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       #Post#: 7041--------------------------------------------------
       Is this the way of the roller hobby ?
   DIR By: Ty Coleman
       Date: May 11, 2011, 8:02 pm
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       If you start with a cage containing five monkeys and inside the
       cage, hang a banana on a string from the top and then you place
       a set of stairs under the banana, before long a monkey will go
       to the stairs and climb toward the banana.
       As soon as he touches the stairs, you spray all the other
       monkeys with cold water.
       After a while another monkey makes an attempt with same result
       ... all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty
       soon when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other
       monkeys will try to prevent it.
       Now, put the cold water away.
       Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one.
       The new monkey sees the banana and attempts to climb the stairs.
       To his shock, all of the other monkeys beat the crap out of him.
       After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to
       climb the stairs he will be assaulted.
       Next, remove another of the original five monkeys, replacing it
       with a new one.
       The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous
       newcomer takes part in the punishment... with enthusiasm.
       Then, replace a third original monkey with a new one, followed
       by a fourth , then the fifth . Every time the newest monkey
       takes to the stairs he is attacked.
       Most of the monkeys that are beating him up have no idea why
       they were not permitted to climb the stairs. Neither do they
       know why they are participating in the beating of the newest
       monkey.
       Finally, having replaced all of the original monkeys, none of
       the remaining monkeys will have ever been sprayed with cold
       water. Nevertheless, none of the monkeys will try to climb the
       stairway for the banana.
       Why, you ask? Because in their minds... that is the way it has
       always been!
       
       #Post#: 7062--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Is this the way of the roller hobby ?
   DIR By: windjammer loft
       Date: May 12, 2011, 7:51 am
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       And YOUR point IS???
       #Post#: 7063--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Is this the way of the roller hobby ?
   DIR By: joeb
       Date: May 12, 2011, 7:54 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I got the point!. Only in this case it a couple of the monkeys
       trying to spray cold water on some of the other monkeys! LOL
       Keep em spinning
       Joe B
       #Post#: 7068--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Is this the way of the roller hobby ?
   DIR By: lew3015
       Date: May 12, 2011, 9:38 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Thinking in a Different direction, If it's not broken than why
       try a fix it.
       It has worked well for a long time,Why can't things just be left
       alone, that's what's wrong with things now, people  just can't
       leave well enough alone, always trying to fix something.
       #Post#: 7070--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Is this the way of the roller hobby ?
   DIR By: Cliff Ball
       Date: May 12, 2011, 10:20 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Great analogy, Ty. I think it parallels the roller hobby
       exactly. The cold water comes in the form of public humiliation,
       disrespecting another man's family of rollers, criticism,
       judgement, arrogance and self-righteousness, etc. Some of the
       new monkeys don't even want to play the game of trying to reach
       the banana anymore, and some don't even want to be in the same
       cage with the mokeys throwing the cold water.
       
