[Trick]

Lee lets loose some thoughts he has on the current state of Magic players and why it may be hurting the game.

[mrc]

I agree about the language and random horseplay associated with the younger players. I myself am a bit older then alot of the players that I test with. I find myself telling them to watch ther language and to stop playing around quite alot. I understand what it's like to be 17-21 so i can be some what understanding, but enough is enough sometimes.

Regionals this year was actually really pleasant. All my opponents were very nice and excepted their thrashings like true sportsmen. I hope that everyone I played against feels the same about me. This was really a large improvement over larger tourneys I had participated in the past.

[Lythand]

At first I thought this was going to be a really stupid article. I was set off at first. After finishing the article you touched some important things.

The hygien is defenite issue I have with the game. In the past year I have heard from 3 prominant figures in the game mention how hygien amongst magic participants is bad. Notice I use the word participants. One judge once said to me about 25% of the attendants of a magic function do not wear deoderant. About 5% of them are the judges. I have experienced both judges and players with serious issues with B.O. And this moves to the other topic Lee spoke about is the appeal to the new players, young players and parents. What kind of representation does magic give to these people if the ones represent have issues with hygien.

Maturity. One of the reasons I shy from sanctioned events besides the cost of tournament required staples, is the maturity of the players. I can't count how many times I have been playing and some kid next to me is banging on the table because he is getting beat profusly. Players swearing. Or just goofing off.

Finally the mannors. Lee has it rough. Being a well known player, brings the stardom. Your fans are going to want to get a quick word with the great Lee Steht, so its a price of fame. But in his defence, and ever defence of a famous person, they are people too and I think we should give them the same respect we would want. As far as having a to fill the shoes of your father, well your son will suffer the price for fame as well. Just ask any son/daughter of a once real famous person and they will tell you the horror stories of living in the shadow of thier parent. If you're a fan of NASCAR, then you will be familiar with the issues Dale Earnhardt Jr. goes through. He will be in constant battle of living in his dad's shadow for the rest of his life.

And for gods sake people clean up after youeselves at a tournament. Your parents don't run these events, so they are not there to clean up after you.

One last note. I myself am 35 years old. Some of the above antics are not just performed by the young crowd. I have seen some adults fall into these catagories as well.

Shape up people!

[leesteht]

Well I hope it was a merely stupid article and not "really" stupid one :P


hehe thanks for reading

[AboutThat]

I agree with everything that you have said here. While I am 19 and have no children, I am still astounded by other player's actions at events. I am very disappointed when I find myself picking up trash (life total sheets, empty bottles, pack wrappers...) at the end of the day simply because I don't want the one person working at the store to have to clean up the entire mess of a 50 person FNM.

I have had a few run-ins with the hygiene problem, but I feel that that is not a statement about how the person in question feels about Magic, but more about what kind of a person it is.

I use harsh language almost always when i am playing magic because I am with my friends, but really guys, when theres kids around?

[Opie_DSD]

You nailed this one Lee.

I couldn't agree more. I know at times I slip with the language but I always apologize when called out or realize it myself. It just the right thing to do. I wouldn't do it infront of my nephews so goes it in the general public. I've also noticed rudeness rampant on MOL since I've started playing (by your recommendation thx) I always say hello, good luck, good game, etc to minimal response. Playing online depersonalizes the game and I'd like to think most people don't acting like that in a face to face match but we all know how that goes.

Hopefully i'll see ya again at the war for shadowmoor and you'll be glad to know I don't pass austere commands anymore.

Just this "old man's" opinion

[leesteht]

HAHA!!! Well, I don't mind when you're passing to me :P

I'm sure we all have outbursts. In fact I was watching Tiger Woods during the Sunday round and he mouthed "Mother F@cker" out. All competitors do it.

[Trick]

During the Lakers Celtics game last night we got back to back shots of players cursing. It was funny because they had cut from the first player when they saw him cussing and the second one starts up as soon as the camera hits him.

[Lythand]

Yea I guess mouthing it doesn't count. A  lot of movies nowadays just edit the curse word to match a more appropriate word, but a person reading lips knows what the person is really saying. I was watching die hard the other day when Samuel Jackson was edited to say butt instead of the more flavorful word.

[leesteht]

TBS allows alot of profanity in their late night movies.

[Lythand]

TBS allows alot of profanity in their late night movies.

