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IAmFleury'sHipCheck

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  1. Edge of '94 -- Modano Mo' Problems IV -- March 2, 2024 I would like to start off by thanking Troy (@trojanlargefarva not sure of tag on forums) and @LeifErikson for putting together and hosting such an amazing event. Leif's team was absolutely spectacular. They started setup at 10am on Friday and worked a good portion of the day to bring it all together and then stayed for hours after the event on Sat night breaking it all down. Big shoutout to Noah for running everything so smoothly behind the scenes all day on Saturday as well. I just can't express how lucky we are to not only have someone in our community who owns his own production/AV company, but is also a CRT collector/enthusiast... and to top it off, willing to essentially craft a tourney venue inside a hotel lobby. THURSDAY I arrived Thursday afternoon ahead of anyone coming from out of town. As I explained on discord, my brother and gf live around the corner from Moxy so I thought I would be stopping by and having dinner with them on Thu evening, only to find out a couple days prior from a pic they sent over text that they were in Mexico (lol). Needless to say, my plans opened up that day. @LeifErikson hearing about this a couple days before reached out to let me know he would stop by to set up a solo crt and mega sg setup so I or anyone else arriving Thu could play that day. Again, just a true testament to the kind of thoughtful character that we're all dealing with when it comes to Leif. I arrived at hotel around 3pm and some of the staff from the year before was there (Justine and our bartender Ben who developed the Goalie Lock in '23) so we caught up for a little bit. Went upstairs to throw my things in and when I came down Leif happened to be around the corner in the library. We played some exis, caught up and he had some time to go out to dinner before he was set to pick up his daughter so we hit up Nightingale in Uptown not too far from Moxy. Food was ok, drinks were better, company was best part of the experience. Leif was nice enough to drop me back off at the hotel after at around 7. I knew that @annatar and @angryjay93 (so happy I don't have to type CalmGreg) were going to arrive somewhere around dinner time. Not knowing if I was going to encounter SoCal CG or AJ which would cause anyone anxiety, I apparently walked into the lobby with enough purpose and steadfastness that I was immediately questioned by this highly energetic sprite, Maly, who happened to be the hotel manager. She made fun of me for how serious I walked in the door... I didn't have it in me to explain what damage an insufferable SoCal CG can cause (lol) so I laughed it off as I should have. She was really fun, Ben was there so she was getting me drinks and it was just more of the Moxy being welcoming. Side story while I was at the bar: there was this weird guy on a tablet sitting next to us. It looked like a video stream of an overhead desert environment. He looked a bit stressed and then all of a sudden he starts swearing to himself and going on under his breath... but juuuuuust loud enough for my new pixie friend to hear him carrying on. She asked him what was going on just as I can see some house or building exploding in this tops down perspective. He's like "oh, nothing , nothing" but she can clearly see his tablet screen as well. Then she asks him if he works for the govt and he responds by saying "welllll, ya know..." then stands up, "excuse me for a moment" and walks away so disturbed. My skin was about to fall off due to the cringe factor. This mf'er was playing it up like he's bombing targets while having drinks in the Moxy lobby on a Thursday night. That is some lame f'ing garbage. All I could think when he finally paid his tab and took off is after a rousing remote Search & Destroy mission, I wonder how much 'ole Captain Carnage tips over there. Shortly after he left, my fun fairy asked if I wanted to head with her to the Wine Bar down the street which I was definitely agreeable. In my head, one can't help but think at that moment, "Interesting. Definitely a vibe here. Where is this night headed? I'm not sure... but I'm digging the potential. I'm game". As I turn to leave with her, who is right there at the front desk... Annatar and AJ! I introduced them to Maly and she asked if they wanted to go to the wine bar with us so they ran upstairs to drop off their things. (Listen, I had this whole jokey diatribe written out to poke fun about the timing of them as the dynamic duo of c0ck blocks but in all honesty, I couldn't have been happier in that moment when I saw those 2 guys.. AJ is a good friend and I've always wanted the chance to spend more time getting to know Annatar. especially now that there's more of an opportunity with him playing Gens). I think the biggest takeaway on the walk to the wine bar was not only did our aggressively entertaining imp not know where Montreal was (to be fair, I did not know it was due straight north of NYC... thought it was NW of NYC), I don't think she had heard of Montreal... ever! In fact, I think the jury was out if she knew where Canada was so there was that. The wine bar was fantastic. Just a jazz duet of a singer and guitarist. Annatar hadn't eaten yet so we ordered a charcuterie and a good amount of wine. When the board was brought out, Mali had to be made fun of with her high powered flash photo that