More FREE publicity for Boxing's worst PR Person!

By G. Leon

30/07/2005

More FREE publicity for Boxing's worst PR Person!

Boxingtalkers have their say!

Jer-ry! Jer-ry! Jer-ry! It didn't take long for the emails to start flowing in, once "How not to be a PR guy...Allow me to introduce you to someone" went public. While some readers, perhaps relatives of Tremblay's, agree with Main Events, over 90% of the e-mails you will read and e-mails I've received were stunned at Tremblay's unprofessionalism. Obviously they've never met or interacted with him. Anyhow, read on to see what Boxingtalkers reaction was.


"With the exception of the contributions of a few writers, you run your site like the web version of The Jerry Springer Show.  Case in point the Judah interview on Mayweather.  This sport is difficult enough to promote without people like you dragging it down to a schoolyard level." This is how a lot of boxing fans and enthusiasts think of your site.  It is simply just not professional in the content that is put on it.  I was once a 6-month subscriber and let me just say that I not pay for that experience again.  What is the use in reading provoked tirades for interviews that contain no news at all and are profanity laced.  Also, what boxing readers care about one of Don King's employees having a baby (maybe a kiss up gesture), or Ishe Smith adding another child to his family, yes, Ishe is a legit contender, but this is not a big deal to the boxing world.  If boxing readers wanted to see of hear about babies they would go to their local maternity ward.  One thing that is positive on your site, is the many press releases that you post highlighting non-mainstream fight cards and up and coming fighters, this is great exposure for these guys and lets the fans track their young careers.  Sorry for laying it out for you like this, but man there is a lot of work to be done at Boxingtalk as far as content and professionalism go. -Travis

Leon's Response: Thanks for reading Travis. I appreciate and respect your opinion and hope you don't stop reading. I know you can't make everyone happy and I have no problem posting criticism, never have. However, as you are about to read you are grossly outnumbered. I  believe, allowing the other readers to just voice their opinion will speak for itself.I had to lower my standards and crawl on my belly for a couple of hours just to interact with Tremblay, and anyone who knows me knows my gear is a bit too flavorful for that. On a side note, I would venture to guess that Donald Tremblay would disagree with you as far as weddings and new babies are concerned. After all, it was Tremblay who sent out not one, but TWO emails (with photos attached), to announce Calvin Brock's recent wedding to Yolanda Warren, a 24-year-old student at Duke University Law School.

Yo G- It's obvious from the emails Tremblay doesn't consider you or your site credible.  Too bad you consistently break stories before anyone else and actually REPORT on negotiations and breaking news.  His comments comparing boxingtalk w/ the Jerry Springer show were moronic.  You report the truth.  The Judah transcripts were great because you show the fans the actual personality of the fighters which is what boxingtalk is all about.   It's obvious Tremblay is scared of your site cuz you uncover the truth and so he tries to discredit you.  Boxingtalk is about the fighters and the fans, not fighters hiding behind corporate suits who have never hit a heavy bag.  ESPN should read boxingtalk prior to broadcasting Friday Night Fights so they are up to date.  The fact you don't edit cussing is what makes your site great.  No censorship, real fighters in their own words with real fans.  His chat room bullshit degrading comments can eat a dick.  Keep it real. D-Downs.


Greg,   Mr. Tremblay was definitely wrong for allowing personal issues to come into play over the press credentials fro Gatti/Mayweather.   A PR person's job is to keep their charges in the public's mind, get them as much exposure as possible, the more popular, the more money they can demand, at least that's the way boxing has worked since I began following it. I came out of  indie promotion; records, concerts, merch, etc... my phone rang everyday with PR people foisting their lame ass acts upon me, but at least they were doing their job, it was up to me to slog thru the crap, it was up to them to pile that crap upon me.   Where you were wrong was to allow him to pull you into the argument, you said you were 27, well you'll learn as you age. A very wise man once told me you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.  Personally, after the second email where he stated you weren't supposed to receive credentials in the first place  I would have started addressing everything to Duva and Moretti. I would have forwarded his emails and then got one of them on the phone, and asked if this was how they wanted their company represented. Never allow anyone to pull you into an unwinable argument, which this unfortunately is, you are one media outlet of many, especially on the internet, where anyone with a computer, an isp, and to much time, can have a website. You are also unfortunately at the mercy of the promoters, agents, managers, etc. Boxing is a little different, boxers will generally speak with who they want, so having the personal relationships with the ones you do help, but if there is one out there that you just can't reach, you'll have to go thru their people, and you know, like anything else, people talk; writers talk to other writers, promoters to other promoters, PR people to other PR people, see where I am going. The reason I don't do promotion anymore is exactly this, I told an artist's booking agent that among other things they were a major league asshole for sending the artist to Europe for 12 weeks, just when they were starting to get huge airplay here, well of course I was black balled by the agent and agency, which led to other agency's black balling me, end story I am no longer an indie promoter, but vengence is mine, the artist's career never took off here like it should have and that particular booking agent was out of the industry before I was.     Mike Arnold       BTW...   Tracy Chapman if you were wondering.    

