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Opus Finale .... A Warts an' all Exposé of Paintball's Very Own Megalomaniac

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Robbo

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I think you'll find that John and Jackie Sosta, formerly of Kee will be running Valken Europe for Gino.

It seems Gino has revised his previous business model whereby he is now partnering up with someone who's trustworthy and won't be screwing him over.

John and Jackie Sosta are two of the most respected individuals in our sport/industry and I'm sure Gino will not have to lose anymore sleep worrying about how much money he will have stolen from him under the description of 'normal business practice' as barnett subsequently described his fraudulent appropriation of Gino's money.
We'd like to wish John, Jackie and Gino the best of luck in their joint venture.
 

Robbo

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H, I'm pretty sure Will Bourghalt is responsible for Europe regarding Valken.
Thankfully for Gino, Will is another genuine and honest guy who's been doing a fantastic job for Valken and so I think Gino can sit back and let his appointed representatives run the European show.

I know that John and Jackie Sosta were head of the European operation for Kee but I'm not sure as to what their responsibilities are concerning Europe for Valken.
It's safe to assume they will be heading up the UK side of things and so let's see how it all unfolds over the next few months.

Either way, I think Gino has nailed the people he's always wanted for the UK and Europe and so he's gonna be one helluva happy bunny.

PS I'll call Jackie and John later today [if I can remember to] because they want us to run a press-release that will answer everyone's queries.
I'll post it up in the announcements forum later today.
 

Robbo

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It would seem that barnett has decided to keep his head down these past few months because his usual behaviour seems to have been somewhat curtailed.
Normally, this would be cause for encouragement but being the cynic that I am, I prefer to believe a leopard cannot change his spots and this lull has its roots firmly fixed into two possible possibilities with the first being, he's finally realised that acting the way he has been, only provided even more fuel to this thread.
It frikkin took him long enough if that is the reason though I think there's a more likely candidate lurking in the shadows.

There is no doubting, his events have been attracting a lot less people - whether that's a result of people becoming aware of just what he's like, I don't really know, it's a strong possibility I suppose.
Now, he's been used to having things his own way and this thread has provided an insight into the way he conducts his affairs which for the most part, would tend to put people off going to his events, and understandably so.

Knowing the way his mind works, and also knowing he's unable to make any significant change to his behaviour, I believe there's a strong possibility he's waiting for the right time .....
In his head, he must realise, his days are numbered, leastwise in terms of being a successful promoter - he's fuhk'd that right up by screwing so many people out of so many thousands of pounds .. he's made no attempt at reparation and so we can conclude he has no pangs of guilt or feelings of regret concerning the people he has cheated.
This fact alone would sink the majority of people wishing to continue in paintball but let's assume he's decided upon a plan of action.

I've always believed that someone like him has no sense of loyalty or responsibility toward his customers or indeed his suppliers.
He has quite spectacularly provided us all with the evidence we might need to confirm how he thought about his suppliers, Gino of Valken can reluctantly testify to that, he is not one of the people anybody should take lightly.
I've known him for well over 20 years and whilst I've never really been close to him, I do know he is a patient man and doesn't easily forget anyone who has been stupid enough to screw him over ..... that's not a mistake I'd ever make.

Still, what does this all mean?
It means, if barnett wants to continue in our sport/industry, he has to come to terms with the very real fact of continually looking over his shoulder ... he'd be a fool not to !!
I'm certainly not suggesting anything too dramatic [physical] is going to happen to barnett but things have a way of coming back at ya ...

And so, what to do, is barnett's dilemma ....
My guess would be, he will continue promoting his events ........ until he chooses to pull the plug ......
And when he does, he will do it in the following manner:- He will promote a 'bells and whistles' event, an event that sounds too good to be true .... however, the hallmark for this event will be, 'Money up front' ... he will of course indulge himself in his normal rhetoric and hyperbole whereby he tells people the event is soooooo good, the numbers just have to be limited ...... but there's a sting in the tail waiting for anybody who hasn't heeded the warnings.

One of the things barnett does well, and undeniably there are a few things , is, he can sell an event ..... he's pretty good at that side of promotion.
It's a bit of a shame he turned out the way he has because those qualities could have proved beneficial for the development of our sport/industry but hey, Hitler was pretty good at running the German economy and so I wouldn't get too carried away with believing barnett could ever be an overall plus point for our sport/industry.

In my opinion, he will try and attract as many prepayments as he can before this 'bells and whistles' promotion is supposed to be held.
And when he believes he's maximised those prepayments, he'll disappear in a poof !!!
And whilst on the subject of sables, he'll be thrown under the proverbial bus just like everyone else.

I really do hope this is one occasion when I'm spectacularly wrong because the loser is always gonna be the guy who puts his hand into his pocket and hands over his hard-earned money to go play in one of barnett's events.
As to which event it will be?
It will be the event that can generate the most prepayment money ... as to which one?
I got zero idea, I'm not too good on keeping up with that side of things but if he does go down that road, I'm sure we'll hear about it on here.
Fingers crossed, we don't hear a thing .... but then again, has that proverbial leopard now got stripes?
 

onasilverbike

I'm a country member!
Pete, the lack of news on here may be because he's blocked and barred most of the contributors from his Facebook groups/pages. Somewhere I did see him state that he was busy with his Tough Mudder alike events and will be back to Paintball soon. How ironic would it be if it were Stargate where he pulled the rug, leaving Sables hung out to dry!
 
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