Close Up and Personal: Faces in the Crowd

[Juan C Ayllon]

Hey Phillyfan,

I was curious: Who do you think would have won, had Norton not landed that punch to Bobick's throat?

I remember watching that bout on TV with great intrigue, but it seemed like Norton got the jump on Bobick, and that shot to the throat really did Duane in.

Regards,


Juan

[Phillyfan]

I'm not going to speculate. I'd like to say bobick wins the fight and goes on to face Ali, but it didn't happen. Norton got his hand raised and thats the bottom line. To be honest, i haven't really watched enough bobick fights to form an opinion. i do remember when the fight originally occured and everyone was disappointed on the swift outcome.

[Juan C Ayllon]

Hey,

I'm in Merrillville, Indiana for the One in a Million fights. Above is a photo of local middleweight Jimmy Holmes reading the fight program to see when he's fighting next.

That's Chris "Unknown Guy" Guzman of www.bolopunchboxinghour.com on the far left and Emil Kegebein of bolopunch in the center.

[Juan C Ayllon]

Hey,

I just got back from a long, but fun day.

Last night after the fights, I banged away at my report in the lobby of the Star Plaza Theatre, where they had Wi-fi Internet access and posted up the first portion of my report. Then, I got together with ring announcer Joe York and met up with some of the guys at a bar in the Ramada Inn. Since they were closed, Joe and I drove out to WoodHollow, visited with some people, had a few drinks and a pizza (yeah, yeah, bad diet, I know!).

We called it a night around 4:30 AM, as we both adjorned to our rooms at some hotel off 61.

Cestus Management founder Mike Michael called at 11:00 AM, but I let it go to voice mail, as I craved that extra half hour of sleep. Then, I got up, showered, checked out and finished my report in the lobby of the hotel. Joe met up with me and chatted as I posted up several pics (the hotel had Wi-Fi, too!), then went for lunch.

Finally, I hit the road and, with heavy traffic, I made a pit stop at Rezas in Chicago for some hummus for dinner.

Funny, I was in the bathroom when "Macho" Miguel Hernandez called to chat.

Anyways, making it home after 6 PM, I cleaned up a bit, then turned around and went to a coffee house event at church.

That was fun. The music was actually very good and I had fun visiting with friends there.



Kristy reading her chapter

Then, Kristy, the wife of a friend of mine, got up and read a chapter from her book during the "Open Mic" portion of the evening. It was a good read, but a little racy for church fare. I didn't mind, but Karen, the gal I was sitting with, didn't care for it too much.

Later, I joined several friends for a late night bite (diet again! Ugghhh!) and visit. Now, it's 2:21 AM. Yikes! And I've got church in the morning...and RUNNING later!

Cheers,


"Big" (burp!) Juan

[Juan C Ayllon]

Hey,



I thought you might enjoy my boxing report from Merrillville, Indiana. The photos came out pretty well, in part due to the excellent lighting conditions there at the Star Plaza Theatre. Check it out:

Merrillville Fight Report

[Juan C Ayllon]

Hey,

I'm going to the Chicago Auto Show 2007 tonight for my journalism class. The deal is we have to attend and then do a 600 word writeup, due Saturday at 12:30 PM.

This should prove to be a dubious pleasure, as I'm not feeling so hot--I've had a headache all day--and I'm not a gearhead.







I found these pics as I was looking over the official website on the auto show for some information.

Regards,


Juan

[ezzthetic]

I've been away for awhile, but here are some photos from my trip to the States. I'm going pro next year!


Me with Juan Lazcano


Macka Foley


The Wild Card

[kikibalt]

[Juan C Ayllon]

Great pics, Ezzthetic!

And Frank, your nephew is looking a little scruffy and in need of a shave...

Cheers,


Juan

[kikibalt]

Juan

And here I thought he was your son!

LOL

Frank

[Juan C Ayllon]

Man! I thought that critter looked familiar. Could it be? Me, a dad?

I've always been strangely attracted to squirrels. Hmmm...that must have been some heck of a party when I met its mom!

Frank, you've brought a tear to my eye...

Sniff, sniff,


Juan

[Juan C Ayllon]

Hey,

All kidding aside, I want to wish all of my friends and CBZ family a happy Valentine's Day.

Have a terrific day,



Juan

[Juan C Ayllon]

Here's a piece I've written up on this year's Chicago Auto Show. Written for my journalism class, I actually submitted it to a paper in Chicago.

The Chicago Auto Show 2007—Expensive Cars at a Bargain

By Juan C. Ayllon

THE Chicago Auto Show is about “overpriced cars for the rich, not for normal folks. I can’t afford anything there,” says Carrie Niemietz, a high school secretary who refuses to attend the event.

Mike Jones, a policeman who attends the show at least once a year, says, “I thought it was great. I liked the ability to see all those cars under one roof—contemporary cars, classic cars, concept vehicles (or car prototypes)—without salesmen trying to size you up.” Noting that fewer foreign cars are shown at Detroit’s auto show, where autoworkers resent foreign brands like Nissan and Toyota, he’s sticking with Chicago. As recently as five years ago, Jones said, “They’d key (scratch) foreign cars in the parking lot.”

There’d be plenty of keying for them at this year’s show in Chicago, where a press release touted the Tundra as “the single-most important launch in Toyota’s 50-year history.” Elaborating, sales rep Jerry McDuffie says the Tundra is positioned to “take over the one market we don’t own: the full-sized pickup truck market. It’s bigger, faster, stops faster and hauls more.”

