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Opinion

One, two, three, Zumba

by Mookie Kideckel on

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Alice Walker

Last Sunday, I experienced the wonderful world of Zumba for the first time.  

For those unfamiliar with Zumba, it’s essentially line dancing to pop and Latin music for the sake of getting in shape. Picture a square dance meets Sweatin’ to the Oldies meets a bar mitzvah in Colombia, and you’re starting to get the idea. This is “Cotton Eye Joe” and “The Cha Cha Slide” for the 21st century. And it’s good exercise, too.

For some reason, Zumba tends to be a female dominated activity. Maybe it’s because years of television have taught us that fat and ugly men inevitably end up with beautiful wives, and so men feel less inclined to exercise. Maybe it’s because some guys have a macho complex that makes them eschew cardio for weights. Or maybe it’s because for some reason guys don’t think they’re supposed to like dancing. Either way, men do not seem to do Zumba.  

Except for me. This kind of dancing feels just like camp to me, where every Friday night we’d Israeli dance. Girls changed into pants so nothing indecent would happen, and guys changed into skirts because, hey, twirling around in one is the most liberating thing in the world. Then we spent about 45 minutes working off dinner, with the extra motivation that I had to look sharp for Saturday lifeguard and tanning duty.

I didn’t wear a skirt to Zumba, I thought my thigh high running shorts would do the trick just fine.  But I did try to bring some of that spirit of freedom (read: being an attention-seeker) into class that day.  And so, I became the only male at Zumba.

This really shouldn’t have been a big deal, but I had had some previously negative experiences being the only guy in a group. Like when I was seven and dreams of being Chip in the stage production of Beauty and the Beast led me to enrol in acting classes. I was the only boy, I cried, and I quit. Or in grade three when I got stuck being the only boy in a group project. I cried about that one too. But now as a strapping 21-year-old, with a female friend-base nearby and my girlfriend Georgina for support, this was going to be nothing. There would be no tears today.

But there’s no accounting for the thoughts that swirled in my head. At first, there was a steady stream of “It feels so good to move,” transitioning into “Am I that obnoxious guy who can’t follow instructions and is ruining the exercise experience for all the girls?,” into “Uh oh, do all these girls think I’m some  pervert who’s just here to watch a room full of girls in tights shaking it?” I usually don’t think gender matters. But it was a bit hard to ignore at first.

Thanks to the power of the music, Zumba kept getting better. By the time we reached Pitbull’s “Calle Ocho,” my thoughts were gone as I happily shook my rump with the rest of the girls. Sure, I dance to the beat of my own drummer, and yes, that drummer tends to be offbeat, but that’s just the way I do. And I know I’m not there for the wrong reasons. We’re all people, and all people—male or female—have the right to get in shape by standing in line, marching side to side, moving their hips in a circle, and jumping back and forth with vibrating thighs to sweet Latin beats.

I’ll be going to Zumba again, and I encourage others to come too. Sometimes you just have to say goodbye to self-consciousness, let go of shame and pride, and just dance. Or if you prefer to do it at home, buy the videogame.

Opinion

The exchange experience

by Amanda de Souza on

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McGill students, living up to their overachiever stereotype, are always looking for ways to enhance their university experience. That’s precisely why year after year many McGillians participate in the McGill Exchange/Study Abroad Program, taking on the role of international student and returning with more than another stamp in their passports.

Students typically leave on exchange sometime during their third year. This gives them two full years to adapt to and understand McGill’s academic and social environment. Yet in speaking to multiple returning exchange students, I noticed a common trend among them. They all expressed a great deal of trouble re-acclimating to the McGill environment.

“You forget that the lifestyle at McGill is so difficult to maintain,” says Ari Jaffe, U3 Management, who spent last semester on exchange in Bangkok, Thailand, “At McGill you have to be a superhuman. Exchange was nothing like that.”

