New Ranking

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Eh.... earning an E or a D really isnt something to make a fuss about when it comes to getting your card.. but a C is, cause you need a C to fence at div 1 NAC's

[SmokeyTheCat263]

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

I'm sure the fencers at the international level feel pretty much above any fencing accomplishments you have.

"Wow, you have an A! Whoopty-do! I have an Olympic Gold Medal," they might say.

I never really said I give that much about the E, because I don't.

Biggs- atliest I know I suck compared to the olympiads or high-level international fencers. You on the other hand clearly don't, seeing as how you've given your opinion 2,500 times on this messageboard before even earning your C (let alone D).

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

And if you do, go fuck yourself.

Glad to know I got to ya!

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by SmokeyTheCat263

Biggs- atliest I know I suck compared to the olympiads or high-level international fencers. You on the other hand clearly don't, seeing as how you've given your opinion 2,500 times on this messageboard before even earning your C (let alone D).

What, I'm not allowed to talk because I don't have a C?

a. The majority of my posts were in the water cooler. I think I'm allowed to talk there despite not having a C.

b. I'm 16. I've been fencing for 4 years. I've been fencing epee for less than 1. It's not very common for a 16 year old to have a C.

c. Just because I'm not good at performing actions, doesn't mean I don't know alot about fencing.

d. I never said I'm better than you at fencing. I didn't start this thread saying "I have an E, so you guys had better watch out!" Or "oh yeah, well, I have an E05 in epee!". Am I proud of my E? Yeah, of course I am. Why the hell wouldn't I be? Can I get a better ranking? Yeah, I can, and I will.

e. The vast majority of fencers don't have a C. Most of those will never be able to get a C, because they just don't have the talent. That really has nothing to do with how good they think they are, or whether or not they are allowed to voice their opinion.

f. I don't think that E's and D's are very significant rankings. I agree with you on that. E's, D's, and U's are pretty much competitive with each other, and alot of getting those rankings is luck.

g. You say you know you suck compared to the international fencers, yet you're condescending enough for 8 of them.

h. My high post count, if anything, shows that I have a desire to learn more about fencing, and get better at it. Not all of us live within driving distance of olympic-level coaches. (ahem, NYC)

[fencerontheline]

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

h. My high post count, if anything, shows that I have a desire to learn more about fencing, and get better at it. Not all of us live within driving distance of olympic-level coaches. (ahem, NYC)

I've know SmokeyThe Cat for a while, and he came to New York from western PA to take lessons whenever possible. He's where he is because of hard work and dedication.

And his current irate mood is very fun to watch. That is all.

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by fencerontheline

I've know SmokeyThe Cat for a while, and he came to New York from western PA to take lessons whenever possible. He's where he is because of hard work and dedication.

I don't doubt it, not in the least. But the fact is that I could work as hard as I want, and I would probably never get above a C in foil. And I don't think it's OK that he refuses to respect anyone who doesn't have his level of talent.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

I don't doubt it, not in the least. But the fact is that I could work as hard as I want, and I would probably never get above a C in foil. And I don't think it's OK that he refuses to respect anyone who doesn't have his level of talent.

Talent is bull**** until you get to the olympics. Hard work will take you so bloody far. If you worked as hard as you could, and did everything, you could make it to an A level. Maybe not win the olympics, but you could do very well. This stuff about not being able to make it past a C level is junk. The only 'talent' you need, is a love of the sport and an iron will.

[DangerMouse]

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

c. Just because I'm not good at performing actions, doesn't mean I don't know alot about fencing.

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

I don't doubt it, not in the least. But the fact is that I could work as hard as I want, and I would probably never get above a C in foil. And I don't think it's OK that he refuses to respect anyone who doesn't have his level of talent.

Once you get better, you'll look at the beginners posting advice on this forum and you'll understand.

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by D+F+P=Hadouken!

Talent is bull**** until you get to the olympics. Hard work will take you so bloody far. If you worked as hard as you could, and did everything, you could make it to an A level. Maybe not win the olympics, but you could do very well. This stuff about not being able to make it past a C level is junk. The only 'talent' you need, is a love of the sport and an iron will.

And it's because of that that I still train, still work hard, still go to my club and tournaments every opportunity I get. But realistically, it's unlikely that I'll become that good of a foilist.

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by DangerMouse

Once you get better, you'll look at the beginners posting advice on this forum and you'll understand.

I don't know what you're saying here. That I give bad advice? Occaisionally, I do. But most of the time, I'm correct in any advice that I give.

[fresfisher929]

f. I don't think that E's and D's are very significant rankings. I agree with you on that. E's, D's, and U's are pretty much competitive with each other, and alot of getting those rankings is luck.

hmm, the thing my coach tells me almost every day, any given person can beat any other person depending on the day. I've knocked over A's in pools, in the same pool i've been beaten by the E's and U's, if you ever underestimate your opponent, they most likely will beat you. The only thing a rating means, is that one day the person who holds the rating, had some kind of day at some tournament and either won or finished high enough to get the rating they got, they could have their C from winning a 16 person local tournament, or from finishing 17th at a National tournament, the day they got their rating could have been when they were fencing out of their mind, and they might never fence that well again. So pretty much, a rating doesn't mean much at all.

