Okay, not altogether apropos but how can you go wrong with a James Bond tribute post title? If you're a member of the surviving NPPL politburo today it's gotta seem like the sky is falling, doesn't it? Oh, by the way, how'd that Hawaiian Challenge event turn out? Killer, huh? Oh, not so much? Really. Who'da thunk it? (Yes, for the record, I am kicking a wounded league while it's down--and I'm just getting started. NPPL Facebook also stated there would be a 1-day event on the 23rd and a NPPL-sponsored practice on Sunday the 24th hosted by Chuck and Pev.)
So Bart's money is out (of the NPPL) and Impact is in the PSP for 2013. The NPPL Board put its foot down and said, "No!" and very quickly discovered they didn't control Bart's wallet after all--though after three seasons it's easy to see how they made that mistake. Not counting all the other pro teams to bail on the NPPL before Impact the first casualty is the (apparent) disbanding of Chicago Legend. While it's easy and natural to feel sympathy for the players and the loss of a competitive team VFTD will not be joining in the general eulogising of Legend owner, Dennis Olsen. To paraphrase Shakespeare, "I come not to praise Ceasar but to bury him." Happy to spend Bart's money he's the first to cut and run when the going gets seriously tough and is the same guy who two years ago arrogantly promised the NPPL would bury the PSP and who threatened Camille for having the temerity to go work for a league that actually paid her salary. I don't doubt the guy has friends in the game. He probably doesn't kick puppies. But, contra Hinman, the game won't miss him. The second casualty will be Chuck & Pev's travel schedule and the third casualty is already Gino's decision to align Valken in the NPPL camp and publicly spin the PSP as the villain in that little melodrama. (Oops.)
And we are left, for the time-being, with the question: Where will the money come from to continue to operate a money pit masquerading as a paintball league?
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ABOUT
About Baca:
Baca Loco is the forum name I first used at P8ntballer.com and kept when I starting writing for PGi magazine, the late, lamented Paintball Games International. At various times I did gun reviews, event reports, the occasional feature, How-To’s & a monthly column entitled, View from the Deadbox. At one time or another I’ve done most everything you can do in paintball other than own a field or run a tourney series. For the last several years I have coached a number of pro teams and generally made a nuisance of myself whenever possible.
About VIEW FROM THE DEADOX:
One purpose of this blog is to encourage a dialogue about competitive paintball and permitting commenter anonymity is intended to encourage the participation of those who actually know what they are talking about. The rest of you are also welcome, even encouraged, to comment as well. (I don't really need any encouragement.)
The other purpose of this blog is to provide a focus for my attention deficit disorder and hold boredom at bay.
About my views:
Brilliant, visionary and almost always correct. Get used to it. Oh, and I'm humble too. Feel free to disagree as long as you are prepared to be wrong.
Baca's email
VFTD Overview
Blog Rules
Baca Loco is the forum name I first used at P8ntballer.com and kept when I starting writing for PGi magazine, the late, lamented Paintball Games International. At various times I did gun reviews, event reports, the occasional feature, How-To’s & a monthly column entitled, View from the Deadbox. At one time or another I’ve done most everything you can do in paintball other than own a field or run a tourney series. For the last several years I have coached a number of pro teams and generally made a nuisance of myself whenever possible.
About VIEW FROM THE DEADOX:
One purpose of this blog is to encourage a dialogue about competitive paintball and permitting commenter anonymity is intended to encourage the participation of those who actually know what they are talking about. The rest of you are also welcome, even encouraged, to comment as well. (I don't really need any encouragement.)
The other purpose of this blog is to provide a focus for my attention deficit disorder and hold boredom at bay.
About my views:
Brilliant, visionary and almost always correct. Get used to it. Oh, and I'm humble too. Feel free to disagree as long as you are prepared to be wrong.
Baca's email
VFTD Overview
Blog Rules
FAQ
How is paintball like golf? Golf is played outdoors on nice, well kept grass or, if something goes horribly wrong, off in the woods. Same with paintball.
How is a paintball made? What am I, Wikipedia?
Who are your sponsors? Who hasn't been one of my sponsors? I won't be trying to promote current sponsors on this blog nor will I take shots at non-sponsors. I don't give gun, goggle or gear advice so it really doesn't matter.
What's your view on cheating? It's wrong and has no place in the game. That's why I don't play scenario or Big Games.
What's your favorite marker? The free one.
Where did that awesome photo come from in the blog header? It is the work of photographer extraordinaire, Brandon Showers or the vixen with a Nikon (or maybe a Canon) Meagan Foster.
What's your favorite team? Grow up.
Who started the Rec vs. Tourney war? Some will say that's just the way it's always been. Others claim it's natural for the sides to be at odds. I say, aren't we all brothers under the goggles? I'm not sure but ask yourself who benefits? Follow the money. Could it be a covert plot of the Military Simulation Industrial Complex? As long as the war rages on there will be a demand for more paint, more markers and Big Paintball will continue to count its profits instead of the cost. Give peace a chance. That's all that I'm saying.
How do I get sponsored? You don't.
Will you send me any free stuff if I tell you what a big fan I am? No.
Is agg dead yet? Yes, it's time to move on to some new uber hip trendiness that everyone can follow to demonstrate their individuality.
Is it true the inside of Ollie Lang's gearbag smells like roses? No, strawberries and cream.
You don't really know any Pro players, do you? Rats, you caught me out.
What makes your opinion so important? It's my blog, d'oh! And has already been noted I'm almost always correct. There's quite a lot to be said for being right.
How is a paintball made? What am I, Wikipedia?
