Bleacher Report - Articles by Rich H

Inter City Firm v Soul Crew, Cardiff '03: My First Taste of Football Hooliganism

Rich H — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:41:19 -0400

The first professional match I ever saw was West Ham vs. Cardiff City in Cardiff, 2003. It was at a time when the Hammers had been relegated.

The entire day, there was an enormous police presence throughout the city, with horses, water cannons, and police on foot. I was visiting a friend, and went to the match with his neighbour, a retired hooligan.

Before the match, we went to the Cardiff supporters' pub, home of the hooligan firm, the Soul Crew. There was a palpable adrenaline charge in the air. You could feel that these lads were ready to throw down at a moment's notice.

I asked my guide, J., if there was any chance the ICF would try to invade the pub. He replied that it wasn't likely, given our superior numbers and the prevalence of CCTV in the area. He said that if anything happened, it would likely be late at night on the outskirts of town.

We went to the ground as a group, and J. ran ahead to confer with some of his mates who were acting as spotters. We took our places on the terrace (at the time only Premiership stadiums were required to have seats) and saw the section of ICF to our left. They were chanting and throwing coins and batteries across at the Soul Crew, who happily returned the missiles.

I think the result was 2-1 West Ham, but I'll never forget the electricity in the air. People were staring at me, like, who the f*ck is he? Is he one of them? If I hadn't been with a former hool, I probably would have got my ass kicked.

I met my friend (not a football fan) after the match, and we went to a pub to meet some of his friends who are/were hooligans. They said there probably wouldn't be a fight, but that the Soul Crew were out hunting for ICF.

Personally, I'm not against football violence, as long as people don't kill each other. I know about the tragedies that have happened, and I make no excuse for the perpetrators.

I also disapprove of those who use weapons, especially guns, in hooligan fights. If grown men with a mutual desire to clobber each other wish to do so, fine by me. As long as they don't target innocents and keep the destruction of private property to a minimum, I think it's a great way to relieve stress and build camaraderie.

The truth is, with CCTV, facial recognition software, databases of known hooligans, travel restrictions, and all the rest, it's almost impossible to stage a mass brawl anywhere in the UK or Western Europe. The authorities in those countries have all but eliminated the hooligan phenomenon. The eastern Europeans can still get away with it, as can the South Americans and people in other parts of the world.

Hooliganism will survive as long as young men burn with the drive to seek status through strength in an organized group. It is a condition that has defined the rites of manhood for thousands of years, in every culture, much to the chagrin of our modern social engineers.

To read about what it's really like, check out:

Soul Crew, by David Jones and Tony Rivers
Hoolifan: 30 Years of Hurt, by Martin King and Martin Knight
The Naughty Nineties: Football's Coming Home, by Martin King and Martin Knight
http://www.ave-it.net/hooligan_firms.htm

I support:

Toronto FC (MLS)
Liverpool FC (EPL)
Cardiff City (EFLC)

Affliction:Banned or UFC:Silva vs. Irvin?

Rich H — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:55:46 -0400

Greetings MMA Supporters:

Looks like it could be a tough call this Saturday. Do you shell out $40.00 for Affliction:Banned, or watch UFC:Silva vs. Irvin free on Spike?

Much like the old yarn, "Nothing comes for free," the UFC event looks like it's going to be nothing. Could Dana White make it any more obvious that he cobbled this event together just to steal the thunder from Affliction?

Aside from the interest factor of watching Middleweight Champ Anderson Silva compete up a class at Light Heavyweight, there really isn't much else worth watching. Brandon Vera is fighting a new guy in the other main card fight. And with the exception of Hermes Franca vs. Frank Edgar, the fights are between TUF alumni and unheralded newcomers.

I suppose on the one hand that it's very generous of Dana to allow an event like this to happen, if nothing else than for the experience and exposure it will give to the new guys.

Lord knows, Dana's best talent is being poached by all the other up-and-coming promotions out there. That, and the fact that a growing number of elite fighters want nothing to do with the guy must be an unwelcome drain on a quickly evaporating talent pool.

The Affliction:Banned card reads like a who's who of the best former UFC fighters. There are former champions and top contenders, like Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski, Josh Barnett, Pedro Rizzo, Matt Lindland, Renato Sobral, Paul Buentello, and Vitor Belfort.

It appears Dana White is losing all of his best Heavyweights. At this rate, he'll be promoting Bumfights with street punks and crackheads.

The Affliction:Banned event looks to be an intense showdown of the best fighters you never thought you would see.

Affliction seems to have connected all the elements that UFC sought so hard to control when they bought Pride. They have triumphed where UFC failed by having the guts to throw Fedor Emelianenko a huge bag of cash. They have put themselves on the path to set up the most anticipated Heavyweight match of all time: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Randy Couture.

