Seven years ago today after some talk on a message board I had set up for that purpose, five guys walked into GrandLan and had our first meet up for local play. It was Me, Chauncy, Baggs, Singe, and G-Boobie. I’m the only one of those five who still makes it out regularly. Two of them moved away, and the other two have new families to focus on like me.

In the time since then we have seen a lot of changes, both highs and lows. Getting and losing venues and sponsorships, big events, fundraisers, charities, travel, staff turnover, the dwindling numbers at the tail end of SFIV, the boom when SFV launched. Even re-branding the whole org to GRFGC.

There was a lot of hard work and headaches, but it was the rewarding kind of hard work, and in that sense it was a pleasure to do my part. Somehow, this has turned into one of the more successful things I’ve ever started, and I made a lot of great friends by doing it over the years.

The time has come for me to step away from the leadership side of this. I now have my second child coming into the world and I’m just not going to have the time or energy for it any longer. My daughter is due in October, so I’m out after the September RCR6.

This is good news for all of you. Like the scene in general, my contributions have dwindled over time which is always followed by a boom. We have a lot of new faces and right now is a great time to step in, get involved, and make stuff happen. Don’t wait for someone else to do it, do it. There’s nothing special about me, I’m just some dork, you can do it too. You got this.

I have found that Morahan has an excellent set of skills for this, leadership, initiative, judgement, and consistency, so I have been training him over the last several events to effectively replace me.

It was never supposed to be a one-person job however, and things have always gone better in the past when several people came together in synergy, so don’t be content with that. Everyone gets burned out eventually but it can be later rather than sooner. Support each other in everything you do and this can be so much better than if you just show up to play.

That goes for new people who still have to learn how everything works, and for the ones who have consistently proven themselves to be valuable and knowledgeable resources: Kelter Skelter, HalfPump, Chauncy “Tru” Talon, Stabicron, Danimal, and anyone I am leaving out due to my advanced age and deteriorating cognitive functions, lol.

I’ll still be around, I just won’t be the go-to guy. You may have noticed me slowly transitioning out. I’m looking forward to just enjoying the game for a change.

Thanks to all of you, and shout outs to G-Boobie and Swifty McQuick as well, who contributed greatly to our local scene before they relocated.

-Slappy

From now on events will be listed on the Facebook group, not in the blog.

Hey guys! We’ve started a discord server that anyone who’s interested can join. If enough people join, we would be able to streamline the online matchmaking process between GRFGC members, and keep the Facebook page a little cleaner in the process. Here’s the server link (also in the gamertag document) https://discord.gg/0uvbmeKCOnVtJgzx

For those of you who don’t know, discord is a chat client designed for gaming groups like us. It allows for multiple voice calls to be held separately from each other at the same time, hold several chat groups in a single, easy to navigate space, and send notifications to other members in your server. You can download it here https://discordapp.com/apps

We’re giving away a PS4 code redeemable for a 2016 Season Pass of DLC characters in SFV.

Deadline to enter is Midnight on Feb 19th.

Winner will be announced at the River City Rushdown on Feb 20th and by private message on Feb 21st.

To Enter:

1. Call GameStop on Alpine Ave at (616) 785-1990 and ask why they are the only gaming store in Grand Rapids that does not support the local fighting game community by letting us leave flyers there. Every other gaming place (including 5 other GameStops) were fine with telling customers about us on SFV launch day.
2. Take a screenshot of your call log showing the number of minutes you spoke with them about not shopping there anymore.
3. Post it to our Facebook or Twitter. 1min = 1 raffle entry!

DOUBLE YOUR ENTRIES

A hilarious recording of your angry phone call will double your entries/minutes.

Special Announcement:

On behalf of “GRAPSF” let it be known that Kyle Rodriguez has now been inducted into the club of “Old Salty Bastards”. Though he has not been around for an absurdly long time like some of us he has shown his dedication to our community and disgust for all things “not real”.

He joins the ranks of other salty bastard such as myself, Matt Meade and a host of others from the “GRAPSF” days who I wish to not call out unless necessary but, they know who they are. (Exposed: Danimal Jay Joshua Smedley). We remember when he started as a lowly scrub proclaiming “i just need to…” and “i keep messing up…” while losing round after round, salt ever building. Over time he came to realize how little he really knew, as is the natural progression. Now as he has matured as a player and become a force to be reckoned with in multi-games as many of us have he has now crossed the threshold of old and salty. The slightest mention of things things “not real” fill him simultaneously with endless rage and bountiful apathy.

While he joined us while we were still “GRAPSF” and we will consider him always as such I feel that as we enter a new era in the FGC on the dawn of the release of our next major tournament game he shall ceremoniously be dubbed the first Old Salty Bastard of the GRFGC to give our newer members someone to look up to.

Kyle Rodriguez is here by awarded “OG” Status in the GRFGC and I know he will continue to be one of the pillars of our community as we move forward and will continue to help both newcomers and seasoned players learn, adapt and overcome.

Pictures and Award ceremony to be held tomorrow Feb. 6th at GRFGC’s Filthy Casuals about 3pm or whenever the fuck we feel like it.

Real Talk: thanks for sticking with us, Kyle Rodriguez, when a lot of other people dropped off the face of the earth. There is no such thing as a local community if people don’t come out to play and help each other out. You’ve shown your dedication with more than just your presence. Can’t wait body you in SF5. Get fucked.

–Kelly Mankoski