Joe's Question

[Joey Costello]

Joey, do you feel, with the current level of support you have in Ontario, the OAA will have an opportunity to thrive under your leadership? (for the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons)


[/quote]

Joe I'm not sue if your talking about the current level of support on the message board or all of Ontario.
If your talking about the few on the message board, then no. they don't support me.
If your talking about the 22 that voted for the changes, some yes and some no.
But if your talking about the 70% of Ontario pullers that voted for me the first time, then Yes. Ontario has a future.
I've noticed that most of our Ontario Pullers just want to Armwrestle and don't like the politics, so they watch the boards but don't say anything.

If your interested in running for President then we should talk on the OAA board and potentially get some things resolved.

[Joey Costello]

So Joe have you got something you want to discuss?
I won't discuss it on the CAWF board.
Joey

[Joe Gould]

I know Joey had the support at the OAA election, but I feel since then he has lost at least some of his support. (At least 2 of his executive team?)

Some of the people on this board who don't support you, Joey, are team leaders. So, my thought is, when the circuit resumes, won't there be very small turn outs?

I guess my original question was around this, the circuit... Will people show up to OAA circuit events in 2014 with the amount of non Costello supporters?

Should the promoters who are holding circuit events in 2014 be confident that the 70% who voted for you will also support tournaments? (There is a sense that many that voted for you were either not regularly active, or not active at all, like spouses, etc)

My feeling is that the OAA circuit is in for a very rough year.

I would definitely be willing to discuss myself, or someone else assuming the role as president.

Read more: armwrestling.proboards.com/thread/3779/proposed-changes-cawf-ontario-votes?page=3#ixzz2m9sIVmTs

[Evan Bourgoin]

bring eric back!
joe would also be a good choice

[Jay Riehle]

My opinion may not be valid here but perhaps its time we look at the possibility of having 2 divisions in Ontario. The idea was tossed around a few years back and as conflicting tournament schedules continue to increase it may be best to create a northern and a southern associations or what have you. Not to divide the two but instead grow the regions and open new possibilites for top contenders tournaments (North vs. South). Still remaining with one provincial championship but having two curcuits. Lets face it how often can someone from timmins make it to a London tournament or someone from Toronto make it to a North Bay tournament?? You often save up to make it to just one tournament on the curcuit each year. Theres at least enough interest to make both curcuits alive with 4 tournanents each and then perhaps a big competition where the two divisions meet with the two highest point leaders from each sqaure off in a supermatch or whatever. Like I say just an idea to think about. Joey, I think what you and Ashley are doing up north with your armwrestling school is great and i tip my hat to you for your effort and success for the growth you've acheived in the youth division it really is cool. However I dont believe that the people of the O.A.A. share the same vision moving forward with the association. Something has to be done here because the situation we are facing at the moment is not benefiting anybody.

[John Milne]

Your opinion is valid here Mr. Riehle

[Jay Riehle]

Thank you John, that is much appreciated.

[Joey Costello]

Of the 5 original members of the OAA there are still 4, referee in chief is the only position that became vacant.
If you are referring to Joanne she is still more than able to fulfill her duties as Director of communications.

As for Jays suggestion for 2 associations.
I personally don't think it is a good idea to divide Ontario into North and South.
Ontario is big but not that big and at one time it was run as a very efficient province that no other could contend with.
In the past that most of you wouldn't remember we would get mail from the post office and we would hang it on the fridge and that is how we communicated with each other.
One or two flyers promoting tournaments, choosing events was easy in the past.
Now with internet we can see all the tournaments all over the world and we can pick and choose where we want to spend our money. The tournament we choose may be based on who is likely to attend the event, or how far it is away from home or how much prize money is offered.

It will be hard for any Federation or Association to corral the sport like it once was 10 years ago, but I give credit to anyone willing to try.

This is my 35th year to be involved in the sport and everyday I think about how I can improve it and what I can do to make a difference.
I don't remember the days that I was not planning my next event.
That is why this is a hard one to swallow.

The solution is not to divide the Association but to bring it back together.
Joe and I haven't seen eye to eye in a long time and as long as we are both involved in Ontario Armwrestling there will always be a problem.

So I'm calling an election for this year at the Provincials and my name will stand if no one wants the position, but like I said earlier I respect anyone who wants it.
I have talked to the rest of the exec and they have all agreed to step down if their position is filled.

