[Ansteorra-archery] the future ??

[Blackmoon]

GREETINGS

HL EADRIC , I BELIEVE THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO AGREE
TO DISAGREE ABOUT .
IN MY OPINION , I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS BAD FOR ARCHERY .
IN THE LONG RUN IT'S A BAD POISON, EVEN IF IT WAS APPLIED TO ALL MARSHAL
ACTIVITIES ,
( HEAVY, LIGHT, ARCHERY, AND THROWN WEAPONS ) IT WOULD STILL BE A BAD
POISON.JUST MAYBE A LITTLE FASTER ACTING .

I KNOW YOU , WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS , AND ON ARCHERY , IN MY
OPINION , YOU HAVE ALWAYS GONE WITH WHAT YOU BELIEVED WAS BEST FOR ARCHERY
AND ARCHERS .
MAYBE YOU SEE AN ANGLE I DON'T , IF SO , PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME .
BECAUSE , I JUST DON'T SEE ANYTHING GOOD COMING OF THIS .
I'VE TRIED TO PROVIDE COUNTERPOINT TO YOUR STATEMENTS .
HOPEFULLY , I HAVE SHED SOME LIGHT ON MY PERSPECTIVE IN THIS MATTER .
.

> I don't really disagree with what the Carolingians have to say
particularly since they make their wishes known far in advance and
> really haven't changed this message much in a number of years.

I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT YES THEY DO SHOW HONOR , BY ANNOUNCING IT WELL IN
ADVANCE , AND NOT WAITING UNTIL AFTER PEOPLE HAVE DRIVEN 6 OR MORE HOURS AND
PAID SITE FEES , ETC.

>If the goal is to compete, and to win tournaments, and to take home
> prizes then you don't need to proclaim or be proclaimed a titled
> champion at the end of a tournament.

OF COURSE ONE OF THE GOALS OF ANY COMPETITION IS TO COMPETE .
AND IF YOUR COMPETING YOU SHOULD BE TRYING TO WIN.
IT'S NOT A COMPETITION IF NO BODY IS TRYING TO WIN.
AND YES THE PRIZES ARE NICE , I WAS BLOWN AWAY THE FIRST TIME I GOT LUCKY
ENOUGH TO WIN A MAJOR ARCHERY TOURNEY, FROM A BARONY THAT PROMOTES ARCHERY.
NOT ALL OF THEM DO.
BUT IN ALL HONESTY , I WOULD STILL BE TRYING TO WIN IF THERE WAS NO TITLE,
AND THE ONLY PRIZES WERE THE COMMENTS MADE BY THE ARCHERS SHOOTING BESIDE ME
ON THE LINE .
AND YES , I HAVE PERSONALLY SLOWED DOWN ON TRYING TO WIN MULTIPLE TITLES ,
NOT BECAUSE , IT SEEMS THAT SOME GROUPS ONLY WANT CHAMPIONS FROM THEIR LOCAL
GROUP , BUT BECAUSE IT STARTS BECOMING A MAJOR HEADACHE REMEMBERING WHO HAS
WHAT REGALIA , AND WHICH EVENTS DON'T CLASH WITH EACH OTHER .
>Honor, chivalry, devotion, loyalty, duty, and service are what sets
> the SCA Championship tournaments apart.  It is part of the game that
> we play  and why we are here and not simply shooting with the Texas
> Archery Association.

