{"id":7929,"date":"2024-01-09T16:40:03","date_gmt":"2024-01-09T16:40:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/2024\/01\/column-647-who-the-hell-is-dartoid-and-what-possessed-paul-seigel-to-let-him-into-his-life\/"},"modified":"2024-01-09T16:40:03","modified_gmt":"2024-01-09T16:40:03","slug":"column-647-who-the-hell-is-dartoid-and-what-possessed-paul-seigel-to-let-him-into-his-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/2024\/01\/column-647-who-the-hell-is-dartoid-and-what-possessed-paul-seigel-to-let-him-into-his-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Column #647 Who the HELL is Dartoid – and what possessed Paul Seigel to let him into his life?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tuesday, January 9, 2024
\nColumn 647
\nWho the HELL is Dartoid – and what posessed Paul Seigel to let him into his life?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was an accident, a complete and total frickin\u2019 accident, and right here and now I want to respectfully make my apologies to the world (and my wife!).<\/p>\n

You must understand that, in the beginning, there was no Dartoid. There was just me, Paul Seigel, and I threw darts.<\/p>\n

Then one day, America Online was introduced, it was all Greek to me but a friend of mine, Tommy Molina, had an account and was having a blast with it. He was going into the Sugar Daddy chat rooms and pretending he was a movie producer. He was going into lesbian chat rooms and pretending he was a lesbian.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d make a great lesbian,\u201d he told me one day. I said, \u201cSign me up!\u201d<\/p>\n

When Tommy came to the point where a screen name had to be entered, he asked me \u201cWhat do you want your screen name to be?\u201d \u00a0I\u2019d never heard the term before but after Tommy explained I began to throw out ideas. \u201cDartboy!,\u201d \u201cDartguy!, \u201cDartdude!\u201d They were all taken. So, Tommy, of his own evil volition, typed in \u201cDartoid\u201d and it took. It wasn\u2019t until years later that some guy in New York \u2013 his name was Allan Mandeville \u2013 shocked me with a letter explaining that in medical terminology \u201cdartoid\u201d is synonymous with \u201cscrotum.\u201d Honest \u2013 Google it and you\u2019ll see. The day will come when I pay Tommy back for this. I have photos from his bachelor party.<\/p>\n

Anyway, this all transpired something like 25 years ago. \u00a0I bought an annual AOL subscription for $19. \u00a0If I\u2019d bought $1,000 of AOL stock it would be worth something like $75,000 today. This is just one example of the sacrifices Paul Seigel has made to bring Dartoid to the world.<\/p>\n

In May of 1995, and again purely by accident \u2013 Dartoid became the irreverent darts humorist that has written some 650 columns about our sport. Back in those days there weren\u2019t all the websites that exist today \u2013 there were only a small handful. One of the forerunners was Rick Osgood\u2019s CyberDarts in Houston.<\/p>\n

Rick and I used to e-mail frequently when I traveled \u2013 and he had a chat room that I would pop into from time to time. One time when I was in Beijing, Rick and I got to talking and he suggested I find a darts bar in China, draft a little story, and send it to him for his website. Marylou, my wife, came across the Beijing column just the other day and told me it was \u201ccrap.\u201d Anyway, that was the very first Dartoid\u2019s World column listed at my website. I haven\u2019t changed a word because I want my wife to be able to actually prove she was right, for once.<\/p>\n

The genesis of the concepts that are what they are today are the fault of Tommy Molina and Rick Osgood. So, blame them.<\/p>\n

When I wrote the first several columns, I signed them \u201cFrom the Field, Dartoid\u201d (and still do). In the beginning, Dartoid was just a screen name, a pen name \u2013 the character was completely undeveloped. At the time, Dartoid was Paul Seigel, and I was having a blast traveling the world and writing about darts. I would go into some bar somewhere without any knowledge whatsoever about the local darts scene. I\u2019d just ask a taxi driver or a hotel concierge where I could find a board.<\/p>\n

Early on, a friend of mine in South Africa who had a public relations firm persuaded me to let him develop the Dartoid idea and give the character personality. He put a fantastic graphics artist on the case \u2013 Malcolm Allen, who, sadly, passed away some years ago. It was Malcolm who created the Dartoid\u2019s World logo with the whimsical little World War I flying ace straddling a dart as it zips about the planet. This was the birth of the actual Dartoid persona.<\/p>\n

