Aight, this isn't gonna be pretty but then neither was the Buffalo event. Across the street from the shambling hulk that is the Bill's Ralph Wilson stadium the event looked, from a distance, like a set from some apocalyptic distopian straight-to-video horror flick. But enough about the good stuff.
Let me share a novel thought with y'all. If you're gonna design fields that encourage interior action and/or regular cross field eliminations it's not particularly helpful to place the majority of the refs on the sidelines like ranks of bored ushers. Doesn't matter how many of them there are. I'm just saying. If the league feels some embarrassment over past missteps how does it look when nearly everybody in attendance (okay, other than Buffalo 'cus you could count them on your fingers and toes) except the refs routinely see hits that go blithely unnoticed? And trust me, it happens way too often. It sometimes looks like the refs are trying not to see anything.
And the guns! Okay, I know this one has been done to death and I'm pretty well convinced the plan is to continue the Big Bluff policy of the past NPPL ownership mixed with the occasional arbitrary and utterly subjective egalitarian suspension. Look, we suspended a Pro player, nobody is above the law! Rules? Er, the rule is I know an illegal gun when I decide it is. It would simply be a bad joke if it wasn't contributing to the deterioration of the league. Everybody knows the rules are a joke and that enforcement isn't by rule but by fiat. And everybody knows that everybody else knows it. And that there are more "illegal" guns than legal ones.
I could go on for quite awhile on this subject but why?
Instead let me close this post by suggesting the league needs to re-think its priorities. The days of the NPPL being the party league are over. There is no more bigger, better, flashier, cooler left to bust out at the next NFL parking lot. Where once peeps bought into the hype and the hope it's just tired now, symbolic of a faltering vision. Nobody is buying into the fantasy any longer. It's time to start running a paintball league instead of a vehicle for paintball domination or the generation of a gigantic marketing list targeting a key demographic. It's not good enough to paper over the generic weaknesses with dozens of press releases and propaganda media mouthpieces. And the place to start running a serious paintball league is with real enforceable gun rules and a priority focus on officiating. Or maybe not.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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9 comments:
Really and truly now, what is the argument the league has given in defense of their staggeringly obsolete gun ruling? How long have we all known about designer cheats? Granted, some longer than others, and though I was a bit behind myself, I was privy to these souped-up boards as early as 2003! It is absolute insanity that a professional league has allowed this to go on for so many years, especially when there's a proven method in use already - it isn't like they're making things easier for the reffing crews either!
The leagues either need to friggin' merge, or the NXL should hire Camille while the NPPL picks up where the defunct NAAPSA league left off and kick-start tourney-ball at the grass roots once more.
Now there, problem solved, everyone - you're welcome.
So Mr. Loco, how many guns are actually checked?... or is it that only guns that a ref thinks are illegal are checked?
Licensed to kill, 007? The "process" is the chrono ref shoots a gun a couple three times and if it seems suspicious he may attempt, by firing it some more, to see if he can make it operate "illegally". Most of the time its bang, bang get on the field. Phase Two is any ref that questions a marker's operation during the game will take possession of said gun after the game and examine it. If the ref thinks it's "illegal" it get bumped up to Mr. Zinkham typically to make or affirm the ruling. I hope that clears up any concerns you might have.
Greetings, Furbinator. When you put it like that it might be taken as a pejorative so let me explain. It would appear that part of Pacific Paintball's thinking is to build a vertical structure that reaches every aspect of paintball, top to bottom, with acquisitions like PB2X magazine and Paintball.com. Everyone understands that NPPL pressers and emails are designed to promote the league and its sponsors and its other activities. When I say propaganda media mouthpieces I mean that those institutions will perform a similar secondary function and help build support and identity for the home company's purposes. It's nothing sinister but by the same token no sensible person should assume any real independence either.
Just making sure where you were going, Divine Bovine...
As far as I can see at this point, Pacific's acquisitions appear to be as independent as they were before their acquisition, but I'll concede that things may change as they further integrate them into their business plan.
I will say that PB2X is continuing to show an immense amount of good taste in continuing to publish my stuff...
"I will say that PB2X is continuing to show an immense amount of good taste in continuing to publish my stuff..."
Mere subterfuge, I tell ya. Slightly more seriously, you're kidding, right?
Not at all, sir.
Say what you like about the refs, the format, and the venue, but the VIP was KILLER!!
Possible way to stop cheater guns (just brainstorming here):
All guns must use a board that can receive a certain chip.
The league contracts the labor to make the chips.
When you show up to chrono on, you get there with your grip opened and your board visible.
The chrono ref places the league provided chip into your board, closes the cover, chronos it, and places it in an area out of your reach.
You can't touch your marker until you are entering the field.
As you leave, the ref opens your marker and removes the chip.
You can put your own chip back in if you need to chrono or test fire your gun off the field...but you must play with the league supplied chip during the game.
OR...the league makes a rule that your board must have a specific input plug on it, and you may only use the league's code with all other codes erased. You show up to the chrono station with the grip opened and the plug exposed...the ref plugs you into their lap top and flashes the board to remove all other programs and leave only the league's code on it.
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