Most of you know me in some sense or another. Either we've played games against each other, we've chatted in twitch or on the forum, or at some point in your career as an owner here, I've given you either really good or really bad news. Some of you I've known since I first got here, some of you I just met in the last few months, or even weeks. Some of you like me, some may not, some may be indifferent. If you don't, maybe that will change.
I'm not the same as I was when I first signed up here. Not the same type of gamer, Madden player, and most notably I'm a partial owner of this site. This isn't where I thought I would be a year ago, but it is indeed where I am. While it was not expected, I'm comfortable with my status here. At the end of the day, however, I'm still one member of this community. This is a thought that keeps me in check when my emotions run a little high. A lot of you have seen me get vocal in defense of this site, it's members, management, and at times common damn courtesy. I'm not always proud of how I say things, but I'm never dishonest. I mean what I say, whether I like how it sounds or not. I've learned that while cooler heads usually prevail, some circumstances warrant very little politeness. I'm not a fan of those situations, but that's the reality.
I've learned how much a sense of community can transform random usernames on a screen and give them distinct personalities. How it can make owners, while being competitive, want to help each other. Nobody here that has had any type of success has done it without help along the way. That's the effect of wanting to see others improve, and helping them to do so. It's contagious. It's one of the cornerstones that this site is built on.
I've learned not to judge people on first impressions. I've seen owners that looked like they might not make it end up figuring things out, sometimes at the expense of their immediate success on the field. If that doesn't show me that people can come to care more about the community than they do themselves when it comes to Madden, or whatever game they're playing. It's one of my favorite things about my job here.
Finally, I've learned that while I may not always agree with someone, I can see their side well enough to think about it. The simple amount of issues Mike and I deal with, even when things are running smoothly on the surface, might really surprised you. It's also an easy way to get two strong willed individuals like Mike and myself to have a disagreement. It's part of the deal, and probably why Mike and I work so well together. We're different, but we want the same things for this site, these leagues, and these members. When we tell people that these are the best leagues on the planet, that's not just a marketing tool. We believe that, and you folks make them what they are. I thank you all for that. We can always improve, and we will continue to do just that, but I would line you people up against any league out there. And I'd like my chances.
Finally, I'll say this. majesty95 , BigTexas18 , woodsmall12 , Paytonno1son , BlackPaw , Xxclaywilliamxx , rkjones217 , and others that have since moved on were here when I signed up. These guys have played a role in shaping what we are as a Madden league. As time has passed, others have come along and added their own personality to our community. It's a little odd to think that in just over a year, I've gone from New guy to old guy/commissioner/owner/answer man. I guess the biggest thing I've learned is you never know what's gonna happen. I hope by the time I hit 2000 posts that we're all still here, bringing the next new guys along and getting them acclimated, still joking with each other, and most importantly, still playing the best SIM ball games anywhere. I thank each of you for being the reason I log on every day, the reason I set my alarm to be sure we advance on time, and the reason I play a game that absolutely drives me insane sometimes.
Thanks for reading
Matt
I'm not the same as I was when I first signed up here. Not the same type of gamer, Madden player, and most notably I'm a partial owner of this site. This isn't where I thought I would be a year ago, but it is indeed where I am. While it was not expected, I'm comfortable with my status here. At the end of the day, however, I'm still one member of this community. This is a thought that keeps me in check when my emotions run a little high. A lot of you have seen me get vocal in defense of this site, it's members, management, and at times common damn courtesy. I'm not always proud of how I say things, but I'm never dishonest. I mean what I say, whether I like how it sounds or not. I've learned that while cooler heads usually prevail, some circumstances warrant very little politeness. I'm not a fan of those situations, but that's the reality.
I've learned how much a sense of community can transform random usernames on a screen and give them distinct personalities. How it can make owners, while being competitive, want to help each other. Nobody here that has had any type of success has done it without help along the way. That's the effect of wanting to see others improve, and helping them to do so. It's contagious. It's one of the cornerstones that this site is built on.
I've learned not to judge people on first impressions. I've seen owners that looked like they might not make it end up figuring things out, sometimes at the expense of their immediate success on the field. If that doesn't show me that people can come to care more about the community than they do themselves when it comes to Madden, or whatever game they're playing. It's one of my favorite things about my job here.
Finally, I've learned that while I may not always agree with someone, I can see their side well enough to think about it. The simple amount of issues Mike and I deal with, even when things are running smoothly on the surface, might really surprised you. It's also an easy way to get two strong willed individuals like Mike and myself to have a disagreement. It's part of the deal, and probably why Mike and I work so well together. We're different, but we want the same things for this site, these leagues, and these members. When we tell people that these are the best leagues on the planet, that's not just a marketing tool. We believe that, and you folks make them what they are. I thank you all for that. We can always improve, and we will continue to do just that, but I would line you people up against any league out there. And I'd like my chances.
Finally, I'll say this. majesty95 , BigTexas18 , woodsmall12 , Paytonno1son , BlackPaw , Xxclaywilliamxx , rkjones217 , and others that have since moved on were here when I signed up. These guys have played a role in shaping what we are as a Madden league. As time has passed, others have come along and added their own personality to our community. It's a little odd to think that in just over a year, I've gone from New guy to old guy/commissioner/owner/answer man. I guess the biggest thing I've learned is you never know what's gonna happen. I hope by the time I hit 2000 posts that we're all still here, bringing the next new guys along and getting them acclimated, still joking with each other, and most importantly, still playing the best SIM ball games anywhere. I thank each of you for being the reason I log on every day, the reason I set my alarm to be sure we advance on time, and the reason I play a game that absolutely drives me insane sometimes.
Thanks for reading
Matt
