THE 2005 VINTAGE ALL-STAR TEAM

[forests failed you]

The 2005 Vintage All-Star team as voted by TMD.com

1.  Andy Probasco (Brassman)
2.  Bob Yu (Clown of Tresserhorn)
3.  Brian DeMars  (Forcefieldyou)
4.  Jacob Orlove
5.  Justin Droba  (Jdizzle)
6.  Justin Timmony (Outlaw)
7.  Kevin Cron  (Cha15s)
8.  Matt Endress (Lost in Admiration)
9.  Peter O.  (DicemanX)
10.  Rich Shay (The Atog Lord)
11.  Robert Vroman (Vroman)
12.  Roland Chang (Changster)
13.  Steven Menenian Smmenian)
14.  Travis Laplante (Juggernautgo)
15.  Ugo Rivard (?)

Honorable mention:

16.  Josh Franklin, maybe next year!  Outlaw beat you out by one vote!

Discuss?  or, just check it out.

Cheers,
Brian

[Outlaw]

Its Justin Timoney    

[Komatteru]

Its Justin Timoney    

You're still Justin #2 on that list. 

[Juggernaut GO]

do I win any brazillian hookers for making the team or what?

[PacmanXSA]

lol Franklin is once again overshadowed by the light that is "DeMars"

Pac

[JDawg13]

Any chance to get a vote count on everyone that received votes?  I'd be curious to see who else was close, and who gets to be team "captain."

[Komatteru]

I just did the actual team here (cause I was lazy). In, order the votes go (according to my probably shady counting):

1) Vroman - 30
2) Stephen Menendian - 29
3) Andy Probasco - 24
4) Justin Droba - 23
5) Rich Shay - 22
6) Brian Demars, Peter Olzewski - 21
8) Roland Chang, Jacob Orlove, Kevin Cron - 20
11) Travis Laplante - 15
12) Matt Endress, Ugo Rivard - 12
14) Bob Yu - 10
15) Justin Timoney - 8
16) Josh Franklin - 7

There were 31 ballots (I didn't count the one with 15 "Doug Linn" on it, sorry Douggie! )  Interesting to note that Steve, Rich, Kevin, and Diceman didn't vote, so they didn't get a chance to vote for themselves.

[Hi-Val]

This team loses hardcore to the Harlem Globetrotters in streetball.

[Lost In Admiration]

I didn't even vote for myself.  I lolpwned the standings anyway.

[Juggernaut GO]

voting for yourself is for noobs omg

[Cross]

This team loses hardcore to the Harlem Globetrotters in streetball.

Maybe, but I hear Travis shoots almost as good as Steve Nash in free-throws, and Timoney has a wicked three.

[Juggernaut GO]

outlaw shoots the 3 like that dumb ass white guy on the bulls when jordan still played. 

 I cant remember his name the only white guy on the team

[forests failed you]

However, this team Pwns the Globetrotters at Vintage MTG; therefore, we're even.

[Fall-Titan]

Stever Kerr? Tony Kukoc?

[Smmenen]

I just did the actual team here (cause I was lazy). In, order the votes go (according to my probably shady counting):

1) Vroman - 30
2) Stephen Menendian - 29
3) Andy Probasco - 24
4) Justin Droba - 23
5) Rich Shay - 22
6) Brian Demars, Peter Olzewski - 21
8) Roland Chang, Jacob Orlove, Kevin Cron - 20
11) Travis Laplante - 15
12) Matt Endress, Ugo Rivard - 12
14) Bob Yu - 10
15) Justin Timoney - 8
16) Josh Franklin - 7

There were 31 ballots (I didn't count the one with 15 "Doug Linn" on it, sorry Douggie! )  Interesting to note that Steve, Rich, Kevin, and Diceman didn't vote, so they didn't get a chance to vote for themselves.

I didn't have a very good year.  I played in the following events this year:

Waterbury in Jan: top 32 with meandeck tendrils
Richmond in Jan: scrub out with meandeck tendrils
Syracuse with Chalice Oath - although Demars won a SCG event with a list that was tuned from this event.  I lost to Brassman and Eli kassis in the swiss
Richmond SCG in May - I got 9th with Cron Stax - I thought I was top 8, but I somehow didn't make it
Gencon - I got top 16 with two byes in a 7 round tournament.  That is terrible.
SCG Richmond - I went 2-2 with mono blue - although i did virtually no testing for the event
SCG Chicago in Nov - top 4

So, in summary, I played 7 major vintage events this year and i managed to get:
top 32 out of 202
scrub
4-2 drop
9th place
top 16 at gencon
scrub
top 4

pretty all over the place and not too good.  At least in half of my tournament showings I did to p32 or better and in three of them top 14 or better. 

Perhaps if I had waited until Gencon to unveil meandeck gifts, I would have had a better showing there.

Alot of other players were a ton more consistent than me.  Vroman made top 8 at all three SCG events, although he scrubbed HORRIBLY at Gencon.  Travis laplante made top 16 at all Waterbury events, although he scrubbed horribly at Rochester and at least one other event.  Brassman and Kowal scrubbed out alot more than they won too. 

Demars was pretty consistent - top 4 at gencon and multiple SCGs, although you got your ass kicked at one of the richmond events - I remember you losing to kevin. 

