Battle at the Boardwalk Report

[GreenCloudCLF]

Here is my official report on what is billed as "The largest mixed martial arts event in the united States."

First I would like to preframe with 2 comments.

1) When I go to a tournament, I do expect them to run late, as is the case 75% of the time. Ido not like this fact, but I accept it as a necessary evil sometimes.

2) To make this tournament I took 2 days off of work (2 days in lost wages) paid $95 for my hotel room for the night, paid $120 in registration fees for the day, and spent other money on food and the like while I was out of state.
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I arrived at registration and weigh in at 8:00 AM, it had started at 7:30 and my daughter and my San Shou division was scheduled to start at 9:00AM. I proceed upstairs to the registration area, to find an incredible mass of people crowded together, vying for position for one of the 6 registration desks. I joined the fray.

Then, I looked over to my right and saw the preregistration desk. I was excited. I waited on that line until about 8:20 before it was my turn (not bad i thought). The kind woman behind the desk told me, since I only registered online last week, I had to wait on the regisrtaion line as my passes had not been printed yet. I kindly asked what the point of preregistration was...then walked to the other line.

I was on that line from 8:20AM until about 9:40 AM, that is when the line actually started moving (mind you my division was supposed to begin at 9 AM...and my line was moving, I was still 6 people back from the front, the same number I was when I got on the lin 80 minutes earlier). Then the girl in front of me left in disgust, and I was now 5 back. YES!!!!!!

The line started going quickly then, and I was up front by 10:15 AM, for my 9:00 AM start time. I got up there finaly, and gave the not so kind lady our names, she quickly handed me my daughters pass and dismissed me. I asked about mine, she asked my name again. After 15 minutes of drinking coffee (as I could see what she was doing) she came back to tell me they didn't have my pass. I asked her how they could receive payment for my daughter and not myself. She shrugged and asked if I had my PayPal receipt. (I in my forgetfullness had left my receipt in NY). So I made a snide comment to the effect that "I thought you guys would be organized enough so I didn't need it." She began to drink more coffee while pretending to help me.

Finally out of frustration I made another backhanded comment about the disorganiztion. That is when a big-wig in a suit came over. I was thinking "now we're going to get some action." He patted me kindly on the forearm and said, "don't worry we'll take care of you." AND THEN WALKED AWAY! Another gentleman who didn't speak English approached me and asked my name, stating he would help me.

He looked for my name among the passes, couldn't find them and started to help someone else. He then ripped up the slip of paper with my name and threw it out. Then 10 minutes later when he came back, he realized what he did and retook my name and the division I was competing in. After another 10 or so minutes, he came back and said, "This is what I can do. Repay the registraion fee, and when you get home you can call and get a refund." Well I just about sh!t my pants. (Please see above for the $$$ I had already dropped coming to this event.) I said I wasn't in a finanicial position to lay out another $75 (door registration fee price) for something I had already paid for. He walked away, a few minuted later I grabbed him and said, you know what forget it, this isn't worth it. Just give me a spectators pass and I'll get a refund for everything this week. He said, "Spectaor passes are $15 and sold downstairs." I looked at him and said, "No, you misunderstand GIVE ME a spectators pass." He found one in a few minutes and off I was.

I enetered the tourney area close to 11:00 AM (for the 9:00 AM start). There was no San Shou ring, cause it wasn't ordered or something. ALthough I believe the tourney director is on this forum so he can clarify what happened there. So San Shou was held in the cage (hexagon, not octagon ). I would have loved to fought in the cage...could've gotten some great pcitures...but you know, organization sucked.

The 9:00 AM San Shou finally started around 12;15 PMish...although I might be slightly off due to the fact the only thing I really saw was red...

I highly enjoyed watching my daughter fight in the cage (it was sooo cute) but couldn't stand being there any longer. We finally left around 1:00 PMish to eat.

