What’s it Like to Get Hit?
What’s it Like to Get Hit?
By: Bryce McCarthy
The other day, I was reffing a birthday party for a first-time player, Matt, who was no older than eleven. As we trekked out to the field for his first ever game of paintball, he asked the typical “What’s it like to get hit?”
Usually, I brush this question off with “It stings for a moment, but it goes away really soon” and sometimes I joke “I can show you, if you want,” to ease their nerves. But, for some reason, maybe because he reminded me so much of myself at his age, I took a retrospective journey back to my first time getting hit by a paintball.
It was sometime around my 10th birthday. My dad bought me a Tippmann 98 Custom, a mask, and a pair of hiking boots. He brought me to the field, and even stayed to be my “pit crew” for the day. I listened to my first orientation, was sorted into my first team, and guided out to my first game.
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Written by: Bryce McCarthy
Before I joined a paintball team, I always fantasized about what the world of being a sponsored player was like. Often I pictured living at the top of Mt. Olympus, with endless streams of free paint being poured into my hopper by the Splat! Girls, while Bob Long himself engineered my markers out of diamond and gold. I’d travel to every event in the world, flying first class and toasting champagne with the Troll himself. Everywhere I’d go; swarms of paparazzi from 68 Caliber, Warpig, Catshack, and TechPB would surround me and demand to know who custom-tailored my jersey from the hair of the extinct saber-tooth tiger. Those were the dreams. And as always, reality had to make an appearance and crush them.
Most new and inexperienced teams are under the impression that winning is the only way to get sponsored. Maybe that’s true in Charlie Sheen’s world (some jokes never get old), but in the real world, nobody is going to hand you free stuff because you win a local tournament, beat a tough team in a scrimmage, or pick up a sick snake player. In reality, most sponsors don’t care about how much you win or lose. Winning certainly helps your cause, but it usually isn’t a deciding factor in whether or not a company chooses to brand their logo on you.
A Baller’s Ballad
Written by: Bryce McCarthy
Welcome to another freshly-cut piece of my paintball philosophy; served on this sheet of warm, pixelated paper for your reading enjoyment. Let me queue you in on a little secret that’s not a secret anymore because I’m telling you it.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been working behind the scenes on a new paintball webshow called Breakout. The show is about the world of paintball, and what goes on in that world. While creating the show, the producers and I have had to dig into the core of paintball, trying to unveil the secret that’s kept paintball thriving. In our quest we’ve come to some interesting realizations about the sport. These realizations have had me contemplating my paintball existence for endless nights, and are the source code for this blog post.
Exigency for a Broadcast
Written by: Bryce McCarthy
Hello boys and girls, it’s time for a public service announcement from your favorite paintball blogger. Or me. Whichever fits better.
In case you reside under a rock, let me inform you that this week, between the 1st and 3rd of April (Friday-Sunday), the NPPL’s Surf City USA Open will be broadcasted on ESPN 3. Now before you mosey over to your TV to find ESPN 3, let me also inform you that ESPN 3 is an exclusively online network. While this isn’t nearly as exciting as a live television broadcast, it’s much better than the NPPL’s former broadcast method, which was none.
Don’t underestimate how big of deal this is. Besides some old Spyder Cup matches and a short-lived daytime docu-reality show, paintball media has never been televised. With this broadcast, we, and I mean we, can bring paintball back to TV. Can you imagine being able to sit down on your couch and watch paintball, without having to sort through thousands of videos on YouTube just to find one you haven’t seen before? Well my friends, together, we can make that reality.
The “numbers” of a TV broadcast are its analytics, or stats. The stats measure how many people are watching, where they’re watching from, which gender is watching, etc. TV networks are all about numbers, because numbers mean money. Big numbers equal big money, and low numbers equal little money. Networks frequently cancel shows with low numbers to make room for other, new shows that could bring in big numbers. So how do we get paintball on TV? We prove that paintball has big numbers.
