EXL 2004--Pie in the Sky?

[Robbo]

Steve, I will make my last post in this thread very simple so as not to hear no more long winded, evasive, bollocks from you (hopefully).
Here goes :-
You keep harping on about you haven't made any concrete plans yet, or rather in reality, you have not yet been made aware of any plans that have been finalised, and until that time, you do not feel able to answer any of my questoins.
Fine, no problem !!!!!

So here's the deal, now I will baby lead you though this if you like....You do not need any concreted plans to answer the following..

Are you targetting NXL teams for the EXL-2004 ?
If so, are you planning for them to come across regularly ?

Same questions applies to teams like Dynasty, Dogs, BC etc

Now if your answer is 'yes' (which you don't have to have any concrete plans to answer) how do you then answer the financial problems they will encounter that I have already highlighted ?
And if you have contacted any of the US teams with regard to 2004 EXL, which specific ones ?

I mean, Steve, don't keep tellin eveyrbody at every opportunity here that you are 'da man', the EXL man, the man in the seat......and you ain't answered one damn questoin regarding what you propose for next season.

Now please answer my questions.

 

[Wadidiz]

Originally posted by Robbo
Are you targetting NXL teams for the EXL-2004 ?
If so, are you planning for them to come across regularly ?

Same questions applies to teams like Dynasty, Dogs, BC etc

First of all, we all know that the whole EXL is up in the air now so no one can say with 100% cetainty that there will be an EXL. But I've already said that Procaps apparently have a plan for one.

Yes, we in the Millennium organization are trying to come up with a program that will make it possible and attractive for NXL teams to come over and participate. Ditto the top teams in the world outside of NXL, including the teams we've named. "Planning" would not be the right word. Hoping that we can be successul is a better way of putting it. And I have said countless times ad nauseum we MIGHT BE pull it off, we MIGHT NOT. Remains to be seen.

Originally posted by Robbo
Now if your answer is 'yes' (which you don't have to have any concrete plans to answer) how do you then answer the financial problems they will encounter that I have already highlighted ?
And if you have contacted any of the US teams with regard to 2004 EXL, which specific ones ?

The financial aspects you mention have certainly been a big part of these discussions.

I haven't formally contacted any team. I've only had loose discussions myself and I know that the real decision-makers in Millennium have talked or had some serious discussion with many of the teams about Season 2004.

I understand that as a journalist and as the coach or manager of Nexus that you want to know what the program is for 2004, and that you must press the hard questions.

Since I am basically just an implementer of the Millennium board's policies, I am not in a position to publicize all the details of preliminary discussions about anything, very much like a manager or deputy director in IBM certainly isn't going to have the minutes of board meetings and stategic management meetings open to on-going scrutiny. Hell, nothing would ever get done and everyone would be reluctant to say anything.

But I will excercise my freedom to discuss issues and talk about general intentions. Whether or not I can discuss ideas or get feedback here depends on how you handle my attempts to answer honest questions with honest answers.

Originally posted by Robbo
I mean, Steve, don't keep tellin eveyrbody at every opportunity here that you are 'da man', the EXL man, the man in the seat......

Could you please "proof-text" any place on this forum or anywhere else where I have said "I am 'da man', the EXL man, the man in the seat." I have made it ridiculously clear that I DON'T MAKE THE DECISIONS. I DON'T NEGOTIATE WITH RICHMOND ITALIA. I JUST TAKE THE BOARD'S POLICIES AND TRY TO IMPLEMENT THEM, including trying to get ideas and feedback.

Originally posted by Robbo
and you ain't answered one damn questoin regarding what you propose for next season.

Now please answer my questions.

Again, let's be careful with words. "Propose" is what I do and have done here and on various other fora. My "proposals" for better judging, better rules, an improved playing format or whatever are just like any other jack's discussions. They don't mean jack-**** until someone decides to make them policy. I just happen to be in a position to talk with some key people about any ideas I may have, whenever they have time or inclination to listen. Whether they pay them any more attention than a squeaky door is up to them.

I am honestly trying to answer your questions, but I am not at liberty to always say anything or everything I hear or see. That's pretty standard fare in the world of business or politics. And that off course, makes it easy for detractors to say it's bull**** or smokescreen. C'est la vie.

And a journalist's job is to press anyone that is availble in the public for answers, to investigate matters and to cut through bull**** to reveal truth. You have a responsibity to your readership. C'est la vie.

Making some definite decisions certainly can't be easy for the Mill board members. In many ways it is a more complex set of circumstances than 1 year ago. We certainly can't expect them to shoot from the hip. Some very serious matters need to be looked into and there continues to be a lot of turmoil in the air. So they have to balance the need to get a program moving and the need to not announce the wrong program and make a catastrophic mistake. Frying pan or fire.

POST EDIT: It's not like the board members sit around discussing policy in some office. They live in different countries, are up to their ears in at least one or two major enterprises and don't always see eye-to-eye on policy.

