Alcatraz - Do you smellllllllll what The Rock is cooking?

Alcatraz*

Great premise!  When Alcatraz closed, the guards and the inmates disappeared. They have recently started reappearing and, apparently, were not rehabilitated at Alcatraz or wherever they’ve been for the last 50 plus years, because they go back to committing the crimes that sent them to prison in the first place.

Decent acting, except for Sarah Jones, which is a shame, since she’s the protagonist. She needs to tone it down a bit. Show, don’t tell, woman. They way her character, a member of the San Francisco Police Department, was allowed in on the FBI’s investigation was so easy, it was ridiculous. Her “uncle” was a correctional officer who allegedly worked with her grandfather on the rock, but it’s later revealed her grandfather was really an inmate. One that has reappeared and killed her partner. Can you say issues?

Jorge Garcia is a civilian brought into the fray due to his encyclopedic knowledge of Alcatraz, its inmates, and guards. He has two Ph.D.s and owns a comic bookstore. Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) chooses him as her partner. He’s squeamish at first, but learns how to deal with dead bodies. He’s got his secrets and jacked up background, too. I like him and his character, but I’ve always been partial to nerds.

Sam Neill plays Emerson Hauser, the fed in charge of the whole investigation. It’s kind of weird, because with each new episode, he appears less and less. He was one of the guards that discovered Alcatraz empty, so he’s been in on it since the beginning and seemingly knows everything. I like Sam Neill in everything. He’s like a nice a villain or dick hero. Annoying, but comforting at the same time.

Parminder Nagra plays Lucy Banerjee, Hauser’s assistant. She gets shot in the chest early on and falls into a coma, but at the end of that episode, she’s alive and well. Or her clone is. Or something. Subsequent episode reveals that she was present back in the 60s. She has a medical degree and a Ph.D. in Chemical Psychology. Her cup of tea is using chemicals to adjust behavior. Hmmmm . . . .

The doctor from Alcatraz also works in the modern day lab. Spooky.

The show is like a beautiful piece of Waterford crystal and the mystery is like that price tag sticker you try so hard to remove. That ish ain’t coming off and the teeny, tiny bits that do leave behind that nasty residue.  However, I’m hooked. In my defense, I never watched Lost. But don’t worry: I won’t be doing a weekly review of this show, because it’s just the same storyline repeated.

*Brought to you by J.J. Abrams. 

Blue Valentine - Porno for Hipsters

It was intense, just as advertised, so I'll give it that. Definitely not a movie I could watch again.

Ryan Gosling . . . good grief! When he tilts his head to the side and grins, WOW. I don't even understand what's happening to me. Michelle Williams' character is so soft and adrift, with these brittle flashes of strength. I want to hug her.

My only problem is that the flashbacks showing how they came together didn't make me want to root for them. Them getting together was really the sad part for me and not them falling apart.

The movie is a downer, so if you're in a happy place, I don't recommend it. However, if you're in a dead-inside place, I highly recommend it. It'll make you feel something.

Khan-Peterson 12-10-2011

Light Welterweight Fight for WBA and IBF Titles

Round 1: Amir jumps forward with a straight arm. Left jab by Peterson. Left hand and left elbow and left forearm by Khan. Left hook to the body by Khan. Left jab by Peterson. Peterson slipped/tripped on the referee’s feet. Combination by Khan. Left to the head and right to the body by Peterson. Left hook by Khan. Lft and a right by Khan. Left hook by Peterson. Hard right by Khan and Peterson barely touches the ground. Left jab by Peterson. Left to the body by Peterson.  Even (10-10)

Round 2: Right by Khan to the body, then the face, then a combination. Fighters trade punches. Forearm by Khan. Two to the body and a nice uppercut by Peterson. Hard right to the body by Peterson. Right by Khan. Left by Khan. Right by Peterson. Left jab by Peterson. Right by Khan. Left jab by Khan. Left to the body by Khan. Combination by Peterson. Combination by Khan. Fighters trade left jabs. Left hook by Peterson. Left to the body by Peterson. Left jab by Paterson. Combination and two rights by Khan.  Peterson (19-20)

