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Another drive-by media attack on MMA
By Zach Arnold | August 5, 2007
It’s irritating enough to deal with daily drive-by media attacks on MMA when the outlets are newspapers like The Grand Rapids Press and the Mason City Globe Gazette. It’s even more aggravating when the media outlet in question has a big circulation like The New York Daily News.
Today’s feature comes from Bill Gallo in The New York Daily News called Telling it like it’s going to be. Gallo tries to be cute by addressing several socially-popular topics through a storyline that “he’s going back to the future in 2107.” If it sounds silly enough already, it is.
Gallo saved his worst for last, however, and decided to get a Tony Kornheiser-style shot in on MMA.
I turn to the sports section and the leading story tells me how ultimate fighting is about to be abolished. The controversial sport had become a huge moneymaker and even surpassed automobile racing in gate sales.
However, the “sport” proved to be on the edge of barbarism where deaths and permanent injuries were prevalent.
The desperate promoters plan to stage bouts on barges if not given licenses on land.
Bill forgot to point out that he’s a backer of boxing and won an award from the Boxing Writers Association of America (the same group Charles Jay has been investigating).
Gallo is not the only Daily News writer who has launched a drive-by attack on MMA. Fellow sports columnist Filip Bondy launched a drive-by attack on May 27th when he lumped “Ultimate Fighting” in the same category as dogfighting.
In other news from the mainstream media, academia finds out that – hey – fans of MMA aren’t bloodthirsty cavemen and cavewomen afterall.
Topics: Boxing, MMA, Media, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback | Share This
“However, the “sport” proved to be on the edge of barbarism where deaths and permanent injuries were prevalent.”
Is he talking about Boxing, LOL.
That’s what I thought when I read the barges comment. John L. Sullivan, the legendary last of the bare-knuckle fighters, fought on a barge against John Flood. Maybe he’s confusing Boxing’s past with MMA?
Zach, are you a fellow “Ditto head”?!
My political tendencies tend to be all over the board these days. However, the “drive-by” term is accurate — and it doesn’t have to have any political association for it to be appropriate, either. Drive-by media attacks = quick hit job, senseless in meaning. That sounds like most of what is written in local newspapers these days.
Cmon, Zach! You know you like the all knowing, all seeing Maha Rushie! Firmly ensconsed behind the golden EIB microphone….with talent on loan from God! LOL.
On loan from his Oxycontin dealer.