I was one of the first people to accept an invite from United Fan Con up in Springfield, MA, in November…and, as of last night, was the very first one (and, to my knowledge, the only one) to be disinvited. As opposed to Orlando where I was simply summarily dumped from the roster, this time I was contacted by the convention organizer who explained that, well, they only had so much money to go around, and they were so busy paying for the appearance fees and hotel rooms for the–y’know–important guests, and their advance registration or interest in purchasing photo ops or signed pictures in advance had been so far below projection, that they could no longer afford to have me out even though I don’t charge appearance fees. They had to cut the budget somewhere and apparently I’m it. They couldn’t afford hotel stay and travel costs for the guy who signs tons of comic books and such for free because they needed to be able to accommodate all the folks who charge fans $20/$30 a pop for signatures.
I doubt that anyone was coming to United Fan Con just to see me–certainly the convention organizers are banking on that–but if you were, and you were hoping to get free autographs, you’re out of luck.
You know, I just can’t get enough of having regional conventions use my name for initial promotion and then dump me at the last minute. Actually, now that I think about it…I can. I’m going to be thinking long and hard before accepting invites for any smaller conventions; I’m just tired of having my face stepped on.
PAD
• 
“And maybe, just maybe they didn’t think he’d be the kind of guy to take this to a fan-forum”
Oh, and just in the interest of accuracy: I didn’t “take this to a fan-forum.” I wrote about it on m blog. I didn’t bring it up on any of the half-dozen or so fan forums that I frequent.
PAD
Ajay: That’s how I feel. You won’t change my mind and I won’t change yours.
Luigi Novi: And yet we’re the ones practicing a “cult of personality”.
Anyone who admits a priori that they will absolutely not change their mind ever, no matter what, is obviously far more guilty of this than anyone else here.
AJAY: You concede in your first post that you know nothing about the logistics of running this sort of event, and then proceed to take PAD to task as unprofessional for complaining about unprofessional behaviour on the part of the organisers.
To prarphrase The Princess Bride: I don’t think you’re saying what you think you’re saying.
MARY: Having been part of the bid to bring the World Science Fiction Convention to Atlanta in ’86 (and, i must say, being rather repelled by the sheer mercenariness of a goodly part of the media-con business), and of two (SF) DeepSouthCons (one of which i chaired) and several other SF conventions, i can say i have some idea of the general logistics of such events, and i will state, flatly and categorically, that i do not think PAD is overreacting here.
Were i PAD and this sort of thing happened to me, i might or might not post it in my regular public blog, but i would certainly make the convention’s unprofessional (or in the context of a completely not-for-profit fannish convention, their extreme discourtesy) and the damage done to me known in any and every forum where my fellow likely-to-be-contacted-by-these-jerks potential guests as a warning to others.
And, yes, as PAD points out, i would also make sure that my fans knew that it wasn’t my last-minute decision resulting in my not being there after the convention had extracted every bit of potential publicity they could from the use of my name.
Mary Dumas: “Not that you aren’t a great writer, but the fans of UFC are there for the actors.”
Multiple posters in the “Peter David” in the UFC’s own online forum have stated that Peter’s advertised appearance was their motivation for attending. At least one poster purchased non-refundable tickets for that reason.
Mary Dumas: “Also, United Fan Con is a mom-n-pop convention with no backing from any big sponsor like Wizard or DC or any corporation.”
That doesn’t absolve the convention’s organizer of the responsibility to act professionally. It doesn’t give him the right to waste Peter’s time and money.
Mary Dumas: “Peter, I understand the need to vent, especially since this was in the wake of another con cancelling you, but to let this forum degenerate into a way to make a nice man who just makes conventions to make other fans like himself happy is just wrong, just plain WRONG.”
No, what is just plain wrong is for a convention organizer to ask Peter to commit to an event and then pull the rug out from underneath him at the last minute. And it is just plain wrong for UFC to have lured people into buying non-refundable tickets by promoting Peter’s appearance, and then reneging.