Whether they’d gone to Bangkok, Sydney, London, or Sao Paulo I found these students’ symptoms followed a similar pattern, ultimately leaving them in a reverse culture shock state when they return to the Roddick Gates.

The process begins once you’re admitted to the program. “It’s all so surreal until the plane actually lands,” said Diana Stern, a U3 IDS  and Management student who spent last semester at the University of Leeds in the UK, “There is a period of shock when you arrive to realize that you have to build a life in a new city.”

However, the reality of exchange quickly kicks in. Proudly bearing the McGill name, you’re warmly welcomed by your new community. Between the travelling, new friends, and the ease of pass/fail courses, the bulk of these five months are spent more as a getaway than an academic experience. But  what goes up must come down.

“The thought of leaving exchange behind was heartbreaking,” said Jaffe.

This is where most recently returned students find themselves. “It was surprisingly difficult to readjust to the McGill environment,” said Stern. “You realize after experiencing student life somewhere else, the competitive nature and stress level that is synonymous with McGill is unique to it as well.” Acclimatizing back to McGill requires more than suiting up in Canada Goose.

McGill provides students with the opportunity to study abroad at some of the world’s most reputable institutions, so the level of academics is relatively similar. Why then are McGill students under so much more stress? Alana Romoff, a U3 cultural studies student explained, “We tend to put so much emphasis on the hardships of this school that we take for granted the great things that make McGill such a positive personal experience for us. My friends at McGill are what I came to cherish most about university.”  

Jaffe and Stern agreed that the well-rounded student we idealize here is an unnecessary standard worldwide.

We don’t need to be so concerned with being in the top five per cent of our class in order to feel accomplished. So in this pre-finals season of multiple papers and second round midterms, let us use the example of our peers overseas and view our degrees not as a means to an end, but as a larger journey outside of Leacock, Shulich and Redpath.

Student Life

McGill’s frog

by Alison Bailey on

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Holly Stewart

There is a frog above the entrance to the James Administration building. Although most students walk by this building every day, it’s an architectural detail that’s easy to miss. If you’ve noticed it, you may be wondering what it has to do with administration or McGill; in reality, it has very little to do with either.

The Medical Building, built in 1872, used to stand where the James Administration building currently does. It burned down in 1907, and a new biology building was built in its place. A small brick structure to the west of the building was constructed to serve as the animal house. While the current structure doesn’t house any laboratories or classrooms, the frog remains intact as a reminder of its original purpose.

Joke

Parents replace student with dog

by Alison Bailey on

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     At the end of August, my sister packed her bags and moved to Chicago to study art, leaving my parents as empty nesters. My parents had spent, just as they had done for me, roughly 18 years holding my sister’s hand, wiping her mouth, and making sure she got up every time she fell. Now they’d have to just trust that she’d survive in Chicago by herself. They suddenly had twice, or even thrice, as much time on their hands.

     To fill the void their children left, some couples start going to the theatre or develop hobbies. My parents bought a dog. Our one-year-old puppy, Eddie, has slowly but surely replaced my sister and me. Over the past weekend, I realized the full extent of the problem: my parents worship the ground this dog poops on.

     My parents have become those “dog people” that I used to mock, the ones who treat their dog like a human being. Who in their right minds would leave a dog an inheritance? Now I’m starting to question the future of my financial comfort. I can already see my dad using patrilineal inheritance as a justification: “Eddie is after all our only male offspring.”

     They do the most embarrassing things, like call Eddie my brother and put him on the phone. They buy umbrellas with golden retrievers on them and attend the Dog Whisperer’s show in Ottawa. Eddie somehow got a needle embedded under his jaw, and my parents spent the equivalent of two iPads to remove it. No matter what Eddie does, my parents will always love him.

     If I were to rate how my parents see my dog through an arbitrary point system, this is roughly how it would go:

Eddie eats my shoe:

Alison: -20 points

Parents: +5, because I should have put my shoes away.

