snuffbox

Yes. I'm going with Oscar by close decision. I just think he's a bigger & better version of Castillo and will match up far better than anyone PBF has met at 140-147. DLH has been at 147 or above for ten years, and will probably be coming into the ring tonight as a middleweight. Plus, I haven't picked a big upset in awhile.

Well, Morency and Herron aren't the worst backs in the world. Both of them looked reaaly good at time last year. Those two in spots with Jackson rotating in should be alright but why they didn't pick someone like Brian Leonard as well is a bit frustrating. It almost seemed like Thompson was intent on not picking any of the 'names' out of fear of having any notorious busts. It's not a terrible strategy but when you pass up on guys that are falling into the 3rd, 4th rounds it's getting kinda lame. I don't really mind the Herrel pick either. At the time it was a "wtf?" moment but after looking into him he seems like he could be a great DL anchor of the future.

I'm not too bothered by the drafting of Jackson. He looks like pretty talented guy and, with the time he missed for minor injuries, will have a nearly full tank coming in. also, with how well Jennings looked at times last year, I'm optimistic at least one of the receivers will pay dividends. What I didn't like was how we didn't take a tight-end or fullback at times when good options were available.

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/column/index.php?ntid=132228 Plenty of us remain annoyed and puzzled as to why Thompson refuses to sign game-changing weapons to a team that could be a serious contender with just one more playmaker or two. No Moss. Very disappointing draft (before the games are played anyway). Favre only has a year (maybe 2) left &, as that article states, needs offensive help more now than when he didn't get enough of it in his prime. Keyshawn could help stack the receiving corps enough to make the playoffs even if the presumable runningback-by-committee doesn't pan out so well. That article also reminds me of how well Green Bay could have done in the mid-late 1990s if Sharpe had stayed healthy, or at least had a better big-play replacement.

That was a bad example. But if a person was registered for crimes such as spraypainting slurs on people's cars or homes, or having a history of violence against people of different races etc, then that might be something worth knowing for prospective neighbors.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18488585/ Another example of Bush Jr supporting the troops.

Chicago signed the incredible Chris Leak.

This is the kind of stuff that puts you in the gimmick territory.

You're ACTING gay, Czech. Foleyfanforever has to beat the shit out of you now.

I'm reading it for the third time. I recommend it if you like Kerouac. Desolation Angles was the book where he was able fully get inside his 'spontaneous prose' vein.

Pathetic.

Mayweather's speed eclipses that of Vargas & Mayorga but he's not much, if any, faster than Shane Moseley who Oscar has been sparring with.

Our government has never and will never lie about anything. Ever. Ban/lock.

Fucking weirdo.

An interesting sidenote is that Oscar has the best left-hook that PBF will have ever seen. The last guy with a hall-of-fame hook that Mayweather was in there with was Castillo and he barely escaped with his record intact. Oscar is alot bigger and stronger than Castillio, and hasn't lost much of his speed either. De La Hoya's mental approach to this fight looks similar to the Vargas & Mayorga fights and, while Mayweather is much faster/better technically than those two, he doesn't hit nearly as hard as either.

I would say boxing's three biggest upcoming superstars would be Duddy, Cotto, and Hatton. Here's their last couple years. John Duddy: Nov 05 - TKOs Bryon Mackie (25-11) in the 4th Dec 05 - Stops Wilmer Meija (15-4-2), 4th Feb 06 - 10 round decision over Julio Jean (7-6-1) March 06 - 1st round ko of Shelby Pudwill (21-2-1) June 06 - Freddy Cuevas doesnt make it out for the 8th Sept 06 - Wins a 12 round decision over Yory Boy Campas (88-8) in the FOTY or runner-up (depends on view of this and a fight in the next record I'll show) March 07 - Wins a technical decision over Anthony Bonsante (29-8-3) in the 9th cheduled to fight 18-1 Dupre Strickland later this month on Espn2 and again in July Miguel Cotto: June 05 - Stops Muhhamed Abdullaev (15-1) in the 9th Sept 05 - Kos Ricardo Torres (28-0) in the 7th March 06 - 8th round tko of Gianluca Bronco (36-1-1) June 06 - Beats Paulie Malinaggi (21-0) by decision in the FOTY or runner-up (depending on above opinion) Dec 06 - Undefeated Carlos Quintana (23-0) doesnt come out for the 6th Mar 07 - 11th round tko of Otkay Urkal (38-3) Scheduled to fight Zab Judah in June Ricky Hatton: June 05 - Stops Kostya Tszyu (31-1) in the 11th Nov 05 - Kos Carlos Maussa (20-2) in the 9th May 06 - Wins decision over Luis Collazo (26-1) Jan 07 - Decision over Juan Urango (17-0-1) Scheduled to fight Jose Luis Castillo in June So Duddy has fought 7 times since November 2005 including 4 in '06, and will have his third of '07 in July. Cotto is scheduled for his seventh of the last two years in June. Only Hatton lives up to your 2-per-year statement but it should be mentioned 9 rounds was his shortest fight and he uses a very rough style and takes a lot of punishment himself.

