I am finally on my way home from Chicago. I didn't really want to leave and get back to work but I do have responsibilities to my paintball shops in San Diego. The tournament was a blast and after it was over I spent three days with my good friend and founder of Guerrilla Air, Dan Colby.
I had a lot of fun this trip. Our team is very competitive as we all know and anything less than a first place finish is disappointing. We go into every event confident we have a chance to win. However, I feel most of the guys will agree with me that we gave this one away. We played solid team paintball all week and were very together as a squad. We all played hard and gave ourselves a chance to win every game. The most important game of the weekend was the Russian game and we lost a 6-4 lead. The Russians did play outstanding all week and deserved their hard fought win. They adapted as necessary and dropped the daggers everytime they had the opportunity.
The first few days in town it was so hot that I thought we would surely die by the end of the week. Luckily though the weather cooled off a little more each day and it was very comfortable to play in. Usually when it gets too hot or cold, it becomes frustrating when the paint becomes affected by the weather. The Evil shot amazing though and everyone could focus on their game. What a good weekend for games too. The Ironmen did not make it to Sunday but had some pretty exciting matches with X-Factor and Aftermath. The Russians went undefeated for the event and were very fun to watch. Infamous seemed to try and make all of their games nail biters. Philly has been so consistent for the past five or six events as well. They have shown that they will be contenders every event due to their hard work at practice and full support of their sponsors.
I was talking to my boy Jason Edwards from Philly after the event and I told him that one of the things that made this event fun for me was that very enjoyment I got out of watching a lot of good paintball and having that feeling of "we have come a long way." I have known Jason for some years now and it has been cool to see guys like him grow up in the sport, grinding, struggling, and rising to the top to win tournaments. For the time I spent with Aftermath, I feel I will always be a part of that team in some way. Those kids came to this event with some fire and really believed they were going to win the trophy. Had the Russians not been so on point, Aftermath almost would have done it. The drive I see in them and Jason is what makes me happy for the sport of paintball. I know I came from a whole different stage in the game and what it has developed into is pretty flippin cool. I am glad that I got to be part of the game in the progressive stages at a high level. That is a big reason why I have the appreciation for the game that I do today. A lot of kids today started on X ball and only know X ball. Because I played pro in the woods, hyperball, air ball, super 7, and X ball, I got to know the people of those times and see how they influenced the game's metamorphosis. I have had the pleasure of using this understanding to influence the younger generation of future pimps. Those faces and names that I have seen stay true and stay fighting make me proud. Paintball is not a sport where pros make a living just playing. To get an opportunity to play pro is an achievement this day in age and those who work hard, put paintball high on the priority list, and continue to show up with an attitude makes me happy knowing that our sport will grow.
Oh and peep diz.
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