Aaron Cook Signs up for US Open!!!!

[terryl965]

I do not think he is scared by anymeans, what I believe is they do not support the USAT in such a manner that they should be doing. If you are the Elite the best we have to offer at the Olympics than you should be sitting the example for our future competitors. The last thing is David and the USAT has said that the elites of the world should use the US Open as a warm up to the games but yet our athletes are not there and USAT plays them alot of money and stipends, so it would seem they should be. I am sorry if some do not see this as a slap in the face to our younger athletes.:asian:

 

[leadleg]

What is a lot of money,as far as stipends? There is more to the game than what you may want to think about.Do your fighters fight at every tournament available.What about a local tourney a few days before nationals,would you send your athlete's? If not are you slapping the face of your red belts?
I see people angry at Steven but not Charlotte or others. I would say we should get behind Luke Ford at this time and mention how he could come out of the open looking really good if he defends the US well.
I do not really have strong feelings towards steven but I have not had a reason to doubt his strategy or his ability up to this point.
Now if you wanna bad mouth Jean he has raised some ire in me.

 

[terryl965]

What is a lot of money,as far as stipends? There is more to the game than what you may want to think about.Do your fighters fight at every tournament available.What about a local tourney a few days before nationals,would you send your athlete's? If not are you slapping the face of your red belts?
I see people angry at Steven but not Charlotte or others. I would say we should get behind Luke Ford at this time and mention how he could come out of the open looking really good if he defends the US well.
I do not really have strong feelings towards steven but I have not had a reason to doubt his strategy or his ability up to this point.
Now if you wanna bad mouth Jean he has raised some ire in me.

Leadleg you are right all of our elites should be at the US Open, I am not bashing Steven or Charlotte or any of them, what I am saying is our very own CEO of USAT is telling the world to bring there best but yet our's do not come. I see this as bad for the growth of TKD here in the states.

As far as my athlete no they would not do a local tournament a week before a major, I am taking my athletes to the Open and they are talking about seeing NIA and Aaron fight. I would love for them to be saying they want to see the other top athletes of the US fighting for there country.

 

[leadleg]

Noone seems to care what David Askinas says, I don't really blame them.

 

[terryl965]

Noone seems to care what David Askinas says, I don't really blame them.

This is sooo true......

 

[Gorilla]

Steven Lopez is a great fighter!

Steven Lopez is not scared!

He has an outdated strategy!

He does not support TKD in the USA!

From what I have heard his stipend in between 5k and 9k per month!

 

[puunui]

I don't believe in attacking athletes. I believe instead that we should support them. There are enough people out there gunning for Steven Lopez from other countries, so I think the least that we can do is get his back. We often hear the about how athletes should be our primary concern.How does attacking steven lopez further that goal? Without Steven Lopez and the Lopez family, the US Team would be near the bottom of the medal count at every WTF International Event. We have fallen so far that they are the only ones who we can consistently count on for international medals. All champions have a screw loose. It's part of what makes them champions.

 

[Gorilla]

I don't believe in attacking athletes. I believe instead that we should support them. There are enough people out there gunning for Steven Lopez from other countries, so I think the least that we can do is get his back. We often hear the about how athletes should be our primary concern.How does attacking steven lopez further that goal? Without Steven Lopez and the Lopez family, the US Team would be near the bottom of the medal count at every WTF International Event. We have fallen so far that they are the only ones who we can consistently count on for international medals. All champions have a screw loose. It's part of what makes them champions.

I like to call it challenging Mr. Lopez...

I think that he should fight at the US Open...

Nia won Silver Medal...Other fighters may have won @ the Olympics...

Other fighters who have medaled at Worlds M. Meloon, T Thackrey, Charlotte Craig, N Abdullah...D. Villa for Mexico (Silver) had to leave the country to get a fair shake...Not to mention all the pre-Lopez era winners!!!!

The USAT has put all there $ into the Lopez's

 

[leadleg]

Steven Lopez is a great fighter!

Steven Lopez is not scared!

He has an outdated strategy!

He does not support TKD in the USA!

