Leaving the Game

[Reginald Rutledge]

For a guy that does more good in the game than anybody in the history of the game, for a guy gives of his energy and time and money like no one else willing to do for the game, for a guy that takes so many slings and arrows for no other reason than being him, for a guy that has seen others ask him to come to their tournaments who never have supported his efforts, for a guy who has seen companies ride the marketing "coattails" of what I do, for a guy who have had guys call and tell him "Reg, I am gonna use your design on games and there's not much you can do", for guys have never given nothing of relevance to trying to make the game better for the massives instead of their own pocketbook, and for all the negative thinkers and ones who have hoped the CBSMF would fail, it probably would do your heart good to see me leave the game of miniature football.

A couple of weeks ago I told Wolf at the close of the CBSMF Championship, take all my post down. I still will ask him to do that. For me, it's important that the information is wiped away from here. I've got my reasons. I had only informed 1 or 2 people in the game that I would be leaving the game. I informed a few of the dedicated customers who were great patrons of the things I do. The ultimate goal that I had before I left the game was to see a playoff where guys from east, west, north, and south played under one system to crown a champion. Not only to play under the system but enjoy the system. That was finally achieved.

Now I come on here and see insult to injury! My obligation is to my leagues, the CBSMF and BAM and nothing else. Granted, when leagues use the Shootout rule system, there is an "extended" obligation to lend support in any way possible. For league members, I share your frustrations when you can not see the games on television. Wow, just think - television. Who would have thought we would have gotten that far. You know, to be angry because we could not get scores on television! I hear there were hidden agendas! Wow, you're giving me too much credit to be smart.

One of the great things I love about MF'ers is the raw emotions. Guys like Shabby J and Rick Garrison have every right to voice their opinions about the league they bought into! We want that type of enthusiasm to continue. I know know these guys to be friends and great students of the game who wanted to be there but for whatever the situation, could not attend.

I see this thing about this was a wood surface playoff. If I am supplying the boards and I am the one who is the originator of the league and I am the one who will be taking the financial hits on the league in many ways, it definitely will be a 308 playoff. However, I did not get a chance to build the 308 gameboards to bring to the party and many of the 308s that the people brought, they had changed the integrity of it from their original purchase form. But it always amazes me how, whenever someone can "pile on" to the Reg Bashing, they do at all cost - even to destroy friendships.

All I can tell you is that the 308 for the national championship ran as planned. I would put my engineering knowledge on how to build anything up against anybody - period. So with no tweaking, I knew my board would perform brilliantly, and it did. However, I digress.

Any coach of the CBSMF has every right to complain about what you are not able to watch. Our goal is to recruit more coaches to be a part of what we do. But I can tell you, I would ask of the league not to vote anyone into the CBSMF that you feel would be a cancer to the league, would speak ill of the league, and who harm the integrity of the league in any manner. Personally, when there are elements like that, I see no reason to spend my money going to a function supporting ones who believe in that manner.

There are just too many other things I can be doing with my time than supporting someone or something that talks ill of me or things that I do. You spend most of your life trying to elevate the game to a place where it has never gone before. You show people things that they have never seen before. Everything you do, you do so unselfishly for the good of the game.

The great thing about what I do is that I can do it all alone. I need nothing from no one and much prefer solitude than group activities. I am a loner and would prefer to be but for the good of the game, I sacrificed my ways. So in the last stages of being in the game, you find yourself defending what was the best MF group weekend I have ever had! I had heard there was gonna be violence and chaos at this convention. I had heard the CBSMF national championship would not come off. So many things I heard which were totally false.

On all accounts, I saw the opposite. For 16 years, I have been nothing but nice to everybody in this hobby and tried to uphold being a gentleman in the game. Things that I attach myself to have never come under incidents. This would be no different. All you saw was a lot of hugging, high-fiving, and admiration of various personalities in the game of MF. That type of thing does the game good.

I hope in the future, when I leave this charboard behind and game behind, that some of y'all can stop criticizing and give of your time, money, and effort, not for your own selfish good but give of it for the good of the game.

