The performance of the boxing weekend had to be the first-round blitz by unbeaten lightweight Floyd Schofield, who dropped former junior lightweight champion Tevin Farmer twice and stopped him in the first round.
The fight was thought to be a 50/50 bet with Schofield meeting the toughest foe of his career, not to mention his controversial cancellation of his fight with WBC champion Shakur Stevenson, and Farmer, in strong form following three close losses to IBF champion Raymond Muratalla and William Zepeda looked to be the best match of the evening.
In less than three minutes, Schofield had established his credentials as a title contender, and Farmer will have questions about his future in the sport.
I haven't seen either of the remaining fights in the challenge
Gilberto Ramirez retained his WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles with a unanimous decision over Yunier Dorticos.
Michel Cieslak stopped Jean Pascal in the fourth round to win a minor title.
Three Saturday battles in the boxing challenge, with one championship in the balance.
Two of those are the chief supporting fights to the latest Jake Paul sideshow, this one against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, in Anaheim, California.
Gilberto Ramirez defends his WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles against former world title challenger Yuniel Dorticos.
Ramirez won the WBO title from Chris Billam-Smith in his last fight, and should he defeat Dorticos, is expected to meet IBF champion Jai Opietaia in a three-title unification pairing later this year.
Dorticos is known for his power and acquitted himself well in both of his career defeats (Mairis Bredis and Murat Gassiev), so he isn't an easy out for Ramirez, but it's been five years since he faced a quality foe and who knows if he is still capable of delivering power against a top-notch champion such as Ramirez.
An interesting lightweight match pits a promising young prospect and a former champion attempting to keep himself as a viable challenger against each other in a crossroads fight.
Unbeaten Floyd Schofield hasn't had a good run of late.
His last fight saw his best opponent, Rene Tellez Giron, knock him down in the eleventh round, and saw an undeserved title opportunity against Shakur Stevenson go away with food poisoning that his camp accused Stevenson's team of perpetrating.
Schofield now faces former IBF junior lightweight champion Tevin Farmer, who is coming off two close decision defeats to top contender William Zepeda and another close loss to IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla.
Farmer has lost his last three fights, but all things considered, he is fighting as well as he has in his career.
This might not be the most exciting fight, but it could prove to be very important in the lightweight division.
The final fight is from Laval, Canada, as the ageless Jean Pascal meets Michal Cieslak for a minor cruiserweight title.
Boxing Challenge
WBA/WBO Cruiserweight Titles. 12 Rds
Gilberto Ramirez vs Yuniel Dorticos
Ramon Malpica and TRS: Ramirez Unanimous Decision Vince Samano:
Two days after the conclusion of the NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers made a one-for-one swap that may have given a possible hint towards the remainder of the team's offseason.
The Cavaliers acquired the talented but injury-plagued point guard Lonzo Ball from the division rival Chicago Bulls for former first-round pick Isaac Okoro in what may show the team's concern for the long-term status of the injured Darius Garland and the retention of free agent Ty Jerome.
Ball, one of the three Ball brothers, was the second overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers and seemed to be on the verge of being a very good player before missing two seasons with knee problems.
Ball returned to the Bulls last season, playing in thirty-five games, averaging seven points and three assists in twenty-two minutes per game.
The addition of Ball to the roster could allow the Cavaliers to save money and allow Ty Jerome to sign elsewhere rather than re-sign him at a healthy salary increase.
The Cavaliers were trying to get out of their second-tier status on the salary cap, and with Jerome and Sam Merrill both eligible for free agency, the Cavaliers had to do something with Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade to have a hope of reaching the goal of reducing their cap and keep Jerome and/or Merrill.
It looks like the decision has been made to allow Jerome to leave, as Sam Merrill signed a four-year contract to stay in Cleveland as their instant offense off the bench, and with their drafting of Tyrese Proctor and trading for Lonzo Ball, Cleveland doesn't seem to have the cap space (if they truly are making an effort to drop from the second tier) or the playing time for Ty Jerome.
Isaac Okoro averaged six points and two rebounds in fifty-five games last season, all career-lows, and he never was able to develop an outside shot that the team hoped he would after drafting him fifth overall from Auburn in 2020.
Okoro was the high-end defensive player that Cleveland hoped he would be, but his lack of shooting skill made him almost unplayable in the postseason, and I didn't see anything from Okoro that could change that.
Okoro makes slightly more than Ball (eleven to ten million) and the Cavaliers clean up some contract clutter as Okoro is signed for two years, while Ball is signed for just one followed by a friendly team option.
If Lonzo Ball is able to return to even close to his previous form, the Cavaliers could have exactly what they needed at a bargain price, which is a veteran point guard to run the offense while Darius Garland is away and allow Garland not to push his rehab too hard to return to the court, and when Garland does return, Ball is a solid option off the bench.
