As a martial artist and more specifically a Judo player I have come to respect the power of balance. In the sport of judo two competitors are constantly trying to break their opponents balance while the competitors are constantly fighting to “keep their balance”.

In almost every judo fight that I’ve had, someone has broken my balance at one time or another and I had to quickly “find it” again and regain it.

In life we MUST find a way to maintain our balance – financial balance, relationship balance, health balance, enrichment balance, emotional balance food intake balance, etc.,.

And when the waves of life rocks our boat a bit, we must find a way to also regain our balance.

One of the keys to coaching high level athletes is the understanding that even the best and most world class, elite level athletes have a hard time maintaining balance.

=================
Here’s a Question
For You
=================

Could you imagine what life would be like if the ground underneath you would constantly move up and down and to the right and left?

You would find it impossible to shoot a free throw

You would find it impossible to hit a golf ball off of a tee

You would find it very difficult to hit a 90 mile per hour fast ball

And you would definitely find it hard to throw a clean punch and hit someone

Well, that is precisely my point.

Although such physical imbalances aren’t occurring in our lives, there are some imbalances and some unbalancing that does occur and this effects us just the same.

The key to life and the key to sport is being able to “keep your balance” and then “regain your balance”.

This was the chief undertone and overtone of the DVD project that I did with 2008 Olympian Taraje Williams-Murray recently. In our project, Beyond The Rings ( http://www.rhadi.com/beyondtherings/btr.html ) we address all of the matters, issues, individuals and circumstances which affect the life of not just an elite level athlete and an elite level coach but all people whether you perform a sport or not AND we address how one must handle these things in order to perform at a professional level, and what we call in sport, a championship level in order attain Olympic Glory and a shot at operating and competing under the covering of the Olympic Rings.

But we addressed all of this with the understanding that the things which happen and occur BEYOND THE RINGS can truly impede any possibility of probability of you acquiring an Olympic Ring.

Let’s be honest, if we broke it down even further.

In marriage, the problem isn’t in the bedroom – its BEYOND THE BEDROOM.

In business, the problem isn’t in the boardroom – its BEYOND THE BOARDROOM.

In your financial life, the problem isn’t your budget – its about what happens BEYOND YOUR BUDGET

For students, the problem isn’t what happens in the classroom – its about what happens BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.

So what we have to recognize and keep in mind is this:

“Sometimes in order to fix ‘the thing’ we need to look BEYOND ‘the thing’ itself”.

So as you go throughout your day, please remember to maintain your balance and to keep your focus. And when and if something happens today that rocks your boat….. immediately stop, refocus and find your balance again because trying to do anything from an unbalanced state isn’t going to end up good anyway.

And if you are lead to do so, please get your copy of Beyond The Rings today for only $14.95 with absolutely no shipping costs.

Thanks for your time. Take care and have a fantastic day.

Sincerely,

Rhadi Ferguson
2004 Olympian
4-Time National Judo Champion
World Class Strength Coach
“All Around Nice Guy”

=============
Introduction
=============

I know that you’ve been waiting and quite honestly, so have I

My main man Taraje’s first project is now available –> BEYOND THE RINGS

If you are ready to change your life in judo as you know it and discover how to get out of the stands and on the podium, then you don’t need to wait any longer.

Go here now –> http://www.rhadi.com/beyondtherings/btr.html

Thanks for you support .

==============
Introduction
==============

I just want you all to know that I’m very proud of all of my elite level clients (Cara Heads, Brian Picklo, and Asma Sharif).  They’ve all done a wonderful job in their adherence to the training practices that I’ve put in place for them

Brian Picklo and Cara Heads both achieved the status of  2008 Olympic Alternates.

Asma Sharif is rehabbing from a knee injury and is making a superb comeback and is getting back into fighting trim.

And Taraje Williams-Murray, who has been with me since 2005 is a 2008 Olympian.

Many of you know Taraje from hearing me talk about him and from visiting his website http://www.Taraje.com I can’t tell you how proud I am of his accomplishments and his maturation and growth inside and outside the area of sport.

