Penn's fans on loss -- more excuses?

by IImastersII on Feb 2, 2009 9:56 AM EST Comment 15 comments

BJ Penn's fans are nothing if not loyal, and often blindly so. While this is true of any contingent of fanatics, the more 'hardcore' nucleus of Penn's following is especially creative and forthcoming in crafting excuses for his every misstep.

On the forums of the Honolulu Advertiser, I came across this gem:

I am not sure if this is completely factual but I heard that BJ was in the hospital on Wednesday before the fight because he got sick with the flu or somehting. That is why BJ didn't look like his old self. Even during the weigh in, he didn't look like himself. I am not making excuses, but if this is true then it answers a lot of questions. Many of you will ask? why didn't he just cancel the fight if he was sick? Think about it...if you had millions of dollars on the line and thousands of fans that came to see you would you cancel the fight. Either way I am still going to be a BJ Penn fan!

It wasn't long before another fan picked up on the above post and added fuel to the fire with another "I heard..." bit of behind-the-scenes reporting.

I heard he had his stomach pumped at the ER because of food poisoning.

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If his fans can’t see that the beter overall fighter won, they are truly blind to the truth. GSP not only beat BJ, but he beat him to the point that any talk of a rematch would be laughable.

by lbk on Feb 2, 2009 10:29 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

lol

Someone should really start a list of the BJ Penn excuses :)

by mythbuster on Feb 2, 2009 10:32 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

um..

He trained too hard? that’s an excuse? lol

by "Mr. NC-17" on Feb 2, 2009 11:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

A friend of a friend of a friend told me that BJ Penn went to a psychic just two days before the fight, and found out his stars weren’t aligned. Can you imagine?

The fight should be ruled a NC and he should get an immediate rematch. How can you expect someone to fight when their stars aren’t aligned??

by mythbuster on Feb 2, 2009 12:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well

I heard a rumor that BJ found out the day of the fight that all his natural talent wasn’t natural at all. Turns out it was artificial and this just plain bummed BJ out. Thats why he wasn’t himself. I think when he learns to accept it he will come back better than ever. Really I do. What say you?

by xFenixKnightx on Feb 2, 2009 1:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

My excuse for BJ, as a BJ fan:

GSP is to big, to strong and to good. BJ got manhandled and should never stray from the LW division again.

This is pretty much what I have seen from most BJ fans. The funny thing is, the only people as fanatical as BJ supporters, are those who want to bash BJ fans.

I like GSP, but I am a BJ fan. I was a BJ fan last week, I am this week and I will be next week.

If you're not submitting, you're just rolling around with another guy.

by BJJDenver on Feb 2, 2009 12:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It is the past history of BJ Penn fans, and there are a lot of very very fanatic and vocal ones that have been rubbing people wrong for years. There have been a lot of “if BJ this” and “if BJ that” threads that end up coming to the conclusion that BJ Penn is actually undefeated. It has gotten a little tiresome.

by iiowyn on Feb 2, 2009 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

what he said ^

Kuwabara Kuwabara

by J. B. Maddox on Feb 2, 2009 2:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Fight Linker has a top 10 list of excuses for Penn

My personal favorite is “Arona gave him dengue fever”

by Discman2 on Feb 2, 2009 12:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe BJ had some bad poi before the fight,

it is poisonous if not cooked thoroughly you know! lol

by dnevil001 on Feb 2, 2009 1:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I heard Georges St Pierre kicked the shit out of him for twenty minutes

by subo on Feb 2, 2009 2:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yes, BJ’s corner threw in the towell because they were sick of BJ getting GSP’s vaseline in his eyes. Not because he was getting owned the previous 4 rounds. Oh no, not because of that!

by lbk on Feb 2, 2009 3:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Whatever the reason, I still say BJ was not in shape (probably for lack of work ethic). I mean, we’ve seen him go three rounds with a 215lb fighter, and we’ve seen him last longer w/ cardio in all three of his previous 170lb fights. This fight was clearly over by the halfway mark of the second round – BJ simply stopped moving. Same as he started the 3rd round against Hughes in their second fight. You can’t tell me BJ’s conditioning was better in this fight than at any other time. Round 1 he was noticeably slower than he had been against GSP previously, against Stevenson, etc.

The fact that he was gasping for air 1 minute into the second round can’t purely be blamed on weight and the awesomeness of GSP. There’s no excuse for BJ’s behavior or lack of preparation – but had he been in shape, he would have made it more of a fight, that should be obvious from his prior performances. Not to say he would have won though, GSP is awesome, nothing from him – I’m sure he would have beaten the “best” BJ even had the best BJ shown up. But it at least would have been an interesting fight.

by jeffro231 on Feb 2, 2009 8:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

BJ is 2-0 vs. GSP in his mind

It is clear that he still believes he won the first fight because all of GSPs takedowns while he was again gassed didn’t damage his face like his eye poke and subsequent damage while GSP toughed it out. Now he has vasoline to appeal his four round ownage – he didn’t stop the fight or quit, no it was the doctors and his corner to blame, he was just about to make a huge comeback. Talented or smart people sometimes don’t like to try to hard because if they work hard then it lessens their “genius” or “prodigy.”

by bringbackbuddytrees on Feb 3, 2009 7:47 PM EST reply actions 1 recs