In October 2005 I made a decision. That decision has been for better or worse a part of my life from that point on. I didn't get married, I didn't have kids, I didn't sell drugs, I didn't assassinate some foreign dictator, no.
I simply created a website for E-Wrestling, but not just any website in addition to writing about it you would actually get to compete online against another person. You would in essence live the dream of being a wrestler, except you didn't get paid. OK OK it was a hobby for many.
OCW has always been something more for me though. A creative outlet of sorts, a chance to prove I could do something and be successful at it. When I started I had pages of code, spreadsheets, handwritten notes, graphs, and a shoestring budget. When I started The IWC collectively told me I was going to fail.
And like I have done for the past 6 years I have collectively told the IWC "FUCK YOU". Once a passive man of inspiration, molded into an aggressive man of intimidation, and now a leader of E-Men. I stand 7 years later, 7 years older, 7 years wiser. We may have lost our brothers here and there, faces have come and gone.
The community as a whole has had towering highs, and bottoming lows. All and all I stand like I have always done.
7 years kids, 7 years, at this point its nothing more than a date. Similar to the date of the new game, and the promise of perhaps a new face, new drama, new headaches, new stress. But it comes with the territory, 7 years bolder, 7 years colder. We have seen Wrestling go from great to lame, to passable, to decent. We have witnessed the loss of great athlete, we have seen some great things both inside the E-Ring, and Outside in the Real Ring.
We have bonded, we have fought, we have scolded, we have taught, we have ragequit, we have flaked, but at the same time we have all staked our claim on this place. 7 years I've seen the level of dedication this place has brought out in some of you.
7 years, regardless of where we go, how high or how low. I am proud of what I built with my RAGE, sweat, tears. I am proud of the bonds I have forged with many remarkable human beings, I am proud of the laughs, the cries, the genuine stupidity, and amazing moments I have witnessed here in both Textual, and video form.
I am proud of the people some of you have become, I've seen rageaholics come the fuck down, I've seen douchebags mature and become superior athletes, I have seen men who lived for confrontation become caring fathers, I have seen a boy who had every bit of shit thrown at him on this site and in person, finish college and become a great man. I have seen losers become decent human beings. I have seen a man be nearly killed in a car accident only to compete and win his match damn near the same week. I have seen the sheer passion and devotion of an almost cult like status for this place by you or some of you.
I have seen my own evolution as a person, and some bit of that is credited to this place. 7 years be proud to fly the banner of OCWFED.
7 Years, fuck the haters!
JCS