Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Randyman]

Thanks, Frank and Rick.

[Randyman]

"Honey, I'm going to the mall real quick, you should go, you know you need to get a few things too" Says Jeri. "The mall? Says I "How long is this going to take?" "Not long!" She says. "Okay, I'll go". I fall for it every time.

I went in to JC Penny's, got two pair of Levi's and some underwear, went and got Jeri and said "Okay, let's go!" "In a few minutes, I'm thinking of getting a purse". Well, I knew then and there that this wasn't going to go as planned. After about an hour of "A few more minutes" I needed a place to sit. Men have absolutely no stamina for shopping.

I said to Jeri "How come I can go in grab two pairs of Levi's and underwear and you still can't find anything?" "I'm a woman, we need to try things on" she said nonchalantly. As bad as things were for me I looked over and saw some guy holding his wife's purse. Poor bastid!

Traversing through that barren commercial desert known as "The Mall" is just too much for the male psyche. Once the average male realizes that he was once again snookered into going to the mall, he becomes awash with that wave of tiredness peculiar to a visit to the mall. I'll not soon fall for that one again, no sirree!!

[scartissue]

"Honey, I'm going to the mall real quick, you should go, you know you need to get a few things too" Says Jeri. "The mall? Says I "How long is this going to take?" "Not long!" She says. "Okay, I'll go". I fall for it every time.

I went in to JC Penny's, got two pair of Levi's and some underwear, went and got Jeri and said "Okay, let's go!" "In a few minutes, I'm thinking of getting a purse". Well, I knew then and there that this wasn't going to go as planned. After about an hour of "A few more minutes" I needed a place to sit. Men have absolutely no stamina for shopping.

I said to Jeri "How come I can go in grab two pairs of Levi's and underwear and you still can't find anything?" "I'm a woman, we need to try things on" she said nonchalantly. As bad as things were for me I looked over and saw some guy holding his wife's purse. Poor bastid!

Traversing through that barren commercial desert known as "The Mall" is just too much for the male psyche. Once the average male realizes that he was once again snookered into going to the mall, he becomes awash with that wave of tiredness peculiar to a visit to the mall. I'll not soon fall for that one again, no sirree!!

Randy, I have the perfect cure-all for that. Lately, whenever I get roped into 'going shopping' which is just a cover for what she calls 'retail therapy' I need to talk boxing, so I call Rick. Usually the conversation lasts awhile which compensates for the trudging around I have to do following her around. I always laugh when one of our conversations lasted through the shopping and into the car. He and I are going on and on talking about this fighter or that fighter. Finally, when I got off the phone she is staring at me curiously and exclaims, "Who the hell is Scrapiron Johnson?" Still makes me laugh to this day. Chicks just don't get it.

Scartissue

[CNorkusJr]

Woman shop-Men go to buy.

Rose will shop for hours- I,on the other hand, only go to malls or stores when I have something in mind or need to get. The only shopping involved with me is comparing comparable items & prices to see which will better suit the need.

My wife recently talked me into stopping at a chainstore pharmacy because she claimed she needed nasal spray for usage that evening. "Be right out" she says. I fell for it again thinking I'll stay in the car and listen to radio as she will be right out.
50 minutes later,exits Rosie with nasal spray,and bag of various cosmetics and a chocolate candy bar which was for me, as she claimed I would want it.
All the way home I thought of where would be a good place to dump the body and nobody would find it. Then eat the candy bar.

[CNorkusJr]

Check out this great story on Randy! . . .
-----------------------------------------

"In this corner - Randy De La O"
An Interview by Mike Duffau

http://www.broowaha.com/articles/9999/i ... dy-de-la-o

Great interview Randy, congrats....

Mike Duffau did a great job Randy. I read your interview and hung on every word. I love reading that stuff, especially of times past. You had a great life in boxing with the Best yet to come. A baptism by fire kinda start, I loved it. A great read. Cant wait to shake your hand.

[CNorkusJr]

I watched my DVR recording of the Haye/Klitschko fight. Boy do I wish my father was around and still fighting today in his prime.

DVR does no justice- because Mr Klitschko decided to sit on his throne to prove a point or send a message for 15 minutes before he decided to show his ass to the crowd, I luckily got the fight in its entirety, but few seconds later after final bell rung, the DVR stopped recording. I didnt get the official decision but I did not need it to know who got it.
The only Mercy I got here was that I was probably saved from Merchants rants and Lampleys over assessment of punch stats.
Klitschko best stay over in Germany and such, because he would be a disgrace on American soil called a Champion fighter. Saw it with the Ibragmov fight and very little has changed.
Hayes had me duped. He's laughing all the way to the bank right now.