Taraje sent me an email to share with you and I’d like to do that.

So here it is…….

===================
A Word From Taraje
===================

Hello, my name is Taraje Williams-Murray and I’m a 2X Olympian, a 2X World Team Member and a 4-Time National Champion.  For those that don’t know me, I come from a family of five and I’m originally from Bronx, New York.

Often times in New York, you see people feeding pigeons, well, you usually see somebody on the steps or a park bench feeding the birds. When I was young, I used to watch this and I noticed that on occasion there was usually one bird who would have a keen sense of direction and a good eye and he would locate the biggest piece of bread as it was being thrown and then he would snatch it up and fly away and eat it while the rest of the birds would fight for the scraps.

I found out at that point in my life that if you want something bad enough you are going to have to take it or you will be reduced to fighting for the scraps.

Entering into tournaments at a young age, I can remember what it was like being the big dog. I pretty much knew I was going to win and everyone else did too.  Then as I got older and the competition became greater, I found myself, reducing myself to fighting for scraps.

I no longer had the “keen sense of direction” and the focus that was necessary to be a champion.

But through getting my hands on the right information, surrounding myself with the right people and doing the right things, I was able to locate that direction and focus and once again become the “big dog”.

This is what I want to provide you with.

Over the years, I have learned a great deal in terms of competition, how to manage my mat life and my personal life and how to find the focus and “keen sense of direction” in order to snatch up 2 Olympic Team spots, 2 World Team spots and 4 National Championships.

If you are at all interested in learning the difference between those that walk away with “the biggest piece of bread” and those that “fight for the scraps” then please join me and my coach Rhadi Ferguson as we release the DVD that will surely help you get out of the stands and on the podium. Join us as we take you BEYOND THE RINGS.

Beyond Rings will be release tomorrow on June 24th.  Please make sure that you are registered at http://www.BeyondTheRings.com

Thanks for all of your support and help in making my Olympic Dreams a reality.  I thank you in advance for your support on my first DVD project.
With gratitude,

Taraje Williams-Murray
2X Olympian
4-Time National Champion

P.S. I figured what’s the use of going to school to pursue a Masters Degree in business if you are not going to use it.  I will resume school in the fall after the Olympics and when I do so I want to let my professors know that I was still working and learning. Thanks again for your support.

==========
Closing
==========

Please look for my email tomorrow  about Beyond The Rings. It will be here tomorrow on June 24th.

Rhadi Ferguson
2004 Olympian
4-Time National Champion
World Class Strength Coach

=============
Tomorrow it will
all be over
=============

About 10 years ago, I restarted my judo career after graduating from college. I thought I was going to be a NFL football player but that didn’t work out.

I decided to return to the sport that I loved as a child….. Judo.    To be quite honest, I was excited and scared at the same time.  I was scared because I knew I HAD to be good at something and I was hoping that this was it because I really couldn’t take or afford another emotional let down.

After watching Jimmy Pedro compete in the 1996 Olympics, I told my mother that I would make an Olympic Team.  She replied, “Okay honey” in a sarcastic tone.  I said, “I’m serious!!”   Well, in 1998 I began that journey.

I failed in 2000.  I was so close but soooo far away.

I tried again in 2004 and I made the team, but not without a significant amount of “learning experiences”.

I’m a firm believer of listening to other people who have walked the path that you desire to walk so that you know where to walk and what terrain to avoid.

In the new DVD Beyond The Rings you will DISCOVER exactly what the Olympics requires, implies and demands of you, your family, your friends and your person.

For those that have been following my career, you know that I did something this year that many coaches have not ever had the opportunity to do… I coached at two seperate Olympic Trials.   I coached at the USA Judo trials and at the USA Weightlifting Trials.  It was a great experience, but one that was mentally and physically draining for me and my family.  My son ended up with a fever and a temperature of 104 at the Judo trials and I’m going to the doctor’s office today because all of the travel and stress has really broken me down.  My body is aching, my throat is sore, and I’m tired, but I’m super happy about what my clients and I have accomplished.

