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Saturday April 25^th was an absolutely smashing day for sports fans, or at least ones of my ilk. The day started with improbable drama from Old Trafford as Manchester United, second in the Premiership after Liverpool’s earlier win, fell behind 2-0 to Tottenham in the first half. A royal rally, lead by the glorious Renaldo and the ferocious Rooney, led to five straight goals and a welcome win. We moved to Woodbine to watch our play of the day, Trip Permit, record a resounding success at over 6-1, and then settled in for the Penguins and Flyers, a game where we played the visitors. Again, scintillating excitement as the wobbly ducks fell behind 3-0, causing me to alternately curse and beseech the deity, before racking off five straight goals for a series winning victory. Evengi Malkin was at the top of his form, creating a never ending array of scoring chances. Sid the Kid Crosby provides stout leadership and ceaseless effort. But the real surprise to me was, Hal Gill?? Are you kidding me? That lame ass, who was utterly ineffective during his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs, was nothing short of outstanding while controlling the burly, thuggish aggression of multiple Flyers. Like Larry Murphy, another defenseman who was run out of Toronto only to find a home in Detroit, Gill could very well find his name engraved on the Cup this season. The Penguins, when supported by the steady and often brilliant play of Marc Andre Fleury, are that good. Ruslan Fedotenko also had a marvelous game. Alright, a nice workout and a few cocktails and we were ready for the wizards and geeks on Justin TV to pull in some boxing. And just when I thought my day could not get any better, we were treated to the exquisite Carl Froch - Jermaine Taylor title fight. Taylor roared out to an early lead and even floored the British champion in the early rounds (did I say a few cocktails? It was the third or fourth round). Froch kept his cool under the early barrage and maintained a steady pace, keeping his hands and legs moving, depriving Taylor of any opportunities for rest. So many fighters proclaim they will close like the proverbial freight train, but Froch was breathtaking as he began to walk down Taylor in the 9^th, 10^th and 11^th rounds. After eleven my scoring was in tune with the judges. Despite Froch’s late energies, he was a good four points behind, necessitating a stoppage if he was to deny the athletic American. And, boom, a last round for the ages as Froch closed the show with a knockdown, and then a stoppage a mere fourteen seconds before the end of the round. The Times of London has already proclaimed the fight belongs with two of the most famous rallies of all time, Jake LaMotta’s stoppage of Laurent Dauthuille (in the 1950 Ring Magazine “Fight of the Year”), and Julio Caesar Chavez’s “greatest of all time” last second stoppage of a valiant Meldrick Taylor with mere seconds on the clock. I would add Rocky Marciano’s rally against Jersey Joe Walcott, Joe Louis’s blasting of a fatigued Billy Conn, Mike Weavers last round revival against Big John Tate and, uh, uh, can I say his name, a certain prick Canadian fighter, a member of a group of fighting brothers from Montreal, who scored a knockout over Stephane Ouellet when all seemed lost. Alright, a couple of clicks and we were then watching the best young fighter in the game, Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez against the remnants of legendary Filipino Gerry Penalosa. I watched six rounds of a savage beat down and turned it off. I understand young fighters must make their name by stealing the fame of older, storied pugilists, but it doesn’t mean I have to watch it anymore (the referee finally stopped the fight in the ninth). I’m too old for these foregone conclusion fights, though I appreciate their place in the game, and understand their value from a marketing point of view. But I remember walking out of the Jones Jr - Trinidad fight, accompanied by the outraged Beat Poet, and realizing I don’t have to be beholden to shoddy matches anymore. Boxing is my love, but let’s just say age has allowed my tastes to become a tad more refined. What a Saturday. I ended it with Rawi Hages brilliant “DeNiro’s Game” (please read it) and hit the sack a satisfied man…at Woodbine today, preferences for Montrose Avenue in the FIFTH and Wild Tepu in the NINTH…