Some believe that Dartoid is an alter ego of Paul Seigel but this isn\u2019t so. He may have been my alter ego when I was in my 20s. If he was my alter ego today at 70, I would not be able to keep up with him. One thing is certain: we are not the same. For example, I don\u2019t drink, swear, or look at women.<\/p>\n

I get some shtick from time to time from people who think I\u2019m some sort of mixed-up soul who doesn\u2019t know who he is or worse, knows exactly who he is but uses the Dartoid character to say things he wouldn\u2019t have the courage to say otherwise. I say to these people, from Paul Seigel: I respect your point of view, but you know not of what you speak, and from Dartoid: \u201cBite my arse!\u201d<\/p>\n

So, I got into all of this by happenstance and without any vision, without any direction and without any business plan. Dartoid emerged from my mind and experiences and the bits and bobs of others\u2019 \u2013 and slowly evolved. \u00a0In time, Dartoid matured, at least a little, and grew beyond just a crazy hard drinking dart throwing babe ogling dude and into someone who occasionally felt compelled to offer serious commentary about the state of our sport. \u00a0Dartoid yields his column to Paul Seigel at these times.<\/p>\n

Fundamentally, my goal, through Dartoid, is quite uncomplicated: to share the joy that is bursting in me for the sport of darts. I try to find the words to share what it\u2019s like to carry a board into the Congo rainforest, nail it to a tree and, to throw to the chorus of a billion insects under a giant starlight sky. I try to share the experience of walking into a bar in a strange land and playing with someone with whom you share not a lick of language in common, but with whom \u2013 due to the universal \u201clanguage\u201d of our sport \u2013 you can discuss the finer points of the game, commiserate over missed shots and bounce outs and even argue about scorekeeping errors.<\/p>\n

Dartoid and Dartoid\u2019s World is simple: the object is to promote the game I love and hopefully encourage others to give it a go. \u00a0That\u2019s all I\u2019ve tried to do from the beginning. \u00a0And this aim will never change. \u00a0Yes, sometimes I feel the need to bench Dartoid and write something serious, something that I think demands to be said for the good of the sport. \u00a0I feel very strongly that after almost 30 years around the sport at all levels it would be wrong to be silent when serious matters come up.<\/p>\n

I am out of the country about half of the year \u2013 and so is Dartoid. The last I checked there were 104 countries represented among the regular readership of the Dartoid\u2019s World column. The hits on my website go up and down. \u00a0Readership skyrockets to several thousand a day in the period after I post a new column and decreases to a few hundred a day in between issues. \u00a0Paul Seigel has been to 65-70 countries, and also a village called England, located somewhere in Ireland. \u00a0Dartoid has been to a few less countries because there are some that won\u2019t allow him in.<\/p>\n

Dartoid does not pay for himself. \u00a0Paul Seigel foots his bills. \u00a0Dartoid has a fondness for White Castle cheeseburgers and Skyline chili dogs so he\u2019s a cheap date.<\/p>\n

Dartoid has worked hard to contribute to the darts world in many ways. \u00a0But I can\u2019t say to what degree he has actually made a difference. \u00a0That is for others to determine. \u00a0What I hope is that he has at least managed to share what it is that drew him to the sport and what keeps him involved and that through this he has helped draw others into the game. \u00a0And again, that\u2019s the priority objective. \u00a0If someone reads a Dartoid\u2019s World column, hops on a plane, finds the pub Dartoid wrote about on the other side of the world, and has a wonderful time, well, how could I possibly not feel some sense of satisfaction?<\/p>\n

I have set the humor and good times aside a handful of times and perhaps on these occasions have contributed to the good of the sport in a unique way. \u00a0Some years back, I published three or four extensive columns about goings-on inside the Minute Man Dart League [MMDL] in Massachusetts and the league has since been revitalized considerably. This doesn\u2019t mean that the columns had anything directly to do with anything \u2013 there is a smart and very dedicated group of people who stood up, said \u201cEnough!\u201d and brought about much needed change in the way the league is managed. \u00a0But I\u2019d be less than honest if I were to suggest that being on the fringe of all this was not a satisfying thing.<\/p>\n