Reg

[asparks31]

REG, AT FIRST I WAS TRYING TO TALK YOU OUT OF IT SAYING THAT, BUT NOW I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT JUST SEEING THESE POST I GOTTA LAUGH I DONT POST ALOT ON THE BOARD BECAUSE ITS A WASTE OF TIME SO MUCH TALK FROM THE HATERS IN THE HOBBY IT A CRIME WHEN SOMEONE TRIES TO PUT TOGHETHER SOMETHING OF THIS MAGNATUDE AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS NIT-PICK AND POINT FINGERS WOW YOU ARE A VERY SPECIAL PERSON. YES REG YOU SHOULD RETIRE. TO ALL THOSE WHO WANTED SCORES SORRY WE DIDNT GET THEM OUT FAST ENOUGH BUT IT WAS A REAL BUSY WEEKEND BUT TO USE THAT AS AN EXCUSE NOT TO PLAY WOW YOU ARE A SPECIAL PERSON. TO ALL THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED I HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN I HAD ALOT OF FUN MET ALOT OF NEW PEOPLE MADE ALOT OF FRIENDS IN THE PROCESS AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU IN CANTON NEXT YEAR

[KINGPIN]

No one in the world makes a field better than BILL PORCHE. I should know because I have five of them. My whole point was this, this hobby has great tweakers, great custom figure makers, great decalers, great custom built stadiums, great players. When we first started playing this game when we were kids the one thing that frustrated all of us was the figures always fell down, in this age of custom everything and technology the last thing we should see are figures continually falling down in a national tournament. If you are going to have the best of the best tournament you should also have the best fields made in attendance as well, take everyones strengths and combine them into one huge effort.

MEN have spent alot of money to gravitate to this venue, why wouldnt you want to play on the best field possible. If anyone tells me they would rather drive a pontiac over a Porche then they are nuts. You have the greatest custom stadiums, some of the greatest figures, but your 308 boards are subpar. This is not a slap in your face, it's just merely the truth. BILL PORCHE has replaced motors in your boards, megawatts boards, celo boards and everybody elses boards and when he is done with them they are a thing of beauty and no one is within a distant second, just like no one is in a distant second to you when it comes to stadiums. If constructive criticism hurts Reginald then I am sorry. If you claim your fields are technically better, why does BILL PORCHE make your fields run better than you? You can't be the best at everything, it's impossible. You have done great things for this hobby and no one can take that away from you, but I respectfully disagree on your 308 boards, I have seen and played on yours and I have seen and played on BILL PORCHE'S and it is night and day, there is a reason BILL charges $700-$800 for his fields, like I said I have five of his fields and none of yours, it's just merely a better product than yours. If you were to combine your CUSTOM BUILT STADIUMS and BILL PORCHES "FIELD OF DREAM FIELDS", you both would make money beyond your wildest dreams.

Bill has eight motors on his fields placed strategically for even distribution of current, there are no dead spots on his fields and the figures come alive on his field moving swiftly and bringing out the true tweakers dreams. When Rick recieved his megawatts field, BILL PORCHE came to the rescue and replaced the motors and that board now is amazing. Sometimes we just have to give credit where credit is due Reginald. You are an amazing talent, but you can't be the best at everything. Michael Jordan never led the league in free throw shooting, WHY? because even he can't be great at everything.




Vincent

[PraiseDaddy]

It's only been since the beginning of the year that I've been familiar with
this board and the activities that go on in MF. There are certainly a growing number of skilled people who are doing some amazing things to lift the quality
to a new level. But I don't think there is anyone out there who will be able to replace your passion. vision, and appreciation for what the game could be
Don't know to what extent your withdrawal will be, but you will definitely be missed. You just have a special knack for every element of this hobby.
Though we haven't met, it's been a privelege to speak to you on several occasions. and I can tell that, even though you may be loner, having done
business with you, I wish there were more "people" persons like you.

