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A bunch 'o good and fun news!
I'm happy to say, this Weekly Update is mostly good news!
UPDATE: The Rifter® #55 ships next Monday. It is another fantastic issue you will not want to miss.
UPDATE: Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™ goes to the printer Monday! Wayne starts laying the book out tomorrow as I complete some final tweaks of the last two sections of the book. We will work through the weekend to make sure Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™ goes to the printer on Monday! See the new description elsewhere in this Update.
We think Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™ is an amazing new product. I listened to the fans and tried to include as much of what they wanted to see in this book as possible. We think the Vampire Hunter O.C.C.s are awesome. The vampires are awesome. The vampire player characters are cool. The detail about vampires is comprehensive, including new information on their powers, weaknesses, protectors, lairs and where they sleep. The new monsters are fun. The data about Mexico and the Vampire Kingdoms is greatly expanded. The section on Towns alone is something like 20 pages! Just about everything is completely rewritten. If most people don't love this book, I'll ask to be staked through the heart. Place your orders today.
FREE Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™ Sneak Preview available now from DriveThruRPG.com. The preview was made available Tuesday afternoon. Check it out. Remember, it is just a taste of what's in the book. There is so much more.
To get the free PDF download of the Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™ Sneak Preview, go to DriveThruRPG.com. It is easy to create a free account and only takes a couple of minutes. Sneak Previews of Armageddon Unlimited™ and Rifts® Thundercloud Galaxy™ are also available. DriveThruRPG.com is a good resource for getting the Hades & Dyval Map Pack, The Rifter® Number Zero, The Rifter® #1-48 and to fill in your RPG library with first edition copies of Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy®, Heroes Unlimited™, and other game lines, as well as books such as Nightbane® Book Four: Shadows of Light™ and both versions of the The Mechanoids® RPG (1985) and The Collected Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy (1981-1983).
UPDATE: DriveThruRPG.com Christmas in July Sale – July 25 – August 1: Starting Monday, Palladium Books PDF titles and other publishers will be at a discount. Offer ends Monday, August 1, 2011 (10am EST).
UPDATE: Rifts® Lemuria goes into full final production next week. The last of the artwork is coming in and looks fabulous. I start on the rewrites and final editing Monday. We're still shooting to get it to the printer before Gen Con. This book is worth it for the Biomancy material alone. The characters and new magic, power and gear are written in such a way that much of it will be easy to incorporate into existing campaigns without going underwater.
UPDATE: Online sales. Not all the news is good. Sales remain up and down and overall weak. With the release of The Rifter® #55 next week and Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™ a couple weeks later, we should see a nice bounce in sales. And a whole lot more new books are being created even as you read this.
UPDATE: Robotech® New Generation™ Sourcebook. In production. Should ship September. Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™ and Megaverse® in Flames follow it.
BIG NEWS: Alex and family move back home this weekend. The inspections went well and the family is excited to be moving home. If I didn't have a million things to do before Gen Con Indy, I'd throw a party. The place looks beautiful and the family is anxious to get their lives back to normal. Congratulations!
Alex's health is not as rosy a picture. Improvement is slow and his emotions are raw. Alex and I are trying to stay positive, but it's difficult. We all wish he'd start seeing dramatic improvement. Hopefully, being able to move back home will help.
UPDATE: Back in Print: The plan is to bring several titles back into print, including Mutant Underground™ for Heroes Unlimited™, Xiticix Invasion™ for Rifts® and the out of print titles in the Coalition Wars® series over the next month or two. Maybe even in time for Gen Con.
The following titles are also recently back in print and ready to ship:
New projects are moving along nicely.
QueenofGhouls.com – She's working away on more cool stuff. Check it out in her online store. Kathy continues to whip up new creations with more life size Halloween props going up this weekend. The Queen of Ghouls has plans for more zombies, skeleton pirates, wizards, werewolves and monsters in the weeks to come. Halloween is creeping up fast.
UPDATE: Palladium Open House is May 4-6, 2012. Admission tickets are available now. So are tickets for VIP Thursday, May 3, 2012. This might be our last Open House so plan on coming. We hope to see as many fans as possible.
Remember, VIP Thursday tickets are limited to around 60 people and always sell fast. Likewise, based on chatter, it sounds like a lot of people are planning to attend, but we have to stop taking admissions at 300 people. Wait too long and you might not get in.
Tell everyone Palladium will be at Gen Con Indy.
Palladium people you'll get to meet include:
Brandon Aten plans to run a Rifts® Triax game and Zachary Houghton and Lonnie Langston want to run demos of Palladium games. Join the fun.
Stop by to say hello, get books autographed, and buy the latest releases, back stock titles, some out of print books (like Ninja Turtles® RPG titles, Rifts® Ultimate Gold and others), collectibles, original artwork, T-Shirts and other goodies. The guys and I are happy to sign books and chit chat for a little while with everyone who swings by the booth, so come on over and join the fun. Give us a helping hand by spreading the word that Palladium Books will be at Gen Con Indy – Palladium Books is Booth 1125.
Palladium will attend the Detroit Fanfare, September 24 & 25 at Cobo Hall, downtown Detroit. One of the guests is Kevin Eastman – co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles®. So this fun comic book and media convention will be a great chance to get your Ninja Turtles® game books (and comics) signed by one of the creators. Other guests include fan boy favorite actor, Bruce Campbell, and dozens and dozens of comic book guests. Palladium fans may be interested to know Dave Dorman (Palladium cover artist), Tim Bradstreet, and pal, Defiler and Palladium contributor of old, William Messner Loebs will also be attending, among many other guests. I'll keep you posted as we firm up the details.
Click here for more information about Detroit Fanfare.
Hype up Palladium Books. Remind people that Palladium's games use one set of rules, cover almost every genre and offer a true Megaverse® of adventure. Tell 'em about Dead Reign™, Heroes Unlimited™, Nightbane®, BTS™, Rifts®, Robotech® and all the rest. These days a surprising number of people don't realize we make games for so many different settings or that there is only ONE game system. Learn one Palladium RPG and you can play them ALL. Let people know that. Let people know that Dead Reign™ is the best Zombie Apocalypse RPG on the market, and it's awesome. In fact, if you haven't tried it yourself, you are missing out. I can't believe how much fun it is to play the game and I co-wrote it! Do it.
Be part of a Palladium "grass roots" promotional campaign to bring in new gamers and bring back people who used to play. You do that by talking up the product and memories of past and current fun. Cash flow remains up and down. We need up and up. We need your continued support by purchasing new releases and back stock products. Just as important, you can support Palladium not just by picking up products yourself, but by talking up books you like online and posting links to them in your own posts and websites to the Palladium store. Don't stop there, talk about them and post links on the Palladium Facebook page, your own Facebook page, etc. Thank you.
Don't forget to place your orders for The Rifter® #55, Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms, Rifts® Lemuria and the 2012 Palladium Open House (especially VIP Thursday). Keep those imaginations burning bright and game on.
– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher
The Palladium Open House is like nothing you have ever attended. It has a fun, family feel and is three days (four with VIP night) of games, fun and wonderful memories. People talk about it for years, and this may be the last one ever.
● Meet 40+ Palladium creators available throughout the entire event.
● Game with half of the creators present.
● Get autographs from all Palladium creators.
● Have the time of your life.
● We are hosting this event because YOU begged us to do it. So come on over. I promise to make it as special as possible.
● Costume Contest with cool awards and meaty prizes.
● Panel talks that are fun and insightful.
● 90+ Gaming Events:
This may be our last Open House. Having sufficient parking is becoming a big issue. You may have to car pool from the hotel as it is. And the event is a ton of work that takes four weeks out of our production schedule. It is especially hard on Kathy Simmons, who coordinates most of it and does the catering (we'll try to help her more). So we may make this our big, final Open House blow out.
V.I.P. Thursday (May 3, 2012). Available now. YOU are the VIP. You get in an afternoon early (doors open at 3:00 PM – catered dinner at 5:30 PM) and are the first to play in special game events, participate in special panel talks, purchase items, and enjoy a dinner catered by Kathy Simmons (and those who have been to past VIP nights know how awesome that is). Reserve your place today.
Weekend Admission is Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Reserve your place today. Placing your order early helps us on many levels, and tells us how many people to expect and how many hotel rooms to reserve.
Individual Day Admission - Friday - Saturday - Sunday might work better for you. If you can only make it one day, that's cool. Reserve your slot.
Hotel is the location you love at the same 2009 rates ($69.95 a night). The hotel does not charge your card until a day before the event, so reserve NOW. I'm concerned they might run out of rooms. Based on the economy, the hotel has not reserved the entire hotel for us as they have in the past. Book your room fast so you know you have a place to stay. The hotel now offers free hot breakfasts and we will have two conference rooms for late night gaming and open gaming.
We need G.M.s. This means we'll be looking for volunteer Game Masters (you get a T-shirt and a discount on books if you run three "official" games or more).
Plan to enter the Costume Contest. Winners get a nice plaque and real prizes. Rifts/sci-fi, fantasy, modern (includes horror) and best of show are the categories.
Click here for more details and to reserve your tickets.
The Rifter® is your doorway to unlimited imagination and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. It offers new heroes, powers, weapons, magic and adventure for your games. It presents new villains, monsters and dangers to battle, and new ideas to consider.
The Rifter® #55:
At the printer. Looks fantastic. Packed with adventure and game ideas for your campaigns.
For centuries, Mexico has been considered the realm of monsters best left alone. A land dominated by packs of Wild Vampires and rumored to be home of Vampire Kingdoms in the south. Most of the northern civilizations have stayed away, but over the last 20 years, a growing number of heroes, vampire slayers and adventurers have been waging something of a secret war against the undead. As that battle escalates, stories of heroes, vampires and entire human populations enslaved by the undead or penned, raised and slaughtered like cattle, are starting to leak out. Come see for yourself if the rumors are true and join the battle for humanity in Mexico.
The power, secrets and magic of the underwater realm of Lemuria revealed. Player characters can use symbiotes, magic and technology to breathe underwater and spend time below the waves.
Lemuria is more than an underwater civilization of aquatic beings. They can trace their lineage as far back as the Atlanteans and can survive on dry land as well as underwater. In fact, their greatest secret is that there is no one resting place for the Lemurians, their great cities are always moving. Learn about the people of Lemuria, new Biomancy magic and weapons, Biomancy engineered riding animals, sea herbs, new powers of healing, sea monsters, and more. Epic adventure awaits.
This Robotech® sourcebook will be a 2011 release.
Note: With any luck, there will be companion Robotech® sourcebook released by the end of the year.
Trouble is stirring in the Vampire Kingdoms as ambitious vampire lords, ladies and misanthropes seek to expand their power to dominate more mortal life forms.
