tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78917453936350303892024-03-05T05:36:25.390-06:00The Punch-Drunk BardA Writing Journal for a Punch-Drunk FoolChris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-3779750014336940402013-04-22T17:29:00.000-05:002013-04-22T17:49:00.287-05:00NBC Afternoon at the Fights <br />
A big 'thank you' to the folks at NBCSports Network for showcasing boxing Saturday afternoon. This was a tough ratings slot because they were forced to go head-to-head with the opening round of the NBA's playoffs. While the NBA certainly holds the upper hand with viewers, boxing as a sport benefited greatly from the sheer number of channel surfing NBA fans who got their first taste of free professional boxing on Saturday afternoon. Thankfully, they were treated to a pair of entertaining fights.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0naLnmTU2BN1n9ZDoyOxX0QeGKimz5JIKudXrCKsSU1tBDFZ5Gd0Yttk7YBBiKrI9-olveFDf_srK9LP76v3ckKZRKyaa3o0ISdK-IfvVK8lQmTgKE9qJp75Nz4-F_JXLHitiztyCdw/s1600/fury+cunningham+weigh+in.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0naLnmTU2BN1n9ZDoyOxX0QeGKimz5JIKudXrCKsSU1tBDFZ5Gd0Yttk7YBBiKrI9-olveFDf_srK9LP76v3ckKZRKyaa3o0ISdK-IfvVK8lQmTgKE9qJp75Nz4-F_JXLHitiztyCdw/s320/fury+cunningham+weigh+in.jpg" width="320" /></a>The middleweight fight was interesting if only because it was a stylistic match up of the stolid, tough flat-footed brawler vs. the smooth fleet footed counter puncher. The outcome was predictable as Curtis Stevens used slick counter-punching to dominate a game Derrick Findley over eight hard rounds. Findley displayed plenty of grit and determination but was in the end simply too slow to cause Stevens any concerns. Each round seemed a replay of the first - Findley walking in, absorbing punishment before throwing one heavy handed blow that missed as often as it landed. He was considerably stronger than Stevens but lacked the ability to throw effective combinations and was often caught flat footed and in an awkward, defenseless position after attempting a combination. Stevens, who hadn't fought in nearly two years was tentative in the early going but by the third had found his rhythm, pumping jabs and combinations in spurts that did little to slow Findley's advance but nonetheless won him round after round.<br />
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The main event between Tyson Fury and Steve Cunningham was dramatic and I wasn't sure if what I was watching was WWF wrestling or a heavyweight boxing match. The match up was billed as a "voluntary" IBF eliminator match but, as an unnamed AP boxing reporter noted, it was actually an opportunity to "showcase (Tyson) Fury to American boxing fans." And, oh my, what a match up it was!<br />
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After the referee had issued the customary command to "touch gloves and come out fighting" it was clear that the British bad boy from Manchester had come to America to earn a reputation as a fighter and not a gentleman as he pounded Cunningham's gloves in a very unexpected and unsportsmanlike manner. Nonplussed, Cunningham glared at the British giant for a moment before returning to his corner with a determined look of controlled indignation.<br />
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Fury trash talked throughout the fight. From the opening bell Cunningham endured boasts, taunts and shouted commands of "Come on you pussy!" all the while pounding his chest in simian displays of aggression that begged Cunningham to come forward and "fight like a man." But Cunningham, an undersized former Cruiser weight champion of considerable ring experience, was immune to the bluster. He fought a somewhat tentative first round but those familiar with the tactics of the ring would have noted the smaller man's measuring feints and jabs which were clearly gauging the distance between fist and jaw.<br />
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The opening seconds of the second round revealed Fury to be a victim of his own overconfidence as he all<br />
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but offered his chin up to the fistic gods as a sacrifice. Just 18 seconds into the round Cunningham pounced with economical precision and sent Fury to the canvass with a lightning quick overhand right. Fury, realizing that the American was not to be underestimated, took the full 8 count before rising and spent the better part of the next three rounds getting his legs back beneath him. The British giant used his immense size to tie up the smaller man at every opportunity, laying on Cunningham often and using rough house tactics when in the clinch. Please allow me to pause while offering an aside:<br />
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There is something about Manchester fighters that I don't care for. Whether it's Ricky Hatton's leaping low blow to the groin of Kostya Tszyu in a 2005 title fight or Fury's blatant head butt in the fifth round of this fight, it always seems that the boys from across the pond resort to dirty tactics when things go against them. That kind of reaction is to be commended in a bar fight but not in a boxing ring. The recent crop of British hopefuls, which includes Fury, employ a kind of grab, clinch and foul strategy that American fans just aren't used to but British fans seem to revel in. But, back to the fight...<br />
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My observations aside, it must be noted that Fury did survive the knockdown and began to do what he does best - he turned the contest into a "dog fight." He effectively stalked the crafty Cunningham for the next three rounds employing a swiftness of foot I would not have credited the 6'9" goliath of possessing. He did not rely on his length alone in negating Cunningham's quickness; he used an adequate jab to keep Cunningham at the desired distance, he cut the ring off in a calculated attempt to maintain that distance, and placed real power behind all of his clubbing blows whether they landed flush or not.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1ny7XmaNwykfMGCF-UEdjGFWoT5nOjh92M5jCPumvGCSma1MdMPeFNBbuMJOu_Ac4SUj_03BPuKlRWEKcHjhEqU0FkbDAaE4OqgvAtR4PqGCXmvpB-tm3VgU7m89z6K3ZXF6RtgfDTs/s1600/article-0-1967EE42000005DC-15_634x419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1ny7XmaNwykfMGCF-UEdjGFWoT5nOjh92M5jCPumvGCSma1MdMPeFNBbuMJOu_Ac4SUj_03BPuKlRWEKcHjhEqU0FkbDAaE4OqgvAtR4PqGCXmvpB-tm3VgU7m89z6K3ZXF6RtgfDTs/s320/article-0-1967EE42000005DC-15_634x419.jpg" width="320" /></a>As the fight went on those crashing fists continued to rain down on the much smaller Cunningham who found that Fury did not tire like most big men. Instead, Fury seemed to gain steam with each ensuing round. Fury's aggressive stalking maneuvers forced Cunningham to stand and fight. Cunningham's work on the inside was masterful, punishing and precise, but once again Fury surprised me - where skill and talent were not enough he proved to be a willing mixer with a reserve of endurance that the heavyweight division has not seen since Marciano. I'm not saying he's in Marciano's class, I'm saying that for someone so large his endurance was astonishing. He threw more than two times as many punches as Cunningham, a crafty ring veteran who is known as one of the division's better combination punchers. And what's more, Fury appeared to be getting stronger albeit sloppier.<br />
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He must have sensed all of this as well because he did not try to aim his punches. He maneuvered Cunningham into the ropes time and again and simply tried to land glove on skin whether it be arm, neck, shoulder or side. His punches were sloppy but delivered with murderous intent and though he is still a raw talent his power and endurance are a wonder.<br />
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While my recall may be termed 'gushing with praise' there is a dark side to Fury that I am not enamored with. The fifth round was the beginning of the end for Cunningham. Fury had just about regained control of the fight when he employed brutal tactics typical of a Manchesterton; in a clinch along the ropes he leaned into his opponent during the break and stuck his forehead into Cunningham's cheek and deliberately attempted to cut his opponent in a blatant head butt. Cunningham responded with a rally of his own, ripping a combination to the Englishman's head but it was clear to see that his punches now lacked the steam of the first few rounds.<br />
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The sixth was a repeat of the fifth, remarkable only for the intense pace of the action. Cunningham was<br />
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clearly the more skilled pugilist countering with precise power that would have felled most other heavyweight contenders, but it was the aptly named Tyson Fury who was going to be the clear winner. His mauling attack was simply too much for the brave but undersized Cunningham and his chin, criticized after the fight because of the knockdown, was good enough to allow him to plunge in recklessly, time and again, without fear. The bell to end the sixth found Fury manhandling Cunningham in yet another clinch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eqCYYZv4isN9fpvCM83glsmXUQCxDh-toQEnlG_czTeLW1XK9rl8E5l7wpnDegp3GijeQwgpN3BiqxVGsIdAFGulfVFysJlY_7GEugx4WXawHNNRzH7JNZINmUc-NM1LpYu7z7b3mlk/s1600/s_nbc_box_cunninghamfuryhighlights_130420_16x9.nbcsports-grid-8x2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eqCYYZv4isN9fpvCM83glsmXUQCxDh-toQEnlG_czTeLW1XK9rl8E5l7wpnDegp3GijeQwgpN3BiqxVGsIdAFGulfVFysJlY_7GEugx4WXawHNNRzH7JNZINmUc-NM1LpYu7z7b3mlk/s320/s_nbc_box_cunninghamfuryhighlights_130420_16x9.nbcsports-grid-8x2.jpg" width="320" /></a>The seventh round was a contest of wills that found Cunningham wanting. Cunningham, visibly shaken by Fury's relentless onslaught and too tired to run, tried desperately to fight off the ropes. For much of the round he gave as well as he got but Fury's power had sapped what little energy he had left. Fury's shots were launching the former champion into the ropes with jarring frequency and with 15 seconds left in the round Fury sent a ferocious chopping right hook behind a stiffening forearm <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5KPGmhQCas" target="_blank">(borderline illegal</a>) that put the brave warrior on his back. With blood spurting from his mouth, staining the canvass ruby red, he watched the referee begin his count. He struggled for a brief second to rise before falling back with an anguished grimace and lay back clearly demoralized. It was clear he possessed the warrior's desire to rise one more time but it was equally clear that he would not win this contest.<br />
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Tyson Fury was announced the winner at 2:55 of the 7th. He celebrated his win by kicking up his heels (literally) and then proceeded to give a rather bizarre post fight interview. He chastised the crowd over the loudspeaker for not cheering more loudly for Cunningham. He demanded they recognize Cunningham's effort though whether that was to increase the perceived value of his win over the former champ or to truly recognize his courage can be debated but it seemed a genuine nod of respect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ24W5gnBYOqZNg59411stG_j7j4r_F18WEZGQEXjHRHjk6-WO9Hn78umvRuzqj5P7zTK5WwccwHdXEEba37qnlcSQyb2PXrpxHKL_xnQQP1gDjMoC2sE9JbAvwUStYz2pUeQ1s1lHFN8/s1600/article-0-19680352000005DC-962_634x394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ24W5gnBYOqZNg59411stG_j7j4r_F18WEZGQEXjHRHjk6-WO9Hn78umvRuzqj5P7zTK5WwccwHdXEEba37qnlcSQyb2PXrpxHKL_xnQQP1gDjMoC2sE9JbAvwUStYz2pUeQ1s1lHFN8/s320/article-0-19680352000005DC-962_634x394.jpg" width="320" /></a>His post fight interview was a riotous calamity of jokes, swagger, and singing. When asked by the ringside reporter, "What do you see here in the first?" he replied " Well, aside from Tyson Fury looking sexy as usual..." He followed up his comedy act with a thank you to Madison Square Garden, New Yorkers, and Americans in general before belting out a song for the crowd in a wavering singing voice that must be viewed to fully appreciate.<br />
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Fury is his best promoter. He is brash, arrogant, irreverent and convinced of his own greatness and it is that list of ingredients that will provide him a recipe to stardom. He is a new and exciting face for a sport that sorely needs personalities. As long as he wins he will continue to be a significant draw both here and in Europe. Judging by fan reaction to the bout across cyberspace he is either loathed or loved and that is a potent promotional combination.<br />
