Gus Johnson calls Cage Potato editor Mike Russell, in response an email Russell sent to Scott Coker, in which he questioned Johnson's MMA commentating abilities:
"Scott Coker forwarded me your email. Where do you get off saying that to my boss? Writing it on your website is one thing, but you contacted my boss to ask him about it," a growingly more aggressive version of the man pictured above asserted. "Now it's personal and you need to be accountable."
"Do you even train? If you’re as credible of a journalist as you say you are, you can’t take the opinions of people on the Internet to heart, without talking to somebody who knows what they’re talking about — me included. I take jiu-jitsu three times a week. I know the difference between a kimura, an armbar, a reverse armbar and an Americana from side control, because I study it," he asserted. "As far as people saying that I damaged the image of the sport because of what I said about the shit that went down Saturday night, if anything, it was me trying to make an excuse for these idiots going out on national television and pulling what they did after the card was over. It’s obvious that it happens. People don't need to hear it from me to know that it happens. We've all seen it. I state the obvious, and that’s obvious."
I take a lot of criticism, but I try my best to try to help promote this fucking sport, when nobody else, including television executives could give two shits because they think it’s barbaric and it’s filled with a bunch of hoodlums, which is exactly how it looked to everyone watching the show Saturday night. I don’t really care about the 'growing opinion', because there’s another side that isn’t going to feel that way [about me]," Johnson explained. "There are certain messageboards and websites where people don’t feel that way at all. The problem with MMA is that these Internet guys ruin the sport because they’re negative 90 percent of the time. I’ve looked at them. if we give everyone a voice, we wouldn’t get anything accomplished. I try to say as many good things about these athletes in this sport on a network level — not on an underground level or a Spike TV cable level or a pay-per-view level. This is actual television and nobody knows if they’re going to pull the plug on this thing. If that happens, then everyone will lose money."
"My job isn't to promote the sport. I’m paid to give my opinion and to describe what I see and it’s my opinion that the guys they had Jake fight were supposed to beat him. That's how I see it. I said it, so I believe it. That’s disrespect. Do you mean to tell me that Strikeforce didn’t bring a former Pride champion [like] Dan Henderson in to beat Jake Shields? Come on, man. I'm also not blaming Miller for what happened," he said. "Mayhem didn’t do anything that Shane Mosely hasn’t done, or other fighters who aren’t a part of the main event of the card who get in the cage or the ring to hype a future fight haven't done hundreds of times before. Floyd Mayweather wins a fight and Shane Mosley comes into the ring as soon as it’s over and asks when you gonna give me a fight, man? It always happens. That’s not a big deal. The reaction from Gilbert and Jake and all these guys was what was the big deal. It was improper, and to be honest, it was shameful."
about 2 years ago
Scott Haber
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Dana needs to take pointers…when rarely said the F-bomb becomes much, much more effective when it is finally used.
"Well, yes, but I’m afraid I prematurely shot my wad on what was supposed to be a dry run, if you will, so now I’m afraid I have something of a mess on my hands." - Tobias Fünke
"There are just so many poorly chosen words in that sentence." - Michael Bluth
One of my favorite lines from the best TV show ever.
by zakkree on Apr 21, 2010 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
You have to give him credit...
Even when watching the show I thought it was nice(brave) of him to basically call out CBS and Strikeforce for the bush league(everyones new fav word via Dana) stunt they tried to pull on Shields. However his choice of words not once but twice about the brawl was disheartening
Google Ron Paul!
Dana didn’t create the term “bush league”.
by Dropkick434 on Apr 20, 2010 11:38 PM EDT up reply actions
I am aware of that...
I was saying it has become ppl’s fave word due to Dana popularizing it. Everytime he is asked about Strikeforce(which is alot) he usues the term and lately it has become quite popular on MMA forums showing the power of Dana white.
Google Ron Paul!
His comments about Shields didn’t make sense to me. How dare they try to bring in fighters who can beat the champion!! I guess he expects them to just feed him easy wins.
My blah blah blah
My photography site
"expect us to take you seriously or think you’re even remotely intelligent?" - Luke Thomas
by JeremyShane on Apr 21, 2010 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions
Anytime you decide to call someone at 11pm to give them a piece of your mind it is probably a bad idea.
by ruckus on Apr 20, 2010 11:38 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
It’s obvious that it happens. People don’t need to hear it from me to know that it happens. We’ve all seen it.
