It seems Mr. C was visiting an unfamiliar town recently and ended up wandering down and dark and twisting alley where he was accosted by a man in a trenchcoat. I know what you're thinking--shame on you--but it turns out much worse than you think. The dude in the trenchcoat was all outta knock-off Rolexes and Armani stretch pants. All he had was a couple of lousy paintball rumors he insisted were hot, hot, hot. And, well, you know the rest, don't you? Mr. Curious couldn't resist 'cus, like you, he's a paintball junkie and he was jonesing.
So he ponied up but now he wonders if he's been ripped off and decided to share with VFTD. VFTD has contacted our pal Sean Scott over at SP--did I forget to mention the rumors are about SP?--so we'll see if there's an official or unofficial response.
The back alley word is that SP has recently put their sales reps on notice--sell more stuff!--and that the company will not be sending support or their vendor set-ups out to any event for the remainder of the season.
Does this mean some of the mass of SP rumors this last few months might be correct? Who knows?
Monday, August 31, 2009
This Week Last Week What's The Difference?
Okay, so I'm behind again. Does it really matter when it comes to posting (and discussing) 7-man paintball? Really? Sure, maybe some of you are curious. May even find it vaguely interesting in an all things tourney sorta way but how much relevance does it really have? I mean, where were you? Not at Pev's is the winning answer for at least 99% of y'all.
Even so, I will do one more post (with field layout) on this 7-man business and make the basic point I was leading up to as it has some application across the tourney board. And because I said I would.
But I don't really want to. Largely because I don't want to spend another second thinking about 7-man right now. I'm not a happy camper. I'm a frustrated, angry camper and a lousy loser and the last think I want to do is spend time in that frame of mind. I realize you need to minimize your expectations when you don't routinely play a format or even practice it so the performing poorly part is not all that unexpected. It's the not practicing, not having a set roster not really trying to be successful part that pisses me off. And, yes, there are even reasons (or an explanation at least that is completely reasonable) for that but knowing why and accepting it are two different things and it just plain galls me. The only thing worse than losing is not really trying. (And I'm rapidly becoming convinced it has an unhelpful psychological effect across the board with the players too--which is a real issue compared to my ulcers and hair loss.)
Lane's interview will get going this week though there is no firm date on when it will be posted yet.
And I will have the inside story on the workings and goals of the PSTA coming (hopefully) sometime this week. As some regulars may recall I've been somewhat skeptical-not of the PSTA's stated goals--but it's past practices so this will be an opportunity for me to get past all that too. (Of course, I am by nature suspicious of any sort of power structure 'cus it's another way for The Man to hold you down. Fight the Power! Right on, Brothers.)
Otherwise, I'll post whatever comes up. Personally I like surprises.
Even so, I will do one more post (with field layout) on this 7-man business and make the basic point I was leading up to as it has some application across the tourney board. And because I said I would.
But I don't really want to. Largely because I don't want to spend another second thinking about 7-man right now. I'm not a happy camper. I'm a frustrated, angry camper and a lousy loser and the last think I want to do is spend time in that frame of mind. I realize you need to minimize your expectations when you don't routinely play a format or even practice it so the performing poorly part is not all that unexpected. It's the not practicing, not having a set roster not really trying to be successful part that pisses me off. And, yes, there are even reasons (or an explanation at least that is completely reasonable) for that but knowing why and accepting it are two different things and it just plain galls me. The only thing worse than losing is not really trying. (And I'm rapidly becoming convinced it has an unhelpful psychological effect across the board with the players too--which is a real issue compared to my ulcers and hair loss.)
Lane's interview will get going this week though there is no firm date on when it will be posted yet.
And I will have the inside story on the workings and goals of the PSTA coming (hopefully) sometime this week. As some regulars may recall I've been somewhat skeptical-not of the PSTA's stated goals--but it's past practices so this will be an opportunity for me to get past all that too. (Of course, I am by nature suspicious of any sort of power structure 'cus it's another way for The Man to hold you down. Fight the Power! Right on, Brothers.)
Otherwise, I'll post whatever comes up. Personally I like surprises.
The Monday Poll
So I'ma getting close to flogging this thing for more than it's worth but ideas are a little thin these days. What can I say? World Cup is coming up, football season is upon us and the real truth is I spend way too much time just plain pissed off when things aren't working very well. (More on that in the next post.)
Oh, you're wondering which thing I'm flogging today? The whole USPL (NPPL 3.0) versus the PSP thing. Does it seem to you like I'm flogging this dealio? Maybe not. Maybe it's just because I go round and round on this thing all the time. This week's question is: You can only play one. World Cup at Fantasy of Flight or the USPL Championships on The Strip in Vegas?
Btw, you got any ideas, however outlandish, for a Monday Poll, I'm all ears. Let's hear 'em.
Monday Poll in Review
Now this is a mystery of pure mathematics. How is that 8 people can vote "yes" thus being entitled to cast a second, qualifying vote but in the final poll there were 27 "qualifying" votes cast? While the raw numbers may not jibe the obvious answer is that many of you are confused or couldn't resist casting a second vote. Or that you failed to comprehend the nature of the poll and the "rules" for voting. Given that many of you are not native English speakers you are exempt from criticism but the rest of you toolboxes have no excuse. As a consequence of your disorderly voting we can best conclude from The Monday Poll that the great majority think the MS kids ought to compete at their MS ranking but dropping one division isn't really a big deal 'cus, you know, it's tough for the Eurokids to be competitive. Sound about right?
I suppose, given the fact I've made a mockery or two of my own poll on occasion I shouldn't hold it against you lot when you do the same. So no hard feelings. I would say my poor polls need all the help they can get so if you'd make just a little effort next time--that's all I ask.
