If you were hoping for (or foolishly expecting) serious coverage of Day 1 of the event consider yourself disappointed 'cus it ain't happening. Contrary to popular opinion I'm actually kinda busy. It's late, I'm tired. It was a long day. Lots of sun, no rain. Fingers crossed. The forecast for the weekend threatens thunderstorms. We'll see. If you want scores visit the cool kids at Pro PB.
A lot of very competitive games on the semi-pro and pro field today. A lot of back and forth with dramatic shifts of momentum making a lot of the outcomes uncertain until late in many of the matches. If this pattern continues--and it likely will--the decisive games on Saturday should be some awesomely brutal world class paintball so don't miss the action when all ya gotta do is sit back in the comfort of your living room and watch it all on the webcast. (And, no, the PSP didn't give me a dime for that endorsement but they ought to.) I'm pushing the webcast because it's a terrific presentation that is only getting better and every webcast is another opportunity to promote the game. Our game.
I'll have a bit more time tomorrow and I'm thinking of taking some pictures of some of the kewl peeps loitering around the venue. No promises but it could happen. If there's anything you'd like to see post it up in the comments and if it isn't weird or festive (figure it out) I'll consider it.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
The USPL Shuffle
Yesterday the USPL (postponed?) rescheduled the DC Challenge. Moving it to August. They also altered the overall season schedule from a mix of national and regional (eastern and western conference events) to 4 national events. The new event 2 will be a west coast event at a to be announced location on a to be announced date. (Post title is a link to the full official statement.)
Sure. Whatever. But what does it all mean? Well, since you ask, and in the interest of keeping it real I'm gonna tell you what I think it means. Once the league committed to running a tournament series in 2009 they put in motion a series of actions that include operating expenses and some of those expenses exist whether events are run or not. That's money going out, month in, month out. HB was a swell event but it didn't make any money. At this point I'm not sure that even all the owner/teams have seen a full accounting of exactly how it turned out financially. If the originally scheduled DC Challenge had gone off at a significant loss it would have been a crucial failure for the league and put them in the position of needing a capital infusion. Even so, that day is not far off. And the next national event doesn't have a location or a date. And if the WCPPL puts on another well regarded and better attended event before that west coast USPL event they will have solidified their position and will surely have siphoned off more teams that might have been USPL teams. Lastly, the league was founded on a fantasy. The fantasy that there were (and are) triple digit 7-man teams just hanging around hoping for a national 7-man league in which they can play. Any logical assessment of the year-to-year numbers generated by past NPPLs consistently showed declining participation and if you follow that up by evaluating team numbers in the handful of regional 7-man leagues you will discover similar results. The numbers of teams just weren't (and aren't) there. The USPL could be the best league ever and if there ain't nobody to play it can't succeed.
One final thought: If the league's incorporation papers allow disparate percentages of ownership--which would allow some of the teams to put more money in for a larger piece of the pie--it might keep the league afloat awhile longer but it would also mean the league would very soon end up being another PSP.
Trust me, I'm not thrilled being Mr. Black Cloud instead of Mr. Silver Lining. And I'm always up to compete whatever the format. So go ahead and take pot shots at the messenger if you like. I understand. Sometimes it's hard always being right.
Sure. Whatever. But what does it all mean? Well, since you ask, and in the interest of keeping it real I'm gonna tell you what I think it means. Once the league committed to running a tournament series in 2009 they put in motion a series of actions that include operating expenses and some of those expenses exist whether events are run or not. That's money going out, month in, month out. HB was a swell event but it didn't make any money. At this point I'm not sure that even all the owner/teams have seen a full accounting of exactly how it turned out financially. If the originally scheduled DC Challenge had gone off at a significant loss it would have been a crucial failure for the league and put them in the position of needing a capital infusion. Even so, that day is not far off. And the next national event doesn't have a location or a date. And if the WCPPL puts on another well regarded and better attended event before that west coast USPL event they will have solidified their position and will surely have siphoned off more teams that might have been USPL teams. Lastly, the league was founded on a fantasy. The fantasy that there were (and are) triple digit 7-man teams just hanging around hoping for a national 7-man league in which they can play. Any logical assessment of the year-to-year numbers generated by past NPPLs consistently showed declining participation and if you follow that up by evaluating team numbers in the handful of regional 7-man leagues you will discover similar results. The numbers of teams just weren't (and aren't) there. The USPL could be the best league ever and if there ain't nobody to play it can't succeed.
One final thought: If the league's incorporation papers allow disparate percentages of ownership--which would allow some of the teams to put more money in for a larger piece of the pie--it might keep the league afloat awhile longer but it would also mean the league would very soon end up being another PSP.
Trust me, I'm not thrilled being Mr. Black Cloud instead of Mr. Silver Lining. And I'm always up to compete whatever the format. So go ahead and take pot shots at the messenger if you like. I understand. Sometimes it's hard always being right.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Paintball Sucks!
Before this goes any further, or anywhere at all really, I'd like to make it clear I don't have an ax to grind on this issue. Or even a paring knife that needs sharpening. And I have every intention of opening myself up to charges of hypocrisy as soon as I get around to it--which could be any day now excepting, of course, that like you, I am a lazy slacker.
Hang on, I've missed something. Oh yeah, it would probably be a good idea if I explained what this issue is, otherwise all my non-ax grinding clarity will go to waste. The cause du jour is the recent practice of paintball companies "sponsoring" media peeps. And if you are inclined to favoring consistency of thought and deed the same concerns apply to virtually all traditional paintball media. (Some relatively recent changes in our internet universe have altered the basic equation a bit--more on that part a little later.)
