By
Anthony De Franco 
December 8, 2009, at 2:05 am
I don’t criticize the UFC often. I think they do a magnificent job of marekting their brand, and really are one of the best run sporting organizations in the world. However, how they let something like this slip by is just plain bad.
On Saturday’s TUF 10 Finale, newcomer Joe Brammer was sponsored by a company called Hoelzer-Reich clothing. They advertise themselves as “German Vintage” wear. Here is what the shirt that Brammer wore looked like: (Pictures are courtesy of Fightlinker, who have been all over this thing since jump street.)
It’s really nothing threatening. It’s got the colors of the German flag on it, and it has some Iron Crosses, but there are other clothing companies, including skateboarding company Independent that uses it as their logo, that uses that constantly, so it’s not that bad.
However, all you had to do was go to this company’s website (which I will not provide a link to, because I won’t support this is any way shape or form.) to see that this is a company that uses a ton of iconography from the worst set of crimes against humanity in this planet’s history. Here’s the way Fightlinker described it:
Well, they’re trying to hide the sketchy stuff as best they can – they’ve scrubbed their website to remove their sponsorship of Nazi music group Westwall and skinhead fighter Niko Puhakka, and don’t have the SS skull and ‘HoeSS’ shirt in their store now. And their Myspace page used to be littered with all sorts of interesting Nazi shit. But since the last time I checked it out, they’ve made their pictures section private and removed their comments section (probably because of all the messages I had seen before from fuckface nazis that started with ‘Heil!’, aka the fuckface nazi ‘yo’).
Moreover, just look at some of the shirts they sell! One shirt uses the symbol for the “Schutzstaffel,” also known as Hitler’s death squads, on a shirt more than five times! Hell, the companies logo is a play off the symbol! Another uses the slogan “Strength and Honor” which is a play off the Hitler Youth’s motto of “Blood and Honor.” Another one says ““Das Vierte Reich Hat Begonnen.” Loosely translated? The Fourth Reich has begun.
Jason Comack, and Alex Goldberg, two of my partners in crime on this website are both Jewish. I know that Jason’s offended, as he went as far as to Tweet at Dana White that he needs to take care of this and make sure this company is banned from the Octagon. I don’t know if Alex has seen this yet, but I’m sure that if he did, he’d be horrified. Hell, I’m not jewish at all, and I feel dirty just writing this article and even thinking about these douche bags infiltrating an area of the world that I cover.
UFC Brass, make this disappear quickly. I love MMA-style. I love the fact that the fighters can make a little extra coin by using that style. However, don’t let this company use your television time to spread their message of hate and ignorance.
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The Host is a Greedy One
All week during pre-tournament preparation, Tiger Woods talked about his desire to be a “greedy host”. Yes, he is the man who’s name is on the tournament. Yes, he has had a much busier week then other players. And yes, after all that- Tiger leads his own tourney headed into the weekend.
Coming into yesterday tied for second place, Tiger shot up the leaderboard after a four under, 66 yesterday. Ironically, the round was two shots worse then Thursdays’, but I think Tiger will take the dividends. He sits a shot up on Rod Pampling and two shots up on defending champion Anthony Kim.
Kim, who set the course on fire on Thursday, shot a mediocre even par 70. Thanks to his record smashing day on Thursday, Kim still sits in good position to win the tournament. I would say great, but I never think looking up at the best player on the planet ever puts someone in great position for anything.
If your looking for a good non-Tiger story line for Saturday, I think Kim is where you go. Here’s a guy who hasn’t won in exactly a year and is looking to get back on the right track. Their is no doubt that Kim has all the potential in the world. One TV commentator on Thursday came short of guaranteeing that he would win “multiple majors” before he hits the Champions tour. This may be true, but whether Kim realizes that potential is yet to be seen. One thing going for him is youth. At 24 years old, he is well aware the the typical golfer does not hit his prime until his early thirties. Since one of Kim’s main weaknesses is his apparent love for nightlife and parties, the theory that his slump is purely a case of being young and immature does carry a lot of weight.
Today’s round will be a huge one for Kim. Does he forget his definitively average round from yesterday and play Congressional like he’s shown he can play Congressional? Or does the demons of the slump rise up and bite Kim, sending him back on the leader board? I think he can stay in this tournament. He was a shot off on almost every hole yesterday. The holes he bogeyed, he pared yesterday. The holes he pared, he birdied yesterday. Their wasn’t that big double bogey blow up hole for Kim that might suggest a meltdown. A few more birdies and one less bogey and we’re looking at Kim in serious contention on Sunday morning.
Other notables- Jim Furyk shot a -3, 67 on Friday to sit in fourth at seven under. U.S Open champ Lucas Glover is tied for eighth at 5 under. This is the third consecutive tournament for Glover. It’s a bit odd for a major champion not to take a week off, but Glover seams to be handling it well.
Trunk Slammers (missed the cut): Robert Allenby, who was in contention at the St. Jude, missed his fourth cut of the year after two straight rounds of 72. WCWP fav John Merrick is going home despite playing at even par on Friday. His six over 76 on Thursday sunk him. K. J Choi was one of similar fate. His 69 was good for a respectable -1 on Friday, but it could not erase a disastrous +7 Thursday….
Categories: PGA, Uncategorized
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