Are Euro teams getting better?

[Nick Brockdorff]

It seems to be a trend, that the teams filled with US paintball stars, have a hard time getting past the prelims - and definitely into the final 4, in the MS CPL.

Is this indicative of Euro paintball getting closer to the US level - or just that hired guns often don't really give a damn, and are not bringing their A game??

Nick

 

[Tommeh]

partly both IMO

 

[Matski]

Europe is getting further away from the US standard, most teams in the CPL bar maybe 2-3 at best would get trampled in the NPPL.

The performance of euro teams with a couple of US stars on board really dosn't indicate anything. Star players are going to bring out their A game when they play with the A grade team mates they practise with all the time. When they play with a bunch of guys they barely know, there won't be as many instinctive moves etc and it's bound to be harder to make things happen.

 

[Takedown]

I remember a thread like this from 2003...

 

[velocity]

The performance of euro teams with a couple of US stars on board really dosn't indicate anything. Star players are going to bring out their A game when they play with the A grade team mates they practise with all the time. When they play with a bunch of guys they barely know, there won't be as many instinctive moves etc and it's bound to be harder to make things happen.

Well i beleive there was a team in paris that was playing with 4 Strange players, and that is not "playing with a bunch of guys you barely know". That is playing with 1 guy you barely know.

What about dynasty last time in Div1? Not making the finals?

I think Euro paintball is starting to pick up.

 

[Magued]

Europe

Most teams in Europe isnt getting better.
Some teams are, and those teams are the ones that takes practice seriously.
If you know that your team isnt practicing like they should they are not getting better. Its as simple as that. There is no shortcuts, practice or die. Thats the new order.

Everybody should know that "big" teams like XSV and Dynasty etc even if they have hand picked the best players in the world are taking their practice very serious.

And thats why we see more Scandinavians on the podium every year beacuse the practice have been higher here than the rest of Europe.

Also the fact that we dont have any US teams in CPL have fooled some people to think that Europe have evolved, I would say that we still are far away from the top US teams. Only Menace and Joy could at the present time hold their own in the US. And its not a fluke that those 2 teams are prolly the ones that have put in the most effort in team practice this year.
Nexus havent got the possibilty to PRACTICE as a team this year and thats why they are struggling.

On the other hand the times have past when a team could throw in a couple of US players and win a Millennium event. That is not enough anymore beacuse they will not beat Joy and Menace, as the results have clearly showed this year. They have to come with their full team and bring their A-game.

Magued

 

[Takedown]

Magued hit the nail on the head. Good post!

Just as was posted back in 03, it's all about dedication and practicing as much and at the highest level all the time. You don't see guys on top pro teams take weekends off, they are always out there grinding, trying to become the best.

 

[Matski]

Also the fact that we dont have any US teams in CPL have fooled some people to think that Europe have evolved, I would say that we still are far away from the top US teams. Only Menace and Joy could at the present time hold their own in the US.
Magued

Definately, a few years ago when there was usually a good US pro turn out every event, it was easier for euro teams to compare/contrast how they were doing. The Millennium pro div is not half what it used to be and I think some people get illusions of grandure all too easily.

 

[Nick Brockdorff]

So, Euro teams ARE getting closer to the US level, seeing as how it USED to be possible to qualify easy, with the help of a few US pros..... but it no longer is?

Is that the concensous?

Yes, I agree there is still some way to go, but any improvement is good in my book

Nick

 

[Chicago]

I think Magued is correctly saying that it only takes 4 teams to keep others out of the finals, and it may be a mistake to extrapolate improvements in 4 teams to 'European teams are getting better' when a more precise statement would be "Joy and Menace have been practicing more".

Magued's post also made me start thinking and wonder if part of the reason Dynasty isn't doing so well this year is the time spent on things like player clinics and marketing appearances and not on practice (of course, losing Ollie doesn't help).