Sports Bytes (Jan 29, 2010)

Top Rank President Bob Arum is trying to have Antonio Margarito's suspension lifted so that he can fight on the Pacquiao-Clottey undercard at Cowboys Stadium on March 13. Margarito was suspended for one year after it was discovered that he used an illegal substance on his hand wraps prior to his nine-round knockout loss to Shane Mosley. The Association of Boxing Commissioners has not commented on Arum's efforts to sway the Texas Commission. "This is to clarify that the ABC has had no official contact with the Texas Boxing and Wrestling Commission. The ABC has not issued any correspondence in reference to this matter," said ABC President Tim Lueckenhoff . . . Texas would be crazy to unilaterally lift Margarito's suspension. They are still smarting from the criticism they received following the questionable judging in the Juan Diaz-Paulie Malignaggi bout in August 2009. Texas judge Gale Van Hoy scored the bout in favor of fellow Texan Diaz by the shockingly lopsided score of 118-110 . . . The Texas commission is a free-wheeling, independently-minded commission, so it will not surprise me if they do lift Margarito's suspension. I once had my own confrontation with them while Public Relations Director of Main Events. It was on July 17, 2004 and Kermit Cintron was battling Teddy Reid. More than once Reid hit Cintron late and was not warned or penalized. I berated the referee and was tossed from ringside by the commission. You would have thought I was John Dilinger considering the efforts of security to keep me outside of the ring area. LOL. It was very funny . . . And I do not regret yelling at the ref . . .

Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports reports that a deal announcing Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley is imminent . . . If Mosley forces the action it could make for an entertaining bout since both fighters possess blazing hand speed. I give Mayweather the edge because of his youth and because he is as fundamentally a sound boxer as Bernard Hopkins. Mosley is a future Hall of Famer who has been blessed with great natural abilities, but technical expertise is not one of his strengths. Mayweather by decision . . .

Want to know why athletes seemingly invite trouble without caring about the consequences? Here is one reason. Yesterday's ESPN.com poll asked respondents, "What do you think of the NBA suspending Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittendon for the remainder of the season?" Astoundingly, of the 123,297 people who answered, 62% said the punishment was just right. Just right? Arenas stores guns in his locker and re-enacts the OK Corral by allegedly drawing his guns on Crittendon, and fans are satisfied with a half-season suspension. Pathetic. Let's face it. Professional athletes know that rarely are they held fully accountable for their actions. The public complains that athletes are treated like royalty. Yet, when a disgraceful punishment is levied against an athlete we roll over and say it was "Just Right". We have no one to blame but ourselves . . .

Funny column by Philadelphia Inquirer sports columnist John Gonzalez who offers his list of "Sports Figures I'd Like To Taser" . . .

Los Angeles Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke is the latest to whine about the NFL Overtime Rules. "It's not fair." It's "the worst rule in American sports". . . Blah, blah, blah. Hey Bill, if a team doesn't want to lose on the opening overtime drive, here's a novel suggestion: play some defense. If a defense can't stop its opponent for one drive, that team doesn't deserve to win . . .

Terrell Owens never fails to offer "interesting" insights. Yesterday Owens told USA that the only thing separating him from Jerry Rice's receiving records is that he never had great QBs to work with. "I know hands-down I'd be close to Jerry Rice's records if I had been with quality quarterbacks like he had." Who are some of the QBs he considers great? Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees . . . I wonder if Owens cried when talking about his past quarterbacks . . .

Johnny Damon must feel like the kid at a birthday party who is left without a chair to sit-in when the music stops . . .

The wide receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson wants to kick and punt in the Pro Bowl. Just what the NFL needs, one more reason to take its All-Star Game even less seriously . . .

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