Subject: Brian Hacker's Post... Despicable. Please Post This. Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 19:53:04 PDT From: "John Butler" To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com Dear Frank, I hope you publish this in a place where some people can read it. I want to share my thoughts with others, to show them that there is an alternative to cheating. I want to show them that they do not have to be like Brian Hacker. I would appreciate it if you would post this message. I am not a big-name player, but i would appreciate it if you would not bury this in the best of the net archives. Thanks in advance. I am your avarege magic player. I represent all those who know the decks, and play once or twice a week but go 3-3 or 4-3 in the PTQs. I used to be into it pretty heavily back during The Dark, and I sure many players in New England still remember who I am. However, now I have cut back my magic time. But I still read the dojo. And I am sickened by the utter disreagerd these current players have for the game. I remember a time when Hammer kicked an individual out of his store for life when he stacked his deck during a friendly ALICE tournament. What happened to these times? Many people blame the DCI. Many people blame WOTC for not doing anything. I blame the players themselves. I blame thier opponents who are too scared to call them for cheating. I blame those who so obsessed with money that they forgot about the game. I know I sound like a doe-eyed idealist. I can understand how cheating, when presented with the options of $5000 or respectability, can become very attractive. Hell, I have played in PTQ's before. I have played in state championships before. But you can win without cheating. Jamie Wakefield does it, and is respected by everyone. Jon Finkel does it, and is considered to be one of the smartest magic players around. Alex Shvartsman does it, and everyone i know thinks incredibly highly of him. But let me tell you, Brian Hacker, the average magic player is getting agitated at your crowd. The people I play with, after reading your post, think you are scum. I used to think you were a funny, cool guy. I read your invitational report, and i thought you were a great player. Now I, along with, literally, everyone I have talked to, think that you are no better than a dog. You are obviously stupid, because you can't win within the framework of the game, and you are obviously craving attention, because anyone who would write something like that only does it for the attention. No other purpose. You make me sick. But how to solve this problem? There is a way... If you, as a player, find yourself the target of mind games, or drawing extra cards, or having two land played on you, confront the other player. Do not consult a judge, because that will make the other player defensive, and you will just get into an argument. For example, I was playing in a tournament about a year ago, and Chris Jarmak, who is a great player and a big name around here, began to trash talk me. (Note: What Chris did was not cheating. It was gamesmanship. I do not want to start rumors about him. I am not saying that he is a bad guy, or a cheater. However, this is the closest i have ever gotten personally to shady activity. He is a good player, and should be respected). Anyway, once he started, i just looked him in the eye and said, in a very stern voice: "could you be quiet please?". He stopped. He couldn't keep trash talking after that. Noone could. The next time you see someone cheat on you, try that. It has worked for all my friends. If someone lays an extra land, say: "Excuse me, you have already layed a land this turn. Please return that land to your hand." Do nothing but that. Do not call a judge over and have it turn into a "he said, she said" battle. Give them a way out of the situation, and 9 times out of 10 he/she will mumble "sorry" and return the land. You cannot become intimidated by your opponent. If he is a big name, then he is a big name. Just look him in the eye and say it in an even, stern voice. It has definately worked for me. As for Brian Hacker, words fail me. Noone in my play group can describe either the hatred that they feel for him nor for what he is doing to the game we love. I just hope he seriously reconsiders his position, or he might find that his "name" status might become similar to the "name" status of Stalin. Thank You For Your Time, John Butler birdhill@hotmail.com Team Cthulu JohnTC on IRC ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com