Comments on: Is Matt Hughes a good role model? http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/ Your Destination for Insider MMA News and Opinion Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:33:49 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Mike Wolfe http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/comment-page-1/#comment-8027 Mike Wolfe Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:41:46 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/#comment-8027 If your elementary schooler came home dropping one f-bomb after another and told you he learned it from his little league coach, would you wonder whether the coach was a good role model? If a little profanity is ok, then you wouldn't mind if your kid repeated it at Sunday School or Synagogue or in the classroom, right? Lots of people are offended by profanity regardless of how or why it's being used, and nobody expects them to apologize for that. Hughes' statements were not of the same type--offensive to persons who were unfamiliar with the subject of his remarks. Only some of the people who were familiar with the subject matter chose to construe his statements negatively. For example, were his statements about MFS accurate? If they weren't getting him prepared for his recent fights, then it's just a statement of fact. If MFS thinks they did prepare him, then it's a difference of opinion. Your character shouldn't be impugned just because you disagree with somebody. After all, you and I can disagree about this issue and it isn't a character issue as between us. Did Hughes or persons at MFS attack each other on a personal level using words like"dick," "egomaniac'" or "asshole?" If so, that's when questions of character can be raised. If your elementary schooler came home dropping one f-bomb after another and told you he learned it from his little league coach, would you wonder whether the coach was a good role model? If a little profanity is ok, then you wouldn’t mind if your kid repeated it at Sunday School or Synagogue or in the classroom, right? Lots of people are offended by profanity regardless of how or why it’s being used, and nobody expects them to apologize for that.

Hughes’ statements were not of the same type–offensive to persons who were unfamiliar with the subject of his remarks. Only some of the people who were familiar with the subject matter chose to construe his statements negatively. For example, were his statements about MFS accurate? If they weren’t getting him prepared for his recent fights, then it’s just a statement of fact. If MFS thinks they did prepare him, then it’s a difference of opinion. Your character shouldn’t be impugned just because you disagree with somebody. After all, you and I can disagree about this issue and it isn’t a character issue as between us. Did Hughes or persons at MFS attack each other on a personal level using words like”dick,” “egomaniac’” or “asshole?” If so, that’s when questions of character can be raised.

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]]> By: Wang Chung http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/comment-page-1/#comment-7969 Wang Chung Mon, 10 Dec 2007 05:28:22 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/#comment-7969 mike, you seem to be still missing the point that was made earlier in the thread which is...you shouldn't judge somebody's character, especially from a christian perspective, for something as ridiculous as a few swear words. the point isn't whether it's okay to swear in front of your kids or mom, or whether you'd be okay with it personally, it's whether or not you should judge a persons total character over a few profanities. the irony seems to be lost on you when you say "Questioning his character on the basis of sound bites, short video clips and situations that are subject to varying interpretations seems as arrogant and smug as Hughes is accused of being." i think your point about whether or not your background identifies with a fighter is a little shallow and presumes the people in this thread are not objective/keen enough to recognize BS when they see it. mike, you seem to be still missing the point that was made earlier in the thread which is…you shouldn’t judge somebody’s character, especially from a christian perspective, for something as ridiculous as a few swear words. the point isn’t whether it’s okay to swear in front of your kids or mom, or whether you’d be okay with it personally, it’s whether or not you should judge a persons total character over a few profanities. the irony seems to be lost on you when you say “Questioning his character on the basis of sound bites, short video clips and situations that are subject to varying interpretations seems as arrogant and smug as Hughes is accused of being.” i think your point about whether or not your background identifies with a fighter is a little shallow and presumes the people in this thread are not objective/keen enough to recognize BS when they see it.

