biased article...

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family

You know, this is the second AP article about MMA that has been editorialized in a negative way in less than a month. The author called them "sucker punches" in the article. Unbelievable.

And the AP reaches a lot of people. Which means a lot of people are still being fed a negative story about the sport...

Here is the AP's contact info: http://www.ap.org/pages/contact/contact.html

email is info@ap.org

Let them know that MMA fans are smart and not thuggish and not sucker punchers

how do fighers "sucker punch" each other. i don't understand.

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family

Exactly. When two fighters are facing each other, you can't sucker punch. A sucker punch is when one fighter isn't expecting to be punched...

Wikipedia definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucker_punch

Does this sound like MMA to you?

that's what i see everytime i watch UFC...just sucker punches

and why is he saying bare knuckles? then only to go on and say what the children wear? which include gloves. he calls them "thin." which he doesn't know is safer than boxing gloves...

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family

Indeed. I noticed that too. In fact "thin" is considered good because you can't punch with the same ferocity as a boxer lest you break you hands...

len was worse i think. but this guy is still a moron. these guys don't ever call them athletes.

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family

As Pramit suggested, another writing campaign is due, much as we did for Leonard Shapiro.

It's interesting because Len was so exaggerated in his arguments that it was almost easier to dismiss him and laugh at his ignorance. The AP is a bit more subtle which actually makes them more dangerous...

interesting views from cbs...stupid, stupid people

http://www.sportsline.com/mcc/messages/chrono/7378160

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family

Heh, "Natural Selection".

some people obviously either didn't read the article, or is just stupid...

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family

There seriously needs to be some sort of minimum standards required for someone to actually call themselves a journalist - and then be able to write about a sport. You should at the very least know the basic rules.

I used to play tackle football with my firends in the back yard of one of my friends house when we were like 9-12. The 'out of bounds' was the rose beds on either side. We took some serious scrapes, thorns and even a broken collar bone to one of my friends once. Does that mean that football should be prohibited from younsters?

this one kid in HS got stingers all the time from football. i almost snapped my elbow. this one kid tore his shoulder. a few times that season kids layed on the field not being able to get up for a while. football is tough. kids fighting with 2 refs on each side of the kids, stopping fights before a kid taps which means that strain isn't there, and no strking to the head at all if they're on the ground.

there's no weightclass in football.

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family

Dear AP,

Who are the "journalists" you've got writing about MMA? If you need writers who actually understand the sport, there are a number of members at FightTicker.com who could do more than a serviceable job for you.

You'd have to be ok with them not describing the sport as "brutal" and "violent" every other sentence while also describing strikes using terms like "jab" and "hook" rather than "sucker punch."

If you're interested, please contact me.

At the very least, have your "MMA writers" visit FightTicker.com for a crash course on the sport.

Love,
Pramit

The author's name is Marcus Kabel. Here's the problem, now the story has spread to the Washington Post as well:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/28/AR200803...

I also saw a piece on the Today show this morning about kids and MMA. Of course they has home video of two kids without shirts and no gloves fighting in the back yard while some hillbilly mama screamed for her kid to "GET HIM". I see we are not going to get a fair shake from most of the media on this. Of course what did I expect? I learned one very important fact while in Baghdad. The media is a business and stories sell much better when they are negitive. I'm sure some idiot will make the compairson between MMA and dog fighting anytime now.

already happened. follow the link i gave....

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family

Heh - on the radio on my drive to work they were taking calls all morning on kids and MMA. It was started with 'win a free prize if you can name what is legal for 6 year olds in Missouri but illegal in most other states!'. They talked about the article on the air and it was exasberated by the two DJs who were trying to explain MMA to the audience as a no holds barred bare knuckle beat-down where anything goes like two idiots right outside of a bar. Fortunately Seattle has a great fight-community and a knowlegeble fan base that I am sure will call in or email to complain. It was a pretty one sided conversation with only a few calls making it on the air... all horrified at 6 year olds going bare-knuckled no holds barred bar fighting of course...

they call MMA fans rednecks because we like watching 2 athletes trained in various martial arts fight each other...what still irks them is that these fights happen in a CAGE. oh no...a cage where they are FORCED to fight to the death with sucker punches abound, broken bones, blood every where, a tiger ready to leap out, a hauling mob chanting "TWO MEN ENTER, ONE MAN LEAVES," as they eat the dead bare knuckles fighters flesh....

