I read Phil's letter on Pojo, and I must say, I am disturbed. I find his
irreverence for the rules unforgivable. Let's analyze, shall we?
"After these past few weeks, I have obviously been questioned as
a player, Judge, etc. ... 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
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."
So? This only proves that morals mean nothing to him.
"Elaine Chase, the head judge for the 11-14 division at the ECSTS called
me
for a very expected investigation. Without hesitation, I told her I
did wrong
and was sorry for it and any damage I caused the DCI and their rating
system.
She said that was fine, and she would tell Jeff Donais (Publisher of
Sideboard
magazine, and basically the head guy) what happened, and she would
send me a
mail about this before anything."
I find this part difficult to believe. Even if Phil did volunteer
information, it was after the fact. The damage had been done.
"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."
WotC, obviously, is not McD's. If Phil's reports weren't false, what were
they? The person who got a bye never attended one of those tournaments Phil
held. Where I come from, that's lying, so Phil's mistake was either
"False
Tournament Reports," naďveté, or both.
"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."
Big surprise. I find it hard to believe that as a judge he never looked at
the suspension list provided by the DCI. He would have known what he was
getting into.
"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 to his knowledge. He told me that there wasn't too much hope
left,
that's when the Legal Authorities were called. The meeting with the
lawyers
wasn't a complete success, they said basically all I can do was
send
consistent mail."
I can barely believe he called lawyers. This isn't Major League Baseball or
the NBA, this is Pokémon. Unless you thought you were being discriminated
against, don't bother, folks.
"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 Im 17". Strange isn't it?"
Not really. I don't like having the same question posed over and
over.
"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 ad I lost the chance to go the the Tropical Mega
Battle
(TMB) because of this."
Phil should realize that most people don't really care. Obviously, he
didn't
deserve his rating, regardless of how many games he may have won. My rating
is 1616, and I earned every part of it, not just by winning games, but by
being an active, productive, member in the Pokémon community. To paraphrase
Ray Bradbury, the difference between the person who just plays Pokémon and
a
real master is in the touching, and Phil has rubbed me the wrong
way.
" Don't forget I Top 2'd and 4'd at the ECSTS, going 8-1 in the Swiss
rounds.
Needs skill to do that, and if that didn't convince you, Im training
an
apprentice to win the next STS. Well, actually make Top 2 on the
first day,
make a formal concession, and then win the next day. Undeafted I
might add."
I would not want to be that apprentice. Even if Phil did succeed, what
would
it prove? It would not negate the way in which he left an indelible mark on
the system, one that sickens me to the core. I don't normally make it my
hobby to lash out at those who have wronged, but Phil's unrepentful
attitude
has given me no choice.
"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."
I wouldn't be so sure.
" 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."
And surely Phil is, at some level, Phil is a good person. Unfortunately, he
has decided to hide in his own lies. It's like that song, "Face in the
Crowd." How does it go? Oh, yes...
You're lookin' for love,
instead of learnin' how.
Steven Reich
Webmaster Pokéwatch
yoshi1001@aol.com