Icebrand1270 (OohYeah127) welcomes you to The Trophy Arena -- DIG IT!!! (Under Construction)

[Icebrand1270]

THE TROPHY ARENA

by Icebrand1270 (aka OohYeah127)

 

Welcome one and all!

My real name is Andreas. I'm a 44-year-old male from Staten Island, the smallest of New York City's "5 Boroughs" (more on that later).

 

The best way to describe myself? I'm a highly complicated individual who overcame plenty of struggles (and still does) to make an unconventional way in the modern world.

At age 2 (1982) I was diagnosed with mental illness with a diagnosis that isn't used anymore (and I won't share because it borders on an offensive slur). These days you usually don't see child psychologists working on toddlers... but that was the case then. Since then I've been through the wringer: other outdated diagnoses, medicines that made things worse, adults that accused me of lying about my condition because I was "too smart to be sick" (popular stereotype of old) and those that took years to understand my "situation". I'm officially diagnosed as schizo-affective and have been for years. Much of my past is a "murky" place... best not to get lost in it.

In more recent years physical ailments added to the list. I suffer from severe varicose veins in the feet and ankles and I've suffered 6 ruptures from 2010-2020. I've needed everything from medical grade tourniquets on the spot to blood transfusions at the hospital to save me after these "incidents". Cheating death changes a person in every way imaginable.

But I will say this: do not cry for me. I have done some things in my life that few have gotten the chance to.

Back in 2008, I took trips every Saturday to New Jersey (the next state over for you Non-Americans here) to East Coast Pro Wrestling's Gym and Offices. It was there that I learned to do ring announcing and commentary. After 6 months of training, I was booked for shows. At the time, the company was expanding to do more shows in other states, such as New York and Pennsylvania (which is how I learned about them). I became the first-ever ECPW 5 Boros Commissioner on January 24 of 2009, just 3 days before my 29th birthday (best present ever... and just my 4th show). The promoter, Gino Caruso, brings many former big-leaguers around to help us who are healthy enough to wrestle (and if we are smart, we can learn quite a few things from them).

I've made friends and enemies alike for 16 years... and 2024 shall be my last. Now I have memories. What else matters?

 

My Hometown

As previously stated, I come from Staten Island, the smallest of New York City's 5 Boroughs. Often referred to as "The Forgotten Borough" (although some of the damage is self-inflicted I'm ashamed to say), it has good and bad like any other. It is best-known for 2 landmarks: the Verrazano Bridge and the Staten Island Ferry. The Verrazano Bridge, built in 1964, connects Staten Island with Brooklyn and is busy 24-7.  The Staten Island Ferry works the 5-Mile distance between Staten Island and Manhattan and is both a tourist attraction and the "workhorse" of NYC's mass transit system.

There is plenty bad about Staten Island... but also good as well. With gang violence and violence in the subway system rising in recent years, visiting NYC can be risky. (There are zero subway lines in Staten Island due to being so far away from Manhattan... but plenty of buses that never arrive on time). The pizza is every bit as incredible as advertised and there are underrated museums (that go under the radar because they aren't in Manhattan). Some call us the "Borough of Parks" due to having more of the "Greenbelt" than any other Borough (Much of it being ravines and marshes where houses can't be built. Some want roads there... I say good luck finding a speeding car wreck in a ravine if you get your wish.)

There are some "hidden treasures" in my hometown that have steadily grown more popular in the last few years. (A good thing too as this town... and the planet... has enough negativity.) My sister enjoys the St George Theater, a popular place for comedy acts and other theater and music, which is a few blocks from the Staten Island Ferry.

I have 2 favorite places myself. Staten Island has one of the Top 100 bowling centers in the USA (Rab's Country Lanes), an old-school lane that distinguishes itself with exceptional quality and plenty of childrens charity work. (It's there where I learned the nickname "Karaoke Man", which became my nickname in the ECPW locker room... but they don't do that there anymore.)

The other is SIUH Community Ballpark, located a few blocks from the Staten Island Ferry. This is the home of an independent pro baseball team known as the Staten Island FerryHawks, who were established in 2022 and "inherited" the ballpark from a short-season minor league team when short-season leagues were eliminated by MLB to "streamline" pro baseball at the end of 2019. Back in the 90s, the New York Yankees and New York Mets signed a waiver to allow short-season teams to enter NYC without violating the "15-mile encroachment rule" (Staten Island Yankees and Brooklyn Cyclones). When short-season leagues were done away with after 2019 during a radical realignment of the minor leagues (and highly controversial), the Staten Island Yankees disbanded (the Brooklyn Cyclones are a High-A affiliate of the Mets now). With the waiver still in place, an independent pro baseball league called the Atlantic League was eager to expand their horizons and an eager group of successful businessmen formed the ownership of the Staten Island FerryHawks, beginning play in 2022. (Winning percentage and per-game attendance has been an uphill battle but hope springs eternal.) The ballpark's primary feature is its close proximity to the Staten Island Ferry, giving it a spectacular view of the New York Harbor. (Not to mention daring powerful hitters to lob home runs into the water as well as the wind blows then back... SPLASHDOWN!!!)

I'm sure I've said more than enough to bore you to tears. I just hope each and every one of you find something good about your hometown in spite of the negatives, just as I have.

 

 

Gaming History

I first gamed on my father's Atari 2600 as a mere 1-Year-Old toddler. My first game was Freeway (Activision's version of Frogger) where the player had to help a chicken cross 10 lanes of highway traffic. (Activision had some... unusual games for Atari 2600 in those days.) My first console was the NES in 1989, closely followed by the Game Boy in 1990. My first "beaten" game was Super Mario Land (Game Boy).

Other owned systems were/are the SNES, N64, GBA, PS1, GameCube, PS2, DS, PS3, PSP, Vita, PS4, Switch and PS5.

As for trophy hunting, how did I end up in this style of gaming? I'm not entirely sure. I see it as a natural extension of the "high score" of old... but I'm far from conventional. I've done it all... from the tough grinds to the quick shovelware. (At least I admit I have a shovelware thing.) I'm not your classic "MP Hater" that most trophy hunters are. I also don't show fear of grinding or shun collectible trophies. It's probably more foolish than bold... but there you have it.

 

 

Trophy Time!!!

 

Total Platinum Trophies: 226

 

2017-2018

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2021

 

 

2022

 

 

2023

 

 

2024

 

 

 

REST COMING SOON!!!

NO comments until Checklist is complete.

 

 

 

Edited April 15 by Icebrand1270

[Icebrand1270]

4 minutes ago, 1eudnu_tsedom said:

fucking legend. keep it up man

The rest is coming. I have 226 Platinums and many thoughts on how to deliver this. I have good stuff, shovelware stuff, "1st in the World" (you know that will be prominent), and so on. The intro was... a bit tiring... and there will be more after the Plats *evil laugh*

[MidnightDragon]

Nice start so far!