Interview with Marcus Davis - One of the Most Successful Brits of All Time !!
- Thread starter Robbo
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Robbo, bloody job well done on the interview with a guy who is not only a legend in British paintball......but international paintball. And the points raised by both Marcus and yourself with regards to fieldcraft, technical skills etc are all qualities learned in the woods that you just simply cannot gt from the modern game. And it's not a question of 2 dare I say it "old" geezers reliving their past glories (and in no way do I mean that with any disrespect), it's a fact that woodland tournaments are so much more fun to play than Supair tournaments. In 20 years of being involved in paintball I've never played a single Supair event, and have no inclination to either. The skills needed to play and win in the woods are far greater than on any Supair field.
For a start, as you quite rightly pointed out Pete, on the break a team can lose 3 players straight off. Whereas in the woods you'd have to break out into the uknown, make your bunker and then play as a team with communication skills, being able to read the field, anticipating what the opposition are gonna try to do WITHOUT THE LUXURY OF AN OFF FELD COACH CALLING THE PLAY, all part and parcel of what made playing woodland events so much bloody fun. I'm not saying that Supair isn't fun or skilfull, but the game skills needed to play in the woods is far greater.
To prove the point, a couple of years back Steve Bull ran a 5 man woodland series. The Manchester Lions fielded 2 teams at each event, with only 2 of the players having never played a single woods tourney at all.....but had a good couple of years Supair experience between them. Ironic then that the very same 2 players promplty stayed right at the back and mentally shat themelves. All because they ere out of their comfort zone of simply being able to see where the opposition were.
Well done again Pete. It was good to hear Marcus's opinions on the modern game......and good for some of today's kids hear what it WILL take to be great.
For a start, as you quite rightly pointed out Pete, on the break a team can lose 3 players straight off. Whereas in the woods you'd have to break out into the uknown, make your bunker and then play as a team with communication skills, being able to read the field, anticipating what the opposition are gonna try to do WITHOUT THE LUXURY OF AN OFF FELD COACH CALLING THE PLAY, all part and parcel of what made playing woodland events so much bloody fun. I'm not saying that Supair isn't fun or skilfull, but the game skills needed to play in the woods is far greater.
To prove the point, a couple of years back Steve Bull ran a 5 man woodland series. The Manchester Lions fielded 2 teams at each event, with only 2 of the players having never played a single woods tourney at all.....but had a good couple of years Supair experience between them. Ironic then that the very same 2 players promplty stayed right at the back and mentally shat themelves. All because they ere out of their comfort zone of simply being able to see where the opposition were.
Well done again Pete. It was good to hear Marcus's opinions on the modern game......and good for some of today's kids hear what it WILL take to be great.
Comments appreciated Ant, cheers !
Co-incidentally enough, I'm going out for a meal tonight with Marcus and the wives and so we'll probably have another 2 hours of paintball talk that will no doubt really please my missus who just luuuurrrves her evening filled with our beloved sport .... mind you, she married a paintballer, what on earth did she expect? .... that's my get out clause anyway
Co-incidentally enough, I'm going out for a meal tonight with Marcus and the wives and so we'll probably have another 2 hours of paintball talk that will no doubt really please my missus who just luuuurrrves her evening filled with our beloved sport .... mind you, she married a paintballer, what on earth did she expect? .... that's my get out clause anyway
Haha, sounds like this will be a fun evening
Well I enjoyed it but I'm not so sure the wife felt the same way about 3 hours of 100% paintball talk on the menu .... still, when the sweet trolley came around, me and Marcus chose more paintball talk to round it all off.
By the end of the night we had discussed and solved the entire problems concerning UK paintball though I am not sure our solutions would go down well with everybody.
I know one thing though, the solutions we came up with would have addressed the two major problems of value for money and stimulating growth but as I have already stated a few times before on here, 'Ya can take a horse to water but ya can't make it drink'.
I've delayed watching this until now due to other factors preventing me from givingit the time it deserves. But, I can now honestly say it's well worth the time to sit down and watch as much as you can. Even if you don't watch all of it! Thanks to both of you for giving up you time to do this.
As i type this, i'm only on video 2 but so far Marcus has highlighted 2 key traits that i can confidently say you will find in World Class athletes at the top of their game in most, if not all ,SPORTS around the world. (I used capitals for the word "sport" as in various other posts recently i've made the distinction that paintball, at least in the UK, will never be a sport. This is a case of someone at the top of their game and truly behaving like a 'proffesional sportsman'.)
The way Marcus clearly approached it is the same as any great coach or manager. The two main points that stand out to me so far are:
1) the fact that he did the basics incredibly well.
