Things you remember in 2004?

Underground
1

What sort of things will you remember about 2004?

One of the funniest things I will remember was my coach Fateh stopped calling me "Jeff."

I will rememeber UFC parties at the old Grand Row, and the last class Ze Mario Esfiha taught there. Hilarious.

I will remember going to see Wagnney Fabiano and his amazing sales skillz when I wanted to buy a KF fighter gi.

Visiting Joslins after about 6 months of grappling and having blue(Wiley), Purple, (Rick) and brown (Jeff) belts whooping my arse and loving every minute of it.

Tompkins events with JHR's masterful DJing.

I'm sure there is more. What do you guys remember about 2004?

2

LOL!

I remember the Eric Apple / BSF "fight."

3

I'll remember the 4 months off work recovering from ACL surgery and then feeling better than before the injury.

I'll remember meeting Esfiha, Dan, Paul, Canario, Stan, Sandy and others that I now can call my friends. Edited to add JHR. How could I forget!!!???

I'll remember all the events and get togethers that this great sport/art has produced.

I'll remember meeting my hero's - Randy, Dan and Frank.

I'll remember the great feeling you get when you walk on the mat and the better feeling when you walk off all sweaty, sore and tired.

And I'll remember Dougie and his wife's ongoing battle with cancer. I'll remember Dougie's attitude towards this battle and life in general. Thanks, Dougie. Even at the worst time of your life, you still manage to make everyone around you feel great.

4

I remember my finger being bent 90 degrees in the wrong direction.

5

2004 was a mix of emotions for me.

I met and trained with a lot of my heros from Jan to May 2004. Guys like Matt Thornton, Shaolin, Jean-Jaques Machado, Couture etc, Things were looking up but then again things weren't great.

My marriage (only 1 years old) was on the rocks, It was like my mother and I didn't even know each other (even though she lived in the upstairs apartment), 3 memebers of my family passed away, depression was kicking in at a very disturbing rate, friends were getting sick of my shit and even dough my training and job life were at an all time high, I wasn't happy with the person I had become personally.

Then it happened.

I completely tore my ACL and training was no more. Someone higher up had decided to cut my most favourite thing in the world and take it away from me. Now because I was hurt, I wasn't gonna be able to work, go party, get wild and get drunk all the time(these things for some reason were top priorities at the time for me) etc. I thought being seriously injured was gonna be the beginning of the end for me.

Then I woke up.

Turned out that the injury was the greatest and most beneficial thing to ever happen to me. It was a blessing in disguise and not only woke me up but saved my life.

For one, it reminded me of how lucky I was to have such a beautiful, helpful, couragous, caring and loving wife. Since being hurt, I got to spend the most time with her ever since we started dating almost 10 years ago. I had forgotten how much she meant to me, how much she loved me and much I had hurt her (sometimes intentionally) over the last few years. My mom and I got closer and closed some old wounds, My friends stayed by me and helped me enormously even dough I was a dick to them and the e-mails of support I got the day after my surgery from all my friends and training partners in the MMA/Grappling community was enough to bring a man who'd rather die then cry, to tears.

It is december now, the year is almost over and I'm close to the 4 month mark since my surgery. I'll be able to pyshically return to "light" training in another 3 months and life can get back to normal. The difference now is, I'm a lot happier, secure and peacefull with myself.

2004 will always be remembered by me. It could've been the worst year of my life, I could've self-destructed or even worse, ended it, but I pulled through thanks to a wife who never gave up on me, a mother who adores her son and friends and family who helped me in my time of need (physically, personally and spiritually).

As much as I love training, fighting, competing and will continue to love it and participate in it, my eyes were opened to more important issues. 2004 taught me that the most important thing is love, family and being loyal to those who never stopped being loyal to me and my soul is better off for it.

6

Killer story Jeff, glad it's all working out for ya.

For 2004 and MMA related

Going to UFC 47

Meeting Randy and Rampage

Getting my ass kicked by Brennan

Competing at NAGA

Training under Bocek

7

I believe at one time I remembered all the same things as Dougie and DSC.....I definitely remember the infamous Grand Row Sex Tape.

The feds sure would like to get ahold of that one.

8

I remember the great Mark Colangelo/JHR chicken wing debacle of '04

9

"I remember the great Mark Colangelo/JHR chicken wing debacle of '04"

That never happend!! You are all hype JHR!! All hype, my friend!!

10

"That never happend!! You are all hype JHR!! All hype, my friend!!"

I expect your apology Nathan ASAP...

This fight was a couple of years in the making....

Here's the old promotional poster

11

Being in California for the Pan Ams and having to suffer through the "Big White Monkey". All of the niagbjj guys know what I'm talking about!!! Also getting Esfiha his work permit was a victory for Niagarabjj's family!!! The family is growing. With 3
Affiliates and growing!!

Train Hard in 2005!!

Vince www.niagarabjj.com

12

I'm sorry JHR.

13

That's better... ;)

14

I got kneed in the head

15

BSF, it wasn't jiujitsu, it was hybrid judo.

I remember JHR ducking me in said Chicken Wing Challenge.

C

16

How could I forget meeting Couture!? Ack! There are just too many good memories of this year.

DSC, Portuguese is right. This could have been a crappy year. I think though that no matter what life gives you, you make it what you want. Right now I get out to train once maybe 2 times a week. That sucks for me. But I look to the time when it's more. I will never quit, never stop, and no matter what life throws at me I will reverse it into mount and start to choke it out.

Canario! I still have the video. I can't wait until you're member of parliment and I can blackmail you.

17

this one needs to go ttt

Great post Portuguese. Some day we will have to get together and compare surgery scars and rehab stories.

18

kidney stones.. :(

19

Jeff, that was awesome my man. Beautiful...

I tried writing what I truely feel 2004 has meant to me and what I remember, but I will hold off for another day.

My hands are shaking at the moment and it's best that I read and re-read Jeff's post.

20

Smashing my dad's car ruined any chance of me remembering 2004 fondly.