Train Wreck

Also since there was no public announcement about who made the team, you simply created a messy situation.

Geez Louise - ad-hominem-based ranting on Facebook by someone who failed to
make the US Team he self-proclaims he both wanted and deserved is NOT creating
"a messy situation"??? Facebook ranting isn't a "public announcement"?

My only direct involvement with sailplane racing is as a longtime soaring
pilot/aficionado...not a racer myself, know only a very few top-level racing
pilots, no Facebook account, no skin in the racing game beyond my generic
soaring-based interest in all things soaring, including RAS since the mid-90s.

Through RAS I've gleaned some insights to many soaring personalities I've
never had the pleasure of meeting...and to a very few I don't really care if I
ever meet, based on how they come across to me in print. In my view, the pilot
fundamentally responsible for this "train wreck" isn't the O.P. of this
thread, but the disgruntled FB poster, who chose a very public forum on which
to express his views. It was sufficiently public that - writing as one who
(noted above) lacks a FB account and never intends to get one - was forwarded
a (one of the?) rant(s) by an actual (as opposed to FB) friend, simply because
he guessed it would be of private, personal, interest to me (which it was).

I found it of interest at several levels, the most immediately obvious one the
overall inappropriateness of the expressional tone of the writer's
disgruntlement. I'm not a fan of bullying, self-centered "blinkerism,"
innuendo, generic character assassination, etc.; all of that reflects more on
the author than sheds light on substantive facts. (Sadly, none of that
surprised me, either, given 4+ years of RAS exposure to the author.) I write
that while simultaneously finding myself in questioning sympathy with the
man's fundamental aggrievement, and like (at least two other) previous posters
am of the opinion that the methodology of the Selection Committee (et al)
deserves "somewhat public" self-dissemination (and subsequent discussion). I
hope that comes to pass in a timely fashion.

Why? Having zero insight to the inner workings of the Team Selection
Committee's methods, but "open access" to its results (i.e. names of actual
Team pilots), Team pilot contest records (via the oft-criticized SSA website),
and - sometimes - even minor insight into individual contest activities (via
"the usual suspects"), it seems to me the nature of the selection beast is in
some ways "a kinda-sorta public affair." And as such, were I a member of the
Selection Committee or in some other way directly involved in the selection
process, I would feel a responsibility to publicly convey "rightful elements"
of the selection process...thereby somewhat alleviating the otherwise
predictable hue-n-cry/"bureaucratic cronyism"/etc. endemic to closed-door
decision-making. If that doesn't happen, my working conclusion will be that
someone(s) involved in the selection process have failed to perform at an
"A-level."

Respectfully,
Bob W.

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On Thursday, 2 November 2017 07:51:54 UTC-6, wrote:
What I said just my opinion as a fellow competitor. I was looking forward to a day 4 at Cordele this year because a TAT was called and cloud bases were low. To me that meant pilots would get separated and I felt that would help me make up points on SF. Unfortunately, the day was cancelled and we ended up a three day nationals with three ATs.

So my assessment is based on flying against the guy and seeing his body language when a MAT or a TAT is called. He actually cringes because he knows it may be his undoing. BB expressed his opinion yesterday and he felt differently. Those other competitors voted their opinions and results were tallied. That is how the selection process went. Again, in the 15m, he was offered a spot.

If you have been to SF’s Facebook page or webpage you know he attacked everyone involved and said a bunch of things that had no basis in fact. Before I said anything here I tried to call him personally. He wouldn’t take my call. I then posted a reply on Facebook to counter some of the misinformation. It and all dissenting remarks have been removed. I wouldn’t put too much stock on any analysis assembled by Sean on his own page.

I stand by my assessment and don’t feel badly commenting on a guy who so freely shares his opinions with the world. If Sean’s your friend and if you want help him out maybe you can call him help him deal with situation in more graceful manner.

Sean Murphy

Sean, you are ranked 5th for 15M. Do you know who has decided to accept their selection? Have you been selected and are you going?

Ron Gleason

On Thursday, November 2, 2017 at 8:55:01 AM UTC-6, Ron Gleason wrote:
On Thursday, 2 November 2017 07:51:54 UTC-6, wrote:
What I said just my opinion as a fellow competitor. I was looking forward to a day 4 at Cordele this year because a TAT was called and cloud bases were low. To me that meant pilots would get separated and I felt that would help me make up points on SF. Unfortunately, the day was cancelled and we ended up a three day nationals with three ATs.

So my assessment is based on flying against the guy and seeing his body language when a MAT or a TAT is called. He actually cringes because he knows it may be his undoing. BB expressed his opinion yesterday and he felt differently. Those other competitors voted their opinions and results were tallied. That is how the selection process went. Again, in the 15m, he was offered a spot.

