I am like Doc Holliday was in Tombstone.
To the lawless varmints, to the Johnny Ringos, the wild shoot ?em up characters who abound in Pacland and environs, I say this now and I mean every word:
I?M YOUR HUCKLEBERRY.
If I have to go get me a tin star and attach it to my wooly shirt, so be it. But I am joining up with the Earp Brothers and we?re going to make Pacland a safe place for the whole family or die trying.
Either we have a G-rated community or bodies are going to start piling into Boot Hill.
Thus Michael Marley?s New Rules of Proper Conduct in Pacland:
1. I note happily that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is not being trashed for being an American and that?s encouraging. Now let?s abandon the homophobic remarks, all that ?Gayweather? stuff because it demeans the writers and not the target. I?d like to see you direct such remarks at Hall Of Famer Emile Griffith?at your peril.
2. Let?s broaden this and just say no more, no mas to ad hominem personal attacks on fans of all other fighters. You?re all part of the crazy racial and ethnic mix that makes boxing fun. Boxing is not, has never been and will never be one of those white guy only sports such as polo. Boxing has been built on the broad backs of all sorts of minorities. (Caveat: Virtually anything said about Floyd Mayweather Sr. is fair game because of all his below the belt shots to Coach Roach and others.)
3. Fire back at me or any other scribe/commentator all you want. Take your best shots but don?t make them personal. You can attack someone?s ideas, theories or factual premise without personally ripping them. That?s called fair play.
4. Stop with this clown talk about Pretty Boy ?ducking? Pacquiao because he could?ve waited one more day and challenged the Pinoy Idol directly rather than take the July 18 Marquez bout. After his not so lengthy retirement, Tax Money Max is entitled to one comeback bout. And no ?duck? fights Juan Ma despite the obvious and I say odious size difference. Besides that, what?s easy about Marquez?
5. Let?s eliminate this ridiculous standard that does not permit any Pinoy journalist to write or say anything even mildly critical of Pacman. Manny does not claim to be a holy person or a deity. He is not beyond reproach any more than LeBron James or any other sports heroes you may follow. None of us, including the Recah Trinidads, are supposed to be Megamanny cheerleaders. I threw my pom poms away long ago.
All right, men and women, boys and girls, you may now police yourselves.
If not?well, I guess you know how Johnny Ringo ended up. Boot Hill was his final address.
Don?t let this happen to you, Pacfans.
Play by the few rules of get the hell out of Dodge, er, I mean Tombstone Territory…before sundown!
Michael is a former sports columnist at the New York Post. He was a criminal defense attorney and worked for sports legends Howard Cosell and Don King. Marley also operates BoxingConfidential.com. Email him your thoughts. He makes it a practice to always recommend Pacland and Philboxing
