From: Tommy Hickman [andrewreynolds316@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 4:54 PM
To: Pojo@pojo.com
Subject: Many Perspectives On Wizards Idiocity
   Hey readers of the things posted on pojo.com.  This is sAvIoR from irc and I have heard the rumors as have many of you.  This e-mail will have significance from all perspectives without a doubt.  The first thing I would like to talk about is the elimination of 15+ from dci's major events.  I think this is the most idiotic thing I have ever seen wizards do.  I have been playing pokemon since base set.  My friends got me into the game and I played it long after they quit.  If 15+ is eliminated then I will be eliminated as of September 3rd 2002 , frankly I do not understand why they would want to eliminate someone who has been in the age group they have favored since the begining. 
 
   The elimination of the 15+ is a touchy subject.  Wizards claims it does not eliminate the age group due to wanting use to play magic.  I do not take sides on this subject either way... well until recently.  Pokemon gets many less sets and many less cards then magic.  I could see making older pokemon players go to magic as an advantage to them so we spend more of our money to stay up to date with the current metagame of magic, which by the way changes more frequently than I can even keep up with.  I like pokemon and I always will.  I have heard kids younger then me, beetween 10 and 12 , talk about pokemon like it was barney.  I do not see how wizards thinks they can focus their game on the finances of kids under 14 who don't even like the game.
 
   Now to kind of change the direction of my.. well ... informing, I will touch on the subject of modified.  I think modified has a few advantages but for the most part is as unbalanced as standerd if not more.  Modified in my eyes is a way for wizards to try to redeem themselves from screwing up with the release of such broken cards in the first place.  If anyone of significant meaning from wizards reads this one thing I would like to say is , Look we did not release the cards such as sneasal, professor oak, computer search, and wigglytuff.  You as a company released these cards knowing they would be played alot. 
 
   If I can point out an article posted in topdeck magazine pre-neo or during the release of neo it was none other than a master trainer , mike gills , that cards like sneasal , cleffa , elm , slowking , and feraligator should be made into decks imediatly.  So as I reread through this he tells us even more how you should use the cards, telling us about needing to get the energy quick because thier non basic for sneasal.  Also without many cards in standerd we lose some of the counters to many broken-way to good- cards.  I normally use muk as a counter to slowking seeing as he can stop multiple powers all at once, yet this card was thrown out with the move to modified.  I sometimes use a deck containing dragonite from fossil to use his power of being able to bring in a 1 retreat pokemon at no cost.  All modified is in my opinion is white out on a paper with errors. I have also talked to people who praise modified... and I agree perhaps something should be do
 
   One again I will try to change the pace of my "Speech" to a different subject leaving you much room to think up your own opinions of these issues.  I never really understood why the 15+ was at risk of elimination and lost thier spot in the QT's.  Even if you're 15 or 16 or maybe even 17 I do not forsee people of this age driving half way across the us to get into a major pokemon event.  Maybe older people or familys can make a vacation out of this but me, a respectable on-line player currently 4th on the ladder at date of mailing this and 2nd place winner of ecsts2 QT in StL Mo, 18 finisher in the second day of ecsts2, I do not see how I will have a chance to attend an sts next year when I'm 15 and without a car or job.  Another thing I do not understand is that why wizards has never tried to hold the qt's with an entry fee.  I would gladly fork over 5-10$ for a chance to win a trip out-of state.  And looking at the turn-outs for many of the qt
 
   Now that I have typed a letter of points up using more effort than I would ever think of using for school, I leave you knowing that this is 100% my opinions... as many others. The things I said may not be entirely true in anyone who reads this views but I am simply giving you something to think on.  If you have actually sat here reading this I thank you for your time and if you scrolled down to see when I would "Get to the point" scroll back up and read the entire "Point" 
 
-= sAvIoR =-
 
Questions or Comments can be emailed to andrewreynolds316@hotmail.com , My aol instant messenger screen name is daewonsong316 , or I can be contacted on irc frequently under the name sAvIoR.