And now for an update
or 'when you get tired of the crap baby move over here and maybe buy some of mine'
At the start of this year, I decided that, from now on, if I could help it, I would not do any more MMA writing that could be confused as free PR for any MMA organization. That means no fight previews, no news aggregation, no work leading into a fight card that could be viewed as promoting an upcoming event.
Is that silly? Maybe, but some promotions, and here I’m mostly — okay, entirely — referring to the UFC, expect the media to do unpaid public relations work for the organization. I won’t be a party to that kind of bullshit.
I might be dumb, but I’m not dumb enough to think my, I guess you could call it a protest, matters one bit, but I’d rather potentially cost myself money and opportunities than do free work for someone — and here I’m referring to UFC president Dana White - who has nothing but disdain for the media, who do nothing but give him and his organization glowing coverage 99 percent of the time.
A short story to read:
I’ve been on a Bernard Malamud kick as of late and this short story from the May 1, 1963 edition of Esquire is a good one. “Life is Better Than Death”
A podcast to listen to:
The premise of “A Very Good Year” is the hosts speak to someone involved with film in some way and they look back at one specific year in movies. The person involved, in the case of the first episode it was Alex Winter, gives their top picks for that year and the hosts then review other information related to films during that year. It can be a good learning experience and/or a reminder of movies you might want to check out.
Some music:
Some non-fiction:
One of the best profiles of an athlete ever written. In this case, Y.A. Tittle, a Hall of Fame quarterback. However, this is not your typical profile. As the subtitle says, “As Y.A. Tittle's memory fades and his body breaks down, the Hall of Fame QB finds fleeting moments of solace in a daughter's love and a final trip home.
Written by Seth Wickersham in 2014 for ESPN: The Magazine - “Awakening the Giant”
A movie to watch:
A book to check out:
Yes, it’s photos, but still, worth it.
“Ward 81, photographed in 1976, was Mary Ellen Mark’s first independent long-term project. Mark and writer Karen Folger Jacobs set out to document the lives of the women in this locked ward at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem—the only one in the state. Every day for five weeks, Mark photographed and Jacobs interviewed the women on Ward 81. At night they slept in an empty adjacent ward.”
My recent MMA writing
McGregor’s TUF hijinks show Dana White won’t stand for media reporting basic news
After Jeff Molina’s statement, the UFC has another opportunity to address bigotry
Dana White let ‘deserves’ do heavy lifting at UFC 286 post-fight press conference
‘Absolutely not’ - USADA responds to Dan Hooker claiming increased tests after Makhachev accusations