RDI Ringo announces his retirement.

[DoF Archive]

Date: 10/29/1997 10:10 PM Central Standard Time
From: RDI Ringo


That's right, folks.... I will be retiring from the Duel of Fists.

I will step down as DoF Coordinator on or about Thanksgiving.

I took over the Duel of Fists in January of this year from RDI Jake. As many of you may recall, the transition was not a smooth one. It was so bad that the standings twice went at least 6 weeks between postings.
I have endeavored to help DoF grow during my tenure. When I began as DoF Coordinator, we had only 3 active callers, including myself. Today we have 10. We went from calling 10 to 15 duels a night to averaging well over 30 duels a night. In the standings, we have gone from 14 Emeralds to 25, with the top 5 Emeralds now comprising the new Opal rank.
In reecent months I have been working very hard behind the scenes. With the help of RDI Jake and RDI Kal, I've been making changes to the Duel of Fists Menu area. Even though the work is not yet complete, I beleive the revamped menu will be a vast improvement over the old one.
I hope to have the menu project, as well as some other DoF related projects completed by the time I step down.
But even with all the growth, all the improvements, DoF is not what it used to be. Nor will it ever be again. For as much as we wax nostalgic, things change. Sometimes for the better, sometimes not.
I have sought to make change for the better. Unfortunately, I do not beleive that I was successful. At least, not in my own mind.
The problems that have plagued the other duleing sports have spread themselves to DoF: the bickering, the selfishness, the disrespect, the arrogance. These are but a few of the problems over which I have no control. These are but a few of the problems over which I am weary.
To put it simply, DoF..... for me...... is no longer any fun.
I do not make this decision lightly. I have been considering this for quite some time. It is time for me to give someone else the reins.

I wish to thank all those who have supported me in my tenure as DoF Coordinator. I especially want to thank the DoF RDI's. They have shown great patience and dedication during these hectic times. I owe them much thanks for the great job they do every week, in and out of "The Outback".
I will not be disappearing altogether. Even though I will not be a DoF RDI, I will still be an RDI. What my duties will be after I step down have not yet been determined.

Thank you all..

RDI Ringo
Duel of Fists Coordinator

[DoF Archive]

Date: 10/30/1997 1:28 AM Central Standard Time
From: RDI Tex


I'm not going to make this long because I know Ringo is not given to long gushing speeches.

I would like to thank RDI Ringo for his time and effort given to the Duel of Fists. The job is not one that has a great many perks in fact almost the opposite is true. Still when Jake left us it was Ringo who took up the reins and marched DoF on. Anyone of us can or already have sat back and debated on the job that was done, but the simple fact was he *did* it. Argue if you want but there is a good chance DoF would not be in as good a shape as it is
now if Ringo had not been willing to take the flack and heat that he did.

Ringo and my own vision was not always the same for the DoF. Sometimes we argued over what we felt was right for the DoF. At any point Ringo could have turned a deaf ear to what I had to say, but to his credit he did listen to me no matter how bizzare my idea or how much it conflicted with his own vision of the forum. For that I thank him, through interaction with him he taught me there is much more then dueling or the calling of those duels. That
is something that I will always value.

Ringo was the RDI who called my first DoF match, He was also the first on-line boss I ever had. While I may have been a thorn in his side on many occasion I just want him to know I appreciate what he has done for me. I hope one day the Duel of Fists will again be fun for him. I also hope the vision that was started with Panthr and will be handed on to someone else will live on. That the Duel of Fists be a fun and exciting place for all who enter.

