Bronze Gloves This Weekend~~"The Brick" Loses His Job~~REVIEW: "Cobra Kai" Brings Back the 80s

ENTRY 420

BRONZE GLOVES TRAINING CONTINUES BUT NO OPPONENT IN SIGHT

As of the writing of this article, there is nobody else in my division registered for the Bronze Gloves.  someone registered in my division within an hour before deadline.

Here is the line up of registrants for this year's Bronze Gloves in my division:

From this, it looks like I will be stepping into the ring this weekend.

Training has been tough.

Especially the last few with it being so hot.

I have been working very hard, and I have been keeping very close to my roster weight at 81 kg.

My last weight check on May 29:

I am checking every day now, and I have been constantly very close.

I train six times per week, now that I can, but more about that later in this article.

However, the last training session on Tuesday did not go so well.

I got pissed off.

I know. When am I not pissed off?

Actually, I have been quite happy lately and even praised the coaches in a recent blog entry.

Although I like the quality of coaching, sometimes the coaches do things that annoy me.

It appears that the Grandpa Syndrom is rearing its ugly head again, but it usually doesn't bother me much anymore because I know that in the long run the coaches do care and they are still giving me a lot of chances to compete.

I have had more ring time since joining this gym than I have had at any other. I appreciate that. 
However, there are still some things that I feel are causing roadblocks in my training, and can very easily be corrected by the coaches.

My piss off on Tuesday was that due to the fact that Grandpa could not complete the team training, he was pulled into the class.

Here is the thing: Tuesday is beginner's class.

I am not a beginner. I am on the competitive team, and should always be training with them. 

Anyway, okay, whatever. Like I said before, I don't mind working with the beginners, but just not four days before a bout. 

The problem was that the people the coach had me working with were fucking around.

They were not paying attention, standing around yapping, and taking many breaks.

These actions were holding me back. 
The thing is that these same guys do the exact same thing in every class and the coach knows that. He has complained about it before. So, why put a competitive boxer with them?

Oh yeah, I'm Grandpa and so I won't notice.

I don't understand how people can come to a class and be so disrespectful to the coaches and other members. I mean, why are they allowed to keep coming to class? They should be ejected and told not to come back unless they were to behave. This isn't fucking Kindergarten. 

I work very hard and take this sport very seriously.

If the beginners don't want to take it seriously, (A) Don't put me with them, and (B) Don't allow them in class.

Am I wrong about any of this?

Of course, if I complain, I am being a cry-baby and at least one of the coaches will turn it around and make it my fault.

Like they did with the Brampton Cup. Apparently, I had no right to be pissed about being out $400.

Therefore, I have decided that going forward, I am not going to attend Tuesday classes within two weeks of a bout, I will still go in to train, but not to class.

I just renewed my membership with them, and I am paying $150 a month for those classes. Therefore, I can pick and chose which ones I attend.

I have decided that with all the progress I have made, attending the beginner's class would be counter-productive at this point in my boxing career.

It is not a big deal since I now have plenty of time to train.

IN-SECURITY 

I am working on a new e-novel called "IN-Security" which documents the past eight years of my life as a security guard.

That may be coming to an end.

On Monday, I was booted from the property I worked at near Jane and Finch for the past three months. The reason: The property manager didn't like me.

This was the third boot in a year for the exact same reason.

Here is what I have to say about that: Who the fuck cares what the property manager likes?

Seriously.

I am not there to be buddies with the property manager or anyone else for that matter. I am there to do a job.

As long as the work is getting done that is all that matters. 
Well, that is how it used to be. Now it just seems to just be about kissing asses.

I'm sorry. I don't kiss ass. I kick ass when it needs to be kicked.

That line seems familiar. I think I wrote that somewhere before.

Anyway,

This was the large property I worked. Three 12-story buildings with several townhomes all connected with a grid of underground parking.

It was is a rough area, so I had to deal with idiots and parking violations as well. 

There were a lot of those.

I did the best I absolutely could as I always did for the past eight years.

However, for the last time, a property manager complained that she didn't like me because I didn't kiss her ass.

I am on vacation for a week and I am supposed to contact the manager on Monday for another placement.

However, I am beginning to wonder if I want to continue working as a security guard.

I feel that I have not been respected.

Why would a property manager hire security if she does us going to keep interfering with their work? 
Let the security guards do their job, damn it.

Another piss off of mine: Everyone knows my job except me.

Anyhow, I have a few days to decide what I am going to do.

Right now my priority is the Bronze Gloves.

REVIEW: "Cobra Kai" YouTube TV Series

As a child (Okay, teen) of the 80s, I like 80s nostalgic things.

I was very interested when I saw the promos for the YouTube Red series Cobra Kai.

Now that I have watched most of the first season, I have to say I am very impressed.

I don't want to give any spoilers, but I will give you a basic synopsis for those who have not seen any of it.

