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Inside the Circle: David Levi, Personal Assistant of Floyd “Money” Mayweather

September 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Mayweather v Canelo: undefeated champions face off in Time Square - video

The Cover 4 was fortunate to catch up to David Levi, who is Floyd Mayweather’s personal assistant. We asked Levi what it is like to be part of The Money Team. Mayweather will be fighting Canelo Alvarez on Saturday.”

Thanks for reading and thank you to David Levi for the interview!

photo-1-400x352What is your position with The Money Team? 

I am Floyd’s personal assistant. I also take care of various things needed for The Money Team.

What is your boxing background?

I started boxing back in high school. Every Friday my brother and I invited kids over from school and we all boxed each other in the backyard with 16-ounce gloves and headgear. A short while after I started, a boxing gym opened up near my house and I started training every day. I had my first amateur fight during my senior year of high school and won by knockout. The following year I attended UNLV just to fight for the boxing team there. After my freshman year boxing, I stopped fighting altogether to work at Mayweather Promotions.

Have you ever stepped in the ring with Floyd? Even just messing around? 

That’s a funny question because Floyd always asks me if I want to spar a little bit with him. He always tells me he’ll “take it easy on me.” The guy beats the hell out of world-class fighters, so I’m not so keen on getting in the ring with him. Maybe if I started training again I would do it for fun. I would like to do it someday just to say I did.

dsgHow did you join the Money Team? 

I interned for Mayweather Promotions on and off for about a year and a half. I then was hired as an office assistant for about six months. One day I was over at Floyd’s house, which rarely happened, and I approached him when he was alone and asked him to give me a shot and I would do whatever he needed to be done. About a week later he called me and said he was going to “test me out” and it’s been two years since!

What is the typical day in the life of David Levi? 

I’m on call 24/7. No day is ever the same and that’s what I like best about my work. Usually if Floyd is out of town my day consists of running a couple errands for him, paying people and I usually sit in the sports book and bet for Floyd the rest of the day.

During training my schedule is a little different. The day starts at the boxing gym around 2 p.m. The whole team encourages Floyd while he trains. I usually have to run out of the gym to the sports book to put bets in while he is training. We usually go to dinner after training and head to the fitness gym around 2 a.m.

What type of role do you take in fight planning or marketing?

Golden Boy Promotions basically does all the planning and marketing for Floyd’s fights. I use my Twitter and Instagram as a marketing tool by posting photos of Floyd while training. I occasionally do some interviews about Floyd’s training as well. I also seek out sponsorships and endorsements for various Mayweather Promotions fighters and Floyd.

What is the typical day in the life of Floyd Mayweather?

Floyd usually spends a lot of time with his children when he’s not training for a fight. The afternoons always consist of watching football and basketball. He and I are usually on and off the phone nonstop because I’m placing bets for him while he watches the games at home or wherever he happens to be at the time. He knows more about football and basketball than anyone I’ve ever met. He’s a tremendous athlete, he often plays basketball late at night at the fitness gym in pick-up games.

asdasdWhat’s your favorite part about being part of The Money Team?

There are definitely various perks in Vegas being part of the team. I’d say my favorite part is being able to see Floyd spar every day during training. Most people only get to see him fight once a year, I get to see if every day while he’s training!

What is the coolest experience you have ever had with Floyd?

I’d say my favorite experience this far was the whole fight weekend for the Mayweather-Cotto fight. The fight was so intense and I am a fan of Miguel Cotto as well, so I was extremely excited. I’ll never forget being in the back area with Floyd before the weigh-in and he was jumping around talking shit out loud as Cotto just glared at him nonstop. Definitely the type of stuff I love, being a huge boxing fan.

What was it like being interviewed by ESPN for their article?

Today’s social media has really simplified the ways to get into contact with media outlets. Over the last two years on Twitter I’ve created friendships with various writers for ESPN, Yahoo, FightHype, etc., and I get quoted from comments I make on Twitter. I’d say I enjoyed my interview with Yahoo’s Kevin Iole the most.

asdsaWhat happened with the 50 Cent split? 

