FOLLOW ME - You know you want to. If Baca can get 100 I know I can get 200!

Jun 29, 2008

Close the door. It's not a barn!



I have a Pro-shop. It's not Sports Authority or Dick's but I think it's pretty nice. Because of what I do here at T-Square I don't have much in the way of top end gear but if you're looking to have a good time I think I have everything you might need.

Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised when I guy came in a few days ago, looked around for about five minutes and then turned to me and asked, "Do you know if there is a real paintball store in Arkansas?"

I suggested he might try Wally-world.

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Jun 27, 2008

Mil-sim

This is a long post. I will apologize in advance. It's in response to an e-mail I received. It's been a long time since I put out a nice long post. Read it. Or not.

"To: tsp8ntball@aol.com
Sent: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 6:58 am
Subject: Hey Mick, why exactly?

I'm wondering why you have such a negative view on Scenario and Woodsball. They seem like perfectly reasonable aspects of the sport. I personally started playing paintball for the woodsball version of play. To me it seems like its growing especially considering all the new "mil-sim" markers hitting the industry. It seems like you're selling paintball short by not embracing this side of the sport. Why are you so outspoken against the mil-sim side of paintball?"

Let me see if I can answer this. First, I love scenario and woodsball. I prefer scenario and woodsball. I grew up on scenario and woodsball. You got it right toward the end when you asked why am I so "outspoken against mil-sim.

I don't like mil-sim for many reasons. You have to remember paintball started 20 years ago for me. Back then Vietnam was not such a distant memory and the blood of JFK, RFK and MLK still stained the places where their assassins dropped them. The military and guns and violence in general was shunned. Women were knocking aggressive males off the corporate ladder while men were told to "get in touch with their feelings." It was a different time.

Anyway, back then, in order to help paintball grow into a good, safe, fun game of tag we in the industry did everything we could to protect our image. A field owner in NJ had to take the state to court in order to prove paintball guns were not guns. South Cambodia Village became SC Village, Battle Dress Uniforms were replaced with colorful motocross style designs and paintball guns (now called markers) were anodized like rainbows. The game of paintball came out of the woods and was played in arenas.

Things were good. Only now and then would we hear stories about this county or that neighborhood or some state park banning paintball but for the most part we were ignored.

And now paintball is moving back into the woods. Hoorah, I say. And maybe times have changed. The military isn’t looked down on as much. Hell, even the US Supreme Court just ruled by 5-4 (ONLY 5-4) that we do indeed have a right to own handguns. But have times changed so much that we should be dressing our children in attack vests and arming them with paintball guns that look like AK-47’s or M-16’s? It’s only a matter of time before our image will come under attack again.


I don’t like mil-sim just like I don’t like broccoli. Can’t really say why. I just don’t.

I don’t like mil-sim for the same reasons I don’t like fantasy games or role playing. I have enough trouble keeping my own world in check. I don’t have time for two worlds. While it’s true I host two Big Games each year I down play the themes and discourage costumes or exaggerated characters.

And then there is a matter of pride. I was in the military. Unless you were, and even if you were and are now a civilian, you have no more call for running around looking like a commando then you do dressing up as a cop or a fireman or an airline pilot. It’s the same reason I stay away from D-Day. Good men died that day. Some say we are honoring them when we replay the event with paintball guns. I’m not so sure.

Should my opinions stop you from playing mil-sim? Not at all. I’m not for eradicating mil-sim from the planet. I just don’t elect to support it. It use to be called "alternative paintball." With that said I do have an X7 hanging on the pro-shop wall and a pretty gnarly 98 with a Tac Kit. In fact I’d like to find some guys that would be interested in running more involved games in the back 20 acres of the field. Maybe there is hope for me yet!?!!

I’m not sure any of that answers your question. It’s all paintball. And paintball is good!

What do you think of Mil-Sim?
I like it.
It's OK.
Don't like it.
Ban it!
  
pollcode.com free polls

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Jun 25, 2008

Are T-Square Big Games doomed?


I've been wracking my brains over the past couple of Big Games trying to figure out why the teams have been so lopsided. We try hard to keep the teams as even as possible and have a very strict "no teams" policy, yet something just hasn't been adding up lately.

It's come to my attention that some players have found a way to beat the system and put themselves on the team they want to be on.

It's a funny business situation I find myself in. I don't need paintball. I could go stock shelves at Wallyworld and make more money. I do it because I enjoy providing people a safe, adventurous alternative to sitting on the couch watching "reality" TV. Every time I experience a bit of stress I'm ready to say "screw it", like I did to tournaments and tournament players.

I'll figure it out. It might mean stamping a big blue or red spot in the middle of everyone's forehead but I'm going to figure it out. Not everyone will be happy. But like I've mentioned in past posts I'll take 99 out of 100 happy players over nothing any day.

