Posted by: MAJOR ICE on July 22, 2003 at 00:26:13

: : : Ok, first off, I really like going to the IAO. I live south of Pittsburgh and as far as paintball goes, that tournament is my Mecca. That said, I will never play there again. I will go, ill watch, but stuff, but ill never take the field. My first litle gripe was the reffing. I realize that many teams were very hapy with the refs, but I conject that these teams were those that were acustomed to wiping and playing on, because that was the best way to win this year. To this I blame debora's poor ref recruitment and compensation (she paid them 15 bucks a day and a case of paint). Field 5 and most especially field one were very poor. Second, do you realize how much we are all spending on thet tournament? Is 100 bucks a game, PER TEAM, worth it? I think not. The paint was poor, at least the inbferno was. We did have better sucess after switching over to blaze and hellfire. Next, the players party. What a joke! Does anyone remember the partys of old? The ones ranked among the world's best? This was nothing more that cheap food, awards, and a guy from Doc's Raiders singing James Brown Kareoke(Which was really good, props to him). It is my experience that the IAO is about cutting corners and pinching pennies at every possible turn. Did anyone notice that the campground spots were rented out in 4 person units? Thus, a five man team had to rent to campground slots. For teams with alternates, it was an extra 25$, and for what? The 3 dollars spent on the player's party mel and the 8 spent on the giveaway bag? That bag, which contained a tube from Allen Paintball($1, maybe), a cheap t-shirt ($5), a five minure phone card( hmm, lets see, at ten cents a minute thats.... nothing), and a free magazine. At 700 a team, that seems like a little much to add extra team members, which causes minimal extra cost or hassle to them. For the money, which I estimate is near 1 million, that Debora makes, she certainly works hard to squeeze dry all of us faithful players. Thanks Debbie, you never fail to dissapoint me. : : : : :We have had the minimum of 2 teams and some years 3 teams entered in the IAO for the last 6 years. This years Young Guns was the most disappointment we have experienced in the 6 years. : : Two months practicing with the kids getting ready, $225 entry, $100 a case for paint, and play 4 other Young Guns teams for a total of 6 minutes and 15 seconds field time for the entire tournament. We came to play paintball! What a let down for these kids!! : : Jim Colvin : I gotta agree with ya man. That reffing was kinda Sketchy. And those paint prices what a rip off. But its all about the dollars not about the the game. Where were the deals at at the trade show either. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I luv to go but after every event I have to ask myself was it worth it? In real dollar terms NO-rediculous paint prices & average to below average reffing-The 7 man fields way understaffed as usual---left refs in poor position to pace any fast moving games or able to police the professional cheaters. As usual cheaters had a field day--good news is that I saw many honorable players who understand that cheating does not equal really winning. And did you see some of the weel known & less known players playing on NOVICE TEAMS! Hard to believe they were playing under a Novice title?

Follow Ups: Re: IAO- Worth the hassle? SPLASH 09:57:39 07/23/03 (2) Splash? type something!! TeamPredator99 14:00:09 07/23/03 (1) iao SPLASH 21:17:37 07/23/03 (0) Post a Followup Show your name as: DefaultRealnameBothNickname E-Mail address (eg: joeschmoe@aol.com): Show your e-mail address? DefaultYesNo Your Password: Don't have a password? CLICK HERE - Forgot your password? CLICK HERE Subject: Subject:Message: : : : : Ok, first off, I really like going to the IAO. I live south of Pittsburgh and as far as paintball goes, that tournament is my Mecca. That said, I will never play there again. I will go, ill watch, but stuff, but ill never take the field. My first litle gripe was the reffing. I realize that many teams were very hapy with the refs, but I conject that these teams were those that were acustomed to wiping and playing on, because that was the best way to win this year. To this I blame debora's poor ref recruitment and compensation (she paid them 15 bucks a day and a case of paint). Field 5 and most especially field one were very poor. Second, do you realize how much we are all spending on thet tournament? Is 100 bucks a game, PER TEAM, worth it? I think not. The paint was poor, at least the inbferno was. We did have better sucess after switching over to blaze and hellfire. Next, the players party. What a joke! Does anyone remember the partys of old? The ones ranked among the world's best? This was nothing more that cheap food, awards, and a guy from Doc's Raiders singing James Brown Kareoke(Which was really good, props to him). It is my experience that the IAO is about cutting corners and pinching pennies at every possible turn. Did anyone notice that the campground spots were rented out in 4 person units? Thus, a five man team had to rent to campground slots. For teams with alternates, it was an extra 25$, and for what? The 3 dollars spent on the player's party mel and the 8 spent on the giveaway bag? That bag, which contained a tube from Allen Paintball($1, maybe), a cheap t-shirt ($5), a five minure phone card( hmm, lets see, at ten cents a minute thats.... nothing), and a free magazine. At 700 a team, that seems like a little much to add extra team members, which causes minimal extra cost or hassle to them. For the money, which I estimate is near 1 million, that Debora makes, she certainly works hard to squeeze dry all of us faithful players. Thanks Debbie, you never fail to dissapoint me. : : : : : : :We have had the minimum of 2 teams and some years 3 teams entered in the IAO for the last 6 years. This years Young Guns was the most disappointment we have experienced in the 6 years. : : : Two months practicing with the kids getting ready, $225 entry, $100 a case for paint, and play 4 other Young Guns teams for a total of 6 minutes and 15 seconds field time for the entire tournament. We came to play paintball! What a let down for these kids!! : : : Jim Colvin : : I gotta agree with ya man. That reffing was kinda Sketchy. And those paint prices what a rip off. But its all about the dollars not about the the game. Where were the deals at at the trade show either. : +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ : I luv to go but after every event I have to ask myself was it worth it? In real dollar terms NO-rediculous paint prices & average to below average reffing-The 7 man fields way understaffed as usual---left refs in poor position to pace any fast moving games or able to police the professional cheaters. As usual cheaters had a field day--good news is that I saw many honorable players who understand that cheating does not equal really winning. : And did you see some of the weel known & less known players playing on NOVICE TEAMS! Hard to believe they were playing under a Novice title? [ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ WARPIG Tourney Talk ]