Football Great Zinedine Zidane Going Through Rough Patch As Manager Of Real Madrid (Do Legends Make The Best Coaches)

Zinedine Zidane

Legendary French football player, Zinedine Zidane, is having a rough time as manager (coach) of the accomplished Real Madrid F.C. squad in Spain. The team’s top footballer is Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the world‘s leading goal scorers. Real Madrid has won La Liga in the past, but they are struggling this season. Real Madrid recently lost to rival Atletico Madrid. FC Barcelona have been dominating with the attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis “The Teeth” Suarez (Ok, his nickname is not the teeth, but Suarez is famous for using his LOL). 

I would sometimes wonder why legendary football players have difficulty coaching teams. Then, there's the theory in reference to the topic that a footballer who is a legend due to his exemplary skill, becomes frustrated when athletes don't grasp the game and what is being taught, on the same level and manner as the top footballer turned manager. 

By right, men like Pele and Bobby Charlton, should be among the best managers in the world. However, it has not happened. No one questions their skill, as they are the best, but truthfully, who has replicated the aforementioned athletes' abilities in younger players. That's because other factors come into play. Some athletes have better physical coordination (eye/foot as opposed to hand/eye in other sports) and control than others. Some athletes are naturally faster with better aim than others. This is why practice is essential in a bid to correct any deficiencies, in a bid to make your athletes the best they can be.

Pele, who is often hailed as the best ever, humorously stated in the Mirror newspaper of Manchester United and current coach Louis Van Gaal, "I told him, you know he is a very strong guy and they (Manchester United) should have courage because I am never going to be coach. I don't want to suffer." It's difficult being a manager, because when the team does not win, you will be blamed. 

It's easy to take negative newspaper articles and chants at matches personally, when football fans yell for the firing of their favorite team's manager. However, that's when you have to redouble your efforts to bring out the best in the squad and make any necessary changes. Do not become overwhelmed, discouraged or dispirited. Look at it this way, erase the points deficit by digging your way out of that hole, one match at a time. Take it one match at a time.

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Is Cherry Picking Opponents In Boxing Wrong

Some have criticized promoters and boxers for "cherry picking" their opponents to increase the chances of victory. Some dislike it. Most boxers will tell you they will fight anyone, anytime and anywhere. However, is it a good idea in the early stages of one's career (and towards the end of it if one has hit advanced years). Let's face it, some boxers are further in their development than others. The fight will not be well matched and could put you at a great disadvantage.

If I were a promoter I would have qualms about putting a boxer in with someone they are not ready for in the ring. It is not a lack of confidence, just practicality. There are many things you will not learn in the gym, that require the experience of the ring in a live setting. How you react to truly being hit, going the distance, the noise of the crowd.

Newly pro boxers usually look green in the ring for about their first 10 fights. They land fewer punches and make more mistakes than a pugilist with at least 20 fights under their belt. Boxers with more experience turn into sharks smelling blood in the water when a promoter sends in a rival for something they are not ready for. The rival boxer knows and it ends up looking like this: 

(Photo credit and caption: ICanHasCheezburger site)

Therefore, why would you want someone to punch a hole in your boxer or knock him into the next solar system, by signing him up for a fight he wasn't ready for in any measure. What do you do if you sign your fighter up for a fight he wasn't ready for yet, only to see him take the most restful nap of his life in the middle of the ring, until the medical team wakes him up from the knock out.

If you lose too early in your boxing career, it will cause problems with the type of fights you can get, how much you are paid in purse money and your sponsors, which helps to pay your bills as a boxer. It's better to pace it, choosing a natural and steady progression, rather than rush into a confidence battering defeat that could be avoided had you simply waited until your development was at a greater stage.

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Former Chelsea Coach Jose Mourinho Hauled Into Court For Firing Doctor Eva Carneiro In A Case That Highlights How A Manager Can Lose The Confidence Of His Team

Eva Carneiro being yelled at by Jose Mourinho

This week in London, England, an employment tribunal case and separate legal proceedings commenced against Chelsea F.C. and its former manager (coach) Jose Mourinho, for dismissing the team’s lead doctor, Eva Carneiro. She has brought a “constructive dismissal” claim, meaning she was dismissed (see: fired, terminated) from her post, then demoted to a secondary medical team that do not occupy the bench on match day.

