Dear players,             

            After these past few weeks, I have obviously been questioned as a player, Judge, etc. On July 20th, 2001, I was officially suspended from the Duelist' Convocation International (DCI) organization for the infraction of False Tournament Reports and Providing False Information to the DCI. I don't know if you heard the story or know bits and pieces about it, but I helped a
player I hardly knew get a  BYE at the ECSTS. Now I'm not quite sure if he got that BYE, but ether way I knew it was wrong.

I’m quite sure he did NOT get it, as all the results from your “tournaments” were nullified.  Would it have taken the sting out of your cheat if you had accomplished your goal?

I was expecting a 30-60 day suspension because of my age and the size of the infraction since my mistake wasn't "False Tournament Reports". I was quite fine and I figured I deserved the break I would be getting.

Hold on a moment.  I just got back from the Wizards Suspension list and have the following:

Phil Mondiello
DCI#: 54322189
Staten Island, NY USA
Suspension: 7/20/01 to 7/20/05
Infraction: False Tournament Reports (my italics)
Providing False Information to the DCI

Your mistake WAS “False Tournament Reports”!  What sort of “break” were you expecting?  Did you think they were just going to tousle your hair, say “That’s the kind of spirit we like to see, son.  Be more careful next time” and let you scamper back to your back-room Pokemon king-making?

A few weeks after that call I was told by a player at Alternate Realm I was on the suspension list for four (4) years. Hesitant to believe this at first, I automatically went home with Steve M. Sperling to check this out. Sure enough, I was bumped to the NEW list on the DCI Suspension list.
After that I ranted and raved to DCI for a few days after until they called me back. Unfortunately I was not home, and my father took the call and answered t

Good Lord!  Well, I suppose that’s what we’re teaching future America these days – if you get caught cheating, blame everyone but yourself, then call in the lawyers.   Listen, son – it’s a game.  Just a game.   It is a source of recreation.  Nothing more.   It’s not your future, or money in the bank, or clothes off your back.  Pokemon is just a game.

     But you?  You were placed in a position of trust and responsibility far exceeding your years, with the organization that made that game.  You fell from grace after you violated that trust, and you were, as they say in the Navy, “made an example of”.   Consider for a moment how much money is riding on the trust we all place in the DCI ranking process.   How many folks do you think would bother to play competitively if the DCI and its Judges weren’t there to ensure an even playing field?  Even as you indulged in your power games, hooking your buddies up with free rides to the Super Trainer Showdowns, you MUST have known the price for getting caught.Mr. Zantides and Mr. Grant from the DCI have been emailing me, and I've been emailing back. For some reason they would rather ignore my question of "can I get back in before I’m 17". Strange isn't it?

Not at all.  The subject is obviously no longer up for discussion, as any parent could tell you.  Four years is four years.  Count ‘em, do the math, and do the time with dignity.

Well, for those of you who think Im a "cheater", and don't deserve my 2233 Pokemon Constructed rating, I can guarantee I gained it legitimately, and deserved it. Might I add I lost the chance to go the the Tropical Mega Battle (TMB) because of this.

Phil, you cheated like a bandit with those tournaments because you thought you would not get caught.  You were not overcome with remorse; you did not turn yourself in.  You kept it right up until you got caught, and then you maintained your innocence until it was obvious they had the goods on you.  There is no reason to believe you were any less corrupt when it came to any other aspect of the game, nor any reason we should believe your claims of superiority.  Just because you weren’t caught cheating while playing, doesn’t mean you weren’t cheating.  As for losing the chance for the Mega Battle, that’s only logical.  Did you really think WOTC would want you to represent the Americans, after what

So we’re supposed to ignore your corrupt behavior, and assume you didn’t cheat to win simply because it’s obvious you didn’t NEED to cheat in order to win?  But that makes it all the more ludicrous and tragic.  What you are asking us to believe is that YOU were the last person in the world who needed to cheat.

Yet, very obviously, you did. 

Will I be at the next STS? Yes, I will be at San Diego, but there only to talk to the DCI judges about this matter in person so they can't avoid the situation.

They will go with the party line, which is: we already said all we’re going to say on the topic.  Ignore Phil and he will eventually go away.

Well, just some more information for the public, and hopefully this will change some of your minds and realize I’m actually a good person, and player, and that we all make mistakes.

This isn’t anything you haven’t already posted in numerous chat rooms.  Saying it one more time doesn’t make it any more true.  Unfortunately, I am not convinced you are a good person or a player.   In fact, all I get from this is that you are sore about getting caught.  Apparently, you (and many others) have been taught all along that:

-          honest players are suckers, to be used and discarded on the path to glory and riches.

-          real “playas” ignore the rules as much and as often as they need.  It’s a badge of honor as much as a way of life.

-          the cardinal sin of the “good ol’ boy” or “playa” is getting caught.

-          if you do get caught, deny everything.  If that fails, confess.  Play youth and ignorance for all they are worth. 

You could have bowed your head and sent out a email message to the masses, saying "I'm sorry I let you all down.  Please forgive me.  See you around."   And not said another word.  You could have....but in your pride and arrogance, it probably never even occured to you to do this.  This was probably the only way WOTC would have ever considered allowing you to play again, but needless to say, you blew it.

I am not sure what message you are trying to send, but from what I have read, it was not professional jealousy that made you enemies out there at the tournaments – it was your arrogance.  And what shows arrogance off to better effect than taking your position as #1 Player in the world and turn it into a license for breaking “stupid DCI rules”?

Regards,

Steven Satak

ssatak@yahoo.com