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As for his talents - I saw many flaws. He doesn't fight well going backward, his jab can be lazy and he is ripe for a counter cross from either side as his hands rarely come back quickly from a jab. His main assets are his endurance and size - and maybe heart. He is very quick of foot for a big man but his hands are slow and he has a bad habit of swinging for the fences off the wrong foot. He was constantly off balance but I suspect that Cunningham's high skill level had a lot to do with that. He's only 24 and as the old saying goes, 'you can't teach size.' All in all he's a tough and willing mixer whose style and personality will put butts in seats. Could he beat either of the Klitschko brothers? Not a chance in hell... right now. In 3 or 4 years - we'll see.<br />
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What an afternoon of boxing!Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-26908886911194320382013-04-03T17:00:00.000-05:002013-04-03T18:27:06.716-05:002013 PCA/ACA Conference a Success<br />
From the frying pan and into the fire...having just finished the fourth and final volume of<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <i><b><span style="color: blue;">Tales of the Ice House: The Collected Boxing Stories of Robert E. Howard</span></b></i></span>, I turned my attention to the 2013 PCA/ACA conference held in Washington, DC this past weekend. My paper considered the impact of John L. Sullivan and the cult of masculinity upon the creation and execution of Howard's uproariously funny boxing character Sailor Steve Costigan.<br />
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Joining me in the nation's capitol were fellow Howard-heads Mark Finn, Jeff Shanks and the legendary Rusty Burke and many a night was spent discussing the state of Howard Studies with our new friend - John L., he of the single barrel variety. He swore up and down he "couldst lick any son of a bitch in the world" and he done so - just ask Mark Finn.<br />
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I rubbed cuts and traded jabs with some very interesting academics about all things Howard, Pulp, and gender and was doubly pleased to learn that Howard is now being studied seriously in institutions of higher learning throughout the world. The feedback I received was both positive and serious with inquiries ranging from mere curiosity to the best way to acquire the texts as formal reading requirements for certain classes.<br />
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Understand, these folks were not asking about Howard solely because of Conan, but were instead interested in learning about his other creations as well - specifically Sailor Steve Costigan and his iron man brothers. Thanks must go to Shanks, Finn, Burke and the other Howard scholars who had paved the way in years prior - well done fellas! I just hope I helped advance the Howard cause for Sailor Steve Costigan and Mike the bull dog in a manner that does them proud.<br />
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Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-12611886371209006042013-03-01T12:28:00.004-06:002013-03-01T12:39:49.216-06:00Tales of the Ice House - an Update<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black;">Fans of Robert E. Howard and Boxing listen up:<br /><br /><em>TALES OF THE ICE HOUSE: The Collected Boxing Stories of Robert E. Howard</em></span></h4>
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The grunt work for all four volumes of the Robert E. Howard boxing collection has been completed. Patrice Louinet, Mark Finn, and my humble self have assembled every scrap of Howard boxing material we could find, including many never before seen artifacts, into the most comprehensive collection of Howard boxing material ever produced. This is definitive people.<br />
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We will announce the release date as soon as Rob Roehm provides one. Rob has the unenviable task of preparing each volume for publication. It's a mountain of work but if you've haven't seen the books he's produced so far please head over to <a href="http://www.rehfoundation.org/">http://www.rehfoundation.org/</a> and prepare to be amazed. I am confident these books will knock your socks off!</div>
<br />Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-33778869226586357942012-12-08T19:57:00.003-06:002013-04-03T18:15:53.285-05:00The War to Prove...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the great fighters of all time will be lacing up the gloves to meet his arch enemy, an inferior fighter who inexplicably reaches the apex of his skills when facing the modern equivalent of Tamerlane...Manny Pacquiao. Though not afflicted with the physical maladies that weighed heavy upon the twelfth century universal conqueror, Manny Pacquiao is every bit the Asian hero and looks this evening to finally thwart his longtime enemy, the noble challenger Juan Manuel Marquez.<br />
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They will fight at a catch-weight of 143 lbs. and it is expected that this fourth fight between the two combatants will finally end the popular enmity that has brewed between these magnificent boxers. This isn't the same melodramatic frame-up as Achilles and Hector; no, there will be no gods to intervene tonight. This confrontation will pit the counter-puncher against the aggressor, the Black Mamba versus the Mongoose, and the battle will likely reflect the history that led these two fighters back to each other.<br />
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Marquez is a classic counter puncher who relies heavily upon the aggression of his opponent. he is not savvy enough nor physically apt to take the fight to any top tier combatant. However, he is uniquely possessed of the counter punchers gift of timing and power. He is a proud warrior of Mexican heritage who relies on his mind as much as his volatile emotion. Though hammered in the past from pillar to post by Floyd Mayweather Jr., a fighter whose physical abilities are outside the ken of normal man, he is yet as dangerous as the cobra, the Mamba, a snake who waits for the perfect moment of weakness to strike. He is a world class fighter, a champion, whose heart cannot be questioned and it is because he is so dangerous that this fight, the fourth in a trilogy (yes, I know it means three) to finally prove who is the best, is the draw it is. Mayweather may be acknowledged king but these two are the people's champions and to his eternal regret shall he hear their names called in earnest fervor.<br />
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Pacquiao is like the equatorial tempests of the east, building slowly before spilling over the shore as an angry god filled with spite and malice. Only this god is a representative of the people - a martyr of sorts who places himself in harms way in an effort to spare the common man from the arduous and painful journey of his fistic betters. In the ring Manny Pacquiao is a tropical Typhoon - punching fists, whirlwind movement, and an inexorable ability to keep coming forward in the best Howardian Iron Man tradition ...always moving forward and cognizant of the social burden he carries as an Asian champion in a western man sport.<br />
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My prediction is based on what I've seen and what I know of both boxers. Manny is prepossessed in his duties as a member of the Philippine House of Representatives and pulled in too many directions. Yet, he is the better fighter while Marquez is the better boxer. This fight will come down to desire - who has the desire to stand and fight, to contest yet again the dregs of honor and notoriety, and the simple will to win that will be required of the victor in this fight.<br />
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As such, it is apparent that I admire both fighters and it with some reticence and indecision that I declare Manny Pacquaio the victor by 11th round TKO. I have seen Marquez do amazing things but his desire to finally prove that he is the best will undo him and lure him from his counter punching shell. He will seek to annihilate his foe and open himself up to the power-punching dynamism that Manny is known for. There is not a man at this weight who can long endure Pacquiao's fists nor his undeniable will to win.<br />
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Manny Pacquaio TKO 11th round in exciting fashion.<br />
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<br />Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-15512290504061939302012-08-06T12:45:00.000-05:002012-08-06T16:57:07.126-05:0080s Sword and Sorcery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8yG0-AGzBjHcAhGvER7ohP3EgJGCWEJQadgXiJ_rZGzeH3I0SxSexmDrjBhdTCxvxHNFtyuTwImuc-4p0YVc9QXoWz4Ds1atmPvCnD-OLzmA6NxqVf0rZRUVi-ZIiGVBQAgG_VWj-go/s1600/2192892-fanboy-anatomy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8yG0-AGzBjHcAhGvER7ohP3EgJGCWEJQadgXiJ_rZGzeH3I0SxSexmDrjBhdTCxvxHNFtyuTwImuc-4p0YVc9QXoWz4Ds1atmPvCnD-OLzmA6NxqVf0rZRUVi-ZIiGVBQAgG_VWj-go/s200/2192892-fanboy-anatomy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I have been following an interesting Facebook thread over at the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/327939630620293/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Robert E. Howard Readers Group</a>. It seems that the group's founder(s), as well as a good portion of the members, have become increasingly irked by a cadre of a boisterous fan-boys whose posts are frequently seen as childish, snotty, and frequently off-subject. They have been accused (rightly so) of repeatedly straying away from the subject of Robert E. Howard, an offense normally not damning in itself but when coupled with name-calling, strident personal challenges, the implied threat of violence and even thinly disguised <span style="color: black;">plagiarism-for-profit scams...well, I think we can all agree that some changes are in order.</span><br />
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Now, where was I? Oh yeah; like I said, I've been following those posts with a certain indignant tolerance and all the while asking myself 'why?' I'm not exactly a model of self restraint when it comes to emotional volatility. I've dropped the gloves (much to my embarrassment) for lesser indignities than the verbal vomit these goofs are spewing. What was different this time and why the sudden tolerance; am I getting wiser and more tolerant as I age? Unlikely...<br />
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Thankfully, I didn't give in to frustration and leave the group - instead, I read a follow up thread started by Jeff Shanks and realized the answer was right in front of me all along and it had surprisingly little to do with Robert E. Howard, my friend's gripes, nor the moose-drooling blowhards that had been ruining the normally enjoyable back and forth chatter between Robert E. Howard fans. Here's what Jeff said that helped grease the wheels inside my punch-drunk brain; "<em>Okay, why don't we put all the pastiche nonsense and bad 80's S&S behind us and get back to talking about Robert E. Howard</em>."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4P9NDHFYasxHIDmJ3hReeF75tlrDzz9O3icrS9ZAWBAemMiY9w1R45b11nBY8gbqMm5lmebDQBmTSiYiKMR6LWkFflTTKYtjrgUUTHVyr3TmWkxL26OiLWZ_XXTxOg9P9n89PvAH-wN4/s1600/king+of+the+wood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4P9NDHFYasxHIDmJ3hReeF75tlrDzz9O3icrS9ZAWBAemMiY9w1R45b11nBY8gbqMm5lmebDQBmTSiYiKMR6LWkFflTTKYtjrgUUTHVyr3TmWkxL26OiLWZ_XXTxOg9P9n89PvAH-wN4/s200/king+of+the+wood.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
That's it! Bad 80s Sword and Sorcery fiction. It wasn't so much that they were talking about 80s S&S it was that the aforementioned goofs were doing so both outside of the desired conversational direction/subject (Howard) and from a woefully ignorant and misinformed point of view. The reason I had waded through the crap wasn't tolerance after all. Thank goodness I'm not going soft after all. No, the reason was all that talk of "bad" 80s S&S had me fondly recalling my misspent youth which had been spent as often as not with my nose parked in one of those books.<br />
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Anyhow, this blog entry isn't about the goofs, it's about the 80s S&S references and how those references inadvertently roused in me a desire to revisit some of those 80s novels and short story collections. Amazingly, I have managed to successfully retain many of those old books in storage and can with a little physical effort muscle those old boxes out from under the dust and cobwebs and back into the light of day once more.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqA5mLp8EfZfNmb6lmODZ_LqbwinkdPK-UKIohaF4CujjVHqojgAdlnWa_pKz3j1695n6CJamz7uoMb_bszo2JaqU9CvtV6E8u3D6zDkwOBIbFLXKapz8qCX9dd3wWcXqj75RdfEhN3kk/s1600/tor-echoesofvalor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqA5mLp8EfZfNmb6lmODZ_LqbwinkdPK-UKIohaF4CujjVHqojgAdlnWa_pKz3j1695n6CJamz7uoMb_bszo2JaqU9CvtV6E8u3D6zDkwOBIbFLXKapz8qCX9dd3wWcXqj75RdfEhN3kk/s200/tor-echoesofvalor.jpg" width="123" /></a> What a generic term - 80s Sword and Sorcery - but to a guy who's teen years really were defined by the 80s, that descriptive is really just an umbrella term for "books with covers that featured heroic swordsmen, scantily clad women, and some kind of menace." This could be historical fiction, heroic fantasy, adventure, horror, D&D style adventures, reprints of old stories, epic fantasy and pastiche. Also, 80s S&S includes more than that work published, literally, in the 80s; it manages to thematically and creatively pierce the early 90s as well before giving way to new genres like steampunk that would come to characterize the death of rock and the birth of grunge. Heck, it might be argued that it covers stories that you first read in the 80s but had been published years or even decades before. At least that's how I see it.<br />
