World Bowl XLIII (43) ~ Everything Thread

by **StrayaRoos** » Thu Jan 06, 2022 12:07 pm

  Group D                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Chromatika                           7    6   1   149   77  +72 Q
2 Ko-oren                              7    5   2   148   81  +67
3 South Newlandia                      7    4   3   144  114  +30
4 StrayaRoos                           7    3   4   131  176  −45 EW
5 Allamunnic States                    7    2   5   119  175  −56 EW
6 Lisander                             7    1   6   100  168  −68 EW

We are 1 game off SNL and The Knockouts so GO TAIPANS

by **TJUN-ia** » Thu Jan 06, 2022 12:22 pm

After a comfortable and patriotic win at home before a brought-forward break, the Jaguars of TJUN-ia now had 4 games on the bounce to try and reach the World Bowl Playoffs for the 3rd time in a row - oh yeah, and they had their undefeated record to defend as well! It still felt pretty surreal for the TJUN-ian Gridiron fan to see their team 6-0 in this group, especially in THIS group with TWO Top 5 teams for company. Gus McKerrin has certainly been very happy with his teams' performances in this magical campaign thus far, but going on the road was always going to produce chaos and it was that chaos he wanted to avoid against the Pilgrims of New Gesem, a 1-5 team but ranked #31 nonetheless and certainly looking to fight back no matter what.

But even enemy territory here in New Gesem wasn't going to stop our fire. The crowd was mostly dead anyway, tired with the downfall of this team overnight and just as confused as we are about what has happened to the Pilgrims of old. They only managed 3 points all game, a FG from Emmanuel Padilla in Q2, and that was that - all TJUN-ia except that. Jake Griffin has certainly become one of the great QBs of this sport and his 4 TDs tonight was another piece of evidence that showed that fact in full effect. In Q1 he found Hubert Valois from 34-yards downfield, in Q2 he ran into the endzone from 16 yards out after a Joshua Gonzales pick to Drew McAllister, Q3 saw him find Vinny Mac for the score while Q4 saw him pull off a special play where he threw it to Valois behind the line of scrimmage before the WR threw it back to his QB in the endzone - a true play that can be GIFed forevermore. Chi On-Ma had a great night too at 4/5, missing one of his 4 PATs but making up for that with a 39-yard FG in Q3. It certainly was another complete TJUN-ian performance on the Gridiron and our 7-0 status was further upgraded with news from afar. Saint Kanye had crushed Banija 52-30 in Kardashia meaning that, despite both those teams being Top 5 in the rankings, TJUN-ia would be the first to qualify for the Playoffs in Delaclava (home of the only other 7-0 team after Chromatika's upset by South Newlandia). Somehow, in an expected 2-horse race, TJUN-ia had crossed the line first in the Playoff Stakes.

Win 2 games and you win this group. That is the truth we now face. 9-1 will be enough to claim the group for the 2nd time in our history and with how this team has been playing in recent times, there is certainly a chance something magical may be on the cards. The next 3 games will certainly tell the tale of TJUN-ian Gridiron heading into these playoffs, beginning back at the Field of Dreams against 0-7 Caleonia for "Bash at the Beach Night" - beach attire only, accessories included. It should be a fun one, sans any trademark World Bowl Chaos. GO JAGS!

SCHEDULE (Group C)
MD1: @United States of Great America (UR) W 16-0 (2nd)
MD2: vs New Gesem (31) - The Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 27-9 (1st)
MD3: @Caleonia (UR) W 27-7 (1st)
MD4: vs Banija (4) - The Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 51-29 (1st)
--------------------------Break--------------------------
MD5: @Saint Kanye (5) - Pencurve Electronics Field, Kardashia W 26-13 (1st/5-0/+89PD)
MD6: vs United States of Great America (UR) - The Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 27-3 (1st)
--------------------------Break--------------------------
MD7: @New Gesem (31) W 29-3 (1st)
MD8: vs Caleonia (UR) - The Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington
MD9: @Banija (4) - Istria Olympic Stadium, Istria, Moravica
MD10: vs Saint Kanye (5) - The Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Thu Jan 06, 2022 12:25 pm

DISCLAIMER: Gaelic Gamers is an independent sports blogging website created by four cousins with a common liking and passion for sports of all kinds and is in no way or form affiliated with or organized by any official news organization in the Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft. All statements and opinions posted here are our own and not anyone else's.