If Ball cannot get past his injuries, then they still moved on from Isaac Okoro, which is something, and the Cavaliers can look for a similar player next off-season.
The boxing weekend started on Friday with a tremendous outing from super middleweight contender Christian Mbilli, who roasted veteran Maciej Sulecki in the first round in Quebec City, Canada.
Mbilli ripped a left hook to the body of Sulecki before adding a right uppercut that floored Sulecki and ended the fight as the referee called off the event before action resumed.
Mbilli won a minor title but, more importantly, put himself into position to be promoted to a full champion (WBC) should the winner of the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford fight decide to vacate that title after their fight.
Former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder dropped Tyrell Herndon in the second and sixth rounds and finished Herndon in the seventh with the referee saving a reeling Herndon.
Wilder didn't look bad in his return to the ring, but the journeyman Herndon is far from world-class, and it's hard to say what Wilder would do against a top ten opponent.
The Cleveland Cavaliers owned two picks in the second round of the NBA Draft and kept both second-round picks in the draft.
With the first of two (49th overall), Cleveland took Duke guard Tyrese Proctor, a native of Australia, who played three years in Durham with the Blue Devils.
The 6'4 Proctor averaged twelve points, three rebounds, and two assists as a junior and shot forty-two percent with thirty-five percent from three-point range.
Cleveland does need an outside shooting guard off the bench with the possible departures of either or both Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill, so there is a spot for Proctor in the NBA rather than the Charge of the G-League.
Many draft ratings had Proctor rated higher by a few spots than the forty-ninth slot where he was selected, so it's possible Proctor could be used regularly as a sub as early as this year.
It's also reported that Proctor wanted to come to Cleveland due to a promised spot on the roster and didn't have to sign a two-way contract between the Cavaliers and their G-League team, the Charge.
I'm the first to admit, I don't watch college basketball as much as I used to.
When I want to know about a player from the Big Ten, I go to Ryan, and when I need to find out about a player from Duke, I find one man- Derreck Chupak.
I asked Derreck for his thoughts on Proctor.
He is a streaky shooter at times. But when he's on, he can light it up from anywhere on the court. Shot 36% from 3 and 49% from 2 for his career at Duke.Terrible free-throw shooter for being a highly rated guard. Shot 68% from the line in his junior year and finished with 76% for his career. Above average defender. Not a great rebounder. He is however a great leader on the floor.
With the second of their two second-round picks, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Saliou Niang of Senegal, who played last season in the Italian League, where Niang averaged eight points and five rebounds last season.
The 6'7 Niang is reported to be very athletic, but is a poor shooter and will need work on the offensive end.
Niang is lanky with long arms and has a chance to eventually be a plus defender.
His limited offensive game makes him a project who will likely need a few seasons in Europe to develop, but he does have the physical skills to play someday in the league.
Two Friday fights start the boxing weekend with matches hailing from Quebec City and Wichita, Kansas.
The better matchup of the pair hails from Canada as unbeaten super middleweight contender Christian Mbilli meets veteran Maciej Sulecki for another wonderful interim/minor title.
Mbilli earned his biggest victory last August with a unanimous decision win over veteran Sergiy Dereyvanchenko and is having problems finding top opponents who wish to face him in high-risk/low-reward fights, as both Jaime Munguia and Diego Pacheco have passed on title eliminators against Mbilli.
Sulecki has been around the block and is a solid fighter who has suffered each of his three losses when he stepped up against tough competition in defeats to Demetrious Andrade, Daniel Jacobs, and his most recent fight when he was stopped for the first time by Diego Pacheco in the sixth round.
Mbilli and Diego Pacheco are considered the future stars of the division, so Mbilli's performance will be measured by Pacheco's win over Sulecki.
In Wichita, Kansas, on a BLK Prime Pay Per View, former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder starts his comeback against journeyman Tyrell Herndon.
The almost-forty-year-old Wilder has lost four of his last five fights, and his last two with Zhilei Zhang brutally knocking him out in five rounds one year ago.
Herndon has fought one foe of note, former Olympian Richard Torrez, who stopped Herndon in two rounds and was stopped in four of his five defeats, so it's pretty clear why Herndon has been selected as the opponent.
If Wilder has hopes of turning his career around, he'll need an impressive KO of Herndon.
Boxing Challenge
Super Middleweights. 12 Rds
Christian Mbilli vs Macjej Sulecki
Ramon Malpica: Mbilli KO 9 TRS: Mbilli KO 8 Vince Samano:
The Cleveland Browns released defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo in a cost-cutting move that will help find playing time for younger players, Alex Wright, and Isaiah McGuire.
Okoronkwo was signed as a free agent from the Houston Texans after the 2022 season and finished wth seven and a half sacks in his two seasons in Cleveland, three and a half of those last season.
