Last night, what is possibly the greatest series ever to hit television started it's second season - "The Contender".  If you don't know what it is, last year Sylvester Stallone and Sugar Ray Leonard had this show on NBC where they took 16 boxers, and through various physical contests, one would get the chance to challenge another boxer.  The winner got to stay and the loser was off the show.  The boxer who won the final fight got one million dollars, and the winner was a dude named Sergio Mora who is still undefeated.  These boxers they bring in aren't a bunch of ham and eggers either, some of them are former title holders or are currently highly ranked pros.  This year the show moved to ESPN, and last night they had the season premiere which was two hours long and had two GREAT fights.  What makes these fights so good is that there is SO much at stake.  It's not like a title fight where the loser is guaranteed five million bucks, so these guys give it everything they have, and it's unreal.  It's no secret I'm a HUGE boxing fan.  Ever since I watched "Rocky" as a kid I've been hooked.  Growing up, me and my dad used to watch ESPN Tuesday Night Fights every week, and my hero was a guy named Bobby Czyz.  He now works as an analyst sometimes for HBO boxing...but I digress.  The reason I love boxing so much is what the movie "Rocky" is all about - one man determining his fate through sheer will, heart, and guts.

So what does this have to do with anything?  Well over the last several days I've been asked by more than one person why I'm still single.  Now when you get asked the same question a few times, you start to analyze it, or at least I do.  Oh before I continue, I went to the gun and knife show this weekend and scored a killer deal on a .357 Magnum snub-nose...I can't wait to hit the firing range this week and try my new bad boy out.  Don't know why I threw that in there...I just can't wait to try it out.  Anyway, I honestly started to contemplate the question over the last few days, and then while watching "The Contender" last night I had what alcoholics refer to as "a moment of clarity", to quote Samuel L. Jackson from "Pulp Fiction".  I'm watching these guys give it everything they have in the ring, and it was then I realized something - I crave challenges.  Now when I say that, I don't mean some little bitty obstacle, I'm talking about something that consumes your life.  My best memories are when I was faced with a huge challenge and got through it.  I love the struggle, I love digging deep and seeing what I'm made of, I love the solitude of it...the "me against the world" mentality.  Now I don't mean in an angry and hateful way at all.  For instance, one reason I absolutely love football so much is that feeling you get...that feeling of being a linebacker on fourth down and one...knowing that you have to hit your gap and when you hit the running back, you better sum up every bit of guts you have to drive him backwards and stop him.  And this is where the problem lies.  I look back at every relationship I've ever had and realized how much I started to pull in the reigns for it.  Now the failure in these wasn't my fault...oh I know you're thinking "oh please, Bo" but it's true...in every case I was the one dumped for some VERY bizarre reasons I will never understand.  But in looking back at them all, I'm glad they ended, no lie.  Like this last one for instance, I actually caught myself calling Don, our guitar player, if we could reschedule a practice so I could take this girl out one night...and that was stupid.  In talking to him I said "nah...nevermind" because the band was honestly more important.  Oh I know that sounds horrible, but I really like to set my priorities based on tangible things.  For example...do I cancel a practice for someone I've known for a few weeks or do I say that I'm busy the one free night she has that week because I know that the band will go on even if me and her don't.  Is that being egotistical?  I don't think so, because I've made many concessions in the past to have them bite me in the ass later on.  The band is very important.  See, when I play a gig, it's a major challenge to me.  Yes, I do have a blast, but a lot of the fun is because of the challenge.  Can I pull this off?  Can I play these tunes and not screw them up?  Am I good enough?  All that kind of stuff.  I'm not looking for anyone else's approval, I just want to know that I felt like I did an awesome job.  Each gig we play is a challenge for me...at least I look at it like that.  Sure, it may be ridiculous, but I'm too old to play football or box anymore...hahahaha.

That's why when I was a teenager I wanted to go into the Army and be a Green Beret.  I wanted to go through jump school and Ranger training and then join the Special Forces.  I dreamed about it for years...sadly two back operations kind of put an end to that dream.  I constantly crave challenges, something that I can do to rise above and feel on top of the world even for just a moment.  That's why when I was in my 20's and put on a pro wrestling match, I wanted to go to a pro wrestling training school, but then had such a messed up shoulder needing surgery I couldn't.  And that's also one of the reasons I'm running for the U.S. Senate now.  One week from Saturday I'll be in Knoxville making a speech in front of the Republican candidates.  I honestly never thought I'd make it this far, but I have.  And I look at this like a Rocky movie...I can seize the moment.  Granted it's not a boxing match, but I do have an opportunity in a way to fight for what I value, and I plan on pouring myself into it.

So when it comes to dating, it's going to take an AMAZING woman to go along for this ride.  I don't mean to sound egotistical at all...this is just who I am.  I crave events to come along in my life that I can COMPLETELY focus on.  The woman I am looking for is someone who could go along for this ride and be my Adrian to this Rocky.  I would treat her like an absolute queen, but like Rocky said "don't ask me to stop being a man".  And I guess that's the best way to sum it up.  I'm still single because I'm Rocky looking for his Adrian.  There you go...question answered.

Oh stay tuned...one week from Saturday I get to tell these "real" candidates what's going on.  Will I be ready?  Oh please...look what I just wrote...hahahaha.  A man with nothing to lose is a very dangerous man.