We made history!  And we did it outside of the Olympics. Our experiences go BEYOND the Olympic Rings, our experience are priceless.

And all I want to do now is share with you some of the priceless information that I’ve learned over the past 4 years.

I certainly hope that you are interested.

Are you?

If so, make sure you go here and register for the release of Beyond The Rings on June 24 –> http://www.BeyondTheRings.com

Take care,

Rhadi Ferguson
2004 Olympian
4-Time National Judo Champion

==========
When?
==========

A two-hour taped show from the event will be broadcast on Sunday, June 22 at 12:00 noon ET on MSNBC. The broadcast team for the MSNBC show is play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin, wrestling color commentator Rulon Gardner and judo color commentator Pat Burris.

Enjoy the show, it will be absolutely exciting. Maybe you might even see me on television at the Olympic Trials again. 

==============
Beyond The Rings
==============

On Tuesday June 24th, the first and only video which properly, correctly and TRUTHFULLY identifies the difficulties, hurdles, joy and pain of the Olympic Experience will be release.

2 Olympians, who between them share 8 National Championship Judo Titles, 3 Olympian titles and 3 World Team selections will REVEAL what 99% of you do not know and may never find out about high level competition and how it affects your life forever.

If you are at all serious about competeting at a high level or have children, or have a martial arts club, then YOU absolutely need to go here –> http://www.BeyondTheRings.com  right away and register for the release of Beyond The Rings Today.

If you are registered on this site, you will receive a special low price of-fer that no one else will get.

Make sure you are registered today.

Take care,

Rhadi Ferguson
2004 Olympian
4-Time National Judo Champion
BJJ Black Belt
World Class Strength Coach

==========
When?
==========

A two-hour taped show from the event will be broadcast on Sunday, June 22 at 12:00 noon ET on MSNBC. The broadcast team for the MSNBC show is play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin, wrestling color commentator Rulon Gardner and judo color commentator Pat Burris.

Enjoy the show, it will be absolutely exciting. Maybe you might even see me on television at the Olympic Trials again. 

I have a friend that is competing at the Olympic Trials in Track & Field and I’m not going anymore. I just can’t take it.

It is too emotionally stressful       It’s draining. Seeing so much sadness and disappointment in one place is rough.  It’s cool when you are affiliated with the winner, but if you’re not, it’s one rough weekend!!

Please make sure you invest in the DVD Beyond The Rings. It will be released on the 24th of June –>  http://www.BeyondTheRings.com

Take care,

Rhadi Ferguson
2004 Olympian
4-Time National Judo Champion
http://www.TheStrengthAndConditioningKing.com

P.S. Don’t forget June 24th 2008 –> http://www.BeyondTheRings.com

Sincerely,

Rhadi Ferguson (a.k.a. “The Strength and Conditioning King”)
Rhadi Ferguson (a.k.a. “The Judo Crusader”)

=============
Introduction
=============

There were a lot of happy faces and a lot of sad ones at the Olympic Trials in Las Vegas this past weekend.

Right now I want to show you what the trials are all about.

They are REALLY all about selecting the individuals which will represent the United States at the Olympic Games.

Here is a video of the introduction of the Men’s and Women’s Freestyle Wrestling Teams as well as the Greco Roman Wrestling Team and the USA Judo Team.

I believe that you will love this video

[youtube]ZyH-_wPoM7A[/youtube]

Please make sure that you sign up at http://www.BeyondTheRings.com so that you don’t miss the June 24 release of the DVD “Beyond The Rings”.

==============
Rhadi Ferguson
Speaks about his
Clients Taraje at the
Press Conference
==============

After the Olympic Trials I had the opportunity to speak at the press conference. It was a great privilege and pleasure to speak about my client.

You can check out the press conference clips here

[youtube]aHtjnfPJZ54[/youtube]

Please make sure that you sign up at http://www.BeyondTheRings.com so that you don’t miss the June 24 release of the DVD “Beyond The Rings”.