Currently reading- Marquis James - The Life of Andrew Jackson (2 Volumes, 1938 Pulitzer Prize) Jack Kerouac - Desolation Angels Nelson Algren - The Man With the Golden Arm James Scully (editor) - Modern Poetics (essays on poetry by Yeats, Pound, frost, Eliot, etc)

Boxing IS on television regularly. Espn2 shows live boxing on Fridays, Wednesdays until the end of Summer, and VS will be back to every Thursday after hockey playoffs. The problem is that these shows are often ignored because they focus on up-and-coming prospects rather than already established stars. And, Ripper, I have no idea where you get the idea that the top UFC guys fight every two months.

Apparently Mitt Romney called Bush to offer his support for the veto & the continuing Iraq 'strategy'. The Brainwashed Gene is ready to pimple up to the surface.

While Oscar-PBF turning out to be boring/disappointing is a possibility there is something that will work in the fans' favor. Oscar is the promoter so he will have business somewhere in his mind and he knows as well as anyone how damaging a 'boring' superfight (re: vs. Tito Trindad) can be for publicity. I see Oscar, if not PBF so much, really working to make it exciting in some fashion. This fight will draw no less than 1.5 million buys. It could be a resurgency for boxing; I'm not sure if the upcoming crop of star fighters (Duddy, Cotto, Hatton, etc) will be able to sustain 1 million+ buys but 500,000+ will remain a staple for a long time. We do need a return to network boxing, though. And too many boxing 'fans' just ignore cable boxing since the main events aren't comprised of two superstar draws.

He's one of the guys claiming to be the 'only conservative' in the field. Of course, he's one of the 'conservatives' supporting nation-building and other ideas. Obviously Ron Paul would vote against the withdrawal bill. He's as close to libertarianism as the GOP gets these days, a $100+ billion dollar bill can't sit too well with him. He has been against the Iraq War from the beginning & gave 2 great speeches in opposition to the surge a few months ago. It would be hypocritical of him to vote for that much expenses with only the bone of a timetable thrown in.

First GOP debate is tomorrow night, 10 participants. Should be interesting to see how these guys play their loyalties to Bush & differentiate from one another. It should be a more colorful event than the Dems of last week with Tancredo sucking up to the Invaders of the world, Rudy, McCain, and Hunter trying to out-Bush's war-is-perfect each other, and Ron Paul trying in vain to remind everyone of the whole 'small govt' aspect of the Republican Party. Lineup: Sen. John McCain (AZ) Sen. Sam Brownback (KS) Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Former WI Gov Tommy Thompson Former AR Gov Mike Huckabee Former MA Gov Mitt Romney Former VA Gov Jim Gilmore Rep Duncan Hunter (CA) Rep Tom Tancredo (CO) Rep Ron Paul (TX)

The little Greek boy should be at your house now, kicking your ass. He was an Olympic Gold Medalist in Boxing, you know. He can kick Chuck Liddell's ass, too.

Ehme's "Im duh number one heel!" post is forthcoming.

A good offense, sure. But that pitching staff is putrid. I find it very possible that St Louis ends up last in the Central this year. The Cubs are starting to show signs of life and I think Houston will come around before St Louis does.