Originally posted by Stickboxer
Being the new guy here, I'm afraid my favorites may offend some, so I'm hesitant to say it.
I never really cared for Bruce Lee, despite being an avid follower of his art/philosophy (depending on which side of the fence you're on in OJKD-vs.-JKDC). I think he was an egotistical bully.
His son, Brandon Lee, had the fortitude to pave his own path, one that occasionally separated from martial training. He did his own thing, did it well, pursued excellence, and did it all while placing a secondary importance on kicking pads and swinging his arms. Still, he came back and eventually embraced the arts as a way of life, all the while never disregarding the value of the arts or the importance of his father's contributions. Perhaps because he saw life as something more than merely training, or perhaps because he came back and embraced the arts later, I viewed Brandon as one of the greatest artists "to be."
For years I was surrounded by die-hard JKD practictioners, people who often bit on the name 'Karate' like it were a dirty four-letter word, people who made cracks like "Chuck Norris couldn't punch his way out of a paper bag." Still, I came to appreciate Norris's style as being more than the tradition-laden garbage my fellow practitioners considered it. Likewise, I've come to view Norris as, what many have already said, humble, considerate, and driven to distinction.
That said, I won't list Inosanto on the list because, in my opinion, he really surpasses this ranking of mere mortals.
Dan's the man!