Some NBA games do end up like full contact events. Raja Bell (Suns) was suspended one game for his flagrant foul on Kobe Bryant. What’s notable is that Kobe made a simple reference to “the octagon” in his post game interview. You can find it on the ESPN page: http://espn.go.com Look at the videos on the right side of the page and hit the one titled “Raja Bell Suspended 1 Game…”
[Kobe, talking about hard contact like elbows]:
“…it’s part of the game, but it’s something that belongs in the octagon. You wanna train and hop in the octagon, you can train and hop in the octagon…”
[Cutaway to a later Raja Bell interview, who responds]
“we don’t need an octagon, there’s plenty of space and opportunity right out here…”
Those plain and simple references to the octagon were made with no other context. The players just assume that people know it means UFC full contact fighting. I know most of us would make that association right away, but it’s interesting that these NBA players use the phrase and assume the larger audience will also know what they mean. Perhaps with the next UFC happening at the Staples Center, more people in the LA area understand the reference.
Anyhow, no profound point to be made here. Just pointing out how mma lingo is seeping into the pubic discourse as mma continues to grow in the states.
