Rating roll call

[shamshir]

Sorry, I realize this may be a bit of an irritating or nosy topic, but reading the thread about ratings, I just wanted to ask: who here is actually rated (C or above) in sabre?

It used to be the case that on the internet, people who discussed fencing (i.e. on rec.sport.fencing) were usually kinda crap or people whose competitive careers were over. No disrespect, but I believe it's quite obvious why: competitive fencers don't exactly have a lot of free time to kill planting their *** down in front of a monitor reading really nitpicky threads about this or that. Not that highly-ranked fencers had neither the know-how or inclination to participate in newsgroups, or forums -- it was just a time thing, at least I thought.

Nowadays, though, web forums are much more mainstream and while the time management issue hasn't changed, the perception of discussion fora probably has. r.s.f. is probably still esoteric to most, esp. young fencers. The majority of ISP's in Canada don't even advertise their NNTP servers anymore, and people have no clue what Usenet is or how it works. But web boards are all the rage, so I'm wondering, are there now more competitive (and active) fencers on boards like this? This board in particular seems like the only one of its kind -- a board with good traffic, nice software (vBulletin or phpBB) and decent bandwidth.

So the question is, who's who on this forum?

In the thread about ratings it seemed like there were people who are quite decent in the New England area. I don't think Evan Efstathiou posts here, but anyone in and around his level must be pretty decent. And I suspect perhaps some NCAA high-ups lurk around here too, so I just wanted to put names to userids.

I think I've seen Eric Dew at a tournament once too, and I'm sure he was fencing. Does he still fence, and what weapon? He seems to know a lot about the current scene. Is he perhaps judging these days too?

And one comment about ratings, because I'm too damn lazy to post in the proper thread. Why all this discussion of how hard it is to earn a rating within certain divisions, and so forth (at least for A's). I mean given the example of Evan (assuming it's the MIT guy we're talking about here) why worry about whether he can earn an A in the NE division? Isn't he going to earn an A eventually at an NAC? And if not, then why should he have an A anyway?

Personally I don't think it'll be too long until he places high enough at an NAC to get it that way.

Comments welcome.

[AaronK]

Actually I am a C in Saber (missed the B by 4 touches). (Though if you didn't know it ratings go A-E in the US, I know it's only A-C in Canada). I have E's in Foil and Epee earned separately, Foil in 99, Epee in 02.
Aaron K
Were you only curious about competitive ratings or also about people who might be Referees also/or otherwise?

[oiuyt]

Many of the posters have their ratings listed in the appropriate field of their profiles. Obviously this isn't perfect (EDew for example doesn't list his, and there are undoubtedly some outdated listings and some where the person just lies).

My ratings:
S: A02
E: B02
F: C03

Evan is unlikely to earn an A at a NAC any time soon. He made the round of 24 once, the final 8 would be a major stretch. He's much more likely to earn it by making the 4 of IA Nationals or at a local event.

EDew is an A-rated foilist from the SF area and is definately still an active fencer.

Peach is Delia Turner and has an A01 in sabre.

A517dogg is Adrian Martin, an A03 rated epeeist from the Boston area currently a freshman at Brown.

I don't know Veeco, but his profile tells me that he's an A03 in epee.

Are there other A's active on the board? Undoubtedly.

-B :)

[Craig]

A in foil, and that's about it. My referee ratings have slipped down to 6's across the board (from 5's) since I don't go to tourneys to direct these days. (Something about the value of my free time vs. what you get paid to direct minus the crap you take.)

Later,
Craig

[Peach]

Brad's mentioned my sabre rating. My referee rating is a 5 in sabre. I'm a decent veteran WS fencer (it's a one-time A, but I've earned a B & C repeatedly) and a decent referee.

It doesn't take time to post online, BTW. That I don't have. What it takes is fast typing and reading speed and moderately poor impulse control. So take what anyone says online with a grain of salt.

[shamshir]

Ok, oiuyt, thanks for the rundown. I knew about Peach. And I knew Eric used to be a fencer but I didn't think to check foil -- I checked everything else.

Anyway, who are you if you don't mind my asking? I'm sure I've heard of you. And as to Evan, I don't know how much he's improved since last I saw him 2 years ago, but I'd imagine he'd at least be a B by now, right?

Refereeing is intriguing me. I'm actually thinking, these days, that if I retire (or when I retire) from competition, I might actually give refereeing a go. I've seen crappy fencers become really good refs in the past; it's encouraging.

