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I HOPE THIS ISN'T ONE OF YOU GUYS lol..........August 6, 2006: Drove to NYC last night for the Madison Square Garden (HBO) fight between Vernon Forrest and Ike Quartey. One reason I like to go to fights like that is really just to be there, to soak up the atmosphere and especially to see boxing friends of mine that I know will likely be there, too. Fights like that are like reunions in a way and last night was no different as I ran into Steve "USS" Cunningham, Dmitriy Salita and Paulie Malignaggi. Couple things. Last night I attended the fight with my boy Mad Michael and for one of the few times in my life I sat out in the crowd with the rest of the fans as opposed to most fights where I am just kind of wandering around by myself checking people out and standing at nine or ten different spots throughout the night. So I am sitting there and I am telling you, it reminded me of something I used to think years ago. I wondered sometimes if there isn't some big conspiracy going on where the promoters of these fights strategically place ten or twelve of these arm chair quarterbacks throughout the crowd for the enjoyment or amusement or irritation of those in attendance. Like an added feature to the festivities. I mean, can you go to any fight show and not find yourself within ear shot of the guy that feels the need to talk loud enough so everybody around him can hear him as he tell us exactly why each fighter is doing what he's doing in there?? He breaks every single movement of the fighter down as he spews every single cliche and commentary he has ever heard on the HBO telecasts over the last six years that he has been watching boxing. He instructs the fighter, or suggests to those around him, that he throw the hook (or the jab or "the combo" or the uppercut. Whatever one sounds good to him at the moment). And forget if he is with a female friend that doesn't know anything at all about boxing. He talks about each boxer like he knows them personally, trying to impress her with the illusion that he has an inside track on the night, constantly calling them by their first names. "I'm telling you. Sechew isn't throwing the hook like he usually does." Then he jumps up to make a special show for the girl. "Come on, Sechew!! Do your thing, baby!!" as he pumps his fist in the air. (100 bucks says he never met Sechew in his life but that's definitely not the impression he's trying to give off to his lady). He is usually so "into the fight" that he periodically gets angry and makes mean or disgusted looking faces of total frustration while shadowboxing in his seat as he tells the guy in the ring what do. It's like a separate show for the fans just in case they are bored or something, I guess.
This one guy last night, a Prince Naseem look-alike sitting three seats from me, was jumping up constantly during the Ouma-Powell fight shadowboxing (it was obvious from his punches that he never actually boxed before other than maybe with his boys in the backyard) and giving advice to Kassim that amounted literally to "Get him in the corner and kill him!" (yes, that is exactly what he said as he actually pumped his face with a wicked looking grimace).
This one guy last night, a Prince Naseem look-alike sitting three seats from me, was jumping up constantly during the Ouma-Powell fight shadowboxing (it was obvious from his punches that he never actually boxed before other than maybe with his boys in the backyard) and giving advice to Kassim that amounted literally to "Get him in the corner and kill him!" (yes, that is exactly what he said as he actually pumped his face with a wicked looking grimace).
WE ?..Or they go on about how the coach should run on this and that play .
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