Quinton Rampage Jackson: Ain't He Sweet?

Ain't He Sweet? Yes, I am talking about one of my favorite ex-UFC fighters, Quinton Rampage Jackson.

While many would disagree about the "sweetness" factor that Jackson may or may not have, quite a few A-Team fanatics from the old days may feel that the new Mohawk haircut he is sporting is "sweet."

Unlike his predecessor, Mr. T, who portrayed BA Baracus, Quinton Jackson has a charming smile.

I seem to remember that from the time Mr. T portrayed Clubber Lang in the Rocky movie, he was always known for having a very stern expression to the point that on TV appearances, hosts and guests would attempt, but invariably fail to make him break into a smile.

Quinton is a very amiable person and can be very charismatic. To explain the change that came over him as he entered the octagon for combat, he would howl like a wolf. This wolf persona, like an alternate personality, did not smile.

The wolf demeanor was fierce, with piercing eyes hinting of wildness and blood lust lurking just below the surface and ready to be unleashed from the chain that had held it back from society.

Unlike Mr. T, though, Quinton is much more charismatic personally, loves to relax and joke around with friends and fans when outside of the cage, having fun, loving life, being free to be himself and comfortable in his tattooed skin.

As some one to hang out with and just shoot the sh*t, no one could be as much fun as the man known as Rampage.

What Rampage is not, is a good coach for other fighters. He himself hates to train and spend rigorous hours in the gym or doing road work. He detests having to diet and stay away from the home style cooking he loves.

Fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits and butter. . . ah, the comfort foods from the South. What tastes better than that?

So coaching others was not what Quinton was cut out for in his life. Joking and goofing off during his own training just did not make of him a passable coach. That is something that could be said for many professional athletes.

Playing well and earning your bread and butter from your excellence as an athlete does not automatically cause one to become equally able to know how to effectively coach and motivate others.

This is why some people succeed as coaches and others fail. It is a hard job that comes from spending years studying a sport and individual athletes to know what makes them tick or if they are even suitable for a particular sport that they are interested in pursuing as a career choice.

Thank heavens for the Greg Jackson's of the world who do know how to coach, plan strategies, and motivate athletes.

Apparently, Greg Jackson also imparts a lot of his coaching talent to his trainees as well, because Rashad seems to have soaked up the ability to empathise and relate to his team and the members of Rampage's team as well, and is not shy about boosting the morale of either, post-fight, of course, with regards to Page's team members.

Now, a critic of Rampage's must realise that he did not volunteer for the job of coaching a team in this TUF series, he was implored by Dana White to coach yet another season.

Rampage was not a happy camper in the first instance and did not willingly sign up for a second season, so this was not his bright idea.

Rashad may or may not have had a burning desire to become a team coach on TUF, but having been a wrestler in college, he did have an advantage over Rampage to begin with, so why would anyone be surprised that Rashad is a better coach under these strange circumstances?

For a long time, Rampage had voiced an interest in playing the role as Baracus. Although I do not know the timeline that was involved in relation to at what point in time he knew he had the part, I do not think there was any subterfuge involved with him deceiving Dana White about his desires or intentions should the part become available.

The fact that he had to be coerced by Dana into taking on the coaching responsibilities in TUF is much more significant to me.

Whether Rashad would have reacted the same way that Rampage did in taking the movie role without considering how it could interfere with the final coaches' confrontation is now a moot point.

Because of the variables concerned and a final confrontation with White, Page has bowed out of the whole situation and may have left the ranks of the UFC for good.

The fact that there may be no final resolution to which coach is the better fighter, is upsetting to some degree, but if everyone considers the bigger picture, I believe it is completely understandable.

Dana is, of course, banking on the possibility that the A-Team will be a flop and Rampage will have to come crawling back with his tail tucked between his legs begging his master for forgiveness.

If the A-Team is a hit and a sequel looms in the future for all involved, then Dana may even be asking the question concerning Rampage's defection: "Well, ain't he sweet?"