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Mario Bava Collection: Volume 2 (US - DVD R1)
7 and a half more Bavas from The Bay means more dancing from The Gabe...
Anchor Bay/Starz is revisiting more Mario Bava classics from the vaults, and I could not be happier. Anyone not yet clear on Bava, or the Volume 1 release can click HERE for the low down. Otherwise, here are my thoughts on 7 and a half more films from the Maestro of the Macabre.
Bay of Blood(aka: Twitch of the Death Nerve, Blood Bath, and Reazione a Catena)
A wealthy heiress and landowner dies under mysterious circumstances (her husband did it, but don't worry, he was done in too), and anyone with a minute claim to her property shows up to collect. The would-be heirs start offing each other in increasingly creative and graphic ways, along with some dimwitted teenagers that stop by the bay looking for a party. Basically, it's Ten Little Indians on the bay.
Bava brought the Giallo genre to the forefront of Italian cinema with films like The Evil Eye and Blood and Black Lace. Dario Argento would soon popularize the genre with his solo directorial début, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. Though these Giallo films had an influence on the Slasher genre (forerunner John Carpenter has admitted as such) it was Bay of Blood that would be specifically copied by the ne plus ultra of Slasher film series, Friday the 13th. The first chapter of the popular Camp Crystal Lake chronicles owes almost everything to Bava's film, right down to the style of sweater its killer wears (who if you'll remember was Mrs. Voorhees, not Jason). The first sequel even lifted Bay of Blood's most popular murder - the steak-through-a-couple-mid-coitus bit.
Bay of Blood may not be Bava's best feature, but it's definitely top five material, and a very easy place to start. The plot is swift, and there's nothing 'challenging' about the production, unlike some of Bava's more experimental and cerebral work (see: Lisa and the Devil). The only thing standing in the way of all out mainstream acceptance of the film is Bava's decision to pull focus between each scene, rather than wiping, cutting, or fading. The effect is a bit jarring, and doesn't quite work because the cuts can still be seen.
Bay of Blood is a perfect amalgamation of what were Bava's most popular non-gothic styles - his Giallo thrillers and his mod-chic, comic book capers. I guarantee this is the most fun you'll ever have watching an "important" film. It's dated to be sure, but in a beautiful, time capsule way, and we wouldn't want it to look any different.
(For my entire Italian R2 Bay of Blood review click HERE.)
Baron Blood(aka: Chamber of Tortures, The Thirst of Baron Blood, Gli Orrori del castello di Norimberga)
An American student named Peter takes a trip to Austria to research his great-grandfather, a murderous baron made infamous for acts of barbarous torture. When he arrives Peter discovers that the Baron's castle is being remodeled as a giant tourist trap/hotel. Peter and his new girlfriend Eva journey to the castle and are struck with inspiration – why not read an ancient incantation that may bring the monstrous Baron Blood back from the grave. The spell works, and the torture begins anew.
In 1972 Bava returned to his gothic roots and melded them with his popular Giallo thrillers to mixed results. The film was one of the director's last, and shows many signs of a damaged creative sense (the kind of thing Argento has been doing the past decade or so). Bava quotes himself so often the film might as well be considered a sort of self-tribute, though there's plenty of homage to other horror directors as well. The meaning behind Bava's recycled images may actually be more important than the meaning of the plot, and effectively is a statement on the melding of the director's old and new work.
Baron Blood is more interesting as a director's comment on genre then as a successful horror film. I tend to assume that Bava was pointing to the death of gothic cinema in general at the hands of Gialli and Slashers, genres he had a big hand in starting. The film was made between two more interesting features – Bay of Blood and Lisa and the Devil. This is of note because the former takes Bava's Slasher violence to comic extremes, and the later takes Bava's colourful and dreamy visuals to experimental extremes. Baron Blood is almost a perfect middle ground between its bookends.
In the end, non-fans are left with a standard order stalk and slash, with a gothic backdrop and low body count. The acting is quite ripe, and the storyline is stretched thin, even for a Bava film. As a return to gothic visuals, something Bava hadn't touched since 1966's Kill Baby…Kill!, the film doesn't disappoint, though by this time the director had a habit of overusing facial close-ups, focus pulls, and crash zooms, all things that didn't quite meld with the atmospheric grace of the earlier pictures. This is probably not a very good place to start, but an interesting follow up to Black Sunday.
Lisa and The Devil/House of Exorcism(aka: Lisa e il diavolo, The Devil and the Dead)
While touring a small Spanish village, Lisa Reiner crosses paths with a mysterious man named Leandro. Frightened by Leandro's strange behavior, Lisa runs to rejoin her tour group, only to find herself lost. She eventually thumbs a ride with an aristocratic and anachronistic couple and their driver, but their elderly car breaks down, and once again Lisa finds herself in the presence of Leandro, this time in the form of a gracious butler looking after a strange and ancient estate.
Lisa and The Devil may be Bava's most accomplished film since the perfection that was Black Sunday. It's without a doubt his most mature work, and should've been the film that earned him the widespread critical acclaim he disserved.
Bava has always belonged in the same critical categories as Fredrico Fellini, Michelangelo Antonioni, and even Ingmar Bergman (Fellini even gave Bavaian horror a shot when he made Spirits of the Dead with Louis Malle and Roger Vadim, to nominal effect), but his work in 'lesser' fields like horror and comic book capers, along with his willingness to work as a director for hire, always delegated him to popular critic's ghetto. It wasn't until recently, when name directors like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino started talking him up that Bava's reputation finally changed for the better. It's too bad he was already dead.
Lisa and The Devil is the same kind of visual metaphor catalogue European art house directors produced during the '60s. If the film hadn't been lost or re-edited for maximum schlock, film school students would've been studying it alongside Hour of the Wolf and La Dolce Vida in the 1980s and '90s, but alas, Bava's last major artistic achievement was lost to the ages until quite recently.
The film is thematically comparable to Herk Harvey's Carnival of Souls, with its dream induced visuals and plot. Bava captures the feel of a nightmare state so impeccably it's genuinely chilling, despite the relatively low-key nature of the story, hence the film's categorization in the horror genre. This deeply melancholy movie also features some of the best acting in the director's catalogue, including a surprising turn from the beautiful Elke Sommer, and Telly Savalas as a lollipop sucking, cool headed Satan. The lack of narrative logic and restful pacing may bore some viewers, but those willing to take the journey will find themselves richly rewarded.
Producer Alfredo Leone was among those folks that thought the film was boring, and against Bava's wishes reconstructed the it, and padded it with new footage to emulate William Freidkin's The Exorcist, which was tearing up the world box office at the time. This new version, which was actually released worldwide, was re-titled House of Exorcism. Though enjoyable on a schlocky, exploitation level, this cut robs the film of its subtlety, arthouse ambitions, and even most of its beauty.
Cramming a second rate Exorcist rip-off into a lyrical and abstract feature like Lisa and The Devil is generally a bad idea, on principle and in logistical terms. The two films simply do not fit. In Leone's film, the events of Bava's film represent a sort of psychological battle inside Lisa's possessed brain. Leone intercuts Bava's lyrical masterpiece with boring scenes of Elke Sommer doing her best Linda Blair impersonation, and it never blends. Even those unaware of the film's difficult history must have assumed that they were watching two entirely different movies. I recommend House of Exorcism only for reasons of completion, as it does feature entirely uncut some of Lisa and The Devil's more sexually charged and violent scenes.
Kidnapped(aka: Rabid Dogs, or Cani arrabbiati, Semaforo rosso, Wild Dogs)
When their getaway car is damaged and their driver shot, a trio of criminals kidnaps a hostage carjacks an innocent bystander (or bysitter in this case, I suppose). In the car is an ill child in need of medical attention. The gang forces the driver to leave the city and avoid the police, despite his son's condition. What follows is a real time account of a very twisted day.
Towards the end of his career, now in his 60s and constantly overshadowed by younger filmmakers like Dario Argento, Bava attempted to rejuvenate his filmography with Rabid Dogs, a grim and gritty thriller like no other film in his collection. The multi-nominal feature was the victim of studio aliments, producer deaths, and a general lack of funding, and was never finished or released. After several years of diligent work, lead actress Lea Lander finally secured the rights and the film was released in a rough cut form as Rabid Dogs. This version found it's way onto American DVD thanks to the efforts of Image Entertainment.
Now that the initial release has been out of print forever, Anchor Bay has released the recut, rescored, and partially reshot version under the title Kidnapped. Bava's son, Lamberto, a protégé of both his father and Dario Argento, who frankly never amounted to much of a filmmaker, has added a few additional shots his father never filmed and tightened the editing. Like most post-mortem fiddlings, this leads to a less accomplished motion picture. Most of this review will refer to the original rough cut.
The beauty of Rabid Dogs is that it's about as raw as cheese-grated flesh. Bava has always, and will always be known for his incredible polish and attention to detail. Rabid Dogs features very few bravado camera moves, its colours and lighting are real-world derived, and the framing is often disgustingly tight. The film is meant to evoke a documentary or news reel feel, much like the work filmmakers Sam Peckinpah (both The Getaway, and Straw Dogs are obvious influences) and William Friedkin ( The French Connection is another obvious influence) were pumping out at the time. The style is again common in these modern days of reality TV and post-70s film revival.
Rabid Dogs looks like the film of a young man, an angry young man. It doesn't quite manage the peaks of anger that bleed from Peckinpah's best work, but there is a palpable ferocity. The immediacy of the threat, and spiteful realism of the characters is the kind of thing that makes the film worthy of the lofty title of 'Long Lost Classic'. There are some script problems (though not any plot holes, as is the norm for Italy in the period), and I could use with even more obstacles thrown into the road, but the overall effect is pretty breathtaking.
