Coach Trip: Jackson Responds to Criticisms
Jake Rossen Oct 15, 2009
Spike’s “Ultimate Fighter” has recorded as many cases of career
self-destruction as success stories: for every Forrest
Griffin or Diego
Sanchez, there’s a Jason
Thacker or Gabe
Ruediger, more punchline than puncher. While part of the blame
falls on the athlete, producers can take a fleeting moment of bad
behavior and turn it into a six-episode running narrative.
The latest alleged victim of the show’s character assassination: Quinton Jackson, who disputed on his members-only blog his portrayal on the series.
“They edited the show to make me look like I didn't care about my team…” he wrote. “I just talked to them back in the locker room, in private. Rashad thought the show was about him, about how good of a coach he could be and how fake he could be.”
All clear now? Jackson has been leaving his fighters unconscious and bleeding in the Octagon while shaking his head ringside because the show should be about them, not the coaches. Jackson’s argument might make some sense if Evans had been jumping in the cage to administer first aid and oxygen -- but he wasn’t. He was simply doing the humane thing and offering physical and emotional support to a downed athlete. (In several cases, to Jackson’s own downed athlete.)
As we’ve seen in seasons past, the ability to beam your heel persona into millions of homes every week tends to affect the crowd reaction during a live event. (Junie Browning wasn’t booed because of a bad dye job.) If and when Jackson decides to fight again, he’d better hope the UFC is ready to return to his own Memphis. Otherwise, his training camp should include learning how to dodge beer cups.
The latest alleged victim of the show’s character assassination: Quinton Jackson, who disputed on his members-only blog his portrayal on the series.
“They edited the show to make me look like I didn't care about my team…” he wrote. “I just talked to them back in the locker room, in private. Rashad thought the show was about him, about how good of a coach he could be and how fake he could be.”
All clear now? Jackson has been leaving his fighters unconscious and bleeding in the Octagon while shaking his head ringside because the show should be about them, not the coaches. Jackson’s argument might make some sense if Evans had been jumping in the cage to administer first aid and oxygen -- but he wasn’t. He was simply doing the humane thing and offering physical and emotional support to a downed athlete. (In several cases, to Jackson’s own downed athlete.)
As we’ve seen in seasons past, the ability to beam your heel persona into millions of homes every week tends to affect the crowd reaction during a live event. (Junie Browning wasn’t booed because of a bad dye job.) If and when Jackson decides to fight again, he’d better hope the UFC is ready to return to his own Memphis. Otherwise, his training camp should include learning how to dodge beer cups.
