Ross Tossed (Okay, She Asked to Leave)

Veteran boxing judge C.J. Ross has been granted a leave of absence by the Nevada State Athletic Commission amid continued controversy surrounding her scoring of Floyd Mayweather’s recent defeat of Saul Alvarez. Ross scored the Saturday night fight as a 114-114 draw, resulting in a majority-decision victory for the fighter known as ‘Money.’  The two other judges that scored the 12-round bout, which more resembled a technical demonstration by Mayweather, saw it as 117-111 and 116-112 for the winner. Despite initially standing by her scorecard...

The Greatest (Comic) of All Time

The fine folks over at Deadspin’s The Stacks recently put together a post on a pop culture time capsule, a 1978 DC comic featuring Superman and Muhammad Ali. The famed comic, entitled Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, was a 72-age oversize edition that was also reissued in 2010 in a hardcover form.  Part of a collectors’ series issues by DC, the comic included a wrap-around cover featuring the likenesses of many stars of the day -- and despite being a literary piece, it still strikes me as odd that Kurt Vonnegut was included, but he was a big...

Welcome to the Sci-Fi State

If you heard that ‘I told you so,’ it arose from the grave of the nearest deceased Sci-Fi writer in response to the recently leaked National Security Administration surveillance program. With the advent of great technology comes the opportunity to use technology.  And in the case of the United States government, technology and rubber stamp courts have provided the opportunity to monitor the private actions of citizens in the name of security. As reported by the Guardian and Washington Post, a program named PRISM is now the largest info...

The Reactionary Art of Prognostication

The Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers series sits tied and the pundits are swinging wildly for the fences. Following an enthralling game one victory in the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals by the Heat -- one that came in overtime and left experts questioning Pacers head coach Frank Vogel -- the prognosticators sang the praises of the defending champions from Miami. On ESPN’s flagship basketball program, its four-member panel of experts questioned if the Heat would decimate the Pacers at home in Game Two and would go on to sweep the series. And...

Kobe Didn't End My Fantasy Season

Kobe Bryant’s season-ending injury crushed the title hopes of many fantasy team owners. I didn’t flinch.  And no, I don’t have nerves of steel or a cupcake matchup.  I play in the league that should not be. Filled with nonexistent owners, minimal competition and a free agent pool abundant with opportunity, this fantasy basketball league is very pathetic.  But it allows me to recover quickly from what should be a devastating injury. I’ve consistently played fantasy football and baseball for many years, but I’m a relative novice...

TUF 17 Finale: Boy Wonder Wins Split Decision

TUF season 17 reached its conclusion on Saturday night with a card punctuated by spectacular fights and surprising results as the season champion was crowned in Las Vegas. The TUF Finale Fight Kelvin Gastelum was eager to throw blows with Uriah Hall, who seemed content to allow the smaller fighter chase him around the ring.   Kelvin began scoring with takedowns, but Hall turned the corner in the second round when he started reversing position on Kelvin and scoring on the smaller fighter -- including a stunning suplex late in the five-minute...

TUF 17 Ep. 12: Expect the Unexpected, and Expected, to Make the Finale

We quickly started the episode with a giant plug for Harley-Davidson as the coaches and fighters visited a local dealership to customize motorcycles that the winning coach and fighter will receive. With two fights on the docket, the action quickly transitioned to the first bout between Josh Samman (9-2) and Kelvin Gastellum (5-0). Josh appeared confident, but the younger fighter opened the fight by controlling the ring on his feet -- and then taking the Team Jones fighter to the ground.  Kelvin continued to ride Josh on the mat and control...