Just for future reference - DaM ROTN

[Rick Laton]

First, let me say that Chris Chandler is a BEAST! He is at a level that I am not familiar with. Team NC's only hope of beating Chris would have been based on several factors.

1. Team work - Our hope was that our "Hook Monster" could have held Chris for 30-45 seconds and hopefully took a little "Edge" off Mr. Chandler (I still think our man could have done this). Our guy couldn't make weight so this never happened. Mark, our second strongest guy in the hook didn't show so this left little old Jason Plyler and myself to deal with a MONSTER that we wanted no part of.

2. Our other hope was that the 160 pound weight limit would take a lot out of Chris. The flier for the tournament said that weigh in's were on Saturday from 7-11 a.m. If Chris weighed in on Friday then he had PLENTY of time to get most of his strength back from the weight loss. (According to those involved with the weigh in's he put on 15 pounds by tournament time.) So essentially instead of giving up 7 pounds (160-153)(My highest weight to date thanks to the Krispy Kreme training plan I have been using successfully for the last few months) I was actually giving up 22 pounds. This would have made a HUGE difference in whether I was even willing to come pull in this tournament with the guys that I signed up. Typically Chris Chandler probably walks around at about 180 pounds if he is not dieting for a tournament. (Is this pretty close Chris?) Mark Harrison weighs about 136 DRESSED!! I am usually around 147 in shorts. Jason Plyler is about 156. Derrick Housley was 169.

I said all that to say this. If you are going to post rules for a tournament, please stick by them. They make more difference than you will ever know. Would I have been able to beat Chris Chandler Saturday if he weighed in at 160 at 11 A.M.? Nope. When you are over matched, admit it. I admit it. Would I have even bothered to come and take a chance on destroying an already badly damaged thumb if I would have known all that I know now? Probably. I don't know why. But Probably. Beating Mr. Chandler was just a pipe dream anyway, but I am starting to feel more like my chances went "Up in Smoke" with the way that the weigh ins were done. See you at the next one.

Ricky Joe


DaM Awards:
Trophies 1st and 2nd
$$ Cash for everyone who advances 2 rounds $$
Weight Classes:
0+ kg

Registration will take place at weigh-in. Please phone ahead or email if you plan to attend so that we can have a head count of competitors.

DaM Weigh Ins:
April 21st 7:00am – 11:00 am

[Denise Wattles]

Hi Rick,
First of all, congratulations on your performance last weekend. I look forward to seeing you in Kansas City at Unifieds.
Yes, Chris is tough but as far as his weight goes he was at 160# the week before in Idaho. He was 165# in Deadwood March 31st. I have seen him heavier but he hasn't been above 176 in a while . He wrestled 198# on Feb. 10th in South Dakota because there was no competition for him in the 176's (Yes, I was there so I know what he weighed) He also wrestled 155-176 at the Reno Reunion in January. 165-170 is his walking around weight & it still amazes me how big he looks at that weight.
He is tough BUT he is beatable. He & Devin Bair have some great matches and it is always a toss up as to who will win.
Once again GREAT JOB!
Take Care,
Denise

[Neil Robinson]

Great job Rick your still a beast.

[Gary Roberts]

hi, Rick

Thanks for attending the event. I appreciate it.

As for the weigh ins, I have been in the sport roughly just under four years and weigh ins have always been offered Friday night. I have told every competitor that they are welcome to weigh in Friday if they can. I apologize for there being stated only saturday weigh in. The weigh ins are predermined by the event host since I am not always in town on Friday evening...

I will make it clear next time that if the event host or Gary Roberts can be reached on Friday evening that a weigh in will be allowed. I believed this to be a standard in the sport.

Elaine Blik also didn't not officially have a friday weigh in I believe but we made it available to ROTN pullers.

I apologize again if this was not clarified good enough. We are not set up to give any advantages for one that we would not give for another. As I stated before it has been set to me as a standard that weight can be made Friday evening...and it isn't me to judge whether that is natural weight or sweat weight.

