sensei8

Excellent thread, Nidan Melbourne; thank you for starting this thread. The virtues that our SKKA held very high were those of the 7 Virtues of Bushido: 1) Righteousness 2) Loyalty 3) Honor 4) Respect 5) Honesty 6) Courage 7) Consistency Even though the SKKA, the Governing Body that I was part of for over 6 decades, has been dissolved for cause, those 7 virtues of Bushido still remain with me, and will always remain with me for the rest of my lifetime because I hold those virtues to be true. Those virtues aren’t just idle words to me because they mean everything to me. And not only because our founders and my sensei sincerely believed in them as well as living them everyday, but because that’s how I was raised. In the threshold of the ending days of the SKKA, the then current hierarchy had severely weakened and had adopted anything other than those 7 virtues of Bushido. Oftentimes, MAists forget to show tolerances for those they disagree with. Whether it be an ideology and/or methodology with the throwing down of insults, and when the style is attacked, so is its practitioners. This isn’t Bushido, imho!! Through the practice of any MA, we’re supposed to inherit confidence, mental strength, courage, tenacity, work ethic, humility, compassion, integrity, kindness, respect, honor, discipline, and much more. Friendships born in training are often more real than anything else in life. Virtues are supposed to mean more than just words. Sorry for my misplaced words but the acts of the SKKA that lead to its demise has made me quite sarcastic about many certain things, Bushido isn’t one of them.

Cowboys can hire and retain all of the coaches and coordinators they want to because of how Jones controls every aspect of the Cowboys, nothing will improve due to their pageantry moves. As a Cowboy fan, it sickens me to no end. GO COWBOYS!!

Very well said, Ken. Quite alarming to see things like this happening, very sad!!

NFL rigged?? Moon landings faked?? Those assumptions are just that, assumptions. Rigged or not, the NFL will be here forever because it makes a massive fortune in revenue. Football programs make quite a lot of money from the kids to high school to college to the NFL. Other sporting programs wish they’re as popular as football is.

Sorry, I don’t collect BJJ go’s because it’s of no interest to me. I hope you’re able to get responses to your enquirer.

Glad to know that you’re ok, DP. Material things can be replaced but lives can’t be replaced.

Tell Zach that I know of his frustration because I was a JBB for 5 long years due to the Bylaws of our Governing Body. No students under the age of 18 years old can earn a Shodan. I didn’t understand the reason(s) back then but after some time, I finally understood their reasoning behind that Bylaw.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire game; I’m too old for that type of tension.

Thank you, Brian for this update. With everything that you’ve shared, you’ve every reason to be proud of Kenneth across the board. Great to know that he’s still on the mat with the proper enthusiasm and all of the support surrounding him. A freshman holding his own in the varsity, whether win or lose, is very commendable for sure. GO KENNETH!!

Amongst a thing or two, my pick is still with the Chiefs against the Eagles. One thing the Chiefs need to do is but the bag on Barkley. Otherwise, there will be no 3-Peat for the Chiefs at all. What the Eagles did to the Commanders, fluke or not, is a fact. Chiefs had better study that particular game with intense interest or they might face a similar outcome. Mahomes can carve Philly defense up. SB59 is in a dome; no weather issues. Hurts a turnover machine. GO CHIEFS!!

While I’ve never insisted that my students refer to me with anything but my first name, Bob. Nonetheless, we’re students of the MA, and for the most part, titles and its similar counterparts are of a certain culture that’s been around for quite some time. Whether we embrace them or not is or isn’t a choice, one way or another. Of all things seemingly obscured, as the CI of my dojo, I am my students sensei, and with this being of fact, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be addressed sensei. It’s not of ego, it’s of a recognized culture that most MAists are very familiar with. Whether one insists or doesn’t insist to be referred to as sensei or any other known MA title is up to that individual and/or organization. There’s a old saying that goes something like this… If you don’t like it, then go somewhere else!! OR… When in Rome, do as the Romans do!! Either way, my dad always told us, don’t worry about what others do or don’t do, just worry about yourself. Funny how we worry about the things that are trivial and none of our business.

Crazy how students want to earn anything and everything without putting in the blood, sweat, and tears that it takes. Funny how it is that these very same impatient customers don’t demand that of K-12 and higher education institutions…or perhaps they do…but I’m quite sure that their unreasonable requests are meet with stern opposition…as so we should too.

Unfortunately it’s the current rage of the page and has never really lessened. Yes, this has infected the MA schools pretty much in every community that I’ve ever lived in or ever visited. Nowadays students want a fast food MA across the board. Earning anything in the MA is such a rush, especially from parents. Whenever a CI allows the customer is always right mentality to root in the school, the ends not far away. The customer is NOT always right because the schools integrity is at stake!! Every student must earn everything and only the CI decides that, and never the student, parents, or the man in the moon.

I witnessed a TKD school in my hometown that required the parents and any visitors to bow to all black belts whenever in the dojang, including when just entering/leaving through the front door. If my child was a student there, and I was watching my child, I’d not bow to anyone anywhere in the dojang. If my money isn’t good enough, then my child will find somewhere else to train.

My Dallas Cowboys have moved their Offensive Coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, from the booth to the field as the new Head Coach of the Cowboys. This is why Jones needs to only be the owner and not the GM as well. The Cowboys Head Coach, imho, is just a figure head because Jones controls the players, Head Coach, the plays, and everything else. No mater where Schottenheimer has been, the offense ends up in the bottom half of the league. No idea who’ll replace him in the booth but both the Head Coach and the Offensive Coordinator bounced ideas to one another during the game via their headsets. This hire won’t strengthen the Cowboys; the Cowboys will unfortunately remain in the bottom. GO COWBOYS!!

Solid points Ken!! Here’s my 2-cents. The Bills ended the Chiefs perfect season in November. Nonetheless, in the playoffs against the Bills, the Chiefs chocked up a 3-0 record. Chiefs are a 3-point favorite and at home. With being only a 3-point favorite, the Chiefs need to be hitting in all cylinders. If not, the Bills will return to the SB for the first time in more than 30 years. My pick is Chiefs over the Bills.

Raiders have a new Head Coach in Pete Carroll. Carroll signed a 3-year contract with a 4-year option. Carroll was the Head Coach for the Seahawks for 13 years. Raiders also have a new GM in John Spytek. Spytek was the assistant GM with the Buccaneers. Rumors of Russell Wilson might be a Raiders QB since Carroll and Wilson have mended the fence between them. We'll see what we'll see when we see it next season.

Experts have the Eagles over the Chiefs in this upcoming SB. Experts might be drinking spiked koolaid.

Oh my word!! Very strange, indeed. I remember being told once how the locals in Houston freaked out our a snowstorm that dumped 1” of snow. First of all, 1” to me is not a snowstorm. Why were they freaking out?? There wasn’t one snow shovel to be had that year…snow shovels are more readily available now in Houston.

I do agree that the usages of Shogo titles are widely incorrect and should not be worn as a badge for all to see or marvel about. One of the most important lessons we learned whenever our founder and our sensei took us to Okinawa was that giving back for what we’ve been given. I’ve always been addressed by my first name or sensei. Anything else is unacceptable nor is it wanted, and has never been insisted upon by myself.

Congratulations, KarateKen!!

Congratulations, aurik!!

If I may respectfully ask, just how so??