Chaser(s) Of The Decade

[Danny Neal]

I hate the fact that even though I know I am not directly competing with everyone else; it FEELS like I have to just to stay in the game.....

Roger Hill definitely is the top chaser in my mind. I also gave consideration to Tim Samaras. But will always respect the Tim Marshalls, Gene Rhodens, etc of the chasing world who are still out there chasing and scoring tornadoes. But most have become discrete about it.

 

[Jim Tang]

As others have mentioned, it all depends on how success is measured by.

Best tornado/day ratio: Andy Gabrielson for 2010, 2000-2009 I'm not sure
Most tornadoes: Roger Hill
Best footage/shot: Reed Timmer, Mike Hollingshead
Most contribution to the chasing community: not knowledgeable enough to make a judgment

Personally, I think the 2nd and 3rd criteria are most valid. Tornado count is probably the more objective criterion but Reed Timmer and Mike Hollingshead have probably gotten footage or shots that most of us could only dream about. And to continuously output stuff of that quality, luring to both chasers and the general public (huge publicity for those two on YT and Internet chain emails), speaks volumes about their achievements.

 

[Brandon Goforth]

I agree...Myself, I have never counted the number of tornadoes I got, or tried to compete with someone else. I go out for the pure enjoyment. Sadly, chasing is becoming more and more competitive all the time.

My thoughts exactly. But really, who cares who's the "best" or "most popular"? It's storm chasing, not the NFL, LOL!! Most of it comes down to availability...if you chase every setup all year, you will get a ton of footage...unless you are just a total n00b, then you'll waste a ton of gas. I have a full time job that I rather enjoy, so I can't chase 365 days of the year...and quite honestly I'm not sure that I'd want to even if I could...

 

[Shane Adams]

I guess the best way to decide is to ask yourself this question: If I only got to go out one time each year, and wanted to see a tornado, what chaser would I want to go with?

If you're a chaser, and your answer isn't "myself", I'd quit.

 

[Shane Adams]

I'll get flack for this and never make it into the cool kids club, but to hell with it.

You seem to have a chip on your shoulder with every post...and the quote above just continues the trend.

If all storm chasing is to you is ratio of tornadoes to days chased then you might as well go play a sport instead

Really? How would you feel if I said "The only reason you're such a 'purist' is because it doesn't take a whole lotta effort/talent to see a storm from 20 miles away."?

You're actually criticizing a person for caring about how successful they've been? Why is it everything else in life (other than chasing) is about success? Careers, hobbies, relationships, projects.....they're all designed to SUCCEED. But with chasing, if a person actually cares whether or not they're successful, it's an issue.

To me chasing success is NOTHING but a measure of tornado days VS chase days. The reason I'm out there is to see and videotape tornadoes, not to just go driving 500 miles and be happy with seeing a marginal storm and a few CGs. If that's all it takes to float your chicken sack then more power to ya....but try and remember, in the scope of things, your opinion isn't the only one. You come across like a "christian" telling someone else they're going to hell because they don't believe the same way.

If I'm ever that obsessed with statistics and ratios, I want someone to pull me out of my car and beat me with an anemometer.

I'd be happy to, but not for the reason you stated...and without the anemometer

What part of Sean's chase career indicates that he's not accomplished? He's had a tremendous impact on chasing, and who knows how good he is at forecasting - he went out for years on his own, and he picked Greensburg as a target in Season 1 which leads me to believe that he's not entirely clueless. It's not using people when they're your friends and teammates. His #1 goal is to get the shot and when you're worried about forecasting, nowcasting, navigating, driving, etc. you don't always have time to make sure the camera is ready. I could be wrong too, but I'm at least willing to give him the benefit of the doubt without any counter evidence.

Sean's a filmmaker, not a chaser. Technically I guess, b ut chasers know what I'm talking about. Take away the POS tank, the IMAX, the Discovery crew....he wouldn't be out there. Chasers chase storms because they love storms, not because they're trying to make a movie. You think the IMAX career ends after he gets the tornado shot he's looking for? Hell no. But the chase career does.

Did I see a storm? Did I see something cool? Did I learn anything? If yes, then that's success. Maybe not for some chasers, but I don't chase for them.

That's awesome. But I don't see why that philosophy called for ripping apart my own philosophy at the beginning of your post.

 

[jeremy wilson]

Really? How would you feel if I said "The only reason you're such a 'purist' is because it doesn't take a whole lotta effort/talent to see a storm from 20 miles away."?

