A Tool For Every Job

Y'all just dodged a metaphorical bullet. Having nothing topical I was about to pick up where 'A Bar Too High' left off--and nobody wants that. (VFTD has to do stuff like that periodically to maintain my credibility as the iconoclastic fringe of the intellectual wing of competitive paintball. Yes, it's a very tiny niche. A deadbox puppet army of one, you might even say.) Anyway, as I was saying, you dodged that bullet.
Today's premise is there's a tool for every job--and y'all are gonna help (by playing along) thus killing two birds with one stone, so to speak. But first let me explain. It's like this: there's a fanboy for every gat, an aggot for all things agg, a waiting bandwagon for every fad and a hall monitor, or forum commander or whatever, for every thread at PBN. What I want from you (yes, you) are other combinations matching tools and jobs wherever you find them in the wide world of paintball.
Keep in mind the piss poor job you did (no, not you, the other guy, YES YOU) on the last two Another Cynical VFTD Game(s) and the fact ProPaintball's identical poll to The Monday Poll is kicking butt. [The least you could do is vote in The Monday Poll--and get all your friends to drop by and vote, too.] They may be drones and clones over there but they know how to vote. Which ought to shame you (yes, you) lazy slackers into action but the truth is you're spoiled. Well, I'ma taken a few days off.
Fact is if you don't keep yourself occupied when you drop by in the next few days you will be out of luck. I'm outta here tomorrow morning and I won't be posting during the event.

Being Charlie Sheen

Has absolutely nothing to do with today's post--other than it's an eclectic assortment of odds and ends of a paintball variety--and I'm still trying to decide if his recent interviews demonstrate nothing more than mental oddness (and who among us would deny a fellow his own epic reality as long as its harmless) or mental illness. But if nothing else old Charlie is about winning and who can argue with that? Asked if he was bi-polar he claimed to be bi-winning! "That's how I roll. And if it's too gnarly for people, then buh-bye," "Oh wait, can’t process it. Losers. Winning. Buh-bye." I for one would love to see Charlie Sheen writing press releases for the paintball industry. That would make me sit up straight and pay attention.

In case you missed it, it seems DC Arsenal (T4's personal money pit) has not only been reconstructed but has picked up the final CPL spot from a grateful Millennium Series.

And while I don't normally do this--in other team-related news TB Damage has made it official and added Alex Delannoy to the team roster. Nicknamed (as of last weekend) "Deuce" because he's the team's second Alex, behind Spence, Alex was one of those who attended a recent by invitation only tryout. Despite being French Alex proved to be a very solid player. He has the work ethic, attitude and desire to learn and succeed. Bon chance. (By the way I expect this to improve jersey sales to France. Get 'em while they're hot.)

Anyone want in on the betting pool for the date GOG paintball files suit on a patent infringement claim? (Did you get it? No? Think about it a little longer. It will come to you.) Dollar a day, winner takes all (minus overhead and administrative costs, of course.)

On the subject of getting old farts to play competitive paintball again I'd like to announce a tiny success I had absolutely nothing to do with. Some of my old teammates are putting the old team back together to play the next CFPS event in March. A bunch of them were out practicing the layout this past weekend and had a great time. In fact, from the moment Ed first suggested it the idea seemed to capture the imaginations of most of the guys despite the fact some of them hadn't touched a marker in as many as 6 or 7 years. And they weren't put off by the ROF or an xball field even though one of the guys insisted on using his Revy--unaccustomed as he was to the new heavyweight hoppers. There is no point to this happy little anecdote other than it took one guy to step up and say, "Hey, why don't we play some paintball? We haven't played in forever and, call me crazy but it sounds like fun."
On the downside the old team isn't playing the PSP despite the new rule changes and it's very unlikely they ever will. Most have families and the responsibilities that come along with that and don't have the drive, time or commitment anymore. But who knows, having gotten a fresh taste of the paintball drug they just may prove to be semi-regulars on the local scene again.

