The Zoom

The transient rides to nowhere and is everywhere.

The Transcient

The shadow behind you. The glaring light that momentarily blinds you. The here and there and nowhere.
The Ghost. The Transient.
I am.

The 36

(This is historic though none might believe it. But who cares...)

I've seen the Truth. And the truth is ugly.
I've look into man's heart and have seen neither hope nor beauty.
Just emptiness staring back at me.
I've seen the Truth. The truth is ugly.

This is the moment...

"You were always on my mind... you were always on my mind."

Sorry, just can't help it. Just can stop the tears. Flooding my eyes. Can't meet yours. There comes a time. This is such time. I'm sure you are too.

H A P P Y ! ! ! ! !

Finally, the word took on a real meaning.

It's ok. Everybody is.

Now.

Milestone

I really must say today is a good day.

Wake up Mate.

Drive around. Something better is sure to come up.

Floyd Going Gaga

Floyd going gaga: Key to Mayweather – Pacquiao Fight Happening

@boxingnews24

By Rasheed Catapang

There’s no denying the talents Mayweather have that makes him such a massive force to be reckoned with in boxing. In fact, I’d go on to say that at the moment there’s no one at or near his weight that could defeat him. He’s just that good.

Sergio Martinez might be the Middleweight King. I’m sure he’ll lose his crown if he steps into the ring with Floyd. I’d love to see the fight get made though and see the whole process unfold just as I had imagined. Floyd is just that good.

He could be better.

Floyd has that Rubicon he dared not cross. He’ll easily beat anyone at or near his division but the one man who sits atop his own. Perhaps by recognizing the gift of preternatural skills he had in himself, he was alerted the moment the same gifts manifest in others. And for one as risk-averse as Floyd, it must be one scary thought. Pacquiao, by Mayweather’s past and current stance, appears to be just about the man - the sum of all his fears.

We always hear Floyd declaring “Pacquiao’s on power pellets, on this, on that…” but not once did we hear him, or perhaps ever will, saying “the die is cast.”

He had perfected the art of dodging that it might be really wishful thinking at this stage to see him fight Pacquiao. Floyd is just that good.

He’s not great though and will never get there unless an all out war with Pacquiao takes place. Floyd owes it not only to himself but to all boxing fans to cross that rubicon. We’ve travelled this far with him. It’s just one step now to get to that special place. Otherwise, the empire crumbles and we’ll be reminded once more that the emperor really has no clothes.

Mayweather, at the end of it all, will be stripped naked and weighed. Judge against the backdrop of a harsher light, the scale won’t tip in his favor. He’ll certainly be found wanting lacking the scalp of the fighter who matters the most during his time. Mediocre Fighters, Average and Above Average Boxers – he fought them all. But never did he fight an All-Time-Great. The undefeated record won’t stand the scrutiny of time either because we all know by now that Floyd defeated Castillo in their first fight the same way Paul Williams did Erislandy Lara recently – which is he didn’t.

But there’s hope yet. Floyd going gaga in episode 1 of HBO’s Mayweather-Ortiz 24/7 offers hope no matter how slim. He just went ballistic with his dad. All those vitriol, malice and ill will must have come from one deep dark eternal well. Now, if Floyd could just channel those dark thoughts to the proper recipient, he might just go crazy enough to go head on against his real nemesis.

We can only hope because it really is up to Floyd. That Rubicon won’t be there for far too long. It might not be sooner or later than Floyd thinks. It might be too late.

Mayweather’s next opponent is no chopped liver. Ortiz will be more than happy to be the one to cross that line and claim that coveted place. Not farfetched a scene in boxing where stranger things have happened.

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2011/08/floyd-going-gaga-key-to-mayweather-%E2%80%93-pacquiao-fight-happening/

Pacquiao - Marquez 3

Pacquiao – Marquez 3 and the Ultimate Guide to Mayweather

@boxingnews24

By Rasheed Catapang

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2011/08/pacquiao-marquez-3-and-the-ultimate-guide-to-mayweather/

“There are 4… 5 ways to beat Pacquiao,” Floyd had said so many times. None of them, it seems, involves him getting in the same ring with the little man. Of course we want Mayweather to show us how. But with such reluctance, he appears every inch afraid to try. And nothing in his current stance suggest otherwise.

