Non-Professor wins Professor Cup!

[losjackal]

I only made this account because I couldn't recall the info to my old one. I never post on the gym before. Been a member for a couple years I read post never posted. The bashing of this kid is what finally pushed me to the point of wanting to post. Because I disagree with how people are treating this kid and other members.

That's logical, except you're not only defending him, but you're LOL@pokemon_staff. You say you're a Professor, and Professors aren't supposed to show disrespect to staff. Those are the Core Values you signed up for.

Now Never did he say that he was a professor. He didn't lie.

The rules of eligibility were posted. He attempted to register, at least giving the staff the impression that he was eligible. It was deception, and a lie of omission.

He said his sorry and agreed to returning the items that he won. So I think that he is showing great character by doing so.

The Professor Cup tournament rules clearly state "Players who are found in violation of the rules of eligibility are subject to suspension from Pokémon Organized Play and loss of prizes." So yes, it's commendable that he came forward and wrote that article (for various reasons, being sorry is only one of them), but let's also abide by the rules and acknowledge that he has no right to keep the prizes. Giving them back is what he's supposed to do.

So if all of these people made mistakes and didn't something that shouldn't have been done why are we only focused on him?? It's because he won the tournament and they can't stand it. If he would have played and bombed no one would really care.

The focus is on him because he created the situation. Of course staff and other Professors will still care if an ineligible player didn't do as well. It still would have affected the Swiss results and the people who made Top Cut.

How can you say that he would influence fellow league member poorly??? We all have friends we get around and do stupid stuff with. EVER one has had a stupid moment with friends at one point or another. This was one of those. He learned his lesson. Almost everyone on here does nothing but bash on people.

Absolutely everyone has done stupid things. But this stupid act is particularly public, and it didn't just affect the one person (like if he failed a school test because he did something the night before), it affected A LOT of people: the other players in the tournament, the staff who will have to be more rigorous in subsequent years, and the Professors who won't be given as much benefit of the doubt when they run into true registration problems in the future. Indeed maybe some people are taking it too personally or seriously, but they have their own lives and experiences that are prompting that reaction.

I may be mistaken, but ever since Aydan/Justin came on at 6:46pm to apologize and let everyone know what he's doing, only one person truly bashed him, so the "and you all still insult him" accusations are baseless.

Yes, he deserves to be punished in some way. Life time ban? No, I don't think so. I clearly said just ban him from the professor program. It makes the haters happy and he doesn't get away scott free. Plus we don't have a say so in what happens to him, so why log on here and bash this kid?

You're right, he probably won't ever be eligible to become a Professor in the future. It's up to P!P to decide whether he loses his League Leader status (which he was relinquishing anyway, since he was starting college), or loses P!P eligibility. I suppose everyone commenting on those matters is venting because of the said frustration/anger/disappointment/disgust. And PokeGym is the de facto place where that kind of discussion happens, even from moderators. They're individuals too.

And finally...

Even better... why bash the people who trying to defend him?? Do you get a sick pleasure out of doing so??

I don't know who you're referring to..."bash[ing] the people who trying to defend him".

But if you asking me why am I posting what I do, I'm bringing out facts. Either stuff I know or stuff I've read. It's because I'm involved in the story, I'm the "man [who] stood between me and my beloved Kindle!" I lost the Top 8 match fair and square, but if you look at the tournament as a whole, should I have been matched against someone who wasn't eligible?

In my opinion, that ship is sailed, I don't know how anyone will undo it, and I'm happy I got the backpack. When I congratulated him on his win, I was little crestfallen I didn't get the 4th place Professor Cup, when I saw how nice the trophies were. And I don't care of about the Kindle, which is what I told Aydan/Justin in a PM earlier this evening when he sent this to me:

Hey, sir.

I wanted to let you know that I'm shipping everything back. And thanks, you were one of the first to point me into that direction. (Well, through a message at least.)

I'm very sorry for the trouble I might've caused you. In fact, I'm telling Pokemon to attempt to send you the Kindle. Since technically, you would be one to deserve it. I have no doubt in my mind that you would've made (at least) top 4 if I wasn't playing/ Or if we had fully played!