Speaking of the PSP it looks like the most official attendance numbers for Galveston will be 124, which is a 15 team improvement over last year's Phoenix season opening event. 124 is a very positive number given the number range the PSP was considering in their worst case scenario projections. It's important now to solidify a good start and build on it by getting everything in order (and the information out to the playing public) on the next event. The lack of continuity and sense that the near term future isn't settled is, in a word, unsettling.

NPPL 3.0 also has 124 teams registered for HB with plenty of time left for additional teams to get on board. While it isn't clear how many of the registered teams are paid the registrations alone indicate at least as much interest as last year. I am curious though as to how teams are responding to the new Stay, Play & Save policy and whether or not the league will really enforce the policy id or when push comes to shove. Regardless the Blast on the Beach appears to be on schedule and on target to help launch the 2011 NPPL season.

Oh, here's another one; Charlie-ism that is: "The only thing I'm addicted to right now is winning." Call me crazy but at least in the world of competitive paintball you could do a lot worse.

Paintball Stuff

I'm dodging a mailbag question I agreed to answer. Nothing outrageous or scandalous--I'd never agree to answer any of those--but it's gonna be a bit of work so why do today what I can put off until the weekend? Today you get a stream-of-consciousness response to various items of paintball news from the last few days. And if you find it all rather dull, join the club.

A marriage made in heaven--or was that hell?--redux. I apologise in advance for finding the news that Valken will be distributing Bob Long guns--again--rather amusing. Given that they've been there done that before and it worked so well they ended up in court suing each other what could possibly go wrong?

Then there's the latest scheme from Empire tying the Axe marker to potentially valuable paint savings in order to make a big splash in 2011 at the major league tourney level throughout the divisions. I don't know whose brainchild that was but it's looking like a winner and a number of the related emails I've seen have Johnny Posterivo's signature on them. Is it wrong of me to feel a little nostalgia for the old days, ugly and unproductive as they often were, when PBIndustry was a bunch of big fish in a small pond and every day was a food fight in the cafeteria? Johnny versus Gino in the squared circle. Family feud. Valken versus Kee. Let's get it on!

Speaking of the Axe dealio there's a bigger picture here, it seems to me. Given the price point and the general lack of flash if Empire can make the Axe both a general sales success and create a "cool" factor around its performance in 2011--putting the Axe in the dialogue--of must have markers it would be a real marketing coup. And could conceivably seriously erode the high priced end of the market. Peak popularity is fickle and if the time is right for the next "it" gun and it turns out to be the Axe ... all bets are off.

Then there's the new pro format announced recently by the NPPL. It's Race 2-2, more or less. And I don't think I like it much. Sure, one argument is that the better team(s) should win through more consistently and that the occasional flukey loss or poor referee's decision won't determine the final result--and I concede the point. And it's a good one. What kinda rubs me the wrong way is the sense that teams won't get to play against as many different teams in the new format as the old--and that's particularly true if you don't make it out of the first bracket--but in crunching a few numbers the teams that make the semi-finals will end up playing anywhere from 7 - 9 different teams during the event. The old way the max is 11 different teams with everybody playing at least 7 different teams. With the new formula 8 teams will only play 3 other teams. Perhaps it's viewed as potentially better TV. More pressingly I'd like to know how the initial seeding will be done and the reseed into the second round. And the scoring. And maybe even the new rules ...

I'm also still wondering about Facefull's future--and I'm still not seeing it. This isn't a covert rumor or anything of the sort. I just haven't seen a new mag in months, the website is collecting cobwebs and the lights were turned off a while ago at Facefull Online as the most recent mags available are over a year old. And I can't remember the last time I was able to pick one up at an event. (Yes, I'm a cheap bastard and part of the problem. It's that cursed pro sense of entitlement.) Somehow it seems inevitable--which is a shame. Perhaps the current plan is to keep the magazine alive by not actually printing any new editions.

In closing I'd like to welcome Robbo (of all things paintball fame) to the cyberpages of X3. Pete brings a unique perspective and I'm looking forward to his monthly contribution (in the Queen's English) and to see what our semi-literate hordes of punks and thugs make of his special brand of English abuse. Perhaps a small wager on the first appearance of "rocking horse poo" in his column is in order? (March) Almost like the good old days.

