“Hey, man. How are you?”

And that’s how the UFC’s Mike “Quick” Swick greeted me on the phone last night. We had scheduled a 15-minute interview that suddenly extended to 20, 40, 45 and ended up at about 50. I kept apologizing for going way beyond our allocated time, and he kept saying, “Don’t worry about it.”

This is a fighter who is articulate, energetic and very driven. He also talks fast. And you thought they called him Quick because he ended his fights fast! :))) Because I don’t record most interviews, I have to type extra fast when I talk to him.

The day started for me at 4 a.m. Just before he called, I was slowing down real fast. By the time our conversation was done, I was re-energized. So make sure you check out his next fight. This is a good guy with a great fiancée. They both deserve everything good that comes their way.

— Doug J

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You gotta love the Michael Phelps Olympic story. Eight events. Eight golds. That’s incredibly amazing.

I also love the little subplot that accompanied the 100-meter butterfly. Prior to the race, apparently there was a little back and forth between competitors, one of them insinuating that maybe Phelps couldn’t pull off eight golds. Then, immediately after the race, which Phelps barely won, there was talk of a protest.

When all was said and done, however, Mike Cavic showed Phelps the respect he deserved. The Los Angeles Times reported that Cavic said he lost to the greatest swimmer in the history of the sport, and “there’s nothing wrong with that.”

He’s right. There’s definitely nothing wrong with that. And it was great to hear Cavic show Phelps that respect, especially on a stage like the Olympics.

In our world of MMA, we see and hear that respect all the time, which is just one of many reasons why our sport is so great.

- Doug J

 

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If it weren’t for USA Judo’s press releases on Olympic judo competition, it would be darn tough to find out what’s happening in Beijing on NBC.

I enjoy virtually all sports, and the American women played an exciting volleyball game last night against Belgium, but I’d love to see some judo. I’m sure the NBC execs made the decision that there’s more interest in volleyball than there is in judo, and that’s probably true.

Print journalism seems to be on top of things. The Los Angeles Times provides an alphabetical order recap of all the sports, including judo. The paper’s main coverage is for the bigger sports. For example, they, naturally and understandably, are allocating an abundance of space to swimming’s Michael Phelps, but at least we’re getting judo highlights.

Maybe that is what NBC could do, too. They could show highlights at the outset, or at least early in the broadcast, of sports such as judo. Athletes like Ronda Rousey and Daniel McCormick deserve a little publicity. Let’s give it to them.

— DJ

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• First Look is a column in Surfing magazine in which they ask various pro surfers crazy questions, such as who would win a fight between a tiger and a bear. They also ask, “What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?” Brent Reilly, facetiously, of course, said, “I fight in [the] UFC.”

• To all you cyclists and bike commuters in So Cal, keep up the good work. The trains are packed with bikes. It may be small, but at least we’re putting a dent in the absurd gasoline situation.

• The UFC keeps pulling in millions. The gate for UFC 87 was $2.2 million. UFC 86 was $4.2 million, 85 was $3 mil and 84 was 4.4 mil. I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

• Her bio says she's 99 years old. Granted, she looks like a million, but it's doubtful Mia St. John is 99. But check yourself. She's at www.myspace.com/miastjohn.

- Doug J

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Apparently, some people are concerned or upset or flat out don’t like how Brock Lesnar celebrated his victory over Heath Herring in the Octagon at UFC 87. I heard some say it had a little WWE feel to it.

But think about it. Tthese guys, like athletes in other sports, get caught up in the moment. How about the touchdown celebrations in pro football? How about the baseball players who walk backward down the line and take 90 minutes to circle the bases following a homerun?

In addition to that, Lesnar is not the first mixed martial artist to celebrate a victory. In fact, I’ve seen Tito simulate a mock burial when he defeats an opponent. GSP and David Loiseau do back flips. QJ howls. How can you hold Lesnar accountable when others also celebrate?

So let these guys celebrate, provided they don’t cross any lines of disrespect. And should they lose, they need to let the winner celebrate, too.

Admittedly, I like it better when the two fighters meet in the middle, shake hands and embrace. Watch Kenny Florian the next time he wins. Or Roger Huerta. This show of total respect is what separates our sport from virtually all others.

