Canseco, Someone To Fight In A.C.

Former roidhead and baseball star Jose Canseco is looking for someone to box him in Atlantic City, Dan Gross reports. I believe this is all the sport of boxing really needs to get back in the public eye again!

Those wishing to fight Canseco — at the Atlantic City Surf’s park, no less — are encouraged to email fightcanseco@aol.com, where your message will be sent back in time to 1996 when (1) people used AOL and (2) a boxing match with Jose Canseco might seem interesting.

Whoever fights Canseco gets a cool five grand.

Jose Canseco looking for someone to fight in Atlantic City [Philly Gossip]

The New Great White Hope

Stephen A. Smith (who else?) writes in the current ESPN Magazine that the NBA is not racist, and only has European and white players because it helps the team get better, spreads the game around the world and makes more money for the owners.

Makes some sense to me. But in yesterday’s Daily News, boxing was shown openly advocating for a white American champion, writes Mark Kram:

Setting aside the question of whether or not Joey Abell can actually become what [promoter Don] Elbaum envisions, he does seem to bring something to the table other than a healthy appetite. In fact, he is a symbol of eternal longing: A heavyweight who is not just American but the color of driven snow. While it is politically incorrect to say so, even Abell understands that when it comes to forging a boxing career, the only thing he has missing at this point is a tattoo on his arm that says MOTHER. “Not to sound racist or anything, but a white heavyweight from America would be a big thing,” said Abell, who would indeed be a big thing for a sport that has slipped so far out of the public consciousness that some would say it could be packed up in a pine box. Because far larger than even the raw abilities of the still unproven Abell is what someone like him represents: The possibility of a new face that can coax the sport out of the crypt.

This is why sports journalists enjoy covering boxing: None of that PC crap; it’s all “yes, the sport would like a white American heavyweight champion.”

Up Front [ESPNMag]
Interest in boxing bruised, not broken [Daily News]

The Sweet Science Of Attribution

Thanks for the “familiar childhood wisdom” description. Wikipedia only calls it a “children’s rhyme.”

Bernard Fernandez | Fightin’ words pack a punch [Daily News]

Once Again, The Media Has Failed Us

When a deadly multiple shooting occurred Saturday night in a bar on 62nd Street near Reedland in Kingsessing, the patrons were watching a televised light-heavyweight boxing match between Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright. The fight’s weight classification was incorrectly listed in yesterday’s Daily News.

Update: And the Courier Times, too!

These are the correct lottery numbers for Sunday’s lottery drawing for Treasure Hunt (12-13-19-24-30) and Cash 5 (15-21-24-27-30). Incorrect numbers appeared in Monday’s newspaper.

Correction [Daily News]
Corrections and clarifications for July 24 [Bucks County Courier Times]

Smokin’ Joe Sues Papers-Hoardin’ Jackie

Like Bill Cosby, former heavyweight boxing champ Joe Frazier is one of the many beloved Philadelphians who became ridiculously grumpy old men once they became, ah, old men. Frazier’s in the news again because he’s returning to boxing to fight Muhammad Ali.

Well, okay, not really. But he is suing his daughter, Jackie Frazier-Lyde, a former heavyweight champion herself and candidate for judge next month.

Frazier’s suit says his daughter hasn’t returned his business records and, although Smokin’ Joe still “loves his daughter,” he wants his papers back. These include, of course, “documents, contracts, agreements, photos, films, memorabilia, recordings, archives, correspondence, material, writings, deeds and other interests related to efforts to market his image.”

If you’re wondering, yes, this lawsuit is all about Joe Frazier not making enough money. And if you needed more evidence, here’s his lawyer: “Joe doesn’t think he’s making what he thinks he should be making.” Joe’s lawyer, Michael P. Kelly, is also a former boxer.

It’s reassuring to know boxers settle their not by fighting, but by doing it the way good Americans do: Sue the pants off each other.

Frazier hits a daughter with lawsuit [Inquirer]

Only In The Holy See!

This has nothing to do with Philadelphia, but I don’t care, and I doubt you will, either.

Here’s a photo of Don King meeting the Pope:

King apparently wanted to get a private audience with the Pope, but, ah, the Catholics were like, “You’re Don King” and then said very few people get a private audience with the Pope. (Translation: No.) King also traded in his tiny American flags for tiny Italian and Vatican City flags.

And, he even gave the Pope a gift of a championship belt! From a news release on King’s website:

“I was very humbled by this divine experience and revelation,” King said.
“I presented him with the championship boxing belts because he is a fighter for Jesus, peace and love all over the world. I gave Papa a note asking him to pray for many people including my injured boxer Victor Burgos, America, President Bush, Laura Bush, our troops and all troops fighting for freedom around the world.”

King also asked for a special prayer for the poor, downtrodden, aged and denied. He added: “It goes without saying that I asked the Pope to pray for my wife, Henrietta, my children and my grandchildren as well.”

Just think how many poor people there are in the world. The Pope sure is going to be busy with all those prayers.

DON KING VISITS THE VATICAN [DonKing.com]
Don King in front row for Pope [AP/Yahoo!]

Leftovers: 14-To-21 Year Olds, Dude

• Daily News senior writer Sandra Shea — who “makes sense of the big issues facing the city - and its taxpayers,” according to her tagline — says that not enough area companies have signed up with a program she wrote about that gives internships for 14-to-21 year old kids. Sound like a good program, but here’s the caveats. First, that’s a very odd age group for an internship program. 21-year-olds are ready to enter the workplace (or already in it) and 14-year-olds are still in high school. Second, how many has the Daily News hired? She doesn’t say, and — whoop whoop whoop, actual reporting alert — DN editor Michael Days couldn’t be reached at press time. [DN]

• Daily News again: The paper did a poll of boxing experts and asked them for their top 10 Middleweight fighters ever. Bernard Hopkins, who’s fighting his last fight today, made only a few lists, and the #1 ranked boxer on 4 out of 6 lists was Harry Greb. Helpfully, the paper provides a good guide to Harry Greb, saying the fighter had a record of 260-120-19. Well, that’s not a very good record. [Daily News]

• Legal MJ! Well, kinda. New Jersey is debating a law to legalize medicinal marijuana. Montel Williams is even for it. Gov. Corzine is for it. Hopefully, it’ll pass and some people with cancer/MS/etc. will be able to feel a little better. [Inquirer]

• Rick Santorum is changing around the words in the audio version of his book. Ha. [Attytood]

• An analyst has declared a “somber” season in the second half of this year, chiefly due to the company that owns Macy’s. Yes. [Reuters/Yahoo!]

• And, finally: Puppy! Aww, yay and whatnot. (It’s a Cavalier King Charles spaniel.) [Flickr]