When we last heard from boxer Bernard Hopkins, he was becoming the oldest champion in the history of boxing and race-baiting Donovan McNabb by saying he wasn’t “black enough.” Now it turns out that Hopkins is all buddy-buddy with your Phillies manager, one Charlie Manuel. Philly Sports Daily has more:
“He was right on about how you’re supposed to go about your business,” Manuel said. “That’s what separates the average guy from the really good one.”
Manuel has met the North Philly fighter. A few years ago, B-Hop paid a visit to the ballpark and ducked his head in to say hello. The two had a long conversation.
“He did most of the talking,” said the Phillies manager. That is usually the case with B-Hop. “He really impressed me that day. I thought that’s one tough guy, mentally and physically, who wants to be a champion.”
I throws me off alignment a bit when a dude as old as Charlie refers to Hopkins as “B-Hop,” but I’ll allow it. Anyway, I can see why Manuel might admire a guy like Hopkins, who turned his life around after spending five years in prison early in life to become one of the great fighters of all time. Hopkins is kind of a nut job as well, but hey, it isn’t like Charlie hasn’t come across a handful of those in his lifetime.
However, I also think this could be an elaborate collaboration by both men to further torment McNabb. First Hopkins insults McNabb personally, and now he’s getting all chummy with a sports figure from the town where McNabb used to play? Don’t you see that Hopkins is trying to send McNabb further into despair, until he finally lashes out at everyone and starts beating up innocent bystanders left and right? TOTALLY A LEGITIMATE THEORY. If Hopkins and DeSean Jackson start having cookouts, you’ll know this is more than just a random friendship.
