States, the final frontier. Again.

This year’s NY State final was, at least in LD, something of an adventure. My phone practically overheated from all the text messages. Long-time members of the VCA know well my feelings on this organization. That they cannot get students out of the building until 11:00 on Friday night, or that students go 4 rounds straight on one side of the resolution, or have the same judges twice in a row, among other issues, makes one wonder exactly how they go about running their tab room. I’m reminded of the poor operation of the event back in the early 90s, when I went as a parent judge, picking up my daughter at midnight (midnight!) after her third round. Given that it is exactly the same people running things, you’d think by now they would have improved things slightly. I would like to be kind and gentle and supportive—it’s not easy running a tournament—but then again, I run a tournament every week, or support someone else running a tournament every week, and it ain’t that hard either. Not so hard that at least the tabbing isn’t fair and transparent. (Our latest trick of posting the results of every round after every round is the best error-catching gimmick ever invented: thank O’C for that one. One of the best reasons for having a traveling tab staff is that good ideas come from our familiarity with tournaments and one another, and problem-solving is a snap because so many good experienced minds will be on the case immediately.) And I’ve offered many suggestions for improvement of the operation, suggestions that were sniffed at and which placed me in a position of enmity, because I had the audacity to question the judgment of those in power by wanting this important event to fit into the normal pattern of all other tournaments we attend throughout the year. You see, I’m not really an educator. What do I know?

Oh, well. I always tell the Sailors what they’re in for in advance, and every year a handful of the most intrepid go anyhow. Can’t say I didn’t warn them. And, obviously, it’s no skin off my nose, because I enjoyed a fine, warm pseudosummer weekend toodling around Connecticut and playing (for me) great golf and cleaning up my iTunes library which is spread over four—4!—different disk drives and generally wishing it really were summer. I’ve got no complaints. I do, however, have yet another generation of Tars who swear they’ll never go to States again. What a surprise.

I plan on looking at some of the software suggestions people have offered for coachean communication over the next few days (although—preview of coming attractions—I don’t know if I think a forum is the best solution), and I’ll get back to the Bietz Guide to the Galaxy in a day or two. Meanwhile, voting will close this week on the Modest Novice. Let your voice be heard! Email me your preference before it’s too late. It’s still a close race at this point. It can go either way. What fun, eh?