This was a surprise stage, where none of the competitors knew anything more about the stage except the round count and the number and type of targets. The targets are often partially concealed by thick foliage (bushes, ferns) and it's very easy to overlook one or more targets while moving as quickly as safety considerations permit along a twisting jungle path.
Acknowledging that the 'surprise' nature of this stage was compromised by my posting a video before all competitors had completed it, I must admit that I simply didn't consider that it would be used to gain a competitive advantage. I was nonplussed when I learned that some protests had been filed, criticizing my presumption.
Was I wrong? Maybe. I should have known better. True, I had checked in at the Stats Shack before the match as a 'visitor', where Stats Queen Lori provided me with the match book and copies of all the published stages (with the exception of the Jungle Run, which was specifically designated "a surprise stage".
All of the Match Administrators were aware that I was filming stages, including Paul the Match Director, Mac the Range Master, and the "lowly stage designer", Evil Bill.
Nobody ever suggested that I should with-hold posting videos until after the match was over. Still, I've been competing in Croc Matches for a dozen years. The case can be made that I should have "known better".
I accept that I am solely responsible for the content of this blog, and in retrospect I should have sought permission of the Match Director before publishing the video 'early'. If my impetuosity caused the stage results to be skewed in favor of those few who had NOT shot the stage on Saturday, and who did see the video before the beginning of competition on Sunday, then I should have been responsible for the stage having been thrown out of the match and the results not being considered in determining the match winner.
In fact, The Hobo Brasser noted at 9:30am on Sunday (the times slugged on the Haloscan Comments may not be West Coast Time) that he declined to view the video, just to avoid compromising his run. And eight hours earlier, Evil Bill noted that it should not be published before the end of the match.
Yet the 'compromise' was apparently not reported, because I see by the match scores that the stage was not disqualified from the match order-of-finish placement.
I would have felt terrible if I had been held responsible for having the funnest stage of the match being thrown out. Certainly, if anyone had asked me to keep the video private until after the end of the match, I would have conformed to this requirement. (Once more, I should have known better.)
However, since The Hobo Brasser was a Squad Leader, and Evil Bill is a member of the host club, it was ultimately their duty to bring this contretemps to the attention of the Match Administers (Paul and Mac), which I assume they did. Since Paul and Mac obviously decided to include these stage scores, it would appear that they did not feel that the match was compromised.
I'm glad that I didn't ruin the match for anybody, and that the host club decided to include the scores.
And in truth, I sincerely doubt that the match standings were so significantly skewed by this early publication of a match video.
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While I was filming on this stage, I saw at least one other person filming a friend. I assume that the videographer had already shot the stage, so there was no obvious advantage for either of the two competitors.
But it brings up the question of what that videographer did with the film. Did he show it to other competitors who had not yet shot the stage?
There's no way of knowing that, nor is there any way of knowing whether his jiggly video provided enough detail for a shooter to learn the stage sufficiently to improve his scores.
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During the 2007 Croc Match, there was an undercurrent of discontent among some local competitors --- people who have shot this match before --- to the effect that a "Surprise Stage" had no place being included among the final match standings. It's true that in a non-surprise stage, there may occur some even which would require the Range Officer to stop the shooter, and require a re-shoot.
This NEVER occurs during a Jungle Run. The Range Officer (Lorin) scores and tapes most of the targets, which allows him opportunity to check each steel target (if included ... not this year). The presumption of the Host Club seems to be that a reshoot will never occur, and if it does, they don't care.
(See UPDATE, below.)
Here's the operative phrase: If you don't like the rules, you don't have to shoot the match.
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Let's cut to the video.
At the end of Pete Ray's fun, I asked him one question. I think his answer is important to the discussion.
What do you think? Was it fun?
"Oh, hell yes! It's always fun! Yeah"
"If this was the only stage they had, I'd still drive [from California, to compete], and I'd still pay [the match fees]. This is great!
Way to go, they owe you money for that one, pal.
That was a wonderful testimonial to one of the true Fun Matches in America today.
From time to time I receive some criticism about my coverage of USPSA matches. It doesn't matter if it's a Major Match or a Club Match. It doesn't even matter if it's recognized by USPSA.
Sometimes the criticism is deserved, as it is here.
Sometimes it is a matter of ruffled feathers.
Still, this is the ONLY place in the world where you can find the true depiction of what it is like to compete in Practical shooting. The goal is not only to show the World Champions, the Masters and Grand Masters at their best; sometimes you just watch the Average Shooter doing his best on a truly difficult stage. It may not show the individual shooter as being competitive against a Grand Master, but it will show him or her doing the best possible under the circumstance.
In the coming days, you'll see difficult stages beating the best shooters. You'll see average shooters ... the folks just showing up and paying their money to shoot because they enjoy the experience no matter how well they do. And sometimes you'll see the average shooter making mistakes that they know better than to do, but they struggle on regardless because they will not quit.
The thing I like about the Croc Match is that it provides plenty of opportunities for guns not to run, for competitors to err, and for Range Officers to be less than perfect.
Ultimately, most of us shoot because we enjoy it. Sometimes we shoot a Major Match to measure ourselves against the Best In The Business. Sometimes, they aren't really The Best.
Here, we will show you what happens. It's not an attempt to denigrate the competitors.
The goal is to give you a perspective on a sport which is extreme, but still available to any legal gun owner as long as the basic safety rules are observed.
Nobody is exempt from being shown the fool. Not even Jerry the Geek, as this film from a 2006 Club Match at Dundee will demonstrate.
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UPDATE: 02-SEP-2008
The following erroneous statement is graciously corrected by Area 1 Director and USPSA Board Member Bruce Gary in COMMENTS:
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