God's best to you,
Bill

[asparks31]

WOW IS THIS A COMMERCIAL, EVERY ONE HAS A OPINION ON WHATS THE BEST BOARD NOW YOU STAND BY THESE BOARDS AND I THINK ITS OK FOR YOU TO DO SO BUT LETS TALK ABOUT WHY YOU DIDNT ATTEND THE BOWL SERIES, AGAIN IT WENT FROM SOMETHING IS SHADY TO WHO MAKES THE BEST BOARDS I HAVE 1 308 YOU OWN 8 PORSCHE I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THAT MATH. THEN YOU WENT ON TO SAY THAT YOW WILL NEVER ATTEND THE BOWL SERIES THATS FINE WITH EVERYBODY ITS YOUR CHOICE BUT TO MAKE COMMENTS LIKE THAT WOW KIDS NOT MEN MAKE STATEMENTS LIKE THAT. I DONT KNOW YOU PERSONALLY BUT ALOT OF PEOPLE DO AND SINCE YOU DIDNT MAKE IT YOU WHERE TAKING SHOTS AT THE BOWL SERIES. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHY DIDNT YOU ATTEND IS VERY SIMPLE QUESTION YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AS ONE OF THE BEST COACHES WHY NOT PLAY JUST BECAUSE OF THE BOARD BRING YOURS OR 1 OF YOURS. LIKE REG SAID THIS IS ABOUT THE HOBBY ITSELF ANYONE WHO LOVES EFL KNOWS THAT. REALLY WHATS YOUR DEAL ?

[sweetka]

Well said Sparky!

Goal One: Unity! Did more people attend this year from more regions in the country? Yes. Was everyone on the same page? Yes!

GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!

Goal Two: Integrity! During the Championship game the coaches and refs sat down and civily discussed some differences in EF edicate and other general rules inclusive of gray areas. Civily. Refs from all over making sure each coach had the most pleasant game experience. Everyone pulling together. I was there to see it Sparky and so were you.

GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!

Goal Three: Fellowship! To meet RJ, Cello, Dru Sparks, Chachi, all the board makers, The Texans, Neil Smith, just too many people! I will talk at length about everybody because people need to know how many really good people we have in this hobby.

GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!

Vince, whatever your stake is in this whole thing it would help if you were there to draw your own conclusions. For the phone not to be working in Cali they sure seemed to ring at the right time.

I don't know, I always thought when people retired, or died you paid your respects. Just my 2 cents.

[KINGPIN]

IN my earlier post I mentioned economics and a funeral kept me from attending, my brother in law was put to rest on saturday. Now to the boards, last weekend Marcelo came to my home to pick up some figures and to also learn how to tweak better bases. He came over with Shabb j's 308 field so he could tweak for that field because of the layout of the tournament. The first hour and a half we worked on the 308 field and it ran slow and had many dead spots, then for no apparent reason the 308 field stopped working, it lost it's power. Now did I have the same power shortage that occured in Canton? I think not, none of Bill's fields have ever shorted out at my house and I have been there for 7 years.

First of all I said I have five Bill Porche (that is his last name) football fields that run like a PORCHE CAR. so my english was very clear and my math was accurate thank you. Can you explain why Shabby J's the 308 field stopped running? All I am saying is for a venue this big where thousands of dollars are being spent by players coming from all parts of the country and California players who travel the farthest and spend the most on their trips for airfare, hotel and car rentals and not to mention food and gas, the least you can do is have championship quality fields. To say I promoted this venue, I spent the most money, I did this and that so it will be on a 308 field is rediculous, quite as it's kept this venue was not supposed to be in Canton, it was already set up for out west until Reggie took it to Canton without letting people out here know about it. So there are a lot of things that went on that you have no idea about.

Secondly, if Reginald boast he has the best technology when it comes to making superior fields, why is someone from TEXAS having their field redone by Rick Garrison here in Los Angeles????? I rest my case.