The success of this event could serve as a huge wake-up call to the UFC brass. They've been accused (rightly or wrongly) of being too tight with the purse strings for years now. If more and more of their fighters are willing to jump ship to other promotions, all the money in the world won't be enough to purchase their perceived loss of credibility.

For my money, I'll be watching Affliction:Banned, and I'll be taping UFC:Silva vs. Irvin to watch the next day.

MMA Training Tips: Dealing with Injury

Rich H — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:15:51 -0400

Greetings MMA Supporters:

There is no eloquent way to put it. Getting injured during training sucks! There's nothing worse than knowing you may be out days, weeks, months, or for good because of some often avoidable accident. Even a minor setback too close to a match can cost, big time.

Case in point is Matt Serra's back injury forcing an interim title match between GSP and Matt Hughes. GSP won that match and went on to win the UFC welterweight title from Serra.

The inspiration for this article comes from a back injury I suffered recently during wrestling practice. I was tying up, jockeying for position. My opponent jerked my shoulders one way while my legs were going the opposite way. I felt an intense jab of pain in my lower back, just above my hips. I disengaged immediately and dropped to the mat.

The sensation was like nothing I've felt before. I've never been beaten down, but I've taken a lot of lumps in my day. I've fallen down stairs, had my nose broken in a mosh pit, engaged in fisticuffs, and been attacked with blunt objects, yet none of those things was as painful as this.

I informed Aaron, my instructor's assistant, and my partner of the injury, and moved to the side of the mat to massage my back. Aaron advised me to lay on my back and alternate bending my knees to my chest to gently stretch the ligament. After a few minutes I was able to sit up and continued rubbing my aching torso.

As class was nearly over, I told Yuri, my head instructor, of the situation and asked his advice. He had me lie on the mat on my gut, and began kneading the sore area. He then told me to flip over and began bending my knees to my chest.

I was instructed to breathe in and hold my breath while he put his weight on my knees, forcing my spine to realign itself. He performed some variations of the movement, pushing my chest one way and my bent knee the other.

I've never had chiropractic work, but I assume it's similar to the procedure that was performed on me. Upon completion, Yuri advised me to take a lukewarm shower and ice the afflicted area.

I was such a mess, I could hardly change back into my street clothes. Even lifting my gym bag was difficult. It felt like there was a cinder block inside.

I managed to drive home and set to icing my back. Removing an icepack from the freezer, I wrapped it in a towel and secured it to my back with my weightlifting belt. I gobbled down the first two of many Advil tablets, and went to lie down in bed.

Lying on my side, I tried to reflect on what I had done wrong, and what I could do in the future to avoid such problems. One of the many causes of sports injuries is improper warm up prior to training. In my case, I knew that I was sufficiently prepared, so I scratched that idea.

We had drilled technique before sparring, but there was nothing out of the ordinary there. I realized that the only fault I could find was in my own strength and conditioning. I reasoned that I simply wasn't prepared to face a taller, stronger opponent at my present level of conditioning, and resolved to build a stronger core.

Over the next few weeks, I'll report back on my training and conditioning, as well as share any experiences and tips for those of you interested in beginning or improving your MMA training.

Cheers,

Rich

UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin Predictions

Rich H — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:04:45 -0400

Greetings MMA Supporters:

This Saturday, July 5, 2008, the UFC returns with UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin. The world will be watching as this season's The Ultimate Fighter coaches battle for the UFC Light-heavyweight title.

More than just another fight, this war will be the final validation of Forrest Griffin's legitimacy as an MMA fighter. He has proven himself many times in the cage, but has yet to shake the stigma of being somehow less than equal to other UFC competitors because of his ties to the TUF franchise. Oddly, some fans and fighters believe that fighters who ascend to the UFC through the TV show are not as qualified as those who grind their way up from the smaller promotions. Personal jealousy notwithstanding, few if any may argue against Season One champ Forrest Griffin's claim to challenge for the Light-heavyweight Championship. Griffin has shown remarkable improvement since his television debut, and has beaten top contenders, including Mauricio Rua, to earn his shot at Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. A victory for Griffin will silence all critics, and prove that TUF competitors are as equally worthy of respect as other fighters. The following are my predictions for UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin.

