Sniper and Undertow bid you farewell.......

[TOW-19]

Well.......

 

Well.

I think, first off, it should be known that I sat staring at this keyboard for the last 15 minutes now. I know this because I also kept glancing at the clock on my screen in an effort to find motivation to write this. Those that have known me through the tourneys and through the years know that communication is something that comes quite fluidly and easily for me.

Doesn't seem to be the case tonight.

 

Nothing of the following is going to make sense.

And it won't be in any order.

Much of what I'm about to say can be attributed to Sniper as well. On most things UF, including our farewell, we're usually like-minded. But I know he'll be along shortly to type up his sentiments as well. He and I have had a whirlwind of emotions around us these past few weeks....of relief, contentment, sadness, longing....and a little bit o' horny. But that's not here nor there.

This is just the rambling of a man saying farewell to something he loves so dearly, but knows for the better that it must be let go.

 

But I'm going to begin typing anyway.

This is my very first-ever post on the Urgent Fury forum as a member of the UF community. Not [uF Creator] Undertow......but just [RVN] Undertow. Up until now, you have known me, and my partner Sniper, as the creators of this grand arena of tournament gaming. Many people respected us. Quite a few disliked us. Some even despised us.

None of that ever mattered to Sniper and I. This is evident in the longevity of the tourney and in the stay-our-course attitude we've run this tourney with since day one. Sniper and I always believed in each other and we always believed in what we were doing. We knew we couldn't please everyone out there...so we did what is natural to gaming geeks when no one is looking...we pleased ourselves. We made a tourney for us. What WE wanted to see in a tournament community. We wanted to play games like SOCOM with honor...with dignity...with passion. And we wanted nothing more than to surround ourselves with like-minded gamers to share in this fantasy world. Surround ourselves with more than just our clanmates...we wanted to create a movement.

 

And you know what?

For six long ***king years...we did just that.

Mission accomplished. ;D

 

These years have afforded me many a memory...

I remember Sniper and I, along with an original third creator, first designing this tourney. The excitement. The confusion. The wide expanse of possibilities.

I remember Sniper and I removing that third original creator...a friend...from the tourney in order to preserve its true identity and nature. We questioned him. We questioned our dedication. Then we created our answers.

I remember Sniper and I confronting one another when one thought they were losing wind in his sails at various points through the years when clans or players seemed to want nothing more than to ripple the waters.

I remember pulling all-nighters before a tourney deadline to make sure it launched when we said it would launch all while the forums filled with anticipation on invite nights.

I remember creating a tourney in memory of a player's fallen wife and child, and giving all the proceeds to St. Jude's. Gamers coming together to help children in the name of someone's painful loss.

I remember finally meeting the man I had worked on Urgent Fury with for years for the very first time. Six years spent together like best of creative friends and only sharing the same air for one week in our lives.

I remember other tourneys out there constantly circling round UF. I remember some would try to be us, but then fall in failure. I remember some would try to stay out of our ocean, but saw that their pond could never create a wave of its own.

I remember the birth of a podcast, the emergence of a Commander, the integration of a news channel, a falling rotten apple, and somewhere in the middle of all that, like a needle in a haystack...I remember a very small.....very small.....penis.

Remembering all of that....I see now that Sniper and I are players who have a story.

Players who created a story.

Many people out there love gaming. Not so many can claim to have done what Sniper and I set out to do.......and did it.

 

I want to thank Sniper, first and foremost.

Sniper....I do not even know what to say here. I feel like we should shake hands. I feel like we need to hug it out. I feel like you and I should be sitting across from one another at a table and clinking some shots of tequila in celebration. On second thought, strike that...you're still the only Mexican I know that can't hold his tequila.

But what I do know is that you were the architect of Urgent Fury here, my friend.

