Pouj Predictions/Discussion/Results

[OROD]

The Pouj is this weekend, looks like it'll be a pretty good event this year. I mean, except for epee. Only 15 A's registered... what's up with that?

So here it is, your official predictions, discussions, and results threads all rolled into one. Man, how convenient is that? Very! So lets hear it, who's going? What are your predictions?

Here's the list of pre-registered.

.

[OROD]

I'll try to get the ball rolling here, although no predictions from me... I have a way of sucking more than usual when I predict my impending victory.

Does anyone know who might be directing? Or any other info that might be helpful? I'm always somewhat dismayed at the uneven level of directing at these events (Longhorn, Masters, Pouj, etc). And, usually, I end up stuck with the pool director who cant tell foil RoW from saber RoW... or even worse, the epee director doing foil. Ouch!

.

[KD5MDK]

Honestly? The South Texas Division doesn't pay all that well, offers cheap food, no travel money if you live in Austin or San Antonio and (I'm told) ultra cheap motel rooms. I'm flying to referee elsewhere this weekend because I like the deal better, and I expect lots of other referees further away feel the same.

Which isn't to say the quality of the fencing won't be good.

[schlager7]

I have put up my usual voting polls for predicting the various winners on the local forum.

Fencers to Win the Poujardieu Memorial

[oso97]

Honestly? The South Texas Division doesn't pay all that well, offers cheap food, no travel money if you live in Austin or San Antonio and (I'm told) ultra cheap motel rooms. I'm flying to referee elsewhere this weekend because I like the deal better, and I expect lots of other referees further away feel the same.

Which isn't to say the quality of the fencing won't be good.

I'm traveling to referee at the same tournament KD5MDK is. And for similar reasons - for the Pouj, the South Texas Division pays miserable wages (and begrudges every single penny they pay you), puts you up in the worst hotels, feeds you greasy pizza, and has organizational "issues". Small wonder the top refs in the region don't like to attend. And I feel sorry for the fencers who have to deal with the "unevenness" of refereeing (they usually do manage to get a couple of good referees, but no where near the number that is needed).

So, this year, instead, my fencers are coming with me to Lubbock. We'll fence some different people than we usually do, and have a training mini-camp on Sunday. It will be a nice warmup for the the spring SSCC and NAC events, which, after all, they're much more focused on.

Note: The Longhorn has been getting better with respect to all the above issues. They're willing to pay to have a solid referee cadre and bring them in from outside the immediate area.

[Got_Fenced_In]

Gahh, I wanted to fence this tournament... I'll be watching results, though.

[OROD]

..And I feel sorry for the fencers who have to deal with the "unevenness" of refereeing...

And for some reason I always get stuck with one of these and get screwed out of 2 or 3 touches because of it. Actually the year I moved to Cal from Austin, on my last tournament there (Masters maybe?) I got so hosed by the rookie director. I lost like 6 or 7 touches (I'm not exagerating) before the BC substituted to a new director, but by then the damage was done and I lost the bout.

The Longhorn has been getting better with respect to all the above issues.

Yeah, I have to agree with this. This seasons Longhorn was much better. I mean, you still had your good and dubious calls, but at least it was overall better.

.

[OROD]

So, what, no predictions at all guys?

Looks like it's shapping up to be a good event... 84 mixed epee, 52 mixed foil, 32 saber.

.

[Got_Fenced_In]

Let me go check fred and I'll get back to you with my guesses for top eight..

[dekko]

Meehan wins the sabre.

It is ashame to hear that one of the best non-NAC events in the country has fallen to such 'disrepair' that even those from the region seem to have this level of apathy. I hope some of the stories are exaggerated but it seems as though that is not the case. I do hope those running this event can right the ship sooner rather than later if for no other reason to show respect to the two men the tournament has ended being named for.

[schlager7]

Yeah, well, look at what happened with the Van Buskirk Memorial

[Got_Fenced_In]

Okay. My predictions for top spots (NOT top eight, because in some cases I can't come up with eight ) in no particular order whatsoever are:

WE
Collins, Kara'lina
Williams, NaRaye
Patel, Sonali
Howell, Kimberly (maybe?)
Scarborough, Evelyn
Brandfield-Harvey, Neely
And then probably two of the other high-ranked fencers... I'm a foilist, for the majority of the time, so I don't recognize some of these people. Which is why there are only six names.

WF
De La Torre
Goins
Jordan
Mendoza
Goodman
Walker
Little
Magid

No predictions of WS, besides the fact that I'd bet money on Dotson to make top 3.

Mixed Epee
Again, I don't have too good of an idea here.. But I'd be willing to bet on all of the top TFA boys, as well as Esperanza Barrera, NaRaye Williams again, the Patels, Ray Sexton, Davis Jno-Finn... I could be totally off here. NO idea. It's a pretty big event to be making guesses on =/

Mixed Foil
TFA boys have good chances, as always
Morales (yay Andy!)
Nieto
Kubik
De La Torre
Dyson (damn good epee fencer switching to foil, so..)
Chen

Mixed Saber
Brewer
Cho
Sexton
Ybarra
Dotson



And we have it. My completely random and most likely wrong bets on who will place high.. Haha.

[OROD]

It is ashame to hear that one of the best non-NAC events in the country has fallen to such 'disrepair' that even those from the region seem to have this level of apathy.

No kidding. No one else wants to give their predictions before tomorrow?

.

[Got_Fenced_In]

No kidding. No one else wants to give their predictions before tomorrow?

.

I wish someone would =/

[yowsers]

I predict that nobody will miss oso97 and his fencers or KD5MDK's refereeing at the Pouj this weekend.

[Got_Fenced_In]

Someone feeling moody?

[OROD]

I wish someone would =/

Well, ok, I said I wanst going to predict but what the heck. Here's my top 8 in mixed foil, in alphabetical order:

Boksiner, Vitaliy
Kubik, Nick
Modawar, Nick
Morales, Andres
Nadeau, Kevin
Rodriguez, Owens
Rogers, Christopher
Shaito, Zain

.

[JEC]

Meehan wins the sabre.

It is ashame to hear that one of the best non-NAC events in the country has fallen to such 'disrepair' that even those from the region seem to have this level of apathy. I hope some of the stories are exaggerated but it seems as though that is not the case. I do hope those running this event can right the ship sooner rather than later if for no other reason to show respect to the two men the tournament has ended being named for.

I disagree with this statement. We have several good referees locally besides David or Andrew. I am glad that other divisions appreciate their talents and offer them a better deal. Facilities are as usual at Jowers and the tournament level will not change. It just happens that the South Texas Division hosts 3 of the top 5 tournaments in the section (Longhorn, Bobcat, and Pouj). The officers of the division are the same people for past 5+ years. In fact, Oscar and Kyle have been around since the 70s (president and secretary) at different posts. Their organization skills have not changed. They know how to run tournaments. It all starts tomorrow....

[LittleBit]

Y12 Foil:

1. Stermer
2. Walker
3. Perez

[JEC]

Below is a post from Kyle Maysel, Secretary of STX division and organizer:

Ugh!
Seventeen full strips laid out.
The tournament organizer's table and armorer's table are set up.
Karen Johnson and Scott Harkey (SwordMasters) are set up to be vending equipment.
Lynn and DeLaney Mendoza have all the refreshments set up for the referees and a new snack bar for the competitors' use. (Bring some change.)
A lot of the referees are in town and at the hotel.
I have a house full of UNT fencers.
We are ready to go!
Good Night! 8:00 A.M. comes way too early!