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Date: 24 Oct 96 14:55:36 +0000
From: Jonathan Schofield <jonathan.schofield@designmotive.co.uk>
Subject: Into the fray...
To: BritDisc <britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk>
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OK, Here's attempt number 3 to send this to BritDisc.
Can't quite figure out whether I'm being discriminated=20
against as a Mac user or as a Shotgun player!

Further to yesterday's exchanges on qualification matters.

Glad to see that David from Lurkers has noticed us grinning=20
whilst playing. But then in the past we've been criticised=20
for just that. Seems you just can't be right when you're=20
thrashing the opposition!

Rob Kingsley implies that the less experienced/able teams'=20
only opportunity to get better is from the experience of=20
playing against the top teams. I'm flattered that people=20
like to see us play, but... Three observations here aimed=20
at those questioning the top teams' perspective.

1. At risk of being patronising (I'm sure it will be seen=20
that way anyway)... Yes, you can learn from this experience,=20
but you can't assimilate what the top teams are doing to=20
you whilst you are being blown away. It is much more likely=20
that you'll understand what is going on while watching=20
(not playing), and only then if accompanied by the insight=20
of someone who understands what is happening. You may think=20
that this applies less to the mid ranking teams, and more=20
to the lower ranking teams - but my experience of how=20
little is understood by even some players on the top teams=20
suggests otherwise.=20

2. The point that y'all seem to be missing from Nolan's=20
excellent incendiary is that the top teams want to get=20
better too, but can't because we are condemned to spend=20
three quarters of our weekends playing teams that we know=20
we are going to thrash. You seem quite happy to be selfish=20
enough to require us to do this, but won't allow a little=20
selfishness on our part. Remember that the boys on Shotgun=20
have had to put up with this situation for between four=20
to nine years! (What a luxury, you think, but it really=20
isn't much fun).

3. The polarisation of opinions on this issue is in part=20
because we're discussing it in isolation. Surely part of=20
the whole problem is that no coaching infrastructure of=20
any kind exists for players beyond those who want to be=20
a part of the GB squads. Solve this problem, as well as=20
the structure of competition in this country, and we might=20
actually start producing players who are mentally tough=20
enough to compete at higher levels.

Jonathan
Shotgun