Putting Down the Pipe

I've waffled back and forth as to whether or not today's entry would be light hearted or a little more on the serious side.  Since it is Friday, and my morning has been brutal up to this point, I'm going with the light hearted.  Before diving in, though, I do want to say to Crash, if you read this, I feel for you.  I truly wish there is something I could do for you.

OK.  On to the lighter side.

I am an addict.  I have admitted this before both here in this blog as well as in our clan forums.  No earth shattering revelation there.  Unlike many addicts, though, I have two drugs of choice.  1. Nicotine(dip and chew, not smoking)- horrible addiction and habit that I am making an effort to remove from my daily life.  2. Prestige- wonderful addiction and habit that I have made no efforts toward removing from my daily life... until last night.

I have been a member of 2o4D for 6 months now.  It really is hard to believe it has been that long.  I guess the old saying is true that time flies when you are having fun.   Unfortunately, for me, I was accepted into the clan just as COD2 was about to be replaced by COD4. 

Over the last 6 months, I have heard and read many stories about a mythical time in which much drinking, carrying on, and general joviality took place within the 2o4D community.  The times in which this took place is referred to as "Clan Night".  Each and every Thursday night is designated as clan night.  But up until last night, Clan Night generally followed the course of most any other night I might be on XBL with two exceptions.  1. There were always at least 10, and when COD4 first released as many as 65, more people on my FL on XBL on Clan Night versus any other random evening.  2. Generally everyone is playing COD4 (versus other nights when as many as half the folks on my FL may be playing some other game). 

These raucous nights that I mentioned above were always recalled very fondly, but always in reference to playing COD2.  I hate that I missed out on these wonderful nights.  When I first joined the clan, and prior to COD4's release, Clan Night was pretty much reserved for finishing matches in our COD2 Farewell Tourney.  Thus, I missed out on the nights of joviality.  On a quick different note, I am very appreciative of Rystang and Peepshow allowing a noob on to their team and for showing me the ropes of playing with the clan, even though I had to carry their sorry butts in every match (EAT IT! you two).

But last night changed all that.  Through the leadership of El General Stang, many of us, myself included, jumped off the Prestige bandwagon for a night to participate in what ended up being the most fun I have ever had on XBL.  And all of this... was in a private room.

If I were to try to recall all the goings on, I would both forget something and also spend the next three hours typing.  But just a review of the highlights, I am certain, will give you a good enough idea of hilarity and camaraderie that lasted, quite literally, all night long.

Let me begin with a quick overview of some of the crazy rule matches we played, and keep in mind, these were all played with an 18 person room:

By far my favorite of the night was RPG's only Domination on Shipment.  All the mental pictures you can come up with are applicable.
My second favorite of the night was "Last Man (Team) Standing" on Creek.  Use any weapon, no Airstrikes or helo's, and you only get three deaths (eliminate everyone on the other team to win).  I guess I liked this so much because it is so similar to Hardcore.
Headshots only TDM on Broadcast (another favorite)
Shotguns only Sabotage on Killhouse
King of the Castle (Library) FFA with Shotguns only on Chinatown- whoever is in the library when time expires wins.
Straight up Search and Destroy on Chinatown (by far the  best map for this gametype)
Pistols only FFA on Killhouse
Knives only on Shipment
Multiple games of HQ on various maps- this is fun regardless of the map when you have 18 in a room.

My personal Highlights of the night:

1. Headshots only on Broadcast.  I walk into the lobby area from outside.  Walk up to Abrady, who is standing in the middle of the lobby and unloading his RPD at a teammate of mine.  Pull out my pistol.  Stick it in his ear.  And full on mafia style execute him.  I really wish I could have seen Unwashed Mass's perspective on this as he was up above watching it all unfold.  Regardless, it was both amusing and enjoyable.
2. Winning King of the Castle on Chinatown.  Well... technically I tied with Turmoil.  But still a great moment, nonetheless.
3. Getting 3 of the last 4 kills, including the final kill, for my team in Last Man Standing.  Generally the night was all fun and games.  But, whenever anything remotely resembling Hardcore mode is in play, I turn up the surround sound, tell the wife to shut up, and turn all the lights in the house off so I can see better.

All of this, of course, was mixed in with unending witty and funny comments, stories galore, hilarious commentary, and just lots of fun in general.  It truly was the most fun I have had on XBL since I got my box.  Thanks so much to all that were involved.  A special thanks to Stang for initiating and then hosting the madness.  And a very special thanks to Mike James for his revelation that pineapple flavored condoms do actually taste like pineapple.