Written by Kevin Siembieda and a handpicked selection of other writers, this sourcebook explores the vampires of Mexico and their kingdoms in ways you never imagined. Tons of new data, adventure ideas and revelations.
The Minion War spills across Rifts Earth, where demons and infernals hope to recruit allies and use the Rifts as gateways of destruction. Their influence shakes things up across the planet, especially at locations where demons and Deevils already have a strong presence. More details to follow, but for now, 'nuff said.
Data about the chaos and madness of the early days of the Great Cataclysm, and the brave men and women who tried to stem the tide of destruction and save lives, the First Responders.
This is the ultimate guide to magic on Rifts Earth. All the magic spells, magic tattoos, Techno-Wizard items, magic weapons, equipment, body armor, restraints, parasites, symbiotes, magic items, Automatons, Iron Juggernauts, and more from Rifts® World Books 1-23, Sourcebooks 1-4, and Siege on Tolkeen 1-6, collected into one big reference. This is a great reference book. Kevin and all of us at Palladium use it and the Rifts® Game Master Guide constantly.
This fan-favorite sourcebook is filled with high-tech wonders, magic and monsters. There are 20 O.C.C.s (Occupational Character Classes) that range from the traditional ninja and samurai to power armor, giant robots and cyborgs.
The Coalition State of Lone Star is a wild and woolly place of contrast and conflict. The Coalition States claims the entire State of Texas as their own, but they only control a small corner of it. It is here, at the Lone Star Complex, that the CS engages in genetic engineering and creates the famous Dog Boys and a host of other mutants. The rest of the state is held by the Pecos Empire – an empire of bandits, outlaws and rebels. The perfect companion to Rifts® New West™, Rifts® Spirit West™ and Rifts® Machinations of Doom™.
This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We've made 90 titles available as PDF digital downloads fromDriveThruRPG.com. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include.
- Splicers® RPG
- Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, First Edition Rules.
- Boxed Nightmares™ for BTS, First Edition Rules.
- Nightbane® Book Four: Shadows of Light™.
- The Mechanoids® RPG and The Mechanoid Invasion® RPG Trilogy.
- Palladium Fantasy RPG®, First Edition Rules and select 1st Edition sourcebooks.
- After the Bomb® RPG and sourcebooks.
- The Rifter® issues 1-48.
- The Best of The Rifter®
- Deluxe Revised RECON® RPG and Advanced RECON® Sourcebook.
- And more – go to DriveThruRPG.com and check 'em out.
2011 Palladium Releases
2011 New Releases & Back in Print
- Rifts® Dimension Book™ 14: Thundercloud Galaxy™ – New – Available now!
- Armageddon Unlimited™ – New – Available now!
- The Rifter® #53 – New – Available now!
- The Rifter® #54 – New – Available now!
- Aliens Unlimited™ – A Heroes Unlimited™ sourcebook – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® World Book 20: Canada – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Dark Conversions™ – Back in print – Available now
- Palladium Fantasy RPG® – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Game Master Guide – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® World Book 5: Triax & The NGR™ – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® China One – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Megaverse® Builder – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Baseball Cap – Back in stock – Available now
- Rifts® Dimension Book™ 6: Three Galaxies™ – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Black Vault™ – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Mercenaries™ – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® World Book 8: Rifts® Japan™ – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® World Book 13: Lone Star™ – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Book of Magic – Back in print – Available now
June 2011 Releases
- Rifts® WB 23: Free Quebec™ – BACK IN PRINT – Available now
July 2011 Releases
- The Rifter® #55 – New – July 26 – at the printer
- Rifts® Coalition Wars® Book One: Sedition – coming back in print
- Rifts® Coalition Wars® Book Two: Coalition Overkill – coming back in print
August 2011 Releases
- Rifts® World Book 1: Vampire Kingdoms™, New Revised Edition – New – August 10 – in final production
- Rifts® World Book: Lemuria – New – August 22 – in final production
- Heroes Unlimited™: Mutant Underground™ – coming back in print
- Rifts® World Book 23: Xiticix Invasion™ – coming back in print
September 2011 Releases
- Robotech® New Generation™ Sourcebook – New
- Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™ – New (tentative)
- Rifts® Chaos Earth™: Rise of Magic – coming back in print
October 2011 Releases
- Rifts® Chaos Earth™ Sourcebook: First Responders – New
- Dead Reign™ Sourcebook Three – New
- Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames (Minion War™ crossover) – New
- Another new title may be added or substituted
In the Pipeline
- Robotech® UEEF Marines and other Robotech® sourcebooks.
- Rifts® sourcebooks
- Rifts® Chaos Earth™ sourcebooks
- Palladium Fantasy®: Mysteries of Magic™ Two & Three
- Palladium Fantasy® other sourcebooks
- Warpath™ Urban Jungle RPG
- And other good stuff. Lots of other good stuff!
Beyond the Supernatural™: Arcanum
Beyond the Supernatural™: Tome Grotesque
Beyond the Supernatural™ Sourcebook
Chaos Earth™ First Responders
Chaos Earth™ – Zombie Apocalyse Rifts-style during the Great Cataclysm.
Heroes Unlimited™ – Had two people who were supposed to be working on a pair of books, but they disappeared on me, so we are looking for folks to write a couple HU2 sourcebooks.
Nightbane® – An as of yet untitled project, and looking for more.
Palladium Fantasy® – Mysteries of Magic 2 & 3
Palladium Fantasy® – Tombs of Gersidi expanded and new.
Plus I have a few ideas on this front myself to revitalize this line.
Phase World®: United Worlds of Warlock™
Phase World®: Pirates of the Three Galaxies™
Rifts® Antarctica
Rifts® Black Market
Rifts® China Three
Rifts® Deep South
Rifts® New Navy™
Rifts® Northern Gun™ – may be a series of books.
Rifts® Sovietski™
Rifts® Titan Industries™
Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™
Robotech® Genesis Pits™ adventure sourcebook.
Robotech® UEEF Marines™
Splicers® Sourcebook One – concepts and art by Charles Walton.
Splicers® Sourcebook Two – concepts and art by Charles Walton.
All of the above are being written right now. A few are already finished. Most will be 2012 releases. And this does not include projects I would like to do for Palladium Fantasy®, Dead Reign™, Warpath™: Urban Jungle and new mediums.
Check out the new creations by Palladium's very own Kathy Simmons. See her zombie doctor and other new zombies, Jack Skellington and Sally, and more. New creations are on the drawing board, and so is a new website. Each Halloween prop is truly life-sized (most are 6 feet or taller – Jack is almost 8 feet) and seems almost alive.
Each is an all-weather, life-sized Halloween prop that can handle rain and snow, and is a one-of-a-kind work of art (no two are exactly the same). Each looks frighteningly "real." All come apart and fold down to slightly larger than a king-size pillow for easy storage. Comes with easy instructions, a plastic storage bag, and the lawn stake to stand it up in your front yard. Indoor stand sold separately.
Types of "Ghouls" include: Zombies (all kinds!), killer clowns, wizards, witches, devils, grave ghouls, scarecrows, executioners, mad doctors, deadly nurses, vampires, werewolves, and more. Kathy's also now offering an array of hand-painted Halloween signs, signs with heads and bodies hanging from them, witch's brewing pots, Halloween centerpieces and more. Best of all, her high quality creations are much more affordable and imaginative than most competitors or mass produced items in a store, making them affordable Halloween fun.
If you think the photos online look good, you should see them in person. A typical "ghoul," as she calls her creations, costs $129-$259. You can see some of her work at her Queen of Ghouls™ Ebay store – queenofghouls.com.
© Copyright 2011 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.
Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Beyond the Supernatural™, Chaos Earth, Coalition States, Dead Reign, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, Warpath, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.
Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.
This press release may be reprinted, reposted, linked and shared for the sole purpose of advertising, promotion and sales solicitation.


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Rule #1 - Be Patient - Rule #2 - Don't ask when, if you don't contribute - Rule #3 - You have coding skills - LinuxMCE's small brother is available: http://www.agocontrol.com
Hi,I am new to HA, and just looking to create my first LinuxMCE system.I want to be able to detect room temperature (there are some cheap USB temp sensors/loggers for windows) and then use this to switch on/off a X10 plug, depending on occupancy (to be sensed by the presence of a Bluetooth)Can this be achieved with LinuxMCE
I have a USB Thermometer, that shows temp on a windows pc. but I am not sure if this can work in Linux.Control doesnt need to be X10. Just some device to switch on off a 230v module (or power plug)
Check out some of the forum post for 1-Wire. The controller is about $28 then the sensors themselves are $3-5 each depending on how many you buy.
totallymaxed,we have 1-Wire support in LinuxMCE.
Define "fully implemented" Let's see: It is installable, it supports sensors. To me, it is functional for what the user wants.

subset: commoncrawl


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PopUps: Kylie Minogue Announces New Album
A new Kylie Minogue album is on the way!
The Australian pop star took to Twitter Wednesday to announce the title of her new album, the follow up to her 2014 album "Kiss Me Once" and her 2015 Christmas album "Kylie Christmas."
The "I Was Gonna Cancel" songstress tweeted to her 2.37 million fans that her 14th album is called "Golden."
"It's true. We have GOLDEN times ahead!!!" Minogue told her Lovers. "I can't wait to share new music with you."
Entertainment Weekly points out there's speculation Minogue's new single will drop sometime this month. The publication also notes that a series of unconfirmed posters in France say "Golden" will be out in the spring. The poster also alleges her single is called "Dancing."
Minogue discussed her new album with the U.K. tabloid The Sun in October.
"There's a little bit of heartbreak, I would say," she said, adding that her breakup with former fiancé Joshua Sasse helped shape the album. "I went to Nashville for two weeks and that became the album. I did a lot of work on the album before that, but Nashville had a profound effect on me. The songs are very storytelling and story-based. It was so great to do things a little bit differently."
Minogue teased new music throughout 2017, sharing video clips of the recording process and studio on social media. EW notes the singer worked with DJ Fresh, Karen Poole, Mark Taylor and Guy Chambers.
This story is part of our special report titled "PopUps." Want to read more? Here's the full list.


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Another busy day
Once again, I apologize for only getting to post at the end of the day, but we've been going non-stop since arriving here yesterday morning. Today we officially got Saito back, which is a huge boost for the team, given all that he did last year. When you compare his numbers to the other relievers around the league, he stacked up against just about everyone one of them. We're all hoping for a repeat.
If the reports are all accurate, it appears that three Dodgers might be coming to the end of their careers with the team – Greg Maddux, J.D. Drew and Eric Gagne. If that does happen, there will of course be a touch of sadness, particularly for Eric, who all Dodger fans really grew to love over the years. And while I'm certainly not saying we won't sign him, Scott Boras informed the media tonight that Eric will likely sign this week and I know that from Ned's perspective, it's tough to give a ton of guaranteed money to someone who you haven't seen pitch and who just started throwing a ball for the first time last week.