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family

http://www.fightleague.org/

There is the link to a popular amature MMA tourney that allows youths to compete. I send that link or the one to the rules sections, and I encourage whatever uninformed journalist I am sending an email to do some homework. Pankration is the not the MMA most people are familiar with, but it's popular and reputable and well organized for amauture youths. If nothing else, it shows the variety of competitions that fall under the MMA banner. Much better than interviewing some hillbilly lady yelling at her kids in the backyard to punch...

Here is a list of techniques and scoring rules... does not quite sound like NHB bare knuckled mayhem that most main-stream journalists tend to describe it....

its long and I never expect anyone to read it... but it illustrates my point that there is a very technical and controlled aspect to this sport...

ARTICLE I: PERMITTED TECHNIQUES

Section 1: Legal weapons – Punches; hammer fists; palm heels and forearms. Kicks with the instep; bottom of foot; blade of foot; ball of foot; toes; shin and knee. Strikes with the head, and tip of elbow are prohibited. Stomping on a downed opponent as well as up-kicks from the bottom are prohibited.
Section 2: Legal striking targets - Chest, stomach, ribs, thighs and calf. Strikes to the face, head, joints, back, spine, groin or other vital points are prohibited. Strikes must be delivered below the collar bone. It is the striker’s responsibility to ensure all strikes are delivered to legal areas. Kicking a downed opponent is prohibited with the exception of leg kick. Knee strikes from side control to a downed opponent are allowed to frontal ribs. Section 3: Legal submission targets - Wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, straight knee, neck and ankle. Submissions should be executed with applied pressure not “cranked”, to allow time to submit prior to injury. Pressure points are allowed as long as they are executed with applied pressure. Neck cranks or submissions which involve dynamic twisting or pressure against the neck joint or spine are prohibited. Heel hooks and submissions which involve a twisting pressure against the knee joint are prohibited.
Section 4: Takedowns and throws - Takedowns and throws designed or intended to cause injury are prohibited. Throws that involve joint locking are prohibited. Flying scissors style takedowns are prohibited. Unnecessary slamming or spiking to the head is prohibited. Slamming to escape a submission is prohibited.
Section 5: The following are strictly forbidden:
A. Stalling or fleeing the mat.
B. Intentionally causing injury to opponent
C. Executing any illegal strike, throw or submission.
D. Bending or twisting of fingers.
E. Biting, scratching, pulling of hair, clothing or pinching / pulling of skin.
F. Speaking or disrespectful conduct during bout.
G. Arguing with any official.
H. Refusing to obey the direction of any official.
I. Showing disregard for one's or opponent's safety.
J. Continuing the bout outside competition area.
K. Any other condition for which the referee believes a penalty should be imposed.

