I don’t know about you, but the older I get the faster time seems to be flying.
Weird, isn’t it?
When you’re a kid, your perception of time is sooooo different.
What I have been learning and applying (not always with the greatest degree of success, I must admit) is to plan for the future, but yet be in the moment.
And with all the challenges that this crazy thing called life presents us, strive to simply seize the day and smell the roses more often.
But I digress and I am enjoying every moment of it. That’s one of the good things about aging, I guess.
Anyway, looking back at 2010, I gotta say this was another pretty good year for me, even though it had its challenges that I was able to master with the help of others. Heck, I never said I was an island.
Yet I am fully aware that unfortunately way too many people in the world continue to go through some tough times and situations.
That got me thinking again when just recently I stumbled across the Chinese word ”weiji” which translates into ”crisis” and consists of two symbols below:
And what I have been led to believe is that it is made up of both “danger” and “opportunity”.
I am not here to offer any life-coaching advice. I am just thinking aloud, because blogging offers that kind of outlet.
Al Gore, thank you for inventing the Internet!
Boy, I am all over the board in this post. A beautiful mind!
But wait, there’s more.
Don’t ask my why, but somehow I remembered this movie fight scene in the Brazilian jungle which I think just doesn’t get enough credit.
The movie’s title is “The Rundown” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Seann William Scott and Christopher Walken.
To enlighten those of you not familiar with the meaning of “rundown”:
It can mean a point-by-point summary or in baseball terms, it is a play in which a runner is trapped between bases and is pursued by fielders attempting to make the tag.
The movie is about an aspiring chef who is hired to bring home a mobster’s son from the Amazon but becomes involved in the fight against an oppressive town operator and the search for a legendary treasure.
Some of the stunts and fight scenes are pretty good, but there is this one fight scene in which “The Rock” has to fight all these guys including Ernie Reyes Jr. (yep, that’s him!) that I really enjoy.
Who else has vivid memories of that absolutely unforgettable boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) on October 30, 1974?
This fight was promoted as and even today it is simply known as “Rumble In The Jungle”.
Ali won in the 8th round by KO after fighting a very clever bout by wearing Foreman out or better letting Big George wear himself out.
But there is a different kind of “Rumble In The Jungle” that I want to introduce to you today.
Several years ago I was watching “The Rundown” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Christopher Walken and Seann William Scott.
There is one fight scene that takes place in the Brazilian jungle that always gets my attention, especially because one of the jungle fighters is played by Erne Reyes Jr. and he does an incredible job.
But I will let you be the judge:
Seann William Scott has a point when he refers to these fierce jungle fighters as “Speedy little bastards.”
It’s about time for a tribute to The Godfather Of Grappling, “Judo” Gene Lebell!
In case of an emergency, people normally call ’911′. Right?!
Well, when seasoned martial arts and wrestling greats such as Bruce Lee, Ed Parker,
Chuck Norris, Bob Wall, Ken Shamrock, Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, The Rock, Gokor
“Armenian Assassin” Chivichyan and many many more needed grappling advice and
training, guess who they called?
You guessed right, “Judo” Gene Lebell.
In 1954, as a twenty-two year old judoka, Master Gene accomplished something
at the National Judo Championships in Japan nobody had done before:
He won the Heavyweight Title as the first non-Japanese weighing only 165 lbs.!
Master Gene repeated this extraordinary acomplishment the next year.
All while competing in a pink judo gi. So what’s with funky colored gi?
I’m glad you asked.
When Master Gene was in Japan the first time, the laundry service cleaning his gi
messed up big time by somehow throwing in red clothing and so turning his white gi
into the now infamous pink.
Master Gene had no choice but to compete in pink. The Japanese were outraged,
because they considered it disrespectful. Traditions can be very strong.
Master Gene prevailed and the pink gi has been his trademark ever since.
So, when looking around a dojo you knew that dangerous guy was always the one wearing pink.
For years he continued to successfully compete in the Judo and Pro-Wrestling.
His proven skills have helped him in stunt-work in literally hundreds of movies
along side with celebrities such as Elvis Presley, Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.
Master Gene continues to share his vast knowledge in Los Angeles and at seminars
around the country such as the Paradise Warrior Retreat with other martial arts legends.
Master Gene is certainly not your typical 77-year old.
He’s as sharp as a tack and as witty as they come. And he owns the mat.
And what’s absolutely amazing: His sleeper choke keeps on putting people to sleep within seconds.
Nobody does it better!
Or as the famous saying goes, “When in doubt, choke him out.”
Let me know if any of you have met “Judo” Gene Lebell in person.
