Things that p*ss me off...

M

MartialArtist

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The entire website on the "Temple Ninja Master" whatever is hilarious. The entire school looks like a kid's room during the ninja phase (a lot of us have had a ninja phase) where it's an attempt to look "Eastern" but ends up having the weirdest combinations such as a Chinese artifact imitation on Japanese furniture, etc.
 

Tapps

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Hello Folks,

very entertaining over here.

My only comment is:

Go rent THE LAST DRAGON.

Bruce leroy is my hero :D :D :asian: :D :D
 

gozanryu

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Matt, I know, I know! Its UNBELEIVABLE! Ive seen the photos, Ive met people who have known him for decades. With all seriousness, the ISBN for the book is 1-891764-00-04. If you dont want to buy it, I'll send you a copy. (you gotta send it back) Ninjitsu (Ninjutsu) aside, Dojo style aside. (I kinda like the museum/dojo look)

MartialArtist, I only wish I.d had a room like that when I was a kid. Funny that you would question his "style" of Dojo setup. Hmm, when all else fails, question the choice of wall paper. If your ever in town, you might want to stop by and see the place. I think you might be surprised by the quality of some of the pieces in his collection. I note that you lack precision when describing the "imitation" chinese artifact.
 
J

jdmills

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Ken,

If you believe he is legitimat, so be it. You know him better than any of us do so why not just let it rest? You have to admit, all of those credentials together create a pretty unbelievable package. I'm not saying it is not possible, just very, very difficult. However, if Mr. Phelps is in his 50's, and he was in Viet Nam in '69 (34, not 35 years ago - to help YOU with the math) that would mean that he was in his late teens or very early 20's in '69 and in his late 20's or early 30's when he graduated from BUD/s.

Your point about how he decorates his school is accurate. That is entirely up to him. His choice proves nothing regarding his martial arts ability.

Nobody here has been able to refute any of the claims. I have personally verified (as best I am able) that he was a Navy SEAL. That does not make him a 10th degree black belt though and it certainly would have been very difficult to earn the credentials that he claims and devote the time necessary to rise to such a high rank. Again, I am not saying it is impossible, just difficult, and until his claims can be disproven, the fact that his SEAL training checks out carries a significant amount of weight with me. Others can make their own decisions.
 
J

jdmills

Guest
Originally posted by gozanryu
There is a funny book you can get called "Demon Chaser" In it you will see pictures of Sensei Phelps in Vietnam in 1969, pictures of him in uniform, "ringing out" BUD/S graduation in 1979, then in 1984 with SEAL TRident, pictures in uniform with General George Patton Jr. Pictures with Admiral Christoph at OCS graduation in Newport, RI in 1981. Pictures in Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan, Masada, Palmyra, Petra, Damascus etc. Also pictures of him being ordained as an Episcopal Priest. Pictures with the Fu Family in Guangzhou, China. Hmmm

That's a lot of pictures. General George Patton Jr. died in 1945 of injuries from a car accident. (???).

Now I am confused. How is this possible?
 

qizmoduis

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This may or may not have relevance, but here are the details of the book "Demon Chaser":

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Demon Chaser: Five Mountain Path of the True Warrior Spirit
Author: Shannon K. Phelps

Binding: Paperback, 200 pages
Publisher: Temple of the Full Autumn Moon
Published Date: 12/01/1997
List: USD $24.95
ISBN: 1891764004

------------
http://www.addall.com/Browse/Detail/1891764004.html

Unfortunately, such a work cannot be used as corroboration in this particular instance.
 

gozanryu

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The George Patton in question is Major General George Patton (retired), Nephew of Ruth, George's (of WW2 fame) Sister.

The reason I have not let it rest is simple. People like to talk smack with impunity. Here is a man who has had a Career many dream of, ditto for the education. So, naturally, it must all be fake. Well, guess what, its not. If you see the pictures, check around a bit, it all comes together. He is exactly who he says he is. The MA part is up for authenticity debate, as far as the style, no question. Is the story incredulous? Yes. Does it check out? Yes. any of you really think that just anybody can stroll onto the quarter deck at Coronado? Do you really think this man co-erced all of these Generals and Admirals for photo-ops?
(while impersonating a Naval officer.) I'm not trying to beat it to death, I always look for the truth, whether it supports, or confounds, my point of view.
 
