Game Review: Final Fantasy Crisis Core

This review is almost a decade in the making. I have been an avid supporter of the Playstation Portable since it's birth in 2005. I purchased almost every launch title, and am still blown away today by the dream system that it is. 2005 was an amazing year, and the gaming world was looking up for both handhelds and consoles at the time. That didn't change over the next few years, and during a rush of great RPG's for all consoles, in 2008, Final Fantasy Crisis Core was released for the PSP amidst several Final Fantasy remakes and reiterations on the 3DS and the PSP. What set it apart, was the fact that it was a brand new story this time around, setting the events that lead up to the world famous Final Fantasy 7. I personally was never a huge fan of 7. I had it back in the day, but I always loved 8 way more. I recall getting past the first section of 7 and getting stuck. It did have a darker story than some other games in the series.

  The turn based combat was always interesting in the Final Fantasy series, but the fact that Crisis Core was introducing a real-time system of  combat surprised me. At the time, that style of RPG hadn't yet caught on. The "Tales" series utilized it, as well as Star Ocean and Grandia, but those were considered cult games. Little did we know that Crisis Core would have such an impact on the approach to RPG's. Not only did it implement a real-time system, it did it amazingly. Not long after its release, another side story to FF7 came out on the Playstation 2, which mimicked it. Since then, almost every RPG today draws from what Crisis Core did. What threw me off was the fact that you leveled up and used limit breakers via a roulette system. A roulette wheel randomly spins in the upper corner, which occasionally unleashes a Summon, or limit breaker special. This can be effected and altered by purchasing these specials in one of the secret stores. The stores are also accessed through the menu, but have to be found in various secret missions in the game. I took me a while to get used to it, but the fighting system was actually very cool. The action was intense and it felt good having control over fusing and creating special moves and powers, similar to Kingdom of Paradise. The one gripe I did have was the fact that the blocking mechanic is way too slow to be useful.

  The music in this game was good. It didn't blow me away, but it was moving and effective when it needed to be. I prefer more powerful and varied music, but it sufficed. Sound effects were done well also. I can't complain there.

 I'm not usually drawn into the story of Final Fantasy games. I even had the anime from back in the day, and it was horrible. Final Fantasy has always had a wonky story that tries to be serious. Or rather a serious story that is tripped up by wonky dialogue and cutscenes. The male characters were always a bit androgynous for my taste. That's why I fell in love with so few of them. They've always been gorgeous games, known for their cinematics, but I rarely felt drawn into playing them a lot. I was drawn into games like Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Lost Odyssey, and  Mass Effect, because the worlds and the stories were compelling. What got me to continue playing was the fact that Crisis Core had a hero I could respect and relate to. He was goofy at times, but he got the job done and he was serious about his ambitions. The story shows how Shinra comes to be what it is in the later games, and you get to see a more naked aspect of the entire Final Fantasy story. This was very poetic and was the kind of prequel that adds several layers of depth and meaning to the sequel. I respect Final Fantasy 7 tons more because of this game. Much of the plot revolves around the villain's obsession with the meaning behind a play called "Loveless." I really like how beautifully the play is written, and you hear pieces of it throughout the game, recited and written in various places. Honestly, I found myself wanting to find a copy of it to read, because I appreciate things like that.

  The way the play ties into the game in various ways and sums it up at the end, really impressed me, because it was bigger than I thought. This game was so moving, especially towards the end. What really made it awkward for me, was that I found out through a spoiler, that something dramatic happens at the end that causes the Cloud we know to pick up the story in Final Fantasy 7. I would rather have not found out, but it still didn't ruin the experience. The relationship between the hero and his girlfriend is corky at first, but then really becomes special, and a tear jerker at the end. It was a very action packed experience. It wasn't as nail-biting as it could have been, due to the fact that I got an OP(over-powered) attack spell near the end that allowed my to pound out my enemies without much worry. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I personally am all for real-time RPG's. In fact, I think they are the way it should be done here on out. However, it seems like balance can be an issue in these games at times, because if I did't get the super attack I got, I think the game would have been ridiculously impossible. Yet, with it, it felt almost anti-climatic. In the game, leveling up doesn't empower you like other RPG's. Not only do you need to land 7-7-7 on the roulette to level up, but it only raises your HP slightly. To raise stats, you have to dive into a deep Materia-Fusion system, which lets you modify items and skills. The process is demanding and very convoluted. It does still manage to maintain it's challenge even if you are OP though, which is nice, as most RPG's, especially turn-based, become no more than a movie, once you grind to max stats. That's why I got turned off to them.

 As an ending note, I have to touch on the presentation and visuals, because that is where Square-Enix really brought it home. Oh my goodness! You see, whenever I tell people about the sham that current gen consoles and the entire concept is, it's games like this that I refer to. Not long ago, I purchased "Fight Night: Champion," and "Assassin's Creed: Revelations" for the XBOX 360. I had all of the previous games in both series and already felt they were good looking games. Around the time Champion came out, the XBOX One and PS4 had just about dropped. Everyone was on board with them, swearing that the old consoles were obsolete, and couldn't give you the full experience. I watched gameplay from several new gen games, and I laughed at the fact that the same glitches were still there in almost every way. Also, the games simply looked like a few coat of paint thrown on what was already there. When I played Fight Night Champion, it looked like real boxers were standing in the ring. It was the quality of a cutscene, only in real-time. I, as well as others who played it, were shocked at how advanced it looked. Assassin's Creed was the same. The world was huge, colorful, and lush. The only thing separating that game from a PS4 game would be probably the scope at which the world can refresh and spawn. And when I thought about all of this, it brought me back to the game "Black" on the Xbox. That was one of the last XBOX games, and it looked about as good as almost any XBOX 360 game would for the next year or so.

 When it comes to handhelds, I've always asked the question, "What is good enough?" The Nintendo franchise has always held back in hardware specs, until the 3DS. But when it comes to Sony, the first time the approached a handheld, it was everything I dreamed of as a kid. Games like Crisis Core and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, will make you rethink how much you respect handheld games. If you've seen the Final Fantasy movies, you know how gorgeous they are. And if you've played Final Fantasy 10, you know how cinematic Square can tend to be. People have been trained for decades to expect less from a handheld. What I love about Sony, is that they dared to refute that when no one else would. People still sit in shock when they see games on the Vita and PSP. Most of the time, they'll find something to nit pick at, due to being in shock and denial at how that caliber of quality is in the palm of their hand. Crisis Core will leave you just like that, when you are done with the game. You will stand, looking at your PSP screen wondering the same thing the gaming industry wondered in 2005- How did I just get all of that from a handheld system? No corner is cut. Back in the day, on Gameboy Advance, you occasionally got a good looking game like Medal of Honor or Kingdom of Hearts, that would wow you for a bit. But then it would kick in that the game was exponentially shorter, or lacking menus and options, and several aesthetics. When Tekken came out on the Gameboy Advance, we were blown away by the full 3D presentation. But then we saw the empty mode list, and the fact that the only character fleshed out was King.

  Final Fantasy Crisis Core is amazing from beginning to end. While the main story lasts around 20 hours or so, I don't hold that against the game itself. That has become the new standard length for the genre since the mid 2000's. It's actually very rare to get a good 80 hour RPG these days. With all of the side missions and quests, you can easily log 80 hours in Crisis Core. When it comes to environments, at first it seems that you don't visit many locales, besides the Shinra building, the slums, and Midgar, but you'll find that the missions you go on, take you to some very lush and beautiful landscapes with many areas to explore. Often, I just lingered in an area, just to look at the background. And there is no shortage of cutscenes. There is a lot of dialogue, but there is also a huge amount of voice work in this one, and it's done quite will. The ending, I didn't see coming. The game was so huge, and so much happened, that I assumed it would be a moderately long cutscene and then credits. Even with that, I would have been impressed. But no. You get an ending worthy of a console RPG. In fact, I started to think of Lost Odyssey during it. It's an ending with so many scenes and parts. There are so many plot twists, and interaction, drama, and combat. And the whole time, it just gets more and more beautiful. Someone said that they don't think the PSP gets any more beautiful in it's lifetime, and as the ending unfolded, I saw what he meant. I thought I saw games on the system that were up there, and then as the ending kept unfolding, I kept eating my words. It was absolutely amazing. You will be more than rewarded for the time you spent.

  All in all, whatever gripes I could find with the game, they are just about washed away by how it all came together. When it ties into the beginning of Final Fantasy 7 at the end, the first thing you think, is not just about how this game almost outdoes that game, but how Final Fantasy 7 wouldn't be the same without this game. It means so much more now. Not only would I more readily play 7 now, but I would definitely play this game again. It's earned a high score in my book. I rate it 9.5/10

Venting and Ventures- Couldn't think of any other title....

