The Doggy Bag: Readers Write, We Respond
Fingerless Gloves
Fingerless Gloves
I am a former boxer and judo black belt. I don't like how you always talk bad of the sport of boxing. MMA has bad decisions and is heading in the same direction. It is too easy to lose in this sport and the most popular are the only ones that get paid well.
You are starting to see more fighters ducking opponents they don't need to fight. As far as people like you, writing with such arrogance like you and your sport is superior to others. I think you are turning it into a spectacle. You are taking marginal fans that get their information from you, and turning them into snobby critics when they don't realize the hard work that goes into the sport.
So you think because people aren't always being knocked out and some decisions are wrong that boxing is inferior to MMA you are wrong. The most exciting part of MMA is when the fighters are standing and punching each other. Most boxers would eat MMA standup specialists to shame.
Quit being so snobby; you have a great sport, so don't belittle something else! And make a point. Most of the fans of MMA want to see someone get knocked out. They don't know the art of combat sports and you don't educate through your commentary.
-- Diesel Giraud
Jason Probst, columnist: Thanks for writing in. You are correct in that most fans prefer a highlight-reel knockout to a tactical battle with subtle twists and turns, but at the end of the day, we are all fans of MMA and the outcomes of fights either will or won't retain the fan base.
So far, it seems that enough fans are content with a card of, say, 7-8 fights, with a few knockouts, a few decisions, and a couple boring ones. That seems to be the case for your average card. The amazing thing, really, is that fans have enough faith in the "next time" approach that they are willing to sit through absolutely dreadful cards (see UFC 78, for example) and keep coming back.
When all fails, I like to don a pair of fingerless gloves to spice up an uneventful match. You should try it sometime.
Please send feedback to mailbag@sherdog.com. Your letter could appear in the next edition of “The Doggy Bag.”
I am a former boxer and judo black belt. I don't like how you always talk bad of the sport of boxing. MMA has bad decisions and is heading in the same direction. It is too easy to lose in this sport and the most popular are the only ones that get paid well.
You are starting to see more fighters ducking opponents they don't need to fight. As far as people like you, writing with such arrogance like you and your sport is superior to others. I think you are turning it into a spectacle. You are taking marginal fans that get their information from you, and turning them into snobby critics when they don't realize the hard work that goes into the sport.
So you think because people aren't always being knocked out and some decisions are wrong that boxing is inferior to MMA you are wrong. The most exciting part of MMA is when the fighters are standing and punching each other. Most boxers would eat MMA standup specialists to shame.
Quit being so snobby; you have a great sport, so don't belittle something else! And make a point. Most of the fans of MMA want to see someone get knocked out. They don't know the art of combat sports and you don't educate through your commentary.
-- Diesel Giraud
Jason Probst, columnist: Thanks for writing in. You are correct in that most fans prefer a highlight-reel knockout to a tactical battle with subtle twists and turns, but at the end of the day, we are all fans of MMA and the outcomes of fights either will or won't retain the fan base.
So far, it seems that enough fans are content with a card of, say, 7-8 fights, with a few knockouts, a few decisions, and a couple boring ones. That seems to be the case for your average card. The amazing thing, really, is that fans have enough faith in the "next time" approach that they are willing to sit through absolutely dreadful cards (see UFC 78, for example) and keep coming back.
When all fails, I like to don a pair of fingerless gloves to spice up an uneventful match. You should try it sometime.
Please send feedback to mailbag@sherdog.com. Your letter could appear in the next edition of “The Doggy Bag.”
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