I think there was some miscommunication between Floyd and 50 while Floyd was locked up. One thing was said and another came to fruition which Floyd didn’t agree with. I tend not to talk about it because it’s between the two of them.

What should people know about Floyd?

Floyd is one of the most fun people to hang around. He’s always joking around and talking shit. He has great energy and is a tremendous person. He does a ton of charity work, which most people don’t get to see that side of him.

After Pacquiao just got knocked out, will that fight ever happen? 

The fight is basically never going to happen at this point. Pacman was knocked out cold and is going to need a couple fights to get back to where he was. I don’t think he will ever be the same after that knockout. The money that was there for the fight is no longer there because of how Pacquiao lost.

When will Floyd step back into the ring?

Floyd will actually be fighting here in Las Vegas on May 4th. The opponent is yet to be named, but believe me it’s going to be a great match up! He also is scheduled to fight September 14th.

After Floyd’s boxing career is finished, how will he be remembered? 

I think after Floyd’s next two or three wins and retires undefeated he will go down as the greatest boxer of all time. At the end of the day, Floyd has fought dozens of world champions and hall of famers. He makes all of them look like amateurs. There is no fighter ever in the history of the sport that has faced the opposition he has and made it look so easy.

What do you have planned in the future?

I’m really enjoying my time with Floyd and The Money Team but of course eventually all things come to an end. I would like to get into promotion or work behind the scenes for television involving boxing and entertainment. I really enjoy the entertainment industry and I plan on staying involved with boxing one way or another.

Thanks for the interview Cover 4!

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James Kaikis
Sports Activist for The Cover 4
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A Pirates Life for me

September 17, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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I called my dad after it happened. It was his birthday coincidentally, and we had a special father-son bonding moment that we have been longing to have for more than 20 years. I breathed a sigh of relief into the phone and all I said was “82.” I couldn’t see it, but I knew he was grinning ear to ear, just like I was when I said that number. It is an emotional feeling that I just can’t properly put into words and a single word would not do justice to the years of suffering Pirate fans and myself have felt. Eighty-two wins is just a number. But for us fans that number means so much more. There was no special celebration among the coaches and players after the win, but they surely understood what it meant to the fanbase. There was plenty of celebrating to be had back home.

No one knew just how bad the losing would get after that 1992 season. The story has been told countless times in a variety of ways since then, but it always came back to the same thing every time; losing. If there was one constant throughout all of those years, it was the people who ask some variation of these questions:

“Why are you still a fan? The Pirates suck,” or “How do you support a team who does nothing but trade away their best players and never wants to win?”

hi-res-152771322_crop_650x440Each time I would have to produce an answer, and each time I would receive the same blank and confused stare, as if your answer for supporting this team was never going to be right. I had put too much time and effort into this team, and I was never going to turn my back on them. I can think of one time, and one time only I was about ready to give up on this team — the second half of 2010. You had a few core of players ready for a breakout and passable Major League talent (by Pirate standards at the time), but were only able to manage 57 wins. I barely watched any of the second half of that season, I just needed a break. I was worn out. But I knew would be back, because you had players like Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez in the lineup. What I had waited all those years for, the core face of franchise players, had just let me down at the worst possible time but were ready to help this ballclub now. There was an excitement that just didn’t exist over previous years.

It’s a day, quite frankly, many of us didn’t think we would ever see, but knew was going happen at some point. We just didn’t know how we were supposed to feel or act when it actually happened. You just had to celebrate in your own way.  Along the way many fans have became attached to players who were the face of a franchise during its worse times. Players who would love nothing more than to suit up for this current team and be a part of the winning that they were never able to experience here. Players like Jason Kendall, Jack Wilson, Jason Bay and Brian Giles were all fan favorites, each bringing their own passion and love for the city. You could tell they wanted to win here, witnessing first hand their enthusiasm and energy they gave on a nightly basis.

