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Open Forum => Testimonials => Topic started by: Prof Underwood on June 02, 2010, 01:40:02 AM

Title: A Redemption® Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on June 02, 2010, 01:40:02 AM: All major sports have a Hall of Fame for their most successful players. My hope is that this Redemption Hall of Fame will rise above that though. I don't only want to reward those who have been successful, but rather to point out what makes Redemption different from other sports.
Redemption is a Christian card game, and that makes it's players different. I remember the hotel staff in Columbus (after Nats there) talking about how the Redemption players were different than other game conventions that they had hosted before, and that the differences were very good. This is part of our testimony to the world. And the fact that our top players are also good ambassadors of Christ is also a great testimony. That is why I love it when people share stories about these players for those who don't know them. It brings glory to God who is responsible for the hearts that they have.
Therefore, this thread will be a collection of these people and stories for all to read and hopefully we will all be inspired to always try our best to follow their example. The links to go directly to each person are found below:

Name Forum Name Year entered
Justin Alstad (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=21571.msg337574#msg337574) The Guardian class of 2009
Rob Anderson (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=21571.msg337572#msg337572) CactusRob class of 2009
Chris Bany (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=21571.msg337578#msg337578) cdbany class of 2009
Keith Bartram (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/off-topic/a-redemption-hall-of-fame/msg429007/#msg429007) none class of 2011
Mike Berkenpas (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=21571.msg356572#msg356572) frisian9 class of 2010
Roy Cruz (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=21571.msg511605#msg511605) Reyzen class of 2012-2013
Doug Gray (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=21571.msg356425#msg356425) n/a class of 2010
Bryon Hake (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=21571.msg356569#msg356569) Bryon class of 2010
Joshua Hey (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/off-topic/a-redemption-hall-of-fame/msg511608/#msg511608) none class of 2012-2013
Gabe Isbell (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=21571.msg356423#msg356423) BrianGabe class of 2010
Eric Kimmons (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/off-topic/a-redemption-hall-of-fame/msg511612/#msg511612) none class of 2012-2013
Eric Largent (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=21571.msg356576#msg356576) XeroSplash class of 2010
Tim Maly (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=21571.msg356427#msg356427) SirNobody class of 2010
John Michaliszyn (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/off-topic/a-redemption-hall-of-fame/msg511614/#msg511614) faithraider class of 2012-2013
Ron Sias (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/index.php?topic=21571.msg337576#msg337576) Ron77s class of 2009
Bill Voigt (http://www.cactusgamedesign.com/message_boards/off-topic/a-redemption-hall-of-fame/msg429010/#msg429010) everytribe class of 2011
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on June 02, 2010, 01:40:28 AM: Rob Anderson
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/Redemption%20People/RobSusan.jpg)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on June 02, 2010, 01:40:47 AM: Rob “Fun and Fellowship” Anderson
I love to play games. I grew up in a home where my parents taught me a fond appreciation for games. I am pleased to say that we spent more time around our kitchen table playing games than we did in front of our television (and I think I'm a better person for it). I have been extremely blessed in that I have been able to earn a living designing and marketing games. More than anything else I believe a game should be fun. I now have my own family with a loving wife, three wonderful sons, and three lovely daughters. My wife and I both have made a commitment to raise our children in the love and admonition of the Lord.
In 1989 I went to work for Cactus Services, Inc. When collectible trading card games first came on the market, I found many aspects of the game idiom intriguing. To me, being able to create my own deck and play it against an opponent's deck was a wonderful aspect of the game. In fact, I personally found the strategy of deck formation almost as much fun as playing the game. Between July and November of 1994, I worked on the game design and play-tested it. We previewed the game at the Christian Book Publishers Convention in Nashville in January of 1995 and received a strong response. All of the major Christian distributors signed up following the show. We began shipping the game in July of 1995. Since then we have released several expansion sets.

