I arrived home tonight and had this in my email along with a note asking me to publish it here.
I will write a post on my thoughts on the matter later this weekend.
Hello, oxers! This is Shadowy_Niddyz here, recent evictee of the eXtreme ladder. What a surprise it was to dash into my room on Friday night (December 29, to be exact) to register for Ayla's no pinks tourney only to find that I wasn't a member! I contacted Ayla through yahoo and she informed me that she had received complaints about the fact that I had won ten tourneys in a row and had a very large streak (34, I think she said) going. Majority ruled, so to keep the peace, eXtreme kicked me off the ladder.
There's the story, in case you haven't heard it, and I'm going to come out and say that I don't blame eXtreme or any of its members in the slightest! Honestly, putting myself in your shoes...I'm not sure if I would even believe myself. Some kid shows up, wins a ton of games, plays words he doesn't even know the definitions for...it certainly looks suspicious! It's natural and normal to think that the kid is cheating.
Heck, when Josh (sorry to drag you into this) first showed up, I suspected a generator. Some days when he kicks my sorry rear in ladders, I wonder how he knows those words. The thing that lets me know he's not a cheater is that Josh is ready and willing to give new words a shot. Sometimes it works---oftentimes it doesn't, and players capitalize on that to beat him. Even when no mistakes like that are made, Josh still gets beaten, and so I made my own judgment that he's not a cheater. He could've learned those words by watching his mother play, or by memorizing a dictionary! : p Whatever it is, I made that decision for myself.
All of you out there, I'm sure, have your opinions on Josh. You also have them on me. I understand that; we all make decisions based on what we know. Therefore, I want to give you a little more information.
I've been playing wordox since---I think---the seventh grade. I met a woman in social one one day---mitlarheel or miltarheel or something like that, it's been ages---who referred me to league play. Curious, I went to Pairs as she suggested and checked it out. At the time, TileMistress was running the Wordoxtournies league. I joined, and promptly got kicked in the face repeatedly. I remember that I was 3-27 after a week or so with a massive losing streak, but I was proud of those wins. Those of you who were around then are familiar with my history there. That's right, I'm talking to Holly...JoanieAt...Perrin (as TheTerminator, I believe, who I beat once and was darned proud of it, too!)...Mummy...Pam...Ceedie...Rick...Nanc...the list goes on and on. I remember playing you, losing to you, and striving to get better while having fun all the while. After a while, Tile approached me and asked me to become a TD. I was thirteen at the time, but I accepted, and went on to host tournaments and play as often as I could, soon becoming a Head TD. It was a lot of fun to host, as well as to play---to keep learning and having fun while doing it. Anyone remember Millie? Always used to play on table fifty...she taught me a lot of lessons (including the word MOUSER, wherein I learned what the orange dots were for). How about Peachblossom? HartDucha (and her many aliases) was a particularly difficult opponent of the time, too. I learned something from everyone I played and eventually improved on my game.
Without going into too much of WT's past (it's a little ugly), Tile gave the league to AvonLisa after some things happened within the league. WT became OxFest at that point---I think May of 2004, forgive me if I'm wrong. After a couple of months off, I felt the urge to direct again, so I became a TD at OxFest. I was promoted to HTD after a bit. Things were hunky-dory (sorta) for a time, but then, after a good battle, Avon's husband died of cancer. She and her co-admin PeanuttiestOne left the league, and so Rica and Wordthief stepped up to head it. As of late, I've become the third member of the admin team, and I couldn't be happier at the Fest. Sure, we don't get too many tournaments to run, but we try. We have fun. C'est la vie, non?
There's my past, in a nutshell. There's more, though, so if you're still reading, take a break and get some cookies or something, please. :-)
Looking around at the members of eXtreme, I see plenty of faces that weren't here when I started. I never did branch out from Oxfest until interleague came around. When it did (first as a general meeting place with no stats, then as a league itself when experts became open), I soon joined. It felt like my days at WT---I was getting whipped, but this time I held my ground a little better. Queenie, Bigwurm, Wordman, Dorcas, Cleo, Perrin, Ivy, Blu, and so many others have beaten me in Experts and still continue to do so. Yes, I won tourneys there when I first started, but I remembered how to get blown out of the water once more.
