Off the Ropes

Candace Toft sadly passed away on May 22, 2015. She won her first award in 1999 for Best Personal Essay in University Publications, Western Region; the piece, entitled Not Just Another Cancer Story had been submitted on behalf of the National University periodical Insight and was later published in Coping Magazine, under the title, The Love That Sees Me Through. In 2000, her novel A Mingled Yarn won first runner-up in the San Diego Book Awards unpublished novel. In 2002 Candace won runner-up for poetry Chapbook with Poems to My Mother, and for The Trap in the category of Novelist Grant Award. In 2004, she, along with her co-author, Gordon Ooley, won first place in San Diego Book Awards Unpublished novel category for Emergence. Al Bernstein (Foreword) is known to millions on both sides of the Atlantic as an award winning sports commentator for ESPN, Showtime and Great Britain's Channel 5. At the core of his skill set, he is a writer. He used this talent to chronicle his great broadcasting career and interesting life in his new book "30 Years, 30 Undeniable Truths." Through anecdotes, observations and story telling, Al talks about the great events he has covered and the fascinating people he has met along the way. This humorous and sometimes poignant book underscores the fact that Al has carved out a career of varied endeavors, including successes in television, radio, internet, movies, public speaking and stage performing. Al was the voice of boxing for over 24 years at ESPN, and covered other sports there as well. In 2003, he moved to Showtime Networks as analyst on the Showtime Championship Boxing series. He also announced boxing for NBC at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. Most recently, he became the first American to join Great Britain's Channel 5 as an analyst on their boxing series. Once a pioneer of cable television, Al is now forging a new road on the internet as Executive Producer of www.BoxingChannel.tv, the first all boxing channel every created. In addition, through his company Al Bernstein Live, he continues to criss-cross the world as a speaker, emcee and spokesperson for businesses and nonprofit organizations. In 2012, Al received the highest honor in boxing by being inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame. He is one of only a few broadcasters to be so honored.