Jessica Alba, headbutts, gang signs, the Red Sox and Favre. What????

I watched the James Toney-Hasim Rahman bout tonight. It was stopped after the 3rd round and ruled a TKO in favor of Toney, handing him the heavyweight belt.

I was pulling for Toney, but this one reeks. Stuff like this, to paraphrase the announcers, doesn't happen in professional bowling.

During a 3rd round that Toney won hands down he accidentally headbutted Rahman and opened a cut above his right eye. This is not in dispute. At the end of the round when questioned by the ring doctor Rahman was quick to say he couldn't see  and the doctor called the fight.

Or did he? If he did and it was stopped because of a head butt it's a no-decision and the belt stays put. If it's called because the fighter resigned it's a TKO and the belt changes hands.

Rahman did say he couldn't see, which is all but yelling "Stop the fight!", but it was the doctor's decision. Therefore I say it's a no-decision. The California board saw it differently but appeals are no doubt in the works.

One thing tho' - no decision or not, Rahman just didn't have the heart. Hey, Lord knows four seconds after entering the ring with either guy my head separates from my neck, but I'm not a heavyweight champion. The cut, while deep, was located above the brow and did not appear to be significantly dripping into the eye. He could've/should've brushed off the cut's impact, at least and especially when talking to the doctor if it was his true intention to carry on.

And afterwards, to say that he had no intention of fighting Toney with one eye? Well, uh, doesn't that mean that you did indeed resign from the fight?

Argh. Make it a no-decision and call a 'do-over' gentlemen.

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You don't like boxing. It's full of gangsters and hoodlums you say. Violent, you say. Uh-huh. Check out this charming exerpt fromCNN/SI.com:

NFL crackdown on gang signs Posted: Wednesday July 16, 2008 06:56AM ET

Hand signals captured on videotape are once again being scrutinized around the NFL. Only this time, it's not the New England Patriots studying them for a competitive advantage, but league officials in search of a more sinister message. The NFL, concerned that some players might celebrate by flashing the hand signals of street gangs, has hired experts to examine game tapes and identify the gestures. "There have been some suspected things we've seen," said Milt Ahlerich, the league's vice president of security. "When we see it, we quietly jump on it immediately, directly with the team and the player or employee involved to cease and desist. Period." Ahlerich says the league has long warned its players about the influence of gangs and other forms of organized crime, but that those admonishments have intensified since the 2007 killing of Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams, who was gunned down after an altercation involving known gang members. NFL game officials will not be responsible for identifying gang signals but will alert league headquarters of anything unusual or suspicious they see. League executives declined to outline what action might be taken against offenders, but Pereira said, "it will be dealt with harshly. The commissioner is not going to stand for gang signals on the field."

Yeah. 'Cuz boxing is full of dangerous thugs.

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The Packers are officially alleging that the Minnesota Vikings have tampered in the Favre situation, citing multiple calls from a Minnesota assistant to Favre.

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Jonathon Papellbon, closer for the Red Sox, was treated like crap at Yankee stadium during the All-Star game and serenaded by chants of 'overrated' that echoed through the park.

Oh, the cries of 'classless' and 'typical New Yorkers' from Boston fans!

Red Sox fans hate Yankees, Yankees fans hate Red Sox. Simple. Easy peezy. Sure it was a little much for my taste, but as far as the classless comment goes, I seem to remember 'Jeter sucks and A-Rod swallows', and crap about Jeter giving herpes to Jessica Alba.

But, uh, yeah, Boston fans would never stoop so low as to yell 'over-rated'.