President's Page
September 30, 2011
In response to the Texas Fishing Forum’s TABC allowed cheating at State Tournament
Good Morning to all. As most of you know, I am Ed Calderone, President of the Texas Association of Bass Clubs. This past weekend we had our State Tournament on Falcon and if I must say, it was a roaring success. Universal City Bass Club won a close battle and weighed in over 168 pounds. I drove away from Zapata thinking that we had enjoyed a great weekend with our favorite people. And then Monday rolls around and the stirrers started stirring the pot. There was an erroneous statement made by someone who refused to identify himself speculating about a disqualification of a contestant and accusing me and TABC of compromising our integrity. That person chose the Texas Fishing Forum to air his/her thoughts and took an organization with the hardest working staff in the entire state and accused them of being nothing short of cheats.
What he failed to mention was just a few of something called FACTS. For example the disqualified person did not go on the lake each day to hold spots. For example the disqualified person spent both days helping us fizz fish and ensure that we killed as few fish as possible. Or that the person he says was added at the last minute had been on the roster from the day that their roster was received several months ago. The addition was the disqualified person’s wife. Nor did he mention that they were polygraphed and a particular question was worded to see if they used any information they might have received and oh yes that he passed the polygraph.
Seems to me that people just have to gripe about something to hide their personal inadequacies. Otherwise, if they had issues why didn’t they come to the tournament director to file a protest? I’ll tell you why, they love to stir.
Now with my rebuttal out of the way, let me congratulate Universal City Bass Club for their win and let me point out something that was pointed out to me. I believe that this UCBC win is the first time in our 40 year history that a team had a woman on it. Congratulations to Ms. Jenny Mergele. I also believe that the Austin Bass Club had a 14 year old who is the youngest to be in a State Tournament. This would be Brett Sunvision.
Folks this weekend past, was one of the greatest weekends of my life. Many of you can by and spoke to me and reminded me that you were praying for my health. Fishing was absolutely great. Fellowship was at an all time high. Please remember a little something that my dad once said. Sometime it takes more of a person to say nothing. If you can’t say something nice about a person, then don’t say anything.
I will close with this. I would love to be fishing with my club team but do not feel it is right for me to do so. If any of you would like to be president, please, please, please place your name up for nomination. I promise you, you will win. If you would like to be part of my staff, please let us know. There is more work that volunteers to complete that work. Otherwise, be nice.
Regards and good fishing Ed
As I finished this letter I received this e-mal and thought we all might profit from it.
“Each time you click "send," the e-mail being delivered says a lot about you and your organization. Are you practicing appropriate e-mail etiquette, or are your e-mails conveying messages that are hurting your reputation and credibility? …There is an assumed informality surrounding e-mail usage, but e-mail is no different than any other form of business communication. Your contacts form opinions about you and your business based on your e-mail communications and how you use technology. Improper e-mail usage can give someone the perception that you lack education, have limited experience with technology or lack credibility. “