Post by The Chubbster™ on Jun 7, 2013 9:28:12 GMT
Now the Brighton season is over and I’ve been back for nearly a year, there are a few things I would like to say.
Firstly, and I really can’t state this enough, I would like to thank the Brighton Committee, competition and results controllers and all those who work tirelessly behind the scenes in the running of the league and various other events. As a former Brighton Chairman myself, I’m all too aware of the huge amount of work that goes into the league each year. It’s always a case that people don’t realise exactly how much has to be done, and you do so with little reward and I would imagine very little thanks.
I say this knowing all to well the “state of the game” and it’s decline, which is why it’s very impressive the job that you have done. For on my return to the league, I still see a huge amount of committed people that keep the game running and make each league night such an enjoyable one. It’s for these reasons that I don’t fear “too” much for the Brighton League in the future, because for all the ups and downs there will inevitably be, it’s the people who participate and volunteer that make the league what it is, and when you consider what we have in the Brighton League, I (hope) we have very little to fear going forward in the future.
I would also like to give a little mention to Marcus Chipman. I remember a conversation long ago in Jersey with a certain Doug Dawson (who had just been made Brighton B captain) and we were talking about how it is a shame that one of the strongest leagues in the country doesn’t have 2 teams in the top division of inter-league. I played for Brighton B for a couple of years from there on, but we still didn’t managed to get promoted which was a great shame. But looking at the records, it seems that Marcus not only got Brighton B promoted, he achieved his goal of staying in that division this year. I’m personally very pleased to see that, as it cements the depth of talent that we have in the league (especially in a league where a number of automatic picks don’t make themselves available for inter league), so well done Marcus, you’ve done a great job there and long may it continue.
And whilst we are on the subject of the Brighton League, I would like to once again congratulate the Back Horse on a great season. You have been awesome and I have enjoyed our matches a great deal. I’m not sure about others, but I can only speak for myself when I say that the challenge and not outcome is why I play anything competitively, and with you guys the challenge of winning is and always will be an enormous one. So thank you, and once again well done.
Onto some broader things, I would like to take this time to thank for forum staff for continuing to run and monitor such an excellent service. I think it’s fairly common knowledge now that I not only set up this forum, promoted it and ran it, but it was also a fairy big reason for my departure. It’s because of that I’m only to aware of what it takes to do what you all do, especially you Sav. It’s you Sir who is a far better owner/moderator than I ever was, and knowing that this place has played some small part to help keep the game alive makes me very proud. But it’s you and Tony and the staff who deserve all the plaudits in the world, and us as players owe you a debt of gratitude that I fear we will never be able to repay. So thank you once again, and I hope you find the strength to keep doing what you are doing.
Whilst I am on the subject of the forum, I may as well take the time to thank Tommo and the Warrior! I say this because every single constructive post I have attempted to make this year, everything I’ve tied to do on the forum to further push the game forward has literally been a case of me sitting back, and waiting for a few minutes knowing with absolute certainty that it’s only a matter of time before you both come out and (mainly) disagree with everything I say. Now some people may consider that annoying, and after it happens again and again and again, some may even consider it rude! But I have not, do not and never will consider it those things. And I’ll tell you why….
Bar Billiards as a game will only move for when we together as custodians of the game act as a collective after gaining a consensus, and we can only do that through discussion and debate (at times some very heated ones at that). That is exactly why I founded this place, because believe it or not I don’t believe this forum is at its best as a news source, I founded it exactly so we could discuss and debate. For all the things we disagree one (and that’s basically most things) our objects are the same, and our goals are shared. I’ve never for a moment doubted that, nor at any time have I held any ill will towards anyone who doesn’t agree with me on a particular issue (and I never will) and the level of debate you guys have encouraged and championed always makes me smile at the end of the day. So thank you both for being what I consider “Forum Junkies”, because I spent a considerable amount of time and went through a fair amount of pain to ensure that you could be just that.
And I hope those words best explain my firm belief in free speech, free opinions, and the necessity of collective progression via open and free discussion. For if we were to ever lose that, that’s a community that I would never want to be a part of.
One final thank you for those who have made it this far, I would like to thank my team, Geoff, Steve, Grant and especially Jim. It’s been truly a privilege to play with you guys this season, and I am so, so sorry that I have let you down so many times. All I can do is apologise and try to do better next year. I’ve been the cabaret act of Bar Billiards for far to long now, and although I will probably never be able to stop every player we come across taking the p**s out of me as a matter of default (because lets face it, I set myself up perfectly for it), I promise.. no I assure…. No actually I guarantee that it won’t affect my game next year. On Wednesday you could probably tell I’d finally had enough of being everyone’s laughing boy, so I will take this time to re-group, probably chuck my new cue away and pick up from where I left off a good few years ago now. Then maybe I can repay the faith that you have all showed in me this season, a faith of which I am eternally grateful for. So thank you all, and Jim, thanks for bring me back my friend.
So that’s it. Thank you to everyone for all the fun evenings I’ve had this year, I never thought I would come back to Bar Billiards again, but seeing so many old faces and so many good hearted and well meaning people make me remember why I played in the first place. It’s for that reason above all I shall play at least one more year as long as circumstances allow. So have a good summer break, and I’ll see you all in the fall.
