Saturday, October 24, 2026

Boxing Challenge

 WBC Junior Welterweight Title. 12 Rds
Dalton Smith vs Alberto Puello
Ramon Malpica and TRS: Smith Unanimous Decision
Vince Samano:

Unification WBC-IBF & WBO Junior Lightweight Titles. 12 Rds
O'Shaquie Foster vs Emanuel Navarette
R.L: Navarette KO 9
TRS: Foster Split Decision
V.S:

Featherweights 10 Rds
Albert "Chop Chop" Gonzalez vs Edward Vazquez
R.L: Gonzalez KO 9
TRS: Gonzalez Unanimous Decision
V.S: 

PPM

 Another week of football, even if it lacks a Buckeye game!

Last Week: 9-5
Overall: 77-26

College
Texas Tech over Cincinnati 38-28
N.C. State over Stanford 24-14
Middle Tennessee State over Florida International 31-21
Air Force over Wyoming 21-17
Bowling Green over Buffalo 24-21
Boise State over Washington State 35-27
UTSA over Tulane 41-23
Utah over Houston 31-29

Games of the Week
Ole Miss over Texas 27-20
Iowa over Minnesota 24-17

Pro
Browns over Titans 20-13
Steelers over Saints 24-20

Games of the Week
Chiefs over Seahawks 27-21
Packers over Lions 23-21

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Boxing Challenge: Dubois mows down Wardley in rematch

      In London, England, Daniel Dubois retained the WBO heavyweight title with a second-round knockout of the man from whom he won the title, Fabio Wardley.

Their first fight earlier this year, Dubois' eleventh-round stoppage of Wardley, may win fight of the year.

The rematch was not competitive at all as Dubois dropped Wardley seconds into the bout and battered him throughout round one.

Wardley was fortunate to survive the first round; he would not survive the second as Dubois trapped Wardley in a corner and wailed away until Wardley's corner threw in the towel.

Dubois has developed as a fighter (other than an inability to handle Oleksandr Usyk, which every fighter who has faced Usyk has faced the same problem) and unification fights against any of: WBA champion (Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua), WBC boss Agit Kabayel, or IBF champ Filip Hrgovic might see Dubois as a favorite.

Wardley needs to take time away after two beatings, and he may have seen his best days.

In Las Vegas, Sebastian Fundora stopped Ermal Hadribeaj with one second remaining in the final round.

Hadribeaj was competitive for the first half of the fight with mauling tactics, but Fundora wore  Hadribeaj down over the second half.

Fundora knocked Hadribeaj down with seconds remaining, and after he rose, the fight was ended.

Fundora is rumored to have an agreement to face the winner of the Boots Ennis-Josh Kelly fight next year.

The winner of that fight would be the undisputed champion of the division.

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 110 Pts (4) 
Ramon Malpica: 95 Pts (4)
Vince Samano: 62 Pts (2)



Boxing Challenge

  WBO Heavyweight Title. 12 Rds
Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley
Ramon Malpica: Dubois KO 8
TRS: Dubois KO 6
Vince Samano: Wardley KO 8

WBC Junior Middleweight Title. 12 Rds
Sebastian Fundora vs Ermal Hadribeaj
R.L: Fundora KO 7
TRS: Fundora KO 4
V.S: Fundora KO 6

Saturday, October 17, 2026

PPM

  Another busy week for me and another one in the football world!

Last Week: 9-5
Overall: 68-21

College 
Ohio State over Indiana 21-17
Texas Tech over Arizona State 30-24
Arkansas over Vanderbilt 24-21
Bowling Green over Ball State 28-14
Middle Tennessee State over Delaware 22-21
Georgia Southern over Old Dominion 19-17
Wyoming over Northern Illinois 20-17
UTSA over Navy 21-18

Games of the Week
Notre Dame over BYU 21-13
Alabama over Tennessee 34-24

NFL
Browns over Ravens 17-15
Giants over Saints 21-19

Games of the Week
Packers over Cowboys 28-24
Jaguars over Texans 31-24


Saturday, October 10, 2026

PPM

  Another weekend of football and the PPM!

Last Week: 13-3
Overall:59-16

College
Ohio State over Maryland 45-17
Boise State over Fresno State 42-24
Wake Forest over N.C. State 27-24
Tennessee over Arkansas 31-10
South Florida over UTSA 30-24
Wyoming over San Jose State 20-17
Sacramento State over Bowling Green 34-29
James Madison over Georgia Southern 38-21

Games of the Week
Alabama over Georgia 24-21
Oregon over UCLA 41-32

Pro
Jets over Browns 20-17
Vikings over Saints 34-27

Games of the Week
Bills over Rams 40-37
Seahawks over 49ers 27-25

Need just a little more time.

 Sorry, I've gotten way behind on writing.

Many things have changed in the last few months, and between the new work schedule ( I work more days but in a much more relaxed environment) and my new arrival (I can't believe I haven't written about Ruby yet!), my time here has become more limited.

I'm excited about the surprising Browns start although not convinced it's going anywhere for the season and the Buckeyes are their usual contender.

I want to try more here but with the mentioned reasons above, I make no promises..

Perhaps a format where I talk about things might work better? Hmmm.

Stay Tuned.

Saturday, October 3, 2026

PPM

Another big week of football and the PPM

Last Week; 12-4 
Overall: 46-13

College
Ohio State over Iowa 27-13
Texas Tech over Colorado 43-24
Boise State over Utah State 45-15
Kansas over Middle Tennessee 31-17
Louisville over N.C. State 37-21
North Dakota State over Wyoming 23-14
Miami Ohio over Bowling Green 31-14
Texas A&M over Arkansas 27-17
UTSA over Rice 46-29
Georgia Southern over Coastal Carolina 35-17

Games of the Week
Alabama over Mississippi State 38-35
Florida over Missouri 38-17

NFL
Browns over Steelers 17-14
Saints over Falcons 34-24

Games of the Week
Chiefs over Raiders 34-21
Jaguars over Bengals 31-28

 

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Browns win home opener over Carolina

       The Cleveland Browns defense stepped up when they needed it most, and DeShaun Watson threw his second touchdown of the game to Harold Fannin with 1:48 remaining as the Browns won their home opener over the Carolina Panthers 21-18.

