The Intentions are What Count

I am a fight fan, but not a fan of unsportsmanlike conduct. I was looking at the Silva - Sonnen video for UFC 148, and it left a very bitter taste in my mouth. When people do things to hurt others it's never good. Hype is hype, but but there is no excuse for ignorance. No matter how anyone looks at it, it's the intentions that count. In all walks of life what really matters, is what intentions are used in a person's actions. In sport, in career, in spirituality, in body, mind, and soul.

A person may give one thousand dollars in church, but for what? "I made ten-thousand dollars this pay period, therefore, I have to tithe one thousand dollars," says a parishioner. Really, is it a have to case? God loves a cheerful giver, one that gives from the heart. God does not glory from the person that gives with the thought, or intentions of a return.

Why do the much younger male drivers stop on the roadside to help out the much younger attractive women? Why is it that most younger male drivers will only stop for a more mature woman if they see that she is a filthy rich, widowed woman? Perhaps the younger male driver felt she needed a helping hand right? No, his intentions were to help them both feel good about his so called good deed, so he could help them out of some sort of return, and the returns are givens, so use your imagination on those.

Returns are great when they are earned and sought after with the proper intention. Paydays are also great, and sometimes fighters and celebrities have to hype things up a bit, to produce a bigger payday. Muhammad Ali referred to Sonny Liston as a "big ugly bear." Yes your honor I will get to my point, and this is all relevant, I promise. When the "Fight of the Century" took place between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, Ali said that he hyped up the fight, by calling Frazier a "gorilla." Ali said later, as he and Frazier had both matured, that he never meant anything by it. Ali said that he was just trying to sell the fight. Ali's intentions were to gain a huge payday for Frazier and himself, but the unintentional things that took place were the things that Joe Frazier never really got over. Ali said those things about Frazier for one particular reason (a better payday, and psychological advantage), and what took place was a psychological scarring that took Joe Frazier a lifetime to forgive. Not so much to forgive Ali for what he did to him, but what Ali did to his children and family. Frazier said that his children had to go to school and deal with what the other children were saying that Ali had said about him.

"It will be a killa, a chilla and a thrilla when I get the gorilla in Manilla." Frazier angrily recounted how his children were taunted by the nickname at school.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/nov/08/joe-frazier

Denise Menz, Frazier's girlfriend said: "I knew it had to hurt, and it infuriated me, " Menz says." Me and my family, and those close to Joe, we knew it was just a bunch of lies. His kids had to face school, and all his nieces and nephews."
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/story/2009-11-08/frazier-ali-special-edition/51123972/1 

It's evident that Frazier loved his family, and that the material things were not as valued as family was. Unfortunately, in more cases than not. that is far from the truth. What Ali said about Frazier, and how the Frazier family endured all of the hype says a lot about the former champ. It's good to know that those pieces (of the gold medal, and the family) have come back together, and even better to know that Mr. Frazier's peace came back together, before he went on.

"I had my Olympic gold medal cut up into eleven pieces. Gave all eleven of my kids a piece. It'll all come together again when they put me down."
http://www.esquire.com/features/what-ive-learned/wil0104frazier

Sometimes we have to take our scars and move on. We have to get over the embarrassment of taking that beat down (physical or mental), get over the possibility of crying in front of others, and know what matters most... that we learn from each experience! That we get stronger from each experience. That we remember that even though some(one) may have said some nasty things, or done some nasty things, that they are no longer in the position to do so! If they'd like to try, then have the confidence to know that you are strong enough to take one (a thumpin'), or dish one out! So let them puff up if they need to, then take the wind out of their sails! Come earn some of this, big boy, your bully is about to get served.

"Nothin' wrong with an a.$ whuppin' every now and then. You take away the a.$ whuppin's and what do you get? You get people wearin' pants below their belly buttons. I'm tellin' you, you go out these days and see the crack of a young lady's butt. It's crazy, man. They should be locked up for indecent exposure. Look here. See? Suspenders! And a belt! I ain't takin' no chances."
http://www.esquire.com/features/what-ive-learned/wil0104frazier#ixzz1zfyoFDcp

Chael Sonnen has only the risk of getting his pants beat off of him, by talking the trash that he is, but if he backs it up, and stays clean, he could be the UFC's new Rick Flair. I can't say that Chael would be Ali, to Anderson's Liston, but he couldn't go anywhere but up! Sonnen said the following things of Anderson Silva via the Caged Insider video below. "I don't like this guy, that's not a secret. I wanna beat him up, and I'm gonna beat him up... again!"

