Fact is, it takes all kinds to make the world go ’round. I’ve been a tad annoyed about a few characters from the Highlander, enough that I keep going back and forth about it writing about it. Monday is hearby declared “Meat of the Matter” day where we’ll be real and address such things.

First off, if you’re going to be late to a competition, don’t be surprised when people haven’t waited for you.  Cuz see, we were there on time. But if you have somehow talked the organizer into waiting for you, thereby making your fellow competitors circle in the air for an hour…in the rain…apologize. A simple sorry goes a long way.

At competitions, I don’t care what they are, be on your best behavior. Say please. Say thank you. There’s a whole lot of people who help throw events that have no stake in it’s success or failure, they’re just helpful people. At the Wisconsin Highland Games, there were so many helpful people who were also cheering on the athletes that to NOT say thank you each time they helped YOU, would be dick. Don’t be dick.

Pay attention. When competing and your name is called, be ready to go. Again, especially if it’s raining. All day. Of course, if you’ve had an unexpected emergency, we’ll understand. If you’ve felt the need to run  off, or go hang somewhere else, than you’ve just forfeited your turn. Thanks for playing. Goodbye.

Show respect. If you can’t, fake it. Chances are, most competitions will have someone in the line up who has been doing “this” (“this” being whatever you happen to be doing that day) for a while. So if they give a quick tutorial on how have the best success at a new event, pay attention. If you don’t want to pay attention, fake it. If you’re expected to mark a throw, don’t take your eyes off the mark because you deem yourself too important for such a menial task. Again, don’t be dick.

Lastly, in almost all cases of competition, we are someone’s guests. Whether outside or in a gym, be gracious. Use your manners. Clean up after yourself. Conduct yourself as if you’re at a studio apartment party and to be an ass would be so noticeably erroneous that you wouldn’t even consider it.

Think Big, think positive. Never show any sign of weakness. Always go for the throat. Buy low, sell high. Fear…that’s the other guys problem.

Louis Winthorpe III