- Doug J

 

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With his victory over Jason MacDonald on Saturday at UFC 87, Demian Maia has improved his record to 9-0. How far he can go in the middleweight division remains to be seen, as UFC president Dana White reminded the press that the current champ (Anderson Silva) is a striking phenom.

Time will certainly tell how far Maia goes. Regardless if he dethrones Silva one day, take a closer look at the man. This Brazilian may be one of the most unassuming fighters, in a sport of unassuming fighters, there is. He’s very low key, and he’s not brash in victory. If you didn’t know him and glanced at him on the street, you might guess he’s a lifeguard by trade or possibly an employee at a bookstore.

Of course, we know who he is, and we know what he does. And even if he doesn't end up on top of the MW division, appreciate his talent … and his demeanor.

- Doug J

 

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At the UFC 87 post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White said Jon Fitch would not be attending because he had to go to the hospital. A few minutes later who showed up? Fitch. One eye and all.

He sat down and grumbled that he had no intentions of going to the hospital. If you saw the fight, you know how tough he is. Showing up at the PC is additional proof of that.

When the press conference broke up, Fitch, along with his girlfriend, hung around and talked to reporters long after the others had left. This guy is a first-class fighter and a first-class person.

- Doug J

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There was a good turnout for the UFC 87 weigh-ins, and the fans showed good support for their own Brock Lesnar and Roger Huerta. Each smiled widely as they made their way up the ramp.

When he stepped off the scale, Huerta shook UFC president Dana White’s hand, but neither looked at each other. In fact, Huerta looked directly at the ground. We’ll find out later if that scenario is significant.

The downtown area by Minnesota’s Target Center is quite nice. The architecture is impressive, and it’s pedestrian and bike friendly. However, “No Turns” means no turns. I didn’t realize I was on a street designated for taxis and busses only until a taxi driver and a pedestrian, virtually simultaneously, yelled at us. I escaped without a ticket and I’ll admit my guilt, but I’m pretty convinced that there’s no sign that says “Taxis and Busses Only.”

Three hours and 20 minutes before the first fight.

— Doug J

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The Northwest Airlines flight out of LA was delayed virtually two hours, so we didn’t get into Minnesota until 12:30 a.m. or so. Fast forward to 3 a.m. by the time we walked through the seemingly endless airport, found our luggage (the carousel had stopped by the time we had arrived), rented a PT Cruiser (took several more minutes to figure out how to put the window up), drove to the Doubletree Hotel and checked into our rooms.

Everyone says the Target Center is only four miles from our hotel, but we haven’t seen it yet. Speaking of stadiums, the employee in the airport parking garage is a Vikings fan. He said he used to go to the games when The Purple People Eaters (pro football's Minnesota Vikings defense) ruled the NFL. It sounds funny, but it was kind of an honor to meet him. He saw Carl Eller and Alan Page and the rest of those guys in person. That is amazing. In that era, Sir Francis (Fran Tarkenton) was their QB. Those were the days. How many kids pretended they were Tarkenton when they played at school or in the street?

There’s another athlete from Minnesota who is influencing kids today … Mr. Roger Huerta. I’m sure he’ll have a ton of support at the weigh-in today. I’ll let you know.

- Doug J

 

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One of the most remarkable things about the Olympics, to me, is not the talent these athletes possess. Instead, it’s the dedication. Sure, they have skill, but sometimes, as Randy Couture once said, an ordinary person can do extraordinary things. And that’s done with dedication.

If you’ve trained for any athletic event, as an amateur, you can appreciate the time it takes. Now, consider the Olympic athlete. He (and she, of course) has sacrificed his whole life for this moment. Years ago former Olympic taekwondo gold medalist Herb Perez told me that he had no regrets, but he had no life during his pursuit for Olympic gold … except for taekwondo.

So check out the Olympics. Check out 41-year-old swimmer Dara Torres. Check out swimmer Michael Phelps in his quest to shatter Mark Spitz’s remarkable swimming records. And don’t forget judo’s Brian Olson and Rhonda Rousey.

Appreciate their talent but respect the dedication it took for them to get there.  


- Doug J

 

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