I have to echo what other posters have said: I don’t know how this became a discussion. It’s such a simple, crystal-clear issue.
Gee, Joe, maybe it was because they thought Peter was a nice guy, who they liked and thought would enjoy the UFC, like he seemed to the past couple times.
They thought correct on both points. So?
And maybe, just maybe they didn’t think he’d be the kind of guy to take this to a fan-forum.
So you’re saying they invited him with the thought that they could always cancel him and suffer no consequences? (Said consequences being that their actions would become known).
And you are somehow surprised that this would piss PAD off?
I’m getting the feeling that some fans are so used to being ill treated by con organizers that they are unable to understand how someone else can take offense to the same shabby treatment. In fact, they resent it when someone speaks out. Interesting.
>The point is: take it up with them! The public shouldn’t hear about it. The court of public opinion is usually biased and unwieldy, which is why there are no more lynchings in the town squares.
If I were a pro and were invited to such events, I’d certainly want to know if one group of organizers were treating people shabbily, if only not to waste my time on people who didn’t deserve it – not to mention avoid risking a similar fate. And if people who are badly treated don’t ‘vent’, how am I going to find out?
>I don’t think being told 3 weeks before the con is exactly “last minute”.
I’m going to go out on a limb here, but you never ran a convention, have you? Probably also don’t travel much I’m guessing.
>you’d think “blog” was short for something like “web log,”
Silly me, here I thought that was a BBS. Oh, wait…!
P.S. Mr. David … any running tally yet on the two favourite X-Factor characters?
They didn’t have enough comic book guests so they cancelled Peter? Do you need more than Peter? Or is his resume so brief they’re afraid no one will know his name?
Get real, Mary.
Well they have started the smear campaign as to how evil and wicked Peter is to staff and the convention of course this is a person who was working another convention that was not UFC but happened on the UFC fan message board.
Peter goes above and beyond at a convention both for the staff and the fans. He signs stuff in corridors and at the end of panels. He answers questions. He does not go into hiding when he isn’t doing something for the convention. He is out and about. You can find him as anyone who has attended a convention he has been at can attest.
I am just sick about this whole thing and am rather peeved that some people are trying to make Peter out to be the bad guy because he spoke up.
Well they have started the smear campaign as to how evil and wicked Peter is to staff and the convention of course this is a person who was working another convention that was not UFC but happened on the UFC fan message board.
Peter goes above and beyond at a convention both for the staff and the fans. He signs stuff in corridors and at the end of panels. He answers questions. He does not go into hiding when he isn’t doing something for the convention. He is out and about. You can find him as anyone who has attended a convention he has been at can attest.
I am just sick about this whole thing and am rather peeved that some people are trying to make Peter out to be the bad guy because he spoke up.
Well they have started the smear campaign as to how evil and wicked Peter is to staff and the convention of course this is a person who was working another convention that was not UFC but happened on the UFC fan message board.
Peter goes above and beyond at a convention both for the staff and the fans. He signs stuff in corridors and at the end of panels. He answers questions. He does not go into hiding when he isn’t doing something for the convention. He is out and about. You can find him as anyone who has attended a convention he has been at can attest.
I am just sick about this whole thing and am rather peeved that some people are trying to make Peter out to be the bad guy because he spoke up.
Well they have started the smear campaign as to how evil and wicked Peter is to staff and the convention of course this is a person who was working another convention that was not UFC but happened on the UFC fan message board.
Peter goes above and beyond at a convention both for the staff and the fans. He signs stuff in corridors and at the end of panels. He answers questions. He does not go into hiding when he isn’t doing something for the convention. He is out and about. You can find him as anyone who has attended a convention he has been at can attest.
I am just sick about this whole thing and am rather peeved that some people are trying to make Peter out to be the bad guy because he spoke up.
We would love to come to The Boston Comic Book Spectacular. February 10. Expenses paid in advance?
UFC did the same thing last year when they started pulling items out of guests goodie bags when projected sales were not met. Again.