Oh, you're wondering which thing I'm flogging today? The whole USPL (NPPL 3.0) versus the PSP thing. Does it seem to you like I'm flogging this dealio? Maybe not. Maybe it's just because I go round and round on this thing all the time. This week's question is: You can only play one. World Cup at Fantasy of Flight or the USPL Championships on The Strip in Vegas?
Btw, you got any ideas, however outlandish, for a Monday Poll, I'm all ears. Let's hear 'em.
Monday Poll in Review
Now this is a mystery of pure mathematics. How is that 8 people can vote "yes" thus being entitled to cast a second, qualifying vote but in the final poll there were 27 "qualifying" votes cast? While the raw numbers may not jibe the obvious answer is that many of you are confused or couldn't resist casting a second vote. Or that you failed to comprehend the nature of the poll and the "rules" for voting. Given that many of you are not native English speakers you are exempt from criticism but the rest of you toolboxes have no excuse. As a consequence of your disorderly voting we can best conclude from The Monday Poll that the great majority think the MS kids ought to compete at their MS ranking but dropping one division isn't really a big deal 'cus, you know, it's tough for the Eurokids to be competitive. Sound about right?
I suppose, given the fact I've made a mockery or two of my own poll on occasion I shouldn't hold it against you lot when you do the same. So no hard feelings. I would say my poor polls need all the help they can get so if you'd make just a little effort next time--that's all I ask.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Burning Question
First, apologies for not getting the West Coast Open breakout posted as promised. It's been a busier day than expected. Should have more time tomorrow. But I do have somehing interesting for you instead.
But before the burning question it seems the kids at ProPaintball have posted a rumor suggesting some meeting between the leagues. Don't think so. Yes, Chuck is here and yes, Lane is here but there hasn't been any meeting and no talks related to next year's scheduling. Still, it's a quality rumor.
And now, without further ado; the burning question: Is KEE about to buy Kingman? Rumor has it the deal will be finalized within 30 days.
CLARIFICATION: KEE isn't about to purchase the Kingman Group but some element of it or some holding of KG. Sorry about that. I shorthanded it before and was less than clear or precise.
But before the burning question it seems the kids at ProPaintball have posted a rumor suggesting some meeting between the leagues. Don't think so. Yes, Chuck is here and yes, Lane is here but there hasn't been any meeting and no talks related to next year's scheduling. Still, it's a quality rumor.
And now, without further ado; the burning question: Is KEE about to buy Kingman? Rumor has it the deal will be finalized within 30 days.
CLARIFICATION: KEE isn't about to purchase the Kingman Group but some element of it or some holding of KG. Sorry about that. I shorthanded it before and was less than clear or precise.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
West Coast Open Breakout(s)
Here's last month's West Coast Open layout and the basic breakout concept we used. Looking at the primaries though doesn't really cover the actual breakouts used because of the options built into the basic breakout.The red lines represent run options and were used at the players' discretion unless I otherwise requested a particular path be run. (I do this sometimes if I'm concerned about falling into an unintended routine or if I have an expectation of what the other team is more likely than not to do. Normally I prefer to accommodate the players' preferences simply because more comfortable players are often more confident players.) The dashed blue line reps what I tend to think of as a delayed primary option.
This relatively rudimentary breakout offers nearly everything you'd like in terms of flexibility while maximizing the number of guns up and rolling off the break. For example, in the group of four players playing snake side plus the forward center MT the variations possible make it very easy to mix up your breakouts while continuing to achieve your basic breakout goals. Any of the four positions can be held back as the home snake side laner. Two even can be kept back. This allows for a breakout that one times hits the snake and corner together. Or trails the corner while the snake is taken OTB. Or the corner taken directly and the snake taken incrementally by staging from the MC or Brick. Lots of different ways to shuffle those four basic positions in order to keep your opponent guessing. To a slightly lesser degree the same applies to the D-side as well. The end result should be guns up, eyes up and people in position to do damage or quickly threaten to do damage.
Btw, in practical terms this breakout was a failure pretty much all day but it really had zero to do with the breakout and its potential. It was a failure all day not because it didn't work--we seldom lost bodies off the break or gave up significant field position--but because of a failure to execute both individually and as a team effectively enough to be successful. (Only Arsenal thumped us and that was in part due to the unlikely combination of a gun going down at the same time a player suffered a brief fit of temporary blindness.) And that was largely due to a lack of practice and some attitude issues that have since (hopefully) been adjusted.
If there's any questions--this was very cursory--don't hesitate to ask. Sadly I actually enjoy talking about this stuff. Tomorrow I'll post the breakout that won a game in under a minute during the same event and explain a little bit about how and why the turnaround.
And on Saturday and Sunday I'll see about posting some breakouts and results from the DC Challenge.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
PB Extravaganza vs. World Cup
This isn't as silly as it may sound. At least not to dealers, manufacturers and retailers. And given the timing it's actually an unavoidable conclusion. (Though I did hear thru the proverbial grapevine that Dave D. was/is unconcerned about the impact Extravaganza might have on Cup. Which strikes me as an error in judgment but it's not my dime on the line. And will almost certainly benefit his company, if not the PSP.)
Here's the thing: World Cup has long enjoyed a big turnout of vendors along with buyers and has been known as the place to be in order to get a first look at next year's gear. Extravaganza is going to undercut that role and it's going to put established industry leaders ahead of the curve in terms of selling the new lines and getting them into retail hands earlier than before. So as it stands Extravaganza makes sense for the established brands and it pre-empts the possibility of some flashy new gear stealing everybody's thunder. The big players get a release date they can take advantage of and first shot at the available dollars of the retailers. It's cheaper too. So if you're a paintball name brand with an ability to pipeline product to an established network Extravaganza in advance of Cup is a no-brainer that may even help undermine or keep out of play any of those snot-nosed start-up types or struggling companies looking to make their mark.
