I had a Japanese model that I got on launch (March 4th) from one of the big import sites (they were based out of Queens, NY...I forgot their name).
But man, when that US launch came around and I got my retail unit directly from Sony's wonderful PR team, I damn near had an aneurism when the package arrived. And there were so games that came with it. I fucking loved Midnight Club, SSX, Madden NFL, Tekken Tag, etc. That whole 18 months was just heaven for me.
I remember getting Onimusha two weeks before release and cutting school to play it and review it. And my review of The Bouncer ended up becoming fairly infamous, but I stood by it. It was a fucking awesome game with insane graphics, awesome multiplayer, and solid gameplay. It was a modern day Streets of Rage. The only reason it was hated on was because of its length, but with numerous characters, multiplayer, and I believe some alternate paths/endings, it had plenty of replay value to justify its $50 price tag.
But yeah, after summer 2001, the PS2 simply solidified itself as the greatest gaming console ever. GT3, Ico, J&D, MGS2, GTA3, and FFX...instant classics.