DQed from regionals and BANNED two weeks later (I was set-up)

[Original]

Also from the way you post IT SOUNDS like you have never played me.
Great to throw out hate if you never actually played someone in a match.


You said basically the SAME exact thing, right?

Your issues with me really blinded you to what I was saying, and ended up being the same as what you posted.

We actually have played a couple times as far as win/loss ratio we are actually tied with eachother yipee!

No it wasn't VGC

and you are right I was agreeing with most of what you said.

I was only suggesting Gino value your input because of your reputation and how it aligns with this post

 

[homeofmew]

We actually have played a couple times as far as win/loss ratio we are actually tied with eachother yipee!

No it wasn't VGC

and you are right I was agreeing with most of what you said.

I was only suggesting Gino value your input because of your reputation and how it aligns with this post

JUST because you listen about hearsay that I cheat doesn't make my posts shady, anyway glad you re looked over it.
I was nice and kind and generous on this yeah? May be I'm not as bad as you think

Being that you "heard" something about me, doesn't make it true.
There was a rumor in this area that i was not a us citizen and I obviously am, I even have a US Passport :3.

If you face me in the future and have an issue, i suggest doing what I said and calling over a judge.
If you have a past issue with me, well there's really nothing you can do about it, you need to call over a judge when it happens.
In the case you do not have a personal issue with me, I do not see why you think it is necessary to post that there's romours about me.
But I have never gotten a Penalty/DQ for cheating / unlike Gino, who got DQed at Worlds. Maybe "Minor rewindable misplays" but never cheating. Cheating means intent and they know they are doing it, and it gives them the advantage.

But don't go posting that there's hersay that I cheat just because you feel like it.

There are people in this area who have personal issues with me, outside of the game sometimes. But this not call for our right lies and hersay.
There was a player here, who is now retired (name not going to be mentioned) who was like you. He swore up and down I was a cheater, eventually realized I wasn't cheating and we just both missed the mistake hr originally got mad over.

I understand I am probably one of the most misunderstood players in pokemon, plus being a competitive female doesn't help either.
Besides me trying to say there's sexism in pokemon, I would like to point out I have a 4 year mathematics degree, and can count cards, understand probability.

Let me give you an example of someone accusing me of cheating I used uxie psychic restore and had no deck so I put uxie back in my no deck and put it on top, then when it was my turn again I knew I was going to win because I told my oppoent I knew I was going to draw uxie, eventually they got what I was doing. Another time I sued Victory Cup and someone called over a judge not thinking it was legal.

I think the most times people complained after the match was over is when i ran Machamp, any Machamp player can tell you they can get t1 pretty easily.

I RATHER people call over a judge then put oh "x person cheats" on a forum.

On the side note I actually did better in Houston VGC regionals then TCG. ( I Actually got CP in VGC) that's why if I asked it it was VGC.
In all I have won 1 CC and 4 BRs in the past 5 years, I'm sure IF I cheated I would have done better.

In Conclusion always cut always shuffle always call over a judge. You can also ask a judge to judge shuffle your opponents deck.

 

[FunnyBear]

The vulgar language between myself and another player, one that I consider a friend is between myself and him. .

Not if you do it on facebook and you are a high profile individual and a supposed role model.

So you tell me. If Gino had gone 0-5 at the tournament, would he had been banned? Of course not. Pokemon knew that they had to wait for this one, they were just lucky that the first tournament, Gino started 5-0. What better time to claim cheating?
.

This is ridiculous. Gino would have been 5-0 or 4-1 in round 5 of any tournament. This just happened to be the tournament the judges observed something in. Obviously they were watching, its the nature of being on probation; you will be watched. Clearly they didn't have to wait long.

 

[jeffrey123]

Not if you do it on facebook and you are a high profile individual and a supposed role model.



This is ridiculous. Gino would have been 5-0 or 4-1 in round 5 of any tournament. This just happened to be the tournament the judges observed something in. Obviously they were watching, its the nature of being on probation; you will be watched. Clearly they didn't have to wait long.


So because of a few swear words, you're telling me that I am not a role model? I am (like Gino) a coach for high school kids. I occasionally swear on Facebook. Actions and words are two completely different things. You are obviously biased.