"That's a lot like America, you know when I was a little kid, I remember going outside... I sit around with my friends, we'd talk about the latest technology, and medicine, and gaming, and American ingenuity, and I look outside, and Anderson, and the Brazilian kids are all sitting outside playin' in the mud."

Chael said he would smack Mrs. Anderson's tush if she didn't make his steak, just the way he liked it!

Neither fighter is hiding the fact, that there is no love loss, but to down the children in a man's country, and disrespect his family? That's totally uncalled for. I loved the Rashad Evans, and Rampage Jackson banter. I can call it banter because it is compared to what Silva and Sonnen have going on. This is an all and all out verbal war, that I really believe will transition into a blood bath, or brutal knockout! I hate to allow morbid thoughts to prevail, but when someone goes as far as to intentionally make an attempt to damage children or talk about a man's family, I pray that the Lord forgives me, because I want to see the offender get exactly what he deserves. Mr. Ali talked smack about Mr. Frazier, and did not mean to offend or hurt the Frazier family. Sonnen, is looking to make a very calm, and usually cool champ rush in and make a mistake. I applaud Sonnen's effort, but if it back fires, then Chael is in for one nasty ride!

You can say a few things about the first meeting between the two. Chael was able to enforce his game plan all fight long, but was never able to finish the champ. On the other hand, the champ was not able to stop him from executing and scoring take down after take down, and landing punch after punch. Regardless or all of that, Chael halfheartedly tapped, thinking should I or shouldn't I!? Then after the fight he said to the ref about his tap, "I believe you." Any man that will quit after a few seconds of punishment, but bully around someone and pound away for twenty plus minutes in my book needs to be very careful. Chael is a tough hombre, no mistake about it, he gets paid to do what he does, because he's good at it, but there comes a time, when you have to think somethings through. So will Silva turn the tables, and beat Sonnen to a pulp, or will Sonnen finish what he started from the first fight?
cagedinsider.com

Conviction In Numbers (A Tribute to Joe Frazier)

Joseph William Frazier was born on January 12, 1944. Joe dropped out of school at age 13, but on March 8, 1971 Smokin' Joe dropped Muhammad Ali in Round 15. He would defend his title, that night via decision over Ali.

"Smokin'" Joe Frazier in one night lost his Olympic Trial match to Buster Mathis, and nearly lost his will to continue on as a fighter. In one other night Buster Mathis, whom later broke one of his hands, and unable to represent America in the Tokyo Olympic Games, was replaced by a more determined than ever Joe Frazier. In one night Joe Frazier remembered his uncle telling him as a youngster, that one day he would be the next Joe Louis! One night Smokin' Joe went on to win the 1964 Olympics! Joe had a few other good nights after that one. Joe Frazier avenged his trial loss by defeating Mathis as a pro, and then after boycotting (protesting in support of the boxing commission to reconsider reinstating Ali) a Heavyweight elimination tournament, he would gain the Heavyweight crown from Jimmy Ellis in 1970. He held the title for three years, handing Ali his first loss, and defending his title one other time before losing it against Big George Foreman!

Joe Frazier in his storied career was the David of the boxing world filled with Goliath's! He wasn't chiseled like a Greek statue, didn't have the defined muscular look of a Mike Tyson. He wasn't the fastest man in the ring, he wasn't the strongest, or even the most athletic in the ring at times. What was Joe Frazier, and what made him a champion? Heart and plenty of it! Joe possessed a heart, work ethic, and toughness that didn't know how to back down from a challenge.Joes threw every punch with conviction. Joe aimed to hurt you with every punch! From his jab to his patented left hook, Joe didn't know how to throw and easy punch, and aimed to set you down with each one of his punches. Joe fought 37 times as a professional, and won 32 of the 37. He only lost to two men... George Foreman (twice) and Muhammad Ali (twice). His last boxing match ended in a draw. Once a kid who fled the segregated dirt roads of South Carolina became a man that helped 10's of thousands of kids escape the rough paved streets of Philadelphia. Joe may have lost to Ali and Foreman in the ring, and had a draw in his last boxing match, but he ultimately won his last fight. Some will say that he lost the fight to cancer, I say he won, because as his brother, I know that Joe Frazier is with the Lord, and there's no way you can lose when you're with God, or when God's with you. God bless the Frazier family during this difficult season....