Week 5 of "The Road to Rampage," and like last week, the focus is more on Matt Hamill and his place in the sport rather than the upcoming UFC 130 fight with Quinton Jackson. This time, the video looks at what he means for the deaf community:
This edition leaves me with much of the same feeling as last week's focus on Hamill the Movie. What we're seeing here is just how unique an opportunity Matt Hamill represents for the UFC. He is a talented fighter and a real life movie sports story come to life. No surprise to see here just how much he means to the deaf community and how important that role is to Matt. Again, he has the potential to be a unique, important player in the UFC scene, and that is undeniably a good thing.
But also like last week, I come away from this feeling a bit uneasy about the pressure. Near the end, Hamill himself uses the dreaded "H" word - Hero. In all honesty, I don't have a problem with Hamill saying people view him as a hero for the deaf - that's not undeserved in my opinion. But there's danger in that pressure of being perceived as a hero. When the hopes of an entire community are riding on you, it can lead some men to their greatest heights, while for others it can prove too great a burden to carry. As I said last time, I think Hamill is a man with his head on straight who will be able to rise to these expectations, but he'll certainly be tested by Rampage.
Next time, we get back to training with an in depth look at how Hamill has been preparing for Rampage and UFC 130.
This edition leaves me with much of the same feeling as last week's focus on Hamill the Movie. What we're seeing here is just how unique an opportunity Matt Hamill represents for the UFC. He is a talented fighter and a real life movie sports story come to life. No surprise to see here just how much he means to the deaf community and how important that role is to Matt. Again, he has the potential to be a unique, important player in the UFC scene, and that is undeniably a good thing.
But also like last week, I come away from this feeling a bit uneasy about the pressure. Near the end, Hamill himself uses the dreaded "H" word - Hero. In all honesty, I don't have a problem with Hamill saying people view him as a hero for the deaf - that's not undeserved in my opinion. But there's danger in that pressure of being perceived as a hero. When the hopes of an entire community are riding on you, it can lead some men to their greatest heights, while for others it can prove too great a burden to carry. As I said last time, I think Hamill is a man with his head on straight who will be able to rise to these expectations, but he'll certainly be tested by Rampage.
Next time, we get back to training with an in depth look at how Hamill has been preparing for Rampage and UFC 130.