Animal
11-20-14, 1:02 pm
"The crazy thing about The Cage is that most lifters will never get an opportunity to showcase their ability in that particular venue. Many athletes have a bucket list, so to speak, of events they have always wanted to participate in or be invited to. Whether it represents a status symbol, a rite of passage, or simply personal achievement, The Cage has been atop many of those lists. Knowing this, I am infinitely more astounded that I am thought to have enough worth as an athlete to be invited to lift in 2012 and 2013, even after my back surgery and rehabilitation.
So looking forward The Cage in '14, I wanted to do something special and set myself apart – something no one has ever seen before, something unfathomable. So I began to work on eccentric lifts to exploit my strengths while prepping for The Night of The Living Dead Pro Deadlift Invitational. You see, even though you might have a contest or meet approaching imminently, you are always thinking about The Cage and conscious of your time frame leading up to it. Before I ever get the call up, I have already begun Cage prep months prior. I know many of us as athletes do. We all want to put on a good show and we all take our lifting exhibitions very seriously.
So you can imagine my surprise when I heard the news. “What, you don't want me to lift? You want me to emcee and announce the other athletes?” Suddenly, it hit me all at once. Even though I was being told this was an honor and a privilege, I just didn't see it that way. Everyone around me was excited and people told me this meant that I had so much more to offer than just being an “athlete”. But I keep thinking to myself, “So I'm a cheerleader now? Do I get a wig and a skirt?”
I tried, but I couldn't (or wouldn't) wrap my head around it. The funny thing is, I pride myself on being multifaceted. I am not a one-dimensional athlete in any regard. So you would think I'd be ecstatic about this new and different opportunity. But I guess I'm just a savage in my heart, always dying inside to compete. I was disappointed. I didn’t know what to do.
If you just watched The Cage video, “Brotherhood”, in this article then you know the outcome. I did go to the Arnold and I did spend the weekend announcing my brothers in The Cage. You may know that, but you don’t know why I did it. Watch the documentary again. The Cage is really about a chance for many of us to be surrounded, not only by something we inexplicably love, but also by people we have an undeniable bond with. In many ways, coming to The Cage is like coming home.
So if I couldn't put my pride aside for them, what kind of man would that make me? Not a loyal one that's for sure... And that will never sit well with me. So I decided to go out there few days early with my two closest friends, G Diesel who works for the company and Garrett “GUNZ” Griffin a fellow athlete, to help build The Cage itself. It was tough work, but this was exactly what I needed. I needed to reaffirm this notion of “brotherhood” that we always talk about and what makes me ANIMAL. It took me a long time to get here to The Cage in 2014, but I’m here. Stronger than ever."
So looking forward The Cage in '14, I wanted to do something special and set myself apart – something no one has ever seen before, something unfathomable. So I began to work on eccentric lifts to exploit my strengths while prepping for The Night of The Living Dead Pro Deadlift Invitational. You see, even though you might have a contest or meet approaching imminently, you are always thinking about The Cage and conscious of your time frame leading up to it. Before I ever get the call up, I have already begun Cage prep months prior. I know many of us as athletes do. We all want to put on a good show and we all take our lifting exhibitions very seriously.
So you can imagine my surprise when I heard the news. “What, you don't want me to lift? You want me to emcee and announce the other athletes?” Suddenly, it hit me all at once. Even though I was being told this was an honor and a privilege, I just didn't see it that way. Everyone around me was excited and people told me this meant that I had so much more to offer than just being an “athlete”. But I keep thinking to myself, “So I'm a cheerleader now? Do I get a wig and a skirt?”
I tried, but I couldn't (or wouldn't) wrap my head around it. The funny thing is, I pride myself on being multifaceted. I am not a one-dimensional athlete in any regard. So you would think I'd be ecstatic about this new and different opportunity. But I guess I'm just a savage in my heart, always dying inside to compete. I was disappointed. I didn’t know what to do.
If you just watched The Cage video, “Brotherhood”, in this article then you know the outcome. I did go to the Arnold and I did spend the weekend announcing my brothers in The Cage. You may know that, but you don’t know why I did it. Watch the documentary again. The Cage is really about a chance for many of us to be surrounded, not only by something we inexplicably love, but also by people we have an undeniable bond with. In many ways, coming to The Cage is like coming home.
So if I couldn't put my pride aside for them, what kind of man would that make me? Not a loyal one that's for sure... And that will never sit well with me. So I decided to go out there few days early with my two closest friends, G Diesel who works for the company and Garrett “GUNZ” Griffin a fellow athlete, to help build The Cage itself. It was tough work, but this was exactly what I needed. I needed to reaffirm this notion of “brotherhood” that we always talk about and what makes me ANIMAL. It took me a long time to get here to The Cage in 2014, but I’m here. Stronger than ever."