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79722301MW039_Bernard_Hopki

Calling me merely “not a boxing guy” doesn’t do justice to my lack of knowledge about the Sweet Science. I get why people dig it, but it’s just not for me. Therefore, I must appeal to the Uni Watch audience on this image from the Hopkins-Calzaghe fight, for a couple of reasons:

1. What’s with the fringes? Is that a new thing or just limited to most of the shots of the various bouts that occurred yesterday?

2. I’m assuming whatever is written on the tape on the cuffs of each boxer’s gloves is an OK from the sanctioning body in terms of gloves?

3. Any idea why the referee is wearing what I would describe as a police officer’s shirt? Standard apparel?

4. By calling it the Sweet Science, am I further exposing myself as a 30-year-old guy who knows nothing about the sport? As in, “Great, you know the ‘nickname’ but little else, moron.”

If you know the answers to any or all of these questions, pipe up. Of course, if the spam filter is still being persnickety, it might not matter what you say. But I’m checking in on the comments every so often and setting them free, so say it anyway. Just make sure to keep your comment easy to spot among the porn links, OK? — Bryan

 
  
 
Comments (52)

    I may be wrong on this, but I believe the writing on the glove tape is that proves the gloves have been inspected by the referee or an official prior to the fight and have been “Signed off” as acceptable.

    Brian, I used to be a boxing guy, but after watching UFC, I’ve given it up completely. I think the fringes are a new thing that boxers are wearing, I can’t remember any big fights 5 -10 years ago that had them. The only thing this picture is missing is the referee’s black bow-tie.

    Hey

    Fringes have been around for a few years. I guess they just consider it “artistic” or something. Personally I can’t stand them but Calzaghes’ are nothing compared to these : link found on Ricky Hatton!
    The writing on the gloves is from the glove men and the referee. The wraps inside the gloves are also signed by the referee, certifies that the gloves and wraps aren’t dodgy i.e no metal.
    Referees uniform appears to be standard apparel from what I have seen of the referees in the US. UK referees wear white and they look like normal white shirts. link
    (apologies for no links, I couldn’t make the hyperlinks work!).
    But if you think the fringes are bad it’s nothing compared to the oversized shorts, and the stupid boots they now choose to wear! link as illustrated by Audley Harrison (he’s the one laying on the floor with the ankle boots!).

    I also know nothing about boxing aside from my career on Fight Night round 2. (Undefeated, if video games were real life I’d be rich)

    The fringe was availible to select for your shorts so I assume its a normal thing. I dont think it would serve any purpose.

    We’re still “retraining” the spam filter, so please keep commenting and don’t worry if your comment doesn’t show up right away — for now, we still have to manually approve each post. Hang in there — by tomorrow we hope to either have it fixed or have a new system in place.

    In regards to yesterday’s comment about the Canadian ads on the Bruins boards, they definitely are not virtual ads. They’re on the boards.

    A couple of similar examples that I can think of are when the Yankees or Mariners or another team with a major Japanese star come to town, the Rogers Centre in Toronto gets a bunch of new Japanese language ads on the outfield walls and camera bays.

    Another example might be the arena that the Carolina Hurricanes, and for that matter, the Bruins themselves play in. They’re both Canadian banks. I’m not sure if there are TD or RBC branches in the USA, but I know in the case of the RBC Center in Raleigh, the company was drawn by all the coverage they’d get on Canadian television.

    Apparently ads on the boards in places you wouldn’t think, isn’t that out of the ordinary. link is from the 08 World Junior Hockey Championships in the Czech Republic. It must be cost effective to advertise there for North American companies.

    Hey…what’s up with Chris Creamer’s site?
    The CCSLC has been denying access to its forums.

    …any clue if Chris knows about this?

    I know alot of us post here AND over there…hence my question.

    re: CCSLC

    The board database went kablooey, thus the reason for the closure. I’m sure they’re working on fixing it.

    Notice the referee isn’t wearing the surgical gloves they always seem to wear these days. Always cracks me up to see that. Like sweat and blood flying into your face isn’t any more hazardous than separating the fighters.

    The shirt does scream “Hazard County”.

    [quote comment=”255108″]In regards to yesterday’s comment about the Canadian ads on the Bruins boards, they definitely are not virtual ads. They’re on the boards.

    A couple of similar examples that I can think of are when the Yankees or Mariners or another team with a major Japanese star come to town, the Rogers Centre in Toronto gets a bunch of new Japanese language ads on the outfield walls and camera bays.

