Anyone seen this ?

OPEN SCORING IN BOXING: REFEREE LAURENCE COLE SETS THE TONE FOR A NEW TREND... By Elisa Harrison Open scoring in boxing has been a source of debate for as long as I can remember, and quite frankly, I don't really understand the gravity in the argument(s) presented by those who oppose the open scoring system. Is there any other sport that keeps the fans in the dark during a meet? Can you imagine a basketball game without a score? Or a football game? Or any other competitive sport? It's not the same, say the critics. Why isn't it, I ask? Boxing continues to operate like some churches, where ample and well documented knowledge of wrong doing and serious abuse, even when exposed, and when bad guys are identified and accused, money changes hands and nothing 'officially' changes. The beat simply goes on... What's the point?... Well, the point is that referee Laurence Cole, happens to be the son of Dick Cole, the boxing director for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The Coles also sell insurance to promoters doing business in the Lone Star state, a business practice long considered by many as a conflict of interest. The icing on the cake is that now, the young Cole has come up with his own fascinating answer to the debate associated with the open scoring system. If you were lucky enough to have watched HBO BAD's Juan Manuel Marquez vs Jimrex Jaca this past Saturday night, November 24th, (at stake the WBO Interim featherweight title), you may have heard quite clearly how referee Laurence Cole, who thought he had covered his personal microphone, (but forgot about other open mics around the ring), had a rather interesting exchange with Marquez, who was bleeding profusely from a cut on his forehead due to a couple of headbutts, at the end of the 8th round. First question of interest... Cole asked Marquez, and I paraphrase, if he spoke and/or understood English. Referees give instructions in the dressing rooms prior to the fights, and at that time most -if not all- referees are made aware of the fact that certain boxers don't speak English, and thus, they have someone who translates the instructions to them, particularly in a title bout. I guess Mr. Cole either never visited the dressing rooms or he has a short memory... The second exchange from Mr. Cole to Mr. Marquez, came when Cole asked Marquez if he wanted to continue, adding, and I paraphrase again, that he was ahead in the cards; the implication being he didn't have to continue if he didn't want to. Do you remember this ever happening before? I don't, actually I was stunned and angry at what I had just seen and heard. By design, referees are NOT supposed to see or know the judges' scores. Having sat ringside at many fights, I have witnessed how judges always fold their ballots in half, with the back side of the ballot, (the part that is blank), folded outwards, making it impossible for the referee to read the particular score as the ballot is handed to him or her. At the end of each round, the referee gathers the ballots individually and hands them in the same fashion to the commission officials. There is no way a referee can know the score unless he has been gifted with Superman's X-Ray vision, or better yet, unless he has been told... The Coles have been a source of controversy for some time now, because of the dealings associated with their sale of insurance to promoters in fights they are either refereeing (Cole Jr.) and/or overseeing, (Cole Sr.). Cole Jr. has stated in the past, that he doesn't see a conflict on interest in this arrangement. How convenient! I guess all boxing fans should be grateful that Laurence Cole Jr., has taken it upon himself to put a new twist on the open scoring debate. If all referees can advise fighters who are cut or otherwise hurt, whether they are ahead on the cards or not, and whether continuing the bout is or isn't really necessary, then, who needs open scoring? All kidding aside, it is time the Muhammad Ali Act is tested. This federal law was written and enacted to avoid many of today's most shameful practices from taking place, as well as abuses against the boxers. I don't believe the law has ever been enforced or put to the test. I wonder why? In any other sport something would have been done long before things reached this state of decadence and derision. Laurence Cole should not be allowed to referee another fight again in some time, (how long does it take to learn integrity?), since his behavior this past Saturday not only compromised the fight he was in charge of, but more importantly, it compromised the integrity of a sport who continues to shoot itself in the foot. Oh, and by the way, the commentators for HBO B.A.D., are BAD indeed. Can you imagine how Larry Merchant and Jim Lampley would have jumped all over this incident? Would Merchant had done everything in his power to get a word with either one of the Coles for the purpose of explanation and clarification of the referee's blatant behavior? You bet he would have... HBO, please reconsider your choice of commentators for the B.A.D. show, they are hurting the image of excellence and integrity your network has worked so hard to achieve. P.S. Nacho Beristain, a great trainer, etc., etc., but, what happened on Saturday in Marquez's corner? Why didn't he have -or if he did- why didn't he use the allowed coagulants on the nasty slash on his protegé's forehead? Was he also waiting for a stoppage or did he fail to bring the regulatory medications? And the ring doctor? Where was he? Maybe I missed something, but I only saw him step up once. He looked at the cut, gave Marquez the thumbs up and that was it... _________________________________________________________ This is a direct quote from Laurence Cole's insurance agency web site... "Special Combative Sports Insurance Medical and Special Event General Liability Cole Insurance Agency understands the demands of a PROMOTER. Our goal is to make doing business with us, easy and efficient. As a standard operation procedure, we provide the Certificate of Insurance to the State Boxing Commission." Heres the link: http://www.braggingrightscorner.com/...ole112406.html