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So, <strong><u>in anything but</u></strong> the spirit of those now infamous goofs over at The Robert E. Howard Reader's Group, I will slowly revisit those stories over the coming months here at the Punch-Drunk Bard blog. Here's hoping that my stroll down memory lane will only reinforce how I feel about these stories and novels.<br />
<br />Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-82707240126376712432012-07-11T01:21:00.000-05:002013-04-03T18:16:26.618-05:00Wladimir Klitschko KO Thompson in 6<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Champion Wladimir Klitschko (58-3 51 KOs) battered challenger Tony Thompson (36-3 24 KOs) into submission via a 6th round mercy stoppage to retain his WBO/IBO/WBA/IBF belts. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMZagxj9xmCB127W2DQ2qUvH8nDW4vWHzhM7IPDHlp4vQNT6Ih-bs1RgwPPtP6yDznkmYzu0YG_vPAmI-6yS5ovhC-1OLQdV02SY9sHhTDmFFKn8TzzXtsKf-eSxq3OXeAjnpJQdLJXc/s1600/Klitschko-gegen-Thompson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMZagxj9xmCB127W2DQ2qUvH8nDW4vWHzhM7IPDHlp4vQNT6Ih-bs1RgwPPtP6yDznkmYzu0YG_vPAmI-6yS5ovhC-1OLQdV02SY9sHhTDmFFKn8TzzXtsKf-eSxq3OXeAjnpJQdLJXc/s320/Klitschko-gegen-Thompson.jpg" width="320" /></a>It wasn't long ago that I declared that greatness in boxing was as much a product of "<a href="http://punchdrunkbard.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2012-02-13T18:26:00-06:00&max-results=7" target="_blank">quality of opposition as it is by records or championship belts</a>." After having watched the Waldimir Klitschko/Tony Thompson tilt - and witnessing the utter lack of interest stateside in this fight - I can't help but feel vindicated. Thompson (36-3 24 KOs), is a 40 year old slugger best known for already having lost to Klitschko by 11th round TKO in 2008. Thompson is a game, solid, heavyweight with several quality wins on his resume and, despite an obvious skill set that placed him front and center (yet again) as the mandatory challenger, he was completely outclassed by Dr. Steelhammer. Folks, this wasn't a close fight; it was a clinical vivisection. <br />
Despite the obvious mismatch, the challenger's advanced age, and the predictable result I felt compelled to dig a little deeper into the latest championship victory of a man whose record and title run would demand instant inclusion into the 'greatest ever' debate. I watched a replay of the fight and came away thinking that Wladimir might be unjustly judged by the complete LACK of a suitable challenger to his dominance. Is it really his fault that there is no Frazier to his Ali? Are his obvious physical advantages to be held against him? How would he have fared against the dominant heavies of other eras?<br />
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The answers to these questions are not easy to come by - especially if you are an American longing for the days when Americans dominated what was for over a hundred years the most glamorous designation in the sporting world - world's heavyweight champion. Or maybe they are easily answered if you call Europe home. After all, Americans have dominated the division for the better part of a 130 years and perhaps, for them, this is just the cyclical nature of sport finally laying hold of boxing's premier title. <br />
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To those boxing historians out there, sure, I am aware of the <em>Freckled Wonder (</em>Fitzsimmons), the diminutive Canadian, Tommy Burns, the misunderstood Max Schmeling, the brief reigns of the Amblin' Alp (Primo Carnera) and Johansson with his "Hammer of Thor" punch, nor the few other alphabet soup Euro "champions" of the 80s and 90s - - nor have I forgotten the British phenom, Lennox Lewis. What I am trying to say is that while I know there have been European exceptions the rule has been that American's have held, for the most part, the heavyweight belt since the bare-knuckled days of the great John L.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdX4HY3mvLtGidw-j_1ec8wRApDQ8X97f29G_ltulfR3WoTdiGDg3gkz5xOsMfXOiqtzVfY7eFvSYJRCApJCTtWrXhPr-L0GLjaKLH3rKEZ72npjJ2_U4szwojtTKQdTtxd1VD9GV5VA/s1600/Wladimir+Klitschko+Tony+Thompson+Wladimir+FGRXkGuqpL2l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdX4HY3mvLtGidw-j_1ec8wRApDQ8X97f29G_ltulfR3WoTdiGDg3gkz5xOsMfXOiqtzVfY7eFvSYJRCApJCTtWrXhPr-L0GLjaKLH3rKEZ72npjJ2_U4szwojtTKQdTtxd1VD9GV5VA/s320/Wladimir+Klitschko+Tony+Thompson+Wladimir+FGRXkGuqpL2l.jpg" width="247" /></a>That dominance has held mostly true until the Klitschkos stalked upon the scene in the early 2000s. At last count their records are a combined 102-5 with 91 KOs and of those 5 losses two of them came on injuries where the elder Klitschko (Vitali) was winning easily. Dominance of this sort is almost unheard of in the annals of heavyweight boxing - and forget for a moment that we are talking about brothers sharing the significant titles with the same level of dominance as other past champions. <br />
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It's easy to forget that they have met every significant contender of their era - aside from themselves, a result of a promise to their mother that they would never fight each other - and with only one exception (the controversial stoppage of Vitali by Lewis in 2003) the brothers have won every significant fight and avenged each rare loss with a magnificence that would have garnered acclaim the level that Ali or Frazier enjoy to this day.<br />
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is their dominance simply a byproduct of a "weak" heavyweight division? To be honest, I had thought so until their dominance reached a Holmes like level. What else can they do but meet, and beat, the best the division can muster? A close examination of the recent Klitschko/Thompson fight reveals several things to the patient observer. Wladimir Klitschko moves better than any heavyweight of his size ever. His chin remains suspect but I maintain it no longer matters when your opponent cannot solve your jab, your cross, your movement nor your hook. Wald is possessed of one of the best jabs I have seen since Larry Holmes, another lonely and forgotten champion who deserves more recognition than he has been offered. It is like a pile-driving piston moving at Mach 4. It is beautiful. It is perfect. There is only one heavyweight who can lay claim to an equal or better jab in all the annals of recorded boxing and that is Larry Holmes. His straight right is eclipsed in modern effectiveness only by his own brother , Vitali, and is usually delivered behind that wonderful jab which, together, have wreaked havoc upon 58 victims. He moves with the speed and grace of a man 30 pounds lighter without taking unnecessary punishment. <br />
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Wladimir has learned from his setbacks rather than wallow in defiance of the obvious. He has weaknesses and he has learned from them: witness the Lamont Brewster debacle where Brewster played the part of an aggressive Joe Frazier, or the Purity result where he clearly ran out of steam against a game opponent despite the manhandling he had administered for 10 rounds, or even the punishment he endured at the hands of the heavy hitting South African,Corrie Sanders. He could have thrown in the towel, swallowed as accurate the unfair "great white hope" ridicule he faced in the wake of each of these losses but instead he learned from each of these setbacks and became a better fighter each time. What is there not to like, to respect, about that kind of dedication to the sport we love so much? <br />
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Some of you will read this and shake your collective heads at my perceived idiocy. I can hear your objections even now; "Can't you see that Ali would dance his way to an easy late round KO over the flat footed Russian" or that "Tyson would murder this guy with his speed" or that "Louis would take the measure of this pretender in less than 6!" A favorite of mine is the constant lament that "The heavyweight division is so weak that I could dominate" or, the 'brothers' wouldn't even have cracked the top 15 in any decade leading up to this one. Riiight...let's hear what Thompson had to say about Wlad's perceived lack of talent: "I just think that we’re (America) so used to dominating the heavy part of the sport, that
we just found reasons to, you know, put the contenders down, and not give the
Klitschkos full credit." I trust his judgment considering he had only lost to one other opponent in his 20 years as a professional boxer.<br />
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As I said, I watched this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK8xHSWDVYQ" target="_blank">fight</a> and many others and can honestly say that Wladimir is a deserving, talented champion who could stand toe to toe with the greats of most eras.<br />
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Round 1: 10-9 Thompson <br />
The challenger landed the only meaningful blow of the 1st round and used an effective jab to force Klitschko to simply follow Thompson around the ring. A tactical round for both fighters.<br />
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Round 2: 10-9 Klitschko<br />
The champion began to dictate distance in this round. He pushed the pace and his straight right landed effectively throughout. Thompson's jab continues to land. A somewhat sloppy round.<br />
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Round 3: 10- 9 Klitschko<br />
Thompson continues to use an effective jab but it is clear he has nothing else to capture the Russian's attention. The end of the round finds Klitschko hunting the game Thompson around the ring. I wouldn't argue much if you gave Thompson the round but Klitschko was the aggressor and he landed 4 good body shots and several jabs and Thompson didn't offer much.<br />
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Round 4 : 10-9 Klitschko<br />
Not much action other than what Klitschko initiated. Thompson landed a hard jab which was answered by a much harder right hand by Klitschko. Klitschko is overly careful in this round but one senses this is about to end.<br />
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Round 5: Klitschko 10-8<br />
Klitschko starts to use his jab to establish range and it clearly affects Thompson. Klitschko has lulled his opponent into a false sense of security. Using the jab, Klitschko sets up a powerful straight right that Thompson never sees (thanks to the stiff jab) and the challenger kisses the canvas. <br />
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Round 6: Klitschko wins via TKO<br />
Thompson never recovers from the big right hand in the 5th and the referee saves his 40 year old body and brain from severe damage. Klitschko was beginning to shows flashes of his actual speed and it is too much for Thompson who appears able to go on but stumbles slightly when asked to move forward after the 2n knockdown and it is probably a life saving decision on the ref's part.<br />
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This fight is typical Wladimir: slow start, feel your opponent out, make them miss and begin to measure them against an ever increasing output. Nothing fancy, noting rash, just sound technique and amazing power. Even glancing blows cause these professionals to seize up in shock upon partial impact. It only gets worse as the rounds go on and his confidence grows along with his desire for a KO. My only gripe is that he could have gone to the body at any point in this fight and ended it even earlier.<br />
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Yes, Thompson was 40 years old but he was the mandatory challenger and no one else seems capable of lasting more than a few rounds against Wladimir. Thompson hadn't lost since his first meeting with Klitschko. No one else was calling him out and demanding a match. No one else is even remotely on par with these two men. They are all waiting for these two brothers, Wladimir in particular, to retire so they have a shot at the title because as long as these two stick around there simply is no one even remotely capable, outside of a lucky punch, to defeat these two guys. <br />
