New Long Antics? Warning: Gossip!

[Spiderman]

Today the Dojo has an open letter from somebody asking for stiffer penalty rules and is referencing a Mike Long antic from the Masters(?) Being the gossiping, busybody I am what is this referring to? The last incident I know of was his shuffling thing. Is it this or something new?

 

[mogg bomber]

Yeah, Mike Long was caught for "sloppy shuffling" again. You can read about it here:
http://www.newwave.org/strategy/articles/jun00/usnationals/kiei0611c.html

 

[Killer Joe]

I don't recall where I read it but Mike Long was given a warning at the latest BIG tourney for (now get this for an official ruling) "Sloppy Shuffling". Of course, the DCI will turn the other lower cheek and forgive Mike and possibly offer him a dozen of Boxes if he'll just forget the whole thing. OY! Doesn't anyone get it? There has been soooooo many reports of this guy cheating starting with that Natural Balance thing to the infamous "Did I play a land this turn?" interpretation: Can I cheat because I'm Mike Long? and that incident on the Queen Mary II with Howling Wolf cards.
This guy is more famous for his antics than anything else. I always say, "Fame is Fame". Good or bad press is still press. And you would have to have been living in a vaccuum not to know this Virginian.
If you are NOT aware of Mike Long then you're part of the solution but if you ARE aware of Mike Long (ME) then you're part of the problem just by mentioning his name.
<in a Forrest Gump kind of voice> And that's all I gotta say about that.

 

[Spiderman]

moggbomber: Thanks.

Yellowjacket:

If you are NOT aware of Mike Long then you're part of the solution but if you ARE aware of Mike Long (ME) then you're part of the problem just by mentioning his name.

Did I do bad? Or is there supposed to be a smilie somewhere in there?

 

[Seeker of Truth]

You see? This is what I'm talking about when I complain about the lack of honor among the professionals. This guy has done things like this on many occasions. Sometimes he's caught (like this incident, whatever he might say about it), and sometimes the judges let him slide. Then all the people who would much rather behave with integrity rather than win at all costs complain that the antics he's allowed to get away with are inexcusable enough, and that he should be sanctioned/banned/etc. by the DCI.

The other side comes from those who think it's OK to do anything you have to if you are trying to win, especially other pro players (who are probably doing the same things, just not while the judge is looking), who say that the average "scrub" doesn't know the real person, who is apparently really a good guy and an upstanding citizen, and then we hear about all the good things the guy has done away from the tournament scene (notice we never hear about anything good the guy has done DURING a tournament).

I'm personally all for a tournament scene where one doesn't have to worry about your opponent heckling you into making a mistake or trying to peek at your hand, your library, his library, etc., or accidentally on purpose dropping cards or shuffling poorly. A tournament where everyone is a good sport and cheating is totally out of the question.

Whatever happened to personal integrity and honor in competition? Is it just totally gone? Am I just too naive? If so, it's a sad commentary on this game that we all love.

(and by the way, I didn't mention his name at all.)

 

[Almindhra]

Hes a cheater and it really pisses me off that they won't get rid of him...Instead of the DCI having a really good player in there for publicity reasons, they come off looking as assholes because they won't get rid of a cheater!...He wins games because he cheats!...AHHHHHHHH!...Get rid of him!!!!

 

[Gumby Khan]

