American Top Team, Say It Ain't So!

[Vince Tortelli]

I know we have a lot of guys from American Top Team on these boards, so I hope they can clear this up one way or another. Is it true that ATT is running a program where karate/taekwondo/wing chun/whatever high ranking belts attend a weeks worth of classes at Top Team in Florida, receive a bunch of instructional books and DVDs, then get a certification to teach MMA from Top Team?
Allegedly, there is at least one karate school in Memphis that has done this to add "MMA" classes to their curriculum, I'm praying that this is not true because Top Team is one of the most respectable schools/fight teams in the world right now and if they are selling out to McDojoism like this...is there hope for any of us?

[Odacon]

I think this was brought up previously. If it's true, it's mcdojoism, but putting fighters into the ring/cage and running a full time gym isn't cheap, so you do what you have to do.

[jadjen]

I hope not. I do Tae Kwon Do, and have for some time. But what would make me think I could teach MMA? It's not the same thing. I couldn't take some dvds and pamplets and think I could teach someone to ground pound. Would be like taking a wrestler and trying to teach him the forms and one-steps of Tae Kwon Do from a book and making him an instant instructor. I've been contemplating studying some ground fighting myself, it would be a 100 mile one way to do it but I'd really like to. Problem is I'm getting old and wife is throwing a fit. Think it'll be worth it, I'd much rather put forth the effort and actually learn it much less teach it.

[Vince Tortelli]

I don't know if it's been discussed or not, I was hoping one of the guys we have here from ATT could provide more information. I'm not begrudging anybody's right to feed their children, but are things so desperate in Florida that they have to resort to stuff like this? If that's the case, MMA really is a long way from being a self supporting mainstream sport.

[Odacon]

If that's the case, MMA really is a long way from being a self supporting mainstream sport.

Of course, until large scale sponsorship deals are as common as they are in other sports. until then, people have to do what they can to keep the doors open and the lights on.

[Snake Plissken]

There have been a couple of threads of this (SERCH FUNKTUN NOOB)

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/show...=American+Team

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/show...t=tEAM+PROGRAM

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46658

I would imagine the quality is in in direct proportion to the actual interest of the school owner.

~do they want a quick buck? quality will teh suxors

~do they really want to add another dimension to their art? quality will be above-par

[Vince Tortelli]

Let's make sure we're all clear on this: American Top Team is certifying people to teach MMA after one week of training. The rationale for this is: well, ATT needs the money. And everyone is cool with this?
MY GOD THIS HYPOCRISY!!! Replace the words "American Top Team" in the above sentence with Mark Hatmaker, Gene Simcoe, or Ashida Kim and this thread would already be 20 pages long with enough flames to melt the monitor and people would be vowing to storm onto the mats of these "MMA" schools and scream "Tanomau!" but since it's American Top Team it's okay?
Where do we draw the line? Is it okay for Top Team to start awarding belts in MMA because "they need the money"? Is it okay for them to start testing for BJJ belts via video because "they need the money"? If a Kempo, Catch Wrestling, Ninjutsu, or Kung Fu school was found certifying people to teach after ONE WEEK of training it would be a sign of irredeemable bullshit and McDojoism, but it's okay for American Top Team to do it?
I must have missed the fine print on the site slogan "Fighting BS in the Martial Arts*"

*Unless the bullshit is being spewed by American Top Team, then it's okay. We love you guys

[FickleFingerOfFate]

* crickets *






.....OK, Vince, thanks for another nice thread,






and in other news.....

[Vince Tortelli]

Hey, I'm actually being serious for a change. If ATT really is pulling crap like this, and if I'm reading those threads aardvarks posted right, then the answer from the ATT contingent at bullshido was "Yep, hopefully it won't end up sucking too much", then something should be done.

[Boyd]

Yeah guys, there's acceptable McDojoism and unacceptable McDojoism. If this is true, ATT is DTT.

[kismasher]

Yeah guys, there's acceptable McDojoism and unacceptable McDojoism. If this is true, ATT is DTT.

elephant in the boards.

[cyril]

The only redeeming qualities of this move is what will happen for ATT. Not only the increase in sales for the certification course, but the students will probably head THERE to train it better. It leaves the taste in the student's mouth of MMA and gives them the chance to decide whether or not they're going to keep training shitty or move on to the real deal. It's exposure. Whether you agree with how it's done is the problem here.

[Tomas Drgon]

then something should be done.

Yeah. Let's all draft a vitriolic letter!!

Tomas

[Vince Tortelli]

Yeah. Let's all draft a vitriolic letter!!

Tomas

I was hoping for something like having someone from ATT explain the intricacies of the program (I got my description of it from a teacher at Memphis Judo and JJ who was irritated that a karate school was plastering the local Hooters with flyers for its new MMA classes right before UFC viewing night, so it is perhaps possible that there was some bias and distortion involved) before we leap wildly into action, or maybe hear from some people who have trained at schools that have gone through the program about what the quality of instruction is. But you get to work on that letter.

[It is Fake]

[sarcasm]Yeah. Let's all draft a vitriolic letter!!

Tomas[/sarcasm]

Fixed.