Suns is Still Steve Nash's Team

A new coach, a new system, new faces and a lot of revamping, 2-time NBA Season MVP Steve Nash finds himself coping up with all that has transpired in the Phoenix Suns camp. Nash, who have been thriving very well as the spearhead of the run-and-gun offense of the Suns during the D'Antoni era, have to contend with the defensive style new Suns coach Terry Porter wants instilled in the team. With former role players no longer donning the Planet Orange’s colors (Shawn Marion traded to Miami Heat. Raja Bell and Boris Diaw were also released in recent trade), Nash can’t help but get being upset.

Aside from Nash, there are now only two remaining Suns who sparked a part in the running game bought by former Suns coach Mike D’Antoni – power forward Amare Stoudemire and blitzing guard Leandro Barbosa. Nash, who treated the Suns under D’Antoni as family, suddenly finds himself in a different place and time, though he is not in the Twilight Zone.

But being the leader that he is, Nash is trying to adapt into this new atmosphere where he must head a fresh team right from scratch. He is still the Suns’ court general regardless of the game plan they employ. This new Suns team may be centered on Shaquille and the new guys (Dragic, Tucker, and the rest who recently got in), the Suns is still Nash territory.

It is quite understandable that Nash is in a limbo. With a ball club that now suddenly favors heavy defense instead of the up-tempo, hypercharged streaking, there is no doubt that the Suns, Nash in particular, is in an identity crisis. How long will Nash get through his current phase before coming full circle with what is left (or added) is quite unpredictable at this point.

Most of us do not expect them to capture this year’s crown. But a lot of us (writer included) hope that by some form of miracle, they will. With a tight Western Conference race, Nash and the Suns have to go through a lot of contentions. There’s the Mavs, the Spurs, the Lakers, the Jazz. Against these quality teams and Nash still looking for some spunk, the Suns will have a long road specked with jagged cobblestones and boulders laid ahead of them.

With that being said, the Suns remain a superior team – former Finals MVP Shaquille O’Neal at center, Stoudemire at power forward, new recruit Richardson providing extra firepower, and a bench bannered by Leandro Barbosa and Grant Hill. Yes, the Suns is still a superior team. But the latest revamp crippled them, Nash especially. In a team where Nash has to forego a high octane play to a more deliberate, less spontaneous program, he is visibly struggling. The bad news is the whole Suns team is struggling with him.

But it is not Nash’s fault the team is performing lackadaisically. One cannot expect a running team to become an instant legitimate championship contender after forcing its leader and its main players to hold their horses within just one training camp. Not overnight. And maybe not in one season.

Nash and the former Suns under D’Antoni were amazing because they ushered an innovation unseen in basketball. But with a new, more calculated purpose, the Suns went from amazing to lackluster.

Will the Suns shine brighter again? We cannot tell for sure. But one that remains constant is that the Suns will always remain Steve Nash’s team. Not Porter’s. Not Shaq’s. And certainly not of the new guys. When we see Nash playing basketball again, then maybe, just maybe, we’ll see the Suns rising.

Photo: http:// www.nytimes.com

Holyfield-Valuev: Another Apollo Creed Mishap in the Making?

One of my favorite boxing figures is Apollo Creed. Fictional? True. Inspiring? Totally. Stupid? Definitely.

But I never dreamed that I would see a real-life Apollo Creed in the person of Evander Holyfield. Much akin to the unreal bout between Apollo and the giant boxer from Russia in the cult movie Rocky III, Holyfield will soon find himself face to face against Nikolai Valuev, the tallest and heaviest heavyweight boxer in history. And like that behemoth in the said movie, Valuev’s from Russia too.

No one can be blamed if they call the 46-year old Holyfield crazy, demented, and delusional, even with a 42-9-2 boxing career that produced world championships and series of great fights. I do. And it’s no disrespect to Holyfield, whose legendary fights I have witnessed when I was still a boy. I still remember vividly how Mike Tyson chomped a bit of his ear during their second fight.

But like legends, Holyfield is supposed to fade away. He should fade away. But for whatever reasons, we will see him fight again. Against a physically superior opponent at that. How can someone expect Holyfield to win when Like Apollo Creed, he is old and obviously over the hill? When the last match he won was over a year ago?

My prediction? Expect Holyfield to be dismantled and manhandled by his Russian opponent.

But even against odds, I hope for a Holyfield victory. Perhaps, this second match between Apollo and that tall Russian guy would end up with Apollo as the victor. Win or lose, Holyfield must retire. Otherwise, someone better put a tranq dart on that former champion and send him to a psych house for a dose of reality check.

Hatton to Pacquiao: “I’ll see you in England!”

Now that the Dream Match is over and done with, many have speculated who Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao should face next. After his methodical dismantling of the aging legend that is Oscar De La Hoya, a lot of names who want a shot at the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter have surfaced.

But only two remains constant: Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Ricky Hatton of England.

