Does Judo Make a Good Dictator?

[DustyMars]

Funny watching the unhappy Putin after the Olympics and now the Ukraine uprising. Maybe he would have more fun in Judo than being a dictator. He will most likely put the arm bar on the new Ukraine leaders. I now wonder if his Judo is not all it’s cracked up to be?

[Joseph Svinth]

Was Curtis LeMay's all that great? Probably not. I have seen video of Elvis's karate, though. I'd say Elvis was a very solid recreational player.

[DustyMars]

:laugh: Joe, Elvis couldn't even play a guitar well! Man, we were all jealous as hell of him in the 50's. He got all the girls. Maybe it was the way we played? Never quite got the hang of all those leg wiggles :)

Gen LeMay I think was a sandan, but who promoted him was most likely Mel Bruno or Kotani sensei for political reasons. It does happen, you know. I think by that time Curt was ready to gang it up. Gen Power on the other hand actually did Judo. They both helped foster Judo here, but so did I and never got any particular grading for it :) I do know some kudans in the USA that may have been promoted fro reasons other than skills and knowledge. Judo politics is almost as bad a karate politics........

Maybe you should post a write up about the good old days, Joe?

[gendzwil]

I always heard Putin's judo was legit. Rank is currently way inflated, he got a BS hachidan from some org or another.

[DustyMars]

Only watched a few videos of him in randori and he actually is impressive. If I were grading him he would probably be a good yodan, maybe godan -- and that is saying something. He does not do Sambo, the so-called Russian Judo that is more like our TV wrestling and Judo, IMHO, so to speak. He was a KGB Colonel and like any good mafia, he done good -- but those guys are not our friends. Yeah, I am still stuck in the cold war, but remember it well. BTW, we went from hardly no ranks to inflated ranks, world wide, and it is just saying rank sucks. My old karate sensei on Okinawa laughed at it but went along for business use. They got it from Judo and all of the old guys promoted themselves to hachidan in 1938. I first met three of them in 1960 when they were just getting kudan. They were never impressed with it all and neither was I.

[LGatling]

Putin's ice hockey skills were recently showcased, too! A hat trick, no less, against a pro team. But his judo is serious. He was given an honorary promotion at the Kodokan and he said some very humble things, saying he didn't deserve it, and planned to practice hard to merit. Lance Gatling

[DustyMars]

Watching Putin vids is interesting. His technique is very good, IMHO, and he seems to be having fun at it as well. That's what it is all about though. Since I have been off the mat for decades maybe it is not my right to review his Judo.

[LGatling]

Watching Putin vids is interesting. His technique is very good, IMHO, and he seems to be having fun at it as well. That's what it is all about though. Since I have been off the mat for decades maybe it is not my right to review his Judo.Decades off the mat or not, your eyes are good. Putin is skilled, fit, moves well, and comfortable in close, hard contact. Then there's another guy:http://kocosports.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Obama-Judo.jpg

[DustyMars]

El Destruicto, comrade Obama seems out of place.