Black Belt Bertie B****x

Mexicola

Irish Independent wrote:

HE was once mocked for his fondness for anoraks and yellow suits, but that was before he became 'Black Belt Bertie'.

It is a much more fearsome title than the sort the Taoiseach is used to and it could prove handy in the upcoming general election. With the political opposition baying for his blood, he'll need all the evasiveness, light-footedness and indomitable warrior spirit that the Korean martial art can bring. And the Taekwon-Do Taoiseach has a much better ring to it than the Teflon Taoiseach.

At its Dublin headquarters yesterday, the Irish National Taekwon-Do Association (INTA) gave him an honorary black belt. But those who were expecting the Taoiseach to try a few high kicks were to be disappointed.

He stayed away from the sparring sessions and didn't try on the dobuk (uniform) he was presented with either.

He was straight up about his lack of experience of the Korean martial art.

"I had a go at a lot of sports but I didn't have a go at that one," he admitted to the various black belt masters gathered around him.

Mr Ahern praised the INTA, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, for the values it instilled in its 3,000 members.

These include courage, integrity, self-control and indomitable spirit, while the code of honour includes statements like 'I shall be a champion of freedom and justice'.

The Taoiseach watched a sparring session involving one of the INTA's most successful members, Ciaran Ryan (18), from Milltown in Dublin, who won the world championship in Germany last year.

The INTA had to seek permission from the International Taekwon-Do Association to present the honorary black belt to Mr Ahern.

"They are not handed out willy-nilly to anybody. This is the first honorary certificate issued to anyone in Ireland," said its instructing master, Brendan O'Toole.

What are people opinions on this. Personally I find it bizarre that someone who has a very small knowledge of martial arts would be given such a thing. Possibly a publicity stunt? Not handed out willy nilly??? Could have fooled me....

Sparks

Welcome to sport in Ireland. You want the funding, you pull stunts like this. That's the long and the short of it.

r3nu4l

Yep, I agree with Sparks on this one. It serves to highlight the martial art and its practice in the country, thus gaining publicity and the chance of funding. The association may have noticed that no other martial art had offered a black belt to Bertie and therefore chanced their arms. It's a win-win as Bertie gets to be seen attending and doing his bit for a minor sport so he can't be accused of looking after Rugby, GAA and soccer all the time

On the other hand I also disagree with top sports personalities being awarded honourary doctorates in law and the like! :mad: Give them something related to the field they have excelled in or nothing at all.

I strongly disagree with honorary awards of most sorts. I don't mind a multi-millionaire businessman with a poor education who built his business from the ground up being honoured with an honorary doctorate in business studies but anything else is a joke.

layke

Being someone who has practiced martial arts since I was 11. My opinion is one of disgust. I see this as a mockery to Tae Kwon Do.

Mexicola

layke wrote:

Being someone who has practiced martial arts since I was 11. My opinion is one of disgust. I see this as a mokery to Tae Kwon Do.

Yep. I with you on that one!

Sparks

layke wrote:

Being someone who has practiced martial arts since I was 11. My opinion is one of disgust. I see this as a mockery to Tae Kwon Do.

Yup.

BTW, how do you like having an Irish Olympic TKD team?

gandalf

Ah this is just part of the game to show what a man of the people our glorious leader is.......expect lots more of the tripe before the next election, maybe Harney will get an honourary Nurses Degree from the INO

(btw layke you heading to the beers this weekend? If so I will say hello there !!)

layke

Unfortunately the war office has me going to her christmas doo this saturday mate.

Victor

If he can postpone the election to next September, maybe he could be in line for an honourary All-Ireland medal, for services (cash) rendered.

It's a disgrace. He should have spent years fighting the monks of the Shaolin Temple before accepting this award. I bet if I search back I will find the same posters here were just as outraged when John Bruton accepted honorary degrees from Newfoundland University (strange that noone noticed him slipping away to study there during his years leading FG) and the NUI.

simu

Deleted User wrote:

I bet if I search back I will find the same posters here were just as outraged when John Bruton accepted honorary degrees from Newfoundland University (strange that noone noticed him slipping away to study there during his years leading FG) and the NUI.

Well, given that the unis have been milking the publicity from granting honourary degrees to celebrities for all it's worth, it's not surprising that other organisations have followed suit.

constitutionus

come on lads, isnt there anyone who'd pay good money to see him compete in a tournament:D i reckon you'd have a full house to see bertie get the **** kicked out of him by a 15yr old black belt

You seen him wield those nunchucks? He could take down Seagal and Norris...

daithimac

I think its a indirect warning to Enda Kenny.

