1st Mcleod Cup for Babbage rules football

[The Babbage Islands]

Babbage Football International (BFI) and the National Association for Babbage Code (NABC) announce the inaugural MCLEOD CUP, an international club competition for Babbage rules football.

The game

Babbage rules football, also called Babbage code or Babbalo, is a variant of American football developed for play by mixed teams of both male and female players. It is played primarily in The Babbage Islands, although it has recently started to spread to other nations.

Babbage code is a non-contact code of flag football, whereby a play is ended not by tackling but by the removal of a standard flag from the belt of the ball carrier. Six players are on the field for each team, three male and three female. Kicking has been eliminated, and special rules restricting male players on offense bring players of both sexes more fully into play.

Details of the game can be found on NSWiki.

The cup

The Mcleod Cup will be contested between eight club teams from eight NationStates nations over a two-week period. The teams will be divided by lot into Pool A and Pool B, four teams each. In the first week, each pool will conduct all-play-all games to qualify two teams from that pool to the semifinals. Pool A will play at the 59,437 seat Capital Stadium in Charleston, South Island. Pool B will play at the 42,742 seat Dolphin Arena in Dover, Cayley.

First Tuesday -- Round 1 of pool play.
First Thursday -- Round 2 of pool play.
First Saturday -- Round 3 of pool play.

All second-week games are played in Charleston as the eight places are determined. Each team is guaranteed a total of either four or five games over the two weeks.

Second Monday -- Fourth-place teams in each pool play off for 7th/8th.
Second Tuesday -- Champions of Pool A play runners-up of Pool B.
Second Wednesday -- Champions of Pool B play runners-up of Pool A.
Second Thursday -- Third-place teams in each pool play off for 5th/6th.
Second Friday -- Tuesday's and Wednesday's losers play off for 3rd/4th.
Second Saturday -- Championship game (winners from Tuesday and Wednesday).

(Days listed are the day of scorination, which will be posted around 1100-1130 UTC.)

The scorinator

The scorinator was developed by NABC and BFI, and tested in domestic play in the NABC Premier League. Its features include:

• Scores by quarter, including overtime as needed
• Team custom strategies (but no real football knowledge is needed)
• Roleplay bonuses
• Ranking bonuses, once a history develops
• No random elements -- an artifact of the player strategies feature, which allows for millions of possible results.

The scorinator is implemented as a spreadsheet in .ods Open Document format.

The prizes

All eight teams will share in the purse of E:600 000.

Champions -- E:250 000
Runners-up -- E:120 000
Third -- E:90 000
Fourth -- E:65 000
Fifth -- E:30 000
Sixth -- E:20 000
Seventh -- E:15 000
Eighth -- E:10 000

About strategies

A strategy is a four-digit number with no zeroes and no duplicated digits, from 1234 to 6538 to 9876. Each digit corresponds to a quarter of play. Higher numbers like 8's and 9's are riskier, higher-scoring picks (possibly for the other team!) than 1's or 2's. Also, the even numbers 2, 4, 6, and 8 emphasize the female players in the squad, with a higher proportion of 8-point touchdowns as more even numbers are picked.

A default strategy is submitted with a club's entry. Strategies can be changed for one game or for more games by posting to the event thread.

About roleplay

Teams have the opportunity to roleplay (RP) after each game by posting to a designated thread. A team's RP post will be evaluated on a 0-3 scale, with one point being granted for each feature present:

• Description of how the team scored its points, or was shut out, based on the published scores by quarter.
• Mention of a player on your team by full name and position, including a contribution in this game, who was not needed to receive this point in either of the two previous games.
• Mention of a feature that contributes something new to the culture of Babbage rules football. This could be on-field (plays, positions, tactics), in the clubhouse (back office goings-on, contracts, staff, domestic leagues), or elsewhere in the sporting world. Local interest stuff is fine, the key is that something new is tied into the game.

RP is not required!

Subjective judgments about quality of writing are not involved, and length or quantity of RP posts are irrelevant. The RP score is factored into the scorination of the next game.

