Footy Blog!!

I’m one of those borderline idiots that still shells out for boxing on pay-per-view and still thinks boxing matters in the broader sports landscape. So there I was watching the De La Hoya - Mayorga fight actually expecting… well, expecting a fight. What I got was exactly why I’m not a De La Hoya fan. The kind of thing that would’ve been disappointing had it been shown on the old weeknight fight program on USA Network.

There I am, minus my money watching anonymous under-cards waiting for a main event to play out somehow differently than the bulk of big-time fights over the last ten years. I’m ignoring the fact that the returning hero is also a fight promoter, that the title holder is so mismatched the announce crew turned on him 50 seconds in, that the belt on the line is just about irrelevant.

But this is boxing, the writer’s sport and, at its best, the biggest stage. That the stage has been dark for most of my adult life notwithstanding.

This is partly due to what any fan of quality sports-writing knows: in the canon boxing supplies some of the best stories. I’ve heard elite sportswriters talk about how boxing remained accessible in terms of stories even after the major team sports shut themselves off. The stories are interesting, but virtually irrelevant to those of us that have never experienced the golden era of sports coverage.

Good boxing writing has become a period piece, like the new journalism long-forms that writers still attempt but somehow can’t pull off at the level of the old standards. The access is no longer there, the ability to speak truthfully to an appreciative audience also leaving the building. The best new work is on old subjects.

It’s sad really, the kind of thing covered in depth by Leonard Koppett’s The Rise And Fall Of The Press Box and as asides in a lot of other books about sports prior to the 1980’s. That’s also reflected in who broadcasts the big HBO fights. Larry Merchant is a giant in sports-writing, but his time was so long ago few remember. Bob Costas should have better things to do with his time than hosting yet another fight card that focuses solely on a main event that’s almost designed to disappoint.

Here we are, with the greatest legit pay-per-view sport not even really trying to convince anybody to part with their money. The core audience remains, growing it not the concern of most promoters. After all, this is the sport where events are most tied to the broadcasters turned co-promoters, the venues guaranteed that the fight fans will show.

Like De La Hoya said after the fight: (I’ll) think through every scenario. Where will be the glory, which guy will be the best for me and whether or not it is even worth it.

There’s always the promise of another big night that might actually be worth the time, the money, the dwindling attention. Probably not, but for some reason in the contemporary world of big time boxing, that’s ok.

What I’m Watching

PNE - Leeds live at 2:30pm if you have Setanta. Otherwise, it’s a lonely Monday. All Times Eastern

Quote Of The Day

“Of course the U.S. is my team. I’ve been told that we have a good team. But who knows whether it’s good enough to win.” President Bush.

This was going to be a quote from Crystal Palace on their move into Baltimore, and how weird it is to have the club I’ve supported half my life setup in my backyard. But this was weirder. Exactly what you want from the president.

The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Europe

Spurs stomach cost of defeat — from The Times’ Russel Kempson and Gary Jacob.

I was supposed to be in LA this weekend for Thomas Dooley’s soccer tennis event, but I was sick to the point where I couldn’t make the room stop spinning. Jordan’s famous flu games aside, there are situations where any of us just can’t go. The Premier League owes Spurs an apology and the rest of the league an established policy moving forward. Spurs owe the EPL the good sense to let this go.

Farewell to Highbury: The clock ends — from The Independent’s Norman Fox.

Irish giant killer puts end to Sky’s Premier League stranglehold — from The Observer’s James Robinson.

The Wonderful World Of Soccer Media: USA

At peace at home — from The Miami Herald’s Michelle Kaufman.

Ching gives Hawaii a place in the world — from The Honolulu Star Bulletin’s Al Chase.

Checketts’ optimism undaunted — from The Salt Lake Tribune’s Gordon Monson.

Oh, baby — it’s ‘just fate’ A pregnant pause for Chastain’s soccer plans — from The San Francisco Chronicle’s Michelle Smith.

Big Picture

Heart of Wizards’ Problem Is That They Have None — from The Washington Post’s Michael Wilbon. Registration Required

Sticking with my one story per paper policy, this probably should have been their steroid piece, but this one was much easier to read.

Welcome fans to Bizarro World — from The South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Dave Hyde.

Lakers Are Exposed for What They Are — from The LA Times’ Bill Plaschke. Registration Required

What happens to KeyArena if Sonics leave? — from The Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s Phuong Cat Le and Angela Galloway.

If Cavs don’t play defense, this series will be over quickly — from The Detroit News’ Rob Parker.

Thome’s doing everything right — from The Chicago Sun-Times’ Rick Telander.

Remember Ruth. Bury Bonds — from The New York Daily News’ Jeff Pearlman.

As documented in “Game of Shadows” and in my biography, “Love Me, Hate Me,” Bonds has been taking performance-enhancing drugs for eight years. The paper trail is long, the physical evidence undeniable. As former Giants second baseman Jay Canizaro — a one-time steroid user — told me, “Barry was the most obvious juicer I’d ever seen. It was clear to everyone who looked.”

Good lord. To repeat previous points:

Do any fans really care either way?

Aren’t all involved in the promotion and marketing of pro baseball complicit?

Aren’t most involved in publishing and journalism that weren’t questioning the players and the numbers AT THE TIME complicit?

Should we start the countdown on when some team would sue claiming lost revenue if baseball started deleting numbers?

Should we start the countdown on the potential for baseball to lose their antitrust exemption if they started deleting numbers?

Does this end with just the obvious suspects, or do we find out what most of us not paid to cover baseball already presume - that use was and likely remains widespread.

Contemporary sports writers are great at giving opinions as if they have no stake, but this is an entertainment industry. At this point, the writers and pundits are entertaining themselves.

Sheffield: Until wrist is right, ‘I’m not playing’ — from New York Newsday’s Jim Baumbach.

Even When It Rains, Nascar Laps N.B.A. — from The New York Times’ Richard Sandomir. Registration Required

Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.

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