My issue with this may surprise you. I'm all for anybody involved in paintball coming out ahead on the deal. And I have no problem with PBIndustry making every effort to promote their products within the limitations of the law. (To be totally honest I'm not really all that worked up about the law biz either unless consumers are being blatantly ripped off. Hey, what can I say? I'm a laissez faire kinda guy.) I'm also okay with sponsorship (generally) though we're getting closer to my concern. Part of my concern is some of these media peeps run the serious risk of compromising themselves and/or simply becoming shills for their sponsors when they accept money and/or product with the expectation they will look favorably on the sponsor/advertiser. Now I'm not particularly concerned about any individual media type as I am with the wider potential impact on paintball and the ongoing discourse about paintball. You see, if what passes for paintball media undermines its own integrity in the eyes of its audience everybody loses. The media types lose. The audience loses. Paintball loses and even PBIndustry loses because everything is perceived through the skeptical/cynical lens of how are these guys trying to manipulate me today.
Of course this isn't a new problem. It's mostly more of the same old problem that has afflicted Paintball and others as long as there has been an unequal media/industry relationship. Take for example one of my favorites; car magazines. I've been reading them forever and for as long as I've been reading them there are regular comments to the editor(s) questioning a magazine's integrity with regards to one review or another or their treatment of one brand compared to another and the magazines have been open to that perception because the bulk of their advertising support comes from car makers. Same with paintball and it's a legit concern because it's largely unavoidable. Realistically, the best a news or magazine type format can do is offer their product, acknowledge the issue and leave it to their consumers to decide how honestly they are doing their job. Some consumers don't care. Others aren't perhaps particularly savvy to how some of this stuff works--like kids--and others, like me, tend to survey everything with a jaundiced eye while the truth probably resides somewhere in between. Today, though, things are changing with most of paintball media being virtual mags and online media of all sorts. And I'm specifically pointing out the personality driven paintball media because that is where VFTD lives.
I am convinced that a dynamic and diverse paintball-centric media is a key ingredient to paintball's future success. A suspect media cannot succeed because it can't broker open and honest discourse. Neither can a co-opted media. That is why this issue concerns me. Further it strikes me as dishonest not to address the issue when you--okay, not you, I, fully intend to get mixed up in it. (As I said, I'm not too worked up over what anyone else chooses to do, only what the cumulative impact might be.) At some point in the hopefully not too distant future I will be looking to develop an advertising model to help support this site but at the same time I will not let that alter what is posted here and I don't want it to alter how you perceive what is posted here. At any rate, now you know.
One last thing--If you didn't enjoy Ask the Coach, tough. I laughed myself silly and you can count on seeing more episodes in the future.
Hang on, I've missed something. Oh yeah, it would probably be a good idea if I explained what this issue is, otherwise all my non-ax grinding clarity will go to waste. The cause du jour is the recent practice of paintball companies "sponsoring" media peeps. And if you are inclined to favoring consistency of thought and deed the same concerns apply to virtually all traditional paintball media. (Some relatively recent changes in our internet universe have altered the basic equation a bit--more on that part a little later.)
My issue with this may surprise you. I'm all for anybody involved in paintball coming out ahead on the deal. And I have no problem with PBIndustry making every effort to promote their products within the limitations of the law. (To be totally honest I'm not really all that worked up about the law biz either unless consumers are being blatantly ripped off. Hey, what can I say? I'm a laissez faire kinda guy.) I'm also okay with sponsorship (generally) though we're getting closer to my concern. Part of my concern is some of these media peeps run the serious risk of compromising themselves and/or simply becoming shills for their sponsors when they accept money and/or product with the expectation they will look favorably on the sponsor/advertiser. Now I'm not particularly concerned about any individual media type as I am with the wider potential impact on paintball and the ongoing discourse about paintball. You see, if what passes for paintball media undermines its own integrity in the eyes of its audience everybody loses. The media types lose. The audience loses. Paintball loses and even PBIndustry loses because everything is perceived through the skeptical/cynical lens of how are these guys trying to manipulate me today.
Of course this isn't a new problem. It's mostly more of the same old problem that has afflicted Paintball and others as long as there has been an unequal media/industry relationship. Take for example one of my favorites; car magazines. I've been reading them forever and for as long as I've been reading them there are regular comments to the editor(s) questioning a magazine's integrity with regards to one review or another or their treatment of one brand compared to another and the magazines have been open to that perception because the bulk of their advertising support comes from car makers. Same with paintball and it's a legit concern because it's largely unavoidable. Realistically, the best a news or magazine type format can do is offer their product, acknowledge the issue and leave it to their consumers to decide how honestly they are doing their job. Some consumers don't care. Others aren't perhaps particularly savvy to how some of this stuff works--like kids--and others, like me, tend to survey everything with a jaundiced eye while the truth probably resides somewhere in between. Today, though, things are changing with most of paintball media being virtual mags and online media of all sorts. And I'm specifically pointing out the personality driven paintball media because that is where VFTD lives.