    Another example might be the arena that the Carolina Hurricanes, and for that matter, the Bruins themselves play in. They’re both Canadian banks. I’m not sure if there are TD or RBC branches in the USA, but I know in the case of the RBC Center in Raleigh, the company was drawn by all the coverage they’d get on Canadian television.[/quote]

    I’ll second this comment. This is true.

    Canadian companies know that Canadians follow hockey like Catholics follow the Pope. Therefore, advertising Canadian companies on the boards makes sense from a TV advertising perspective. The reason there are French advertisements in Boston is because more people in Quebec will be watching the Habs and Bruins play, so it make sense to advertise to the local Quebecois population in Boston.

    Also, unless the team owns the building, advertising is determined by building management.

    I was on a Pittsburgh Penguins blog site called Letsgopens.com and i came across this post with these pictures. link

    Pope appearing at Yankee Stadium today- no word if he’s going to bury a Pope jersey underneath the new stadium.

    [quote comment=”255151″]I was on a Pittsburgh Penguins blog site called Letsgopens.com and i came across this post with these pictures. link[/quote]

    I see a lot wrong, since both teams are wearing the RBK edge uniform system. Also the playoff logo creep on the ice…. but I’m assuming you are baffled by the french NHL badge.

    The bar I was at last night was so packed people were turned away at the door. The only fights being shown on any TV were from the UFC. MMA is here to stay.

    [quote comment=”255108″]In regards to yesterday’s comment about the Canadian ads on the Bruins boards, they definitely are not virtual ads. They’re on the boards.

    A couple of similar examples that I can think of are when the Yankees or Mariners or another team with a major Japanese star come to town, the Rogers Centre in Toronto gets a bunch of new Japanese language ads on the outfield walls and camera bays.

    Another example might be the arena that the Carolina Hurricanes, and for that matter, the Bruins themselves play in. They’re both Canadian banks. I’m not sure if there are TD or RBC branches in the USA, but I know in the case of the RBC Center in Raleigh, the company was drawn by all the coverage they’d get on Canadian television.[/quote]

    Actually the RBC center is named after RBC centura, the US branch based in Raleigh. But it certainly helps the Canada branch two, which very well may have been part of the point.

    Another ad related thing here: Did anyone else notice that the NHL configured the Playoffs ice so they don’t have to take out a sponsor logo? Usually it says “thank you fans” or whatnot where they have the playoff banners now, and the playoffs logo on one of the four spots in center ice.

    [quote comment=”255151″]I was on a Pittsburgh Penguins blog site called Letsgopens.com and i came across this post with these pictures. link[/quote]
    I dont know, fill me in? Do you mean the NHL Logo? They are playing in Canada, bilingual country, LNH is french League National de Hockey, They have that in Montreal too

    [quote comment=”255151″]I was on a Pittsburgh Penguins blog site called Letsgopens.com and i came across this post with these pictures. link[/quote]

    Um… nothing – “LNH” is the french version of “NHL”

    [quote comment=”255108″]
    Another example might be the arena that the Carolina Hurricanes, and for that matter, the Bruins themselves play in. They’re both Canadian banks. I’m not sure if there are TD or RBC branches in the USA, but I know in the case of the RBC Center in Raleigh, the company was drawn by all the coverage they’d get on Canadian television.[/quote]

    TD Banknorth’s origins are with a collection of New England banks.

    The writing on the tape of the gloves is “NSAC” or Nevada State Athletic Commision since the fight took place in Las Vegas. I don’t follow boxing much but I do follow the UFC and all the fighters will have that same writing on the tap of their gloves also. Just means the sanctioning body of the bout has signed off to the tape being ok and free of foreign objects.

    Corky Miller may suck at baseball but he knows how to wear stirrups. Braves broadcaster Joe Simpson even made a note of it.

    Not sure where to put this, but a couple weeks ago you were talking about the Spring Game uniforms….thought I’d share on Kentucky(played yesterday). UK wore practice shirts, Game pants and helmets w/decals…some players wore high socks, others did not.

    [quote comment=”255181″]The writing on the tape of the gloves is “NSAC” or Nevada State Athletic Commision since the fight took place in Las Vegas. I don’t follow boxing much but I do follow the UFC and all the fighters will have that same writing on the tap of their gloves also. Just means the sanctioning body of the bout has signed off to the tape being ok and free of foreign objects.[/quote]

    Also, after the fight the tape is kept with the gloves as evidence in case there is an inquiry or one of the fighters dies.