Watson completed 16 of 30 passes for 144 yards and the two touchdowns.

Fannin led the offense with seven catches for fifty-one yards.

Mason Graham led the defense with two sacks as the Browns improved to 2-1 and will host Pittsburgh on Thursday.

Brownie Bits

1) The offense still has a long way to go, and while the Browns can't complain about winning, they still have to wonder about DeShaun Watson.

Watson didn't throw an interception and did lead the team to the game-winning touchdown, but...

2) Carolina dropped a few possible interceptions, and one they held onto was overruled by a penalty.

I know there are ifs and buts, but these things tend to even out over a season, and once interceptions start to be completed, things can go off a wagon quickly.

3) Watson has developed a connection with Harold Fannin and Denzel Boston, but he is struggling to gain a rapport with first-round selection K.C. Concepcion.

Concepcion was targeted nine times, but caught only two for nine yards.

4) Concepcion may be struggling, but the highly paid Jerry Jeudy was non-existent, as Jeudy didn't have a single pass thrown to him all game.

Jeudy carries a high dead cap number if he's traded (good luck with that) or released, so unless his attitude becomes disruptive, he'll be around all season, but it looks bleak for anything other than an occasional flash from Jeudy.

5) The Browns traded for tackle Tytus Howard in the offseason and gave him a contract extension after a mediocre year with Houston.

Howard was called for three false starts and seems to be a questionable decision as a full-time tackle.

6) Another offseason acquisition was playing well in Elgton Jenkins, but Jenkins is unlikely to play against Pittsburgh after entering the concussion protocol.

The Browns will likely start Luke Wypler as fifth-round draftee Parker Brailsford is still recovering from a broken hand suffered in training camp.

7) It might be time to reevaluate my opinion on Mason Graham, whom the Browns took fifth overall in 2025.

Graham sacked Bryce Young twice in this game and has four sacks in the three games after finishing with just one as a rookie.

Graham has been giving the Browns the power rush up the middle that many teams covet, but few teams possess.

8) The Browns pay Denzel Ward to be a shutdown corner, and he was just that in shutting down Carolina's second-year standout Tetairoa McMillan, holding the talented McMillan to two catches for seventeen yards.

9) The Browns might be starting to receive benefits from Mike Hall after middling results in his two previous seasons.

Hall didn't get to the quarterback for a sack, but pressured him several times and helped Mason Graham's sacks.

10)  The Browns are surprises at 2-1, and a win over Pittsburgh would start the good vibes rolling.

Before thinking of that, consider the Browns wins came over opponents with a combined record of 1-5.

I'm not saying to not be happy, but let's see where we are after the Steelers  game and a road game against the winless New York Jets.

Super Smith launches Buckeyes past Illinois

    Jeremiah Smith continued to stake his claim as the best player in the nation after a superhuman outing to pace the Ohio State Buckeyes to a 42-19 win over the Fighting Illini of Illinois in Columbus.

Smith finished with four touchdown receptions on 12 catches for 217 yards, while Julian Sayin threw those four touchdowns and ran for another score. 

Sayin finished with 367 passing yards for the game.

Ohio State improved to 3-1 on the year (1-0 Big Ten) and will travel to Iowa this Saturday.

Olentangy Offerings

1) Jeremiah Smith is beyond description.

Short of covering him with two or even three defenders, there isn't much a defense is going to be able to do to stop him.

2) Smith is big and strong to fight for the contested ball, but has the type of speed to run right back defenders.

Physically, he's the best WR prospect for the NFL in years and the best wideout in program history- which says it all.

3) Julian Sayin threw those four touchdowns to Smith and was impressive throwing the ball, but what really impressed me was his scramble for a touchdown.

Sayin is never going to be the runner that Ohio State has seen in the past, but he showed that he can use some movement out of the pocket when needed, which adds an extra dimension.

4) Still have some defensive concerns.

Illinois rushed for 199 yards and while Illinois is a run first club, allowing those numbers is conerning this week against another run first club in Iowa.

5) Ohio State finished with three sacks, but I still don't see a pass rush that will be a factor against better team.

While the Buckeyes have done well in developing defensive tackles in recent years, they have struggled with defensive ends since the times of the Bosa brothers and Chase Young.

6) If there is a player that could break the above narrative, it is freshman Khary Wilder, who does seem to have the potential to solve that problem.

I'd like to see more of Wilder as the season progresses.

7) My hot take- tight end Nate Roberts will be a first or second round draft pick when he moves onto the NFL.

Roberts blocks well enough but has soft hands and will be thought of highly by NFL scouts.

8) The last time Ohio State visited Iowa's Kinnick Stadium, Iowa hammered the Buckeyes 55-24 in a big upset.

I don't think the coaching staff has forgotten that night and between those memories and Iowa coming off a high with a final play win over Michigan, Ohio State will be ready.

My time just seems so limited now that I feel so far behind on my writing.

The Browns play tomorrow and I've yet to recap either of the Browns two wins.

I hope to get the Carolina game finished before tomorrow's game vs Pittsburgh

Saturday, September 26, 2026

PPM

    Apologies for a slow week here.

Just so many things to get done and I wish I could have recapped a rare Browns win!

I'll try to do better!

Last Week: 10-6 
Overall: 34-9

College
Ohio State over Illinois 34-10
Texas Tech over Sam Houston 37-15
Boise State over Western Michigan 24-21
UTSA over Colorado State 24-17
Houston over Georgia Southern 34-13
South Florida over Bowling Green 27-10
Jacksonville State over Middle Tennessee 29-21
Appalachian State over N.C. State 34-32
Tulsa over Arkansas 31-24
Wyoming over Hawaii 19-17

Games of the Week
Iowa over Michigan 17-1
Mississippi State over Missouri 35-33

NFL
Panthers over Browns 27-17
Saints over Raiders 35-21

Games of the Week
Jaguars over Patriots 28-21
Rams over Broncos 30-24

Saturday, September 19, 2026

PPM

 Another week of football and of course the PPM!