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]]> By: mike wolfe http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/comment-page-1/#comment-7966 mike wolfe Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:29:53 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/#comment-7966 I agree with Dizzle in the sense that people will like or dislike fighters based on whether they can identify with them. Similar backgrounds and similar values are reasons to identify with a fighter. People who identify with Hughes for such reasons will tend to have a favorable opinion of him. Those who don't relate to him will have a negative opinion of him. If that's as far as it goes, fine. Questioning his character on the basis of sound bites, short video clips and situations that are subject to varying interpretations seems as arrogant and smug as Hughes is accused of being. And if the critics can't withstand the same degree of scrutiny to which they subject Hughes, aren't they also as hypocritical as they think he is? If you think Hughes isn't a good role model, then who is? Can that person live up to the same standards that are being set by Hughes? Doubtful. I agree with Dizzle in the sense that people will like or dislike fighters based on whether they can identify with them. Similar backgrounds and similar values are reasons to identify with a fighter. People who identify with Hughes for such reasons will tend to have a favorable opinion of him. Those who don’t relate to him will have a negative opinion of him. If that’s as far as it goes, fine. Questioning his character on the basis of sound bites, short video clips and situations that are subject to varying interpretations seems as arrogant and smug as Hughes is accused of being. And if the critics can’t withstand the same degree of scrutiny to which they subject Hughes, aren’t they also as hypocritical as they think he is? If you think Hughes isn’t a good role model, then who is? Can that person live up to the same standards that are being set by Hughes? Doubtful.

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]]> By: Dizzle http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/comment-page-1/#comment-7948 Dizzle Sun, 09 Dec 2007 23:19:48 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/#comment-7948 I think yall are being very biased with your opinion about hughes and Serra. Not a bad thing at all because I'm very biased when it comes to cetain fighters that I like and I don't care for. Sam I know your in New Jersey and you're all for Serra. He's someone you can probably relate to in alot of different ways. While I am a southern Farm boy myself who can relate the the teachers of Hughes alot better than Serra. But I like Serra and I like Hughes. I think they are both great atheletes and I think they both are honorable people in the MMA community. I feel that the media is alot of the reasons why these fighters get the raps that they do. Any time the media finds out someone is a christian, or they got a DUI, or they got sent to jail...or this and that happened. The media exploits this to the public in hopes of having more traffic to their Papers and TV Shows. Alot of people forget how the media is able to manipulate the way you think about a certain situation or event. Either way...Hughes is going to get this wrap of being this hypocritcal christian..yaddy yaddy yada. To me I don't care what he is or what he does because I don't personally know him to see if that is the real Hughes....or the TV Hughes. I think this is a great debate and opinion topic. No doubt. I think yall are being very biased with your opinion about hughes and Serra.

Not a bad thing at all because I’m very biased when it comes to cetain fighters that I like and I don’t care for.

Sam I know your in New Jersey and you’re all for Serra. He’s someone you can probably relate to in alot of different ways. While I am a southern Farm boy myself who can relate the the teachers of Hughes alot better than Serra.

But I like Serra and I like Hughes. I think they are both great atheletes and I think they both are honorable people in the MMA community. I feel that the media is alot of the reasons why these fighters get the raps that they do. Any time the media finds out someone is a christian, or they got a DUI, or they got sent to jail…or this and that happened. The media exploits this to the public in hopes of having more traffic to their Papers and TV Shows. Alot of people forget how the media is able to manipulate the way you think about a certain situation or event.

Either way…Hughes is going to get this wrap of being this hypocritcal christian..yaddy yaddy yada. To me I don’t care what he is or what he does because I don’t personally know him to see if that is the real Hughes….or the TV Hughes.

I think this is a great debate and opinion topic. No doubt.

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]]> By: Shawn http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/comment-page-1/#comment-7946 Shawn Sun, 09 Dec 2007 22:57:56 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/#comment-7946 Thanks Sam Caplan. Buddy there's nothing wrong with being a fan of somebody but you still have to live in reality about that person. I'm a big fan of Mel Gibson and find his offbeat antics to be downright hilarious but it's not like I'm going to spin his drunk anti-Jewish comments as somehow positive. Reality. When you can't think of anything else to say in an argument it's good to resort to picking apart the other person's typos. It really helps you case. I hope your considering a remedial class in rhetoric since you have trouble backing your statements up with valid facts, douche bag. Thanks Sam Caplan.