Hey Greg, I thought I would comment on your article regarding Mr. Tremblay since you indicated you were eagerly awaiting feedback.   Well, my only comment is, is that when Donald began critisizing your style of journalism by posting the Judah & Mayweather audios, I wish I could have been there to explain to him that the hype is what gets guys talking about fights. After hearing the audios, I was eager to see if this match between Judah and Mayweather could be made. All of my other boxing pals were talking about the audios also. Those clips alone have got the hype going for that fight here amongst the Omaha boxing community. I gurantee you that those audio clips alone would generate PPV buys for this fight.   Keep up the good work Boxingtalk.   Best regards, Dustin Lindblad, Member, Omaha, Ne


Hey Greg   I too have e-mailed Donald Tremblay and he treated me like shit, in my opinion.   I was on ticketmaster waiting for the tickets to go on sale for the April ESPN PPV.  As soon as they did, I tried to purchase them.  Knowing that I was one of the first (if not the first) people trying to purchase the tickets, I was wondering why the only "ringside" seats available to the public were several rows back and only on the ringpost.   I simply e-mailed him requesting that Main Events consider in future events, to make available at least some of the best seats to the public.   If I had saved his e-mail reponse, I would qoute him.  Since I did not, I can only say that I beleive he acted like an asshole.  He made me THE FUCKING GUY WHO ACTUALLY PAYS FOR SEATS feeling very insignificant.   I can tell you that since then, I have been very frugal when it comes to purchasing any Main Events products.   Danny, California

G, Great props on your “retort” to Tremblbay.  Who is he to criticize a website for telling and showing boxing how it really is.  I’ve been a long time reader and now a new member and this is the only place I can expect to read the truth about this sport….not some filtered, watered down read on what a writer wants his readers to believe.  Way to go, G.  Keep up the good work and I’ll be interested to see how much more this story plays out.-JW


Donald is an idiot; you’ve proved your point. The internet is pretty close to the number one news medium and he pissed off the publisher of the number 1 boxing website. As far as his Springer reference, I would rather hear about these boxers on a regular basis than have no idea who is who. I have no connection with these guys on a personal level outside of your website. Boxing would be dead if it relied on Donald or anyone at Main Events for information. It’s all about making boxing more popular and the fighters making more money and Donald doesn’t realize that which is probably why he isn’t making more money than you. Donald was lucky to get in that position. Main Events should start a reality show on ESPN and the winner becomes the new PR guy for Main Events.

 

Hey Greg...I would really like to send a personal retort to Mr. Tremblay regarding this website...I have always been enamored with boxing but forced to follow it through mainstream media...that is, until I found BoxingTalk...Undoubtedly, this is the best resource for the most unfiltered and insightful boxing news- I'm hooked!  Again, if you could provide his email I'd like torespectfully pass along these same sentiments...Also, I know you're probably tired of the Hopkins-Taylor opinions, but I was at the fight and agreed almost to the point with Ford and Smith...I thought I may change my opinion when I saw HBO's rebroadcast but, after pausing and rewinding when necessary, it was only confirmed...The question I have is about scoring rounds even - I gave Taylor rounds 1,2,3,5,6 & 8; rounds 10, 11, & 12 for Hopkins; rounds 4,7 & 9 even (117-114)...Is it abnormal/inappropriate to score that many rounds even?...I know the criteria to score rounds and each fighter seemed to have almost identical effective aggressiveness, clean punching, etc...It didn't seem just to give either of them rounds 4,7, or 9 when neither had a decisive advantage...just wanted to ensure I wasn't going against some unwritten rule of scoring by judging it that way...Thanks for the feedback...keep up the solid work. JD Austin Spring Branch, TX


