Foreman v. Kraft? Place your bets now
The several hundred people who attended last week’s annual dinner of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston were obviously puzzled by why each place setting, along with a kale salad and a Statler chicken breast, included a resistance band — the kind that’s now a fitness trend. The purpose became clear when George Foreman III – he’s one of the sons of boxing legend George Foreman – got on stage and asked everyone in the room to stand up with a band in hand.
He then gave the chuckling audience a mini calisthenics lesson, which was a comical sight: corporate types in business attire doing dead lifts, chest presses, and glute squeezes, while Foreman described the health risks of sitting at a desk all day.
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Foreman was there because he owns a gym in Boston’s Fort Point neighborhood that has a wellness partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs. The program lets some club kids use the gym free on weekends and gives free training to club trainers.
After wrapping up the group workout, Foreman issued a challenge: He invited Boys & Girls Clubs chief executive Josh Kraft, the son of New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft, to three rounds in the boxing ring with him.
“He’s always trash-talking me,” Foreman explained later, adding that Kraft “reminds me of Muhammad Ali, the Louisville Lip,” a nickname Ali got because he often taunted his opponents. “So I called him out on it!”
An amused Kraft later confirmed the allegation. “I always tell George his program is weak, it’s soft, I could do it in my sleep,” he said, “so that’s what led to this.”
As for who would be the victor in the proposed matchup, each man has a different verdict.
“I hold no illusions: I’d probably last one punch from George and then it would be pretty much over,” Kraft said. “He could probably punch me in the foot and it would be over. Actually, I’d probably just sprint around the rink, but my guess is he’s quicker than me, too.”
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“He’d beat me,” Foreman countered. “Knowing Josh, he’d come up with some sneaky trick. Maybe he’d bring a bat and pepper spray. He’s clever — you never know.”
There’s no competition date yet, but stay tuned. — SACHA PFEIFFER
About that boat stuck in the Financial District
It’s hard to forget a 43-foot Hinckley yacht when it runs aground — or more accurately, into a snowbank — in one of the Financial District’s busiest intersections, just as the city recovered from yet another major storm.
On Feb. 11, you may recall, the Maggie Mae was being taken by trailer to the New England Boat Show at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center when the truck’s driver ran out of room trying to make a turn at Lincoln and Summer streets and got stuck, further snarling the already congested traffic.
The powerboat is owned by Robert Vincent, president of David Clark Co., a Worcester firm that makes high-tech communications equipment.
Vincent said he was relieved to learn that the yacht had emerged relatively unscathed after the truck was towed to the convention center. But he confessed he’s still surprised by the boat’s celebrity status.
Hinckley Co. had just finished manufacturing the boat for Vincent at a shipyard in Maine and had hoped to show it off at the boat show. Vincent was more than willing to oblige, not thinking he would have to deal with the possibility of a shipwreck in the Financial District.
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He said he visited the boat show Tuesday, and his boat was still attracting an unusual amount of attention, nearly a week after the incident.
“People were lined up, wanting to see Maggie Mae,” Vincent said. “People were taking pictures. One of the common first questions people asked [at the boat show] was, ‘Where’s the boat?’ ”
The Maggie Mae is destined for a shipyard in Portsmouth, R.I., before it moves to Jamestown for the summer season.
Vincent, like most of us, can’t wait for the warmer months to arrive.
“I guess she’s become something of a celebrity,” Vincent said. “She’s had her 15 minutes of fame, and [now] I hope the story will go away.” — JON CHESTO
And speaking of all that snow
Don’t expect to catch the Phantom Gourmet in line at your local Stop & Shop.
Governor Charlie Baker held
a press conference on Friday at the State House at which he essentially begged every warmblooded adult in the Commonwealth to take their sweetie out to eat at some point this week.
The restaurants, Baker said, were in danger of losing a big day for business as another snowstorm arrived on Valentine’s Day. So Baker’s solution was to declare it Valentine’s Week.
One reporter pressed him: But what about supermarkets? Aren’t they, at least, going to reap some windfalls as shoppers load up on milk, eggs, bread and just about everything else on the shelves?
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That’s when Dave Andelman, chief executive of the Phantom Gourmet business, stepped up to help Baker at the podium.
Andelman was there at the administration’s request, representing his trade group, the Restaurant and Business Alliance.
Andelman conceded this could be a field day for supermarkets. But most of them are owned by out-of-state conglomerates, he said, while most of the restaurants are mom-and-pop affairs.
The rush to buy extra groceries, Andelman said, has a detrimental effect on restaurants that lasts for many days as consumers feel obligated to eat through their supplies before the food goes bad.
“Not me,” Andelman quickly added. “I eat out every meal.”
— JON CHESTO
Can’t keep a secret? Tell us.
E-mail Bold Types at boldtypes@globe.com.