The DGNR8 Chronicles

In the same "debate" with Ravens fan Tenacious Faulk where Ryan modified TF's screen name, TF unknowingly asked Ryan if he was familiar with "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu.  It probably took Ryan all of five minutes to craft this reply . . .

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I realize that you don't know me personally at all, but it's still completely hilarious that you want to talk Sun Tzu with me! Am I familiar with Sun Tzu?? Oh....you could say that....

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Really? Are you sure that that is the most famous? Or is it just the first one you came across in your Google search? How about this one:

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

How well do you really know your enemy, Flake? How well do you really know yourself? It's obvious that you don't know me, so how can you expect to prevail in this?

Or this one:

The victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.

It's like I'm holding up a mirror for you, isn't it?

or, another wording of the gem that Mano threw at you:

To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

Is it not in this theme that I befriend those who you call my "enemies"? Do I not profit more in discussions with them by gaining their respect and giving them the same in return than you do in attacking?

Hell, while we're talking phi-los-o-phy, let's break out some Miyamoto Musashi too!

"from one thing, know ten thousand things"

I've learned more than one thing from these Steelers fans that I "cuddle up all nice and cozy with". You, you're too busy trying to be the teacher.

"Know your enemy, know his sword."

We all know your sword by now, Justlovesto Talk. It cuts both ways, and does not serve you as a tool, but you it.

This is fun!! How about some Lao Tzu next?

Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.

Hmmmmm.....who here could that apply to?


Man's enemies are not demons, but human beings like himself.

You see that Hellacious Squawk? Steelers fans aren't demons!! Who'da thunk it???


Ah well......enough of the asian masters words. We're probably waaaaay past your reading comprehension level by now anyway.


Category: General

Read through some of Ryan's posts and found some really funny one-lines I thought I'd share with everyone. In no particular order:

After hearing SB was a journalism major …

Heres the thing though...... Doesn't a journalism degree automatically turn you into a Derek Anderson fan? After Mano’s classic “I love me some Cox” statement …

Wow, Mano.......

I would say something about putting your foot in your mouth with that statement, but it appears it's something OTHER than a foot! When someone questions Cox’s durability …

Lyman, bb, you guys got any input on this? I'm betting that those guys know of a prescription pill that can keep up Coxs' intensity levels . and allow him to lay the wood over and over again. Hell, it probably doesn't even violate the substance abuse policy. After an incredibly long post with no paragraph breaks (one of my favs) …

I made it to the word "Browns" before my eyes mutanied. Sorry. On the bright side, I think you may have invented the ultimate torture. Anyone who could get through that block-o-hell probably couldn't do it with their sanity intact. After I made the mistake of admitting that I didn’t get his nickname. It didn’t matter that it was in Mano’s thread about the spelling of his nickname. Any chance he got to bury me he took …

Leave it how it is, bro.

It's you, it's been you for years and, even though it was initially a mistake, it adds flavor (flavour), and character. It really doesn't make much difference one way or the other, anyway. I mean, mine is capitalized also and even if it weren't 99% of the geniuses on here STILL wouldn't realize that it says "degenerate"  (That one was for you, beach!)

After Gidions’ proposed trade of DGNR8 for Bernie Rotten …

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA! Hold on here a darn minute!

While I'm flattered (kind of. I think I'm worth a LOT more than Bernie. You should at LEAST have to toss in a FOT or a SteelPumpkin. Wink ), unfortunately I do have a "no trade clause" in my contract. Sorry, guys.

My Cutler-esque feelings (read that as vag ina) are now hurt though that the Browns would want to trade me in the first place. While I will not be demanding a trade, I may very well skip OTAs and hold out for a bigger contract.

(psst....I heard the Bengals were looking to move Dknow....just saying. )

After the Santonio Holmes trade …

The objective side of me wants to say: Damn. Sorry for your loss. You guys got RAPED!

The Browns fan in me wants to say: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

A!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so confused.




Category: NFL

I found the link to this group via a post that Lyman had made and wanted to first and foremost commend all of you who chose to do this in honor of Ryan's memory.  Being a fairly recent addition to this website, I didn't have the opportunity to get to know Ryan as well as some of the rest of you but as testament to the impact that he had on all of us, regardless of how long or how well we knew him, I'd like to share a private message that I exchanged with Mano a few days after I heard this terrible news. 

Dear Mano,

One thing that I didn't share in my most recent post in this thread because I considered it to be somewhat selfish and corny is that, at one point, I had made a post on here talking about how I was frustrated with the lack of responses and ratings I was being given for some of my posts where I did my best to be knowledgeable (I'm a young guy, only 31) and was even considering not posting here anymore as a result.  Ryan's response to me in that thread, and I don't say this to be melodramatic after the fact, was literally the only thing that kept me posting here...

And I went on to be voted by my fellow Steelers fans as "Rookie of The Year" for the 2009 season.

Some of you knew him far better than I did, but my heart breaks for all of you, for this tragic situation, and for the hardship and adversity that this will pose for his two young sons.  I might often be nothing more than a comic relief on here for some of my posts but I'm also a genuinely good person and to see grown men whom I respect (as posters and fellow fans) reduced to tears over this situation has tugged my own heart strings.

Please keep me informed of any kind of fund etc that is being raised in his name for the sake of him and his sons and even though I'm not the most successful or wealthy person in the world, I will do what I can to contribute to it.

Thanks man and God bless. 

A good portion of my interactions with Ryan/DG were in private messages because, as indicated above, I was a little frustrated at one point on here feeling like kind of an "outsider" to the friendship groups that many of you had developed.  I'll scroll through my posts to try and find exactly what Ryan said, but his comments and periodic "check ins" via pm meant alot to me particularly since I was a little confused at the time and am a fairly young guy who is new to this whole messageboard experience.  As part of his encouragement, Ryan told me he went through the same thing when he first joined this site.  So, not only do we all know him for his witty banter, but this was another side to DG that I was fortunate enough to know and that I'm sure those of you who knew him best already knew in regards to his character.

All of you have been a real class act in the aftermath of this heart breaking tragedy and I hold each of you in the utmost regard and esteem for the genuine dignity and compassion that you all have demonstrated.

For the first time in my life, the Browns are going to be my second favorite team in the NFL this year. 

RIP Ryan.

Category: General

I just wanted to share one of my favorite memories of DG and that was the constant Rick Rolling. He would do it every chance he got on Youtube. He would get so into it he would just seem to know which links were legit and which were boogeys.

Anyway, just felt like sharing that.

Category: NFL

In October of  last year, Wahoo Jake put up a pair of Browns tickets to the bengals game as a prize for the best essay about why Eric Mangini should be fired.  Here is Ryan's winning assay;

Why Eric Mangini should be fired immediately 

• He has taken the joy from my Sundays.
• He is Romeo Crennel disguised as a less fat white dude.
• $1701 is way too much for water, even in this economy.
• He has ripped out my heart, thrown it to the ground, and shat upon it.
• He made Jake forget to post a betting line this week.
• He makes activities such as root canals, paying bills, pressing my face against a belt sander, or holding a conversation with my ex wife less painful than watching my beloved Browns.
• Derek Anderson sucks.
• Browns fans deserve a better product than this egomaniac provides.

There ya go Jake. 100 words exactly (if you count $1701 as a single word ). If the consolation prize is a Derek Anderson jersey, just keep it. I just bought toilet paper.

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Ryan and his son, Jaiden, attended that game.  The photos I saw of them were priceless.

Category: General