No matter what crazy idea I had...no matter where I brought the next tourney...no matter what system I had devised for the newest Tacmap tourney.....you walked up to me, slapped me in the face and said "do it better." And I did. Because you made me. You made me want to top myself tourney after tourney. It was that great creative energy you and I shared that made UF so great. I believe that. I know, without a doubt, that whenever we were ready to roll out the newest tourney, that it was you and I who made it...and that it was going to knock the pen is mighters off of everyone who rushed in to sign up for it. They loved our tournaments, Sniper. Go back if you need to and check out every thread from a clan who got eliminated from a tourney.

They thanked you for a hell of a ride, win or lose.

That's your legacy here, Sniper. You took the mindless mechanics of my brainwaves and made them flesh and blood. You truly were the wizard that brought our golems to life.

Yours and my friendship will last long after UF has moved on without us.

I am so much more fortunate as a human being for having the opportunity to work with you all these years. You were my favorite "co-worker" of all time.

ALL time.

Cheers to you.

 

To the Staff of UF.

Urgent Fury will never....NEVER give you guys the credit that you fully deserve, because the community of UF have NO idea just what you guys do and contribute behind the scenes. That blind ignorance is your greatest disservice here. Since the launch of the very last Tacmap tourney, these guys have been handling the day to day here at Urgent Fury as if they were the very arms and eyes of Sniper and I. The Staff allowed us to take a breather to near hands-off reliability. The Staff love this tourney inside and out and put in countless amounts of effort in order to provide all of you with the experiences here at UF that you return for month in and month out.

Rooster - you're one of the batteries of the Staff. One of the guys who's boundless energy help fan the flames of creativity behind the scenes. Thank you.

Bandit - More than you know, I would default my decisions towards things you would say and, anytime I had to make a final determination on something within this community, I would not respond without first hearing your input. Thank you.

Chili - Your presence here annoyed the shit out of me. Your constant rubbing against the grain. Your incessant prodding for Xbox and your non-stop bashing of Sony. But it was your different way of thinking that brought you into the Staff. We needed that thinker outside the box, and I always respected you for that. I have more respect for you than you would ever dare to wager on. Thank you.

Goat - Because of you, I now know just how irritating it is for the community to read one of my long-ass posts (much like this one) because I could never get past sentence three with you...which is probably why I never remembered anything you posted. But what I will always remember was your respect for tradition here at UF. You always knew our mission, and you never strayed from target. You're a hell of a leader for our UF Rangers and they have a dependable man-at-bat in you. Thank you.

Inadub - For some reason, out of anyone I asked to be a Staff member, you were the one that made me smile the biggest when you said yes. I don't know why. I won't try to explain it. I just want to say "thank you" for saying yes when we asked. So thank you.

Johnson30 - I relied on you for your bracket-making expertise and your never-ending support of this tourney. You were a great asset to this endeavor and UF would be at a loss if you were ever to vacate the Staff position you now hold. Thank you.

Sequoyah - If ever Sniper and I wanted to just "give" UF over to someone, I think it would have been you. Yes, in the end, Sniper and I felt justified in believing after all these years, a nice payoff was a great thing...and it is. But for solid dedication to the cause, there's no other we could put more trust in than you. Thank you for it all.

Sgt.JoeFriday and PuddyTat- With your ever-evolving commitment to UF, you were the ones that seemed like the bulls of the Staff. You didn't take shit. You ran tourneys as they were supposed to be ran, regardless of the opposition you may have faced from a dissatisfied player. You made us smile each and every time you kept UF on course....forcibly. Thanks to both of you.

Viper - Many in this tournament community just don't know how much you've given them throughout the years. They don't know, and that makes me sad. But knowing that you never needed accolades for your work...that shows me what kind of person you are. Thank you for being the kind of person that you are. Thank you for sharing a clan tag with me. Thank you for being a friend on the phone.

 

You know what? ***k it. Viper is and always was "Commander Fury." All those years listening to AWESOME podcast after podcast episodes, wondering how the HELL Urgent Fury put together such a funny and professionally-prepared podcast....well, we didn't. VIPER did. He is the talented mother***ker that made you laugh, made you smile and made you WANT that podcast when you didn't get it. So someone, anyone, PLEASE finally thank this guy for entertaining the hell out of this entire community. He never got a thank you for the amount of work he put into it.

