I was the guy on the right (Sketch). After this tournament, I must have watched this video about 100 times. Seeing JSB play, me and Phataxel, another NYC player, were really influenced by his play style. He conserved energy really well and played very efficiently. After this tournament, me, Phataxel, and everyone we played with mimicked JSBs play style. There were multiple things happening for this tournament. It was upstate NY, and the best player in NY at the time, 123 Kid from NYC, was supposed to be there to contest with JSB. But he couldn't make it. The best upstate NY player, Reflex, was there, and back then I was good but not as good as Reflex or 123 Kid. When I played the qualifier for the main tournament, Paranoia Survivor, I got about 18-20 greats on it no bar (which was considered really good at the time). So that set the tone, and I implicitly wound up replacing 123 Kid as the NYC ambassador for this tournament. Me and Reflex tried to show out as much as we could. Me making it as far as I did, while seems like cake walk now, back then was considered damn near impossible by almost the entire DDR scene, especially without the bar. JSB had his moments, but from this tournament onward, he and I always got along. He stopped playing shortly after this, but I maintained communication with him and adopted a lot of his "DDR philosophies". He was by far the best player in the world when he played, and about a year and a half later, I was able to accomplish a lot of what he did and wound up being the best player in the world at the time, with matches, records and tournaments to prove. This was an amazing time to play music and dancing games. Especially this series of tournaments (the CSA tournaments) in Albany. Great times.
+Anthony Carella awesome stuff dude. great memories back when dance simulators were at their apex of popularity. yeah I guess because of ITG and all the stuff that's out there now, people forget the progression of difficulty. i had buddies show me this video and the Legend of Max video back in like 03 or 04 and I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing. didn't see anything like it at the local arcades. it's a shame you guys got robbed by that pad though! lol, you ever play any ITG tournaments?
Fascinating stuff. You always write a very complete summation of the situation on each of your videos and this little write up was excellent as well. I was actually thinking of doing a podcast series with interviews of past and present players, would you be interested in being on it?
With anything in life, it's hard to not compare yourself to others, that's human nature, hell even with a video game! However, I'm really not trying to sound cocky here, I find myself double and triple A'ing songs now a days to see people when I started start to shy away and I openly encourage them to play, asking how they got started, making them comfortable and overall explaining, "look we all start somewhere". I remember myself at a young age being taunted and I never wish to do that.
I was a really young age too (11-14) in my DDR days and I can say the Albany scene was generally very kind, going through these videos I can't remember anyone being mean to me. Not a lot of other girls played 10 footers like I did, and I was too short to use the bar, lol, never could AAA anything. But anytime I got frustrated failing a tough song, people encouraged me to take a break, we stayed hydrated, and some of the older players in college I can see now made an effort to look out for me.
@JSwanKilowJ The general pompous attitude I started to find creeping around arcades from other people is a huge reason I gave up DDR so long. I was extremely sick of this idea that somehow if you were good at a video game that you are an overall better person in life, and that includes the idea of openly degrading anyone else (based off of a game). I still play DDR today and I'm 25, I see people when I started a lot (15 ish or older) and I chat with them and encourage them. I don't want hate.
Man it seems like nowadays you can rarely find a decent cabinet. Or a cabinet at all...The only ITG2 machines near me are long gone because the places got rid of them, and the only DDRs are Supernovas and the pads are pretty shitty....Either way I wish I was as good as JSB was:D
I met JSB in person. Trying not to let the Internet get to him I tried to greet him with just a smile, and this is no joke, he punched me in the ribs stating, "fuckin' fag!" Look I know DDR isn't a sport, but seriously, why do that? I have never looked at the man the same since.
@MidnightSundowns I agree, I hate that cocky attitude. I started DDR when I was around 8 or 9. there were a few guys like you that tried to encourage me. but then there were straight assholes that made fun of me cause I couldn't AA Max 300...when I was 9, mind you. but as I got older & better, I began to become accepted. but I never put people down. you seem like a decent guy though, pretty cool.
@MidnightSundowns Hmmm....that's strange. I know he isn't the nicest guy in the world, but that seems a little overboard. I could kind of see him doing that now, but back then when he was a celebrity, I would think he would've expected to be known or recognized, especially at a DDR tournament. I've talked to him and he wasn't a prick to me. I don't know, it's just weird. I don't understand people.
@IIWantedII I'm glad you know what I mean but yeah it's starting to legit piss me off. I've been to 3 places that "have" them according to DDRfreak.com but no one bothered to delete the locations until I did, after I went there only to find they've been long gone. ugh! I just want a decent Extreme Machine with all the songs unlocked, and is one ITG2 Machine that's close to me too much to ask for?! It's fun to play in the arcade, and I'm somewhat sick of playing at home >_
LOL i can tell everytime they missed. Sadly that pad they were using was pure shit, you could tell by looking at their movements and clearly seeing they hit it but nothing happened. like at 1:32, how the fuck did they miss. JSB and the other guy (cant find a name for him even though i believe i've seen him before) are very good at the game, they just need quality pads and their good to go.
I was the guy on the right (Sketch). After this tournament, I must have watched this video about 100 times. Seeing JSB play, me and Phataxel, another NYC player, were really influenced by his play style. He conserved energy really well and played very efficiently. After this tournament, me, Phataxel, and everyone we played with mimicked JSBs play style.