M

MartialArtist

Guest
Originally posted by gozanryu
Matt, I know, I know! Its UNBELEIVABLE! Ive seen the photos, Ive met people who have known him for decades. With all seriousness, the ISBN for the book is 1-891764-00-04. If you dont want to buy it, I'll send you a copy. (you gotta send it back) Ninjitsu (Ninjutsu) aside, Dojo style aside. (I kinda like the museum/dojo look)

MartialArtist, I only wish I.d had a room like that when I was a kid. Funny that you would question his "style" of Dojo setup. Hmm, when all else fails, question the choice of wall paper. If your ever in town, you might want to stop by and see the place. I think you might be surprised by the quality of some of the pieces in his collection. I note that you lack precision when describing the "imitation" chinese artifact.
So you're saying the way he arranges his studio is of no relevence? Just look at the way it's set up. Instructor is kneeling down on his own little platform, and the school is more furnished than a 5-star sushi joint. They don't even do that in Asia, but he's trying to set the image up.

Do you know the man personally? If you do, what do you have to say about his teachings? I don't know about you, but almost everyone here doubts him. Can you clear it up please?

Try to make a hypothetical situation from reading his biography. He probably enlisted in the Army when he was 18-20. To get in the Special Forces takes quite a while, even back in the day. Got out. He was still in his twenties. Then he enlisted in the Navy. Became a SEAL and was comissioned... Comissioned through what green-to-gold program? He was in the Navy for seven years. Then he became an officer for the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in the Golan Heights, Syria and Southern Lebanon. He probably wasn't in the Navy during that time, because peace-keeping isn't really what the SEALs are used for. He then became a case officer in the in the counter-terrorist task force. Hmmm... He enlisted in the Army, enlisted in the Navy, became a SEAL and was comissioned. He never went to college as far as we know up to that point... And a college degree is required for 99.99% of all officers in any branch, nonetheless a certified case officer in the CIA. He then spent two days in a monastery. Finally, he goes to college (how did he get into Stanford after all the time off?) and got his BA. He has a masters from Harvard. A masters degree means a minumum 6 years most of the time and sometimes even more. He then has a Masters degree from Yale, which means another 6+ years. That is unless he also majored in those subjects during his studying at Stanford or Harvard. Nonetheless, the minimum for earning all of those degrees would be 10 years I'd say. Don Roley or Ryushikan or anyone in Japan can clarify on whether anyone in Japan has ever heard of Shorinjin Ryu Saito Ninjitsu. During that time span of balancing his military, government official life, and his martial arts studies, I logically can't see how he could do that much.

And yeah, people can buy "Stanford Degrees" off the internet. Anyway, if you want, you can go to that website I posted on whether you can verify if he was a SEAL or not.

It looks like you've been to his school at least once, can you describe him and his teachings?
 
J

jdmills

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Don't bother checking out the SEAL claim. I did and it checks out.
 

gozanryu

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"So you're saying the way he arranges his studio is of no relevence? Just look at the way it's set up. Instructor is kneeling down on his own little platform, and the school is more furnished than a 5-star sushi joint. They don't even do that in Asia, but he's trying to set the image up."

Yes, thats what I am saying. It is his dojo. Can he, or can he not, do what he wants with the decor?


"Do you know the man personally? If you do, what do you have to say about his teachings? I don't know about you, but almost everyone here doubts him. Can you clear it up please?"


Yes, I know him. I have been his student since 1995. I dont know what, specifically, you mean by "doubt" him. I think the Art is the "real deal" as far as effecacy and application is concerned. I have met quite a few high ranking Sifu's and Sensei's who(m) think so to.

"Don Roley or Ryushikan or anyone in Japan can clarify on whether anyone in Japan has ever heard of Shorinjin Ryu Saito Ninjitsu. During that time span of balancing his military, government official life, and his martial arts studies, I logically can't see how he could do that much."


We have been there and done that. No one that any of the aforementioned has contacted, as well as any written sources, can authenticate Saito Ninjitsu.


"And yeah, people can buy "Stanford Degrees" off the internet. Anyway, if you want, you can go to that website I posted on whether you can verify if he was a SEAL or not."

Ha! OK,
 
OP
Matt Stone

Matt Stone

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Originally posted by MartialArtist
So you're saying the way he arranges his studio is of no relevence? Just look at the way it's set up. Instructor is kneeling down on his own little platform, and the school is more furnished than a 5-star sushi joint. They don't even do that in Asia, but he's trying to set the image up.