Last Week: 15-1 
Overall: 24-3

College
Ohio State over Kent State 51-0
Texas Tech over Houston 27-24
Boise State over South Dakota 41-21
Georgia over Arkansas 38-13
Iowa State over Bowling Green 19-10
Vanderbilt over N.C State 24-19
Wyoming over Central Michigan 17-13
Middle Tennessee over Nevada 28-21
Georgia Southern over Jacksonville State 20-17
Texas over UTSA 38-16

Games of the Week
Louisville over SMU 37-33
LSU over Ole Miss 45-38

NFL
Buccaneers over Browns 31-10
Ravens over Saints 27-21

Games of the Week
Bears over Vikings 38-29
Broncos over Jaguars 27-25

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Boxing Challenge: Garcia busts Benn

   Ryan Garcia dropped Conor Benn with a right hand and finished him off after a shaky Benn got to his feet in round two, for a painless stoppage of Benn in the biggest fight promoted by Zuffa Boxing in their short existence.

Benn slugged it out evenly with Garcia in the first round, but his drop from the middleweight division may have weakened him, as the Englishman crumbled with the big right hand from Garcia.

Garcia has spoken of several opponents for his next fight, asking for a return from retirement from former three-division undisputed champion Terence Crawford, a rematch with Gervonta Davis, who stopped Garcia in seven rounds in 2023, or a unification fight with WBA champion Teofimo Lopez.

Benn will likely rise in weight but doesn't have an obvious opponent for his next fight and will have to revitalize himself after a devastating loss.

Unbeaten former IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opietaia stopped WBC champion Noel Mikelian in nine rounds in the co-feature, but didn't win the title as Mikaelin was stripped of the title before the fight.

Andres Cortes won a unanimous decision over former featherweight champion Mark Magsayo in a lightweight ten rounder and in the best fight of the night, welterweight contender Alexis Rocha won a competitive unanimous decision over former junior welterweight champion Jose Ramirez.
I'd like to see Rocha and Ramirez in a rematch.

Boxing Challenge
TRS:  106 Pts (5)
Ramon Malpica: 91 Pts (4)
Vince Samano: 60 Pts (0)
 

Browns battered in Jacksonville opener

    The Cleveland Browns were completely overmatched and couldn't score a touchdown until the final minute of the game in a disastrous 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville.

About the only good news in this game was DeShaun Watson's late-game strike to rookie Denzel Boston for a 46-yard touchdown, the Browns' only touchdown.

Cleveland (0-1) travels to 0-1 Tampa Bay next Sunday to meet the Buccaneers.

Brownie Bits

1) DeShaun Watson was lousy other than his late toss to Denzel Boston, but that's not my biggest worry from this game.

After all, I already knew Watson was terrible, and he proved it.

2) My biggest worry was the defense looking so bad.

The defense had been touted by some observers as not taking a step back from 2025 despite trading Myles Garrett.

That could have fooled me, as Trevor Lawrence had all day against an ineffective Cleveland pass rush that, aside from one sack by Mason Graham, couldn't reach Lawrence, who threw four touchdown passes and sat out much of the second half.

3) The Browns crowed about the trading of Myles Garrett as they patted themselves on the back for forcing the Rams to add Jared Verse to the deal.

I like Verse, and I'm not giving up on him, but he was a non-factor in this game, finishing with three tackles, one for loss, and the Browns will need more from him if they plan to improve this season.

4) Deshaun Watson's interception on the first drive was a bad one, as there was no one with an orange helmet in the area. The Browns continued to struggle to get downfield afterward, and only a garbage-time score to Denzel Boston gave the Browns even decent quarterback play.

5)  Todd Monken announced after the game that he is sticking with Deshaun Watson for this week's game in Tampa Bay.

I'm ok with that.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have given Watson the job to start with, but since they did, I don't think it's fair to move away from Watson yet.

6) The Browns revamped their offensive line in the offseason, and it was not an auspicious start, as Zion Johnson was called for two holding penalties, Tytus Howard committed a key false start penalty, and allowed five sacks against DeShaun Watson.

7) The Browns lost their change-of-pace back for at least four weeks as Dylan Sampson suffered a knee injury, which placed him on injured reserve after the game.

Former Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin was promoted from the practice squad to replace Sampson.

8) The two offensive gems from the 2025 draft had disappointing starts to their season.

Quinshon Judkins rushed for thirty-three yards on twelve carries, and Harold Fannin caught only two passes for twenty-two yards.

9) Perhaps the only bright spot other than garbage time scores was the impressive kick returns of Rocket Sanders.

Sanders returned one kickoff 74 yards and set up the Browns' first score, a field goal by Andre Szmyt

I'm interested to see if Sanders can continue his success.

10) I'm afraid this Sunday will see another beating for the Browns.

Tampa Bay lost their opener 33-27, scored lots of points, and has a motivated Baker Mayfield ready to ravage the Browns..



Monday, September 14, 2026

Fourth Quarter fade costs Ohio State in Texas loss

    Ohio State dominated their visit to Austin for three quarters, but allowed touchdowns on the final three drives, allowing Texas to slip by with a 24-23 win.

Julian Sayin threw for 278 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Jeremiah Smith caught eight passes for 164 yards and a touchdown to pace the skill players.

Ohio State drops to 1-1 and will host Kent State next Saturday.

Olentangy Offerings.

1) I know Texas scored on three long drives in the fourth quarter, but I have a hard time blaming the defense, which was simply gassed out on the final drive.

The defense does appear to be down a bit from last season, but that's natural considering the talent on that team.

I'm not concerned.

2) Texas did convert two key fourth downs that, if the Buckeyes had been able to stop one, would have been the difference in the game.

3) Jeremiah Smith had a huge game, but most of his damage came in the first half.

I wouldn't say I would be disappointed in his game at all, but a better second half would have helped the cause.

4) I think Ryan Day erred by allowing Texas to roll so much time off the clock before scoring their game-winning touchdown,

Ohio State only needed a field goal to win, and those seconds would have helped in the final desperation drive.

