Welcome Brian “MOATI” Russell to the Catshack Reports Paintball News. Brian has a somewhat lengthy history in the game and is most well known for his involvement with SpecOps brand gear. Since the closure of Tiger Stripe, the company that provided soft goods under SpecOps, Brian has started his own business namely Extreme Stitchworks. Enjoy The Catshack Reports Q&A interview with Brian “MOATI” Russell.
What would be your history and background in paintball to include 
the first time you picked up a paintball marker…assuming you play paintball of course
I sure do play! I started playing renegade ball back in the mid 90′s. I was hooked and wanted more so I sought out other players and started going to organized fields by the late 90′s. I was in love with every aspect of the game…woodsball, speedball, recball, scenario…I loved it all!
When did you first head into the creation and supply of paintball soft goods?
In 2004, I moved from Central New York out to Portland, OR. I was asked to join Team COPS911 and soon after, I began working there cutting fabric for custom paintball vests.
How did you become involved with SpecOps?
In mid 2005, COPS911 was purchased by Tiger Stripe Paintball dba: Special Ops Paintball and I was asked to come along as well. Next thing you know, here I am in Utah!
Why did you decide to step down from SpecOps?
Well, it really wasn’t my decision. Tiger Stripe, the company that was doing business as Special Ops Paintball, went out of business. Those of us that worked there were all let go in the middle of October 2009.
Please tell our readers about Stitchworks.
Extreme Stitchworks was born suddenly and out of necessity. I wasn’t ready to see the Special Ops brand or vision go away. Within days of Tiger Stripe going under, I started Extreme Stitchworks in order to continue doing what I loved…providing great gear inspired and developed from players and of course, to stay around paintball. Our focus is on stitched goods through-out several industries with a heavy focus on paintball. Our goal is to repair the recent reputation that Special Ops had while being operated under Tiger Stripe and to provide great gear with unsurpassed customer service. There’s a ton of work to do, but I think we have the perfect people to do it!
If you could give advice to a new player what would it be?
To have fun! Play every style you can find…scenario, tourney, weekend rec games! Play it all. Then, let your fun be infectious. Make sure the players around you are having fun too! That’s how can start to grow this sport again.
You are in a 1 vs 4 situation with you being the lone player, what would you do?
Go out in a blaze of glory! I might get them all…I might get none of them…I’ll certainly get painted from head to toe…but it will be a couple seconds of intense play that I just could never pass up!
What are your goals for 2010?
To get to at least 5 or 6 National Level events. Don’t look for an Extreme Stitchworks booth though. I’m going to be there to play! If I have a dealer in the area, expect to see me hanging out their booth, but otherwise, look for me on the field! Oh yeah…it would be nice if the new company made some money 
What is on your MP3 player, if you use one?
Pretty much everything except country and rap. I especially love Counting Crows and have been playing them a lot lately.
What can we, the players, do to better the sport as a whole?
Many people talk about great sportsmanship. So many these days, that I’m afraid some new players and old alike, start to take it for granted even they aren’t always shown what I would consider exemplary sportsmanship. So I like to encourage players to be “Ambassadors To Paintball”. Take new players under your wing…treat other players with respect no matter what “flavor” of paintball they 
prefer…keep your honor in tact above all else. It’s only through actions like these, that we…the players…can successfully let potential players experience what the sport is truly about!
Also can we have an update on how the little one is doing?….I hope all is well!
He’s doing great! He’s up over 8lbs now and he’s doing everything he should be doing as well as a few things nobody expected yet! He says he can’t wait until he’s able to get on the paintball field! Of course, I’m para-phrasing…from him, it came out more like “ga bo wah” or something like that
