Subject: Is Magic completely Dead right now? Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 20:22:02 -0400 From: "Jamie & Mare" Newsgroups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy Hiya - Just a quick note. No one in Middlebury is playing any magic. None. I haven't touched my cards in over a week. Is everyone going through the same lull? or is it just us? On the same line of thinking.... Does it have anything to do with recent set releases? I have rarely recieved so much mail with people telling me that they hate Rath cycle, and are thinking about quitting the game. So much mail from people saying they can build a deck - quickly point out what its an auto lose to, and still have nothing to play - the night before the Grand Prix!!! PTQ attendance seems the lowest in years, and I wonder why this is? One slot qualifiers maybe? How about no one wants to fly to Rome? Or how about everyone sees what a huge game of rock/ paper/ scissors rath cycle is? (personally, I think its good to have a pro tour overseas, as its only fair.) Also - has the luck factor changed in magic? Is skill at an all time low in Magic these days or what????? I don't know about anyone else - and maybe I'm mistaken here - but I remember the good old days of driving down to boston, and seeing a LOT of people in PTQ's, and being able to look around, and see maybe 12 people that had a chance at top eight. And with about 90% accuracy - I was right. I used to be able to do that at local tournies too. I can tell you who the best players in Middlebury are - but a lot of them don't make top eight these days..... And a lot of scrubs ARE making top eight. They change every tourney of who is in the top eight - but there's alway a large percentage of people who have been playing less than six months. Didn't it used to take a year to be SKILLFULL enough to make top eight? I think thats one of the biggest reasons for me. I see people who deserve to be in the top eight - not there. And people who don't - are. Magic has become far too random for my tastes. Jon Finkle of course is the exception that proves the rule.... So - Chime in please Is it just Vermont - or is the whole country in a lull - and why? Later Jamie C. Wakefield Men are Pigs and I am King of the Piggies!