D-Sub Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 http://www.mensjournal.com/tanner for those of you who don't know, Evan Tanner, once middleweight champ of the UFC, died this summer in the Palo Verde desert. He was a **** up, a drunk, a champion and a philosopher. Some speculate he meant to die. Most don't think so. A great, flawed man. An excellent tribute to a unique individual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 good post, D. interesting but tragic story. http://www.spike.com/blog/treasure-hunting-in/67570 eddie vedder ? Into the Wild ? expect a movie about Evan in the future. http://www.cagepotato.com/2008/06/25/evan-tanner-considers-retirement/ <object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBwjaPyqxYc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBwjaPyqxYc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LAuzT_x8Ek&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LAuzT_x8Ek&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vo8DMJXq5s&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vo8DMJXq5s&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> edit:willywhit loves youtube 'tis true, so easy to find great vids, I'm still working on watching the 10 minute one "For a better world. Part 1" , there's also a part 2. Youtube rules ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Mod cleaned this up for me fellas. Please, have some respect. Evan Tanner was a hero of mine. I thought it might be of interest to some here. I know Ken will want to read it and a few others. Just, keep it on topic if you will. Willie I know you posted some directly related vids...guess they got culled as well. Feel free to re-post. Again, please...just this once...on topic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 sorry, D. The murderball stuff was kinda related. the vids are intact. Respect to Evan, he was a guy I would've liked to have known Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Sorry again, D. Definitely would like to see this made into an Into the Wild-esque movie. Something about him going into the desert is just as spookie as Alaska. He was my favorite fighter before I got burnt out on UFC; clearly stood out as a unique individual, lots of stuff I didn't know about him in the article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 this one from SI. Not as artistic, but fills some holes http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/the_bonus/01/13/tanner/index.html?eref=T1 this is kinda hard to look at: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Thanks D-sub. That heat stroke stuff is scary when it happens to yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 well, I for one have never died from heat exposure. I think I've had mild heat exhaustion a couple times, but... flat out...tanner was a bad ass mother****er the likes of which most of us will never be. NOT just because he was a professional fighter. That dude LIVED on the very edge of sanity and comfort...pushed it as far as it can be pushed, and seemed to be coming back from the trip...but nope. gone. RIP, dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 I had heat stroke..it was terrible. Thermometer was at 104 in my mouth Super dizzy, the room was spinning, and for some reason I just could not swallow water. Wasn't sweating at all, just cooking. That made it extra bad. Ended up setting up a lawn chair in the shower and turning it to cold. Spent the night like that.. An e-toast to Tanner. A true BAMF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhaskins Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Tanner was an exceptional fighter, I watched him on UFC. The article was written very well, rather neutral. Not to start a flame war, but the article also describes a guy who was fairly self-indulgent. While he may have been nice to everyone, he was fairly mis-guided and ill fitted to be able to make his way. Boat sunk - that incident shows a complete lack of judgement. The article states (and I derived this) that he can read up and know everything about something. That is like saying he could read everything at Bomber and Carver's Alamanac and go out and not only snowboard but carve the first time. Not too realistic. The desert thing was proof of his death. People die in the desert all the time from doing the same thing he did, and his research should have showed him that. It's like showing up at the mountain in a tee-shirt, cut-offs and tennis shoes to go skiing or boarding. And the alcohol? The man was depressed and needed treatment. Props to Tanner for his acheivements, but his lack of judgement was fairly glaring, his depression was obvious. Just my humble opinion. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 people are flawed, dude. extraordinary people are often quite flawed. Tanner was a complete **** up in many ways he wasn't even nice to everyone. he took advantage of people, owed money, caused problems when drinking etc... FAR from perfect, and FAR from easy to deal with from what I've read, but...in death, don't we celebrate what was good about a man? Unless he transgressed unforgivably, do we not forgive him and shine the light on his good side? I don't think anyone was insinuating that he was able to read a book and be an expert, but...in all honesty, considering the fact that he was both ski and snowboard instructor in his life, he could probably figure out how to ride a carving board. Hell...Id been snowboarding for five years, had never had a single lesson and could carve pretty darn good my very first day on a hardboot setup. You did catch the part about him having stopped drinking, completely, right? I know you didn't mean offense, but you post seems unnecessary to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhaskins Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Sorry. Truely didn't mean to diminish his accomplishments in any way. The article tho clearly describes a depressed, fairly anti-socal individual. Having a few miles on my sorry butt, I have met a lot of very sociable and anti-social individuals with terrible self-destructive tendencies and Tanner seems to fit the mold. I have seen alcohol destroy many a person. One does not just stop drinking and be over the addiction or the reason for the addiction. Tanner could politely be described as "complex". I can admire his early fighting career, some of his single mindedness, but not much else. And my post is just as unnecessary as yours. It is, after all, the Internet. