Kind of random, but, it meant a lot to stumble upon this tweet this morning. I will be the first to say that there was a lot of luck to how I ended up commentating my first big event, a @_proplaygames event in Houston. But…since then, I worked hard to be worthy of the responsibility the chair brings with it. It doesn’t matter the event - whether it’s a huge tournament or a small league night - when you commentate a game, the players who sit down on camera put a lot of trust in you to represent their game in a way that does them credit. And I feel commentators owe them their very best. What makes this tweet hit hard is not what it means to me (although it did mean a lot). But rather…the credit it gives to those I’ve sat beside at various events. I wish everyone could see the countless hours many who have dedicated themselves to this craft put in behind the scenes. Sacrificing family time, money, other content and opportunities, to rehearse, study, and get better. Learning the meta, studying cards, learning the players, the art, the stories. It’s impossible to know everything going into an event, but many try to, regardless. Every hour spent on camera covering a match is the culmination of days of work. Days for which there is no reward other than that brief bit of time on camera for the match where you can bring your best. So, when I read this, I saw all those hours flash before my eyes. The late night chats, the travel, the study…the work everyone puts in. I have so much respect for everyone who dedicates their time to be the best they can. I think there is a perception, for some, that these opportunities are a perk of content creation. That people do their own content and are selected for commentary roles at any level because of that work. Maybe that’s true, maybe it’s not. I won’t and can’t speak for how anyone is selected for any role. But what I will say is that regardless of how anyone is selected, I know those picked take the responsibility seriously and work tirelessly in ways many don’t see to be the best they can. To many, commentating is a job, a profession even, independent of their other content. And they work to be worthy of the role. I realize it seems largely self serving to salute other commentators, but, that’s a risk I’ll take with this tweet. I’ll close by saying that I salute those who dedicate themselves to excellence in anything. Excellence takes work and it takes sacrifice. I try to respect and honor that commitment when I recognize it. The TCG players who spend hundreds of hours grinding, the commentators who spend days studying, the lore guides, athletes, actors, sign spinners, mascots…The world is richer for your hard work, even if we only see a fraction of it.