Recent Strikeforce signee and former Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker playing at the "Ante Up...

Recent Strikeforce signee and former Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker playing at the "Ante Up For Africa" event at the World Series of Poker. I don't want to stir up any trouble, but the Walker in that video doesn't strike me as the same Walker from 1992. Maybe I'm just being overly protective of the sport and Herschel's well being but I can't stop myself from seeing this ending in a really bad way.

over 2 years ago Brent Brookhouse 31 comments 1 recs |

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Did you watch Jim Rome is Burning today? Dana White was the guest and was asked about Herschel Walker fighting and he just laughed. White said somebody that old shouldn’t fight if he doesn’t have experience like Couture.

FIRE BRUCE BOCHY NOW!!!!!!
AND TAKE BRIAN SABEAN WITH HIM!!!!!

by 49er16 on Oct 8, 2009 1:16 AM EDT reply actions

I know people are going to get offended by me even saying it. But the guy has mental issues. Even if it was prior to his football days I don’t think his brain is in any better shape after years of collisions in football. I have watched a lot of video of him back in the day and him in recent days and he just seems…off. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but at his age and with what I think I’m seeing. I just really have some worries about this whole thing.

Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Oct 8, 2009 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions

He defineitly has mental issues. I’m pretty sure that he wrote a book talking about how he has multiple persons disorder. Just another reason why he shouldn’t be fighting.

FIRE BRUCE BOCHY NOW!!!!!!
AND TAKE BRIAN SABEAN WITH HIM!!!!!

by 49er16 on Oct 8, 2009 1:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Yours and Brent points seem like more of a reason for him to fight to me. If he took the punishment before and I think Football is much worse than MMA why not now? Because he might get more messed up?

If he has the reaction time and the disposition to be able to protect himself and follow the rules then let the man fight.

by natyong on Oct 8, 2009 11:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I think medical professionals are the best people to make these kind of decisions.

by Ty Lannister on Oct 8, 2009 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions

i think the best point dana makes is if he’s in such good shape for his age, why doesn’t he still play football, his true proffession? simple answer-b/c he can’t that’s why. i want to root for the guy and his cause, but it’s hard to take it seriuosly.

by bdw on Oct 8, 2009 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Right...

I don’t have anything AGAINST Walker and I appreciate the charity aspect. I just don’t want to see someone get hurt.

Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Oct 8, 2009 1:33 AM EDT up reply actions

Uhm, I’m pretty sure he still does play football still. Just not on a professional level where it’s worth his while (NFL Europe, Canada, etc). There isn’t money in it for him at the level he is playing at.

Like the announcer inferred the Barkley is terrible at Golf (and he is) Does that mean that he shouldn’t play it for money cause most of the people watching him expect him to strain his back with every swing? I don’t think Hershel thinks he can be a champion, but he does certainly think (and probably can) with many new MMA fighters.

by natyong on Oct 9, 2009 12:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Thank you for getting vocal about this Brent. I understand Walker is an athlete and has the best intentions…but…I mean, the facts are right there, and who knows what else he has going on besides Multiple Personality Disorder, you know?

"You guys are jerking eachother off with some pseudo deep bullshit." - Kid Nate

by Kaleb Kelchner on Oct 8, 2009 1:43 AM EDT reply actions

Made a pretty good lay down, though.

by jacksiwel on Oct 8, 2009 1:59 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah...

considering he asked if he could look at his cards again during the hand I’m amazed he didn’t think his hooks were good enough

Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Oct 8, 2009 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions

I think having a mental disorder and being 47 should pretty much end any sanctioning process involved in a debut fight and anyone sponsoring this kind of athletic event should also be reprimanded by associated commissions in every state.

There is nothing good that can come from this.

by DirtyML on Oct 8, 2009 2:02 AM EDT reply actions

All of you should be ashamed of yourselves, Herschel Walker is going to be the next Brock Lesnar of the sport, mark my words!

for all intents and purposes, just consider all my posts as works of satire.

by Bandaka on Oct 8, 2009 2:52 AM EDT reply actions

whut?

weoweoweo .deviantart .com -- @antontabuena

by Anton Tabuena on Oct 8, 2009 5:33 AM EDT up reply actions

refer to his sig ;P

"Like a ballet of violence clothed in fine Brazilian silk." ~ MMASuPreMaCy

by Benicio on Oct 8, 2009 6:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Herschel Walker could be a retard and he would knock BROCKLESNAR out in the first round. Don’t kid yourselves…

I know there’s a lot of anti-Stirkeforce bias on this blog, but Herschel is obviously the BJ Penn of the HW division.