“I regularly volunteered to help Rob in the Cactus booth at Origins. In 2006, I requested a Stolen Blessing with special ability, as I already had the (useless) version without the ability. So on the first day Rob greets me and hands over a clear sleeve with a Stolen Blessing... withOUT the special ability, just to see what I would do.”---Stephen Schaefer

“I gained a lot of friends during my teen years because of Redemption. Thank you for giving your time and energy in creating a healthy community.” -Drew Pegram

“God has shown me things and spoken to my heart through redemption that with His love I can overcome any challenge.” -Richard Minnick

“Thanks so much Mr. Anderson! Redemption has taught me that with the help of the Lord even someone as calloused as a lost soul can become pure again!” -ednotofthisworld

“He made the game for what it is and if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be on these boards or even have as much friends as I do from all over the country.” -Andy Stanley
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on June 02, 2010, 01:41:06 AM: Justin Alstad
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/Redemption%20People/Justin.jpg)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on June 02, 2010, 01:41:27 AM: These are some things people had to say about Justin:

"he built the first Speed deck that actually worked"

"He has an amazing amount of creativity, but he also wins with it. And in both categories."

"One thing I like about Justin is his willingness to openly share ideas and help people with strategy, deck building and card combos."
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on June 02, 2010, 01:41:47 AM: Ron Sias
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/Redemption%20People/RonSias.jpg)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on June 02, 2010, 01:42:04 AM: These are some things people had to say about Ron:

"one of the greatest redemption players off all time, he's been around since the beginning"

"Besides being a living Redemption legend, winning more events than anyone, more types than anyone and over a longer period of time than anyone - he's an outstanding guy. I saw him trading a kid one of his FSPs for a couple of the new local promos."

"the destroyer deck from way back was his idea... he broke the game. congrats. brilliant. and he's an awesome guy, and a legend."
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on June 02, 2010, 01:42:22 AM: Chris Bany
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/Redemption%20People/ChrisBany.jpg)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on June 02, 2010, 01:42:40 AM: These are some things people had to say about Chris:

"Responsible (both directly and indirectly) for the largest population of Redemption players anywhere (Minnesota). Has caused Redemption to change the rules because of his creativity and abuse. A tough competitor when he plays. Judges and host more than anyone."

"he's the heart and soul of the redemption community in minnesota and the reason why it's such a red hot game in the state of Minnesota"

"has ran Covenant Games forever, and has helped host almost every national tournament."
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on August 10, 2010, 11:51:10 AM: Gabe Isbell

edit: remove the picture that was used without permission.
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on August 10, 2010, 11:51:28 AM: These are some things that people had to say about Gabe:

"THE juggernuat of our time people."

"generosity, humbleness and unique ability to see into the game."

"He has probably had more say in what the next expansion will be than anyone but Rob by forcing their hand with his awesome decks. Oh, and he also helped cut my deck from 130something to 56 when I was a newb"

"incredible player, a great teacher also."

"Great player and one of the nicest guys I have ever met"
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on August 10, 2010, 11:51:45 AM: Doug Gray
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/Redemption%20People/DougRob.jpg)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on August 10, 2010, 11:52:01 AM: These are some things people had to say about Doug:

"Dominant voice for the Redemption community for many years."

"Great guy and was a huge influence on the game in its early years."

"Icon of the game, had a big influence."
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on August 10, 2010, 11:52:32 AM: Tim Maly
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/Redemption%20People/TimMaly.gif)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on August 10, 2010, 11:52:54 AM: These are some things people had to say about Tim:

"a willingness to post a ruling with the reasoning behind it and stand by it, through reasoning, though it may be controversial."

"awesome player, who could likely be labeled under contributor also."

"An amazing player, been runnin the show for years."

"Very skilled player and super smart guy"
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on August 10, 2010, 04:04:28 PM: Bryon Hake
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/Redemption%20People/BryonHake.jpg)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on August 10, 2010, 04:04:59 PM: These are some things people had to say about Bryon:

"Strong creative influence on the game."

"Best host on earth, plus a dedicated contributor"

"Amazing person who showed me how to play Redemption and is one of the best tourney hosts you can ever wish for. Also been the primary designer of cards and a top ruling judge for years."

"The BEST tournament host ever, and super funny and great guy"

"Without his contributions to playtesting in recent years, the game would not have taken as large of strides as it has done."

