Boxing used to be a big time sport, with names like Muhammad Ali and “Iron” Mike Tyson, while Tiger Woods made huge waves for golf. But in recent times, both have fallen off the radar. Soccer on the other hand, has never had that type of draw in America, but is just a few simple steps away. To get these sports back to the top and to put soccer into the forefront, I have the answers.
With the Masters at Augusta passing by and Woods nearly winning, but sputtering late again, a thought crossed my mind.
When is Tiger going to get back to the top and how is it that seven people had a chance at the world’s number one ranking? Ten of the last 10 major tournament winners have been different players each time, with Woods not being one of them.
Rankings aside, Woods struggles have been well documented. Seventeen tournaments in 17 months Woods has entered since the unraveling of his life, with no wins to show for them. Woods is working on a new swing with a new coach, which has affected his game.
While Woods struggles, the world waits and watches patiently for Tiger to make a comeback. I know I can’t wait for the day when Woods passes Jack Nicklaus in major titles won. It’ll be one of those moments in history where everyone looking back will stop and think ‘where was I,’ and ‘what was I doing when Tiger passed Jack.’ The world needs its Tiger.
In a different world, soccer is the bee’s knees, while in America soccer is a bust of a sport.
Major League Soccer was supposed to blow up and become the next major sport in the country. Apparently, with the addition of players like David Beckham and Thierry Henry and this last World Cup, the American team brought some slim hopes to MLS. Now that Beckham in the United States was a bust, and the buzz about getting a World Cup bid has died down, it’s back to the cellar for MLS.
Recently, NFL wide-receiver Chad Ochocinco tried out for Sporting Kansas City. This hype brought some needed attention to the game, but when Ochocinco bows out and heads back to the Cincinnati Bengals, the hype will die.
MLS needs to find players that are bigger, stronger, faster, more physical and more athletic.
Another way to help the game is by setting dimensions that are smaller than they are now. But, with bigger-better players, maybe that doesn’t matter as much.
A newer sport based off of several other fighter sports is Mixed Martial Arts. MMA is just that, mixed fighting styles in combined fashion: boxing, karate, wrestling, etc.
MMA is being blamed for the death of boxing, but in reality, boxing is the death of boxing. With horrible promoters reaching and grabbing for every penny they can get out of the sport and the commissions running the sport into the ground allowing the promoters to do as they please, no wonder it hasn’t progressed in years.
Right now, boxing has two fighters who are at the top of their game. Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao have had their verbal shots at each other, but no physical punches have been thrown. More than likely, the promoters won’t let it happen until they get the payday their after. The promoters need to be banned from the sport.
The sport needs a sanctioning body; Football has the NFL and basketball has the NBA. In individual sports, tennis has ATP and golf has the PGA. Boxing needs to wake up already, before MMA runs away with the title.