WSM and IFSASM

[Garrick Daft]

I've come to like the fact that there is two 'federations". This means that we can be fans of two athletes and have them both go to the top. I like Jesse and Travis and want to see them both go to the top, and I think they can. They both have their work cut out for them, Jesse contending with Mariusz, Samuelson, Karlsen, Virastyuk, and Travis contending with Zavickas, Koklyaev, Phister, Bergmanis, Muremets...

Just because I didn't mention any others they would have to contend with doesn't mean I think their game is weak.

Good luck in Connecticut and Dubai.

[Tobias Schnellbächer]

It`s true what you say. I think both do something good for the sport and both have great athlets.
But I would love to see them come together to one WSM Contest to really see the best in the world in one competition and to find out who is the strongest of them all!

So if both would work a little bit more together acepting the other and so on everything would be perfect.

My opinion.

[Garrick Daft]

That's wishful thinking, the IFSASM and WSM will always be seperate. Using one or the other to bring all of them together for competition would not work. There needs to be an entirely new overall competition held that is indepedent of any "federation." That way the contest will be legit and no smack can be talked. I have a perfect idea of what that contest would be like..., of course everyone here does also.

[Ben Booker]

I agree with the idea of an annual, legit, final, and determining competition to decide one who is stronger than all others.

[Ben Booker]

This kind of bs happens all of the time, example, Pride Fighting Championship and Ultimate Fighting Championship. Each one is going to say that their "federation's" fighter is better than the other "federation's" fighter, and both "federations" wont let their best fighter fight the other guy's best fighter to finally figure out who is the best of all. What's going to happen in strongman, for example, is that 50% of everyone will say that Zidrunas is stronger than Mariusz and 50% are going to say the oposite. Then, like in fighting, every one with an opinion is going to put in their 2 cents on the stats of the 2 athletes instead of getting to see them compete agaist each other for an annual legit title over every one in the world.

[Garrick Daft]

I like how pysched up you get Ben.! Bet you freakin' zone out when you lift... !

I agree with you totally, however there is more money to be made with two federations, one strongman. As soon as the athletes figure that out, then everyone will be richer. BTW the MMA world has many, many athletes that can get in the ring and pound each other senseless, Strongman only has a few who can push the weight and has the speed which makes the sport popular to the general masses.

Good luck with your first contest.

[Ben Booker]

I like how pysched up you get Ben.! Bet you freakin' zone out when you lift... !

I agree with you totally, however there is more money to be made with two federations, one strongman. As soon as the athletes figure that out, then everyone will be richer. BTW the MMA world has many, many athletes that can get in the ring and pound each other senseless, Strongman only has a few who can push the weight and has the speed which makes the sport popular to the general masses.

Good luck with your first contest.


Thanks for the compliments Garrick. I can tell that in addition to athetics you are also very annilitical.

[Jesse Marunde]

ya I also like having two feds. means I won't have to face Travis at worlds... There can be two champs each from their own organization, but 'ifsa champion' doesn't have the same ring as 'WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN' !!! All my life I've sweat and blead and dreamed of being the WSM. You couldn't pay me enough to forfeit my dream, which is what ifsa tried to get me to do. Besides, no one in the general public has a clue who Travis is, though he may very well be the next or current great one. Everyone knows every athlete at the WSM contest because it's on ESPN. Hmm... espn vs. canadian outdoor channel... Anyways, point is, ifsa will fail unless they get better TV. And their not going to get any better than ESPN, which has excellent relations with the WSM organizers.

Travis, please stay with ifsa. I know they aren't paying you anything, and have few contests for you to compete in, and all the ifsa athletes are always talking about how pissed they are and how unethical and dishonest the powers that be are, and how much they hate the ifsa organizers... So I'm seriously wondering what your incentive to stay with them is. I've come to the conclusion that you're scared to face me on TV in front of the whole world... What other reason could there be?

[Dan Harrison]

(about Travis) I've come to the conclusion that you're scared to face me on TV in front of the whole world... What other reason could there be?

Wow. I guess the warehouse where they mass-produce the nation's crap-talk is in Sequim!