At the end of the day, if Eric decides to leave for the most money, I wouldn't really blame him. I'm sure he's hopeful that his arm and his back will recover, but if they don't, this could be his final contract and if that's the case, he probably feels like he has to go for the most money. I guess that's all I can say until I know if he actually signs elsewhere.
Most of our time today was spent meeting with various companies that we deal with throughout the year – ESPN, FOX, TNT (our new broadcast partner), representatives from the Hall of Fame, MLB photos and numerous others. This is a great chance for us to come up with new ideas for '07 and learn about some of the things other teams are doing.
We also had the Baseball America gala this afternoon for three hours (where we officially received Organization of the Year honors), followed by a team dinner at Lonestar Steakhouse, compliments of Tommy Lasorda, who sits on the Board of Directors there.
We just got back to the hotel and even at 10 pm, there are probably a thousand people milling around in the lobby. I'll be joining them shortly for a little free time as soon as I post this.
I know some of you asked about when the new jerseys will be available and they should be any day now. Keep checking back, as we expect a story on the front of the site as soon as they're reading for purchase.
25 Comments
I'll be sad to see Gagne go, but I'm really upset that Ned was apparently so pissed off at Scott Boras over the Drew situation that he let a class act like Greg Maddux leave for the Padres.
Seriously not happy about that.
Question…If Gagne leaves town, do I keep wearing my Gagne jersey, or do I stop wearing it and buy a jersey of a non-Boras client?
Big decision.
Saito was a Key sign that we needed Maddog was good and did ok but we really need more then 6 inns 70-80 pitches at best for that kind of money.We had half a season to see how he really throws and should be able to hit him pretty well now.As for Gagne get while the getting is good I'll sleep very well knowing that if he is elsewhere pitching well in the AL that we won't be opposing and that if he is still injured we won't be paying for it.Gets Really old and tiring rooting for injured superstars trying to get back to stardom…Ned is our Star and he is shining Very bright so far in the offseason.Raffy finished the year showing his worth and I hope JP does the job that he has shown he can do.Big Bat or Not we are doing well and are contenders already for 07′ 1 more starter a little relief and maybe a bat and we are a serious Threat for the WS!
Do we blame Boras? Ned? Hey, I have an idea, let's blame Gagne. I love the guy and wanted the the Dodgers to sign him, but his medical file looks like a scene from MASH. One million with insentives is more than fair. This is aimed directly to Eric, are you an adult? Do you want to pitch for the Dodgers? Or, do you just do what Boras asked of you? Many on this blog can attest to this, I think too much with my heart sometimes, but I honestly can say…your game is over.
Go Dodgers!!!
**** yes you wear that jersey. He's disappointing me/us now, but he was great to watch. I'll miss that canuck.
frankjhalstead-What town do you live in?
Harold?? You okay?? You haven't taken to the pipe yet have you? I know Eric Gagne will be missed by us all, and most especially by you. I just hope you're taking the news well.
But not to lose hope. It's not a done deal just yet. I guess there's this fantasy playing out in my head where Eric Gagne is faced with the decision to go elsewhere for a guaranteed 4 to 6 million, only to stop dead in his tracks, turn and face that pug-nosed Scott Boras and say, "Scott… you're fired! I told you I'm a Dodger and I'm going to stay a Dodger until the day I die!" At this point Eric proves to the Dodgers he's healthy and gets a decent guaranteed contract in the 3 to 5 million range. I believe in the GOOD that people have in their heart and I believed Eric when he stated that he's going to do everything he can to return to the Dodgers in 2007.
I hate being naive…
the thing that pisses me off is that ned is going to low ball eric , and let him get away and go and overpay on a aging ballplayer that has previous
"expirience" with ned… i dont know about you, but i'm tired of ned going after "C" players because they are not represented by scott boras… check your ego at the door ned!
Good riddance Gagne. You stole 20 million dollars from this organization for doing nothing the last two seasons, while having the audacity along the way to make comments about "loyalty" and "commitment to winning", then when its time to give back to the organizatin you stole from the last two seasons, you bolt……..
Well, don't let the door hit you on the way out. You had a couple great seasons with us, but if you don't have any loyalty to us, then I don't have any loyalty to you.
kssparkuhl, not naive at all — thanks for the words of reason. I'm admittedly a bit frustrated with the process. I believe Eric too and, when the dust settles, would not want it to cost him money to play with the Dodgers. With that said, I believe that report was about the most frustrating news I've heard in the off season.
I live in St. Louis and am in a constant battle to keep my sons Dodgers fans. Trading away Lo Duca didn't help, Cards winning the World Series certainly didn't help, and if we lose Gagne…wow. All that's left is to bribe them with food and xbox. 🙂
I'll keep the faith.
Go Blue!!!
Ray, I agree with you when you say check the egos at the door and again I believe that a feud does no one any good.
In regards to Zito, I'm not sure the feud makes a difference. I just read on foxsports.com that the Rangers are preparred to go as high as 25% over any other teams bid to get him.
kssparkuhl, Sorry just realized that those comments were meant for Harold. I didn't mean to jump in the middle there. I need to read more closely I suppose. Never-the-less I liked what you said.
Go Blue!!!
Kevin – just heard the Gagne news this morning. I too had hoped this would be a feel good story. As much as I love Gagne as a Dodger, he must realize it is a business, and he is a serious health risk. Especially as a Canadian, I liked him as a Dodger with the mentality Canadian players seem to bring to the game. However, this is not a Boros' decision. It is Eric's. The dollar signs in his eyes must be combatted by the Dodger logo on his heart. If they are not, the logo isn't there anymore and he has to pin another team's logo on his sleeve. Your suggestion is more than reasonable. Demonstrate you are healthy and get $3-5M or so. Trapp76 I feel your frustration but think you are being a bit tough. I simply say, "Thanks, Eric but no thanks. Best wishes for health and success elsewhere, if that is your wish." Having said that it rather odd that Boros is saying teams will offer $4-6M when Eric isn't even throwing. At this stage Boros is building a case. On another topic, I know Ned is ticked at Boros, we all are, but I don't think he has precluded negotiations with all Boros clients. On the other hand to indulge in them is to give credence to the Boros greed and help it to continue to spiral upward. Darned if you do and darned if you don't. Boros is just one side of the equation – others have to play it on the other side. I do like it when guyls like Wolf, Lieberthal take lesser deals to play with a team. In this case, our team. They are still faring very well and know it. Maddux got caught up in greed again and that is unfortunate.
Just read this while you guys are snoozing:J.D. Drew Prompts Biggest Protest Since Tea Party
Red Sox fans haven't been up arms like this since the Boston Tea Party. The idea of trading Manny Ramirez is bad enough, but the signing of frail J.D. 'Nancy' Drew for five years at something like $50 million or more has almost caused a revolt in Beantown — especially after the Red Sox let Johnny Damon go to the Yankees last year. Ironically, the uproar over Drew in Boston has been matched by the glee in Los Angeles, where many Dodgers fans seem only too happy to see Drew go. If Red Sox GM Theo Epstein is determined to buck this kind of sentiment, don't be surprised to see one more boy wonder among the missing one of these days.
I support Ned on the Boras issue. Its not JUST ego, its a matter of principal. Ned wants players who want to be Dodgers, and he sticks to his guns when he thinks players are too greedy etc….
Hochevar was a great example- and Im glad he handled that situation the way he did. At some point GMs need to stop chasing the top players higher and higher… I mean in a negotiation the players don't hold ALL the cards, do they? That's not how it's supposed to work.
I have zero interest in a large contract for Gagne.
Schmidt and done!
Are there any rational adults here or just children?
To those of you all kinds of upset because Eric Gagne won't sign with LA for 50 grand just because some mo.ron fans actually believe he is obligated to do, then I feel sorry for all of you. To say he "stole" from the Dodgers or that he "owes" the Dodgers anything is IGNORANT and childish.
Gagne is a professional who has every right to make as much money as the market will bear. Thats what sports in this era is, and to think otherwise is nothing but nostalgic daydreaming. Get off your high horses. I am extremely upset to lose him, its kinda heartbreaking. But he doesnt owe anyone anything. He singed his last deal with LA as a healthy lights out closer who got hurt, such is life. stop crying about it. I am more upset that we have to rest our hopes on this out of nowhere old man Saito having any kind of repeat of last year. We better hope Saito wasnt a huge fluke.
And one more thing..if Ned is so intent on keeping the kids, namely LONEY, he will only do harm by signing a washed up guy like Luis Gonzalez. Loney can only be hampered by another year as everyone's backup.
euhlman, while I'm looking for the nearest wall to bang my head against you come in as a voice of reason. thank you.
pearl, I see your point. However, I believe the problem that many are having, me included, is that it seems the fans/organization are being led down one path verbally, when the player (Gagne, Drew) is really heading down another. It just seems disingenious at best.
Go Blue!!!
You've got an "interesting" take on this thread.
Not sure anyone thinks Gagne owes anyone, sure- let him make as much money as the mkt will bear.
But that doesn't mean we have to be the team who buys that lottery ticket. And if he wants to try to get another mil from someone else- then by all means- let him go for it.
That's not ignorant, or childish… it's the way Ned is running this team.
We will see how it works, I like it personally.
I don't know if Ned is "low-balling" Eric. He is such a risk that I am surprised he would expect so much. Although it is probably because he is uncertain of his own future that he wants what he can get, since this might be his last contract.
I don't think we think Eric owes us anything, but if he wants to be a Dodger like he said, then he should be willing to take a paycut if that is what it takes. Maybe he doesn't believe in his ability to prove to be worth a long contract, so he needs a meatier deal. If that is the case, then I understand the move. But if he thinks he has three more years in him, I would love to see him stick it out as a dodger.
Is Ned sleeping in his hotel room??? Maddux is gone, Gagne looks like it too.. He better have something up his sleeve.
Yea, I thought Maddux for 1 year, 10M was just about what he wanted?
But you only need 5 starters, so im guessing there is another shoe to drop.
Hopefully Schmidt.
Those who say Gagne stole money from the Dodgers over the past two seasons are forgetting that Gagne was paid virtually nothing during his three outstanding seasons from 2002-2004, including a salary of $550K for his 2003 Cy Young Award-winning season. His salary over the past two seasons in my mind, was partially back pay for the previous three seasons. As for 2007, I very much want to see Gagne pitch in a Dodger uniform in 2007. The thought of him jogging in from the visitor bullpen to shut the Dodgers down in the bottom of the 9th turns my stomach. I hope Gagne will choose to stay but I also hope the Dodgers will offer him more than $1M. He deserves a little more respect than that.
I posted this on the next thread as well.
