Angel Paintball Sports - Angel "Eye" Goggles

Remember when Angel used to be innovative in paintball? It's been a long time boys and girls. It seems that while other manufacturers take the simple and easy route, Angel rather takes the complicated and tedious route. Angel's markers have been some of the most user unfriendly on the market, and now they aim to make their new Angel "Eye" mask the same way. The new mask which will be unveiled at the NPPL's inaugural Huntington Beach event will have two lenses, yes one lens for each eye. Anyone else interested in seeing how this will turn out?

Good bye to Smart Parts?

I'm just going to give you a couple links to where the rumors are coming from, I'll provide my commentary if the rumor turns out to be fact.

I think they just had a large layoff and someone is blowing it out of proportion.

Original source:
Ballers Cafe

Secondary sources:
View From the Deadbox
ProPaintball.com
Paintball X3

Forum posts:
PBNation - Impulse forum
PBNation- News forum
MCaterBrown

Somethings never change

Earlier this year I posed the problem of politics, and what do you know? - The problem still prevails. Call it logic unknown to me, or lack of complete logic.

Background:

I play on a local team, a team that has only played Cup last year in D4 5-man. Other than that, we've only played local events. In these local events we've won the series championship in two of the three offered divisions. Sounds pretty good right?

Problem:

We plan on playing D3 Race to 4 at World Cup this year, and possibly Phoenix, (or whatever the first PSP event of the year is) if we play well this year at Cup. In order to prepare for World Cup, we plan on practicing a local D2 and D3 team that has been playing PSP events for the past 2 years. We are planning to play at their field, because the logistics of them coming to play at our field is just impossible. The big problem here is one of our sponsors. The sponsorship is simple, discounted paint and use of the field for practices. Our side of the sponsorship was to support the field and win. Both of which have been fulfilled.

Our sponsor doesn't want us to go to the field and scrimmage that team because of past events, and is likely to pull the sponsorship (as awesome of a deal as it is *sarcasm*) if we do scrimmage. We've completed our side of the sponsorship, we've done considerably more than any of the field's other sponsored teams. But we can't simply go to a certain field to practice a certain team.

The other thing is that we're not able to draw teams because of the lack of good teams in the area.

Choices:

Go to the scrimmage, let the field decide what (he) it wants to do, either drop us, or keep us on.

Don't attend the scrimmage, be unprepared for Cup, and not move on to National events.

Questions, and my opinion

If it was my decision to take the chance and scrimmage, what would I choose?

I have no clue, and I'm glad I don't have to be the one to make that decision. With my current situation and relationship with the field, I probably wouldn't go. If I was in any other relationship with the field I would go and risk it.

What will happen if the field decides to drop the sponsorship?

We'll find another field to play for.

What do you think will happen?

My team will probably end up going to the scrimmage, our field will drop the sponsorship, and the team will find another field. I'll probably end up leaving the team because of the relationship I have with the field, and I'll probably play with another team for World Cup



Only time will tell, stay tuned for the exciting conclusion!

Politics- "The Sinister Agenda"

I have a conflict, both internally and externally-


Why can't players be, just players?

Why must it matter what league we play in?

Is there really a 'Sinister Agenda' brewing under our noses?


Ok, now lets put this rhetorical and philosophical, meaningless questions into practice. (All of the following is hypothetical)

Say we have a tournament series- call it the APPL and we have the NPL. My team plays the APPL as a serious, competitive team. However, I organize a team to play an event in the NPL, with a group of people from another team. Now, say that there is no conflict with any of the previous mentioned scenario. Still with me?
Lets throw in your variable-
the team captains and paint suppliers. Half of the team captains are fine with it, the other team captains are not. Then your paint suppliers tell you "hey, don't bite the hand that feeds. If you play that event (not even the whole series, just one event for fun) we're gonna cut you off."
Ok, now here's your reasons, the supplier doesn't like, even so much as hates, the people who run the NPL, because of past occurrences, and they told the team captains the same. So the team captains lock-down on the players.

It becomes a bad situation all around.

But the supplier doesn't understand, my team that I'm putting in has no 'sinister agenda', all that we want to do is play and have fun with the players that aren't on our same team. It's not about supporting a league they don't like. We don't care. It's all about fun.

But their hate, or dislike has blinded them, made them closed-minded, only lead them to see the negative and see the bad side of things.

Leave the politics, I'm just a player.

Divisional Team Showcase #1: Orlando DOOM

You might have heard of the team Doom Troopers, formed in 1986, but you might not have heard of a team called Orlando DOOM.

