Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are two of the NBA’s most recognizable names. Despite their similar careers, there are still major differences between them that help distinguish one from the other.
The “kevin durant vs lebron james” is a comparison between two of the most dominant players in NBA history. The careers of these two superstars have been similar, but Kevin Durant has had more success than LeBron James so far.
Stephen Curry is largely regarded as the best point guard in the NBA right now, and his style of play has had a significant impact on the game. Curry is now the most dangerous guard to play against due to his unrivaled shooting and talents. As he adds to his already impressive credentials, the great point guard is obviously the MVP favorite this season. As a member of the Golden State Warriors, he won two MVP awards and three titles, putting him on the path to the Hall of Fame.
As a 6’10” forward with offensive ability both inside and beyond the paint, Kevin Durant altered the game. Because he mixes his length and shooting skills with incredible handling, the swingman may be the most unstoppable scorer of his age. Durant is a four-time scoring champion and, after LeBron James and Larry Bird, the best small forward of all time. Durant’s brilliance transcends the game since no defense in any period has been able to stop him from scoring the ball.
When comparing Durant and Curry, who has the upper hand as a superior all-around player? Both players were teammates for three years, appearing in three NBA Finals and winning two titles. Kevin Durant won both MVP awards in the Finals, but Curry has three titles to Durant’s two. It’s time to compare and contrast both outstanding players in order to determine who ranks better in the all-time rankings.
Kevin Durant led the team in scoring.
The New York Post is a newspaper based in New York
Durant is a monster when it comes to attacking the hoop and finishing on the inside. He finishes a and-1 after beating his opponent to the rim with his superb handles. Durant, on the other hand, is one of the game’s best offensive perimeter players, capable of creating his own shots and draining difficult contested jumpers in front of helpless defenders.
Curry is the top shooter in NBA history, shooting 47.7% from the field and 43.3 percent from beyond the arc. Over the course of his career, the point guard has shot 90.8 percent from the free-throw line, making him a unique marksman with incredible precision. Curry’s precision as a marksman from all around the floor has never been matched by anybody, even Durant.
However, since Curry is 6’2″, he might be frightened by larger players with length and height, but only marginally. Durant, on the other hand, has no such issue and can score against any defense in any age. Durant has a minor advantage over Curry because of his four scoring championships and all-around skill as a scorer. Steph may be the finest shooter in history, but he can’t match a 6’10” forward who can score from everywhere, despite his best efforts.
Kevin Durant’s athleticism
NBA.com
Kevin Durant stands at 6’10” and weighs 240 pounds. He was always a frail player with little physical edge over his opponents other than his height. Kevin Durant is a fantastic athlete who benefits from his height as a shooter and is incredibly explosive when attacking the hoop. Durant can get to the hoop from beyond the arc in only a few steps and is also good at changing his feet on defense. Other than strength, Durant’s stature offers him an edge every night, especially because he has incredible guard-like abilities.
In terms of athleticism, Stephen Curry is a tad undervalued. He has a small build and lacks the leaping ability of a great Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook, but he is 6’2″ tall and incredibly fast with the ball. He’s quite good coming off screens off the ball, and he appears to lose men on defense. Curry’s agility and shiftiness as a player get him marks for athleticism, but he’ll never be able to match Kevin Durant’s 6’10” freak of nature.
Kevin Durant (Defense)
Forbes
Kevin Durant, as good as he is on attack, can be nearly as good on defense when he zones in. Durant possesses the quickness and agility to guard lesser defenders, but his physical limitations make him struggle against larger opponents. Durant is considerably taller and stronger now than he was when he first entered the league, but he will never be a powerhouse player, which means he can only defend three spots, maybe four, when other teams utilize smaller lines.
Curry, on the other hand, is 6’2″ tall and has a career scoring average of 1.7 SPG and 0.2 BPG. Stephen Curry isn’t close to becoming a defensive stopper, except from playing passing lanes and coming up with steals owing to his fast hands. Curry has been in situations where faster and stronger guards have taken advantage of him, and there isn’t much the Golden State Warriors star can do. The game-winning shot by Kyrie Irving over Steph in the 2016 NBA Finals is an example of this.
