to certain members of the San Pedro dart team

I understand much "chisme" has been circulating in reference to particular comments that I have made on this site. I am never one to really care what people say about me nor listen to ridiculous rumours but in this scenario I believe certain opinions have been reiterated out of context and it is my duty to set the record straight.

Firstly, I would like to point out that when the controversial comment was posted on this site, Koncas was still in its beginning stages and the number of registered users was minimal. Never was I, nor most of us for that matter, to believe that the site would have grown to its current capacity of some 2000+ users. As a result, although I ackowledged that this was a public site, I merely considered it a medium of informal discussion between whom I considered to be a small number of local webmasters most of whom I was familiar with. Even though Koncas has expanded its' services to accomodate a chat room and a radio, I have no knowledge of any Koncas NEWSPAPER publication ao am at a loss as to how any rumours about me issuing derogatory comments in an unidentified paper may have arisen. Web site=newspaper to the cyber illiterate maybe??

Anyway, now to the matter at hand. I believe the controversial excerpt is as follows:

(posted on Wednesday Dec. 8th, 2004)
“For the record, the entire San Pedro team (save one member who does not drink at all) are a bunch of drunkards. The female dart champion you speak of was completely stoned so we let's not go there. No disrespect to her though, everyone has their good and bad days. Yours truly came in 2nd last year in the female competition and my fellow Poison Arrow team members placed 1st and 3rd. By the way, in the ladies doubles competition, our ladies remain undefeated, and yes we beat said female national champ too!
Interestingly, one of the San Pedro team members mentioned that it cost him $500.00 to go to the last Benque tournament. Why so we wonder? Because he and his team mate needed to consume at least a crate of beer each. Yes, the Poison Arrow crew are no saints but get it right- San Pedro did not beat us because of liquor!”

Now I do admit that my sentiments may have been harsh and uncalled for. My intent was never to slander anyone as those accusations that I have made therein not only apply to myself but the majority of the dart contingent on a whole. Darts is a stereotypical bar sport, it's very origins in a British pub support the fact. To label a particular player, or group of players for that matter, as a bunch of drunkards has become more of a familiar term than a slanderous accusation. For those of us on the most familiar terms it is almost paramount to a term of endearment i.e. "you drunkard" "drunken darts" "you fucked up or what??" Now where the passage gets personal, I do admit, is the fact that I made reference to the current female dart champion. Do note, that I did you use the phrase "no disrespect to her". I have absolutely no anymosity towards this person and find her to be a very warm and generous but like most dart players, certainly not excluding myself, she does or did drink ,to be politically correct, and a lot. She was evidentally intoxicated during the said event as were myself and many others which brings me to the post that prompted my reaction in the first place.

I now quote Sandfly's post of Wed Dec 8th, 2004:
"Maybe that is why San Pedro kick unu ass and have the National Female Dart Champion!!"

This was a response to a previous comment I had made about my team conducting a reebean drinking experiment.

As you can see, there was a defensive tone in my critisized post but Sandfly's words, familiar as they may appear, do prompt a defensive reaction. My immediate response was to retaliate to spring to the defense of my team. I agree I was hasty and my choice of words was certainly not the best; however, the general point that I sought to convey was indeed valid. My team did not lose due to excessive alcoholic consumption as excessive drinking was the norm all around on that particular weekend. I resented the fact that we were singled out when the majority of players from all teams were drinking excessively- not to the point of impaired judgement, in most instances, but just to the point of general cheerfulness.

That, to whom it concerns, is my one and ONLY reason for passing the comment. Contrary to popular belief, I do not hold any malice towards the particular female player for any gossip that is rumored that she spread about me. I use the term "gossip" as even though the context is regrettably the cold hard truth rather than mere unsupportive rumours, my personal business does not concern anybody other than the immediate parties involved. I blatantly admit that I am no saint and have never professed to be otherwise which is chief reason I mind my own business.

If I had a problem with any individual, I would be the first to tell them to their face. I am not two-faced and I have no patience for gossip. I really wish that if I had so offended anybody by my posting that those offended would have rebuked me to my face or at least picked up the phone and gave me an earbashing instead of letting their discontent filter through the local grapevine. Spewing over grieviances and holding malice will only escalate a situation. As Proshka keeps saying "life's too short to be hatin." We have enough general discontent within the dart circuit that is literally killing the sport, we do not need to escalate this to a personal level.

I seriously hope that the parties for whom this message was intended have the opportunity to read this. Failing that, I hope that those close to the source will pass on my sentiments. I admit I was wrong for making such raw comments but will not deny the truth. Before you jump to conclusions, confront the person involved; it will solve a lot more than circulating empty gossip. Besides which, am I really that interesting that I need be the topic of conversation? Wow, if you guys willingly go into lengthy discussion about me I am extremely flattered! Nice to know someone's thinking of me; all publicity is good publicity right proshka??!