Dartoid\u2019s World was out front pushing the concept of a National Darts Regulation Authority in America \u2013 not just a linear body that oversees and demands proper sportsmanship within the American Darts Organization, but rather a body that ensures and enforces appropriate behavior among all players regardless of which organization they are involved in. \u00a0More to the point \u2013 and it would seem obvious (but it is not the case, even still today) \u2013 if someone playing in an ADO-sanctioned tournament punches somebody out or slashes somebody\u2019s tires and gets caught they may be penalized by the ADO (or a local league) but this does not prevent them from continuing to sully our sport by crossing over to another organization. \u00a0This is wrong and must be corrected.\u00a0 And, in both the examples noted, the offending parties should be banned from organized darts forever. \u00a0Cooperation among the various governing bodies is essential to achieve such positive change.<\/p>\n

Of course, it\u2019s quite well known that I feel strongly that anyone convicted of a sex crime, particularly against children, and who is listed on the National Registry of Sex Offenders should not be allowed near any sanctioned darts event \u2013 and banned from darts web forums.<\/p>\n

Darts is a gentleman\u2019s sport \u2013 and the sport that \u201cbegins and ends with a handshake\u201d should be respected for what it is, and its history and traditions. \u00a0Darts is a family-oriented activity where everyone should be able to take their child to a darts event and expect to have a positive experience. \u00a0While Dartoid\u2019s World is usually focused on the fun and the camaraderie \u2013 after all, this is why 99% of players participate in our sport \u2013 the column also offers commentary on important issues that impact on the game. \u00a0I hope that to some degree, at least from time to time, such breaks from humor force some people to think.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve made a tremendous number of friends through darts and Dartoid has made it possible for me to do that because people read Dartoid\u2019s World, and they want to meet the person who writes the column. \u00a0Pretty much anywhere I go these days the game comes to me (and the beer is free!). \u00a0If it wasn\u2019t for Dartoid I would not have met, played, and enjoyed the occasional beverage with some of the best players in the world \u2013 or the worst. \u00a0People don\u2019t give a rat\u2019s ass about meeting Paul Seigel. \u00a0They want to meet Dartoid. \u00a0And let me stress something that many may not appreciate: Dartoid wants to meet them even more. \u00a0For Dartoid the joy is not just in the game. \u00a0It is just as much in the forming of lasting friendships, outside the \u201creal world\u201d of business, with other people who live for the game. For Dartoid and Paul Seigel all their best friends are involved in the sport.<\/p>\n

On a purely selfish personal level, slipping into the Dartoid character and writing about darts is always a welcome break from what I do day-to-day. My business is intense, serious, pressure-packed and non-stop. \u00a0Some people jog. \u00a0Others dig in the garden or read. Paul Seigel, as Dartoid, picks up a set of darts or begins to write, and life becomes relaxing and sunny again.<\/p>\n

Not that many people have the opportunity to travel all over the world and it isn\u2019t darts that\u2019s made it possible for me; it\u2019s business. \u00a0Many years ago, when I would be away \u2013 often for three or four weeks at a time \u2013 meetings would begin at breakfast and last through dinner, every day. \u00a0There was no respite. \u00a0Then one day \u2013 in a sort of epiphany, I suppose \u2013 I simply decided the routine was ridiculous and had to stop. \u00a0So, I made a change \u2013 I gave my evenings back to myself. \u00a0Since that time, I have dedicated my evenings and weekends on the road to darts. And then I write about it.<\/p>\n

I am a fund-raising consultant. I help international animal protection nonprofit organizations raise money to fund their program activities. \u00a0That\u2019s the short answer. \u00a0Truth be known, I don\u2019t think my parents, who have now both passed away, ever had a clue what I do. \u00a0And sometimes I\u2019m not entirely sure that my clients know what I really do!<\/p>\n

My clients are spread around the world. \u00a0For example, a few people might recognize the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, founded by Captain Paul Watson. \u00a0He was one of the co-founders of Greenpeace. \u00a0The organization is based in Friday Harbor, Washington. \u00a0A while back there was a documentary series running on the Animal Planet entitled Whale Wars, where the Sea Shepherd crew battled the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary off Antarctica. \u00a0To do what the Sea Shepherd\u2019s do \u2013 to fuel their ship(s), supply them, feed the crew, and run campaigns elsewhere in the world \u2013 costs a bundle of money. \u00a0The same goes for any nonprofit organization. \u00a0That\u2019s where professional fundraisers like me fit in.<\/p>\n