=============
What’s Up Next?
=============

THE WHOLE DEAL EXPOSED.

On the 24th of June 2-time Olympian Taraje Williams-Murray and 2004 Olympian Rhadi Ferguson will show you exactly what it takes to get to the games and to operate at a high level of excellence as an athlete and a coach.

We will also tell you about how damaging the Olympic Experience can be to you, friends and family. And we will show you how rewarding it can be as well.

In Beyond The Rings, you will get and see, the “inside scoop” to becoming an Olympian. If you have any aspirations of becoming an Olympian, or if you know of someone, or if you are just curious about what it really takes, then you NEED to make sure you get this DVD on the 24th of June.

To make sure that you don’t get left out and that you get the super low price which will be less than 20 bucks with f.r.e.e. shipping, make sure you sign up at http://www.BeyondTheRings.com

Take care,

Rhadi Ferguson
2004 Olympian
4-Time National Judo Champion
World Class Strength Coach

================
Introduction
================

Below is an open letter from Brian Picklo which can be found on Brian Picklo’s website –> http://www.BrianPicklo.us

=============
Thank You To All
For Your Support
=============

First, I would like to thank everyone who has had a hand in this amazing journey. Mike Darter is a friend and a saint. He has been the silent support and an unbelievable help in this quest to make the Olympic Team. He ran the “Behind the Scenes” back home and was always ready for a workout. Mike’s support was indispensable. All my training partners who continually pushed me to be stronger, faster and better. I could not have done any of this without them. Travis Serna, Scott Blankenship, Bill Patten, Clint and Kyle Dake, David Fukuda, Matt Conrad, Mike Darter, and Rafael Lovato. Aside from the judo and ju jitsu workouts, a few of us would meet at Mustang High School, on Sundays after Church, and do our “Junk Yard Workouts”. We flipped tractor tires, flipped telephone poles, ran stadiums and hit the sledge hammer until we couldn’t grip it anymore. You all pushed me, and I am better for it. I especially loved those workouts, mostly because they were so dang hard, and we pushed each other past what we thought we could do. That environment was one where champions are forged.

===============
Thanks Rhadi
===============

Rhadi Ferguson is an amazing coach, strategist, and tactician. I spent the last month training exclusively with Rhadi. I first met Rhadi in 2002 at the US Nationals in Cleveland. I had a poor showing, and placed 5th. During that competition, I injured my back. I had a herniated disk in my lumbar spine. I quit judo. At least I thought I quit judo. I had some epidurals, and came back to the sport that I had fallen in love with two years later. I returned, and had quite a bit of success from 2004 to 2007. I won the World Police and Fire Games in Judo and Wrestling. I got to represent the USA in the Pan Am Cup in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

Through that time, I battled with injuries and time conflicts. By this time, I was a father of three, and a full time police officer. Again, I had to take time off from judo for a back injury. Through all of this, I was a good “fighter”, but I wasn’t a good judo player. I relied on my wrestling too much, and missed some of the finer details of judo. This kept me in the middle of the pack. I maintained a national ranking, but I was always just a little shy of being the top competitor. In 2008 at the New York Open, I once again had the opportunity to meet with Rhadi. He gave me some sound advice, and helped me to realize my potential as an Olympic contender. I went to the US Nationals in the 100 kg weight class at the advice of Rhadi.

===============
He Took His Clothes
Off For Me…
===============

I had not competed in this weight all year. I had to place in the top three in the US, or there was no chance for me to make the Olympic Trials. I lost my first match. Thrown for a full point. It was a long row to hoe. Rhadi was there. Again he offered encouragement and advice. He apparently saw something in me that the rest of the judo community did not. After all, we were both former college wrestlers. He was able to use his wrestling skill, and took it all the way to the Olympics. I battled back through the loser’s bracket, and made it to the bronze medal match. Rhadi helped me prepare for my final match. He stripped off his collared shirt and borrowed a judo gi. We fought grips, and had a light randori. I was impressed that this guy, this Olympian, whom I had only briefly met on two prior occasions, cared enough about me, and my hopes and dreams to offer himself up as a workout partner. He provided me with a very brief game plan. It paid off. I won the match by Ippon. I was in the Olympic Trials.

