In this week’s Friday Sports Dump, we ask you to think before watching two people box and thank two young adults for making us not lose faith in the future.
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Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last several months, there is a huge prizefight between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao this Saturday. They are both expected to make north of $150 million in the ring.
Before you call your local cable company to buy the fight, it is important to note you will be supporting a multiple offender of domestic violence.
Mayweather has been convicted five times of domestic violence since 2001. These aren’t disputed events with murky details. There are actual court and police documents that detail Mayweather’s complete lack of humanity and respect for women.
February 2001, Mayweather struck Melissa Brim with a car door, pushed her into the car, and then proceeded to repeatedly punch her.
July 2001, Mayweather stuck Brim in the neck during an argument at the mall.
August 2003, Mayweather spots Herneatha McGill and Karra Blackburn, friends of his then girlfriend Josie Harris.
According to McGill, Mayweather punched her in the jaw and Blackburn in the head.
McGill said she was trying to get away when Mayweather hit her.
“I fell to the ground,” McGill said, “and Karra tried to help, and as she was, Mr. Mayweather hit her as well. After she was hit I helped her up and we ran out of the club.”
December 2003, Mayweather and Harris got into an argument with the fighter repeatedly punching and kicking Harris in the car and then dragging her out of the car by her hair, causing a facial laceration. She also told officers Mayweather had beaten her before. Mayweather was arrested and charged with felony battery.
September 2010 is even difficult to write:
Mayweather punched Harris repeatedly in the rear of her head, pulled her off the couch by her hair, and twisted her arm. He screamed that he would “kill” Harris and NBA player CJ Watson, whom Harris was dating, and that he would make both “disappear.” Harris screamed for her children Koraun and Zion, aged 10 and 9, to call the police. Mayweather turned to the kids, according to the police report, and yelled that he would “beat their asses if they left the house or called the police.” Koraun tried to run up the stairs, but Mayweather’s associate blocked his path. Eventually, he was able to make it outside, and the police were summoned. Koraun told police he had witnessed his father punching and kicking his mother while she lay on the ground. By the time the cops had entered the home, Mayweather had fled, taking Harris’s cell phone with him. In a 2013 interview with Yahoo Sports, Harris stated that she believes Mayweather might have killed her that night if Koraun hadn’t been able to alert the authorities when he did.
Yet no suspension from the Nevada Boxing Commission who licenses Mayweather before every prizefight.
This Saturday, thousands of people will tune in to watch the fight, some playing exorbitant amounts of money to be there in person.
From a strictly sports perspective, Mayweather and Pacquiao are both beyond their prime and committing one last money grab before their time in the ring is over. The hype will definitely outlast the fight.
From a humanity perspective, Mayweather should be fighting for his freedom, not for a paycheck.
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When tragedy strikes, the initial reaction is usually an act of bewilderment followed by the feeling of sorrow. As the death toll continues to rise in Nepal, this escalation of emotion takes on a whole different characteristic. We go from shock to sorrow, and ultimately as the numbers continue to pour in, the feeling of bewilderment reenters. As of this writing, there have been over 5,500 confirmed dead.
What can we do as the bearers of humanity to bring levity to such a grave situation?
The easiest thing would be to donate to a trusted charity. Unfortunately, when tragic events like this arise, so do the con artists.
That’s what makes the news out of the LPGA a breath of fresh air. Lydia Ko, the top ranked golfer on the LPGA Tour is donating her earnings this week at the North Texas Shootout to the earthquake relief effort in Nepal.
“We had a big one in New Zealand too, a couple years ago, and it affected a lot of people,” Ko said. ‘Those people there, nice people and very innocent.’ So, I wanted to give this tournament’s earnings and donate it to them.”
To put this into perspective, it would be like LeBron James saying I’m going to donate my game check to charity.
Did we mention Ko is 18 years old!
At 18, I was just trying to make sure I woke up before 2 in the afternoon, let alone be this aware.
Ko successfully defended her Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic title last week and leads the tour’s money list with $908,810 earned so far this year.
No matter where she places this weekend, she should be at the top of everyone’s list after such a philanthropic gesture.
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Closer to home, Baltimore has been the epicenter for the most recent fight for civil and social equality. After Freddy Gray’s death in police custody, throngs of people took to the streets to protest, police brutality and the socioeconomic inequalities that plague our country. Ultimately the protest turned violent, with property damage and police injuries highlighting the turbulent time.
There is no doubt we have reached a defining moment in our country’s history. Not since the late 60s, have we seen such social unrest.
Time marked the occasion with a poignant cover.
Many athletes have spoken out about the events in Baltimore in calls for peace. One NBA player has taken to the streets to provide a public outlet for those who are struggling.
I need all the kids in Baltimore to meet me at Cloverdale basketball court. We’re having food, drinks, and peaceful fun!!! #ILoveBaltimore
— Will Barton (@WillTheThrillB5) April 28, 2015
Hey Baltimore- Meet me today at 3pm at Cloverdale on Druid Hill as we come together for conversation… https://t.co/6OfLJQ7X3Z — Will Barton (@WillTheThrillB5) April 28, 2015
Will Barton plays for the Denver Nuggets.
From Yahoo Sports:
Barton, 24, asked coaches to bring their teams. He gave neighborhood kids an opportunity to express their frustrations on the basketball court, in a non-violent way. He asked community leaders to start a conversation. He gave everyone somewhere to be, somewhere away from the violence erupting downtown, instead of asking them to just stay home.
Barton capitalized on the fame that comes with playing in the NBA, understanding that as a professional athlete, he could quickly spread the word about the party. More than 500 people showed up, ESPN’s Kevin Van Valkenburg told Yahoo Sports in an email.
Baltimore isn’t broken, just hurting. Here @Cloverdale Courts, NBA guard Will Barton helped organize a BBQ. pic.twitter.com/H4GKGBonB6
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) April 28, 2015
While it may be some time before everyone in the city can flash a smile. People like Barton are giving everyone a reason to hope for the future.
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Image via willthethrillb5 on Instagram
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What jobs should domestic abusers have or should they simply not be able to make a living anymore? How much money should they be allowed to make? For myself, I would think President of the United States or law enforcement in general should be off-limits, but that’s just me. Most people seem to think that domestic violence is well worth having the first woman elected president because when the story behind a victims injuries changes, it is always a sign that you know it was just an accident or the cat. Yeah, it was the cat.