So Rafa Nadal finally lost at Roland Garros after 4 years.
Just when he was in sight and everybody thought he would beat the record set by Bjorn Borg who also won the French Open 4 years in a row he lost to Swede Robin Soderling in 4 unbelievable sets.
I just wonder whether Soderling had been primed and sent by Borg with the mission of taking out Nadal like some kind of terminator.
Having said that you have to say he played a great match.
Although people have to see that Nadal has not been at his best, I still think he would have beaten most players and it was really down to the fact that Soderling was so good that the upset was caused.
He basically did to Nadal what several other players (Murray, Djokovic), have threatened to do in the past few months with the one big exception - He Won!
Not since Tsonga took the game big time to Nadal a couple of years ago at the Australian Open and won, has anyone threatened him with play like we saw today and been victorious (even Federer)?
Well maybe not, but I think that the "how to play and beat Rafa" code is becoming clearer by the day and I now think that more people will start to employ it.
It is now available for all to see and use, if you have the game to be able to execute it (if you don't - you better get it).
Angels and Demons?
Watching the match today with interest, I found it very very difficult to decide who was the crowd favourite.
The angels and demons analogy stuck in my mind throughout the match as I was deciding who the very knowledgeable French Open public had singled out as the good guy (angel) and who was the bad guy (demon).
In fact (in my mind at least), the public's support swayed from Soderling at the very beginning of the match - when they thought he was obviously going to lose, to Nadal, when they began to realise the trouble their great champion was in!
It's strange how the crowd was almost happy for Nadal to have some stiff resistance as long as he came through and won in the end.
This obviously didn't happen as a strangely ineffective Nadal was bullied and out-muscled by the tall Swede Soderling in the same way that Nadal normally bullies and out muscles his opponents.
So, where does that leave the balance of play in the Men's game?
Has this result changed anything?
Is Federer now seen to be right when he said he is waiting to see how Nadal reacts to being the hunted instead of the hunter?
Or was it just fatigue and injury that caused Rafa to be under par?
We know now that Nadal has pulled out of the Queen club event where he is the reigning champion in a bid to be fit for Wimbledon with more knee trouble and this is obviously a worrying sign for him.
He constantly struggles with his knees especially on the hard courts and the clay and grass court seasons normally give him a bit of a break.
But if he is struggling to get through those now it really could be a massive problem.
Unlike Federer, Nadal's style of play does put a tremendous amount of stress on his body (especially his legs and knees) and it would be difficult to see how he could change that.
I did comment a year or so ago that he should consider making changes to his game and his training to stop this sort of thing happening.
And in fact I think he has developed, but extreme ball retrieval is a massive part of his game and I fear that there will always be problems "around the corner" for him.
Mind you, champions are made from strong stuff and the ability to overcome hurdles.
So if we are to look back at Rafa in twenty years time as a significant player in the history of the game he will need to find a way past these problems that is lurking ahead of him.
I hope he can do it, I really do!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Soccer-Specific, Sex-Specific Strength & Fitness Training Program - Diet & Nutrition Part II
The key to an effective soccer-specific, sex-specific strength and fitness program is planning. A well constructed training regimen will yield greater results in a shorter period of time. Additionally, a well planned and well-thought out program will make it easier to track progress throughout the season. As noted in the previous article on this topic, soccer-specific strength and fitness training is quite a bit different from training programs for other sports and/or activities. It is widely known that the average soccer athlete may run several miles during the course of a match; and, goalkeepers being the exception, of course. Therefore, it is assumed that running and running alone is the secret to effective training. It is not unusual for other training methods and considerations, even diet and nutritional requirements particular to soccer athletes, male and female, to be totally ignored for this reason. In fact, one only has to watch top level amateur or professional soccer match to get a sense for just how physical, and physically demanding, "The Beautiful Game" can be.
For this reason, and for a myriad of others, a complete, soccer-specific, sex-specific strength and fitness program must be followed. The proper training routine will be one that takes into account diet and nutrition, stretching and flexibility, and strength and overall fitness. It is true, much of soccer training, particularly in-season training, should be done "on the ball;" and, this is not at issue. Yet, even in-season a suitable strength and fitness program should be adhered to, not only to maintain strength levels, but for flexibility and tone, as well.
The initial focus and primary stages of any off-season program, as noted above, should cover three factors: nutrition and diet: stretching and flexibility: and, the third stage is aerobic conditioning. This article will cover the first of the three stages, diet and nutrition in some detail. Nutrition and diet play a central role in any fitness program, particularly during periods of peak, strenuous training; and, for that reason, we will address nutrition and diet first. Diet, dietary habits, and nutrition are inextricably linked. Dietary habits, particularly when the athlete is involved in a strenuous strength and fitness training program, will make or break your results, determining the success or failure of your overall program. For a number of reasons, including how your body is able to break down and metabolize nutrients, meals should be taken in every two and one half to three hours, give or take a few minutes. The old days of steak and eggs before football and basketball games, and huge amounts of pasta the night before soccer matches and endurance events have made way for balanced, well-thought-out meals, planned at regular intervals. While carbohydrate loading is still used and may still have valid applications, that strategy is not applicable for our purposes.
Carbohydrates are extremely important as they provide immediate and intermediate range fuel for the body. Carbohydrates are made up of simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are generally made up of sugars and starches; and, they break down into glucose molecules as they are metabolized by the body. If the body does not have a need for immediate energy, glucose is converted to glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles for future energy needs.
The average athlete who weighs between 155 and 165 pounds, which may be a little, needs approximately 2400 calories, carbohydrate calories, to fully supply his glycogen tanks. To take in 2400 to 2500 carbohydrate calories requires 600 grams of carbohydrates. It should be obvious to anyone reading this that the body cannot take in and metabolize that sort of volume in one, two or even three sittings. It generally takes a day and one-half to three days to consume that many carbohydrate calories (approximately 40 pieces of whole wheat bread!). For that reason, and for others, carbohydrate loading is not only ill-advised, it is impractical. When the body uses up most of its store of glycogen, it will begin to burn fat for fuel. While fat may be a good fuel source, it is not optimal for our purposes and should be avoided at all costs. Ultimately, if the body depletes both glycogen and fat stores it will begin converting and consuming amino acids from proteins into fuel. This can be particularly problematic if dietary protein is not readily available because the body will begin to cannibalize itself, using muscle for fuel. Additionally, if the body must use amino acids, taken from ingested protein, this may weaken your immune system and inhibit muscular development.
