29th Annual Alabama Open

[gulfdiver]

29th Annual Alabama Open Spearfishing Rodeo
June 4,5,6, 2004
This Year the Open is being moved to Dauphin Island, But we will have a weigh station in Orange Beach.
There will be more info soon.

[Denny]

Gulfdiver- PM me when it is up and I will post it on the St. Pete underwater Club website.
Denny

[gulfdiver]

The Tournament Schedule for South Alabama area (http://www.flounderwear.com/asa.html)

[bow tie klr]

That is nice that they moved they weigh in for the Alabama Open to DI. Not near as long of a drive for us...

[rigdvr]

why the date switch to coencide with the Helldivers Rodeo? I was planning on doing both this year but now it looks like I have to pick...

[Wet Spot]

Somebody tell the whole story.

[gulfdiver]

The Alabama Open has always been the first weekend in June.
Besides we (in Orange Beach had no say in the rules or the place or dates) BUT We are having 2 other Tournaments this year.

The First Annual
Red Neck Riviera
Spearfishing Tournament
April 30-May 1, 2004

The
11th Annual
Orange Beach Spearfishing Tournament
September 17-18, 2004

[rigdvr]

Last time I dove the Open it was the last week in May...it was last year, the year before that, and that....

Last year the weigh in time was changed as well as boundary's set and this year the dates were changed? Why are they trying to compete with the Helldiver Rodeo instead of making it so people can dive both?

[gulfdiver]

Last year it was May 30,31 & June 1st which was the first weekend in June.
I dont know your answers to your questions. All I can tell you is make up your mind on the open or the hell divers.
I'm trying to tell you about the other 2 Tournaments that we in Orange Beach are involved in. I don't agree with ALL of what is going on with the Alabama Open.

[rigdvr]

Ive already made up my mind...

Did the OBO last year(took second place cuda), had a good time but cant say I'll be back for sure.

Just dont try to tell me that the Open has always been these dates when it hasnt. 2 days in May and one in June sounds like the last weekend in May to me...check the dates for the years prior to that as well.

Why is it they arent letting the OB people have any say in the tourney? Good luck with your other 2 tournaments.

[LASeaCat]

Did I hear my name??

[Wet Spot]

King Dave! I want ALL of the pics from the banquet the other night! Send them to my office. Thanks.

[rigdvr]

Man...what do you have one of those whisper 2000 hearing aids or something?

Why did you have to mess things up for the rest of us?:D

[TroubledWaters]

I dove the Alabama Open ONCE. That's the only time I was allowed to dive. That's when they learned I was a Hell Diver.

I didn't mean to take all your awards.

[Cubera Head]

Alabama "Open"...If you're scared say you're scared!

[gulfdiver]

Get Over It !! Most of us have NOTHING to do with the making of the rules. Probably won't happen any time soon but maybe we can change some things in the future. Let's just all TRY to get along. We can all learn somthing from each other.

[ROCK BOTTOM]

gd,

I agree with you that further discussion of this subject is counter productive. I think that for next year steps should be made to mend the fences between the two parties. I believe that the Alabama Open would be better off with more divers from all areas, and that the Hell Divers Rodeo would welcome the divers from that area to our party. Our Rodeo is open to all divers/all waters.

Zz

[LSUBigL]

Now let's all sing cumbaya (spelling?) :-D

[ROCK BOTTOM]

L,

Are you feeling all warm and fuzzy yet?

Zz

[LSUBigL]

I'm ready to let the healing process begin....where's Dr. Phil when you need him.

Seriously, it doesn't make sense that people like us would get offended very easily...if so then leave the board.

What's this argument all about anyway? Is it that the helldivers are pissed off because Alabama scheduled on the same weekend so helldivers can't participate in the Alabama rodeo and win all the awards?

Seriously, our sport is pretty small, and scheduling two rodeos devoted to spearfishing on the same weekend for people in the same geography is kinda dumb...i'm not sure who's fault it is but it's unfortunate that they did not coordinate better.

[ROCK BOTTOM]

That's how I feel about it, L. The Alabama guys feel that they can't win if people are diving west of the Mississippi, so they put restrictions on where you can dive to compete. Then for some unknown reason the decided to challenge the Hell Divers Rodeo weekend by changing their schedule to match ours. Not worth arguing about, just a shame we can't get along.

Zz

[Chad Carney]

Ditto, it's unfortunate that they did not coordinate them better.
From the first I heard about the Alabama Open and Hell Diver Rodeos I wanted to do both, since they were set up on back to back weekends it seemed possible.
In 2002 I did the AL Open and really enjoyed it. But I knew nobody at the HDR.
In 2003 I dove the Hello Diver Rodeo and it was great, but I couldn't get anybody to help find me a ride for the AL Open.
I checked the AL Open scores... they would have done well in the HDR. They don't need protection.

This year they are both on the same weekend...

I guess it's not supposed to happen.

Chad