5) Julian Sayin was okay, not great, and his first-half pass was too high for a wide-open Devin McCuin and cost the Buckeyes a certain touchdown.

6) Devin McCuin was dynamic against Ball State. Still, the UTSA transfer returned to earth against Texas, missing his connection on the above pass from Julian Sayin, and finishing with only one catch for five yards.

Ohio State will need someone to step up as the second receiver to relieve some pressure on Jeremiah Smith.

7) I'm aware of Connor Hawkins ' late-game miss from 45 yards that would have clinched the game, but watching the replay, it looked like the holder didn't have a smooth handling of the snap.

Hawkins hit his other three tries, including one from 48 yards, and I think Ohio State has a top notch kicker.

8) The defeat was the first loss in Ohio State history when leading by seventeen points or more at halftime and lost for the first time in 366 games when entering the fourth quarter with a lead of twenty or more- yuck.

9)  Of all the brickbats that could be thrown at Ryan Day for the loss- conservative second-half playcalling, poor time management late in the game, etc .- one stands out above all.

Fourth and two from the Texas 13 and ahead 10-0, Day decided to go for it rather than take a chip shot for three points.

Day then called a run up the middle by Ja'Kobi Jackson for one yard and turned the ball over on downs.

Day has had a tendency to go for it in such situations and against better teams, especially on the road; taking every point might be a better idea.

10) The Buckeyes fell back in their long-standing trap of rotating their defensive linemen so much that when the game is on the line, their best players are on the sidelines.

Larry Johnson has always been a believer in that, and while I see the point (especially on a hot night in Texas) in keeping your freshest players in the lineup, I don't believe it should come at the cost of your best.

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Boxing Challenge

 Boxing Challenge

WBC Welterweight Title, 12 Rds
Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn
Ramon Malpica: Garcia KO 8
TRS: Garcia KO 4
Vince Samano:

Cruiserweights, 12 Rds
Jai Opietaia vs Noel Mikaelian
R.L: Opietaia KO 6
TRS: Opietaia Unanimous Decision
V.S:


Lightweights 10 Rds
Mark Magsayo vs Andres Cortes
R,L and TRS: Magsayo Unanimous Decision
V.S:

Welterweights 10 Rds
Jose Ramirez vs Alexis Rocha
R.L: Ramirez Unanimous Decision
TRS: Rocha Unanimous Decision
V.S:   

PPM

  The NFL season begins and the Ohio State Buckeyees travel to Texas to meet the Longhorns.

Last Week: 9-2

College

Ohio State over Texas 23-21
Texas Tech over Oregon State 41-13
Boise State over Memphis 42-37
N.C. State over Richmond 49-10
UTSA over Texas State 31-21
Wyoming over Northern Colorado 43-13
Nebraska over Bowling Green 37-16
Marshall over Middle Tennessee 27-17
Clemson over Georgia Southern 34-24
Utah over Arkansas 40-31

Games of the Week
Iowa over Iowa State 28-14
Virginia Tech over Old Dominion 45-10

Pro
Jaguars over Browns 27-10
Lions over Saints 31-27

Games of the Week
Bills over Colts 24-17
Chiefs over Broncos 28-25

Boxing Challenge: Knyba upsets Ruiz

         In Newark, New Jersey, former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz's comeback stumbled from the start as Damian Knyba won a much closer-than-it-should-have-been unanimous decision.

The 6'7 Knyba danced on his toes for most of the fight and pounded Ruiz consistently with his jab.

Knyba dropped Ruiz in the seventh, and the fight could have arguably been stopped, but Ruiz deserves credit for surviving and even winning a few rounds later in the fight.

The scores were bad, with Knyba winning 117-110 (my score was 116-111) and by two scores of 114-113, which means that without the seventh-round knockdown, the fight would have been scored a majority draw and would have been a horrible result.

Knyba will likely move on to an eliminator of some sort, while Ruiz looks like a fighter far past his prime and might want to consider retirement.

Middleweight Vito Mielnicki scored the biggest win of his career with a dominant unanimous decision over former title challenger Austin "Ammo" Williams in the co-feature, scoring a knockdown and winning by scores of 98-91 on all three scorecards.

In Ireland, the IBF's top welterweight contender Paddy Donovan stopped countryman Tyrone McKenna on cuts in the fifth round.

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 101 pts (2)
Ramon Malpica; 87 Pts (3)
Vince Samano: 60 Pts (0)

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Ohio State rolls past Ball State

    Unlike that school up North that won over Western Michigan in the biggest injustice since the 1972 Olympic Gold Medal game in basketball, Ohio State dispatched its MAC opponent with ease as the Buckeyes scored two touchdowns in each quarter in a 56-3 thrashing of Ball State. 

Julian Sayin threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns, with Jeremiah Smith catching eight passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns.

Ohio State will travel to Texas next Saturday for a rematch of last season's Buckeye win.

Honestly, I fell asleep during the game, so I'm not offering a recap.

I do plan on watching an edited replay, and if time permits, I may write about the reserve quarterbacks who each played and threw a touchdown in the win: Luke Fahey and Tavian St.Clair



Friday, September 4, 2026

PPM

       It's a new year of football and a new year of the Pigskin Picking Machine, or as we call it- the PPM.

First, with the shakeup in Western football, with schools leaving the Mountain West to join the returning Pac-12, we have some changes in the schools in the PPM.

The PPM has always featured one team from each conference in college football and two games of the week. Perennial favorite Boise State has moved to the Pac-12 from the Mountain West, where the Broncos will replace Oregon State.

This leaves a gap as the Mountain West will need a team; the team selected will be the Wyoming Cowboys.

We also change the "face of the PPM" every season, and this year, I didn't have a standout choice.

So, I selected one person from Entertainment, News, Sports, and Wrestling (not listing the runners-up, as they could be future choices) and asked Fred Landucci to make the call.

Fred selected CNN host and rabid Alabama football fan, Kaitlan Collins, and Collins will be this season's Face of the PPM.

Thanks for the help, Fred!

