Monday, November 29, 2010

Boxing News 2010: Manny Pacquiao's Next Fight: Why Juan Manuel Marquez Is Not It

"He's too fast..."Image by sjsharktank via Flickr
The fight everyone wants to see is Pacquiao vs Maywether. One thing I am willing to bet on is that this will not be Pacquiao's next fight. Mayweather needs to fight someone as a tune up match before Pacquiao. Someone he can fight with no real risk of a loss. Maybe Mayweather takes KJ Noons up on his challenge.

In the meantime who will Pacquiao fight?  Some say Marquez should be Pacquiao's next fight. In fact, Oscar De La Hoya tweeted after the fight with Katsidis, "Great fights now let's rally for a Marquez paquiao fight," from his official verified twitter account. The fact is that Manny Pacquiao has one win and one draw over Marquez. The draw was due to the fact that one judge had it 115-110 for Marquez, another 115-110 for Pacquiao and Judge Burt Clements sealed the draw with a 113-113 score, but he admitted making a mistake. He should have had the first round 10-6 for Pacquiao instead of 10-7 because Pacquiao had knocked Marquez down 3 times in the first round. Pacquiao would have won, had Clements added the third knockdown to the scorecard for round 1.

So Pacquiao has really beat Marquez twice. Why would he fight him again. Die hard Marquez fans that say Pacquiao is ducking Marquez or Pacquiao is afraid of Marquez, are really just kidding themselves. They refuse to come to grips with the reality that Marquez is past his prime and Pacquiao is peaking in his. Marquez has less of a chance this time because has not only improved tremendously but is bigger and stronger since they last fought. So why would he think he can win? Maybe he just wants one last huge payday. Maybe he wants to be in the spotlight one last time. Or is that Marquez possibly has delusions of grandeur. Who knows. What I wanted to know is how can he realistically be in the pound for pound discussion when you have a new era of talent and he has lost to Pacquiao twice. Doesn't someone who hasn't lost to Pacquiao twice deserve a shot?



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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Boxing News 2010: Juan Manuel Marquez wants rematch

LAS VEGAS - MAY 02:  Manny Pacquiao of the Phi...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Juan Manuel Marquez didn't waste any time after defending his lightweight title before setting his sights on Round 3 with Manny Pacquiao.

Marquez stopped Michael Katsidis in the ninth round Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, winning an all-action battle and certain candidate for Fight of the Year. Moments later, he turned his attention to settling the score with the man considered the best in the world.

"Obviously, Pacquiao is my priority. I'll go up to 140 [pounds], it's no problem," Marquez said through a translator. "Stop making excuses, Manny. Fight me."

The two have met twice before, and both of the bouts were thrilling. They fought to a 12-round draw in 2004, and Pacquiao won a close split decision in March 2008.

Pacquiao, who has discussed retiring in three years, said at a news conference Monday in Manila that he's willing to fight Marquez again but that the match would probably not excite fans. He sounded doubtful himself, saying "I would not watch Pacquiao vs. Marquez."

Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Sunday that a third fight with Marquez is a distinct possibility, although just like everyone else, he's waiting to see whether Floyd Mayweather Jr. steps into the ring against Pacquiao in what could be the richest fight in boxing history.

"If we do a deal with Marquez, and it'd be a money deal, they can come and represent Marquez at press conferences and that kind of stuff, but they wouldn't have anything to do with the promotion, nor would Lou," Arum said. "They would in effect be signing the fighter to us, because at this point, Manny doesn't have to do co-promotions with anybody."

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=5860025


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Monday, November 22, 2010

NBA News 2010: Thibodeau saw Kobe Bryant's potential

Kobe Bryant, Lakers shooting guard, stands rea...Image via Wikipedia
LOS ANGELES -- It was about 16 years ago in Saint Joseph's gym in Philadelphia, where a talented high school player first met an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers.

"He was crucial. He was with me when I was 16 or 17 years old," Bryant said Sunday night at Staples Center, after leading the Lakers to a 117-89 win over the Golden State Warriors. "Just doing drills and just working on ballhandling and just teaching me the game. He was there from Day 1."

