MMA may have made a mistake and woke up boxing

For a century when it came to combat sports, boxing above all else reigned supreme. Sure wrestling had been around just as long as an Olympic sport, but as great a sport as it is the public could never relate to it. Most likely it is because people can relate to throwing a punch versus a fireman's carry.

As decades passed other sports or variations of sport attempted to loosen the stronghold boxing had, such as pro wrestling in the '70's when they promoted a match between "The Greatest" Muhammad Ali and Japanese wrestling legend Antonio Inoki. However, it turned out to be a bust when the promotion ended up being more exciting than the fight itself. In the '80's kickboxing created a minor buzz with fighters such as Don 'The Dragon' Wilson and Benny 'The Jet' Urqiduez, but in the end their top performers turned to becoming movie stars versus star athletes. Then in 1993 UFC 1 debuted and it would mark the beginning of a global phenomenon now known as mixed martial arts or MMA.

During its run in the '90's MMA would have its share of struggles and political backlash. Regardless of its presence though, boxing was still top dog around the world; especially in a decade that featured such high profile stars as 'The Golden Boy' Oscar De La Hoya, Roy Jones, Jr. and Mike Tyson. Boxing fans and purists alike laughed at the mere thought that MMA would even come close to touching its own popularity and for a while there they were right.

However, at the turn of the century Zuffa took ownership of the UFC, changed the rules of MMA and its popularity began to soar. The advent of  'The Ultimate Fighter' TV series in 2005 began its ascension into the mainstream and slowly, but surely MMA started to creep up on boxing. Boxing meanwhile didn't take any of it serious; they continued to disregard MMA's presence, but more importantly, it appeared they disregarded their public's outcries.

It appeared they got greedy and felt they could give the public whatever they wanted to at a premium. The only boxing worth watching was now only on a Pay-Per-View basis and even those were just one high profile fight every few months with a lackluster under card not worthy of the $50+ price tag. Meanwhile, the UFC laid out a blueprint of stacking cards with not just one, but many high profile fighters in evenly matched bouts. More importantly they would offer you free fight cards and even when they did have pay-per-view events, they would give you access to the under card fights for free.

MMA was smart in their approach and sure enough by the beginning of this decade they started to over take boxing in popularity. Many casual boxing fans and even some hard core started to believe the best days of boxing were now behind them. However, it appears MMA may have made a mistake and woke up boxing in the process.

In the last week alone we've been treated to fights featuring champions and former champions in high profile contender fights all for free on HBO, Spike and NBC; yes network television. NBC's debut of its 'Premium Championship Boxing' series looks as though we are taking a step into the past when boxing was showcased on network TV and even housewives and mothers knew the stars of the sport.

Whether boxing will admit it or not, stacking the under cards, creating more evenly contested bouts and showing those fights to the public as part of the product, is directly attributed to MMA. Also, the pride of boxing has come forward as its biggest stars have finally agreed to make the fights the public wants to see. Just this past Saturday night after Light Heavyweight Champion Sergey Kovalev finished former champ Jean Pascal, his biggest opponent who had previously been avoiding him like the plague, Adonis Stevenson, told the HBO crew he would be fighting him.

Of course no example of this is bigger than the "Fight of the Century" in the highly anticipated welterweight showdown between Floyd 'Money' Mayweather and Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao. For years this fight could not be made and it all but looked like it would never happen. However, we're less than two months away from it becoming reality. Sure there are many reasons for this, including the proposed $200 million the fighters can make between them. However, I believe MMA may have made a mistake and awoken a sleeping giant in boxing and for fight fans like you and I, that's a great thing.

Better late than never, or is it?

After years of back and forth rumor, blame and disappointment, it's finally going to happen. Arguably the most anticipated fight in boxing history is officially signed and will go down on May 2nd in the fight capital of the world Las Vegas, Nevada; as Floyd 'Money' Mayweather will take on Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao. Better late than never, or is it?

While I and most boxing fans are happy to see this will finally take place, I think this is a valid question considering this is a fight that should have happened at least three or four years ago. There are many reasons why and probably the biggest is money. Although this fight is probably going to be the richest in boxing history, with Mayweather possibly making upwards of 120 million and Pacquiao a paltry 80 million. Just imagine what the numbers could have been four years ago when both fighters were in their prime and clearly the two best fighters on the planet.

