The PSP has announced a new bunker kit for the 2014 season. Here is the official statement from the league regarding the new bunkers:
Lawrenceville, GA – The PSP (www.pspevents.com) is pleased to announce Sup’AirBall remains the official inflatable paintball bunker of the league as well as the arrival of a new shape on its field.
For 2014, the PSP set of bunkers will see all 4 Elbows replaced by 2 Snake Beams and 2 Wings, keeping to total count at 50 bunkers. The new shape is larger than the bunker it replaces, made primarily as a snake bunker and will allow for more flexibility and creativity in field layout designs.
The 2014 PSP Upgrade kit is already available from Sup’AirBall (www.supairball.com) and sample layouts will be released within the next few days.
Once again, the pros had a lot to say about the on going changes that are happening within the PSP Pro Division. Social Paintball asked how the rate of fire, the elimination of snake side coaching, and now, the addition of new snake side bunkers will effect the game. We had the pleasure of getting detailed opinions from two pro players to get insight on a more personal level.
Brad McCurley, snake player for LA Infamous says: “I like it a lot! All of it! For the top teams, I really do not think the change in the rate of fire will have any effect on the way the game is played. You see this first hand in the Millennium when top teams compete. If they want to change the speed or way the game is played I think they should eliminate the race-to aspect and let the game go to whatever time limit they please. The team with the most points at the end of regulation time wins (like every main stream sport). Think about it…how many quarterbacks have built legacies around fourth quarter comebacks or perfecting the two minute drill. It’s these dramatic situations that make sports so exciting. I feel it’s an aspect like this that could take paintball to the next level. It’s chaos that the viewer wants. They don’t want to see a team lose 7-1 with 8 minutes left on the clock. Especially with the implementation of the Champions/Challengers divisions, leaving arguably the top ten pro teams in the world competing at each event. You have to believe that given more time that team losing 1-7 could come back just as easily as they went down if they were able to play until time expired.
In regards to the bunkers, last year it just seamed like they never really figured out the best/most effective way to use the “elbow” shaped snake bunkers. They were just awkward to play. Replacing them with additional beams as well as the new “wing” shaped bunkers will be great for us snake players. This coupled with no snake side coaching will make for a dominant and very exciting side of the field to both play and spectate. Players that came up playing formats without coaching (pre xball days in the PSP or the NPPL) will flourish, where those that did not may struggle. So this being said, I’m very excited for the year to come!”
Luis Munoz, snake player from Omaha Vicious says: “I think all the additions will help me personally along with my team, Omaha Vicious. We play a technical style of paintball that plays well as a team and not as individuals. The BPS and no snake side coaching will slow the game down and make the game more dependent on teamwork which will help teams like ours. Also the new snake bunkers that are being added will allow the snake side to have its strong presence once again which definitely helps front players like myself.”
There you have it, you’ve heard from two players with very different levels of experience. Six year paintball pro, Brad McCurley from LA Infamous, who has played in many different styles of professional paintball since 2007 and first year pro player, Luis Munoz from Omaha Vicious, who was a 2013 rookie of the year nominee.
Which of these two pros answers do you relate to more?