Oz Parsons: Pick the Winner

[schlager7]

For the SW Section folks...

I'm running a poll on my local Gulf Coast forum

Oz Parsons: Pick the Winner

See if you can figure out, in advance, the winners of each competition at the OZ.

At the same time, this post can serve to start a thread on that tourney, here...

[Sciurus-Rex]

Unless you're going to be directing bouts, in which case you should at least pretend you have no idea who's gonna win.

[Sciurus-Rex]

By the way, what happened to Mr. Reed?

[schlager7]

I believe that was just his reference to suffering through something of an off-day, fencing-wise, at the Longhorn Open.

[hpfencing]

Originally Posted by Sciurus-Rex

Unless you're going to be directing bouts, in which case you should at least pretend you have no idea who's gonna win.

Hey I am refereeing at the Oz and I know Jerry would not hire referees that need to pretend to have no idea; they are all top notch referees, LOL.

Single lights are always the best way to make sure the referee calls it in your favor though.

[OROD]

Mens Foil:

Man, it's looking like a weak tournament. 5Bs and 1C! Let me get out my crystal ball.... I predict:

1:
Vitaliy Boksiner

2-4:
Chris Rogers
Sam Tadlock
Ray Sexton


.

[KD5MDK]

I'm wondering who voted for me! I know my girlfriend did, but someone else did as well before she even saw the poll.

[schlager7]

Unfortunately, that I can't tell. As the admin I can see WHO has voted from among the forum's members, but nothing on who each one voted for.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Mens epee...
1. Herman Bonner
2. Jim Carpenter

[oso97]

I wonder who Mr. Securius-Rex really is? He's almost as curmedgeonly as Inquartata, but without a shred of the class...

[Sciurus-Rex]

Originally Posted by oso97

I wonder who Mr. Sciurus-Rex really is? He's almost as curmedgeonly as Inquartata, but without a shred of the class...

And yet you haven't posted your predictions here yet. Hmmmm.... Can I handle being called a classless curmudgeon if it helps a respected referee recognize his responsibilities? I'll live with the pain.

[oso97]

SC, you miss the point.

Everyone here who would have been at the Longhorn or will be at the Oz knows who I am. They also respect me as being honest and above reproach. They also know that I'll remove myself from the bout in order to prevent conflicts of interest. Like for example, I'm not going to referee Jim Carpenter in a gold medal ME bout where I've predicted the outcome, but not because I've predicted the outcome, but becasue he and I used to work together at GTFC, and fairly recently. Similarly, I'm not going to referee a WS bout where I've predicted Seiler or Tees to be there, but not becaue I've predicted it, but beacuse they're my students and I'll be coaching them! Therefore, if I make a prediction in a bout where I don't have a conflict of interest, its of casual interest only. Not something that will affect my ability to referee the bout.

I've also black carded my own teammates, so it should be clear, that when I am wearing the referee's suit, I try to put everything aside and call the bout without bias, prejudice, or favor. Attacking me on the basis of questioning my integrity isn't going to get you very far. I'll accept criticism of my skills from those with the standing to do so (and got more than my fair share of it this past weekend in Albequerque after a very public crash and burn while refereeing CWS). I won't accept criticism of my integrity of someone who hides behind the anonymity of an internet alias and who posts only for the purpose of to get in digs wherever possible.

David Sierra

[Sciurus-Rex]

Originally Posted by oso97

SC, you miss the point.

Everyone here who would have been at the Longhorn or will be at the Oz knows who I am. They also respect me as being honest and above reproach. They also know that I'll remove myself from the bout in order to prevent conflicts of interest. Like for example, I'm not going to referee Jim Carpenter in a gold medal ME bout where I've predicted the outcome, but not because I've predicted the outcome, but becasue he and I used to work together at GTFC, and fairly recently. Similarly, I'm not going to referee a WS bout where I've predicted Seiler or Tees to be there, but not becaue I've predicted it, but beacuse they're my students and I'll be coaching them! Therefore, if I make a prediction in a bout where I don't have a conflict of interest, its of casual interest only. Not something that will affect my ability to referee the bout.

I've also black carded my own teammates, so it should be clear, that when I am wearing the referee's suit, I try to put everything aside and call the bout without bias, prejudice, or favor. Attacking me on the basis of questioning my integrity isn't going to get you very far. I'll accept criticism of my skills from those with the standing to do so (and got more than my fair share of it this past weekend in Albequerque after a very public crash and burn while refereeing CWS). I won't accept criticism of my integrity of someone who hides behind the anonymity of an internet alias and who posts only for the purpose of to get in digs wherever possible.