There are numerous ways to generate income for a nonprofit organization. \u00a0Starting at the lower levels, of what is commonly called the fundraising \u201cpyramid,\u201d there are small donors, who are generally recruited into an organization with direct mail or digital appeals. \u00a0There are then ongoing direct mail programs, electronic web-based programs, monthly giving programs, major gift giving programs, events, corporate and foundation programs, and then there\u2019s the whole planned gift area where supporters can tailor all kinds of instruments \u2013 from simple bequests to things like charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and many more \u2013 to balance certain tax advantages with their philanthropic desires.<\/p>\n

I am usually first asked to do something called a development audit or assessment. \u00a0I study what an organization has been doing to fund their programs, assess strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and evaluate how what they are doing or not doing is integrated with their communications and campaign functions. \u00a0The assessment flows into a development (fundraising plan) which I then help implement or provide continuing counsel on. \u00a0In many situations I write direct mail or e-appeal copy; in others I cultivate and solicit large donors or planned gifts. \u00a0An average day begins well before daybreak with telephone calls to Europe and Asia and ends late with similar conversations with clients on the west coast. \u00a0That\u2019s what I do.<\/p>\n

Contrary to the opinion of some, the point of Dartoid\u2019s World is not to piss people off, although this does happen. \u00a0But also contrary to what some believe, I do have a life outside of work and darts and writing about darts.<\/p>\n

I was born the son of a poor black sharecropper. \u00a0As you can imagine, growing up black in a white man\u2019s world wasn\u2019t easy. \u00a0Wait! \u00a0That\u2019s Dartoid talking there, and that line is stolen from a movie!<\/p>\n

I was actually born in 1953 so I am something like 35-years-old. \u00a0I was a swimmer as a kid and into college. \u00a0I attended the United States Military Academy at West Point but didn\u2019t graduate (although I am an expert at shining shoes). \u00a0I was a political fundraiser for several years before switching over to the non-profit arena in the 1980s. \u00a0It was in 1980 that my wife, Marylou, and I were married \u2013 and that is the best thing that ever happened to me. \u00a0As of this past fall, we have been married for 43 years! \u00a0We have a daughter, Jami, who lives and works in Columbus, Ohio. \u00a0And we have always had a house full of golden retrievers.<\/p>\n

Darts is tough on relationships, but I don\u2019t really feel that the ways of Dartoid have had a negative effect on my marriage. \u00a0It\u2019s true that after all these years Marylou still can\u2019t understand how I or anyone can talk nonstop about darts for as long as a clock can run. \u00a0Although she loathes admitting it these days, she knows more about darts than most people I know who participate in the game week in and week out. \u00a0Marylou has her special interests \u2013 music is one of them. \u00a0She probably has 3,000 CDs but I\u2019ve only listened to maybe 10 of them. \u00a0She\u2019s a writer and has authored several novels \u2013 most recently, she has been working on a screenplay and two books, one about George Harrison and the other a sort of adventure thriller about the endangered wildlife trade that has a strong darts theme. \u00a0What Marylou definitely appreciates is the need to take a break and that, for me, throwing darts and writing about it, is just something I need to do. \u00a0She used to come all the time to my league matches and the tournaments and she\u2019s traveled all over the world with me. \u00a0But now-a-days our golden retriever, Marky, and rescue, Misty, refuse to let her follow me about on my travels. \u00a0Plus, as is the case for many, the smoke in darts halls is something she finds offensive.<\/p>\n

Yes, it\u2019s true, I wrote a few books too. \u00a0The first was called \u201cIt\u2019s a Funny Game, Darts. Life.\u201d \u00a0I don\u2019t know what my expectations were for the book. \u00a0From the outset, I told the publisher that I had no expectations, that I wasn\u2019t in it to make money. \u00a0I suppose I just thought it sounded like a cool idea to have a book out there. \u00a0But what do people think when they get into something like this? \u00a0Probably there was a part of me that contemplated the fantastical. \u00a0Might I make millions? \u00a0Might a Hollywood producer call and offer me more millions for the movie rights?<\/p>\n