made the WORST photos I've seen. This old guy had to teach her to turn the photos off for food pictures and that this was most likely the reason none of her food pictures had any likes on her instagram until that point. haha. One notable interaction with our bartender/server was inspired by the skilled threat we had to look forward to on Saturday with our very own AJ... I asked her if she could impart on us the most effective way to poison someone undetected. This seemed like a good question at the time considering she had an abundance of cheeses and meats at her disposal. To be fair, she didn't really recover from the shock of the question and therefore, provided no useful information. AJ was very pleased with this outcome. We walked back to the hotel after dropping Mali off at her car (to my dismay, she did not bob her head twice and disappear into a poof of magic dust... she just got into a Hyundai. lol) We must have got back to the hotel around 1030 to play exis in the library portion of the lobby and before I knew it, we headed to bed around 2am. Didn't know that time could fly like that when you're getting shellacked. Thus concludes our Thursday adventures... I'll skip the part where SoCal CG heads upstairs to play with his Juicy Bits. :tangerine: Stay tuned remainder of the Edge weekend write-up later this week...
  2. Not sure if I have to respond here but I'm IN. First draft league since GDL. LOL First CDL though... LezzzzGoooo!
  3. She dragged her friend over like she was dragging a wounded soldier from a firefight within the jungles of Vietnam. The "wounded" friend was a lot taller as well so I mean, in a weird way, you have to admire what an incredible effort it was to simply go up to insult a group of random people. lol
  4. My apologies for the delay in posting my thoughts and feedback on this amazing tourney weekend. I originally had drafted another review but the page was refreshed and I lost it. (Yes, sad emoji face indeed) So first of all, it’s no surprise that Troy deserves a huge round of applause for organizing such an amazing event. I believe this was my 3rd Edge of ’94 tourney and Troy has continued to step it up year after year. I really thought that last year was going to be tough to beat but with @Edge of '94 MidwestTroy’s unrelenting efforts combined with the coordinated partnership hometown hero, @LeifEriksonLeif Erikson, this weekend surpassed all expectations. Location -- Grade A Minneapolis, Minnesota I think Minneapolis is one of the best locations to hold a 94 tourney. It’s centralized enough that anyone can fly to it pretty easily in the US and far enough north to make sure our Canadian buds have a fighting chance at attending. It’s a hockey town that appreciates hockey. It’s safe vs other cities its size Uptown Neighborhood My brother lives in Uptown in Minneapolis so I have visited that area several times. There’s plenty to do and places to go out that fit any size budget. It’s more of a hipster vibe in that area so the retro game tourney fits well into their landscape. Vs other US locations Other major cities will be a lot more expensive for venues and accommodations Other cities are not centrally located enough. The only other potential city that could be possibly comparable would be Milwaukee but I still think Minneapolis is ideal. The Moxy Hotel – Grade A The Moxy was a 2 block walk to the venue so it was a perfect location for the tourney. Easy to get to from airport. (about 15-20 mins) Price – All in it was $125/night which is incredibly fair. (EDIT: apparently I overpaid. I made my reservations very early but Troy had worked out a rate for $70/night... wow, I should call Marriot for a credit) The only reason the hotel could have received less than a solid A would be due that the food options on site were limited. No shortage of snack foods on hand but it’s not the place where they have a full service kitchen. However, there are no shortage of options nearby. I went with AJ, my brother, and his gf out for a drink and then dinner at a fantastic Italian place on Friday night and then B-Dubs on Sat later after the tourney. Staff was accommodating and friendly They let us set up numerous NHL94 stations on Friday right in the lobby next to the bar. How cool is that?! On Sat night, there was a music venue and they still let us set up more tvs towards the back of the lobby. It was nice not to have to worry about getting a larger suite to hold after hours exis. Antaya, the bartender, was super friendly and only added to the enjoyment of the weekend. Venue – Grade B+ As I said, close to hotel. It was perfect for the size of the tourney If there were 15-20 more participants, I feel like we may have needed a larger venue The food was not going to blow anyone away but what should we expect starting early on a Saturday. They ran specials so the prices were fair and the offerings did the trick Staff was ok, although we were spoiled with the Moxy crew. The local crowd was colorful to say the least and a homeless guy shot up heroin in the bathroom at one point later in the afternoon. Lol That stuff doesn’t bother me though and I almost lost it when those girls started fighting while I was playing SeventiesLord Apparently I found out I caught a lucky break when my brother saw a girl almost puke on me… who knew there were so many trainwrecks out at 2pm?? lol Modano Mo Problems Tournament – Grade A Setup -- I loved it. There was the main stage that was setup to stream. Troy was the dedicated