These are shoutouts, but not just shoutouts. Wanted to say a lot more, so I did, I think you guys know who I am - I'll write over a 1000 words in the set details for a set in analysis for a Pokemon in a tier less than 20 people play. You're gonna want to sit down and listen to this while you read, but since I'm not GGFan know that you won't need a dictionary by your side for this tl;dr.
Going into this I said it would be my last ever tournament. I had promised my brother Powna a few months before that we would do this together, and that was before I had stepped down on PP. I'm not completely done with Pokemon, but going into this tournament I had basically quit RBY & ADV OU (though I did end up playing one ADV tournament). I'll still be playing ADV 50 and Violet but I don't foresee myself ever playing anything else unless I create it myself (Enigami and I have an idea or two cooking...). I am trying to spend more time living in the physical world than the online space, dedicating myself more to building personal connections, my love of music - listening, performing, and cutting shapes to it, trying to act a little more like I'm normal...
Anyway, back to the Pokemon. Honestly, I never really tried hard to master ADV OU, I had just picked up a lot from watching the egg's videos and watching friends play. I'm surprised with how far I ended up going with it, due to what I view as endemic problems to the tier. I think a year or two ago I was at the top end of the RBY playerbase in terms of quality, but I never translated it into a victory. I feel that, while I had the skills to give any player a hard time potentially, with less than predictable teams, sets, and plays, backed up by a decent knowledge of the tier, I lacked the consistency or the in-depth knowledge of the standards at least to the level of the time.
Frankly, by the time I was actually posting the odd final or semi-final master tournament appearance, my style of play was very outdated. Back when Sing and Counter were more common than Reflect on Chansey, I enjoyed and was looking for those longer, stall-esque games where you had long, PP-draining temporary stalemates. Well, looks like that's the metagame now, but I think I lost the patience for it before it got this way. There was a short period in 2015, when we found Body Slam couldn't paralyze Normal-types, but we hadn't entered the era of Reflect dominance, where the metagame was played mostly fast and aggressively, and that was more or less where my style stuck. Honestly, then, I've never been
that great of a player, but, well I kind of offered everything else to the game short of the ability to play it really really well, like so many of the awesome friends I've made here. I helped grow this place in some ways to being what it is today, and it seems it's still able to operate without me, which is great to see.
It's an absolute blessing that I managed to pull together such an amazing team, able to bring us to victory in my last ever tournament. I think it says a lot that the only trophy for victory (outside of ORAS 1U lol...) is in a tournament where I didn't actually play, haha. I think I just prefer analysing and exploring the game, writing about it, building teams, and testing them out, than being the very best like no-one ever was.

Now, onto this tournament, and the team I put together.
I was so happy to have
hellpowna as my assistant. He is full of life and energy, an absolute talent at DPP in particular, and someone who always brings positivity wherever he goes. Honestly, it was so easy to work with him too, he really understands how these things work as well as anyone, and we had the same vision about having a team that's really fun to be in, genuinely making an effort to make sure everyone is happy in the team while at the same time taking every opportunity to win. He understands that even while it's a competitive game, there is so much to say for teamwork, collaboration, and just enjoying playing Pokemon.
I can't shout out every friend I've made on this journey - I would probably have to include half the players on this forum and 50 people on Smogon to be at all thorough - so I'll stick to my team and the support in the team chat, because I don't want to be as old and wisened as the legendary GGFan by the time I finish writing this. All my friends on Pokemon Perfect, in the RBY and ADV community, in the old XY Ubers community, heck some people from Pokemon Online or other random walks of Pokemon life, I hope you all know how much a difference all of you made in giving this game colour and life for me.
I'll start with the RBY legends I picked up and move on up through the tiers.
Enigami, well, we've been through a lot at this point. You certainly have a fitting name (for those who don't know what it means, put it in reverse!) and a perspective on the game that fits really well with mine. I mean, it doesn't need to be said that really we largely enjoy the same things from the game and hence you're just one of my favourite people in the community. Keep doing you.
Ranshiin, man, how on earth did I get you for 3k?? Everyone else messed up there, not going for one of the most experienced and skillful players in the current metagame. I love to see how your RBY journey has unfolded on PP, I hope you continue to rise the ranks, master the game and keep the community growing too. Also, let's play more Violet
Jon, it's a pity you weren't very active in the chat but I'm still happy I got you. I think you have a lot of potential, keep working at the game and get yourself more involved in the community, and you could go far.
k3nan, ok I definitely got lucky in the auction with half the managers not knowing how to bid apparently, so getting you at 10k was pretty much a steal by definition. But especially in the latter part of the season you really showed your worth. It's definitely no secret by this point that you're one of the best GSCers around, though I do remember the days when you were more of an up and coming ADV talent. I think people probably sleep on you in that metagame now. You were chill to have hanging out in the chat, and great at Pokemon - what more can I ask for from a player anyway? ^^
hclat, still being slept on. Geodude is pretty much metagame-breaking, and although it didn't quite work out in this tournament I think it could turn ADV on its head. Seriously though, it was fun watching such a talent in ADV bringing out and executing well all sorts of crazy stuff, leading to a mixture of victories and games where even if the opponent won you had the moral victory because Calm Mind Mirror Coat Cune + Ninjask probably shouldn't come anywhere as close as it did. Seriously fun to have you around.
Z+V, been impressed with your play for a long time too. Don't know why you ducked out of everything Pokemon related as we hit the finals, but you played a crucial role in getting us here. Loved to see you bringing all sorts of novel spice from hot paprika to Electrode to ADV games, and often taking victories with it too. Like hclat, you didn't just win but won with style.
Sas0, my brother powna was right to pick you out too. I didn't know much about you or your play but I've been happy to at least see you active on the forum. Thanks for sticking with us and being available to substitute in when we've needed it, you were an important part of our success.
Iles so glad to have you as a part of the team. You've been a great friend for a long time, as well as super involved in PP. You killed it in DPP, even if the finals didn't go your way. Now come and kill it with me in ADV 50
GOATano well powna said it all how he spotted your talent. I don't quite remember how we became friends but we've somehow been through a lot at this point ^^ it's really cool to see you're just so good at BW OU, you will make it to SPL I'm sure. But more importantly, you'll master violet as well as BW OU yyyyyy :]
Blue it was cool having you around even though ultimately you didn't end up playing. It was still useful having you around, I hope to see you play more on here
jyt I know you weren't super active in the chat but it was fun watching you play and being in a tournament with you again

it's obvious to everyone on the team just how good you are at this game too ^^
RyLon I'm glad u appreciated the carry haha. It's a pity since you're such a talent you were stuck on the bench, but I'm sure in future tournaments you'll blow people away in ORAS

let's play more ADV 50

haha
Jax I think the rest of the team appreciated having you in the chat and your insights in ADV and DPP were pretty useful. Thanks for supporting us. I know you & I both have reputations of a sort, but it just means you're still totally slept on.
Also shoutouts
Stox sorry I didn't bid on u and instead u got pulled up by some other team, u shoulda been on this insane lordsquad, but still. When ur down in London we're gonna celebrate this shit anyway lmaooo
Finally, thanks tj & FOMG for being excellent hosts, Eseque for becoming one with the replay thread, and Lutra for making the most amazing community that made all of this possible!
Since I'm not involving myself next time, I hope one of my powerful flareons, maybe Powna or Iles, carries the fiery hot torch of our legacy into the future. There are many more victories for this unstoppable force awaiting.
GGs everyone, really fun playing with you all.