Boxing program to be cancelled at Northern Michigan

boxmel
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Post by boxmel »

Sigh. I go where they send me - Marquette, Augusta, Houston.....and other not-so-humid places over the years.
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Post by Kolya »

boxmel wrote:I don't do humidity. :cry: I can handle 110+ as long as it's dry.
You'd like Montana. The dry heat is a whole different story from humidity. I forgot what humidity felt like till I went down to KC, where it was quite humid. Not quite DC, but humid. Great thing about the mountains, they're nice and dry. For some reason I always thought the LA area was humid though.
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Post by boxmel »

Kolya - it is humid in So. Cal, but no where near the sauna conditions of back east, and south. It's a liveable humidity as opposed to the feeling of walking into a wet blanket constantly. :o
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Post by Kolya »

boxmel wrote:Kolya - it is humid in So. Cal, but no where near the sauna conditions of back east, and south. It's a liveable humidity as opposed to the feeling of walking into a wet blanket constantly. :o
Yeah. It's oddly one of the things I miss most about DC and MD. Even at night it's this thick, warm air. I miss going cruising around in that in the evening. Montana is just super dry (which is why the state is burning down. Again.)
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Post by boxmel »

We're burning, too - it's not humid enough to keep the wildfires from starting.
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Post by Kolya »

I feel sorry for the Caferros and Nick Swan. The fires are really bad around Helena and Great Falls. Amy drove up to GF yesterday and said you couldn't even see Helena as you approached, it was so smoky.
Last edited by Kolya on 21 Dec 2007, 17:21, edited 2 times in total.
boxmel
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Post by boxmel »

Is Swan another Montell Griffith? 5'7 and 178? 8)
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Post by Kolya »

boxmel wrote:Is Swan another Montell Griffith? 5'7 and 178? 8)
5'10.
Last edited by Kolya on 21 Dec 2007, 17:21, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Dennis »

Kolya wrote:I feel sorry for the Caferros and Nick Swan. The fires are really bad around Helena and Great Falls. Amy (Sowers, she was at NAtionals) drove up to GF yesterday and said you couldn't even see Helena as you approached, it was so smoky. Well, I feel more sorry for the guys from Helena, I think Swan is going to be going out fairly quick at the Trials. Not big enough for Light Heavy at all.
When a guy from his area thinks he is destined to go out early that says something. I guess I won't make him my pick to win it.
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Post by Kolya »

Dennis wrote:
Kolya wrote:I feel sorry for the Caferros and Nick Swan. The fires are really bad around Helena and Great Falls. Amy (Sowers, she was at NAtionals) drove up to GF yesterday and said you couldn't even see Helena as you approached, it was so smoky. Well, I feel more sorry for the guys from Helena, I think Swan is going to be going out fairly quick at the Trials. Not big enough for Light Heavy at all.
When a guy from his area thinks he is destined to go out early that says something. I guess I won't make him my pick to win it.
There's a battery of reasons I say that. If you want to know, PM me, I'm not going to put the guy out there like that in a public forum.
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Post by Dennis »

I completely understand and I don't need all the details. Suffice it to say, I thought he would be lucky to box 3 times at the Trials. Remember it is a double elimination, so I am hard pressed to believe he will win more than 1 bout. However, I don't want to discourage anyone. This is a sport that comes with a lot of surprises. That is one of things that is great about it. You should never take anyone lightly as all it takes is one punch and it could be the end of the bout.
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Post by Kolya »

Dennis wrote:I completely understand and I don't need all the details. Suffice it to say, I thought he would be lucky to box 3 times at the Trials. Remember it is a double elimination, so I am hard pressed to believe he will win more than 1 bout. However, I don't want to discourage anyone. This is a sport that comes with a lot of surprises. That is one of things that is great about it. You should never take anyone lightly as all it takes is one punch and it could be the end of the bout.
That's all quite true; unfortunately, Nick's style doesn't lend itself to a fight changing on one punch, and his size doesn't help either. I just hope he got a match at Sturgis at least so he got some ring time before Houston.
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don't lose faith -

Post by rickyraytaylor »

Dennis wrote:That would be a shame as it is the only school that has a boxing program with some scholarships for the athletes. I would hate to see it go as I was hoping that more programs would be developed throughout the country in places like Brownsville, TX among others.
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i spoke with a few of the programs founders this week about some of their upcoming efforts in SUPERCHARGING the NMU program. let's see what happens with it.
on another note; DENNIS - you're from grand rapids? my first roomie up in marquette back in '89 was from there/Kevin Childrey. though he was an excellent fighter - that was pretty much all i could say good about the guy .... until now. word is that he's now a PREACHER in arizona! Hey, if GOD can change my boy Kevin ... it can happen to anyone, ANYONE!
also, i spoke with a fighter just last night at a show who's fighting up here now (nyc) and doing quite well in the pro's; PETER QUILLEN.
he told me that he began boxing in his hometown of GRAND RAPIDS, MI. do you remember him by chance?
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Post by boxmel »

spoke with a few of the programs founders this week about some of their upcoming efforts in SUPERCHARGING the NMU program. let's see what happens with it.
Who did you talk to at the USOEC or USOC? Just curious. Would be nice if you could let us know what their ideas are, since the program is being cut due to lack of funding.
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SUPERdave

