Favorite Fencing Quotes

[counter riposte]

I saw this in last month's AF... I couldn't stop laughing.

"Fencing is an attempt to civilize the most barbaric action possible in human thought, fighting." -Editor, American Fencing

[Shadow Fencer]

My first coach, Ferenc Marki, at SF State use to say: "It takes 2 lifetimes to learn to fence".

I think I'm into my second lifetime as a Vet!

[Inquartata]

My favorite was the one by a coach with a heavy accent...trying to say "Hit me!", it came out "Eat me!" And very apropos either way...

[HilandDoug]

Wouldn't you just fall down laughing if Coach Madonna said that?

[D'Artagnan1673]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Helvetica, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Helvetica, Arial">Originally posted by counter riposte:
<strong>I saw this in last month's AF... I couldn't stop laughing.

"Fencing is an attempt to civilize the most barbaric action possible in human thought, fighting." -Editor, American Fencing</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Helvetica, Arial">Well, I read the quote myself, and I didn't find it too funny, especially since I penned it.

Pull out your winter American Fencing and read the letter in which I was responding to. Perhaps then you will have a better idea of why I wrote what I wrote.

Out of curiosity, where do you think fencing came from if you find my thoughts so hilarious?

<small>[ 07-10-2002, 10:19 AM: Message edited by: D'Artagnan1673 ]</small>

[counter riposte]

Nothing personal D’Art,

In fact, I’m glad you penned it. I agree with your article’s points that decreasing the honor and civility of fencing would be detrimental to the sport in terms of bringing in more people to the sport. Like you said, if we are going to go that far, we might as well be using real blades, and injuring people for mere show (That won’t fly).

I just found it funny because I thought of civility in barbaric activities as an oxymoron. Yet, it is SOOOOO true. What we do has an incredible level of honor seeped deeply in tradition and sport, yet it is attacking/charging people with weapons, which you just don’t see in any other sport. You see the conundrum?

In short, your quote is funny to me because it speaks reams about fencing, Thank you…

But back to the subject….

“I have dedicated my life to fencing, but there’s no money in revenge. I just work for Vizzini to pay the bills” -Inhijo Montoya, The Princess Bride

<small>[ 07-10-2002, 03:08 PM: Message edited by: counter riposte ]</small>

[D'Artagnan1673]

Ah.... hehe, sorry From the way it was written, it looks like a slam to me. Sorry if I got a little hot.

I am glad to see that you agree with me

[HilandDoug]

Actually, it's spelled "Inigo", but we know who you mean!

[Moonitic]

Doug, don't fall over...

My favorite:

"Blood makes the strip red. KILL KILL KILL!"

---chanted by the Schoolcraft Fencers at just about every tournament

I've also been called the "Sugar Plum Fairy from Hell" by my coach, when I try to do a proper ballestra.

[Zelda]

Sugar Plum Fairy from Hell??? The image that conjures up is hilarous!!!

[schlager7]

More duelling than fencing oriented, but I like...

"There's no glory in a duelling scar that starts in the front and comes out the back."

-- RAH, as "Evelyn Cyril Gordon"
(who converted a binde seconde into an envelopement carte to win the Duel of the Egg)

[epeemike81]

"Why are you using two parries?? It's like wearing two condoms. It's unnecessary!"

[Moonitic]

Zelda darling, sadly...

That's what I look like!

I make Jim (coach) laugh every time I attempt a ballestra. I think he'd smack me in the mask if he didn't think it was so funny.

[D'Artagnan1673]

Sugar Plum Fairie from Hell. Now that's hillarious.

[Zelda]

Moon, any chance of an .avi or mpg to see the Sugar Plum Fairy from Hell?

[HilandDoug]

For the record, we have not heard that chant in several years!

[Moonitic]

Only because the prime instigators (named Mary, Erin & Josh) haven't been together.

Nope. No pictures. Not a one. Uh uh.

[Bebop and Rocksteady]

Some girl at the Salle: "How long have you been fencing?"

Me: "Oh, about 20 minutes now."

[shyHeidi]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Helvetica, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Helvetica, Arial">Originally posted by Moonitic:
<strong>I think he'd smack me in the mask if he didn't think it was so funny.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Helvetica, Arial">Oh, gee, do other coaches do that "whack you on the head if you do something right / whack you on the head if you do something wrong" thing? I thought it was just mine. *shrug*

[135711]

i find it interesting, people tend to want to promote fencing as being a sort of velvet glove of sport, and that somehow, fencers are elegant deviants in lace underwear. the reality is we generally wear boring spandex so we can jump higher than the other guy. this is related to the fading fad of gentilism in fencing. it's not a gentile sport. only the mannerisms prior to the bout resemble a kind of court like protacol. after the masks go down, that's it. you're on. you have to score or not. and i agree with the two lifetime thing, for me, it may be several more.