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[Makonero]

In the Super Smash Bros. Melee community, how you play can matter far more than who you are. Recently, a top Melee player made his grand re-entry into the game’s competitive scene a little over a year after assaulting a Florida gas station clerk, causing a rift among fans and pros over whether it’s proficiency or personality that matters most.

Bronson “DaShizWiz” Layton, 26, is one of the world’s premiere Falco players for Melee—and, with so few championing Falco in 2017, fans of the character contend he’s worthy of a grand redemption. Layton thinks so too, arguing that he’s shed his violent past and now is concerned primarily with practicing religion, refining his Falco’s laser strategy and amassing followers for his new Twitch channel. “I am human and you are human,” Layton told me over the phone from his Las Vegas hotel room last week at EVO, the biggest fighting games tournament in the world. “Who are you to judge me?”

In just a few months, Layton went from persona non grata to a top-three player’s celebrated guest at the EVO Melee tournament, which, at peak, was watched by over 130,000 viewers. “I was the best Falco in the world,” Layton said. “Not one of the best. The best. I think a big thing is redemption for Falco.”

Weis doesn’t think Smash fans have forgotten about Layton’s crimes—he thinks they just don’t find Layton’s crimes relevant. “Way too many people juuuuust want ‘to see good Melee’ and ignore anything that could impact that,” Weis said in an e-mail. “They act like him returning to the scene is absolutely necessary for the health of the character meta, and don’t even consider anything else to be relevant.”

Layton has been competing in the Melee community for nearly a decade now. Throughout 2009 and 2010, Layton consistently placed in the top 10 at national Melee tournaments, and back then, he was the chief Falco competitor. He once famously battled legendary player Jason “Mew2King” Zimmerman with a series of brutal aerial juggles and well-timed lasers. He never made big bucks as a pro—without Nintendo’s support, few Smash players do—but his raw talent led Smash fans to deify him.

Layton also has a lengthy rap sheet. His court records in Collier County, Florida are twelve entries deep, reflecting a slew of alleged crimes committed between 2011 and 2016 that range from theft and battery to bogus small-fry infractions. In 2013, a court charged Layton with aggravated battery after his female housemate obtained a lacerated liver and fractured vertebrae in a fight. That charge was later dropped because, Layton says, he did not do it. In 2016, Layton punched a gas station clerk in the face, which he has admitted to, and allegedly threatened to slit the clerk’s throat, which Layton denies. After EVO in July of 2013, he took a four-year break from national Melee competition, in part because, as he says, he fell in with a bad crowd, committing crimes and spending several nights in jail.

A large contingent of worried community members are women who believe that Layton may have a violent streak against their gender. At EVO in 2013, Layton and a Smash player named Mimi had a confrontation over drinking in her house. A witness says she asked him to leave and he got aggressive; he said it didn’t go down that way. Twitch streamer Risu, who asked that I not use her real name, is one of several female Melee competitors who are uncomfortable with Layton’s continued presence at tournaments. She said that, over private chat channels and a hundreds-strong Facebook group, several dozen women in the Melee community have aired complaints in hushed tones. “The bottom line is he is a repeat violent offender,” Risu told me over the phone. “The last incident was not very long ago. It’s actually not plausible for someone to change in that short amount of time, even with assistance and programs and stuff.”

Neha Chhetri, a competitive Melee player, also spoke out against Layton’s re-entry in the community. Over the phone, she explained that the community’s hype over Layton’s return is just as threatening as his actual reappearance: “Football fans don’t care that the football players are beating up their wives in elevators. They don’t care. They want to be entertained.” Scarier than Layton’s personal life, she says, is the fact that several women’s fears are overshadowed by widespread fan excitement over the reappearance of Falco in Melee’s meta. Looking past Layton’s criminal history, there’s a deeper issue at stake: Without an official organization in charge of Melee tournaments and events, there’s no formal way for players to register their concerns over certain community members.

Much more here

 

[KZXcellent]

Not gonna lie I was kind of relieved when I saw the name and went "who?"

