Nothing against Forrest Griffin here. He seems like a genuinely good guy and hard-working fighter. But he is 29 years old. He held the UFC light heavyweight title for about five minutes. Why would I want to read his book Got Fight? at this particular point in time? Its clichéd title notwithstanding (how long did it take to think of that, about eight seconds?), I’m not sure I see the appeal.
Maybe this is just a pet peeve of mine, but I hate when fairly young people without an especially amazing story to tell put a book out. At least Tori Spelling was in her mid-thirties when she released sTori Telling. I realize the rules are a little different in this field, so let me go ahead and list what I see as the five scenarios under which you may release a book if you’re a pro fighter. Hopefully this will clear up some confusion.
1) You’re a Legend of the Sport
Randy Couture? Yeah, he gets to put a book out. He’s old enough and has been in the sport long enough to have some interesting insights. Chuck Liddell? It’s a little bit of a stretch, but sure. Tito Ortiz? Okay, I guess. But guys who are still in the middle of their careers, why? Wouldn’t we rather wait and get your perspective once it’s all over, or at least close to over?
2) You’re a Specialist
Instructional books are a different animal. If you have a special, nuanced understanding of some technical aspect of the game that others don’t, by all means share it. B.J. Penn’s The Book of Knowledge falls into this category, and even Eddie Bravo’s Mastering the Rubber Guard. Last time I checked though, Forrest Griffin wasn’t known for being especially good at any one thing. More like pretty good at a lot of different things, and willing to try harder than everyone else at them. Not exactly the kind of thing you can impart in an instructional book.
3) You Have a Unique Life Story
If you were raised by wolves or sprang fully-grown from your father’s skull, okay, tell us all about it. If you’re Jens Pulver and just happened to have a horrifying childhood, that’s interesting as well. Plus it might be therapeutic for you to get it out. Or it might just be really painful. Either way, I’ll read that.
4) You Wrote It Yourself
I’m willing to toss all these rules out the window if a fighter actually sat down and pounded out the entire book on his own. Griffin teamed up with Erich Krauss, who’s written a bunch of fighting-related books, so that’s not the case here. But if we could really believe it was his prose style at work, his unfiltered observations, that might be worth picking up in a Barnes & Noble, just to see. The fighter I’d most like to see pull this one off is, without a doubt, Josh Barnett.
5) It’s a Book of Poems
I refer here specifically to Wanderlei Silva’s forthcoming work, Sunset Is Make Heart to Break. I’ve seen an advance copy, and honestly, it’s a beautiful work from a beautiful soul.
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Comments
Thu, 04/09/09 - 04:40
will be shit.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 04:44
wait, the axe murderer writes poems?
Thu, 04/09/09 - 04:47
He could write a book about leg kicks and self-deprecation.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 04:47
Who gives a fuck, Who gives a shit!!!
Thu, 04/09/09 - 04:47
does being in the "big penis book" qualify?
Thu, 04/09/09 - 04:48
i heard that's all the rage on coffee tables lately
Thu, 04/09/09 - 04:50
I hope Forrest's book is about baseball...
Thu, 04/09/09 - 04:52
He Got Paid. We don't have to read it.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 04:58
Forrest Griffin - Mastering the Shit Eating Grin Vol. 1
Thu, 04/09/09 - 04:59
His book about how Rashad use his Pee Pee to win fight! GSP grease his cock no fair! Cheater! -From Russia with laugv
Thu, 04/09/09 - 05:03
dude, i doubt you read much of anything, so you're insight into this is about as meanignful as Travis Wiuff's YAMMA belt... Shit, im sure if you read my comment, thats about twice as much as you usually read in a day, not counting billboards, traffic signs and the mp3 player.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 05:27
Sounds like someone is just bitter they haven't been able to hammer down a ghost writing deal with Josh Barnett yet...
Thu, 04/09/09 - 05:29
I'd still rather read this than Michael Phelps. The short answer to "Why write a book?" is pretty simple. "Because someone paid me." I dunno, I'd consider just showing up a couple days and letting someone put my name on a book for high six figures.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 05:40
lol @ Sunset Is Make Heart to Break
Thu, 04/09/09 - 05:40
can't blame forrest. my dream is to sellout. weigh my values against a big wad of money and spit in the face of anyone who thought i had too much pride to sellout.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 05:42
Wandy's first poem should be: "i like the book and the poem.. and sometimes the poem and the book"
Thu, 04/09/09 - 05:42
how the fuck is chuck liddel a strech when it comes to being a legend, but couture is a shoe in. does anbody remember who couture lost fights to early in his career? neither do i , because they were fucking bums. fedor is the only fighter who has yet to have a few embarassing fights on his record every other "legend" has looked bad at some point or at least vulnerable. whatever cross eyed cunt wrote that shit needs to take his pants of his head, put the beer bong down and find something else to suck at. and yes chuck and randy NEED to retire.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 05:57
can we have a wanderlei silva poem-a-like contest? I'll start. I want to fuck chuck fight chuck & For to Me Rape Keef Jardeen Is no Problem my friends :)
Thu, 04/09/09 - 06:04
Anyone else see another epic mma movie coming out of this?
