Patrick Hodges, Thief: The Endgame

[walterzuey]

This was forwarded to me by someone on the Scrabble mailing list yesterday, but I'm rebroadcasting here for my poker-friends who have asked whatever happened with regards to " Patrick Hodges, Thief". I knew the outcome last week, but didn't want to say anything until it became public knowledge.

Mr. Hodges is forbidden from playing in a sanctioned

Comments

[qaqaq]

Excellent outcome. Thanks for starting the process of getting this guy out of Scrabble.

I have to think there's a good chance he won't return to tournament play at the end of this period; surely even he has a level of shame. (Plus, I doubt he wants to spend $500 for the privilege of returning and having his rating drop 150 points in a hurry.)

[lordiceman]

Only 150? :)

Tremendous graph, Jaygee. He certainly got a much tougher sentence than I anticipated. Kudos to the NSA for getting this one right.

[blindspot888]

I guess I am the only one (here or on cgp) who thinks the sentence was too light. Three years is about right but it should include clubs for the whole time too. The opportunity to essentially rebuild his rating for 2 years before rejoining tournaments is huge, it effectively makes it just a one-year ban.

I also do think it's highly likely he'll return. Never underestimate the gall of people who do this kind of thing...

[lordiceman]

Letting him back to club play after a year isn't that big a deal. If he's genuinely interested in legitimate improvement for a 2011 comeback, there's plenty of ways he can do it without visiting a sanctioned club.

He should be required to employ a designated tile-drawer, pending approval of the director. Forget this nonsense about the hat. It also won't stop him from palming blanks, New Orleans-style.

[cromulentally]

One thing I'm curious about is whether he explicitly admitted to cheating. I suppose one can infer it given that he's agreed to comply with the ruling, but part of me would still like something akin to an admission and apology.

[walterzuey]

I can't quote people from the meeting, but I can say ... no.

In fact, I found his dissimulation more abhorrable than the crime.

[kangarau]

I'd be surprised if he actually admitted guilt. Let's remember that he lawyered up at first, thereby causing a postponement in the hearing date. I'm sure he was initially defiant and unrepentant, but soon saw that the evidence against him was overwhelming. He then decided "complying" with the ruling was his only real option.

At first, I too thought this was effectively a lifetime ban because, really, who in his right mind would show his face in public? But as stated above, he is not a normal person.

Kudos to you, Jim, for getting the ball rolling. He'd still be lurking about if it weren't for you.

[songmonk]

Were there many corroborative witnesses other than Jim?

[wordfreak]

Thanks so much for helping out him. And for providing us with an outlet to discuss this. I think this is big news in the Scrabble world as it sets a precedent. Unless I'm missing some Scrabble history where someone else was caught blatantly cheating.

I think you ought to write a piece for the SCRABBLE News about it. If only to discourage all the blue-haired ladies not on CGP or LJ to know the consequences. I've heard a few cases of cheating in the lower ranks and word needs to get out.

Does anyone have a photo of Patrick playing Scrabble? Could make for a good editorial piece somewhere.

- Word!

[pimpofpoker]

How did you manage to omit the non-zero probability of Patrick caught cheating and getting his face pummeled in the parking lot by half a dozen scrabblers?

Sextile Offender?

[anonymous]

Aside from being forced to donate his ill-gotten prize money, shouldn't the NSA have insisted that part of PH's restitution include giving back some of his ill-gotten rating points, or at least reversing his Club results?

Don't be surprised if the charity he chooses is the self-established "Patrick Hodges Early Retirement Fund."