...(personal note omitted)...

All in all, I'm sorry and I'll do my best to make this all right.

Aydan Aires~

I dislike all of the strong opinions on this thread from either side too. But I really hate it when posters dogpile on someone else's comment without reading the whole thread, knowing the facts, or seeing what someone else in authority has already said. That's just a side effect of forum systems. So I spend lots of time crafting my posts pulling information back together to try to make the discussion a little more organized, civil, and on point.

 

[PokemonSteve]

It hurts me to think that he was allowed to enter the tournament and then goes on to win. I'm aware of what check has and can be done. So I'm wondering if a member of staff has also concluded with the player in question. AKA being aware of who the player is, being aware he is not a professor, and potentially getting a personal gain as well.
This is unlikely to be the case as I know that the Professor Cup is a fun and friendly place to be, is there a chance?

 

[LOLZ]

I only made this account because I couldn't recall the info to my old one. I never post on the gym before. Been a member for a couple years I read post never posted. The bashing of this kid is what finally pushed me to the point of wanting to post. Because I disagree with how people are treating this kid and other members.

A likely story...

Now Never did he say that he was a professor. He didn't lie.

The name of the the tournament is the PROFESSOR CUP. That kid of implies that it is for Professors.

He said he was new to it and he was. He never done it before. He said his sorry and agreed to returning the items that he won.

Saying sorry and returning the items does not solve anything. Why is there this infatuation with material possessions. By this guy not even being qualified to participate and the fact that he won, he robbed not only the "2nd place" player, but every player he beat, of that chance of legitimately winning the Professor and the pride, honor, respect, and recognition that comes with it.

So I think that he is showing great character by doing so.

You have to "have" great character to "show" it.

If you also recall his friends influenced him into doing it. They didn't stop him. If they would have stopped him this issue could also have been stopped.

Moot point, he still did it. His friends should be punished also, imho.

There are MANY people at fault here. The staff member that signed him up could have stopped everything. Why doesn't that staff member just admit to signing him up. Take responsibility for the mistake she made. So if all of these people made mistakes and didn't something that shouldn't have been done why are we only focused on him??

You have got to realize that with that many players mistakes could happen, and it happen. The only thing P!P can do now is find out how it happened and prevent it from happening again.

It's because he won the tournament and they can't stand it. If he would have played and bombed no one would really care.

If he would of played and lost there wouldn't be this big of uproar, but people still would of cared. I think most people are angry at the these three facts, mainly fact number three.
1)- He played in the cup when he was not eligible
2)- He proceed to win.
3)- He wrote an article about it and had it posted on a respected website to brag about it effectively making a fool out of: HIMSELF, THE PROFESSOR CUP, TOURNAMENT STAFF and THE POKEMON TCG.

How can you say that he would influence fellow league member poorly???

To repeat myself... 3)- He wrote an article about it and had it posted on a respected website to brag about it effectively making a fool out of: HIMSELF, THE PROFESSOR CUP, TOURNAMENT STAFF and THE POKEMON TCG.

Setting a poor example? I think so.

We all have friends we get around and do stupid stuff with. EVER one has had a stupid moment with friends at one point or another. This was one of those.

There is STUPID and there is WRONG. This is a situation where he was WRONG.

He learned his lesson. Almost everyone on here does nothing but bash on people.

Saying sorry and returning the prizes does not teach lessons or gain forgiveness

Yes, he deserves to be punished in some way.

WE AGREE!!! :thumb:

Life time ban? No, I don't think so. I clearly said just ban him from the professor program. It makes the haters happy and he doesn't get away scott free.

WE DISAGREE!!!

Life ban would make a lot of people happy.

Legal action sounds nice. Is it possible, I have no idea, I am not lawyer. If it happens it would be icing on a cake

Plus we don't have a say so in what happens to him, so why log on here and bash this kid?

There is bashing and there is stating opinions. I think the mods are deleting all of the true bashing posts.

