Power Slap—the series developed by UFC prez Dana White—drew in nearly 300K viewers in its debut on Wednesday. The TBS show outperformed the Young Sheldon reruns that took its place last week after White exchanged slaps with his wife on NYE. My @FOS story. https://t.co/uTDbEdjEVy
— A.J. Perez (@byajperez) January 20, 2023
I have a hard time watching football anymore because of the issues regarding CTE. A lot of good athletes and decent people have experienced brain trauma that changed their personalities, caused serious life repercussions, even cost players their lives and the lives of people around them.
I grew up loving professional wrestling. Sadly, professional wrestling also has a reputation for being a sport where people can experience a shortened life span, and a lot of that has to do with the toll constant physical trauma has on--well, just every damn part on one's life, from pain management to potential brain damage. The incredibly talented Chris Benoit was found to have had CTE after he killed his wife and child and himself. I've seen too many people die young who are associated with that sport, as well.
So, call me a killjoy, but I just don't see any joy in a so-called sport that revolves around rattling the fuck out of someone's brainpan and subjecting yourself to getting your own skull rocked. In any fighting discipline, it's true that you can learn how to take bumps in a way that protect your neck and head and minimize the damage your extremities experience.
There is no way to not have your squishy little brain not flop around in your hard little skull when someone mollywhops you across the jibs. I am in agreement with Dr. Nowinski, this is irresponsible and exploitative and absolutely damaging to the participants. It is not entertainment to watch people give each other brain damage, and I don't care how much they get paid to do it.
I am just incensed as hell that some large proportion of our society thinks this is something they want to watch and support because these are real humans doing some stupid, stupid shit. Maybe they just don't understand the ramifications of what they are watching, and this sport doesn't care to provide an adequate disclaimer of what the damage is (as wrestling sometimes does--do not try these things at home, kiddos). But upfront, before we even have an audience, I am mad that so-called sports entrepreneurs think so little of humanity that they want SLAPFACERACE2000 to be a thing people watch because they know full well violence sells.
No especial art, or athleticism, or whatever. Just pow, bang, splat. And slaphappy little violence goblins are going to tune in to watch real people sacrifice their ability to remember their kids' names at 60 because they are just mad at random shit and need sublimated violence to function. (Please, angry people, learn to do videogames. Watch Jason Statham movies. There are not-horrific options.)
So no, this sport is not for me, and I would like to advise, it shouldn't be for anyone. It's just stupid and hurtful.
2 comments:
I certainly agree about this new "sport". But think it's worth noting that boxing is precisely the same: much of the sport is about connecting with the skull of the opponent, to cause that skull to rotate faster than the enclosed brain matter can follow. And when the brain matter rubs against the skull, a lesion develops, and the victim can pass out. That's not a side-effect: that's the point of the whole thing.
So, uh, this "slap-fighting" isn't new in this regard.
You bet--boxing has been getting a special pass also because of the history of the sport, because of the glamor and the betting. And they reckon something like 90% of boxers have some form of brain damage?
https://fherehab.com/learning/micky-ward-mental-health#:~:text=Boxers%20Diagnosed%20with%20CTE&text=Nearly%2090%25%20of%20modern%20boxers,whiplash%20on%20a%20daily%20basis.%E2%80%9D
It's putting a civilized sheen over brutalizing human brains. I loved the Rocky movies--I hate the sport.
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