Author Topic: Prepare for controversy  (Read 26788 times)

Offline black aspirin

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Prepare for controversy
« on: March 04, 2013, 07:01:32 AM »
If this makes me a bad guy, so be it.

What the HELL is Steve Bergeron doing entering the Veterans class?  After winning JoMoPro hands-down, and now Toronto...can we finally make it clear what the Vet class really is?  It's riders over 30 years of age with intermediate-level tricks.  Not upper-level expert tricks.

And no, it's not sour grapes on my part.  I rode so badly at JoMoPro that his win had no effect on me whatsoever; I sucked as badly as I possibly could have, and deserved a sh*tty placing (or even worse)...but my buddy took 4th, when he should have gotten 3rd.

I try not to care about contests, and of course there will always be controversy about the judging, but seriously...is this video indicative of someone who belongs in the Vet class?  I'm not bagging on him as a rider, because he's amazing.  Total props to him on that point.  But come on, man.  This is sandbagging.

What's next?  Matthias entering expert?  Contest organizers, step up and nip this sh*t in the bud.  Otherwise, I'm gonna start entering Novice and doing backward hitchhikers, cliffhangers, hang-5's on the pedal, and a regular hitchhiker, then sit back and collect my free frame and a trophy.  We'll make a complete mockery of contests.

STEVE BERGERON VIDEO BMX 2011
« Last Edit: March 04, 2013, 10:00:16 PM by black aspirin »

Offline dan4130

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2013, 07:11:52 AM »
just like a pro street rider entering and winning novice flat
a rider that  was in the x games and x trials as a pro flatlander and enter expert class these days

IF FLATLAND EVER HAS A DEBATE TEAM. I WANT T.J. PERRY AS MY CAPTAIN!!

Offline JUGGARNAUT

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2013, 07:21:14 AM »
...some excitement... !!!!
« Last Edit: March 04, 2013, 07:28:05 AM by JUGGARNAUT »

Offline Flatland Fanatic

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2013, 07:25:56 AM »
Steve could win Expert... easily.  He could also enter Pro and do just fine.  His tricks are WAY beyond what the Veteran Class riders are doing.  Sadly, neither the contest organizers, nor the AmFlat guys have seemed to pick up on this.  Tony Strickler is the real winner of the Veteran Class, because this guy belongs somewhere else.  He obviously just wants to go home with a trophy every time.  If I were the AmFlat organizers, I would ban him from the Veteran Class.

Offline black aspirin

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2013, 07:35:45 AM »
Steve could win Expert... easily.  He could also enter Pro and do just fine.  His tricks are WAY beyond what the Veteran Class riders are doing.  Sadly, neither the contest organizers, nor the AmFlat guys have seemed to pick up on this.  Tony Strickler is the real winner of the Veteran Class, because this guy belongs somewhere else.  He obviously just wants to go home with a trophy every time.  If I were the AmFlat organizers, I would ban him from the Veteran Class.

Oh, it has been picked up on...both by the judges/riders at JoMoPro, and at least a few of the riders I've talked to at Toronto (in the expert class, and they will go un-named).  But somehow, nobody does anything...it's the elephant in the room.  I still would like to think that he simply doesn't understand the categories, but it's hard to fathom that a guy with talent like that could watch the expert class and not think, 'I could beat most of these guys, even if I didn't have a great run'.

Offline JUGGARNAUT

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #5 on: March 04, 2013, 07:41:09 AM »
.

Offline dan4130

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2013, 07:42:48 AM »
any guidelines or criteria?
IF FLATLAND EVER HAS A DEBATE TEAM. I WANT T.J. PERRY AS MY CAPTAIN!!

Offline black aspirin

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2013, 07:54:38 AM »
any guidelines or criteria?

Are you talking about what the Veterans' class is?  Per my understanding, it has always been riders over 30 years of age, with intermediate-level tricks.  If that's not it, then what is it?  Anyone over 30?  So, Alex Jumelin, Chase Gouin, Martti Kuoppa, Matt Wilhelm, and others...are in our class?

What are the guidelines for expert that would keep Matthias from entering expert and winning every contest, every year?  Or Novice?  Maybe he could just win every class and make contests obsolete.

Offline JUGGARNAUT

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #8 on: March 04, 2013, 07:56:46 AM »
!

Offline Mr.Archon

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #9 on: March 04, 2013, 08:07:58 AM »
Thats ridiculous I couldnt get through half of that video knowing he was competing in veteran class. he could have easily nestled himself in the middle of the pro class with those tricks with reasonable consistency. If he had horrid consistency or scaled his riding back he'd kill expert class for sure....Enter contests is a democratic thing you can really be stopped from entering one class or another, but if his riding was any resemblance of what i saw in that video thats really a shame man.

Offline fer40

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #10 on: March 04, 2013, 08:24:57 AM »
I am veteran 43 and 3 1/2 years riding I want a veteran beginners class then I will compete, and I saw the video the only veteran that could compete with that guy is trevor mayer

Offline Ultraman Zoffy

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #11 on: March 04, 2013, 09:03:23 AM »
This guy gets away with it because ultimately a veterans class is unnecessary. Folks should ride in the class appropriate to their skill level, regardless of age. The case against this dude would be way more legit if he showed up in beginner, intermediate, or a special "old school" class, but since his age probably qualifies for vet, no one can argue with him for entering it (and age seems to be the only qualification). I'm about to hit 40, but I don't have any qualms about riding against younger folks if I'm in the right class for where my skills are at nowadays. Putting some sort of cap on what types of tricks can go down in a flatland class doesn't make any sense in a sport centered around progression; if Raddad all of a sudden learns crazy turbine steam combos (which, with his determination, I honestly think he could), would he get booted out of vet? Age didn't work back in the AFA days, and this situation kinda reiterates why it didn't. If you're going to compete in a flat comp, then compete and don't think about whether you're too old to be doing the tricks you're doing. Just do your best, and hopefully beat some young whippersnappers along the way. =)

Offline Bri-jon

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #12 on: March 04, 2013, 02:46:58 PM »
I always though Vet was for old school riders until I was told it was for for rider 30 and up who are not novice and not expert. Which then really confused me after seeing the runs.


I do like the idea of Pro, Expert, Novice and Old school (old school as in the old type of trick and lots of scuffing and with a goodish skill level) classes.


And a riders age doesn't  matter only skills. Like a 20 year old could enter old school if that is his riding style and he is good.


Or a 50 year old is new to the sport and enters Novice. I think that's fair.
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Offline LennonStephens

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #13 on: March 04, 2013, 03:50:42 PM »
I think you should have to submit your runs to judges prior to the beginning of the contest. They should then calculate a starting point value based on your skills, and put you in a class. This way if you hit everything you know where you should place and what kind of things you need to learn to be competitive. Quite like gymnastics does. Thats always been the problem with flat comps...its so vague.

Offline Pralex

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Re: Prepare for controversy
« Reply #14 on: March 04, 2013, 03:57:03 PM »
I think you should have to submit your runs to judges prior to the beginning of the contest. They should then calculate a starting point value based on your skills, and put you in a class. This way if you hit everything you know where you should place and what kind of things you need to learn to be competitive. Quite like gymnastics does. Thats always been the problem with flat comps...its so vague.

This is a joke, right?