Halfway-point report card: Season 12 of 'The Ultimate Fighter'

With the UFC reality show "The Ultimate Fighter" getting ready to head into quarterfinals, what is your opinion on this season? Spike executives claim that the show has not gone stale and that it still delivers. Does it stack up with the other seasons? Check out our report card, written not with demeaning letter grades but in essay form so not to hurt "The Ultimate Fighter's" self-esteem, then tell us your thoughts on the season so far. 

Fights (in the cage): Nam Pham's scrap with Spencer Paige was enjoyable until Paige broke his hand, and if Pham doesn't make the finals, a rematch would make sense on the finale. Jonathan Brookins and Cody McKenzie also had memorable first-round bouts.They were much better than the majority of the first-round fights from season 10, where few of the heavyweights had a gas tank.

Fights (out of the cage): Josh Koscheck's physical confrontation with Team GSP's medic Tate drew a big eye roll. Both said stupid things -- with Kos being sexist and Tate being racist -- and both should have let it roll of their backs. Both are grown men and professionals and should act like it. 

Coaches mentoring their fighters: Both coaches have done an excellent job at bringing in outside specialists to work with their TUF proteges, whether it's GSP bringing in the drunk, French Muay Thai phenom or Koscheck turning to American Kickboxing Academy teammate and two-time Olympian wrestler Daniel Cormier. It's hard to tell so far if Kos or GSP have fostered a bond with their fighters, as Rashad Evans did with his team in season 10, or Jens Pulver did with Nate Diaz in season 5.

Coaches rivalry: Due mostly to the steel resolve of GSP, the coaches haven't had many memorable on-camera moments together. Compared to Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson's many jawing sessions with Evans, GSP and Koscheck's brief discussions have been as civil as high tea. 

Shenanigans: TUF is where we've heard the term "fatherless bastard," where fighters have done elaborate pranks to their castmates beds, where Dave Kaplan begged Tom Lawlor to knock him out, and where various bodily fluids have been injected into food. The most we've had in this season were a few shouting matches and Alex "Bruce LeRoy" Caceres putting bleach in Nam Phan's fabric softener.

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