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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 face=Arial>What
Lorelei has passed to us from Godric is how it was always stated when I was the
DEM and had input to the selection process. Let me say that one year,
early on in my tenure in the position, an Atlantian lady just missed making the
team. She talked with me afterwards about it, but the residual effect on
me was that it really hit me hard. This lady really wanted to be on the
team and even though she was a fairly good archer, she just didn't quite make
the cut it in the practice rounds. In future years when I was able
to have a little stronger input to correct this, she had moved out of kingdom
and was no longer in my "control". But the point is that every year I was
DEM and involved in the selection process our allie captain made the final
choice. On occasions I argued with their choice but ultimately the final
decision was theirs. The number of allies that make the team is NEVER in
Atlantian control. We make suggestions. That is an artifact of the
host kingdom's royalty and like it or not, often positions on the masters team
are given out as reward and not for skill. We all can think of several
examples of this.</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>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 10. On the other hand if you shoot well but don't
make the team, think of it as a crown lyst. Many fighters enter crown lyst
simply to be seen. Believe me when I say the DEMs of our allies remember
year to year who shot well and who did not. Often I was asked, "What about
Longshaft? Are they here this year? They shot really well last
year."</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>I
offer the above not as an excuse for perpetuation of a Good Ol' Boy system but
as an explanation of how it works. Often this is not visible to all the
archers shooting and trying out. Hopefully as the DEM positions turn over
and new blood comes in these prejudices will fall to the way side and the very
best archers will be those who make up the Master's Teams. 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. Why? I have no idea. I'm
just stating how it was. If it were left solely to me or any of our
Atlantian DEMs of the past and I'm sure of the future, the Master's team would
consist of the best of the best.</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>I
wholeheartedly agree with what Fen has said, "if you've got, prove it".
But politics and person prejudices get in the way of that. We are all
human and we all have human shortcomings. 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>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=5 face="Old English Text MT">THL Christophe of
Grey</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 face=Arial><STRONG><EM>Sam
Ewing</EM></STRONG></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>
archers-bounces@seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
[mailto:archers-bounces@seahorse.atlantia.sca.org] <B>On Behalf Of
</B>fenrisulven@comcast.net<BR><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, May 14, 2011 12:00
PM<BR><B>To:</B> loreleielkins@aol.com<BR><B>Cc:</B>
archers@atlantia.sca.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Archers] Pennsic Archer
Champions (Masters) Team.<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
color=black size=2 face=arial>
<DIV>"No one is being pre selected by me, although General Godric reserves
that right as team leader. <EM> </EM><U>BUT, he relies heavily on an
archer's performance during the try-out period</U>, which I think will be
Monday or Tuesday of war week."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Outstanding. I won't make Pennsic this year, but am happy to
see this. No legacy, no cronyism, no nepotism. If you've got it,
prove it.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The method in which archers are chosen this year will determine if
I participate the next.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Cheers</DIV>
<DIV>Fen</DIV>
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