BDH

Oh come on... it's really easy this year!!!

Are any BE members headed over to the European Championships in France this Fall?? I was fortunate to be drawn as an IROA official at the match and am really looking forward it! Any thoughts/guidance around travel, what to do outside the match (we're going in a few days early), etc., would be appreciated.

Wow, BRAIN Hanna? Thanks for the compliment!!! Kyle, I am truly flattered but also fairly questionable this year. Between work (which has had me out of town 4 - 5 days a week), and my current match schedule (SAKO insisted ), I may not be able to swing this one. I'll do my best but have two weeks overseas scheduled which severely limits my availablity. Please keep me in the loop, and as you can tell I haven't had much time to spend on the board...

Kathy, not sure about any 'partee plans', but I did request you on my stage!

I think daily about the sacrifice that our troops (and their families) make to insure our freedoms. I fly weekly so have often bought a soldier(s) a lunch/dinner, swapped a first class seat for his coach seat, or just said 'thank you'. Just like everyone else here, I get tons of mail everyday asking for contributions to various organizations. Well, I just got something in the mail from 'AdoptaPlatoon' and I am curious if any of you have heard of them?? Specifically, I would like to know if I give them a dollar, how much actually makes it to the troops? IOW, is this a worthy organization, and/or is there another organization where more of my support would actually reach the troops and their families? Happy New Year all.

Deb (aka the Bunny Lady) will be attending the RO class. She just doesn't know it yet....

Congrats Sako!! Will you have IPSC approved Port-O-Lets there? Sorry, cheap shot (well, not that sorry)... BTW, GO BUCKEYES!!!

I could be wrong on this, but I believe the clubs come forward and request to be considered for a Nationals. Assuming that is the case, how many clubs have requested a Nationals next year (or a better question would be... how many have requested 2008 or 2009)... Not trying to pick a fight here as I think everyone agrees that more notice is much better than less notice. Personally, I'm trying to carefully balance 2007 match requests/match committments/work committments/and wife requests (okay, committments ). I'd love to know the Nationals schedules a couple of years in advance, but I do think that the clubs need to request them. If clubs are currently requesting Nationals in advance and this purely on USPSA, then that is another issue...

Not to worry...

FWIW, unless I am completely mistaken, both John and Troy were using reloads that ran at around 127 PF. Not trying to pick a fight, but wanted to be clear on the point that what they were shooting was within 5% of 125 PF.....

All I know is that Ken and Tom Drazy (A4 RM) sat down in Tulsa and went through the stages. Not sure if they are posted yet, but it will be another quality match, so do not delay...

All, I 'think' there is an easy solution to this problem... let the RO's know what you are trying to do. Don't assume that they will be paying attention to camera positions because that is not their focus. If someone tells me that they intend to video my stage, I always try to comply and keep people out of the way of the camera... assuming they are not asking to get in a position that I am uncomfortable with, or blocks us from the competitors (yes, there are those of you that I have asked to move the camera because I felt it was a safety issue. Sorry...) While I think everyone on the Nationals staff will help you through this, I can only speak for myself... If you want to video my stage, please talk to me about it, and I will comply as long as it does not cause either a safety issue, or some other issue. Besides... I don't ever want to see MY ASS on a video like that...

From the staff point of view... No one likes inconsistent props. Not competitors... not RO's... not RM's... NO ONE!!! IMO, anything we can do to insure consistent performance should be considered. As for clubs having to replace all their steel if USPSA came up with an 'approved' popper, I would think that the way to handle that would be similar to US 1.1.5.1 (Level 1 matches are not required to comply strictly...). That way clubs could move to the 'approved' design as they acquired or replaced steel. I think the big cost would probably be on USPSA because they would have to help fund 'approved' steel for a Nationals match instead of using club steel... My $0.02 worth... Brian Hanna - CRO Stage 13 ps. on Shred's comment about RM's showing up with a scoped TC in 9 mm, the next time I work a match as RM, I will be showing up with my scoped 9mm Beretta CX4 Storm!

+1

And I never made it off page one! I probably split too early. Deb and I were pretty whipped from the match, ate dinner there, and were getting ready to split when Chris Tilley and others started coming in. I was tempted to head upstairs, but instead headed back to the hotel. Ran into Jake D, and Henning on the way back, who were also headed there. Oh well, at least no hangover! Is McNellie's the 'official bar' of the Tulsa Nationals??? That's actually too bad. We (Deb and I) tipped them every morning, and from most of those sitting around us, I think they did too. Maybe the tips just weren't big enough? Then again, all they really did was bring us a coffee or water...

I think you meant McNellie's. In addition, there was a Mexican place, Caz's Chop House, and a Spaghetti place about three blocks North of the match hotel (other side of the train tracks). Not super convenient, but not a bad walk either... And YOU would know!!!

Kathy, unless I am mistaken, they aren't actually there YET, but are going to be built. That's probably why you didn't see them...

Top shooters do things like that. And yes, Bob is one of those top shooters! A class act... Congrats Bob!!!

Thx all. Made a nuther one!

Rock on! The tailgate party started early today....

Bill, GREATLY appreciated! Thx much...

All you youngsters.... I could tell you that really cheap gas used to be 27 cents, but I guess I would be giving away my age (and probably pissing you off at the same time)...

Just to clarify... my comments where about how I handle the clipboard in a match, not specifically about A6. I ran this way through the 2006 MG Nats, Area 5, Limited Nats, and hopefully, both the Open Nats (I've only seen the stage on paper at this point), and Area 4. In none of those matches were we scoring behind the shooter. We were clearing the shooter, and they had the opportunity to follow us through the stage (which is ALWAYS my preference). I 'think' I am known as one of those RO's that can run a complex stage and keep it on time. Well, A6 was my breaking point because with the number of movers, the squad sizes, clearing the house, and the weather (depending on which day you shot), I just could not keep this stage moving (and I had a conversation with the MD about it after the match, so we should do better next year)... Sorry for not being clear on that point (and I sure hope we can follow the same procedure at A6 2007 since I think Cindy 'sentenced' me to the shoot house again)...

+1 I still remember that race and watching the footage of him where his head slumped forward. I knew it was over. Really sad day...