I am convinced that a dynamic and diverse paintball-centric media is a key ingredient to paintball's future success. A suspect media cannot succeed because it can't broker open and honest discourse. Neither can a co-opted media. That is why this issue concerns me. Further it strikes me as dishonest not to address the issue when you--okay, not you, I, fully intend to get mixed up in it. (As I said, I'm not too worked up over what anyone else chooses to do, only what the cumulative impact might be.) At some point in the hopefully not too distant future I will be looking to develop an advertising model to help support this site but at the same time I will not let that alter what is posted here and I don't want it to alter how you perceive what is posted here. At any rate, now you know.
One last thing--If you didn't enjoy Ask the Coach, tough. I laughed myself silly and you can count on seeing more episodes in the future.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Major League Paintball Held Hostage: Weekly Update
Looks like the official number for the PSP's MAO event is 142. That is within a couple of the Phoenix Open numbers and while I haven't looked at the year-to-year numbers my impression is that's got to be counted as a good turnout, perhaps even very good. The recent addition of promotional video shorts is a terrific idea and a lot of fun. Now all they need to do is have some pre-Chicago ones ready to go earlier in the registration process to get peeps talking and excited.
Even with the solid participation the PSP's seasonal success or failure will likely come down to World Cup because of the limited sponsor/vendor participation and because of the free webcast. The webcast production and free availability comes at a significant cost to the league so at a minimum, if you can't be at the MAO, be sure to sign up for the webcast and watch. It is a simple, easy and painless way you can contribute to the success of the league.
The USPL's DC Challenge needs you. Little more than a couple of weeks until close of registration with the event scheduled for the weekend of May 15 - 17. The fledgling league's first Eastern conference regional currently has only 35 teams registered including the 8 pro teams with only 12 paid (also including those 8 pro teams.) I've said it before and I'll say it again--if you want the 7-man format to survive and continue to be recognized as a viable standard of national and international competition you need to support the USPL events in any way you can. If nothing else look at the prizes available. Seldom if ever will there be a better opportunity to score big and play paintball.
The MS has posted a statement on their home page regarding the Malaga non-event. Frankly given the Series past record and performance I am disinclined to give them the benefit of the doubt but you may be of a more generous nature. There is no doubt the weather was unseasonably harsh and the league can't be held accountable for that but the question remains did league actions or non-actions contribute to the chaos? Reasonable peeps can disagree and apparently they do as there are lots of conflicting views and opinions making the rounds from people who were there. Some were satisfied, many were not. If you would like to check out a slice of opinion for yourself go here.
The D2 and M5 (D3) portion of the event was completed on Sunday--though nowhere on the MS website will you get even a hint of what happened. Results are available at pblivescores.com.
Rumor has it extra fields will be set-up at Bitburg (Germany) with the Malaga layout to finish the event on that Friday in Germany while simultaneously beginning the preliminary rounds of the Bitburg event. Or something like that. However in order to do a proper draw for the locked divisions they will need Malaga results--which they won't have until relatively late on Friday. Perhaps the MS can resolve this conundrum by scheduling only D2 and M5 prelims on Friday? Anyway, the fallout continues but those most affected, the locked divisions, are locked in so what are they going to do? What they've always done; nothing.
The Grand Tour is the current incarnation, more of less, of the old Centurio Circuit combined with the European Central Series. The Grand Tour has divided events among 3 conferences with the upcoming Warsaw event being the first event for the Central Conference. The event is being held the same weekend as the USPL's DC Challenge; May 16-17. To date 36 teams have registered including some MS CPL teams and the Russian Legion to compete in the Pro division. I am told the number of registered teams is low (even very low) compared to past turnouts although I'm wondering if the new 3 conference configuration has altered the prospects for some of the events. As always if you have some info please post it up in comments. Thanks.
Even with the solid participation the PSP's seasonal success or failure will likely come down to World Cup because of the limited sponsor/vendor participation and because of the free webcast. The webcast production and free availability comes at a significant cost to the league so at a minimum, if you can't be at the MAO, be sure to sign up for the webcast and watch. It is a simple, easy and painless way you can contribute to the success of the league.
The USPL's DC Challenge needs you. Little more than a couple of weeks until close of registration with the event scheduled for the weekend of May 15 - 17. The fledgling league's first Eastern conference regional currently has only 35 teams registered including the 8 pro teams with only 12 paid (also including those 8 pro teams.) I've said it before and I'll say it again--if you want the 7-man format to survive and continue to be recognized as a viable standard of national and international competition you need to support the USPL events in any way you can. If nothing else look at the prizes available. Seldom if ever will there be a better opportunity to score big and play paintball.
The MS has posted a statement on their home page regarding the Malaga non-event. Frankly given the Series past record and performance I am disinclined to give them the benefit of the doubt but you may be of a more generous nature. There is no doubt the weather was unseasonably harsh and the league can't be held accountable for that but the question remains did league actions or non-actions contribute to the chaos? Reasonable peeps can disagree and apparently they do as there are lots of conflicting views and opinions making the rounds from people who were there. Some were satisfied, many were not. If you would like to check out a slice of opinion for yourself go here.
The D2 and M5 (D3) portion of the event was completed on Sunday--though nowhere on the MS website will you get even a hint of what happened. Results are available at pblivescores.com.
Rumor has it extra fields will be set-up at Bitburg (Germany) with the Malaga layout to finish the event on that Friday in Germany while simultaneously beginning the preliminary rounds of the Bitburg event. Or something like that. However in order to do a proper draw for the locked divisions they will need Malaga results--which they won't have until relatively late on Friday. Perhaps the MS can resolve this conundrum by scheduling only D2 and M5 prelims on Friday? Anyway, the fallout continues but those most affected, the locked divisions, are locked in so what are they going to do? What they've always done; nothing.
