Some day Mad_Mat will put something here that will work me up,  and I will provide a complete expose'.  In the meantime, I will just say that if he speaks up, it's usually (1) relevant, (2) useful, and (3) true.  Not a lot of BS from him--if he sees something is needed, he just does it; doesn't spend any time getting a committee decision about who's gonna go downriver and catch up with the dropped paddle.  And he's very gentle:  for example, as the group eddied out after a tricky rapids on the Colorado River, he suggested to me, "You don't HAVE to reach way up close to the bow for that stroke when you're solo.  It's just a matter of deciding whether you are really serious about avoiding that rock.  It's up to you."
   However, he will be a lot more agreeable if you spell his name with just one "t".  We wouldn't to have "issues" lurking in this forum!