I just don\u2019t know. What I do know is to the extent that I may have harbored any expectations, or fleeting hopes, along such lines I did not realize any of them. \u00a0The book bombed.\u00a0 It sits on a few shelves and that\u2019s about it. \u00a0I think there\u2019s a bunch in the publisher\u2019s basement. \u00a0So, I guess, having no real expectations, I met them!<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not sure that any book about darts \u2013 certainly not the usual tutorials \u2013 has much of a chance to sell in any significant way. \u00a0There have been a few novels (and for my wife, I am optimistic that there is a market for a good well written novel with a darts theme intertwined), a boatload of tutorials and some things in between. \u00a0My book was a collection of Dartoid\u2019s World columns but I\u2019m not sure that there was the fodder between the covers necessary for success. \u00a0Certainly, there was little there that had not already been widely circulated. \u00a0So, when I think back on the whole book thing \u2013 and even the column \u2013 I sometimes think I should have started writing about poker.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know any more or less about poker than I do about darts \u2013 I once lost $400 on a hand of one-card Indian Poker – but neither, it seems, do a lot of the people who write and commentate on Texas Hold\u2019em, and some of them are banking some serious spending cash.<\/p>\n

For whatever reason, in terms of other people\u2019s books, if there is a darts book published, I am asked to review it. \u00a0I guess I am asked to do this because people read what I write \u2013 so the author\u2019s figure if I review their book, even if I trash it, people are going to get the book and read it and agree or disagree with me. \u00a0So, they see my involvement as free promotion.<\/p>\n

There aren\u2019t many reviewers of dart books. There is my great friend, Patrick Chaplin, certainly.\u00a0 He is asked quite frequently to write reviews, possibly always.<\/p>\n

I won\u2019t elaborate on my other published works.\u00a0 They all bombed worse than the first.<\/p>\n

I haven\u2019t had a storied darts career. \u00a0I\u2019ve thrown darts in many countries and in a lot of remote and exotic out-of-this-world locations, but I am far, far from a professional. \u00a0I know what to do. \u00a0I just can\u2019t do it consistently. \u00a0These days, I don\u2019t play league at all. \u00a0I don\u2019t practice. \u00a0I might throw for a week or so before a tournament. \u00a0I still go to tournaments occasionally. \u00a0To the extent I have had a \u201ccareer\u201d it all began \u2013 just as Dartoid and Dartoid\u2019s World, by accident.<\/p>\n

I was given a dartboard \u2013 one of those cheapo paper-wound dartboards \u2013 when I was something like 10-years-old. \u00a0It had a baseball game on the back. \u00a0I had no idea what was going on. \u00a0I would just throw large handfuls of plastic darts at the bullseye. \u00a0I could sometimes stick a dozen of them in there at a time. \u00a0It beat doing homework.<\/p>\n

About 30 years ago, I was waiting with my wife and another couple in the bar in a restaurant while a table was being made ready. \u00a0There was a couple playing darts against another couple and my friend\u2019s wife asked if I wanted to team up and take on the winner. \u00a0I said, I knew nothing about darts. \u00a0She said she\u2019d tell me what to do. \u00a0So, that\u2019s what she did and that\u2019s what I did \u2013 and we won!<\/p>\n

We all went into the restaurant, and I came out about an hour later to get a beer. \u00a0There was this little hairy guy behind the bar who asked me if I had ever thrown darts before, and I sort of chuckled and said I had not. \u00a0He commented that it appeared earlier I knew my way around the board. \u00a0Probably I should mention that the little hairy guy was blind.<\/p>\n

Seriously, his name turned out to be Chris James and we eventually became good friends. \u00a0He wasn\u2019t just the bartender \u2013 he owned the whole joint, called Pizza Village in Yarmouth Port on Cape Cod. \u00a0Chris told me he had a darts team that competed in a league. \u00a0He invited me to stop by some night and check it out. \u00a0A darts team? \u00a0A darts league? \u00a0I\u2019d never heard anything so screwy in my life. \u00a0There wasn\u2019t a chance in a million years that I was going to get involved in such nonsense.<\/p>\n

About six months later though, well after midnight, I was driving by the place and there were some cars parked out front. \u00a0I figured, what the hell, I\u2019d take a look \u2013 I\u2019d grab a beer. \u00a0Inside there was a big match going on. \u00a0A couple of \u201cD\u201d level teams in the Cape Cod Dart League [CCDL] were going at it and they were having a fun time. \u00a0A half-dozen beers later I was on the team.<\/p>\n

We were called the Village Idiots and over a few years we advanced through the ranks, from \u201cD\u201d all the way to \u201cA\u201d \u2013 where we lost in the finals.<\/p>\n

As I said, Chris and I became buddies pretty much straight away and he took me around to all the bars with boards \u2013 and there were dozens and dozens of them on the Cape. \u00a0We\u2019d order a beer, play just one game, drink the beer, and head to the next bar. \u00a0On a few nights, each week we\u2019d hit lucks of the draw. \u00a0My addiction was beginning, and Chris was my pusher.<\/p>\n

