Team Hadley plan to usurp Canucks successful...

[Grand Inquisitor]

You won't find this story in SCG coverage.  Below lies the dark truth of GenCon 2004.

Remembering the savage play of Shockwave in last year's GenCon, Team Hadley set out with the intent of knocking the maple leaf's top contender out of the tourney.

While Friday's tournament was rather casual, the fact that so many north-landers were in the top 8 irked us.

Our plan Saturday was to play against Shockwave and sic the judges on him by planting illegal substances on him and spiking his maple syrup at breakfast.

Our plan started off well enough with both Dave (Eastman) and I undefeated after four rounds.

In round 5, Dave got to play Shockwave.  Dave stacked his deck, and I set up cameras and microphone's in order to anticipate Shockwave's plays.  In spite of this, Richard was playing an extremely innovative and metagamed deck that won easily.

The day of reckoning would come later in round 7 when I get paired against the shockiest of Shockwaves.

Game 1 I lose to a big Yawgmoth's Will

Game 2 I intentionally keep a bad hand, and forget to fetch away my darksteel colossus, victory is surely at hand...

Alas, another big Yawgwill seals the deal.  My last respite...steal his win condition and run away.




Unfortunately, there is some truth to this story.  I don't know how it happened, but after losing to Richard, we got talking, and somehow, his darksteel collossus got shuffled into my deck.

Let me be clear that I think Richard is one of the best players in T1, and especially after watching the numerous play errors by top players at this year's event, it was refreshing to see someone still playing great magic with an innovative build.

While I'm used to losing to my own play errors, I feel sick that something this egregious (although unintentional) caused someone to miss a Top 8 that they so deserved.

After the fact, Richard was completely understanding and even nonchalant.  On top of being one of TMD's top players/innovators, the guy has real class and is a great person to be around.

While I had a great time at GenCon, and met a lot of great people from CA and Shortbus, among others, this one will always be a little tainted for me since I took a chance away from Shockwave, who continues to impress in spite of his bad fortune.

I hope people don't mind me airing my dirty socks, but I wanted everyone to know that Shockwave probably should have at least T8'd at this event.  And that, regardless of tourney performances, this guy is a model magic player.

I'm sorry Richard.


-GI

[Shock Wave]

Steve, I'm really humbled by your post. However, it was totally unnecessary. You have nothing to apologize about, shit happens and it was a very honest mistake by *both* of us. I am harbouring absolutely no bitterness about this because I know you're a person of integrity and this incident was the result of a totally unconscious mishap. It's all good dude   .

[rvs]

GI: you should've identified yourself at the tournament. I had no clue you were you :p - I would have at least shaked your hand and said hi or something

[BlkXplsn]

Rich has come down to Kansas on a couple of occasions, and he really is the epitome of class and respect.

Even when shitty things happen (like last year's tourney), he is so classy about things that it makes my teeth hurt.

[Dr. Sylvan]

GI: you should've identified yourself at the tournament. I had no clue you were you :p - I would have at least shaked your hand and said hi or something :)

It took me until I saw the final standings for the Friday daytime event to even know he was there, and then I had to use my robot memory to figure out that the "Stephen" nametag should've had a Houdlette on the end. Luckily, I got a Hand of Justice signed for my TMD collection before the day was out. But all weekend I was looking at nametags for clues and was generally worried that I was misidentifying anyone whose tag was turned around or abbreviated.

Accurate labeling is important, people!

[Bram]

Yes but what about my Kaervek's Torches? Did anyone sign me any Kaervek's Torches?

[rvs]

I have some hadly torches and some shitty german dual for ya bramz0r.