TapouT Means...

***jnp*** · Posted On: 3/08/2012 4:02pm

Maybe most of you are unaware how much Tapout the company did for early MMA in the nineties. Those guys busted their butts driving around the country supporting the sport.

For years, I felt the same way most of you guys did. Then I realized that wearing a Tapout shirt is equivalent to wearing a football jersey. It's a way for the fans to express their support for MMA. So, while I would not be caught dead in any Tapout gear myself, I no longer hate Bubba, the 350 lb slurpie junkie, that goes out with his best Tapout shirt on in the evening.

***battlefields*** · Posted On: 3/08/2012 4:08pm

Originally Posted by jnp

Maybe most of you are unaware how much Tapout the company did for early MMA in the nineties. Those guys busted their butts driving around the country supporting the sport.

For years, I felt the same way most of you guys did. Then I realized that wearing a Tapout shirt is equivalent to wearing a football jersey. It's a way for the fans to express their support for MMA. So, while I would not be caught dead in any Tapout gear myself, I no longer hate Bubba, the 350 lb slurpie junkie, that goes out with his best Tapout shirt on in the evening.

^This.

Also, brotherdaniel, until you have a reputation that isn't the equivalent of a faeces smeared public toilet, I'd be leaving your judgements in the tiny recesses of that small mind of yours.

**P Marsh** · Posted On: 3/08/2012 5:08pm

Originally Posted by jnp

Maybe most of you are unaware how much Tapout the company did for early MMA in the nineties. Those guys busted their butts driving around the country supporting the sport.

For years, I felt the same way most of you guys did. Then I realized that wearing a Tapout shirt is equivalent to wearing a football jersey. It's a way for the fans to express their support for MMA. So, while I would not be caught dead in any Tapout gear myself, I no longer hate Bubba, the 350 lb slurpie junkie, that goes out with his best Tapout shirt on in the evening.

To quote the band Sloan from the song Coax Me: "It's not the band I hate, it's their fans".

**Vorpal** · Posted On: 3/08/2012 5:10pm

I usually roll non-descript and I still have too many people trying to talk to me. I wouldn't wear that **** based on: Hideous designs, it's an open invitation for every a-hole who "trains UFC" to talk to you and, well, there are few things more pathetic than a 47 year old in TapOut. I do wear my YMAS T-shirt though. I love wearing something that says "Your Martial Art Sucks". Nobody seems to want to talk about that.

**RWaggs** · Posted On: 3/08/2012 5:34pm

Originally Posted by jnp

Then I realized that wearing a Tapout shirt is equivalent to wearing a football jersey. It's a way for the fans to express their support for MMA.

Eh, not really. Wearing a Tapout shirt is "equivalent" to wearing a shirt belonging to a corporate sponsor of the NFL. Wearing a UFC, or a Strikeforce shirt would be synonymous to wearing something which says NFL (which most footballs fans don't do.)

Wearing a shirt which specifically represents a particular fighter is the equivalent of wearing a jersey.

If the TapouT company was really that integral to the early growth of the sport, that's cool, but I'm just saying.....

***battlefields*** · Posted On: 3/08/2012 6:08pm

Originally Posted by RWaggs

Eh, not really. Wearing a Tapout shirt is "equivalent" to wearing a shirt belonging to a corporate sponsor of the NFL. Wearing a UFC, or a Strikeforce shirt would be synonymous to wearing something which says NFL (which most footballs fans don't do.)

I understand your point of view, but I disagree. By buying an official NFL jersey, you are (indirectly) providing funds to the franchise (I am assuming it works the same way as NRL here in Australia) that are reinvested in the players, the team and the franchise. By buying a TapouT shirt you indirectly supply TapouT with funds that go toward sponsoring a fighter. THAT is where the similarities of the two should lie, the support of the sport, not in the comparison of structures, one is a league of teams, the other is an individual pursuit sport. The jersey is generic, there is no team so any design is a jersey, unless it is for an individual (see below).

In the early 90s were people douches because they bought Air Jordans? Were they douches because they wanted to be like Mike? Did they rock around telling everyone they were playing NBA? Do you think they thought for a second that spending a ridiculous amount of money on shoes allowed Nike to spend a ridiculous amount of money sponsoring Mike so he didn't have to worry about money and could focus on basketball?

What about golf players that wear Shark apparel? Are they douches for buying a collared shirt from the clubhouse? Do you think they all have delusions that they are Greg Norman? Or do you think that the money they spent at the clubhouse allows that club to sponsor a pro golfer who they can turn to for advice and possibly cheer on at the next...um, meet? Match? Game? Golf Day? I don't know if Shark clothing sponsors younger players, but I'd say it'd be stupid not to...

I'm just throwing some out there examples of individuals, I'm sure I could tie it in with a relevant argument, but I couldn't be arsed.

Wearing a shirt which specifically represents a particular fighter is the equivalent of wearing a jersey.

This is more like wearing a jersey with a particular players name and number printed on it. You can get official NRL jerseys with no name or number on it (I imagine it is the same for NFL, but you can correct me).

If the TapouT company was really that integral to the early growth of the sport, that's cool, but I'm just saying.....

It was and it deserves respect for it. Those guys would trawl around in their shitty car and sell shirts out the boot at events, so I have respect for them and the vigour in which they chased their dream.

**kendamu** · Posted On: 3/08/2012 6:32pm

This wasn't meant so much as a "TapouT sucks" sort of thing. The events of the comic actually happened and the guy was actually wearing a TapouT shirt. It has more to do with the particular brand of douchebag that gravitates toward the brand rather than the brand itself.

**RWaggs** · Posted On: 3/08/2012 6:43pm

Originally Posted by battlefields

This is more like wearing a jersey with a particular players name and number printed on it. You can get official NRL jerseys with no name or number on it (I imagine it is the same for NFL, but you can correct me).

You can. Some people order them online, customized with their own name, so that their jerseys don't become obsolete when the revolving door of pro sports moves their favorite player to another city. It is much less common to see, and even the money from jerseys with player names on them mostly go to the team/league, though.

I didn't wear Air Jordans when I was a kid either. I mean, I imagine I could've gotten my dad to buy them as a Christmas present or something, but I actually played Basketball and knew that I could have my dad spend half the money for shoes which were as good or better and still leave enough in the budget for other things. I guess I'm simply not, and have never been, the target audience for this kind of thing.

I do, however, understand your's and JNP's points concerning this.