I asked a young man, "How do you define righteousness?" I refused to define it for him. In fact, every man or woman has to seek out the definitions for themselves. We all build our belief systems.

What is righteous to some men and women is what aligns itself with a chosen belief system.

Tiger Woods has to seek out those definitions of "right living" and he has to believe that a man can change.

Although I believe a man can change, there have been several examples of men and women who never gave up their addictions. The only thing that stopped their return to their addiction was the termination caused by death.

One example was a grandmother who loved alcohol. She gave it up for four years. A trauma occurred in her life. She returned to alcohol and it was her last turn in a journey that ended with liver failure.

I know of another grandfather who had a habit. A stroke ended his habit as well as his life.

I remember a student in Harlem who was addicted to heroine. Then he became addicted to methadone. Finally, he died of liver failure and other complications when he was a very young man.

If I am giving tragic examples, then why do I believe that a man can change?

One soul-searching question is whether Tiger Woods learned his habits from his social and cultural surroundings. Did he see someone else with transgressions similar to his own, and then assumed that he would not suffer any consequences from doing the same thing?

I can say that if I do not believe that a man can change, then I need to stop teaching at a two year college that is culturally diverse and has students sharing stories filled with past transgressions, psychological, and legal problems.

If Tiger Woods attended my class at the two year college he would have to introduce himself on the first day of class. I like to know who I teach so that I can create a relevant and inspiring curriculum around my students' experiences and needs.

One thing is certain: Some of my students have changed their priorities and behaviors. They have changed their course in life.

Here are examples for Tiger Woods and others to see and, perhaps, praise them for choosing a new course in life.

1. A man said he had used crack for years. He had a powerful experience in an old warehouse. It scared him, and he was inspired to give up crack. Now, he is an honor student in mathematics and other subjects.

2. A former professional football player lost everything to women and drugs. He is now sitting in classrooms, attempting to learn new skills so that he can negotiate life differently. This former football player asserts that "a man can change."

3. A woman who was addicted to drugs was released from rehabilitation on the same day her mother passed away. Her mother lingered and prayed that her daughter would change. On the day of the woman's release, she rushed to the hospital to see her mother. After a visit of a couple of hours, the mother passed away peacefully. This experience spurred the women to give up drugs and now she is headed in a new direction.

So, Woods can change. Our job is to believe that a man can change.

Over time, we will see if Woods, a man who is world renowned and watched almost 24/7, is going to really change.

I vote that a man can change. I hope that no further controversy or tragedy befalls Woods. However, I have noticed that many men "sin unto death" while others face severe tragedies that inspire their decision to change.

It's sad but its true that many men and women have to hit rock bottom before they see a need to change.

During these times we have the media hunting great men down like the hound dogs with the vigilantes in a southern forest. So, if the man does not change and move away from his addictions, don't worry, we will know it soon and very soon.

My thesis is called "a man can change."

The real question is: Will Tiger Woods change?

Let's wait and see.

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Basketball, I recently discovered thanks to the Lions of Yates High School in Houston, has a very unique line of demarcation that might surprise you.

Yates High School is the No. 1 nationally ranked High School basketball program according to USA Today. They are a powerhouse team led by Coach Greg Wise.  Please understand, when I say powerhouse, I mean POWERhouse.

The team averages 117 points per game.  That stat is made all the more remarkable when you realize the team only plays 32-minute games! 

They scored 100 points for a record 15th straight time recently.  Yates set the state record for most points in one game at 170. They don’t win games, they dominate games.  
They are out to execute on every possession, stop their opponent at every opportunity; they are out to win every game.  Isn't that the point of sport?

The country was riveted in 2007 when the Patriots were poised to beat everyone for only the second time in NFL history.

When the Seattle Mariners raced to a 60-21 record in 2001 fans from the Northwest were clamoring for the entire team to represent the American League in the All-Star game. 

Michael Jordan and his Bulls team of 1995-1996 never took their foot off the accelerator on their way to an NBA best 72 wins.

America loves a winner.  We love passion and have no problem when a team works hard from the opening whistle right up until the fat lady sings.

It was 20 years ago now that a small college in California exemplified all these characteristics and all of America was enthralled. 

Loyola Marymount coach Paul Westhead derived an offensive set that averaged a shot every 7 to 10 seconds.  On defense his team pressed on every possession.  It was a horse-race that the well-conditioned Lions were very good at.

They once scored 157 points against an opponent.  They beat teams by 31, 36, 37 and even 43 points!  In the NCAA tournament they destroyed Michigan 149-115!  They weren't just winning games, like the Lions of Yates, the Lions of LMU were dominating games.

