My thoughts on the change and the future

[DoctaJ]

I was drawn to this community because I was a 'noob' in all respects of the word when it came to cigars. I was just getting my feet wet and saw this forum as a great way to gain some knowledge on what I was getting into. I never expected that this was but the tip of the iceberg on what I was going to gain by being here. I was amazed at all the great people that were here and the brotherhood that you gain in being apart of this forum. I couldn't believe it when I got bombed by a fellow BOTL with cigars because he said I was in need of more cigars to tryout. The bomb as I later learned it was called was such a great show of genirosity that I knew this place was going to be my home for cigars for a long time. I have also gone through cigar passes, blind taste tests and also winning a contest and hosting one of my own as a show of appreciation for this board.

Now it seems changes are on the way and some people see this as the harbinger of the demise of this board. I just want to say that I will be here when the changeover occurs and I hope many of the fellow gorillas here will as well. What makes this community great in my opinion is not the name at the top of the page or the layout, but the people who call it home. The people who post and make up the cigar passes and give the great feedback is what makes this a great place to me. I will continue to stay here in the hopes that this brotherhood that I see before me stays strong. I hope a lot of you here feel the same way so that we can keep this brotherhood of Club Stogie going strong. We are all BOTL here...and we will be the same BOTL when the change occurs.

To Jon, I hope you do your part to keep the tight community feel when all sites become consolidated into one. This community feel is what made Club Stogie such a great forum and why it prospered. If you do this, you will see that this place will award you with its allegiance and continued use of the boards (and puff.com as a whole).

To Paul, thank you many times over for creating this great place I call home. I hope you don't feel for a second that you 'sold us' out by passing the website on. Business is business and you have nothing to hold your head down about. You made a meeting place for many BOTL from around the world and it turned into what it did in large part because of your guidance.


-Jeff

[mrreindeer]

Well said Jeff.

I had the pleasure of spending a blip on the timeline with both Jon & Paul (no George & Ringo) on Saturday evening during Jon's Puff.com Meet & Greet in Vegas. It was my first time meeting these fellas, in fact, even the first time interacting with Paul (pds).

I had a great time and it was a very nice thing for Jon to do for his fellow BOTL/SOTL. Understandably as a businessman, he was in Vegas to spread word about his endeavor and was sporting a cool Puff.com bowling shirt and passing out hats and shirts displaying the new logo (and our little Puffer has grown up...the shirts look bada$$...check 'em out in the pics from the event this weekend). We were also given cigars and drink. It was just a very nice and generous gesture and I had the opportunity to chat (albeit brief because I know he had to talk to a bunch of folk) with him for a few minutes. Nothing serious, nothing deep, but we enjoyed our smoke & drink together; I also met his wife. They both seem like very good, genuine people and I'm quite confident that he won't let us down and I'm proud to call them friends.

Paul....what can I say about Paul. Most of you (I think) know him better than I do. I knew Paul as the man, the myth, the legend, the creator of Club Stogie. I only knew him from what I heard through the grapevine. I had heard he was a swell guy. But you know, as Aaron (ArnaudDMR) and I chatted with him for a good hour at the V Bar, I felt an immediate connection with this fella. I really enjoyed shooting the breeze with him, learning about how he started up Club Stogie, also sharing with him that mrsreindeer & I are going to be entering into the same IVF (Invitro-Fertilization) process that he and his wife did 7 years ago.

Paul knows that I appreciate CS so very much and he was very gracious in apologizing to my wife for the amount of time CS takes me away from her. Anyway, I respect him completely for his decision and stand behind him 100%. Jon too.

I'm here for the longhaul.

[DoctaJ]

Originally Posted by mrreindeer

They both seem like very good, genuine people and I'm quite confident that he won't let us down and I'm proud to call them friends.

Good to know

[joncaputo]

Thanks guys. I am going to do my best not to let any of you down..