"Platoon! Charge your weapons, we're moving in!" 

~Random Online Game one of my friends plays. =/

Yeah, I know...some cheesy quote from a computer game isn't the most intelligent way to being, but it seemed to fit and was on my mind. =/ Like Ness and Rand0m, I am totally for fighting back against this-WotC newest addition to the rapidly growing list entitled "Things We've Done to Try to Screw Ourselves." However, as I read over the rumor and thought more and more about it, I remembered something from back when the 15+ was first threated to be taken away....

I think it was on WizPOG that I saw DMTM ask the question: "Do you guys really only go for the tournament?" Sure, I saw this question and immediately wondered exactly what DMTM thought we would do there...but then I saw Koribuous(sp?) reply. The first line of the rebuttal read:

"Geez, talk about a loaded question, Mike."

Which gets me to thinking: perhaps there is a hidden agenda on the desk of the Master Trainers-right next to all those mable bars. I mean, I was there at the STS this year. I saw the MTs taking time out of their day-time where they could have easily been relaxing before moving onto the tiresome chore of judging the tournaments-to play anyone that wished to take them on. These are guys that really seem to not only enjoy the game, but know what they're talking about. These aren't your every-day Random Toy Store gym leaders-these guys know their stuff.

I mean, seriously. They not only played at the event, but also take the time to organize chats, and keep up with inquiring minds on the WizPOG Message Board.

Do these guys want the game to end for 15+? NO!

Why? BECAUSE _THEY_ ARE 15+!!

We all think that whenever something like this comes down the grape vine, that everyone wants it to come true. This is not the case, folks. Think about it; if you were in the position of the MTs-who, mind you, are just the messengers in this case-and someone from the big Corperate-Building-Out-Of-Touch-With-Reality Division of WotC came along one fine day and said "Let's nix the 15+ division" what would you do? Sit back and let it happen?

...

Or let some information leak out so that Joe BusinessSuit has to sift through thousands of emails from rabid, angry, ready-to-harm-the-nearest-Wizards-rep 15+ player and think "Gee, maybe I should avoid a mass riot by not doing this?"

Exactly.

So, well I'm fully prepared to go to war with Wizards, I'd also like everyone to remember something: calling WotC "stupid" is an unfair generalization. There are some pretty sharp guys up there in Washington.

Good luck, and don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!...er... =/

~Satoshi