(Warning: Those of our readers who are accustomed to my usual style of old school writing may want to tie your shoe laces a bit tighter and make sure you’re sitting down.)
From Old School
I just got off the phone with one of the most high energy people that I know. Mike Polvere, the Titan behind Cage Titans, is generally an optimistic and positive person, one who is willing to jump through flaming hoops for another if he thinks it will help. But when I spoke with him last night, he had this to say; “Denny, I am a beaten man. I’m usually optimistic, but tonight I am a beaten man.”
Mike has put together a great night of fights for Cage Titans Invasion, which will be this Saturday Night, January 28th in Plymouth, MA. One of the fights on that card was to be an Amateur Bantamweight battle between Peggy Morgan and Fernanda Aruja. When I interviewed Fernanda last week, she explained to me that she was currently here in the United States on a student visa and attending Bunker Hill Community College. Fernanda was excited to be fighting in her first Amateur MMA event. (Her father arrived this week from Brazil to watch her compete.) With all their medicals in order and completed on time, the farthest thing from the ladies minds was that there may be another issue. Enter Mass State Official Todd Grossman.
According to the Cage Titans folks, Todd Grossman ruled that Fernanda cannot compete in an Amateur MMA event in the state of Massachusetts because she doesn’t have a social security number. Mike Polvere and his able bodied assistant Cage Titan Brandie stepped up to the plate on Tuesday morning. Both Brandie and Mike took time off from their jobs and lives for all of the day Tuesday and Wednesday. With Fernanda in tears and her family here from Brazil, Mike and Shelly bounced between the social security office and the commissioner’s office for the better part of two days, only to run up against that immovable object known as our tax payer funded government. Enter Dave George.
Like Mike Polvere, Dave George is a self employed business man; he owns and operates Combat Zone MMA. Like many small business owners he specializes in getting things done. Combat Zone 40 is planned for Friday night, January 27th, the night before Cage Titans Invasion. Dave George was able to fit the ladies on to his fight card so that they can compete. “We had a few fights that were scratched,” Dave told me. “We were happy to fit them on the card.” Thanks Dave!!! Oh yeah, Combat Zone operates an hour north of Boston in the great State of New Hampshire!
I am in regular contact with fighters, promoters, coaches, and commissioners. I have been self employed for more than 30 years. I have been in the martial arts more than 20 years. I have lived most of my adult life in New Hampshire, and the past two years in Massachusetts. I believe, based solely on my experience, that the commission in New Hampshire is very accommodating and helpful. New Hampshire Commissioners Art Nolan and John Hagopian seem to operate on the premise that they don’t know everything, but that they can still help the promoter accomplish his task; sort of a “What can we do to make your job easier?” approach to regulation. Both Art and John are and have been involved the fight game longer than most, but what I appreciate most is their appreciation for the game, love of the fighters, and their use of common sense when necessary.
Let’s look at some facts:
1. Mike Polvere told me that Todd Grossman ruled that an athlete who does not possess a SS# cannot have a license to compete as an Amateur MMA athlete in Mass.
2. Every Patriots Day, more than ten thousand Amateur and Pro runners from around the globe descend on Hopkinton, MA to compete in an event called the Boston Marathon. (I’m not going to do the research on this, but let us assume that they are not all checked for SS#.) Foreign athletes are permitted to compete as Amateurs and Pros in the Boston marathon.
3. When UFC 118 came to Boston back in August of 2010, Brazilians Amilcar Alves and Demian Maia were on that fight card; so were Brits Nick Osipczak and Andre Winner. These Pro MMA athletes were permitted to compete in the state of Massachusetts.
4. Professional Athletes, both foreign and American, can compete in the State of Mass via the NHL, NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball, but a foreign girl who is legally here on a student visa is not permitted compete in an Amateur MMA event?
Apparently there is a new law on the books in the state of Massachusetts that says in order to get a license of any kind one must have a SS#. (To have a SS# one must be an American citizen.) When ever there is a new law enacted, I think a public official in a position of authority needs to use some common sense.
