Boxing: Riddick Bowe: Whose Life is it Anyway?

By Charles Jay

Why do some people feel they have more in the way of moral authority to decide what is best for Riddick Bowe than the ex-champ himself?

Some sports writers never cease to amaze me.

I fully believe most of them are deathly afraid of offering opinions that might be deemed "unpopular", because generally they're insecure about their ability to form constructive, informed perspective to begin with, and figure there's much less risk in moving with the viewpoint of the majority.

Never mind that, historically, most advances, in word and deed, have been made by people who were thinking "out of the box". Staking out the "safe ground" - the more pedestrian position - leaves one open to less criticism - and, if your living is made with pen and paper, more job security - than if you went out on a limb.

These days, the "safe" opinion is that the comeback of former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe is something that should absolutely not be attempted, or permitted.