To: The coL Community (a/k/a ‘radicoLs’ thanks to the new coL.cs)
From: Grandpa Jake
I hope this letter finds you all well and 2009 has been a year full of blessings and success. It’s been awhile since I addressed the coL Nation so I thought this wonderful Christmas season would be a good time
The last twelve months have been very interesting for compLexity. Challenging, invigorating and constantly changing. This time last year we had no website, no players, no sponsors and only a renewed hope and vision left to continue our legacy. Those were challenging times to say the least. I was newly unemployed (first time in my life) and struggling to figure out what direction, if any, our beloved Syndicate should take in 2009. I spent much of the holiday season working with devoted friends (like IMG) on our new website and exploring options for the future. It was a sad time as we had lost friends of years past but also an exciting time because the future was once again wide open and full of options and promise.
Once the new year had dawned I secured the commitment and loyalty of two of my closest friends to help me lead The Syndicate into the future. Jason “Anomoly” Bass and Alex “JaX” Conroy came on board as committed co-owners and were eager to re-build our mighty organization. Their friendship, loyalty, hard work and vision have proven invaluable. This was the invigorating time. A new sense of passion and hope helped energize me to stay the course and “keep on chuggin.” One thing my father always taught me proved to be true: Surround yourself with quality people and you are sure to succeed. Jason and Alex have proven to be Godsends for me and for compLexity. Without their optimism, hard work and dedication 2009 may have been the year our venerated group came to an end. I am grateful beyond words for what they have contributed.
One of the major hurdles facing us in the early part of the year was a financial one. After spending two years completely immersed in CGS we had lost touch with the companies and sponsors that support “independent” eSports. Most fans have no idea how much money it takes to operate a gaming organization of our caliber and securing the needed funds in a short time frame was a daunting task. Our new management brotherhood had many late night stress-filled meetings about this challenge. I can’t lie- I said quite a few prayers. Then, like the old ‘knight-on-a-white-horse-riding-across-the-beach’ Creative stepped up to the plate. Their financial assistance proved invaluable in 2009 as did the support of our other sponsors: NationVoice, XFX, G8 and PureTrak. I had the privilege of meeting with Ryan of Creative over Blizzcon. I was trying to express my appreciation to him but I wasn’t finding the right words. Finally I put my arm around his shoulder and said, “Ryan, you and Creative saved a dream. That’s something special. Thank you.” Only then did I believe he understood the true depth of my appreciation. Thanks to all our sponsors. If you support compLexity and what we’ve stood for over the years, please buy their products.
And of course, 2009 was a year of many changes. It took us a bit of effort, time and patience to find what we believe is a true coL.cs roster. Despite the challenges of college these guys have persevered and have finished the year as a global top 10 team. We have stuck with traditional eSports titles like CS, Quake, WoW and FIFA and moved into the newer titles like TF2 and Madden. Rebuilding is never an easy thing and mistakes will be made. 
That being said, I’m extremely proud of the players who wear the compLexity jersey and am honored to have them as a part of our family. I’m also grateful for the hard work of our staff over the past year. Often times they were underpaid and under appreciated during these challenging times. Some have come and gone but many have stayed loyal and have contributed to the dream for little or no payment. Many of them have contributed despite the fact that 2009 saw me contribute the least amount of time to the website that I ever have. Thanks guys. I see everything you do and I appreciate it.
What a year! Challenging, invigorating and constantly changing. But most years are made of such things. They are the ingredients that keep life interesting and they develop us into wiser human beings. We live and learn and we tackle challenges the best way we can. The same is true for compLexity. Long ago the dream took on a personality of her own. Those of us lucky enough to be involved (past and present) are just chapters in her never ending story. The true story is written by the last group I would like to thank: YOU. The fans. The real reason compLexity is something special is you. Thanks for your support. Thanks for stopping by the site, cheering for the squads and standing up for us in the sometimes ugly forums of gaming. We appreciate you. Thanks.
As I listen to my kids playing and think about all the blessings God has given me I am very thankful during this holy time. I am also very optimistic. 2010 will be a spectacular year for compLexity and 2011 will be even better. We have exciting plans that will energize our loyal fans and shock our hateful detractors. I will personally be way more involved over the next year. 
I plan on attending the majority of events to support the wonderful work JaX has done and I will be way more involved with the website. We will renew our RAK efforts and expand our reach broader than ever before. Hold on tight- it’s going to be a wild ride.
Now that this letter has gotten longer than the fat guy’s naughty list in Vegas, I will bring it to a close. However, I want to address one final thing that is very important to me. I would like to publicly apologize to Alex Garfield for the harsh things I said a year ago. I’ve always considered myself to be a “call ‘em as I see ‘em” type of guy. However, often times it’s wiser to take a deep breath and really think things over before we speak. The picture is usually much larger than we initially see when we are emotionally hurt and angry. I wish the very best to Alex and all of Team EG over this holiday season.
Thanks again for all your support over the years. I know I’ve been a bit “hands off’ during the past nine months but those days are over. Get ready for an exciting compLexity in 2010. She has redefined the evolution of sport in this decade and will do so even more in the next. I know you’re going to love what we have coming.
Merry Christmas and God bless you and your family,
Jake