(For my full Kidnapped review click HERE.)
Five Dolls for an August Moon(aka: 5 Bambole per la Luna d'Agosto and Island of Terror)
A group of aristocratic socialites gather on a remote island beach house for a bit of groovy fun and sexy relaxation, or so it seems. One guest is a famous chemist who has created a revolutionary new…something (it's really never 100% clear), and the rest of the attendees are eager to buy. They offer him one million dollars apiece (huge bucks in 1970), but he refuses to sell on moral standing. Soon after, the double crosses begin, and the bodies start to pile up.
As I stated previously, Bava was instrumental in jumpstarting the Giallo film genre, and 1970's Five Dolls for an August Moon marked a welcome return. Unfortunately, he never touched the genre again in any pure form for the remainder of his career. August Moon is often cited as one of the director's lesser films, and the consensus isn't entirely unfounded. It was obviously made, at least partially, in response to the extreme popularity of young Dario Argento's Bird with the Crystal Plummage, which blew the top off Gialli in 1969. Everything about the production appears rushed, from the groovy but arbitrary score, to the Agatha Christie ripped plot.
For his part, Bava manages to impress with majestic camera work, and one particularly beautiful shot that follows a series of glass balls down a spiral staircase to a bathing suicide victim, but he seems entirely disinterested in telling the story. The cuts are often jarring and random, scenes that should last a moment last forever, and scenes that should last forever last but a moment. The film is sexually charged, almost vulgar (another possible layover from the success of Bird), which is unusual for the director, but surprisingly enough Bava handles the sensuality with more dexterity than the death, which isn't very hard because most of these murder set pieces seem to take place off screen.
Lucio Fulci's post-Argento Gialli ( Perversion Story, A Lizard in a Woman's Skin) are, I think, better samples of the genre at its sleaziest and most mod. August Moon isn't a bad film, contrarily it's quite amusing, but when stacked next to the Grand Guignol hysterics of Bay of Blood (which at its best this film is a dry run of), and the phantasmagoric allure of Lisa and the Devil, this little Giallo looks like a master craftsman's weekend project.
Four Times That Night(aka Quante volte... quella notte)
Bava must have noticed Sergio Leone's good luck with Fistful of Dollars, a Western re-telling of Kurosawa's Yojimbo, and decided to take a shot at appropriating the Japanese master's work for himself. In Kurosawa's Rashomon a feudal era murder is told from various points of view, each portraying a different story. In Bava's Four Times That Night a night of sexual indiscretion is told from various points of view, each portraying a different story.
What begins as an average exercise in late '60s sex comedy eventually blossoms into an entertaining little social commentary on sex and relationships that still applies today. Four Times That Night is a battle of the sexes that turns up both sides as losers. Bava joyfully exposes the lies behind a typical 'he said, she said' fish story, and the truth is probably not what one would expect from the era. Who knew the Maestro was so progressive?
Despite the rather lewd nature of some of Bava's Gialli, and the sex comedy pedigree, Four Times That Night is joyously innocent in the end, preserving the director's rather quaint outlook on filmed sex. There is some nudity (more than maybe any other Bava feature), and there are moments of extreme sexiness (mostly thanks to the insanely gorgeous Daniela Giordanobut), but the whole thing is pretty tame and tasteful by today's standards. Despite this, there isn't much else to tell us that this is a Bava feature, save an inspired shot through a red wine glass.
Four Times That Night is a very entertaining film, with an amusingly existential twist, and any time Bava chooses to tell a story through the veneer of Mod fashion it is a cause to celebrate, but I fear most viewers will forget the film within minutes of watching it.
Roy Colt and Winchester Jack
Two outlaws and friends compete with each other over a treasure map that will lead them to buried gold. One man is in league with a sadistic priest-turned-crime lord, while the other remains a 'free agent'. A young and nubile Native American girl enters the fray and plays both sides against each other.
By 1970 the fast burning Spaghetti Western was already beginning to fizzle. The genre's front runners, Sergio Leone and Sergio Corbucci, were more interested in making political statements and comments on their previous work than entertaining. This postmodern and self-referential behavior spawned the last vastly popular leg of the genre, when Spaghetti Westerns began making fun of themselves. The Trinity series, staring Terrance Hill and Bud Spencer, were especially popular.
Roy Colt and Winchester Jack wasn't Bava's first foray into Western territory, but it would be his last. The film seems to have been made in reference to the Trinity series, and true to the era's fashion, it is a spoof rather than a serious entrée ( edit: Turns out I'm wrong. Bava biographer Tim Lucas has corrected me, Roy Colt was actually released before the Trinity series, and had an effect on it). The film's political underpinnings are not exactly subtle, but neither are they particularly moving, probably because Bava himself was not particularly interested in politics, at least not like Leone and Corbucci were. One gets the impression that Bava was in this one for the money, and not the glory.
I should mention that despite my undying love for the Spaghetti Western genre, I'm not a very big fan of these light hearted and funny later films in the cycle (with the exception of Duck You Sucker, which is vastly underrated). Roy Colt and Winchester Jack fits the revisionist mould well, and that's my problem. Humour suffers when it has to transcend time shock and culture shock, so an Italian film made in the early '70s ends up having a whole bunch of transcending to do. Some of the jokes work, but often the broad cartoonishness of era Italian humour is grating to this critic. Charming performances help, but repetitive shootouts and a sub Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid plot don't. One of Bava's lesser features to be sure, but still a finely crafted film with its share of striking visuals and well edited action.
I never managed to get my hands on the Image releases of many of these films, so I am unable to tell the difference, if any, between those transfers and these new ones. A trip to DVDBeaver.com or DVDCompare.net is only slightly illuminating because this release is not included in those comparisons as of yet. It does appear that several Image releases were non-anamorphic, and everything in this set is enhanced for 16x9 televisions.
Italian imprint Raro has released some of these films anamorphically and entirely uncut, but the only direct comparison I'm able to do here is on Bay of Blood. The Raro release, under the title Reazione a Catena (which is a slightly different cut of the film), is rather well detailed, but contrast levels are set way too high, and a lot of the colour is washed out. This new release is cleaner and far better balanced, but still leaves something to be desired. Colours still aren't as arresting as Bava intended. Comparisons to the Image print (which is anamorphic) reveal a very close call.
This seems to be the best release thus far of Lisa and the Devil and Baron Blood. Lisa's print is very soft in parts, but this is due to Bava's use of soft focus, not the fault of digital compression. Baron Blood is a little on the dark side, but in keeping with the feel of the film. Artefacts are medium level, but grain is rather prevalent on both releases, especially Baron Blood. Again, I'd like to see richer colours, like that of Anchor Bay's release of Suspiria, but the source material may just be too flat for such reinvention.
Five Dolls for an August Moon, Four Time That Night, and Roy Colt and Winchester Jack are all treated less lovingly by the Bay. Every film is more than acceptable, but lacking in definition, clarity, and contrast is often too high. I have a feeling that Four Times and August Moon have been taken directly from previous Anchor Bay and Image releases, but I can't prove it.
No six channel surround mumbo jumbo for these discs, we're talking good old fashion Mono audio. In all honesty the music alone on these tracks could do with a stereo revamp, because the center channel has a habit of becoming cluttered on every disc in the set. The soundtracks have been cleaned, but distortion is prevalent during louder sequences, and definition is lacking when ever the tracks become busy. The only two films with genuinely risible audio problems are Four Times and Roy Colt. The later has more pops and crackles than the rest of the collection, and the former sees an obvious change in volume levels around act two.
The lack of language options is a little curious, but in the case of Bay of Blood, according to Tim Lucas, the film was shot in both English and Italian, so the Italian language print (available for Raro) is actually a slightly different movie.
Tim Lucas' expert commentary tracks rule this release, which is missing even the nominal featurettes found on the Volume One collection (unless you count the one with Kidnapped, which is old news if you already own the single disc release). Lucas, writer of a new, all encompassing book about Bava's films called All the Colours of the Dark, provides commentary for Bay of Blood, Baron Blood, Kidnapped (previously available on the single disc release), and Lisa and the Devil, but finds time to mention the other three and a half films as well. Again, Lucas' insight and information proves indispensable without losing a personal touch. Lucas is not afraid to make mention of something that doesn't work, and remains critical.
Producer Alfredo Leone and actress Elke Sommer provide commentary for House of Exorcism. Leone rules over the track, and spends most of his time defending his changes while generally patting everyone else involved firmly on the back. He paints a picture of a very prudish Mario Bava who begged Sommer not to reduce herself to cursing on set because of personal objections to such conduct. My guess is that Bava just wanted to maintain some of the original film's class. Sommer is pleasant, and when she gets the chance to talk has generally warm feelings about both shoots, even though she didn't get paid for the second one. This track has been taken from the OOP Image release.
Some of the releases also feature trailers, but missing is Lucas' Bava biography, and those supposedly awesome liner notes from the Image releases.
Even the lesser films in this collection are worth the time, and Bay of Blood and Lisa and the Devil are genuine classics. The price is right, even if the extras are rather minimal.
Bay of Blood – 8/10
Baron Blood – 7/10
Lisa and the Devil – 8/10
House of Exorcism – 4/10
Kidnapped – 7/10
Five Dolls for an August Moon – 6/10
Four Times That Night – 7/10
Roy Colt and Winchester Jack – 5/10
Review by Gabriel Powers
David Blackwell Senior Member Join Date: February 2004 Location: United States Posts: 2,831
fantastic review, Gabe. I always wanted to watch more Bava.