I'd say TOs should watch him and if he even looks like he's going to do anything unsavory, ban him without a second thought. Women shouldn't have to be afraid when in various communities like this.

 

[Gator86]

Bronson “DaShizWiz” Layton, 26, is one of the world’s premiere Falco players for Melee—and, with so few championing Falco in 2017, fans of the character contend he’s worthy of a grand redemption.

There's a incredibly interesting and important conversation to be had about criminal justice, reform and rehabilitation, social norms, etc., but the context here is so stupid I can't force myself to muster the effort to make it.

 

[VegiHam]

There are a lot of good and nuanced questions to be asked by society about criminality and redemption and forgiveness and integration and stuff; and these all deserve consideration and thought.

But I get the impression that this isn't actually about that and is more about wanting to overlook someones behaviour just because you find them entertaining which.... nah; don't do that.

IDK hope I'm wrong and it's more complicated.

EDIT:

There's a incredibly interesting and important conversation to be had about criminal justice, reform and rehabilitation, social norms, etc., but the context here is so stupid I can't force myself to muster the effort to make it.

Yeah, this exactly.

 

[Poppy]

isn't melee the community that let the guy who sexually assaulted that girl back into tournaments without making a big deal about it

 

[Living the Dream]

Maybe I'm bias, but it seems like Melee players are always having issues with the law.

 

[Boke1879]

Wasn't there a Smash player last year that sexually assaulted someone that was let back in just recently?

 

[PadWarrior]

isn't melee the community that let the guy who sexually assaulted that girl back into tournaments without making a big deal about it

He almost got back in but was finally banned. Took a while if I remember correctly.

 

[Poppy]

He almost got back in but was finally banned. Took a while if I remember correctly.

ah, gotcha. that whole affair was pretty fuckin dire

 

[Tripon]

In just a few months, Layton went from persona non grata to a top-three player’s celebrated guest at the EVO Melee tournament, which, at peak, was watched by over 130,000 viewers. “I was the best Falco in the world,” Layton said. “Not one of the best. The best. I think a big thing is redemption for Falco.”

This bullshit of a sentence makes you think this Layton guy got 3rd at EVO.

 

[chronic_archaic]

I think it's comparable to an artist who does stuff you don't like or is illegal. I mean, it might kill your interest in their work but it might not. It seems in the business of sports it always puts you in a bad spot no matter the circumstances anyway.

 

[RockmanBN]

isn't melee the community that let the guy who sexually assaulted that girl back into tournaments without making a big deal about it

Did anything come front that story assuming it was the Mang0 one?

 

[KZXcellent]

Maybe I'm bias, but it seems like Melee players are always having issues with the law.

I've seen various thuggery throughout the Fighting Game Community. It's unfortunate but the negative side is what a lot of us see the most.

 

[Acerac]

Maybe I'm bias, but it seems like Melee players are always having issues with the law.

Seriously, they need to just move on to a new game, maybe they can then be better human beings.

 

[Quadraphonic]

Fans are going to be fans.

Somehow Chris Brown still has a career.

 

[LegendofLex]

As soon as someone demonstrates that they're a threat to others' safety, they've crossed the zero-tolerance line. Participation in competitive communities is a privilege, not a right.

The fact that incidents happened recently that actually involved other competitive players underscores this even more. This isn't a dude who got into some trouble a long time ago in his own private life and has grown from it in the interim; this is a dude who causes trouble for others in the scene.

 

[Poppy]

Did anything come front that story assuming it was the Mang0 one?

sorry i wasnt thinking of mango, i honestly dont recall the name of the player because it wasnt a huge name and i dont follow melee much

 

[PadWarrior]

ah, gotcha. that whole affair was pretty fuckin dire

Agreed

Did anything come front that story assuming it was the Mang0 one?

No that's a different story. Mango beat his girlfriend. The other assault was committed by a toon link player for smash u.

 

[ponpo]

DaShizWhiz is maybe the worst handle in history.

He does seem apologetic and shared proof he completed anger management and stuff. Seems like females of the community are the more worried ones.