Bryant generated a national buzz while at Lower Merion High School in a Philadelphia suburb. He scrimmaged against NBA players at the invitation of former 76ers coach John Lucas, who was friends with Kobe's father Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, a former player and coach. The Charlotte Hornets drafted Bryant out of high school in 1996 and traded him to the Lakers for Vlade Divac.

"You could just tell [that Bryant was special]. The way he would study everything. [It was] amazing for a high school kid."

The pair grew close fairly quickly. Thibodeau spent extra time drilling Bryant whenever he could, and he could tell almost from the outset that Bryant had the chance to be special. Bryant had a quality that most players his age don't exhibit.

"His drive," Thibodeau said. "He was so driven.

"He was a high school kid, and if he had a day off from school he'd be in the gym from eight in the morning till eight at night. And he was trying to play against the pros and watch everything and lift weights."

Having been around basketball most of his life, Thibodeau knew what he was seeing.

"You knew his talent," Thibodeau continued. "In high school, when he was playing against pros he looked like he belonged with them. You knew he was going to be special. But I think his drive is what really separates him when you combine that drive and intelligence with his talent. It's the top of the line."

Bryant was too young to know anything about Thibodeau's future head coaching prospects. He was just happy a man in Thibodeau's position took a liking to his game and his ability.

"When I was in high school I really didn't know what the hell was going on," Bryant said. "I just knew he was this really nice man who was very knowledgeable about the game and was willing to teach me things. Seeing him [as an assistant with the Boston Celtics], and in Houston before that, you knew that his time was going to come."

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/news/story?id=5839022&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines


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Sunday, November 21, 2010

Boxing News 2010: Sergio Martinez KOs Paul Williams early

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - NOVEMBER 20:  Paul William...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Sergio Martinez and Paul Williams landed punch after punch a year ago in an instant classic, one of those rare occasions when two of the best boxers in the world come together to create something special.

Their rematch Saturday night didn't last nearly as long, and only one punch mattered.

Martinez landed a devastating left hook early in the second round, knocking out one of boxing's most feared punchers while retaining his middleweight championship.

The sudden outcome left a lively crowd at Boardwalk Hall in stunned silence.

"I started to attack, and when I did, we knew he was going to make a mistake, because he always makes mistakes," Martinez said. "He left me a lot of room to come in and hit him."

Williams was looking to land his own hook and instead walked right into the punch, which landed flush on the chin and sent the challenger face-down onto the canvas. Martinez immediately ran across the ring to celebrate while doctors rushed in to tend to Williams.



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Thursday, November 18, 2010

NBA News 2010: Phil Jackson wants 'nice guy' Pau Gasol to get more physical

Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers, SpainImage via Wikipedia
Gasol is averaging 22.9 points per game (12th best in the league), 12.2 rebounds (3rd) and 1.5 blocks (21st). He leads the NBA in double-doubles (10) and leads all big men in assists (3.9), and he's shooting 55% from the field.

Jackson, however, wants to see Gasol become more physical. Jackson said Gasol is "such a nice guy and such a well-meaning person" that he won't become the aggressor.

"I told him there is a way to do that, where the player you're going against, he'll understand that you have to take care of your own territorial rights," Jackson said. "But you have to inflict some pain sometimes. And that's just the warrior mentality that you have to have.

"It's not anything that's wrong and it's not anything that makes you a bad person to do. It's the code of behavior we have in this game. That's where he has to take the next step [for Gasol] to be considered" an MVP candidate.


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NBA News 2010: Lakers rookies Derrick Caracter, Devin Ebanks try to seize their opportunities

Detroit Pistons logo 2001–2005.Image via Wikipedia
The rookies got some playing time, and that's all that really mattered to them and to the Lakers.

Neither rookie stood out against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night at The Palace in Auburn Hills.

But forwards Derrick Caracter and Devin Ebanks did just enough against the Pistons to earn a measure of praise from the man they most have to impress.

"Derrick got some rebounds and messed around in there. Devin ran the lane and got a couple of steals. He was active."

Caracter played 15 minutes 24 seconds, his season high.

He had six points and five rebounds, two offensive. He was three for five from the field.

Ebanks played 7:57.

He had four points on one-for-five shooting, four rebounds and one blocked shot.