Not Applicable
Disc Details
Release Date: 23rd October 2007
Discs: 6
Disc Type: Single side, dual layer
RCE: No
Video: NTSC
Aspect: Various
Anamorphic: Yes
Colour: Yes
Audio: Dolby Digital Mono English, Dolby Digital Mono Italian
Subtitles: English
Extras: Tim Lucas Commentary, Producer/Acrtess Commentary, Kidnapped Featurette, Trailers
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Mario Bava
Cast: Elke Sommer, Telly Savalas, Howard Ross, Lea Lander
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Film-Noir, Horror, Mystery, Thriller and Western
Length: 718 minutes
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CRESTVIEW � A season of comebacks for the Crestview High School baseball team came up one comeback short Tuesday night in the Class 6A region semifinals. The clock struck midnight on the magical season for the Bulldogs when Dakota Dean grounded out to second base in the bottom of the seventh inning for the final out in a 3-0 loss to Mosley.
CRESTVIEW � A season of comebacks for the Crestview High School baseball team came up one comeback short Tuesday night in the Class 6A region semifinals.
The clock struck midnight on the magical season for the Bulldogs when Dakota Dean grounded out to second base in the bottom of the seventh inning for the final out in a 3-0 loss to Mosley.
�It just wasn�t our night,� Bulldog coach Tim Gillis said. �We barreled some balls up and hit it right at them and they made some plays. We had some opportunities and left some runners out there.
�You have to give them credit. They made the plays when they had to. I proud of our guys, they battled and they fought, but just hit it right at them.�
The Dolphins scored three runs on 11 hits. And although the Bulldogs hit the ball well, they managed just four hits against Mosley�s pitching tandem of Andrew Deramo and Austin Bizzle.
Roman Donofro went the distance on the mound for the Bulldogs striking out four walking two batters.
Crestview (22-6) threatened early in the game, but was unable to cash in against Deramo.
Dean led off the game with a deep fly to left field. Tyler Henderson followed and sent Dolphin left fielder Brady Bell all the way to the wall before Bell made the catch for the second out of the inning.
Freshman Corey Armstrong picked up the first Bulldog hit of the game when he ripped a drive into the right-center field gap for a two-out double. But Armstrong was stranded at second when Seth Thomason struck out for the third out of the inning.
Crestview was at it again in the second inning. Austin Armstrong led off the inning with a single and was replaced on the base paths by courtesy runner Drew Graham.
Deramo made it easy for Graham as he balked twice moving Graham to second base and then third base. Graham remained on third base as Deramo worked out of the jam.
Mosley (26-3) scored twice in the top of the third inning.
Greg Gladden led off with a single to left. Joey Hair followed with another base hit to left.
Conner Green followed Hair and dropped a bunt between the mound and third base. Donofro pounced on the ball and was ready to throw to third for the force out, nobody was covering the base. Joran Larry then ripped a double to left field scoring to runs for Mosley with what turned out to be the game winning hit.
Crestview tried to answer in the bottom of the inning as Dean reached on a one-out double and Henderson was safe on a Mosley error. In what would be the theme of the night, the Bulldogs were unable to capitalize on the situation.
The Dolphins added another run in the fifth inning. Things could have been much worse but Justin Rebholz turned a double play on a foul ball by Logan Quimyog. Rebholz ran down the foul and then threw as strike to catch Austin Armstrong to retire Bell at home for the third out of the inning.
The Bulldogs got a runner to third base in the fourth inning and the seventh inning, but were unable to score.
The fourth inning ended on a borderline called third strike on a full count to Jimmy Croussore that would have loaded the bases and sent Dean to the plate.
Tate Sweatt led off the Crestview seventh with a base hit and moved to third as Donofro grounded out to third base. A wild pitch by Bizzle moved Sweatt to third where he was when Dean grounded out to end the game.
�We came out on the good end (of the score) a lot of times this year, and a few times we didn�t� Gillis said. �Tonight was one of those times.�
In a senior class of leaders no two players were bigger leaders than Dean and Henderson who were starters from the beginning of the freshman year.
�It�s really hard,� Dean said of the loss. �Growing up with all these kids since T-ball and playing with them my whole life up to now and we have to go our separate ways.
�My best memories are winning two district championships on four years. We laid it all on the line so we can�t have any regrets.�
Henderson said the experiences he�s had with his baseball and football teammates will carry him the rest of his life.
�There have been ups where you have been so far up you didn�t feel like you could have anything bring you down,� he said. �And then you�ve been so low you just want to go and crawl in the hole. But you�ve got teammates out here that will always pick you up and they will carry you far.�
Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin�s sports editor. Email him at email@example.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524.

subset: commoncrawl


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Concession Manager Fired for HIV Condition, Federal Agency Charges
BALTIMORE – Innershore Enterprises, Inc. doing business as Marlow 6 Theatre, violated federal law when it fired a concession manager because of her disability, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it announced today.
In its suit (Civil Action No. 8:09-cv-02481-DKC) filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Southern Division, the agency charged that the Temple Hills, Md., theater fired an employee from her position as concession manager because of her HIV. When the company became aware that the employee was HIV-positive, she was reassigned to a less desirable position of "greeter" and placed on a different work shift. The company's owner and president, Kiran Khorana, reportedly said, "I can do what I want."
The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) makes it unlawful to discriminate against a qualified individual because of an actual disability or because he or she had a record of disability or was regarded as disabled. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement. The EEOC's suit seeks monetary and injunctive relief including back wages, compensatory and punitive damages as well as employment policies to eliminate future discrimination because of disability.
"Employers must make employment decisions based on the employee's ability to perform the duties of the job, not because of prejudices," said EEOC Acting Regional Attorney Debra Lawrence.
In fiscal year 2008, disability-based charges rose to a record 19, 543, up 10.2 percent from the prior year and the highest level since 1995.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the Commission is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.
This page was last modified on September 23, 2009.
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Rich Rodriguez says he's happy, and really, it's time to forget about the other stuff.
You know, the stuff that nearly buried him professionally not so long ago.
So I had to remind Rodriguez of the day we spoke after his first season at Michigan four years ago looked like it took 10 years from his life.
"I obviously wasn't in a good place," Rodriguez says, and I can't tell if he's laughing at himself or laughing at the absurdity of the situation.
Three years of hell at Michigan. Three years of not being a Michigan Man, of changing the old familiar with the new unconventional, of completely turning over a roster to start from scratch.
All the things those in charge at Michigan knew the day they hired him.
All things they eventually used against him.
"All of a sudden, I had forgotten how to coach," Rodriguez said.
MORE: SN ranks the 2013 recruiting classes | Nation's top 10 unsigned recruits
Now look at him: A year after getting fired from Michigan and sitting out a season, after enduring the worst coaching move in decades—he was a few plays away from coaching his alma mater, West Virginia, into the BCS National Championship Game, for the love of God—he has Arizona thinking about the Rose Bowl.
"There's no doubt in my mind," says now former Arizona quarterback Matt Scott, "this program will win a Rose Bowl with Coach Rod."
If they do win it, it'll be the first time ever. Hell, if they even get to Pasadena, it will be the first time ever.
And if they do get there, won't it just be a kick in the shorts if the Maize and Blue is there, too?
"Let's just get there first," Rodriguez says.
If he led West Virginia to within a sniff of that BCS National Championship Game one year and a Sugar Bowl win over SEC heavyweight Georgia in another; if he built the program so strong that even when he left for Michigan, that same team rolled on remote control and destroyed Oklahoma; he certainly can get Arizona to the Rose Bowl.
There's a reason Michigan hired him, and a reason Alabama thought it had closed a deal with him the season before.
"You can't judge him on three years of a bad fit at Michigan," says one BCS coach. "Especially when they started bailing on him after the first season."
How scarred by Michigan was Rodriguez? He took the Arizona job sight unseen.
Knew nothing about the roster. Knew nothing about the history of losing. Knew nothing about plans for a $65 million facilities expansion.
Knew nothing about the Pac-12 or West Coast recruiting or the legend of student body president Button Salmon, who 86 years earlier—on his deathbed after an automobile accident—pleaded with the Wildcats to "Bear Down."
He just knew this: It was football, it was coaching—and it wasn't Michigan.
"We got total buy-in from the get-go here," Rodriguez said. "From the players to the support staff to everybody that was touching the program. We had some guys committed at Michigan, but we had others that weren't. Some guys felt a sense of entitlement. The name on the chest, and 'I've already arrived.'
"The Chad Hennes and the Jake Longs put the work in and succeeded before us, and guys behind them thought they were entitled to the same status but hadn't proved anything."
That's why those 20 seniors were so important to Rodriguez this time around at Arizona. Why, when he took the job, he told players on the day they met that he was good friends with popular former coach Mike Stoops, and "I know where all the bodies are buried and all the traps are laid."
Those seniors pulled together and became the foundation of Rodriguez's plan, instead of the fabric of the program tearing away at the ends. Michigan won three games in Rodriguez's first season after winning 11 the previous season.
Arizona won eight games in Rodriguez's first season after winning four the year before. Michigan didn't get to a bowl game until Rodriguez's last season, and then was blown out by Mississippi State.
Arizona beat Nevada in the New Mexico Bowl this season, only the second bowl victory in 14 years for the Wildcats.
"I don't know why it didn't work somewhere else," said linebacker Jake Fischer. "I just know it worked here."
Four years ago, Rodriguez bathed in anonymity while standing in the cavernous convention center in Orlando during the annual coaches convention—miles from the microscope of Ann Arbor and that nine-loss season. He was confused and frustrated and still had two years of misery ahead of him.
Maybe he really hadn't forgotten how to coach.
All it took was one year at Arizona to prove it.
