Sports Update

Well, here we are. So much has transpired recently. I'm enjoying a well needed vacation right now, which I kicked off  by visiting my parents down south this past week. It was a nice time spent there, that also revealed certain issues that sadly still exist in my family. I look forward to a future where some of that is rectified. However, all in all, I enjoyed seeing them again, and also seeing old antiques that they've held onto over the years including pictures- some of which I haven't seen in ages.

 I'm back home readjusting now, and putting things in perspective. This week, in fantasy football, I engineered a playoff win that has me once again, for the second straight season, in the championship game. I'm the second seed, and my opponent is the first seed. It's the ideal championship game, where the 2 best teams meet. We both dominated this season, losing 7 games total between us. That's enough losses to still make the playoffs in some instances.

   What's impressive about this season is the way that me and my opponent dominated this season respectively. We won in similar ways. We both have 2 of the lesser stacked teams in the league. Our runs were a showcase of what coaching means in fantasy football, and in general. It isn't about getting the biggest and strongest players and letting them loose on the field. It's about managing a roster, and knowing when to digress, and when to attack. People tend to overlook that, and brand it, "Over Thinking." It feels good to see it have us at the top. There were teams with insane rosters that I made a mark dominating this season, as did the first seed- whose team is "band camps" by the way. I didn't win a trophy all season. My first trophy was this past week in the first round of the playoffs, for Odell Beckam who I picked up off of waivers. All season, we both faced opponents with high powered offenses, but no regard for balance. We both had dangerous matchups in week 13- the week before we faced each other the first time. I was impressed how we both took on tough teams and coached to great games. He won decisively, but I lost a very close game. That was the week my running back issues hit a head. I started the season with a fairly healthy roster, only to have my first and second string RB go down. I struggled with that, as well as finding back up, but I showed a talent for finding talent. I managed to weather that storm and mask that weakness. I was infuriated that Steve Smith and Branden Oliver couldn't deliver even 1 point between them. I learned from that.

 When we faced each, I was 9-4. I made a personal goal of getting double digit wins this season, and it all came down to the last game of the season, against, of all people, the number 1 player. I had envisioned going 12-2 or something, especially with the way I started the season, but I took some hard losses that made me have to revamp my team. Our game was a highly charged event, in which I came out on top, giving him only his third loss of the season. We both coasted into the playoffs, and won. Now we face each other.


 Well, onto other discussions- particularly with boxing. I didn't catch this past weekend's fights live, as I was away, but I did catch replays when I came back. The only fight I have yet to see in full is the main event between Timothy Bradley and Diego Chaves. I hear that it was very controversial, and a draw that should have been a UD for Bradley. I believe that, and from what I've seen so far, and know of Chaves, I think he should be ignored by any top level fighters from here on out. He is not a respectable or honorable fighter. He doesn't come to box or fight. He takes pleasure in frustrating his opponents by sneaking foul after foul past the ref. He's sick, and you can even see the grinning pleasure he gets from it. Just like when he fought Brandon Rios, he applied several head butts to Bradley, swelling his jaw in the process, only to grin and look around. He even tells on himself by stating that he is happy with the draw decision. Of course he is. All he wants to do and frustrate whatever he can. And I get sick of the commentators who try to compare that fight to the one Bradley had verses Pacquiao. At this point, it's clear to see that you may as well gouge out the public's eyes, because it's clear they can't use them anyway. They claim to see whatever it is they were told to expect. Because Pacquiao was a huge name at the time and Bradley was an upset, it was the worst time to get a decision win over Pacman. I'm not saying he beat Pacquiao decisively, or definitely won, but if you have eyes and can watch the fight, it's clear as day that it was nothing like the fight Bradley had with Chaves. Bradley boxed Pacman, and was even busier than him at several times in that first fight. It was a closer fight than it seemed at first. It's just good that it wasn't a loss for Bradley. I'm sure he's learned his lesson though- don't give dirty journeymen opportunities at your belts.

