Who should fight (was)R

[Lori Jones]

> > Kat said:
> > The issue of fairness is really moot, anyway.  Fair or not, Crown
> > is the King's Tournament and can be run any way the king deems
> > appropriate (i.e. a certain weapon style, a shield size limit, set
> > pairings, etc.).

> Daniel de Lincoln replied:
> I would not say that "fairness is moot", except in the most limited
> sense to describe current practice.

That's kind-of what I meant.  In other words, the King can pretty 
much do as he wants, fair or not - or so it has been in our Kingdom 
for many years.  If there exists some kind of rule requiring pairings 
in SCA Crown Tournies to be random, I haven't run across it yet.  
What I meant about fairness was that, regardless of people's 
perceptions - right, wrong or indifferent - I don't see the practice 
changing any time soon.  I did *not* mean to say that the practice 
was fair or unfair (though it's pretty obvious to me and probably 
to anyone else out there).

> I would very much like pairings not under control of the Crown. 

If you mean you would like the pairings to *always* be randomly 
drawn, I think that's a pretty common sentiment.

> Then again, I've heard rumors from Them (third person paranoid)
> that the King stacking the pairings is not uncommon, at least in 
> Ansteorra.  ("They" were fairly well-connected in the marshallate 
> and with the list mistresses, so I think there may be validity.)

I can't in all honesty say whether or not the practice is common.  I 
only know I'm not going to question what I was told by the ladies 
I spoke with, or my lord (who was the Earl Marshal prior to Sir 
Karl).  Such things could get me killed (just kidding!) or at the 
very least could make it very cold around my castle this winter. :-)  
Chalk it up to my less-than-inquiring mind....

I guess the issue of which kings do or don't depends largely on 
the King and how they view their role.  Some would feel they have 
the right and duty to influence that list.  Others want absolutely no 
question of influence - I remember one Crown where cards were drawn 
and read off in full view of the populace (Inman V, I think).  You 
don't get much more random than that.  

Kat    >"<

************************************
Katrionna MacLochlainn,  Barony of Wiesenfeuer

"The pupil who is never required to do what he cannot do, 
  never does what he can do."
  -   John Stuart Mill