V
vincefuess
Guest
I am sorry to dis the king, but Elvis never appeared to posess any more than a modicum of martial arts ability. He was way too full of himself to ever attain the ranks awarded him by SGM Parker.
This has always been a thorn in my side. SGM Parker was a master of a great many arts beyond Kenpo- the art of promotion perhaps being one of his greatest talents. The "High Priest of The Hollywood Sect".
Everybody kissed Elvis's butt. He was perhaps the most influential entertainer in history at that point, and his clout was bigger than the atomic bomb.
I have no doubt that Elvis and SGM Parker were great friends and confidants, it is well documented. And all of us tend to cut our close friends alot of slack and do favors for them. Do any of you actually believe that Elvis EARNED the rank he attained based on skill? I don't. There is no way he could have LEGITIMATELY earned that rank in the short amount of time he got it. PERIOD.
There are a great many VERY talented Kenpoists who have trained their entire lives to reach the rank of 5th or 6th degree black. You watch these guys move, and you know they are the "real deal"! I just attended a Huk Planas seminar TODAY, and that man is THE REAL DEAL. You watch him do ONE technique, and you are a believer. I never saw anything come from Elvis that didn't resemble a spastic orange belt.
As far as I know, no one has ever just looked at this situation and said BS!! I am not faulting SGM Parker for his prowess at promoting the art of Kenpo, I mean if presented such an opportunity any shrewd business man would be a fool not to take advantage of it. But let's not kid ourselves and think Elvis was in fact an 8th degree black belt in Kenpo. He wasn't.
Vince
This has always been a thorn in my side. SGM Parker was a master of a great many arts beyond Kenpo- the art of promotion perhaps being one of his greatest talents. The "High Priest of The Hollywood Sect".
Everybody kissed Elvis's butt. He was perhaps the most influential entertainer in history at that point, and his clout was bigger than the atomic bomb.
I have no doubt that Elvis and SGM Parker were great friends and confidants, it is well documented. And all of us tend to cut our close friends alot of slack and do favors for them. Do any of you actually believe that Elvis EARNED the rank he attained based on skill? I don't. There is no way he could have LEGITIMATELY earned that rank in the short amount of time he got it. PERIOD.
There are a great many VERY talented Kenpoists who have trained their entire lives to reach the rank of 5th or 6th degree black. You watch these guys move, and you know they are the "real deal"! I just attended a Huk Planas seminar TODAY, and that man is THE REAL DEAL. You watch him do ONE technique, and you are a believer. I never saw anything come from Elvis that didn't resemble a spastic orange belt.
As far as I know, no one has ever just looked at this situation and said BS!! I am not faulting SGM Parker for his prowess at promoting the art of Kenpo, I mean if presented such an opportunity any shrewd business man would be a fool not to take advantage of it. But let's not kid ourselves and think Elvis was in fact an 8th degree black belt in Kenpo. He wasn't.
Vince