Regarding Happiness

[H2O Man]

I'm happy for a couple reasons. First, when I arose at the crack of noon, and sat down with my daily cup of coffee, I saw something delightful. One of DU's very best members, “underpants.” had posted the last 6:48 minutes of the unpresidential fella having a melt-down on Meet the Press. We know that he dislikes most of the media, never misses a chance to insult a female reporter, and – most of all – absolutely hates when a non-white woman confronts him. Thank you Kristen Welker!

Second, I saw where my younger son had a cool adventure yesterday. He took part in the “Mended Swords LTD” race at Bethal Woods, NY. This was the “Spartan Sprint 5K,” and he helped two guys finish. Let me quote from him:

“Brock Hathaway is a 29-year-old with cerebral palsy and legal blindness who did a spartan race in 2022 and came back in 2026 to prove no obstacle is too great!
Ralph Osterhoudt is a 100 year old WW2 veteran who was Drafted in 1944, he served with the 575th Field Artillery Battalion and fought in the Colmar Pocket and the Battle of the Bulge. He earned three Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, and the French Medal of Honor. He was notably among the first 30 American soldiers to enter the gates of the Auschwitz concentration camp after it was turned over to U.S. forces.”

Being able to assist these men meant a lot to my boy. He was fascinated by the stories Ralph told him about his life experiences. The two plan to keep in touch. The people who put on the races gave my son the top award for his role.

[a kennedy]

1. You should thank yourself for an awesome son. You gave him the insight, love of his fellow man, and the mission

to help those who need the help to be their best self.

[H2O Man]

4. Thank you!

My son is thinking of making a podcast of an interview with Ralph. The two really connected.

[Deuxcents]

11. I hope your son does interview our hero, Ralph. Not too many of his generation and his experiences are invaluable

[electric_blue68]

2. Good on him, you, and them!

[H2O Man]

5. Thank you!

Not to brag, but I'd like to think I helped my boy prepare for this ..... twice when I've growled, "I'm okay, leave me alone!" other family members have called him, and he's carried me out to his vehicle, taken me to the ER, and waited patiently while I was having emergency surgery.

[electric_blue68]

7. Wow, I see what you mean! Strong guy, and helpful!

[H2O Man]

10. Three time

NYS Golden Gloves champion -- light heavyweight, cruiserweight, and heavyweight. Since hanging up the gloves, he runs these crazy 32-mile races. He thinks he's funny when he comes here, puts 120 lbs of weight on his back, and sprints around my (large) lawn, yelling, "C'mon old man! I'll get you in shape!"

[electric_blue68]

21. Ohhn, boy....cute, huh?!

Are the races challenging in any other way? Timing, obstacles, tricky areas? Just curious.
.
Now, I have total respect for runners a d race walkers! For a bunch of years I'd go down to the entrance of Central Park right near the end of the of race to cheer on the very last part.

[H2O Man]

22. Yes.

Obstacles, sometimes some swimming, and running up dirt paths in the rain. He always comes in at or near first in his age group and overall. It's curious, because when he boxed, he did most of his conditioning on these fancy gym machines, rather than doing his roadwork on the old dirt roads that my brother & I did long ago when we boxed.

I'm just glad that he doesn't box any more. And not only because he was too much like my brother -- get hit in a fight, and defense was out the door. "That didn't hurt" doesn't matter to the judges. My brother took more punches in 87 fights than I did in 329. But all the old fighters of my generation agreed that my boy was the hardest puncher this region ever produced. Even in sparring .... the last session before the finals one year, he was sparring his cousin, who won the super heavyweight title three days later. He dropped his cousin with body shots a couple times, and I had to stop it early. The top promoter of amateur boxing in upstate NY used to joke about how many guys came up with excuses not to fight him.

It's not that he won every fight. In his last loss, which was in the finals of the gloves one year, he was ahead on all three judges' cards. But he got clipped -- hard -- and I can tell everything I need to know by a fighter's legs. Despite my cousin assisting me in the corner yelling, "What the fuck are you doing?" I got up and threw in the towel. Much of the crowd booed me. My son was furious. But 30 minutes later, he could not remember what had happened. One punch can do real damage. I wanted him to hang it up then, but the next year he talked me into one more tournament, which he won with no problem. After that, his son was born, and the entire focus of his life changed.

