On alternate means by which to win the Crown

[cormac]

amykb informs me that there has been considerable discussion on whether to allow someone to win the Crown of a kingdom by means other than heavies fighters. I'd like to share an analogy with these people that I contrived this morning. Please bear in mind that I offer this analogy as a former rapier fighter who does have aspirations to the throne (via the normal routes), and as a damn good former drum major of a damn good marching band.

Crown Tourney is like a championship football game. Many things happen at a football game, and many people participate. There are cheerleaders, concession stand workers, a marching band, an announcer or two, boosters, janitors...and, of course, the players.

At the game, there are shining stars all around. The trumpet soloist nails his part in the second movement. The third cheerleader from the left gets the crowd whipped up into a frenzy with her high flips and enthusiastic wordplay. Joe at the concession stand whips drinks out left and right, and never has a line longer than three people. But for all their effort, they don't get to say that they're the champions of the game. Why?

Because it's a football game! It's not a band competition, or a cheer-off, or a soccer game. It's a football game, and the winning team at the football game gets to go home with the title of champion. And everyone's cool with that, because everyone understands that it's a football game.

Now, there are other sports, such as soccer, or baseball, but the players of those games don't really have much to do at a football game, at least on the field. A person would most likely be arrested if they took a baseball bat out onto the field in the middle of the game and attempted to play ball with it.

Crown Tourney is a heavies contest, and the best fighter of the day gets to walk away with the prizes (the prizes being the title of Prince and Heir-apparant, and the right to crown his consort). Much as I'd like to win Crown for being the best herald, or the most accomplished weaver of the day, I recognize that Crown is not the place to recognize the best herald or weaver, and that there are other contests throughout the year at which I may be deemed the best. Anyone trying to win the Crown by skill at rapier, dog coursing, art or archery needs to realize that they're trying to walk out onto the football field with a conspicuous baseball bat and no padding.

This is the game we play, and we've all agreed to play by the rules. If you don't like the game, find a new field and start your own game. It wouldn't be the first time it's happened in the SCA, and certainly wouldn't be the last.