MMA fighting

Quote: buzzardknot

Wonderful sport. 4 deaths in last 3 years in sanctioned fights, 6 in unsanctioned fights.

Wow, maybe following this sport is not such a good idea. I also did a little research about where some of the former stars are now and they are not exactly model citizens. The UFC organization is also not the most straightforward, professional, or transparent.

Quote: FrGamble

Wow, maybe following this sport is not such a good idea. I also did a little research about where some of the former stars are now and they are not exactly model citizens. The UFC organization is also not the most straightforward, professional, or transparent.

About the one good thing Rome did after coopting Christianity, was to abolish blood sports from popular entertainment. Gladiatorial fights, combat against wild predators, combat among wild predators, etc. I maintain this is often overlooked in the development of civilization and liberty.

I maintain, too, that an activity where the objective is to inflict injuries on one's opponent is not, and cannot be, considered to be civilized. Even if the stated objective is different, if the means to that objective is to inflict injury on one's opponent, then it remains an uncivilized activity.

I worry about the NFL, too. Granted the objective is to score, and from the defense to keep the other team from scoring, there is way too much gratuitous hitting going on. Not that there is an intent to injure, exactly, but there is an intent to hurt the other player. This is really wrong, and risky for both players involved. And this is definitely something the League ought to abolish as far as possible.

I'd recommend, again, doing away with the "down by contact" rule. That is, a ball carrier who's hit and falls to the ground, or goes out of bounds, can get back up or back in and keep advancing the ball. To be down or out of bounds, he must be brought to ground by an opponent, or taken out of bounds. This would reduce the incentive to just hit the other player.

I'd also make it a big penalty to hit with the helmet, anywhere on the opponent's body. Also up the penalty for going for someone's head to immediate ejection from the game and a one-game suspension to be served at the next available game, whatever it may be (regular season, next season, playoff, or Super Bowl).

I hear what you are saying but there is something about fighting someone one on one that has such an appeal. To train ourselves to fight can be an art. These mixed martial artists are on a different plane than the rest of us. They can box and kick and grapple and submit, it is amazing to watch how proficient they are at it. I too wish there was a way to make sure no one got hurt. When I realized boxing causes such damage I thought maybe the professionals should go to Olympic style boxing with headgear and a point system. However, this type of boxing is so subjective and strange and leads to crazy results. Maybe what I would appreciate better is some type of wrestling, those guys are amazing too. Thanks.

Quote: FrGamble

I hear what you are saying but there is something about fighting someone one on one that has such an appeal.

Think about this:

Historically the weapon that has killed most people is the sword. Today there are sword duels in fencing where no one even gets a paper cut.

Leave "actual" injuries and violence for fantasies like movies, TV and video games. Fight scenes, involving martial arts, are very popular in the superhero genre. That's where they should stay.

Quote: FrGamble

. When I realized boxing causes such damage I thought maybe the professionals should go to Olympic style boxing with headgear and a point system. However, this type of boxing is so subjective and strange and leads to crazy results. Maybe what I would appreciate better is some type of wrestling, those guys are amazing too. Thanks.

Bad news for you padre.... Olympic boxers no longer wear headgear.

Quote: Nareed

Think about this:

Historically the weapon that has killed most people is the sword. Today there are sword duels in fencing where no one even gets a paper cut.

Really? Possibly not. Suspect if you think it's ancient weapons, it's the pointy stick that has killed more than the sword.

Slap fights.

Quote: TheCesspit

Really? Possibly not. Suspect if you think it's ancient weapons, it's the pointy stick that has killed more than the sword.

Perhaps. But there are no sayings like "The pen is mightier than the spear," or "He who lives by the spear shall die by the spear," nor are there prophecies about beating spears into plowshares.

Aside from that, war is as old as humanity. If you consider only written history, say from about 2500 BCE to the present, swords, spears, etc. were the primary weapons until the 18th century. And even then there remained a great deal of close combat with bayonets and knives until WWII.

Quote: terapined

Rank with the NHL fans that prefer fighting over sportsmanship

You say this as if they were mutually exclusive. Lol.

Quote: Nareed

About the one good thing Rome did after coopting Christianity, was to abolish blood sports from popular entertainment. Gladiatorial fights, combat against wild predators, combat among wild predators, etc. I maintain this is often overlooked in the development of civilization and liberty.

I maintain, too, that an activity where the objective is to inflict injuries on one's opponent is not, and cannot be, considered to be civilized. Even if the stated objective is different, if the means to that objective is to inflict injury on one's opponent, then it remains an uncivilized activity.

I realize you're making an opinion on civilized behavior and I'm not gonna argue that. I also realize that you're just expressing an opinion and not stating that all violent activities should be banned, so I'm not going there either. But I shudder to think of where I'd be without a codified, accepted way to release violence.

It's just one of those things where no other thing can compare. I can and have played two-hand touch; it's a good time. It's still a physical release, still a "game", there's still the strategy element, a physical element, a runner's high, all that. But when you just wanna smash someone, there's no replacement for it. There's no relief to be found. And some of us, for whatever reason, need to do it. And if we don't, it builds until it can't be held and comes out on its own. Maybe in traffic, or the line at the buffet. Sport keeps me from sending my boss through the racks or nearest window. I don't have to smash the jerkwad in the parking lot because I just had hockey and I'm all smashed out. The tank is empty and able to accept more aggravation so I don't have to flip out in public. That's what it does for me.

As for MMA, I'm over it. It was fun for a time; I, too, had all the VHS back when Butterbean and Tank Abbott were almost kids. Back when it was just guys who could take a beating, never mind skill or talent. Today, it's just too much a production, too much manufactured drama. And I like guys like GSP (my fave) and Anderson Silva. Spry, technical folks. Quiet folks. Respectful folks. Once GSP got hurt and I looked at what was left, it wasn't guys I cared to care about.

But I'd still do it well before I boxed. The point of MMA seems to be to take the guy out. The point of boxing seems to give your opponent brain damage. I'd rather be out 6-8 while my tibia stitches itself back together than go 6-8 of seeing and hearing things that aren't there =/

FACE " Sport keeps me from sending my boss through the racks or nearest window." Now I understand why you chose the Post office as a career.