7034648There have been too many ugly moments to talk about and too many forgetful players. I found myself in a four-hour car trip with a friend playing the game “name a former Pirate” (rules being they had to be from the losing era). After about an hour-and-a-half and close to what might be 150 some players, I only realized just how bad some of those teams were based on names alone (Abraham Nunez, Mike Benjamin and Chris Stynes were some of my favorites).  I was rooting for the Pirates and trying to care for players who I barely cared about. This team has players that are likeable, none more so than McCutchen, who shows up every night. It starts from the top with Clint Hurdle who brings something former manager John Russell would never show, passion. It has worn off on the players and even the fans have warmed up to Hurdle and his positive sayings. There are two former two managers I can think of who had staying power and the ability to win over the fans, Chuck Tanner and Jim Leyland. They were true leaders and likeable guys. The closest the Pirates might have had to that in those losing years was Lloyd McClendon, and that’s not saying much because  he was remembered more for his outburst and stealing of first base. Enjoy and appreciate what Hurdle has done and what he means for this franchise.

The 82nd win was gratifying, but with this team in the heat of a division race for first place, it’s hard to appreciate it because there is so much more on the line right now. But the players who were involved for 82, it feels like a symbolic passing of the touch to what the future holds. A future ace in Gerrit Cole, whose pitching ceiling looks to be unlike any other to ever wear the black and gold, taking the mound and stepping up. An MVP candidate, who is locked up for another five years, playing centerfield just crushing baseballs right now. Alvarez, who has finally come into his own this year, delivering the winning hit and the local kid Neil Walker delivering the final out to end the streak. Every one of those seems too perfect for this franchise

This losing streak has consumed more than half of my life, but I’m ready to move on.  A chapter has been closed and a new one is ready to begin for the Pirates and for their fans. The 82nd win will be a memory that soon fades, but one that will not be forgotten for a long time.

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Chris Dazen
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22: The New Face of Baseball – Andrew McCutchen

September 3, 2013 by Leave a Comment

cutch

In an era in where steroids and PEDs have tarnished the image of baseball and its players, there are very few pure American stars — yet alone any stars — left.

Ryan Braun has suffered a disgraceful fall. Alex Rodriguez is an afterthought. Barry Bonds was forced out of baseball six years ago. If you ask the uninformed fan who the next face of baseball is, I’m sure that there would be a lot of pauses before he answers. Well, I have a simple suggestion for you. You take the best player on one of the the best teams in baseball. How about the Pittsburgh Pirates?

Yes, those Pirates. For Pittsburgh sports fans, many are used to boasting about Ben Roethlisberger or Sidney Crosby, but they have a new superstar to talk about, Andrew McCutchen.

”Cutch” has steadily progressed since making his debut in June 2009. The right-handed hitting center fielder is the total package. He has speed like a gazelle. He shows his power by hitting it to all over the field, including over the fence. He covers ground like a sumo wrestler. Most importantly, he plays the game the right way, free from off-the-field temptations and PED use.

In January, McCutchen was announced as the cover athlete of the baseball video game MLB 2013: The Show, where he beat out CC Sabathia in fan voting. After making the All-Star team for three consecutive years, Cutch is slowly starting to be the face that baseball desperately needs to carry its torch. Just like the Pirates, he is walking the walk with style and class. They don’t the need the media attention that the other teams get to prove their greatness.

Social media is a new tool that players like Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth never experienced. Typically, the media helps create these superstars who play in big markets such as New York or Los Angeles. And given the fact that the Pirates have played in a playoff game since two days before Bryce Harper was born, they have not received much attention from the fans, and especially the people who just tune in to watch during the playoffs. McCutchen is putting Pittsburgh on the map. This Wednesday, ESPN televised the Pirates playing on the road against St. Louis, a game in which the Pirates won easily. It was very symbolic for Cutch and his Buccos.

