SCG Open Series: Buffalo!

Greetings again guys!
This time I write about my trip to SCG Open Series: Buffalo!

RAGE!!!

This trip started out on Tuesday from visiting my brother in New Mexico, and upon leaving his place, things went downhill fast. I missed the first bus out of Tucumcari, then tried to catch the 1:40 am bus, but as it turns out, the driver pulled through at 1:05, made a circle, and left. WTF!!! I then call Greyhound in Albuquerque, and complain, and they guarantee me a seat on the 7:25 am schedule. I get on, and just like with every other bus on this horrible trip, it is an older bus, so no Internet. Oh well, guess I will sleep alot this time.
We get into St. Louis, and I transfer, so far so good, but when arriving in Indianapolis for a 20 min break, it turns into a 2 hour break, therefore I miss my transfer in Columbus OH.....CMON!!! I get put on another bus, but now have to transfer a THIRD TIME, now in Cleveland. So now instead of getting into Buffalo at 5:30pm on Friday, or 7:25pm, or even 9:30pm, I am now arriving at 2:40am Saturday. WORST TRIP THUS FAR!!!

I finally arrive in Buffalo, but then it gets real interesting. A transient asks me for a smoke, and I say no, since I had like 4 left, and no stores around the area. A couple minutes later, I lite a smoke up, and he says HEY! Thought you didn't have any? I didn't take kindly to his tone, so I say, "let me rephrase, I don't have one for YOU."  He then calls me an asshole, and I respond by saying that I work for a living, and do not work to support him. I turn away, and he decides to swing at me while my back is turned. My spidey-sense starts tingling, so I turn, duck the punch, and hit him with an left hook, dropping him, then mount and drop two elbows to the side of his head. Problem solved. Security lets me go (Thank god!!!) and I decide to go chill somewhere other than the bus depot.

I grab a cup of coffee and a bagel, then head over to the ADAM'S MARK HOTEL, the location of SCG Open Series: Buffalo. I hope this day turns around, not exactly how I expected it to start. (should have expected it after the rest of the trip)

I finally see a friendly face, Chad, who has been alternating between event staff, judging, and booth work for StarCityGames over the last couple trips, and we head to the event hall.
This place is SO BEAUTIFUL!  This has to be the nicest venue I have had the pleasure to work at, almost too pretty!

RIKI AND DLS

DLS AND FRANCISCO

David Lyford Smith is the head judge for this event, if you guys remember, he was on my team for my first team lead in St. Louis, so this is my first chance to work with him, and see if I can get a feel if I did decent in St. Louis, by reading his interaction with me here. It seemed fine, he was friendly and not standoff-ish, so I assume all is well. I meet with my team lead, Abe Corson, and we get ready to do out duties on Logistics.

Everything is going great, didn't really have any difficult calls, and I was then moved to HG my favorite event, 2 HEADED GIANT!! I so love playing and judging this event, not really sure why, but I do. I had another judge working it with me, and though it was difficult working with him, we made it work and had a great event. Him and I spoke afterwards, and hopefully worked out our differences.

THE STARCITYGAMES BOOTH

BUYERS PUTTING IN WORK

JUDGES GETTING READY

GO GO COVERAGE!!!

NOM NOMS!

NON-COMPLIANCE

After the event, Jeff Darran, Amber, Linsay, Anthony, myself, and others all decided to go to TGI Fridays for dinner, and had a great time...expecially when the server was a Magic player! We finish up, and head up to the room (which is convieniently located above the restaurant) and crash, getting ready for Day 2!

ME AND MIKE CLARK

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING!

Day 2 starts with our head judge, Francisco Iramain leading the forces. The turnout was a little light, so this would be a great opportunity to learn from the senior judges on staff, and mentor younger judges. Tasha Jamison was my team lead, and she really helped me work on my ability to explain rulings to players in a way that they understood. I had a chance to chat with her as we went to pick up the dinner that we had to all pitch on, since apparently there is nowhere to eat anywhere close to the event site on Sundays. She had some real good suggestions for me to grow as a judge, and I plan on following everything she suggested I do. She allowed me to later sit in on a L1 test debrief, and I am thankful for that opportunity. It is amazing to see a highly respected judge mentoring a cantidate after the test, something I can use to pattern my own actions after in the future.I had a chance to chat with another L1 candidate later, and hope that he will test some time down the road. He kinda showed up at the event, and since he lives in an area that he could reasonably test with a local L2, it was suggested that he does so. It did make me feel good that Dan Stephens had him work with me, it makes me feel that people have faith in my abilities as a judge, and that I have something to offer to others.

I wrap up my evening, and head back to the hotel. I am happy that this weekend ended so well, expecially after how the trip started. I get ready to head to Chicago, say hey to Jason Long, and take some time to catch up on stuff that I need to, then off to Washington DC.

Until next time!
















Mikey