The Browns had high hopes for Okoronkwo as the pass-rushing threat opposite Myles Garrett that the team has been looking for since the Browns drafted Garrett, but they have to be disappointed in the production for the two seasons.
Alex Wright finished with one sack in four games (the safety on Trevor Lawrence that allowed Cleveland to gain a victory) before his season ended due to a torn triceps injury, while Isaiah McGuire finished with two and a half sacks and was playing very well at the end of the season.
Either could be a starter this season, and it makes sense for the Browns to become younger and cheaper at a time when they can use every penny saved.
Okoronkwo won't have any issues finding a new team, so it may well be one of those decisions that help both the team and the player.
I've written in the past about my love of simulation sports games.
I used the "tabletop" dice version for years to the point of always having dice and a few baseball teams with me in my bag. But transitioned to the PC version (and from Strat O Matic to Action in a different story for another day) mainly for one reason - the ease of keeping statistics!
I used to have Ryan keep them for me as a way to work on his math skills (and I hated doing it, wink wink), but the age of PC gaming allows stats to be kept on the go and avoids all the tedious record keeping, which makes the game fun but takes time away from playing the game!
Dave Koch Sports has a strong community of players who create what they call "Homebrew" seasons. which are seasons that don't have enough interest to be worth creating by the company, with the time involved, yet are created by others for the game to use.
They might not be quite as accurate as one created by the Action company, but they are pretty close and are still enjoyable to play!
Here are a few obscure seasons from leagues that aren't available from the company or home brews that I'd love to see someone make.
Keep in mind that I have all four team sports that DKS develops games but some sports have more oddball leagues than others!
Baseball doesn't have many leagues or seasons to offer the oddball player, as the sport has few upstart challengers.
For Baseball, I'd select a Japanese baseball season from the early 2000s when Daisuke Matsuzaka and Koji Uehara were at their bes,t and I'd add the 2014 South Atlantic League when the Hagerstown Suns won the SAL Northern Division title before loing the title series to the Asheville Tourists in a full five game series.
I also wish DKS would consider adding a College World Series edition each year, with all the teams that played in the regionals on the "Road to Omaha".
Football has many seasons, but I'd love the 1999 CFL season, although when you play CFL seasons on Action, some of the Canadian flavor cannot be adjusted, as you have to play four-down play rather than the CFL's three-down version.
I also wish there were a version of the Alliance of American Football that played eight games of a ten-game season before going out of business in 2019.
Editor's Note: Someone just did an AAF season as of July 2025!
My top choice would be a 1974 WFL season; someone did a homebrew, but much of the information is wrong, and a better version would be welcomed!
The basketball game has the NBA and the ABA seasons available and college seasons of interest, but I would like to see some Olympic tournaments offered.
Someone made the famous 1972 tournament for the game, but no others have been created, so any from 1976 to the present would be appreciated.
The NHL and WHA are available for play, as is the 1980 Olympics for the hockey game, but I would like to see other Olympic tournaments or the old Canada Cup tournament for additions.
An AHL season or two would be welcome to add some new logos to the game, also!
Dave hasn't seemed interested in adding games to his roster, but if I had to choose new games, I would add Boxing ( I sorely miss the old Title Bout game!), Soccer (the teams from all the English leagues), and horse racing, especially if the great runners from history were involved.
If you enjoy sports like I do and need more than button pushing to enjoy them, take a look at the DKS website. It has brought a little bit of fun at times when I've needed it most, and even when I haven't!
Brian Norman knocked Jin Sasaki down twice in the first round and knocked him out with a brutal one-punch knockout in round five to retain his WBO welterweight title in Tokyo, Japan.
Give Sasaki credit for toughness; he attacked Norman and landed some punches on the champion, but he was shelled by return fire as he marched towards Norman, and the left hook that ended the fight was as good as you'll see.
Norman called for WBA and IBF champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis after the fight, and the fight is growing in appeal after Norman's title win and two defenses in the last ten months, but Ennis may be moving to the junior middleweight division.
Norman also showed interest in the winner of the WBC title fight between Mario Barrios and the returning Manny Pacquiao, but I would say that would be unlikely with Norman carrying too much danger for too few dollars for the mediocre Barrios or the ancient Pacquiao.
It's amazing how conclusive victories combined with activity can bring a fighter to prominence!
Early in the morning from Japan, WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman defends his title against Jin Sasaki.
Norman, who stopped Derreck Cuevas in three rounds in March to defend his title for the first time, could meet Jaron "Boots" Ennis in a three-title unification match should he get past Sasaki.
Sasaki is an aggressive fighter that lost his only fight by knockout to Andy Hiraoka, so the power of Norman could be the key difference in this one.