Carbohydrates, particularly complex carbohydrates, are the best source of fuel for your muscles, as well as for the brain which is a voracious carbohydrate consumer. Keeping in mind that a strenuous, soccer-specific strength and fitness training program will deplete glycogen stores, as well as fluids from the body, lost as sweat, it may take between one and two days for the body to fully recover. It may take longer if you're not eating a high quality diet made up of complex carbohydrates, plenty of fluids, and easily digested, high-quality proteins. You should be able to see why, if you do not adhere to the proper dietary and nutritional guidelines, you may go into nutrient debt, and stay, there in a relatively short period of time.
I am assuming, for the course of his program, that the reader is not a vegetarian. The vegetarian dietary requirements are very complex and may not be conducive to this sort of a training regimen. While I am not making a value judgment, a vegetarian diet and optimal soccer performance may not coincide, unless of course an incredible amount of forethought and planning, particularly as it relates to combining the necessary proteins in the proper ratios to make available all of the necessary amino acids for easy assimilation and metabolism.
Protein intake, like carbohydrate intake, is central to a good overall program. The average male, at 5' 10" and an ideal body weight of 165 to 175 pounds, depending on musculature, must take in between 50 and 60 grams of protein per day. Protein, in large quantities and in one sitting, is very difficult for the body to completely digest, meaning much of it may go to waste. However, if the protein is broken up into five, even six smaller meals, the body will have little or no trouble using most, if not all of the protein taken in. There are approximately 28 grams in an ounce, and since there is not a precise one to one ratio of ounces to protein, even in the leanest meat, it will usually take between two and 4 ounces of lean meat per day for the average person, twice that if you are involved in a strenuous training program. For a female, 5'6" tall, protein intake should be between 40 and 50 g per day, with the same sort of meal schedule.
Fats are also very important, not only for nutrition but for nervous system health; and, for other reasons beyond the scope of this article. Suffice it to say, and diet high in quality carbohydrates, a moderate level of high quality proteins, and low to moderate fat content will keep the body fueled and the athlete engaged in a strenuous, soccer-specific strength and fitness training program fueled and lean. The proper balance will ensure the development of the musculature and endurance for optimal performance by the time the season rolls around.
For all of the above reasons and many more, it is extremely important to eat smaller meals, at regular intervals, and as well balanced as possible. In addition to the above carbohydrate, protein, and fat considerations, hydration must play a central role. Carbohydrates are crucial for holding water in the body until needed. Water consumption also plays a vital role in dietary role when it comes to nutrient intake and digestion. While sports drinks have been shown to have some use, water is the training beverage of choice, period! Vitamins should also be considered, particularly if life events and/or work or school prohibit you from taking in all of the proper nutrients. Ultimately, a well thought out, daily and weekly plan for nutrient consumption, including what you are going to eat and when, is as important to the overall success of your program.
Nutrition is as important to the success of the program as any exercise or group of exercises you may do. If you do not provide your body with the necessary fuel, it will soon revolt, and you will go into a state known as overtraining, something we will cover in an upcoming article. Overtraining is a condition no athlete can long endure and still perform at peak levels. In the next article we will discuss stretching and flexibility, followed by an article on the aerobic foundation. Do you think you are flexible and aerobically fit? We will see soon enough! For now know this, a soccer-specific, sex-specific strength and fitness training program, properly design and fueled by the proper dietary habits and nutritional guidelines, will make you into a different athlete, a formidable presence on the pitch by the next season.
Oh yeah, one last thing! Cut out the junk food. That's right, cut it out! How bad do you want it? Do you think your competition for the spot you envision yourself playing next season is pigging out on Big Macs and fries? Or buttered popcorn and nachos? Carbonated beverages and Kool-aid? If you are going to be a top-level athlete, start acting like one, training like one, and eating like one! If you want garbage? Give yourself a cheat day one day every couple of weeks, as a reward. You will find you enjoy the reward more and, after a while you will crave the junk less and less. But again, it's up to you, you will get out of this what you put in. Garbage in, garbage out...just like a computer!
I have been training athletes for more than 3 decades. In that time I've trained amateur and professional athletes, a ten year old soccer player lifting weights for the first time in his life to a seasoned professional football player nearing the end of his career, and virtually everything in between. The athletes I have trained have gone on to win national championships, win all-state and All-American honors, and full scholarships to the colleges and universities of their choice. My methods are at times unconventional, and usually controversial, but they always work. They work, provided the athlete, male or female, young or old, football or soccer, bowling (yes, bowling) or basketball do what I tell them to do.
If you follow this program, you too will have amazing results. Will they be as good as if I worked with you myself? Probably not! But you will be transformed, a better athlete than you are today. So, if you would like to continue, read on and tomorrow there will be another article and another piece of the puzzle. Put all the pieces together and do as they instruct, and you will be ready for anything, or at least for the upcoming season. Good luck and stop at Coach Z's Ultimate Soccer Training blog .
For this reason, and for a myriad of others, a complete, soccer-specific, sex-specific strength and fitness program must be followed. The proper training routine will be one that takes into account diet and nutrition, stretching and flexibility, and strength and overall fitness. It is true, much of soccer training, particularly in-season training, should be done "on the ball;" and, this is not at issue. Yet, even in-season a suitable strength and fitness program should be adhered to, not only to maintain strength levels, but for flexibility and tone, as well.
The initial focus and primary stages of any off-season program, as noted above, should cover three factors: nutrition and diet: stretching and flexibility: and, the third stage is aerobic conditioning. This article will cover the first of the three stages, diet and nutrition in some detail. Nutrition and diet play a central role in any fitness program, particularly during periods of peak, strenuous training; and, for that reason, we will address nutrition and diet first. Diet, dietary habits, and nutrition are inextricably linked. Dietary habits, particularly when the athlete is involved in a strenuous strength and fitness training program, will make or break your results, determining the success or failure of your overall program. For a number of reasons, including how your body is able to break down and metabolize nutrients, meals should be taken in every two and one half to three hours, give or take a few minutes. The old days of steak and eggs before football and basketball games, and huge amounts of pasta the night before soccer matches and endurance events have made way for balanced, well-thought-out meals, planned at regular intervals. While carbohydrate loading is still used and may still have valid applications, that strategy is not applicable for our purposes.
Carbohydrates are extremely important as they provide immediate and intermediate range fuel for the body. Carbohydrates are made up of simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are generally made up of sugars and starches; and, they break down into glucose molecules as they are metabolized by the body. If the body does not have a need for immediate energy, glucose is converted to glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles for future energy needs.