announcer and even had a person to handle any technical issues. Equipment -- I can’t thank Leif Erikson enough for all that he brought to the table. He brought enough CRTs that I never felt like I was waiting to get a game in. Event Coordination – everything ran really smoothly. So Troy, if there were headaches going on in the background, I never felt that as a participant. I am a huge fan of Troy singing the national anthems and I think everyone who shows up each year really looks forward to him belting those out. Although I didn’t receive a trophy, I think it’s a really nice touch that Troy has those each year. Those videos of the acceptances by AJ and Raph are great. Production value – again Leif just taking this tourney to next level. Pyrotechnics and holograms ?!?! That was so ridiculously cool. I had to take a step back from playing every once in awhile just to appreciate all of it Dedicated announcer – I can’t imagine how tired Troy was after this day. I mean, he’s a man that can talk, but he had to be pushed to his limits that day. Not only did he hang out until late that night and he never stopped moving the entire weekend, he always had a smile. Impressive. Overall Level of Fun – Grade A+ The first year I attended an Edge of ’94 tourney, I think Troy had to stay on my case to sign up. I didn’t know him that well but his enthusiasm has always been contagious. Over the past several years, I can’t wait for the next one. I really hope that he continues to build from the format of this year’s tourney for all the reasons I mentioned and having Leif Erikson as your boots-on-the-ground has proven to be a successful pairing. The competition was fierce this year but it’s always great to catch up with familiar faces and be surprised by what the new faces bring to the table. And if you lucky, you even get to put a face to a long time familiar name. This year I was lucky enough to do that with Scribe99. Its awesome that the Chicago contingent was able to make it up. They continue to become a force to be reckoned with and while we see the AJ/Raph at the top 2 spots each year, that next level is always getting more interesting. Feedback – obviously, this was an amazing weekend and I don’t feel anything needs to done. I would be perfectly fine if this tourney was exactly the same next year but here is some feedback since I think Troy would like to see this to continue to grow Winners -- Big congrats to AJ (Gens) @angryjay93 and Raph (SNES) @kingraph. The community is really lucky to have class acts like these two leading the charge year in and year out. Raph -- I hope one day to give you a run at a series in one of these tourneys. At this point, I've lost track of how many times you've knocked me out of a 94 tourney. Unfortunately, most of these 1 sided losses have to come on the stream as well in front of thousands... err I mean, hundreds... dozens?... ok, like a handful of people but still! haha Recruitment I hope that with the success of this year’s tourney that we can get more vets to the next one, as well as increase the level of participation from the local crowd. More local recruitment – it’s a hockey town, there must be pockets of 94 players scattered throughout the city Troy is incredibly diligent is recruiting but he should lean on the 94 community to help in those recruitment efforts Entry Cost I’m not sure what the out of pocket costs are for Troy or Leif but I’m hoping it’s minimal. If not, I think Troy should consider increasing the entry fee. I can’t think of many activities that last an entire day with the level of production value that cost ~$40. Announcing duties It would be great to have another dedicated announcer so Troy could actually play in the tourney. If he’s happy to announce and that’s it, that’s fine but I just would like to see him get more playing time in. SNES tourney vs Dedicated 2on2 tourney So I could be off here and I don’t want to run anyone the wrong way but I didn’t feel a huge SNES presence at this tourney. Traditionally, SNES is a bigger draw in Canada. While it was nice that there was a SNES tourney, it was the last thing I wanted to do after playing an entire day of GENS. Additionally, at the end of the SNES tourney it was Raph and AJ again so it wasn’t like there needed to be a consideration to the SNES vets who came in from Nova Scotia. My thoughts would be if the SNES doesn’t have a draw, it would be so much fun if after the Sega tourney, we transitioned to a fun 2on2 tourney instead. I feel like that would be a great way to break some of the competitive tension. That format lends itself to a lot of laughs and coming together more. I think it could be a really fun concept given the right format If it’s a matter of supply, I would be willing to donate to that cause. Overall, the only thing I’m surprised by with this tourney is that more people don’t make it. I know that’s tough with schedules but this tourney is always around the last week of Feb so I’m hoping more people can make the effort next year. It’s always so fun to see everyone and my only wish is that we all saw each other more often. @Votaw makes it every year from STL and I think that's so cool. Hoping to see @jesusplaysnhl94Jesus, @smozoma @CoachMac @Evan @halifax and Brutus at the next one. Thank you again, Troy and Leif. You guys really set a new bar this year. I really hope we can land in this same spot for next year. To the community -- I hope that all of you and your families are staying safe these days! Take care!
