IDPA Nationals — the Way a Match SHOULD Be!

[Michael Bane]

Hi all;

I just got back from filming the IDPA Nationals in Allentown, PA, and I wanted to briefly say how impressed I was with the match and Match Director Ted Murphy, I'm going to talk about it more on Wednesday's podcast, but Ted's match is a tour de force of the way major matches should be designed and run.The stages were brilliantly designed — and fun to shoot; the wonderfully chosen cadre of SOs made the match really hum. Ted is a thoroughly impressive MD. Nicely done!

As usual, I got to shoot two whole stages (with my Kimber/C&S 1911 .45). I'd loved to have stayed a day and shot the whole thing, but my time is pretty viciously sliced and diced until December. I have a Forest Service meeting Monday, and it's going to be a doozy...we're now under attack pretty heavily here in Nederland. The local chief of police has weighted in as a firearms/shooting expert, which, having seen him on the range, he isn't, and opined that "guns are dangerous!" It's a purely political fight now, being driven by antigunners both within and without the USFS. Then it's on to California for meetings the rest of the week.

Again, congrats to Ted!

And if you're ever in Allentown, I storngly recommend the lager at the local brewpub!

A very tired Michael B

[Gryff]

Michael,

Glad to see you there (and meet you briefly). We in Squad 24 (the Super/Commoner Combo Squad) had to grumble good-naturedly because your on-camera interviews with Walt Rauch on Bays 1 and 2 caused us to be delayed shooting in those bays for about 15 minutes each.

The result...we were caught in that brief downpour on Friday rather than being done on the day and nice and dry under the tent.

But our sport needs as much good publicity as it can get, so getting a little soaked was a worthwhile price. 

Thanks again for covering the event!


Jim Griffiths

[Michael Bane]

Thank you, Jim, for your courtesy.

Letting the media in is always a mixed bag (I was talking about this very subject to Walt this AM, as it happens). The nature of what we do is intrusive, no matter how much we might try to mimimize that intrusion.

Still, we desperately need new blood, and there's really no other way to really get those newcomers. I also believe very strongly that having our sports in the public eye make it that much harder for antigunners to hammer us into the ground.

Again, thanks.

Michael B

[Bidah]

Yes, we do need more coverage, and more new people.  If I had a few extra Billion laying around I would love to start the Shooting Channel..  All shooting, All the Time..   I believe that there is enough sports stuff going on out there between all the disciplines.  You would just need enough people to cover it.

-Bidah