Take care everyone.
Firstly, and I really can’t state this enough, I would like to thank the Brighton Committee, competition and results controllers and all those who work tirelessly behind the scenes in the running of the league and various other events. As a former Brighton Chairman myself, I’m all too aware of the huge amount of work that goes into the league each year. It’s always a case that people don’t realise exactly how much has to be done, and you do so with little reward and I would imagine very little thanks.
I say this knowing all to well the “state of the game” and it’s decline, which is why it’s very impressive the job that you have done. For on my return to the league, I still see a huge amount of committed people that keep the game running and make each league night such an enjoyable one. It’s for these reasons that I don’t fear “too” much for the Brighton League in the future, because for all the ups and downs there will inevitably be, it’s the people who participate and volunteer that make the league what it is, and when you consider what we have in the Brighton League, I (hope) we have very little to fear going forward in the future.
I would also like to give a little mention to Marcus Chipman. I remember a conversation long ago in Jersey with a certain Doug Dawson (who had just been made Brighton B captain) and we were talking about how it is a shame that one of the strongest leagues in the country doesn’t have 2 teams in the top division of inter-league. I played for Brighton B for a couple of years from there on, but we still didn’t managed to get promoted which was a great shame. But looking at the records, it seems that Marcus not only got Brighton B promoted, he achieved his goal of staying in that division this year. I’m personally very pleased to see that, as it cements the depth of talent that we have in the league (especially in a league where a number of automatic picks don’t make themselves available for inter league), so well done Marcus, you’ve done a great job there and long may it continue.
And whilst we are on the subject of the Brighton League, I would like to once again congratulate the Back Horse on a great season. You have been awesome and I have enjoyed our matches a great deal. I’m not sure about others, but I can only speak for myself when I say that the challenge and not outcome is why I play anything competitively, and with you guys the challenge of winning is and always will be an enormous one. So thank you, and once again well done.
Onto some broader things, I would like to take this time to thank for forum staff for continuing to run and monitor such an excellent service. I think it’s fairly common knowledge now that I not only set up this forum, promoted it and ran it, but it was also a fairy big reason for my departure. It’s because of that I’m only to aware of what it takes to do what you all do, especially you Sav. It’s you Sir who is a far better owner/moderator than I ever was, and knowing that this place has played some small part to help keep the game alive makes me very proud. But it’s you and Tony and the staff who deserve all the plaudits in the world, and us as players owe you a debt of gratitude that I fear we will never be able to repay. So thank you once again, and I hope you find the strength to keep doing what you are doing.
Whilst I am on the subject of the forum, I may as well take the time to thank Tommo and the Warrior! I say this because every single constructive post I have attempted to make this year, everything I’ve tied to do on the forum to further push the game forward has literally been a case of me sitting back, and waiting for a few minutes knowing with absolute certainty that it’s only a matter of time before you both come out and (mainly) disagree with everything I say. Now some people may consider that annoying, and after it happens again and again and again, some may even consider it rude! But I have not, do not and never will consider it those things. And I’ll tell you why….
Bar Billiards as a game will only move for when we together as custodians of the game act as a collective after gaining a consensus, and we can only do that through discussion and debate (at times some very heated ones at that). That is exactly why I founded this place, because believe it or not I don’t believe this forum is at its best as a news source, I founded it exactly so we could discuss and debate. For all the things we disagree one (and that’s basically most things) our objects are the same, and our goals are shared. I’ve never for a moment doubted that, nor at any time have I held any ill will towards anyone who doesn’t agree with me on a particular issue (and I never will) and the level of debate you guys have encouraged and championed always makes me smile at the end of the day. So thank you both for being what I consider “Forum Junkies”, because I spent a considerable amount of time and went through a fair amount of pain to ensure that you could be just that.
And I hope those words best explain my firm belief in free speech, free opinions, and the necessity of collective progression via open and free discussion. For if we were to ever lose that, that’s a community that I would never want to be a part of.
One final thank you for those who have made it this far, I would like to thank my team, Geoff, Steve, Grant and especially Jim. It’s been truly a privilege to play with you guys this season, and I am so, so sorry that I have let you down so many times. All I can do is apologise and try to do better next year. I’ve been the cabaret act of Bar Billiards for far to long now, and although I will probably never be able to stop every player we come across taking the p**s out of me as a matter of default (because lets face it, I set myself up perfectly for it), I promise.. no I assure…. No actually I guarantee that it won’t affect my game next year. On Wednesday you could probably tell I’d finally had enough of being everyone’s laughing boy, so I will take this time to re-group, probably chuck my new cue away and pick up from where I left off a good few years ago now. Then maybe I can repay the faith that you have all showed in me this season, a faith of which I am eternally grateful for. So thank you all, and Jim, thanks for bring me back my friend.
So that’s it. Thank you to everyone for all the fun evenings I’ve had this year, I never thought I would come back to Bar Billiards again, but seeing so many old faces and so many good hearted and well meaning people make me remember why I played in the first place. It’s for that reason above all I shall play at least one more year as long as circumstances allow. So have a good summer break, and I’ll see you all in the fall.
Take care everyone.