Even better... why bash the people who trying to defend him?? Do you get a sick pleasure out of doing so??

Have you seen the comments on 6P?

Again I say... Stop the hating, the bashing, and the cyber bullying.

Have you read your username?

 

[NoPoke]

@Steve, don't let the breach of trust made by one player you are never likely to meet jaundice your view of the majority of the community that you are equally unlikely to meet. Don't let trust be the casualty in all this.

 

[butlerforhire]

Even better... why bash the people who trying to defend him?? Do you get a sick pleasure out of doing so??

Again I say... Stop the hating, the bashing, and the cyber bullying.

Funny how you make these demands for "peace" and a bash/hate/bully-free thread and yet your name is one big guffaw in the face of P!P. Why do you even bother with the charade of working for/with them if you find them so worthy of LOLs?

Clearly you have not seen the garbage in the 6P article's comment section, particularly the Cecily bashing (some of which has been censored since its original posting, and for good reason). People like those bashers deserve to be "bashed" back, unless you happen to think it's acceptable for some deranged no-name misfit to say something to a person he doesn't even know such as "you're a jobless, worthless piece of [expletive]" (to paraphrase one of the censored/removed comments). It is sickening that people like that are roaming around in our society, let alone polluting this particular community. When an issue like this Aydan thing arises, a lot of clueless (or simply apathetic) people inexplicably feel compelled to show their true colors to everybody, and we have every right to speak out against them.

The more even-tempered, "tame" people defending Aydan can't all be neatly grouped together under one easy tarp. However, a great deal of them are doing nothing more than a.) expressing their enjoyment of this whole scene, as if it is just some big LOL fest, b.) congratulating Aydan on his con artist job and expressing admiration that he managed to "get one over" on the system, c.) claiming Aydan is completely blame-free because of staff negligence and should be doing NOTHING other than basking in the glory of his win, d.) taking up a misguided crusade against the staff because they're always looking for that special chance to cut down authority, and/or e.) making bogus claims that Aydan 100% deserves every bit of his winnings, that he deserved 100% to be there in that tournament, that he is basically a Professor without the title (or points), that he in no way, shape or form lied to anyone at all or did ANYTHING wrong in any capacity throughout the entire Professor Cup experience. If you look through this thread and the one on 6P, you WILL find examples of each of the above views.

The people who hold any of the above beliefs are fair game for being "bashed," as you say-- or simply "called out", as I think it is better put. They're harmful to this game in their own way. Best case scenario is that they'll actually read something in this thread that will wake them up to the error of their views.

As far as Aydan himself goes, he just needs to stay true to his pledge to make things right however he can, accept any and all punishments from P!P, refrain from expressing any sort of satisfaction with himself for doing what he did (eg. stop doing interviews, stop writing articles about it), and basically just submit himself to the repentance process. A person can do nothing more than that in a situation like this.

 

[PokePop]

My mistake. Was on Tapatalk, which doesn't allow me to see special usertitles. Didn't realize he was no longer a mod.

Yeah, I apologize. Of course you guys don't delete posts that you disagree with... but making a thinly veiled threat against one's Professor status because of a post they made on a forum is something I have a problem with. Just my opinion.

Neither PokeDaddy, nor myself, or anyone associated with this site is in a position of authority to make a threat about anyone's Professor status.
Don't confuse pointing out a fact that something might happen with threatening that action.
Two totally different things.

I can say to someone that spits at a cop that they're going to be arrested for assault in a moment.
That hardly makes it a threat.
The cop is going to do that all on their own.

 

[cabd]

Clearly you have not seen the garbage in the 6P article's comment section, particularly the Cecily bashing (some of which has been censored since its original posting, and for good reason). People like those bashers deserve to be "bashed" back, unless you happen to think it's acceptable for some deranged no-name misfit to say something to a person he doesn't even know such as "you're a jobless, worthless piece of [expletive]" (to paraphrase one of the censored/removed comments).