College Football

Ohio State over Ball State 56-3 
Texas Tech over Abilene Christian 72-10
Arkansas over North Alabama 39-14
Oregon over Boise State 41-35
Wyoming over Colorado State 24-21
UTSA over UT-Rio Grande 45-21
Georgia Southern over Charleston Southern 37-24
Bowling Green over Tarleton State 23-19
Middle Tennessee State over Murray State 17-12

Games of the Week
LSU over Clemson 35-20
Ole Miss over Louisville 39-34


Boxing Challenge

  The boxing challenge is rather light but interesting, with the comeback of former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz.

Ruiz has been inactive since his August 2024 draw with Jarrell Miller, but he's matched well with Damian Knyba.

The 6'7 Knyba has only one loss, but it was against his best opponent earlier this year, losing in three rounds to WBC champion Agit Kabayel, before Kabayel was named champion following Oleksandr Usyk's vacating all of his titles/

Ruiz needs a win first of all, but an impressive win could go a long way in earning Ruiz a better opponent in his next fight.

The co-feature is interesting with a crossroads middleweight match between popular but untested Vito Mielnicki and former world title challenger Austin Williams.

Williams lost both his bouts against world-class opposition (Hamzah Sheeraz and Carlos Adames) but Mielnicki has fought no one of that status.

On the Katie Taylor undercard, top welterweight contender Paddy Donovan meets countyman Tyrone McKenna.

Donovan is the mandatory challenger for IBF champion Liam Paro.

Boxing Challenge

Heavyweights 12 Rds 
Andy Ruiz vs Damian Knyba
Ramon Malpica: Ruiz KO 9
TRS: Ruiz KO 6
Vince Samano:

Middleweights 10 Rds
Vito Mielnicki vs Austin Williams
R.L: Mielnicki Unanimous Decision
TRS: Williams Unanimous Decision
V.S:

Welterweights 10 Rds
Paddy Donovan vs Tyrone McKenna
R.L: Donovan Unanimous Decision
TRS: Donovan KO 8
V.S:


Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Devils trade for Luke Evangelista

     The New Jersey Devils continue building toward a 2026-27 postseason return, trading two high future draft picks to the Nashville Predators for right winger Luke Evangelista. 

New Jersey will send Nashville a first-round pick that originally starts with Colorado, which could be in 2027, 28, or even 29 depending on the conditions at the time, and the Devils' second-round draft choice in 2028 for Evangelista. 

The twenty-four-year-old Evangelista is under contract for this season at three million and will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

Last season, Evangelista produced career highs in points (56) and assists (44) for the Predators while scoring twelve goals for Nashville.

Evangelista is noted for passing more than his shot, and while he's defensively responsible, he's not the most physical forward and can be pushed off the puck.

The acquisition of Evangelista bulks up the forwards, as he'll fit well on either of the Devils' first two lines, but it does mean that the team isn't likely to be complete with their offseason moves, as the Devils have a surplus and a decision to move a forward might pay dividends with extra cap room when the deadline arrives.






 

Cleaning out the Inbox: Passings

       Another edition of tributes for some persons of note who have recently left us.

Goodbye to Tommy John at the age of 83.

Known more for the elbow surgery named after him, Tommy John won 288 games in a career that lasted from 1963 to 1989.

John was a slightly above .500 pitcher in seven years with the Chicago White Sox before a 1972 trade to the Dodgers, where he won thirty games in two and a half seasons before the elbow injury that usually ended careers.

John was a better pitcher after the surgery, as he won twenty or more games three times and 164 games post-operation.

Assist to Denise Nicarry with the notification.

Goodbye to John Niland at the age of 82.

The stalwart guard of the late sixties and early seventies Dallas Cowboys, Niland was named All-Pro three times and made six Pro Bowls from 1966-74 before playing one season with the Philadelphia Eagles, after which a knee injury ended his career.

Side note: John Niland is the first 7-11 Slurpee cup that I ever remember receiving as part of the NFL's promotional agreement with 7-11.

Goodbye to O.J. Brigance at the age of 56.

Brigance has the honor of being the only player to achieve a feat that will almost certainly never be repeated.

Brigance is the only player ever to win a Grey Cup and an NFL title and do it in the same city, winning the Grey Cup with the Baltimore Stallions in 1995 and a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001.

In the CFL, Brigance was a feared edge rusher, finishing with twenty sacks for the B.C. Lions in 1993.

As an NFL player, Brigance was mainly used on special teams for four different teams: the Dolphins, Ravens, Rams, and Patriots.

Goodbye to Zolani Tete at the age of 38.

The South African held the IBF Junior Bantamweight title and the WBO Bantamweight championship in a career that spanned 2006-2022.

Tete holds the record for the fastest knockout in a world championship fight when his right hook knocked Siboniso Gonya out in eleven seconds in 2017.

Goodbye to Larry Christenson at the age of 72.

Christenson was the third overall pick of the 1972 MLB draft and, a year later at 19, threw a complete game in his MLB debut for the Phillies.

Christenson spent his entire eleven-year career with the Phillies, winning eighty-three games, with nineteen of those victories in 1977, and won a World Series with the 1980 Phillies.

Goodbye to Tony Mundine at the age of 75.

A middleweight contender in the 1970s, Mundine might be remembered by most as the father of Anthony Mundine, who once held the WBA super middleweight title.

The elder Mundine defeated former welterweight and middleweight champion Emile Griffith and once challenged the great Carlos Monzón for the middleweight title in 1974, losing by seventh-round knockout in Argentina.

Sunday, August 30, 2026

Boxing Challenge:Hrgovic survives Itauma

    Saturday was supposed to be the coronation for heavyweight Moses Itauma.

Itauma had been compared to Mike Tyson for his electrifying power, and Filip Hrgovic was the foil in Itauma's first title fight, the vacant IBF championship.

And Itauma showed his power, winning all eight rounds and showing Hrgovic that the reviews of the twenty-one-year-old's offense were correct.

However, those rounds came at a price- sapping the stamina of Itauma and changing the attack to wild, looping punches that won rounds but didn't have the impact of earlier blows.