Durant needs to take the lead in terms of defense. Due to his exceptional height and quickness on the defensive end of the court, the forward is averaging 1.1 SPG and 1.1 BPG throughout his career, edging out Curry.
Kevin Durant’s Clutch
Credit: Associated Press/Frank Franklin II
Kevin Durant has shown to be a clutch performer in the past. Durant’s ability to make jumpers from any spot on the floor makes him unstoppable on offense and capable of delivering in a pinch. Durant has routinely considered among the best clutch players of all time, whether in the regular season or the playoffs. Durant has shown he can be a big-time shot-maker when it’s most needed, as proven by his two Finals MVP Awards. Even though he was surrounded by future Hall of Famers like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, it was the forward who hit the game-winning jumpers in back-to-back NBA Finals.
Curry, on the other hand, has repeatedly shown that he is not as dependable as Kevin Durant. Because someone with Curry’s extraordinary ability and skill is expected to always produce in the clutch, he might control a game and then seem to burn out in crucial times. His legendary game-winning shot against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016 was great, but he doesn’t have any moments to compare to Durant’s. Curry has been chastised for not winning a single Finals MVP award and for playing below his usual level throughout the playoffs, which is enough to give Durant the edge. Durant, a former Oklahoma City Thunder player, is one of the most dominating players in the clutch, and most coaches would hand the ball to him in a do-or-die scenario above any other player save Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
Stephen Curry’s Leadership
USATSI
This is an intriguing topic since both players have been criticized for their leadership qualities at times. However, based on their respective careers, Stephen Curry must be the superior leader. The explanation is straightforward: selflessness. Curry has aided and abetted the success of those around him, making each teammate a stronger player. Steph is an unstoppable attacking force who has always invited other superstars to join him on the court. Rather of hogging the limelight like most other superstars, Curry shared the attention and ultimately benefited by winning championships.
Durant has always been regarded as a fantastic player, but he lacks the aggression to put his teammates in position when it is required. Durant had to put up with Russell Westbrook shooting more shots than him and being the team’s “alpha” for years in Oklahoma City. Despite the fact that commentators yelled for Durant to take charge, he often deferred. Most essential, Durant needed to join Stephen Curry’s squad in order to reach the playoffs, which meant he couldn’t accomplish it on his own.
Stephen Curry’s Basketball IQ
via AP
Because they have consistently been the greatest players on their teams throughout their careers, both players have a high basketball IQ.
Durant’s superior basketball I.Q. is shown by his ability to lead to a bucket on every possession, whether by scoring or assisting. He’s a terrific passer, a fantastic scorer, and a complete offensive system in and of himself. Durant, along with his current colleague James Harden, is one of the league’s most dominating all-around scorers today.
Stephen Curry, on the other hand, has a somewhat higher basketball IQ than Durant. Curry seems to have been born knowing how to play the game, and he is a great student of the game. Curry has every facet of being a point guard down to a science, whether it’s ball handling, shooting, or passing. The point guard is an exceptional scorer, but he has also shown the ability to make the correct plays at the right time to help his team win games.
Both players may argue that they have a higher basketball IQ, but Curry has to win this category. Steph never has to worry about Durant’s indecisiveness when it comes to being ultra-aggressive.
Evening Impact
Curry and Durant are difficult to compare in terms of effect. Steph is a fantastic three-point shooter who has the ability to take over games. Steph has won games on his own several times because a couple of three-pointers put his team in a fantastic position to go on a run that crushes opponents in minutes. Steph needs to be picked up as soon as he steps in front of half-court because if he gets room to shoot, it might be game over.