 I'm so disgusted with society today. Just Monday, there were 6 US soldiers killed in Afganistan, while the US continues to exacerbate the ISIS issue while occupying the region. Yet, while trying to mediate the world, here on American soil, the racist bigots of society still can't get past coexisting with minorities- namely blacks.  Then you have the Sunday game of the Panthers vs. the Giants which you had several brawls in. The thing that sparks the talking among the league, is that gay slurs were thrown at ODB- Odell Beckam Jr. The hits that Odell launched were uncalled for period. Now, former players jump to his defense. There is a backlash over hits like the one he put on Norman's chin being routine pile clearing plays, when that is a lie. I was ashamed to hear Ryan Clark and company talk  like that on Sportscenter. I played the game for years myself, on the semi-pro level, where rule-sets trickle down from the pros, and even there we knew that it is never okay to blindside someone helmet to helmet, while performing a spear move. That is an automatic ejection, even before the rule changes of the last few years.

  The reason that I bring these topics up, is because the priorities of the US are ridiculous. It doesn't really shock me, but it's worth noting. I just brought it to an associate's attention that in today's world, a gay slur is more egregious than a racial one. That's where society is at. Yet they want you to mourn missteps by the government and military in foreign affairs that they have no business litigating. I still walk into establishments today, even in these turbulent times, and see the local racists unable to adapt to a minority having a meaningful presence in any business dealings. There are still people that backwards and stupid, as progressive as this generation claims to be. I contest this still, that how does a country that isn't a country hope to stand up under duress when facing a world war. For years, the answer has been simply money, but this time around that won't suffice. They'll never crack down on terrorism, when they are so focused on maintaining the segregated and fearful atmosphere that's present here today. That's why brother Bashir is knifing you in the side in your shop while you eye and try to sling offenses at me. You get what you deserve.

  This continuing behavior, coupled with the fact that transgender individuals are treated as more sacred than blacks is a small piece of the problem. Mistreatment is never right, but the fact that an entire race is pushed to the bottom of the stack, beneath alternative lifestyles is very telling. People think less today, and when they do, more ridiculously.

  When it comes to my plans, Coming of Age was my best project. It is also probably the last public effort I'll make. It's still going to be available globally, and will be reviewed and publicized, but after this campaign, I'm not doing any more projects. People have no idea how much money and time go into presenting a piece of art to the public, when it comes to an actual artist. The people you respect, like Iggy Azelea, Miley Cyrus, Justin Beiber and Chief Keef, put no real effort into the simplistic stuff they give to you. Yet, you purchase anything they churn out, all off of a name. It's insulting to those of us who slave over our work. People don't even listen to entire works anymore. This generation is all about skipping track to track, content with rubbish and filler tracks from their favorite artists. I'm not trying to bash these performers. Each one has their own thing going, and they have some notable work here and there, but why do the people who give you a single with fillers get more respect than the artists trying to give you complete masterpieces? That's how you choose to spend your money?


  One of the last straws was something I didn't even want to mention, but have to for this post. I let someone older than me, who I respected as an artist and purist, listen to my latest work. I also gave them an early listen to the first Magnum Opus album. They regurgitated the same impression from 2 different works. I told them its 69 minutes long, and to get some time, and space, and turn the bass and volume up. That was my way of hinting to make sure you have time, and don't bother sitting down to listen to the record if you're going to track sift. They claimed to listen to the work, and yet compare it to an end-of-the-club, mellow mix from the 90's. Then they pointed out 1 track that caught their attention. Instantly, I knew that they didn't listen to the entire album. There is no way a person could listen to the entire work, and get that vibe. They also referred to it as mellow, and low tempo, relaxing music. I'm not knocking this person. To be clear, I've got much love for this individual, and respect. It's just in the plane of music, that I draw question marks now.  I'm just saying that it's sad that people's ears for music have been that badly destroyed. They see things in association. Because I'm an instrumentalist and a jazz player, and fan, they immediately associate me with what they think jazz is all the time- mellow. What I mean by that is this- play a track from "A Love Supreme" by Coltrane for the average person. The minute they hear a jazzy sound, or one not familiar to them like the club mixes they listen to, they group it right with Kenny G, assuming that it's the same thing that he does. That's a very revealing issue with the limited ears of today's music listeners. Coming of Age is loaded with energy. Mellow is the last thing it is, but that never gets to the closed ears of today's listeners. Both Magnum Opus albums are heavy on drums, like I always am, and the tempo fast on many of the tracks. But when they here complexity in the notes, and themes, rather than dive into it, they block it off.  I come from the old-school of music. I can listen to  a Schubert or Bach piece right now, and tell you which ones are exciting, and which ones are melancholic. It isn't because I've heard the pieces before. It's because I know what moods in a piece are. They're called motifs. People will play other things, or even television over classical or jazz music, or turn the volume way down, to avoid getting into it, or giving it a stage. I've seen this behavior, and it shows me how desperate they are to cling to their disillusions.

   Apparently I'm alone in this, but I still have a CD player, and a vinyl player. I truly feel the need to give a dedicated listen to a record to enjoy it. I listen from beginning to end. That's the way music used to be played. It used to be about telling a story from beginning to end with the album. But now, when you do that, people will skip through your CD for tracks that remind them of what they usually listen to.  It's only now that you have this sifting through tracks to find one that you want to hear right now, which is usually close to what you choose to always listen to. That's such a childish way of listening to music, and it's become the standard behavior. I actually sort of wish I made the album a literal Concerto like I did with "New Music Eternal Love." Then it would be 1 track only, where you are forced to follow the story. And the thing is that it would have fit. I'm thinking of going back and doing an Opera mix of all the records in the series. I at least have to respect the opinion of the listener that I asked, for saying something in response, because most people are too afraid to try to give an opinion or a listen, because they know they're incapable of forming an opinion of their own.

  It's times like this that I read comments online about how people miss the old days of meaningful music, and I just shake my head and long for the days when I used to collaborate with my musical buddies. I really miss one in particular. He was one of the only people I could show this piece and get true feedback. Everyone else is closed minded and locked into what they have to hate and what they think they love.

  When the review is posted, I'll put a link here, as well as a link to the album, when it is finalized, but as far as ventures, I can't say there is a reason to continue. I feel like Howard Hughes. I feel like Miles Davis, trapped in world that doesn't get it, where I don't belong, except I never got my message fully heard. And it's fine. I couldn't care less. I'll keep conversation and any ideas I have to a minimum, unless it's with those with artistic and open minds.

Fixed Sports

  Myself and a few associates have speculated for years that sports are fixed. However, looking at things lately and looking back at some fights, I'm seeing things I missed. Did you know that for all the loss of power Pacquiao is accused of, he actually knocked Chris Algieri out in their fight in the 9th round? I was caught up in the fight, and the moment, but when I went back, it was like seeing it for the first time. Chris got laced with a clean left hook I believe, and it snapped his head back. He crashed down and smashed his head into the mat. Chris was dead to rights when he hit the canvas. His eyes were glazed over, and he looked like Roy Jones twitching out on the mat. The fight should have ended without a doubt period. The referee actually stopped counting and let Chris take about 20 seconds to get up. When he was at the 8 count, Chris was still on the mat doubled over. I've never seen that before, except for the Tyson versus Douglas fight. No one protested. Then when Pacquiao goes to finish, several times he has Chris out on the ropes, and the referee plays a game where he shuffles his feet and acts as if he's going to jump in  if it continues, assuming it won't, and then he stayed frozen while Chris got laid into, exposing himself. There was even 1 or 2 instances where the referee shoulder charged Pacquiao while he was teeing off, and angrily threw him away to the ropes to protect Chris. There was no foul Pacman was committing at all. He was simply overwhelming Chris, who wasn't supposed to get knocked out according to the agreement. Go back and watch this, and you'll see that he actually grunts something angrily to Pacquiao while he does it, that only Pacquiao can hear. I can't believe this has never come up in discussion. He literally saved an investment in Chris Algieri, and all of the big wigs supported and demanded that.

  Then you have the recent comeback fight of Nonito Donaire. That was a true spectacle. If you know fighting, there is no way you could miss that, and yet so many still do. Nonito's opponent clearly held back throwing any power shots, while being laced for 12 rounds. No human, as I stated before, is going to get laid into like that, and refuse to return fire at all. Your human survival instincts will never allow you to. I watched a few fights like that, and it really disturbs me, because the sports have become like the WWE, where you wonder what it is you're really seeing.

  Even watching some of the major tennis matches, it feels like points are shaved, and some games given up at times, to draw matches to  5 sets when they don't need to be. And yet, with all of that, they just declared Pete Rose ineligible for the Hall of Fame indefinitely. Over the years, they demonized him on the basis that he bet on games as a manager. Somehow, the biggots of the sport justified that he didn't deserve induction as a player because of that, which always looked, sounded, and was retarded. Many of the old-timers that I argued with would just recite over and over how egregious it is to bet on the holy sport of baseball, like cultish robots. I always asked them, that if character is the question, what does the hall of fame mean. I also asked them if they would respect the hall of fame if Michael Jordan wasn't in it, simply because he had a gambling issue. We don't even know for sure if he didn't bet on basketball games. The bottom line, is that often the issue raised was character, and I continue to argue that I thought the Hall of Fame was about the greatest players, not the greatest fakers. All of the commissioners, writers, and panel members are disgusting, filthy individuals, and that's what angers me. The NBA flames and destroys Tim Donaughy for filthy referee tactics, yet they continue to rackateer off of the same thing.