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Say what you will, they did all that they could as boxers and they continue to dominate their era like no one else has before. Champions of the ages or simply of the age? <br />
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<br />Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-79839357458278974172012-06-14T23:14:00.001-05:002012-06-15T00:21:46.125-05:00New Friends and No Sleep - Howard Days 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORbFzTdNMQyUvD7FCx_OX8geMzv1_KLXPfzU7Nb2XofTjuN6cJr-XJ62XX7jCpoXhtLwGPD47wjFQPYpvzzBPRdYQmuxqYyjVoaGr4Of7K9Z7U0oi3kMg-zz1yY9CqgrWQZ-NWoxGrtE/s1600/howardhome30_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORbFzTdNMQyUvD7FCx_OX8geMzv1_KLXPfzU7Nb2XofTjuN6cJr-XJ62XX7jCpoXhtLwGPD47wjFQPYpvzzBPRdYQmuxqYyjVoaGr4Of7K9Z7U0oi3kMg-zz1yY9CqgrWQZ-NWoxGrtE/s320/howardhome30_0.jpg" width="320" /></a>This past weekend folks from around the world came to Cross Plains, Texas, for the annual celebration of the world's greatest pulpster - Robert E. Howard. For those in the know, this two day event is something of a literary pilgrimage that offers fans of Robert E. Howard and his work an opportunity to connect in a uniquely personal way with their favorite author. It's the equivalent of a spiritual journey that no true Howard fan should miss if they can help it. </div>
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And it's not easy getting to Cross Plains, Texas. It lies somewhere near the geographical center of the state and requires that one keep a sharp eye out as you travel from the more civilized ports of call lest you miss it. Hours from Dallas and the better part of an hour from the interstate, it pokes its sleepy small-town head over forgotten oil derricks and rolling wheat fields so suddenly you're apt to mistake it for a simple crossroads gas stop.<br />
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But, for those fans that braved the elements, dared torrential downpours and dodged hail the size of hockey pucks it was a welcome site. And did they come! From the Scottish Highlands to the hills of Hollywood the Howard Faithful were treated to a heaping helping of Texas hospitality by the good folks from Project Pride who host the annual gathering. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoo8I4_6tkgpB-0BUC7Cpbf2WnTw4yjpk_G6h9ft6_1z8p-5amCYSmSuwRpRZZ_mjMGxiV8BjHTOk97Ju3RZWKnZvlnEnLFE-XnMKdQeWtGNVZYFeUqkKunGzxhRsbjNuOBIxlfOaOJM/s1600/Three+goofy+guys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoo8I4_6tkgpB-0BUC7Cpbf2WnTw4yjpk_G6h9ft6_1z8p-5amCYSmSuwRpRZZ_mjMGxiV8BjHTOk97Ju3RZWKnZvlnEnLFE-XnMKdQeWtGNVZYFeUqkKunGzxhRsbjNuOBIxlfOaOJM/s320/Three+goofy+guys.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I had intended on writing a full-fledged trip report as I have done in year's past for the retired Cimmerian magazine and my REHupa mag, Iron Legions. But this year the mood of the event had lulled me into a contented, laid back, Howard fan-geek state. The atmosphere wasn't so much electric as it was satisfying. I mean that in the best possible way. I spent far more time this year enjoying the little things that make Howard Days so special for so many fans. I only had one panel to worry about and even that turned out to be a low key appeal to fans to open themselves up to the merits of the boxing stories. As usual, <em>Fists at the Icehouse</em> went over well with the large crowd that gathered to see "<u><em>a fight at the Icehouse</em></u>!" Howard scholar (and Venarium winner) Jeff Shanks and I played cornermen to Mark Finn's foghorn bellerin' rendition of Costigan as he sauntered to and fro, dancing lightly as he regaled the crowd with Howard lore. To satisfy the jeering throng, I tried to get ol' Finn to step up to the scratch line but he knew there was no money it and after a few feints and shuffle steps, he promptly turned out the lights and left the fans wanting more! Finn's a regular Tex Rickard for sure. The Icehouse is for the three of us an actual alter - a real battleground that Howard sparred in - and to be able to step upon and absorb the ambiance is nothing short of special. Good times.<br />
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And that's what this Howard Days was all about, really - good times. I finally got to meet Stygian winner Keith Taylor but wished I had had more time to speak with him. He reads this here blog so I know we can make a lengthier conversation happen some day. Congrats to him- he does a bang up job on all things Howard related. If you are a follower of his <a href="http://adventuresfantastic.blogspot.com/2012/06/report-on-howard-days-2012.html" target="_blank">blog</a> you no doubt read that some goofy fan almost made him late for the award ceremony. That'd be me. I just wanted to talk with him for a few minutes and what was supposed to be a few words stretched quickly into a few minutes. Sorry Keith!<br />
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As I said, good times. I was tired the whole weekend and yet I still found myself engaged in conversations late into the Texas night with old friends and new. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Seth Humble, Brad Ellison, Mark Caroll and his wife, Jennifer Baughman. Wow! Not only were they huge Howard fans but they were great people. There were many other new faces this year and almost all of them were interested in learning more about Howard's boxing stories. Hell yeah! I got to watch Mark Caroll GM a motley crew thru an RPG game adventure that was epic. Finn, Harron, and others were a sweaty, deflated mess after Mark was done with them.<br />
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I also got to spend some quality time with some of my best Howard Days buds - the Quijas Brothers - Dominic and Eli, and their sons Joseph and Isaiah. They've been coming since about 2006 and they are passionate about Robert E. Howard. I am serious; these guys know their stuff and live it. I feel young and full of energy when I am around these guys and it was nothing but good times hanging with them. Speaking of young fans, I was pleasantly surprised to see a young man (name escapes me?) reciting Howard poetry at the Howard poetry slam hosted by Barbara Barrett. I know Joseph wanted to get up there but he must have been in slack-jawed awe after having witnessed the inimitable Tim Arney bellow "Drunk! Drunk! Drunk!" while nearly vaulting over Ed Chaczyk and the Wyrd Sisters in a kind of apoplectic poetic ecstasy. <br />
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That reminds me of some more good times I had all weekend with the old guard. Howard giants like Dennis McHaney, Paul Sammon, Tim Arney, Gary Romeo, Todd Woods, and Jeff Shanks hung out and talked with me, Aurelia, Ben Friberg, Al Harron, Jim Barron and Ed Chaczyk. We were all like bees jumping from one flower to the next, gathering up the Howard news at each table and soaking our brains in it. Ah, good times. <br />
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I would be remiss if I did not give an extra shout out to Dennis, Todd, Ed, Tim and Al...the only things that could have made our late night gab fests any cooler than they already were would have been to have Charles Gramlich and Tom Foster show up about midnight and say, "I heard there was a party in Cross Plains! Let's talk Robert E. Howard!" <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKKr0SIMNhBzpNEEcFiwJJ2cTCy8cKAGTC3znqlOFp5aVwKp4rATFOSn9oIicqOSN3GfIogTH28pv-VBGwkb3LrGE5Mk1r_4g1VKjelONla5LulzDWcobe4-pkopsgBUFXaR-mLSBXF0/s1600/gruberhoward_days_caddo_peak_vista.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKKr0SIMNhBzpNEEcFiwJJ2cTCy8cKAGTC3znqlOFp5aVwKp4rATFOSn9oIicqOSN3GfIogTH28pv-VBGwkb3LrGE5Mk1r_4g1VKjelONla5LulzDWcobe4-pkopsgBUFXaR-mLSBXF0/s320/gruberhoward_days_caddo_peak_vista.jpg" width="320" /></a>I could go on and on but I'm just rambling, collecting bits and pieces of a great weekend and trying to assemble them like some giant jigsaw puzzle. I know how good it will look when I am finished but I'd rather not be rushed just yet. I think I'll just fit a few pieces together here and there until the next Howard Days rolls around. I sure as heck have enough memories to get me there.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzy6KsBHtltiFlrP_zJxmb5PWbBWqE0XXggYMMOlwxGIK6KO2yB0iPlyJmP25zNFIlnC_7XCSrnNrBADRP2ynCy8Anu37Vi3YFnFIBA3UD6MRREDDH__KCwKvLjlkhsnCmURhCpJbu5k/s1600/Howard+Books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzy6KsBHtltiFlrP_zJxmb5PWbBWqE0XXggYMMOlwxGIK6KO2yB0iPlyJmP25zNFIlnC_7XCSrnNrBADRP2ynCy8Anu37Vi3YFnFIBA3UD6MRREDDH__KCwKvLjlkhsnCmURhCpJbu5k/s320/Howard+Books.jpg" width="201" /></a>To the good folks of the Middleton Ranch I salute you - the dinner was fabulous, the sunset serene and the Caddo Peak climb an adventure. Thanks to everyone involved. And can you believe!!! I haven't even mentioned the biggest news - for me - of the weekend: Howard Payne University has donated the original Robert E. Howard library (made famous by <a href="http://www.rehupa.com/OLDWEB/bookshelf.htm" target="_blank">Rusty Burke's Howard Bookshelf over at REHupa</a>) to the Howard House and Project Pride! What a thrill it was to see those books, with inscriptions to Bob, sitting in a case for all the Howard faithful to ogle over. With each passing year the Howard Home becomes more a living monument to the memory of Robert E. Howard than I dared dream possible. Perhaps it is time we call it a shrine?!<br />
<br />
<br />
If I missed anyone - I am sorry. I slept a little more than 5 total hours during the weekend and as I drove back home to Albuquerque it was all I could do to keep my eyes open. No doubt after I have a chance to truly reflect on the event I will remember you as the days go by. <br />
<br />
See you all next year!<br />
<br />Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com5SW 5th St, Cross Plains, TX 76443, USA32.121254966027671 -99.17341232299804732.107807466027673 -99.193153322998043 32.134702466027669 -99.153671322998051tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-16770349045690160082012-05-28T17:31:00.002-05:002013-04-03T18:16:50.684-05:00Johnny Tapia 1967-2012<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvD6oUGY6gCxo0ZTf-naB1GHN-F63flyKSD_ikg8bbEoJrRDsjV2M4hdu5I7irsgA5QfIsF0VRXNVtCjnqJSsyR2rxL5sifCOjUHU1KavcVdveKMBNzfAMd9UQKwWYMikDR8Y5KSr4hk/s1600/jt-arch_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvD6oUGY6gCxo0ZTf-naB1GHN-F63flyKSD_ikg8bbEoJrRDsjV2M4hdu5I7irsgA5QfIsF0VRXNVtCjnqJSsyR2rxL5sifCOjUHU1KavcVdveKMBNzfAMd9UQKwWYMikDR8Y5KSr4hk/s400/jt-arch_12.jpg" width="247" /></a>Sadly, another boxing great has cast aside his mortal coil and
moved forever from our sight. My wife told me the news this morning
that Johnny Tapia has passed away. I spent some time reading the many
articles and wishing there were something I could add, something I
could argue as they assessed a life cut short by violence, drugs and
despair. For once, there isn't much I can add. They got it right when
they declared it a miracle he had made it this far in life such were
the troubles he faced outside the ring.<br />
<br />
His mother was brutally raped and murdered in front of him when he was 8 years
old. Told his father had been murdered before he was born only to learn 43 years later that he was alive after all. He grew up alone, angry, and filled with a kind of despondent rage that helped make him the boxer he would later become. He once described himself "as a pitbull...raised to fight to the
death." He seemed to live his life as a series of challenges he
hoped he'd lose. Drugs, gangs, violence and his own destructive
tendencies - these were the real life opponents Tapia fought time and
time again. A far cry from the ring where he reigned supreme.
<br />
<br />
Johnny Tapia was the poster boy for dichotomy. He was an addict
and champion; an uncaring fiend one minute and an earnest and loving
friend the next; he had a gregarious personality that seemed content
only when walking that fine line between exuberant life and the
melancholy depths of despair and death. His inner demons really were
too much to overcome. His upbringing was just too horrifying to
forget. He was a champion in the ring and a troubled soul outside it.
The two halves of his life were never meant to reconcile one with the
other - sadly, I feel that he has finally found the sweet release
from life that he seemed always grasping for.
<br />
<br />
His achievements in the ring were glorious. His skills as a boxer
were legendary. His life, however, will seem in retrospect the cold
dregs of a tortured soul as it failed in miserable fashion to provide
him with even the semblance of security and love he so desperately
needed.<br />
<br />
I wish I had had the opportunity to know this man or to have at
least had his confidence as I suspect he had much to say about the
subject of life. I do not know how I would have felt about him as he
was notoriously volatile and prone to wild swings of emotion.