Ned, it sounds like you've heard us on the NO TO MANNY deal and we're hearing that there is ongoing negotiations for Schmidt. Your re-signing of Saito was also a very wise decision, so I'm going to move on to my next lobbying effort. SIGN GAGNE !!! I know that to do so you have to deal with the Devil himself, Boras, but Gagne is the true spirit of this team. His values, work ethic and leadership are unsurpassed. I know the risk is there that he'll break down, but I hear he's only looking for 1 year at $5 million. If he is able to come back this guy will have something to prove, not only to himself but to the world !!! A true competitor and team leader !! If I was ever going to gamble on one guy coming back, this would be the guy !!! Take the chance; we'll all support you in doing so !!
Go Ned !!
Go Dodgers !!
See my blog article, "The Case For Gagne" at Words From The Park (park.mlblogs.com).


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Most children grow up fearing almost any creature that stings.
Madison High School's volleyball players didn't show much fear Thursday night despite dropping their Class C regional title match to the top-ranked Mendon Hornets.
A big, well-oiled Mendon offense used all its weapons in handing Madison a 25-17, 25-17, 25-18 defeat to move on to the Class C quarterfinals on Tuesday at Delton Kellogg High School to play rival Schoolcraft. The Hornets take a 48-7-2 record into that match, while Madison put together another fine season before bowing out at 49-6-6.
With three returning All-State players on its roster, Mendon is a challenge for any team, and Trojan coach Dawn Opsal knew that coming in.
"We figured we wouldn't be getting our hands on a lot tonight, but at the same time we thought we'd have an advantage in ball control and serve receive, so we could generate some offense," said Opsal. "We just didn't get enough opportunities.
"The girls never gave up, and when you come out and look across the net and see their size, it can be intimidating, but we weren't. They've got some big swingers over there, and I stressed keeping our composure."
The Trojans stayed close through the first half of the first set, trailing just 9-8 at one point as the only thing they didn't do well early was serve, missing five in the first set alone and eight for the match. However, Mendon's offense overcame any serving errors as the trio of seniors Brooke Howard and Alexis Russell along with sophomore Jordan VanOss provided plenty of firepower and keep constant pressure on the Madison defense, which was a strength all season.
"We did stand on boxes to help get ready, but we pretty much put a lot of our focus on making sure we did the things that we've done well that got us to this point," Opsal said. "We knew we were going to have to play errorless defense against them and not be hurt by their blazing fastballs."
Much like the first set, the second set stayed close even though the Trojans never enjoyed a lead.
Madison senior Shayla Villarreal fooled the Mendon defense with an off-speed attack which pulled her team within a point at 9-8, but the Hornets scored six of the next seven points to widen their lead and eventually take the set by an identical score as the first.
Madison took its biggest lead of the night when junior Ashley Morris served the first three points of the third set, but Mendon freshman Megann Leighton put an end to that streak with a powerful hit down the line. That started a streak of six unanswered points, and the Trojans found themselves playing from behind once again.
The teams continued to trade points and when Morris lofted a tip over Loryn Baughman, the Trojans had pulled even at 11-11. Madison, however, could not get over the hump to take the lead, which would have turned momentum in Madison's favor. Instead, Mendon took control for good, and Madison would only get as close as three points the rest of the match.
There will be no more high school volleyball for Madison's seniors — Haley Hudson, Haley Mellon and Villarreal. However, they all know they gave it their all and left everything on the court in their final match.
"We're not going to base our season on what happened tonight; these girls have done some great things this year and the seniors have been very successful all four of their years," Opsal said.
The season included a Lenawee County championship.
Villarreal was credited with nine kills and eight digs, Mellon had 17 digs, and Hudson added three kills and three blocks. Morris had 23 digs and seven kills, while junior setter Michelle Hague had 20 assists.
Madison volleyball falls to Mendon in regional final
Most children grow up fearing almost any creature that stings.


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An American original died recently, a man who was a household name for a generation raised in an era when outer space was brought closer to Earth and anything seemed possible.
Scott Carpenter, one of NASA's original Mercury 7 astronauts, died Thursday at age 88. He was the fourth American in space and second to orbit the globe after John Glenn, who at 92 is the only surviving member of the group that included Gordon Cooper, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton.
Those who read the book or saw the movie "The Right Stuff" know the story of a handful of gutsy, daredevil test pilots who willingly became America's first guinea pigs in the space race with the Russians. They were "Spam in a can" with no assurances of survival amid the breakneck advancements that hurtled them into the heavens. And in the case of Grissom and many others since, lives were indeed lost in the effort.
It was a remarkable time in which a charismatic president welcomed a new era of modern marvels by promising to reach the moon within a decade — a bold challenge, considering we had only begun to create the intricate technological systems needed for such a mission.
Yet our nation embraced such endeavors, from space travel to self-cleaning ovens, with an eye toward the future.
Fast-forward to today. We now see our nation locked in a death grip of political gridlock, unable to join hands on any issue, much less venture to new worlds. There is no rallying point like the space program to bring us together; our arguments these days are about Earth-bound concerns such as budgets, health insurance and life's other necessities.
Even then, we have few leaders with the vision to conquer new frontiers, mostly self-serving ideologues eyeballing polls and the next election rather than the cosmos.
If the space program was a validation of what we can do as a nation when the people and their leaders unite behind a common goal, today's standoff in Washington reflects the opposite end of that spectrum.
Godspeed to Astronaut Carpenter and his Mercury pioneers who went before him. They embodied the best of us then, and their brand of courage and daring would be a welcome antidote to our present-day torpor. In fact, a little more of the "right stuff" these days might just be the cure for what ails us.
— The Times, Gainesville, Ga., Oct. 14
Local & State
Snow pummels central Maine Sunday
Engagement Announcement
Rob Moody answers Five Questions
Our View: Maine should tighten vaccine exemption law
Green plate special
Recipe: Bourbon-Butterscotch-Sour Milk Pudding


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Wetlands are some of the world's most important habitats, supporting a great variety of wildlife as well as playing vital roles in the environment, such as helping to clean water and control flooding.
Every year, February 2nd marks World Wetlands Day, an annual celebration that aims to raise awareness of the importance of wetland habitats.
The Big 9 Challenge
In the run-up to World Wetlands Day, One Show presenter Mike Dilger has been on a 9-day whistle-stop tour of WWT's Wetland Centres all round the UK, so knows exactly what's worth going out to see right now.
You can find out more about his challenge in the video below:
Mike's latest report said: "The UK is one of the world's great places to experience the spectacle of thousands of swans, geese and ducks grazing across a dramatic and beautiful wetland landscape. Winter is a great time to get out there because our bird numbers are swelled by winter migrants from the Arctic."
"World Wetland Day is a great time to get your wellies on and find out just how amazing these habitats are. Don't be afraid of the slightly muddy and soggy reputation of wetlands, that's exactly why they're so fantastic for wildlife. Wetlands are among the most abundant habitats in the world, but you really don't have to travel the world to explore them. Ponds, lakes, marshes, riverbanks and moors are great places to spot the likes of dragonflies, water voles, otters and swans.
The easiest access to these, with guaranteed abundance of wildlife, is to find a Wetland Centre near you. Wetland Centres are designed and managed to bring close encounters with nature to as many people as possible. It's incredible to see the variety and abundance of birds and other creatures that live in and visit our wetland habits."
"In nine days I've seen something different and amazing at every WWT centre (where you get the full wetland experience and the added advantage of having somewhere dry and a nice cup of tea after all the fun)."
For details of locations and what's on, on World Wetlands Day and beyond, visit http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/.
If you can get to WWT's London Wetland Centre today, you've a chance to add Mike himself to your spotters list.


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House leaders picked state Rep. Manny Diaz, Jr., of Hialeah, to shepherd a controversial bill that would revamp the way hundreds of charter schools statewide enter into agreements with local school boards.
Yet, in the eyes of some observers, Diaz has a clear conflict of interest: He has direct ties to the charter school industry.
The Republican lawmaker has been named dean of Doral College, a newly minted private university run by the state's largest for-profit charter school management firm.
Diaz said he was tapped to manage the charter school bill because he understands both sides of the issue. He previously worked for the Miami-Dade school district for 20 years. He is vice-chair of the K-12 Subcommittee, which is part of the House Education Committee.
"I was asked to run [the bill] in a fair and balanced manner and that's what I'm going to do," he said.
But Jeff Wright, who oversees public policy advocacy for the Florida Education Association, said having Diaz oversee the proposal is another example of the Legislature favoring charter schools.
"They aren't even trying to be subtle anymore," Wright said. "Lawmakers have abandoned any obligation to [traditional] public schools."
Read more here.


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MONTREAL — This isn't a pretty time for Montrealers, as our beloved city is taking a beating. Polarizing politics, language tensions, ever-increasing taxes, corruption and endless construction are taking their toll on dear ol' Montreal. However, one saving grace to all this municipal misery is our deliciously vibrant restaurant scene. Yes, culinary curmudgeons pooh-pooh that the grass is greener on the other side of the Atlantic, that the Danes are more progressive and the Spaniards more creative. And how about those hip New Yorkers? But for a city our size, with a population whose dollars are being oh so parsimoniously doled out, we have it pretty good. For not only did we see a fine new array of restaurants open this year, we saw many of the well-established ones cooking with renewed vigour.
Since 1998 in this column, we've wrapped up the year with our choice of "best" restaurants. Yet I'm reticent to use the word "best," as this is not a "best restaurants in Montreal" list, but a look back based solely on those reviewed in 2012. So instead, I racked my brain and thought of the restaurants that were most memorable, the ones where the service, the dishes and the ambience left not just an impression, but a lasting impression. If I couldn't recall most of the food I tasted at an establishment, no matter how acclaimed, it didn't make my list. So here are the restaurants that were not only most memorable, but unforgettable.