Lane's Letter to Whom It May Concern

Regarding the changes to be made in the PSP for 2011. (Btw, title is link to Lane's statement.) I'm not sure there's much more to be said--but when has that ever stopped me before? Regarding Lane's statement I wouldn't have expected anything less. It's a clear, reasonably concise, logically ordered combination of explanation and intent that tells anyone who is willing to listen why Lane has made the decisions he has made. And given that I have the advantage of knowing Lane fairly well I have no doubt at all that his statement is also both sincere and honestly what he believes to be in the best interest of the PSP and the teams and players who want to be able to compete nationally.
Of course I've been convinced of all those things all along. And I hope all the fence sitters will give the changes a try and see what they think after playing with the changes.
Does any of that mean I'm going all wobbly? Not so much. I remain concerned that some of the changes won't achieve their intended goals. That doesn't make me anti-PSP. Just the opposite in fact. Look, however all this shakes out you'll find me at the first event of the season doing what I've been doing since 2003.

Miscellaneous Paintball Ramblings

Big news from PALS (that doesn't include an end run around the existing league.) Our friends at Villian Paintball reported recently there will be a PALS event in China next year. The report includes a statement from the PALS peeps. This is a big deal as it's a hopeful sign that China may be receptive to paintball as it could provide a huge new market.

Latest word on KEE move to Arkansas is that Chicago area offices are most likely to be moved to Arkansas when the leases are up soon. That may mean corporate HQ will stay in New Jersey. At least more than a few current employees and New Jerseyites who are hopeful that's what it means.

The kids at ProPaintball posted a guest post from regular VFTD commenter "be smart" regarding the potential for serious heat-related issues at the MAO--after the PSP issued a warning of the possible dangers--suggesting that going one step further and modifying the schedules might be worth doing so that everyone (more or less) gets some respite from the projected heat. Which is all well and good. I don't expect the league to shuffle the schedules at this point and that's fine too. The part I didn't understand was all the animosity reflected in the comments. Heat and hydration issues have come up before and will come up again. What the hell is the matter with some people? And, no, I'm not going soft in my old age. It just strikes me as a bout the dumbest possible stand to take; screw you, drink water and anyway, heat stroke ain't so bad. Really?

Last but definitely not least there has been talk floating around the paintballosphere about a new, virtually unknown, paintball company for some time now. It's rumored to be a paintball manufacturing company. I first caught wind of it some weeks ago but have been sitting on it hoping to get some real meaty details. In the last week or so it seems the word has gotten out but so far the meaty details remain a secret--or so it would seem--as it appears that nobody knows much at this point. If you like enigmas wrapped in mystery and surrounded by secrecy this the conspiracy for you. More when I can confirm it.

If I'm back from Chicago it must be Tuesday

First, apologies for the long, empty weekend. The wireless at the Fairfield Inn was mostly connection-less as well. And our scheduled return last night resulted in missed flights due to a combination of bad weather and on field success--so I'm not complaining, just explaining. Over the next couple of days VFTD will be catching up on the regular stuff & I'll do one or two posts on the NPPL Chicago event in combo with Living Legends (of which more than a few were in evidence. Living legends that is.)
Second, I'd like to thank Rodney, the Entourage kids and their entourage for their generosity and kind words last night after the event at the restaurant and hotel. And for keeping some of my boys company while they all took turns making nuisances of themselves and generally having a good time. And here's hoping that little video starring J-Rab finds a spot on the internet.
More soon.

Inside VFTD

All is chaos. Sorta. More or less. Today it's more. I wanted this week to be a break from the serious biz of paintball and that got derailed almost immediately with the sudden canning of Eurick at KEE on Monday and it's all gone downhill from there. I know, I didn't have to do a Suicide Watch either but stuff happened--and keeps on happening--that's hard (for me) to ignore.

I'm waiting on a few pro*files but it would seem that, like the rest of you, the typical pro is a lazy slacker too. I can't post what I ain't got. While I'm at it let me, one more time, encourage y'all (pro players) to drop me a line and get involved. It isn't hard--look at some of the guys who have already done it--and while it may seem like you're crassly self-promoting, so what?--peeps are interested. Trust me. The Pro*files are popular and you can always say you were just helping me out.

