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Message no. 1
From: "Ratinac, Rand (NSW)" <RRatinac@*****.REDCROSS.ORG.AU>
Subject: Re: Martial Arts Idea (Going slightly off topic here)
Date: Tue, 20 Oct 1998 10:26:28 +1000
<snips>
> >It does, in spades. It is for this reason that most Korean TKD
> players
> >wouldn't even think of serving up a KO kick (spin hook, high
> roundhouse,
> >axe) until there were 3 or 4 initial kicks. Even so, Herb Perez, for
> >example, went to the Olympics mainly on the strength (so to speak ;-)
> of
> >his roundhouse.
>
> Don't know the guy, but he sounds like a one-trick pony. If that
> one-trick
> is phenomenal, it can take that pony places, but eventually, it'll
> wear
> thin. True regardless of sport or whatever. Specialists can be
> impressive, but I'm not convinced they have long term prospects in
> sport,
> the workplace or possibly even in "life" depending on which one-trick
> they
> rely upon.
>
> Erik J.
>
Errr...one thing you're wrong about there, Erik. Think American sports,
particularly football and baseball. In baseball you have guys who all
they do is pitch (although they can do that well), or all they do is
hit. Do they have pinch runners in baseball (you know, college sprinters
who never quite made it as serious runners)? In football, you have an
entire 'special team' devoted just to returning punts and blocking and
other such 'one play' junk (I think). And then you have the kicker. Go
out, kick a goal, sit down again. Go out, punt the ball, sit down again.
These are the guys who treat their kicking feet better than they do
their families.

So there is a place for one-trick ponies, and it's called American
sports. :) Don't get me wrong, I find baseball fascinating and I
absolutely LOVE football - but you have to admit, in them you have the
equivalent of doctors specialising in ailments affecting the left
nostril only.

Oh, and I wouldn't recommend replying to this one (much). We're already
WAY off topic here. :)

*Doc': I'm sorry, sir, I can't help you. Your estranged wife cut off
your RIGHT testicle. I only know how to treat left testicular maladies.*

Doc'

.sig Sauer
Message no. 2
From: Erik Jameson <erikj@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Martial Arts Idea (Going slightly off topic here)
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 23:56:37 -0400
At 10:26 AM 10/20/98 +1000, you wrote:

>> Don't know the guy, but he sounds like a one-trick pony.
>
>Errr...one thing you're wrong about there, Erik. Think American sports,
>particularly football and baseball. In baseball you have guys who all
>they do is pitch (although they can do that well), or all they do is
>hit. Do they have pinch runners in baseball (you know, college sprinters
>who never quite made it as serious runners)? In football, you have an
>entire 'special team' devoted just to returning punts and blocking and
>other such 'one play' junk (I think). And then you have the kicker. Go
>out, kick a goal, sit down again. Go out, punt the ball, sit down again.
>These are the guys who treat their kicking feet better than they do
>their families.

Err, no, I'm not wrong. Think more specifically. A pitcher who can only
throw a good fastball is going to be fairly limited; they'll tear up the
league for a year, maybe two or three, but by that point, if he hasn't
developed another pitch, he's not going to be making the big bucks anymore.

Pinch runners are *not* college sprinters who never made it. They are
usually average players with better than average speed; they wouldn't be on
the roster is they couldn't hit or field.

In football, special teams players are typically players who are second or
third string players for other positions, such as defensive back,
linebacker, fullback, etc. Instead of risking injury to the starters and
to give those second stringers play time and make their salaries worth
carrying, they are put on special teams.

>So there is a place for one-trick ponies, and it's called American
>sports. :) Don't get me wrong, I find baseball fascinating and I
>absolutely LOVE football - but you have to admit, in them you have the
>equivalent of doctors specialising in ailments affecting the left
>nostril only.

No, not quite. Not a slam, but I'd suggest you look closer at the sports
you claim feature one trick ponies. They do exist, but they tend not to be
around for too long.

>Oh, and I wouldn't recommend replying to this one (much). We're already
>WAY off topic here. :)

Actually...one trick pony shadowrunners tend not to last either. Gotta
have a skill set of more than one thing in order to survive the shadows
too. Just like any other part of life I'd say.

Erik J.

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Thwap!