MMAFiend beat me to it in dropping a fanpost on Joe Rogan's response to Jim Rome's statement that Liddell should want no part of Anderson Silva. Rogan's quote from the underground:
There's a real problem that I see in sports broadcasting where it's OK to be a [expletive] [expletive] head. We don't need that [expletive] in MMA. It's tough enough for these guys to take a loss like that, the last thing they need is some [expletive] head like Rome rubbing it in their face.
While I genuinely enjoy Joe Rogan (I even enjoy his rambling stand-up routines) he is coming across so poorly here. The UFC brass are so desperate for mainstream media coverage, MMA fans are constantly whining that we don't get enough time on ESPN, and Joe Rogan himself spends time on end talking about how big the sport is getting. But when MMA gets the same treatment on a show that EVERY OTHER MAINSTREAM SPORT gets suddenly we have to hold an opinion show host to a higher standard?
With the announcement of Couture/Lesnar we've seen the UFC get some air time on ESPN and this very site has seen a lot of comments stating that the sport needs, and hopefully will be getting, more coverage by the mainstream sports media (ESPN especially). Suddenly just because Jim Rome does his usual shtick and takes a bit of an "edgy" position in telling Chuck that his best plan of attack isn't getting knocked out for the third time in five fights we're going to cry about fighter's feelings getting hurt?
I'm sure players from the Patriots were having a hard time dealing with the loss in the Super Bowl last season. Were they given a pass in the media because everyone wanted to be careful not to hurt their feelings? No. They choked and were called on it. Chuck Liddell receiving a mildly sharp comment on Rome Is Burning is nothing compared to Bill Buckner living through replay after replay of one error in an otherwise stellar career being shown as an example of a cursed franchise and spurring hatred from the fans toward him.
The sports media in theis country is rough and edgy is what sells. If Joe Rogan, the UFC and its fans want more coverage they're going to have to deal with the fact that it isn't all going to be nicey nice and some people are probably going to get their feelings hurt. If we want to be covered like any other sport by ESPN then don't cry and act like we somehow deserve better than the rest when the coverage comes.
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