The CBSMF and MFCA Experience...

[Hook'em Horns]

Many thanks to Greg Hardmon for his tireless efforts to make sure that this tourney was a successful one. As you can see it is extremely difficult to play in a tournament and host at the same time. You did a fabulous job my friend. Much thanks also to those who have lended support along the way. Reginald Rutledge, Joe Greco, Doug Shanafelt, Shabby J, Don Lang and any others that I have not mentioned.

To the MFCA...Wolf you are the MAN! I have a new level of respect for you and your committee my friend! What a great job!

To future CBSMF participants. I have spoken to Greg Hardmon already and the CBSMF is already in the process of creating ways to shorten the games for all rounds with the exception of the final 4 and the championships. This will allow us to run a much smoother tournament and allow for many of us to enjoy the festivities and fellowship more with family and friends.

As for moving the tournament around to other cities I am so torn on this issue. The economics of keeping the tournament in Canton over the hall of fame weekend is tough. It's very difficult to find a hotel, many of us stay 30 minutes to an hour away from the event and flights are expensive. However, with that being said...after experiencing what I experienced the last night of the event at the tailgate, I see no reason to want to move the tournament. Many may disagree but Canton has a tradition like feel to it that you will not experience anywhere else in the country. The tailgate, the football game, the fellowship, the camraderie, the parade, the induction ceremony, the bbq and the people are just all FANTASTIC! I mean I would love to save money and have the event in Texas. Reg puts on the best of shows! However, there is something special about Canton!

I love the guys out west and I know that they support the CBSMF and would do a fantastic job and blowing this thing up. The Eric & Dave's open run is a prime example of that. What better place to have it than out in New York as well. The mega market of the big apple, the draw of time square, they already have a venue at the toy wiz, the BAM and all of their members will blow this tournament up. However, again I say there is something special about Canton.

I think the primary thing for the CBSMF to do is to take a page out of the MFCA's book and form a committee. See if Wolf and the committee is willing to establish an area on the forum where only the CBSMF and MFCA board has access to. There, the board can discuss the growth process for the CBSMF and the MFCA. It's no secret that the CBSMF is blowing up. However, it will blow up in our face if one or two people continue to try and handle everything. Many may disagree but I am in favor for a CBSMF/MFCA Merger. With the new tourney format we can co-exist with no issues on scheduling.

Its about Unity. Not winning and losing! Not making one or two or a few happy. Its about creating an unbreakable bond through fun and fellowship. The truth of the matter is regardless of where we move the tourney, there will be many that will be unable to travel due to economics. So lets keep the tradition where it has already been established and accomodate those who are fortunate enough to be able to make it. The one thing that we need to figure out is the ability to broadcast. If you can't make the tournament then we can bring it to you. I for one will make this my priority to figure out by next year.

I pray that this message does not offend anyone. I just want what is best for the hobby, the CBSMF and the MFCA as a whole.

I will post more later on the CBSMF tournament!

[Megawattz]

the big picture, good of the whole over the needs of a few! u the man to push that Mike, had a good time getting to know u, looking forward to working with u in the future hommie peace.

[mantaraydre]

COACHES,

I think the cbsmf and the mfca should continue to exist together in canton. If the cbsmf decides to move on, remember, your asking people to travel twice as opposed to once. Then they will pick one over the other. I still think the convention needs 1 additional day with games scheduled a little different. Some coaches did not get to do other things. cbsmf, 1 day on, 1 day off. It probably needs a wednsday start for weekend comfort.


mantaraydre

[Reginald Rutledge]

to learn to be more tolerant of others. No disrespect to Canton and the whole experience but this is not just about us(as coaches), it's about our wives and families.

Let me tell you, Canton does not offer much in that it's just about the NFL Hall of Fame. I know it's the birthplace of football but when you share that weekend with the PGA, the NFL, among others, it can be not too much fun. Now for me and my wife, watching her sit around for 10 hours a day doing nothing can cause problems in the home. It could eventually lead to divorces. That's our problem now, we only think in terms of ourselves and no one else, even our wives. Ask your wife tonite, "Which one will you want to do, Vegas or Canton?" I bet you 99.999% of them will say Vegas. Or New York? I bet 99.999% would say NY! Guys, when will we learn, this is not always about us, our egos, and thirst for glory. This is about our families. Yeah, some of us are adding up the dollars it would take to bring our families to Vegas as opposed to just ourselves to Canton. Sure it's less to do Ohio but from a "happy-home" standpoint, I do major city every time!

There's nothing wrong with a Canton experience or an MFCA/CBSMF experience. You can still have a great experience and have many tournaments under one roof. Wolf and I talked about this in the past. But I also know there is something good in moving what you do around.

In 2008, when the CBSMF picked up steam, many who would play in the CBSMF were on board with going from city to city. That's a promise we made to guys who play in the CBSMF. And I do understand, the MFCA and CBSMF is not one in the same but it does better for the hobby to align itself, at least in the infancy years. You don't have to play in both the CBSMF playoffs and the MFCA. What you fail to look at is the marketing, promotions, and recruiting of players to cultivate the game. If the game simply stays in Canton, you do not do that. All you cater to is the Canton media.

When you move the game, you give more media outlets an opportunity to spread the word, knowing a big crowd will be there. If you want to grow a hobby, you've got to cultivate it. Why do you think leagues tend to become stale and wither and dye away? Or never no new growth. The same concept for miniature football.

