Re: Unofficial WEG team

[jlong@mti.net (Joe Long)]

On Wed, 14 Oct 1998 19:24:34 -0500 (CDT), "Jerry"
<hikryrdg@evansville.net> wrote:

>Joe, ole buddy, just because its fair does not mean it will be weak.  And
>even if your logic held up, wouldn't we all be stronger as a whole if we
>knew it was done in a more equitable manner?  Jerry

No.  The point you and Truman are missing is that critical requirement
that to have any chance whatsoever of winning a medal, at least three
of the four horse/rider teams must finish ... and they must all finish
well to win the Gold.  This means the strongest team is not the four
riders who finish Top Four on some qualifying ride, but the four who
have demonstrated *consistent* success and savvy pacing.   So if the
goal is to field the team with the best chance of winning, a
qualifying ride will not give us that.

Our experience to date has born this out very well.

Whether a qualifying ride is more fair is a value judgement that I am
not addressing -- it is a separate question.

BTW, I served once on a selection committee and I know how difficult a
judgement it is, and how many variables must be considered.  I also
know how difficult it is to tell someone "Sorry, you didn't make the
cut."

I also know how hard it is to be *on* the team, and to scratch your
horse from the list days before the ride (and let an alternate take
your place) because you know he's not at his best and the alternate
will better serve the team.  Been there, done that.

And that's a critical difference that must not be overlooked ... in
this competition we are fielding a *team* to represent us.  It isn't
"every man for himself."

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@mti.net
Business Page  http://www.mti.net
Personal Page  http://www.rnbw.com