One word: Pathetic...

[DÛke]

...

Some…things…grabbed my attention as I was reading through some of the front-page articles of the CPA. After being angry, feeling betrayed, and becoming speechless for some time, I decided to pour some of my freakin' thoughts right here.

It's funny how some people have some others figured out, or so they THINK they have. It's stupid really. I guess the story begins when the CCGPrime's Writer's War began. I never followed it, that's the truth…I thought it was kind of superfluous actually…because Magic is a community, we can't judge anyone…or even vote in favor or against of anyone else…but "Ok...", I thought, "…if they wanna see who's a better writer, I guess it's not really that bad of an idea." After all, I didn't care much in the first place about the issue.

Oh, but that's NOT what's pathetic. I’m neutral about THAT. My anger evoking issue…

…I must say, I never was this insulted as a (an ex) Magic player.

Two articles - CPA's front page:

“Why you, casual player, should have voted for me”, by Vasco Da Gama.

…and…

“Why you - a casual player - should vote for Sol Malka”, by Sol Malka.

GOOD ARTICLES! THE BEST.

These two people, are…um…what’s the word? Sorry (not really), but I must use it: pathetic. They think they could “buy” us casual Magic players with their false charm. What’s more insulting, they both claim to be “casual”, and they don’t even KNOW what a freakin’ casual player is! Maybe both of them need to come here, we’ll teach them a lesson on what a REAL casual player is.

Vasco Da Gama wrote:
…I'm so casual, I barely own any cards…

Oh, and that’s casual? Uh, um, NO. First off (this is only the beginning), the number of cards doesn’t really decide if you’re casual or not. I own over 300 cards, I’m freakin’ casual! In fact, if we wanna talk about numbers, being casual is about having A LOT of cards. How do you play a casual game if you don’t have some older cards? No, tourney players focus on the latest cards…they don’t have enough money to keep collecting the cards, so they SELL the older cards. Pathetic.

Sol Malka wrote:
…I have been to the Pro Tour on four occasions, which I'm guessing is a huge strike against me. And I suppose my articles are geared toward competitive play, being that they are almost exclusively PTQ and other tournament reports full of blow-by-blow accounts of games and not so much, umm, "fun stuff".

…And he thinks he knows what casual players are. We play competitive decks, better recognize! We also write and talk about that thing that HE seemed to forget…FUN.

Vasco Da Gama wrote:
…and a goofy deck that I just know would appeal to your casual minds…

Appeal to our casual minds? The dude things he can mesmerize us by his “goofy” decks! Pathetic. Casual play isn’t about “goofy” decks, it’s about FUN, and not goofing off…it’s about ladies with attitude and fellas that are in the mood, DUDE!

Sol Malka wrote:
…and I made it [his deck] with a card from Unglued. See? I may be a sometime-Pro Tour player, but I still have my casual soul…

Funny that he refers to his “casual soul”, because he doesn’t possess it. Anyone can build a first-gear deck, and add a card that’s supposedly “casual”…but not everyone has the spirit. He thinks he can just march up here and try to spellbind us with his “casual” deck. Pathetic. There are a lot of casual players who haven’t even touched an Unglued card…like me. I’m more freakin’ casual than causality itself dang it!

Sol Malka wrote:
Oh by the way, even though I've made 19 Top 8s in PTQs over the years, I've still never won one. So in a way, I'm actually MORE CASUAL than my opposition

Pathetic. A REAL casual player can play ANYTHING and win EVERYTHING, and still be casual. A REAL casual player would have NEVER wrote something like these two articles, 'cause a casual player doesn't give a dang.

These people don’t understand! Causality isn’t about where you play, how much cards you have, how much money you spend, if you play Unglued, or anything. Pathetic. A casual player is about the spirit of FUN - the real fun.

How come they never showed up here before? I bet they never lurked here either...oh, they just want to “use” us in a way. Causality doesn’t just happen in an instant, like these people poorly attempted…causality is always within, deep in the spirit. It doesn’t knock your door and pay you a visit to give you votes…or to show you regressions…it’s all about fun – nothing more, and obviously, NOTHING less.

I don’t understand why either of these articles were in the front page. They’re nothing about casual play…nothing about the CPA…they’re about arrogance, dejection, need, and…

...

I swear, I never was so insulted as a casual player. Why is it so important anyway…who cares? Go live your life in reality…superiority in this digital world means nothing. So what you’re the best writer? Try being the best writer in real life, at least it's REAL. So what you’re the best? So what? You’re not better than me…you’re not better than any true casual Magic player who set foot in this place…you’re not better than anyone.

...they're not casual - a casual player doesn't justify...

...they're not this, and not that...

...they're pathetic.

I'm sorry, they made me mad.

 

[Hawaiian mage]

This would be good as an article... especially when these two goatsuckers come back to see if they succeded and see that as an article on the front page...

Of course... you can't really say your casual if your going to boards trying to get people to vote for you in some contest. Isn't that going low to try and win? Isn't that just the kind of attitude we've come to hate?