Durant, on the other hand, is unstoppable from anywhere on the floor. No one can shoot as good as Curry, but he is a better scorer when he attacks the hoop and can also get hot from the mid-range. Kevin is one of the top-three small forwards of all time because of his height, which allows him to shoot above opponents while still being a nuisance on defense. This one, though, must be even since Curry revolutionized the NBA game forever.
Even though it’s a one-on-one game, it’s still a
Sports Illustrated is the source of this image.
This is, once again, a tricky one to decipher. On most situations, Steph cannot be guarded by a single player because he just need a little amount of space to make his three-point shots and is also good at getting to the hoop. Curry can read plays to provide his team an edge on the fast break, even if he needs aid on defense.
Durant is unstoppable, regardless of who defends him. The only way to stop Durant, as most opposition coaches would tell you, is to hope he misses. He is close to 7 feet tall and possesses a high-arcing shot, thus no defender can genuinely challenge him. When Durant is rolling, a little physical force may throw him off, but there isn’t much anybody can do. Curry and Durant are both excellent scorers on offense, so the game is too close to call.
Evening Job –
Kevin Durant has two championships, two Finals MVPs, one MVP award, four scoring crowns, 11 All-Star appearances, and nine All-NBA teams to his credit. Durant has been in the NBA for two years longer, has dominated with two different teams, and might very well win another ring with Brooklyn in the coming years. While there have been some setbacks along the road, Durant’s individual achievements have been remarkable. Kevin’s credentials as a top-15 player ever is built as a scorer who was routinely one of the game’s top-5 players.
Meanwhile, Stephen Curry is recognized for altering the game, and his legacy, like that of other superstars before him, is cemented. Many people believe Curry is second only to Magic Johnson as the finest point guard of all time, while others rank him among the top five in his position. In any case, Stephen Curry is a great basketball player who has won three NBA championships as a consequence of his shooting prowess. Curry might not have the scoring crowns that Durant has, but he does have an additional MVP and has been the league’s face for a few years. As a consequence, both stars have enshrined themselves in the Hall of Fame, and this one should be considered even.
Total Points
Kevin Durant vs. Stephen Curry 2-4
Kevin Durant wins out over Stephen Curry as the superior player in the end. As a scorer, the superstar small forward is legendary, and his size and quickness make him a greater all-around player than Curry. Steph is a superior shooter and has a case for assisting Durant in winning his lone championships, but he lacks Kevin’s ability to impact the floor in other ways. That does not diminish Steph’s magnificence, as the point guard is now the MVP favorite, and a third MVP Award would elevate his reputation to new heights. However, as things stand, Kevin Durant is the superior overall player since his stature of 6’10” combined with his guard talents is unrivaled.
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Roblox developers are suing Benjamin Robert Simon, often known as Ruben Sim on the internet. A lawsuit was filed against him in California on Tuesday, accusing him of fraud and breach of contract, and seeking $1.6 million in damages.
Simon had previously been banned from the game for harassing players, using racial and homophobic insults, sexual harassment, and sharing photographs of Adolf Hitler; yet, he continued to terrify the game by hacking other users’ accounts.
His efforts reached a pinnacle when he began making “terrorist threats” to Roblox’s developers, where he and a “cybermob” of followers reportedly posted phony threats saying that an assault on the Roblox Developers Conference in San Francisco in October would occur. Because of the threats, local police and private security officers briefly shut down the venue and conducted a search to assure its safety. Simon has apparently removed several of his tweets after the sweep, which cost him $50,000.
Furthermore, the lawsuit accuses Roblox users and creators of “targeted abuse” in-game and on social media. The whole document is available to see below.
Polygondotcom has filed a lawsuit against Roblox and Ruben Sim.
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- Mike Tomlin is an American football coach. and Tony Dungy are angry that Bieniemy, Eric, the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, is still not a head coach.
- Patrick Mahomes’ progress has been aided greatly by Bieniemy in recent years.
- Dungy feels the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator has been denied a head coaching position due of racism.