I’m really interested in where he has seen this before in MMA, because I watch a lot of MMA and I haven’t seen it.
If he woulda just replaced the word MMA with sports, it wouldn't have ever been a big deal.
Maybe he should just own up and say I used a poor choice of words instead of rationalizing ignorance.
It’s happened in MMA and even in the UFC, not recently though…not as recently as the outbursts that have happened in college sports and the NBA.
"Well, yes, but I’m afraid I prematurely shot my wad on what was supposed to be a dry run, if you will, so now I’m afraid I have something of a mess on my hands." - Tobias Fünke
"There are just so many poorly chosen words in that sentence." - Michael Bluth
One of my favorite lines from the best TV show ever.
by zakkree on Apr 20, 2010 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I was thinking of the exact same thing. I think he may just be trying justify his comments that evening;
…sometimes these things happens in MMA
He did however shine some light into what the executive if CBS think of MMA
I take a lot of criticism, but I try my best to try to help promote this fucking sport, when nobody else, including television executives could give two shits because they think it’s barbaric and it’s filled with a bunch of hoodlums…
Not very encouraging to hear if you work at Strikeforce. Oouch!
"I'm Nobody's FanBoy" - higgledy-piggledy
by higgledy-piggledy on Apr 21, 2010 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Get over yourself
It has happened before so you obviously don’t know as much as you think you do.
Does the KJ Noons/Diaz Brothers skirmish ring any bells for you?
"Old Dogs does to the screen what old dogs do to the carpet. It's unfortunate that only the latter can be taken out and shot." -Kyle Smith
watchkalibrun.com
by Nick Becker on Apr 21, 2010 1:28 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
UFC 45, Chute Boxe/Hammer House, Rampage/Wanderlei, among other examples invoked hundreds of times on the net.
by VirtualBalboa on Apr 21, 2010 8:44 AM EDT up reply actions
The principal blame is on the Gracie camp...
They should have charges brought against them. Said this many times.
by DanielH on Apr 20, 2010 11:50 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I agree with some of the criticism pointed towards Gus
and the guy probably shouldn’t have contacted anyone but this does little but cement in a lot of people’s mind that mma blogs are juvenile and shouldn’t be taken seriously.
I don't think the internet is any different than any other form of sports discussion.
I’ve seen a lot of stupid “roundtable” discussions from Kenny Smith, Charles Barkey, and whoever that white guy is on Inside the NBA. Stupid photoshopped pictures and all.
"Well, yes, but I’m afraid I prematurely shot my wad on what was supposed to be a dry run, if you will, so now I’m afraid I have something of a mess on my hands." - Tobias Fünke
"There are just so many poorly chosen words in that sentence." - Michael Bluth
One of my favorite lines from the best TV show ever.
But it's on the Intarwebs!
That in and of itself completely invalidates everything he says!!! You know you can’t trust anything from people that come from there! If someone from that place says 1 + 1 = 2 they’re probably wrong, Gus is on TV and has trained with Renzo a few times, therefore he knows more than someone who has probably seen every Pride and UFC event and writes about MMA everyday!
I don't think he knows more
But c’mon, that image is completely uncalled for… the guy can hang himself without CP looking like its run by high school kids.
P.S.
I agree with Gus’s assessment in his email of the post fight brawl however. Mayhem should not be to blame and like he said, it’s almost a ritual for a challenger to approach a main event winner after a fight. When he says “these things happen in MMA” it is patently false however.
Despite his “defense” he is still wrong. These things don’t happen all the time in MMA and it was stupid of him to make a comment like that.
And for all his talk about how much he knows about MMA; it doesn’t translate well into what comes out of him mouth when he is broadcasting.
My blah blah blah
My photography site
"expect us to take you seriously or think you’re even remotely intelligent?" - Luke Thomas
Some are just naturals when it comes to giving color commentary. Miletich, Florian, and Mir come to mind.
Johnson overall is a good broadcaster, but his style just doesn’t translate for MMA. The sport has too many transitions throughout a fight that keep him from bringing out his “excited state”. He’s quotable enough to have his own soundboard made from his work within the NCAA Tourney.