Who are your sponsors? Who hasn't been one of my sponsors? I won't be trying to promote current sponsors on this blog nor will I take shots at non-sponsors. I don't give gun, goggle or gear advice so it really doesn't matter.
What's your view on cheating? It's wrong and has no place in the game. That's why I don't play scenario or Big Games.
What's your favorite marker? The free one.
Where did that awesome photo come from in the blog header? It is the work of photographer extraordinaire, Brandon Showers or the vixen with a Nikon (or maybe a Canon) Meagan Foster.
What's your favorite team? Grow up.
Who started the Rec vs. Tourney war? Some will say that's just the way it's always been. Others claim it's natural for the sides to be at odds. I say, aren't we all brothers under the goggles? I'm not sure but ask yourself who benefits? Follow the money. Could it be a covert plot of the Military Simulation Industrial Complex? As long as the war rages on there will be a demand for more paint, more markers and Big Paintball will continue to count its profits instead of the cost. Give peace a chance. That's all that I'm saying.
How do I get sponsored? You don't.
Will you send me any free stuff if I tell you what a big fan I am? No.
Is agg dead yet? Yes, it's time to move on to some new uber hip trendiness that everyone can follow to demonstrate their individuality.
Is it true the inside of Ollie Lang's gearbag smells like roses? No, strawberries and cream.
You don't really know any Pro players, do you? Rats, you caught me out.
What makes your opinion so important? It's my blog, d'oh! And has already been noted I'm almost always correct. There's quite a lot to be said for being right.
Blog Archive
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2013
(190)
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February
(14)
- ETV and the X-Factor Tryout
- Skyfall
- Impact: Window of Opportunity Opens a Crack
- Miscellaneous Big League Stuff
- Open Questions for the NPPL
- Impact Out
- EPBF Beatdown: Hamet Speaks
- Millennium Plays Hardball
- Dateline San Antonio
- The Monday Poll in Review: Champions
- Major League Preseason
- New Design: Same as the old design?
- The Monday Poll: First Champions
- PALS Thailand 2013
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February
(14)
VFTD's Lost & Found
Posts
VFTD Translater
Deadbox Puppet Army
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14 comments:
Hawaii, Vancouver.....was there any thought at all put into scheduling...or logistics, or whether there were even enough teams to sanction an NPPL event (is it more or less that 10). If I was an "executive" of the NPPL, I would be embarrassed. Announce an event a month before its start date and then, HOPE, it goes according to plan.
The last thing the NPPL should worry about is the competition because its obviously its own worst enemy.
Resolution: Drop the PRO designated bracket,go back to an open/Amateur style and Stop claiming to be a National league. Focus on HB as THE event of the year and be happy if it sells out.
Will Gino become the new Bart in an attempt to save face?
The one thing Chuck has proven throuh the years is his ability to get money from those with lots of it...he always finds a new sucker when he needs it.
Does this mean curtains for Valken on a sponsorship level? Obviously he still has rec players, pro shops and fields to sell his paint to, so Valken as a company won't be going anywhere.... but if the one major USA league won't let him sell paint at events or let his paint be shot at their events, tHen what does this mean?
My guess is he quietly takes the offer the PSP gave him (the one he made into a big deal on FaceBook), and shuts up.
Or...Valken can shift it's focus and to scenario and recreational players, leaving the tournament type players to the other companies. There is a natural animosity between recreational woodsball players and "speedballers", so endearing itself to the much bigger woodsball market might be a move (if they want to continue playing the "us against them" game).
Valken can continue to 'sponsor' newly formed woodsball teams. The woodsball team gets to feel 'legitimate' because they are 'sponsored' and Valken gets to sell them gear at wholesale prices with minimum buys. Win-win.
As long as they stick with their camo "v-tac" stuff and stop making their god-awful speedball softgoods, I'm OK with this.
Every time I see a Valken jersey that looks like Ed Hardy threw up on it, I die a little inside.
Reiner
That wouldn't be a focus shift. When Valken got into the paintball game--after Gino's noncompete expired--that's where they made their first moves.
I'm almost ashamed to say I'm spending money to play HB this year, at least it's local for me.
Anon
Hopefully they get their act together and put on a good event. HB as a venue is hard to beat--although if you're local you already know that. :) Players should just play and have fun.
Ban social. hahaha. good call nppl.
Baca - I plan on playing and having a great time. Heck I'll even have some family out there watching. But let's be real, a wiser man would have spent all there money playing 5 PSPs and not HB or Vegas if it meant skipping a PSP...then again we already knew that didn't we?
I see this as an opportunity for the NPPL to rebuild. Drop the Pro bracket, just call it open. Stop focusing on the needs of the pros and actually give the customers what they need.
If you think about it, wouldn't it be more ideal to run a tournament without having to provide for the pros? I mean, how many divisional players play the NPPL/PSP soley because the pros play in it?
So now the NPPL doesn't need to put on this image to go mainstream. They don't need to pay for a webcast, pro ref squad, bleachers, etc. Why don't they just put that money back into the tournament to increase the quality for the players that are footing the bill?
They can still offer an awesome product for a niche market, without all the BS.
ANON 1.53
A wise man knows he only has so many years to play, and that he should enjoy it as much as possible. Therefore if you chose to play in HB, I'd call that a wise move. Who knows, you could be playing the last one.
Enjoy!
Crash and burn- it's gone, a broken car, machine. The NPPL ain't all bad, but it's going to have to minimize. Survival is in doubt.
WHO WANTS AN OFFICIAL NPPL PLAYER'S PATCH!?
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