 6/04/06 - article by Howie Reed
Senator Harry Reid
PAYOFFS, POLITICIANS, AND BOXING
TALKIN BOXIN
June 4, 2006
by Howie Reed
There has always been a connection between the
business of politics and the sport of boxing. They're
similar as there is usually a winner and a looser, the
better person is suppose to win but sometimes doesn't
and public acceptance is necessary for success. In
addition politico's seem to get "their jollies" by
being associated with boxers. Those that are involved
in either think that they have all the answer's. The
United States Congress has convinced themselves that
"with them in charge" everything is fine around the
world in general and with control of boxing the sport
will get better. For the last few years there has been
an assault on the sport of boxing by Senator John
McCain (Gas Bag Arizona) among others. His claim to
the mantle as the "savior of boxing' is that he is
supposed to have boxed at the Navel Academy. BFD.
That's like a guy putting fuel in a jumbo jet being
asked to fly or design one. At many big fights the
Senator is sitting ringside. As Nevada probably has as
many big fights as any other place McCain is no
stranger to Vegas. Many that attend fights in Vegas
and see McCain assume that he gets free tickets either
from the promoter, the venue or somewhere else.
The good Senator from Nevada the Honorable Harry
"Pinky" Reid ,no it's spelled difference lads and
lass's so lighten up, is also a former boxer, a boxing
judge, a former member of the Nevada State Athletic
Commission so seeing him ringside is also the norm.
Reid was also a member of the state gaming commission
at one time. Those that saw the movie Casino can
identify him with the part played in that movie by
Dickie Smothers. Some may have read the works of
author Nicholas Pileggi in regard to the gaming
industry in Nevada. In one of his book he recounts how
a "member of the gaming commission is the bag man for
the mafia" but later turns against them when the heat
comes down. Interesting. Like boxing, politics is an
interesting but complicated look at human nature.
There are by actual count about 100 boxing wedsites
each one with space to fill and most with an agenda.
The boxing webnsites want to make friends with those
that spend advertising dollars. They masquerade as
"news". The electronic landscape is also filled with
political websites that are doing the same thing by
promoting a viewpoint. OK that's out of the way we can
"move right along".
In the last 7 days there was a meeting of boxing and
politics in the State of Nevada that was ugly as a
"redheaded stepchild", a "torn softball" or a person
so ugly that a bone had to be tied around his neck for
the dog to play with him. As we have been told with
the scandal involving the late President Nixon (and I
don't blame him for spying on those devious bastards)
it "wasn't the crime but the cover up". In point of
fact the crimes in Nevada are serious and the cover up
is just as bad.
Last week the Associated Press reported that "Senate
Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada is reportedly
under fire for accepting thousands of dollars in free
ringside tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission
between 2003 and 2005. Among the freebies was a $1,400
ducat for the Oscar De La Hoya-Bernard Hopkins
showdown. Senator John McCain, who attended that fight
with Reid, paid for his own ticket according to AP.
During that period of time the Nevada Commission was
trying to persuade Reid that there was no need for a
Federal Commission to take over the regulation of
boxing in Nevada." At the time Reid , along with
McCain, was pressing legislation to increase
government oversight of the sport, including creation
of a federal boxing commission that Nevada's agency
feared might usurp its authority. Most of the public
(foolishly believing that the government can do
anything right besides take your money, fight wars and
not protect the borders) think federal control is a
good idea. Some in boxing, Teddy Atlas for one,
believe that federal control is the answer.
The problem here for Reid was that "several ethics
experts" said Reid should have paid for the tickets,
which were close to the ring and worth between several
hundred and several thousand dollars each, to avoid
the appearance he was being influenced by gifts. Two
senators who joined Reid for fights with the
complimentary tickets took markedly differently steps.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., insisted on paying $1,400
for the tickets he shared with Reid for a 2004
championship fight. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., accepted
free tickets to another fight with Reid but already
had rescued himself from Reid's federal boxing
legislation because his father was an executive for a
Las Vegas hotel that hosts fights." Reid's answer ?
"Boxing is the number one activity for Casino's. I'm
not Goodie two shoes. I just feel these events are
nothing I did wrong. Anyone from Nevada would say I'm
glad he is there taking care of the state's No. 1
businesses." Well Harry I'm from Nevada I say, "You
are an arrogant horse's ass."
Am I alone in this view? Probably not. A recent poll
in the Las Vegas Review Journal indicated that I'm in
the majority. In point of fact Reid getting boxing
free tickets is no big deal. Who cares ? The point
that Reid claims the people of Nevada are glad that
he's got his hand in the till is a joke. There is
ample reason to understand Reid's view as he's had
both feet in the slop trough like a pig at feeding
time for years. To think that he would let a couple of
boxing ticket persuade him to do anything is a joke.