(standing on a soap box)
I'm here to tell you that integrity is fading throughout the world. I don't know how many times I have seen someone forget to pay echo or disenchant a voltaic key (instead of the phyrexian colossus), when they intended to. People are people and we make mistakes. Integrity dictates that if you know this, then let your opponent back up and redo that step or better yet, stop them before making that mistake to remind them. I never see this anymore. People want to win at any costs, hence the Pro tour motto, "Whatever it takes..." What kind of players are we grooming here? Over-competitive little weasels who couldn't give a rat's a$$ about the game. Magic used to be social, where everyone tried to make everyone else a better player, not jump on every little mistake they make. It's a crying shame and we have the Pro Tour to thank for this.
Now, what does this have to do with Mr. Long and his antics? He is the spokesperson for degrading the quality of this game. There is an interview with him at MeridianMagic that tells a little about him and I think it reveals the most dangerous thing about him. He owns a store that hosts a "magic camp" for kids. He teaches them how to play and invariably how to win at all costs. I don't have any first hand experience, but I have met him before in person. He was very amiable and charismatic, but everyone in line at McDonalds can be. We talked a little about the tournament and he gave me a business card. Very nice guy, I thought. Then he told me his name was Mike Long and I instantly was repelled. I am ashamed for that, because I don't like to judge people before I truly know them. When I saw him in the tourney, then I didn't feel so bad. He was very distracting when he played. He liked to sit on the back of his chair with his feet on the seat. This put him at least a head taller than his opponent. He joked throughout the match, even when his opponents didn't understand english well enough to laugh, but laughed anyway. He showed his opponents his opening draw and asked if he should mulligan. He wrote on his opponents' cards. What kind of maniac would do such a thing? Then I realized how ingenious this was. If he was my opponent, I wouldn't be able to pay full attention to the game and would definately slip up somewhere. That would be my downfall. Do you think he would let me back up and amend my mistake? Hell no, because that's what he was working for all along! Now, he did go 0-fer that day, but it was Team format and his partners went undefeated. Wow, I thought, his partners must've been Magic Masters. Nope, they weren't. Maybe they were incredibly lucky? Nope. It seems that Mike was goofing off enough that the whole table was paying more attention to him than their games. This allowed his partners the opportunity to capitalize on their opponents mistakes. Just like clock-work, his team went 2-1, with Mike being the only loser, every round, until their team took first on Day 1. Am I paranoid? Was this just pure coincidence? Maybe, but maybe I'm right and Mike is conniving enough to intentionally lose each match in an effort to draw attention to him and allow his partners to jump on their opponents. You make the call. As a person, he probably is very nice and a good friend. As a Magic player, he represents the decline of Magic. God help us all.
(Steps down and quickly ducks to avoid the rotten veggies)

 

[Seeker of Truth]

Gumby Khan and Almindhra:

All right! It's good to know that others also think that integrity and sportsmanship are important parts of competition. Gumby Khan, I've heard about all the unscrupulous things he does, from the sitting on the back of the chair (easy to look at your opponent's hand when you're half again as tall as they are) to the constant harangue (no doubt a major annoyance for anyone playing against him and probably anyone watching him, too) to the "sloppy shuffling". What sickens me the most, though, is how so many good Magic players, and especially the top players in Magic, condone and even endorse his behavior.

I remember reading the commentary on his other "sloppy shuffling" incident on Brainburst and I was shocked at how many people actually applauded his actions and supported his attempt to undermine the judges' authority at that tournament. Not just accepted, but PRAISED his actions! He was being touted as "an example of a true competitor." I actually posted several messages in that discussion, reiterating the points I've stressed here, but I was largely ignored by the other people who continued to either support the guy's actions or made excuses for him. I think he even posted a response himself in that discussion where I think he said that he didn't care what anyone else thought about him and that he pitied those people who have nothing better to do than sit around and discuss his latest transgressions.

Well, guess what. We're here, discussing your latest transgressions, and we still feel the same way. You are a disgrace to competition in general and Magic in particular. What you do and who you are away from competition is something you and your sympathizers always point to, but nobody cares about that. What most people know about you is what you do in Magic competitions, and in those competitions you have portrayed yourself as being a jerk and a cheat. I've always asserted that you are whatever everyone else thinks you are, and in your case, that would make you a thoroughly reprehensible person.

And Gumby Khan, please get off the soap box. There's not enough room on it for both of us.

 

[Gryphonclaw]

[me]wanders in, reads the messages, and decides to throw in a comment with no knowledge whatsoever of the true situation.[/me]

As far as I can tell, this is a situation where only Mr. Longs psychologist could tell us what was really going on.

On the on hand the surface may be as deep as you need to go, this may just be a guy who doesn't take magic as seriously as most, but he's got a natural talent for the game and thus manages to play at levels where his antics draw attention.

On the other hand he could be a conniving schemer who has realized that if you cheat in an amusing and blatant way, you'll get away with it. Sometimes the best way to run subterfuge is out in the open.

Having made a snap judgement based what I have read on this thread, and taking the card that he designed into mind, I would have to say that it's likely a bit of both.

This guy doesn't take the game seriously, and as a result is not above a little cheating to get ahead. But I don't think that he is as scheming as some of you seem to believe.

Please restrict all flames to the battle board.

 

[theorgg]

If anyone hasn't seen my Mr. T versus Magic: tg comic(which deals somwhat with the matters presented above using Hammer and Long), here is your opprotunity.

http://www.dork.com/theorgg/tvsmtg.html

I think I'd treat Mikey with the respect he deserves-- the respect as a human and fellow player-- the same I treat everyone that doesn't f*** with me first.
I would give him the respect of a M:tg celebrity if not for the fact I cannot STAND people cheating in the various ways he does.

sic semper,

 

[Istanbul]

After all these long rants, I'm going to keep it short and sweet.

