Steve Cantwell talking about his fight against Razak Al-Hassan in a message sent to MMA On Tap:

“You know that was a really weird outcome to the fight. I had the arm locked in tightly and expected Razak to tap right away – then we rolled twice and it got even tighter. I was thinking to myself ‘This guy is made of rubber – this is crazy’. The only thing I could to end the fight was force the arm until either it broke or he tapped, and that’s what I did. Fighting is always a series of calculated risks, and he had ample opportunity to tap. But none of us enter the ring trying to end each others career, and I do regret the comments I made and being so animated about it afterwards. It was the adrenalin taking over.

TUF veteran Corey Hill snapped his leg at the "Fights for the Troops" event last week. The injury was horrific and will require Hill to lay off from fighting for 12 to 18 months. That's a long time to go between paychecks.

Presumably the UFC's health insurance is paying for his surgery and rehab, but Corey has a family to support. So his team mates at Gracie Tampa have started a get well fund to help out:

Gracie Tampa's - Corey Hill Get Well Fund

Please help Corey get through his leg surgery and recovery. All donations are greatly appreciated and will help Corey with his medical bills and provide for his wife and three children through this holiday season.

Do what you can.

UPDATE: For those who don't feel professional athletes merit assistance, lets remember that Corey gets paid $8000 per fight (plus $8000 win bonus) and only fought three times this year, going 1-2. That's $32,000 gross, not net. After he pays his trainers, fees, etc, I'd be surprised if he brought home $25,000.

He won't be working in the UFC next year and I doubt his job prospects are particularly good until he recovers from having his shin bone snapped in half.

These guys fight for our entertainment. Have some MMA community spirit.

Throughout the second half of 2008, observers of UFC television ratings have noticed a change in the composition of the audience.  The audience is getting older, and the ratings breakdown of Ultimate Fight Night 16 provides yet another example.  As opposed to being entertainment solely for the 18-34 crowd, UFC fights are drawing a decent amount of older viewers.  As you can see in the breakdown at MMA Payout, the 18-49 rating is stronger than the 18-34 rating in a way that it simply wasn't in the past:

“UFC Fight For The Troops” earned a 1.43 household rating — a 1.72 in Men 18-49, a 1.30 in People 18-49, a 1.62 in Men 18-34, and an average audience of 2.0 million viewers.

The audience for The Ultimate Fighter is also getting older according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

Ultimate Fighter on 12/3 saw the first hour do a 1.28 rating and 1.6 million viewers, and the second hour did a 1.21 rating and 1.6 million viewers. The trend of the viewers getting older continued, as the shows did a 1.43 in Males 18-34 and 1.71 in Males 35-49.

What caused the change?  On MMA Nation, Dave Meltzer speculated that it was the CBS shows that brought in older viewers who stuck around.  It seems like a plausible theory, but regardless of the cause, it's a serious trend that has continued over the last 6 months.  What does it mean for the UFC?  On one hand, bringing in more 35-49 viewers isn't going to help them with the advertisers lining up to get at the 18-34 demographic.  On the other hand, these older viewers are more likely to have disposable income to spend on PPV.  It's possible that this trend explains the growth in PPV buys in the second half of this year, though there are numerous causes.  This has to be considered a change for the better, considering the fact that the UFC's revenue is overwhelmingly driven by PPV numbers.  The 18-49 demographic is also the second most targeted demographic, so it's not as if they've started drawing women over 60 or something, it is still a good thing for advertisers.

The people at the UFC are very aware of this trend, the question is how they are going to respond to it.  The 35-49 demographic is hardly the "Manswers" crowd, and I don't think they will be all that interested in the antics from this season of The Ultimate Fighter.

A drop in viewers among 18-34 year old males has been mitigated by an increase among older viewers, which has kept ratings relatively steady.  Is the drop among younger viewers a reason for concern?  I think the answer could be yes in the long run, but that was always a possibility with a young audience prone to quickly jumping from fad to fad.  Gaining a foothold among older viewers is a very important step for long term stability.

UPDATE [ from Luke Thomas]: Here's the interview with Dave Meltzer for those who wish to hear it.

UFC Fight for the Troops averaged 2 million viewers and a 1.43 household rating on Wednesday night, according to MMA Junkie:

Wednesday's Spike TV broadcast of the "UFC Fight Night 16: UFC Fight for the Troops" event drew a 1.43 household rating and averaged two millions viewers during its three-hour run.

