Soke Kevin Cullen? (also how do find judo dan ranks?)

**NewEnglandBudo** · Posted On: 2/19/2009 11:37pm

I have an email from the Japanese instructor but would need to get his permission.

**justheretolearn** · Posted On: 2/20/2009 3:47pm

Beorn, the best thing to do this is to actually go to his school and observe how they practice, oh and ask him to do randori with some of osu judo club's BB (Toshiya or Joel maybe?) and see how much skill this 6th dan actually has..

oopps my mistake, Joel is not a BB yet...

**NewEnglandBudo** · Posted On: 2/20/2009 8:35pm

Originally Posted by justheretolearn

Beorn, the best thing to do this is to actually go to his school and observe how they practice, oh and ask him to do randori with some of osu judo club's BB (Toshiya or Joel maybe?) and see how much skill this 6th dan actually has..

oopps my mistake, Joel is not a BB yet...

Or, Joel can buy a 10th dan certificate from his web page. Let's not overlook the "Soke" rank of his Goju Style.

**Beorn** · Posted On: 2/21/2009 12:04am

Originally Posted by NewEnglandBudo

Or, Joel can buy a 10th dan certificate from his web page. Let's not overlook the "Soke" rank of his Goju Style.

I wasn't overlooking it, the problem is that there is no resource (to my knowledge) for researching goju ranks. It also sounds like he might have created his own sub-ryu and self promoted, so there is that as well.

justheretolearn, I would, but his school is around canton. I will try and peek in on his seminar though, and if my suspicions are confirmed I can assure you I will be pursuing this much more vigorously from that point. Right now I am just sending out feelers seeing if anyone has had more direct contact, and it seems that the person that has does not think highly of him.

**justheretolearn** · Posted On: 3/08/2009 3:55pm

So Beorn, did you have a chance to check out this guy's seminar at the Arnold?

**Beorn** · Posted On: 3/11/2009 9:48pm

Originally Posted by justheretolearn

So Beorn, did you have a chance to check out this guy's seminar at the Arnold?

well MY COACH, USJA/F Rokudan (ironically the same rank Cullen claims) has run seminars for him, and says he is no grappler. Soke Cullen actually asked him to tone down his seminar plans for fear his students would get hurt. I am pretty sure that a judo 6th dan should be able to teach his students enough ukemi to survive a judo seminar.

EDIT: to remove my instructors name, as he has no bone in this investigation

**Mtripp** · Posted On: 3/12/2009 5:43am

Let me say this, no Judoka I have ever met, uses terms like Hanshi, or Soke. This includes those in Japan.

The people over here who insist those titles be used, well, my experience has been they are all BS artists.

Just my .02

**Beorn** · Posted On: 3/12/2009 8:47am

Originally Posted by Mtripp

Let me say this, no Judoka I have ever met, uses terms like Hanshi, or Soke. This includes those in Japan.

The people over here who insist those titles be used, well, my experience has been they are all BS artists.

Just my .02

I think, and this is just my understanding of his website, that he is using it more in terms of his Goju rank than his Judo rank. Or does what you are saying apply regardless?