I have read some articles about athletes getting involved in scandals nowadays. Well, one thing about that is, there's nothing new about it. But the thing is, the year has just started, and they've started to unleash hell at the first quarter of the year. Damn.
The world has been buzzing about a megafight between Floyd Mayweather, jr and Manny Pacquiao, to prove who's the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. The media and the public was so hyped about the news, but eventually, the negotiations came crashing down because of a Drug Testing dispute. Mayweather's camp insists the Olympic-style drug testing to be administrated by the U.S. Anti-doping Agency. That said, the testing can occur maybe a week before fight night. Pacquiao's camp rejected the idea, saying that this is one of Mayweather's tactics to avoid "fighters who can beat him into a pulp". Well, to give you a short history --- Floyd Mayweather, Jr., has a reputation of choosing fights for money, or, on my opinion, easy fights. Yeah, his record says 40-0, but, who knows if the megafight materialized? But on the contrary, well maybe he can beat Pacquiao --- we don't know. When both camps were not able to reach a deal, both of them looked for good alternatives. Pacquiao's camp made the first move, signing Joshua Clottey as the new opponent for the supposed-to-be-megafight-date on March 13, to be held at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Mayweather's camp is still on negotiations on a Floyd-Mosley fight. But neither of the fight creates the buzz Pac-Floyd ever did. Boxing's chance of a renewed relevance are still up in the air. Now, there are more doubts and suspicions about the use of performance-enhancing drugs of boxers. What will the state athletic commision's action about this?
Another controversy that surrounds the world of boxing is the tampering of the boxing gloves. One of the most notable and unforgettable date for boxing occcured on June 16, 1983. Madison Square Garden. One of the sport's darkest hour. A young, up and coming Billy Collins, Jr., was pitted against the hardworking fighter Luis Resto. Everybody expects Collins to win the fight, giving him the advantage because of his 14-0 record prior to the fight. It was a competitive bout, but, in the succeeding rounds, evidently, it shows that their prediction came into a bust, as Resto pummeled Collins almost all of the 12 rounds scheduled. But during the bout, no one knew that crime has been committed, when Resto went to Collins's corner to thank him for the fight, Collins's dad, Billy Sr., held Resto's hands, then he found out something terribly wrong: the padding of the gloves is missing. Resto's camp denies the allegations, that Resto's trainer, Panama Lewis, said, that it's not not tampered, and its the glove that the New York State Athletic Commission gave them. It went to court, and ruled out that Lewis and Resto, were tried and convicted of assault, conspiracy and criminal possession of a deadly weapon (Resto's fists). They both served 2½ years in prison. Lewis was never allowed again to be in a boxer's corner. Resto never regained his reputation and stopped fighting ever since.
The latest about the glove-tampering is former Welterweight Champion Antonio Margarito. He's almost a year suspended now, because of his invovlement of the removal of the glove padding. Before he was suspended, his last two bouts were against Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley, respectively. He crushed Cotto into submission to capture the title. Then his next bout was against Shane Mosley, defending his crown. But even before the bout started, controversy looms around Margarito's camp, as his hands has to be re-wrapped three times for the suspicion of glove tampering. He eventually lost the bout in nine rounds by knockout. After the bout, the Commission checked Margarito's gloves to only find out that the original padding of the gloves are missing. Adding to the shocking revelation, that the padding that was put on Margarito's hands were "wet" and appeared to be "like plaster of Paris", meaning that the wet padding that was covered of bandage is as hard as a concrete. He eventually lost his license and in January 2009, Margarito and his trainer, Javier Capetillo, were suspended by the Califonia State Athletic Commission, even before the hearing date, February 10, 2009. Now, after almost a year of suspension, the disgraced fighter is trying to apply for a new license to take part for the Pacquiao-Clottey event. I know he was involved in an incident last year, but i think it doesn't mean he's not allowed to box again. I think all they need to do is put him on a supervised probation, keep an eye on his every move, for him not to do it again. But for sure, in his return to the ring, there'll be more scrutiny and criticism around the public, somethings that he should expect.
