T minus 90 and counting

The PSP is considering cutting the time between points to 90 seconds on the pro field and possibly on the semi-pro field if (or when) a second field is required. There, I said it. (Or typed it. Or keyed it. Whatever.) I think most of the possible pro teams are already aware of this. If they weren't, they are now. (Btw, if this post is seen as an untimely [premature] comment on an unconfirmed but likely change I completely understand. That would be a incorrect assessment but I would understand.

We are less than two months out and teams are making roster moves and settling in for the grind leading up to the Phoenix event. It is time to talk about this.)The thing is pro rosters are tentatively limited to 9 (as of today.) Even that hasn't been decided but one of the possible scenarios that might change a mind or two is how this 90 second turnaround works in practice. (While the PSP has done a terrific job with a very full plate this off season this is one area where we's being left hanging so if there's nothing to be done this minute we can at least talk about it--and that's what I'm doing.) [Complaint forms need to be filed in triplicate.] So best I can tell those that know are expected to see how 90 seconds works with a 9 player roster and we'll go from there. Now that may sound reasonable to some but it's really not.

UPDATE: Okay, the league made the change to a 10 man pro roster but neglected to inform--at least my team--that they'd made the change sometime during the last week or so.

There are a couple of problems with this plan. There are not a lot of practice fields that simulate a tourney prepped format-formerly-known-as-xball field with pits and dual air stations. We don't have one and I have only seen and practiced on one (er, two)--ever. (Trauma at PBC Greensboro.) (Okay, not completely accurate, the Raiders had a complete field set-up but it didn't really matter then.) Doesn't mean there aren't others but it might be interesting to ask the other teams if they will have a pre-event opportunity to actually practice on the "right" field. And, of course, this also presumes you can simulate a "real" match environment in practice--which you can't.It would be nice to think all the pro teams are so well prepared, organized and supplied with resources that they will have no problem with 25% less time between points while maintaining turnarounds, pit efficiency, player clean up, paint loading, air fills, and prepping the next point to be played in between running back and forth across the field half the time--but are they? Are they really? In a scenario where competitive paintball is struggling to keep the pro game intact where is the value in placing an unnecessary and untried additional burden on the actual play of the game. It doesn't make any rational sense at all.

Now I'm not suggesting the league keep the two minute break and whatever is decided is what we'll do our best to prepare for. What I'm actually suggesting is a simple roster move to a max of 10 players and call it a day. Any team that chooses to play with less is welcome to but 10 players allows the option of two complete lines which removes the necessity of having player(s) on the turnaround and negates the biggest concerns about the move to 90 seconds. It seems pretty simple to me. A lot simpler than discovering after it's too late that a nearly pointless rule is ruining the competition. For those wondering if the 90 second rule will affect them--don't ask me--I know nothing!