Comic Book fans can now attend the Boston Comic Book Spectacular November 4th with special guests Norm Breyfogle and Ken Kelly. It’s the last Boston Comic Book Convention of 2007.
Peter,
Having looked over this topic, I don’t have a lot to add – although I prob’ly will anyway, being long winded.
But I did want to let you know that I support you, as I would support anyone who had an agreement and it was suddenly canceled without notification or justification – and without compensation.
(I would like to add that this IS my own opinion, and it would be the same no matter who this happened to – John Byrne, Neil Gaiman, Rob Leifeld, Gene Colan – whomever. “Cult of personality” doesn’t enter into it… brrr.)
It is a shame that there is no reasonable recourse for you, save to start turning down conventions; even considering how available you are, I suspect that there are a lot more fans who would love more of your time, and who would love to just meet you. Shame that there’s only 24 hours in a day, eh? Maybe you should start letting people take you to breakfast, or having lunch signings! 🙂
It’s ALSO a shame that some of these people – including some of my fellow posters – do not realize that you are an entertainment professional, and that comic/sci-fi/movie conventions are NOT for fun for you; they are an aspect of your JOB. This is how you earn money you live on. (Or to put it another way, grossly – how happy would a waiter at Applebee’s be if he was scheduled four days in one week, showed up for his shift, and then was told, “Oh, we don’t need you tonight. Go home. You won’t be paid.” Same exact scenario, I suppose…)
The only suggestion I could give you – and it’s probably not viable – is the one of the days when contracts and agreements and such weren’t often honored. If you agree to an appearance – get half the cash up front, half when you’re done. That way, if you get dumped, at least you’ve cleared a little.
And if the conventions say, “We don’t do that,” then you have TWO perfect recourses – citing both, “I’ve been unceremoniously axed before, so I have to protect myself” and “Well, I don’t do it any other way either.”
Good luck, Peter, and I hope that you deal with some classier and more honest individuals in the future.
I remain,
Sincerely,
Eric L. Sofer
The Silver Age Fogey
xPeter,
Having looked over this topic, I don’t have a lot to add – although I prob’ly will anyway, being long winded.
But I did want to let you know that I support you, as I would support anyone who had an agreement and it was suddenly canceled without notification or justification – and without compensation.
(I would like to add that this IS my own opinion, and it would be the same no matter who this happened to – John Byrne, Neil Gaiman, Rob Leifeld, Gene Colan – whomever. “Cult of personality” doesn’t enter into it… brrr.)
It is a shame that there is no reasonable recourse for you, save to start turning down conventions; even considering how available you are, I suspect that there are a lot more fans who would love more of your time, and who would love to just meet you. Shame that there’s only 24 hours in a day, eh? Maybe you should start letting people take you to breakfast, or having lunch signings! 🙂
It’s ALSO a shame that some of these people – including some of my fellow posters – do not realize that you are an entertainment professional, and that comic/sci-fi/movie conventions are NOT for fun for you; they are an aspect of your JOB. This is how you earn money you live on. (Or to put it another way, grossly – how happy would a waiter at Applebee’s be if he was scheduled four days in one week, showed up for his shift, and then was told, “Oh, we don’t need you tonight. Go home. You won’t be paid.” Same exact scenario, I suppose…)
The only suggestion I could give you – and it’s probably not viable – is the one of the days when contracts and agreements and such weren’t often honored. If you agree to an appearance – get half the cash up front, half when you’re done. That way, if you get dumped, at least you’ve cleared a little.
And if the conventions say, “We don’t do that,” then you have TWO perfect recourses – citing both, “I’ve been unceremoniously axed before, so I have to protect myself” and “Well, I don’t do it any other way either.”
Good luck, Peter, and I hope that you deal with some classier and more honest individuals in the future.
I remain,
Sincerely,
Eric L. Sofer
The Silver Age Fogey
Moderator for Captain Comics Board
http://www.captaincomics.us
This should read:
We would love to have Peter come to The Boston Comic Book Spectacular. February 10.
