EGO 11 Review

Paris was coming around the corner and I knew the guy at Eclipse had something left up there sleeve for the end of the year. They’ve been posting teaser pics of the Ego11 so I got in touch with Ledz and requested one for Paris. Like the great guys they are, I got an email immediately back (it was something like 9 at night for him, he must work around the clock) saying I’d have one in Europe.

Since the release of the Geo2 and the new design I know they’ve had trouble keeping them on the shelves so I was curious what had been done to the Ego11. Right as I took it out of the box I noticed two things. They used what I loved about the Geo2, the length. The grip was moved back leaving more of gap between the reg and the trigger guard thus giving it a more rifled feel. The new grip also only have two screws and sets in to the trigger frame which is really nice for people like me that lose screws all the time. The feel of the gun was also different than other Egos I’ve had, it just felt more comfortable. Excited to shoot it, I grabbed my tank and again noticed something had changed. The on/off assembly had been completely redesigned. Now all it takes to de-gas your gun is the push of a button. Once over the chrono I noticed how smooth this felt compared to my Ego10. Before getting the gun I was able to talk to Nicky T who was spouting off all this techno mumbo jumbo. What I didn’t realize is that I should’ve have listened cause whatever they changed in the gun, it’s definitely working.

As my team usually schedules us a practice or two on the millennium field before the tournament, I got to practice with this gun before actually playing any games. I usually like to get comfortable with something before I take it out there and play for the real thing. With only two hours of practice I was worried I wouldn’t get the chance to completely get use to the new gun. I was mistaken yet again. The redesigned grip made the transition from the Geo2 to the new Ego seamless. I noticed this by the second game out when we lost our complete snake side. I had to make the fill to the corner to try and save the game. With both a snake and mirror, I had to try and battle both guys to slow them down. Not only was I able to snap both of them out, I ran down the last guy on the dorrito side and shot him on the run. Since that game I couldn’t but the gun down. Once the tournament started I know I’d have to put the gun through its paces. This weekend I saw some of the best paint of the year at Paris. Literally you could drop it from your hip and more than half would break on the ground. The gun handled the paint perfectly. With my FPS at about 275-280 I never broke a ball and was able to shoot a certain lane on off the break that needed a bit more drop than being right at 300. In fact our eclipse guns shot so well that both Mykel and I would walk away with a 1^st place using the new Ego11 and Geo2. If you want to check out this gun for yourself, stop by the eclipse booth and check it out or better yet come bother me after a match and I can let you shoot a few paint bullets through it. We’ll have a morning schedule at World Cup so come support us and the new Ego11.

Another sweet video

I was the mad scientist last night up late mixing and mastering this next piece, This was the Nocturnal musicfest in Rockdale, TX dominated by DUBSTEP, trance, and of course Kid Cudiiiii!

Sorry for such the long hiatus. I've been mixing this video the whole time.....syke! This is my virgin attempt with iMovie with no other video editing experience. I'd like to say I had a lot of beginners luck on how well this turned out. Hope you enjoy!

GEO 2 Review

This past weekend in Nebraska I was fortunate enough to get my hands on one of the new Geo 2's from Eclipse. Like usual, the gun came in the metal zipper case I've come like very much. It's the perfect size to carry everything you need and still fit inside any gear bag. The gun, the tools, lube, and the barrels, everything you need is in this little box that can take a beating.

Ok, now on to the gun. As soon as I could get it out of it's case I had it aired up and ready to go. As with any eclipse gun, the only trigger adjustment I have to do is back out the top most forward screw. I have no idea what the screw is for but I've done with all my eclipse guns since 2006 and it always make the trigger perfect. With that out of the way, I donned the .689 back, my prophecy and tank and was ready to rock. The first thing I noticed was how much more stable the gun felt in my hands. The small distance added to gap between the trigger frame and reg was perfect. I felt like I was going to battle with a rifle in my hand, not a little pistol. This small changed helped the gun stay more stable as I ripped off a few good lanes into some Nebraska corn.

Mykel in the snake

Before Greg would hell at me for shooting his beloved corn we decided to get things going and play our first match. Right off the bat I noticed I was more accurate than I had ever been before. Instead of shooting the guy with the 2nd or 3rd ball, I'd catch him with the first right away giving them no chance to flinch away and hide.

Even the GEO 2 can't save stupid moves...

The second improvement I noticed was the air efficiency. I was playing the tall cake on the dorrito side and most of the games my job was to lock off the snake side if we got a G off the break. Basically what that meant was I was shooting 4-5 pods a game easy. With my old GEO, I'd have to fill up after every game. With the new GEO 2 Bolt, I could stay out on the field and run backs to backs if need be.

                                       

The gun didn't get an easy first road either. Over the course of the weekend I shot close to 15 cases through it. We got rained on. It got tossed in the mud a few times and generally got beat up like any gun would if you played 9 matches with it. And through all this it kept firing and never missed a beat.

