Biloxi, Mississippi (Ammoland) As you are likely aware, Jarrad climbed back into the cage a couple of weeks ago for his first fight in over four years. His budding professional MMA career was interrupted by shoulder surgery and then the agonizing physical rehab that followed. I must claim some of the blame for his tardiness getting back as I took him on as a partner and producer for Student of the Gun TV, then radio, some three years ago. Needless to say, we have been exceptionally busy expanding the brand and producing new material for you to enjoy.
On the afternoon of Jarrad’s recent fight a good friend sent me a message to wish him good luck and he attached a tremendously poignant excerpt from a speech by Theodore Roosevelt entitled “The Man in the Arena”. Rather than paraphrase, I will let you read it verbatim. The entire speech “Citizenship In A Republic” can be viewed here and is worth your time.
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
At this juncture in our nation’s history, Roosevelt’s word hold as true as they ever did. The United States of America seems to be teeming with “cold and timid souls”. We have an entire country full of those who would rather observe and critique than to participate and get their hands dirty or break a sweat. The Internet has given voice to every cold and timid critic who, from the safe comfort of their easy chair or Cheeto stained beanbag, casts aspersions on those who are actually toiling, sweating, and striving for the preservation of the Republic. Posting snide quips on social media is their sole contribution as they continue the consumption of valuable oxygen.
Keep reading the entire article right here.