"If it wasn't for his tournaments, I would have quit redemption a few years ago. Also, he is a great guy, helps out whenever I need his help, and is very honest"
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on August 10, 2010, 04:05:30 PM: Mike Berkenpas
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/Redemption%20People/MikeBerkenpas.jpg)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on August 10, 2010, 04:05:57 PM: These are some things people had to say about Mike:

"He wrote the REG!!!!!"

"The REG is HUUUUUGGGEEEEE and IMPOOORTANNNNT."
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on August 10, 2010, 04:07:39 PM: Eric Largent
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/Redemption%20People/EricLargent.jpg)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on August 10, 2010, 04:08:02 PM: These are some things people had to say about Eric:

"The most generous Redemption player that I've met."

"a name that inspired me to start dabbling in T2 and see what I could do."

"Simply golden as a player and a friend!"

"Mr. Consistency with T2 placings at nationals."
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on July 13, 2011, 04:49:53 PM: Keith Bartram
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/Redemption%20People/KeithBartramHoF2.jpg)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on July 13, 2011, 04:52:28 PM: These are some things people had to say about Keith:

"Keith because, well, T1 has always been the most difficult category because of the amount of competition. In addition, the meta back then wasn't much, and so to come up with a winning deck that could effectively take on the rest of the decks was much more difficult. It's crazy that he did so well."

"In his era, Keith Bartram could not have been more dominant. [He] won T1-2P at every national tournament he attended."

"Winning [the] main event 3 times in 3 tries is golden."
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on July 13, 2011, 04:59:09 PM: Bill Voigt
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/8-26-11012.jpg)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on July 13, 2011, 05:02:31 PM: These are some things people had to say about Bill:

"He is probably the single biggest reason that MN has been so strong in Redemption. He has not only raised a National Champion but he has also taught/influenced several other National Champions. I for one don't know if I'd still even be involved in Redemption if it wasn't for...Bill's influence,...his generosity, love for the game, and really-old-kidlikeness. Bill has also made significant contributions to the game as a whole. Bill pioneered Type A as a tournament category...Bill also hosts a Redemption minicamp every summer, where kids learn to play the game. But they also learn the more vital aspect of the game of Redemption, which is the concept of Redemption. They are exposed to people in the Bible that they are familiar with, and some they are not. There are Bible studies, quizzes, and worship times. The main attraction is of course the game, but the main takeaway is that it's more than just a game."

"I believe he's had 70 people at his "Redemption Minicamp" that he does every year. I am one of the people he's introduced to Redemption. So he's innovative, bringing unique ideas to this area, which has attracted people nationally. On a side note, he made a girl cry after beating her in T2 one time...I'm pretty sure he ended up giving her a DoN or something crazy like that."

"for his contributions to the Redemption World of RLK's that are learning the game (that included me a couple years ago) and also for his awesome T2-only tourney where several years ago I will never forget when I borrowed a lot of my brother's and sister's cards and won T2-multi"

"I have NEVER laughed as hard as I did the night a bunch of us shared a hotel room during MN State in Rochester. Toilet monsters became real to me that night. Bill is one of the funniest, fun loving guys I have ever known, and the fact that he has taken it upon himself to invest his time and money into teaching kids a game that may help them steer clear of all the junk in this world...that's something respectable."

"Bill has done just as much for the game as anyone who isn't named Rob. If the goal is fun and fellowship, no one can match the precedent Bill has set."

"Super generous guy and he made a redemption camp!"
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on July 01, 2013, 05:04:10 PM: These are some things people had to say about Roy:

"His reputation precedes him, just about a week ago I heard a host refer to Roy as the "Jonny Appleseed" of redemption."

"Everyone knows Roy is going in, great guy, great leader"

"He has meant so much to Redemption and to the Northeast in particular. He has made it possible for many players to have a chance to start and participate in the game and in tournaments. And Roy proves that at least once in my life I ran a decent demo."

"Few people have done more work to grow the game then Roy has. And if they do exist, they are probably already in the Hall. He maintains the forum with the kindest, gentlest, iron fist possible, and he truly believes in the game as a method of outreach and evangelism, and uses that to shape his involvement."