Overall I was very impressed with the small changes that ended up having a huge effect on performance. If you were a fan of the GEO, then the GEO 2 is a must buy. I know there's some diehard EGO fans (aka Todd Morrow) still out there but for those who like the spool valve design, the GEO 2 can't be beat right now.

Pics can be found at PennerPics

Eclipse Pro Player Poll

Eclipse started a poll of sponsored players to see who the fans wanted to hear more about. Mykel and myself were entered to come support your X-factor boys!!

Eclipse Poll

Spa Racetrack and Practice

So I went with one of my teammates (Geoffrey) to the infamous Spa Racetrack in the hills of Belgium. He gave us a 4-wheeler to drive around the track and check out all the turns. Here's a few pictures from pit lane, the parking lot, and the track. The noise level is unbelievable, makes you feel like a little kid again.

We also had a practice two weekends ago on the new field of dreams. Only pictures will do it justice...

                                      

                                                                TURF...in some spots. 

                                                     

Update from GerMoney

Well this is day 6 for me here near the Germany/Belgium border. I've been staying in Belgium but after tomorrow we'll be leaving to go to Bitburg where the event will be held. With my traveling last year I qualified for American Airline's highest status getting me some trendy upgrades for this year. I used my first upgrade into business class on the way over. After being treated like a king, it'll be hard to go back to coach any other time. Free booze, choice on dinner, a seat that reclines all the way back, and no flight attendants giving you any lip (down with Iberia) can't be beat. Here's some pictures from it.

After arriving I was picked up by one of my teammates Claudio. Immediately we stopped at a petrol station and picked up some road brews to get started on the right foot. We pretty much partied all the way to saturday and I got to meet some cool Belgium people. Saturday I got to spread my knowledge and have a little clinic at our field here in Brussels. On sunday we would travel down into France to this huge indoor field to train against Ronin. This was by far the nicest paintball field I've ever been too. Regulation Millennium field, good lighting, sick turf, and some good games really let me get a good feel for the field. Too bad it's almost 4 hours away otherwise I'd want to practice there every time!

German Bridge on the way to the field

Since Sunday, I've just been hanging out at Claudio's house near Aachen. I've been treated to pizza, frites, and steak pretty much everyday. Basically an American's dream selection of food when coming to Europe. Thanks to his family for putting up with me these past few days. Haha! Today I have plans with one of my other teammates, Geoffrey, to go to the world famous Spa racetrack where he's taking out a kit car he owns. This should be real interesting getting George behind the wheel. Peace!

HK BANNED FROM THE NPPL

HK BANNED FROM THE NPPL

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New ETV

As always Dan comes out with another hit. Matty belongs in every paintball video too.

From D2 to Pro....

Here's a little interview from one of our new kids.


My name is Trevor Resar and I'm 19 years old. I live in Moore, OK with my Mom, Dad, and younger brother. When I'm not playing paintball, I repossess and tow cars for one of the businesses my dad owns, and in my spare time I enjoy wake boarding and snow boarding.

Questions:
1. What was your first paintball experience and who introduced you to the game? Like almost everyone, my first time to play was at a friends birthday.

2. What team do you play for now? San Antonio X-Factor

3. What teams have you played for in the past? Yakuza Kids, Tulsa Cruel, and Texas Storm

You went from D2 to pro, what's the biggest difference? The pace that the game is played at, as well as the time you have to make decisions. When something changes on the field, you have just a 1/2 second to react.

4. Who helped you become the player you are? Mike Chitwood, John Hubbard, Ryan Gray (all of which have been associated with Texas Storm), and Randall Barnes

5. Who are your favorite paintball players? I really enjoy watching Glen Takamoto and Jason Barrett play.

6. What’s your best paintball experience or memory? Winning the USPL West Coast Open in Corona.

7. What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve done in order to play paintball? I missed every one of my school Proms, and I drive 7 1/2 hours to practice, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

8. What is the single most important lesson the up and comer needs to learn? To take every practice as a learning experience and make it a point to leave the field a little better each time.

9. What makes Texas/OK unique in the world of competitive paintball? The southern region of the United States definitely has its own style of paintball, different from anywhere in the country. It's a very fast paced, in your face kind of style that makes us unique.

10. Do you (or any of your teammates) have any superstitions related to playing paintball? The only one that I have is, I always have this one headband that I wear when I play, and I don't let it touch the ground. At the end of the day, it's the first thing to go into my gearbag.

Recent practice pics

Shorty

Trevor Resar

Mitch and Ross

You can find more at this link:
http://s954.photobucket.com/albums/ae23/MikeyVphoto/MikeyVphoto/Max%204-25/

Crash at the Coast

I'm thinking about crashing at the coast a few days myself. Anyone else plan on going?