The NFL’s coaching carousel begins to heat up around this time of year, which is fantastic news for long-suffering football fans and might give Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy with a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
The Las Vegas Raiders have an open head coaching position, and many additional clubs, including the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, are expected to join the club in the following weeks. Football fans should anticipate Bieniemy’s name to appear in most, if not all, searches, as it has in previous years.
Will a club eventually appoint the 1990 Heisman Trophy finalist as its head coach this year? Two Super Bowl-winning head coaches, Mike Tomlin and Tony Dungy, would want to see it happen sooner rather than later.
Eric Bieniemy’s work situation continues to irritate Mike Tomlin and Tony Dungy.
Mike Tomlin (L) and Tony Dungy (R) both want to see Eric Bieniemy, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, promoted to head coach as soon as possible | Joe Sargent/Getty Images; David Eulitt/Getty Images; Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
Bieniemy interviewed for all seven head coaching positions that were available during or after the 2020 NFL season. All of those clubs picked other candidates, including the Lions, who hired Dan Campbell, the tight ends coach for the New Orleans Saints.
How’s it going with that one? Campbell has a dismal 0-10-1 and “learning on the job” after going 5-7 as the Miami Dolphins’ interim coach in 2015.
Bieniemy’s lack of head coaching possibilities has sparked intense debate, particularly in light of the Rooney Rule. Author John Feinstein talked with Dungy and Tomlin — both Black, like Bieniemy — about the NFL’s hiring policies in his new book, Raise a Fist, Take a Knee.
During the 2020-21 cycle, five of the seven head coaches appointed are white. David Culley of the Houston Texans is black, while Robert Saleh of the New York Jets is Lebanese. The only active Black head coaches in the NFL are Culley, Tomlin, and Miami’s Brian Flores.
“I’m not sure why Eric Bieniemy isn’t the head coach.” None. It’s incomprehensible to me.”
Mike Tomlin
When it came to Bieniemy, Dungy, who became the first Black head coach to win a Super Bowl, went a step farther.
Dungy told Feinstein, “I believe there is racism engaged there.” “How can there not be at this point?” says the narrator. He works with the finest quarterback in the league [Patrick Mahomes], who adores him, yet no one wants to hire him.”
Bieniemy is attempting to be upbeat about his prospects, at least where he can.
The Chiefs’ offensive coordinator According to a source, Eric Bieniemy interviewed today for the Jaguars’ and Jets’ head coaching jobs. Bieniemy had interviews for the Chargers’ head coaching position on Tuesday, as well as Atlanta and Detroit, on Monday. Except for the Texans, he has now interviewed for every club with an HC position.
January 6, 2021 — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)
Bieniemy aspires to be a head coach and is aware of his qualifications. Simultaneously, he’s reasonably attempting to avoid upsetting the balance.
Bieniemy told Feinstein that he still reminds himself, “Those occupations weren’t intended to be the positions that I obtain.” Anyone who has ever seen the Lions would probably agree with that judgment.
“I know I’m going to get a job because I know if I keep doing what I’m doing and we keep having success, someone is going to sit in a room with me and say, ‘You’re the person,’ sooner or later.” “All I have to do now is wait.”
Eric Bieniemy
Bieniemy also discussed the NFL’s hiring methods, including what he believes is a lack of diversity among those participating in the interview process.
“I know that when someone is hiring, they’re not necessarily looking for skill or what’s on your CV,” Bieniemy said. “They want to feel at ease with that somebody.” I haven’t had many interviews when the person doing the interview looked like myself. Or, to put it another way, where I resembled him.”
Only two of the league’s general managers, Cleveland’s Andrew Berry and Miami’s Chris Grier, are Black as of November 2021. There are just two minority owners in the NFL, neither of whom is African-American. The Jacksonville Jaguars are owned by Shad Khan, a Pakistani-American. Since 2014, Kim Pegula, who was born in South Korea but grew up in New York, has become a co-owner of the Bills.
This coaching cycle, will a club finally take a risk on Bieniemy?