[fencer-person]

Reading and posting on a message board really doesn't take up that much time. What crappy fencers do you know have become good referees? I am sure it has happened, but was just curious as to who you thought was a good referee?

[shamshir]

I really shouldn't have said crappy fencer, because now I can't mention his name. Let me just say he was never a crappy fencer... but he just wasn't that great. I think he realized it, so after a few years of quitting, he started reffing, and now he's highly loved at FIE competitions. Our next rising sabre judging star.

edit: spelling

[fencer-person]

OK, so forget the crappy part, who do you think are good referee's and do their ratings (Since we are on that topic) correspond to how they actually referee?

[shamshir]

hmmm. I wonder how the ratings thing got mixed up with the referee part. I didn't know that in the USFA refs had ratings.

I somehow managed to mention both in my initial post, I think that's where the confusion is from.

The guy I'm referring to is, perhaps, now an international FIE "B" ref in all three weapons. Lemme check that. Yup.

His name is Pascal Cantin. Apparently he reffed some high level bouts at Worlds or something. (maybe junior worlds). I don't think he was ever higher than a C while he was actually fencing, and he always used to make the most ridiculous complaints to the judges. But now that he's not actually IN the bouts, he judges them really damn well, and is the fairest and least easily influenced judge I have seen in Canada (except for C. Vidosa).

[SJB]

Jocelyn is good too.

Vidosa however, is drunk on his own power.

[oiuyt]

I didn't realize that ref ratings were part of what you were asking about. As you can tell from my profile I'm E:5 F:6 S:8 (although it's possible that the foil has changed, I was used fairly extensively in both Orlando and Saratoga this year). My identity isn't much of a secret either, I'm Brad Baker. Actually, THAT'S available indirectly through my profile from the combination of my mentioning that I'm the coach at UMass and giving a link to the team website.

Evan was a B a couple of years ago. He won the Div II NAC in New Haven March 99.

-B :)

[shamshir]

Jocelyn and Pascal were both good when I first saw them, but Pascal was better. And he's really shot to the top, too. Vidosa's taken him under his wing, and the int'l community has taken a liking to him. I think he's probably one of the youngest active refs in the FIE, almost everyone I've seen is like 40+ in sabre.

As for Vidosa, no comment. I like the guy, and his b-movies are funny.

So.... how long do ratings last in the US? Do they wear out gradually, as in drop down to the next notch, or do they disappear after a year or two?

[Mo]

Terrence Lasker is great!! (for saber, don't know about the other weapons) but my kids favorite is Doug, think his last name is Findlay? Something like that.
When they see either one approach the strip they know they will get good calling.

[shamshir]

For a moment there I thought you were implying Lasker had stopped fencing and was now judging. Luckily I checked the point standings and he did apparently compete in and kick booty in the Dec 2002 NAC. I saw him fence for the first time a long time ago. I think a ridiculously long time ago, like 1996, pre-Atlanta, at the then "designated Canadian" in Montreal. He almost beat Tony Plourde, had him sweating. And back then Lasker was like a kid from KC.

You know who else is a fun judge to have? Spencer-El. He judged my brother's pool at the Penn State tournament a few years back. He was great, and extremely soft-spoken.

[oiuyt]

If you don't reearn a USFA rating after four years it drops one level. This process will continue every four years until you've returned to being a U (which means that an A will be rated for a VERY long time even if s/he stops fencing).

-B :)

[shamshir]

So, say Joe gets an A in 2002. Next season he has an A02. Then stops fencing for four years and drops to a B starting the 2007 season. Does he now have a B06 or a B02?

[sallearmourer]

I don't fence any more due to injurys but at one time I was rated in all 3 weapons. But I am the 4th Senior Armourer in the US.if that counts for anything that explain why I am insane but love the sport.

Tim

[sabreur]

For what it is worth, I haven't fenced in the US in about 20 years, but I've won a number of (small) international senior tournaments here, and made the top eight in several reasonably sized (30+ sabreurs) open tournaments. I've also fenced a number of Coupe de Nord tournaments and not embarrassed myself, although I was dismissed pretty quickly--nothing makes you feel your age like fencing someone ranked in the top 100 in the world.

I keep meaning to do the weekend referee workshop, and get my basic referee's license, but it is hard to find the time.

Cheers, MR

[Peach]

Originally posted by shamshir
So, say Joe gets an A in 2002. Next season he has an A02. Then stops fencing for four years and drops to a B starting the 2007 season. Does he now have a B06 or a B02?

Not sure whether it's B06 or B07, but it can't be a B02 or he'd have to drop another rating immediately and then another, and another . . .