Adamek vs other Klitschko ,I'm hoping will be a better show. Still with Adamek on this.

[Rick Farris]

Tommyrot! I saw this word used in an article to describe the Klitschko-Haye fight. I looked it up. It means utter foolishness, nonsense. It's British/English in origin. What a perfectly descriptive word, and so true in the case of last nights fight.Tommyrot, I love it!

Tommyrot? Sounds like something you get when you drink tap water below the border.

[Rick Farris]

"Honey, I'm going to the mall real quick, you should go, you know you need to get a few things too" Says Jeri. "The mall? Says I "How long is this going to take?" "Not long!" She says. "Okay, I'll go". I fall for it every time.

I went in to JC Penny's, got two pair of Levi's and some underwear, went and got Jeri and said "Okay, let's go!" "In a few minutes, I'm thinking of getting a purse". Well, I knew then and there that this wasn't going to go as planned. After about an hour of "A few more minutes" I needed a place to sit. Men have absolutely no stamina for shopping.

I said to Jeri "How come I can go in grab two pairs of Levi's and underwear and you still can't find anything?" "I'm a woman, we need to try things on" she said nonchalantly. As bad as things were for me I looked over and saw some guy holding his wife's purse. Poor bastid!

Traversing through that barren commercial desert known as "The Mall" is just too much for the male psyche. Once the average male realizes that he was once again snookered into going to the mall, he becomes awash with that wave of tiredness peculiar to a visit to the mall. I'll not soon fall for that one again, no sirree!!

Randy, I have the perfect cure-all for that. Lately, whenever I get roped into 'going shopping' which is just a cover for what she calls 'retail therapy' I need to talk boxing, so I call Rick. Usually the conversation lasts awhile which compensates for the trudging around I have to do following her around. I always laugh when one of our conversations lasted through the shopping and into the car. He and I are going on and on talking about this fighter or that fighter. Finally, when I got off the phone she is staring at me curiously and exclaims, "Who the hell is Scrapiron Johnson?" Still makes me laugh to this day. Chicks just don't get it.

Scartissue

Fighting for an "Even Break" . . .

Monica thinks she's a "black belt shopper". She makes her own money so I don't care what she buys, I just don't want to be a part of the shopping experience. Frank gave me a tip out of the Kept Man Manuel, and that is, make sure the shopping takes place to a comfortable bar, maybe watcha game, have a couple beers, shoot pool, things I consider worthwhile. Nordstrom's Rack, where all the stores over stock is discounted is a Monica favorite, and it just so happens to be located across from BJ's, a trendy Micro-Brew Sports Bar. When Monica finishes with her retail therapy, she knows where to pick me up. That's as close to a WIN-WIN situation I get.

[raylawpc]

My take on the Klitschko's is that neither is a bum, or gutless. I think they are extremely limited fighters who are blessed to fight in the weakest heavyweight era of all-time. That's not their fault; they've done everything asked of them. I think they try hard within the limitation of their abilities. But if they had fought in my era . . . the 1970s . . . I don't think either could have broken into the top ten. . . maybe not even into the top 20.

Can you imagine either against George Foreman? Think the old Foreman v. Gerry Cooney, and you've got the young Foreman vs. either Klitschko. Frazier would chopped them down like trees. Big slow guys were meat for Jerry Quarry. He would have munched down these guys like a bologna sandwich. I could go on and on . . .

Timing is everything, and these guys are fighting at just the right time for them.

[Rick Farris]

My take on the Klitschko's is that neither is a bum, or gutless. I think they are extremely limited fighters who are blessed to fight in the weakest heavyweight era of all-time. That's not their fault; they've done everything asked of them. I think they try hard within the limitation of their abilities. But if they had fought in my era . . . the 1970s . . . I don't think either could have broken into the top ten. . . maybe not even into the top 20.

Can you imagine either against George Foreman? Think the old Foreman v. Gerry Cooney, and you've got the young Foreman vs. either Klitschko. Frazier would chopped them down like trees. Quarry would have stopped either inside five. I could go on and on . . .

Timing is everything, and these guys are fighting at just the right time for them.

Most definitly the "right time". They'd be chased out of the ring in any other era, and by much smaller men.
But you are right, dispite their inept ring form, they work hard, do the best they can with what they have.
And that's all you can ask of a boxer. They can't help it if they are bums, they try not to be.
What else can be said?

[Counter-puncher]

Watching a classic on TCM, "Rebel Without A Cause", do I keep watching it or watch a boring fight??

