Thieves caught on video at Worlds, TPCi does nothing
- Thread starter Meesie6x6
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homeofmew
Active Member
As far as I am concerned this situation and is more now is more around the Macbook and the "roasting of Gino".
Mr. Kettler brings up a decent point there is a lot of things that seem staged in this thread in my opinion just to attack Gino no Jon.
(Aka Jason's and Rahul's post)
Jon already gave Mees back his cards that he sent via mail, to me that's 100% poof that he did steal them on camera or not.
I Understand if some of the controversy is about that evidence and TPCi doesn't do anything. So 100% known theft there of the cards.
JandPDS
New Member
Yes but then youre too smart to have stolen in the first place. I seriously doubt Gino stole the laptop for any reason then he could because he thought he was going to get away from it and as such he will most likely keep it as a trophy.
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I think it's time to start winding this thread down.
Pokemon has made their ruling.
People have expressed their thoughts on that and it's getting into a circular rut now where the same thoughts are being expressed again and again.
I suggest that people take a step back and see how things play out over time. The new season is starting up in a few weeks with Regionals.
Both players will be allowed to attend those events.
I think it would be worthwhile for every to move forward and see what develops.
Pokemon has made their ruling.
People have expressed their thoughts on that and it's getting into a circular rut now where the same thoughts are being expressed again and again.
I suggest that people take a step back and see how things play out over time. The new season is starting up in a few weeks with Regionals.
Both players will be allowed to attend those events.
I think it would be worthwhile for every to move forward and see what develops.
Just give up?
My little cousin plays in New England, and since he is new to the Pokemon scene, he could easily have cards stolen from him by either Jon or Gino (who both play in New England). I don't think it's right for him to risk losing cards by going to a Pokemon tournament, which should be a safe environment for people of all ages. When he first got in to the game a month ago I told his parents about how safe it is being at tournaments, how I thought New England was a really good crowd (having been to NE tournaments before). I don't think I could say that now with honestly.
TCPi should take action.
So he should be called what...magic fingers?
I feel there is more to discuss... mainly Rahul said he had "a moment of weakness", but I think many of us are curious just how many times he cheated in the LCQ and in his 9-0 Nationals run. There was also another player at Worlds that did extremely well that got their invite by cheating at Nationals/LCQ which I hope will come up eventually.
signofzeta
New Member
It is sort of weird that this thread wasn't locked at first, because in other forums I visited, namely magic and possibly gaming forums, calling out on someone is against the rules. I guess it isn't the case here. Usually in these other forums, when someone wants to call out on someone, they have to go with "some guy", rather than the actual person's name.
In cases like these, it is best to just move on, and not get driven by vengeance. The way TPCi gets hit hard is through lower turn out in tournaments, which is not what I want to happen, but it sends the message. Another way is to not play with "That guy". Spread the word. If nobody plays with "that guy", then, well, yeah, he won't be able to improve himself to win in tournaments, and would rely on more cheating, and would more likely to get caught. The time would soon come for "that guy".
In cases like these, it is best to just move on, and not get driven by vengeance. The way TPCi gets hit hard is through lower turn out in tournaments, which is not what I want to happen, but it sends the message. Another way is to not play with "That guy". Spread the word. If nobody plays with "that guy", then, well, yeah, he won't be able to improve himself to win in tournaments, and would rely on more cheating, and would more likely to get caught. The time would soon come for "that guy".
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SmeargleMe
New Member
And what would you do if this was in your area of play for the entire season and thereafter? What if your child\younger sibling\niece or nephew wanted to go? Does that change the equation for you? What would you say to that youngster if they lost their deck? Tough luck even though I knowingly put you and your possessions in harm's way? It's like driving to the really dangerous neighborhood to get milk - there's a higher possibility that something bad will happen than if you were in a good neighborhood.
Are there other thieves in the area? Yes, but guess who's going to be blamed first? Makes for an uncomfortable situation. This is happening in my area. And with Worlds being in DC this year, I know a lot of New England Juniors and Seniors are planning on making more of an effort to go to more tournaments.
And while a $2000 laptop was taken, I feel that if they took an empty lady's handbag, there should still be some repercussions for taking something that's not yours.
