Article about Dynasty and paintball in local San Diego paper

[USAF-Flyboy with a Mag]

Here is a link to an article that was in a local San Diego paper about Dynasty and tournament styled paintball.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20040321-9999-news_mz1c21paintb.html

[Target Practice]

Well, the article doesn't to too bad of a job portraying the sport, IMO. I mean the "wannabe warriors in camouflage clothing" part was a little harsh, as was the " 'markers' for the politically correct". They are not guns, they are markers. Simple as that.

Also, the whole thing about the woman getting killed (which was news to me), while tragic, was not presented very well. I mean, nothing is said about the nature of the party. The thing about the "holy war" is just stupid (I am refering to the fact that the prosecutors even went there).

The author does show that we are trying to improve the image of the sport. Hell, calling it a sport is a step up for those on the outside. "Paintball, ultimately, is about people shooting other people." Well, if that is how the public is going to view it, then there doesn't seem to be much we can do about that. Personally, I don't call it a "kill", I call it a "hit" or "mark". Oh well.

All in all, a decent article. There have definitely been worse.

[Chojin Man]

"Paintball is like the old schoolyard game Capture the Flag, except instead of tagging opponents, you shoot them with squishy, marble-sized pellets filled with washable dye."

They couldn't resist. Every article on Paintball has to have that sentence in it.:p

[shartley]

Child’s Play?

Just because teenagers may play paintball does not mean paintball is “child’s play”. And just because a tournament team gets “pro” status does not mean they moved the sport from a game children play to one “adults” play.

Paintball was created BY adults. It was developed BY adults. And the major mover and shakers in the industry ARE adults. Just because teenagers enjoy the sport does not mean the sport is a “child’s game”.

And you bet the “wannabe warriors in camouflage clothing” was a bit harsh… it was also ignorant. Guess what? Kids playing with stick guns are also “wannabe warriors”, as are those sitting in front of their “game boxes” or computer screens.

And another news flash…. Camouflage is still the most seen clothing on woods fields and many rec fields period. When you move to speedball and more “tournament” style play, you see the brighter colors in clothing. And in scenario play you see a good deal of camouflage and muted colors as well.

It is about time that some people get a clue. Stop acting like camouflage and woodsball is somehow “less than”, or not as “good as”, the other types of play. And they need to stop and realize that woodsball and rec play ARE the backbone of the industry and nothing to look down their noses at.

While tournament paintball may get the “press”, it is recball and woodsball that has always kept the sport alive… and will continue to do so. And why? Because far more people DO it, and can afford it. And it is about time the industry as well as players in general give credit where credit is due.

As for the image problems they listed….. they are for the most part “press” issues, used to sell papers.

All and all it was about average for the stuff being printed about paintball. I would just like to see more printed about the other 80% of paintball, and less negative connotations placed upon what is indeed the backbone of the sport… and where without it, paintball would not be around today.

[Gunga]

Originally posted by Target Practice
They are not guns, they are markers. Simple as that.

:rolleyes: Yeah...a midget isn't short, they're 'vertically challenged' or 'vertically handicapped'.

gun

1. A weapon consisting of a metal tube from which a projectile is fired at high velocity into a relatively flat trajectory.
2. A cannon with a long barrel and a relatively low angle of fire.
3. A portable firearm, such as a rifle or revolver.
4. A device resembling a firearm or cannon, as in its ability to project something, such as grease, under pressure or at great speed.
5. A discharge of a firearm or cannon as a signal or salute.
6. One, such as a hunter, who carries or uses a gun.
7a. A person skilled in the use of a gun.
7b. A professional killer: a hired gun.
8. The throttle of an engine, as of an automobile.

[USAF-Flyboy with a Mag]

Originally posted by Gunga


:rolleyes: Yeah...a midget isn't short, they're 'vertically challenged' or 'vertically handicapped'.

gun

1. A weapon consisting of a metal tube from which a projectile is fired at high velocity into a relatively flat trajectory.
2. A cannon with a long barrel and a relatively low angle of fire.
3. A portable firearm, such as a rifle or revolver.
4. A device resembling a firearm or cannon, as in its ability to project something, such as grease, under pressure or at great speed.
5. A discharge of a firearm or cannon as a signal or salute.
6. One, such as a hunter, who carries or uses a gun.
7a. A person skilled in the use of a gun.
7b. A professional killer: a hired gun.
8. The throttle of an engine, as of an automobile.


haha OWNED

[trains are bad]

Markers ARE guns, at least as much as nail guns, blow guns, heat guns, glue guns, paintball guns, etc. "Gun" is a pretty wide term.

