Basketball Tips from Kobe

With our company sportsfest fast approaching, I browsed on youtube to see clips that feature Kobe and his moves. I happen to stumble upon this video and these are basic but very useful tips from my idol Kobe Bryant. I just wanted to share this to the poeple who are basketball fanatics like me..

My Liliana Pre-Release

The last time I participated in a pre-release event was during the Scars of Mirrodin. And after freeing up my schedule last week, I was able to play again in the Innistrad pre-release event. I was very excited and was very much looking forward for this event because it seemed like yearS ago since I joined a tournament with limited format.


After opening up my packs, I knew that I had to go black with bombs like Bloodgift Demon, Liliana of the Veil, and Curse of Death's Hold. The only problem was to pick my 2nd color and upon evaluation I chose red since I had a solid set of cards for red. So I went for it.


Although I cannot remember my decklist anymore. I was pretty happy with the deck I built and was sure that it was strong. Unfortunately, even with 16 lands, I mulliganed in almost all my games leading to serious disadvantage on my part. Maybe it just wasn't my day. At the end of the day I finished with a 2-2 record.


Overall, I got cards that were usable even for Standard so I was pretty happy with the pool of cards that I had. I even had a Woodland Cemetery but since my Green cards were basically weak, I had to bench the rare land. The experience was fun and I stayed a few minutes after the tournament to trade for cards that I'm looking for in the set. Hopefully, I can continue to find time for Magic: the Gathering. Peace yo!

Innostrad Pre-release =)

Just for fun, I wanted to make a post or release the image of Innostrad!

Yeah! Do you think innomtg having a sub-title INNOSTRAD seems great? hehe

Let me know.

When Love And Hate Collide by Def Leppard

Haha.. I can't remember the first time I heard this song but definitely it was during my high school days when I really really liked this song. And yes, there were times when I play offline RPGs at home when I turn off the game volume and play When love and hate collide in the background. hehe Back then, this was introduced by one of the best friends I have (even until now) and for the funny thought that eventually, in the future, he will search his name in the web and will eventually find this article. hehe My friend's name was Ariel Periquet hehe peace bro.

Just recently, my officemate, who happens to be my seatmate in the office downloaded this song into his i-touch and upon hearing him sing lines from this song, I remembered how I really liked this song so much back in the days and its lyrics is worth sharing online - once again.

When Love and Hate Collide was a hit from one of Def Leppard's final albums, I think the group started in the early 80's or late 70's and eventually launched when love and hate collide in the year 1995 as an original track in their greatest hits album. The lyrics of the song is as follows. Here it is: When Love and Hate Collide by Def Leppard:

You could have a change of heart, if you would only change your mind
Instead of slamming down the phone girl, for the hundredth time
I got your number on my wall, but I ain't gonna make that call
When divided we stand baby, united we fall

Got the time got a chance gonna make it
Got my hands on your heart gonna take it
All I know I can't fight this flame
You could have a change of heart, if you would only change your mind
Cause I'm crazy 'bout you baby, time after time

[Chorus]
Without you
One night alone Is like a year without you baby
Do you have a heart of stone
Without you
Can't stop the hurt inside
When love and hate collide

I don't wanna fight no more, I don't know what we're fighting for
When we treat each other baby, like an act of war
I could tell a million lies and it would come as no surprise
When the truth is like a stranger, hits you right between the eyes

There's a time and a place and a reason
And I know I got a love to believe in
All I know got to win this time

[Repeat Chorus]

You could have a change of heart, if you would only change your mind
Cause I'm crazy 'bout you baby...Crazy...Crazy

Without you
One night alone
Is like a year without you baby
Do you have a heart of stone
Without you
One night alone
Is like a year without you baby
If you have a heart at all
Without you
Can't stop the hurt inside
When love and hate collide

September 20 2011 DCI Banned & Restricted List Announcement

Before I comment on the changes, I will just let other people share what's on their mind in these changes.

Announcement Date: September 20, 2011
Effective Date: October 1, 2011
Magic Online Effective Date: October 12, 2011

Modern
Blazing Shoal is banned.
Cloudpost is banned.
Green Sun's Zenith is banned.
Ponder is banned.
Preordain is banned.
Rite of Flame is banned.

Extended
Jace, the Mind Sculptor is banned.
Mental Misstep is banned.
Ponder is banned.
Preordain is banned.
Stoneforge Mystic is banned.

Legacy
Mental Misstep is banned.

Vintage
Fact or Fiction is no longer restricted.

Bryan Inno Wong's UB Control - FNM Performance

* I love the addition of Sorin's Vengeance in this deck. Although most of the time I side it out on games 2 and 3 of each round, most of the time this saves the game for we or wins the game in game 1. ***

Finding time for magic has been very challenging for me lately. And while I'm actually stressed at work and since it is already past my official working time, I just wanted to share my experience last FNM. Of course, every magic player probably knows about the changing of the rating system into the Planeswalker points. For one, I am happy since given my hectic schedule, I usually don't have sufficient time for playtesting my deck. Though I have been playing magic for more than 10 years already, constant playtesting is still one of the best ways to win a tournament. The planeswalker points system will probably make me join more tournaments since I will not have the fear of lowering my ratings for every loss since I have been pressuring myself to have at least a 3-1 standings (at least if only four rounds) just to maintain my ratings. And since National invitations and Grand Prix byes will not be based on ratings, but by points accumulated within the season, this may also not look good fr me since my schedule is very busy and chances are, I can't be present in the tournament sites every week.


Anyway, this entry is not about the planeswalker points but about my UB deck and here is my current list:

Lands:
4x Creeping Tarpit
4x Drowned Catacomb
4x Darkslick Shores
4x Tectonic Edge
5x Swamp
5x Island

Creatures:
2x Solemn Simulacrum
2x Wurmcoil Engine
2x Grave Titan

Instants:
4x Mana Leak
1x Consume the Meek
1x Into the Roil
3x Doom Blade
1x Dismember
1x Go for the Throat

Sorceries:
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
2x Despise
1x Black Sun's Zenith
4x Preordain
1x Sorin's Vengeance

Planeswalkers:
3x Jace Beleren
1x Liliana Vess
1x Karn Liberated

----- Sideboard:
2x Peace Strider
3x Flash freeze
2x Disfigure
2x Duress
1x Black Sun's Zenith
3x Torpor Orb
2x Memoricide

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

This list ended up with a standings of 3-1. Beating 2 UW Caw-blade/ UW control variants. This also won against a URG vengevine deck. Unfortunately, I lost in game 3 against a Red-Black Mimic Vat control deck. Torpor orb was very effective in holding off his creatures' abilities (Gatekeeper of Malakir, Lilian's specter, manic vandal, skin render.. etc).

When the ZEN block rotates out, this deck will miss out key cards but I do think that UB control can still flourish when the INS block will be released.