Jess:
well, two points, I guess.
1. IMO, the spectators are at least half the reason for the SCA. If it weren't for the spectators we'd just be a bunch of guys in plastic (or whatever) clobbering each other in a field.
Is it your job, as a spectator, to comment to a marshal when you see something untoward? No. You're a spectator. By definition, you're there to watch.
OTOH, is it your right, privilege, duty, whatever, to point out said chicanery to a marshal and say "here, we've got a tape of it if you want to use it to mention it to the fighter involved so he doesn't do it again, or at least is made aware that he looked like five kinds of ass doing it?"
Yes. If you have fairly unassailable proof of that kind (video), go to it. If it's worth (the editorial you) bitching about it, it's worth showing.
Corollary to that, if it's not worth showing, it's not worth bitching about. Think about the number of times you've watched professional sports events (baseball, football, basketball) and you see a fairly blatant violation of the rules that doesn't get called because the ref doesn't see it. Think about how many times you see a completely BS ruling get made (the home plate umpire ejecting the center fielder while he's in center field?? sheesh) by a referee.
But here's the kicker. Yeah, the ref blows a call (either by omission or commission) and somebody gets ejected for the game. Or a 15 yard penalty. Or whatever whatever whatever. The next play (or next game, depending), the guy's right back in it, no long term harm done.
In the SCA, on the other hand, too much of the time (as Johno pointed out already) people seem to think that any
perceived violation of the rules means somebody's gonna lose their fighter card over something. In the past, it's stopped being the last resort, and started being the automatic, knee-jerk reaction. Off with their Heads! Certainly nothing less would do for such a heinous act.
Or would it? 99% of the time, if you take the video to the guy that pulled the stunt and said "dude WTF?" he'd be all "OMG my bad" and you'd be like "*facepalm* dude" and he'd be all "*facepalm*". And that'd be that. The other 1%? Take a marshal with you, show the guy the video, and see if he understands he did a dummy. If yes, that's that. As Johno said, no blood, no foul. My definition of "unsafe" for years has been "did anybody have to go to the hospital?" Doesn't mean whatever it was wasn't a dummy thing to do. The ONLY exception I can think of is going up to a guy and saying "dude WTF this is like the fifth time on video". At that point the "*facepalm*" response isn't going to cut it. But still, really, banning a guy from the league because he chop-blocked somebody is kind of overkill.
Short answer? If you've got video, and you're really cheesed off, go to it. Otherwise, file it in #13, and move on.
Blackbow
Jess wrote:Do spectators have a duty to inquire into "issues" directly after an engagement?
I can tell you I have overheard many spectators (some non-fighters, some not) laugh bitterly at acts and omissions that occur during the belted and unbelted champion contests and refer to them as "war crimes." Do these spectators likewise have a duty to intervene or make their opinion known to the combatants directly after the engagement?
Generally I make no comment on these events to anyone. As a combatant, I know that I do not appreciate spectators intervening with my blow calling. It irritates me to no end when my opponent clobbers me in such a way that I will bear the mark of it for a week or more, I call it "good", and then someone standing around watching tells me it appeared glancey or otherwise insufficient to them. I feel anger and think that if I am satisfied with my opponent's blow, what the hell is it to them?
That said, should the spectator say something when he or she sees what appears to be a blatant disregard of the rules or conventions to which we say we are adhering? Is it the obligation of every spectator to have to go up to some asshole who continues to flaunt the rules or local calibration or convention and question them regarding their conduct?
Who has either the desire or free time to do that? I sure don't.
I just think, "Well, some guys are just assholes." I've never considered it my job as a spectator to try and reform them. Am I shirking my duty?
