Feedback on article about Blairfoot Bonanza

Follow-up Emails

11/04/2005

Chuck,

I can't beleive you would write such an article against the Blairfoot Bananza. You have failed to realize the importance the Banana George has brought to the sport of barefoot water skiing. He is a world-wide sensation, and wherever he goes, he is synomonous with barefoot water skiing - a true ambassador to the sport. (Something you need to realize that you, nor anyone else will ever be!)

Once again, however, Chuck Gleason is only looking out for Chuck Gleason. Nothing is better than what he supports. Your article claims, "Nothing against the event or competitors," but what you don't realize is that you finally come out of closet saying that you are nothing without being the center of attention. Just because Footstock, an event you premier sponsor, isn't the world championships, you can't deal with the fact that the Blairfoot is!

I am completey outraged that you would write such an article - ESPECIALLY when a barefootcentral.com skier won the World Endurance Championship title. But, then again, you weren't there to see the tears from Banana George when he said how proud he was that Mike was the first World Champion, and how much he respected Mike. 

Maybe it's time that the cat is let out of the bag about who and what barefootcentral really is? misconduct? Maybe it's time people realize that you are only in this for you, and not to better anybody else or let people enjoy this sport.

It just so happens that I am a very close personal friend of George's. I will be making sure he reads this article. I am sure that he will no longer support anything that barefootcentral endorses, as well as lose respect for associated atheletes.

I remember once, long ago, you asking me what I was going to do for you if you sponsored one of my events......Here is you answer: I am going to make sure that anyone affiliated with barefootcentral.com is no longer allowed to ski in any event I organize. That may sound like a "sticks and stones" type of thing to you, but anyone who demeans Banana George is an absolute loser in my book. I will be sure to go out of my way so that people give no respect to that person - you!

You are unbelieveable Chuck....Nothing could smooth this over. You have out done yourself, and probably don't even realize that you shot yourself in the foot! I hope this is the end of barefootcentral.com. With only people looking to grow themselves, rather than sport, barefooting will go nowhere. I used to think that BFC wanted to grow the sport, but I have recently put 2 and 2 together and realized what a joke this has been all along!

- The mind of pissed of barefooters from around the world

Dan Lundt
mcbarefoot57@yahoo.com

For those of you who haven't read my comments on 
Banana George's Tournament
Click Here

Dan:

Thanks for taking the time to write.  I was wondering when I would get my first hate letter on this subject.  I'm sure your letter won't be the last.  As you point out, Banana George has a lot of close friends.  I'm sure he will appreciate you sticking up for him.

The thoughts that came to my mind while I was reading your hate email was:

First: You should have let it sit for a day or two before you sent it.  It's always good to walk away from such an emotional letter for a day or two, then re-read it and see if you still feel the same. But that's here no there and just a personal habit of mine.  

Second: You keep making comments that I wrote the article for my own self interest but didn't explain what I gain.  The article was more a defense of Aaron Schoelzel's title and all the other Figure-8 tournaments, not just Footstock.  We sponsor many events in barefooting from charities, to the US Nationals, regional tournaments, the US Junior & Elite Teams, YMCA camps, Cup Series races, and other figure-8 tournaments like Frostbite and St. Louis.  You make it sound like the reason I wrote the article was to keep my sponsorship deal with Footstock going.  That is completely beside the point and is so off base from how I think. So please explain in more detail what writing the article gains me?

Third:  Based upon your personal friendship with George, and your idea of what he has done for the sport, you feel he can do no wrong, and anyone who questions that should be exiled and destroyed professionally and personally.  You are entitled to your opinion, and as always I welcome it.  I completely agree that George has done a lot to promote the sport of barefoot waterskiing.  And he has done a better job than most any footer on the planet promoting himself.  But just because he's still footing at 90 doesn't mean he can't make a mistake hear and there, or do something that the greater majority of Figure 8 skiers disagree with.  Turn this around and look at it another way.  What if I came out next year and launched a new Figure-8 tournament and claimed my winner was the World Champion. What if I did it without including George or any of the other Figure-8 organizers that have been organizing events for years.  I could promote it, make some calls to the ABC and get it sanctioned as a different type of tournament, then I'd promote it in the magazines and on my website, and maybe even put some big cash as the prize.  That would be a totally disrespectful thing to do the sport itself, because I would be claiming that my single tournament was so much more challenging than all the others, so it disserves to be called the World Championship. And just because I have the means and funds to do it makes it OK.  So please explain to me how what he did is any different?  No one event can be called a World Championship unless it has world attendance and some sort of world ranking qualification system to be able to get to the world championship itself.  Just putting it in the title doesn't automatically make it so, nor does the fact that the organizer is famous, or older than the rest of us.

Forth:  Your sticks and stones comment is dead on.  You're free to react how you wish.  My belief is if you want to feel bad about or hate someone and do harm to them, you'll find a way to do it and then find people of similar thoughts to help you justify your actions.  But at the end of the day, we all need to look inside ourselves and ask, "Am I being honest with myself?"  "Am I being fair and just?"  "Am I being objective or just reacting on 100% emotion?"  Am I basing my actions on well thought out facts and looking at the cause and affects of various scenarios based on those facts, or just reacting on my emotions and personal relationships?"

Finally, you sign your email from all the barefooters around the world.  I'm sure there are many people who disagree with things I have written.  But just because you disagree, doesn't mean everyone in the world does as well.  And more importantly, just because you disagree, doesn't mean it's wrong.  It just means you disagree.  I disagree with what you wrote about my intentions with the sport.  The difference between you and I is, I don't hate you for it and I'm not going to go on a crusade to destroy you and all the people who associate themselves with you.  I respect your opinion, but just feel you could have presented it differently.

My final thought is I think you totally missed the point.  George is a great guy, I've been fortunate to have met him and have done many articles on him.  I also respect and enjoy me friendships with my own promo team.  But I try to make a point not to let my personal relationships cloud my judgment with respect to what is good or bad for the sport itself, or for BarefootCentral.com.  I ask the questions I listed above of myself every day.  I don't claim to be perfect, but I'll put my record of accuracy up against anybody out there.

Chuck Gleason - Owner 
BarefootCentral.com

If you have an opinion of your own, please feel free to email me at cg@barefootcentral.com.  Please remember that we do reserve the right to post any email we receive.