Your assessment of Frank Shamrock (Pictures) was right on the money. It's been frustrating to listen to his post-fight interviews. On one hand he acknowledges that a fight between him and Matt Lindland (Pictures) would be great. He then follows that by saying he only wants to fight people that can draw and sell PPVs.

This is the point that Shamrock is missing. The key to doing big pay-per-view numbers is exposure on free television. So for all of Frank's talk of how Phil Baroni (Pictures) is a great talker/character and can sell tickets, a Lindland/Shamrock match would probably do the same PPV numbers as Shamrock-Baroni.

Not to mention the fact that Gary Shaw has gone on record saying that the card drew about 10,000 people, so it was not a sell-out by any means. But still a good number. Does anyone not think that Shamrock-Lindland could not match those numbers at the live gate?

I am also betting that if you put together a similar undercard featuring local San Jose talent like Cung Le (Pictures) and the AKA guys, you may actually sell out the HP Pavilion because now you have a main event that can draw in more of the hardcore MMA audience. Most fans and media view Matt Lindland (Pictures) as the best 185 lb. fighter not under UFC contract. That's something that has never been said about Phil Baroni (Pictures), even though he is very good fighter.

Here's hoping that Shamrock comes to his senses, so we can all see that fight. -- Chris McKellar

If Frank Shamrock (Pictures) isn't the most divisive character in the sport, I don't know who is.

While I regard Lindland as the world's No. 1 middleweight, his style hasn't been a box office success. Baroni had the winning alchemy of being explosive in and out of the ring, and it made for a terrific, emotional fight. I think Shamrock perceives Lindland as being far more trouble than he's worth.

Boxed In

First off, love the Sherdog site and the articles. Been a fan for years and it's the best MMA site, bar none.

Second, are you a boxing fan or another sports writer who feels the need to drive another nail into boxing's eternal coffin? I've seen quite a few articles where there seems to be a need to take a jab at boxing for the sake of MMA. I find this completely absurd and wholly insecure. -- Alex Luces

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a true fan of boxing. My interest was limited only to the casual Tyson spectacle and the odd bout of intrigue (Roy Jones moving up to take on John Ruiz, for example). It's too sterile for me, and I've seen far too many fights on the top level become a point-sparring contest.

That said, you're not going to catch me berating it: the combatants are ridiculously skilled at their craft, and probably absorb more life-altering punishment than any other athlete out there. I'm not necessarily sure that's anything to brag about, though.

Dept. of Corrections

The Rolling Stones song Big Nog came out to was "Gimme Shelter," not "Just a Shot Away," though that's a lyric from the song. -- Frank C. Baluka III

This was one of several emails correcting my mistake from a recent Minute-by-Minute, and probably the most polite. Thank you for not bringing my mother into it.

Fox Sports, Edited

I recently completed my collection of all the available PRIDE DVDs. I figured I better get 'em while they are still in print and still retain the excellent quality DVD production that the later UFC releases lack. You never know, Dana/Zuffa may *never* re-release the PRIDE events on DVD again.

Anyway, I happened to be watching FSN the other night, and their PRIDE show was on. They were showing the 2006 match between Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) and Mirko Cro Cop. What I found very odd was the fact that they were splicing in crowd footage from totally different matches. It was surreal to see some footage of the crowd from the American PRIDE shows spliced into a fight that took place in Japan. Not sure why that was, but it was placed during the more brutal segments of the fight -- possibly a decision by FSN thinking it was too much for 'regular' TV. There was also the customary blurring of logos too, but now that the UFC owns all the footage I suppose they have their business reasons for it. -- Chris Cook

I don't know about re-issues, but you can bet the PRIDE library will be exploited for every penny its worth. (And ain't nothing wrong with that.) Its value as a marketing tool for imported talent is substantial. You could produce a Spike special on Silva that could be edited to make him look like the most ferocious athlete who ever lived.

I suspect FSN inserts footage of Caucasians to make the proceedings seem less exotic and foreign, as well as offer a transitional image for when they edit down fights and don't want to draw attention to the rapidly expiring round clock.

Rival promotions should take note of the fact that The Ultimate Fighter -- still the most successful combat series to date -- presents fights unedited and sans the sound effects. If your product needs to be compressed or artificially enhanced, you've got a serious problem. I don't see the MLB tape-delaying games by two weeks and editing out the scoreless middle innings.

Stover and the IFL

Why didn't John Stover just walk out on the Tommy Morrison fight? He was contracted to fight MMA, not boxing.

Before the IFL, I sent an article to Jeff Sherwood with a very similar plan (I was applying for a writing position) to take MMA in a team direction. However, where IFL differs and where they made their mistake is that the team should not be state based. People want to see Team Dragon Ball, Team Miletich, the Lions Den, Team Quest, Hammer House, Takada Dojo, and Team Punishment. This is where they dropped the ball in my opinion. MMA fans identify with these teams and it would have been better for team recognition and merchandising. -- Grant Girdwood

Stover initially agreed to an MMA fight with no grappling; it was changed at the 11th hour to prohibit any leg strikes.

If the unheralded heavyweight was willing to risk his health against an alleged HIV-positive athlete, he was actually better off doing it in a stand-up affair than in the physically intimate world of grappling. Either way, he got what he wanted, which was a degree of exposure and attention that fighting anyone else wouldn't have afforded.

Re: the team concept, branding the IFL with existing franchises would make it very difficult to deal with departing coaches. If Pat Miletich (Pictures) decides to part ways, he's taking Team Miletich with him. The IFL wants proprietary squads.

Besides, all sports franchises are regionally based. Helps with the fan interest.

And Finally …

I prefer to watch the UFC with sound turned off in order to shut out the stupid commentary by Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan. They always remind me of the days when this rugby guy would comment the fights in UFC 1 and 2. My ideal commentators would be a mix of Stephen Quadros, Frank Trigg (Pictures), Randy Couture (Pictures) and Bas Rutten (Pictures). -- Mathias Dubois

You, sir, should be ashamed for not including Bruce Beck, play-by-play broadcaster of UFCs 4 through 15 and the best MMA commentator to ever take to the microphone.

Your slight was so egregious that I had to e-mail Mr. Beck to see if he'd ever consider a return to the mixed-style booth. To my shock -- how could I have missed this? -- he already has.

"I did the play-by-play of Lou Neglia's Ring of Combat in November," Beck explains. "My color commentator was Jim Genia. He was a knowledgeable and great guy! It was enjoyable and invigorating. I get calls often regarding Mixed Martial Arts play-by-play opportunities. If time permits and the right gig presents itself, I would welcome the challenge. I'm still a big fan."

Beck, incidentally, recently won the New York Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports Anchor. I assume it was awarded retroactively for his call of the Mark Coleman (Pictures)-Maurice Smith (Pictures) bout from 1997. (After the lights went out: "Smith will fight in the dark! He'll fight in an alley!" Seriously, rent that. It's incredible.)

Despite the regular helping of sarcasm Goldberg marinates in here, he actually does a very hard job very well. He's obligated to deliver information, plug sponsors, humanize athletes, and be the avatar for the layman, all while leading the broadcast. It's a thankless juggling act, and he makes it look relatively smooth.

That said, one more "meteoric rise" reference and I will commit seppuku with a butter knife.

For comments, email jrossen@sherdog.com