A-yup. That’s what I thought.
· Rishadan Port and Lin Sivvi banned in Mercadian block
Lin Sivvi doesn’t surprise me, but when I think about it, banning the Port makes sense too. If Pro Tour-NY 2000 taught us anything (aside from the fact that everything you see about New York on Letterman is pretty much spot on) it’s that a) Lin Sivvi is about as bah-roken as bah-roken can be in the format and b) there was very little in the way of multicolor decks due mostly to the power of the Port.
Right choice? Yes, I believe so. It should open up the Masques block to more variety besides Control Rebel, Rush Rebel and Rising Waters Which Can Beat Rebel But Not Much Else.
Of course, how many more Masques block tournaments are there going to be? Methinks the bans come a tad late here.
This also means that you probably won’t see any Masques block decks being played in Block Party anytime, oh, say, ever?
· No other bannings at this time
I gotta say I was surprised that no part of the Replenish engine got the heave ho. I guess since it’s only got another three or four months to live, it was kind of “why bother” on WotC’s part.
· Rhystic Cave errata
Why, why, why, for the love of sweet sweet God why can’t WotC either a) test these verdammt cards and find these errors before the cards go to print or b) hire a damn tech writer to write the text on these cards right? Dammit, I’m working myself into a snit here—you’d think I’d caught Mark Rosewater using the word “hom-oh-NOCK-uh-luss” in a sentence, thusly deserving a beating about the head and shoulders.
In a completely unrelated note, I’d like to point out that my college degree was in technical writing. Just so you know.
The art sucks, the flavor text blows, but watch out for this little beastie, because he might be the linchpin of the new Ponza/Sligh decks. You heard it here first.
Sleeper card from Prophecy.
· If my name is Anthony Alongi, am I buying a case of Prophecy for multiplayer play?
Is this the greatest set ever for multiplayer?
· And is Prophecy shaping up to be one of the weakest for Constructed play since Homelands?
Alas, poor Jamie, we’ll miss ya. Jamie was my primary inspiration for starting up this writing gig. By God, if Wakefield can do this, then I, with all my years of Magic playing and writing classes, oughta be able to crank out a few columns.
It used to be the first thing I did when I came into work on Thursdays; fire up the computer, get a cuppa joe and begin my morning ritual of hitting all my favorite websites while waiting for the caffeine to kick in. First stop was always The Dojo to read Jamie’s latest column.
Jamie generally spent the better part of the column usually rambling on about something that was happening in his life other than Magic; dogs, work, friends, whatnot. That was the part I always enjoyed the most about his columns. It’s one thing to eat, drink and live Magic, but it’s nice hearing about other things once in a while, and Jamie was very good at weaving the mundane in with a tournament report.
Jamie and I do share several similarities. We’re both 30+, both work with computers and both good Magic players (although I can’t claim to even coming close to Pro Tour quality). Of course, Jamie also has a book published (a recommended read) and is married to, as I understand it, a “fabulous babe.” Me, I have goldfish. Still working on the babe part.
If someone tells me that my writing reminds me of Jamie’s, I’ll take that as a great compliment (unless they’re being insulting, in which case I’ll punch ‘em in the snoot).
Hopefully, this will end up like one of those pro wrestling retirements, which is to say, highly temporary. Come back soon, Jamie, all is forgiven!
Speaking of which…
· Wrestling & Magic
Have you ever noticed that most Magic players are also big pro wrestling fans? One wouldn’t think the two demographics would cross over well, but since we’re getting both a WCW and WWF CCG coming out soon, I guess I’m mistaken.
Side note: isn’t the fact that we are getting both a WCW and WWF CCG one of the signs of the impending apocalypse?
Side side note: and why wouldn’t WotC align themselves with “the recognized world leader in sports entertainment”? Dubya-cee-dubya? That’s like the Yankees scheduling interleague games with the Toledo Mud Hens.
I confess to being a big pro graps fan (you wanna make something of it?). I have been ever since the glory days of Tito Santana and “Cowboy” Bob Orton. For a while, I considered trying to pursue a career as a grappler, being as I knew most submission holds quite well (and let me assure you, that they are effective and extremely painful if properly applied, although my judo teacher was rather nonplussed when I showed off how I could reverse a body scissors into a Boston Crab).
My extremely brief soiree into the world of high school wrestling put an end to that dream right off. That and my sub-standard mic skills.
· Tom Green is not funny. Not in the least. I would rather have needles stabbed in my eyes than have to watch his show.
· Then again, I’m not sleeping with Drew Barrymore, so what do I know?
· Is it just me, or am I starting to sound like Andy Rooney? At least my eyebrows don’t look like the house a family of squirrels.
· No one has still explained to me what “rhystic” is supposed to mean. Paging Tom Venters, WotC Department of Continuity, Mr. Tom Venters, you have a page on the white courtesy phone…
· Am I the only person who finds using the term “gay” as a negative applied to a player or card to be somewhat offensive? Maybe it’s because I’m over 30, or I have to put up with “r33t h4X0rs” using the terminology or I’m just more in tune with my politically correct side. But it’s just one of those things that rankles me.
If a player were to say things like “that player is such a mick!” or “that play was so chink,” you’d probably get slapped by your opponent if they happened to be of Irish or Chinese descent, and you’d deserve it, too. Using “gay” in this context is just as bad.
Those terms are patently offensive to certain members of the populace. Outside the circle of pre-pubescent Magic circles, using that language in the world at large will get you branded as either an idiot or a racist.
Maybe some Magic players like to appear like homophobic rednecks that pal around with John Rocker. I’d like to believe that most (at least those over the age of 21) think otherwise.
Remember the old Confuscian saying: It is better to be silent and thought of as a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.
Until next week, I’m Dave Meddish, and this has been “60 Minutes.”