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I am the biggest ass in Texas.

That's about as much of an introduction that is necessary for me I would hope. I have been a regular writer on other sites for a couple of years now and when the editor asked me to make the move, I was very willing as he is someone I have known for almost my entire Magic career.

Enough about me and on to what my column will be about.

Who knows? I think that one of the things that I like most about my own writing is its inconsistency. This first week I'm going to talk about my PTQ Team, Wonder Twins and Gleek, and starting next week I'm going to be putting up three articles a week regarding the Invasion Block (I'll talk about that more). Once the season starts you'll see hopefully just one tournament report (after you win the tournament they don't let you play anymore). I'm prone to talk about Texas magic, my girlfriend Sara, and the Pros I know.

And hopefully I'll be giving you reports from the Pro Tour itself. I have qualified four times, been to three, and thought that I had given up on the game. I finally was able to come back because I was able to think about it as a game again, and not a life.

Onwards and upwards.

Wonder Twins and Gleek has competed in each season of PTQs that the format is legal in. I have played on five teams I believe, but Wonder Twins is definitely my 'home team'. Consisting of myself, my twin brother Mason, and Leland "Gleek" Simmons, we are one of the better teams in the Houston area (to toot our own horn). As a team we have 5 Pro Tours between us, and we're all known as competitive players.

We have been fairly unlucky in tournaments in the last two years. Our first time out we had two decks that were insane, and my deck, which was not so insane. We divided the decks in the best ways possible but Mason and Leland had to win every round or we were going to lose. I played with the scraps, and pulled out a few rounds, but in the end we were too low on the tie breaks to be in the top 2 (going to end up third or fourth based on tie breaks even if we won) so we dropped.

Last year we made it to the finals. I made a play error against Cannon Boling in the third and deciding game that cost me the game. When I expressed my frustration, Leland (who had already been mad at the team for our show of poor sportsmanship) decided to mulligan a great hand in his third game. He ended up losing quickly and we were done.

We have three leaders on our team, and that makes it tough. We are not the perfect team by any means, and I doubt we'd win a pro tour together. But something else drives us to play with each other each year.

We are friends. And we know if we qualified, we would be able to rely on each other. We know we'd go together and have fun. Our friendship is something deep and special. Don't get all sappy on me, but know that it's like you're playing against a family. Leland is like our third brother, and when we squabble it's something we all know won't last long. We also have the same ideas on Magic. You don't cheat. You play to win but you don't have to sacrifice good sportsmanship to do it. Leland keeps Mason and I in line in that arena, making sure that we realize what is most important.

Just don't ask which of us is the female wonder twin.

Throughout each season we've only been able to compete in one tournament. Usually we have something complicating it. Leland having to work on weekends, one of us not being able to travel, etc. This season is no exception. Mason and I will be at a wedding for one of the two PTQs held in Texas this year. We will be in Houston though, battling it out on our home turf. Expect to see Leland in between Mason and I trying to keep us from yelling at each other. Expect to see him frustrated, or one of us angry.

Remember though, when its all over we're still going to be friends. That's what is most important.

Starting next week I'm going to be putting out article after article (three each week). They may not all be the 'best' of what is available, but hopefully they will get you thinking. Each will have a decklist attached so you can start playtesting for the Block PTQs for New Orleans. I will be covering mono-colored strategies as well as dual colored, and finally three colored strategies. The final articles will be on Domain decks and a special edition on Coalition Victory (Cromat anyone?).

Until then,
Fletcher Peatross
The Biggest Ass in Texas
Bludragon@hotmail.com