Most exciting: Mezcla. Located on a side street just off Ste. Catherine St. E., Mezcla is a warm 50-seat space with a bistro-ish vibe. The decor provides few clues about the style of cuisine, which isn't the usual French, but nuevo latino. Chefs Marcel Larrea, who trained at the Cordon Bleu in Peru and worked here at Thai Grill, and Georges-Étienne T. Tremblay, whose Montreal experience includes La Chronique and Les Enfants Terribles, are making some seriously delicious Peruvian cuisine at Mezcla, filled with beautiful flavours and diverse textures. Dishes like yucca-wrapped shrimp, ceviche with a trio of crispy mix-ins, Gaspor pork and flanc, as well as a sublime pouding chômeur, resulted not just in a faultless meal, but a downright creative one. The wine list is another plus. Spanish-heavy, well priced with a good mix of private imports and SAQ stalwarts, it also features bottles well suited to this spicy/meaty/seafoody cuisine.1251 de Champlain St.; 514-525-9934; www.restaurantmezcla.com; *** $$$
Most impressive: La Chronique. There are a handful of restaurants in Montreal I feel privileged to dine at, chief among them La Chronique. Since it opened in 1995, there have always been 34 seats, and the room has always been cozy and classy. Looking for a romantic restaurant? This one's hard to beat. The food is as gorgeous as it is delicious, the wine pairings are brilliant, and the service is always solicitous. For the past seven years, chef Marc De Canck has handed the majority of responsibilities over to his talented stepson (and partner) Olivier de Montigny. The style under de Montigny remains bold, yet, compared to what I remember from the De Canck days, perhaps more elaborate. Simply put: La Chronique's food tastes posh. It doesn't get half the foodie buzz of many other "hot" establishments, but who cares? Sophisticated as all get-out, La Chronique remains the restaurant beloved by people who really know and care about food and wine. 99 Laurier Ave. W.; 514-271-3095; www.lachronique.qc.ca; ***1/2 $$$$
Most awe-inspiring: Park. I'm convinced that the Montreal sushi scene is rapidly perking up. There is an increasing number of seriously skilled sushi chefs in the city, chief among them Antonio Park, who this year became a partner at a fabulous new restaurant named, simply, Park. Located on Victoria Ave. in an industrial/loft space, the restaurant features wondrous sushi, sashimi and all sorts of dishes produced in a style that's part Japanese, part South Korean, part French and part North American. Watch Park in action — his speed, his concentration, his pride in his work — and witness a chef at the top of his game. The fish arrives several times a week, with some specimens flown in directly from Japan. The quality of the ingredients is impeccable, and their presentation is flawless. It's all just so fresh! 378 Victoria Ave.; 514-750-7534; www.facebook.com/ParkResto; ***1/2 $$-$$$$
Most passionate: Pastaga. At his latest restaurant, rising-star Quebec chef Martin Juneau has developed a space that's well aligned with his upscale/casual cuisine. One could easily mistake the baseball cap-wearing sommelier, David Ward, for a busboy or handyman. And yet his wine list, filled with well-priced and primarily organic wines, could rival that of most any high-end restaurant in the city. As for the food, well — kudos, Mr. Juneau. Of the 10 small-plate dishes on his menu, only one failed to impress. There's something about Juneau's cooking that has fascinated me since my first review seven years back. Again, in this new environment, he offers that ideal combination of creative, controlled and sophisticated cuisine. Ingredients are top-notch, dishes are smartly conceived, seasonings are precise and the service is seamless. When enjoying Juneau's food, bite after bite, I always think to myself: "Man, this chef can really cook." 6389 St. Laurent Blvd.; 438-381-6389; www.pastaga.ca; *** $$-$$$
Most wild and wonderful: Au Pied de Cochon Sugar Shack. In January 2009, chef Martin Picard's dream became a reality when he (and his partners) purchased a sugar shack in St-Benoît de Mirabel. With wooden communal tables (seating just over 100), a long bar, globe lights and tall beamed ceilings, this sugar shack is a far cry from the usual "folksy" set-up Picard abhors. On my visit, the scene was more tavern than sugar shack. The ambience was electric and the fine wines flowed. This fall, Picard surprised us with a new menu, putting the maple on hold and finding inspiration in Quebec's magnificent apples, an ingredient that lends itself well to his cuisine. Created in collaboration with sous-chef Vincent Dion Lavallée and pastry chef Gabrielle Rivard-Hiller, Picard's apple menu was an orgy of excess starring ingredients like foie gras, braised beef, salmon, whelks, homemade pickles and preserves, as well as head cheese and ham made from pigs raised on the property. Here's hoping for more themed menus in the future. I can only imagine Picard's take on a corn roast. 11382 Rang de la Fresnière, St-Benoît de Mirabel; 450-258-1732; www.cabaneasucreaupieddecochon.com; ***1/2 $$$
Most delicious: Hostaria. When news broke that the fabulous Italian restaurant Il Mulino was to close in 2009, my spirits sank. Then last year, in its place, came the wonderful Hostaria. Hooray! Il Mulino's co-owner Aniello Covone decided to revamp the restaurant along with his son, Massimo, who is also a partner with his brother, Fabrizio, in Botega, the wildly popular pizza restaurant right down the street. Wine agent and sommelier Alyne Russo came on as a partner as well, compiling a wine list that's not only interesting, but well-priced. Italian-born and raised, chef Andrea Sgro, formerly of the wine bar BU, mans the stoves. The result of this combination of talents is a dynamic restaurant with friendly service, pitch-perfect Italian comfort food, an electric ambience and a clientele that would be the envy of any restaurateur. 236 St. Zotique St. E.; 514-273-5776; *** 1/2 $$$
Most chic: Graziella. This elegant Italian restaurant is celebrating its fifth year, which doesn't surprise me one bit, as accolades have been unanimous. But with so many restaurants pulling off some brilliant food these days, I wondered how one like Graziella was faring, tucked away on its quiet stretch of McGill St. I needn't have worried: Graziella has never been better. Chef-owner Graziella Battista has come a long way since running her first restaurant back in the '90s. Her Italian menu is short, appealing and chock full of fine ingredients. Prices, though high, are merited. The wine list is extensive, well chosen and, again, pricey, but there are also plenty of options in the $60 range. On top of that, service is thoroughly professional. I get a little blasé from time to time about restaurants, but this one feels extra special. It's a place that merits that snazzy outfit, your best table manners and an extra splurge on a fine bottle of wine. 116 McGill St.; 514-876-0116; www.restaurantgraziella.ca; ***1/2 $$$$
Most sophisticated: Hovey Manor. Located on the shores of Lake Massawippi alongside the picture-pretty town of North Hatley, this posh Relais & Châteaux property is beloved by many for its four-season luxury appeal and fine dining room overseen by executive chef Roland Ménard and chef de cuisine Francis Wolf. There's nothing quite like turning into the driveway at Hovey, then walking down to the majestic main entranceway framed in white pillars. It's all so British and Merchant Ivory. Following a recent fire, the dining room was given the facelift it deserved. With pretty pastel chairs and a collage-like wall treatment, this is one elegant dining space. As for the menu, the emphasis is on Quebec ingredients, which extends to a wine list that includes a selection of Quebec and Canadian bottles. Yes, the food verges on the fussy when it comes to plate presentations, but everything is so delicious that you just have to roll with it. This is a terrific restaurant, certainly worth the detour, and even the added expense of a room for those unwilling to drive back to the city post-feasting. 575 Hovey St., North Hatley; 819-842-2421; www.manoirhovey.com; ***1/2 $$$$
Most fun: Moishes. Opened in 1938 by the late Moishe Lighter, this family-run restaurant happens to be the city's oldest fine-dining establishment continuously operating in the same location. Words like "oldest" and "family-run" aren't the sexiest descriptors when it comes to restaurants. Yet two years ago, Moishes' once dusty and dated second-floor dining room was given a makeover. When I first reviewed this iconic steak house in 1999, I was wowed by the meat, but not much else. When I returned in 2005, I swooned over everything but an overcooked piece of salmon and still-not-there desserts. But at this year's visit, I loved everything, resulting in the conclusion that while innovation and artistry always merit praise, the mastery of simplicity must be commended as well. When it comes down to it, with its superb service, sharp new look, great food and history, Moishes scores. Going on 75 years in operation, this is one heck of a steak house. No, scratch that: It's one heck of a restaurant. 3961 St. Laurent Blvd.; 514-845-3509; www.moishes.ca; ***1/2 $$$$
Coolest: Nora Gray. In the spring of 2011, news came that dining room manager Ryan Gray, chef Emma Cardarelli — both Liverpool House alumni — and partner Lisa McConnell planned on opening a modern Italian restaurant in Griffintown. The resulting establishment, Nora Gray, is small but very chic in a Viennese/Parisian kind of way, with dark-panelled walls, handsome studded banquettes, and a great-looking bar where one could imagine F. Scott and Zelda imbibing a sidecar or seven. Though the overall feel is rather prewar Europe, the hipster background tunes remind us we're in a modern Montreal restaurant operated by three thirtysomethings. Thanks to Gray's impressive wine knowledge, the predominantly French and Italian wine list is exemplary; prices are fair and there's a marked emphasis on natural wines. As for the food, Cardarelli's menu is Italianate without going too far down the authentic or regional routes. Pastas are homemade, the porchetta is wonderful and the pork chop is out of this world.1391 St. Jacques St.; 514-419-6672; www.noragray.com; *** $$$-$$$$
Most Montreal: Hotel Herman. Located in Mile End, Hotel Herman is a bare-bones kind of restaurant whose focus is centred on a U-shaped bar that fills the middle of the room. Smooth background tunes play at a perfect pitch, and the ambience is crackling. The crowd is hipster heavy, and the cocktails they sip are as classic as a Fred MacMurray film. The menu consists of small plates, yet some of the meatier fare is more generously portioned. Dish descriptions are simple, but plate presentations are bold and beautiful. Hotel Herman favours obscure wines, but rest assured that the staff will guide you to some interesting pairings. As for the food, chef Marc-Alexandre Mercier has got some nice things going down here, playing with classic preparations boosted by all sorts of fun flavours and textures. I won't soon forget the seared foie gras with creamed corn and brioche. I love hot foie gras when masterfully cooked, and this one was bang-on. Corn provided the ideal accompaniment, and the brioche below soaked up all the juices. Good stuff. No, it's not all perfect like that (yet?), but when this chef hits, he hits out of the ballpark. 5171 St. Laurent Blvd.; 514-278-7000; **1/2 $$-$$$


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By: Dr. Stuart Walker. 20-30 Pages (Varies by Guide). These guides are the basis for Dr. Walker's book on local knowledge, The Sailor's Wind. Each gives insights common to local meteorologists and sail makers and is a must-have when you're heading to a new area. Locale Guides are available for: Toronto, ON/Annapolis, MD/Rochester, NY/Savannah, GA/St. Petersburg, FL/Miami, FL/Long Island Sound, NY/Kingston, Jamaica/Mountain Lakes (General)/Narragansett Bay, RI


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Grand Prix Utrecht 2013
Swedes Sweep Grand Prix Utrecht!
March 16-17, 2013
Grand Prix Utrecht 2013
Over 2,000 players descended on Utrecht in the Netherlands to play Gatecrash team limited, but of all the contingents of players that rocked up for team sealed and team draft, it was the Swedish contingent that most completely dominated the field as team on team competition whittled us down to an all Swedish finals.
Joel Larsson was chasing Pro Points wherever he could after a second place finish at Pro Tour Gatecrash, and teamed up with Elias Watsfeldt and Mikael Magnusson to do so. Throughout the Swiss portion of the competition, they received only two losses in total – to another all Swedish team of Jonathan Bergstrom, Tomas Westling and Fredrik Carlsson. That set up for an epic final where the two teams (being supervised by a Swedish judge and various Swedish fans) witnessed a tour de force from both teams.