When you talk about moving things around to Vegas, Dallas, New York, DC, Atlanta, Philadelphia, you not only begin to plant more seeds nationally but you give our wives and families a reason to want to come and be a part of what we do. If the end game is to keep a happy home, you will do better by growing the hobby like that.

I think guys/men can be stuck in their ways. Oh, we do great by having a tailgate party, led by John Martin at Danny's house. JWM does yeoman's work to make sure everybody is taken care of but that can sometimes get old.

All I know is most of us are suppose to be family men, right? We do this as a hobby, right? We want peace in our homes, right? We are not in this to simply make money, right? If our purpose as MF'ers is to grow the hobby for the next generation, you've got to know it serves us best to go out into the community and grow the game.

Places like Vegas, Dallas, Detroit, DC, and NY are ideal spots - not just for us but for our families to have fun while we play a child's game. Like I said, there's nothing wrong with Canton, but I ask you, what fruits of our cultivation can be harvested from being there 3 years in a row?

Nothing wrong with Canton. Put it in a loop! Let that be the birthplace city but to spread the game means to spread the wealth. In the words of Horace Greeley, "Go West" and East and North and South!

I know I am not on any MFCA board or CBSMF board but I think my opinion does deserve to be looked at.

Reg

[Raven maniac]

We all have enjoyed Canton and if it stayed in Canton we would still have a great weekend. But what Reggie states is true. We have wives, girlfriends and kids and even though we enjoy playing the game. When we get back home will your family say "we did this or we did that" or will our family say I watched daddy or hubby play MF. Vegas is very tempting for all the right reasons. Family fun. We all should look at not just us playing MF, but family enjoying Mf, shopping, movies, bowling everything including MF. Westcoast has rightsto have CBSMF there. Great Lakes has a right to have the CBSMF there. And the Southwest has a right to have the CBSMF there. These regions are the back bone to the CBSMF. All our efforts should be geared towards finding a middle ground between these three regions for our next MFCA/CBSMF convention. Either Canton or elsewhere.

Darrian

[Megawattz]

I dont have any say, when it comes to the CBSMF, to move or not is solely up to those involved. As I have stated before, this league is the foundation for any "National" league in the future, either way I will support the CBSMF in the future. Take your time fellas, way the options then make a wise choice.

[detroitchild]

How about rotating it around the country returning to Canton every 2-3 years?

[RPD]

My 2 cents worth.....

Keeping peace and balance in the family is the most important thing that I'm concerned with, but that is me it may not be the case for someone else. For me the MFCA convention has been an experience that my wife lets me enjoy with the guys, and I thoroughly have enjoyed the past two years, and I thank her for allowing me a man weekend. I have discuused the MFCA convention with my wife and she has no interest in coming to the MFCA convention wether its in Canton or somewhere else. She has no interest in EF, though she allows me to enjoy the hobby, moving the CBSMF to another location for me would mean having to choose between which convention or event I want to be a part of. I think I can speak for many when I say that if the MFCA convention were to stay in Canton and the CBSMF were to move elsewhere, and was held around the same time it would force coaches to choose between one event or the other thus causing a split in the masses. If we could merge these 2 events into one it would be great, how to do this is the big question, as some coaches have no interest in participating in the CBSMF. I very much look forward to the MFCA convention in Canton every year and would continue supporting it if it were to stay in Canton.


Only my opinion
RD

[sweetka]

Originally Posted by RPD

My 2 cents worth.....

Keeping peace and balance in the family is the most important thing that I'm concerned with, but that is me it may not be the case for someone else. For me the MFCA convention has been an experience that my wife lets me enjoy with the guys, and I thoroughly have enjoyed the past two years, and I thank her for allowing me a man weekend. I have discuused the MFCA convention with my wife and she has no interest in coming to the MFCA convention wether its in Canton or somewhere else. She has no interest in EF, though she allows me to enjoy the hobby, moving the CBSMF to another location for me would mean having to choose between which convention or event I want to be a part of. I think I can speak for many when I say that if the MFCA convention were to stay in Canton and the CBSMF were to move elsewhere, and was held around the same time it would force coaches to choose between one event or the other thus causing a split in the masses. If we could merge these 2 events into one it would be great, how to do this is the big question, as some coaches have no interest in participating in the CBSMF. I very much look forward to the MFCA convention in Canton every year and would continue supporting it if it were to stay in Canton.


Only my opinion
RD

I could not agree more. The Canton experience by far is the best.

[WEIRDWOLF]

I sometimes speak to soon on these subjects so I am going to reserve my personal thoughts until more coaches have spoken. I just want everyone to know that what, where and how this convention takes place is not based on my sole wants, but on what the membership wants. I spoke with many many of you this weekend about next years convention and there are pros and cons to all the possibilities. I encourage everyone to join the debate. The board will listen, but we do have to make a decision within the next month so whether it is with or without the CBSMF, in Canton, Vegas or elsewhere, setup as a rotational event or anything else, it will be based on what we hear from the membership. If you don't express your opinions, we can only act on our own views. It would be great to hear from at least 50% of the membership and I challenge everyone to get in the discussion!

I will add this one item which can make a difference, in that I don't believe at this time that the Stearn Center will be an option come next year.