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

Gabbing on Gridiron
with Dara Keane

WORLD BOWL XLIII: GROUP STAGE MATCHDAY SEVEN

Abanhfleft   14  9 10 10  43
Sarzonia      7  3  7  0  17

This World Bowl can be so weird sometimes. In the first half of the group stage, the Armored Revolutionaries beat HUElavia and lost to Sarzonia, but in the second half HUElavia beat us and we beat the Stars right back. It’s like a carousel of pain; one team beats the other and the other team beats the team they’re supposed to play next. Really weird, I can tell you that much. Another weird thing about this game is that there’s not much that I can say about it, even though I will try very hard to fill up both time and column space as long as I’m here working on this.

Despite the setback that the Armored Revolutionaries encountered away to HUElavia, and even though the Stars had beaten them in their home turf before, the fans still turned up to the Imponte Garden in force to cheer on their side against the Sarzonian visitors. This was the first time in a long time that the fans actually felt confident that their Armored Revolutionaries were going to be able to go on a deep playoff run for the title, so the faithful had come out to cheer on their team no matter what. And it was the boisterous and vociferous home crowd that perhaps motivated this Abanhfleft team to turn it up to eleven and give Sarzonia hell. Perhaps there was an element of revenge involved in it as well. After all, the Sarzonians did beat us the first time around, and Marius Magnussen and his men are sure to still be stinging about that after the fact.

The Armored Revolutionaries won thentoss but they decided to defer so it was the Stars that got the first possession. They ended up scoring on their first drive through a pass to Matt Largent, but Abanhfleft were quick to respond through Palmer Morel, and it was probably at that point that the momentum shifted to the home side and the Armored Revolutionaries started dominating the contest. The Fleftic defense held the visitors to a three-and-out, and then in their next possession, Wes Soderlund found Luther Dunleavy in acres of space to score Abanhfleft's second touchdown of the quarter. But after that, things got a little bit quiet in the second quarter. Everyone could only kick for field goals. Frankly, it was in the second quarter where both defenses shone, although the Armored Revolutionaries' defense arguably did a better job since they only gave up one field goal to the three that the Stars gave up.

Abanhfleft got the first possession in the second half courtesy of them deferring after winning the coin toss in the first half, and they immediately put up points on the board thanks to a 20-yard bomb to Toby Archambeault. This time, it was the Stars who responded in kind with Steve Swain converting what was originally a 3rd and long situation (3rd and 9, specifically) into a 6-point score. But that would turn out to be not enough to stop the Fleftic onslaught, and the Sarzonians would not be able to put up another score for the rest of the game, and they were equally powerless in stopping us from scoring as the noise of the fans ensured that any plays and orders from the visitors would be drowned out by the home crowd's cheers and jeers. However, the fight isn't over just yet. We still have three more games to play, and one of those games is against Ranoria. The way our group has unfolded, the Krauts are the biggest threat to the Armored Revolutionaries in terms of making it out of the group stage and into the playoffs. Our sole advantage over them is a single touchdown. A single touchdown! The only way the margin could have been slimmer if it was by a field goal. And then of course there are the unranked teams like the Cordian Isles and United Adaikes. They're still both capable of throwing up banana peels for the Armored Revolutionaries to slip on. In summary, the moral of the story is, "Just because one problem has been dealt with doesn't mean that we can relax." There are still three games left, three games where the sporting gods can make fools out of us yet again, as is typical of them as soon as Abanhfleft experiences even a modicum of success. We really are just the gods' playthings, and our rage against them only makes them more determined to pile misery upon misery on us. We really should be used to it by now, but strangely, we never are. And that's probably the weirdest thing about being a fan of Abanhfleft. Jeremy Gonzalez, Jeremy Gonzalez, Jeremy Gonzalez...