The average athlete who weighs between 155 and 165 pounds, which may be a little, needs approximately 2400 calories, carbohydrate calories, to fully supply his glycogen tanks. To take in 2400 to 2500 carbohydrate calories requires 600 grams of carbohydrates. It should be obvious to anyone reading this that the body cannot take in and metabolize that sort of volume in one, two or even three sittings. It generally takes a day and one-half to three days to consume that many carbohydrate calories (approximately 40 pieces of whole wheat bread!). For that reason, and for others, carbohydrate loading is not only ill-advised, it is impractical. When the body uses up most of its store of glycogen, it will begin to burn fat for fuel. While fat may be a good fuel source, it is not optimal for our purposes and should be avoided at all costs. Ultimately, if the body depletes both glycogen and fat stores it will begin converting and consuming amino acids from proteins into fuel. This can be particularly problematic if dietary protein is not readily available because the body will begin to cannibalize itself, using muscle for fuel. Additionally, if the body must use amino acids, taken from ingested protein, this may weaken your immune system and inhibit muscular development.
Carbohydrates, particularly complex carbohydrates, are the best source of fuel for your muscles, as well as for the brain which is a voracious carbohydrate consumer. Keeping in mind that a strenuous, soccer-specific strength and fitness training program will deplete glycogen stores, as well as fluids from the body, lost as sweat, it may take between one and two days for the body to fully recover. It may take longer if you're not eating a high quality diet made up of complex carbohydrates, plenty of fluids, and easily digested, high-quality proteins. You should be able to see why, if you do not adhere to the proper dietary and nutritional guidelines, you may go into nutrient debt, and stay, there in a relatively short period of time.
I am assuming, for the course of his program, that the reader is not a vegetarian. The vegetarian dietary requirements are very complex and may not be conducive to this sort of a training regimen. While I am not making a value judgment, a vegetarian diet and optimal soccer performance may not coincide, unless of course an incredible amount of forethought and planning, particularly as it relates to combining the necessary proteins in the proper ratios to make available all of the necessary amino acids for easy assimilation and metabolism.
Protein intake, like carbohydrate intake, is central to a good overall program. The average male, at 5' 10" and an ideal body weight of 165 to 175 pounds, depending on musculature, must take in between 50 and 60 grams of protein per day. Protein, in large quantities and in one sitting, is very difficult for the body to completely digest, meaning much of it may go to waste. However, if the protein is broken up into five, even six smaller meals, the body will have little or no trouble using most, if not all of the protein taken in. There are approximately 28 grams in an ounce, and since there is not a precise one to one ratio of ounces to protein, even in the leanest meat, it will usually take between two and 4 ounces of lean meat per day for the average person, twice that if you are involved in a strenuous training program. For a female, 5'6" tall, protein intake should be between 40 and 50 g per day, with the same sort of meal schedule.
Fats are also very important, not only for nutrition but for nervous system health; and, for other reasons beyond the scope of this article. Suffice it to say, and diet high in quality carbohydrates, a moderate level of high quality proteins, and low to moderate fat content will keep the body fueled and the athlete engaged in a strenuous, soccer-specific strength and fitness training program fueled and lean. The proper balance will ensure the development of the musculature and endurance for optimal performance by the time the season rolls around.
For all of the above reasons and many more, it is extremely important to eat smaller meals, at regular intervals, and as well balanced as possible. In addition to the above carbohydrate, protein, and fat considerations, hydration must play a central role. Carbohydrates are crucial for holding water in the body until needed. Water consumption also plays a vital role in dietary role when it comes to nutrient intake and digestion. While sports drinks have been shown to have some use, water is the training beverage of choice, period! Vitamins should also be considered, particularly if life events and/or work or school prohibit you from taking in all of the proper nutrients. Ultimately, a well thought out, daily and weekly plan for nutrient consumption, including what you are going to eat and when, is as important to the overall success of your program.
Nutrition is as important to the success of the program as any exercise or group of exercises you may do. If you do not provide your body with the necessary fuel, it will soon revolt, and you will go into a state known as overtraining, something we will cover in an upcoming article. Overtraining is a condition no athlete can long endure and still perform at peak levels. In the next article we will discuss stretching and flexibility, followed by an article on the aerobic foundation. Do you think you are flexible and aerobically fit? We will see soon enough! For now know this, a soccer-specific, sex-specific strength and fitness training program, properly design and fueled by the proper dietary habits and nutritional guidelines, will make you into a different athlete, a formidable presence on the pitch by the next season.
Oh yeah, one last thing! Cut out the junk food. That's right, cut it out! How bad do you want it? Do you think your competition for the spot you envision yourself playing next season is pigging out on Big Macs and fries? Or buttered popcorn and nachos? Carbonated beverages and Kool-aid? If you are going to be a top-level athlete, start acting like one, training like one, and eating like one! If you want garbage? Give yourself a cheat day one day every couple of weeks, as a reward. You will find you enjoy the reward more and, after a while you will crave the junk less and less. But again, it's up to you, you will get out of this what you put in. Garbage in, garbage out...just like a computer!
I have been training athletes for more than 3 decades. In that time I've trained amateur and professional athletes, a ten year old soccer player lifting weights for the first time in his life to a seasoned professional football player nearing the end of his career, and virtually everything in between. The athletes I have trained have gone on to win national championships, win all-state and All-American honors, and full scholarships to the colleges and universities of their choice. My methods are at times unconventional, and usually controversial, but they always work. They work, provided the athlete, male or female, young or old, football or soccer, bowling (yes, bowling) or basketball do what I tell them to do.
If you follow this program, you too will have amazing results. Will they be as good as if I worked with you myself? Probably not! But you will be transformed, a better athlete than you are today. So, if you would like to continue, read on and tomorrow there will be another article and another piece of the puzzle. Put all the pieces together and do as they instruct, and you will be ready for anything, or at least for the upcoming season. Good luck and stop at Coach Z's Ultimate Soccer Training blog .
A long stay at Bethpage? By David Barrett
The rain, rain won't go away, so we could end up coming to Bethpage for an extra daySurprisingly, only two U.S. Opens have ever gone an extra day to complete the regulation 72 holes. The fourth round of the 1983 U.S. Open was suspended with five holes remaining due to a thunderstorm, with Larry Nelson winning on Monday morning at Oakmont, and the final 18 holes were held on Sunday in 1959 instead of the scheduled 36 holes on Saturday, with Billy Casper taking the title at Winged Foot. We could be in for a third.
Play was suspended at 10:16 a.m. on Monday, with the last threesome of the morning wave having completed only two holes and the afternoon half of the field more than two hours from teeing off. More than an inch of rain had fallen by 2 o’clock.
The weather was supposed to be better on Friday, but USGA official Jim Hyler delivered the news that their meteorologists were saying that Saturday could be “sort of like today.” Ouch. Hyler continued, “And then there’s a possibility of more rain, not like this, but more rain on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday of next week.” Double ouch.
