worst nationals to date!!!

[neevel]

One thing that would probably help things overall would be for the USFA to fill the currently vacant position of Tournament Services director. Having someone whose full-time job is to negotiate deals with the hotels and convention centers, fix problems like the staff-rooms disaster at the Sheraton this year, and anticipate the various issues that can cost lots of money if not dealt with until they crop up at the last minute would likely more than pay for the salary. If referees could rest assured that they would have good working conditions, good food at the venue, and a nice, convenient hotel with good restaurants nearby, I don't think they'd have quite the problem of needing to round up referees at the last minute (and pay expensive last-minute airfares for them). As the Magliozzi brothers always say on Car Talk, "It's the cheapskate who ends up paying the most in the end".

There did appear to be a distinct good side and bad side to downtown Sacramento. If you went in the direction that the shuttle bus took to the staff hotel it got pretty seedy looking (one of the cleaner, better-kept-up looking businesses along the way was the "Adult Superstore"); if you went in the other direction (towards the Capitol) it was nice. Unfortunately there weren't any restaurants, nice or otherwise, in convienient walking distance of the staff/overflow hotels. It was about a 20-minute hike to the nearest area with standard chain places (TGI Fridays, Buca di Beppo, etc.), along major roads that were not pedestrian friendly.

-Dave

[SteveMcDonough]

Sounds like you didn't have much of a ball.
Maybe next year will be better for you, huh?

I'm still waiting for them to hold the National Tournament in England. I'd like to go.





Steve the optimistic.

[Cutter]

Steve, since it is the US Nationals, I don't think we will be coming to England anytime soon though it would be fun.

------------------
Cutter
"It's just a flesh wound."

[Cutter]

Neevel, I'll take the job.

------------------
Cutter
"It's just a flesh wound."

[edew]

Originally posted by neevel:
...
There did appear to be a distinct good side and bad side to downtown Sacramento. If you went in the direction that the shuttle bus took to the staff hotel it got pretty seedy looking (one of the cleaner, better-kept-up looking businesses along the way was the "Adult Superstore");
-Dave

Hey, at least it's not a topless car wash place like in Greensboro!

[vegan]

To the Fencing.net gang at nationals-
1. I thought it was pretty good- The hosts did a great job (cutter, please thank the chair massage lady again- boy was she ever good!), as did the Usfa, armorers, and referee's (EDEW- don't forget the service of refing the kids!).
2. I had a great time fencing and meeting some of you, dispite not fencing all that well (though we did ok in teams - but why did we have to draw Rochester second?).
3. This event is often a real pain to put on, and I think that everyone involved did a great job!!
Happy,
Ben
Ps. I dunno about nothin' to do, I spent one of my days of fencing with some of the top foilists in the us, and another up in napa valley watching people drink wine, and looking at truly awe inspiring guitars at Steve Klien's Sonoma music!

[its_me_mango]

atturo: don't worry, i think i know what happened, you felt discombobulated and did what's called a "transference" making an external locus of control - it's totally understandable i do it frequently until someone says my name real loud and then i wake up - atturo: someone had to LEAD me by the ARM to the strip because I could not hear my own name! Maybe he should have yelled Mango and I would've jumped but my real name!? - what's that!

[This message has been edited by its_me_mango (edited 07-16-2001).]