by **Sarzonia** » Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:13 pm

Gavin Davis and the managerial staff for the Sarzonian national gridball team were at a crossroads. From a 2-0 beginning that included a dominant victory over Abanhfleft at Joe Gibbs Stadium in Woodstock, the Stars were now at 4-3. All the momentum of their fast start had evaporated. Sure, they had another victory over Cordia, who were still nominally in the race for the group title along with Abanhfleft and the Stars themselves. And yes, that victory gave Sarzonia the tiebreaker advantage if the teams finished in a battle for a berth in Delaclava.

But the 43-17 defeat away to Abanhfleft left the Stars at 2-3 since their 2-0 beginning. They had an ugly 10-7 victory over bottom of table United Adaikes to go along with an offence that sputtered mightily after scoring 24 points against No. 1 ranked defending champion Ranoria at the Superdome. And now with the Stars seemingly in freefall, they had a match against them in Gibbs.

"We're onto Ranoria," Davis had answered tersely when asked about his team's flat performance against the Armored Revolutionaries. When another reporter asked about the team's offensive output of 52 points in four matches, an average of just 13 points per match, Davis simply answered again, "we're onto Ranoria."

When he saw Woodstock Daily Mail reporter Travis West in the crowd after he'd stormed out of the press conference, he motioned for West to follow him into the officials locker room since he saw they'd already exited. Davis wanted privacy because he was about to let his thoughts be known, even though it was solely meant for deep background and not for publication, but he didn't want to create the psychological disadvantage that would be obvious from having the meeting in his office. West followed Davis into the room and watched as the coach closed the door. The two men then proceeded to one of the benches and sat down.

"I'm at a loss, Travis," Davis said after checking with and ensuring that none of his comments would see the light of day. "We've been struggling ever since the game in the Superdome. I can't get our offence untracked. The defence has had a couple of good days, but it really shit the bed against HUElavia. I want our guys to focus on the Krauts because they're just too good of a team for us to think about anything else, like our performance against Abanfleft."

"What are you going to do?"

"I've had the team not practicing in pads because I don't want them to physically wear out. I think that might have been a mistake last time, but I think we need to do some physical reps in addition to the mental reps. Farmboy is too good of a quarterback for us to let him just pick us apart."

"Have you given any thought to Kyle Hanley's job status?"

That question was the one that got Davis to storm out of the dressing room when another reporter asked it. He'd simply said "no," but then had obviously heard enough. This time, however, Davis understood his relationship with West. The relationship coaches from each major team had with West. The relationship the President himself had with West. No question was out of bounds. Even that one. Still, West noted the flash of anger that showed in Davis's eyes. Granted, he also saw it go away with the understanding that it was a valid question.

"I have," he said. "We've played seven matches and we've given up over 26 points per match. Ranoria dropping 55 is one thing, but we've allowed too many points in games where we should have been favoured. The HUElavia loss is especially galling."

"What are you going to do?"

Davis thought carefully about what he was going to say. He didn't want to issue a public vote of confidence because he knew that often meant its recipient would soon be out of a job, but he also felt like a terrible performance against Ranoria defensively shouldn't necessarily be the death knell for Hanley, even if it was a result of poor play rather than the Krauts being the best team in the gridball multiverse. But with that said, results were results, and Sarzonia were giving up far too many points to teams they shouldn't be, and it put his team's chances of making it to Delaclava, let alone winning more than a play-in match in serious jeopardy.

"I've talked things over with Kyle," he said. "I've let him know my thoughts, and he's let me know his."

"Can you elaborate?"

"We've both said things in confidence, and I can't break a confidence and expect you to keep mine," Davis said. "But let's just say we're both aware we can't keep going the way things are going and expect to be here in the long haul." Davis wanted to tell West the truth, that a poor performance by the defence against Ranoria that was about Sarzonia not tackling surely or about sticking to their assignments rather than the Krauts simply being better than the Stars would mean Hanley's job. And likely, Davis's. After all, he felt like he was on a short leash even though the Incorporated Gridball Federation at least publicly acknowledged the Stars were -- once again -- in the group of death.

