The Weekend That Was August 8, 2016

 What’s going on Tailgaters and fans of The Live by Terrence Network, it’s the Maine Event, AKA Trey Songz’s little brother, Three Songs, AKA Mr. Can’t Wait for next Friday, football is in the air. I can feel it coming in the air tonight, HOLD ON!!!! Sorry Phil, I got a little excited. This past weekend was pretty awesome, full of action, intrigue and one of boxing’s pound for pound best took care of business to set up a November 19th mega fight.

 Let’s see where to begin, there’s so much to pack between these ears in three days. I guess we can start with Friday, had a rather productive production meeting with Tee Recx, the Admin Wendi and the new PR Director DJ EA. I was very privileged to watch the Netflix series Last Chance U, which followed JUCO powerhouse East Mississippi Community College through their 2015 season. The show featured a then, soon-to-be Auburn QB John Franklin III, and a number of very talented football players who have either lost their way or just didn’t qualify to go to a four year college. This was very enjoyable to watch and showed raw emotion, even brought tears to the eyes. I hope that the show continues whether it follows EMCC or some other school.

 Later that night I watched the Opening Ceremonies of the 2016 Olympic Games, it was such an awesome opening, not as intricate as Beijing, but it was so much like a Carnival type atmosphere it made it uniquely Brazil. We did have a WTF moment, however. The USA contingent hits the Olympic stadium floor in our blue Ralph Lauren suits with the glow-in-the-dark crest and embroidered USA on the back. That was cool, I want one. But what wasn’t cool was the music we entered to… Waka Flocka. I mean, Waka Flocka? Really USOC? Now you got the world thinking we are about retarded, Waka Flocka? I mean where is Cris Carter saying, “C’mon Mane!” I guess it could’ve been worse, i.e. Fergie’s “Milf Money” song… moving on.

 Saturday was a bit of a blur, there was so much going on, with various Olympic events and some European soccer leagues getting their seasons started. I watched women’s sevens rugby action and to say the least, it is very physical, which was a surprise to me, some fencing where an American medaled for the first time since the 1984 Olympics. The men’s basketball tournament got underway and the French got blown out by the Aussies, the US took care of whoever they played and Spain did the same. We also had our first world record as a Hungarian swimmer wins the 400 meter individual medley by shattering the world record by almost six, yes six seconds. An American finished 2nd behind her, pretty awesome.

 I also watched part of the Hall of Fame induction ceremony from Canton, OH. Eight new inductees including Brett Favre, Ken Stabler and former Auburn DE Kevin Greene. I have never laughed or cried as much as the few I watched and the busts of these new guys, wow, just wow. These sculptors are just totally awesome in making Kevin Greene look like Rob Ryan… I don’t care who you is that’s funny. Ahem, too soon?


 I took my customary break from sports from 7pm to 9pm so I can watch Cheaters and an hour worth of COPS. Look man, it is a new season of COPS and I had to watch it, stop reading with judging eyes. Its not fair. At least it wasn’t a Lifetime movie, even though some of those movies are pretty bomb… not that I watch them…(crickets) Anyway, I should move on (yes nodding heads)… ok, good idea.

  Late Saturday night, Oracle Arena was once again the epicenter of the boxing world as Andre Ward was attempting to cement himself as the WBA, WBO and IBF mandatory challenger to champion Sergey Kovalev. He took on unheralded 38 year old Colombian Alexander Brand, who holds one of the minor boxing organizations’ super middleweight championships, in what was a glorified sparring match. Winning the fight via an “of course he won” decision. The Son of God, set himself up a Pay-Per view showdown with the Krusher November 19 in Las Vegas. I am so so stoked for that fight, lets bypass football season to… nevermind, I won’t finish that statement because I would be lying to myself. I am excited about it though.

 Sunday was just a laid back day for me, I watched some of the Olympics, nothing really interested me and I was looking forward to seeing my beloved Manchester United play in the traditional curtain raiser to the English football season, The Community Shield against last year’s Premier League winners, Leicester City. The Community Shield is where the Winner of the Premier League and the FA Cup winners play a one off game for the trophy. This year was a very good and well-played game with some beautiful goals and relatively injury free game. Man U midfielder Jesse Lingard opened up the scoring with a great individual goal. Ironically for Lingard, he was the scorer of the game winning goal in the FA Cup final last season for the Red Devils. His goal was cancelled out by yet another hard-working Jamie Vardy goal. Leicester had chances all over the park to take the lead not for hitting the post and David De Gea’s heroics in goal. The match was decided in the 83rd minute from the head of Zlatan Ibrahimović off of a perfect cross. I was in pure rapture after Ibra’s goal and I ripped off my shirt and went running through my house (that gave me a bad visual of myself.)

 I was so excited to see the Hall of Fame Game and then to find out it was cancelled due to the surface and in particular the end zones and the center field logo. Boo, shame on you NFL, should’ve played it Monday night at nearby Infocision Stadium in Akron or Dix Stadium in Kent. The NFL missed out on something special with the inductees and the game itself. But the weekend as a whole was absolutely great, as we get closer and closer to football season, the weekends are getting better and better.

 This weekend in the Pressbox, we will be previewing the ACC and giving you my insights and views about this year’s ACC football season. We will also talk about preseason football, and the upcoming Corky Kell Classic, which I will be attending. Tune in Saturday 10am-noon on blogtalkradio.com and www.kingofundergroundmedia.com, As always, Let’s Go Tailgatin’!