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 Drafting With a Hick - Merry XMas Pure!

Hey all you wonderful readers out there in PureMTGO land.  I have some fun content for you today, and I am sure you are inundated with "Holiday Cheer" and whatnot.  I wanted to start this article by apologizing for my lack of focus on the comments section - especially to "A_New_Hope" - one of the loyal readers here on Pure.  As I am with new sets I am as a writer still, I have many areas I need to improve in.  The first is still my very annoying ticks, but this past week another was brought to my attention...  I have been trying to get discussion going - then I have just let myself tail off into the next week without going back and checking my articles.  I DO read all my comments, but I have been guilty of not responding in a timely manner or simply not responding at all because the times are inopportune, etc.  I really apologize for this - specifically to A_New_Hope and anyone else I have offended.

So guys next weekend is Christmas, and no matter what religion you are this is typically a fun time stateside.  All of the shops are playing holiday music, people are generally in a more cheery mood (I'm SURE this has nothing to do with long Christmas vacations...), and most importantly people are spending $$$$!  Even WotC has been getting in on the fun, as my buddy George the Penguin said in his article this week .  PLAY SOME CLASSIC GUYS - SERIOUSLY!!

What about Modern Warfare 3, Zach?  

Thanks for asking Mr. Rhetorical, here is this week's clip before I forget:

 Quick MW3 Status update:

My Son and I are currently Prestige 3, level 65 (should be prestige 4 by next week!)

He doesn't know it yet but he is about to get a sick pair of x31 headphones (Turtle Beach) so we can hopefully up our game.  I actually need to watch out, he is now requesting a PVR so he record his footage and put it on YouTube....

So this week I participated in four drafts.  I joined two Mercadian Masques Swiss drafts and two Innistrad Swiss drafts.  I really need to say two things before we get into the nitty gritty, and I will make the type a bit larger so my point can be well received:

1. I am SUPER type A - if I am not winning I am typically NOT having fun
2. I get aggravated quicker than I would like to admit, but it is part of me.  I am snarky and probably a bit of a hypocrite (I get mad in situations where I would have no problem on the OTHER side of the table)

I say these things because I hear repeatedly that I should stay more positive in my articles, and that it is just a game, etc.  I know it is, and the way I act does not in ANY way extend beyond the video games.  If I lose a draft where i rip nothing but think I have an amazing deck, I will not take my aggression out on my wife, my son, my daughter, my clannies, etc.  It is my way of reacting and when I say I would be a different person if I acted differently, I FULLY believe that.  I want you guys to know you can revel in the times when I am angry sad or mad - I revel in the times when I get others feeling the same way (as it usually means I am winning!).  Any way, I wanted to get that out there.  I am an honest guy so you get my honest feelings - each and every video!

On to this week's fun times!

TRYING OUT NEW DRAFT VIEWER - MIGHT BE LONGGGGGG Article!

We start out the week with an MM draft I did with George (aka whiffy penguin).  What happens?  I get paired with my buddy round one, of course!  (And I make a head slappingly stupid combat decision to boot! YAY!)

Anyway, here is my first every MM draft, in all of its' glory:

 

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 So wow - that takes up a lot of space!!!!  Let's get to the videos!

YouTube Draft

 

 

Round One

 

 

Round Two

 

 

Round Three

 

 

The format was fun but what a fail......  Hopefully next time will be better!

Now we go the the first Innistrad draft I did (#12 recorded)

Here is the view from the draft viewer:

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 Now THAT is my kind of draft!  Let's hop right in and see how we did, in the form of videos.

YouTube Draft 

 

 

Round One

 

 

Round Two

 

 

Round Three

 

 

 It was really a pity we had the misclick.  I truly thought this draft was going to get me back on the wagon and started back on the 3-0 train.  I am honestly starting to feel as though I am a below average drafter with this set.  This whole experience has been so humbling....  And on that note we should continue to be humbled.....  I do believe it is time for MM Draft #2.

Here is the draft viewer:

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Now for teh YouTubeszzz:

YouTube Draft:

 

 

Round One:

 

 

Round Two:

 

 

Round Three:

 

 

Man  what a sad day.  I truly thought it was going to get better after the beating I took in the first draft.  This feels so different and foreign to me compared to Urza's block.  I have no idea if this is attributed to me not knowing ANYTHING, the sets having a lower than normal power level (is this really true?  There are some STRONG commons), or the fact that all three blocks are being released at once.  I really have no clue.  Hopefully some day I will find out and right the ship!

 

Now it is time for my last draft, and the real reason why I made those two disclaimers above in pink.  This draft had everything going for it.  I picked two colors that work well together, I had tons of removal, some bomby cards, and a good plan of action.  I was READY to 3-0 this draft and get back on the chuck wagon.  Let's see how it went, first with pictures!

 

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This looks PROMISINGGGGGGGG - what a draft!  Here it is in YouTube form:

YouTube Draft:

 

 

Round One:

 

 

Round Two:

 

 

Round Three:

 

 

Wow.  Just wow.  This draft is pretty much the whole reason I took a week off and didn't even write last week.  I have no IDEA what went wrong.  I was happy with each and every pick.  I guess this is one of those outlier cases where it was just bad luck?  Pick me apart on this one - what were my major misplays and how COULD I have won?  I truly want to know guys.  I will do my best to follow up with all comments until my next article goes live, PINKIE SWEAR!

Thanks for listening through all of these pictures!!  Love you guys and have a merry Xmas!

Zach / The_Hoff / abstrakt66