2) the characteristics required on the field are completely different to those required off the field. He even mentions "how the visor came down" and it was game on.
Robbo proved what is possible within the UK talent pool when he searched for and developed the guys on the original Nexus. I am confident after watching this that a team lead by these two guys would be absolutely World Class if they could make it work. Similarly, i'm confident enough in my own capabilities within my chosen field to say i would have something to add if i had the opportunity to add my tuppence worth. Unfortunately it ain't ever gonna happen!
Below are just some notes for my benefit...
Video 2: Understanding of fresh paint. Every player has a squeegee. Every player has a game timer. Psychology of teams facing the Preds.
Video 3: Preds on site 3 hours before the first game - walking the fields.
Video 4: used to train with a sprint trainer
Video 6: difference in the way top teams are perceived in US compared to UK.
As i type this, i'm only on video 2 but so far Marcus has highlighted 2 key traits that i can confidently say you will find in World Class athletes at the top of their game in most, if not all ,SPORTS around the world. (I used capitals for the word "sport" as in various other posts recently i've made the distinction that paintball, at least in the UK, will never be a sport. This is a case of someone at the top of their game and truly behaving like a 'proffesional sportsman'.)
The way Marcus clearly approached it is the same as any great coach or manager. The two main points that stand out to me so far are:
1) the fact that he did the basics incredibly well.
2) the characteristics required on the field are completely different to those required off the field. He even mentions "how the visor came down" and it was game on.
Robbo proved what is possible within the UK talent pool when he searched for and developed the guys on the original Nexus. I am confident after watching this that a team lead by these two guys would be absolutely World Class if they could make it work. Similarly, i'm confident enough in my own capabilities within my chosen field to say i would have something to add if i had the opportunity to add my tuppence worth. Unfortunately it ain't ever gonna happen!
Below are just some notes for my benefit...
Video 2: Understanding of fresh paint. Every player has a squeegee. Every player has a game timer. Psychology of teams facing the Preds.
Video 3: Preds on site 3 hours before the first game - walking the fields.
Video 4: used to train with a sprint trainer
Video 6: difference in the way top teams are perceived in US compared to UK.
As a somewhat remarkable addendum to this interview thread, Marcus called me up a week or so after the interview was posted and told me how grateful he was for doing the interview ..and I mean EXTREMELY grateful ….. this kinda confused me because his thanks was a lengthy one and obviously quite genuine and I couldn’t really see why he should be so grateful; if anything, it should have been me who was grateful.
He went on to explain, after he had those bad experiences at the world cup where he was effectively cheated out of at least one title, he never felt the world of paintball really knew about what had happened because it is the nature of those things to be swept under the carpet and not talked about.
That being the case he obviously felt the Preds were never given the credit they deserved and so Marc was grateful the record had been put straight and finally, people would know exactly what the Preds really achieved … this was the reason why he was so grateful.
And if you think about it, Marcus is an extremely proud man and I doubt there’s much worse in getting to the top of your chosen sport and not then being accredited with your due status because of some inter-team chicanery …
And then … here’s the real doozey …. I got an email last night from Renick Miller; for those of you who do not know, he is the owner of Aftershock and Bad Boyz Toyz outa Chicago.
Renick is one of the true stars of our game because he took Aftershock to 6 world cup titles … yeah that’s right, 6 !!!!!! … the most successful team of all time if you credit the World Cup with the absolute pinnacle of our game, which it undoubtedly is.
As to how Ren did it?
Lord knows .. I always maintained Ren wouldn’t know a paintball tactic if it punched him in the face but the man knew what a great player looked like and it was this skill that enabled him to put together the greatest team of all time … after all, he picked me
OK OK OK, he was allowed to make one mistake ….
Anyway, here is the email he sent me and I don’t think he will mind me posting it here because it’s not breaking any confidentialities but it’s worth remembering, he was one of the reasons why Marcus didn’t get that first place at the World Cup …. I suppose in an ironic way, it shows you just how much the Yanks did worry abot Marcus having to do that sh!t to stop him winning … anyway, here’s the email:-
Hey Pete,
I just got done watching your interview with Marcus, good sh!t man. It’s really cool to see what he's got to say and of course you have some good points as well. We all made each other better as we grew the competition side of the game. Without those four teams pushing each other ever upward the evolution would have stagnated or certainly taken far longer than it ultimately did. If you've got the chance let him know I miss those days so much it hurts man, the rush of facing him or Bobby or Billy and Adam for the title will never be replaced. It drove me as it drove us all and I'd give anything to blast his f##ing ass one last time.
