NO HOLDS BARRED

Bill Goldberg and I will be guests on the nationally-syndicated "Joey Reynolds Show" Wednesday night/Thursday morning, January 31/February 1. We will be discussing the debut show of the new mixed martial arts group, EliteXC, on Saturday, February 10. Goldberg will be one of the announcers on the show's live telecast on Showtime, which is also the first MMA show for that network.

The EliteXC show takes place in the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Miss., near Memphis, Tenn. The main event will feature two MMA legends facing each other: Frank Shamrock and Renzo Gracie.

The "Joey Reynolds Show" is heard on over 80 radio stations. This talk show airs live beginning at midnight ET and runs to 5 AM ET, on WOR 710 AM in New York. We are presently scheduled to come on in the latter part of the show.

You can also listen to the "Joey Reynolds Show" online. For more information on the show's webcast, go to http://www.wor710.com/.

For more information on the "Joey Reynolds Show," go to http://www.wor710.com/pages/46370.php.

For more information on Myra Chanin, who works with the show, and also about Joey and the show, go to http://motherwonderful.com/.

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman previews the second International Fight League (IFL) event of the 2007 season, which will be held Friday, February 2, at the Reliant Center in Houston, Texas.

We speak with mixed martial arts veteran and legend Bas Rutten, now the coach of the Los Angeles Anacondas, whose team takes on the 2006 IFL team champion Quad Cities Silverbacks.

We also speak with Bart Palaszewski, the 155-pound fighter representing the Silverbacks, who is undefeated in IFL competition. His highly anticipated fight Feb. 2 will be against another fighter undefeated in the IFL, Chris Horodecki of the Anacondas.

The superfight on that card pits one of the top 185-pound fighters in the world, Matt Lindland, against the MMA standout veteran Carlos Newton. Also on that card, a revamped Tokyo Sabres team, coached by Ken Yasuda, and which was shut out in its only team competition in 2006, takes on the newly-formed Scorpions, coached by MMA legend Don Frye.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, just click here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S., and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada, and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

SecondsOut Radio with Eddie Goldman

On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman previews the main fights to be held Saturday, February 3, at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Fla., and to be shown in the U.S. on Showtime. Headlining that card are title fights between WBC light heavyweight champ Tomasz Adamek (31-0, 21 KOs) and fellow undefeated fighter Chad Dawson (22-0, 1 NC, 15 KOs), and IBF lightweight champ Jesus Chavez (42-3, 29 KOs) and interim IBF lightweight champ Julio Diaz (33-3, 24 KOs). We also spoke with Adamek, Dawson, Chavez, and Diaz on a media conference call.

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman deconstructs the telecast of the UFC's Fight Night show of January 25, which was on Spike TV in the U.S.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, just click here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S., and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada, and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

SecondsOut Radio with Eddie Goldman

On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the top light heavyweight boxer in the world, Bernard Hopkins (47-4-1, 32 KOs), about his plans to unretire and fight once again. As usual, the champ had quite a lot to say.

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, the third this week, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Gareb Shamus, co-founder and CEO of the International Fight League (IFL).

The IFL has just announced a breakthrough deal to begin televising weekly shows on two major American television networks, FSN (Fox Sports Net) and MyNetworkTV. We discuss what to expect from this new deal, when it will start, and many other aspects of this potentially historic arrangement.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, just click here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S., and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada, and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman previews the debut of two mixed martial arts events.

On Friday, January 19, the 2007 full debut season of the International Fight League (IFL) kicks off at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. There will be two team competitions. The San Jose Razorclaws, coached by Frank Shamrock, take on the debuting Nevada Lions, coached by Frank's brother, Ken Shamrock. The Seattle Tiger Sharks, coached by Maurice Smith, take on the Southern California Condors, coached by Marco Ruas. There will also be a superfight between Jeremy Horn and Niko Vitale.

