Sticky: Comments and Thoughts on Tom Kaye's Retirement from AGD and Paintball

[ClassicMagger]

Hey:

Well, Mr. Kaye asked for a thread for General Comments on his Retirement. Here it is.

I just hope that Tom has the best of luck in his other ventures and will stay with us all on AO.

Best Wishes,

-ClassicMagger

[Koosh]

I think it sucks he's leaving, but he has to do whats best for him.

Does Dave Zupan ever post on AO? Whats his Screen Name? Will he be as active as Tom was in the community?

[Rift]

I think it sucks he's leaving, but he has to do whats best for him.

Does Dave Zupan ever post on AO? Whats his Screen Name? Will he be as active as Tom was in the community?

This is deff a good question one of the best things about AGD was the fact that tom comunicated with us. Will this stay the same under new managment? and where will AGD be headed now, what can we expect?

[dynastyfan]

i think its very sad but to provide for his family i dont blame him in the least. well i hope he is happy where ever he goes but i know if i was in his shoes i wouldnt be.

[MindJob]

WOW.

The last of the good guys rides off into the sunset

What does the future hold for AGD? New products? New direction, or will the new managment keep the ship on the same course?

Im here looking at my X-mag sitting on my gear case, thinking that it all of a sudden looks a bit 'dated' for some reason.

WOW

Now what?

[Magaman]

If Dave is anything Like Tom, we will be in good hands...

It just sucks... I was so exited about just recently becoming an AGD Dealer for Tom... I'm still excited, but it somehow doesn’t quite feel the same...

I just hop Tom will stop by some of the Games and Tournies from time to time and I hope he continues to post here as well...

We will miss you bud...

[DWill]

I just hope the values and practices of the company don't take a radical shift, and that AGD continues making the highest quality guns around. I am sorry to see Tom go though, he will be missed as an innovator and figurehead and an all around great guy in the world of paintball .

[Blazestorm]

I never got to meet you Tom, but I would like to say, Thank you for all you have done, because without you, paintball would surely not be the same, and it's quite sad that one of the persons who has revolutionized paintball numerous times is having to leave because of the direction the sport is heading.

Good Luck Tom

[Glickman]

I think he was one of the most influential guys in paintball, and is partly responsible for what it is today.


Hope to see him around shatnerballs though, wouldnt want him to disappear without a trace weve gotta heckle him somehow


cant forget the chuff chuff....


no more cult

[Lee]

best of luck. i don't have to like it, but i do respect your decision.

it's truly the end of an era.

i have no idea what else to say. truly speechless.

chuff chuff

[ej_y4]

Tom we will miss you, I wish you and your family the best of luck. You have done so much for paintbal and i would liek to thank you very much.

[WingMan13]

Mr. Kaye,
I literally grew up with your products and innovations. I thank you for your commitment to this sport, for you are a true embassador of it. I wish you and your family the best of luck in your future endeavors.

[ScatterPlot]

One last CHUFF CHUFF for the big man.

[Tack]

This has me almost stunned beyond words.

Tom, I have had the privilage of playing with and against you at two Shatnerball events along with two D-Day games. Every time we met you were in person as nice as you are on AO. A real gentelman within the buisness, you will be missed by many. I just hope you will continue to post on AO as a member and a friend and no disrespect to Dave but in my mine there will only be one AGD on AO.

Good luck with you future ventures, I hope to play with you again at Shatnerball IV.

[punkncat]

I am so stunned that I don't know what to say.


Its so out of the blue , its like what do you say. All this talk of revamping the company , new direction , new innovation , and BOOM ! I sold the inventory off to the VP and am getting out cause paintball isn't going well.....

I can't fault the decision , its just the LAST thing I expected to happen.


WHEN WILL THE NEW OWNER MAKE A STATEMENT ?

[WARPED1]

Good luck to Tom in digging up those dinasaur bones!
I just wonder how long until the AO Zombies blame SP for this.

[SpecialBlend2786]

AGD will be in good hands i am sure of it. Tom would never turn his back on us. It will be interesting to see what direction AGD takes in terms of product development

[AGDlover]

Best wishes to him I allways thought never would be a good time for him to leave. Best wishes too him eather way lets just hope i bump into him at CCP one day. tom you rocked all our socks!!!

[LittlePaintballBoy]

Jeez. Talk about blindsided, I could never have seen this coming.

