To my fans,

As you know, I have struggled with health issues recently. The past few months have taken a toll specifically on my physical health and have left me generally fatigued. Right now, playing Melee amplifies those issues, and as you can imagine, I’m prioritizing my physical health above everything else right now so I don’t waste my time, your time, or anyone else’s time. Therefore, I have decided not to compete in The Big House 5. I understand that some of you may be disappointed, even angry in this decision, but I assure you that this was not an easy one to make. Let me be clear in saying that in I absolutely would have loved to compete at TBH5. Actually, I really, REALLY wanted to compete. But this is not entirely a matter of want. Juggleguy and his staff put on exceptional tournaments and they have been nothing but respectful to me about my plans and health. Yet, at the bottom line, I simply cannot compromise something that is more important than Melee: my well-being.

That being said, I am happy to say that my health has indeed improved. In fact, it’s improved enough to the point where I am ready to travel and attend events. Therefore, I am very excited to announce that while I will not be competing, I am still attending The Big House 5. This is the first step for me to eventually make my return and my way of expressing that I want to come to more tournaments and compete, but please understand I’m not quite there yet and this is the best option for me at this moment. All in-person attendees will still have the chance to meet me, say hello, grab photos and autographs, and engage with me in general fanfare. For those watching at home, I will be commentating at VGBootCamp on Friday and Saturday, and I’m also honored to be joining Tafo and Cactuar at ShowdownSmash for the Pre-Top 8 Melee Analyst Desk on Sunday. The least I can do is improve the tournament experience for those at the event and at home, and I feel like I can accomplish this right now through alternative ways that do not put my health at risk. I’m glad to simply be attending and participating in some capacity, rather than missing out completely.

Once again, I’m sorry to any and all fans of this beautiful game that I may have upset with this decision, but I hope that you understand where I’m coming from and I hope you enjoy this historic tournament. I know I will.

Kevin “PPMD” Nanney

To supporters of The Big House 5,

This was a joint decision between Kevin and myself, with both his and the event’s best interests in mind. I have been in contact with him over the past few weeks regarding his plans for TBH5, and we both came to the conclusion that attending but not competing was the option that made the most sense. The last thing we want to do is push a competitor further than they are physically able to go. Both my staff and I are happy to have Kevin on board, and we understand him not entering Melee Singles or Melee Doubles.

I also want to emphasize the fact that Kevin’s attendance will greatly enhance the tournament experience for all parties involved, even if he is not competing. I’m very glad he has decided to attend in some capacity, which will mostly be in the form of commentary blocks and fan outreach. Any fan of Smash will take solace in the fact that while Kevin is not actively competing, he is still going to be a large part of this tournament.

Help show your support for Kevin by letting us know how excited you are about his attendance! Tweet out or post about Kevin coming to The Big House with the hashtag #PPMDatTBH5. We look forward to seeing all of you in Michigan on October 2-4 in just over a week.

Robin “Juggleguy” Harn

If you’re as excited about The Big House 5 as I am, join the social media discussion! This year’s installment is set to take place on October 2-4, 2015 in Dearborn, MI.

#TBH5

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