Cyrus
Iron Chef - Master Emeritus
Homeofmew, I'm not making a point about anyone "staging" anything (although I am surprised at some of the people coming out of the woodwork just to post in this topic...myself included lol). What I am saying though is that someone decided to turn this thread into attacking the attackers, confessionals about cheating, and other stuff. We don't want to talk about every ban ever, or every non-ban -- just TPCi's response to a particularly notorious non-ban.
vaporeon
Moderator
I would tell them to not bring anything with them that they did not need. I have also had decks stolen from me at events for both Yugioh and Pokemon. I cried to my mom over it but what could be done. Tough love works like that. Its my own fault for not watching my things and providing someone with the opportunity to steal my deck. After that happened, I learned my lesson.
You take risk doing and going anywhere. What if your car gets broken into or stolen at a event? Are you going to stop going because of misfortune? What if someone cheats against you at a tournament? Are you going to stop playing? What if someone you knew dies in a plane crash? Are you not going to fly even though its one of the safest way to travel? Things happen and all you can do a prepare yourself for it. If you dont want to run the chance of anyone stealing your deck, either dont play in any events or watch your stuff like a owl. Perhaps dont bring all of your things with you. In a event with hundreds of people, ANYONE can steal if the opportunity presents itself.
Still their is no excuse for people stealing and it needs to be handled but you cant place all the blame on the person who stole it without putting some on yourself as well. A 2000 dollar laptop theft should have been looked into by the police at the time while they were still in that country. TPCi is also not the police so maybe they did not want to overstep their bounds. After all they did not deface the hotel they were at. Perhaps they know something we don't.
Either way, protect your belongings at events. Just because this is Pokemon, do not assume people wont steal.
SmeargleMe
New Member
Unless the Yugioh and Pokemon events were at the same time, it sounds like it took a few lessons. How much money did you lose? I do teach my son to watch his deck, but if it had a few Tropical beaches in it, I would be pissed. Crying kids and pissed parents make for a great playing environment. </ sarcasm>
Also like most people who play Pokemon, I play the odds (did you see my comment about the higher possibility of bad things?) and don't think in black and white (no pun intended). When I decide to go to a tournament, I do weigh the distance, cost, the general neighborhood and clientele a store has. And I do believe most parents do the same. Pokemon tournaments might become the bad neighborhood. This potentially effects an entire area, and not just for one tournament. This applies to all tournaments, this season and all of the following ones for New England.
FirestormXVI
Member
You can help keep this thread from going in circles by reading the thread.
Wouldn't a better lesson be that cheaters and thieves are not to be tolerated, and to be removed from our community?
darkwing34
New Member
I know Rahul. That's something he would never do. If Rahul says it was a one-time deal, that's what it was. He's a player that 90% of the well-known players will give the shirt off their backs to. As with this other player, why not just call them out?
TheDancingPeanut
New Member
If there's one thing we all learned from this thread, I hope it's that cheating needs to be addressed in this game. The checks against it are so minimal and arbitrary that it's almost impossible to stop in the current system. For everyone who palms cards into their deck, I bet there's a half dozen who routinely edit their deck list throughout the tournament. The odds of getting caught with an altered deck are minuscule.
I haven't judged very many tournaments in recent years, but when I did judge them I performed at least three random deck checks, not necessarily on the top two tables, at least three times during the day. And I did so after those players were set up. (Yes, I made them reshuffle.) This really slowed things down. Still, if this isn't a good option there has to be other options that haven't yet been considered. I think we just have never really taken cheating very seriously, to the extent that we're actually going to try and find ways to root it out of our events (as opposed to just issuing suspensions if we happen upon it.)
Edit: I just wanted to say that I mean this in a broad, strategic sense. My comments aren't an analysis of any particular judge's record. I believe all the top judges want to root out cheating, and have a great deal of respect for them.
I haven't judged very many tournaments in recent years, but when I did judge them I performed at least three random deck checks, not necessarily on the top two tables, at least three times during the day. And I did so after those players were set up. (Yes, I made them reshuffle.) This really slowed things down. Still, if this isn't a good option there has to be other options that haven't yet been considered. I think we just have never really taken cheating very seriously, to the extent that we're actually going to try and find ways to root it out of our events (as opposed to just issuing suspensions if we happen upon it.)
