Category: Sports

Playmakers Scores!

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Have you checked out ESPN’s new original series, Playmakers? If not, you should. So far two episodes have aired and they were both great!

Playmakers features an ensemble cast, with all of the characters played to perfection by mostly little known actors. The production values are first rate, but special mention should be given to the writing and direction. What could be a typical tv series about a football team is instead a compelling drama about the intertwining lives of characters who happen to play football for a living. But don’t get me wrong, the professional football backdrop is almost a character itself. I’m actually surprised at how real it all looks, sounds, and feels.

Playmakers is on Tuesdays at 9PM on ESPN. I give it my highest recommendation. Check it out… even if you don’t like football, I’ll bet you’ll like Playmakers.

Deadline for War

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The deadline for war has almost arrived. Who knows what the next few days [weeks?] will bring us.

The nation has gone to a higher state of alert. Cities are tightening their security. Turn on the tv and all you can find on news channels are reports from the front and speculation about what will happen next.

The NCAA basketball tourney will continue as planned. And that’s a good thing. I have three of the four number one teams in our annual family contest.

The Academy Awards are scheduled to be held on Sunday as planned [although there will be less red carpet and after party coverage]. I’m glad that both of these major events will go on as scheduled. We’re going to need something to divert our attention from the media overkill covering the war. I also think that we can’t let the possibility of terrorist attacks on the homefront cause us to change our lifestyle.

Well… it’s 8:00 straight-up. May God bless our troops and may this war end quickly.

A Tat and a Win

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I used to follow boxing. Of course I’d watch all the big fights, the pay-per-views, bouts on HBO and Showtime, but I’d also catch the fights on ESPN and USA so I could see the up-and-coming fighters. It was there that I first saw a teenage MIKE TYSON knocking out everyone.

The kid had so much potential. If he had continued his streak as it started, he’d have to be considered the best heavyweight of all time. Even better than ALI or MARCIANO. But that didn’t happen.

After losing his mentor, CUS D’AMATO, MIKE TYSON lost fights, court cases… and some questioned, if maybe he’d lost his mind.

MIKE TYSON is no saint, but he’s paid his dues. He seems to be at peace with himself. From what I saw he was gracious and humble with his 49 second knockout of CLIFFORD ETIENNE last night. Perhaps the MIKE TYSON story will have a happy ending after all.

At Least He’ll Have the Tat

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MIKE TYSON has a new tattoo.

It’s the type that island warriors get. Which is fitting since TYSON is a boxer… a modern day warrior. At one time he was the most feared fighter in the world. And rightly so. He trained as hard as anyone. He had a devastating shot that could knockout anyone. Then CUS died, and he hooked up with DON KING. TYSON‘s life began to spiral out of control. It was a sad story… until now. Maybe. TYSON does seems more at peace with himself.

On Saturday night TYSON will fight CLIFFORD ETIENNE [24-1]. If TYSON wins, it could be the start of a comeback in the ring and with the public. If he loses…

well… at least he’ll still have the tattoo.

Remembering Dick the Bruiser

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For some reason, the picture of an enraged Dick the Bruiser dressed in a suit and bow tie, sporting stitches in his head seems such an odd combination, that every time I see it I smile.

Dick the Bruiser, whose real name was Richard Afflis, was a real-life tough guy. He played professional football and developed a reputation as a bar room brawler. Bruiser was listed as 6′ 1″ and 260 pounds of muscle. When his football career ended, it was only natural that he turn to professional wrestling.

Bruiser started his wrestling career in the 50’s and wrestled into the 80’s! Even after he retired, he worked as a talent scout for the WCW. Bruiser died in 1991. He was just 62. Richard Afflis aka Dick the Bruiser left a legacy as one of the most popular wrestlers to ever step into the ring.

I was fortunate to see the Bruiser wrestle live many times when I was growing up. Those memories bring an even bigger smile to my face than the picture.

  • Updated 5/11/23

Bruno Bows Out

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I never saw Bruno Sammartino wrestle. Still I agree that he is, perhaps, the greatest star from the golden age of pro wrestling.

Bruno will be among the first 13 inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame this weekend. They’ll have to have the ceremony without him. Bruno refuses to attend.

“Wrestling is how I made my living and supported my family, but it’s over. I don’t want anything to do with it anymore,” Bruno was quoted as saying earlier this week.

Despite a long reign as world champion, selling out Madison Square Garden over 200 times (the most ever) and his immense popularity, Bruno was blackballed from wrestling when he spoke out about, “Drugs, steroids, all the sexual stuff, bizarre things” that he saw going on in wrestling in the 80’s. Click here for the full story.

I never saw Bruno wrestle. That’s sad for me. No one will see Bruno at the ceremony as he’s inducted into the Hall of Fame. That’s sad for all fans of the sport.

How Much to Fight Tyson?

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If you’re a guy, you’ve probably at some point asked or been asked, “How much would it take for you to get into the ring with MIKE TYSON?”

Soon we may know.

Believe it or not, producers are hoping to create a reality series in which an everyday guy would train and then fight former heavyweight champion MIKE TYSON! What’s even crazier, TYSON has expressed interest in the show as well!

Stu Schreiberg, of Triage Entertainment [which put on the “Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show” special last year], is the creative genius behind this idea. Hmmm… I wonder how much it would take to get Stu to climb into the ring?