So I was sitting on my desk when I started hearing buzzes on the Portuguese Magic community about a mysterious unnamed Portuguese Magic player who was credited by the soon to be World Champion Guillaume Matignon as pivotal to put him back on track. What? Who? That was my and pretty mych everyone's reaction. Being Portuguese I was soon able to find out it was
Narciso "Goon" Ferreira, a decently well known player inside Portugal, which agreed to spare some of his time to talk with us about Worlds, Magic and life.
Before I start the interview, I would like to present a brief introduction about Narciso "Goon" Ferreira. The following words were written by Gonçalo Pinto "Madcat" and originally posted on his blog on August 13th 2007. (Link to his Blog on my Friends blog linklist)
Rumor has it that Goon...
...lost his virginity before his own dad.
...sleeps with a pillow below his gun.
...one time shot down a plane just by pointing his finger and yelling Bang!
...can cure cancer with his tears, but unfortunately he doesn't cry
...doesn't read books, he stares at them and they confess whatever he wants to know
...plays poker so well that one time he bluffed a guy while holding a Forest, a UNO card, a Monopoly Get out of Jail card and his driving license.
...is the reason why Wally hides.
...can win a 4 in line game with only 3 chips.
...has been on Mars, and that's why there's no life over there.
...doesn't wear a condom, he doesn't need to be protected.
PS: For those who don't know Goon, he's called Narciso Ferreira and he's a National Guard cop.
madcat
Enjoy the Interview!
Tiago: Matignon mentions you as a mysterious smiling Portuguese man, for those who still don't know you, introduce yourself.
Goon: My name is Narciso Ferreira "Goon", I live in Lisbon, Portugal, and I use to hang out with guys who know how to play Magic. My goal is, that one day I'll know how to play too.
Tiago: Where did that nickname -Goon- came from?
Goon: From the card Goblin Goon. For reasons I never understood people say I look like him but, slightlier stupid and a lot uglier. And I used to run 4 of them in my Goblins deck, so this is my punishment.Tiago: What everyone wants to know is, why do the French credit you as being so important for Matignon's victory. So tell us Goon, what happened at Worlds?
Goon: Due to the fact of being a bad player and on top of that being very unlucky, in the past I was getting upset with Magic all the time, so I decide to change my attitude (also because of some situations of my private life). Now I always have a positive attitude not only for Magic but for everything in life as well.
When playing against Team France, I sat down and I immediatly start chatting and joking in a good way with Antoine even tough he didn't knew who I am lol. And I start with a Game Loss, that's ok, my good spirit didn't changed, after that I still mulliganed to 4, and always taking it easy and I still won game 2 on a mull to 4. Even after losing game 3 and the match, my good humor and good attitude remained the same, and I think that attitude towards Magic inspired Guillaume Matignon.
However I did nothing to deserve having him thanking me, if there's one thing I learnt in Magic is, you only achive results if you work hard and deserve them.
Tiago: You talk about yourself as being an unlucky bad player, but over the years you have built a very respectable curriculum in the Portuguese Magic scene, would you like to share some of your Magic achievments?
Goon: I'm the current National Vice-Champion, I won a PTQ for Kuala Lumpur and I have lost in countless PTQ Top 8's including 3 finals in a row. I have made Day 2 at some Grand Prixs, including GP Lisbon where I went undefeated Day 1 with 5 wins 3 draws LOLOL. Online I have two PTQ Top8's and one MOCS Top 8.
Tiago: So this Worlds has not your first taste of the Pro Tour, how did you do in Kuala Lumpur?
Goon: It was a lesson of humility that I will never forget! I arrived there thinking of myself as the best in the world and then I lost all rounds and suddenly I felt like one of the worst players on the PT. I also decided I would try all kinds of local food, and I think I got a food poison, as for 48 hours I sat countless times on the toillet holding a bucket.Tiago: I've heard you made a bet with Nuno Costa (Frederico Costa twin brother) for Kuala Lumpur...
Goon: It was my first Pro Tour, I tought I was the best in the world, so I bet I would finish higher than him.Tiago: Nuno Costa finished 3-3... and you had two byes...
Goon: But I only won against the Byes. That's the perennial problem of the Portuguese Magic player. With the exception of our "the Big 4", no one else is able to make results outside, or Big 5, if you want to consider Paulo Carvalho too.Tiago: But at Worlds you had a chance to redeem yourself. With two more drafts at the Pro Level, you had a chance to show KL was nothing but an accident. How did it go the Draft day at Worlds?
Goon: 0-6Tiago: I see...
Goon: I started with 4-2 in Standard, which was the only format I felt prepared. After Nats I had health problems so I stopped playing, I only did a couple of drafts before Worlds. Actually I think the drafts went well, I had bombs, good cards, removal but the games went all the other way around it was surreal, but I took it easily always with a smile on my face, even tough in Portugal many persons think I'm not a good player and I just went to Japan to be a running joke inside the Portuguese Magic community. So these persons were happy when Day 2 didn't went well.Tiago: I'm sorry may I ask where did you learn how to draft? Was it by watching the "Drafting with Madcat" videos?
Goon: Drafting with Tiago on starcity!Tiago: Right, I guess I deserved that answer...