While we were warming up, for the bronze medal match, I couldn’t help but notice that Rhadi utterly owned me. He got his grip, and pretty much could do what ever he wanted. I was fighting with two hands tied behind my back. At least, that is what it felt like. I knew that I needed a lot of help in the coming months if I was going to have any chance at all at the Trials. Rhadi told me that I needed to come and train with him. I knew he was right.

I took time off of work, and went to train with the “Judo Crusader”. I hoped that under his guidance, I would be able to unlock my wrestling skill. In my mind, I was always the best athlete on the judo mat, I just lacked experience. My time with Rhadi was a crash course in experience. I had miraculously timed my visit with Rhadi while the Pan Am’s were going on in Miami. The first night in Florida, I got to train with the Cuban National Team, and the two time Olympian from Argentina at 100 kg. It was eye opening. The Argentinean told Rhadi, that I was very strong, but from my wrist to my finger tips… “Muerto”. This means “dead” in Spanish. This confirmed what I already knew. My grips sucked. That is all Rhadi and I worked on. Grips, Grips, Grips… He also began to implement a system of gripping. Again this was foreign to me. Though I competed at the highest level in wrestling, I did not have a “system”.

This system began to take a lot of anxiety away. http://www.rhadi.com/judo_success/index.html

It also opened up my wrestling to be used in Judo. This was huge. I felt like a brand new fighter. I was. I could now do the stuff that brought me success in wrestling, in judo. This was too easy. Does it really work this well? I was a little skeptical. Again, by God’s intervention and providence, I was able to compete in the Pan Am Team Tournament. It worked. I was able to throw Leo Leite, a two time Pan Am Champ for Ippon. I also threw the 100 kg player from Dominican Republic for Ippon. Alright, now I know that I am in contention for the Olympic Team.

I went home and continued to train. As soon as I could, I returned to Boca Raton, Rhadi’s home. Again, I had to take time off of work and leave my family. I am so blessed that I have the support of my wife and children. I knew it hurt them to see me leave again. It hurt me just as much. There is nothing on this earth more important to me than my family.

–> http://brianpicklo.us/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/front.jpg

I could not have done any of this without their support. I missed my oldest son, Cameron’s first indoor soccer game. He is becoming quite a soccer stud. Cameron also had a solo to sing in our church’s spring musical performance. He is usually very shy. I know that this was a huge deal for him. I hated being away. I tried to talk to my wife and kids every night. My daughter told me how much she missed me, and would ask “when are you coming home”? All I could say was “soon”. While at Rhadi’s, we usually worked into the morning hours.

================
Uchikomi At 2:00am?
Is This Guy Mad!?!?!
================

The first night I returned to Boca, I did Uchi Komi’s until after 2:00 am. Rhadi had the coach from Puerto Rico, Angelo Ruiz, come and help train me. I won’t forget what he said, “If you want to be a champion, you don’t have time to sleep”. I knew I had a great deal to get accomplished in a very short time. He was right. We made the most of all the time we had. If we weren’t in the gym, we were watching film on the guys I might fight. If I wasn’t watching that, I was watching the previous Olympic, and World films. It helped. The “step over” counter to Volmer’s Uchi Mata, that I did in my first match at the Trials, was one that I picked up while watching videos, and eating eggs and grits in Rhadi’s living room. This was a trial by fire. I had no time to waste. I had to learn things quickly. I did.

Rhadi had me do scouting reports and S.W.O.T analysis http://www.rhadi.com/goldmettle/index.html. SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. We stayed up so late one night, scouting Volmer, that Rhadi would fall asleep in mid sentence, and then wake up to finish the sentence. We had our game plan. All the work had been done. I was ready for the Trials. I was never nervous, just anxious to do it, and see it through to the end. My conditioning was great. Rhadi is an outstanding strength and conditioning coach. I have never felt more prepared. I think that is why I had such a low level of anxiety. I knew that the only thing between me and the Olympics was 25 to 30 minutes. Five or six, five minute matches. I had done a ton of mental preparation.