I assure you, and the rest of the community, that the users described have been taken care of, both on the front page of 6P, and elsewhere within the site. Once again, I apologize for being a bit late to the cleanup. I ask that anyone who spots any more incredibly offensive material anywhere within the 6P site PM me immediately, so that I can remove it. Nobody deserves the amount of hate that was on there before it was moderated.

 

[PokePop]

bulbasnore said a lot of what I was going to say here, but I want to personally thank the PokeGym staff that has been working this thread these past few days.
It is a thankless task and, for many it seems, a less than thankless task, to put the time and effort into maintaining a fine line between free discussion, open bashing, and overly strong censorship.

Have we on the staff gotten that balance exactly right in each and every post on this thread? No, I'd say not.
However, I would challenge anyone else to keep this train wreck moving along the tracks as much as has been accomplished.

Kudos and many thanks to our staff!

I expect that we will lock this thread later in the day. People have pretty much had a fair chance to get their thoughts expressed.

 

[butlerforhire]

I assure you, and the rest of the community, that the users described have been taken care of, both on the front page of 6P, and elsewhere within the site. Once again, I apologize for being a bit late to the cleanup. I ask that anyone who spots any more incredibly offensive material anywhere within the 6P site PM me immediately, so that I can remove it. Nobody deserves the amount of hate that was on there before it was moderated.

I know, and I didn't mean to sound as if I was blaming 6P for that content. It just so happened that those individuals chose to "strike" there and not here.

 

[Aron Figaro]

Neither PokeDaddy, nor myself, or anyone associated with this site is in a position of authority to make a threat about anyone's Professor status.
Don't confuse pointing out a fact that something might happen with threatening that action.
Two totally different things.

I can say to someone that spits at a cop that they're going to be arrested for assault in a moment.
That hardly makes it a threat.
The cop is going to do that all on their own.

No, but it does potentially expose you to civil liability if people take action based on your statement and its correctness or incorrectness.

 

[JohnnyBlaze]

Looks like the Trophy has been taken off of ebay with no winner.

 

[P_A]

I'd like to thank the pokegym staff for opening the thread back up, or else my earlier on-topic post would not have been seen in this thread. However I'd like to point out that just because I didn't see (or perhaps recognize) any thinly veiled threats in this thread by staff doesn't mean that they don't happen. I remember one leveled at me which I never got an apology for. However that was from an earlier discussion-slash-situation which has no bearing on this thread. For the most part, the pokegym staff has (in this thread) been as empathetic as possible under the circumstances, and I'm sure has taken a bit of heat. Thank you for your time and energy. Believe me, I've been there.

Of course we here have no way to confirm that Mr AA (or whatever his true name is) will or has sent the prizes back, so in most of our minds it will forever remain a bit dubious. Let's face it here people, like the expression goes: 'fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.' Justin (or Aiden ... or who ever), I don't envy you your quest to regain the trust you lost. However if you don't want this to define you, it certainly is a worthwhile challenge. Once this is sorted out and properly ended in a moral fashion, I would be happy to take a chance on you again - in any way you decide (trader/seller/buyer/boss/employee/mentor/or even potential friend). Good luck.

 

[Prime]

I wish his family best of luck with handling rectifications.

 

[PokeDad]

Look bashing this guy does nothing. You can all talk about how wrong he was for doing this and all that crap, but it does no good.

Who is really at fault though? I mean when signing up for the professor cup you had to give fist and last name. You also had to give a pop ID. On top of all that he had to give his date of birth. I signed up for the professor cup and I know they had a long list of professors names that had POP IDs, date of birth, and how many professor points. Now if this kid wasn't a professor how did the POKEMON STAFF let him slide through? I mean it's obvious his name wasn't on the list. The date of birth clearly didn't match up. Anyone of those things could have stopped this kids fun right then and there. But we know how good pokemon's staff is.... well not that good, so this is how the kid gets through. Because pokemon lets people judge and staff who has no right of doing so. I don't think the entire time at nats I found more than 4 people who should have actually been staffing. The staff at nationals is a joke. The staff member that signed up this kid could have stopped everything, but he or she didn't. Didn't do a thing. From what I see in his article that was link in this thread says

" Anyways, I went up to registration and wrote my name down. I told the registers that I was new to all of this and held my own league (which I do!). They said they would look into the matter to make sure I was a judge. I thanked them knowing that if I was unable to play then it wouldn’t be a big deal to me."

