Curse You, GerryT!

Gerry Thompson and I go way back.

I met GerryT at Grand Prix Pittsburgh 2003. I was doing some trading in between rounds and ran into him and his trade binder full of pretty cards. Our trading led to us playing a few pickup games of U/G Madness (me) vs. Mirari’s Wake Control (him).

He would tell you that he smashed me over and over again with Compulsion, Moment’s Peace, and timely Wrath of Gods.

I will tell you that I curved out perfectly with Wild Mongrel into Arrogant Wurm every game and always had the Circular Logic for his desperate Wrath of God attempts.

We both remember it differently, but who should you believe:

Gerry Thompson – The guy with a million SCG Open Series Top 8s, two Grand Prix wins, and a handful of Constructed decks that have broken formats.

Cedric Phillips – A man with the charisma of Brad Pitt, the looks of Will Smith, and a singular Pro Tour Top 8.

I knew you’d see things my way.

Gerry and I began running into each other at more and more tournaments, and we were always cordial towards each other. We didn’t agree on much in terms of Magic, but we were both winning in our own ways. Gerry would always try to convince me to play his decks, but I always had my own agenda.

Why would I play the best deck tuned by him when I could play the third best deck that was tuned by yours truly?

Once again, I knew you’d see things my way.

When Gerry moved to Indianapolis to live with the legendary Gabe Walls in 2005, I was attending Purdue University only an hour away. Due to my hatred for college and academia in general, Gerry drove up to Purdue every other weekend to save me from my miserable existence. We had the best of times back in Indy, watching Shaun of the Dead and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang into the early hours of the morning while devouring ham & cheese sandwiches from Arby’s.

Fast forward to Pro Tour Kyoto. As I was on my journey to Top 8, Gerry was there after every round to give me support. He didn’t like my Kithkin deck, but he respected my ability to play it flawlessly. When I drew in round 14 to secure my first Pro Tour top 8, any guesses who was the first person to give me a hug?

Sure, we got into our little spats, but that’s what great friends do. I got the tongue-lashing of a lifetime for asking, "Is Keldon Halberdier good?" on the way to a sealed Grand Prix. Looking back at things, it was well deserved, but it sure didn’t feel that way at the time.

Friends fight. No big deal.

But through it all, Gerry and I were like peanut butter and jelly.

Like spaghetti and meatballs.

Like ham and cheese!

We had our differences, but we overcame them to develop a friendship so special that nothing could break us apart!

But this past weekend, Gerry crossed the line. The line of no return. See, Gerry knows that I’m trying extremely hard to get back on the Pro Tour. He knows that I am desperate for another taste of the highest level of Magic. So why did he have to do this to me?

Why would he ruin my life in the span of thirteen rounds of Magic?

Did our friendship mean nothing?

Oh come on, you know what he did. He did what he always does. He built the best deck in the format:

U/W Delver

Gerry Thompson

1st Place at Star City Games Standard Open on 05-27-2012

Standard

Creatures (15)

Lands (22)

Spells (23)

Sideboard

I know Gerry so well that I know exactly what he was thinking when he was attacking for those last points of damage against Brian Eason in the finals:

"Nice Wolf Run Ramp deck Ced. Good luck ever beating this version of U/W Delver!"

And you know what…

He’s right!

How in the hell am I supposed to beat this deck?!

U/W Delver was a very close matchup for Wolf Run Ramp. Most of my wins were coming from the fact that I knew how to play the matchup better than my opponents, but now that doesn’t matter.

And you know why?

How am I supposed to beat this card?! I can’t interact with a four toughness flyer game 1. I can’t Slagstorm it. I can’t Whipflare it. I can’t Pillar of Flame it. I could sideboard Combust to deal with it, but that conveniently doesn’t kill his sideboarded Consecrated Sphinxes.

Speaking of Consecrated Sphinx, he knows I can’t beat that stupid card either! None of my removal kills it outside of Beast Within, and that card isn’t exactly ideal to leave in against an aggressive deck.

But then I see the subtle digs by Gerry. The ones that he knows are going to get under my skin. The ones where I imagine seeing this face.

Like Sword of Feast and Famine over Sword of War and Peace. Come on man. Anyone who knows anything knows that Wolf Run Ramp doesn’t handle discard well. It’s why Liliana of the Veil is a nightmare to play against. But you also get to untap all of your mana to leave up Snapcaster Mage, Vapor Snag, Mana Leak, or Moorland Haunt?

Real cool Gerry…

And if I was thinking about getting crafty with some sideboarded Thrun, the Last Trolls? Oh, just three Phantasmal Images in your sideboard to counteract that plan.

Well, at least I have these Cavern of Souls to make your Mana Leaks worse.

Except you have two Ghost Quarters to invalidate that idea.

Seriously man, is there any level you won’t stoop to?

I don’t know what I did to offend you Gerry, but this is personal now. I was off in my own little happy world with SCG Orlando champion John Cuvelier crushing everyone with Wolf Run Ramp. Our list took John to a title and a bunch of my friends to PTQ Top 8s. It was all sunshine and rainbows!

But now, not only can I not have any fun playing Wolf Run Ramp, but neither can any of the people who were playing it either!

Does friendship not mean anything anymore?

Do you not remember the moments we shared at Arby’s?

IS OUR PAST WORTH NOTHING TO YOU?

Gerry, you know I’m too stupid to play U/W Delver optimally.

YOU KNOW THAT!

And now I have learn how because your U/W Delver decklist is so damn good that I don’t have a choice.

I hope you’re happy Gerry. Really I do. I hope this was all worth it.

Because you’ve left me with no choice…

GERRY THOMPSON!

OUR

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