I had convinced myself that I had nothing to lose. I was enjoying the journey. Some say it is about what happens in the end that matters, I say it is about what happens on the way there, that matters. I loved the journey. I loved who I was on this journey with. I had put a lot of trust and faith into Rhadi, and likewise, he put a lot of trust and faith in me. I had begun this quest with one goal in mind, that through all of this, God will be glorified somehow. Rhadi is a Christian, and so am I. We both had faith that this was to be bigger that either one of us. I don’t believe in accidents, and I don’t believe in coincidence. I still feel that there is a blessing in this. I know that through my journey, and struggles God will be glorified. James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”. I had hoped not to learn any life lessons at the Trials, but I know that this test of faith has to strengthen me in the long run.

06/13/08 10:00 am

================
I KNEW I WAS READY
================

I was bout number twelve. This was my very first Olympic Trials, but it felt like home. It was awesome to have the wrestling in the same venue. It brought me back to a time and place when I was unstoppable. Some of you know my story, others do not. At Michigan State, I went from an unrecruited walk-on, to a two time All-American, and Big Ten Champion in wrestling. I felt that way again. I felt that this is my time, this is my opportunity to make history. I did… Almost.

I was the eight seed. The lowest seed in the trials. I had the number one seed in the first round. I knew that it was a miss match, for him. I was ready for war. I was not the normal number eight seed who goes out there, and is just happy to be at the Olympic Trials. I had sacrificed, I had bled, and I had cried real tears. I felt entitled. Nobody knew the hours that I had put in, nobody knew the sacrifice of time I had made, nobody knew the psychological, and emotional investments I had made. Nobody but a select few. Those that had been beside me from the beginning. I felt I owed it to them. They sacrificed too. Many times, more than I knew.

As I was back stage, in the little stand-by area, I was brought to tears. I held them back, for the most part, but all of a sudden, it hit me, the enormity of this quest. The payment for sacrifice was that feeling I had back stage. I felt a huge rush of emotion. It was pretty much, all good, but I guess when the body is overloaded with emotion, it just cries. I felt powerful. I felt overwhelmed, but in a good way, I felt that this was a defining moment. It was.

I rode that wave all the way through the Trials Tournament. Through out the day, I had beaten a former Olympian, a two time World Team Member, and another former World Team Member. I was none of those things. I am just a cop from Oklahoma, who loves to compete. I did feel unstoppable. I went undefeated through the Trials Tournament. After I won my finals match, I didn’t have much time to recover before I had to fight Volmer, the number one seed, again. Since he was the number one ranked player, Volmer got the opportunity to fight me best of three matches. I guess I had gotten a little drained from fighting all those matches, while Volmer got to relax and plan his strategy against me.

==============
Volmar Came Out
With A Different
Game Plan
==============

The first match in the best of three went to Volmer. I have to give him credit, he came out with a new game plan, and it threw me off. He beat me by a penalty point. He never threw me for a score. The next match I threw him in overtime for the win. It was now tied one match to one. The next match would decide the Olympian. We were scoreless during regulation time, and went into overtime. I don’t remember how much time had passed, but I recall attacking him a lot, and him not attacking at all. Finally he stepped in for an attack. It was weak. He never threatened to throw me in any of the four matches we fought. I countered. As he tried to take me forward, I stepped around, and changed the direction of the throw, taking him backward. It was a throw that I was very comfortable with. I had used it many times in the past. In fact, it was just a natural reaction. I don’t even remember thinking about countering him, I just went for it. We both landed on our sides. I was a little more on my back, that him, but that is the nature of this throw. It was my throw however. Like a sacrifice throw, such as tomoe nage, the back of the thrower hits the mat, but since he initiated the move is scored against the throwee. Volmer even landed first. I have still photos of this… My score, I make the Olympic Team, end of story.