On Saturday, February 10, a new MMA promotion makes its debut. The EliteXC group will put on a show in the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Miss., near Memphis, Tenn., which will also be shown live in the U.S. on Showtime, in that network's first MMA show. The main event will feature two MMA legends facing each other: Frank Shamrock and Renzo Gracie.

We spoke with both Frank Shamrock and Renzo Gracie about their fight. We also spoke with Gary Shaw, the president of EliteXC, who is best known as being a major boxing promoter, about what attracted him to this brother combat sport of the sweet science.

Since Frank Shamrock is so busy with his duties both as a coach in the IFL and a fighter in both EliteXC and Strikeforce, we also spoke with him separately to preview all these events. Frank's web page is at http://frankshamrock.com and his MySpace profile is at http://myspace.com/frankshamrock.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, just click here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S., and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada, and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman begins by speaking with mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Wallid Ismail. The always-colorful Wallid has been promoting a series of shows called the Jungle Fight Championship. He tells us about his plans for the next event as well as his views on the respect due to the veterans of the MMA media, as well as other issues.

The National Self-Defense Institute has declared January "Self-Defense Awareness Month". Numerous martial arts schools across the U.S., including many run by coaches in the International Fight League (IFL), began participating in this campaign by hosting a series of free self-defense classes in their academies.

At the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York, we spoke with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and trainer Jose Henrique Chierighini, who conducted the first of these classes Saturday, January 13.

We also spoke with one of those whom he regularly trains, Kurt Otto, who also of course is the co-founder and commissioner of the International Fight League (IFL). We spoke with him both about how his own training is going and the current and future plans of the IFL.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, just click here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S., and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada, and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

SecondsOut Radio with Eddie Goldman

On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman speaks with two undefeated fighters, Ricky Hatton and Juan Urango, who face each other Saturday, January 20, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hatton (41-0, 30 KOs), the 2005 Fighter of the Year, is returning to the 140-pound division after one fight up at welterweight, and hopes to recapture the IBF 140-pound title from its current holder, Urango (17-0-1, 13 KOs).

We also mark the celebration on Wednesday, January 17, of the 65th birthday of the great Muhammad Ali by speaking with Mike Fox, the President and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky. They are encouraging people from all around the world to send online birthday greetings to Muhammad Ali through the Center's web site, at http://www.alicenter.org. We also discuss the goals and mission of the Center in furthering the former champ's legacy of promoting peace and understanding among the many peoples of the world.

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

RELEASE: Comrie Calls For Moratorium On Use of The 'N' Word In NYC

For Immediate Release:

January 12, 2007

Contact:
Rance E. Huff

Comrie To Introduce Resolution Calling For Symbolic Moratorium on The "N" Word

NEW YORK, NY- Council member Leroy Comrie (D-27th District) today announced that he will be introducing a resolution calling for the New York City Council to declare a symbolic moratorium on the use of the "N" word in the city during the month of February, in honor of Black History Month. The resolution encourages New Yorkers of all races and ages to refrain from the using the "N" word and to encourage all the encounter they may encounter to do the same.

"Given the recent events surrounding the Michael Richards incident and the current campaign in many quarters to abolish the use of this hateful term, I thought it would be appropriate to encourage my fellow New Yorkers to join this movement," stated Councilmember Comrie. "It is my hope that this resolution will spark a dialogue in all communities and begin to move our society, especially in our entertainment culture, toward a place where the use of the 'N' word is simply unacceptable in any context."

During a November 17 performance at the Los Angeles-based Laugh Factory comedy club, comedian Michael Richards - best known for playing the character Kramer on the television show "Seinfeld" - launched into a tirade of racial insults directed at an audience member that ended with him using the 'N' word. The exchange was captured on film and sparked a national outcry.

Richards subsequently apologized but the furor over his use of the term sparked a new debate about the use of the word in popular culture. Additionally, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and Rev. Jesse Jackson issued a call for a moratorium by entertainers who used the term.