If there is a new law in the State of Mass that says that states that one must need a SS# in order to obtain a license of any kind, each department head must:
1. Determine the intent of that law.
2. Decide if that law is applicable to his department.
3. Make the decision to either apply that law to his department or not apply that law.
I was told that this law applies to any and all licenses. This must include drivers licenses, fishing licenses, and fight licenses. I live on Cape Cod, where recreational fishing is a huge industry, but I expect the local fishing officials will exercise some common sense regarding this. Otherwise, no foreign vacationers can fish while on Cape Cod.
The State of Mass also requires fighters to have a license. So the first time that our elected/appointed officials decide to enforce that law is with an Amateur athlete. My point here is this; Todd Grossman needs to use some common sense.
Several questions are just screaming to be asked here. Who is going to police the Boston Marathon this April, checking all 12,000 plus Amateur athletes for SS#? What happens the next time (if ever) the UFC comes to town? Will Todd Grossman go toe to toe with the UFC brass like Dana White the way he did with a 135 pound Brazilian girl who does not speak English as her first language?
Both Dave George and Mike Polvere are former MMA fighters. I know the business side of these young men and the game that they play. They work tirelessly to promote the game we all love and they float tens of thousands of dollars out there in the breeze every time they put on a show. There is also the other side of the cage that these two men know. They have each trained, cut weight, and walked up those three steps wearing nothing but a cup, mouth piece, and a pair of shorts so they could bare their bodies and souls in front of thousands. They know the game that Fernanda Aruja and Peggy Morgan play, and they know it from both sides of the cage.
I checked my resources and I can find no record of Todd Grossman ever being in an MMA fight or being a registered Fight Promoter. When our officials have absolutely no freaking experience in the area that they are appointed or elected, how can we expect anything but incompetence?
Back in June of last year I requested in writing, through e-mail, and via the telephone, numerous times, some information that I believed, as a tax payer, I am allowed access to via the Freedom of Information Act. (This was information that I was using for an article that I was writing about Mixed Martial Arts.) I finally gave up trying to obtain the information; the last return communication was in the form of an e-mail dated July 5th, 2011:
The Department of Public Safety has received your public records request, A response will be provided to you as soon as administratively possible.
Best,
Chris Caselden
Assistant to the Chief of Staff/General Counsel
Department of Public Safety
One Ashburton Place, Room 1301
I am still waiting for that information. I guess it has not been made administratively possible. Maybe that’s because our public officials are too busy running around throwing wrenches into the works of productive hard working citizens.
Why do we permit this level of stupidity into our lives? How is it possible that a person like Todd Grossman, with no documentable experience in a field, can be allowed to wield a HUGE volume of control? Is there a crow bar big enough to pry Todd Grossman’s head out of his hind end?
When Nick DiSalvo examined demographics and economics, he started his new promotion, Nick’s Fight Night, up in Maine. Yesterday, well before this story came to my attention, I actually spoke to several promoters from the state of Massachusetts who are considering starting up operation in other states. Reality Fighting is the #1 promotion for attendance in New England right now and they are operating out of Connecticut. Right behind is CES out of Rhode Island. It is only a matter of time before these state employed knuckle heads run this game right out of the Massachusetts.
Fighting is way too cool to allow these people to screw it up…
Old School
What a shame. I know of several soldiers who died in Iraq that didnt have SS#’s. There have been MANY fighters who have fought and fought well in the cages here in Massachusetts that havent had an SS#.
Perhaps before you can serve in the position Todd Grossman is in, we should be able to check his IQ number.
Nothin but red tape, lets go back to the days when we didnt have a commision…there were never any problems ! You wonder why imma headin down south… MASS SUCKS !!
people start looking into “Senate Bill 1867″ Goverment is tracking all out of country residents
I guess that means every college and visiting school in Mass. must be checked for foriegn students playing Hockey, Soccer, Basketball and virtually every other sport college has to offer??? After all, every time they compete , they MUST be breaking the law… In the words of the illustrious loco lobo, “MASS SUCKS !!”… and so does Todd Grossman… Live Free or Die … Big thanks to Old School for putting that “d-bag” on blast…
I applaud the efforts of Mike Polvere, Dave George, and their respective staffs in saving that fight. Great job guys.
Interesting that amateurs have to get licenses at all.
