Le Fools' Gold Quatre: NFL – Europa vs The Old Boot of France:

The current public perception depicted by much of the American media on the nation of France is a cosmopolitan country of bohemian aesthetics. However, France is the historically home of the King Charlemagne, Jacques de Molay and his Order of the Temple (more popularly known as the Knights Templar), Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc), Le Marquis de Lafayette Gilbert du Motier (who fought alongside George Washington against George III), Napoleon Bonaparte (who was Corsican but declared himself French), and K-1 legend Jerome LeBanner. The popular negative Anglo perception of the French actually began around the time of the Norman conquest of England in 1066 (the Normans came from France), and has evolve din this day due to French President Jacques Chirac's refusal to assist US president George W Bush's recent campaign in Iraq.

Savate currently has many practitioners worldwide. Known MMA fighters who practice Savate are Roland Fabre, Cyrille Diabate and UFC veteran/ Gerard Gordeau (trained himself in the art of Savate after many years competing in Kyokushin Karate circuits to win numerous national championships). Kickboxer Andre Panza, K-1 fighter Farid Khider, and K-1 legend Ernesto Hoost have also competed in Savate bouts. Renzo Gracie stated in an interview that he was training in Savate before his fight with BJ Penn. Savate has also entwined itself in its past with Pro-Wrestling as a number of early 20th Century wrestlers competed in Savate, and today two moves which were borrowed from Savate, the Side Kick (Sweet Chin Music) and the Rolling Solebat are still used prominently. Pro Wrestler Naoki Sano is also thought to have studied Savate in the past. Famous fictional depictions of Savateurs include Vega (or Balrog in the Japanese versions) of the Street Fighter fighting game series (though some argue that his style is actually a fictional depiction of the Savate's Spanish or Basque counterpart Zipota), and Frank Martin, the main protagonist of the Transporter series of movies, as well as Sanji of the popular anime/manga One Piece who uses the original Chausson techniques as he needs his hands to cook.

Bill Duff

DOB: February, 24, 1974

Height: 6'4"

Style: Toa Su Do Brown Belt, FolkStyle Wrestling, XFL (the most dangerous style),

2 x NJ State Heavyweight (High School FolkStyle) Wrestling Champion

Co-Captain SEC League University of Tennesee Volunteers (college football)

"undefeated in bar fights"

Isssa Cissoko

Team: L'Athletic Club de Bobigny

Style: Boxe Francaise

I. Marseilles – The Sailing Excursion with Frederic Baret

Marseilles is reputedly France's most vicious town. According to Jason Chambers, it is the stomping grounds of "drug dealers, dock workers, and immigrants" (I do not think Mr. Chambers should compare immigrants, let alone dock workers, to drug dealers). On a ship docked, they meet some sailors and Frederic Baret (the President of Le Comite National de Chausson Marseillais Jo de la Sabato, a commission preserving the heritage of Chausson). Chausson (translation from French: slipper) is a combat game devised by bored sailors, who were based in Marseilles, named after the felt slippers worn by sailors on deck. The rules of the game was to KO an opponent with either kicks or an open palm strike, usually while holding onto a mast rope or something else for balance.

II. Paris' Seine River, Right Bank Defense Dans De Rue at Parc Monceau

The boys are then taught the front kick, Chasse Bas. To perform the Chasse Bas, one pistons the back leg forward with the knee high up in the air, and then drive down the heel horizontally with the toes pointing outward, toward the knee joint or the hip, (of the opponent's same side leg; see the History Channel's promo video for more). If the knee is stomped, it would probably shatter. Our hosts remark how supposedly Bruce Lee favored this strike when he first encountered Savate.

III. Paris' Seine River, Left Bank Le Canne du Combate with Yonnel Kurtz

The technique shown to them in this segment is the combo, Le Pointe Au Foie Directe Visage. This combo consists of a jab and a mid Roundhouse Kick. From the attack stance, throw a Jab with the front hand and then after unbalancing the opponent, whip the rear leg up and toward the centerline hitting the liver and its protective ribcage with the re-enforced toe part of the shoe. Feeling the need for more training our hosts depart for what would be an intense experience with…

The Research Assistance Intervention Dissuasion (RAID) battalion, a SWAT equivalent in France is headquartered in a former 19th century monastery in Paris, parts undisclosed. Since World War I, Savate has been an integral component in the French military. Robert Paturel, a six-time Boxe Francaise Champion and a Dans de Tue instructor lead them into this heavily guarded compound. Once again for maybe the third time on the episode, Jason used the term "Islamic terrorists," and thus for the last time the author will stop dignifying his use of the term (which will probably come up no less than 100 times on the episode on Krav Maga). This author feels that if you studied the Martial Arts out of fear or ignorance, especially of belief systems which, may not be your own, you should also consider psychotherapy.

