Mike Murray
OBRA has the entire market here so USAC’s actions are really only hurting them. They discourage participation, discourage race organizers from wanting to deal with them, inhibit their ability to identify new elite talent, etc. OBRA has done several things to attempt to work with them. OBRA purchased USAC membership for all our officials to make it cheaper for organizers of local events to put on USAC events. I don’t see that happening again. I can’t imagine that any OBRA officials will avoid OBRA events just so they can travel to USAC events. OBRA has followed USAC’s inaccurate and subjective category system just to make it easier for USAC to properly categorize OBRA members that purchase USAC membership. If they are going to ignore our categories we can move to a more rational handicapping system. We have the data entry power to do that, they do not. The only USAC presence in Oregon are a few of the races put on by Brad Ross and Chad Sperry. I sounds like they have pissed off at least Brad. Really questionable business moves. None of their recent actions have made it more likely that Oregon races and racers are more likely to go to USAC. Maybe they imagine that they are so large and successful that they can afford to alienate 10% of the racers in the country (the size of the OBRA annual membership). As always, people need to vote with their entry fees. I think OBRA will be OK.
Mike Murray
From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of cwherity@juno.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 12:13
To: fleibowitz@oregonstate.edu
Cc: obra@list.obra.org
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] USA Cycling Pressures OBRA, Independent Organizations and Events
Based on what I have learned in reading and hearing the article and social briefings I decided to write Steve Green a personal email. Now some may say that is not the best thing at this point but when is the best point...not after it is all said and done. I have a vested interest in seeing organizations like OBRA stick around and survive and I want him to know how important the existence of OBRA is to me, my family, friends, neighbors and coworkers. I have dealt with this situation before with USA Hockey and local/state associations with the "big guy" sticking his nose into area they are not set up to be in. The same story just a different discipline within the sporting world we live in. So, if you want to write him it is your right an privilege to do so. Of course I feel this can be done constructively and not divisively, so be mindful of that if you do write to Steve or anyone else within their organization.
Chris
---------- Original Message ----------
From: "Leibowitz, Flo"
To: "obra@list.obra.org"
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] USA Cycling Pressures OBRA, Independent Organizations and Events
Date: Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:21:11 -0800
Right on, Ron. I'm following this with great interest, too.
I simply don't see why USAC can't say, ok, we specialize in elite races and talent scouting among juniors. OBRA is about building bike racing at the grass roots level (upon which junior talent finding coattails). And then resolve whatever specific issues impinge on elite racing amicably.
My own sense of USAC is that they see amateur racing (especially masters racing, and for not bad reasons) as an income generator for the elite and junior operations. I don't even have a problem with that in principle (set aside for the moment the specific amounts of their fees). Why alienate a group (namely, OBRA) that serves those masters so well? I doubt I would have ever darkened the door of a USAC race of any sort -- certainly at those prices-- had it not been for having done OBRA races first. I doubt I'm alone in that.
Thanks, Brad and Chad and Kenji for holding the fort as this unfolds.
_____
From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of rondot@spiritone.com [rondot@spiritone.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 10:40 AM
To: tackyglueit; obra@list.obra.org
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] USA Cycling Pressures OBRA, Independent Organizations and Events
Long live OBRA!
I can be one of the most positive people around, but when I see power being misused, I say it like I see it. Not saying I know all or am right. But you have to do what you have to do.
Still waiting for USAC to provide OBRA with the results of the elite races at USGP as an example. I mean how trivial is it that those could not be supplied as a courtesy if nothing else.
ron strasser
OBRA member # 417. USAC # 219080
If this oppression from USAC continues they will lose me as a member and I will not look back. I will donate the same amount of $ to OBRA each year that I gave to them for multiple disciplines. They remind me of a combination of �The Borg� and the �Taliban�. If OBRA will not be absorbed we will destroy it like we did the Budda in Bayiman.
Wow! I am amazed again how �men� in positions of power lose sight of where their support is based. We love to look at the pro racers and appreciate their hard work and skills, but to place all sorts of obstacles in the way of riders at the lower end of the socio-economic strata is a dead end track. Not all the potential top racers come from middle class families. Giving as many of those kids and adults who want to try racing a chance is �the right thing� as Spike Lee would point out. OBRA is doing this right. USAC and the UCI for that matter need to see that the more people they get to race bikes (and give them a place and category to do so).....................no matter how slow, the better it is for the sport they govern.
So all of you USAC people reading this (if there are any) look in the mirror and ask yourself what you are doing for the common person who might want to race a bike............not just the ones who have shown potential and or the checkbook!
You can now put me on your �been bad� list, and relegate me at the next USAC event I race in........if in fact I race one. I know there are many in USAC at the field level who understand the importance of getting as many people trying racing as possible to grow the pool, but they are also working for �the man�
ron
From: tackyglueit
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 9:42 AM
To: obra@list.obra.org
Subject: [OBRA Chat] USA Cycling Pressures OBRA,Independent Organizations and Events
good article http://www.cxmagazine.com/usa-cycling-pressure-obra-independent-organizations-events-2011
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