The LMU Lions were embraced.  The Yates Lions are being vilified.

I understand of course that one huge component of the love directed towards LMU was the sad and unexpected passing of Hank Gathers.  I also understand that one huge component of the anger directed towards Yates is that they keep the pressure on regardless of the score. 

However, the buzz around LMU was alive before Gathers passing and the negativity directed towards Yates seems to stem from a 170-35 beating they dropped on a team in which they pressed while leading 100-12.

Which takes me back to my point, isn't the goal of sport always to compete and work to win?

The Patriots didn't pull Tom Brady when they were up big in the second quarter.  The Bulls didn't sit MJ and Pippen after running off 15 straight points. 

Sure, after the game was seemingly out of reach, the backups would enter the game, but did they play with any less passion than the starters? No.  That was a one-way ticket back to the bench.

A lot has been written about the pros and cons of our country’s trend toward political correctness, but what about our bent towards over the top sportsmanship? 

Don't get me wrong; I am all for playing fair and not purposefully demoralizing a team of 10-year-old soccer players, but what’s wrong with giving your all against 17 and 18 year old ballers?

In short, what is the line of demarcation when it’s OK to play hard all the time?  Why are we so scared to let our kids experience loss?  When did that craziness begin?

I played sports all through college and have coached teams the last six years.  I regularly pull my stars when we are thumping an opponent and feel the sting when a team presses us with a 30-point lead. 

I have been involved in games that were lost that I felt should have been won and won games on lucky shots that we should have lost.  I learned from both the wins and the losses, and quite honestly I learned more from the losses than the wins.

This movement towards protecting our kids from a 50-point loss when they are on the cusp of adulthood is silly to me.  At 18 you can buy cigarettes, drive, vote and go to war but we still feel the need to protect you from a devastating loss on the basketball court.  Why?  

We want our kids to win at everything they do, I get that.  I have four kids and all have played organized sports at some point.  I would love for them to win every time out but I realize, and I want them to realize, that the real value in participating is giving it your all.  Sometimes that’s enough to win, sometimes its not. 

Somewhere along the line, we either lost sight of that or felt the need to insure everyone who plays wins by giving out ribbons for seventh place!

The anger directed towards the Yates basketball team is reaching a fever pitch as they march towards the State Championship.  Rick Reilly, formally of Sports Illustrated and now a columnist for ESPN, chimed in by calling the team the "Classless" of 2010.  It seems the line of demarcation is set. 

Play hard 100% of the time, press like your coach tells you, play to win and go hard all the time...but only when you get to college.  If you dare pull that before high school graduation, it won't look too good.

Baloney.

The team from Yates is on a roll that needs to be appreciated.  They are a group that will remember their time together and their amazing run for years and years to come.

Even the players on the teams they beat will look back with some pride in having competed against the best.

The Yates Lions play again March 13 at 3:30 p.m. CST against Lancaster in the Texas State Championship game.  Will Lancaster win in an upset handing Yates their first loss?  Will Yates dominate or will it be a close game against two tough competitors? 

I am excited to find out.  I do know however that when the ball is tossed up to start the game the Lions, and not doubt the team from Lancaster High, will both give their all until the final whistle.

That is the essence of sport, the real value of participating in sport and the reason we watch.

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Manny Pacquiao (50-3-0, 38 KOs)
Joshua Clottey (35-3-0, 20 KOs)

Fight Odds Provided by BetUS.com

Manny Pacquiao -700
Joshua Clottey +450

While the overall state of professional boxing has clearly taken a backseat to the wildly popular MMA, Saturday’s bout between Pacquiao and Clottey could turn out to be a fight that is worthy of being remembered for years to come.

This breakdown on what each fighter needs to do to walk away victorious will go a long way toward helping boxing gamblers make a wise wager on the biggest title bout of the year so far.

With that said—and fight night quickly approaching—let me get started.

Power

Pacquiao, the man deemed the best pound-for-pound fighter on the face of the planet by many boxing analysts (including myself), reminds me a lot of Thomas "The Hit Man" Hearns in the fact that he isn’t powerfully built, but packs a wallop that could level a man twice his size. Thirty-eight knockouts in 53 fights says it all if you ask me.

With 20 knockouts of his own in just 38 fights, Clottey, the bigger man in this fight, has some power of his own—even if it’s not in the same league as Pacquiao’s.

Edge: Pacquiao

Speed

Not only is Pacquiao powerful, but he’s also quick with his hands and throws punches from all sorts of angles, generally confusing his opponents thoroughly before finishing them off with a flurry of punches.