It might be a bit unfair to question the courage of one who makes a living fighting. In this instance, the words of Blaise Pascal applies: “The heart has its reasons which reason does not know.” Does that make sense to you, Floyd? How apt.

And while we contemplate on that, Juan Manuel Marquez gets the chance to do the job with his third try.

While Marquez gave Pacquiao hell in their first two fights, the soothsayers had end-of-days written all over Marquez this time around. Either people perceived him now to be diminished goods or Pacquiao to be just too evolved – way, way ahead of him by leaps and bounds. No matter though, give it to Marquez because he still believes he’ll win as he believed he’d won their previous fights.

And maybe he will. After all, battles are first won in the minds.

In which case, Mayweather who might as well be 5 fighting levels above the Mexican Warrior, denied himself 3 times (to which Judas by the way did a far better job). By default, he had already lost his war to Pacquiao.

Tyson had beaten Spinks even before he threw the first punch. Mayweather would be damned to go through the motion against Pacquiao. He’s wiser then than I care to imagine. So much for being undefeated.

In reality, Marquez will pretty much once again suffer the pain and humiliation of losing to Pacquiao. There should be no shame in that – it’s just that real champions demand so much from themselves. It’s a better poison though than the pill Mayweather will constantly swallow – enduring the shame of denying destiny’s call and going thru the rest of his life not knowing.

Just who is the better man?

Well, Victor Ortiz might have a say on that if Mayweather is too far gone. This is boxing after all where anything can happen so long as you keep on punching.

What a Loss to Ortiz would do to Mayweather's Legacy

What A Loss to Ortiz will do to Mayweather’s Legacy

August 16th, 2011

as published in Boxingnews24

By: Rasheed Catapang

Come September 17, Victor Ortiz will take away the one thing Mayweather values the most and will crown himself in glory.

There ought to be no shame in losing to Ortiz. Unless you're Mayweather. In which case, it won't only be a matter of losing face but the end of the world as you know it. Welcome to humanity, Floyd.

Some good things never last and all that jazz.

No matter the betting odds, the possibility of Ortiz winning is just as high as the fight ending with Floyd's hands raised for the umpteenth times. Ortiz has the youth, stamina, southpaw stance and the tools to make Mayweather's nightmare a reality. If Ortiz comes to the fight with the same mental toughness he showed in the fight against Berto, he'll be one complete menacing package perfect to do the job.

Self belief is essential, though, for Ortiz to actually pull it off. In a way, he has to be like Floyd come fight night. Be his mirror, his spitting image - spitting in his face. Floyd will be his usual elusive self so Ortiz has to bang the body, bang the head, bang whatever he could take.

Maidana prevailed over Ortiz because he kept coming back, Mayweather if hit with the same force and frequency will go down and stay down. Old Mosley had it right before he gassed out in the Mayweather fight. Ortiz could learn from that and take it to another level.

So a loss to Ortiz will mean what to Mayweather's legacy?

Well, his best scalp belongs to an old and faded champion. Weighed against the scale of the All-Time-Greats, Floyd is surely found wanting. And that "0" really amounts to nothing. Finally, there's the affirmation that Mayweather is not the best boxer of his generation.

So much for the bragging rights.

As for Ortiz, the world is his oyster - the very reason he'll do everything to win. And he will.

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2011/08/what-a-loss-to-ortiz-will-do-to-mayweather%E2%80%99s-legacy/

Boxingnews: Mayweather Vs Ortiz, A bit of Southpark but not as Vicious

Mayweather vs Ortiz: Not Vicious Enough, More like Southpark

Return of the King…

Many are called but only a few are chosen. In the end, the victim must fit the profile. And so, Mayweather finally broke his long hiatus to face another willing sacrifice, the welterweight title holder Victor Ortiz. In a sleight of hand, the self-proclaimed King is relevant again.

