Story behind your avatar

W8taminute · January 19, 2024, 08:37:55 AM

So I noticed a lot of people have some really cool avatars. I often try to picture what the person looks like in real life based off of their avatar. Why not post a quick reason why you chose the image you use to represent yourself?

I used to change my avatar a lot back in the day but for now I've settled on my current one of a Romulan commander. He represents a code of honor that even as an enemy of the Federation you have to admire.

See video below:

Tripoli · January 19, 2024, 09:18:08 AM

My avatar is the USS SARATOGA (CV-60), which was the best ship I ever served on. Not even close. I'm one of the dots on the flight deck.

Gusington · January 19, 2024, 09:18:52 AM

I look exactly like my avatar. All the time.

It is also the art from Faith No More's single A Small Victory off of the 1992 album Angel Dust, one of my favorite tracks and albums ever.

During college I had a huge version of this image on my wall. I cherished that poster - I had that and a giant Nine Inch Nails poster that The Wife ultimately made me get rid of

The video for A Small Victory takes place during the First World War - what the lyrics/title mean I never really figured out. But everything else makes more sense to me as I get older.

Except for The Wife getting rid of the actual poster. Not that I'm bitter or anything

Jarhead0331 · January 19, 2024, 09:26:41 AM

Halloween 2015-ish.

Tripoli · January 19, 2024, 09:32:02 AM

You're such a tease. You aren't showing what's strapped to your right thigh....

Jarhead0331 · January 19, 2024, 09:37:27 AM

^Have to leave some things to the imagination!

ArizonaTank · January 19, 2024, 09:58:49 AM

In addition to military history, my other great interest is US sports history, particularly baseball and football.

I usually try to put someone or a group in my avatar who would have been very well known in their time, but now, are almost forgotten.

So I've had the "Four Horsemen" (the offensive backfield) of the 1927 undefeated Notre Dame football team.

Also, the baseball defensive combo of "Tinker to Evers to Chance" on the Chicago Cubs helped the team win four National League championships and two World Series from 1906 to 1910. A famous poem at the time immortalized the combo (Joe Tinker - Shortstop, Johnny Evers - 2nd Base, Frank Chance - 1st Base).

My current avatar is of Honus Wagner, the best baseball player that almost nobody knows these days. He even had a hand in early professional basketball. He had incredible talent and physicality. Perhaps nobody knows him because he was never controversial, was even tempered and humble. He was hard working, and the kind of guy anyone would want to have a drink with; but he was also a baseball superstar. But he was not a push-over. There is a story (possibly apocryphal) that when threatened by Ty Cobb's spikes, Wagner stepped aside and tagged Cobb with the ball to Cobb's face: Cobb was out with a split lip.

I probably will change my avatar soon. But again, sports history. Maybe Eisenhower or Bradley, who both played on the 1912 Army team.

Jarhead0331 · January 19, 2024, 10:04:02 AM

Quote from: ArizonaTank on January 19, 2024, 09:58:49 AMI probably will change my avatar soon. But again, sports history. Maybe Eisenhower or Bradley, who both played on the 1912 Army team.

How about Ted Williams. I have the book, "The Wingmen" on reserve at my local library. It's about the lifelong friendship and bond that developed between John Glenn and Ted Williams, both Marine aviators who served together in the Korean War.

ArizonaTank · January 19, 2024, 10:46:01 AM

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 19, 2024, 10:04:02 AM
Quote from: ArizonaTank on January 19, 2024, 09:58:49 AMI probably will change my avatar soon. But again, sports history. Maybe Eisenhower or Bradley, who both played on the 1912 Army team.

How about Ted Williams. I have the book, "The Wingmen" on reserve at my local library. It's about the lifelong friendship and bond that developed between John Glenn and Ted Williams, both Marine aviators who served together in the Korean War.

Ted Williams is definitely in the queue! Batted .406 in 1941, with lifetime average of .344 and 521 home runs. Not to mention his 39 combat missions as a Marine Corps fighter pilot in Korea. Including a crash landing after his plane was hit by shrapnel over enemy territory.

Gusington · January 19, 2024, 11:16:59 AM

Is it true that Williams' head is cryogenically frozen somewhere, at his own request?

ArizonaTank · January 19, 2024, 11:27:02 AM

Quote from: Gusington on January 19, 2024, 11:16:59 AMIs it true that Williams' head is cryogenically frozen somewhere, at his own request?

Yes and No? Not clear if that is what he wanted, but something his son wanted. I think his head may be separated but his body is frozen along with the head.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ted-williams-frozen-in-two-pieces/

Gusington · January 19, 2024, 11:47:16 AM

Hahaha wow

Silent Disapproval Robot · January 19, 2024, 06:44:46 PM

SirAndrewD · January 19, 2024, 06:48:00 PM

Short version. I trained AI on my face and produced this abomination.

Long version. I used to have an avatar of myself as an Imperial officer and my ex wife as a lady Han Solo that was drawn for us by a not unknown artist of my exes acquaintance. She made us Christmas cards every year and that was one of them.

After the divorce I briefly replaced her head with an Ewok her but then (wrongly based on her behavior since) felt that was far too petty and fed a lot of images of myself into AI and there we go.

al_infierno · January 19, 2024, 06:53:22 PM

My avatar is the look on my face when I play wargames.

Really though, does anyone not know the story behind my ava?

It's Hugh Laurie as a leftenant in WWI, from the pilot episode of Blackadder Goes Forth. I managed to get just the perfect still image when he's looking at Blackadder's painting, and haven't had the desire for any other avatar since.