Grand Prix Brussels

[Thomas David Baker]

So I wake up to find the latest pairings include two English players at 5-0 paired in Round 6.

National Champion Dan Gardner versus Eternal Champion Steve Bernstein.

Epic battle.

Who else is there that we know?

[Tom Reeve]

The US withhold 30% of the winnings as tax if you're a non-US resident winning the money on US soil, so if anything is deducted from .eu winnings it will at least be a different system.

Daniel Royde said:

The US tax is on winnings is about 30%, but whether they take it depends on the country you're in too. Przem didn't have to pay any tax on his money from worlds, but Jack did in SD. Rob might know for Belgium since he money'd last time.

[Dan Barrett]

On the tournament report front - there are a few blogs that i am sure would be interested in a full write-up if you have the time, i can put you in touch if you want.

[Raymond Wat]

Gosh! Congrat to both Steve and Wei! Yes, I agree. Non-coverage was a bit strange, especially with the semi.

[Nathan Gotlib]

http://twitpic.com/1baxsu

haha that's my decklist from the mtg twitter at the event : D
thanks to dan for pointing it out!

[stevie_b]

I'm sorry u feel that way dan - let me expand my point. 

Jason is big enough and old enough to answer for himself - he doesn't need your sycophantic (a servile self-seeker who attempts to win favor by flattering influential people) spinning of situations. 

I do think that if people that I don't see eye to eye with, like tom reeve and nick lovett are kind and gracious enough to offer their congratulations alongside my docking partners (here's at u mr Symington) it is pecuilar that Jason couldn't find the time or more likely the will to send his best wishes. He was in the same freaking room as me for the two days. 

Until the Cullarn incident I was a games club regular attending approximately 2 events a week for 2 years, spending over 4 grand with Jason as my local TO. I believed that whatever freindship/acquaintance we have he would have the manners to take a few seconds to show me his support for the best magic achievement by a games club player since I started playing at morningtide - many people in the room who I had never met or didn't know by name did. I'm sure he could have found the time in between alledgedly staying up late drinking on saturday to send me a text if he was too busy running drafts all day. He still has not. 

I presume this is the follow up from being scapegoated and banned for being the victim of an assault on his premises. While my entire crime was to try and retrieve an empty promotional admonition angel deck box and being either punched or glassed causing a 2cm cut over my left eye that required being glued shut by A abd E this was deemed by Jason to be fighting. I did not provoke threaten or strike cullarn and was shocked by his reaction - even further that he had to be physically restrained from hitting me again. Jason's decision to punish the victim at all but equally severely as the perpetrater is simply perverse and wrong. When asked how I should respond to someone running off with my deckbox Jason told me to simply do nothing and let him take it. That may be fine for a promo deck box, but if it was my actual deck, trade folder, wallet or iPhone, is not ok. 

I am a friendly individual with no history of aggression, anti-social behaviour and not being able to control myself when drunk. This is not true of other individuals who got banned. Jason has institutionalised the games club with a heavy drinking culture and openily accepting adults that cannot handle their alcohol. I am hugely upset by the banning as well as the slander against my character. 

Dan I hope this has clarified my statement.         


Dan Barrett said:

Hey, i don't really think that's necessary, Steve.

stevie_b said:

Doesn't your toungue get dry from all that ass licking?

Also, if there was any ass licking in this topic, it woulda been this:

Battlefield Schmattlefield said:

stevie b proves what we all know: that he's a fucking legend...!

:P

[Gary Lynch]

stevie_b said:

...being able to control myself when drunk. This is not true of other individuals who got banned. Jason has institutionalised the games club with a heavy drinking culture and openily accepting adults that cannot handle their alcohol.         


Dan Barrett said:

Hey, i don't really think that's necessary, Steve.

stevie_b said:

Doesn't your toungue get dry from all that ass licking?

Also, if there was any ass licking in this topic, it woulda been this:

Battlefield Schmattlefield said:

stevie b proves what we all know: that he's a fucking legend...!

:P

What you talking about? :)

[Dan Barrett]

Just because i don't think Jason is the worst person ever, doesn't make me a suck-up. Although yea, perhaps that comment was a bit ill-advised. He's a friend, just as i'd consider any of the other local TO's or players i've spent a lot of time with. And as is my nature, i like to help out - be this people asking me for trade values/to look at their deck, playtest with people, or suggest stuff to Jason and occasionally run the club for him, just as Tom/Martin/etc do. So if i'm a sycophant, it's to everyone.

On the incident at the last pre-re: I didn't see what happened, and that's what I told Jason when he asked many of us for a description of the night's events. To be honest i think it sucks what happened, i'd much rather my friends don't fall out, fight, hurt each other, or get themselves banned from the club. :(

[stevie_b]

Fair enough.

As u can guess I am still extremely upset about how Jason has treated me over what happened at the pre-release. I do not feel my actions warranted any punishment let alone a 6 month banning. His dissing me at the GP just reopened those wounds.

Dan Barrett said:

Just because i don't think Jason is the worst person ever, doesn't make me a suck-up. Although yea, perhaps that comment was a bit ill-advised. He's a friend, just as i'd consider any of the other local TO's or players i've spent a lot of time with. And as is my nature, i like to help out - be this people asking me for trade values/to look at their deck, playtest with people, or suggest stuff to Jason and occasionally run the club for him, just as Tom/Martin/etc do. So if i'm a sycophant, it's to everyone.

On the incident at the last pre-re: I didn't see what happened, and that's what I told Jason when he asked many of us for a description of the night's events. To be honest i think it sucks what happened, i'd much rather my friends don't fall out, fight, hurt each other, or get themselves banned from the club. :(

[stevie_b]

You're being sarcastic right?


What you talking about? :)

[Gary Lynch]

:)

stevie_b said:

You're being sarcastic right?


What you talking about? :)

[Dan Barrett]

From Rich Hagon on SCG forums:


"You're right of course that Steve had an awesome weekend. It's generally much harder to cover someone 'unknown', especially when there aren't enough bodies to go around ie four quarter finals. Second time around, he's much more likely to be featured, because there's a storyline already in place ie Brit trying for his second GP Top 8 of the season. We were actively watching players like Richard Bland for that reason.

In this article, I wasn't attempting any comment on the event - I don't mention Nakamura, Nassif etc - it was simply a reflection of what actually went up.

Oh, and finally - or should that be 'semi-finally' - I covered Steve v Giusti in the semis, and proceeded to have the mother of all computer meltdowns, meaning the report was lost, which explains why that spotlight never got turned on.

R."

[stevie_b]

Yeah, whatever. I guess that "mother of all" computer problems only lasted long enough for the semis cos he managed to cover the final with the same computer and that report didn't go amiss. 

Good detective work dan - about the report I was just gonna publish it here but what contacts do u have?

Dan Barrett said:

From Rich Hagon on SCG forums:


"You're right of course that Steve had an awesome weekend. It's generally much harder to cover someone 'unknown', especially when there aren't enough bodies to go around ie four quarter finals. Second time around, he's much more likely to be featured, because there's a storyline already in place ie Brit trying for his second GP Top 8 of the season. We were actively watching players like Richard Bland for that reason.

In this article, I wasn't attempting any comment on the event - I don't mention Nakamura, Nassif etc - it was simply a reflection of what actually went up.

Oh, and finally - or should that be 'semi-finally' - I covered Steve v Giusti in the semis, and proceeded to have the mother of all computer meltdowns, meaning the report was lost, which explains why that spotlight never got turned on.

R."