Itauma scored a knockdown in round two with a glancing hook, but Itauma landed many other power punches that Hrgovic was able to essentially shrug off.

In round nine, Itauma was still throwing wild punches, but Hrgovic battered Itauma around, avoiding his desperate counters, and just as the referee moved in to stop the fight, the towel flew in from Itauma's corner.

For Hrgovic, mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez is next, as Sanchez took a large cash-out to allow Itauma and Hrgovic to meet for the IBF title under the condition that he would be next to face the winner.

Itauma suffered a leg injury during the fight, and he'll have to take time to recover, but he's young enough and talented enough to bounce back and become a force in the division.

Lightweight contender Sam Noakes won an easy unanimous decision over former WBO champion Denis Berinchyk in the co-feature.

And in California, super middleweight contender Lester Martinez stopped Luca Planic in ten rounds.

Boxing Challenge

TRS:99 Pts (5)
Ramon Malpica: 84 Pts (3)
Vince Samano; 60 Pts (0)



Saturday, August 29, 2026

Boxing Challenge

   Vacant IBF Heavyweight Title, 12 Rds
Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic
Ramon Malpica: Itauma KO 7
TRS: Itauma KO 3
Vince Samano:

Lightweights 10 Rds
Sam Noakes vs Denis Berinchyk
R.L and TRS: Noakes Unanimous Decision
V..S:

Super Middleweights 12 Rds\
Lester Martinez vs Luka Plantic
R.L: Martinez Unanimous Decision
TRS: Martinez KO 10
V.S: 

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Cavaliers acquire Peyton Watson from Denver

     The Cleveland Cavaliers may have failed in their pursuit of LeBron James, but their backup plan may end up paying more dividends in the long run after acquiring Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets in a five team trade that added the previously reported deal with Charlotte which included Dennis Schoeder and Tre Mann.

Cleveland added Watson, and Cam Whitmore from Washington and traded Mann (acquired from Charlotte for Schoeder) and a 2027 second rounders (Clippers) to Washington, sent Max Strus to the Los Angeles Clippers, and their 2031 unprotected first round selection to Denver.

Watson was the final pick of the first round of the 2022 draft out of UCLA by Oklahoma City but has spent his four year career with the Denver Nuggets,

Last season was the breakout season for Watson, who averaged 14 points per game, shooting 49 percent and 41 percent from three-point range.

The rangy 6'8 forward provides both offensive and defensive upside and at 24 (at season's start), Watson is just entering his prime seasons.

If Watson can make another jump similar to his leap last season, he could eventually become an All-Star caliber player.

Watson is under contract for the next three seasons and should step into the startling lineup at the small forward position.

Cam Whitmore could be waived by the Cavaliers, but if he's not, he's an intriging addition.

Whitmore was the 20th pick overall by the Rockets in 2023 from Villanova and spent last season with Washington, averaging nine points and just under three rebounds in twenty-one games due to a shoulder injury.

Whitmore makes over five million per season and his salary on a team that has to stretch every penny at this stage seems to point to Whitmore not spending his season in Cleveland.

Losing Max Strus is a mixed bag for me.

Strus can be extremely effective when he has a hot streak and he's noted for being a plus in the locker room

However, his shot is streaky and I've never loved his defense although it was more due to his limited athletic ability than a lack of effort.

With Strus leaving and the previous departure of Dean Wade, the Cavaliers have removed the two players who frustrated me most from the roster.

Considering the Cavaliers have traded so many future first rounders, trading another one five years down the road does cause some concern but considering the team's all-in status, I can understand the team's decision to move a first rounder at this time.   


Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Boxing Challenge

  Due to a weekend trip, I wasn't able to click the predictions for last weekend's boxing challenge.

I haven't even watched any of the matches, so the points and results are below

WBA Welterweight title. 12 Rds 
Rolando Romero vs Teofimo Lopez

Predictions 
Ramon Malpica and TRS: Lopez Unanimous Decision
Vince Samano: Romero KO 9

Result: Lopez Majority Decision

Middleweights 10 Rds
Yoenil Hernandez vs Francisco Veron

Predictions
R.L: Hernandez Unanimous Decision
TRS: Hernandez KO 6
V.S: Veron Unanimous Decision

Result: Hernandez Majority Decision

Junior Featherweights 12 Rds
Victor Santilan vs Gary Antonio Russell
R,L and TRS: Russell Unanimous Decision
V.S: Santillan Unanimous Decision

Result: Russell Unanimous Decision

Boxing Challenge
TRS: 94 Pts (4)
Ramon Malpica: 81 Pts ( 5)
Vince Samano: 60 Pts (0)

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Cleaning out the Inbox

 Time to clean out the inbox with a few notes of interest.

My favorite soft drink is going to change its flavor.

7up has announced plans to change its Lemon-Lime flavor to "Lime-Lemon," with a stronger lime flavor.

Since 7up is my favorite drink, this distresses me, and we shall see if the new taste keeps it in the top position in the rankings.

The new version of 7up is expected to debut at any time.

The Athletic writes about the rebuilding of Sheffield Wednesday as one of the biggest clubs in English soccer, attempting to come back from insolvency.

Sheffield Wednesday was dropped from the Championship to League One for the new season after winning only two of forty-six games in a season that saw the team deducted points for their financial woes.

Sheffield Wednesday is now under new ownership in America's David Storch, who is throwing himself into a task that involves personnel and a decaying stadium, in an effort to avoid dropping further down the ladder to League Two at the end of the season.

A recent meteorite that smashed through the roof of a New Jersey home is reported to contain the building blocks of life.

ABC News reports the meteorite is a CM 1/2 Carbonaceous Chondrite, a rare and primitive meteorite, and is one of the most scientifically valuable meteorites ever recovered.

People Magazine writes of a home for sale in Kentucky that looks like a time capsule from the 1970s.

The condition of the home was described as pristine, with walls and floors covered with bright red shag carpet.

The three-bedroom home was on the market for only one week before selling for 360,000 dollars.