I'm also waiting out technical difficulties to get the latest installment of Ask of Coach produced. Server issues this time supposedly, all that means is (again) I got nothing. Except a list of post subjects I'm interested in, most of which are fairly serious and all of which require some thought and effort. Two things I wanted to avoid this week.

There's also a new (big) interview in the works with a uniquely placed individual who covers the gamut of big time competitive paintball. Feel free to guess who it is but I ain't gonna tell you. It's gonna be a surprise.

I was also considering doing the third annual VFTD awards (for the first time) by asking you lot to contribute categories and nominees but I can see that getting out of hand very quickly and you'd be surprised what a poor sense of humor some of the folks involved in paintball have. However, if any of you want to contribute ideas, categories and/or nominees I'm willing to see how it goes. (Winners could receive the golden pod. "And the Poddy goes to..." A universally recognized symbol of excellence and achievement in a category yet to be determined.)

Spamalot?

Not really. Just once in a while. Innocently even, as it happens. But regardless--

It seems I have--once again*--fallen foul of the watchful guardians of PBN in my latest effort at self-promotion. (Rats, foiled again.) I posted a reminder in each of the pro forums (mostly) encouraging them to take advantage of the Pro*files opportunity and that, unlike the magazines of the past, I wasn't going to seek them out--I was just making the opportunity to participate available to anyone or team who wanted to get involved.

This was deemed to be spam and removed, except for the first of the posts. So Aftermath has the original post still up in their forum but I'm not stalking them. Honest. (Btw, how's that gonna work now that Aftermath is officially not a pro team anymore?) And about the spam business--I'm sure by PBN's definition is was spam--but it was also an effort to inform and provide an opportunity to the pro players and teams--not PBN. So there you have it, I'm a (dirty, rotten) spammer.

And, big picture, without rules everything descends into chaos and anarchy and we can't have that, now can we? So for those inclined to think PBN autocratic or just plain silly, remember, they are our first line of defense against the collapse of civilization.

* I was banned once for quoting a mod

In other VFTD "news" I expect to get around to the new classification system and some other PSP related items this coming week along with a new playing the game feature--I'm thinking maybe something about playing the snake.

Tired of the same old energy drinks?

Had enough Monster to last you a lifetime? Bawls give you a little tingle you won't admit to? All partied like a Rockstar out? Then maybe it's time to release your inner dork--he's not all that inner anyway, is he?--and start drinking the unique Dungeons & Dragons brew from Jones.

With fantastic flavors like Illithid Brain Juice and Bigby's Crushing Thirst Destroyer fatigue doesn't stand a chance. As a pure cane soda it delivers that instant sugar high your lack of physical fitness demands and better still it guarantees that hypoglycemic crash later on. And for those teams and players desperately seeking specialness you can custom order your own private label; like Team Space Squids, complete with custom art.

VFTD--helping ballers spend their paintball cash wisely since 2008.

Facebook, My Space, Yada Yada Yada

Mick over at T-Square reminds me--with his post today--that I meant to address this a while ago and it got lost in the daily grind--as many things seem to do.

Once upon a time I set-up a Facebook account intending it for an unrelated to paintball use that never materialized and as a consequence I forgot about it. Except when I periodically get emails about somebody or other who wants to be my friend. These queries tend to be about 95% paintball related. Which I, in response, have tended to promptly ignore because most of the time I've no idea who the person is and/or they are fronting some paintball biz that's just gonna spam me. Well, for whatever reason I received a spate of these requests for friendship recently and as I recognized a name or two figured I'd accept and see what happened. What happened was a whole other load of friend requests from friends of friends clogging up my email. As a consequence I've mostly decided it's an insidious plot to inundate me with largely anonymous cyber-buddies ... and I ain't having any.