Pacquiao’s speed may not bother Clottey very much anyway, as he took out a puncher quicker than Pacquiao when he beat Zab Judah in his best win ever. Clottey is more technical than fast with his punches, so the edge here goes to Pacquiao as well.

Edge: Pacquiao

Offense

Is there a better offensive fighter in the sport than Pacquiao right now? I think not! He’s fast, quick, and light as a feather—until he makes opponents eat his leather! All attempts at a rap career aside, Pacquiao has made a habit of finishing off his opponents early, winning three of his last four fights in the eighth round or sooner, including an eighth round TKO over Oscar De La Hoya and a second round demolition of Ricky Hatton.

Joshua Clottey has some offense of his own but is not nearly as explosive with his punches. Clottey is known far more for his technical precision than ability to take it to his opponent, despite winning 77 percent of his fights on knockouts. Clottey may not have Pacquiao’s punching power but his quick jab and textbook left uppercut can be deadly accurate.

Edge: Pacquiao

Defense

You know, it’s pretty funny that the Philippines-born Pacquiao isn’t known for his defense, but the man rarely gets in trouble—even against some damn good boxers like De La Hoya and Hatton, just to name a few.

Still, I don’t think Pacquiao’s defense is in the same class as the Ghana-born Clottey, who can keep out even the best of punches with his high guard, tucked chin, and excellent movement.

Clottey has only been on the canvas once in his career, getting floored by Miguel Cotto in the first round of his last fight, and has never been stopped short of the distance in his professional career.

Edge: Clottey

Size

Clottey is a natural welterweight and has more size than Pacquiao, standing 5'8'' to his opponent’s 5'6.5''. While Pacquiao has done well at welterweight in two bouts at the weight, Clottey will likely be the toughest foe he’s faced as a welterweight.

Overall

When all is said and done boxing gamblers, I just can’t see Manny Pacquiao losing this fight. I know it won’t be easy (I like the Over 9.5 rounds), but Pacquiao is just too good to be beaten by anyone these days—and that includes the idiotic, loud-mouthed, Floyd Mayweather.

I think this fight goes the distance with Pacquiao winning on a closer-than-expected unanimous decision.

Winner: Pacquiao

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If Hunter gets a big booing on Opening Day in Los Angeles, he better know for the future. He deserves it.

Hunter referred to Latinos as "impostors" while discussing the number of present African-Americans in the Major Leagues.

Hunter's original comments were made two weeks ago in one of a series of USA Today roundtables about baseball and published in Wednesday's editions.

According to a story published in USA Today's Thursday edition, he meant no harm or disrespect to Latin American players. However, he made very clear he is not apologizing even though he admits using the wrong choice of words.

I really would like to know if, during a similar interview, a Latino player in a similar context would have said the word "Negro" before calling such people "impostors" in the majors.

I bet the whole media would have exploded on it.

If it would have been a Dominican Republic or Venezuelan player, no matter his skin color, people would have asked immediately for his deportation. No matter if it was an All-Star like Hanley Ramirez or Miguel Cabrera.

If it would have been Cuban, the outcry would have made its way back to Fidel Castro. No matter if it would have been Alexei Ramirez or newcomer Aroldis Chapman.

Puerto Rican players cannot be deported as the island is a United States territory, but they would have felt the wrath all season long. Ask Carlos Delgado how much he was booed when he refused to stand all the 2004 season for "God Bless America."

There would have been no pardon no matter what they would have said later, like they were misquoted because of their poor English.

Hunter should look around in his own Angels locker room and start apologizing to his teammates such as Kendry Morales, Bobby Abreu, Joel Piñeiro, Erick Aybar, Fernando Rodney, and Juan Rivera.

Maybe it's understandable that Hunter has some bitterness and resentment of the present situation of the lack of African-Americans in Major League Baseball, but he has to admit and apologize he was wrong.

By the way, we are in the 2010s, and, for the good sake of baseball, stop the differentiation of whites, African-American, and Latinos.

Major League Baseball must leave alone the diversity issue and understand more than ever it is an international game and there should not be any differentiation of colors.

If you know the Latino Angels players mentioned above, there are some from the lightest (Piñeiro) to the darkest (Rodney) skins. Latinos are brothers no matter their color.

Hunter is saying he did not want to imply he was a racist. Sorry, but if he feels that way, he needs to apologize and move on.

Thank goodness he did not take it also with the Japanese players. New teammate Hideki Matsui would have not been very happy either.

Get ready, Torii, that large Mexican population in Los Angeles will be waiting for you.