As a guest.
Actually Peter, we would love to have you November 4th in Boston if you were planning on coming to New England to visit your daughter at school while here for the con.
You could even drop by UFC to give them the razz.
We would, of, pay your expenses.
We have never disinvited anybody.
We would, of course, pay your expenses.
Yep, that last post in the Peter David thread on the UFC forums is certainly stomach turning…I guess their policy is to spin as much as possible and hope that people go for their version.
Gah.
He does not go into hiding when he isn’t doing something for the convention. He is out and about. You can find him as anyone who has attended a convention he has been at can attest.
Absolutely true. I was once two urinals down from PAD at WWT. 😉
UFC IS A OLNEY.
Not quite…. At least they’ve had successful shows.
If you want to know about Rick Olney, go here: http://www.unscrewedcomic.com/index.php
Or here: http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=156451
Sorry for taking this off-topic.
Kevin-
I’m glad you posted this to clear up what I thought was a typo.
Kath
Kevin-
I’m glad you posted this to clear up what I thought was a typo.
Kath
Kevin-
I’m glad you posted this to clear up what I thought was a typo.
Kath
Kevin-
I’m glad you posted this to clear up what I thought was a typo.
Kath
There’s a lot of stuff that goes into planning conventions, yes? I’m sure the people running them have more balls in the air than a thousand NFL kickers all kicking at the same time. Mistakes can happen. But if they do, be upright about it and say, “We screwed up.” Don’t turn it into “Well, PAD’s a jerk and didn’t wanna play with us!” For a lot of people, say “Look, we messed up,” is enough. And then we wouldn’t have this conversation. I’ve never actually met PAD, more’s my loss, but just from interacting with him here I can tell he’s the sort that I’d have no trouble bringing into my house and telling him to put his feet up. (Just don’t drink the chocolate milk, that’s the kid’s.) Most of the rest of you, too. This has just gotten ugly.
Jerry, your friends at work seem like a good way of getting rid of Ian’s, er, leavings. Just get some stickers, man.
Cult of personality, my fat Irish butt. Although, this woulda been easier to type without the darn robe falling over my eyes, and the incense is making me sneeze.
Peter,
I have done both attended big cons and small cons as a featured artist and I have always had a better experience with the smaller shows. It is more personalbe to me than a big Wizard show where we are all hearded in lines of table next to the gaming area or food area. This is the second instance I have read where your were set to go to a show and it did not work out. I went to the Orlando Con last year and it was pretty dead. hardly no one showed up for it. It was my birthday that weekend so we had a great time anyway but it was very slow. I decided not to do it this year even though I live 45 minutes away from it. I was told I did not miss much! I would not get too gun shy about smaller shows though. I think these have been just “bad instances” At least they contacted you and not just leave you hanging like Ornaldo did. Like I said I live close to Orlando ( tampa ) and was contacted by a new convention called Tri-County Comic con http://www.tricountycomiccon.com/. They are doing a 3 day show and are more organized than any other show I have seen in recent years. Contracts for appearance, table, hotel and travel are done, monetary compensation is set up way in advance! If you Peter, or anyone else, gets a chance to be invited to any of their shows I would highly recommend it. It is in Ft. Lauderdale ( very nice beach area) and they will definately treat you right and not just use your name for publicity. Just my 2 cents, thanks for your time.
Austin Janowsky
“I’m not a tracer, I am an Inker!”
http://www.myspace.com/twistercomics
And now the smear campaign begins.
Over on the UFC site someone has materialized to complain about what a big jerk I am. Loaded with false claims stating that s/he worked at a convention where I had three hotel rooms (patently false; never had three rooms at any con, never asked for it, never needed it) and that they allegedly paid airfare for my entire family (only con to do that that I can recall is Megacon, and we only had two rooms), and various other claims of evil behavior on my part. Nothing like anonymous sock puppets tossing out unsupported calumnies, huh.