Back Leg Sweep (or Coup de Piede Bas) is the technique that caused the big knockdown of Bill. To execute the key is to set up with jabs to cause an opponent to back up. While backing up extend the back leg and sweep by hooking the opponent's lower thigh with the flat side of the shoe. Basically the mechanics are the same as the Judo, OsotoGari back trip, except it is a strike and not a throw. After learning this technique Jason and Bill train with some RAID team members. Although Bill was not roughed up, Jason had his knee banged up by his training partner.

V. A Bloody History Continues - The National Institute of the Physical Education

Gilles Le Duigou returns and escorts his two guests to meet Savate legend Roger LaFond. At meeting this NAZI labor camp survivor dubbed the Sport Fuhrer due to his dedication of training other prisoners in the camps but excluding his captors, our hosts almost get a sense that the fight between one of them and Cissoko is more than a bout between two men but a fight for those like Roger who even in his old age is doing his best to preserve Savate.

1. Look others in the eye. When your legs are hurt, they do not tell me your pain. The heart does.

3. Always move (my, ("this author's"), coach tells me this also)

After this lecture, Mr. Le Duigou earnestly trains his guests hard. He even has them row a boat in the middle of a lake for him at which, he replies that they are not on a vacation, they are there to train. He last piece of advice before going across to city to the Gymnase Georges-Racine was "not to imagine defeat ever."

After they arrive at the Gymnase Georges-Racine, which is packed with a near capacity audience, they meet the goliath Issa Cissoko. Seeing that Jason is injured (and appears small standing next to Cissoko), Bill takes the fight. Jason gives half-hearted and probably choreographed refusals as "he really wanted to box." The fight will consist of three minute rounds and before the fight they ritually salute each other.

The next round started with both men trading more low kicks. Bill then starts tagging him with jabs and they clinch but still take shots in their modified single under hook position. Finally after another break from a clinch, Issa hits a picture perfect Body Blow/ Overhand Right combo stunning Bill. With their adrenaline flowing, the two started trading flurries. Eventually they would both Dirty Box with each other nailing Overhand sucker punches when they broke. Bill, however, felt he was narrowing the gap Issa may have had in the first round scoring.

Most of the techniques on the show appear to be very pragmatic and could be used in live situations as Duff displayed with his use of the Chasse Bas heel stomp on the knee. That technique and the Coup de Pied Bas back trip seem that they would be welcome addition to this writer's repertoire. The idea of fighting with footwear makes a lot of sense as most people do not walk barefoot even in their own homes. Also, the RAID and Defens Dans De Rue training with padding but not limiting their techniques is similar to what British self-defense trainer Geoff Thompson advocated (before he became a self-help guru, at least), which even though gives a sense of safety, at least an experience of full-contact training is introduced to someone who may be entering a violent situation.

Upon reflection, the show was a fun episode about a fighting school not presented often in the imaginations of popular media. As I do not personally know Gilles Le Duigou, all I can tell from watching this show is that he really cares about Savate and its heritage. He takes care of an old-timer like Roger LaFond bringing him out to get some TV time and meet some kids who might really want to learn. He took care of Issa Cissoko and Bill Duff matching them against each other for their good, and thus for the good of Savate as it was to be exposed to a larger international audience. Neither guy was from his gym. He could have just as well chosen a better guy from his old gym Choisy Le Roi Club, and have him play harder with Duff but instead chose someone who was probably closer to Duff's level; as far as I could tell, although he has competed for the World Championship since 2002 or so until now, Cissoko only won once in 2002. The scenery was beautiful and training with Roger LaFond by the lake was something out of a movie or a novel. This episode ranks up there maybe next to the Muay Thai episode but beneath the Kyokushin Karate episode and above the Doce Pares Escrima episode. And next on the list is Judo…

Human Weapon Hosts Win/Lost/Draw Record: 0 – 2 – 2

Loss: R2 Decision to Yoddecha SitYodThong

-Bill Duff: 0 – 0 – 2

Draw: R3 Survival against Issa Cissoko

- Wikipedia. http://www.wikipedia.org

"Marseille." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marseille

- A&E Television Networks. Human Weapon. "Master Moves: Savate."

- London Savate. "Equipment." http://www.londonsavate.co.uk/classes/equipment.htm

- Tivaco Sports (French). "Qu'est ce que Le Chausson Marseillais ! ?" http://www.tivaco.fr/chausson- marseillais/index.php

{plug}