  5. Is there a reason Halifax is not in consideration? if that’s not the case, not that any of them aren’t worthy of the prestigious title but I would have to say the man behind the scenes on our kof94 days... the one... the only... The Smoz
  6. PROS The Jeremy Roenick personalized message before the start of the tourney Could someone please share that story of how that came to be???????? @halifax Venue So many CRTs (that were all a worthy size, nothing too small) – loved it and I know that’s hard to come by (thank you Smash community) Lighting was ideal for play Streaming booth was a great setup – location was nice but that equipment was a huge thanks to Sroka @Coffey to making that happen EWaves Staff was super friendly – Laura couldn’t have been nicer and has an incredible passion for everything gaming. (Side story -- she left the Gens tourney a little early and even went home and watched the stream there. How cool is that?) I loved the big screen to watch the stream with all the sectionals in front to comfortably watch the games The video game chairs were extremely comfortable to play in (it was a nice touch for the entire experience) 2-day format First time going to the 2 day format and I have to say, I liked it a lot. At any other Kof94 with both consoles going at the same time, I never got to spend any amount of time with the snes guys outside of watching the championship series. This was a welcome change of pace. I didn't compete in snes but it was a lot of fun to get to know everyone. Commentary & Play-by-Play Thank you so much to @kingraph@Coffey @halifax @angryjay93 for putting on some amazing calls during those games. I wish more of the streamed games were broadcast louder to the crowd during the event b/c it was so entertaining. Also, I don’t know if @Halifax has been practicing his commentating skills but it was impressive to say the least. That gritty voice coming out when the intensity picked up … “Peter Sidorkiewicz is a house hold naaaaaammmmmmme!!!”. LMAO Seamless Tourney Organization With the way @halifax decided to run the tourney really worked for me. Then @smozoma& @CanadianDennis executed the plan perfectly. I will be interested to hear the Smoz feedback b/c I can never tell if that guy is stressed out b/c he is so cool all the time. I was happy to get away from the tier system and go to matchup calls Best of 3 for each match in the losers bracket Best of 7 championship series (including the player coming out of the loser’s bracket was down 1-0 for the best of 7 series) Preset round robin matchups saved so much time Also, each person had 3 away games where you could not replicate a team in any matchup you called was a great idea Homewood Suites Hilton suite – hotel was great and great space for exis The addition of Duke of 94 I would be curious to hear more feedback but it really seemed like a positive addition. Great idea to whoever came up with that! CONS NOTE – Honestly, this con list is more tweaks to consider than anything. I actually found myself backing over most of the points listed below b/c I’m fine either way. I don’t want to mention anything that could be taken as negative without providing a potential solution. At the very least, I’m hoping my input will cause further discussion on how we can make Kof94 even better than it is today Location 1. I am back and forth on this issue. Vaughan is a weird place. It’s a cookie cutter commercial area with an expansive cement suburby sprawl but without the actual homes. Access to the event or anything around the hotels will be an uber ride. However, Uber is pretty cheap in Canada right now and while the location was not the most convenient, once you’re at the venue, all you need is a lunch spot Potential solution – coordination of a catered lunch or preordered lunch brought to the venue at extra cost to those who want to partake (or make the additional cost a requirement for the event) I don’t think many would argue an extra US$10-20 to make that happen and there was plenty of room for a setup. 