I have to say… it’s quite an honor to be asked to vote as a writer for the Invitational. I mean sure, it would be way better if I was nominated, but I haven’t exactly played enough at the high levels to warrant being up amongst these hallowed few. I can blame nobody but myself there, I guess. Anyway, on to the voting.
Apparently, we’re looking for the "best combination of talent and personality," and to be quite honest, I’m a little unsure if the “talent” side of it refers to their play skill, or their ability as a writerer. I’m gonna assume it’s for their skill with a pen or digital equivalent, because if they’re eligible for the voting, they gots to be able please the fans with their playing skills already!
Aaaaand I think I’ve just figured out why I’m not eligible. I sometimes wonder if I’m not an editor’s nightmare, but I digress! [The only troubling thing is your refusal to capitalize “blisterguy.” – Craig]
The following five candidates have, at some point or another, impressed themselves upon me through either their talent as a writer, or through their wit, charm, and/or personality.
In fifth place we have:
5 – Jeff Cunningham
I’ll admit, all I think of when I think of Jeff Cunningham is his super-cool almost-afro, but something in the back of my head reminds me of all of those evenings spent enjoying the reading of something that had his name at the top. In particular, the experiment gone wrong that was the first reality-TV-style thing where Jeff and his crew borrowed some poor guy’s house so they could have one great big long playtest session for Pro Tour Osaka back in 2002. The whole thing seemed like it went terribly wrong, until Ken Ho came through in the end For The Win with his Blue/Green Madness deck. This despite an apparently endless supply of DVDs, Drafts and Magic Online, and a decided lack of actual playtesting. Jeff did a quick write up about the experience while it was still a work in progress, which can be seen here.
Something about wee Jeff will always endear him to me after that whole “Magic Colony” thing, but the fact that I don’t remember reading much from him, or seeing him about the place (Magically speaking) recently, relegated him to this least fortunate spot on my Top Five List.
4 – Craig Krempels
The problem with Craig, and all American Craig’s in general, is that they insist on pronouncing their name as if was spelt “Cregg.” The rest of the English speaking world say it as if it rhymed with “paid,” which is also conveniently how it is spelt; not as if it rhymed with “egg,” which is not how it is spelt at all. [It rhymes with “plague” and “vague” too – Craig Stevenson not Krempels]
However, Craig Krempels is one of the nicest American Creggs I have ever met. Mind you, I’ve met a few, and they all seemed like top class individuals. Krempels is the only of these Creggs up for voting though, so he gets a tick by his name this time around.
Interestingly enough, I can’t actively recall reading anything written by Cregg, but then I’m counting him solely under personality here. Cregg is a man of the people. Possibly more the American people than not, seeing as he was their National Champion in 2004, but a man of the people in general nevertheless.
I met Cregg in Japan last year at the World Champs. Like many other pros, he was wandering about the venue half an hour before kick-off trying to find cards for his deck – in this case, Tidings and Quicksands. I liked the look of this young gentleman and let him know I could lend him some spicy Visions Quicksands, safe in the knowledge I probably wouldn’t see them again, even though he gave me a wee slip of paper stating “Craig owes you 3 Quicksand.” I sort of live by the belief that I will treat others how I would like to be treated, and if I was short of cards before a tournament, I would hope some guy would pony up and help me out too. I mean, they’re only cards, and it’s not like I won’t be able to scrape up some replacements when I get back home, right?
But then Craig – yes, I’ll spell it correctly now – warmed my heart by displaying his quality at the end of Day 4. I was chillin’ in the hotel lobby, waitin’ for a Draft to get started, when Craig and a few buddies rolled on in.
“Hey! You’re the guy I borrowed Quicksands from!” he proclaimed with a grin, as he promptly whipped them out of his pocket.
The guy actually had them on his person so he could return them once he found me. I let him know that I hadn’t really expected them back, but Craig – I’m wiping a tear from my eye now – set me straight about the kind of guy he is, and how he is good for his word regardless of what I thought. Craig and I had a good ol’ chin-wag for the next half hour or so while other well known players gradually filtered into the lobby, and eventually some general Draftery was had.
I’ll always remember the personality of this guy seen here.
I mean, what’s not to love? I think if I had actually managed to read something of his, he’d probably be sky-rocketing up this list, but oh well.
3 – Osyp Lebedowicz
I have to admit, Osyp is probably an auto-win for this vote in the long run. He’s loud, he’s lovable and he’s uhh, yeah. Loud *cough*. While I didn’t actually meet Osyp in Japan, I did spend a bit of time near him, and he seemed like a nice enough guy who loves this game. However, unlike Craig, I have read Osyp’s work, and the man is dynamite. Plus, I have to admire his trolling of the StarCityGames forum last year (or whenever it was), and his alter-ego Joe Black of the “ask Joe Black” fame will have you rolling in the isles, or at least next to that chair you’re sitting on now.
I think it’s the fact that I feel Osyp is such an auto-win here means he hasn’t managed to get higher on my list. Truth be told, these last two have far too much personality for any man or woman to handle. I think I could reconsider Osyp if he followed through on his claim to Latin-Dancing fame, but until that day, he makes way for…
2 –Tim Aten
Tim didn’t exactly photograph well for his Pro Player card. Perhaps they should have used his StarCityGames portrait, I can always get behind a man who “throws up the horns” in the name of metal.
Tim writes as if he’s not even trying, as if his seamless biting humor would corrode his very soul if he didn’t let it out for you all to read. But the real personality of Tim Aten reared its rock-hard head at the StarCityGames karaoke session I witnessed in Japan. Things were slow to get started, but once the party really got underway (I swear, Ted Knutson has his own set up at home, and he practices three nights a week), I think he may actually have succeeded in collapsing a lung he was screaming that hard. Some guys hold their troubles and aggressions inside. Tim lets it out for you, his readers. The guy is something else. But he has a wee way to go before he tops the man himself.
The Finn with a Grin, the Man with the Plan, the one and only…
1 – Tomi Walamies
It goes like this. I like good writers, and I like good comedy, especially European comedy. Tomi excels in both fields to the point where he was last seen working as a stand-up comic. His tournament report for his sixth place finish at last year’s Pro Tour in London cemented it for me; there’s little I want more than a Magic card with good ol’ Jelly Walamies on it.
Well, except maybe a Magic card with me on it, but all in good time!
Anyway, there’s nothing more I can say about Tomi Walamies, other than that I want him to win, and that he’s really sexay.
*cough*
Anyway, good luck to all of my nominees (obviously)… but if any of you beat out my beloved Tomi, I won’t vote for you next year.
There, I said it.
(hey Tomi)
:-*