The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
By Kelly Gneiting

The morning of Friday, January 9th 2009 Manny Yarbrough sits on his bed at a weight-loss center in Morristown, NJ.  The best way to describe the expression on his face is bewilderment-- bewilderment and subtle annoyance.  Standing in front of him are U.S.

National Champs James Perry, Trent Sabo, and Kelly Gneiting, who had just walked in the door to his room in total surprise to Manny in an effort to support the big man in his weight loss.  'The weekend just got interesting', the 1995 World Champ had to be thinking. "I don't even let my parents come and see me." Manny told us.  But whether he wanted us there or not, we were there, with return flights that didn't leave until Monday.  Yet who could blame the man?  Care One, the "weight loss center" he was staying at was actually a retirement center for the elderly in which Manny simply occupied a room.  Stretchers and wheel chairs lined the walls of the facility, housing an assortment of white-haired residents.

Now Manny had to deal with us for three days, and damn-it, he was going to like it!  And the wonder of it was that he thoroughly did.  Living in an atmosphere that would have depressed any of us, Manny deserved the visit.  At 44 years old, if Manny made 500 lbs (he's currently 650) and turned into James Brewster Thompson he could be the world's first double-digit world champion.  But that doesn't take away from his current accomplishments.  Manny Yarbrough is more than a great sumo athlete.  Manny is more than a 4th degree black-belt in the Martial Art.  Manny is more than the country's only world champion.  All of the man's athletic accomplishments combined are second to that of being a trailblazer; and not just A trailblazer, but THE ORIGINAL trailblazer.  Every sport has 'em--guys with vision stomping down the grass, thistles, and debris, making a path for the rest of us.

Friday was spent touring the streets of NYC, including Ground Zero, the Hudson River, and a million little shops, and ended at a Brazillian rotisserie restaurant where everyone pigged out on the buffet including sumo old-timer Alex Vega.  But not Manny.  Manny didn't have a small plate of food, a biscuit, nor a mint.  He just sat there yucking it up with a dozen of us while we all knocked ourselves out.  As a man who overindulges in the pleasures of satisfying an appetite, I thought this showed incredible willpower.  And before the trip was over Manny did this 3 more times.  The man's definitely on the right track for taking it off.

The last full day together was spent being filmed by a British filming crew for the reality TV show 'Ugly, New York' to air in England sometime this April.  We reenacted Friday's unexpected visit at Care One, hit the gym for stretching and a few matches between Trent and I, and finally made our way to Manny's hometown, Rahway, NJ to film a dozen of us hanging out at the cigar shop watching the NFL Playoff games.  It was while at the cigar shop where I found out just what enduring 9 hours of heavy secondhand smoke does to virgin lungs (a week later I'm still on the verge of being violently ill, hacking up phlegm constantly).  I may start smoking just to build my immunity.  One of the unexpected highlights of that evening, however, was Trent's San Diego Chargers losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Trent losing a bet.  Trent now has to read the entire Book of Mormon (and be quizzed), and I thanked God He protected me from drinking 20 ounces of beer.Sunday at the gym, on air the question was posed to Manny by the British filming crew "What makes the sport of Sumo and the guys involved so unique?"  Manny's response was genuine. "Well, I heard something from Trent the other day that seemed remarkably on-target.  We're involved in a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.  There's something about the guys that do the sport that's over the top.  Frequently guys bring something else to the table along with sumo ability.  Over there you have James Perry who for years was among the strongest men in America.  Kelly here ran a marathon at 430 pounds.  Trent frequently beats guys that are 3 times as big as he is..."

"And Manny breaks all the rules!"  blurts Trent.

True.

Kelly Gneiting