Buddy there’s nothing wrong with being a fan of somebody but you still have to live in reality about that person. I’m a big fan of Mel Gibson and find his offbeat antics to be downright hilarious but it’s not like I’m going to spin his drunk anti-Jewish comments as somehow positive. Reality.

When you can’t think of anything else to say in an argument it’s good to resort to picking apart the other person’s typos. It really helps you case.

I hope your considering a remedial class in rhetoric since you have trouble backing your statements up with valid facts, douche bag.

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]]> By: Sam Caplan http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/comment-page-1/#comment-7917 Sam Caplan Sun, 09 Dec 2007 13:57:39 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/#comment-7917 To Mike Wolfe: You want specific examples of how Hughes has been arrogant and disrespectful? I could come up with a huge list but you know what, let me just throw three off the top of my head: 1) How he reacted to Dan Barrera following his loss. It wasn't right for him to come down on Barrera as hard as he did considering how inexperienced he was. Barrera fought his ass off. Why did he need to call him out like that in front of so many people? Evan Mac Danzig spoke up on camera to one of Hughes' assistants about how he didn't agree. Hughes wasn't angry that Barrera may have lost out on a opportunity by allowing Saunders to recover after he rocked him. He was angry because his record vs. Serra had another loss added to it. The whole show and the performance of his fighters was about how he looked and not about trying to make his guys better. If you want to argue this point, go right ahead. But before you do, go to Steve Cofield's site and listen to all the exit interviews from Hughes' fighters. The vast majority of them had issues with Hughes and how he treated them. 2) How about the time earlier this year when he applied a stiff choke to Scott Ferrall of Sirius Satellite Radio during a pre-show telecast? Hughes decided he didn't like Ferrall and when they choked about having Hughes put him in a rear naked choke, Hughes cinched it in way too hard. I know Ferrall consented, but to cinch it in like that was uncalled for. Ferrall doesn't train. And if he didn't like the way the interview was going, he should have ended it and walked off instead of pulling that little stunt. 3. There was also the recent comments in which Hughes took an uncalled for swipe at MFS and claimed that they weren't preparing him well-enough for recent fights. Even if it were true, you just don't go there. He's constantly trying to tear people down to build himself up. You know, he didn't just have a business relationship with MFS -- they were a family. Pat Miletich and Monte Cox protected him from a lot of stuff. For him to saying anything negative about MFS in public is just wrong. I could go and on but I don't have time to list everything. To Mike Wolfe:

You want specific examples of how Hughes has been arrogant and disrespectful? I could come up with a huge list but you know what, let me just throw three off the top of my head:

1) How he reacted to Dan Barrera following his loss. It wasn’t right for him to come down on Barrera as hard as he did considering how inexperienced he was. Barrera fought his ass off. Why did he need to call him out like that in front of so many people? Evan Mac Danzig spoke up on camera to one of Hughes’ assistants about how he didn’t agree.

Hughes wasn’t angry that Barrera may have lost out on a opportunity by allowing Saunders to recover after he rocked him. He was angry because his record vs. Serra had another loss added to it. The whole show and the performance of his fighters was about how he looked and not about trying to make his guys better.

If you want to argue this point, go right ahead. But before you do, go to Steve Cofield’s site and listen to all the exit interviews from Hughes’ fighters. The vast majority of them had issues with Hughes and how he treated them.

2) How about the time earlier this year when he applied a stiff choke to Scott Ferrall of Sirius Satellite Radio during a pre-show telecast? Hughes decided he didn’t like Ferrall and when they choked about having Hughes put him in a rear naked choke, Hughes cinched it in way too hard. I know Ferrall consented, but to cinch it in like that was uncalled for. Ferrall doesn’t train. And if he didn’t like the way the interview was going, he should have ended it and walked off instead of pulling that little stunt.

3. There was also the recent comments in which Hughes took an uncalled for swipe at MFS and claimed that they weren’t preparing him well-enough for recent fights. Even if it were true, you just don’t go there. He’s constantly trying to tear people down to build himself up. You know, he didn’t just have a business relationship with MFS — they were a family. Pat Miletich and Monte Cox protected him from a lot of stuff. For him to saying anything negative about MFS in public is just wrong.

