Plans
My trip to Indianapolis was this past weekend. Coming with me for the long road trip were Nathan, Thomas and Gabby. Originally, we were going to fly out there, but Nathan requested we drove such that he could take some things from his childhood house home with him. Little did I know that the way back would amount to a car so full of belongings that each person had about four inches any direction of legroom.
The Last Chance Qualifier, Indianapolis' own Pokemon Regional Championship the day before Nationals, went less than ideal but overall pretty strongly. Nathan and Thomas finished in the top half, and I made it to the top 64 (with the cap being 1,024). Travis, Kevin and Stephen also entered, with Travis finishing the best at top 32. His last match, which we all watched desperately, ended 1-0. One victory - no, one pokemon - away from qualifying for the National championships.
He and Gabby were pretty beat up that they did not make Nationals, but I encouraged them to not think about it so much. I received very little sympathy or agreement, given that I've been to Nationals three times already (four if you count the bullshit 2008 Worlds Qualifier rules). With nothing better to say, I suggested maybe we'd feel better if we took a break for shooting for US Nationals next year. They looked at me like I was crazy, partially for implying we don't enter next year, but partially for the "US" prefix I used.
I told them to picture something: instead of touring from state to state, driving around and trying to get into Nationals here, we should just fly into Spain next year, and make a vacation out of trying to get into their National championships - where the same number of wins we need here to qualify for Nationals will get us into Worlds. Spain, along with most of the European countries, are more lenient on their qualifiers. So I told them to picture flying out to Spain, resting for a day in the sun, maybe have some touristy fun, and then playing in the Spain National Championships. Then, a week of touristy things, culminating with a two-day backpacking trek by car/train/any means necessary to get to Italy, where we'd enter their National championship too. I looked at the 2011 rules, and there was nothing saying you had to be a legal resident to enter another country's Nationals. As long as you pay the entry fee - buying the most recent game in the country in which you are entering - you're fine.
I told them that this year I wanted to play pokemon for the sake of socializing and traveling more than the actual competition, and I had no regrets. I didn't make Nationals this year, but I couldn't be happier about the times I've had. But moreover, the money I spent going to Dallas, D.C., Newark, Indy and later on San Diego amounted to about the same amount I would spend on hotel and airfare to Spain. After a little more heckling, I got Stephen to say he was in, followed by Kevin, followed by Gabby, followed by a reluctant "If I can afford it" from Travis. Eventually, I invited Danny and Dan, and Suleski too, making it quite the party.
I think I better make it a closed party, though - Stephen, Travis and Kevin don't always feel too welcomed in the Pokemon social networks. I think some of this they do to themselves, still holding onto some Smogon racism (from back in early early years when many notable Smogoners were arrogant assholes), but I think some of this is also self-imposed introversion. Travis confided in me that the groups didn't make him feel too welcomed in person - Suleski invited me to kereoke the night of Nationals, but told Travis it was a closed party, which kind of set him off. I talked Travis down, but perhaps keeping it a low key group will help everyone get along better. I'm hoping that, down the road, Suleski and Travis grow to like each other - I hate having to choose which group of pokemon friends to spend time with.
But all in all, there's still plenty to look forward to. San Diego, here I come! You too, Spain*.
-Didroy
*Assuming the rules don't change and I can still legally enter and afford the trip and assuming that my friends want to go.
The Last Chance Qualifier, Indianapolis' own Pokemon Regional Championship the day before Nationals, went less than ideal but overall pretty strongly. Nathan and Thomas finished in the top half, and I made it to the top 64 (with the cap being 1,024). Travis, Kevin and Stephen also entered, with Travis finishing the best at top 32. His last match, which we all watched desperately, ended 1-0. One victory - no, one pokemon - away from qualifying for the National championships.
He and Gabby were pretty beat up that they did not make Nationals, but I encouraged them to not think about it so much. I received very little sympathy or agreement, given that I've been to Nationals three times already (four if you count the bullshit 2008 Worlds Qualifier rules). With nothing better to say, I suggested maybe we'd feel better if we took a break for shooting for US Nationals next year. They looked at me like I was crazy, partially for implying we don't enter next year, but partially for the "US" prefix I used.
I told them to picture something: instead of touring from state to state, driving around and trying to get into Nationals here, we should just fly into Spain next year, and make a vacation out of trying to get into their National championships - where the same number of wins we need here to qualify for Nationals will get us into Worlds. Spain, along with most of the European countries, are more lenient on their qualifiers. So I told them to picture flying out to Spain, resting for a day in the sun, maybe have some touristy fun, and then playing in the Spain National Championships. Then, a week of touristy things, culminating with a two-day backpacking trek by car/train/any means necessary to get to Italy, where we'd enter their National championship too. I looked at the 2011 rules, and there was nothing saying you had to be a legal resident to enter another country's Nationals. As long as you pay the entry fee - buying the most recent game in the country in which you are entering - you're fine.
I told them that this year I wanted to play pokemon for the sake of socializing and traveling more than the actual competition, and I had no regrets. I didn't make Nationals this year, but I couldn't be happier about the times I've had. But moreover, the money I spent going to Dallas, D.C., Newark, Indy and later on San Diego amounted to about the same amount I would spend on hotel and airfare to Spain. After a little more heckling, I got Stephen to say he was in, followed by Kevin, followed by Gabby, followed by a reluctant "If I can afford it" from Travis. Eventually, I invited Danny and Dan, and Suleski too, making it quite the party.
I think I better make it a closed party, though - Stephen, Travis and Kevin don't always feel too welcomed in the Pokemon social networks. I think some of this they do to themselves, still holding onto some Smogon racism (from back in early early years when many notable Smogoners were arrogant assholes), but I think some of this is also self-imposed introversion. Travis confided in me that the groups didn't make him feel too welcomed in person - Suleski invited me to kereoke the night of Nationals, but told Travis it was a closed party, which kind of set him off. I talked Travis down, but perhaps keeping it a low key group will help everyone get along better. I'm hoping that, down the road, Suleski and Travis grow to like each other - I hate having to choose which group of pokemon friends to spend time with.
But all in all, there's still plenty to look forward to. San Diego, here I come! You too, Spain*.
-Didroy
*Assuming the rules don't change and I can still legally enter and afford the trip and assuming that my friends want to go.