  Shortly before they passed this recent decision, the Major League began accusing Pete of betting as a player. And instantly, I knew they did that because they were tired of how stupid they looked banning someone for life, for betting as a manager, when they were the greatest player of all time. How would the Hall of Fame look years from now with that over their head? But while everyone eats that up, I simply ask one question- How in the heck did he achieve his stats as a player, by manipulating games as a player? The man has 4,000 plus hits. The greatest players today can only dream of 3,000. You're telling me that he did that, while winning championships and other awards, and he was shaving points the entire time as a player?! Does anyone actually think about that?! Too often, people mindlessly follow the nonsensical rhetoric that they're fed. It's annoying. Sport today are filthy, and the ones vilified are sadly the cream of the crop.

Latest Projects completing

I've been away for a while now, absorbed in completing my latest album and novel in the "Magnum Opus" series. The 2 works entitled "Coming of Age," are both being released now. I look forward to getting them reviewed, as I think both the album and the novel are much better than the already solid predecessors. It's always good to see growth as an artist. Check out some samples

https://soundcloud.com/jokatech/zechariah

http://www.lulu.com/shop/jason-addae/magnum-opus-coming-of-age/paperback/product-22461668.html

Calling them Elite

There is a problem in sports that I'm going to address. I understand that each sport has betting, and has cash cows, along with marketing and politics, but there has to be a line of integrity there as well. Just this past weekend, the indominable Ronda Rousey, was not just defeated, but pounded out ridiculously by a seasoned former world champion in Holly Holm. Now of course, we brush this off as something that "happens," but the imbalance of the fight, and the surge of so-called elites is a problem that should not be ignored. If she performed well and lost, even by KO, it wouldn't be such an issue. The problem is that you create doubt in the entire fanbase, when you build a fighter up to that point, doing movies, commercials, having sponsorships, and being touted as a basic hall-of-famer, so fast, only to face a solid competitor, and be completely outclassed. Where is the high caliber that was once expected of champions. As much as I depise some things about Floyd Mayweather, I have to say he has the pedigree of a true elite champion, as does Pacquiao. They have what it takes to make even a losing effort worth the suspense. And that's because they were trained the right way, and cut their teeth along a hard fought path, gaining experience. Now, today, as Max Kellerman so aptly stated, people want to be great without having to do great things. And the media proports it. You have very good talents like Errol Spence, who could be great, but are in an era where they are catered to, and pushed to the top before blooming, only to be cut down due to weak roots. And much of this is to blame on Mayweather to a degree, as well as Vegas, Bob Arum- in the past as Mayweather's promoter, and many others. They are the ones that manufactured and fixed up Floyd's career, to market perfection. It was never a coveted thing until he came along. So now everyone wants to stay undefeated to be marketed as a cash cow, and if they lose, it's an even bigger challenge they face to build up the illusion, thanks to the shadow left by Mayweather.


  If you want to be elite, you have to have not only elite talent, but an elite mind, and team behind you. I worry about Canelo because of that, as he heads into a very motivated Cotto this weekend. In a fight like that, the trainer makes all of the difference. Cotto is going for the KO, even at his age, because he's gameplanning  with the greatest boxing stategist- Freddie Roach. You can't just hit the bag and come in big and hydrated for the fight. It's a high level championship match. With that in mind, it brings us back to Rousey. She was a decorated Judo champion who had the tools to dominate from the outset. Yet, she was facing fighters who were not cradled in combat sports from birth. Fighters like Correia and others, were soccer moms who went to the gym to lose weight after pregnancy, and then decided to try out MMA. Leila Ali dominated boxing, in part, because of the same reason. Holly Holm is like Ronda. She grew up with a long career of high level combat experience, and a legitimate world champion pedigree. Her skills are real, and if you doubt it, look at some of her fights, and her sparring with Jon Jones before this fight. That's how a champion should think and prepare. Mayweather covers all bases in his training. If he's derailed, it will look close no matter what, and competitive, because he's a legitimate champion. Rousey learned some striking, but as her mother stated, it is from an inept coaching staff, and it finally showed. Someone once said that anyone can look good while hitting the mitts. That is a very nice quote that has a lot of truth to it. The truth is that it means that even bad strikers can have a mitt holder build their confidence by letting them look flashy wailing on mitts. If you are a trained and seasoned artist like myself and others though, you can see when the mitt work is rudimentary, simplistic, and filled with holes. Ronda never learned how to box, or kickbox properly. She learned how to throw her strength into simple straights. No head movement, no angles, no defensive posture, no distance control, no setting up power shots off of a good jab, no leg kicks, no singles or doubles, no feints. And if you watch her training footage now, after the loss, it will pop out to you.

  Holm stepped to her right often in the fight, and as a southpaw, found an easy home for her straight left. Ronda doesn't keep her hands high at all, and eats shots. People fear Connor may have a problem with that as well, but you have to give Connor the credit that technique wise, his standup is legit.
There is still a problem with anyone who rests on the strength of their chin. It is a recipe for disaster. One point that analysts don't mention much is timing. Holm wasn't alway retreating or working an angle. In fact, for much of the fight, she was in front of Ronda with her weight on her back leg. She baited Ronda in, and would counter over the top, or up the middle over Ronda's slower punches and lazy guard. There was even one point where she came over the top with an elbow. She used a lot of pull counters, or step-back counters. And the thing that struck me the most was footage I watched last night of Holly Holm. If you look at her highlight reel, she does the same exact sequence of offensive techniques in all of her big wins. Even the spinning back kick to the abdomen. She works the jab, thows in the back kick, steps back to hook off of the counter, sidesteps to her left with a wide step, and winds up, a head kick. She does it almost the exact same way in every fight. And she did it the exact same way when she fought Rousey, leading to the same KO result. Think about that for a second.

  Ronda's been champion for a while, with challengers looking to dethrone her left and right. All the while she's faced media pressure for her to be challenged or beaten. She has a team behind her that she trusts, and she seems as if there is no concern  before fights. If your team's job is to do reconnaissance on your opponent's fight films, and they claim to do that, don't you think it's odd for you to be caught off guard with an exact replica of the footage. If you watch the footage of Holm and rewatch the Rousey v. Holm fight, the first thing you will say is that there is no way, they possibly studied Holm before the fight. Holm didn't even add a single wrinkle. She just did what she does, well. Ronda looked too unskilled, yes, but she also looked very unprepared. Even if she lacks the skillset to compete with Holm, she still should have been prepared to anticipate some of Holm's assaults. She missed everything, and looked out of shape, like she had no training camp at all. Maybe it's the movie deal and sponsorships, but she has to really reconsider her work ethic.


 I expected Stephen Curry to be similar, but he is taking a different approach. I still believe they were gift wrapped the championship last year against an ailing Cleveland Cavaliers team. However, Stephen is making a statement this year, because he knows that's what some people feel. And he also saw some of the holes in his game that they attacked with success, such as his conditioning and mental toughness. He shows that he wants to stay elite, and he knows that he has to work to do that. The results are a 12-0 start this season, with Steph scoring 40 here, and 50 there, instead of getting stunned by a league that's waiting on them. Mayweather sent a very nice statement out to Ronda, and the UFC, saying that she shouldn't be vilified by the organization, and that she's accomplished a lot in such a short time. He even offered to help her with her boxing. In all honesty, the statement was very good and sounded very genuine, and if you want outstanding results at the elite level of competition, you usually have to make radical moves. The worst thing Ronda can do is stay with her camp and training as is, assuming this was just a blunder loss. It was an eye-catching, eye-opening, and brutal beating. She has to make huge revamps or else retire. If I were her, I would take Mayweather seriously up on his offer. George St. Pierre was on the top for a long time. When he saw holes in his game, he didn't just train harder, he recruited Freddie Roach, and has trained with him ever since, adding a stiff jab, intelligent movement, and conditioning to his arsenal. It helped him in his later fights, and it's why we talk about him as a champion and the best, and not a star who go pounded on until they retired into a nursing home. You have to adapt. Bruce said it, "Be like water."

Project Update

It's been quite a while. My apologies for the inconsistent content lately. I've been very busy, and struggling to work further on the album and the novel. Both will be released in the near future, perhaps early next year. I wasn't really a fan of my last post. It was a spur of the moment thing due to the debate that was online for years.

  Anyway, the novel is nearing the quarter point. I'm about 30+ pages in, and I'm not sure how much further the chapters will go, but it could be a more lengthy book than the prequel- Reminiscer. It's actually coming together even better. What I like is the fact that as you get to this point in a novel, it becomes less of a chore, because the foundation is established. I'm having a lot of ideas as well, regarding way to promote it. I'm currently learning animation in an online course, so I've had ideas about some kind of visual presentation. One thing I'm definitely trying to do more with this book, is tie it to the album. I want both of them to make more sense when put together. I don't think I did that like I wanted to in the last album. I've done a similar thing before with the play/album - I Don't Believe in Rome. That wasn't well integrated at all, but I've learned how to go about it.

