I put my instruments away from the night and proceeded to process a quick mix on the song I had just finished.  This consumed roughly 20-30 minutes.
• Once the mix was complete I made my way to the predetermined meeting place and found out that the person with whom I was supposed to meet with was asleep.
• This person works long hours everyday and has very little chance to rest so I turned around and headed back to my studio to afford them the opportunity to rest.
• Instead of working with music however I spent time online with a good friend.
• Some time passed and my daughter came into the studio to ask for medicine as she is ill.
• I gave her the medicine she requested and once more headed back to the location at which I was supposed to meet this person.
• Again, for the second time this person was fast asleep when I arrived.
• As such I once again made my way back to my studio to chat with my good friend who was still online.
• Nearly 3 hours had passed since I was originally supposed to meet this person so I made one final trip to see if this person was awake.
• They were not awake but rather still deep in slumber.
• Again I returned to my studio to talk with my good friend about an upcoming trip to Knott’s Berry Farm.
• At this point I received a message asking where I was at and why I didn’t arrive at the predetermined location on time, when I had originally said I would.

Now I am at odds with this person whom believes I am at fault for a failed meeting.  This person also believes that they hold no responsibility in contacting me if/when they believe I’m running late.  During a conversion I had with this person, after the initial message questioning my punctuality was received of course, this individual expressed extreme dissatisfaction with me over a meeting that they apparently slept through/were unavailable for. I was told by this individual that they where not asleep the entire 3 hours and expressed once more, their disdain for what they felt I had or hadn’t done.

In an effort to defend myself and in an attempt to coerce this person into thinking logically, I stated boldly that I had shown up at the location three times and immediately after I concluded my project as I said I would.  I then stated “You where sleeping each time I came back.” which fell on deaf and arrogant ears.  I also stated that I had no intention of avoiding this meeting and that I had stopped recording and mixing music after 1 1/2 hours.  Now to be fair I did tell this person I’d be recording for an “hour or so” but I honestly believe the extra half an hour I spent recording and mixing fell well within the boundaries of the “or so” portion of my earlier estimated recording time.  This individual however disagreed with that sentiment and put forward the theory that I was lying about having stopped recording.  When I stated that I was not being deceptive in any way, this individual attempted to shift blame by exclaiming, “Oh so I’m they liar?” although those words nor thoughts had even crossed my mind.  I was quick to point out again that I had come to the meeting at 3 different times but that each time I came by there were asleep.

Apparently when you schedule a meeting with someone that has a loose and casual starting time and show up roughly when you were expected to, it doesn’t matter that the party your meeting with is asleep, unavailable, out to lunch, etc.  It’s your fault no matter what.  This individual did nothing tonight but compartmentalize as I know that had our roles been reversed tonight I would have caught holy hell for falling asleep and then not calling when I believed the party I was to meet with was running late.  There is little to no logic or reason in this type of reasoning and at this point I excused myself for the conversation because there’s no point in arguing with someone who compartmentalizes and utilizes circular reasoning to get their point across.

If this individual wants to remain angry, disappointed, and furious over me going over what they felt was acceptable for “an hour or so” fine so be it.  I would also encourage this individual to take a good long hard look in the mirror.  Sure I’ll take partial blame if you fell asleep waiting for me while I was finishing up the “or so” portion of my project but I’ll be damned if I’m going to take the rap for rendering our entire meeting defunct.  This person profoundly and proudly accused me of not taking responsibility for the failure of the meeting while they took none for themselves.  Could I have left my project unfinished after one single hours time and headed to the meeting?  Sure I could have though I thought the “or so” time frame I gave this individual would have afforded me 20 minutes grace.  Why could this individual not have called me when they allegedly awoke from their sleep and realized I had not arrived?  I’d also like to know why this individual feels as though they should be absolved from all responsibility in this matter as it’s clear to me that in any other scenario, work or personal, had the person with whom I’m meeting with believed me to be tardy, they would have called to say “where the hell are you, are you done yet, etc”.  I showed up an hour and a half after I began recording my music project.  I came back on three separate occasions to see if this individual was awake and available to proceed with the meeting and all to no avail.  At the end of the conversation tonight I extended my apologies and offered to begin the meeting “now” which this person declined on the grounds that it was to late in the evening.  I offered a second time as well in an effort to smooth over the situation and to express my genuine and sincere interest in this meeting.  My invitation/suggestion was declined a second time.