New Mexico Bowl: Wildcats score two TDs in final 42 seconds to beat Nevada 49-48


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I have had Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) since March 2002. Both of my sons also got ME/CFS at ages 6 and 10. Our younger son fully recovered after 10 years of mild illness. Our older son still has ME/CFS and also has Lyme disease plus two other tick infections. This blog is about how our family lives with chronic illness, with a focus on improving our conditions and enjoying our lives in spite of these challenges.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Birds of a Feather
There were five of us today (I know of another three locally that I'll try to include next time). All of us live within an hour of here, and all of us have at least one teen with CFS and OI (and other assorted ailments like Lyme). Two of us have two kids with CFS. I had met the two moms who live closest to me before and knew the others from online, but none of them had ever met before.
It was so much fun! If it weren't for my nap, I think we could have talked all day long and never run out of things to say. It's such an amazing experience to be able to talk about what we're going through and have everyone present totally get it. We talked about doctors, treatments, school, family, and more. They are all strong, intelligent, caring, remarkable women. I feel blessed to have been able to meet them all, and we agreed we'll have to get together again soon.
I left there just feeling on top of the world. What a powerful feeling to connect with other people living with the exact same challenges as us. I can't wait for our next gathering!
P.S. I feel the same way about all the people I've met through blogging. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could all get together and have a little CFS bloggers convention (with cots set up all over the room and afternoon nap time, of course)?
16 comments:
Good question, David! I guess they were all at work. It's usually the moms who stay home with the sick kids. But we did talk about getting the whole families together sometime!ReplyDelete
This is so wonderful, Sue. It must have been so great to share with people who are living in the same situation. I'm about 25 minutes from Sacramento and there's a CFS support group there that meets in the evenings. I'd love to go, but I can't even go out in my smaller town after the late afternoon. It's kind of a catch-22 for some CFSers...the idea of a support group where you have to leave the house.ReplyDelete
But, of course, not all the moms there had CFS. Were you the only one?
I'm very excited for you. Did you organize this? (You can see how excited I am -- so full of questions!)
Toni -ReplyDelete
yes, I know what you mean. It took me years to finally gather up the energy (and find the time) to attend a support group meeting and when I did..no one was there! Turns out the 2 DE CFS support groups had both called it quits.
Yup, I was the only mom with CFS, but - of course - the others were very understanding of my limitations!
I did organize it. I had met two of the moms before - one was referred to me through Jamie's middle school, after he left, because the wonderful guidance counselor there gave them our name when she found out their son had CFS, too. One was referred to me through one of my best friends who's a vet, when the mom burst into tears during a vet appt because she was so stressed about what was going on with her daughter. One contacted me through my blog, and another I met through the Pediatric Network, a great online list for parents of kids with CFS/OI/Lyme. And there are 3 more I'd like to include next time - one I met at Craig's soccer game last fall, and it turned out that her daughter - who went to middle school with Jamie - has FM and lupus (and maybe Lyme). The other 2 cornered me at a friend's graduation party last summer when our mutual friend told them they should talk to me about their teen daughters' mysterious illnesses.
We are everywhere!!!
D -ReplyDelete
That map is so cool! I will definitely add myself to it. Thanks!
Dominique -ReplyDelete
I haven't actually met any other local adults with CFS in person yet. I think it's very hard for us to find each other because most of us live a very isolated life and don't leave our homes much. When we do go out, you can't necessarily tell we're sick!
I have either e-mailed or talked on the phone with 4 other adults with CFS here in DE - maybe that should be my next project!
I started with the Moms with sick kids because some of them felt really desperate to meet someone else dealing with the same challenges.
I've discovered others with CFS locally through various sources - my blog, my doctors, or mutual friends. I've thought of putting an ad in the paper for a CFS meeting but haven't had the energy to undertake that yet!
- Anonymous12:27 PM
Wow, Sue! This is so cool! I am really happy and excited for you and "the gang!"ReplyDelete
Gosh, now I want to find other families with teens with Aspergers, like my oldest has. We didn't even know until a few years ago. We were told it was Selective Mutism because she never spoke in school until she got into high school.
What a super day!!! I live in the West Palm Beach area and only met two people with it years back. Both have moved now. I'm surprised in an area this big that there's no support group, no doctor treating it, or any way to find others.ReplyDelete
My voice and brain only last for about 40 minutes tops, though, so gatherings would be hard. I can manage an easy going person one on one.
That would be fantastic!ReplyDelete
I have a pen pal that has CFS and is the same age as me. It makes such a difference when talking to someone who is going through the exact same thing. Much like our blogs!
Your post about kids made me wonder, are their any organizations in the US dedicated to young people with the disease? Someone recently pointed out a group to me in the UK called Association of Young people with ME (AYME - http://www.ayme.org.uk/). If there's not one here, someone should start one!ReplyDelete
What a great post. So nice to find support. A foremost expert on CFS, Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, has just put out a new book called Beat Sugar Addiction Now: http://endfatigue.com/. It is written in a simple style and outlines his easy to follow, multi-step plan. He begins by identifying 4 main types of sugar addicts and then outlines a specific plan for each type of addict to follow. He explains how sugar plays into the problems suffered by each kind of addict and goes into detail when clearly and succinctly explaining how to beat the cravings. While Teitelbaum does not provide recipes or meal plans, he does give guidelines for healthy eating and lists of recommended foods as well as the glycemic index for many common foods.This book would probably be helpful not only to people attempting to lose weight, but also to those with illnesses such as Type II Diabetes, Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, just to name a few. Though Teitelbaum is a medical doctor and is clearly coming from a medical background, he writes in layman's terms and creates a book that will be easily understood by most people.ReplyDelete


text:
The ramblings of a person striving to be good...
Brought to you by the Imelda Marcos of pants...
twittered by birdychirp at 7:59 pm
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Name: birdychirp
Home: United Kingdom
About Me: Of course this isn't my real name! Why birdychirp? Well why not, frankly.
I'm old enough to now be a dedicated Radio 2 fan, yet young enough to remember Janice Long on Radio 1. I do genuinely try to do the right thing at all times, and am influenced by a range of people including Gandhi, Audre Lorde, my godmother and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I try not to take life too seriously, and am a big fan of fun and games.
Email? Yes please. birdy dot chirp at gmail dot com
Copyright Birdychirp 2004, 2005 and 2006. Click here for more information


text:
The first wild turkey I ever saw outside of a book was one shot by a friend of mine when we were both teens.
The first wild turkey I ever saw outside of a book was one shot by a friend of mine when we were both teens. He was floating down the Neuse River, jump- shooting wood ducks, when he spotted a big gobbler on the bank. When their eyes met, the bird took wing but, instead of flying back into the woods, sailed across the river right in front of the young duck hunter. My friend explained his actions with a shrug, �I just couldn�t help myself.� At that time, there was no open season on turkeys in North Carolina except in a very few counties and his was not one of them.
I don�t know what became of my friend�s turkey. I assume he cleaned it, told his mom it was a real big duck and they ate it. In any case, I�m glad to report that he grew up to become a responsible citizen and a fine, law-abiding sportsman. At least I never heard reports of any other acts of malfeasance on his part.
At the time of that turkey�s illegal demise, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) was in the early stages of an effort to restore wild turkeys to their native range in the state. It was the mid-1960s and most of the attention was on trapping turkeys where they still existed and liberating them where there were none, and on releasing pen-reared birds. The first process had very little effect because of inefficient trapping methods and the second was just an all-out failure.
Wild turkeys were plentiful when the first European settlers came to our shores but uncontrolled hunting and habitat destruction had reduced them to scattered flocks by the early 1900s. The Lacey Act ended the interstate sale of wildlife and put the skids on market hunting but the downward spiral continued. By 1946 there were only an estimated 8,340 turkeys throughout the state. In 1970, the population bottomed out at 2,000 birds.
They say it�s often darkest just before it gets light, however and this was certainly true for turkey restoration in North Carolina. In the early 1970s there some important changes occurred. One was that funds became available for turkey restoration through the federal Pittman-Robertson Act and the National Wild Turkey Federation. Another was when Wayne Bailey, a biologist who had pioneered turkey management in West Virginia, was hired by the NCWRC. Perhaps most important, though, sportsmen all across the state developed the attitude that turkeys were worth bringing back and were determined they would be. Slowly the turkey restoration ship began to change course and gain momentum.
Improved trapping methods; procuring birds from other states where they were still plentiful; the implementation of a spring, gobbler-only season; strict harvest regulations and a lot of elbow grease made a difference. Between 1970 and 1988, 1,100 turkeys were live-trapped and released in prime habitat within the state. From 1989 to 2,000 an additional 1,744 birds were acquired from other states through the NWTF�s Super Fund Program. By 2002 over 5,300 turkeys had been released on over 325 sites from the mountains to the coast and the NCWRC�s focus turned to habitat and harvest management.
North Carolina�s turkey restoration efforts were a rousing success, one of the greatest wildlife management success stories of all time. Today, wild turkeys number approximately 260,000 in the state and there is an open spring hunting season in all 100 counties. The statewide harvest of turkeys has increased from 144 in 1977 to 13,453 in 2011.
These are definitely the �good old days� for turkey hunting in North Carolina. However, there is a dark cloud hovering over the horizon. It�s called Southeast Wild Turkey Decline (SWTD). That is a general term biologists use to describe long-term decreases in wild turkey populations as measured through productivity and harvest. Wildlife agencies throughout the Southeast have documented significant declines in turkey productivity based on the numbers of hens observed during summer surveys and the number of poults (young turkeys) with those hens. Our state has done such a survey since 1988.
According to the NCWRC�s 2012 Wild Turkey Observation Survey Report, �The percentage of hens with poults (51%) indicates poor nesting success; the ratio of poults/hens observed with poults (3.1) indicates poor to fair poult survival; and the ratio of poults/hen (1.6) indicates poor overall productivity.