I could go and on but I don’t have time to list everything.

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]]> By: Jesse Holland http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/comment-page-1/#comment-7914 Jesse Holland Sun, 09 Dec 2007 10:34:59 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/#comment-7914 The only kids Matt Hughes should be worrying about are his own. I'm not sure how I feel about Matt Hughes or athletes in general as role models for kids. Hughes has a gold card when it comes to the UFC or training or anything else that is in his area of expertise as it relates to MMA. Other than that he should probably just STFU. If it's not about MMA, I'm not interested. The only kids Matt Hughes should be worrying about are his own. I’m not sure how I feel about Matt Hughes or athletes in general as role models for kids.

Hughes has a gold card when it comes to the UFC or training or anything else that is in his area of expertise as it relates to MMA.

Other than that he should probably just STFU. If it’s not about MMA, I’m not interested.

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]]> By: THORAZINE http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/comment-page-1/#comment-7912 THORAZINE Sun, 09 Dec 2007 08:43:12 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/#comment-7912 'Wow' I have never seen such a passionate response to a simple question.. Hughes is not a good role model for the simplistic way Matt Serra puts it "I don't like the way he treats people" The way Matt Hughes treated Jason Von Flue on Ultimate Fighter 2 is the perfect example of who Hughes really is... I think you guys remember that. ‘Wow’ I have never seen such a passionate response to a simple question.. Hughes is not a good role model for the simplistic way Matt Serra puts it “I don’t like the way he treats people” The way Matt Hughes treated Jason Von Flue on Ultimate Fighter 2 is the perfect example of who Hughes really is… I think you guys remember that.

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]]> By: mike wolfe http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/comment-page-1/#comment-7838 mike wolfe Sun, 09 Dec 2007 02:56:10 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/#comment-7838 Shawn Evidently you do like repeating yourself. And I hope "your" considering a remedial spelling class Shawn

Evidently you do like repeating yourself. And I hope “your” considering a remedial spelling class

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]]> By: Slakdawg http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/comment-page-1/#comment-7819 Slakdawg Sun, 09 Dec 2007 00:21:14 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2007/12/08/is-matt-hughes-a-good-role-model/#comment-7819 Hughes haters see only negative things. They see what they want to see. I watched every episode of TUF this seaosn and came away with the impression that Matt Serra ran his mouth about Hughes non-stop. I like d Serra a lot after watching his first round on TUF, but after watching this season I thought "This guy is the champ?" He seemed pretty insecure about himself. He had to continually attack Hughes in an effort to build himself up. I think he knew deep down that he got a lucky shot in on GSP and thatHughes would hand him him ass in a fight. I would much rather have my kids use Matt Hughes as a role model than Serra. Hughes is demanding, yes, but not unfair. His main criticisms after his guys lost was that they ignored the game plan and his cornering (see Dan Berrara and the kid who's cousin died). Both of those guys ignored the cornering. Dan let the Saunders recover instead of pouncing on him, and the other guy was a submission specialist who decided on fight day that he wanted to strike with a striker. Hughes haters see only negative things. They see what they want to see. I watched every episode of TUF this seaosn and came away with the impression that Matt Serra ran his mouth about Hughes non-stop. I like d Serra a lot after watching his first round on TUF, but after watching this season I thought “This guy is the champ?” He seemed pretty insecure about himself. He had to continually attack Hughes in an effort to build himself up. I think he knew deep down that he got a lucky shot in on GSP and thatHughes would hand him him ass in a fight.

I would much rather have my kids use Matt Hughes as a role model than Serra. Hughes is demanding, yes, but not unfair. His main criticisms after his guys lost was that they ignored the game plan and his cornering (see Dan Berrara and the kid who’s cousin died). Both of those guys ignored the cornering. Dan let the Saunders recover instead of pouncing on him, and the other guy was a submission specialist who decided on fight day that he wanted to strike with a striker.

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