Finally, when I heard that Melisca was hosting partners tournaments on Sundays in eXtreme, I got off my keester and joined. Partners, out of all the quirky games I play, is my absolute favorite. I'll team with anyone and do my best; it's fun! Give it a try if you haven't. Anyways, I joined eXtreme, got my butt handed to me in partners (courtesy, I believe, of WitchWord), and played every now and then.
Since I've been on vacation lately I decided to spend my nights in Social Room 2, playing eXtreme tournaments. Of late, I managed to win quite a few (some by the luck of the tiles) games there and became the number one rank on Wednesday (I think) for the first time ever there.
Then came Friday, and we're back to the present.
So...there's that extremely long summary and my wordox life story. Those of you who have the stamina to keep reading may be wondering why I've asked Perrin to post this, and here's why: I don't cheat. I've been around for a long time, as I've just long-windedly explained. I take my chances with words (ever seen my ATTENTION ALL comments in the lobby? Yeah, those are words that I thought worked, and I played them...only to find that they don't) and sometimes it works. I stack and pray sometimes that vowels are lacking. Yeah, I know a lot of weird words. It's because I've been playing for six years. That tends to happen. Someone who immigrates (or emigrates, whatever it is) to another country eventually learns the language by hearing it over and over again. It takes a while, but they grasp it.
To those of you that petitioned for my removal, I want to say that I understand your stance completely. It certainly looks suspicious that someone as young as I am is as good as I am at this game. You didn't know my past, most of you, and I understand that because of that you were inclined to believe that I cheat. I don't agree with that statement, obviously...but I understand why you believed that.
I've laid out my story here for you to read. Believe or don't, that's your choice...heck, that's why God gave us free will! I place no blame anywhere. In fact, if it helps, I forgive you. I know that sounds a bit self-righteous---heck, this whole thing probably sounds self-righteous---but I am still a child. In my naivete, I want to be everybody's friend, but I guess that it's time that I face facts and realize that not everyone is going to like me. I've tried my best, but if you don't like me...hey, you don't like me! That's all right. It hurts, but it's all right. I will live.
To the administrative team of eXox, I thank you for doing what's best for your league. If my presence there caused so much tumult, perhaps it's best if I don't play there any longer. I'll do whatever it takes to keep the peace. I would've appreciated being asked to step down (which I would have done) instead of being ejected, but the end result is the same and that's what ultimately matters.
In fact, if the wordox community doesn't want me to play at interleague anymore either---or oxfest---feel free to ask the admin teams of those two leagues (I would, naturally, not be a part of the deciding team in oxfest in this matter) to have me step down and play no longer. I will very gladly host tournaments for all of you. It's something I enjoy, and if I can't ox, then I'd at least like to help out where I can.
I guess that's all I really have to say. I just wanted to get this all out into the air, and I thank Perrin for allowing me the means to do so. Feel free to e-mail me (sshrew777@hotmail.com) or leave a comment here regarding this matter (I hope that is okay, Perrin, I don't mean to infringe). I'll gladly answer anything anyone has to say. If you have evidence that I cheat, then by all means please present it to me...I'd like to see it! Just please, please...show a little class and keep it out of the wordox rooms. If you want to have words with me and don't want to do it here, then arrange it in private. It is what is best.
Thanks so very much for the wonderful games, and "good luck" to you all.
--Shadow
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16 comments:
Well, I am furious, I knew nothing about this. Who are the rubbish players who requested Shad be thrown out? Extreme seem to be very keen on getting rid of good players lately - Perrin (own choice but put in the position of not being able to play there) Minifrump and now Shadow. No Shadow does not cheat though I have heard a lot of people say that he does. I beat him occasionally, that should be proof enough!! It is not right that a player is kicked off a ladder because some people think they cheat, you should have proof! Well I suppose I could pick on someone I want chucked off the ladder, talk some people into backing me and Hey Presto, I could get rid of anyone I liked!
For the good of the league - Bah Humbug, what a load of crap. At the moment it seems that Extreme is barely limping along, very few tournies, they should have hung on to the players they have. Here goes another one. Goodbye Extreme.
