charles mattera ussd get his 9th

[sk girl]

Nick Cerios promoted him up to 8th Degree.

When he broke off Villari, he basically cutoff that lineage and approached Nick Cerios directly. He was then promoted to 8th. I personally saw Prof Nick Cerios promote Mattera to 8th during a demo while he was in Irvine. You can still see Demascos and Matteras name under Cerios Kempo on any Kempo Lineage chart out there and on Prof Nick Cerios website. However, Prof. Cerios passed away, so I am not sure about his 9th. I actually left the system at that point too. A few years later is when Mattera went to Shaolin Temple with USSD and was rumored to have made a very large donation and somehow got an Honorary Abbott title of some kind. I am assuming that is the reasoning behind the 9th and 10th degree promotions.

Charles Mattera first went to the temple in 2001 and thats where he supposedly got his tenth.
He was allready claiming he had a ninth back in the 90's.

I heard Cerio cut ties with charles mattera over mattera screwing him out of money.
I also heard Cerio cut ties with mattera and everyone at ussd because he ranked himself to 9th.

I don't know which one is true but I wouldn't be surprised if they both are.

[cjurakpt]

I am just saying it is possible . If you read completely what I wrote you would see my position.

I read your position - you are saying it's possible; I agree it's possible, but I think it's also improbable...

What is Shaolin to you??How do you know what Shaolin really is?? How do you know that what they teach is not Shaolin ?? There are many off shoots of Shaolin.
Most of what is taught as shaolin in China is not and most of what is taught here is a joke. As far as traditional shaolin, what is taught and perpetuated , for the most part, that is media propaganda. At one time maybe parts of what is force fed to the public was taught and practice but a lot of it is fantasy.

how much time have you spent with actual Chinese teachers? how much time have you spent in a Chinatown with Chinese teachers? how much time have spent going to traditional Chinese martial arts tournaments with people from authentic Chinese martial arts lineages, including people who practice classical Shaolin based arts (northern and southern, which are quite different from each other)? if you have even a little background, you know what's what, and what's not - and kenpo, for all it's being traced back to China at one point, is pretty far off from what Shaolin based arts are like; so it doesn't matter what it is to me, it is what it is; and what USSD is teaching ain't it (as you correctly say, most of what is taught as Shaolin is a joke);

Basics are basics. You do not have to teach them in the same exact format as every other school to get the same results .

no argument there - but this is not a "results" discussion - this is a discussion about veracity of claims made by people who state they teach one thing and teach something else

Have you been involved in their program?? hopw do you know they do not tell their students this?? I know for a fact they do , at least the instructors I have met.

I have never studied at a USSD (based on what I've seen, thank God for small favours); I don't know what they tell their students; I do see what they advertise to the general public, and that is what I am taking issue with - touting how they made a pilgramage to Shaolin and were welcomed as honoured guests and all that because they have this historic link to the temple and blah blah blah - the fact is, what they did anyone could have done, it doesn't grant them any special authenticity; but they play it up as if it does; that's misleading; also, it seems that some people on here who have that direct experience are of a similar viewpoint to mine...

I know the history of USSD . I understand that they taught one thing and now they teach that in addition to something else . What is wrong with that?I have not read anywhere that they are dening this. So they made their own hybrid or are cross training or MMA whatever.

hey, fine by me - hybrid, whatever, go for it; but be staright up about it

To me it would not be a matter of keeping it a secret and all that it it is about people learning and earn the priveledge of being taught Shaolin. I do not know if this is the case with them but to me this would stand to reason. It is only deceptive because you have a limited view and only see things how you want.

the priveledge of learning Shaolin? now who's in fantasy land? what's so speciual about Shaolin, or any art for that matter, that anyone needs to earn the privalege to learn it? I mean, if that's what you want, go for it, but at the same time, I know guys here in NY who study Shaolin arts where you basically walk in the door and start learning, no secrets, no studying kenpo first to prove your worthiness

Shaolin is not about a geographical location, a set of forms, or a uniform it is a philosophy and a way of life.

no, it is a geographical location; it is also a series of forms; it is not a philosophy - Buddhism is a philosophy / way of life, and that's part of the Shaolin tradition

[sk girl]

cjurakpt your post is awesome!

