Paul - the field design was I believe the same as you guys used in Mardi Gras but I would agree to a point, they would be better served in terms of quality of competition by going Stateside, as we all would but this is not the point.Originally posted by Baca Loco
Just keep this thread in mind--or I'll have to remind you when the time comes.
Pete--I have nothing but the upmost respect for RL for they way they conduct their team on the field and the professionalism behind the team and I'm sure their demonstrated skills were first rate.
I stand, however, by my view that neither you nor they will know where they stand until they are confronted with the real deal. In fact, I will go so far as to suggest RL would be vastly better served coming to the USA to practice NXL teams than they would be competing in Div 1 Xball. Both the field designs and general quality of Xball play are well off the average NXL game at present.
And while I confess I may be stirring a bit I am, as always, burdened by being correct.
My assertion is they will be able to contend with the top Yank teams and just to make sure I was thinking right, I called up Laurent who has seen many NXL games last season and this and asked for his opinion regarding the relative merits of both (analysed in an objective way).
He told me he thought the Russians were now on equal terms with the top Americans and would contend for the first spot come Orlando.
He (Laurent) more than anybody can make that assessment because of the sheer number of NXL games he has seen and what he witnessed at this tourney.
If any sport is truly understood and the team is trained using reductionist philosophies, then to a certain extent, it's not that much of a hindrance not being able to play against top class competition.
This is because certain skill sets are independent of opposition, things like snap shooting, running between bunkers, running and shooting etc.
More complex game phenomena such as teamwork is best practiced against appropriate competition I agree but ceratinly not essential.
A technical, well planned assault will generally be well able to beat off any team- worked resistance.
I hope you see where I am going with this and it would seem the people who have witnessed both NXL and the RL (the better qualified to assess) have come down in favour of the Muscovites, it remains to be seen if their better informed prediction is proved correct, I believe it will be.
