Author Topic: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008  (Read 181298 times)

peregrine

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #150 on: August 09, 2008, 06:50:24 PM »
For matching height/weight, just look to Roger Tinkoff (C-Space Dog).  He challenged and fought Tom Kier for a single stick fight at his first Gathering.   A 2x weight and strength difference is a true Gathering experience.  Granted, that's tougher to find for the larger guys.


Sting-
wow what a first fight. Did he know who Tom Kier was before he called him out?

btw congrats on the baby? How long till you fight again?

Crafty_Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #151 on: August 09, 2008, 07:03:23 PM »
Tom did not go easy on him either.  A lot of men would not have come back after that.

peregrine

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #152 on: August 09, 2008, 07:08:38 PM »
Tom did not go easy on him either.  A lot of men would not have come back after that.



A guy that comes back after an experience like that is something very special. great heart.

pretty_kitty

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #153 on: August 09, 2008, 09:16:57 PM »
Here is the final list of registered fighters!  Good luck tomorrow!

http://www.dogbrothers.com/adobedocs/registered-fighters.doc

 :-D
Cindy "Pretty Kitty" Denny.
Dog Brothers, Inc.

Crafty_Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #154 on: August 09, 2008, 10:20:58 PM »
Reminder: See page three of this thread for Pappy Dog's post giving the details for the Fighters Post Gathering Get-together.

Guide Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #155 on: August 09, 2008, 10:21:13 PM »
I keep a ton of gear in the back of my car on a regular basis. I just got back inside from setting up a smaller bag for tomorrow. I have a pair of gloves that I have been fighting in since my second Gathering. I swear they were pulsing/humming/vibrating a little bit as I set them into the smaller bag.

For the newbies fighting tomorrow, you are about to do something that most people would go out of their way to avoid, and you will be changed for the better when you come out on the other side. As for the friends that I have made through DBMA, I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow. As usual, it is going to be an amazing day!

Let's get out there tomorrow and have a great time!   :-D 8-) :lol: :mrgreen:
Dr. Bryan Stoops, Ed.D.
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pappydog

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Props to Rog and Guide Dog
« Reply #156 on: August 09, 2008, 11:04:18 PM »
I saw that fight with Tom and Rog. He let Rog have it and Rog stood his ground and fought back. Impressive.

Guide Dog, I would be honored if you would take some my new guys out for a fight tomorrow. I know you will give them a good fight in the spirit of Dog Brothers and the day. I will come find you or if you get a chance see me before the fights get started and I will introduce you.

Thanks in advance,

Pappy Dog

PhilipG

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #157 on: August 10, 2008, 04:00:01 AM »
Good luck everyone.

Sleddog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #158 on: August 10, 2008, 08:02:38 PM »
too much fun, thank you all for an awesome time
those who do not listen learn through feeling

Scurvy Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #159 on: August 10, 2008, 08:05:10 PM »
Great fights today guys! It was an awesome event once again and congratulations goes out to all those who advanced within the Tribe!

SB_Mig

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #160 on: August 10, 2008, 08:52:55 PM »
Thanks to Guro Crafty and Pretty Kitty.

Thanks to "Big Steve" for not taking me to the ground and crushing me.

Thanks to War Dog for letting me know what worked.

Thanks to Jeff for the solid challenge.

Thanks to the Canadians for their joking in the face of adversity.

Thanks to everyone for showing up and keeping the spirit alive.

Miguel


Guide Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #161 on: August 10, 2008, 09:27:46 PM »
Congratulations to all those today with tribe ascensions. A good day with good, hard energy. I double the thanks to Guro Crafty and Pretty Kitty. It was a good venue and a good crowd of fighters and spectators. Congrats to all on a fine day!
Dr. Bryan Stoops, Ed.D.
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JKD/FMA/Silat/muay Thai/DBMA,
Savate/Wing Chun/grappling
http://stoops-martial-arts-academy.com/
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Growling Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #162 on: August 10, 2008, 10:05:02 PM »
thanks to dean for patching us up
those who do not listen learn through feeling

sting

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #163 on: August 11, 2008, 12:09:31 PM »
[wow what a first fight. Did he know who Tom Kier was before he called him out?

btw congrats on the baby? How long till you fight again?

Actually, I'm not sure if it was Rog's first stick fight, but it was definitely his first Gathering.  Rog is a rare example of courage.  He knew Tom Kier because Guro Kier ran some of the Sayoc Kali training sessions at the DB Training Camp in the summer of 2002.  And Tom was a tough instructor.

Little Bolveys is doing well. He's pushing a 5 gallon water bottle as a walking aid.  I'm in decent fight shape, so I hope to be back at the next Gathering.  Miss you guys.  On Sunday, I had the strong feeling that I should be in LA fighting instead of porking up on Dim Sum in San Francisco at my family reunion.

