Bleacher Report - Articles by Jimmy Bromberg

Come Back, Pretty Boy: Why I Miss Floyd Mayweather

Jimmy Bromberg — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:07:42 -0500

I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Floyd Mayweather. He may be arrogant, brash, combative, and divisive, but the man can put on a show. Don't get me wrong, there are many great fighters today I enjoy watching.

The dominance Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, and Manny Pacquiao displayed in each of their respective fights this year was truly incredible. Any yet, I never felt the pre-fight excitement like I do before a Mayweather fight.

Most of the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of HBO's "24-7" series, which I watch religiously before any majorfight. Most recently, HBO gave us a glimpse into the lives of Pacquiao and De La Hoya as they prepared for "The Dream Match." While both fighters came off as good-hearted, caring, family men, neither fighter reached out to me and demanded I watch the fight.

More importantly, neither fighter seemed overly worried about losing. That's why when De La Hoya lost, there was less pain in his voice, than admiration for his competitor.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with respect and admiration for one's competitor. A few years ago, when boxing felt more like a circus than a sport, and every other weigh-in started with shoves and thrown chairs, I dreamed of the day when fighters would simply shake hands at the press conference, then pound gloves before each round.

But as much as I love cordial boxers, I love charismatic ones more. And no current day boxer is more charismatic than Pretty Boy Floyd.

Whether it be wearing a sombrero before the De La Hoya fight, or continuously promoting himself before the Hatton match, it's hard to keep your eyes off Floyd Mayweather. He's the most entertaining man in a sport that desperately needs to entertain, especially now that MMA has become so popular.

More than any other sport, boxing is about pride. A loss is more than just a loss. It's a defeat. That is why we love it so much. When Mayweather fought Hatton, there were very few people rooting equally for both fighters. Mayweather brings that love/animosity out of people. You either love him or hate him, but you have to watch him.

If you happened to watch "24-7" before the match, you knew how badly each man wanted to win. On the final episode before the fight, Ricky's trainer Billy Graham repeated the phrase "Got to win" over and over again, as if his very existence depended on the outcome of the fight. Sadly for Hatton fans, he did not win. And the loss hurt. Much more than a Malignaggi loss would have.

Why?

Because Mayweather made us care. He angered us or delighted us. He inspired thousands to cross the Atlantic, hoping to see Hatton shut up the trash-talking American once and for all. He caused his own fans to smile and cheer at both his wit and athleticism.

Most of all though, he made the average sports fan give a damn about a boxing match, something that appears to be happening less and less often nowadays. Oh how I miss Pretty Boy Floyd.

Terrell Owens Deserves a Formal Apology

Jimmy Bromberg — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:44:30 -0400

Maybe it's time we re-examined the way we look at Terrell Owens.

For years, T.O. has been viewed as the epitome of everything that's wrong with athletes.

He's been called selfish, arrogant, a destroyer of team chemistry, a quarterback's worst nightmare, etc. And while some of the verbal attacks may have been warranted at one point in his career, they don't appear to be anymore.

In the last year, Terrell Owens has worked hard, defended his quarterback, and most importantly, aided a car-crash victim in need.

Yes, T.O., the man so many have loved to hate, is an old-fashioned hero.

In case you missed it, ESPN writer Sam Alipour was leaving the ESPY's last week when he was accidentally hit by a taxicab.

The accident was so bad that paramedics told Alipour he was, "lucky to be alive."

Fortunately, T.O. was there to aid Mr. Alipour, pulling him out of the street and away from traffic.

Then, for the next few minutes, T.O. sat with his new friend, comforting him until the paramedics arrived.

Oftentimes, we vilify athletes for not smiling enough or shaking enough hands.

We dislike them because they aren't thankful enough. They don't appreciate their God-given gifts like they should.

We put ourselves in their place, and get mad at them for not doing as we would. Yet, we are not perfect, just as they are not perfect.

So, while we can rightly blame T.O. for certain past actions, we should praise him in an equal manner for the things he does right.

Terrell Owens deserves a better rap than we've given him.

Unlike many athletes who are perfect on the field, but flawed off it, most of T.O.'s problems have lived entirely, at least to my knowledge, in the locker room or on the field.

Sure he's had personal problems, but when have you ever heard about him running from a crime scene or making it rain?

In fact, when many other football players would have gladly taken their paychecks and rested, Terrell Owens ran onto the field with plates in his leg, giving his all for the chance to win a Super Bowl ring.

Maybe T.O. deserves an apology.

Considering that Bill Parcells essentially kicked Jason Taylor out of Miami for dancing, maybe it wasn't T.O. who was the bad guy after all.

Maybe T.O. was simply the only fisherman willing to stand up to the Big Tuna.

Of course, no one, with the exception of his family and friends, truly knows T.O. as a person.

For that reason, we should judge Terrell Owens in the only way we possibly can.

As a football player.

With Stars Like Federer and Djokovic, Tennis Deserves More Love

Jimmy Bromberg — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:06:23 -0500

Having watched another exciting Australian open come to an end, I find myself wondering, as I often do at the end of major tournaments, why tennis hasn't gathered a larger following in the United States.

Understandably, Americans have grown disinterested recently due to a lack of successful American players. Americans love winners and currently, Andy Roddick and James Blake are the only two Americans in the top 25. Furthermore, an American hasn't won a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick's U.S. Open run in 2003.

What many people are missing however, is that the sport itself is still thriving. Every night, extraordinary matches are being played between dynamic personalities.

One of the best aspects of watching professional tennis is that you truly get to know the players. Each week, a story line develops that could give any soap opera a run for its money.

Having watched James Blake at every major tournament for the past few years, I've witnessed time and again his struggle with confidence. When shots start missing and serves lose velocity, his talent tends to run for the hills. Going into the Australian Open, he was a measly 1-10 in matches that went to five sets.

For this reason, when Blake recently went down two sets to zero against the formidable Sebastien Grosjean, the match was as good as over. Rarely do players come back from two set to none deficits, regardless of who they are...but never had James Blake.

Well, that all changed. Not only did Blake come from behind to win, he repeatedly stepped up his game when necessary. Losing 4-1 in the fourth set, he came back to take it to a tiebreaker. Then, down 4-1 in the tiebreaker, just three points from elimination, he fought back again, winning the tiebreaker, the set, and then a short while later, the match.

Time for the monkey to find another back.

Story lines are not the only reason to watch tennis. The sport is simply a joy to follow. When two elites like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic take to the court, it's like witnessing a chess match played at rapid speed, as athleticism and intelligence join forces in a way rarely seen.

What makes tennis so special is that it is one of the only sports where the athlete is forced to win the game, rather than simply not lose. You cannot take a knee for the final minute or walk the best batter to take on an easier one. You cannot sit on the clock or double team the superstar.

The only way to win is by consistently accumulating more points than your opponent. Time cannot save you.

So the next time Federer and Nadal meet on clay, or Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga play at the Aussie open, give them a chance to show you why the sport is so great. Allow them to entertain you with supreme skill and finesse. Take a chance on two non-Americans and see that even if your fellow countrymen are not playing, the sport can still be every bit as thrilling.

And if that doesn't work, pretend that Tsonga is Muhammad Ali's son, faking a French accent.