NBRSA & Matches

I have never looked at this sport as having to beat somebody to enjoy myself. I have looked at it as an oportunity to improve on my last outing and just enjoy "Being There". I never get much of a thrill out of winning simply because I bested the others. I have always felt good when I was able to shoot better than I had the last time. I don't see it as Blood Sport. That tends to create the uglyness we often see. It should be about enjoyment and experiencing something that will build memories. None of us are getting rich at it. Fot those reasons I don't see the big deal with awarding accolades according to the numbers of people present. A man is a man as far as I am concerned.
 
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Francis, your post makes it sound like we are in a 'catch-22'.

As for all of the talk of seasoned shooters looking down their noses at others, there is that in every sport. But for every one that does, there are multitudes that are willing to offer up good, sound, advice.........jackie
 
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Pete
The nbrsa is not about benchrest its about competition benchrest.

Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, nations, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two or more parties strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For example, animals compete over water supplies, food, and mates, etc. Humans compete for water, food, and mates, though when these needs are met deep rivalries often arise over the pursuit of wealth, prestige, and fame. Business is often associated with competition as most companies are in competition with at least one other firm over the same group of customers.

For benchrest you can simply go to your local range and shoot the bull with your buddies and enjoy your time together.
Lynn
 
Doug's point is valid

It ain't like it used to be and I don't know why. We used to sit together in the evenings and partake in simple comforts such as food, conversation and often stong beverage. Somewhere along the line that gave way to jump in the car or close up the camper as soon as the last shot is fired. I'm as bad as it gets for making sure my car doesn't get blocked in causing any delay and I don't understand that behavior change at all. I think it's because I'm worn plumb out but maybe that's not the real reason.

I'm pretty sure the host clubs can't bring that "era" back but the competitors can. Take a small charcoal grill, throw hot dogs on about quittin' time and offer 'em up to whomever passes by. Have a few chairs on hand and some ice. While you're sitting there eating those dogs, plan something a little bigger for the next match.

Benchrest competition is a sickness. An infected individual, once cured, can never catch it again - and the cure is an arbitrary period of inactivity. Kinda like chicken pox but different.

Does anybody know where I put the base for my once coveted rail gun?
 
Wilbur said:
It ain't like it used to be and I don't know why. We used to sit together in the evenings and partake in simple comforts such as food, conversation and often stong beverage. Somewhere along the line that gave way to jump in the car or close up the camper as soon as the last shot is fired.
Benchrest competition is a sickness. An infected individual, once cured, can never catch it again - and the cure is an arbitrary period of inactivity. Kinda like chicken pox but different.

Does anybody know where I put the base for my once coveted rail gun?
Click to expand...

We don't have Jef Fowler any more to get folks together.

Now, tell me who is deleting my posts?????
 
Thanks Wilbur and that is not only true but also not a bad idea...

As for Mr. Wass, Again these are opinions and I know how that goes... But benchrest is a "Competition" to see who shoots the best on that day under good conditions or crappy conditions but yet have fun at doing so and then enjoy the evening and try again the next day to beat the guy next to you.. You don't have to be like a Gieco commercial and say Hey good morning, I'm going to kick your A$$ today and enjoy doing it...Thats not the attitude I'm trying to make..Your trying to do the best you can and have a good time doing so.. Shooters like myself have never been at the top but I sure keep trying to get there at the cost of not pissing, moaning and groaning about it or not speaking to other shooters cause they are in the "ZONE"...One can look at it in so many ways which I can see has happened... All I know is that enjoy this weekend sport and I'm sure the days will be coming when I can't carry my rear bag anymore but untill them I'm a shooter true and strong....
 
What about the "I'm just tired" factor?

When I started this back in the mid 90's, I was 16 years younger. I loved driving all night, shooting all week end, and driving all night just to get back to work Monday Morning.

Damn, it just isn't that much fun being just plain wore out all the time. I have a business that must come first, heck, I am working more now at 62 than I did at 42.

I hate to say it, like a lot of us, I am getting old. You never think about that untill you wake up one morning and find yourself exactly that.

We are garnering quite a few new shooters in the Houston Area, but most are a lot more interested in shooting Varmint for Score than Group. I do not know why, but that is just the way it is...........jackie
 
FUN * ENTERTAINMENT * COMPANIONSHIP

OUR sport is what you as an individual make it !!

I for one have always tried to make the best of it, I still consider myself a new shooter, meaning that we can always learn new things about our sport and about ourselves. I am proof that you don’t have to be the very best shooter to not only have a good time but also able to shoot not one but two world records, who knew? I am one that does not have to have a piece of wood to take home to have had a good time. If that’s why you go to a shoot and have to be first or you don’t think you had a good time, then it may be time for you to look for something else to do like knitting then all you have to do is sit at home and tie yourself into knots.

