From: Baboonskin@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 3:01 PM
To: cardtips@pojo.com
Subject: Re: Rant about 15+ ~Chris
       I have been disturbed by this topic for at least a year. I agree with Ness 100% .
       I am also sick of hearing people downgrade Pokemon because they play Magic. I quote exactly from 1 of my friends "Pokemon has no skill, and is the stupidest game on the face of this earth." What gets me mad here, is that he has never played Pokemon in his life. Another friend: "Why the he** would I spend all my money on that little baby Pokey-man game?" Once again, he has played, but, he NEVER had a good deck, and therefore, never experienced the challenge of having a strong deck.
       I have been with the game since 1999 when it came out, like many of you. At the time, I really didn't have a whole lot. But, as it went on, I've collected more, and more, and now currently as of today, have 201 holographic, and 421 rares. Now, that everyone is leaning away from Pokemon, all those hundreds and possibly thousands of dollars spent over the last 3 years by both my grandparents and me is going to waste!
       Due to Wizard's leaning towards little kids, this image has rubbed off on everyone as Pokemon being a "Baby" game. Not only on my friends this has happened, but also on my parents. They refused as of Summer 2000 that I will NEVER spend another nickel on Pokemon. They also won't take me to the card store in the area. On Tuesdays, I always hop on my bike, and ride 3 miles to get to the store without my parents knowing, just to get a few matches (and a few cards).
       If Wizards really wasn't insistant on keeping Pokemon as one of their feature games, why would they print TEN sets, with plans for more!? Now that I'm finally collecting a nice arsenal of cards, and I would finally be able to be in tourneys, there aren't as many people playing Pokemon.
       Also, it's my birthday on the 17th. As of 12-17-01, I will never be able to be in a major tournament. Yeah, it's my 15th :-(

       FINAL THOUGHT: Overall, I have realized that of all the millions of people worldwide that play or played Pokemon, it has been the younger kids that everyone focused on. Nobody ever noticed that just as many older kids play! If this really was a baby's game, would they EVER make the cards so complicated? They would never expect little kids to be able to be able to figure Unown Powers, or Ditto and Brock's Ninetales! These cards were made with the older age group in consideration! And now, the 15+ is being slowly but surely worn off...

       If I'd rant for much longer, I'd have to shoot myself. But, this is my simplified perspective.

Stand tall and voice your opinion.
If they don't start respecting the older players soon, they will definitely hear from me.

~Chris "Baboon" Kerchner
Baboonskin@aol.com