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by fresfisher929

hmm, the thing my coach tells me almost every day, any given person can beat any other person depending on the day. I've knocked over A's in pools, in the same pool i've been beaten by the E's and U's, if you ever underestimate your opponent, they most likely will beat you. The only thing a rating means, is that one day the person who holds the rating, had some kind of day at some tournament and either won or finished high enough to get the rating they got, they could have their C from winning a 16 person local tournament, or from finishing 17th at a National tournament, the day they got their rating could have been when they were fencing out of their mind, and they might never fence that well again. So pretty much, a rating doesn't mean much at all.

True, but it's especially true of E's D's and U's. I've seen U's that were truly better in skill than some D's that should have been U's. E's, of course, also enter into those situations.

Earning a C means, usually, finishing in the very top of a very competitive tournament, so it's extremely difficult to get one by luck. Also, C means Division 1.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

And it's because of that that I still train, still work hard, still go to my club and tournaments every opportunity I get. But realistically, it's unlikely that I'll become that good of a foilist.

actually, it is realistic.

[DHCJr]

I think those you have a D or even an E should be proud. Consider this, most fencers in the U.S. are a U. Anyone with an E has shown better results than most U.S. fencers.

[fresfisher929]

Earning a C means, usually, finishing in the very top of a very competitive tournament, so it's extremely difficult to get one by luck. Also, C means Division 1.

I wouldn't even say usually, i earned my C the first time by fencing through two U's and making it to the round of 8 in a 30 person tournament, i know a couple people like that. There are lots of benefits of ratings, better seedings and Div 1, but there doesn't have to be a lot of merit behind them.

Once you get better, you'll look at the beginners posting advice on this forum and you'll understand.

Hey this is a group setting, chip anything you got in as long as you put some thought into it.

[A Fencer]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

Meh, this from someone so impressed with his own rating that he uses it in his screen name...

My screen name has nothing to do with rating. It's simply just... a fencer.

[A Fencer]

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

I'm sure the fencers at the international level feel pretty much above any fencing accomplishments you have.

"Wow, you have an A! Whoopty-do! I have an Olympic Gold Medal," they might say.

Or they might say "what the **** is an A?" (or rather I said What the **** is an E?") as I did...

[garyhayenga]

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

True, but it's especially true of E's D's and U's. I've seen U's that were truly better in skill than some D's that should have been U's. E's, of course, also enter into those situations.

Earning a C means, usually, finishing in the very top of a very competitive tournament, so it's extremely difficult to get one by luck. Also, C means Division 1.

This depends on where you are fencing. Around here there are a number of people with C ratings who got them at D and under tournaments, meaning they didn't have to beat anyone except a few other D rated fencers. We have quite a few C rated fencers in foil who you could probably beat quite handily.

In other places having a C rating means you might not have a lot of depth but can do a few things well enough to be dangerous.

Learning and practicing correct efficient technique and working hard to get the experience to recognize what your opponents are doing and when will take you a long way.

gary hayenga

[RebelFencer]

If you feel that you realistically will never earn above a D in Foil then perhaps you should try your hand at other weapons. Foil translates so well to Epee and Sabre that you really wouldn't lose much of the work that you initially put into Foil. Congrats on the E05 by the way.

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by RebelFencer

If you feel that you realistically will never earn above a D in Foil then perhaps you should try your hand at other weapons. Foil translates so well to Epee and Sabre that you really wouldn't lose much of the work that you initially put into Foil. Congrats on the E05 by the way.

Thanks. Come to think of it, I don't think that it's impossible that I'll get a C in foil, but it is unlikely. I was just making the point that a ranking isn't necessarily a good judge of fencing knowledge.

[SmokeyTheCat263]

Biggs-

Okay, if you think you will never earn above a C rating in foil, then you should stop competing RIGHT NOW. That kind of attitude will get you nowhere at all. Ask any succesful fencer, and chances are they were dreaming of their 'A' rating from the day they learned about such a thing. I know I was, and now I dream about bigger and better things that I may not acheive until years from now.

Additionally, I'm not saying lowrated fencers/beginners like you don't deserve to express their opinion, i'm just saying their opinion certainly doesn't deserve 2,500 posts on this message board. Bad advice is rampant here, and I may be the first to say it but certainly not the first to think it. So am I saying you don't deserve an opinion? Well...actaully deep down inside I am, but I realize you are entitled to posting regardless of such little success with the sport.

Here's an interesting thought: Let's say you spend 5 minutes writing a post. 2,500 posts x 5 minutes = 12,500 minutes. That's 208 hours of your life you've wasted!! (not even including the time you spend reading this message board). Just imagine had you taken those 208 hours and dedicated it to training/fencing. I bet ya you would be much farther than you are today.

My advice is to accept you know nothing, thus stop wasting so much time on the internet. Much of the advice given out on fencing.net is bad. On the same token, if you start fencing more and stop posting so much, you'll impove tremendously.

I know I'm a jerk. I honestly think this is the best thing for fencers like you. Read this post a couple times please before criticizing it. You (biggs) may find it actually is useful.