June 2009 - 6

Viewpoint
By Brent Manley

Everyone enjoys doing the kind of work for
which he is best suited.
- Napoleon Hill

The good guys
When I was playing a lot in tournaments many moons ago, I often ran into
National TD Chris Patrias, who lives in the St. Louis area. When he saw me
coming, he often look bemused. He had been there, done that.
My wife and regular partner, Donna, played modified Precision, and we
were always quizzing Chris about whether this or that bid or call should be
Alerted, Announced or whatever. In all the times we accosted Chris at tournaments, he was never impatient, no matter how busy he was.
Chris is one of the reasons I'm partial to TDs and why I like to remind readers about how important it is to make sure they know we appreciate them.
I have favorites, of course, mainly because I know some TDs better than others. I consider many to be friends - and I like them all.
Some of them have very interesting backgrounds. Did you know that Sam
Stoxen (Bismarck ND) is a licensed funeral director? That Bob Hendricks
(Virginia Beach VA) once commanded a submarine? My good friend Guillermo Poplawsky (Mexico City) was a civil engineer in a former life. Su Doe
(Irving TX) has degrees in physics and genetics.
Some TDs are very good players - Mike Flader (Eagan MN), Olin Hubert
(Atlanta), John Ashton (Portland OR) and Marshall Kuschner (Reston VA)
come to mind.
David Cotterman (Kokomo IN) has never met a printer he couldn't fix, and
knowing his enthusiasm for the job, he probably fixes some that aren't broken.
I love talking baseball with Henry Cukoff (Montreal) and fellow Red Sox
fan Su - and I really wish Susan Patricelli (Bloomfield CT) had not retired.
NABCs aren't the same without her. Just ask the caddies, who are cared for
and directed by the inimitable Jackie Matthews (Roseville CA), the best hugger I know. National TD Patty Johnson (Sebring FL) and I go back to my very
beginnings in duplicate.
You probably know that our TDs are not in it for the money. They run
ACBL tournaments with care and precision because they love the game and
the people - their fellow TDs and the players. I know from working at world
championships that ACBL's top tournament directors are highly regarded in
many faraway places.
Foreign players always marvel at the efficiency with which our TDs get
games going quickly despite selling entries right up to start of play. One minute there seems to be chaos. Then, as if by magic, a bridge game starts up with
everyone in place. Of course, it's not magic. It's skill, experience and dedication. It's what our TDs do.
r
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Letters to
the Editor
Nomenclature
To the Editor:
A letter in the April issue (page 6)
praises a "bracketed Swiss teams"at
a Harrisburg PA regional. It is bracketed, but it ain't Swiss!
Thirty years ago or so, when Swiss
teams were first introduced, they
were copied from the format used
in many chess tournaments that was
called a "Swiss" movement. The
principle of the Swiss format is that
contestants (teams or individuals)
with similar records play each other.
If you have an event in which each
contestant plays all other contestants,
it is a round-robin. If we have to
"protect" some of our players from
ever facing someone who might
intimidate them, let's at least call it by
the right name.
JIM MASSON
Mooresville NC

Kudos to Karen
To the Editor:
I just finished reading Karen
Walker's article on opening leads in
the March issue. It was entertaining
and informative, just a pleasure to
read. As a full-time bridge teacher, I
am now envisioning an entire course
around the concepts in this article.
The ACBL's Education Department
sometimes looks for topics to develop
into new teaching materials. I would
recommend this article and its concepts be considered.
LESLIE SHAFER
Gaithersburg MD
Bridge Bulletin

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2009