Short Hops

As a follow-up to the Oscar De La Hoya story in the weekend edition of Banner Sports, here is the Associated Press story about his retirement – which was announced on Tuesday in Los Angeles:

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oscar De La Hoya knew it was time to retire after Manny Pacquiao pummeled him into submission in December. Still, he wavered another four months before persuading himself to let go.
De La Hoya ended a 16-year career in which he won 10 world titles in six divisions and became boxing’s most popular fighter.
“These four months have been very difficult for me,” the 36-year-old native of East Los Angeles told hundreds of fans gathered Tuesday at an outdoor plaza across from Staples Center.
“This decision was based on making sure, first of all, that I do not disappoint anyone when I step inside the ring, that I don’t disappoint myself, and I make sure that I can watch my kids grow up.”
De La Hoya was thoroughly beaten by Pacquiao in his last fight, his fourth loss in his last seven bouts. He had not defeated a formidable opponent since Fernando Vargas in 2002. Age and diminished skills led to losses in recent years to Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley, Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
He won his last title in May 2006, beating Ricardo Mayorga in six rounds for the WBC 154-pound belt. He finished with a record of 39-6 and 30 knockouts.
“This is the love of my life, boxing is my passion, boxing is what I was born to do,” De La Hoya said. “When I can’t do it anymore, when I can’t compete at the highest level, it’s not fair. It’s not fair to me, it’s not fair to the fans, it’s not fair to nobody.”
De La Hoya said he didn’t want to let down his fans or himself by attempting another fight.
“Now I understand why athletes have such a tough time retiring from something that you feel so passionate about, from your sport that you’re always thinking you can try one more time,” he said.

Posted by Adam White at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Equinox Rugby Football Club trekked down to Pittsfield, Mass., on Saturday to play its spring season opener against host Berkshire RFC. The local men's club played its best match ever, holding Berkshire to 10 points in the first half, until finally falling victim to conditioning in the second and losing by a final score of 31-0. Equinox flyhalf Jeremiah Rogers was named Man of the Match for his scrappy and fearless play, and the team's pack – particularly those forwards it absorbed from the Southern Vermont College team – rucked and mauled fiercely to keep the team in the game.

It doesn't appear that the SVC men or women will get to play this spring, and the fear is that the teams are being abandoned by the college following the firing of head coach Jeremiah Madison and failed hiring of Berkshire player-coach David Colli. Does SVC really care as much about its programs as its administration claimed during the Madison firing? Stay tuned...

-Adam White

Posted by Adam White at 9:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you are sick and tired of Yankee and Red Sox saturation (don't they EVER talk about anything else?); if you're missing Manny or wishing George Jr. had bought him for your slumping lineup; if you want to be iconoclastic and somewhat unique in these parts; if you want a team that never gets rained out at home, look to the Dodgers, son.

I did it years ago and have never --- well, almost never --- reconsidered. And just think: When the Dodgers are losing, you hardly notice. You can just hold this image in your head of endless sunshine and blue skies and Dodger blue and movie stars in the box seats (and maybe Sandy Koufax) until, suddenly, they're back on top.

It's the perfect set up. Trust me.

Jim Therrien, Banner editor

Posted by Adam White at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)