[NSRCA-discussion] Chapter-2 Perils of judging part-2

[Grow Pattern]

Part - 2

The NSRCA went so far as to write a program (I was told this was done by Dean Pappas) to prove that I had been scoring these two pilots in a negatively biased manner. I have never seen this so called "evidence". They never told me they were doing it. They do not have any qualified mathematicians capable of statistical analysis. Nor is it recognized as a valid way judge evaluation by any competition organization in the USA, or the rest of the world. It is totally self-serving and WORST OF ALL I HAVE NEVER BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT MYSELF OVER THESE SCORING ALLEGATIONS. 

 

I was tried, judged and found guilty without any representation.  A bit un-American and very unsportsmanlike on their part, to say the least!

 

Anyone looking at my scoresheets would see that I scored the whole range of scores to all of the pilots. I don't have access to the other judge's score sheets, but I do believe that they missed some zeros that they should have given out. I accept that is my judging opinion and I could be wrong. If they did not see the deductions that I saw then their scores are correct!

 

FYI - Dan Landis was 13th going into the semi-finals and finished up 12th. He did not make the finals.

Dave Lockhart was 8th going into the semi-finals and finished up 7th.  In the Finals he was 8th.

 

What did they really have to complain about? The sum of all of the judges in the preliminaries and the semi's saw them as less than other pilots!!!!

 

I think that they really need to find a better way of handling their failures and disappointments other than lashing out at the judges!

 

I likened the behavior of Dan Landis's father to be like one of those out of control parents that you hear about at a Little League game! 

 

Dave Lockhart and Dan Landis are sponsored pilots and I wondered if they were under pressure from their manufacturers. So, I asked both sponsors if their pilots were directed in any way to win while wearing the sponsor's "shirt". They were both very clear that the mission was to represent the products and help people in any way that was reasonable.

 

There is no mathematical validity to comparing the scores of one judge over one round with a five judge panel. It can never take into account what was actually being flown.

 

The NSRCA sent me a letter in February 2007 that they had broadcast, saying I had been banned from judging at the Nat's for two years. No evidence of how they reached their conclusion. No invitation to protest or defend myself, no data etc. I never had an opportunity to review how they got there nor had I the chance to refute/answer any judging allegations.  

 

BTW - there are no NSRCA by-laws and no NSRCA charter to do judging or evaluation of judges. (Please don't confuse this with ranking--a different ball game). I am talking about how good your skills are at scoring a maneuver. There is nothing in the by-laws to allow the NSRCA to punish a member for not performing to a judging standard. Not only is it not written, there is no standard. There was no test then, nor is there now, to ascertain how good or bad you or I are as a judge.

 

On the bright side, you now know how to get out of your judging assignments at the Nat's! Be careful who you score low!!!!!!!!!!!!! This could happen to you. They have their precedent on their side and you have no way to defend yourself, especially if you are not informed.

 

Regards,

 

Eric the Exile!

 

Footnote: One thing that I was always aware of was the risk of district bias. Dan Landis and Dave Lockhart are in NSRCA District-1, so am I. We have flown together for a dozen years. I have on occasion coached both of them. It is pretty clear that these days Dave Lockhart does not like me politically and personally. Dan Landis is a bit of a mystery to me. His father is another matter and my opinion is that he seems out of control when it comes to his kids. 

 

Now I know what payback is! At least, I can never be accused of giving D1 pilots high scores that they didn't deserve!

 

One closing thought. The character of some of the FAI pilots in that group below the "top five" is not what it used to be. It may well be a sign of what is really killing the competition flying we have today. The fact that two heavily sponsored, yet non-achieving FAI pilots (and a father) can go on a witch hunt to eliminate one judge very is bad for us all and our sport. 

 

I was a hard working member of the NSRCA who gave a lot. I judged when ever they needed me, often doing double and triple stints when they were short.  



I still strongly support pattern but do not believe that anyone is safe or protected as a judge.

 

End of part 2, But they were not done............

 

 

 
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