HBO Boxing analyst Max Kellerman has not only established himself as one of the top sports commentators in his favorite sport (boxing) but as a well rounded and insightful voice in all of realms of the sporting universe . The one-time host of ESPN's popular sports talk show Around the Horn left the network when Fox Sports Net came calling with a very lucrative deal that would give Max his own show to discuss sports topics as he pleased. (This was back when FSN was still telling themselves that they could compete on same level as the guys in Bristol, Conn.) The show was creatively named I-Max and was subsequently cancelled the following year due to conflicts with network execs.
I think it is safe to say that the cancelleation of the show was best for us (the boxing fans) and Kellerman himself, because the next year he landed the top analyst job in all of sports (personal opinion), ringside commentary for HBO Boxing. He is currently splitting time with long-time analyst Larry Merchant (who is slowly melting down before our eyes on live television; however in his day, he was kind of a bad ass - see below), and will be replacing him as soon as his contract expires.
But, the reason for this post is not to highlight the career of Max Kellerman in sports, but to give you a glimpse of what he was into before we were regularly watching him in front of our t.v. dinners (I actually don't anyone who eats t.v. dinners).
In 1994 Columbia records signed a small time hip-hop duo and released a video for their single entitled, "Young Man Rumble." If the boxing reference in the song's title and the fact that I am writing about Max Kellerman led you to believe that he was the mastermind behind this hip-hop-astrologist duo, then you were right (one gold star).
Check out "Max & Sam" (Max's brother) rip up the mic with some swicked flow from 94' (below). Don't worry I didn't believe it either. Surprisingly, we have heard much worse... Man, the stuff that we thought was cool back then makes you wonder what the hell we're gonna look like to everyone in fifteen years.
I don't mean to put a damper on things but in 2004 Max's brother Sam was found dead in his apartment in Hollywood, CA. Ironically enough, soon after the incident a former boxer confessed to the murder, one-time super middleweight champ, James The Harlem Hammer Butler (who was later convicted and sentenced to 29 years in prison).
The most interesting (and dark) detail surrounding the case, was the fact that a hammer was found next to Sam when authorities arrived on the scene and was later designated as the murder weapon in the crime.
The nickname, The Harlem Hammer, was given to James Butler many years before this tragic incident, quite possibly carrying more meaning than most would care to know.
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