Big numbers are not all that easy to obtain, however. When I say big numbers, I’m not talking about a few thousand people here and there. I’m talking about millions of people worldwide. Last season, NCIS, one of the top shows on television, had about 20 million people watch each episode. That’s an impossible number for a paintball broadcast to reach, so we’ll be setting our sights a bit lower at 5 million viewers, the amount of viewers for the NFL opening game last season.
I know for a fact that I don’t have 5 million readers. That leaves most of the work up to you, my 5 readers. Here’s my assignment: Tell 3 of your friends who enjoy (notice I didn’t say play) paintball about the broadcast, and tell them to tell 3 people the same thing. Start a chain reaction that ends with the whole paintball community being aware of, and watching this broadcast. Paintball has 10 million players worldwide, and getting at least half of them to watch the broadcast would be phenomenal. Also, if you have multiple computers, watch the broadcast on all of them. Remember, more numbers increases the chance of paintball going back to TV.
Here is the link to the broadcast. It goes live on April 1st at 12:45 EST. http://espn.go.com/espn3/index/_/sport/games
Your viewing will determine the destiny of paintball. If paintball gets on TV, hundreds of millions of dollars a year will get absorbed into the industry. That means cheaper gun, gear, paint, everything. It also means more fields will open, and paintball will become a stable industry once more.
I’ll be watching Friday, will you?
Pioneers vs Trackers
Written by: Bryce McCarthy
Back some time ago, there existed the honorable profession of pioneering. Pioneers were brave and noble men, who ventured forth into uncharted territory, with absolutely no guarantee of finding what they were looking for. Many thought pioneering was a dangerous activity, and many more didn’t understand it. Why would a man risk life and limb just to “find” something that had never been found before? What these doubters didn’t know was the pioneers were never actually looking for anything. All along, they were just following.
Some paintball teams can be labeled as sports teams, where others are more like social clubs, and then there are a few teams that fall somewhere in the middle. A team’s definition, character, and attitude are what make them unique. When you’re zoomed out, teams will look similar. They all play paintball, they all goof around, and they all (hopefully) play for the love of the sport. You’ll only notice the ways they’re different if you take the time to look closely. It’s the little things that count: how often they practice, how many events they go to, and what the strive to stand for.
Paintball teams are today’s pioneers in the sport of paintball. They all start out as small groups of players who decide that they want to go beyond recreational level, and start the quest to fight in the big leagues. These players aren’t promised any rewards for what they may find, because the only rewards from being a part of a paintball team are untenable. The reality is, paintball teams are money pits. Anybody who’s ever been on a team knows how much money it is, and how absolutely no money comes out. Great deals, opportunities and recognition may spur up, but the sport still costs thousands each year for them. And despite this factor, these men and woman still play the sport they love.
However, not all teams are pioneers. Pioneers are the trailblazers, the variables, the guinea pigs of the experiment. Behind the pioneers, trackers can be found. Trackers are the people who strictly follow only the pioneer’s path, in hopes of being led to the destination.
Devious trackers do not play paintball for the love of the sport. They succumb to greed and the influences of fortune, and go on a different quest than the pioneers. All they desire is money and worldwide recognition for their half-hearted effort to be the best at a game they don’t even care for. By nature, the devious trackers have no realistic incentive to motivate them to play paintball. Ergo, they don’t know how to go about starting a team, and have no choice but to copy another team. Not only is this practice detrimental to the trackers themselves, but also to the pioneers. When trackers screw up, the trail of the pioneer’s becomes much harder to blaze.
While it is understandable that some teams will be similar in some respects, there is no reason, or excuse, to completely copy another team. Take the principles, policies, and systems that work and change them to incorporate the new teams, If you want to be a proper pioneer, do research, see what works, ask questions the proper way, and find the right way to set your path. Then and go, grab your tools, grab your sharp edged axes, and go forth as a pioneer. Don’t be lured by the terrible trackers of the world, for they bring no good, only harm, to the paintball community. Trackers are blind, and have nothing to rely on but the wits of the pioneers to guide them. Do not follow a tracker, because without any motivation or drive to play paintball for the purity of sport, they will get lost, as they always do. Don’t be afraid to join a pioneer on his journey, though, because he is following a much greater guide. He is following Honor.