David Sierra

Oh, get over yourself already.

YOU missed the point, as it was plainly explained to you in the previous thread. It's not whether you're God's Personal Avatar of Fairness -- it's about the APPEARANCE of bias and avoiding it as a matter of responsibility to your station. (Dig up the other thread; I think someone had included a rule book reference, too.)

You know better, otherwise you would have flouted the issue already by posting another prediction here ... just to show me, if nothing else. The only reason you're still whining about it is because the correction stung your ego.

So move on already. Everyone already knows you're a fair guy, but now you're running the risk of being known as That Guy Who Didn't Know When to Stop Arguing. ((Really! I didn't even invoke your name in my initial post on this thread; you did.))

[hpfencing]

Originally Posted by oso97

SC, you miss the point.
I've also black carded my own teammates, so it should be clear, that when I am wearing the referee's suit, I try to put everything aside and call the bout without bias, prejudice, or favor. Attacking me on the basis of questioning my integrity isn't going to get you very far. I'll accept criticism of my skills from those with the standing to do so (and got more than my fair share of it this past weekend in Albequerque after a very public crash and burn while refereeing CWS). I won't accept criticism of my integrity of someone who hides behind the anonymity of an internet alias and who posts only for the purpose of to get in digs wherever possible.

David Sierra

I've seen David referee many times and worked with David and know him as a fair and competent referee with integrity. I hope he'll be refereeing beside me at the Oz this weekend.

Hope to see a lot of others fencing and refereeing as well. It will be a great event. Regardless of the outcome of whom wins.

[schlager7]

It has been my good fortune to encounter David in many of his roles. My wife has fenced at a tournament he organizes every year (to the point it is a tradition with us). I have dealt with him when he was the commissioner of the Southwest Sectional Circuit Cup and I was a division officer. I have dealt with him as a developmental referee (me) to senior referee (him).

David and I have agreed and disagreed about evenly, I'd guess.

I have no doubt at all to his integrity or ability. I would say here and now that if I were to find myself on strip fencing one of his student and he were refereeing it would concern me not at all.

[Mr Epee]

Joe Jackson hit .375 over an 8 game span in 1919, and was banned for life.

Sometimes it's best to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

I think it's best to look at other sports. Would you feel comfortable watching an NFL game in which the Head Official had been interviewed prior to the game and had predicted a winner? I sure wouldn't. In fact, I would expect that official to be fired.

This isn't saying that Oso isn't a good referee, but it does create an ethical situation.

[Goofy]

Predictions are made all the time around here, and since this forum is anonymous probably by more referees than we know about. And the ones we do know who have made predictions have not had their ethics or impartiality questioned, even when the predictions were made on National Championship events, so such a practice should not start now.

This is only an ethical situation for someone who wants it to be. Oso is a good fellow, a fine referee, and if he predicts the outcome of a fencing event then so what? His bout calls will be done fairly and without favor.

[epeeinacup666]

Originally Posted by Sciurus-Rex

By the way, what happened to Mr. Reed?

As schlager7 said earlier,I had a major case of 'choke-itis' at the Longhorn (and just when you think you are the god of epee...oh,well!).I'm recovering nicely at Our Lady of Perpetual Parries Mental Institute and should be back in no time...
And as for oso97,I got black-carded by him a few years ago(which I totally deserved,by the way!) and he has made predictions on my defeat against other opponents online as well,but I would still want to have him direct me in a final...a good,'bias' director is still a good director...I'm more worried about bias scoring boxes!
On the other hand,Sciurus-Rex makes a excellent general point about PUBLIC predictions by officials before tournements they officiate :'Perception is reality'...
My prediction for ME and WE at the Oz Parsons: Carpenter and Scarborough uber alles,respectfully.

[Sciurus-Rex]

I may have broken bread with a referee and invited him into my house to watch my children ... even given him power of attorney over my estate. He might be the sweetest, most fair and impartial man in the world. But when it comes tourney time at which he's scheduled to ref, he's got to know better than to make a public statement about who he expects to win -- because the frippin' rest of the world doesn't know him like I do and we don't want any possibility of someone grousing about his decisions.

It's the same reason judges move certain cases to other courts. Doesn't matter if it's Solomon himself, there can be not even the slightest hint of bias. You hear about it in the news; you see it on Law & Order.

I never called into question anyone's fairness. Some of you get that already, and I thank you for your intelligent responses.

The rest of you need more time to work it out. That's OK.

And I'm glad Mr. Reed is feeling better.

[rcmatthews]

Are you just whining to hear the sound of your own voice?