Spike TV today announced the ratings details for the Dec. 10 broadcast.

The event, which served as a night-long fundraiser for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, drew more viewers in the key men 18-49 demographic (961,000) than ESPN's broadcast of an NBA game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers (893,000).

The number is particularly strong considering the fact that the show had little to no star power on it.  The last 3 hour Fight Night was in April 2008, on a loaded card headlined by Kenny Florian and Joe Lauzon.  That card only drew a 1.1.

Steve Cofield makes the case that these two variables cast a shadow on the UFC's "Fight for the Troops" event:

I've been covering MMA heavily since 2002 and there's only been one broken limb. Tim Sylvia's arm was snapped by Frank Mir at UFC 48. Most fighters know when to tap in a dangerous situation or the official must protect the fighter from his own ego getting in the way of safety. You had a lethal mix on live television last night with an inexperienced fighter and a tentative official.

I hate to dump on a guy who just had his arm broken but why was Razak Al Hassan given a fight in the UFC? By the looks of it, he might not make the cut in a 32-man field to get on the The Ultimate Fighter. He shouldn't be in there with someone like Steve Cantwell and he definitely shouldn't have been fighting on the televised portion of the card. If Al Hassan is not smart or experienced enough to tap then referee Mario Yamasaki had to err on the side of caution. He's way too experienced to allow that to happen to a fighter.

Cofield also noted the number of unanswered knees that Brandon Wolff took in his loss to Ben Saunders before the referee stepped in and stopped the fight.  Frankly, referees are tasked with an extremely difficult job.  They're forced to make vital judgments about a fighter's well-being with little time and incomplete information.  Often times, they're lambasted for ending a fight prematurely.  And when a competitor is injured, they're accused of allowing the fight to go on too long.  It's hard for me to condemn a referee unless his, or her, actions were clearly inappropriate.

Another important aspect of the overall equation is matchmaking.  Every effort should be made to pit fighters of similar experience and skill levels against one another.  Admittedly, this is far from an exact science.  However, it seems evident to me that Al-Hassan was too green to be placed in a main card match against the former WEC light heavyweight champion in Cantwell.  It's quite possible that the UFC overestimated Al-Hassan's abilities, or maybe, placement in the high profile event negatively affected his performance.  Whatever the case, the onus is on the UFC to closely evaluate the suitability of potential competitors so as to avoid unnecessary injuries and blowout matches.  One can't expect a young, up-and-coming fighter to turn down a shot at the UFC, because he doesn't feel ready for the challenge.

Sportsline.com has the rundown of the injuries from last night's action starting with the word on Corey Hill:

Once the fight was stopped, officials rushed into the ring to attend to Hill. The show was delayed for approximately 20-25 minutes while medical personnel placed Hill's leg in an immobilizer, administered a pain-killing injection on the spot, and placed him on a stretcher.

Afterward, CBSSports.com overheard a medical official with the North Carolina Boxing Commission indicate that Hill had suffered a broken tibia and that he was scheduled to undergo emergency surgery. It is believed that Hill's recovery could take between 12-18 months.

Razak Al-Hassan:

While Al-Hassan was walking past media row on his way to the backstage area, a large mass could be seen near his elbow on his right arm. The mass appeared to be the size of a softball. An immediate diagnosis was not available, but it's possible that Al-Hassan had suffered a broken arm and that the mass was possibly tendon that had dislodged from bone and rolled up into his arm.

Jonathan Goulet:

It was also a very rough night for Goulet, who was TKO'd during the night's co-main event against Mike Swick just 33 seconds into the fight. According to the French Canadian's agent, Ken Pavia, a visibly shaken Goulet was taken to the hospital immediately after the contest in order to undergo a brain scan.

Additionally, Pavia indicated that Goulet possibly suffered an MCL tear during the fight and that doctors will not be able to formally diagnose the injury until swelling in the damaged region begins to subside next week.

And Yoshiyuki Yoshida:

Yoshiyuki Yoshida -- knocked out by Josh Koscheck during the night's main event -- also required medical attention. Yoshida could be seen laying on the canvas motionless after falling to the mat face first following a big right hand delivered by Koscheck. An update on Yoshida's condition was not immediately available.

