NEW SHOW HOSTED BY RACHELLE LEAH & JAY GLAZER

The major cable sports networks are committing even more to MMA coverage. “MMA Live” is ready to make its jump from web program to cable program when it debuts on ESPN2 this Thursday May 6. FoxSports.Com is offering a new web-based MMA show of its own, debuting “MMAthletics” this week. Is this a litmus test for a future program on the the Fox Sports Regional Networks?
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VIDEO: MTC FEATURED ON WGN-TV

The team at Midwest Training Center welcomed WGN feature reporter Marcus Leshock to their gym.  Leshock interviewed head coach Alex Trujillo and some of MTC’s fighters in a nice little feature package.   It’s always good to see a local gym get some exposure on a major local media outlet like WGN-TV.  It also looks like Marcus had a little fun while shooting this story.

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VIDEO: “MAYHEM” MILLER RELAXED FOR CHICAGO STRIKEFORCE FIGHT

Jason “Mayhem” Miller was as colorful as ever in front of the TV news cameras in Chicago. He played to the cameras well, donning fur jacket and practicing pro wrestling moves. If he’s uptight about his upcoming middleweight title match with Jake Shields you’d never know it.

VIDEO: FEDOR TALKS TO CHICAGO MEDIA

Chicago’s MMA has been critical of the mainstream Chicago media when it comes to covering mixed martial arts.  To our surprise, members of the local TV news pool sent a crew to cover Strikeforce’s open workouts at POW gym in the West Loop.  Here’s Fedor Emelianenko talking to Fanhouse’s Ariel Helwani and some local reporters.

TAPOUT ON FORBES SPORTS MONEY

Great segment on the history of TapouT, including an interview with Punkass, from Forbes “Sports Money”.

SHAQ’S MMA TRAINER ON ESPN

Do you think Shaq could take Chuck Liddell?

JASON CHAMBERS REMAINS IN PERPETUAL MOTION

Southside Chicago native Jason Chambers has worn many hats in the martial arts world.  He’s ready to wear a few more.

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BRUCE LEE: IN HIS WORDS

We here at Chicago’s MMA are huge Bruce Lee fans. Isn’t everybody? Take a lesson from The Man.

• “Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend.”
• “Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.”
• “A good fight should be like a small play…but played seriously. When the opponent expands, l contract. When he contracts, l expand. And when there is an opportunity… l do not hit…it hits all by itself (shows his fist). Any technique, however worthy and desirable, becomes a disease when the mind is obsessed with it.”
• “There is no opponent.” Read more

DO YOU LIKE MMA LIVE?

I just read 2 columns about ESPN’s MMA Live. The first, over at MMA Junkie, seems to think the show is clicking. The other, over at Bloody Elbow, says it’s overrated.

And me? I’m in the middle. Part of me is thankful that I can watch an MMA news show and watch it whenever I please on my laptop. That being said, I do not watch it every week. After reading the 2 articles I got to thinking if I would be a weekly viewer if it was on TV. The answer is yes. I would definitely set a series recording for it, and navigating back and forth or through a show is much easier on a DVR. And while the production values are excellent, web video simply can’t compare to TV, especially HD.

I think Anik is fantastic in his role and he gets the most out of whatever talent is beside him on any given show. Bloody Elbow thinks that the analysis is woeful, save for Florian and the occasional piece with Mir. I agree to an extent — the 2-3 word answers after an Anik question are awkward and sore-thumby — but I still get something out of the show and its analysis.

Bloody Elbow also thinks part of the problem is money and location. “The problem is that the number of folks capable of offering entertaining and meaningful on air analysis in MMA can be counted on one hand, so by recruiting regionally ESPN unfortunately narrows the scope of an already shallow talent pool.”

I would think that if they did talkbacks with analysts in other cities it would work out well. What they would have to pay other people, as well as other production costs and satellite time fees, etc. is probably negligible. Especially considering the big numbers MMA Live is pulling. Or perhaps they are just content with McNeil, Florian and the like.

So would a talkback like the recent one with Loretta Hunt and more like them add to the content and quality of the show? A bit. It probably wouldn’t alter my viewing habits. I suspect the same of other viewers.

I found this note about Ken-Flo especially funny from the MMA Junkie article:

Poise, however, wasn’t one of Florian’s stronger assets in those frantic moments when a studio director’s countdown is down to a single hand. Butterflies may be swarming when the referee asks him if he’s ready for battle. Bats were seething seconds before the red light went on and Florian received the cue he’s on the air – not wearing gloves, trunks and Vaseline, but in jacket, tie and makeup.

I hope he knows it’s not really live. And if he screws up they can pretty easily cut and do it over. I’m kidding of course, but it’s interesting to hear how nervous it makes Florian.

I don’t think MMA Live is overrated. I also don’t think it’s the greatest thing ever in the history of MMA coverage. But I like it and think it’s well done. It serves its purpose. I think I’ll go watch it right now…

STRIKEFORCE BROADCAST TEAM: ASSEMBLE!

There’s good news and bad news regarding the announcement of Showtime’s revamped team for the Strikeforce telecasts that begin on April 11th.

The good news? Mauro Ranallo and Stephen Quadros are part of the team. The GREAT news? Bill Goldberg is gone. Nothing personal, but I thought he was brutal on the EliteXC broadcasts. More good news? Legends Frank Shamrock and Pat Miletich will be contributors. The weird news? Mauro looks like Michael Moore after gastric-bypass in the picture I used for this post.

And that brings me to Gus Johnson. I love him during March Madness, but did not enjoy him at all on the CBS Elite shows — especially since Mauro was right next to him. If I had my druthers, Mauro would be the main play-by-play announcer. Back in October I had this to say about Gus and Mauro after the Kimbo defeat:

Gus Johnson compared Petruzelli to Rocky and called the win “the most incredible victory in the history of mixed martial arts.” That’s odd. I didn’t even consider it an upset. Johnson, as much as I love him doing college hoops, simply has to try too hard to do a quality broadcast on the Elite programs.

He had several miscalls on different holds and you can tell he is thinking way too hard before speaking. It’s sore-thumby at best, and painful to listen to at times.

Mauro Ranallo is simply the best at calling MMA – his voice, enthusiasm, knowledge are second to none and he even makes his corny metaphors work and generate laughs. Johnson is superfluous on the telecast. He’s just not needed there.

Here’s hoping Johnson will be better than he was before — I’m definitely rooting for him. And I’m glad I didn’t cancel Showtime!