The Grand Tour is the current incarnation, more of less, of the old Centurio Circuit combined with the European Central Series. The Grand Tour has divided events among 3 conferences with the upcoming Warsaw event being the first event for the Central Conference. The event is being held the same weekend as the USPL's DC Challenge; May 16-17. To date 36 teams have registered including some MS CPL teams and the Russian Legion to compete in the Pro division. I am told the number of registered teams is low (even very low) compared to past turnouts although I'm wondering if the new 3 conference configuration has altered the prospects for some of the events. As always if you have some info please post it up in comments. Thanks.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Paintball Preview
It's Monday. This week's post is up at Baca's Blog over at the Big Bullet. It's called, 'Los Pistoleros' and is about the utility (and future) of pistols in paintball. I don't really know (but mostly don't see it) so I'm asking what y'all think. If you've got an opinion get over there and express yourself.
Tomorrow's MLP weekly update will preview the PSP's MAO and take a look back at this past weekend's MS event in Malaga. We'll also check in on the USPL regional DC Challenge and if I get a chance the Grand Tour Warsaw event coming up.
The promised posts from last week that didn't get posted yet may or may not see publication this week. I leave Wednesday for Carolina and I gots stuff to do so I'll do what I can. I will post from the event and I'm toying with the notion of taking a few pictures with the idea of uploading some of those if I like what I see.
Tomorrow's MLP weekly update will preview the PSP's MAO and take a look back at this past weekend's MS event in Malaga. We'll also check in on the USPL regional DC Challenge and if I get a chance the Grand Tour Warsaw event coming up.
The promised posts from last week that didn't get posted yet may or may not see publication this week. I leave Wednesday for Carolina and I gots stuff to do so I'll do what I can. I will post from the event and I'm toying with the notion of taking a few pictures with the idea of uploading some of those if I like what I see.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Ask the Coach
Episode 1--The Hard Edge
Submit your questions for the next episode of Ask the Coach, Maggot.
UPDATE: video storage site down April 27th for maintenance but video piece still available using Firefox browser.
LATEST UPDATE of the UPDATE: It's bbbbbaaaaccccckkkkkk!!!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Major League Paintball Held Hostage: Alert
Whoa! Big trouble in Malaga for the MS. Apparently play was canceled during the day Saturday due to high winds and weather conditions. MS statement says D2 & 3 will complete games tomorrow and the CPL will complete their PRELIMINARY games on Sunday. All other games, including SPL and D1 (and apparently the CPL semis and finals) will carry over to Bitburg and event 2.
No explanation on how that will work was given. And it seems no confirmed alternate schedule will be available to the teams still playing until 8 am Sunday morning. Tentatively Sunday games are now expected to run as late as 9 pm which will likely disrupt a lot of return travel arrangements as well.
Lots of Eurokids gots nothing to do tonight so if you have more info please post it up in comments. Lazy slackers
UPDATE: Seems games were canceled today due to rain. Far as I can tell neither of the unlocked divisions, D2 and M5, completed the event. If correct it moves Malaga from a difficult and unhappy result to a complete bust that if handled poorly by the MS will effect the rest of the season--any perhaps beyond.
While I don't have sufficient confirmed information to pass judgment where's the fun in that? It sounds like the traditional field set-ups handled the wind issues of yesterday okay and that the new inflatable? fields (you can see them in pre-event photos) were the problem. Did the new fields get tested in advance? Does the wind not normally blow on the coast of Spain? The MS can't be held responsible for the rain today but the rain has only added to the chaos caused yesterday.
Here's a prediction too: whatever happens (or doesn't happen) the Millennium's historically poor communication skills will make it worse.
No explanation on how that will work was given. And it seems no confirmed alternate schedule will be available to the teams still playing until 8 am Sunday morning. Tentatively Sunday games are now expected to run as late as 9 pm which will likely disrupt a lot of return travel arrangements as well.
Lots of Eurokids gots nothing to do tonight so if you have more info please post it up in comments. Lazy slackers
UPDATE: Seems games were canceled today due to rain. Far as I can tell neither of the unlocked divisions, D2 and M5, completed the event. If correct it moves Malaga from a difficult and unhappy result to a complete bust that if handled poorly by the MS will effect the rest of the season--any perhaps beyond.
While I don't have sufficient confirmed information to pass judgment where's the fun in that? It sounds like the traditional field set-ups handled the wind issues of yesterday okay and that the new inflatable? fields (you can see them in pre-event photos) were the problem. Did the new fields get tested in advance? Does the wind not normally blow on the coast of Spain? The MS can't be held responsible for the rain today but the rain has only added to the chaos caused yesterday.
Here's a prediction too: whatever happens (or doesn't happen) the Millennium's historically poor communication skills will make it worse.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Enlistments for the Week
It's Friday and that means VFTD takes a moment to announce the latest batch of recruits for the Deadbox Puppet Army. (What is the DPA?) This week the girls are in charge. In their honor ladies drink for free from happy hour until close of business. Don't be strangers. If you have paintball story to tell I want to hear it.
Leading the charge and coming straight from the mean streets of Harlem is that quivering mound of chocolate love and bad attitude, Missy Q. Who loves ya, baby?
And Angel Bear who is passionate about paintball adds to the growing Malaysian battalion of the DPA.