How does someone get appointed to a seat on the commission? Who gets to pick how things are run? apparently not us the people who have run events for years without them. If I knew how I’d try for a seat on the comission….
A very knowledgeable person concerning MMA brought these points to my attention:
1. Amateurs don’t get paid
2. Mass doesn’t issue ABC national MMA ID cards
Americans need to stop accepting government being involved in every aspect of their lives. (that was my comment
).
How does the MSAC benefit from doing this? How does having an athlete without a social hurt the state? I just called Todd Grossman an left him a message to call me back for an interview on the subject. He usually does get back to me pretty quickly so if anyone has any questions other than the obvious leave them here and I will ask Todd when he returns my call.
Greg,
Good question. Who knows is your answer. This past summer I applied for an administrative job with the department of public safety which also includes a seat as a deputy commissioner. My job would have been amongst a few other clerical things to License the fighters. I was 1 of from what I was told over 350 applicants. I made it to the last three applicants and had over three interviews. I was not chosen.
I don’t know who the more qualified person is that got the job but it doesn’t seem like she is making the licensing process any easier.
Great post Joe, this is another pile of BS from the state, people in postions without the proper credentials. I commend D.G. for stepping up.
Finally MSAC and Todd u suck, you are killing MMA in this state!
Bonnell in Mass its who u know…. What a freakin racket !!
State officials here in the Commonwealth are of the highest moral character and unwavering integrity.
How about none of us pays all our taxes until John Kerry and the Treasury Secretary pay theirs?
Great article Old School. Love the fact you tell it like it is and don’t give a shit who hears you. The fact the MSAC is pulling a bogus move like this is a clear point proven that there is no need for a ‘commission’ to oversee fight promotions. These two girls were ready to fight, and the fight has been announced for weeks, and the WEEK of the show they tell her she can’t fight? BULLSHIT.
There’s no point to the Commission other than to make the state MORE money, and to let MMA fighters and FANS see a bunch of fat asses sitting around the cage acting like they own the place.
Nice job Combat Zone for picking up the fight – at least the girls get to fight.
Oh, one more thing. To Todd and the rest of the Commission – the Cage Titans’ weigh ins are at 2PM at Coops’ in Quincy, MA … Let’s show up ON TIME this time… not two hours late when the weigh ins were done. K?
You can get food stamps without a social security number in MA. Someone buy Bruce Marshall a riverboat and we can have fights 10 miles off the coast.
It might be time to start thinning the herd…
Maybe Todd Grossman is against women competing in mixed martial arts. Let’s call it for what it is. If that’s not the issue, then what is it?
One should find out if any fighters were granted a Amateur MMA Fighter’s license, after this law became into effect, without providing a valid SS#.
If you can’t find anyone, then the MSAC was doing their job. Of course, they were in the wrong because they could have notified Mike Polvere and all the other fight promoters in MA that this law will be enforced.
If you can find anyone… well that’s blatant discrimination and that young lady may have a case.
Either way, something is very fishy with this situation.
Just seems a bit odd that this would be happenning in MA, the state where ILlegals can get free health care, in state college tuition, and probably be voting next Nov! It’s an amateur bout, no money SHOULD be involved
Maybe Mr. Grossman has another agenda? Do you think maybe someone might have gotten to him to tank a fight/fight card?
I,for one, am DISGUSTED at the thought a government official would be involved in something so controversial
Just to follow up, Todd Grossman did not return my call today. This is out of character for him. Either he hasn’t yet figured out a good explanation for this or he is out of the office. I will call again first thing in the morning and I will follow up with Guy Licciardi whom I speak to from time to time and respect his opinion on things like this.
I think old school is right, it probably wont be long before shows in Mass are fewer and fewer. I prefer not to fight there because of the nightmare that is getting licensed. I havent taken a fight there since the start of the msac’s involvment in MMA, and have no plans to if I can help it. NH and ME have it right they work well with fighters and promoters to make things go smoothly as much as possible. They seem to want to make it a win win for both all partys, while the whole thing in mass seems over goverened if that is even a word. just my .02
Does anyone know if / how Todd Grossman is related to State Treasurer Steven Grossman?