Fact is CBS should have used the Showtime team of Miletich and Quadros to educate the more casual fan while giving the more knowledgeable fan a bit more substance.
by part-time southpaw on Apr 21, 2010 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions
That was the WEC commentator (I think Todd Harris, but I’m not really sure). He was talking about his “signature guillotine” and said it at least twice. Then after the fight he corrected himself.
by Swordslasher on Apr 21, 2010 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions
He’s a crappy interviewer and needs to polish up his skills. Whether or not he trains JJ 3 times a week, he seems to call any arm submission an armbar.
That said, I think when the fight is exciting, he’s actually a solid play-by-play guy. He’s got a great voice for it, like when he called the Fedor knock-out.
Haters everywhere
Yes, he isn’t perfect. Far from it. But the guy is a marquee announcer that is know by nearly all sports fans. He is very enthusiastic about what he does and you can tell he genuinely enjoys it.
CBS absolutely made the right decision to have him announce because it actually brings some credibility to the show to the mainstream fans. That might seem ironic to hardcore fans since he is obviously isn’t very good at the MMA announcing, but having one of the most recognized (and loved) voices covering a sport does attract viewers and respect.
And although the decision to make this curse-laden phone call wasn’t the best idea, he is right on almost every point. Tensions do often run high (usually not escalating to the level we saw on Saturday) but Gus did the best job he could to mitigate a disastrous situation.
But haters gonna hate.
I don’t know how anything Gus says can be criticized when he’s sitting next to Mauro and Frank who I think are two of the worse I’ve ever heard in anything.
by RollinOnShabbos on Apr 21, 2010 12:34 AM EDT reply actions 9 recs
I like Gus
In basketball AND MMA. He could shift his balance from quantity to quality, but I think when isolated, he’s better than Goldberg. The problem is that Gus + the knuckleheads they have him work results in a relentless, posturing and illogical broadcast which takes away from the product. Good for him for standing up for himself, but he’s right AND wrong.
by the exit on Apr 21, 2010 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions
True dat
Gus wasn’t homoerotically massaging Jake Shields’ bicep.
Wasn’t that Mauro, cause their was a gif made about it and everything.
"With great power comes great responsibility" -Spiderman's Uncle
You're a genius.
Yes it was Mauro, your eyes did not deceive you.
Really
If he is so experienced and professional then he should know better than to respond on pure emotion. He just made himself look more foolish than he did during the actual broadcast. He needs to take the high road (as hard and brutal as that may be) and not even respond. But rollinonshabbos is right on, Mauro is borderline retarded and Frank is so biased it’s comical. Gus took the bait though big time and may now face worse repercussions…
Gus did a pretty bad job announcing the other day. he’s in a tough spot sitting next to mauro and frank, but he really should be a lot better after this many cards.
I just have to laugh at the aftermath of this whole thing, Gus is not a strikeforce employee, he’s hired by cbs to do the show. Isn’t one of Dana White’s greatest sins not handing over control to some network so they can have people saying what is really happening instead of having rogan and goldie feeding us the storylines? Now everyone is getting their panties in a bunch because the “impartial” commentator hired by the network was calling it like he saw it and everyone is shitting on him.
now, the big problem was the line “sometimes this happens in mma” line. Should he have probably said “sometimes this happens in sports” but he didn’t. Why? One, he doesn’t know better, and 2 he doesn’t care. There is no quid pro quo with him like there is with other sports announcers, and because CBS has them by the balls. He could have said, “get these thugs from stockton out of the cage,” and Strikeforce would still go to the CBS executives and beg for them to do another show with him at the helm. What would be the downside of that comment? he gets mean-mugged next time he gets the call to do an MMA event?
In the other big sports, the announcers and involved in the sport on a much deeper level, and have other interests at heart besides just calling the game. they are friends with the people involved, and constantly researching and talking to people inside the sport. Sometimes they do it to do a better job, sometimes they do it because they are looking for their next job. Let’s take ESPN for example, Jon Gruden isn’t going to blast anyone too harshly because he doesn’t want to burn any bridges for a future coaching job. Also, they are going to pay more attention to what they say because if they piss someone off, there will be consequences. If someone on ESPN Lebron, he can say that he’s not talking to them any more than he has to, and that hurts the ESPN product.
Gus only cares about MMA from when CBS flies him in to do a broadcast to when he leaves, so to expect him to put “the good of the sport” above his own feelings is naive thinking.