I'm reasonably sure there is no My Space account and I'm positive I'd rather be dipped in honey and staked out over a fire ant hill than Twitter. It is conceivable I might do something with VFTD in one of those sorts of forums in the future but unlikely. So please, if you've tried unsuccessfully to befriend me don't take it personally if I didn't respond and in the rare instances where I did please don't expect me to try and keep up or respond through that forum 'cus it probably ain't gonna happen.

I do however answer all my VFTD email and don't mind in the least being contacted directly.

FYI

Posting for the rest of the week and thru the weekend will be whatever, whenever. I'm off to the West Coast Open tomorrow. I'll do what I can but it probably would be a good idea if you lowered your expectations.

Taking a Silly Day

I've decided to take a silly day. There will be no serious posting today. No deep discussions of the problems currently facing Paintball. No Chicken Little Apochalypso--unless we can come up with a catchy tune and turn it into a dance routine. But fear not, it won't be a totally lost posting opportunity. I will be posting the July episode of 'Ask the Coach' sometime today. It's episode #4, The Excuse.
Besides that I want to tell you a silly story today and encourage you to post up silly stories of your own. It's foolish, it's pointless, and with any luck it may even be childish and immature. So relax. Paintball isn't going anywhere (today) and it's time for a bit of fun.

Banned By PBN
(I originally posted this item on P8ntballer (years ago) and happened to run across it again today and found it--and the upshot--hilarious all over again. Though it probably won't endear VFTD to our pals at the Nation, that's okay. Humor impairment is never pretty so try not to stare.)

I thought some of you might find this story amusing and a left-handed blow for justice so--We have a team forum at PBN. It was thought to be a good way to have regular contact with fans, etc. As it has turned out only about three of us post(ed) with any regularity. One of our guys routinely posts "advice" and the swear filter does double duty on occasion. One might have thought that was the filter's purpose yet the poster was warned by a Mod to quit trying to get around the filter. Well, looking at the posts it's plain our guy wasn't trying to get around the filter so much as he was trying to be his own filter. Anyway--in the process--the Mod in question posts a list of all the words PBN filters but the Mod wrote them out in such a way the filter didn't filter them and they were all perfectly legible. At this point I quoted the Mod's list (using the quote function) and noted the irony of threatening our guy about abusing the filter while at the same time doing exactly what our guy was being warned about but wasn't doing intentionally. (It should be noted that at no time did my posts require the filter nor did I post anything attempting to bypass the filter--I only quoted the Mod's list as he wrote it. Oh, and I gave the Mod a bit of a hard time for, A) doing exactly what he warned our guy not to do, and B) for otherwise having such poor judgment as to post elsewhere in the forums the intimate details of a sexual encounter--which apparently isn't against the rules at PBN, and finally, C) for then currying favor with the player he was threatening to ban.) The thread should still be there [it's long gone to the Evidence Archives--which is pretty funny all on its own] to see unless it was deleted but at the moment I don't know, you see, I've been banned. The reason given: purposefully attempting to bypass the filter.
So for all of you who would have liked to get even with the Mods one time or another I thought you'd like to know I've gotten a dose of what you must deal with daily.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. This is where it gets good. After a number of failed attempts to reason with the PBN mods the team took another tack. Instead of taking our punishment like good little boys and promising not to do it ever again our fearless leader refused to knuckle under. (You know how those pro guys are, they're complete jerks.)

He started a thread by laying out a hypothetical situation where it might be possible to unleash all manner of chaos and mayhem on the forums without using any bannable language whatsoever. He then, thinking out loud, offered up how that might work. If, for example, someone had influence over a significant number of members and encouraged them to prepare to violate as many forum rules as possible in obscure places throughout the forums but only upon receiving the "secret" command to do so. The sample command he used was Project Mayhem. He then proceeded to post up innocuous posts using either the word "project" or "mayhem" but never both at the same time. This resulted in a whole new wave of bannings and threats and thread removals. Which we greeted by rolling around on the floor laughing hysterically at the general hysteria on display from the PBN poohbahs.

There was also a semi-serious element to it as well. We felt it was unfair from the beginning and when called on it the mods simply made bigger jackasses of themselves (than they already appeared) and became more heavy-handed in their responses (when they weren't disavowing any responsibility whatsoever.) Which didn't sit particularly well.