Given the state of the game rife with scandal and steroids, baseball must utilize their superstars to get fans interested again in watching the game. It starts with finding the right players who epitomize the perfect balance of excellence on and off the field. And Cutch hits a home run in regards to those statistics. He is very proud of who he is, where he came from, and what he is on his way to doing. Young kids learning the game need a role model like this to learn how to play the game the right way, with hard work and dedication. He was drafted out of high school, worked his way up, paid his dues and is now thriving as the cornerstone of the Pirates organization.

Meanwhile, he is leading his team to their best season in ages, and given a terrible collapse, we will be seeing the Pirates playing ball in October for the first time in a long time. Cutch has been there through thick and thin, and did not choose to abandon ship to cash in on a bigger paycheck. He signed a 6-year, $51.5 million extension with the Bucs, showing that he plans to play in Pittsburgh for a very long time. His loyalty to his team and city is commendable and another positive character trait that kids growing up can follow. Very few superstars in any sport these days play with one team their entire career.

McCutchen is a rising star for a rising franchise. He has made Pittsburgh a baseball city again and has the rest of Major League Baseball buzzing as well. Steroids and PED use has given the sport a major black eye, especially with the Braun scandal. Now, Cutch emerges as the new face of a sport that needs a face lift. His skills are elite, his team is playing like it belongs in the World Series and he does this with class personified. He never promotes himself as a superstar, and these days, he does not have to. The Pittsburgh Pirates are back and Cutch is here to stay. Baseball has a new golden boy, and they look to Buc the trend of scandal and negativity into a new era of excellence done in the right way, on and off the diamond.

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Paul Culley
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Don’t Be “That Guy” During your Fantasy Draft

August 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment

thatguyIt’s officially August, and that means it’s the time of year that sports fans forget about all other fantasies that don’t involve fantasy football. Although many of us have been doing mock drafts and rating running backs since the Super Bowl ended, draft time is officially right around the corner. With crimes being so rampant in the NFL right now, I’m here to make sure you don’t commit one during your draft. Don’t be the one who ruins their league’s draft and gets his trades vetoed all season long. Everyone hates “that guy.” Nobody wants to be “that guy.” So, don’t be “that guy.” Protect yourself and don’t act as any of the following:

The Delay of Game

Don’t be the guy who shows up late to his draft. Odds are you’ve known about the date and time for weeks. If you’re doing an online draft, all it takes is one or two auto drafts and not only can your team be ruined, but the whole league drastically changes. If you are all drafting in person, you are making the whole league wait on you. We all know that fantasy drafts are a process that will take hours to get done. Also, by being late you drastically increase the risks that the beer will be gone before the kickers start going. If you make the league wait for the draft, you will wait on the league during the draft. Enjoy being the guy to grab everyone’s beers from the fridge.

The Bum

If you’re playing in a money league, don’t show up to the draft without having paid your dues. Asking someone for money is always an awkward situation, so do your best to avoid it and pay on time. Don’t be the douche that keeps trying to get out of paying because he doesn’t like the team he drafted. The earlier that all the money is collected, the better it is for the entire league. Good luck trying to get a guy that is 2-10 to fork over $100 come playoff time. Make it easy for everyone and don’t be the bum that can’t pay.

The Caveman

This is the guy who has been living under a rock, sat in the dark, or suffered a serious head injury the day before the draft. You know, the guy who is going to draft Aaron Hernandez in the fourth round and think he got a steal. You’ll know you are this guy because you will draft a person and immediately hear the entire room laugh out loud at you. Not only will you ruin your draft, but you will be the butt of every joke the entire season.

The Whiner

We’ve all heard them before: “I never get the first pick,” “this is the worst year to pick eighth,” or “if I had your pick my team would be so much better.” There’s always that guy who decides to whine about his draft position. Nobody wants to hear your excuse for why your team sucks. It’s not where you drafted, it’s just you.