"He is another contributor who connects with young players, and is an ambassador to the game. I've heard him being coined the "godfather of redemption" before."
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on July 01, 2013, 05:04:46 PM: Joshua Hey
Does anyone have a good picture of Joshua that I can put here?
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on July 01, 2013, 05:08:32 PM: These are some things people had to say about Joshua:

"I only met him once (2004 Nats) but when it comes to T2 prowess, he put the Hey in Heyday. I know he had significant influence in Justin [Alstad]'s development as a T2 player, who in turn had significant influence in my development. He will probably never know that he made it to the hall, but just as a future NBA star should know the names Bird, Russell, Chamberlain and Jordan, T2 players should know the name Hey."

"[I'm] not familiar with him but his credentials standout"

"While Quadrate introduced the win before you lose side of speed, and Justin popularized the draw like a mad fool side of speed, Joshua Hey was the first to combine the two into the sort of speed deck that is so popular today."

"I played Joshua Hey in T1-2P at Nationals in 2002. It was the second to last round, he was in 4th place and I was in 5th place going into the game. The game was moving along when a ruling question came up. We called over a judge who ruled incorrectly (I had read the exact rule in the REG a week earlier so I was quite sure what the ruling should be) so I appealed to Rob. Rob wasn't sure on the ruling so we were told to continue as ruled and Rob went to look and see if he could find the rule in the REG. Ten minutes later we were informed that they found the ruling in the REG and the ruling that was made had indeed been incorrect. The game ended up a 5-4 win for him, with the incorrect ruling appearing to be the deciding factor. Joshua Hey admitted to Rob that he would not have won the game if the ruling had been made correctly and very graciously accepted a reversal in the games final score which effectively ended his chances of winning nationals"
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on July 01, 2013, 05:10:29 PM: Eric Kimmons
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/EricKimmons_zps2914262a.jpg)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on July 01, 2013, 05:14:47 PM: These are some things people had to say about Eric:

"Four Nats in a row is just a huge achievement that deserves recognition."

"Gil was the first player to really push the limits of Redemption. He used Tower on Silly Women to get himself initiative with a 0/0 evil character prompting the rule change that made */* an identifier that can't be negated. He used Kingdoms of this World and Goshen to circumvent the duplicates in play rules forcing a change to the duplicates in play rules. He was the first to abuse Gathering of Angels with The Strong Angel which lead to the eventual change making The Strong Angel unique. In 2001, he built a deck designed to discard his opponent's draw pile by forcing Evil Spawn to fight against Evil Spawn in side battle after side battle after side battle (Gil's deck didn't end up working very well, but the strategy proved to be effective three years later when Ron built the devastator with the same goal in mind). He played a role in the creation of the most well known errata in existence (Holy Grail). He contributed to the development of the deck that changed the way we understand “Breaking the game.” And I imagine there are more major rules that he had a hand in establishing that I have forgotten to mention or am not aware of. Gil knew the rules of the game better than anyone else that played the game, and used that knowledge to his advantage."

"Gil hosted a local tournament in 1998 that had more than twice at many participants (26) as the national tournament in 1998 had (10). This is the only tournament, that I am aware of, that outdrew that year's national tournament."

"Gil compiled a rules Q and A in the late 90's that was used by Mike Berkenpas as a starting point for the first REG (which was actually called the FAQ at the time)."

"During the 2001 North Central Regional Tournament a ruling question came up that no one was quite sure about. Gil went over to the stuff he'd brought, pulled out a stack of at least a hundred pages or rules questions and answers, and within a few minutes found a ruling made by Doug Gray (one of the three official voices at the time) on the exact issue in question."
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on July 01, 2013, 05:15:22 PM: John Michaliszyn
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/Mark_Underwood/JohnMichaliszyn_zpsfb9aba79.png)
Title: Re: A Redemption Hall of Fame
Post by: Prof Underwood on July 01, 2013, 05:18:50 PM: These are some things people had to say about John:

"He is the man responsible getting me interested in the competitive circuit of this game and more so, literally giving me several "high end" cards to get me started. I saw him for the first time in about a year since he got me started. He promptly recognized me, called me by name and congratulated me on my accomplishments. I wholly anticipated him to have no idea who I was. From there I taught my brother to play. Due to John, he and I have become relatively successful players. Thanks for everything John, So glad you got me going in this great game."

