It had all the pizzazz of Vegas fight as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones took on a new challenge and host a championship fight at his new stadium. His introduction of "Mr. Jerrrrrrrrrrry Jones" echoed throughout the stadium as he took the stage.
"We will make it the fight to be remembered in this new stadium," Jones said to a small crowd attending the announcement.
On March 13th, Manny Pacquiao will face Joshua Clottey in a world welterweight championship fight. Their goal is sell 45-thousand seats, but more can't be opened up. The stadium will use a similar configuration that was used to host the first basketball game in the stadium back in December when Texas played North Carolina. It was considered a trial run for the final four.
"You got the greatest promoter in the world in Jerry Jones," says Lester Bedford of the Bedford Agency. "I know all these boxing promoters. I know Don King, I know Bob Arum, I know Oscar De La Hoya, and I've done work for all of them. None of them can match Jerry Jones. I'm telling you. He is the best promoter in the history of sport in this country. I never met PT Barnum, but jerry is a good one."
There are a lot of places where this fight could have been held, but it ended up in Arlington. Hall of fame promoter Bob Arum, who has been called the most powerful man in boxing, says Cowboys stadium will help sell this fight.
"It just blows you away," Arum says. "Forget the fact that Jerry is a wonderful showman, which he is, but this facility is incredible. Just incredible."
Arum should know since he promoted the Ali Norton fight at Yankee stadium in 1976. So far, Cowboys stadium has already had its share of concerts, Cowboys games, high school playoff games, college football games, a college basketball game, even soccer. Up next is the NBA All-Star game and boxing.
"I think it will sell, no matter what because I think you have enough boxing fans as the crowd here showed," says fight referee Lawrence Cole. "But I really think it's a spring board and it's right up Jerry's alley."
"Thank you Jerry Jones for giving us the opportunity to fight here," Pacquiao told Jones.
So what's next for Cowboys Stadium? "Well we're very excited about our bull riding competition," Jones says.
In case you're wondering, that's coming in February.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Dirk Nowitzki about reach major scoring milestone
In his 11th season, Mavericks Forward Dirk Nowitzki is about to reach a major scoring milestone. He's just 16-points away from 20,000 points and that puts him in elite NBA company.
"It's an unbelievable milestone," Nowitzki says. "I mean, looking back, eleven years ago, I don't think none of you guys thought I could score 1,000."
That is true especially when you consider his first game in Seattle on Feb 5, 1999 when Nowitzki had 5 assists, no field goals and 2 free throws.
It's also hard to forget his first trip to Dallas in June of 1998 when then Mavericks Head Coach, Don Nelson was showing him the future site of the American Airlines Center. Nowitzki was a tall skinny kid with long blonde hair.
"It's hard to recall back then but that floppy headed blonde German kid coming over here," says Donn Nelson, President of Basketball Operations for the Mavericks. "I thought he was going to be good, but we'd be lying if we thought he was going to be this good. A drink of water and the all of sudden he blossoms into this, it's really a cool thing for our fans to be a part of."
Nowitzki met his hero, then Seattle Forward Detlef Schrempf before his first NBA game. Today in German, Nowitzki is bigger than Schrempf and just as popular as Tennis legend Boris Becker and Formula one driver Michael Schumacher.
"He has tremendous respect in our country, because of his character, his work ethic and obviously his accomplishments," says German National Coach Dirk Bauermann.
By reaching 20,000 points, Nowitzki will do something players like John Stockton with 19,711 points, Isiah Thomas with 18,822 points, Rick Berry with 18,395 and Magic Johnson with 17,707 were never able to reach for one reason or another.
Meanwhile, Nowitzki says the record is fine but he still dreams of winning an NBA Championship. "It doesn't mean that much to me as of right now," Nowitzki says. "I'm stills trying to chase my dream and that's win a championship and like I said, all that other stuff is great once my career is over."
Only 33 players in NBA history have ever topped the 20,000 point mark. It's a virtual guarantee that when his playing days are over, Nowitzki will end up in the basketball hall of fame.
The all time leading scorer in NBA history is former Lakers Center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He finished his career with 38,387 points.
"It's an unbelievable milestone," Nowitzki says. "I mean, looking back, eleven years ago, I don't think none of you guys thought I could score 1,000."
That is true especially when you consider his first game in Seattle on Feb 5, 1999 when Nowitzki had 5 assists, no field goals and 2 free throws.
It's also hard to forget his first trip to Dallas in June of 1998 when then Mavericks Head Coach, Don Nelson was showing him the future site of the American Airlines Center. Nowitzki was a tall skinny kid with long blonde hair.
"It's hard to recall back then but that floppy headed blonde German kid coming over here," says Donn Nelson, President of Basketball Operations for the Mavericks. "I thought he was going to be good, but we'd be lying if we thought he was going to be this good. A drink of water and the all of sudden he blossoms into this, it's really a cool thing for our fans to be a part of."
Nowitzki met his hero, then Seattle Forward Detlef Schrempf before his first NBA game. Today in German, Nowitzki is bigger than Schrempf and just as popular as Tennis legend Boris Becker and Formula one driver Michael Schumacher.
"He has tremendous respect in our country, because of his character, his work ethic and obviously his accomplishments," says German National Coach Dirk Bauermann.
By reaching 20,000 points, Nowitzki will do something players like John Stockton with 19,711 points, Isiah Thomas with 18,822 points, Rick Berry with 18,395 and Magic Johnson with 17,707 were never able to reach for one reason or another.
Meanwhile, Nowitzki says the record is fine but he still dreams of winning an NBA Championship. "It doesn't mean that much to me as of right now," Nowitzki says. "I'm stills trying to chase my dream and that's win a championship and like I said, all that other stuff is great once my career is over."
Only 33 players in NBA history have ever topped the 20,000 point mark. It's a virtual guarantee that when his playing days are over, Nowitzki will end up in the basketball hall of fame.
The all time leading scorer in NBA history is former Lakers Center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He finished his career with 38,387 points.
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