Monday, September 6, 2010
Lake O?Hara Alpine Circuit vs. Tongariro Crossing
The Opinionated Hikers on Patrol for You New Zealand has marketed itself to hikers more successfully than any country in the world. True, NZ is blessed with gorgeous scenery and has an enviable number of tracks (trails), but those aren?t the only reasons it ranks high on many hikers? life lists. Kiwis are smart. Their [...]
Guide Bio: Mason!
Mason.� He of the flaming rocket tattoo.�� Hoster of mid-winter, off-season (possibly off-color, but I’m just guessing) Prom Nights. Secret channeler of The King, navigator of strange inflatable animals, and latest in a long line of AO love affairs (he’s betrothed to another AO guide–oh South Fork, you mysterious mistress of romance and commitement, how [...]
Mía Maestro Michael Michele Michelle Behennah Michelle Branch
Media watch: Boston treats UFC the way all cities should
There's no city in the country that's into its baseball team more than Boston. The Red Sox take center stage from March-September and then it's time for the New England Patriots. Between excellent sports-radio stations and powerhouse newspapers, Boston is huge on its sports. If you're without a calendar, it's August, there's roughly 30 games left in the MLB season and the Pats are two weeks away from the season opener. So it wouldn't have surprised anyone if UFC 118 got little coverage this week. Instead, the town's media has embraced the event like no other city in the U.S. has in the past. Both the Boston Herald and Boston Globe have had multiple staffers writing stories since early in the week. And even WEEI, one of the top-five sports-radio stations in the country, has devoted ample time to UFC guests and the event. It's a great step forward for MMA. So if Boston can do it, with all that's going on in town, what was the issue in the past with Portland, San Francisco/Oakland, San Diego, Cincinnati, Columbus, Atlanta and Nashville? During those UFC stops, the promotion was fortunate to get an advance newspaper story on the Friday before the event and most of the sports-radio stations half-assed UFC fighter interviews, if they chose to put someone on at all.The real egg is on the face of the most recent host cities San Diego and the Bay Area. UFC president Dana White flipped out before UFC 117 earlier this month. He exploded on Twitter over a reported run-in that his public relations people had with the San Francisco Chronicle. The paper chose to completely ignore the event. White's diatribe and the Chronicle's decision to pass on the event sparked a spirited discussion on sportsjournalists.com, where most of the participants sided with the newspaper and said MMA was still a fringe sport. The Chronicle's decision and the way the event was covered in San Diego reflect an odd shift for MMA. The West Coast was really where the sport got its initial push, but now it seems like the media outlets are hesitant to take the coverage to the next level. Meanwhile, when the UFC has gone east, cities like Boston and Philadelphia have been all over it. Why is that? Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole, a longtime veteran of the newspaper business, disagrees with newspaper editors who refuse to take MMA seriously and says it's just a matter a time before the policy changes.
UFC 118's Three Stars: Edgar, Couture and Diaz
Taking a look at the best and worst of the UFC's first foray into Boston. No. 1 star -- Frankie Edgar: Few champions have ever had to win two fights to be considered a champion, but that's exactly what Edgar had to do. After beating former lightweight champ B.J. Penn at UFC 112, Edgar was given the task of doing it again at 118. Not only did he respond to the challenge without complaint, he fought better than he did at 112, decisively beating Penn in all five rounds of their bout. No. 2 star -- Randy Couture: Since his bout with James Toney was billed as boxing vs. MMA, Couture had the job of defending MMA's honor. "Captain America" handled the job deftly, taking down Toney and beating on him before submitting him. No. 3 star -- Nate Diaz: In his second fight at welterweight, Diaz survived a Marcus Davis barrage early in the fight, added a deformity to Davis' head, and then guillotine choked Davis until he passed out. Though Diaz said he wants to return to lightweight, welterweight seems like a natural home for him. Dishonorable mention -- Kenny Florian: Fighting in front of hometown fans, Florian was incapable of getting an offense going against Gray Maynard. A win here would have given Florian a shot at the lightweight belt. He even had Dana White saying that he choked in the big fights.
United States > New York > Dive Adventures
Mention you are a Scuba Diver Girls fan and get this deal: Book a charter with us, 5 pay 6th goes FREE ($80 value) We also offer 10% discount to any military branch, Dive Adventures way to say ?Thank You? for your service to our country. (Exclusion may apply) Our dive shop offers group travel [...]
UFC 118: Nate Diaz Chokes Out Marcus Davis
by Michael David SmithNate Diaz absolutely brutalized Marcus Davis Saturday night at UFC 118, using his striking to turn Davis's face into a mess in the first two rounds before choking Davis into unconsciousness in the third.
"I feel good," Diaz said afterward. "I think I broke my hand in the second round."
But while Diaz may have suffered a broken bone, it was Davis who really suffered in the fight.
More: Nate Diaz vs. Marcus Davis Live Blog | UFC 118 Results | UFC 118 Pictures
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"I feel good," Diaz said afterward. "I think I broke my hand in the second round."
But while Diaz may have suffered a broken bone, it was Davis who really suffered in the fight.
More: Nate Diaz vs. Marcus Davis Live Blog | UFC 118 Results | UFC 118 Pictures
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