[thelane]

wow 13 and dont know what to say..well lets give it a try..Mr. Kayeive been playing for 2 years and AGD and the community has helped me lots still on my first gettio mag but i love it its a shock well b4 i start to ramble...great job,hope to meat you one day,best wishes to your family,hope to see you at black rain one day,and i STILL would chouse a MAG over anything.well thats it


-lane the flying skwril

P.S. rock on Tom
P.P.S. three cheers to tom and AGD

[RRfireblade]

I think it's quite apparent that this was coming to anyone who has been paying attention to AGD and the rest of the industry.

But....

Tom has done enough for Paintball and for AGD,often putting aside his individual needs for the greater good, hopefully now he can truly do something that he enjoys.

Good luck and Godspeed.

Jay.

[i_baked_cookies]

Good luck TK in whatever you decide to do.

You've left a huge mark on the paintball community, and you will never be forgotten for your achievements.

Five out of five dancing bananas for TK:

[Sac]

TK is a paintball legend, its a sad day to see him go, but good luck in your future ventures Tom, you rock, i hope you hang around paintball events still i'd love to meet you someday and shake your hand.

[zackzel]

I"m still stunned by this its like I'm having a bad dream. Tom you will always be remembered for all the great things you've done for the sport. I hope you still stick around on here though.

But when are we going to hear something from the new guy???

[Alpha]

Mr Kaye, I have been an automag owner for about two weeks now, and I have yet to even shoot paint through my marker. I want to let you know I am 1000% satisfied with this beautiful work of art.

I have dealt with AGD for a couple issues regurding my new marker and only have I gotten kind heared people onthe phone. People I can obviously tell take pride in their work (mainly the lady on the misc. calls line, she was VERY nice!). With that being said, AGD owns all. AGD has rocked paintball from its foundation, and in the future of it, I can see many new ideas sprouting from a new generation of paintballers.

Thank you for all that you have done for this wonderful sport. I wish the best of luck to you and your family. Have a WONDERFUL holiday. Much love.

I'm a new school baller, but I will never forget the roots of paintball. I'll never forget what you've done. Thank you.

[Dave]

Tom, I have been using your products for over 3 years now. They have not failed me. The automag was the first paintball marker I ever purchased. Before I ever got one, I knew, somehow, that I was going to get an automag. I just knew it. That decision has served me well. Everywhere I've gone, people have been amazed at what these markers are capable of. It truly has shattered a lot of stigmas and preconcieved notions for sure.

While this is disheartening concerning the atmosphere of paintball today, thank you for telling us. I respect your decision, and trust that you know what you're doing with the company. Thank you for always including us in the business of your business, which is something that very few companies do, but it is certainly most appreciated. God bless in your new ventures.

I, as well as others, am interested in when the new president of AGD will make a statement? Lets hope soon...



-Dave

[Cyberious]

I am honestly heartbroken but alas not surprised. Alot has been going on in the industry lately and I am surprised that Tom has stuck around this long. Tom you are and always have been a stand up guy unfortunately todays business atmosphere doesn't seem to a gentleman's endeavour anymore. Thank you for your genius that built the sport in its infancy. Thank you for the countless hours you spent talking to us and sometimes involving us in product decisions at AGD. Thank you for treating us as family and not just customers.

Enjoy your archaeological digs. Now that I've finished my 2nd Masters Degree, I'm planning on finishing up a Bachelors in Archaeology that I've been doing slowly for years. I hope to someday meet up with you somewhere in the dirt.

Take care my friend, the industry has lost the last true Gentleman.

Warmest Regards.

[Vanced]

We are not worthy... But I for one am greatfull...

Thanks for all you have done, the things you were aware of and all the small things you weren't but played a big role in non-the-less or so many of us...

Relax and enjoy your accomplishents if you can...

CHEERS !

You'll always be welcome here at AO and any patch of ground any of us tred on playing the game you helped create...

[DiSoRdeR]

Sad to see you go, hope you will stop by AO every once in awhile. I never got to meet you in person, only on AO. I will always support AGD, cause I love my Minimag and I will be buying an RT Pro pretty soon.

[matt-o]

well my first gun was a mag and ive been contemplating getting another one, this is really surprising and all to lose the founding father of torney paintballl

i do have to say that i can see one possible upside, tom always liked to keep to the classic mag design, i mean it hasnt really changed much since the emag. maybe newer things can be put into the mag, like the m-qvalve and things like that. i know that its all excessive and thats sorta the point of not changing it, but mags are really getting outgunned these days, i just couldnt keep up with my emag, and things like the m-qvalve and other electro ideas could help change that. its all about buzzwords and the current mag design just dosnt seem to do it like the agg-mag does.