William C. Rhoden discusses the latest clashes between athletes and the media.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
UFC 137: Nick Diaz admits "it sucks to fight BJ Penn, my first idol in MMA"
Nick Diaz has admitted that BJ Penn was his "first idol in MMA" and "it sucks that I have to fight him". Yet he knows to progress, he must beat the best. The UFC 137 main event has split the MMA world.
At UFC 137, Diaz meets the Hawaiian who has a very similar blend of boxing and BJJ.
Diaz said: “BJ Penn was my first idol in MMA. I got into this when I was 16, I bought a magazine with him in there and I pulled out the pictures of him and put them on my wall. It kinda sucks we are fighting but if you want to be the best you have to fight the best and it is what it is.”
Of course, Diaz was due to fight Georges St-Pierre for the UFC welterweight title before the well-documented change in opponent. The Stockton brawler, though, believes he will prove himself the best fighter in the world at 170lbs. He said: “If I have a good night, I can beat anybody. I can beat anybody in the world. My thing is I know I can train harder than anyone else. I know I can do that. And I know I can fight hard.”
Penn said: “I feel the best is still inside me. Early in my career I was so focused on getting the belt, or being the pound-for-pound No1 or talking smack about this guy or that guy… I changed as I got older. Right now, I feel I got a clean slate in the sport. I am happy with my career, winning two titles and beating some great fighters, but I also feel I have more to do, I have to get better and I have to show I am as good as people have said I am. Iʼm getting older, and this is a career to me but fighting is what I live for.
“As far as this thing as I have to hate everyone I fight, or proving I can outbox a boxer or tapout the best BJJ guy, I donʼt need to prove that anymore. What I want to do is fight hard, win some big fights, and see what happens. Iʼd like to win the title but I donʼt think about that. Getting a title shot is about timing. If Iʼd have got the decision against Jon Fitch, Iʼd have got a title shot already. But even though Nick Diaz is a top guy, beating him may not get me a title shot because the timing may not work out.
“But thatʼs cool. I am fighting for victory, to beat the best guys out there. And fighting Nick allows me to do that.”
KEYS TO THE CONTEST: While some were surprised by Pennʼs bold strategy of attempting out-wrestling NCAA Division 1 standout Jon Fitch, in his most recent bout at UFC 127 in February, and forcing a draw, BJʼs career stats show his wrestling is heavily underrated.
While Penn is highly-regarded for his boxing skills – his tally of 746 power-punches is the third best in the UFC– Pennʼs wrestling stats also make for impressive reading. The Prodigy scores with 64% of his takedowns, placing him tenth in UFC history in terms of offensive grappling.
His defensive wrestling is even more impressive; Penn stuffs 77% of all opponentʼs attempts to take him down. And considering Penn has once again brought in former nemesis turned BFF Matt Hughes as a wrestling coach for this camp, expect Pennʼs wrestling to be razor sharp at UFC 137.
(Stats courtesy of UFC media pack).
Analysis: Rangers Still Not Sharp, But Win in Winnipeg
Ryan Callahan’s goal midway through the third period gave the Rangers a 2-1 victory Monday night in Winnipeg.
Skating down the right side, Callahan attempted to slide a pass to an opponent outside the crease, but the puck caromed off Winnipeg defenseman Zach Bogosian and past goalie Chris Mason.
Ruslan Fedotenko’s redirection of a point shot by Dan Girardi on the power play opened the scoring early in the second period, but Nik Antropov answered for Winnipeg 10 minutes later.
Martin Biron made his first start of the season for the Rangers in goal and made 27 saves. A well-rested Henrik Lundqvist will be the starter when the Rangers play their home opener Thursday against the Maple Leafs.
Winnpieg out-shot the Rangers, 28-17. The Rangers completed its seven-game, season-opening trip with a record of 3-2-2. Despite only losing two games in regulation out of the seven, the Rangers will have to play much better to contend for the Stanley Cup this season.
Game Rating
Manitobans waited fifteen years for the return of the N.H.L. At this early stage of the comeback season, Jets fans are cheering everything. This game did not simmer until a frantic third period. Rating: 6 out of 10
Our Three Stars
1. Ruslan Fedotenko: A goal, an assist, plus a drawn penalty that led to the game-winning power play goal.
2. Martin Biron: Although Henrik Lundqvist started the first six games of the season, Biron did not look rusty.
3. Dustin Byfuglien: The immense Jets defenseman (latest estimate: 260 pounds) was a force for most of the night, especially in the offensive zone.