The UFC did have an update on their site that Yoshida had been released from the hospital after being diagnosed as having a concussion.  Good to hear that it was nothing more serious than that.

It is a tough day to argue against the percieved brutality of our sport with everything that went down last night and all we can do is send out our best wishes to all the fighters for a speedy recovery.

As always, we're here to take you through the action of a major MMA show.  Starting with the Spike TV broadcast I will be here bringing you live results and thoughts on UFC: Fight for the Troops headlined by Josh Koscheck vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida.

Please participate in the comment thread and share your thoughts on the action as it unfolds.

We do ask that you adhere to our one standard rule.  No discussion in the comments of any undercard fights until after they are shown or the broadcast ends.  We do not want to spoil any fights that may make the air for anyone.

So join us, watch the fights, and share your thoughts.  And don't be afraid to get some discussion going before the show kicks off (just not spoilers).  Early worm gets the worm.

The show is starting and I love the intro here SO much more than the gladiator intro for the pay-per-views.

Joe Rogan mentions the feeling you get with this crowd when the National Anthem goes on with this crowd.  I find it odd that they wouldn't play the anthem while they were on the air.

They're doing a video package explaining the charity and the brain injury problem.  I would like to take a minute to urge everyone to call or go to fightforthetroops.com to donate to this noble cause.  Even if you only have $5 to give it would make me proud if our readers do what they can.

Jim Miller vs. Matt Wiman - Our first fight of the telecast and I would be willing to bet that this turns into a bit of a barnburner.  Round 1 -Miller lands a left and is actually outstriking Wiman early.  Nice right hand from Miller.  He is beating Wiman outside and inside and now Wiman gets a hard takedown right into a deep guillotine.  Miller rolls him and takes full mount.  Wiman keeps grabing the shorts and getting warned but he is finally able to escape.  I worry about the short notice and such a hard effort for a submission thought.  Now Miller is in Wiman's guard landing punches and elbows.  Wiman has a cut on the bridge of his nose and is getting beaten thoroughly.  Miller makes a mistake and ends up on bottom but Wiman can't do anything and catches an upkick.  They're back to standing and Wiman lands a right hook.  They're both breathing pretty heavy now.  Body kick from Miller and Wiman is hurt badly. Miller is gassed here...it's a torrid pace and he took this fight on such short notice. Superman punch glances off Wiman's head and the round ends.  10-9 round for Miller on the BE scorecard.  Round 2 -Miller tries for the takedown but Wiman scrambles to get back up quickly.  Combos are landing for Miller now and they clinch against the cage. Punch after punch from Miller now and Wiman is getting picked apart here.  Single leg by Miller now and he is in Wiman's guard.  Hammerfists from Miller now.  Miller lands a big punch as he spins out of a leg lock attempt.  Rogan and Goldie are saying that round 1 could be 10-8, but I don't think it was quite that bad.  Wiman has no answer but to lay and eat the occasional shot from Miller.  The round ends and it's another one sided 10-9 round for Miller on the BE card.  Round 3 - Wiman is landing shots early but Miller gets the takedown to get out of trouble.  Wiman gets back up and again lands a hook.  Single leg by Miller though and the troops boo the ground action.  I don't want to sound like a jerk...but this is a charity show for veterans...so maybe be nice to the guys putting on the show for you.  This isn't a snoozefest or anything.  Wiman is controlling Miller's hips well and isn't taking much damage now and as I type that Miller lands a nice right and passes to side control. Wiman does a nice job of getting him back to full guard and they stand.  Wiman lands a knee and Miller takes him right back down. Miller is obviously gassed this rround and just needs to hang on.  Wiman gets up tries a takedown and Miller slickly takes his back directly off of the takedown.  Miller has his back but looks too tired to do much with it.  Wiman grabs Millers glove and gets a warning but says "i'm not"  Miller goes for a full mount but Wiman prevents it.  The round ends and it's a much closer round but the majority of the action was Miller on top and getting takedowns.  Wiman landed a few punches but he lost the fight. 30-27 on the BE card.  Official Scorecards -30-27x2, 30-26 across the board.  Jim Miller wins by unanimous decision.  Very impressive performance for a guy taking a fight on a weeks notice.