Wow...I think you hit the hammer on the head by naming those boxers (Flores, Julio, Hanshaw).  One thing is for sure...the truth hurts.  Touché.   Please do not ever edit your first-class interviews with boxers.  I think they are one-of-a-kind, and offer the reader deep insight regarding the various personalities of each and every boxer.   Keep up the excellent work,   Big Boxingtalk fan,   Ian

How you doing?  I want to comment on the email exchange between you and Donald Tremblay.  It's pretty obvious the guy does not seem to enjoy dealing with you and BoxingTalk.com.  And while his attitude and I'm pretty sure his tone are clearly unprofessional.  It also seem to me that you don't really mind confrontations with him.  I mean the first insults came from you.  And while I don't doubt your claim of him being a unprofessional PR guy, he did bring up a valid point about how boxing at times gets headlined wrong.  People seem to forget that boxing is a sport, not a bunch of gang fights.  All this bullshit talk about what Judah would do to Mayweather in the streets is just that.  Talk.  Idiot Talk.  It don't help boxing and makes Judah sound like a fool. He's revoking Mayweather's New York pass.  Come on?  This guy watches to many movies.  Anyway G,  I got mad respect for you and your site (I wouldn't pay for my brothers membership if I didn't). I'm always going to read it and you still my boy.  But, I don't really back you 100% on this.  I see your points.  But, bottom line I think the problem is a case of two cats (you and him) just not liking each other.  That's my opinion, and I understand if you decided not to post it.

dear Mr Leon.  unfortunatley it was you who appeared to be acting childishly in your e-mail war with the PR man.  Whilst I very much enjoy the website, I thought Judah's gansta rubbish aimed at Mayweather was unnecessary for the website.  I understand that Zab is quite unpopular and needs any exposure he can get, but after reading that article my opinion of both Judah and the website dropped.  The website as a whole is excellent, but I wouldnt be trying to give that particular article (the Judah smack talking one) or you e-mail squablle with the PR guy as examples of professionalism, they are NOT!  andrew, australia


What up G! I just read the emails between you and the Main Events PR guy and I must agree Boxingtalk.net is what is wrong with boxing! It is not the crappy fights HBO keeps airing, nor is it all of the alphbet orgnizations playing politics with their titles. It definitely is not the networks who refuse to match their top fighters, NO it is the hottest site on the web which generates daily boxing news and daily visits from top fighters. In fact after that tirade by Zab I no longer want to see him fight PBF. LMAO! I am currently attending UNR as a PR major and I am looking to work in boxing or UFC and after seeing this chump I know I will get in somewhere! That did make me feel good. Keep up the great work! Roy Bettencourt

G,         I don't know who this Donald guy is but he's got a nerve stating that you (boxingtalk) are bad for boxing........your site is the only one I look @ everyday and rely on for exposure & up to date info. Does this guy not see that real boxing fans want to learn about fighters hear the trash talk etc, or maybe we should be subjected to boring PR bull that is reiterated over and over every fight?   You guys are inspirational in the way you are dedicated to this sport and I as a fan would never have got a chance to speak to some of my favourite fighters If I hadnt found your site. I emplore Donald Duck or whoever he is to shut the f up and understand his place 'In the office, licking envelopes' leaving the 'Peoples Champs' of writing to get on with there job properly without having biased personal beefs cloud the objective.   Peace   Willa

Greg, Obviously that Donald Trembly guy is an asshole who shouldn't be working with such a large promotion like Main Events. Don't even waste your column space on trash like that. Keep up the great job on the "BEST" boxing web site in the world. Mark-LES,NY

Hey Greg,   Don't let these fools get under your skin. One of the reasons why I became a subscriber/member is to get the behind the scenes and off camera/magazine stuff that most of us are not privy to. Keep up the good work and please continue on making this the best motherfucking boxing website in the world!!   Angel

Editors Note: Boxingtalk has again given Tremblay better publicity than he has given BJ Flores, Joel Julio, Anthony Hanshaw, Raul Martinez and Archak maybe we'd know his name if a better PR were behind him.

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Send questions and comments to: gleon@Boxingtalk.net