  I expected to be done with the music CD part of the project by now, but I've had a couple of ideas that I needed to try out before finalizing. It's in the last stages now. I don't want to get lazy, and crop ideas off of the album, so I'm taking my time. Hopefully, there will be more to update soon. If anyone gives me ideas, maybe I can release some stuff sooner. I'm not sure how I would go about it. Maybe chapter previews or something. Stay tuned. And thank you for tuning in.

Superman vs. Goku Debate- Culturally and Racially Charged.

 I'm going to include some excerpts from my commentary on a heated dispute between who would win between Superman and Goku. I believe it is a very culturally and racially charged debate, and that's part of the reason why it reveals so much. Apparently, it's been debated for years. Finally, a group of guys put a fake simulation together on Youtube. The problem with things like this is that algorithms should be used. When you are trying to account for several variables, a biased human is going to put together an animation where they have a winner in mind from the start. A simulation would have an unbiased computer monitor all factors and decide a winner, even factoring in chance. In my opinion, that's how debates like this should be settled.

 The problem, is that honesty is hard when it comes to Superman. You see, he's a hero of Jewish origins, who has somehow come to symbolize "White Hope" over the years. Therefore, rather than be the symbol of hope he was meant to be, many openly refer to him as a god-like symbol, which reveals how they feel, not anything the comic itself infers. In his comics, he has lost. He has faced adversity. He has shown resilience and the ability to rise to the occasion, but he has even tasted death. Goku was a character that was created, and then adapted to fit the Japanese version of Superman. He has similar limits and accomplishments. A battle between these two would be epic, and very even. Rather than call that as it is, the 2 guys who did the video, referred to the energy blasts done in the Dragon Ball Z universe, as weightless air, when it levels mountains, and thus had Superman walk through it with ease. They also disregarded any inconvenient parts of the Canon including the power level system, referring to it as nonsense. Yet, they pull incongruent parts of Superman's story from every crevice to argue that he is stronger than infinity. The funny thing, is that several of the feats he accomplished were done either at the same time with assistance, or on separate occasions, by other heroes such as Wonder Woman and Thor.

   Goku's son Gohan, performed a kamehameha strong enough to disintegrate the villain, "Cell," in Dragon Ball Z. Cell was strong enough to destroy the planet earth, and threatened to do so several times. Vegeta almost destroyed Majin Buu, who was several times as strong as that. And they are arguing that Superman would easily crush and walk through a Goku, who is dozens of times stronger than that generation of DBZ, and infused with the power of a celestial being. It speaks for itself. In the end, all reason and ration is thrown into the garbage, when racial pride is on the line.

 These are the excerpts from my discussions:



A lot of people think they know Superman through and through, but aren't aware that he does have limits. In Superman Exile, those limits were tested. In comparing Goku, from what I've seen, that entire universe is capable of destruction on a higher level. This episode hurts the credibility of the series. It has nothing to do with being a fan, this battle just looks like typical Western bigotry at it's finest.
   Example.Do you recall that he- Superman raced the Flash at top speed and lost by a narrow margin on more than one occasion I believe. Yet he travels, when convenient, 25 light years in a few minutes in another recent comic book. Any idiot can see that there's picking and choosing when it comes to Superman.  His comic has long had the issue of adjusting to whatever allows him to dominate. If you went by the same inconsistencies, Goku would have no limits. He wouldn't even need his "god" mode. He's performed feats without thinking, that have taken extreme effort from Superman. Superman also needed to wear a mask in his Exile comic, as he was traveling from planet to planet, losing fights along the way. You can call me a fanboy, but when it comes to Superman, for some reason, you people are all something even worse.
Another example is the fact that you guys choose the "Canon" that fits your argument, yet call the power levels of the DBZ Canon- nonsense. It speaks for itself. I was hoping stupidity would get in the way of actually solving the debate. so much for that
  It takes simple sense to see that. Not only Superman and DBZ, but most comics are constantly pushing the limits further and further, contradicting previous issues. Nobody does it like Superman. Then when something shows him being weaker, it's dismissed as a spin off that doesn't count by someone saying exactly what you are. If you remember in DBZ, there were times that Saiyans flew and battled in outerspace. And there were times when Superman wasn't able to comfortably do that. And the bottom line is that he HAS lost. The fact that they refute that speaks volumes in itself. I've always seen him and Goku as unkillable, so while I don't dispute Superman winning, I don't think it would have been like that, and there is also no factual proof at all that Superman would walk through a Kamehameha that would level several mountains, when he's been moved by Batman punches.

 The episode reaches, and is one sided. I actually wasn't even expecting the SSGSS Goku at all. Regular Goku has done feats that are parallel to Superman. Both have died. If anything, to proportionately translate what Goku would be with his power multiplied that many times, it would be impossible for anyone to walk through him. The Hulk, Captain America, Thor, and all of these others have stood with and given problems to Superman, even with some of them beating him at times. If any of those other heroes, including Wonder woman, were to face Goku, you would all be shouting that he would decimate them, which would show that you elevate Superman for no good reason.

 It shows that they have little regard for Anime. They seemed to be comparing the Kamehameha to flames, when it is solid force.
He did not beat the Hulk handily, because while he is strong, his strength is not as limitless as the Hulk's is. If you read, you'd know that.
And for a laugh- Goku once punched a mountain, and lifted it up with his hand casually. Let's forget about the SSJ Goku who destroyed mountains like paper during combat, and did destroy planets. You honestly can't see where the dismissal is of DBZ abilities? Even reading and watching DBZ years ago, as many of you refuse to, we used to wonder how normal people could fight them because they were on such a ridiculous level, capable of destroying cities in moments. Superman has tangled with humans, tediously, and while he is destructive, he has never destroyed such vast landscapes as quickly as they do in DBZ. And let's not forget, they're choosing the SSJGSSJ form for whatever reason. It's easy to see things the way you are when you solely focused in on the Superman comics where he holds limitless pages, and contains infinity. Those are story progressing Canon. If they're going to mindlessly apply that to combat, we would have to go on forever adding in feats from DBZ as well.


  Anyone neutral introduced to both universes, would see the difference in power scale of the two. Superman is a symbol of hope who overcomes, in the eyes of readers and fans alike. He's only an unbeatable god-like symbol in the eyes of biased and jaded people who need him to be that. People like that have no place in this debate or doing a battle video.

Drug Use in Sports and The Con

Years ago, Lance Armstrong fooled the entire country, including me, into believing he was a clean, and dominant athlete. He even used social causes and campaigns to profit off of his claims. Before he was outed, several people who watched him in competition first hand, stated how obvious it was that he was a user. The media, and general public, at that time wanted to hear nothing of that. Then, when he was exposed, and came forward, the whole country was in shock.

 Now, years later, athletes all over are juicing to get ahead, and win at all costs. Some are caught, but there is still a reluctance to believe that the ones at the top are involved. Those are the very ones that are the deepest, is what people don't understand. Even outside of drug use, The Patriots are a shining example of how easy it is to fool the public. They have developed a system in which they cheat by a variety of means in order to solidify their dynasty, and it completely goes over the heads of those observing. Then when they are caught and prosecuted by the commissioner, the public cries for them, and they end up being let off by the judge. The truth is that it was always planned from the start. Commissioner Roger Goodell had no intention of hanging that team. The charges were trumped up, just so that they would be dismissed. Just like he destroyed evidence for them, when they did their spygate. It's called chess, not checkers. That's what Mayweather says. And as long as you play it well, the ignorant public will never even know you sat down at the board.

  Mayweather was just revealed to have been using an illegal IV before his fight with Manny Pacquiao. The funny thing is that this was known  days later, but somehow, is just coming out now. No one seems to question that. They also don't seem to question the fact that he was working with PED pushers for years, not just his last couple of fights. He has been linked to Heredia and Ariza going back almost a decade. When athletes stay in shape to the highest degree, it seems like the public is selectively suspicious. Because he doesn't get KO's often, no one questions his conditioning methods. However, if you look at the KO artists that he has stood toe-to-toe with, and hurt, coming off of their own respective explosive performances, it should be just as eye-catching. But the obvious is the visible. As my dude Precise Presenter brought out on youtube, he hurts and stands with Mosley and Guererro, after each one came off of brutal wins.

  Virgil Hunter said where there is smoke there is fire. I have no doubt that more will come out. But the thing is that its shouldn't take that for people to see what's going on. They went as far as fixing the Compubox numbers in the fight with Manny Pacquiao, to ensure a win. Everything Floyd does is slight of hand. The time that will be interesting, is when he goes to break the record. When the all-time mark is involved, it will be interesting to see how things go his way. I'm looking to see if he would dare to fight outside of Vegas for the 50th fight. I know that he won't. And even the media is ordered to direct Floyd's attention to the new building that was just constructed in Vegas. His only chance of being catered to for the record breaking fight, is if he funnels the money back into Vegas. Even then, I'm sure he's aware, that it may not be enough that time. Fans- use your heads. Imagine I'm a member of the media who has covered Floyd Mayweather for the 19 years he has faithfully fought in Vegas. Why would I ask if he would please have his last fight right where he always fights, in the new building just erected, when for years he's been asked to fight in MSG, and overseas? Obviously, there is an agenda there.

