4wayFly

(Can you notify the thread again if it gets to 70? Thanks mate )

You know Kallend, I find myself strangely growing to like you. Thank you for being on my ass all the time, it is humbling.

Post-counter....dude...you have to stop that!

Er...do you want to go back and forth like this all day? I don't think it will get us anywhere. I was responding to someone who implied that having an opinion that differed from the majority made me ignorant. (Being different in your outlook is not always bad...you should know, you're a skydiver ) I don't have a narrow obsession on a single discipline to the exception of all else...the thread is about how the USPA treats its competitor representatives....in ALL disciplines. I don't particularly feel the USPA mag is the place to celebrate partying over and above skydiving (hence my comment that it would be sad if skydiving were just about getting drunk - that idea just degrades the entire sport - blowing off steam after a day's jumping is one thing...but skydivers have more to them than alcoholic tendencies)... That said, I do like the Club News section of the BPA magazine. There is space for both.

Yes, all that is great...I think it's part of the *sport* of skydiving. Not at all, but I think properly representing competitors who represent their associations is part of the association's role. I think it makes the sport richer, not at the expense of other participants but to everyone's benefit. That's great, sounds like you're having an awesome season :) I also like to jump with skydivers from all over the world, at dzs all over the world. It is a great global community which is a priviledge to be a part of...but that's not the point I'm making about the USPA's role. Maybe, I haven't seen it, although personally I'm somewhat of a liberal... I think competition is a showcase for the greatest talents in the sport (all disciplines) and that's an inspiration. I don't really get this point?

Probably because all their kids now think you guys are the coolest people they've ever seen and by comparison, their teachers, are not Nice one for getting the sport into schools, good on you.

Being in the minority doesn't mean you are wrong. How sad.

I agree, you might have a point.

I apologize for the confusion, I was thinking more along the lines of snowboarding, skating, or other so-called 'extreme' sports which are commonly compared to skydiving. Not that I have anything against NASCAR racing but I doubt the spectator interest would be there. Skydiving, however, could do more to drive supporter interest within the sport itself (its own magazines), as a first step. We have top level competitors who approach this 'odd hobby' as a sport and that could be recognized better.

Bill...I know car racing is a sport. But NASCAR Racing does not *define* sports.

The comment was: > They (and the rest of the world) might even begin to consider skydiving a sport (rather than a slightly odd hobby) [....] I can only think this would be a good thing for all participants . . . So your definition of 'a sport' is a NASCAR race?

Feel free to drop me a PM with questions :)

Not quite true, some people on here do agree with me about issues raised. But by all means block them out of your mind if it makes you feel better.

Thanks for your progressive comment. My point is that, were the competitive side of the sport promoted properly within the sport itself, more people *might* care about what is going on at the cutting edge of their sport. They (and the rest of the world) might even begin to consider skydiving a sport (rather than a slightly odd hobby). This in turn could attract more media interest, better funding, more participants and ever increasing standards and facilities. I can only think this would be a good thing for all participants, competitors and business owners within the sport. I fully realise some people prefer to preserve the status quo, and that is entirely your prerogative.

Old enough to know how to use a comma.

You don't? Headlines from the BPA news on homepage (note some of the positive headlines go back to 2005): - 'British VRW Team take Gold at 1st European Champs' - 'World Cup Stupino - British Team Outbreak take Silver in Freefly' - 'British teams all in the medals at the ESL Finals' - 'Stupino World Meet 2007 - Congratulations also to our other British teams in FS and Artistics who have all done us proud.' - 'Women's 4-way FS team Airkix set new World Record' - 'World Champion Team Airkix' -' Taste the World for £19.95 at the AGM night buffet' - 'The Airkix Fund' - 'Council 2008 Election' Headlines from the USPA news section: News · NTSB Determines Cause in Jump Plane Collision (updated 10/25/07) · Use USPA’s New Address (updated 09/20/07) · USPA Nationals Completes (updated 09/19/07) · Kent to Receive Gold Medal (updated 09/07/07) · Wallace to Receive Gold Medal (updated 08/28/07) · Racer Tandem Flex Pin Safety Notice(updated 08/02/07) · Strong Enterprises Issues Service Bulletin (updated 04/19/07) I guess if you don't see it, you don't see it.

How interesting, when they nevertheless take the decision to feature the team that beat the USPA's national 8-way team at the WM 2006 on the cover of the USPA calendar, and in 2001 to show the team the USPA's 8-way team beat at the WM on the cover of the mag which contains the official write-up. (Win or lose, I guess there are some teams who 'do' and 'don't' get covered.) So do they or don't they consider the 'message' of what they feature? Can't have it both ways.

Did you actually look at the websites, John?

www.bpa.org.uk www.uspa.org Notice any difference in the way each national association appears to support its national competitors through its media? Or is the BPA just 'jingoistic'?

Call it what you will. It is healthy to question the status quo, imho. Sorry it makes you uncomfortable.

Do you think that's the reason why the UK treats its competitors differently? And the US are so 'used to' winning it's not really a cause to celebrate or be proud (in terms of how the USPA represent it in the publication)? (If so, is that right, or good?) The Brits have won the WM girls' class several times - as a Brit (serious q, not rhetorical), what do you think would happen if Storm won the women's at the World Championships and they put a photo of the French women's team on the cover of the magazine? Is that likely? Yeh! Now THAT'S an idea...

No, that would be, "Still makes you UBER gay". But I would never say that, it would be mean.

Bri - what about if you won the World Meet and UK Skydive put a photo of the French team you beat on the front cover, as Parachutist did to the US team in 2001?

Still makes you gay.

You counted my posts? Crikey dude. I think you're the one who needs a rest. And a nice cup of tea, probably.