Across the Table

“I mean, worst case scenario, you make mistakes, it’s a good story, you learn from it and you move on. That’s kind of the philosophy of ‘The Bridge,’ I guess, is publicizing our mistakes because they’re hilarious.” Almost 20 years ago, Executive Producer John Douglass started playing Magic in Louisville, Kentucky. Almost two years ago, he started a “hang-out” style podcast called “The Bridge” with some friends. Now, he’s become the new Content Manager for LegitMTG.com. We talked all about his journey from player to community pillar, his big family, the all boys Catholic school he attended, his relationships with former castmembers, and much more.

As always, send feedback to me on Twitter @mattmendoza or via email [email protected]. Also, please leave the podcast a review on iTunes, it helps get it out there. Follow the cast @acrossthecast for updates and new episodes.

And don't forget to leave me a comment on ManaDeprived.com!

Thanks for listening!

"You are worth it, you are awesome, no one is doing anything wrong if they want to be with you." Before his transformation, musician Bill Boulden aka Spruke, was a wunderkind of sorts. An expert programmer and a budding musician, he was hampered by low self-esteem and self-hatred, the kind experienced by many of the last generation to feel nerd shame. Then, he became this wicked, confident, music-making, podcast host who is simultaneously crushing two very different careers? We talked at length about how music is science, programming is art, school is easy, and much, much more. His newest album Lies Synthpop Told Me is available on iTunes or wherever digital music is sold. And his electro-house podcast Bump in the Night hits MTGCast.com every Monday.

As always, send feedback to me on Twitter @mattmendoza or via email [email protected]. Also, please leave the podcast a review on iTunes, it helps get it out there. Follow the cast @acrossthecast for updates and new episodes.

And don't forget to leave me a comment on ManaDeprived.com!

Thanks for listening!

"Anything you can do in Magic, I've probably done it." GGsLive's Rashad Miller isn't joking when he says this. Credits to his name include: Level 3 Judge, Pro Tour competitor, and now, "contractor for Hasbro." What he means, of course, is that he's a lifelong gamer who turned this love into a successful video company that covers Grand Prix across North America. We spoke before his trip to Worlds in Amsterdam where he would be in front of the camera, rather than behind. And, to address a certain part of the conversation, I used Worlds as an opportunity to dive head-first into watching coverage; you'll know when you get there.

As always, send feedback to me on twitter @mattmendoza or via email [email protected]. Also, please leave the podcast a review on iTunes, it really helps get it out there. Follow the cast @acrossthecast for updates and new episodes.

A special thanks to KYT and Mana Deprived for sharing the podcast.

Thanks for listening!

"To suddenly go from eating Top Ramen to getting these four and five digit quarterly royalty checks was stunning." Twenty years ago, artist Julie Baroh was a troublemaking college student; if it wasn't for wasn't for a spiteful dean, she would have been kicked out. Then, she bought into this little company with big dreams and suddenly she was a rich and famous brat. In this week's episode, we talked on the phone about the Alpha days, her conflict with Wizards, the studio named Krab Jab, and the time when she quit art all together to become something very different.

As always, send feedback to me on twitter @mattmendoza or via email [email protected]. Also, please leave the podcast a review on iTunes, it really helps get it out there. Follow the cast @acrossthecast for updates and new episodes.

A special thanks to KYT and Mana Deprived for my new home.

Thanks for listening!

Artist Liz Nugent has had a bad day, but she put aside her apartment-flooding woes to chat for a bit. We talk about her influences, graphic memoirs, her transformational art school experience, women in Magic art, her time at Star City Games and much, much more. Her playmats et al are part of the Creature Collection which can be found at StarCityGames.com. You can find her work and contact information at liznugentdraws.com. And the video I edited, "Liz Nugent: Creature Collector" can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmaf7uMhB_s

As always, send feedback to me on twitter @mattmendoza or via email at [email protected]. Follow the cast @acrossthecast for updates and new episodes, every Thursday!

Thanks for listening!

Ponder me this. That was too easy. In my final interview from the trenches of Grand Prix Kansas City, artist Dan Scott and I talk about his roots (spoiler: they're planted very close), his undefined style, and his unappreciated Ogre. It's a shorty, but a goodie.

As always, send feedback to me on twitter @mattmendoza or via email at [email protected]. Follow the cast @acrossthecast for updates and new episodes, every Thursday!

Thanks for listening!

A couple months ago, Marshall made the leap and quit his day job to become a professional poker player and Magic content producer. In this episode, recorded at Grand Prix KC, we chat about how that's going for him, how he got started, and what it's like "living the dream" (spoiler: not as glamorous as you might think).

About 18 minutes in, there's a short break in our conversation where we recorded one part, took a break so he could work, then recorded the second part, just so you're aware of the jump.

Feedback? Contact me on twitter @mattmendoza or via email at [email protected] Follow the cast on Twitter for updates and new episodes, every Thursday! @acrossthecast

Thanks for listening!

My friend Joe Hemmann will not, sadly, be known as the player who won a Grand Prix with the oft-marginalized Living End deck. He will, however, go down in history as a guy who made a big, big mistake. We all make mistakes. We're all thrown off by the occasional curveball. So, we talked about it, himself, his deck, what that kind of success means, and how he was able to laugh off such a beautiful punt.

Feedback? Contact me on twitter @mattmendoza or via email at [email protected] Follow the cast on Twitter for updates and new episodes! @acrossthecast

Thanks for listening!

Equipped with +2/+1 Sword of Beard and Northern Accent, Rob McKenzie achieved his Level 3 status at our hometown Grand Prix in Kansas City. A fixture in the midwestern judge community, he helps with everything from local events to Grand Prix to SCG Opens and more. To boot, he organizes a slew of events for local and regional judges including an upcoming conference that he announces in this episode! For his effort, he's been deemed a Captain by his Regional Coordinator and is a crucial key to shrinking the vast expanse that is his region. He's an all-around stand-up guy and I'm excited to have talked with him. He can be contacted via email at [email protected].

Feedback? Connect with me on Twitter @mattmendoza or via email at [email protected]. Keep up to date with the show on Twitter @acrossthecast for new episodes, guest information, updates, and more! Also, don't forget to visit KCCompetition.com for news about local to KC events, strategy, and much more.

Thanks for listening!

Part of the team behind the playmat that just might change it all, Alan Hubbard sits down to talk about his project, the egMat. We also touch upon his history with the game and some very prominent players. You can find Alan and the mat at egMats.com. Feedback? Hit me up on Twitter @mattmendoza or follow @acrossthecast for the latest updates! You can also like the cast on Facebook, Across the Table. Thanks for listening!