[Ben Booker]

Wow. I guess the warehouse where they mass-produce the nation's doodie dinkle brown stinkle-talk is in Sequim!


Dan, I always enjoy reading your postings. To me they're very funny. Where to you come up with this stuff (warehouse where they mass-produce the nation's doodie dinkle brown stinkle-talk). :YR:

I want to come and train with you and Odd sometime and obsorb some new training. I think you guys train in the OC which is where i am living and also train.

[Ben Booker]

ya I also like having two feds. means I won't have to face Travis at worlds... There can be two champs each from their own organization, but 'ifsa champion' doesn't have the same ring as 'WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN' !!! All my life I've sweat and blead and dreamed of being the WSM. You couldn't pay me enough to forfeit my dream, which is what ifsa tried to get me to do. Besides, no one in the general public has a clue who Travis is, though he may very well be the next or current great one. Everyone knows every athlete at the WSM contest because it's on ESPN. Hmm... espn vs. canadian outdoor channel... Anyways, point is, ifsa will fail unless they get better TV. And their not going to get any better than ESPN, which has excellent relations with the WSM organizers.

Travis, please stay with ifsa. I know they aren't paying you anything, and have few contests for you to compete in, and all the ifsa athletes are always talking about how pissed they are and how unethical and dishonest the powers that be are, and how much they hate the ifsa organizers... So I'm seriously wondering what your incentive to stay with them is. I've come to the conclusion that you're scared to face me on TV in front of the whole world... What other reason could there be?

Wow.......

[Dan Harrison]

Dan, I always enjoy reading your postings. To me they're very funny. Where to you come up with this stuff (warehouse where they mass-produce the nation's doodie dinkle brown stinkle-talk). :YR:

I want to come and train with you and Odd sometime and obsorb some new training. I think you guys train in the OC which is where i am living and also train.

I never said doodie stinkle, whatever, some hippy edited my post (I said a rreally bad word...) and entered that stuff.

As long as it wasn't YOU who slaughtered my awesome post, then PM me and you can ride up with me sometime.


Who is editing my posts? Dang...

[Garrick Daft]

I think Travis just got owned!

Owned! (http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=4/10420170695.jpg&s=x402)

Ben you just might get owned if you go and work out with Dan, he seems a little scary...
hahahaha.. No joke though read his training log the dude's a monster! Eat your corn flakes before you go... hahahaha :F:

I'd pay $10,000 to watch Jesse and Travis compete at the WSM or IFSA SM!!!!!

[Jesse Marunde]

I think Travis just got owned!



haha no way man. travis is dude that doesn't get owned... EVERY time I've talked trash at shows he's turned around and beat me, even on my best events including the most recent viking press.

[Garrick Daft]

Unless he replies, he's been pwn3d!

Owned! (http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=4/10420170695.jpg&s=x402)

[Garrick Daft]

:D Travis, I'm just playing, don't kill me.. :D

[TEXAS STONEMAN]

ya I also like having two feds. means I won't have to face Travis at worlds... There can be two champs each from their own organization, but 'ifsa champion' doesn't have the same ring as 'WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN' !!! All my life I've sweat and blead and dreamed of being the WSM. You couldn't pay me enough to forfeit my dream, which is what ifsa tried to get me to do. Besides, no one in the general public has a clue who Travis is, though he may very well be the next or current great one. Everyone knows every athlete at the WSM contest because it's on ESPN. Hmm... espn vs. canadian outdoor channel... Anyways, point is, ifsa will fail unless they get better TV. And their not going to get any better than ESPN, which has excellent relations with the WSM organizers.

Travis, please stay with ifsa. I know they aren't paying you anything, and have few contests for you to compete in, and all the ifsa athletes are always talking about how pissed they are and how unethical and dishonest the powers that be are, and how much they hate the ifsa organizers... So I'm seriously wondering what your incentive to stay with them is. I've come to the conclusion that you're scared to face me on TV in front of the whole world... What other reason could there be?