Joey Costello

[Joey Costello]

Everyone should take this opportunity to think about whether or not they can make a difference in the sport or are they just going to sit behind their computer and complain.
It's easy to post good ideas but are they good enough to put into action or are you afraid to get picked on by other members.

Eric has expressed some interest in running for president, I give him credit for caring enough to try.
All of you that frequent the message boards should be thinking about what position would best suit you, and put your name in.

Joey

[Jay Riehle]

Joey, if your "between the lines" shots are directed at me, I would love nothing more then to stand up and run for the executive. But we both know thats not possible for this term. I can't say when ill be back in Ontario, I just hope theres an association left when I get back. And you can bet your a$$ ill do everything I can to see it suceed when I do. People dont even want to represent their province or COUNTRY anymore!!! I mean WTF??? Something doesn't add up here.

[Joey Costello]

As a matter of fact Jay my post is not directed at you.
The things that you say on the message board, tell me that you would be a good person to run for any of these position. You don't attack, or belittling, or say harmful things to hurt the sport. In my opinion they are mostly accurate accounts of what is currently transpiring in the world of Armwrestling.

The people that I'm pointing at are the ones that sit behind their keyboard and criticize others.
Instead of standing up and running for president they sit back and complain.

Four people come to mind.
Guy Windover
Dave Campbell
Joe Gould
and Brad Wade
Over the past 4 months they have only complained.
I thought that they wanted to run for president.
Joe even mentioned it, but now I find out that they are not interested in the position.
They only want to complain.

The position of President is not for someone who is reluctant to step in but some one who has their heart set in the right place and wants to make positive changes.

My ideas may not have worked for some but they did work for others and it takes time for things to change.

[Dave Campbell]

Joey I never said I was interested in your position. I just wanted some answers to a couple of questions I asked. I dont think that was complaining.

[Armsport Videos]

Here you go Guy:

Guy Windover:
Since I cannot respond to this on the board, (as I renounced my membership in protest), I will respond here, and if someone wants to copy and paste please feel free.

Guy Windover:
Joey, apparently if someone disagrees with you, they are a complainer? I was not the one who ran for president under the guise of "giving armwrestling back to the armwrestlers". Then proceed to change, alter and turn away from what was previoulsly done. At no point did I state I wanted in executive, nor did I run, (even when you asked me too). So this means if I dont run or take a position I should sit and keep my mouth shut when you continually IGNORE questions and votes?? I think you need to step down off your high horse for a minute and consider the train wreck you are creating. At this point with your attitude I think I will contain my armwrestling to MGC, Arm Melters and other events not OAA. Following your theory I guess I should run for Prime Minister as well??? You truly are something else?

[Armsport Videos]

Some more from the "Complainer":

"I guess that attending 90% or more of the OAA events over the past 6 years, sending my entries to the promoters even when I could not attend to support them, sponsoring events, holding 3 of some very succesful Central Ontarios, refereeing, buying a 7 passenger minivan for the express purpose of getting my team reasonably to tournaments, support many of those tournaments by allowing my table to be used, (even Nationals), and on and on, is sitting behind my keyboard and complaining. Your right Joey, I should do more."

Guy Windover

[Jay Riehle]

I too, find it interesting that you would view Guy's comments as complaints. He was choosen to represent his repective district as an "area lead" and when he voices his concern regarding the O.A.A. it is met with a labelling as a "complainer"? I have to say when you are elected as a leader of an organization you are expected to work for and with the people of the organization. Not have the people work for you under your rule. I believe this all started with "your ideas"not being communicated. They may have worked for some as you say, as for the rest of us, we weren't even aware of the ideas until they were already put into place. There is a huge communication issue here. Dan Bellefuille wasnt even aware of the ideas being generated on the C.A.W.F. until I told him in the middle of November. However you were already representing Ontario's view in the beginning of October?? You also say that people are or would be afriad of negetive backlash from members if they ran for the executive. Take a look at the Canadian Executive, where is our president on all of these upcoming issues regarding rule, class and referee issues??? I havent heard or seen a peep from him. Thank god Rick Pikney is stepping up to the plate to rejuvinate a federation and executive that even he labels as an embarassment. AND HES A MEMBER OF THE G.D. EXECUTIVE!!!!! Perhaps what this association needs is a few more "complainers".

P.S.- Guy, if you ever did run for prime minister, you'd have my vote brother!!

P.P.S.- Scott, plz check you p.m.'s on the C.A.W.F. board.