Thu, 04/09/09 - 06:23
Why is Forrest Griffin coming out with a book? Probably because he can make money off of it. He's a popular fighter and he has a funny personality...it will probably do well. I'm definitely interested in reading it.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 06:37
And seriously, who are you to criticize a book that you haven't even read???
Thu, 04/09/09 - 06:37
his cop to champ story is interesting i'm sure but yeah it's way too early. guaranteed we can look for another book some years down the line. or two. and a vid. or two. ego is a crazy drug...
Thu, 04/09/09 - 06:41
i like forrest and would consider buying it too.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 06:54
I thought he already had a book and movie but i thought his last name was gump
Thu, 04/09/09 - 07:18
CP...really? I'm going to be a Dana White here and say that you guys are one tampax away from being bonafide pussies.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 07:21
Listen Ben. When you've fought in the greatest fight in UFC history then you can do whatever the fuck you want to.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 07:24
^ best answer
Thu, 04/09/09 - 07:32
CHuck Liddel's book was awesome.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 07:39
Because he has accomplished a lot, his stint on the Ultimate Fighter was several years ago. He is relevant now, he might not be relevant in 5 years. I am tired of this whiny ass blogs bashing crap that they have no right to be bashing. Let me give you 5 reasons to do it now: 1. MMA could possibly be at its peak in terms of popularity 2. Forest Griffin is currently a household name 3. Forest Griffin recently held the light heavy weight title 4. A few more losses and a book could make less sense 5. BECAUSE HE CAN, AND PEOPLE WILL BUY IT
Thu, 04/09/09 - 07:46
I actually think it may be an interesting point of view, from a still active fighter. Plus, if he is lasts, and writes another later, it will be interesting to see how his perception of things changes.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 07:50
Good post! Couldn't agree with you more...
Thu, 04/09/09 - 07:50
Good for him. Bad for you. I want to hear Tito Ortiz recite the Gettysburg Address while Chuck Liddell sings "All the Single Ladies".
Thu, 04/09/09 - 08:10
"I want to hear Tito Ortiz recite the Gettysburg Address while Chuck Liddell sings "All the Single Ladies." FTW
Thu, 04/09/09 - 08:13
I'm sure as hell not gonna buy it, but I'm not mad at him for using his fame to make some money while he can. Sure, I'd rather he wait until he's had a few title runs and is a legend, but not everybody becomes a legend, most fighters just get old and irrelevant.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 08:17
Is one of those 50 steps of zen include "Utilizing the guard" because boy that will be a good book for me and Forrest.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 08:33
Forrest is one of the most well-spoken, articulate fighters out there. Oh, yeah, he DOES have an interesting story -- he won the first TUF and went on to become the LHW champ. He might not have successfully defended the title, but for a time, it was his. Plus, he just might have somethign interesting to say. Someone is a little jealous they did not get a book deal!
Thu, 04/09/09 - 08:34
The title of the book was probably picked by the publisher.
Thu, 04/09/09 - 10:51
How about a Rampage book? Eh?
Thu, 04/09/09 - 11:44
Look, Forrest might not be the best fighter of all time, but he is one of the reasons that this sport is mainstream now. if it wasnt for his tuf fight, the common man wouldnt know about this sport, and we probably wouldnt even be able to buy our pay per views like we can now. so cut him some slack guys. im sure he has plenty of insight. now, let all of the poseurs that dont even fight talk shit about this comment...
Thu, 04/09/09 - 11:47
Hey come on people!! every one and his dog is writing a book nowadays so why not Forrest? i mean his story cant be as bad or as boring as say Matt hughs can it??? Damn! im going to write a book about my life in and out of rings and cages intrested Huh? thourght not griffin's book is better then my 3rd rate life ha ha ha Good on you Forrest cant wait toread it Marc Field
Fri, 04/10/09 - 12:11
wait, wtf, is wandy really releasing a poetry book? nick diaz should write a book
Fri, 04/10/09 - 12:19
Kuzushi Sakuraba... now thats a fuckin book i would read!