Carneiro’s removal from her position occurred after she and physio Jon Fearn rushed onto the pitch to treat injured footballer, Eden Hazard, during this season’s opening day match. After treating Hazard, they escorted him off the pitch. Mourinho became enraged that one of his main footballers was no longer in the match and the team was temporarily left with nine men on the pitch.

Mourinho was accused of yelling sexist slurs at Carneiro in front of rolling cameras covering the match. He later branded her “impulsive and naïve.” Carneiro’s dismissal from her position as lead doctor due to the demotion, meant she lost the coveted post on the first medical team, prompting her to leave Chelsea shortly after. In an ironic twist, Chelsea, who are the reigning champs of the Premier League, are having an awful season, prompting the club’s owner to fire Mourinho over the Christmas season. What goes around comes around. What Mourinho did to Carneiro has befallen him.

Jose Mourinho

ITV News is reporting, "Carneiro has also had backing from FIFA's medical chairman Michel D'Hooghe, who contacted the doctor to offer his support and that of the world governing body. He has backed Carneiro's insistence that she was simply doing her job." Social media comments by the public also reveal support for Carneiro.

In another ironic twist, after Mourinho’s sacking, the team began playing better. Some are accusing the Chelsea squad of being so unhappy working with Mourinho, that they deliberately played badly to get him fired. It is a difficult accusation to prove, as Mourinho has been very surly and verbally abusive with the squad, Careniro (and for all to see during his vitriolic outburst) and other Premier League managers, such as Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger. It can be argued the Chelsea squad became dispirited and played badly due to Mourinho’s conduct. Humility is important in life.

Mourinho is a very accomplished manager. However, he is having problems in his personal life and took it out on the squad and other Chelsea employees. As difficult as it may be, one must separate one’s personal problems from one’s business life. When the unprovoked insults are spiteful and cruel, they are deemed personal attacks. Football is fun and full of good-natured ribbing. Things should not reach the levels of animus Mourinho ventured into during his tenure at Chelsea.

On another note, Hazard was also billed as the next big footballer, but it has not materialized, indicating he needs more assistance in his development. This happens sometimes when great expectations are placed on athletes. Being a top athlete requires skill, mental grit and the ability to play under pressure. One must follow through on the initiative.

Being a football manager is not easy either. To be great at it you have to be a fair disciplinarian, planner, strategist, instructor and motivator in what will be a cycle of wins and losses. There’s nothing wrong with being a disciplinarian, regarding maintaining proper rules and codes of conduct for a team, but when it ventures into mean-spirited verbal abuse and venomous conduct, a manager will lose his audience that is the squad. When you break people's spirit, they are not going to give you their best. Correct them on what they did wrong, but compliment them on what they did right. There needs to be a balance. Be fair. 

In closing, no manager is greater than the squad. No footballer is greater than the squad. To get the best results, the manager and squad must function as an equal whole.

STORY SOURCE

Ex-Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro set for constructive dismissal tribunal hearing

5 January 2016 at 4:19pm - Former Chelsea team doctor Eva Carneiro's constructive dismissal case against the club will have its first tribunal hearing on Wednesday. The preliminary hearing will take place at the London South Employment Tribunal in Croydon, and is expected to be in private before an employment judge.

The hearing will fix the timetable for the case, and deal with witness statements and disclosure of documents - including texts and emails - by each side, as well as any legal procedural disputes that current exist between the two parties...Chelsea filed their defence in the case last month. Carneiro also has a separate personal legal action against former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who left the club in December, for alleged victimisation and discrimination.

The 42-year-old doctor was dropped from first-team duties after Mourinho criticised her and the first-team physio Jon Fearn for going onto the pitch to treat Eden Hazard on the opening day of the season. The action meant that Chelsea were temporarily down to nine men against Swansea, and afterwards Mourinho called Carneiro and Fearn ''impulsive and naive''. Carneiro did not appear on the bench again for first-team duties and later parted company with the club...

 http://www.itv.com

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs Hit With Criminal Charges In UCLA Assault Case And Coach Reveals The Only Reason His Son Justin Combs Received A Football Scholarship Is Because Of The Rapper's Fame

Justin Combs and Sean "Diddy" Combs

Rapper and mogul, Sean "Diddy" Combs was arrested on Monday for aggravated assault on UCLA fitness and conditioning coach, Sal Alosi. Combs became enraged as Alosi berated and humiliated his son, Justin Combs, during practice. Alosi, who is know for tripping a Miami Dolphins football player during an NFL game and having to formally apologize at a press conference, caught the brunt of Combs' anger for verbally abusing his son.

