Why???

[NoForts4Me]

Well I guess you can say the same about any sport. Why play baseball? Steroids have taken over the game. Why play football? Players are just about money, and team loyalty is a thing of the past. Why play basketball? The league is full of thugs and attitudes. Why play hockey? Well, er, where is hockey, anyway?

People play the above sports on a daily basis throughout the world, despite problems in the pro, ametuer, or best on the block ranks. Like Blazestorm said, paintball is fun, the above sports are fun, and people will continue to enjoy and play them. The problems of paintball aren't exclusive to paintball, they exist in all sports on every level. The best you can do is find the type of paintball you like to play (woods, speedball, tourny, scenario, etc., etc.) and play with a group of people you enjoy playing with. Ignore the rest, and promote a positive attitude and sportsmanship by your actions on the field.

I can't wait to hit the woods this weekend .

[BigEvil]

After 15 years of playing.....

I agree with much of what you said, and completely understand your fustration.

However,.. you get out of it what you put into it.

If you dont like the 14 y/o agg-monsters ... find another group of people to play with. I personally, care for the company of adults on the field. (Or at least running things)

My two younger brothers and two cousins play on a regular with me. It helps to ease the pain of the things you spoke about.

We are players... we have 'been there, done that'. We know where to go, and where to avoid to keep our blood pressure down. Of course, there are things that are out of our control...

We also have learned to AVOID TOURNIES LIKE THE PLAUGE. No offense to anyone, but they are just not our thing.

We also play woodsball AS MUCH as possible. We try to hit all of the big annual scenario games. (The West Point Combat Classics come to mind)

We try our best to make friends with and network with other players and store owners. I try my best to be a good customer.

We also keep our minds open to new things, dont bash players markers, and try not to beat up on newbs.

I enjoy the hardware, tinkering, modding or just teching paintball equipment.

I personally encourage anyone I know who shows interest to come out and play. When I get them out there, I do my best to educate them, and make sure they have an enjoyable time.

It is after all... only a game.

[GT]

I might still have a few somewhere... let me look around.

Who's this?

Adam, wtf, where have you been?

[Creative Mayhem]

after a long nap i emerge from my cave with one question....WHY???

HOLY CRAP!!!! Where the hell have you been man?!?!?!

I play cause I get to shoot people.. something that I couldn't do, even if in the Canadian military.

[vonort]

I still have fun. I play Bandit ball. That way we control who is on the feild.

[68magOwner]

i have been in the sport before ramping was even a hotly discussed issue, and now i play with people who i know ramp, are willing to tell me that they ramp, and honestly, i dont care. As long as the marker stops firing when they stop pulling the trigger, i dont care if 1 ball or the whole hopper comes out in between. Playing against a team of all rampers, isnt terribly different from playing a team with legal guns today, markers and players have just gotten so quick legally, that, its just not a big deal. I think where ramping helps people the most is running ang gunning, which is when some people have trouble shooting fast/keeping rythm. Otherwise, theres not a big difference between shomeone shooting 15bps at you, or 23bps, it will have the same effect (you not moving) either way because face it, you cant snapshoot into 15bps and get away with it. I suppose it makes a difference off the break as well, but, over the last few years, it really hasnt gotten harder for me to get to where i need to be (in the front) off the break. I think alot of people blow ramping out of purportion (sp). And with more and more leagues turning to 15bps ramping, its not that huge an issue at all anymore.