Lets All Chill Out!!

[NIALL]

Sometimes telephones work so much better than forums.

I have had a really long chat with Robbo tonight, where after we had got the SH1t out of the way, I believe we managed to see things from each others perspective.

Where do I stand on X Ball? I suppose I am probably one of the most reluctant parties on the Millennium Board at the moment, not because of the format, but because I was one of those who was being asked to put his hand in his pocket, but without any clear way of seeing a return upon that risk. That’s not to say I do not believe in it. I think it could be fantastic but without a concrete deal I felt cagey.

My other concern is that we, the Millennium series promoters, could lose focus of what we were about. WE are first and foremost 7 man tournament series, open to teams of all levels and actively promoting the growth of tournament paintball in Europe. I didn’t want the added complications of hosting an X Ball event on top of the existing events where the main events would suffer.

This has in fact crystallized my focus though. Representing the Millennium as President takes up as much time as I can afford already, these last weeks have been stupid. I have been seen to be a loggerheads with many people including Pete, where really we want the same thing, Euro Paintballers Ripping it up against our US cousins, we just have to approach it from different angles.

I will continue to deal with all queries directly relating to the Millennium Series whilst that crazy Egyptian Magued will deal with X Ball queries. Hopefully we can resolve the Euro X situation this season so we can fully integrate next season.

 

[Robbo]

I always saw all this firstly from a players angle and then as a team Coach / Owner.
The player's angle, although not representing the vast majority of Euro paintballers, was from a select point of view, those chosen to play this format.
But this in my mind did not run contra to Euro paintballers interests just as having a pro division in the Millennium doesn't.
It's an upper niche of the game that we could have all been part of even if some of us were just onlookers or supporters of certain teams.
I was also acutely aware of what was going on Stateside and had many phone calls across the Atlantic at disgusting hours of the night being convinced X-Ball is gonna hit the big time.
Niall's interests, quite rightly are commercially orientated, he runs a business, my interests were different and to an extent, they always will be but this does not mean to say we are destined to want different things.
We both wanted a successful, fully integrated X-Ball league here in Europe, for one reason or another, this has not been achievable.

The adoption of a Nation's Cup format is in my opinion a joke, it has no integrity or validity outside of those involved and that's not what progressive paintball is about now.
It’s all about providing a vehicle to carry this beloved of sport of ours to the outside world, in this case the outside world was to come via the US, the Nation’s Cup adoption has now severed this link….for the time being.
If X-Ball is allowed to integrate next year, we’ll see just how far the Euro teams have got behind in allowing the Americans to have a one year start on us…..as if they needed any more advantages

And I am now gonna take the advice of my 'long suffereing' other half and 'chill', what's done is done, I've done my bit.

Peace

PS I don't wanna piss u lot off or anything but I just heard the weather in Huntingdon Beach is in the 80's.....it's a tough job guyz, but someone's gotta go

 

[Buddha 3]

If that's 80's Centigrade, I'm glad you're going instead of me.

It's good to see that despite the fact the both of you may not be happy with eachothers position, you can still see eye to eye and understand eachother's motives. Now shake hands, kiss, and make up.

 

[ascutt]

Jay

Thanks mate, its late here and now I have to go to sleep with the image of Niall and Robbo kissing and making up stuck in my head {shiver at horror of thought}

 

[sykesg]

80 degrees!!!

I'm just off to train in the snow


ps good luck at the beach, lucky bar**ards

 

[Roland]

I do not know all the ins and outs, only what I have read but it seems like someone is being gready and its not Niall!

This 'franchise' business and you can not play anything else if you play X-Ball is crazy.

This may not be completely accurate but it is the perception that a lot of players over here have.