I felt as though I needed to write about this experience tonight because while it’s not the first time this has happened nor is this individual the first to do this to me, I fail to grasp the logic (or lack thereof) of this type of argument.  This individual was excited about our meeting, as was I, though my attempts to pick up late or reschedule where all angrily and vehemently denied.  While I will always take responsibility for those things which I screw up, perhaps the next time this type of poorly constructed argument and ire are waged against me I shan’t be so calm nor polite.  Perhaps it’s time I stop allowing this type of logic and absolution of guilt by admonishing this individual with a stern argument filled with logic than politely walking away.

Arthur Abraham – Carl Froch – Mikkel Kessler – Andre Ward – Allen Green – Andre Dirrell

Group stage 1 of Showtime’s Super Six Super Middleweight boxing tournament is over and group stage 2 will kick off on April 24th with Abraham vs. Dirrell. The first round of bouts heralded some surprises, a controversial decision, and a spectacular knockout. If one things was proven in group stage 1 it’s that we should expect the unexpected, as is usually the case in boxing anyways though this tournaments has a lot more value than your average bout. I had the desire to blog tonight about group stage 2 after reading an article about the Dirrell/Abraham fight. I intend to discuss both the strengths and weaknesses I see in each fighter as well as who I expect to see walk away with a win this round. I’ll also talk a bit about who I’m routing for so without further ado:

Arthur Abraham vs. Andre Dirrell

I believe that Arthur Abraham is a much more skilled fighter and a much smarter fighter than many people give him credit for. I also believe that he’s rightfully the betting favorite to win this tournament. Certainly his power is his greatest and most feared asset but he has fairly decent reflexes and an ultra tight defense too. That said I’ve watched King Arthur’s work rate drop dramatically over the last couple of years. While he’s always been a slow starter, Abraham’s work rate has dropped in recent years, especially in the early rounds. Against Andre Dirrell, a fast, slick, and clingy fighter, this is going to be a massive problem for Abraham. While Dirrell’s modest power and tendency to ride his bicycle won’t afford him the opportunity for a knockout, I believe Dirrell will win an extremely boring fight by wide unanimous decision. I’d go so far to suggest that Dirrell will pitch a near shut out against Abraham. I expect Dirrell to stay far away from King Arthur the entire fight and run even more than he did against Froch and I’m expect more holding from Dirrell too. Dirrell will be to fast for Abraham and land jab after jab for 12 rounds while Arthur swings for the fences beginning mid-fight. Dirrell will frustrate Abraham with his speed and desire to stay far on the outside. Of course if Arthur does catch Dirrell it’ll be lights out but I don’t believe Dirrell will afford him that opportunity. Andre Dirrell by wide UD.

Abraham KO’s Taylor

Mikkel Kessler vs. Carl Froch

Though I’m a huge Abraham fan and anxiously await his next fight, the Kessler/Froch fight is perhaps the most intriguing of group stage 2. I’m also looking forward to it more than the other two bouts because it’s tough to pick a clear winner in this bout. I believe that Kessler is a far more talented fighter than is Froch though I give Froch the edge in power. Froch has almost no defense, takes hits to land them and he’s slow, plodding, and there to be hit. He was outclassed when he fought Taylor and won only because he was finally able to catch Taylor with some hard punches in the final round. Kessler possesses much more power than does Taylor and I believe once Froch gets hit by a boxer puncher like Kessler he’s going to be in a lot of trouble. I’m a fan of both fighters but I see Kessler winning this one mid fight. Kessler by KO inside 6

Ward vs. Green

I have nothing against Allen Green but he’s a vastly overrated in my opinion. He’s failed to impress me in his last couple of fights and I don’t believe he belongs in this tournament. It’s a shame that boxing politics has kept Pavlik and Bute out of this tournament as they would have been far greater additions to this tournament than Green or even Bika. I digress however and to get back on track I’ll say that Green has only a punchers chance and a slim one at that when he faces Ward in group stage 2. I believe Green’s talent and power to be vastly overrated and expect to see Ward make him look like an amateur. I also believe placing so much stock in Ward to be folly as well though it’s clear Ward has considerably more talent than does Green. I believe this fight will be just about as uneventful and boring as the Abraham/Dirrell fight and I expect it to play out in almost the same fashion. Expect to see Ward stay on the outside and pot shot Green with jabs and a few hooks but without ever closing in to hurt or finish Green off. This fight is a mismatch. Ward by UD

Though I believe 2 of the 3 fights won’t boast much action let alone knockout’s, I’m eagerly awaiting group stage 2. I believe that this group stage may hold an upset or two and things could get really interesting should upsets be pulled off.

Now in terms of who I’d like to see win their fights, well that’s a different story all together.