On the other hand if you're relatively new to the scene or are still trying to grow a market for your products you really need to go to Cup, don't you? Your issue is building customer interest and using that to get retailers to stock your products. You need to be seen by the end users, the players. You need to hopefully generate some buzz to help get your gear off the ground and into more players hands. In a tight economy retailers keep less inventory and only want to carry what they know will sell. That makes it doubly difficult to become an industry player or a bigger player.
The result is this positioning of Extravaganza puts both the little guy and the PSP in a bind. Does the little guy attend both because they can't afford to be left out of either one or does the small business have to pick and hope it chose wisely? Cup was the one event of the season where the new rules restricting vendors wasn't expected to have too deleterious an impact and now Extravaganza is stepping in to steal away some percentage of the expected Cup vendor turnout. We've already seen the threadbare vendor rollouts at this season's other events; if the same or something similar happens to Cup it will diminish the event and continue the process that is seeing a long established revenue stream for the league continue to dry up. Given prior claims for the essential nature of sponsor/vendor dollars to the league's overall health this is probably a bigger deal than it may seem at first blush. And is also emblematic of the league's need to find new ways to market itself in a changing environment with much less room for error.
Here's the thing: World Cup has long enjoyed a big turnout of vendors along with buyers and has been known as the place to be in order to get a first look at next year's gear. Extravaganza is going to undercut that role and it's going to put established industry leaders ahead of the curve in terms of selling the new lines and getting them into retail hands earlier than before. So as it stands Extravaganza makes sense for the established brands and it pre-empts the possibility of some flashy new gear stealing everybody's thunder. The big players get a release date they can take advantage of and first shot at the available dollars of the retailers. It's cheaper too. So if you're a paintball name brand with an ability to pipeline product to an established network Extravaganza in advance of Cup is a no-brainer that may even help undermine or keep out of play any of those snot-nosed start-up types or struggling companies looking to make their mark.
On the other hand if you're relatively new to the scene or are still trying to grow a market for your products you really need to go to Cup, don't you? Your issue is building customer interest and using that to get retailers to stock your products. You need to be seen by the end users, the players. You need to hopefully generate some buzz to help get your gear off the ground and into more players hands. In a tight economy retailers keep less inventory and only want to carry what they know will sell. That makes it doubly difficult to become an industry player or a bigger player.
The result is this positioning of Extravaganza puts both the little guy and the PSP in a bind. Does the little guy attend both because they can't afford to be left out of either one or does the small business have to pick and hope it chose wisely? Cup was the one event of the season where the new rules restricting vendors wasn't expected to have too deleterious an impact and now Extravaganza is stepping in to steal away some percentage of the expected Cup vendor turnout. We've already seen the threadbare vendor rollouts at this season's other events; if the same or something similar happens to Cup it will diminish the event and continue the process that is seeing a long established revenue stream for the league continue to dry up. Given prior claims for the essential nature of sponsor/vendor dollars to the league's overall health this is probably a bigger deal than it may seem at first blush. And is also emblematic of the league's need to find new ways to market itself in a changing environment with much less room for error.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Major League Paintball Held Hostage: Weekly Update
Let's begin with NPPL 3.0 and the DC Challenge coming up this weekend. APPA's (official?) numbers are 57 teams total, registered and paid. Given there were at least 90 teams registered with a couple of weeks left earlier in the month this is a disappointing outcome. Particularly as Chuck, Camille and the crew made a big push to offer added value and lots of extras. None of the modest turnouts is the result of poor planning or a failure to put in the time and effort. The Cali kids are working their butts off. Inevitably, or so it seems to me, the lack of greater success has to be the format. The ranks of loyal 7-man adherents just isn't there anymore. What other sensible conclusion is there?
If you're in the neighborhood come on out to Pev's place this weekend and check it out. You'll get a free pass to come back and play another and a paintball weekend is always a good weekend.
(Btw, there was a rumor going around a couple of weeks ago that at least one NPPL 3.0 owner had spent well into 6 figures this year. Just where all that supposed cash had gone was just part of the speculation largely because the number was so large it seemed inconceivable it was spent exclusively on his team. Anyway, I've no idea if there's any credence to the rumor--I hit the vaca trail right after hearing about it--but it's interesting nonetheless 'cus it leads to questions like is the league being propped up with cash infusions and if so, what does that mean for the owners group? How long can it last?
It reminds me of that old joke--How do you make a small fortune in paintball? Start with a big one.)
By my count PSP World Cup registration sits at 304 with 11 of the Pro teams not included and I can imagine a little nail biting going on. While there's still time for additional registrations (and there will likely be some) we're close to the point where it becomes a question of what percentage of registrants pay their entries. I've no idea what the norm is as that's a number I've never looked into but it needs to be high. If 75% of registrants paid it would mean a turnout around 225. 90% gets you 270 teams. So, realistically WC isn't out of the woods just yet and we haven't touched on vendor turnout at all. (Tomorrow's post will be PB Extravaganza vs. World Cup.) Of course the bottom line here is the bottom line and I'm not overly concerned about WC as a stand alone event. The issue is how much red ink does WC have to account for from prior events this season and is the webcast on the PSP books or is it being handled separately? Hey, we could ask Lane!
Regarding the foreign team count and where they are playing I think perhaps I jumped the gun a bit on our Euro friends. One, there aren't as many currently signed up as I first thought and Two, most of them aren't taking grossly unfair advantage. Interestingly in my cursory examination I found around two dozen non-North American teams registered and nearly half of them are from Central and South America. I do think Icon and Tontons ought to be playing semi-pro and not D1. (And that about half the currently registered semi-pro ought to be given the boot but ...) I don't really have a problem with any of the others playing out of division beyond the dissonance created between the supposed future goal and the current reality.