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Consequently, there will be several more stories trickling out of my laptop regarding the subject.

Since I've got 12 hours to kill in the Abu Dhabi International Airport before the one flight a day to Frankfurt departs (conveniently timed for 1:50 in the morning) and it's kind enough to offer free, lightning-quick Internet, I figured now's as good a time as any to relate one of the highlights of the trip.

On Wednesday, I was lucky enough to chat with skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, skateboard by his side. A telling bit of trivia considering the context was the inexplicably luxurious Emirates Palace hotel; i.e., if Tony Hawk were ever to be sans board, you'd imagine a seven-star hotel in the United Arab Emirates would be one of those times.

Nope.

The interview was a high point not because he's a particular hero of mine or because of any personal "I want to be this guy" reverence from my youth.

I clocked in at 6'2" and 160 pounds as a freshman in high school; my baseball coach once told me not to stand sideways at shortstop because he wouldn't see me. Yep, beanpole would be an apt description of me all the way back to elementary school (sadly, it no longer applies).

And not too many beanpoles have the necessary balance and agility to hop safely on a deck.

This is not speculation—this is experience talking.

So it was baseball, basketball, and a little soccer for me while more graceful practitioners navigated the world of loose trucks and kick flips (those are still appropriate terminologies, right?).

Nevertheless, I've always been keenly aware of Hawk.

Growing up in Northern California, more than a couple of my buddies actually were skaters and even more fancied themselves as such.

Additionally, one of my closest friends is an avid surfer and—let's face it—if it involves adrenaline, a board, and pulls chicks, it's close enough for government work.

Then there are Hawk's ubiquitous video games. I even gave those a try to about the same glorious success as the real thing, but with less blood.

More so than all of that, however, has been the evolution of his craft.

To put it in the words of the man, himself: “I can’t even say it’s a dream come true because I couldn’t have dreamed this...I didn’t ever dream of it.”

The quote from the San Diego native captures precisely what makes him so fascinating.

The dude has almost single-handedly taken an entire sport from the dark corner of counterculture obscurity and brought it into the popular light of the world. What's more, my man is only 41 years old.

In other words, the grand pooh bah has done it all in less than 30 years; he started riding at eight so we'll allow a small period for the learning curve. No wonder he never contemplated this reality; it would be an utterly laughable proposition had it not already happened.

If you doubt that this version of thrashing has gone global never to return, I offer a question posed by one of my American colleagues, Alan Abrahamson (it was actually his interview with Tony that I ducked in on so I owe him a big "thank you").

Alan is a decorated veteran of Olympic coverage and he brought up the subject of skating in the Summer Games. Understand, this wasn't some far-fetched hypothetical; that's not how Abrahamson works as far as I can tell.

This was a sincere question put to the Godfather of the sport.

Ever the pragmatist, Hawk conceded that it probably wouldn't happen until the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the earliest.

But he was also quick to point out why it almost certainly will happen: "The Summer Olympics need skateboarding a lot more than skateboarding needs the Summer Olympics."

Brutal and absolutely true.

Hawk emphasized his point using snowboarding in the Winter Games as an example. The skate/surfing hybrid on snow has injected a modern sizzle to the event and it's no stretch to imagine the skateboard having a similar effect in the warmer months.

Can't really argue with that logic, which makes the inevitability surreal.

Who would've thought the "hobby" with an antisocial tint from my high school days could one day be in the discussion for that hallowed institution, the Olympic Games.

Again, if you put that possibility to the back-parking-lot grinders from my high school days, you'd've been uncharitably chased from the premises like the square you must be.

Under a hail of goth profanity and, possibly, lit cigarettes. You might even get a couple whips from the wallet-chain for good measure.

I mentioned this to the father of four (in not so many words).

“I liked that it set me apart, but I also wondered why more people weren’t into it.”

Well, skateboarding's foremost ambassador can stop wondering.

Millions upon millions have followed his lead and more are joining the ranks every day.

Yet he need have no fear because, no matter how many emulate him, Tony Hawk will always stand apart.

**www.pva.org**

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Why are people so interested in someone they most likely don't know or have the remote chance of meeting?  Why must our nightly sports talk shows and nightly highlight reel cinemas be invaded by news of some college town where some QB was accused of something?  In short, why do you care?

Isn't this a personal matter for the people involved?  I know, naive of me to think that my sports shows should contain, you know, sports.  Sex sells, even when it might not be consensual.  Nothing like a teaser filled with promises of a photo of the 20-year-old that accused Roethlisberger of sexual assault to sell those male enhancement products or weight loss supplements.  I suppose we live vicariously through these people and therefore need any information about them to continue the fantasy.  By the way, nothing has been proven to be true, so why is this even a story at this point?