Online Paintball Trading Part 2: the How To’s
Written by: Bryce McCarthy
Last week, I gave some guidelines on how to be careful when trading online. The reality is, there’s a lot of theft in the paintball market. As you read, the case of a scumbag in Florida scamming 5 people over PBNation is unfolding. Don’t assume for a moment that you’re safe because you use SpecOps, TechPB, or a different forum. Scammers can be, and are, anywhere and everywhere. That’s why if you haven’t read my post “Online Paintball Trading: The Do’s and the Don’ts”, I suggest you do so right away.
This week, the topic is much lighter. I’ll be giving you some tips on how to get your stuff sold faster, and for a better price. Everything you see is from my own personal insight, and the insight of those with professional experience in this market. Trust me, some of these methods will sound quirky, but they work. And if you don’t trust me, trust the professionals. Without further adieu, here are the tips:
How to: Make Your Thread More Attractive
- #1. For the title, use very simple, concise, and understandable phrases. Instead of “$$$%%%@@#@ LOL SEXIEST GAT ON THE NATION HMU!!!!!!”, go with something that will attract your target audience’s attention. A good naming mechanism is as follows: Condition/Color/Model/Year/Price/Acceptable Trades. Selling your Ego 10 so you can buy a camera? Use a title like “Used Red Ego 10: $900, Looking For Cameras!”.
- #2. Avoid creating “Thread Rules”. For one, your rules aren’t enforceable by anybody; the only rules that matter are the website’s terms of use. Also, making strict or seemingly harsh rules could easily serve as a deterrent against potential buyers.
- #3. Keep your thread organized. Use bullet points, proper grammar, and give your writing a positive attitude. Do not ever, ever, use vulgarity in your thread. If a reader gets confused, or feels insecure about dealing with you, they won’t think twice before moving on to the next guy. In relation to this, be open and honest about gun issues. People are much more forgiving when they know about your gun’s problems ahead of time, rather than after they paid you and received their new baby. Don’t think you can hide problems a buyer either, they’ll find out.
- #4. If possible, buy thread promotions. On PBNation, there’s a “gold up” system, which sticks your thread at the top of its specific forum, for a certain amount of time. The catch is, you have to pay for it. The price is in the $10 area, but it’s worth every penny. Most other forums have a similar system. Use it. Your thread will get noticed by a large number of people and your product will sell a lot faster.
- #5. Use a decent camera to take pictures of your equipment. Avoid cell phones, webcams, and turn off flash. Whatever you do, don’t stand in a mirror for your picture. The better the quality, the more you’ll be taken seriously. And if you’re being taken seriously, you have a good shot at getting your stuff sold.
How To: Seal the Deal
- #1. Sound professional when communicating with potential buyers. Same rules as threads apply: no swearing, sounding like an illiterate third-grader, bullying, etc. Don’t have any inappropriate content associated with your account. This includes avatar, signature, catchphrase, etc. A lot of kids do deals on the internet, which means their parents will want to see who they’re trading with. If you have questionable content representing you, I can guarantee you won’t make a sale.
- #2. Give people time to respond to you. Don’t assume they’re not interested, just because they didn’t answer your PM as soon as they read it. The 3-Day rule works well here; if they don’t respond, then wait 3 days and ask *politely* if they’re still interested. If they don’t respond then, it’s safe to say they’re not interested.
- #3. Don’t be a jerk, for any reason, while negotiating. Keep your cool, no matter what. If the other party is harassing you, lowballing you, etc., simply ask them to stop. If they fail to stop, pull the plug.
- #4. In the event that the deal doesn’t work out, don’t burn any bridges. The day could come when whoever you were dealing with comes into possession of something you wish to purchase. Simply give a “well sorry this didn’t work out, good luck” and move on. You’ll be glad you did.
