Two LANS Walk Into a Bar...

The first LAN tells the bartender, "We can gather 30 people together to play Halo 2 in 2005." Second LAN looks at LAN number one and says, "I can get 100 people in 2006 to play anything they want, and auction off a dildo for money." Bartender looks at em, smiles, and says, "Suck it. 400 in 2007 will pwn you both."

I was one of the first to buy a ticket to this year's 2006 LAN and I was not dissapointed. Meeting many of the people I spend a good deal of time each week with whom I listen and play via XBOX live's headset and 360 and original consoles was worth more than the money I spent on the ticket. Being able to play games with these people is only a small part of what this LAN was about. Sharing a laugh, offering support and having a good time outside the LAN was more meaningful than pwning my fellow 2 Old 2 Play-ers in Halo 2...although that was fun as well.

I arrived on the eve of this event after an arduous 16 hour road trip from North Carolina. Next year I'm flying, to hell with my fear of planes. When I arrived I phoned Eksessive and he informed me a small group of 2o2per's had gathered at a local pizza joint to sample some of Chicago's famous deep dish style pizza. When I found the restaurant I met seven other 2o2per's and the band's groupie. They were in no particular order; Eksessiv, scotib, raste, XS Smoke, tait, Dan le Crinque, Big One and the groupie AKA the librarian AKA Big One's wife. The conversation ranged from "Where are you from?" to "What does your name really mean?" and everyone was having a great time...At least until the pizza showed up. Eight people were dining on two deep dish pizza's with three people choosing to also order side dishes. Eksessive and scotib each ordered a small 10 inch thin crust  for themselves and XS Smoke decided to take on a plate of ravioli and a salad. I still think Eksessiv has some of his pizza in his luggage. It was a large meal to say the least and everyone was having a hard time trying to justify the ordering of a second Chi-town pizza.

After dinner and a quick alcohol run everyone returned to the hotel to wait for additional arrivals. I met PMS Em shortly after my return and was greeted with a warm hug. F1R3 and Sys were found at the bar nursing drinks. When Capt Rock and Buzzsaw showed up around 9pm, we all knew we were in trouble. The alcohol started flowing freely and by two AM I had a $90 bar tab, an ability to see three of everyone and a thirst for more alcohol. The group proceeded to run upstairs to the LAN room, Sunrise I, a misnomer to be sure because not many people would be there to see a sunrise, much less daylight the rest of the LAN.

Upstairs a motley crew of guys was assembled. This group included Kung Fu Fenster, Glory 6 and CrazyGamer who had just driven in from Michigan. The latter's claim to fame being that in almost a year of membership to the site, he had posted on it only once. He now has 2 posts. Others upstairs were JREAT and scotib who we met earlier. The two of them were hard at work trying to network consoles on only one electrical outlet. A daunting task to say the least, and they both get my thanks for doing a great job. Phreaks and RightHand were also in attendance with a few of the founders of our illustrious site. Dsmooth, Bliz, Ebola were only a few that I met that first night. In my defense of not remembering anyone else, I was in the process of losing time from too many double crown and cokes. When i discovered I was in the way more than anything else I retired to my room and passed out....I think.

The next day started with a phone call from Kung Fu and a we're leaving right now for the Cubs game. I woke up and dressed in about 15 minutes, which is pretty quick for a hung over fat man. I joined BC Kinetic, Kung Fu, Glory 6, and CrazyGamer in the hotel shuttle for our first stop at the airport to pick up Sha who was flying in at 11:30 AM. I discovered Kung Fu is funny as hell just like he is online, Glory could be a linebacker for the bears, BC like big bucking chickens for some reason and CrazyGamer has "shark" syndrome; He can't stay still or he'll suffocate.

Sha arrived a bit late and we had to find somewhere to hide his bag so he could get into the game. Since Sha does look like a terrorist OHare wouldn't take his bag because Sha's underwear might be dirty and stink up the joint, so Kung Fu called Uncle Buk onto the scene to rescue Sha's purse...I mean bag.

We then left on the Blue line train and took a bus to Wrigley which took about an hour. The third inning was just starting and we rushed to take our seats. But only after CrazyGamer stocked up on 4 bottles of water, we all relieved ourselves, and grabbed some refreshments, not necessarily in that order. The seats were great and in the shade on the first base side, upper deck, with a nice breeze flowing in from rightfield. Unfortunately the Cubs suck and played like a bunch of little leaguers going up against the Yankees, which would have been understandable if they were playing the Bronx Bombers. They weren't. They played the Pirates who haven't been in first place in the division since '94 I think. Zach Duke pitched a hell of a game for the Pirates and Carlos Zambrano gave up four runs in 6, 2 homeruns on a spotty performance. Highlights of the game were watching Hoobs dressed in tight white Cubs shirts pass by me all day.

After the game we stood on buses and returned the same way. My hangover was starting to fade and I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't drink the rest of the day. I kept it amazingly enough.

We arrived shortly before the Lan began, but the official start time was only to give DSmooth and Doodi a sense of control. People had been playing for well over an hour and no one was going to stop just to hear they could start again.

MORE WILL FOLLOW SHORTLY...BEEN WRITING THIS OFF AND ON FOR OVER AND HOUR NOW...I'LL WRITE MORE AT NOON AND START WITH THE OFFICIAL BEGINNING OF THE LAN.