Sean Combs

Combs is accused of physically attacking Alosi twice and swinging a kettlebell (weight) at an intern, who aided in breaking up the fight. Campus security were called and after reviewing surveillance tapes Combs was arrested. The rapper is now up on four charges in relation to the incident. Combs has been charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of making terrorist threats. This was not the way to handle this problem. A formal letter should have been submitted to the school regarding Alosi's verbally abusive conduct, as such speech does prove harmful to athletes' performance and psyche.

Sal Alosi

Former UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel stated on Sirius XM satellite radio that the only reason Justin Combs was offered a scholarship to UCLA is because of his dad's fame, as he is too small to play defense. Neuheisel stated, "When you’re weighing the assets of what a youngster can do for your program, there’s no question he had something to do with it for me. Justin is a great kid. His problem was his size. He’s not big enough to be a dominant player. Could he be productive? Yes. The fact his father was an influential guy played into my decision to go ahead and offer him."

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Footballer Angel Di Maria Injured In First Match After Manchester United Signed Him For $100,000,000

Angel di Maria (left) made his debut for Manchester United against Burnley in a draw

Recently, the beleaguered, former championship winning Manchester United football club in England, signed star Real Madrid footballer, Angel Di Maria, for $100,000,000. Manchester United fans got excited, believing it would return the team to football glory. This past Saturday, Di Maria got suited and booted, made his way unto the pitch…and ended up injured during his first match. 

Louis Van Gaal (center)

According to the Telegraph, someone kicked Di Maria in the calf creating the problem and the new manager, Louis Van Gaal, took him off the pitch as a precaution. If I pay you $100,000,000, you could get kicked in the no-no’s (crown jewels) and I’m still playing you (LOL). Your spleen could fall out and I would look at the medic and say, "Can't we just slap a bandage on him and get him back in the match."

Alex Ferguson

Football trolls on social networking *cough* such as myself, have had a field day at poor Manchester United’s expense, as they dominated football for years (yea, we were hating). So, their losing streak is stunning to watch. I joked on Twitter that maybe Di Maria got confused and thought he was signing with reigning champs, Manchester City, not Manchester United. Safe to say he knows now (just teasing). 

David Moyes

Manchester United went from years of success and confidence under former manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired with the team as number one in the Premier League, to his pessimistic, doubtful successor, David Moyes, telling the squad for nearly a year they will not win (and they played that way and lost). 

An example of the football troll jokes about Manchester United on social networking. It's all in good fun and people don't mean it in a bad way.

Though he did not mean to do so, Moyes destroyed their confidence. Social media making Moyes and by default the squad the butt of many jokes didn't help Manchester United's confidence either. Spending all the money in the world on footballers without correcting the confidence issue is not going to work. 

Do Some Managers, Coaches Trainers And Athletes Have An Edge Due To Trade Secrets

 

Pele

For many years, select managers, coaches, trainers and athletes pioneered training methods that are essentially trade secrets that give them a fair and ethical, but secretive edge in play. My dad, who was a professional athlete and worked in the sports industry for many years, told me of things he witnessed behind the scenes, regarding stellar athletes in various sports, who loved their craft so much, they took it to new levels during training. 

    

Ali shuffle

Some athletes have signature moves associated with them. Heavy weight boxing champ Muhammad Ali pioneered the Ali shuffle. Floyd Mayweather popularized "the Philly shoulder roll" also known as the "Philly shell." In football, David Beckham popularized a method of making the ball curve at such an angle it greatly increased the probability of a goal being scored as well as confused many a goalie as to where the ball was headed. Michael Jordan seemingly flew through the air in basketball on his way to the rim, making it difficult to guard him without catching a foul. It earned him the nickname “Air Jordan.” 

Mayweather has popularized the shoulder roll

Boxing trainer Cus D’Amto was so meticulous is his training methods, he even stunted the growth of champion boxer Mike Tyson by making him jog with 50 pounds of weights on his back during his teen years, as he believed it would make him a better heavyweight. 