2. It would be nice if the event were in the middle of the action like Kof94-1 but honestly think back to that… the venue and atmosphere were great but the setups to play were less than ideal with all the small LCDs at bar tables. Access to sizeable CRTs is a huge benefit. The venue was a perfect gaming atmosphere 3. Also, while I wasn’t the biggest fan of Vaughan, what did I do in Toronto at Kof94-1 that was different??? Nothing. I practiced in a suite with everyone, I walked to the event, I played at the event, I walked back to the hotel… the only thing that was different is that I smashed a SNES outside the hotel 4 years ago. haha Venue 1. Food options -- It was limited but idea to make adjustment covered in 1a (I like the food truck idea that @KB27 mentioned) 2. Beer/Liquor At first I didn’t like the idea that it wasn’t a bar… until I walked into the venue and understood quickly how great this was going to work out. And you know, the no liquor thing wasn’t a big deal, I just brought a bottle of rum in my bag and drank after the event with mixers that they had there. There were other guys who brought beers in coolers, kept them in their cars right outside in the parking lot and would fill up to-go cups and simply bring them back in. I think it would be nice if we could get clearance for beer sponsored event or BYOB type situation (which I believe fell through at the last second) Recruitment 1. I think we all wish these were at the levels of Tecmo Madison and Smash. Unfortunately, we are a unique community since our game of choice is split on 2 different consoles. I hope people also understand that you have to be careful what you wish for. If we double the size, then maybe there isn’t time for a best of 3 out of the losers bracket option. More people will have to jump in to help coordinate on tournament day… It can’t be all Smoz and Canadiandennis! 2. But the participation level seems to be a consistent comment and if that’s the case, all of us should work on the recruitment efforts if we’re going to beef up the numbers at this tourney. Potential Solution Admins & community members discuss marketing ideas and how to execute far ahead of tournament date. Maybe it’s something as simple as making a flier and having guys from the target city post them in key locations around the city… hipsters love retro gaming (at least in Chicago) and they would make great cannon fodder in the opening rounds. Everyone needs some warm up, right? Reaching out to leaders in tecmo/smash communities for ideas on marketing and what’s worked to scale their signature events. Hotel coordination 1. As a group, we need better communication and commitment on accommodations moving forward. Large house Air BnB with walking access to restaurants would be ideal. I was happy with the suite that worked out at the Hilton but that was actually really lucky since I didn’t have that lined up until the day before I arrived. The issue was everyone else was an uber ride away so we just need to be better coordinated moving forward ..................................................... OVERALL This year’s Kof94 exceeded my expectations. @halifax I can’t imagine the amount of work that you put in to make this happen. I felt like there were 3 Halifaxes running around… 1 running the tourney, 1 playing and 1 commentating. I don’t know where you get the energy but I can’t thank you enough. (side note: what is the plural of Halifax? Is it Halifaxes? Halifaxi? or simply Halifax -- like sheep) I loved the fact that Gens, for the first time, had a top 3 finisher that was from the local area. Not easy to do with all the information that is available online. Big congrats to Nick for the way he played this tourney and Jaime was no slouch either. 2 friends that came out and could play with any of us. We may have to put an asterisk by their names though... I didn't realize these 2 use to play at KG's house 20 years ago. Who knew that @kgman's farm system ran so deep?!?! I enjoyed the time to meet new guys. The runner up from Duke of 94 with his gf were really cool people. Hanging out with @aqualizardis always fun and now the addition of his partner in crime, @AtomicRaven. I didn't get to play Atomic in the round robin but hopefully we can catch more games together next year. It was great to see that @KB27 Eric DL33 and the crew made it out from the east coast. Those guys add a significant amount of talent depth to our player pool. Congrats Voc Caged for winning Dof94... but next time, you play on the King side! @angryjay93 thanks for rooming up this year, that was a lot of fun being able to play that insane amount of exis 2 days leading up to the tourney. Thank you for always providing much needed insight to my game... it always helps. Also, congrats to @kingraph for the bringing home the title this year. @angryjay93 & @kingraph, that was one of the most exciting series to view and I always look forward to the opportunity to see you 2 square up against one another. It really is watching next level 94. @corbettkb @jer_33 I was happy I didn't have to face either of you in the tourney this year but maybe fate will have it for next year. Still always great playing some exis against you. So awesome that Chicago had such a great turnout this year with DPS, @mort, sean slapshot. Congrats