Hey don't worry every body...I am not here to trash this article.  In my
opinion it was well thought out, awesomely written, and perosnally, I totally
agree.  Kids, and Adults for that matter, should not be pompous, should not
be cocky, or let their ego get in the way.  See I have a little story for
everybody ok?  Take a seat... it'll take a while.   
It was about four or five months ago...we only have one tourney a month over
here at Iowa.  Well, Between one tourney and the next, Fossil came out...and
upon opening my first booster...I found a card that would boost my deck a
ton!  It was none other than Aerodactyl.  I played ALL my friends...they all
started hating me...for 2 reasons.  First- they all had to evolve to win- and
second, I got cocky.  My ego grew HUGE!  If you and me stood in the same
room, you would of suffocated because there wouldn't have been enough air for
you me and my ego.  Well I went to the tourney, and to cut a long story
short...the Irony Gods came along. 
    You all know the Irony Gods don't you?  The mythical Creatures that hang
on your shoulder and find out what you want to happen then make the exact
opposite happen.  I went up front to sell my friend my Koga's Beedrill, I set
down my deck, sold it to him, and turned around to see, to my surprise,
someone swiped my deck.  someone just lifted it and walked.  See?  Irony
Gods. 
    I built a new deck quickly and more humble, entered the tourney.  I got
third, so With a deck I practiced with would have done.  I never did find
that deck.  Well, now, I joke around acting cocky, but I am truly humble, cuz
I know that the Irony Gods...They're waiting. 
    As of lately I've been seeing a LOT of
A) poor sports
B) cockiness
and
C) whiners, cheaters etc.

    We all know the poor sports...they're the ones who walk around and play
you, and if they lose?  They flaunt it...and if they lose...suddenly its
their decks fault.  They refuse to shake your hand, just get ticked because
their deck gave them a crummy hand, and they go to talk a walk.  A friend of
mine is like this.  No names mentioned.  He just HATES losing and he expects
to win ALL the time. 
    And almost as well as the poor sports, we know the cocky kids...you know
them too.  I am certain that EVERY league or tourney has one of these. 
Heck...their's at least 5 at MY tourney at least.  I'm sitting their trading
and they start looking through my deck.  They see only nine basics...and just
like Geoff said.  OH!  My snorlax Flareon deck would whoop that one... Just
remember children...things aren't quite what they seem.  I usually enjoy
playing these kids.  I know this sounds mean, but I do it for their own good.
 I do it to humble them.  I see a kid braggin because his deck is 26-0, I
challenge him, beat him...and instantly, he isn't quite as cocky as before. 
I know that people usually like to give kids their illusions but it is not
only not proper, it's annoying to see a little 8-year-old kid saying, " Yeah,
you all SUCK!  My Brian Brokaw Haymaker deck will kick your butts deck" 

    And finally the whiners...they're the ones who whine when they're  about
to lose.  "Call you cheap when you play trainers such as Super Energy removal
and gust of wind" quote from Pompousness by Geoff.
The tourney where I got my deck stolen?  I was in the tourney with the deck I
built vying for third place.  The kid I'm facing suddenly says..."Man...this
stinks."  I'm thinking he's referring to his hand or the game maybe, so I say
nothing.  "This is the third time going for third, and since only third place
and up gets prizes, I'm not getting anything.  This stinks...Hey!  I know! 
Could you let me win?  Please?"   Let me tell you I had a vision of me
smiling at him cruelly and saying "not a chance in hell" but that's not nice
and DEFINATELY not proper.  So I just smiled and said sorry. 

Ever since my deck was stolen, being humble is something I try to do as often
as I can...because of two reasons. 

The first...you don't make many friends by bragging and being cocky

The second?  The Irony Gods...just remember, they could be looking over your
shoulder too.  Waiting for you to be cocky, and BANG!  Suddenly a card or
your deck is stolen by some kid.  Just remember...you never know what could
happen.


Andrew
Animebucsfan@aol.com   

P.S. If you want me to help you work on a deck, making it a little more
original, or something, E-mail me.  If you want to send hate mail, that's
welcome too...