Monday, January 29, 2007

The Contender

Does anyone watch this series? I do on occasion. Tonight I happened to catch it, and after the two fights tonight, it's down to the semi-finals w/ just three fights left.... then the winner gets something like 1/2 a mil or something at the end.

Tonight's fights were good. I find that I always feel really sorry for the loser though and tend to tear up after the fight is over because the guy wanted it so bad, but didn't get it. Tonight was no exception... altho the two guys who won were really good.

I've always like boxing. I remember watching Mohammed Ali and loving him. I even had a record that had a song on it about him - something like "I float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, that's why they call me Mohammed Ali". I can remember watching Sugar Ray Leonard and others when growing up - we'd always watch all the fights on TV. I loved all the Rocky movies too - altho I haven't watched the latest one... but have heard that it's not too bad.

I'm not a girl that likes violent boxing like that movie Fight Club. Couldn't stand that matter of fact... cuz there's just something terrible, to me, about seeing grown men beat the living crap out of each other just for the sake of doing it. When it's a competition and they're wearing gloves, mouth pieces and it's overseen by a referee, then I'm good to go. But when it's two guys beating the living crap outta each other on the street or in a bar or something, then I'll pass.

Tonight both of the white guys lost. I knew they would. One was up against this Mexican guy who wanted the win really bad, and the other was up against this black guy who wanted to win more than anything. Made me think about boxers in general. Have you ever noticed there aren't many white boxers? I wonder why. Do they not have it inside of them .... that oomph that it takes to fight? I knew when I saw the white guy that was up against that Mexican guy that the white guy wouldn't win. You could just look at the Spanish guy and see the desire in his eyes. That white guy didn't have it. Same thing w/ the white guy up against the black man.

Now, in the semi-finals, there are three black men and one Spanish guy. There were lots of white guys when it started but they all lost. I wonder what it is. I see this in other sports as well... not just boxing. Have any of you noticed this? I've heard comedians joke about this.... I've heard guys at the office joke around about this... but I've always been fascinated as to why it is.

9 comments:

Olivia said...

Hey Tooners, any day you don't show up here, I am ready to think you're off having Baby! :P

I am surprised that you like boxing. I've sometimes wondered what it is about white contestants. They probably all have just as much to lose, and don't necessarily have different backgrounds. I guess white people haven't had enough fire inside them for a long time. It's been white-collared out of them, maybe.

Cerebralwaste said...

Have you seen the UFC Tooners? It seems to "white dominant" in its fighters.

The Moody Minstrel said...

I remember watching college basketball at my grandparents' house once, and my grandfather went into an inane rant about "reverse discrimination" because most of the players were black. I pointed out to him that, on my own college team, the black players were generally taller, stronger, and more skilled than the white players, so it only made sense for the coach to give them more playing time. That just made my grandfather mad. (I won't tell you what he said after that. He was definitely not one for racial harmony...)

Actually, it is an established fact that people of African descent are, on average, physically larger and have both heavier bones and denser muscle structures than the average "white" caucasian. East Asians, on the other hand tend to have much more modest physiques. Therefore, it only stands to reason that the largest proportion of skilled athletes is black followed by white.

Before anyone starts yelling at me for saying that, it's not a matter of racial prejudice. It's a statistical fact. Besides, there are always notable exceptions. When I was in college, our basketball team's starting lineup included a white center (though our most skilled player was none other than Gary Payton, currently with the Lakers). Speaking of the NBA, let us also not forget Yao.

Um Naief said...

olivia, when the baby comes... i'll make sure the hubby makes a post so that at least ppl know. hopefully it wont be for another couple weeks. i do really like boxing, as long as it doesn't get too bloody... when it gets to that stage, then i stop watching.

CW, haven't seen the UFC. is it on the tube and when?

moody, i agree w/ you. when i was in highschool, our basketball team was mainly comprised of black players. and i've heard the same as you, but i'll tell ya, when i was watching the show lastnight, these white guys were built pretty much the same and looked like they could match up, but when it came down to winning, they couldn't go the distance.

i worked w/ this asian guy - think he was filipino - but he told me that asians are a lot better in sports like tennis and such because of their muscle structure. he was an avid tennis player. i have noticed that asians have really strong legs - always very muscular.

and yeah, that Yao guy is a really good player. altho, i haven't watched pro ball in a LONG time!

Cerebralwaste said...

Tooners

In the US the UFC is on SPIKE TV Network. I haven't seen it on the Satellite in Bahrain though I am sure someone has it. It is a MIX of Boxing, wresltling (the real wrestling) and Mixed Martial Arts. These guys are TOUGH.

Moody

I agree with you for the most part. One thing you left out is HUNGER and DESIRE to succeed. I think the inner city breeds this as a ticket out. Something lacking in the suburbs. Like you said there are ALWAYS an exception or two to the rule.

Cerebralwaste said...

Tooners

Thank YOU for your comments on LyricHut. I appreciate you stopping by. You are always welcome there and I do hope you stop by from time to time.
Ciao!
mark

Puppy said...

Me and dad like watching box.

I generally can tell in advance who will win, too. But i am more judging based on their body and muscles. If the guy is "dry" with no fat, only muscles he more likely to win. and of course their behavior at the begining and eyes, let me quess who will win.

I tend to keep in secret that i like wathing box, since in this part of the world it scares men and women.

Have a nice day.

Puppy.

Um Naief said...

puppy, why does boxing scare men and women over there? you know, that's an interesting point. i wonder how many arabs or let's say, muslims, watch boxing. is it the violent nature of the sport or something.... hmmmm. makes me wonder.

my first job here, i worked for a minister and one day he shocked me by telling me that he loved wrestling. i could hardly believe it. i've never been a wrestling fan... it's soooo fake. but my step father loved it and would watch it all day long if he could.

Puppy said...

Tooners,

I meant that when you admit here that you watch boxing, both men and women will be surprised. Men will be saying it doesn’t make a woman feminine, and women will say “how can you watch such violence, its so not the things that girls do” I know its so not right if not to say stupid, but generally I am not in the mood of explaining them that things are not as they think.

Cheers

Puppy.