Subject: The "Long" incident
Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 23:36:45 -0400
From: Dan Ford <danford@blazenet.net>
To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com

    Hey there Frank, and hello to everyone else as well. After reading
all of the reports on Nationals and the incident there, as well as all
of the reactions to that incident I felt that there were some things
that needed said. I also feel that many people owe Mike Long an apology.

    Okay, I know what you are all saying. You are all shaking you heads
in disbelief wondering how I could suggest that we owe Mike an apology,
so let me explain my self.  Don't get me wrong from what I heard I find
it hard to believe that Long didn't cheat. I would also be inclined to
believe that he cheated through out. However, it seems that where ever
Mike Long goes trouble, and contreversy follow, and I am not sure that
it is entirely his fault . I have seen Mike play, and I have never seen
him cheat. (From what I have heard about nationals, it would seem he did
there). I have seen Mike play his mind games, I have seen him annoy
people... however if that gives him an edge I understand why he does it.
I'm not saying it is right.. but I am not saying it is wrong either. I
am just saying that it causes contreversy.. and gives Mike Long a lot of
attention. Now has anybody stopped and thought that that is what he
wants.

    Think about it, he is a great player ( I would suggest that anybody
who disagrees with that comment find him and play a few games against
him) He has won many tournaments, and placed in countless others I am
sure. What does he have to strive for... other than attention. This is
in fact exactly the reason he plays the way he does I am sure. I do
something similar in local tournaments in fact. No, I do not cheat.
However I do comment quite often on the game being played. I make jokes
constantly, and do anything else I can to make the game entertaining.
This attracts a crowd. As I often play control decks I am quite often
the last person playing in a given round of a tournament, this means
people often watch my games... I find it is fun to have people watch me,
especialy when I win. I think that Mike feels similar. I think he craves
attention, he doesn't care wether it is good or bad, he just wants to be
well known.

    All that said I would like to ask something of Mike Long. Mike, I do
not know wether you cheat or not, personally I think you have but I do
not think you are the constant cheater people say you are. At any rate
if you do cheat please stop. Do it for your self, do it for your
friends, but most of all do it for the game that you obviously love. I
am not asking you to quit the mind games (they are often uncalled for,
but I think that until a definative ruling is given on unsportsmanlike
conduct that it should be left alone). Just don't cheat, I know you can
win honestly so do it that way instead.

    I would also like to apologize to you, Mr. Long. I would like to
apologize for any prejudices that I had for you. I saw you play at
regionals, even tried to talk to you, you ignored me. For that I made
comments about you that I should not have made being as I do not know
you. So I apologize for anything I have said or thought about you with
out knowing you, and I think may other people should do the same.

    Now onto one other thing I wanted to say, actually a question I
have. What I wanted to say was that Mike Long probably cheated at
Nationals, and got caught, how many other people cheated at nationals
but didn't get caught? Before all of you jump on the 'let's all crucify
Long' bandwagon why don't we look around and realize that he got caught,
others didn't. So lets all forgive Mike (and all supposed cheaters for
that matter) and apologize to anybody who we have trampled on while
playing this game, and after we do that lets start over, and do it
right. We can all just look at ourselves in the mirror and decide not to
cheat. For those who can't do that, well I hope you enjoy hollow
victories because that is what they are. For those who can do that,
major kudos, you are making the right descision.

    Well, that is what I had to say, I hope that many of you agree with
me, but for those who don't let me know what you think anyway, I enjoy
these conversations. Thank-you and have a nice day

Dan Ford
dci  #108198
danford@blazenet.net