Al Bernstein Takes Teddy Atlas to Task on Pacquiao Criticism
by Scott Christ on May 31, 2011 2:02 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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ESPN boxing analyst Teddy Atlas has become famous (or infamous) for what many feel is undue and unfair criticism of Manny Pacquiao, which in turn has led to Atlas being pretty criticized himself. Al Bernstein of Showtime offered his thoughts on Atlas' comments, which most recently suggested Pacquiao needs to go further up in weight to prove his worth:
"I saw this interview with Teddy Atlas and he was just ripping Pacquiao for his choice of opponents, which is essentially the same choice of opponents that Mayweather fought. The same guys, except you can add to his list was Cotto, who is still a decent fighter when he fought him and still is now. Margarito, who had his history but is still a big, strong guy. And here's the thing about Clottey, while he didn't fight well against Pacquiao, certainly he was one of the top three or four welterweights when Pacquiao fought. He won a title, we knew he was a very good fighter. He was fighting all these real welterweights.
... "Everybody out there who is reasonable to fight, he's fought. And how do you ignore all those wars he had with Morales, Barrera, and Marquez? To suggest that Manny Pacquiao's schedule has been soft is beyond my comprehension. And to throw Mayweather up as the example? I just think it's interesting."
Bernstein and Atlas are both highly-respected analysts, and there's no doubt about that. They know the game, they know the business, they know their stuff. No one will argue that, I don't think. But Atlas' pretty constant Pacquiao criticism has raised a lot of eyebrows, and at this point has become something of a punchline. Bernstein certainly isn't the first to question Atlas' thoughts on Pacquiao, but he's a notable figure, and it's honestly good to see someone with a reputation step up and argue the points.
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Irrespective of the merits of Teddy’s argument about Pac, I think Bernstein is consistently better on judgments about individual fighters and, of course, about his fight picks. Teddy’s greatest strength as an analyst lies in his ability to offer insightful observations about the technical side of boxing and its nuances. Too often, Teddy seems to have some axe to grind when discussing specifics fights and fighters, but he’s good an analyzing the nuances of things like type and weight of gloves, cut men and their techniques, boxer body types and how to leverage the most out of them, etc.
Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"
I really like Atlas, and of course i really like Bernstein, but I’m glad Bernstein said something. Atlas just gets a bug, a bug of unreason, about some fighters to my mind, his other favorite targets—he seems to really hate them—the class-act, gentlemanly, “good for boxing” Klitchskos. Nothing about his dislike for any of them adds up to me. People say it’s jealousy, and i doubt it, not to the extent that he seems to feel this dislike. Or they figure it’s run-amok jingoistic patriotism—"they’re not American—type prejudice, and i don’t think it’s that either. He’s given his best to teams and fighters from all over. I don’t know what it is, but I’m glad Al Bernstein said something.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
You tell 'im, Al.
Totally agree with BoxAnne and Matt – Teddy’s just picking the wrong bone, here. He’s great fun and all, and he picks apart a fight better than most other analysts, but he’s just so far off with the Pacquaio observations it’s actually quite bizarrre. Glad Al’s told him how it is!
"Occasionally, there is a boxing match that, in its demonstration of skill, courage, intelligence, hope, seems to redeem the sport - almost. Perhaps boxing has always been a sport in crisis, a sport of crisis."
The weird thing is that it seems out of character in a way
Like on FRIDAY DAY NIGHT FIGHTS he is almost chauvinistic of listless bums, saying stuff like, “I can’t speak ill of them because it takes courage to get in the ring at all.”
Last week he was talking up the heavyweights as if they were an awesome sight to behold, but yet he has been consistently unsatisfied with Pac’s accomplishments. Going as far as to agree with Mayweather that Pacquiao is the reason their fight isn’t scheduled.
Atlas’ ‘interview’ with Bernard Hopkins was almost belligerent in his attack of Hopkins’ competition as well. He suggested that he was only a champion because Pascal was a pale comparison to previous golden generations of Light Heavyweights.
When you say the top guys in the sport, in the biggest fights of the year, are actually worthless it kind of a buzz kill.
The thing to remember about Teddy is that he is ALWAYS PICKING AGAINST PACQUIAO in each of these “easy fights” he’s been taking. It’s possible he’s lost his house, car, and hocked the family jewelry picking against Manny, so some bitterness is expected.
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"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
haha, might very well be the case.
by erasedcitizen on May 31, 2011 10:23 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Atlas loves himself. And the sound of his own voice
He has become the sad stepchild of Larry Merchant and Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier, spitting lines, yarns and cliches more frequently than, as Larry would say, Diego Coralles would let a mouthpiece fall to the canvas.
His interview with Hopkins was embarrassing. Bernard had just achieved history and he was suggesting his pride was tarnished because he acquired it in a vacuum. As if Bernard chose the date and time of his birth.
He lost cred on Manny when he failed to produce his friend of friends damning email.
Teddy should learn that the difference between breathless analysis and sound commentary are facts and evidence. Not words without facts.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
well said . His Hopkins interview even enraged my wife,
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
Atlas lost credibility
Atlas lost credibility by making the same kind of comments that Mayweather fans make. I understand the fans, but I am very saddened that Atlas has stooped so low. In the past, even though he didn’t like Pacquio, he always tried to be objective, no matter how painful it was, and he was nice enough to gave Pacquiao some credit. Now it seems he has lost the sense of diplomacy and objectivity. Was witnessing how easy it was for Pacquiao to give Mosley the worst beating of his life the straw that broke the camel’s back? .
Atlas lost credibility
Atlas lost credibility by making the same kind of comments that Mayweather fans make. I understand the fans, but I am very saddened that Atlas has stooped so low. In the past, even though he didn’t like Pacquio, he always tried to be objective, no matter how painful it was, and he was nice enough to gave Pacquiao some credit. Now it seems he has lost the sense of diplomacy and objectivity. Was witnessing how easy it was for Pacquiao to give Mosley the worst beating of his life the straw that broke the camel’s back? .
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