MAYBE I'M JUST A BACKWOODS   OKIE , BUT TO ME , MY HONOR REQUIRES THAT I
SHOOT MY BEST AT EVERY TOURNEY, I DON'T SEE THAT " LETTING " SOMEONE WIN IS
IN ANY WAY HONORABLE .
I DO HANDICAP MYSELF , I NORMALLY HELP SET UP AND WORK THE LINE ALL DAY ,
BEFORE , DURING , AND AFTER EACH TOURNEY . SO THAT " MY BEST  " IS LESS THAN
IT COULD BE .EVEN IF I'M SHOOTING WELL THAT DAY.( AND YES , WE ALL HAVE DAYS
WE SHOOT BETTER , AND  OTHERS WE DON'T SHOOT SO WELL. . )
MY ONLY BREAK BEING TO GO THROW WEAPONS . AT STEPPES , I EVEN WORKED THE
THROWN WEAPONS LINE ALL DAY BECAUSE THAT WAS WHERE I WAS NEEDED .AS THE
ARCHERY LINE HAD ENOUGH MARSHALS. AND THROWN WEAPONS DIDN'T.
THIS SATISFIES BOTH MY SENSE OF HONOR , AND MY SENSE OF SERVICE .
IN 20 PLUS YEARS OF BEING IN AND AROUND THE SCA , I MAY HAVE MADE 2 EVENTS
WHERE I DIDN'T WORK ALL WEEKEND .
IF THAT'S NOT DEVOTION TO ARCHERY AND THROWN WEAPONS , SOMETHING'S WRONG ..
AS FOR DUTY , I FEEL IT IS MY DUTY AS AN ARCARIUS , AS A " TITLED" ARCHER ,
AND AS AN ARCHERY MARSHAL ,TO TRAIN OTHER ARCHERS , TO BE THE BEST THEY CARE
TO BE .
MAYBE I'M WRONG , BUT , 3 OF THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE HELPED TRAIN ARE STARTING
TO WIN SHOOTS NOW. ( AND NO I DON'T " LET " THEM WIN , THEY EARN EVERY LAST
POINT , AND BEAT ME IN THE PROCESS )
CHIVALRY , SINCE CHIVALRY AND CHIVALROUS  BEHAVIOR ARE MOST COMMONLY JUDGED
BY HOW OTHERS SEE ME AND MY ACTIONS . INSTEAD OF HOW I MIGHT SEE THINGS
I CAN'T REALLY SAY IF OTHERS FIND ME SO OR NOT.
LOYALTY , I FIND THAT I AM LOYAL TO THOSE WHO ARE LOYAL TO ME , AND YES THAT
IS A VERY SUBJECTIVE STATEMENT , ( FOR SOME REASON , I JUST DON'T STAY LOYAL
TO THOSE WHO WOULD LEAVE SPIDERS IN MY PRIVY )
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND I STILL STAND BY PEOPLE I MET 20 + YEARS AGO .

>If the Baron of Namron and the Baron of Wiesenfeuer have a conflict
> that must be settled through contest of arms how would that
> conflict be properly settled if the same man was serving as both of
> their champions?

IF THOSE 2 NOBLE BARONS AND THE NOBLE BARONESS , WERE TO EVER FIND REASON TO
DO BATTLE , ( EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE ALL " PRO " ARCHERY  )  IT WOULD MORE
THAN LIKELY BE SETTLED BY THE BREWERS AND VINTNERS, OR THE  BARDS . BOTH OF
WHICH WOULD MAKE EVERYONE FEEL MUCH BETTER , AND THEN THERE WOULD BE NO
CONFLICT ..

>> How many masters can a man dutifully serve?
HOW MUCH OF ONES SELF IS HE WILLING TO GIVE ??
>> How can a nobleman trust someone to guard and protect him
GOOD QUESTION , ESPECIALLY WHEN THE 5 COMPETITORS AHEAD OF HIS " CHAMPION "
ALL STEPPED DOWN .. ?? THAT WOULD OF COURSE LEAVE 5 BETTER SHOOTERS ( AT
LEAST ON THAT DAY ) THAT COULD " IN PERIOD " COME BACK TO KILL THAT SAME
NOBLE AND HIS CHAMPION .
>> How can a nobleman trust someone to guard and protect him and to
> always act in his best interests if that person is also in the
> employ and a member of the entourage of another noble (perhaps even
> a rival noble).

