[Podcast] "Humans of Magic" -- interviews with players about life & Magic.
Re: [Podcast] "Humans of Magic" -- interviews with players about life & Magic.
Late 2017/early 2018, just keeping updated, you keep having fun, and I will be happily waiting in line if there is a spot at a later date, till then you keep kicking ass!!! If there isn't a spot in line, then that's ok too, because Life is Amazing for the simple fact, that it's even happening at all! #LifeisAmazing
Plague Sliver
Originally Posted by feline
Yes, still working through a backlog of guests. Will contact you in due time :cool:
This month, the guest is Martin Juza!
https://humansofmagic.com/2017/11/05...s-martin-juza/
https://i.imgur.com/ITuuZHa.jpg
Who is Martin Juza?
Platinum level pro and self-proclaimed "Professional Tourist"
The first Czech player to be inducted into the Magic: The Gathering Hall of Fame
Considered one of the best Limited format players in the world
Channel Fireball contributor
What do we talk about?
Martin's childhood in the Czech Republic
Martin's first Magic experiences, and how he leveled up as a player
How Martin overcame the odds to turn "pro" and travel the world
Martin's favorite places to visit — including an active volcano!
Martin's thoughts on the current state of Limited
The inimitable Jarvis Yu returns, for a Thanksgiving double-header recording.
https://humansofmagic.com/2017/11/25...eader-special/
Part 1 — Jarvis's personal year-in-review
Jarvis opens up about his accomplishments, goals, and insights for the coming year. He is also brutally honest about where he needs to improve in order to reach the next level. As Jarvis plays on the Pro Tour and is a regular on Team Massdrop East, you may find his observations helpful to your own player development.
Part 2 — Legacy Lands mini-primer + Q&A
Straight from the master himself. Jarvis is one of the most accomplished Lands players on the planet—two Grand Prix Top 8 finishes, including 1 win, and a Top 16 finish—and is uniquely qualified to speak on this subject. We cover deck basics, matchups, card choices, and more. Definitely give this episode a listen if you want to unlock the intricacies of the deck.
We have a bona-fide legend in our midst this time...Dan Signorini.
https://humansofmagic.com/2017/12/23...dan-signorini/
https://i.imgur.com/atjAqQW.jpg?1
I am excited to share this conversation with Dan Signorini, a.k.a. Nitewolf9 on MTGTheSource. Dan and David Gearhart created the "Team America" deck, which started off as an elaborate joke and has evolved into the BUG / Grixis Delver decks of today. Chance are, if you have ever played or played against a Delver deck, you have been influenced by Dan's deck building choices.
Dan is a long-standing member of the North Virginia Legacy community, which includes players such as Alix Hatfield, Jesse Hatfield, Anwar Ahmed, David Gearhart, David Price, Damon Whitby, and many others. Together, the group has developed influential decks such as Canadian Threshold, Solidarity, Dredge, Zoo, and (of course!) Team America. Dan was also one of Bob Huang's early mentors. Bob has, in turn, popularized the de facto Grixis Delver build that we know so well today. It is no exaggeration to say that Dan and his group have been instrumental to the development of the Legacy format, and "Type 1.5" before that.
Furthermore, Dan has had a strong influence on *me*. When I started playing competitive Magic almost ten years ago, he was the person I learned from. Dan was the one to offer me advice on how to play the "Team America" deck and matchup tips. I would not be creating content today, or playing Magic at all, without his kindness and support.
For these reasons, this episode is very special to me. In true "Humans of Magic" fashion, the discussion touches on everything Dan cares about – family, community, music, martial arts, competitive mindset, and more. Dan speaks openly about a wide variety of topics, and I hope that you enjoy listening to it.
Time stamps
[03:17] Introduction
[09:28] Eternal Weekend
[13:58] Dan's day job
[16:57] Childhood and family background
[29:33] Dan's best friend in high school
[33:20] Learning martial arts
[39:48] Diffusing conflict
[44:08] Being curious about life
[46:02] First Magic experience
[48:18] The North Virginia Magic crew
[54:52] On being open-minded
[56:30] From Suicide Black to Team America
[1:05:00] Curio Cavern
[1:07:26] Thoughts on the current Legacy format
[1: 13: 03] The ban of Sensei's Divining Top – correct?
[1:16:25] Ban Deathrite Shaman?
[1:18:56] Ban Delver of Secrets?
[1:21:21] More thoughts on Legacy
[1:29:37] On playing well in high-level competition
[1:32:50] How Dan has helped other players develop
[1:34:35] What Dan's learned from the community
[1:36:14] Goals
[1:37:05] Things Dan would tell himself, if he could go back five years
[1:39:22] On happiness
[1:41:26] Things that piss Dan off
[1:46:22] Tips for new competitive players
twndomn
Mind's Desire is what Dan Signorini's thinking.
We're back for 2018! First episode of the year features Bryan Gottlieb of GAM Podcast.
https://humansofmagic.com/2018/04/21...ryan-gottlieb/
I broke my recording hiatus after REALLY getting into the GAM Podcast, one of the finest competitive Magic podcasts around. Bryan Gottlieb co-hosts the show and is a poker-player-turned-bartender-turned-lawyer. So when the opportunity to interview Bryan came up, I knew that I had to go for it.
Our full conversation covers:
Bryan's childhood
The art of content creation
Career and life choices
Helping others in unorthodox ways
Why Magic is the greatest game ever
Hope you enjoy the listen.
