« Scott Coker: Media writers claiming that Showtime controls Strikeforce’s decision-making are putting out propaganda | Home | The rise of top Featherweight Marlon Sandro »
Jordan Breen: Showtime has angrily called me before after reading transcribed quotes from my radio show
By Zach Arnold | June 24, 2010
A funny passage from his Tuesday radio show. Keep in mind that Jordan had no knowledge of what Scott Coker said during his interview with Josh Gross on the SI show.
By the way, who’s this mystery transcriber? You know who it is. I may be persona non grata as far as being safe to name drop in most of the MMA media circles (this is hilariously a true fact), but if you ever doubted over the countless years of writing that people in Zuffa’s office, the Japanese offices, etc. read what I write, consider those doubts removed. Who would ever be afraid of moi? Amusing as hell.
Here’s the set up for this passage: A caller asks Jordan what he thinks about his influence on the MMA industry. Jordan tries to play it cool but brings up the fact that Showtime has called him up in a fit after reading a transcription of what he said on his radio show previously. If you want to know what got Showtime pissed, it’s this passage from Jordan that I transcribed which related to Showtime calling the shots for Strikeforce and how Rich Chou has little matchmaking power. Take note that Scott Coker was not a happy camper during that Josh Gross interview when he was responding to whether or not Showtime was calling the shots for Strikeforce.
After Jordan answers the caller’s question, I’ll throw a passage about you from Jordan’s show about 10 minutes before the caller’s question. Jordan is talking about the negotiations between Dave Batista and Strikeforce.
First, the passage with the caller:
JORDAN BREEN: “I mean, I make no illusions about the fact that… it’s sort of weird because part of you always thinks that no one listens to any of the stuff you do, which is always how TJ (De Santis) views things for whatever reason. And, you know, you always sort of feel this despair that you can’t always get the ear of the most people involved, but being in the industry I know and appreciate this point in time if not religiously, then quasi-regularly the stuff I say or TJ says or whoever says reaches the ears of important and powerful and influential people. And often times there are other cases where people transcribe the things I say and then angry people from Showtime call me.”
TJ DE SANTIS: “That’s weird, by the way. That’s real weird.”
JORDAN BREEN: “Well, these things happen. That being said, I think it depends on what you’re talking about. I think some of the stuff, honestly, like I would never, it would be absurd to take credit for something like complaining about judges or whatever, but there is some stuff that I think I harp about long enough and am so vigilant about that people start to warm up to it. Like the 10-10 rounds. You know, I’ve really I wouldn’t say I never had seen any score a 10-10 round before I got real serious about it, but I do think that I’ve at least helped to make it, if not en vogue, then something that isn’t outright anathema and outright something to be cast down and buried beneath the sand. So, I don’t know. I don’t think I’m incredibly influential or anything but I think I’m persistent enough that some ideas gain at least familiarity that people are comfortable with them in a way that maybe they weren’t before if they don’t become super-popular and cool.”
Now, Jordan’s discussion about Showtime/Strikeforce negotiating with Dave Batista:
JORDAN BREEN: “The Dave Batista thing. Now, Strikeforce have come out and said ‘we haven’t signed Dave Batista’, whatever. Fine. However, let me say that if Strikeforce did sign Dave Batista… it is another clear illustration that Strikeforce and more importantly Showtime just don’t get it. Don’t get it. People did not like the Herschel Walker thing. Yes, it got them attention, but Herschel Walker’s a different kind of story. Now, it goes without saying that Herschel Walker even at 50’s going to be taken as more serious athlete than Dave Batista, a juiced up former pro-wrestler. Herschel Walker is one of the greatest athletes to ever play professional football and one of the greatest collegiate football players ever. Completely different paradigm there.
“On top of that… They should have learned from that excursion. What they need is to use cards based on developing interesting fights and challengers, that’s what they need. To waste more card space, to waste promotion, to waste money and resources on Dave Batista, who has no significant kind of background in anything that would prepare you for Mixed Martial Arts, is absolutely insane. At that point in time shows that either Showtime and Strikeforce by extension are so arrogant that they honestly think that the critiques of their product are not valid or they’re completely clueless and are just ignorant to it. Neither one of those things is good. But, if in fact they do sign Dave Batista and I hope they don’t because it’s a waste of everyone’s time involved, if there was going to be another Brock Lesnar, we’d have another Brock Lesnar by now. If they did sign Dave Batista, it’s only the mark of idiocy or hubris. Neither one of those are good. Neither one of those are becoming and neither one of those are going to help Strikeforce and Showtime mold a better, more competitive product.”
Topics: Media, MMA, StrikeForce, Zach Arnold | 26 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
I love your transcribes btw.
Seconded. I’m not usually somewhere where I can kick on a radio show for an hour, the transcriptions rock.
