PB2X appears to be changing for the...

Yeah, PB2X appears to be changing for the dot-dot-dot. The future appears uncertain. I've been on hiatus from the magazine for a few months. My fiancee has had some medical problems we've been dealing with. When I decided I was ready to come back, there was a distinct absence of replies to any e-mails I sent. I won't speculate as to why. I began to commnicate with Cheryl Amaya, the publisher.

This culminated in our meeting in Atlanta this past weekend. It has become no secret that PB2X is eliminating the "What the Locals Do" columns and replacing them with a different format local report.

It looks to be a total of two pages per region. One page has the calendar for the area on the left vertical side; the right vertical section is made up of small advertisements running horizontally from to to bottom. The other page is split in two, horizontally, and has a "featured field" and a "featured store" to take up the two sections.

If my memory serves me right, she said that there would be TEN different geographical areas. The new format does not allow for general reporting, team news, scenario results, local photos, editorial pieces and anything else that fit into the "Locals" column.

I understand that several other writers have left the magazine. I can't confirm or dispute this. I have agreed to submit periodic features at this time and see how it goes. I do know that my friend, Bea Youngs, has left PB2X and taken the Editor-in-Chief position at Paintball Sports Magazine. Currently, Bea and I are working on something that would bring me to PSM, too. She is a fantastic person and I feel certain that she'll bring a very cool light to PSM. I'm also contributing to RECON. And don't forget right here on Junkie! (This didn't mean I was totally leaving PB2X!)

I don't know what's going to happen with PB2X. I've with them since 2002. There are questions that can only be answered after time passes. How are the locals going to get their info in? Currently, that looks like it isn't going to happen at all. That's unfortunate. Is the flip book going to continue, (YES IT IS!) since the "Locals" and rec ball stuff is going to be trimmed?

I guess we'll see. I hope things turn out well. We don't need to lose a magazine that used to cater to the local/rec-ball player more than others. I've seen the new format and I'm eager to see what the entire package brings.

In any case, I still take my writing seriously. Editorializing is my favorite form. I'll continue to do it here and wherever I can.

Thanks for all your support over time. I repeat myself by saying that Rec Ball and Scenario play is the best kind of paintball. It is the core of the sport and where almost every single player begins, though it still gets the stiff arm more than anything else. 2007 brought incredible advances in some areas. in some areas it slipped. In an case, I'm still here. And feel free to throw your opinion or idea my way. Thats how we get things done.

Jester

*This blog/post had some minor reporting errors in it and was corrected in the main forums, as well as here.