Posted by Kendall Raine on May 01, 2002 at 18:22:52:
In Reply to: I completely agree,,,,,, posted by ChrisM on April 30, 2002 at 16:30:12:
PADI will at some point need to explain why it praised the Diverlink article on the one hand while teeing up a lawsuit on the other.
That's not the biggest risk for them, though. The biggest risk, seems to me, is that this nonsense ends up at trial and that Eddie produces a parade of PADI instructors who are willing to testify to the validity of what Walter is saying. The damage to PADI would go well past what they could hope to gain in a favorable judgement. If PADI is looking to send a massage to the dive industry, they would be better served by addressing the issues head-on. Issues like their reversal on deep air diving and solo diving-I understand PADI will unveil a solo diving course at DEMA. Trying to silence the PADI detractors by suing Eddie Rhoads will have the opposite result. It already has. Even if PADI can prove its case, which I very much doubt, the optics of David and Goliath reflect very poorly on PADI.
There are so many ways PADI could have handled this. Filing a law suit is only one of them. From what Eddie says, the lawsuit wasn't PADI's last resort, it was the first. I don't know whether it stems from arrogance, fear or stupidity, but I can't for the life of me see how it's smart.