At this point, writing this blog seems like just another coin tossed in a fountain. Everyone has shared amazing things about Ryan Davis, and my story isn't any more special than anyone else. I never worked with him, I haven't been visiting Giant Bomb since its inception, and I never watched him in the Gamespot days. But Ryan has meant a lot to me over the last few years.
When I first started visiting Giant Bomb and listening to the Bombcast, Ryan was the immediate draw. He was funny, engaging, and knowledgeable. The Jeff/Ryan power team was unstoppable. I laughed out loud in more inappropriate venues than I can count, and I was thankful for it. I watched mailbag after mailbag, wanting to come up with something to do for the guys that had given me so much entertainment over the last few years. Then PAX East rolled around.
On a whim, I decided to brew up some Giant Bomb themed beer for the guys. I'm not anyone special. I'm not in the games industry, I didn't expect anything to come of this; I just wanted to give something back to the guys that had given me so much over the years. When I finished the initial brewing, I sent a message to Ryan via Twitter, and just told him plainly: "I have ten gallons of beer for you."
Days passed, and I heard nothing. And then Ryan followed me on Twitter and sent me a DM:
The next day we were chatting logistics on the phone, and we settled on the most basic of solutions. I was to pack some beer in a backpack and drive to the Brattle Theater, where the Harmonix crew was hosting them for Rock Band night. When I arrived, I waited around for word that Ryan and co. had arrived, and approached him with my sketchy heavy backpack. It was like he had known me for years. He brought me up to the balcony where everyone was setting up, I poured beers for everyone, and we all started chatting. I have never met a group of guys that are more personable and in tune with their fans than the Giant Bomb crew, and Ryan is a shining example of a guy that can make you feel welcome instantly and talk to you like you've been friends forever on day one. At one point, I pulled him aside and asked him if he wanted me to head back downstairs for a few. I told him I didn't want to intrude. His response? "No no no, you're in now. You're good."
That's the welcoming bastard I love.
I don't want to get long winded, and I don't want to get hyperbolic, so I'm going to keep this to bullet points. These are things that Ryan Davis has done for me since that day when I sent him a twitter message:
- Welcomed me to the Giant Bomb/Whiskey Media family
- Introduced me to John Drake, Pope, Casey, and the rest of the Bomb crew, all of whom I consider friends
- Pimped my beer more than anyone
- Put me in touch with Joey Fameli from Tested, who I started a beer podcast with
- Introduced me to Pascual, Phil Reno, and the mod team, who I consider good friends
- Reached out to try and help get me a job when I lost my teaching position
- Remained endlessly supportive of my stupid brewing and dumb ideas, for which I am grateful
Ryan, wherever you are, know that when PAX East rolls around, I'll be brewing up a batch of this for the whole crew, and I'm gonna pour one out for you.
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