Michael Jordan soaring through the air to the rim

Logic and history shows us some athletes are better than others in how they perform in play. While natural athletic ability does play apart in it via genetics, how you train and what you are taught as an athlete does make a big difference as well. Some managers and trainers are more advanced, skilled and knowledgeable than others. Some have a greater eye for talent and athlete development as well.

What Managers, Coaches And Trainers Look For In Athletes

Many people want to become professional athletes and wonder what it takes. Natural talent is very important. However, other factors are important as well. The willingness to work hard is a second important trait. Sports is physically demanding and requires many hours of training. You must be willing to put in the time and effort in extensive, exhausting practice sessions and in play.

Discipline goes hand in hand with hard work. You have to discipline yourself to train long hours and not get into trouble with drugs and alcohol, which wreak havoc on an athlete's body.  Having one drink is one thing (wine is the least damaging) but getting high on drugs and drunk on alcohol is quite another. There have been high profile cases of notable, talented athletes, whose careers were derailed by drugs and or alcoholism.  

The willingness to listen and cooperate is also an asset. Managers, coaches and trainers prefer athletes who are not stubborn and are willing to listen to their advice that comes from many years of experience. The willingness to listen to instructions, correction and advice, putting it in motion in real life situations in and out of play, will make you more successful. 

No matter how good of an athlete you are, you don't want the manager or coach to become exasperated with your attitude or antics in or out of play and bench you. There's only so much the average manager or coach is willing to take. Get behavioral issues under control. 

There have been a few athletes who were warring with people they work with because training and team commitments interfered with their partying scheduled. That's another thing, you cannot be a successful athlete chasing tramps and partying all the time. It will sap your strength and damage your career. Your performance off the pitch/field/court with all these women will negatively impact your performance on the pitch/field/court.

See your career as something you love, but also a business. Only listen to the most experienced, tried and tested individuals, who are professionals with a track record for being correct and successful. Listening to your friends and or girlfriends, who do not know the business, with some acting out of self-interest, will not help you in the long run.

 

For example, your friend wanting to manage your career, with no business experience or contacts in the industry, as opposed to you signing with a manager or agent with years of experience and proven success. That is a big no-no. Many careers have suffered going this route. The entertainment and sports industries are very specific and complicated. It's not cut and dry. There are many intricacies. An experienced and connected manager and or agent will get you places and more income much quicker than your inexperienced, untrained friend off the street attempting to trade off your burgeoning name. 

A good manager or agent will confidently and constantly work via their connections to get you deals with corporations that make sports drinks, soft drinks, food, footwear, apparel, cars and other items that are a good fit with your brand. Your friend who is not in the industry will have a very difficult time getting meetings with the aforementioned people.

Another example, your girlfriend not wanting you to sign with certain teams in certain cities. You think it is because she does not believe they are the best teams and will not win championships, when it has been proven in quite a few cases it's about the number of models and groupies that reside in said cities (Miami, Los Angeles and New York ect). Don't laugh, I know of cases where this happened but I don't want to name names and embarrass anyone. That's not the purpose of this article.

 

Save for a rainy day

Unless your girlfriend is a professional athlete, manager, agent or works for a sports organization in an executive capacity, it is best not to accept life changing career advice from her. She may mean well, she may be only thinking about herself, you don't know, but at the end of the day, it is best to listen to the professionals. 

Additionally, whether you are on a squad or in a solo sport, once you get signed, you will have a team of professionals behind you and you need to make the best effort you can to cooperate and work with them. No man is an island. There's nothing wrong with getting help from others under the correct, prearranged terms, hammered out in proper contracts. And remember, you head up your personal business team, you set the agenda, don't let anyone push you into anything you do not feel comfortable doing.

Work with knowledgeable, experienced people, as it will make a difference in how much of an impact your career makes and how much income you earn. It's not about greed, but one must keep in mind, the average professional athlete's career lasts roughly 5-years. Some exceed that, but many fall under the five year average as well. Therefore, you need to make the most of it while you have it, to set yourself and your family up financially for the future. As the Judiciary Report always advocates, use a small portion of your earnings to start a sensible business.

Bills don't pay themselves. Think big and try to think ahead and with that in mind, make the most of today with the best deals and endorsements your team can find. 