Amen brother!!

Besides me being the best chaser I know I would say Timmer and Sammaras kick some serious ass. Mr. Casey really dosen't impress me all that much. Give me the TIV and we'll really put it to the test. It takes money for something like that and right now I just don't got it.

 

[Aaron Kennedy]

Sadly, chasing is becoming more and more competitive all the time.

It's only competitive if you make it competitive...

 

[Rob H]

That's awesome. But I don't see why that philosophy called for ripping apart my own philosophy at the beginning of your post. [...]How would you feel if I said "The only reason you're such a 'purist' is because it doesn't take a whole lotta effort/talent to see a storm from 20 miles away."?

I'm merely disagreeing with your philosophy the same as you are disagreeing with mine, although your initial post didn't trigger this with me - it was Matthew's choice of words that prompted me to reply. There's an implied insult in there, but it honestly doesn't bother me, to answer your question. I like playing in the bear cage sometimes (Wakita), and I like staying back and enjoying the storm structure other times (Deer Trail). I feel like you missed the point of my post, because while getting close has a certain skill set (and a "guts" check or willingness to deal with power lines and large hail), getting a Hollingshead structure shot with perfect lighting, exposure, and framing takes a different type of skill. They don't have to be mutually exclusive or invalidate each other. There is definitely room for multiple versions of success.

As for the bit about pulling me out of my car and beating me, I hope the winky face at the end of that carried a lot of weight. Even though I disagree with your philosophy on success, I'd still gladly shake your hand if I met you under a storm or share a beer with you.

 

[jeremy wilson]

It's only competitive if you make it competitive...

What's wrong with competiton? Many of us thrive of the NFL or NCAA and thats all about competition. I think competition means better video and more innovative ways to gather data. Competition keeps us strong in many aspects of our lives.

 

[Shane Adams]

As for the bit about pulling me out of my car and beating me, I hope the winky face at the end of that carried a lot of weight.

Of course it was tongue-n-cheek. You left that wide open and I couldn't resist.

Even though I disagree with your philosophy on success, I'd still gladly shake your hand if I met you under a storm or share a beer with you.

If the opportunity ever presents itself, I'm always game for a little suds-n-chitchat.

 

[rdale]

What's wrong with competiton?

Nothing, when there is something to compete about.

In baseball you have a winner and a loser based on runs scored at the end of the game. In school you have a valedictorian based on GPA.

What do you have in chasing? How do you "rank" chasers?

Or to put it in real terms - how has your competitive storm chase philosophy worked out? Explain what you actually do in order to be better than someone like Roger Hill as a chaser? When you put the car in drive, what do you differently to remain competitive?

 

[jeremy wilson]

What do you have in chasing? How do you "rank" chasers?

Money. Plain and simple. If ya got the better video than Reed or Casey then the big dogs are gonna start looking at you therefore increasing your chances of chasing for a living someday.

Please don't get me wrong rdale, I chase because I love it with all my heart and there's nothing I'd rather be doing. If getting extremely competitve means one day myself chasing and making lots of money from it then I'm gonna be extremely competitive. I wanna get close and have the best shot, period.

And the reason those guys in the MLB compete for those wins, money.

 

[Shane Adams]

Chasing's never competitive when you aren't trying to get something back out of it. I just can't imagine the pressure of knowing, every time I got in my car to head out, I had to make money back from it. What a buzzkill.

I prefer just having a job.

 

[rdale]

Money. Plain and simple. If ya got the better video than Reed or Casey then the big dogs are gonna start looking at you therefore increasing your chances of chasing for a living someday.

So success as a chaser is judged based on how much money you get from your video? I don't think you'll get a lot of "thanks" buttons being pressed

And the reason those guys in the MLB compete for those wins, money.

No. That certainly may be a part of it, but they have to love baseball before they'll ever take the time to develop the skills to play professionally. If your sole goal as a chaser is to get rich, you will develop a different, ehh, "skill set" than those who chase to see storms, or to protect lives, or for personal research. I'd venture to say a LARGE majority (90% +) of chasers are not using the paycheck as their sole method of judging a successful chase.

 

[jeremy wilson]

I just can't imagine the pressure of knowing, every time I got in my car to head out, I had to make money back from it. What a buzzkill.

I don't have to make money from it, I want to. And so far my buzz has remained well intact.