Not sure why people blindly believe this but I never mained Fox lol. I've been a Pikachu main since day 1. On paper you would think that if I put more time into a high tier, I would be a better player. But in practice it didn't turn out that way. For the first ~10 years of my career, I spent much more time playing Falco than any other character. But when I entered tournaments, he couldn't perform to the heights of my Pikachu. I spent an absurd amount of time grinding out Fox as well, but for whatever reason my Pikachu still performed better even though I didn't play him as much. Eventually I leaned into playing Pikachu a lot more and I think he's the character I have the highest potential with. It might sound crazy because he's a lower tier, but sometimes you have to be the one to write the book if it's something you believe in. Years ago I sort of carried him from near bottom tier to high-mid tier, and I think he can go higher thanks to the other amazing Pikachu players that exist now. There is definitely still a use for other characters as secondaries though. I don't think all of the time I put into practicing them was meaningless. They help in certain matchups, whether against certain characters, stages, or specific players. But to those saying I would be a better player if I just stuck to a high tier the whole time, I personally think that's wrong even though it might seem right on paper. I think certain people just have a knack for obscure characters and different mechanics that the current top tiers don't provide, and I happen to be one of those people.

There has been talk lately about multiple top players taking a step back from Melee. I get where they're coming from. Over the years, your passion can go down. The people you used to know or play with stop playing. You start finding other priorities. I'm sorry to disappoint the haters, but I'm not quitting anytime soon. Why? Because I enjoy it. It's as simple as that. I think if you're not enjoying it anymore or want to prioritize other things, that's perfectly fine. If you still love Melee and want to play, do it. I'm still planning on going to most of the biggest tournaments this year, starting with Genesis. There is a lot to look forward to. Can't wait