I’m going to take a minute to reply to this out of courtesy.
I have sacrificed plenty for SF and more than most and certainly more than you have(If you’ve been around for the last decade, you know this.) but when it comes down to it, it IS just a hobby. The goal is to make sacrifices for what’s more important to you. A hobby, I can put down and pick up when necessary. No matter how much I love a hobby, I’m not going to sacrifice the more serious things in life for it. It’s going to be the opposite. There’s a priority issue involved. Not to be insulting but, you’re ignorant to think that when the timing is more convenient and the situation more appropriate, I won’t sacrifice for SF again. Still, a hobby is the last thing on the priority list. Even when I played I was more of a casual type player. I’d show up to the cade when convenient. I wouldn’t “sacrifice” to get a perfect arcade set-up to play at home because, to me, the need to play in all of your free time is more of an obsession. When a hobby takes over the more serious things in life, it’s an obsession. As much as I love the scene and I love playing SF, I wouldn’t sacrifice the more important aspects of life for it. I don’t care if I had off once a year at Evo time. If I had a friend or family member getting married or something, so much for Evo. Darn, that means 2 years between competing in majors. Bummer. See? That’s not something I’ll regret. As passionate as I am about the scene(or used to be, I should say) I am not obsessed.
Still, I’m not going to judge anyone that seems obsessed. Heck, some of my all time homiez throughout the years, I’m sure, are only good because they’ve been obsessed. Still, I don’t know what makes them obsessed and since I haven’t walked in their shoes, I’m not going to judge them. I may tell them that they’re ridiculous, between friends, but I’m not going to try to tell them what they’re doing is wrong. I don’t know what causes them to be obsessed. Maybe life is so horrible outside of SF that they spend as much time as possible with the hobby they enjoy JUST to tolerate life. I don’t always have insight, just as you clearly have no clue about my character.
I’ll just call that the wisdom of youth. Life is not the same for everyone and folks don’t prioritize the same. To you, this is an excuse when, to me, it’s merely my honest philosophy over the matter.
Just as Sabin posted. You shouldn’t presume to make decisions for the scene just because you are holding tournies. Anyone with a clue can’t deny the influence that Evo has on the scene. Heck, we WANTED Evo to have that influence and helped it accomplish that influence. However, we did so because they backed SF in the same way we all did. Once Evo gained more wide influence, they started either taking that influence for granted, or blatantly began attempting to mold the scene in their own image. That’s similar to a politician following one path and changing it entirely upon election. To me, that’s disrespect for the scene. If SRK acted like this initially, Evo never would’ve gotten the support that led it to being as big as it is. Players like Cole/Valle/Watson/Nelson etc, would only attend when it was convenient and free money. Evo wouldn’t have drawn the top players and therefore, wouldn’t have drawn other support. Ppl jumped on the SRK bandwagon because every top player endorsed SRK. It wasn’t simply because SRK came into existence.
Unlike Sabin, I don’t believe players have influence, we have input and that’s where it ends. That’s all I’m doing. I’m giving input. But if you want to challenge me to hold and run the tourney, I’ll step up. But have the courtesy to challenge SRK to help out by endorsing it. Afterall, the argument is that there isn’t proof that A3 would pull the numbers at Evo. What better place to test that argument than at Evo? There is also the claim that most of SRK staff prefer A3 to many of the games at Evo. If that’s true, why don’t THEY make the sacrifice as well? Afterall, they would rather play A3 themselves. Sorry, I can’t subscibe to a way of thinking that makes me say “I guess Tom and Tony aren’t willing to make the sacrifices necessary to play the game they want to play even though they’ve sacrificed for VF4…oh wait. That sacrifice didn’t have the desired effects!!! Oh, they must have not sacrificed ENOUGH or VF4 would be way more popular now.” As good as I could make that sound, to me, that’s ridiculous. I don’t pretend to know what their priorities are or what sacrifices they make. The entire staff makes sacrifices! It’s clearly evident that they sacrifice. I think that should go without saying. Still, if they like the game, is what I’m proposing too much? It leads to the most possible entrants to get the best possible answer as to whether or not A3 would pull the numbers. In fact, I think HELLA ppl, A3 players and even others, would be interested to see if A3 got the turn out. I bet ppl would be checking the forums just to find out. I think this is one of the issues in the SF scene that really matter to some ppl. The turn-out watch would only add to the drama at Evo anyway.
