Um, not fair?

You realize that there are many ways to effectively use Items.

What about the guy who has spent so much time practicing using Items and figuring out how to use them effectively with different characters?

Strip Items, and what does that say to all of their practice?

I'm not saying one way of playing is superior, but playing with Items is hardly 60% of crap that doesn't use skill.

I play with items, and against some friends I still beat them all the time.

It's not random, it's because I know what I'm doing.

Same reason I like playing Brinstar depths. It's not luck that gets you victory, it's knowing how to fight on the stage.