Snap Switch

[Patternrules at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/13/2004 4:32:00 PM US Eastern Standard Time, 
mweast at prodigy.net writes:
I dunno,
It is all for fun, Im new to pattern and I just enjoy the social aspect and 
watching the studs perform right now so consider me a conscientious observer to 
this discussion. 
But just for fun and the sake of discussion, heres my view.  I will say that 
if a person scores an 8.5 on an avalanche which has a 3 K factor where it 
should have been a zero or significant downgrade at minimum in every round due to 
no break, or being a glorified high speed axial roll with a clean exit, but 
another person who does a slow snap roll with a perfect break and a 15degree 
heading correction gets a zero because its slow and easy to see MINOR heading and 
rotation corrections in every round or even a couple of rounds,  then it 
could very well  mean the difference between 1st and last place. The second 
competitor did a good snap but you could see the obvious errors for minimal 
downgrades but the 1st gets scored high because it looks good and its so fast you cant 
really tell for sure. 
One thing I learned in judging school is that speed is not a scorable portion 
of a snap roll, only attitude break, conical rotation, under/overrotation and 
heading corrections are. 

You have to score higher K factor maneuvers CORRECTLY or someone is going to 
get shortchanged. The only saving grace I have seen in pattern is that 
frequently different judges score different rounds so things sortof even out. Im a 
rookie judge so I am one of the guys who is prone to make these sort of 
mistakes, but a veteran judge with incorrect preconceived notions who lets his own 
theories get between the rulebook and the scoresheet can be just as problematic.
Its sort of like MLB where Greg Maddux used to get 6" off the outside corner 
for a strike but the opposing pitcher didnt, just because he is Greg Maddux. 
Its only fair if everyone knows the rules and gets judged by the same, CORRECT 
criteria. 

Just for fun discussion, nothing personal. After all its only a hobby.Maybe I 
will learn something here. :)

 This is all true I was making generalization, on the other hand if I'm the 
only one doing the snap right doesn't mean that I'm the best pilot it maybe the 
only thing I do right, and again I say that these discussions are what will 
make a big difference, we'll never get 100% from judging what we are shooting 
for is better pilots better judging, as I have said more than once don't get so 
involved in the competition that you loose sight of the fun and enjoyment of 
getting together with friends, I have seen to many people get so eat up with 
winning that they end up dropping out, no matter what, your going to come out 
of this as a much better pilot.


Steve Maxwell
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