"Michael Richards was merely the symptom of a much larger issue- that of race and racism in our nation," continued Councilmember Comrie. "I believe we come to a point in our society where we can hopefully have an honest discussion about this country's terrible, racist history and how it still reverberates in our culture today. Some members of our society- especially the MTV/BET generation- has no historical or contextual understanding of this term. And that has led to the casual use of the word, or different variations of it, by people who see it as part of the lexicon of hip hop culture.

"I've proposed this call for a moratorium during Black History Month this year in an effort to begin a dialogue that will reexamine this issue. On any given day you can traverse this city and encounter young people of all races casually using the word in public with no regard or knowledge of the terrible history behind it. We, as adults, must begin to take a stand and say this is utterly wrong. I can't imagine a place where people simply went around casually spewing derogatory names about Jews, Asians, Latinos, Irish, Italians or any other ethnic group without being challenged or shamed. This moratorium simply represents my line in the sand. I’m not prepared to go any further and not speak out about this issue."

The 'N' word is taken from the Latin word Niger or the French word Negre`, both meaning black and when it is used as a noun, it means "black person'. The word was first documented being used in writing in 1786 and is a term slave masters used to label their African slaves. The word has its origins in the hate and contempt that slave masters had for their African slaves. No matter how it is spelled, the word has carried these emotions of hate throughout the centuries, which is why it is so painful for many African Americans to hear.

By the early 1900's, the word "Black" began to appear in print, in reference to African Americans. However, the term "Black" was rejected by the community because of its negative connotations and in 1906 civil rights leader Booker T Washington endorsed the term "Negro". The 'N' word, once a common label used for African American people, officially becomes recognized as a derogatory racial epithet.

The definition of the 'N' word became defined as "a lazy person with no self respect, no regard for family, ignorant, stupid, slow moving, did not speak proper English and had childlike qualities". The caricatures of Black people in early 1900's American culture, such as the notorious film "Birth Of A Nation" encapsulated this definition. The age of the Harlem Renaissance challenged this idea, primarily due to the leadership of Renaissance scholar Alain Locke, who encouraged African American artists, writers, poets and musicians to fully express their African pride by aligning with their rich West African history.

As the late 1960's approached, so did a surge of racial pride and the term "Black" was taken on by the African American community as positive. The Black Power Movement of this era proclaimed "Black is Beautiful" and entertainer James Brown declared "I'm Black and I'm Proud". The followers of this movement called each other "brother and sister", while denouncing the use of the 'N' word.

Some African Americans started using the 'N' word to refer to themselves in the 1970's cultural era known as Black Exploitation. The term was also adopted during the beginning of the 1990's cultural era known as Hip Hop, by taking the "er" off of the end of the word and adding the letter "a", thereby creating the term "Nigga". Although in use in the Black community, it was still a pejorative and at some point depending on the social circles denoted class difference.

Today the African American community still differs in its use of the 'N' word, as some use a neo-revisionist attitude in an attempt to redefine the word, still others do not use the word in their vocabulary at all. In 2003, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) successfully influenced Merriam-Webster Lexicographers to change the definition of the 'N' word in the dictionary so that it would no longer mean African Americans. Additionally, the term "N word" began being used in popular culture and in media reports in effort to avoid using the full spelling or pronunciation of the word publicly.

Recently, a small group of New Yorkers, led by Brooklyn residents Jill Merritt and Kovon Flowers, founded the organization "Abolish The 'N' Word Project Inc.". They began a public relations campaign to abolish the use of the word by all people through the establishment of a website, educational materials and community events.

On Sunday, January 14, Councilmember Comrie will join the Abolish The 'N' Word Project as they host a gathering of celebrities at the New York Laugh Factory from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to share personal stories of the first time they were called the "N" Word and how that experience would forever change their lives. The stories will be compiled for an educational DVD that will be used in schools and by organizations to help educate not only children, but all people who are unaware of the pain associated with the 'N' Word.

