Interview with Mitch "skull.45" Malme
With yet another creation of the fabled skullgaming DoD team, GotFrag? saught out the organization's leader, also the leading IGL league administrator, Mitch "skull.45" Malme, for a series of questions. In the past, skullgaming has become one of the most interesting stories of the community; they have proven that consistent success and consistent failure are not such an uncommon marriage after all. One of the most intriguing aspects of the organization, however, has been Malme's decision not to make his excuses, reasons, or many other aspects of skullgaming, known to the community.

With that said, Alex Kirk, Todo, and odm were able to contact Malme with a few questions regarding the past, present, and future:

Thanks for agreeing to do this. Could you please tell us your name and a little bit about yourself?

My name is Mitch "skull.45" Malme. I started skull in May 2000 with my son and his friends. DoD had just come out inserted in our pc magazine. We liked it, so we decided to form a team. The first year all we did was improve on the team online and go to our pub or other pubs looking for scrims. It is after we scrimmed Dark Trooper and the |101st| that we decided to get into league play. So we joined the STA League. I have run the IGL (Iron Glove League) organization for the past 3 years. I also host allot of websites and do coding for the sites, including skull and IGL. My main job is Sales Manager for a local Distribution Center during the day and I own allot of rental homes that I take care of at night. I do have my hands full.

Can you tell us a little bit about the skullgaming organization, and its connection with 1.3 over the past couple years?

At one time we had 4 dod teams competing in dod. Our invite team, team 2, MB - Mitch's Bitch's, and an all girl team. We had over 50 members to do this. We had our skull radio running 24/7, an online store selling skull product to help support all the servers. But after awhile (about 4 years) it took a toll on me the owner and some of my team leaders in skull. So I decided to shut it down. After 6 weeks rest I decide to start it up again with one goal in mind. I was going to start the formation of one of the best teams in dod and strive to always improve on that team.

Not to insult you, but I remember years ago that you used to be just a standard Day of Defeat player existing among the masses. Since then you've gradually taken more of a managerial role and now, and correct me if I'm wrong, you're the backbone of a legitimate multigaming sponsor. What led you to make that transition and where would you like to see skullgaming go from here?

The first 4 years I was a starter on the invite team as a rifle. But when I started it a second time, I intentionally formed the dod team with me not playing. Just observing and improving this team to win, period. Once things got going pretty good I decided to bring in CSS into the picture. Right now I have one of the top teams in CSS right now, and I feel in dod I do also. We have tried COD, Halo2, W3, and painkiller to no avail. I am rethinking some of our strategy on where to head right now with skull gaming.

Let's get down to what everyone wants to know. Why did you take a naturally molded and promising skull team (the CAL-IM championship team) and aggressively modify it? Why did you continue along that same path for subsequent skull teams?

The IM team fell apart after alkaline got caught cheating in a cal match I believe. It tore the team apart and I couldn't hold it together. We monitor each player to make sure no cheating is going on, but it just devastated the team, me included. So I had to form basically a new team from scratch. This time I took out the friendship aspect that I always had for the team and decided that from now on each team member had to produce or get replaced. It sounds horrid, but I'm here to win and have a winning team.

What were your thoughts after the team broke up last season with a 6-1 record, only for most of the members to join x6, which quickly died as well?

I was really mad. I had the best team, that at that time, I thought that could win CAL and Summer CPL hands down. I already had the rooms reserved and the money in place to make this a success. I guess x6's offer was better. So they left and neither team was represented.

Many people think that you appear to have assumed the "over-involved owner" archetype. Please explain why you do or why you don't think that's an accurate portrayal and, if you do, what is your reasoning behind your aggressive approach?

My whole life I have strived to be a winner and to do the best I can. I set very high goals for myself and expect the best from my teams. Mistakes will be made. But if we build upon those mistakes, we will all be winners in the end in the skull organization.

You posted on GotFrag? a couple days ago saying that you wanted a new, hand-picked DoD roster for #skullgaming. Can you tell us how you went about choosing this roster? What characteristics and qualities were you looking for in players?

I have been around the dod community a long time now and have gotten to see some of the best players that play in this game. I first looked for existing teams to take on. Some teams came close to meeting the criteria that I was looking for. But I made a decision to form my own team. So I made a list of the 6 players to match the guns that I thought our best strats would need. I started talking to some of the 6.

You chose Chris "mexicant' Rivas to lead this squad. What was it that made him fit to be a leader in your eyes? Did you create this team starting with Rivas and building on that foundation, or did you just happen to stumble upon that structure?

To my surprise, Chris came to me 1 day after the post on gotfrag with 6 players that he was forming a team with, and believe it or not, 4 of those were on my list of 6. I figure that anybody that was forming a team, and that we matched pretty good on who I wanted on the team was on the same page as me. So he got the job.

It seems like there is a new reincarnation of skull every season. Why should we expect this version to be any different?

I want the best of the best on my team and will strive to do so. The problem with doing this is the team is very volatile. Egos play a very important factor on the team. But I'm willing to put up with this to make one of the best teams out there. I have done the "build a team" over the years routine that most clans do now. I have just moved on to the next level, to produce winning teams only.

How do you feel this new skull roster will match up to others in previous seasons?

Each season the skull team does better then the previous one. This season if Chris can hold this team together, this team will be #1.

skullgaming is one of the biggest names in DoD; any team that has ever played under the skull name has proved to be huge competition. How is it that you've managed to create top teams for so long?

Because of my love of the game and the players that have played for me for over 6 years now. They give me there best and they become winners.

Thank you for your time. Any comments or shout-outs you want to throw out there?

I would like to thank all the members/past members that have played under the skull tag. Each one of you have contributed to were skull is today.