DPS on your big wins on Jam this year! Hoping we can get Tom, Phil and the rest of the crew out next year. @smozoma @CanadianDennis -- you guys are the unsung heroes at these tourneys. Thank you so much for all your hard work over the course of the weekend to make things run smoothly. @smozoma -- ggs in our semis my man. I think it's fair for every 2 or 3 tourneys you knock me out of, I get to knock you out of one! To the SNES guys -- @kfed @annatar @Bob Kudelski It was great catching up with you guys. This 2 day format really lends itself to being able to hang out with you more. For those who didn't know, @annatar came to gens exis on Friday night at my place and then watched the entire genesis tourney on Sat at the venue.. that is pretty awesome. How about everyone's newest best bud, Mike Stanton "The Stantonator"??? For those who don't know, he is from Vancouver and came out last year to Kof94-III. He said that everyone was so great last year, that there was no way he was going to miss this year's tourney. Not only did he compete in both formats, but he fought his way out of the WC to bracket play in Gens and he finished 4th in SNES the next day! I hope next year we can see @kgman @Mike Gartner @ZEPPELIN198 @IceStorm70 @Brutus @kevincabarello @Edge of '94 Midwest @skoolyardpuck @LeifErikson @darik(cobrakai jersey) @HABS(forget the keyboard bud and come hang out!)... of course @Evan ... and hopefully we can get @CoachMac back in the mix. @angryjay93, please start working him now I have to say there were a lot of highlights from the trip and a lot of great memories made but meeting @clockwise has to be near the top this weekend and one of the greatest highlights I've had since being part of the 94 community. One of the great innovators on the site and longest time supporters of the community, it really was an honor. I walked into the tourney with AJ on Sat morning and we walked by a guy who was setting up a console. Without barely looking over, he says in this matter of fact way, "Hi AJ" "Hi EA". I respond "oh hey man" and continue walking. I walked another 20ft or so and turned to AJ "hey, who was that? I don't recognize him". AJ responded that he didn't know either. I think it was Raph that I asked and he responded "oh, that's clockwise". I immediately ran over to greet the man. So looks wise, he is nothing what I expected... he's about 6'3" and looks like he plays middle linebacker for the Steelers. However, his personality is exactly what you would expect... a super nice guy, laid back, everything that you've come to know about him on the forums or playing online is the same guy when you meet him in person. A class act all the way. My only regret is not getting more 2v2 in with him but I'll make sure that happens in future Kof94s. Post tourney 2v2s with AJ & Clockwise/Jesus
  7. And if you know Coach, he literally will go crawl back in a cave... most likely that he dug out with a pick axe on the side of a mountain. haha Coach, not sure what to say about your response here. You were spoke about in the highest regard this weekend as your presence was definitely missed but that post is not a good look. Are you reading too much Nietzsche up in those mountains with all this " *fill in the blank* is dead" talk??? What''s going on here? Surprised to hear you say Kof94 III was horrible. You didn't have a good time when we went out to eat, you and Jill talked teacher stuff, I heard all about how you made it to Nevada with your wife, to hear all about your kids and their adventures, when we watched your Blue Angels video, the exis in the room, good laughs with even greater buds? I don't know man, to me, I can't thank @halifax enough... Kof94 is the reason to bring us all together but you know it's more than the event itself that makes just as many memories. I'll be back soon to post my recap.
  8. Let's use a fresh thread to post thanks, feedback, suggestions, etc specific to Kof94IV. I'm at work now but I'll be back later to post my detailed recap.
  9. Hey Jesus! Thanks for posting this, I was wondering about these pads. May have to pick up a couple myself.
  10. Love this story. One of the great things about this game is that it holds a special place in all our lives... and to love something for that long always comes with a great origin story. It may have been years since you last fired up 94 but you wanted to see if there is anyone out there like yourself for the love of this game... which eventually led you, like so many of us, to this site. I can tell you from my experience that you have found a community for camaraderie, competition and more information you can shake a stick at. Welcome!
