Heh...add one more to the list of "had experience with Alan showdown" when he and I went head to head rather ugly in hoops' last Marvel game, where I was the Silver Samurai and he was Mr. Sinister or Dr. somebody (I forget). Like hoops, I think I had a lot of muttering udner my breath, too, and that's coming from a guy who has a long history of playing in sim leagues with Alan.
Fact is, though, I know Alan well enough that something like that, while it might cause short term griping, I know it's not anyway about who he is or what kind of person he is (which is of tremendously high quality). A game's a game, he plays his role and advocates his position as he has a right to, and I do, too, and whatever we say in game, when it's over, it's all good. Alan, of course, is far from the only one who does this, and we see blowups like this between different players all the time. EF and Poli are still wrapping up a bitch fest in Pass's game. This is the nature of the beast when it comes to a game like WW, which is designed to be confrontational. Hell, I think Lathum wanted to kill me two games ago when I harped on the "bullying" thing.
In fact, it shows something I know well about Alan that he feels really bad about those confrontations. Outside of WW, he's basically one of friendliest, most nonconfrontational guys I know, and he really takes this stuff to heart, very much to his credit. He's got a good heart, and I think that's something more people need to keep in mind when they're playing with him, that whatever he says, he's doing it as part of the game and it's definitely nothing personal.
Alan's a very good WW player, for the new guys who don't know. I think the problem he runs into is that he is an opinion maker and conversation driver, because he puts a lot of thought into his posts and analysis, he has a job that allows him to post more often at times, and he confidently defends his stances to a fault. The only problem I have ever had with Alan play-wise is that I sometimes thinks he gets too welded to an idea, and will reject alternate theories if he believes strongly enough that that idea is the correct one. I do that, too, frankly, so he's no different there.
I personally think people who seriously gripe about Alan in WW games (if there is anyone, I think this is a little overblown) should get to know him better.
I love having him back playing and look forward to this game with him, even if we end up in a showdown.
