Why Is Tgo

[Mistral404]

Robbie has the discpline to excel. Granted he has a lot of natural talent. From early on he had physical talents that few others possess.

But Robbie works at his skill set day in and day out, year after year. He acknowledges he is getting older and slower but his foundation of skills is strong and deep. His experience from practicing all the time leads him to understand stages and time his shooting sequences better. At the WSSSC he knew when each target was going to present itself and was prepared to hit it. So he hit it. Another skill that Rob has prefected is that when he arrives at shooting spot, he is prepared to shoot. He is not wasting time acquiring the target, pressing the trigger etc. Watch Robbie getting into and out of a box sometime. See how soon the trigger is pulled when the foot enters the box. Or watch him on swingers and movers. When you read Brian's book, you can get a sense of discpline it took to go and practice hours and hours and hours, just to get better and better. He was always searching for a better faster way to do everything, then he went and practiced it.

[Jman]

If I am repeating an earlier response I apologize. I have been lucky enough to observe TGO at many matches locally since the early 80's. Rob's skill is obvious to us 'mere mortals'. No tension, effortless movement and supreme control. He is not an alien. He learned to shoot just like the rest of us. What he possesses, in my opinion, is willingness. A willingness to work. To prepare constantly. It's what he does when the rest of us have long since showered, had dinner and a beer. His accomplishments are the result of working on the smallest of details. His willingness, I believe, is the difference.

[benos]

He has a balance of all the traits needed to perfrom well at this game. On top of that he is a fierce competitor. He has learned how to adjust all those traits to each individual stage to obtain the maximum perfromance. He has done this for so long and so intensely its all second nature to him now.

The traits I am referring to are.

Good Eyesight.

Coordination.

Speed.

Smart-Quick thinking.

Desire to win, refusing to loose.

Knowledge of the game.

Knowledge of the equipment.

I may have missed some. But whatever it is he has it. Now that he is older I dont think he can run with the young uns in open. Open makes the shooting easy but requires more speed. This doesnt play in Robbies favor. With iron sights he is so much better shooting he can overcome the speed factor but as he gets older the young ones are creeping up on him. I dont think anybody will dominate the sport for as long as he has again.

Chuck's breakdown of Rob's qualities is right on. (Both times.)

Other than Rob's incredible natural physical qualities (eyesight/coordinated/gross-motor skilled/observant) - I think what's kept him on top after he became the TGO is that he's a natural performer. He lives for it. He has the skills and the desire to perfect them - and the desire to keep winning, long after most would burn out from the stress.

Key words for the ESFP: Performer / Entertainer

And this may sound weird, but I get the feeling that when he's competing he's not just performing - he's "entertaining" as well.

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[kevin c]

I remember seeing Robbie at the Golden Bullet a few years ago. One stage I watched him on had a dark house with a self closing door. Most shooters tried to keep the light from the open door on the targets by awkwardly trying to brace the door open with some part of the body while shooting their freestyle platform, but Rob just ripped and held the door open while shooting SHO. All we could do was watch, shake our heads and smile - a great example of Chuck's points, and Brian's as well.

Rob lost the match by an extremely small margin. He gave his usual speech at the tournament dinner. He was sharp witted and funny as always, grousing with good humor about having been edged out by "one BILLIONTh of a match point"...

Awe and admiration provoking, certainly, but also a performer and entertainer in all the good senses of the words.

[kellyn]

You all are WRONG!

I poked him in the arm and it was liquid metal a la the T1000 from T2.

[Paladin]

TGO is the TGO because he is a continuous learner...!!!

[dcarter]

I don't know. I've never met the man. But I love to watch him shoot. Seems like every move he makes is intentional and thought out.

[CDRODA396]

I've never actually met TGO, but I'd bet that its the same thing that made Wayne Gretsky what he was in Hockey, what made Michael Jordan what he was in Basketball and touched on by just about every response in this thread...natural talent, a drive that pushes them to work harder than most, and an overwhelming desire to both win and continue to improve no matter what successes come their way.