Memories of your first ranked game?

I'll never forget the feeling of queuing up for my first ever ranked game, which also happened to be my first draft game. It was back in season 1, no real meta was defined at this point, people went to random lanes with whatever champion you happened to be playing. It was already an intense moment when I joined the queue; the original champion select music was playing, everyone was talking in lobby and discussing who we'd be playing and in what lane. Playing league up to that point was fun, but there was something about it being ranked that made it that much more intense...as if the outcome of this match could have somehow determined the course of my life afterwards; in a sense, my life depended on it.

I picked Kog'maw with ghost and flash (this was before Lux was ever released) and we decided that I'd go top. Waiting for the loading screen to finish was agony. This was no normal match of league, this was ranked; it was serious business. I honestly don't think I've ever focused so hard on a game in my life. I tried my absolute hardest to get every last CS I could without losing my lane, and did my best to pick up kills when I could, but it wasn't enough. The other lanes were losing, and I didn't have the knowledge at the time to do anything about it until it was too late. Slowly, but surely, the enemy pushed into our base and took down our objectives one by one. After all the effort I put into that match, it just didn't matter. We ended up losing that game.

It's amazing how much I've learned and how many things have changed and been added / removed in this time....and it's -really- amazing that a company was able to make a game that has kept my interest for what is now almost 9 years, and it continues to keep me entertained after all this time. I have so many good memories of the past, and I'm looking forward to making more in the future. Here's to another 9 years Riot. -clinks glasses together- (That doesn't make much sense now that I think about it. I don't drink.)

Anyone else have any stories they wish to share? I like reminiscing :P.