Sparring In Ottawa Is On the Bucket List

ENTRY 387

SPARRING LAST WEEK, BUT IS IT ENOUGH?

I did four good rounds with Coach Sarah on Thursday.
That is great for technical work. 
She is awesome for teaching technical and I appreciate that. However, as I found out the hard way in December, technical alone is not enough.
I need to work on brute power as well. Inflict some blunt force trauma.
I need to spar some really big guys who are not going to be at all bothered by getting hit really hard. 

There is a guy at Stockyards I can spar sometimes, but I still have to find out if I am covered to spar there. Boxing Ontario certainly will not cover me.

In the meantime, I have also had invites to spar in Ottawa and New York.

I plan on going to Ottawa this summer anyway, so that is not a problem.

However, going to New York is a bit more difficult. There is a sparring session In April that I have been invited to.
It is interesting because they are sponsored sessions. I am not exactly sure how that works. Nevertheless, I want to go.
The problem is that I currently do not have a valid WHTI travel document. 
I am currently in the process of obtaining a Nexus, but the process is quite lengthy as it requires government security clearance from both Canada and the United States.

I do have an advantage in that my job already requires a security clearance, so it should not be difficult getting another.
Also, that I am a Canadian citizen. As per Canadian law, a citizen of Canada can never be refused entry into Canada.
That being said, I am not a U.S. citizen. Therefore, the United States does NOT have to let me in.
However, I don't see problems, but the process can take a while. I hope it is done by April.

It looks like 'The Brick' is going to be doing some travelling this year.
I have no more butts left to kick in Toronto, so I have to go elsewhere.

CONGRATS TO GODFREY AND MOHAMMED

Two of my professional boxer friends won big in Mississauga on Saturday.

Mohammed has now won six in a row, and I think this was Godfrey's first bout. At least I don't know of him having any previous.

Congratulations to both.

Mohammed wins in Mississauga, February 25.

Godfrey with coach Brock (right).

Mohammed again.

Good job.

--The Brick

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'ANOTHER BRICK IN THE SPRAWL' VLOG ARCHIVE  
=================================================================
ENTRY 001  JANUARY 4 2017   "Another Brick In the Sprawl, pt. 2"   
ENTRY 002  JANUARY 11 2017  "Crappy Computers and Electronics"
ENTRY 003  JANUARY 18 2017  "I Listen To Weird Music?"
ENTRY 004  JANUARY 26 2017  "Why You Should Not Lease From EasyHome"
ENTRY 005  FEBRUARY 2 2017  "Can You Show Me How To Edit?"
ENTRY 006   TBA

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'THE BRICK' TRAINS AT:

2389 St.Clair Ave. W. Toronto

Tuesday and Thursday, some Saturdays

--and--

2295 Dundas St. W. Toronto

Friday.

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The OBA Boxing Show Schedule For 2017: _____________________

ENTRY 386

'THE BRICK' IS TICKED

Hello all. Welcome to another 'Blue Corner'.

I am not overly happy this week.

I have just been on a medical suspension, and could not do any sparring. 

I have been off suspension for over a week now, and still can't get any sparring.
I think I had a couple of light rounds last Thursday, but other than that, nothing.

I have things to work on and a lot of catching up to do.
However, I am not even sure why or what I am training for.

The Ontario Boxing Association keeps moving the dates for the Golden Gloves.
At first it was supposed to be in the spring, then they moved it to summer, and then to the fall. Now they have no idea when they want to have it.
This is a sanctioning body for boxing in Ontario and they are so disorganized.
As much as Boxing Ontario was a pain in the butt, at least they gave plenty of notice for upcoming events.

It is annoying because they really expect people to just drop their lives for the Golden Gloves?

This is more of a problem than it appears. Due to the new format of the Golden Gloves, local gyms don't want to schedule any cards until they also know what is going on.

So, here is what is happening under the OBA and all it's affiliated clubs for the next few months: Nothing.

Seriously?

Seriously.  

For now, I am remaining on the regular training schedule, because there is really nothing happening; but somebody could just drop a bout onto me at any time.. 
Well, I will just have to do my best,. After all, as much as I'd like it to, my whole life does not revolve around boxing.

--The Brick

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'ANOTHER BRICK IN THE SPRAWL' VLOG ARCHIVE  
=================================================================
ENTRY 001  JANUARY 4 2017   "Another Brick In the Sprawl, pt. 2"   
ENTRY 002  JANUARY 11 2017  "Crappy Computers and Electronics"
ENTRY 003  JANUARY 18 2017  "I Listen To Weird Music?"
ENTRY 004  JANUARY 26 2017  "Why You Should Not Lease From EasyHome"
ENTRY 005  FEBRUARY 2 2017  "Can You Show Me How To Edit?"
ENTRY 006   TBA

=======================================================+=======

===============================================================

'THE BRICK' TRAINS AT:

2389 St.Clair Ave. W. Toronto

Tuesday and Thursday, some Saturdays

--and--

2295 Dundas St. W. Toronto

Friday.

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OBA Golden Gloves...Not Your Traditional Tournament (Any More)

ENTRY 385

THE (NEW) GOLDEN GLOVES?

I am now officially in training for the Golden Gloves. 
This years' Gloves are going to be a bit different.
Instead of being compressed into one weekend, they are being held over a period of a few weeks.
I am not sure of the exact week they will be starting and if they will be held all at the same location, or at a different location each time. These have yet to be announced.

