[Professional Blog] This and that

I couldnt agree more with Sports Editor Robin Shorts take on Mixed Martial Arts, calling it as much sport as alligator wrestling. Ive never discounted the competitors technical prowess in their own brand of fighting, be it kick-boxing or jiu jitsu or Greco-Roman wrestling, theyre all fantastic athletes in their own right. But throwing one against another in a brawl for all is more for the blood and violence crazed fan base than it is for the martial arts purist. It is, thanks to the boost it received with the testosterone laden Ultimate Fighter reality television show, WWF/WWE evolved. Characters. Gimmicks. The Faces vs the Heels. And as Robin so astutely points out, it is causing people to become exceedingly violent. I cant count the number of UFC-influenced moves tested on unsuspecting combatants after a night on George. Foolishness. How long before backroom fight clubs start popping up, if theyre not already happening. * * * * * * Waterford Valley Minor Softball enjoyed yet another successful showing at this years Moss with four teams making the finals in their respective divisions. They must be doing something right, but you have to wonder how other associations havent caught on. * * * * * * St. Johns Legends swimmer Owen Daly is this provinces Michael Phelps. While the 14-year-old didnt finish any higher than sixth at the Canadian Age Group Championships in Montreal this weekend, he made the finals in six events and broke five provincial records, including a pair in the 100-metre butterfly and freestyle that have stood for 22 years. Looking forward to seeing big things from Daly as he gets older.