It looks like umbrellas will be necessary equipment for spectators for the duration at Bethpage. The hope is to complete the first round and start the second round tomorrow. Then maybe complete the second round despite the iffy weather on Saturday and play 36 holes on Sunday. But if the sky keeps spitting, we could be at Bethpage for a long time. They won’t shorten the national championship to 54 holes, so the USGA will stay for as long as it takes. Let’s hope everybody packed some extra clothes.
Heaven forbid we go into a playoff, which, of course, means 18 holes at the U.S. Open. That’s what happened at the 1987 U.S. Women’s Open at Plainfield Country Club in New Jersey, where the final round was played on Monday and Laura Davies won a playoff on Tuesday.
Or, how’s this scenario? The final round bleeds into Monday morning, it ends in a tie, and they hold the playoff Monday afternoon. Beats a Tuesday finish.
We almost had a Monday finish at Bethpage in 2002, but that was because the USGA scheduled a late-Sunday finish for television and had little margin for error when a rainstorm hit in the afternoon. Fortunately, it blew over quickly, play was resumed after about a half-hour delay, and Tiger Woods won in near darkness on the 18th green.
Speaking a little after 2 p.m., USGA senior director of competitions Mike Davis said, “If there is a glimmer of hope it is that the course, believe it or not, as much rain as this course has taken, it drains beautifully, with really the exception of that area down in 18 fairway. . . If this was a course on heavier soil on clay, I think we’d be real worried right now, not that we’re not worried. But I think it’s nice to be on this type of course [sand-based] when you get this kind of weather.”
On the other hand, it’s now 4 o’clock and the predicted breaks in the weather have not occurred. The rain has been steady and the course just keeps getting wetter and wetter. Any glimmers of hope are looking fainter and fainter.
Play was suspended at 10:16 a.m. on Monday, with the last threesome of the morning wave having completed only two holes and the afternoon half of the field more than two hours from teeing off. More than an inch of rain had fallen by 2 o’clock.
The weather was supposed to be better on Friday, but USGA official Jim Hyler delivered the news that their meteorologists were saying that Saturday could be “sort of like today.” Ouch. Hyler continued, “And then there’s a possibility of more rain, not like this, but more rain on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday of next week.” Double ouch.
It looks like umbrellas will be necessary equipment for spectators for the duration at Bethpage. The hope is to complete the first round and start the second round tomorrow. Then maybe complete the second round despite the iffy weather on Saturday and play 36 holes on Sunday. But if the sky keeps spitting, we could be at Bethpage for a long time. They won’t shorten the national championship to 54 holes, so the USGA will stay for as long as it takes. Let’s hope everybody packed some extra clothes.
Heaven forbid we go into a playoff, which, of course, means 18 holes at the U.S. Open. That’s what happened at the 1987 U.S. Women’s Open at Plainfield Country Club in New Jersey, where the final round was played on Monday and Laura Davies won a playoff on Tuesday.
Or, how’s this scenario? The final round bleeds into Monday morning, it ends in a tie, and they hold the playoff Monday afternoon. Beats a Tuesday finish.
We almost had a Monday finish at Bethpage in 2002, but that was because the USGA scheduled a late-Sunday finish for television and had little margin for error when a rainstorm hit in the afternoon. Fortunately, it blew over quickly, play was resumed after about a half-hour delay, and Tiger Woods won in near darkness on the 18th green.
Speaking a little after 2 p.m., USGA senior director of competitions Mike Davis said, “If there is a glimmer of hope it is that the course, believe it or not, as much rain as this course has taken, it drains beautifully, with really the exception of that area down in 18 fairway. . . If this was a course on heavier soil on clay, I think we’d be real worried right now, not that we’re not worried. But I think it’s nice to be on this type of course [sand-based] when you get this kind of weather.”
On the other hand, it’s now 4 o’clock and the predicted breaks in the weather have not occurred. The rain has been steady and the course just keeps getting wetter and wetter. Any glimmers of hope are looking fainter and fainter.
Frustrating finish By David Barrett
Tiger Woods was even par with four holes to go, but finished at 4-overTiger Woods birdied 11 and 14 to get back to even par, and it looked like he would be in good position after the first round. Then he proceeded to double bogey the 15th (his second double of the round) and bogey 16 and 18 for a 4-over 74, five strokes behind the best score of the first half of the field.
He now will have to wait until at least Saturday for the start of his second round. Asked if he would rather have the rest of the day off or get right back out there, as the second half of the field will do after their rounds, he said, "As of the way I feel right now, no, I don't want to go back out there right now. Probably would be a few clubs light."
He was fairly expansive in his answers to the media, so his mood wasn't too bad.
On the 15th hole, Woods drove in the rough, hit his second into the grass face of a bunker, pitched poorly, and three-putted. On 16, he got a mud ball and missed the green with his approach, and on 18 his bogey was set up by a tee shot into a bunker.
"I wasn't playing poorly," he said. "I was even par with four to go, and I was right there where I needed to be, and two bad shots and a mud ball later, here we go and I'm at 4-over par. Just continue to do what I'm doing and just hopefully clean up the round a little bit."
Regarding the mud the balls are picking up in the fairways, Woods wondered whether it might be a good idea to hit low tee shots. "The problem is, the fairways are so soft, it's not going to go anywhere. If you take the chance of carrying the ball out there, you might also have a chance of picking up mud on the ball, too."
He now will have to wait until at least Saturday for the start of his second round. Asked if he would rather have the rest of the day off or get right back out there, as the second half of the field will do after their rounds, he said, "As of the way I feel right now, no, I don't want to go back out there right now. Probably would be a few clubs light."
He was fairly expansive in his answers to the media, so his mood wasn't too bad.
On the 15th hole, Woods drove in the rough, hit his second into the grass face of a bunker, pitched poorly, and three-putted. On 16, he got a mud ball and missed the green with his approach, and on 18 his bogey was set up by a tee shot into a bunker.
"I wasn't playing poorly," he said. "I was even par with four to go, and I was right there where I needed to be, and two bad shots and a mud ball later, here we go and I'm at 4-over par. Just continue to do what I'm doing and just hopefully clean up the round a little bit."
Regarding the mud the balls are picking up in the fairways, Woods wondered whether it might be a good idea to hit low tee shots. "The problem is, the fairways are so soft, it's not going to go anywhere. If you take the chance of carrying the ball out there, you might also have a chance of picking up mud on the ball, too."
History of the FIFA Confederations Cup By Robert John Wilson
With the FIFA Confederations Cup only a short seventy five days away, it is interesting to look at how the tournament has evolved in recent years. This is an Association Football tournament which is held every four years, eligible contestants being the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships: CAF, CONMEBOL, UEFA, AFC, OFC and CONCAFCAF. To bring the number of countries competing up to eight, the FIFA World Cup winner and the host country are included.
