ES - For those interested in fighting...

[Paul Mitchell]

Galen here...

I recently said:
>Since (correct me if I'm wrong here) we're done with fighter 
>practice for the next month or so, I'd like to offer a
>question for discussion among those who have an opinion
>on the topic:
>
>What is the importance of winning in SCA combat?
>
><Ben Stein monotone>
>Anybody?  Anybody?  Anybody?
></Ben Stein monotone>
>
>- Galen

I'd like to thank everyone who posted a reply to this question.
I found your opinions to be, without exception, interesting,
enlightening, and thought-provoking.

Somebody wrote to me the other day to ask, essentially,
"Hey, Galen, where's your answer to this question?"
("Beuhler?  Beuhler?...")

Fair enough.

As I see it, the importance of winning in SCA combat is
that it makes the fight more fun.  If you fight a really
good fight, your best, against a skilled opponent, and
if you both fight well and honorably, and if you find
yourself doing things you've never been able to do 
before, that's going to be a very fun and rewarding
fight.  And if you win, it's even better.

And if your game is off, and you're fighting someone
with half your experience or less, and if he's really
pressing you and for some reason, you can just barely
defend yourself, and then you see an opening and 
only just kill him, that's not as fun; but at least
you didn't lose.

I was talking to a new fighter recently who had had
an encounter with fear on the field.  This fighter
had never before realized how real it can get, how
much courage can be required, how much one must work
to stay in control of the urges to cry out, to flee, 
or flail blindly.  It was an important milestone in
this fighter's development.

We all know, winning is not our goal.  As Drake pointed
out, winning can be a gauge of our progress.  As Axel
said, ... well never mind what Axel said.  Our goals
are to fight as well as we are able, to improve how
well we can do, and to do it all with honor.  But when
we've done all that, who can deny that it's sweeter
still to win?

That's what I think.  I just wanted to remark on 
one other thing that went by in this thread.  When
Azalais said:
>I am just a lowly Viscount's Squire, 

I wanted to post and ask if she didn't mean to say
that she is "a Viscount's lowly squire".  But then
Axel posted:
>Who cares about winning...I want to hear more about Sfi's dream!!!
>All in favor of hearing more about Sfi's dream raise you're hand!!!

and I realized that she had it right the first time.

Thanks for the discussion.

Merry Christmas!

- Galen
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