This is a big one... Alix and Jesse Hatfield. Go listen to it!
https://humansofmagic.com/2018/05/06...esse-hatfield/
I am pleased to present this conversation with Alix and Jesse Hatfield. The Hatfields have left an indelible mark on the growth and evolution of the Legacy format (previously "Type 1.5") for well over a decade. They contributed to some of the most influential decks ever built — Enchantress, Threshold, and Cephalid Breakfast, amongst many others.
Alix and Jesse also share stories of how the Northern Virginia community fostered, and continue to foster, a culture of innovation and teamwork.
Time stamps:
[04:30] Legendary card debates: Stifle vs. Blue Elemental Blast
[10:00] Background: growing up and first contact with Magic
[14:15] Earliest Magic card memories
[15:55] Magic's initial allure
[19:00] First Type 1.5 tournament at the Lucky Frog
[21:32] First Type 1.5 decks played
[23:03] Mindset: what kept them going back to play
[25:12] The process of winning and tweaking decklists
[29:33] Mark Perez's impact on the Virginia Type 1.5 community
[31:20] Other key figures: Anwar Ahmad, David Gearhart, Ian McInnes, Matt Elgin, Jack Elgin
[33:18] Anwar's earliest influences on James as a Legacy player
[36:53] A history of friendly rivalry: Northern Virginia vs. New York / Crashing a Syracuse tournament for the first time / Major car accidents
[44:23] Format evolution, ban lists, and overall player growth
[47:57] Early banned & restricted list announcements
[51:35] The advent of 'Threshold' in Legacy
[55:38] Earliest 'Threshold' builds and card choices
[57:25] Reading Magic theory and its impact on 'Threshold'
[59:48] Friends who contributed to 'Threshold' deck evolution / How Nimble Mongoose became a card
[1:03:10] Key decks of the format: Threshold, Goblins, Solidarity
[1:05:10] Tweaking 'Threshold' builds with different color splashes
[1:06:34] New card printings: Counterbalance and Tarmogoyf
[1:09:15] The Flash Hulk era
[1:11:53] First impressions of Tarmogoyf
[1:13:42] Creating Cephalid Breakfast
[1:15:53] Vintage and Legacy champs at Gen Con / How 'Canadian Threshold' came to be
[1:18:50] "Too Much Information" article series: origin, goals, reception
[1:30:51] Thoughts on the Legacy format today: is the metagame balanced and how does data support the conclusion?
[1:40:00] Call to action and shout-outs: data collection in the community
[1:41:01] Going forward, who are the key folks impacting the game in a positive way?
Ari Lax is in the house.
https://humansofmagic.com/2018/06/15/ari-lax/
"Humans of Magic" presents: Ari Lax. Ari is the Pro Tour Khans of Tarkir Champion, member of Team Massdrop, and writer for Starcitygames.com.
Here is our full conversation, in which we discuss:
The process of preparing for Pro Tours: before, during, and after
Similarities between preparing for the Pro Tour vs. job interviews
Leveling up as a player
Balance: finding it, or lack thereof
How to have good debates or conversations with people
Advice for new tournament players
Originally Posted by Plague Sliver
"Humans of Magic" presents: Jon Finkel.
Jon is one of the greatest Magic players ever and a member of the Magic Hall of Fame. To use a basketball analogy, he is almost certainly the Michael Jordan of Magic. Jon is a Managing Partner at Landscape Capital Management, LLC, a hedge fund that prides itself on investing in non-traditional ways.
https://humansofmagic.com/2018/06/30...es-jon-finkel/
- Jon's first encounters with Magic
- Pro Tour memories
- Being part of the Ultimate Guard Pro Team
- Impressions on the state of the game today
- Kobe Bryant vs. Tim Duncan
- Jon's scholarship fund for Magic players: gamershelpinggamers.org
"Humans of Magic" presents: AJ Kerrigan.
https://humansofmagic.com/2018/07/18/aj-kerrigan/
What twenty-year old can say that he's played Magic for literally half his life? AJ broke into the competitive Magic scene as a youngster and has never stopped improving his mental approach with the game. After a rough patch in the public spotlight, he has come out stronger and wiser than ever. Learn about how AJ optimizes performance, surrounds himself with a great group of friends, and plays Magic with purpose.
AJ's Magic origin story
Lessons learned as a content creator
Playing Magic for the right reasons
His experiences in the Magic judging community
Why he loves playing The Epic Storm in the Legacy format
His best friend in Magic, Jonathan Sukenik
Similarities between gaming and options trading
Emma Handy joins the "Humans of Magic" podcast for a no-holds-barred interview.
Emma talks openly about being in the public spotlight as a transgender woman, her darkest and brightest moments, key friendships, the Magic grind, and more.
Don't miss this conversation with one of the essential voices in Magic today.
https://humansofmagic.com/2018/08/13...ic-emma-handy/
WARNING: this podcast contains adult language and topics related to self-harm, suicide, depression, and taking illegal substances. Listener beware.
The "Humans of Magic" interview: Cyrus Corman-Gill. Cyrus talks about growing up, mental health, and the competitive mindset.
https://humansofmagic.com/2019/04/01/cyrus-corman-gill/
Cyrus Corman-Gill is an above-average Magic player. He is an Eternal Weekend Finalist, Star City Games Open champion, Vintage Super League quarterfinalist, online grinder (of the card game variety), and Twitch streamer.
Cyrus also enjoys sending out cool tweets and generally acting as the wrestling heel of the Magic world.
WARNING: content is DARK in this one. No holds-barred and recommended for mature audiences. Listener beware.