    Interesting that you would bring up last night’s fight –I was wondering the same thing about the referee’s shirt last night. It does have the look of a Chicago beat cop with the epaulets and the flag patch. (…an does everybody have to have a flag patch or pin now? really?)

    The style of boxing continues towards the “More is More” school of style — trunks get more detailed and textured as the boots get higher. This runs in conjuncture with the anomoly of Vegas fashion — rediculous no-tie tuxedos & eight button NBA draft suits both made out upholstery fabric and pneumatically enhanced women.

    It makes one pine for the days of a young Mike Tyson who paid tribute to his predecessors by wearing simple black trucks and ankle high boots with no socks.

    Ottawa is almost on the border of Ontario and Quebec. It would make sense to have the bilingual version in the ice to accommodate both sets of fans.

    The writing on the ice is new. The old ‘Thank You to the Fans’ thing only appeared after the lockout I do believe. It kinda gunks up the ice IMO.

    [quote comment=”255156″]Pope appearing at Yankee Stadium today- no word if he’s going to bury a Pope jersey underneath the new stadium.[/quote]

    yeah…a couple days ago i speculated he was gone slip a mitre in there

    btw…anyone notice he had on a sean avery sweater under the vestments?

    [quote comment=”255190″]Corky Miller may suck at baseball but he knows how to wear stirrups. Braves broadcaster Joe Simpson even made a note of it.[/quote]

    that he knows how to wear stirrups?

    or that he sucks?

    or both

    Haven’t been able to find any pics as yet, but the cricket’s new India Premier League commenced over the weekend… The NOB letters for the Kings XI Punjab seemed to be about a foot high! Completely excessive, and looked quite squashed with some of the longer Indian surnames. Also was red lettering on grey uni’s, so hard to read. Poor form.

    [quote comment=”255156″]Pope appearing at Yankee Stadium today- no word if he’s going to bury a Pope jersey underneath the new stadium.[/quote]

    The Cardinal of Boston said in a press conference that he would be wearing his “Red Sox” and that he would try to bury a t-shirt in the outfield.

    Bingo!!!

    Here’s the skinny on Bobby Abreu’s new cleats!

    Abreu’s new angle: Yankees right fielder Bobby Abreu is the only player in the majors wearing B-Top cleats. He should know – he designed them.

    Abreu is preparing for his retirement as a player by delving into the competitive sporting goods industry. He has started his own company in Venezuela and hopes to be selling cleats and sneakers within a few years.

    “It’s all in the early stages now,” he said. “But I have control over everything.”

    Abreu designed the cleats and chose the name for his footwear. B-Top doesn’t mean anything in particular, he said. “I just like the way it sounded,” he said. “We went through a bunch of different ones.”

    Abreu has two pairs of prototypes that he’s trying out. Once he settles on a model that he likes, he plans to start production. He visited factories in the Far East over the winter to get an idea of what it would cost him.

    “I’ve always been interested in that side of things,” he said. “It’s just something I do on the side. We’ll see what happens.”

    Could Abreu be the next Phil Knight, the mastermind of Nike?

    “I’ll take 1 percent of that,” he said. “I’m just a little guy.”

    I had no idea how to contact Abreu or any of the Yankees people so I decided to e-mail two Yankees beat-writers from area newspapers, Peter Abraham of the Journal News and Ed Price of the Newark Star Ledger.

    They were both helpful, albeit, very stingy with info!

    Turns out that I was their muse! Abraham wrote the above quoted piece and Price was planning on writing something!

    Too bad they didn’t mentioned UW or my name…
    That’s alright…mystery solved!

    Bingo!!!!!

    Here’s the skinny on Bobby Abreu’s new cleats!

    Abreu’s new angle: Yankees right fielder Bobby Abreu is the only player in the majors wearing B-Top cleats. He should know – he designed them.

    Abreu is preparing for his retirement as a player by delving into the competitive sporting goods industry. He has started his own company in Venezuela and hopes to be selling cleats and sneakers within a few years.

    “It’s all in the early stages now,” he said. “But I have control over everything.”

    Abreu designed the cleats and chose the name for his footwear. B-Top doesn’t mean anything in particular, he said. “I just like the way it sounded,” he said. “We went through a bunch of different ones.”

    Abreu has two pairs of prototypes that he’s trying out. Once he settles on a model that he likes, he plans to start production. He visited factories in the Far East over the winter to get an idea of what it would cost him.

    “I’ve always been interested in that side of things,” he said. “It’s just something I do on the side. We’ll see what happens.”

    Could Abreu be the next Phil Knight, the mastermind of Nike?

