USCF Forum Moderators Announce Suspension of Sam Sloan from Posting
samsloan
> [quote="chessoffice"]Nobody is perfect, but I think if you compare
> Bill Hall to most past USCF Executive Directors, he looks quite
> good.
>
> Bill Goichberg[/quote]
>
> This is hardly the standard. During the period 1999-2003 the USCF had
> the two worst EDs imaginable. One was a liar, an idiot or both, the
> other probably a thief.
>
> It was during that four year period that the USCF lost two million
> dollars. We know this happened, because the LMA went from having two
> million in it in 1999 to having zero in it in 2003.
>
> Now, Bill Goichberg is saying that the current ED is good, because he
> is better than those two.
>
> Sam Sloan
I have been notified that by a vote of 3-0 I have been suspended from
posting for one week on the USCF Issues Forum for making the above
statement. However, the suspension has not gone into effect while I
appeal.
I am appealing on several grounds.
DeFeis and Niro are not members of the "chess community" and nobody
knows what happened to either one of them. The rules say that you are
not supposed to say anything bad about anybody in "the chess world".
DeFeis and Niro are not in the Chess World.
Also, this posting never appeared. It has been demonstrated that
between the two of them they lost over one million dollars in large
part due to fraud. They both posted profits when actually they were
losing money big time.
Neither George DeFeis nor Frank Niro are in the "chess world". DeFeis
was never in the chess community. The Executive Board decided to hire
a non-chess player and that proved to be the disaster that was DeFeis.
Frank Niro disappeared (with the USCF's money) six years ago in 2003.
Nobody knows where he is.
In addition, I have "substantial proof" that my statements are true. I
think that even Bill Goichberg, who usually disagrees with me, will
agree with me on this one.
George DeFeis and Frank Niro are the primary villains with regard to
the USCF. When DeFeis was appointed Executive Director of the USCF in
2000, the USCF had $2 million in the LMA. When Niro disappeared in
August, 2003 the LMA had zero balance. It is obvious that Niro went
into hiding to avoid criminal charges. We still do not really know
where he is.
Nobody can say who really lost the money between the two of them.
However, both of them were reporting big profits when they were in
office. The numbers that they provided proved to be fake.
I think that Goichberg and most of us who were active back then will
agree that there is more than sufficient "substantial proof" that my
statements were accurate.
I do not see how anybody can discuss the current financial problems of
the USCF without an explanation of how we got to where we are now.
I know of nobody who was active during the period 2000-2003 when
DeFeis and Niro were the executive directors who disagrees with my
characterization of them. How many FOC and MOC members were active
during the 2000-2003 period?
Sam Sloan
[quote="tsawmiller"]LEVEL TWO SANCTION
By a vote of three in favor, none opposed, the Moderation Committee is
imposing a level two sanction on user SAMSLOAN (Sam Sloan) 11115292 as
a result of the post on Sat Feb 14, 2009 10:31 pm #127996 in the
thread Financial Issues Summary in the USCF Issues Forum.
The Moderation Committee considers this action to be appropriate
because this post violates the AUG as follows:
[b]Do not make personal attacks or defamatory or disparaging comments
about anyone in the chess world.
Do not post suggestions, without specifically identified substantial
proof, that a person may have committed an unethical or criminal act.
No name calling.
Do not accuse anyone of lying, telling a lie, or being a liar. This is
considered a personal attack, even if true. [/b]
Accordingly, user SAMSLOAN (Sam Sloan) 11115292 has been suspended
from posting to the USCF Forums for a period of 7 days.
The timing of the start of the suspension is dependent upon Mr.
Nolan's availability to initiate it.
Tim Sawmiller [/quote]
samsloan
not believe that he objects to me posting this publicly:
[quote="chessoffice"][quote="samsloan"]I agree that I should not have
written this.
