ok, let's talk unity ...

[WEIRDWOLF]

Originally Posted by WallyJ

Get everyone to agree on equipment (bases and figures) spec's and you are well on the way to unity.

I use to think this but after other attempts at finding a happy medium, it never seems to work out. Coaches like to play the way they play. What a coaches Association would bring to the table is not one set of rules or one size of figures but allow all the various factions to show others the way they play. Again its about education and bringing in new blood.
I think we can all agree that Reg's figures are made for EF as are Miggle and Buzzball and all only work if they are on a base and all only work if they are on a vibrating field. Thus they are all electric football!!! All the other things such as FOB tackling and stick passing, etc are just parts of what EF really is. A coaches association would bring unity through diversity. All forms of EF would be embraced as would all manufacturers. We must educate the public and the only way to do this is through a unity of diversity. The sole purpose would be to bring all EF hobbyists together under 1 roof to show off their best. We wouldn't even have to have a tourney at the convention, in fact their could be a Miggle rules tourney and a Buzzball rules tourney and a Texas Shootout rules tourney and an Anthony Burgess tourney if the proponents of each of these rules sets would want to run it while at the convention.

All in all there is no one way to play EF and that is what we must recognize first and foremost and then follow up with a broad definition of EF.
For instance, model railroading has 5-6 size designations of model railroading from HO scale to O scale to N scale but they are all model railroading. I'm not talking about 100 different scales for EF but rather that FF and Buzzball and Miggle are all EF and the way Reg plays and Mr. National plays and Billy in first grade plays are all EF as well.

[Megawattz]

Whats up fellas,Beenutt i see your still putting the heavy topics out there.We all know what predicament we're in, I was flicking the channel & ran across a Scrabble convention there were over 1,000 people attending SCRABBLE, what caught my attention was the atmosphere.People were milling around playing games & there were venders with oak boards,metal,table tops set up like in tables & such.My point is the unity among the participants, i thought about that, where did it come from?What i concluded was the format, everyone knew what to expect,they played by the same rules as they did at home,the look & feel of there scrabble boards didnt give them an advantage. Thats what were facing, we all know the simptoms its now time to address the cure.I fully agree with everything ive read but nobody really said much about why?Whats up Reggy Im not sure if u remember me but i met u at my first miggle in memphis, U were displaying one of your fields,I didnt say much just watched even then u were teaching.That was my inspiration homey so much love from up north. The time has come things to address first :style of play best way to deal with that is all leagues submit your rule books all styles taken in to consideration by the coachs assoc. spoken of previously.2 Weight limits : i think this one may be the hardest because its tangeble involves more than just changing things on paper. This is why Reggies figures were not allowed in many tourneys so it wasnt the people it was the rules they established 3.2 i dont even know where that came from.3 equipment this is the one where people tend to sway its more gray than the first 2, my team may be ok here but not there, i can use these bases hear but not there.We cant force feed people this & its not going to be over night Count Me In OHIO REGION peace

Originally Posted by beenutt

Help me out here Weirdwolf and Don Smith, but this is what I think we are talking about as far as unity goes. We need to have an event where we put out best foot forward in the eyes of the public and TV.

Beenutt… I’m all for a National coaches association. I think it will help unify those who are interested in coming together. I also think a committee is in order, but I think it should have reps who aren’t tied to any manufacturers. I would definitely be in favor of guys like you, Weirdwolf, Will Travers, Coach J, and other such honorable gents to head up this monumental endeavor. I also think you need guys who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get a little dirty to make sure the job gets done. I also think some of the new guys should be reps, because I think the infusion of new blood will give the process a fresh perspective and enthusiasm from guys who will bring little to no baggage to the table.

I’m also down with the idea of having an event where we put our best foot forward showcasing our hobby for public consumption and TV. I think something like this is long overdue.

I agree with what the majority of the posts are already saying. So it’s up to you guys to bring this thing through to fruition. I’ll support these efforts and like a good soldier, I’ll do whatever I can when asked to help out.

- OldSchool

[NEW CASTLE HiTMEN]

Just putting this out there. Instead of National Coaches Association, what about National Electric Football Players Association. Other people may get intimidated by the word coach.

[NEW CASTLE HiTMEN]

Hey Mega,

I am counting down the days before I call you and say " I want a custom board". Anyway, I believe we are talking about a unified group rather than unifying the game. Like WW said there are many ways to play. It would be nice to see all the different ways to play EF without being biased. This will also help to educate people about the game. No tournament, no rule set, just a bunch of guys getting together to play EF. Whether it's my way or your way or any way. To promote. plain and simple.

[Reginald Rutledge]

I know some guys who would be very much unbiased and great representatives in sections of the country. One name is John Oubre from Lousiana. This brother is as good as gold. Honorable guy. Passionate about the game. Would do anything to promote the game.

Another guy, John Rowan from the ACEFL. Rowan and I are very good friends however there are never any persuasion on either of our parts to use any manufacturer's product. He's as quality of a guy that you will ever know. Very influential. Great listener and leader of men. No agendas but he is very fair in his analysis and assessment.

These two guys are consumate professionals in everything they do.

Reg

[Coach K-LO]

lots of information guys! I think the idea has been kicked around for some time.

If it gets going, we could still find ourselves in the trap (i like this, commitee likes that, public likes none of this or that) and the circle continues.

Also, we all have our "favorites" on these chat/hobby boards who we will stand by and we have those who we will run from.

With that being said, I would like to be included in these talks. There are so many ways to view these issues and problems (for lackk of a better term) that all subjects will have to ripped apart and rebuilt.

.02 worth

[mantaraydre]

Coaches/powers that be

Whatever the format/venue/committee you guy's decide to form, i am behind you 100%. Unity will make us and ef much much stronger !

broadway-dre

[Kansas Bill]

Originally Posted by Reginald Rutledge

I know some guys who would be very much unbiased and great representatives in sections of the country. One name is John Oubre from Lousiana. This brother is as good as gold. Honorable guy. Passionate about the game. Would do anything to promote the game.

Another guy, John Rowan from the ACEFL. Rowan and I are very good friends however there are never any persuasion on either of our parts to use any manufacturer's product. He's as quality of a guy that you will ever know. Very influential. Great listener and leader of men. No agendas but he is very fair in his analysis and assessment.

These two guys are consumate professionals in everything they do.

Reg

Although I only met John Oubre last September at the TSO.. I'd second your thoughts on John as well. Doesn't take long after meeting John to realize he is "good people".

[WEIRDWOLF]

I would like to hear from some of you who would like to be involved. My number is 816-891-0802 and I will listen with open ears. This thing is going to work because we have learned from the past attempts! I've watched this idea come and go twenty times but now is the right time. With that said, Bryan and I have talked and are in the process of organizing a committee.

We feel that it is important to bring in some new faces as well as have representation from the main camps of thinking and the main areas of EF. We don't know everyone and we don't know where each of you are from or what camp you tend to hang with. Bryan and I consider ourselves neutrals as we each own and play with everything that is out there all though we haven't experienced everything we are open to it. Anyone wanting to help this committee needs to be open to all.

We also realize that having too many on the committee and it will bog down. We need everyones support. This idea is not about singling out one way of play or one group of people. EF is EF in what ever form. This is about coming together to share all our ideas and forms and styles of play under one roof for one weekend. If we can't accomplish that then we may as well let this hobby dwindle into history.