Equally unsettling was when my 105 lb daughter started boxing in Boston. Yikes! And she was good, but I wasn't happy. She thought I would be, in part because she competed out of the last gym that Rubin visited. She said she wanted to make me proud. I said that I was proud that her employment in Boston included working in a law office on immigration, teaching part-time at the college, and working for the state attorney general. I wasn't impressed with that boxing club's trainer, and when I would see my daughter and a few of her teammates, I would show them things they never learned in Boston. (My daughter, who now lives in Europe with her husband and baby girl, will be here for a visit next week.)

At this point in life, I both love and hate boxing. I've trained amateur and pro fighters, with every amateur I trained since 1975 winning at least one Golden Gloves titles. Zero losses in the pro ranks. After my son's last fight, I was asked to be a co-trainer for the nationals team. Years ago, I'd have loved that. But my heart was no longer in it. So these days, I prefer races!

[electric_blue68]

23. So your brother and son (if i got it right) were both hard hitters?...

Ad he (son?) would turn too offensive?

Contrast between "road work" vs fancy gym equipment. Is one better? Or is it more of a manner of how you train?

Your daughter, 105 lbs; feather weight?
Awww, sounds like she does some extra good works.
I would guess that since boxing was such a big part of your life - that she felt it was important to emulate you?

Congratulations, on your wins; even if you have mixed feelings now.

Sometimes obsticles in the races...
I used watch on my tablet TV sows with obstacles races.
There's a book that talks (and has a questionaire) about visual, auditory, and kinetic processing particularly kinetic.
I scored 2nd in kinetic. Could be why I enjoyed watching obstacle races.

[H2O Man]

24. My brother was vicious

in the ring. He enjoyed beating opponents senseless. Hence, when he was on a card, he filled seats ...... because the crowds watching boxing are convinced they are entitled to bloodshed as they bought a ticket. My son would lighten up on hurt opponents, and encourage the referee (or the opponent's corner) to stop fights to protect their fighter.

When I fought, I wasn't the biggest, the strongest, the fastest, or the hardest puncher. But I always considered myself the smartest. I did have two of the four fastest knockouts in the AAU in NYS for years, though I have no interest in that type of thing now. At age 13, a British journalist did a feature story on me in Boxing Illustrated, as I had over 50 straight knockouts. Looking back, I wasn't that smart -- one night, one of our friends died in the ring. On the ride home from Syracuse, I was thinking, "Poor Frank," but not connecting that both my brother and I fought in the same ring that night. I suppose 15-year old boys are not noted for insight.

All of my kids grew up assuming that Rubin Carter was their uncle. (And Chief Waterman their third grandfather!) I had taught my sons and daughters self-defense. Luckily, only two ended up boxing. Now, Rubin gave me hell for "letting" my son box (he died before my daughter did). If one has never had the Hurricane yell at them, I can say it isn't pleasant. But I convinced him that I was in control of his career, since in USA Boxing he needed my okay to fight. I also suggested that he tell my son to stop, as he had told me many years before.

I told my son today about a podcast I watched a couple nights ago. Andre Ward, a great champion who never lost, interviewed the sister who takes care of Gerald McClellan. Andre is an intelligent, thoughful man, who was exposing the dark side of the sport. I could tell stories about the role of organized crime back in my day. Crazy times.

[electric_blue68]

25. I'm glad your son Didn't take after your brother!

13 yrs old interviewed. Obviously you were more exceptional even then.And certainly carried on that way.

So sorry a fellow boxer died! Yeah, well, teenagers don't always have sense!

If Rubin yelled mightily about your boxing - then the roof might have flown off had he been around when your daughter took it up.

[cachukis]

3. Aces.

[H2O Man]

6. Thanks!

[SheilaAnn]

8. The kids are all right. Congrats to him but you especially. Good parenting. YES!

[H2O Man]

14. Thank you, SheilaAnn!

A number of family members fought in WW2. But none of them really ever spoke about their experiences. So this was the first time my son heard stories from a gentleman who joined the military two weeks before he was supposed to graduate from high school. He made a huge impression on my son, and apparently, my son made one on him.

