Michael Vick Is Back On Top

By Will Shung

And just like that, Michael Vick is back on his feet, with fans on his side, and cash in the bank again.  Today Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles have agreed to a contract extension for Vick that's worth nearly $100 million over the next six years.  The signing puts him right back at the top of the highest paid athletes in professional sports today.  This comes less than two years after coming back from jail for his dog fighting incident in 2007.

Only in America is something like this possible.  Only in America can someone, who committed such a heinous crime of putting domestic animals in the face of danger and, in the process killing a couple, come back to his original occupation with little repercussion and actually make more money than he used to.  Anywhere else he'd be lucky to lock down a janitorial job for the next forty years of his life and, with some luck and extreme self-discipline, retire with a nice little nest egg of a pension.

I know most would say, by now, to give the guy a break, but it's not like I haven't.  Hell, everybody has already, and some gave it to him way too soon (most of them probably Philadelphia Eagles fans).  I'm happy he got a second chance.  I'm happy he's changed his life around and has become a humble individual.  And there is absolutely no doubt he's a great player, either.  Hell, you can almost say his talents are god-given.  But is it fair to say that naturally talented individuals always deserve a second chance no matter what evil they have committed in the past?  You have to think that when Vick signed the dotted line today there was probably a slight grin (most likely an ear-to-ear smile) with a voice inside his head that whispered "yes" in the most sinister and menacing way; a thought of "I actually got away with it".

I'll give this guy maybe a couple years before the fame, money, and power will get to him once again and he pulls yet another dumb human act that either lands him in the courtroom and/or behind bars.  Just wait.  And when it happens, don't say I didn't tell you so.

Mayweather Vs. Ortiz

 By Will Shung

For more than two years now boxing fans have talked about, hoped for, and demanded a fight between arguably two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world right: Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.  Instead, on September 17th, you're going to get Floyd Mayweather and Victor Ortiz.  The tag line for this fight is "Starpower".  HBO's going to regret they didn't reserve that one for a potential Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.  They should have just called this one "Another Warm Up" or "What for?".

In May of last year we witnessed Floyd Mayweather tactically dismantle Shane Mosley, who, at the time, was still considered a top ranked fighter in his division, but nowhere near the top.  A year later Mosely signed up to get a minor annihilation by Manny Pacquiao.  In 2007 Mayweather scored two huge victories against future hall-of-famer Oscar de la Hoya, and, at the time one of the best in the world Ricky Hatton.  They were both easy victories for Mayweather.  Within the next year and a half Manny Pacquiao faced the same two fighters and also won convincingly. 

Why has boxing not figured this one out yet and why can't either camps get this deal done?  For the last two years fight fans have had to endure through meaningless bouts between less than contending talents who get slaughtered by either Mayweather or Pacquiao.  Some of those fights were more competitive than others, but for the most part they were completely one-sided.

On September 17th, Mayweather fights an up-and-comer named Victor Ortiz.  Who?  Ortiz!  Casual boxing fans probably have never even heard of him, but even avid followers would only remember him as the guy who was on his way to boxing stardom, only to have that trek halted by a rather unexpected defeat to the hands of Marcos Maidana.  "Marcos who?" your asking.  I don't remember either. 

Right about now Victor Ortiz is getting just about the same level of interest and respect from me as he is getting from everyone else, and that's next to none.  Can you blame me?  Ortiz has not proven himself.  His last fight, albeit a victory over Andre Berto (a strong contender in the welterweight division) was probably his first big win ever in his fighting career.  Now all of a sudden he gets a free ride to stardom and a high purse by fighting "Money" Mayweather?  How does that work?

Anyhow, Ortiz, despite his somewhat recent defeat to the hands of a relative no name and lack of big fight experience, is still a very dangerous fighter.  They call him "Vicious Victor" and he's got quick hands and some punching power.  Only thing is Floyd also has incredible hand speed and punching power along with uncanny accuracy and an unpredictable tempo.  Ortiz has lost twice.  Mayweather has yet to lose.  I swear, every time they announce a Mayweather or Pacquiao fight that doesn't include the other I become a little less of a boxing fan.  The possibility of that fight and the hype that surrounded it for so long is soon to diminish.  It would be a terrible shame if it never happened.