Round 3: Fighters trade jabs. Combination by Khan. Right uppercut by Khan. Right by Khan. Three rights by Khan. Left to the body by Peterson. Left to the body by Khan. Blocked combination by Khan. Hard right by Peterson. Fighters trade lefts. Left by Peterson. Clinch. Peterson punching. Left hook by Peterson. Right hook by Khan. Uppercut by Peterson. Fighters trade lefts. Right by Khan. Body shots by Peterson. Right by Peterson. Right by Khan. Peterson clinches. Right by Peterson, then a body shot. Combination by Peterson. Combination by Khan.  Khan (29-29)

Round 4: Hard right by Peterson. It took 4 rounds for Amir to calm down. Combination with an elbow by Amir. Right uppercut by Khan. Body shots by Peterson. Khan is taunting Peterson. Left with an elbow by Khan. Left jab, then left hook by Khan. Two body shots by Peterson. Combination by Khan. Right by Peterson. Two rights by Khan, then a left. Body shots by Peterson. Hard right by Khan, then a left. Hard right, then a body shot by Peterson. Body shot by Peterson. Right by Khan. Right uppercut by Khan. Right by Peterson. Body shots by Peterson. Peterson (38-39)

Peterson’s corner is not ready for him. WTF?

Round 5: Fighters trade jabs. Right to the body by Peterson. Headlock by Khan. Combination to the body by Khan. Combination by Khan. Body shots by Peterson. Slip by Khan. Left hook by Peterson. Combination by Khan. Two lefts by Peterson. Left jab by Peterson. Khan (48-48)

Round 6: Right by Khan. Left to the body by Peterson. Clinch with Peterson getting in a few punches. Combination by Khan. Headlock by Khan. Ref tells Khan to stop pushing. Fighters trade punches. Flurry by Khan. Hard left by Peterson to the body. Right by Khan. Another hard left to the body by Peterson. Body shot, uppercut, and left hook to the body by Khan. Uppercut and flurry of punches by Peterson. Left and right to Peterson’s face. Left hook by Peterson. Answered by Khan. Khan (58-57)

Round 7: Left by Peterson. Combination by Khan. Two to the body by Khan. Two to the body by Peterson. Combination by Khan. Another combination by Khan. Left hook by Peterson. Left jabs by Khan. Peterson holds Khan’s arm between his forearms. Shots to the body by Peterson. Right by Peterson. Combination by Khan. Another headlock by Khan. Left to the body by Khan. Combination by Peterson. Kahn is running around the ring backwards. Right uppercut, shots to the body, and a left hook by Peterson. Khan is against the ropes. Hard right by Peterson. Peterson just advancing. Khan holding Peterson’s head. Hard right by Peterson. Ref takes away one point from Khan for pushing Peterson.  I won’t deduct due to Peterson holding Khan’s arm. Peterson (67-67)

Round 8: Shut up Kellerman. Left jabs by Khan. Right uppercut by Khan. Left to the body by Peterson. Peterson trying to throw punches. Khan holding. Left hook to the body by Peterson. Body shots by Khan. Khan against the ropes. Left hook to the body, left uppercut by Peterson. Right hook by Peterson. Combination by Khan. Combination by Khan. Hooks to the body by Peterson. Headlock by Khan. Rights and a left uppercut by Peterson. Body shots and an uppercut by Peterson. Left hook by Khan. (There was a low blow by Peterson, but there was a low blow by Khan earlier that even the commentators didn’t notice.) Peterson (76-77)

Round 9: Khan misses several shots. Clinch. Right hook to the body by Peterson. Right uppercut by Khan. Two to the body by Khan. Left hook to the body by Peterson, then several body shots and an uppercut. Khan against the ropes and taking body shots. Two rights by Khan. Peterson a little wobbly. Left upper cut and a left hook to the body by Peterson. Combination by Khan. Left to the body and an uppercut by Peterson. Left uppercut by Khan. Hard right by Khan. Peterson hurt. Khan follows up with an uppercut. Left hook and uppercut by Peterson. Combination by Khan. Hard right and an uppercut by Peterson. Headlock by Khan and a shove to the ground. Khan (86-86)

Round 10: Peterson comes out swinging. Several blocked punches by Peterson, and then he connects with a left. Blocked combination by Khan. Weird jumping punch to a clinch and then almost a slip by Khan. Fighters trade punches. Combination by Khan. Another combination by Khan. Fighters look tired. Hard right by person. Flurry by Khan. Several body shots by Peterson. Khan has finally stopped running away from Peterson. Khan holds Peterson’s head and Peterson works Khan’s body.  Khan (96-95)

