Tuesday, September 25, 2012

TBD: The Controversy?

If any of y'all are waiting for some comments about the Mouse pick-up I can't help you out. Clearly he's a solid player and with Jake likely out it should help up shore up our efforts but I haven't talked to him yet, seen him with the team or begun the process of integrating him into what we're doing. Bottom line, you'll see how well it works out when we play.
I'm also hearing some rumblings--yes, all the way over here in Denmark--in response to the interviews posted by Social with Joey and Dave and I'm curious what the VFTD audience thinks of them. The normal paintball fare for public consumption has always been the bland happy talk about how wonderful sponsors are (and they are) and how much everyone loves paintball blah blah blah. These interviews go to a place paintball isn't used to so what do you think? If you haven't seen them, watch them, and come back and let me know. Since we're keeping it real say whatever it is you really think. I am legitimately interested. Is it a tempest in a teapot? Is it a cool insider's view. Is it a style you found compelling or off-putting? Whatever your take on the interviews is I want to hear it.

36 comments:

MK said...

I do like these more free spoken interviews and would like to see more of them. As players we are more than aware of that it's usual with differences in the teams so what Dave says can hardly come as as shock to people.

Regarding Blute it's nice to see his confidence in the team and since his way of saying things on video and podcasts still is quie unusual it even becomes funny. More of this, he should be for paintball what Chael Sonnen is for UFC!

Nick Brockdorff said...

Can someone put up a link for the Dave Bains interview? - Can't seem to find it.

I've never met Joey Blute, but what a caracter :D - I love the brutal honesty, and I wish all the players I'm around could take that :P

Only thing he says that rubs me the wrong way, is the "changing game plans for sunday" thing.... I think you often need to, as your opponents will have scouted you extensively, come sunday..... but obviously, it should be game plans you rehearsed, at least in parts.

Lawrence said...

Personally, I love it ;)
And, either way, more of this type of content is on the way. Maybe not as candid as Joey, but we've got to get past the sunshine pumping.

p8ntballnxj said...

Raw interviews are the best. We need more players/coaches to come out and say it like it really is.

Matt said...

First, I'm excited to see Mouse on the TBD lineup in Polk City. Maybe he will bring that humbleness Dave speaks on?
Second and more importantly - the videos are great. I would love to see more openness from owners about what they think of the sport, leagues, players (ESP THEIR OWN) and more.

Anonymous said...

I find Joey rude and objectionable, not exclusively in the vid, but moreso in the way he speaks to people at events. But maybe that's just me. I can't stand rude people and tend to respond in kind.

Dave's one of the nicest guys in the game though, and also one of the most solid back players ever. If Dave wasn't in the vid, and it was just Joey, there's not enough money in the World that would make me watch it.

Anonymous said...

Videos told you more than any Podcast will. Enjoyed them.

Ken said...

Joey's interview was spot on. Best paintball related vid I've watched in ages. He should be given a megaphone and a 6 inch proximity to everyone's ear to speak "da truf". Or at least his version of it.

What I would be even more interested in watching is Joey and someone with an opposing viewpoint that would take him to task and watch the sparks fly.

For example, a rebuttal by you Baca, about Joey's comments on how unnecessary game plans are. Specifically the comment on being able to win 90% of the time if you place your 5 players in the same spots, point after point.

Joey said...

I would love to do a Interview with anyone I called out in my last interview. I stand by what I say. I do not expect everyone to like me. I say what I feel and what I believe its easy to be nice and make everyone happy its hard to call people out on stuff.

Anonymous said...

I think you can be nice without keeping everyone happy, and if it's easy to do, then there's no excuse not to, is there?

And 'calling people out' isn't particularly hard either. It might not be a great idea, and it might not be popular, but it's definitely not hard to do.

Joey said...

Hiding your name is easy to it is super easy to tell people how to act when no one knows who you are.

Again I do not care if you like me. I have enough friends if the way I act bothers you walk away from me stay away from me.

Nice works for some people be real works for me.

Anonymous said...

I already do stay away from you joey.
And you can't have it both ways; Either you can be the mouthy outspoken guy who 'calls people out' in interviews, in which case you must expect to be criticised (you've had your opportunity to speak so others should have theirs), or you can be the 'stay away from me' guy, in which case people would leave you alone, and you would mind your own business.

Also, 'be real' and 'nice' are not mutually exclusive. I don't know why, but I thought you would be smarter than this.

I'm posting here because of this...

"Whatever your take on the interviews is I want to hear it."

That's all.

Anonymous said...

I would just ease up on the loaded word(s). It makes us look ignorant, not that Joey cares, but to anyone semi educated or socially sensitive language like that paints a really bad picture.