"Michaliszyn is also a great guy. He makes creation twice as fun and does a great job getting new players into the game. He specifically helped out my younger cousin a ton last creation and his son is awesome as well. Not always, but many times you can tell a lot about a person by their kids and His son is an great young man."

"Hosted the second Nats I attended. Has also been a driving force in bot the National and NE Regional Redemption scene. (And I think I owe him for the T2 Regional debacle of 2010)"

"If it wasn't for his booth at Creation I would of never got started in Redemption. His commitment to reaching out to future players is by far recognizable."

"everything he does with Creation, and I almost have to vote for him"

"Seriously. How is he not in the HoF already?"
Title: Re: A Redemption® Hall of Fame
Post by: jbeers285 on February 12, 2018, 03:11:45 PM: 2014-2017 Class congratulations gentlemen!

Daniel Husinga (Player)
Sealed Deck, Booster Draft 1 T1-2P Placing

   When it comes to Redemption success, Daniel’s resume betrays his strongest skill sets. Looking at Nationals wins alone, Daniel is a Closed Deck master. With a victory in both Closed deck events, which few people have, Daniel is in the upper echelons of Limited players. However, this is absolutely not Daniel’s greatest strength that he brings to the game.
   Daniel’s strongest attribute as a Redemption player is that he is one of the best Johnny players of all time. Daniel consistently does incredibly well in T1-2P and typically he does it with a deck that looks different than anyone else’s. Daniel is an innovator. One of Daniel’s premier decks from his history is a deck known as Stonewall. Stonewall was a deck that was designed to grind the opponent out of resources.

Josiah Beers (Player)
2x T2-2P, 2x Teams, 1x T1-2P, 2nd T1-2P, 3rd T1-2P.

   As a Redemption Player, Josiah’s greatest strength is his ability to make excellent metagame calls. Josiah has done incredibly well in constructed Redemption, almost to the point of having the best 5-year streak in Redemption history. Josiah has a knack for choosing the deck that will preform the best against the predicted field. Josiah has also proven that he can consistently do this, almost to the point of being able to do it every year.

Jordan Alstad (Player)
T2-MP, T2-2P, 3x T2-2P placings, 1 T1-2P placing.

Jordan’s strength as a player comes in his ability to find combinations of cards that absolutely takes the metagame by storm. This is the same general quality that his brother uses to fuel his success. Typically the most successful Redemption players are those who play the metagame the best. Jordan is among those players, and this is what sets him apart.

John Earley (Player)
T2-MP, T1-2P, 2x Teams 4x T1-2P placings.

John’s greatest strength as a player is that he does not have to use a quirky deck that plays from weird angles to see success. He did win using that strategy, but he placed the four prior years with what people would have termed “the deck to beat.” This is to me is indicative of John’s play skill. John is possibly one of the best Redemption players to have ever played due to his consistency, and he could very easily resume his dominance if he so desired.

Ken Locklin (Contributor)

Better known as Ken4Christ4ever on the message board, was an ever-helpful presence in the Redemption community for many years. From owning Three Lions Gaming and helping establish a baseline for the Redemption trading/selling marketplace to being the main host of tournaments in the SE Wisconsin area, many experienced his enthusiasm and passion firsthand. Nowadays he focuses primarily on his family, his wife Cheryl and their 4 children, as well as his teaching. But his impact on the Redemption community and his fierce love for Christ will never be forgotten.

Travis Brown (Contributor)

Has long been involved with youth ministry and gaming. Redemption blends both of those loves. Travis is the current owner of TLG and has sought to slash prices in order to make the game more financially accessible to all players. Travis is a solid player in his own right and long fueled the Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky play areas with cards, and tournaments. In the last couple years Travis has launched additional game play variations (cube draft) and an additional tournament circuit. Travis hosted a National tournament in Ohio and is co-hosting Nationals 2018 in Texas.