Well, the WCSTS-2001 is finally over, but what a great tournament they had. I met a lot of new faces again this time around (including ScottG, ClefairyDoll, and Satoshi to name a few), and the entire event ran smoother than ever. WotC did a GREAT job of reporting the event; check out their website at http://www.wizards.com/pokemon/event.asp?event=sd01  for interviews, photos, standings, and even the pairings & results for each and every individual round that was played (wow!).

Anyway, a lot of this week's chat were thank-you's to all the people involved and people saying "it was great to meet the MT's", "thanks for signing my card", and so forth. Besides that, here are your weekly highlights.

Enjoy,

- CHRISBO

SUPER TRAINER SHOWDOWN WRAP-UP:

master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #307 from twinsen21_2000: Any plans on the WCSTS 3 or ECSTS 3 yet? ;-)

darkmaster_steve says, "nope, nothing yet.,"
master_trainer_pat says, "No, not yet."

darkmaster_steve says, "I doubt it to be honest, I have a phobia of cups."
darkmt_mike says, "They will also be rolled in flour and fried to a crispy brown! Please!"

master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #365 from marril2000: If there is an ecsts3, by any chance would we see the head tail dice again?

darkmaster_steve says, "if meowth stops eating all of them?"
master_trainer_pat says, "We might print some more of those for future events and/or giveaways."

master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #361 from mechachu: Were you guys disappointed at the dominance of Feralgatr decks there? Any plans on Banning the Gator?

master_trainer_pat says, "Yes, I personally was a bit disappointed that so many folks stuck with Feraligator."

darkmt_mike says, "Foil Entei..with whatever..Magcargo...Blaines Arc. Sorry to see all the Gator's."

master_trainer_pat says, "but, I did see a number of interesting decks like Macargo, Dark Alakazam and Ampharos"

master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #415 from yoshi1001: So would you say the reason Gator was so successful is that it was so prevalent?

darkmaster_steve says, "unlimited damage with 120 HP's, pretty nice."

master_trainer_pat says, "There just isn't anything else that really counters it."

darkmaster_steve presents the speaker with question #371 from marril2000: Did the pokemon company seem to have a good time in San Diego or was there a lot of things they didn't like?

darkmaster_steve says, "Seemed like it, I was a bit busy, but I saw them playing cards with everyone."

master_trainer_pat says, "I really didn't get to talk with them all that much. I hope they did."

master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #390 from yoshi1001: Is this the first time TPC ["The Pokemon Company"] has had an STS presence?

master_trainer_pat says, "There have been folks from TPC there in the past."

POKEMON LEAGUE:

master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #366 from marril2000: in pokemon leauge year 3, it says on the order kit ad. that there will be pikachu metal coins. Are this coins going to be handed out to prevent riggage of the randomizer in the season end tournament or are they just extras?

darkmaster_steve says, "Meowth likes them to throw at people, but I don't know how random that is"

darkmaster_steve presents the speaker with question #372 from soslowpoke: Anything you can tell us about Year 3 of league?

darkmaster_steve says, "It's the 3rd year of the league, I think that makes it the year of the rat, or horse, I don't know yet."

master_trainer_pat says, "Did MT Mike already leak that one of the promos will be Rainbow Energy? Is that old news?"

darkmaster_steve presents the speaker with question #389 from matthewssandslash: Are there going to be recycled promos in year 3?

darkmaster_steve says, "And maybe they will have the recycle stamp on them? No I don't have information on promos, sorry."

master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #392 from marril2000: what do you think of Dean Kamen 's Segway HT? also for league year 3, the sheet said nothing about league books but did say their would be a stamper, so what's the use for the stamper with out books?

master_trainer_pat says, "It's nutty. You better not be confused when you get on the thing."

master_trainer_pat says, "You'll have to wait and ask MT Mike about the League books or stampers, we really don't have the details"

PROMO CARDS:

master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #311 from yoshi1001: So, there's no promo in Mewtwo Returns. Why didn't you just tell us?

master_trainer_pat says, "We didn't know. Honestly."

darkmaster_steve says, "I was in a box the whole time!"

darkmt_mike says, "There's no promo in Mewtwo returns."

darkmaster_steve says, "don't look at me."

master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #367 from soslowpoke: Anything you can disclose about the infamous Charizard promo you've been talking about?

master_trainer_pat says, "It doesn't exist."

darkmaster_steve presents the speaker with question #368 from soslowpoke: Do you have the numbers of the Pokemon Tower and Rainbow Energy Promos? 

darkmaster_steve says, "no, not yet,"

master_trainer_pat says, "Yes, they are 40 for Pokemon Center and 41 for Lucky Stadium"

darkmaster_steve presents the speaker with question #439 from twinsen21_2000: Some people have been calling up the WoTC Cust. Service, asking about the #40 & #41 Promos. They will be re-released in the future so that more people can get them, right?

darkmaster_steve says, "they will be released again later, but we don't know how just yet."

master_trainer_pat says, "They will be released at some point in the future, we just don't know how yet."

darkmaster_steve presents the speaker with question #458 from yoshi1001: Do you think we will see more, less, or about the same number of promos next year?

darkmaster_steve says, "I don't know really, they haven't said."

NEO 4 AND BEYOND:

master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #323 from crosstrainer: Any idea when we will be seeing Neo 4 Chansey?

darkmt_mike says, "Feb."

master_trainer_pat says, "No, we really haven't received any info about Neo 4 yet."

darkmt_mike says, "If he is in there!"

darkmaster_steve presents the speaker with question #343 from gentle_magmar: Will the backs of the cards change for Neo 5 or do you guys not know yet?

darkmaster_steve says, "don't know yet. sorry"

master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #378 from mechachu: The PCL man from Japan was using Pokemon Web cards. Any idea when those might be out?

master_trainer_pat says, "In english? Nope."

master_trainer_pat presents the speaker with question #397 from soslowpoke: Any plans on releasing VS in english or changing the card backs to the ones the Japanese use now?

master_trainer_pat says, "There isn't any news of that set being released yet."