Thank you to everyone for the words of support and encouragement yesterday after my elimination from Top Shot! I wish I had the words to express how touched I am. Thank you all, very much.
I do have a request though – let’s ease up on the personal attacks on Adam Benson. Regardless of how you may or may not feel about his actions, Gun Nuts is not a place for name calling and insults. I didn’t want to do it on the show, and I certainly don’t want to see it happen here.
Thanks again everyone for your support!
I just watched the episode on DVR last night. I was sorry to see you go but glad that you carried yourself with honesty and integrity. That’s the attitude that all shooters need to have. God Bless.
You’re a class act Caleb. That’s about all that needs to be said 😉
“I am truly at a loss for words”
Well, that’s a first!
Caleb,
Amen on keeping it classy. When I watched the episode last night on DVR I thought you handled yourself well and apologized for your one minor gaffe. Way to not take Adam’s bait, and way to stick to it and do your best.
Glad to be a reader, and glad to say that my kids and I thought you handled yourself well from start to finish.
My Best,
John
Technically the “right” thing to do would have been to let Adam know right off the bat that you thought it was a poor strategy and that you would not go along with it. However, based on the reaction of Adam I believe he would have turned on you at that point anyhow.
I really hope the show just got the poorest aspects of Adam, because if not I fear for those who have to be around him on a daily basis.
Chiburian – I actually agree. I wished then (and now) that instead of acting non-committal, I had had the presence of mind to tell Adam directly to his face that I thought his idea was shady, and in fact that’s what I apologized for later.
“I fear for those who have to be around him on a daily basis.”
I know that if he was building a house for me, I’d fire him. And any contractor on any building site of mine who used his services would be told to stop or be replaced.
Adam made the mistake of believing that his “game” decisions would not have any real world consequences.
It’s one thing to treat the show as a game, manipulate as necessary, and win. It’s another thing to make personal attacks, call names, and in general behave poorly.
I didn’t go too far, did I Caleb, with my post? I’ll trim as much of it back as you think appropriate.
I’m getting to dislike everyone on that show, and I think that’s a distortion that the show is purposely promulgating. Denny seems like a genuine nice guy, a class act, and someone I’d like to hang with; but I have a sneaking suspicion they are going to try to distort him into something he isn’t (something negative) in a future ep. Ick. Boo, Producers.
No, don’t worry about it – I just wanted to nip things in the bud before they got completely out of hand!
And for the record, Denny really is a classy guy.
Caleb, I just watched the DVR recording of Top Shots, You are truly a man of Character. It wasn’t you that went to name calling. I think he was more upset that you didn’t want to follow his plan.
Maybe you didn’t win, but congratulations for not looking like a jerk. From what little the TV audience is shown it isn’t possible to fairly evaluate any contestant’s character, but like any typical reality show some are being presented on Top Shot in a bad light. However, you were not. Through whatever combination of good character and discretion you came out looking like a nice person, and your moment of celebrity there should have some positive effect on your future.
Cheers!
Caleb – I was thinking about that today myself. I probably would have just done what you did in the moment. Its very hard to tell someone straight up that he is out of line when they seem to have fooled everyone else. Hindsight is great huh?
Enjoying your blog/podcast quite a bit. Only problem I have is audio quality. I will have to listen again to figure out what it is, but its enough that I have to jack up my car stereo to hear you clearly.
Caleb,
A ton of respect for you on this. You showed who was the better man and the real rat. Job well done.
Hey Caleb –
Just watched the episode tonight via DVR, busy week at work…on the edge of my seat rooting for a fellow Hoosier. Now that my family lives over here in the Socialist Republic of Illinois, I was really hoping for a hometown boy to show everyone how to shoot.
In the end, you did just that. Great job, and way to keep it professional. I’ll continue to follow your blog and your shooting career.
Peace,
MB
Note to Adam:
“Gun Nuts is not a place for name calling and insults.”
Caleb, if you have any influence with the producers, please try to convince them to drop their quest to bring out the worse in the competitors.
Nope. Adam used “verse” as a verb. He said he was going to “verse” you in a contest. “Versers” are not real people with rights I am bound to respect. I will not forgive. I will not forget.
Also I gather he was unkind to you personally in some way, and don’t get me wrong, that’s bad too.
Remember way back when we both started blogging, and found each other’s blogs?
I remember back then suggesting a tag line that you used for some time, “Where John Wayne meets Emily Post.”
I think either of them would have approved of the way you conducted yourself on Top Shot.
AD, that was such a very long time ago indeed. My, how the world has changed in the last what, three or four years?
dear caleb,
you were a class act indeed! you, blake and jj. all three could have chosen to mouth off filthy words to counter adam, but you guys didn’t. i am very offended though by how viciously he attacked you on a personal level and on national tv.
but what goes around, comes around. and it’s hitting adam from all sides, for everyone to see. he may delete all the negative chatter from his f/b fanpage, but fortunately he can not delete the ones posted on the HistChan topshot forum.
with that said, i wish you well in all your endeavours. great things do happen to good men.