Times of India writes that the Wild Boar problem started in the southern United States, and it traces back to 1912, when a handful of scared boars were imported for a private hunting ranch in North Carolina.

The boars jumped the fence and escaped into the wild, eventually interbreeding with domesticated hogs to develop a tough, rugged hog that became the boar we know today, an ecological destroyer.





Sunday, August 16, 2026

Cleaning out the Inbox; Passings

    It's time to recognize some stars who have recently left us and offer a tribute to their careers.

Goodbye to Dory Funk Jr at the age of 85.

One half of the only brothers to hold the NWA title with brother Terry, Dory Jr's reign ran from 1969 (winning from Gene Kiniski) to 1973 (losing to Harley Race) and was the second longest to only Lou Thesz.

Dory Jr, held many regional titles and was the key American in dealing with All Japan Pro Wrestling after losing the championship.

Funk's matches with Jack Brisco in the 1970s are considered classics, with the two battling through Funk's title reign and later Brisco's championship period as the challenger.

Funk's solid and deliberate style, with more sports-based interviews, was very much of his time, and as time passed, it was brother Terry, whose wild brawling style and crazed interviews adapted better to the changes in pro wrestling.

Goodbye to Don Nelson at the age of 86.

A standout as a player and as a coach, Nelson won five championships with the Boston Celtics, and although he never won a championship as a coach, his 1,335 wins rank second all time behind Gregg Popovich.

Nelson's number 19 is retired by the Celtics, and his final season saw the Celtics win the NBA title in six games over the Phoenix Suns.

As a coach, Nelson coached for thirty-one years with the Bucks, Warriors, Knicks, and Mavericks and is one of only two coaches to win 250 games with three franchises.

Goodbye to Cozell McQueen at the age of 64.

McQueen's NBA career was brief, consisting of three games with the 1986-87 Detroit Pistons, but McQueen will forever be remembered as the center for the 1983 National Champion N.C. State Wolfpack, who guarded such collegiate standouts as Virginia's Ralph Sampson and Houston's Hakeem Olajuwon.

It is McQueen, who is shown sitting above the rim as the Pack celebrated their miracle win over Houston in the 1983 title game.

Goodbye to Butch Huskey at the age of 54.

Huskey turned down a scholarship to Oklahoma as a tight end to sign with the New York Mets and hit 55 homers in parts of five seasons with the Mets, 24 of those in 1997.

Huskey would play for four teams in two seasons after leaving the Mets in 1999, and his big-league career was over after the 2000 season.

Goodbye to Billy Ray Smith Jr. at the age of 64.

The son of former Baltimore Colts defensive lineman Billy Ray Smith Sr,, Smith was the fifth overall pick from Arkansas by the San Diego Chargers in the classic 1983 NFL Draft.

Smith played his entire ten-year career with the Chargers and had eleven sacks for the Bolts in 1986, but he was never the impact player that you would expect from the fifth overall pick.

Goodbye to Magic Weisner at the age of 27.

Magic Weisner just missed winning the 2002 Preakness Stakes from far off the pace, finishing second with a strong late rally to finish second by half a length to Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem.

The Maryland-bred started the race at odds of 33-1 and likely would have been higher had the Preakness been anywhere other than Maryland.

Magic Weisner would finish fourth in the Belmont Stakes before a win in the Ohio Derby and another second to War Emblem in the Haskell Invitational, after which he contracted West Nile Virus, almost losing his life.

Saturday, August 15, 2026

Cavaliers trade Dennis Schroder to Charlotte

   The Cleveland Cavaliers' off-season was all about trying to bring LeBron James back to Cleveland, but when James decided to take his talents to Philadelphia, Cleveland had very little to show for any changes to the roster.

Cleveland agreed to a deal with Mario Hezonja to bring him back to the league after a hiatus that began in the 2019-2020 season, but Hezonja averaged only 7 points and 3 rebounds over his 5 NBA seasons, so not a huge upgrade there.

The Cavaliers trade of veteran guard Dennis Schröder to Charlotte for guard Tre Mann isn't about Mann as much as getting a salary off the roster to possibly land one of the two wings who have been rumored to have interest from Cleveland.

The Cavaliers have been consistently mentioned as a major player in discussions to land Peyton Watson of the Denver Nuggets and/or Jonathan Kuminga of the Atlanta Hawks, and with Schröder in line to earn 14.5 million over each of the next two seasons, he was the most likely target to create cap space.

Schroder averaged eight points and four assists in thirty games with Cleveland after being acquired with Keon Ellis from Sacramento for DeAndre Hunter.

Schroder will be remembered best by Cleveland fans for his 19 points in game five of the playoffs against Toronto in leading the Cavaliers to a big win.

Charlotte will be the 12th team that Schroder has played for in his NBA career.

Tre Mann is a 6'4 guard who was selected 18th overall by Oklahoma City in the 2021 draft out of Florida.

The twenty-five-year-old Mann averaged 5.5 points and 1.6 assists per game in fifty-three games for the Hornets, averaging twelve minutes per game.

I'm not sure if Mann figures into the Cavaliers' plans for 2026-27, as he could be included in possible deals with the Nuggets or Hawks to help the numbers work.

Should Mann survive the off-season, he will battle Craig Porter for the backup point guard position.


Friday, August 14, 2026

Boxing Challenge: McKenna wins 160 pound gold

    Dublin, Ireland, hosted the only two fights in the boxing challenge last week, and both were dull and hard to get through. 

In the main event, Aaron McKenna won a unanimous decision over  Etinosa Olina to win the IBF middleweight title, which was stripped from Janibek Alimkhanuly for failing a drug test.

McKenna's win was dull, but Callum Walsh's unanimous decision over Tyler Denny was worse.


Boxing Challenge

TRS: 90 Pts (3)
Ramon Malpica: 76 Pts (2)
Vince Samano: 60 Pts (0)
 

Saturday, August 8, 2026

Boxing Challenge

  The middleweight division may be the weakest in boxing right now, and the division's status shows with two unbeaten and mostly untested fighters meeting for the IBF title, which was stripped from Janibek Alimkhnauly for a positive test for PED's.

