{"id":4912,"date":"2015-05-08T09:20:39","date_gmt":"2015-05-08T14:20:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/?p=4912"},"modified":"2015-05-08T19:51:06","modified_gmt":"2015-05-09T00:51:06","slug":"michael-grimsley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/jotw\/michael-grimsley\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Grimsley"},"content":{"rendered":"

Across the world, there are many Judges who perform excellent work outside of the public eye. This week\u2019s featured Judge is one of them. One of his players nominated him for his work in running a Competitive event in the spirit of the DCI motto of, \u201cKeep it fair, keep it fun.\u201d In addition to being a Judge, he’ also a music teacher and archery aficionado who once let a Polis Crusher<\/a> get away with murder. From South Carolina<\/a>, we present Level 2, Michael F. Grimsley!<\/p>\n

\"grimsley\"<\/a><\/strong>Location:<\/strong> Lexington, SC<\/a>
\nJudge start date:
\n<\/strong>Level 1\u2014August 31, 2013
\nLevel 2\u2014November 2, 2014
\nWhy did you become a Judge?
\n<\/strong>As a teacher, I have always enjoyed teaching people the game. I was also always interested in tournament operations as a new player, and wanted to be a part of putting on quality tournaments.
\nOccupation:<\/strong> Middle School Music Educator
\nFavourite card:<\/strong> Bloodbraid Elf<\/a>
\nLeast favourite card:<\/strong> Stony Silence<\/a>
\nFavourite format:<\/strong> Commander, and now Tiny Leaders<\/a>
\nCommander Generals:<\/strong> Kresh the Bloodbraided<\/a> (my first love), and Trostani, Selesnya’s Voice<\/a>
\nFavourite non-Magic Game:<\/strong> Star Trek Attack Wing<\/a>
\nBest tournament result:<\/strong> 5-2-2 at GP: Atlanta (2011)<\/a><\/p>\n

Tell us your favourite Judge story.
\n<\/strong>So it\u2019s my first SCG Open (Baltimore Jan. 2014<\/a>) and I get rotated to the Side Events team for a round. The event hall was so small that Sides has been placed in a separate overflow room down the hall. I get introduced to the judge I\u2019m relieving and the other judge who is still going to be in there with me, and then they hand me the clipboard and buzzer. Almost immediately, the buzzer went off and I went to the Side Event Stage to pick up my first draft pod. I barely have time to get them seated and pass out the product before the buzzer is going off again. I quickly ask if everyone knows how to draft and dart off to go to the side event stage. This time it\u2019s a four-person Commander pod. As I\u2019m getting them seated, a player in my draft is calling me back over. Apparently in that short time, something has already gone wrong!<\/p>\n

\"michael<\/a>Halfway through the first pack, not everyone is getting the same amount of cards passed to them. Apparently, the youngest member of the draft pod was a first time drafter, but didn\u2019t admit it when I sat them. I\u2019m trying to sort out how they broke the draft and where the extra cards may have ended up, when the buzzer starts going off again. I\u2019m almost to a panic at this point. If it wasn\u2019t for the help of JD Nir<\/a><\/span><\/span>, a bad situation would have been worse. This was my first time on sides, my first time at an Open, and my first time breaking a draft.<\/p>\n

How did you get involved in Magic in the first place?
\n<\/strong>I first discovered the game during the summer of 1994. I was working at a BSA<\/a> summer camp and some fellow staff members were playing Magic<\/strong> in the dining hall after dinner one night. I thought it seemed fun, but I didn\u2019t start playing until the following summer.<\/p>\n

How has being a Judge influenced your non-Magic life?
\n<\/strong>When I first started out as a Judge, I felt that being a teacher was helping me to be a better Judge, but now I see that being a Judge has also helped me become a better teacher. De-escalating heated situations and conducting investigations, whether with middle school students or Magic <\/strong>players, use the same skill set.<\/p>\n

\"It's<\/a>
It’s all in the ponytail.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The nomination for you read: \u201cOur Head Judge ran a 33 person IQ and everything went very smooth.\u00a0 Overall very satisfied with the judge and the event.\u201d What are your thoughts about this event?
\n<\/strong>This accolade came from a relatively new shop in Augusta, GA after I Head Judged their very first SCG: IQ. This was only their second Competitive REL event (I also judged their first one) and the event ran very smoothly.<\/p>\n

Since the new Judge Feedback form<\/a> launched, I\u2019ve been handing the link out to all of the TOs in my area so that they can provide any feedback, good or bad, directly to the senior judges. I was very surprised one morning when I received an email from Sean Catanese<\/a><\/span><\/span> thanking me for my \u201ccommitment to a solid event.\u201d I\u2019m not sure how this filtered down to the JOTW<\/a> project, but I continue to be amazed.<\/p>\n

What motivates you to continue being a Judge?
\n<\/strong>Seeing the growth in my area\u2019s player and judge community. I like being a part of something larger than myself, but still being able to see the impact of my contributions. Also, I continue to make new friends in new areas that wouldn\u2019t have been possible without becoming a Judge.<\/p>\n

What is one tip you have for other Judges?
\n<\/strong>Stay a part of your local community. This is easy for a Level 1 judge who mainly judges at one shop, but this can be harder for L2+ judges. Get out there and play FNM. Be an ambassador for the Judge program at the most important level, the local game store.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the best part about your local Magic community?
\n<\/strong>There are so many experienced and talented players in my local community. They constantly challenge me to become a better judge and player. When I was starting out as a judge, I knew I needed to be on top of my rules\/policy knowledge because if I was wrong, they would know it. Now as a more experienced Judge, I’m a lot more confident in my rules\/policy knowledge, so when they challenge me, I know I can provide the correct answer.<\/p>\n

What is your favourite non-Magic hobby?<\/strong>
\nI enjoy all shooting sports, but recently archery has become my favorite. I taught the archery merit badge at my council\u2019s summer camp last year and have been shooting ever since. There is an archery pro shop in my area that has a weekly tournament league that I shoot in. I am also working on starting an archery program at my middle school through the National Archery in the Schools<\/a> program.<\/p>\n

What is your favourite non-judging moment that happened with other Judges?
\n<\/strong>Stopping at my first WaWa<\/a> in Virginia with David Truitt<\/a><\/span><\/span>. That place is an amazing convenience store. The electronic ordering system is so user friendly, and in just a matter of moments, you can have a hot, freshly made cheese steak sandwich. Being from little ol’ South Carolina, this is magical. Oh, they also have a self-serve milkshake machine where you make your own milkshake. Fantastic! Gas stations will never be the same.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the biggest rule-breaking play you\u2019ve ever made as a player?
\n<\/strong>I allowed my opponent to target his Polis Crusher<\/a> with his Xenagos, God of Revels<\/a>, then got crushed.\u00a0 Players at my LGS still give me Polis Crushers<\/a> to remind me.
\n\"michael<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

What has been your favourite Magic event that you\u2019ve judged?
\n<\/strong>So far, Grand Prix Nashville<\/a>, because it was my first GP. It was great to be a part of something so large. But I am super excited for the upcoming GP: Vegas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What positive aspects has the Judge Program contributed to your everyday life?
\n<\/strong>It has expanded my network of friends. I now have people from all over the Southeastern United States that I am proud to call friends. These are but a few that I\u2019m proud to associate with:<\/p>\n