Orlando DOOM is the divisional, "Race to" team of the Doom Troopers. Although, they are two different teams. DOOM currently consists of 3 divisions, D3, D4 and D5. Orlando Doom plays in the CFPS Series and is based out of HyperSports Park in Orlando. They began playing as DOOM in 2006 at World Cup, playing D4. In 2007 and 2008 they played many local series events, but only once making it past the preliminaries. Link to DOOM APPA History

But this year there is a clear difference from the past. Early this year DOOM has clearly improved and expanded. Currently a D3 team is in the works for a future CFPS event, and will most likely be a strong force to be reckoned with. DOOM did not enter a D4 team in the past CFPS Event 4, but will more than likely play the next event for the series.

The most suprising of all was Orlando DOOM Black, the D5 team. The D5 team's first event was CFPS #3, they had a strong showing, but could not move past the prelims and finished 10th. Link to DOOM Black scores (CFPS 3- click here) At CFPS 4, however, it was a much stronger team, they moved past prelims in 6th seed and moved past Semi-finals in second seed. Link to DOOM Black scores (CFPS 4- click here) Moving on to finals they seemed to easily defeat South Florida Bulls Green and TU Stealth Black, but ran into trouble with Fatality Blue, losing the game. At the end of the day they did make the podium in second spot.

CFPS 4 Finals Scores (click here)

They are definitely a team to look out for, in all divisions, and teams that underestimate them usually lose. DOOM is soon becoming a team to look out for on the podium every event.

DOOM has a bright future ahead of them with coaching from team leader "NY" Joe Gamb

The D4 team is comprised of:
Joe Gamb -Captain
Trent Slater
Drake Terrell
Fred Tupper
Ron Terrell
Jason Hall

The D5 team is comprised of:
Matt Cliett
Jordan Conomos
Dalton Crews
Julio Hernandez
Luis Sanchez
Josh Rogachesky
Roman Scarlato

Big Team VS Small Team

Florida seems to be constantly growing teams, more than most states, but there are a few places that are growing, and mainly keeping on pace. Southern California, Northern California, the Carolinas, Omaha, Central Texas and New York seem to have the most progression of players and teams.

This is the common Florida team structure, whether for CFPS, (the now dwindling) SPCS, and other other tournaments.

Most local, divisional paintball teams normally consist of about 5-9 players. This would qualify you as a "small team". This team usually plays for fun, or to build experience and usually plays whatever tournament fits their schedules. They sometimes practice when they're all off work, or have free time. Rarely do they have scheduled or set practices. Some teams of this size that have field or factory support, but that is rare.

Then you have larger teams, these teams consist of between 10-30 players. These teams are usually based out of a home field and might have one or two sponsors. They normally receive support from the field by reduced field fees, reduced paint, or reduced merchandise. The sponsors normally supply the teams with slightly above dealer pricing, or dealer pricing. These teams usually play a tournament series, not just single events. They might attend one national event over a year. This event might be a PSP event or USPL event that is within driving distance for them.

The largest of all is the "super-team". These teams are more like an organization. There is normally an owner, a head coach, and sometimes lesser coaches. They normally consist of 30-70+ players. It's normally like a farm of feeder team. The lower division team supports the higher divison team by building players. These teams usually have a field sponsorship much like the "large team" sponsorship, and usually have multiple sponsors. Granted these are not "free stuff" or "full factory support" sponsorships, they normally give the teams everything they need without breaking the bank. These teams might have a gun sponsorship, gear sponsorship, or playing apparel sponsorship. These teams usually play all the local or regional events they can find, and might play multiple PSP or USPL events, or sometimes play the whole series. The “super teams” are geared for progressing players up quickly through the ranks, playing local, progressing to regional, then national, from D5 to D2 in a short amout of time. Those players who can’t keep up with the grueling pace are weeded out.

Larger teams can make things much easier, or in some cases much more difficult. Players on large teams need to be just that, players. The coach or team owner needs to be able to make decisions for the team with minimal input from players. Normally upstart “large” or “super-teams” usually have issues. New sponsors can cause some problems.

With smaller teams if one person cancels last minute, the team is put in a really bad situation trying to find someone to fill in. With a larger team, given the same situation, they’ll easily fill the spot due to the size of the roster. Smaller teams do have an advantage; the players have normally been playing with each other for a while and can gel better with each other than with a larger team, where you may play with different people every week.

