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John Clement, not being knightly.... again.
Sir Edward:
Guy Windsor and his caliber of instructors are probably the only ones I'd trust to do this. You can see in his video that he kept it really low-key. They knew what each other were doing at all times, and the moves were slow and without power. The only reason to use sharps in a drill is to see how a real sword behaves differently in the bind as compared to a blunt. The difference is subtle, but real.
It's a valuable exercise if you can do it safely enough (I still think in that video they're crazy for not having hand protection and for showing that much bare skin, but at least they have the masks). But the key is to keep it really slow and controlled, with no surprises.
Under most circumstances, the sharps are a really bad idea. And it's just dumb to use them at any kind of speed.
B. Patricius:
I can't fall asleep so I'm perusing the forums. I met Mr. Clements in 2005. I also back then signed up for ARMA. At the time, I knew little about the SCA or other groups. I just happened to bump into him, literally at a ren-faire, we started talking so I thought to join.
After taking advantage of ARMA's extensive resources and library I left that group in 2007. I basically got tired of the "our way is the only way" kind of attitude. Also, of note, I wasn't anywhere where I could practice with them unfortunately, I was on my own. In 2010, I learned the past of Mr. Clements and his relationship with the SCA, or as far as their perspective of it.
Personally, I think there is a lot out there that is wrong, and it's true. But, there's also a lot out there, both recent developments and much older stuff, that isn't wrong and is in fact quite good. We're all trying to interpret something that may have one picture, or two, snapshots if you will, of a full movement. Try and imagine if there were individual frames, like for animation, of those movements instead? It would be amazing, and far easier for everyone to see something more similar. But as far as I'm concerned, there are schools today, as there were hundreds of years ago. And I must say, one of the things I enjoy, is that today it seems, no one for the most part, except Mr. Clements, says their way is the only way! When I checked out the SCA for four months, three days a week training for minimum four hours a day, I really enjoyed how I could show them my stuff, and although they were quite persuasive about how they did it, allowed me to at least show mine.
Beyond that, I too have a problem with a lack of respect towards the weapon. That has been a pet peeve of mine since I was little, and needless to say in this group, I don't think I need to extrapolate on the gory details of what scarred me. It saddens and scares me that people can get lax. It doesn't matter if it's a police officer with their sidearm, a Marine and his rifle, or a SCAdian with a "stick." All can kill and maim and we need to respect them as such. Usually if I see that kind of disrespect towards that particular weapon, I don't practice with them anymore, be it at a range, the desert, or on a tournament field.
It saddens me that Mr. Clements has gotten this elitist sort of viewpoint because I know he's a treasure-trove of knowledge. The fact remains though, we weren't there to witness it. We don't have recordings (and how often to people call "foul" in a baseball game or football game with video devices!?) all we have is our passions and their artifacts. Everything else has come from that, and we all can do so much more if we work together.
Hrolfr:
--- Quote from: Thorsteinn on 2012-06-19, 21:44:56 ---He's no Mike Loades, Gemini Asonte, Greg Mele, Christian Tobler, Ken Mondshein, or Toby Capwell.
--- End quote ---
You forgot Bob Charon.
If someone needs to tear someone else down in order to feel better about themselves, they are a 't**d in a punchbowl'.
I would really like to see Clements fight Nissan with BotN rules ;D
(and yeah, I have fought against and with Nissan in both melee and singles).
Ian:
--- Quote from: Hrolfr on 2013-07-07, 13:18:04 ---If someone needs to tear someone else down in order to feel better about themselves, they are a 't**d in a punchbowl'.
--- End quote ---
vs.
--- Quote from: Hrolfr on 2013-07-07, 13:18:04 ---I would really like to see Clements fight Nissan with BotN rules ;D
(and yeah, I have fought against and with Nissan in both melee and singles).
--- End quote ---
Isn't that the same thing?
What purpose would John Clements fighting anyone with BotN rules serve? BotN and Armored Combat League have virtually nothing to do with the historical technique of Liechtenauer or Fiore, or anything from our past for that matter. It's just a brawl in armor using swords as clubs. Sure it's a tough sport, and cool to watch, but it has nothing to do with the techniques people like John Clements, Greg Mele, Christian Tobler etc are interested in reviving. You just want to see someone get beat up, isn't that the same as bringing someone else down to feel better about oneself?
John Clements can be very abrasive. That's his personality, but to pretend like he's not a good swordsman is denying a fact staring everyone in the face. He just seems to be the guy who likes to take his ball and go home if others don't see things his way, but his accomplishments in the world of historical swordsmanship cannot be overlooked.
Lord Dane:
Yeah!!! Medieval hockey baby!! I feel the urge to check someone into a wall & clock them with a stick. ;D
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