       Lew3015
       That would only work if EVERYBODY liked the status quo. Lots of
       things are wrong, lots of things can be done better and lots of
       people don't think like the monkeys.  If we all thought things
       are fine, we would be riding horses and wearing a side arm.
       Nothing stays the same and we must move forward. Progress is
       inevitable but it comes with a price...... Our comfort zone.
       Many would rather live in the past, I understand that,but
       progress will force us into the future.....Like it or not.
       Cliff
       #Post#: 7071--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Is this the way of the roller hobby ?
   DIR By: 2y4life
       Date: May 12, 2011, 11:22 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: Cliff Ball link ---
       >
       > Great analogy, Ty. I think it parallels the roller hobby
       exactly. The cold water comes in the form of public humiliation,
       disrespecting another man's family of rollers, criticism,
       judgement, arrogance and self-righteousness, etc. Some of the
       new monkeys don't even want to play the game of trying to reach
       the banana anymore, and some don't even want to be in the same
       cage with the mokeys throwing the cold water.
       >
       > Lew3015
       > That would only work if EVERYBODY liked the status quo. Lots
       of things are wrong, lots of things can be done better and lots
       of people don't think like the monkeys.  If we all thought
       things are fine, we would be riding horses and wearing a side
       arm. Nothing stays the same and we must move forward. Progress
       is inevitable but it comes with a price...... Our comfort zone.
       Many would rather live in the past, I understand that,but
       progress will force us into the future.....Like it or not.
       > Cliff
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       You are correct Cliff. Many guys have walked into the proverbial
       NBRC/hobby cage to play with the monkeys only to realize they
       will get reprimanded for their actions without just cause or
       explanation and, thus, they leave the cage. Then there are
       others that have simply looked inside the NBRC/hobby cage and
       the monkeys and have decided to go play elsewhere.
       While it's great to say "If you don't like it, just leave" or
       "No one is forcing you to be part of the NBRC/hobby" what some
       may or may not realize is they are outcasting those potential
       new members and have outcasted many older members. I realize
       everyone wants to say "If you can't take the heat, get out of
       the kitchen" crap and alot of the ones who are still in the cage
       are those who can take the heat but all we are doing is
       alienating ourselves and our hobbies to others.
       What we need to do is be open-minded to do our best to spread
       this hobby that we are all so passionate about. What we need to
       do is just spread the love. Here's my analogy:
       When one starts to play football for fun, they make all sorts of
       mistakes. The little kids try to learn the rules and we GIVE
       them time to learn and understand the rules. Some of the kids go
       on to play more organized football in middle school and high
       school where they really learn the ins and outs of football.
       Some pass the test and go onto the collegiate level or even the
       professional level. But for those who do it as just a hobby, you
       don't see professional players or collegiate players or even
       high school players badgering or being disrespectful to people
       new to football or backyard football players. You don't see
       organized football players badgering the guys who choose to play
       flag football or two hand touch. It doesn't matter if the
       backyard guys or flag football guys are using a junior size ball
       instead of an official ball, it's all good because everyone's
       playing and enjoying football.
       With the roller hobby though, some men have this attitude of "my
       way or the highway" or "my type/strain/family or no family" or
       "this is the only correct way" and this is such a big turnoff to
       so many people. I've mentioned this before, I was and still am,
       so glad that my late nephew didn't see all this crap because it
       would've broken his heart and I know it's happened to alot of
       other young kids/teens who get a particular bird and instead of
       encouraging, some guys just thrash the kid and his bird and they
       leave the hobby completely.
       As we look around, the majority of the guys flying rollers, be
       it competitively or backyard, I'd be willing to bet that the
       average age of the flyers is around 45-50 years old if not more.
       We don't have many young flyers anymore and while there are many
       factors, one big reason is all this negativity.
       I guess I'm the monkey who is asking all the questions that
       sometimes irks the other monkeys but I do feel all I am doing is
       what is best for the overall goodness of the hobby. I will not
       be pushed out for it is my choice to join the hobby, my money
       that pays for my dues to get into the NBRC cage, and my time
       that I devote. All the monkeys can push me every which way but
       at the end of the day, it is I who decided what is right, what
       is wrong, and what I should, and will, do. I am the monkey that
       says to the old and new monkey
       "Do as you please with your rollers. Compete if you'd like, be
       a backyard guy if you'd like. Fly what you want and what you
       like for I won't push my beliefs or my birds on you. We are all
       in the roller hobby for the love of watching these creatures
       fly. I'm just glad to have stumbled into this hobby and all I am
       looking for is some enjoyment."
       *There goes my rant for the day*
       #Post#: 7072--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Is this the way of the roller hobby ?
   DIR By: mumtaztic
       Date: May 12, 2011, 11:32 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       The real question is: Which monkey do you think you are when
       breeding and flying rollers? Will you be the new monkey who
       would be beaten up trying to reach the banana and never ask why?
       Or will you be the one that asks, researches, and experiments
       his/her own ideas to improve the breed?
       
       Here is my analogy for those who “think” they have the pure
       family and can only be successful doing what they were told by
       their mentors or by old wives’ tales.
       
       Ford Model T was one of the most sold cars in US history. By
       1918, half of all cars in America were Model T's. However, it
       was a monolithic black; as Ford wrote in his autobiography, "Any
       customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long
       as it is black." Until the development of the assembly line,
       which mandated black because of its quicker drying time, Model
       T's were available in other colors, including red.
       
