On Probation
Tom Stokes was unsuccessful in his bid for a fourth straight
CME championship but he was the only returning laurelist to make the finals.
No Report received
The BPA Board of Directors has been forced to make a choice;
either enforce the requirements for being a GM which all GMs
agree to when they submitted their event form - or repeal the
requirements altogether. The Board has chosen the former.
Consequently, this event is now on Probation. The effects
of Probation are that the defaulting GM will not be allowed to
GM an event in the coming year. In addition, unless someone else
steps forward to GM the event by December 31st, 2004, it will
be dropped from Century to Continuing Trial status or from Continuing
Trial to ineligible. Should the new GM also default in 2005,
the penalty will be automatically applied. Obviously, if no new
GM applies, the event will not be run.
Events on Probation are not eligible for the annual December
Membership vote and therefore cannot
improve their status by that route.
The Board would like to thank this GM for his past service
to WBC and the hobby and extend our hope that he will once again
favor us with his presence at WBC as a fellow player - and perhaps,
at some future date, a GM.
We apologize if this action comes at a time in life when it
seems trivial and hope it is not considered a reprimand. Everyone
must prioritize what they do with their time and we are in no
position to judge what others should do with theirs. However,
we do have an obligation as an organization to uphold the standards
we have set as the goals for the BPA. Hundreds of people travel
great distances to take part in WBC and we owe them our commitment
to fulfill our promises as best we may. Many members look forward
to the event reports and it is unfair to them to keep them waiting
any longer. It is also unfair to those who don't necessarily
read the reports but do value the presence of those additional
gamers who those reports might attract ... a feature unique to
WBC which exemplifies the extra mile taken by our GMs as a whole.
WBC is all about volunteers working together to improve the
boardgaming hobby. By running an event , a GM does far more than
the average attendee and should be congratulated. Alas, life
is seldom fair and listening to the complaints of those who have
not made similar sacrifices can be galling to say the least.
But WBC GMs have always been a notch above what passes for GMs
at other conventions and it is that dedication which we hope
to preserve by enforcing our standards. The litmus test for whether
an event belongs at WBC has always been having a GM willing to
make the necessary sacrifice. Should no other GM step forward
to embrace those standards, then the event simply does not deserve
to be run.
This event will be listed on the new Orphans
List as being on Probation. A commitment from a GM by December
31st 2004 willing to honor the commitments set forth by the GM
Guidelines in 2005 will keep this
event eligible for selection. Otherwise, it will be ineligible
for Continuing Trial status.
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