The New Jersey Devils need to create some cap space, and one answer to help with the issue is to give away a veteran or two at discount prices.
New Jersey's first step was to move on from veteran winger Erik Haula by sending Haula to the Nashville Predators.
The thirty-four-year-old Haula scored eleven goals with ten assists in sixty-nine games for New Jersey last season and scored forty-one times in his three seasons as a Devil.
While Haula wasn't a detriment last season, the Devils could use some additional cap space with the impending extension for Luke Hughes expected to eat up a large chunk of their remaining room entering the off-season.
Moving Haula gives New Jersey space to perhaps add a top-six forward, if they can, or bank the excess for moves during the season.
New Jersey received a fourth-round draft pick in the upcoming draft (New Jersey does not have a first-round selection as they sent it to Calgary for Jacob Markstrom) and defenseman Jeremy Hanzel.
Hanzel is twenty-two and spent most of last season in the ECHL, but isn't looked at as a prospect.
Hanzel will likely spend the season with AHL Utica.
We start the inbox with the discovery of an item lost for years.
The gravesite statue of American rock legend Jim Morrison of The Doors in France had been missing for thirty-seven years, but was recently found by French police, who were investigating an unrelated fraud matter.
No announcements were released on the statue's previous whereabouts or if the person holding it was involved in the original theft.
It is unknown if the statue will be returned to the Morrison gravesite.
NBC News reports that Skynet is beginning to develop.
The computer system, now known as AI, is referenced in the Terminator films and is developing characteristics that do not bode well for the future.
Several systems have ignored orders in tests, replicated themselves into other systems, and even threatened blackmail against a researcher to avoid their shutdown.
Of course, the researchers report that the systems aren't likely to eventually grasp control.
Sure.
The Athletic writes of the return of Sunderland to the Premier League after an absence of eight seasons.
The Black Cats upset Sheffield United in the "world's richest game" (because the winner moves to the Premier League and the money received for their slice of the revenue is large) and will renew several historical rivalries with their arrival.
The article deals with the trials and tribulations during Sunderland's time away, the series "Sunderland Til I Die", and the moves that helped their return.
I was rooting for them because I'm excited to see their rivalry renewed with Newcastle United, which is a die-hard "Derby" for most fans, but because I'm a fairly new fan to the game, I don't have the hatred toward Sunderland that most Newcastle fans have.
In fact, I usually rooted for them in their games in the Championship League, but rooting against them will be quite easy for me soon!
The Athletic also writes of the financial problems and the potential sale of Championship club Sheffield Wednesday, a one-time power at the top level of English football/soccer.
Sheffield Wednesday has been sanctioned for not paying employees on time and is reportedly self-valued at twenty-five million Euros more than the highest recent offer for the team.
Yahoo writes that one original ingredient is no longer added to a popular soft drink.
7Up has always been my favorite soft drink, but I didn't know that early in its existence that one of its ingredients was Lithium, which would explain the up portion of its name.
7Up removed Lithium in 1948 after it was discovered that Lithium could be dangerous in high doses.
Richardson Hitchins dominated George Kambosos, and instead of being satisfied with an easy decision, Hitchins stepped up and took Kambosos out in the ninth round.
Kambosos tried gamely to attack Hitchins, but he was unable to avoid the jab, and his face was beginning to show the effects of punishment after only one round.
Hitchins cracked consistently to the body throughout the fight, and when he staggered and hurt Kambosos in the eighth round, it was a matter of time, and Hitchins finished things in the ninth with a body shot.
Kambosos beat the count but had nothing left, and there was no issue when the fight ended.
Hitchins called for Teofimo Lopez afterwards (that would be an interesting fight), and Devin Haney (a not-so-interesting fight).
Each would be a step up in attention for Hitchins, who raised his stock with the win.
In the co-feature, Andy Cruz stopped Hisnori Mishiro in five rounds to earn the mandatory challenger position for IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla.
Like the main event, the favorite unleashed a beating on a tough but outclassed opponent as Cruz scored three knockdowns in the fight.
In Argentina (I haven't watched yet), Nonito Donaire defeated Andres Campos by unanimous decision after nine rounds when a head clash forced the fight's end. Donaire won a minor bantamweight title with the win.
The boxing weekend is slight, but a world title is at stake, an Olympic gold medal winner fights in a title eliminator, and a future Hall of Famer returns to the ring.
IBF junior welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins defends his title in New York City on a Matchroom/DAZN card against former lightweight champion George Kambosos.
Hitchins won the title in December via a split decision over Liam Paro in a fight that he controlled, while Kambosos has struggled since his career highlight, an upset of Teofimo Lopez in 2021.
Since shocking Lopez, Kambosos is only 2-3 ( two losses to Devin Haney and one to Vasyl Lomachenko) with one of his wins, a split decision over Maxi Hughes, of the controversial variety, so this could be a size and skill mismatch.