To enter

Windsor Purple Wave, as champions of the host NABC Premier League, will participate. Clubs interested in the other seven slots should apply by posting club name, NS nation/location, manager's name, default strategy, and other desired particulars to this thread. Queries may be posted here or sent to The Babbage Islands by telegram.

Yours sincerely,

Julianne Phillips
Commissioner, Babbage Football International

[SarahRed-n-BarryBlue]

This sounds different.

Team: Wasilla Gunners
From: Wasilla, SarahRed-n-BarryBlue
Manager: Todd Bristol
Strategy: 8296

[The Babbage Islands]

For the record, Windsor Purple Wave are managed by Kim Jankowski and hail from Windsor, North Island in The Babbage Islands. Their initial strategy will be 6428, reflecting a reliance on an excellent orange back.

[Newmanistan]

Not quite sure I get everything, but I am going to support what looks to be a nicely thought out tournament.

As this is a completely new concept in Newmanistan, we don't have a club team or a league. However a group of students from the University of Southport have elected to signup. Partially because it looks like fun, and partially because it looks like a good reason to miss a class here and there and get drunk. (after games of course). Not to mention if they do well, any prize money will help with tuition costs.

Team: Southport Tigers
From: University of Southport (Southport is the city name, it is the fifth largest city in the Empire)
Strategy: 5678

I'll post a roster when we get to that point.


Now some suggestions from an experienced host of sports competitions:

A default strategy is submitted with a club's entry. Strategies can be changed for one game or for more games by telegram to the organisers.>>>
--- Don't do this. This kind of thing needs to be out in the open (i.e. posted by the user in the thread, not in a telegram). Allowing changes is fine, but all teams need to be able to see what the others doing.

Description of how the team scored its points, based on the published scores by quarter. (A team that is shut out will automatically get this point.)
-- No "automatic" points, please. It's just as easy for a RPer to say how they DIDN'T score. (i.e. turnovers, etc.)

Windsor Purple Wave, as champions of the host NABC Premier League, will participate. Clubs interested in the other seven slots should apply by posting club name, NS nation/location, manager's name, default strategy, and other desired particulars to this thread. Queries may be posted here or sent to The Babbage Islands by telegram.
-- Teams ideally, should provide a full roster. What's the point of a manager name if I don't have players to go by when RPing. Players are more important then managers, no?


If you're into football, be on the lookout for World Bowl 7 signups which will be in July. You might be interested in knowing that in the World Bowl, both men and women can participated and are considered equals. At least one regular participant posts an all-female roster.

[The Babbage Islands]

Not quite sure I get everything, but I am going to support what looks to be a nicely thought out tournament.

Thank you. I'm fairly new to NationStates, but I tried to do my homework.

I appreciate all the advice, and will respond below.

A default strategy is submitted with a club's entry. Strategies can be changed for one game or for more games by telegram to the organisers.>>>
--- Don't do this. This kind of thing needs to be out in the open (i.e. posted by the user in the thread, not in a telegram). Allowing changes is fine, but all teams need to be able to see what the others doing.

My plan was to post the strategies used with the results. I can require people to post strategies up front in the thread if that is preferable.

Description of how the team scored its points, based on the published scores by quarter. (A team that is shut out will automatically get this point.)
-- No "automatic" points, please. It's just as easy for a RPer to say how they DIDN'T score. (i.e. turnovers, etc.)

Your point is a good one. Consider it changed. (Although the situation described is quite rare in testing.)

Windsor Purple Wave, as champions of the host NABC Premier League, will participate. Clubs interested in the other seven slots should apply by posting club name, NS nation/location, manager's name, default strategy, and other desired particulars to this thread. Queries may be posted here or sent to The Babbage Islands by telegram.
-- Teams ideally, should provide a full roster. What's the point of a manager name if I don't have players to go by when RPing. Players are more important then managers, no?

I think you're right about wanting full rosters, but I'm looking to make it as easy as possible for someone entirely new to the concept to get involved. At least for my first time

If you're into football, be on the lookout for World Bowl 7 signups which will be in July. You might be interested in knowing that in the World Bowl, both men and women can participated and are considered equals. At least one regular participant posts an all-female roster.