"Has the IGF acknowledged Sarzonia being in the group of death and what that means to your tenure?"

"They've brought it up," Davis said. "But, Travis, you know this is a results business. If we don't get results and get our team into the knockout rounds and make a run there, we're going to need to figure out how to do that. I've been on two World Bowl winners, including one right in our stadium against Bluth Corporation. I've gotten us to Delaclava and to the World Bowl final there twice and we've won one of those as a quarterback. I want nothing more than to be able to do the same as a manager. But if we can't get the results we want, then I understand if the IGF wants to find a coach who can do so. That's just the reality."

by **Banija** » Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:50 pm

The Busukuma Post
Covering All of Banija, All of our News, All of the Time

Election Day is Incoming!

BUSUKUMA, NATIONAL CAPITOL REGION- And here we are! All your questions will be answered here tonight- what is going on in the Banijan elections? What the heck is count day? What's up with these party names that we don't recognize? And what are the major issues that people are going to the ballot about? And most importantly- what is the path to victory? We'll answer all your questions, as well as show you our Live Count Day Blog!

Lukiiko Standings Before the Election

Party	Popular Vote	Popular Vote Percentage	Vote Swing	Last Election Seats	Total Seats	Seat Percentage	Raw Seat Swing
Collective Resistance Union	17,451,000	32.17%	-1.15%	172	158	31.60%	-14
People's Protection Movement	21,164,000	39.02%	0.73%	237	228	45.60%	-9
Free Justice Party	4,046,300	7.46%	1.33%	22	29	5.80%	7
Christian Patriots League	10,437,000	19.24%	2.66%	67	83	16.60%	16

There currently exists a coalition government between the PPM and the now former CPL

Election Day FAQs

Basic Fundamentals of Banijan Elections. Covers how apportionment/seat allocation works, who can vote, who can run, and campaign rules.

#1 What is Count Day?

"Election Day" in Banija is actually a two day process. Inefficient? Yes. But it is one of those things that has "simply has been" within the country. The first day, of course, is called Election Day- the day when people go out and vote, as well as when absentee ballots are due. No votes are counted on election day- they are simply rounded up, and kept under armed guard overnight. The next day, at Noon, paid volunteers start counting these ballots at the precincts. That day is Count Day.

#2 What are the Political parties?

There has been a slight re-alignment, especially on the left within Banija. The CRU, or the Collective Resistance Union, who are currently His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition, is the mainstream left-wing party. They spent many years as the smallest of Banija's four main parties, but overtook the Free Justice Party in recent years. The FJP, who were center-left and moderate, simply were not built to survive as the smaller, center-left party. They were slowly swallowed by the CRU, and the two parties ended up formally merging. But that did not sit well with the base of the CRU- who thought the party was getting away from its leftist and union roots, and needed to become more pro-business.

Long story short- some base Parliamentarians split away from the CRU, and formed the BPC- the Banijan People's Congress. The CRU is currently led by Xolile Lubabalo, who is seeking to become Banija's first female Katikkiro. She, of course, has a long history- first as a Minister of Justice, then lost election, then served famously as the Ambassador to Chromatika to help with their transition to Democracy. After enduring a physical attack and still staying on, she was awarded with civilian honors from the Chromatik government when she retired as Ambassador, so that she could return to domestic politics. The BPC, running for the first time, are led by James Mboge. On the right, of course, there is also upheaval. The present Katikkiro, Kobe Azizi, decided to retire rather than running for a third term. The Katikkiro is succeeded as party leader by Miremba Okello, who will now lead the People's Protection Movement- the mainstream right-wing party. Okello is the longtime Mayor of Istria, who is most famous for being the Mayor of Istria during the successful XIV Summer Olympiad.