How To: Ship an Item When it is Sold
- #1. If you can, try to get a Flat Rate box from USPS. Most guns can fit in a Medium-sized box, which costs $4+ change to ship. However, for gear that doesn’t fit in a Medium Flat Rate box, use a shipping calculator to determine what is the most cost efficient option for you. Large Flat Rate boxes cost $11+ to ship, and you can probably ship for cheaper using a normal option.
- #2. Use packing peanuts or air cushions to secure your item in its box. Don’t use paper towels, tissues, etc. That’s extremely ghetto and will piss-off whoever you’re shipping to. Not to mention, that warrants bad feedback being left for you. In the event that your product malfunctions upon arrival, guess what the blame will be on?
- #3. Get a tracking ID. Protects you legally and makes both parties involved feel more comfortable.
- #4. Double-tape the container closed. It will be much harder to open, but that’s the point. The recipient would much rather have to spend an extra two minutes opening the package, than receive an empty package. So would you for that matter, considering how you’re liable if the package is lost in transit.
How To: Deal with Trouble
- #1. If the other party complains about your product, talk to them and work something out. Don’t risk your feedback over a simple leak or tear. If you get one negative feedback, most people will never deal with you, even if the negative feedback is trivial.
- #2. If the problem proves to be major, mutually agree to send the product to a tech that you both trust and respect. If the tech can repair it, pay for the repair. If there’s a bigger problem afoot, see below.
- #3. In the event that your buyer wants a return, accept his offer, but make him pay for shipping, and only return the money once your gun is back in your possession. I know, that’s a sucky solution for you, but you don’t want to risk your feedback.
- #4. Be careful. A lot of scams revolve around demanding a return once the product is in the scammer’s possession. Don’t let this stop you from letting your buyer return the product. I’m just saying, be on your toes.
I hope that this helps you thrive more on the paintball market. If you have any questions, feel free to comment and I’ll do my best to answer. For the record, none of these methods will guarantee you success.
Psst. I’m only saying that so I’m legally covered! These methods work! If they don’t work for you, well, then you did them wrong. Don’t screw up next time.
Online Paintball Trading Part 1: The Dont’s
Written by: Bryce McCarthy
Well, that time has come again: you’ve found yourself in need of a different gun. New guns are wicked expensive, none of your friends are selling any guns you want, and you’re too afraid of the Craigslist killer to go anywhere near that site. So what are you going to do? Buy a used gun off a paintball forum, of course.
And if you need to get rid of your old gun? Put it up on the paintball forum. We all know that it’s free, and easier to do than EBay. Plus, EBay has all those rules and regulations. Let’s keep it simple and sketchy, right?
Every day, nearly one hundred deals are made on paintball B/S/T (buy, sell, and trade) forums. That’s a complete fabrication, but still, there are a lot of deals going on. Another interesting false fact: the average consumer on these forums will practically jump into any pitfall that is just scarcely covered with twigs. I’ve utterly lost count of how many scams and dirty tricks have occurred before my eyes. Due to my unwavering care for your wallet, I’ve written this guide to online paintball forum trading.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Buying and Selling
#1. DON’T pay more for “1 of 1” or “annoed” guns. A custom gun isn’t worth more than a stock gun. In fact, a custom gun is worth LESS than a stock gun. Why? Because custom parts and frames aren’t replaceable. If the part gets broken, it’s done. That’s why it’s worth less. The only factor that can make a gun worth more than stock is the quality and amount of its upgrades. The only time you should pay more for a custom gun is if you truly like the custom scheme. Otherwise, don’t go for it.