It seemed that Bergstrom, Westling and Carlsson had the measure of their countrymen, powering through in successive rounds to take home the trophies as Grand Prix Utrecht champions!
It has been quite the weekend here in the Netherlands, and we hope that you've enjoyed watching along as much as we've enjoyed bringing you the stories from Gatecrash team limited. We hope that you'll join us again soon for the climax to the online season, with the Magic Online Championship Series finals, from PAX East.
top 4 bracket
(1) Westling / Bergström / Carlsson
(4) Lippi / Estratti / Versari
(3) Watsfeldt / Magnusson / Larsson
(2) Radloff / Kraft / Zimmermann
Westling / Bergström / Carlsson, 2-1
Watsfeldt / Magnusson / Larsson, 2-1
Westling / Bergström / Carlsson, 2-1, 2-1
See Live Coverage
Streaming video coverage of Grand Prix Utrecht provided Matej Zatklaj, Simon Görtzen, Rich Hagon, and Steven Leeming at twitch.tv/magicprotour.
by Tobi Henke and Tim WilloughbyTop 5 Cards
by Tobi HenkeFinalsRound 2
by Tim WilloughbyFinalsRound 1
by Tim WilloughbySemifinalsElias Watsfeldt vs. Martin Zimmerman,
Mikael Magnusson vs. Tobias Radloff,
Joel Larsson vs. Rene Kraft
by Tobi HenkeTop 4Teams
by Tobi HenkeSunday, 9:25 p.m.Team Draft Chart: All the Players, All the Picks!
by Tim WilloughbySunday, 8:45 p.m.Drafting with Joel Larsson
by Event Coverage StaffDay 2 Blog
by Event Coverage StaffDay 1 Blog
by Event Coverage StaffInfo: Fact Sheet
|1. Westling/ Bergström/ Carlsson
|2. Watsfeldt/ Magnusson/ Larsson
|3. Radloff/ Kraft/ Zimmermann
|4. Lippi/ Estratti/ Versari
pairings, results, standings
Green Bracket
Blue Bracket
Sunday, 8:45 p.m. – Drafting with Joel Larsson
Joel Larsson has had a fairly consistent run of form throughout this weekend (typically winning hence his position in the top four). One thing I've learned while watching his play is that he is something of a fan of blue and green. As such it wasn't a colossal surprise to see that in his semi-final draft, he sifted Cloudfin Raptor to the front of his first pack. One of the premium cards in Simic, it was the card he described as the most important in his sealed deck from Saturday, so he was clearly happy to be playing with it again. Undercity Informer , Assault Griffin and Arrows of Justice would be going to his left, hopefully ensuring that he was able to keep people off his colours, and draft a strong deck.
Crocanura came next, and a Zameck Guildmage third. Seeing the guildmage was a nice signal to Larsson that Mikael Magnusson, two seats to his right, was likely not going with Simic either. There was a good chance that he had plenty of space to draft his chosen guild. While a 4th pick Simic Guildgate was hardly exciting, getting a Frilled Oculus next, along with Armored Transport . Totally Lost came around on the lap, and while the rest of the pack didn't have too much for him, Larsson seemed in a fine position going into pack two.
Joel Larsson
Cloudfin Raptor s two and three were the next picks for Larsson, whose deck was beginning to look like a bit of a monster. Scab-Clan Charger was the first four drop for Larsson's aggressive curve, and he took a Deathcult Rogue next. Metropolis Sprite over another Crocanura was an interesting choice, showing the respect that Larsson had for curving out aggressively in the format. A Frilled Oculus , Adaptive Snapjaw and Ivy Lane Denizen rounded out the pack.
Going into pack three, Larsson's curve was dangerous and lean. He had much of what he needed, but was lacking a couple of cards to ensure his evolve curve would always be firing. This soon changed as Crocanura came for him as a first pick in pack three, and when he finally got a Shambleshark to add to his deck just one pick later. Shambleshark is potentially a very important card for the aggressive Simic decks, as it is the creature that can attack for three on turn three for the deck – an important addition indeed. A second Shambleshark came fifth for Larsson, who even had the luxury of taking some sideboard cards along the way. A Tower Defence would potentially make aggressive matchups easier, and a 9th pick Leyline Phantom would, if necessary, amp up his evolution plans.
All told, Larsson's deck looked to be something of a powerhouse for the semi-finals. He'd only have one match to play with it, and if his opponent's deck was remotely slow (a distinct possibility given a large number of quality Orzhov cards he'd passed) he could potentially maul it badly before it could get going.
Sunday, 9:25 p.m. – Team Draft Chart: All the Players, All the Picks!
Take a look at the following table. The vertical columns have all picks by the player listed at the very top, one after the other. You'll also notice different shades of grey moving in a weird way through the picks, first descending to the left, then right, then left again. As you might guess, the same shade of grey here denotes cards taken from the same booster pack. That's to help you see what choices the player faced when he made a particular pick. By going along the diagonal line of same-colored boxes downwards, you can see what cards were left in the booster at any point in the draft.
Neat, isn't it?
Top 4 – Teams
Jonathan Bergström
Age: 30
Hometown: Malmö, Sweden
Occupation: Drifting
Previous Magic accomplishments:
One Grand Prix Top 8, six Nationals Top 8s.
Who are your teammates, and why did you play with them?
We are old friends who always have good times together.
What color combination did you play in Sealed, and what was your most important card?
Orzhov - Obzedat, Ghost Council won me the most games.
What color combination(s) did you play in your drafts, and what were your most important cards?
Orzhov - Obzedat unsurprisingly won me the most games.Gruul - Bomber Corps killed a few dudes.
Orzhov - splashed a Cinder Elemental which was nice.
Tomas Westling
Age: 34
Hometown: Malmö, Sweden
Occupation: Software developer
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Top 2 Svenska Magic-Mästerskapet.
Who are your teammates, and why did you play with them?
Jonathan Bergström and Fredrik Carlsson, close friends and previous roommates, part of the same team, Team Habo.
What color combination did you play in Sealed, and what was your most important card?
Dimir, Sage's Row Denizen.
What color combination(s) did you play in your drafts, and what were your most important cards?
Orzhov, Merciless Eviction.Four-color mono five-drops, Orzhov Keyrune.
Esper Hold the Gates, Hold the Gates.
Fredrik Carlsson
Age: 28
Hometown: Malmö, Sweden
Occupation: Designer/developer mobile apps
All of them!
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Played a Pro Tour.
Who are your teammates, and why did you play with them?
Old-time friends, part of a small gang of on-and-off players.
What color combination did you play in Sealed, and what was your most important card?
Boros, Skyknight Legionnaire.
What color combination(s) did you play in your drafts, and what were your most important cards?
Naya, Rubblebelt Raiders.Simic, Forests.
Boros, -.
René Kraft
Age: 32
Hometown: Mainz, Germany
Occupation: -
Previous Magic accomplishments:
A few Grand Prix Top 8s a long time ago.
Who are your teammates, and why did you play with them?
Tobias Radloff, Martin Zimmermann. We team draft together on a regular basis.
What color combination did you play in Sealed, and what was your most important card?
Boros - Foundry Champion.
What color combination(s) did you play in your drafts, and what were your most important cards?
Boros - Madcap Skills.Simic - Elusive Krasis.
Boros - Angelic Skirmisher.
Tobias Radloff
Age: 25
Hometown: Wiesbaden, Germany
Occupation: Student
Previous Magic accomplishments:
One Grand Prix Top 8 a long time ago.
Who are your teammates, and why did you play with them?
Martin Zimmermann and René Kraft. We've been friends for years.
What color combination did you play in Sealed, and what was your most important card?
I played Orzhov splashing Assemble the Legion. Most important card was Undercity Informer.
What color combination(s) did you play in your drafts, and what were your most important cards?
Always Orzhov. Most important cards were Grisly Spectacle, Undercity Informer, Purge the Profane.
Martin Zimmermann
Age: 28
Hometown: Wiesbaden, Germany
Occupation: Student
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Who are your teammates, and why did you play with them?
René Kraft and Tobias Radloff because we live close to each other and have already played together for several years.
What color combination did you play in Sealed, and what was your most important card?
Simic - Cloudfin Raptor.
What color combination(s) did you play in your drafts, and what were your most important cards?
Gruul - Ghor-Clan Rampager.Orzhov - none.
Boros - Skyknight Legionnaire.
Matteo Versari
Age: 28
Hometown: Livorno, Italy
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Won Grand Prix Malmö.
Who are your teammates, and why did you play with them?
Lippi and Estratti. Too much fun playing with them, and also they're good players.
What color combination did you play in Sealed, and what was your most important card?
Orzhov - Gift of Orzhova, especially on Alms Beast.
What color combination(s) did you play in your drafts, and what were your most important cards?
Orzhov - Zarichi Tiger.Boros - Sunhome Guildmage.
Alessandro Lippi
Age: 30
Hometown: Massa, Italy
Occupation: Travel agent
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Top 4 Grand Prix Turin.
Who are your teammates, and why did you play with them?
Samuele Estratti, Matteo Versari. I play with them because we're all Tuscans and funny. Obviously good players too.
What color combination did you play in Sealed, and what was your most important card?
Boros - Frontline Medic.
What color combination(s) did you play in your drafts, and what were your most important cards?
Simic, Orzhov splashing blue, and Simic. Shambleshark is my captain!
Samuele Estratti
Age: 26
Hometown: Pistoia, Italy
Occupation: Student
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Top 8 at Grand Prix Malmö, Verona, Milan. Pro Tour win. Two Top 4s at Nationals.
Who are your teammates, and why did you play with them?
Lippi and Versari. Really funny playing with them.
What color combination did you play in Sealed, and what was your most important card?
Simic splash red, Skarrg Goliath.
What color combination(s) did you play in your drafts, and what were your most important cards?
Gruul, Ghor Clan Rampager.
Gruul splash blue, Ghor-Clan Rampager.
Joel Larsson
Age: 21
Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden
Occupation: Administrator and receptionist at a small clinic
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Second at Pro Tour Montreal, third at Grand Prix Manchester, Top 8 at Grand Prix Prague and Pittsburgh, tenth at Pro Tour Nagoya, Swedish national team 2011.
Who are your teammates, and why did you play with them?
Mikael Magnusson and Elias Watsfeldt. Good friends and good players.
What color combination did you play in Sealed, and what was your most important card?
Simic, Cloudfin Raptor.
What color combination(s) did you play in your drafts, and what were your most important cards?
Simic - Cloudfin Raptors.Orzhov - various extort guys.
Boros - Skyknight Legionnaire and lots of two-drops.
