[GRAMMAR NAZI`]

I had to laugh at myself today as I was tearing the house apart, digging through my dirty laundry, checking the pockets of all my jackets, searching the bottoms of gym bags, storage boxes, and drawers, looking in the ash tray and floorboards of my Land Cruiser. Looking for some change. I just needed a little change so I could run down to the store and pick up some off brand tuna fish and a loaf of bread. I was starving. I've been eating tuna fish sandwiches for days now.

Now you may wonder why a former world champion, a man who has fought in front of millions, a man who just weeks ago fought in front of millions, and man who is recognized on the street every time he leaves his house, a man whom you would think had plenty of money, had to resort to scraping together change to buy food.


I'll tell you the story.


I'm completely broke. My bank account is negative. I got myself into a pretty deep hole in more ways than one, in the two years I took away from fighting. I started getting my life straightened out about five months ago. I signed the March 1st fight and began training. I had some very good friends help me out with some money and help me get settled down in Vegas so I could focus on training.


For those of you who don't know, when a fighter competes in the UFC, the purse is usually broken into two equal parts. There is a guaranteed purse the fighter receives just for showing up, and then there is the bonus purse, the other half, the fighter receives if he wins the fight. I knew that if I won the fight, I would be able to get everyone paid back, pay off the invoices I owed for the Team Tanner gear, pay my web designer, and have enough left over to get me to my next fight. Well, as we all know, the fight didn't go as well as I had hoped. I only got the guaranteed purse, minus the medicals and other deductions. Considering the amount of money I owed, this didn't really leave me much money to work with.


What was most important to me, more important than my own comfort, was paying back the people that had helped me out, and paying off my obligations. It is nothing more than a man should do. I paid one month's rent, and one months bills, and put the rest toward paying off those debts. I took care of the ones I could, but I still owed thousands. I had a little bit left in my account, not enough to cover any of the outstanding bills, but enough to maybe put a little dent in at least one.


But then it hit me, the thought that I could take what I had left down to the casino, and that maybe, just maybe I would get lucky, and make enough money to pay the last of my bills. That's what I did. I took my money down to the casino......And I did get lucky, lucky enough to think I was going to get it done. I played hard. I don’t do anything halfway. I put my time in. I was so deep into it that I lost reference. I went at is for a week and a half, staying up all night, playing blackjack for 24 hours straight sometimes, forgetting to eat, not wanting to sleep. I would go on a streak, start winning, and start thinking that I would be able to make enough to get all my bills paid. Then I would lose it back, and then win again, and then lose it back, and win again, back and forth, back and forth for days. In the end, I lost not only what I had won, but the little bit I had started out with as well. So I spent a week and a half gambling, staying up all night, not eating, dealing with all of the emotional ups and down of winning and losing, and I don’t have much to show for it, except that now I'm broke, I'm feeling really worn out, I'm a little depressed, and my sleep scedule is backwards.


Now you may ask if I regret it, if I would do it differently if I could, if I would take it back. NOT A CHANCE!!!!! Oh, I feel a little depressed right now. I feel a little worn out physically. It does suck to have to scrape together pocket change to buy food. But I wouldn't take anything back. I went for it. I put it all on the line. I always will. I knew what the consequences would be if I failed, and I was willing to accept them. So any of you reading who might be feeling a twinge of sympathy, don’t. I made my decisions, and I accept the consequences. I’m no victim. And to those who are thinking about preaching at me, don't bother. I won't hear you. I haven't accomplished anything in this life worth remembering by playing it safe. That's boring to me anyway.


________________________________________ ________________________


Great accomplishment only comes with great risk. I’ll accept the crippling, gut wrenching disappointment of risking all, and failing, but only by putting my whole heart and soul, my whole being into something, will I have the chance to walk among the stars.


Those who risk nothing, those who live their lives in fear, will never have that chance.


Failure is not a sin. It’s being too afraid to even try, that is a sin.

http://evantanner.net/journal?news_id=57&uniqid=1015

[SeanyCarter]

Sucks man, but I don't think Tanner wants sympathy as much as he wants to let people know what not to do. He's got issues, but at least he's up front about them and tries his best.

Evan Tanner won a major MMA title after training himself on DVD's. He beat TOP competition throughout his career and definitely deserves respect for that. Best of luck to him.

[WWANN]

http://www.evantanner.net/teamtanner

A Team Tanner website that will be exclusive to team members. The website will include a training journal, updates on upcoming fights, a weekly technique video, and a weekly behind the scenes video, training footage, etc, exclusive photo galleries, and a members only forum where team members can get together and exchange ideas. For now this is all set up on MySpace on under Team Tanner.

Sponsorship is on a per fight basis. Those who are involved as sponsors for one fight are in no way obligated to be a sponsor for the next fight. Once a member has signed up they will continue to have access to the team website, even if they discontinue sponsorship.

Sorry guys, the shirt is only available to team members.



