lol That's understandable.
I like Jack's articles, but GSP is a safe fighter. Jack may not say it here but the fact that every time he talks about GSP's striking he mentions how GSP seems to have forgotten how to throw his right is a demonstration of that. Jack seems to be one of those guys who tend to admire technique and let that admiration fog their vision for criticizing the fighters intent/aggression. People aren't claiming GSP never throws punches or engages, just that when he does it's more focused on darting in and out for points rather than it is on damage and threatening. It's the same with his ground game which was even demonstrated in a Gracie breakdown. That's why the vast majority of the strikes GSP employs are jabs - quick strikes that don't leave you exposed much but also don't yield as much power as other strikes.
Jack is also wrong when he says with success brings haters. I hate it when people say this because it's an utterly foolish statement that's used in an attempt to negate critics through false logic rather than intelligent rebuttal, and that's true for those trying to say such things to disarm the critics of EVERY successful fighter. If people only hated fighters, like GSP, simply because they were successful, then those same critics wouldn't be fans of other successful fighters, which they always are. No intelligent person should ever think such a false thought as "haters gonna hate" or "success brings haters". It's basically like saying "I don't have an intelligent rebuttal to your criticisms, so I'll make one up instead."
I think it's a little silly to start trying to judge "intent".
Just because someone does something with more intelligence and finesse doesn't mean they're not still doing it.
When people say GSP is NOT a safe fighter it's because most of the people who say he is act like he really doesn't do anything (unlike yourself who says "People aren't claiming GSP never throws punches or engages")
but people actually do say things to that effect, ESPECIALLY about his ground game where they often call him a blanket or say he just lays on opponents which is absolutely laughable
Whenever it comes to mind, it will never cease to make me laugh that people called his performance against Hardy blanketing when he on more than one occasion tried to break his arm...
but that's just one example. People have said that about all the performances except shields and kos 2 for obvious reasons and it's bullshit. He never blankets. I've seen people actually blanket (like sherk/franca) and Georges has never come close to that. He is always throwing strikes, advancing position, or going for subs.
As for striking, he has a smart defensive style, like an mma version of hopkins or mayweather. If that's a bad thing then seriously fuck everybody. Cause that's ridiculous.
I swear it often sounds like people want GSP to fight significantly less intelligently and open himself up to easy counters with constant big heavy shots. (and of course if he lost doing this, people would actually think the other guy was better)
but I hope that's just me being crazy and people wouldn't actually want an intelligent fighter to be less intelligent.
The sport is lacking in intelligent fighters as it is. You don't ask the very few we have to grit their teeth and fight like idiots for no reason.
EDIT: Also I definitely have to disagree with your complete dismissal of the "success brings haters" idea.
Now I would agree that LEGIT criticism shouldn't be simply swept under the "haters" rug but the fact is a lot of criticism comes simply from bias and anger. Everyone comes across a few fighters (or teams or whatever in sports) that rub them the wrong way and they want to see them lose and taken down a notch.
It happens to everybody.
Think of it like the whole fox news "when bush did X, fox loved it, but if obama did the same thing, they hated it"
a lot of the stuff GSP gets shit on for, if it were a fighter they actually liked they'd be defending it. Just look at machida and how many people came out in droves for years to defend his intelligent defensive style, but many of those same people are like "zomg gsp is sooo boring! sooo safe! why don't you learn to be aggressive like a real fighter!?"
