Thank you Yanier Niero Gonzalez

5:37 PM on 03.16.2007   |   Hamza CTZ Aziz

90 comments

On top of it being Destructoid's one year anniversary today, it also happens to be the boss mans birthday today. We at Destructoid all agree that we are truly lucky and fortunate to be working for not only the best site on the Internets, but for the greatest boss any of us have ever had. What better birthday gift can a person get than to publicly show gratitude and affection?

Hamsa "Cybernetic Tiger Z" Aziz 

Niero, I will never ever stop thanking you enough for the oppourtunity you have given me. I have never meet anyone as trusthworthy as you in my life. You always put everyone else ahead of yourself and have sacrificed so much to keep the site going. I was a just a random Internet lurcker when you gave me a job working for you and the site back in June. The amount of progress we have seen the site go through together is mind boggling. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything you have done.  

Brad "Dick McVengeance" Rice

Yaniero, you've been an amazing boss so far. You managed to turn what I always enjoyed as a hobby, and dreamed of doing as a little kid into something that could actually be a career path for me. I never dreamed of anything happening back in the day when I was one of the two dozen people ranting in the forums. God damn, that was back in July! It feels like I've been here forever.

I guess the only criticism I could have is that this yob takes away from my video-game playing time. Looking back, though, I'm perfectly happy to have sacrificed playing God of War in order to get to know the man behind the helmet. Keep kicking ass as the best boss on the Internets.

Dale North

Niero: Thank you so much for letting me be a part of this amazing community that you've created. I sent you an email a long time ago about one little thing I suggested, and before I knew it I was part of the family, contributing to all three Web sites. Since then, some amazing opportunities have come from my involvement with Destructoid, and I'm forever grateful. So I'll say it again: thank you so much for giving me the chance to be a part of it all - I'm damned proud to be a member of your team. You've been so great. I don't know how you manage to oversee this all, but you do, and you do it with style. 

Robert Summa 

Niero,

I can't say thank you enough for the opportunity you were able to give me. Having been so unhappy at Joystiq and needing a home that actually "got" what video game news and views were supposed to be about has been something like a gold mine to me. I can't imagine ever working for anyone else ever again. I'm truly in it to win it and owe you everything for allowing me to continue my dream and also try and take Destructoid to the top of the video game media pile. You and I, there's no stopping us now.

Earnest "Nex" Cavalli

Niero, the effort and work you put into the site is utterly stunning. I wouldn’t at all be surprised if your ancestral village created myths about a little banana spider that could, based on your exploits. Of course, the spider would eventually be found on a shipping dock in New Jersey and squished by a longshoreman, but you get the idea. I guess my point is that you should NEVER go to New Jersey.

In all seriousness, though, in a world where I utterly despise SO MANY people, you’re one of the very few I look up to. Hell, you’re on my MySpace ‘heroes’ section along with Sergey Brin and Martin Sargent! Without actually fellating you, I’m not sure how one can show greater respect in our e-world.

Nick "Brutal" Chester

Who would have guessed that a guy who made a robot helmet with the sole purpose of terrorizing E3 would have come this far?

Your hard work has paid off with success and has changed all of our live. It's been pleasure to work with you and I can't see where it takes us all next.

Happy Birthday, Niero (and Dtoid) -- you're my favorite (and only) boss who can look good in a suit while wearing a robot helmet. Just don't throw up on me in Miami.

Mike "Savant" Ferry

Niero gave me the chance to achieve my once life's dream in a fashion that I never had thought about before. He's been nothing short of amazing when it comes down to supporting his crew and truly someone who would do anything for them. Destructoid's growing success is based on a lot of factors and a number of people. However, Niero is certainly one of the big reasons why it has gone so far.

Without our Robot-in-Chief, we would be nothing more than a ragtag band of freelancers, searching for a true identity in the industry. You know, it's truly amazing what can happen when you put on a 20-some pound helmet made from air conditioner and auto parts...

I guess all I'm really trying to say here is I owe Niero endless thanks for all he has done for me and the rest of us. Congrats on Dtoid's success, and well wishes to you in the future. NIERO AND DTOID FOR THE WIN."

Aaron Linde 

Niero, I met you on a wet October day, the sort that waves its bloated and pimpled ass in your face to remind you that Winter's not far off. Having browsed the Internet in its entirety in an hour after blowing off my responsibilities at the office, I figured I'd embarrass myself and send you a link to Captain Waycool, offering my services should they ever be needed. You wrote back later that afternoon and brought me on board -- our meeting, then, was almost accidental, having spawned fully formed from the sticky womb of Boredom herself; let it be known that this is the only useful thing that being bored has ever done for me. Most of the time it only serves to bulk up my porn collection.