The reason for 'uncompressing' the tournament as provided by the Ontario Boxing Association is that it is less stress for the athletes.
That is true, but I think there is more to it than that.
They gave the reason that the government does not like that boxers are stressed so much in one weekend.
That doesn't make sense. Why would the government care about that? The government barely cares about the things they should be caring about.
It is more likely that they (OBA) are trying to save money by not needing to rent a hall for the entire weekend.
You know, I really can't blame them for that. 
Also, they are right about putting too much stress on the athletes. It would be a lot better for the boxers to compete once per week instead of four or five times in two or three days.
I think it is worth a try. It could turn out to be interesting. Especially if they are each held at a different gym.
However, my only concern is transportation, but that is something that can be worked out later. Maybe I can get coach to drive me. It is not as if any of these are going to be that far away from Toronto. All the OBA sanctioned gyms are within two hours of Toronto.

Training hard and looking forward to my first Golden Gloves.

'GOPRO' IS A HIT !

During the last Stockyards' Boxing was the first time I introduced the use of the GoPro on one of the ring poles.
As per the viewer retention stats from YouTube, the parts where the GoPro was used have a higher viewer rating than the rest of the production.
That means that the GoPro shots were a hit.
Now that I have two GoPro type cams, my idea for future boxing coverage is to put one on each white corner pole.
I will be testing this at the Toronto Boxing Academy during sparring sessions over the next couple of weeks.

While I am on the topic of video production, I have to put a pause to the vlogs.
My original idea was to do a lot more outdoors, and since the weather in this area has not really been 'outdoor friendly' lately, I will be taking a break with the vlog productions until I can do more outside.

--The Brick

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
'ANOTHER BRICK IN THE SPRAWL' VLOG ARCHIVE  
=================================================================
ENTRY 001  JANUARY 4 2017   "Another Brick In the Sprawl, pt. 2"   
ENTRY 002  JANUARY 11 2017  "Crappy Computers and Electronics"
ENTRY 003  JANUARY 18 2017  "I Listen To Weird Music?"
ENTRY 004  JANUARY 26 2017  "Why You Should Not Lease From EasyHome"
ENTRY 005  FEBRUARY 2 2017  "Can You Show Me How To Edit?"

=======================================================+=======

===============================================================

'THE BRICK' TRAINS AT:

2389 St.Clair Ave. W. Toronto

Tuesday and Thursday, some Saturdays

--and--

2295 Dundas St. W. Toronto

Friday.

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Coach's New and Interesting Idea

ENTRY 384

THE END (OF SUSPENSION) IS NEAR

This coming Wednesday will be the last day of my medical suspension as per Boxing Canada.
That means that on Thursday I will be able to start sparring again. It also means that my 'break' is over and time to start training for the Golden Gloves.
It will be back to six-day per week training.

There was a lot happening on the Boxing Ontario side of things.
The Brampton Cup was this weekend. 
Also, the previous weekend Stockyards sent some boxers to the Dominican Republic for a tournament.
In my opinion that is kind of expensive and unnecessary. I mean, if the boxers had fun, that's fine. However, within the realm of the sport of boxing it is expensive and unnecessary. 
I tell you, if I was still with Stockyards, I would not have been selected to go. I was not one of Richard's 'favourites'.


COACH BROCK'S IDEA OF INTER-GYM SPARRING

Speaking of not being a 'favourite',  Coach Brock has expressed interest in sending his boxers to other gyms to spar. Maybe even to different cities.
This idea is nothing new, but it is to me because Richard never let me spar outside of Stockyards...because I wasn't a 'favourite'.
The idea of myself being included in something like this was a pleasant surprise.
..and really why should I not be included?  After all I am on the team, and should be treated like every other athlete. Should I not? 

However, in addition to that, if the OBA will cover me for sparring at Stockyards, Richard has a Master who needs another master for sparring.
I am willing to help out if it can be done. He had his first bout on 'Fight Night XXXI', which will be available for viewing on Metropolis TV soon.. 
There is a delay in getting the program ready due to the fact that I had to remove the first bout after it had already been inserted, and it has put me back a lot.

Find out why on the recent entry of ANOTHER BRICK IN THE SPRAWL.
I also do a review of action (GoPro compatible) cameras..

That is all for this entry. For the next entry I will be off suspension, and happy for that. 

The sooner I can move on, the better.

--The Brick

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
'ANOTHER BRICK IN THE SPRAWL' VLOG ARCHIVE  
=================================================================
ENTRY 001  JANUARY 4 2017   "Another Brick In the Sprawl, pt. 2"   
ENTRY 002  JANUARY 11 2017  "Crappy Computers and Electronics"
ENTRY 003  JANUARY 18 2017  "I Listen To Weird Music?"
ENTRY 004  JANUARY 26 2017  "Why You Should Not Lease From EasyHome"
ENTRY 005  FEBRUARY 2 2017  "Can You Show Me How To Edit?"

ENTRY 006   TBA
ENTRY 007   TBA

=======================================================+=======

===============================================================

'THE BRICK' TRAINS AT:

2389 St.Clair Ave. W. Toronto

Tuesday and Thursday, some Saturdays

--and--

2295 Dundas St. W. Toronto

Friday.

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LISTEN LIVE--Link on the right --->

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