Mike Russell was looking for a fight and he got one.
Strikeforce announce team is still awful. Frank talking trash about Shields and having to eat his words by the end of the fight was hilarious.
by snakecharmer1340 on Apr 21, 2010 1:11 AM EDT reply actions
Frank is the weakest link on that team...
He spends more time voicing his displeasure with the fighters than analyzing
Dear Gus Johnson
While it is great to hear that you train in this sport in part because you like it and in part to help you announce better… While it is great that your heart is in the right place insofar as promoting the sport and trying to give it good exposure… The majority of us bitching here on the internet simply do not like your announcing. Shockingly, it is simple enough to differentiate between these.
Why do we not like your announcing? "The most incredible victory in the history of mixed martial arts." Remember that line? You said that when Seth Petruzelli beat Kimbo Slice. While you may indeed like the sport and wish to do right by it, when you say such absurd comments like this – and you make bad ones with alarming frequency – that’s when we, the die-hard serious fans roll our eyes and think you’re terrible. You may have a technical knowledge of grappling and fighting in general, but you say such outlandish comments that you seem woefully ignorant of the history of the sport. You seem to lack the ability to process what you’re seeing live and to be able to place it in any sort of proper context.
We compare you to Joe Rogan and Frank Mir and Bas Rutten and even general lightweights in this business such as Todd Harris. We listen to what you say, and to many of us, you fall short of your peers. Compared to some of your partners from Strikeforce you seem just fine. Mauro and Frank aren’t the best at it either, so against them you may be a shining light, but when we look at the other commentary teams, you are on the short end of the stick.
It is for this reason that at the very least I dislike you as a commentator, and I know that I am not the only one who feels this way.
Good luck in your training, thank you for giving a shit, but until you grow some perspective, you will always be a poor announcer because you proclaim that everything you’re watching is the biggest deal ever.
http://mixedmartialartsblogger.wordpress.com/
by Cory Braiterman on Apr 21, 2010 1:44 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I like that on CagePotato he pretends like he emailed Coker to get a comment, then posts the email where it’s blatantly obvious he’s sniping at his job, just like a fanboy would, not a “professional.”
Johnson said “sometimes these things happen in MMA” which does not mean “these things happen all the time in MMA.” Guess what? They do. Guess what else? I’m pretty sure if you talked to a Psychologist they would be more than happy to explain the physiology behind stressful situations resulting in heightened testosterone levels leading to more aggression.
The problem is Gus is right. These things do happen. There are a bunch of Alpha Males inside a confined space pumped up after watching other alpha males fight. There is a barbaric carnal aspect to this sport, and as much as many would like to try to explain it away and pretend it doesn’t exist, it’s there. I mean, just look at the language we use to describe fights? We want a definitive “FINISH.” Think about that. FINISHing another person. GSPs fight was a failure, cause if “they don’t tap break that shit.” Right?
You all need to stop fooling yourselves about this sport in the hopes that if you convince yourselves you’ll convince everyone else and it will gain mainstream popularity. This sport is great because you get to do what you can’t in other sports. In Soccer/Football/Basketball you can’t punch your rival in the mouth, or put them in an excruciatingly painful position until they give up. Make no mistake about it, this sport is about either causing a neurological disruption or enough pain in someone to get the win.
by GKINMD on Apr 21, 2010 1:51 AM EDT reply actions 13 recs
GKINMD, It baffles me that everyone hasn't rec'd this based on the pure common sense and basic logic of it.
Truth brother. Let it be green.
"The path to enlightenment is through suffering"
by RearNakedChoker on Apr 21, 2010 3:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Rec you for the second half. I might be misunderstanding the first half but it sounds like your saying these things happen all the time in MMA. I’m on painkillers right now so I could be mistaken.
by darkside3744 on Apr 21, 2010 8:38 AM EDT up reply actions
No, I wasn’t meaning to say these things happen all the time. What I was trying to say is that not only did Gus Johnson NOT say these things happen all the time(as many here and elsewhere have made it out to be), but what he did say was right, that “sometimes these things happen in MMA.” Which they do, combat sports are volatile by nature.