What does this mean for North Carolina�s turkeys? According to Evin Stanford, biologist with the NCWRC, it means we may be looking at a decline in turkey numbers similar to that already seen in some other states. In Arkansas, for example, the wild turkey population has decreased by 50% since the early 2000s. In Mississippi, both turkey populations and harvest numbers have declined by about 60% since 1987. In South Carolina, the harvest has decreased by more than 36% since its peak in 2002. The spring hunting season harvest in North Carolina continues to be strong but, based on what has been observed in other states and the summer survey, a decline here may be in the offing.
Biologists don�t know what is causing Southeast Wild Turkey Decline. Various hypotheses point to such things as increasing numbers of predators, changes in habitat, recent droughts, unknown diseases, toxic chemicals and maybe even baiting for other species like deer. In respect to the last, Stanford said ingesting the feed itself doesn�t seem to be a problem but that it may tend to concentrate turkeys in small areas where they are more susceptible to predators or communicable diseases.
Wildlife researchers in all southeastern states are studying the problem. For example, scientists at the University of Georgia are tagging turkeys with radio transmitters to help them track the birds� movements and find them if they stop moving. Most important, the biologists in different states are sharing their findings and working together toward solutions.
Nearly all biologists say that, until the causes of Southeast Wild Turkey Decline are indentified, it�s important that we be conservative in respect to turkey management. Evin Stanford, for instance, said we must resist opening the spring turkey hunting season too early when it may have a negative impact on those hens that have not yet bred and nested.
�Our season already opens about two weeks too early,� he said recently. �A lot of hunters don�t realize that their chances of bagging a nice gobbler are actually better later in the season. And it�s definitely better for the turkeys.�
Any individual who would be willing to participate in the NCWRC�s Wild Turkey Summer Observation Survey should send his name, address and date of birth online to email@example.com. The survey is conducted during July and August and simply involves keeping a record of wild turkeys, especially hens and poults, observed during routine daily activities. The more data the NCWRC researchers have, the better they can judge the status of turkey populations through time.
In addition, all of us who treasure this magnificent game bird must continue to do what�s necessary to protect them: obey all hunting regulations; report those who refuse to do so; and support efforts to prevent their decline. The bird Benjamin Franklin suggested should be our national symbol deserves as much.


text: Robert Lowry is Professor in the Political Science Program of the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences at UT Dallas. He teaches courses on American public policy, political parties and interest groups, politics and business, public choice, state and local government, and empirical democratic theory. His primary areas of research interest are fiscal policy and institutions, political and civic organizations, and the political economy of higher education.


text:
Roundup of Tiny HTPC's
Last week's announcement of Dell's Zino HD was exciting, adding another choice to an expanding market of powerful but small computers capable of running full screen HD (in the right configuration). The four front runners seem to be Dell's new Zino, Acer's AspireRevo, the Mac Mini and the AsRock Desktop Ion. Which would you choose? Survey after the jump.
For Hulu Streaming, Boxee, it's hard to beat a simple HTPC connected to your main TV. Here are some of the choices:
The Dell Zino HD is the newest of the bunch, and starts with the lowest price tag of $229, though probably incapable of large screen HD video.
The Acer AspireRevo is a slick looking HTPC based on the same Nvidia Ion chip set as the Dell Zino and costs between $350 to $450. The Dell has more configuration options.
The lesser known AsRock also packs a NVIDIA's Ion graphics technology and starts at $350.00 (available at Newegg). It's design is less refined, but it packs the same features as the other bunch, including a remote control option which the Zino currently lacks.
And finally the Mac Mini, which begins at a steep $599, packs desktop class graphics, a larger hard drive and built in wireless. Unfortunately, still no option for Blu-ray.
(Top Image: Klaas Jan Guchelaar)


text: This is a very good, very focused and to the point group of excercises that can be worked through in a very short aomount of time. It's not overly complex but it also sticks to the most useful stuff. The author doesn't waste time on excercises that aren't useful in everyday drumming situations. I'd think someone of any level of skill can get something out of Larry's excercises.


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sosmoncommerce needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 117 designs submitted by 24 freelance designers.
sosmoncommerce (this is in french, it means 'sos my business')
We are a small group of young consultants in web marketing and accounting and we are launching our business 'sosmoncommerce' (i.e. sos my business) to help local small merchants to increase their revenue with simple strategies.
The logo must reflect the idea behind sosmoncommerce, meaning you have to understand this brand offers services to help.
We only work with small local businesses (doctor, hair dresser, baker, etc.): we do not want something too subjective (they have to understand quickly). sosmoncommerce is like Bewitched or Mary Poppins: small businesses call us when they need to resolve problems (business problems: marketing, e-commerce, accounting, etc.). We want the logo to reflect this idea, meaning we are here to "save"/help them :-)
We love web 2.0 logos like:
- foursquare.com
- http://www.goldenhook.fr/
- http://www.astral.com/en/default.idigit
- http://www.threadless.com/
We also attached some other logos...
Local small businesses (doctors, hairdressers, restaurants, etc.)
The logo has to make them trust us: they have to understand we deal with local businesses like them i.e. we are not a big company with a clientele compose of huge corporations. They have also have to understand we are very accessible for their small marketing budgets.
The files we will require are:
Print file format - .ai (CMYK)
Web file format - .jpg and layered .psd (RGB)
And that's it!
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Having applied to LEAD just four months after moving to Atlanta, I had no idea how impactful the experience would be on my life, both professionally and personally. LEAD was my introduction to the diversity and exceptional talent of this city. I was introduced to the issues and challenges facing Atlanta, and participated in the dialogue toward solutions. I discovered how to get involved, and now share a network of innovative leaders continuing to cultivate relationships and create change. LEAD has built a formula that literally opens minds and hearts to advance the dialogue on inclusion and growth as a community. And as an individual, you are challenged to think about the journey toward your purpose and how you want to contribute to our city. I am so proud to have participated in the program, and will always be grateful for the opportunity."
Dani Ayers, LEAD Atlanta 2015Senior Director of Affiliates, ToolBank USA
My involvement with Leadership Atlanta continues almost daily to influence my ability to affect change in the City of Atlanta. I am grateful beyond measure for all that I learned and for the relationships that I developed. I joined the class of 2012 four years after I became the Senior Rabbi of The Temple. The Temple has a strong history of commitment to involvement with the community. Leadership Atlanta was an essential part of my education about the who, what, where, when, and why of Atlanta. Of all the profound learning that took place, two ideas stand out: 1) Be courageous: Whether the issue is health, criminal justice, education, or race – strive to do what is right, even if it is not popular. 2) Build Relationships: Meet and develop friendships with other leaders who can bring about transformative change. I am confident that your decision to become part of Leadership Atlanta will be one of the best gifts you can give yourself.
Peter S. Berg, Leadership Atlanta 2012Senior Rabbi, The Temple
There are numerous leadership programs out there for young leaders. But there are very few programs I know of that can both ignite the mind and touch the heart. LEAD Atlanta has perfected a program design that has the uncanny ability to at once go deep on the complex issues and opportunities that our city faces, yet create an environment for honest dialogue and true self-discovery. Apply that to an elite network of some of the most impressive, impassioned leaders in our community and you get magic. I graduated from LEAD a changed person, a better person – equipped with more awareness, humility, motivation and like-minded relationships than ever before to fuel my leadership capacity and desire to serve my community. Even ten years after graduating, hardly a week goes by that I don't collaborate with a fellow LEAD alum or practice some of the leadership lessons I picked up from LEAD. If you're a proven leader within your sphere of influence and ready to accelerate your leadership impact, this is the program for you.
Wendy Ho, LEAD Atlanta 2008Senior Brand Manager, CNN
There is not a week in which I am not working with either a Leadership Atlanta classmate or alumni. An incredible investment, Leadership Atlanta exposed me to issues and parts of the city I would never have known -- opening my mind to our urgent role as leaders in this city. Moreover, Leadership Atlanta allowed me to make sincere friendships with leaders across the city, expanding my reach and ability to effectively get things done.
Rodney Bullard, Leadership Atlanta 2012VP of Community Affairs, Executive Director of Chick-fil-A Foundation, Chick-fil-A
When asked about Leadership Atlanta, my response has always been: one of the most satisfying years of learning. Still today, I cherish all the friends that were made as well as learning what makes the city work. My sense of civic responsibilities really changed because of Leadership Atlanta.
Aida Perez Flamm, Leadership Atlanta 1995Partner, Aida & Co.
I am a firm believe that information is the underground currency of the privileged. Leadership Atlanta exposed me to information that I never had, people I never thought I would know and experiences that have informed my leadership. My advocacy for and belief in Atlanta is even deeper as a result of this once in a lifetime experience. I never thought I would laugh, cry, rejoice and be forever changed by an experience at this age. Leadership Atlanta brokered that. It is the most thoughtfully curated experience I have had as an adult and I am on fire to lead with vulnerability and efficacy in Atlanta."
DeLano Ford, Leadership Atlanta 2016Executive Director, Teach For America Metro Atlanta
Leadership Atlanta is one of the most impactful leadership development programs that I've experienced. What makes it unique and best in class is its proven approach of pulling together leaders across our community from all walks of life, leaders who care deeply about our community, leaders who are willing to get out of their own echo chambers and see things from other perspectives, leaders who will lean into the issues facing our community, and leaders who want to connect with others to make a difference. I value each one of my Leadership Atlanta friends and experiences and wish that everyone in our great city could experience Leadership Atlanta!
Shelley Giberson, Leadership Atlanta 2015Market Managing Partner, Greater Atlanta, PwC
LEAD Atlanta is the best community-focused, leadership development program for young professionals in the country. Participating in the program gave me experiences and helped hone skills that accelerate my career. Further, the opportunity to interact with and learn from emerging leaders who were just as interested as I was in engaging deeper in our community was invaluable. I am honored to be part of the large network of LEAD Atlanta alumni that work every day to make Atlanta a better place to live, work, and play.
