Let's talk about Xball...

[SilverFox]

I have yet to see X-Ball played but i can't wait. If fact I am even more eager for this format to expand from a pro only style to a local league type tournies. I WANT TO PLAY!!!!!

It seems to be a great concept.

[Pstan]

I certainly dont see anything wrong with discussing something...........I thought that was what we were here for. As for X-BALL..........I dont see why it deserves any sort of special "coddling".

And I'll tell you why........


Cause what the pros do so will the kiddies do at the local field. At the last scenario I played there were 3 incidents of "SALM SNIPERS". I saw one kid hiding in the bushes behind the Pro-Shop. That, by the way, was a no mask area and had he been fired upon, somebody could have been injured...........seriously. Now just where did he get that Einsteinian Idea? hmmmm..........I wonder? So, a discussion on how Pro Ball is played/organized/officiated is a valid endevour in my opinion as it pertains to what we'll all see on our home fields.

[AGD]

Calvin,

You know I agree with your ideas. Xball has a lot of hype that is making everyone crazy. This "crazyness" is an old idea in the industry that just so happens to recycle itself every few years once we forgot about the last episode.

1990 "paintball will be in the Olympics"
1992 "speedball with put us on TV"
1995 "we are playing on Disney property, we are IN!!"
1998 " ESPN is showing paintball, IT WILL BE HUGE!!"
2000 " airball will make the sport great for spectators"
2003 " We will get on TV because we have a SCOREBOARD!!"

The fact is that if you want to get on TV you have to buy your way in. Thats how drag racing did it along with many others. If you want to get serious about TV you don't ask paintball players, you ask Steven Spielberg. Imagine what th movie Jaws would have been like if you had fishermen write and film it....

AGD

[cledford]

Tom,

3 things.

First, you posted twice in a thread (there was a thread about this earlier today)

Second, thanks for replying.

Third, you're right. Now that you mention it - you mentioned that in Pittsburg. It made sense then and still does now. Sorry, I forgot. I just wish that there was something that could be done about everything that is going + get us on TV. Now I see why the Shanter thing is something you've worked so hard on. (And I thought it was just because you wanted to shoot Captain Kirk)

-Calvin

P.S. Thanks for releasing the pump stuff!

[athomas]

Originally posted by cledford
Regarding the Xball penalties hurting the team that the penalty was susposed to help - I agree.

Paintball needs dynamic, fluid play to entice spectators. Currently the style of play is make a bunker, hunker, shoot till it looks clear, move on if you like - or "camp out" - it's your choice. Static play is often rewarded.

I propose a series of "yardage" lines that you must reach within an allotted period of time - say every 60 seconds

Calvin

Interesting idea.

Penalties should give a team an advantage, but like any sport the team gaining the advantage has to learn to take advantage of the situation when it presents itself and possibly pull back when the penalty is over. Its awareness on the field that wins games.

The idea of yardage lines that at must be reached got me thinking. What if bunkers were given point values that were counted within the first minute and every 5 minutes after or some other time frame. The point values could be simple like, no points awarded for back bunkers, 1 point awarded for bunkers beyond 10 yard mark, 2 pts for 20 yd, 3 pts for 30 yd, etc. The farther bunker you had off the break the more points your team would earn for a longer period of time. Plus you would be encouraged to keep the opposing team out of key bunkers, plus (big plus) penalized players wouldn't be getting points for the team. The flag hang would have to be worth a significant value as well, after all its the main objective. After the last player of the opposing team is eliminated off the field (any player in the penalty box doesn't count), the flag hang is automatically awarded to the team with the remaining players. This would prevent a team sitting and doing nothing while the clock continued to run with them getting more points as they control the bunkers.

The tower judges would be used to count bunker points and to direct field judges to check infractions that may be missed.

What do you think? Interesting concept?

Maybe its too complicated. That is the beauty of the current X-ball format. Its simple. Only one objective. Get the flag.

[Thordic]

As a comparison, breakaways are MUCH more common in Hockey when a player is coming out of the penalty box than during normal play. Often the man coming out of the box will make an absolutely crushing hit on someone who forgot the guy was coming out. Is that rewarding the penalized team? NO! The penalty is over, they already were penalized. Its the other teams fault for not playing good defense and not paying attention.

If they forget about the man coming out of the box, and he takes a breakaway for a goal, that is THEIR fault for pressing too hard and not watching for the man coming out of the box, pure and simple.

[cphilip]

Penalties are only supposed to even the game back up to as if the infraction had not occured. Wether they do or not, that is their purpose. NOT to give a team an advantage. But rather to put it back even again as if the infraction had not occured. What happens after that is supposed to be decided by that players in play.

I certainly think indeed if the "Big Dogs" play it. EVERYONE who aspires to be a Big dog some day will emulate it and try and play it. I do not think it will only be played at the top levels because if they play it there then it just might catch on and then it will spread. We shall have to wait and see if that happens.

I do not think it, in of itself, will get us on TV. But if we did for some reason get on TV, it would be more spectator friendly.