Sure Mayweather at (47-0 26 KO's) is still universally considered the best pound for pound fighter in the world, but in just a couple of days he'll turn 38 years old and regardless of the strides in conditioning athletes have made in sports, that's still considered old age in boxing. Pacquiao (52-5 38 KO's) is not far behind at 36 and with 10 more fights on his resume. This includes the four wars with the great Juan Manuel Marquez, the last resulting in Pac laying face down out cold just a little over two years ago. That said, one might actually consider Pac older than Mayweather in the ring. Yet, we're happy that we're finally going to see it; but will we be satisfied?

Think about it, regardless of what happens, fans on both sides will argue that if it had happened when it was supposed to, the outcome would have been different. Either way, whether it is Mayweather or Pacquiao that loses, the excuse will be, "Time caught up to him." In Money May's case they'll claim it was his age and in Pac's case they'll say it was the mileage.

I'm not trying to be the pessimist and rain on the parade, I just wish it would have happened when it should have. The fact that it is happening at all is a shocker because I personally was resigned to the fact that it never would. All excuses aside, money was the root of all evil in the delay. That being the case, it might never have happened when it should have because at the time both fighters demanded equal shares, 50/50 and they deserved it. However, with Pacquiao losing a couple of fights in the last few years, it gave Mayweather the upper hand; luckily Pacquiao realized such and was willing to go with a 60/40 split.

Alas, it is going to happen and at least we won't have to go to our graves wondering what could have been. So for that I am grateful and regardless of all I've said thus far, looking at it strategically, I don't think it will disappoint. That is because we have a wonderful defensive fighter in Mayweather who is a master boxer that avoids punishment and Pacquiao is an offensive machine who comes at you non-stop from all angles. Plus, I believe Pac's relentless attack from the southpaw stance may give Money some problems; notice I said may.

Say what you want about Mayweather, like him or not, there is no denying his skill in the ring. Part of that is his knack for being able to overcome any obstacle that he faces. I've never seen a fighter who can make an adjustment smack dab in the middle of a fight and use it to his advantage the way Money May does. It is part of what makes him so great.

The only way to defeat Mayweather is to corner him and if there is one fighter who can do it and do it to perfection it is Pacquiao. As great a boxer as Pac is, I don't think he can out box Mayweather, but if he's able to corner him, as he's done to others, and inflict punishment on him unlike anyone else has, then I believe he has a chance.

I know there are a lot of ifs in those equations, not to mention a lot of ands or buts to. Then again that is what makes this fight so intriguing. While the early Vegas odds have Mayweather as a sizable favorite, I truly believe those odds will become a lot closer as the fight draws nearer and we will actually have a close fight one way or the other. I truly hope so, because if we don't, it would not surprise me to see one or both end their careers on that note. Better late than never I guess; or is it?

Is the pressure to succeeding in today's MMA too much?

Has it come to this? After so many years of struggle to get to the point where mixed martial arts is finally being accepted as a mainstream sport, is it finally just like all the others? In other words, is the pressure too succeeding in today's MMA world too much? Considering what has transpired within the last month alone these seem like valid questions.

In just a matter of weeks, three of MMA's most well known fighters and arguably the UFC's top two stars are just the latest athletes to fall prey to the underlying stigma of athletes on drugs; whether recreational or performance enhancing. BTW, for the sake of this article, I'm not even including Nick Diaz being busted for marijuana use yet again, because it's not like no one knew this was coming. Diaz has been suspended in the past for weed and doesn't deny being a smoker, so for argument sake, why even bother.

However, when it comes to UFC light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) champion Jon Jones, former UFC middleweight (185 lbs.) champion Anderson Silva (both pictured above) and World Series of Fighting welterweight (170 lbs.) contender and former UFC title challenger Jon Fitch (pictured here),

these came out of left field for sure. Especially when it came to Silva and Fitch who failed tests for PED's and have always been proponents for a clean sport.

In the case of Jon Jones, who was popped for cocaine use, while that news also was a shocker, for many people, including myself, who don't believe anything Jon Jones spits out of his mouth, it wasn't out of the realm. Nonetheless, that aside, in Jones we are talking the UFC's most viable product and next great thing. Ironically, he is replacing Silva, who was the greatest thing before Jones and before horrifyingly breaking his leg in December 2013.

Not surprisingly, the UFC is downplaying these allegations as much as possible; especially in Jones case. To this point it appears a one-night stay in rehabilitation looks like that may be the entire penalty that's forthcoming. Strange considering Diaz was suspended for nine months for marijuana usage previously and Matt Riddle lost his job for supposedly the same thing.