Baltic Dog

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SB_Mig

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #164 on: August 11, 2008, 12:43:21 PM »

sting

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #165 on: August 11, 2008, 01:03:12 PM »
Here's a bunch of pics from Sunday:

http://picasaweb.google.com/sbcoast/GatheringOfThePackSummer2008?authkey=DZiMZwSeUBQ

Thank you for posting the pix.   This bunch looks especially fierce.  There is a guy in there that almost looks like Corey Davis. 
Baltic Dog

Go Shin Jutsu Kenpo (Prof. Richard Lewis)
3rd Degree Black Belt Instructor

Bono JKD/Kajukenbo (Prof. John Bono)
Gentlemen's Fighting Club

Crafty_Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #166 on: August 11, 2008, 01:22:08 PM »
Nah, this one is too skinny  :lol:  BTW, it was Pound Dog's 50th birthday yesterday.

Folks, would you please send your fotos to info@dogbrothers.com so that we can post them in our gallery too?

Brian_A

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #167 on: August 11, 2008, 01:37:53 PM »
Big Thanks to Guro Crafty and the rest of the Dogs for the "Gathering of the Pack"

Big thanks to  Pappy Dog (my teacher), Junkyard Dog, Seeing Eye Dog, Matt, Eric, Chuck.. basically the entire N. Hollywood crew for training, guidance, and preparing me for my first Gathering.

I haven't been training long and truthfully was having second thoughts on participating in the Gathering.... but once I  verbally said it out loud and told Pappy Dog "I'm going to do it"... I knew there was no turning back! Then I downloaded the fighters registration doc and saw my name and thought to myself " OH SNAPS!  Brian what did you get your self into!" I learned a lot about myself on Sunday and I thank you all. 

Guide Dog, thank you for the fight.  I have a lot more to learn and I hope to be a more of a challenging opponent for you at the next Gathering.  The same goes for my new friends from Canada... thank you.

Mauricio and Maynard... Gracias and Salamat po for the 2x2 knife.  It was fast, hectic, and fun as hell.


 


peregrine

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #168 on: August 11, 2008, 07:09:15 PM »
[

Little Bolveys is doing well. He's pushing a 5 gallon water bottle as a walking aid.  I'm in decent fight shape, so I hope to be back at the next Gathering.  Miss you guys.  On Sunday, I had the strong feeling that I should be in LA fighting instead of porking up on Dim Sum in San Francisco at my family reunion.



Yes i missed not being there for a scrap.
I watched a local fma tournament, padded sticks. It just wasn't the same.

Bolvey... is that a play on Beowulf? the name of the king in 13th Warrior...one of my favorites.
That was actually on my list of names for my son. Instead i chose Thor...there time will come for stick fighting. 

califkali

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #169 on: August 11, 2008, 09:03:38 PM »
    From a older first timer, thanks for the experience, the bruises were worth it. I nominate the lady on the drum for the endurance award.     Craig

Guide Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #170 on: August 11, 2008, 09:43:50 PM »
Brian_A,

Sunday was interesting for me because I had two folks from my training group in the crowd, and two fighters that train with my group mixing it up. After the Gathering, I was telling Night Owl and Poi Dog that I felt a MUCH greater sense of accountability to not make a fool out of myself out there. Usually, there's no one there to be accountable to except myself.  :-D

I found it impossible to fight AND watch my guys at all times.  As I fought, got water, got in line, talked to people, and tried to keep an eye on the guys from my group, it turned out that I saw most of your fights for the day. I have to say, again, that for a first Gathering, you had a GREAT day. Truly, I wish I had a 1st Gathering experience that looked more like yours.

GD

P.S. Again, NICE head shot!


Dr. Bryan Stoops, Ed.D.
Semi-Private/Private Instruction
Offered in Chino Hills, California
JKD/FMA/Silat/muay Thai/DBMA,
Savate/Wing Chun/grappling
http://stoops-martial-arts-academy.com/
bryan@stoopsma.com

Dog Mauricio

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #171 on: August 11, 2008, 09:48:58 PM »

     Brian, thank you for the comment, I was also a pleasure to fight with you.

     I hope to see them next year, in truth you learn a lot. A hug to Pappy Dog, the fight with you was excellent.

     I thank especially Guro Crafty and his family for their hospitality during my stay in Los Angeles.

     Greetings to all peleadores

Mauricio Sanchez

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #172 on: August 11, 2008, 10:20:07 PM »
CONGRATULATIONS to all and WELL DONE! 

I tried to write more, it went on and on...  But words just arent enough.

Thanks for the memories that will last a lifetime. 

If you came to me for "First Aid", please follow up with your primary care provider(s). 

Dean 8-)
V/r,

Kaju Dog
dw.kajupit@gmail.com

sting

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #173 on: August 11, 2008, 10:40:40 PM »
Bolvey... is that a play on Beowulf? the name of the king in 13th Warrior...one of my favorites.
That was actually on my list of names for my son. Instead i chose Thor...there time will come for stick fighting. 