Post by rickyraytaylor »

boxmel wrote:
spoke with a few of the programs founders this week about some of their upcoming efforts in SUPERCHARGING the NMU program. let's see what happens with it.
Who did you talk to at the USOEC or USOC? Just curious. Would be nice if you could let us know what their ideas are, since the program is being cut due to lack of funding.
Dave Lubbs. He founded the OEC back in the 80's and evidently has emerged with some novel ideas to keep the program afloat. He was hush on exactly WHAT was gonna happen ouside of the fact that he was going to try to meet with the powers that be "real soon".
SUPERDaves got some help evidently. If it's salvageable, he'll make it happen.[/i]
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Post by boxmel »

Dave did not found the OEC. He was the first director after the program was started. Doesn't sound like he has anything much solid - unless he can come up with some money to fund the boxing program, it will be cut.
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Re: don't lose faith -

Post by Dennis »

rickyraytaylor wrote:
Dennis wrote:That would be a shame as it is the only school that has a boxing program with some scholarships for the athletes. I would hate to see it go as I was hoping that more programs would be developed throughout the country in places like Brownsville, TX among others.
-----------------------
i spoke with a few of the programs founders this week about some of their upcoming efforts in SUPERCHARGING the NMU program. let's see what happens with it.
on another note; DENNIS - you're from grand rapids? my first roomie up in marquette back in '89 was from there/Kevin Childrey. though he was an excellent fighter - that was pretty much all i could say good about the guy .... until now. word is that he's now a PREACHER in arizona! Hey, if GOD can change my boy Kevin ... it can happen to anyone, ANYONE!
also, i spoke with a fighter just last night at a show who's fighting up here now (nyc) and doing quite well in the pro's; PETER QUILLEN.
he told me that he began boxing in his hometown of GRAND RAPIDS, MI. do you remember him by chance?
Yeah, Pete is a good boxer. I sparred with him a few times back when he was 16-17. He has sparred with my son Jordan many times, but since Jordan matured, he is now a little too big for Petey. 195 vs. 165.

Petey had his issues in the past and made a good decision to move away from bad influences. I find it funny that GR can be a worse place for him than NYC, but it seems to be true. Peer pressure can be a bad thing. Kid Chocolate is always welcome at our gym when he does come back home to visit. He is a good guy and I'm glad to see him doing well inside and outside of the ring.

Yeay, I have heard that Kevin Childrey had his problems and then found religion and straightened up. Good for him.
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Post by Dennis »

boxmel wrote:Dave did not found the OEC. He was the first director after the program was started. Doesn't sound like he has anything much solid - unless he can come up with some money to fund the boxing program, it will be cut.
I hope Dave or someone else can find a way to save the program. We need more of them not less. And less would mean zero.
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Post by boxmel »

Kevin Childrey was one of my favorite boxers way back when. Glad to hear he's okay and doing well.
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marquette

Post by rickyraytaylor »

boxmel wrote:Dave did not found the OEC. He was the first director after the program was started. Doesn't sound like he has anything much solid - unless he can come up with some money to fund the boxing program, it will be cut.
dave and i go back a good 20 + years and factually speaking, it'd be impossible to come up with anyone who did MORE to organize & implement the OEC in Marquette than him. Though for the past few years he's headed Ringside's Marketing dept., there's good reason for HIM to be the one to take the reigns in getting this program resuscitated. There is evidently much more to it than JUST funding problems circulating. It's my understanding that had ALL cylindars been clicking properly within the OEC - the money would have appeared and wouldn't have been an issue. Having LIVED there for over 3 years way back when, I can attest to many of its problems AS WELL as its promise.
Bottom line - if Dave can prove to the Olympic Committee in the coming weeks that the OEC "produces" more than it "ingests" then it probably won't fade away.
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Post by boxmel »

and factually speaking, it'd be impossible to come up with anyone who did MORE to organize & implement the OEC in Marquette than him.


I most definitely agree with you on this!
There is evidently much more to it than JUST funding problems circulating.


From what I've heard and seen, it is strictly a funding program.
It's my understanding that had ALL cylindars been clicking properly within the OEC - the money would have appeared and wouldn't have been an issue.
Then that's a problem within the OEC management that needs to be addressed by the entity in charge of the OEC. It will be interesting to see if, and how, the program is salvaged. It's a great program and I really, really don't want to see it shut down.
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Post by Dennis »

I think that all the USOC has to do is talk to a bunch of boxing coaches and officials and they will soon find out that the program is definitely worthwhile.
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Post by JMac »

The word I hear is that NMU wanted to get rid of Al Mitchell and the USOC wanted the money to go to the resident boxing program at the OTC in the Colorado.
Probably part of the reason NMU wants Al out is that he is not an educator. He did not graduate HS and does not push academics. Most of the boxers only took a few credits each semester so they could concentrate on boxing but that would mean taking many years to get a degree but most of the boxers got bored living in Marquette and wanted to go home. That leaves a bad track record for the boxing program and how many get degrees.
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Post by Dennis »

JMac wrote:The word I hear is that NMU wanted to get rid of Al Mitchell and the USOC wanted the money to go to the resident boxing program at the OTC in the Colorado.
Probably part of the reason NMU wants Al out is that he is not an educator. He did not graduate HS and does not push academics. Most of the boxers only took a few credits each semester so they could concentrate on boxing but that would mean taking many years to get a degree but most of the boxers got bored living in Marquette and wanted to go home. That leaves a bad track record for the boxing program and how many get degrees.
There were quite a few boxers who got degrees or earned many credits towards a degree while in the program at NMU/USOEC. How does your above statement sound any different than most big time college athletics programs?
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Post by boxmel »

Dennis - just being curious - how many years does it take for a college basketball or football player to get an undergrad degree (providing they stay in college full time)? I do know it's taken some NMU boxers 6 years or longer for a 4-year degree.
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