I'm going to comment on things said in a variety of messages not just the
message i'm quoting. But I'm replying to this specific message simply
because i had to reply to one message and this happened to be the one.
I disagree with the idea that Laura wasn't a good Sandbagger. I think
she was a very good one. (which of course if what you basically said. I'm
disagreeing with people who have commented earlier)
I also had no problem seeing Laura as being physically up to the challenges
of the job. And the idea that Marianne would make a better Sandbagger...
I just don't see where that's comming from. Marianne was a small delicate
woman. If Laura isn't considered physical enough for the job why would
Marianne be? That's the part of this discussion I don't get. How anyone
can think Marianne could be better suited as a Sandbagger than Laura was?
I just don't think Marianne had anything going for to be a Sandbagger. She
wanted to be one, but so what. Often that's a negative more than a
positive. And I don't think she had the skills, mentality or abilitiy to
be a Sandbagger. She wasn't stupid or anything but I don't think she had
the high mental abilities that it takes to be a Sandbagger.
I think Laura matched the physical aspects of the job quite well. In fact
she's probally better at physical stuff than Willie is, and likley more
than Mike. We didn't get to see enough of Jake or Denson to get a good
idea of how good they were. But my impression is Laura matches up with
them all fairly well physically. Maybe a little lacking for pure strength
but she probally made up for that in training. She certainly outclasses
Willie in both armed and unarmed combat. And I don't think the actress
playing Laura failed in portray that. The series as a whole just didn't
do action that much so it's hard to make a character look like highly
trained physically.
Besides the physical aspect wasn't that important to the Sandbaggers. It's
the mental skills that made the Sandbaggers. Willie, the best Sandbagger
didn't have much in the way of physical skills. Hell, he wasn't that great
of an investigator according to Neil. So why was he considered the best
Sandbagger? Hard to say if it was anything more than simply he was there
the longest. Certainly he was really good but when you break down his
skills it seems like he doesn't match up as well to Laura. I think Laura
had the potential to be the best Sandbagger. She just needed more time.
As it was I think she was the best Sandbagger to work alongside Willie.
Sure she might have left the Sandbaggers after she got tired of the life.
She didn't seem to be that dedicated to being a Sandbagger. That is, she
could take it or leave it she didnt' have to be a Sandbagger. But while
she might not have prefered to be there she was determined to do the best
she could.
The way I see the things Denson was a good Sandbagger, although more for
his physical skills than mental. (he was a great shot, and his other
physical aspects were up there) I got the impression that he was smart but
not particularly mentally skilled for a Sandbagger. Maybe that would have
changed after 2 years or so of experience. But he comes across as a little
too reckless, and less thinking of the Sandbaggers.
Mike was the same level as Denson. Probablly without the marksmanship
skill, and some of the physical skill but certainly as smart, probally a
bit more. I think he had more potential than Denson. That all Mike needed
was experience. He's smart and has the potential he just needs experience
to work out his "greeness". Of all the Sandbaggers he's probally the
"greenist" of the bunch. Although he appeared to have the potential to
become a realyl good Sandbagger.
Jake. We didn't get to see him that much be he appears to be an ok
Sandbagger. I think physically he had all the skills and mentally he was
good. But the impression I got was that he wasn't overly bright for a
Sandbagger but he made up for that in experience. In time Mike would
surpase Jake because Mike was probally smarter but was lacking the
experience.
Laura. She's a natural. She took to the Sandbaggers right away. She acted
like a vetern despite coming out of training. I think she's the perfect
Sandbagger. She has all of the tools. She's smart, she's got the physical
skills, and the mentality for the short term. Over the long haul she would
either adabt to the mentality or transfer out. If she adapted she'd have
been one of the best they ever had.
Willie - He's lacking some of the tools and some of the mentality. But he's
got the main tool, a keen intelligent, quick thinking mind. For the most
part he's got the mentality down but he struggled with that part as well.
There are times when his mind isn't in it as much as it could be, an
occasion or two when he wasn't as mentalliy vicious enough but for the most
part he was. He just suffered from the occasional lapse.
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JASON POTAPOFF. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Email: jpotapof@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
There is no spoon.