"Aranha, Thank you for inviting me to be interviewed on your site and for the great material you have here."-- Pat "Hawk" Hardy (center)

• Name: Pat Hardy
• Height: 6'1" tall
• Weight: 230 Lb.
• Age: 53 years old
• Education: B.S. in Criminal Justice; J.D. in Law
• Profession: Asst. Dist. Atty./Criminal Investigator
• Martial arts: Black belt in TaekwonDo, Shoto Kan, and Tang Soo Do; Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.
• My website : www.tpcjiujitsu.com
• Contact: 409-385-5527

I was born in Port Arthur, Texas and was raised pretty much in Golden Triangle area which is Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange, Texas.

I've worked Deep Cover in Louisiana as a Deputy Sheriff, as a Deputy Sheriff in Harris County, Texas and as a Criminal Investigator in Hardin, Tyler, and Jasper County, all being in Texas. I got my law degree while working as a deputy in Houston and after I graduated I was an Assistant Dist. Atty. In Hardin, Tyler, and Jasper County and the elected District Attorney in Tyler County for two terms. All toll I've been a police officer for 28 years and a prosecutor for 20 of those years.

I was 0/311-Infantryman; 8651-Reconman, and I also had an Investigator MOS, however I don't recall the numbers. My primary assignment the first of my tour was running squad ambushes. My primary assignment the last 6 months was running "killer team" type ambushes with the ROK Marines.

I got a Combat Promotion to Sgt.E-5, I also got the Cross of Gallantry with Oak Cluster, and the Navy Commendation with Combat "V". Politics play a major part in these type awards. I was put in for the Silver Star, but it got knocked down to the Navy Com, mainly because I was disliked by the middle & lower level brass.

Well, I started boxing at 8 years old and won the Golden Gloves in my Region a couple times. I started Karate at 16 years old and have a 1st Dan Rank in TKD & Tang Soo Do, along with my 5th Dan in Shoto Kan. I've received my Brown Belt just recently in BJJ. I was World Rated in FC Karate and fought Ross Scott in 1977 for the World Title, losing. I've won the GTA National Tournament a number of times in my age and weight as a Blue Belt. I've won the Pan-Am as a Purple Belt in my age and weight. I've won the International Masters and Seniors as a Purple Belt and Brown Belt in my age and weight.

Well, it was exciting to say the least. It was a short fight, but very exciting. I'd been sick just before the fight and didn't feel my wind would be great, also Ross was a slow starter. My strategy was to jump on him early and get it over with. Well, I got on him early, put him down, and had him in trouble, but having Ross in trouble and keeping him there were two different things. I had him on the ropes and was nailing him and I missed a right & he almost took my head off with a left. I don't remember anything after that, however the fight continued about a minute more before he put me down for keeps.

In Karate I was Ernest "Radar" Smith's first Black Belt under the Shoto Kan system and Jack Hebert's 2nd Black Belt under his Tang Soo Do system. Before his death Ernest only gave four Black Belts, and I'm proud to say I was his first. In GJJ/BJJ I train with Royce Gracie and Leonardo Xavier.

Royce and I have been friends pretty much since I started GJJ/BJJ. We just hit it off. I've stayed at his house and he's been to mine. We've done some hunting together, and had a great time. We've also made some Game Wardens put up or shut up and they shut up and left. Royce has never asked to be treated special and he's always been one of the guys. You go in the woods, he'll sleep on the ground, you run out of beds he'll sleep on the floor. He probably the best known BJJ personality in the world and yet he's just like you or me. IMO he is reason GJJ/BJJ has become so popular world wide.

9 years.

I had seen the Gracie Basics and GIA1, but couldn't get anyone that wanted to grapple. I ended up in the middle of a family disturbance and got jumped from the back by a guy weighing about 240lb. He was mounted on me and choking me. We were in a hallway and my Boxing & Karate were useless. I did the hip lift escape like in the Gracie Basics and this guy sails off of me. It scared him so bad he ran behind his mother in law and said he didn't want to fight. I called him everything I could think of and told him to get out from behind the lady. He wouldn't and when backup got there he begged them to not let me hurt him. At that time he out weighed me about 50 or 60 lb. And come to find out, he thought I'd thrown him off with strength and it scared him pretty bad, being he was coward to begin with. Anyway, after that I was hooked. BJJ has been my main art since that time.

Of course my Brown Belt means a lot because its another step up the ladder and it took a lot of hard work to get there. I've got say my Blue Belt also meant a whole lot because it took so long for me to get it and back then in Texas a Blue Belt was like reaching the Holy Grail.

When I first started I was just looking for people to train with, so I charged nothing. Slowly, but surely I started getting in some guys that like this stuff. I only charge $15 a month now, and that's just to help offset the rent. I work 8 hrs. a day at my job and have never desired to make my living in the Martial Arts mainly because you have to lower your standards, IMO, to make money at this stuff and I don't intend to lower my standards. I have a unique teaching style that I feel works well if you are training a group that has little time to train. Our many victories in tournaments have shown it works.

I teach with a very laid back style. There is no masters, no slaves, and no bowing. I want the guys to not only work hard but to also have fun, and we do. As far as I'm concerned, everyone is treated the same way. We are all in it together, high belts & beginners. This is not the military. One thing I found out in both Karate & BJJ is everyone is thinking about sparring, so at my place we spar first, then do techniques. I've found the guys pay more attention to their techniques, because they aren't thinking about sparring, they've already done it. Another thing, I throw everybody on the mat right off because unless you've trained BJJ before you're gonna get your ass handed to you. If you're still around after a month, I know you've got heart. If someone's got heart I can teach them BJJ. This way doesn't bring in a lot of students and runs some off, but the one's that stay have heart and have their heart in training BJJ. I'm not in it for the money.

Barring anything unforeseeable, I feel in 5 years we will have a number of people that are champions or that have placed in the Mundial, Pan-Am, and International Masters & Seniors.

For myself, winning the National Championship in Karate, being World Rated and fighting for the World Title. In BJJ it was winning the International Masters & Seniors in my weight & age as a Purple & Brown Belt. As to coaching, I have four. When Jason Ebarb won the White Belt Division at the GTA tournament in 1998 and when Randall Ebarb won the Purple Belt Division at the GTA tournament in 2000 without a point being scored on him and when Randall won the first Renegades. Also at the first GTA tournament in 1997, we took five guys, including myself, and all five of us won a Gold Medal.

I feel in 10 years it will be a must for those fighting NHB & MMA. I feel that Sport JJ will close the gap on Karate tournaments and be as popular or almost as popular.

I intend to retire at the end of 2002 and most of my time will be spent training. I have 3 goals left. They are (1) to get my Black Belt in BJJ (2) to win the International Masters and Seniors as a Black Belt and (3) to train a Mundial and International Masters & Seniors champion. I intend to work toward those goals.

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