Pros believe Modern is diverse. Players believe Modern is diverse. The proof, however, is always in the pudding. If the format is as varied as we've been told all day long, then those battling for the right to be called "undefeated" should reflect that.
It's a simple test, no?
Here's what I found on the floor for Round 9 of the Green and White flights.
Christopher Yarbrough and Jonathan Chappell
Christopher Yarbrough's Tarmo-Twin faced off against Jonathan Chappell's Jund. In the end, the Jund menace rose to the occasion.
Richard Nguyen and Patrick Dickmann
Richard Nguyen's Blue Moon was battling Patrick Dickmann's Tarmo-Twin in a showdown lifted right from Pro Tour Born of the Gods. Dickmann was delightful for coverage viewers and delivered a win to remain perfect.
Daryl Ayers and Andrew Black
Daryl Ayers was tossing about Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle in Scapeshift, fighting the merciless machines of Andrew Black's Affinity. The crushing weight of Ayers' Mountains smashed the robot army, leaving Scapeshift to lead the way.
Ben Friedman and Matthew Bevenour
Ben Friedman was angling for a top slot with Melira Pod, but Matthew Bevenour's Storm deck was clouding up over the parade. The power of Friedman's Pod prevailed in the not-so-stormy night.
Andrew Calderon and Valentin Mackl
Andrew Calderon was also planning to cast Scapeshift just as Valentin Mackl looked to Storm over the changing landscape. Here, the height of Calderon's Mountain kept the clouds at bay another round.
Noah Walker and Allen Mok
Noah Walker had a Melira Pod deck to face down Allen Mok's classic UR Twin option. And, again, the power of Pod prevailed in the duel of combos.
Zach Jesse and Joseph Milia
Zach Jesse was the third Storm player looking to ascend to perfection, but Joseph Milia's Jund deck was closing in to stop it. This time, Jesse's thunderous Storm spells lit up the battlefield over Jund.
Eric Froehlich and Steven Chisolm
23rd-ranked Eric Froehlich was paired down with his Melira Pod deck, where Steven Chisolm was waiting to try his hand with Bant Pod to stop the star. Here, Froehlich finally fell to another flavor of Birthing Pod.
For those counting, that's four Birthing Pod decks, three Storm, three of Splinter Twin types, two each of Scapeshift and Jund, as well as lonesome stragglers with Affinity and Blue Moon. This isn't exactly the full spectrum of diversity, but seven (or so, depending how you count) different decks isn't a few either. The eventual winners were Melira Pod, Storm, Melira Pod, Scapeshift, Jund, Tarmo-Twin, and Scapeshift – five of the seven we started with the round.
With the addition of how the Pink Flight shook out as well as the reset of tiebreakers to start Day 2, the run for Top 8 will be a fantastic spectacle to watch.