Yes, Bolveys is a Latvianization of Bulvais.  The Beowulf epic poem is based on folklore of that region.  My parents are from Latvia (Baltic states in North Eastern Europe), and a similar legend exists in that area.

Thor is an excellent choice for a son's name.  More newborns should be named that way.  It's much more individualistic than being in a classroom of Aidens and Ashtons.
Baltic Dog

Go Shin Jutsu Kenpo (Prof. Richard Lewis)
3rd Degree Black Belt Instructor

Bono JKD/Kajukenbo (Prof. John Bono)
Gentlemen's Fighting Club

arkangel

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #174 on: August 11, 2008, 11:27:03 PM »
ha, i am a pretty emotional guy i guess, i look at the photos and i want to be there again.  i should smile.

i came home and i could hardly talk more than a whisper, thanks big steve and tom g for leaning on my throat!

i lay in bed last night and every time i swallowed my adams apple would move up and down and click, it s true, scared me for a bit but hey if i gotta go out this is better than diapers ;]  .

gints i was hoping to see you, sorry to have missed you.

i wish i was there still. i have a pretty good life here, family and friends even, but damn i had more hugs than fights, wtf am i supposed to do now? watch golf? go back to my cubicle and pretend thats important?

After this weekend, everything else is slow, which helps my painting, but seriously now.

i would like to thank all the people who talked to me, put up with me, and even those who ignored me, this is my second gathering, and hopefully one more of many, and this was a life goal for me.

i cant do this without you, an we cant do this without each other, thanks for allowing me to be a part of a bigger picture which means something.

i am rambling a bit so i will leave off fore i wax maudlin, as if i already haven't.

gonna finish my glass of fighting cock bourbon, true, and start training tonight for next year, not true.

guro crafty, thanks for the time and effort you put into this, you have changed the lives of four canadians.

mabuhay ng escrima!! mabuhay ng familia, personal and martial!

( i reread this twice and i dont want to post it really but i am hitting the button anyway)

~phil hurcum
abbotsford bc
stickfighter


Guard Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #175 on: August 11, 2008, 11:35:43 PM »
Quote
i lay in bed last night and every time i swallowed my Adams apple would move up and down and click, it s true, scared me for a bit but hey if i gotta go out this is better than diapers ;]

This happened to me after a BJJ tournament a while back when I got RNC'ed Dan Severn Style and felt my trachia inside of my neck touch the back of my neck, . . .weird feeling.  In any event, it still clicks.  Let me know if you get this checked out and what the doc says!

Gruhn
Ryan “Guard Dog” Gruhn
Guro / DBMAA Business Director
Dog Brothers Martial Arts Association
"Smuggling Concepts Across the Frontiers of Style”
ryan@dogbrothers.com | www.dogbrothers.com

Crafty_Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #176 on: August 12, 2008, 08:23:20 AM »
Dog Ryan and Arkangel Phil:

I think there may be a Training injuries thread (or something like that) and if there isn't there should be.  Would you please post about the Severn RNC, what happened, and what was the aftermath?

TIA,
CD

Howling Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #177 on: August 12, 2008, 10:52:08 AM »
Woof, First things first.....Many thanks to Guro Crafty and Pretty Kitty for putting this on for us.
You guys are awesome! Also many thanks to all of you behind the scenes who do so much that we are not aware of.

Arkangel Phil, Sorry about your neck....but your a stuborn cuss! :-D I thought it would be a easy tap after I got the stick across your throat, but you held out for a long time and some considerable pressure. I actually tried to be slow and continue to until you tapped. I was amazed at what it took to get you. :-o  Ofcourse your built like a Mac truck with a neck like a tree trunk.

I was/am so Honored to make candidate dog brother, The feeling swells inside of me. Though as Guide dog stated, I too had two first time fighters with me and I watched with pride and concern as they fought.
I was real proud of their performances. Dan and Don.....You guys did awesome!

I hearty howl to all the first time fighters.....all of you guys to a man were tough and fought with a great dog brother spirit! WELL DONE!!

So much I could type and so many to woof at......Bottom line a IMHO a Great Gathering and a great time!
                                                                Tom  C-Howling Dog Guthrie
« Last Edit: August 12, 2008, 11:01:08 AM by tom guthrie »
Howling Dog

JeffP

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #178 on: August 12, 2008, 01:52:47 PM »
i wish i was there still. i have a pretty good life here, family and friends even, but damn i had more hugs than fights, wtf am i supposed to do now? watch golf? go back to my cubicle and pretend thats important?

Phil, you're not the only one.  I had a really hard time taking work seriously today.  Congrats to all the fighters, virgins and veterans!  And a huge thanks to Guro Crafty, Pretty Kitty, and everyone else who made this happen.  It was a special day.

