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Newspaper rips Dana White over ESPN interview
By Zach Arnold | August 5, 2007
By Zach Arnold
This past week has not been a particularly great showing for Dana White in terms of issues relating to credibility, based on statements he made in a recent ESPN The Magazine interview. I posted criticism about White comments and Fightlinker took issue with White’s claims about nandrolone. On Fight Opinion Radio this week, our staff dissected White’s claims from top-to-bottom.
Today, Ryan Lambert of the Eagle Tribune in North Andover, MA. published quite an article, questioning Dana White’s comments in the ESPN The Magazine interview.
We’ll blockquote a couple of paragraphs, but click on the article link to read it in full:
But White may have gone too far in his defense of Sherk. He said, “I trust when Sean Sherk tells me something, and I believe him. I’m not just saying this because I’m president of this league. He’s my friend, and if he tells me he didn’t do this, I believe him. … If, at the end of the day, the commission says he took steroids, then that’s what the ruling is and he’ll get whatever they put on him.”
The operative word in that last sentence is “says.”
Sherk is, according to White, “a really good man” who wouldn’t cheat. But at the same time, he allegedly tested positive for a steroid with both his A and B samples. For White to say that that is simply the assertion of the CSAC rather than the truth is to play a dangerous game.
He is, in a roundabout way, questioning the veracity of a State Athletic Commission’s rulings, and backing the words of someone who could turn out to be a cheater. That sets a precedent that could prove dicey in the future. White has stopped just short of saying that he believes Sherk’s word against a pair of positive tests.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
I don’t know if I would call that a “ripping”. Lambert does make a good point, but if Sherk loses his appeal I think the UFC drops him like a hot potato and moves on – regardless of the friendship he and Dana White might have.
Historically the UFC has always (publicly) sided with the Athletic Commissions and I don’t foresee that policy changing anytime soon. With that said I don’t think it’s a bad thing for Dana to support Sherk or any fighter during the appeal process, Sean has maintained his innocence during this whole thing and he’ll have the chance to prove it. I don’t think it’s out of the ordinary to take him at his word until then.
I can understand White’s desire to be “edgy” and brash, yet at the same time he’s the face of UFC at a time when UFC still faces a huge amount of resistance from the mainstream sporting community and its associated media. He has got to learn restraint in his public comments. He could get away with it even two years ago, but not now. Vince McMahon, who is still at heart a carny huckster, is much better at this point when it comes to presenting himself as a professional. You would never see today’s WWE saying something like this about steroids, and WWE is the poster child of barely concealed steroid use.
This is another case of mincing words. The UFC supports the athletic commissions plain and simple and even though White may not believe it is true the UFC will abide by the ruling. White is not known for always being correct with some of his statements and I am not criticizing him as we all make mistakes but this was one of those times where he chose the wrong word and someone caught it.
There’s no controversy here. As usual, certain journalists like Ryan Lambert are trying to pull something out of their butts. Of course, Dana is going to defend his fighters. What kind of exec. would rush to the media and publicly strip his own champion of the belt before he could even present his side of the case? Staying silent is not an option, either, since Dana has been asked about Sherk’s situation ad nauseam.
Dana gave the right answer at this time. He made it clear that if the Commission says (remember their ruling is an OPINION, not a judicial verdict by a court) that Sherk tested above their allowable limit, then Dana will accept their decision. People need to stop picking apart every statement just to make news. Go out and get a story.
Actually, the commission’s decision is backed by their regulatory power granted. Essentially, if on appeal they still find him guilty of violation of the state regulations regarding drug testing, they legally can suspend his license to fight in the state. So there actually is police power in the decision of the commission, which acts as a pseudo-court (just like most state agencies have the power to do).