Mike “ Boogie ” Bogolub has been in the game of paintball since the early 1980s . As a pro player and Ultimate / Head Pro referee , he ’ s seen it all . Each month he ’ ll share a story from his days playing and reffing .
In 2005 at the NXL Pennsylvania event at some soccer complex to the east of Pittsburg , during the Oakland Assassins versus NY Extreme game Bart Blonski breaks out to the snake on the break . He botches the landing and dislocates his left shoulder and his marker flew to his left into the shooting lane . Bart bangs his shoulder into the ground to pop it back in but he can ’ t really move his left arm . He crawls up to the S-1 bunker and says , “ Boogie I can ’ t move my arm … slide me my gun !”
I said “ You really want to keep playing ?” He says “ Hell yeah , I gotta finish this point !” I was like “ Okay ” and I slid him the gun with my foot .
Bob Long , who was coaching the Assassins exploded screaming at me , calling me every name in the book . He even made up some new ones !
While he ’ s screaming I ’ m not leaving Bart but I ’ m holding my hand up to Bob with my index finger raised to mean “ give me a minuet and I ’ ll explain .” Bart then takes a peek out of his bunker and bumps up to S-2 , looks inside and takes one to the grill . I get Bart up and out of the snake and on his way back to the pits where he can get help for his shoulder .
I go back over to Bob and say , “ Hey Bart just dislocated his shoulder he ’ s done and he won ’ t be back this game . Just to let you Know Bob , if your player dislocates his shoulder and pops it back in I ’ ll slide him his gun too .
A good coach would have noticed the gun laying in the lane and would have instructed his player to shoot the gun and eliminate the player . True story !
Boogie
0120 paintball . media magazine