So, I played for several years in the CCDL and played in the MMDL for part of a season. \u00a0During this general period, I was traveling to England for about a week each month, so I substituted for a team there in Crowborough, East Sussex. \u00a0I\u2019ve played league in Tampa, Virginia Beach, and Philadelphia \u2013 and was even on the league board in Philly for a month or, more technically, one meeting. \u00a0It was a bit by trial and error, but I learned quickly that being a captain or a tournament organizer or a board member was not for me. \u00a0I just wanted to play. \u00a0And write.<\/p>\n

Everybody has their thing. \u00a0That\u2019s just life. \u00a0People are naturally attracted to what they enjoy most and do the best. \u00a0Some enjoy organizing tournaments like Chris Bender used to do in Virginia Beach. \u00a0He did a phenomenal job. \u00a0Chris and I had some great league battles, and we partnered a few times, but we were horribly unsuccessful! \u00a0Different people find enjoyment in different aspects of the game.<\/p>\n

Although I haven\u2019t gravitated towards some sort of leadership role \u2013 as a captain, board member, or organizer \u2013 and while I am certainly not a professional, I have a deep appreciation for what goes into attaining and performing in these roles and profound respect for the dedication and hard work that goes into performing them well.<\/p>\n

I must resist the temptation to contemplate \u201cwho has contributed or contributes the most\u201d to darts because to even try to identify just a few among so very many would by definition ensure that many people who deserve such recognition are missed in the process. \u00a0Of course, there are dozens of names that come to mind \u2013 John Lowe, Barry Twomlow, Russ Bray, Olly Croft, Keith Deller, Barry Hearn, Patrick Chaplin, the CDC guys – Peter Citera, Anthony Eugenia, David Irete and Jeff Goode – Phil Taylor, Eric Bristow, John Part, Tommy Cox, Dick Alix, Matt Porter, Sid Waddell, Howie Reed, Tom and Della Fleetwood, Jay Tomlinson, the entire Nicoll family, Glenn Remick.\u00a0 The list is endless. \u00a0What they gave or are giving to the sport is far from fully appreciated.\u00a0 But again, to name those I have is disrespectful to countless others.\u00a0 So, please just disregard this paragraph.<\/p>\n

For years, my good and late friend Stacy Bromberg stood head and shoulders above all the American lady darts players. \u00a0Her accomplishments will stand forever \u2013 but someone else will step up. \u00a0The same can be applied to Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen. \u00a0It was the same in the days after Eric Bristow tore up the darts scene. \u00a0Darts will go on and it will continue to grow. \u00a0This is because there will always be players<\/em> and from this pool there will always be extraordinary players \u2013 and others who have a knack for driving the critical infrastructure that all of darts stands on.<\/p>\n

Those people who are captains, board members, tournament directors, officials, product salespeople, sponsors, and promoters \u2013 have pretty much all come from the ranks of the players. As I have already said: people gravitate towards what they enjoy and do best. \u00a0And so, I come back to the product\u2026<\/p>\n

If darts wasn\u2019t all that darts is \u2013 if it wasn\u2019t power and precision, tense but relaxing, literally war among friends \u2013 and fundamentally, at least in my book, spiritual \u2013 there would be problems. \u00a0But because the product is so exceptional and the because players, both the old-timers and the new recruits, are so committed, if one of the people in the so-called hierarchy of darts were to drop off the map tomorrow, I have absolute confidence that just as they bubbled up from the ranks new leaders will emerge.\u00a0 The most recent case in point: Luke Littler.<\/p>\n

So, what I am saying is that if darts wasn\u2019t darts there wouldn\u2019t be players. \u00a0But because darts is what it is, in every respect, there are players and participation is burgeoning throughout the world.<\/p>\n

How do Dartoid and Paul Seigel fit in to all this? \u00a0That\u2019s one of darts\u2019 great mysteries! \u00a0I suppose after all these years people come to me with questions because they know, quite possibly, I will share a perspective that is unique. \u00a0I suppose they read the Dartoid\u2019s World column because, for the most part, it\u2019s about the purity of the sport. \u00a0It\u2019s fun. \u00a0It\u2019s irreverent. It\u2019s self-depreciating. \u00a0It\u2019s real. \u00a0And generally, it\u2019s constructed so there is an uncertainty as to what\u2019s coming at the end of each sentence and paragraph \u2013 and usually a message. \u00a0I\u2019d like to think people follow the column because they love darts and know that, whether we agree or disagree on a certain topic, they have a kindred spirit out there \u2013 Dartoid \u2013 who is certain to make them think while also prompting a chuckle or two.<\/p>\n

