As long as you don't like the way we presented it, let me speak frankly, if I may. Steve, If I gave you one anchor every time you wanted to quit, every time you called me a cheater, and every time you asked to change the rules (and then complained that there were too many rules), You would have been solidly in the lead. Then I could have had the bar that you set for me to aim for, to just do a little better in the end and win. With me in the lead most of the season (except for the Lake Elmo dive where you recovered the 10 anchors that were left during one of your open water "scouting" dives) I had no advantage of trying to catch someone. I needed to dive every time as if I was behind a hundred anchors. Yesterday you thought I was ahead in the morning, and I think I told you that you still had time to get more, 8 hours of daylight in fact. I really can't help the fact that you only wanted to get one more anchor than me, and not all the anchors that you could during the season. The length of the season was the same for you as it was for me. You started earlier, and I gave you the last day as a free ride day.
And as long as we are talking "for the record", I never would have thought about "sandbagging" the contest, by not posting a report of a dive until one day in the end of January when Terry asked us to "sandbag" a dive or two and not post our results, because you were getting edgy and going to quit the challenge for what ever reason at the time.
That is the truth, so I don't want to hear any more crap about how deceitful or underhanded it was that I won or Nate took second! I came into this thing with the second post warning all that I don't like losing. Well... even in winning, I am the biggest loser because of all the animosity. If I lose the friendship of anyone of you because of the way I conducted business during this challenge, then it was all in vain and like I said... I lose.
John
I don't recall anything about wanting to give up while behind. I don't know what Terry is talking about. Once it started I was in. The only thing that flagged was the will to win or just play. As you know, Winning isn't always worth it (I knew that day one). It's also not just me, you don't see a lot of congratulation coming in. Why is that? I didn't give Joe an opinion but his matched the sentiment of many.
You go back and quote 'all those times' because I don't recall it being to many, Early on before the first dive, I knew this day was going to be 'bad will' and "shock and awe" it is. This isn't my first rodeo. These thing never end well that explains my willingness to get out before all this happen. Go back to all those time and you'll see I wanted out to avoid this very post. If you knew, you would have as well. I've just been down too many dirt road to think it's going to end well.
I can lose, it happens. You pulled more iron and that was the challenge. You beat me fair. I don't distract from that. When the numbers come out I'll print up the prizes and hand them out without pride or prejudges. If your not getting the pat on the back from everyone, take it up with them. I'm ok with it.
You "allowed" me to pull anchors?? ??? Ya, OK. :
Don't feel special, we allow everyone to dive with us that has an ice card.
You "allowed" me to pull anchors?? ??? Ya, OK. :
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Hey Steve, Does that mean that I can still come over to your house for Easter dinner? ;D Just kidding
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No, I dive sunday but I'll call you with the name of the ramp we're using.
Ok, We're all friends again. We needed to buddy breath and make up. So it all turns out to be some miss guided but good intentions to get everyone diving and having a good time. Only it backfired and the flames hit John and Nate in the head. They didn't deserve the heat.
I can't really get into the details but Johns innocent and it's really a straight up case of us losing on account of not being good enough to win. I would like to say we still pulled more total anchors so that's going to get Terry and I #1 cups but the plaques for the individual medley will list John and Nate as winner and best loser.
So this thread is about sewn up. We'll post a pic of the awards when complete but don't go blasting on anyone for it was like that episode of Threes Company where there was a misunderstanding. The 6 of us will be at the Regal Beagle if you need us.
Cheers pals
Did the backfire burn them, good?
Trinity saw the flames, he started calling names, grabbed the extinguisher and started to sprint, trying to save the day, tripped over a can of gas,,,,,,,,,,I'll let you guys finish this one. T
Nate, Thanks for mentoring me as I get more experience. You and I haven't known each other for real long... Maybe 3 years? We have been through thick and thin. Some hairy dives and many, many casual dives. I know that if the dive is possible at all, you and I can do it. Diving with you in some of the sloughs and rivers around here will make picking up pieces of eight in Florida as easy as falling off a log. When you get a place down there, don't forget about your old frozen buddy up here in the tundra! Thanks for not letting me drag you down to my level. I should probably give up on getting you to wear a BC instead of that cumbersome BP/wing setup ;D !
Terry, Thanks For putting this challenge together. It gave me a great excuse to go diving more than last winter. Looking forward to more fun style dives in the future.
Steve, Thanks for the fierce competition. I enjoyed the smack talk more than anything. I don't think I have ever dove with you, except for the one ice dive you and I did on 2-26-2009. Even on that ice dive, I was tending for you, and you were tending for me, so it was kinda like same lake, same day type diving but it was good.
Joe, I got in a few dives with you in the past doing the advanced class and some muck dives in Calhoun, I knew that you like muck diving so I thought it would be good for you to mess up the silt for Terry and Steve ;D. Seriously, the way you like to plow up the bottom, I would like to hit some of those city bridges again with you.
Robert, I only know you from the threads here but I like your 'no BS attitude'! Call 'em like you see 'em. Looking forward to meeting you.
Tullibee, I have only dove with you twice. Once at Gooseberry Falls and once at Calhoun. I haven't talked to you much but I do like the way you are always cheerful when I did talk to you.
To all the Judges, I appreciate you wading through all of our shenanigans and not cracking down on us kids too hard when we bicker, rant, and rave. I hope we haven't left a bad impression with any of you.
To all the wives or girlfriends of the divers in the competition, Thanks for letting your diver out of the house on weekends to swim under the ice. I know that you all probably had other plans for your diver on some of those days and it was a huge commitment from you all also! Thank you!
To all the people reading this who either are not an ice diver, an ice diver but not interested in the competition, an open water diver just waiting for spring, or somebody who took a left turn on the information highway and got lost and ended up here... I hope this has been half as fun to read as it was to be involved in.
I can't remember a winter when I had so much fun. I have thoroughly enjoyed the ice diving and as competitive as I am... I am looking forward to diving with all of you on a way less competitive dive in the very near future! Thanks again,
John