Ya know, first thing is I don't know why I honestly bothered to ever read anything here in the first place ... mainly because I wanted to keep an eye on the scuttlebutt regarding the Interleague battle and flying accusations regarding some players that I value as players and friends. I read, I left. I had my opinions, I kep them to myself. I played if I wanted to, and didn't patronize where I didn't want to. But now, I guess I will just say my peace on several matters in the most honest and respectful way that I can (because I believe in that), and have it done with.
I've been playing wordox in various leagues for a while now, with many of the same folks and a number of new ones over the years. Shadow has been around since my day 1 and even before that. I met him when he was 12 or 13. Over the years he has gotten tough, but even with that he's still breakable (upon a rare blue moon). On a sheer playing the game level, I see him trying things, making decisions, planning his strategy, and since I've played partners with him on more than one occasion I can tell you our 45 or 50 seconds is spent talking the WHOLE time of it, batting around ideas, and NOT spent me sitting there for 45 seconds waiting to see what he comes up with from his gennie and then him telling me and me playing it. I have experienced the "hmmms", "maybe we could..."s, and "let's try"s. I was amazed several months ago now when I came to synergy one evening (I believe as the magic 4th save the tourney player) only to be playing and have a few players come right out in the open in the lobby and accuse shadow of cheating in front of my face (now come on obviously I as Oxfest administration was there and it was a prime time to state such) and go on to say that they wish he would be banned from interleague partners because he took all the fun of the game away. Well I spoke up then and will continue to do so now. Now, that was my "on the playing" level commentage. On the personal side, I already stated I've known Shad since he was 12 or 13 years old. I've had many a playing day, conversation, and interaction with him. He calls me Auntie because we have made a bond over time. Shadow is a good, smart, CHRISTIAN boy with some values... which may not mean much to some, but means everything to me (although I'm not the One it needs to mean something to in the long run).
People know he's a good player, yea some "dread" (some just giving him kind hearted grief) playing him at times, me included, but we do play, because to us who know him we know 1. It's what ya do, 2. It's a game, 3. The game is secondary in importance to the person(s) behind it.
That last comment made, I will conclude with this one. Oxfest (in perrin's opinion anyway) "wallows in obscurity" but last time I checked I do believe we were the same league we ever were...one that welcomes it's members and friends with open arms, one that values it's members and friends more than the game itself (which I guess may be what he means, since we hold people above stats). We are a league that plays with respect and wants to keep providing those who enjoy the games, the conversations, and the friendships with a place to have them. Very few people at Oxfest care deeply about stats, it's not about winning or losing, it's about the challenge and the fun and the relationships. When did some of you forget that?
I think Shadow has written an eloquent, sympathetic and convincing post. My first reaction, like so many others, was, oh, how unfair. Upon further reflection however, it occurred to me that this is one side of the story. I would like to hear what the admins have to say before jumping onto the bandwagon.
I am sorry shadow. I am gonna miss u at extreme. U are a great player and enjoy u kicking my butt. I think ayla was wrong for kicking u for no good reason. U play daily, never cause trouble very polite. Not fair to kick a player that never causes trouble just cause they win to much. If this is the case why not kick wordman to no offensive wordy just trying to prove a point. u a great player as well wordy.
Lisa AKA GG
ahhhhhh, nothing like seeing the less fortunate banding together to set the bar so low that they all get to feel like kings of the ladder world. who's next on the hit list now? don't worry bout it shad, they were just holding you back, you know where to go to get the good games.