And, of course, simply putting the idea of project mayhem out there served to inspire quite a few diligent fans to begin implementing it. That had the mods searching every nook and cranny of the forums looking for artifacts of Project Mayhem and handing out dozens of more bannings, mostly to new accounts set up to carry out Project Mayhem. For a while the mods were all doing double duty and so paranoid they were banning accounts and threads as fast as they could be generated out of fear of another round of Project Mayhem. The whole thing ran its course in just a few days and, of course, we "lost" but it was by far the most entertaining defeat we ever suffered.

All that remains--that I could find still available to public search--are the links below which give an outline to the events recounted above. (Just in case you want to delve a little deeper.)
Stop Closing Hollidays Threads
Words One Cannot Say on PBN
RexFockersGhost

Well, that was fun, kids. First time in years I've thought about any of that. What a hoot.

PSP Chicago Open Recap

Really just some more mostly random thoughts. If anyone has a particular question feel free to post it in comments. I'll answer any I can but the truth is at events I tend to be a bit monomaniacal and don't pay a lot of attention to most of the stuff going on that doesn't directly involve me.
First things first, congrats to the Legion, they earned it by playing some terrific and consistent paintball. Same goes to Mike and Dan and the kids from Aftermath. (That, btw, is about the limit of my good sportsmanship as I still have a sour lump in the pit of my stomach--and, no, it wasn't the cheap booze Saturday night. That was all top shelf.) (Truth is I can deal with losing but I hate underperforming particularly when the buck stops with me.)
Okay, time to drop a few names. Trev (Trevor Pearson, the stat man's stat man) I'm thinking a mullet and a bit of scruff are the real you. Pick up some Griz and you can give up that effeminate smoking habit and learn to enjoy tobacco like a real man, between your cheek and gum. It was a real pleasure to see Lucian Blackburn working with the webcast kids and I hope they bring him back for Cup. Lu is and will always be one of my favorite people in paintball. (Sorry about Saturday, Lu, but I wasn't good company.) Also good to see Big Dave Fason. And the other Big Dave (Baines). Next time, Dave, bring a tape measure. Frankly I think it's a miracle that those spindly stalks you call legs actually hold you up.
And then there's Geoff Waterman. Or I suppose I ought to say Geoff Cutlass. I hear Geoff may soon fall victim to the siren call of the San Fernando valley's major industry. Geoff has grown a mustache and lip beard (not quite big enough to be a soul patch) that would have made Freddie Mercury green with envy and would serve him quite admirably in the porn version of 'Pirates of the Caribbean.' Last time I saw him he was mumbling (over and over) "Come here, wench, my sword needs sharpening."
I never did get the scoop on the Doritos logo on the bunkers on the Pro field but I have a feeling that was done as a promotional gimmick. Which seems crazy to me given that half the paintball companies (or so it seems) are currently being sued for trademark infringements but I'm going with my gut on this one. Either that or the PSP got permission to do it--which makes a world of sense--so why do I think they didn't?
I'm also a little curious about the scheduling what with a few divisions starting on Wednesday. It seems to have been necessary to keep all the pro and semi-pro matches on the pro field but on Wednesday the semi-pro teams didn't have the pro refs. (So I'm not real sure how playing a match or two on a different field would have been a hardship much different from having to spend an extra day at the event and playing matches with a different reffing crew.) And as there were, if I recall correctly, six fields last year and fewer teams this year I wonder why the other divisions that were started early were started early. No big conspiracy theory though I'm sure I could come up with something if you'd like one. No doubt Faction will have an explanation.
And now for something completely silly. For some time now there have been very precise rules about pro jerseys and lettering and numbers. The point (and a legit one at that) is to make individuals easily identifiable to the stat crews. Chicago was supposed to be the deadline with threats and ultimatums tossed hither and yon. No doubt you can guess the result--even if you didn't see any Pro games. Most of the teams failed to comply so by golly they really better do it by Cup or else they will have some s'plaining to do.
In closing I don't really know what to say about the webcast that wasn't. I don't know what the problems were but I'm sure everyone involved in the effort did everything in their power to make it work and it's just very unfortunate that it didn't. I'm still gonna check out a number of the matches once they become available.