From what I have heard his stipend in between 5k and 9k per month!

Hmmm, I am not sure of the stipend amount, who is getting it or how it is broken down, I'd like to hear something more concrete than what a gorilla heard.
Steven fights for the USA in the Olympics, how can you even think that he does not support the USA? Who is supporting the USA TKD more?
As I said before his strategies have worked well for him so far. Where have your strategies been proven?
Why are you onto Steven and not the other elite fighters who are not attending the open?
I also do not understand the statement about Mandy etc having to go out of the country for a fair shake? You mean like Peter Lopez?

 

[Gorilla]

Hmmm, I am not sure of the stipend amount, who is getting it or how it is broken down, I'd like to hear something more concrete than what a gorilla heard.
Steven fights for the USA in the Olympics, how can you even think that he does not support the USA? Who is supporting the USA TKD more?
As I said before his strategies have worked well for him so far. Where have your strategies been proven?
Why are you onto Steven and not the other elite fighters who are not attending the open?
I also do not understand the statement about Mandy etc having to go out of the country for a fair shake? You mean like Peter Lopez?

Damian Villa had to leave the country. He is fighting for Mexico.

I did not say anything about Mandy leaving the country!

The other Elite fighters have fought recently in (Jan)Colorado(World Team Trials). Most of them have fights coming for Pan Am Qualification. Most of the Elite fighters have fought at the US Open regularly.

And None of them have stated that they are the first family of TKD.

 

[d1jinx]

I must admit, it is a bit concerning that the "best" aren't competing on our home land.

Thats like throughing a Frat party and the hosting Frat has minimal participation.

 

[Gorilla]

I have beaten this to death.

These are my final thoughts!

Steven Lopez is a great fighter!
He should fight in the US Open Regularly.
I feel his current strategy is flawed based on changes in the game!
I would love to see him fight Aaron Cook at the US Open in such an up close setting. It would be something to see!
Fighting in the Olympic's for the USA is as much about himself as it is for the USA.
Fighting at the US Open would show his support for TKD. His chance to give back!

In the end all that I am asking him to do is fight in what would probably be his last US Open. May be next year. Who knows after his serious career ends he will start to fight at the US Open regularly.

 

[Dad of lady Taz!]

To me, this problem can easily be solved at the administrative level.

1. If you are a national team member you MUST compete at the U.S. Open and (insert other tournaments here).

2. In case of injury and you are unable to compete, you must show up and volunteer at the U.S. open.

3. You miss 2 events because of injury, your spot goes to the person who came in second at the team trials.

This (or something like it) will keep the athletes visible and showing up to keep their team spot.

 

[puunui]

OTC Coach Han Won LEE used to require all OTC resident athletes to compete at US Open. He also used to require all OTC resident athletes to compete at Nationals, in both sparring and poomsae.

 

[puunui]

Thats like throughing a Frat party and the hosting Frat has minimal participation.

The majority of competitors at US Open are coming from the US, so I don't know if your frat analogy applies. I understand that many athletes are taking time off because there really is no more competition for national team spots until 2013. If you didn't medal at the recent events, then you are pretty much shut out for national team trial track events until then. Many players are down about this, especially those who lost because of faulty lajust equipment. There is a bitter taste in many competitor's mouths about this.

 

[puunui]

I'm told that Mexico brought their A B and C Teams from their Olympic Training Center and that they are dominating the competition.

 

[Gorilla]

my daughter made it to the quarter finals Sr Fin. Fought the Mexican B team member won 7-2. Quarter final match was against the Mexican A team member(fought at worlds 2009). She lost 12/7. This was her 2nd US Open fighting as a Sr and her 2nd quarter final finish. It was a great experience for her and she increased her world ranking points should move into the top 50 again! Not bad for a 16 year old!

Lots of Mexicans fighting. Mexico really supports it team! My daughter gained allot of experience fighting them. She learned quite bit this trip. It was a great experience!

 

[Gorilla]

Revived this old thread...based on the Olympics...I called for Lopez to fight and gain world ranking points...never saw what would happen to cook..interesting read!!!!!