Newest bombshell to drop at USAT

[puunui]

Well I hear these people leaving, but you never hear about them while they are there. I cannot believe they fought hard to get anything done while they was there like they are fighting now when the cannot really do anything. I would imagine if you did not like things before you became on board with USAT why sit back and be quite about it.

Well, anyone who knows Ronda personally and has dealt with her personally (like I have had the misfortune of experiencing) knows that Ronda is for Ronda, despite all the lip service and complaining to the contrary. She was quiet when she was on the USAT Board because it was in her interest to be quiet and go along. But now that she's out, it is in her best interest to kick and scream about all the wrongs that USAT is doing, which they were doing back when she was on the Board by the way. So I believe your question and instincts on this is valid.

 

[puunui]

I agree the only real way to get a point across is stop attending. But that too has its negative effects such as people who dont desrve or otherwise would never had a chance to gain positions (on a team OR Board seat) GET those positions while others may loose out on their only oppurtunity.

Maybe in the short term. But if all athletes stop attending except those in team trial track divisions, then the organization will die. An additional benefit is that we get to see all the people who are out there vying for spots of power and influence.

I used the Band of Brothers example on tkd net, and I will use it here too. In Band of Brothers (the HBO mini series about the easy Company in the 101st Airborne Division) the invaded Holland and liberated a town. When they did so, the people rolled out long orange banners and through a victory parade for the Americans. But in the middle of that, there were women who were getting their dresses ripped and their heads shaved. One of the Easy Company soldiers asked "what did they do?" to which one of the holland men answered "They slept with the Germans. The men are getting shot.".

USAT is like that Holland town, and certain Taekwondo people feel like this is their opportunity to get ahead, even if they have to sleep with the Germans. Ronda Sweet for example, was the chief collaborator because they made her mayor of the town (Chair of the Board of Directors). Now she is out and she is screaming about all the things the Germans are doing wrong. The problem with that is, everyone sees her as a collaborator and feel no sympathy for her. In fact, everyone I know is waiting for the Germans to leave so we can shave her head and shoot the male collaborators, people like Larry Cain.

 

[d1jinx]

Band of Brothers (the HBO mini series about the easy Company in the 101st Airborne Division) .

most excellent. I own the box set Bluray.

I picked up on what you were saying on TKD.net and used that as my reference.... remembering the scene well.

 

[d1jinx]

But as it is now, undeserving people are still getting those spots. However, as Glenn suggested, throw your membership support to the AAU and when it comes to events that are needed to get into the Olympics, support with minimum effort. You, your player and that is it. At least then a deserving fighter will make the team.

I really hate it when I hear people saying " i won Gold at nationals" when there was only 1 or 2 people in that division....

I remember the days when there was easily 20-25 people in my division.... after winning 4 fights and loosing your 5th you still walked away with nothing....

boy, a Gold medal just aint what it used to be.

 

[terryl965]

I really hate it when I hear people saying " i won Gold at nationals" when there was only 1 or 2 people in that division....

I remember the days when there was easily 20-25 people in my division.... after winning 4 fights and loosing your 5th you still walked away with nothing....

boy, a Gold medal just aint what it used to be.

I have heard people say I am the National Champion but yet they never had one fight because they was the only one in that division.

 

[puunui]

I really hate it when I hear people saying " i won Gold at nationals" when there was only 1 or 2 people in that division....I remember the days when there was easily 20-25 people in my division.... after winning 4 fights and loosing your 5th you still walked away with nothing.... boy, a Gold medal just aint what it used to be.

That was during the USTU days, right? I remember sitting up in the stands at one JOs, I forget which one. If the venue was a like a football field, we were sitting near one of the end zones. There were 20 rings going, and the stands were packed with competitors, parents, coaches and supporters. there must have been 20,000 or more people in the venue.

Compared to what is going on at USAT now, how can anyone say that what we have now is in any way better than it was during the USTU era, when it was 50% or more less expensive and had at least five times the number of members, with leadership that had influence at the WTF second only to Korea.

 

[miguksaram]

most excellent. I own the box set Bluray.

I picked up on what you were saying on TKD.net and used that as my reference.... remembering the scene well.

My oldest son is really into WW2 history and we got that same box set for him. He watched them all within a 2 day time span. Also motivated him to take Military history for an elective in High School this year.

 

[terryl965]

This question is for Rhonda, what was it that got you to believe in USAT for that little time frame? How come you could not get any of these BOD people to join you when you was there trying to make changes? See I do not believe anybody really tried to join and fight the leaders but instead just went though the motions and was happy with little things. I believe that if you and all these people that are leaving now would have voiced your complaints together as a whole you might have been able to get stuff out to the members and explain the inside dealing with USAT, but then again I could be wrong and all of you tried and was not successful at it.

