Judging behavior

[jim ivey]

 Roy
I think that was good sportsmanship on both sides.
I do have a problem with anyone standing at the judges tent or even in hearing distance to the judges. I think this area should be off limits to all, this way the judges can concentrate on the judging with no outside influence. It did happen at the Nats last year during the Masters Finals and should not happen even in local contests.

 Jim Ivey
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: WHIP23 at aol.com 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 6:41 PM
  Subject: Re: Judging behavior


  In a message dated 1/24/03 5:42:56 AM Pacific Standard Time, eric.henderson at gartner.com writes:


    I have seen and heard pilots planting the "seeds of doubt" in the minds of pilots who would later judge their class. I once dealt with a top level pilot who was standing behind the judges and next to other pilot judges. He was giving loud detailed descriptions and remarks on whether a rival's plane was snapping or not. A day or two later I took the time and trouble to try and educate that pilot of the unsporting nature of this conduct. Result was long term animosity.



  Hi Eric

  The problems you point out are real and I must add that I was made aware of it by a VERY good display of sportsmanship.  I rolled the wrong way on the downline of a figure M and realizing immediately the mistake I rolled right through the required 3/4 roll to 11/4 and continued on correct direction.  As luck would have it both judges missed the error, though one judge was pretty sure, but not sure enough to zero the maneuver.  When the flight was over the one judge asked it I had (no change in score, already turned in at this point) and I admitted that I had.  When I walked away I found that my number one competitor had been standing there and watched the flight and he HAD caught the error, but to his credit and sportsmanship he said nothing.  Clearly he could have made some comment and probably pushed at least one of the judges over the edge, maybe both.  Should it be an issue, who knows, I did make the error so you could argue that I deserve the zero.  On the other side all of us have been downgraded for things we did not do, so to some degree it evens out.  My opinion, when I step to the line I am agreeing to be judged by the judges in the chair, not everyone who happens to be watching.  There are several reasons, one of which is that the spectator who comments will probably not be watching other flights and certainly not his own, so adding his opinion to the score defeats the theory of a level playing field.  I'm not sure that if this situation had not occurred I would have thought this through enough to realize how much we can effect the results of an event by simple, offhand comments.  At the same time, a lot of the fun of pattern, for me anyway, is discussions about flying, so we need a happy middle ground.  Clearly, comments about a flight, within ear shot of the judges, during the flight is not acceptable.  Now, I know everyone is wondering who was the good sport.  



  Roy Spieghts

  I should also add that Roy once compared me to a blind squirrel, but that's a different story!!

  Bye

  Bob





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