It takes a lot more than that and as history shows he
jumps fence with any shift in the wind. None of this
would have even made the news if Senator Harry Reid
(Democrat-Nevada) hadn't of been on his "climate of
corruption" campaign against anyone that disagreed
with him.
He took more money from disgraced lobbyist Jack
Abramoff than any other Senator. The AP reported that
"Reid also wrote at least four letters favorable to
Abramoff's tribal clients around the time Reid
collected donations from those clients and Abramoff's
partners. Reid has refused to return the donations,
unlike other lawmakers, saying his letters were
consistent with his beliefs." "He didn't influence
me." OK. If Harry says it then it's true. Boy am I
proud that Harry is doing my business. Why would Reid
be given tickets ? Well former Executive Director Marc
Ratner explains. "I invited him because I was talking
with his staff" about the legislation, Ratner said.
"This was a chance for all of my commissioners, who
are politically appointed, to interact with them. It
was important for them to see how we in Nevada did
things. I am a states rights activist and I didn't
want any federal bill that would take away our state
rights to regulate fights." Mr. Ratner is also pretty
darn good a "double speak".
The day after the story broke a website called "media
matters" was quoted by a major boxing website as
saying," The AP suggested that Reid might have been
improperly influenced by his acceptance of the free
ringside tickets, it failed to inform readers that,
rather than taking any actions favorable to the NAC,
Reid did just the opposite." Anyone familiar with the
story knows just the opposite as the AP pointed out
that Reid "Might" have been influenced. Whether he was
or not doesn't make any difference. Remember it's the
"appearance" that counts. Now who is this "Media
Matters" so proudly quoted by a boxing website ? Well
there's Kurt Donalson from the Democratic National
Committee and MoveOn,. Org, Nicloe Casta from the
National Organization of Liberal Women and Matt Howes
from the ACLU. Like they don't have a viewpoint. What
the heck this website published garbage from every
promoter that can afford an ad so what can you expect.
But all these defenses didn't work. Two days after the
story broke and Reid had said first , "I did nothing
wrong" which didn't work he moved on to "I read the
Senate ethic rules and I have n done nothing wrong."
Well that didn't work either. So now out came a
spokesman to say, "Senator may have misread the Senate
ethic rules. He has done nothing wrong but he's not
going to accept any more free boxing tickets. Now I've
got he. He did nothing wrong but won't do it again.
Many waited with "baited breath" for the third leg of
the tripod that was Diego Corrales (40-3) against Jose
Luis Castillo (54-7-1) for the WBC Lightweight title.
It would have been what boxing is suppose to be for
increased popularity, great TV ratings to say nothing
of bringing back fans. Guess what ? Didn't happen.
Nope on Friday afternoon at about 3PM Las Vegas Time
(not delayed anywhere) Jose Luis Castillo weight in at
139 pounds which as most will agree is about 4
south of the required 135. From the day this time
fight became reality the question of Castillo's weight
became a topic of discussion. Leading up to their
second fight Castillo, who one might suggest with the
support of his promoter "Whining " Bob Arum, made no
attempt to make the 135 pound weight limit. At weight
in time Castillo was a couple of pounds over. Given
time he came back and was heavier. No problem.
Promoter Arum, with the approval of the Nevada
Athletic Commission, offered to pay a fine to the
commission and a penalty to Corrales. Promoter Shaw
acting for Corrales say dollar signs and accepted.
Castillo being bigger and stronger prevailed and gave
a true warrior Diego Corrales a beating. This time ?
Ring up no sale. Corrales said, "No fight. I struggled
to make weight Castillo did nothing. He's
unprofessional. "Better judgment set in. You have to
make the call that you may not exactly want to make.
You have to. That's really what Jose Luis did. He
backed me into a corner and made me make a call I
didn't want to make."
On the monetary side of things Corrales will loose
about $1.2 million plus whatever he's already invested
in his pre fight training. Castillo will loose his
purse which some estimate was about $900,000, is
liable to be fined by the State Athletic Commission
and probably should be suspended for at least a year.
The two promoters Bob Arum and Gary Shaw have said
that they would loose over $1 million and several
hundred thousand respectfully. No not a misprint.
Arum's fighter, Jose Luis Castillo, was to have made
$900,000 and his promoter $1 million. Let's us then
consider that you are Bob Arum. You stand to make a
million bucks on a fighter and that fighter had
trouble making weight last time out. Would you not
have someone from your "team" monitoring Castillo's
weight? Dam straight Skippy. Did Arum ?
The WBC (that would be the World Boxing Council) said
they would take charge of checking on Castillo's
weight. Ten days out they reported that "He's at 146."
Here things get a little murky. Both Arum and the
State Athletic Commission say that "we were told
Castillo was at 146 and on his way to making weight."
In a direct question from Jim Gray of Showtime, Arum
was asked, "Have you received a letter in the last 10
days that indicated that Castillo was having trouble
making the weight and probably wouldn't ?" "No. I
received no letter". Gray put the same question to
Nevada Commission executive director Keith Kize and
got the same answer. Yet, like the man of the grassy
knoll, the story of a letter to both parties remains.