Tim Creduer vs. Nate Loughran - Round 1- Low kick from Loughran catches Creduer low.  Right hand lands solid for Creduer.  Left/right lands for Tim now. Stupidly wide left hook misses for Tim now.  Rogan points out what I was thinking...Creduer needs to learn to keep his chin down when he lets his hands go.  They're pressed against the fence with no real damage.  Body kick from Loughran.  Right hand lands for Loughran.  Right hand now from Tim.  Left hook lands for Nate now.  Sloppy kickboxing match here early.  Overhand right for Tim lands as does a leg kick.  Tim's best work is probably the leg kicks, the technique on his punches is so bad that he is losing a lot of power on them.  Another big right hand lands and now Creduer throws some short power shots that looked like they hurt Nate more than any of the looping shots and the round ends.  10-9 Creduer.  Round 2 - Creduer avoids a takedown attempt and it is Tim that ends up on top.  Nate has a bad cut over his left eye.  It will likely be what stops this fight, it's a bad spot.  Nate is throwing up sloppy armbar attempts and Tim passes to half guard but Nate gets it back to full guard.  They're stood up after a lack of action on the ground and it's back to bad kickboxing.  Eye poke but no stoppage so Loughran tries to pounce on a one eyed Tim.  Back to standing at distance throwing punches like you'd see outside a night club.  Every time Tim lands a short punch he hurts Nate but he insists on throwing looping shots instead of staying short and compact.  They stop the fight as Nate is on his stool holding his rib.  Rogan says he thinks it was a broken rib.  They show Nate in his corner saying he was done.  Doesn't look like an injury..he just quit on the stool.  Tim Creduer wins by TKO (verbal submission) at 5:00 of Round 2.

Steve Cantwell vs. Razak Al-Hassan - Round 1 - Al-Hassan comes out quickly with jabs and kicks and Cantwell is circling.  Body kick from Hassan who is keeping his chin away from his body...that's going to end with him asleep on the mat I figure.  Uppercut lands for Cantwell.  Uppercut and a knee from Hassan in the clinch. Left hook from Cantwell lands but it was loopy.  Razak is winning the round on pressure if nothing else right now.  Left hook lands for Cantwell again.  A nice shot lands for Cantwell and Hassan looks for a takedown which Cantwell reverses and ends up on top.  Cantwell passes to side control with ease.  He can steal the round with a little work here.  Now Cantwell to the full mount.  Hassan gave up an arm and the armbar is deep.  Hasaan's arm looks like it broke and Yamasaki jumps in.  Steve Cantwell wins by TKO (armbar/injury/ref stoppage) round 1.

Mike Swick vs. Jonathan Goulet - Round 1 - Swick comes out aggressive and drops goulet after about 24 seconds.  Shot after shot lands and Big Dan jumps in to save him.  Any more questions about Goulet's chin?  Jonathan is still out, twitching and his eyes are rolled back in his head.  Nasty stuff.  Mike Swick wins by KO round 1.

Ben Saunders vs. Brandon Wolff - Undercard action! Round 1 -  Low kick from Saunders early.  They restart and Saunders lands somewhere around 40 knees from the clinch, then backs off for a high kick then back to the chlinch with a good 30-40 more knees.  It's a sick body and head attack with the knees and Wolff is bloody and swolen...the fight should probably have been stopped a good 30 seconds ago but it is finally stopped and Wolff is an absolute mess. WOW, what a beat down.  Ben Saunders wins by TKO, round 1.

Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Josh Koscheck - I get showing the intros for the main event fighters but I wish they'd skip it just to increase the odds of getting another undercard scrap on the broadcast.  Round 1 - Yoshida is looking like he wants to throw low kicks here and keep distance and Koscheck is looking happy to play the striking game.  Right hand lands for Koscheck....and another about 20 seconds later, this one drawing blood from Yoshida's ear.  Right hand lands for Koscheck and Yoshida looked out on his feet and another HUGE right lands and Yoshida goes stiff.  What a BEAUTIFUL and BRUTAL KO.  Josh Koscheck wins by KO, round 1.  Yoshida was as close to unconcious as you can be while still on your feet before eating that second shot.  Wow...