Eddie wakes me up at 8 a.m.:

Alison: -5 points. If he had given me an extra hour it would have been cute.

Parents: +20 points, because they told him to do it. “Good boy!”

Eddie tries to roll over but gets stuck halfway:

Alison: +10, he looks like a turtle, that’s hilarious. He’s so stupid.

Parents: +20, he looks so cute.

     On a recent weekend visit back home, I took the dog for a walk. In my everyday outdoor attire, a beige pea coat and jeans, we headed towards the park. I didn’t realize I should have suited up for World War Three.

     By the time I got home both Eddie and I were completely covered in mud, despite every other dog and owner at the dog park remaining sparkly clean. As I walked through the door, Eddie had about -543 points in my books. The sly grin on my parents’ faces killed me. I could tell Eddie had just gained at least another 20 points.

     What they see in this dog puzzles me. All I know is that I have to forget about my inheritance because there are more pressing concerns. Next time I come home, Eddie will have my room and I’ll be sleeping in the kitchen.

Sports

Redmen win fifth consecutive QURL championship

by Rebecca Babcock on

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Ada Sonnenfeld
Ada Sonnenfeld

The McGill Redmen Rugby Team earned the right to be called champions on Sunday night, avenging their single regular season loss by defeating the Concordia Stingers 22-10 in the Quebec Student Sports Federation Championships. In the biggest game of their season, the Redmen turned in their best performance to win their fifth consecutive QURL title.

Both teams, although nervous, started strong. In the first minute, a penalty was called against Concordia; however, McGill’s Gideon Balloch missed the conversion. Cameron Perrin made a fantastic first half run. He was almost in the clear when a Concordia player made a nasty play and pulled him down by the collar of his jersey, choking him in the process. McGill was awarded a penalty kick but, again, it missed.

A few minutes later, Concordia committed another penalty and Balloch redeemed himself, making the kick and scoring the first points of the game to make it 3-0 for McGill. In the 23rd minute, Concordia answered with a successful kick of its own, tying the score at 3-3.

Then the Redmen took control of the game. In the 28th minute, Balloch scored the first try of the game off of some great offensive passing. He then succeeded at the conversion to make the score 10-3.

For the rest of the half, McGill dominated both offensively and defensively, making some great runs, lineout plays, and impressive hits. In the fifth minute, a Concordia player received a yellow card for a late tackle. McGill took advantage of this and with only a minute and a half to go Balloch scored the second try of the game and the conversion making the score 17-3 McGill.

The second half started off a little messy for both the Stingers and the Redmen. Concordia was offside for the first kick and then were penalized for hands in the ruck. McGill was called for a knock-on and a skewed lineout throw.

However, the most costly penalty was by Concordia’s Auguste Stoker who received a second yellow card for intentional obstruction and was ejected from the game. Concordia played the rest of the game a man down.

Sam Skulsky had some huge hits and stole some balls during the game.  

“It was really a team effort—the team allowed me to get into position to make those tackles.” Skulsky said. “We really clicked today which is good, we really wanted it and we came out with all guns firing.”

In the 11th minute of the second half, Concordia scored a try and a conversion to narrow the gap to 17-10.

Again, McGill answered, as Balloch scored the third try of the game. He didn’t make the conversion, but the lead was enough and the game finished 22-10 for McGill.   

“I was ecstatic,” said McGill Head Coach Craig Beemer. “I was really happy with our defence. The boys showed up ready to play and everything that happened is totally on them. They worked hard all year; the focus in practice was great. Their loss against Concordia helped our intensity level going into the playoffs and I couldn’t be more happy with them.”

The McGill forwards captain, Alexander Sunell, agreed with his coach.

 “We took everything we have been learning all season and put it in one game,” he said. “It’s surely the best game of the season. We just need to work on being a team like we were today; nothing will stop us if we play as a team.”