In Silva's defense, he has publicly denied any wrongdoing, but as much as I want to believe this living legend, how many times have we heard this before? Funny how no one ever admits to using PED's, but fighters and athletes in other sports continuously get busted for it. Former major league baseball player Rafael Palmiero pointed his finger in the face of congress and said he had not done any drugs. A lot of good that did him; he's been really quiet since then.

Not surprisingly, so too has Jon Fitch. A long time proponent of natural training and fighting clean, his name coming up as failing a pre-fight drug test may be the biggest surprise of them all. As I commented to someone the other day on a Facebook thread regarding this news, "If Fitch is dirty, then the question now becomes, who is not dirty?"

Sadly it appears that MMA's fight, no pun intended, too become looked upon and accepted the same way as other mainstream sports such as football, basketball and baseball has come at a cost; the same cost those others sports face. The cost too succeed is so high now with TV money and corporate sponsorships as part of the game, that it appears the pressure too succeeding in today's MMA may be too much. That is unless you don't get caught; then at that rate the cost may then become even greater. That is because in a dangerous sport like MMA the cost may be someone's career or even worse and that is way too high a price to pay.

Rumble young man, rumble

Saturday night in Stockholm, Sweden, Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson sent a message to UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and the rest of the world. That message figuratively stated, "I'm a bad man." 51 years ago a brash young champion named Cassius Clay at the time, now known as Muhammad Ali, literally told the world the same exact thing when he knocked out the then seemingly indestructible Sonny Liston.

While Johnson (19-4 13 KO's) and his opponent Alexander 'The Mauler' Gustafsson (16-3 10 KO's, 3 subs) may not have the historical significance, yet anyway, that the aforementioned boxing legends have, their number one contenders fight on Saturday night was highly anticipated and did not disappoint. All two minutes and 15 seconds of it that is, because that's all it took for 'Rumble' to dispatch of the number one ranked light-heavyweight (205 lbs.) contender in the world in his home country. The result now makes Johnson, formerly ranked at number three, the consensus choice to be the next challenger for Jones.

Ironically, Gustafsson was riding the wave of being the only man to actually give Jones a run for his money during his title reign, going five close rounds with the champion in September 2013. Some people, including myself, thought he actually should have won that decision, and many felt he was the only legitimate contender to dethrone Jones. However, think again because a new, improved and now seasoned Anthony Johnson is in the fold.

I say seasoned because now at 30 years old, it appears Johnson has finally figured out the game, his body and what it takes to be a champion. When I say his body, you have to first understand that this man, who is a physical specimen at 6'2" 205 lbs., actually cut his teeth in the sport and the UFC fighting at welterweight (170 lbs.). That is incredibly hard to believe when you see him now at 205 lbs., but it was even more incredible when I had the pleasure of meeting him in July 2009 (pictured above) when he was fighting at 170. The photo may not do justice to a guy that at the time was walking around at a hulking 220 lbs.

However, a couple of mishaps making weight at 170 and 185 (middleweight), resulted in being cut from the UFC. He then made a run as a light-heavyweight in some smaller organizations and 'The World Series of Fighting', where he even once competed as a heavyweight defeating former UFC heavyweight champion Andre Arlovski; that has brought him back to the octagon. While back in the UFC he's been nothing short of sensational defeating three top-flight opponents, two in spectacular knockout fashion.

As for being seasoned, his affiliation with the renowned Blackzilian camp appears to have rounded him out both technically and emotionally. World class coaches such as Henri Hooft and Jorge Santiago and top ranked training partners such as former champion Rashad Evans now have Johnson on a championship course of his own. His path appears eerily similar to that of new UFC welterweight champions Robbie Lawler, who like Johnson was young and raw when he first came to the UFC.

Just like 'Rumble', Lawler's immaturity and lack of discipline ultimately got him cut from the UFC. However, also like Johnson, Lawler fought his way back through the ranks of Strikeforce and then back into the UFC. Finally, he too found a new home with American Top Team, also stocked with world class coaches and training partners; the result is he is now a champion at the seasoned age of 32. Sound similar?

While Johnson may have a tougher obstacle to overcome in Jones than Lawler did in former champion Johny Hendricks, there is no doubt that his combination of athleticism, power and technique are a serious threat to the lethal, but lanky Jones. If Johnson connects one of those strikes, kick or punch, to Jones body or head, it could be, "and new light-heavyweight champion of the world." As Muhammad Ali once said, "Rumble young man, rumble."