Since Jesse is shying away from coming down here and training with me it makes sense that he wouldn't want me in the same fed... Jesse is "top dog" for TWI in America right now; I just wouldn't feel right taking that away from him. Besides, I have way too many contests to choose from right now. I just had to turn one down in Russia because it was too close to Tulsa; however, I go to Italy the next weekend so that's fine by me. Of course, I wouldn't want Jesse in my federation either because he would be taking some of these shows away from me. Yes, he's that freaking good and always consistent- the prick! :EP:
All these IFSA/ USM shows to choose from is my incentive to stay with IFSA. I have only seen one contest listed for TWI. That's just not enough for me. This is my career. I can't put all my eggs in one basket and risk Jesse taking away some of the top prize money- you never know when he's going to keep his mouth shut and not piss me off in a contest. I have never seen this dishonesty that everyone keeps talking about. IFSA is the ONLY federation that has EVER tried to pay its athletes and all of them got more than half. It's just unfortunate that they couldn't deliver 100%, but hey, you have to give them props for trying when no one else did. I have also never heard anyone, other than a few internet warriors, say that they hate the powers that be in IFSA. I just think that Samuelsen and Karlsen are mad about their placings in last year's World's. I can't wait for Jesse, as well as Josh, to hand these guys their asses in Connecticuit. Samuelsen just barely edged me out when I was at about 60% so I have total faith that Jesse can handle him.
It's not that I don't want to compete against you on TV it's just that I am not ready for the American public to see how much better my hair is than yours.

[Garrick Daft]

Jesse, ummm.... I think Travis is ready to f#$! s#@t up... come on WSM or IFSA SM, what will it be,...

[TEXAS STONEMAN]

come on WSM or IFSA SM, what will it be,...
Well, we all know that Savickas is the man to beat now and he's IFSA... Mariusz just couldn't hang with these boys at the Arnold, and I don't care what excuses he had, you don't gain 30 lbs of muscle not training!

[Garrick Daft]

Mariusz has been pwn3ed!! He might have a hard time replying....!

[Jesse Marunde]

he was fatter than he's ever been. even at his best he's never going to hang with Z.Z. on knarly heavy equipment like that...

See the thing is, I'd compete against you Trav in one of your shows, but your guys won't let me in. Maybe they're the ones that are scared. My guys, on the other hand, would love to have you... But like I said before, I'm trying to be WSM. That means beating Marius. If you come over to the light where the money, sponsors and TV is, it would mean I'd have to beat Marius AND you. I aint scared, but I aint beggin for that fight either... Too bad they won't let you cross over...

Do me a personal favor though bro, destroy the doubters. There are still dudes that haven't competed against you and who haven't witnessed your power first hand. I keep tellin' em they're gonna eat their words... Just because you don't compete in the publically recognized shows that are on ESPN they think you're not real. Shut em up dude.

Jesse

[Garrick Daft]

Man, the Z couldn't hang with the heavy carry (1st event), Pudz broke the freakin' stage.. only Benny and Misha finished the event with Mariusz. If Mariusz wouldn't have strained his back during kettles Mariusz might have won..! Another thing, Phil Pfister was nice, he covered Mariusz up with the American flag so no one could see him during the opening ceremony!! The "Z" is a monster though, no denying that......

[JohnCarlsson]

he was fatter than he's ever been. even at his best he's never going to hang with Z.Z. on knarly heavy equipment like that...

See the thing is, I'd compete against you Trav in one of your shows, but your guys won't let me in. Maybe they're the ones that are scared. My guys, on the other hand, would love to have you... But like I said before, I'm trying to be WSM. That means beating Marius. If you come over to the light where the money, sponsors and TV is, it would mean I'd have to beat Marius AND you. I aint scared, but I aint beggin for that fight either... Too bad they won't let you cross over...

Do me a personal favor though bro, destroy the doubters. There are still dudes that haven't competed against you and who haven't witnessed your power first hand. I keep tellin' em they're gonna eat their words... Just because you don't compete in the publically recognized shows that are on ESPN they think you're not real. Shut em up dude.

Jesse


The bad thing is at WSM 2005 you had to beat Marius in every event. It was a two man show in the final. Now if Travis was there Marius would have had several third place events and that would have changes things. Of course with Svend and Magnus, they may be old, but they will take some points no matter what.