Any DEFINITE POLICIES and definite proposals, when they're decided, will be made clear to be such and will be easily identifiable as such.

And we certainly don't imply that we're under any obligation to make our official announcements here.

 

[raehl]

Heh, don't take Pete's bait.

Just because it's his job to dig up the info doesn't mean you gotta hand it over.


- Chris

 

[KillerOnion]

Well said, Nick! IMO the people mentioned need to stop thinking about how to carve up and repackage everything to avoid further mangling and bungling. It's like 20 butchers trying to carve a steak: "Cut it this way!" "No, no no! Leave that on, cut THIS off in this shape!" "Bulls*** they want THIS," etc. etc. etc. till you have a bone or two, pencil shaving size scraps of fat and meat flung everywhere, 20 dull knives on a bloody cutting table, and a 20-way fist fight.

'scuse me gentlemen, but there are hungry customers in line with not time nor patience for the split agendas, ego crap, and bantering, and at this rate they'll soon walk away with nothing. Termite syndrome again--must the stupidity continue folks?

To those who insist on pushing more formats, shrinking circuits, allowing A and B but not C to be part of W, X, and Z, all of which is costing money, marketing effort, and everyone's patience: Do you have to go back to whatever it was you were doing before paintball after we have no leagues left due everyone saying to hell with you to realize that dividing, restructuring, and feuding GETS YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE NOWHERE? I'd rather not, thanks, but my living isn't made off of it...yours is. It shouldn't be me having to realize it for you.

 

[Wadidiz]

Jeeez......

Originally posted by Nick Brockdorff
...hmmm.... apparently drunkeness gives me clarity - or maybe I'll read what I just wrote tomorrow and think it makes no sense.
Nick

Damn! I wish I could write that well even when I'm sober.

S

 

[Piper]

Jeeez......

Originally posted by Nick Brockdorff
[B
- Piper Talks about how X-ball is too boring. puts loads of questions up, but has no answers


Nick [/B]

I have no answers at all mate your right! But I see no one else has any either! So I am Rancid now..... Woods all over again

Piper

 

[raehl]

Hey man..

The last time I put forth real solutions I got banned. You guys don't want real solutions.

But here, I'll try anyway.

1) Find the people who want to play.
2) Get Millenium to give space for a field at Millenium events.
3) Collect enough money from each of the teams who want to play to cover expenses, and freaking play.

Don't worry about the NXL, don't worry about 7-man, or anything else. Don't expect someone else to make it happen just because you want it. If you get off your butts and start playing, then people will start supporting you. If you sit around waiting for people to sign up to give you what you want, it isn't going to happen. If you sit and wait for the NXL to include you because you think you're entitled to it, it ain't going to happen (because I assure you, people stateside could give a rats ass if Europeans get to play or stay competitive or not, and if you think otherwise, you're deluding yourself.)


Nobody needs the EXL. It doesn't exist, and it therefore has no value. If you want people to support the EXL, then you have to create it and build some value into it. If there is no one willing to step up and do that, it's YOUR fault - not Millenium's fault, or Draxxus's fault, or the NXL's fault. It's not their job to give you what you want because you whine about it on web forums. They'll do what makes them money, and since no one has told them how the EXL is going to make them any money, they ain't gonna do it, end of story. So if the players still want the EXL that bad, then the players need to put-up and make it happen instead of expecting someone else to put their ass on the line for it.


Anyway, step one depends on whether there really is player interest in an EXL, or it's just a couple guys on p8ntballer shooting their mouths off.

Step 2 depends on making it worth Millenium's while - I'd submit that if you got EXL teams to ref every Millenium event (And I mean every player refs every event, maybe a half or whole day each), you'd provide the millenium with consistent, experienced reffing from teams not competing in the same league - something of value they might be willing to give you something for. Maybe Millenium will give you a field and airfare if they don't have to pay refs because the EXL takes care of it?

Step three goes back to step one, only asking people if it's important enough to them to put their own asses on the line. Fortunately if you get everyone to chip in, it should be a minimal risk for everyone as well (but you also give everyone an incentive to make it work.)


Who knows, maybe someone is doing this already and it just ain't public, but that's the way it's gotta be done.



- Chris

 

[Wadidiz]

Chris,

Respect! Definitely some wise words and food for thought.

 

[Robbo]

Chris, first off, your proposals, re read what I have been saying all along, you are stating the obvious, I have already advocated much the same approach about contacting teams, promoters organising themselves and finance considerations, so you input nothing new !

Steve, I ask some simple questions.... some very simple questions and your reply is long, very long...with not one of my questions answered.

 

[raehl]

My point Pete...

...is that you're not DOING it. I make no claims to the ideas being innovative, just reminding those of you on the other side of the pond that you need to talk less, do more. Somebody needs to step up and actually DO step one, then step two, then step three... is that going to be Pete? Steve? Someone else?

- Chris