I believe now it's time..and since I made him keep it a secret all this time, I feel it's my duty to make sure I make the call-out for his accolades. So THANK HIM. edited for reasons of national security

 

To the community......

Guys...and a few gals out there....I love you.

I ***king love you.

I ***king love you. You don't EVEN know.

I can't stress that enough.

You've given Sniper and I so much...and in comparison, we've given you so little.

We gave you a place to have fun and meet others.

You have us a place to be HEARD....something too many people in this world live without nowadays.

Take a look around, people.

Thousands.....THOUSANDS of you playing in this same tournament space....with ONE thing on your mind....to play in an honor-bound community with players of like minds.

It's amazing, people. Simply amazing.

I sit here and imagine a week's worth of Tacmap matches going on in those Socom servers. The number of players arriving at a designated time, ready to fight and defend their clan, their locations, their honor. This is a game and yet the competition...the matches can get so HEAVY. I love it. And I love all of you.

I'm no longer a creator here at Urgent Fury. I'm no longer an admin. I'm no longer anything. I'm a guy with the letters "RVN" in front of my name and I lead and play with a clan named "Ravenfall." But THIS is the community that I am a part of. THIS is the legion of gamers that I look around and say "why the hell would anyone want to play ANYWHERE else?" There are so many of you here that I never would have had the honor of playing alongside and against. I have made friends along the way. Great friends. I have met a few of you through UF meet-ups and RVN meet-ups. I wish I could embrace you all as one body and just convey how much you all have meant to me through these last 6 years of my life.

I've run Urgent Fury since I was 28. I'm 34 today.

I've run Urgent Fury through my divorce.

I've run Urgent Fury through unemployment.

I've run Urgent Fury through personal tragedies and heartaches and heartbreaks.

And through it all, all the things in life that get shoved at you....UF was a constant. UF was a distraction. UF was often what kept me sane when life's turmoil could have potentially driven me mad.

I have a clan of about 40 players.

I feel like, for the past 6 years, I have had a family of THOUSANDS.

I'm not blowing smoke here. This is how I feel. Whatever level our friendship...whatever amount of time we play together online...however you think of me, either fun, dependable, genius, crazy, annoying, long-winded, untiring or too tiresome....I consider each and every single one of you an extended piece of family. You can't GET that anywhere else. We've spent TIME together, either on the phone, in game or in person. Time is what we all afford one another. We CHOSE to give something as precious as our time to one another. No matter how you feel about me, or how I feel about you.....we still gave one another precious gifts of time. If we didn't give a shit about one another, we never would have given each other the time of day.

So to you all...each and every single ***king one of you.....thank you SO much for your gift of time spent here with Urgent Fury, with me, with Sniper. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I have a clan that I love very much.

I have a tournament here that I will miss very much. Too much.

But this was the right decision for me, for both Sniper and I, now in our lives.

And we're not going to regret it. We're just going to miss it.

 

And now.....now to the new owners.

The new owners will be along soon, I'm sure. I've spent time talking with them now, picking their brain to see what their intentions for this tournament were before even considering offers. Sniper and I could have shut this down upon our exit....but this is Urgent mother***kin' Fury. Not even Sniper and I could hold it down for long...so we weren't going to even try.

Urgent Fury needed to live....HAD to live...and we just had to find the right wranglers that could handle this wild beast of a tournament.

We believe that we have found those wranglers.

 

Their names are Shane, John and Armond.

They'll be by soon enough to say hello.