RESPECTFULLY, Jeff

drammel

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #179 on: August 13, 2008, 07:51:37 AM »
As a first time fighter I want to thank everyone from Guru Crafty and Pretty Kitty to all the other first timers. This was a great time for me and I truly feel like a new person since going through it. I also want to take the time and say thanks to Tom "C-Howling Dog" Guthrie for training me for the last year and a half.

I hope to see all of the fighters again soon at the next Gathering of the Pack!

Dog Pound

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #180 on: August 13, 2008, 04:46:49 PM »
There were three women who came with us to watch the Gathering.  My daughter is very comfortable with Dog Fighting (and in fact went around encouraging my opponents to hit me hard and often).  The other two (Roxy and Tracy) are not comfortable with fighting or violence, but they came away with some interesting observations.

Roxy focused on the mutal consent and the fact that the fighters purpose to was help each other improve.

Tracy was struck by the mixture of aggression and tenderness exhibited by the fighters.  She commented on a particular fight where one of the fighters had been hurt and his opponent knelt beside him and held his head to comfort him.

On a separate note, I would like to thank all my opponents for diligently following my daughters advice and especially to Lorenz for the epic beating (and for not hitting me again after he dropped me with that last shot).
I don't know how many of them it would have taken to whip my ass, but I knew how many they were going to use. That's a handy little piece of information.
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Ronin

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #181 on: August 14, 2008, 05:15:30 AM »
ha, i am a pretty emotional guy i guess, i look at the photos and i want to be there again.  i should smile.

i came home and i could hardly talk more than a whisper, thanks big steve and tom g for leaning on my throat!

i lay in bed last night and every time i swallowed my adams apple would move up and down and click, it s true, scared me for a bit but hey if i gotta go out this is better than diapers ;]  .

gints i was hoping to see you, sorry to have missed you.

i wish i was there still. i have a pretty good life here, family and friends even, but damn i had more hugs than fights, wtf am i supposed to do now? watch golf? go back to my cubicle and pretend thats important?

After this weekend, everything else is slow, which helps my painting, but seriously now.

i would like to thank all the people who talked to me, put up with me, and even those who ignored me, this is my second gathering, and hopefully one more of many, and this was a life goal for me.

i cant do this without you, an we cant do this without each other, thanks for allowing me to be a part of a bigger picture which means something.

i am rambling a bit so i will leave off fore i wax maudlin, as if i already haven't.

gonna finish my glass of fighting cock bourbon, true, and start training tonight for next year, not true.

guro crafty, thanks for the time and effort you put into this, you have changed the lives of four canadians.

mabuhay ng escrima!! mabuhay ng familia, personal and martial!

( i reread this twice and i dont want to post it really but i am hitting the button anyway)

~phil hurcum
abbotsford bc
stickfighter



Was this your first experience with full contact fighting Phil ?

arkangel

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #182 on: August 14, 2008, 09:10:08 AM »
nope, second gathering, nov 2005 being the first, and we get it on here 3 or 4 times a year.

but the gathering is an experience unto itself, isn't it.

Ronin

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #183 on: August 14, 2008, 09:11:23 AM »
nope, second gathering, nov 2005 being the first, and we get it on here 3 or 4 times a year.

but the gathering is an experience unto itself, isn't it.

Well, that's true.
But I am sure you'll adapt to "civilian life" again, LOL !

Seeing-Eye Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #184 on: August 14, 2008, 09:58:17 AM »
Many thanks and congrats are in order.
Thanks to Guro Crafty and Pretty Kitty for putting on this event.

Thanks to Pappy Dog for finding this venue and the fighting surface(mats).  I thought we were going to have to fight on a bare court.

Thanks to the fighters who helped set up the chairs and mats.  It would have been a daunting task without all of your help.

Thanks to Lorenz for fighting aluminum knives with me.  Thanks for the additions to my scar collection.

Thanks and congrats to Al Romo. You fought well.  Thanks for not cracking my noggin when my hat was off.  Thanks for the additions to my bruise collection.

Congrats to Brian and Chuck, first timers from the NoHo crew.  It was fun watching you guys apply what we have taught you.

Finally, thanks to all of the fighters for showing up and doing what most people are unwilling to do. For it is the fighters that make a Gathering.
DVM SPIRO, SPERO

Crafty_Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #185 on: August 14, 2008, 02:19:44 PM »
Here is what we think is a final draft of what will be going out in the e-newsletter:

Woof All:

As discussed at http://dogbrothers.com/phpBB2/index.php?topic=1577.0  the
rhythm of the seasons of our Dog Brothers Gatherings is now as follows:

There are three Gatherings every year.

