As stated on my site today (21 June 2001), I received an e-mail today,
purporting to be from the NBL, responding to my June column. I
responded to that email, asking for permission to publish the full
text of the mail and for identification of the sender - as the headers
below show, the sender is identified only as "Admin":
From Admin@nbl.org Thu Jun 21 09:44:53 2001
Received: from (nblsbs.nbl.org) [208.235.151.234]
by tirpitz.synecdoche.net with esmtp (Exim 3.12 #1 (Debian))
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I'd like to share the mail with my readers, but until I receive permission to do so, I cannot. However, I can summarize the points made in the email and respond to them, which I have done below. The "NBL" statements are in bold, my responses are in normal text.
You entered Microsoft's XP demo with bogus credentials, this shows that you disapprove of paying to enter events. Actually, the event was free. I have paid for all sorts of events, from the Faster Pussycat/David Lee Roth "Skyscraper Tour" (probably should have asked for some of my money back) to the Xenos Foundation's series of Biblical accuracy discussion forums. Not sure what point's being made here. Maybe the NBL identifies itself with Microsoft - a monolithic, monopolistic organization which crushes all opposition through any means necessary?
ABA is for-profit, NBL is non-profit, and only non-profit organizations can be part of UCI. As a director of a non-profit myself, I can tell you that "non-profit" and "charitable organization" are in no way synonymous. Perhaps, as a non-profit, the NBL would be willing to disclose the salaries paid to managing personnel so we, the riders, can judge for ourselves how our membership dollars are being spent.
No foreign riders are forced to join the NBL to race the Worlds. That's true - so what? It's the UCI Worlds! The NBL is a UCI affiliate! A better question to ask would be: Why do UCI members from overseas have to purchase an NBL membership to race an NBL National? Here, the ABA clearly has the moral high ground - they are not forcing overseas riders to purchase a license regardless of UCI affiliation.
Let me explain what I'm talking about. I am a member of my local zoo. My local zoo has "reciprocation" with other zoos, so when I go to the Pittsburgh Zoo, I don't have to pay to get it. The same is true for Pittsburgh Zoo members who come here. The NBL claims to be a UCI "affiliate", but they charge UCI members a full membership fee to race anything in America save for the Worlds. Don't worry, foreign friends; you will receive all NBL "membership benefits". Bet that copy of BMX Today will come in handy back in Zimbabwe - if they bother to forward it to you.
The UCI has told everybody about the fees. They are normal. Apparently, "everybody" doesn't include some South American national champions, because they were sure surprised when they found out about it. And although the fees may be "normal", they are an unnecessary hardship to foreign riders who do not enjoy the strong American dollar.
Vans is holding their Triple Crown Championships there as well. So what? Is that supposed to make me feel better about paying thirty-five bucks to watch a BMX race? Will the international parents who are paying the equivalent of a week's wages to get in the building be particularly excited by the Vans Triple Crown?
The NBL is working to take BMX to the next level, we are going to be in the Pan American Games. Olympic Committee members will be in attendance. Well, when the NBL leadership is partying in Odesur at my expense, schmoozing with Olympic Committee members and having that horrible Horsey person represent us to the world, make sure you take plenty of photos... because I want to show them to the riders at all the local tracks that have closed in the past ten years. "Sure, there was no money to fix your gate, but we're in the Pan American Games!" Yee-haw! Taking BMX to the "next level" (that expression makes me want to puke - what are we, KrissKross?) apparently doesn't involve keeping the local programs strong.
Take a look at OUR World Championships, and THEIRS, and see which one is the real World Championships. Hmm... I don't care. I have very little opinion about the validity, or lack thereof, of the various World Championships. My point was only this: One of these so-called "championships" is charging everybody to get in the door. It's a slap in the face to BMX parents everywhere. If the NBL really cared about riders, it would promote local racing. Period. Leave the wanna-be NORBA/USCF business alone. It doesn't fit, and it does a disservice to NBL members everywhere, yours truly (#259400 Cruiser) included.
So. There's the summary, and my response, the major points of which will never be addressed by the NBL, unless I really miss my guess. Once again, I am amazed at the odd prominence this little website has. After all, my regular readership is between eight and ten thousand riders monthly - a drop in the bucket compared to the general ridership out there. Plus, we're all losers. I know, because Gary Ellis told me so back in 1991.
Maybe it's because I am the only person to continually stand up to, and expose, the greed and idiocy in this business. From the various rumors and comments I hear, there are actually people in this sport who would have me killed if they thought they could get away from it. Why? Because "he won't shut up about aluminum, and clips, and the NBL." Sorry to spoil your party. You can look forward to another ten years of this website exposing the greed, theivery, and plain simple misinformation that runs rampant in BMX. What do you think about that?
I should mention that I do plan to legally attend, and pay the outrageous, disgusting fee for, the NBL "World" Championships. It has been suggested to me by readers that I rent a "Peggy Bundy" wig and sneak in that way, or perhaps strap pillows to my stomach and buttocks and impersonate Brian Fell. No such luck. I'll be there - looking forward to seeing all of my (newly $35 poorer) friends - JB