"come after me again and I'll kick the Fu€k out of ya"

humanji

I really hate all these "honorary" awards being handed out. It's like that crowd in Trinity wanting a bit of publicity so they give one to Al Pacino. I mean, WTF? AS said before, it's ok if it's someone who has been in the field (like the example of the business man, above), but when it's just to get your face out there (for both parties involved) it really annoys me. But then again, I'm petty like that.

memphis

As a Taekwon-do practioner myself I find this an utter joke. This does nothing more than belittle the art. Its shameful to see someone be handed a Black belt "willy nilly" regardless of their status in society. I do not object to someone gaining an honoury degree or recognition in a related field, but the fact that bertie knows sh@g all about MA makes it an even further mockery.

This is nothing more than a publicity stunt, a means of gaining funding for the INTA... shame on ye I say. SHAME!!

Sparks

memphis wrote:

This is nothing more than a publicity stunt, a means of gaining funding for the INTA... shame on ye I say.

But does the shame fall on the NGB, or on those who force the NGB to do this to raise money so people can represent their country in the Olympic games?

MontgomeryClift

And of course it's a nice little photo opportunity, and the media including RTÉ oblige by carrying it on the 6:01 news as if it was something we needed to know about. They're pandering to the government of the day and unbalancing the political situation. Politicians should not be given air time unless it's in connection with a political issue and an opposition opportunity is given also.

It's not a like a Taekwondo black belt hasn't been completely debased of all significance anyway.

r3nu4l

Deleted User wrote:

It's not a like a Taekwondo black belt hasn't been completely debased of all significance anyway.

What do you mean by that? Are you saying TKD is a pretty useless martial art? I'm no TKD practitioner (Bujinkan myself ) but I think that disrespecting another martial art is very childish (if that's what you are doing).

If that's not waht you mean, what do you mean?

I've seen and know very capable TKD practioners, but there are too many 15 year olds who have gotten blackbelts after 4 years of doing kata. I'm not saying the art is useless just that the value of a TKD blackbelt has been completely debased, in my eyes at least.

r3nu4l

I honestly don't know enough about TKD to comment, although I do know that their 'forms' probably aren't called 'kata', the latter not being Korean I take your point though, Black belts should not be handed out in any art on the basis of good form and technique alone.

I'm sure that even a 15 year old wth 4 years of form training still probably feels that Bertie getting a black belt is a crime Not to mention those who have been serious practitioners for years and years

layke

Well a black Belt only means you are no longer an apprentice. It does not mean you have become a pro or grand master. Such things can take another 20 or 30 years to complete.

From my experience in training in TKD (until I was 14, then went on to other arts). I find it looks very fancy but is not all that practical. TKD is a kicking martial art however in a fight you will score more points with your fists then feet.

Word of advice, if you ever have to fight someone trained in TKD do it close and keep sweeping. Their art is based on having some distance from you and they are not allowed to kick below the belt so when knocked down the majority don't have a clue what to do.

r3nu4l

^All very good and practical advice but as this is the politics forum and not the MA forum we (me included) are straying way off topic

Don't see a good thread locked, stay on topic.

oscarBravo

What r3nu4l said. Back on topic, or this thread is off to MA.

dlofnep

A belt is only used to hold your belt up. It's what you make of it. Does Bertie's honourary belt make your belt any less significant? Not if you earned the belt.

I'm not going into a debate about the significance of a black belt in tkd, we can save that for the MA forum. But the belt was handed out to Bertie to gain exposure, and for no other reason.

Black Swan

The honourary black belt was a publicity stunt. Universities give away honourary doctorates, but no one of any substance calls them Dr So-and-So after. Now if such publicity in some way resulted in serious funding to field an Irish Olympic Taekwondo Team, then that would be something to kick about!

To an earlier poster, forms in TKD are not kata (Japanese) but rather poomse (Korean). Further, 4 years of poomse will not qualify you for a black belt if the dojang follows strict WTF/Kukkiwon rules.

layke wrote:

Word of advice, if you ever have to fight someone trained in TKD do it close and keep sweeping. Their art is based on having some distance from you and they are not allowed to kick below the belt so when knocked down the majority don't have a clue what to do.

I would be careful about giving advice that relies on over generalisations. All dojangs are not the same, nor are all masters or instructors. At our dojang we spend a lot of time teaching SD (self defense), which is consistent with a strict interpretation of Kukkiwon curriculum and testing requirements.