Welcome and thanks for your support. Remember to--Stay thirsty my friends
Leading the charge and coming straight from the mean streets of Harlem is that quivering mound of chocolate love and bad attitude, Missy Q. Who loves ya, baby?
And Angel Bear who is passionate about paintball adds to the growing Malaysian battalion of the DPA.
Welcome and thanks for your support. Remember to--Stay thirsty my friends
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Xball: Laning Off The Break
This is the first of the Xball How-To posts so we'll see how it goes. Laning off the break is one of the core fundamentals of xball. Despite that factoid most of you suck at it. (You do, so don't bother to make excuses and please don't try to tell me you're really good but 10.5 bps is just too hard because I know suck when I see it. And you suck.) If there was only one thing you and your team could do to improve learning to lane would be number one on the list because of the potential to take control of a point in the first five seconds with effective laning.
What's even more amazing about the magnitude of your suckitude is that it ain't that hard to learn how to do both right and well. But it does take a lot of practice. This time we're gonna focus on three basic concepts and I will give you a drill or two for each concept. After that you're on your own because I ain't gonna hold your hand or pat you on the head and tell you what a swell job you did.
The concepts are; first ball, fast ball and team ball. These form the foundation of your future ability to successfully lane off the break. There's more but this will keep you busy for a while if you take it seriously.
First ball means that when you come off the net at the sound of the horn you have a specific lane to shoot and the goal is to put the first ball out of your barrel right where you want every other ball out of your gun to go. Too many laners are really hosers--just spraying their paint and aiming as they watch the stream--and that's just pitiful and an embarrassment to the game. The drill is to begin each rep in the pre-horn position and swing the gun into position as if it's the start of point every time you do the drill. Once in position you pull the trigger once. Watch the ball. If your lane is off adjust it and fire again, one time. Once your gun is in the proper position to put paint along your chosen lane take note of your posture, the elevation of the barrel, etc. Then do it again and again until you can duplicate each and every time firing a single paintball.
Fast ball means the quicker your gun is in firing position the sooner the first ball will arrive on target and the more laning options you will have. Too slow to get the up and firing means your only real shot at an effective lane is to shoot wide. There are two elements to fast ball shooting; looking down your lane and moving the gun barrel vertically and not laterally. Fast ball uses the same basic drill as first ball but incorporates the new element of speed. (You must do first ball drilling first as well.) From the pre-horn position you must be looking where you want your lane to go and my preference is for the gun to be down and back (this means the hopper is almost upside down) so that on the horn the barrel is swept up in a vertical motion. Done this way the gun moves on only a single axis, making it faster and more accurate as the barrel sweeps up almost automatically to where your eyes are already looking. (The downside is it often seems a bit awkward to players used to sweeping their guns up and across.)
While the first two elements can be practiced individually team ball requires a team. The object here is to go through the breakout motions of coming off the net at the sound of the horn and accomplishing your first ball and fast ball technique so as not to interfere with a teammate or be interfered with. It is also worthwhile to extend the drill to include laning positions for when there are two or more players at home immediately off the break.
Those are the rudiments for learning how to be a killer off the break. We'll take the next steps next time.
What's even more amazing about the magnitude of your suckitude is that it ain't that hard to learn how to do both right and well. But it does take a lot of practice. This time we're gonna focus on three basic concepts and I will give you a drill or two for each concept. After that you're on your own because I ain't gonna hold your hand or pat you on the head and tell you what a swell job you did.
The concepts are; first ball, fast ball and team ball. These form the foundation of your future ability to successfully lane off the break. There's more but this will keep you busy for a while if you take it seriously.
First ball means that when you come off the net at the sound of the horn you have a specific lane to shoot and the goal is to put the first ball out of your barrel right where you want every other ball out of your gun to go. Too many laners are really hosers--just spraying their paint and aiming as they watch the stream--and that's just pitiful and an embarrassment to the game. The drill is to begin each rep in the pre-horn position and swing the gun into position as if it's the start of point every time you do the drill. Once in position you pull the trigger once. Watch the ball. If your lane is off adjust it and fire again, one time. Once your gun is in the proper position to put paint along your chosen lane take note of your posture, the elevation of the barrel, etc. Then do it again and again until you can duplicate each and every time firing a single paintball.
Fast ball means the quicker your gun is in firing position the sooner the first ball will arrive on target and the more laning options you will have. Too slow to get the up and firing means your only real shot at an effective lane is to shoot wide. There are two elements to fast ball shooting; looking down your lane and moving the gun barrel vertically and not laterally. Fast ball uses the same basic drill as first ball but incorporates the new element of speed. (You must do first ball drilling first as well.) From the pre-horn position you must be looking where you want your lane to go and my preference is for the gun to be down and back (this means the hopper is almost upside down) so that on the horn the barrel is swept up in a vertical motion. Done this way the gun moves on only a single axis, making it faster and more accurate as the barrel sweeps up almost automatically to where your eyes are already looking. (The downside is it often seems a bit awkward to players used to sweeping their guns up and across.)
While the first two elements can be practiced individually team ball requires a team. The object here is to go through the breakout motions of coming off the net at the sound of the horn and accomplishing your first ball and fast ball technique so as not to interfere with a teammate or be interfered with. It is also worthwhile to extend the drill to include laning positions for when there are two or more players at home immediately off the break.