When it comes to the hierarchy of darts of what is important to darts, you must appreciate that Dartoid and Paul Seigel are nothing but bit players and neither of us take what we do seriously.<\/p>\n

The Dartoid\u2019s World stories are true. \u00a0I lead an interesting life. So does Dartoid.<\/p>\n

What Paul Seigel tries to do is find the similarities between the Dartoid character and the rank-and-file darts player and bring those thoughts and feelings \u2013 those commonalities \u2013 to life. \u00a0There are only a handful of bona fide professional darts players in the world and even they began as recreational shooters, just the way I did.<\/p>\n

I believe that there is a bit of Dartoid in all of us and what I try to do is help Dartoid speak in a voice that all darts enthusiasts can relate to.<\/p>\n

My worst darts experience? \u00a0Well, it pops into my head immediately. \u00a0I wrote about it. \u00a0The column was called \u201cBan Assholes!\u201d \u00a0I was at a tournament, in a luck of the draw, and the guy I drew \u2013 it was one of those things that just happens \u2013 had absolutely no tournament experience. \u00a0The two people we were playing were experienced and, in fact, one of them was at various times quite highly ranked in the ADO point standings.<\/p>\n

We were on 51 in the first leg and my partner was up. \u00a0He didn\u2019t know what to do and I told him to throw the 19. \u00a0It wasn\u2019t the yips or dartitis, but he couldn\u2019t let the dart go. \u00a0He was just too nervous. \u00a0So, this guy who was ranked was behind us going crazy. \u00a0\u201cThrow the dart!\u201d he\u2019d yell. \u00a0\u201cDoink, doink,\u201d he\u2019d follow up with, over and over, in an aggressive fashion, while pantomiming tossing his darts into the 19 and the d16.<\/p>\n

So finally, my partner let his first dart fly and hit the 19. \u00a0He then struggled even worse with the finish and didn\u2019t come close. \u00a0Our opponents quickly ended the leg and then the match.<\/p>\n

There was actually much more to this incident and some of it, thankfully, I have forgotten. \u00a0What I vividly recall is how I felt \u2013 how during the moments this all occurred how embarrassed and disillusioned I was that somebody new to the game had to have that experience. \u00a0These feelings were compounded by the fact that the person responsible for what happened was someone who had been around the sport for many years. \u00a0The entire experience was the utter antithesis of everything that I, through Dartoid, try to do to get people involved and to experience the joy I have for the game. \u00a0Now, as it happens, this particular individual and I are friends today \u2013 but what happened happened. \u00a0Fortunately, I haven\u2019t had many \u201cworst\u201d experiences.<\/p>\n

The opposite is true when it comes to \u201cbest\u201d experiences. \u00a0There are just so damn many. \u00a0I wouldn\u2019t know how to begin to whittle the many down to a few, let alone just one. \u00a0Almost every time I go out \u2013 to a bar or a tournament, wherever \u2013 I have a flat-out wonderful time. \u00a0So, on any given day I would have to say my best darts experience is the one I enjoyed most recently.<\/p>\n

The soft tip \u201cinvasion?\u201d \u00a0I\u2019ve followed the progress of electronic darts for a long time. \u00a0Dartoid used to go after it quite regularly as impure and bad for all humanity. \u00a0But both of us have come full circle. \u00a0I used to spend a fair bit of time with Medalist\u2019s Lee Peppard and once traveled to Las Vegas to get a sense of the NDA\u2019s Team Dart extravaganza. \u00a0The bottom line is that I now think the electronic game \u2013 and particularly the way many of the tournaments are structured, offering a degree of parity \u2013 is a benefit to the sport. \u00a0It\u2019s bringing in new blood.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day people can say all they want about the size of the doubles and triples, bounce outs counting, the Freeze Rule,\u201d electronic scoring, having to shove quarters into the machines, and all the rest \u2013 but the reality is that the playing field is the same field for everybody.\u00a0 So, I think the electronic game contributes in a significant way to the bright future I see ahead for the sport.<\/p>\n

