Robbo, I know plenty of players who view cheating as part of the game, who are of the opinion that everyone gets away with what they can (in fact this is pretty much all of the players I have encountered playing xball in the south and midlands).
There is however a big divide between those whom lie about the fact, denying that they cheat at all and those who (like myself) are fairly open about the fact.
In fact, I'd say viewing cheating (to a degree) as a part of the game is so prolific among the higher tier domestic players that it's almost a culture of open cheating, in that as soon as the game over call is made most players have no problem admitting that they had lost hits in point X or when hitting bunker Y.
So yes I think these people are honest, they're just playing a different game so to speak.
*edit* I suppose though, the difference between me and the rest of the players like me, is that because I am no longer affiliated with any team or company, I can state such things for all to see here on p8nt without worry. I dont have any reputation but my own, to concern myself with.
Your post quite accurately shows how very easy it is to misinterpret something that is written; in this case, it was me who misunderstood something in that I thought that when you were commenting upon those players who cheated, and then went into denial mode, I thought you were referring to players who cheated on the field and then, when a ref came anywhere near them would come out with things like, 'Oh no, it was splatter, I wasn't wiping blah blah blah .....'.
You were actually referring to people who cheat and then went on to deny it all in general chat later on ... I apologise for the 'naivety' comment as it was uncalled for and inaccurate ....
I think your point of view pretty much gets reinforced when you think about the well-worn saying that goes something like, 'there are two kinds are men, wahnkers and liars, and if you ain't .....', well that can be *******ised to some degree to ... there are two types of paintballer, cheaters and liars, and if you ain't a cheater ....'.
For the most part the second saying is true ....
The point you make regarding players going into denial mode is actually mirrored in bodybuilding with guys on roids ... up my gym, we have a mix of bodybuilders and fighters and we can damn well see who's on the gear but when asked, a fair proportion of them deny any such involvement.
It's pathetic really because as I see it, they are taking us for idiots if they think we believe them, and the same goes for a lot of ballers who claim they never cheat .......
You did touch upon the notion of a culture having developed within the hierarchy of tournament paintball and this is exactly what has happened over the years; the degree of acceptance is disgusting and was just as endemic when I owned Nexus and we were playing in the NPPL against all the top Yanks.
I ain't for one second suggesting none of my players cheated because I know for a fact they did but we had no designer cheating [gun cheats] back then when I owned it but that was because Ledz and myself would have nothing to do with it.
It's no good leaving it to the players to choose between cheating and not cheating; the lead has to be taken from the top and in the form of team policy ... it might not be an absolute but it's a first step .....
