Playing for Entertainment Purposes Only

[Reginald Rutledge]

It's been since the mid 90's when I began to get on chat boards trying to change the "EFL" world "one person at a time". I remember the heated debates when with Vance Warren about one type of play versus another. I remember constantly arguing TTQB vs. Pass Simulation, Steroids v. Natural, FF.COM v. other manufacturers, the creation of 3.2 gram system, and all other topics of EFL/MF. I remember debates on who Hall of Fame inductions that Wally Jabs had created and the division that some felt. There's been more times than not my wife said "just leave it alone".

Throughout the evolution of the game, I could see leagues splitting, strikes occurring, and other tourneys kicking off. I could see guys coming back to the hobby and newbies coming into the hobby being influenced one way or another. I could see politics of supporting one vendor but not the other.

I remember telling guys that what happen in Texas stays in Texas. I knew what we did was so different from the thinking of others. Does that make what we do in the DFW wrong? Not necessarily. In my opinion, what we did was take away limits to the game. If you want to stack, that's your choice. If you want to use everyone's figures, that's your choice. If you want to use boat bases, that's your choice. Whatever you wanted to do is **** near allowed in the DFW League and for that matter, the Texas Shootout.

When I sat here playing this game, it is simply for "entertainment purposes only". Nothing less or nothing more! When I am sitting online arguing over rules, styles of play, or the infamous "Question Man", I am not entertained. In some cases, I am just not even interested in the subject matter.

One of the great things that I have learn over the years in this game is that I can not change this world. For myself, it is beyond changing. What I can do is entertain myself in it. For me, what I do becomes a regional thing. If guys throughout the country want to come be a part of what we do in Texas, we are more than willing to welcome them. We love guys coming to the Shootout and becoming Road Warriors. We get so much entertainment from week-to-week calling each other, getting on 8-way conference calls, talking about an injury to a star running back that changed the game, and the hype around two mediocre teams playing.

I know every league don't have that type of atmosphere, and that's a shame. I know guys are trying to bring a united national front and that's wonderful. But something that has sustained me since 1995 is making sure that I am entertained. Hopefully I don't go around telling you "You must play TSO style or else" but I do let you know I enjoy it and the guys in the DFW League love it. What I hope is that the passion that I show will inspire others to want to be apart of what we do. And in many instances, it does. In some cases, leagues say "Why do we have to do things like the DFW?" Nevertheless, we play for entertainment purposes ONLY! Changing the world is long gone for us grizzled veterans.

And now that I am exploring a life in the legal profession, those changes become more of a distant memory. I get so tired of the constant arguing and barbs being tossed at each other. When I put it all in perspective, I realize that I can only deal with what is happening in my own backyard.

People are being murdered and Americans are homeless and wars are being waged and I find myself in heated battles over trivial things! I find myself waking seeing what the latest shenanigans towards a topic I commented on.

I sometimes forget I play MF with guys who share a similar goal of wanting "hype" and "entertainment" from a world of stress and day-to-day pressures. Those 3 hours of the "Peanut Gallery" and second-guessing a coach and watching a great player stay out of the game because of injury is certainly what entertains me, not the politics of the game.

Just my thoughts,

Reg