SIERRA SUGAR ANNOUNCES, "NO MORE THOR"

Yesterday's SLSA season end awards ceremony took a shocking turn of events when, following the SLSA's announcement of the coveted Thor Bishop award to Socks Clawtooth, Ashleigh Dickins shouted to the crowd, " I AM SORRY EVERYONE BUT I AM LEAVING. I LOVE YOU SOCKS. BUT IT WAS WRONG OF THEM TO ANNOUNCE THIS NOW. SIERRA HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THE VOTING OR THE WINNER AND WAS NOT EVEN ASKED TO BE HERE TO GIVE THE AWARD". Sierra Sugar, long time love of the late surf icon, Thor Bishop, called a public meeting following the ceremony to make an announcement regarding the Thor Bishop award. Following is a slightly condensed version of her announcement:

"Now that most everyone is here, I have to say in the 2 years or so that I have been involved in the surfing community and the SLSA, there has been many ups and downs, drama, good and bad. But today I feel that irrevokable damage has been done, and I need everyone to understand exactly where I stand and how serious this is to me.

Thor was my soulmate, my love, my once in a lifetime. Many of you were there when I lost him and helped hold me up til I could find a way to stand again on my own. The *THOR BISHOP* MVP Award is JUST that, NOT an arbitary SLSA MVP award. When Sally came to me about the MVP award, it was originally suggested that I choose the winner. No nominees, no vote, my choice. In my short sightedness, I suggested a public nomination with a private vote between me, active directors, and advisors. I have been in talks with Robin, Colleen, Sally recently to ensure the honor of Thor's memory is upheld in selecting the MVP award, that when *I* hand out the award at the ceremony, I could do so in good conscience and honestly give a heartfelt presentation because too many today never met Thor and have no idea what the award stands for.

I have been watching the forums, the advisors circle. There were nominations. The last information on 6/26 - yesterday. No information about when or where. I was never notified of the awards ceremony. VW, a director, has no idea how this award was choosen as he didn't vote. I know *I* didn't vote. There was no vote created in the advisors circle. Total and blatant disregard for protocol. I was in IMs via offline messages with VW today when he asked me to come and hand out the award. I was at RL work and was floored.

I begged him and Ash to not hand out the award, to wait for me to be home to sort things out. It is MY award to hand out in honor and memory of Thor and yet the award was handed out anyway... arbitrarily picked like throwing a dart at a board - eenie meeinie minie mo. I'm sorry... NO. That is UNBELIEVABLE and unforgivable disrespect to me and Thor. From this point forward, I revoke permission for use of my name or Thor's name in ANY and all official relation to the SLSA.

I withdraw my support of the SLSA, and I DO NOT give my permission to give a THOR BISHOP MVP award. The SLSA can make their own. I *WILL* have Thor's RL family log in on him and send an official statement. Misfits is disbanding, and I am severing ALL ties with surfing and the SLSA. I'm DONE. I will be contacting Heather to remove Big Dawg boards. I cannot BELIEVE that his memory would be so blatantly marred. This is the worst disrespect possible to me, to him, to anyone who has struggled to set up the guidelines and rules for the SLSA to be followed."

The SLSA Board was contacted to issue a statement. The Board response follows:

"We, as the SLSA, truly regret any and all pain Sierra might have endured over this. We, as the Board, want to ensure all surfers that we take her comments to heart and are in discussions to make the appropriate changes where needed."
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10 comments:

SurfWatch/Tauri Tigerpaw said...
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Desne Aabye said...
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Desne Aabye said...

OK...SLSA stuffed up BIG TIME...but Sierra...taking away everything Thor stood for in retaliation - the Misfits group, the Big Dawg boards - this is one of the most selfish acts I have witnessed.
"I cannot BELIEVE that his memory would be so blatantly marred." Well, neither can I. What a sad day...GO HARD OR GO HOME!!!!!!

Desne Aabye
Misfit ProSurfer

Sebastian Saramago said...

Many here have deep feelings and a bright IQ, and its easy to let ourselves run off with our thoughts and slams. Its my opinion that it would not serve to anyone's benefit to make such comments here. Do as you wish, but this is a personal matter to Sierra, and so are her line of surfboards. I feel its her choice, regardless of out thoughts of right and wrong.

I also feel I am some way responsible for this happening. sometime ago mid year, Hall of Fame lost its home and keeper. I agreed to take on role as "Director" and to host the HOF on one of our sims.

I really was unaware of the process and procedures that SLSA has in place. Able, who was a great help, informed me it was near time to start the proceedings for HOF nominations.

It was my intent to remake the HOF and bring it up to current design qualities. however this was delayed. I did not, or could I obtain a +Copy version of the HOF. This made it difficult to add members, change items or do anything with it at all.

I was not "in the loop" on any of the process. but I knew that the building had to be up, and we had to set a date. Able had ask me many times for a time and date the new HOF would be open. finally we agreed on June 26th. This was the weekend before the 26th that it was decided.

It was not Friday night, the day before the event that the SLSA were given the LM by me for the location, however I did say it would be on primworks.

With this short timeline, and no one else stepping up to be the "director" of the HOF, things were a bit lost this year and unorganized.

I don't feel this is an excuse... But, I do see how it could sneak up on people and noone really was too involved in what was going on... and the ball got dropped. It was very much a last min rush kinda thing... at least more so than most other great events the SLSA plans.

That's how I see it on my end. Again not excusing the oversight, or whatever you want to call it. but I have to offer my apologies if they delay in preparing the HOF caused any confusion.

-Seb

Aurora Jacks said...

Thing is there WAS an updated HOF on a sim and Directors knew about it, if I am not mistaken it was the only one up for about 6 months until last week.

Unknown said...

Seb,

I don't feel the delay in the HOF itself caused any confusion. A lot of balls were dropped by a lot of people. I wish I'd been more observant, though after the drama surrounding the last comp I was trying to take some space away from SL Surfing for a bit. I feel if I'd been more observant I'd have been of more help to both you in regards to the HOF and the board in regards to... well everything else. This is one of those times when no one person can be blamed, but many people combined caused someone hurt. And that's the worst part.

Kristoffer Juneau said...

We have had the HOF hosted on Braata Beach since January.

Frankie said...

so true Sierra!! I knew Thor and thats a damn shame! I was there and was so angy too!!! And wonder why u was not there...

:/

hugs u if u read that! u know what i think!

Unknown said...

Aurora & Kris,

I don't think Seb was discussing the HOF being updated as far as contents. He meant redesigning it so that the new additions could be added and so that it would be current as far as the latest technologies and trends in SL. Which would require a copy/mod full perms version from I believe Craig. As far as I am aware the HOF on primworks is current, or was until the new announcement. Seb am I right in thinking this is what you meant?

Kekoa Arbizu said...

I find it amazing that anything to do with Thor was not done with Sierra present and when all the I‘s and T‘s were crossed with her approval. So wrong on many levels. I can understand why she is so hurt. For those of you so in love …put yourself in her place for just one second, this is just not a misunderstanding to her. Just look at HIS profile and see what/whom was important to HIM.