[hscmit]

Originally Posted by OLS

I have to say as a totally external player here, that this thread is most useful as a in or out thread.
I take pride in this forum for what it is, and that is better than every other single forum I have ever
looked at much less joined. I understand that there are opinons on all sides of the spectrum,
but I can't see bashing a person for being a good businessman who also makes good products.
If this industry was filled with Rocky Patels, there'd be something to holler about. Rocky started
out so pure and then became the CLASSIC case of Cigar Ahole. 50 different useless cigar blends, all of them
suffering from too much $hi+ to control syndrome. The industry needs Pete and Orlando and Pepin and Drew.
They TRY. Again, I will try after this to stay out of it, because I was sitting down with Croatan and Beagleone
in Dallas and they started talking about Pete Johnson and I said "Who?" and they both laughed and told me
he was the Tatuaje guy, and I said "Tatoowhat?" Actually the second part I knew. I made that up just now.
But I think we are better than this as a group. I understand all of the opinions, but on the whole again, I think
he is much better for the industry than most, and for as many idiot's hands as he has to shake a year, he still
manages to get out there and rub elbows with the roundheads and keep a smile on his face. I don't hate Bill
Gates for being a billionaire. I respect him for inventing $hit+ that allows me to make a living in my pajamas if
I want to.

well said