Trauma's Back

At least for the MAO and, hopefully, the rest of the season. I'm looking forward to seeing the kids again. Cheerwine and Carolina burgers for everyone. Or, perhaps Starbucks and Subway would be more suitable.

Housekeeping

This is not just another pitiful excuse for not posting on the Phoenix Open (which I'm about to get to.) You were warned in advance and there have been some extenuating circumstances--I got sick on Saturday. Sick and tired. Tired and sick. But that's not an excuse because I hate excuses almost as much as I despise whiners. It just is what it is and you get what you get. (Baca's Hard Truth of Life #8) And I am now feeling well enough to get back to it. I actually passed out on (into/over/onto?) the keyboard earlier this morning. Regained consciousness with a buzzing in my ears as my face was holding down about a dozen keys. I couldn't understand why my eye hurt until I realized that's where one of my fingers was. It's a funny story. I'd tell you the whole thing but there are a few pieces missing.

I'll be posting shortly on the pro prelims as promised and will add thoughts on the impact of the off season changes, the webcast and assorted odds and ends.

I will also be putting off the Enlistment announcement until this coming Friday but would like to thank Don S. and houdini as the most recent enlistees. houdini, now that you're into paintball I'm sure you will find there is no escape. And Don worked the webcast at Phoenix and has a nice piece about it over at paintballagenda. Check it out.

And, finally, I'll be attending to post comments as well. So, if I missed your latest comment I could be posting up a reply anytime. And if I don't, um--er, your comment was so terrific no further comment was necessary.

A Quick Note

I hope today's posts keep y'all busy for awhile as I'm off to Phoenix this afternoon and won't be home until Monday afternoon. I will have a computer in Phoenix but make no promises of on-site posting.

The point of the previous post isn't to pick sides and try to find ways to knock down the other guys--it's to seriously consider why things work the way they do and what changes might be made in order to perhaps build a better league(s) for everyone. In that spirit I look forward to seeing lots of comments on the AXBL vs. PSP thread.

There was no Enlistment post last week because for the first time there were no new additions to the DPA last week. I did, however, finally get Feedburner connected properly, dispelling once and for all, the unkind rumor I'm all thumbs. (And, uh, nope--that didn't make any sense at all. Even to me.)

If you can't make it to Phoenix please take some time to check out the webcast on Saturday and/or Sunday. I will be very interested in hearing how this latest version has turned out and, who knows, I might force my way into Matty's booth and demand some face time. Could happen.

Playing Down

I do not pretend to understand the hive mind of the internet paintball retard (although that comparison is probably offensive to retards) and grokking their stupidity isn't a high priority, but ...
What makes one player "playing down" a superstar of the Retard Crowd and others "playing down" objects of derision? Particularly when the RCS (retard crowd superstar) is obviously the one NOT playing for the love of the game.
I only find any of this interesting because it's plainly a phenomenon of the classification system and by extension, the whole evils of sandbagging mentality. That and as I've been doing my little bit of rabble rousing on behalf of players I think have been either unfortunately or unfairly caught up in the cogs of this machinery I occasionally wonder, why bother? It seems that the majority prefer the current heavy-handed approach that "protects" them right up until the day they become the ones being "protected" against. And some days I think they deserve what they get. The PSP is, after a fashion, trapped by a dual nature; it's both a business with a need to be responsive to its customers and a self-styled sports authority with obligations to the game. (As is every other tournament series operation to one degree or another.) And it is frequently the choices made on the business side that create problems for the sport side.

Just a few jumbled thoughts for a Monday. Nothing special. And in the for-what-it's-worth-column it is VFTD policy to avoid naming names most of the time. Even the names of worthless douche bags simply because as a general rule it isn't constructive.