You were kind enough to swoop in an abduct me from 20-hits-a-day oblivion and usher me into the world of real-deal writin'-bout-games. Now I'm up to my ass in commitments that I can't possibly fulfill without a hefty dose of illegal stimulants and a steady flow of hookers to keep me satisfied. I'd be pissed if I wasn't so thrilled with what I'm doing. You and your brainchild have provided me some degree of focus to this, whatever it is that I'm doing, exactly. You've given me a place to say the inane bullshit I've always thought and have it read by hundreds of thousands of people. And perhaps most importantly, you've rooted us on in our exploits every damn day that we haul them to the page, spreading our influence across the Nine Interwebs like an infectious disease -- y'know, an awesome infectious disease. The sort that gives you super-strength and twelve eyes.

We editors are a tightly-knit crew, and we've fostered this brand of ad-hoc camaraderie under your guidance and leadership. Can't ask for a better boss than that. Thanks for setting us loose on the world, even if that world may loathe you for it -- I assure you that we certainly don't. Cheers, sire. 

Joseph "Orcist" Leray

Niero, you're seriously the best boss a wannabe blogger/gamer/chump like myself could ask for. You gave me an opportunity to become a part of something awesome, and for that, I say "thank you."

Last July (Jesus, has it already been that long?), I would have never imagined being able to write video game news for Destructoid, or any blog at all, but you went out on a limb and let this nobody on to your staff, and I can't express how grateful I am for that. Whether or not the readers are happy about me being on staff is another question.

Reaching out to the community on such a personal level must have been a huge risk, but I'm so glad that it's paid off for you. You deserve it. Speaking of personal relationships -- Niero actually took the time to comment in my LiveJournal* about how stoked he was to have me on board. How many times has your boss read your diary? Crazy stuff.

I know I've made my share of mistakes around here, but you've always been understanding, patient, and overly generous. I e-love you, and I don't care how gay that sounds. 

Reverend Anthony Burch

You gave me my start in this crazy business of the Internets, and for that I'll be grateful. But even after you gave me the job, you treated me with kindness and respect, and that's a debt I'll be totally unable to pay. You've been a great boss and a hell of a guy. Thanks for being awesome.

Jordan "Grim" Devore

Niero, you must have one badass evil ninja twin to make up for your good karma, because you are the nicest boss I've ever had.

You gave me the opportunity of a lifetime and for that, I will always be thankful. Who would've guessed that a couple of guys looking to get into E3 could've had such a huge impact in just one year? I wouldn't want to be a part of any other gaming site, period, and I'm sure that I am not alone in saying so. You should feel extremely proud of your accomplishments thus far and enjoy life, because you are officially living the dream now.

The day I turn 18 is the day I get a Dtoid tattoo. Viva La Destructoid!

Topher "Hushgush" Cantler

What do I say here? What do you say to a guy whose humble little blog took over the Internets and changed the whole industry's perceptions in less than a year? How do you tell that guy that his blog changed your life forever? That your dreams are right there in your hands because of it?

I want to tell you that I am doing exactly what I've always wanted to do. I want you to know how grateful I am, how happy I am to be working with you and with everyone else at Destructoid. I want you to know that the work I do for this site is its own reward. People are always telling me what a great stepping stone this is for me, how it's the perfect way to launch some career or another, but I've never listened to any of that. I don't want whatever they're talking about. There's no place I'd rather be. There's no staff I'd rather be on. There is no one I'd rather work for.

Now that I've gotten the fruity stuff out of the way, I'll leave you with one of my submissions for the limerick contest we had in the comments a few months ago, which I think pretty much sums it all up:

There once was a young man named Niero
Who built this thing up from ground zero
Filled his robot with gas
Commenced kicking ass
And has since become everyone's hero

Thanks for having me, Boss.

Christina "Faith" Winterburn

When I started my little video game blog, I had a couple of people ask me to write for their sites and out of all of them, Destructoid just felt like home to me. All the staff and readers were just as geeky and goofy as me, had the same sense of humor as me and above all, Neiro made me feel like I was an important part of the Dtoid team no matter
how many times I misspelled something like Konami. Here's to Neiro, the best boss/robot/human being you could hope to work for! Also cocks.

Chad Concelmo 

I had a strange dream when I was little that I worked for a giant, super cool robot that played video games and helped make this world a better place by shooting rainbows out of its eyes and giving flowers to old people. Oh, and the robot also got me ice cream whenever I wanted.

Who knew my dream would actually come true?

Seriously, Niero, in the short time I have worked for the site, you have been nothing but nice and more than welcoming. I can't say thank you enough for the opportunity and putting together a website surrounded by such awesome people.

Summary: you rule. You rule hard.

Thanks again for everything. I'll take that ice cream now.

Karim "Kayka" O.

Congratulations Yanier, I can't tell you how proud I am about this really amazing site you literally created from nothing. You are the one that gave me the chance to be part of this epic Destructoid-family and I wish I could articulate this better, but I can't. Just know that I love you like a brother.

P.S. This is a short clip I've created for you: ENJOY!

Ian "Analog.Pidgin" Cofré