Switzerland Bound

It's a little late to talk about the Pacquiao-Hatton fight, but wow. A Pacquiao-Mayweather fight is exactly what boxing needs, and they better give it to us. We need a king, and Pacman is next in line for the throne.

In personal news, I got into ETH Zurich and will be attending in September. The visa has been a pain so far, but I'm heading to the consulate tomorrow. Hopefully they get everything straightened out.

I think I'll start updating this blog more regularly, as I'll finally have something to talk about. I'll try and keep you informed about living in Switzerland and what I'm thinking about.

Superbowl

Man, that was the best Superbowl since 2008! Seriously, I wasn't expecting such a good game. It's just too bad that there wasn't a good storyline to go along with it.

Merry Christmas

Times aren't good; they never are. We can only be thankful for what we've got and work for a better world. Merry Christmas

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light,
From now on,
Our troubles will be out of sight.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yuletide gay,
From now on,
Our troubles will be miles away.

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us,
Gather near to us once more.

Through the years we all will be together,
If the Fates allow,
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough,
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

Top 5 Christmas Albums

So that last title was terrible. Anyway, here are my top 5 Christmas Albums of all time.

5. The Jackson 5 Christmas Album - The Jackson 5



The energy and fun that made the Jackson 5 such a phenomena just seeps out. This feels like it was made by your own family, if you had talent.

4. A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra - Frank Sinatra



Frank was known for his Christmas albums, and with good reason. The Rat Pack put out some great seasonal albums, but this was Frank's first and best. He made "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" his own, even having a line changed that he felt was too much of a downer.

3. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole



It's not just a great Christmas album, but a great Nat King Cole album. Everything is a winner here, especially the title track. Cole is never better.

2. White Christmas - Bing Crosby



A timeless Christmas album. It may not be the first Christmas album ever, but it sure feels like it. If a song ever belonged to someone, it's "White Christmas" to Bing.

1. A Christmas Together - The Muppets & John Denver



I have to admit, this is a sentimental pick. The perfect match between Jim Henson's familiar creations and John Denver, the mix between the sacred and the swinging, the tender and the uptempo. This is greater than the sum of its parts. You wouldn't think a bunch of puppets could embody the spirit of the season, but they do. For me, this album is snow falling on Christmas Eve, a roaring fire, and gathered family.

Pinoy Pulverizes Golden Grampa

Manny Pacquiao beat De La Hoya by TKO after eight. Most didn't think he could do it, but he did. Oscar was old and slow. Manny was fast and skilled. I don't think anyone doubts Manny's skills any more. He's no longer the young brawler, but he's still got the speed and aggression of one. The Pacman is a hero to Filipinos everywhere, and now the world knows why. In retrospect, we should have seen it coming. De La Hoya isn't the boxer he used to be. It's time from him to make Golden Boy his fulltime focus and retire.

As for boxing, enough with the PPV fights. $55 for a sporting event on TV? I could go to a live game for that cash. People aren't going to pay when there's no one to watch. Seriously, how many famous boxers are there who haven't retired at least once yet? One? Two? It's a shame how far boxing has fallen in this country. It used to be one of the great American sports. I guess that's just how entertainment evolves. Still, if I could trade Nascar and hockey for it ...