On MMA Jul 18, 2008
Mixed martial arts, or MMA, is a sport that mixes several different styles of martial arts in a competition between two trained athletes, where the winner is determined by a knockout, a submission, or a judge's decision.  The standard combination of martial arts styles consists of one part striking (boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai) and one part grappling (wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu).  Just as there are several different leagues that represent the sport of American football (NFL, CFL, XFL, etc.), there are several different MMA "leagues" including UFC, IFL, Pride, EliteXC, Affliction, etc.  The UFC is probably the most well-known and recognizable, largely because of its expansion onto non-pay-per-view TV and reality shows. 

The UFC started in the early 1990s as a competition to determine the "best" style of martial arts.  To level the playing field, there were no rules (a.k.a. "no holds barred").  The sport quickly deteriorated into a spectacle and was condemned by detractors (especially Arizona Senator John McCain) as a brutal blood sport, comparable to human cockfighting.  Things went downhill until no state would legally sanction an MMA fight, at which point things went underground.  In the late 1990s, the UFC changed ownership and worked with several state athletic commissions (the legal bodies that either allow or deny sporting events to take place) to decide upon a universal set of rules for the sport.  The rules were minimal, but highly effective at minimizing serious injury and making the sport more of a sport and less of a show.  This change essentially paved the way for the sport's vast (though not total) public acceptance. 

Today, many newscasters and public figures still criticize the sport for being too brutal and barbaric, citing the "human cockfighting" argument from 15 years ago.  I've heard people say that we're a civilized society, so there's no place for a violent, bloody sport that looks like it's from ancient Olympic times.  People are even further outraged to learn that children can sometimes compete in MMA competitions.  Won't someone please think of the children? 

I'm personally a fan of MMA.  I think it's an entertaining sport that takes a lot of skill to practice, and I admire the men and women who do so.  When somebody can solve a math problem that I can't solve, I'm not that impressed.  But when somebody can take a punch and deliver a kick in return, I'm impressed.  The level of skill involved in MMA has grown exponentially from when it started, and the expertise and stamina of the athletes is nothing short of amazing.  It used to be that any old Joe could get in the cage and have at it.  But these days, competitors need to rise up through the ranks of the local and state competitions in the hopes of making it to the big leagues.  "Punching hard" or "being in shape" are no longer the only criteria for entry. 

On a more philosophical level, I feel that MMA is almost hard-coded into our genes.  Maybe not MMA specifically, but certainly some form of combat.  The varying accounts of our planet's first human beings always contain some sort of physical conflict.  Using the Bible's examples, Cain killed Abel, Jacob wrestled with God, and David slung a rock at Goliath.  I'm not saying that violence is a good thing, but it seems to be part of who we are.  The ancient Greeks were perhaps the first people to turn fighting into a sport, and this was the basis of the Olympic games.  But that fighting often ended in death, which isn't good for either competitor.  Only today have we taken the positive aspects of fighting -- the competition, the physical strength, the technique -- and turned it into an activity that's meant to be just that -- an activity.  It's a sport, not a fight.  It's a competition, not a death match. 

So to say MMA is barbaric and violent is to miss the point.  All sports are violent.  Only in American football do 300-lb athletes run into each other head first at full speed, only to do it again and again, hundreds of times per game.  Only in baseball are athletes permitted to throw a 5-oz ball 90 mph at an opponent and hope to hit a 2-foot wide target just to the left or right.  Only in soccer do athletes form a human wall 10 meters from the ball, using only their hands to protect their "vitals", in the hopes of stopping a 60-mph ball kicked by an opponent. 