We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms, turning every good thing to rust.

by Anthony Pace on Oct 8, 2009 3:08 AM EDT reply actions

I don't see what's the big deal

He wants to fight ? Let him fight . It’s not as if he’s doing it to feed his hungry children or for lack of any other job (like in the movie The Wrestler). The man is bored and wants a challange , let him have one then . They won’t put him against Brock Lesnar or Fedor on his debut right ? He’ll get an ‘even’ opponent.
You don’t want to watch people get hurt ? Then don’t watch mma , people get hurt there all the time…I mean the kid the got paralyzed in an mma bout was 20 , not 48 .
A kid almost died from a head-kick in a taekwando tounrament in my hometown ! He had the head shield and everything , but still shit happens in combat sports.
That’s why there is the referee and doctors to do the best they can to prevent it.
And comparing football to mma … you know , I’m not an American so I don’t know anything about football but I guess they play once a week , for a whole year right ? Around 50 games . The toll it takes on your body , even if you are in shape (your knees will always get screwed at one point) is very different from mma. In mma you fight twice , three times a year. I mean who are all these ex NFL players who now compete in TUF ? Probably guys that gave their best in football and can’t take it anymore. Kinda like Walker…

by JoelMan on Oct 8, 2009 6:23 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

As for his mental condition – they can easily get an evaluation that states he’s sane enough to be responsible for his own actions. If he was sane enough to play football for years , he should be sane enough to do this…

by JoelMan on Oct 8, 2009 6:30 AM EDT up reply actions

and the athletic commission’s job is to make sure that no one takes unnecessary risks to get hurt.

Yes, people are going to get hurt, that doesn’t mean we should let everyone in the world who wants to fight fight.

What about a 16 year old? What about the guy with no arms and legs? What about someone who just got knocked out? All these people may want to fight, but they are all at risk for getting seriously hurt. More risk than a regular fighter, so the AC has to tell them no. The same goes for walker.

by Phildo on Oct 8, 2009 7:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Bottom line , the guy ain’t 80 . He’s 48 and looks to be in good enough shape . I think it should be sanctioned , you think it shouldn’t …can’t see where the argument can go from here.

by JoelMan on Oct 8, 2009 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions

It can’t go much further, but next time try to use relevant points like you did in this comment.

by Phildo on Oct 8, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions

LOL, no pro football players don’t play 50 games a year, the most would be 24.

Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.

by ufc4 on Oct 8, 2009 8:35 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Also, comparing Walker to these other ex-NFL players is laughable. Marcus Jones is 35 and played 85 NFL games, Mitrione is 30 and played 9 games, Schaub is 26 and 0 games in the NFL, Shivers is 32 and played 3 NFL games.

Herschel Walker is 47 and played 187 games, there is no comparison at all.

by Phildo on Oct 8, 2009 8:54 AM EDT up reply actions

Herschel Walker in 2009

the Walker in that video doesn’t strike me as the same Walker from 1992.

I completely agree that a 47 year old has no business attempting MMA at one of the highest levels.

But realistically, is there anybody in the world who is the same as they were 17 years ago? I know the circumstance is exacerbated by Walker’s history of mental illness, but 17 years is a pretty long time not to change in some noteworthy way. I mean, in 17 years, God willing, my kid (who hasn’t even been conceived yet) will be thinking about colleges. So yeah, I expect that period of time to change a person.

But it does speak to just how little business Walker has fighting in Strikeforce, which as I’ve said before, I’m against.

...Behold, a pale horse. The man that sat upon it was Wieters, and hell followed with him.

"BJ on the BE" - Kierkegaard

by Brett Jones on Oct 8, 2009 6:39 AM EDT reply actions

I dont know anything about Herschel Walker but if the truth is he has a mental illness I cant see him getting sanctioned to fight. When I first watched the video I thought it was just a guy that didnt know anything about poker. I dont know anything about poker so I didnt see it as so odd but if in fact he is sick why let him fight I dont get it.

by nsiegel on Oct 8, 2009 7:26 AM EDT reply actions

"You don't go around bragging about being #2"

Barkley should know this better than anyone.

Frankly, the Walker situation just goes to show how far Strikeforce has to go to be legit competition for MMA. They are playing into the same issue that UFC had with EXC, that they are making moves that are bad for the entire sport and therefore justifying Dana’s decision to complete directly with them.

by Razreshat on Oct 8, 2009 8:09 AM EDT reply actions

Obviously you dont play poker because all I saw in that video is someone that has no idea how to play the game and it was probably his first time ever. I see that all the time out in Vegas.. And in his situation he’s on the featured table which is telivised and he just looks like he has never played hold em before. Playing againts pros on a table like that for your first time when you know nothing about the game would be hard for anyone, so I dont think that reflects well on his “mental state.” Even if it is just for charity.

by TennesseeTopTeam on Oct 8, 2009 11:18 AM EDT reply actions