ARTICLE II: SCORING

Section 1: The winner of the match will be determined by one of the following:
A. Competitor with the most recorded points at the conclusion of the match wins. A (15) point advantage is considered a technical submission and ends the match. A two or less point advantage can be considered a tie if referees feel appropriate. In the event of a tie, referees may consider aggressiveness, leg kicks, and submission attempts to determine true winner of the match.
B. Competitor who causes opponent to submit by taping or by verbal announcement.
C. Disqualification
D. Referee stops bout for safety of participant.
Section 2: Techniques will be scored either one (1), two (2), or three (3) points depending on execution, effectiveness and difficulty.
Section 3: Takedowns and throws:
3 points - Opponent is thrown with legs/feet elevated over shoulder executed with good form and technique.
2 points - Opponent is thrown with his legs/feet elevated over knees. Any 3 point throw with flawed form or technique.
1 Point -Any other throw, sweep, take down or tackle which results in top position. Any scramble which results in a top position of control. Pulling guard will result in 1 point for the opponent. Pulling guard with an attempted submission will result in a takedown point for opponent if he frees himself from submission attempt and ends up in top position.
Section 4: Stand-up striking techniques:
2 points - A kick which clearly lands on the chest, stomach or ribs with power, proper torque, distance and follow through. A combination of punches where two or more unanswered strikes clearly land on the chest, stomach or ribs with power, proper torque, distance and follow through; or two or more effective strikes from a single clinched position.
1 point - A kick which lands on chest, stomach or ribs minus one of the elements making it a 2 point strike. A punch, hammer fist, palm heel, knee or forearm strike delivered with power, proper torque, distance and follow through to the chest, stomach or ribs.
0 points - Any striking technique in which the striker falls to the mat. A clash of strikes when here is no clear advantage to either competitor. Strikes to legal areas of the legs are allowed but earn no striking points.
Section 5: Ground control striking techniques - Striker must be in either mount, side mount, knee on belly position, back mount or inside guard position to earn ground striking points. A striker standing over a downed opponent must have control of a limb to receive striking points. You cannot receive points striking from your back.
1 point - A punch, hammer fist, palm heel, knee or forearm strike delivered with power, proper torque, distance and follow through to the chest, stomach or ribs.
2 points - Two or more "1 point strikes" which land on a downed opponent from the same positions of control. To earn additional points the striker must change positions of control after receiving 2 points.
0 points – Three or more strikes to a downed opponent from the same position of control. Striking without a position of control. Strikes to the legal areas of the legs will earn 0 points.
Section 6: Immobilization points: Holding your opponent in a position of advantage will earn Immobilization points. Positions of advantage are known as mount/ top control, side control, and back control. Positions of advantage can be fluid and move from side to side as long as the same general position is held. Attempted submissions in which control is established are also considered a position of advantage.
1 point - Awarded to the competitor who immobilizes a downed opponent from a controlled position of advantage or an attempted submission hold for 10 to 19 seconds.
2 points - One additional Immobilization point will be awarded after 10 more seconds of control. 20 seconds = 2
Section 7: Reversals:
1 point - Awarded to the competitor who executes a reversal from the bottom position and ends up in the dominant top position. (Ending up inside guard does not score) Section 8: Push out: 1 point – Overtime period only. Awarded if opponent steps out of bounds during the match. Both competitors must be standing when push out occurs. If takedown occurs after push out, take downs is only scored

ARTICLE III: REFEREES AND OFFICIALS
Section 1: Each bout will be judged and administered by two (2) referees, a timekeeper and a Scorekeeper.
Section 2: The referees will enforce the rules of the bout.
Section 3: The referees will verbally and physically announce points as they are scored.
Section 4: The scorekeeper will mark points as announced by the referees and tally the points upon conclusion of the bout. Additional scorekeepers may assist during the bout. An electronic or cardboard score chart may be displayed but the official score will be recorded on paper.
Section 5: The two referees may form methods to work together during the bout as long as the method adheres to the rules and regulations.
Section 6: A Chief Referee must be present during all matches. A Referee Trainee must be accompanied by a Chief Referee if officiating. Two “B” level Referees may officiate the match but a Chief Referee must be present.
Section 7: Referee Certification
A Level – Chief Referee

Received Training in Pankration rules, scoring and bracketing.
Minimum of Ten years Mixed Martial Arts Experience.
Minimum of 21 years of age.
Received CPR and Sports First Aid Training.
Prior experience of officiating a minimum of 200 matches.
B Level – Referee

Received Training in Pankration rules, scoring and bracketing.
Minimum of Five years Mixed Martial Arts Experience.
Minimum of 18 years of age.
Prior experience of officiating at minimum of 50 matches with a Chief Referee.
C Level – Referee Trainee

Received Training in Pankration rules, scoring and bracketing.
Minimum of Five years Mixed Martial Arts Experience.
Minimum of 16 years of age.