Corey Hill Vs. Justin Buchholz: I really have no idea who these guys are. Toss-up either way, but the odds would favour Buchholz for his better record. Buchholz

Melvin Guillard Vs. Dennis Siver: Melvin Guillard's impressive 39-8-3 record is proof of his abilities as a fighter; however, two losses against very tough opponents, Rich Clementi and Joe Stevenson, have set him back on his quest to become a contender. Look for Guillard to come out on fire, because another loss could see him out the door. Guillard

Jorge Gurgel Vs. Cole Miller: Jorge Gurgel, for all of his incredible ability, has been getting a rough ride lately. He has yet to finish a fight without going to the judges, and needs to use his brilliant ju jitsu skills to submit his opponents. If Gurgel can avoid Miller's strikes, he'll win. Gurgel

Gabriel Gonzaga Vs. Justin McCully: Gonzaga is coming off of two losses to two of the toughest men in the UFC, Fabricio Werdum and Randy Couture. This fight looks like a confidence booster for Napao, to get him tuned up to challenge for the Heavyweight title sometime next year. Gonzaga

Tyson Griffin Vs. Marcus Aurelio : I've been a fan of Tyson Griffin's energetic powerhouse style for some time now. A win on Saturday will move him into contention for a title shot. Griffin

Josh Koscheck Vs. Chris Lytle: Chris Lyltle 35-15-4 is by far the more experienced fighter, and due for a title shot. I've never liked Koscheck's attitude, but he is an incredible wrestler. I'll give the nod to Lytle because I want to see if he can hold his own against the higher-ranked Welterweights. Lytle

Joe Stevenson Vs. Gleison Tibau: Tibau is a fierce opponent, but I have to favour "Daddy" Joe because I trained with him at a seminar last year. I think Stevenson is too skilled and powerful for Tibau. Stevenson

Patrick Cote Vs. Ricardo Almeida: This one's easy. I always back a Canadian brother (er, except Kalib Starnes). Cote's big hands are going to smoke Almeida. Cote

Quinton Jackson Vs. Forrest Griffin: I had to write this last because I really didn't want to make a prediction. I like Griffin as the emotional favourite, but Rampage is way too dominant a striker. Griffin has a chance if he can absorb Jackson's blows and take him down. I'll take Griffin, and pray for him to show some of that monkey boy magic he pulled off against Rua. Griffin There you have it. Check back on Tuesday for a review and analysis of my predictions. Cheers, Rich

Happy Canada Day to All Canadian MMA Supporters

Rich H — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:05:12 -0400

Greetings MMA Supporters,

Today, July 1, is Canada Day. I'd like to extend very warm (27 degrees C in Toronto) wishes to all my fellow Canadians, and encourage you to remain proud of our beautiful country and its contributions to the world of MMA.

Canadians have embraced MMA from sea to sea to sea (Canada is bordered by three oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic), and have represented our country far and wide, both as competitors and fans. UFC president, Dana White, commented recently that he has been impressed by how many Canadians attend UFC events worldwide. And who hasn't heard of the most famous Canadian MMA star, Georges St. Pierre?

The list of popular Canadian fighters is growing along with the developing international growth of MMA. From early stars like Gary Goodridge, to current top contenders Patrick Cote, Mark Hominick, Chris Horodecki, and Sam Stout, Canadians are well represented in all categories.

With all of this international success, it is very strange that MMA has not been legalized throughout the country. The provinces of PEI and Ontario have yet to ratify professional MMA. In Ontario, the openly antagonistic Ontario Athletic Commission refuses to grant sanction to MMA, despite the best efforts of local and international lobbyists. Even Dana White was told to take a hike!

We need YOUR support. Whether you are a Canadian in a different province, an American, or any MMA enthusiast from around the globe, we need you to raise your voice and demand that we be allowed to promote our sport.

To get involved, please join the Canadian Mixed Martial Arts Association www.canadianmma.com and www.mmagateway.com.

Thank you for your support.

Cheers,

Rich H

Are You Tough Enough to Train in MMA? There's Only One Way to Find Out...

Rich H — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:47:56 -0400

Does the above photo of Keith Jardine's face getting pummeled into hamburger by Chuck Liddell make you sick, or does it make you want to run to your nearest gym to learn how to develop the skills to impose your will on an opponent as equally determined to splatter your DNA across the cage?

If you answered yes to the latter, you might just have what it takes to become an MMA fighter.

Training for MMA is much like training for any other skilled discipline you can think of. You have to have a deep love for the sport in your heart, and the iron will to overcome the many obstacles that will inevitably present themselves.

One of the many benefits of MMA training is the strength of character that develops along with the strength of body. The MMA athlete must learn to accept with humility the fact that, as tough as he thinks he is, there will always be someone bigger, stronger, faster, smarter than himself.

He must drive himself beyond the point of breaking with the resolve that, all other factors being equal, only his will to conquer shall result in victory.

The road to becoming such an elite athlete is long and hard. Improper training may lead to injuries, family/work/school commitments may drain the athlete's energy and will to train, and the simple lack of appropriate facilities or partners may deter some from even trying.

The good news is that due to the steadily growing popularity of the sport, there are far more people willing to train than there were even five years ago. DVD instruction videos are readily available for home study, and many traditional martial arts gyms are capitalizing on the trend by offering MMA courses.

Do you have to be tough enough to get beat down for five five-minute rounds to train in MMA?

No, nobody said you have to.

You do have to have the persistence to train hard and train well. Respect your partners and coaches, and above all, have fun.