So if there is a letter and if it does state that
"Castillo probably won't be able to make the weight"
the question is when did the Commission and Arum know
it ? Told you this was just like politics.
Back to the question of what, if anything, did Arum do
to inusre that Castillo would make the 135lbs limit ?
Arum said he had a calibrated scale put into
Castillo's room at Wynn Las Vegas and that Beltran
(Castillo promoter) told him Thursday that Castillo
weighed 138. Well heck no big thing for a guy to loose
three pounds in a day. "Did you send anyone from your
organization either to Mexico or to Castillo's room
here in Vegas to check his weight ?", asked Gray.
"Well no. They told us everything was fine." OK guys
and guyettes. Here is the best boxing prompter in the
world (self proclaimed) and he doesn't have someone in
his direct employ check the weight of a fighter that
hasn't made the weight before ? You don't check with
your own tow eye when someone has lied to you before
about their weight ? Of course you do. On the other
hand if you don't check yourself you have deniability.
"He disgraced me and he disgraced everybody else,"
Arum said. "This is not acceptable behavior. " That
was not only Arum's official statement but utter again
with Jim Gray.
That statement prompted a e-mail from O.R. Cross (for
Old Rugged) from the beaches of Pattaya in Thailand.
Hi Howie: I could also hear your guffaws in downtown
Pattaya (Probably at the TQ while enjoying a beverage)
when your nemesis Bob Arum, Castillo's promoter said,
"I was mortified and embarrassed." Well not only
"guffaws", chokes on my Miller Genuine and darn near
swallowed my A&C. On past record we know that it is
impossible to "embarrasses" Bob Arum so the statement
has to be taken with a grain of salt. I promise this
is probably the last time I'll write this. As Bon Arum
said in answer to a reporters question a few year ago.
"I was lying yesterday but I'm telling the truth
today."
The economic impact to the Casino may or not have been
great. If it was great then Castillo will be suspended
for a year and fined a lot. On the other hand if the
Casinos (read the State of Nevada) made out OK you
will hear and read the gal darnest story you've ever
heard or read. It will be unbelievable except in
boxing and the State of Nevada. Things will continue
as they are, nothing will change. Nevada and boxing
are a match made in heaven. It's all about the money.
O.R. asked the following. "Since we didn't get the
main event today (Castillo/Corrales) because of the
overweight on the part of Corrales, I have a financial
question for you. How much did the sheep pay to see
what, to me, was not even a very good undercard? I
assume that the smart people got a full refund and the
number of empty seats would verify the fact that the
rest of the card
wasn't worth whatever they were charged." Refunds were
offered to all with the top price at $1,000.
The real cost is for those that came into Vegas for
the fight. As the fight was cancelled at 5PM on Friday
those that had rooms in Strip Hotels couldn't check
out without paying for the night. If they checked out
Saturday morning "no problem". As the strip hotels are
usually sold out on Saturday Night anyway this would
be one of those no harm no foul deals. Maybe even sell
the room at a higher rate. Jim Gary asked some darn
good questions. Forget that he allowed Arum to duck
most all and didn't ask follow ups. One really good
question was (and I paraphrase here), "In light of
what has happened, how Castillo, his promoter and his
people have lied to you, would you ever consider doing
promoting him again ?" "Well we'll have to see what
Castillo says before the Commission. We have to hear
his side of the story. There were penalty's build in
to this contract so we have to give him is day to
answer. Let's see what he tells the commission". Now
there was a great follow up question that wasn't asked
by Gray or anyone else on the Showtime staff. Were
they covering up ? On November 11, 2006 Jose Luis
Castillo is scheduled to meet Miguel Cotto in Madison
Square Garden for the WBO Lightweight title. With Bob
Arum promoting both fighters will it happen ? Don't be
silly. A lot of money will erase "mortified and
embarrassed".
AND FINALLY. So what have we learned today kids ? Yep
boxing and the elected Senator from Nevada are both
septic tanks. I do thou love the people of Nevada
saying according to Reid "I'm glad he is there taking
care of the state's No. 1 businesses?" Anyone know the
#3 business in Nevada ? Well it's Gentleman Clubs,
escort services, modeling and brothels. Two weeks ago
a former Reid prodigy, a former County Commission and
candidate for the US Congress, Dario Herrera was
convicted of accepting brides, extortion and accepting
favors in connection with Nevada's third largest
industry. One of those favors was a couple of
Lewinsky's (caught on tape but it will never rival
Paris Hilton's) from a Gentleman's Club. Too bad he
didn't call his mentor Reid and ask, "Harry what
should I tell them ?" " Tell 'em, 'The people of
Nevada are glad that I'm taking care of the state
third largest business.' I'm going to use that myself
one of these days."
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