In early April we have "The Dog Brothers Tribal Gathering".  For these
there is only the fighters.  There is no audience.  These Gatherings are for
members of the Tribe.  The first one was held this year and in re-enactment
of the Creation Mythos of the Dog Brothers Tribe 20 years ago, once again
the fights were for three days.  The first of the days was in the Acu
Canyon Park in San Juan Capistrano where it all began what seems like only
yesterday so long ago.  Days two and three were in a horse corral on a
hillside in Temecula.  All three days were filmed by a 5 camera crew with
such films to its credit as the Grateful Dead movie and will figure
prominently in the Dog Brothers movie currently completing production.  The
basic concept of the movie is "Pumping Iron meets Tao of the Dog" wherein
the three days of fights serve the same function in the story arc as the
contest in South Africa did for "Pumping Iron".

Future Tribal Gatherings will be for two days.

In August we have "The Dog Brothers Open Gathering".  We chose August
because that is the big month for vacations in Europe and thus it is
easiest for our Euro brothers to come play.  This year, as will be described
more
fully in a moment, it took place on Sunday August 10th in Burbank,
California.

In late September or early October in Bern Switzerland we have "The Euro
Gathering".  This year it will be September 27th. Contact Guro Benjamin
"Lonely Dog" Rittiner at lonelydog@dogbrothers.ch

With the new overall rhythm of the seasons established, it is time to turn
to the events of this past Sunday.

After the decade in the Hermosa Park we spend several agreeable years at
the RAW Gym in El Segundo.  Then we held the Gathering at what was Original
Productions soundstage for the TV show "Monster Garage" for the Gathering
that was the focus of the National Geographic documentary "Fight Club"
(hideous name I know, I know, but my objections were overruled).  OP kindly
let us do another Gathering there, but with their renovation of the space
into offices, this option no longer was available.

The search for a new space was on.  This is not an easy matter.  Indeed,
finding a place for a Dog Brothers Gathering is a really good trick.  Not
only do we need a distinctive type of space, but our budget is limited, and
most places will freak out when they are given to understand the nature of
the event.  As detailed in the saga on the thread at
http://dogbrothers.com/phpBB2/index.php?topic=1484.0 we were coming scarily
close to Gathering day without a place being lined up.  Fortunately Pappy
Dog put his nose to the ground and via his friend Eric Fleischman sniffed
out the Powerhouse Gym of Burbank, CA.  Eric, a long time fan of the DBs,
is held in good repute at Powerhouse and put in the word on our behalf with
the owner Tisto Chapman and conversations came to a fruitful conclusion.

Thus it came to pass that this past Sunday, at 11:00 on August 10th we held
our annual "Dog Brothers Open Gathering of the Pack" at the Powerhouse Gym
of Burbank, California.

The space in question is a large basketball court with a rubberized floor
and padding on the walls behind the baskets.  The fight area consisted of a
30x30 area of puzzle type mats kindly provided by Pappy Dog, which were set
so that a padded wall comprised one of the four sides of the fight area to
enable crashing the fights into the wall.  Eric and Pappy also managed to
line up a goodly number of folding chairs so that most of the audience was
able to sit.  Those of you who remember the days at RAW will appreciate
this detail!  Speaking of the audience, at about 220 it was the biggest one
we
have had since we left the Hermosa Park.  In the past we have had to keep
things down a bit out of concern for the limitations of the facility, but
with Powerhouse we have plenty of room to grow.  Also a big plus is the
sturdy air conditioning system!

At forty one fighters this was one of the largest Gatherings on record
(fifty fighters were registered, but apparently at the last minute there
was a bit of a vaginitis virus going around , , ,).

As those of you who have followed us for some time know, we begin the day
with knife fighting-- sometimes playfully called "sport knife dueling".  As
discussed at http://dogbrothers.com/phpBB2/index.php?topic=376.0 the
problem is that when the knives are not real, typically neither is the
behavior--
with of course much room for difference of opinion as to what constitutes
realistic behavior; after all when two hostile people have knives, we are
told that the likeliest outcome is that one of them runs away LOL.

Whatever the case, the problem is that of what is often called "knife
boxing" wherein the two men merrily pummel each other away.  Mockery by me
directed to the crowd such as "You're both dead!" usually gets a smile and
near zero change in behavior.  Even aluminum trainers, which facilitate the
imposition of more pain, have made little difference.  The past couple of
years we have gone to the "Shocknives" (see our video clip endorsing them
at http://shocknife.com/video.html )  I like the Shocknives-- they DO make a
difference!  There are some limitations though:  a) Even though we get ours
for free, for most people even with the newer models which cost less, they
cost a lot. b) with the Neanderthals that we tend to attract, we have still
have people who ignore them c) they burn through batteries really fast.

With the April Tribal Gathering and this Gathering we think we may have
finally come up with a solution:  aluminum trainers that size of a small
(or not so small) bowie knife.  Whatever the shape/design of the blade, the
heft of the aluminum bar makes not only substantial pain but also for the
risk
of broken bones, especially in the hand, wrist and forearm-- which leads to
more realistic behavior.