Round 11: Headlock by Khan. Combination by Khan. A left and a right by Peterson. Hard left hook by Khan. Peterson answers. Khan against the ropes. Uppercut by Khan. Headlock by Khan. Combination by Khan. Two to the body by Peterson. Two to the head by Khan. Khan against the ropes. A few to the body and an uppercut. Combination by Khan. Several punches by Khan. Even (106-105)

Round 12: Combination by Khan. Another combination by Khan. Clinch. Right by Khan. Body shots by Peterson. Right by Khan as the ref was breaking them up. Ref takes another pint from Khan for pushing. Combination by Khan. Right hook to the body by Peterson. Right uppercut by Khan. Left jab by Peterson. Left hook and a combination by Khan. Both fighters jumping around and throwing wild. Amir Khan fakes being pushed into the ropes. Khan jumps into Peterson. Even (116-115)

I have Khan by 1 point. I didn’t deduct any points from Amir Khan. Instead, I’ll describe how Khan is a dirty fighter in my analysis below.

Official Decision: 113-112 Peterson, 114-111 Khan, 113-112 Peterson > Peterson by Majority Decision

REMATCH!

What an exciting and exhausting fight.  Seriously, I need a nap.

For a second I thought Shaggy was in the front row. It was David Haye. I also thought I saw Stevie Wonder in the audience. Not confirmed or denied.

There’s been a lot of hullabaloo over Khan’s point deduction. The first deduction would’ve been legit if the ref had warned Khan that he would deduct a point if Khan kept pushing. The second deduction was just excessive and unnecessary. Here’s the thing: If you’re a dirty fighter, the ref or the judges will find a way to screw you. Khan loves following up his punches with the forearm and elbow of his punching hand. I’m annoyed just watching. I can’t imagine how his opponent feels. More evidence that Khan is a dirty fighter: My mother admires his fighting style and says he’s a baala (naughty) fighter. If my mom is cheering for someone, trust that they’re shady.

Khan is a cheap, dirty fighter. I don’t understand why he’s a star. He reminds me of Gamboa. A brawler lacking in fundamentals. Except Gamboa doesn’t fight dirty. Khan uses his elbows and forearms almost as much as he uses his fists, with a nice head butt thrown in every once in a while (see McCloskey fight). He’s fought and beat some “name” fighters that were just like him: Malignaggi and Judah. And the required: Legend in decline, Barrera.

 

“I was the more [sic] cleaner fighter.” Note he didn’t say I’m a clean fighter or I was the clean fighter. He said “cleaner.” It’s like saying my dog’s ass is cleaner than your dog’s ass. Still not somewhere you’d like to store sterilized medical instruments.

Peterson did a great job and held his own against Amir who can be a manic brawler. I think Peterson would have chance for a clearer victory in a rematch . . . Unless it’s in England. Hometown advantage is a reality of all sports and not just another slimy facet of boxing. A rematch would be quite exciting. I wonder if Khan would revert back to his back alley fighting style or clean up his act and be a good, clean, technical boxer. Only time and a rematch will tell.

Side note: I whole heartedly agree with the DC commission’s decision to not allow an immediate interview with the ref. Ref’s shouldn’t be interviewed. Interviews = opinions. Refs should just be about the facts occurring in the ring. Are they always? No, but that’s the ideal. Allowing interviews would erode the credibility of boxing decisions. Well, more so.   

Short blurb on Ibragimov-Mitchell

Mitchell is a former football player who began his boxing training in his twenties. Ibragimov is another heavyweight from the former Soviet Union who is 36 and unlikely to go much further.

Fight stopped in the 2^nd.  Mitchell looks like he’s still learning the fundamentals, but seems to have some natural ability and timing.  Mitchell’s a contender. It remains to be seen if he can go the distance.

Tonight’s fights brought to you by Golden Boy, which means B Hop and Oscar in the front row. If you’re thinking to yourself, “I didn’t see B Hop,” he was the guy in the annoying, hipster glasses. If only someone had thrown an elbow at HIM and knocked those glasses right off of his face.