Subject: [Issue]
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 09:49:13 +0000
From: bbrown@accesscorp.com
To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com

[Issue]

    I am writing in response to the recent articles on cheating.  Any
    serious player knows it goes on, as one highly ranked local player
    said, "the best players, cheat best".  It's sad when a promising
    game degenerates to the point that it rewards poor sportsmanship
    and cheating, but that now is the case.  I originally started
    playing right after Legends and enjoyed the creativity and
    camaraderie that marked Magic.  That has all changed, most of my
    friends that played from the inception have quit tired of what the
    game has become.

     Winning in Magic is not that difficult, it just isn't.  I hear
     people talk about how good a player is like its brain surgery,
     its not.  I'll be the first to say some players make few mistakes
     and show a definite ability for the game but lets not put them on
     too high a pedestal.  I'll never beat Tiger Woods in golf but I
     GUARANTEE you I will win my share of games against any magic
     player in a standard or limited format.  The problem has become
     winning is everything, creativity and sportsmanship are now
     considered qualities of losers.

     Most of my friends that have quit playing have good paying jobs
     and spent a lot of money playing and collecting magic.  The ones
     who are ruining the game do not put much into it.  The average
     age of Magic players has dropped dramatically since I started
     playing, I believe the Internet has facilitated this as now it is
     easy to just copy decks and win.  I'm getting tired of
     trash-talking, sligh-playing14 year olds who believe winning at
     Magic requires being abusive.

     Wizards can end cheating overnight if they have the stomach for
     it, but they have never shown themselves to be particularly adept
     at being anything but creative, for which I do applaud them.  Any
     player ranked in the Top 150 who is caught should be banned FOR
     LIFE, that would either end the cheating or improve the playing
     environment.  Cheaters scream loudest when you mention cheating,
     I say don't worry about them just be fair and consistent.  Make
     examples of those caught cheating, don't give warnings,
     disqualify more often.

      I started in teaching and was given the advice of starting tough
      with a class then loosening up later as you can't regain control
      once it is lost.  Wizards has lost control and Magic will be
      gone in a short period of time if abrupt changes are not made.
      A quality game should have quality people and these
      "In-your-face" losers are pathetic and make a mockery of the
      game.  Perhaps they were not breast-fed as infants, who knows,
      but their need for attention should not be sated by allowing
      this type of behavior.  I'll be interested to see what, if
      anything is done.  I want to continue playing Magic, I love the
      game but unless it shows some love for itself I'm afraid the
      game I have lauded for so long will soon diminish and diappear.

Bill Brown
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