The highly-anticipated boxing reality show the Contender premiers tonight on NBC at 9:30. Unlike most reality shows in recent memory, the Contender seems like it will be better then the rest, especially Fear Factor Twins which is before it. Although it does seem a bit depressing that these guys are beating each other up while they all have families and kids and probably won't be able to think in ten years ( :confused ), I won't miss this show.

 

Will you watch?

I plan on catching it...wish Stallone wasnt the host though...he played a boxer in a movie...he isnt one.

Sure, got nothing better to do.

Sure, got nothing better to do.

704931[/snapback]

You could always IM an old friend....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:plain

OK!

 

We can watch together and have a gay ol' time.

 

 

 

 

 

Gay=happy.

For this post only.

 

 

 

:plain

Not interested. I heard that one of the contestants committed suicide not long after the show's taping ended.

the first episode was a'ight.

I saw it, turns out it's actually pretty good. I'll definitely be watching it from now on.

Holy s***..... http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/21/t...der.suicide.ap/

 

 

 

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Plucked from a tough neighborhood in Philadelphia, Najai Turpin tried to emulate the "Rocky" story and rise from unknown boxer to inspirational star fighter.

 

Turpin even jogged the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art as an homage to the fictional fighter for Sylvester Stallone's boxing reality show, "The Contender."

 

The footage got an earlier-than-expected premiere, played as part of a continuous highlight reel at Turpin's funeral.

 

Days after police say Turpin, 23, shot himself in the head in a parked car outside the gym where he trained, those closest to him remained baffled about why he took his life. Stallone, Sugar Ray Leonard and NBC executives were among the mourners who packed a Baptist church on Friday.

 

"He was a very mysterious man," said Stallone, who developed the boxing series with reality TV mogul Mark Burnett. "He was very quiet, very shy. You never knew what was on his mind."

 

Stallone and Leonard, one of the hosts of the TV show, paused at the open casket, where a pair of yellow boxing gloves rested atop his coffin.

 

Karen Conyers knew Turpin -- or "Nitro" to his friends -- since he was 8 and recalled how excited he was about earning a shot at stardom.

 

"It was somebody from the hood that made it," she said. "He was going to be big and famous. He was like somebody that came from the projects and was going to look out for everybody in the projects."

 

Turpin had a 13-1 record and had won a city Recreation Department title in Philadelphia before being picked for "The Contender." He seemed to have a happy home life with his girlfriend and 2-year-old daughter.

 

"When you see the show, you'll see he was so full of life," Stallone said. "When he was with his daughter and his girlfriend, he was so open, so expressive."

 

None of it seemed to match with a man who committed suicide only weeks before his big break that could have kick-started his career.

 

"The Contender," which follows the lives of 16 boxers competing for a million-dollar prize, began taping six months ago and is scheduled to debut March 7.

'He was a tough kid'

 

The episodes involving Turpin had already been taped, and footage showed Turpin smiling and sparring. One of the executive producers said he saw no signs of trouble from the young fighter.

 

"He was a tough kid. Everybody was afraid to fight him," said Jeff Wald. "He was perceived to be on one of the tougher guys."

 

Something, though, changed for Turpin when he returned home. His sister, Launita, said she had noticed a difference in her brother's attitude, that he had been staying out late and partying while slacking off in his training.

 

She told the Philadelphia Daily News this week that her brother often complained of being too tired to train.

 

Life back in the housing projects was nothing like the high life he had been living.

 

"This ain't no Hollywood show. This here is the real thing," said pastor Tokunbo Adelekan, who mixed the Book of Job with an LL Cool J rap in his eulogy.

 

Burnett said there were signs that Turpin's rough surroundings had taken a toll: He wouldn't sleep in his bed while the series was taping because he was used to sleeping under his bed or in his closet for fear of bullets or burglars.

 

NBC started a trust fund for the boxer's daughter, and viewers can contribute. Stallone said he never could have imagined this ending for Turpin.

 

"He said, 'I have greatness. I feel greatness for me,' " he said.

The show wasn't bad, but the actual fight was annoying as hell. I want to watch the action in the ring, not their family cheering, or Stallone's comments.

Show the damn fight! I don't want to see crowd reactions. I know they try to make it accesible to non-boxing fans, but at least show the fight without editing and occasional dramatic slow motion.

yeah .. overall I love the show and it's really well done

 

my fiance doesn't really follow boxing so she didn't mind .. but to me it bugged me and at the end of the round she'd ask what happened, who won and all I could say is that it's going to be hard to tell

 

although it looks like they edit it in a way to give an indication of who is winning

 

although i'd like to see it ... i'm not sure if spending half the show (incl commercials) on the actual match will fly

Didnt watch the 1st episode, but i watched tonights, im already hooked :thumbup

Damn, I missed it!

It has been said all over discussions about the show, but I hope that this show and "Million Dollar Baby" can help boxing return to the sports mainstream. I'd rather have boxing discussed in Sportscenter rather than golf.

definitely ... it's a great sport and I think this program could help attract more people to the drama of these fighters

 

I think i can get the fiance to go to the next event they have out here in phoenix .. which would be good because it would probably involve Jesus Gonzalez

although I like Ishe and was exited about his big fight agianst his rival (whatever his name is) a lot, I was quite disappointed with tonight's show and probably will not watch this show again.

damn i missed like that last 30 minutes of it.

i thought last nights show was another winner

 

i also think this show is going to really pick up when the final 8 are shown

 

by that point all characters will of been introduced and have fought

 

also they will be deeper in their training and knowledge of each other

 

should be good

 

any guesses on who they bring back and who quits next week?

Peter Manfredo is coming back, no idea who is leaving though.