I may be a shooter that takes the fun part to a different level, but sometimes I enjoy fun more that shooting almost! I do what I do to mostly entertain myself but if others enjoy laughing at my expense that is even more fun for me. I really don’t care that a few sad sacks may want me to go away, that is their problem.

Most of the shoots I go to the shooters all have a group of shooters they like to get together with after a shoot on a Saturday as Sunday is the time to pack up and travel home. The group of shooters may have a BBQ at the range and for the most part anyone can join in if they want, others like myself enjoy going with a few shooters to go out to dinner and talk about a lot of stuff. Some go back to the hotel pending the weather and sit outside maybe by the pool and talk about the day etc. I think the benchrest match is what you as an individual make it.

We go to a shoot and start to unload our stuff to set up, on the way to and from the truck you will see and talk to other shooters. We have shooter that we may walk by and do not care to carry on a conversation with and then we have shooters that we just want to say hello and that’s it and then we have shooters that you want to find out how they are doing and mean it.

Then we have a few shooters that get together and feel that we should do things a lot different and they can make the sport a whole lot better by talking to a few shooters in a small group and that festers into the world is coming down on us. They really don’t have a solution to what they think is wrong with the sport they just want to vent.

You can always be part of the TEAM by helping at the range you take for granite, become a match director at your range, run for the Directors spot in your region, be positive in your attitude which is very hard to do for most people it is to easy to be negative.
 
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Tom Libby
Tom as we have never met you sure seem to know alot about myself and how a match you didn't attend was run.The facts of the matter stand and they stand clear despite whatever your shooting buddy the VP has told you.In a nutshell you post alot for a guy who knos nothing first-hand and even though you reside in the VP's pocket you nor he can dispute anything in print as it is all fact.

The original post was a question as to what can be done to help this sport grow instead of shrinking like it is presently doing.My suggestion is to eliminate "The Good Ole Boys Club" mentality of shooters such as yourself the VP and the Pres.If you want new shooters you can't change the rules during a National Match.Your buddy did just that and he would not even read the rulebook presented to him at the match.Our Regional director Lou Murdica called the president but didn't get through to his cell phone? The vice president was on the phone to the longranmge chairman Karl Hunstiger earlier in the day and we had two match directors present at the match Craig St Claire and Greg Wilson.
My suggestion for improving shooter turnout would be that with two Match Directors one Regional Director and the Vice President present at a National Match that atleast one of them could follow the written rules!!!!!
As to helping out at the matches I wrote up all the match reports and supplied the shooters with all the prizes at 95% of all the matches held in sacramento.Before I did this we had virtually zero exposure and virtually zero prizes at all.I donated my rifles and ammo to anyone wanting to shoot free of charge and encouraged and brought in new shooters.If you or your buddy want to dispute that I am ready for and welcome that debate.
I have never seen nor heard of your buddy giving anybody any support or help what so ever and I've been there since day one.He told my 76 year old father he didn't want more shooters and my father would gladly discuss any of this with you here or by phone.
You are one of the pink elephants of the sport I spoke of earlier.You want a place to shoot and hangout but never say anything when your buddy is getting away with his well acknowledged unsportsman like shennanigans.Your complacency in these matters is exactly what will kill this sport for everyone.Burying your head in the sand about the facts of what actually took place and who made the calls when you were not there in order to cover your buddies rump only promotes his well renowned poor behaviour.

Tell me this if you will?
If I go to Visalia to shoot point blank benchrest and I attend 10 match on average how many times will I see the president and vice president shooting side by side? I am just curious how the shortrange benches are drawn.
Lynn
707-921-9474 anytime
 
Francis
I worry about him only because he is getting his wrong information from "The Good Ole Boys Club" from southern california.From his posts one would suspect he has shot with us up here and he never has meaning he gets his info from the wrong two sources.
Lynn
 
Lynn

It's long past time to let it go. Doesn't matter anymore...it did matter...but now it doesn't. Let it go.
 
Wilbur
It didn't matter back when it did matter either.
I just keep reading these posts on how to draw in new shooters by a bunch of shooters who want to completely ignore all that is wrong with the sport and it makes me wonder why they even bothered posting in the first place,As for myself I am no longer shooting nbrsa after what took place at the nationals as it has always been a big joke to me right from the start but that was the final straw.
I guess I now fit into your category of those shooters who have been thoroughly cured of any nbrsa bug they may have once had.
Lynn
 
LYNN
As a shooter and a guy who does not really post on here very much or know you from adam I regret reading what you just posted about (I just keep reading these posts on how to draw in new shooters by a bunch of shooters who want to completely ignore all that is wrong with the sport and it makes me wonder why they even bothered posting in the first place)..