Ok let me say this to all I am not bashing Rhonda, I am simply asking question as to what made her believe in USAT and what she did while she was there? I am simply trying to make people relize that either no-one would listen and they left or they was never given the chance to voice what they wanted. I would like to believe that if all these people joined together they made have made a change but I think they tried at seperate times without a unified front. If Rhonda could shed some light on this it would help me and others. One thing we all need to stay civil when people give opinions because this is a very touchy subject to alot of us.

 

[granfire]

Ok let me say this to all I am not bashing Rhonda, I am simply asking question as to what made her believe in USAT and what she did while she was there? I am simply trying to make people relize that either no-one would listen and they left or they was never given the chance to voice what they wanted. I would like to believe that if all these people joined together they made have made a change but I think they tried at seperate times without a unified front. If Rhonda could shed some light on this it would help me and others. One thing we all need to stay civil when people give opinions because this is a very touchy subject to alot of us.

Maybe the warrior spirit: if you fight hard enough you get things done.

 

[hal-apino]

That was during the USTU days, right? I remember sitting up in the stands at one JOs, I forget which one. If the venue was a like a football field, we were sitting near one of the end zones. There were 20 rings going, and the stands were packed with competitors, parents, coaches and supporters. there must have been 20,000 or more people in the venue.

Compared to what is going on at USAT now, how can anyone say that what we have now is in any way better than it was during the USTU era, when it was 50% or more less expensive and had at least five times the number of members, with leadership that had influence at the WTF second only to Korea.

2000 Juniors in San Antonio was HUGE!

 

[dowan50]

Glenn, has already given the best answer to that question. Boycott it. Boycott the vendors, boycott the events, do not re-up your membership. The only way to effectively take them down is financially. Besides who would want to be in an organization that just sits back as one of their main people gets accused of sexual misconduct with a team member and now domestic violence charges and still really don't do anything about it.

Is a gold medal really worth affiliating with such a group?

The IOC found over 2,000 athletes failed the drug tests in 2000 they wrote an official letter stating that anyone purposly using drugs to enhance performance would be disqualified but then issued a new bylaw that said except the the case of unintential use and did nothing to the majority of athletes. It is the Olmypics that is the problem that bastardizes any sport it gets its hands on and abuses minors by adults the worship of 1st place at any price and the money and coruption that goes along with it. The base problem with all commercial martial art is has been the comflict of power money ego and all vices which are the exact oposite of what they are supposed to have power over. the bigger the organization the larger the paridox. It is true in a purely object manner there is only one tkd and sport and tradition are one but not in practice the worship and primary focus to elevate the elite at the cost of the general public over complete traditional art values of the whole person and tkd as a family has over time here hurt the art form even Korea itself has transitioned to a much braoder field of events to be more creative and inclusive.

There is no going back it is salvage the positive there is just this huge fear that if tkd looses its Olympic status some how it will fade away? when 99% of the people will never become elite fighters why shoud they all be slaves to it or the 1%.

Our society has the memory of an Alzhiermer patient just add a little time and they forget any offense no matter how bad. USTU is being held up as if it was the perfect model but if it had not basic problems it would have not failed and left us with mess of USAT we have today. There will be a NGB if USAT can just loose that last 15% of people it would be only natural to move it to the USTC which can serve all tkd members and I feel that
GM Lee would have the support of many who understand what we have all learned from the mistakes of USTU and USAT to build a better organization for the future.

In the meantime AAU and friendship tournaments or festivals are a much better medium to give cultural and development to our students.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Dowan50, you summed up nearly everything that I see in the olympics. I add to that the political favor trading and blatant nationalistic strutting, all at the expense of the athletes.

The olympics is a tainted institution. For four years, nobody cares about it. For a few days, people care if 'their country' wins gold. Then they forget about it.

Daniel

 

[leadleg]

If there is to be a change it will not fall to another organisation it will be another change of guard at the one you have established.
In your imagination you see the ustc as taking charge? I really don't see that as happening.President Lee would I think not even accept such a proposal,he seems to be going the direction of Hamandang type competition.

 

[puunui]

The IOC found over 2,000 athletes failed the drug tests in 2000 they wrote an official letter stating that anyone purposly using drugs to enhance performance would be disqualified but then issued a new bylaw that said except the the case of unintential use and did nothing to the majority of athletes.

First of all, denise, is this you? You don't have to create a new account to post. That's something Ray Terry would do. Just post under your regular name.

I agree with the unintentional use exclusion. Otherwise we would be excluding people who drank cough syrup with ephedrine in it from the Olympics. How does that make things better?

It is the Olmypics that is the problem that bastardizes any sport it gets its hands on and abuses minors by adults the worship of 1st place at any price and the money and coruption that goes along with it.

I disagree. The Olympic Games has inspired millions to reach their full potential. Nothing is perfect, but the Olympics in itself is a great concept, the world coming together for one big celebration. Nothing is perfect, and certainly there are things that can be worked on, but I wouldn't throw the whole thing out just because of some abuses in some sports.

The base problem with all commercial martial art is has been the comflict of power money ego and all vices which are the exact oposite of what they are supposed to have power over. the bigger the organization the larger the paridox.

what are they supposed to have power over? I don't quite understand your point.