Rangers Plus/Minus
Plus: In a rarity this early in the season, the Rangers did not hold a parade to the penalty box. The Jets had only one power play.
Minus: Despite some line combination alterations by Coach John Tortorella, the Rangers were unable to sustain much of an offensive attack during five on five play for the second game in a row. During an intense 90-second stretch in the middle of the third period, the Jets had the Rangers scrambling in their own zone while they peppered Biron with shots.
Plus: Showing no favorites and identifying some uninspired play by Marian Gaborik, Tortorella benched the team’s leading goal scorer for all but three shifts in the third period.
Minus: After getting shut out by Edmonton on Saturday, the Rangers managed just 10 shots on goal after 40 minutes in Winnipeg.
Plus: Dan Girardi had assists on both goals and led the team with more than 25 minutes of playing time.
Plus: The Rangers’ seven-game road schedule — opening the season with four games in Europe, a pit stop in Uniondale and three games in Canada — is over. After a day off Tuesday, the Rangers will have one practice and a morning skate to prepare for their home opener Thursday. Their next six games are at Madison Square Garden.
Plus: After Callahan’s goal gave them the lead, the Rangers established an effective forecheck that stymied Winnipeg’s ability to create scoring chances in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Plus: The Rangers blocked 14 shots, including Callahan’s gutsy stop of a Bogosian slap shot in the final minute.
Tortorella’s Take
“Except for that one shift where they ran all over us, I thought we defended well. To watch our guys start blocking shots the way they did, that’s what we have to start with. We still have to be consistent having the puck.
“We’re 3-2-2, eight points,” he said of the seven-game trip. “We still have a lot of work to do to try and play the right way. But in this league, you grab your points and get out of here. There will be times when we play our best game and lose.”
Rangers Want Stralman
The Rangers have reportedly made a contract offer to Anton Stralman, an unrestricted free agent who has played 212 games in his N.H.L. career with Toronto and Columbus. Stralman attended the Devils’ training camp last month and impressed the coaching staff, but the team decided to go with other defensemen and did not offer him a deal. The Rangers are in need of experienced defensemen because of the uncertain status of Marc Staal, who continues to suffer from concussion symptoms.
UFC 137: Mix and match and third time lucky for enigma Nick Diaz against BJ Penn
UFC legend BJ Penn and Nick Diaz meet in what is the third choice as the main event for UFC 137. The re-shuffle has the MMA world intrigued. The re-jigging has gone from Georges St-Pierre vs Diaz, to St-Pierre vs Carlos Condit – after Diaz was expelled for missing multiple news conferences – and then, due to a GSP knee injury, Penn vs Diaz as the main attraction.
Diaz has earned his place here, returning to the UFC after a career-defining 10 straight victories. He vacated his Strikeforce welterweight title when he expected to face St-Pierre for the UFC belt. In a previous run in the UFC, he was 6 wins, 4 losses, between 2003 and 2006, but this is the enigmatic character's time to shine.
Penn comes in, arguably, as the underdog. He drew against Jon Fitch in a title eliminator in February in Sydney, and has a record of 2-3-1 as a UFC welterweight, with both victories against fellow legend Matt Hughes.
Tale of the Tape
Penn Diaz
W-L-D 16-7-2 25-7, 1 NC
Age 32 28
Height 5’9” 6’1
Reach 70” 74”
Strength BJJ, Boxing BJJ, Boxing
On the main card, Cheick Kongo moves up to chief support, and seeks to become the fourth heavyweight with 10 wins in UFC history. The others are Frank Mir, Andre Arlovski, and Randy Couture, all with 10 apiece. No heavyweight has more wins than Kongo since his debut at UFC 61. Pedro Rizzo and Tim Sylvia also stand at 9 heavyweight victories in the UFC.
Similarly, no heavyweight has more wins than Matt Mitrione since his debut at the TUF 10 finale. The former Giants and Vikings practice squad member is unbeaten in five MMA bouts with four wins by knockout, but this will provide a major test for whether the loveable character has what takes in the heavy division. After losing back-to-back bouts against Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir in 2009, Kongo got back on track with a submission victory over Paul Buentello and a spectacular first-round knockout of Pat Barry in June. He also drew with Travis Browne after having a point deducted for grabbing the fence.