The Mundialito or Copa D'Oro was the forerunner to the Confederations Cup. The Artemio Franchi Trophy, contested between 1985 and 1993 between the winners of the European Football Championships and the Copa America is thought of as a precursor to the Confederations Cup and was effectively replaced by the tournament in the same way that the Intercontinental Cup club tournament preceded the FIFA Club World Cup.
If the World Champion is also the winner of its confederation championship, then the World Cup runner-up also plays in the Confederations Cup, making up the eight teams. To illustrate, Brazil, the World Champion in 1995, with World Cup runner-up, Germany had qualified. Brazil then won the Copa America and vacant eighth spot was given to Argentina, runner-up in the Copa America.
On three occasions teams have declined to participate in the tournament. UEFA Euro 1996 winner, Germany, did not play in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup and was replaced by the Czech Republic, the runner up in that tournament. France, 1998 FIFA World Cup winner, declined to participate in the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup and was replaced by Brazil, the 1998 World Cup runner-up and 1997 Cop America champion. Germany, the FIFA 2002 World Cup runner-up, declined to take part in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup and was replaced by Turkey, who won third place in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
The tournament was originally called the Intercontinental Championship or King Fahd Cup and was held in Saudi Arabia. It was played in 1992 and 1995 between the Saudi national team and certain continental champions. In 1997 FIFA became the organisers of the renamed FIFA Confederations Sup, which took place every two years. After 2005 the Confederations Cup will be held every four years, one year prior to the FIFA World Cup in the host country of the forthcoming World Cup. It is seen as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup and makes use of about half of the stadia which will be used in the following year.
This year's Confederation Cup will give host country, South Africa, a vital taste of international competitive football which takes place during the friendly matches before the actual Cup.
Opinion by Robert WilsonCEO, Magic Marketing.co.za & Travel in South Africa.netSpecialist Tour and Transport Operators, Johannesburg, South Africa
Robert has been in the Advertising and Marketing industry since 1882. He owned an advertising agency and then, for a new challenge, began a bus company in Johannesburg. He now consults and promotes tourism to South Africa. Robert has an MBA in Marketing from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Mundialito or Copa D'Oro was the forerunner to the Confederations Cup. The Artemio Franchi Trophy, contested between 1985 and 1993 between the winners of the European Football Championships and the Copa America is thought of as a precursor to the Confederations Cup and was effectively replaced by the tournament in the same way that the Intercontinental Cup club tournament preceded the FIFA Club World Cup.
If the World Champion is also the winner of its confederation championship, then the World Cup runner-up also plays in the Confederations Cup, making up the eight teams. To illustrate, Brazil, the World Champion in 1995, with World Cup runner-up, Germany had qualified. Brazil then won the Copa America and vacant eighth spot was given to Argentina, runner-up in the Copa America.
On three occasions teams have declined to participate in the tournament. UEFA Euro 1996 winner, Germany, did not play in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup and was replaced by the Czech Republic, the runner up in that tournament. France, 1998 FIFA World Cup winner, declined to participate in the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup and was replaced by Brazil, the 1998 World Cup runner-up and 1997 Cop America champion. Germany, the FIFA 2002 World Cup runner-up, declined to take part in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup and was replaced by Turkey, who won third place in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
The tournament was originally called the Intercontinental Championship or King Fahd Cup and was held in Saudi Arabia. It was played in 1992 and 1995 between the Saudi national team and certain continental champions. In 1997 FIFA became the organisers of the renamed FIFA Confederations Sup, which took place every two years. After 2005 the Confederations Cup will be held every four years, one year prior to the FIFA World Cup in the host country of the forthcoming World Cup. It is seen as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup and makes use of about half of the stadia which will be used in the following year.
This year's Confederation Cup will give host country, South Africa, a vital taste of international competitive football which takes place during the friendly matches before the actual Cup.
Opinion by Robert WilsonCEO, Magic Marketing.co.za & Travel in South Africa.netSpecialist Tour and Transport Operators, Johannesburg, South Africa
Robert has been in the Advertising and Marketing industry since 1882. He owned an advertising agency and then, for a new challenge, began a bus company in Johannesburg. He now consults and promotes tourism to South Africa. Robert has an MBA in Marketing from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Interesting Facts About FC Barcelona By Paul Symonds
Futbol Club Barcelona, also known as FC Barcelona and Barça, is a football team based in the Catalonia region of Spain. Besides being a popular and successful team, Barça has become a symbol of Catalan nationalism, inspiring the motto "Més que un club", or "more than a club".
Joan Gamper, a football enthusiast from Switzerland, founded FC Barcelona on November 29, 1899. The successful team quickly amassed a dedicated Catalan fan base.
Fans of FC Barcelona are known as culés, the Catalan word for 'ass'. This nickname originated in the twenties from Barça fans who sat in the highest row of the stadium with their culers visible to passerbys.
Under Franco, the Catalan language and symbols were banned and the team was forced to change their name to Club de Fútbol Barcelona in 1939. The Catalan flag was also removed from the club shield. Despite this, the stadium remained one of the only places during Franco's regime where Catalan could be spoken and their flags could be displayed freely.
The two most successful Spanish football teams, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are also fierce competitors. The rivalry stems from Franco's dictatorship; Barça represented an opposition to Franco while Real Madrid was a symbol of nationalism and was favored by the regime and Franco.
With Franco in attendance, the club beat Real Madrid 1-0 at the Copa del Generalísmo final in 1968. The club's coach at the time, Salvador Artigas, was a Republican pilot during the Spanish Civil War.
Barça's stadium, Camp Nou, was built in 1957. With a capacity of 98,000, Camp Nou is the largest stadium in Europe and the third largest stadium in the world.
In 1974, the club changed their name back to Futbol Club Barcelona.
Since it was founded, Barça has refused to advertise corporate sponsors on their uniforms. However, on July 14th, 2006, the club announced an agreement with UNICEF that included, for the first time in Barça's history, the organization's logo on their shirts. As part of the five year agreement, the club donates €1.5 million a year to UNICEF.
Club president Joan Laporta, a self-proclaimed nationalist, requires all foreign Barça players to learn Catalan.
In 2007, Laporta dedicated a portion of the ticket sales from the FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid match to Federació Llull, an organization that promotes the spread of the Catalan language. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the Prime Minister of Spain since 2004, supports FC Barcelona.
Joan Gamper, a football enthusiast from Switzerland, founded FC Barcelona on November 29, 1899. The successful team quickly amassed a dedicated Catalan fan base.