For details check out the facebook page...
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/event.php?eid=117115791646312&ref=ts

HEB Commerical

:Goff Testimonial from heb.com on Vimeo.

Malaga. San Miguel, Volcanos, and Stark 92

Well as most of you probably already know, Spain was an absolute shit show. As much as I would like for them to change the location, I can say I wouldn't mind going back year after year regardless if we ever played paintball. Why do I say that? Well us Americans will make the best out of any opportunity and become good friends with San Miguel.....and that's exactly what we did.

Mykel and I arrived wednesday morning only to find out our Belgium teammates would be showing up 7 hours later than us. It's actually a really good thing since it means we can catch up on sleep while waiting for them to fly in. We had training schedule for the next day but that would all change once we showed up at the field.

Chocolate Waves

Snake side at Malaga

Trose Boat

So after seeing that, we quickly realized we weren't playing at all today. They reschedule practice and games all for the next day.

You're also probably wondering why the snake was in the sea too. What that also meant was the dorrito side was on the spectator side along with the pits. This made viewing games almost impossible as well. I have no idea what they were thinking when they set it up like that.

We arrived at the field the next day, only to find it in similar condition. This time they cleaned it up a bit and we got a few games in against Ryan Moorehead with Coming at Ya and Instinct. After about 45 minutes it started to pour on us so practice games were postponed for a bit. I'm glad we got the practice in because we quickly found out the snake side played very quick and you had to adjust almost instantaneously if you lost a body on that side. With this knowledge we went into our first match against Brussels Crossfire, another good team from Belgium.

This match would start off real rough for us because we were given a penalty I didn't even know existed. Our snake player recieved a 5 for 1 for "trying to wipe" a hit so the whole team was pulled plus we started the next game 4 on 5. What a swell way to start off the new year eh? We ended up battling back in a lot of close points to win 4-3. This was a really big win for us considering we've always had trouble battling from behind to win matches.

 Our next match was against All Russians, a team that dominated D1 so well last year they didn't even lose a match. Not much to say about this match because it was over so quick. We won 4-0, I guess all you can say is welcome to the SPL :-)! All joking aside, this will be a VERY competitive team. They are in fact russian so they know how to practice and win so I don't see our next matchup going as smoothly as the first.

After our two matches the weather took a turn for the worse. The thunderstorms forecasted for the weekend rolled in and along with the sea devastated the fields again and would continue for the rest of the weekend. On top of all that, the EFkoaijdsfklasdfiasdlfasdlkdfjalsy glacier volcano erupted preventing teams from either coming if they booked late flights or returning home. This coupled with a French train driver strike forced most teams to either rent a car to drive home or wait it out in Malaga. We were lucky enough that Madrid still hadn't been closed so we made it back to USA safe and sound. I was unlucky enough to get food poisoning and through up most of the way back.

While we were stuck in Malage we decided to make the most of it. One of my most favorites things at these Euro-events is the US Fire sale. All us hired guns will set up in one location and try and push gear for any and all who want it. My part in the whole ordeal is to stand on top of a chair and yell at anyone who walks near. Besides that we partied til people looked at us funny and enjoy what time had left in Malaga. Our good friend San Migeul (the beer) and Pedro the donkey also made it easy on us too.

Pedro

Alex Savino aka the water buffalo at the Airport

Madrid Airport

Starkin Mountains

So I'm sitting here at a DFW terminal realizing that this will be my home for the next few days and on my b-day too :-( HB is over and finished. Overall it was a really successful event for the NPPL. After all ready a year of doubting and haters they put together another good event on the beach and sold out every spot.

I played this event with Rockstar Factory in D1. I had never met any of these guys before this event so I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. They also had no idea what they were getting themselves into with George. Lucky for me, they're a real cool group of guys that I got along with real well. Too bad we didn't play real well. Haha! With Chicago next and such a poor performance, I think it refocused them and we'll come out strong.

Post collision

I believe derder may have captured it so expect me to be riding on the short bus...

Busy Busy Busy

Ooooobama!!!

Had some fun this past weekend. Store appearance up at Intensity Sports in North Austin. If you haven't had time to check out this store it's run by a couple of cool cats so check it out if you're in the area. The next day was easter so what better way to celebrate then go play paintball with the Jews and Pagans. Brett the Threats team ended up taking the gold!

Really excited about these next two weeks. Got the NPPL HB open with Rockstar factory. Then Malaga with my good Belgium friends on Breakout Spa. While on the phone with my Rockstar liason Edwin, I was told I could not party while the tournament was going on. Little did he realize George only comes out on Sunday nights so no worries my friend!! See all my good friends soon enough!!!

STARK 92!!!!!

Get our Tall Tee's back!!!

