Omaha Vicious

2012 Recap: 2012 was a series of very close, and unfortunate missies for Omaha Vicious. Coming off of a 4th place finish in the 2011 World Cup, expectations were high for the young team and momentum seemed to be on their side. However, the team missed out on Sunday play at all but one event in 2012 (Phoenix). That being said, the season ended with an incredibly controversial move as Vicious went 3-1 during the prelims, but still lost out on making the cut due to the points spread – something the team was, understandably, bitter about. Aside from the drama of the 2012 season, the team did show that they have progressed to a new level of play and are beginning to mature in their roles. Their support players are beginning to become completely comfortable at the professional game speed which is allowing their attackers to do their job more effectively. Simply stated, Omaha Vicious is not a bunch of kids playing professional paintball anymore.

Key Players:
Phil Kahnk; #33, Front, 9 PBA rank
Parker Rosenthal; #4, Mid, 35 PBA rank
Bryan Bortol; #20, Front; 65 PBA rank

Team Strengths:
Strong team speed
Blindingly aggressive at times
Team unity

Team Weaknesses:
Still developing talent
Has tendency to overextend themselves
Needs a coach with the “it” factor

2013 Outlook: As stated in the 2012 recap, Omaha Vicious is not the runt of the litter anymore and has the potential to be a very competitive team in the upcoming seasons; however it will require one or two more players to develop further than they are. The team can’t rely on any one player to carry them, nor can they allow the more prominent teams to poach players. The acquisition of back player Matthew Sossoman may be the most underrated move of the 2012 season and it should be fun to see what he can do in his second year with the program. We expect to see Omaha in the middle of the pack for most of the year, but if they lose focus, we could see them in the Challengers division. It will be up to them to remain poised and capitalize on the fruits of their labor from 2012.

Why Root for Them?: Omaha Vicious is not the best paintball team in the league, period. They lack the top tier talent and funding of the premiere teams, but their impact on their local paintball scene is second to none. It’s easy to root for Vicious: they play with a ton of heart, give it their all every event, and are super grass roots oriented which makes every success story that much sweeter. On many levels, paintball as a sport needs Omaha Vicious. Oh, and watch out for them this year – they may be on the verge of something special.

2013 Omaha Vicious Practice Video