It's Great to See Customizers Coming to the Forefront

[Reginald Rutledge]

I have written so much over the years about the evolution of the game that you could probably create a book from it. Most of it is "junk", few things are true, and a little of it is real. But when I talk about the evolution of the game in regards to customizing, it does my heart good!

It's great to see guys who bought the DVD now creating poses that make your jaw drop! There are so many guys creating these awesome poses that had no knowledge of how to do it at first.

Heck, I stumbled on this some years ago but found that because FF.COM players were not as hard as traditional players, you could do so much with them. I remember being HEAVILY criticized because my players went against the conventional thinking of traditional players. But like any good engineer worth his wait in gold, I found alternative methods!

I combined my knowledge of physics, metallurgy, chemistry, and structural analysis with football to think beyond the box. I remember a many days sitting up in engineering class thinking of ways of enhancing electric (as we use to call it) football.

I remember the first time I studied metallurgical engineering back at the University of Tennessee. I remembered the prof talking about shaping metal into how you wanted it to be. Those same principles are used to create more than 1000 custom poses that I now have. Simply by heating up metal and then bending it or shaping it into what you want and then cooling it with extreme temperature change gives you a newly formed player.

This is shown in my customizing DVD. Some people have taken advantage of acquiring that DVD. I have seen their works and you can tell they are "Students of Customizing". Now, some of them show me creations that I learn from. Their work is fabulous! Off the Hook! Off the Chain! Outstanding!

Many of these guys are now understanding the science behind their work, the functionality, and their performance! I am geeked up that these guys have learned valuable techniques and have taken it to a whole new level. It enhances the game and it gives coaches another aspect of the game to enjoy.

This customizing is like a drug! Once you do it and you know it looks top notch. You want to do more. Then you learn how those players can help you and before you know it, you've done teams using custom figures.

So thanks customizers who learned from my DVD and those who did their own thing. You are really starting to get the most out of your miniature football experience.

If you have not bought our DVD 1, it is worth having because it shows you about 70 different poses and 20 poses to create.

Reginald Rutledge
FF.COM

Reginald my friend me and you have talked about the time when customizers would step out of the shadows and would step into the light and that time is now. And for you newer guys you dont have to pester Reginald like I did back in the day LoL. He is here and take what he offers, it has helped me tons in who and what I am and do in the world of EF/MF.

[tbuc]

I bought your DVD and i never dreamed I would be able to create my own players (of course not at your level) The DVD was perfect as it talked you through each step of the process. I hope you will come out with another dealing with teaching tips on balance and more poses.
Also feel free to produce one on custom stadiums...

Again great DVD!!!!!
Mark

[Coach K-LO]

i won't get hooked on customizing because I won't spend too much time doing it....it takes away from the some of the other items I like doing - building top teams (from scratch) and painting and detailing whole teams.....

.... but when I need a special player, I will just cut up something nice to work with.

[Michigan Joe]

After customizing full teams now, it would pretty hard for me to paint and detail a team of standard figures. To fully customize all the players, then detail them, and finally to tweak the bases...its just priceless. The thing about customizing is this, once you get better at it, not only do the figures start looking better but also you do it much faster. I hear you though K-Lo, time is limited and at least being able to customize a special team or a special player is a nice thing to have the knowledge to do.

For my college collection, I plan to add only customized Michigan Wolverines and the rest (the enemies ) will be stock figures.
Joe

[Reginald Rutledge]

I've been dealing with EFLers for so many years and we all have said things we wish we could take back!

Brother, you know I love you but I also know you love to win. Until you see how that player can help your team, you will only do it sparingly. Until some guys in DC are using full custom teams, you probably will not go all the way.

But there was no doubt, in time, you will be a customizer. I know you to be a "Lifer" who analyzes the entire gamet of the hobby and one of the growing aspects of the game is customizing. Your competitive juices will not allow you to stay on the sideline too long! You will begrudgingly come to terms with what you are, a customizer. You can still be a great coach but then understanding all the things concerning leverage will make your teams even greater. That's why I know in time, you will be one of us, "The Customizers"!

Reg

[Coach K-LO]

Originally Posted by Reginald Rutledge

I've been dealing with EFLers for so many years and we all have said things we wish we could take back!

Brother, you know I love you but I also know you love to win. Until you see how that player can help your team, you will only do it sparingly. Until some guys in DC are using full custom teams, you probably will not go all the way.

But there was no doubt, in time, you will be a customizer. I know you to be a "Lifer" who analyzes the entire gamet of the hobby and one of the growing aspects of the game is customizing. Your competitive juices will not allow you to stay on the sideline too long! You will begrudgingly come to terms with what you are, a customizer. You can still be a great coach but then understanding all the things concerning leverage will make your teams even greater. That's why I know in time, you will be one of us, "The Customizers"!

Reg

You are mostly right on this one. I won last season's title with a 35% custom team (Cardinals) that featured many of your figures both stock and custom. They played great for most of the season and in the playoffs - One figure in specific got everyone wanting him - the sprinter....

He is my A.Bouldin and was hard to cover for everyone in the league....... but I enjoy doing so many things to build a team that I cannot spend too much time on cutting right now...not that I don't want to, just other things take president.........

[Reginald Rutledge]

You're not called "Guru" for nothing. That's usually a guy who knows every aspect of the game and can speak knowledgeably on that topic. The only thing you did not have at that customizing class was an apple for the teacher. But you had all the makings of one of those students you see in class who would someday go on to great things. You were a willing participant and you wanted to learn. You had no shame in yo' game!

For a guy who probably knows just as much about the game as you do and being able to humble himself to learn more, that says a lot about him wanting to know every aspect of the game. Even the customizing.

Not only do you learn to help your teams win when you learn to customize but rest assured, some customizers are demanding nice little spending money for their ability to deliver high quality FF.COM products. I have some guys that I have customize for people outside of this hobby who do pretty well. So don't forget the economic benefits of learning this skill. There is a market that many don't tap in to. You don't have to spend all your time doing this. You have no idea how busy my life is and I still take time to release stress by doing this work, too.

So go on and acknowledge what you are, one of us-"A Customizer". It's not a bad word.

Reg