The World Cup Discussion Thread (OOC, Version IV)

[Cassadaigua]

Thank you to everyone who voted for our bid for your support, like Baker Park said, we won't let you down! Thank you also to those who voted for Pasarga/Mriin and while we were not your first choice you can have faith in us to still put on a strong tournament!

[Zwangzug]

Congrats to the WC hosts, and thanks to those of you who voted for Timuria and myself, we look forward to welcoming the next generation!

We are currently looking for two more BoF signups to bring us to 28 in total!

[The Archregimancy]

My apologies for not voting.

I was quite ill this past week and over the weekend, unfortunately.

My vote would not have changed the results, however.

[Timuria]

Would just like to very quickly thank everyone for their votes, neither I or Zwangzug will let you down also congratulations to the World Cup hosts who I'm sure will do an excellent job.

[Zwangzug]

In response to a since-deleted query, Timuria and myself were open to a range of signup numbers/formats as specified in the bid thread, but given that the latter stages of signups can be unpredictably slow at times, we found it better to set an early cutoff. As 32 is an easily-working number, we're hard-closing here.

[Northwest Kalactin]

I got a tiny flag

[Zwangzug]

Baptism of Fire 71 is upon us, and telegrams will be going out to the participants imminently! Matchday One is scheduled for Friday the 22nd, to allow for a bye on US Thanksgiving.

[Welzat]

Sorry I have been really busy in RL. I just saw my team lost a match in the Baptism of Fire can I still RP or am I eliminated? Sorry first time at all this.

[Zwangzug]

Sorry I have been really busy in RL. I just saw my team lost a match in the Baptism of Fire can I still RP or am I eliminated? Sorry first time at all this.

You can definitely still RP! There are two matches left in the group stage, and it's possible your team will advance beyond that if luck goes your way. But feel free to RP the most recent game, or any of the earlier ones.

[PotatoFarmers]

To clarify one thing with regards to the BoF, could the hosts explain what are tiebreakers being used for the group stage in the event of same number of points? I don't seem to be able to find the list of tiebreakers used.

[Zwangzug]

To clarify one thing with regards to the BoF, could the hosts explain what are tiebreakers being used for the group stage in the event of same number of points? I don't seem to be able to find the list of tiebreakers used.

Sorry, we discussed it but forgot to write it up for the bid! Overall GD is first, followed by head-to-head.

[Tinhampton]

TL;DR - I AM RETIRING FROM NATIONSTATES

Everything I have on my desk at work

An unscrewed deskplate reading "Room 382 - Lydia Jarvis, Senior Management"
Welcome to the Finance Department - 1997 Edition
How Will YOU Manage? 2019 Edition
URGENT: Staff Code of Conduct, 2019/20
Several certificates of accomplishment, including Employee of the Year 2009
A mug - mostly used for coffee - circa 2010
A surprising tattered copy of Cure, by Jo Marchant
One colleague's cartoon, in which I am drinking from a wooden barrel of coffee, circa 2008
A picture of myself with my husband and daughter, circa 2012
A picture of myself standing on my knees at the company's 2005 Christmas Party
Notes about my transfer to London (officially summarised as "Just be fucking exemplary, Lydia - you'll need it...")

As you know, I used to live and work in senior management, somewhere in Cornwall. Following a marathon meeting with my boss this evening, he has agreed that my performance has been somehow wondrous enough for me to be "repatriated" to London on a full-time basis, even if it is on the northern, fancier, and - at least to Mum and Dad - the wronger side of the Thames. I will never know how it took them as little as five months to reach that decision, but it is appreciated anyway.

My upgrade in surroundings - although my husband, devoutly Mancunian as he is, would disagree - comes at the cost of several things. One of them are the friends I've pretended to make in the real world that just so happened to be frequently-deployed conversational buddies; another is any semblance of free time. That is why I am retiring from NationStates - or, at best, taking a hiatus of at least four years or so. (Thank you for your comments in advance, and I hope that you carry on kicking arse - figuratively if not vexillologically - in the Sporting Realms.) If I have omitted any traditional elements of a retirement message in this post, that's because I'm scrabbling away as fast as I can elsewhere trying to please the boss... no, not Mr Tin, although it's nice of you to think that!

Are you disappointed?

Relift your spirits by thwonking out every last word to my...