My point is that all sports are barbaric in their own way, yet we love them.  Sports are a national pastime and even an identity in some places.  The fact that MMA's violence comes in the form of punches, kicks, joint locks, and strangle holds shouldn't detract from its value as a sport.  I will, however, concede that the sport is not for all spectators.  It's violent, bloody, and looks painful.  But once you understand the fact that it's an athletic competition and not a personal fight, you'll get a better idea of why it became a sport in the first place. #sports
Pro Bowl and such (1) Feb 11, 2008
Can we as a sports-watching human race please admit that games like the Pro Bowl and the All Star Game should no longer be played?  They're such a waste of time, money, effort, energy, and talent.  The purpose behind these games is good:  To honor the best athletes in the sport and have them compete with the other best athletes.  But no one knows who won last year's Pro Bowl.  No one keeps track of statistics or records or anything like that.  These games are simply a formality.  The important thing is knowing who was selected.  Hearing that a person was a 3-time Pro Bowl selection means a lot.  Whether or not that person even played in the Pro Bowl is of no consequence.  So instead of wasting sports fans' time by showing some meaningless, inconsequential game (after the season, no less), please just say who made it and let's collectively move on. #sports
Gillette Stadium logo (3) Jan 20, 2008
The New England Patriots play in Gillette Stadium and they've been on TV a few times recently, so I've noticed their home field's logo:  A tower and a bridge, representing the entrance to Gillette Stadium.  In other words, Gillette Stadium's logo is a picture of Gillette Stadium.  That's like wearing a t-shirt with your picture on it. #sports
Onion fantasy football Dec 28, 2007
The Onion has a great fantasy football league called Shattered Expectations. 
You get a chance to win big by picking the biggest losers of the week every week. If you can pick the biggest bunch of disappointments, let-downs, and general losers-of-the-week from our pre-picked pool of underperforming superstars, you win $500. Predict a perfect train wreck of a season - 17 weeks' worth of overpaid fumbles, over-hyped interceptions, and dismal underproduction, and earn $5000. All it takes is a cool, calculated sense of cynicism, a discerning eye for the overrated, and a willingness to trust that sinking feeling in your gut.
It's too late in the season to get anywhere with it at the moment, but I'll definitely be participating next fall. #sports
Tom Brady minifigure Dec 27, 2007
In the brouhaha over the NFL Network being stupid, the Consumerist said something unrelated yet quite funny:  "...Tom Brady's hair makes him look like a Lego."  How true.  To demonstrate, I created a comparison picture using Lego's own Digital Designer. 
[Image: tombradylego.png]
He's a beautiful man and a perfect football player, but he does look like a Lego minifigure. #sports
Low score highlights Nov 27, 2007
From the NFL's website: 
[Image: nfllowscore.png]
Highlights from a 60-minute game where the score was tied at 0-0 for the first 59 minutes, 43 seconds?  Sign me up! #sports
More NFL observations (1) Nov 26, 2007
Sort of continued from here. 
  1. Jeremy Shockey isn't all that bad anymore.  Last year, he was annoying and whiny.  This year, he's the only player on the Giants who can catch a pass, and he's finally found a way to control his emotions.
  2. The Eagles will never be a good team as long as they have Donovan McNabb.  In last night's game against the undefeated New England Patriots led by Tom "God" Brady, the Eagles pretty much won the game under the leadership of quarterback AJ Feeley.  Though the score says they lost, it was close enough to call it a win, especially for a pretty bad team playing a really good team.  But McNabb is expected to be ready to play next week, and he'll inevitably start the game, where he'll get sacked several times, throw a few interceptions, and re-injure himself.  It feels like last year all over again:  When you have a good quarterback (Feeley this year, Garcia last year), PLAY YOUR GOOD QUARTERBACK, don't play an aging, injured, has-been.
  3. Quarterbacks are forced to carry too much of the blame when their offense does poorly.  The perfect example is Eli Manning.  Everyone is so quick to criticize him, but what about the fact that the Giants' offense is tied for the 2nd most dropped passes?  Sure, a bad pass can have both a bad passer and a bad receiver.  But you only need to watch a Giants game for a few minutes to see a receiver drop a pass, whether it's thrown directly at his numbers or simply bounces off his hands.
#sports
Punching kids Nov 21, 2007
There's this thing that's found in normal everyday martial arts places.  It's called BOB, or Body Opponent Bag. 
[Image: centurybob.jpg]
Instead of practicing your punching, kicking, elbowing, and kneeing on a bag (or a real person), you practice on a rubbery dummy that's about 6 feet tall.  It's good practice because most people, as it turns out, aren't cylindrical, so punching a bag isn't always very life-like. 

In martial arts places that also offer classes for kids, there's a similar thing called Bobby Bully. 
[Image: centurybobby.jpg]
It stands about 4 feet tall and has a mean face like a bully.  It teaches kids to punch other kids who look mean. 

An interesting thing happens at the kickboxing place I go to.  Our class is full of grown men and women, mostly in their early- to mid-twenties.  At the beginning of each class, we run around the mat in a circle to get our blood flowing.  Certain guys, as they run past the Bobby Bully, throw a punch or an elbow just for fun.  Since Bobby Bully is rubbery and relatively life-like, his neck bends at an impossible angle when he's punched hard enough.  Watching grown men punch a child-sized dummy is hard to explain.  If it's done with a serious face, these guys would look like sadistic criminals.  Done with a chuckle, it's harmless.  Either way, it helps us get ready to punch kids in real life.  And that's a skill everyone should have. #sports
Male cheerleaders (2) Nov 10, 2007
Cheerleading is a girl thing.  It's always weird to see a person of one gender in a sport that's traditionally dominated by the other gender.  There aren't many male field hockey players.  There aren't many female football players. 

There aren't many male cheerleaders.  Well actually, there are, but they're mostly found in college football.  The thing with male cheerleaders that makes them different than other males in female-dominated sports is that they're gigantic and they're fearful.  You can't really sit around and make fun of them.  They can crush you.  All you can do is say, "Huh, there's a male cheerleader.  I don't understand him.  But I respect him." 

My question is this:  How does one decide to become a male cheerleader?  There must be some other motivation besides touching female cheerleaders' butts (though judging from the behavior of typical males, this can be argued).  Seriously, where do these people come from?  Are they football players who didn't make the team but still want to be close to the sport?  Are they gym rats who just enjoy lifting things?  I'd really like to know. #sports
Catch the ball Oct 29, 2007
It's my personal opinion that wide receivers should catch the ball if it hits their hands.  I don't care how high they have to jump or how far they have to dive.  If the ball touches their hands, they should be able to catch it.  They play football for money.  Besides some mediocre blocking, all they do is catch passes.  Catch the friggin ball. #sports