I’m a huge long time fan of Arthur Abraham and generally despise fighters like Dirrell who are content to box their way to a points victory. I save my respect for boxers who view a points victory as a last resort. Additionally I have a difficult time finding positives in guys who get on their bicycles for 12 rounds. Save the boxing clinics for the gym! As I’m a fan of both Kessler and Froch too it’s difficult for me to route against either one but I’m hoping Kessler pulls this one off. Andre Ward appears to be one hell of a nice guy and I find his life story very inspirational but there’s just something about the guy I don’t like. I can’t place my finger on it but Ward just rubs me the wrong way. Perhaps if Ward added “finishing” and “pressure fighting” to his already awesome skill set I’d a huge fan. His victory over Kessler is also forcing me to route for Green in this fight. I still favor Abraham to win the tournament too.

Go Abraham, Kessler, & Green!

Babies”R”Us – Victorville Store 5619

I don’t blog much anymore because well time is limited and since I write for a living I’d rather spend my free time doing something else.  Tonight however my wife and I had a deplorable experience at the local Babies “R” Us.  Before I delve into the details surrounding our visit I would like to detail the events that preceded or rather prompted our visit.

On Saturday October 10th, my wife and I attended a baby shower for our son who’s due in January.  We received a large number of gifts from friends and family.  While we where and remain appreciative of each and ever gift, we decided earlier this afternoon that we would return a number of the gifts in order to buy the things that we desperately need for the baby, mainly a stroller/car seat.  The gifts we decided

3D Television – It’s About Time…and Price…And Accessibility

Two posts in one month! As I’ve stated previously I haven’t had the urge to write much in my free time but I read something today that really got me excited yet left me with a lot of apprehension as well. As a techno-geek and an audio/videophile, I try to stay on top of all the latest technology rumblings and releases. Some time ago I had read an article over at IGN about the “PlayStation 4″ being capable of displaying games and movies in 3D. As that console, if Sony even has plans to make one, is at the very least, several years away I relegated this news to my the farthest least frequently used part of my brain and reminded myself that it’s nothing more than mere speculation at this point. I love anticipation but when something is more than a year away it’s a little frustrating to anticipate even something extremely cool. The article I read today reminded me of the news IGN reported as it too dealt with 3D imagery. This time however it wasn’t console based or driven 3D content but rather 3D television sets. As someone who follows even the smallest technological news I was quite surprised to learn that 3D television sets are already available for purchase and that they are supposedly not much different in price than their 2D HD counterparts. Typically and as expected I became overtly excited about what I had read. My wife and I have discussed the purchase of a new TV and usually purchase one every few years at the beginning of the new year and so I saw myself walking out of Best Buy or some other extremely overpriced electronics store with a new 3D ready television set on a crisp March morning in 2010. The prospect of playing my games in and watching Blu Ray in 3D is enough to make me want to purchase one this afternoon, unfortunately we do not have the money for a new television set yet. Should things go I as hope and we receive a decent tax return early next year I will have my sights set on such a television set though I there are several questions I’ll have to find answers to before I commit to such a purchase.

• Just how available are 3D television sets? – The little I’ve read today on this particular subject would indicate that one can walk into any electronics store and pick one up. I don’t believe much of anything that I read and I know that what’s reported isn’t always unbiased or accurate so I’m not holding my breath with regards to the availability of such sets, even come early 2010. As I currently don’t have the money for a new television set I’m not going to waste my time or frustrate myself by window shopping in the local electronics stores.

• What do they really cost? – Even if what I read today is correct, that the cost of 3D television sets is nearly the same or only slightly more expensive than standard 2D TV’s, come 2010 I’d be willing to bet the price goes up, way up. Despite a poor economy the cost of most things both our needs and wants have all gone up (freeze anyone?). If 3D is fairly priced now but grows in popularity, even if only with early adopters such as myself, throughout the remainder of this year, it’s likely that prices will skyrocket simply because the manufactures will want to strike while the markets hot. When the time comes for a new television set my wife and I will likely be in the market for a 50-60 inch set. We’ll undoubtedly have enough to by a decent middle of the road television of that size but will be able to afford a 3D set of the same size? While the thought of owning a 3D set practically makes me drool in anticipation, I’m not buying a new TV unless it’s at the very least, 10 inches bigger than our current set, which still serves it’s purpose well. If 3D sets are widely available come early spring 2010 but are to pricey I’m not buying another standard 2D set only to sit out on the newest technology for another 2-3 years. It’ll kill me to wait, but I’ll do just that. It’s no different than when I needed a new TV but didn’t have the money for an HDTV in 2000. Prices fell low enough by 2002 so that I was able to afford one. I guess I can only wait and see how things pan out in this department.