The co-feature could be the same as Olympic gold winner Andy Cruz meets unknown Hironori Mishiro in an IBF lightweight eliminator.
The victor will be the mandatory challenger for the IBF title held by Raymond Muratalla, who was promoted to full champion when Vasyl Lomachenko announced his retirement.
The other fight is for one of those minor titles that the WBA claimed they were ending, and now that they think no one is paying attention, are slowly bringing back, this one in the bantamweight division.
The fight from Argentina has interest since it involves future hall of fame Nonito Donaire, who makes his return after a twenty-three-month layoff after a loss to Alejandro Santiago.
Donaire is forty-two now, and who knows what he has to offer in the ring, but it's interesting.
Donaire meets Andres Campos, who once lost a flyweight title try against Sunny Edwards, so if Donaire has anything left, he'll have a chance, but who really knows at this stage!
Boxing Challenge
IBF Junior Welterweight Title. 12 Rds
Richardon Hitchins vs George Kambosos
All: Hitchins Unanimous Decision
Lightweights 12 Rds
Andy Cruz vs Hironori Mishiro
R.L and V.S.: Cruz Unanimous Decision TRS: Cruz KO 9
Bantamweights. 12 Rds
Nonito Donaire vs Andres Campos
R.L and V.S.: Campos Unanimous Decision TRS: Donaire Unanimous Decision
A ninth-round selection by Pittsburgh in the 1974 NFL Draft from Missouri, Reamon instead signed with the WFL's Florida Blazers, and in the only full season of the WFL, Reamon rushed for over 1,500 yards and scored fifteen touchdowns.
Reamon was one of the three 1974 WFL MVPs (Southern California quarterback Tony Adams and Memphis running back J.J. Jennings were the others) and played for the Jacksonville Express in 1975 when the league went bankrupt in mid-season.
Reamon would play for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1976 and the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1977 before retiring to try acting wth a few small roles.
Reamon later became a successful high school coach in Newport News, Virginia, and coached future NFL quarterbacks Michael Vick and Aaron Brooks in his high school career.
A founding member of the feared "Purple People Eaters" of the Minnesota Vikings in the 1960s and 1970s, Marshall has become a player who has slipped between the cracks for Hall of Fame induction.
Marshall deserves it, but few of the voters have seen him play, and since he was a defensive end in the era before sacks were an official NFL stat, Marshall lacks the numbers to swing the voters.
Marshall played one season each for the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders and Cleveland Browns before a 1961 trade sent him to the expansion Minnesota Vikings, where he would play through the 1979 season.
Marshall played in 282 straight games and started 270 consecutive, both NFL records until broken (Jeff Feagles broke the former record and Brett Favre the latter), but many remember him for his 1964 fumble recovery when he grabbed a San Francisco fumble and ran into the wrong end zone for a safety.
The veteran actor came to fame with the starring role of "Buford Pusser" in the first of the "Walking Tall" series of films but I'll remember him best as "The Whammer", a character based on Babe Ruth, whom "Roy Hobbs" played by Robert Rediord strikes out in the start of the baseball film "The Natural" and as the bad guy in the Chevy Chase film "Fletch".
Assist to Fred Landucci for the passing of Joe Don Baker 🏀
Shawn's Favorite Five will be a series that will look at my five favorite coaches from a sport that isn't my pick for the five greatest or best coaches; it's just a list of my five favorites in no particular order.
Pro Football will be the center of this version of Shawn's Favorite Five.
1: Buddy Ryan, Philadelphia and Phoenix
The irascible and downright hilarious master of the "46" defense, Buddy Ryan, built one of the best defenses ever with the 87-90 Eagles, and it was Ryan who gave the Cardinals their first non-losing season (8-8) in the first of his two years in Arizona.
A terrific judge of talent, Buddy Ryan only had one problem as a head coach- he didn't like offenses, and it often hurt his teams in the clutch.
Ryan was 0-3 in the playoffs for Philadelphia, and his teams were known for playing up or down to their competition.
Still, I loved Buddy Ryan and his willingness to take on anyone ( he called Eagles owner Norman Braman "The Guy In France" and as the Houston Oilers defensive coordinator, he punched coaching staff member Kevin Gilbride during a game) and in his own way, Buddy Ryan was "Stone Cold" Steve Austin a decade before telling off your boss was cool.
Except that Stone Cold eventually won the championship.
2) George Allen, Los Angeles Rams, Washington, USFL Chicago, and Arizona
Known for his fanatical obsessions in looking for every advantage and his willingness to stretch the rulebook (Allen once traded draft picks that his team didn't own), Allen despised younger players lacking the patience to develop them for the future, famously uttering the phrase "The Future is Now!"
