Winning at Gulf War

[Casey Weed]

Gunnorra said:
<<snip>>
>Seriously, folks, I have some concerns about the language I've been seeing
>on the list in the last week that amounts to "Ansteorra Must Win at Gulf War."
>
>Friends, I am as patriotic as the next person, but I really think as a
>Society we have drifted offbase when we allow the small-town-football
>mentality to invade our wars.  Yes, it is nice to win.  Yes, it is good to
>be competitive.  
<<snip>>
>*I* think the war-cry should be "Go to Gulf Wars and Have a Great Lot of FUN
>Fighting!"  
>
>Winning or losing is irrelevant.  For each of our chivalrous fighters,
>PERSONAL HONOR should be what's important.  Isn't that why you joined the SCA? 
>
>My thoughts...
>Wassail,
>::GUNNORA::
>

You know, Gunnora, a man I admire a great deal, a man who is a companion of
two cirles of peerage in this kingdom once said this to me:

"Dieter my lad, it is of the utmost importance to play the game as fairly
and honorably as you possibly can, and to have fun doing so... but if you
aren't winning, someone out there is having more fun than you are."

When I hear Ansteorrans talk about winning the war, I hear people talking
about trying to have as much fun as possible.  I know *I* want to have as
much fun as possible.  If that's a crime, lock me up.

Also, one does not achieve excellence by setting low personal standards.
Aim to win: if you do, you earned it (but be gracious in victory); if you
don't, you gained more in the trying than anyone ever did aiming lower (and
be proud of your effort).  And when *both* sides want to win, each pushes
the other to new heights.  No A&S competition ever suffered by entrants
trying to out-do the others.  Mediocrity breeds mediocrity.

I'll leave the war-cries to the bards- maybe one of them can find a way to
polish up 'fairly and fiercely' though.


Let's go try and win a war, shall we?
Dieterich Kempernich von Eltz

"Melior dare quam accipere."