M13 Gameday

“Wow, this happened fast.” 

That’s the thought that goes through my mind going into Magic Gameday this weekend.  Was it really only around last October when I found out a couple of regulars at my Applebee’s Dewitt karaoke show, Mark Carfagno and his son, Mark Jr., played Magic? Mark and I had built a positive relationship since I met him earlier that year.  We shared musical tastes, always a good starting point for a conversation.  He’s into the Renn Faire and I used to be SCAdian; a couple of esoteric old dudes singing classic rock karaoke songs together.  But the night they brought cards to Applebee’s was the night that changed Syracuse Magic. 

Mark Jr had a couple of casual decks he and his father busted out one night.  I noticed this and immediately started talking to them about the game.  I suggested they buy a constructed deck because the new cards were so cool.  Junior came back the next week with the Graveborn deck.  OK, I said, I was thinking you’d buy a standard deck, but this works.  It was humorous watching Junior trounce Senior all night long.  I suggested to Mark that he get the red burn deck.  He did, but still lost to his son constantly.  After a bit, I finally talked the Marks into playing competitive Standard.  They began going to all the local venues, Play The Game, Legacy, Larger Than Life, Cloud City.  I had created a monster(s). 

Mark saw how much money someone could make dealing in the cards.  He had sold some limited cards on Ebay over the years, and being a shrewd businessman he also realized that he could get his own cards cheaper if he utilized his business to obtain them.  Mark is also honest to a fault.   He would go into this the right way and create a venue in his current place of business, his multi-faceted Pocket Puppies & Little Lions/Lilac House storefront in Dewitt.  He approached me for assistance in this, and I offered my services as his judge/rules advisor due to my history and experience.  With that out of the way, he was concerned about competing with other venues, as Syracuse was already flooded with Magic.  I suggested we run standard tournaments on Saturday afternoons.  Most other places have drafts or no magic at all at that time on Saturdays.  So he ordered product and filled a singles case and started hosting standard tournaments on Saturdays on March 24^th.   

It took us nearly 2 months to gain the requirements for the store to become a Core location – Core meant we could host FNM and have release/pre-release events.  After hard work marketing to the caliber and types of players we wanted to attract, and doing this without stepping on any other shop’s toes, mind you; we achieved our goal in time to get a pre-release for the summer core set release.  Friday AFTERNOON Magic began in July.  We decided on this time would allow people who work nights and kids off for the summer to play FNM and get FNM promos.  So far it’s been a success.  

Now we exist to be a place for new players to learn the game in a competitive, yet casual and relaxing atmosphere with ZERO egos.  With two tournaments weekly (FAM and “Saturday Standard”) and 3 weeks now into our second Magic league, we are continuing to grow and attract more players.  Other than Sal Greco’s fantastic month long run with his Mono-Black decks, no one player has dominated play in the venue.  We welcome players with experience to come and help mold their future competition.   

Now, our first Gameday is this weekend.  I am reminded of the days of Tales Twice Told when Magic was sold in a musty used-book store.   

And I’m so excited.  

But this wouldn’t have happened if Mark hadn’t made the extra effort to create the venue we play at. 

Thank you, Mark! You are a scholar and a gentleman and most of all a heck of a SSSSSLLLOOOOWWWWWW Magic player. 

But we’ll work on that.

And finally, I give a gracious bow of humbled respect to all of the players that have come through the doors and thrown down a few hands with us.  May the games go on and good luck to everyone who enters this domain this weekend and in the days to come.