As expected, he recited his mantra once more - the same one which had kept his face from being mangled and reduced to a bloody pulp. It worked so far, why should it not worked now.

“I’m only fighting 100% natural fighters,” Floyd couldn’t help himself from saying.

Yeah, right. In Mayweather’s world, it means fighting only those he’s sure to beat.

What a waste of talent this Mayweather is. He may be an Einstein inside the ring, but he’s truly more of an Eric Cartman outside of it. It’s really difficult to root for the guy.

And don’t think for awhile that Vicious Victor would really give Floyd a run for his money. He may have beaten Berto but Berto hit’s hard only through twitter and is really just one of those boxing paper champs anyway (and they are many). Before that Ortiz failed the test of will against Maidana and Peterson. He’s just not vicious enough.

And boxing is all about will, something Cartman, I mean Mayweather, can be counted on. The guy’s plain arrogant and his self-belief rival those of any other boxing gods. Ortiz’ feel -good story will go down the drain, another light to be consumed by Floyd’s black hole.

Which brings us to Floyd Mayweather’s antithesis, the yin to his yang.

Lord of the Rings…

Pacquiao, the Sun to Mayweather’s universe, will take on his old nemesis Marquez in a pointless welterweight exercise. Marquez may have given Manny fits in their last two fights but those were lifetimes ago, back when Pacquiao was what the Mayweathers’ called a one-handed fighter. Pacquiao’s a different beast now and Marquez is the same old man and older. I hope the trilogy doesn’t turn out a requiem for Marquez. Well, so much for closure.

As the prophets before me have spoken, Mayweather-Pacquiao is the only fight that matters (at least to each other). For crying out loud, they’re the lord of the rings. Never let your hopes up but it really should happen. How else can we find out which is really better: Pacquiao’s all destructive whirlwind offense or Mayweather’s omnipresent defense.

Freddie Roach thinks Mayweather is preparing for that as Floyd takes the Ortiz fight. But I still say don’t count Eric Cartman out.

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2011/06/mayweather-vs-ortiz-not-vicious-enough-more-like-southpark/

Reality rears its ugly head

Belated Happy Bday Gloria Macapagal Arroyo!!!

April 5

The wait is over...

Unleash the power within.

Messiah 666: In the beginning

Andrew have seen now what he would know later to be a latent ability of the Gods. The aggressor who called himself Azrael doubled before their very eyes. Just as quickly, the two Azrael resumed the attack.

The power of the Neck Tie Man had not diminished. In fact, the appearance of the second Azrael spelled for the priest twice the trouble. He won’t be able to keep up for long. And just as he feared, the other broke away from their fight and targeted Andrew.

“Your own your own but with my blessing.” The reverend spoke with his usual sarcasm. Deep inside though, he fears for him. But Gods early on must measure up or die...

APOTHEOSIS - the beginning

“Many are called, but only a few are chosen. It’s because priesthood is not just a matter of faith. It is a matter of choice. And while many better men could have donned the cassock, not all of them would have the stomach to perform such utterly complex and immaculate deception. Therefore, there remains but a resolute few to perform the harvest. It’s a cloak and dagger thing, if you know what I mean.”

Perhaps I should tell you then just to be clear.

“Holy men tell us life is a mystery. They embrace that concept happily. But some mysteries bite and bark and come to get you in the dark.”

Have you ever wondered why god spoke through prophets in parables? If all were to be saved from the damning pits of hell, and assuming everyone is equal in the eyes of god, why must his words be understood by only a selected few? Surely, the God of Israel would not have us confused.

“The Son of Man died for us. Anyone who accepts Christ gets to heaven with a free ride!” I could hear you saying now. Well, I’ve got to tell you this: You don’t get off the hook that easily.

Keep moving forward.