However, as a fan of the sport he was certainly worthy of our respect
as a ring warrior of the highest order, a giant little man who
thrilled sporting fans the world over. Not having had the privilege
of knowing him personally, I choose to remember him this way - arms
raised above his head in victory, an infectious smile upon his
scarred face. The smile always seemed so genuine, as if he were for a
few moments released from the private hell of the rest of his life.<br />
<br />
Rest in peace Johnny Tapia<br />
<br />
58-5-2 <br />
30 KOs<br />
3 Division ChampionChris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-28242491748484968692012-05-16T23:52:00.001-05:002012-05-16T23:53:34.270-05:00A New PerspectiveI am sorry that I hadn't thought about this blog the past month but so much has gone on that I wonder how I could have made time for it. A quick rundown might make even the bravest of men quake in fear..my wife has had two operations in as many weeks, my uncle was killed, a doctor damaged a nerve in my foot, my daughter has three deadly food allergies, and I am in the process of completing a cultural heritage program while simultaneously beginning my masters education in history. Add to that my children and writing for Howard related projects and I can honestly tell you that I've been busy.<br />
<br />
My last post was about my uncle's homicide and while I do not regret my initial reaction I must accept that it certainly didn't make for "good" reading. In retrospect, perhaps this wasn't the best place to report on his avoidable demise. If, however, you are wondering what has happened since my last post I am happy to report that my family has sought legal counsel and is moving forward to extract justice for his unwarranted murder.<br />
<br />
As far as my family problems there seems to be a silver lining to my wife's pain. For three weeks, I hobbled around on my bad feet and attempted to be both daddy and mommy to my three children. This proved to be both difficult and rewarding. When my son Max was born it was clear that he and I would be bonded in a way that every father and son should be. When my twin daughters were born I was happy but detached. I was working, going to school and in the middle of a relocation that left me and the girls with little "daddy" time. These past weeks represented an opportunity to be a father to them in the same way I was for Max. It's amazing how much we can learn about ourselves in times of crisis, both big and small. We are all better for this time together, closer and in a kind of harmony that I had not believed possible. I am becoming as close to my girls as I have always been with my son and I like it. A lot.<br />
<br />
So, forgive me my emotional roller-coaster. It's been a hard year for the grub. Thank God for my family and friends for helping me through all of this.<br />
<br />
My next post will focus on one of my favorite series, written by John Maddox Roberts, entitled the <i>Stormland</i> series. This is without a doubt the best pentalogy I have ever read. I pulled all 5 volumes off of my shelf and will review each one in the coming months.<b> </b>I' also have some Robert E. Howard news to post in the coming weeks.<br />
<br />
So, while it may seem business as usual - it is, but with a sad salute to what we all endure in our lives. To my uncle Eugene Benedict Gruber, I am going to miss you dearly. There's so much about life that we cannot control but as he would say, "Hell's Bells, Chris! Tell me something that I don't know - wouldja?"<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-79962415778229888002012-04-13T02:18:00.000-05:002012-04-13T03:01:23.117-05:00Eugene Gruber - My Uncle or "Don't Even Act Like You Might Resist"<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I had no idea you were in this kind of trouble, Gene. If I had known I would have helped like I've done in the past, kept you from this ridiculous end at the hands of those butchers. You've always let me know when you were in too deep for your own good and I've always come for you - why not this time? Why didn't you or anyone else let me know what was happening? Where you were? All I knew from my dad was that you were in County lock up for a few months. Gene - why didn't you let me know it was serious? <br />
<br />
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB11ZYF7L29Ge51pyRLOIspRW9GI9LxoAPmSK3TlTV0-dkksqaIx75TRAE249b0rusHljURdnTYsV4HQ6-spn7OLzpr4631DL0JYbLGm1cYB7HWTuEH6l6nLZf8XPA8_QdrinJgHjLmPY/s1600/My+poor+uncle+Eugene.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB11ZYF7L29Ge51pyRLOIspRW9GI9LxoAPmSK3TlTV0-dkksqaIx75TRAE249b0rusHljURdnTYsV4HQ6-spn7OLzpr4631DL0JYbLGm1cYB7HWTuEH6l6nLZf8XPA8_QdrinJgHjLmPY/s1600/My+poor+uncle+Eugene.bmp" /></a></div>
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This post is not a eulogy or a remembrance - that will come later. Right now, I am partly numb with shock and shaking with rage over the tragic death/murder of my uncle. I am posting a video that shows my uncle receiving a broken neck from corrections officials as well as the accompanying Chicago Tribune article that recounts his last months on earth as a result of their barbaric brutality. </div>
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If you are one of the "brave" men on this video - please...visit me, man to man, and we will sort out our differences, I promise.</div>
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Both the video and the article can be found here:</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-lake-county-inmate-death-eugene-gruber,0,1431801.story">http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-lake-county-inmate-death-eugene-gruber,0,1431801.story</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Of course, there are at least a dozen other articles that you could find with a simple search.</div>
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<div class="byline" sizcache="8" sizset="30" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span class="byline bordered">By Lisa Black</span> <span class="titleline">Tribune reporter</span> <br />
<div class="date" sizcache="8" sizset="32" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span class="timeString">7:24 p.m. CDT</span><span class="dateTimeSeparator">, </span><span class="dateString">April 10, 2012</span></div>
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The death of a former Lake County jail inmate paralyzed after an altercation with a corrections officer has been ruled a homicide by the Cook County medical examiner’s office, prompting the state’s attorney’s office to call for a special prosecutor to investigate the case, officials said Tuesday.<br />
<br />
Eugene Gruber, 51, of <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.blogger.com/topic/us/illinois/lake-county-%28illinois%29/grayslake-PLGEO1001005012270000.topic" id="PLGEO1001005012270000" title="Grayslake">Grayslake</a>, died March 3 from <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.blogger.com/topic/health/diseases-illnesses/pneumonia-HEDAI0000061.topic" id="HEDAI0000061" title="Pneumonia">pneumonia</a> which resulted from paraplegia following spine injuries suffered in an altercation, according to his death certificate.<br />
<br />
“In light of the medical examiner’s findings, the state’s attorney’s office is going to be requesting the appointment of a special prosecutor to review the investigation and whether or not there should be any charges,” said Christen Bishop, chief of special investigations for the Lake County office.<br />
<br />
Before Gruber’s death, Lake County prosecutors determined there were no grounds for criminal charges against staff members involved. The legal definition of “homicide” is broadly defined as the killing of one human being by another but does not necessarily mean the act was criminal.<br />
<br />
James Sotos, an attorney representing the sheriff’s office, said the homicide ruling does not suggest any wrongdoing by jail employees.<br />
<br />
“There’s nothing in this report that in any way is intended to suggest any kind of wrongdoing, culpability or liability, and it would be a disservice to interpret it that way,” Sotos said. “The finding of homicide means only that the cause of death is attributable to someone else’s act. So beyond that, it doesn’t really add anything to what is already known.”<br />
<br />
Gruber died at Chicago rehabilitation hospital about four months after being injured during a brief incarceration.<br />
<br />
Jail staff members described Gruber as drunk and combative when he was brought in on Oct. 31 after a disorderly conduct and trespassing arrest. Guards pepper-sprayed Gruber and then used a neck-twisting “take-down” measure while struggling to change his clothes, according to the state's attorney's report.<br />
<br />
Over the next 24 hours, Gruber complained that he couldn't move his legs and was carried around, sometimes with his legs dragging, as guards tried to take his mug shot. He was not taken to the hospital until the next day, when his condition deteriorated. <br />
<br />
Once at Vista Medical Center East, doctors determined Gruber suffered paralysis from a broken neck and performed two surgeries, records show. He was undergoing rehabilitation and being weaned off a ventilator before he died, his family’s lawyer has said.<br />
<br />
Gruber's sister, Eileen Siwula, has filed a federal lawsuit against numerous jail officials and employees of Correct Care Solutions, the jail's health care provider. A Correct Care nurse was fired in part for reportedly failing to assess Gruber properly. <br />
<br />
Correctional officers did not initially document the physical altercation with Gruber in their required daily reports, according to the state’s attorney’s report.<br />
<br />
“You look at the numbers of officers who were there and they can’t control one drunk?” said Charles Gruber, Eugene’s cousin, who is also a former police chief. The homicide ruling came as no surprise, he said.<br />
<br />
Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran has said that he is reviewing the incident to see whether it was handled in accordance with department policies.<br />
<br />
Gruber's death is the second tied to the jail since January, when inmate Lyvita Gomes, 52, who had shown signs of mental illness, died after a 15-day hunger strike.<br />
<br />
Curran announced last Friday that he intended to spend a week in jail as a “show of faith” in his corrections personnel. But on Monday, he canceled the plan at his lawyer’s request, Sotos said.</div>
</div>Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-33885722689902907502012-04-04T00:26:00.001-05:002012-04-08T02:05:55.659-05:00It's been some time since my last update. In that time I've been writing fiction, rehabilitating a nerve injury, and transcribing personal letters to Word documents. Mark Finn, my fellow Howardian junkie, has let loose with the Howard low-down over at his blog: <a href="http://marktheaginghipster.blogspot.com/">http://marktheaginghipster.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<br />
The fiction is a smattering of work that covers several genres and includes more than one type of media. I'm continuting to chronicle the adventures of Main 'Mwi, the half Miami scout that first debuted in the anthology dedicated to Robert E. Howard, called <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/mark-finn-and-chris-gruber/dreams-in-the-fire/paperback/product-18681007.html" target="_blank">Dreams in the Fire</a>. I've received a good deal of positive feedback regarding this character and the story, <em>Dead River Revenge</em>. The creative well for this character is very deep and I can't imagine running out of ideas for this historical-weird series. Yeah, I know, you want to know what the hell an historical-weird tale is? It's exactly what it sounds like; a crossroads of history and the weird pulp tale. <br />
<br />
The second piece of fiction I've been working on is meant for the comic book format. The title (tentative) is Myth-Hunter and it records the adventure of the paranormal investiagtor, Alexander Dagda. He's a cross between Robert E. Howard's hard-boiled detective Steve Harrison and Dylan Dog (the Italian comic or even the Dark Horse version.) Look, I know this particular road has been traveled before but I think there have been many alleys left undiscovered. I like what I have written and I certainly like the world I have placed Dagda in. It's a concotion of all the pagan, literary, and historically unidentiafiable myths I've always been fascinated with. I'm an historian and I like to think that I create a believable sense of the arcane that has been missing from much of this genres recent represetatives. Besides, who doesn't like Lovecraftian allusions tempered with real world occult mysteries? This adventure has it all; modern Druids, Cthulian possibilities, Howardesque action and a frantic pace that that allows me to really dig deep without becoming boring. <br />
FYI - I'm looking for an illustrator!<br />
<br />
That's all for now.Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-33637066939630158652012-03-20T14:57:00.001-05:002012-03-20T14:59:07.217-05:00Howard Boxing Volume UpdateIt's been awhile since my last post and for that I apologize. It's just that I've got so many darned things going on that I sometimes lose track of time and, invariably, something suffers. As you all know, I've been working hard on producing the four volume "Complete Boxing Stories" collection with fellow Howard scholars Mark Finn and Patrice Louinet. Well buckos, some very interesting developments have taken place that may affect our project. Don't panic! Let's just say that things have gotten very interesting of late - and it's all positive. Keep your eyes peeled for the next updateChris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-39706043084471338322012-02-13T18:26:00.001-06:002012-02-15T00:43:42.726-06:00Volume Two - Almost There!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVjT68APE2TRTnhHiLI1rexOM_ihsz-dkExNBvCrBtF-2fL_XXLYxOjmjTZidBTSB6x_32tibhWKTfJtav-dl80VxNw-UIBb3ezQ9L-KBJRjt6vt9az9cOZ10qKcU0XHiB_CIXdLB_1c/s1600/Gianna+Cover+for+my+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVjT68APE2TRTnhHiLI1rexOM_ihsz-dkExNBvCrBtF-2fL_XXLYxOjmjTZidBTSB6x_32tibhWKTfJtav-dl80VxNw-UIBb3ezQ9L-KBJRjt6vt9az9cOZ10qKcU0XHiB_CIXdLB_1c/s320/Gianna+Cover+for+my+book.jpg" width="207" /></a>Good news Howard fans! Volume two of the complete boxing stories of Robert E. Howard is nearing the finish line. Volume two is full of surprises and there are several that will knock your socks off. I'm sorry, I can't give too much away but with Patrice and Mark handling the essays and introductions for this volume I am certain you won't be disappointed. More news coming soon ...yes, that means volume three is on my radar!</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This is NOT the cover of the boxing project volumes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">It's the cover of the book I edited (Boxing Stories - Robert E. Howard) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">for Bison Books, beautifully crafted by master artist Gary Gianni.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-25756929860536669082012-01-23T21:36:00.002-06:002012-01-23T21:38:19.762-06:00Happy Birthday, Robert E. Howard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSzudbbRN6jf24VMfejScG3iaS6jdlhmJJyqkZu_T3ELDKMY4OixZ2Xd0gCkxqVXzDcfgTOYqeonAZqZw4yHiDXXL8Rxw_KpWlP7oaLxRk7KrurnnAMY5o5MOAckBHxOIUAd7iGFKXig/s1600/reh_with_patch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSzudbbRN6jf24VMfejScG3iaS6jdlhmJJyqkZu_T3ELDKMY4OixZ2Xd0gCkxqVXzDcfgTOYqeonAZqZw4yHiDXXL8Rxw_KpWlP7oaLxRk7KrurnnAMY5o5MOAckBHxOIUAd7iGFKXig/s320/reh_with_patch.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b>Happy Birthday, Robert E. Howard</b><br />
<br />