PAD
“Why would there be a difference? Expediency may oblige you to treat important people better than normal people, but your ethics should pull you in the opposite direction.”
Lingster, if you weren’t sort of defending the UFC, I’d have no problem with this. The issue is, of course, that a breach of ethics on UFC’s part is exactly what caused this situation. Ethics would have them either a) realize that they have a sci-fi con, not a comic con, and just not invite someone they view primarily as a comic creator in the first place, or b) come clean in the invitation to PAD that they are including him in an effort to set up a sci-fi/comic program, but they haven’t done well in the past and might end up cancelling shortly before the show.
“See, I think that’s probably exactly what happened. There’s no shortage of either, but I think there’s a lot more incompetence in the world than malice.”
Three weeks before the show, and they JUST NOW realized they were short money? For a con that’s got 16 runs behind that, that’s a staggering level of incompetance to accept. And from the tales we’re hearing of how they treat their customers, I don’t think applying malice to their actions is far off base.
Mary Dumas, you’re setting a very low standard of respect earned when all you require is an act that somewhat benefits others. If you act like a jerk while playing Robin Hood, you’re still going to be treated like a jerk.
Tell you what…if UFC really is run by such nice people, they can prove it. By offering some kind of compensation to PAD for the late cancellation. Or by not now trying to spin this into PAD being the bad guy. Or by coming clean and just telling everyone “hey, we made a mistake, and made what we thought was the best decision in a bad spot. Anyone who bought their tickets just to see PAD can get a refund from us.”
But none of that has happened yet. From the sounds of things, refunds will absolutely not be forthcoming. Nor will any kind of meaningful apology. That’s the thing about the words “I’m sorry.” If you say them while you’re still kicking the person you’re apologizing to, they come off as kinda empty.
I’m on your side with your latest complaint, Mr. David. It is wrong to invent crap about someone and post it on the Internet. You have every right to be angry with that poster.
Well, curiosity made me come back. However, I still stand by all of my initial criticisms. It was still unprofessional to rant about this in the way you did, the fans on this thread are still mostly sycophants eager to kiss your bottom on this issue, and, worst of all, everyone who disagrees is slammed in the most rude and childish manner. Why, I was even called an $$shole by one of your supporters, and I never once used profanity against anyone here. This is why I level the charge of the Cult of Personality. I stand by that. Yes, I do.
Ajay, it is really insulting for you to call people sycophants.
“Ajay”, the fact that your posts from the start have been rude, childish and condescending has nothing to do with the tone of response that you have engendered, of course…
I realize that you’ve already quite proudly stated that your mind is closed, so attempting to present you with another view is most likely wasted effort. One never knows, though. I suppose it is possible you could learn to look at things from another point of view. Stranger things have happened…
To Jason Bryant:
Reread this thread and you will see that people have been far more insulting to me than I have to them. Sycophants is a more polite term than “ášš kìššër,” which I also could have used. I tried at the beginning to use restraint while still expressing my opinion, and have been called an $$shole for that sin of having a different perspective than you. I stand by every word I have written, doubly so now.
“Well, curiosity made me come back. However, I still stand by all of my initial criticisms. It was still unprofessional to rant about this in the way you did, the fans on this thread are still mostly sycophants eager to kiss your bottom on this issue, and, worst of all, everyone who disagrees is slammed in the most rude and childish manner. Why, I was even called an $$shole by one of your supporters, and I never once used profanity against anyone here. This is why I level the charge of the Cult of Personality. I stand by that. Yes, I do.”
Ajay, I’ll ask you to go and really read this thread. And others on this board. The people that get slammed and cussed at usually do something to deserve it. In your case, you came on professing some pesonaly experience with such things, chastised PAD, and when he attempted to engage you in debate, you went and hid. No offense, but we don’t know you from Mike, so whatever claim you make can only be backed by what you have to add. And if all you have is dogding and weaving while effectively name-calling our host, you’re just painting a bighuge target on yourself.