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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

NBA News 2010: The 10 Most Freakishly Athletic Players in the League

Washington Wizards v/s Cleveland Cavaliers Nov...Image via Wikipedia
9. Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers
6. Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
5. Nate Robinson, Boston Celtics
3. Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks
2. Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
1. LeBron James, Miami Heat


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NBA News 2010: Fantasy Basketball: Brandon Roy & Other Early Injuries Impacting Key Names

Maurice Williams playing with the Cleveland Ca...Image via Wikipedia
Portland Trail Blazers’ star guard Brandon Roy has yet to play a full season since entering the league in 2006 and a lingering knee injury doesn’t give hope that he will ever fulfill a full 82 game schedule. Roy left Saturday’s game against New Orleans after playing just over 20 minutes and is questionable for the remainder of the week. 

Expect young Wesley Matthews to fill in the interim alongside Andre Miller. The Trailblazers like Matthews’s length on the perimeter and his streaky scoring ability which has produced four games of 13 points or more off of Portland’s bench. Once Roy returns it wouldn’t be unreasonable for Portland to give him ample time to recover and thus delegating more minutes to Matthews. 

About 600 miles down California’s interstate 5 we see a similar situation for the Golden State Warriors whose star forward David Lee has missed the past week due to an elbow laceration. Lee suffered the injury after connecting with New York’s Wilson Chandler who lost two teeth in the incident but Lee is expected to make his return this weekend. 

Unlike Brandon Roy’s recurring injury, Lee shouldn’t feel any affects of the injured elbow as the season progresses so expect him to return back to his double-double form as the Warriors chase a coveted playoff seed in the highly competitive Western Conference. 

As if the loss of Lebron James wasn’t enough to crush the hopes of Cleveland Cavaliers fans, the groin injury suffered by star-by-default Mo Williams has shelved the guard once again. This same groin injury sidelined Williams for most of the pre-season so the Cavs may need to look for alternative options since there is no timetable for his return. This should open opportunities for players like Ramon Sessions who’s seeing steady floor time at 26 MPG and Daniel Gibson who’s outside shooting has opened the floor for Cleveland’s post players. 


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Boxing News 2010: Pac-Man eludes Williams-Martinez winner

Manny PacquiaoImage via Wikipedia
The world middleweight championship is one of the marquee titles in professional boxing, a prize held by some of the greatest fighters who ever lived.

It’s not, apparently, good enough for Paul Williams and Sergio Martinez. The two will meet on Saturday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., for the World Boxing Council version of a crown, albeit with a ridiculous agreement insisted upon by Williams’ team that the upper weight limit is 158 pounds and not the division limit of 160.

That’s just another sign of the negotiating power wielded by Williams’ adviser Al Haymon, who dictated to everyone involved – HBO, Martinez promoter Lou DiBella and Williams promoter Dan Goossen – what the terms of the fight would be.

But the middleweight belt is just a sidelight to the Williams-Martinez rematch. The real prize, if any of those would answer honestly, is a fight with the reigning pound-for-pound king, Manny Pacquiao.

Goossen has made no secret of his desire to pit Williams against either Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather Jr. DiBella hasn’t been as vocal, but be very certain if Martinez prevails on Saturday, DiBella will plead the case for a Pacquiao-Martinez bout.

They’re going to have to be content with the middleweight belt, however, because Pacquiao isn’t going to fight either man.

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, didn’t dismiss the possibility at the postfight news conference Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, that Pacquiao could face the Williams-Martinez winner, but he did on Tuesday.


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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

NBA News 2010: Help wanted at center

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 10:  Andrew Bynum #1...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
MILWAUKEE - With backup center Theo Ratliff sidelined a minimum of four to six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday, and with Andrew Bynum still unable to play, the Lakers suddenly need help up front.

Pau Gasol has played big minutes after shifting to center from power forward in order to replace Bynum, who could be out for at least another week or more after undergoing surgery on his right knee during the offseason.

Gasol is averaging 22.7 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists in a team-leading 39 minutes. He had 18 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in 44 minutes during the Lakers' victory Tuesday over the Milwaukee Bucks.