The home crowd in Dublin, Ireland, will be biased towards their fighter, Aaron McKenna, who owns a solid win over former junior middleweight champion Liam Smith, but few other noteworthy wins, while his opponent, Etinosa Olina of Italy, lacks any interesting wins, and his win entering this fight was over a fighter with a 19-33 record.

In the co-feature, unbeaten middleweight Callum Walsh meets light-punching Tyler Denny, who has stopped only one opponent in his career.

Boxing Challenge

Vacant IBF Middleweight Title. 12 Rds 
Aaron McKenna vs Etinosa Olina
Ramon Malpica: Olina Unanimous Decision
TRS: McKenna Unanimous Decision
Vince Samano: 

Middleweights. 10 Rds
Callum Walsh vs Tyler Denny 
R.l; Walsh Unanimous Decision
TRS: Walsh KO 4
V.S:



Friday, August 7, 2026

Boxing Challenge: Zepeda zaps Roach, Muratalla retains title.

     From the better late than never department, William Zepeda bounced back from his loss to Shakur Stevenson with a tremendous win over Lamont Roach to win the WBC lightweight title that was stripped from Stevenson.

I gave Roach the first two rounds, but only one round after that, as Zepeda's overwhelming barrage of punches was far too much for Roach to overcome.

My 118-110 was the same as one judge, with the other two scoring 117-111.

Raymond Muratalla won an easy if workmanlike decision over Robson Conceicao to retain his IBF version of the lightweight title.

After the win (119-109 on two cards and 118-110 on the third), Muratalla announced plans to move to the junior welterweight division.

Boxing Challenge
TRS: 87 Pts (2)
Ramon Malpica: 74 Pts (4)
Vince Samano: 60 Pts (2)

Saturday, August 1, 2026

Boxing Challenge

     It's a lightweight title doubleheader on TNT in the boxing challenge.

The vacant WBC title, which was stripped from Shakur Stevenson, will be filled after William Zepeda meets Lamont Roach in the main event.

Zepeda hasn't fought since losing to Shakur Stevenson for this title last July, while Roach hasn't fought since his December draw with Issac Cruz.

I think the pressuring style of Zepeda and the boxer/puncher mentality of Roach make a good mix, and this should be a very close and intriguing fight.

The co-feature pairs IBF champion Raymond Muratalla against former WBC junior lightweight champion Robson Conceicao.

The unbeaten Muratalla earned his best victory in January with his decision win over former Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz, while Conceicao has won two lower-level fights in his native Brazil since dropping his title to O'Shaquie Foster.

The hope is perhaps the victors in the two fights can be matched next in a unification fight.

Boxing Challenge

Vacant WBC Lightweight Title, 12 rds 
William Zepeda vs Lamont Roach
Ramon Malpica and Vince Samano: Zepeda Unanimous Decision
TRS: Roach Split Decision

IBF Lightweight Title. 12 Rds
Raymond Muratalla vs Robson Conceicao
R.L and TRS:Muratalla Unanimous Decision
V.S: Conceicao Unanimous Decision




Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Boxing Challenge: Joshua Dropped, Tsyzu retires Spence

      No upsets over the weekend, but the biggest news came from a near-upset as unknown Kristian Prenga dropped former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua twice in the first round before Joshua would return the favor by stopping Prenga in the second.

Joshua's next opponent, Tyson Fury, won his warm-up fight over veteran Mariusz Wach when Wach was unable to answer the bell for the eighth round.

Fury and Joshua are scheduled to meet sometime in the fall.

In Australia, former junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu won a unanimous decision over comebacking former welterweight champion Errol Spence.

Spence announced his retirement after the fight.

Former junior middleweight and middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade won his ring return with a first-round KO of Douglas Ataide.

Josh Kelly retained his IBF junior middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Caoimhin Agyarko, and Hamzah Sheeraz kept his WBO super middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Simon Zachenhuber in two boring fights on the Joshua-Prenga undercard.

Edgar Berlanga stopped Steven Butler in seven rounds in the Zuffa main event from New York City.

Richardson Hitchins won a unanimous decision over Ricardo Salas, and Jalil Hackett earned a unanimous decision over Sergey Dereyvanchenko in the supporting bouts.

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 85 Pts (13)
Ramon Malpica: 70 Pts (10)
Vince Samano: 58 Pts (12)



Saturday, July 25, 2026

Boxing Challenge

    Due to time constraints (Ruby and Work), here is the boxing challenge with just the facts.

Boxing Challenge

Heavyweights. 12 Rds 
Anthony Joshua vs Christian Prenga
Ramon Malpica: Joshua KO 8
TRS: Joshua KO 5
Vince Samano: Joshua KO 7

WBO Super Middleweight Title. 12 Rds
Hamzah Sheeraz vs Simon Zachenhuber
R.L: Sheeraz KO 9
TRS: Sheeraz KO 2
V.S: Sheeraz Unanimous Decision

IBF Junior Middleweight Title 12 Rds
Josh Kelly vs Caoimhin Agyarko
All: Kelly Unanimous Decision

Middleweights 12 Rds
Errol Spence vs Tim Tszyu
R.L: Tszyu KO 9
TRS: Tszyu KO 10
V.S: Spence KO 7

Junior Lightweights 12 Rds
Stephen Fulton vs Liam Wilson
All: Fulton Unanimous Decision

Super Middleweights 10 Rds
Edgar Berlanga vs Steven Butler
R.L: Berlanga Split Decision
TRS: Berlanga KO 5
V.S: Butler KO 8

Welterweights 12 Rds
Richardson Hitchins vs Ricardo Salas
R.L: Hitchins KO 9
TRS and V.S: Hitchins Unanimous Decision

Middleweights 10 Rds
Sergiy Dereyvanchenko vs Jalil Hackett
R.L and TRS: Dereyvanchenko Unanimous Decision
V.S: Hackett Unanimous Decision

Boxing Challenge

 WBC Junior Welterweight Title. 12 Rds Dalton Smith vs Alberto Puello Ramon Malpica and TRS: Smith Unanimous Decision Vince Samano: Unificat...