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<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>At full risk of reigniting the "flames" of the selection process for the masters team at Pennsic a little clarification from one who has had to "play these politics" before.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2><FONT color=#000000 size=3>No worries. Siegfried gently corrected my ignorance when this last came up. I fully understand now that, because it is tied to war points, politics is in play. For example, the East might negotiate to trade 2 archery slots to an ally with subpar shooters in exchange for their two dozen elite spearmen. Its the larger strategic picture.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>Now, having said all of this, please know that if you show up at the practice/try outs and shoot well you stand a very good chance of making the team, given enough places and how well you do. Some years there are 20 places some years there are only<FONT color=#000000 size=3> </FONT>10</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><FONT color=#000000 size=3>That was not my experience. 4 of 30 slots available one year, then 6 of 30 available the next. Before I even tried out.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>But know that in the past it was CRITICAL for the East to not just win this competition but to do it's best to crush the opponent.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><FONT color=#000000 size=3>I think thats the heart of the problem. I don't feel the need to crush them by 50 points. If you're running your team like Marine Corps boot camp, if there's yelling and screaming, if your guests are being brought to tears, if veteran archers need to be talked down from quiting the SCA altogether, if people like me are skipping Pennsic because the drama ruins their Pennsic "experience", if the other team is so demorialized from the annual beatings that they can't muster enough to field a team... then you are doing something wrong. I think most of us prefer the competition over the win. In other venues, I've been on elite teams that so dominated the game that we ended up holding barren terrain - no one wanted to play with us. Not fun.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>But, due to turn over, it's like Kevin Costner in Postman, "Things are getting better. Things are getting better all the time"</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><FONT color=#000000 size=3>Agreed. I'm just thrilled that the principals involved are listening to feedback and making an attempt to improve things. Even though its their game and we are invited guests. </FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011></SPAN><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><FONT color=#000000 size=3>I know I was vitriolic last time this came up - please understand I had strong feelings about it, and because my RL involves launching political attacks and bloodying people, I sometimes have difficulty dialing it down. I'm working on that ;) </FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><FONT color=#000000 size=3>Cheers</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><FONT color=#000000 size=3>Fen </FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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