If he truly runs a league he didn't lie. He was new to this. He had never played in a professor cup before. He didn't care one way or another if he got in, but he did get to play thanks to pokemon's staff.... So why are we wanting to give out life time bans to him? I mean what good will it do? I don't think it will do any good because pokemon loses another player. Someone who has bought cards in the past and runs a league which helps supports pokemon. Getting more people into the game and giving them a place to play. By banning him you are possible denying many kids from every getting to play this game. Do I agree with what he did? No, no I don't. Did I find it funny? Yes, yes I did. I couldn't stop laughing when I heard about it. I saw it as a chance to see how fail pokemon's staff is.

We all know that not all professor work hard to get to play in this. I mean it's a stupid test that has nothing to do with current pokemon. You take and pass. I'm sure for most people they don't take the test alone, nor do they take it at all. I'm sure some professor get other people to take their test for them. How can we really say he killed all the hard working professors chances of winning?? I mean I run a league and play in Pokemons events the rest of the time. I got to play in the professor cup. It isn't a lot of hard work. It truly isn't. It doesn't take a lot of work to get the points. If he killed someones dream by winning as a non-professor then you need to look at your life and see what is going wrong. I mean really... It wasn't right for him to do it. It wouldn't have happened if pokemon would get some people who deserve to be staff.

I mean at the end of the day nothing changes. It's a game. It isn't life or death. It is a game! Life goes on with or without pokemon. The game is fun and is meant for spirit of the game. Bashing someone this kid isn't spirit of the game. Him signing up knowing he couldn't play in the professor cup isn't spirit of the game. If you want to punish him to make yourself feel better then just ban him from being a professor. Let him play pokemon and enjoy this time with his friends. Let's stop the hating, the bashing, and the cyber bullying.

Hiding behind a sockpuppet account is weaksauce.

Your name, your post, your cowardly hiding behind a second account are pathetic actions. I'm not saying you are pathetic, just your weaksauce actions.

If you really are a Professor, if you really are involved with helping new young upcoming players in the game, then I feel sorry for those players. You, and every other person who has come into this thread to applaud the actions of Justin/Ayden, to celebrate his actions, who make posts filled with derision and disrespect of staff, mods, the 'gym, TPCi. professors, the Cup - you all offend me.

I doubt you are really are part of the professor program. Your post makes evident that you do not deserve to be, you have no honor, integrity. Your name alone marks you as a liar, breaking an agreement to uphold the game.

You are lacking in the Core Values you agreed to adhere to as a professor, and many who are not professors similarly ignore the Spirit of the Fame that binds our community.

Modding this thread has been like wading through garbage, a sizable minority of you have left me feeling unclean in the process. You have disappointed me beyond reason. I loved Pokemon because of what it gave my son and I when he was young, because of what it gives it's players tourney after tourney. Clearly there are those among you who do not feel the same. That some of you enjoy trashing it is just sad.

I welcome the closing of this thread.

 

[Rush17]

Hey everyone, this is my last statement to the community. I hope you find time to read it.

http://www.sixprizes.com/uncategorized/apology-final-statement-aydan-aires/

 

[gargoyle131]

You know, the one thing that I'm getting truly tired of? The bashing of the staff that "let" him play. How many of you that put so much blame on them actually know what it's like to organize and run such a large scale tournament with a small handful of staff?

I don't think many of you realize just how hard these folks actually work to make everything goes smoothly as it did. They work their tails off all throughout the ENTIRE 4 days, working long 12+ hour shifts, just so the players can have a good time. And I only got a small taste of what they go through, helping the first 2 days as a volunteer, and I was exhausted just from that little bit. They run themselves ragged the entire time.

So, in a tournament where virtually all the players should have been at least half way trustworthy, they had one minor oversight, after had working for the last 4 days, and you put the majority of the blame on them for just trying to keep it going on time?