In them, Sniper and I are entrusting the legacy of UF. In them, Sniper and I are entrusting the UF community. I have heard their plans...I have listened to their intentions...and as I did, over the phone, I had to try hard to suppress my smile as I listened to them speak. I couldn't believe the sincerity in their voices...the plans that they already had in place...the future that they kept speaking of and not just visualizing the exciting present. They have a place they want to take UF, not just keep it in the same spot. They have a goal and I can only say that I hope so very much that they make it there. You ALL will be better for it if they can. And in their endeavor, they will have Sniper's and my full support and well-wishes. These are a good group of guys that have the drive, the will, the capabilities and the down and dirty ***king desire to make sure that UF not only lives, not only thrives, but morphs into something so much more dynamic, so much more powerful than what it is today.

 

Sniper and I created Urgent Fury.

These three.....they're going to make Urgent Fury BETTER.

They're going to take what we both did...and they're going to knock this ***ker out of the park.

They will.

And I could not be happier. For both them and the community.

 

That's all I got, everyone.

Fingers are tired...brain's tired...and I feel like I want to say goodbye to all of this with a cold Guinness in my sun room tonight with the lights off, watching some foot traffic on the sidewalk below and just feel good about what Sniper and I have done these years...and miss the hell out of UF tonight and what I'm walking away from.

 

I wish you all the best in life and the things you will all do.

I wish those who are taking control of UF the very best. Take care of this tournament, boys. She's been very good to all of us all these years and deserves nothing but the most tender of touches.

 

And now, I just wish you all a good night.

Tomorrow is a brand new day.

Each and every one of you...players and new owners alike....EMBRACE IT.

 

Most sincerely,

 

- Jay Donovan

[RVN] Undertow

Ravenfall

[DK_MaluNYMets]

Thank You Tow and Sniper and UF Staff for you hard work all these years! Welcome the new owners of UF! Excited to see what you have in store for this community.

[o-BacklasH-o]

MaluNYMets ]

Thank You Tow and Sniper and UF Staff for you hard work all these years! Welcome the new owners of UF! Excited to see what you have in store for this community.

 

My sentiments exactly.

[mikejaxon]

BacklasH ]

MaluNYMets ]

Thank You Tow and Sniper and UF Staff for you hard work all these years! Welcome the new owners of UF! Excited to see what you have in store for this community.

 

My sentiments exactly.

 

x 3

 

 

[CpDude05]

Hey guys, thanks for all the fun times you gave us at UF.

 

Welcome new owners, i'm CpDude05. Let me know if i can help you guys in anyway!

[X_-GHOST-_X]

CpDude05 ]

Hey guys' date=' thanks for all the fun times you gave us at UF.

 

Welcome new owners, i'm CpDude05. Let me know if i can help you guys in anyway!

[/quote']

 

X2

[HippieChik]

All I can say is WOW! You guys should be proud of the community you have built here. Good stuff Undertow and Sniper and good luck with wherever you go from here.

[Hellraiser]

im speechless..

 

all i can say is that you both accomplished something so fucking awesome!!

 

thanks for the best tournaments!

 

 

 

 

 

[disfsk3x14]

farewell and welcome to the new owners

[chris_pheonix7]

I know i've caused alot of unnecessary problems here but I truly have grown to respect you and what you have done here, thank you (sniper to).

[aZyOuThInKeYeIz]

We Love you more Tow...

 

 

 

""""A little penis along the way......."""" ROTFLMAO... (that's for you irish bull.)

Fuck havoc

[Guest [+30]PuddyTat]

tow and sniper,

 

i moved out of the house i grew up in years ago...a LOT of years ago. but still to this day, i can drive by it and i am flooded with memories. it will always be my house. i wish you both the best in your future ventures, and would like to thank you both for the opprotunity you gave me her at urgent fury. in saying goodbye, i want you to remember one thing. even though you have moved out, this will always be YOUR HOUSE ;D

 

Puddy

[luchesco]

Thank you so much for being the architects of this amazing community. for putting on such kick ass tourneys and for building a place where so many different people from all walks of life who share a love for gaming respectfully, cleanly and without cheating can come to play and socialize. I will always hold my first tourney experience here in UF near and dear to my gamer heart. I cant believe how much fun i had and it was thanks to you guys that the Skull and Bones were able to come closer as a clan and truly cement friendships for me with my clanmates. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, no matter how many times I say it I dont think simply typing these words on here can ever fully express the gratitude we all share for both Undertow and Sniper. You guys fucking rock!!!