For more information about this event and the Abolish The 'N' Word Project, log on at http://www.AbolishTheNWord.com .

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Mike Chapman, Executive Director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum and America's top wrestling historian.

Originally opened in 1998 in Newton, Iowa, the International Wrestling Institute and Museum has recently relocated to Waterloo, Iowa, where both Dan and Mike grew up and went to high school. The new and larger building will open to the public Saturday, January 13, 2007.

We discuss the reopening of the museum as well as many issues regarding the state and role of wrestling, the world's oldest sport, in contemporary life and history.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, just click here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S., and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada, and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

SecondsOut Radio with Eddie Goldman

On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman speaks with veteran New York radio and TV personality Aaron Braunstein, who was at the rematch Saturday night, January 6, between top heavyweight contenders Samuel Peter and James Toney at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla. We discuss Peter-Toney 2, the state of heavyweight boxing, and a Sunday buffet brunch full of other topics.

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

NO HOLDS BARRED on PodOmatic

NO HOLDS BARRED: Part 1 -- Renzo Gracie, Carlos Newton, Pat Miletich, Matt Lindland, IFL World Team Championship Report

NO HOLDS BARRED: Part 2 -- Ben Rothwell, Andre Gusmao, Erik Owings, Keisha Morrisey, IFL World Team Championship Report

On this week's special two-part edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman reviews the International Fight League (IFL) World Team Championship Final held December 29, 2006, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

In part one, we begin by recapping the fights on that show.

On the card's main event superfight, Renzo Gracie won a controversial split decision victory over Carlos Newton. We speak with both Renzo Gracie and Carlos Newton right after their fight.

The IFL World Team Championship title was won by the Quad Cities Silverbacks, coached by Pat Miletich, who won four of five fights over the Portland Wolfpack, coached by Matt Lindland. We speak with both Pat Miletich and Matt Lindland about their teams as well as their own plans for the future.

In part two, we speak with Big Ben Rothwell, the heavyweight for the Silverbacks who is undefeated in IFL competition. He scored a first-round TKO over Devin Cole of the Wolfpack. We speak with two fighters from Renzo Gracie's New York Pitbulls, Andre Gusmao and Erik Owings, who each won their superfights on this card. And we speak with boxing and entertainment publicist Keisha Morrisey, who gives us her evaluation of this event.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, just click here or here.

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

IFL, the International Fight League, the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) in the U.S., and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada, and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site, ifl.tv, for a listing of IFL live events.

BJJMart.com, your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

SecondsOut Radio with Eddie Goldman

On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, host Eddie Goldman previews the first major fight of 2007, the January 6 rematch between top heavyweight contenders Samuel Peter and James Toney.

When Peter (27-1, 22 KOs), originally from Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, and Toney (69-5-3, 43 KOs), originally from Grand Rapids, Mich., first fought Sept. 2 in Los Angeles in a WBC eliminator, the 12-round bout ended in a split decision victory for Peter. Many observers, however, including most of the boxing media, felt that Toney had done more than enough to win. Because of the split decision and widespread controversy, the WBC agreed to an immediate rematch.

Thus, the rematch, again a WBC heavyweight eliminator, will take place Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla., and will be shown in the U.S. on Showtime. The winner is next supposed to get a title fight with WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev.

We spoke with both Samuel Peter and James Toney as they prepared for this fight. We spoke with Toney's promoter Dan Goossen. We also spoke with fitness trainer Billy Blanks, best known for his Tae Bo workout programs, but who is also a former karate champion and Golden Gloves boxer who is helping Toney with his conditioning and fitness training. Plus, we spoke with WBA 154-pound champion Jose Antonio Rivera (38-4-1, 24 KOs) who will make the first defense of his belt against the unbeaten Travis Simms (24-0, 18 KOs) on this card.

It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, and listen, learn, and enjoy.