Over in Euroland the MS's Campaign Cup is less than a month away and in the unlocked divisions, D2 & D3, there are 7 and 19 teams registered, respectively. Not exactly storming the barricades to get a chance to play Millennium ball are they? In recent years it seems there's always post-Campaign talk about moving the event because the UK teams don't turn out in big numbers to compete and support the series. If anything like these numbers hold it's more than that this time around. Could it be peeps are finally voting with their checkbooks? Or is it perhaps a combination of the usual UK torpor mixed with continuing economic hardship that is keeping the more recreationally oriented players an teams away?
Further east the Grand Tour has 36 teams signed up for the Budapest event. Or is that the Buda or the Pest event? The event is less than two weeks out and will include a one-on-one challenge as well for those who wish to sign up.
If you're in the neighborhood come on out to Pev's place this weekend and check it out. You'll get a free pass to come back and play another and a paintball weekend is always a good weekend.
(Btw, there was a rumor going around a couple of weeks ago that at least one NPPL 3.0 owner had spent well into 6 figures this year. Just where all that supposed cash had gone was just part of the speculation largely because the number was so large it seemed inconceivable it was spent exclusively on his team. Anyway, I've no idea if there's any credence to the rumor--I hit the vaca trail right after hearing about it--but it's interesting nonetheless 'cus it leads to questions like is the league being propped up with cash infusions and if so, what does that mean for the owners group? How long can it last?
It reminds me of that old joke--How do you make a small fortune in paintball? Start with a big one.)
By my count PSP World Cup registration sits at 304 with 11 of the Pro teams not included and I can imagine a little nail biting going on. While there's still time for additional registrations (and there will likely be some) we're close to the point where it becomes a question of what percentage of registrants pay their entries. I've no idea what the norm is as that's a number I've never looked into but it needs to be high. If 75% of registrants paid it would mean a turnout around 225. 90% gets you 270 teams. So, realistically WC isn't out of the woods just yet and we haven't touched on vendor turnout at all. (Tomorrow's post will be PB Extravaganza vs. World Cup.) Of course the bottom line here is the bottom line and I'm not overly concerned about WC as a stand alone event. The issue is how much red ink does WC have to account for from prior events this season and is the webcast on the PSP books or is it being handled separately? Hey, we could ask Lane!
Regarding the foreign team count and where they are playing I think perhaps I jumped the gun a bit on our Euro friends. One, there aren't as many currently signed up as I first thought and Two, most of them aren't taking grossly unfair advantage. Interestingly in my cursory examination I found around two dozen non-North American teams registered and nearly half of them are from Central and South America. I do think Icon and Tontons ought to be playing semi-pro and not D1. (And that about half the currently registered semi-pro ought to be given the boot but ...) I don't really have a problem with any of the others playing out of division beyond the dissonance created between the supposed future goal and the current reality.
Over in Euroland the MS's Campaign Cup is less than a month away and in the unlocked divisions, D2 & D3, there are 7 and 19 teams registered, respectively. Not exactly storming the barricades to get a chance to play Millennium ball are they? In recent years it seems there's always post-Campaign talk about moving the event because the UK teams don't turn out in big numbers to compete and support the series. If anything like these numbers hold it's more than that this time around. Could it be peeps are finally voting with their checkbooks? Or is it perhaps a combination of the usual UK torpor mixed with continuing economic hardship that is keeping the more recreationally oriented players an teams away?
Further east the Grand Tour has 36 teams signed up for the Budapest event. Or is that the Buda or the Pest event? The event is less than two weeks out and will include a one-on-one challenge as well for those who wish to sign up.
Monday, August 24, 2009
The Monday Poll
I think I'ma keep this one simple and work my way back into the more complex polls. No point in overdoing it, right?
In keeping with my newly formed interest in Euro teams coming to Cup let's focus on that for this week's poll question and a few other questions besides. Should MS teams register to compete in the PSP at their MS ranking or is it okay to sandbag? Or is it sandbagging? Are you an insufferable elitist American or do the Eurokids really suck? And when they register below their MS rank are they admitting they suck? How many divisions down is okay? Shouldn't the MS help the PSP police player rankings.
Aren't we really talking about a kind of paintball apartheid here with the Eurokids accepting, no, asking for second class citizen status with us being all paternal and understanding of their inferiority? I thought competing against the best made you better. Does that only work when you aren't paying WC entry fees and flying across the pond to play?
Admittedly some tough questions but aren't they completely fair?
The poll will allow you more than one response. Please vote either yes or no and if you vote "yes" then feel free to vote for some limitation or no limitation on where the MS kids can play.
UPDATE: I see in early results reading comprehension remains a concern. Well, I can't make up for the failures of our educational system and blog about competitive paintball too. C'est la vie!
Monday Poll in Review
What poll? It's been so long I've forgotten what the last poll was about. No really. I wish. Okay, so it didn't work out so well for the obvious reasons and so far this year's numbers seem to suggest changes made and entry fees remain acceptable to the large majority. So we'll let it go--for now--until I can figure out a better way to discuss it in the future. (Suggestions are always welcome.)
I am dancing around my old bugaboo (again) of limited participation up the upper divisional ranks--27 teams signed up in D2 for WC--and I'm wondering (again) if cost isn't the primary limiter, at least right this minute, then what is? Are we really reduced to only 27 teams that believe they can compete at this level of play? And, yes, this means I remain convinced that dumbing down our upper ranks is exactly the wrong thing to do if the goal is to create strong, sustaining upper divisional brackets.
In keeping with my newly formed interest in Euro teams coming to Cup let's focus on that for this week's poll question and a few other questions besides. Should MS teams register to compete in the PSP at their MS ranking or is it okay to sandbag? Or is it sandbagging? Are you an insufferable elitist American or do the Eurokids really suck? And when they register below their MS rank are they admitting they suck? How many divisions down is okay? Shouldn't the MS help the PSP police player rankings.