Jason Esteves, LEAD Atlanta 2012Assistant General Counsel, Equifax
Leadership Atlanta is an extraordinary and life-changing experience. The people, program design, and high standards elevate even the most accomplished leaders to an entirely new level of thoughtful decision-making and impact. LEAD Atlanta heightened my awareness of the issues facing our city at just the right time in my career. Leadership Atlanta challenged me further with even more complex topics and experienced colleagues. Fortunately, the learning continues as the alumni programming and relationships created through the program are of the highest quality. I strongly encourage all driven and active professionals to consider LEAD and Leadership Atlanta.
Dan Gordon, Leadership Atlanta 2015, LEAD Atlanta 2009Chief Operating Officer, The City of Atlanta
I had very high expectations going-into Leadership Atlanta, from its great reputation and the alums that I knew. But my experience was even more transformational than I could have imagined – both personally and professionally. From day 1, I found myself amidst a passionate and committed group of leaders who are driving positive change every day. My eyes were opened to a fresh view of issues and diverse perspectives. I also gained a renewed sense of optimism for the vital community Atlanta can surely become. Although you graduate, you are never "done" with Leadership Atlanta, because the experience continues to build on itself through an active and engaged alumni network and lifelong friendships. This is a program that truly delivers.
Kevin Green, Leadership Atlanta 2006President and CEO, Midtown Alliance
Leadership Atlanta was one of the most rewarding programs I have participated in throughout my professional career. The program gave me new perspectives on having influence in our city though the interworking of government, non-profit, religion and business, and helped me identify new areas to lead. Equally important, I had a ton of fun and I have a new incredible network of colleagues and friends willing to help and to serve with me for the betterment of our Atlanta community.
Kenneth Saffold, Leadership Atlanta 2017, LEAD 2007Senior Vice President, Capital One
My Leadership Atlanta class was the single most impactful year of learning and connecting I have had outside of a classroom. My world was enlarged in ways that are hard to fully describe by the curriculum and the bonds I forged with passionate leaders throughout Atlanta. I took from the year a deep desire to engage further in our city and state. It is a rare day when I do not connect with classmates who are now dear friends. We continue to support each other and engage on issues where we can make positive change for those in our great city.
Jodie Guest, Leadership Atlanta 2011Professor, Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine, Emory University
Leadership Atlanta experience changed me deeply. I met and learned from so many sincere, open-minded people who are interested in making a difference. I no longer feel like an outsider in the city where I live, and my classmates made me want to join them in making a difference.
June Lee, Leadership Atlanta 2017Partner, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
I am proud to be a Leadership Atlanta alum. Through Leadership Atlanta, I am able to connect with and appreciate this city in ways I do not believe would have been possible without this experience. The program and curriculum challenged me to assess my own leadership capabilities and responsibilities at work and in the community. It also provided me with a unique opportunity for building and strengthening relationships that have come to matter for both personal fulfilment and for the express purpose of helping to fulfill Atlanta's potential as one of the world's great cosmopolitan cities.
Erika James, Leadership Atlanta 2016Dean, Goizueta School of Business
Leadership Atlanta develops leaders who are solving important issues that make Atlanta and our region a better place to live, work and play. What I learned as a member of the 2004 class has helped make me a better community leader today. Add to this the lifelong friendships that are made, and you see why Leadership Atlanta is our city's premiere leadership program.
Bob Jimenez, Leadership Atlanta 2004Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, Cox Enterprises, Inc.
LEAD Atlanta provided me a learning and development experience that remains unmatched. Through the deep and meaningful relationships that were built, I gained a perspective that changed my view of my community and gave me a new sense of energy and passion to change it for the better. I developed lifelong friends, grew as a leader and found a new purpose for my role within Atlanta. I am forever thankful to LEAD Atlanta for challenging my positions, encouraging me to go further and making me a stronger leader committed to progress.
Rich Johnson, LEAD Atlanta 2015Director, External Affairs, AT&T Georgia
Wow! is how I describe my Leadership Atlanta experience. My Wow! includes people, knowledge and experience. I met and continue to meet extraordinary leaders who are making a difference in our city and state every day. The knowledge gained throughout my year was life changing, and the experiences were unmatched. I am honored to be part of such an outstanding organization.
Soumaya Khalifa, Leadership Atlanta 2015Executive Director/Founder, Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta
Through Leadership Atlanta I had the unique opportunity to engage with a diverse and passionate group of leaders dedicated to addressing many of the issues we face in metro Atlanta. A true strength of the program is that it forces you to be intentional about finding solutions for creating a better, stronger community for future generations.
Hala Moddelmog, Leadership Atlanta 1997President & CEO, Metro Atlanta Chamber
Leadership Atlanta has created and refined a unique program that honors Atlanta's past while standing for the possibility of a powerfully inclusive future. I was honored and humbled to work with such a diverse group of business, non-profit and community leaders, passionately committed to making a difference. The relationships I've made have a depth and relatedness that continues to grow stronger following graduation. The program and alumni network prove that determined people working together can accomplish anything.
Chris Peck, Leadership Atlanta 2016Vice President, Corporate Human Resources, UPS
Like many others, my Leadership Atlanta experience was outstanding, providing me a chance to discuss and debate some of the key issues facing our City and our region, and to engage with other local leaders in tackling them. In addition to being provided a unique exposure to the region, and the complexities and varied perspectives that define so many of its challenges and opportunities, the shared experience of going through the year with classmates created many lifelong friendships and opened the doors to opportunities to better serve our community. The legacy of Leadership Atlanta is evident in many other ways, as it is common for me to encounter other Leadership Atlanta graduates in service on the boards of community and civic organizations, advocating for causes that move us forward, and at the table when conducting my business affairs.
Egbert Perry, Leadership Atlanta 1987Chairman and CEO, The Integral Group, LLC
Leadership Atlanta is the quintessential leadership program. Everyone's journey begins similarly – Leadership Atlanta takes leaders with high potential, stellar professional achievement and incredible engagement in the community and creates something special. The program harnesses this potential, this leadership acumen and the commitment to do both well as an individual and good for the community and provides these leaders the network and resources to make meaningful impact across our entire beloved city of Atlanta. That is what makes Leadership Atlanta the best leadership experiences I have participated.
Pamela Stewart, Leadership Atlanta 2015Vice President - National Sales, The Coca-Cola Company
Leadership Atlanta is and has been one of the most fulfilling experiences I have had in Atlanta. I have been personally and professionally enriched by the thought provoking programs and the personal connections I made with some of the very finest leaders in our City. My eyes, heart and mind were opened to both the needs in our community and to those talented individuals leading the way to make sure those needs are met. Not a week has passed since my graduation from the Leadership Atlanta program that I have not been positively influenced by the lessons I learned about our Atlanta community or by the people I met and remain connected to today. I am proud to say I am part of the Leadership Atlanta community.
Michael J. Sullivan, Leadership Atlanta 2015Managing Partner, Atlanta Office, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice LLP
Leadership Atlanta is FOR Atlanta. FOR those looking to learn more about our city, our community, and our opportunity to raise the collective bar on the society that we live in, walk in, drive through, and circle around daily. Leadership Atlanta is FOR leaders. And FOR leaders who know, want, and crave personal development. FOR leaders who seek and appreciate relationships with other broad-based civic and organizational difference-makers. FOR those that want to know more because knowing more fuels doing more. Leadership Atlanta is an experience – an experience that is unique. An experience that is differentiated and educational; challenging and thought-provoking; memorable and enduring. Leadership Atlanta was designed with you in mind. A program, an experience, an environment FOR you.
Justin Honaman, Leadership Atlanta Class of 2014Managing Director - Products, Accenture
No program in Atlanta is better than LEAD Atlanta at identifying and nurturing the next generation of impactful Atlantans. It's the best inroad for young professionals who want to roll up their sleeves and build the Atlanta they want to see in the future. Personally, my LEAD Atlanta experience yielded insights and opportunities beyond what I could've ever imagined, but the best byproduct for me has been access – LEAD Atlanta has made it easy to build bridges with nearly anyone in the city. Bringing ideas to life or connecting like-minded people now is just a call, email, or group text or two away.
Kyle Stapleton, LEAD Atlanta 2016Manager of Culture & Experience, Turner Studios
There are few experiences in my life that compare to my time with Leadership Atlanta. Having spent much of my life living in Atlanta, I saw the challenges that faced the city on a daily basis and wondered how I could best help with overcoming those challenges. The knowledge I gained and the relationships I built through Leadership Atlanta are what have allowed me to make a positive difference not just in the City of Atlanta, but the state of Georgia and the entire country. I can say with certainty that I would not be where I am today without Leadership Atlanta, and I cannot recommend it highly enough for anyone looking to build a better city, a better career, and a better self.
Tharon Johnson, Leadership Atlanta 2016, LEAD 2010Founder & CEO, Paramount Consulting Group, LLC
I learned more about Atlanta participating in LEAD Atlanta than I did living here for over 20 years. The program opens participants' eyes to the real Atlanta and allows participants to ask themselves "What will I do to make this city better?" After completing LEAD Atlanta in 2014, I was challenged to dive in head first and do more to serve my community. Most importantly, the program gave me a network of incredible relationships from my class and other classes. This diverse group of individuals has challenged me and connected with me in ways I never thought possible. Staying connected and involved as an alumna has provided me the opportunity to continue building into the network and continue challenging myself to make Atlanta a better place.