    “I’ll take 1 percent of that,” he said. “I’m just a little guy.”

    I had no idea how to contact Abreu or any of the Yankees people so I decided to e-mail two Yankees beat-writers from area newspapers, Peter Abraham of the Journal News and Ed Price of the Newark Star Ledger.

    They were both helpful, albeit, very stingy with info!

    Turns out that I was their muse! Abraham wrote the above quoted piece and Price was planning on writing something!

    Too bad they didn’t mentioned UW or my name…
    That’s alright…mystery solved!

    [quote comment=”255201″][quote comment=”255156″]Pope appearing at Yankee Stadium today- no word if he’s going to bury a Pope jersey underneath the new stadium.[/quote]

    yeah…a couple days ago i speculated he was gone slip a mitre in there

    btw…anyone notice he had on a sean avery sweater under the vestments?[/quote]

    not sure about that but i understand he wears high stirrups under there.

    Tell THAT to those who had to watch the golf and ice hockey online in NYC, and were forced to watch the Lakers-Nuggets on ESPN2…

    [quote comment=”255317″]Met’s P with mouthgard:

    link

    Miller/Morgan says its for TMJ:
    link

    i thought it was so he wouldn’t tip his pitches

    course…after utley took him deep…does it matter?

    also…miller gets affected with morganosis…to wit:

    man on first, 2 out, 3-2 count…miller literally screams…”AND HE’S TAKING OFF”…seemingly shocked at this development

    An example of logo creep. Today Ajax Amsterdam played their last game of the season. They wore special shirts with dance4life on the front instead of their normal shirt sponsors ABN AMRO.

    link

    The interesting thing is that these special shirts had the three stripes of adidas down the arms whereas their normal shirts for Eredivisie games do not have the stripes. The stripes were originally removed back in 2000 when Ajax fans complained that the stripes ruined the look of the shirts.

    link (scroll down to story)

    Here are pictures from the match:

    link

    Interestingly, after the match there was a ceremony for Johnny Heitinga who is leaving the team at the end of the season. He came back on the field with the ABN AMRO sponsored shirt and it had no stripes on the sleeves.

    I would have to agree with you on the lack of knowledge when it comes to boxing. I truly just don’t get it but it is what it is… funny post!!

    [quote comment=”255150″]
    I’ll second this comment. This is true.

    Canadian companies know that Canadians follow hockey like Catholics follow the Pope. Therefore, advertising Canadian companies on the boards makes sense from a TV advertising perspective. The reason there are French advertisements in Boston is because more people in Quebec will be watching the Habs and Bruins play, so it make sense to advertise to the local Quebecois population in Boston.

    Also, unless the team owns the building, advertising is determined by building management.[/quote]
    The TD Banknorth Garden is owned by the Bruins themselves…so there goes that idea…

    Hey Paul,
    I was watching NHL playoffs on CBC this evening and they were showing the Boston Bruins during practice. The Bruins were wearing their new 3rd jerseys for next season (black w/ alternate logo on the front, no coloured yoke). Not sure if anyone else saw it and got a screen grab, but it happened.

    [quote comment=”255335″][quote comment=”255150″]
    I’ll second this comment. This is true.

    Canadian companies know that Canadians follow hockey like Catholics follow the Pope. Therefore, advertising Canadian companies on the boards makes sense from a TV advertising perspective. The reason there are French advertisements in Boston is because more people in Quebec will be watching the Habs and Bruins play, so it make sense to advertise to the local Quebecois population in Boston.

    Also, unless the team owns the building, advertising is determined by building management.[/quote]
    The TD Banknorth Garden is owned by the Bruins themselves…so there goes that idea…[/quote]

    How does that idea go to the wayside? The Bruins sell advertising on the boards that anyone can buy. Quebec companies pay the Bruins to advertise their products on the boards in Boston.

    In European soccer, foreign ad boards have long been a regular occurrence in international competition. As an example, here is the link. Note the German ads in Naples (Italy), especially the one for tic tacs (for some reason in Europe they’re advertised to this day as having 2 calories, not 1.5 as here!)

    Witness the link, 1997 2nd leg, Inter Milan vs. Schalke 04. Behind one goal, Telecom Italia Mobile is advertised right next to German mobile company e-Plus.

    A relatively recent development is the dual advertising method used at international friendlies. At the England-Germany game at Wembley in 2007, for example, link got ads for Nationwide and Carlsberg while the link on the other side captured ads for Buderus and Nutella, with the German bench being adorned with German Postbank logos.

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