Tony wrote in the "Rachuig" post:
Interesting scores for a moment there I thought I was reading the Deveer's results........God help us!
Thats the sort of negativity we can no longer afford. It was very tough out there and the scores and averages reflected that, but at least those people went out and did it, instead of finding reasons not to, which seems all too frequent a problem in this state. My reasons have been stated and it was with much regret that I could not nominate this year. Our mens team endured that sort of taunt all through the 2004 Rachuig event. I can understand that sort of thing from other states, but from within!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!!!!
Des wrote:
Clearly there are a lot of passionate bowlers within SA. Passion can be used as a very positive motivating factor or as terribly negative factor. We have been blessed in SA with some of the most successful bowlers in Australias history. It must be difficult for those bowlers to see SA bowling not performing as well as it has in the past at Rauchig level. However, don't forget how well our shield teams have done lately.
We are definitely in a transition phase here. Jo Babic has just come on board as State Manager and many of the shield and youth bowlers are just coming into Rauchig.
A transition phase leaves any organisation exposed, for if it is not done well, then the organisation inevitably struggles to perform or even survive.
At this point in time, it is absolutely essential that all the passion that exists in this state be used as positively as possible. To pull down Jo or drive away our great young bowlers will leave us down the bottom for many years to come.
Very eloquent Des, just what I have been trying to say all this time. There has been too much negativity on here, especially in relation to "the better bowlers" not being there. Must give those who did put their hides on the line a good feeling. I suspect that in 10 years time, all this discussion will be consigned to a little corner of history as those who will make up the core of the team by then will be used to training regimes etc and will wonder how teams ever performed without them.
I hope that the new powers that be in this state can come up with a successful formula but, alas, I fear that they will not satisfy everyone. There are too many people in this state that are too set in their ways for that to happen.
I, for one, am jumping ship from the old ways and swimming like hell to try to catch the new ship that is heading in the other direction. My Rachuig career may be over, but I hope not. I feel I still have something to contribute to a sport that owes me nothing, but that I owe a lot to. Oh well, I guess that is up to the bowling gods.
This will be my last post on the subject. I wish the teams all the very best in their quest to resurrect our reputation in Rachuig. Last year started the trend. Lets see that trend continue.