My grandfather lit that. I was just a year or two old at the time, but I grew up listening to how he lit the night exteriors at the Observatory, how James Dean pulled his Porshe into Waner Bros. on a Friday afternoon on his way up north. That's a Warner Bros. Classic!!
I'm going to watch the fight, I saw Rebel more times than you could imagine. I have a great photo (my mother does) of my grandfather with a young Natalie Wood sitting on his lap, with Jim Backus and Sal Mineo standing beside. The film was very slow then, the early days of color,lots of light was needed for exposure. I was taught that it was filmed in 3-Strip Technicolor, using cameras so big that they required four grips to mount it on a crane or Dolly. Sorry guys. Rambling . . .

that was a beautifully lit film

[Randyman]

Happy 4th of July to all my pals on this site. Enjoy the day.

[Randyman]

"Honey, I'm going to the mall real quick, you should go, you know you need to get a few things too" Says Jeri. "The mall? Says I "How long is this going to take?" "Not long!" She says. "Okay, I'll go". I fall for it every time.

I went in to JC Penny's, got two pair of Levi's and some underwear, went and got Jeri and said "Okay, let's go!" "In a few minutes, I'm thinking of getting a purse". Well, I knew then and there that this wasn't going to go as planned. After about an hour of "A few more minutes" I needed a place to sit. Men have absolutely no stamina for shopping.

I said to Jeri "How come I can go in grab two pairs of Levi's and underwear and you still can't find anything?" "I'm a woman, we need to try things on" she said nonchalantly. As bad as things were for me I looked over and saw some guy holding his wife's purse. Poor bastid!

Traversing through that barren commercial desert known as "The Mall" is just too much for the male psyche. Once the average male realizes that he was once again snookered into going to the mall, he becomes awash with that wave of tiredness peculiar to a visit to the mall. I'll not soon fall for that one again, no sirree!!

Randy, I have the perfect cure-all for that. Lately, whenever I get roped into 'going shopping' which is just a cover for what she calls 'retail therapy' I need to talk boxing, so I call Rick. Usually the conversation lasts awhile which compensates for the trudging around I have to do following her around. I always laugh when one of our conversations lasted through the shopping and into the car. He and I are going on and on talking about this fighter or that fighter. Finally, when I got off the phone she is staring at me curiously and exclaims, "Who the hell is Scrapiron Johnson?" Still makes me laugh to this day. Chicks just don't get it.

Scartissue

Fighting for an "Even Break" . . .

Monica thinks she's a "black belt shopper". She makes her own money so I don't care what she buys, I just don't want to be a part of the shopping experience. Frank gave me a tip out of the Kept Man Manuel, and that is, make sure the shopping takes place to a comfortable bar, maybe watcha game, have a couple beers, shoot pool, things I consider worthwhile. Nordstrom's Rack, where all the stores over stock is discounted is a Monica favorite, and it just so happens to be located across from BJ's, a trendy Micro-Brew Sports Bar. When Monica finishes with her retail therapy, she knows where to pick me up. That's as close to a WIN-WIN situation I get.

Sounds good to me. I'm going to have to go "Shopping" for the perfect site.

[Randyman]

I watched my DVR recording of the Haye/Klitschko fight. Boy do I wish my father was around and still fighting today in his prime.

DVR does no justice- because Mr Klitschko decided to sit on his throne to prove a point or send a message for 15 minutes before he decided to show his ass to the crowd, I luckily got the fight in its entirety, but few seconds later after final bell rung, the DVR stopped recording. I didnt get the official decision but I did not need it to know who got it.
The only Mercy I got here was that I was probably saved from Merchants rants and Lampleys over assessment of punch stats.
Klitschko best stay over in Germany and such, because he would be a disgrace on American soil called a Champion fighter. Saw it with the Ibragmov fight and very little has changed.
Hayes had me duped. He's laughing all the way to the bank right now.

Adamek vs other Klitschko ,I'm hoping will be a better show. Still with Adamek on this.

I'm with you, Charley, on Adamek, I was there to see Adamek beat Arreola. He did it round by round, never lost his cool, stayed with his plan, and used his jab. Smart fighter. Looking at the Kitschko vs Haye fight again, I noticed a pattern that shows up in all of the challenger. A lack of commitment when they throw their punches. This keeps them for getting close enough to connect. Fear? Most likely or fear of looking bad. Haye was a good example of that. Screw his big toe excuse.