The Fall Of Manchester United This Season Is A Coaching Lesson In The Dangers Of Demoralization In Sports

Manchester United

The famous British football team Manchester United went from number one to seven in the Premier League this season, giving them their worst finish in the club's 135 year history. The blame was placed on new manager David Moyes, who was relieved of his duties, after 10-months on the job. Moyes received $6,000,000 in pay and promised perks for his brief amount of time with the team. 

However, Manchester United has been demoralized due to negative coaching methods espousing doubt, which led to a string of defeats and subsequent taunts from the public about their historic slide from number one. Moyes made many negative proclamations to the team that left them feeling demoralized, inadequate and incapable of winning, something I decried online as a bad idea that would lead to disaster and it did, as the reining champs experienced a record slide on the Premier League tables 7-months later (David Moyes Fired As Manager Of Manchester United Affirming This Site's Previous Claims). 

The same squad that was number one, dominating the league, fell to levels near relegation at one point in the season under the new negative manager (coach), in what was a coaching/training lesson worthy of note and study.

In sports, confidence is important. If you believe you are going to lose, you will start performing in that manner and sustain losses. Mind and body have to be in sync. The brain needs to be sending the body the correct messages. Athletes minds need to alert and free of worry. You must have the will to win, the hunger and drive. If you start to have doubts and believe you are a failure, failure is what you will get. 

When you see winning teams in a variety of sports hyping themselves up before games, it's not for show. It is positive declarations to stimulate their minds, then bodies into action and great play. This translates into wins, if what was learned in practice is properly put into play while in action during games.

In addition to physical and nutritional regimens, athletes need confidence classes. Nothing grandiose, just simple, affirmative mental exercises, to give them the correct mindset about winning and reinforce their will to win. Athletes who believe they are worthy of winning, capable of becoming the best and that anything is possible perform better with greater results in play (just don't issue serious, non-joking press quotes stating you are the best, because the media will chew you up for it haha).  

A clear mind and the will to win are conducive to success in sports. My dad, who was a professional athlete, then a coach, observed this first hand regarding athletics. For example, my dad has joked to me that if an athlete has an argument with his girlfriend or wife before a sporting event, he will lose the game/match. I thought it was hilarious, but he was serious in that having the right mindset, with a clear and settled mind are almost as important as one’s physical training.

Another tip worth noting. One of my dad’s friends, Usain Bolt's coach Glen Mills, espouses players refrain from sex before events. It saps athletes’ strength and leaves them too relaxed. When you are in a very competitive event, requiring more focus and drive, it simply will not be there because you had sex before the sporting event you are participating in.

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Bad Practice Habits And Improper Technique Wreak Havoc On Athletes Performance

Are you training correctly? Is your technique right? These are things that can make or break an athlete. An effective coach or trainer can look at an athlete's form and tell whether their training methods, technique and form are correct. If you are an athlete training in your own time, it is good to verify your habits, methods and form against greats in your sport who have achieved tremendous levels of success. You learn from the best. This coupled with hard work and practice is how you get better. 

It is important that athletes not form bad habits. Incorrect training methods and the wrong technique can lead to injury and unnecessary losses in games/matches. It can mean the difference between winning the title or taking a defeat. Therefore, ensure you do things correctly, following proper, safe textbook guidelines proven to be the most efficient and effective in your sport.

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'Rocky IV' Highlights The Advantages Of Contrasting Training Methods

Last night I saw “Rocky IV” again, which is an inspiring sports movie, molded on the career of undefeated boxer Rocky Marciano, who died in 1969 in a plane crash. “Rocky IV” showed a contrast between natural and technology based training methods, but which is better. 

Advances in science and technology have provided greater training capabilities to modern athletes in a variety of sports. Coaches are able to calculate their athletes progress in a more accurate and detailed manner. Injured athletes are also using technology for quicker recovery times. 

However, old fashion training methods are not to be discarded. It builds up a natural endurance, grit and roughness. The body benefits from challenging natural workout as well. A mix of natural and technology based training session for athletes can provide great results, taking advantage of the best of both worlds.

How To Reap The Benefits Of Boxing While Avoiding The Pitfalls

For Aspiring Boxers And Those On Their Way Up

Muhammad Ali

They say history is a great teacher. Those who fail to learn from it are doomed to repeat it. There is a lot of truth in those two statements. I've always found that it's better to learn from other people's mistakes and spare yourself the trouble. That's what history is there for - to learn from it and grow into better people.

