The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Vol. 173, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 12, 2007 Page: 2 of 16
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THE J-TAC
April 12, 2007,
Mixed martial arts' popularity
rises along with criticism
By SHANNON J. OWENS
The Orlando Sentinel
Columns of sinoke billowed from the ■
ground, and multicolored lights swirled around
fighters as each marched to the center of a 10-
sided metal gate. . , , t .v.. ,4 ,
For six hours, Silver Spurs Arena Resembled
a modern-day Roman coliseum as it hosted men
competing in one of the fastest-grqwing sports in
America: mixed martial arts. ■ ' , , >, / ■
The fighters kicked,,chqked and struck each
other until blood poured from noses and fore- .
heads. The more blood, the more cheers from the
rowdy group of just more than 2,500 fans.
It was a scene ripped from a Bruce Lee film.
But the blood wasn't fake, and the fighting was
real. ,
And judging by the legion of fans beginning;
to follow mixed martial arts across the country,
there's more blood on Ihe way. . ,r : ,
"This is like a new sport for a new genera-
tion," said Paul Rodriguez,: a University of Cen-
tral Florida graduate arid one of the Orlando-
based World Extreme Fighting championships'
top competitors. "
Silver Spurs Arena hosted the first of three
mixed martial arts events two weeks ago in Kis-
simmee, spearheaded by local World Extreme
Fighting promoter and founder. Jamie !Levine.
Le vine's association is one of many fight associa-
tions to sprout up since Ultimate Fighting Cham-
pionships catapulted the sport into a multimil-
lion-dollar business, thanks in part to its brp^d
popularity among men ages18-35.
Two weeks ago, the UFC hit a benchmark
when it purchased Tokyo-based rival Pride in a
deal estimated to be worth dose to $70 million.
The impending deal would merge the two larg-
est, MMA prganizations and create the potential
for major pay-per-view television dollars. Also, a
deal with HBO could be on the horizon.
iBut Awr,
turn with the public,., some wonder vvyhethec it.
has become /he marquee fighting, ; fpr ,a i5
new generation or is simply a cul|,phenomenon.
Mixed martial arts has become popular
thanks to leagues such as Ultimate Fight-
ing Championship and Pride Fighting.
The 1999 movie "Fight Club," star-
ring Brad Pitt and Ed Norton, introduced
a younger generation to underground, no-
holds-barred- fighting. The movie sparked
controversy for depicting gory, garage fight
scenes where men would beat each other to
unconsciousness, but if also stirred interest.
Levine, also a retired fighter, said the film
wasn't far from reality. While Levine attend-
ed Waynesburg College in Pennsylvania
on a wrestling scholarship, a friend asked
whether he wanted to fight, mixed martial
arts style.
He fought in parking garages, the base-
ments of dormitories and backyards, combin-
ing his skills as a wrestler and background in
*martiM*iuN$rf •*'* b'm ,v>w >r/tt r* blrrh
"Tha£\tffl&) "w3s! lOOVpejrcerit true/fr
Levine' said. r/'Soifie of that is still goiiig:- on ; 1
today/' " ■
News Briefs
i }
Tarleton receives
permission to
purchase properties
STEPHENVILLE - Tarleton State University re-
ceived approval from The Texa$A&M University
System Board of Regents for two proposed prop-
erty purchases during its meeting held March 29-
30. Both proposals were submitted "by Tarleton
President, Dr. Dennis P. McCabe,
The first request that was approved was a
proposal to purchase a right-of-way from the
City of Stephenvilie for streets located in the new
student housing area. /
The area affected by the purchase is Shirley
Street from Lillian Street to Rome Street, Garfield
Avenue from Shirley Street to Jones Street, and
, Jones Street from Lillian Street to Rome Street.
By purchasing the right-of-way, Tarleton will
be better able to control traffic,, .which will in-
1 crease the safety of students crossing the streets
to attend classes, eat in the dining facilities or use
other campus facilities. Also, it will provide the
university with the ability to control the entrance
to the student housing area as well as the support
area parking lots. ^
In return for selling the proposed area, the city
will receive an estimated $44,472 for the property.
The funds for the purchase and its closing costs
" will be generated through designated tuition.
Tarleton's second approved property pur-
chase was two single-family residential lots lo-
cated and 1401 and 1429 W. Jones Street in Ste-
phenvilie. The area in which these two properties
are located will ultimately be used for additional,
student housing. In the interim, the properties'1
will serve as additional parking areas.
. The total purchase price for the properties
is $371,500. The property at 1401 W. Jones Street,
had an appraised value of $122,000. The property
.at 1429 W, Jones Street had an appraised value of
B$^40,OOQJf.rn r1 -'I'vV* M b-\*
t i
j pesignalied - tuitfbn -'Wilt also ,qover the-piuvu,
' chase price- tad closing costs for the properties
acquired on Jones Street. 1 ■ : - . , , :
All charges dropped
in Duke lacrosse case
McClatchy Newspapers (MOT)
RALEIGH, N,C - Three former Duke lacrosse
players are innocent of the charges they've bat-
tled fdr^a, year; the state attorney general said
Wednesday, but Durham District Attorney
Mike Nifong is guilty of "a rush to accuse."