ALMOST-KARAOKE SELECTION THINGY (list is incomplete):

Anything by Level 42 - take your pick
Show Me Heaven, by Maria McKee
Parklife, by Blur
More Than Friends, by En Vogue
You Give Me Something, by James Blunt
My Kind of Love, by Emile Sande
(this list is in rough chronological order)

I'm thankful for the community at large for not being annoying - quite the opposite, in fact. Special mention must be granted to The Plough Islands (aka Michine) and Cassadaigua for the extra mile being gone in relation to them; who exactly moved, I am not sure, but the moving is still paying off well. NationStates and Discord remains the closest thing I have to social media; the accounts of Tinhampton and Tinhampton#7402 respectively will be maintained if anybody wishes to get in touch (and solely because somebody might - no major commitments, please! - although I do have some incomplete and likewise mundane NationStatal non-Sports work that I will somehow be able to tie up in Summer 2020).

Answers to frequently asked questions: Yes, I will be withdrawing, ICly because Julia Atherton's financial illiteracy forced the Tinhamptonian FA into liquidation. Yes, the Cassadaiguans are now in permanent possession of the MacGregor Shield and can do what they wish to it, no matter how heretical. Yes, I did feel that the Discord turned into a timesink for me towards the end of this year anyway, fun as it was, and my removal from it (rightfully for linkspam) brought forward my departure date by about two weeks.

And no, This Book will remain Not in Existence - unless I break my vow... ;P

[Geektopia]

https://youtu.be/WChTqYlDjtI

Farewell, Tin! I cued the trombones as you asked, except they’re trumpets and this links to a military tribute as well, or as I would like to say a tribute to your longevity and dedication to this site.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

best of luck in your new role Tin!

[Bears Armed]

Congratulations on achieving the "repatriation", and best wishes!

[Banija]

Congrats on your promotion! That's big news!

[Zwangzug]

I made an error with the draw for the second round, which has now been rectified and the correct fixtures have gone ahead. Thanks to Qasden on discord for bringing this to my and Timuria's quick attention!

[Welzat]

Sorry I have been really busy in RL. I just saw my team lost a match in the Baptism of Fire can I still RP or am I eliminated? Sorry first time at all this.

You can definitely still RP! There are two matches left in the group stage, and it's possible your team will advance beyond that if luck goes your way. But feel free to RP the most recent game, or any of the earlier ones.

Thank you I will definitely try for the World Cup just been very unexpectedly busy!

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

I did want to mention that two of the four semi-finalists in the Wonder Cup were in my first round group...another example of those having success against the Commonwealth of Baker Park showing their overall strength in tournament play.

[Bears Armed]

I did want to mention that two of the four semi-finalists in the Wonder Cup were in my first round group...another example of those having success against the Commonwealth of Baker Park showing their overall strength in tournament play.

Back when the Bear-Belles first entered international football, the only team in our BoF to which we lost a group-stage game (Peisandros) then went undefeated until it met & lost to urrs in that tournament's final... and then, like urrs, qualified for the World Cup at its first attempt.

[Cassadaigua]

It's that time again!

Both the Roster thread and the Roleplay thread are up and ready for your posts!

[Aimena]

Congratulations to Trolleborg for winning the BoF and commiserations to Appalachian Nation for making the top two. I’m glad I made the top 16 anyways.

[Hapilopper]

Absolutely. A big congratulations to Trolleborg on a well-deserved victory. You get one shot at the Baptism of Fire, and you made the best of it. Very nicely done.

[Trolleborg]

Congratulations to Trolleborg for winning the BoF and commiserations to Appalachian Nation for making the top two. I’m glad I made the top 16 anyways.

Absolutely. A big congratulations to Trolleborg on a well-deserved victory. You get one shot at the Baptism of Fire, and you made the best of it. Very nicely done.

Thank you both very much!

Hope, my RP style was not too weird

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Congratulations to Trolleborg for winning the BoF and commiserations to Appalachian Nation for making the top two. I’m glad I made the top 16 anyways.

Absolutely. A big congratulations to Trolleborg on a well-deserved victory. You get one shot at the Baptism of Fire, and you made the best of it. Very nicely done.

Thank you both very much!

Hope, my RP style was not too weird

Congrats from me as well. Don't worry about your "style". You put a good effort in with the graphics in your posts. Don't be afraid to experiment in different directions. There is no "right or wrong" RP way.
You are the Baptism of Fire Champions! Like Hap says (and knows), it's the only one you get one shot at. I finished 2nd, but note below I have pride in that. It's like your "class" in HS.