Those are the rudiments for learning how to be a killer off the break. We'll take the next steps next time.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Global Paintball Conspiracy
Sounds ominous doesn't it? Well, it is. For those who would deny competitive paintball its rightful place in the pantheon of niche sports. Furthering the Global Paintball Conspiracy (GPC) this week is Spirit of Paint's webcast of the the MS Malaga event from Spain. If you choose to be a co-conspirator hit the link to catch all the action live. The commentary will be in French so you get to watch the games and get college credit, too! (That's the way it works these days, isn't it?)The GPC continues next week with the PSP's MAO webcast brought to you live with added POW! and Oomph!! from the criminal combo of Patrick 'Monkey with a Gun' Spohrer and Matty 'The Misfit' Marshall. New camera angles including an overhead view also included free of charge. There is no better time to join the conspiracy. Catch all the action and thumb your nose at non-balling society from the comfort of your living room. And see if the Gridlock Moms re-form in order to lay the smackdown on Red. If they show Red doesn't stand a chance.
UPDATE: coveted VFTD e-prize to the first commenter to identify the persons in the picture.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Major League Paintball Held Hostage: Weekly Update
Like a David Copperfield illusion in reverse teams continue to appear on the list of competitors for the MS's Malaga event beginning in a couple of days. London Shock appeared overnight on the CPL list bringing the total to 15 teams leaving the division only one U.S. team short but surely the Dynabrat/Arsenalisti crew will make a rockstar appearance at the final moment. (It has been suggested that SP may have handed the spot over to Dynasty as part of their sponsorship compensation this year which doesn't seem unreasonable. Either way SP mostly gets out of it what they want--their guns in action on a world stage.) And Shock wasn't the only last minute appearance as both the SPL and D1 have added two last minute entries to push their division totals to 28 respectively. That would mean both divisions are only down 4 competing teams each over last season.
Also appearing recently was a gun sponsor listing at the MS website including WDP, Luxe and Regency as gun sponsors only while the rest are also either Gold, Platinum or Diamond league sponsors. Missing is Proto which may simply be an oversight and is anyone actually competing with Tippmann or JT markers? I'll need to see pictures--and even then I may not believe it.
Registration is open for the USPL DC Challenge eastern regional until April 7th--and it's a good thing because so far there are only 30 teams signed up including the 8 eastern conference pro teams with nobody paid except those same pro teams. Quickly calculating a rough estimate in my head zero teams paid isn't a good thing. Going by the norms of tourney paintball most events have more registrations than teams that ultimately pay and compete. Any east coast 7-man teams that hope to have a national league need to play this event.
Word from the former Eastern Bloc suggests the Grand Tour kids are having trouble filling up their Warsaw event. If you know anything about the series or this event post it up in comments.
Registration closes today for the PSP's MAO event beginning next week. There are 173 teams registered as of this morning with 117 paid with a lot of last minute payments coming in. The number of paid teams was in the 90's yesterday. If a similar number make payments today the total should be about the same as Phoenix and in the ballpark of last year's MAO.
The PSP also announced a last minute enticement for D3 teams by upping the time limit on their Race2-4 matches from 10 minutes to 12 minutes. While I'm all in favor of more paintball for more teams and players I wonder if that's a dangerous precedent to set or if we'll see more incremental give-backs later in the season.
And finally, I cannot let this pass without comment. Looking at the PBVipers semi-pro roster there is an amusing anomaly. Matt Pelto has been rostered with a pro team twice. Period. End of story. One of those times was this season's Phoenix Open. Also on the Vipers roster are Hamen Chapman and Chris Lasoya. Hamen has been rostered on a pro team--mostly Russian Legion--nearly 20 times in the PSP alone and Chris has been a recognized pro player for what seems like 3 decades now. Only one of those three players is ranked pro by the PSP. (You know where this is going, don't you?) If you guessed Pelto give yourself a shiny gold star. Just one more result of the fairest and bestest classification system ever.
Also appearing recently was a gun sponsor listing at the MS website including WDP, Luxe and Regency as gun sponsors only while the rest are also either Gold, Platinum or Diamond league sponsors. Missing is Proto which may simply be an oversight and is anyone actually competing with Tippmann or JT markers? I'll need to see pictures--and even then I may not believe it.
Registration is open for the USPL DC Challenge eastern regional until April 7th--and it's a good thing because so far there are only 30 teams signed up including the 8 eastern conference pro teams with nobody paid except those same pro teams. Quickly calculating a rough estimate in my head zero teams paid isn't a good thing. Going by the norms of tourney paintball most events have more registrations than teams that ultimately pay and compete. Any east coast 7-man teams that hope to have a national league need to play this event.
Word from the former Eastern Bloc suggests the Grand Tour kids are having trouble filling up their Warsaw event. If you know anything about the series or this event post it up in comments.
Registration closes today for the PSP's MAO event beginning next week. There are 173 teams registered as of this morning with 117 paid with a lot of last minute payments coming in. The number of paid teams was in the 90's yesterday. If a similar number make payments today the total should be about the same as Phoenix and in the ballpark of last year's MAO.
The PSP also announced a last minute enticement for D3 teams by upping the time limit on their Race2-4 matches from 10 minutes to 12 minutes. While I'm all in favor of more paintball for more teams and players I wonder if that's a dangerous precedent to set or if we'll see more incremental give-backs later in the season.
