Sunshine Laws

[Baca Loco]

What better way to demonstrate both honest intentions and the workings of the players committees than to keep minutes and make those records available to representatives of the member teams?
Ever wonder how a new rule was decided on and by who? This way you would know.
And for those whose cynicism leads them down down dark alleys of suspicion about the potential of undue influence from promoters, industry, etc. this single change would stop all the rumors and suspicions dead in their tracks.

This way too the players, as a body, would have the sort of information available to them to make informed choices about who they want to represent them.
At this time sunshine laws would only apply to the NPPL and MS among the majors but such a move would, I think likely, pressure the PSP to follow suit--both with players committees and an openess policy.

*Sunshine law provides for information about the workings and members of various sorts of governmental committees.
Applied to Paintball it would only affect the assorted player committees and not bind the promoters or leagues to divulge private or financial information. Only info on the processes of the player committees which involve the general playership.

It would be a win, win for everybody, wouldn't it?

 

[Intheno]

good idea.

 

[BWillie]

If the players would form a legitimate group to work as an advisory committee, the PSP would be more than willing to work with their ideas.

I have even approached a few of the more reasonable and involved players and mentioned to them the need for a player committee. Such a committee needs to be organized and run by players. It needs to be initiated by players so it can avoid the "puppet committee", "Jerry's boys" labeling.

Although every person I approached agreed with the idea, nothing has ever come of it. This is typical. Lots of people won't to bellyache about things. But not many want to put effort at improving them. It's a very thankless task. Serving on one of these committees takes more time from home, more money from your pocket, time away from your team, business, etc. The pay sucks. And no one ever thanks you for your effort. They simply call you out to complain about what you aren't doing that they think you should do, or what you did that they think you shouldn't have. I experienced it first hand for a few years.

PSP would be willing to make conference rooms available for the group at the events. PSP would be willing to listen to and discuss the ideas the group has on improving the league and the events. PSP would be willing to accept and implement ideas that are for the betterment of the league (the WHOLE league - including vendors and sponsors) AND deemed financially reasonable. And PSP would certainly have no problem with allowing the sun to shine on any decisions made by the group.

Guys like Ted Wolfson, Nick Brocollidorf, Jeff Stein, Rocky Knuth, Steve Howard, Matty Hotard, Ryan Greenspan, Bill Parrish, Steve Morris, Charles Holland, and others would be able to offer valuable opinion on things. These are just a few guys that I have spoken to who think a little deeper into things and who's opinions (while I don't always agree with) I definitely respect. I am sure there are tons of others.

There's a guy in Florida named Paul Richards who I think would be a great canidate to start this group and lead it to a great future. He is intelligent, well spoken, influencial, reasonable, and diligent. He has my phone number and I would be more than willing to speak to him on the matter.

 

[Intheno]

suggest you don't use him, I have it from several reliable sources that he's a commie pinko activist, and with the best will in the world, 'that type' is trouble when you put them into a committee environment...

Just looking out for you my old pal!

 

[Baca Loco]

BW, it's been awhile. Nice to have you drop in.

Pay no attention to ITN. His lack of political acumen is appalling. I'm an anarchist, not a commie.

Re: PSP and players committees and sunshine policies

I will talk to you in Chicago about the whole business and I'm glad to see you're interested--I rather thought you might be. (If you want to push it on a faster track call me anytime--I lost your number in a computer meltdown a couple months ago.) As to my suitability to act in the capacity you suggest there might be a couple of issues:
Any initial committee organization should be of an interrim nature so that an elected group could be put into place at the first opportunity. A Stirring Committee perhaps to put things in motion that has a finite lifespan. I wouldn't be a party to anything else.
First order of business would be outlining just how the sunshine policy would function.
Second order of business would be delineating in advance the parameters of any future players committees since, IMHO, defining their roles and responsibilities would be the key to their future effectiveness.
The potential conflict between such a role and my various current roles, ie: PGi and my team affiliation and duties. Obviously, each role has its unique responsibilities and there would be some conflicts, I have no doubt, but, unfortunately, that's pretty much true of everyone in pball these days.

That's all that comes to mind immediately. Well, that and I'm obnoxious and unpleasant . . .
____________________________________

End of sorta threadjack and back on general topic.

Sunshine laws, good or what?

 

[Furby]

Eh. Richards is alright. Better him than that newsie Dale Ford...Ford's known to be hairy, foul-tempered and generally disagreeable.

 

[Toxic Dave]

WTF Lane, you never asked me!! Then again I probably wouldn't have either.

dave

 

[Gyroscope]

Originally posted by Baca Loco

Sunshine laws, good or what?

Yes, good. The more that the processes are transparent, the less anyone will wish to actually examine them, though.

One exception would be the Millenium's current ramping mess. It would be ironic to focus scrutiny on how a blind eye is turned.