Halls of Fame

[IcemanSK]

They seems to be a lot of MA Halls of Fame popping up lately. I'm not sure if it's good bad or indifferent to MA as a whole. I'd like to hear your opinion on whether its good or bad for MA. Also, is there one HOF that you respect more than another?

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Personally I am not impressed with any of the Halls of Fame. To much politics and grand standing. Also many invite you and then you would have to pay a fee for their banquet. This is why they are viewed negatively in my opinion. Mostly money making schemes.

The only one that is slightly up and up is Blackbelt Magazine and even then that is a popularity contest because you write in vote who you think should be in the Hall of Fame. (yet it is probably the best one out there)
Just my opinion.

 

[SFC JeffJ]

I really don't think much of them, and the only people I think they have an impact on is uniformed beginners. But I don't think that impact will last very long when they start becoming informed and see all the different ones out there.

Jeff

 

[Rook]

Personally, I think they are negative in that people look to these halls of fame to determine who is a good martial artist rather than looking at that person's actual accomplishments for themselves. Oftentimes the "contributions to the martial arts" made by people in these halls of fame have little to do with the quality of the material they teach or their own abilities.​

 

[Andrew Green]

Maybe we should start a martialtalk Hall of Fame, only martialtalk sounds like a website, so we'll need a better name for it, something that sounds impressive and respect worthy. I would like to nominate my cat as the first recipient.

No... make it the 6th or 7th, lets send a certificate off to a few famous people first, that will give our hall of Fame some weight. If it is the same Hall of Fame that Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Gichin Funakoshi, Jigoro Kano and Royce Gracie are in, then my cat will definately be seen as a expert.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

I am a member of 2 halls of fame as a result of my old instructors nominations. However one inparticular is really a big money maker for the director, more than $200,000 a year for one weekend. However in most cases the training seminars are very good.

The other is ok but it is more to recognize their own members and I have even seen them forget the young kids who are there to get recognition for their outstanding competition or something else outstanding they have done.

Halls of Fame in general you have to take with a grain of salt. There is beenfit to them when you have the opportunity to train a little with the heavy hitters of the martial arts. Those that are one night and out or those that the big names won't take the time of day for the little guy I don't have any respect for.

Now there are a couple halls of fame that I really have a great respect for. One is the Alliance Hall Of Fame through the USKA. This is an extention of the Trias International Society. To get an induction you have to be nominated by a HoF member and then qualify based on your resume or you have to win a USKA World Championship. These are the only two ways to get in to this one. The other HoF I have a great respect for is the Bushido International Society. Again this is a very difficult HoF to be inducted into and there are very few members. You must have a long history in the martial arts and truly live a martial arts philosophy in and out of the dojo. Bushido International Society nominations have to be voted on by its current members and to be inducted every current member has to approve your induction. This award is through the United States Karate-Do Kai and headed up by Hanshi Philip Koeppel.

There are many many schemes out there but there are some good. Just seems the bad overshadows the good.

 

[still learning]

Hello, Recognizing out standing individuals is alway a great idea, like the Hall of Fame!

As long as the politics get do not get in the way. Yes some HOF are money makers...and needs money to exist.

There are lots of other ways to recognizes those who benafit...our martial arts. Even those who are small and unkown...should be recongnize if they acheive for the good of martial arts.

(you may summit my name later?) .....just kidding!!!

OK serious stuffs here......always be fair in you votes and judgements on selecting those outstanding individuals............Aloha

 

[Kacey]

It's interesting that this topic just came up here - because I was just sent an unsolicited email from a company claiming to have a TKD hall of fame, and when I check the main site, it seems like halls of fame are all they do... looks dicey to me. Did anyone else get this one?

 

[IcemanSK]

It's interesting that this topic just came up here - because I was just sent an unsolicited email from a company claiming to have a TKD hall of fame, and when I check the main site, it seems like halls of fame are all they do... looks dicey to me. Did anyone else get this one?

I've not received the email, but I've heard of it. It seemed questionable to me, also.

 

[tellner]

Meh. Ego-boosting and money-making and that's about it. If we have a MT Hall of Fame I want the title Maha Lingam

 

[TraditionalTKD]

I pay no attention to any Halls of Fame, Black Belt Magazine's included. Most of them are populated by egomaniacs who know the right people and are simply interested in attention for themselves and whatever penny-ante school they happen to be affilated with. To me, the fact that someone is in the Black Belt Hall of Fame or the Head of Family Sokeship Hall of Fame means nothing. It just means they have a good pr person.

 

[jks9199]

To me, way too many of these "halls of fame" and "who's who" lists seem to rank whether or not the check cleared as one of the primary criteria for including or recognizing someone.

I'm sure that some are legitimate... but the ones that aren't are the ones that you hear the most about.

I think that a meaningful hall of fame body wouldn't permit you to nominate yourself, just for starters.

 

[calmone]

I like the idea of a Martial talk hall of fame. I think we should just do it as a thread. Here are my requirements. 1. Recipent must never have made a movie. 2. They must have contributed to the martial arts in promotion, self-sacrifise to martial arts, good sportsmanship. 3. They must have contributed to the public welfare of the area they live. 4. They must have helped someone who in another situation could have turned to a darker side if it wasnt for them. There are only a rare few of them. Some of you, I am sure, have more requirements than I. Just working so i dont have a lot of time to devote to the message.

