Brett, I really have no quarrel with you as an individual, but - no offense - you're living in a different world. And that's OK by me ...
But there is a certain core here of "die-hards" - consider that to be a compliment - who seem unable to see the forest for the trees.
First: I'm not referring to stunt only. The introduction of SIGs to the administration of the Nats introduced bias. Period. Exclamation Mark! I really think some of you don't understand, or don't want to know, the meaning of bias!
I'm reminded of discussions a few years ago when I brought this up. Several of "you" protested loudly; shortly thereafter someone (I think Bob Hunt, whom I greatly admire and appreciate, or Ted Fancher) posted something to the effect that "the top place at the Vintage Stunt Championships will undoubtedly come down to me, X and Y."
Really, can you spell bias!?! I think it was actually humorous ...
And Ted Fancher's wife involved in score keeping? Don't tell me it's all on the up and up - I believe that! But even the appearance of bias IS bias!
Put yourself out of "your group" for a moment and consider: How many others have seen/felt/heard how the Nats are run and won't even bother to enter? I've heard from many in the years since the '70s.
And that's certainly the case for several of us in the Midwest who flew combat. Combat at the Nats became a joke! And I don't think it's any surprise that combat, as well as other events, rather quickly became "watered down" at the Nats ...
Perhaps the real question is this: Can you honestly say YOU can judge stunt and score your friends, flying buddies, flyers you regularly are in touch with, exactly the same as you'd score a stranger?
Any of us would in my opinion be very wise to avoid that scenario. We're just human!
Dennis
Hi Dennis, Thanks for the kind words. Can't tell you how much I appreciate your recognition of my wife's hard work on behalf of stunt although your comments clearly indicate you know essentially nothing about what she did on behalf of those who truly love the event, the people and the airplanes.
I aologize to Sparky in advance for some of what follows.
Say what you want about me, AirClassix, I've got thick skin, have the scars to prove it and care not a whit what you think about me...but lay off my wife.
Since you clearly know nothing about her, here's a capsule of what Shareen has done for the stunt community...none of which tells you how much personal time, resources and effort went into each.
In 1975 she accompanied me to the Nats for the first time, met ED Keith Trostle who was working his butt off like he's done for decades, liked him and volunteered to help out. From that first year she went on to be the most consistent participant in operating the event for something like 35 of the next 40 or so years of CLPA at the Nats as well as a number of Team Trials and a World Championship. She was the glue that held the parts together from year to year as EDs...every one of them a hard working volunteer himself, came, worked one, two or a half dozen or more events and eventually moved on...having done more than their share...as is the common and necessary thing needed for a specialized event that generates zero income to support the workers who are necessary to make the whole thing run. I believe it is a fair statement to say there was not a single one of the numerous EDs for whom she worked who would say anything other than Thank You to Shareen for being that omnipresent, informed and hard working factor that assured consistent administration of the event over the years she served in that capacity.
Unlike the NFL, the Olympics and the other big buck events to which you refer as testimonials to the need to tarnish Shareen's hard work on behalf of others, neither the AMA nor PAMPA has the millions of $$$$$ those outfits pay to get people to do the work that our volunteers do. Every Nats she worked she was up before dawn and busy until well after dark every day of the event plus a couple in advance doing the preparation, administering at the appearance judging, etc.
Most importantly, however, it was Shareen that insured that each new Event Director understood HER INSISTENCE that...please read closely, AirClassix...THERE BE AN ASSISTANT TABULATOR; CARBON COPIES OF EACH SCORE SHEET; THAT THE SCORES FROM EACH SHEET WERE SEPARATELY TABULATED; THE RESULTS COMPARED AND ERRORS CORRECTED; AND THAT THE CARBON COPY OF EACH SCORE SHEET WAS THEN MADE AVAILABLE TO EACH COMPETITOR FOR THEIR OWN ANALYSIS AND, IF THEY FELT IT NECESSARY, TO TRIPLE CHECK THE ACCURACY OF THE SCORES AND, IF SO HAVE IT RE-ADDED. HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST THAT THE PERSON WHO INSISTED ON THIS DEGREE OF TRUE "TRANSPARENCY" OF THE SCORING PROCESS WAS SOMEHOW SUSPECT AND WORTHY OF YOUR PUBLIC CONDEMNATION.
In addition to Shareen's labors at our competitive events she also VOLUNTEERED for a dozen or so years and served as Secretary/Treasurer of PAMPA, a task that generated serious demands on her time and talents to say nothing of phone calls from around the world at all hours of the day and night from members unclear on the concept of time zones. When she ultimately passed on those tasks to her successor the transfer of paper work required ~a dozen full sized file boxes filled with membership data, each sheet of which had the date on which it was transacted entered by hand by the volunteer you suggest should have been kept in the kitchen.
All told, AirClassix, she spent, quite literally, uncountable thousands of hours of her life working on behalf of people...only a small percentage of whom were personally known by her...at a dollar value that, from personal experience I can verify, was seriously unbalanced and not in favor of her bank account. For those nearly four decades of labor on behalf of others she received the following: A cowboy hat autographed by dozens of thankful contestants from a Texas Nats, a nice plaque from the ED at the 10th Nats she worked declaring her a "perfect 10", a lovely faux crystal Trophy from another thankful CD and the contestants thanking her "For Service 'Above and Beyond' to C/L Stunt," and a final plaque declaring her a member of the PAMPA Hall of Fame. These handful of remembrances are among her prized possessions and are constantly but inconspicuously on display in our home where she and I can see them and be reminded of what a great time we shared together as husband and wife...and a team who fought determinedly and honestly, won infrequently but enjoyed every minute of doing so together.
Finally, AirClassix, your posts make it clear you have no idea about how the stunt event at the Nats has been run during the 42 or so years PAMPA has administered it, much as I have no idea how or how well the combat events are administered. The difference is I wouldn't go on a public forum and excoriate the work of those about whom I know nothing. Despite your declaration of the multitudes who eschew stunt at the nats because of your alleged biased administration, the "fact" remains the the number of stunt entries at the Nats is among the largest of all events, RC, Free Flight and C/L.
Again, my apologies to Sparky and anyone other than AirClassix who may have been offended by my remarks.
Shareen's husband, Ted.
p.s. I have "never" said I was going to win any stunt event prior to reading the final posted scores...the only numbers that coun...so please don't include me in your future lists of those who "brag" of their skills "in advance."
Topic: Will we ever get REAL modelers in charge of the AMA? (Read 6545 times)