Brother Blood

I've got scars from livin, scars from love
Strike me dead if I'm lying
I've got brothers below, and brothers above
With all of our blood we are tryin
I keep tryin, for everything
It comes a piece at a time
I've got a mountain I'm determined to climb
But I took the heat, created the beat
And I've got the heart of a lion

Brother Blood, The Neville Brothers

In boxing, there is no pretending that you are a Tough Guy. You can't scowl at the cameras, stare down your opponents, or pump your fist in the air, and earn your reputation. It has to be done in the ring, toe to toe, in a battle with more intensity than maybe anything in the realm of human experience except for war.

If your name was Vernon Forrest, you might have paused for a second to believe that you had climbed that mountain. After upsetting Sugar Shane Mosley, one of the very best fighters in the world at any weight level, Forrest went out and did it again, earning himself a reputation as a legitimate champion, and securing a massive contract from HBO. Life was looking good for Vernon Forrest. But he had yet to meet Ricardo Mayorga.

Mayorga is a heart attack. Throwing wild power punches from nearly impossible angles, he knocked a self-satisfied Vernon Forrest senseless six months ago. Believing like Mosely did against him that it was a fluke, Mosely stepped back into the ring with Mayorga last night, looking to recapture his title, restore his name, and regain his career. He had talked about staying out of a brawl with Mayorga this time, using his superior boxing skills to carve out a decision. Many boxing analysts felt that was entirely possible, including Max Kellerman, the ESPN boxing analyst that now has that weird show with reporters, who picked Forrest to win a decision.

But it wasn't to be. In a scary sport, Mayorga is as scary as they come. Mayorga throws this punch where he lifts his hand high over his head, and brings it down at such an angle and with so much force that you think he is going to drive his fist right through the floor. He came out truly prepared to kill Forrest, and in the first couple of rounds Forrest hit the ground maybe three times just from being pushed around and trying to get the hell out of the way. By the fourth round Forrest's legs were pretty much shot, and though he hung in there valiantly, and won enough rounds to maybe steal a draw, everybody knew who was in control in that ring.

Ricardo Mayorga won a majority decision last night, and retained his title. He may now be in a position to get the winner of the Oscar de La Hoya - Shane Mosely fight, two guys who I am sure want no part of him. Here's a great link about Mayorga's prospects:

Interesting Fights Ahead For Mayorga and Judah

I keep tryin, for everything
I don't count the cost
But I see an ocean I'm determined to cross
'cause I took the heat, created the beat
And I've got the strength of a dragon

Brother Blood, The Neville Brothers

Ask an American what they know about the Tour de France and they'll tell you three things: One, it's in France. Two, it's a bicycle race. Three, Lance Armstrong has won it. From the press coverage in the U.S., you would think there are no other Americans in the race. But after seven days of racing, Tyler Hamilton of Marblehead, Massachusetts sits in 20th place, only five spots behind Armstrong. One other thing: On the first day of the race, Hamilton was involved in a crash in which he broke his collarbone. His plan is to hang in there as long as he can.

I've got the fire of the gospel, a river of blues
And I've got the soul of belief
And I keep trying, for everything
It's been a long, long road
I've got a song that's about to explode
I was born to the beat that pounds like the heat
And I've got the drums of the spirit

Brother Blood, The Neville Brothers

Tim Howard finished his career with the MetroStars of Major League Soccer yesterday. His next stop? Manchester United, and the Premier League. Howard becomes the third American goalie in the Premier League, along with Brad Friedel of Blackburn Rovers and Kasey Keller of Tottenham Hotspurs. Howard has accomplished all this while also having Tourette's Syndrome.

Speaking of Tottenham Hotspurs, I read maybe the most disturbing sports story I've ever read last night, and it involved them. Tottenham has long been home to a large Orthodox Jewish community, and apparently some of their opponents' fans have chanted anti-Semitic slogans for years, going so far as to create a "hissing" noise that is meant to imitate the sound of Nazi gas chambers. Even some of the writer's statements are bigoted, but here's the link:

So you think we've kicked racism out of English football?

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