KarateKen

Crazy game tonight in St. Paul as the Wild beat the Canucks 10-7 in the highest scoring game of the year. There were three hat tricks tonight, the first time there have been three hat tricks in the same game since November of 1992. Also, Minnesota scored six goals in 5:45 seconds and seven total goals in the third period. Absolutely bonkers. The ten goals by Minnesota set a franchise record. The entire game was, to use the obvious pun, wild. Minnesota has played better in recent weeks and now is only two points out of the final playoff spot in the west.

It's so hard to sustain success in the NFL, what KC has done the last six years has been very impressive. The league is set up to make it so that every team has an equal chance, so mathematically your team, whoever you cheer for, should only win a Super Bowl once every 32 years. With free agency, the salary cap, and always drafting near the bottom, it will be tough for KC to keep this run going as teams are not usually great for more than a handful of seasons in a row. The Patriots were able to counter this because Brady would take less money, giving them more options to sign free agents. Also, Belichick did a great job of knowing how long to keep players and would trade them at the correct time, such as Randy Moss. He also knew how to take players from other teams who were having problems and fit them into his system, such as Cory Dillion, and, again, Randy Moss. Bill took guys like Wes Welker and Rodney Harrison, who were maybe somewhat overlooked, and got them to play to their peak potential. Andy Reid is a football mastermind so maybe he can work that magic as well, it is just so tough to keep long term success in the NFL. As good as Brady and the Patriots were they went 10 years between titles. All I can say to KC fans is don't worry about next year until it gets here, just enjoy the experience now.

The entire thing sounds very suspicious.

Looks like someone had a few drinks at the Super Bowl party Glad you enjoyed the game. I ate pizza, nachos, and s'mores, but there were plenty of other options to go around. Great food and ended up being an exciting game. Mahomes is now a top 5 QB all time (maybe higher) and I assume will continue to get better and win games in the NFL for a long time. That guy is a heartbreaker. Just when it looks like you have him beat, he will rip your heart in two. Excellent game that could have gone either way. From everything I hear Las Vegas was an outstanding host city and everyone seemed to have hopes that the Super Bowl will be back in Vegas someday. I imagine it will become one of the prime destinations for the big game. I didn't bet anything this year, not even the coin toss. I'm not sure if I am ahead or behind on my coin toss bets over the years but I feel I'm about 50/50.

Jim Carrey thinks that the meaning of life is to "love yourself."

The brand has grown since I was a kid, they are well known across Minnesota.

For years and years, maybe 20 years, I would always eat pizza during the game, however the last couple years I have not. It has been buffalo wings, steak, French fries, the last two years. I don't have any food plans as of this writing, but maybe it is time to bring pizza back. Oh, how I love pizza

Why is that?I might bet on it.

I'd like to add that up until about two years ago or less I still had the toy stored in the back of my closest. I hated to give it away because of the memory, but I donated it. Hopefully someone else is enjoying it right now.

There is a great pizza place called Zorbaz, and when I was a kid (early to mid 90s), we went to the one just outside the small town of Perham, Minnesota. It was a true arcade back then. I visited there about five years ago and while it wasn't as big as before they still had a small arcade. Brought back a lot of memories for a place I would often go during the summer as a kid and play games like Ninja Turtles and Mortal Combat. I have no idea what it is like now, post COVID, but it was my favorite place to visit when I was young. They also had one of those crane games or whatever, where you try and pick up the toy with that claw. I hated that game. I never won. The only time I got anything was once after I lost, then an older lady won right after I played and gave me the toy. That was 30 years ago and I still remember it like it was yesterday. Well maybe not yesterday, but five days ago. OK, maybe eight years ago. Or nine. I don't know. I am going to stop rambling now.

Agreed, having an animal on set can be challenging. Looks like the new series is taking a break, there have not been any new episodes since Dec. 14, and I guess season 1 is maybe a wrap? I don't see anything saying the show is over and Kelsey Grammer has said he hopes it goes on for years, so more to come, I hope.

I second that.

Vegas beat Edmonton 3-1 on Tuesday night, ending the Oilers win streak at 16 games, just one short of tying the all-time record.

Cool. Congratulations.

All my old belts are kept in a closet (current belt kept in Dojo bag) and my rank certificates are kept in a drawer so no, based on looking around the house you would not even know I had any experience with martial arts.

Help me understand BJJ rankings and promotions. I have never trained the art and do not intent to, I am just curious of learning about how they are done because BJJ might have a different approach to teaching than traditional styles. I've heard about people taking three years to get their first promotion or spending a decade as a blue belt. Not sure how accurate or common this is. We had a student come into Karate who had zero MA training at all who took a trial class at a BJJ school and he said he was rolling with students within 30 minutes. They showed him a couple basic movies and then he was thrown right into the fire. He also said that he was instructed to try standing front and back rolls on his first day. He felt the class was unsafe due to his lack of training and experience. Again, not sure if this is common or not, it is only based on one student's explained experience. In the other styles I have done, which are several, it takes weeks before you spar. I realize some of this might vary depending on the school as well.