My life as a DJ and Record Collector (Part VII - The Final Chapter)

At the end of part VI, I started to become disenchanted with music, records and DJ'ing.

After 10 years of spinning at clubs every Friday, along with doing private gigs in between, DJ'ing wasn't fun anymore. It became a job and I already had one of those full-time. On top of that, music in my opinion wasn't the same. Regardless of genre, it had no ingenuity behind it; so the bottom line was, I wasn't feeling it.

So for a while my records, though prominently stored and displayed throughout my basement (as pictured above), laid dormant. That meant the turntables weren't getting touched either. I would go down there just about every day to watch TV, surrounded by music I loved, but had no interest in playing. Then three things happened that brought a spark back into this thing I've loved for so long.

First was in February 2010 when an old friend of mine DJ Wayne had contacted me about doing an old school party with him and another old friend from the Casablanca days, DJ Ricky. Back when I was spinning at Casablanca every Friday night, Ricky had become the resident DJ on Saturdays. The plan was for each of us to spin two 40-minute sets over four hours, playing nothing but old school classics. Ironically, the party itself was going to be held at Casablanca Night Club.

That was the perfect remedy for renewing my interest in DJ'ing. Not only did I not have to spin all night, but I got to play classic material that I loved, instead of what I considered to be new watered down crap, in a place I had history with. The party itself was a huge success. It turned out to be more like a family reunion, as everyone that turned out knew each other as we all had grown up with one another. (This photo was from that first old school party)

Since then the three of us have continued to promote and spin our brand of old school theme parties about every six months at different venues going on five years now. We've developed a following and each party has been a success. Most importantly, it's made DJ'ing fun for me again.

The second thing that happened occurred in December 2012. While on YouTube.com, I had discovered a new series of videos that had just started called 'Crate Diggers'. Prominent DJ's were being interviewed about their record collections and how they got started. They would also profile some of their records throughout the interview.

As I watched these videos and listened to guys like Pete Rock and Jazzy Jeff tell their stories I noticed how eerily similar they were to mine. Not only that, watching them pulling out classic records that I owned, it made me want to go downstairs and pull my own copies. Most importantly, their stories of record shopping and crate digging brought back memories.

Back in the late '70's, Bobby Konders and I would save up lunch money for a month, cut class on a Friday and take the old Reading line train from Bethlehem to Market Street in Philly. Then we would go to various stores like 'Sound of Market' to 'Funk-O-Mart' and search for the latest records; we were "Crate Digging" before there was ever a term for it.

Another crate digging memory was from the early '90's when I would travel to New York and meet up with DJ Mitch to attend the old NYC Record Conventions held at the Roosevelt Hotel. I remember Kool Herc, 'The Godfather of Hip-Hop', who would be there selling records with 'George the Music Man', yelling over to me more than once, "Yo Puerto Rico, come here I got something for you."

Thinking back fondly on those memories, it was in January 2012 that I started going back to the record stores. However, this time I wasn't looking for the latest sounds, I was looking for dusty grooves; classics that had passed me by in one way or another. It's been fun the last couple of years and I've bought more records in that time span than I did in the previous 10 years. I even got my own YouTube video as well.

While the Crate Diggers series was rolling along, there was another group of brothers from Philly doing their own thing; they're known as the Crate Raiderz. These brothers were also interviewing record collectors, but they were going where the Crate Diggers weren't, to the hidden gems in this game. Inevitably they found their way to Bethlehem and interviewed me, which was an honor. (Pictured with The Crate Raiderz and Blaak the 9th Man)

Finally, during the last couple of years of record digging, I've developed a friendship with an old acquaintance Marcelino Rivera and found out we had so much more in common musically than I had realized. On top of that, I got my friend Richie Rich, who has been my brother for nearly 20 years now and an old music head himself, back into collecting vinyl which he had stopped doing years ago.

The three of us, realizing we're all on the same page musically, which is outside the box, started getting together every couple of months at each others homes just to listen to records. We all bring records to the tables and turn each other onto grooves the others may have never heard before or just listen to classics. We have now become a collective known as 'The Soul Latineers', three brothers that are all about and only about good music.

