Mike Long will never get a vote from me from just a single incident. It was, I think, in Orlando or Atlanta? It was the final match, there was either $5,000 or $10,000 on the line, and he was playing against a really sharp girl who's name I forget. Anyhow, he won the match through intimidation. This was during either Tempest or Mirage Block, so it was quite a long time ago.
Basically, he made a mistake during the upkeep. Well, not a mistake, per se, you'll see what I mean. Anyhow, the girl was playing deliberately and cautiously, and won during the second main phase, taking Long down to exactly zero. Well, Long called over a judge to back the game up all the way to the upkeep (when they are currently in Main Phase II). After many minutes of harsh words, including Long calling the girl a cheat and many other things to the point she was crying (this was supposed to be a game, right?), and throwing his name around like it means something, pushing the judge and the girl around verbally, the judge actually backed the game up to the upkeep, amidst many protests from everyone watching who saw that the girl allowed Long more than adequate time to perform each move, respond to what she was doing, etc. Well, suffice it to say, he changed what he was going to do that turn (now knowing how the girl was going to win, by getting Long to exactly zero life with some carefully planned out moves), and with a play he would never have performed (since he had no idea the girl was going to win that turn), causing the girl to not win by that single point of damage she got in at the end. This, of course, allowed Long to win the next turn.
So this girl, who won the $$$ honestly, fair and square, lost to a whiney brat who used his status in the community to back the game up 4 phases and change what he did during the upkeep, lost that $$$. Sorry, but that's just such a scumbag thing to do. Not sportsmanlike or full of any integrity whatsoever.
And I agree with all who say you should not be rewarded for being a "famous cheater", you should be banned from organized play altogether. I totally disagree with all who say that the game "needs" people like Mike Long. We'd all be alot better off without people like that involved in the game. Being an intimidating ass is not the same as having charisma.
1
Basically, he made a mistake during the upkeep. Well, not a mistake, per se, you'll see what I mean. Anyhow, the girl was playing deliberately and cautiously, and won during the second main phase, taking Long down to exactly zero. Well, Long called over a judge to back the game up all the way to the upkeep (when they are currently in Main Phase II). After many minutes of harsh words, including Long calling the girl a cheat and many other things to the point she was crying (this was supposed to be a game, right?), and throwing his name around like it means something, pushing the judge and the girl around verbally, the judge actually backed the game up to the upkeep, amidst many protests from everyone watching who saw that the girl allowed Long more than adequate time to perform each move, respond to what she was doing, etc. Well, suffice it to say, he changed what he was going to do that turn (now knowing how the girl was going to win, by getting Long to exactly zero life with some carefully planned out moves), and with a play he would never have performed (since he had no idea the girl was going to win that turn), causing the girl to not win by that single point of damage she got in at the end. This, of course, allowed Long to win the next turn.
So this girl, who won the $$$ honestly, fair and square, lost to a whiney brat who used his status in the community to back the game up 4 phases and change what he did during the upkeep, lost that $$$. Sorry, but that's just such a scumbag thing to do. Not sportsmanlike or full of any integrity whatsoever.
And I agree with all who say you should not be rewarded for being a "famous cheater", you should be banned from organized play altogether. I totally disagree with all who say that the game "needs" people like Mike Long. We'd all be alot better off without people like that involved in the game. Being an intimidating ass is not the same as having charisma.