Partying And Promiscuity

Adrien Broner

Athletes who party and engage in promiscuity pay a price for it in their sporting performance. You cannot live the life of a wild, partying bachelor and succeed in sport. It will catch up with you when it’s time to go to work and you are not at your best. Great managers/coaches in various sports have placed curbs via curfews and fines on their athletes, because they know the human body will not perform at its best when an athlete is out partying, getting drunk and sleeping with various women. It saps your strength, erodes fitness and destroys focus and discipline.

With so many diseases floating around like herpes and HIV, which medical science has yet to release cures for (but good work is being done behind the scenes in this regard) you are playing with your life and health going around having sex with different women. Many people with STDs/STIs don't tell potential partners and end up infecting them (while some simply do not know they are infected and unknowingly pass it on to others).

Money Team boxer, Adrien Broner, had a threesome with two women and made a sextape of it that ended up on the internet. In another incident, there were pictures on a mainstream blog of Broner performing oral sex on a stripper in clear sight of everyone at a strip club (it's a wonder he didn't get scurvy or lockjaw or need a tetanus shot - I'm kidding).

Adrien Broner

Broner, who undoubtedly has a talent for boxing, has also been engaging in partying and excessive drinking and spending his time getting into situations that are bringing him heavy public criticism he is not happy with, such as wiping his butt with money, flushing stacks of $20 bills down the toilet and the aforementioned threesome sex tape, among other things.

All of the aforementioned conduct has been a massive distraction that has taken away from his boxing. His life has become a circus with no ringmaster. Then, he stepped into the ring and lost to Marcos Maidana, in a shock defeat that shook him up. He was no longer undefeated. Broner fled the arena and cried, which was sad.

Broner is a talented boxer and I’m not trying to pick on him, but the sideshow his life has become is too much of a distraction, which is not conducive to winning in the ring. He has to get his mind right and become more settled. Too much chaos in his atmosphere, which destroys focus and waters down ambition. It breeds complacency.

Mike Tyson

Other athletes such as Mike Tyson, who is one of the greatest boxers in history, have gone on record, speaking about the wild living that sent him off track, while men like Don King robbed him left, right and center. Tyson admitted he lost focus at times, due to all the distractions that come with fame and wealth and it cost him plenty.

Your Circle

Floyd Mayweather

Beware of who you let into your circle. Not everyone is your friend. Some women have latched on to boxers deeming them a meal ticket, who will buy them luxury cars, jewelry, designer clothes and expensive purses. They also love the limelight and bragging rights that come with dating a famous man. Avoid women like that. They will bleed you dry and leave if and when the money runs out. You will end up feeling used and made a fool of.

Other folks to watch for are conmen, who try to get on your team, promising you the moon and the stars, but don't deliver. Some people will say anything to get what they want. They will become what they think you need. They will say what they think you want to hear. There are even famous people who've latched on to boxers with negative motive, only to let them down.

Avoid organized crime figures who never have good intentions towards athletes. Their plans for you will be no good. They are dangerous, violent criminals, who will wreak havoc on your life and career, all in the name of self-interest and greed. Avoid them like the plague.

Get a reputable promoter, lawyer and financial manager. Cultivate a good corporate brand. Be a role model. When entering into business deals, read and understand your contracts. If you can’t understand your contracts and have no money for a lawyer, seek the assistance of a local pro bono lawyer/legal service. Know what you are signing. If you are not comfortable, don’t sign it. Then, once you find a good team that meets your needs, stick with them.

Financial Planning

It’s always wise to save some of your money for the future. Life can be full of surprises, so it’s good to have savings to fall back on. Don’t spend all your paychecks at once. Learn to put something aside in a reliable savings account or government insured certificate of deposit. Don’t always assume money will always be coming in.

Manny Pacquiao

Try to start a little business. Choose something sensible and don't put too much of your money into it. Don't jump into business with the all or nothing mentality regarding spending. Start small and try to build up the business in a sensible, sound financial manner. 

Lennox Lewis

I’m not a fan of people granting others power of attorney over their finances. I know sometimes certain situations warrant it, but I still don’t like it. I know a man who lost $150,000 by trusting someone in his circle, whom he granted power of attorney in a limited scope, yet the person wiped him out in tandem with another. All he can do now is sue, but the person already squandered his money on high living with nothing to show for it. There’s nothing to get back. Don’t let that happen to you.

