Comments Thread For: A Line at a Time… “Thunder” Still Doesn’t Belong

[Dr Rumack]

What was with the 'handbag strap' line? Do these articles have to get the nod from an editor, and if so could the editor explain how he thought that was an appropriate comment in an article on Arturo Gatti?

[JKidd2624]

I respect any writers take on who should be in or shouldn't be in - according to THEIR standards - but there isn't a reason to make it classless and be a **** not only to the boxer them self or a colleague.

[GoldSugar]

Wow what a hack

[paulf]

Who cares? The Hall of Fame is ****ing meaningless. It's about as legit as the Rock and Roll HOF.

[sresto21]

The truth always hurts!

Arturo Gatti was a bum, period!
This dude wrote like it is, get over it.
Fitzsimmons you should've mention that he was a coke head and a woman beater these corny fans forgot that side of that bum.

[Jackwardjw]

Well said, sir.

This article has left me absolutely fuming. I am flabbergasted by Fitzsimmons' arrogance and lack of sensitivity. He is so smug and self-congratulatory, name-dropping throughout and casting himself as the definitive authority on boxing. Boxing is a sport predicated on respect for, and between fighters, and this guy is way out of line with his comments.

His writing skills are average at best. I could forgive him for this innate lack of talent if it were not for the cruelty he displays towards Arturo Gatti. What gives him the right to dismiss Gatti in such an abusive, hurtful manner?

"Gatti's old lady killed him and Gatti killed the Hall of Fame". That is an appallingly insensitive and cruel comment - one of the most inappropriate and humourless comments I think I have ever read. Indeed, the article, aside from its coldness and sadism, is also wholly unfunny. Where to begin with the line about strangling someone with a handbag strap? Is this how he thanks Gatti for thrilling fans throughout his career and devoting himself to his craft, while bravely battling all manner of personal problems throughout his life?

Mr Fitzsimmons is clearly someone who craves controversy. I hope he understands that the boxing fraternity, no matter how many paychecks he receives, and how many legendary boxers he pathetically name-drops (Floyd, Hagler, Ray Leonard etc), does not need nor want people of his ilk associated with the sport.

Arturo Gatti may not be a hall-of-fame fighter, but his contributions to the sport of boxing are to be celebrated and admired, not derided and scoffed at. He certainly does not deserve for B-Level internet hacks to make snide remarks about his untimely and tragic death.

I will finish by saying that you, Mr Fitzsimmons, would not have been fit to lace up Arturo's gloves.

RIP Arturo Gatti.

Jack

[Cloud]

I don't think Gatti should be in..

However, Lyle is a joke. He knows nothing abut boxing. Stick to baseball and reality shows, you joke.

Easily the worst writer this site currently has..

[Shadow boxer 3]

What a **** article. And the hand bag remark was low

[New England]

strangling with a handbag strap?



how on earth do you still have all of your teeth?

[mev1]

Lyle, if you were at a table having that conversation with guys like Robinson and Hagler (and anyone else you bring up to make yourself sound smart) and you were coming out with that kind of hypocritical tripe as in this article, then Robinson and Hagler would stand you up, give you a fresh one across the chops and escort you outside while Nat Fleischer revoked your BWAA credentials.

You could apply the same criticism to a few members of the IBHOF. You also point to Gattis connections, but which fighter hasn't used them in the same way? Boxing has always been a "who you know" business, particularly in golden age of the sport, so stop with that pathetic nonsense.

You are right about this writers poor taste and ignorance. Sometimes its not about how great the fighter is, but what he meant to the sport. Gatti attracted people who would never, or rarely watch the boxing, and got them to pay attention to a struggling sport, and helped keep the sport alive! Why do you think Sylvester Stalone got in. Because his movie drew many people to the sport to this day! Now if I had the choice of having a real Rocky, one that actually gave his real blood, sweat and tears to help keep the sport alive, or a fake one that did the same thing. I'll take the real one every time.
Was Gatti a great fighter? No. But I think he did great things for Boxing, more than any actor, Commentator, or even some great fighters, who were not very good for the sports Image. Gatti was not perfect either, but I think people just thought of him as human, and could forgive most of his transgressions. The point is . Sometimes entertainers get in the IBHOF, and if you ask me, Gatti was one of the best entertainers in his era.