Not so fast. The referees on the mat cannot decide who to award the throw to. They confer, and watch a replay. They award it to Volmer. Dreams smashed. At this point, I am ill. I know who threw, the crowd seems to know who threw. I am sure Volmer knows who threw. We try to have the referees review the tape. All the photographers, offer up their still photos as evidence. The digital cameras, with their little screens in back, show frame by frame in a convincing manner that I was the thrower, and Volmer was the throwee. All of this for naught. There is a rule in place that says, once the referees leave the mat, the decision is final. Funny though, how do you keep a ref on the mat to field your protest. You don’t. You can’t. That is just the way it is.

I had been implored to take my case to arbitration, and fight the ruling on the mat. Can’t be done. There is another rule that says that a “field of play” call can not be overturned in arbitration regardless of how bad a call is. That is the nature of the game. There are gonna be some bad calls. You just gotta live with that sad reality. Especially sad for me, since it affects my status as an Olympian. In order to get a case overturned, I need to show some sort of fraud. I don’t think there was anything sinister at work, I just think they made a bad call. A court case could cost anywhere from 25-50 thousand dollars. Ouch. My family has already sacrificed so much for me to chase this crazy dream. I wouldn’t dare place an huge financial burden on them as well.

As of right now, I am the Olympic Alternate. Should anything happen to Volmer, I would be able to step in and fill that spot. It has always been my dream to be an Olympian. Through all of this, I still love Judo. I am as patriotic as it gets, and I would love to represent this country in what ever way I can. My family has said “I don’t care what the referees said, you are my Olympian”. For whoever reads this, I hope you will think of me as “your Olympian” as well.

Sincerely,

Brian Picklo

2008 Olympian (well almost)

==============
Here’s the Match
that was in Question
==============
[youtube]dSDhuAz97Oo[/youtube]

===============
For Commentary
on the match
===============

You can go here –> http://judoforum.com/index.php?showtopic=27184

You can also go here –> http://thejudopodcast.com/?p=160

==============
Closing
==============

I would like to thank Brian Picklo for his kind words and for being a gentleman of faith and honor. It has been a pleasure to coach him and befriend him. I was really looking for an opportunity to provide someone like him with the information that I have in my head. A lot of people think that being good is about having the best techniques ever. I’ve won many matches in my career and people attribute it to strength, power, athleticism, but never intelligence, intellect, better strategy and better preparation.

I always felt disrespected by that. I’m sure glad that Brian put himself under my tutelage to provide me with an opportunity to show the world that there’s more to Judo than osoto, uchimata and a jujigatame roll. For all intents and purposes, Brian won the Olympic Trials last weekend in Vegas and I’m super proud of him. He showed the world and USA Judo that he is one of the top competitors in his weight class. He never won a National Championship and won the mini tournament, beat 2 World Team Members and fought the number one player in a 2 out of 3 that was as controversial as it gets.

Brian was at my home when I was finishing the final touches on the Beyond The Rings DVD that I’m doing with Taraje. He had the opportunity to watch it and all he could say was, “That’s the truth”.

MANY OF YOU HAVE NO IDEA about the sacrifice that it takes to make an Olympic Team so what Taraje and I want to do is allow you to peel the curtain back and get a sneak peek behind the scenes so you can see exactly why Brian and his family are hurting, why my family is happy and sad at the same time and why my wife feels super drained as she had to watch my son in the stands during the Olympic Trials when he had a fever with a temperature that was volleying between 102 and 104.

The Olympic experience is HARD ON EVERYBODY. –> http://www.BeyondTheRings.com Make sure you are registered for the release on the 24th of June.

Take care,

Rhadi Ferguson
2004 Olympian
http://www.Rhadi.com
http://www.Rhadi.tv

P.S. Make sure you are prepared for Beyond The Rings on the 24th of June. It will be phenomenal and less than 20 bucks and the shipping will be F.R.E.E.! http://www.BeyondTheRings.com

The Judo Crusader would like to say congratulations to Taraje and the entire 2008 Judo Olympic team.