It is true in a purely object manner there is only one tkd and sport and tradition are one but not in practice the worship and primary focus to elevate the elite at the cost of the general public over complete traditional art values of the whole person and tkd as a family has over time here hurt the art form even Korea itself has transitioned to a much braoder field of events to be more creative and inclusive.

Then we need to work on the execution, not the concept. The pioneers did everything to encourage unification. They themselves wholly adopted the new forms, the new certification and they new organizations. The problem is that not all their students embraced it in the same way.

There is no going back it is salvage the positive there is just this huge fear that if tkd looses its Olympic status some how it will fade away? when 99% of the people will never become elite fighters why shoud they all be slaves to it or the 1%.

The concern is not that Taekwondo will fade away if we lose Olympic status; it is that all the hard work and sacrifice would have been for nothing if we lose that status, especially if we lose it for reasons that could have totally been prevented. We have idiots at the helm, who have no worries that we are heading straight for the iceberg. Being in Taekwondo right now almost feels like one is a passenger on the Titanic.

If I were to think from a purely selfish perspective, I would say that even if Taekwondo loses Olympic status, then I personally would be ok, because when the USTU went down, I ceased to be vested in either our NGB or the WTF itself. So I will be ok. But then what about all of the others who do have a vested interest in seeing Taekwondo continue to be an Olympic sport, like the up and coming athletes all over the world who have trained ten or more years only to find out that their training was for nothing? Should I step on their dreams by declaring that the Olympics are bad, that I don't need Kukkiwon certification because I don't to do "sport" and to rail out every chance I get because I cannot relate to what they are doing, from my "self defense" perspective?

Our society has the memory of an Alzhiermer patient just add a little time and they forget any offense no matter how bad.

I think people have a selective memory and choose to remember only what they want to remember. There are a lot of people out there who still believe the BS about the USTU, that it was decertified (when it was NOT) and so forth.

USTU is being held up as if it was the perfect model but if it had not basic problems it would have not failed and left us with mess of USAT we have today.

I don't know if the USTU was a perfect model, but it certainly was much better than what we have now at USAT. No one really argues that point.

There will be a NGB if USAT can just loose that last 15% of people it would be only natural to move it to the USTC which can serve all tkd members and I feel that GM Lee would have the support of many who understand what we have all learned from the mistakes of USTU and USAT to build a better organization for the future.

USTC is not interested in becoming the next Taekwondo NGB in the US. There are two main candidates though who do want it. One is the MAC group, who is working very hard, and then there is the ATU, which is also working hard, but from a different angle and different approach.

In the meantime AAU and friendship tournaments or festivals are a much better medium to give cultural and development to our students.

I think that if you want to help your color belt an younger black belt athletes gain some national experience, then AAU is the place to go, for now. What everyone should be doing is boycotting USAT, on everything. Don't give them a single dime that you don't absolutely positively have to. Believe me, they are on the ropes and can't survive much longer. Everything points to an imminent meltdown.

 

[puunui]

The olympics is a tainted institution. For four years, nobody cares about it. For a few days, people care if 'their country' wins gold. Then they forget about it.

Really? Tell that to all the sincere athletes worldwide who are training 6 hours a day 6 days per week for decades so they can have a shot at representing their country at the Olympic Games. Why would anyone want to discourage anyone else from reaching their full potential and fulfilling their life long dreams?

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Really?

Really.

Tell that to all the sincere athletes worldwide who are training 6 hours a day 6 days per week for decades so they can have a shot at representing their country at the Olympic Games.

This is a public forum. I just did.

Why would anyone want to discourage anyone else from reaching their full potential and fulfilling their life long dreams?

Who said anything about discouraging people from reaching their full potential? Making it to the olympics does not necessarily equal reaching full potential. If that is the life long dream of an athlete, then they should pursue it. And anyway, who's discouraging them? If they want to participate in the Olympics, then by all means, they should go for it.

Daniel

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

The concern is not that Taekwondo will fade away if we lose Olympic status; it is that all the hard work and sacrifice would have been for nothing if we lose that status, especially if we lose it for reasons that could have totally been prevented.

All of their hard work will have been for nothing? The implication is that their only goal was olympic inclusion. If so, then yes, it would indeed be all for nothing if taekwondo loses its olympic status. But I somehow doubt that olympic inclusion was the sole aim of the pioneers.

Daniel

 

[terryl965]

Even if TKD stays in the Olympics there will be alot of people who cannot make it because every four year we only send 2 males and two females, so alot of people that will have skills but only for sport.

 

[puunui]

This is a public forum. I just did.

If that is how you truly feel about our aspiring Olympic athletes, then I don't think I have anything else to say to you.

 

[puunui]

Even if TKD stays in the Olympics there will be alot of people who cannot make it because every four year we only send 2 males and two females, so alot of people that will have skills but only for sport.

Ok, then never mind about the Olympics.