Allen traded draft picks like kids trading sports cards and usually obtained players near the end of their career, building a franchise with veterans known as "The Over The Hill Gang".
The vaunted Dallas-Washington rivalry was one created by Allen, who emphasised the games against the Cowboys to a manic level, and his greatest victory came versus Dallas, Washington's 26-3 victory in the 1972 NFC Championship.
Allen's clean-cut but intense style made him wear out his welcome in his NFL stops in Los Angeles and Washington, and when he received a second chance in Los Angeles in 1978, Allen lasted only two preseason games and would never coach in the NFL again.
3) Jerry Glanville, Houston Oilers and Atlanta.
Glanville's star blazed quickly through the NFL as he led the Oilers to multiple playoff berths and even the Falcons to a playoff victory, but "The Man in Black" would never coach in the NFL again after the Falcons fired him after consecutive 6-10 seasons following the 1992 season.
Glanville's teams were known for his quick wit, dressing in all black, and were known for their "aggressive" defensive play.
After being fired by Atlanta, Glanville worked in NFL media until 2005, when he returned to coaching as Hawaii's defensive coordinator under former Glanville assistant June Jones.
Glanville's post-Atlanta coaching stops include head coaching stints at 1-AA Portland State, and minor league TSL Conquerors (The Spring League), and the Alabama Airborne (Major League Football), and defensive coordinator positions with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL), Tampa Bay Vipers (XFL) along with his current job at Division II Northwestern Oklahoma State.
4) Dan Reeves, Denver, New York Giants, Atlanta
A winner at all three stops, Reeves's teams always ran into better teams in the Super Bowl.
A Tom Landry protégé, Reeves was a bit more fiery than Landry and won with both great quarterbacks (John Elway), very good quarterbacks (Phil Simms), and average quarterbacks (Chris Chandler).
Reeves coached iu four Super Bowls, three with Denver and one with Atlanta losing all four to better teams (Denver losing to the 86 Giants, 87 Redskins, and 89 49ers, Atlanta losing to the 98 Broncos).
Reeves's teams may have fallen short in the Super Bowl, but they were usually reliable in big games other than the biggest games.
5) Bum Phillips: Houston, New Orleans.
"Bum", known for his cowboy hat for outdoor games that he wouldn't wear for home games because both teams that he coached played inside domed stadiums, took the Houston Oilers to their first three playoff appearances in the NFL, and two AFC championship appearances, and the start of the "Luv Ya Blue" Oilers behind the power running of Earl Campbell.
Phillips was surprisingly fired by Houston after the third playoff appearance in 1980, and after a few unsuccessful seasons with the New Orleans Saints, he retired from coaching.
The folksy Phillips was perfect for two southern franchises and helped to make his teams easy to root for, even for fans without a dog in the fight.
Junto Nakatani added the IBF bantamweight title to his previously owned WBC belt when the fight was stopped before the start of the seventh round, with Ryosuke Nishida's right eye closed.
Nishida didn't go down easily as he attacked Nakatabi throughout, and the fight was all-action for six rounds.
However, it was the heavier blows of Nakatani that controlled the contest, with Nishida's face showing damage as early as round three.
Nakatani could fight once more this year, perhaps against WBO champion Yoshiki Takei in another unification match. Still, the big fight is expected early next year against undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue in what could be the biggest fight ever in Japanese boxing.
In Australia, Jai Opietaia knocked out Claudio Squeo with a left hook in the fifth round to retain his IBF cruiserweight title.
Squeo tried hard, but he looked half Opietaia's size, and the fight was a physical mismatch.
Opietaia hopes to meet WBA and WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez later this year.
For almost all of the nine-plus rounds of the scheduled twelve-round heavyweight tilt, Australian Justis Huni dominated Fabio Wardley in his hometown of Ipswich, England, and appeared to be on his way to a big upset in his entry on the big stage in the heavyweight division.
Then Wardley fired one right hand that dropped Huni for the count, saving his unbeaten record, earning a minor title, and keeping Wardley in contention in the heavyweight division.
I had Huni ahead 89-83 after nine rounds as Huni walked Wardley backwards and hurt him a few times, but Huni lacked the one-punch power that Wardley owns, which cost him the fight.
Wardley showed that he has the "eraser" that will never completely take him out of a fight, which will keep fans interested and entertained by his fights.
Huni fought very well, and I'm interested in him in the future.
Perhaps Huni just got caught with a big punch he never saw, and his chin isn't a weakness.
Time will tell.
Meanwhile, in the upgraded main event from Norfolk, Virginia.
Abdullah Mason overpowered Jeremiah Nakathila and forced the doctor to stop the fight at the start of the fifth round in a lightweight battle.
Nakathila was badly cut over the left eye and had been taking a beating throughout, so the decision to end the fight was a excellent one.