#2. DON’T “ship first”. I’m going to type it again for emphasis. Don’t. Ship. First. If you’re going to ship first, you might as well bend over now and watch your gun disappear. Here’s why: PayPal policies favor the buyer, not the seller. If you purchase a gun from somebody, and they never send it, you can file a claim and 99% of the time, you’ll get your cash back. However, if you’ve sold a gun, and send it to the buyer and never get payment from him, how are you supposed to get your gun back? Filing a police report is always an option, but it will be months or years before you get your baby back. Stay on the safe side. Get paid, and then ship. If your trading partner doesn’t like the idea, drop the deal, because they obviously don’t care about your safety.
#3. DO get a tracking number and insurance if shipping your gun. Having a tracking number pretty much guarantees that you’ll win a claim, if one is filed against you. If you don’t have a tracking number and a claim is filed against you, guess what? There goes all your profit. Civil law, and PayPal policies, says that a seller is liable for a product until it is in the buyer’s hands. Meaning, if the UPS truck catches fire and your gun gets destroyed, you still have to give a gun to your buyer. However, if you bought insurance for your charred marker, you’re pretty much covered! Isn’t that amazing? If you haven’t caught on yet, the theme of this blog is better safe than sorry. Get insurance and tracking and you won’t be sorry.
#4. DON’T put too much faith in feedback. While feedback does show a good representation of what a seller’s history is like, it can be deceiving. Accounts get hacked, people fake feedback, and people sell things “for their friends”. Don’t get lured into a false sense of security; you can never be too sure about numbers.
And there you go! Hopefully, this will make your next under-the-table paintball transaction a little bit less stressful. Please be aware, I’m not trying to be a Negative Nancy, I’m just letting you know that there are threats out there. Think of me as that guy in those awkward health class movies, talking about “unfriendly strangers”. Except the unfriendly strangers who will try to rip you off on paintball forums won’t try to kill you. Unless they’re the Craigslist Killer. Be careful.
Next week I’ll be doing some “How to” tips on getting your gun sold faster and for more money, as well as getting the gun of your dreams for cheaper. Stay tuned!
Paintball Apocalypse
Written by: Bryce McCarthy
In recent years, the subject of paintball’s “dying” and “death” has become a hot topic. Frankly, I don’t care if it’s dying, growing, or steadfast. Ask yourself, does it really matter? I can personally promise you that there will never be a day in which paintball is wiped from existence. Several million people and their equipment aren’t going to magically disappear into the mist. And Dick’s Sporting Goods isn’t going to suddenly come to their senses and dispose of their endless warehouse of bucket paintballs.
Keeping that in mind, how could paintball die? I’m not denying the possibility that professional leagues and players will one day fade from the picture. Many sports have witnessed that tragic event, and many more to come will also have to suffer. Could paintball be the next victim? Possibly; it’s too soon to tell.
However, the absence of professional-grade competition doesn’t equal the absence of the sport itself. The worst case scenario for paintball is that it returns to its original roots. You know, playing in the woods with a close group of friends every now and again. It’s a tad hard to call that “death”, is it not? Don’t overact to the first cry of “wolf”, because as we all know, the source of said cry is an (or in this case multiple) attention-seeking little boy.
Despite my clear position on the matter, I figured it would be beneficial to put together a list of the “Four Horsemen of the Paintball Apocalypse”. I’ll shed some light towards what’s fact, and what’s horse crap.
The White Horse: Local stores being lost to internet retailers
We are living in the year 2011. This is the electronic age. Nearly everything is on the internet, including stores. In fact, there are an estimated 500,000 e-commerce sites on the web. Research by Forbes and BusinessWeek has shown that an online business will lead to a lot more success than a storefront business of the same. A fact worth mentioning, most e-store’s products have no sales tax. There are legal principles that determine which online shops have to pay the tax, but I’ll save us both some time by simply stating that your average online paintball retailer doesn’t have to charge it. Do you get what I’m hinting at? Being an online business is good.
Other industries are losing physical stores to the internet too. This isn’t a sign of declination; it’s a sign of progression and change. If you ask me, the whole shopping experience will be online within 5 years. Having to drive around all day, just to find that one Cosmopolitan Maple Desk will be obsolete. The shape of things to come isn’t positive or negative, just different.