Like in NFL films, I'm the players are using every loaded word in the canon, but the league cleans it up, because the players represent the league.

Anonymous said...

@ Anon 3:38

"I don't know why, but I thought you would be smarter than this."

He didn't really come off as the sharpest knife in the drawer in the video, his responses here are no surprise to me, and I've never even met the guy.

Will Mouse be in the snake 24/7? OK that sounds weird lol.

Anonymous said...

I think both of the interviews were excelent and my fandom of damage even stronger.

It's all about interaction. Someone speaking his mind and truth, is always interesting.

Liked, alot. You sure have some big balls in TBD.

Castigator said...

Anyone that has been around paintball in Florida for any period of time knows what Joey is about. He is nothing more than a loud, obnoxious salesman with a face made for radio and a voice made for the deaf. It just so happens that he actually has a product people want to hear about right now so he can speak all he wants and people will listen. But just because he speaks his mind, and it may be the truth right now, this "holier than everyone else in the paintball world" attitude does not make him an honest person or admirable in any way. He definitely is not in paintball to further the sport, or to make friends... But, like Joey said, he has enough friends, and he met them all on World of Warcraft. You don't have to be nice when you can wave someone else's credit card around like its yours. But once a con artist, always a con artist... just ask anyone on "his" team.

Guy said...

I've had the opportunity to practice against Damage, and from my limited exposure to him Joey seemed like a straightforward guy. He doesn't mince his words, but he never hesitated to help our team out and point out things we should be doing differently to help us improve.

Nick Brockdorff said...

Castigator:

I'll bet you have also referred to teams you have been on, as "my team".... because that's what people on a team do.....

I did not hear him imply he owned the team anywhere in that interview - quite the contrary actually, so while you clearly have some axe to grind, your criticism seem to be misplaced in this instance.

Anonymous said...

This isn't my first impression of Mr. Blute. There were plenty of positive things about the video. I appreciate the honest opinions on the leagues, teams, and state of PB in general.

Too bad the positive things were overshadowed by extreme lack of proffessionalism, lack of respect, and a " look at me I can swear and insult teams/people and it makes me cool amd rebellious" attitude..

I would not want this guy representing my team or my company. Typical curmudgeon with a limited IQ and and even more limited vocabulary. So you can say fuck 50x, call people fags, and don't give a fuuuuuu what anyone thinks.

Well Baca asked what we think...

Here it is...

You are an illiterate, Neanderthal, overcompensating, insecure individual who DOES not play for damage. So you schedule flights, cuss a lot, amd pretend to be a big shot.

If you would have swore less, kept your composure, and answered some questions a little more seriously you might not be such a "fag" to quote you)

Julio Jones
ATL

NewPro said...

It is what it is, has he been an integral part of tbd success, I have no idea. His team and staff would have to let us know. I am curious what bacas stance on joeys gameplan issues is tho. As for the swearing, these off the cuff, non scripted vids male us all feel warm and fuzzy

Anonymous said...

Non scripted or otherwise... He represents one of the pinnacle teams in paintball AND all of their sponsors. He could have shared the opinions he has of his players, CEP, Dynasty (old, rotting, done..??), the psp, Scrubby dubby,..in a more tactfull way.

But I get he is trying to be the mancow of paintball and use as much shock value, speak the truth, don't give a fuck.. As he can because it's his image... And in his mind he Mr Badass.

The video was 75% Eminem 25% business..It honestly turned me and others off...

If it would have been 75% business 25 % Eminem it would have been raw, insightful, edgy enough to feel honest. Saying FUCK hammers home a point at the right time.. So does fag.. Quite frankly.. I'm all for it as it is effective in small doses.

But you sound like a 3rd grader who just learns how to cuss. If you talk like that in your personal life or with the team great.. But in mixed media you represent a lot more than your ideals... You represents TBD, sponsors, employees...

I remember watching the start of a documentary way back that was never completed on tbd and overall it was meh. I also was mildly annoyed the loud vulgar guy that didn't appear to be a coach or a player.. But still had more to say than anyone else.. Then I saw .... er... Heard him again and again at events.

Coach,

What does he do that is so valuable he is allowed to represent the team so unprofessionally?

I've always rooted for TBD... And this embarrasses me as a fan.


Anonymous said...

Dave's interview was great.

Missy Q said...

The underlying problem is that the interview is being done by a Damage player. Joey can therefore control the interview and the interviewer. This makes the whole thing bogus.
He's not getting tough questions, he's not going to get called to task on anything he says, and the interviewer isn't helping by referring to Damage as 'we' or 'us', and letting Joey dictate the pace and tone of the video.