 

[tutti]

If you're letting those high school kids see your facebook page, you should act like a role model on facebook. If you occasionally swear, it's no more a problem on facebook than in reality. If, on the other hand, you bully kids, threaten kittens and staple puppies to homeless shelters, then that's also as much a problem on facebook as in reality.

 

[jeffrey123]

If you're letting those high school kids see your facebook page, you should act like a role model on facebook. If you occasionally swear, it's no more a problem on facebook than in reality. If, on the other hand, you bully kids, threaten kittens and staple puppies to homeless shelters, then that's also as much a problem on facebook as in reality.

I'm getting trolled. Someone halp

 

[r3skyline]

I'm getting trolled. Someone halp

You fell for the trap. USE COLLOQUIALISM!!!

 

[tutti]

I'm getting trolled. Someone halp

I was being intentionally ridiculous precisely to avoid accusing anyone and/or giving the false impression that I know what you (or Gino) have been saying online. I wasn't trying to troll you.

 

[homeofmew]

Not if you do it on facebook and you are a high profile individual and a supposed role model.



This is ridiculous. Gino would have been 5-0 or 4-1 in round 5 of any tournament. This just happened to be the tournament the judges observed something in. Obviously they were watching, its the nature of being on probation; you will be watched. Clearly they didn't have to wait long.

I agree with this statement, however it seems that they needed 5 rounds to totally make sure he was looking at the bottom of his deck, and manipulating that his advantage. I would like to apologize for the fact that i said he should have been dqed r1, be cause yeah, judges should only DQ if they 100% sure someone is cheating.

 

[Lucksray]

Not if you do it on facebook and you are a high profile individual and a supposed role model.



This is ridiculous. Gino would have been 5-0 or 4-1 in round 5 of any tournament. This just happened to be the tournament the judges observed something in. Obviously they were watching, its the nature of being on probation; you will be watched. Clearly they didn't have to wait long.

This is a joke right? He spent last year doing horribly in events. He missed cut at several Cities, Mass states, AND NE regs. I also love that everyone has these ideals about what popular people are supposed to do and say when they themselves have never and probably will never be real role models on the level that they are. Say what you want about how Gino should act, but he was the same way before he was a winner, and he shouldn't have to start being any different just because he took down a couple big events.

Maybe if half of you stopped stalking him on social media, you'd be less biased when you met him in person.

 

[jeffrey123]

This is a joke right? He spent last year doing horribly in events. He missed cut at several Cities, Mass states, AND NE regs. I also love that everyone has these ideals about what popular people are supposed to do and say when they themselves have never and probably will never be real role models on the level that they are. Say what you want about how Gino should act, but he was the same way before he was a winner, and he shouldn't have to start being any different just because he took down a couple big events.

Maybe if half of you stopped stalking him on social media, you'd be less biased when you met him in person.

Winner ^

1717171717

 

[PMysterious]

Honestly, I feel that this is a little bit too ridiculous. I'm a son of a judge for the Pokemon TCG, and even I think that its wrong to DQ somebody for something that never happened. Reading this is making me sick to my stomach. If there was anything I could say to the judges, its that if you're going to judge, bias is not in the job description and for good reason. Its that everyone plays Pokemon because its fun. I know he was on probation, but it could've been a false accusation and the laws usually state that a guy is innocent UNTIL proven guilty. You can't be guilty before the accusations are even proven. ANY judge can say these words that I'm saying. The ban just makes the situation worse than it already is. Don't ban someone for what possibly may not be true at all. There's more than by that proven the the Regional event. Taking 2 prize cards by MISTAKE, drawing 2 cards at the start by MISTAKE the capitalized word tells the story. I'm on Gino's side of the story personally and I really have nothing to say. If Jason, Mess, or any of the judges want to prove me wrong on my opinion, I await the response.

 

[homeofmew]

Well, I wasn't at the Phily regionals - but there can be a lot of he said she said in instances like that.

Just because someone has rumors about them does not make it true, and just because someone messes up does not mean they cheat.
I personally think the Jason K and the extra energy thing was an honest mistake, but that's my opinion.. Other people are swearing up and down he was cheating, just because he's a good seasoned player.