[Randyman]

Check out this great story on Randy! . . .
-----------------------------------------

"In this corner - Randy De La O"
An Interview by Mike Duffau

http://www.broowaha.com/articles/9999/i ... dy-de-la-o

Great interview Randy, congrats....

Mike Duffau did a great job Randy. I read your interview and hung on every word. I love reading that stuff, especially of times past. You had a great life in boxing with the Best yet to come. A baptism by fire kinda start, I loved it. A great read. Cant wait to shake your hand.

Thanks Charley, someday we will shake hands!!

[Randyman]

Shaking a man's hand............

I was taught early on, by my father, the value of a good and sincere handshake. "Always look a man in the eye" he would say. This is not just to read another man but showing who you are as well, it's the purest form of honesty. I would rather shake a fighter's hand than get his autograph. Mel Epstein was big on handshaking, a good firm honest handshake. There was no deception in the man.

A handshake is one of the most honest form of communication and expression between men and also one of the most deceptive, or at least attempted deception. Most men expose themselves in an honest handshake. You ever shake hands with someone who seems to want to break your hand as he shakes it, at the very least, he seems to want to hear you cry uncle. The opposite is a limp, almost feminine handshake both say a lot about the man but the first one says the most.

When a man says to me "can't wait to shake your hand" it says a lot about that man as well. Can't wait to shake your hand too, Charley!

[Rick Farris]

I watched my DVR recording of the Haye/Klitschko fight. Boy do I wish my father was around and still fighting today in his prime.

DVR does no justice- because Mr Klitschko decided to sit on his throne to prove a point or send a message for 15 minutes before he decided to show his ass to the crowd, I luckily got the fight in its entirety, but few seconds later after final bell rung, the DVR stopped recording. I didnt get the official decision but I did not need it to know who got it.
The only Mercy I got here was that I was probably saved from Merchants rants and Lampleys over assessment of punch stats.
Klitschko best stay over in Germany and such, because he would be a disgrace on American soil called a Champion fighter. Saw it with the Ibragmov fight and very little has changed.
Hayes had me duped. He's laughing all the way to the bank right now.

Adamek vs other Klitschko ,I'm hoping will be a better show. Still with Adamek on this.

I'm with you, Charley, on Adamek, I was there to see Adamek beat Arreola. He did it round by round, never lost his cool, stayed with his plan, and used his jab. Smart fighter. Looking at the Kitschko vs Haye fight again, I noticed a pattern that shows up in all of the challenger. A lack of commitment when they throw their punches. This keeps them for getting close enough to connect. Fear? Most likely or fear of looking bad. Haye was a good example of that. Screw his big toe excuse.

Can you imagine Dempsey whining over his "big toe". It will not take a talented fighter to defeat either one of the K brothers, just somebody willing to go in and fight. A Leon Spinks is all it would take. The Leon that whipped Ali first time out would knockout both of these gentleman. It does not take a big heavyweight, just one who is committed and knows how to break down the body. Look at that huge target, the K boy's torsos. All these bums try to do is hit these big guys on the chin. Neither of the K boys are explosive punchers, the weight of their bodies gives them a sense of power. I've seen both unwind in past fights, it's really quite humorous. As has been pointed out here, these guys are educated, they are gentleman, etc. etc. That's great when you can combine those qualities with true heavyweight talent, but I'd rather a Sonny Liston hold the heavyweight title, somebody who just might leave an opponent on the canvas for good. In a game of tag, I'd prefer a "nice guy", in a boxing match, I prefer a finisher who does not quit as they K boys will do (ala Victor ORtiz) when the chips are down. Something about Eurpopean boxers (and of course, Victor Ortiz), they don't consider it wrong to "retire" themselves on the stool when things get out of hand.

[Cholo]

Ali fought with a broken jaw, Arturo Gatti with a broken hand, Haye just didn't have the balls for the job or skills, broken toe..

[Rick Farris]

Shaking a man's hand............

I was taught early on, by my father, the value of a good and sincere handshake. "Always look a man in the eye" he would say. This is not just to read another man but showing who you are as well, it's the purest form of honesty. I would rather shake a fighter's hand than get his autograph. Mel Epstein was big on handshaking, a good firm honest handshake. There was no deception in the man.

A handshake is one of the most honest form of communication and expression between men and also one of the most deceptive, or at least attempted deception. Most men expose themselves in an honest handshake. You ever shake hands with someone who seems to want to break your hand as he shakes it, at the very least, he seems to want to hear you cry uncle. The opposite is a limp, almost feminine handshake both say a lot about the man but the first one says the most.

