This one is going to be interesting from a formatting standpoint. I am going to pass on the video and picture of the week until I get a little more confident with the new format. I am also going to submit The Pit Board every other week for awhile as I figure out all of the changes coming up over the next few weeks.
It is a terrible thing to feel off balance and I have a feeling that over the next two months we are all going to be feeling a little chaos creeping into our little corner of the world.
“If you do not create change, change will create you.” The grids are shrinking and that was kind of predictable. What was once a very comfortable arena for all of us to exchange ideas has also been "modified". In a very short amount of time, the entire foundation of our League is also going to be altered. Right now, all we can see are the dark and ominous clouds on the horizon. Take a few steps back... Clear your mind... Take a few deep breaths and count to potato... What I see is the greatest SNAIL adventure of all time. Before we know it, we will all learn how to use the latest GTPlanet format and our thread is going to be more active, colorful and exciting than we can imagine.
Starting Monday, November 11, 2013,
GT Academy will air on Spike TV and we will finally have many of our questions answered and we will have the privilege of first hand stories of our members foray into the magical world of GT Academy. Once the story starts to unfold, our (multiple) finalists will be able to tell us their personal views on what they did, how they got there and what the experience was like. We all play the game and have made our own "attempts" at GT Academy over the years in hopes of being one of the chosen. For the 99% of us it is merely a dream but for
several members of our League, the dream became a reality. Although there was only one "winner", the adventure for those that saw Silverstone will keep us captivated for years to come. I can only hope that some took pictures (and maybe even snuck in the SNAIL brand) while they were there and when they are able, tell us all about it. This is also an open invitation to all that went to submit their personal story to me so I can highlight it on The Pit Board.
Gadzooks!!! The grids are shrinking!! This may seem like cause for alarm but considering what the future holds, like I said, it was inevitable. I really miss the D4 crowd. We really had a special groove going on but some of my fondest memories of my time with SNAIL came from the days when we only had three divisions. There was even a time where I was a part of D2 and even captured a win during that time. Many more of those great memories are in store for all of us. I am really looking forward to this Sunday night as there will be many drivers that I have raced in the past and several new ones that I have never been on the grid with. There will also be guys out there that I have not had a chance to race with in quite some time and I have missed them all. The smaller numbers are not a sign of doom but more a show of the core members that will carry us through the upcoming changes and with the continued activity of all of us really shows the strength of our management, core members (so many gold stars!) and the legacy of the Sunday Night American Interactive League.
It would be naive to think that the next two months are going to be business as usual. The journey into the next Gran Turismo title is going to be difficult but boy it is going to be great. Over the years, I have started so many new games. There is nothing like finally firing up a new game that you have been waiting for. As a life long gamer, it is one of the most exciting times. Our families and significant others prepared to "lose" us over the next several days as we dive into a new world of unlimited possibilities. For the first time in most of our [gaming] lives, we are going to share this time with several of our friends. I am going to take the day off. I am so excited about starting a new era of Gran Turismo and doing it with all of you. Planted behind the wheel with my laptop close by to share and discover our new world with so many other drivers that are just a passionate about this new title as I am is going to be a truly epic moment in my gaming life.
Our new adventure will be difficult at times but anything worth while requires time and an open mind but with the focus of our leadership and the dedication of our core members, this journey will prove to be a most exciting and fun experience. 36 days from now our virtual driving world will change forever. Change is a good thing and I for one am pretty damn excited about it!!
Race Clean, Race Hard, Race S.N.A.I.L.