Man, do I have the best idea ever for a deck with Scroll Rack. Alas, it will have to wait for another day.

I don’t know if you read my website, 02drop.com, but now probably wouldn’t be the time to start. We’re on a bit of a hiatus, poised for an exciting relaunch in the next two weeks, and seriously, just whatever you do, do not go over there and register for the forums. It’s totally not worth it. Stay away at all costs, and please, by no means should you read our archived content, because it’s not delicious at all.

The reason I bring up my site is because we are undergoing a new beginning; that’s kind of what’s going on in Magic, or at least it’s on the horizon.

Preparing for Scars of Mirrodin everyone is getting their Steel Overseers together, and speculating like crazy with them. They’re like Eye of Ugin was this time last March, as we all hotly anticipated the cards in Rise. Meanwhile, what shot up when Rise finally did drop? Not Summoning Trap, not even cards in Standard, if we’re being honest. Lotus Cobra was probably all, and that had to do with a certain Tribal Enchantment – Eldrazi Aura, and the deck which around it was built.

This is all fine and good if There are multiple Ornithopters and Frogmites in Scars, but not if artifact creatures aren’t a central focus. We know, if only by precedent, that the set will be artifact-centric, but this is very little knowledge all things considered.

So what can we take from this? While it’s unlikely Affinity for artifacts will be returning, we do have cards (really a card) that survives rotation that will do the opposite, sort of.

That card, the new and improved Juggernaut – Lodestone Golem. Everyone except Vintage players have forgotten this card even existed. This is despite what my comments will say:

Jeff the Impaler says:

“Dude, I totally just picked up like 100 Lodestone Golems! I’m glad someone else was on the same page.”

While I’m being a portent, someone else on the comments will say:

Jannsen Van den Hagel says:

“This is all fine and good for you yanks, but in Eisengrad, where I live and play, you just cannot get Lodestone Golems for less than 40 Euros each!”

What’s the point of all this? Art Williams will tell you, stop saying it, and do it. “It” here, meaning alternately “find where you can get cheap Lodestone Golems, and stop whining like a baby,” and “not go to Dave’s website, 02drop.com (which has been counterintuitively hyperlinked in this article three separate times!).” Watch this video, both parts, and try not to freaking get inspired. I dare you.

Art Williams - Do it. Part 1 of 2

Art Williams - Do it. Part 2 of 2.

If the “Do it.”  mantra sounds a bit familiar, it’s because it is. This speech was allegedly the inspiration for the slogan of a major footwear corporation.

Bam. History lesson and motivational speech. Betcha didn’t think you’d be seeing that in this week’s Flash of Hindsight.

Anyway, I’m recommending a positive pickup on all things Lodestone Golem, because seriously, it’s another “what’s the worst that could happen?” scenario. Especially on this one I’d recommend picking up foils, because it’s one of those foils with a tremendous disparity between the price of the regular and foil version (foil Lodestone Golems are upwards of $15). A lot of people don’t know that, especially if there’s no Vintage metagame in your area, so picking these up on the cheap is recommended (certainly don’t pick them up at full price, though if you haven’t yet learned not to pay retail for cards, you probably should just take your whole bankroll and buy a single Jace the Mind Sculptor because you’re not getting it).

The subtheme of this week’s column is of course, doing it. If you’re not following along with my portfolio recommendations, then why not? If you are having trouble keeping up, explain why? I’m consistently getting feedback from you people (and here by “you people” I so obviously mean the blacks) saying that you get it when maybe you don’t.

Things like this example (just an example, this isn’t a quote):

StillPlayinPOGS says:

“Great read, as usual Dave. What’re your thoughts on Infernal Spawn of Infernal Spawn of   Evil? I’ve picked up about twenty since your last column!”

To this, I just want to reply with “wait…what?” If you think you’ve got me pegged for a pick you might not. It’s a safe bet that I don’t want any cards in my portfolio that I’m not recommending, unless of course you get it at an insane price.

Speaking of insane price – who got themselves a From the Vault: Relics for retail? Kudos to those of you who did, because StarCity is buying them for $75 (I know I just said never to pay retail. Also, never be afraid to break the rules). That’s better than a 100% turnaround on your investment, instantly which makes FTV:R the best CD money could buy (if you got it at retail). My recommendation? Open and keep one for yourself if you really want to, but if you’re playing for cash here, and I think you are, sell it now. It may go up, but it’s safer to take a sure-thing 115% gain than to maybe only make 100% or even 60% on it.

I’m gonna end a little early this week, but I’m going to do it with a contest. I’m hoping that you’re following along with us as outlined in my first article for QS (back then it was still DS), but I want you to really follow along. Take a picture of your portfolio, and post it to your Twitter @02drop and @QuietSpeculation with the hashtag #FOHContest and next week, when our premium service goes live, you’ll get 60 free days of access to the site. I’ll be happy to announce the winner then. I’d also like to note that I have not obtained approval from Kelly or Doug for this, but I feel they’ll be all about it, and if for some reason they are not, then this article will end abruptly and without explanation, because I stand by this contest. Want to know why? Because I want you to learn to do it. Put your money where my mouth is, and hopefully we can induce vomiting of the most profitable kind.

Bad analogy. But I think if you trust me, we’ll make some money together.

Current Portfolio: About 8-10 Lodestone Golems ($10ish)  Between 5-10 Renegade Doppelganger4x Stoneforge Mystics , 4x Goblin Guides, and 12x Armament Masters, 2x Lim Duls Vault, $40.00 (approx.).

Current Performance: Up $40 if you got FTV:R. Otherwise, statickish.

Until next week, good luck in the contest, and I hope I’ve inspired you to do it.