Not sure where best to post this link, but this is for anyone interested in the Fertittas business practices, specifically when it comes to labor relations:
The federal government’s complaint alleges that, from February 19 through April 7, Station managers broke federal labor laws 127 times. The complaint charges Station Casinos with engaging in a host of illegal activities against workers seeking to exercise their right to form a union, including the use of threats, intimidation, interrogation, surveillance, bribery, discouragement, discrimination, discipline and physical assault. No other Las Vegas gaming company has racked up so many federal government charges in such a short amount of time.
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100624005837&newsLang=en
It’s easier for them to hide from a union in an industry like that. It will be much harder with the UFC.
When the time is right…. The union people for the UFC will have to strike hard, fast, and make it extremely public. It’s the only way to get the fighters in a union. There are a lot of laws preventing companies from avoiding unions. It is much more difficult for Fertitta to avoid it when he or White are being asked questions by a media on a daily basis.
The best way to avoid a union is and always has been to keep your “employees” happy. If they are treated well and are happy you’ll have a hard time convincing them that they need to insert a “middle-man” that takes a cut of their money and in certain ways limits their freedoms.
The only guy currently in pro wrestling who has the potential to become the ‘next Brock Lesnar’ in MMA is Jack Swagger. He’s young, he’s massive, he’s a great athlete, and he is a former All-American wrestler.
That’s it.
Nobody else even comes close.
A guy like Shelton Benjamin and a few others might be able to carve out a short MMA career, but most of the legit combat athletes in pro wrasslin’ would have needed to start training a couple of years ago if they wanted to have any kind of lasting impact.
“If they did sign Dave Batista, it’s only the mark of idiocy or hubris. Neither one of those are good. Neither one of those are becoming and neither one of those are going to help Strikeforce and Showtime mold a better, more competitive product.”
Jordan might want to add two items to that: Stupidity or Desperation
If Strikeforce did sign Batista, I think that just solidifies the fact that Showtime is calling the shots. If you look at the history of Strikeforce (previous to Showtime deal) they never signed “freakshow” fights. This is just Showtime trying to get the instant ratings that television channels/ shows try to do.
Yes…the pre-Showtime Strikeforce main events of Bob Sapp vs Jan Nortje & Paul Buentello vs Tank Abbott were pinnacles of sporting competition.
Obvious n00b is obvious.
I do enjoy the zealotry and brand-loyalty that most post-TUF fans exhibit, though.
Bob Sapp vs. Jan Nortje wasn’t a freakshow fight?
LOL at this noob!
How about Frank Shamrock vs Cesar Gracie?
Or some of the Cung Le exhibition fights or booking Daniel Puder?
SF doesn’t book freakshow fights. That gave me a good laugh!
Atleast Daniel Puder has a decent record unlike Jan Nortje. UFC Is famous for doing Freak show fights. Brandon Lee Hinkle vs Sean Gannon and Randy Couture vs James Toney are perfect examples of UFC doing Freakshow fights as well.
“Brandon Lee Hinkle vs Sean Gannon… are perfect examples of UFC doing Freakshow fights as well”
This fight was sooo long ago – like UFC 54. This is one of the reasons DW hates the internet fans…he put on fights like this and Tank Abbott in main events and the shows failed miserably. He said he realized the failure of doing sh*t like that and listening to a vocal minority and that was that.
Has anyone with a scrap of credibility reported that Batista and Strikeforce are negotiating?
Batista said they are, Coker said they are not. All the MMA media does is give out soundbyte confirms or denials, there is no real reporting.
I will say though, if Showtime is running them then why didn’t they push for them to sign Kimbo? He’s guaranteed ratings. Batista is a crapshoot. He was a WWE star during one of their worst periods of business in years, whereas Lesnar came in at the tailend of wrestling’s last boom period and also became a household name when he attempted to join the Vikings. If you held up a picture of Big Dave and asked people on the street to name him I’d bet less than a handful of people would. And if the allure of just being a pro wrestler who now fights meant anything Lashley would have been much bigger than he is.
“Batista said they are, Coker said they are not.”
That’s not entirely true.
Strikeforce has only said they have not signed him. They said nothing about whether or not they are negotiating with him.
I liked you better when you just ran the Puroresu site. 🙂
Well, since he brought up the “P” word I’ve got to ask: since Dr. Keith left F4W seemingly for good, any chance of maybe a PPH reunion show? It would be like The Beatles getting on the rooftop to jam one last time. (Feel free to leave Mike Sempervive at home.)
Dr Keith and the PPH were great. I second the reunion idea.
Ok so who’s responsible for KJ Noons fighting Jorge Gurgel next, Showtime or Strikeforce?
I would have to say that that’s decent fight.
Gurgel getting beat up by a much better striker while only shooting once or twice sounds about right.
yeah their best LW contender for Gilbert fighting a guy coming off a loss.
How in the world is he their best LW contender?
He barely got by Connor Heun.
SHLEMENKO FTW!!!!!!!!!!!
Shlemenko at 15-1 at the tourney’s beginning+ Me putting down 30 bucks= :):):)
Gotta love overrated fighters!!!!
[…] said that if Strikeforce and Showtime sign Batista that they just don’t get it. Jack and Lutfi talked about how much of a pro-wrestling influence there is over the MMA media […]