(de) Segregation’s legacy: I’m at Pitch Talks Tonight
A quick note to remind you guys I’m back at Pitch Talks on Baseball tonight, and if you’re in Toronto consider this my invitation to join us. We’re at 918 Bathurst St, doors open at 6pm and I’m on stage at 7:00. If you haven’t heard of Pitch Talks, you’ve been missing out. They’re sort … Continue reading
Lock up Oscar De La Hoya’s boxing and throw away the key… please
Of course Oscar De La Hoya is planning a comeback. At 42, the former five-division world champ hasn’t fought in nearly seven years, but he’s in the best shape of his life* and says there’s a 50-50 chance of him fighting for money again. We could mention here that “best shape of my life” is something only … Continue reading
Mayweather-Pacquiao: It’s Sparring Session Tall Tale Season!!
If nature abhors a vacuum, the news media hate empty space even more — especially with the Internet’s bottomless news hole, and especially with Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao finally set to meet in the most discussed, dissected and analyzed fight of our generation. Any #PacWeather talk is good talk, because empty web pages aren’t an … Continue reading
Floyd Mayweather chops wood, plays with fire
A couple of weeks back we discussed Manny Pacquiao’s basketball prowess, and how the Philippines Basketball Association excommunicated an American player who suggested Pac-Man isn’t quite the hoops savant Pac-Man thinks Pac-Man is. Looks like Daniel Noble spoke to soon. The video evidence is in, and Manny Pacquiao is, in fact, the best basketball player … Continue reading
SAE frat bros are racist — blame hip hop and Ronda Rousey
By now we’ve all seen the video of Sigma Alpha Epsilon frat brothers riding a bus and gleefully singing that they’d hang an n-word from a tree before they let him join SAE. Disgusting stuff, even if it’s not surprising for folks who never bought into the Myth of Post Racial America. And by now … Continue reading
Fight Analysis: Laila Ali vs Ronda Rousey vs Common Sense
A couple Saturdays back mixed martial arts phenom Ronda Rousey faced what was supposed to be her toughest challenge and responded by bending Cat Zingano’s arm like a water noodle, forcing a submission in 14 seconds. Yasiel Puig spends more time admiring his home runs. Since then we’ve had a steady stream of speculation about … Continue reading
Floyd Mayeather waited for Manny Pacquiao to get old… right?
LATEST IN A RECURRING SERIES PREVIEWING THE BIG FIGHT In late June 2010 Hall-of-Fame boxing trainer Freddie Roach passed through Toronto on his way to Casino Rama to corner women’s champ Ana Julaton. No disrespect to the fighters at the news conference, but Roach was the story that day — a legit boxing celeb with some … Continue reading
Roy Jones: please stop boxing and rapping
Yes, Roy Jones Jr. continues fighting. No, I don’t know why. I can only assume traveling to Latvia to face fighters best described as “aspiring tomato cans” adds some credibility to his job as an HBO ringside analyst, and possibly pays better than his other side gig writing and performing crappy rap songs about Body By … Continue reading
I really don’t hate America, but…
… But I’m accused of treason every four years. It last happened in the press box at Citizens Bank Park in Philly, where the Blue Jays played the Phillies after G20 protests prevented the teams from playing in Toronto. I was a baseball beat reporter back then, and I spent the morning at Roy Halladay’s belated farewell-to-Toronto … Continue reading
Robert Mathis: Please shut up about your positive test
Late last week Indianapolis Colts defensive end Robert Mathis earned a four-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, but instead of accepting the punishment he and his agent launched a media counterattack. Over the weekend they explained Mathis flunked a drug test not because he knowingly embarked on a doping program, but because … Continue reading
Morgan Campbell: A Writer on Sports and More 