I expect to participate in World Bowl 7.

[SarahRed-n-BarryBlue]

Windsor Purple Wave, as champions of the host NABC Premier League, will participate. Clubs interested in the other seven slots should apply by posting club name, NS nation/location, manager's name, default strategy, and other desired particulars to this thread. Queries may be posted here or sent to The Babbage Islands by telegram.
-- Teams ideally, should provide a full roster. What's the point of a manager name if I don't have players to go by when RPing. Players are more important then managers, no?

I think you're right about wanting full rosters, but I'm looking to make it as easy as possible for someone entirely new to the concept to get involved. At least for my first time

I'll work on a roster over the next few days then.

[The Babbage Islands]

We've got three entrants, still looking for five more. The organisers will work on alternate plans for a smaller field, including a round-robin or double-round robin with the three we have.

Team roster coming up . . .

Windsor Purple Wave
Country: The Babbage Islands
Manager: Kim Jankowski

00 - Barbi Brown, F, middle
7 - Todd Meloche, M, quarterback
11 - Mike Read, M, receiver
13 - Mary-Lynn Burns, F, orange back
20 - Matt Williamson, M, reserve
22 - David Griggs, M, screen
33 - Andy Owens, M, safety
36 - Belinda Maxwell, F, reserve
44 - Carol Clark, F, safety
55 - Walter Stein, M, nickel
66 - Audrey Martin, F, rusher
77 - Emily Ray, F, snapper
88 - Joyce Burns, F, receiver
99 - Kevin Carlson, M, middle

[The Babbage Islands]

One last bump before messaging the other two parties about a reduced schedule or simply hanging it up. Even one more entrant would make a much better event.

I do have a couple of alternative sporting events on the back burner.

[Palmouth]

Palmouth would like to join, but only if the compettion in someday in June-July.

[Uiri]

Team: Alea Carpenters
From: Alea, Uiri
Manager: Fernando Guriho
Strategy: 3872

Uiri has no Babbage rules football team but 15 carpenters from the city of Alea have deciced to try and win the prize money.

[The Babbage Islands]

Palmouth would like to join, but only if the compettion in someday in June-July.

We now have teams from Newmanistan, Palmouth (?), SarahRed-n-BarryBlue, The Babbage Islands, and Uiri. I think there's hope for getting a full field of eight, and I'd like to shoot for a start on the week of June 22, with the final on July 4. If we do not actually draw eight I'll post revisions to the schedule around June 19 or 20.

Thank you, everyone, for your support.

[The Babbage Islands]

Okay, I've heard from SarahRed-n-BarryBlue by telegram, and my own team is also in. I'm sending telegrams to Newmanistan, Palmouth, and Uiri now with an intent to scorinate the first matchday next Tuesday morning. Palmouth is not definitely in, and Uiri still needs a strategy for their adventurous carpenters.

I would encourage teams to post rosters between now and then to count as RP for game one.

The revised schedule will be posted late Saturday after I'm certain of the field size. Entries are still welcome until the final schedule is posted.

[Palmouth]

We will not get involed in the event, as we don't know how to do a scorinator, and we have too many other events going on. Make it a 2 legged finale match.

[Uiri]

I'm getting kind of busy, what with the NS STock Car Racing, Quidditch, my domestic football, the Díenstadi Cup, NS Tennis if it takes off... I'm sorry, but I need to withdraw.

[Cassadaigua]

Enter Dagans. This looks like a sport we could do to keep Male Equality Now happy since we would be required to have some males on the team.

[The Babbage Islands]

(OOC: My RL conference has ceased to intervene, so let's get this rolling.)

