From: dlw@atherton.com (Remo Williams)
Subject: Re: Dirty Dozen VS. Seagal
Organization: Atherton Technology, Inc.
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 19:20:03 GMT

In article <11059@cis.rand.org> Kenneth_Ferguson@rand.org (Ken Ferguson)  
writes:
>    Has anyone noticed in this month's Black Belt magazine, how they 
> are trying to make Seagal look like an unjustly victimized good guy?

After having a group so so called "masters" posturing on the cover of a  
previous issue about how they would all beat up Seagal. How mature. I sure  
wouldn't want any of these knuckleheads teaching my kids martial arts and about  
the appropriate time to USE them. Time for a Miyagi like character to bring  
them back to their forgotten martial roots.

>      It seems they were the ones that were giving the story most of the
> hype.

If so, what were those guys doing posing a beat up Seagal team?

> I happen to train at the Jet Center occasionally and have had the
> opportunity
> to speak with Bill Wallace one of the so called Dirty Dozen. He is so
> much the opposite
> of what he is made out to be by the publications. He also said that since
> Bob Wall
> had asked him to take part in the challenge , he thought that it would be
> fun.

Sure, I can buy that. Wallace has even said so in articles in BB about this,  
same thing for the Jet. However, this was just a bogus publicity stunt, as  
Seagal is too busy making REAL money to get involved in something as penny-ante  
as this.

Wall basically called his buddies and asked if they would fight Seagal if given  
the opportunity to do so. Given they are mostly ex-full contact fighters they  
said yes. Then Wall put together this dirty dozen thing and things snowballed  
from there. If I were any of those guys there is no way I would have posed for  
the cover shots BB magazine had on this. It was more what I would expect of the  
National Enquirer and who would want to be associated with that?

>     The magazine seems to forget the image they were trying to portray of 
> this self centered, spoiled actor who thought he could kick everyones
> butts.

Why, if they are secure in themselves, would they care what Seagal says? They  
let their egos get the better of them. Meanwhile Seagal has his millions in  
movie contracts and they still don't.

> They later reported that, to put an end to his bragging  Judo Gene LeBell
> punched Segal out on the sound stage of a movie they were working on  
>together.

RUMOR has it that LeBell choked out Seagal [I would presume that LeBell would  
not do this to Seagal if he were interested in continuing movie stunt  
work--Seagal has a VERY powerful friend in the movie industry, namely Michael  
Ovitz (one of his students). Seagal would just have to ask shut out Gene and  
his students from movie work and it would probably just happen.]  This is not  
confirmed by anyone to my knowledge. Given LeBell's skills it is possible.  I  
on the other hand could take an uzi and take out LeBell and the entire "dirty  
dozen". So what?

The original quote of Seagal was to the effect that he was not afraid of dying  
or anyone else in the world. I would assume that to mean that philosophically  
he was prepared mentally and physically for this. It does not mean he is  
actively seeking out this kind of conflict. If he is who cares? 

Who made Bob Wall Steven Seagal's keeper? Given Bob Wall's comments about Bruce  
Lee in the infamous 2 part Penthouse article on Bruce's Death, he's the last  
one to open his big mouth.

If the "dirty dozen" want to take someone on--let them challenge the Gracies to  
combat. The Gracies have a standing challenge to take on anyone at any time.  
Other than Judo LeBell I would assume the Gracies would choke these old men out  
in short order.
> 
>      So much for unbiased reporting. They're on everybody's side.

BB Magazine is in the business of selling BB magazines. ANYTHING that moves  
issues is fair game for them. Check out some of the sleazy ads in it. The  
bottom line is bringing in revenue--not imparting the way of warrior arts.
--
David Williams -- dlw@atherton.com -- NeXTMail welcome