Monday, December 12, 2011

Distinguished Pistol Badge # 1511

Distinguished Pistol Badge laying on my canvas coat where I pin all my medals.

Close up of the back. They engrave your name, number and year. One of a kind.

Glad to get it in hand. Somewhere down below is my post on men wanting to be known as being cool under pressure. Watched the Cowboys and the Giants play last night and it was more of the same. Eli and the Giants are cool under pressure. Romo and the Cowboys aren't. So the Giants won and Eli gets the big rep. Romo doesn't.

The Excellence in Competition Matches run by the CMP, both the Pistol and Rifle LEG matches, are exquisitely designed to crack the human psyche. Humans AREN'T cool under pressure. They crack. Freak out. Flake out, Make excuses, Blame equipment and conditions, et, et, et. The reason that these kind of awards are so coveted in the little universe of service rifle and pistol shooting is that they distinguish the folks who, at least momentarily, overcome that. I watch it several times a year during EIC matches. Folks completely blow a match in the first stage- offhand at 200 yards. or they shoot unbelievably well until the last stage when they have a spectacular melt down. In shooting competition, its on the target in in the score for everyone to see.
Think of the actor, Bob Hope. Famous, beloved and played many movies as the guy who flaked out under pressure. It's funny to watch. His sidekick, Bing Crosby played the OTHER guy, the guy who was cool under pressure. Both are archtypes that audiences aspire to or fear to be. Steve McQueen vs Richard Pryor. Bill Murray vs Chevy Chase. Tony Romo vs Tom Brady.

Once again, to the few women that read this blog: Men want this more than ANY OTHER THING: To have a rep as being cool under pressure.



1 comment:

Old NFO said...

Good points all Robert. And congrats once again!