I hadn't eaten anything but an apple that morning, cause you know, I supposed to fight.
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Three things I would rather do than go back to Debacle at the Boardwalk next year:

1) Pull me own fingernails out
2) Slam my testicles in a dresser drawer
3) Be annally raped by a Katana.
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Now I must go apply for my refund (like that'll be easy)

Be well all and I hope you found this report informative as well as entertaining. (BTW my daughter lost in the first match 2nd round by decision).

[Oso]

that sucks. 3 hours late is too late.

shoulda brought your paypal reciept though.

I hear you on the forgetfullness though. Here's what I do. I have a big box of regular file folders. When I start working on something, I label a new one and everything gets put into the file folder and then I only have to remember the file folder.

[GreenCloudCLF]

I agree on the paypal thing, but just so I clear it up...after I gave up on competing through frustraion, there were still 100-150 people waiting in the registration lines...so it is not like I was the only one.

I spoke to several people who paid twice just to compete and several people who spent a few hours waiting on them to find their registration information...

Worst tournament ever!

[Lama Pai Sifu]

Sorry to hear about the bad news. One of my instructors competed and took Gold Medal in mixed Chinese weapons - ROPE DART!

Contrats MR. Frank Hatsis!

[Green Cloud]

The chinese division was none existant. There were only a handful of competitors and basicaly should have been canceled. There were so few competitors that a wu shu guy competed against himself and won a gold. The tourney was overpriced and unorganized.

[wiz cool c]

How was the push hands. I wanted to compete but diden't have the money.

[Green Cloud]

I didn't see any push hands

[Shaolin Dude]

greencloudclf, do u know will preap?

[GreenCloudCLF]

Originally Posted by Shaolin Dude

greencloudclf, do u know will preap?

Name doesn't ring a bell...should I know him???

[Green Cloud]

The MMA was cool but there wasn't a big turn out and the san shou division was cool too. I liked having the san shou in the cage that made it real interesting.

[shuaichiao]

WOW! That sucks dude.

just out of curiosity did you see the USA vs China san shou matches? If so how were they?

[Green Cloud]

No that was a bust as was everything else. They asked if one of my students would stay and fight for the grand championships but since they asked us at the last minute we had to decline since we were leaving Sunday morning, and most of us had to work on monday.

They may have scraped something together for the sunday night show but I doughbt it. All in all I think they did't do the right thing to promote it and get the CMA schools there.

Charging 175 dollars for three events and not taking care of the Sifus who were bringing the talent to there tournaments didn't help. They actualy wanted to charge me fourty bucks to be a coach.


Anyway AC was a fun way to bond with my boys, as far as next year is concerned we might go again for the fights but as far as the CMA divisions I'm not doing that again. AC is too expensive and could run you 500 bucks just to stay in the sheraton for two nights, forget the fact that you have to drop close to 200 bucks just to demo your forms and have no one else to compete against.

Basicaly the CMA division was me and Mike parela's student's. Ofcourse none of my training bros showed up so I had no one to hang out with except for Dave Ross who was busy running the San Da.

[Oso]

how were the other divisions run?

was the whole event screwed or were the karate divisions run well?

why does it seem that the kung fu world can't get it's act together at this level?

[Green Cloud]

If you guys want to go to an excelent event my buddy George Crayton is throwing a tournament in Farmingdale NY there should be a great turn out, just go to the green cloud site for more info.

greencloud.net

[Green Cloud]

Originally Posted by Oso

how were the other divisions run?

was the whole event screwed or were the karate divisions run well?

why does it seem that the kung fu world can't get it's act together at this level?

Dear OSO the event was run by a TKD federation that's why the kung fu division was a flop. I was a bit hesitant to go because I never heard of these guys. As far as the Karate events well lets say that the promoters ate their shirts.

As far as kung fu tourneys, they have come along way and are run great. One of the best event's ever is the Wongs tourney in washington DC. Sifu Wong realy knoww how to take care of his judges and the schools that show up.