Why do you play tournaments?

[FESTUS33]

Oh Yeah Scooter
You Know I got to agree with Alan,
I play for the Huge Rush you Get,
But I alway's try to keep the
{We can Beat Them All} attitude.
Rick

[Muzikman]

Very few Novice and Am teams have full rides though. Getting a little bit of gear for free is nothing. It's the teams that get the whole shabang paid for. Also, in the higher levels of Am there is some really bad sportsmanship too.

[FESTUS33]

Originally posted by Muzikman
Very few Novice and Am teams have full rides though. Getting a little bit of gear for free is nothing. It's the teams that get the whole shabang paid for. Also, in the higher levels of Am there is some really bad sportsmanship too.

True!!
Rick

[Load SM5]

I'm playing Mardi Gras for the first time, much larger than anything I've ever been to. Partially, I think it would be fun to be a part of a huge tourney like that. Mostly, because it tore me up to watch the thing last year and not play.

I play for the rush, although beating 250+ teams and trying to figure out how to get a motorcycle home would be nice.

[Clare]

To beat on the boys

Actually, I just love the pure rush from it..

[Scooter/Cootie]

Originally posted by Load SM5
I'm playing Mardi Gras for the first time, much larger than anything I've ever been to.

Good luck to you and your team!

Originally posted by Load SM5

I play for the rush, although beating 250+ teams and trying to figure out how to get a motorcycle home would be nice.

It would be nice to have to make that decision.


To continue the discussion;

It seems to be that the concensus is that most people play tourny's because they like the rush.

If that determination were to be extended to the players in the pro rankings (the determination being that many pro players play because they like the rush) and based on the often seen poor sportsmanship at this level of competition, is it correct to say that the "Rush" is the leading cause, or is in some way related to poor sportsmanship? hmm....

[Load SM5]

If I read you right, that would seem to be like saying that since some mass murderers like twinkies, that twinkies are the cause of mass murder.

While the rush might be part of it, in that the adrenaline leads to hightened emotions and a greater chance of showing your backside on the field, I think there are a few more factors for pro-players.

There is just more pressure on a pro-player simply because they are pro. They are looked upon as the pinnacle of what paintball players should be and are representing not just their team, but all of their sponsors. They know that if they do less than what they perceive to be their best, it will be in full color in the slew of PB mags next month, for all to see. Such pressure could lead to stupid behavior.

This does not excuse that behavior in any way, though. They should know what they're in for when they step up.

My theory and 2 pennies.....

Thanks for the good wishes at Mardi Gras. Hopefully Team AO will represent well. Personally, I'm nervous as crap, but it'll be a good time.

[Sinistarr]

I just got into tourney play at the SC AO meet. I play paintball for the fun of playing. Since I played that tourney, I have played one or two more. I agree the rush is great! However, if you can't laugh at yourself when its over, for any stupid moves you made, even if it cost you the game, you are taking things way to seriously. Muzikman is right, its just a game.

This sport appeals to the competitive nature of us all. "I beat you!" is what we are all looking for. Just don't be a poor sport about it, and if you beat me, then more power to you! I had fun!

This is the only sport I know of that you can shoot people and not get thrown in jail. It serves as a great form of stress relief. I can go out and play, and forget about everything else, because I am worried about that dude over there trying to paint me.

No one has their house riding on the game, so lets just go have fun and paint each other! (if you can)

btw, good luck at Mardi Gras Load, and the rest of the AO team! Good luck sunday too!

G

[darklord]

Nothing like tournies.

Originally posted by pito189
Nothing quite compares to the 3,2,1 10 seconds...then the inevitable GO, GO, GO.

I second that. The first time I heard those words my adrenaline was coarsing through my veins. Getting bunkered isn't that bad, but man oh man, coming from backyard woodsball to the tourney scene was an eye opener. Before my first tourney I had only played speedball a few times, and loved it, but even then it didn't compare to the rush of the actual tournament. I am now officially addicted to speedball.

[elpimpo]

the big problem with playing big tourneys is everyone sandbags all to hell. its pretty pathetic when an am team enters in the rookie division.

[spacemanspiff]

Yes the adrenaline is what I love about tourneys. Making that mad dash into the 50 dodging paint ah I love it.

Not to mention I like to visit all the spokesmodels at the booths.

[halB]

why do anything??

for the thrill of the hunt of course

[Xerces]

no tourneys, recball

[boggerman]

Originally posted by Sinistarr
I agree the rush is great! However, if you can't laugh at yourself when its over, for any stupid moves you made, even if it cost you the game, you are taking things way to seriously. Muzikman is right, its just a game.

I could not agree more. I played in my first tourney yesterday, my team lost every game we played, some close, some not so close . We were the poster children for the "it's the player not the marker" statement as we were definitely the best equipped team there(my warped emag, eclipse angel/halo b, lp piranha/mako/eggo2 vs. spyders, tippys, black draguns, one timmy and a cocker or two). We joked about changing our name to Team Target Practice or E.D.M.S.(equipment don't mean ____). We were out of our element and it showed, we play outdoors and this was indoors, poorly lit and extremely small(30X60 maybe) with rigid maze-like bunkers in the middle. The other teams had all played there frequently and we had never played there. Through it all, we were good sports and kept playing our best and because of this we made a lot of new friends and had many invitations to came play other places. The point is, if you can't be a good sport and have fun, you shouldn't be there.

[FalconGuy016]

For fun, and competition, and the slight possibility of winning something