Subject: Crime and Punishment
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 09:19:19 -0500
From: "Michael T. Fay" <mtfay@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu>
To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com

All the controversy about cheating, Mike Long, Justin Schneider (or whoever
is named in the next scandal), and the DCI will probably continue until
Magic returns to being a recreational game with no PT or big tourneys
(which will happen sooner or later if DCI doesn't get off its proverbial
thumb and apply some action to the matter.)

But until the DCI does take some action, cheating will continue. Soem of
this can be attributed to the fact that there are a number of judges, even
at the higher levels, that strike me as not realy caring about cheating or
even judging. They are there to make friends and influence people, and in
some cases to go off on a petty power trip because they have finally found
something in which they can have the last word. This is mostly the fault of
the DCI. When you rely primarily on volunteers to judge and run your
events, without any compensation, you don't always get the most highly
motivated people. Especially when someone knows they are going to have to
spend the day being yelled at by a bunch of yahoo rules lawyers, whining
ninnies, and (i'm not excluding anyone here) those with legitimate disputes
and claims. Most of the cheaters I've seen fall under the whining ninnies
catagory:P.

We also have, of course, the fact that the DCI is an extention of WOTC and
therefore is in the business of selling Magic, Battle Tech, LO5R
(eventually, I figure), C*23, and any other product that is produced at
WOTC. So I question the fact that, as long as people keep buying cards, the
DCI actually has any incentive to take steps to do away with cheaters and
cheating, especially when the cheaters are stars in WOTC's TV commercials
and represent other types of WOTC advertising.
And when they do have incentive, it will be too late for the game and for
the DCI.

I doubt cheating will be dealt with until some other issues have been
resolved, anyway. The first defense against cheating is with the player.
This has all be said before, so I won't repeat those discussion, other than
to say that it's your responsibility to request the judge when you have a
question, complaint, or other problem. That what s/he's supposed to be
there for.

The second defense against cheating is the one that will require more work
to address. We have to have the best people judging events. I, personally,
don't know how we will get that, because most of the people I know who have
the knowledge to judge would rather play. But until the DCI puts aside it's
mickey mouse BS and starts compensating judges, as well as monitoring
judging quality and suspending or eliminating inferior or corrupt judges,
we aren't going to have the best people judging events. Now I'm not saying
all judges are bad or corrupt. What I am saying is that the DCI
certification process is insufficient AND that there is not incentive for
good judges to take part anyway, because they can make more money (dollars,
product, prizes) playing on whatever level they choose to participate.
Without the unpleasant hassles involved in officiating.

That's my 2 bits.
Tuff