Die Macht » on the film, and then there was

If youre looking for a feel-good story of sportsmanship and compassion and all that stuff, I do NOT have the story for you.Seriously, if you value ethics and fairness and the like, move on. Dont read any further.For those still with me, let me tell you about the US Youth Soccer National Championships. The U18 girls division had its final day of group play on Thursday in Frisco, California, and, per Top Drawer Soccer, the top two teams in two groups would advance to a knockout stage. So there was plenty on the line.Carlsbad Elite (California) and Ambassadors FC (Ohio) were hoping to advance, and each needed at least a draw to secure its spot. Playing each other, the teams apparently plotted to ensure the game would end in a tie and both teams would move on. The final score: 0-0.Not only unethical, it also resulted in a game that made a mockery of the sport as the players unenthusiastically passed the ball back and forth with no effort to score.If youre glutton for punishment or really have time to kill today, you can watch a few minutes of the game below. But beware, its brutal to watch and you might find more entertainment watching paint dry.What a great lesson to teach kids. EYE ROLL.See something entertaining on social media that you think deserves to be shared? Let me know on Twitter, @darcymaine_espn.Scarpe Nmd Italia . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Scarpe Nmd Nere Outlet . It says Pocklingtons lawyer filed the appeal Friday in a California court. CTV Edmonton also says Pocklington gave a $100,000 cash deposit as part of the conditions of his bail, and that he will be out on bail until his appeal is heard. http://www.scarpenmdscontate.it/scarpe-nmd-r1-outlet.html . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. Nmd Uomo Outlet . John Lucas, signed as a mentor for rookie Trey Burke, showed he can score if required, scoring 12 points of his 16 points in the second quarter as Utah built an 18-point lead. Nmd Human Race Italia .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open.Its difficult to make a boxing movie that feels real to regular audiences, let alone to actual fighters themselves. In recent years, as many of these films have come to the big screen, far too many have focused on the spectacle of the megafight that very few boxers ever experience and a glossy version of fame and fortune enjoyed be even fewer.With Bleed for This -- the life story of Vinny Paz who may well have achieved the greatest sports comeback of all time by winning a boxing world championship after breaking his neck in a car accident -- director Ben Younger has thankfully reversed this trend.Everything that viewers see feels real, because it is real.From the opening scene showing Paz with his body wrapped in saran wrap while furiously riding a stationary bike in his hotel room to make weight moments before his weigh-in, through the numerous training scenes in dusty, tired gyms and basements and even with the climactic victory over Roberto Duran, any fighter will tell you that all 116 minutes of the film were entirely authentic.How do I know? I experienced almost everything you see in the film. Having fought in six different weight divisions, from junior lightweight to middleweight, weight issues are one of those things that most casual boxing fans dont see or understand. My career began in the worn down Resurrection Gym in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, and each time I won a big fight, the feeling was nothing short of heaven.The fights themselves -- long a joke in the boxing community given that any fighter who absorbed the over-dramatic blows featured in most films would end up mangled beyond recognition -- also come off as legitimate. While watching the opening bout of the film between Vinny and Roger Mayweather, I could almost feel every punch that Vinny absorbed in defeat, and like Vinny, those shots only made me want to fight harder.And then theres the other side of the big bombs that the fighters throw. Boxing is actuaally largely a sport of defense and all of the actors learned how to move, keep their hands up, bob and weave just like we all do it in the gym and on fight night.ddddddddddddOftentimes my best offense was indeed a good defense.And then there are the actors. Miles Teller, known primarily for his role as a skinny drummer in Whiplash, has incredibly transformed himself into a rock-solid brawler able to pull off a boxer, nicknamed The Pazmanian Devil, who had a trademark of beating himself in the head mid-fight. And Aaron Eckhart, normally a traditional, clean-cut leading man, is a dead ringer for legendary trainer Kevin Rooney, right down to the beer gut, bald spot and Staten Island accent.So how do you make a boxing movie that actually can appeal to boxers and general audiences? Its actually simple -- involve people who know the sport.Legendary trainer Freddie Roach and longtime boxing writer Tim Struby served as consultants on the film, and then there was the decision to involve Paz himself. During Canelo Alvarezs last bout in Dallas this past September, I had the opportunity to spend some time with Vinny, who flew in to see the fight, and let me say, few boxers encapsulate a true fighter better than the five-time champ.For all of Pazs big personality, the man knows the ins and outs of boxing cold and is able to explain the realities of the fight game in the way only a former fighter can.Perhaps the best validation for the film comes from young fighters looking to become a champion like Paz. Six fighters from my Golden Boy Promotions stable attended the Los Angeles premier last week.To a fighter, they said it was the most genuine boxing movie theyd ever seen. And I agree.Oscar De La Hoya is a 10-time boxing world champion in six weight divisions. He is now chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. ' ' '