Boxing
I grew up with an illegal cable box, a "black box," which the family used to watch movies on HBO. My father used HBO to watch boxing. I have the vaguest memory of Mike Tyson's 1990 fight with Buster Douglas, a group of my father's friends and coworkers at the house to watch it. Boxing seemed like a part of a glamorous, vaguely frightening adult universe. I remember it as something loud and drunk.
Mike Tyson won 26 of his first 28 professional fights by knockout or technical knockout; 16 of that 26 were knockouts in the first round. That sort of excellence is made for television.
The Marquess of Queensberry Rules:
1. To be a fair stand-up boxing match in a 24-foot ring, or as near that
size as practicable.
2. No wrestling or hugging allowed.
3. The rounds to be of three minutes duration, and one minute's time
between rounds.
4. If either man falls through weakness or otherwise, he must get up
unassisted, 10 seconds to be allowed him to do so, the other man meanwhile
to return to his corner, and when the fallen man is on his legs the round
is to be resumed and continued until the three minutes have expired. If one
man fails to come to the scratch in the 10 seconds allowed, it shall be in
the power of the referee to give his award in favour of the other man.
5. A man hanging on the ropes in a helpless state, with his toes off the
ground, shall be considered down.
6. No seconds or any other person to be allowed in the ring during the
rounds.
7. Should the contest be stopped by any unavoidable interference, the
referee to name the time and place as soon as possible for finishing the
contest; so that the match must be won and lost, unless the backers of both
men agree to draw the stakes.
8. The gloves to be fair-sized boxing gloves of the best quality and new.
9. Should a glove burst, or come off, it must be replaced to the referee's
satisfaction.
10. A man on one knee is considered down and if struck is entitled to the
stakes.
11.That no shoes or boots with spikes or sprigs be allowed.
12.The contest in all other respects to be governed by revised London Prize
Ring Rules.
Reconciling how important life feels as you're living it, how fiercely you guard your own progress and experience, with the ultimate arbitrariness of everything, the weird and happy accident that is your personality and the circumstances into which you were born, is a daunting, unfinishable task. It's no wonder some people go crazy or opt out.
Famous last words.