"What have FISTF ever done for us?"

[Simon Hutchinson]

I admit I have stolen the subject line from Monty Python's "The Life of Brian".

But what does everyone think of the relevance of FISTF in relation to Subbuteo in the USA?

[Allan Thornton]

The aquaducts?

On a serious note, not a whole lot and with the current disarray of the org, I don't think it will improve in the future.

[Daniel Cranston]

For me at least, FISTF gave me the opportunity to travel back when I had the chance. The trip to Austria and Bavaria were unforgettable to me and certainly would never had happened if there was no world organization. On the reverse side we also had the privilege of playing with top players in the world a few years ago in the Americas Cup when everything was booming. Outside of all the political organization mess it still is a medium to coordinate with people outside of the U.S. in table soccer and provide opportunities and connections that wouldn't otherwise be there.

[Simon Hutchinson]

Am I to assume as no-one else has posted in this thread no-one else cares about FISTF?

[TC]

I think that FISTF must stand for Fu**ing Idiotic Schizophrenic Tantrum Federation

These people seen to be insane!!!!!! I just don't get it that grown men are fighting like children regarding FISTF.

They all sound like a bunch of losers that must be living in their parents basements.

Yet again they are just trying to act like real soccer fans in Europe to make Subbuteo more realistic. We just need some FISTF hooligans and they will be set.

[batabomber]

I would like to reverse the question for making the discussion a little bit more interesting, what have we done to ourselves in the last year or so?, how many tournaments have been played sanctioned by the Association?What is the real interest in this sport/game in this Country?Are there people really willing to step up and play the game or they are just ready when ever they are just comfortable to do so?What happen in the other Countries it should not be our concern, there even in a bad way [ someone thought] the game is played every week at every level and of course the level of the game itself is growing, here.......I believe we have a lot of "Subbuteo wankers"!
I hope I put some pepper and salt at this discussion....
thanks

Alex

[massimo]

I really don't care much about FISTF. Through the years, nothing happened to make me feel part of it. And that is true even more now without Vincent, who at the least has always been a friend of the ASA and has always been very accessible and available to all of us, even for the silliest questions and doubts that Jim & I could have had.

Since I don't know all the scenario over there, I don't necessarily like to comment on the political fighting. One thing that is fair to say, is that our players are always welcome to play in FISTF events in Europe and their organization is top notch and very professional.
As far as the passion around the pitch goes, Subbuteo is a funny game and can bring out of the players many different feelings and passions. Of course, the greater is the level of play and of the organization, the stronger those feelings are. So I don't mind the screaming and the loud cheering after a goal, at all.

Like Alex, I too prefer to focus on the status of the ASA. We have a big job to do. After all, this forum still counts 46 members only..

[batabomber]

Unfortunately is not just the 46 members of the forum, but in the National rankings we have just 53 players for the past season which means 53 players played in sanctioned A.S.A tournaments,
now a new player or someone that have interest for the game approach our site ....... what is going to see? Probably according to the number of A.S.A active players is going to think that the game is not that great after all. May be we should do something in that direction too.