[MR] That was then, this is now

[Steven Chang]

I do remember the fun I had when I first started in the SCA about 20
years ago. I was in the East Kingdom and I regularly practiced with
Duke Ronald and the king at the time, Reece and his knights. I don't
recall winning a single battle back then, but I had lots of fun. I
even lost to the king's lady at the time I think her name was Brena or
something like that.

I was never offended when they chose to handicap themselves. I knew my
limits. I knew I was a newbie and heck they have been doing it longer
than I have.

Luckily for me the Brena never did it. I dunno if I could have lived
it down if she had beaten me with one hand behind her back...

Well now you know why I prefer archery.

On 9/30/09, Terri Morgan <online2much at cox.net> wrote:
> It seems to me that the recent debate reflects the shift in outlook that the
> Society has undergone. It used to be, "We're all here to have fun" with an
> emphasis on the old-timers helping the newcomers to do that, to learn to
> love and enjoy what we do. So a hoary ole scary-good fighter would create a
> handicap for himself when the newbie fighter/less gifted fighter had taken a
> crippling blow - because that kept the fight going for a little longer and
> increased the newbie fighter's chances of winning that bout... "I won
> against Duke Almighty! Wow! Okay, well, he fought with one arm behind his
> back after he legged me but still... I am SO gonna be practising some more!
> Next time he won't need to give me an arm..." and the fighter walks away
> stoked. Even if he lost (which is more likely), he was out there swinging
> away for more than the three seconds it takes for the Super Fighter to kill
> him.
>
> Nowadays, it seems the emphasis is on winning. *Thawk* *Thud* "Next!"
>
> Great for the really good fighters, slightly boring for the medium ones, and
> - - have you noticed that we're getting fewer and fewer new ones?
>
>
> It's not my area of interest so I don't really have an oar in this water.
> But I can say it *used* to be my area of interest (to watch) back when the
> idea was to go out and make it so *everybody* has fun rather than to reduce
> it to a sporting contest.
>
> All things change.
>
>
> Hrothny