Fri, 04/10/09 - 03:38
Biography and Autobiography has been a hot-market for the quasi-famous and boring celebrities of our society for a while now. Why moan about it? It's not gonna stop idiots from running out and buying it. Besides lots of these ghost-written biographies flop and cost the publishers trucks loads of cash. That's a satisfying piece of knowledge from any aspiring writer who struggles to get their foot in the door only for some hack with no talent to jump to the front of the queue. I'm thinking of abandoning my novel and becoming a ghost writter myself - at least you get fucking paid then.
Fri, 04/10/09 - 04:03
omg fuck you fucking Forrest Griffin cocksuckers. If the fucking guy can't even string 2 sentences together in his interviews what makes you thing he'll be able to write a fucking novel? The faggot is borderline retarded. So if they make a "feel good" film about how this guy with an IQ of 75 fights all the odds and wins the belt....well maybe I'll watch it then, but I've already seen all the Rocky movies.
Fri, 04/10/09 - 04:52
Alot of shit talking from a bunch of pussies who would never have the balls to step into that Octogon. All I detect is envy because you never reached a goal that you set for yourselves in your lives. I guarantee if forrest was in front of any of you, you wouldn't have the balls to say any of this shit to his face. I'll take it one step further, you'd be sucking his dick in a heartbeat. You people really need to just kill yourself and get a fucking life and stop hating on the one's who actually live theres.
Fri, 04/10/09 - 05:26
The book is not about Forrest Griffin it is about the 50 zen principles of hand to face combat
Fri, 04/10/09 - 05:43
CH 1 of Diaz's book: Do what you want to do. CH 2 of Diaz's book: Don't do what you don't want to do. CH 3 of Diaz's book: I train Jiu Jitsu. *middle finger*
Fri, 04/10/09 - 06:22
Stupid ass article. Like him or not Forrest has been involved in some historic events in mma. He was on the first season of tuf, was the first tuf champion, was part of the most important fight in the history of the sport (in terms of what it did for the sport), was a champion of the most stacked weight class, ect. ect. I like most of the articles on the site but sometimes you post some dumb opinionated shit articles like this one.
Fri, 04/10/09 - 06:26
I'm going to go buy it and read it just because cagepotato doesn't think I should.
Fri, 04/10/09 - 06:42
I have no interest in reading it, but who cares???? Plus coming from you, it seems a little strange. I mean you guys started a website, in order to have a platform to express your insights and criticisms.... and we come here every day.
Fri, 04/10/09 - 07:13
forrest sux. lost to tito and keith and cried like a faggot. beat a piece of crap rua and that earned him a title shot? screw that. most hyped overrated fighter in MMA history. case closed as for the anonymous poster talking about crap talkers sucking his dick.....why would you ever imagine that?......fag
Fri, 04/10/09 - 07:41
I love how everyone seems to think Forrest has a stellar personality. I have spent a good deal of time around him at the gym in years past, and Forrest is no different than the guy in the back of your math class who would argue with the teacher that math isn't useful in the real world. I know, but Goldberg said he is funny, so I have to be wrong. Forrest is the kind of guy who names his farts. Forrest is as smart and funny as Police Academy 4 Citizens on Patrol was well written and relevant.
Fri, 04/10/09 - 07:50
Hey billy who are you reveal yourself if you are such a close companion. At least give Forrest the chance to kick your ass for talking shit.
Fri, 04/10/09 - 08:08
I love police academy 4..
Fri, 04/10/09 - 08:19
armfarmer, I had no intention of offending.
Fri, 04/10/09 - 08:21
I would rather read Forrest's book than "A guide to unbiased commentating" by Frank Mir.
Fri, 04/10/09 - 10:57
A book about how a kid was sitting on his couch doing nothing, got talked into going to try out for a TV show, and how it lead to him becoming the champ, and holding the belt in the best MMA company ever? Sounds like a damn good reason to right a book, who cares if he doesnt have the time and fight history that Couture has. Simple as this by the time he does he will be to old, and no one will give a fuck, just like no one gives a fuck about Randy Coutures old ass.
Fri, 04/10/09 - 12:30
"Ode to Rampage" a haiku by Wandy remember my knee left hook to the jaw remember his hook
Fri, 04/10/09 - 01:54
i want bouncers from russian to wrote book and taste peepee
Fri, 04/10/09 - 01:55
also, ben your bitterness is showing.
Fri, 04/10/09 - 05:31
Moose....i dont think thats how u write a haiku.....at least not in english
Fri, 04/10/09 - 11:01
The book should be called "Forrest Griffin: How to make Dana White suck your cock and get paid for it." But the title might be too long.
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