 Berto and Floyd apparently have a woman feud going on, as to why Mayweather chose him. Whether or not that is true, I don't know or care. Berto does pose some threats in the ring, as far as athleticism, but you can take that as you will, when he was almost stopped by the Guerrero that Floyd toyed with. I don't think he has the power people think, and certainly not enough to hurt Floyd. Floyd knows that. He doesn't have the length to fight at a distance with Floyd. While Floyd doesn't have the best jab in the world, it is serviceable, and will set up the left hook, which lands often on Berto. Footwork is key, and the only opponent who could match Floyd there, was Pacquiao. Floyd will use movement and the straight to the body, to dictate Andre's movement, and step to the right. The left uppercut and hook will come into play, when Berto over commits to the right hand and falls into a trap. Floyd won't need many combinations in this fight, but he has the conditioning to push the work rate and stop Berto.

 One of the ways to imbalance Floyd is to have an erratic work rate. For that to work, you have to have a punch he respects. You have to have accurate combinations and cardio. You pressure to get him in the shell, and return to working the jab and circling, keeping him honest by setting traps. Maidana did that very well in their fight. The only alternative to that is to box like Pacquiao did, but you not only need excellent reflexes and speed, but you also need commentary and judges that are unbiased, as you saw that fight called a slaughter win for Mayweather.

 I am intrigued to see Mayweather get hurt, but I know how this will likely end. It's all a con. And slowly, he will be revealed. Years from now, when there is a CBS special on the Mayweather deception, and the Patriots scandal exposed, I can't wait to see the millions of stupified faces.

I want to add an update, which is that Tom Hauser, a reputable reporter, has written extensively on the track record of Mayweather's drug use. In his report, there was a red flag test with high testosterone before his fight with Robert Guerrero. Stephen A Smith leans on the fact that nothing has come to light. It's ignorant to think someone who has a close relationship with Golden Boy, USADA, and Las Vegas, along with an enormous revenue, can't hide things, when we saw a positive Anderson Silva test be hidden until after his comeback fight with Nick Diaz. PED's are not only for power, they are also for recovery and endurance. I ask again, that you look at the fact that Mayweather has competed with an incredible gas tank and has recovered very well from any hand injuries that he has sustained, well into his  late 30's. To say there is no evidence in the ring is ludicrous. He also has been able to take shots from heavy hitters without much wear at all. Stephen A says he took 2 punches in his career, further showing ignorance. If you watch his fights, all the way to the Pacquiao fight, he takes not only more shots than you think to the chin directly, but he takes a heavy pounding to the body in the large majority of this fights. Fans are so busy being mystified by his so-called masterclass, they aren't seeing what's happening. He has likely been masking some drug use all along. The reason the records stretch so far back, is possibly because his dealings with drug pushers goes back quite a ways too. As more leaks there will be more pathetic excuses from his supporters, but in the end Skip Bayless looks more and more in control in the First Take discussions.

Working the 1- 2: Virginia and The Staples Center

Okay, this is another double post about two different topics. I had on my mind, the murder of the TV reporter and camera man in Virginia, and the past weekend boxing match between Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares.

 I'll start with the Virginia murders first. I was tempted to do a Podcast on this one, but I didn't think I had a whole lot to say about it. It's a fundamental thing really. This guy was an African American, former model, who worked for  the new station for years before he was fired due to issues with his mental health, and his refusal to rectify it as they saw fit. He comes back 2 years after being fired, and kills a reporter and camera man. The reporter was one that he had issues with according to him. Apparently, he made everything public on Twitter, and uploaded videos and footage of his life, as well as what he intended to do. I notice that there was very little focus on his life, outside of claims about him being severely mental, and violent.

 I watched CNN for the past week, talk for hours about how ill he was, and interview his former boss. What struck me, was when I found that he claimed he was discriminated against constantly on that job. And then, I saw the footage of him working as a reporter over the period of his time there. His coworkers seemed to teeter back and forth between saying he was constantly unstable, and him being seemingly normal from what I heard. When his boss was interviewed, and asked about the discrimination claims, his inability to give a coherent response also disturbed me. CNN brushed that aside, but it is an issue. Even when the boyfriend of the murdered reporter was interviewed about her, it was  very disturbing to watch him be unable to stop smiling from ear to ear and joking. That was very odd. The murderer was said to have been a fan of the many famous mass murderers of the last few years, and a justifier of them. In the end, what the news decided to go with was a sick and unstable man, who randomly decided to kill his coworkers.  Then they parlayed that into the gun laws.

  My point is that, while he was likely mentally ill- as most today are, the incident started somewhere. From what I've seen, I believe he was discriminated against. Since I've moved into the area I live now, I've become more aware to things than before. There are many people in this sick country, who will seem normal to a passerby, but be a self-destructive, and ravenous racist behind the scene. It really doesn't make any sense to me. I've ran into mechanics, medical worker, and other business owners since I've been in upstate NY, who will seem so innocent and friendly, just like those at that news station, and then go out of their way to be spiteful and racist the minute the stage is set. I can't help but believe that he experienced some of that during his time there. I don't justify what he did, as it is wrong, but we have to stop ignoring the real roots of many of these issues.

  For instance, now that law enforcement is suffering casualties due to gun violence, there is a sense of urgency, when their mistreatment of civilians is more of a problem. Racism and stupidity is a huge and growing epidemic here. People are generally unstable. What do you think is going to happen in an economically unstable climate, where someone is struggling to eat, and dealing with racists who oppress them for nothing other than blind hatred? There will be more cases just like this. And rather than attack and address the real issue, there is always some scapegoat, like mental illness to use. They proposed a lifetime monitoring of mentally ill patients who own fire arms. Nothing will get better with that approach. The same people peddling that solution, think nothing of the way they treat certain people, and then are shocked when something goes down.


  In boxing news, Leo Santa Cruz destroyed Abner Mares on Saturday, like I knew he could. Teddy Atlas said it best when he said Cruz rose to the occasion. I said the same thing. I knew he had ability in him, and I expected him to shock a lot of people and outbox Mares. The only people who probably saw it coming, were some of the fighters at the Mayweather gym, who saw him train there a short while ago. Most people think he has no skill because he brawls for the fans. I like the fact that he has a drive to stay undefeated. That carried him through this fight, with a very game and dangerous Mares. Abner fought very hard, and I think he was embarrassed and shocked by the whooping he took after all of his disrespectful talk. I started to dislike him during the build up to this fight. He was out of line with his derogatory statements and behavior.

  Just like Teddy said, Abner tried to keep the fight in the clinch, and hold when being hurt. He threw endless flurries of hooks, but Leo did a very good job of getting distance, and evading and countering with the right hand. He worked the jab beautifully, and showed that he had the circular movement that he needed for a charging Mares. Even in short range exchanges, Leo proved to have the better defense and sharper offense, cracking Mares, and forcing him to regroup. I was actually expecting a KO late, but Leo pulled back and boxed very defensively in the last few rounds.


  The shocker is that Abner tried to act like he wants a rematch. The truth is that he doesn't deserve one. The stupid media started stoking those flames after the fight. No one deserves a rematch after losing 10 rounds badly. Abner tried very hard, and moved well at times, even rushing Leo in the first 2 rounds, but Leo showed that he is that much better, hurting and lacing Abner the entire fight. The gap showed. There is no need for a rematch. At this point, he can take on the bigger names like a Lomachenko. We'll see what happens.

A Pretty Cool Dream About a Whack PPV Boxing Match

I just had the coolest dream about the whackest fight. It was about Mayweather vs Berto


I was attending the press conferences and some of the final media days, when Mayweather usually suddenly starts to drink truth serum, and talks about how easily he will win. He talks about how he is naturally bigger than Berto, faster, and stronger, and how if he is clipped, he knows how to take his shot and recover and take control. It was classic Mayweather. The odds makers around town are all talking about how lopsided the fight is. It looks like we're in some mid western state, or another country. It's a city where there is heavy traffic, but also a large river running through and around it. Mayweather and Berto happen to be walking around the city with their entourages and bumping into each other. I think I was a reporter or something. Mayweather finishes one of his rants, and decides to go for a swim around the entire town in the river. Berto find out shortly after, and jumps in the river as well to go for a swim.

  The swim turns into a competition, which is sort of cool. I personally start to feel like cracking Mayweather with a right hand, and promise that he won't recover from mine. I jump in the river as well and try to catch up with them, but can't get to them. After getting out, I walk the streets looking for a restaurant or something. After some time, I run into a dejected looking Berto walking with some reporters, who ask him what he feel his chances are. He feeds them the confident crap, and talks about how he would like to win about 9 or 10 rounds. I roll my eyes and turn the corner down a connecting side street. This is where it got so cryptic.

