No Holds Barred: David Rowe on the Lamentable State of Sports Journalism

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with
David Rowe, a professor of cultural research at the University of
Western Sydney in Australia (http://www.uws.edu.au/ics/people/
researchers/david_rowe).
In February, he wrote an article, first for The Conversation and then
republished by Play the Game, which has gained much attention around
the world: "On scandal after scandal, sports journalists drop the
ball" (http://www.playthegame.org/news/detailed/on-scandal-after-
scandal-sports-journalists-drop-the-ball-5558.html).

In this article, he noted that while sport is rocked by numerous
scandals, those who are supposed to be covering them, the sports
journalists, "are looking more than a little dishevelled", and that
most good investigative sports journalism "happens outside the
mainstream institutional media". This should certainly be understood
by those who are familiar with what tries to pass as "journalism" in
the combat sports.

We spoke with David Rowe by Skype Wednesday (Tuesday New York time)
about the many issues facing sports journalists and journalism.

He discussed in this interview what he called "a very basic question".

"What is a sports journalist? What is sports journalists for? What do
they do? Now, I have a kind of old-fashioned idea of journalism as
being about the Fourth Estate, that is, a watchdog on behalf of the
citizenry, speaks truth to power, etc. That's what we expect of people
who call themselves journalists. Now I guess if they want to call
themselves something else, then that's OK, as long as they don't, I
suppose, pretend to be journalists."

We discussed how sports journalists have dealt with such issues as the
Lance Armstrong doping scandal and match-fixing. He said about their
coverage, "Generally I'd have to say, that it's been pretty
lamentable, but on the whole, with some distinguished exceptions",
with many of these journalists acting like fans and getting too close
to the sports organizations than they should.

We also discussed the many types of difficulties facing freelance
sports journalists who do aspire to act as watchdogs on behalf of the
public, how the main target of bad sports journalism has to be the big
media companies which too often act as unofficial public relations
agencies, the training of sports journalists, what fans can do to
pressure the media, some positive signs with the emergence of a new

generation of sports journalists, and much more.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time. EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

No Holds Barred: Fallon Fox‏

On this edition of  IOC, speaks with MMA fighter Fallon Fox (http://twitter.com/FallonFox).

After winning her second pro fight by first-round knockout on March 2 on a Championship Fighting Alliance card in Coral Gables, Florida, Fallon Fox then gave interviews where she came out as a transsexual female. Born a male, she had gender reassignment surgery back in 2006, and the associated hormone therapy. Now 37, she is physically, mentally, socially, and legally a woman, and happy to be one.

A decade ago the International Olympic Committee devised guidelines for transgender athletes, and were followed by the NCAA for college sports in the U.S. The medical committee of the Association of Boxing Commissions in North America also developed a policy last year based on that of the IOC, although it is up to each individual commission to implement it.

Despite this seemingly being a settled issue in international sports, including the combat sports, her revelation of her status has been met with heated reactions, both from her many supporters as well as those opponents who have provided public displays of bigotry and ignorance.

We spoke with Fallon Fox by phone Friday about the ensuing controversy about her and her career.

"I really don't see why there should be a lot of hoopla about past gender status, but this is what it turned into," she said in this interview.

"It's frustrating, but I realize that in the end, I'm going to win."

She also patiently tried to explain her position to those who just are not educated on this issue.

Discussing her transition to becoming a woman, she said, "I did this to save my sanity."

As for the bigots and haters, "The people who have bigotry or hatred for me just don't know me. And if they knew me - if they really, really, really, really knew me - then they wouldn't fear and they wouldn't hate."

We also discussed her licensing situation with the Florida and California commissions. She explained that contrary to some reports, she does have a license to fight, and as a woman, in Florida. She also posted on her Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/FallonFoxofficial) a copy of what looks like a license which was sent to her by the California commission. You can judge for yourself if she is in the right in believing that this was actually a license and not simply a receipt, as a California official has claimed. That commission is currently reviewing, once again, her application, and is expected to grant her a fighter's license shortly.

She thus is entirely justified when she said, "I've done nothing wrong."

We also discussed her training and background since her transition, including her earning a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and competing in IBJJF and NAGA grappling events, and the ADCC Trials. She has been training since 2008 in MMA, mainly at the Midwest Training Center, in all the disciplines needed for MMA.

Also to answer her critics and to educate those who remain uneducated, she explained how she has much lower testosterone than those who were born with a full female anatomy, as well as less bone density and muscle mass than she had previously.

And we discussed when her next fight might take place, what she needs to work on in her young MMA career, for which organizations she would like to fight, a new documentary film called "Game Face" about her and other LGBT athletes being made by filmmaker Michiel Thomas, and much more.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time. EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

No Holds Barred: An Hour With Lenne Hardt

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again speaks with the legendary and iconic world champion of ring announcers, Lenne Hardt (http://www.lennehardt.com).

Living in Tokyo, and an announcer for many years with both the Pride and Dream MMA promotions, Lenne will be racking up a lot of frequent flyer miles as she heads to two shows in two different countries.

On Saturday, March 23, she will be plying her trade at the Glory 5 kickboxing show in London, England, headlined by the Remy Bonjasky-Tyrone Spong fight. This will be the first kickboxing card at which she is an announcer.

Then, on Friday, April 5, it's back to Asia for the ONE FC: KINGS AND CHAMPIONS MMA show at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, headlined by ONE FC lightweight champion Kotetsu Boku defending his title against Shinya Aoki.

We spoke with Lenne Hardt by Skype Wednesday (Tuesday New York time) about these upcoming events.

Speaking about the tremendous growth of ONE FC, the largest MMA promotion in Asia, she said in this interview, "They are the new Pride. They're the new Dream."

We discussed how she approaches preparing for her role as an announcer, her careers as an announcer and as an entertainer, what she has learned about cultural differences between people around the world, how sport brings many diverse people together, a comparison of the outfits worn by ring girls in different eras and countries, and much more.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time. EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.