Boats.com story on "Whatever Happened to Offshore Powerboat Racing?"

[Mike A.]

Mike,

As for where I work affecting "what I hear or what I want to hear," that's a double-edged sword. I've heard lots of things, from who led what to who stiffed who, over the years.

I act on none of it. More important, I write about none of it. Because I'm not interested in what I've heard. I'm interested in what I know and can substantiate. Being on "the inside," as indeed you were, doesn't make you unbiased or objective. It just makes you inside, most likely with an interest to protect. Nothing more.

I treated you fairly, reported what I could substantiate and left the rest to the rumor mill. It doesn't make me a hero, just ethical and I resent any implication, because of "where I work" that I was ever anything but. As you probably imagine, there were a whole bunch of people who were less than pleased with my profile of you and subsequent reporting of the rise and fall of the LLC. What you probably can't imagine? None of them ever worked with me.

You've dropped a lot of names of those "responsible" for the demise of the LLC. (For the record, I also think that splinter groups are doomed to fail because they invariably become what they once despised.) But I would think you would have to acknowledge at least some responsibility for alienating those people.

Matt,

You are being too sensitive, probably because the written word is much easier to misconstrue than a face to face discussion so let me clear some things up so that this thread can stay on track.

1. I have never claimed to be objective or unbiased in my commentary about the demise of offshore racing and the LLC. Nevertheless, the things I said about Teague, Whittier, Chastelet, Mauf, et al. and what they did are irrefutable facts. At least in so far as Mauf signed a document and then betrayed everyone else who signed it by going against it without notice or explanation. The others were OSS founders.

2. It goes without saying that the people who I blame for sinking the sport would say bad things about me. One of the major issues I had with many of those people, however, is they never had the courage to speak their minds to my face or publicly. Much of what they said and did was behind the scenes where they could not be challenged. That certainly was not a complaint anyone had against me. To the contrary, much of their beef was that I was too in your face and if I called you out in private I did it in public as well. In fact I did that to many people who did not join the boycott.

3. I never questioned your objectivity in writing about the sport, then or now, and never would. You are a gentleman journalist and always treated me fairly. I am also not surprised you took heat for reporting the facts fairly. Afterall, some of that reporting painted me in a decent light which did not square with the agenda of those who were giving you grief, again, behind the scenes. I got hammered plenty by you, Eric, and Terry over the years but I never complained because unlike the others who were screaming in your ears I respected that you all were reporting the facts as you gleaned them. In other words, you were doing your jobs.

4. As for taking responsibility for alienating the named boycotters who are largely responsible for the sport's current state, let me just say this: NEVER. The whole "alienation", "hurt feelings", deal is nothing more than these weasels' excuse for their own behavior. Many of them want to justify their actions and the severe damage they caused to the sport and to many of those who followed them over the cliff so they blame me. "He treated us sooooooo bad we had no other choice. He made us do it. Booo Hoooo. Waaaa Waaaa." Growing up we had a name for people like that: "Fruits".

People **** each other off every day, rightly or wrongly, intentionally or unintentionally. Among honorable men, however, that does not usually lead to the kind of split that happened in this case. Did I **** any of the boycotters off? Sure, taking away the powers of certain vendors who had managed to put themselves in official positions as rule makers, inspectors, etc. which greatly enhanced their personal wealth; publicly suspending high profile people for detrimental conduct which they had gotten away with for years; and leveling the playing field to increase competition to the detriment of others who had enjoyed the fruits of an unlevel field for so long they had developed a sense of entitlement, ****ed some boycotters off.

But make no mistake Matt, there was NO legitimate reason or excuse for their actions and as long as I have a breath in me I will NEVER give them cover. Look at the state of the sport at the time of the boycott and look at it now. Tell me why they boycotted and formed OSS again? Who benefitted? Who suffered?

To bring the thread back around I will close with this message to the new guys who are following this discussion: No matter what happens, or how bad things seem to be, NEVER participate in a boycott and never follow a splinter group. Do what it takes within the existing system to make it better. Do not fall for anyone who claims they will make it bigger and better for you if you will only follow them. They have an agenda, a selfish and hidden one no doubt designed to serve their interest not yours. Their promise of greener pastures is invariably an empty one. Strive for unification and once achieved keep it together.

[Ratickle]

To bring the thread back around I will close with this message to the new guys who are following this thread: No matter what happens, or how bad things seem to be, NEVER participate in a boycott and never follow a splinter group. Do what it takes within the existing system to make it better. Do not fall for anyone who claims they will make it bigger and better for you if you will only follow them. They have an agenda, a selfish and hidden one no doubt designed to serve their interest not yours. Their promise of greener pastures is invariably an empty one. Strive for unification and once achieved keep it together.

Thanks Mike, the good things you bring to the table are appreciated a whole bunch. Hopefully, the spirit of continual improvement from where we are now will push everyone to give their best, positive input.

[T2x]

Matt,

To bring the thread back around I will close with this message to the new guys who are following this discussion: No matter what happens, or how bad things seem to be, NEVER participate in a boycott and never follow a splinter group. Do what it takes within the existing system to make it better. Do not fall for anyone who claims they will make it bigger and better for you if you will only follow them. They have an agenda, a selfish and hidden one no doubt designed to serve their interest not yours. Their promise of greener pastures is invariably an empty one. Strive for unification and once achieved keep it together.

That is probably the best point made in this whole thread.

T2x