Goon: Seriously, I learnt most of the draft fundamentals with you, Marcio Carvalho and Kuni (Kuniyoshi Ishii, Portuguese National Champion 2002 and 2005).Tiago: And who do you playtest with for tournaments, are you part of any team, I know that before you were a member of Team Nhekes and after splitting up, there was a new team called Next Level coming up.
Goon: Next Level. The problem is, some boys discovered the pleasures of the vagina, and Magic was put aside.Tiago: What's the current setup of Team Next Level?
Goon: Me, Vasco Cruz, Vasco Bonifacio, Filipe Constancio and Daniel Moura.
Tiago: Still one of the most powerful teams in Portugal...
Goon: But only me and Vasco Bonifacio remain active in a serious way, the others lost or are about to lose their virginity, so they aren't active in Magic.Tiago: I've read on your MSN status you're looking to recruit some new team members. What are the requirements to be on Team Next Level?
Goon: Having spoken with a woman before and knowing how to play.
Tiago: Fair enough! Let's put Magic aside for a while, and talk about things that really matter. What are your toughts on the movie Prince of Persia?
Goon: Looooool. I agree with everything Fred Bastos said, the movie is very weak, Marcio doesn't know a shit about movies.Tiago: Do you agree with many people who say, Marcio Carvalho's advices, thanks but only for Magic...
Goon: Yeah, he only knows about Magic. And girls. Because of girls he hasn't been playing lately.Tiago: Now that you mention Marcio and girls, tell us the story that happened on a plane which only you have witnessed...
Goon: Hey, Marcio is gonna kill me if I tell itTiago: No, it's fine, don't worry, I'll change his name to Mr. X so no one will know it's him.
Goon: Ok, so me and Mr. X are already inside the plane, me sitting on the aisle and him on the window playing on his Iphone. I noticed a really hot chick boarding in and I told Mr. X:
Goon: Look at that chick she's really hot! Mr. X: Man, she sure is. Obviously she's not Portuguese. Goon: No, No, she is Portuguese. Mr. X: She's too cute to be Portuguese. Goon: Bet on it? Mr. X: How much? Goon: (since I'm a big idiot I only said) 10 Euros. Mr. X: Deal!
So the girl get off her seat to go to the restrooms and when she's passing by us I tell her: "I'm sorry but my friend here says you're way too cute to be Portuguese". She starts blushing but answers, No, No I'm Portuguese!. And she stays right there standing looking at Mr. X waiting for him to say something, but Mr. X immediatly starts playing his Slam Dunk Iphone application leaving the girl standing in the middle of the row. Lol.
After she left, I kept telling Mr. X he was an idiot, the girl was kind of into him and waiting for Marcio to make a move. But the story doesn't end here. Half hour later, the girl feels like she needs to go to the toillet once again and she conveniently stands up when there's a queue for the toillet. Only that queue finished 4 seat rows behind us, but she stopped and waited right next to our seat rows, leaning on the seats and looking at Mr. X. And I was telling him, Mr. X come on say something. But he just ignored her, he didn't even turned his face away from the iphone.
Tiago: Perhaps the girl was into you, how do you know she was into Mr. X?
Goon: It's obvious. I'm old fat and ugly, and looking at my clothes you can see I have no money.
Tiago: But there was one time you were on a public urinal, and a guy starts hitting on you, saying you were big, huge. It's better we hear it from you, rather than from a third party.
Goon: That is false, it never happened to me, it might have happened to my friend.
Tiago: Allright, how about plans for 2011, are you inspired by Wafo Tapa who started last season PTQing and then reached Level 8.
Goon: Hey that's not for me, maybe Marcio could do it. As for me I expect to reach Level 4 and I'll try to go as many Grand Prixs I can.
Tiago: So are you gonna come and visit me for GP Shanghai?
Goon: Yup! I want to go to all European GPs plus some outside. This is gonna be my year, or at least I'll give it a try. I still haven't found someone willing to come tough.
Tiago: You know in Shanghai you won't need, I'm here, I can hang out with you.
Goon: Yup! It's gonna be awesome.Tiago: You would be kind enough to pay me a dinner, right?
Goon: Everyday if I had to. Who treats me well deserves everything. Besides, the little i am in Magic you're one of the persons I should thank to.Tiago: I make the words you adressed to Matignon my own, no need to thank. Whoever works hard and deserves it, will accomplish.
However, since you're in a good mood, let me tell you, I will be in Portugal this month or the next, so I'm gonna go ahead and reserve a table on your name.
Goon: Are we eating at the Chinese buffet?Tiago: No not anymore since that time you, shovit and madcat joined a draft queue at the Chinese restaurant and lost even before I finished my starter.
We should go to the grill place next to Devir Arena, so I can teach you how to draft in the afternoon, and later I can turn to the waiter and say: "As a starter, bring my big huge friend a big huge Portuguese sausage".
Goon: And isn't it good? Tastes really well.Tiago: I'm glad you like it, cause you're paying!
Thanks for dinner, and big thanks for the interview, Ladies and Gentlemens, that was one of the new icons of Portuguese Magic, Narciso Goon Ferreira! If you guys think this is funny or have interest, I might be doing some more in the future.
