I must say, it was rather amazing to see what Tony could do in a wheelchair this past weekend, instructing with a tanjo from the chair. I know I'm not the only one who was saying how much he got from the past weekend--I really look forward to the Taikai.
Oh, and here you go, Tony, when you decide to open your new Ryu:
"Soke Grandmaster Tony Alvarez 10th-dan Hanshi of Isu Ryu Iaido. Isu Ryu Iaido was developed by injured samurai warriors in the 11th century. It was incorporated into the Yowamushi Ryu system of Ninjutsu to deceive opponents into believing that the practitioner was so severely injured they could pose absolutely no threat to their opponents. Isu Ryu was passed down in secluded villages, who took in the wounded samurai from the field and gave them a new goal in life.
"Because the formation of Isu Ryu was based on injured samurai who did not kill themselves as everyone thought 'appropriate', they were removed from all mention in the historical record. Only recently have archaeologists uncovered recent indications that a contingent of Isu Ryu practitioners sided with the pro-Toyotomi forces in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Even now, the prejudice against Isu Ryu is so great, that the Japanese authorities have tried to discount and cover up this great archaeological find. However, an early Edo period recollection of the battle includes the following contemporary comment regarding Kobayakawa, who turned the tide in the battle by his betrayal of Ishida Mitsunari: "[Kobayakawa] had always held them [Isu Ryu] in disdain for their lack of honor. He later said that it was because of the wheels [kuruma] of those he hated being given preference to him that he finally made up his mind to join the fight on the side of the [soon-to-be] Shogun."
"Some critics maintain that 'kuruma' refers to supply carts and that this was simply a dispute over precedence given to the baggage trains. However, recent archaeological evidence would appear to contradict this theory. Unfortunately, the original document was lost when the building containing it in Tokyo was destroyed during World War II, leaving only later copies, where government controls have removed any mention of Isu Ryu.
"Using secret scrolls and years of martial training, Soke Grandmaster Alvarez has reconstructed this Ryu from the spiritual inspiration of the original founders. Soke Grandmaster Hanshi Renshi Kyoshi Shidoshi Alvarez Sensei was on retreat in the mountains when he had a 'spiritual experience' where he learned the pain and anguish of those wounded samurai. In that moment he was overcome with a sense of compassion and need, and vowed to revive their dead art.
"Thus it is that he has mastered the 12 secrets of Kurumaisu-giri, and wishes to impart them to the truly worthy. However, Hanshi Kyoshi Grandmaster Alvarez Sensei cannot just let the secrets of Isu Ryu be passed on to anyone, because they have great potential for harm. Therefore, only those willing to undergo a significant sacrifice will be accepted. Also, because money is an ugly thing that corrupts the soul, we prefer not to deal in cash. Please send Grandmaster Soke your financial bank account information and we shall be able to withdraw funds as needed without the corruptible influence of money entering into the pure world of Japanese martial arts."