I hate when people say marker is a term invented to be politicaly correct. That makes me want to use "gun" just to piss people off.

"Marker" is the correct term within the sport. It's like every other sport that makes up name to describe it's stuff, plays, rules, player, tricks, etc. We invented the word marker, it's a sweet word, now stick with it.

Markers. lol. :D

best word ever.

[lew]

I thought it was a pretty good article. A little bit of positive media exposure. Needs a little bit of work, though. It's a start. BTW, I say gun, so that's what it is.:p

[RoadDawg]

I thought the article was great. The whole "wannabe warriors in camo" isn't as bad as you all think. Especially IF YOUR READ THE WHOLE SENTENCE and not focus on one group of words. Here is the actual quote. Snort if you want to – professional paintball? – but in the past few years what once was the domain of wannabe warriors in camouflage clothing has boomed into big business.

Now to me the tourny scene is becoming bigger, the viewing public is increasing, and when the playing public is increasing. The part about "child's play" was more of a play on words. I think the writer used it as a term to point out it isn't child play. The fact the writer said that this is turning into a major business show's that it's not "child's play".

Now I'm glad they didn't go deeper into the death of the lady and terrorist stories. Reason being that this isn't a 100% informative article on paintball. It's about the business aspect and the tourny scene. Not about the tragedies of the sport. I thought the line about the guns being called markers for the politically correct was hilarious. It acts just like a gun and even Gunga pointed out the definition.

Anyways. I'm done with my analysis of the article. I feel like I should write my name on the top and pass it to my English teacher.

[-=Squid=-]

Personally, I like tourment exposure more than recball for many different reasons, not just because I play tournements/speedball. For one, I HATE talking about paintball with other people that dont play, simply because they ask dumb questions like, "Are you a sniper?" I absolutely hate having to explain exactly the style of play which I participate in, and the image it has, to people who dont know anything about it.

Not that there is anything wrong with recball, but simply put, its not what I play, and dont like being put in that group because a certain person who doesnt play thinks its the only style there is. Just because tournements get most of the coverage doesnt mean thats all people associate paintball with... in fact, most people DONT associate paintball with tournement play.

With that being said, I loved the article. Well written, and it focused on the type of play that I want people to associate ME with. Golf clap, everyone.

[shartley]

Originally posted by RoadDawg
I thought the article was great. The whole "wannabe warriors in camo" isn't as bad as you all think. Especially IF YOUR READ THE WHOLE SENTENCE and not focus on one group of words. Here is the actual quote. Snort if you want to – professional paintball? – but in the past few years what once was the domain of wannabe warriors in camouflage clothing has boomed into big business.
I would agree but for the fact that it was NEVER just the domain of wannabe warriors in camouflage clothing. And it is that very misconception that many of us have been trying to fight for a long time. And the BUSINESS of paintball has pretty much always been booming enough so that companies have not only expanded, but grown to the level they are today.

For me, it is an insult to act as if paintball was NOTHING until flashy jerseys and pretty magazine pictures came out. To me it is an insult to act as if tournaments never happened until the past couple years. To me it is an insult to act like paintball played by the masses is something less than what the “pro’s” play or you see at “big events” (tournament events, not scenarios… since they didn’t even mention them).

No, I didn’t read anything out of context, I read it IN context.


Originally posted by RoadDawg
Now to me the tourny scene is becoming bigger, the viewing public is increasing, and when the playing public is increasing. The part about "child's play" was more of a play on words. I think the writer used it as a term to point out it isn't child play. The fact the writer said that this is turning into a major business show's that it's not "child's play".
I don’t see it like that at all. Would you call NASCAR’s lower leagues “child’s play” because they don’t get the big sponsors, or because they don’t make the “money” that NASCAR drivers do? Would they have made that comment about football? Would they have made that comment about any other sport that just happens to have teenagers playing it?

Paintball was NEVER “child’s play” and there is no “the writer used the term to point out it isn’t” about it. If is isn’t, why even mention it? The reason it IS said is that there IS a misconception that paintball is for pimple faced teenagers or rednecks.. period. And part of the mentality behind “child’s play” is what gets people hurt.