The fights with the big aluminum trainers as well as some of the Shocknife
fights at this Gathering really stepped up to the level that we have been
looking for.  Also exciting was the one 2x2 fight.  Newcomer Mauricio
Sanchez of Mexico City, Mexico showed outstanding situational awareness by
breaking off from his opponent several times to ambush the man fighting his
partner from behind.  In the chaos of the fight it was hard to tell if
anyone actually "lived", but both the crowd and the fighters had a fine
time.  With several of the fights I started the fighters with the knives
"hidden" (typically tucked in the waistband somewhere) and shaking hands.
When I released their clasped hands, the fight was on.  I encouraged each
to attack the other before drawing his knife, but this occurred only one
time-- with great success I might add!

With the knife fights over, it was time for stick.  In that I have not yet
received the actual footage from cameraman Night Owl, I will mostly have to
go with general impressions.

First:   The level of aggression and courage was very high, even amongst
the many newcomers and less experienced fighters.  Even with this level of
aggression, the consciousness of the Dog Brothers code was consistently
present.

Second:  I was quite pleased to see many fighters embracing drawing hidden
knives and putting them into play when fights went to clinch.  This is
something I have been pushing for for several years now, and it is very
satisfying to see this finally take root.  A Dog Brothers Gathering is not
really about young male ritual hierarchical combat.  For most there it is
about preparing, to borrow the DBMA mission statement, "to walk as a
warrior for all your days".  What we install in the depth of the adrenal
state is,
for better or worse, perhaps the deepest of all learnings.  In my opinion,
it is vital to transcend the mind of the BJJ mat and the MMA cage to train
ourselves in this state to always be monitoring the hands for movements
that can serve to access weapons!!!

This also includes the matter of accessing one's own weapons.  At present
this mostly consists of sticking an aluminum trainer at 4:00-6:00, or under
the shirt at 2:00 (reverse the numbers for lefties).   With a glove on
(more on the gloves shortly) this can be a good trick-- so particular kudos
to
the man who wore pants so that he had pockets into which to put his actual
folding trainer so that he could actually work what he would actually have
to access in the real world.  Important data was acquired when the handle
of the knife actually broke upon impact :-o !

Third:  Although it is quite common for many fighters to fight only 1-3
fights, in this Gathering we had many fighters who fought many fights.
Not only is this an impressive display of fighting spirit, but also of
conditioning-- one notes that the latter tends to support the former!

Fourth:  The trend to ultralight gloves continues.  Many fighters are
wearing
gloves that serve only to protect from gratering on the fencing masks, but
offer  little to no protection from impact.  A hearty woof of respect!

Fifth: As a fan of double stick I would have liked to have seen more
double stick fights, but the ones that were had were very good.  C-Straw
Dog and Mauricio Sanchez had one that caught my eye.

Sixth:  Some random impressions:

Able to easily pace lesser opponents and step up as necessary with the more
challenging one, Pappy Dog showed understated polish and skill in his
fights.  On his 50th birthday "Dog Pound" at a svelte 265 (down from 305)
had a rocking fight with Lorenz Glaza.  War Dog returned to the DB wars
after a couple of years of MIA due to getting started as a LEO and looked
as
good as ever.  Guide Dog, off a tremendous showing in Temecula and a broken
foot since then, was able to do quite well anyway.  C-Straw Dog continues
as
one of the fighters who shows strong stick skills.  Dog Tom represented us
old folks quite well.  Dog Dean showed both skill and an extra measure of
warrior spirit by fighting with a knee that was already scheduled for
surgery.  Dog Mat showed that the growth from the Temecula Gathering is
yielding strong fruit.  First timer Rene Cocolo of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
had an excellent cherry performance, including one fight with strong boxing
blast type punches that drove his opponent across the fight area.  Fellow
old-timer Steve Gruhn as usual dove in with gusto until what may be a torn
hamstring laid him low. Canadian Phil Hurcum showed several nice roof to
belly thrusts in one of his many fights as well as considerable joie de
combat.  As usual Mark Mosquiera was in the mix, and first timer Mauricio
Sanchez of Mexico showed excellent double stick in his fight with C-Straw
Dog.  Dog Eric Bryant continues to bring scary kicking skill to his stick
skills-- he's the kind of man who can easily kick someone in the head
before they see it coming-- and so he does.

New djembe drummer "Yumi" (christened "Yumi the Yummy" by one wag in
attendance) did a fine job of providing pulse to the proceedings without
drowning out the action.  Part way through the day she was assisted
spontaneously and quite capably by a man whose name I don't remember
without reviewing the video.  Our usual Master of Arms and Timekeeper
James Stacey was otherwise engaged but his students Mike and Brian stepped
in nicely. Of particular importance was Dog Dean Webster who not only was
quite busy as a fighter, but also served as EMT.  Ascensions to and within
the
Dog Brothers Tribe can be found at
http://dogbrothers.com/phpBB2/index.php?topic=784.50

Both Powerhouse and we were very happy with each other and look forward to
a long-term relationship.

