There were several original video recordings in Bone Daddy library…..especially during the recorded ABC telecasts of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics….that sound like they were recorded under water…..I mean, you can discern what is being said….but it is “gurgally” (another original Chiweenie L E word like “sportsphile” in found in my writings….for I am very original). As I have said before….my favorite part of even this “gurgally” video is Howard Cosell bringing the boxing action….as Bone Daddy and I both just thought Howard was the best at bringing a fight. Just the way he would say in that beautiful kinda of New York Jewish delivery….”This is Howaaaad Cosell coming to you live from Los Angeles Sports Arena.”
Howard Cosell was a special sportscaster….sorta unique unto his own….intelligence and introspective….the kind of guy you’d like to have in your foxhole…..cuz you know if he believed in something worth fighting for….he would dig in and fight tooth and nail. First of all, it is this lil ole chiweenie sportsphile’s opinion that….there never has been or never will be….a better voice and delivery style that was better suited for boxing than Cosell’s….for his voice and delivery style were truly distinctive in it’s color and it’s content…intelligent, articulate, insightful, energetic and always full of excitement about the fight he was calling on that particular night….be it flyweight or heavyweight. I’d bet you right now a dollar to a hole in a donut that a boxing fan could enter a room to watch a fight on TV….not knowing who was calling the fight only hearing….and the broadcaster bringing the fight could be Marv Albert, Barry Tompkins, Gil Clancy, Dr. Ferdie Pacheco, Tim Ryan, Larry Merchant, Don Dunphy or any other broadcaster of a boxing match…and many of those fans would not immediately recognize who was calling the fight…..but if those same fans walked into a room that Howaaaaad was calling…..everyone would know who was calling the fight.
Bone Daddy has always had a problem with the concept of “being politically correct”….cuz truth is that the truth hurts….more often than not….but truth is the truth heals also….you see,HUMANS actually learn more by having to deal with the truth…..instead of trying to learn to deal with what isn’t the truth. All HUMANS on this earth need to think about that one….cuz we dogs don’t have any trouble with dealing with the truth….even when it hurts.
Howard Cosell’s legendary career came to an end one night…..when he said something publicly that was not politically correct…..for he has been scorned and outcast to a significant degree for being perceived as a racists…..when Washington Redskins RB Joe Washington….an incredibly elusive running back that was hard to catch….and he took off on a run whereby professional football defenders could not put a hand on this guy…..as he darted, dashed, jumped, twisted, side-stepped….and flat made defender miss him….as Cosell’s excitedly shouted “look at that little monkey run”…..and a great career was over….and a man was labeled a racist. From this lil ole chiweenie sportsphile dog’s perspective….Cosell called the play correctly….Joe Washington looked like a monkey that could run and jump and dart and leap and swing out of the grasps of heavily-clad human beings trying to catch him….it was a honest and perfectly descriptive call….but not politically correct.
The truth is that Howard Cosell proved he was not a racist….and never could be a racist….evidenced by his documented history of standing up for Muhammad Ali throughout his career….so, tell me folks…..how many of you who read this commentary think Muhammad Ali would allow a racist to get as close to him as Howard did…..for I just can’t believe how being politically correct can be so destructive. Howard Cosell deserves to be remembered for being a passionate sports commentator…..who loved sports in such a way….that he developed a style at ringside…. much like his good friend Ali brought to the ring….there will never be another Batman and Robin in the world of sports like Muhammad ….so as we pay homage to Batman….let’s give Robin his due…..so, even though Cosell sounds like he’s under water…..he is still worth the listen.