Renick
[ FYI - The Bobby he's referring to is Bob Long who was captain of the Ironmen at that time; Billy and Adam are the Gardner brothers who both used to captain, play and own the All Americans and also Smart Parts]
Renick Miller will undoubtedly have his name carved into paintball’s Hall of Fame along with an elite few others and for him to admit there, that his team Aftershock, who I was lucky enough to play for 3 years, along with the Ironmen, the All Americans AND THE PREDS were the four teams responsible for pushing forward competitive paintball in the 90s ……
What an honour that is for UK ball …..
And yet, we had a couple of people on these forums having a pop at me accusing me of being unpatriotic because I criticised them for ridiculously going over the top in whooping it up and using phrases like ‘taking it to the Yanks’ when all we were doing was playing US 5th division paintball.
Marcus, along with the Preds, COMPETED [not played] at the TOP and has now got due credit for it, we should all be proud of them and also grateful to Renick for having the balls to send me that email.
He went on to explain, after he had those bad experiences at the world cup where he was effectively cheated out of at least one title, he never felt the world of paintball really knew about what had happened because it is the nature of those things to be swept under the carpet and not talked about.
That being the case he obviously felt the Preds were never given the credit they deserved and so Marc was grateful the record had been put straight and finally, people would know exactly what the Preds really achieved … this was the reason why he was so grateful.
And if you think about it, Marcus is an extremely proud man and I doubt there’s much worse in getting to the top of your chosen sport and not then being accredited with your due status because of some inter-team chicanery …
And then … here’s the real doozey …. I got an email last night from Renick Miller; for those of you who do not know, he is the owner of Aftershock and Bad Boyz Toyz outa Chicago.
Renick is one of the true stars of our game because he took Aftershock to 6 world cup titles … yeah that’s right, 6 !!!!!! … the most successful team of all time if you credit the World Cup with the absolute pinnacle of our game, which it undoubtedly is.
As to how Ren did it?
Lord knows .. I always maintained Ren wouldn’t know a paintball tactic if it punched him in the face but the man knew what a great player looked like and it was this skill that enabled him to put together the greatest team of all time … after all, he picked me
OK OK OK, he was allowed to make one mistake ….
Anyway, here is the email he sent me and I don’t think he will mind me posting it here because it’s not breaking any confidentialities but it’s worth remembering, he was one of the reasons why Marcus didn’t get that first place at the World Cup …. I suppose in an ironic way, it shows you just how much the Yanks did worry abot Marcus having to do that sh!t to stop him winning … anyway, here’s the email:-
Hey Pete,
I just got done watching your interview with Marcus, good sh!t man. It’s really cool to see what he's got to say and of course you have some good points as well. We all made each other better as we grew the competition side of the game. Without those four teams pushing each other ever upward the evolution would have stagnated or certainly taken far longer than it ultimately did. If you've got the chance let him know I miss those days so much it hurts man, the rush of facing him or Bobby or Billy and Adam for the title will never be replaced. It drove me as it drove us all and I'd give anything to blast his f##ing ass one last time.
Renick
[ FYI - The Bobby he's referring to is Bob Long who was captain of the Ironmen at that time; Billy and Adam are the Gardner brothers who both used to captain, play and own the All Americans and also Smart Parts]
Renick Miller will undoubtedly have his name carved into paintball’s Hall of Fame along with an elite few others and for him to admit there, that his team Aftershock, who I was lucky enough to play for 3 years, along with the Ironmen, the All Americans AND THE PREDS were the four teams responsible for pushing forward competitive paintball in the 90s ……
What an honour that is for UK ball …..
And yet, we had a couple of people on these forums having a pop at me accusing me of being unpatriotic because I criticised them for ridiculously going over the top in whooping it up and using phrases like ‘taking it to the Yanks’ when all we were doing was playing US 5th division paintball.
Marcus, along with the Preds, COMPETED [not played] at the TOP and has now got due credit for it, we should all be proud of them and also grateful to Renick for having the balls to send me that email.
Pete, do I detect more than a twinge of nostalgia beginning to stir the competitve woods ball juices? I'd more than love to get back in the woods to play an event, because there really is nothing better than getting down the tape without the opposition even seeing you, then bagging a couple of bodies, much to their shock. Is there something in the mix to make this happen? C'mon mate, you can't do an interview of this magnitude, tease us old school 'ballers and leave it at that . If not, then is there an event organiser out there willing to get the event sorted? An event WITHOUT any uber ramping or £1000 markers........back to the straightforward Automags and Cockers, Sterling STP's and Phantoms (I remember your personal favourite being the Phantom Express, anodized in Racing Green with matching bottom line Pete), semi or pump only, and 10-15 minute game times. Value for money and the chance to get back out there and prove that the skills learned all those years ago never leave you.