Elias Watsfeldt
Age: 19
Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden
Occupation: A little bit of everything to be honest
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Third Grand Prix Top 8 this season!
Who are your teammates, and why did you play with them?
Joel Larsson, a skillful magician.Mikael Magnusson, a well-dressed fellow.
What color combination did you play in Sealed, and what was your most important card?
Orzhov - Grisly Spectacle.
What color combination(s) did you play in your drafts, and what were your most important cards?
Dimir - Bane Alley Broker.Dimir - Bane Alley Broker.
Gruul - Stomping Ground.
Mikael Magnusson
Age: 34
Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Vintage champion at Grand Prix London 2013.
Who are your teammates, and why did you play with them?
Joel Larsson and Elias Watsfeldt. I just picked the best two Swedish players.
What color combination did you play in Sealed, and what was your most important card?
Boros - Aurelia, the Warleader.
What color combination(s) did you play in your drafts, and what were your most important cards?
Boros - Aurelia again!Boros - the three Madcap Skills!Orzhov splashing Hands of Binding - Undercity Plague.
For the Top 4 draft, can I please have Aurelia one more time?
Semifinals – Elias Watsfeldt vs. Martin Zimmerman, Mikael Magnusson vs. Tobias Radloff, Joel Larsson vs. Rene Kraft
Match one
Gruul against Dimir was the first matchup, and Watsfeldt's aggressive Gruul deck was able to win game one before most of the other decks at the table had even begun to set up. His second game looked likely to go in similar fashion, with Foundry Street Denizen s soon joined by a pair of copies of Ember Beast . Meanwhile the Dimir deck of Martin Zimmermann had found some way of racing, with Keymaster Rogue an ever-present clock on Watsfeldt. Gridlock stopped attacks from Watsfeldt for a turn, and that was enough to sour the race for the young Swede. Swing after swing from the rogue took Watsfeldt to six, and then three. One draw step left – could he find the removal spell he needed to stave off the unblockable 3/2? The answer came soon enough, as Watsfeldt scooped up his cards.
Game three looked pretty good for Watsfeldt. Zimmermann missed a land drop, while he was able to deploy a terrifying force featuring a pair of copies of Ember Beast , Legion Loyalist and Skarrg Guildmage . The Gruul team only had Metropolis Sprite and eventually Undercity Informer to deal with this aggressive start, and they simply could not do so. In the amount of time it had taken the other players in his team to get through one game, Watsfeldt had won his match 2-1
Magnusson had something of a combo for his deck, with Agoraphobia and Simic Manipulator potentially setting up an undefeatable creature stealing plan. One Thousand Lashes from Tobias Radloff's Orzhov deck put a stop to that though, and attacks from an Assault Griffin soon dropped Magnusson to four. An attempted Vizkopa Guildmage was stopped by Mystic Genesis , but Magnusson was on perilously low life, and his Keymaster Rogue was not winning the race. Soon Magnusson found himself scooping up his cards. He wasn't winning that game.
Incursion Specialist for Magnusson faced off against Vizkopa Guildmage and Thrull Parasite from Radloff in game two. There was a bit of a stare off for a while, as Magnusson played more and more lands, while Radloff was a little short on them himself. Magnusson found some good things to do with those lands though. Gruul Ragebeast killed off a Knight of Obligation before falling to Orzhov Charm , and Magnusson had follow up in a Ruination Wurm , and then a Nightveil Specter . A Hydroform from Magnusson got a good read, but did exactly what the Swede needed, allowing a successful block on Balustrade Spy .
An Arrows of Justice shot down Nightveil Specter , but that wasn't the real kicker. The trouble was when Court Street Denizen combined with Knight Watch to chop out all of Magnusson's blockers from beneath him for some decisive attacks. Magnusson fell, leaving Larsson as the lone hope for the Swedish team to win through.
Larsson had drafted a very aggressive Simic deck and found himself up against Boros from Rene Kraft. Given the potential speed of the matchup, neither player could afford to stumble, and Larsson's start was near textbook; Cloudfin Raptor , Frilled Oculus , Crocanura . Kraft had a pair of Syndic of Tithes to begin, but when Hands of Binding came down for Larsson he was able to effectively put together quite the start.
Kraft was far from out of it though. He knew he wouldn't be facing much in the way of removal, and pieced together a board of Wojek Halbardiers, Sunhome Guildmage and Warmind Infantry too. Towering Thunderfist was next. He had plenty of creatures, but could he deal with Larsson's flyers?
Sunhome Guildmage built up quite a force and it looked like an attack in could only mean disaster for Larsson. He made desperation blocks, where it seemed his team was inevitably to be consigned to the graveyard. It turned out that the tricky Swede had a tricky Swedish trick though, in the form of Tower Defence. In the face of all those creatures surviving, and being able to attack back for the win, Kraft simply scooped up his cards.
Game two was more of the same from Larsson. He had Cloudfin Raptor , Frilled Oculus , Crocanura and friends, but this time the draw from the Boros deck looked if anything a little more aggressive. Larsson was forced into blocking mode a little sooner, with rather more lands in play than might have been ideal for him. Sunhome Guildmage from Kraft was a clear and present threat, and soon Larsson was at just 7, to his opponent's 13 life. Hands of Binding bought him a little time, but with the Boros side of the board growing thanks to Boros Guildmage , it looked to be a race that Joel was still not winning.
Kraft swung for the fences, and for a second time found a big Tower Defence block brick-walling his attack. After combat he used Act of Treason to untap a blocker, suddenly looking to his life total with concern. Larsson cast an Adaptive Snapjaw , reaching for dice. He had a bunch of creatures to evolve, and an Ivy Lane Denizen from the turn before to add a counter too. From nowhere, the evolution team on Larsson's side of the board was massive. Before he'd even finished turning them all sideways, the German team were extending their hands, congratulating the Swedes who would be playing their countrymen in the finals.
Finals – Round 1
Clearly, with a final that was entirely in Swedish, this reporter was unable to fully understand all the nuances going on with the laughing and joking between these two teams. As a handy shortcut, I kind of assumed that a large amount of any banter was about some combination of Joel Larsson's hair, Mikael Magnusson's lack of hair, and Watsfeldt being a wunderkind like Dougie Howser or the kid from the Star Wars movies. One way or another, while this match was as high stakes as a match could be at this Grand Prix, the tone was a relaxed one. Just one more draft to win. When they'd met earlier in the day, it was the less well known team of Jonathan Bergstrom, Fredrik Carlsson and Tomas Westling that won out. Would the same be true the second time around?
Joel Larsson vs. Tomas Westling
Larsson found himself with Simic against Gruul, and it was an aggressive Gruul deck at that. Westling had a Legion Loyalist , a Hellraiser Goblin and an Ivy Lane Denizen in the red zone in short order. Larsson back pedalled where he could with Crocanura s to block, but had little answer to such a brutally fast start from the Gruul deck. In little time at all, Larsson was scooping up his game one cards.
Game two started a little better for Larsson. He had Frilled Oculus and Millennial Gargoyle early, while Westling's start seemed a little fairer in Skinbrand Goblin and Ivy Lane Denizen . The latter creature fell in a Pit Fight with a pumped Frilled Oculus , meaning that Larsson could happily keep swinging into the red zone.
Hellraiser Goblin was back though, and a Madcap Skills on Skinbrand Goblin suddenly meant that Larsson had a race on his hands. Nimbus Swimmer came down as a 4/4 that could happily do some big blocks, and Larsson's Millennial Gargoyle continued to bash. The tough thing for Larsson though wasn't so much Hellraiser Goblin , as all of the friends that came along with him. Westling may not have started as strongly for the second game, but with massive green monsters, he finished strong, quickly putting down Larsson for a second successive game.
Elias Watsfeldt vs. Jonathan Bergstrom
Watsfeldt started off with a Cloudfin Raptor , but was really an Esper deck rather than Simic, with a Dimir Guildgate and an Orzohov Keyrune to follow up. For his first match, he had a mirror of sorts, as there were guildgates aplenty from Bergstrom too, and a Sage's Row Denizen .
A Sage's Row Denizen came down for Watsfeldt, and it was soon followed by Sapphire Drake . The 4/4 flyer got hit by One Thousand Lashes though, meaning it would not be getting stuck in any time soon. Dinrova Horror further set back Watsfeldt, and when Dimir Charm offed his Orzhov Keyrune , and Death's Approach his Denizen, he was quick to scoop up his cards.
Game two was pretty back and forth between Watsfeldt and Bergstrom, with neither really committing substantial threats to the board and being able to get them to stick. Leyline Phantom died to Grisly Spectacle , leaving Bergstrom without much of a board, while Dimir Charm killed off Metropolis Sprite for Watsfeldt. Horror of the Dim for Watsfeldt looked like a trump in this removal heavy fight, being able to gain hexproof at a moment's notice. All Bergstrom had to fight back was Simic Fluxmage , which could not really compete.
Watsfeldt sat back, not needing to cast more spells, and holding up mana to threaten all sorts of tricks. Soon Bergstrom was on just five life from his attacks, and his draws seemed more clogged by land than anything else, meaning he could never quite stabilise.
Game three saw Watsfeldt able to get a big threat on the board early in the form of Alms Beast . He wasn't about to recklessly start attacking with it though, sitting back with mana up to potentially keep it safe. This changed when he found a Gift of Orzhova to make Alms Beast a 7/7 flying lifelinker. He swung in unimpeded, making life more than a little tough for Bergstrom. When Bergstrom held back a blocker for the 7/7, Watsfeldt simply declined to attack, just casting Cloudfin Raptor .
An Orzhov Charm on a 7/7 Alms Beast is worth a lot of life, but Watsfeldt preferred to keep his creature around, playing a Psychic Strike to keep it safe from harm. The next turn Grisly Spectacle killed off the Balustrade Spy that might have blocked, and Watsfeldt was again in the red zone. The life totals were 6 to 32 in Watsfeldt's favour, and soon enough Bergstrom was scooping them up. The match would be down to Magnusson.
Mikael Magnusson vs. Fredrik Carlsson
Magnusson was the Boros drafter at the table, and led off with Truefire Paladin into a board of lands that looked like an Orzhov deck. Executioner's Swing dealt with the 2/2, and while Zarichi Tiger looked a good answer to Armored Transport , it would do little about the Assemble the Legion that followed. Magnusson had had a blast playing with Assemble the Legion in his sealed deck, and seemed just as happy to have it in the finals of this Grand Prix.
Magnusson didn't seem in a hurry to attack with his soldier tokens, and soon had Assemble the Legion on three counters, with all six of his soldiers still around. A Court Street Denizen would ensure that Carlsson would have little in the way of blockers at any point, with the never ending stream of creatures he'd be producing.
Once Magnusson had ten soldiers he started attacking. That was plenty enough for Carlsson, who packed it in for the next game.