Julianna Cagle, LEAD Atlanta 2014Director of Development, Hands On Atlanta
In any town, having leaders come together is healthy, and in a community as complex and diverse as Atlanta so much more so. Having intentional conversations about our city and it's challenges are essential. These discussions are critical for our city and hugely impactful to each and every individual involved. Leadership Atlanta does a fantastic job of bringing leaders from the not-for-profit sector, business leaders, as well as executives from government agencies together. Joining Leadership Atlanta is one of the positive and life changing experiences one can have.
Ken Ashley, Leadership Atlanta 2014Executive Director, Cushman & Wakefield
LEAD Atlanta presented me with the opportunity to learn more about the challenges facing Atlanta and presented opportunities to get more involved in serving our community. The collective experiences presented throughout the program from city leaders, peers, and alumni allowed for personal growth and leadership development. The chance to learn where, when, and how I can be effective in the Atlanta community is significant and will undoubtedly make me a stronger citizen. LEAD Atlanta allowed me the opportunity to further develop my leadership and service skills thus helping me to define the personal goals developed over previous years of service with multiple types of organizations. I am confident in the experience that LEAD Atlanta provided, and am looking forward to the contributions of our alumni to the city of Atlanta.
Kurt Ford, LEAD Atlanta 2014General Manager - Schedule Implementation, Delta Air Lines, Inc.
There are defining experiences that profoundly impact us. Leadership Atlanta was that kind of experience for me for many reasons. From the curriculum that forces you to actively engage in making Atlanta live up to its legacy to the people who challenge your thinking to the relationships that will last a lifetime, Leadership Atlanta's reputation as the nation's premier leadership development program is well earned. It is the single most transformational odyssey in my professional life, which is the reason I continue to be engaged even today.
Kimberly Esmond Adams, Leadership Atlanta 2010Judge, Superior Court of Fulton County, State of Georgia
Among the many experiences and organizations in which I have been involved, Leadership Atlanta stands out as one of the most impactful and rewarding. The program provided tremendous insight into issues prominent in our city, as well as access to the "who's who" of Atlanta's corporate, political and civic leadership. My classmates - 80 amazing individuals who are diverse in background, race and career - provoked deep thinking and meaningful discussions. They have become some of my closest friends, and given our common passion for this city, we will have the opportunity to do great work here! I'm proud to be a part of Leadership Atlanta and "The Class" of 2017. If you have the opportunity to become part of this community, do so. The journey was amazing.
Chris Ahrenkiel, Leadership Atlanta 2017Managing Director, Tishman Speyer
Leadership Atlanta afforded me the opportunity to engage with a diverse group of leaders. The bonds I have forged with my classmates has had a significant impact on me both professionally and personally. My experience has helped me better understand the needs of the communities throughout Atlanta, and how I as a leader can contribute to those communities. Most importantly, it gave me colleagues and partners who share my passion for and commitment to ensuring Atlanta remains a vibrant city to all its residents.
Valerie Montgomery Rice, Leadership Atlanta 2013President & Dean, Morehouse School of Medicine
The Leadership Atlanta experience is unique and impactful. I learned the most from the diverse backgrounds of my classmates -- who are now my close friends. The professional commitment was significant, but what I received in return for the time invested cannot be easily quantified. In learning more about the challenges in our community and what is needed to move forward, I was inspired to give more of myself to helping others. In other words, I was inspired to lead.
Bjay Pak, Leadership Atlanta 2017Founding Member, Chalmers Pak & Burch LLC
All of the exceptional things I heard and learned about the Leadership Atlanta program from reading and talking to alumni prior to applying, paled in comparison to the actual experience of the program itself. And, yet even the words I can think of to describe my experience still seem inadequate. Engaging. Educational. Thought-provoking. Instigating. Inspiring. Challenging. What a gift it was to be a part of a group of exceptional leaders, learning together, challenging each other together, debating together, creating awareness together, growing together – all for the good of this community we love. The great thing about this Program is graduation isn't the end – it's the beginning. I can't wait to see what we do next!
Laurel Hill, Leadership Atlanta 2017Senior Vice President, Government & Institutional Banking, Wells Fargo
Before my Leadership Atlanta year began, I thought it would provide a unique opportunity to explore our city's challenges and opportunities and meet other civically-minded Atlantans. And it did - - but it was so much more. The full day seminars and tours offered deep dives into critical social and community issues, which included surprisingly frank and illuminating discussions with senior public officials and business and non-profit leaders. Further, from opening retreat, through study group sessions and community service projects, right up to the closing session, the Leadership Atlanta experience promotes an atmosphere that encourages honest dialogue, introspection and real understanding among participants. Every activity is designed to break down barriers and create lasting relationships with the hope that those bonds will be leveraged to better our city. Leadership Atlanta goes well beyond civic education and networking: I came away with new and better informed points of view and what I know will be life-long connections and friendships with my remarkable classmates.
Ben Garren, Leadership Atlanta 2017General Counsel, North America, The Coca-Cola Company
Leadership Atlanta is a transformative experience. Before my program year, I thought Leadership Atlanta was about multi-disciplinary problem solving. I imagined the goal was to bring 82 people who were accomplished in their respective fields together to devise a solution to an Atlanta issue using their unique skill sets. I could not have been more wrong. I had no clue I was embarking on the journey of a lifetime. Over the course of the program year, we confronted serious issues facing the city and our nation. We laughed. We cried. We challenged each other. We supported one another. We looked inward. We grew. We changed. Individually and collectively, we pushed ourselves further than we had ever thought possible, all with the goal of equipping ourselves to be the ones who will carry the torch for Atlanta in the footsteps of our city's great leaders. It was a humbling but also empowering experience. I am excited to see what the future holds for The Class and honored to be a member of the Leadership Atlanta alumni.
Jamila M. Hall, Leadership Atlanta 2017Partner, Jones Day
Leadership Atlanta was an incredibly enriching experience, both personally and professionally. The friendships that were developed and fostered to last long after Closing Retreat was one of the surprising and most rewarding parts of the program. In a remarkably holistic approach, the program connects the past to the present, and explores issues that are inextricably linked, in a way that's truly eye-opening, sobering, and inspiring. The lens through which I look at personal and civic leadership was enlarged and refined in ways that's hard to describe in a testimonial, but I assure you that this program will not only challenge your thinking, but it will also touch your heart. At the beginning, I recognized it was a highlight in my career; by the end, I realized it had become a highlight in my life.
Matt Johnson, Leadership Atlanta 2017Principal, KPMG LLP
The Leadership Atlanta experience is difficult to describe. If you want to experience the thrill of parasailing, you have to make the leap yourself. Sitting on the boat and watching someone else go for it is not enough. The same is true of Leadership Atlanta. I jumped into a life changing experience. The perspectives I gained by learning from others with very different viewpoints was invaluable. It's helped me see all things differently and more fully. Most importantly are the incredible friendships I've made. They will last a lifetime. When Leadership Atlanta ended, I felt like I did after my wedding. The ending of both experiences was very emotional. However, I realized after my wedding came a new way of life. My marriage was about to begin. The same is true for Leadership Atlanta. It's not an ending; it's a beginning. I can't wait to see where my Leadership Atlanta journey will take me next.
Wendy Stewart, Leadership Atlanta 2017Atlanta Market President & Co-head Southeast Region, Global Commercial Banking, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
My year in Leadership Atlanta was one of the most unique and incredible experiences of my life. Very few organizations can gather a diversity of people and opinions to intentionally focus on the structural and systemic challenges facing Atlanta and Georgia. I am forever changed by my classmates and the incredibly robust programming. As an alum, I'm excited to remain engaged and continue to finding ways to strengthen our community. New York Times Op-ed Columnist, David Brooks recently wrote an article entitled "How to Leave a Mark on People" [18 Apr. 2017] in which he expounds on the traits of organizations as either being thick or thin. "Thin organizations look to take advantage of people's strengths and treat people as resources to be marshaled…thick organizations think in terms of virtue and vice. They take advantage of people's desires to go good and arouse their higher longings." Leadership Atlanta is and shall remain, a thick institution for me.
David Lee, Leadership Atlanta 2017EVP, External Affairs & Executive Director, Atlanta Hawks
Leadership Atlanta has been one of the most impactful and life changing experiences for me personally and professionally. The program convenes current and emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds, informs them about vital issues we face across Metro-Atlanta, and engages them to lead in ways that improve quality of life for all who live and work this great city. Maybe most importantly, the Leadership Atlanta experience leaves you with an extended network of friends that you can count on to take this city forward in a positive way for all.
Brannigan Thompson, Leadership Atlanta 2017Senior Vice President, Voya Financial
Leadership Atlanta was a much needed ground tilling experience for me that introduced me to my authentic self. With this experience, I am better equipped to do the transformational work that God has ordained for me in Atlanta and beyond.
CJ Stewart, Leadership Atlanta 2015Co-founder, CEO Diamond Directors | L.E.A.D., Inc.
My time in Leadership Atlanta confirmed to me that Atlanta is a vibrant and sophisticated city, whose fabric comprises collections of diverse, inspiring people striving to find success for themselves, their families, and our fair City. My Leadership Atlanta classmates are among the leaders who will pave the way to that success by removing barriers and building bridges within our various communities. Without Leadership Atlanta, I would have neither met nor been inspired by my classmates to realize the potential that I have to be a barrier-buster and bridge-builder myself. What I learned through this amazing program -- from its substantive teachings and from the people I met during it -- has made me a more effective leader within my profession and, hopefully, beyond.
Brett C. Bartlett, Leadership Atlanta 2017Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
LEAD Atlanta was the single most life-changing leadership development experience I've ever been involved in. From engaging in and solving real-life community issues facing our city to forming lifelong friendships and connections with complete strangers, LEAD Atlanta really impacted my life for the better in more ways than I ever thought possible.
