Fencing thought of the day: Courtesy and courtliness, good sportsmanship, dignity and nobility, these are all prerequisites for the would-be swordsman. Violent and aggressive sports all have rituals that require a genteel, calm, and friendly demeanor before and after the game, and these traditions go back a very long way in history. If you think about it, this is not only nice and dignified, it is also wise and necessary. You cannot become a champion without learning emotional self-control to a high degree. How can you expect to master the blade or master your opponent when you cannot even master yourself?