"Well, we probably should," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said when asked if the team should sign a free agent replacement for Ratliff. "We don't have a lot of experience. - We have to have some support there interim until Andrew comes back."
Bynum deflected questions from several reporters before the Lakers started a three-game trip by defeating the Bucks, asking team spokesman John Black, "Has the no-talking-to-Drew been lifted, J.B? What the (heck) is going on?"

"I don't want to change any expectations," Bynum said when pressed by reporters about ducking them for the past few weeks. When asked if "Thanksgiving sounds about right" for his return to the active roster, Bynum said, "Yes. It sounds about right."


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Sunday, November 14, 2010

NBA News 2010: Matt Barnes settles in with Lakers

BARCELONA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 07:Matt Barnes #9 o...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
LOS ANGELES -- It was an unfortunate oversight, but completely accidental. Which is why Matt Barnes was allowed to enter and exit the Lakers locker room Thursday night wearing a Kelly green dress shirt.

"People have been giving me a hard time all night," Barnes said. "I mean, it's green. But it's not Celtic green."

Laughs, not sympathy, met that statement. But Barnes stood his ground, finished buttoning his shirt and apologized to no one for the fashion transgression.

The Los Angeles Lakers are the 10th team Barnes has been with in his nine NBA seasons, so forgive him if it takes him a couple of months to get all the new traditions, fashion faux pas and rivalries of his new team down.

Barnes now has history with a third of the NBA's 30 teams. He's never spent more than two seasons with any organization. He's never signed a contract worth more than $3 million in any season.

"I wish I had the answer to it, I really do," he said. "By no means am I struggling, but for a guy that's been doing what I've been doing, I've yet to really reap the benefits.

"I wish I had the answer because my bank account could use a little bit."

"What he brings is invaluable," Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said. "Nobody really appreciates what he does. He's got to get on teams like ours that are veteran teams, championship teams, great teams, that really appreciate what he brings to the team."

The Lakers have some scars that never fade, too. As sweet as their last two championship runs have been, there will always be the sour memory of what happened three years ago in Boston, where the Celtics basically punked them in the NBA Finals.

"I think it was a conscious effort to get tougher," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said at Barnes' introductory news conference this fall. "We didn't add [Ron Artest] because he's a 25-points-a-game scorer, we added him because of his defensive ability [and] his toughness that he brings to the court.

"I thought a couple years ago when Andrew [Bynum] got hurt we weren't very, I guess 'tough' is the word; Kobe may have been our toughest player, but Andrew came back this year and we added Ron Artest and now Matt Barnes is going to help even more so."

So far, Barnes has fit well with the Lakers. He's still learning the triangle offense. But he's accepted his role with the second unit, shot well from outside and hustled, scrapped and clawed for every inch of territory, just as the Lakers expected.


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NBA News 2010: Rose vs. Wall?

CHICAGO - FEBRUARY 24: Derrick Rose #1 of the ...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
CHICAGO -- As Derrick Rose practiced his corner 3-pointer an hour and a half before Saturday's game against the Washington Wizards, he was unexpectedly crowded by a bunch of guys in sweaters and sportcoats hanging around the visitors' bench.

He looked over, a bit confused, and kept shooting.

Why was the media invading his space?

After a slow start, Rose finished with 24 points, hitting 8 of 20 from the field (7 of 12 in the last three quarters) and all seven of his free throws, to go with eight assists, two steals and three turnovers. He scored eight, hitting four of six shots, as the Bulls took control in the third. He had four assists in the fourth.

In truth, Rose had nothing to prove against Wall, the reigning No. 1 pick and most recent addition to the exciting crop of young point guards in the NBA. Rose knows that, and Wall knows that.

"We're two different people," Wall said before the game. "He's Derrick Rose, I'm John Wall. He's proved himself on this level already for three years he's been in the league. I'm trying to prove myself that I can be the kind of player he is."

Wall looked good, but not great, perhaps bogged down a bit by playing three games in four days. He sat out for part of the second half with a strained foot, but returned late in the fourth.

Wall is certainly every bit as fast as Rose and a lot of people think his jumper is already better -- though that's like saying someone is better with their money than Scottie Pippen.

Rose said Wall will have to get used to constant comparisons to other guards in the league, something few players enjoy hearing about from us reporter types.

