tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

Tuesday’s Thoughts

While hoping that the sun comes out so I can finish getting rid of leaves, here's what's on my mind this morning:

* It was really sad to hear of the passing of Smokin' Joe Frazier. Frazier was a huge part of the last great era of heavyweight boxing. I can remember March 8, 1971 like it was yesterday. It was billed as the Fight of the Century as the heavyweight champion Joe Frazier was going to take on Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden. Ali was stripped of the title in 1968 for refusing to go to fight in Vietnam. Frazier won the title in 1970 by defeating Jimmy Ellis at MSG with a fourth rouund knockout. This was going to be a battle and it certainly lived up to the expectations. I remember listening to Stan Barron on WBEN Radio as he read round-by-round accounts of the fight that came over the Associated Press teletype machine. Earlier that day, I had made a number of small wagers with my 9th grade classmates. They were all pulling for Ali but for me it was Smokin' Joe. Needless to say, when Ali was knocked down by Frazier with a thunderous left in the 15th Round it was clear that he was going to retain his title. Ali's jaw was broken and I'll never forget the picture of Frazier's face in Sports Illustrated badly swollen from the many punches delivered by Ali. They would fight two more times. The second time was at MSG and Ali won in a 12 round non-title fight decision. The third time was The Thrilla In Manilla and Ali was the champ. I had the opportunity to watch that fight at the Niagara Falls Convention Center via closed circuit television. Everything you read about the fight is true: it was a war. The best fight I have ever seen. In the end, Smokin' Joe's manager Eddie Futch stopped the fight in the 14th Round as Frazier's one eye was almost swollen shut. Ali has said that he was contemplating not coming out for that round. As I left the Convention Center I had a tear in my eye as these guys both gave it there all and in the end Smokin' Joe couldn't pull it off. R.I.P Smokin' Joe Frazier. You will always be remembered as one of the greatest fighters of all-time.

* The Maple Leafs are back in action tonight as they take on the Florida Panthers. The Leafs are coming off their worst game of the season as they were dominated by the Boston Bruins 7-0 for their first loss at home. The Leafs have made it a point not to lose two in a row this season so it will be interesting to see how they perform tonight. Penalty killing is still killing them and it is an area that they must improve on if they are to make the playoffs this year. It looks like Tim Connolly will be out 10-14 days with an upper body injury. Looks like Connolly hasn't shaken the injury bug that plagued him in Buffalo.

* Jonas Gustavsson will probably be in the net tonight for the Leafs as we still don't know what the status is of James Reimer. It is really frustrating that the Leaf organization has been so secretive about Reimer's injury. While they deny it is a concussion it sure seems like it is and there is no idea as to when Reimer will be back. I'm not sure how long the Leafs can go without Reimer before it starts to effect their wins and losses.

* Had the opportunity to Watch Browns Coach Pat Shurmur's press conference yesterday. Shurmur is about as accommodating as Eric Mangini yet he seems to get a pass from the Cleveland media. Several times he said that Colt McCoy is improving each game. My question would be: how and where is he improving?? He certainly is showing that he can take a pounding. I'm sorry but I don't have much confidence in Shurmur. While its definitely too early to call for his dismissal, I think that it is time to start calling into question where Mike Holmgren is leading this team.

* Isn't it interesting that perennial AFC powers, the Patriots and the Steelers, both lost games in the final minute at home. For the Patriots they have now lost two in a row and face the New York Jets on the road. The Steelers have now lost twice to the Ravens and find themselves heading to Cincinnati to face a Bengals team that is ahead of them in the standings. Many so-called experts had the Patriots or the Steelers representing the AFC in the Super Bowl. While it still could happen, they both have limited room for error.

* This afternoon Joe Paterno will hold his weekly press conference and it has the makings of being one that he has never experienced in the 40 years that he has been head coach at Penn State. The allegations of sexual abuse of young boys by former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky is disgusting. Many in the media are calling for Paterno to step down. Not knowing everything that happened here makes it difficult for me to have an opinion on that. But what I do have an opinion on and what is being totally missed by many is that this is just another example, albeit a disgusting and vile one, of how college football dominates major colleges to the point that administrators will do anything to make sure that no one tips over the cash cow apple cart. Major college football programs bring in millions and millions of dollars to their schools. While the actual vile acts had nothing to do with the football program directly, the cover-up certainly does.

* Buffalo sports fans never cease to amaze me. Of course the Bills bandwagon is a little lighter today after the 27-11 loss to the Jets. I wonder what the feeling is about their $9 million a year quarterback. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a nice story but let's be real folks, he's not taking the Bills to the Super Bowl. Then we venture off to Pegulaville. The natives are getting what they want in seeing their goalie saviour Jonas Enroth play and win. It's funny listening to die-hard Sabre fans calling for Miller to be traded to bring in another big time goal scorer. Funny but whatever happened to Ville Leino??? Wasn't he suppose to be a 70 point top line center???

* The college basketball season opened last night and the U.B. Bulls open their season Friday at home. I wonder if the sports geniuses at WGR 550 are aware of this. Probably not. There are more important thiings to talk about like whether or not Marie's Blue Cheese is better than Rooties.

* And finally, has anyone seen C.J.Spiller???