I'm certainly never playing in an organized tournament that the DCI recognizes. Any association that rewards cheating isn't an association I want to be judging me.

If I ever meet Mike Long, I'm going to tell him precisely what I think of him. This will involve many colorful adjectives.

Some people need to re-learn the saying 'it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game'. Unfortunately, when there's a large amount of money on the line, I can almost understand.

Not allowing your opponent to take back bad moves makes for a better player. EXAMPLE: I'm playing my burn deck. My opponent's first turn is Swamp, Ritual, Negator. I do NOT let him take it back. I Shock the Negator, removing his side of the board from play. My point? He's never done it since. I improved his playing style.

Mike Long should have been banned the first time they caught him cheating, and should get an auto-loss whenever he tries his distraction tactics.

 

[Duel]

umm, read the article. "Lap dance incident". WTF?!?! this I gotta read. Where can I find that?

 

[Lythand]

I met Mike Long at the Prophecy Pre-Release and played him with about 20 spectators watchin. He seems like a nice guy, but as others have mentioned, he is a bad example of a magic player. Even sadder is he is a PRO. A player that the abitious young players should look uo to and say "Like mike, I wanna be like mike". Well it saddens me that this is thier Idol. He is comparable as John Mcannroe was to tennis. Anyway it is up to us as fellow magic players to teach the younger ones that this is not the way to go and the way to play. We can complain all we want about Mr. long or the DCI for not banning him from tournys...but its up to us to make a difference.

 

[magicman_moe]

well im now convinced that ill never play in an actuall tourney i hate cheaters really they irritate me dammit hehe

 

[Lythand]

I understand your feelings Moe. But lets think about it, it not the tournament "scene" that makes cheaters...yes they may be more inclined to cheat for the prize, but a cheater is gonna cheat no matter what. Whether its causual or tournament level..its gonna happen.

I have played a few "major" tournaments. And the majority of people that I encountered where good spirited and honest. Yea you will always come across a sore looser, but isnt that with any sport. We cant let people like Mike Long make us think that the "major" tounament scene is awlful cause of one person. If this whee true then we would hate Baseball cause of John Rocker, Tennis cause of John Macenroe, Auto racing cause of Dale Ernhardt ( god I know I am gonna hear for that one), and basket ball cause of Shaquile O'neal. Whom all have a know situation of either whining, cheating to some degree, or done something to make thier profession seem bad in the eyes of the true professional.

Bottom line? Lets not let these guys leave a bad taste in our mouths.

 

[Multani]

Tag Guard

What's wrong with Shaq?
I always thought he was honest and gentle.
hmmm....

 

[Lythand]

I have just heard to much Bad publicity about him. I am not a Basket ball fan. So, I rely on word of mouth to judge his actions. And if word of mouth is that he isnt a really good exaple of a player, whether its true or rumor, its how the opublic, including myself, are viewing him. I am sure he is a nice guy, but i hear he isnt so hot on the court. And I know for a fact he isnt a good actor

 

[Seeker of Truth]

Lythand:

Well, if you listen to the commentary being gushed forth by the announcers during the NBA finals, you'd probably think Shaq was like God's gift to basketball. Yeah, a 7-foot wall with a six-inch range and a 50% free throw percentage. Thanks.

Anyway, back to the point, I certainly don't let things like cheating (or attempted cheating, and believe me, there's lots of this going on) dampen my spirits regarding Magic in general or even the tournaments I go to. For those of you who read my (long-winded) article, you may recall that I saw players agreeing to take falls in exchange for a portion of the winner's prize, right in front of the judges, and nothing was done. Bribery and collusion, pure and simple, and the judges just laughed it off. So I don't entertain any kind of notion that what goes on in tournaments is all aboveboard and proper, despite the pompous stylings of the judges. I just go to play the game, and if someone wants to cheat and take advantage of me, I really couldn't care less. I don't let it get me down, because I never go to tournaments expecting to beat everyone. Perhaps I'm selling myself short, but I go more for the sake of being able to play against other people rather than for the sake of some prizes.

Gryphonclaw:

Is it OK to flame someone who isn't reading these messages? The second part of my message was directed towards "him" (again, I don't want to use his name for fear that I'm adding to the problem) and not at Gumby Khan. Heck, Gumby Khan and I agree on this issue! I meant everything I said, too; guys like "him" disgrace the game and the tournament scene with their conduct, and regardless of what people may say about "his" personality away from the game table, "he" is still going to be known and judged by what "he" does during the game. "He" has said that "he" doesn't care what other people think of "him", but I think that also shows that "he" doesn't care about what people think about the game "he" plays or the tournaments "he" wins, either.