40 years later, this music thing I fell in love with has come full circle. As you can see I'm still collecting records and occasionally, though not as often, I'm still getting on the wheels of steel to do my thing. At this stage in my life it seems like the perfect fit for me as I'm getting too old to be in the weekly grind of DJ'ing, but never too old to put the needle to the record and just listen. Music is life! (I just came up on this haul two days ago)

Much love and respect to all the record collectors and DJ's in this game I have met over these last 40 years; especially those of you who have come into my life the last two years. "Never lose sight of what it is we hear."

My life as a DJ and Record Collector (Part VI)

At the end of part V, DJ'ing was in full swing, both with Bobby Konders as 'Dynamic Deuce Disco' and then on the solo tip. 

One of the things I did not mention in the last chapter as I moved into the '80's was that I met my wife Millie in 1982 and got married in '86. I'm trying to keep the story related to the topic, but my wife is a huge part of that because since the day we met she's always been supportive; she's never once questioned me about my records or DJ'ing. Obviously, that is one more reason in her eventually becoming my wife, but many in this game will tell you that they aren't so lucky.

Through the '80's and '90's it was primarily private parties I was spinning. College parties at ESU and Lehigh University, dances I would promote to make some money, weddings etc; you name it I played it. During the '80's I was also involved in my share of DJ battles as the DJ craze took off here in the valley. (The photo above is from a battle in the summer of '86).

Then in 1996 an opportunity arose to spin at Casablanca Nightclub in Bethlehem. Many of my friends hung out there regularly and the owners weren't happy with the way the club was being handled at the time, so my friends talked them into giving me a shot. Since I knew the owners as well it was an easy agreement. This would be the beginning of a two-year residency every Friday night. However, it was a tragedy two weeks into that residency that would be the unfortunate reason it took off.

Labor Day weekend '96, my friend Fran Serrano was tragically murdered outside a nightclub in the valley just for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. At the time he had two very young children, so I held a benefit the following Friday at Casablanca with all the proceeds to go to Fran's kids and the turnout was immense. We raised $1,100 dollars and the word was now out that I would be there every Friday night.

For the next two years from '96-'98 Friday night at Casablanca grew to become the hottest spot in the Lehigh Valley; I would always end the night at 2AM with the song 'Does your man know about me' by Rahiem off the 'Juice' soundtrack. It got to a point that name acts such as Fat Joe, Big Pun, Mad Lion and Killarmy, to name a few, came through to perform and hangout. I also shared the booth one night with Philly's #1 DJ at the time, Power 99's DJ Ran. (Both of us pictured here in the booth at Casablanca).

Alas, as I always tell people, a nightclub's run is short lived and my residency ended after two years in the summer of '98 due to creative differences between management and myself. However, where one door closes another one always opens and as I continued to do parties around the valley, now with more of a name than before, another opportunity came along.

One day at a private function I was spinning at, I met the wife of former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes. I ended up giving her my business card and she eventually gave it to her husband who gave it to the manager of his bar/restaurant/nightclub 'Ringside' in Easton, PA. The following month in November 2000, I got a call to come down and audition. That would be the beginning of an eight year run spinning the Friday night Happy Hour, spinning exclusive parties at the club and private gigs for the champ at his home. (Photo below is in the booth at Larry Holmes Ringside)

In 2008 after a longer than usual tenure at one club my residency at Ringside was over. Nonetheless, I had my fair share of private gigs to spin at over the next few years, so I remained busy. However, I began to notice that the music just wasn't the same. Hip-Hop's golden era of the '90's had gone by, R&B's neo-soul lost its luster and House music became commercial. I know I sound like a biased old man, but it's true.

Couple that with being older, working full-time and maintaining a family I began to suffer from something I thought I would never experience; I began to burnout on music and DJ'ing. It got to a point I was spinning just to make a dollar; in other words it just became a job and as for my records, I stopped listening to them.

With the advent of DJ technology such as Serato, I no longer had to carry crates to a gig. I still had them all stored beautifully in my basement/man cave, but I wasn't pulling them off the shelf. As a matter of fact, it got to a point that I wouldn't even touch my turntables at home. I know it sounds crazy, but I had lost my passion for music.

In Part VII (The Final Chapter), old school parties rekindle my interest in DJ'ing, YouTube videos reinvigorate my passion for crate digging and the birth of the Soul Latineers.

My life as a DJ and Record Collector (Part V)

At the end of part IV, the name Sam "ALL JAM" was given to me and I actually started playing records at some parties.

