Minneapolis, MN - Shock and betrayal prevailed last Friday at Phoenix Games, when reigning Friday Night Magic champion Jeff Hoop revealed that he was not competing for fun or love of the game as was previously believed, but instead was only interested in the money.

"Frankly, it's all about the benjamins," Hoop, 16, told reporters in an interview conducted in the living room of his mom's house. "My eye is always on the prize. I'll do whatever it takes to give me the competitive edge. We're talking about Friday Night Magic here, people: this is about money."

"I can understand that a lot of people have a romanticized idea of Friday Night Magic," Hoop added later, as he sat down to face off against 12-year-old Mikey Thompson's 78-card Red Fast Damage deck in the final round of a recent tournament. "I mean, sitting here in the finals, with all the fame and glory and women on the line, I can definitely see how that would seem attractive to a lot of people. But I don't care about any of that. I'm only in this for the scrilla."

Included in this win-at-all-costs mentality is a willingness to rip off other players in bad trades. "Take last week, for example," offered Hoop, who once made Top 32 at a PTQ. "I needed two copies of Rith for my teched-out version of 4-color Terminator, so I got them from some random guy who wasn't even playing for just an Upheaval and a Chainer's Edict. Sure, I ripped him off pretty bad, but I won that tournament and netted a cool $25, so I don't feel bad about it."

Hoop also has no qualms with cheating to give himself an edge, such as an FNM last month when Hoop repeatedly drew extra cards off a Jalum Tome. While numerous witnesses later confirmed the cheating incident, the low Level 1 rules enforcement rendered the presiding judge powerless to do more than issue a warning. Other infractions during that same tournament resulted in warnings for marked cards, stalling, grand theft auto, stacking the deck, and assaulting a police officer, among other things. Another player was issued a match loss for homicide and multiple-rape.

"I don't care if people have a problem with the way I play the game," Hoop said later that evening, as he waited for his parents to come pick him up from the tournament site. "So what if people disrespect me because I cheat? That's just my competitive fire. FNM is serious business. It's the prizes, like this foil Staunch Defenders I won last month, that are my true reward. That's all the respect I need."

Added Hoop, "This baby's going straight onto eBay."

Hoop's announcement is already drawing criticism from all corners of the Magic community. "That kid has it all wrong," said Magic ambassador Dave Williams, in between signing Accumulated Knowledges and Blazing Specters for his fans. "Magic on any level is all about fun, friendship, and sheer love of the game. That's the only reason I ever played. Money had nothing to do with it."

Pro Tour-Tokyo champion Zvi Mowshowitz agreed. "I think the most important thing when playing Magic is to give something back to the Magic community," Mowshowitz said, absentmindedly brushing clouds of fleas and lice off his shirt and onto nearby gamers. "Mr. Hoop needs to get his priorities straight."

Perhaps no one was more disappointed with Hoop's announcement than Phoenix Games owner Keith Brightman. "Jeff had always seemed like he was genuinely interested in the good of the game," Brightman told reporters. "Had I known earlier that the only thing Jeff cared about was the cash, I would have never sent his name in to be immortalized in Scrye magazine's Winner's Circle. When I think that such a cold-hearted, cutthroat player as Jeff is going to be honored in that fine publication, sure to be read by dozens of gamers worldwide, well frankly it just makes me sick."

Hoop is not without his supporters, though. "This Hoop dude, yeah, he knows where its at," said MiseTings writer extraordinairre MD, who was reached via teleconference in his chromed-out Bentley as he cruised through Beverly Hills. "Us mothafuckas with talent know that its about getting' PAID. Friday Night Magic is bidness, people. If them bitches can't take the heat, they should go back to Arena."

Despite the controversy, Hoop maintained that he has no plans to change the way he plays the game. Through twenty-six tournaments, Hoop has already won nearly $115, as well as several Prophecy boosters and an Invasion shirt featuring Reya Dawnbringer, among other prizes. Hoop has also pushed his rating above the 1700 mark, making him more than qualified to write Premium articles about the metagame in The New Type 2. Brainburst editor Scott Johns has reportedly already contacted Hoop about a featured position, to fill the void left after Jarrod Bright announced that he would be joining forces with Jun-Wei, author of the popular Testing on Apprentice vs. Bad Decks With Spiritmonger Diaries series, to form "the ultimate playtesting gauntlet."

