Jaimoe

What? No Jonny Lang?!

Great news: Bergeron is back tonight with the Bruins against Washington. I hope he keeps an eye on #8.

That's some crazy shit. All those jumbled words and numbers look fucking good where I'm sitting.

US currency is frowned upon, although you'll see it at Havana's black market. Really though, there is no advantage (in fact it is probably the opposite) having US currency with you. Convert Canadian money before you leave or do it there, but if you do the latter, you won't get as good as deal.

Oh yeah, stick to Cuban currency when you are there. Get used to wearing long pants when you go out for dinner too. Long pants always feel great when it's 40C.

Yes. Cubans love their jazz. Sandoval made what Cubans saw as anti-Castro (Cuba) statements a number of years ago and he isn't supported like he once was. I think Sandoval has played in Cuba since though, sparingly.

I agree with Kanada's food critique and everything Velvet wrote. To really get a flavour of Havana and Cubans in general (at least urban Cubans), you have to stay away from resorts and stay in one of the good Old Havana hotels for a few nights (or a B&. Also, check out Havana's black market and find shade whenever possible, drink lots of Crystal beer and if that doesn't appeal to you, their wine is from Chile - so its good. It would be a shame if you went to Old Havana and didn't check out the hotel that Hemmingway lived and wrote in: Ambos Mundos Hotel (the room he lived in is a museum). I had beers and decent bowl of chicken and shrimp paella at the restaurant on the hotel's rooftop. Great views too. Also, when you are in Havana, make sure to go to one of their famed jazz clubs... and don't mention that you are a fan of Arturo Sandoval. He's been ostracized.

I'd go to Cuba again in a second and it wouldn't bother me if I ever stepped foot in the Dominican again. It's one of the poorest countries in the world and it's really dangerous - and very dirty. I did a half-resort/half-Old Havana trip and I highly recommend it. I stayed at a ***** hotel in downtown Havana for three days and then went to an all-inclusive Sandals resort in Varadero for 4 days. If I had to do it again, I think I'd just stay in downtown Havana. It's a fascinating place and very safe - Cuba is one of the safest places you can visit in the Caribbean. Cubans are a proud bunch, educated, musical, some are desperate, quietly anti-American and careful when they talk politics (there's police on every corner).

The closest pub is the new St. Louis' across from the ticket booths on the south-side of the dome. It will be packed in there though since it ain't big. Gabby's is the closest non-toruist trap pub, but I'd rather go to The Elephant & Castle or the Firkin on John Street. Both are close to the dome.

Yes, I did enjoy the fight. I was astonished at how good Sugar looked. I've seen him fight a lot over the years and last night was his best performance. Sugar was a big underdog and he beat Margarito up pretty good. In fact, Shane won on a TKO, something that's never been done to Margarito. I also saw the MMA heavyweight match last night. Wicked right hand.

Either Klitschko will kill him. Both those boys can hit really hard. Too bad they are usually boring fighters.

Do you think the Cameron is a good place to get riled up before a ballgame? It's a wee bit out of the way too.

I'll recommend the Friar & Firkin or The Fox & Fiddle on John, or even Gabby's or the Elephant & Castle, both on King near John.

Hey Brad, if you are around downtown tonight, I'll be at the Sports at around 7.

The Peel is mercifully closed. It's now a Filthy McNasty's, which is even worse. There's far better pub options in the area that aren't for tourists, ginos and frat boys.

Oh yeah, tonight's fight should be a dandy.

He's a fraud Roller. Did you see the Holyfield fight? Self-righteous about boxing? Boxing is often a mess, even in amateur, but I love it as an art form. And it is indeed an art form. I'm partly having fun with the UFC fanboys anyway. I like blood sports, but MMA's is too much for me on most nights, unless I really hate one of the guys competing. And I didn't even think Booche followed boxing with any kind of passion. We've barely ever discussed the sport in the 30+ years I've known you.

Things seem to be changing in boxing for the good though, which is shocking. There's movement afoot regarding too many belts and divisions. Ring Magazine has done great things in the past few years by trying to add their own unified champ (by name only) and their pound-for-pound list has become very influential. Anyway, there's really three legit belts: WBA, WBC and IBF... and in some cases, WBO. As for Booche being turned off because boxing is corrupt. What tipped you off? A 100 years of questionable decisions, Vegas' hands all over the sport along with mobster connections, upstanding citizens like promotors Don King and Bob Arum, incidents like the "Phantom Punch", Hagler's loss to Sugar Ray etc...? You know going in that boxing has a history of corruption, but you can't write off the whole sport. Many decisions on big fights are at least acceptable, but Holyfield got robbed against that Russian giant and fraud Valuev. And don't think for a second UFC supporters that your sport will be immune to the same sort of problems? There's journeymen fighters in MMA and where they are, so are the possibilities for fighers to be on "the take". I follow the sport enough to know that the powers that be are worried about problems, splinter leagues and a proliferation of divisions, not mention corruption etc... And where are you Kimbo Slice?

So, are you interested in this Saturday's boxing match-up, or do you even know Margarito? Just asking. He destroyed Miguel Cotto to win the title. I'll be at The Sports.

I am intrigued about Roy Jones Jr.'s interest in UFC. He's pretty much finished as a legit contender in boxing, but he's still very fast, unorthodox and can hit hard with both hands. His chin is still pretty good (although it never was made of iron).

You are one of the few that are fans of both. They are different sports and few boxing fans are UFC fans - the great Burt Sugar on this week's Prime Time Sports said that the latest poll listed only 5% of boxing fans are also UFC fans.

Badhams will no doubt be out watching UFC with all of his WWE buddies, but one of this year's great boxing match-ups takes place on Saturday: Sugar Shane Mosely vs Antonio Margarito (current WBA Welterweight champ and ranked #6 pound-for-pound, in all of boxing). Mosely is back on his game too. Should be a fucking war. It's on HBO Canada, so if you get TMN, you probably get this fight. http://www.hbocanada.com/margaritomosley/

Yep, the Pro Bowl is the worst followed by a new entry in brutal all-star games: the NHL Young Guns. It's sickening. The best all-star games are still MLB's and the CHL Prospect's game, and sometimes the CHL all-star games are good. The NBA thinks its all-star game is great, but it resembles a Vince Carter pick-up game.

The John Henrys gig is being promo'd on CP24 on their bottom banner.

I think if you are an aspiring singer with world class chops, fronting a jamband would be the gravest of mistakes.