However, George DeFeis and Frank Niro are the primary villains with
regard to the USCF. When DeFeis was appointed Executive Director of
the USCF in 2000, the USCF had $2 million in the LMA. When Niro
disappeared in August, 2003 the LMA had zero balance.[/quote]
This is pretty close to the truth (I think it was a bit earlier than
2000 that the LMA had $2 million, though).
[quote]It is obvious that Niro went into hiding to avoid criminal
charges. We still do not really know where he is.[/quote]
It's not obvious at all. No criminal charges were filed against him
and the authorities don't usually refrain from filing such charges
just because the person may be hard to find. He is a life member and
USCF probably has his address. Since leaving as ED, he has played in
8 tournaments, in 2003-06 and this year. In 2004 he played in the
World Open, so apparently wasn't afraid of being seen by people. The
only years he didn't play were 2007-08.
[quote]Nobody can say who really lost the money between the two of
them. However, both of them were reporting big profits when they were
in office. The numbers that they provided proved to be fake.[/quote]
There were false numbers reported under both, but neither reported big
profits, rather they reported at times that USCF was approximately
breaking even when actually large losses were occurring.
[quote]I think that Goichberg and most of us who were active back then
will agree that there is more than sufficient "substantial proof" that
my statements were accurate.
I do not see how anybody can discuss the current financial problems of
the USCF without an explanation of how we got to where we are now.[/
quote]
You can explain that they did a bad job without calling them crooks,
idiots or liars.
Bill
[quote]I know of nobody who was active during the period 2000-2003
when DeFeis and Niro were the executive directors who disagrees with
my characterization of them. How many FOC and MOC members were active
during the 2000-2003 period?
Sam Sloan
[quote="tsawmiller"]You picked the inappropriate time to violate the
AUG with this post:
[quote="samsloan"][quote="chessoffice"]Nobody is perfect, but I think
if you compare Bill Hall to most past USCF Executive Directors, he
looks quite good.
Bill Goichberg[/quote]
This is hardly the standard. During the period 1999-2003 the USCF had
the two worst EDs imaginable. One was a liar, an idiot or both, the
other probably a thief.
It was during that four year period that the USCF lost two million
dollars. We know this happened, because the LMA went from having two
million in it in 1999 to having zero in it in 2003.
Now, Bill Goichberg is saying that the current ED is good, because he
is better than those two.
Sam Sloan[/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote]
Rob Mitchell
>
> - Show quoted text -
How much money has the USCF lost since Mr. Goichberg served on the
Executive board? How much has it lost since you joined the USCF?
Are you saying that Mr. Goichberg believes DeFeis and Niro took money
from the USCF? Are you saying these two gentlemen looted the USCF?
help bot
> I have been notified that by a vote of 3-0 I have been suspended from
> posting for one week on the USCF Issues Forum for making the above
> statement. However, the suspension has not gone into effect while I
> appeal.
>
> I am appealing on several grounds.
If the goal was to get attention, like a spoiled child,
it looks like Mr. Sloan has (again) struck paydirt.
But if, by chance, the goal is to discuss matters
relating to the USCF in an intelligent manner, the
USCF Issues forum is simply not the place; their
censorship and preposterous regulations, in which
a turnip must never be called a vegetable, preclude
any such discussion... almost.
The truth is, through clever coding all those
vegetables can be alluded to, just never in any
specific way; one requires the vaguery of a Dr.
IMnes, combined with the inabilities of a Mr.
Kingston. In several of the snippets posted here
in rgc by Mr. Parr, the commentary of Mr. Evans
managed to discuss -- in deliberately vague
terms mind you -- such issues, without naming
names.
Of course, this leaves readers wanting, feeling
short-changed, but it probably serves the writer
well enough, by side-stepping numerous
potential lawsuits and giving him carte blanch
to flail away at will , without presenting any
substantiating evidence whatever.
For instance, Mr. Sloan might discuss the
/apparent disappearance/ of two million dollars,
circa 2000-2003, not naming anyone specifically.