Eric Bieniemy, the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, is still looking for a head coaching job. | Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Unless anything unforeseen happens, Bieniemy should be interviewed by the majority, if not all, of the clubs with vacant head coaching vacancies. Of course, whether or if a club employs him is a another matter.
Bieniemy may want to consider going to college after his previous interactions with NFL organizations. From 2011 to 2012, he was Colorado’s offensive coordinator, but he declined the school’s head coaching post in 2020.
As of publishing, both Florida and Southern California, two of the most well-known programs, had openings. In the next days, the University of Miami may also open.
Despite the fact that the LSU Tigers need to seek a new head coach, Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops are apparently being pursued. If those two don’t work out and Jimbo Fisher remains at Texas A&M, Bieniemy makes sense there as well.
The carousel in 2021-22 still has plenty of time to heat up. Don’t be shocked if Dungy and Tomlin go on the attack again if the music stops and Bieniemy is left without a seat.
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The website ITS Tactical is one of my favorites. Bryan Black, the site’s creator and proprietor, has done an excellent job of providing engaging information about tactical and survival abilities that avoids the “tin foil hat” attitude that many other survival and tactical sites exude. He makes his material relatable and relevant to the average person. We’ve featured ITS Tactical on the site before, and a couple of our pieces have been inspired by them. ITS has had a significant role in piqueing my interest in such topics.
But here’s the problem with my newfound interest in tactical and outdoor survival blogs/books: I’ve just read their how-tos and never tested them out for myself. Or, perhaps, I had mastered some of these abilities as a Boy Scout but hadn’t used them in years. My curiosity remained abstract; I wasn’t sure how well I’d do if I had to build a fire without matches or navigate with a compass since I hadn’t exercised these abilities in a hands-on manner.
Why didn’t I act sooner? Oh, I’ve made the standard justifications about family, employment, religious obligations, and so on. I just didn’t have time. I didn’t utilize my spare time to improve my compass or knot-tying abilities, even when I had some. Why? It’s a lot simpler to decide to go surfing on the internet than it is to go practicing fire-making. I also felt that with certain talents, I needed an expert to look over my shoulder to make sure I was doing things correctly rather than unintentionally compounding my own errors.
Fortunately, a few hands-on “man skill” camps have sprung up in recent years. Bryan established the ITS Tactical Muster three years ago. Tod Moore of Atomic Athlete produced a totally new one this year called the Vanguard. This year, both Bryan and Tod asked me to their events, which I saw as a nudge to encourage me to attempt the things I’d been reading about for the last several years. So I decided to attend both events and observe them. Last month was the Muster. I’m at the Vanguard right now, as you read this. Both events will be reviewed on this site. The Muster comes first.
The ITS Tactical Muster is a five-day program where participants study and practice wilderness, self-defense, and first-aid skills in the Texas woodlands. It’s similar to Boy Scout camp, but for adults (women are welcome too, but mostly guys come). I’ve included a summary of the experience below. Bryan waived my admittance price, but he didn’t ask me to write a review, didn’t pay me to write a review, and I have no other connection to ITS than being a fan. As a result, my opinions are solely mine!
My Squad Introduction and the Type of Guy Who Goes to Muster
Charlie Squad is my squad.
In a rental Ford Fiesta (economy class baby! ), I went down to Dallas. On my way down, I was thinking about the kind of individuals that might be there. I was concerned that there would be a bunch of Navy SEAL want tobes or crazed survivalist types, and that I wouldn’t fit in. However, after I got to the Scout ranch and began conducting the first meet and greet, I realized my fears were unfounded (and overly cynical). There were plenty of bushy beards, but these were just regular, down-to-earth guys from various walks of life who just happened to be interested in honing their tactical and survival abilities. A jeweler, a few attorneys, bankers, many first responders, and an ER surgeon were among the 31 males (and one woman) in our group. Approximately a fifth of the men were active military or veterans. The participants came from all around the nation, with roughly 90% having previously attended the Muster.