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Jun 24, 2008

Military simulation...


New from the folks that brought us the BT model of markers (KEE). The TM7 with Invert Mini designed pressure flow. I'm speechless. Simply speechless.

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Jun 23, 2008

Communication breakdown...


Moms. Dads. Don't put your 10 year olds on the phone to ask questions or for directions. It's not cute. I'd love to help little Tommy develop his phone skills but I really don't have time to repeat myself a half dozen times while your child translates back and forth between us. I'm going to end up talking to you anyway. And chances are I'm not going to be in the mood to deal with your flustered, impatient attitude toward my inability to give little Tommy clear and precise information.

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Jun 18, 2008

A paintball quandry...

I have a sign in the Pro-Shop. It reads, "I don't buy used guns. If you don't want it chances are I don't need it." Typical of me it's straight to the point and maybe just a little mean and grumpy sounding.

I have a gun. In fact I have three. An Autococker, an Automag and a Phantom pump so personally I feel I'm pretty hooked up. From a business standpoint I only sell what I'm comfortable with. Anything less I consider junk and anything more I feel is unnecessary.

Sometimes people are insistent and need to know why I won't buy their treasure. That's when I come off sounding mean and grumpy. "It's a low end piece of junk that I wouldn't sell to someone else if you gave it to me."

The worst is when someone insists I make an offer or give them an estimate of worth. For the life of me I don't know why people don't consider that I'm a business and have to offer a used wholesale price so I can make a dollar selling at a used retail price. I swear people think I have a big closet where I keep there amazing deals as my own. Take the asking price and subtract the devaluation and then factor in a little profit and I'm left with a guy standing across the counter with the look of someone I just forced to eat a lemon.

Then there is "pride of ownership." How do I offer a fair price to someone who is trying to sell their "baby"? A gun that they have invested so much time in? A gun that they have nurtured from a simple box stock toddler into a Mighty Mo? A gun that is so ugly only it's creator can appreciate it? No matter what price I attached to it it will be half of what the owner wants. And now he feels insulted.

And there is always someone who wants me to sell their item on consignment. I'm even offered a percentage. I try to do people a favor when I can. But what I'm left with is an overpriced item that will never sell and is taking up space on my wall where I could put something that would really sell. And God forbid it should actually sell cause if it breaks down I'm expected to fix it.

It's a no win situation. Sometimes I wish I could be like a stony face Pawn Shop owner and just give a take-it-or-leave-it offer and not sweat the feelings of the seller. If people actually sell and not stomp off mad I could unload the low end junk and high end nonsense on EBay and sell the rest in the shop for a tidy profit.

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Jun 14, 2008

Some more paintball history...

This is cool. I think I'll add it to the link section in the sidebar. It's a page from a web site called Sunyjim's Paintball Club.

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Jun 12, 2008

Take 12 steps and turn...


I've never understood the attraction toward paintball pistols. Why lug the additional weight around. Do you really need a "life or death" backup gun in this game we call paintball? Is it for a "coup-de-grace" shot to the forehead of your opponent in case you only wing him with your rifle? Is it strapped to your leg as a male extension to your privates? Maybe it's for carrying out your "final option" if you get pinned down alone in a bunker with all of the day's battle plans locked in your brain. "YOU"LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!"

D-Day is among us and it's well known that the per capita average between pistols and players reaches and all time high at this event. Seems like every airborne wannabe and every Nazi there will have a paintball pistol strapped or hanging or hidden on their person. No doubt there will even be a chrome plated, pearl handled one floating around somewhere. Quite frankly the attitude portrayed, whether perceived or personified, scares the willies out of me.

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Jun 11, 2008

Calling all cars...


Will the owner of a white pick up, Arkansas license plate 351-MLB please contact me. I'd like to tell you what the kid driving and his passenger was doing in my parking lot a few nights ago.

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Jun 6, 2008

I'm bored...

Try this with your EGO/Shocker/DYE/MINI!
Hilarious!

Maybe next year!
Maybe!

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Jun 1, 2008

I want one...


Not the best picture. Notice the gun position behind the driver's cockpit!

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"A billion-dollar company tried to steal my identity, and I was able to fight and regain my identity. That's why I'm on cloud nine; I fought the giant and I'm a success story against Activision." (Greg Hastings)
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Yakity yak.... 3 shot rulz... take 3 shots at my field and take a break. what's the hurry? who ya tryin to impress? this aint no freak show! why waste paint? can't hit em with three? throw three more. can't hit em with them? go fishin~ (me, on Facebook)
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Yes, I know Steve Davidson found the property that was the site of the first ever paintball game. No, I don't care. (Dale from the Ford Report)
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"How is paintball like golf? Golf is played outdoors on nice, well kept grass or, if something goes horribly wrong, off in the woods. Same with paintball." (Baca Loco)


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