But why is it deemed acceptable to mix this type of news with sports programming?  One of the reasons I watch live sports is to get away from "reality" T.V.  My head starts to hurt when my wife watches too many people getting voted off too many shows.

I know, you are thinking that I might be nuts looking for enrichment from a sports program, but I beg to differ.  I tried to explain why I watch sports to my wife like this.  "Sports is a way to watch competition of a physical and mental nature, between two parties that respect a set of rules to compete by."  She said her programming is the same thing.  I wondered about that but came to the conclusion that the difference is that sports is almost always unscripted, and you might see something happen at any game or match that hasn't ever happened before or will ever again.

With this in mind, I tune in to my favorite talk shows or programs and expect to listen to, at this time of the year, all our pro sports humming at full information overload.  NFL draft, NBA, NHL, spring training baseball, golf, march madness.  Instead, I get 20 minutes of Roethlisberger tidbits and what his legal position is.  After that, I get to listen to how he ranks compared to Tiger and who has done the worse damage to themselves.

I am not sure about everyone else, but if I want the dirt on someone's personal life, there are much better outlets for such information.  Any of the accessinsideentertainmenthollywoodtmz shows will be much more capable of bringing the salacious tidbits about these issues than our major sports stations.  When I tune in about Roethlisberger, I want to hear how he improved on his throwing motion or play-action technique, not how many drinks he bought his crew.

Isn't it time we demand a bit more sports related material from our sports outlets?  I am a bit discouraged by the lack of conviction to keep this junk out of our sports.  If the transgressions aren't happening on the field, then why do you care?

-Slug

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Host Kevin Spacey opened the evening’s festivities with a bit of a grind, but hinted the real talent of an exceptional performer is the ability to fight through the ho-hums and keep going until the crowd is yours.

The two-time Oscar winner peppered impressions of famous characters throughout the evening and, by the end, had the audience in his hand.

His Morgan Freeman was all right; he cranked it up with Johnny Carson; pulled everyone’s ace in Christopher Walken; tossed in a little William Shatner;  broke out Katherine Hepburn; wowed ‘em with Michael Caine;, and got Jimmy Stewart pretty cold.

But the real hit was William Jefferson Clinton—not because it was the best, but because Slick Willy was the most international flavor of the shtick (with the possible exception of Caine).

Flesh-and-blood celebs popped in to confer trophies upon the winners and various important figures from the Abu Dhabi royal family took in the show.

The evening also featured a performance by Mika?

This had me a little confused because “Mika” is a British DUDE who has a band with him that is very much a part of the performance yet gets no love. It'd be a little like the Rolling Stones calling itself "Mick."

That is, if Mika’s music were comparable to the Stones’ (i.e. good) instead of just high-pitched throat shrieking.

Additionally, the musical interlude made it official: Skinny leg jeans are now a dumber fad than hot, slutty vampires. I don't get the allure to the heroine-chic look. I thought it went out with the 80s or, at the latest, Kate Moss.

Those pants just cannot be comfortable. Not on men; we need a certain amount of...room. Which means males across the world are sacrificing comfort for fashion.

I believe that’s a sign No. 2 of the impending Apocalypse. Yes, I’m being recklessly judgmental because I’ve never worn a pair. They could be wonderful—stranger things have happened.

Nonsense aside, the night belonged to the athletes as did the whole week and for good reason. Though a brief recap of the winners follows, they weren't the only ones enjoying the moment.

Some hombre came out and juggled a soccer ball using various parts of his body for about 10 minutes. He also jumped rope, did some light tumbling, and traversed the stage back and forth. All the while keeping that ball going—it was infinitely more impressive than the old Tiger Woods ad with the bouncing golf ball.

Sorry, "some hombre," but I didn't catch the name.

Next came mountain bike trials cyclist Kenny Belaey, riding his bike up and down the tiers of stairs and then replaying that scene from Aliens—the one where Lance Henriksen stabs a knife rapidly between Bill Paxton's hand. Except instead of a hand, it was a spread eagle human body and, instead of a knife, it was a guy on a mountain bike.

I couldn't decide who was more impressive: Belaey or the guy willing to lie still throughout the demonstration. Either way, nicely played, gentlemen.

Onto the winners:

World Breakthrough of the Year—Jenson Button

Don’t know if conspiracy theorists are as numerous across the globe as they are in the States, but this guy beat some pretty stiff competition (Juan Martin Del Potro and Tom Daley, who you must see to believe because he looks so young, amongst them). Not only that, he happens to be sponsored by Mercedes and Vodafone.