I’m just sayin’. If we all love A3 and if we all wouldn’t mind seeing a possible resurgeance, why don’t yall challenge both SRK and myself?
See, we disagree on this. Where some of you see laziness, I see efficiency. You’ll get more for A3 at Evo if players don’t have to fly 2 places. You can judge all of these ppl all u want and say that they didn’t sacrifice enough to attend 2 tourneys, but that’s your ignorance(and I don’t say that to insult you. You are ignorant of the lives they lead). Evo would lose some entrants just because some would fly to the 1st tourney just to support its’ inclusion into Evo and would sacrifice playing at Evo for the possibility of playing it the next year. So, having a big tourney elsewhere is counter-productive(inefficient). You’re free to feel it’s laziness but the best strategy to get the most entrants for A3 at Evo is to HAVE it at Evo. That should be obvious.
The bottom line is, if you’ve got love for the game, and love for SF, in general, why doesn’t everyone work together to give it the best chance? Simple, ppl have made this personal. Myself included. I’m not saying that we’ve done so intentionally. I still don’t take this personally. While some feel that I’m dissing the SRK and their efforts, I’m merely strongly disagreeing on an issue. I’m not dissing them as ppl, I’m dissing their philosophy on the issue. Truth be told, I hold Tom and Tony dear(in a way that ain’t gay, don’t get it twisted:P) simply for the fact that they’ve helped to create some really wonderful memories(That’s a priority:D)!!! On a personal level, I’d be down. If they ever ONCE came to me as friends or pm’d me and asked me to support what they’re doing as a favor(I don’t think my stance ammounts to much anyway. I just appreciate the freedom of expressing my pov.), I would be arguing against A3 just because they definately deserve a favor from me just for giving me some wonderful memories. There aren’t many greater gifts than the gift of a wonderful memory, imo. I would “sacrifice” my personal stance and pride on the issue out of friendship cuz that’s a helluva lot more important than a frickin’ game. As Sabin said, in the end, the game is merely the meeting ground. The meat and potatoes of SF is the ppl. See? That’s a worthwhile sacrifice, imo. They deserve my support more than I need A3.
HOW-F*CKING-EVER!!!, I believe they really don’t care. My rants are a mere annoyance. If they REALLY cared and were in ANY WAY in need of defense, they would ban me or ask me to change my tune or take the time to argue the points one by one. I’m just saying that they don’t feel strongly enough about the issue either way. That’s why I feel free to continue to express how I feel on the issue. It is absolutely, 100%, not personal from my intention and, whether they take it personally or not, it’s not an important enough issue one way or the other. At least, that’s what I gather.
I’ll agree to disagree on the “victim” idea. I guess if anyone’s offended in an issue they’re playing the victim? I just don’t think that way. It’s the same nonsense that “if you don’t like what’s goin’ on, run for president!” Darn, some ppl vote on an issue. I guess no one REALLY cares or they would all run for public office, lol. I’m merely not obsessed with the hobby. I just have a lot of lot for the scene. My life isn’t going to really be affected if A3 is never at Evo again. Things would just be nicer and everyone would be satisfied. I feel strongly on the issue, with regard to the hobby. However, a hobby is not too high on my priority list. If any ONE hobby was, I think I’d get boring. I can’t chill with one hobby too much. It’s enough that I take the time to post when I can! One hobby is a boring life. So I’ve got the rest of life along with multiple hobbies. I’m just not interested in make organizing tourneys or playing the games the number 1 thing. I still enjoy expressing my perspective though. In this case, you can easily take the perspective that I just don’t care enough. You’d be right. If it were, I suppose I would make it my life’s mission, haha.
I hope I wasn’t offensive. That wasn’t the intention. Still, if I did. Drop the purse and thicken up for cryin’ out loud. This is a hobby issue and not a serious life issue. I may post passionately but I seriously believe some take these type of things way too far.
A little advice, if I may? Your “honest to God truth” is more soberly viewed as your pov or opinion. It’s not actually an absolute truth. Recognizing the difference can save ya a lot of heartache in life, heheh.
Apoc.