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 The article tho clearly describes a depressed, fairly anti-socal individual. Having a few miles on my sorry butt, I have met a lot of very sociable and anti-social individuals with terrible self-destructive tendencies and Tanner seems to fit the mold. I have seen alcohol destroy many a person. One does not just stop drinking and be over the addiction or the reason for the addiction. agree with all this. but, not all people can be "fixed" either. Tanner could politely be described as "complex". I can admire his early fighting career, some of his single mindedness, but not much else. You don't really have to admire any of him. If you see him as a wreck and a loser, well, that could be justified.And my post is just as unnecessary as yours. It is, after all, the Internet.nonsense. I posted something celebratory and you contradicted it, although now you say you didn't mean it that way, so case closed :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Round One Fight ! <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCBy8RoJUWM&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCBy8RoJUWM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhaskins Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 D-Sub, sorry I said something wrong about your hero. My hero is Aqualung, a guy I could look up to. Stomp on him all you want. Call him a tramp, a bum, whatever, see if I care. You know what they say about getting upset/fighting on the internet. . . Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 D-Sub, sorry I said something wrong about your hero. My hero is Aqualung, a guy I could look up to. Stomp on him all you want. Call him a tramp, a bum, whatever, see if I care. You know what they say about getting upset/fighting on the internet. . .Rick Snot is running down his nose... dude, I wasn't trying to fight, and you're actually right about Tanner...it just seemed like you were trying to shut down a tribute thread and if you were...why? If not, I misinterpreted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 D-Sub, calm down. isn't this how you got all worked up last time and took off for awhile ? You started a good thread, just roll with it. Is it warm enough to take a rip on your Harley ? go carve a snowboard ? drive fast, take chances Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 It's ****ing 80 degrees in San Diego at 10:30, and I live like 5 miles from the water... Rhaskins- D-Sub definitely intended for this thread to be the tribute thread to Tanner. If you really want to discuss his negative attributes, nobody will have a problem with you starting another thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 you guys both missed the point. I said (I thought clearly) that Im not worked up about this, and wasn't trying to fight. dude can post whatever he wants, wherever, whenever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjl Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I don't mean to jump on the bandwagon, but... D-Sub, in your original post you even referred to Tanner as a ****-up, because in addition to his amazing performance in the cage, he was kind of a ****-up. People like Tanner invite controversy (and since it's on the internet, you just have to deal with it :D) - they have great stories of great feats, but those great feats arise out of bad judgment and bad choices. e.g. not very many people have stories about bailing water out of a boat all night long to survive, but that's because the vast majority of people don't jump in a non-seaworthy boat for a long sail without a lot of boating experience; do you know what I mean? Do you admire a guy for successfully disarming a grenade, or do you note that he was the one who pulled the pin in the first place? I don't want to bag on him too much as he is no longer with us.... You're right - I read this thread with interest when you first posted it a few days ago, but have been refraining for replying, as I kind of have a problem with the glorification of guys like him, probably because I have some personal chip on my shoulder. I knew a few guys like him growing up; they just happened to not have the physical gifts or the luck to end up as mma champions, and instead of ending up famous with an article in Men's Journal, they ended up drifting around, lost, a drain on society, and forgotten. The only thing about them is that they have this weird mystique of "marching to the beat of their own drummer", or "trying to truly test themselves against nature and find their spiritual place in the world", or whatever, except really (imo) they just can't get their crap together, be responsible, get a job, and apply some kind of foresight to the way that they live their lives. Apologies, D-Sub - I don't really mean to rant; it's just touched on a sore subject for me (the glorification of stuff like this). If you read the comments on the mensjournal site, there are lots of comments about his "inspirational story and message", etc., and to me, I just think: What's inspirational about a guy who has no goal in life, and keeps ending up in life-threatening situations because he lacks foresight? What's more inspirational about that than the thousands of mothers and fathers who safely and successfully take their kids on trips to the desert after making sure their car is in good working order, making sure to pack extra water because they read up on the dangers of desert heat before they left, and letting friends and family know before they left? Why is somebody like him to be admired? What about that nerdy kid in high school who did have a goal in life, spent a decade learning deep esoteric knowledge on the intricacies of chemistry and biology, and is now trying to cure diseases for millions of people? Isn't that more worth appreciating than this one troubled guy? In short, I kind of agree with rhaskins' take on Tanner. If he had survived his ordeal in the desert, it would have made for another great story about how this exceptionally physically gifted dude survived an incredible test of endurance and willpower, but who the hell goes into a desert in summer without enough gas or water? All that being said: dude was a wicked fighter for sure. That David Terrell fight was brutal and entertaining. I wish I'd recorded yesterday's UFC. I'm going to try to avoid finding out who won, as I'd love to see the Franklin/Henderson fight fresh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I don't mean to jump on the bandwagon, but...D-Sub, in your original post you even referred to Tanner as a ****-up, because in addition to his amazing performance in