If you have been to SF’s Facebook page or webpage you know he attacked everyone involved and said a bunch of things that had no basis in fact. Before I said anything here I tried to call him personally. He wouldn’t take my call. I then posted a reply on Facebook to counter some of the misinformation. It and all dissenting remarks have been removed. I wouldn’t put too much stock on any analysis assembled by Sean on his own page.

I stand by my assessment and don’t feel badly commenting on a guy who so freely shares his opinions with the world. If Sean’s your friend and if you want help him out maybe you can call him help him deal with situation in more graceful manner.

Sean Murphy

Sean, you are ranked 5th for 15M. Do you know who has decided to accept their selection? Have you been selected and are you going?

Ron Gleason

Backdoor but most likely correct........Mike R and Dave C for Open, Bob F and Eric N for 18 Meter, Boyd W and Mike W for Club. Have no input for 15M. 20 M HW. Information other than it will be shortly announced. Many declined due to many issues why this has taken time.

Best. #711.

I qualified 5th I think and was fourth after the voting.

They did ask me after Gary Ittner (brilliant pilot) declined to go this year and 5E (best team player out there) elected to in the 18m class with his spiffy new V3. Unfortunately, I had already bid my vacation time in other months. I didn’t anticipate being asked. We have a very structured vacation system a work. I have already suggested they move the timeline up in future years and they agreed that would be better.

There will be more details about the process published. The document outlining the process requires it. I think they are being very careful about getting it right.

XC

I qualified 5th I think and was fourth after the voting.

They did ask me after Gary Ittner (brilliant pilot) declined to go this year and 5E (best team player out there) elected to go in the 18m class with his spiffy new V3. Unfortunately, I had already bid my vacation time in other months. I didn’t anticipate being asked. We have a very structured vacation system at work. I have already suggested they move the timeline up in future years and they agreed that would be better.

There will be more details about the process published. The document outlining the process requires it. I think they are being very careful about getting it right.

XC

Hmmm, not being a member of the "in crowd", nor a facebook user, to me it seems that Scott was extremely disappointed and angered at being denied the position on the 18m squad. Would he have qualified for 18m with the previous non-political system? Maybe that's why?
I mean, the guy did very well in Benella in 18m and was as high as 2nd overall at one point (to accolades of approval and support here on ras).
His effort of shipping glider to Australia et al was a great service to the USA, as was his performance. We all know it takes a combination of equipment, skill and luck to win. So, maybe next time he would get luckier? Can't blame him for wanting to try.
As for declining the 15m spot....maybe he wasn't gracious (anger does that to a person) but many have declined offered spots on the team for various personal reasons so that shouldnt be held against him.
Just wanna say...I hardly know the guy. I'm just a fly on the ras wall, but something seems wrong.

Dear John,

I agree we should have a discussion about this. One important issue is whether a pilot meets the requirements of the US Team Code of Conduct. I post some relevant sections below:

13.1.3 Courtesy. Courteous accessibility to visiting SSA members, sponsors, dignitaries and the Press.
13.1.4 Respect. Respect for the host organization, the facility, the rules of the airfield and the organization.
13.1.5 Treatment. Fair, considerate, courteous treatment of Team Management, Team Volunteers, and members of the public.
13.2.1 Highest Level. To maintain at all times a high standard of sportsmanship and fair play
13.2.6 Respect. Maintain an attitude of respect and politeness towards competitors both in the air and on the ground.
13.3 To Specifically Refrain From. To refrain from any behavior which might reflect unfavorably on the United States of America, the sport, the Team, its management, or which might bring any other pilot, official or the Team into disrepute

Since you voted for Sean highly, can you please certify that he has met all of these requirements?

On Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 7:07:22 PM UTC-4, John Cochrane wrote:
It's good to have a discussion of this new selection system on RAS, and it has to include specific cases, hard as that may be.

FWIW, I voted Sean highly in both classes, with a warning -- very talented and young (by our standards) pilot, but tends to be a bit unstable especially behind a keyboard. A true champion has emotional equanimity.

A lot of us would be happy to have to leave our wingtip extensions home and get to fly a WGC!

John Cochrane

On Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 6:07:22 PM UTC-5, John Cochrane wrote:

Snip snip snip... A true champion has emotional equanimity.

John Cochrane

So, does that mean John McEnroe was not a "true champion" tennis player? :-)

Just pulling chains. It is gonna be a long northern winter!

Since Sean isn't going can I have his slot? And Sean since you won't need it at the time, and mine isn't fully competitive in 15M, can I borrow your glider for the race?

Sean (and I for that matter), would benefit from a Breathalyzer and Interlock attached to our computers. Or a "Wayback" machine a la Professor Peabody from Rocky & Bullwinkle.