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Minneapolis, MN - Shock and betrayal prevailed last Friday at Phoenix Games, when reigning Friday Night Magic champion Jeff Hoop revealed that he was not competing for fun or love of the game as was previously believed, but instead was only interested in the money.

"Frankly, it's all about the benjamins," Hoop, 16, told reporters in an interview conducted in the living room of his mom's house. "My eye is always on the prize. I'll do whatever it takes to give me the competitive edge. We're talking about Friday Night Magic here, people: this is about money."

"I can understand that a lot of people have a romanticized idea of Friday Night Magic," Hoop added later, as he sat down to face off against 12-year-old Mikey Thompson's 78-card Red Fast Damage deck in the final round of a recent tournament. "I mean, sitting here in the finals, with all the fame and glory and women on the line, I can definitely see how that would seem attractive to a lot of people. But I don't care about any of that. I'm only in this for the scrilla."

Included in this win-at-all-costs mentality is a willingness to rip off other players in bad trades. "Take last week, for example," offered Hoop, who once made Top 32 at a PTQ. "I needed two copies of Rith for my teched-out version of 4-color Terminator, so I got them from some random guy who wasn't even playing for just an Upheaval and a Chainer's Edict. Sure, I ripped him off pretty bad, but I won that tournament and netted a cool $25, so I don't feel bad about it."

Hoop also has no qualms with cheating to give himself an edge, such as an FNM last month when Hoop repeatedly drew extra cards off a Jalum Tome. While numerous witnesses later confirmed the cheating incident, the low Level 1 rules enforcement rendered the presiding judge powerless to do more than issue a warning. Other infractions during that same tournament resulted in warnings for marked cards, stalling, grand theft auto, stacking the deck, and assaulting a police officer, among other things. Another player was issued a match loss for homicide and multiple-rape.

"I don't care if people have a problem with the way I play the game," Hoop said later that evening, as he waited for his parents to come pick him up from the tournament site. "So what if people disrespect me because I cheat? That's just my competitive fire. FNM is serious business. It's the prizes, like this foil Staunch Defenders I won last month, that are my true reward. That's all the respect I need."

Added Hoop, "This baby's going straight onto eBay."

Hoop's announcement is already drawing criticism from all corners of the Magic community. "That kid has it all wrong," said Magic ambassador Dave Williams, in between signing Accumulated Knowledges and Blazing Specters for his fans. "Magic on any level is all about fun, friendship, and sheer love of the game. That's the only reason I ever played. Money had nothing to do with it."

Pro Tour-Tokyo champion Zvi Mowshowitz agreed. "I think the most important thing when playing Magic is to give something back to the Magic community," Mowshowitz said, absentmindedly brushing clouds of fleas and lice off his shirt and onto nearby gamers. "Mr. Hoop needs to get his priorities straight."

Perhaps no one was more disappointed with Hoop's announcement than Phoenix Games owner Keith Brightman. "Jeff had always seemed like he was genuinely interested in the good of the game," Brightman told reporters. "Had I known earlier that the only thing Jeff cared about was the cash, I would have never sent his name in to be immortalized in Scrye magazine's Winner's Circle. When I think that such a cold-hearted, cutthroat player as Jeff is going to be honored in that fine publication, sure to be read by dozens of gamers worldwide, well frankly it just makes me sick."

Hoop is not without his supporters, though. "This Hoop dude, yeah, he knows where its at," said MiseTings writer extraordinairre MD, who was reached via teleconference in his chromed-out Bentley as he cruised through Beverly Hills. "Us mothafuckas with talent know that its about getting' PAID. Friday Night Magic is bidness, people. If them bitches can't take the heat, they should go back to Arena."

Despite the controversy, Hoop maintained that he has no plans to change the way he plays the game. Through twenty-six tournaments, Hoop has already won nearly $115, as well as several Prophecy boosters and an Invasion shirt featuring Reya Dawnbringer, among other prizes. Hoop has also pushed his rating above the 1700 mark, making him more than qualified to write Premium articles about the metagame in The New Type 2. Brainburst editor Scott Johns has reportedly already contacted Hoop about a featured position, to fill the void left after Jarrod Bright announced that he would be joining forces with Jun-Wei, author of the popular Testing on Apprentice vs. Bad Decks With Spiritmonger Diaries series, to form "the ultimate playtesting gauntlet."

Discuss this article in the Magic: the Gathering Forums!