The majority of men think of themselves as being tough. The type of guy that doesn’t stand for any sheningans or nonsense. It isn’t that most guys are trained in mixed martial arts or studied under the tutelage of Mr. Miyagi. But men seem to have a strong belief that if it came down to it they could definitely handle themselves in a physical altercation. 
I have never been one for fighting or much of a violence junkie. I do like action but I’m not in favor of brutality and gore. In fact, I’m 30 years old and I have only been in one physical altercation and that took place in high school. But even that wasn’t much of an altercation. He threw a punch which I dodged, I wrapped him up, and held him until he tired himself out. The only “real” punch I ever took was from my brother over a video game (sibling rivalry). But I’ve never been in a serious fistfight. I was often able to either talk my way out of fights or make people rethink their choice with the “Pittsburgh Mug” I inherited from my father. Also, there was this myth or belief, based upon athletic ability, that I could really fight so for the most part I was never tried. But if you asked me if I could handle myself or protect my family I would answer emphatically, YES. I guess I believed my own hype.
I woke up December 9, 2012 and turned on ESPN and saw Manny Pacquiao take a ridiculous right hook that knocked him out cold. It was scary. Twitter and Instagram went crazy. The memes I saw were utterly ridiculous. But soon I got to thinking how one punch can change everything. Manny Pacquiao was supposed to win. He was scouted as being younger, faster, and stronger. But one mistake and just that quick he was out cold. A few years back, I went to a sports bar and was eating some wings and having a brew. The place was crowded. In walked a guy about 6′ 1″ and 245 lbs. I noticed him right away because he walked in with a commanding presence. He proceeds to push this guy that’s probably 5′ 5″ out of his way. The little guy didn’t like it too much. He tapped him on the shoulder and then threw a potent haymaker dropping the guy on the spot. I actually ran over to the guy and he was out cold. Another guy and I carried him to a booth where he woke up 5 minutes later. My daddy always said nobody’s above a butt whoopin’.
A knockout is really a severe concussion or several minor concussions that eventually causes the brain to shut everything down as it tries to heal itself. It’s the bodies way of rebooting itself and also it’s way of trying to save you from yourself.
How tough is any man or woman? I’m not so naive to believe that size has anything to do with it. I was raised in such a way that the person able to exercise restraint and walk away was the stronger person. I most often think about the worst of a situation. What if you hit someone so hard they fall back and hit their head and they take the long nap? Remeber what happend to Cochise in Cooley High? It’s sad to see so many grown people believe fighting is the best way to handle disputes. But no one wants to be seen as a punk or pushover. Everybody is just so tough these days. Well until the right blow catches them….
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