Fans of FC Barcelona are known as culés, the Catalan word for 'ass'. This nickname originated in the twenties from Barça fans who sat in the highest row of the stadium with their culers visible to passerbys.
Under Franco, the Catalan language and symbols were banned and the team was forced to change their name to Club de Fútbol Barcelona in 1939. The Catalan flag was also removed from the club shield. Despite this, the stadium remained one of the only places during Franco's regime where Catalan could be spoken and their flags could be displayed freely.
The two most successful Spanish football teams, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are also fierce competitors. The rivalry stems from Franco's dictatorship; Barça represented an opposition to Franco while Real Madrid was a symbol of nationalism and was favored by the regime and Franco.
With Franco in attendance, the club beat Real Madrid 1-0 at the Copa del Generalísmo final in 1968. The club's coach at the time, Salvador Artigas, was a Republican pilot during the Spanish Civil War.
Barça's stadium, Camp Nou, was built in 1957. With a capacity of 98,000, Camp Nou is the largest stadium in Europe and the third largest stadium in the world.
In 1974, the club changed their name back to Futbol Club Barcelona.
Since it was founded, Barça has refused to advertise corporate sponsors on their uniforms. However, on July 14th, 2006, the club announced an agreement with UNICEF that included, for the first time in Barça's history, the organization's logo on their shirts. As part of the five year agreement, the club donates €1.5 million a year to UNICEF.
Club president Joan Laporta, a self-proclaimed nationalist, requires all foreign Barça players to learn Catalan.
In 2007, Laporta dedicated a portion of the ticket sales from the FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid match to Federació Llull, an organization that promotes the spread of the Catalan language. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the Prime Minister of Spain since 2004, supports FC Barcelona.
Understanding the Soccer Offsides Rule By Sarah Daniel
Your daughter just signed up for a youth soccer team, and the team needs a volunteer coach. You don't know if you have time, however when the email comes out with the ultimatum of finding a coach or not playing, you decided to step up. Coaching you daughter's team should be a rewarding experience, but you need to have a place to turn for preparation and resources. Many good books are on the market describing what and how to coach, and many more about the rules of soccer. One of the most basic rules, yet seemingly one of the hardest to understand for people new to soccer is the offsides rule.
The offsides rule is simply designed to prevent teams from keeping a player in an offensive position that would give them an unfair advantage. The rule basics are as follows:
· Offensive player must have one defender and the goalie between them and the goal
· Offensive player must be over the half line
· The offsides position is determined when the ball is kicked, not where the player is when they receive the ball
· The offensive player must be in front of the ball, if the ball is in front of the player, they cannot be offsides
· No offsides on a throw-in
That's it, fairly simple right?
The rule gets a little complicated for two reasons. The first is that timing determining whether a player is in an offside position is when the ball is kicked. In soccer, the ball can be kicked from 50 yards away or more. The time it takes for the ball to travel this distance allows time for a player to get into a position that looks to be very clearly an offside position. However, since the player was not in that position when the ball was kicked, the advantage goes to the offensive player, as they moved into that position after the ball was kicked. The new coach or parent is left to wonder what the point of the rule is in the first place since it appeared that the offensive player was ahead of the defender when they received the ball. The second is the defensive strategy to use the offsides trap. This can be a very effective, especially against aggressive offensive teams. The strategy involves constantly pushing the defense up before the forward pass is made, causing the offensive player to be in an offside position when the ball was kicked. Defensive coordination is key, and mistakes are often very costly, however the reward is the ability to shut down a superior offensive team allowing your team to stay in the game.
Coaching soccer can be a very rewarding experience. Understanding the rules and having resources for practice and games are essential for success. Keep your practices moving, fun, and reinforce the positive aspects of every players game, and your players will respond. The offside rule can be confusing, but understanding the basics: when was the ball kicked, and have a player and the goalie between you and the goal, will break the rule into simple and understandable pieces.
Sarah Daniel has created a youth soccer coaches resource center. In the resource center you will find articles, books, DVD's, coaching supplies, coaches gifts, and reviews of the top coaching resources on the market. The site was designed as a one stop shop, and will provide a better idea of the types of products available to make your coaching experience successful. If you are new to coaching or want to see some of the products that could take your coaching to the next level, please check out the youth coaches resource center.
The offsides rule is simply designed to prevent teams from keeping a player in an offensive position that would give them an unfair advantage. The rule basics are as follows:
· Offensive player must have one defender and the goalie between them and the goal
· Offensive player must be over the half line
· The offsides position is determined when the ball is kicked, not where the player is when they receive the ball
· The offensive player must be in front of the ball, if the ball is in front of the player, they cannot be offsides
· No offsides on a throw-in
That's it, fairly simple right?
The rule gets a little complicated for two reasons. The first is that timing determining whether a player is in an offside position is when the ball is kicked. In soccer, the ball can be kicked from 50 yards away or more. The time it takes for the ball to travel this distance allows time for a player to get into a position that looks to be very clearly an offside position. However, since the player was not in that position when the ball was kicked, the advantage goes to the offensive player, as they moved into that position after the ball was kicked. The new coach or parent is left to wonder what the point of the rule is in the first place since it appeared that the offensive player was ahead of the defender when they received the ball. The second is the defensive strategy to use the offsides trap. This can be a very effective, especially against aggressive offensive teams. The strategy involves constantly pushing the defense up before the forward pass is made, causing the offensive player to be in an offside position when the ball was kicked. Defensive coordination is key, and mistakes are often very costly, however the reward is the ability to shut down a superior offensive team allowing your team to stay in the game.
Coaching soccer can be a very rewarding experience. Understanding the rules and having resources for practice and games are essential for success. Keep your practices moving, fun, and reinforce the positive aspects of every players game, and your players will respond. The offside rule can be confusing, but understanding the basics: when was the ball kicked, and have a player and the goalie between you and the goal, will break the rule into simple and understandable pieces.
Sarah Daniel has created a youth soccer coaches resource center. In the resource center you will find articles, books, DVD's, coaching supplies, coaches gifts, and reviews of the top coaching resources on the market. The site was designed as a one stop shop, and will provide a better idea of the types of products available to make your coaching experience successful. If you are new to coaching or want to see some of the products that could take your coaching to the next level, please check out the youth coaches resource center.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Reaction - Hatton Vs Pacquiao By Luke W Calvert
It's official; my head is spinning. No, it's not because I was at a work colleague's stag night over the weekend (although that certainly hasn't helped!) but it's because I've just seen Manny Pacquiao destroy Ricky Hatton inside two rounds.
