Joy Stockholm official comment on OC NPPL

[Wadidiz]

(Hey Nick)

....the situation we saw, could just as easily have happened with 5 minutes left to play (I don't even know if it WAS within the last minute - I don't think so?).

The psycology of the situation is also very different, from an X-Ball match starting with around a minute left on the clock - and a 7-man match that has been going on for almost 6 minutes!

Last, but not least... when the game is on the line, players WILL cheat, if it can win them the game.

Yeah, you're right that a 60 second rule might not help so much. The main thing is that there must be tougher penalties against playing on PERIOD/FULL STOP so that the motivating incentive for creating chaos and cheating like mofos is put to an end.

...The only way to fix it, no matter what the rules are, is to have good refs... and that is where many leagues are failing.

So we mostly agree. I just want to add that the rules and the reffing go hand in hand. Both must be greatly improved simultaneously to fix things.

Players don't care about a cool stadium, a nice pitch, or other stuff - if the reffing sucks - the events sucks.

Players do care a lot about the "other stuff"; that's why NPPL has been so successful. They do care about reffing but I wonder if they are willing to pay what it costs?

Reffing should ALWAYS be at the forefront of promoters minds, and be the one area where they put the most money and effort.

Right. It should be and is for some promoters but the funds are simply not there (yet) for putting the package together that includes the requisite "other stuff" AND paying what it would cost for the program that is really needed.

Getting back to the 60 second rule, that could possibly be adjusted so that any penalty in the last seconds of the game regardless of how much time is left on the game clock would swing points...but...I think we're beating a dead horse.

As you've posted on another forum, the standard 7-player format is dead. Multi-goal games along with good rules and much-improved reffing is what is really needed in NPPL and I think the OC fiasco proves that.

I think we mostly agree in principle on what's needed:

¤ Realistic, well-written rules that are expected to be used and enforced as written and that deal much more severely with playing on

¤ Well-trained and reasonably compensated professional referees who are untouchable by sponsors, promoters, key industry figures and teams and who are held accountable for their actions/performance

¤ Respect for both the rules and the officials bolstered by solid backing by the leagues

¤ A multi-goal format with all its inherent advantages

 

[Nick Brockdorff]

I disagree Steve

I think most players would rather play in a ****ty venue, with world class refs, than the other way around.

All the trimmings are nice, but I feel that promoters are putting the cart before the horse at the moment.

FIRST fix the reffing - and THEN see what the budget allows for otherwise.

I honestly think most promoters are selling the players short, if they think all the shiny stuff is what matters most to serious tournament players.

N

 

[Wadidiz]

I disagree Steve

I think most players would rather play in a ****ty venue, with world class refs, than the other way around.

All the trimmings are nice, but I feel that promoters are putting the cart before the horse at the moment.

FIRST fix the reffing - and THEN see what the budget allows for otherwise.

I honestly think most promoters are selling the players short, if they think all the shiny stuff is what matters most to serious tournament players.

N

I wish you were right, Nick. Unfortunately it is not the serious tournament players who drive the scene. I also suspect that there are many top teams/players who naively believe that they are better at abusing the system than the next team and who don't really want a change in status quo.

I could be wrong...

 

[Chicago]

I think most players would rather play in a ****ty venue, with world class refs, than the other way around.

I think you're both wrong. I think there are two distinct kinds of tournament players - those that are there to play, and those that are there because paintball tournaments are what they like to do on vacation.

The former wants good reffing/playing surface at the expense of all else. The latter will be swayed by how big of a celebrity you make them feel like.

Neither is right or wrong, but suggesting that you can address all tournament players by appealing to the primary motivator for only one half of them is silly.

 

[Nick Brockdorff]

Neither is right or wrong, but suggesting that you can address all tournament players by appealing to the primary motivator for only one half of them is silly.

I don't think half the players at a national event, goes there for a vacation - maybe 20 % - tops.

And honestly, basing the event priorities on those 20 % is what is silly.

Most people that go to majors, do paintball as a serious sport, and they deserve to be treated accordingly.

Nick

 

[Chicago]

I think if you look at D4/D3/D2, you'll find a lot of people who are not there to be SERIOUS competitors.

Or hell, just go out to the bars the night before an event and count the number of 'athletes' there.

 

[MissyQ]

Hey, what happened here? Robbo went all 'love-fest' and I missed out? holy crap!!

...and of course Jerry still lurks. 'The biggest trick the devil ever played was convincing people he doesn't exist' (or that he is now a completely silent partner at least....).

and I doubt we'll see that Chris Rael (sp) again either. He tried to hit on my black-ass in a bar in Orange County. To cut a long story short, Baca Loco heard about it and went berserk, said that Chris was dissing him etc, and that he was gonna get even. I think Chris has been dodging him ever since. Pussy!

 

[Robbo]

we're not gonna see Chris Raehl (sp?) back are we???

Paul, if you look very closely, and I mean very closely indeed, you might just see Chris lurking.....and posting...I'm afraid that's all I can say mate.

I must be going all wussy-boy on my own ass letting all this intellectual flotsam and jetsam back into town ...... but as I said before, P8ntballer.com is a better place for them being back on board.
Blimey, we got Steve (Wad), Nick and Chris all holstered and ready to go, I better watch my back

 

[Wadidiz]

Paul, if you look very closely, and I mean very closely indeed, you might just see Chris lurking.....and posting...I'm afraid that's all I can say mate.

I must be going all wussy-boy on my own ass letting all this intellectual flotsam and jetsam back into town ...... but as I said before, P8ntballer.com is a better place for them being back on board.
Blimey, we got Steve (Wad), Nick and Chris all holstered and ready to go, I better watch my back

This is starting to get me all teary-eyed and feeling like I'm watching the finale of "A Christmas Story".

Merry Christmas and God bless you all...every one...

I'm even getting momentary hopes of peace on earth.

 

[Buddha 3]

I don't think half the players at a national event, goes there for a vacation - maybe 20 % - tops.

And honestly, basing the event priorities on those 20 % is what is silly.

Most people that go to majors, do paintball as a serious sport, and they deserve to be treated accordingly.

Nick

Nick, I tend to agree with Chi here. As you may or may not know, this whole paintball "athlete" thing has bothered me for a very long time.
I think you may see things different from the rest of the world because you come from a region where people tend to take their balling very seriously. For some reason it seems that all Scandinavians seem to take whatever sports they do very seriously, and I am quite envious of that. Unfortunately it's not indicative of the attitudes that permeate the rest of the world.