You don't know me either but I don't wish to be put in a catagory like that.It makes myself and others who may read this unclear as to why we belong to this forum and to NBRSA One should think about what they are writing before posting it.I do know why I belong and I stand as strong as I can to conform with it and will contiue to shoot Bench Rest as long as it is around and I am capable of attending matches. So please do not include me in your circle. The NBRSA may have some problems as all VOLUNTEER organizations probably do. This forum is NOT for calling people out on the carpet in front of the world to see. It is always done behind closed doors to be politicly correct...

You might not have meant what you said but the way it came out is wrong...

Like FB says - - Don't let the bad poison you...
 
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Doug Penttinen said:
Another good point from Ted and Vern... So if you have to get the time off, drive to the match, pay for gas, hotel, food and the entry why does one want to do that if it's not going to be any fun for you or have a reason to WIN....I agree that makes it difficult for alot of people. I'm still somewhat of a youngster and my goal is to Hell with the HOF points I'm going to go and beat the crap out of one of those snobs who think they can't be beat !!! I think about that on the way to the match and during the match that every shot gets me that much closer to spoiling there day...I won't bring myself to anyones else level and I will have fun at the bench before the fire command and after the cease fire command all the way till the next match... I thought thats what it's all about...
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Doug;

Well done.

Francis;

Your last two lines said volumes.

Jackie:

Your response was also true. It's like the Old Marine Corps saying....There's always that 10 %
 
Doug
I always stand behind what I post.
In this case ignoring the facts won't fix the problems with the NBRSA and burying your head and sweeping these things under the table like has always been done will only allow it to continue on like it has for years now.
They already lost half of there longrange clubs and wishing well thinking nice thoughts and being touchy feely has done absolutely nothing to solve the problem.The membership needs to get off its hands and solve the problem and after readoing what I am reading here that will not happen.What will happen is everyone will be posting what happened when its too late and then we will hear this saying(put money on it) I never new that I never heard that or I would have done something.
The shooting sports in general have a bunch of chest thumpers who only come out when its all over or too late.
They scream and yell rant and rave how they would have stopped this or changed that but when it is taking place in front of there noses they never let out a peep.
I am looking at everything from a one time insider looking in from the outside now and stand firmly behind everything I post.I imagine one of the supermoderators whom I won't name has asked Wilbur to shut me down in a nice way as only Wilbur can do and as I respect Wilbur.
I will let the sport die on its own watching these we need to draw in new shooter posts with a estimated demise time frame of 5-7 years from now. I can always post I told you so as this is as clear as Calfee posting about tuners that everyone said would never work only to find out they were all wrong all along.You should do a search and see who wanted him to keep posting right from the very start as it might shock you.
If your not evolving the sport and making the necessary tough calls the dinosaurs can tell you the inevitable outcome of there survival.
Good Luck with the new shooters however as they are your only hope in my humble opinion.
Lynn
 
I HAVE to...

Lynn said:
Doug
I always stand behind what I post.
In this case ignoring the facts won't fix the problems with the NBRSA and burying your head and sweeping these things under the table like has always been done will only allow it to continue on like it has for years now.
They already lost half of there longrange clubs and wishing well thinking nice thoughts and being touchy feely has done absolutely nothing to solve the problem.The membership needs to get off its hands and solve the problem and after readoing what I am reading here that will not happen.What will happen is everyone will be posting what happened when its too late and then we will hear this saying(put money on it) I never new that I never heard that or I would have done something.
The shooting sports in general have a bunch of chest thumpers who only come out when its all over or too late.
They scream and yell rant and rave how they would have stopped this or changed that but when it is taking place in front of there noses they never let out a peep.
I am looking at everything from a one time insider looking in from the outside now and stand firmly behind everything I post.I imagine one of the supermoderators whom I won't name has asked Wilbur to shut me down in a nice way as only Wilbur can do and as I respect Wilbur.
I will let the sport die on its own watching these we need to draw in new shooter posts with a estimated demise time frame of 5-7 years from now. I can always post I told you so as this is as clear as Calfee posting about tuners that everyone said would never work only to find out they were all wrong all along.You should do a search and see who wanted him to keep posting right from the very start as it might shock you.
If your not evolving the sport and making the necessary tough calls the dinosaurs can tell you the inevitable outcome of there survival.
Good Luck with the new shooters however as they are your only hope in my humble opinion.
Lynn
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I HAVE to post on this. Lynn, I don't see a line forming to dispute your claims but only saying to forgive and forget. So I take it that you are correct that rules were broken at a National Match. If you brought this to their attention at that time and it was ignored I can't blame you for being pissed. Especially if nothing has been done about it since then. We all make mistakes unknowingly but should try our best to fix a problem when it arises.

That being said, I applaud you for standing up for what you feel is right.
RULES ARE RULES
RIGHT IS RIGHT - WRONG IS WRONG
DONT TREAD ON ME
 
Tony
If you watch this thread you probaly won't see anybody answer my question about the matches held in Visalia.I know why they won't answer but as I respect all that Wilbur has done for the sport my future comments will be sent by PM.
Lynn
 
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