Mike Long

{{Short description|American Magic: The Gathering player}} {{other people||Michael Long (disambiguation)}} {{COI|date=August 2015}} {{Infobox person | name = Mike Long | image = | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name =  | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1974}} | birth_place = Albany, New York | death_date =  | death_place = | education = | alma_mater = James Madison University (Class of '97) | occupation = | years_active = 1995–2004 | employer = | organization = | known_for = Pro Tour (Magic: The Gathering) | notable_works = | style = | website = }} '''Michael Long''' is a former professional Magic: The Gathering player who was a high-profile figure on the Pro Tour in its formative years.

== ''Magic: The Gathering'' ==

{{Infobox Magic: The Gathering player | name = ''Magic: The Gathering'' career | debut = 1996 Pro Tour New York | winnings = US$ 102,669<ref name="winnings">{{cite web | url = http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=protour/standings/winnings | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060314144750/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=protour/standings/winnings | url-status = dead | archive-date = March 14, 2006 | title = Lifetime Winnings Leaders | accessdate = 2007-02-16}}</ref> | Team_World_Championships_= 3 | US_Nationals_top_8 = 5 | pt_top_8 = 1 (4)<ref name="PT top 8">{{cite web | url = http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=protour/standings/top8byplayer | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060314144717/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=protour/standings/top8byplayer | url-status = dead | archive-date = March 14, 2006 | title = Lifetime Pro Tour Top 8s | accessdate = 2007-02-16}}</ref> | gt_top_8 = 1 (4)<ref name="GP top 8">{{cite web | url = http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=grandprix/standings/top8byplayer | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060117191336/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=grandprix/standings/top8byplayer | url-status = dead | archive-date = January 17, 2006 | title = Lifetime Grand Prix Top 8s | accessdate = 2007-02-16}}</ref> | pt_median_finish = | lifetime_pro_points = 191<ref name="propoints">{{cite web | url = http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=protour/standings/lifetime | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051218200821/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=protour/standings/lifetime | url-status = dead | archive-date = December 18, 2005 | title = Lifetime Pro Points | accessdate = 2007-02-16}}</ref> | pw_level = 43 (Archmage) | matches_played = | footnotes = }} {{Further|Pro Tour (Magic: The Gathering)}} ''Magic: The Gathering'' was released in 1993 and a Pro Tour launched the following year. Long proved to be an early celebrity champion.<ref name=SIMagic>{{cite magazine |last1=Pearlman|first1=Jeff|author-link=Jeff Pearlman |title=Revenge of the Nerds |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1997/11/17/235193/revenge-of-the-nerds-magic-is-played-with-cards-its-wildly-popular-its-tough-to-explain|accessdate=April 5, 2019 |magazine=Sports Illustrated|volume=87|issue=20|page=7 |date=November 17, 1997}}</ref> He was known for his charismatic persona, and often presented as a "villain" in the ''Magic'' tournaments.<ref name=Coachella /> Long's first individual tournament win was at the Paris Pro Tour during the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 1996–97.<ref name=HallofFame>{{cite web | title = Hall of Fame: One Man's Ballot | publisher = Wizards of the Coast | last = Buehler | first = Randy | year = 2006 | accessdate =2009-04-21 | url = http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/HallOfFame.aspx?x=mtgevent/hof/06ballot1| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090602095847/https://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/HallOfFame.aspx?x=mtgevent/hof/06ballot1| url-status = dead| archive-date = June 2, 2009}}</ref> During the Paris tournament, Long debuted a "combo" called ''Prosperous Bloom'' that was notably the first successful combo deck in tournament-level play. During the last game of the finals, Long was playing against Mark Justice and faced losing when Justice played Coercion to find out Long was holding the only Drain Life in his deck (and his only way to win). Despite this, Justice pulled Cadaverous Bloom instead, thinking Long could get the Drain Life back with Elven Cache if allowed to generate the "cadaverous mana" for a large Prosperity. Little did he know Long had sideboarded them out (as he pointed out before draining Justice's life for a total of 44 points), Justice then conceded when Long asked him "if he needed to go through the motions" instead of watching the combo play out and fizzle.<ref name=mastervmaster>{{cite news|last1=Flores|first1=Mike|title=Master versus Master|url=http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mf133|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213015458/http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mf133|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 13, 2014|accessdate=11 December 2014|work=Magic: The Gathering Magazine|publisher=Wizards of the Coast LLC|date=March 15, 2007}}</ref> At the 1998 U.S. Nationals, Long was the subject of controversy over his potential act of cheating when a key card from his combo deck was found on Long's chair during a game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://magic.mindripper.com/Index.cfm?ArticleID=588&SectionID=1&Show=All |title=The Rule of Law | accessdate=2006-12-05 |last=Burn |first=Seth |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001117023700/http://magic.mindripper.com/Index.cfm?ArticleID=588&SectionID=1&Show=All |archivedate=2000-11-17}}</ref> The head judge issued a match loss to Long, who went on to finish second in the tournament. Long won that year's Magic Invitational. The award was the chance to create a new card and inclusion in the card's art.<ref>{{cite web | title = All-Star Studded | publisher = Wizards of the Coast | last = Rosewater | first = Mark | authorlink = Mark Rosewater | date = 2005-05-10 | accessdate = 2009-04-21 | url = http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/feature/211| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090602233649/https://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/feature/211| url-status = dead| archive-date = June 2, 2009}}</ref> That card, {{mtgcard|Rootwater Thief}}, was printed in the Nemesis set.