However Jason supposedly baiting the N is another issue.

So yeah there's a huge line between cheating and accidents. Throwing around the word cheating is hurtful and borderline bullying, unless it's in the case of "I think they cheated", or a penalty was actually given.

But yeah this was obviously a result of the probation period gino was on after the entire incident at worlds. Weather or not he actually stole the macbook was trival and people tried to point the finer at him or claim there wasn't enough evidence. Anyway he got his warning there.

Making mistakes at a large regionals depending hat they are usually don't come to a HUGE penalty. Like my opponent for got his prizes but it was only t2 and a multi prize penalty was issued. Unless yo were watching Gino I don't think anyone can say it DID or DID Not happen. I think people need to focus on the events we KNOW for SURE happened.


Here's an example of how you deal with cheating:

There was only ONE time I suspected someone out on cheating and ironically it was during round 5.
There was a person sitting next to me the previous round who was playing a grass deck and when he played me all he had was lighting pokemon.

At first i thought he was just drawing all his lighting Pokemon that he may have in his deck. But after about 3 turns I asked for a time out and went to the side and asked a judge about it. I even said " I'm not sure but I think this guy changed his deck, can you check?".
Turns out he changed his entire deck.

I mean i didn't wanna accuse the guy of cheating to his face, and I'm no bully posting names here.
But yeah the guy ended up getting DQed.
(Note this happened 5 years ago and have never openly posted about it/ or whined about it.)

 

[PokePop]

Honestly, I feel that this is a little bit too ridiculous. I'm a son of a judge for the Pokemon TCG, and even I think that its wrong to DQ somebody for something that never happened. Reading this is making me sick to my stomach. If there was anything I could say to the judges, its that if you're going to judge, bias is not in the job description and for good reason. Its that everyone plays Pokemon because its fun. I know he was on probation, but it could've been a false accusation and the laws usually state that a guy is innocent UNTIL proven guilty. You can't be guilty before the accusations are even proven. ANY judge can say these words that I'm saying. The ban just makes the situation worse than it already is. Don't ban someone for what possibly may not be true at all. There's more than by that proven the the Regional event. Taking 2 prize cards by MISTAKE, drawing 2 cards at the start by MISTAKE the capitalized word tells the story. I'm on Gino's side of the story personally and I really have nothing to say. If Jason, Mess, or any of the judges want to prove me wrong on my opinion, I await the response.

Nothing you say has anything to do with what happened.

 

[PokePop]

There seems to be a lot of arguments in this thread based on misreading of Gino's original post.
He has a number of correct facts in there, as well as some errors (which below I've corrected by putting corrections in [brackets].
There are also a number of "examples" of hypothetical situations which are only serving to confuse people who seem to think that they are things that actually happened, and finally, references to things that happened elsewhere or at other times, and have no bearing on the DQ issued at Philly Regionals (they may or may not have something to do with the later ban that Pokemon issued) but people are conflating them all together, which they shouldn't when just discussing the DQ.

So, below is, using Gino's post, a pared down statement of the facts as presented by him. I am not adding any of the judge deliberations other than those parts that were told to him by the HJ and that he has decided to share with people.
I have just removed opinions, conjectures and errors in fact such as who said what. But otherwise, these are Gino's words and they are accurate. If you wish to post about what happened, please be sure to post based on what did happen and not about things that were hypothetical situations that never happened or things that had zero to do with the unfolding of events.
Thank you.

Dear Pokegym,
Round 5 Michael Martin ‘PokePop’ came over to my match in the middle of game three and stopped it. He informed me I had to come with him and not to worry about the game area... I followed him to the judges table where he, Bob Mirabile, Kyle Morris...and [Kendall Redburn, the evenet HJ] were.

[The HJ] told me the situation the judges had portrayed against me. Pokepop had me sit right next to him at the judges table while everyone else stood up.

[The HJ] informed me that I had been watched [for a number of rounds] ... by his judges when a certain judge informed him I was looking under my deck after my opponent cut it. I was told by PokePop two of his judges had claimed to see me look under the bottom of my deck [during a few] Swiss rounds. I was dumbfounded by these accusations and asked his judges to explain and demonstrate how I did this. The judges told me after I shuffled my deck I would hand my deck for my opponent to cut and upon my opponent handing me back my deck I would tilt it and look at the bottom of it. I immediately denied these allegations against me and [the HJ] did not [agree with] me.

