Which Classifier To Shoot

[ParaJoe]

Ok so here's the deal. It's a little bit of a rant but doesn't really belong in the hate forum as I would like some feedback. It seems as though everytime I set up a classifier for a local match I get a few people complaining that the classifier (doesn't matter which one) is either 1. too easy 2. they've shot it before, 3. you'll never move up shooting this one. So let's review these.

1. It's too easy. Well then you should smoke it and problem 3 shouldn't be a problem.

2. They've shot it before. The people that say this are mainly the folks that have been shooting for 3-5 years or more. I guess they are expecting that more classifiers are going to magically appear and they well never shoot the same one twice.

3. You'll never move up shooting this one. This one really gets me fired up. To the point of beating skulls until the white meat shows. I makes zero sense to me. Put up or shut up. If everybodies shooting it I guess you'll just have to work harder and do better than everyone else. What's that word that I'm looking for......ACCOUNTABILITY. If you want to move up, you must do the work, it won't be given to you.

Let me note that before I set any classifier up, I peruse the classifier forum and see what hasn't been shot in a while.

Please tell me that I'm not loosing my mind. Am I looking at this the wrong way? Thanks in advance,

JOe

[tightloop]

If you are the MD, do it the way you want to...find which ones have not been shot recently and go for it.

[Merlin Orr]

Take Ricky Nelson's advise.... "Well you can't please everyone..You got to please yourself."

[dajarrel]

I agree with TL.

As long as you are the MD, set it up as you see fit.

Now....see if anyone else wants to be MD or give them the option of coming early and setting up the classifier they want to shoot.

Most folks will quieten down.

Some folks never will

FWIW

dj

[ChuckS]

Joe,

I heard then back when the railroads were being built across the US, if you complained about the food, you became the cook until the next person complained*. Tell your complainers that you feel their pain and you want to empower them with the privilege of tracking classifier usage, choosing classifiers and setting them up. That should stop the bitching, at least, and perhaps get you some help. If that falls on deaf ears, ask them what one they want next and vote on it.

Your three items:

1) If they have not set the high hit factor for the classifier, then it is not too easy.

2) It is hard to not repeat for someone experienced. I suggest that you start at 03-01 and step through the list to 99-63 and then repeat. You can run one every week for more than a year without a repeat.

3) What they are really saying is I am never going to shoot better than I can now. You can't fix that!

Sounds like you are doing a good job! Keep it up.

Later,

Chuck

PS: Unfortunately, you may still be going crazy, but probably not because of classifiers.

* A folkie named U. Utah Phillips had a funny piece called "Moose Turd Pie" that covered this subject.

[Merlin Orr]

Joe,

I heard then back when the railroads were being built across the US, if you complained about the food, you became the cook until the next person complained*. Tell your complainers that you feel their pain and you want to empower them with the privilege of tracking classifier usage, choosing classifiers and setting them up. That should stop the bitching, at least, and perhaps get you some help. If that falls on deaf ears, ask them what one they want next and vote on it.

Your three items:

1) If they have not set the high hit factor for the classifier, then it is not too easy.

2) It is hard to not repeat for someone experienced. I suggest that you start at 03-01 and step through the list to 99-63 and then repeat. You can run one every week for more than a year without a repeat.

3) What they are really saying is I am never going to shoot better than I can now. You can't fix that!

Sounds like you are doing a good job! Keep it up.

Later,

Chuck

PS: Unfortunately, you may still be going crazy, but probably not because of classifiers.

* A folkie named U. Utah Phillips had a funny piece called "Moose Turd Pie" that covered this subject.

Moose Turd Pie

[JFD]

For sure you need to offer them the reward of setting up next month's classifier since they are so full of ideas.

Otherwise, screw em....

[shred]

Weeel... there are some classifiers that are very very difficult to move up on, no matter how well you shoot. We call those high-hit-factor too high.

The good thing is USPSA is slowly fixing the classifier HHFs. Has anybody noticed how few new GMs (especially Open & Ltd) there have been lately, as compared to when the 03 set first came out?? It's not because shooters have gotten worse, it's because the HHFs on the gimmie ones went up.

But, mostly the shooters that complain about 'never moving up' have no idea what the HHF is, but just know they can't shoot weak-hand for cr@p. This is their problem and not yours.

The other thing I see is the easier a classifier is to set up the more it gets run.

[moverfive]

Weeel... there are some classifiers that are very very difficult to move up on, no matter how well you shoot. We call those high-hit-factor too high.

The good thing is USPSA is slowly fixing the classifier HHFs. Has anybody noticed how few new GMs (especially Open & Ltd) there have been lately, as compared to when the 03 set first came out?? It's not because shooters have gotten worse, it's because the HHFs on the gimmie ones went up.

But, mostly the shooters that complain about 'never moving up' have no idea what the HHF is, but just know they can't shoot weak-hand for cr@p. This is their problem and not yours.

The other thing I see is the easier a classifier is to set up the more it gets run.

Hey Shred, think we may have a common friend in Marisa Hogan.....at least I think you shot with her in Panama. Nice lady. I hope I can continue doing half of what she is doing when I get close to her age.

Now my real question to anyone on the "know." On the HHF's, how are these hit factors actually determined today, not in theory but in reality?? And by that I know they are supposed to be averaging the top scores, blah, blah. But if they are averaging, I am then assuming that they are averaging ALL scores received - meaning primarily the local results where it was shot 100 times and the one miracle run was turned in.

I am asking because I have shot some classifiers that I thought were solid runs, maybe not GM runs, but good runs.....and yet, I didn't even crack into the 80's! But unfortunately for me, the opposite has also been true....I have the same 'solid run' that was 107% of the HHF. The HHF's just don't seem to be very consistent and so was just wondering how they are actually determined.

[ParaJoe]

I hate to word it this way but the people that are complaining are the old guys in the club that have been there forever. They did all the setup and tear down and I guess since it's my turn to setup and tear down it's my turn to hear the bitching. I'm taking the advice given here and making myself happy.