Six players on the team—Sam Skulsky, Keelan Chapman, Liam Brown, Roderick MacKenzie, Max Gregory, and Jong-Wook Lee—have earned a berth on the Quebec University Rugby League’s all-star squad.

Chapman said, “The game was tough in the first 20 minutes, but once we got the motor running everything fell into place and we were able to get the phases going and get those breakthroughs to get those tries.”

Their next game is the Eastern Championships on Saturday, November 20, at 1:30 p.m. at Molson Stadium.

Sports

Return to the shinny rink for NHLers

by Jon Rubenstein on

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The North American professional sporting world is primarily made up of the so-called “Big Four” leagues—the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, and the National Hockey League. Still, while the NHL will always have a strong base in Canada, it’s an afterthought for the majority of Americans. The NHL’s attempts to make the game more exciting, such as the incorporation of the shootout, haven’t quite had the impact that the league was looking for south of the 49th parallel.

This changed last week, when the NHL announced a change to the All-Star Game format that has sports aficionados drooling in anticipation. While fans will still have the opportunity to vote in six starters (three forwards, two defencemen, and a goalie), team captains will fill out their lineups by choosing the rest of the two squads in a fantasy-style draft.

By introducing this change, the NHL has come up with an ingenious idea to try and make the perennially lacklustre event exciting. Injecting a schoolyard style draft into the All-Star Game is unprecedented in any of the major sporting leagues. Everyone can relate to the days on the playground when two captains selected players for their team one by one from a pool of eager kids. Seeing professional hockey players do this on national television is going to be a joy to watch.

What may bring an even bigger smile to the faces of those watching is the reaction of the player who is selected last. On the playground nobody wanted to be “that guy.” When the final name was called, the remaining player would join his/her teammates knowing that they truly were an afterthought. “Fine, I guess we’ll take Joey,” the captain would say as little Joey hung his head and moped on over to the rest of his teammates.

As the NHL struggles to compete with other professional sports in North America, I applaud its willingness to take risks and go against the grain. Sometimes these changes work out (eliminating the two line pass rule), while other times they do not (the dreaded shootout). Nevertheless, the NHL has successfully realized that in order to have any chance of increasing its American fan base, it has to spice up its product.

I give further props to the NHL for recognizing the reality of the fan experience in sports today. Fantasy sports and “franchise mode” in video games have become as big a part of sports as actually following the games. There’s an indescribable thrill in assembling a squad of all-stars and seeing them work their magic together on the same team. Now, for the first time, sports fans will see their dreams turn into reality.

The concept of the all-star game in any sporting league has lost a lot of its lustre. Except for the MLB, many fans are uninterested in seeing athletes half-ass their way through a game that has no significance. However, NHL players are fired up about these changes and hopefully that will translate into a better product on the ice. Giving team captains the agency to choose their own team will make players more accountable and ratchet up the competition. I cannot wait to hear the phrase “With the first pick in the 2011 NHL All-Star draft, Alexander Ovechkin selects…”

Behind the Bench, Sports

What happened to retiring in style?

by Mari Mesri on

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Nobody wants to be “that guy” on campus. The guy in the seventh year of his undergrad and still trying to fit in. The guy who tirelessly attempts to convince you that the victory lap is, in fact, cool. Allen Iverson has become “that guy.”

On October 29, Allen Iverson signed a two-year contract with the club Besiktas Cola Turka. Never heard of them? You’re not alone. Besiktas is a professional basketball team based in Istanbul and belongs to Europe’s second-tier league, EuroCup. The 11 time NBA all-star and former MVP was showered with media attention as he landed in Istanbul, and Turkish fans are eagerly anticipating his debut on November 20. To the dismay of many fans, he’s made it possible for the words “Iverson” and “second tier” to be put into one coherent sentence.