"It's not going to stop," Rose said. "He's going to have to answer every call, every matchup. Every point guard in the NBA has a matchup. It's kind of like a faster game now, so the point guards are dominating the ball and really almost like the best players on the team. So every night he's going to have someone coming at him."

If Rose could learn something from Wall, it would be his penchant for thievery.

Wall, who leads the league in steals, had three in the first half. The only one I remember is watching him sneak behind Noah near the top of the key for a swipe. It was the kind of freelancing that Rose is capable of, but doesn't do often enough. Tom Thibodeau can't teach that either; it has to come from inside.

The best part of the Rose-Wall matchup was that it happened.

The NBA needs rivalries that have nothing to do with Twitter potshots, past cheap shots or taking one's talents from the Rust Belt to South Beach.

Rose-Wall is all about basketball, and it matches two exciting, fast, up-and-coming players. It's a relief, quite frankly, and I'll take that every night.


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Boxing News 2010: Mayweather should keep dodging Pacquiao

ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 13:  Manny Pacquiao (...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
ARLINGTON, TexasAntonio Margarito entered the ring standing five inches taller and weighing 17 pounds more than Manny Pacquiao.

By the ninth round, Margarito’s right eye had been nearly closed. His nose was bent. The rest of his face was bloodied and bruised. So pronounced was the destruction that Pacquiao kept turning to the referee and begging him to stop the fight, to end his massacre of this bigger, stronger man.

Somewhere Floyd Mayweather had to be watching this beatdown. He had to be watching this incomparable talent defy all known properties of size and strength. And he had to feel reassured about his recent career decisions.

For Mayweather, ducking Manny Pacquiao has never seemed so smart.

If Mayweather has any brains – and for all his fool’s antics, he most certainly does – he’ll keep dodging the superfight the world wants.

Mayweather (41-0) is a different class of fighter than those men. He’s a darting, defensive wizard who would offer the most formidable technical challenge to Pacquiao. It’s why everyone wants to see the fight made.

At this point, though, Pacquiao has separated himself and each hellacious beating he hands out serves as a new round of caution. Pacquiao isn’t just fast. He isn’t just skilled. He is a destructive force. And increasingly he’s shown to possess a formidable chin. If Pacquiao can put his back on the ropes and take the best shots of Margarito and Cotto, you wonder how the lighter-punching Mayweather could possibly hurt him.

Legal woes should serve as one more roadblock that Mayweather can use. If you’re Floyd Jr., what’s the rush anyway? How many opponents need to be sent to the hospital to try to avoid being the next one?

Mayweather has never faced a relentless force like this. They just don’t exist. Pacquiao threw an astounding 713 power punches and landed an equally astounding 53 percent of them. It’s what carved Margarito’s face to bits.

It was ugly. It was violent. It was an unmistakable message to the one opponent everyone wants to see next.

No one dodges a punch like Mayweather. And the best way to slip Pacquiao’s blinding combination is to keep finding a way to stay out of the ring.


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Boxing News 2010: Manny Pacquiao unanimous winner

ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 13:  The giant video ...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Manny Pacquiao more than made up with speed what he lacked in size.

Giving away both pounds and inches, boxing's little superstar turned Antonio Margarito into a bloody and nearly blind fighter with a dizzying array of punches Saturday night in a lopsided decision victory that wasn't close from the opening rounds on.

In a spectacular performance before a delighted crowd of 41,734 at Cowboys Stadium, Pacquiao cemented his claim to being the best fighter in the world by dominating the bigger but slower Margarito almost from the opening bell.

Pacquiao won round after round, opening a cut on Margarito's cheek, closing his right eye, and turning his face into a bloody mess.

The punches came quickly, and they came often. Margarito was plenty game as he tried to stalk Pacquiao around the ring, but every time he got close Pacquiao would land a four- or five-punch combination that snapped his head back and stopped him in his tracks.

The beating was so thorough that the congressman from the Philippines turned to referee Laurence Cole several times in the 11th round, imploring him to stop the fight. It went on, though, even though Margarito had no chance to win.

"I can't believe that I beat someone this big and this strong," Pacquiao said. "It's hard. I really do my best to win the fight."

