Lyonesse was Re: principalities...border

[Keith Ewing]

You wrote: 
>
>
>
>On Sun, 29 Sep 1996, Michael A. Chance wrote:
>
>> OK, here's a (potentially) dumb question: If most everyone really
>> likes "high persona" events like Lyonesse and the Pennsic Pas 
d'Armes
>> and other similar real medieval tourney formats, why do we keep 
doing
>> modern NCAA-style elimination tourneys?
>
Lyonesse is a glorious tournament, but it is a judged tournament. Often 
it is judged by non-fighters. Bjornsborg almost always does an 
excellent job of judging, choosing for chivalry, showmanship and 
fighting prowess. 
Some other judged tournaments are not done so well. I have seen judged 
tournaments in which almost no effort was made to recognise the best 
fighters on the field that day.
Double elimination tournaments have the advantage that they can choose 
the best fighter on the field. They do not preclude judging. The first 
prize I was ever given in the SCA was in a very large double 
elimination tournament. I wasn't even close to winning it, but I was 
chosen as the most chivalrous fighter. I was very proud of the hand 
made dagger that was given to me.
I guess the real answer to the question is, "why not?" There are 52 
weekends in the year. If every event I went to had the same type of 
tournament, it could get pretty boring, no matter what type of tourney 
that is.
I like judged tourneys, double elims, single elims, pas d'armes, bear 
pits, king of the hills, snow balls, umm... I just like tourneys.

Kein

p.s. I like melees, too.