       We now have a variety of BR families and they come in a variety
       of colors, with different performances, and they run on
       different fuels—all for the breeder to choose and enjoy. If you
       want to keep your “pure blue check badge Pensom” family and
       still drive a black 1918 stick shift…. Then go ahead, if that
       makes you happy. However, if you want to experience something
       new and different, don’t pay attention to anyone who wants to
       criticize you.  Enjoy your yellow automatic shift convertible
       with automatic windows that comes with GPS.  The time and
       technology has changed since the time of Mr. Pensom; we now have
       alternative families and colors to enjoy our hobby.
       #Post#: 7073--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Is this the way of the roller hobby ?
   DIR By: WhiteWing
       Date: May 12, 2011, 11:45 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Ty, way to go for stepping out and saying what needed to be said
       on here.  I can vouch for this because I see all that goes on
       here from a beginners point of view.  I am a young flyer, (not
       20 years of age yet) and I strive to get to the level of the
       old-timers in the hobby one day, but its a struggle with all of
       nay-sayers in the sport. I don't fly competitively, mainly
       because there is no club or organiztion near where I live, and I
       am also far from getting my birds to the level that I want them.
       Am I seeing progress? Yes.  I have come a long way since when I
       first started, but I have a lifetime to go.
       
       Don't get me wrong, there are many great guys on here and in the
       sport as well who are willing to help a beginner out and keeping
       down the negative critisism, but those kind of guys are sadly
       few and far in-between.
       
       Let me add to your analogy if I may.  What if one of the monkeys
       now, tore his way up the stairs to reach the banana and brought
       it back down to share with the rest of the group?  How fast
       would their attitude change then?
       #Post#: 7074--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Is this the way of the roller hobby ?
   DIR By: Cliff Ball
       Date: May 12, 2011, 11:50 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Good to hear from you Arif.....sorry to hear you guys were not
       up for the World Cup. Maybe you can put something together for
       the National Championship. Tell Jeff I said "Hey!"
       
       Both are good analogies. The one difference that I see is that
       this phenomenon is played out primarily on the internet. In
       local flies and NBRC National Conventions, the comraderie is
       great and all the monkeys work together to get the banana. It
       varies in some regions, but most of what I hear on a local basis
       from other regions is all good. We just had our World Cup
       Regionals and a great time was had by all....seing good
       friends......pigeon s were swapped....cookouts ...good coaching
       from the veteran fliers for the new guys....good stuff all
       around. THAT is the roller hobby. I'm not sure what this
       internet stuff is. But it is definitely NOT the roller hobby.
       Cliff
       #Post#: 7075--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Is this the way of the roller hobby ?
   DIR By: joeb
       Date: May 12, 2011, 12:48 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: WhiteWing link ---
       >
       > Ty, way to go for stepping out and saying what needed to be
       said on here.  I can vouch for this because I see all that goes
       on here from a beginners point of view.  I am a young flyer,
       (not 20 years of age yet) and I strive to get to the level of
       the old-timers in the hobby one day, but its a struggle with all
       of nay-sayers in the sport. I don't fly competitively, mainly
       because there is no club or organiztion near where I live, and I
       am also far from getting my birds to the level that I want them.
       Am I seeing progress? Yes.  I have come a long way since when I
       first started, but I have a lifetime to go.
       >
       > Don't get me wrong, there are many great guys on here and in
       the sport as well who are willing to help a beginner out and
       keeping down the negative critisism, but those kind of guys are
       sadly few and far in-between.
       >
       > Let me add to your analogy if I may.  What if one of the
       monkeys now, tore his way up the stairs to reach the banana and
       brought it back down to share with the rest of the group?  How
       fast would their attitude change then?
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       Well said Whitewing. The important thing is that you enjoy your
       birds and the friends you meet in the hobby. Pushing your birds
       forward is always good. Flying in competition is one way to
       measure if you are making any progress in that endeavor but not
       the only way. Keep your attitude and you will most likely be
       successful. Good luck!
       Keep em spinning
       Joe B
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