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BOTHELL, WA
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Favorite Quotes:
"Hunger knows no politics"

"What great father starves his own children?" - referring to North Korea.

"Many people who in many small places that do many small things... can change the world" -...

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The day I met my hero
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August 28 2009: Seattle to Portland!

My friends and I are HUGE UFC fans and we’ve been waiting for an opportunity to go to a live event for quite some time. Once we found out the UFC was coming to Portland, we quickly bought tickets and planned for one incredible experience. On top of that, I've never been to Portland. I've driven through the area many times, but I've never had a chance to explore the city. This was my chance.

We left Seattle on Friday morning, arrived at the Rose Garden around 1:00pm. As soon as the doors opened at 2:30 we rushed towards to autograph session with Anderson Silva, Shane Carwin, Chael Sonnen, and Nate Quarry. Because it was free to the public, you can imagine the “hurry the hell up and wait” line we were herded through. But it was worth the wait to see some of these guys, especially my hero Anderson Silva.

Anderson Silva is one of a kind. Clearly the best pound for pound fighter on the planet. Many can argue for GSP or Fedor, but honestly? I think Silva is beyond both of them. Not only does he destroy his opponents, he makes them look like they don’t even belong in the ring with him! “The Spider” clowned former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffen earlier this month and dominated everyone in his division. Now people are asking for super-fights and a possible move up to heavyweight!

Anyways, you can probably see where I’m going with this. I respect the man. He’s one of my favorite fighters of all time and it was just an honor to meet him. I felt like a kid at Disneyland. The only difference was.. I was in a building full of incredible fighters and lots testosterone.

The weigh-in experience:
The quarter of the Rose Garden that was portioned off was practically filled to capacity, even in the upper decks. And when Northwest’s own Randy “The Natural” Couture was announced, the crowd just erupted into cheers and chants of “Randy! Randy! Randy!” A few of the fighters were relaxed and smiled at the crowd, others were very focused and ready to rumble. The most intense face off of the night was between Nate Marquardt and Damian Maia.

After weigh-ins, we stuck around to meet Gabriel Gonzaga, Matt Lindland, and a couple other fighters. Gonzaga is probably the coolest guy you will ever meet. He wanted to meet everyone and take pictures with them. A class act.

Overall the trip was great. Lots of fans, got meet many fighters and I didn’t pay a dime for the weigh-ins. Not to sound cheap, but it was definitely worth going. The only down side was not being able to meet the Octagon girls. Sigh…. Next time.

The whole afternoon was an interesting look into the world of the UFC. If it ever comes to your town, I highly recommend checking it out.

By Kevin Park at 08:00 PM on August 30, 2009   0 comments
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About Me

www.twitter.com/Kevin_E_Park

Favorite Quotes:
"Hunger knows no politics"

"What great father starves his own children?" - referring to North Korea.

"Many people who in many small places that do many small things... can change the world" - Written on the Berlin Wall

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Accepting Nobel Peace Prize
December 10, 1964

The measure of a man isn't determined by who he is on Sunday, but rather who he is Monday through Saturday.

“Good is not good if better is expected and the best is possible”

"impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. impossible is not a fact. it's an opinion. impossible is not a declaration. it's a dare. impossible is potential. impossible is temporary.” “Impossible is nothing."

"We call human love selfish when it satisfies its own needs at the expense of the object's needs ....God has no needs. God is goodness. He can give good, but cannot need or get it. In that sense all His love is, as it were,bottomlessly selfless by very definition; it has everything to give and nothing to receive.If the world exists not chiefly that we may love God, but that God may love us, yet that very fact, on a deeper level, is for our sakes. If He, who in Himself can lack nothing, chooses to need us, it is because we need to be needed. It is good for us to know love; and best for us to know the love of the best object, God. God gives what He has, not what He has not.'' -C.S. Lewis

“Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Whenever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must- at that moment, become the center of the world.” - Elie Wiesel

Any coach needs talent. You start with talent. Without talent, we're all in the soup. You know what I mean? If you get the talent you gotta use it and you better not lose it. - Red Auerbach

"What is it like to be a Christian?" "It's like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then he cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc., and then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will."

"Jack in the box will kill you faster than crack" - Tyler Burns

"Once you tell that lie, you have to tell more lies to support that initial lie. Once you get started down that road, it really is impossible to go back until you are found out completely."

Faith with out deeds is dead!

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