The Pope, with a clear mandate from heaven (passed on from Christ to Paul), is infallible. It would be a heretical opinion for anybody, Catholics or not, to say otherwise. What profanity and blasphemy it would be – and, pity on you – if you are to hold a different view. That being said, Pope Leo X spoke thus: “It has served us well, this myth of Christ.”

Oh don’t you give me that damned philistine look when I’m showing you the way. How about End-Times which fail to end on time? Or the Hell that daily fails to swallow you and me?

Let it sink and simmer. I’d like to give as much time as you need but that is something we don’t have much of. Let me spell it out to you. Let me tell you now what Paul really passed on to his successor in layman’s words that you may easily understand.

“You have been fucked… and, fucked badly!”

Seriously now, do you still think Jesus would buy you your salvation?

Now, why am I telling you all this? It’s because I believe humanity has a destiny greater than itself. And to seize that destiny, mankind must come to terms with the truth that shall set it free. Deprived for so long of a birth right etched in his genes, humankind could still live up to its full potential.

No longer should you tolerate religion or any other institution to keep you in the dark. Faith without reason is perfidy.

Humble not yourself and genuflect not in every shrine. You are better off building your own altar. Have you not been made in the image and likeness of God? If so, what does that make you? Certainly not some docile sheep as they would like you to think so.

Return the favor you owe Prometheus by getting loose from your chains. And by that, may the collective intensity of man’s inner fire bestow strength to the giant god to eventually free him from his own shackle. And should you ever meet him face to face when the deed is done, honor him by giving due courtesy to an equal.

Verily, verily, I say unto thee: For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but looses his soul? The answer should have been obvious by now. You profit a lot. You become God.

Let this be your Genesis!”

Greatness stares U at the face

Somehow, I just had to post it.

Dawn of a New Day

Here's to new beginnings!

Perhaps this man will do the job...

World Without Mayweather

January 26th, 2011

@boxingnews24

By Rasheed Catapang

He who hesitates is lost.

In the heat of the moment, we sometimes call genius mad because the rest of us are incapable of understanding the reason behind. Denied of such a spark, we are often blinded by the light when its brilliance is shining upon us. But we always know special when we see it though we may not acknowledge it at times. And with hindsight, we knew when we had witnessed greatness because greatness is compelling and always makes its presence felt.

Sometimes though, there is only madness. Like when genius fails to live to its full potential. And a downward spiral follows when light fails proclaiming the coming darkness. Such an appalling state is upon us now.

Considered by many as the most talented boxer of his generation, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is teethering on the brink of irrelevance with each passing day. Or perhaps, he’s already there.

“I’ll fight Pacquiao, like whenever…” Those were more like the words of a Paris Hilton than a supposedly feared fighter who kept proclaiming that “the fight will happen when it happens.”

Yeah right. I’m scared. And so must be the little “Yellow man” on hearing such vicious words. The man-child lost touch with the real world that he doesn’t have a solid ground, much more a square ring, to stand on.

Welcome to a world without Mayweather.

Pacquiao, the zeitgeist, rules the world of boxing. And the vacuum and void left by Mayweather has to be filled by the likes of Clottey, Margarito and now Mosley – yes, the same old Mosley Mayweather last had for dinner is still better than no one or nothing (which as established earlier is what Floyd is or is fast becoming).

With no yin to test, hold or balance the yang, Pacquiao is the blinding light at the center of boxing’s universe. And as Mosley, just another replacement expected to inefficiently test the Pacmonster’s blietzkrieg of lightning, marches on away from HBO’s glaring spotlight but towards a harsher light where 115 million homes would hopefully watch his inevitable demise – life’s contest goes on and Mayweather keeps losing by default.

Floyd’s words proved to be prophetic as he fades in the shadow of the one who took from him his coveted spot. And sadly he gave in without a fight.

“I’m not interested in rushing to do anything right now. I’m not really thinking about boxing right now…” Those lines might as well be his epitaph.

As Mayweather turns away from Boxing to face the real world, Pacquiao remains unchallenged, unfazed atop his pedestal.

No one ducks better than Floyd. Of course, in a world without Mayweather there is now David Haye.

But that’s another story.