The past two seasons have been a struggle for Iverson. Plagued by injuries and personal issues, he made a gradual descent from superstardom to the Detroit Pistons bench, to being out of the NBA before the 2009–2010 season ended. In July, Iverson posted on his Twitter account, “I want to return to the NBA this season, and help any team that wants me, in any capacity that they feel that I can help.” He’s now Istanbul’s biggest basketball celebrity after he received no calls and no contract offers from NBA teams. Larry Brown, the coach of the Philadelphia 76ers during Iverson’s tenure, said, “I think it’s sad having him have to go to Turkey to finish his career.” Sad is exactly how I felt as I read the headlines of Iverson’s signing. Allegedly, his plan is to dominate in Turkey, show the NBA that he’s still a star, and eventually make his return. However, his aspirations sound like a daydream.

Disappointingly, this seems to be a growing trend in the world of professional sports. Take David Beckham, for example. The English soccer star left Europe to play for the L.A. Galaxy of the MLS. He was also conveniently injured for the 2010 World Cup. I say conveniently because anyone who has seen him play recently can tell you that he is not the same Beckham that led the English squad so many years ago. Following him to North America was French soccer deity Thierry Henry. The once unstoppable Henry spent most of the 2010 World Cup helplessly huddled on the bench in a parka. Both Henry and Beckham were no longer competitive in Europe and knew that it was time to take their leave. Their awareness of their own abilities is appreciated, but their desperate attempts to stretch their careers are not. I grew up watching Beckham and Henry tear up the field in Europe. Seeing them in the MLS doesn’t make me nostalgic, it makes me disappointed.   

Iverson’s decision is not any different from the career shifts of Beckham and Henry. Iverson is one of the most decorated players in NBA history, but he’s now 35 years old and nowhere close to being the player he once was. His Besiktas contract will make him $4 million richer—not too significant for a man who has made over $200 million throughout his NBA career.

With all this in mind, how is retirement not the obvious option for Iverson, Beckham, or Henry? What is it that drives these formerly majestic athletes to seek acceptance elsewhere when they are no longer fit for the top level of competition? They’ve all had their share of accomplishments and recognition, so why not quit while they are on top and leave with their dignity intact? This may seem overly pessimistic, but as Iverson starts up his “revitalized” career at the sold-out game in the modest Besiktas J.K. Arena, where the seating capacity is 4,500, he will quickly realize that it doesn’t compare to the days when he was the most dominant player in the NBA, playing at the Wells Fargo Centre before the eyes of 20,000 adoring fans during the NBA playoffs.

I’m not undermining these athletes, their careers, or their pure love for their respective sports. They’re still productive players for their new respective teams. I just miss the classic curtain calls of legendary athletes, like Wayne Gretsky’s emotional ceremony, that left you feeling pleasantly reminiscent. I’m a sucker for picture perfect endings, and athletes like Iverson are raining on my parade.

Sports

Synchro team’s topical choreography a big hit

by Sam Hunter on

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Maxime Sawicki

With precision, the McGill synchronized swim team executed their routine and left the competition floundering. The McGill White team won the competitive team event.

The six-time consecutive Canadian University Synchro Swim League champions put on a dazzling performance and look primed for yet another big season.

The highlight of the competition was McGill’s White team’s vampire-themed routine, which started off with a few neck-nibbling poses and ended up with freshman Carrie Mouck walking on water (and the arms and shoulders of her submerged teammates).

“We were really happy with how we swam,” Mouck said.

“[The choreography] is a pretty big group effort between all the swimmers and the coaches.” Mouck added. “Generally, the coaches will give us an idea of what they want, then we’ll play around with stuff, and then we put it all together.”

Head Coach Cassandra Bilogan was also enthusiastic about the teams’ performances.

“I think all the swim teams swam really well today, it’s always good in front of an audience, it gives them that adrenaline that they need to be really… showcase-y, I guess,” she said.

Laura McClemont performed the only non-novice solo. McClemont swam for the Canadian national synchro team from 2003 to 2009 but quit the program in order to focus on finishing her degree.