Something must be going right. \u00a0In fact, somewhere in a little room in Hollywood someone else must recognize this because you literally can\u2019t punch a television remote these days or go to a movie \u2013 or even watch a commercial \u2013 without a dartboard appearing on the screen. \u00a0Of course, the board is usually hung about waist high or behind a file cabinet or something. \u00a0But there are definitely people in high places cognizant of the rapidly growing popularity of the sport, both steel and soft.<\/p>\n

In fact, what I\u2019d like to do in my next life \u2013 or tomorrow, if Steven Spielberg is reading this \u2013 is be a consultant on hanging dartboards for Hollywood. \u00a0I think it would be a good gig.<\/p>\n

Just what do I see for darts in my crystal ball? \u00a0It\u2019s kind of foggy. \u00a0My crystal ball has beer on it\u2026 so, what follows is more a more a matter of what I hope.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d like to see the PDC absorb the WDF. \u00a0I believe this will lead to a unified darts World Championship. \u00a0I\u2019d like to see a world champion from Asia.\u00a0 I\u2019m convinced that we will see the day that darts is a full-fledged Olympic sport. \u00a0And I would not believe any of this if I were not certain that with respectability comes respect and with respect comes progress \u2013 and that the day is not far away when darts is no longer associated with overweight deadbeats and drinking beer and smoking cigarettes and accorded the stature that I think, for the most part, it already deserves.<\/p>\n

What would I impart if was asked to speak to a room of beginners, people who know very little about darts and were thinking of becoming involved? \u00a0\u00a0My advice is to first determine what you want out of darts. \u00a0If you want to be the best in your league, or city, or country, or world champion someday there are certain things you must do. \u00a0But if you just want to go out and have an enjoyable time with friends there are different things you should do.<\/p>\n

In the first instance, of course, practice, more practice and practicing right is the most fundamental component of success. \u00a0This is just a fact.\u00a0 Indisputable.<\/p>\n

But if your goal, if your reason for becoming involved in darts, is to have a great night out with friends \u2013 just like you do shooting pool or playing foosball or playing the bar trivia game \u2013 then recognize that, for you, darts is entertainment. \u00a0You don\u2019t have to get the best out of your darts. \u00a0You don\u2019t have to purchase the newest set of darts on the market. \u00a0You don\u2019t have to hold the dart correctly. \u00a0You don\u2019t have to perfect technique. \u00a0You don\u2019t have to understand the math.<\/p>\n

All most people need to do is understand what darts means to them. \u00a0You must appreciate why you\u2019re involved \u2013 that you\u2019re out to have an enjoyable time. \u00a0The fact is that a fair bit of improvement will come even if you do everything wrong!<\/p>\n

I firmly believe that a lot of the best players in the world struggle after they reach the upper levels because they are unable to relax the way that once came so naturally \u2013 when they were not taking the game so seriously.<\/p>\n

Darts should be about friends and fun. \u00a0Maximums are great. \u00a0High outs are great. \u00a0Winning is great. \u00a0But Paul Seigel and Dartoid are not going to lose a wink of sleep after a night of throwing poorly. \u00a0We\u2019re quite used to it anyway!<\/p>\n

Our message is simple: embrace every minute of play and never lose the joy. \u00a0This is exactly what we intend to continue to do at the line and with our writing for as long as we are able.\u201d<\/p>\n

From the Field,<\/p>\n

Dartoid<\/p>\n

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am frequently asked his question...","authors":[{"term_id":15,"user_id":2,"is_guest":0,"slug":"dartoid","display_name":"Dartoid","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/2024-02-13-12_01_31-Dartoids-World-_-The-most-widely-read-column-about-darts-in-the-world.png","url2x":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/2024-02-13-12_01_31-Dartoids-World-_-The-most-widely-read-column-about-darts-in-the-world.png"},"first_name":"Paul","last_name":"Seigel","user_url":"http:\/\/www.dartoidsworld.com","description":"\"Dartoid\" is the pseudonym of Paul Seigel, a prominent chronicler of darts for over 35 years. His columns are celebrated for their wit and insight, often detailing his quest for a game in exotic locales worldwide. His writing offers vibrant commentary on the competitive darts landscape, including players, organizations, tournaments and the sport's unique culture. Dartoid's articles are highly regarded among darts enthusiasts, solidifying his role as a pivotal figure in promoting and documenting darts as both a recreational pastime and professional sport."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7929"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7929"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7929\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7929"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dartoidsworld.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=7929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}