[Patrick McGuffin]

Maybe if they made Huggie bear plush toys ifsa would be more popular :BB:

I actualy think that if they just reformatted the way they aired it on tv they would do alot better, along with at least putting it on prime time intstead of in the butcrack of the morning time slots or bring it to a new network entirely. I also think that not to many people follow IFSA because they have only been exposed to the worlds strongest man competition and downplay the IFSA as being sub par or just a branch of TWI because they dont know any better.

[JohnCarlsson]

Maybe if they made Huggie bear plush toys ifsa would be more popular :BB:

I actualy think that if they just reformatted the way they aired it on tv they would do alot better, along with at least putting it on prime time intstead of in the butcrack of the morning time slots or bring it to a new network entirely. I also think that not to many people follow IFSA because they have only been exposed to the worlds strongest man competition and downplay the IFSA as being sub par or just a branch of TWI because they dont know any better.


Bottom line is they have not done a decent marketing job. People say Zydrunis isnt that marketable, but when has he ever been given the chance. I would love to see one of these "feds" actually show footage of how these guys live and train. How hard is it to fly someone to Eastern Europe with a camera for a few days and document how amazing these atheletes really are? How many times was Magnus Ver on the late show? The people who run these organazations may be decent former strongmen, but are not excellent buisnessmen by any means.

[Luke Paskins]

Well Svend and Magnus may be old, but barring injuries those guys could still destroy most of the IFSA and WSM line-up. Not to be written off at all.

As for Marius, well he may not physically be big enough to take Zydrunas and those type of athletes...but overall he's still one of the best athletes (speed/fitness/conditioning) around.

[Ben Booker]

Z.Z. reminds me of Hoss from that show Bonanza when Hoss was in that flapjack eating contest. How many calories do you guys think Z.Z. consumes in one day. No disrepsect to Z.Z. in any of the before sentances he is a great athlete.

[Clint Darden]

There are more than 60 IFSA shows this year and I'm getting invited to several of them (if I can make them)...and I'm hardly on the level of you guys.

...yet

I've read and heard some pretty crazy thing about IFSA and I've flat out asked them about them face-to-face and NONE of them turned out to be much similar to what I'd heard or read.

[Jesse Marunde]

There are more than 60 IFSA shows this year and I'm getting invited to several of them (if I can make them)...and I'm hardly on the level of you guys.

...yet

I've read and heard some pretty crazy thing about IFSA and I've flat out asked them about them face-to-face and NONE of them turned out to be much similar to what I'd heard or read.

thats good to know. I hope they follow through with their claims, it would be amazing to say the least. I only hear negative stuff about them, I truly wish them well.

[TEXAS STONEMAN]

We have to remember that IFSA is run by a completely new set of individuals. For them, this is a completely new business and they will have to adapt just like any other entrepreneurship. Octagon (TV production company) is also completely new to this. It was evident that the shows were getting better with each episode and I thought World's turned out pretty awesome; the production of St. Maarten was much better this year too. They have come a long way in just a year. Let's see what the next year has in store for us. If both feds improve and have a culmination like the super bowl then this will truly be a huge sport!! Not to mention, having an American champion will help tremendously. (No pressure Jesse)

[Jesse Marunde]

We have to remember that IFSA is run by a completely new set of individuals. For them, this is a completely new business and they will have to adapt just like any other entrepreneurship. Octagon (TV production company) is also completely new to this. It was evident that the shows were getting better with each episode and I thought World's turned out pretty awesome; the production of St. Maarten was much better this year too. They have come a long way in just a year. Let's see what the next year has in store for us. If both feds improve and have a culmination like the super bowl then this will truly be a huge sport!! Not to mention, having an American champion will help tremendously. (No pressure Jesse)

hmmmm.... now that would be sweet! better yet, how about two american champions going at it for the overall???...

[Garrick Daft]

hmmmm.... now that would be sweet! better yet, how about two american champions going at it for the overall???...


I think you just described heaven on earth for us strongman fans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well at least me anyways... I would definitely find a way to that one. :D