Those are two of Laureus’ primary patrons.

For the record, I’m far too ignorant about any of the nominees to be seriously suggesting something untoward. But it’s still a fun tidbit.

World Sportsman of the Year—Usain Bolt

The Jamaican blur won the same award in 2009, but the ceremonies had been canceled so No. 2 was sorta a first for Bolt. This is too bad because he could’ve been entertaining had his nerves not gotten the best of the sprinter.

The clearly stage-struck athlete opened his live via satellite acceptance with a sly grin and a question: had he really won (asked while holding the trophy)?

In response to a query from Edwin Moses about the prospects of taking up hurdles, Bolt claimed they were a no-go lest he pull a hamstring due to inflexibility. Finally, he identified the two individuals by his side as his "security personnel."

Meanwhile, the rather large 2010 Sportsman of the Year dwarfed both.

Real shrinking violet, that one.

World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability—Natalie du Toit

I recognized this young lady from the breakfast held that morning. She had been beaming like a kid in a candy store as she collected autographs on her napkin from the various legends in the room.

More importantly, she had her leg amputated at the age of 17 after being hit by a car. Subsequently, she's won gold at the Paralympic Games.

She also qualified for the Sydney Summer Games and finished 10th in the "marathon" swim. With one leg. Against the best two-legged swimmers the world has to offer.

My inferiority complex grows.

Sport for Good Award—Dikembe Mutombo

The big man scored the honor for his charitable work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I sat down with him again after he won so I won’t get into it here. Suffice it to say, Mutombo might be the most impressive human being nobody really appreciates.

World Action Sportsperson of the Year—Stephanie Gilmore

World Comeback of the Year—Kim Clijsters

World Sportswoman of the Year—Serena Williams

World Team of the Year—Brawn GP (Formula One)

These four were given while I was talking to America’s Son of the Congo so I’ve got nothing more than the who/what. Apologies.

Lifetime Achievement Award—Nawal El Moutawakel

I omitted one factoid from my article on El Moutawakel—every Moroccan girl born on the day of her gold medal victory was named in her honor. If you combine that with her many exploits, including the coveted Lifetime Achievement trophy, and the next anecdote makes a neat definition of irony.

The Moroccan legend got stopped by security earlier in the day and they wouldn't let her pass because she didn't have her Laureus badge. Of course, she was wearing a Laureus shirt; there was someone from Laureus vouching for her; I chimed in that I had interviewed her the day before (shockingly, that got a blank stare from Security Guard A), and is—you know—changed the historical narrative for her gender in the region with an OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL!

Good call fellas.

After El Moutawakel gave one of her (I'm beginning to believe) typically eloquent and moving public addresses, the Academy members in attendance congregated on stage as Chairman Edwin Moses gave his final remarks.

And then like that [poof] the 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards were gone.

**www.pva.org**

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The locale was Athenian Greece, the home of a then-novel concept called "democracy." This was due as much as anything else to an accident of geography.

Unlike most other lands to the north, east, and west, which are basically flat, Greece is hilly. That meant that the land leant itself well to small, family-owned farms, rather than large estates held by wealthy landowners.

The climate and soil proved especially suited to growing wine grapes and and olives for oil, meaning that such high value-added products could be traded profitably for cheaper staples such as wheat and cloth.

Thus, Greek ships visiting the far Mediterranean shores of "Marsalia" (France's Marseilles) and even Spain with Greek wares, made for prosperous, fiercely independent, and relatively "equal" yeoman farmers. In such a country, one free (male) farmer was as good as any other, hence the notion of "one (free) man, one vote."

Far to the west, a small city-state blessed with similar geographical characteristics named Rome, was about to begin an interesting experiment with a "Republican" form of government, complete with a Senate and "Praesidents" thereof.

But just across the Turkish "straits" from the Greeks was the despotic Persian Empire, which originated in Iran, but covered most of the Middle East and West Asia, all the way to India, and parts of North Africa.

Trouble began when the Athenians gave refuge to the Ionian rebels (islanders in the Aegean Sea), that captured and burned the city of Sardis on the west coast of modern day Turkey before being defeated.  Persia's King Darius retaliated by invading Greece with 20,000 men.

The Persians could have fielded 200,000 (and later did against Alexander), but in Darius' mind, he had more than enough for his purpose. The embattled Athenians mustered 10,000 troops, a not-inadequate force considering the respective natures of the two armies.

The Persian army was made up of very different men, local levies from all parts of the Persian Empire. These were peasant conscripts who used their own weapons and were commanded by their own officers.