[Rick Laton]

Gary,

Fair enough. I'm not really complaining. Just voicing an opinion. Most tournaments do have a Friday night weigh in and I personally like to weigh in early. It was just obvious that this was going to be small turn out and that is why I thought he was only doing weigh ins on Saturday. My young kid would have probably been more willing to try to make weight if he knew that he could weigh in the night before, but he said if I do make it I'll be weak as dirt. There's just not enough time to get my fluids back in me.

One thing that might be a good idea that will help everybody is this. Have all the ROTN competitors weigh in at a certain time TOGETHER. Then everyone can see everyone else and feel certain that they made weight. No one ever shows up on time for interviews and you have been struggling with that problem. I bet you if they are waiting to weigh in they will be there on time or EARLY even! This would solve several problems. Anyway, what is done is done. Again, I realize that I could not have beaten Chris anyway. He was far stronger than me. But what if it had been someone that I was a lot closer to in strength? It could have made the difference in his picture being on the background of this website and MINE being on the background of this website!!!! Now we have to have our priorities right. Winning money is great, but having your picture on the home page of NE Board is the STUFF !!!!! Again, I am not mad. I think you're doing a great thing for the sport. Keep it up. See you at the next one.

Ricky Joe

[Toddzilla]

Stop !
All you people just stop !

Months ago I posted Friday and Saturday weigh in times for ROTN.
www.southcarolinabarbell.com/rulerofnation.asp
Ruler of the Nation arm wrestling tournament 0-160 pounds
Competition 10:30 am
Weigh In:
April 20th 5:00am - 8:00 pm
Call if you are running late and need special arrangements.
April 21st 7:00am– 9:30 am
1st $ 250.00
2nd $ 150.00
3rd $ 100.00

Chris Chandler weighed in for ROTN on 4/20/2007 at 4:00 pm.
I waited till 8:00 pm for others to weigh in or call, no one did.

As of 9:30 am 4/21/2007 only Chris Chandler had weighed in. Had I followed the posted rules, Chris would have gotten 1st place money without pulling anybody. Mr. Laton and Mr. Plyler would have gotten nada.

Gary Roberts informed me at 9:40 am that he had posted 12:00pm as the cut off for weigh ins. I extended the weigh in time to match that posted by ArmTV.


Months ago I posted the weigh in times for DaM
www.southcarolinabarbell.com/destroymonsters.asp
Weigh In:
April 21st 7:00am – 11:00 am


Chandler weighed in a second time on 4/21/2007 at 9:40 am for DaM. He was the 3rd. heaviest person in the class.

[Rick Laton]

Cool. Looks like you posted two different versions. I must have gotten the last one. The last 40 or so times that I looked up the info on it, I got the last version. If you clicked on the Destroy All Monsters tab on this website it took you to the second version that said Saturday only. Enough said. We'll let it go at that. Unless you want to come down to NC and settle this thing like a man!!









Madden 07' of course !!


BTW - Why did Chris have to weigh in twice?

[Toddzilla]

The links are separate and were up at the same time and have not changed.

ROTN is always a separate event from the main tournament DaM.

ROTN uses separate rules and formats, thus it has it's own link and information.

DaM was separate from ROTN, just like ROTN is separate from Bad To The Bone, or the Florida State Championships, etc. etc.

Chandler had to weigh in twice because ROTN allowed Friday weigh ins. DaM only allowed Saturday weigh ins.



I'll come to NC if you provide some vinegar based barbecue. You NC folks use way too much of that ketchup base.

[Pete & Tim]

Rick, simple solution.

Gain weight and get stronger.

And Madden 07' is not man enough, play Fight Night.

[Jaron Janack]

Todd, lol love the south park dude!!

Rick, when i was at deadwood with Chris, which that class for him happened to be 0-165, which he made Friday night, by saturday he had gotten up to 76 ish...with all clothes on....and he eats like a horse.. the whole weekend at the casino, he was ordering 2 meals at a time.. even then, i'm not sure if he hit 180

[Jaron Janack]

oh.. and the barbeque sauce.. good choice, lol

[Willie Reagan]

Bottom line is............... Chris is a freaking BEAST!! Congrats!!