The Whistleblower

This is the guy who gets most hated by his fellow fantasy players. It’s bound to happen at some point during the draft, and odds are it will ruin the pick you had lined up. This is the guy who yells “How is (insert player here) still on the board in this round?!” If you scream about a player still sitting on the board, everyone who wanted that player will hate you and rightfully so. Odds are some people saw him, but didn’t want to blow their chance getting him by yelling it out. This is a fantasy no-no and may get you punched in the throat.

The Einstein

Big whoopdy doo, you watched NFL Network and ESPN all week long and are throwing around more facts than Biogenesis throws out steroids. Few things are more annoying than this guy. Just because you watched and read Matthew Berry all week doesn’t mean you should pretend to be him. Nobody likes a know-it-all and everyone hates a person who simply is ACTING like a know-it-all. No matter what you say, I don’t need to know the name of every center, tackle or guard and their lingering ankle, middle toe or nipple injury to draft my running back. Some things are better left unsaid.

The Computer Thief

If you’ve ever had to share your computer with someone during a fantasy draft, you’ll know that this is one of the worst things that can happen. Don’t be the guy who forgets to bring his laptop to the draft. When you make someone else share their computer with you, you take away their time to research, can look at their draft queue, and just all around piss that person off. Make sure to bring your own computer and charge it before the draft. Draft picks are like girlfriends, some things you just don’t share.

The Macaulay Culkin

This is the guy who brags about his fantasy championships throughout the draft even though he hasn’t won in years. The only champ that escapes being a Macaulay Culkin is the league’s champion from last year. If you won your league last year, boast away, you’ve earned it. If you have to talk about the 8-man league you won five years ago, nobody wants to hear it. You may have been a hit in the past and had some glory moments, but you’re washed up now.

The Snail

There’s a time limit on draft picks for a reason, so don’t be that guy who uses the ENTIRE time limit each and every time you pick. Fantasy drafts are already a long process and don’t need to be made longer by you taking forever to decide between kickers. Few things are more annoying than the first or twelfth pick taking the full time for their two picks in a row. It’s like being stuck in line at a drive-thru because the guy in front of you placed a huge order. Don’t be the guy that slows everything down to a snail’s pace.

The Ed Hochuli

This is the guy who is constantly asking about the rules of the league. He’s either complaining about them, asking what they are or suggesting new ones. He’s bound to bust out, “we should really go PPR” or “the flex position shouldn’t allow running backs,” if it would help his team out. All this does is make everyone else wish they hadn’t allowed you in the league. The draft is not the time to bring up issues with league rules.

The Sleeper

This is the guy who read a bunch of fantasy articles about this year’s fantasy football sleepers and proceeds to draft every player named. Not only does he draft every sleeper, he also makes sure everyone knows that the player is indeed a sleeper. If you say “this guy is going to be good, he’s my sleeper pick,” you’re guilty. He’s everyone’s sleeper pick and ESPN has shown him about 10 times in their fantasy sleeper segment. By the end of the draft this guy is bragging about his team’s potential and the entire league is hoping that they’re all busts.

The Roster-bater

So the draft is completely over and you managed to not commit any of the acts that’ll turn you into “that guy.” You’re not out of danger yet, however, and the last thing you want to do is be caught roster-bating. Roster-bating is when you simply stare at your team saying how good your team is and how much you love it. If you’re going to do it, don’t do it out loud or in public, you’ll only embarrass yourself.

 

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The Sound Off by Long Island Sound

August 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The Cover 4 presents you The Sound Off by Long Island Sound…

Let us know what you think!

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Thank you for reading The Cover 4! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter.

Oh yeah, tell your friends too!

sch

Long Island Sound
Sports Activist for The Cover 4
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August 15, 2013

August 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The Cover 4 presents you The Sound Off by Long Island Sound…

Let us know what you think!

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