In the basketball scene, earlier this day, Two players were suspended, being convicted of bringing deadly weapons in the workplace. I'm pertaining to Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Critentton of the Washington Wizards, in the NBA. The league found out of that the two mentioned players, brought guns in their locker rooms of the facility, that were, as the commissioner said, is intolerable. Arenas pleaded guilty of a felony gun charge connected to a locker room argument, putting his career in limbo and his freedom in doubt. He'll miss the teams last 50 regular season games, and doubtful to be resigned by the team in the near future. Critentton may have the same faith as Arenas, as he may not be resigned by the time he hit free agency. Arenas didn't appeal the court's decision, citing that "there are no special treatments of his irresponsible behavior". The team felt betrayed, because they said they'll "not allow any players to bring weapons, in a facility were children are watching and expecting players as good models". I never had thought this would have an ugly outcome. Puting your illustrious career in jeopardy in one single mistake, that is avoidable. Now, any merchandise related to Gilbert, including his marketable Agent Zero jersey, were phased out in the market, as the team decided to stop selling those, and removed a big billboard with his picture outside their home stadium in Washington, because of the mess he's involved. The lesson: Think twice before doing something stupid.
The keen, critical eye of the public will keep their eye on this issues. The World of Sports is in deep scrutiny. We're just hoping for a better entertainment, not scandals.
hink in my own opinion, this is the month where the world's fall from grace reached it's peak. We welcomed 2009 with a blast, a different blast. A lot of big companies filed for bankruptcy 'cause they were not able to save the company's looming fallout. On the bright side, it's also the month were history was made, when Barack Obama swore as the 44th President on January 20 2009, and the first African-American Head of the State, of the United States of America. A lot of people looked at Barack's induction as the fulfillment of Martin Luther King's dream. Well, the president has to start his presidency, carrying tons of obstacles ahead from the previous administration. In the field of sports, we say our last goodbyes to one of boxing's pioneers, Swedish-born boxer Ingemar Johansson (January 30, 2009).
FEBRUARY 2009: Let's go to the pacific part of the world. The deadliest Australian bushfire was recorded on February 7, 2009, where it killed 173, injured 500 more and leave 7,500 families homeless. The cause of this wildfire is of the highest temperature ever recorded in any capital city of Australia (46.4 degrees celsius or 115 degrees farenheit). In the northern part of the world, a Russian and an American satellite collide over Siberia, creating a large amount of space debris. They're polluting the space so much, aren't they??
APRIL 2009: The month of the Swine Influenza (AH1n1 virus) outbreak. It was first heard in the country of Mexico, were speculations that hundreds of people were contaminated by the said virus. It then spreads to the United States. Later this month, Mexico reported 159 deaths and 2,500 suspected cases. On April 29, The United States declared that day it suffered its first death from the virus. On the lighter side, this day is my birthday.. Hehehehe...
MAY 2009: North Korea conducted it's second nuclear test in the province of North Hamgyong. The United Nations Security Council condemns the test, starting the ongoing dispute between UN and North Korea. This is also the month when former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, under investigation for alleged bribery during his presidential term, commits suicide. In boxing, after dismantling Oscar Dela Hoya last December 2008, Manny Pacquiao devastatingly knocked out Ricky Hatton with a sharp left hook to the chin in the last 10 seconds of the second round, to capture International Boxing Organization (IBO) and RING Magazine Light Welterweight Title. 
e results. This culminated to violence that is said to be worst seen in Iran since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. In the same circumstance, a student named Neda Agha-Soltan was shot during the protest, and captured on what soon to be will become a viral video and turn Neda into international symbol of civil unrest following the Iraninan Presidential Elections. On June 25, 2009, The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, passed away. June is also a month of independence, where Greenland assumes control on law enforcement, judicial affairs, and natural resources from the Kingdom of Denmark. Air France Flight 447, en route from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Paris, France, crashes into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 228 aboard the plane. In sports, the Los Angeles Lakers captured their 15th NBA Title, crushing the Orlando Magic in five games, 4-1.
2009: On September 26, another typhoon arrived, Typhoon Ketsana, drowning and devastating The Philippines in epic proportions. The Philippine Government declared "state of calamity" on 25 paralyzed provinces. Three days after the typhoon, an 8.3 magnitude earthquake triggers a tsunami in the Samoan Islands. Many communities in the harbor of Samoa and American Samoa were destroyed, and at least 189 are killed. The following day, a 7.6 magnitue earthquake hits just off the coast of Sumatra, leaving on its path, 1,000 casualties, in Indonesia.
DECEMBER 2009: The UNFCC's United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 held it's summit in Copenhagen, Denmark (COP15). Everyone expects this summit to have a fruitful meeting, unfortunately, things didn't go the way others looking to, as the summit produced a "weak" pact. They're now looking forward COP16 to be held in Mexico six months from now.