Unfortunately, stores will have to rise and fall for this change to occur. It’s never easy witnessing your local shop, with all its memories and merry times, become a desolate white room bearing nothing but a “For Rent” sign in the window. Here’s the brilliancy of the situation, however. That day doesn’t have to come. You, as the consumer, have the power to keep your local store open.
No, I’m not delusional! If you make a diligent effort to support your local shop when possible, and all your friends do the same, it won’t have to close. So if you desire that much to not see Bob’s Paintball Shop close, then use the power contained in your leather billfold to keep its doors ajar.
The Red Horse: Jerks are scaring people away
In a sense, this is true. But, in another sense, there are jerks in everything. We can’t just blame one minority for the fall of paintball. While they seem like an appropriate scapegoat, tossing the blame on “jerks” isn’t a quality way of slowing the digression of paintball.
Put yourself in the situation. Are you really never going to visit your home field again, because of a jerk you encountered? Probably not. This horseman is a case of a misunderstanding in human psychology. According to Scientific American Mind, we generally assume that generic actions have generic reactions. In this case, the generic act of aggression results in the assumed action of fleeing. As we are all aware, this is not always the case. Sometimes we run, sometimes we fight, and sometimes we ignore. So as far as jerks scaring players away, there’s not as much of it going on as you may think.
However, this doesn’t mean you can get away with murder. Being professional and respectful will go a long way, especially in the paintball world. And while being mean may not deter people, being nice certainly attracts them.
The Pale Horse: Aggressive play turns away new players
This is true. There’s no quality argument against it. If a prospective player plays the sport once, and is overwhelmed by its intensity, he’ll never play again. Just because this is true though, doesn’t mean it’s a negative act.
I’m not trying to sound like an elitist, but a scenario like this is for the best. The old saying is true; if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Sports are survival of the fittest. We shouldn’t turn paintball down a notch, just to cater to a potential minority. If we do that, where will the appeasement stop? When everybody is using a pump gun, with a mandatory 30 ft surrender rule, and more than one shot on a person results in field ejection?
‘C’mon. Paintball is an extreme sport, which means extreme experiences. It’s not for everybody, and everybody isn’t for it. You don’t see middle-aged heavy-set guys doing motto-cross do you? Of course not, because it’s not right for them. I may be shooting myself in the foot by doing this, but I’m going to say something that could too-easily be ripped from context. Don’t piss-off the majority to please the minority.
The Black Horse Paintball is way too expensive
Well…we’ve reached the brick wall on our journey. Yes, this is true. And unfortunately, it can’t really be changed. Unless, some really smart guy somewhere discovers a way of producing paintball guns with nothing but paper clips and string. Believe me, it doesn’t work. So, until somebody refines my prototype, we’re stuck with an expensive sport.
In this post, instead of me preaching to the choir about how people have no money, and the economy is bad, and expensive hobbies are the first to go, and blah blah blah, I’ll tell you ways to save money so that you don’t have to trade your gearbag for a cheeseburger!
1. Play hopperball. It teaches skill and saves money.
2. Buy a pump gun. Again, teaches skill and saves money.
3. Restrict yourself to big games. You won’t get to play as often, but you’ll save some money and have more fun when you do play.
4. You might also want to look into getting a part-time job as a referee. Most fields have a “ref one week, play the next for free” type of policy.
Hopefully, this helps a few people out. I didn’t give rocket-science financial advice that will save you millions, but I did the math and I just saved you 10 cents a day. Okay maybe I didn’t, but regardless, you’re welcome.
And there you have it guys! Paintball hasn’t reached its Judgment Day. So, let’s have less Q-Q (crying eyes for you internet noobs out there) and more pew-pew. Stop worrying so much about what you see on the internet, because it’s all hype. Paintball has a long way to go before its dead. Its survived two recessions, and it will survive many more to come. My friend and I will grow old together, and hopefully most of you can come along with us for the journey.