Although I was among the minority tipping Hatton to pull off the upset victory, that certainly doesn't mean I never gave Manny the chance to win, because I certainly did. So, the shocking part for me was not the victory itself but the manner of the victory. Ricky Hatton vanquished inside two rounds and left flat on his back in the centre of the ring. Unimaginable.
I didn't think that any fighter could do that Hatton so quickly. When Pacquiao's trainer, the renowned Freddie Roach, said Pacquiao would take Hatton out inside three rounds I dismissed his comments as the usual pre fight mind games and bravado. It turns out that Freddie knew precisely what he was talking about.
I honestly don't know where to start to talk about this fight but first of all, I must salute Manny Pacquiao. Even with Floyd Mayweather Jr. now official out of retirement, the Filipino is unquestionably the number one pound for pound fighter on the planet. Pacquiao used to be an aggressive whirlwind of a fighter but Roach has turned his man into a complete boxer puncher. Against Hatton, Pacquiao was more than happy to concede centre ring and to box on the outside, something he managed with aplomb.
Manny's hand speed is truly something special; when he sees an opening he manages to land four or five hurtful, vicious punches when ordinary fighters would look to land one or two punches. Pacquiao's dismissal of Hatton is possibly the best performance of his career and it's caused me to reconsider Pacquiao's win over Oscar De La Hoya again. Perhaps 'The Golden Boy' wasn't a shot fighter in his last contest but simply unable to cope with the amazing speed and ferocity of the Filipino fighters attacks.
Already we've heard many so called experts point to Hatton's lifestyle as contributing to his downfall and some even pointing to the fact Hatton has been a 10 stone fighter for too long and making the weight has caught up with him. Let's remember that this is the same lifestyle and weight that took Hatton to a superb victory against Paulie Malignaggi six months ago. Manny deserve all the credit for this victory rather than those who are instead trying to point to Hatton's failures.
So let's now turn and look at Ricky Hatton, quite possibly the most fanatically supported fighter in the world, with over 25,000 fans travelling all the way to Las Vegas from the United Kingdom. As we've alluded to earlier, this was as conclusive a defeat as is possible for Hatton to experience. Floored twice in round one, Hatton did manage to make some kind of recovery in the second, being more competitive and landing some decent shots. But one big left hand in the closing seconds of round two ended the contest emphatically; the everlasting image of the contest will be Hatton, flat on his back with the referee, Kenny Bayless, not even bothering to count.
So what went wrong for Hatton - was Pacquiao simply too good? Well, there is no doubt that Hatton's tactics could have been better, he was pretty straight up with his chin higher than I'd like and his hands were also on the low side. Ricky seemed to march forward like that with a distinct lack of head movement on the way in, which made him easy pickings for the phenomenal 'Pac-Man'. Hatton's footwork was also pretty poor and rather than trying to work the angles to create openings, he tried to bludgeon Pacquiao head on.
But, what really stood out for me was Hatton's lack of punch resistance. Forced to hold on in the opening stanza before he had even hit the canvas for the first time, it was plain that Hatton simply couldn't handle the power of Pacquiao. It's something I am still confused about now, I mean Pacquiao made his career at 9st 4lbs yet here he was hurting the bona-fide 10st number one with every shot. I know Hatton has been hurt before, perhaps most surprisingly by Luis Collazo and most emphatically by Floyd Mayweather Jr. but he is certainly not a 'chinny' fighter.
Again though, perhaps instead of looking for shortfalls in Hatton we should instead be looking for positive's in Pacquiao - it is more than possible that Pacquiao's regime in developing his body into the 10st light welterweight category, under the tutelage of Freddie Roach and former world heavyweight champion Michael Moorer, has seen him increase his power, which combined with his sensational speed simply left Hatton unable to cope.
So, where does Hatton go now? There is no doubt Hatton has been a superb champion, whatever the detractors will say now - aren't we all wise after the event. Hatton has won multiple titles in two weight divisions and reached the pinnacle of the sport in boxing the pound for pound number one twice. Crucially though, he has fallen short on both occasions and whilst he is destined to be a British boxing great and future hall of famer, the mythical pound for pound title seems like it will always be one step too far for Manchester's 'Hitman'.
Retirement to me would seem the most sensible option, despite (or possibly because) the fact I am a huge Ricky Hatton fan. There are potentially a couple of huge domestic clashes not too far away, should Amir Khan defeat Andreas Kotelnik on June 27th (for the WBA light welterweight title) then a Hatton-Khan title fight would do huge business in England. But, it would also be a huge come down for Ricky. That is not meant to detract from Khan's ability but it is a case of two fighters being from different era's and for Hatton, I'm not sure he could get fired up to face Khan.
The other option, perhaps more intriguing, is that he faces his old nemesis Junior Witter, should he manage to defeat Devon Alexander for the vacant WBC light welterweight title. A Hatton-Witter clash has been mooted for years, before Hatton even won his first world title against Kostya Tszyu. It's a clash that could fill any football stadium in England and one that Hatton could certainly get motivated for - there is genuine dislike between these boxers with a lot of trash talk having taking place over the years about who avoided who. But again, it's a level below what Ricky has been operating at and for me, it does not offer Ricky a route back to the pinnacle of the sport.
So the fallout from this fight is huge. Hatton is staring retirement in the face, whilst Pacquiao's star is shining brighter than any figure in the sport has for the past ten years. Here we have a champion to be proud of, humble, talented and exciting. A Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Jr. match up, should it take place later this year, would undoubtedly be the biggest contest the sport has seen in the past 20 years
Although I was among the minority tipping Hatton to pull off the upset victory, that certainly doesn't mean I never gave Manny the chance to win, because I certainly did. So, the shocking part for me was not the victory itself but the manner of the victory. Ricky Hatton vanquished inside two rounds and left flat on his back in the centre of the ring. Unimaginable.
I didn't think that any fighter could do that Hatton so quickly. When Pacquiao's trainer, the renowned Freddie Roach, said Pacquiao would take Hatton out inside three rounds I dismissed his comments as the usual pre fight mind games and bravado. It turns out that Freddie knew precisely what he was talking about.
I honestly don't know where to start to talk about this fight but first of all, I must salute Manny Pacquiao. Even with Floyd Mayweather Jr. now official out of retirement, the Filipino is unquestionably the number one pound for pound fighter on the planet. Pacquiao used to be an aggressive whirlwind of a fighter but Roach has turned his man into a complete boxer puncher. Against Hatton, Pacquiao was more than happy to concede centre ring and to box on the outside, something he managed with aplomb.
Manny's hand speed is truly something special; when he sees an opening he manages to land four or five hurtful, vicious punches when ordinary fighters would look to land one or two punches. Pacquiao's dismissal of Hatton is possibly the best performance of his career and it's caused me to reconsider Pacquiao's win over Oscar De La Hoya again. Perhaps 'The Golden Boy' wasn't a shot fighter in his last contest but simply unable to cope with the amazing speed and ferocity of the Filipino fighters attacks.