How so? Because parents think paintball markers are a way to baby-sit Johnny. They view the sport and it’s equipment as “toys” for children. Paintball is not a child’s game and I don’t see that article as saying anything BUT.. until "pro" players came along. For crying out loud, just look at the title “Pro paintballers find child's play can be a serious business”.

Now folks can think any way they want. It is good that paintball got some fairly positive press, but I don’t see the verbiage the way some do… obviously.

[Rigster_TBB]

(Shartley) You are dead on the money as usual. Paintball was indeed invented by adults, for adults. It is a shame that the only press paintball gets is Speedball or X-Ball type coverage. Most of the problems and bad press associated with paintball comes from youths playing the sport. I doubt to many adults go around shooting houses and cars, or do the stupid things that end up getting someone hurt. Paintball has never been a kids game. Speedball did not create Paintball. I think Speedball was created so kids with "ADD" could have something to do while their dads played real paintball (in the woods)...
Rigster...

[-=Squid=-]

Originally posted by Rigster_TBB
(Shartley) You are dead on the money as usual. Paintball was indeed invented by adults, for adults. It is a shame that the only press paintball gets is Speedball or X-Ball type coverage. Most of the problems and bad press associated with paintball comes from youths playing the sport. I doubt to many adults go around shooting houses and cars, or do the stupid things that end up getting someone hurt. Paintball has never been a kids game. Speedball did not create Paintball. I think Speedball was created so kids with "ADD" could have something to do while their dads played real paintball (in the woods)...
Rigster... Yes, but regardless of what gets what exposure, how many non paintballers actually associate paintball with speedball/tournement type play? Not many...

[Target Practice]

Originally posted by Target Practice
They are not guns, they are markers. Simple as that.


What I meant by this is that "gun" to most people is synonomous with a "firearm". Now, I use paint "guns" and MIG welding "guns" when I do metal fabrication, so I understand the different meanings of the word. I don't see why any journalist has to use the term "gun" in our sport. I don't think it is a question of clarification either. I mean, we don't call a baseball bat a "big stick" befor we use the term "bat" (well, with me, it took half the season to learn to not ask for "the big stick thing" when I went up to the plate:D ).

I suck at baseball.

[Chris42050]

Too many times the media tries to be "cute" with thier wording at the expense of the truth.

[Digits]

Originally posted by -=Squid=-
Personally, I like tourment exposure more than recball for many different reasons, not just because I play tournements/speedball. For one, I HATE talking about paintball with other people that dont play, simply because they ask dumb questions like, "Are you a sniper?" I absolutely hate having to explain exactly the style of play which I participate in, and the image it has, to people who dont know anything about it.

Not that there is anything wrong with recball, but simply put, its not what I play, and dont like being put in that group because a certain person who doesnt play thinks its the only style there is. Just because tournements get most of the coverage doesnt mean thats all people associate paintball with... in fact, most people DONT associate paintball with tournement play.

With that being said, I loved the article. Well written, and it focused on the type of play that I want people to associate ME with. Golf clap, everyone.

Word.. And it's wierd.. Some people either hate recball but love speedball ie. Myself.. Or.. Hate speedball but love recball.. There are some people who enjoy both but it's becoming rarer now adays.

And what I find is that speedballers can somewhat hold there own playing recballers on a recball field, but typically come short, and the same goes for recballers playing speedball on a speedball field.. Usually they get tooled.. It's two totally different styles of play.. And people should stop comparing them

[funkykarl]

I don't know why all of you are getting hyped up about the gun vs. marker part of it... the one that I didn't like the most is that the article stated that most of us still call hits 'kills'. When I play paintball, the last thing going through my mind is killing my opponent (well, usually :eek: ). I'm trying to mark them with paint, not blow their head off. Regardless on whether I do it with a 'gun' or a 'marker'.

[shadowfalcon78]

Like it said in the article how people get tired of them lifting trophies, I agree. It is starting to get boring over and over dynasty winning.

[steveo356]

WEll my dad thought that i was wastin my paychecks on my equipment that he called "a hunk a metal fully equiped with buzwords n gizmos" that is until i forced him to watch my three man perform at a smaller tourny. After watching how much tactics and such are incorperated into speedball he decided to try n play with up in the rec ball time after the tourny. He likes it n is goin to grab a marker himself.

And the moral of the story they can't whack it befor theyve tried it