Paintballs Off Season
Written by: Bryce McCarthy
The season ended in October, and three months have passed since. It’s January, it’s cold, and there isn’t a paint-splattered tree in sight. As this unbearable period of time has elapsed, the tedious days have blurred and the warmth and familiarity of my home field, PnL Paintball, has ceased to touch my hungering soul.
My Eclipse bag sits chilled in a desolate basement, its eyes following me as I pass, wondering if this is the day in which I make its redemption. But sadly, ‘tis not. I open the bag, check that my Etek hasn’t turned into an icicle, and shun the bag back into the shadows. It feels the same pain I do. The pain of being in a time where it doesn’t belong. The pain…of the paintball off-season.
Every sport has its latent period. Football has its lonely, rainy spring. Baseball sleeps with the bears during the harsh winter. Paintball shares that harsh winter as well. To many “ballers” (usually me included), this is a sad time. Our teammates and field buddies seem galaxies away, and no matter what we do, we can’t find the fulfillment that a game of capture-the-flag brings. Not to mention, we’re constantly being teased by seemingly paintball-related media. You know what I’m talking about. You’re flipping rapidly through a coupon book, glancing at the minor economic advantages that have presented themselves in front of you. Then, you see it. On page 306, you see the word “paint” in the middle of a colorful blotch of splatter, with what appears to be an Ego or Geo beside it. But, by the time you realize what you’ve seen, you’re already in the 400s. So, you jump back, frantically skimming and swiping the pages, hyperventilating as you try to find that ad for the new paintball field in the town over, or the coupon for the new pro shop down the street. After five minutes of ravaging, you find it. A coupon for 50% off your 2nd can of wood primer at Bob’s Paint Emporium. You feel dejected, glaring down at the print that gave you Hope one minute, and ripped it away the next.
What’s that you say? This has never happened to you? Well, then perhaps you aren’t a true lover of the sport. But, if you indeed have experienced this traumatic event, know that you are not alone. At the end of the season previous, I received a brand-new pod pack, tank cover, and barrel cover from Valken. Sadly, those three amazing objects have merely been sitting here with me, watching the snow fall as we anticipate the new year. We’ve had merry times behind this desk, but we both know that nothing can compare to the energy of battle. The gear has informed me on many occasions that it wants shatter its virginity of the field, and for each additional time that I find myself having to explain to the gear that the time is not right yet, it burns me deeper. Paintball is so close, yet so far. Hang in there fair gentlemen, the new season is en route.
Despite these doldrums of January, I am in good spirits. How? For one, the dawn of the new season is nigh. On the twenty-second of this month, I, as well as the rest of Team Brute Force and our PnL home-team comrades, will be attending the Cold War scenario at Xtreme Paintball in East Windsor, Connecticut. Not only that, but Brute Force’s new affiliate program has brought tons of new, eager players to us. There’s a surplus of bodies to shoot at practices now! For more information on that, or if you would like to be a part of the program, go to www.teambruteforce.net/join.
There is hope that you still can yet have an enjoyable off-season. Sit beside the fire and let me tell you a story. Before I was on a team, off-seasons really sucked. In fact, they still suck. Now that I am a part of a team, the off-season is long and full with the organizing of a new year to occupy the time, and the mind. Today, I tell you this: Make the off-season what it’s worth. Get in shape, make a team, make your team in shape, or simply do something to guarantee the next year’s success. Take your icebox of a bag out of your basement, and cycle some Crusade or Redemption through your gun. It’ll appreciate the work you’re doing. It will probably purr too. When was the last time you heard your gun purr? Make some plans for early-season events. They can’t hurt, right? If you’re feeling very ambitious, take a trip to the scrap yard and erect a field in the woods near your house. With the proper permits, of course.
The off season is only the off-season if you so choose to treat it as such. Don’t hibernate, don’t condemn your bag to a forgotten corner of the house, and most of all don’t lock yourself to a chair in front of the boob-tube. Because remember, the more you shoot now, the better you’ll be shooting under the summer sun.