The man to bother with these requests is Tony Mineo. He's too cool to check the web so we must do it at Chicago. His reasoning behind not allowing it is because we look like thugs.....and therefore act like thugs.

SOOOOO when you approach him do it in a professional manner, unlike the scoreboard the PSP currently has :-)


http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=3326156&page=4

Zonie-land

Well I'm finally rested up enough after PHX to give everyone the low-down.

For those who were wondering about my health, I'm perfectly fine. After being run-over by Mykel "the train" Kovar, all it ended being was a few bruised ribs. I still have no recollection of what happened so if you have video that would be awesome. For those who didn't see it, I was running down a shock player and got shot. I immediately took a few steps to the left, right in the way of Mykel who was also running down the same guy. He ran my ass over and from I can tell I hit my gun or loader into my chest.

Now on to our performance....

Coming into this tournament expect a win would've been a little far stretched. With only 4 returning players from last year and 3 completely new guys to our system, a win would've been hard to come by. What I did expect coming into this tournament is getting these guys some experience and confidence, and that's exactly what did happen.

Our first match against XSV is what you look for in the start of the year. A solid win with a few mistakes to improve on for the next match. We executed everything we set out to do against them and it worked. Our new guys stepped up and played some real good ball against what will become a very competitive team. I think the mental aspect is the hardest part for new players to overcome. Realizing that tournament paintball against the likes of XSV and the Russians is just like practice back home. What our guys accomplished was just that. We went out there and just played good paintball, it didn't matter who was on the other side of the field, we dictated how that match was played out. Unfortunately, we didn't do that against the Russians. As easy as it is to say we got penalties, we never once had control of that match or any game in it. They make very little mistakes and if you're not able to capitalize off them, then you'll never beat them....all while not making any mistakes yourself.

I guess that leaves us with our last match against shock. As much as I hate losing, this is probably one of the best group of guys to lose too. They recently experience what X-factor has been going through, players giving up on your organization for "greener" pastures. Too bad those greener pastured ended up looking like most of Arizona this weekend for 'em. With that being said, I'll get into the nitty gritty details. David Griffin, our super coach, worked it out and realized that if we went into overtime with shock, we'd both make it through. That's a hard ticket to pass up. Jeremy also realized this and a talk between Myself, Dave, and Jeremy took place. We all agreed that doing something like this was no good for either team and the best thing to do was fight to the death.

Now I'm sure some people will think differently but that is the God honest truth. If you actually saw the match that ensued you'd agree with me. No one threw that game or manipulated it in anyway. We really did run up a 6-2 lead on shock and then blow it all the way to the overtime point. One thing about shock is they got a lot of fight, especially after losing Drew and picking up the heart and soul of the AA's (Tim M.). In the end we blew a 4 point lead and have no one else to blame but ourselves. We could've finished that game anyone of those points and there wouldn't have been this big dark cloud that now hangs over the PSP.

After shock did manage to come back those 4 points, we set up to play the OT point and play to win. As the clock was counting down the time stopped at :30. What stopped that clock was one team arguing that the rules had changed and that there was no such thing as an overtime point anymore to save their quite desperate chance at making it to Sunday. Apparently an e-mail was sent out to the teams (which we never got) suggesting a rule change be made Monday before the event. Now that the rule would actually have an effect, it was changed :30 before we played shock for the final point. Only a handful of teams had gotten this said e-mail and not even Tony knew about the rule until this point (reason for the delay). Hopefully this "lack of communication" is not a sign of things to come from the PSP. In the end, I'm quickly learning there's only a handful of good people left in this sport and I respect them tremendously for what they stand for.

With that outta the way, I'd like to say congrats to Impact and Aftershock. I find it kinda ironic that a last minute rule change let in the team that would go on to win the tournament. Guess it just gives you a clue to how this year will play out. I know speaking with Josh Davey before one of their matches that he was hesitant to play PSP this year with his job, but I'm sure we'll be seeing more of him with their recent performance. Shock also finished the highest they ever have and have shown they'll be a contender for the top spot for this next year to come.

Straight from the horse's mouth....

X-Factor T-shirts

Here in PHX. Find me or Al to get your hands on one of these. $20.

Update from PHX

Mykel giving a little update on PHX.

X-Factor Draws

SA X-Factor:
Russians
Aftershock
XSV

SP X-Factor:
Aftermath
Entourage
Elevation

OOOOoooooooOBama!

Pictures from the HEB commercial.

Here's just a few pictures from the HEB commercial. My mom has a ton on her camera but she hasn't uploaded them yet. All in all it was a super fun day. The biggest surprise for me was just how many people there were. I'd say we had anywhere from 35-40 people working on our farm Wednesday and it seemed like at least half of them were assistants to someone else. I was constantly called "the talent" all day long which was pretty cool. Haha!

My personal assistant

Before

After

$80,000 camera

The real stars of the show