There's a card shop on the street. It's not just a regular shop. The shop advertises a card illusionist who can quickly shuffle cards into various shapes, and tell stories with them while he narrates. It sounds cool, so I walk in and see the guy. He starts to shuffle the cards and talks about sports and uses the cards as props. He starts a discussion about retirement, alluding to Mayweather retiring. He mentions those who retiring being wise at the point they make that decision. The way he says it is so eloquent that I'm pulled into the discussion. And then he says a very deep line that I still remember. He says, "Don't get angry at these warriors who seek to retire. It's often with the same passion that they all seek the rematch- Some guy who you now know met and beat the crap out of you. It's that way with life. They want to feel, and prove to themselves they can win outside of the ring, where it all matters, in that life they're unsure about."

 He said more, but that's what sticks in my memory. It's amazing, because usually ramblings like that in a dream can be idiotic when you wake up, but that is such a deep line of thought that I never, ever thought of that way. It makes me think of my novel- Reminiscer, where I talked in the early chapters about getting deeper ideas from a dormant and sleeping mind. The thing about the card guy, is that he was tying the sports world and examples into real life with his speech, and it wasn't a stretch. It made sense.  The more I thought about it, the more that it made sense for everyone. When people retire, often after being sick of work, months later they come back, visiting, antsy to work again. No matter how much they hated it, a part of them not only wants to keep busy, but also solved those unanswered questions in the rematch with life. It's a sense of fulfillment, that makes you seek out something new all over again.

Maybe I'm a Hypocrite- AC Game Review

This is a review of the game I mentioned before- Armored Core: Last Raven

I just completed the game, and I must say that I realized something. While I still categorize this as a fraternity game, I've lost sight of where I stand in gaming. Fraternity games are something that I have championed  since long ago. They are actually what make gaming have substance. I had a feeling my opinion would change once I completed it. I couldn't help but remember old games like Amok for the Sega Saturn, and the Strike series on Playstation and Saturn. I forgot that I was in love with those games, in a time where few could hang with them. But back then, I was so hungry and free, I was able to dive into games I loved more than I can today.

 I used to spend hours navigating through games like Crusader: No Remorse, and going back to it recently, I wonder where I found the skill to finish that game. It is super complex. I vaguely remember frustration, but I was comfortable in games like that then. There are some games that I never got a chance to beat that are harder than hard. Armored Core is a game that I didn't get fully used to until the very end. The beautiful way that I beat the last boss was a culmination of all the work I put in. It was just very tough sticking it out that long.

It was a similar feeling to when I beat Phantasy Star Online and Phantasy Star Portable. All of these games have so much to offer beyond a single playthrough. I found myself eager to dive back in. I only wish more mech pieces were accessible. I've seen other mech games that aren't on Armored Core level, but have an insane amount of available parts. To me, that's the charm of this genre.  I'm looking forward to diving further in soon. I think the fact that they churn out some many Core games, they spread their inventory thin. The game has a relatively few amount of missions. But it does have an arena battle mode, and replays available. Personally, I like for a game to have quick play modes like that, as a bonus. But I also want my games, especially the hard ones, to have a decent amount of levels. Maybe 10 minimum, and they have to be long stages. I don't like to remember the beginning of a game vividly, as I beat it. That's a sign that it was too short. Even a compact action game should abide by those rules.

 Nonetheless, I enjoyed the game, and feel super proud that I conquered it. Not the ultimate experience, but fulfilling. I give this game a 7.5/10

Greatest Boxers of All Time

Okay, I've finally compiled my list of the greatest boxers in each weight class, and pound for pound. This has been years in the making, and I always wanted to do it right. As an athlete myself, I couldn't just go with feeling, or ignore the deep nuances of what make a fighter great. I can't lay out every component in this blog post, or it would take forever.

  When considering the greatest fighters, Mayweather said recently, that he considers the amount of weight classes they conquer. I half-agree with that. The truth is that faulting a heavyweight for that is not quite fair, being that most of them don't drift away from that weight class. It's easier for guy to go from cruiser to heavyweight, than it is for a heavyweight to drop to cruiser, or light heavyweight. Hence, you rarely see it. You also have to consider raw ability and skill, which do not always translate to titles and wins to the max. It's about how a fighter moves and adapts. How would he do at his very best? I considered all of these factors, and had to watch footage to back it up.


  I did an pound for pound list, and the individual weight classes. I did Heavyweight, Middleweight, Welterweight, and Lightweight. Those were the core classes, before titles and divisions were broken up.


In the Heavyweight division, my top 5 are:

1. Jack Johnson- versatile, powerful, and defensive genius. Able to do it all, with ease

2. Gene Tunney- not often talked about, but in my opinion, he was a bit better than Dempsey. His skill was far ahead of its time.

3. Ali- He speaks for himself. He faced a who's who of champions, and always adapted. He had some suspect fights, and showed some holes in his game and technique, which pull him from number 1.

4. Marciano- 49-0 doesn't get you an automatic 1 for me. I'm not like the laymen. He almost lost some fights, but at the same time, he had the ability to pressure and get a decision if he needed to, which shows ability. His power, and recuperative powers were immaculate.

5. Evander Holyfield- I had to make an amendment to this list, as expected after a bit of thought. And I know that this inclusion is also going to turn heads. Most average fans give no thought to "Real Deal" as an all-time great for no real reason, other than his low-key personality. However, he was more deserving of this spot than the previous Lennox Lewis. If you really look at his resume, it's hard to argue that he doesn't meet the criteria. This man came up from Light Heavyweight and remained competitive throughout his entire long career, with wins over Tyson, Bowe, Moorer, Oquendo, Ruiz, Rahman, Holmes, Tillman, Douglas, and the list goes on. While he has a loss and a draw to Lewis, I take into account the fact that he was the only person Lewis faced that was a competitor to the fullest, even undersized. The same is true of Bowe- him giving Bowe his only loss, and he had better wins than them both. I can't hold his losses against him. He avenged many of them, and often, just did too much, too soon. He always had a workman's style to him, and worked the jab and turned well into counter hooks. At the same time, he was willing to trade in spurts with tough opponents, and knew how to survive when rattled. He was great, and also the perfect example of how fans don't know what to look at. 99% will tell you Tyson was greater, when Tyson himself saw and says the truth.

In the Middleweight division my top 5 are:

1. Sugar Ray Robinson- The ultimate Sugar. He had an amazing and accurate offensive arsenal. He could penetrate any defense, and had a chin and defense of his own that was masterful.

2. Carlos Monzon- He was heavy handed and had a smooth style that would lull you into traps. Deceptive defense as well, gave him just the distance he needed to set up devastating counters.

3. Bernard Hopkins- As he himself has said, it's hard to appreciate greatness that's in front of you. He had explosive offense during the years he dominated the middleweight division. Always a defensive master, he fought like Gene Tunney reborn.

4. James Toney- He is known as master of the shoulder roll defense. He also had explosive power, and could put together very sharp combinations.

5. Marvin Hagler- Many people's number 1 for idiotic and sentimental reasons. He was a great middleweight, but he couldn't get rid of a lightweight in Duran. He overpowered his opponents. He had sufficient skill, but his resume didn't really show the need to adapt much.


In the Welterweight division my top 5 are:

1. Sugar Ray Leonard- I always felt that his ability wasn't fully reflected in his record. And then he fought too late. When at his best, he had a savage power, capable of brutal knockouts. He also had amazing boxing ability and reflexes that were amazing to watch. At his best, he would not have lost to Norris.

2. Manny Pacman Pacquiao - If you watched his growth from the lighter weights, he became a great boxer by the time he stepped up to welter and faced a bigger De la Hoya and Hatton. He put on amazing performances, and also showed elusive movement and boxing ability across an array of talent in the division. I also gained a lot of respect for him for his fight against Mayweather. While many think they saw him getting schooled, he showed further development as a counter puncher, and defender. If you go and look at the replay footage, you can see the beautiful shots he caught Floyd with on the inside and at distance. He actually frustrated him many times. Manny fought one of the greatest Mexican fighters in Marquez 4 times, and gave Marquez so much trouble, he had to juice to get through the last fight. Enough said.

3. Henry Armstrong- He would always start a fight in a crouched position, and then unleash amazing counters and combinations. He was extremely technically sound. Like Pacman, you had to watch him to see that. Surprising power allowed him to KO people at a moment's notice.

4. Pernell Whitaker- Almost a perfect fighter, he had just enough power to be a danger, and almost untouchable defensive ability. He was pound- 4- pound for a reason. However, he had a couple of lapses and was taken into deep waters on occasion.