And finally, I cannot let this pass without comment. Looking at the PBVipers semi-pro roster there is an amusing anomaly. Matt Pelto has been rostered with a pro team twice. Period. End of story. One of those times was this season's Phoenix Open. Also on the Vipers roster are Hamen Chapman and Chris Lasoya. Hamen has been rostered on a pro team--mostly Russian Legion--nearly 20 times in the PSP alone and Chris has been a recognized pro player for what seems like 3 decades now. Only one of those three players is ranked pro by the PSP. (You know where this is going, don't you?) If you guessed Pelto give yourself a shiny gold star. Just one more result of the fairest and bestest classification system ever.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Playing the Game: HB '09
Hit the title link for an overview and two 3-D views of the field layout courtesy of the USPL.
Aight, here's how this is gonna work. (Assuming it works at all.) I'm gonna describe a breakout, with a couple of options, and explain how and why. (This breakout, btw, with some minor variations, was used by virtually all the pro teams one time or another. And if that wasn't enough this post includes a bonus feature!
At the sound of the horn (buzzer, whistle or croaky ref) 3 players focus on the d-side of the field. One player remains back center to shoot either over the inside MD at the stubby can or wide at a corner or temple runner off the break. Of the other two one goes low into the MD and the other either breaks for the corner, the temple or gun up into the stubby can. The stubby is focused on the center of the field zone and/or players filling the can and MT snake-side.
On the snake side a player either fills the corner or takes the snake off the break. The snake run can be to snake one, two or three. A home shooter lanes for a snake runner most of the time. The two remaining snake side players either double the can or fill the can and the MT. In either case the initial lanes allow the inside can player to zone the center of the field to the dorito wire while the outside can edge either doubles up on the snake or lanes for the corner and in either case can sweep paint back into the small dorito.
There are optional primaries on both sides of the field that, mixed with options on the timing for filling spots, offer enough variation to keep the opposition guessing and the plan flexible enough to vary from the conservative to the all out balls to the wall breakout.
This basic break allows a team to respond to the changing game by filtering players heavily into the snake or upfield through the center while simultaneously shifting d-side players either up or over as well.
Since you've patiently read the rest of this post here's your bonus feature–you did read the whole thing, didn't you? Playing the corner. (In 7-man the dorito wire corner is particularly under played.) The typical corner player is doing one of three things: working the inside of the field from the inside edge of the bunker, looking to make a bump upfield or suppress his/her mirror on the wire. (I know a handful of girls play serious paintball but does that really mean I have to write silly things like his/her?) While there is nothing wrong, and a few things right, about those choices they are too limited. Oftentimes the dorito corner does not have the same wire control demands the snake side does which frees the player up to operate like a gun turret. Ideally you want to wrap the prop most of time and constantly pound paint around the whole field. (Seriously, 9 or 10 pods worth in a standard 7 minute 7-man game.) With a bit of proper field-walking the corner player will invariably discover lots lanes and spots to shoot. And bringing that rain of paint to bear will confuse the opposition and help free up your teammates.
Aight, here's how this is gonna work. (Assuming it works at all.) I'm gonna describe a breakout, with a couple of options, and explain how and why. (This breakout, btw, with some minor variations, was used by virtually all the pro teams one time or another. And if that wasn't enough this post includes a bonus feature!
At the sound of the horn (buzzer, whistle or croaky ref) 3 players focus on the d-side of the field. One player remains back center to shoot either over the inside MD at the stubby can or wide at a corner or temple runner off the break. Of the other two one goes low into the MD and the other either breaks for the corner, the temple or gun up into the stubby can. The stubby is focused on the center of the field zone and/or players filling the can and MT snake-side.
On the snake side a player either fills the corner or takes the snake off the break. The snake run can be to snake one, two or three. A home shooter lanes for a snake runner most of the time. The two remaining snake side players either double the can or fill the can and the MT. In either case the initial lanes allow the inside can player to zone the center of the field to the dorito wire while the outside can edge either doubles up on the snake or lanes for the corner and in either case can sweep paint back into the small dorito.
There are optional primaries on both sides of the field that, mixed with options on the timing for filling spots, offer enough variation to keep the opposition guessing and the plan flexible enough to vary from the conservative to the all out balls to the wall breakout.
This basic break allows a team to respond to the changing game by filtering players heavily into the snake or upfield through the center while simultaneously shifting d-side players either up or over as well.
Since you've patiently read the rest of this post here's your bonus feature–you did read the whole thing, didn't you? Playing the corner. (In 7-man the dorito wire corner is particularly under played.) The typical corner player is doing one of three things: working the inside of the field from the inside edge of the bunker, looking to make a bump upfield or suppress his/her mirror on the wire. (I know a handful of girls play serious paintball but does that really mean I have to write silly things like his/her?) While there is nothing wrong, and a few things right, about those choices they are too limited. Oftentimes the dorito corner does not have the same wire control demands the snake side does which frees the player up to operate like a gun turret. Ideally you want to wrap the prop most of time and constantly pound paint around the whole field. (Seriously, 9 or 10 pods worth in a standard 7 minute 7-man game.) With a bit of proper field-walking the corner player will invariably discover lots lanes and spots to shoot. And bringing that rain of paint to bear will confuse the opposition and help free up your teammates.
Paintball Stuff
It's Monday so I am once again harassing you with the by now familiar reminder that the weekly post is up at Baca's Blog over at the Big Bullet. You might want to check this one out as it deals with some further thoughts related to the past weekend's NCPA championships. It's called, 'The Future of Competitive Paintball'--so not really a big deal. And if you are a member of the PSTA or know a member of the PSTA give them a nudge and encourage them to take a look 'cus this is, near as best I can tell, one of the principle reasons the organization exists. And if it isn't maybe they ought to expand their vision. No doubt it won't be a shocking revelation--or at least it shouldn't be--but if it encourages some more dialogue or helps engender some action that would be a good thing.