 In the Devon Alexander vs. Khan fight, I was very surprised with Khan's dominance. He showed good defense, and sharp offense against a game, but confused Alexander. Now, the pieces are in place to push the fight with Mayweather. And I will go on record again in stating that the fight is beyond stupid, and the public will fall right into the trap. Mayweather did well to remain relatively quiet lately after Pacquiao made yet another clear statement that their fight needs to happen. Putting together any other fight now, is nothing short of retardation. But the problem is that it's very easy to expose the retardation of the public. All he had to do was wait and pray for a dominant Khan win, to take wind out of  Pacman's dominance of Algieri. Now, he can take the fight with Khan over to England, and with the help of the media hyping the Khan win, and a little bit of campaigning, before you know it, he'll be fighting Khan, and making money doing it, even alongside a potential Cotto vs. Canelo event on May 2nd. That's how easy it is to fool people. In fact, it only takes a bit of fodder to confuse them, because you also have the media suddenly doing boxing specials showcasing Keith Thurman. He's been a good boxer for a while, but I have never seen the media pushing like this ever before. The other day, I go onto Yahoo sports to look at the boxing column, and I see a video that is supposed to be a preview of his fight with Bundu. However, the entire video deviates to a campaign for a Mayweather fight. And this isn't just from Thurman's mouth- he's been wanting that fight forever. What surprised me is that it was the media pushing it as a legitimate fight that needs to happen now. Since when the heck does a contender with no top 10 wins deserve an immediate fight with a HOF fighter who has 2 fights on his final contract? That's especially stupid considering the fact that the Pacquiao fight still hasn't happened. But this all serves to Mayweather's benefit. He watches the confusion, and now he can step in and pick Thurman or  Khan and avoid the Pacman fight. And it won't be nearly as noticed as it would have been a month ago, simply because there are more players involved now. It sound stupid, but it's really that simple to fool people.

  To Thurman's credit, he showed he can box, doing what Lomachenko was cheered for a couple of weeks ago, being booed in the process. It was so funny watching Brian Kenny try to find a way to respectfully explain the retarded behavior of the boxing fans at the event. With their Russian hero, it was fine that he boxed and moved the entire night though. Thurman's opponent- Leonard Bundu, was a joke. I keep hearing about his undefeated record, which he maintained in  Europe. Retired fighters go to Europe to have successful runs. Bundu has some ability, but was gun shy the entire night. I don't want to hear about counter punching opportunities. It looked like Bundu was already set up to ease off of the trigger. Not saying he would have won either way. However, I still noticed some holes in Thurman's game. I never got a chance to really give him a look until this fight. I saw bits and pieces and heard the media and his mouth, but it's always good to go to the source. Thurman fights with very low hands, and like the old Khan, has a tendency to drop his right hand when turning out, and be a sitting duck for left hooks to the head and body. He also, while never hurt in that fight, showed that he can be, when Bundu stunned him with a hook at one point, but didn't follow up. In fact, Keith froze in that instance as if not knowing what to do. There were little moments, where I felt that Bundu could turn up the pressure and hurt Thurman. He throws wide punches at times, which leave him open for counters inside and down the middle. Overall he boxed well and won every round, against a short, old, and gun-shy journeyman. How people see a mega-fight potential in him is ridiculous at this point. Khan would beat him, and even he knows that to a degree, and even stated it in an interview. He knows that he isn't ready. I saw an video on youtube that quotes Thurman as saying Bundu is the closest to Mayweather. I sincerely hope that was a joke. Khan looked good, but I still think Pacquiao beats him, and Mayweather beat him, possibly both by stoppage. He did show good defense, and I liked the snap on his punches early in the fight. However, his aggression is probably the main thing he needs to work on at this point. He needs to develop finishing combinations more. There is no reason he shouldn't have stopped Alexander. He couldn't see himself doing it, and if you've been around this sport long enough you can tell that's why by just looking at him and his body language. Once it wasn't an early KO, it wasn't going to happen. I liked his footwork alot. He looks polished, smooth, and in incredible shape. He just isn't ready for Mayweather yet. He's more ready than Thurman though. I just say he should fight Mayweather after Pacman.