the cage, he was kind of a ****-up. not even kind of. Almost complete. He managed to do a few things here and there, but he was clearly a two steps forward three steps back kinda guy. People like Tanner invite controversy (and since it's on the internet, you just have to deal with it :D) I acknowledged all this...I just think it's kinda cruel to bag on a dude in a tribute thread, especially when the OP already said "yeah, he was massively flawed" with the intent of getting that out of the way. Like I said...in death, do we not celebrate the light? - they have great stories of great feats, but those great feats arise out of bad judgment and bad choices. e.g. not very many people have stories about bailing water out of a boat all night long to survive, but that's because the vast majority of people don't jump in a non-seaworthy boat for a long sail without a lot of boating experience; do you know what I mean? you're honestly not telling me anything I haven't already thought of. Do you admire a guy for successfully disarming a grenade, or do you note that he was the one who pulled the pin in the first place? LOL, well, both? Both. I don't want to bag on him too much as he is no longer with us.... You're right - I read this thread with interest when you first posted it a few days ago, but have been refraining for replying, as I kind of have a problem with the glorification of guys like him, probably because I have some personal chip on my shoulder. I absolutely do not see this as glorification! Even the Men's Journal article acknowledges how stupid he could be. I knew a few guys like him growing up; they just happened to not have the physical gifts or the luck to end up as mma champions, and instead of ending up famous with an article in Men's Journal, they ended up drifting around, lost, a drain on society, and forgotten. aside from the "drain on society" Im one of those dudes. directionless, lost, and will be forgotten. I don't think Tanner was a drain, either... The only thing about them is that they have this weird mystique of "marching to the beat of their own drummer", or "trying to truly test themselves against nature and find their spiritual place in the world", or whatever, except really (imo) they just can't get their crap together, be responsible, get a job, and apply some kind of foresight to the way that they live their lives. This is where it gets difficult, because..."getting your **** together" is a modern concept, and there are people who just don't fit. Yes, they are often screw ups, and probably immensely frustrating to deal with, but...to just dismiss them critically...I can't do it. Some people just don't fit. Apologies, D-Sub - I don't really mean to rant; it's just touched on a sore subject for me (the glorification of stuff like this). Again I don't see it as glorification. Just celebration of an extraordinary life. That dude did more in 37 years than 100 men combined do in their entire lifetimes. Some of it was STUPID, and haskins is right...the dude was a drunk and clearly had some serious mental issues, but again...in death... If you read the comments on the mensjournal site, there are lots of comments about his "inspirational story and message", etc., and to me, I just think: What's inspirational about a guy who has no goal in life, and keeps ending up in life-threatening situations because he lacks foresight? Im not sure why it annoys you so severely, but I do see your point. What's more inspirational about that than the thousands of mothers and fathers who safely and successfully take their kids on trips to the desert after making sure their car is in good working order, making sure to pack extra water because they read up on the dangers of desert heat before they left, and letting friends and family know before they left? Tanner took all those precautions. He made one massive, stupid mistake though. He thought a spring was there that wasn't, based on outdated satellite data. He did let people knwo where he'd be, AND, it must be noted that he went alone. He didn't jeopardize anyone but himself. Why is somebody like him to be admired? What about that nerdy kid in high school who did have a goal in life, spent a decade learning deep esoteric knowledge on the intricacies of chemistry and biology, and is now trying to cure diseases for millions of people? Isn't that more worth appreciating than this one troubled guy? Im having a hard time figuring out why you're so vehement about this. Yes, your example should be celebrated. Absolutely! But..why not BOTH? Both are equally human. Both are points on the spectrum of human experience, and both are worthy of celebration. All that being said: dude was a wicked fighter for sure. That David Terrell fight was brutal and entertaining. It was actually kinda sad. Terrell had a promising future and was never the same again. Tanner owned him, and completely destroyed his will to fight. Demoralized, thoroughly. It's actually really contradictory that someone who seems to love people so much would be so...brutal... I wonder if he ever talked to Terrell after that. I wish I'd recorded yesterday's UFC. I'm going to try to avoid finding out who won, as I'd love to see the Franklin/Henderson fight fresh. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say DO NOT PAY FOR IT. It wasnt worth $55. Franklin/Hendo was good, but should have been better. Davis/Lytle was FOTN for sure. Coleman/Shogun, well....and you'll be surprised at the result of Kang/Belcher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhaskins Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 D-sub - your a lawyer! You infinately deconstruct! Good on you. I can't much admire a guy that threw away his chances in life and killed himself. BTW, have you ever been to a real wake? Not everyone remembers just the good stuff, but everyone has a good time remembering the "host". Throw in a keg of beer and some whiskey and it is all good. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Can't help but feel you're poking at me. Yeah, I've been to a wake. RIP Evan Tanner, you big dummy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I need to go to my happy place Happy MLK Day <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo9AH4vG2wA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo9AH4vG2wA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhaskins Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Happy MLK day back at ya! Big stuff tomorrow too! Whoooooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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