Okay since so many of you want an explanation let me start by saying first of all that the attacks against Ayla are unwarranted. It was I that initiated the decision to boot Shadow from the league. What's more there are 4 administrators in eXtreme. Our current admin rule is that it takes a majority decision to oust a player. After Shadow went on his unbeatable streak yes there were complaints of cheating and although you cite a lack of evidence show me another player in any league that plays and wins 8 straight tournaments, then takes a short hiatus (2 tournaments to be exact) and comes back and starts winning every tournament he joins again. We're not talking a short hot streak. We are talking about an unbeaten streak that lasted for a week. If that doesn't raise some eyebrows then nothing will. No one can say for sure whether or not any player actually cheats unless they're sitting right beside them watching their every move every time they play. You're absolutely correct about that. No one saw OJ kill Nicole either..does that make him innocent? In criminal court it did but in civil court it didn't. Its all in one's perspective. As an admin it is not my job to judge. IT IS however my job and every admins job to try to make our leagues the best that they can be. As such, dwindling player participation and increasing complaint levels about a single player have to be taken into consideration and dealt with. So maybe Shadow is innocent and maybe he's not. Believe what you want because its all about perspective. Personally I don't care one way or the other. What I do care about is the impact a player has on my league and negative impact must be dealt with whether it seems fair or not. I hope that answers everyone's concerns and if it doesn't the administrative decision still stands. I don't work as an admin to win popularity contests. I work as an admin because I believe in this league and its members and I will do whatever it takes to keep it strong. As for Shadow's age he's supposed to be 17, not 8 so I'm not sure why you think he deserves to be handled with kid gloves. Sure in retrospect that sounds like such a young and innocent age. I'm not sure about what dream world you live in but last I checked they were charging 14 and 15 year olds as adults for crimes committed. Shad, I did read your letter all the way through..twice. You handled it as an adult and I thank you for that and the history lesson. By the way for the rest of you if you check eXtreme's daily news you'll see that the reason for banning Shadow was not given as cheating but as administration discretion. Read our rules page. It clearly states that membership at eXtreme is at the administration's discretion. Happy New Year and glurkers.
Oh, by the way Jeff just because you've chosen not to play at eXtreme anymore doesn't mean that the competition level doesn't exist. There are still many excellent players at eXtreme. Your arrogant ass just isn't one of them.
Ron aka Roguish
"if you check eXtreme's daily news you'll see that the reason for banning Shadow was not given as cheating but as administration discretion" "dwindling player participation and increasing complaint levels about a single player"...what a freakin joke. if you can prove that someone is cheating, then by all means ban their sorry ass. but if your only justification for banning someone is people bitching and crying because they can't beat a good player, then i'd say that the players and admin there are pretty pathetic...."I work as an admin because I believe in this league and its members and I will do whatever it takes to keep it strong."...making the league and players there stronger doesn't mean get rid of your best players. keeping the best players there so the others can play them and get better is how to keep skill levels going upwards. but hey, if you and your players want to wallow in mediocrity and not learn to be better, then my condolences. "We're not talking a short hot streak. We are talking about an unbeaten streak that lasted for a week"....how many games can you win before the "oust a player" option comes into effect? 10? 15? 20? more? less? 20 plus win streaks aren't uncommon, check the hall of fames in the leagues and check. i guess you should post a league rule stating if you win X amount of games in a row you face possible expulsion. doing that should help keep the mediocrity at a manageable level, don't want people getting to good for their own good. i hope that the last few remaining good players watch their backs before they get shown the door.
wow ayla, way to throw yourself on that withdraw grenade. guess it was only a flesh wound since you've ALREADY rejoined interleague. LMFAO
Ayla rejoined Interleague as a player because i asked her to. I hate to see someone give up a league that they enjoty even tho i have done so more than once myself.
I'm really sorry this happened to you Niddy and I'm glad you wrote a nice letter (not too long for me to read) defending yourself and your wordox abilities. It's too bad you had to.
Although I don't really know the circumstances, I am saddened by the decision to kick you out of EXOX and I wish it hadn't happened.
You are one of the nicest people I have met in Wordox, always polite and friendly and helpful. I've never suspected you of cheating even though you can beat me with one hand tied behind your back. But then, I, unlike some others around the wordox leagues, haven't convinced myself that anyone who can beat me, repeatedly or otherwise, must be a cheater.
I'll see ya in our games, Niddy. Hugs and Happy New Year.
PS Ayla come on back. You love EXOX and EXOX loves you.