As for most of the posters being PAD sycophants…show me one who’s touting some party line, rather than stating their opinion. From my best recollection, every regular poster in this forum has at some point disagreed with PAD. We frequently disagree with each other, and mostly we try to be civil about it. Occasionally someone steps over a line and tempers flare.
If someone called you names, well, that’s life. If you go out in public, and engage others in a heated debate, that’s going to happen. Especially if you come along and speak condescendingly to folks. I’ll quote you the line you used that probably earned the most ire:
“Be. A. Professional.”
That was you. And that line, written the way you did, comes off as a$$holi$h to me.
Now, here’s something that will probably surprise you: I hope you stick around. Not because I think PAD’s board needs more “dissenting” voices, because I think we already have plenty of those. But because I think you could fit in here, and find that you enjoy your time. I think you’ve got it in you to contribute interesting and entertaining debate. The fact that you came back after saying you were “done” shows that your claim to cease being a cusomter of PAD’s might have been a little hyperbole, which I hope is true. I’ve never understood why someone’s personal disagreements with a creative professional would lead you to stop enjoying their works.
To Patrick Calloway:
Here is the text of my first post. What is rude, childish, and condescending about it?
“I have worked as a booking agent for events, not a sci-fi or comic show, I grant you. Cancellations happen. I have never seen talent complain with as much vitriol as on this site. I have read your works and enjoyed them but quite honestly I am shocked by the unprofessional manner in which you are carrying on. Worse still, you appear to lash out at those few folks who disagree with you. I support your right to freedom of speech but at the same time I am disappointed in you, sir. I’ll no doubt be savaged for my opinion but as a writer I would have thought you would be open to the free exchange of ideas, even those that differ from yours.
Apparently cancellations never happen in the world of shiny boots, tights, and long capes. Too bad.
Sincerely, a disillusioned Peter David reader unaffiliated with United Fan Con”
“Reread this thread and you will see that people have been far more insulting to me than I have to them.”
Why does that matter?
You say that PAD should be polite about what happened to him despite the circumstances. But you’re only willing to be nice to people if they are nice to you first.
To bobb alfred:
Yours is the most intelligent and mature post in this entire thread. I applaud it, not because you hope I stick around, but because you stated your case in a well written and thoughtful manner.
I didn’t run away and hide. Peter asked me about the details of my dealings when booking talent, but the entire gist of my disappointment in his behavior is that he took his dealings with a promoter to a public forum. What kind of hypocrite would I be if I engaged in the same behavior I was criticizing him for?
This is why I think people aren’t stepping back and being objective. UFC might very well be the worst bunch of skunks in the world. That is beside the point. I’ll say again, to whine about it publicly is unprofessional. I’m firm in my feelings on that, and if that makes me “closed minded,” then so be it. I also don’t like chopped liver, so I guess I’m closed minded if I stand firm on that, too.
Jason:
I don’t think he should be polite, he should be professional. Apparently there is not one person out there who understands what that means, not UFC, not PAD, nobody.
Would you define your own behavior as professional?
But what makes this “unprofessional”? You haven’t really addressed that, and I (since I can’t speak for anyone else) can’t understand how that even applies. A blog, by definition, is a public forum for ideas / thoughts / news / etc brought up by the site’s owner. How does professionalism come into play here??
Ajay, I think the thing you’re missing is that this isn’t really a public forum. As PAD’s stated, he’s not out posting this issue at, say, Newsarama, a much more public comic-oriented board that PAD does from time to time post on. Heck, Newsarama’s borderline a news site for comics, so taking his post there would in fact be public about it.
But this is PAD’s personal blog. He invites his fans here to chat with him, see his personal musings, get his personal take on things and such. Is it professional of PAD (or anyone that invites their fans in to get a glimpse of their personal makeup) to do this? Not at all. Then again, I don’t think he’s doing it to be professional. He’s doing it because he genuinely enjoys interacting with his fans in this way.