Pacquiao moved up in weight yet again to take on Margarito, a natural welterweight with a reputation for ruggedness in the ring. And rugged he was, though he took a beating all night long at the hands of a faster and seemingly more powerful opponent.

"There was no way I was gong to quit. I'm a Mexican, we fight until the end," Margarito said.

Pacquiao won every round on one scorecard, 120-108, and was ahead 119-109 and 118-110 on the other two. The Associated Press had it a 120-108 shutout.


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Friday, November 12, 2010

Boxing News 2010: High stakes for Pacquiao, Margarito

LAS VEGAS - DECEMBER 06:  (L) Antonio Margarit...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Manny Pacquiao, the pound-for-pound king, and the controversial Antonio Margarito are fighting for different stakes. One fights for history. One for redemption.

Pacquiao had hoped to be in the ring with Floyd Mayweather Jr. defending his welterweight title, but Mayweather refused to fight him and is, as he says, "on vacation," while also now fighting a variety of criminal charges stemming from an alleged domestic dispute in September.

So while Mayweather's next fight will be in the courtroom, Pacquiao has moved on with his career and is moving up in weight yet again as he seeks a vacant junior middleweight belt when he and Margarito meet Saturday night (HBO PPV, 9 ET, $54.95) at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington in front of a crowd that could be as large as 70,000, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said at Wednesday's final news conference. That would be a record for an American indoor fight.

If Pacquiao wins, he would claim a title in a record-extending eighth weight class, which, even in this era of title proliferation, is eye-catching.

"It would be an eighth title, which nobody else has ever done, but Manny Pacquiao is a different kind of athlete," said Arum, who also promotes Margarito. "He's very special and the type of accomplishments he has shouldn't really surprise anybody."

Margarito had his license revoked and his once-solid reputation went into the toilet. He was not allowed to fight in the United States and only after California rejected his plea for a return of his license did Texas regulators give him one in September. It was a controversial move, but it paved the way for his fight with Pacquiao, which will be contested at a contract limit of 150 pounds even though the limit for junior middleweights is 154 pounds.

"Antonio knows he needs to win the fight. He's hoping he's going to redeem himself with the victory," said Sergio Diaz, Margarito's co-manager. "But at the same time he says he doesn't really think he'll get the credit he had before [the scandal]. He thinks if he wins there will be people who will say, 'Well, he got lucky. Maybe it was the weight and Manny was too small and Margarito was too big.' I feel, and he feels, he will carry this scandal the rest of his life.

"But I do believe it's going to diminish and you'll hear about it here and there and every time he fights it's always going to be written about and spoken about. It's going to always be there. It's tough to accept it."


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NBA News 2010: Best and worst power-forward signings

MIAMI - DECEMBER 19:  Head coach Phil Jackson ...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
DENVER -- Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson doesn't think his team will win 70 games this season.

But he thinks the Miami Heat have a chance in the near future.

"It's not going to happen [for us]," Jackson said about the 70-win talk surrounding his team after the Lakers' shootaround Thursday morning in preparation for their game against the Denver Nuggets. "The schedule's too tough. The travel is extenuating in the Western Conference, there's very difficult time zone changes that you go through and all the stuff that happens. And that's disregarding the idea that you can play with all your players for the rest of the season.

"Everything has to just break perfect for that to happen, plus the team has to be very, very resilient and very, very capable of filling in for one another at multiple positions."

Jackson described all of the factors his 72-10 Chicago Bulls team had in its favor during the 1995-96 season -- playing in the Central time zone gave them an advantage when the bulk of their games were played in the Eastern time zone because they would gain an hour; on several occasions the opponents' best player happened to be injured when they played; there were less back-to-backs built into the schedule because TNT had yet to sign a Thursday night exclusivity deal with the league; and having Hall of Famers Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen certainly helped.

"We have a team that's an older team and we probably don't have to push for [72-10]," Jackson said. "That's not what's important about our season. Our season is to maintain a balance and hopefully have distance [between us and the rest of the field] and can finish in a position where it would be the best advantage for us in the playoffs.

"It's a lot of fun to win a lot of games, but ultimately, as Ronny Harper made a T-shirt up, '72-10 don't mean a thing if you don't win the ring.' And so, that's what it's all about."