Well having read all the comments many times, I cannot see anywhere that blames Ayla alone. In fact the only mention is in QMs comment where she points out to Ayla about Ayla being accused of cheating herself. Of course as Ayla was HA and one of the admin team then she is one of the people that all the comments are directed at. I cannot see why she is so 'hurt' and making like a martyr. The real victim here is Shadow and he is the one who should be feeling 'hurt'
Well, not exactly, mummykins... Greasygravy says "I think ayla was wrong for kicking u for no good reason." So, I guess Ayla felt she was blamed even tho Rog made the final decision?
I reread all the posts again this morning as well and mostly I just came away feeling very sad. Not only for Niddy, but for all of the wordox community as a whole. I know we all love the game... I wish we could all love and respect each other. I'm not saying that I haven't contributed to the problem, that I haven't accused someone of cheating, that I haven't disliked people, etc. What I am saying and will say again and again is that most of us who have been around for awhile knew when Interleague League was formed that it was way past due. The leagues had been making nasty remarks about each other for years. I honestly was hopeful that all the nastiness would end, but in these posts it's clear to me that some people in some leagues think they are better than others, and even suggest that people don't join their leagues because they can't compete, blah, blah, blah. There are many reasons someone doesn't join a league other than the skill of the players. I chose to join EXOX shortly after I left Word Play because I was invited to by Jeff. I was feeling wounded and unloved, much like Ayla is feeling right now, I'm sure, and Jeff reached out a hand to me and welcomed me to EXOX, even tho when he was going through the same thing, I could not help him. Jeff and I have a different way of looking at things, but we respect one and other.
I would just like to say that I agree, EXOX DOES need to quit kicking and penalizing without good reason. It penalizes us all.
And also, while I'm spoutin'... Happy New Year to you all!
Hang in there shadow..I still think you are a great player and definetly trust you. Tou know folks...it is a shame we put so much on a game and care less about the really important things in life. I for one am truly blessed to still be alive and I sincerely care about each and every one of you. Even the ones who dont like me...LOL :)
Ok wanna say I am sorry ayla I was wrong to accuse u of kicking shadow. I will direct it to the adim not one person in patricular. Guess since she is HA i assumed she had last say and was the one that did it. Am sorry
Lisa AKA GG
ps for some reason user accoutn not found lol
I was not aware of the goings on until I read it here. Shad's letter in itself, shows he is mature beyond his years. All I can say is a big "DITTO" to blu's remarks.
Wow! oh Wow! gone for the holidays and lookie what happened. New year starts off with a bang! I have read all the posts a few times, it is sad. To think that players can whine and cry to Admins and Admins take action to please them. To better the league? Cause players don't like to get beat? My My. Sure I stand behind Shadow, not cause he is a part of Oxfest. I do, cause he is as honest,smart young man. He doesn't cheat(oh that's right didn't blame him for that)he just wins too much. Darn, wondering do you all think that Dorcas, Wurm, Josh, QM,Wordman are a detriment to your league? Come on now, they win over most of you all the time! Why not go full tilt and kick all the players off once they hit a winning streak of say, oh 7 in a row? I know allot of what I am saying has been said, but it's my 2 cents.
To belong to a league whose Admins think they are GODS, I don't think so. To think they are bettering their league to give in to the few whiners,I don't think so. If I had 2 cents for everytime a player told me they thought someone was cheating,I be rich. It's an impossibility! Unless they mess up and type letters in chat, which has happened before....lol It's a game! Everyone wants to win, can't handle losing? Don't play, simple. Enjoy the game and chatting with friends? Play and enjoy it! You WHINERS need to look up the definition for sportsmanship..here save you time
Main Entry: sports·man·ship
Pronunciation: -"ship
Function: noun
: conduct (as fairness, respect for one's opponent, and graciousness in winning or losing) becoming to one participating in a game
To think your so much better than everyone else or that your so important to a league, that if you don't get your way, you might leave the league or not play when someone who can beat you is registered in a tourney, pleaaaaaaaaaase you need to reevaluate yourself. And for the Admins that did listen and thought they were bettering the league, cause whaaaaaaa some players weren't showing up to play cause little o' bad Shadow was registered. You deserve the loss of what 9 players now? cause of this mess! Nice thinking there Admins, kinda like kicking yourselves in the @#$ eh? But, you still have those 3 whiners on your league....yippeeeeee
Wordy
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