Two years later, in 2015, Layton playfully tweeted a battle challenge to William ”Leffen" Hjelte. ”I'd love to 5-0 another has-been," Hjelte responded, ”but I'd rather not get stabbed." Layton accused Hjelte of being scared of his Falco, adding that he'd never stabbed anybody.

lol damn.

 

[RockmanBN]

sorry i wasnt thinking of mango, i honestly dont recall the name of the player because it wasnt a huge name and i dont follow melee much

Oh I think I know now. Wasn't it Sm4sh with the Toon Link player Hyuga?

 

[Tripon]

Fans are going to be fans.

Somehow Chris Brown still has a career.

That's the question though, who in the hell is a fan of this guy?

 

[Glowsquid]

Bronson ”DaShizWiz" Layton, 26, is one of the world's premiere Falco players for Melee—and, with so few championing Falco in 2017, fans of the character contend he's worthy of a grand redemption

." Scarier than Layton's personal life, she says, is the fact that several women's fears are overshadowed by widespread fan excitement over the reappearance of Falco in Melee's meta.

Layton thinks so too, arguing that he's shed his violent past and now is concerned primarily with practicing religion, refining his Falco's laser strategy and amassing followers for his new Twitch channel.

This article is a goldmine of terrible sentences

 

[NSESN]

I do believe you can give people second chances and they can rehabilitate, but at same time I believe tournament results have nothing to do with it.

 

[Steve Youngblood]

sorry i wasnt thinking of mango, i honestly dont recall the name of the player because it wasnt a huge name and i dont follow melee much

Are you thinking of Hyuga? He's a Smash 4 player.

 

[Poppy]

Are you thinking of Hyuga? He's a Smash 4 player.

you all are right, my apologies

 

[PadWarrior]

Mango beat his girlfriend.
Hyuga the toon link player for smash u sexually assaulted a female.

 

[Azuran]

I'm sure Smash fans would gladly welcome Buffalo Bill with open arms if he was the best Luigi player in the world.

 

[hamchan]

Thinking about this, I'm gonna be watching Jon Jones fight soon and then Floyd Mayweather Jr right after that, so I guess I'm already pretty accepting of scumbags coming back and putting on a show because they're highly skilled.

 

[Alienous]

On the one hand, you don't want people to feel threatened by his presense - justifiably so, given his actions.

On the other you want to give people the opportuntity to better themselves, and give them options other than returning to criminal behaviour.

As such, I suggest a compromise:

 

[Tripon]

Top-six player William “Leffen” Hjelte has been banned from Swedish tournaments for displaying “poor sportsmanship” and bullying new and disabled players. After a year, and a long apology, he was allowed back in.

Wow, fuck Leffen.

 

[EndlessSky]

This has been posted and talked about on twitter and the smash reddit like a month ago. Shizwiz's situation is a bit more complicated than just he plays cool so let him back in. His crimes have all been outside of the smash community (with the exception of a heated but non-violent argument he had with someone who was housing him for a tourney like 4 years ago) and he's done his time. He also has been to 13 or 14 anger management classes this year. I'd say let him come back to tourneys with a probation-type of deal where if he really messes up again then he can be banned.

isn't melee the community that let the guy who sexually assaulted that girl back into tournaments without making a big deal about it

Wasn't there a Smash player last year that sexually assaulted someone that was let back in just recently?

That was a smash 4 player, Hyuga, who was given a 1 year ban for it, and now is able to play in tourneys again (I think? I believe he has yet to actually go to a US tourney yet). The girl he molested says she forgives him if that matters at all.

 

[KZXcellent]

I'm sure Smash fans would gladly welcome Buffalo Bill with open arms if he was the best Luigi player in the world.

This shouldn't be funny but it is.

 

[cordy]

Man that community needs a shakeup.

 

[Boke1879]

Mango beat his girlfriend.
Hyuga the toon link player for smash u sexually assaulted a female.

Hyuga is the one I'm thinking of. Was he let back in recently?

 

[psychowave]

Scarier than Layton’s personal life, she says, is the fact that several women’s fears are overshadowed by widespread fan excitement over the reappearance of Falco in Melee’s meta.

