Originally posted by JanSolo
Hi,
This is meant purely to gain an insight into the paintball culture from the 'upper' levels. Most of us only see the paintball heirarchy from the bottom up; I'd like to know what it's like Top-Down.
Please dont take this as a dig at you. It aint.
Thanks.
Jan.
Question:
Paintballing newbies and tourney fanboys generally latch onto you as the fountain of paintballing knowledge and wisdom; some internet dweebs quote you as if your word were gospel. However, you won all your titles and championships largely before concept ball (supAir, Hyperball, etc) were invented.
What do you give to the current, up-to-date paintballing world that makes you worthy of this blatant hero worship?
Why do you think you get all this adulation from the paintballing masses?
I actually won the first World Title in 96 when paintball was emerging from the woods onto concept fields.
By the time I won my second World Title in 98, the games were being played mainly on concept fields such as Hyperball and Sup'Air.
When I won the World 7 man and Best player award in Toulouse with Aftershock, that was exclusively on Sup'Air, so to put the record straight, I would have to say, I may have made my name in the woodland game but I actually won the vast majority of my more serious titles well away from the woods.
I don't like the word worship because I think it is inappropriate and is used sometimes by people to demean others.
I would prefer to think players at all levels, would 'respect' me rather than what you have described as adulation.
I don't think for one second the situation is as you suggest leastwise, I would hope not.
As to what I can give the contemporary paintball scene ?
Hmmm, well, I suppose I could say, 'I have had a lot of experience at playing all over the world at every level and I try to analyse the game at every level and hopefully any insight I gain, I try to pass on thru my articles and posts'.
Also, I am deeply involved in the industry, I do know a lot of people both sides of the Atlantic and I suppose that gives me another level of experience from which to comment on.
But I think the very things that helped me achieve the things I have done are the very same things that cause me sooo many problems, if you get what I mean !
All in all, I couldn't possibly say whether I am worthy of this respect or not, that's a call others have to make, I am just stating my credentials, what you make of them, is up to you guys
Robbo