5. Floyd Mayweather- It's amazing how people reason backwards. For calling things as they really are, I'm labeled as hating on Mayweather, when I've had the utmost respect for him for over the decade that these same people hate him. The self proclaimed best of all time, Mayweather had a nice resume and arsenal of attacks and defensive maneuvers that carried him over from lightweight to welterweight. He has impressive victories over hall of famers. When it comes to his abilities, I always saw a high ceiling, but he never really reached it. Many fans see perfection when they see him, because they are easy to fool. There is a reason he is at 5 and Manny at 2, and it has nothing to do with emotions. If you watch the way he fights, one of Money's best assets is his chin. It's hard for people too stupid to see landed punches to notice that, but he holds up well under direct blows. He also has excellent movement ability. He would have done well for himself in the previous era of boxing, especially at lightweight, where he could have let his hands go more. However, not only would he have suffered KO's from many on this list, but he also would have dropped decisions to busier and better fighters on this list in different settings and times, including Pacman. In fact, the Pacman fight revealed a lot to me. He showed that he couldn't adapt as I once thought, and that he could be outboxed by a fast and elusive fighter. He regurgitated his nonsense, and it worked for the masses, but not me.

My Top 5 lightweights of all time are:

1. Roberto Duran- with what he did at lightweight, he showed me that he would have been unbeatable if he stayed there. He had the power of a strong middleweight, as well as the chin of one, coupled with Pacquiao boxing ability. I often call Pacman the second Duran.

2. Aaron Pryor- he was a terrifying boxer with good head movement and a heavy right hook counter. His resume is impressive to a good degree.

3. Sugar Shane Mosley- Many forget how amazing he was at lightweight. He was almost unbeatable. He had his fastest hands at this weight and power to stop any opponent he faced.

4. Carlos Ortiz- Watching footage of Carlos, you can see the Monzon-like ability he had to walk his opponents down and deliver educated combinations while slipping effectively. He also faced some animals.

5. Ike Williams-  He had a very impressive career, and offensive ability. However, he was susceptible to left hooks often, and buzzed in fights that he came back to win. Respectable, but not number 1 material.

When it comes to P4P greatest list, it's impossible to do one with only 5 slots, if at all. You notice that some omissions may surprise you. But once again, you have to realize that this list is not about sentiment. It's about raw ability. Someone once said that if you put Marciano in a room with every heavyweight who ever lived, he would be the one to walk out alive. That's sort of the principle. Regardless of titles, I look at what and how much they could do flat out.


Top Ten Pound-for-Pound  list:

1. Walker Smith- aka SRR
2.John Arthur Johnson
3. James Gene Tunney
4. Rocco Francis Marchegiano
5. Carlos Roque Monzon- Escopeta
6. Sugar Ray Leonard
7.Roberto "Manos de Piedra" Duran Samaniego
8. Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao
9. Pernell "Sweet Pea"Whitaker
10. Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr.

New Track- I Would

https://soundcloud.com/jokatech/i-would


^ Here's the link. It's amazing. I can post till I'm blue in the face, but the only hits I get, are on the blog.

Armored Core: The Most Bogus Series on the Planet; and other Updates

I've made it a habit of conquering some of the hardest games there have ever been. Among them have been Megaman games, Castlevania games, The Red Star, and several others that have been known to be near impossible. However, there is a type of game and crowd that I despise. It's something I call the Fraternity genre. This is a genre of games that are absolutely unbeatable without finding a needle-in-the-haystack glitch, or item that allows the game to be played. In games like these, those who stumble upon it, are so proud of themselves that they keep it as a hush secret amongst themselves, and enjoy watching newcomers give up one by one. Armored Core is such a series.

 I had the privilege of first experiencing this game around the age of 13 at a good friend's house, as we used to play games almost every day after school. In fact, he was an undercover tech head. He was into extremely sophisticated and complex games, usually revolving around military combat and espionage. I was drawn in slowly to the games, and I recall a few vividly as I watched him control and play a completely convoluted HUD, navigating through ambiguous missions effortlessly in these games. I was awe struck. I didn't really get into them myself until years later, when he was long gone. He sort of planted the seed. Armored Core was one of those games. The others were games like Space Griffon VF9, and some other game possibly Urban Strike related. When I got my Sega Saturn, I was a freshman in High School. It was 1998. That was some of the last times that me and my friend hung out. I believe we lost contact during the 10th grade. He was in high school in the Bronx, where I lived, but I was commuting to another school, so we hung out after school, which is still shocking because he lived pretty far from me. I remember having very fun memories of playing some games that were right up his alley, being that he groomed me into the genre. The same way he showed me and played Armored Core, I introduced him to Soviet Strike and Crusader: No Remorse, both of which really impressed him. I also brought a funny game over that I really loved starring the hated Kirk Cameron- The Horde. We both memorized the lines from that. I loved those days.

 When I got my own PS2 several years later, Armored Core  was one of the games I purchased immediately just off of nostalgia. I didn't really play it that time around. I didn't have the PS2 for long. In fact, looking back, I don't know why. I had a pretty good library. I had Final Fantasy 10, Hajime No Ippo, Armored Core, NBA Street, and King of Fighters. I think I traded for my Dreamcast, which I still have if I'm not mistaken. When I got my PSP at launch in 2005, not long after, I saw articles showing previews of an Armored Core game coming out. This was when Sony reared the beginnings of their atrocious advertising. The game was depicted like a mech simulator that was based off of Armored Core, with really good looking graphics, where you don't directly control your mech, but set it up to fight in an automated battle. Because of that misinformation, I declined to purchase it at first. It wasn't until later that I purchased a copy of Armored Core Last Raven for my PSP Go.

 I had it on tab to play later, as I was finishing games like Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones, Prinny, and Killzone. All of those games were ridiculously hard, as you would know if you are a gaming enthusiast. I didn't get into Armored Core until a few years ago actually. I started the campaign, and then took a break. The controls are very unique for the PSP, as I heard, but I got used to them pretty quick. Building the mech is where the learning curve is. The thing is that you can't keep your mech exactly the same, yet you must maintain your overall ability to take on the harder stages towards the end. It's like a rubik's cube, which I was good at, then bad at in the past. First off, when I found out that Armored Core was a full on port, I was amazed that such a huge game was on the PSP. I've had to get used to the jargon of parts names, ammunition, and weapon types, and statistical  modifications of the Armored Core universe. Online, whenever I looked for help with the game, I would meed a message board of players who sound like a room of Brain Surgeons discussing breakthrough procedures. It's like staring at a floating island. There's no way on. I've done coding somewhat- also known as computer programming, and studied some of Stanford's courses, as well as online tutorials. I know frustration. There is nothing like pining sheets of code looking for the command error causing a program to crash or freeze. Yet, this game is somehow worse.

 Just when I thought I had the gist of the game, the complexity seemed to lose me again. The game has a AI system that adjusts to not only how you play, but the construction of you mech, making already difficult battles, just about impossible. When I looked online, I noticed that all Armored Core games have mechs that zip around the screen, and fire insanely powerful weapons non-stop at the enemy, all while staying airborne. You have no idea how difficult that is to do schematically. It's not the controls that are an issue. It's the limitations of the parts. Most of the advanced parts have to be found in the corners of stages in the game. Many are useless, or won't be found without being told where to look. The standard parts just don't get good enough to compete with the middle to late levels. It just leaves me wondering where the players who beat this game are getting the parts they have that allow them to fly constantly, have a huge sight scope, and move like flies around the level. Often, CPU enemies will do that, and I feel like my character is in the wrong game. Then, I remember that it's a fraternity game. Armored Core let's you carry over mech data throughout the series. If you just got on board, you're way behind in that regard.

 I hate, and covet fraternity games to a degree. Part of me likes the fact that games exist that only few can hang with. I enjoy it once I'm in. However, I loath having to learn something that I would never know on my own, in order to get by.


  Anyway on another note, my job is breaking me down mentally and physically. I actually almost fell asleep on the road today. It was a surreal moment waking up at the gas station. I went in and out of consciousness so many times on the road, I forgot I made it to the station, and was shocked when I woke up. I've been forgetting a lot lately due to overworking myself on these jobs. We'll see what happens. I've been working on some musical and art projects. I have a lot of ideas, and new techniques I want to employ musically and artistically. Much inspiration has come from my buddy Dave Chisholm's album Calligraphy. I've also been working on trying to complete some of these games that have. I'm the kind of person that refuses not to enjoy life. I don't care what work or trials come my way- I will make the most of what's in front of me. I just always hated to be that person that collects things that I never use. It bothers me to let books sit and collect on my shelves, ideas and notes remain in my logs or draft sheets, music to be left unfinished in my folders, and games to be piled up that I always wanted to play, but didn't. I'm continuing the Coming of Age project, which I've sort of decided will be accompanied by an album, which is really sounding good right now. However, with all that's going on, it is holding it up. I'll be updating soon.

Caitlyn and Cosby

I just have to speak on the reactions I'm seeing towards Caitlyn Jenner, after receiving the ESPY award for Courage.

The sad thing is that he is revealing what is growing from an undertone in America and the world, to a loud cry. Look at how embraced he is and was, even before this award. Look on the internet, and look at the shift in transgender and "alternative" preference in the last few years. If you just look around carefully, you can see this has been shifting for some time, and now with the change in laws, and Bruce stepping forward, that was an adrenaline shot that is speeding it all up. I've personally caught a few men I know, who swear they are straight, talking about how attracted they are to Caitlyn. I think that there are a large number of undercover, or in-between people, that are going to be surfacing as the climate becomes more favorable. What is considered normal and straight has been broadening for a while now.

