It's not goodbye.

 I've been waiting to come out with my blog for a while, but was waiting for a big topic to come up so I can start off the blog with a bang. Little did I know, or want to believe, that the bang I was talking about went to the heart. At 3:25pm Wednesday, January 18th 2013 a tweet went out from Sundance DiGiovanni, since I'm not fancy I'll just copy and paste the tweet: "MLG signed it's side of the console shooter deal for 2013. The game in the deal was not Halo. Once deal is countersigned we will announce."

The Omni Hotel in Dallas, Texas

Yeah, this blows. I'm writing this blog to thank everyone, or attempt too, because although this isn't the end for the Halo community, some of you I might not see again and if it comes back it might not be same. If it comes back to MLG, it might be better it might be worse, if it doesn't get picked up we can still strive and have a community, that needs to grow up in many aspects. Please remember we have AGL next weekend, and The Halo Council and G4C event next month, we still have Twitch.TV (Oh yeah, pros that still exists if you guys forgot) we still have forums, and many other outlets to make this community strive. This isn't the end, but I sure as hell will miss and think about the memories and the excitement I got realizing I was flying across the country to compete or watch Halo at it's absolute highest levels. Or rooting on Triggers Down like it was the Ohio State Buckeyes, and thinking InTheClutch was a complete asshole based on the way he played Halo without an actual interaction with him, or thinking "This is weird a lot of top Halo Players have stopped streaming Halo so close to a MLG tournament wonder why that is" before MLG Dallas 2012, Ha little did we all know. I'm gonna remember thinking how amazing it was that The Bracket Show and Top Tens were done in ESPN studios, or that a dude would post a interview on ESPN.com once a year with a MLG player and think to myself "They shoulda just got another dude because his face is on the website and that's not a good look for the community." MLG Toronto, need I say more? Having people want my autograph, I'm still shocked. From going like -5 bar on the forums, because I posted way too much to getting the most green bars that you could get on the site. To being offered a nice evening with a someone in a hotel room but I told her no because it was ESPN Saturday Night and I didn't want to miss it (yeah, I can't believe myself). Laughing at the idiots during warm-ups screaming their lungs out, which makes sense because if they are doing that so early in the tournament they'll be knocked out LBR2 anyway. Watching a kid tell security "Hey F*ck you, don't talk to Walshy that way". Watching parents cheer on their kids even though they don't know what's going on in the game. Talking to all the people who traveled so far away for a passion that they absolutely love, and seeing the faces on people when they finally entered main stage for the first time and they smile they had. Which went away after they realized those bleachers really hurt your ass. Watching montages. Getting interviewed by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, my hometown newspaper, and meeting that asshole from online and realizing he was a virgin. Having my friends and family come to an event and see what MLG was all about. It goes on and on and on, so I'll stop myself and try to thank everyone I can remember, and thank them for being in my life.

This actually happened.

    I absolutely have to start off by thanking Sundance DiGiovanni and Chris Puckett for letting me be apart of thee Broadcast team, they had absolutely no reason to let a kid from Cleveland, Ohio who went to a couple events and was on the forums 24/7 to be apart of that broadcast team and despite that they did and I can never put int words how grateful & thankful I am for that opportunity.

   Shibby, Faruq, Shockwave, Dmaq, Frankable, Julie Alexandria, Lenox, Jeremy Rhoda, Anthony Perkins (Draft Jason Kipnis this year, I promise he'll be solid) Chris Smith, Mr. Scott Lussier, he was the reason I got into Halo so to be able to work with him and commentate with him was a absolute honor and surreal, and everyone else behind the scenes who work their tale off to put on a great broadcast thank you for simply putting up with me.

     

   The delicious catering at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, because that shit was so good.

   The Ref's who were all awesome, and glad I got to work with them in Dallas.
    
   The guys at the pro shop, all great guys from top to bottom.

   The Heinz family all 50 of them that show up to events to support Richie, who is a National Champion and we all know what I'm talking about, great people who are always one of my bright spots for events even though Hockey is terrible.

     The BAMF Ladies, past and present all amazing ladies, I never got a shirt but it's all good though and me & Amanda always took the best pictures at events. 

    Baby Nelson "Black Mamba" Ramirez, yeah he get's two nicknames, you always got my jokes thank you for that man. Vinnie Guinea aka popped a molly and now he's sweatin, Stephanie Morter, and her family, you are a absolute sweetheart who i've known for years, thank you for being awesome and following me to Tampa, Lee Santos aka Twilight your team's emblem was The Rock's Brahma Bull how trill is that. Walter from Astro, always a pleasure talking to you at events and congratulations on the wedding, I wish the best to you and will visit you in San Francisco! Nexy, you were always kind and great to me at events, I really do appreciate it and keep doing your thing my man. Biggie, Habooya, Sterling, and the rest of the guys, some of you saw my bare ass, that's all. Bestman, you know how to push my sports buttons, It's love homie. Forum kids, I love you all. My Buk twins, MVP congrats on the wedding, along with them my European and Australian family I love you all but you guys can't out drink Americans no way no how. Enrqiue E, what can I say man you have a great talent and you're an awesome person keep setting goals for your self that you can pile through with force, I mean I still haven't been in any video but that's okay. Speaking of which the photography crew, you guys are da bomb. Mioff, same thing I said about Nexy you were always kind to me, and gave me good advice not to wear the bowtie for Championship Sunday, keep it up with Machinma! U4ix, we ran well I was robin and you were Batman in the RSD thread, and I always thought how that a kid from Cleveland and a kid from Kent were on the Halo Broadcast team was totally badass, you stepped up and became a huge part of this community keep it up man you have all the talent in the world to do it. Ray Smith, I hope you still have my god damn book bag. Chris Jennings, dude you know I got bars. Robbie B, Dersky, Ogre 1, Bravo, this rant could go on with people just know you all made a huge impact on my life and are all terrific people thanks for the memories sorry I wrote so a little and forgot some people, but I'll stop with these two points.

It's awesome to see guys like Fwiz, Mioff, Bravo etc. getting hired at companies that are their passion and see them do something they love and succeed in, or seeing Celeste be in a reality show on TBS, or seeing Enrique E. getting to travel to Tokyo and release amazing content, while posting the funniest status' you'll ever like is awesome.& just seein a lot of us finish school and get great jobs and do great things, it's awesome to see.

   My last point is simply: now is when will see how truly cares about the game and community, we aren't dead because we aren't on the circuit. Either pick up the ball, or go home.

     Last thing, I promise. Thank you, thank you to everyone for making my teenage years something I'll never ever forget. Whether I've met you once or we've been friends for years you guys are all awesome, and MLG has been and will be apart of my daily life for years to come. Thank you. 

                                                                                         Sincerely,
                                                                                                       Adrian "HeavyWeight" Hernandez

This picture had to be on here.