While a fight with Mayweather has all the elements in it to make it a big fight, the problem with the equation is that Mayweather is retired. Unless someone offers a guaranteed significant sum of prize money to the undefeated former pound-for-pound king, it is highly unlikely that Mayweather would fight the Filipino slugger.

That leaves Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton as the most eligible opponent Pacquiao should face next. The junior welterweight champion from England has already declared his desire to fight the winner of the Dream Match. A Pacquiao-Hatton is certainly going to be an exciting matchup, as both fighters also have the most loyal boxing-crazed fans in the world.

But fans aside, both Pacquiao and Hatton have similar brawler-slugger styles of fighting. Pit these two in a ring and mayhem will certainly ensue. Hatton loves to pound opponents to a pulp and have succeeded in doing that in all but one of his fights. The only exception is his match against Mayweather, Jr., whose tactical skills prove to be key elements during their fight.

Pacquiao, in the words of an American boxing analyst, “is a storm.” But his brawling is tamed by Roach, who have molded the Filipino fighter into a well-rounded boxer with sound technical foundation.

Though JMM announced he will climb to 147 just to get another shot at Pacquiao, it is highly unlikely that a third JMM-Pacquiao bout will materialize. The spunk is just no longer there. But the fact remains that JMM is the only boxer who can stay with Manny or even beat him. But then, Manny has already bested JMM.

Photo: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxingandmma/3659076/Ricky-Hatton-next-on-the-agenda-for-Manny-Pacquiao-after-Oscar-De-La-Hoya-win-Bocing-and-MMA.html

Pacquiao Effortlessly Dominated De La Hoya

If there is something that boxing experts and analysts concurred unanimously about the Dream Match, it was a mismatch. And it was, in the strictest sense of the word. But the thing is it was the other way around.

The shorter and smaller Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao completely bested Oscar “The Golden Boy” De La Hoya, who was picked by many to win the fight by a knockout. Pacman, the current WBO lightweight champion, moved up two divisions to meet De La Hoya at welterweight (147 lbs), whose walking weight is pegged at 160 lbs.

Pacquiao’s blinding speed and quick reflexes proved to be decisive against De La Hoya, who seemed confused as to what the Filipino pugilist is going to whip up in the fight. Flushing De La Hoya’s face with a series of straight lefts, followed by rapid combinations then either quickly sidestepping to the left or stepping back to get out of the danger zone, it was apparent that Roach made a fine job tuning the brawler Pacquiao to a multi-dimensional and highly technical boxer.

De La Hoya, unable to make even the slightest dent on the Filipino boxing icon, had to resort to holding Pacquiao’s head and gave Pacquiao’s face three quick blows. Still, Pacquiao was unfazed and continued to pound the Golden Boy at will. At the dying seconds of the 8^th round, Pacquiao unleashed a barrage of punches that had De La Hoya in trouble.

Before the start of the 9^th round, De La Hoya waved the white flag. His record now stands at 39-6. Pacquiao, still the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, improved his standings at 47-3-2.

Pacquiao Will Win If…

· De La Hoya is stupid enough to not use the jab, which is highly unlikely;
· He attacks the body and wears down De La Hoya’s gas tank, which is hard thing to do;
· Somebody puts some ants in De la Hoya’s gloves (but don’t let De la Hoya find out who did it);
· He secretly delivers his ‘Manila Ice’ straight to De La Hoya’s balls and gets away with it (the height advantage makes it difficult to get to De La Hoya’s head);
· He wears boxing boots with five inch-soles to compensate for the height mismatch;
· If the round girls wear fish net stockings;
· Filipino fans bring large posters with De La Hoya wearing fish net stockings;
· He keeps on running to tire De La Hoya out – THE GUY HAS SPEED!
· He keeps on making the sign of the cross every time he lands a power punch – THE GUY IS RELIGIOUS TOO!
· He attends mass right before his fight;
· If his mama prays 20 novenas fervently during the fight.

Hatton Punishes Malignaggi, Retains IBO and Ring Magazine Belts

Ricky Hatton of Manchester, England pummeled Paulie Malignaggi in their welterweight title bout last November 23 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Hatton, whose record now stands at 45-1 with 32 knockouts, did not manage to floor the challenger from New York, but intense beating staggered and shook the Malignaggi several times.

Malignaggi’s excessive hugging kept the challenger from kissing the canvas. In the end, Malignaggi’s corner waved the white flag in the 11^th round, stating Malignaggi’s incapability “to put up a fight” as the main reason. Though Malignaggi disagreed with his team’s decision, it was visibly clear Hatton dominated the fight from start to finish.

With the win, Hatton now eyes the winner of the De La Hoya-Pacquiao fight as his next opponent, but added both fighters in the Dream Match are quality boxers and he is willing to fight either De La Hoya or Pacquiao. Hatton also revealed he wants the fight to be held at Manchester, England.