• Extra gear needed?/Everything 3D?- Everything I read today stated 3D ready televisions where already available and would receive a huge push from manufactures during the last half of this year and the beginning of the next. For all the excitement I have for possibly owning such a television, I remain very apprehensive because no article nor did any information I found indicate whether or not 3D ready television sets convert 2D video game signals from my PlayStation 3, Wii, and 360, to 3D. Are these sets capable of converting all images to 3D, only some, or just those sent to my satellite receiver already in 3D or on some predesignated media, i.e. DVD, Blu-ray discs, etc. Upgrading my home from SD to HD cost much more than I wanted it to, and more than I though it should, I’m not so sure I’m ready buy into yet another conversion, especially since HD hasn’t even become standard television yet. I want to buy one television that comes ready and more than capable of displaying all images sent through it in HD and 3D and I do not want to invest in another technological leap that’s only marginally supported by studio’s, cable companies, satellite companies, and video game publishers, it’s got to be all or nothing this time. Any additional equipment needed such as glasses, some type of 3D imaging unit, etc, needs to be prepackaged in with the set at no additional cost.

These are my three main concerns though I also wonder if I should adopt this technology early since the majority of the public still hasn’t even warmed up to HDTV and only a handful (though the number is growing) of television stations are offered in or are broadcast in HD. Would I be wrong to believe that there will be just one, maybe two stations that make only select programming available in 3D throughout 2012-13?  Though HD has been around for a little over 10 years it’s still insanely expensive, complicated for the average consumer, and it requires more than just a television to enjoy and is experiencing an extremely slow adoption rate. While I remain cautiously optimistic about someday soon owning a 3D television set I have no desire to buy a new Blu-ray player, DVD player, stereo equipment, or DirectTV equipment to enjoy 3D imagery. If TV manufactures want to introduce 3D to television audiences, movie buffs, and gamers fine, but learn from the mistakes you’ve made with HD. Make it affordable, accessible, and easy to understand and I and many others will be there day one.  I know it’s going to be costly to broadcast and shoot things in 3D and that studio’s will need to see demand for it before it’s supported but unless 3D television is all the things HD hasn’t been and still isn’t, the format will face an insurmountable uphill battle. I’d like to see this and all other technologies that are so expensive stay out of the public eye and off the market until such a time occurs where the technology becomes cheap enough to offer it at modest prices even for the best models.  Oh and no blue/red glasses either.  Grey glasses work just fine and are far less irritating.

…Oh and another format war involving two companies with near identical technologies will kill adoption of 3D television.  Work it out guys!

I Can’t Win, I’m a Stubborn, Insensative, Irritating Asshole

Occasionally over the course of my 36 years on this Earth I have come across a handful of individuals who retreat into a passive aggressive shell whilst arguing or while engaging in a friendly exchange of words. These people more often than not say or do something to upset me and when I react or go on the offensive after they’ve done that, they vilify me and emphatically claim I started the argument or am an unfair aggressor. Now to be fair and honest I’m the type of person who believes in the eye for an eye philosophy and when I do react my actions, words, and demeanor tend to reflect that of the aggressor opposite of me. There are many people who find persons such as myself offensive, crude, and a “know it all”, but being labeled as such things only occurs during an argument or debate that’s gone south. A recent argument gone awry prompted the drafting of this post, an argument which I was accused of starting though in reality all I did to anger this person was suggest we take a look at a picture that had just been taken prior to taking a second picture of the exact same thing.

The picture was taken with a webcam and was rather simple in nature. The software that operates the camera allows you to review any images you’ve taken, both new and old. My train of thought and common sense told me “hey let’s take a look at what we have before we take another one” though taking a second would have required mere seconds of our time. It takes only seconds to review a photo and to take a second one if the quality of the original is less than desirable so this individual’s reaction to my recommendation was one of bewilderment as they quickly became irritated and claimed (paraphrasing) “why can’t I take a second picture if I want too? What’s your problem?”

From this point the argument turned rather childish and anger on both sides ensued. My anger stemmed from bafflement and was more a reaction to this individuals actions while theirs was just anger fueled by my earlier suggestion. As we exchanged comments I became the recipient of the same tired labels and comments that I have grown accustomed to over the years and only because I chose to react to what I believed to be poor behavior. Some where implied while others still where stated openly.

In any argument friendly or otherwise all I ever ask is that the individual with whom I’m arguing provide me with reason, proof, or evidence that contradicts my argument. As an open minded individual I have no problem in admitting that I’m wrong but when it’s stated “you think you’re always right or “that’s right I’m always wrong”, I call into question the validity of any argument made against me by that individual because such a response does nothing to add credence to the argument they’ve made against me and makes it appear as though the individual opposing me knows very little about which they speak of and/or is incapable of putting together the type of thought required to make a valid argument.