[Mega-Foot]

cjurakpt your post is awesome!

I went deep sea fishing yesterday. I caught a nice, thick groupie.

[ninja matt]

Where did charles mattera get 9th degree?
He broke away from fred villari in 1988 as a 7th. So who gave him his ninth?

Mattera more than likely give it to himself. Every instructor I talked too said he did. No instructor wanted to associate with him after he screwed over GM Cerio and Gm Villari.

[ninja matt]

I was an instructor and was ranked a 2nd Black (Nidan) in that system. I have the material for my next degree (3rd) The form are CMA. I was taught a dragon form, not part of the curriculum. We do that a lot.

Not really Shaolin. Although there is more Kung Fu concepts and CMA form. It starts to move aways from what Villari taught. This was back in early mid nineties. As I understand it, Mattera/Taylor and the other higher black belts, has made further revisions to the Black Belt material. They actually have drunken boxing forms now.

Thats good that they added drunken boxing considering mattera has a drinking problem.

[sk girl]

Thats good that they added drunken boxing considering mattera has a drinking problem.

How true! Mattera is fat.

[SenseiShellie]

Um, in all honesty, Villari isn't very thin either. It's unfortunately in their Italian Heritage...

[Mega-Foot]

Oh, you're going to rag on your lord and Master's weight now, are you?

And what are you weighing in at Sensei Shellie?

Sk girl?

I'm thinking of a size between 18 and 20.

[SenseiShellie]

Oh, you're going to rag on your lord and Master's weight now, are you?

And what are you weighing in at Sensei Shellie?

Sk girl?

I'm thinking of a size between 18 and 20.

Um, first off, my weight is of no importance. I'm actually defending them! Italian heritage doesn't help with any weight at all. Italians are big bonned people. Plain and simple.

They aren't my Lord or Master for your information. I no longer study the system. My only Lord is Jesus.

You said you wanted to bury the hatchett...why are you freaking attacking me for defending them? Whatever dude. I have no respect for you anymore.

BTW, I'm a size 14, MegaFoot. I weigh in at 150. There goes your theory. Yes, I'm overweight for being 5'5"...but, I'll admit it and I'm at least working out in the gym and dieting to lose the weight correctly. Oh yeah, it also doesn't help that I'm battling thyroid cancer.

What do you weight in at? Hmmm? The way you reply, it sounds like you are about 235, 5'6". Small man's syndrome. Just stop while you're behind.

[Mega-Foot]

You're not overweight for being 5'5". I like plump women. I don't mean a negative kind of "plump" as in "almost fat" or "on the way to fatitude." I just mean "not anorexic". Besides, I'm sure you've got plenty of muscle to round out your weight.

Italians generally are big boned, but so are the Japanese. As a matter of fact, I probably have the biggest bone you've ever seen. It accounts for some of my weight, but I don't blame my girth on bones. It's all muscle.

You can't get fat in Shao-lin Ninjitsu. We actually have a clause in our contracts. You have to maintain a certain level of physical fitness, or you're consigned to the gauntlet until you shed the necessary poundage.

[Mega-Foot]

Where's the respect, and why would you lose it? I have a beef with SK girl, but not with you, my dear Shellie.

I hope we can get beyond this and be more amicable in the future.

Do you like movies?

What's your favorite?

Me, I love "In Like Flint."

[Mega-Foot]

And it's true, I have a beef with Sk girl.

But I imagine she's probably beefy enough without it.

[cjurakpt]

Some poetic commentary...

specific post:
http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/foru...2&postcount=19

actual thread:
http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/foru...t=46489&page=2

[SenseiShellie]

MegaFoot...PM me.