There were multiple things happening for this tournament. It was upstate NY, and the best player in NY at the time, 123 Kid from NYC, was supposed to be there to contest with JSB. But he couldn't make it. The best upstate NY player, Reflex, was there, and back then I was good but not as good as Reflex or 123 Kid. When I played the qualifier for the main tournament, Paranoia Survivor, I got about 18-20 greats on it no bar (which was considered really good at the time). So that set the tone, and I implicitly wound up replacing 123 Kid as the NYC ambassador for this tournament. Me and Reflex tried to show out as much as we could. Me making it as far as I did, while seems like cake walk now, back then was considered damn near impossible by almost the entire DDR scene, especially without the bar.
JSB had his moments, but from this tournament onward, he and I always got along. He stopped playing shortly after this, but I maintained communication with him and adopted a lot of his "DDR philosophies". He was by far the best player in the world when he played, and about a year and a half later, I was able to accomplish a lot of what he did and wound up being the best player in the world at the time, with matches, records and tournaments to prove.
This was an amazing time to play music and dancing games. Especially this series of tournaments (the CSA tournaments) in Albany. Great times.
+Anthony Carella awesome stuff dude. great memories back when dance simulators were at their apex of popularity. yeah I guess because of ITG and all the stuff that's out there now, people forget the progression of difficulty. i had buddies show me this video and the Legend of Max video back in like 03 or 04 and I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing. didn't see anything like it at the local arcades. it's a shame you guys got robbed by that pad though! lol, you ever play any ITG tournaments?
What is JSB doing these days?? It's bee forever obviously, but haven't heard anything about the guy
Daniel Flaherty last I heard from him he was in school, heading the debate club and doing just fine in life. says he doesn't play anymore
That's awesome. Good for him, happy to hear it
Fascinating stuff. You always write a very complete summation of the situation on each of your videos and this little write up was excellent as well. I was actually thinking of doing a podcast series with interviews of past and present players, would you be interested in being on it?
I wish this was still popular lol.
Ya know, I feel as if I missed out on the era of ddr
Was great times!
With anything in life, it's hard to not compare yourself to others, that's human nature, hell even with a video game! However, I'm really not trying to sound cocky here, I find myself double and triple A'ing songs now a days to see people when I started start to shy away and I openly encourage them to play, asking how they got started, making them comfortable and overall explaining, "look we all start somewhere". I remember myself at a young age being taunted and I never wish to do that.
I was a really young age too (11-14) in my DDR days and I can say the Albany scene was generally very kind, going through these videos I can't remember anyone being mean to me. Not a lot of other girls played 10 footers like I did, and I was too short to use the bar, lol, never could AAA anything. But anytime I got frustrated failing a tough song, people encouraged me to take a break, we stayed hydrated, and some of the older players in college I can see now made an effort to look out for me.
the other player was Anthony Carella aka Sketch.
@JSwanKilowJ The general pompous attitude I started to find creeping around arcades from other people is a huge reason I gave up DDR so long. I was extremely sick of this idea that somehow if you were good at a video game that you are an overall better person in life, and that includes the idea of openly degrading anyone else (based off of a game). I still play DDR today and I'm 25, I see people when I started a lot (15 ish or older) and I chat with them and encourage them. I don't want hate.
Man it seems like nowadays you can rarely find a decent cabinet. Or a cabinet at all...The only ITG2 machines near me are long gone because the places got rid of them, and the only DDRs are Supernovas and the pads are pretty shitty....Either way I wish I was as good as JSB was:D
@jdivergh22 exactly. im sick and tired of all the places that have ddr machines (ddr extreme in particular) getting rid of them.
JBS must play DDR very frequently for him not to burn a hole in his leg from all of that.
I met JSB in person. Trying not to let the Internet get to him I tried to greet him with just a smile, and this is no joke, he punched me in the ribs stating, "fuckin' fag!" Look I know DDR isn't a sport, but seriously, why do that? I have never looked at the man the same since.
Damn.. Thats fucked up.. He must been going thru alot then to just do that. Imagine punching someone just because they smiled at u?!.... Yikes!
@@Pwilly1984 yeah Jsb was known to be rude in the ddr community, ultimately leaving the scene because of the hate apparently.
@@jijon805 so he could dish out the hate but couldn't take it.... typical...smh
He was a notorious asshole lol. But I still appreciate his contribution to the ddr community for the time.
@JSwanKilowJ Fiddlesticks National Tournament, Arizona 2003.
@MidnightSundowns
when did this happen?
@MidnightSundowns
I agree, I hate that cocky attitude. I started DDR when I was around 8 or 9. there were a few guys like you that tried to encourage me. but then there were straight assholes that made fun of me cause I couldn't AA Max 300...when I was 9, mind you. but as I got older & better, I began to become accepted. but I never put people down. you seem like a decent guy though, pretty cool.
@MidnightSundowns
Hmmm....that's strange. I know he isn't the nicest guy in the world, but that seems a little overboard. I could kind of see him doing that now, but back then when he was a celebrity, I would think he would've expected to be known or recognized, especially at a DDR tournament. I've talked to him and he wasn't a prick to me. I don't know, it's just weird. I don't understand people.
@KuzonFilms Yes, he is
is that really JSB?
@IIWantedII I'm glad you know what I mean but yeah it's starting to legit piss me off. I've been to 3 places that "have" them according to DDRfreak.com but no one bothered to delete the locations until I did, after I went there only to find they've been long gone. ugh! I just want a decent Extreme Machine with all the songs unlocked, and is one ITG2 Machine that's close to me too much to ask for?! It's fun to play in the arcade, and I'm somewhat sick of playing at home >_
LOL i can tell everytime they missed. Sadly that pad they were using was pure shit, you could tell by looking at their movements and clearly seeing they hit it but nothing happened. like at 1:32, how the fuck did they miss. JSB and the other guy (cant find a name for him even though i believe i've seen him before) are very good at the game, they just need quality pads and their good to go.
pad shit son.