2008 Mens Judo Olympic Team

2008 Womens Judo Olympic Team

The Judo Crusader Speaks………

After the whole weekend was over I had the same feelings as I’m sure Chuck Jefferson, Carrie Chandler, Brian Picklo, and many others had or will have. I felt as if someone poured some emotional lava all over my body and I became inflamed with fury, anger, happiness, sadness, pity, disgust, joy and pain all at the same time.As a grown man I can say that I sobbed without control for a solid 10 minutes. I can recall with such clarity the conversation that Brian Picklo had in my car when he had to tell his wife that he was going to stay in Florida for another 2 weeks to train after doing 10 days 2 weeks earlier and already having spent 7 days with me. He left his wife with the three kids, left his job, dropped all of his appointments, and his fatherly duties to focus and train on the trials.

He stayed up until 2:30am on more than a couple of occasions and fell asleep with the remote in one hand, a pencil in another with a coffee cup sitting near and a notepad.

We practiced and drilled and studied like there was no tomorrow. He knew everybody in the trials so cold that he could tell you what they were going to do before they did it.

Both he and I knew he was going to win the Olympic Trials. I explained to him that you don’t have to be better, just better prepared. I explained that all we had to do was study and learn how to grip so that he could unleash his world class wrestling skills and he would win the trials.

On the morning of the trials he wasn’t nervous, he wasn’t anxious, he was ready. He said, “I’m going to Beijing and I’m going to win this thing.”

And that’s EXACTLY what he did. Brian Picklo was a man amongst children at the trials. He was on another level.

In the final match against Adler, they waived off a shido from Adler and then made a call that was so terrible and blatantly incorrect that it almost made me want to just fall on the ground and start kicking like a child having a tantrum.
I felt emotionally raped. And I apologize about using such harsh language and parallels here and I mean no disrespect to those who have experienced such physical pain and anguish, but that is the only thing that I can liken it to. Because I’ve felt a whole lot of things in my life, but I’ve never felt like this and I guess this is what that feels like. And I’m sure Brian feels worse.

I feel like all of my innards have been snatched out, trampled upon, sprinkled with salt and then set-a-fire. As an African American I’ve been on the losing side of racism and racist comments and this situation feels like that.

One of my favorite authors Beverly Daniel Tatum spoke about racism and she said that racism is like the moving walkway at the airport. You can walk along with it and be actively racist or you can just ride and be passively racist and end up in the same place as the active racists or you can be actively antiracist and move in the opposite direction.

The reason why I brought that up is because if you are a referee, WHETHER YOU ARE ON THE MAT or not and YOU SEE such injustices go on and YOU DO NOTHING, first and foremost you are a FUC–ING coward and second of all you are no better than the persons that made the wrong call. You are riding on the walkway of incompetence and sub par ethics and moving in the same direction as those that made the mistake. And mistakes can be made, but if they aren’t fixed, they are injustices.

USA Judo, the coaches commission, the referees and those who were in attendance need to ACTIVELY WALK AGAINST THE MOVING WALKWAY right now – because the injustices that occurred at the Olympic Trials were absolutely disgusting and heartbreaking. I’m crying as I’m writing this right now because the refs just don’t have a concept of the amount of money, time and sacrifice that is made in order to make the Olympics. They were out there reffing like we were at some National Ladder tournament or the Podunk Open.

Brian Picklo and Anthony Turner got screwed so bad, that I’m telling you right now, if you would have seen it – it would have made you ASHAMED TO BE A JUDOKA and be seen in the building with that type of thing going on in your sport. It was ABSOLUTELY shameful and I am ashamed to be a part of an organization that sits by and allows such things to go on. I love Jose and I think he is a great guy, but shame on him and USA Judo for allowing such things to occur. SHAME ON YOU USA JUDO, SHAME ON YOU!

The Judo Crusader

The comment on this blog are those of a fictitious character “The Judo Crusader” His responsibility is to right the wrongs of Judo and to bring the sports of grappling together.