 

[terryl965]

Well I have been ask to join 15 of them and I feel if they want me than why do I need to pay them to be inducted. If it was a true Hall of Frame then I would leave my checkbook at home and accept there invitation.
The greatest line is you are only paying for administrator cost to be part of these elite group.

God Bless America

 

[MarkBarlow]

It's not much of an honor if you have to pay for it. The few HOFs that don't charge to award the honor tend to focus on a particular art or group. Nothing wrong with that, just not a true judge of excellence. I'm probably the finest yodeler in my office right now but since I'm here by myself, that's not saying much.

When I received an invitation to come down to Orlando and accept some bogus award, I didn't respond and the host/pimp called my Dojo to ask how many students I was bringing to witness the debacle. I told him I didn't think much of the event and wouldn't pay to be given a plaque. This didn't seem to bother him in the least and without missing a beat he asked if I had any suggestions for other folks to be recognized. My wife teaches tai chi to senior citizens but isn't a martial artist by anyone's definition. She's a former professional ballerina who practices tai chi for her health. I told the promoter that I knew a tai chi sifu who fit the bill, gave him my wife's maiden name and address and within a couple of days she got a letter addressed to Grand Master Cordy notifying her that she had been selected by her peers to be honored in Orlando.

After I explained that "No, we were not going to Orlando" and why, she got over the excitement of being recognized by her peers. It's a rare year that I don't get at least half a dozen invitations to these events and the next one I attend will be the first.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

It's not much of an honor if you have to pay for it. The few HOFs that don't charge to award the honor tend to focus on a particular art or group. Nothing wrong with that, just not a true judge of excellence. I'm probably the finest yodeler in my office right now but since I'm here by myself, that's not saying much.

When I received an invitation to come down to Orlando and accept some bogus award, I didn't respond and the host/pimp called my Dojo to ask how many students I was bringing to witness the debacle. I told him I didn't think much of the event and wouldn't pay to be given a plaque. This didn't seem to bother him in the least and without missing a beat he asked if I had any suggestions for other folks to be recognized. My wife teaches tai chi to senior citizens but isn't a martial artist by anyone's definition. She's a former professional ballerina who practices tai chi for her health. I told the promoter that I knew a tai chi sifu who fit the bill, gave him my wife's maiden name and address and within a couple of days she got a letter addressed to Grand Master Cordy notifying her that she had been selected by her peers to be honored in Orlando.

After I explained that "No, we were not going to Orlando" and why, she got over the excitement of being recognized by her peers. It's a rare year that I don't get at least half a dozen invitations to these events and the next one I attend will be the first.

I am right there with you Mark!

 

[Tames D]

It's not much of an honor if you have to pay for it. The few HOFs that don't charge to award the honor tend to focus on a particular art or group. Nothing wrong with that, just not a true judge of excellence. I'm probably the finest yodeler in my office right now but since I'm here by myself, that's not saying much.

When I received an invitation to come down to Orlando and accept some bogus award, I didn't respond and the host/pimp called my Dojo to ask how many students I was bringing to witness the debacle. I told him I didn't think much of the event and wouldn't pay to be given a plaque. This didn't seem to bother him in the least and without missing a beat he asked if I had any suggestions for other folks to be recognized. My wife teaches tai chi to senior citizens but isn't a martial artist by anyone's definition. She's a former professional ballerina who practices tai chi for her health. I told the promoter that I knew a tai chi sifu who fit the bill, gave him my wife's maiden name and address and within a couple of days she got a letter addressed to Grand Master Cordy notifying her that she had been selected by her peers to be honored in Orlando.

After I explained that "No, we were not going to Orlando" and why, she got over the excitement of being recognized by her peers. It's a rare year that I don't get at least half a dozen invitations to these events and the next one I attend will be the first.

Amazing, isn't it?

 

[kidswarrior]

Personally, I think they are negative in that people look to these halls of fame to determine who is a good martial artist rather than looking at that person's actual accomplishments for themselves. Oftentimes the "contributions to the martial arts" made by people in these halls of fame have little to do with the quality of the material they teach or their own abilities.​

Well said, Rook.

 

[grydth]

With all the honor for sale, one simply has to do things in the proper order.

Academic degrees for sale is old hat, and it has been said even seats in the English House of Lords have been available....... so as soon as my kids are grown and I have some money again, you can refer to me as Lord Doctor Grydth.....but I'm just starting...

All that martial arts grandeur I never got because of somebody somewhere's fault......first, I want that Black Belt in the Japanese art of Tai Chi that my instructor hid from me..... I can easily parlay that into a self promotion to 1oth Dan in karate, order some certificates that look Japanese but are actually Korean classified ads.....and then a trip to a Sokeship Council (I should, by then, be fat enough to qualify).

Finally, with all the above martial glory.... how can you keep me outta the Hall of Fame??

 

[grydth]

Please do not tell my wife about the post above!