I tell him and the whole staff I had never done that in my life. I explain to him sometimes on my opponents turn I riffle the sides of my deck and I re-arrange cards in my hand continuously because of my ADHD. [Pop's note: Leaving this in, because it was said, but it has zero to do with the situation.]
I swore to god I didn’t do it and requested a judge to come watch my current and future games of the tournament because I had not done what I was accused of. He explains to me he will not do that because I’m DQed from the event. I continue to plead my case and I start to get angry because his body language towards me is sluggish and I could tell he doesn’t even care what I’m saying. It’s like his decision was already pre-determined [...]

He smiled and told me if I didn’t get my stuff and leave I would be escorted from the play area by security. I then told the judges that I felt I was being “set up”. I call them “real mature” for doing this and I’m escorted by PokePop to my current match to go get my things and proceed to leave the convention center. I’m shocked at this moment and I’m feeling sick to my stomach.

I was not giving a warning or even a caution when they claimed to see me look under my deck.

 

[jeffrey123]

There seems to be a lot of arguments in this thread based on misreading of Gino's original post.
He has a number of correct facts in there, as well as some errors (which below I've corrected by putting corrections in [brackets].
There are also a number of "examples" of hypothetical situations which are only serving to confuse people who seem to think that they are things that actually happened, and finally, references to things that happened elsewhere or at other times, and have no bearing on the DQ issued at Philly Regionals (they may or may not have something to do with the later ban that Pokemon issued) but people are conflating them all together, which they shouldn't when just discussing the DQ.

So, below is, using Gino's post, a pared down statement of the facts as presented by him. I am not adding any of the judge deliberations other than those parts that were told to him by the HJ and that he has decided to share with people.
I have just removed opinions, conjectures and errors in fact such as who said what. But otherwise, these are Gino's words and they are accurate. If you wish to post about what happened, please be sure to post based on what did happen and not about things that were hypothetical situations that never happened or things that had zero to do with the unfolding of events.
Thank you.

'Pop, you can't just say what really happened? Is it that big of a deal?

 

[PokePop]

I'm not really allowed to get into judge staff deliberations or confidential discussions.
Gino has posted the above facts, so I feel comfortable with confirming those that are correct.
Or correcting factual errors.
I'm not able to get anything beyond that.

I have noted Penalty Guidelines.
I will not that there is just a section for "Cheating".
There is no separate section for "Minor cheating with minimal advantage".

 

[Articjedi]

Actually, Pokepop deleting what was necessary says a lot. Thanks.

 

[SoxDuck]

After reading the entire thread my only question is: Why did the first judge to observe it not look at him and say "Hey, I'm not saying you're cheating but when he cut for you it looked like you looked at the bottom card of your deck. I'm sure it was an accident, but can you make sure to be more careful to not do that?"

Why did it take five rounds for them to do it? Why didn't they just say "Hey, surely it was an accident, but do not do that"? I saw that stuff at the Fort Wayne regionals multiple times with people sitting next to me and even once I got asked to not touch my deck (in the manner he's talking about. I also nervously do that).

Everything here is blown out of proportion. Easily.

 

[SMP88]

After reading the entire thread my only question is: Why did the first judge to observe it not look at him and say "Hey, I'm not saying you're cheating but when he cut for you it looked like you looked at the bottom card of your deck. I'm sure it was an accident, but can you make sure to be more careful to not do that?"

Why did it take five rounds for them to do it? Why didn't they just say "Hey, surely it was an accident, but do not do that"? I saw that stuff at the Fort Wayne regionals multiple times with people sitting next to me and even once I got asked to not touch my deck (in the manner he's talking about. I also nervously do that).

Everything here is blown out of proportion. Easily.

If you think someone is cheating and you're checking to see if they do it again why would you let them know you're watching them? If you tell someone you think they're cheating and that you're going to be watching them they're more than likely going to stop, so you wouldn't be able to catch them in the act.