What struck me (and encouraged me!) was how they all appeared to have come for the same reason: to be helpful and competent men for their families and communities, regardless of the circumstances. Muster was an opportunity for them to acquire and practice skills that they could need in an emergency. Bryan Black deserves credit for cultivating a culture on ITS Tactical that attracts guys like these to events like Muster.
Nick and Brian, the cadets.
With my fears of spending the next five days with possible Doomsday Preppers allayed, I learnt that the 32 attendees would be split into four teams (or squads) of eight, with the squads competing against one another during the week. The victorious team will take home the prestigious paddle trophy. I was fortunate enough to be assigned to Charlie Squad. As Bryan strives to maintain Squads intact from year to year, all of the soldiers in Charlie Squad had been paired up with each other in past Musters. My teammates were all very skilled and knowledgable in a broad range of areas. Furthermore, despite a breakdown during the previous year’s final competition, they were fired up to win this year’s Muster. Despite the fact that I was a newcomer, the guys of Charlie Squad welcomed me into their circle of friendship right away. We ate together, slept on the same bunk, and spent our little spare time together throughout the week. We became fast friends since we had to work together to complete our duties and assessments. They became my honor group for the week, and they pushed me to go above and above for the team’s benefit. I hadn’t had that kind of “masculine aggressive nurturing” in a long time. It was invigorating. It brought back memories of my football days.
The prestigious Paddle Trophies.
Each day started and finished with a flag ceremony.
Accommodations and food
Sid Richardson’s Boy Scout Ranch in Bridgeport, TX, approximately an hour west of Dallas, hosted this year’s Muster. The property is massive and located on Bridgeport Lake’s shores. Each team has its own air-conditioned bunkhouse, with clean facilities and hot showers shared with the bunkhouse next door. So, we weren’t exactly roughing it, but that doesn’t bother me.
The Charlie Squad is tucking in. I put together a sausage, egg, and hashbrown biscuit sandwich for myself. I utilized the gravy in a similar way as ketchup. I’m preparing to devour it to oblivion. It was excellent.
The Scout ranch supplied the food, which included sloppy joes, breakfast burritos, biscuits and gravy, fajitas, and other Boy Scout Camp staples. I thought the meal was fantastic, however I have a rotten stomach and a raccoon-like palette. I’ll eat everything you put in front of me, and you’ll always be my buddy. As a result, I’m probably not the greatest judge of food quality.
Overall, the food and accommodations were excellent! I believe ITS Tactical has just begun to touch the surface of what they might do at Sid Richardson. They may be able to utilize the facilities again next year.
Acquired abilities
The ITS Tactical team crammed eight days of training into five days. The training started as soon as we got at the Scout ranch on Thursday afternoon. We spent very little time teaching from a PowerPoint presentation throughout all of our training sessions. We gained experience through doing. The following are some of the abilities we gained during the Muster:
Folding a Topographic Map
This was a pleasant surprise. Because topographic maps may be rather large, they might be difficult to handle. Bryan demonstrated how to fold a map such that it is simple to maintain and provides rapid access to various “quadrants” on the map.
Ranger Beads: How to Make and Use
This was an entirely new experience for me. Using a pace count, you utilize Ranger beads to keep track of how far you’ve walked. It’s a great little gadget that came in helpful during our land navigation training.
We had to keep track of how many paces it took us to walk 100 meters. We utilized that pace count to calculate distance traveled while utilizing our Ranger beads for land navigation.
How to Pick Locks, Get Around Consumer Security Devices, and Break Into Low-Cost Handgun Safes
I’m not going to lie to you. The thing I was most excited to learn at the Muster was lock picking.
Matt Fiddler of SEREPick led this class, and it was one of the most important and eye-opening things I learned during the Muster. It astounded me how simple it is to pick a lock or circumvent some home security equipment. Many of the things we believe keep us and our stuff safe and secure are merely security illusions. You can’t only depend on a lock or a security system to keep you and your loved ones secure. To really achieve stronger security, you’ll need to add many layers and use various tools and strategies (which we’ll discuss in the future).