This is just embarrassing, holy fuck. No respect for the women in the community.

 

[QuantumSquid]

I think he deserves a second chance. If he does anything fishy, he's out, but assuming he behaves himself, I don't see anything wrong with letting him play.

 

[Bronetta]

“I am human and you are human,” Layton told me over the phone from his Las Vegas hotel room last week at EVO, the biggest fighting games tournament in the world. “Who are you to judge me?”

Im someone whose never assaulted a gas station attendant.

 

[Steve Youngblood]

Hyuga is the one I'm thinking of. Was he let back in recently?

I don't think his ban was ever something officially enforced by a central organization or anything (as no such organization really exists). He hasn't played in the US since though.

 

[Gin-Shiio]

The actions of the named individuals aren't the problem; the community's handwaving their acts is.

 

[Memory]

Sounds like a scumbag to me, however if playing melee is the only thing keeping him from hurting people and he is following the rules then let him play.

 

[Xbro]

For those wondering who he is, here's this famous game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qna80MbcAAc

 

[Alucrid]

“Who are you to judge me?”

not sure that's the attitude of someone who's repented

"I think a big thing is redemption for Falco.”

OH WELL NEVER MIND THEN. THANK GOD

 

[Pappasman]

It would really be up to the TOs in each case to decide whether or not to allow him to compete. Hiding behind Falco isn't really much of an excuse when he is not really bringing the character back. There are a lot of people who play Falco at high level.

People are familiar with the name and want one of the old school players to come back, but his criminal record does make it hard to justify.

 

[NoName999]

But saying you find wavedashing to be a bother and suddenly you're a pariah! :O

 

[Nightii]

But saying you find wavedashing to be a bother and suddenly you're a pariah! :O

Or playing Jigglypuff and camping out Fox players, truly only the most vile person would do that.

 

[Tali'Zorah]

pretty much every sport has someone with a very shady criminal past who's been allowed to return and compete so it was an inevitability that it'd happen in e-sports too. Personally I feel if he's done the time and is rehabilitated then there's no reason he shouldn't be allowed to compete.

 

[arts&crafts]

I havent played melee in a long time but isnt Falco good? Fox I know is really good, and Falco is a fox clone.

 

[wartama]

I wonder if those who allowed him back into the the Smash scene would ever tolerate him if he had hurt them personally just because he has them Falco moves. But of course, he's violent against those 'other' people, which don't matter, let's welcome him back because his Falco moves are very good.

These types of people are the ones who need the 'what if she was your mother/daughter/girlfriend' lecture to ever have an ounce of sympathy. What a disgusting mentality.

 

[Pappasman]

I havent played melee in a long time but isnt Falco good? Fox I know is really good, and Falco is a fox clone.

Falco is top 3 in the game. He is not a rare character.

 

[LucidMomentum]

The actions of the named individuals aren't the problem; the community's handwaving their acts is.

Yuup

not sure that's the attitude of someone who's repented

OH WELL NEVER MIND THEN. THANK GOD

YUUUUP

Man, Smash player's are odd. They deify pro players, even those who have been out of the game for months / years (PPMD, Hax$, etc.).

Hell, Shiz has been out of the scene for a long time now and now that he's back people are just falling at his feet to let him back in and acting like his assault charges aren't important in the grand scheme of things, or not as important as his non top 8 major finishes are at least.

Shiz, from my interactions with him, seems like an incredibly volatile and victim blaming type of person with a massive ego. Much like K9SBruce who got the Smash community banned from Dave & Buster's.

Time will tell if Shiz goes from being banned to unbanned and back again as frequently as K9 though.

eSports fans are really quick to ignore real life actions of players they like to watch, much like sports fans tbh. It's sad really.

I've even had to ban players from my locals for personally harassing my assistant TOs too. I don't play that shit and if any previously banned player shows up to my shitty biweekly they will be under heavy scrutiny.

I'm all for rehabilitation and the chance to turn your life around but Hyuga, K9, Shiz, et. al more often than not have the "Sorry I got caught" attitude more than anything which sickens me.