The ever-popular Mirko 'Cro Cop', the 2006 Pride Grand Prix winner, has lost back-to-back fights, each by knockout, and tries to avoid dropping three in a row for the first time. Nelson also enters on a two-fight losing streak for the second time and has never lost three in a row. The TUF 10 winner and former IFL heavyweight champion is just 2-4 in his last six bouts but each of his last six wins have been by knockout.
Scott Jorgensen vs Jeff Curran (bantamweight) was promoted to the main card after St-Pierre vs Condit and Brad Tavares against Dustin Jacoby were both shelved due to injuries. Curran returns to the UFC for the first time since 2004 when he lost a lightweight bout to Matt Serra – his only previous UFC contests. He also lost his last four WEC bouts from 2007-09. However, has won two straight and four of his last five overall and seeks his first three-fight winning streak since winning six in a row from 2006-07. Jorgensen has won six of his last seven with the only loss in that stretch coming to bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.
At featherweight, Hatsu Hioki makes his featherweight debut against George Roop. Hioki has won four straight and is 12-1-1 in his last 14 bouts. Considered a top featherweight in the world, Hioki has won the Shooto lightweight and Sengoku featherweight titles. Roop comes off upsetting Josh Grispi by TKO in June.
The PRELIMINARY CARD has one contest which has fight of the night written all over it: Dennis Siver vs Donald Cerrone. Both teak-tough, seemingly impregnable fighters. It should be a fan pleaser. From this seat, I can't wait for the Cowboy v the Caveman.
Elsewhere on the prelimary card:
Tyson Griffin vs Bart Palaszewski
Brandon Vera vs Eliot Marshall
Ramsey Nijem vs Danny Downes
Chris Camozzi vs Francis Carmont
Dustin Jacoby vs Clifford Starks
New Jersey officials confirm Formula One race planned for 2013
Gov. Chris Christie and other New Jersey officials and promoters Tuesday confirmed plans for a Formula One street race along the Hudson River in June 2013.
The Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial would be a 3.2-mile course in Weehawken and West New York on the west side of the river across from Manhattan, with elevation changes up to 150 feet.
"I’ve been wanting to do this for years,” Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone told Bloomberg.com. "You’ll be able to see the Manhattan skyline on TV."
It would be the second new Formula One race in the United States, which has been without F1 racing since the widely followed international racing series left the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the 2007 U.S. Grand Prix.
Formula One already plans to add a race next year at Circuit of the Americas, a track in Austin, Texas, being specifically built for an F1 race.
Christie said at a news conference at the track's proposed site that "there's no public subsidy that's being put into running this race" in New Jersey, with expenses being covered by race promoters.
Officials also said the average price of a three-day ticket to practice, qualifying and the race would be about $360.
ALSO:
Dan Wheldon was an engaging young champion
Dan Wheldon's death hits racing community hard
IndyCar boss faces scrutiny in wake of Dan Wheldon's death
--Jim Peltz
Photo: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (at podium) holds a news conference Tuesday at the Port Imperial Ferry Terminal to announce a Formula One race in 2013. Credit: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images
NCAA student-athlete graduation rates at all-time high
The NCAA's graduation success rate has climbed to an all-time high, with more than eight of every 10 Division I student-athletes earning their degrees within six years, officials said Tuesday.
The 82% graduation rate for student-athletes who began college in 2004 is three points higher than last year and eight points higher than when the NCAA began collecting such data a decade ago.
"Academic reform is working," NCAA President Mark Emmert said. "Students are better prepared when they enter college, and they are staying on track to earn their degrees."
Officials were less pleased that graduation rates for football and men’s basketball players, while improving, remained below 70%.
ALSO:
Trojans to face well-balanced Stanford
Neuheisel says Hundley wasn't ready to play
-- David Wharton
Photo: NCAA President Mark Emmert. Credit: Lisa Helfert / PR Newswire
Terrell Owens works out, but no NFL scouts are there to watch
Owens, 37, who last played for the Bengals, did various drills, and caught passes for about 25 minutes. He didn’t look as though as had slowed down.
Former 49er star Jerry Rice was on hand, as were various media members, but no scouts.
ALSO:
Beanie Wells: Injury not as severe as Cardinals feared
Jaguar's Blaine Gabbert does just enough against Ravens
-- Broderick Turner
Photo: Terrell Owens in 2010. Credit: Ed Reinke / Associated Press
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