  11. Things in and out of work have been extremely hectic these last couple weeks so I apologize that it's taken me so long to chime in with some input. Going into this tourney, I thought to myself "well, @angryjay93 will be there. Buuuuut no @kingraph, no @smozoma, no @corbettkb, no wild card @CoachMac (who beat Raph game 1 of a 3 game series in the tourney last year)... hmm... I may be able to make a run for a 2nd place finish... maybe?" I couldn't have been more mistaken. I find out while I'm driving to GB that while most of those guys won't be there, Raph will be making it in. Oh boy. Annnnd Darik (don't know Mr Aho's forum name) and @LeifErikson will be there. So that rounded out the threats that I knew about., that didn't even include Mr @MikeGartner22 who I had never met or played until that weekend. I completely forgot about The Shield who is solid through and through. He actually ended up knocking me out of the tourney as well. Regardless, for me, the live tourneys have always been a place for fun first and foremost and I was excited that there was some great competition. My only regret is not getting to play more games. Those weekends go by way too fast. While I had such an incredible time and always look forward to the next tourney, this wouldn't have been possible without troy @Edge of 94' WI. He took everything that was good (and even things he sought feedback on) from last year's tournament and made everything better across the board this year. His passion to run a seamless and fun tournament is clearly evident in the final product. Both the Gens and SNES formats ran seamlessly. Big thanks to our ref who stuck it out the entire day collecting submissions to enter scores! Other things that I felt just made the tourney this year to name a few: 1. Plenty of CRTs for games (There were no lcds -- I understand this isn't typical given venue restrictions and accessibility but it really made a difference) 2. Lighting was darker (no overhead fleurorescent bulbs) 3. Plenty of space 4. Food and drink offered (last year was a soft opening at the VR arcade so this was a welcome surprise this year) 4. Plenty of printouts to record results 5. Small details like the pens and coins on top of every tv already there at the start of the day 6. Huge fan of the national anthem singing (I know @Edge of 94' WI said his voice was a little strained but he boomed out both anthems in fashion) It was great to see the Dmen's tap crew there this year again. @DPS @mort1237 Phil @Green Majik Those guys are ramping up quickly in NHL and can't wait to see how they progress in more tourneys. I will be at Dmen Tap again to play them soon. For a second year in a row @Votaw drove solo all the way there from St. Louis. He is always up for games and he never has a mean thing to say about anything or anyone... a complete pleasure to hang out with the whole weekend. Really missed seeing @smozoma @CoachMac @corbettkb this year. I definitely look forward to seeing you guys at these tourneys. @kevincabarello I'm incredibly sorry for your loss and you were one of the first guys I asked about when I got to GB. I was devastated to hear the news. Be strong and I hope to see you in Chicago or New York this year. Congrats to @kingraph & @angryjay93. These guys are the champions for good reason. Not only do they consistently play at another level but they are class acts all the way. Special thanks to these 2 for calling my SNES series vs Troy! I couldn't believe what AJ had to go through to get to the tourney on Sat. After the bad buffet offerings that almost killed him last year and traveling around the entire US just to get to GB this year, I'm really hoping for some smooth sailing for him next year. After my drive with AJ to get him to Ohare, I was actually just happy to get him back to the airport alive. Especially due to the snowstorm, we encountered where we saw over a dozen cars, trucks, semis in ditches with people still in the vehicles on the ride back home... and we were in a little 2 dr coupe. I kept thinking "I'm pretty nervous... buuuut I can't be as nervous as the guy sitting next to me from Cali!" haha I just want to wrap this up by saying Troy has quickly become a great asset to the NHL94 community. He's a great play by play announcer, host, singer and planner... the guy does it all. I hope that he can continue to host this tournament in GB every year. Thanks again @Edge of 94' WI for all your tireless efforts!
  12. Hokkee, really sorry to hear about your loss. I hope you being back here can make things at least a little better while you work through everything. I was asking about you over the weekend in Vancouver... you're always a name that's in everyone's mind when it comes to 94.
  13. OR... Smoz's basement of course. My apologies for overlooking the obvious. :-)
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