Great post, DUke. I was tempted to actually go to the front page and read them. But I figured I could make more unbiased descisions if I didn't even consider their veiw as an option.

 

[Hetemti]

I had never heard of Sol (Ring) Malka, or Vasco Da Gama until today. But from what information you present here, I find them unworthy of my time. I concur with all your points fully.

If they wanted to appeal to the casual, then they should have told a story about a Conspiracy/Donate/An-Zerrin Ruins deck they played in a seven-player chaos round after the last tournamnet.

 

[Melkor]

Aren't those articles written as jokes, I mean, I haven't read them but judging from Dukes quotes I would say that the articles were written tongue in cheek. Not to be taken seriously. It would truly be pathetic if they were seriously scrounging for votes for some online popularity contest, I hope that they were instead poking a little good natured fun at the casual community. Perhaps I'll get back to you guys when I've read the articles. Until then I remain.

 

[Chaos Turtle]

They were meant to be funny!

If you can't laugh at yourself, then... oh, nevermind.

 

[arhar]

I hear ya Duke. Everything's funny only to a certain extent, and then it becomes pathetic.

 

[Istanbul]

The article was a JOKE, Duke.
At least, Vasco's is.

I think Sol's might have been written with a dab of seriousness, but Vasco's was glaringly freaking obvious.

Sheesh.

 

[DÛke]

Chaos Turtle, how do you know they're jokes. I'm sure there's a bit of seriousness in there...and that seriousness is right there on the front page of the CPA...

In anyway, jokes OR not...it doesn't make a difference. They're posted in the FRONT page of the CPA, making "jokes" about the casual players...if you can visit this place knowning that there's a "joke" about YOU somewhere and be able to stand it then again, Istanbul, that's YOUR "advanagtage".

I don't like to be laughed at...especially when it comes to the extent of saying something like:

...and a goofy deck that I just know would appeal to your casual minds...

What ON EARTH is that supposed to mean? Yes, even if it's a joke, "goofy decks"? "Appeal to your casual minds"? It seems like they're looking down on the casual players.

I'm so casual, I barely own any cards.

IF this is a joke, than alright...but due to the rest of the seriousness of the articles, I doubt that THIS quote is a joke.

Now, I CAN take jokes...not just so MANY great ones like these...

...jokes...yeah...

What's the next "joke" - how stupid casual players are?

 

[Gizmo]

Duke, if that was the joke I can see why you got upset. Hit a bit too close to home I guess.

Grow up. Get off your casual playing high horse, count to ten, take some Prozac, smoke something illegal ... whatever you do just chill out.

We`re all the same side here, Sol, Vasco, Ferret, Duke, Gizmo, Spidey, Kastle - we`re all part of the same community. Shame you don`t see that.

 

[DÛke]

...I already do stuff that you can't even imagen, I'm sure.

We`re all the same side here, Sol, Vasco, Ferret, Duke, Gizmo, Spidey, Kastle - we`re all part of the same community. Shame you don`t see that.

...and even more shame that THEY didn't see that. That's the whole point, we're all one community, they don't need to make jokes...especially as extreme and as repeated as the ones they made.

Maybe they need to grow up. Get off their joke-making playing high horses, count to ten, take some Prozac, smoke something illegal ... whatever they do, they just need to chill out.

Maybe I should write an article..oops, a "JOKE", about how stupid tourney players are...

 

[Cateran Emperor]

Calm down Duke, one of the articles was intended as a joke. I don't remember which one, but it had a disclaimer at the top about if you don't understand sarcasm, add a winking smiley at the end of every sentence.

The other one (nope, still not sure which), I'm assuming is a joke. They both had silly tones to them.

 

[Zadok001]

Vasco's was a joke. I've corresponded with him on occassion, he likes doing stuff like that. He was, in essence, satiring Malka's piece of work.

As for Malka, I disagree with his basic tenant that he should 'campaign' for our vote. However, I found his attempt so hilariously out-of-character (both his and the CPA's) that he at least got me not to vote at all.

Ferrett's and Vasco's were VERY tongue-in-cheek, trust me.

 

[Thallid Ice Cream Man]

I notice that many of you (not all, of course) seem to have swayed your opinions of for whom to vote based on the seemingly clear-as-crystal humor of these articles. Is this not exactly the point of them? To get you to vote for the author? Little in either of the first two articles had anything to do with casual Magic; they both showed that these men are opportunists who would abandon dignity to buy votes in a contest that matters little anyway. I realize that The Ferrett's article is merely a response to that of Sol Malka; but he could have ignored it and let his writing stand for itself; he could have exercised a little something called dignity that most truly good writers cannot possibly lack. I sincerely hoped that the concept of honor is not unknown to those who admire writers in this day and age in the Magic community; but, like everything in our society, it has fled long ago.