By his retirement, Long had won a Pro Tour, a Grand Prix, and an Invitational and held the record for being on the most winning national teams and was in the top lifetime money winners. Long's legacy also included one of the first player teams, created while he was still in college.<ref name=JonnyMagic /> He was responsible for several technical innovations; he designed a Vintage format combo deck, named "Long.dec" for him, that used {{mtgcard|Burning Wish}} to fetch {{mtgcard|Yawgmoth's Will}} out of the sideboard and set up a kill with {{mtgcard|Tendrils of Agony}}. Subsequent Vintage combo decks that use tutoring to set up a Tendrils kill have retained the name although the original deck was rendered unplayable by restrictions. In 2005, former organizer Mark Rosewater nominated Long for the Hall of Fame. This ignited debates over Long's impact on the game. Rosewater wrote, "He was an early pioneer in deck design and had an influence on how deck building technology evolved. He was a tournament organizer. He wrote about the game."<ref name=LongStory>{{cite news|last1=Rosewater|first1=Mark|title=It's a Long Story|url=http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr182a|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213021200/http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr182a|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 13, 2014|accessdate=11 December 2014|work=Making Magic Magazine|agency=Wizards of the Coast|publisher=Wizards of the Coast|date=June 27, 2005}}</ref> Others felt Long did not qualify his entry due to the playing controversies. During the Pro Tour Los Angeles in 2000, Long had been given a warning for improperly shuffling his deck.<ref name="la2000">{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/sideboard/article.asp?x=PTLA9900/d2r14feature |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011102225845/http://www.wizards.com/sideboard/article.asp?x=PTLA9900/d2r14feature |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 2, 2001 |title=Pro Tour-Los Angeles 2000 Round 14 Feature Match |accessdate=2006-12-05 |last=Buehler |first=Randy | authorlink = Randy Buehler}}</ref> Darwin Kastle made a further error when he cut Long's deck instead of shuffling.<ref name="la2000"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newwavegames.com/strategy/articles/feb00/protourla/reports/rodo0214.html |title=The Anatomy of a Cheating Method |accessdate=2006-12-05 |last=Dougherty |first=Robert | authorlink = Rob Dougherty |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20030205090901/http://www.newwavegames.com/strategy/articles/feb00/protourla/reports/rodo0214.html |archivedate= 2003-02-05}}</ref> During the US Nationals Draft Challenge held at United States Nationals in 2000, Long was disqualified without prize and given a one-month suspension for presenting a deck that was not sufficiently randomized.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20020507101454/http://magic.mindripper.com/Index.cfm?ArticleID=588&SectionID=1&Show=All Mindripper OnLine – MAGIC]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newwave.org/strategy/articles/jun00/usnationals/kiei0611c.html|title=The Long Controversy|accessdate=2007-02-17|last=Eikefet|first=Kim|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010625034546/http://www.newwave.org/strategy/articles/jun00/usnationals/kiei0611c.html|archivedate=2001-06-25}}</ref>