Aren't we really talking about a kind of paintball apartheid here with the Eurokids accepting, no, asking for second class citizen status with us being all paternal and understanding of their inferiority? I thought competing against the best made you better. Does that only work when you aren't paying WC entry fees and flying across the pond to play?
Admittedly some tough questions but aren't they completely fair?
The poll will allow you more than one response. Please vote either yes or no and if you vote "yes" then feel free to vote for some limitation or no limitation on where the MS kids can play.
UPDATE: I see in early results reading comprehension remains a concern. Well, I can't make up for the failures of our educational system and blog about competitive paintball too. C'est la vie!
Monday Poll in Review
What poll? It's been so long I've forgotten what the last poll was about. No really. I wish. Okay, so it didn't work out so well for the obvious reasons and so far this year's numbers seem to suggest changes made and entry fees remain acceptable to the large majority. So we'll let it go--for now--until I can figure out a better way to discuss it in the future. (Suggestions are always welcome.)
I am dancing around my old bugaboo (again) of limited participation up the upper divisional ranks--27 teams signed up in D2 for WC--and I'm wondering (again) if cost isn't the primary limiter, at least right this minute, then what is? Are we really reduced to only 27 teams that believe they can compete at this level of play? And, yes, this means I remain convinced that dumbing down our upper ranks is exactly the wrong thing to do if the goal is to create strong, sustaining upper divisional brackets.
Some Paintball Related Observations
Right. It seems I picked the right time to be gone as not a whole lot seems to have gone down. I mean, y'all are still talking about the Todd / Dynasty thing. I've no idea how things work in the Dynasty camp but serious teams are all focused on winning and stuff happens and things change. This ride isn't forever, for anybody. It seems like this is a lesson in real life that seldom gets learned. Sounds to me like Todd has handled this deal with dignity and his characteristic humor and while I think it's fair game for everybody to talk about it never ceases to amaze me how heated some of y'all get. It's a game to you, it's real life for them. Good luck to them all.
And the Bushwacker news is kinda old too. The world keeps turning and the soap opera never ends. What I haven't heard is who takes the Wackers place in DC? (Maybe I ought to check my email.)
For the Eurokids--this is a bit dated--but I've heard from sources close to the MS board that they realized their error in judgment on this Turkey deal but signed contracts are signed contracts and so they've done what they always do--stop up their ears and hope it all goes away--and it appears they will get their wish. Again. The sources are inclined to think a large part of the problem is the league has lots of chiefs and no Indians (Is there a PC way to phrase that? Probably but screw it.) Given past performance I'm less inclined than the sources to give the MS any benefit of the doubt but it is the opinion held my peeps near the epicenter.
One recent development that does interest me is the number of Euro teams signing up for Cup. Sure there are always some but there are some bigger names this year if they bring their A rosters. And I'd like to know how the PSP is gonna accommodate Joy in the Pro div if the limit remains 13 teams. (I'm assuming they'll add one at some point.) Still, none of them are coming for sure until they've paid their entry far as I'm concerned. And what about this playing down business? I know the Eurokids are used to doing this but I thought the MS and PSP were working together to internationalize and standardize our game so shouldn't part of that process include recognizing each other's divisions? At a minimum? (Although I'm fine with them playing semi-pro.) But otherwise aren't they selling themselves short and aren't we saying it's okay for them because we all know they aren't really that good? If it were me, well, maybe I'm not that good, but by god, it's condescending.
And the Bushwacker news is kinda old too. The world keeps turning and the soap opera never ends. What I haven't heard is who takes the Wackers place in DC? (Maybe I ought to check my email.)
For the Eurokids--this is a bit dated--but I've heard from sources close to the MS board that they realized their error in judgment on this Turkey deal but signed contracts are signed contracts and so they've done what they always do--stop up their ears and hope it all goes away--and it appears they will get their wish. Again. The sources are inclined to think a large part of the problem is the league has lots of chiefs and no Indians (Is there a PC way to phrase that? Probably but screw it.) Given past performance I'm less inclined than the sources to give the MS any benefit of the doubt but it is the opinion held my peeps near the epicenter.
One recent development that does interest me is the number of Euro teams signing up for Cup. Sure there are always some but there are some bigger names this year if they bring their A rosters. And I'd like to know how the PSP is gonna accommodate Joy in the Pro div if the limit remains 13 teams. (I'm assuming they'll add one at some point.) Still, none of them are coming for sure until they've paid their entry far as I'm concerned. And what about this playing down business? I know the Eurokids are used to doing this but I thought the MS and PSP were working together to internationalize and standardize our game so shouldn't part of that process include recognizing each other's divisions? At a minimum? (Although I'm fine with them playing semi-pro.) But otherwise aren't they selling themselves short and aren't we saying it's okay for them because we all know they aren't really that good? If it were me, well, maybe I'm not that good, but by god, it's condescending.
Some Non-Paintball Travel Observations
You may, at first, find my observations somewhat closer to complaints but I assure they aren't. The issue came up while on vacation. My daughter, usually of a sunny if offbeat personality, became just a wee bit complaint prone so I decreed no more complaints but observations, on the other hand, were acceptable. So these observations will run the gamut from the possibly wry and witty to the perhaps bitter and sour but are not, under any circumstances, to be confused with complaints.
Okay, right off the top. No first tier civilization is possible without air conditioning and ice cubes. There it is. Not even France. And definitely not Italy. Don't bother trying to argue that one. Granted, August isn't the best month to travel places you know don't have air conditioning as a normal everyday part of living but that doesn't excuse the lack. And while I understand there are people who like warm beer, room temp water and barely chilled soda it rises above the level of mere taste when the only consistent source of ice you can find is in a hole in the wall shop that sells it in sheets of twenty cubes for 2 plus Euros each. Is that civilized? Not in my book.