I support and understand your call for all parties to act professionally in the proper venues. But to come into someone’s personal blog and chastise them for discussing personal issues is misplaced.
Well, for Ajay, Cully Hamner complaining about the Motor City Con using his name to promote the Con when he said he couldn’t do it, and then saying he cancelled instead of taking the blame for erroneously including him on the flyer and website.
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=84928&highlight=cully+hamner
“Here is the text of my first post. What is rude, childish, and condescending about it?”
I think it’s pretty safe to say the last line about the shiny boots and tights was a tad condescending, Ajay.
“Here is the text of my first post. What is rude, childish, and condescending about it?”
Honestly? All of it. If you want a point by point dissection:
“I have worked as a booking agent for events, not a sci-fi or comic show, I grant you. Cancellations happen.”
You claim expertise in the field, but provide no specifics (and, when pressed for some, beat a hasty retreat.
“I have never seen talent complain with as much vitriol as on this site. I have read your works and enjoyed them but quite honestly I am shocked by the unprofessional manner in which you are carrying on.”
You called me unprofessional and vitriolic even though I was the one treated in an unprofessional manner, while reserving no criticism for those who actually did the canceling–a cancellation which will result in no refunds for anyone who bought tickets specifically to see me.
“Worse still, you appear to lash out at those few folks who disagree with you. I support your right to freedom of speech but at the same time I am disappointed in you, sir.”
A sentence rife with both untruths and condescension.
“I’ll no doubt be savaged for my opinion”
Your “opinion” thus far consists of insults and condescension
“but as a writer I would have thought you would be open to the free exchange of ideas, even those that differ from yours.”
An outright lie.
“Apparently cancellations never happen in the world of shiny boots, tights, and long capes. Too bad.”
A condescending, arrogant and high-handed dismissal of comic book conventions…not to mention ironic considering UFC asserted that I was dumped specifically because they were NOT a comic con.
Sincerely, a disillusioned Peter David reader unaffiliated with United Fan Con”
It has been my experience that when someone materializes out of the ether to zero in on a specific subject, they typically have an ax to grind. So frankly, when you go out of your way to claim no affiliation with UFC, that signals to me that–as Shakespeare wrote–methinks thou dost protest too much.
So basically your entire first post was rife with arrogance and insult, and concluded with a disclaimer that is–I suspect–less than truthful.
Understand why you were pegged as an áššhølë now?
PAD
Ajay’s second post with the wcult of personality’ statement probablydidn’t win him any fans either.
That’s certainly true, but he was asking about his first posting. So that’s what I dissected.
Considering he’s gone on to claim anyone who agrees with me is a sycophant, I’m not sure how he can possibly think he’s being ill-used.
PAD
They’ve apparently locked down posting over at the UFC site again, leaving the “attack” post as the last one available… real class act they’ve got there…
I don’t get the big deal about PAD’s first post. I read it and didn’t think “Those UFC áššhølëš!”, I read it as, “oh… so he’s not going and that’s why.” I see nothing out of sorts considering WHERE we are reading this or what was siad. It seemed like a rather fair assessment of mishandling of ‘talent’.
Hëll, I am more interested in one day being referred to as “talent” tahn anything else.
It looked like teh Ajay feller was someone coming here to defend the UFC but has since grown to seem like a sad attempt to stick to his guns in a losing argument. If it was just him saying “I find this unprofessional”, I guess that’s one thing. It just all went too far. Not that I’m complaining… it helps pass the time and I like it better than the political threads.
You’ve been really ill-used, Peter. I’d agree with other posters that a cancellation clause is probably a good move from here on out.
Just to give a head’s up: I just was able to post a comment to the thread on the UFC forums.
I have seen PAD before at UFC two years back and he was a really great guest. From reading his wife’s blog and PAD’s, they had a great time there.
I am saddened that he was ‘uninvited’ from this year’s event. While he has posted on the front of this site to say what has happened, the only mention on the UFC site is in the forums.