After a flurry of last-minute entries and cancellations, the organisers of the Mcleod Cup have unanimously agreed to press forward with four entries. The schedule is revised as follows (NB: Edited to reflect Babbage withdrawal in favour of Delaclava):

At Dolphin Arena in Dover, Cayley, The Babbage Islands:

Round robin day 1: Tuesday, June 23 scorination

• Wasilla Gunners (SarahRed-n-BarryBlue) v Southport University (Newmanistan)
• Dagans (Cassadaigua) v Mariana BCC (Delaclava)

Round robin day 2: Thursday, June 25

• Newmanistan v Cassadaigua
• Delaclava v SarahRed-n-BarryBlue

At Capital Stadium in Charleston, South Island, The Babbage Islands:

Round robin day 3: Saturday, June 27. After the completion of the round robin the fourth-place team is eliminated.

• SarahRed-n-BarryBlue v Cassadaigua
• Delaclava v Newmanistan

Semifinal: Tuesday, June 30, involving the second- and third-place teams from group play.

• TBA

Final: Thursday, July 2, pitting the top team from group play against the semifinal winners.

• TBA

(NB: All scorinations are expected to be a bit before noon UTC; for American players this is quite early in the morning.)

Prizes will remain as announced for the first four places, although one team will now have only three games.

Note that a strategy is still needed for the last-minute entrant, Dagans from Cassadaigua. If one is not provided before the first game it will be determined at random and posted. (A strategy entry is essential to scorinator function.)

The thread is open for rosters and RP to count toward game one. Good luck to all!

[The Babbage Islands]

I'm getting kind of busy, what with the NS STock Car Racing, Quidditch, my domestic football, the Díenstadi Cup, NS Tennis if it takes off... I'm sorry, but I need to withdraw.

That's quite alright; I hope your busy schedule lets up a bit in the future.

We will not get involed in the event, as we don't know how to do a scorinator, and we have too many other events going on. Make it a 2 legged finale match.

Again, busy schedules happen. Thank you for showing interest. And no, you don't have to know how to do a scorinator. That's a job for the organiser to do before announcing the tournament, or at least to select a proven one if running a more established sport. In my case I had to build a custom one for an invented sport. It was good practice for more ambitious projects once the current flood of activity subsides.

[Delaclava]

Is there any way I could still enter? Or is this set on four teams?

[Newmanistan]

Room 258, Michaels Hall, University of Southport

“What are we doing again?” Julie Fitzgerald, asked her boyfriend, Trevor Moore.

“We are playing Babbage Rules Football! It will be fun sweetie, and most importantly, we’ll get some money to help with our alcohol expenses, or tuition costs for some.” replied Trevor. He turrned towards the people in the room with him. “Ok look, we have to come up with a formal roster, so where do people want to play?”

“We have to have the chicks play?” asked Ken Houston

“Yes, they are required to play!” Moore said as a few of the guys sighed.

“Who are the countries we are playing?” Houston asked.

“The Babbage Islands, of course.” answered Moore, “Also some country called SarahRed and Barry Blue, wherever that it is. And then we have Cassadaigua.” The guys in the room cheered! Of course they knew the Cassadagans and their team of all women (or mostly women) in any and all sports.”

“Wait a second, Cassadaigua? Where’d they come from?” Julie Fitzgerald asked, “Cassadaigua should not be allowed to compete! Babbage Rules benefit female players like crazy! Since Cassadagan females are far superior to their male counterparts, they should reverse the scoring rules for them!”

“Oh relax! Don’t be scared of the Dagan chicks. We’ll party it up with them, I’m sure.” Moore replied.

“Remember, you have a girlfriend! MEEE!!!” Julie responded while thumping her boyfriend on the head.

“Alright everyone, we need to submit this roster, so let’s get on with it. Fill in where you want to play.”

Quarterback: Trevor Moore

“Hey no fair, you had the pen first!” Screamed Houston. A mini 30-second fight ensues before they separate.