Of course there was some air conditioning and some other sources of ice cubes but the impression is that the good stuff isn't for tourists or so valuable it needs to be rationed. All our hotels had air conditioning but only two of them allowed the guest to regulate how much or how little they required. And have you ever noticed that the more expensive and grander a hotel claims to be the less service you usually get? Over here if you want a free breakfast and free internet virtually every everyday hotel chain is accommodating but the more upscale the hotel the more they nickel and dime you for "extra" services. Same applies across the pond times two or three.
A lot (all) of restaurants, even those you'd think (or hope) were off the beaten path and away from the typical tourist crowd, include a service charge in their menu prices. Many advertise the fact as if it was an all inclusive deal intended to save you, the customer, from unscrupulous restaurateurs--like the guy next door. In fact, they (almost) all also charge a cover charge too that they fail to mention until the bill arrives (usually about the time you're desperate to escape having finished your meals ages ago) which, may or may not, actually be an itemized list of your purchases. Sometimes it's just a total. Despite the shenanigans the real problem with built in service charges is that it takes away any incentive to actually provide any service.
On the subject of eating it is apparently getting harder and harder to find anything that even pretends to be authentic fare cooked with a bit of pride and uniqueness unless you're willing and/or able to spend extravagant amounts for a meal. At least when it comes to tourist centers. Nearly every place has a "tourist" menu and serves the same basic slop because they have decided, en masse, that the silly tourists don't really want real food, or at least are too ignorant to know any better and couldn't possibly enjoy good food anyway. (It got so bad I finally decided you either needed to spend all your time trying to find good food or doing the usual museums, etc. thing 'cus you couldn't do both within a limited time frame.) (Last night I went to a local roadhouse-type steak joint and had a 20 oz. strip that was still an inch thick when it hit the table that I could cut with my fork. Not because I really really wanted it yesterday but just because I could. And it cost less than a piece of so called "bifteck" I had in an upscale Italian restaurant that had been so brutalized by a tenderizing mallet it looked like roadkill.)
Despite Mussolini being dead and gone all these years the trains still run on time in Italy and offer quality accommodations and travel comfort. The waterbuses in Venice were timely as well but that pretty much covers the extent of Italian efficiency far as I can tell. For example we had a first floor room, 137, in Venice that required going up two flights of stairs, down another and up and down two or three stairs in four other places. It was a Monty Python joke. The one place the inefficiency was problematic was in the operation of their museums. It seems there are two ways to get into the best of them. With a reserved time ticket or by standing in line and waiting to buy a day ticket from the ticket booth. What they don't tell you is that they only allow a few folks in at a time from the normal ticket line and they don't advertise where else one can buy tickets, like the reserved time and day tickets. I bought our Louvre tickets in advance because I'd read it could be difficult to get into the museum without reserved tickets (it wasn't) but was totally unprepared for the way the Italians seemingly worked to keep peeps out of their museums. Very frustrating.
There's more but that's enough as I'm feeling more mellow now.
Despite the observations it was an awesome trip and I would recommend visiting all the places we went to anyone and I intend to go back sometime in the hopefully not too distant future. So take the observations with a grain of salt but forewarned is forearmed. Although what you're gonna do with four arms is beyond me. Maybe join the circus.
Okay, right off the top. No first tier civilization is possible without air conditioning and ice cubes. There it is. Not even France. And definitely not Italy. Don't bother trying to argue that one. Granted, August isn't the best month to travel places you know don't have air conditioning as a normal everyday part of living but that doesn't excuse the lack. And while I understand there are people who like warm beer, room temp water and barely chilled soda it rises above the level of mere taste when the only consistent source of ice you can find is in a hole in the wall shop that sells it in sheets of twenty cubes for 2 plus Euros each. Is that civilized? Not in my book.
Of course there was some air conditioning and some other sources of ice cubes but the impression is that the good stuff isn't for tourists or so valuable it needs to be rationed. All our hotels had air conditioning but only two of them allowed the guest to regulate how much or how little they required. And have you ever noticed that the more expensive and grander a hotel claims to be the less service you usually get? Over here if you want a free breakfast and free internet virtually every everyday hotel chain is accommodating but the more upscale the hotel the more they nickel and dime you for "extra" services. Same applies across the pond times two or three.
A lot (all) of restaurants, even those you'd think (or hope) were off the beaten path and away from the typical tourist crowd, include a service charge in their menu prices. Many advertise the fact as if it was an all inclusive deal intended to save you, the customer, from unscrupulous restaurateurs--like the guy next door. In fact, they (almost) all also charge a cover charge too that they fail to mention until the bill arrives (usually about the time you're desperate to escape having finished your meals ages ago) which, may or may not, actually be an itemized list of your purchases. Sometimes it's just a total. Despite the shenanigans the real problem with built in service charges is that it takes away any incentive to actually provide any service.
On the subject of eating it is apparently getting harder and harder to find anything that even pretends to be authentic fare cooked with a bit of pride and uniqueness unless you're willing and/or able to spend extravagant amounts for a meal. At least when it comes to tourist centers. Nearly every place has a "tourist" menu and serves the same basic slop because they have decided, en masse, that the silly tourists don't really want real food, or at least are too ignorant to know any better and couldn't possibly enjoy good food anyway. (It got so bad I finally decided you either needed to spend all your time trying to find good food or doing the usual museums, etc. thing 'cus you couldn't do both within a limited time frame.) (Last night I went to a local roadhouse-type steak joint and had a 20 oz. strip that was still an inch thick when it hit the table that I could cut with my fork. Not because I really really wanted it yesterday but just because I could. And it cost less than a piece of so called "bifteck" I had in an upscale Italian restaurant that had been so brutalized by a tenderizing mallet it looked like roadkill.)
