tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969918882259597296.post3531302493371700508..comments2023-03-27T00:31:39.232-07:00Comments on Chess T-Shirts & Other Good Stuff: Sam Shankland & Our Young HeroesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969918882259597296.post-19513720972034784282010-10-05T21:38:41.546-07:002010-10-05T21:38:41.546-07:00Greg, those are some great points. Often casual p...Greg, those are some great points. Often casual players will dismiss chess simply as a hobby or pastime but fail to recognize the amount of commitment required to play at a high level. That commitment requires compensation of some type...without that compensation it is almost impossible to attract and keep talent interested.<br /><br />John.Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05122769206871053366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6969918882259597296.post-24061952289830915212010-10-05T08:15:43.034-07:002010-10-05T08:15:43.034-07:00John: It is lamentable that a talent like Sam Shan...John: It is lamentable that a talent like Sam Shankland has become cynical and bitter at such a young age. I know that he's been criticized a lot for his remarks, but I wonder how much those nay-sayers know about what really goes on behind the scenes at USCF and FIDE. Setting aside the valid complaint about economic realities of chess here in the United States, how can we attract talent to the game when those who purportedly act for the "good of chess" are self-serving and corrupt?<br /><br />Shankland's major sin is the same one committed by another young, talented American player in the 1960's: he's saying what's on his mind rather than assuming the BOHICA position. In fact, I think terms like "spoiled" and "selfish" were applied to this other American player. It wasn't until he was nearly dead that his allegations were proven to be substantially true.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com