“While I was swimming on the national team I was [a] part-time [student] because I was swimming 40 hours a week,” she said.

Still, synchro for McGill is different this year than it has been in years past since the squad recently transitioned from competitive club to varsity team status.

Coach Bilogan and coach Lynn Macrae both felt that the newfound status has produced a tangible benefit to their team, however slight.

“It’s those little things,” Macrae said. “I think the swimmers and the coaches have all noticed the transition from club to varsity even though day-to-day it doesn’t change so, so much, Even getting a little additional pool time, having all the varsity gear, it’s very motivating overall. We feel like these past years winning championship-after-championship… it’s nice to finally get the recognition.”

“I think that we went to varsity and didn’t get cut because of our performance—this is our seventh consecutive year we’re going for winning national championships,” Bilogan added.

The athletes also feel that they are being taken seriously as an organization.

“Our sport is often marginalized as just being a bunch of weird bathing suits and flopping around in the water. But [varsity status] validated us as being a real sport,” said McClemont.

With six consecutive league titles hanging around the pool, and a chance for a seventh this year, no one should be questioning the validity of McGill’s synchro team.

The team competes next at the Eastern Canadian Championship Meet on January 16 at Queen’s University.

Sports

Redmen rock the rims in opener

by Adam Sadinsky on

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It was a night of new beginnings for the Redmen basketball team as they opened up their Quebec University Basketball League season with an 82-65 victory over Bishop’s Gaiters on Saturday night. Freshman Simon Bibeau led the team with 18 points as McGill (1-0) delivered a win for Head Coach David D’Aveiro in his first regular season game behind the bench.

For a team full of new faces, the win on Saturday should help the confidence of this promising McGill squad. The Redmen started out cautiously, trading baskets with the Gaiters (0-1), and only led by four points at halftime before they pulled away with a 28-15 third quarter to put the game out of reach.

“We played well in stretches— I thought especially in the third quarter we came out and played some pretty good defence and executed our offence,” said Head Coach D’Aveiro. “We played fairly well throughout the game.”

The Redmen were led by two young Montrealers in Bibeau and second-year point guard Olivier Bouchard. Bibeau had five rebounds and a pair of steals to go along with his team-leading 18 points, while Bouchard contributed 15 points to the winning effort.

In the first half, both teams struggled in their first regular season game. Neither team shot well, and at the end of the first quarter the score was tied at 16-16.

The struggles continued into the second quarter, but with less than 20 seconds to go in the half, Bibeau hit a clutch three-pointer, grabbed a rebound, and made a buzzer-beating layup for a five point swing that gave McGill a four point edge and all the momentum going into the half.

In the second half, McGill came out flying and never looked back. They scored the first 12 points to build up a lead that would later swell to 25 points in the fourth quarter.

“To start the second half we attacked the rim a little more, played with more confidence offensively,” D’Aveiro said, “Defensively we had some steals and got some scores off them.”

Bouchard said the team owed a lot to their new coach.

“Coach told us that this was the time to impose our will on them, and we did,” he said. “We had to play hard defence and run on offence. We took good shots and we won.”

Neither team had a particularly good game shooting from the field. McGill only shot 38.8 per cent and Bishop’s finished with a weak 37.5 per cent. However, free throws played an important role in the Redmen’s victory as they got to the line often in the second half and hit 76.7 per cent of their free throws while the Gaiters shot a dismal 37.9 per cent from the charity stripe.

Michael White, the only senior dressed for McGill, had two highlight reel dunks that brought the crowd to its feet. White had 10 points and added six rebounds. Nicholas Nishikawa pulled down eight boards to lead McGill to a 41-33 rebounding advantage.

On the other side, Onnex Blackwood led the Gaiters with 18 points, while Alex Audette-Genier had 12 in just 19 minutes.

Despite the win, there’s still work to be done for the Redmen. D’Aveiro stressed patience with his young team and recognized that there will be a learning curve despite their performance in their first game.

