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This is an interesting perspective, but I don't think I agree with it's
conclusion. Makes me think about all the times I've heard guys talk about
"it's the journey not the destination". I feel that contestant judging
is an improvement over club judges and recognize that there is some personality
bias involved, but I think it's quite limited.The reason I say this is
that when a contest ends I make it a point to acquire my score sheets and
I can usually remember who the judges were for any given round and my experience
has been that I usually find the scores remarkably similar between guys
that I feel probably don't like me all that much and those that are friendly
toward me.
<br> I don't know if everybody does what I do or not,
but when that aircraft starts to roll, and I'm in the chair, I immediately
go into a mode where I become concious of the airplane and whoever is flying
it is the farthest thing from my mind.I have the feeling that almost everybody
does this, but then I've been known to be wrong.
<br> As far as a stream of eights go, I score what the
maneuver earns according to my understanding of the regulations. Just as
an example, at last years Nats I was called upon to judge Advanced and
on one particular maneuver (I can't remember which) I awarded Charlie Rock
a 2 and Charlie's wife was scribing for me.That's a terrific way to make
two enemies at one time. Further, every time I sit in the chair at
local contests I insist that my initials be written on the bottom of the
score sheet so that the guy that checks his score sheets knows exactly
who it was that gave him that paltry 3&1/2 for the humpty. All that
being said, I also award high scores if they are deserved. I remember giving
Dave Elsner a 10 for the 6 sided outside, and it was a K4 maneuver, but
he nailed it and there weren't many guys that were "on" on the timing on
that one.
<br> I kinda feel like, if guys are going to hate me because of what
I score them it's probably not worth getting all that upset over it as
I only have a few more years to live anyhow and I think I would rather
enjoy what I've been given without a retaliatory mindset.There's just too
many guys in this hobby that are really great to waste energy on those
that are not.
<br>G.
<br>
<p>mike mueller wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE> Ok, this is the worst part of the problem with
judging snaps, if you take a stand and decide to be the "snap policeman"
then you run the risk of judges retaliation. Say your Bob the relatively
new Advanced flyer and your judging Joe superstar FAI guy. He executes
a snap that's thought by most to be pretty good because Joe performed it.
You know better and think it didn't show a proper break in pitch, so you
0 the maneuver. Dude are you kidding me? Word get's out that you gave Joe
superstar a 0 and you have a bullseye on your back that may effect how
others are going to judge you. Your stuck in the middle of a tough competition
with your arch rival and can't afford the inevitable results. Who wants
a reputation as a so called jerky judge especially one that can't fly nearly
as well as "Joe"? Don't think for a second that this doesn't happen
and happen all the time. Thus you get the guys that take the "SAFE" route
and scores 7 and 8's on everything even though you know better. Then there's
the guy that's competing against you judging in a defensive manner. Very
few guys are willing to step on toes because they are worried about the
consequences. I hate contestant judging because it's vanilla. Back
when pattern was King we didn't allow it. When you held a contest you provided
judges that didn't fly. In so many ways it was better. Given all that were
stuck with it and it ain't changing anytime soon because we lack the numbers
that we used to have. Houston we have a problem!!!!!!!! PS: This
is not meant to hurt Joe's feelings, so don't take it too personally please.
This is what makes judging snaps too hard for most of us. Oh ya am
I guilty? In the past I would admit that it has played in to my thinking
process. I wonder how many of you would admit to this fault.
Have a nice day!! Mike
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