Mason is expected to face Sam Noakes for the title taken from Keyshawn Davis after Davis missed weight by over four pounds for the scheduled main event against Edwin De Los Santos.
The boxing weekend will use both days, with Saturday and Sunday seeing championship matches.
Top Rank will have the first title defense of WBO lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis, who looked so impressive, crushing Denis Berinchyk in four rounds to win his title, against Edwin De Los Santos.
De Los Santos hasn't fought in eighteen months, and in his last fight, he looked dreadful in losing a unanimous decision to Shakur Stevenson in one of the worst fights you will see.
At his best, De Los Santos can punch (14 KOs in 16 wins), and he stopped former junior welterweight champion Jose Valenzuela in three, but he fought so timidly against Stevenson, who is nowhere near the puncher as Davis, so who knows what the game plan is for De Los Santos?
If De Los Santos fights, this could be fun, but if he runs? Pass the No Doze.
Editor's Note: Keyshawn Davis missed weight by over four pounds, and the fight has been canceled after De Los Santos refused to take extra money to face Davis despite the weight disadvantage.
Davis has been stripped of the WBO Lightweight title.
The co-feature will see unbeaten lightweight prospect Abdullah Mason take a step forward in development as he meets veteran Jeremiah Nakathila.
Mason has been sensational in his wins but was dropped twice in November by Yohan Vazquez in the first round before rallying to stop Vazquez in round two.
Mason's won twice since then without any danger, but now there are chin questions.
Nakathila has mostly failed when he's faced top fighters (Losses to Shakur Stevenson, Tito Mercado, and Raymond Muratalla) and has been stopped twice, so Mason should look spectacular. But the more intriguing question is what happens if Nakathila, a decent puncher, lands against Mason?
The weekend starts in Ipswich, England, as heavyweights Fabio Wardley and Justis Huni meet for one of those WBA titles that were supposed to go away.
Wardley took out Frazer Clarke in one round in a rematch of their war that ended in a draw, while Huni's best win is a decision win over WBC bridgerweight 🙄champion Kevin Lerena.
Style-wise, this should be entertaining, but Wardley is the harder puncher, and I lean his way.
Early Sunday morning, ESPN+ returns with a bantamweight unification as WBC king Junto Nakatani will match with IBF boss Ryosuke Nishida.
Nakatani is unbeaten in thirty bouts, while Nishida is unbeaten in ten, but the biggest factor is punching power.
Nakatani is a vicious finisher (23 KOs) while Nishida has only stopped two foes, so I can't see Nishida winning this fight from the outside against the taller and longer Nakatani. I don't think he can hurt him either.
In Australia, IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opietaia defends against Claudio Squeo in a stay-busy fight.
Squeo is unbeaten but has never fought even an average opponent.
Boxing Challenge
WBO Lightweight Title. 12 Rds
Keyshawn Davis vs Edwin De Los Santos
Ramon Malpica and Vince Samano: Davis Unanimous Decision TRS: Davis KO 10
Lightweights. 10 Rds
Abdullah Mason vs Jeremiah Nakathila
R.L: Mason KO 9 TRS: Mason KO 3 V.S: Mason Unanimous Decision
Heavyweights. 12 Rds
Fabio Wardley vs Justis Huni
R.L: Wardley Unanimous Decision TRS: Wardley KO 9 V.S: Huni KO 8
Unification WBC-IBF Bantamweight Titles. 12 Rds
Junto Nakatani vs Ryosuke Nishida
R.L: Nakatani Unanimous Decision TRS: Nakatani KO 11 V.S: Nakatani KO 6
IBF Cruiserweight Title.12 Rds
Jai Opietaia vs Claudio Squeo
R.L: Opietaia KO 10 TRS: Opietaia KO 6 V.S: Opietaia KO 4
Welcome to Hot Takes from a Cold Heart, a planned recurring feature that fires dead on with opinions that aren't always popular.
I've never been a huge fan of Caleb Plant, although I've gained respect for Plant in recent years.
Plant dropped a surprising split decision to Armando Resendiz (due to my grandmother's passing, there was no boxing challenge that week) and showed why moving away from tough competition during a fighter's development doesn't hurt them only during the early stages of their career.
Plant was never tested (other than in his title win over Jose Uzcategui), building his career, and even in his title defenses, he faced soft touches such as diet pitchman Mike Lee and the legendary Vincent Feigenbutz, which ill-prepared Plant for bigger and better opponents.
Plant fought bravely against Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez, and both are better fighters than Plant, so it's understandable that Plant lost those two fights, but losing to Resendiz was a surprise. There are two reasons why.
The first is that Plant just hasn't fought enough.
