Game: Describes the quality of a fighter; a willingness to face danger; displays spirit and eagerness to compete; a disregard for ones safety in the midst of combat.
Why do we watch fights? Why is it, that since the days of the Roman Coliseum we as a people, have foamed at the mouth when looking on the competition of combat? Is it suspended reality, is it animal instinct, is it inexplicable?
One thing comes to mind.
Gameness.
There are traits in life that are highly enviable. Honor, dignity, charisma, a hard work ethic, there is common sense, there is of course intelligence. One trait that is elusive to many, undeniable once you witness it, that is the ability of a person to be game.
It is a rarity in life, you may never know it but you might be game. Get punched in the face against your will, you will find out. Hopefully for your sake you are, or that will be an exercise in futility.
Not everyone can be it, it can’t be taught or learned. It is part of a person, every bit as much as their personality, their walk, or their talk. It flows through their blood, and more than likely their genes. It can not be taken away, it can not be calculated or quantified. It is simple, but so complex. A simple man can be game, a member of Mensa may also be. It does not hinge on intelligence or sense. It’s in the heart, it is in the soul.
There are many types of fighters in this world. Many styles, many approaches, many backgrounds, many cultures, many disciplines. So many fighters succeed for so many different reasons. Some fighters lose for those very same reasons.
It is a cruel sport these fighters have chosen, but the rewards are countless. Those rewards are different for different men. Some want gold, some want glory, some want respect. Many different goals, many different rewards, many different fighters.
There is the chess master. Lyoto Machida, and Randy Couture come to mind. Chess is difficult to master, it is sometimes hard to see all the angles, and pursue or defend said angles.
To master it is quite an accomplishment and difficult indeed. It may be less exciting to watch but it is a difficult road to walk. These fighters know what it is to win a fight by picking apart another mans abilities, and expose his flaws, all the while capitalizing on their findings.
There is the counter fighter. Chuck Lidell is a great example. Good enough to end a fight with powerful accurate striking based solely on the mistakes of the other fighter. Allowing the other fighter essentially to give the fight away as opposed to taking it from them.
We have come to learn what a dangerous game this can be for both the aggressor and the recipient. It has been a proven method of success for a long time, and more so recently a recipe for defeat as well.
The surgeon. Anderson Silva, GSP, BJ Penn. Their strikes leak through defenses like a hot scalpel through butter. They choose how and where they want to fight, after a few moments of note taking. They expose weaknesses and douse strengths.
They expand and contract, making the opponent look not only foolish, but an amateur. They have the ability to embarrass a fighter of world class ability. They fight with such ease in a sport that is anything but. They are the elite, the pinnacle of the sport.
The Game. Forrest Griffin, Wanderlei Silva, Leonard Garcia, and of course the Last Emporer. The most exciting of all the fighters. The man who forgoes all regard for personal safety. He came to bang, he came to roll.
He would rather lose a fight that showed him leave his soul in the ring as opposed to winning a fight that saw him calculate and score points to do so, all the while avoiding exactly what he came to do, fight.
He will bleed for us, he will allow broken bones if it is to mean a true showing of just how game he is. He wants us to remember his name, not for his victories, but for his heart, for his willingness to compete.
His record is not as important to him as his legacy of never backing down, never turning his back, never walking backwards. The pain soothes him, it lets him know he is moving forward and accomplishing his goal.
There are many types of fighters, all have their qualities as well as their share of shortcomings, depending on who you ask. You will hear many opinions of this fighter or that fighter. Rarely though will you hear a complaint about a fighter who truly came to fight, no matter the reward, his reward will be in the fight itself. Victory is a bi-product of his style.
Why do we watch, one might think it is in hope, that between the chess matches, the counter attacks, the surgery, we may get a taste of something truly more intriguing. Two men, game men, men who came to show us just how serious about fighting they really are. That is why we watch.
We watch so maybe we might catch a glimpse of Stephan Bonner standing toe to toe with Forrest Griffin, or Lidell asking himself why isn’t Wandy avoiding what is supposed to be my world class knock out power, to watch Roger Huerta trying to assess why this kid Garcia wont just go down he just keeps smiling at me.
All of the fights are interesting. As said before, watching all the other aspects is exciting, they all have their unique value to every fan. This is not to say only the bangers are fun to watch.
There is a science to it, an equation if you will. But when you watch a guy like Fedor get sent to another dimension by a guy who just checked his chin, stay on his feet and seconds later make that same guy wish he had never gotten in the ring, that is a real treat.
The game fighters, not just the winners, are real gems, real goldmines for the fight fans. It is a pleasure to see them do their thing. Not all fighters all created equal, they all have backbones of steel to even consider doing what they do. One must admit though, the Game are in a class of their own.
Would you agree?