In closing, as we return to our semi-normal lives I would like to quote
Phil Hurcum at
http://dogbrothers.com/phpBB2/index.php?topic=1484.150 (where you can find
comments from other fighters as well)

"ha, i am a pretty emotional guy i guess, i look at the photos and i want
to be there again.  i should smile.

"i came home and i could hardly talk more than a whisper, thanks big steve
and tom g for leaning on my throat!

"i lay in bed last night and every time i swallowed my adams apple would
move up and down and click, it s true, scared me for a bit but hey if i
gotta go out this is better than diapers ;]  .

" , , , i wish i was there still. i have a pretty good life here, family
and friends even, but damn i had more hugs than fights, wtf am i supposed
to do now? watch golf? go back to my cubicle and pretend thats important?

"After this weekend, everything else is slow, which helps my painting, but
seriously now.

"i would like to thank all the people who talked to me, put up with me, and
even those who ignored me, this is my second gathering, and hopefully one
more of many, and this was a life goal for me.

"i cant do this without you, an we cant do this without each other, thanks
for allowing me to be a part of a bigger picture which means something.

"i am rambling a bit so i will leave off fore i wax maudlin, as if i
already haven't.

"gonna finish my glass of fighting cock bourbon, true, and start training
tonight for next year, not true.

"guro crafty, thanks for the time and effort you put into this, you have
changed the lives of four Canadians.

"mabuhay ng escrima!! mabuhay ng familia, personal and martial!

"( i reread this twice and i dont want to post it really but i am hitting
the button anyway)

"~phil hurcum"
abbotsford bc
stickfighter


To my eye, the seemingly unpolished writing speaks eloquently of the
altered state that comes from this experience.

As the saying goes, "Intelligence is the amount of time it takes to forget
a lesson".  Carry the lessons of this experience forward with you and
walk as a warrior for all your days.  No judges!  What others think of
you is none of your business.  No referees!  Even in the aggressive
adrenal state you are responsible for what you do.  No trophies!  This
is not for the roar or the adulation of others.  This is for the you who
you are in the silence of a stick buzzing by your head-- in the moment
you decide just which self it is you wish to defend.

"The greater the dichotomy, the profounder the transformation.  Higher
consciousness through harder contact" (c)

As the Adventure continues, I am
The Crafty Dog
Guiding Force of the Dog Brothers

PS: Lurking silently is my Pretty Kitty, "In Charge of Reality."  I am
simply in charge of everything else.

Crafty_Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #186 on: August 14, 2008, 04:54:24 PM »
Several of you spoke with Tim Gaynor of Reuters New Service on Sunday.

He has written me the following:
===========
Hi Marc,
 
It was really interesting, and we are hoping to move the story and pix next week. My editors want a sociologist or anthropologist to comment on dog brothers as a phenomenon.  do you know of anyone i might call? i have e-mailed Michael Addis, but no response,
 
Cheers,

Tim
=============

Obviously there are echoes of the weenies used in the Nat Geo documentary here, so lets see if we can offer hims someone better.

Suggestions?

Dog Pound

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #187 on: August 15, 2008, 09:02:55 AM »
I lost the recording so I can't find his name, but there was a guy that was used in the "Taboo" episode that featured Gints club.  He talked about how the fighting experience sensitizes the fighters to violence because they became more aware of the consequences of aggression.
I don't know how many of them it would have taken to whip my ass, but I knew how many they were going to use. That's a handy little piece of information.
- Ron White

http://ironpunk.blogspot.com/

sting

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #188 on: August 15, 2008, 03:52:28 PM »
That would be Peter Andrada.  I believe that he fought in a red shirt with a white flower pattern.

The show is National Geographic Taboo : Proving Grounds from 2007.  It reairs periodically, but it appears that the new 2008 season also includes a different show with the same Proving Grounds title.
Baltic Dog

Go Shin Jutsu Kenpo (Prof. Richard Lewis)
3rd Degree Black Belt Instructor

Bono JKD/Kajukenbo (Prof. John Bono)
Gentlemen's Fighting Club

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arkangel

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #190 on: August 21, 2008, 07:17:16 AM »
not bad, a little surprised they didn't show more photos, his camera was going off like a strobe.

drammel

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #191 on: August 21, 2008, 10:44:21 AM »
not bad, a little surprised they didn't show more photos, his camera was going off like a strobe.

Agreed, I'm happy that the writeup didn't make the fighters look like a bunch of guys who just want to beat up on people. It might look that way but that isn't what we are there to do. 

Growling Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #192 on: August 21, 2008, 07:46:29 PM »
i think its well written but it seems to be missing something
those who do not listen learn through feeling

sting

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #193 on: August 22, 2008, 04:42:00 PM »
The shock knife accounts read well.  What kind of crazies do this?   Or, rather, why do some men still refuse to be wimps?