Yea I have noticed over the years that a lot of stations are getting lacks with the language. Even the primetime stuff.

[Lythand]

From the latest article by Peter Jahn over at SCG  (article HERE )

"Arrive at the venue early – or at least on time. After having eaten breakfast. The Pre-release can be a long day – take it easy. Get food and water.

Bath. Please! July is mid-summer (at least on this half of the globe). That means heat. The venues are likely to be warm. Wear deodorant – and bring more if necessary. Make an impression with your play skills – not your stench.
Thank you.

Get to bed at a semi-reasonable time the night before (or two nights before, if you are planning on playing in a midnight flight.) Having sleep is good. If not, you may doze off and wake up to find that you are being attacked! (Yes, that’s a GP: Indi reference.)

But please – don’t stink. Thank you." 

[GodofRoads]

I know this is an older topic, but I just want to talk about it I guess.


There are plenty of great people who play Magic the Gathering, where I go for FNM there are a bunch of people who I am excited to play against because they are great players, funny, and nice.

Then there are of the other people. There are a couple people where I go that just make it miserable to play. And even when I am not playing them they are irritating. They are generally dismissive to everyone around them, foul mouthed, and plain rude. That might be ok if they were being disrespectful to adults, but they know better than that, so they do it to kids. Kids who just want to play a nice card game. These people berate an 11 year old for playing a Goblin deck. "You are never going to win with that. Why did you put that in there Are you stupid? Let me see your hand. Play this card. Why didn't you do that? Your deck is terrible." You know that MIGHT be ok to say if you weren't 16, a professional player, and talking to another professional. But you aren't. You are 16 playing in a local tournament of a card GAME. I think a lot of people forget this is supposed to be a fun game. I try and be as nice as I can to all the younger kids, giving them cards when I can and being nice about deck construction. (Also for instance telling someone not to be so "curt" with them when they want to trade, they are just trying to find some new cards. Don't tell them what they have is garbage.) If they are treated this poorly, they aren't going to want to play the game and thats not fair to them. I was playing at a local game one night (and not fairing particularly well having been mana screwed in everygame, but I was still chipper, cause its just a game) and I was playing a kid in the final round. I had to basically teach him how to play Magic because every other person couldn't be bothered to tell him some things he was doing wrong, and just beat him down in a couple turns. For what? Your DCI number goes up? I let the kid beat me, and taught him how to play because it was the right thing to do, and I don't know if a good deal of these people would have done that.

And the cursing. The Cursing really gets to me. There are children here, can you keep your f-bombs to yourself. Sometimes its frustrating. You can curse under your breath. The entire room doesn't have to hear it.

Oh and on a somewhat related note (THIS REALLY BOTHERED ME) I was playing in a local Type 1.5 and playing a deck I had decided at the last minute to play, and did fairly well with. But in the first match the guy ignored me and shuffled his deck for about 15 minutes while yelling across the room to some other guy. He finally faces me and says very curtly "Who won the dice roll?" You haven't rolled yet. He glared at me then rolled. Seriously? You can't be a little more friendly. He then just played cards that I had never seen before and when I tried to read them to see what he was doing he got mad at me that he had to explain himself. Yeah I am sorry that you played a deck that beats me in 3 turns. That must be real fun for you. If I knew what you were playing I could make this interesting.

*sigh* Sorry about that, but I just needed to vent. Thank you very much.

(Also, I don't know why people get mad at you when they are talking about a card and you don't know what it does. Can't you just explain it and continue. YEEEEESH)

[imachampion]

I have to admit that I have a rather foul mouth when I am playing with people I know...but thats only when its only adults that are present. I do my best...and try to keep others in check also when children are present.

I also agree that it can be rather annoying when people outright belittle other players. There are bad seeds no matter where you go. I would try to look past them and try to have a good time.

[GodofRoads]

I have to admit that I have a rather foul mouth when I am playing with people I know...but thats only when its only adults that are present. I do my best...and try to keep others in check also when children are present.

I also agree that it can be rather annoying when people outright belittle other players. There are bad seeds no matter where you go. I would try to look past them and try to have a good time.

I don't mind when people curse, especially if its all adults, but yeah when kids are present I think more people need to be aware of what they are saying.

I've been to a couple other places and yeah, there are always a couple guys who are like this, but I try and steer clear of them and sit near the people I know are nice. I always enjoy myself, I just feel so bad for these kids.