While in high school my last two years from '78-'80 a phenomenon took place that would impact me greatly. A new genre of music that would eventually come to be known as Hip-Hop was born. While 'Rapper's Delight' by The Sugarhill Gang is what brought it to light in 1979, it was The Fatback Band's 'King Tim III (Personality Jock)' (off this LP pictured below) released in '78 that is universally known as the first "rap" record.

This music spread like wildfire and before you knew it, rappers/m.c.'s were everywhere. Even I, along with Bobby Konders and two other friends Paulie 'Dr. Watts' Watson and Anibal 'Aniba G' Garcia had formed a short-lived rap crew called 'The Emcee Fearsome Foursome'. However, while I enjoyed spitting rhymes, my heart was behind the decks as a DJ. There was one problem though, I had no decks to speak of; not yet anyway.

Upon graduating high school I attended East Stroudsburg State College, now known as East Stroudsburg University. While there my music knowledge and DJ skills expanded. Meeting people from Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York and beyond just increased my love for music. Upperclassmen Bruce Parsons 'The Master of Sound' and Brent Hawthorne 'The Night Cruiser' out of Philly served as mentors both musically and on the DJ side as they both inserted me as a freshman into their "Black Sunday" rotation on the college radio station WESS; this eventually would later become 'Chocolate Sunday'.

Meanwhile I, along with fellow freshmen Randall 'Rannie Ran' Lassiter from Paterson, NJ, Larry 'Larry G' Lingard from Brooklyn, NY and Michael 'P-Boy' Pittman from Philadelphia had formed our own little DJ crew called 'Sound on Sound'. The sounds came from my first DJ system that I put together piece by piece; first were the turntables.

I had saved up enough money from a summer job and on campus job to buy a pair of Technics D1's from 'Funk-O-Mart' in Philly. I talked the owner into throwing in the cartridges with the sale, so together they only cost me about $150 total. Then I bought an MP-80 Realistic Amp/Mixer from Radio Shack for less than $100; the mixer was built in, so that was two pieces for the price of one.

Then I came upon a used Realistic equalizer someone was selling in the paper for $20 and finally I came across a pair of used tower/column speakers, which a furniture store in Stroudsburg was selling for $100 and that was my first system. As for DJ skills, that was something else that came with the advent of Hip-Hop.

Grand Wizard Theodore of The Fantastic Romantic Five created a thing we now know as scratching and Grandmaster Flash of The Furious Five cultivated it. Both of these pioneering legends were featured on two iconic records that I bought way back then called 'Live Convention '81' and 'Live Convention '82'. (Note the black tape on the label, which was something DJ's would do back then, so people wouldn't know what you were playing when you first got it.)

Of course I started to practice my own scratching skills, but I readily admit that they were low level till I met my other brother from another mother during my sophomore year. While spinning a party on campus for incoming freshmen, this guy with Spalding sunglasses and British Walker shoes comes up and asks if he can look through my record crates. As he flips through the crates he quickly pulls out a new record I had just bought and asked if I could play it; that record was 'Showdown' by The Sugarhill Gang meets The Furious Five.

That brother's name was DJ Mitch originally of 'The System 4' crew from Hempstead, NY; he is currently DJ Mitch 'The People Pleeezer' on WBLS in NYC. We quickly became friends and eventually roommates. It was Mitch's scratching that made me realize I needed to step up my game, which I eventually did.

It was these skills developed while I was away at school that put me ahead of the curve when I came back home to Bethlehem. Truth is, at that time in the early '80's, there was no one around my way that could cut and scratch on that level; I'm not tooting my own horn, it's a fact. That came from hanging and learning from brothers like DJ Mitch, Larry G etc.

So with these skills intact and Bobby Konders also spinning back home we decided to form our own crew. Thus, in 1982 'Dynamic Deuce Disco' was born and that summer we broke out in a big way. From that point forward, Bobby and I (pictured above) rocked many parties and dances all over the Lehigh Valley and beyond.

On top of that, we were always on the cutting edge musically. Club music, Freestyle, House and of course Hip-Hop; in the early to mid '80's we were on top of it. Then Bobby went away to school in upstate NY, which meant I would continue out on my own, which I did through the rest of the '80's and eventually '90's. The '90's however would bring the next level of spinning for me, nightclubs.

In Part VI, The Casablanca Years, Larry Holmes Ringside and I begin to take my records for granted.