It was 106 years ago, on January 22nd, that Robert E. Howard was born. It would be another 23 years before he would create the most profitable character during his short lifetime - Sailor Steve Costigan and his sidekick Mike the bulldog - and several more years before Conan would sweep through the pages of Weird Tales and into the minds and hearts of millions.<br />
<br />
I know that I speak for all Robert E. Howard fans when I say that our lives, and indeed the world itself, would be far less interesting without his imaginative genius.<br />
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Long live the memory of America's greatest fantasist - Robert E. Howard (1906-1936)Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-8446670172759231122012-01-12T22:19:00.002-06:002012-01-12T22:23:24.973-06:00The Complete Boxing Fiction and Verse: Volume One - In the Can<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPQ46XPNKtyMnjsl9_b4bn4oJTCBryoQOO89doRTlnJaXwXP5LiwxrNr3P5l7qghwE8cOmH4uqq8VjBQUxKMiCOfzvUqK8QvOTpxhrKMp_tXVdyj6V353uIM5cGv10ZBnIs44n7D6jyA/s1600/oldtimeboxer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="290" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPQ46XPNKtyMnjsl9_b4bn4oJTCBryoQOO89doRTlnJaXwXP5LiwxrNr3P5l7qghwE8cOmH4uqq8VjBQUxKMiCOfzvUqK8QvOTpxhrKMp_tXVdyj6V353uIM5cGv10ZBnIs44n7D6jyA/s320/oldtimeboxer.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Good news, folks! Volume One of the highly anticipated Robert E. Howard boxing stories project is in the can. Patrice Louinet, Mark Finn and I have been working diligently to bring you the complete boxing stories in one definitive, handsome, must-have set. In fact, we are already working on Volume Two and I cannot wait to see these books on my shelf.<br />
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This set will include every known scrap of boxing related fiction and poetry produced by Pulp era author, Robert E. Howard. It will be a must for Howard collectors and completists as well as scholars and critics eager to get the inside scoop on this aspect of the Texas author's ouevre.<br />
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I don't want to get ahead of myself so I'll keep you posted with more details as we near publishing.Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-27766806027515825602012-01-02T18:21:00.000-06:002012-01-02T18:21:53.795-06:00Glenn Lord, Howardian Herald 1931-2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rF2tU9QW7cjsjfAa2u1JfoErk7YeRQ_FiigFMDQMiBUCE9L5F48UsEMZnAz-8iIOYkTcHBM44rgjrurP_1vMTH0e7n3mieQOO04R3O7Ipt5EwsyEIOPOxzy2a-ovLx9sBLcxG0AlFgw/s1600/728px-Glenn_Lord2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rF2tU9QW7cjsjfAa2u1JfoErk7YeRQ_FiigFMDQMiBUCE9L5F48UsEMZnAz-8iIOYkTcHBM44rgjrurP_1vMTH0e7n3mieQOO04R3O7Ipt5EwsyEIOPOxzy2a-ovLx9sBLcxG0AlFgw/s320/728px-Glenn_Lord2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Glenn Lord, Director Emeritus of the Robert E. Howard Foundation, husband and father of two, died on December, 31st, 2011. Who is he and why should you care? I could try to quantify the man's work, his life, his impact upon the small but growing community of Robert E. Howard fans but I wonder if that would suffice; if it would paint a clear enough picture. Perhaps...<br />
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...I could say that Glenn was instrumental in shepherding Robert E. Howard's work back into publication, that he was responsible for hunting down nearly all of the lost transcripts that still existed years after the author's untimely demise, or that he was unrelenting in his search for information about an author that had almost faded from the literary scene. I could say that his promotional efforts paved the way for many Howard critics and fans by making ALL of the author's work available to the masses in easy to afford paperbacks as literary agent for Howard's literary estate. I could recite the compositional narratives that he produced in support of his life's passion, I could list his written promotion of the author Robert E. Howard beginning with his first essays and ending with his work as Director Emeritus of an organization that exists solely due to the efforts of two people: Robert E. Howard, the author whose work is valued by so many, and Glenn, the man who tracked it down and safeguarded it against the twin dangers of Time and Indifference. I could say that he was also a true fan, interested not only in the commercially viable Conan stories but also in the lesser known works that help the rest of us to revel in the full depth and sophistication of an unparalleled imagination. I could say that he was an adventurer whose vision and dedication helped preserve a unique history that continues to shine long after he has passed. I could say that he was supremely dedicated to preserving the legacy of a long dead author the world had almost forgotten about as I recount the many miles, months and years he drove from town to town, spoke with countless people, and tallied for the rest of us the three dimensional life of Robert E. Howard.<br />
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I could say all that and more and not have gained an inch on the measuring stick of his life and importance to those of us who knew him. I knew Glenn, though I cannot say I knew him half as well as I would have liked. We maintained a correspondence for a short time in 2004-2005 as I prepared the volume of Robert E. Howard's boxing stories. He was always gracious in sharing his knowledge and eager to hear what new insights had been gleaned of Howard's work. I was lucky enough to meet him several times over the past decade and found him to be congenial, down to earth, and full of humor. I had never wanted to bother him but it was Leo Grin and Paul Herman at a Howard days celebration who finally convinced me that he would love to chat for a spell. It turned out that he was very interested in my ideas concerning the boxing stuff and we spent at least a little time together at each subsequent Howard Days discussing Howard and life in general. He was likeable, affable and a gentleman. I liked him very much.<br />
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My favorite memory was his praise of the Boxing Stories volume I put together for Bison Books (University of Nebraska Press.) We had scaled Caddo Peak with a group of folks and, due to the pervasive heat, I had asked if he was alright. "It's hot" he replied. We had reached the top and the sun was beating down fiercely when he shook off my offer of help as we covered the last few feet to the top. When we got to the top, he paused for a while and then said, "You know, that Boxing book you produced...that was well done." I stammered a 'thank you' before moving with him toward the center of the peak. Together we stared at the scene that was unfolding below. Beautiful fields, hills in the distance, and the Middleton Ranch below us as the sun began to descend across the sky. I made very little small talk. I have never wanted to be a pest - but he asked for my help several times on the way down but, in truth, he really didn't need it despite his age. "Thanks, Chris" were his last words to me in this life. He was always the star of any Howard get together and was never truly alone for very long. So many fans - all wanting to shake the hands of the man that saved a literary treasure from destruction. I never wanted to intrude. Now, I wish I had been more insistent.<br />
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Now, as I sit here and realize that what I've just written is woefully inadequate as a remembrance I can take solace in the fact that there are others far more capable of writing a worthy 'thank you' to a man and icon the likes of Glenn Lord. Dennis McHaney scolded some of us who lamented the loss of Glenn, and it's timing, as a harbinger of doom and gloom for the new year by insisting that it was a sad, capstone event for the past year and that we ought to look forward with renewed hope with Glenn's example as a guide. I think he is spot on.<br />
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Nevertheless, I just want to make one thing clear - thank you, Glenn Lord, for making my time on earth, through your tireless efforts of Howard preservation and publication, better. I am better for having read the work of Robert E. Howard - thanks to you; I am better for having glimpsed the kind of drive necessary to see projects thru - thanks to you; I am better for your having taken the time and effort so long ago to preserve the work of a legend - it appears even legends require help to preserve a worthy legacy from those best equipped to deliver the goods so to speak. You had the goods my friend, in spades if I do say so myself, and my life is literally better for your influence.<br />
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Thank you Glenn Lord and may you always Rest in Peace.Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-74809190540567435092011-11-19T16:53:00.005-06:002011-11-20T09:47:42.984-06:00A Farewell to Smokin' Joe Frazier - and an Indictment of Ali<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjgOLg_aXuIHwLWRSg0KVJesXPX236PD39_LhOm3nnJl3Rnf9XS077Na92BCIaesq2I31_E3W9ddWRnoBIy93uLIs0Lj8q0DBY-fhoRgs_DGcWj_9J3GbPYbvFhXv-KhEPJYSneobPg8/s1600/joe-frazier-440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjgOLg_aXuIHwLWRSg0KVJesXPX236PD39_LhOm3nnJl3Rnf9XS077Na92BCIaesq2I31_E3W9ddWRnoBIy93uLIs0Lj8q0DBY-fhoRgs_DGcWj_9J3GbPYbvFhXv-KhEPJYSneobPg8/s200/joe-frazier-440.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="caption">Frazier fights Ali in 1971; Frazier (inset)</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The sport of boxing said farewell to heavyweight champion Joe Frazier who, after bravely battling liver cancer, heard the final bell toll on a life that was truly astonishing in it's fullness.<br />
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Smokin' Joe's funeral service was attended by an estimated crowd of more than 4,000 - a fitting display of respect and recognition for one of modern boxing's most iconic warriors. It is the kind of respect that this most esteemed heavyweight certainly deserved after a lifetime of professional and personal struggle. <br />
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This blog entry is not meant to serve as a eulogy, a biography, nor a list of accomplishments - all that information is readily available on the internet, at the library or in the Boxing Hall of Fame where one can learn about the amazing life of Smokin' Joe. But what I would like to do is attempt to define the importance of Joe Frazier to heavyweight boxing, especially when we attempt to define greatness, because any discussion of the greatest heavyweights that does not include Joe Frazier is, quite simply, flawed and incomplete.<br />
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Well, just who is the greatest? Ask just about anyone who thinks they know something about boxing just who "the greatest" heavyweight boxer was and it is likely that the answer you will hear starts with "Muhammad" and ends with "Ali" - AKA Cassius Clay. True or not, perception is critical in comparisons of greatness and nowhere is this more evident than when evaluating great boxers. Ali's antics outside the ring are as important to this particular discussion as his accomplishments inside it and help to define how greatness is perceived as well as earned.<br />
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Whether Ali is or isn't the greatest is not nearly as important as how he, or any boxer, becomes automatic entrants in this type of discussion. The reality is that greatness in boxing is defined as much by the quality of opposition as it is by records or championship belts. Like it or not, Ali simply would not be Ali as we remember him today were it not for the men he fought - colorful, respected, and feared men like Sonny Liston, George Foreman and the inimitable Smokin' Joe Frazier. <br />
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While I would like my thoughts on Ali to wait for another day, focusing instead more directly upon Frazier, that looks to be impossible as they are forever entwined in our collective memory. I believe that Ali is remembered as much for his victimization as for the memorable ring wars he waged. Who doesn't recall his controversial name change, his refusal to fight in the Vietnam War, or the shocking image of Ali ravaged by Parkinson's disease lifting his shaking, withered arm to light the Olympic torch?<br />
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But who really remembers Joe Frazier? He seems always a prop to Ali's story line and while I contend that Ali earned public respect through collective sympathy engendered by a media machine hungry to anoint the next Jack Johnson, it was Joe Frazier who earned respect simply by being a man. A true, honest and tough man who helped others outside the ring while meeting the best face to face inside it. In other words - he wasn't just a step on Ali's personal ladder of social ascendancy and sainthood, he was as historically important as Ali.<br />
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While Ali is, I concede, a fascinating historical figure - and an all time great heavyweight - his life is more interesting for the conflict which defined him and the era in which he fought. Frazier, however, is known more for what he did in the ring against Ali than what he did for others outside it. This kind of oversight is, sadly, always lamented AFTER these men have passed away, silencing forever their personal perspective - leaving us only the slim pickings of a media machine that chooses more often than not to manufacture heroes rather than recognize real ones.<br />
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Frazier spent most of his life in Philadelphia and was as much the face and spirit of this town as the fictional "Rocky" whose image has been cast in stone at Philadelphia's Art Museum. Even a casual glimpse at the city's charitable foundations bears, almost everywhere, the indelible imprint of Joe Frazier. It's not often you will hear me agree with Jesse Jackson but I can't help but nod my head in enthusiastic agreement with the Reverend when he said, "There deserves to be a statue of Joe Frazier in downtown Philadelphia." Indeed. It seems Frazier's charity is forgotten or ignored when we consider this Philadelphia sports hero especially against the melodramatic backdrop of Ali's considerable shadow.<br />
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We tend to remember Ali as a martyr, a champion of the people, a social victim who is still celebrated as a hero, even a role model, with statues of his own - testaments to his courage, if not his character. But that social celebration is myopic, in my opinion, failing as it does to remember that Ali was also as selfish and self serving as the very institutions in which he felt victimized by. He was willing to crush someone to get what he wanted, even if what he said was laced with lies, propaganda, and racism. Just consider the things he said about Joe Frazier, a man who was every bit as courageous, every bit the symbol of the struggle for equality as Ali has become venerated for. More to the point, Frazier found a way to carve out an identity that was not at odds with society nor was restricted in his actions by his own selfish narrative. Whereas Ali relied on public self flagellation for the social ills of the 60s to emerge a champion outside the ring, it was Joe who was revered by all who actually knew him no matter what decade. <br />
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Undersized and possessed of an indomitable spirit, Smokin' Joe refused to allow Ali's absurd and disgraceful character attacks define him. Unlike Sonny Liston before him, Joe Frazier was no man's fool, nor prop, and he was able to etch out his own glorious legacy despite Ali's despicable behavior. And he did it without stooping to the seamy depths of which Ali seemed almost to revel in. After having been called an "Uncle Tom", a "House Nigger", a "Gorilla" by the socially revered Ali - Joe maintained his dignity and his manhood by refusing to give in to the bully.<br />
