The only way anybody can make a serious assessment as to who is gonna do well (if most things have stayed the same) is to go on what last season told us in terms of performances.
It is self evident, based upon performances of last year which four teams would be favourite to pick up the four qualifying slots for Orlando.
Anybody at this point, who selects teams outside of that four is either an idiot or self-interested or a combination thereof.
When assessing the top four we have to now factor in 'intentions'.
Some team's intentions may have been beefed up because of XBall.
It may be 2004 and EXL has galvanized some of the 'other' teams into a more professional approach where they can perhaps challenge the favourites, that remains to be seen
I would select the Russians as certain qualifiers, their position is assured.
Underneath that, we have 7 others who have varying degrees of sponsorship, commitment, talent and brains.
All the bull in the world ain't gonna change what happens on that field of play.
And performances on that field of play are as a direct result of the following factors in the following order of importance.
Talent base of team
Dedication base of team
Coach
Training Regimes
Sponsorship portfolio
Analyse those factors correctly and you can come up with who the 'real' contenders are but the beauty of paintball (or any sport really) is that surprises do occur ..which makes all speculation laughable really...but I tell ya one thing..... for all the uncertainty in the world, for all the fcuk up factors that could possibly occur, the Russians are still going to Orlando, the rest of us are going for the bridesmaid spots
It is self evident, based upon performances of last year which four teams would be favourite to pick up the four qualifying slots for Orlando.
Anybody at this point, who selects teams outside of that four is either an idiot or self-interested or a combination thereof.
When assessing the top four we have to now factor in 'intentions'.
Some team's intentions may have been beefed up because of XBall.
It may be 2004 and EXL has galvanized some of the 'other' teams into a more professional approach where they can perhaps challenge the favourites, that remains to be seen
I would select the Russians as certain qualifiers, their position is assured.
Underneath that, we have 7 others who have varying degrees of sponsorship, commitment, talent and brains.
All the bull in the world ain't gonna change what happens on that field of play.
And performances on that field of play are as a direct result of the following factors in the following order of importance.
Talent base of team
Dedication base of team
Coach
Training Regimes
Sponsorship portfolio
Analyse those factors correctly and you can come up with who the 'real' contenders are but the beauty of paintball (or any sport really) is that surprises do occur ..which makes all speculation laughable really...but I tell ya one thing..... for all the uncertainty in the world, for all the fcuk up factors that could possibly occur, the Russians are still going to Orlando, the rest of us are going for the bridesmaid spots