Is Grossman going to make sure Obama’s uncle’s driver license is suspended too?
I will also go ahead and start a post on the msac’s facebook page… I recommend everyone else get in on the action.
I do not want to get in to it a ton because I am still pretty upset over the ruling but I wanted to touch on two things. First, I know the article focused on Fernanda but it was actually 2 fighters, her and her teammate Ademario that did not get licensed. Fernanda was lucky enough to move her fight to Combat Zone but unfortunately Ademario was left with nothing after taking countless hours off of work preparing for this fight. (Yes, he works legally and pays taxes in this state using his federal tax ID number)
And second, here is the statute that they refered to when explaining why they could not be licensed. (Also, it is worth mentioning that both of them have drivers licenses in the state of MA which they aquired without a SSN)
G.L. c.30A, Section 13A. Agencies and political subdivisions of the commonwealth, that issue a license under section 13 shall require an applicant for issuance or renewal of such license to provide a social security number as a condition of issuing or renewing such license and shall record such social security number in the applicant’s record; provided, however, that the applicant may, on the face of the license, use a number other than his social security number as permitted under any other provision of law of the commonwealth; provided further, that the agency issuing the license shall provide information in its records, including the social security number of applicants, to the IV-D agency as set forth in chapter 119A, using the method and format required by said IV-D agency.
Enough on that subject for now from me as I would like to turn my attention and focus on the positive, which is we still have 15 other amazing fights happening this Saturday night at Plymouth Memorial Hall. Hope to see you all there!
Classy job Mike, as always! Good luck with the show!
Your fighters got screwed here plain and simple.
This sounds a lot like the guy who got bullied in school and was always jealous of the jocks who teased him and got the girls. Now became a police officer (or boxing commissioner in this case) and gets to hide behind the badge (desk) and feel powerful.
Is this the same guy that screwed referee Kevin MacDonald when the UFC came to boston
^ Yep!
^ yes it is…
Here is an article I wrote a while back on Todd Grossman. He mentioned his dislike of the article in my interview with him for the MSAC job.
http://www.northeastmma.net/archives/1994
Maybe as a start we can set up a fight between Kevin MacDonald and Grossman. This way Kevin can get some revenge and Grossberg can get the MMA experience.
I just wrote a two paragraph response on my phone and the ERROR reCAPTCHA business happened so fuck it…I’ll just say this…
Whaaaaaaat theeeee…
To Bonnell,
Don’t hold your breath on Todd getting back to you; I’m still waiting since last May when I first contacted the state about the info I needed, and it has not been “administratively possible” to get me my paper work.
To Joe Cuff and John Hagopian,
It’s great to have input from two high level guys who have been at it a lot longer than most. Keep up the good work.
To Tom Finneran,
Yeah, you nailed it. This sounds like the jealous nerd who becomes a cop just to hassle people.
To all the rest of us,
This sure makes the “2012 SNAFU of the Year Award” look like a lock. If this one holds up, that will be two years in a row for the Mass Commish. Now they’re flirting with SSSF/Fight School status.
Old School
Oh Yeah,
Matt Bessette, stop that texting and driving…
i warned you….todd grossman your a leech
Todd Grossman is the Limp Dick version of Nick Lembo.
This is the same a- hole that allowed a fighter on CFX last year who the first go-around faked his Medicals and got caught, to then get new Medicals done and compete in that same event. Also the same guy who wants to fine fighters a fee for arriving late to weigh-in’s yet can’t get his own staff to show up on time.
So, If I do not have a ss# I can still get a drivers license, own a business, employ other non ss# holders, collect welfare, get fuel assistance, obtain food stamps, W.I.C. , and get child care vouchers but I can’t fight in an amateur mma bout. A non profitable competition for myself.
That’s awesome.
In regards to the aforementioned comments on the decision made in the case of the young lady that was declined an amateur M.M.A. license, I advise all inquiries be sent via email to the following email address- Todd.grossman@state.Ma.us.
Any further questions regarding the Massachusetts state athletic commission are encouraged to be brought forth at any of our monthly meetings.
Please follow us on http://www.facebook.com/Msac for up to the minute live information.