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NBA News 2010: Heat folding under weight of season

'The Decision' & Miami is in a Frenzy!Image by xynn tii imagery. via Flickr
“In the last 48 hours, we’re getting to know each other,” Spoelstra said. “This is good. You need to face this adversity.

“You need to stumble.”

Yes, they’re getting to know each other. With two horrific losses within three days at American Airlines Arena, the Heat are mortified to find themselves fighting to stay above .500, and Spoelstra is getting to know his superstar, LeBron James(notes). Chris Bosh(notes) came and went, Dwyane Wade(notes) stood in the corners and watched. Most of all, James found himself in postseason shape, closing a loss to the Boston Celtics with a missed layup, two missed free throws and a corner 3-pointer off the side of the backboard.

The world’s bearing down, times are tumultuous, and James is the one Heat star in playoff form.

“For myself, 44 minutes is too much,” James declared. “I think Coach Spo knows that. Forty minutes for D-Wade is too much. We have to have as much energy as we can to finish games out.”

There you go, Coach Spo.


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Thursday, November 11, 2010

Boxing News 2010: Storylines surround Pacquiao-Margarito

Antonio MargaritoImage via Wikipedia
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito square off at Cowboys Stadium in a huge fight on Saturday night (HBO PPV, 9 ET, $54.95) and there are a litany of stories surrounding it. Here's what some of those involved in the promotion have to say about some of the storylines:

• If Pacquiao wins and a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. still can't be made, whom will he fight?

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum outlined three possibilities: Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez for a third fight or a rematch with Miguel Cotto.

• The 150-pound catch weight

There's consternation in some quarters because Pacquiao and Margarito are fighting for a vacant junior middleweight title (division limit 154 pounds) but the contract weight is at a catch weight of 150 pounds at the request of the smaller Pacquiao. So while it's still a junior middleweight title bout there are some who believe that Margarito should be allowed to weigh up to 154.

• Prediction?

Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach is not shy about making predictions when it comes to fights. On this fight he said, "I think we will overwhelm him with the punches he will land on him with the fast hands and combinations. In eight or nine rounds I think we will break him down. Margarito throws a lot of punches and he makes too many mistakes to beat us. He has bad habits and we are going to take advantage of all of them."

Roach later added, "We'll make him quit. I saw the way Mosley beat him and how he fought Roberto Garcia [in May] and he doesn't impress me. He has terrible footwork. He has too many flaws to beat Manny. Technique-wise he's terrible."

• Watching the hands wrapped

Margarito, of course, is notorious because of the hand-wrapping scandal stemming from the fight with Mosley in January 2009, when he tried to enter the ring with wraps loaded with illegal pads coated in a plaster-like substance. Roach will be watching the wrapping procedure very carefully.

• Who will be the crowd favorite?

North Texas is heavily Hispanic, so Margarito will undoubtedly have strong fan support from Mexican-American fans, but so will Pacquiao, who is popular wherever he fights.

• The toll of the scandal on Margarito and his feelings toward former trainer Javier Capetillo, who was responsible for wrapping his hands:

"Tony has gone to therapy, him and his wife," said Sergio Diaz, Margarito's co-manager. "It was affecting his personal life as well. He's aware it's something that will follow him. He felt just by being in the gym and hoping he would fight again, and this is before he was licensed, it's what kept his mind at peace.


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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

NBA News 2010: Lakers off to dominant start without being full strength

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 12:  Francisco Garc...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers don't have 7-0 center Andrew Bynum because of right knee surgery. Kobe Bryant still isn't himself, either, because of right knee surgery.

And still, the Lakers were not just winning but mostly dominating en route to a 4-0 start, with a 13-point average margin of victory, entering Wednesday's game against the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers' lowest production had been 107 points against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. That meant rookies Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter got more playing time than expected, and veterans such as Bryant (15th season) and Ron Artest (12th) were able to rest.

Artest had played more than 29 minutes only once. Bryant hadn't played more than 27 minutes in the previous two games. Ebanks got into two games and was averaging 11.5 minutes. Caracter hadn't played more than 10 minutes in three appearances.



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