I have started many times to respond to this post and many others like it in the past. I have heard one comment made over and over. "We all need to play under the same rules." In all honesty this isnt realistic. Think about it. Is all of football played in the same way? Before you answer think about
ALL levels of football. From PEE WEE to POP WARNER to FLAG FOOTBALL to HIGH SCHOOL to COLLEGE to CANADIAN to ARENA to the PRO'S. They all have their differences, yet they are all football. Heck here in Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska there is 8 man football yes 8 man. Even in some of the more rural areas they play 6 man yes 6 man. Where am I going with this? Well I think our hobby covers all of the afore mentioned in one way or another. I dont care if Scrabble or Monopoly is played the same all over. I embrace
OUR hobby for what it is. It's diverse, regional, and recently with the MFCA it is becoming united. With the unification doesnt mean we all have to play the same way.
Another statement made consistently is that the newbie needs a starting point or he /she will quit. Honestly that is not giving the newbie any credit what so ever. If the newbie quits because of rules then it is just a matter of time before they would quit for some other reason. Any competitive hobby that you enter has hurdles to overcome and a learning curve. The newbie that truly wants to jump in hardcore will figure things out.
What will grow this hobby is exactly what we all are a part of right now, this independent chatboard & the MFCA. The best idea I have read about for the newbie is the Mentor Program that Silverhorse mentioned. It goes hand in hand with Dagstrydr or Leonard of the DSEFL and his signature or motto at the bottom of his posts. "Each one Teach one" its that simple.
If you really want to play under the same rules with as many others across the nation as you can then the system is already in place the NHFL.
If you dont like that one then there is another one in the works the CBSMF.
These two examples is where I find the beauty in this hobby. "A CHOICE"
I Choose to participate in both! Now thats AMERICA! FREEDOM!
Just my opinion. Just my take on the subject. Its not up for debate.
Geno H