== ''Magic: The Gathering'' professional appearances == {{MTG pth header}} {{MTG pth event |s = |et= w |l = Seattle |f = nt |d = {{sort|1995-08-06|4–6 August 1995}} |p = 1 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1996 |et= w |l = Seattle |f = nt |d = {{sort|1996|1996}} |p = 1 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1996–97 |et= pt |l = Atlanta |f = sd |d = {{sort|1996-09-15|13–15 September 1996}} |p = 6 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1996–97 |d = {{sort|1997-02-16|14–16 February 1997}} |l = Hong Kong |et= i |f = sp |p = 2 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1996–97 |et= pt |l = Paris |f = blc |d = {{sort|1997-04-13|11–13 April 1997}} |p = 1 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1996–97 |et= gp |l = Washington D.C. |f = l |d = {{sort|1997-04-27|26–27 April 1997}} |p = 1 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1997–98 |d = {{sort|1998-02-01|29 January–2 February 1998}} |l = Rio de Janeiro |et= i |f = sp |p = 5 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1997–98 |et= w |l = Seattle |f = nt |d = {{sort|1998-08-16|12–16 August 1998}} |p = 1 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1998–99 |et= i |l = Barcelona |f = sp |d = {{sort|1999-02-07|4–7 February 1999}} |p = 1 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1998–99 |et= pt |l = Los Angeles |f = r |d = {{sort|1999-02-28|26–28 February 1999}} |p = 8 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1999–00 |et= pt |l = Los Angeles |f = blc |d = {{sort|2000-02-06|4–6 February 2000}} |p = 4 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1999–00 |d = {{sort|2000-03-02|2–5 March 2000}} |l = Kuala Lumpur |et= i |f = sp |p = 7 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1999–00 |et= gp |l = Nagoya |f = tl |d = {{sort|2000-04-23|22–23 April 2000}} |p = 3 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 1999–00 |d = {{sort|2000-06-08|8–11 June 2000}} |l = Orlando, Florida |et = n |f = s+bd |p = 5 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 2001–02 |d = {{sort|2002-05-31|31 May–2 June 2002}} |l = Kissimmee, Florida |et = n |f = s+bd |p = 5 }} {{MTG pth event |s = 2002–03 |et= gp |l = Pittsburgh |f = tl |d = {{sort|2003-06-01|31 May–1 June 2003}} |p = 4 }} {{MTG pth footer|u = 31 July 2009 | s = [https://web.archive.org/web/20080905235617/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Events.aspx?x=mtg/eventcoverage/main Event Coverage at Wizards.com] | date=April 2009}}

== Early life, education, and career == Long was born in Albany, New York and later lived in Gambrills, Maryland where he attended the Severn School.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jmusports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8098|title=Football|website=James Madison Dukes|accessdate=September 28, 2015}}</ref> He attended college at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.<ref name=JonnyMagic>{{cite book|last1=Kushner|first1=David|title=Jonny Magic and the Card Shark Kids : how a gang of geeks beat the odds and stormed Las Vegas|date=2006|publisher=Random House|location=New York|isbn=0812974387|edition=Random House trade pbk.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZL1SIiWCTN4C&q=%22mike+long%22+&pg=PT44|accessdate=8 December 2014}}</ref> At James Madison, he was a varsity wrestler and played on the James Madison Dukes football team.<ref name=SIMagic /><ref name=yearbook>{{cite web|last1=Bluestone Yearbook Staff|title=Bluestone : 1993 Football|url=http://www.mocavo.com/Bluestone-James-Madison-University-1993-Volume-85/997854/137|publisher=James Madison University |accessdate=8 December 2014}}</ref> He began competing at ''Magic: The Gathering'' tournaments in 1995.<ref name=15yrsMagic>{{cite web | title = Around the Worlds in Fifteen Years | date = 16 November 2009 | accessdate =16 November 2009 | first = Mark | last = Rosewater | authorlink = Mark Rosewater | publisher=Wizards of the Coast | url = http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/mm/65| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091119124619/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/mm/65| url-status = dead| archive-date = November 19, 2009}}</ref> After graduation, Long owned a game store called "The End" in Charlottesville and wrote strategy articles in addition to working on the professional tour. He began using Internet marketing for both his strategy articles and for card sales, and also started a search engine optimization business.<ref name=Coachella>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pressenterprise.com/2016/04/24/coachella-2016-meet-the-former-8217magic-the-gathering8217-champion-who-brought-his-lamborghini-to-indio/ |title=COACHELLA 2016: Meet the former 'Magic: The Gathering' champion who brought his Lamborghini to Indio |last=Henry |first=Jason |publisher=The Press Enterprise |date=24 April 2016}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{Official website|http://www.mikelong.com/}}

{{s-start}} {{succession box | title=Magic: The Gathering Team World Champion With: Mark Justice Henry Stern Peter Leiher| before=N/A| years=1995| after={{flagicon|USA}} United States Dennis Bentley George Baxter Matt Place Mike Long}} {{succession box | title=Magic: The Gathering Team World Champion With: Dennis Bentley George Baxter Matt Place| before={{flagicon|USA}} United States Mark Justice Henry Stern Peter Leiher Mike Long| years=1996| after={{flagicon|CAN}} Canada Gary Krakower Michael Donais Ed Ito Gabriel Tsang}} {{succession box | title=Magic Invitational Champion| before={{flagicon|USA}} Darwin Kastle | years=1998 | after={{flagicon|USA}} Chris Pikula}} {{succession box | title=Magic: The Gathering Team World Champion With: Matt Linde Jon Finkel Bryce Currence| before={{flagicon|CAN}} Canada Gary Krakower Michael Donais Ed Ito Gabriel Tsang| years=1998| after={{flagicon|USA}} United States Kyle Rose John Hunka Zvi Mowshowitz Charles Kornblith}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Long, Mike}} Category:Living people Category:American Magic: The Gathering players Category:1974 births Category:Internet marketing people Category:Businesspeople from Albany, New York Category:21st-century American businesspeople Category:People from Franklin, Tennessee Category:James Madison University alumni Category:James Madison Dukes football players