“With a young team you’re going to make a few more mistakes than you would with a veteran team, so you’ve got to be patient,” he said. “You don’t want to make the same mistakes twice. We’ve never played with a lead of 20, so we need to work on playing with a lead.”

Bibeau, the star of the game for the Redmen, was happy to get off on the right foot.

“It’s kind of like the first year for everyone,” he said. “But we have lots of potential and I love what’s going on here. I’m loving the experience, with a new coaching staff and newcomers on the team it’s been easy to adapt. I made a great decision [to play for McGill].”

McGill and Bishop’s will meet again on Thursday night in Lennoxville. The Redmen’s next game at Love Competition Hall is on Saturday, November 27, against the UQAM Citadins.

Sports

Around the Water Cooler

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For those of you who don’t keep TSN as your home page or Sports Illustrated as your bedtime reading, we know sports can be hard to understand, this section is for you.

Salacious solicitation scandal

NCAA FOOTBALL:  Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is one of the most exciting athletes you’ll ever see. His passing and running abilities are sublime (watch his ridiculous highlights on YouTube) and he’s the runaway favourite to win the Heisman Trophy. That is, until last week, when the news broke that Newton’s father, Cecil, had attempted to solicit a “pay for play” agreement for his son in the neighbourhood of six figures. Cecil has admitted to the charges but contends that his son was unaware of his dealings. Regardless, this is another devastating blow to the integrity of amateur college athletics south of the border. If Newton plays the rest of the season (and doesn’t get suspended by Auburn or the NCAA), look for him to dominate, for Auburn to remain undefeated and for the National Championship game to be surrounded by serious (and deserved) controversy.

 

Lions roughly ridden

CFL PLAYOFFS: In what is sure to go down as an all-time great Conference semifinal playoff game, the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the B.C. Lions 41-38 in double overtime. Adding insult to injury, former Lion Jason Clermont scored the winning touchdown against his former team. Saskatchewan will go on to play Calgary in the Western Finals. In the other playoff game, Toronto defeated Hamilton 16-13 in the “Battle of Ontario” to set up a classic Eastern Conference final matchup against rival Montreal.

Pacman chews up Margarito

BOXING: Manny Pacquiao, the pride of the Philippines, staked his claim to be considered one of boxing’s all-time greats Saturday night when he absolutely demolished Antonio Margarito. Margarito, who was 17 pounds heavier and 4½ inches taller, was beaten so badly by the quick and powerful Pacquiao that he will need serious facial reconstruction surgery to repair his fractured right eye socket. This victory keeps the door open for a potential $100 million superfight with undefeated defensive wizard Floyd Mayweather Jr. It may be too late however, as Mayweather is facing domestic abuse charges and potential jail time.

 

Three kings or three stooges?

NBA: The Miami Heat now have more losses than they do all-stars. The new “big-three” suffered their third and fourth losses of the season to Utah and Boston, respectively. Looks like the Heat could use some more talent in South Beach.

NHLers unaware of how to properly tip cabbies

NHL: Hockey players seem to have a serious problem with cabbies. Less than a year after Stanley Cup hero Patrick Kane assaulted a taxi driver over $1.20 (Kane has a contract worth $31 million), Calgary Flames centre Brett Sutter was arrested for drunkenly sucker-punching a cabbie in Phoenix. This is getting outrageous—do NHLers need to be refereed at all times?

 

Straight cash homie

NFL: Randy Moss took the field for the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. After getting himself kicked out of New England and Minnesota for bad behaviour (watch “Randy Moss—One Clap” by DJ Steve Porter for an incredible all-time compellation of Moss’ ridiculous quotes like, “Straight cash homie.” and “I play when I want to play”), this will be the third team that the former all-pro receiver has suited up for this season. Moss struggled again this weekend with one catch for 26 yards. If his poor performance and attitude continue, maybe he’ll get a chance at team number four later this season.

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