Dominic,
Are you implying that Todd Grossman selectively enforces the laws that he claims to uphold? This sounds like a serious infraction; a lot more serious than just breaking anti bullying laws. Can we have the fake medicals issue documented?
Old School
To Deputy General Council Todd Grossman,
Can I assume then that if we direct all inquiries and comments to the aforementioned e-mail that they will be answered when it is “administratively possible”? I am sure that will satisfy the readership, as this sounds very reasonable and mature.
Yours truly,
Old School
I have lately kept from voicing my oppionion over the last couple of years due to some of my past ignorant comments. That being said I have had many conversations with Todd over the years regarding the MMA issues for Ma. I have no reason to beleive that he has nothing more than the best interest for the sport. He is the head legal council and has to guide the athletic commission based on the laws set forth to him by terrible law makers. Dan im curious though to see if he will respond to you
Sorry for spelling
I put a call into Todd this morning at 10 am and have not received a call back yet.
Like I said, it is unusual that he not get back to me the same day so I will give him the benefit of the doubt and wait until Monday for an interview.
BTW that was me that posted right above Dan. Yes my spelling sucks
Having experience fighting and cornering in both MA and NH I can agree with everyone who says NH does it right…MA just seems to be in it for the revenue and to justify the existence of the Commision…things worked better without it!
A few years ago, when I first met Grossman, I told him that he had no business being at Ringside; that Boxing was a man’s sport, and he wasn’t man. I hold the fact to be true, that he is not only inexperienced, but not relative to any form of fighting. I always classified him as a ‘white collar tough guy’. In other words a wanna be, who, unknowing to him, his true side is apparent with every appearance at a match. He stands out like a sore thumb, and is now the ‘SORE THUMB OF BOXING’. He is an unproven person, who not only never competed physically, but has never officiated, or participated in any form, whatsoever, in Boxing or MMA. If, by any chance, he would like to achieve some form of competitive status, to add to his empty, and politically enhanced resume, I would be more than willing to step into the Ring at any time with him. LETS DO IT. I haven’t been the President of Ring 4 for nothing…I proved myself. Now is the hour. Please be advised that this is not a threat. Keep punching brothers.
Grossman is just another govt hack. I seriously would love to see a top down review done of the commission. Grossman pulls down @ 70k a year working for the dept of public safety (and prob will get nice pension). I guess he deserves a medal because the commission is a ’2nd job’.
I am more concerned with the deputy commissioners. There is one guy who I have seen that has been involved in some of the local promotions (sorry dont know his name, looks about 30, blond hair). But some of the others… I remember one event seeing a dude that looked like he stopped off to get his dose of Methodone right before showing up.
How many deputy commissioners are there? What do they get paid, backgrounds, etc.
He comes across as a “It’s my way or the highway” type A personality. Even after learning the error of his ways, you would still be in the wrong for pointing it out (i.e. KICK and amateur MMA). This is evident in his attitude of how to deal with issues (i.e. send us an email and we will send you a canned response, or skip a day off of our 9-5 job to come to your meeting).
Those actively involved in MMA cant speak up because they will FEEL THE WRATH! So it is up to good people like OLD SCHOOL…
Maybe I will catch some crap for defending him but I just don’t feel right letting Todd solely take the backlash all on his shoulders over this licensing issue.
From what I understand, Todd is legal counsel for the Department of Public Safety as well as a Commissioner for the State Athletic Commission. When the issue came up in regards to licensing Fernanda and Admario all he did was advise the SAC on what the law was…And as I posted above, THE LAW states that no one can be licensed (Any type of license) in Massachusetts without a social security number, period…This is not a SAC rule, but a State of Massachusetts law.
Now, obviously how did they get driver’s licenses was the next logical question, but from what I was told there was something written into law later. So at the point this issue came up, bottom line, it was not a judgment call…It was black & white, a law is a law.
What can we do about it? Honestly, I would start by emailing Todd, as he suggested, and express your thoughts about why fighters from out of country should be able to compete in Mass. If not, this law will not get revised on its own and other out of country fighters will be forced to fight in other states.
And before anyone asks, “How did so and so get licensed before”…Well, your guess is as good as mine and if you wanted to make a stink about anything that would probably be the only thing.