Using Flint and Steel to Start a Fire
We had to create a fire high enough to burn through three strings for the fire building competition. Kevlar was used for the upper one. That was the most time-consuming to finish.
It was a wonderful refresher on a talent I had learned years ago but had let to degrade. The tutorial was offered by Brian Green of Brian’s Backpacking Blog. Following a brief demonstration, the teams competed to see who could construct the largest fire in the shortest amount of time.
How to Use a Compass and a Map to Navigate
For the land navigation practice, I’m plotting locations on my map.
It was wonderful to receive a refresher on something I learned in Boy Scouts but had forgotten about. Students learned how to plot locations on a topographic map, shoot azimuths, and calculate bearings in the classroom. Our teacher, ITS Tactical writer and former Navy SEAL Nick, cut classroom time to a bare minimum and got us outdoors navigating as much as possible. Being able to locate stakes in the ground with just a map and compass made me feel like a magician. It gave me a lot of confidence. If, for some reason, GPS fails during the Zombie Apocalypse, I’m certain that I’ll be able to locate a safe haven.
My favorite skill we practiced at the Muster was land navigation, which came in second after lock picking.
Signaling
Different forms of signal flares may be learned and used.
Bryan gave an excellent presentation on different methods and tools for signaling for assistance or locating meet-up places. The amazing world of infrared signaling devices was exposed to me. Night vision goggles are now on my want list. I’m looking for someone to purchase these for me.
Human Tracking Techniques
John Hurth instructs a group of students in a hands-on tracking practice.
A hands-on instruction on how to track individuals in the wild was delivered by John Hurth, a veteran Army Ranger and owner of Tyr Group. Another activity that was eye-opening was this one. It’s astonishing what you can learn about a person, what he’s doing, and where he’s going just by looking at footprints, garbage, and environmental damage. We spent a few hours on the “track,” which was a dirt pit where he produced footprint examples, where John demonstrated what to look for in a footprint to discern whether a man was sprinting, limping, or walking backwards. If Gus ever gets lost in the greenbelt behind our property, I’ll know where to look for him.
We spent a lot of time looking at and examining footprints on the dirt track.
Course of Ropes
The “Leap of Faith” was very thrilling.
On Saturday, we spent the most of the day performing a ropes course, often known as a confidence course. There was a lot of fantastic team-building and comfort-zone-expanding going on. The “Leap of Faith,” where you had to leap six feet from a 20-foot telephone pole to grasp a dangling ring, was the finest part. It’s a lot tougher than it seems!
First Aid in the Wilderness
Lone Star Medics’ Caleb Causey taught a lesson on wilderness first-aid. We learnt how to assess an injured individual, make different splints for the arms and legs, clean a wound, and apply a tourniquet.
We practiced wound cleaning with hens.
Foot Care
Brian Green gave a brief presentation on foot care. It’s not a “sexy” subject, but when you’re out in the woods for hours on end, taking care of your pets is critical. The main point to remember is that cotton is bad for you and that you should keep your socks dry.
Getting Free from an Illegal Detention
I’m sawing my way through zip ties with a Kevlar string.
Bryan Black offered a workshop on how to break free from unlawful restrictions, notably zip ties. I’d previously used the “simply bust the zip tie open” technique. I had never heard of using a length of Kevlar rope to cut through plastic before.
I’m instructing a fellow Squad member how to break free from zip ties by using the chicken wing method. He’d finally figured it out!
Patrolling
We didn’t have a specific lesson for this, but we learned how to patrol and communicate silently in formation. During our last training session, this ability came in helpful.
Scenario-Based Training Exercises Put Our Knowledge to the Test
Bryan Black gets ready for the night op observation point operation with his squad.
During the Muster’s five days, we began to notice a subliminal plot that we were unwittingly a part of. My fellow Muster participants and I would soon find that the abilities we were acquiring would be put to use in two live-action, all-night “missions” or training exercises based on this plot.