Edit: I just wanted to say that I mean this in a broad, strategic sense. My comments aren't an analysis of any particular judge's record. I believe all the top judges want to root out cheating, and have a great deal of respect for them.
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Sorry. You are wrong. Not a one-time deal. Rahul would need to look Isaiah Rufus dead in the eye and tell him that. So it is at LEAST at two-time deal. His story is incomplete and that may be troubling to you but I can guarantee it is more troubling to Isaiah. So that is something you are going to need to work out with your friend. He made a mistake. Help him through it. Helping someone come fully clean has nothing to do with "calling out" those around them.
I'm 100% sure those "known players" you speak of are indeed quality individuals that would also want Rahul to pull off the bandaid fully no matter how painful. His true healing and recovery will not begin until then. Also this can't straddle two sides of the same fence. Indeed, I have photographed Rahul with every top respectable player in his area. I see him hang out with them socially. He is a good guy to hang with and have fun. But.. if he was "influenced by the dastardly Gino to go to the dark side" he also had quite a deep pool of good people that he could have bounced that wonderful palming idea around with. I am 100% confident they would have steered him correctly not to do it. But he chose otherwise. Lets stop treating perpetrators as victims. There WAS a victim here and its high time we care about that at least as equally as we care about Rahul's redemption. I'm still not sure why this thread was chosen as the "confessional" unless the intent was to make it more about Gino and divert from self responsibility. That said, I do very much commend Rahul for taking a step forward. That was certainly not easy to do.
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amphyrules
New Member
A little late to the party here, been away on Vacation for the last 2 weeks.
My personal stance on this is stern, but to be honest, i'm surprised its not the ONLY stance.
If these players remain unbanned, I seriously see this as the first step in a snowball effect that ultimately forever damages Organized Play. Imagine the rampant theft that starts to occur as children carrying $200 Tropical Beaches have no protection from TPCi the minute the tournament ends. Imagine the impact as these younger players, not knowing any better, look up to Gino or Jon as role models. Imagine the impact as families and players in general begin feeling unsafe at a tournament because there are known thieves attending, so they simply stop going to events. (Would you want to go an event with Jon or Gino? I sure wouldn't!) We can't just "leave things to the authorities." We're not going to have police officers present and roaming Pokémon tournaments.
I was there immediately after the theft. I was there when Mees identified the thieves from video. I was there when the police arrived, giving us the heartbreaking news that if the thieves had re-entered the U.S, we were basically hopeless. The entire time, I couldn't think anything other than "Jon and Gino are toast."
Regarding Gino's cheating, our community is tight-knit and a lot of players have known Gino cheated long before it surfaced here. Unfortunately, his ability to intimidate others helped keep it from spreading to everyone.
I hope TPCi hears this message. I hope they hear it clearly. TPCi, please listen to the vast majority of your players and do the right thing and ban these players, or our game will start to go downhill, fast.
My personal stance on this is stern, but to be honest, i'm surprised its not the ONLY stance.
If these players remain unbanned, I seriously see this as the first step in a snowball effect that ultimately forever damages Organized Play. Imagine the rampant theft that starts to occur as children carrying $200 Tropical Beaches have no protection from TPCi the minute the tournament ends. Imagine the impact as these younger players, not knowing any better, look up to Gino or Jon as role models. Imagine the impact as families and players in general begin feeling unsafe at a tournament because there are known thieves attending, so they simply stop going to events. (Would you want to go an event with Jon or Gino? I sure wouldn't!) We can't just "leave things to the authorities." We're not going to have police officers present and roaming Pokémon tournaments.
I was there immediately after the theft. I was there when Mees identified the thieves from video. I was there when the police arrived, giving us the heartbreaking news that if the thieves had re-entered the U.S, we were basically hopeless. The entire time, I couldn't think anything other than "Jon and Gino are toast."
Regarding Gino's cheating, our community is tight-knit and a lot of players have known Gino cheated long before it surfaced here. Unfortunately, his ability to intimidate others helped keep it from spreading to everyone.
I hope TPCi hears this message. I hope they hear it clearly. TPCi, please listen to the vast majority of your players and do the right thing and ban these players, or our game will start to go downhill, fast.
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