Despite Mussolini being dead and gone all these years the trains still run on time in Italy and offer quality accommodations and travel comfort. The waterbuses in Venice were timely as well but that pretty much covers the extent of Italian efficiency far as I can tell. For example we had a first floor room, 137, in Venice that required going up two flights of stairs, down another and up and down two or three stairs in four other places. It was a Monty Python joke. The one place the inefficiency was problematic was in the operation of their museums. It seems there are two ways to get into the best of them. With a reserved time ticket or by standing in line and waiting to buy a day ticket from the ticket booth. What they don't tell you is that they only allow a few folks in at a time from the normal ticket line and they don't advertise where else one can buy tickets, like the reserved time and day tickets. I bought our Louvre tickets in advance because I'd read it could be difficult to get into the museum without reserved tickets (it wasn't) but was totally unprepared for the way the Italians seemingly worked to keep peeps out of their museums. Very frustrating.
There's more but that's enough as I'm feeling more mellow now.
Despite the observations it was an awesome trip and I would recommend visiting all the places we went to anyone and I intend to go back sometime in the hopefully not too distant future. So take the observations with a grain of salt but forewarned is forearmed. Although what you're gonna do with four arms is beyond me. Maybe join the circus.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Baca is Back
Hey, kids. Have no fear, Baca is back--if just barely. (But more on that in a minute or three.) First, I'd like to thank you all ('cus if you're here reading you've been checking in and/or waiting around for the return of the routine madness) and I want y'all to know I appreciate it. And not in some slightly repulsive needy Sally Field "You really really like me" kinda way either. So, hey, it's good to be back.
I haven't read all the submitted for Lane questions yet but the ones I saw looked solid and I expect y'all have done a lot of the work for me--which is always a good thing. I'll get the interview in order within a couple of days and the harassment can begin!
Oh, yeah, and if you haven't done enough for me just yet I have another favor to ask. Thing is I'm completely out of the loop. I mean totally and completely out of the loop. I didn't spend any time on paintball at all. I haven't been secretly monitoring all the sites or keeping contact with the usual suspects or anything like it at all. In fact I have purposefully not even looked at ProPaintball or the Big Bullet to get a quick overview of what I missed. So, about that favor. What I was thinking is y'all could help fill me in on everything I've missed in the last couple of weeks. Anything of consequence you think I ought to know please post up in the comments and my growing rep as the ultimate lazy slacker will be nearly complete. (Yeah, I had intended to keep in touch with a comment or note here or there and managed okay while in Paris although the "free" internet turned out to be free only after figuring out the hotel's password--it wasn't rocket science--and elsewhere there either wasn't a suitable connection or it cost more than a decent beverage in a mediocre restaurant--which proved to be highway freaking robbery.)
At this point I've no idea what the rest of the week will look like but I have a couple of ideas. Turns out some illnesses on the team have kept us from any full 7-man practices for the upcoming DC Challenge--deja vu all over again--even after I dragged myself out of bed this morning willing to make the sacrifice of heading off to practice after being in Venice 30 hours ago and Paris yesterday morning but a quick phone call relieved me of the obligation as there was no real practice gonna happen. Anyway, here's the idea. Sometime during the week I review a couple of games from the West Coast Open by outlining our breakouts and the game results and then during and after the DC Challenge I post up our breakouts and then follow-up with how they worked or didn't (win or lose) 'cus it's all gonna happen on the fly and on the big stage too! Btw, don't try this at your next local tourney, leave it to the professionals--because this not the recommended way to competitive success.
No doubt there's some other stuff sitting around that can be whipped into post shape. And tomorrow there will be a new Monday Poll and all the rest so there you have it.
In closing I did have one paintball experience on vacation. Coming back through Customs at Dulles yesterday. One of the agents asked if my Dye T-shirt--repping the sponsors--was the paintball Dye and when I replied in the affirmative he blew off the Customs stuff and we had a brief chat about paintball and I invited him to come out to the DC Challenge this coming weekend and say, hey, so we'll see. Seems he's a DM guy and had some enthusiast questions. But it was cool and not totally unexpected. I've met all kinds of people all over who are into one sort of paintball or another. Just like you, mes amis, just like you.
I haven't read all the submitted for Lane questions yet but the ones I saw looked solid and I expect y'all have done a lot of the work for me--which is always a good thing. I'll get the interview in order within a couple of days and the harassment can begin!
Oh, yeah, and if you haven't done enough for me just yet I have another favor to ask. Thing is I'm completely out of the loop. I mean totally and completely out of the loop. I didn't spend any time on paintball at all. I haven't been secretly monitoring all the sites or keeping contact with the usual suspects or anything like it at all. In fact I have purposefully not even looked at ProPaintball or the Big Bullet to get a quick overview of what I missed. So, about that favor. What I was thinking is y'all could help fill me in on everything I've missed in the last couple of weeks. Anything of consequence you think I ought to know please post up in the comments and my growing rep as the ultimate lazy slacker will be nearly complete. (Yeah, I had intended to keep in touch with a comment or note here or there and managed okay while in Paris although the "free" internet turned out to be free only after figuring out the hotel's password--it wasn't rocket science--and elsewhere there either wasn't a suitable connection or it cost more than a decent beverage in a mediocre restaurant--which proved to be highway freaking robbery.)
At this point I've no idea what the rest of the week will look like but I have a couple of ideas. Turns out some illnesses on the team have kept us from any full 7-man practices for the upcoming DC Challenge--deja vu all over again--even after I dragged myself out of bed this morning willing to make the sacrifice of heading off to practice after being in Venice 30 hours ago and Paris yesterday morning but a quick phone call relieved me of the obligation as there was no real practice gonna happen. Anyway, here's the idea. Sometime during the week I review a couple of games from the West Coast Open by outlining our breakouts and the game results and then during and after the DC Challenge I post up our breakouts and then follow-up with how they worked or didn't (win or lose) 'cus it's all gonna happen on the fly and on the big stage too! Btw, don't try this at your next local tourney, leave it to the professionals--because this not the recommended way to competitive success.
