Name My Sparring Partner

by wjw on January 13, 2014

Thanks to Chris Fogel of the karate school, who was downsizing his home, I now have a new sparring partner! View him in his new home!

(He’s an outdoor sparring partner, and Kathy thought he looked cold, and so better equipped him for the season.)

Now the Century catalog says his name is Bob, but he doesn’t look Bobbish to me, and besides, I feel he deserves a more individual name.

So I’m inaugurating a contest. Name My Sparring Partner, and I’ll send you the signed book of your choice (assuming I have a spare copy), or an ebook file if you prefer.

And as the quizmaster used to say, “My decision in this matter will be arbitrary, prejudiced, and final.”

John F. MacMichael January 13, 2014 at 9:39 am: Hmmm, given his lack of arms and legs, maybe you could call him the Black Knight (a little “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” reference).

Or, since he looks vaguely Slavic to me, how about “Ivan” or “Gregor”?
Ingvar M January 13, 2014 at 11:21 am: Your sparring partner’s name is (obviously?) Kate, short for “Bob”.
TJIC January 13, 2014 at 12:47 pm: He looks like a Russian mob member to me.

“Ivan.”

(footnote: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRIsC764Nn4 )
rushmc January 13, 2014 at 2:35 pm: Borislav Kane.
mearsk January 13, 2014 at 2:59 pm: Put a red shirt on it and call it “Crewman #3.”
-dsr- January 13, 2014 at 3:28 pm: I suggest Pellinore.

You probably remember him from the Arthurian tales; according to White, he chases the Questing Beast. In CAMELOT, he’s against any new ideas on principle.

And the target that western martial artists use is called a pell, from palos or palorum, a stake.
SpacemanFry January 13, 2014 at 5:29 pm: Maybe it’s just me, but from the picture he looks a little like Nixon. Name him Dick and write “I’m not a crook” on it 🙂
Paul Weimer (@PrinceJvstin) January 13, 2014 at 6:22 pm: Norris
ceruleanember January 13, 2014 at 6:36 pm: Let us review…Man with no arms or legs on wall….Art. Same in front of your door, Mat. Bob would be same floating in a pool of water. Man with no arms or legs on a pole as illustrated here, Tip.
Francis Spufford January 13, 2014 at 10:08 pm: Milo, both for the arms and because he looks as if he might be bored, not just some of the time but all of the time.
MikejustMike January 14, 2014 at 12:19 am: That’s Drogo.
James January 14, 2014 at 1:16 am: Reno,
(half in your world, and half ‘out of it’).
Ken January 14, 2014 at 1:27 am: He looks like Davros from Dr. Who after pumping iron for a year or so.

Davros Schwarzenegger?
Michael Mock January 14, 2014 at 2:33 am: Dirk Steele, Man (or Torso) of Action.
Geoff January 14, 2014 at 3:53 am: Loren, in honor of your most bada** protagonist.
Jeannine January 14, 2014 at 4:54 am: Name it Nikolay Valuev Jr.
http://www.boxnews.com.ua/photos/892/John-Ruiz-Nikolay-Valuev2.jpg
TRX January 14, 2014 at 1:08 pm: Looking at the picture, my first thought was that the face strongly resembled the Soviet Modernist style. Then, clicking to comments, I find suggestions for Russian names… for once, I’m not totally out in left field. Yay!

I’ll go with the generic “Boris.”
Kathy January 14, 2014 at 2:25 pm: Rodney, because he stands on a rod?
Wilberforce, because of all the force he exerts hitting you?
Jerry January 14, 2014 at 9:05 pm: Bob N. Weave, known to his friends for some unknown reason as “Duck.” Onetime member of the Canards Chronique.
John Appel January 15, 2014 at 2:44 am: Sir Smackedalot.
Shash January 15, 2014 at 7:33 pm: Zahhak, because the scarf is a substitute for the vipers growing out of his shoulders.
Grendel
Staunch Ed (due to his expression)
Tantalus
Chris January 15, 2014 at 11:58 pm: Art.

No arms and legs, could be hanging on the wall.
Margo McKee January 16, 2014 at 3:18 pm: Kojax
Shash January 31, 2014 at 11:24 pm: New one hit me in the forebrain last night. Steady Eddie.