Pat Barry Is Tired Of The Constant Criticism... And It Does Indeed Need To Stop

No UFC fighter is immune to criticism, that’s one of the hazards that comes with being a professional athlete and celebrity. Even the best fighters in the world have their fair share of cynics. Some get it worse than others, though, of that there can be no doubt. And one of those individuals just so happens to be Pat Barry, who recently vented his frustrations in a new interview. According to “HD”, Barry is still hounded by his high-profile submission loss to Mirko Cro Cop, and is tired of fans constantly approaching him and his loved ones and questioning his will to fight. Here are all the details.

Here’s what Barry had to say in a new interview with the one and only Sherdog: “I’m still hearing people… My mother’s hearing this… It’s still going on now… I’m extremely annoyed and I feel like I’ve got to break something… Every time I’m going for it. No matter what the world may believe or have seen. Even in the last fight, I put it all out there on the line every time. I know that of myself… No matter what, people are going to hate your guts anyway. That’s part of the job.”

I honestly agree with Barry, I think the past is the past and we should all move on already. I wouldn’t call myself a Pat Barry fan, but I’m not a cynic either, and I can certainly empathize with the man. Let’s not mince words, Barry did make some mistakes against Mirko Filipovic. But hounding him seven months after the fact is completely uncalled for.

Now, I know some people will immediately cry “Leave him alone!” in jest, but I’m trying to be serious here and I’d appreciate a little seriousness in return. I think all fighters make mistakes, and I also think that any prospect can get caught up in the moment and lose his or her head. Pat Barry may not have been ready for Mirko Cro Cop, but he fought him tooth-and-nail for almost three whole rounds. That fact alone earned Barry a lot of respect in my book, and since he always comes off as a class act in his interviews, I really don’t have any problems with the man despite the fact that he’s flown under my radar.

I feel the same way about Forrest Griffin, I think it’s incredibly unfair and downright insensitive for fans and journalists alike to keep bringing up past losses in order to get a reaction out of a fighter. I’ve always considered this the easy way out: a cheap ploy to get yourself noticed or get the negative reaction you’re looking for.

But here’s a newsflash: it’s not controversial. It’s pandering. And it needs to stop.

And if you’re a fan, bringing up this kind of topic doesn’t make you edgy. It doesn’t prove your masculinity, and it won’t make you famous. All it does is make you look like an insensitive moron.

So, should we leave Pat Barry alone? Most definitely. We should keep a close eye on him to see if he’s learned from his mistakes, but we don’t need to keep throwing those mistakes in his face every chance we get. A true champion learns from the mistakes of the past, but no one likes having an old wound opened. For fighting his heart out and continually trying to climb the rankings of the most prestigious MMA organization in the world, Pat Barry deserves to be left alone.

But what about you, fans and friends? What’s your take on the matter?