Kirk Brown, LEAD Atlanta 2015Kirk Brown, Senior Director of Development, The Ron Clark Academy
"No brakes!" is the best way to describe the incredible journey that I experienced as a fortunate member of the Leadership Class of 2013! From day one, I was exposed to the riveting real-life pillars of our community, which parallels the many complex issues of our society. In particular I found the richness and engagement of my classmates who had the strength to be so transparent and authentic as a gift that everyday fires my passion to lead and be the change agent of the future.
John Brewer, Leadership Atlanta 2013Chairman and CEO, Vantage Private Capital Group
LEAD Atlanta was an incredible experience to learn about the city and region, and gave me a perspective I will never forget. However, the one thing I got most out of the program was the importance of serving my community. While I always knew it was important to help the community at large, LEAD, through its program, speakers and fellow classmates, taught me that it needs to be a priority and central to my life. Watching my classmates dedicate their lives to service with alacrity and witnessing first-hand the impact that they have had in our community is a humbling experience, and no other program in the region can do this as well as Leadership Atlanta and LEAD Atlanta.
Andy Chang, LEAD Atlanta 2007Executive Director, Marketing & Physician Outreach, Piedmont Healthcare


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By Jason Pribila: Finally a major fight created buzz on sports television, talk radio, and even water coolers days after the fight. Unfortunately, as is often the case with boxing, the discussion was for all the wrong reasons. Corruption, travesty, and incompetence remained at the forefront of the all too familiar "boxing is a joke" discussion. The official result claimed that an undefeated American fighter upset an All-Time great and international icon, but the name "Timothy Bradley" remained as anonymous as it was when this fight was booked.
While some may claim that all publicity is good publicity, and that this controversy will eventually lead to big business. I say that this robbery could not come at a worse time for American boxing, and I for one am done defending a sport that no longer deserves to be defended.
The truth is that everyone who made money on Saturday night will continue to make money, while those who opened their wallets walk away feeling buyers' remorse. Their blind allegiance, time, patience, and intelligence have been insulted before, during, and after the official scores were read.
While several writers did an amazing job describing this latest controversy for those who have long since opted to fill their gas tanks rather than increase their cable bills, this writer has struggled to find the "winners" to fill half of his column.
4. Guillermo Rigondeaux: One of the most decorated amateurs of all time has arrived as a professional. A far cry from his November 2010 snoozer at Cowboys Stadium, on the Pacquiao-Margarito undercard, Rigondeaux dismantled a very good boxer in Teon Kennedy. The slick Cuban made each of his punches count, as Kennedy hit the canvas nearly as many times (5) as his gloves hit Rigondeauz (13). With countryman Yuriorkis Gamboa serving a self-imposed hiatus, it is now Rigondeaux who could be on the marquee in attractive fights against attractive opponents like Abner Mares or Nonito Donaire. Of course, these will be fights that Top Rank will allow to marinade until about 2015.
3. Randall Bailey: Although many felt that Bailey was at his best years ago and at a division south, he still possessed a booming right hand that kept him as a high-risk / low reward list of opponents. Bailey took step aside money in the past to allow his stable mate, Andre Berto to face Jan Zaveck for the IBF crown. On Saturday, Bailey got his chance to fight for the vacant title against the unproven Mike Jones. Bailey did his best impression of George Foreman for over nine rounds until a straight right dropped Jones at the end of round ten. Jones survived and seemed to have his legs beneath him for most of the eleventh until a vicious Bailey uppercut abruptly ended the fight. Congrats to Bailey for winning a title and ensuring himself of being the second most sought after titlist in the division not named Paulie Malignaggi.
2. Timothy Bradley: No one could blame Bradley for the judges' incompetence. The undefeated fighter carried the promotion, and did everything physically possible to get himself in the best shape to challenge the second best fighter in the world. I have been critical of Bradley in the past, but I will give him credit for trying to win until the final bell. Following the fight it was revealed that Bradley fought with a fractured foot. Kudos to him for showing the toughness everyone knew he had. No one would have blamed him for bowing out due to injury, especially after losing many, if not all of the opening nine frames.
1. Manny Pacquiao: Many questioned if Pacquiao had been slipping after his recent performances against Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez. On Saturday, Pacquiao responded by dominating a young, hungry fighter. Even while dominating weight drained fighters like Cotto and Margarito, Pacquiao got trapped against the ropes and absorbed punishment. On this night, Pacquiao seemed to be in complete control of everything except the official scorers.
While he may regret taking his foot off the gas late in the fight, he will only be seen as the loser in the record books. Much like when Mosley defeated De La Hoya, or when Winky Wright dominated Felix Trinidad; beating the man does not make you the man. When the dust settles Pacquiao will still be able to control who he fights next. His name will remain on the left side of the marquee, and he does not need an alphabet title or a rematch to further enhance his legacy.
5. "Manny Being Manny": Even if Pacquiao could be excused for wanting to watch his beloved Boston Celtics rather than focusing on his job, which was to headline a pay per view; the further delay caused by him stretching his calves was disrespectful to his opponent and all the fans that paid for tickets and pay per view. Pacquiao has put karaoke singing, Congress, and now basketball ahead of his prize fights , and this may or may not have finally worked against him on the score cards.
4. Peltz Boxing: Saturday Night was supposed to be a crowning moment for the Hall of Fame Promoter. His two prized pupils were in position to win their first major titles on the sport's biggest stage. In the opener, underdog Teon Kennedy failed to ever get into a rhythm and was out-classed by Rigondeaux. Bad quickly got worse when Mike Jones was violently stopped by Bailey. While there is no shame in getting caught by a known power puncher, it was Jones lack of activity to disarm Bailey that led to his demise. Fortunately for Jones and Kennedy, they have a promoter who won't abandon them after a loss, but the rebuilding project will most likely take place in small ballrooms; far away from the television cameras that long ignored them as they climbed the ranks.
3. Top Rank Inc. / Bob Arum: While many laughed off the decision to delay the main event until the NBA playoffs concluded, I felt that this was yet another example of disrespecting the hands that feed the sport. Fans in the arena and at home had to sit through long stretches of down time in order to satisfy the audience of another sport.
The stale casino setting has been criticized for years. Fight fans have been conditioned to get to their seats in time for the main event. By assuring that the main event would not start until after the basketball game ended again translated poorly on television.
Not only does this speak volumes about how the Top Rank brass felt about the undercard that they assembled, but I fail to see who this benefited. Were there any Celtics fans who felt like paying $60 after their hearts were broken during a franchise-altering defeat? Heat fans? They probably shut it down before the basketball game was over.
Sure Arum was out-spoken about the robbery that took place, which will inevitably fall on deaf ears. However,, commenting that he will make a lot of money on the rematch echoed loud and clear.
2, Boxing fans: There simply is not a more dedicated and loyal fan base in sports. How else do you explain pay per views exceeding $1 million buys, even though they are often put on the defensive every time a fight other than Mayweather vs Pacquiao is made. We open our wallets and ice boxes with the hopes we are about to see something great that will not only justify our loyalty, but also give us the ammunition to tell naysayers, "I told you so."
Instead we wake up on Sunday morning with messages like: "What a joke", "Fixed", "This is why boxing is dead", and my favorite, "Get a Life".
I, like many, remain loyal to a fault. Defend the sport to those few who are still listening, while scouring the boxing schedule for the next fight that will hopefully erase the sour taste left in our mouths.
However, after this latest debacle, I am forced to ask, "For who….for what?"
We are used to being treated poorly by cable networks. Many of us tune into Friday Night fights on ESPN2 only to have to sit through bowling, billiards, college baseball, and everything else that the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" allows to conclude before switching over to "live" boxing. We could shrug that off because it is on "free" television. However, this latest pay per view spoke volumes about what the powers that be feel about our time and patience.
Because of a poor decision to allow an NBA game to take precedence over an evening of boxing, we were left with dead air while sacrificing a Saturday Night and space on our DVRs.
We were forced to sit through 20 minutes of filler time between the first and second bouts. Bailey-Jones went 11 rounds, so we only had to wait 10 minutes until Jorge Arce was in the ring. After a disappointing end to an exciting two rounds, fight fans had to wait 45 minutes before Bradley's ring walk and almost an hour before the opening bell.
The main event started at 12:10am. It's no wonder why newspaper editors on the East Coast long since eliminated boxing from their budgets.
Even though the main event was void of any head-butts, cheap shots, or MMA-like take-downs, the judges' score cards ensured that we would once again wake up feeling embarrassed.
1. Nevada State Athletic Commission: The NSAC gets the top billing because they were responsible for assigning three judges who handed in scorecards that made a mockery of what fight fans had just witnessed. Duane Ford and CJ Ross each scored the bout 115-113 for Bradley, while Jerry Roth gave Pacquiao the nod by the same score. I feel Ross and Ford should be suspended indefinitely, and Roth should also be punished because his scorecard was in the same ballpark as the other two. Ford receives top honors for incompetence for going on record and stating that he felt, "Bradley gave Pacquiao a boxing lesson."
Ford's idea of a boxing lesson differed from ringside observers, the promoter, and Bradley himself. ESPN.com conducted a poll and 87% of over 60,000 people felt Pacquiao won the fight, including 91% of those polled in Bradley's home state.
Arum has since stated that he will not push for a rematch until there is an investigation into the scoring of the bout. Commission executive director, Keith Kizer, went on record saying that he would not "second guess" the officials.
Arum hinted that he would take Pacquiao's next fight to Texas, home of a commission even more notorious for poor scoring and a corruptuption. However, if nothing else, at least arena's in the Lone Star State are filled with fight fans.
Lesson learned.
Jason Pribila is a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He could be reached for questions and comments at firstname.lastname@example.com and followed on Twitter @PribsBoxing.
June 12, 2012
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