Nashville, Tennessee
August 2 – 5, 2001
Well, this was my first Gulf Games and what an amazing time it was. I was told how good it was by past attendees and it lived up to the advance billing in every way. Without question, those three days are the highlight of my gaming life, one that I expect to repeat many times in the future.
Obviously, great events like this one don’t happen by accident. So, I’d like to take a moment to extend a few heartfelt thank yous:
• First, to Greg, for inviting me, and for being the heart and soul of this wonderful event. Obviously, a lot of people are necessary to pull off something of this magnitude, but even so, Greg Schloesser will always BE Gulf Games.
• Next, to all the people who put in the tremendous effort prior to and during the Games. All the decorations were so clever and obviously took a lot of time to prepare. The side events were great and have given me a whole new perspective on ping-pong balls.And the snacks and drinks never seemed to run out; like everything else, this was handled quietly and with great efficiency. So thanks to Vicki, Tim, Mark, Derk, Ted and probably a whole lot of other people who did their jobs so well, I wasn’t even aware of their efforts.
• I’d also like to thank the gamers who were so warm and friendly that they made a first-timer like myself feel like a seasoned veteran. People like Greg, Mark, Chris, Stven, Jack,Richard, David and Jon. Actually, I can honestly say that everyone I met had a smile on their face and showed great camaraderie. I not only got the chance to play some great games, but I think I formed some lasting friendships as well.
• Finally, I think we should all give ourselves a few pats on the back for the way everyone conducted themselves. The entire three days went by seemingly without incident. No arguments,whining, or pouting–and this from a group of very competitive people. The kids were all incredibly well-behaved, which is a credit to each of them as well as their parents. As Greg pointed out, people picked up after themselves,so that there was no game parts or leftover food lying about. For fifty or so people to carry on with such high spirits with virtually no problems for that period of time is remarkable and is indicative of the quality of the individuals at the Games.
So thanks to one and all, and now that it’s all over, I only have one question: when’s the next one? 🙂