"Large" or "super-teams" usually end up on the podiums. One reason is, they have squads to practice with, in their own team. They can also have a better feel for layouts. If you have your whole team, (let's say 30 people and each person) is playing a different specific position, that means you'll have 6 different perceptions on how to play that layout, for that specific spot. These teams also give the player a better chance to move up in the rankings. You can easily shine playing on a D4 team, and if you want to move up, you'll have the players necessary.

Each kind of team, whether it be a "super-team" such as Firece-Damage, or Total Karnage has their own advantages and downfalls compared to large teams such as Fatality, or Tampa United; besides playing on the national level versus the local.

The National League... (of paintball). MAO part 3

Saturday morning, round 2 for all Xball teams, and the beginning of Race to 2 games. Saturday also brings more spectators and a certain group of people. There seems to be a distinct difference between Thursday and Friday, when the Xball prelims are played, and Saturday and Sunday, where all the spectators and 5-man teams arrive. On Thursday and Friday you have the serious players, the guys who have usually played for about 2 or 3 years, and have usually have played multiple National events, the Xball players. Most of the Xball players tend not be very flashy, they all wear proper paintball apparel (such as C9 or Eclipse name-brand playing pants, jerseys or long sleeves). Then you have the 5-man or Race to 2 teams, they are by far a different crowd, whether it be a younger crowd, or less experienced what seems to be the resounding explanation, they are the "agglets".

I've usually had a problem with this group of the paintball community, they focus on clothing, "rare" gear, custom anno'd guns, and bad playing habits, not progression of the sport, or even playing well. I tend to be a traditional player, I wear actual playing pants, I where a normal mask, (granted I put a flashy lens on it, it's a factory part, it's not custom or home-made), a normal jersey, and cleats. I focus on progressing the sport and playing the best I can. I don't care if people take pictures of me, (but it is nice sometimes) or whether my shoes match my gun. But these kids try to look "good", to me it's a joke. I would probably think differently if these kids were actually good and actually played well, but the fact is they don't.

Saturday morning the Semi-Pro team played, and I did as much as I did as much as I could, without being staff on the roster. I drove guys to the field, carried paint to the pits and coached on the spectator side. RNT did well and moved on to Sunday.
In the meantime I was able to check out the trade show and Pro games.

Trade show

Dye booth-
Dye had the largest display of the event, a full tractor trailer with tent. The usual Dye display with pounding music, flat screen TVs, and large product displays. On Thursday and Friday the large flat screen played promo videos and for the weekend played the PSP Webcast. Dye really didn't have a new products except for the Multi-tool, which was on my "buy it" list, but I was too distracted by the $25 Aftershock C9 Jerseys.

Luxe-
DLX had the usual "Luxe Manor" display, with Luxes lining the perimeter and at table in the back. Color kits, grips, batteries, chargers, Raza lazer engraved Dynasty Luxes, and other bits and pieces were for sale. Also a TV displaying the webcast was up, a nice touch. The tech tables were set up outside on right of the tent. I was having bolt stick issues with my Luxe from the last practice and I brought it to them on Thursday, they had it ready in 20 minutes, no charge, awesome customer service. On Saturday at noon Luxe had a Dynasty poster signing without a hitch.

Planet Eclipse-
The gentlemen from across the pond brought all the new stuff, the SL94, the gem studded Argyle Ego9, Etek2 and Geo. They also had a large flat screen displaying the webcast. Egos and Geos were displayed on the wall behind the counter and product such as hoodies, shirts, playing pants, jerseys, and gear bags lined the walls of the tent. Eclipse also had their tech tables set up, working on Egos and Geos all weekend.

Virtue-
Virtue, with licencing from the PSP had all the event apparel and I had to stop by to get an event t-shirt. They had all the OLED and other boards on display, as well as casual apparel. The Ulralite OLED board was unveiled over the weekend. The Crowns were also there, and the new Crown for the Dye Rotor.

The rest of the tents were MWAG, Mac Dev, Bob Long Technologies, Der Der, Empire/ Halo tech booth, Bad News, Feed Fast, Guerrilla Air, and Seventh Element.

Sunday rolls around, RNT beat XSV and moved on to play the undefeated Aftermath II, who barely beat RNT in overtime in the prelims. But the finals game was a complete one-sided match from Aftermath. They won 7-0.

After the final game I loaded up my 4Runner and drove about 6 people to the airport and proceeded on my way back to Florida. It was an uneventful ride, and I arrived back a little bit after midnight.

Overall it was a great week, and a lot of fun to be a part of. It was also, for me, the begining of playing national events.