While I will be the first to say that things look too good to be true and far too James Bond-ish for me to believe it too readily, how the man decorates his school is up to him... There was one instructor I knew once upon a time that taught out of a barely finished storefront - unfinished cement floor, exposed dry wall, etc. But to him and his students it was "home."

Try to make a hypothetical situation from reading his biography. He probably enlisted in the Army when he was 18-20. To get in the Special Forces takes quite a while, even back in the day. Got out. He was still in his twenties. Then he enlisted in the Navy. Became a SEAL and was comissioned... Comissioned through what green-to-gold program? He was in the Navy for seven years. Then he became an officer for the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in the Golan Heights, Syria and Southern Lebanon. He probably wasn't in the Navy during that time, because peace-keeping isn't really what the SEALs are used for. He then became a case officer in the in the counter-terrorist task force. Hmmm... He enlisted in the Army, enlisted in the Navy, became a SEAL and was comissioned. He never went to college as far as we know up to that point... And a college degree is required for 99.99% of all officers in any branch, nonetheless a certified case officer in the CIA. He then spent two days in a monastery. Finally, he goes to college (how did he get into Stanford after all the time off?) and got his BA. He has a masters from Harvard. A masters degree means a minumum 6 years most of the time and sometimes even more. He then has a Masters degree from Yale, which means another 6+ years. That is unless he also majored in those subjects during his studying at Stanford or Harvard. Nonetheless, the minimum for earning all of those degrees would be 10 years I'd say.

I posted a similar timeline earlier in the thread... Still waiting for Mr. Phelps to clear things up. If he does, great. It will shut all of us up on the issue. If he doesn't, then we can assume whatever we like. He doesn't "owe" us an explanation, but one would certainly be widely appreciated... I think all of the things he claims could be accomplished, but the issue isn't that they could be done, but that they could be done while simultaneously studying and mastering an obscure art that is relatively unheard of outside of Hawaii...

Don Roley or Ryushikan or anyone in Japan can clarify on whether anyone in Japan has ever heard of Shorinjin Ryu Saito Ninjitsu. During that time span of balancing his military, government official life, and his martial arts studies, I logically can't see how he could do that much.

Well, you can check Japan, but that doesn't mean that everybody has heard of everybody... I can't believe I am playing Devil's Advocate on this one, but you could ask until you are blue in the face and still come away with nothing...

And yeah, people can buy "Stanford Degrees" off the internet. Anyway, if you want, you can go to that website I posted on whether you can verify if he was a SEAL or not.

Has anybody checked with the Registrar's Office of either of the universities he claims to hold Master's Degrees from? I am sure they could rapidly verify his alumnus status.

Gambarimasu.
:asian:
 
M

MartialArtist

Guest
[Edit] Two days in the monastery to two years as posted in his bio
 
M

MartialArtist

Guest
The only real contact I have with Stanford is that a cousin of one of my son's friends plays football there (Brett Pierce). Trying to find whether or not he got a degree is a time-consuming process if you don't have some contact with somebody that I don't care to partake.

But conveniently being a veteran, an officer, a CIA officer, a Navy SEAL, and having degrees from top schools does seem a bit suspicious. The only thing he's missing is a PhD from Princeton and a masters from MIT and Berkeley, being a Delta Force member, etc.

One thing about the SEALs. There's the testing period where about 20% at the most make it. I think it's a 52-week program, I don't remember. And that's just basically the qualifying period. Officers get "A" training I believe what it is called, and almost everybody goes to jump school. But either way, he has to have given up decades just for his military training and not his hand-to-hand combat training. He doesn't even list what SEAL team he belongs to.

The biggest indicator to me that he is lying (not 100% though) is that he claims he was a Navy SEAL officer. There are about 20-30 openings (don't quote me on this) for an officer in the SEAL groups. 20-30 for all teams I believe it is. About 80% of the openings go to graduates of the Naval Academy.
 
C

chufeng

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Stanford's on-line courses run $1199 per credit hour...
A PhD, Doctoral degree other than a PhD, and even a Master's level course would be VERY EXPENSIVE...not to mention, that on-line university courses are a recent phenomenon.

Yale does have a Master's of Divinity degree.

As far as learning a martial art while going to school...if you're not working your way through college, there is PLENTY of time to train.

Although the story seems suspiscious, I am witholding any criticisms or judgements.

:asian:
chufeng
 

gozanryu

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Martial Artist, Not only does he claim to be an officer, the Navy claims his to be an officer. An officer with a Trident on his uniform.
 

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