We haven’t heard any more about Grease-gate for almost a week now. That must mean B.J. Penn is getting the message.
It’s taken a while, but it seems he may have finally learned that any more whining about an issue won’t really get him anywhere. In fact, you could say it’s taken him backwards.
Fans have overwhelmingly taken Georges St. Pierre’s side on the whole issue and Penn’s public image has taken a hit. Certainly calling out fans and questioning their integrity wasn’t going to win him any points. (Even if he had a point.) The Nevada State Athletic Commission pretty much considered it a non-issue, and were said to be annoyed by the matter -- I don’t think Penn bringing his mother to the hearing helped.
No. 1 lightweight contender Kenny Florian says he believes fans want to see him fight Penn more than see another Penn-GSP rematch. (And let’s just assume he was being objective when he said that.) Incidentally, it looks like Penn vs. Florian for the lightweight title might happen in Philadelphia at UFC 101.
But most importantly, earlier in the week, UFC president Dana White effectively told him to shut up about past fights and move on. (Well, he used slightly different words. Mind the language.)
Now when the head honcho of your organization says you should zip it, it’s probably time to listen.
Of course if I were Penn -- I’m just playing devil’s advocate here (and no, I’m not comparing Penn the devil) -- I would be wondering, "Wait, Dana, last month you said you thought GSP’s cornerman WAS cheating. If that’s the case, then doesn’t that mean I have case? But now you’re telling me to shut up about it?"
The fact of the matter is if Penn truly believed that there was some real cheating going on -- and he has a right to believe that -- then he also had a right to pursue it. He just went about it the wrong way.
Instead of making it public, and broadcasting his thoughts to anyone who would listen any chance he got, he should have done things quietly. Filed the formal complaint without any hooplah. The media still would have picked it up, because that’s what we do. But it would have been a totally different spin. He certainly would have had a better chance to come off as the sympathetic character.
However, the way he did it smacks of sour grapes, and has made GSP into the sympathetic character. St. Pierre should be reveling in his fantastic victory and triumphant status as top pound-for-pound fighter instead of having to defend an apparent smear job.
Penn’s approach now allows GSP to come out and jokingly admit he cheated and we all laugh, while Penn seriously accuses GSP’s camp of cheating and we all roll our eyes.
In addition to not having to deal with B.J.'s "BS," it has been a week of good news for St. Pierre. First we learned he has signed a marketing deal with Gatorade. There was also a report this week that he could be signing a deal for a TV program on a Canadian station.
And then there’s the part in a movie he’s shooting (The Bleacher Report interviewed him on the set of it on Monday), and the fact he’ll be on the Canadian cover of THQ’s new video game UFC Undisputed 2009.
Things just keep coming up roses for the welterweight champion.
Perhaps taking that cue, it’s good to see the lightweight champion starting to act like one again. After all, he's the one encouraging everyone to live like one.