{S THNXRING

-RDI Tex

[DoF Archive]

Date: 10/30/1997 1:45 AM Central Standard Time
From: Kyttn


Padding up as he posted the message, Kyttn pounced him and hugged the stuffings out of him. "It was a job well done, babe. Damn well done. Just don't you forget to come back and duel when you've given up the clipboard, eh?" She smiled."What would I do without your sense of humor? And who's going to throw me in the jello ring?" She hugged him tight again and got fur all over his suit. "Just remember," she said, as she padded away. "{S Pleasure." ((;D))

[DoF Archive]

Date: 10/30/1997 3:52 AM Central Standard Time
From: JadedDeath

Later that night, Janella read Ringo's public announcement with a grim expression. The warrioress walked away in silence, deciding not to add to the other posted responses. Perhaps, if she saw Ringo in the Outback again, she'd say something to him herself.



((Thank you, Ringo. You've done a great job; I discovered the DoF just a few months ago, and I'm glad I did. I hope you'll still visit us in the Outback after Turkey day. Don't be a stranger! {{{{ }}}} ))

[DoF Archive]

Date: 10/30/1997 5:21 AM Central Standard Time
From: TismanBRos

::wanders to the board and reads the message tacked up, nodding and posting his own::

Ringo,
Ya did good lad. Through the politics and bickering, you still kept the hope and dream of keeping our sport alive. Not an easy path for someone to handle as they walk it, but you did the best you could and were able to see DoF thrive. Kudos and much respect my friend, I hope to see you in the future, perhaps even lending ideas to those of us that stay...

Until the fists unclench,
Ian

[DoF Archive]

Date: 11/1/1997 2:05 AM Central Standard Time
From: Jacq Rhin


This is an OOC responce.... Jacq is still gone.

Ringo, you are the best! I know how hard it is to see the good things you do but they are there. When I first came across the DoF it was the but of all duleing jokes. The stanindings were behind LONG before you put your name to it. And is has the hardest matrix to understand, as far as I'm consurned. The DoF from what I saw at that time decaying even if it wasn't dead. No one wanted to go in, I think I even ended up there mostly on accident...
It was all Jacq's fault! Just to have my peace said about the camparasons to the DoS, I've been there and I left to come here to the DoF, They may be crazy ans some power hungry but it has some of the best RP when you the good stuff.

If the politicking comes in to the DoF, as some of it has, I think the ones complaing the loudest should evualte the situation better. It often is them politicking. I'm not the best at writing and I know my spelling is bad but I hope you get the point here. The DoF will always reflect what is put in to it. From some that is the Exclance that makes it strong and vibrant, the life and breath of the Outback. Others are power hungry dictators
that often tell others how to play theirown chacters, they are the ones that bring desintion and distruction to the field we all enjoy. I think a good point to see in this tho is no one is seeking the end of the out back just some are trying to wright a book with chacters they can not control. And the nature of Man (a genrealation of the human race) is to control.

I appoligize for takeing so much of your time, I know their are some that will be upset with what I wrote, espicaly that it is OOC, but I hate to think of just sitting idely by doing nothing. The most deadly thing for our sport is finger pointing and pasivity. Ringo you did neither you stept op to the plate a swong, thats more then a lot of other people are doing. I hope you can find joy in the Outback agin I dislike the the thought of loosing
someone with the guts to make a change and the heart to do it right.

Holly
the mun

If Jacq were here I'm sure she would share my views so please don't disreguard this as just mun talk. Besides where else would I post it.

[DoF Archive]

Date: 11/1/1997 12:21 PM Central Standard Time
From: JC Ruyters


::quietly reads Ringo's annoucement:: <vq> you will be missed sir

[DoF Archive]

Date: 11/2/1997 12:53 AM Central Standard Time
From: Coynz


::Reads Ringo's retirement note and mutters:: damn.
::Thinking he will miss him he posts only one thing::

{S THNXRING

[DoF Archive]

Date: 11/2/1997 5:11 PM Central Standard Time
From: Zaradda


((Cya Ringo! Since its a sad thing, I'll neglect to mention how Ringo's original post was largely OOC, and all IC responses are unfounded. ::neglects to mention it:: Cya later boss, who knows..maybe you'll come waste time with us again.~J))


I am,the Bearer of dead honor,Zaradda