Maybe you should reevaluate why you even play this game if you can't even realize this simple fact. Most of the people you see all the time running and working the tournaments? They sacrifice a lot just to keep everything going and even just to actually have them in their areas.

So, before you go and blame a person that you don't know and not even a smidgen of the story from the other side, maybe you ought to just hold off on saying anything and keep your mouth shut.

 

[kd0220437]

I feel like this thread shows the hatred that humanity is capable of. It really sickens me to see moderators and players alike rip this guy a new one. Whether it was forced regret, or genuine, I am pretty sure he has gotten the point, and understands that what he did is wrong. I'm not going to stand here and say that he does not deserve this, but does that make it right?

 

[LOL@pokemons_staff]

You know, the one thing that I'm getting truly tired of? The bashing of the staff that "let" him play. How many of you that put so much blame on them actually know what it's like to organize and run such a large scale tournament with a small handful of staff?

I don't think many of you realize just how hard these folks actually work to make everything goes smoothly as it did. They work their tails off all throughout the ENTIRE 4 days, working long 12+ hour shifts, just so the players can have a good time. And I only got a small taste of what they go through, helping the first 2 days as a volunteer, and I was exhausted just from that little bit. They run themselves ragged the entire time.

So, in a tournament where virtually all the players should have been at least half way trustworthy, they had one minor oversight, after had working for the last 4 days, and you put the majority of the blame on them for just trying to keep it going on time?

Maybe you should reevaluate why you even play this game if you can't even realize this simple fact. Most of the people you see all the time running and working the tournaments? They sacrifice a lot just to keep everything going and even just to actually have them in their areas.

So, before you go and blame a person that you don't know and not even a smidgen of the story from the other side, maybe you ought to just hold off on saying anything and keep your mouth shut.

I know what it's like to run a major event. I've staffed and judged at worlds and other major events. I'm on of those people who worked my butt off at those events helping keep things going. Which is how I know that most of the staff and judges are a joke. I will admit. Some do work their butts off. Most don't. Most do it just for the free stuff. They kiss just enough butt to get to come back again. The hard workers who knew what they were doing don't kiss butt, so pokemon stopped bringing them back. For pokemon I assume butt kissing come above knowledge of the rules of the game.

If it wasn't for that staff member that signed him up, none of this would have happened. I understand at the end of a long day things can be stressful and you are just ready to get out of there, but who let him in?? I haven't seen this person admit to signing him up. I mean how hard is it to sit on your butt in a chair behind a desk and to take peoples name and look at the list in front of you for his or her name??? I mean really?? How hard is that?? Plus if the staff told the kid he or she would look into if he was a professor or not where did he or she even look? Who did that person talk to?? If the staff member did his or her job and talked to a higher up, what did the higher up that he or she reported to do? Did the higher up let it go? Many things could have stopped this before it was ever an issue.

I can't say that this kid winning killed my fun at the professor cup. For the most part I had fun. I didn't make top cut, but I didn't care. I was more aggravated with playing professor that didn't know the rules of the game. Some people think that me defending this kid is a horrible thing. Well I think pokemon hiding the staff member that signed him up is a horrible thing. Why don't we get to know who let him in?? Again I say who would have really cared if played and bombed?? Not many. The real issue for the professors is that he won. That is the only reason people are wanting to ban him from the game.

So again I say stop the hating, the bashing, and the cyber bullying.

 

[Biggie]

Join date today/1 post, Obvious sock puppet account. Why don't you say this on your main account? Knowing who you are lets others take your opinion seriously, just saying.

I imagine it's because they know very well what my opinion would be of a Prof going after our staff publically.

No, but it does potentially expose you to civil liability if people take action based on your statement and its correctness or incorrectness.

Please tell me you are speaking generally.

 

[LOL@pokemons_staff]

I imagine it's because they know very well what my opinion would be of a Prof going after our staff publically.



Please tell me you are speaking generally.

What is your opinion of a professor talking about the truth of staff and judges??