First, I'm very impressed with the tape. I like the quality of the production and exection of the kata. I like the clear format: Three times through, front, back and sides in the demo portion in a gymnasium. Then the shift to the teaching portion outside with two very able and capable advanced students. The entire kata is gone through one more time and the techniques named and explained as well as shown. Then, the finale, Bill's normal speed presentation. The full speed version really looks to me like Uechi Ryu.
It took a few viewings for me to see the relationships to the current Uechi canon but the kata grows on you as you start feeling yourself doing it. I also did some research on the Kata in the forum and found out much more about the Uechi techniqus and pattern clusters shown in Bill's Suparinpei. There's a good deal of elaboration of some basic Uechi moves that aren't readily apparent on first view.
The thread reseach helped significantly to show elements in the bridge katas that appear in Suparinpei but aren't in the big three. How did they get there if Uechi Kanbun's top students who designed the bridge kata didn't have some exposure to Suparinpei?
One technique I caught but did not see discussed was the use of about three forearm strikes in Bill's Suparinpei. We don't have any of the forearm strikes in the three main kata but they do show in the forearm swings in kotektei and I believe in the older Don Kumite. This aplication of the strike that we use is called the Uechi block in which the assisting arm guards against the blocked kick sliding up.
Second. There's a couple of points I'd like to contribute to the discussion on as to Uechi Kanbun Sensei's knowledge or lack thereof of Suparinpei.
I'd have to search my correspondence with Seizan Breyette for the exact language but the fact is that Uechi Kanbun was presented a certificate by Shushiwa that certified that he had learned all that could be taught. This does not mean most of what could be taught or some of what could be taught but ALL. Including Suparinpei. The Certificate is a primary source of evidence and supports the supposition that Uechi Kanbun did infact know and have knowledge of Suparinpei.
The Master Text or Uechi Kanei's kyohon book is a secondary source supporting the supposition that Uechi Kanbun did know Suparinpei. Now Master Uechi Kanei did not write the articles in the book which are a comprehensive and lengthly compilation of articles surrounding the cultural and social context of Uechi Kanbun's life as well as his accomplishments in furthering pangainoon karate. Uechi Kanei however did have editorial oversight of the Master Text and allowed to be printed all that it contained.
The text states: "With Kanbuns initiation into Shushiwa's school he learned the three basic Katas: Sanchin, Seisan, and Sanseiryu along with endless drills in body conditioning. In this dojo he and Mr. Matsuda were, it was said, to have learned one other Kata "Suparinpei," but very little is known of this.
The text goes on to state: "Both Kanbun and Tokusaburo [Matsuda] entered into this style together. It was a daily test to see who could find the most useful applications for each technique. The most difficult was in the use of techniques from Suparinpei. It was a long hard ten years to learn the basics of this style."
Finally, the kyohon states: If Kanbun had learned more about Suparinpei then maybe today it would be incorporated into the Uechi-Ryu Style."
This evidence, as reported, was possibly gleaned from communication with Uechi Kanbun's associate, Tokusaburo Matsuda, who had first hand knowledge of what Uechi Kanbun was exposed to in Shushiwas's school.
From Toyoma Sensei is another clue. Alan Dollar reports that Toyoma as a young boy overheard Uechi Kanbun reveal to Tomoyose Ryuko Sensei that he (Kanbun Uechi) had in fact been the individual who killed a farmer with a Cobra technique that he subsequently disguised as a Crane technique (probably the Crane strike in Sanseiryu).
No Cobra techniques appear in the Uechi big three canon but they abound in Suparinpei. Again, this is evidence that Uechi Kanbun had knowledge of techniques outside of the traditional Uechi exercises but which he largely but not entirely excluded from his teaching repetoir.
The evidence is my opinion strongly suggests that Uechi Kanbun did have knowledge of and did utilize techniques from a Suparinpei kata but that he did not teach the kata in its entirety possibly because of personal associations with some deadly applications of Cobra techniques.
......so I may be wrong but I would think that a lot of this "nerve strike" stuff was known and used long before folks had any science to it.
..so I like this area, but like yourself I'm sceptical. It would be nice if you and evan could both put down the areas that you agree on....although I tend to agree that there is no perfect answer, I love "Defendo" 
I don't see what he means here as a 7.5 breaths in our Uechi sanchin seems too low to me.
However, Johnson goes on to claim "that harmonizing with the Tao is potentially a physical actuality and not merely a mystical or poetical metaphor." 
.........anyways good stuff read and enjoy 
