ARTofWAR turns 1

Time flies when you are having fun and this year has been a blast. Our group started with the launch of Gears and a half-dozen guys. We now have a solid, 80 members with 78% participation. I've spent as much time with this group as I have with co-workers and golf buds. And, what a great group of people they are. I can't go much further in this discussion without commenting on the great job that doodi, smooth and the admins have done with 2o2p.com. AOW is the fourth gaming clan that I've been associated over the last 12 years...the first console clan and the first under the umbrella of a site structure like 2o2p. If you've been down this road and back again, you understand how special this community is. Simply put, 2o2p is the best group of gamers that I have been associated with.

Having the opportunity to moderate and oversee AOW is truly special as well and what I consider to be an honor. I remember our first season in the 2o2p Gears Ladder. We chose teams at random and not really knowing what to expect, jumped in full tilt. Before the ladder ended, we fielded 4 teams and my crew finished 3rd in the standings. Great fun. That competitive spirit meshed with a sense of ownership and the approach that each person is valued over their skill or ability has kept this group tight-knit and focused on having fun. When you throw in a little (sometimes a lot) of rude humor and a selfless attitude you approach a recipe for long-term friendships.

So what's in store for year two? The first priority is to not change anything. If it's not broke... The second priority is considerable participation at the 2008 Chicago LAN. We had a few members attend this year, but being new to the community and not having time in my own schedule, AOW attendance was minimum. Not so this time around. Otherwise, I look forward to more of the same and some news about GoW2.

Happy Birthday AOW.