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Ronda Rousey: UFC is more pure than the Olympics

2K views 13 replies 12 participants last post by  DrFunk 
#1 ·
“The UFC and MMA stuff is so much more pure compared to all that to me,” Rousey said. “No one is going to change the rules of MMA because they prefer European style over Japanese style. It’s never going to be like that. It will be as close to a real fight as possible and whoever wins, wins.

“I like that there’s a lot of money involved, that there isn’t going to be people who are selling out for nothing. You can’t predict people like that. There are people [in judo] called sellouts, and stabbing you on the back so they can get on some committee that pays you nothing.”

“The Olympians in our country are pretty much useless,” she said. “You spend your whole life trying to get this medal and you don’t do it to make money, you do it for your country, for your pride, for your family, and there’s nothing set in place for what happens afterwards. They used to have a program where I’d work at Home Depot 20 hours a week and they’d pay me full-time, that was the only Olympic job program I have. There’s nothing afterwards. There’s no scholarship program, there’s no job placement, after you won an Olympic medal and you’ve spent $100,000, you get 10 grand, which they tax you on. You get 10K for a bronze, 15K for silver, 25K for gold, which you get taxed on, and a handshake. I couldn’t even buy a 2005 used Honda Accord LX with that.”
Interesting to see her views on the Olympics. Thought she would have a higher opinion considering it was the Olympics that provided that first step to get where she is now. Not sure if Hendo or Matt Lindland would agree with some of her comments. She makes a few fair points about the financial side. Can't blame her at all for the way she feels.
 
#2 ·
It has always been a criticism of the US that we don't pay our athletes like other countries do. A lot of countries provide their Olympic athletes with coaches, places to train, and a pretty modest income but pay big rewards if they win. In the US you actually get taxed if you win. They joked about the fact that if Phelps won 8 medals he would only take home cash from 5 of them. Granted he had sponsorships.
 
#3 ·
In Singapore, Olympic gold medallists receive SGD $1 million (USD$820k), silver medallists get SGD $500k (USD $410k) and bronze medallists earn SGD $250k (USD $205k). Singapore still has not won a single gold medal yet though. It is quite pathetic really. We actually recruit foreign talent ( from China ) to help us win medals in the Olympics...which is quite pointless really. They are not even bred in Singapore. The money could have been put to much better use.

Anyway, I think the money-earner for these Olympians are sponsorships and endorsements. People like Usain Bolt, he earns an estimated $20 million per year. Michael Phelps is probably worth around $40 million. However, these are the elite of the elites. If you win a bronze medal, you probably won't get many sponsorship deals at all, if there is even any.
 
#4 ·
http://aol.sportingnews.com/sport/s...or-hamilton-call-girl-las-vegas-disney-client

Suzy Favor Hamilton lost a client as a result of this week's disclosure of her secret life as a Las Vegas call girl. It might not be the last one.

Hamilton, a three-time member of the U.S. Olympic track team and a 44-year-old mother, admitted Thursday to working as a $600-an-hour escort. News of her admission to being a sex worker set of a flurry of questions and flood of controversy.
Suzy Favor Hamilton's association with Disney running events is over. (AP Photo)

Apparently, entertainment giant Disney is no longer a Hamilton fan. The family-oriented company announced it was cutting ties with Hamilton. That word came two days after subsidiary runDisney announced that Hamilton would speak during August 2013's events around the Disneyland Half Marathon.

Hamilton spoke during the August 2012 race events and at a similar event in February, according to the Orange County Register, which is based near Disney's California theme park and headquarters.

Disney officials told E! News they had no contract with Hamilton for her speaking services. She was, they said, "only an invited guest and she was never paid or acting as a spokesperson for Disney."

Hamilton has been a representative for other running events, including several recently in Las Vegas.

The Big Ten conference, which hands out the Suzy Favor Athlete of the Year Award to honor an athlete who won 23 conference and nine NCAA titles, had no comment Friday. A spokesman for the University of Wisconsin athletic department also declined comment.

Disclosure of Hamilton's activities as a call girl came Thursday by the tell-all website The Smoking Gun. Images of her appeared in spaces normally reserved for tabloid standards including Lindsay Lohan and Kim Kardashian.

— Outlet leads to downfall of Wisconsin athletic legend

In addition to being a three-time member of the U.S. Olympic team, Hamilton was an athletic legend in Wisconsin during high school and college.

Hamilton issued a series of Twitter comments Thursday, including an apology:

"I cannot emphasize enough how sorry I am to anyone I have hurt as a result of my actions and greatly appreciate the support from family and those closest to me. I fully intend to make amends and get back to being a good mother, wife, daughter, and friend."
If more Olympians turn to hooking maybe they'll get a little more support.
 
#5 ·
I'm sure Michael Phelps is doing alright.

This is the great thing about MMA all the people who medal in Judo and wrestling that don't have an avenue now have one.
 
#14 ·
I know for a fact that korean athletes get paid a lifetime pension to supplement their income should they win a Gold medal. It translates to roughly 3k US/month that's tax free with a limit of up to to 2 pension (if you win 2 gold medals). So yeah you won't be able to make a "good" living off of a single gold medal but it also means you won't be needing to work at a home depot for min wage to pay for rent either.

A lot of these athletes take on min salary jobs (which combined with their tax free pension money) from universities and train the next generation of athletes. In other words they get to keep training their sport long after their spot at the Olympics by having that supplementary guaranteed income from the government.

It's not what the Olympics is suppose to represent given that the Silver and Bronze medalist will get the shaft (compared to the gold), but it's a very effective and fair program that insures athletes aim for the gold (and why S korea with such a tiny pop still does decent at the olympics) and takes care of their future athletes.

PS: As for Phelps, for every superstar Olympians who receive massive financial support from companies, there's a gazillion out there who won't get shit. This is why I feel Canada at least needs to pony up the money to their athletes and institute some kind of financial support after their prime. A nice chunk of cash is good but it'll eventually go away through living above their means or bad investments. A pension even a small one will help them keep on doing what they do best.
 
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