There was no standard Persian unit size or formation. A rough count of troops was made by stuffing them into rooms of predetermined size.

On the other hand, no Athenian could serve in his army unless he could purchase his own spear and shield, meaning that these items were particularly well cared for, and then used liberally in battle.

Moreover, the Greeks fought in a tight, serried formation called a phalanx, that could not be defeated by an equivalent number of non-Greek enemies (until the arrival of Rome and its "legions").

Not far from Athens were the plains of Marathon, close enough to the city to serve as the Persians' "Normandy." Benefiting from surprise, they landed without opposition, but the vigilant Athenian army hurried to the hills commanding the beaches, leaving the Persians unable to exploit their initial advantage.

The two enemies observed each other warily for several days. The Greeks extended  flanks of their lines, in the manner of later great commanders such as the Dukes of Marlboro and Wellington, while the Persians reluctantly did the same in self-defense.

This counteraction prevented the Athenians from overlapping the Persian army on both flanks and surrounding it, a maneuver called a double envelopment, that Hannibal used with great effect at the later battle of Cannae.

But the Athenian generals decided that a similar result might be obtained by a frontal attack of flank-on-flank on both sides. They strengthened their flanks one last time, deliberately weakening their center do so.

This was a risky move because a Persian cavalry probe, supported by injections of infantry, might have split the Greeks in two, leaving each part outnumbered four to one.

Shortly after mid-day on March 10, 490 A.D., the battle flags were hoisted, giving the signal for the assault. Columns of Greeks debouched from the hills on both flanks, charging the Persians at a brisk march, almost a run.

With less than a mile separating the two armies, it took less than ten minutes to make the initial contact. The Persians were surprised, but it almost didn't matter.

Wave after wave of tough, hill-bred, infantry smashed into poorly guarded flanks manned by lowlanders serving a Persian tyrant against their will. Yeoman volunteers hurled down sharecropper draftees like toy soldiers.

Reforming their lines on the beaches, an Athenian shieldwall bristling with spears overran the disorganized and lightly-armed (with swords, "scimitars," slingshots, bow and arrows), men of the Persian king, who broke and headed for their ships.

Only in the center of the line did the Persians make some headway, inflicting most of the Greek casualties, using cavalry. But there was no supporting infantry to exploit these limited successes.

Instead, the collapse of the infantry on both sides, threatened to allow Athenian infantry behind the Persian horsemen, which would have left them surrounded, so the cavalry also backpedaled to the ships with Greek footsoldiers in hot pursuit.

Finally a combination of ships' oars, horsemen with lances, and hurriedly deployed archers, created a viable Persian beachhead, preventing the rout from becoming a massacre. The Persians re-boarded their ships with a majority of their original force, but badly beaten.

(The proud Persian fleet was later defeated at the battle of Salamis, despite a two-to-one numerical advantage, because Persia's galley slaves were no match for free Greek rowers, but that's a story for another day).

Counting those of the Athenians' allies, Greek casualties were slightly over 200. On the Persian side, some 6400 men lay dead or dying on the cold winter plain of Marathon.

This more than offset the fact that the Persians still had a four to three numerical advantage (over 13,000 men to about 10,000).

A runner was sent back to the city of Athens with the joyous news. The distance between the edge of the battlefield and the city was yes, 26.2 miles.

Tragically, the runner overtaxed his strength in the effort and expired soon after reaching the city. But he managed to blurt out the news of the victory before he died.

The marathon race is celebrated as a feat of athleticism. But in reality, it commemorates a victory for democracy. Had the battle gone the other way, the world might now be living under Asian despotism.

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As most nationals do, I love my native soil. I won't pretend the United States of America is the best country in the world just because I call it home, but it's gotta be up there. Whenever I travel internationally and no matter how incredible the trip has been, it's always a relief to get home and see the Stars and Bars.

She is by no means perfect, but the ol' gal offers a quality of life unrivaled in many (most?) other countries.

Likewise, as gory as our social progression has been, it's still one of the leaders. All the more so when you consider the uniquely gargantuan and heterogeneous population with which the 50 States must deal.

But, again, she has her warts and one of the ugliest is on display as I sit here—our infatuation with the salacious and tawdry at the expense of the real.

The 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards have been building all week to their crescendo on Wednesday night. Laureus and its guests will celebrate some of the best athletes in the world in an effort to harness the infinite influence of sport toward a more substantive humanitarian end.

It's been an incredible thing to observe—the assortment of athletic glitterati and the sincerity with which it pursues the common objective is enough to make even the most hardened cynic an optimist.

