By Staff
Jan. 23, 2002
Writing words of wisdom while wondering whatever happened to classy boxers like Sugar Ray Leonard …
You can say a lot of things about Mike Justice, but one thing is for sure, once you have ever got to know him, you will never forget him.
Justice who led Calhoun City to a Class BB State Championship in 1983, Louisville High School to Class 4A State Championships in 1985 and 1986, and Madison Central to a Class 5A title in 1999 has announced that he will be doing his coaching in the state of Alabama next season.
Justice will be moving to Oxford High School, while is near Anniston, Ala. The veteran coach, who was 117-35 in 11 years at Madison Central, will be taking his flair across the state line, following the trail of several outstanding prep coaches, including former Neshoba Central and Starkville head man Chuck Friend who is now coaching Tuscaloosa.
Due to the way the state retirement system is in Mississippi, it benefits veteran coaches if they retire in Mississippi and then move on to coach in another state or in the Mississippi Private School Association. That way they can draw retirement, and still have a regular salary.
Justice is a good football coach. It is hard to argue with a man who has won state titles at three different schools on three different levels.
He is certainly a man who does his own ways. While his language at times can peel the paint of a battleship, his success on the football field is undisputable.
He has turned out many players who have gone on to play on the college level and he has a reputation of turning programs on the downslide into contenders in a hurry.
Justice came to Louisville in 1984 and had the team in the playoffs immediately and winning a state title a year later. He is the only head football coach Madison Central has ever known, building one of the most prestigious programs in the state from scratch.
While I don't know much about the program in Oxford, I do know this. They will win some football games. And I also know that Justice will do things his way all the way from the top to the bottom.
Always has and always will.
Iron Mike has
rocks in his head
Mike Tyson is obviously an idiot.
Perhaps his supporters will say that the melee that occurred at a press conference on Tuesday was because the fiery Tyson just couldn't control his passion.
Okay. Then Tyson is an uncontrollable idiot.
Hopefully professional boxing isn't in such a bad way that the sport has to tolerate his childish behavior any longer. You have to wonder if the former child wonder isn't trying to get himself in trouble.
The way things are going Tyson's story is going to get stranger, sadder and crazier before it gets any better.
The man's career is over. He may box again and may win a few more bouts, but his career is over.
Everyone deserves a second chance, but Tyson has had more chances than he, or his entire entourage, can count. He just doesn't play by the rules.
Muhammad Ali had a big mouth, but he backed it up with great skills. At least some of the boxing fans liked him and even those who didn't like him had to admire his skills.
Leon Spinks was not exactly a rocket scientist, but there was something endearing about him. You couldn't help but pull for him.
Even big John Tate the recipient of the ugliest knockout punch I ever saw had a least a few fans.
Tyson could have very well been the best heavyweight boxer that ever lived, but there was one person he just couldn't beat himself.
And on Tuesday Tyson once again knocked himself out.
This time he may just be down for the count forever.