Steve Bruno vs. Johnny Rees - Undercard action.  Round 1 - boos from the fans early which again I say is kind of shady considering it's a charity show for a millitary cause.  Rees is looking for a takedown but can't do much with it early.  Body kick from Rees is caught and Bruno takes him down.  Big downward punch and a pass to side control.  North-south position and now Bruno takes his back.  Back to half guard and more booing and "stand up" from the crowd.  Bruno takes his back again.  The ref restarts them when Bruno has his back standing and now Rees is landing shots.  That was such a dumb restart.  I sincerely hope the refs (I didn't catch who is reffing this fight) are having their fight's reviewed and aren't just getting automatically brought back for another event.  "Come on do somethin' man" from the ref as there is active work being done.  10-9 for Bruno for me.  Round 2 -Bruno grabs a body lock and is looking for a trip but instead takes Rees' back standing.  Rees is looking for a Sakuraba-esque kimura but has to let it go.  The ref is reacting to the crowd booing which is why he is pressing for action so hard.  Restart again as they were working on the cage.  Rees connects with an uppercut and they're back against the cage, now Rees is looking for a double despite his corner telling him "no takedowns."  As Rees is working for the takedown there is a "come on men" from the ref.  Uppercuts land for Rees and Bruno grabs a takedown.  Bruno takes his back standing again and this time sinks the choke deep as they go to the ground and Rees has to tap.  Steve Bruno wins by submission (rear naked choke) round 2.  I think I heard someone say "was that an armbar" after the fight ended.

UFC Fight Night 16: Fight for the Troops Staff Predictions

MAIN CARD:

Josh Koscheck vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida



Luke Thomas: Yoshida might have the edge in the clinch early, but Koscheck's training with Dave Camarillo plus his leg attacks are something I seriously doubt Yoshida is prepared for. And while Yoshida has the more damaging ground and pound, I do not see Yoshida being able to hold down Koscheck long enough to do any damage. Koscheck could try turning this into a striking war, but if he decides to keep Yoshida guessing and off balance - and Yoshida has a tendency to concede to aggressive fighters, then attempt some sort of reverse of counter manuever - I see Koscheck taking a decision.

Kid Nate: This promises to be a classic collision of styles -- freestyle wrestling vs judo. Both fighters like to use their grappling skills to get position and win from the top. Yoshida should have the edge in the clinch, but if Koscheck shoots from the outside, he has an excellent chance of putting the judoka on his back. I expect Koscheck to have the edge in kickboxing range, and if he fights smart we could see a repeat of the dreadful brawl N stall game he used to decision Diego Sanchez. Koscheck by decision.

Brent Brookhouse: The turn-around time for Koscheck is really bothering me here.  But this is a situation where Koscheck's ego helps out.  He thinks he can win every fight and that should allow him to go above any sort of problems that may stem from his schedule.  So now we're back to fighter vs. fighter and I think that while Yoshida is a really good fighter who can beat some high level guys...Koscheck is better standing and he will be able to put Yoshida on his back should he desire.  I'm thinking Koscheck keeps the fight at distance getting in and out with jabs and jab/hook combos and getting right back outside.  Koscheck by decision.

Nick Thomas: Yoshida has a win over Dan Hardy just last year and that means a tough fight for Koscheck especially after his war against Alves. I'm betting Koscheck comes in with his I'm a striker now game plan, giving the opportunity to Yoshida to take this to ground and win by submission.

Mike Fagan: As much as I love Yoshida, straight up, I want to pick Koscheck here.  However, the fact that he's fought 3 times in six months and last fought just 6 weeks ago is tripping me up.  Add in all the hoopla about merchandising rights and Koscheck apparently still in danger of being released, and I'm really confused.  I'll go with Yoshida by decision, but I feel dirty about it.


Mike Swick vs. Jonathan Goulet



Luke Thomas: Goulet has the worst chin in all of professional MMA and Mike Swick throws quick, explosive combinations. Gee, I wonder how this ends? Oh yeah, Swick by TKO, round 1.

Kid Nate: I see no reason for booking this fight. Its basically a gimme for Swick after a string of lackluster performances. Swick supposedly wanted a tougher opponent and declined the fight so Goulet took to the web to do some smack calling. Next thing you know, Swick takes the fight. Goulet does come to bang so hopefully Swick will find his "Quick" again. Swick by TKO.

Brent Brookhouse: Goulet really wanted this fight and that makes me think that maybe he knows something we don't.  But...no he doesn't.  Swick by TKO, round 1.

