Quite.
To respond to each of Pete's points in the order that he makes them:-
1. I started a thread in relation to a Ref Course in May. As usual with reffing, it got a limited response.
Understood.
2. What has changed from 1991 to now is that you have a younger thug with no game. Back then, you had old thugs that could play.
Not true at all, not even close mate, the 'younger thug element' as you call them didn't start coming into the game in significant numbers until about circa 2000 which pretty much leaves the years from 91 to 99 untarnished.
I made this point before, in that you were exaggerating, and over-generalising, and so my point still stands.
And let's get something straight here, the 'younger thug element' has its representatives all the way thru our sport with the pros playing host to hordes of them in the US.
Bejeepers, we've only got two pro teams here in the UK and already that 'thug' element has made itself apparent from shockwave at the Fed cup.
And I will also say this much, the good player from yesteryear could in no way compete with the average modern player, the level of skill is so much more pronounced now.
The Preds were the greatest UK team of the nineties and if you put them on a Sup'Air field with an average UK team now, I'm afraid the Preds would get annihilated.
Put that same average modern team in the woods with the Preds, and the result is debatable, and certainly not definite, as is the the previous example.
In suggesting the thug player of yesteryear is somehow a better player than the thug element now, is just wrong, completely wrong.
To qualify this, all you have to do is to appreciate just how many times the players from the nineties practiced when compared with the modern player ... in the nineties, we didn't train ... that's the the truth of it !!!
And so, if people train today, it would be a fool to suggest the players of old were better... they weren't and this point is not a matter of opinion, it is a matter of concluding and conceding, 'training improves performance'.
Though the years, I have been verbally and physically abused by people who had no basis for their argument and should have known better.
Maybe so... your point?
What I say is based on what I have experienced as a Ref at local, regional, national and international events.
I have known many people who have reffed many events and they are still dicks, and sometimes it's because there is an element of some refs that do it for the wrong reasons, that same mentality is evidenced in people like traffic wardens .....
How many events have you reffed, Pete?
Not as many as you, and that's because I was playing......palying pro for over 10 years across Europe and the US.
I have played at the top level in the US and across Europe and witnessed every conceivable reffing situation imaginable; I have been involved in most of these type situations myself.
To suggest, as you are doing now, that because I haven't reffed as many times as you, and my opinion is somewhat diminished, just about sums up your position up Jon.
I have played in literally thousands of games Jon; I have also reffed hundreds of games in the NPPL from novice to pro, I have reffed hundreds of games in the UK over my 22 years in paintball but those pale into insignificance compared with the games I have actually played and witnessed reffing of every standard.
I call upon all those to validate my position, and also my opinion on reffing.
3. "Oddly enough" was a paragraph laden with sarcasm.
OK, accepted, but the rest of your post wasn't and therefore when you slip into sarcasm, it needs either a precedent or a hint, you supplied neither, forgive my mistake.
4. I may be naive, and I may also be an idealist. I believe that nothing will change unless you get off your ass and do something about it.
Absolutely agree .............. you are being naive ........... and the remainder is also correct.
5. Without refs, there are no tournaments.
Erm ...... okaaaayyyyy .....
To make my position clear, I'm not out to start a forum war of words.
So what I suggest is that I run a trial clinic at, say, NSPL for those that have consistently shown support for the idea - The Mad Monks and Newcastle Lockdown.
You and Bully can attend to mark me on my performance, as can the Geordies - they're no mugs.
And by the way, I don't have a white horse. I had two dogs, but they died a while ago.
Jon, the problem is this mate; nobody can condemn what you are aspiring to achieve, it is commendable, and believe it or not, I understand why you are doing it and wish you luck... but I suppose it's like a lot of things in life, it's the way you are going about it.
I think probably a little more relaxed attitude from yourself would be helpful.
I will reply to your PM this week and maybe both our positions will be a lot clearer.
I am sure, that somewhere down the line, the Federation and yourself will be talking about the course of actions you wish to attack.
You mentioned in a prevoius post I think, that you got on with ulrich; as I responded, this wasn't something that scored many brownie points with myself.
ulrich has a lot of great aptitudes but he has always lost sight about how he comes across.
I ain't saying you are the same sort of person Jon but some of the things you say are similar in tone .... ulrich is an as$hole of monumental proportions, it might do you well to research why a lot of people respond this way after all the good that he does.
Whatever endeavour we are involved in, it generally includes, dealing with people.... and in most our cases, it's dealing with players [paying customers] ... pay careful heed to the bracketed group !!!!!
I do hope you get what I am hinting at here....