Take the guy out of that comfort zone and give him an interviewer he has no influence over, and you would see a different situation. Perhaps if he wasn't surrounded by his own team he might answer the questions differently, and for sure he would get tougher questions.

The days where calling people 'fags' was cool have gone, passed us by, and Joey needs to get up-to-date with that, before he isolates the team through his obvious and undisguised bigotry.

Mark said...

Genius is always so misunderstood :D



As is bigotry.

nickgibson said...

I liked the joey blute video. I have no idea where this dave baines video is.

J. Stein said...

Seems like a lot of people want to take out on Joey the fact that he doesn't add polish when he speaks. I don’t think he’s a bigot or unintelligent, he just has his own way. I wonder if people are confusing style points with content.

The fact is, Joey’s interview probably resonates with the average player and the average player probably speaks more like Joey than not (certainly more like Joey than like Paul).

I found the interview to be fair. He gives teams their due (talking about how the core of Dynasty could rebuild into a winning team again). If it weren’t in such a casual setting he would likely not have been screwing around with non-answers about his players and team (where some of the more insensitive language was used).

Given a choice between his foul mouth answers and some of the milquetoast non-answers that are usually served up, I’ll take this. There is genuine insight from a man involved with one of the most successful teams of the past two seasons. And since their coach won’t give interviews, Joey’s the best we’ll get.

Unless Pops is game for talking on camera?

Anonymous said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zulyHxoEf88

Dave Bains' interview.

Anonymous said...

Jeff,

You should at least acknowledge the fact that where your from peeps like Joey are hired as librarians.

J. Stein said...

I have no idea if Joey is qualified to be a librarian. You need a masters in libary science for that.

(There is actually a degree called library science).

Anonymous said...

In other pro sports, using the words that are seen as derogatory in an interview or in an official team/league capacity is grounds for a fine or a game suspension. Even if tossing the word around is part of your culture, or everyone is doing it.

J. Stein said...

We should all stop pretending paintball has anything at all in common with "other pro sports".

Anonymous said...

Straight talking is ok. Even some swearing is understandable. Going into the sexual territory was just stupid. Especially when it wasn't a part of the flow.

We all know that paintball players are horny as hell and with a bunch of guys in close proximity to each other there is going to be some wiener talk (or more...)

But there are some things that are best kept private. And unless your team is well known and promotes itself in a sexually aggressive way it's best just to stick to straight shooting on the field, and no BS off the field.

Anonymous said...

BTW - I'm referring to the questions at the end of the Dave Bains interview... which I think were asked by ... you guessed it Joey.

It is true that no one on the team likes him. Dye doesn't like him either...

But what's also true is Joey knows this, and doesn't care.

Reiner Schafer said...

General thoughts on being rude, obnoxious and swearing during interviews or when representing stakeholders...if you do it, SOME people will be offended. If you state the same content without that behaviour, no one will be offended.

The only people you might actually impress with that behaviour (and therefore might want to hang with your community) is the 12 to 14 year old crowd, or those that never got past that chronological maturity level.

Anonymous said...

Paul does grant interviews: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN6E2xeLH1E

Sort of.

Regarding Joey's interview and the interviewers being "afraid" to ask tough questions... that is not the case at all, he had no influence over anyone.

These are some of the most genuine interviews I've ever seen in this sport and more of this is needed. Not necessarily the vulgar language, but the "realness." Too often we see a bunch of fluff during paintball interviews.

Dave's interview was amazing. Hands down the best interview I've seen in this sport. Ever. Okay, maybe in recent times. lol. Ever is kind of over the top.

Baca Loco said...

Okay kids, nice turn out. I appreciate all the comments. I think there was a tendency to get hung up on the Joey interview a bit when what I had in mind was the candid off the cuff interview compared to the usual boring fluff "interview" in paintball and I think it's fair to say the candid interview has broad appeal even if some objected to Joey's in some particular ways. Which is of course fair enough.

Some of the questions that came up deserve an answer as well. Re: Joey's role. He is the General Manager of the team and snake side event coach and is responsible for putting the team together. He has been with Damage from Day 1 and to imagine this team would have functioned as well or at all without him would be to seriously underestimate the job he does.
Re: game plans. I read that as Joey making the point that bottom line is always about players executing and without that the best laid plans etc. aren't going to carry the day. And that is a point I agree with. If he meant something different that's fine too.
Re: my willingness to be interviewed. I have only opted out when the interviewee is PBAccess--and I only did that because I didn't want my critique of PBAccess to become confused with some notion I was making some sort of attention whoring play. I'm otherwise fine with interviews.