Nick Thomas: Gotta go with my fellow Canuck here. Goulet's technique is there and long as he doesn't get caught, Goulet can win this. Goulet by TKO.

Mike Fagan: In my opinion, this is a tuneup fight for Swick.  Swick by TKO, round 2.


Steve Cantwell vs. Razak Al-Hassan



Luke Thomas: Al-Hassan has some nice Tae Kwon Do and good submissions including a nice guillotine choke, which is a high percentage fight stopper. On the feet, however, Cantwell should be able to blast Al-Hassan into next week. Provided Cantwell can keep this fight standing, it's a wrap for him. Cantwell via TKO, round 2.

Kid Nate: Al-Hassan is a late substitute for Brian Stann and he's pretty much an enigma. His record is larded up with wins over cans in small shows. Cantwell is the former WEC champ and showed some decent striking skills in reclaiming the belt from Stann. Unless Al-Hassan is the second coming of Houston Alexander, I expect Cantwell by TKO in 2.

Brent Brookhouse: Cantwell is a guy who will never be a 205 champ in the UFC, but he is going to be a long time undercard fighter who is a step up from being a gatekeeper.  I really like his striking technique and I think he picks Al-Hassan apart for a couple minutes before he launches a solid shot that stuns Razak.  He'll follow up with a few more strikes and that'll be it.  Cantwell by TKO, round 1.

Nick Thomas: Great to see Cantwell in the UFC. Cantwell by TKO.

Mike Fagan: Should be a nice introduction for Cantwell.  Cantwell by TKO, round 1.


Tim Creduer vs. Nate Loughran



Luke Thomas: I like the upset here. Loughran is everything Creduer is except a better athlete and wrestler. That's enough for me to give him the nod. Loughran by decision.

Kid Nate: Two submission artists clash here, but I expect the slightly more well-rounded Creduer to use his striking edge to get the win. Creduer by TKO.

Brent Brookhouse: Creduer is better as a fighter all around, which isn't to say that Loughran isn't any good.  Creduer takes this one.  Credeur by submission, round 1.

Nick Thomas:Credeur by experience.

Mike Fagan: Whoever wins, this one isn't going the distance.  Credeur by submission, round 3.


Matt Wiman vs. Jim Miller



Luke Thomas: Wiman might have a slight edge in the stand-up, but not in the wrestling or the grappling. More importantly, Miller is always the aggressor and in the aggression he's going to force Wiman into a reactionary mistake. I like Miller here by submission, round 2.

Kid Nate: Ordinarily I'd pick Miller to win by submission, but he's taking this fight on incredibly short notice and Matt Wiman is a tough tough competitor. Wiman should survive an early ground assault and get back to his feet where he'll take advantage of an exhausted Miller. Wiman by TKO in 2.

Brent Brookhouse: Miller is fine on short notice and he is a bad matchup for Wiman.  He is so good on the ground and his stand-up game is good enough that he should be able to survive when they're up.  Miller by hard fought decision.

Nick Thomas: With Miller subbing in as a last minute replacement, I just can't come to pick him over Wiman. Wiman by decision.

Mike Fagan: I think Miller's good enough to overcome the short notice here.  Miller by submission, round 1.

Continue reading this post »

I'll be on Fight Network Radio today at 3:10 pm EST to give a preview of "UFC Fight Night 16: Fight for the Troops". Click here for more information about the show and I'll be sure to post the mp3 of the appearance when it's up.

Thanks for the support.

UPDATE: And here's the audio.

The UFC has always been military-friendly, but it looks like Lorenzo has contacts in all walks of life:

The organizations are working with the Department of Defense to help build the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, a research facility in Bethesda, Md., that will be dedicated to treating troops who suffer from traumatic brain injuries.

The organizations have already raised $50 million.

"This will go a long way to reach our goal," said Arnold Fisher, vice chairman of Fisher House.

Fisher contacted UFC co-founder Lorenzo Fertitta, an old friend, about six months ago about raising money for the project.

Good on the UFC for using their resources to help wounded veterans. My old XO had a brain anuerism in Iraq and has waded through more than five crainioplasties in Walter Reed. Witnessing what he and other wounded vets must wade through makes the word "taxing" seem like a quiant euphimism. Let's hope that despite a shrinkage in disposable income Americans open their pocketbooks to this very worthy cause.