By the way, don't let the PSTA website discourage you. I'm sure better is on the way and whoever is responsible for the music has been fired. They really are a professional trade organization. Right?
UPDATE: Oops. I just realized according to my brand new shiny schedule I was supposed to post that playing the game piece on the HB layout on Saturday. The dog ate it. Hey. (I'll get it done today sometime.)
By the way, don't let the PSTA website discourage you. I'm sure better is on the way and whoever is responsible for the music has been fired. They really are a professional trade organization. Right?
UPDATE: Oops. I just realized according to my brand new shiny schedule I was supposed to post that playing the game piece on the HB layout on Saturday. The dog ate it. Hey. (I'll get it done today sometime.)
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Semi Semi, Semi Auto and Full Semi
The NCPA held their annual championship event this weekend at our regular practice field. In between our sessions and after we were done on Saturday I spent some time checking out the college teams. The NCPA allows semi-auto play and I was curious to see how their set-ups would play.
At the recent Huntington Beach event our team's general manager coined the semi-auto distinctions in the title of this post. (No, we're not such a big and powerful organization we have a GM like a pro football team but I call him that because he does everything from coaching to logistics to sponsorships so that I, like you, can be a lazy slacker.) In the electro-pneumatic marker era semi-auto is so broad a term as to be almost meaningless but it is possible to make distinctions. When a gun's electronics aren't very sophisticated or the player has made a real effort to prep a gun that really only shoots one ball per trigger pull the result is semi-semi. You may hear brief bursts of slightly higher rates of fire but mostly it sounds pretty slow. A "true" semi-auto set-up easily delivers higher rates of fire with greater consistency though you may hear a noticeable difference if/when the player switches hands. A full-semi gun is capable of firing one ball per trigger pull but once a sustained ROF has been achieved it starts roaring like a machine gun. At HB the majority of guns were semi-auto and full-semi.
Interestingly the majority of the guns I heard at the NCPA were semi-semi set-ups with some guns operating in the semi-auto range. There may have been a full-semi or two in the competition but I didn't hear one. The guns in use were, more or less, exactly the same guns seen at HB.
From that totally unscientific anecdote I draw a couple of conclusions. Either the average national level collegiate player has an arthritic trigger finger or else that same player has a much less flexible definition of how semi-auto ought to operate than the norm or the collegiate officials are able to maintain and enforce very strict standards. Personally, I tend to discount the trigger finger explanation and I find super refs kinda hard to believe.
So, what's the point, you ask? No point really.
At the recent Huntington Beach event our team's general manager coined the semi-auto distinctions in the title of this post. (No, we're not such a big and powerful organization we have a GM like a pro football team but I call him that because he does everything from coaching to logistics to sponsorships so that I, like you, can be a lazy slacker.) In the electro-pneumatic marker era semi-auto is so broad a term as to be almost meaningless but it is possible to make distinctions. When a gun's electronics aren't very sophisticated or the player has made a real effort to prep a gun that really only shoots one ball per trigger pull the result is semi-semi. You may hear brief bursts of slightly higher rates of fire but mostly it sounds pretty slow. A "true" semi-auto set-up easily delivers higher rates of fire with greater consistency though you may hear a noticeable difference if/when the player switches hands. A full-semi gun is capable of firing one ball per trigger pull but once a sustained ROF has been achieved it starts roaring like a machine gun. At HB the majority of guns were semi-auto and full-semi.
Interestingly the majority of the guns I heard at the NCPA were semi-semi set-ups with some guns operating in the semi-auto range. There may have been a full-semi or two in the competition but I didn't hear one. The guns in use were, more or less, exactly the same guns seen at HB.
From that totally unscientific anecdote I draw a couple of conclusions. Either the average national level collegiate player has an arthritic trigger finger or else that same player has a much less flexible definition of how semi-auto ought to operate than the norm or the collegiate officials are able to maintain and enforce very strict standards. Personally, I tend to discount the trigger finger explanation and I find super refs kinda hard to believe.
So, what's the point, you ask? No point really.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Enlistments for the Week
It's Friday and that means VFTD takes a moment to announce the latest batch of recruits for the Deadbox Puppet Army. (What is the DPA?) This happy little blog would like to thank you for your support. I would also encourage y'all to drop me a line or post up some added info in the comments. I'm always interested in what parts of paintball the recruits come from.
First up this week is Tor Anders Gunnerød. How cool a name is that? He could easily be a Robert E. Howard-type hero with that handle. I'll go out on a limb and guess Norwegian.
Adding to the strong showing from Malaysia this week is slashitpaintball.
Ducking in under the wire is Stefu who claims to be an ex-Euroballer but he has yet to kick the addiction. Otherwise, why would he be here?
Welcome one and all.
Stay thirsty my friends
First up this week is Tor Anders Gunnerød. How cool a name is that? He could easily be a Robert E. Howard-type hero with that handle. I'll go out on a limb and guess Norwegian.
Adding to the strong showing from Malaysia this week is slashitpaintball.
Ducking in under the wire is Stefu who claims to be an ex-Euroballer but he has yet to kick the addiction. Otherwise, why would he be here?
Welcome one and all.
Stay thirsty my friends
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