The first mission was an all-night reconnaissance assignment that required us to travel to an observation location and conceal. From there, we collected the information we’d need to complete the last training exercise successfully. We took turns sleeping on the naked ground in watches, and I slept for approximately two hours. It’d been a long night.
We took part in the final training exercise, or FTX, on the penultimate night. During the FTX, the drama that had been unfolding over the weekend came to a thrilling conclusion. To finish it effectively, we had to use all of the abilities we had gained over the previous four days. The paddle trophy would be awarded to the team who performed the best during the FTX.
I’m not going to go into great depth about the plot and what transpired during the FTX since 1) it would spoil the enjoyment for future Muster attendees, and 2) Bryan requested that we not do so.
But I’ll tell you something: even though I knew it was all a ruse, I had a fun!
I felt like a small child again, playing army with my neighborhood pals, but this time I was truly “playing” with practical abilities. It was really beneficial to be able to test myself in a simulated situation in order to reinforce what I had learnt over the previous four days.
The Closing Ceremony
Our FTX Paddles with the Charlie Squad. Booyah!
It was a really low-key Monday morning. Breakfast was had, our bunks were cleaned, and we returned to the classroom for a debrief. Our cadres offered some last words of encouragement, and Bryan gave everyone the opportunity to give their thoughts on what they liked and disliked about the event. The great majority of the comments was good, and the ITS Team took the constructive input into consideration for next year. This was essentially a time for everyone to get together and swap battle experiences, as well as discuss hilarious or insightful moments from the event.
The winners of the FTX were revealed after the awards were given out. And I’m pleased to report that Charlie Squad won the Paddles. Mine is now on display in my closet/podcast studio.
Last Thoughts
The Muster was a lot of fun. I was able to acquire (or re-learn) some fantastic abilities, as well as enjoy some fantastic male camaraderie. Bryan, his wife Kelly, and the whole ITS Tactical team of instructors performed an outstanding job organizing and planning the event. Furthermore, Bryan and the teachers did an excellent job of maintaining a cheerful and productive atmosphere. I felt more knowledgeable and confident after the session, and I was inspired to continue applying what I had learned. I’ll be posting about some of the abilities I’ve picked up over the years (this month: lock picking!).
It’s easy to laugh at the thought of a group of mature men acting as commandos at a boy scout camp, but it didn’t seem strange or stupid at all. While such an event may have been corny and overdone, it was kept simple and basic. While I’m not sure whether I’ll ever need to utilize the abilities I acquired, it’s nice to know that I could if I needed to, and they’re just simple fun to try. ITS Tactical has done a fantastic job with this.
According to what I’ve learned, the Muster has progressed through time and has become better with each passing year. I believe Bryan can do much more to make the experience more immersive. During a feedback session, I suggested giving participants “homework” on fundamental skills they needed to acquire before coming to the Muster so that time could be spent delving more in-depth in a certain area.
One disadvantage, at least in my opinion, is that the Muster lasts five days and does not conclude until Monday afternoon. Getting away for that amount of time might be challenging if you’re like me and have a tremendously hectic schedule. While the duration of the Muster improves the number of talents you may acquire and the companionship, I would have wanted it to be a little shorter, finishing on Sunday, so I could return and be ready to go on Monday morning.
The cost is also not cheap: $900. However, when you consider that you receive 5 days of housing, 3 meals each day, and personal training, it’s a good deal. It’s about the cost of a week at summer camp, which is pretty much what it is. If you’re interested in going, keep an eye on the ITS website for information on how to register for the 2015 Muster in the coming months. To register, you must already be a paying member of their website, and space is usually restricted.
Overall, I would strongly advise anybody interested in learning or improving their man skills to attend a Muster. It’s a good chance to learn new things, spend time outdoors, and bond with like-minded men.
ITS Tactical owns the rights to all photographs.
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