Of course these are not two heathens in a sea of innocents. These are not devils who condemn us to rot indefinitely and who defile all that is good in the world with its inhabitants gazing at the spectacle, dumbfounded; that is not my point in the least, nor would it be a true one. This is merely an event indicative of the dire straits in which we find the values of our society today. We (or most of us) do everything to gain some kind of advantage; never does it cross the minds of most to write for writing's sake. This false coronation proves that such Philistine beliefs still have a firm grasp on the center of Magic society. Sol Malka and The Ferret can not be blamed wholly and personally for this; success in Magic writing seems to have forced it upon them.

I am unsure about Vasco's attempt; unlike what happened to DÛke, it was made clear to me in perfect terms by some who could of course clearly see that nothing was meant by it (although of course he could not ask for us to vote for him this or next time in all seriousness, as we might not remember later, and the contest is over for him for now) that it is humorous. With this in mind I can not chide him for it, as it seems to do little harm. Suffice it to say that I do not find it funny as such.

I don't intend to foster enmity of these writers. That would be useless and a false martyrdom.

 

[Istanbul]

Anyone who takes this seriously, deserves to.

 

[Gerode]

For some odd reason, I am reminded of the "B*#ch,B*#ch,B*#ch! Why??" thread. Hmm... weird.

 

[Sammy Dead-O]

This reminds me of some trouble we had a few years ago in the Candy Land community. Coming on the heels of a months-long Rainbow Trail/Gumdrop Pass rivalry on message boards all across the net, one notable website began hosting a Colorer's War to determine the best colorer among the community's online elite.

Well, it all went well enough, until one day little Davis Harper sent a very well-written (for a 3-year-old), presumable tongue-in-cheek message to the
Rainbow Trailblazers Alliance:

"i go outside the lines sometimes im like u vote four me"

Some people just took it lightly, maybe even laughed, and moved on; others wanted to tie Davis up and get him hopelessly Lost in Lollipop Woods. The Trailblazers were in conflict with themselves. Eventually, the community that once stood so strong began to crumble. Many members grew up and moved on to Pokemon.

I can understand why people take this stuff so seriously. It is, after all, a game, and a fun one at that. But sometimes, we should just forget about that and realize that Magic has its not-so-serious side as well. It is, after all, a game, and a fun one at that.

I'm just writing this so we don't all end up playing Pokemon.

Oh...hell, who am I kidding? I love Pokemon.

 

[DÛke]

...some of you think this is a not serious issue, and it's NOT. I just don't like people coming here and insulting me (indirectly) via "jokes", that's all.

I would have had NO problem with them, and probably kept on laughing with them. As I was reading, it did kinda give me a grin here and there, but after reading the whole thing, I think some limits where over pushed.

Oh well, I guess you think I'm takin' this too seriously...that's ok, I'll learn to take a random insult.

 

[Sammy Dead-O]

Originally posted by DÛke
...some of you think this is a not serious issue, and it's NOT. I just don't like people coming here and insulting me (indirectly) via "jokes", that's all.

Okay...I guess I didn't really address this, your main point, in my reply.

You're right...a lot of us just don't think this is a serious issue, and you seem to feel the same way to an extent. The difference is that I (and, I think, many readers) simply didn't feel insulted by the articles. Was the insult to the term "casual player?" I don't think the CPA as a whole could agree on a definition, so why should we expect these writers to give the term some specific meaning? For some players, "casual" probably does mean a willingness to break a card like The Cheese Stands Alone.

I can't quite articulate why--maybe some of you felt similarly--but I took Mr. Malka's article to be as much a send-up of his own seriousness about the game as a crack on being casual.

Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm just not tied into the badge of being casual as much as some are, and thus I didn't take the articles as personally. If that's the case, I'm sorry for not seeing it your way more willingly. Really, though, we'd probably all be happier to take things like this with grace and laughter instead of indignance.

 

[DÛke]

...you're right.

I still think I'm right, but you're right, right there, right there with me.

 

[theorgg]

Let me put ya'll "in the know."

Sol is a really great guy, but he does have a compeditive streak high as Ashbury Heights(that's the name, right?).

I don't know if he thought that we'd need another Cheese deck, as there are plenty of them already, BUT I do know that he does have quite a few ideas that could be worked quite well into a multiplayer deck.

He shared a couple basic plans for one deck that used Propaganda and an Aku Djinn for a while, then played Spike Cannibal and slapped people around, to quote him from the tournament:

"like a little bitch"

Every part of the description was said with a grin which seems to never leave his face, unless he's in a match and thinking...
then he's a bit imposing...

He shared a couple other deck plans with me, but I kinda forgot exactly what they were, as I was trying to nagotiate a trade with Matt Ranks... but that's covered in my Plainshift PR report.

All in all, it's truly a shame that two great wrighters had to come up against each other.

It seems so likely that it was rigged-- Sol vs The Ferrett, Alongi vs Rizzo, and those guys who wright for the sideboard... I know their names, but one of the wise guys who does the 'question of the week' has refused to adknowledge ANY corrispondance, like the fact that Raiding Party can't be disenchanted due to having Protection from
White...

anyway, to bed with me!