And SS might sugest that BG's comment was
exceedingly vague, leaving wide open the
/possibility/ of truth, yet presenting nothing more
than an unsupported personal opinion.
One last thing: why is it that Mr. Sloan and
others so frequently question the accounting of
the USCF? Is it really possible that the mis-
organization cannot afford decent auditors, to
guarantee that there is no hanky-panky going
on? Why is it that the USCF can afford
lawyers, but not decent accountants?
-- help bot
samsloan
Sam, has never been denied access to express his views. But his manner
of expression has at times cause some restrictions on his ability to
post.
The main causes of Violation is relatively easy to avoid.
Do not attack another user.( undue disrespect)
Do not use foul language.
Do not be repetitive in your posts
Do not troll
Do not present unsubstantiated charges.
Do not call another user a liar
Remain civil.
If any of these are not understood, I am sure a moderator, will be
glad to explain them. If a person genuinely can not interrupt them.
Just my take on it.[/quote]
Can you please provide a concrete example where I have done any one of
these things?
You cannot because I have never done any of these things.
Yet, I have been suspended repeatedly, have just come off a suspension
and I have already had two postings pulled without a cogent statement
of reasons since coming off the latest suspension.
Sam Sloan
asca...@aol.com
> This is hardly the standard. During the period 1999-2003 the USCF had
> the two worst EDs imaginable. One was a liar, an idiot or both, the
> other probably a thief.
>
> It was during that four year period that the USCF lost two million
> dollars. We know this happened, because the LMA went from having two
> million in it in 1999 to having zero in it in 2003.
>
> Now, Bill Goichberg is saying that the current ED is good, because he
> is better than those two.
>
> Sam Sloan[/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote]
Sam, get your facts straight.
In 1999, Mike Cavallo was ED and Don Schultz was the President.
During their three years in office, they lost hundreds of thousands of
dollars and misreported the financial condition of the USCF. One year
they even reported a profit of $20,000. All three years have since
been restated downward.
No accurate report has ever been made on how books and equipment could
have a reported gross margin of 35% when everybody in the business
knows the margins are about double that. Where that money went has
never been reported.
Regarding DeFeis and Niro, they were stuck in the USCF's cesspool of
competing interests. It was like the mob (USCF insiders) skimming
from the casinos. Everybody looks the other way when the money is
leaving the door then all feign distress when the deficit is
discovered. Serving private interests of the insiders asking for
money in the guise of serving chess must be the most difficult of
juggling acts for EDs although I do not know how anyone could compare
DeFeis to Niro. If you want a comparison try Cavallo to Niro.
Rp
samsloan
statements concerning the board. An effective Executive Board creates
policy and answers to the Delegate's motions and desires. It sets a
course and helps the Executive Director meet the goals and objectives
by giving him what he needs to do his job and guides him back on
course if the policies are not being met. It should never work 20
hours a week unless there is a pending crisis that the professional
staff in Crossville cannot handle and it should not be watching over
the shoulders while people work as Micromanagement is not an effective
management style for a Board, unless it wants to create paranoid,
ineffective and insecure staff. It is also important to have people
who are serious about promoting and advancing chess, for the good of
the USCF and not their own pockets or agendas; not just to create an
atmosphere of discord by disagreeing with good ideas because they are
not their ideas. It is important to get it right, not neccessarily to
always have to be right. I feel like borrowing Harry's signature line
here :)
Mike[/quote]
That is in theory how it should work. In practice it has not usually
worked out.
One example is the period 2001-2003. Frank Niro was executive director
and John McCrary was president. Frank Niro seemed to be a good guy who
was competent and doing a good job. I certainly thought so, and John
McCrary did too.
The result was that there was almost no oversight on what was
happening in the office.
I cannot tell you what the outcome was, because the last time I did so
I got suspended from this forum with the warning that next time I will
be suspended even longer if I reveal the outcome.
Sam Sloan