No doubt there's some other stuff sitting around that can be whipped into post shape. And tomorrow there will be a new Monday Poll and all the rest so there you have it.
In closing I did have one paintball experience on vacation. Coming back through Customs at Dulles yesterday. One of the agents asked if my Dye T-shirt--repping the sponsors--was the paintball Dye and when I replied in the affirmative he blew off the Customs stuff and we had a brief chat about paintball and I invited him to come out to the DC Challenge this coming weekend and say, hey, so we'll see. Seems he's a DM guy and had some enthusiast questions. But it was cool and not totally unexpected. I've met all kinds of people all over who are into one sort of paintball or another. Just like you, mes amis, just like you.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Vaca for Baca
Baca needs a break. It’s vacation time! But no worries, kids, I’m not going all Kobe on ya. Baca’s not gonna start speaking about himself in the third person. And the break won’t be all that long even if it seems endless while I’m gone. Trust me, you’ll manage. Dry that eye, Little Soldier, and I’ll be back before you know it.
In the meantime start cranking out those questions for the VFTD Lane Wright Interview.
How long will I be gone? Look at the time stamp on The Monday Poll.
In the meantime start cranking out those questions for the VFTD Lane Wright Interview.
How long will I be gone? Look at the time stamp on The Monday Poll.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The Lane Wright Interview
Lane is going to do the inaugural VFTD interview and I want to include y’all in the process. In comments post up the questions you’d like Lane to answer and I will include a few of the best. And when I say "best" that is potentially a very very broad category. Do I need to say "go crazy"?
For those wondering how did VFTD get Lane to do this interview--let’s just say it was easier to agree than to change his phone number--again. (The boring truth is no coercion was required. I’m thinking it was probably just a temporary lapse in judgment.)
For those wondering how did VFTD get Lane to do this interview--let’s just say it was easier to agree than to change his phone number--again. (The boring truth is no coercion was required. I’m thinking it was probably just a temporary lapse in judgment.)
Major League Paintball Held Hostage: Weekly Update
Off in MillenniumLand they are a day (or two) late and a Euro short as the league makes a belated(?) effort to respond to widespread player grumbling over the more expensive than expected for a routine event costs associated with the Turkey event. Otherwise nobody seems particularly put out by the Sarmilaz business. (If you missed that check the stack of posts here from last week. D'oh!) Not even the Germans who recently dodged a legislative bullet. Is it really any wonder the MS does what it wants?
Registrations for PSP's World Cup are at 262 teams and counting. What else do you need to know? With the venue change and the dramatic effect that will have on the bottom line I think the numbers are beginning to look pretty good. Fingers crossed.
NPPL 3.0 (You remember the USPL don't you?) has the DC Challenge coming and the league is making a strong and concerted effort to get the teams and fans out. With a pro team sponsored cookout and free play passes to be handed out the league can't be faulted for not doing enough. At the same time registrations are upt to 90 teams ut paid entries is at a disappointing 30 so far. Less than 10 days left to get that entry in.
Over at the not so Grand Tour the Moscow venue was changed at the last minute in what was probably a response to the very small turnout as it appears only 22 teams participated with a big fat goose egg in the Pro division. Next up is the Budapest event and as a regular series event the 9 Pro teams that have been competing all year are back and the current registrations for the early September event stands at 32 (and counting?)
Registrations for PSP's World Cup are at 262 teams and counting. What else do you need to know? With the venue change and the dramatic effect that will have on the bottom line I think the numbers are beginning to look pretty good. Fingers crossed.
NPPL 3.0 (You remember the USPL don't you?) has the DC Challenge coming and the league is making a strong and concerted effort to get the teams and fans out. With a pro team sponsored cookout and free play passes to be handed out the league can't be faulted for not doing enough. At the same time registrations are upt to 90 teams ut paid entries is at a disappointing 30 so far. Less than 10 days left to get that entry in.
Over at the not so Grand Tour the Moscow venue was changed at the last minute in what was probably a response to the very small turnout as it appears only 22 teams participated with a big fat goose egg in the Pro division. Next up is the Budapest event and as a regular series event the 9 Pro teams that have been competing all year are back and the current registrations for the early September event stands at 32 (and counting?)
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Monday Poll
We’s gonna cut a little close to the bone this week, boys and girls. By talking about value. Oh, I know, this is paintball and value has nothing to do with it--except when it does. We spend ridiculous amounts of time and money playing this silly game but somewhere in the love/hate equation value (or our individual perceptions of value) tips the scale on when enough is enough or too much is really too much, dammit.
How much are you willing to pay to play Xball? (Or Race 2, blah blah blah) Because there are a ton of variables involved in this I’m gonna set the game’s parameters and you’re gonna vote on the value you’re willing to assign it. Let’s begin with D2 Race2-5. As it is today. Today’s rules, today’s clock, etc. What I’m looking for is a sense of price sensitivity. (Sure there’s lots of other costs for each player involved and you ought to take them into account but what I want to know is when D2 Race2-5 hits the wall.) Currently $2600 is the minimum entry and $2900 is the maximum.
How much are you willing to pay to play Xball? (Or Race 2, blah blah blah) Because there are a ton of variables involved in this I’m gonna set the game’s parameters and you’re gonna vote on the value you’re willing to assign it. Let’s begin with D2 Race2-5. As it is today. Today’s rules, today’s clock, etc. What I’m looking for is a sense of price sensitivity. (Sure there’s lots of other costs for each player involved and you ought to take them into account but what I want to know is when D2 Race2-5 hits the wall.) Currently $2600 is the minimum entry and $2900 is the maximum.
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