[PACKERNUT-]

Ummm My name is Shane WOOOOOHOOO Wait Wrong one Damn

[Shot78]

Hey guys, thanks for all the fun tournaments you guys gave us,

 

and Welcome to the new owners.

[HippieChik]

Viper = Commander Fury?? LOVE IT! Good, good shit Viper!

[willywonka159]

Thanks for everything boys! I won't write a novel like I could (and would like to), but I just wanted to let you know that UF has truly changed my life. You brought many clans, including my [sxB] home, closer than they could ever be and I don't know where anyone would be without you two. You guys did a great job with it - and I can't thank you enough; I welcome the new owners and wish them the best! UF Forever.

[DK_Deadly_Intent]

thanks for the great tourneys.

 

and good luck to the new owners

[SnowBud]

Tow and Sniper thanks for all the fun times over the years its been a blast playing here.

 

I finally know who Commander Furry is now, thanks Viper.

 

Cheers to all of you

[SNIPER]

 

Thanks for the ride guys. Tow expressed everything perfectly and shares my exact sentiments. Tow was the more prominent "voice" on here and I was happy to stay behind the scenes popping out on the forum every once in a while (like now...lol) and like I said, Tow expressed everything perfectly so I'll keep this short. It's still surreal to me that we created the most popular tournament site of this kind on the net but it couldn't have happened without all of you. Thanks.

 

I started getting a little misty eyed reading Tow's post and then the tears started flowing when I read this part............"a falling rotten apple".......LOL!!! For some reason that just totally cracked me up. I really needed that because it is a really bittersweet moment.

 

I'll leave you with a quote that my favorite teacher in high school told us:

 

"No good-bye's, just good memories"

 

 

 

[HotWire_]

Undertow and Sniper,

 

I havnt been in UF long enough to understand and appreciate most of what you said in your post, but from the short time that cKs has been in UF, it is already appararant that you guys built an incredible community here. Good luck with everything in the future bud.

 

And as for the new owners, good luck, and if the old creators have their trust in you, then you have mine.

 

 

[Red0ctobeR]

I wondered if Viper was going to be let out of the closet? Love ya vippy and you did an awesome job.

 

 

Tow and Sniper,

 

It was my pleasure to work along side of you when I was staff, and even more of a pleasure to compete in the tournaments both of you put together. I am not sure what I anticipated more, the wars or the release of the tac map. LOL

 

But what you guys provided most of all was a haven. A haven for gamers alike. Some that disagree with each other and mostly guys that have the same vision to become a UF champion. Not only that, but a bunch of rag tag forum trolls, which you guys have now become, have a place to shoot the shit and enjoy each others chit chat and gossip.

 

You thank us here...vehemently, but we all should bow to you guys for the ride of a gamers lifetime. Hell, the creators of SOCOM should be thanking all of you for keeping us Socomaholics coming back for more. Because without UF I know there are many out there that would have put the game down years ago.

 

So once again.... NO, THANK YOU

 

I only hope that the new owners can step in your large cumbersome shoes and continue on with what is a great tournament site.

 

I wish you fellas luck and I look forward to seeing you around in a more casual form. I just hope you both don't sob into your pillows too much tonight. I will have a beer on you.

 

 

[HairyNiples]

Thanks to Tow and Sniper for all you have brought us here on UF. Even though I havnt been here that long I can say without question that this is the best tournament website that exists out there. Good luck to the three gentlemen that have taken on the task of running this joint. All in all, best wishes to all involved.

[x_BrOkEn_HaLo_x]

I'd like to say Thank you to Tow and Sniper for everything. I have more Respect for the two of you than you will ever realize.

On behalf of Sinners and Saints I'd like to welcome the new owners of Urgent Fury.

[Axyl]

I thank you guy both for the hard work you put into this.

And Welcome to the new owners.