UNLIKE THE PERIOD NOBLES , THE SCA NOBLES DON'T NORMALLY MAKE A HABIT OF
KILLING OFF RIVALS , IF A NOBLE DOESN'T " TRUST " SOMEONE'S HONOR , THEY
SHOULD ASK THEM TO STEP DOWN , AND THE HONORABLE RESPONSE WOULD BE TO DO SO
.
>If you are the Champion of the Baron of Bonwicke AND the Champion of
> the Baron of Bordermarch then where will you be on April 29, 2006?

WHICH IS A WELL FOUNDED BATTLE THAT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR .
NOT SOMETHING ANYONE WITH ANY COMMON SENSE IS GOING TO TRY .

> He does not say that
> they can not hold other offices or that they can not hold other
> oaths of fealty only that they can not have divided loyalties.
(  1. I consider myself to be a Carolingian, " " hold no office or position
in any other barony or shire " "
 that divides my loyalties as a champion of Carolingia, and actively
participate in Carolingian activities. )

SORRY, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN IT STILL LOOKS LIKE THEY CAN'T HOLD ANY OFFICE
OR POSITION ANYWHERE EXCEPT CAROLINGIA.

> In my opinion too many people take the office of Champion and
> responsibilities that go along with it way too lightly.  The office
> of Champion is not the same as simply being the winner of a tournament
>

IN TRUTH , THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ACT AS YOU DESCRIBE ,
HOWEVER , WHEN THE " CHAMPION " ARCHER'S ONLY " DUTY " IS TO STAND IN COURT
LIKE A PEACOCK , IT IS THE NOBLE DECIDING THAT THAT IS ALL THE ARCHERY
CHAMPION IS GOOD FOR..
WHY DO WE NEVER SEE ANY TOURNEYS WHERE SEVERAL GROUPS " CHAMPIONS  " " DO
BATTLE "
CAN BARONY A'S ARCHER OUTSHOOT BARONY B'S ARCHER ??

ALSO , YOU SAY THAT BEING " CHAMPION AND SIMPLY WINNING THE TOURNAMENT ARE
TWO DIFFERENT THINGS .
WHILE TECHNICALLY ACCURATE , YOU FORGET THAT A LOT OF GROUPS ONLY HOLD ONE
EVENT PER YEAR WHERE ARCHERY IS EVEN ALLOWED . AND THAT IS NORMALLY ALLOTTED
ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME TO BE COMPLETED .
SO MOST PLACES HOLD ONE TOURNAMENT ASSUMING THAT THE BEST ARCHER WILL BE
CHAMPION.
ELFSEA AND STEPPES ARE VERY LUCKY IN THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO SET UP AND RUN
MORE THAN ONE MAJOR SHOOT PER EVENT .
TO BE HONEST , MY JUNKER TRUCK WON'T MAKE IT MUCH FARTHER SOUTH SO I CAN'T
SAY ABOUT ANYTHING FARTHER AWAY, BUT IN THE NORTH , WE ARE NOT SO LUCKY.
NORTHKEEP HAS ONE OUT DOOR EVENT, ONE DEMO, AND ONE COLLEGIUM .
AT THEIR OUTDOOR EVENT ALL ARCHERY CAN'T BEGIN UNTIL AFTER MORNING COURT,
AND MUST BE FINISHED 2 HOURS BEFORE COURT OR FEAST WHICH EVER IS GOING TO BE
FIRST.


I STILL FIND IT INTERESTING THAT THIS POISON IS SPREADING FASTER IN ARCHERY
/ THROWN WEAPONS , THAN IT IS IN HEAVY OR LIGHT FIGHTING .

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, HAVE FUN
ARTHUR BLACKMOON

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eadric Anstapa" <eadric at scabrewer.com>
To: "Archery within the Kingdom of Ansteorra"
<ansteorra-archery at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2005 12:00 PM
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra-archery] the future ??