Big League Ramblings

Sorry, kids. It's been a long day. Quick recap on PSP Phoenix Open where final numbers look to be 141--and today would be the plus one I added to registration. Solid numbers up 18 teams from last year. Still only three paint companies listed among the league sponsors. I wonder what impact, if any, that may have down the road if more don't sign on. I'm also wondering if the new PSP sponsorship policy and sales restrictions will potentially push the the retailers to the USPL. With money tight it may ultimately depend on how registration turns out.

Speaking of registration it's due to open next Monday for the USPL's inaugural event at HB in April. Could be there will also be a positive surprise come Monday. It's not a done deal but hopefully it will work out 'cus it will be good for competitive paintball.

Has the Millennium crew fallen and they can't get up? Are they in hiding while trying to produce a new, PSP-compatible rule book or are they concerned about the upper division spots for sale that continue to go wanting?

And I managed to squeeze one bit of info out of Mr. Curious about the whole PALM thing. Apparently part of the agenda will be meetings planned to move the UPBF to the next level.

Tomorrow--The Pro Team Crack-Up

Random Thoughts on the PSP & ROF

I'm gonna wait until the official announcements before posting anymore on the coming changes to the PSP. Once the announcement(s) are made I'll be breaking them down in detail. The good, the bad and the ugly. It won't be long now.
Okay, just this one thing first. My largest concern going in was that decisions would be made in this period of economic tightening that would, given the apparent push toward a world standard, lock us into a survival mode version of the game. I no longer have that concern as I am convinced that no decisions were made that would put the PSP and/or the MS in that position. It kinda sucks to deal with change after change but given the current situation I'll take the uncertainty as long as there remains some flexibility--and there does. It also seems there is the basis for a good foundation going forward. (Yeah, I know. What does that mean? How 'bout some specifics?) I'm not Deep Throat--just trying to be encouraging. Hey, made me feel better.

A word or two (or a hundred) about ROF. ROF is not a single or isolated issue. It impacts play of the game, player development and paint consumption. And of course the playing experience. While radical differences in ROF will have an obvious impact on paint consumption the regulating factor is duration; the amount of time playing the game, or games. (More on this another time as there are some complicating factors that make it difficult to prove one point of view over another.) When I use 'play of the game' I'm talking about skill and proficiency and in that context ROF is one of the determinative factors of skill & proficiency. The skill required to play effectively at 10 bps is less than at 15 bps. If that is correct then a regulated range of bps should lower the threshold skill demand of the competitive game on developing players. Basically it should be easier for more players to be competitive at the lower ROF. And isn't that what the lower divisions are for? Lastly there's 'player experience' which isn't so much about the competitive environment as it is the more inclusive recreational environment and the mismatched diversity of player skills and equipment. But here, just as in the competition environment, there is no excuse for a lack of regulation. Sure, ROF is a potential problem but it only goes from potential to real problem when field operators let it.

Call Me Mr. Curious

Yeah. That's right, I'm ripping off Letterman for the Mr. Curious gimmick and I'm not too proud to admit it. But he doesn't do it anymore so where's the harm? And if I hadn't told you most of you wouldn't have known--kinda like most of the tourney players out there seem oblivious to the fact that the latest incarnation of the NPPL had a grand SIX year run. OMG! What will we do? What will become of paintball?!
I'm curious about a couple of things today. I'm still clinging to the curious timing of the Pacific bankruptcy announcement--at least with respect to the Vegas meeting and the prior (and at the time ongoing) PSP/NPPL dialogue--and I'm also wondering how long it takes to actually file the necessary paperwork with the state of Cali 'cus it doesn't seem to have happened yet.
I'm also curious about the timing of the "leaked" word that some new league is in the works behind the scenes and may involve some well-known faces. I'm struggling here for the right word--but it seems almost "unprofessional." Maybe I just don't get it but at best this venture is months out and doesn't it take some of the wind out of the sails of any official future announcement? I'd want to spring this on an unsuspecting paintball world and make the biggest splash possible. Unless of course I was hoping to encourage ex-NPPL teams without a home to wait a while before deciding what to do next. Could also simply be that nobody in paintball can keep their mouth shut about anything.
And that's just the way the VFTD likes it. Here's where you jump in with the latest gossip and speculation.