Already we've heard many so called experts point to Hatton's lifestyle as contributing to his downfall and some even pointing to the fact Hatton has been a 10 stone fighter for too long and making the weight has caught up with him. Let's remember that this is the same lifestyle and weight that took Hatton to a superb victory against Paulie Malignaggi six months ago. Manny deserve all the credit for this victory rather than those who are instead trying to point to Hatton's failures.
So let's now turn and look at Ricky Hatton, quite possibly the most fanatically supported fighter in the world, with over 25,000 fans travelling all the way to Las Vegas from the United Kingdom. As we've alluded to earlier, this was as conclusive a defeat as is possible for Hatton to experience. Floored twice in round one, Hatton did manage to make some kind of recovery in the second, being more competitive and landing some decent shots. But one big left hand in the closing seconds of round two ended the contest emphatically; the everlasting image of the contest will be Hatton, flat on his back with the referee, Kenny Bayless, not even bothering to count.
So what went wrong for Hatton - was Pacquiao simply too good? Well, there is no doubt that Hatton's tactics could have been better, he was pretty straight up with his chin higher than I'd like and his hands were also on the low side. Ricky seemed to march forward like that with a distinct lack of head movement on the way in, which made him easy pickings for the phenomenal 'Pac-Man'. Hatton's footwork was also pretty poor and rather than trying to work the angles to create openings, he tried to bludgeon Pacquiao head on.
But, what really stood out for me was Hatton's lack of punch resistance. Forced to hold on in the opening stanza before he had even hit the canvas for the first time, it was plain that Hatton simply couldn't handle the power of Pacquiao. It's something I am still confused about now, I mean Pacquiao made his career at 9st 4lbs yet here he was hurting the bona-fide 10st number one with every shot. I know Hatton has been hurt before, perhaps most surprisingly by Luis Collazo and most emphatically by Floyd Mayweather Jr. but he is certainly not a 'chinny' fighter.
Again though, perhaps instead of looking for shortfalls in Hatton we should instead be looking for positive's in Pacquiao - it is more than possible that Pacquiao's regime in developing his body into the 10st light welterweight category, under the tutelage of Freddie Roach and former world heavyweight champion Michael Moorer, has seen him increase his power, which combined with his sensational speed simply left Hatton unable to cope.
So, where does Hatton go now? There is no doubt Hatton has been a superb champion, whatever the detractors will say now - aren't we all wise after the event. Hatton has won multiple titles in two weight divisions and reached the pinnacle of the sport in boxing the pound for pound number one twice. Crucially though, he has fallen short on both occasions and whilst he is destined to be a British boxing great and future hall of famer, the mythical pound for pound title seems like it will always be one step too far for Manchester's 'Hitman'.
Retirement to me would seem the most sensible option, despite (or possibly because) the fact I am a huge Ricky Hatton fan. There are potentially a couple of huge domestic clashes not too far away, should Amir Khan defeat Andreas Kotelnik on June 27th (for the WBA light welterweight title) then a Hatton-Khan title fight would do huge business in England. But, it would also be a huge come down for Ricky. That is not meant to detract from Khan's ability but it is a case of two fighters being from different era's and for Hatton, I'm not sure he could get fired up to face Khan.
The other option, perhaps more intriguing, is that he faces his old nemesis Junior Witter, should he manage to defeat Devon Alexander for the vacant WBC light welterweight title. A Hatton-Witter clash has been mooted for years, before Hatton even won his first world title against Kostya Tszyu. It's a clash that could fill any football stadium in England and one that Hatton could certainly get motivated for - there is genuine dislike between these boxers with a lot of trash talk having taking place over the years about who avoided who. But again, it's a level below what Ricky has been operating at and for me, it does not offer Ricky a route back to the pinnacle of the sport.
So the fallout from this fight is huge. Hatton is staring retirement in the face, whilst Pacquiao's star is shining brighter than any figure in the sport has for the past ten years. Here we have a champion to be proud of, humble, talented and exciting. A Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Jr. match up, should it take place later this year, would undoubtedly be the biggest contest the sport has seen in the past 20 years
David Haye-Maker Versus David Haye-Faker By Ja Dawson
In the mythical matchup between David Haye-Maker and David Haye-Faker, round one goes to the Faker. Seriously, when I heard the news that David Haye was pulling out of his heavyweight title fight with Wladimir Klitschko, I assumed that it was an Internet rumor. Unfortunately, it was not. After talking so much trash about what he was going to do to Klitschko, even donning a tee-shirt depicting him with both Klitschkos' heads in his hands, the last-minute fight cancellation is not a good look for Haye.
I am typically not one to question the validity of a fighter's health or injured status, but the timing of Haye's back injury announcement raises eyebrows, to say the least. Over the past few weeks, Haye was talking less and less, and even appeared less boisterous about his chances in their proposed June 20th showdown. Look, I do not think Haye is scared of Wladimir Klitschko. If he was, he would have never signed to fight him. But I do think he knows that he must be in peak physical condition in order to defeat him. I do not think Haye's peak will be enough to beat Klitschko anyway, but that is a topic for a future post.
Maybe Haye is legitimately hurt. Maybe he's faking. Or maybe I'm just upset because I wanted to see him fight Wladimir Klitschko so bad. What I do know for sure is that I do not care to see Klitschko face off against Ruslan Chagaev. And I know that I am not alone in that sentiment.
At some point, the real David Haye-maker will stand up and face one of the Klitschkos. Let's hope it's sooner than later, for the sake of the gloomy heavyweight division and boxing fans worldwide.
I am typically not one to question the validity of a fighter's health or injured status, but the timing of Haye's back injury announcement raises eyebrows, to say the least. Over the past few weeks, Haye was talking less and less, and even appeared less boisterous about his chances in their proposed June 20th showdown. Look, I do not think Haye is scared of Wladimir Klitschko. If he was, he would have never signed to fight him. But I do think he knows that he must be in peak physical condition in order to defeat him. I do not think Haye's peak will be enough to beat Klitschko anyway, but that is a topic for a future post.
Maybe Haye is legitimately hurt. Maybe he's faking. Or maybe I'm just upset because I wanted to see him fight Wladimir Klitschko so bad. What I do know for sure is that I do not care to see Klitschko face off against Ruslan Chagaev. And I know that I am not alone in that sentiment.
At some point, the real David Haye-maker will stand up and face one of the Klitschkos. Let's hope it's sooner than later, for the sake of the gloomy heavyweight division and boxing fans worldwide.
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