According to
Wikipedia, old
school is a slang
term referring to an
older way of
thinking or behaving
within the context
of newer, more
modern times. Rather
than carrying the
negative connotation
of obsolete, it is
often used to refer
to a time of
perceived higher
standards or level
of craft. Some might
equate the term to,
"They just don't
make 'em like this
anymore."
Kind of like
referring to a Gen
Fullmer, Carmine
Basilio or Tough
Tony DeMarco. Maybe
when someone refers
to Micky Ward as old
school, they are
equating him with
guys like Carmine,
Gene and Tony.
Humble, ferocious in
the ring,
courageous,
respectful, hard
working. That seems
to be the behavior
that reflected the
values that existed
back in the 40's and
50's.
When a boxer demonstrates uncommon
courage and tenacity inside the
ring, he is often labeled as a
"throwback" to the golden days of
boxing. There have been countless
arguments about whether old school
fighters could handle modern ones,
and I am not about to take up that
argument. Hhhhmmm. One thing I do
sense, however, is that an
old-school mentality can sometimes
lead to misconceptions about
training. Indeed, boxing has been
plagued by archaic training myths
for many years. Myths, like long
road work, can mislead when it comes
to training techniques, but I'll
save this for Part Two. Suffice it
to say that in boxing, like in every
other sport, the training techniques
have improved. While boxers don't
fight as often these days, the
improved techniques may keep them in
proper shape and make up for the
frequency of their fights.
Conversely, back in the day, having
over 70 fights was not uncommon and
that probably did more than anything
else to keep fighters fit and ready.
Times and knowledge change.
Ironically, and while he is rightly
criticized for frequently coming in
overweight and/or out of shape,
James Toney is a boxing history buff
and student of old school
techniques, arguably resulting in
his uncanny ability to use his
shoulders to shrug off blows,
deflect punches with his arms, and
counter with deadly accuracy. That's
old school to me. The quintessential
Toney was when he fought Jirov and
Holyfield. But when he fought Drake
Thazdi and Dave Tiberi, he was
something else.
When a Carlos Baldomir pats his
ribs, spits and waves a Gatti in,
that's new school but carries with
it the aura of old school. Neither
better nor worse, just different.
When Jim Brown used to rumble into
the end zone, he simply handed the
football to the umpire. No boogaloo
or triple somersault; he was old
school. He adhered to a certain
accepted behavior. When Billy "White
Shoes" Johnson did a little shake,
rattle and roll, in the end zone for
the first time, that broke from the
accepted norm and started a new
behavioral trend. Not better, not
worse...just different. Billy was
picked by the Oilers in 1974 over
the initial objections of GM/Head
Coach Sid Gillman who didn't want a
"midget" on his team. Johnson made
the squad as a kick returner but
also managed to work his way into
the offense, catching two touchdown
passes. That's when he began another
attention-getting practice -- a
celebration dance. "It just
happened," smiles Johnson about his
first NFL touchdown boogie. "It was
spontaneous."
Watching Luis Manuel "El Feo"
Rodriguez, 107 -13 with 49 ko's,
fight was an old school experience.
He was a stylist, like the great
Sugar Ray Robinson, capable of
accomplishing anything in the ring,
and only fight aficionados knew who
he was as this Cuban slickster
stayed under the radar screen for
many years. It was like watching a
master bull fighter. Yet, watching
Pretty Boy Floyd put on a clinic
today is not much different. There
is one difference, however, and
maybe it touches on where I'm trying
to go with this. Old school guys
never engaged in feigned prefight
melodramatic episodes; they did not
insult their opponents, nor did they
insult our intelligence by weeping
and saying they would soon retire.
Of course, there were no mega purses
to help promote and that may have
something to do with this noxious
behavior.
Watching
Sugar Ray Leonard raise his
hands as he went in for the
kill against Tommy Hearns
was modern stuff. Watching
Sugar Ray Robinson dispatch
his opponents in stylish but
workmanlike fashion was old
school stuff.
Watching a dead panned Joe
Louis walk calmly back to
his corner after knocking
someone into another planet
was old school and the fans
loved it. But the fans also
love watching a Fernando
Vargas leap onto the corner
ropes after a victory.
Watching a Danny "Little
Red" Lopez come up the aisle
wearing an Indian headdress
in honor of his American
Native father (though he
fought like a Mexican
warrior reflecting his
mother's heritage) kind of
bridged the gap between olds
school and modern.
Hearns VS. Leonard
Indeed, televised fights seem to
have an influence on changed
behavior inside the ring. Prince
Naseem's walk-ins carried it to an
extreme and Ricky Hatton seems to be
reinforcing that behavior, though
his conduct inside the ring is
quintessential old school. Of
course, Mike Tyson was pure old
school by admission and intention,
black trunks and all.
But when Mosley and De La Hoya wear
short trunks for maximum ventilation
and mobility, that's neither old
school or new school; it's just
plain smart. Jake LaMotta
Old school was a behavior influenced
by the mores and values of another
era. Times change and sometimes so
do the values and the behavior
behind those values, but not
necessarily for the worse. Still,
when someone calls me a "throwback"
"old school," I kind of like
it.....I kind of like it a whole
bunch.
