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<DIV><SPAN class=890393620-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial>Fen,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=890393620-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>First
and foremost, THANK YOU for understanding. While it may seem that the
Atlantian DEM has enough say so to appoint folks to the Masters Team, that if
often not the case. At best, we can "suggest" archers we feel are
worthy. As I said, if they get selected or not is often out of our hands
regardless of how we feel about it. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=890393620-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=890393620-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>This
may come as a great surprise to many, but when others do not get a chance to
participate in such things as the Masters Shoot, who are worthy but due to
politics do not, it bothers me a great deal. There is an archer who
attends Gulf Wars and Pennsic who shoots real horse bows and is a very good
archer, getting off some 14 arrows in 30 seconds, Jerrod is his name I
believe. He made a comment to me several Pennsic's ago that caused me
serious reconsideration. As Jerrod is a very good and very fast archer he
told me that he used to go to a lot of mundane shoots. As he approached
the sign up table other archers would say "Oh, he's here, withdraw my name, we
can't beat him." It is for that very reason that I have insisted at every
single SAAD we have ever done that there be categories of shooters based on
scores at one shooting station known only to the MIC. That way even a
novice shooter has a chance to win something. Just imagine a shooter who
has been doing archery for three weeks going up against Jonathas, Gregge,
Seamus, Colum or Siegfried. Perhaps that is the source of the age old
argument of crossbow versus handbow fairness?!?! While, to some, I may
seem callous and uncaring, that simply is not the case, nor is it with any who
have preceded me or followed me in the position of Atlantian TA DEM. To
use a Clintonism "I feel your pain."</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=890393620-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=890393620-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>The
issue of winning has been a "problem" of some of the principal kingdom archery
DEMs in the past, one in particular. To win the war point one side need
only win by a single point. There really is no need to crush your
opponent. As you said below, were it not for the war point, the other side
at Pennsic may just concede the shoot to the side that "wins every
time".</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=890393620-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=890393620-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>So, in
moving forward, all hail Nuala and those who have instigated the Atlantian
Pennsic Novelty Shoot. Perhaps, and no real surprise here, Atlantia can
prove to the known world that 1 - archery can be fun, 2 - archery should be fun,
3 - there are shoots that can be done that are fun, 4 - and EVERYONE can
participate! </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=890393620-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=890393620-14052011>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=6 face="Old English Text MT">cog</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=2 face=Arial><EM>Hard work spotlights the character
of people.</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=2 face=Arial><EM>Some turn up their
sleeves,</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=2 face=Arial><EM>some turn up their
noses,</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=2 face=Arial><EM>and some don't turn up at
all.</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=2 face=Arial><EM><STRONG>Sam
Ewing</STRONG></EM></FONT></DIV></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" dir=ltr>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> fenrisulven@comcast.net
[mailto:fenrisulven@comcast.net] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, May 14, 2011 3:32
PM<BR><B>To:</B> John Atkins<BR><B>Cc:</B> archers@atlantia.sca.org;
loreleielkins@aol.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Archers] Pennsic Archer
Champions (Masters) Team.<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
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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>
<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<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>
<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<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>
<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<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>
<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011></SPAN> </DIV>
<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>
<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<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>
<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<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>
<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<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>
<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011></SPAN> </DIV>
<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>
<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial><FONT color=#000000 size=3></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<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>
<DIV><SPAN class=203282118-14052011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial><FONT color=#000000 size=3></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
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