01.08.01   This had to be the best weekend of Magic I've ever had. I finished just out of the money in the Grand Prix. I qualified for the Event Horizons Invitational. I watched my brother get ejected from the tournament site. I had fun. 

Friday night I was invited to the 8-person draft qualifier and drafted a very good U/W deck. I didn't have enough fliers though, and lost to the only other U/W deck in the first round. I think my deck would have been much better against the field, but his was superior to mine in the matchup. It didn't help that I was mana-shy 3 out of 4 games. 

Saturday morning I brought my Miracle-gro deck to the tournament, and found Bryan Hubble writing up his decklist. He said he had tested his version and it was very good, and let me copy it. Here's what I played:

4 Tropical Island
6 Island

4 Quirion Dryad
4 Manta Riders
2 Lord of Atlantis
2 Waterfront Bouncer
4 Gaea's Skyfolk

2 Curiosity
4 Land Grant
4 Winter Orb
4 Force of Will
4 Daze
2 Sigil of Sleep
4 Brainstorm
4 Sleight of Hand
2 Foil
4 Gush

2 Submerge
2 Emerald Charm
2 Withdraw
3 Annul
2 Sigil of Sleep
2 Misdirection
2 Disrupt

Round 4 - Bryan Hubble - Mirror matchup Erf. 

I concede. I'm a man of my word. 3-1 

Round 5 - Robert Dougherty - Wild Zombies Heh. 

Playing a deck that many consider to be one of the best decks in the format, in the hands of its designer, is not fun. I kept a one land hand the first game and don't draw another until its too late. The second game his draw is very good and mine only average. 3-2 

Round 6 - Roy Darbo - Junk (I think) 

The games were completely horrible for him. Winter orb was extremely bad for him and nothing to me, and I beat him easily. It was not a very memorable match in that it was very quick and unexciting. I had good draws. 4-2 

Round 7 - Scott Marshall - Black Weenie 

This one was for the marbles, all of them. Day 2 awaits me if I win. II draw Waterfront Bouncer just in time as he's laying on the beats to me, and am able to counter his Contagion and Masticore. I probably wrongly side in Annul but they prevent the second Sarcomancy from entering play and he takes pain from Zombies along with flying merfolk. Scott was a complete pleasure to play against. 5-2 I'm in day 2. That was my goal coming in. I have had bad luck in Grand Prix and PT events, never making day 2. This was the hump I was waiting to get over. Now the type 2 to get into the invititational. I played BUG control borrowed from Joel and procede to finish 3-1-1 and make it in the draft which happens the next day. Day 2 

Round 8 - David Bass - Tradewind Geddon T

his was a very tough match and it went to 3 games. I screwed up and had 8 cards in hand after letting him go. I notice it, tell him and discard a card, his first words are "JUDGE!". Up until that point it had been friendly. Two turns later he accuses me of playing a second land for the turn. I almost get a game loss because of it but realize that I had not, am able to show the judge that I had not, and David ends up getting a Warning for Misrepresenting the Game State. I was winning at that point, did not get rattled too much and went on to win the match, 2-1. 6-2 

Round 9 - Steven OMahoneySchwartz - Donate 

Donate is a dream matchup. Game one I win because I am able to counter his attempt to Ice my Winter Orb. Game two my opening hand is: Land Grant, Manta Rider, Misdirection, Force of Will, Force of Will, Daze, Foil. He lays land, go. I draw Land Grant, show Land Grant, get Tropical as he shakes his head, play Tropical and get the other and play Manta Rider. He plays land and says go. I draw, play Tropical and lay Quirion Dryad. My draw was insane and I don't think anyone could have stopped it. 7-2 Now I'm thinking I really do have a chance. 

Round 10 - Bill Macey - AggroOath - Feature Match Read about it here. 

Bill totally destroyed me and my draws. I was mana screwed but I do think that the matchup is not in my favor anyway. 7-3 Now I know I dont have a chance. 

Round 11 - Morgan Douglass - MiracleGro 

He has two Withdraw main deck. He drew both first game. He also went first. I went first and won. He went first the third game and won. Coin flip anyone? 7-4 

Round 12 - Richard Zacek - Threshold Geddon 

In two games I think Richard drew 1 source of white. It was the worst smashing I'd ever given someone. Richard's a friend so it was a fun match. 8-4 Round 13 - Justin Hohenstein - Dark Force I concede because Justin can get the amateur prize if he wins. I can't. (I destroy him in the fun games we play) 8-5 (5-5 on the weekend) 

Final Place - 41st 

Two friends made the top 8 and even though they lost, I was very proud of them. Jonathan Job made the top 8 with ZERO byes. Good going Jonathan! 

After that, I draft for the Invitational, draft U/W again, and this time I come out on top. I'm looking forward to playing in the Invitational this year. I don't want my opponents to have too much of an edge so I'll post my decks much closer to the event. You'll see what cards I went with, and I'll talk about why I did. T

he best part about the weekend was looking at the final standings, and realizing I came out above the biggest jerk on the Pro Tour. 

What's even better is that I did this and I conceded to two friends.