Vincent

[sweetka]

Originally Posted by vikes68

To say I promoted this venue, I spent the most money, I did this and that so it will be on a 308 field is rediculous, quite as it's kept this venue was not supposed to be in Canton, it was already set up for out west until Reggie took it to Canton without letting people out here know about it. So there are a lot of things that went on that you have no idea about.

Secondly, if Reginald boast he has the best technology when it comes to making superior fields, why is someone from TEXAS having their field redone by Rick Garrison here in Los Angeles????? I rest my case.

Vincent

So why should people be held accountable for things they don't know Vince?

I watched most of that game and believe it or not Joe played on the same field. He is not a 308 man either. Trust me when I say his team ran a lot better on that MegaWatts. So if there was a disadvantage it was to both coaches. I'll adjust to playing if we tap on a table and believe me we have done that.

So the real issue is your sponsorship. Celo represented with an explosive offense but once Joe adjusted, Celo didn't until he got behind. Then he had people open all over the place. Celo chose to kick a field goal and missed mainly because he probably wasn't used to kicking field goals with the board on. I know I missed a couple times because of that aspect. My thoughts were he should have went for it and won. At least he was familiar with his offense. It all came down to 24 unanswered point by a coach that also be Jim Davis and myself before losing to the EVENTUAL CHAMPION! What more do you want!

Using all these gripes and comparisons just serve to undermine the excellent work of the winning coach (Joe Greco) who played under the same circumstances is crazy, self serving, and is a true indicator that you are ordinary, not legendary. Folklore, and I really hoped you were as great as you thought your were.

[KINGPIN]

Did you ever here me say anything negative about Joe Greko, Celo told me Joe played a great game, I knew everything that went on in this game so you are not giving me a news flash my friend, I was being updated every quarter. I also know when Joe was out here playing on a real field he was getting his head clocked at Rick's house. Celo told me about the game, and by the way if you thought Celo's team is something, call him and ask him about mine. You just agreed with me without even knowing it, you said megawatts field was better than that field, that has been my whole point, it's not about the strategy, the coaches, who's better than who, it was the poor 308 fields that's it. Thank you for agreeing. I also heard it was a great time for everyone, went without a hitch except for the 308 boards and that's really all I have commented on correct me if i'm wrong.

By the way in Los Angeles I was banned because everyone knew they were playing for second place so there is no myth, it's all factual. Thank You in advance.


Vincent

[asparks31]

WOW I CANT BELEIVE I AM TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THIS THIS CONVERSATION WILL GO ON AND ON ABOUT NOTHING SORRY FAMILY PASSED NO ONE WANTS THAT. DID I KNOW ABOUT THAT GOING ON IN CALI NO BUT THIS IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT STILL YOU CAN HAVE YOUR VENUE PEOPLE WILL ATTEND I MYSELF WOULD LIKE TO BUT YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THIS HOBBY AND OTHERS WHO TRY TO BRING IT TOGETHER IS RECUDILOUS IN THE SHORT CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE HAD BOARDS, VENUE CHANGES, AND DEATH IN THE FAMILY HAVE COME UP NOT ONE REASON TO ACT THE WAY THAT YOU DO I DONT KNOW WHEN HE PASSED BUT YOU FOUND TIME TO CRITICIZE EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE WHO PLAYS CE-LO (i think is his name) SHOWED UP WITH ONE OF THE MOST EXPLOSIVE OFFENSES I HAVE EVER SEEN. ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF ALL TIME I BIG JOE G GREAT RUN DUDE SEE YOU IN THE BAM. ANY WAY BACK TO YOU, HAVE YOUR OPINIONS STOP TRYING TO DESTROY THE HOBBY AND BUILD IT UP TRY PLAYING IN A LEAGUE OR 2 OUTSIDE OF WHERE YOU LIVE. YOU REMIND ME OF THOSE KIDS WHO NEVER GOT PICKED TO PLAY OR PICKED LAST AND WANTS TO TAKE THE BALL AND GO HOME GROW UP YOUR A MAN ACT LIKE ONE HOLLA