As a human being I have opinions just like everyone else. If you’re gnashing your teeth over something I’ve stated I believe or have seen to be truth, yet you disagree, am I asking to much when I ask an opposing party to provide me with an explanation as to why they feel I’m wrong? As I stated I’m always open to a different point of view but I do not accept blanket statement, assumptions, gut feelings and emotional responses as fact or proof of anything. I also find it completely unacceptable when any persons with whom I argue express discontent with me over my asking for clear reasoning, motivation, or proof. Why any individual believes it OK to make a statement, claim, or accuse me of something and not explain in detail why they feel I’m incorrect in my statements or beliefs will forever be beyond my comprehension. Excuses such as “I don’t have to”, “It’s not my problem’, etc. only show me that the individual has found themselves in the weak position within the argument and are operating only on emotion. I also find such excuses indicative of egoism, ignorance, and immaturity. It’s difficult for me to imagine an individual who would make such claims or present a counter argument against me yet refuse to back them up with any logic or reasoning even when I’m in the midst of such an occurrence. The burden of proof lies with any individual who makes a claim of any kind yet for some reason anytime I’ve argued or debated with these few select people they are only angered by statements such as this.

By the time today’s argument reached this apex, the usual implications began rearing their ugly heads. “Oh it’s logic again”, and “uh huh, yea everything revolves around logic and reasoning right?” made their way into the conversation. Every time I’ve heard statements such as these I find myself at a lose for words. If things don’t revolve around reasoning and logic or you don’t apply those thing to your daily life, decision making, etc, how does anyone get by and by what means does anyone make decisions? Logic and reasoning allow us to do just that, get by and make decisions we feel are best for us, so yes, logic and reasoning are an everyday part of our lives so why would this individual, who happens to be quite intelligent, make such assertions? I can only conclude that they do so because the conversation has reached a point that is beyond their comprehension, they really have no answer, are responding out of pride knowing they have lost the argument, or perhaps they just loathe me and want to see me put in my place. Many times when confronted with these types of statements I also find myself believing that they make such assertions based on the emotions they are experiencing at that time, anger, frustration, embarrassment, and even some they may not even know they’re feeling. In any case regardless of why they say such things, I find myself with very little and sometimes nothing to say as was the case tonight.

I was then accused of repeating myself which I was indeed guilty of but when I ask an individual to explain their argument and they refuse to provide with any anything my natural response is to try and introduce some logic and reasoning of my own into the conversation, though this only seemed to irritate the individual even more which resulted in the same responses I’ve heard most of my life. “I don’t have to give you a reason” is a cop out and a rather poor excuse for one I might add. As a courtesy and sometimes to make my point I always make it a priority to explain myself and provide the persons I’m arguing with, with my reasoning and logic, even if that person is the bitterest of enemies. I would think that anyone involved in an argument would want to make their point or their side of things crystal clear in the hope of either winning the argument or showing the opposing party why and just how wrong they are. In the argument I was involved in today however, no such reasoning was made known to me.

I don’t believe I’m asking for much when I ask for these things during an argument with either friend or foe and if I am indeed wrong or incorrect in my arguments I want to know about it. I have no desire to remain ignorant and find no shame in being wrong. I find it somewhat shameful that any individual would feel differently about this and accuse me of being a know-it-all, stubborn, or using “big” words to pretend I’m intelligent or to try and intimidate them simply because they disagree with my stance on something or find my reactions inappropriate. I am none of these things and welcome being criticized but by people who are capable of and willing to present a carefully reasoned argument with something to back their point of view. Arguing or debating and refusing to provide a motive or reason for an argument always appears both immature and is the equivalent of a child responding with “SOOOOOOO WHAT!” or “I DON’T WANT TO”. Does demanding such things make me an asshole? I think not, if anything it would allow me and any party who might disagree with me to either agree to disagree or maybe…just maybe to see things in a different light and settle the debate. I don’t have the type of pride that would keep me from admitting I’m wrong but if you want me to see that I am wrong I require you to demonstrate just how and/or why I am. If you’re not prepared to do that in an argument, why argue at all and why be angry?

The argument I participated in tonight reminded me a lot of the debates I’ve had with Theists in both the recent and distant past. Anytime I ask why or attempt to apply common sense, logic, and present counter arguments backed by facts and proof, the conversation quickly goes from one of friendly debate to heated personal argument. I’ll never understand any of this no matter how long I live. Are these people angry or just insecure? I’ll never know.

…and I’m the asshole here?