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Just as he did in his three amazing fights with Ali, he fought that propaganda with fire and brimstone, keeping the feud as personal as Ali had made it and never backing down. Asked what he thought of Ali lighting the torch for the 1996 Olympics he said, "...if it had been me I'd have pushed him into the flame." While that may seem harsh, the indignities heaped upon Frazier and his family because of Ali's inflammatory attacks is hard to fathom now due to the whitewashing Ali's life has undergone in the media since their memorable battles. From death threats to social ridicule, the Frazier family has endured too much at the hands of the "saintly" Ali and his blind followers, and while it was nice to see Ali say something nice, for once, about Joe in public he could have retracted his ridiculous comments of the past at any point in his life but chose to wait until Joe could no longer respond.<br />
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I tend to walk a lonely line and refuse to state definitively who I believe is the single greatest heavyweight boxer ever and instead try to consider boxers as they defined their eras. I also recognize that the brutal nature of this sport rarely allows an individual to definitively claim an era as his own. This stance has allowed me to immerse myself in the lore of the sport as a whole rather than trying to focus all my energies upon one man.<br />
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To this end I have spent a great deal of time studying the greats of every era and it has allowed me to see that greatness seems dependent upon greatness. For every Ali there has to be a Frazier - someone who shines just as bright and who ultimately deserves as much recognition and respect. Try as I might I can not separate the two historically but when it comes to a comparison - mano y mano - I come away with the feeling that it was Joe Frazier who was the ultimate champion - in and out of the ring.<br />
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I would be happy to discuss the particulars of any and all of the characterizations I have put forth above. Additionally, I welcome actual discussion of each fighters deserved recognition in the discussion of "greatest heavyweights boxers"- and that includes discussions of their ring records, opponents, styles etc. This could be fun if I have any followers who would like to comment. I censor no one.<br />
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Rest in Peace Joe Frazier - one of the GreatestChris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-89373647205985121462011-10-08T16:42:00.002-05:002011-10-08T16:44:26.277-05:00Dreams in the Fire reviewed by author Charles GramlichDreams in the Fire has been reviewed by author and contributor, Charles Gramlich. Gramlich, who has authored several novels, numerous poetry and short story collections as well as a multitude of academic essays was not only kind enough to join the stellar DitF author roster with his excellent story, <em>A Gathering of Ravens</em>, but also reviewed the anthology for the followers of his prolific blog, Razored Zen (<a href="http://charlesgramlich.blogspot.com/2011/09/dreams-in-fire-review.html">http://charlesgramlich.blogspot.com/2011/09/dreams-in-fire-review.html</a>)<br />
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Thanks Charles!<br />
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Dreams in the Fire can still be ordered here: <a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/dreams-in-the-fire/15696549">Dreams in the Fire</a><br />
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Don't wait! Get yours now as this anthology will only be available for a short time.Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-35115069571364738682011-08-13T16:42:00.002-05:002011-08-13T16:44:19.305-05:00Howard Pugilistica - the Howard Boxing Stories ProjectThe wheels of progress finally begin to move and I have some positive news to report : I have wrapped up the second proofing of the contents of volume one and am now in the midst of writing the introduction which is tentatively titled: <span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><em>Dornálaí - Boxing's Influence on Robert E. Howard</em>. With the title, I tried to reflect <span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Howard's intense interest in all things Gaelic by using what I hope is the proper term for 'Boxer' in the Gaelic language. (If this is not an accurate translation please let me know by leaving a comment with reference - thanks!)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">We are shooting for four volumes and have already completed the initial proofing of volumes two and three. I </span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">am very excited and cannot wait for this set to be completed. Patrice Louinet and Mark Finn will be handling the reins for volume two and four while Patrice and I will head up volumes one and three. Mark and I have also come up with a gem of an idea that will be sure to set Howard fandom on fire! More to come soon!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">the grub</span>Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-88595736727521136602011-07-12T21:58:00.001-05:002011-08-13T16:15:46.275-05:00How lucky? Howard, Dempsey and CashI have been thinking about Johnny Cash, Robert E. Howard and Jack Dempsey. I never thought much, until lately, why it is that I like the things that I like. I mean, what could a punch-drunk bard like myself gain from studying and enjoying real artists who create real art? Yep, even though I am moved by that creative steam engine called Americana I am just as amazd that I have had the good fortune to recognize and experience it. But, how did it happen? Must have been a mistake. You see, I'm one of those wanna-be sports warriors; good enough to compete with anyone at almost anything but not quite good enough to <i>be </i>anybody worth mentioning and, like the composer Salieri in Amadeus, I am capable of recognizing greatness in others rather than achieving it for myself - at least so far. I think the same goes for literature and music. I have managed to carve out a little respect writing stories, poems and criticism and, without embarassing myself, can thump the low end with my electric bass. So, while it is true that I aspire to the heights of those mentioned above I recognize that I will likely never create anything half as beautiful as their most mundane accomplishments let alone the genius they are capable of. And that leaves me...in awe of three people.<br />
Let's take Robert E. Howard as an example. I wrote an article, <u><i>Born to Edit Boxing Stories</i></u>, for a print publication called <i>The Cimmerian.</i> I hadn't realized, even as I was writing what should have been a kind of cathartic release/confession, just how unlikely it was that I ended up a fan, and caretaker of, Robert E. Howard and his literary legacy. Seriously folks, I'm not much in the way of a caretaker for myself let alone of the legacy of one of America's greatest authors and creative minds. Currently, I am writing the introduction to what will be the definitive collection of Howard's boxing fiction. It's a pretty big deal, make no mistake, and yet I feel none of the anxiety I should feel. I know the stories, I know the author's intent and can make literary connections that no one has yet made but still...we're talking about me, Chris Gruber, that is steering this ship into portage. I'm not some natural wordsmith, born to the trade like some offspring of Oates and Hemingway whose genetic disposition paves the way to literary and critical stardom before they've shed the placenta. It's me- Chris Gruber, a simple guy who is as likely to be hiking or mountain biking, hitting the heavy bag or doing pull ups, as he is to be typing furiously at the keyboard, trying to convey some kind of undiscovered knowledge to the masses. It just doesn't compute and yet here I am...thank you Robert E. Howard.<br />
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I remember my friend, Bill Stephens, haranguing me daily in high school about Robert E. Howard. He would verbally berate me for not acknowledging that I was wasting my time reading and admiring a hack like Howard when I ought to be bowing down at the classical Fantasy feet of Tolkien. I like Tolkien, alot in fact, but he in no way came close to the kind of visceral reading experience I obtained from a Howard short story. I wrote several essays in high school English class about Robert E. Howard fiction and each time the teacher would attack my paper in the most humiliating way, going so far as to suggest that I was making up, entirely, everything I had written - you know, how Howard's stories are allegorical statements of profound significance, yadda, yadda, yadda. Nevertheless, I kept on keeping on and now we're here - with me explaining how Howard's boxing fiction served as a kind of canvass upon which he could paint some of the most remarkable American fiction ever produced. American fiction, inspired by the Great Depression, rural poverty, and of course, boxing during the Golden Age of Sports. Or, at least that's what Ring Lardner and other contemporaries kept saying.<br />
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I also remember the first time I ever heard a Johnny Cash song. My cousin Todd had invited my brother Sean and I to Pekin, Illinois to drink and be merry as only close cousins can do. We drove through farm fields, mud bogs, you name it and the whole time the merriment was cloaked in this divine music. It was storytelling at it's best set to a musical score that made me melancholy and reflective. So, I did what any young man who had had a little too much on his mind, and tongue, would do - I jumped out of that moving truck. I needed some time to think about what it was that I was hearing. Until I heard those mournful Cash tunes, I had hated country music - or so I thought. Here was this guy, crooning and moaning, shouting and yodeling - he was saying something that I hadn't heard before but I knew instinctively was pure Americana. I understood it at the DNA level, you know what I am saying? Before too long, my brother and cousin figured out that I had jumped ship and came back looking for me. I stood up, waved my arms so they could see me - a new man with a new perspective and a white hot desire to consume that which I knew was tailor made for me: Johnny Cash, the Dean of American music. Thanks, Johnny Cash.<br />
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During my research of Robert E. Howard and his interest in boxing I was able to indulge a fascination I have had with the great boxers of the past. I studied the lives of some of boxing's most colorful and successful adherents, from Jim Jeffries to James Braddock, and spent a great deal of time thrilling to the adventures of that most enduring American Icon - Jack Dempsey. The manner in which he lived his life is both an inspiration and a caution and, in the end, it is a story of strife and success that represents the very fabric of perceived American greatness. From the humble beginnings of his Colorado days as Kid Blackie, where he was forced to fight for bologna strips just to survive, a nobody going nowhere fast to the incredible heights of world champion and movie star, a fearsome, scowling warrior who was tenacious, rugged, and most inportantly determined to "make it" no matter the cost. Finally, even after his roller coaster youth had passed him by, the nation bore witness to the man and his exploits and despite his reluctance was annointed by the masses as an American Legend. What a boxer, what a man, what a life. Thanks Jack Dempsey.<br />
What amount of star crossing voo-doo was worked that I might find myself enamored of these men, intimately aware of their lives and willing to chronicle those instances that set them apart as men worth studying, worth learning from, and ultimately, worth telling others about? Fortune, perhaps? Maybe - but whether or not it be fate or some other power, what is clear to me is that I am fortunate to have had these men and their endeavors as a kind of backdrop to my own life and can distill my own experience through the looking glass of their lives. They are American and so am I and their lives and work speak to me. How lucky am I, really?Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-6041770149881318642011-07-07T19:42:00.006-05:002011-07-07T20:56:13.357-05:00Dreams in the Fire and Dead River Revenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmyIxz9ZfUfxeY0Ln-ENeW5IaJFtuKL9RbnqvpwyFKEpLuOBOuhf7j9ZT7OswKqF8d6CNuE_Xi_p7hTANfYKRKQVY7BDv15XYJFofVU0Il0UCL8h3PzmcrMRGm4y5FjamjVByLY8CLz4/s1600/dreamsinthefire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmyIxz9ZfUfxeY0Ln-ENeW5IaJFtuKL9RbnqvpwyFKEpLuOBOuhf7j9ZT7OswKqF8d6CNuE_Xi_p7hTANfYKRKQVY7BDv15XYJFofVU0Il0UCL8h3PzmcrMRGm4y5FjamjVByLY8CLz4/s1600/dreamsinthefire.jpg" /></a></div><div class="product_description">Who's up for a good cause? Who loves new fiction? How about anthologies featuring well known writers and fledgling bards alike? If you answered "YES" to any of the questions above I encourage you to head over to <a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/dreams-in-the-fire/15696549">Mark Finn's LULU page</a> and get yourself a copy of <i>Dreams in the Fire</i>, a collection of stories and poems inspired by Robert E. Howard. Written entirely by REHupans (current and former members of an Amateur Press Association called, appropriately enough, REHupa.) This book hosts the work of some very well known authors: James Reasoner, Mark Finn, Charles Gramlich, Bob Weinberg, Angeline Hawkes, Christopher Fulbright, Don Herron as well as many others whose names you won't forget after having read their fiction and poetry.<br />
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</div><div class="product_description"></div><div class="product_description">Edited and produced by my pal Mark Finn and I, this collection is very near and dear to our hearts as all proceeds benefit Project Pride, the organization that owns and cares for the Robert E. Howard home in Cross Plains, Texas. This book boasts stories and poetry in many different genres but they each draw from the same creative wellspring - Robert E. Howard's fiction. Get it. Enjoy it. Help preserve a literary landmark.<br />
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</div><div class="product_description"></div><div class="product_description">Oh. Yeah, silly me, I almost forgot. Allow me to indulge in the smallest way - I've placed my first short story in this collection. It's called, Dead River Revenge, and it's an epic story of revenge that is equal parts frontier-historical, action, and horror fiction. I had always wanted to write about my home state of Illinois, especially that area in which I was raised, and with this story I turn history on its head. The folks who live near Illinois Beach State Park, in Beach Park, Illinois will get a kick out of my presentation of the real Dead River. If you are a fan of native mythology, frontier history, and good ol' fashioned action you just might like this story. Let me know what you think!</div>Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-45652551389070550802011-07-05T18:43:00.003-05:002011-07-07T19:49:30.411-05:00Klitschko wins!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmO5EuqeRIX-t1BODzpXh2owKydMtAsRVuJM3O-_wL4wO0LaRZQqVSvgg8vL0oi_qj22ixrb_jv7E3OOk6y-19JCyxwCQRvjIvsxfuPrTDtClOG1MnbsxDyc39201nFVE03sPspOnHHc/s1600/alg_klitschko-haye-fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmO5EuqeRIX-t1BODzpXh2owKydMtAsRVuJM3O-_wL4wO0LaRZQqVSvgg8vL0oi_qj22ixrb_jv7E3OOk6y-19JCyxwCQRvjIvsxfuPrTDtClOG1MnbsxDyc39201nFVE03sPspOnHHc/s320/alg_klitschko-haye-fight.jpg" width="320" /></a>This fight started exactly as I had predicted. Both boxers were seemingly instructed to read my blog entry prior to the fight wherein I gave my keys to victory for each fighter. Haye tried desperately to get inside while Klitschko worked hard to maintain the desired range. This scenario played out for each of the 12 rounds with varying degrees of success for each fighter. What is certain is that these two fighters did not want to mix it up. They both were content to play the cat and mouse game all night and I think this is what rankled most fans. I didn't learn anything about Haye in this fight that I hadn't already known; that is to say he is a very good boxer with good speed, a decent chin, and a mouth that writes checks his body and heart can't cash. He's a really good heavyweight that has no shot, ever, of beating either of the Klitschko brothers. <br />