There is also the fact that poor Gus was in the middle of a gang beating as he spoke. I think I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
by Jonathan Snowden on Apr 21, 2010 10:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Many have jumped on the interweb boasting about training in this discipline or that, and EVERYONE comes off as a cock when they\we do, but man, you’re a football and basketball broadcaster. That’s like Frank Mir trying to call color for an NBA game and claiming he hangs in the gym with Reggie Miller shooting free throws. Fucking zero credibility in someone who already blows as an MMA commentator. Almost as bad as Mauro Ranallo jacking off Jake Shields’ right biceps. This shit sucks.
Bilious bodies terrorized by fastfood sugar demons
no they dont come off as a cock… what they do is they come off as someone who has knowledge and is explaining where they got it from.
If you JUST have an oppion thats one thing.. but if you have knowledge and an ability to give insight into something then its more than just a simple opinion that isnt based on any real world experience.
you guys get pissed when someone says they train…. because they DO.. why? because it says alot.. it says ONE has dedication to the sport… personal dedication.
So if you blog at work all day and then dont train … You cant possibly give as much insight into technique as someone who has.
If he trains 3 times a week and doesn’t know what an armbar is then he’s the worst student ever. Well, second worst I suppose when considering that Spencer Pratt is a BJJ black belt.
Perhaps my best years are gone. When there was a chance of happiness. But I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now. No, I wouldn't want them back.
by jebushchrist on Apr 21, 2010 8:50 AM EDT up reply actions
I thought Mauro had more of an off night than Gus. Gus was way to premature in calling King Mo tired but i dont think he embarassed himself as he may have done on his 1st couple shows.
wait what??
king mo was tired before the end of round 1… so gus did a bad job becuase he noticed this and commentated on it.
Personally, I don’t give a fuck. I watch Strikeforce to see the fights, not nitpick at people talking about what they see. As long as they don’t have someone overwhelmingly annoying & dumb like Paris Hilton commentating, it’s fine with me.
by carpiverson on Apr 21, 2010 3:06 AM EDT reply actions 4 recs
I want to rec that, but I can't...
Frank bashing the main event fighter on three straight cards is “overwhelmingly annoying & dumb”
hahah
gus tells you all how it is. he actually trains.. has an opinion and isnt your alls sheep.
I love how you guys use “i train so i understand a little more” against the person that says it.
its sooo obvious that you dont train.. and you dont know that there is soo much more to learn once you actually start training.
gus johnson > BE english teachers
by waldog on Apr 21, 2010 7:13 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
"Do you even train"
One of the most egregious MMA argumentum ad verecundiam fallacies.
Beyond that though, I don’t disagree with most of Johnson’s message.
Gus is the man.
Give him some time. Mauro actually did better than before I thought. He cut out a lot of the corny WWE shit he says. Now Shamrock on the other hand….
by HappyLittleTreez on Apr 21, 2010 8:42 AM EDT reply actions
if we give everyone a voice
everyone deserves a voice.
I'm old school hating Lesnar, I've been hating Lesnar since '08
by MicahW on Apr 21, 2010 8:51 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
When people are being heard, they generally stop yelling.
Give people a voice and the nonsense will tone it self down.
Since Harry Kalas passed away
Gus Johnson has remained my favorite PBP announcer in any sport, and this message only reaffirms this.
Obviously...LAME!
His choice of words during the heated moment could have been better, but taking that to his boss is really, really…..REALLY lame!
read what he sent to scott coker (his boss). judge for yourself. i don't think he was out of line. he's a reporter seeking info on a story.
Hi Scott,
I hope this email finds you well. It was disappointing to see the otherwise great show marred by the incident Saturday night. I hope it doesn’t affect the CBS deal.
I was hoping you would comment on Gus Johnson’s comments Saturday night that “Strikeforce disrespected Shields” and “continually brought in guys to beat him” and that you “counted him out over and over.”
Also, what do you think of his off the cuff remark that brawling and scuffles break out all the time during MMA events?
Will he be working future Strikeforce events on CBS after badmouthing you and your company, or can we expect to see someone more familiar with MMA and who behaves more professionally?
He didn’t seem to know the difference between an armbar and a kimura.
Thanks in advance.
Mike Russell
Senior Editor
CagePotato.com
http://www.cagepotato.com/gus-johnson-defends-strikeforce-commentary-angry-phone-call
I'm old school hating Lesnar, I've been hating Lesnar since '08
That couldn't be
MORE NOT “just a reporter looking for a story”
by Chris Barton on Apr 21, 2010 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions
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