OK, I know this is a well-worn topic, but I just wanted to blow off some
steam, and what better place than my favorite web site?  
      Anyway, the state of Pokemon can be summed up in 1 word.  Luck.  Lucky
conflips, lucky draws, etc. etc. there is no skill involved anymore.  It's
whose deck is faster, or who gets the most Slowkings out.  
      But this could also be a good thing.  How, you ask?  It gets people
thinking.  How can I do this, or how can I get around this strategy.  People
are more creative.  Then again, there are those who play the same predictable
deck (coughcoughSLOWKING).  But now there are ways to get around that
(coughcoughIGGLYBUFF).  
      With the release of Neo 2, more ideas, concepts, and thinking came
back to the game.  It's starting to be like the old days.  Just look at the
TCG tips section.  300+ for July.  People are THINKING, coming up with
strategies, and new decks.  It's starting to become about SKILL again,
instead of luck.  It's about who has the better deck all around, instead of
the better 1 card.  It's not impossible to beat Slowking, or Sneasel, or R.
Zapdos anymore.  There are new strategies that people thought of, and in turn
people think to get around those, thus escalating the skill level and
toughness of the game to master.  
      I think the release of Slowking was a good thing.  It escalated the
level of play, and made people think more and not rely on luck so much.  It
made people realize how much thinking and strtegy, and how many different
ways there are to win again.  People see Slowking, and they're like, Yeah, I
can beat that.
      In conclusion, the state of Pokemon went from good to great to pure
crap to fair.  It is getting better as the equalizing cards come out, such as
Igglybuff, or Unown D.  It's still not as good as it used to be, but the
state of Pokemon is definitely getting better.  That is jsut my view on
everything.

Ed Sullivan

Metronome574@aol.com