“I have an idea,” said Katie Blanchard, “I say we order the most desirable positions from top to bottom and then we have a beer pong tournament! Then people can select where they play based on how they finished!” Everyone screams for Katie’s suggestion and they begin to chant her name. And so the tournament begins. And ends with this becoming the roster:


Quarterback: Aaron Phillips
Snapper: Matt Hendrikson
Screen Back: Ken Houston
Receiver: Julie Fitzgerald
Receiver: Katie Blanchard
Receiver: Meaghan Sanderson
Orange Back: Danielle Kelley

Rusher (left): Trevor Moore
Rusher (right): Stacey Lorenz
Middle: Keith Vinsen
Safety (left): Allen McDaniels
Safety (right): Caitlyn Mattison
Charger: Tara Douglas

Coach: Garth Tavares

[The Babbage Islands]

Is there any way I could still enter? Or is this set on four teams?

It is not in the best interest of the competition to again redraw the schedule. However, international participation should be encouraged--and I do like the way you played in the Baptism of Iron.

Please post the materials required for entry (club name, strategy, manager name at a minimum). If you thus submit an entry, Windsor Purple Wave will withdraw in favour of the team from Delaclava in the interest of goodwill in the sporting world. Thus we would remain at four teams, with Delaclava assuming The Babbage Islands position in the schedule.

[Delaclava]

Club Name: Mariana BCC (Mariana Babbage Code Club)
Strategy: 5378
Manager: Monique Tate

Roster to follow soon.

[SarahRed-n-BarryBlue]

And now, introducing . . . the Wasilla Gunners!

Head coach, principal coach, and ONLY coach, Todd Bristol!

Six strapping young men with attitude, quarterback Steve Nagy! Fly Levi Williams! Deep Anthony Redmond! Rusher Kelvin Diamond! Middle Dick Kirk! And safety John Cunningham!

Six dynamic young women with bling, snapper Traci Doppke! Slant Kim Starr! Orange back Lisa Willow! Safety Julie Petrie! Middle Carlotta Fontana! And rusher Stefani Kaufman!

We are Ready to Rumble in Babbage!

[The Babbage Islands]

Excerpted from an earlier message:

Note that a strategy is still needed for the last-minute entrant, Dagans from Cassadaigua. If one is not provided before the first game it will be determined at random and posted. (A strategy entry is essential to scorinator function.)

The random strategy will be 2745; this will be used until a Dagans strategy is posted. (I hope everything is OK.) First scorination in a couple of hours.

[Cassadaigua]

Phillip I. Grant, the President of Male Equality Now is thrilled about Cassadaigua’s participation in the McLeod Cup.

“It’s a small tournament and a variation of a sport in which not many people really know about. It is a small step. If men are ever going to be able to experience true gender equality and have the same opportunities in which women enjoy on a daily basis, small steps like this are needed.”

If you recall, during the Empire Charity Cup, a soccer tournament in Newmanistan, Cassadaigua placed second overall and won millions of dollars for their chosen charity which was to strengthen opportunities for males in sports. It is believed that money is what is actually funding our team’s participation in this competition.

A 5894 strategy will be used. I’m not sure if I truly understand what all the positions are, so I am simply copying the positions listed by Newmanistan.

Quarterback: Kaitlyn Nicholson
Snapper: Garrett Douglas
Screen Back: Jimmy Hoover
Receiver: Lindsay Sherwin
Receiver: Timothy Browning
Receiver: Natalie Canders
Orange Back: Julia Johnston

Rusher (left): John Toomey
Rusher (right): Lauren Evason
Middle: Robert Kinkade
Safety (left): Jessica Leahy
Safety (right): Ashley Givens
Charger: Michael Zeleski

Coach: Michelle Pinkston

[The Babbage Islands]

DOVER, Cayley (BPA) -- The first Mcleod Cup international Babbage rules football competition has commenced. First round results in pool play:

Code: Select all

Wasilla Gunners   12   2  16  20    50
Southport Tigers  14   5  19  17    55
                     
Dagans             2  10  16   8    36
Mariana BCC        0  17  19  12    48

The second round will feature Southport Tigers (Newmanistan) against Dagans (Cassadaigua) and Mariana BCC (Delaclava) v Wasilla Gunners (SarahRed-n-BarryBlue), also in Dover. The tournament then shifts to Charleston for the balance of the competition. First prize to the champions is E:250 000.