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I did learn something about Wladimir; once thought to be a quitter, robotic, unable to adapt and unwilling to continue when the fight turned against him - he showed flashes of resilience and determination that I wasn't sure he really possessed. There were several exchanges initiated by Haye that found Klitschko reeling back defensively, eyes wide and clearly flustered. And yet each time the momentum began to swing toward the desperate, lunging Haye, the Russian would calmly repositioned himself and fired off that devastating jab. He seems to have found a confidence that had been lacking throughout his career. The knock on him wasn't about his skills (nor Haye's) but rather his reluctance to take a chance and finish his man. He had many opportunities to take advantage of Haye's mistakes but settled for safe, but effective, stalking. He used a great jab, even better foot work, and an occasional powerful straight right or hook to keep Haye honest - and it worked well for him.<br />
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The fight was much closer than most media outlets like ESPN would have you believe. Haye clearly won 4 rounds and there were two or three rounds that were close enough to go either way. I had Klitschko winning and doing it the way I said he would - minus the finishing KO. This fight was ugly at times - see Haye's tactic of falling to the ground in clinches as a way to escape infighting - but it also was clearly a fast paced heavyweight fight. These guys threw a lot of punches for heavies - too bad for us that not all of them had TNT written on their gloves.Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-54830717739760863492011-07-02T17:00:00.004-05:002011-07-02T18:06:03.240-05:00Klitschko vs HayeThere's a significant heavyweight fight tonight. I mentioned this in my last post but I would be remiss if I did not have something more to say about this fight. So...<br />
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The national media has been slow to pick up on this fight but have finally grasped the top rope and thrust this contest (belatedly) onto the front page. While the overall popularity of boxing continues to wane there has been a sharp increase in the interest surrounding what used to be the sport's most heralded division - the heavyweights. Those of us who love the sport can thank the trash-talking, brash, irreverent challenger, David Haye, for this renewed spark of awareness - even if the national media was slow (very slow) to pick up on it.<br />
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Why should we thank Haye, who has made a spectacle of himself by publicly challenging, goading, attacking, and maligning the reigning heavyweight champions, Ukrainian brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko? Because, despite his embarrassing antics and lack of quality opponents he has managed to give us a reason to watch - hype or not, he has created a real grudge match.<br />
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Most pre-fight confrontations are staged affairs where emotion and pageantry are manufactured in an attempt to hype boxing matches that in another era would have sold themselves on merit alone. In any other era, a heavyweight fighter like Wladimir Klitschko would have dominated headlines the world over with each fight, no matter the opponent or circumstances. Klitschko (55-3), the younger of the two brothers, is a supremely gifted heavyweight whose accomplishments are as impressive as those of Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson and Larry Holmes. He has not lost a fight since 2004 and has successfully defended his title ten times. With a KO over the obnoxious but talented Haye, he can enter the pantheon of great heavyweights who own at least 50 KOs over their opponents.<br />
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Sadly, modern boxing faces a real problem when it must sink to the same promotional level as professional wrestling to entice viewers to plunk down a PPV fee that is appalling. Nevertheless, Haye's non-stop verbal assault upon the Klitschko brothers appears to be a brand of genuine and heart felt personal hatred not seen since, well, maybe ever - and everyone loves a real grudge match. Hey, didn't I just say that?<br />
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Whether he was confronting Wladimir at charity functions or sporting T-shirts picturing Haye beheading the brothers with a bloody knife, the Brit has consistently spewed a brand of venom that seems wholly out of context with the fight or the man he will face in the ring tonight.<br />
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By contrast, "Dr. Steelhammer," a normally quiet and non-descript personality, has begun to respond to the vitriol in an uncharacteristically emotional way. He has tried to portray an outward calm at promotional events, but his steely reserve has begun to crack like an emotional facade made of plaster, rather than steel as his nickname implies. While English may not be his native language it is evident in his replies to the English speaking media that Klitschko is harboring a level of anger that might encourage him to forgo his normal, plodding, plan of attack for something far more violent and risky. He seems like a man who wants to hurt Haye, not just win, and at 6'6 and 245 pounds he has the tools to do what Hayes has loudly promised to do to him: literally execute his opponent in the ring.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>TALE OF THE TAPE</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b>Klitschko Haye</b></u></div><div style="text-align: center;">Record - 55-3 49 KOs 25-1 23 KOs</div><div style="text-align: center;">Height - 6'6 . 6'3 </div><div style="text-align: center;">Weight - 245 lbs. 215 lbs.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b>The Punch-Drunk Bard's Pick </b></u></div><div style="text-align: left;">This fight has excitement written all over it and that's saying something from two of the sport's most boring, but efficient, boxers. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>What Haye Must Do</b>: Haye is an excellent boxer with quick feet and decent hand speed whose power is underrated in this fight. He must get inside - if he doesn't he will eat jabs all night and end up another KO victim by round 10. He can't just lunge forward, he has to move in and show angles. Once in he can't just content himself with getting inside and avoiding Klitschko's killer jabs, he has to throw - short left hooks and chopping rights; keep the pressure on early and then hope the giant begins to tire. If he does, Klitschko will begin to make mistakes and he will expose his suspect chin more often as the fight goes on. Despite Haye's clear athleticism his only chance is to pressure his opponent and I fully expect we will see him try to do just that.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>What Klitschko Must Do: </b>Klitschko must be able to withstand the early pressure Haye will bring. He has to use his size to his advantage, especially early on, by controlling distance with his jab and his feet. He must overcome the desire to go for the early KO. As usual, it will be his jab that is a key component but, more than in other fights, it will be his feet that will see him to victory because Haye is a sharp, fast boxer who is an excellent counter puncher. Maintaining the proper distance to launch that jab is crucial. Simply throwing it will not work against Haye as he must work himself into position with solid footwork. Early on Klitschko must follow his jab with an occasional right hand to get Haye's respect. Once it lands I expect Haye to go into survival mode. Klitschko is probably the most athletic man of his size to ever enter a ring and this will be evident as both boxers move in the ring like light heavies. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>The Prediction: </b>I think Haye has riled a tiger and now must back up the years of trash talk. If Klitschko's chin were not an issue this would be an easy pick. But it IS an issue and I think the champions chin will be tested early. I think Klitschko has enough experience, athleticism, and power to endure Haye's initial attacks. If he let's the moment, the home crowd, and the incessant needling of his opponent get to him we might see an upset, a la Lamon Brewster. Having said all of that, I think Klitschko will endure a trial by fire for two rounds before settling in and dominating Haye in the middle rounds. He will use his jab to frustrate the smaller man and after some wild exchanges we will see Dr. Steelhammer deliver a crushing straight right that sends David Haye into retirement. Klitschko by KO round 6</div>Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-778144613549111672011-07-02T15:21:00.003-05:002011-07-02T17:56:58.076-05:00There's a Heavyweight Championship Fight Tonight : bet You Didn't KnowOne of the things I am fond of in life is boxing. I have been an ardent fan of the sport since I was a child. (<span style="font-size: x-small;">Read about it in my essay "<a href="http://howardworks.com/cimmerianv2n3.html">Born to Edit Boxing Stories</a>" written for The Cimmerian</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">,Volume 2 Number </span>) Watching boxing on network TV in the early 80s provided me more than mere entertainment - it gave me something to experience and aspire to. It has also provided me with one of me deepest regrets but I'll get into that another day. For now, I want to breakdown the Klitschko/Haye clash and the wayward heavyweight division.<br />
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In just a few hours the most anticipated and important heavyweight boxing match in almost 7 years will take place in the cavernous Imtech Arena, in Hamburg Germany - and most Americans have no clue it is taking place. How can this be? We're talking about the most anticipated heavyweight match up in years! That's right - the HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD!!! It's still one of the most recognizable titles in the world, right up there with the Queen of England and Mr. President. So, why won't America be tuning in to HBO PPV at 9 PM tonight? That's easy - no one watches boxing anymore. Well, at least not the heavyweights. Ask your average mug on the street who Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, or the recently retired Oscar De La Hoya is (small men all) and just watch their face light up with recognition.<br />
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The heavyweight division has fallen on hard times - just ask most fight fans. One could give any number of reasons why what was once the world's most coveted title, the Heavyweight Champion of the World, has lost most of its luster. Most significantly, there are more sports for promising athletes to choose from that aren't as physically punishing or dangerous and pay much, much better. Think of it this way, you can be the 12th man on an NBA roster and your compensation places you at the top 1% of the world's paying professions. True, an elite heavyweight boxer can rake in some serious cash but anyone outside the top 5 in this division is left out of the serious money. The payout for a decent pro heavyweight who is good but not great, someone akin in skill to the 12th man on an NBA team I just mentioned, will be absurdly low. You'd make more money learning to program in C++. In the NBA, you might tweak an ankle, dislocate a finger, but it is a rare day in most sports where you can spend 36 minutes being punched in the face. The point being - boxing is a tough sport, for tough, desperate people and it has been that way since its inception. With so many other potential avenues to success we are seeing fewer people willing to endure the spartan training conditions necessary of even the most average participants.<br />
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Historically, the heavyweight division lured some of the most athletic and determined large men on the planet to take up the sport of boxing in the hopes of earning huge sums of money as well as global fame that would endure long after the man had passed from this life. It's true that a heavy can still make money but fame, global fame, is a bit harder to come by these days as public perception of boxing has waned. The new global sports icons like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Tiger Woods are products of an efficient marketing strategy employed by a united group of interested parties - something that the sport of boxing does not have. The phrases "united governing body" and "professional boxing" do not go hand and hand and appear to be mutually exclusive. Ah well, and yet I love the sport and respect all its children, professional or otherwise.<br />
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So, here I am, writing about a boxing match held in Germany and featuring a Ukrainian giant and loud mouthed, athletically gifted Englishman. I suppose the question of the day is, 'why?' Because there are still enough fans of the sport out there to keep the sport relevant. A far cry from the Golden Age of Boxing, the late 1800s to the early 1900s, but better than dead.Chris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7891745393635030389.post-26699264971046264972011-07-02T13:56:00.001-05:002011-07-02T15:29:26.983-05:00Round One: the first postWelcome to the home of the Punch-Drunk Bard. This is my online journal about writing, boxing, and the great outdoors. I won't kid you - I'm trying to become a regularly published author. To that end I have decided to launch this here blog and fill cyberspace with my thoughts on the things mentioned above. I'm hoping, of course, that some publisher will stumble across my blog and be filled with awe at what he/she reads. While that scenario isn't likely to transpire I can make your reading experience less tedious by refusing to include those inane comments about my every day life (unless there is a good story waiting to be told.) You know what I mean: boring posts about the food I ate last night, my last bowel movement, or the nifty shirt I almost bought. Rest assured - I will fill this space with lively commentary on the subjects that are near and dear to my heart. I am new to this blogging thing and hope that the learning curve is not too steep for my old legs to climb. Please, if something I've written stirs an emotion, by all means leave a comment - unless it is so filled with profanity that I end up lacing up the gloves to search you out for a beat down. I'm really looking forward to this experience. I'm hoping you get as much out of it as I do.<br />
Christopher Gruber<br />
The Punch-Drunk BardChris Gruberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579025342967904625noreply@blogger.com0