I forgot to add, with regards to a professional sportsman having an air of arrogance......well there's a fine line between being arrogant and simply having total confidence in your own abilities. Arguably the greatest ever motorbike racer of all time, Valentino Rossi, is often looked on as arrogant due to his charisma and self belief. The fact that he has won 9 World titles (125cc, 250cc and no less than 7 Moto GP titles), and turned Yamaha from race paddock whipping boys into champions in his very 1st season on a Yamaha in 2004, cannot have been possible without maybe a little arrogance creeping in. But no other racer in the world can understand how he manages to do what he does on a 2 wheeled missile. And as for Rennick's email, the fact that the Preds were so damned good and professional that everyone out there had to raise their game so much is testament to the leader that Marcus is, and what he got out of his team. Chris Eubank once admitted to Nigel Benn that he couldn't have been who he was without Nigel Benn being who he was, for which Benn gracioulsly acknowledged and said the same to Eubank. It's the benchmark set out by the best for all others to aspire to, that brings out the best, skill wise, in others
. If not, then is there an event organiser out there willing to get the event sorted? An event WITHOUT any uber ramping or £1000 markers........back to the straightforward Automags and Cockers, Sterling STP's and Phantoms (I remember your personal favourite being the Phantom Express, anodized in Racing Green with matching bottom line Pete), semi or pump only, and 10-15 minute game times. Value for money and the chance to get back out there and prove that the skills learned all those years ago never leave you.I forgot to add, with regards to a professional sportsman having an air of arrogance......well there's a fine line between being arrogant and simply having total confidence in your own abilities. Arguably the greatest ever motorbike racer of all time, Valentino Rossi, is often looked on as arrogant due to his charisma and self belief. The fact that he has won 9 World titles (125cc, 250cc and no less than 7 Moto GP titles), and turned Yamaha from race paddock whipping boys into champions in his very 1st season on a Yamaha in 2004, cannot have been possible without maybe a little arrogance creeping in. But no other racer in the world can understand how he manages to do what he does on a 2 wheeled missile. And as for Rennick's email, the fact that the Preds were so damned good and professional that everyone out there had to raise their game so much is testament to the leader that Marcus is, and what he got out of his team. Chris Eubank once admitted to Nigel Benn that he couldn't have been who he was without Nigel Benn being who he was, for which Benn gracioulsly acknowledged and said the same to Eubank. It's the benchmark set out by the best for all others to aspire to, that brings out the best, skill wise, in others
my personal opinion about what is a great interview is that once supair/hyperball came around and changed paintball to were it is today many players have now idea of how good paintball in the uk was as a scene and those teams that made it happen.
especially from 90/91-96/7 the preds and marcus were the team ever team aspired to be or try and compete to their standards i mean they won the mayhem masters with 15 straight maxes smashing all uk and european teams to pieces i carnt remember another team winning a major tourney that way (i might maybe mistaken as im turning forty next week)
and a couple of points that brought back memories that made me chuckle
american teams ****ting themselves and resorting to bribery (sorry factory sponsorship) to get to the finals
marcus and his amazing attention to detail and skill( remember that picture of him playing on the tape having lost his hopper feeding balls by hand holding that tape side )
to the preds and those teams and players that made uk paintball so exciting as a complete newbie to the sport all those years ago many thanks as watching that interview got me teary eye
would love to see some old school woodsball again 7-8bps markers and camo
and pete didnt the preds go unbeaten in the uk for about two years straight?
especially from 90/91-96/7 the preds and marcus were the team ever team aspired to be or try and compete to their standards i mean they won the mayhem masters with 15 straight maxes smashing all uk and european teams to pieces i carnt remember another team winning a major tourney that way (i might maybe mistaken as im turning forty next week)
and a couple of points that brought back memories that made me chuckle
american teams ****ting themselves and resorting to bribery (sorry factory sponsorship) to get to the finals
marcus and his amazing attention to detail and skill( remember that picture of him playing on the tape having lost his hopper feeding balls by hand holding that tape side )
to the preds and those teams and players that made uk paintball so exciting as a complete newbie to the sport all those years ago many thanks as watching that interview got me teary eye
would love to see some old school woodsball again 7-8bps markers and camo
and pete didnt the preds go unbeaten in the uk for about two years straight?