I offer this final comment. No team should be competing in a qualifier that is not competing with the same motivation and goals as all the other teams in that event. PERIOD. Teams that compete in qualifiers and who have nothing to lose are nothing more than impediments that either influence or affect the outcome. In the midst of the regatta, they can do anything they wish without penalty. Unlike the sand traps in golf which every player must deal with equally, these teams may cover one team and not another. They may shut out one team at the start and not another. They may even foul one team and not another with no real penalty to themselves. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, these teams impact and influence a competition in which they should have no interest. Of course, "My kids wouldn't do anything like that." But my team has been match raced, I've had to restrain my kids, and it does happen. Just as the appearance of impropriety in politics must be avoided, so must any suggestion of an improperly influenced competition be avoided in our sport. Behind the tired old cliches and platitudes used to defend allowing teams that have qualified to enter these events, the real motivation is the need by the big teams to find events in which to place their excess players. If they need more events, they should host more events. But the teams for whom simply qualifying means success or failure for the season deserve a clean and totally fair arena in which to compete. Would the big teams be happy with anything less? Are they the only teams in MAISA who deserve such? Tonight we will find out what the leaders of MAISA think. Dan Winters
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