I could easily ask why kick him? why feel the need to kick someone that has cheated to hold onto "glory days"- who really cares? not me, but since you asked here you go...
well, I am not a billy fan but I will tell you why I do not loathe him but instead respect what he did back in the day and regret what he did too...
-he is human and ego/vanity got the best of him. Do I wish he would have just shook someone's hand (the next big DK player) and said that is awesome you are clearly the record holder and I respect that? Had a beer with them and talked strategy like only the best players can do? Yes I do wish he would have done that, but he did not. That was his choice, his life. My other thoughts below...
-clearly he was one of the best arcade players from the day when no one owned their own machine or MAME existed so I give him that. Even with MAME and a pacman sitting in my living room I cannot do what he can on that machine (pick a handful of classic games and I am sure he would totally toast 99% of anyone on this forum).
-the persona? IDK it never bothered me. I mean if I were really good at something like chess or whatever then Id be very confident in Chess situations / tournaments and would likely hang out at them. I think a lot is holdover from the heyday of arcades in the 80s.
- the MAME thing? I feel more sorry for him that he felt like he needed to do that. He did not need to do that and he only tarnished his reputation by trying to hold onto it. It was enough to be the best at DK back in the day- so I am sorry he felt the need to do that- but I dont hate him for it- I do feel like he should just come clean about it - (its like lance armstrong- he was arguably a great cyclist - better than 99% but for some reason that was not enough so he ruined his reputation too) Now with Billy there is at least the reality that the stuff he did back in the day (before MAME existed) was legit so I acknowledge it.
