I do not think a single NXL GAME has been won or lost with the throwing in of a towel (or more properly, hitting the buzzer to stop the clock). Points have been conceded, but not games.
X-Ball is one game made up of multiple flag hangs, which are simply points. To say that the playing of points gets monotenous, is possibly justified, but in what sport is it not.
In American Football, the Baltimore Ravens won a Super Bowl by employeeing a no thrills, no spils offense, and a smothering defense. And then the Rams won with an very easy defense, and a high flying offense. X-Ball has the same possibilities. Some teams will learn to win with a less than spectacular offense, while never making mistakes, and others will learn to go full force and let the chips fall where they may. For now, most teams are simply experimenting with slight variations.
Pete, I cannot believe that you could possibly take into account what has happened at 2 NXL events as a prelude to what the format has to offer or as a sign of what it will be like in the future. Some of the very people who I am sure you spoke with (SC Ironmen) should recognize first hand that they have a long way to go. After looking very bad at the New Orleans event, they were smoking at the LA event. Same could be said for the NY Xtreme guys, but in recerse.
The format is new. The players are, while being the best the sport has to offer, just now learning how to play a format. Nothing makes it more obvious than statements like "games are ending with towels being thrown in". Players, coaches, and paintball playing spectaturs will have to dome to grips with this game is not over with a flag hang. The people who will not have a problem with that concept are the non-playing spectaturs who will recognize that as quite similar to every other sport out there. Points scored for and against, over a defined period of time, in order to determine an eventual winner. Every time a goal is scored in soccer, or a run crosses the plate in baseball, the game isn't decided.
To me the "towel throwing" is very similar to fouls in the last two minutes of a basketball game in that you concede a high percentage chance for the other team to score 1 or 2 points, with the hope that you can score 3 points on the next trip down the court. And you are assuring yourself more chances at making up that additional point by stopping the play clock with the foul. Not exactly the same, but in a sense the same principle.
I just think too many people are too quick to jump on something that has the potential to take this sport somewhere. Some of you are correct in saying that the "TV People" could take any 100 players and make them the superstars. But, two points -
1. why would they, when a nice package is already available
2. No matter who it is in the uniforms, the TV people are absolutely looking to start their coverage off with an exclusive group of people who are "called" the best. Right now, the NXL is that.
Too many people also look selfishly at the fact that they are not included, so what's the point of getting behind it. If you play paintball at all, and if you play tournament paintball especially, you are absolutely included. If the NXL only half way succeeds in what is being considered now with TV, every single person in paintball will benefit from it. All players, all stores, all teams, all tournament series. It is short sighted and remarkably selfish of anyone who doesn't recognize that.
One last thing - there are exactly 3 players in the NXL who have individual contracts that obligate them to playing NXL games. Each is most definitely being compensated. Every other NXL player can go and play wherever he wants. His simply can't come back to play in the NXL. There is a choice. Those who are playing NXL are choosing to play NXL as opposed to playing other series. Why they are choosing may vary from player to player, but the fact remains that almost everyone of them is indeed CHOOSING to play in the NXL, with full knowledge of what their opportunities are in any other series.
No more from me. I am sure some of you will have a go at this. That's OK. This is the way I see it.
X-Ball is one game made up of multiple flag hangs, which are simply points. To say that the playing of points gets monotenous, is possibly justified, but in what sport is it not.
In American Football, the Baltimore Ravens won a Super Bowl by employeeing a no thrills, no spils offense, and a smothering defense. And then the Rams won with an very easy defense, and a high flying offense. X-Ball has the same possibilities. Some teams will learn to win with a less than spectacular offense, while never making mistakes, and others will learn to go full force and let the chips fall where they may. For now, most teams are simply experimenting with slight variations.
Pete, I cannot believe that you could possibly take into account what has happened at 2 NXL events as a prelude to what the format has to offer or as a sign of what it will be like in the future. Some of the very people who I am sure you spoke with (SC Ironmen) should recognize first hand that they have a long way to go. After looking very bad at the New Orleans event, they were smoking at the LA event. Same could be said for the NY Xtreme guys, but in recerse.
The format is new. The players are, while being the best the sport has to offer, just now learning how to play a format. Nothing makes it more obvious than statements like "games are ending with towels being thrown in". Players, coaches, and paintball playing spectaturs will have to dome to grips with this game is not over with a flag hang. The people who will not have a problem with that concept are the non-playing spectaturs who will recognize that as quite similar to every other sport out there. Points scored for and against, over a defined period of time, in order to determine an eventual winner. Every time a goal is scored in soccer, or a run crosses the plate in baseball, the game isn't decided.
To me the "towel throwing" is very similar to fouls in the last two minutes of a basketball game in that you concede a high percentage chance for the other team to score 1 or 2 points, with the hope that you can score 3 points on the next trip down the court. And you are assuring yourself more chances at making up that additional point by stopping the play clock with the foul. Not exactly the same, but in a sense the same principle.
I just think too many people are too quick to jump on something that has the potential to take this sport somewhere. Some of you are correct in saying that the "TV People" could take any 100 players and make them the superstars. But, two points -
1. why would they, when a nice package is already available
2. No matter who it is in the uniforms, the TV people are absolutely looking to start their coverage off with an exclusive group of people who are "called" the best. Right now, the NXL is that.
Too many people also look selfishly at the fact that they are not included, so what's the point of getting behind it. If you play paintball at all, and if you play tournament paintball especially, you are absolutely included. If the NXL only half way succeeds in what is being considered now with TV, every single person in paintball will benefit from it. All players, all stores, all teams, all tournament series. It is short sighted and remarkably selfish of anyone who doesn't recognize that.
One last thing - there are exactly 3 players in the NXL who have individual contracts that obligate them to playing NXL games. Each is most definitely being compensated. Every other NXL player can go and play wherever he wants. His simply can't come back to play in the NXL. There is a choice. Those who are playing NXL are choosing to play NXL as opposed to playing other series. Why they are choosing may vary from player to player, but the fact remains that almost everyone of them is indeed CHOOSING to play in the NXL, with full knowledge of what their opportunities are in any other series.
No more from me. I am sure some of you will have a go at this. That's OK. This is the way I see it.