Head Injuries

Muhammad Ali

Blows to the head impact the brain. Muhammad Ali, who is considered the greatest boxer of all time, famously wore out opponents by turning himself into a punching bag and I am of the belief it greatly contributed to him developing Parkinsons.

The brain is delicate. It is a part of the human body that does not easily withstand injury. I am of the belief head injuries sustained in combat, accidents and sports, as well as brain hemorrhages (aneurysm or stroke) greatly increases the risk of developing Parkinsons or Alzheimer’s. People with the aforementioned injuries are more prone to depression and regrettably suicide. It’s crucial that one recognizes the signs of depression early and seek medical treatment and therapy to ward off its effects.

Brain injury leads the body to release distress chemicals that triggers feelings of sadness, confusion, doubt and depression. Basically, it’s a distress signal. Your body telling you there’s a problem. Athletes in contact sports are more prone to depression. Head injuries some boxers sustain contribute to depression. This sometimes leads to drug use, such as cocaine, in failed attempts at feeling better. So, protect your head as best you can.

Steroids

Not only should you avoid narcotics such as cocaine and ecstasy, you should also shun steroids as well. You don’t want to win that way and performance enhancing drugs wreak havoc on the body. There are some who would supply you with steroids to get in good with you for financial reasons and to control you as well. You don’t need anyone holding that over your head or bringing that kind of stress into your life.

As much as some will tell you the steroids they offer are ahead of the proverbial game and no one will find out, don’t be too sure of it. It’s not worth your boxing career, not to mention distress to your family, friends, supporters, fans and yourself.

The same ones who will offer you performance enhancing drugs to give you an unfair advantage, swearing to you no one will find out or detect it during tests (due to detox, saunas ect..), are the same ones who will turn you in the minute you fail to give them what they want or do what they say. What happens when that same person asks you to throw a fight, damaging your career (betting). Stay away from steroids and those who would offer them to you. They have an ulterior motive. You don’t need to be anyone’s puppet or slave. Be your own independent person.

Work on your strength, stamina and skill. Let that be your winning ticket. And at the end of the day, it’s not the end of the world if you lose a fight. Ali and Tyson, two of the best boxers ever, lost fights. No one in their right mind would question Ali or Tyson's athletic ability or accomplishments in the sport.

Boxing is a chance for you to make something of your life. It's saved many from a life of crime. Properly parlayed into a professional career, it can successfully provide for you and your family, as well as give you great discipline and a sense of pride in what you have accomplished. Make it work for you. Don't allow outside forces to destroy you. 

Rutgers Coach Mike Rice Fired For Hitting And Yelling At University Basketball Players (Video)

Rutgers university basketball coach Mike Rice is in serious trouble this week, as a video tape was released to the public showing him physically abusing and berating students on the team. Rice has been terminated from his post, due to to public outcry. Professional athletes Lebron James, Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan have weighed in on the scandal, expressing their offense at how the students have been treated. Rice has since apologized stating, "I am deeply sorry." 

Usain Bolt And His Coach Glen Mills Honored By The IAAF

Usain Bolt

Christmas has come early for Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and his coach Glen Mills, as the IAAF honored both men, among others, in a ceremony which took place in Barcelona, Spain. The two men expressed their gratitude at being recipients of the prestigious international awards. 

Glen Mills

Mills, coach to track stars Bolt, Yohan Blake and Warren Weir, deservingly won a lifetime achievement award for his many years of hard work, service and dedication in the field. Bolt won male Athlete of the Year for the fourth time running, pardon the pun. Congrats to them and all the other winners.

Usain Bolt's Top Track And Field Coach Glen Mills Receives Doctorate

 

Left to right: Usain Bolt, Glen Mills, Warren Weir and Yohan Blake in Jamaica

Congrats to coach Glen Mills, a long time friend of my dad's, on receiving a Doctorate of Laws from the University of the West Indies, for his outstanding contributions to Jamaica. He truly deserves it. Mills is considered the top coach in track and field and is enjoying unprecedented success.

Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt and Warren Weir collecting their medals at the podium in the memorable London 2012 Olympics, which was a lot of fun for spectators and sports fans around the world

Mills has done so much for Jamaican sports, training men like Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Warren Weir, who completed Jamaica's medal sweep of the 100meters at the London 2012 Olympics. That's quite a resume and a great accomplishment. Congrats and Jamaica thanks you.