When a man says to me "can't wait to shake your hand" it says a lot about that man as well. Can't wait to shake your hand too, Charley!

Great post, Randy. I can relate to those guys who try to show they are "men" by trying to cruch your hand after an introduction. Usually, it's somebody who knows that you boxed and they want you to know that they aren't impressed. A couple of these guys have no clue just how close I came to responding with a left hook. Nobody expects that, they think they can disrespect you and get away with it. You never know what side of the bed a person gets up on in the morning?

[kikibalt]

http://youtu.be/DF2A4ZJLn-4

Frankie Baltazar vs Juan Escobar

Shades of Camen Basilio vs Sugar Ray Robinson II

Would Victor Ortiz keep fighting with a shut eye like Frankie and Carmen Basilio did??

[Rick Farris]

http://youtu.be/DF2A4ZJLn-4

Frankie Baltazar vs Juan Escobar

Shades of Camen Basilio vs Sugar Ray Robinson II

Would Victor Ortiz keep fighting with a shut eye like Frankie and Carmen Basilio did??

Victor Ortiz? You can throw him in the Klitschko file. They retire in the corner. Shoot the bastids like they do a lame race horse.
And by the way, in the future you are going to see both the K boys quit in a fight before the final bell. I'm not saying they will be stopped, I'm saying they will quit. You'll see it, sooner than later.

[Rick Farris]

Movies?

Monica and I saw a good one last night, "Larry Crowne" with Tom Hanks & Julia Roberts.
All filmed in L.A., mainly Burbank neighborhoods, including "Frank"s Coffee Shop" on Olive Ave.
No violence, no computor animation, no explosions or things designed to disguise a bad script.
Tom Hanks directed and refused to shoot the film anywhere but Southern Cal.

Another great film is Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris".
"Super-8" was also good, if you like Speilberg-type films (Shades of E.T. and Close Encounters).
How rare for me to actually sit in a theatre from start-to-finish these days.
If I don't like a film I stand up and leave, just like Mel Epstein would in a restaurant if the salad plate was not chilled.
IMO these films are

[CNorkusJr]

Tom, I read your post above on The Klitschko's being a product of their circumstances and era. That their skills or lack thereof does not mean that they dont train hard or try harder in the ring, and its not their fault that their opponents are weaker or even less skilled.
You make a good point. I always seem to place the Champions of any weight class in a glass bubble that would include other champs from other eras. The Klitschkos I cannot seem to do that no matter what their excuse.

If these guys were respectable fighters that the titles holdsforth, then they should be knocking out all their opponents in a matter of a few rounds.

I dont know exactly where to place the blame on their lack of killer instinct.Watching Vlad, it seems he plays to the other fighters level,ever so cautious and it seems he doesnt believe in himself. His opponents seem to have a fear of getting smashed by his right jabs and stay away. Far away. But being cautious can be taken too far.It's like watching "Dancing With The Stars" . A good opponent should sense a chance at stealing away a championship from a champion when you fight a guy like Vlad.
Vlad knows that the title must be "taken" from him. He's cautious and on the defensive,thus happy with going the distance. Somebody has to come along and take the fight to him.

It sure looked like he tired going into the 11th round on in a "not too physical "bout. Can you imagine a 210 pounder going after him from rd 2 and taking him to task every rd. Wouldnt go 5 rds, I bet.

If he will let them fight him is another story.The clock is running.

Is the whole Heavyweight division that much of a disgrace that no one doesnt want to pound this guy into oblivion.? I still feel that two good shots on this guy's square jaw and will fall like John Tate did against Mike Weaver many years ago.

[CNorkusJr]

Shaking a man's hand............

I was taught early on, by my father, the value of a good and sincere handshake. "Always look a man in the eye" he would say. This is not just to read another man but showing who you are as well, it's the purest form of honesty. I would rather shake a fighter's hand than get his autograph. Mel Epstein was big on handshaking, a good firm honest handshake. There was no deception in the man.

A handshake is one of the most honest form of communication and expression between men and also one of the most deceptive, or at least attempted deception. Most men expose themselves in an honest handshake. You ever shake hands with someone who seems to want to break your hand as he shakes it, at the very least, he seems to want to hear you cry uncle. The opposite is a limp, almost feminine handshake both say a lot about the man but the first one says the most.

When a man says to me "can't wait to shake your hand" it says a lot about that man as well. Can't wait to shake your hand too, Charley!

Thank You Randy, The pleasure will be all mine as to greet all my friends at CAWCB.

[kikibalt]

http://youtu.be/ybALQs8webs

Ike Williams vs Chuck Davey on radio...