First of all I am not retired. I took the year off this year for a very simple reason. The last AT was just last Fall and this one was going to happen less than a year later in order to get the AT back on a regular Summer schedule. When it was announced I was already knee deep in several large projects and I knew my Summer was going to be insane enough. And after going 0-4 the last two Alliance Tournaments - I seriously needed a break.
Smudge and Devlin picked up the banner and decided to make a run this year. I continued to support the team as much as possible, even showing up sometimes to fill in during practices. But for the most part I stayed out of the way and let them deal with the stresses that come along with running, building, and putting together a team. If you've never done this before you have no idea just how much work is involved. It can, quite literally, eat you alive.
Over the last three years our little Alliance has faced some serious challenges that have made the Alliance Tournament a bit of a reach for us. Since the Alliance Tournament was cancelled and Eve-NT held the Alliance Open (in which we went 2-2), we haven't managed to win a single match. This is part of the frustration and stress that led to me deciding to take a year off. We've seen a sharp decline in the number of pilots from our group who want, can, or wish to participate in the AT. Back in the early days we could often hold internal practices to focus on certain tactics and skills within the team - but that hasn't been the case for a very, very long time. These are just facts. Our best pilots no longer participate, or have the time, or the inclination to do so. For the first time ever, this year we invited mercs to participate in our team.
Just to be clear - this is no reflection on the job that either Smudge of Devlin did this year. These are good friends of mine and I know their hearts were in the right place. These are just facts as they are today. It is entirely possible that next year things might be different. Maybe new blood will show up and help motivate more of our exceptional PvP pilots to commit to the team. It is possible. It has happened before. And I certainly hope it happens again.
But as things stand now. I'm not sure that ABA is an Alliance Tournament Alliance right now.
Losing six matches in a row is a hard pill to swallow. And there is no sugar-coating that.
Onward & Upward.