Re: RSVP RSG NW 2006

Dene (nospam) wrote:

> I commend you for your loyalty to your friend, Scott, albeit misguided. But
> mark my words.....he will eventually turn on you.

Greg, as I've told you before it's difficult for me to tell when you're
kidding and when you're serious... but the tenure (months and months
and months) and tenacity of your criticisms towards Mark suggests
you're serious. Various barbs and attacks are one thing, but beyond
anything else you've ever said, the above remark is so far off target
as to border on being delusional.

>>From what I know of Mark and Scott and what they've done together over
the years, I see them as nothing but fast and loyal friends. There is
literally nothing about Mark that suggests to me he'd want to sever his
friendship with Scott. If your confidence in your conclusion that Mark
WILL turn on Scott comes from whatever transpired between Mark and Ken,
all I can say is that Scott and Ken are completely different people.
Theresa and your ex are completely different people... is Theresa
concerned about the eventual and inevitable termination of her marriage
to you given your demonstrated inclination to get divorced? Of course
not. Some conclusions simply aren't as easy to reach (or defend) as
you'd like.

Your acrimony runs deep, but it's nothing but acrimony. I think
everyone has gotten that message. Your trying to expand it into
something beyond what it is (specifically, that since Mark is bad for
you he is therefore bad for everyone) is simply not a valid or
palatable step. It's up to everyone individually to draw that
conclusion for themself, thank you very much.

Is Mark's personality the type that he will ingratiate himself with
everyone? No. Is he so caustic and abrasive and offensive as to be
chasing people away in droves as you suggest? No, he's not that way in
person. I go on record as taking exception to his online persona, but
as Pflum mentioned it is not representative of the real Mark -- the in
person Mark -- the Mark who has not turned into the RSG-NW pariah that
would so delight you. Is he deliberately irreverent and politically
incorrect? Sure. And predictably, everyone's mileage will vary in
terms of how that sits with them. But as I've said, he doesn't appear
to be causing a major erosion in interest in the tournament.

As for the tournament itself, I consider most of what you've said to be
grossly exaggerated for the purpose of assigning blame to Mark.
Admittedly, RSG-NW has taken on a more festive (party) atmosphere over
the years. I attribute that to a couple of things -- people have
become more familiar with each other and don't have to spend the first
day or two feeling each other out. It has turned more into a reunion
than an initial meeting. Additionally, there are more people attending
than there used to be, which tends to turn the volume up.

I have not seen it turn into a drunken orgy as you would suggest.
There are people who regularly attend who would not take part in a
drunk-fest. Everyone doesn't have to get along with everyone, and
we're not all on the same page about all things... it would be a
freakish Stepford Wives arrangement if that were the case... but I
don't see anyone going out of their way to purposefully alienate anyone
or otherwise make their experience less enjoyable. The comradrie seems
genuine. The annual return of the majority of participants lends
credibility to this. If it was as ugly and abusive and out of control
as you suggest it to be, I personally take offense that you imply I
don't have enough common sense to stay away.

As for beer exchanges (an optional extra-curricular activity attended
by some, but not all, participants), the only one I missed was two
years ago and I have heard that it was the most raucous. If things
were really going down the shitter, you'd expect the follow-up beer
exchange to be even worse. In fact, it was pretty darned mellow --
everyone sitting around telling fart jokes and laughing about their
rounds of golf. Enjoying each other's company. As much as you don't
want to hear it, nobody got hurt or attacked... nothing got broken...
nobody got arrested... nobody got naked... nobody got pregnant... no
fights or arguments broke out. Pretty ordinary and benign stuff given
the nature of the gathering. Nothing sinister or cultish or
exclusionary or unexpected. I didn't hear anyone subsequently take
exception to it for any reason.

Have some come and gone because RSG-NW wasn't their cup of tea?
Maybe... as you'd expect. As Scott said, it's impossible to be all
things to all people. Does this suggest there is "something wrong"
with RSG-NW? Given it's growing popularity, I'd say absolutely not.
The tournament will die a sad, tortured death all on its own if
everyone is so puckered about the dynamics in general or the presence
of your nemesis in particular. The truth is there is no mass exodus.
Quite the opposite. In fact, people who have met Mark at events other
than RSG-NW are now coming here knowing full well that he'll be
attending. What does that tell you about the degree with which he is
poisoning the event as you suggest?

Would I take my kids to RSG-NW? Sure, for the golf part... not to the
beer exchange. Would I take my kids to my home course? Sure, to play
golf... not to the lounge. Guess what -- at my home course, after a
round of golf some of the guys get together and drink beer and tell
fart jokes and brag about their rounds of golf. They haven't even
heard of Mark. He didn't invent this behavior -- nor did he invent
having a beer during a morning round of golf. Even I do it at times
<gasp>. The only reason it's a problem for you when Mark does it is
that you're searching for problems when it comes to Mark. As Scott
said, Mark isn't running around getting in everyone's grill because
he's looped on a beer. Get serious. When Mark gets in someone's
grill, he's joking with them. You've admitted you like to pick on me
for fun, and so does Mark. I don't see either as different from the
other. Given your propensity to assassinate Mark's character, to you
his joking is a symptom of drunken excess where for some reason yours
is not(?). Not a credible argument, I'm afraid... just another attack.

There are a lot of people who have gone out of their way to attend this
tournament year after year and have a thoroughly enjoyable and
unintimidated good time... myself included. I have nothing but praise
for Scott and all the passion and effort he puts into making this a
predictably fun event. I hope you understand why I get defensive when
you paint such an unjust and undeserving picture of things just for the
purpose of attempting to tear down Mark. You say Ben first pointed out
what RSG-NW has become... but Ben has never attended. See how your
vitriol can lead people to such an inaccurate conclusion? When I sit
here and read your accounts of how horrible things have become, it
makes me wonder why I'd ever want to be associated with such a tainted
gathering of despicable people... but fortunately my memory is not yet
shot and I can recall that I find literally nothing wrong with the
tournament -- it's all good. If your feud with Mark was erased from
the collective RSG databank, nobody would think otherwise.

Greg, you can hate Mark all you want for whatever reasons. Just don't
insult everyone's intelligence by advancing it to conclusions that are
literally not credible.

Jeff

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