The whole crowd rose to their feet and America embraces and loves not only Caitlyn, but anything besides what was once normal. It's almost as if they have tired of doing things according to their original intentions, and praise any who defy. I keep thinking about the discussion I had with someone when they said one day, being what was once normal will have YOU discriminated against. You already know how I feel about this, as I've written about it several times now. But just seeing how confused people are is amazing. Caitlyn says she still likes women. Apparently, she kept some of her male parts from what I've heard. She also retains Bruce's voice. People don't realize they are applauding and calling courageous, what is merely mischievous confusion. He lived the life of an alpha-male. He had and raised 6 children. He hung with his male friends of many decades regularly, and did everything normal fathers do. And he's stating that he didn't mean any of that. As far as being with women, he is now putting Lesbians in a position where if they choose to be with him, it draws into question what exactly drove them down the path of an alternative lifestyle in the first place. There are so many holes in what is now a lifestyle respected as a race, that it is ridiculous. I'm actually interested to see how it plays out with her, because I feel that she will get more pressure and response from men than she will women. I already said earlier to prepare yourself to hear that she likes men eventually. I see a rollercoaster coming, already started off with the fatal car accident that she caused. There has been an underground growth in so-called straight men lusting for shemales. There was a documentary years ago called, "Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes." Several homosexual males and transgenders were interviewed and said that many high level stars frequently sought them out. At the time, it was ignored as nonsense, but now it's becoming clear how real that was. Look at the news reports surfacing lately about stars like Travolta making advances towards a number of males, or some of our favorite child stars being suddenly on the fence sexually or on the other side completely.

Whenever you see people who live what you are being trained to call normal, doing sick acts, it's another side of that coin. Even heterosexuals like Bill Cosby. He iss apparently a womanizer, but society praises that any other time. It's praised all the way up until something goes wrong. That's today's thinking. I had a friend who used to berate me for being a religious and principled guy, saying that when I mature, I'll see how I'm supposed to be- a womanizer. He said it all the way up until his nasty divorce, where his whole life was turned upside down. Try to think about consequences. Cosby's case isn't that isolated. Don't let the the allegations fool you. These women consented to what was a womanizer. What he was doing was wrong, but it is also common. That fact is blighted by the fact that the story is painted as him dominating, and raping dozens of women, which is insanely stupid. One of the victims said she had an affair with him for several years, when suddenly, he raped her. Put that together if you can. It's like me and a coworker said, if YOU, I, or the president had a truckload of sedatives, there is no way in the world any of us would be able to walk around town and scoop up hundreds of women and use the drugs to rape each of them without any consent. People so easily forget how many levels and stages there are to human interaction. The fact that the story is starting to hold up is amazing.

We've all heard of the "Date Rape" drug. You know that to use it, you have to be in a situation where the female is already around you. The predator also has to time his actions and have a plan. Not that Cosby is incapable of that. The thing about it is all of this going unnoticed initially. He is said to have paid women to keep his affairs silent. What this comes down to is money. These were mistresses. The way the media spins it is as if you can walk into a restaurant and use the drug to slip out with someone's wife, with no one noticing, and no consent. The drugs aren't that magical. The most common date rape drug agent is alcohol. By definition, any drug can be considered one. The rape takes place when an incapacitated person is assaulted. The truth is that there is always so much room for accusation. But thus far, there have been no accomplices named in the Cosby case. Being the celebrity he is, he was said to have taken these women to his private quarters during these occasions. The fact we can't ignore is that these women entered into intimate settings with him. If a girl doesn't like a guy at all in that way, she usually won't enter into a date like setting, and if she does drink with him, there will usually be others around. I doubt he carried lifeless bodies away from a crowded room. Some of this would be plausible with an average person, but the fact remains that he was a high profile individual doing this. The odds are that they were in one-on-one settings where he was allowed to give them the drug. Suddenly, decades later, each victim now speaks. They may be victims in a sense, but they each had more of a hand in it than they are saying.

From what I've heard, Cosby had to use the drug to get sex because females weren't that physically attracted to him. He would talk to them, and they would be into him somewhat, but from what I heard, they themselves would on occasion, choose to use the drug to tolerate having sex with him. I don't know how true that is, but I do believe at least some of these women had to be interested in him in some way for all of this to go down. In the end, he is a disgusting womanizer, and adulterer who is now seen as such. But he also represents, in a sick way, the American male ideal. The scary thing is that people don't notice.

Sports Update

In the world of sports, I've been loosely watching the Summer League of NBA, and the Knick acquisitions performing. I actually will be eager to see how this upcoming season plays out. This past weekend was one of the few joys in Fight weeks I've had in a while. With all of the upsets, it was good to see my boys pull through. Connor McGregor, Keith Thurman, and Robbie Lawler all delivered in their performances, in spectacular fashion.

 Robbie Lawler was defending his new title, and silencing any who doubted him still. He was facing a game  opponent in Rory MacDonald.  The fight started very methodically, and was called dull in the start, when it wasn't. Chess escapes fools. It ended with fireworks, and Robbie KO'ing Rory after some explosive standup, having been rocked himself at one point. I like the wrinkles Robbie has added to his game with very smooth boxing, and level changing. His takedown defense is getting even better. Not only does he stuff the takedowns, he makes you pay dearly with counters in the process.

 Keith Thurman has been under the microscope as a potential Mayweather opponent for a while, especially after his several rants calling Floyd out. I wasn't a fan of the matchup myself, but Keith id definitely improving. I didn't like how slow and defenseless he looked in his last fight with Robert Guerrero, who hurt him late in that fight. In this fight, he faced a small looking Luis Collazo. At first, it seemed like a mismatch. Collazo starts slow, and waits to explode. When Collazo lets his hands go, you can see why he stopped a game Ortiz and Berto. He has hard, relentless shots, and a very hard chin. Keith actually stepped his game up. His defense was excellent, and he really didn't take clean shots upstairs. It wasn't until the 5th that we saw him in trouble. He took the kind of liver shot that stopped De La Hoya, and would have stopped most people. How he stayed up is beyond me, but his defense afterward, recovery, and offensive wizardry, really impressed me. He survived the round, then came out and controlled the very next round, leading to a corner stoppage. He apparently had a wrist injury. Like Teddy Atlas said, I didn't see explosive power there much, which could be due to the wrist, but as far as technique, I definitely see an argument for a Mayweather fight there. It would be interesting, but I would rather he fight Khan first. That fight, at this point would be good.

  Lastly, I have to mention the greatest magic of them all- my boy Connor. Connor McGregor is a great warrior. He is living proof that belief takes you far. And not blind belief. I mean drive. Ever since he was in Ireland, he as known he would be champion. With all of the tests in front of him, it's hard to see a way for him to dominate like he promises each time, and yet he always has. When he was set to face Aldo, I felt that he might fade and crumble in that fight. Aldo pulled out due to rib injury, and was replaced by Chad Mendes. I honestly felt that Chad was the tougher fight for Connor, and I still do. Chad hurt and tested Aldo in both of their fights, and has the added wrinkle of being a great wrestler. That's a recipe for a Connor nightmare. Yet, Connor says he has no worries, and promises to cut Chad in half, and the first thing I say to myself is, "How the heck is he going to do that?" Chad is a complete fighter who will test even the greatest and most perfect fighter, if not destroy them. But Connor is special. Just watching his media workouts, I was blown away. He isn't just talk. He takes it back to the very basics of martial arts and technique. He has polished his movement and strikes in such a way, you just don't see that anymore from most fighters. The kind of perfect kicks and punches and just the right time, that most fighters dream of throwing, Connor can throw at will, anytime, perfectly, in rapid succession if need be. He has taken it back to what it truly means to master technique, not just learn it. I was shouting and on my feet watching some of the back kick counter combos he was putting together at the workout. All of that artistry went completely over the heads of the viewers, who didn't know what they were seeing, so resorted to talking about girlfriends in the background. I knew that it was what made him amazing.

  When Connor started the fight, his standup was on display immediately. Not since Jon Jones have you seen a fighter who's timing and striking is amazing at every moment till Connor. Carlos Condit and Josh Thompson are up there, but Jon and Connor are in a class themselves in how majestic they execute. When it was looking bad, Chad resorted to his takedown game, which I thought would be a problem for Connor. He got the takedowns, and went for elbows, and grinding. I was worried that would be it. Connor showed that he can maintain control, even from bottom position, and also took some nasty shots very well. He was taken down a few times, and always found a way to stand. His striking was so amazing that he still seemed to edge the rounds. Then in the 3rd round, when Chad got another takedown, it seemed that he would grind to some kind of finish, but Connor found a way to stand again, and delivered a decisive straight that leveled Chad and ended the fight. It was the kind of amazing that Connor promised and always delivers. When he got the belt, he was in tears. I don't know if Aldo has what it takes. Connor McGregor is everything I told people he would be.