The sociologist was kinda tame.  Wouldn't a rabid feminist do better?  Sure, the Gathering shares some similarity to the wilderness wild" expeditions in the 60' to 70's I've only read about.  The big difference is that the Gathering is Man vs. Man , not Man vs. The Elements.

Overall, it's great press. The article appears to have traveled around the world.  Just Google for:  US Fight Club



Baltic Dog

Go Shin Jutsu Kenpo (Prof. Richard Lewis)
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Guard Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #194 on: August 22, 2008, 04:50:24 PM »
Quote
Sure, the Gathering shares some similarity to the wilderness wild" expeditions in the 60' to 70's I've only read about.  The big difference is that the Gathering is Man vs. Man , not Man vs. The Elements.

Well put.
Ryan “Guard Dog” Gruhn
Guro / DBMAA Business Director
Dog Brothers Martial Arts Association
"Smuggling Concepts Across the Frontiers of Style”
ryan@dogbrothers.com | www.dogbrothers.com

Crafty_Dog

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #195 on: August 22, 2008, 07:11:20 PM »

I'm on family vacation at the moment so it is hard for me to check, but yesterday there was still a slide show with some 30 fotos.

BTW the author of the piece was going to use one of the weenies from the Nat Geo show, but I suggested otherwise and it appears that he has done otherwise :-)

drammel

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #196 on: August 28, 2008, 01:10:56 PM »
I had a chance to watch the Nat. Geo. special last night. It was the first time I have seen it since after actually fighting in the Gathering, so I made sure to actually pay attention to the anthropologists and psycologists. I was amazed at their reasons for us fighting! I told my wife that I didn't think there was a single guy out there that was fighting to prove their "manhood". My wife asked me why did I fight. My answer was a) to test my skills in a real fight B) to be able to better defend her and our family. I know that I am a litltle late on posting this (like a year) but the shrinks have us pegged completly wrong. Just my two cents. 

sting

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #197 on: August 28, 2008, 05:51:59 PM »
I had a chance to watch the Nat. Geo. special last night. It was the first time I have seen it since after actually fighting in the Gathering, so I made sure to actually pay attention to the anthropologists and psycologists. I was amazed at their reasons for us fighting! I told my wife that I didn't think there was a single guy out there that was fighting to prove their "manhood". My wife asked me why did I fight. My answer was a) to test my skills in a real fight B) to be able to better defend her and our family. I know that I am a litltle late on posting this (like a year) but the shrinks have us pegged completly wrong. Just my two cents. 

After years of having to answer the question "Why do I do this?" , I do say it is to prove my manhood, to myself and others.  An assumption of manhood is that you can defend yourself and your loved ones, so you're out there to prove to this yourself.  While a small % of women are able to do this, almost all of full contact fighting, firearms, weightlifting and other physical domination training is the domain of the male.  Why?  Because men are expected to assume the protective, even on the very first date ! 

Given that crime is at a historical low in the USA and the chances of you ever needing these skills is nearly zero, why else do you think you do this?
Baltic Dog

Go Shin Jutsu Kenpo (Prof. Richard Lewis)
3rd Degree Black Belt Instructor

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peregrine

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #198 on: August 28, 2008, 06:04:16 PM »
I had a chance to watch the Nat. Geo. special last night. It was the first time I have seen it since after actually fighting in the Gathering, so I made sure to actually pay attention to the anthropologists and psycologists. I was amazed at their reasons for us fighting! I told my wife that I didn't think there was a single guy out there that was fighting to prove their "manhood". My wife asked me why did I fight. My answer was a) to test my skills in a real fight B) to be able to better defend her and our family. I know that I am a litltle late on posting this (like a year) but the shrinks have us pegged completly wrong. Just my two cents. 

How does a man prove his manhood and superiority?
Traditionally:
Physical dominance
- war, fist fights, combat sports
Social dominance- more friends, friends of higher caliber, lots of attractive female friends, etc
Financial dominance- more money, bigger car, bigger house, etc
Intelllectual dominance- higher learning, degrees, etc

I don't see anything wrong with an individual aspiring or training for those reasons stated. I find great worth in an individual who would like to better themselves instead of settling. What I find ever more worthy and rare are individuals who do it with integrity.

A primary reason i train and have been at a few stick-fights are for the higher learning that comes with the ability to exude my will through skill over another trained adversary.



Headbutt604

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Re: DB Gathering of the Pack August 10th, 2008
« Reply #199 on: August 28, 2008, 08:31:47 PM »
Hello everyone. Jesse Aarons from Arkangel Martial Arts, hailing from Vancouver, BC, Canada here.

I just wanted to thank everyone that came out to this event and a special thanks to the people I fought. It was an amazing time that I will always remember. Thanks to Eric for letting us use the gym and thanks to Guro Mark Denny for putting on this event time and again. I and the rest of us are very much looking forward to coming back again.