I was first impressed that the original actors returned to their original characters. 
Generally, actors do not like to be associated with any one character, so I was pleased that both Ralph Macchio and William Zabka both revived Daniel and Johnny, respectively.

The beginning of the series looks back to the ending of the first film, which they had changed for the purposes of this series.

In this series, not only did Johnny not win the tournament, but he was knocked out.
Albeit by an illegal technique.
Head contact was not allowed in that tournament, remember?

Anyway, as we move to 30 years later, Johnny has a crappy job that he hates and Daniel owns an auto dealership. Actually, four of them.

Apparently losing the All-Valley Under 18 Karate Tournament 30 years ago directly affects your life to the point where you can't even get a decent job.
Okay, there may have been other factors too, but this has caused resentment by Johnny towards Daniel as he keeps seeing his ads on TV.

Eventually, through a chain of events that you will have to watch the series to find out, Johnny must meet his arch nemesis at Larusso Automotive.

Through another chain of events, which you will again have to watch the series to find out, Johnny decides to teach karate by opening a Cobra Kai dojo.

Daniel sees the dojo one day and gets all pissy-faced about it.
He confronts Johnny, and the whole thing starts all over again...

This is definitely a series worth watching. Even if you don't remember the original film series.

Although a YouTube Red subscription is not available in Canada, the first two episodes are free to view, and the following can be purchased individually.



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--Paul 'The Brick' Brec, 2017 Golden Gloves Silver Medalist

When the Coach Is Unhappy, We Are All Unhappy

ENTRY 419

WHEN THE COACH IS UNHAPPY, WE ARE ALL UNHAPPY

Saturday team training did not go well. 

First of all, I was a little late. Not by much. Just an hour.
I was under the understanding that we started at 11.
When I arrived, they were already well into the circuit training.
We were doing some training outside and the coach saw me exit the bus. I could already tell he wasn't pleased.
We actually started at 10. However, it wasn't just me he was pissed at.

Apparently, the entire team performed very poorly throughout.

In a way, I am happy that I wasn't there, but that does not let me off the hook.
Although I was not late on purpose, I am still part of the team. When the team screws up, we all screw up.

It really bothers me when the coach is upset.

I have a lot of respect for the coaches for one major reason.
They have taught me more about boxing over the past year than I have learned in my entire seven years of returning to boxing.

When you have coaches that care about the athletes, but the athletes don't do what the coach wants, the coach gets upset. 
Of course.


When you don't work hard, it is disrespectful to the coach, but it also doesn't help the athlete. You are cheating yourself. 
The coach can not do the exercises for you. He can only tell you what you need to do to be a better athlete. The rest is up to you.

The coach only wants to build his athletes. Make them the best they can be.
He can not do that if the team does not cooperate with him, and that makes him frustrated.

The coach was so angry that he canceled Saturday's sparring session.

As much as I respect the coach, I did not agree with that.

Sparring is an important part of training. As important if not more important than all the rest.
I have some things that I need to work on for the Bronze Gloves, which is only three weeks away.

However, the coach did express his opinion of the team's performance.

I feel bad for being late, although it was a mistake. I also feel bad that the coach was unhappy with us due to our poor training effort on Saturday.
With a major tournament less than a month away we should be busting out butts off.
The coach was right for being upset.

My apologies for misunderstanding the start time. I will make sure to arrive on time in the future.

For my teammates and all other athletes, two important messages:

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--Paul 'The Brick' Brec, 2017 Golden Gloves Silver Medalist

Bell Ring=Brain Freeze and Kingston Bout Cancelled

ENTRY 418


BELL RING = BRAIN FREEZE

On April 28 in Hamilton, I stepped into the ring versus Jay Persao of the Steeltown Boxing Club.
He was a good opponent, and I had an entire plan on what I was going to do.
I was ready and I was hyped. Then it happened, DING!, first round bell. At that point, I completely forgot everything I was going to do.

I don't even want to discuss it too much because it was an absolutely terrible performance. I am much better than what I showed in the ring that night.

All I can do is move on, so that is exactly what I am going to do.

Moving on...



KINGSTON BOUT CANCELLED

My coach has removed me from my bout versus Jack Chisamore in Kingston.
His reason is due to the proximity to the Bronze Gloves which begins the following day.

Jack has since found another opponent.
This bout is very important to him because it will be his very last one and he wanted it in his hometown.
Apparently, he has never competed in Kingston.

I felt bad about it but it wasn't my decision. 
I had no problem doing both, but sometimes coaches make decisions on behalf of the athlete that the athlete does not agree with, but that is how competitive sports work.
Ultimately the coach is the boss.

I am happy that Jack found an opponent and I wish him all the best.

Now, I am training hard for the Bronze Gloves which begin on June 1. 




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--Paul 'The Brick' Brec, 2017 Golden Gloves Silver Medalist