Absolutely. When I started teaching white belts the Katas or when I would fill in to teach weapons class, I realized how much detail there is that I don't even think about that I now need to explain to people trying this for the first time. It really required me to take a closer look at all of my movements. I would imagine that is universal; martial arts, music, language, or anything else. Being a teacher requires that extra attention to detail.

I only care who wins the coin toss.

In the Karate Kid movie Cobra Kai is taught TSD (this is referenced in season 5 of Cobra Kai) but call it Karate. Years ago when I was in TKD I had a book that claimed TKD was "Korean Karate" so maybe they are both tied to Karate in a way. Not sure.

Sounds great. Do you have some opening thoughts? I liked what someone posted earlier in the thread about how even though they were younger and larger than their grandmasters they know they have no chance.

His Super Bowl resume is outstanding. His draft pick rating over the course of the past few years has not been impressive. I don't think there are many teams that have done a decent job identifying and drafting talent over the past few years want to give up that aspect of control, and that is part of the control that Bilicheck wants. I saw a new story the other day that I don't think has any credence to it at all in which the author stated he thinks there's a high probability that Reid retires after this year and Bilicheck takes over as KC's new head coach. I don't think there is any way that happens, because Brett Veach has done a fantastic job of signing and drafting players. I also don't think Reid retires after this year. I think he has a few more years in him. I agree that Bill's track record in recent years has been questionable at best, that is why he is no longer with the Patriots. But not even an interview for a guy who has over 300 wins, six SB titles, and is possibly the most knowledgeable person on earth about the game of football? If teams don't hire him because he wants to make too many changes, that is their call, and from what I hear that is what happened in Atlanta. These other teams will not even do an interview even though Bill has a more impressive resume, and experience than the people they hired? Seems strange. That being said when a head coach has been fired twice, and now Bill has, teams are usually moving on. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a HC who was fired twice and got another chance, though I thought Bill would be the exception. Maybe he goes to TV for a year and comes back? Time will tell. I have not heard the rumors about Andy retiring but I guess it is not surprising. He is in his mid 60s and has nothing left to prove, a clear first ballot HOF coach, and if they beat SF maybe he goes out on top. Can't blame him. He seems like an easy guy to root for, the one person I have talked to who met him said he was a friendly, fun loving type dude.

Going back to this original question for some clarification. Seeing the way the conversation has evolved, I think defining some things is important. How do we define "overcoming" the attacker? Are we talking about standing over our fallen opponent in victory? Or are we talking about doing just enough to get away and be safe, and avoid injury as much as possible? Are we talking about two people having a disagreement, and then "stepping outside," dual style? Or we talking about the sudden violence of an ambush attack? I think identifying these parameters can add some nuance to the conversation. Overcoming the disadvantage of being smaller when attacked. So, assuming one is violently attacked by another person, unarmed, single attacker, and is not able to get away without conflict. Though I think the dual style conversation would be interesting! Would also need to add a little more nuance : is the attack unannounced (coming up behind and attacking) or can the smaller person see the attack coming and prepare for it? I'd like to discuss both situations.

Lions kept both their offensive and defensive coordinators, even though both were candidates for head coaching jobs. Johnson turned down the Washington position to stay with the Lions which is good news for the team going into next season. Dan Quinn got the job and will get his second crack at being a head coach. Seattle hired the Ravens DC for their HC position, filling up all the vacancies. Strange to me that Bill Belichick only got interviewed by Atalanta. There were six or seven teams looking for a HC, seems bizarre to me that with such an impressive resume nobody else even had him in for an interview. Not sure what the story is there.

I've definitely seen it where students quit because they get tired of the repetition. Also, many want instant results and when they realize it takes years of practice they move on. Some have shown up and thought they knew everything on the first day and we never see them again.

Well basically they became the Lions of old. I have been a Lions fan since 1991, which was the only other time they have ever played in the NFC Championship Game. That second half summed up 30 years of being a Lions fan in 30 minutes. Dropped passes, missed tackles, bad play calls, and unlucky bounces. This is how it goes being a Lions fan. In the third quarter, with a 14-point lead, the Lions face a 4th and two where they can go for it or kick a 43-yard field goal. They go for it, that is what the Lions do, and the WR had a chance and dropped the pass. From that moment on it was all 49ers. Every big comeback in football has a turning point, that was it right there. 49ers go down and get a TD, so instead of it being a three-possession game now it is one. Lions needed to respond with a big drive and on the first play the running back fumbles it. At that point I felt the Lions could be in big trouble. In the fourth quarter, down 24-27, they faced another 4th down where they did not get it. They could have tried a 47-yard FG to tie the game but missed on the 4th down and the 49ers took over. It was right there for them to win, and they couldn't get it. This is the closest the team has ever gotten to the Super Bowl and I agree they are set up well for the next few years, it is just so hard to get back, especially if they lose the offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, who is a candidate for the Washington job. There will be a lot of excitement about the team going into next season. I hope I live long enough to see the Lions win a Super Bowl someday.