Duffie’s statement says it all: over 1.25 million square feet of McCormick Place are used to pitch the latest cars and trucks in displays resembling movie sets and theme parks, where giant TV screens, programmed lighting, and thumping sound tracks scream, “BIGGER, FASTER, AND BETTER!”

Take trucks and Sports Utility Vehicles, for example. An elephant gray 2008 Nissan Armada SUV is hitched to a mammoth, 28-foot Sea Ray 260 Sundancer cruiser boat, a gray double cab 2007 Toyota Tundra SR 5 hauls a Patten tractor the size of a white rhinoceros, and a gray 2008 Titan V-8 truck carts a baby hippopotamus-sized Polaris 4-wheeler ATV in its truck bed.

Jeep ramps up the largesse with its park ride theme. People stand in line to be chauffeured by sales people in four-wheeling Cherokees, Wranglers, Liberty’s and Commanders through an obstacle course of small boulders, logs, potholes and two huge, man-made hills.

For nature lovers, there’s the Honda Environmental car display boasting gas and electric hybrid Civics and Accords, a Civic that runs on natural gas, and a concept “hydrogen fuel cell-powered” car that has “zero emissions and basically emits water vapor,” according to a Honda sales rep.

And, there’s the transcendent orange-copper 328 Pontiac Solstice Weekend Racer concept car. Momentarily transfixed, a man broke its spell with the words, “Not family practical!”

For those practically minded, there are stylish minivans and economic cars, too.

Of course, there are vintage cars, including a sleek “Go Mango” orange 1970 440 horsepower Dodge Challenger R/T Convertible, of which only 99 were made.

While prices range from $11,000 to $150,000-plus, most cars—especially the Maserati’s, Porches, and Bentleys—are very expensive. A Ford salesman says while “Americans have always been about cars...the real shame of it is that half the people can’t afford it because they’re overpriced.”

Yet, still they come. A Nissan rep called Rebekah says, “So many people live out of their cars, (who) want to know the functionality and comfort of their space. People are also image conscious. They don’t buy for 10 years, but buy to have the latest.”

“I took my wife and kids,” says Romell Drake, a high school assistant principal. “The whole setup was nice. I never thought my wife would go back to a car, but (after the show) she’s thinking of trading in her 2002 Cadillac Escalade (SUV) for a GTS.”

And, if you simply can’t afford your dream car, admission is only $10, which, in today’s market, isn’t bad for a show.

[Phillyfan]

[IMG]http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t305/jesster64/valentines.jpg
[/IMG]


last year I carved my wife a giant heart out of a block of ice.


okay, it was just snow. notice the chain saw isn't plugged in. pardon my big butt.

[Phillyfan]

[Juan C Ayllon]

Go, Phillyfan, go!

[Juan C Ayllon]

By the way, I received this email from my cousin, Marsea, who's involved with PR for an art museum in Denver, Colorado:

Hi everyone! Hope you are well and staying warm. I am super excited about this new exhibition at the Museo (my new job) - hope you can come to the opening this Friday! Lots of great photography and cool video from Latin American artists, fabulous contemporary folk-art to 18th Century pieces too.

Please come - would love to see you! And please send this along to anyone you know who might enjoy!

Yours Truly,
Marsea

[Juan C Ayllon]

Here's some photos from the Chicago Auto Show 2007




I just had to say here that this SUV was customized by Ecko to match their clothing in terms of color coordination

[Juan C Ayllon]

[Juan C Ayllon]

[Phillyfan]

nice picts Juan.thanks.
it didn't look too crowded at the show.

[Juan C Ayllon]

Thanks, Phillyfan!

It was Monday night when I attended the show, which isn't the best night. I know I wasn't feeling too well when I went!

Still, there were a lot of people there. It's just that the show was spread out over 1.25 million square feet, which is a lot. Like you said, it wasn't too crowded, except in spots, like the Jeep ride line. I thought about taking a ride, but that line must have taken at least 20 minutes or so to get through. No, thanks!

Also, some of those pics were taken toward the end of the night, when the crowd was thinning down.

By the way, do you have any new boxing, or fun, personal photos to share with us?

Have a great day,


Juan

[Juan C Ayllon]

Hey Ezzthetic,

It's always good to hear from you. Tell us about your boxing experience--total number of fights, wins, losses and so on. What weight class are you at now? What are you doing for training? Where do you live again? What weight class would you like to fight at professionally? Do you have a manager or fight venue in mind?

Also, what were you here in the U.S. for? A specific fight card? Visiting friends and family? Checking out the boxing gyms?

Have a good one,


Juan

[Phillyfan]

By the way, do you have any new boxing, or fun, personal photos to share with us?

Have a great day,


Juan

let me chip the ice off the driveway first, then I'll put together some more photos.

[Phillyfan]

a square snowman and the finished heart in the back round. also a ham next to the snowman

[Phillyfan]

mary tyler moore statue in minneapolis.
no I did not toss my hat off, too cold

[Phillyfan]

space needle by niagara falls. daughter and niece humoring father and crazy uncle who asked them to pose this way.

[Phillyfan]

achieved a life long goal this past summer. we went aboard lucy the elephant in margate NJ.

[Phillyfan]

view from atop the new matterhorn ride at disney. located in animal kingdom, its #3 in my top 3 disney rides.

[Phillyfan]

trouble up a head.