________________________________________ ________________________________________ _________________________



I. $50 contribution per fight

1. Access to exclusive Team Tanner myspace and any future online sites.

2. An autographed photo card personalized thanking you for joining Team Tanner.






________________________________________ ________________________________________ _________________________


II. $100 contribution per fight

1. Access to exclusive Team Tanner myspace and any future online sites.

2. Unique Team Tanner t-shirt designed for sponsored fight.

3. An autographed photo card personalized thanking you for joining Team Tanner

ATTENTION: International shipping is extra. Please contact Kyria for a shipping quote before joining.




________________________________________ ________________________________________ __________________________




III. $250 contribution per fight.

1. Access to exclusive Team Tanner myspace and any future online sites.

2. Unique Team Tanner t-shirt designed for sponsored fight.

3. An autographed photo card personalized thanking you for joining Team Tanner

4. Team Tanner beanie

5. Personalized UFC poster


ATTENTION: International shipping is extra. Please contact Kyria for a shipping quote before joining.





________________________________________ ________________________________________ _________________________

IV. $500 contribution per fight

1. Access to exclusive Team Tanner myspace and any future online sites.

2. Unique Team Tanner t-shirt designed for sponsored fight.

3. An autographed photo card personalized thanking you for joining Team Tanner.

4. Team Tanner beanie.

5. 2 personalized UFC posters (great gift to give to friend who loves the UFC).

6. Team Tanner sweatshirt



ATTENTION: International shipping is extra. Please contact Kyria for a shipping quote before joining.





________________________________________ ________________________________________ ___________________

V. $1000 contribution per fight

1. Access to exclusive Team Tanner myspace and any future online sites.

2. Unique Team Tanner t-shirt designed for sponsored fight.

3. An autographed photo card personalized thanking you for joining Team Tanner.
4. Team Tanner beanie.

5. 2 personalized UFC posters (great gift to give to friend who loves the UFC).
6. Team Tanner sweatshirt

7. Team Tanner fight shorts

8. Autographed DVD of Evan’s UFC fight

ATTENTION: International shipping is extra. Please contact Kyria for a shipping quote before joining.




________________________________________ ________________________________________ ___________________

VI. $2500 contribution per fight (limited to two members at a time)

1. Access to exclusive Team Tanner myspace and any future online sites.

2. Unique Team Tanner t-shirt designed for sponsored fight.

3. An autographed photo card personalized thanking you for joining Team Tanner.

4. Team Tanner beanie.

5. 2 personalized UFC posters (great gift to give to friend who loves the UFC).

6. Team Tanner sweatshirt

7. Team Tanner fight shorts

8. Autographed DVD of Evan’s UFC fight

9. 3 days training with Evan in Las Vegas . Live the life of a fighter mini camp. This is available for only two members at a time. Camp participants will be picked up by Evan at their hotel in the morning and they'll run with him all day. The day will start with a strength and conditioning workout in the morning, followed by lunch. There will then be an afternoon technique and drilling session. The day will finish with group training and sparring, followed by dinner. Participants will then be dropped off at the hotel to get ready for the next day. They will receive free gym access, personal training from Evan, diet and training advice. Training will be based out of HardKnocks Muay There will be trips to other gyms in the area Xyience, Xtreme Couture, and others, where it's possible to run into fighters like Randy Couture, Forrest Griffen, Frank Shamrock,etc. You never know who's going to be in Vegas doing some training.




ATTENTION: International shipping is extra. Please contact Kyria for a shipping quote before joining.





________________________________________ ________________________________________ ___________________






VII. $4000 contribution per fight (limited to two members at a time)

1. Access to exclusive Team Tanner myspace and any future online sites.

2. Unique Team Tanner t-shirt designed for sponsored fight.

3. An autographed photo card personalized thanking you for joining Team Tanner.

4. Team Tanner beanie.

5. 2 personalized UFC posters (great gift to give to friend who loves the UFC).

6. Team Tanner sweatshirt

7. Team Tanner fight shorts

8. Autographed DVD of Evan’s UFC fight

9. Three days training in Vegas with Evan

10. Two tickets to the UFC event as Evan's special guests.

ATTENTION: International shipping is extra. Please contact Kyria for a shipping quote before joining.

If you need more information, please contact
Kyria at teamtanner@gmail.com

[solidsnakebite]

that is depressing. I like tanner.

[DanaWhite]

Fair enough then.
I'm a fan but I guess if you dont want sympathy this time you won't get it.

[SkullShifter]

tell him to cash in his empties.

[SeanyCarter]

Originally Posted by SkullShifter

tell him to cash in his empties.

He quit drinking, I am sure he did this back then.

[Hi Tek]

tanner is not a very bright guy is he, i know ppl like this, they never get their shit together long enough to make any significant changes

[Godzilla3232]

Guy's insane, but he's living how he chooses to. He seems like an 'all or nothing' kind of guy, so I have a feeling we'll be seeing him bottom out a lot. He deserves respect for what he's done in the sport, and hopefully all the risks start paying off for him.

[Haunted99]

Damn, finally off the booze and now he's playing blackjack for 24 hours straight.



From one addiction straight to another it seems.