Tourney Players: Is X-ball Sideline Coaching Good

[JEDI]

Ok, you guys are familiar with X-ball. The rules vary from regular tourney ball, in an attempt to make it TV and public friendly. One of the differences is coaching from the sidelines, and spectator interaction. The idea is that it gets the game moving more. Last year at the IAO, I saw this first hand. Spectators called out positions, and team coaches called out plays. "He's in the snake... The end nearest you"

I like the X-ball format, but I think the sideline stuff has to go. I think it takes the skill outta tourney ball. It blurs the lines between skilled, well practiced ballers, and slackers who can't learn timing and feild lay out. What do you guys think?

[Thordic]

Yeah, they were allowing sideline coaching at some of the games at IAO (I don't know which games it was, but there were sideline coaches yelling out positions).

I think its total BS. Half of playing is being aware of the other teams field position. If you have someone spoon feeding that to you, half the game goes out the window.

[Lee]

the way i came up in this game, that stuff is called cheating.

[Spaceman613]

One coach maybe, but the spectators yelling positions isnt very fun. At Chicago, I saw a few potentially amazing moves be squashed because of the crowd giving away a bunker or good position.

Sideline coaching should be limited or emilinated.

Just my opinion tho.

[jdev]

ive never played a tourney game before.. but it is something I am looking into/looking forward to doing.

I wouldnt want someone on the sidelines yelling bunker positions to me, or the other team. thats what my teammates would be for. everyone on the field is responsible for knowing where everyone else is.

just my 0.02

[Pvt.Opium]

I think it is total B\S. I once played in the hick land of Utah, in a speed ball area and the ref side line ref starting telling people were my teamates and i were. I almost killed the man.

I think that shouldnt be. Half the fun of playing tourny ball is the making of your own decisions. What skills do you need to have if you are being told where the other ream is and when to move and when to not move.

[ezrunner]

AWESOME

THE SIDELINE COACHING IS FINE.

First, it makes the game harder. You don't know if you can trust these guys telling you stuff or not.

Then, it lets the spectators really get into the game without getting in trouble.

Xball is going to probably turn into the highest level of paintball because it will probably turn into the one people see.

It was made to watch and that is what we need. That is how we get out-of-industry sponsorship and how we get more mainstream as a sport.

If you aren't a fan, then play NPPL Super Seven. You are still playing with some of the best talent in paintball and you have the standard ruleset.

-rob

[JEDI]

I dont think spectators changing the outcome of a game in any form is cool. Spectators should not be part of the game. It could lead to annoying unruley spectators. How do you draw a line between whats acceptable, and whats not? It just seems to open a whole unwanted can of worms.

How does it make the game Harder? Harder is a good way? Why not just give fans markers, and allow them to shoot 2 balls onto the feild within every game? That makes the game harder? Does that make it better? You can take away the sideline calls, and still allow for a very interesting watchable game. I would have to assume most of the players find it annoying. How can someone giving away your exact location and every move in the snake be favorable?

[ezrunner]

ok

Well, slow down just a hair :)

Ok, the game is harder because communication is hampered since you are trying to listen to your coach and your teammates.

The noise makes the game harder as well as the distractions.

The spectators should be able to do anything they can at a hocky game, etc. So keeping a 5 ft space between the netting and the spectators would help, or putting up plexiglass which would get really messy.

Harder is good because it means the players work harder.

Yes it is annoying to have people screaming from the sidelines. I played xball at world cup and we had a lot of spectators, many who were players so we had a lot of input from the sidelines.

Xball is the spectator version of the sport so we are playing for the fans.

Super Seven is the game version of the sport and we are playing for the game.

-rob

[Mastema]

we have a mini 5 man modified X-ball ligue going here.

People being able to participate from the sidelines is really fun.
Who do you trust?

You still have to know where everyone is.

X-ball ain't GOLF.
Action packed, poeple yelling, taking sides.....that's another paintball game.

It's just another way to play paintball.
We had 2 choices so far, rec and speed.

Now there is X-BALL.

If you don't like it.....don't play.

[JEDI]

Well this is all interesting. I guess we can agree to disagree. I thought of all this after reading an article on this exact issue, in PGI this month. They interview Matty Marshal of the Iron men. He says most of the pro X'ers dislike the side line chatter, and in fact many teams agree to play with out it (coaching) even though its fair game.

You cant really compare it to any other sport. Its not any other sport. Its paintball. Besides, no other sport has a game outcome determined by the fans, other than loud chearing.

You dont have to take the stance- Dont like it? Dont play it- Its a brand new version of an already new sport. I think review and modifications of the rules are to be expected.
You're saying you had fun playing it, so I cant argue with that. I just dont see the use of your every move being called out.

[bojo-master]

i think that once x-ball gets big enough that there are going to be so many people yelling things to the players, that it will to get confusing to listen to the spectators. so the spectators will eventually cancel themselves out.

[WarBUCKs]

I don't like the idea of spectators giving info. Never trust the civilians unless you are paying them big money.

Why not have 5 or 6 reliable people (1 per person on other team) relaying positions on the field. Each of those persons would be responsible for other team members movements. This information would be relayed via "team codes" or some form of coding communication.

Well, I like the idea of X-ball because it gives that real tactical information warfare feel. The coach is like a commander that can give quick, precise instructions and positions during gameplay. The coach should be the only person giving commands and loactions IMO. Players should just ignore the people on the sideline. Imagine if it was a real war and you had a bunch of civilians standing 2 feet away telling you the wrong information. The commander should give final judgement on all tactical decisions and that is why you have him.

If only I could invent the visor HUD to display coordinates, plays, team locations and more. Ha.. I would be rich.

[Ov3rmind]

Originally posted by Pvt.Opium
I think it is total B\S. I once played in the hick land of Utah, in a speed ball area and the ref side line ref starting telling people were my teamates and i were. I almost killed the man.

Where did you play?

[Johnny_Reb]

Im gonna have to agree with ezrunner on this one, sideline coaching is great and good for paintball. Come on when you watch football half the fun is yelling at the QB and trying to warn him when he is about to get sacked, or when a defender loses track of a reciever and you yell at him to look behind him. In order for paintball to be more popular its goign to have to be more fan interactive.Let them yell where players are at, most players probly wouldnt trust the specataters anyone and do their own thing. With all the adrenaline they probly wouldnt even hear what they were saying anyway.

Yelling at least makes them pay attention, instead of forcing them to be quiet and boring them. I mean how many times have you seen a player come nehind another player and you want to scream "WATCH OUT!" so bad. Well now you can. Letting the coaches and spectaters yell from the sidelines is a great idea.