For me , Rosie is just one of those people . He even gave me the hat off his head . It was a commemorative baseball cap in memory of his friend and Master Blaster teammate # 13 Dave Cilio . Expect to see that hat a lot in my podcasts from now on as it means the world to me .
I think that what makes the Iron City Classic special is that people actually want to socialize . It ’ s as much a giant family reunion as it is a paintball tournament . Everyone has there little “ camp ” and you just roam around from camp to camp saying hello and being welcomed like long lost friends .
I really need to give a huge shout out to the Mexican team Armada . Every time I was within eyesight of them , they pulled me in to chat . Such a great group of guys . I think what I love best is that they know they aren ’ t the best players on the field , but they want to improve so they lock and load , to take on whatever the other team is ready to throw at them . When they lose it ’ s graciously and with dignity and class , then they go back to camp and discuss what they did wrong and how to apply that to being better the next go round . It ’ s the perfect paintball attitude and I see them being a team to be truly feared in the very near future .
My trip home to Canada was less than ideal . My flight was canceled so I had to spend another night sleeping in an airport and I was still hurting from the last go round . So here I sit in front of my computer with an aching back and people have been asking me … was it worth it ? Sleeping on tile floors , tree trunks jammed up my nose three times over the course of seven days to test me for Covid . Cheap motels and uncomfortable chairs … Was it worth it ?
Yes … yes it was … I ’ d go back right now if I could . I loved every minute of the tournament .
See you at the next one !
Steve !
074 paintball . media magazine