MMA: Is Conformity a Necessity of the Sport?

For some reason, most of the feedback I have been getting lately has been derogatory and critical of my voicing an opinion in the articles I write.

Readers have been critical of me being a bitter, dried up 87 year old woman who likes MMA. I have to wonder why this would bother anyone?

Many times I have explained how I came to becoming obsessed with watching mixed martial arts and how watching it and writing about it has become a type of therapy for me due to having Multiple Sclerosis.

Changes in my cognition and ability to communicate my thoughts have encouraged me to attempt to explain my love for the new sport with other MMA fans. I never realized how wonderful it would feel to meet such a diverse group of people who all are attracted to the same sport, though often for very different reasons.

What has not been so pleasant is the suggestion that due to my age or gender I am completely off base in stating my own opinions, even though I can back up my reasons for the way I feel.

I admit to being "old school" in my thinking about young people respecting their elders,   if only for their knowledge and life experiences they have gained. I believe in patriotism, good sportsmanship and hard work to attain goals in life. I enjoy reading articles that are articulate, well thought out and use a varied vocabulary and good spelling.

Text messaging, abbreviations, and computer slang put me off, maybe because I am basically computer illiterate.

My articles are written mostly from the heart, not the head, and I don't blame those who cannot relate to my way of thinking or expressing myself.

It is my hope that in some way I will serve as an example to young writers in teaching them to follow their convictions and not cave in to the opinions expressed by others. Being able to support one's opinions is as essential as understanding the views of others.

Not liking conformity and refusing to follow the crowd were lessons I learned in high school where the clique I belonged to tried to tell me who I should have as friends, rather than to find something good to appreciate about everyone in the school. I liked bucking the trend and meeting as many people as I could. Being ostracized for choosing to be an individual where others just wanted to be part of the "in group" made me feel good about myself. I was definitely not a sheep.

In college I didn't "go Greek" because I found the fraternities and sororities to be very superficial. They were the first to make a furor by packing up books and belongings when the clock said it was time for class to be over whether the professor was done speaking or not; that is just rude and inconsiderate.

When I decide to like or dislike an MMA fighter, I am not likely to change my mind about them; I do not follow trends or aspire to be a member of "the flavor of the month club," thus my dislike of Kimbo Slice and Brock Lesner.

Loyalty means a lot to me, and I can understand a fighter who will not fight a friend or training partner. That, to me, would be like expecting me to be able to choose a favorite between my sons or grandchildren, an impossible task.

To me it is puzzling why anyone should fault me for my opinions or for expressing them. I do not like the thought police. I am not going to go to all my readers houses and make them eat sauerkraut, broccoli or brussel sprouts just because I enjoy them and they are a good nutritional choice.

Am I losing out because I truly dislike BJ Penn and adore Georges St. Pierre? Aren't my readers savvy enough to understand there would be no need for competition if everyone liked the same athlete? What am I doing that is so offensive?

All right. You dissenters have got me! I am a sixty two year old woman who hasn't got a clue on this matter of conformity in regards to MMA.

So somebody just shoot me already.