Thoughts on the ESPN PB shows?

[BigEvil]

So what did everyone think about last nights 2 shows? I know the 9pm one was a reapeat, but it was the first time I caught it.

I forget what his name/team was, but that guy who got pulled and then a 3-for-1 for wipping a hit to his hand has to be mortified. (If he has any shame) I mean, they went to the instant replay. That cracked me up.

Not being a big follower of pro or tourny ball, after watching those games I can now see how having the lightest and most air effiecent set up are a huge benafit. Those little buggers can haul accross the field.

Some of the interviews were corny. I dont know if the chick doing the interviews was very tall, or if pro paintballers are just very short. If they are, at least they can become horse jockies when they get to old for paintball. I want a Ollie Lang in a jockey uniform statue for my front lawn. Now that would be AGG.

[rkjunior303]

The guys from the NE Hurricanes were meatballs. They're our local team, so we see them around alot but man -- english... DO YOU SPEAK IT?!?!

[p_aint_fun]

I can't play tourneyball because I'm too old and slow. It sure was nice to be able to watch it on TV though...even if the production value of the show was less than stellar.

[Teamslayer76]

I think ESPN did a great job, but isnt there a other thread just like this down the page a litte. :)

[evildead420]

the team that wiped for a 3-1 was i think the bushwackers. for get what city they represent.

[sbpyro]

the team that wiped for a 3-1 was i think the bushwackers. for get what city they represent.
Didn't they also have a player in the deadbox open up on a live player.

[evildead420]

Didn't they also have a player in the deadbox open up on a live player.

yep, and they didnt get dq'ed for it or pentilized

[Dayspring]

I thought, for TV and the non-paintball public, the show is really well done.

[hipster]

its good that they started putting paintball on tv, now if they can put recent tournys on not last years it would be even better

(i mean that was like showing last years football games)

it was great to watch I just want see whats happing now

[rkjunior303]

I think ESPN is using this as an indicator to see what type of support future events would have - live or not.

[PirateGent]

I TiVo'ed it. I watched about 10-15 minutes of it. I'm a "woodsball/scenario" player and never liked speedball/tourneyball but it was paintball so I watched it.

The thing that bothered me the most was after someone was hit it appeared like they "paused" to see if anyone saw them get hit. That says to me that they thought about cheating.

Heck, I've been known to call myself on a bounce (if I thought it broke before actually checking)

I guess that's why I stick to the woodsball/scenario games - there is no reason to cheat - there is no money invovled and just plain old paintball fun.

[sbpyro]

I guess that's why I stick to the woodsball/scenario games - there is no reason to cheat - there is no money invovled and just plain old paintball fun.


There is no reason to cheat true but unfortunately people do cheat in woodsball/scenario games. At the last several scenario games I have been to there were a couple of dirty wipers on the opposing team. But this thread ain't about that.

Overall I think they were able to make paintball easy enough to understand for your typical non paintballing person. I'd just wish they would stop using the term kill for the eliminations. I'm also hoping that the leagues will use the video tapes to pass on penalties for something that was so unsportsmanlike as the player in the deadbox opening up on the live player. Maybe eventually they'll figure out a good way to put woodsball on tv.

[dahoeb]

i have a few 2 paintball dvds from about 1 1/2 years ago (don't remember the name off the top of my head, sorry) and compared to what espn showed, i thought espn was much more professional and did a good job.
the interviews, camera angles and the other little goodies were all much better than what my dvd's had and compared to what i've seen played at my local indoor fields tv. people that channel surf and just stumble onto the show, will have a much easier time watching what espn put on compared to other paintball productions i've seen. espn didn't try to overplay the "contract killa, gata blasta, in yo face" aspect like i've seen. but let it be known, i only saw the last 15 or 20 minutes of what espn showed.

[fullofpaint]

where did they shoot form the deadbox? I completly missed that. I thought it was very well done compared to a Der Der or similar film. My mom was watching it along with me and my dad who play and she understood the concept and some of my (non-pb) friend's watched it too and thought it was pretty cool. Still can;'t get over that Corey Fields one that game

[sisco87]

Too much going on with me. I've only caught a glimpse of it, which was like less than 5 min. And i didn't even record it. :(
Hopefully I'll be able to watch it next week.

[phantomhitman]

It is by far the best pb ever shown on tv. Lot of angles, indicators, announcers, cameras up close. It was not high end production by at least its going in the right direction.

[rkjunior303]

Anyone else feel like Paintball would take advantage of the capabilities of HD -- the crispness of the image, the widescreen, etc? It might make following the field a little easier.

[tyrion2323]

RK - i'm right there with ya. I was hoping to see some of that NBC HD Olympic zoom-in technology. Overall, I loved it. It was a great introduction for people outside the sport, and it was fun to watch for those of us who do compete in tournaments. Even a few non-ballers were watching it with my school's team.

The graphics and explanations made it easy for people to understand what's going on, and the commentaries, albeit sort of nerdy, made it exciting for people who don't want to watch speedball for the sake of speedball. Paintball is one of those sports that you have to want to watch, and ESPN2 did a great job with it.

I would love to see this continue!

[Oldest Sage]

I thought the camera angles made it easier to see the paint and without that many non-PB'rs wouldn't watch long. Fairly well done. The cheating everyone noted needs to be stopped by the Refs or it just taints PB's image and eventually the number of viewers. I'm an occassional speedballer and mostly woodsball, but it's good to see PB on TV.

[Lohman446]

The cheating everyone noted needs to be stopped by the Refs or it just taints PB's image and eventually the number of viewers.


:rolleyes: Yeh, because millions of viewers turn off the NFL/College football because of holding / chop blocks / illegal formation / unsportsmanlike conduct calls. NASCAR fans turn off NASCAR when there is illegal bumping, or a team is penalized for illegal setup. Basketball for intentional fouls to stop the clock. I'm all for calling cheating cheating, and discussing the negative aspects of it, but lets not pretend that American viewers are going to be up in arms over it.

[mixwell2]

wait...wait...wait...painball was on ESPN??

[phantomhitman]

wait...wait...wait...painball was on ESPN??

no, but paintball was ;)

[mixwell2]

damn i spell like i am 4

[magsRus]

the team that wiped for a 3-1 was i think the bushwackers. for get what city they represent.


Orange County Bushwackers... Their a very young team

[Xenocide]

Espn did a great job imho.
The instant replay is great, and the shots they used, while sometimes annoying for the consumate speedball player, are great for newbs and non players.

Plus I love seeing cheaters get yanked :)