Game two saw a little more from Carlsson in terms of early offence, with Syndic of Tithes into Kingpin's Pet . A Vizkopa Guildmage also came along, while Magnusson was a touch slower with Wojek Halbardiers and Millennial Gargoyle . Aerial Manouvre let the Halbardiers win in a fight with the guildmage, and a follow up Pit Fight let them also kill off Kingpin's Pet . Keen to win back some sort of card advantage, Carlsson went for Purge the Profane , hitting Skyknight Legionnaire and Martial Glory in Magnusson's hand, leaving him to play off the top of his deck. Carlsson traded off his Syndic of Tithes for Wojek Halbardiers, and had a Debtor's Pulpit ready to lock down Millennial Gargoyle .
Zarichi Tiger from Carlsson would stave off any aggression from Magnusson, but Urbis Protector from him threatened more of a clock than the tiger alone could redress. Soon thereafter he had Homing Lightning to kill off the kitty, though he had little he could do about an Urbis Protector on the other side of the board. While Magnusson was able to get something going briefly with Madcap Skills , Debtor's Pulpit presented a problem that meant he was losing the Urbis Protector race. He defended for as long as he could, but could not ultimately answer the angel. This match would go to a deciding game.
A turn two Bomber Corps was the first play for the deciding game, soon matched by a Basilica Screecher on Magnusson's side of the board. Mikael was unworried and attacked in, using Martial Glory to kill off the bat before it became problematic. Court Street Denizen from Carlsson was matched by Millennial Gargoyle from Magnusson, who was keen to get to Battalion.
Zarichi Tiger did a good job of controlling the ground even while Millennial Gargoyle attacked in the air. Court Street Denizen fell to a Mugging , but Magnusson had little in the way of follow-up. Carlsson seemed content to attack with his tiger, and play out a Slate Street Ruffian .
With the ground getting a little busy, Magnusson continued his air assault with Assault Griffin , the creature named for the task. He took swings from Carlsson to go to 12, and came right back with his Battalion, trading Bomber Corps for a fresh Viskopa Guildmage that blocked. It was a straight forward race, until the Orzhov started getting tricky with extort. Thrull Parasite came first, then extorted when Wight of Precinct Six came along as a 2/2. Magnusson, after a little pause, decided to hold back on attacking further.
The reason for this soon became clear. When Carlsson attacked in, Magnusson was able to secure a very tidy set of blocks, with Boros Charm keeping his team alive while much of Carlsson's perished. Carlsson didn't seem to mind. Urbis Protector gave him the biggest creature on the board, and Vizkopa Confessor revealed that all that Magnusson had left in his hand was land. Carlsson rumbled in with his squad.
Magnusson needed something big to get back in the game, and drew the top card of his deck very carefully. He very slowly peeked at the card, willing it to be an answer to his opponent's potentially game winning board. It was a land though, flung down in mock disgust. If Watsfeldt, Larsson and Magnusson were to win Grand Prix Utrecht, they would have to take both the next sets of games.
Finals – Round 2
Joel Larsson (Simic) vs. Jonathan Bergström (Esper)
This match started with Simic Fluxmage s on both sides, but Bergström had more creatures to go along with that, including a Sage's Row Denizen which soon learned the Way of the Thief and put Larsson on a particularly fast-moving clock. Larsson found one of the few outs in his deck, in Simic Charm 's third mode, then build an effective defense with the help of Crocanura , Greenside Watcher , and the always busy Simic Fluxmage . So the game dragged on.
Joel Larsson
But that wasn't to Larsson's advantage either as the top 20 cards of his library at the start of this game turned out to have been eight spells and 12 lands. That simply wasn't enough.
Joel Larsson 0-1 Jonathan Bergström
Shambleshark , Disciple of the Old Ways , and Drakewing Krasis , together with a Pit Fight which took out Bergström single creature, Dutiful Thrull , evened the score at a moment's notice.
Joel Larsson 1-1 Jonathan Bergström
After the perfunctory exchanges early on, the third game came down to a war of resources and their attrition. Larsson hung in there surprisingly long and managed to, for example, hit One Thousand Lashes with Scatter Arc . But in the end, nothing could compare to the (virtual) card advantage generated by Bergström's Bane Alley Broker .
Jonathan Bergström
Close to the end, with a full board on both sides, Larsson's Gridlock would have nearly stole a victory there, but Bergström's Grisly Spectacle sealed the deal.
Joel Larsson 1-2 Jonathan Bergström
Mikael Magnusson (Boros) vs. Tomas Westling (Gruul)
Tomas Westling
Westling started strong on Legion Loyalist , Bomber Corps , and Ember Beast versus Magnusson's Truefire Paladin and Skyknight Legionnaire . Nevertheless, an ill-fated attack saw Westling lose several of his creatures when Magnusson turned his team indestructible with Boros Charm , and his replacement Firefist Striker s met Homing Lightning . Soon he was left with a lonely Ember Beast as his sole creature, and everyone knows by now how helpful that is.
Mikael Magnusson 1-0 Tomas Westling
Mikael Magnusson
For the second game, both players took things slower. Westling's Hellraiser Goblin met Magnusson's Mugging , and Westling's next creature, Scab-Clan Charger wasn't really aggressive either. Soon the board was dominated by Magnusson's Truefire Paladin and Towering Thunderfist , and Westling never recovered.
Mikael Magnusson 2-0 Tomas Westling
Elias Watsfeldt (Dimir) vs. Fredrik Carlsson (Orzhov)
Watsfeldt, with his trusty Dimir deck, opened strong on Cloudfin Raptor and Gutter Skulk , but the board was soon bogged down with various 2/3 and 1/4 creatures except for the Cloudfin Raptor which grew to 3/4 thanks to Leyline Phantom , which in turn died to Smite .
Said Cloudfin Raptor smashed again and again, then Carlsson had an answer in Urbis Protector . Watsfeldt, however, had an answer to the answer, turning his Raptor 4/5 with Gift of Orzhova . Carlsson's Zarichi Tiger and Debtor's Pulpit succesfully stopped Watsfeldt's offense anyway, and soon it was Carlsson's 4/4 Angel as well as an assortment of extorters that were killing Watsfeldt. When Angelic Skirmisher joined the fray on Carlsson's side, in what was already a favorable position for Carlsson, it was soon over.
Elias Watsfeldt 0-1 Fredrik Carlsson
Watsfeldt started yet again with Cloudfin Raptor , this time followed by Metropolis Sprite on turn three, while Carlsson had to make do without two-drop or Swamp — or so it seemed. Turn three he cast Boros Reckoner off his three Plains .
Elias Watsfeldt
But Watsfeldt had a better trump of his own, teaching his Metropolis Sprite the Way of the Thief . The 3/4 could now potentially attack for 6 unblockable damage per turn! Not satisfied with that, on his next turn, Watsfeldt went all in on the Sprite and cast a second copy of Way of the Thief before attacking for 5. Another turn later, Watsfeldt tapped his two Island s and two Dimir Guildgate s and made his Metropolis Sprite attack for 9, and after one more draw step Carlsson picked up his card to move to game three
Elias Watsfeldt 1-1 Fredrik Carlsson
In the final game of the tournament, it was Carlsson who for once took the early lead, with Syndic of Tithes and Kingpin's Pet all while Watsfeldt had no play. His first was actually Call of the Nightwing on turn four, encoding the spell on the very token it had created. On his turn, Carlsson attacked regardless, then summoned Boros Reckoner extorting twice to put Watsfeldt at 8 already.
Fredrik Carlsson
Carlsson lost the Reckoner to Grisly Salvage , but had Urbis Protector as an adequate replacement. Watsfeldt tried to stop the bleeding with Duskmantle Guildmage plus Gift of Orzhova , but all in vain. A Thrull Surgeon with double extort brought him to 4, and an all-out attack ended the game, when Carlsson cast Smite on his own attacker, both for another two points of extort and to prevent the lifegain from Gift of Orzhova .
Elias Watsfeldt 1-2 Fredrik Carlsson
Congratulations to Fredrik Carlsson, Tomas Westling, and Jonathan Bergström, champions of Grand Prix Utrecht 2013!
Top 5 Cards
5. Prophetic Prism
Hate drafting, i.e. picking cards simply so that no other drafter would have them, was a key element of virtually every team's strategy this weekend. Since every player was seated between two members of the opposing team, a Dimir drafter, for example, would often pick, say, a Clan Defiance first, without any intention of using the card themselves. Sometimes, however, the less extreme cases of hate drafting led to something of a happy end. Quite a lot of players would find themselves, at the end of a draft, with the ability to play the hated cards after all. Thanks to Prophetic Prism various Alms Beast s found a home in Dimir decks, Firemane Avenger s ended up in Orzhov decks, and Consuming Aberations in Simic decks. In one case, even Clan Defiance made it into a deck that contained nothing but white, black, and blue cards otherwise, but three copies of Prophetic Prism . That deck went 2-0 too!
4. Aurelia, the Warleader
Throughout the tournament, the Warleader proved to be a valuable finisher again and again, usually again and again in the very same turn! Often she led the charge into battle of whole armies but even all on her own Aurelia was a force to be reckoned with. All pump effects, like the ubiquitous bloodrush work amazingly well on the Angel, not to mention the battalion effects of her native Boros Legion. Ever attacked with Boros Elite , Aurelia and one other creature twice in the same turn? You should, it's healthy for you!
3. Tower Defense
Not just a popular type of computer game any more, Tower Defence proved the decisive trick to power Elias Watsfeldt, Joel Larsson and Mikael Magnusson into the finals of Grand Prix Utrecht. Not once but twice Larsson deployed the powerful instant in a close race to ensure that a huge Boros attack hit a brick wall, allowing for game ending swings in the opposite direction. In a Simic deck heavy on creatures and light on tricks, it was exactly the trick to trump any kind of shenanigans from the other side of the board.
2. Way of the Thief
Enchant creatures used to be looked down on as the poor relation among Magic cards, for the fear of losing a creature and the enchantment on top to a single spell. Today, enchant creatures have never been better, and Way of the Thief is the latest to have shown its worth at the top level. Elias Watsfeldt unlocked a special achievement by using the enchantment to let a Metropolis Sprite do more or less the whole 20 points of damage in one of the games he played in the final draft. He dropped two copies of the enchantment on the Sprite, and then started pumping it like crazy to win in epic fashion.
1. Hellraiser Goblin
Granting haste to your entire team has a long and storied history of success at the highest level in Magic, going back to cards like Fires of Yavimaya which spawned whole archetypes back in Invasion. The latest way of doing it, Hellraiser Goblin , was able to accelerate Tomas Westling's aggressive Gruul deck to breakneck speeds – just one piece of the puzzle that left him holding a winner's trophy.