Feel the Loss

Hooray for crappy cell phone pics!

So, last weekend I headed down to Pacific Beach to hang out with my good friend, Marty Mashall (or something like that. Truth is, I don't like him very much) and had an emotional moment. You see, Matty lives in a house with other paintballers. As he gave me a tour, showing me all the cool stuff they have that would normally cause major bodily harm to amateurs, he took me by the fireplace. On the mantle, piled high and deep were trophies. The first ones that caught my eye were the old trophies with the paintball guy on top, wearing camo, shooting an automag. I love those. I've been half tempted to make up a tournament that I won and buy myself one just to have it. Then, as I started to take in the magnatude of the bigger trophies, I saw an NPPL Series Champion trophy. And another. And then more. It was then that Matty told me that Ryan Greenspan also lives there. There it was, right where I could reach out and touch them, the glory that every tournament paintball player aspires to. 1st place medals hanging from ribbons wrapped around giant cups that signified another triumphant campaign.

At the far right side of the mantle, sort of hidden in the back, was the 1st place trophy from Commander's Cup, 2008. That's when it dawned on me: that's it! That's the last one of those anybody will ever win. I was looking at the remnants of a bygone era. And not just mementos, like a T-shirt or media pass, but the real-deal championship trophies from the professional ranks. And it won't ever happen again. Sure, 7-man is still alive as a national tournament circuit, and Dynasty will no doubt be adding USPL championship trophies to their collection and of course they are always a threat (sometimes, favorite) to win in the PSP. But even if the USPL at some point changes their name back to NPPL (they own it), something tells me it just won't be the same.

In the center of this silver madness was a giant cup. It sort of looks like the pro hockey Stanley Cup. Matt directed me to look closer, and engraved in a row at the top was every Commander's Cup victory Dynasty had. They had planned on covering the thing. Now? I don't know what they're going to do. I'm sure they have a plan, but the idea that this thing which has been with the sport for so long is now just gone... Everything that Lambertson had been telling me about why he was so angry about losing the NPPL was starting to make sense. Yes, I admit it, so little of what Brandon says makes sense that I tend to just tune him out. He is pretty, though... I'll give him that.

Anyway, mere moments after that elation of being in the presence of true greatness (as if Matty wasn't enough), comes the crushing feeling of loss and remorse over what is gone. I mean, my first real introduction to the best in tournament paintball was the first time I watched Spohrer's PUSH, and watching the film now I do a double take everytime they mention that they are at the NPPL World Cup. World Cup being, for long enough now, so firmly PSP it's hard to remember that this sport used to be somewhat united at one point.

Anyway, I just wanted to share how sentinemental I am and maybe get some of you old guys to cry a little tear for the NPPL. Again.

Man arrested for having 16 guns at LAX

MMMMMMMM.............. pretty sure that is Phil Dominguez from old NPPL and Worr Games.

If it is... He should have wore a Contract Killer shirt.

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=6596169

THE PROCESS OF ELIMINATION

The PSP industry heavies are meeting next week do discuss the future of paintball and the future of the league. A possible merger with the NPPL may be in the discussions at that time. However, this could be just another rumor that has plagued the misinformed after the end of both leagues season. If the possible merger was to come into affect, one league would either have to bow out of its format or both leagues would have to recognize both formats and work as one. PSP partners have claimed heavy stakes in the XBall format that they have argued is the most effective to way justify winners and losers in one paintball game. (Ironmen and Philly can claim this format) As far as the NPPL format-Any given Sunday, can a team make it to the top. (Dynasty has been most dominant in)

As far as the quality of each league:

PSP- most competitive, most owned by industry, most political. More player appeal
NPPL- Great promotion, has TV in their pockets, promoter owned, more public appeal.
Cons- loop-hole game format and suspect "family teams" as real organized sports teams

7MAN NPPL CHALLENGE 2009

Activision Publishing Redefines Competitive First Person Action With the Release of NPPL Championship Paintball 2009





SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov 25, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ --
At last, a true next-generation paintball experience is unleashed! Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today that the official NPPL (National Professional Paintball League) Championship Paintball 2009 videogame is available now for the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION(R)3 and PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment systems, and Nintendo Wii(TM).
"NPPL Championship Paintball 2009 is the fantastic end result of a close collaboration between the NPPL, Activision, and top professional paintball players," said Scott Pierce, NPPL CEO. "No paintball game has ever been this real - it masterfully captures the competitive intensity that makes paintball one of the most popular extreme sports in the world."
Paintball is an extraordinarily deep sport that requires teamwork, strategy, and precision, something the game accurately represents. NPPL Championship Paintball 2009 features multiple game modes (including woodsball-based gameplay), officially licensed gear, and authentic tournament locations and field layouts from the NPPL, the Millennium European Paintball Series, and the XPSL. Players can perfect their skills as they progress from a rookie to pro in career mode and take on the best paintball teams in the world, or get online for an adrenaline rush of cutthroat multiplayer action. With deep design contributions from the NPPL, San Diego Dynasty and Bob Long, motion-captured player movements, and cutting edge ballistics, the level of detail and realism in this game is unmatched.
"NPPL Championship Paintball 2009 is a blast for both paintball fanatics and first person action fans looking for something fresh," said Dave Oxford, Activision Publishing. "We're ecstatic to redefine the paintball experience in videogames."
NPPL Championship Paintball 2009 has a rating of "E 10+" for Ages 10 and up by the ESRB. It is available now for a suggested retail prices of $49.99 for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system, $39.99 for Wii(TM), and $29.99 for PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system.
More information is available at www.PbSting.com.
About NPPL
The National Professional Paintball League (NPPL) is the #1 paintball tournament series and trade show in the United States and the preferred choice of players, teams, sponsors and spectators. Its five premier tournaments each year include the top national paintball event in the country held on the beach at Huntington Beach, California as well as at four NFL stadiums around the country.