Plant has fought once a year every year since 2020, except 2021 when he decisioned Caleb Truax in January and lost to Canelo Alvarez in November, which is still a ten-month layoff.
Plant is a talented boxer who (except for his explosive knockout of the washed-up Anthony Dirrell) lacks the pop to trouble elite fighters such as Alvarez and Benavidez; his boxing skills need to be razor sharp if he is going to have a chance to defeat world-class competition.
Plant cannot be prepared to fight excellent fighters at his peak when he fights so infrequently. Some of that can be blamed on his promoter, PBC, who have similar problems with several fighters under their tent; the fighter always deserves some blame for inactivity.
Plant made millions of dollars for his fight with Canelo Alvarez, so he doesn't have to fight as much or even at all, but by fighting so infrequently, he hurts his chances for success.
The second reason isn't mentioned as often- Plant's lack of challenges as he progressed through the prospect stage not only didn't help him develop then, but it would become a hindrance later in his career.
Plant's only semi-name before winning the IBF title was over a shot Porky Medina and while his title win over Jose Uzcategui was notable at the time, Uzcategui would never defeat a solid opponent after the fight which could have meant that Plant caught him at the right time.
Plant wasn't prepared for a fight against an opponent who would push him to the limit, yet should fall in the end because PBC had matched him so softly.
This would not affect Plant in his losses to Alavrez and Benavidez as those fighters were superior and his win over Anthony Dirrell was a snore-fest decided by one Plant blow that ended the fight, but it could have come into play in his recent loss to Armando Resendiz.
Plant won at least three if not all of the first four rounds but as Resendiz began to win rounds, Plant didn't have any answers on how to turn the fight around against a fighter that he was capable of defeating.
Had Plant been better seasoned before reaching the top of the sport perhaps he would have known what to do against Resendiz when the road got rough.
Caleb Plant had talent and was able to win a world championship and made a big pile of money over his career.
Plant fought with heart and never stopped trying in his defeats, so he won my respect in his losses more than in his triumphs.
Plant isn't the type of talent to dominate a division but he's a solid top five to top eight fighter who could have won a title in a specific situation (he would do just that) .
However, his career could have been even better with opponents who would have tested him more as a younger fighter and staying more active once he reached the top of his division.
Joss is best known as the voice of TRS favorite "John Redcorn" on the animated classic "King of the Hill." Still, he also portrayed the leader of the local Native American tribe (Wamapoke) 's casino on another terrific series, "Parks and Recreation."
Joss replaced the original voice of John Redcorn in the second season of KOTH after original actor Victor Aaron passed away, and Joss would voice John Redcorn for the remainder of the series run (thirteen seasons) and would return to the role for the upcoming season return on Hulu later this summer.
The assist to Ryan Heimberger for the news of Jonathan Joss's passing.🏀
The leader of the McCoy's in the mid-sixties, Derringer, reached the top spot on the charts with "Hang On Sloopy in 1965.
Hang on Sloopy is an unofficial anthem in Ohio and is used at Ohio State athletic events.
Derringer would score a single hit with "Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo" in 1973 and worked as a producer and studio musician for decades.
Derringer was the main musician behind the 1985 WWF "The Wrestling Album." Derringer sings on "Real American," the theme for Hulk Hogan, and has been used by multiple presidential campaigns.
Swit performed on Broadway until moving to Hollywood in 1969, and after three years of guest roles on shows such as Hawaii Five-O and Mannix, Swit landed the role of "Margaret Houlihan" on the television classic M*A*S*H.
Swit was one of only four actors to remain with the show for all eleven seasons, along with Alan Alda, Jamie Farr, and William Christopher, and would win two Emmys for her performances.
Swit would also star in one of the title roles in the movie pilot for "Cagney and Lacey" but couldn't accept the role when the series was picked up due to her commitment to M*A*S*H.
The assist to Jeff Heimberger for telling me about the passing of Loretta Swit. 🏀
Known for her guest roles on various programs, Mahaffey won an Emmy in 1992 for best supporting actresss in a drama for her role as "Eve" in "Northern Exposure".
My favorite role of Mahaffey was as the crazed stalker "Sandy Cooper" on "Wings," where Mahaffey's character would show up once a year with a new plot to capture Tim Daly's "Joe Hackett", only to walk away with everyone other than Joe thinking she was perfectly sane.
And I'll wrap with a person that few of you knew, but deserves mentioning to me.
Alice Walton was my grandmother, and I was her eldest grandchild.
We never were particularly close due to her residence in Ohio and mine in Maryland, but she always had her family around her, and she loved to craft and create things.
Even at my age, I bet I didn't see her forty times in my life, so I really don't have a lot of personal memories of us together.
Still, I don't recall anyone in the family speaking ill of her, and that's unusual in any family.
She'll be missed by her eight children and sixteen grandchildren, of whom I am one.
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