[Bram]

Heheh. Maybe I should be on there after all, then

I made T8 in Eindhoven's monthly GameForce tournament 4 times (1st, 3rd, 3rd, 5th), and finished 13th out of 177 in the Dutch Open Vintage Champs. The only tournament I botched up was the French Open Vintage Champs (1-3-2 drop). That's 5 decent-to-good performances out of 6 events I played this year. I must suck a little less than my teammates tell me

[Smmenen]

I was only counting events with like 6 rounds of swiss or more.  I won two origins events and did well at a local columbus tournament. 

[forests failed you]

Indeed, Kevin was masterful at top decking his one swords to plowshares to force the game three.  I cannot control my opponent's abilities to rip savagely.

Steve, there are many factors aside from top eight finishes that determine whether or not people vote for you as one of the All Stars of Vintage.  Clearly, even though you didn't put up the numbers that you usually do;  the community in general, myself included, has immense respect for the work that you do tuning, building, and testing new decks.  Not to mention the helpful articles you have been writing, aimed at enlightening new players to the ways of the VIntage 'game.'  In spite of the fact that you may have had a rough year putting up finishes, I had no problem putting you at the top of my list because of the work that you have done.

I'm really hoping to have another fun, successful and innovative year in 2006; And I wish all you guys the same.  

And at all you East Coasters who secretly loathe me because I've turned Michigan into the new Nexus of Vintage; and/or  because I'm the most masterful Mana Drain player in North America, all I have to say is:

"Na na na na na  ----I'm on the Constructed Pro Tour as well"

Anyways, I think you guys did a great job of voting for a very savage list of the best and most influential players of our format.  I am very much looking forward to seeing which players from this list will return this time next year, and which new players will have stand out years in 2006!

[BigMac]

Perhaps it is time that all star team should come to Europe for a tour d'Europe, and get crushed in every country. Should be good to finaly mingle the two meta's and see what happens.

As for me, i did not have a good year. Had 2 losses in Paris and then dropped after round 7. Made top 8 in Dutch open, and top 8 a couple of times in home town tournament (30 peeps)
In the end not a good year, especially as only a few events were sanctioned.

[Komatteru]

Alot of other players were a ton more consistent than me.  Vroman made top 8 at all three SCG events, although he scrubbed HORRIBLY at Gencon.  Travis laplante made top 16 at all Waterbury events, although he scrubbed horribly at Rochester and at least one other event.  Brassman and Kowal scrubbed out alot more than they won too. 

The instructions did ask "So guys, who are the fifteen most influential players in Vintage right now?"  That's based on a lot more than just tournament preformances.  Some people are known for tournament preformances, others for posting and articles, and others for a mix of both.  You won that "Most influential player" thing in that TMD Awards thread hands down, so I don't see why you're surprised to see yourself so high on this list.

I had a pretty good year playing, but I didn't get a chance to play in that many major events (only 3, so I T8ed at a third of them I guess).  I missed July Chicago because I was in Williamsburg.  A lot my success this year has been fairly recent (Gencon and beyond) and in power events around the Midwest.  I'll remind you all that this year was an awakening for me, and I intend to make next year even better.   I consider myself influential because I've almost got an entire archetype resting on my shoulders.  Oh, and I write all those tournament reports everyone loves.

[forests failed you]

He's just so modest 

[everythingitouchdies]

I love how JDizzle thinks he is the only one who plays combo or convinces other people to play combo.

Ever heard of Michigan?

I hear there is a lot of combo there.

I also heard you are from there.

I heard they have a pretty decent size vintage community.

I hear there is some random guy, who outweighs you by like 200 pounds, that put combo in alot of people's hands.

There is rumor he may have introduced you to long and belcher.

But since he is a hermit and doesnt leave his homeland, only plays once a month, and would rather talk shit than help people out, he remains a ghost.

He also got three votes after selling his cards to get a shit ton of tattoos.

Let it rest on your shoulders, but remember when you go to sleep it sneaks out to have sex with a dead guy.

[Machinus]

I didn't have a very good year. 
...
pretty all over the place and not too good.

You're excess of Lifetime Vintage Pro Points will keep you on the top 10 list for quite some time.

[forests failed you]

I would like to point out that I voted for Ben Perry out of pure respect for the man.  And I have never even been his Barn. 

Mr. Perry, tell Satan I say "sup"

[Whatever Works]

Neat idea, but seems way to much like a giant popularity contest... 1/2 the people on the list had horrible years, and made it on from previous years work, or because the community as a whole think they are "cool"... However, at the end of the day your not cool... because you still play magic... Myself included...

@Smennen --- Your not on the list for your performances as much as you are on for your contribution, and impact on the format with Meandeck Gifts (still underapreciated deck), and other decks that somehow your the only person to ever do well with (thats a complement)... I didnt vote, but if I did you would be near the top of my list, because meandeck gifts made me easily $1000 in tourney winnings over a fairly short stretch of tourneys.

[Komatteru]

And I have never even been his Barn. 

I have.  I'm not ashamed to admit it either. 

[Jacob Orlove]

However, at the end of the day your not cool... because you still play magic... Myself included...

That's just wrong, and I'll settle for the easiest refutation: Adam Bowers.

[The Atog Lord]

I cannot control my opponent's abilities to rip savagely.

They call it Mana Drain. Try it 

First you finish well with Control Slaver, then you start being a "real pro." Man, pretty soon you're going to move out to the middle of nowhere and become a grad student.

[Whatever Works]

However, at the end of the day your not cool... because you still play magic... Myself included...

That's just wrong, and I'll settle for the easiest refutation: Adam Bowers.

What if I changed the word "cool" with the word "normal"?

[Jacob Orlove]

Who wants to be normal?