As state Attorney General Roy Cooper dis-
missed sexual assault and kidnapping charges
against Dave Evans, 24, Reade Seligmann, 21,
and Collin Finnerty, 20, on Wednesday, he
sharply criticized Nifong's handling of a case
that; put the accused men, Durham and Duke
University under a harsh spotlight.
The- exonerated players spoke at a news
conference at the Sheraton hotel in downtown
Raleigh punctuated by applause from sup-
porters.
" "Innocent people can be charged with a
crime," said Evans; "Today/the legal system
has prevailed,"
The hourlong nationally televised news
conference had unusual and dramatic mo-
ments where college athletes called for grand
jury reforms and defense lawyers lectured as-
sembled reporters for what they said was rush
a to judgment a year ago.
It was hours after a March 13, 2006, spring
break party that Crystal Gail Mangum, an
escort service dancer, reported being gang-
raped at the home three lacrosse team captains
shared across the street from, Dune's Campus^
Her story changed with every telling,* even
during several interviews with Jiip Coraan and
Mary Winstead, the special prosecutors whom
Cooper assigned to the case in mid-January,
Cpoper said his office $id not plan to pur-
sue charges against Mangum., ^
Medical, records, under seal, provided,
prosecutors insight into the accuser. The pros-
kewtors ! lwHo ^talked wdth'Marigdrn • o*vfcr the
past'three months think that she /Right Believe
the'riiati^ di/fetent versidWs of R^rifght, Coo-
per Said; ^ 1
OUR NURSES DON'T JUST WORK IN HOSPITALS
THEY RUN THEM
NURSING STUDENTS
GET YOUR BSN PAID FOR BY
TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY
ARMY ROTC!
If you have a one-year or two-year nursing degree, an Associates degree in a
health or science field, or over 30 hours of college and would like to go into the
Nursing Field, Tarleton State Army ROTC may be able to assist you earn yur BSN at
Tarleton State University.
Character Forged Leadership is True Strength.
Call 254-968-9188, email ROTC@Tarleton.edu
or visit www.tarleton.edu/~rotc tor more information.
Iarleton
STATE UNIVERSITY
army rotc
U.S. ARMY
Defense department announces
longer tours for U.S. soldiers
Courtesy* MCT Campus
Army troops in Iraq and Afghanistan will
serve 15 months instead of 12 as planned.
By NANCY A. YOUSSEF
> McClatchy Newspapers
U.S. Army soldiers deployed to Iraq will
serve at least 15 months there instead of 12,
the Defense DepartmenUrnnounced Wednes-
day. f
Defense Secretary Robert Gates saidthe
new rotation schedule, which also*will* Offset
soldiers senL to Afghanistan, 'would allo^v
the Pentagon to guarantee units at least 12
months at home between war zone rotations,
v ' J - "♦ * , ' i v * ^
Without the change, five'brigades would have
had to leturn to combat after lestr than a year
at home, he said-1
Democrats charged that lengthening the
time troops will be expected to stay in Iraq is
further proof thai the so-called "surge" that
President Bush announced in January is really
a long-term increase in troop strength likely
to last welj into next year. They also called.it
$n acknowledgment that the Iraq war has sty.
riously overstretched the U.S. military's larg-
est branch.
*■
"The decision to extend the tours of U.S.
service members by three months is art ur-
gent warning that the administration's Iraq
policy, cannot be sustained without; doing...
terrible long-term damage to oui military/'
Sen- Joseph Bidon, D-Dek, said in af state;-,
meat. "We don't have to guess atthe impact
on readiness, recruitment and retention/' - #
The new schedule is effective immedi-
ately-for all Army troops serving in, or get-
ting ready to deploy to, Iraq or Afghanistan,
It doesn't affect the Marine Corps, whose
members are rotated into the war zone for
seven months, with six months ^between
tours,, or Army National ( aiard and Reserve'1
units, whose tours will still last 12 months.
On U.S. Army bases, commanders And
families alike scrambled to determine the ,
impact of the new deployment schedule, '
At Fort Drum, JN.Y, tor example, com-
' manders of the Louisiana-based 1st Bri-
gade, 10th Mountain Division, training for
deployment to Iraq, said they didn't know<
now when the unit wpuld leaving-4 <
" Everyone is on the phone trying to find
, out/' said Ben Abel, a base spokesman, ^
, Another Fort Drum unit, the 2nd Brigade '
Combat Team, which deployed in August/ 1
"appealed likely now lo remain in Ir^q until
November. And members of another unif,
the 3rd Squadron, 17th CavalryT<egiu\ent,
whjch just left for lraqA lik&y would not
learn about their extended tour until they
arrived, Abel said, > * ' " *
Gates said units that had afreacly'been
v extended, like Port Drum's 3*'d Brigade
Combat Division, Would not be extended't
again. That unit learned in January that it
would not return until June, Abel said-
Military blogs carried expressions of
frustration, One wife who signed herself
Panquera wrote on CxnCHouse.com, "I am
absolutely sick about this, .w We've already
done a 15-month deployment, WHY/ WHY
do we have to go thiough this nightmare
again!"
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The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Vol. 173, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 12, 2007, newspaper, April 12, 2007; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth142154/m1/2/?rotate=270: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Tarleton State University.