[malaise]

9. A lovely OP

Complete with a great song.- thanks for the smile

[H2O Man]

15. That song

has a connection with Senator Robert Kennedy being murdered, around this time in 1968. Plus it is a heck of a song, if not actually about a firearm.

When my son asked 100 year old Ralph what he would say to people today, he said, "Plant gardens, and do everything you can to survive the tough times coming our way."

[malaise]

16. Sound advice

[Deuxcents]

12. You have every reason to be happy..you did alright, H2O Man. Enjoyed your post

[H2O Man]

17. Thanks!

I will admit that every time I have come in for a break from lawn & garden work, I watch Ms. Welker's interview with the felon. She played that boy. I've got to respect that. And my son is a good man. I love watching him with my 3-year old grandson Cassius.

[Prairie_Seagull]

13. Your son and his dad are very fine folks.

Really hope to see/hear his podcast. He did good.

You did OK too. haha

PS- Boxing is a martial art.

[H2O Man]

19. Thank you!

I'm telling my son not to wait to record an interview with Ralph. I know from my work with a few area historical societies that it is essential to do so right away, and not put it off. There are opportunities in life that only come your way once, for a brief time.

I did the best I could as a father, and I tell my two kids with little children they can improve on that. That I have lived my life the way I have, so that they can live their's the way they do. All four are really good people.

I was glad that my son did retire from the ring. He accomplished more than enough. There were top fighters, including a former heavyweight champion, and a legendary trainer of champions, who wanted to train & manage him, but it is a tough sport. My oldest brother died as the result of taking so many punches -- especially in fights he won. Marvis Frazier, son of Smokin' Joe, used to drive up from Philly to help me train him.

[MustLoveBeagles]

18. Your son is awesome

You must be so proud.

[H2O Man]

20. Thank you!

I am proud of him! What he did yesterday really sums up what kind of man he is.

[erronis]

26. Interested what you think of CTE and PTSD from head hits

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronic_traumatic_encephalopathy

I can't imagine that being in the ring and having your head (and rest of body) pummeled can not cause some long-term damage.

A relative worked with Muhammad Ali in his later years and, as a doctor, remarked on his condition. They are now suggesting Parkinsons Disease may also be caused by brain trauma (along with other causes.)

[H2O Man]

28. My late cousin Jim

was the head of neurology at Temple U. We used to talk about it regarding my brother's case. I also discussed the topic, and my brother's case, with Teddy Atlas. A single punch to the head can cause damage that often progresses with age. Punches to different parts of the head cause different conditions. When we consider Ali, in the second half of his career, he took lots of "rabbit punches" to the back of the head ..... from that shitstain Chuck Wepner, for example. Or Earnie Shavers, who had unreal punching power. (My brother & I watched Shavers from ringside, and his punches were intense.)

On the other hand, we look at Smokin' Joe Frazier, who took punches to the forehead. This causes mood changes early on, and the inability to recognize another person's intentions upon meeting. Eventually it becomes mighty close to being paranoid in some cases. It also connects directly to substance abuse, because those "feel good" chemicals aren't being produced by the brain.

From my understanding, the punches to the back of the head have the closest association with Parkinsons and Parkinson Syndrome, such as Ali had. There could be important genetic factors, as Ali's father had it, too. And Cosell had Parkinsons. Terrible disease. A good friend since grade school has it now, though he wasn't a fighter. Since doctors now recommend punching heavy bags, he asked me if I had a spare. I didn't have the right kind for his apartment, so my older boy bought him one.

An interesting story about Frazier later in life. He was pulled over for DWI, and at first attacked the officer. There are many scary things in life, but being attacked by Smokin' Joe had to be an intense experience.

[canetoad]

27. You are happy because

Underpants made you happy and your son is happy because he made two other people happy.

I'm sensing a pattern here. This makes me happy.

[H2O Man]

29. Thank you!

Focusing on the little things is helpful in my maintaining a good mood!