The Finish of Finishes

So what if I told you, that there was the equivalent of 1 minute and some change left in a basketball game, and a team was trailing by 10 points? What if I also said that those 10 points were what were standing in the way of a team winning a championship or going down in history as probably the biggest choke artists in the history of sports? To put the cherry on top, what if I told you that the team that this squad was down to are the equivalent of the Washington Wizards, sitting near the gutter of its league?

What would you say? What would you think? What would you expect? Yesterdays performance by Manchester City answered every one of those questions, and left no room for interpretation. You see Manchester City was fighting all year for the English Premier League title, probably the toughest league title to win in all of soccer. With a defeat of bitter crosstown rivals, Manchester United, about a week earlier, City just had to win their last game to seal their first title in 40+ years. In their way? A team that was in danger of being booted from the top ranks of English Football in the Queens Park Rangers, QPR. Easy enough task for the Boys in Blue and White playing at the Etihad; their home stadium, right? How boring you must say, how much easier could things get? Manchester City will coast to this win.

Only that is not what happened. Far from it actually. The first half had just ended, Man City was up 1-0. What's more, they were completely controlling the game, with 81% of the possession, and about 4 times as many shots on goal as their opponents. City and their fans had to be feeling great, they would get to celebrate on their home field; get the bubbly ready, there would be a party in Manchester. But wait. QPR decides that they are not ready to leave the top flight of English Football.

See they are fighting. Fighting for the notoriety, and lets face it overall cash, they would lose should they be booted from top flight English football. Quickly, QPR puts in two goals. And in a blink of an eye, the entire mood in the City of Manchester changes. You see City is now down 2-1, and their rivals, are up 1-0 in there game. A City loss or draw, coupled with a United win could spell the unthinkable for Man City. They would lose the title on the last day of the season, to their hated rivals, having beaten and battered Manchester United both times they played in league play.

The 90th minute comes, and the referee tabulates stoppage time to be put on at the end of the game. 5 MINUTES. Already Twitter, and the social network universe have erupted, completely blasting City for the loss, or other being completely ecstatic for a United League title.

On the phone with a good friend of mine, and die hard Manchester United fan, I hear a huge string of profane language. I should have known by his response what was about to happen. But I didnt realize it. I thought QPR will hold this lead as I chatted up with my friend and even going as far giving United the title, and talking about how Roberto Mancini, the city boss, will lose his job.

And then BOOM. 91st minute. Goal Manchester City off of a corner kick. Tie game 2-2. The crowd in Manchester cheered, but there was more work to be done. A draw would not be enough. City needed the win to be crowned champs.

Then it came. 3 minutes later, basically in the last gasp for City, Sergio Aguero takes what looks like a broken play and turns it into an amazing goal in traffic assisted by EPL bad boy Mario Balotelli, off of the equivalent of a give and go in basketball. SLASH! The ball finds the back of the net and the entire park, and city of Manchester, well the blue side any way lose it. United fans can only hold there heads and think what could have been had last place QPR been able to hold on for less then a minute.

And so it was. Manchester City were crowned champions of the English Premier League. In what I think is, the most dramatic fashion possible in soccer (I hate penalty kicks). I cannot describe what the scene looked like at the Etihad, but it was everything I would have expected. The only thing I can compare it to is the pride and happiness that I felt when USA Soccer won its 2010 World Cup Group  in the last seconds, but maybe that was not even enough, as those fans in Manchester take soccer more serious than even the most die hard of American fans.

Enjoy the video linked below, I cannot embed it, to see a bit more of the scene in Manchester. You may not like soccer, you may not like sports, but you always have to love the underdog. City played second fiddle to United in Manchester for years, and they probably still do, but this year they are the top dog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=f8b8RNCwbhY

Remember, soccer is a beautiful sport. You have to give it a chance. I devote a lot of my blog to this, partly because I am disgusted with what is going on in the NBA in these playoffs, but mostly because I am here to increase awareness about soccer in the states. And remember, I know more about this than you, so just trust me. Give this sport a chance.

Mayweather Money

What more is there to be said about Floyd "Money" Mayweather, that has not already been said. He is the "pound-for-pound" king of boxing, although many would argue the fact that, no one can lay claim to that title until Money May and Pac-Man aka Manny Pacquiao duke it out. That is a story for another day.

For now, lets focus on the man that commands more money in one fight, than any athlete in the US does in one year, without any endorsement deals might I add. Yes, you heard that. Every penny of what Floyd earns is, "Mayweather Money" as he so calls it.

Money May is his own promoter. He owns every part of the process, from setting gate prices, to concession sales. Money bets all of his money on himself, and it has yet to not pay off. Unlike most fighters, who depend on promoters, and endorsements to front the costs of putting on a prize fight, Mayweather pays for everything out of his own pocket. It costs roughly, 10 million to put on a prize fight, and Mayweather bets that he will earn 4-5 times that.

That does not come without headache though. Mayweather is the one who negotiates his pay-per-view deals, he is the one that negotiates fight demands, and works with the governing body.

Mayweather also knows how to get his name out, and to market himself. See his last fight with Miguel Cotto. Justin Bieber was in Mayweather's corner. By affect, every "Belieber" is now on the "Money Team". One simple move, one that probably didn't cost Floyd much money, will now bring him a new legion of fans, who will buy his pay-per-views, watch his shows, and come to his fights.

Money, not fear is the key behind a Pac-Man vs Mayweather fight. Most seem to contend otherwise, but just look at the facts.

Mayweather has guaranteed Pacquiao a 40-50 million dollar payday, on a fight that would probably generate between 150-175 million. 40-50 mil will make this fight Pacquiao's biggest payday by far, but Pac's promoters are crying foul. You see, since Pac does not control his own money, he has to rely on his promoters, who undoubtedly have to be paid, and paid back out of the money that Pac-Man's camp will receive from this fight.

His promoters are crying for a 50-50 revenue split, but there is no reason for Floyd to do that. He can pay some fighter 1-5 million to fight him, and take the rest of the money for himself. Floyd made 40 million off of his fight with Cotto. And while most would say well even if he does a 50-50 split, Floyd will still make 60-70 million on the Pac-Man fight after fees. But Floyd asks why he would do that?

Why would he give someone by far and away the biggest payday of their career and then take a concession. Floyd can stand to make 100 mil for the fight with Pacquiao, why would he take less? Mayweather does not need Pacquiao. He can contend a 35 million + payday fight after fight. Pac-Man can only dream of that. Blame this one on Pac's promoters, who stand to make more than the fighter if this bout goes through.

That is where Mayweather is King. Why should the promoter make more than the fighter? He does not allow that to happen. Money May owns everything, including his money. Even if he ever loses a fight, he still wins. That is what being undefeated thus far has gotten Money May, just that: MONEY.