Well, let's see.
First, I feel that I should openly admit that when thinking about these things, I have to consider resource management. What this basically means is, I need to take into account things that each member of the crew costs us, and then take into account what they offer us back, and see if it's worth it.
For example, when deciding to add Bleachigo to the crew (he's the newest member, so I'm picking on him), at the time, I had to consider that Brian was driving the van, which had exactly enough seats for every member of the crew, and so rides would be unbalanced if we added a new member. I had to decide that at crew meets, we would have one more person in my house, and determine if we could afford the space. I assume that this person would want to regularly practice with me, and decide if they were worth my time to teach/I find their company enjoyable in a one on one session. I had to determine what this person could bring to the crew.
How does this apply to you? Well, first off, if the entire crew enjoys your company, that's probably all you need to bring to the table. If you play characters that can help us practice, that's also extremely useful. For instance, if Doom were to apply to the crew, he'd be extremely welcolm. He plays a variety of characters at a potent level, and has indeed helped me learn a few MUs (such as Mario vs. Squirtle) through practice. As far as I can tell, the entire crew, especially including myself, enjoys his company greatly. He's ambitious, and strives to get better. He's obviously not perfect, but fits the mold of ZB material.
iKon said that the reason he wanted to be in the crew is because he feels that I could help him improve a lot. While I'm flattered by this complement, it doesn't really fit in with ZB spirit. I don't invite people to the crew just because I like them. I want everyone in the crew to like them. At a crew meet, if two people in the crew have beef, that's a huge problem, because then it causes tension and uneasiness in the room. There are 8 Zodiac Braves. That means that there are 28 separate one on one relationships between the members. ALL of those relationships are positive. If I add just one person to the crew, that means that there are now 36 separate relationships. All of those also need to be positive, or it just wears away at the life and family spirit of the crew.
Every member of the crew is not always completely happy with every other member, but we represent each other, I consider each and every member of the crew akin to family.
Bleachigo causes me to laugh, and if he was ever in trouble, I wouldn't hesitate to rush to his aid. I pick on him, cause he's like a kid brother to me.
Umbra IS my brother, flesh and blood.
RJ I've known for a long time, and when I was younger, he was both influential and guiding to me. Now we're close friends to the point where I trust him extremely, and he is close to my family.
Munk is one of my oldest and most loyal friends of all time, and there are no limits of what I would do for him if needed.
Brian came to my aid when my older sister was terribly ill, and has shown me and the rest of the crew an enormous amount of generosity that I hope one day I'm presented with the resources and opportunity to repay.
Ryko . . . honestly, we picked up Ryko so randomly, just off a whim, and to this day I have NEVER had any reason to regret it. I've watched him grow as a person inside and outside of this game, and thoroughly enjoy every moment of his company, and feel blessed that I was so lucky to make such a random offer to him to join ZB.
R00kie . . . if R00kie and I were any closer, it would be gay. We actually have to restrict the amount we love each other
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. You can just tell by watching our interactions that we consider each other like family.
THAT is why it's so difficult to get into ZB. Every single member needs to be accepted by every other member. I guareentee right now that if I were to hold a secret ballet, and say to each member that if you wanted to vote someone out of the crew, write it down on a piece of paper and drop it into a hat, and no one would know it's you, STILL no one would get voted out of the crew.
Shippo is starting to prove himself to the crew pretty decently. He is slightly improved, and he has always shown generosity to the crew as if he were in it. This is the kind of connection I like to see. When he comes and is amongst us and about us, he feels comfortable to the point where he assumes the position of being a member of the crew. This shows the ambition and kinship that I enjoy. I'm not saying show up as a guest to a crew meet with a custom made ZB shirt
(WHICH REMINDS ME, WE REALLY NEED TO GET THESE, WE'LL ALL TALK ABOUT IT LATER)), but the transition into the crew should be smooth. If Doom were to join the crew, little would change. Same with Shippo right now.
Now, resource wise, Shippo is actually an addition to the crew. He's actually shown that he's able to provide transportation to events, which is obviously an extremely valuable commodity in this community. However, let it be clearly seen that I don't simply add people to the crew to use them, or Shippo would've already been in. As RJ quite correctly stated, skill in the game is also an important quality. Despite hours of practice with me, he is still quite far behind everyone. I would suggest more actively immersing himself in not just playing, but improving. When we're playing, ask me questions. Anyone that has ever been around me KNOWS that simply being near me earns you exp in this game, and your knowledge increases. I put in the work, I did my research. If it existed, I would have my PH.D in Brawl. Sometimes people call me arrogant, but I don't care, because I PUT IN MONSTROUS AMOUNTS OF TIME AND EFFORT STUDYING. This means you don't have to go find out all the random stuff by yourself. I'm now a resource to you. With such an amazing resource at your disposal, you should improve at a rapid pace. Honestly, I get so proud when watching the other members of the crew perform.
If I'm accepting you into the crew, this means that you're representing me. Honestly, that means that in every action you take, you are representing me. I have a reputation. I care about my reputation in the smash community. When you go into a tourney match, and there is a ZB in your tag, people associate you with me. I'm not just going to blindly give people this affiliation. You need to have a good attitude on the boards, in person, in the game, and everywhere. In the case of Shippo, why would I want his name affiliated with mine, if he is continuously disliked by the general population, because he cannot control his temper? Why would associate iKon's name with mine, if many people don't like him because he comes off as undeservedly cocky? BOTH of them have improved greatly in these regards, and I expect them to continue to improve, because that's simply striving to become a better person. It's in the way of the ZB attitude.
Resource wise, iKon plays good characters. He's good practice, especially for my Falco because he plays Bleachigo all the time. I personally enjoy his company, and he really does strive to improve. He jokes around a lot, but it's apparent he's joking to me, and I find no reasons to dislike him. He's pretty ignorant about some things, and his vocabulary isn't on my level (ROFL) but he's still young, and that's totally acceptable. Still, he needs to have a positive reputation if I'm going to have him represent me.
Now, one should be able to have a good idea of the way I think in terms of admitting new people into the crew. This is why ZB is small, and this is why I think that we are the best crew.