Of course, the biggest American media presences are missing the party and it's not the first time. In fact, it's the 10th time in 10 chances.

Instead, the Red, White, and Blue blogosphere (and I imagine print) is infested with stories about Ben Roethlisberger's latest scandal , the hubbub surrounding Michael Vick's latest award , and I'm sure you wouldn't have to look too hard to get a whisper of Tiger Woods.

Now, I'm walking a thin line here because I can't pretend I'd be focused on Laureus if I weren't sent to Abu Dhabi to cover it and I clearly clicked on the linked articles from the United Arab Emirates, i.e. half a world away, I'm still interested.

Furthermore, you can be damn sure I'll have something to say about a scandal du jour down the line. Like, perhaps, Antonio Cromartie's SEVEN children in five States (as of July 2009).

In some sense, I'm throwing rocks in a glass house.

That's fine—whether my house survives isn't important.

What is important—critical even—is hijacking a greater share of the spotlight for Laureus and its mission. A task that shouldn't be as hard as it's proven to be.

That's because a closer look reveals the Former Colonies' presence in the actual festivities is enormous.

The Los Angeles Lakers, New York Yankees, Sanya Richards, Lindsey Vonn, Serena Williams, Chris Cole (skateboarding), Greg Long (surfing), Lance Armstrong, Tom Watson, and Brett Favre are all nominated in various categories.

Edwin Moses is the Chairman of the Laureus Academy.

Other American members include Marcus Allen, Nadia Comaneci (dual citizenship), Marvin Hagler, Tony Hawk (more on him in another article), Michael Johnson, Dan Marino, John McEnroe, Robby Naish, Martina Navratilova, Jack Nicklaus, Monica Seles, Bill Shoemaker (deceased), and Mark Spitz.

The good doctor, Julius Erving, will be in attendance and Dikembe Mutombo (we can share him with the Democratic Republic of the Congo) is already here. Incidentally, my days of whining about coach are over—I ate breakfast with him and Mt. Mutombo indeed; dude would be cramped in a stretch limo.

If Hollywood is your thing, the awards will be hosted by Kevin Spacey. Gwyneth Paltrow, Michelle Rodriguez, and Kyle MacLachlan will be in the audience (as will Hugh Grant and Clive Owen, but they ain't Yanks).

Phew.

As you can see, there's a lot of star wattage listed above so the footholds are there. The question remains: Where are the feet?

Where is ESPN? Where is FOX Sports? Where is AOL or Yahoo! or Sports Illustrated ? In other words, where are the big U.S. guns?

I put the question (in more eloquent terms, I assure you) to the Director of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, Ned Wills.

Lucky for us, turns out the absence of Laureus in the American consciousness isn't totally our fault. Our share ends at "mostly."

According to Wills, an impressive and amicable man who has come to the light from the Dark Side of Big Oil (just kidding, Uncle Charley) and banking (not kidding in the slightest), the organization's focus has been narrower in its first phase.

During the 10 years that have elapsed since Laureus' inception, the primary goal has been putting the funds to work at the grass roots level. Instead of investing the considerable dirham necessary to formulate a promotional presence in the U.S., Laureus has concentrated on designing and enabling a dizzying array of projects on six of the seven continents.

Judging from Wills' ambition and enthusiasm for his job, if there are kids in Antarctica, Laureus will get there, too. Just give it time.

I'm not exaggerating when I say "dizzying"—if reduced to hard copy, the list of almost 80 efforts with one- or two-sentence blurbs consumes six pages. Single-spaced.

The list includes programs using a Red Rover-type game with tennis balls to teach African children about the dangers of H.I.V., employing soccer to educate youngsters in Cambodia and Iraq about the omnipresent peril of landmines, and each one is implemented almost entirely by the locals.

That last point is particularly ingenious—as Wills put it, involving the local community provides the most enduring change and gives the Foundation invaluable information from those most familiar with the horrors.

With so many irons in the fire, Wills and Laureus had little money and time to spare on a recalcitrant and flooded market like the American sports landscape.

That will change if all goes according to plan. Soon.

As Laureus enters its second decade of existence, the foundation has been laid and it's as solid a launching pad as you'll find. Despite the fact that it has, heretofore, flourished without much ogling from the United States, Wills acknowledges the American market is too powerful to ignore.

And that means the Redcoats are coming again—Wills is English and Laureus is based in London—except they'll have international support.

Hopefully, we'll embrace them this time around.

Because too much is at stake and too much has already been done without us.

Besides, it's one hell of a scene...

**www.pva.org**

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