[Rodja]

The Grand Rapids Press
Is UFC a sport or not a sport?

The so-called sport of ultimate fighting, which is little more than glorified street fighting, has become America's fastest-growing and most controversial form of televised entertainment. And the most repulsive form of television programming.

Here's what UFC fans have in common:

A. They're mostly Nean-

derthal males hiding in caves.

B. They're not nearly sophisticated enough to appreciate the sweet science of boxing, nor the infield fly rule, the pick-and-roll, the left-wing lock, the bump draft or the pulling right guard.

C. They still think the "Flintstones" is a documentary.

The macho world of mixed martial arts is a disturbing trend in sports programming, which, unfortunately, might get much worse before it gets better. It often attracts higher ratings than both NBA and Major League Baseball postseason games among the coveted 18-to-34 male demographic.

The pay-per-view numbers are staggering: Ultimate Fighting Championship's pay-per-view revenues were almost $223 million in 2006, compared with $177 million for boxing on HBO and $200 million for WWE pro wrestling, according to figures in a recent issue of Sports Illustrated.


Following the money

UFC and similar events can be found on the Spike cable network, on WXSP, which has turned to this garbage since losing Big Ten football and men's basketball and Detroit Tigers telecasts, and even on ESPN2 for a live weigh-in.

Shame on them.

The once-legitimate sport of boxing has become irrelevant, with its alphabet soup of sanctioning bodies and a heavyweight division that's not the same since Mike Tyson took a bite out of Evander Holyfield's earlobe.

That's not a high point.

It started the downward spiral for a declining sport that no longer appeals to young males, who'd rather spend $54.95 on a violent video game than a pay-per-view matchup.

Mixed martial arts isn't a sport. Judo is a sport. Karate is a sport. Those disciplines are showcased once every four years on a legitimate stage in the Olympics.

Mixed martial arts is a cultural plague.

I promise this is the last time I'll ever write about UFC or the knuckleheads that participate in this savage bloodlust for the purpose of TV ratings.

I've made a list of so-called sports cluttering the cable TV landscape that I'd much rather watch than sit through UFC's skull-bashing sessions.

Darts.

Spelling bees.

Figure skating exhibitions.

Billiards.

Cheerleading.

Eating contests.

Strongest man competitions.

Any talk show featuring Skip Bayless or Woody Paige.

No, I don't watch those ridiculous events, either.

I'd still like to think that traditional sports such as baseball, football, basketball, hockey and auto racing are the common threads that run through our culture.

Or boxing, for that matter.

Instead, it seems the next generation is preoccupied with the warped sensation of seeing the cult film "Fight Club" come to life in the form of combatants punching, kicking and mauling each other in a cage that's called the Octagon.

Shame, shame, shame.




Send e-mail to the author: bvanochten@grpress.com

I am getting so ****ing tired of these fat pricks insulting not only my sport, but also me.

[stxnas]

Whoa, whoa, whoa...you mean The Flintstones wasn't a documentary?

This guy is talking out of his ass. He is likely a long time boxing fan...he said mixed martial arts isn't a sport, but Judo and Karate are. Hmm, that makes sense. That's like saying there's no skill in catching a football, BUT you have to be a skilled athlete to be a wide receiver.

[Sir Savage]

I don't like to personally attack people, but he's an idiot.

[Rodja]

Originally Posted by Sir Savage

I don't like to personally attack people, but he's an idiot.

I don't either, but he is attacking an entire sport and it's fans (and I fall into both categories).

[tattoopierced1]

what a retard.

[jas123]

Yeah, this guy is one of the worst depressed boxing fans out there. I like how he says that auto racing is a real sport with good fans. I don't watch it at all, but there is certainly a portion of fans that only want to see crashes.

[zbtboy]

Originally Posted by Rodja

B. They're not nearly sophisticated enough to appreciate the sweet science of boxing, nor the infield fly rule, the pick-and-roll, the left-wing lock, the bump draft or the pulling right guard.

HAHAHA. Yes these are all much more technically difficult than a submission. Geez did i really think an arm-bar was a better show of athleticism than when an infielder has to catch a fly ball with runners on base (or not catch it since the hitter is automatically out)??....I'm such a fool.

[SteelEntity]

well he is getting a peice of my mind.

[Rodja]

Originally Posted by zbtboy

HAHAHA. Yes these are all much more technically difficult than a submission. Geez did i really think an arm-bar was a better show of athleticism than when an infielder has to catch a fly ball with runners on base (or not catch it since the hitter is automatically out)??....I'm such a fool.

I guess he also forgets that the left-wing lock was one of the worst things that ever happened to hockey. It slowed everything down and led to the clutching and grabbing of the late 90's, early 2000's.

[jas123]

Originally Posted by SteelEntity

well he is getting a peice of my mind.

Might as well attach a virus if you're emailing him.

[Rodja]

Originally Posted by jas123

Might as well attach a virus if you're emailing him.

I like how you think...

[EESCHMan]

What a tard!

I wrote him...
is there an email address for the paper to write about this?

[stxnas]

For those of you that do write him please keep in mind that we don't want to prove his point for him:

Here's what UFC fans have in common:

A. They're mostly Nean-

derthal males hiding in caves.

B. They're not nearly sophisticated enough to appreciate the sweet science of boxing, nor the infield fly rule, the pick-and-roll, the left-wing lock, the bump draft or the pulling right guard.

C. They still think the "Flintstones" is a documentary.

[Rogue Drone]

Looks like a Tard?



is that on your head?!

Acts like a Tard?

Sports Columnist, that's his speciality, who crudely insults a large fanbase with indefensible generalizations and ignorance.

It's confirmed, he's a turd covered in burnt hair or maybe Bigfoot's D**k. One thing's for sure, he'll never make "Anchorman" on the Network with work and a mug like that.

Count me as a content Neanderthal happily hiding in a cave, if this is the "Real" Sporting way to be.

I should rip him a new one by email, but being him is probably punishment enough. To paraphrase the line from "Animal House" -

"Fat, Ugly, and Stupid is no way to go through life, Son"

[stxnas]

Is that really his pic or did you just pull a bad come-over pic from the net?