And lastly, of course, you have the Latter-Day Alliance. The same party as the CPL(hard right, especially religious & nationalist), but who have simply decided to rebrand. They are led by Ohan Auma.

#3 What are the Electoral Issues?

With the economy in a strong place, and an expanding middle class, these are good economic times. But as in all democracies- there are always major issues.

The first, of course, is Nyowani Kitara. We all know the disaster that war is. And with peace talks currently ongoing, those have come up as a major issue. Of course, Banija's international partners are not quite pleased with electoral timing- peace talks being announced, and then the Lukiiko being up for election, therefore putting those talks in some sort of a holding pattern. But discussion revolves around a popular figure and cause across the country- Malik Akongo and the KFF. Of course, everybody understands that the war is unwinnable from a military perspective- when tens of thousands of Nepharan troops are on the ground, combined with support from Eura, it is difficult for Banija to change the course of events. Almost everybody agrees- one of Rushmore 's most horrific regimes has been rescued by Corvistone and Bastion.

What to do about that in these peace talks, is the question. Many on the right support stronger support for the KFF. "Look- the Nepharans are on the record about supporting democracy within the country." Miremba Okello said during a debate. "Obviously, they've won this war- but let's hold them to their commitments. A free and fair election, with immediacy, where all candidates are allowed to run and campaign freely, including Malik Akongo. We must ensure that the country doesn't split, and we must ensure a long-term relationship there. The present government both despises Banija and is a menace towards its own people- in the absence of Rushmori nations fighting for the people of Nyowani Kitara, like Nephara and Eura, we must drive a hard bargain for their sake."

Xolile Lubabalo, on the other hand, preached a much more peaceful line. "Look, we don't have troops on the ground within Nyowani Kitara ourselves. And yet, it is growing more and more tenuous to directly support the KFF every single day. Rhetorically, yes- the government of Nafuna Akongo is a human rights disaster, and for that reason alone, they should be forced to step down. However, we do not have the power to do that. We should recognize- we have done what we can to support the people of Nyowani Kitara. We are all the way here in Atlantian Oceania. We should be focusing on problems at home, and focusing on strengthening alliances at home, with regional partners and Commonwealth partners, rather than trying to oppose Rushmore's twin powers on their soil."

The smaller, more extreme parties, both had more extreme versions of the above statements. The BPC simply said that both Akongos and Max Ulf are "all terrorists", and that Banija should simply leave NYK to its fate. The Latter-Day Alliance, on the other hand, is saying that peace talks should only be entered into 'with bright, red lines'.

The other one? The size of the welfare state. With Banija's rapid economic expansion since World Cup 82, the country is moving forward on many issues. But many on the left, particularly Xolile Lubabalo, are speaking about the radical transformation of the welfare state. "Empower unions. Universal healthcare. These are the things that we are going to need to keep our working and middle classes in a good place." Lubabalo said in debates. Whereas Miremba Okello has been harshly crtiical of Lubabalo's spending plans. "She's a tax and spender- raise taxes and simply burn your money."

While the left-leaning parties lead on these issues, where the right-leaning parties lead, of course, are cultural issues- particularly issues of secularism. The right has launched heavy attacks on the left, particularly Xolile Lubabalo, for wanting to turn Banija into a "Godless, secular society- where faithful Latter-Day Saints will be pushed out of the public square." While they have defended themselves against those attacks, we'll see how potent those culture war issues really are for Banija.

#4 What parts of the country are the mainstream parties focusing on?

The CRU is essentially fighting on two fronts- shoring up former FJP support, shoring up its own support, and trying to fight off the left. The places where they'll be fighting off the BPC will be Banija's two most left-wing regions. The Ankole Region, aka Xolile Lubabalo's home region, as well as Busukuma, the nation's capitol. And then, to attack the PPM, they will make a run at the Moravica Region. Banija's largest region, with a quarter of the population, has long been a right-wing bastion- but will this remain the case? To showcase how much, in the last election, out of 63 constituency seats in Moravica, 57 were won by right-wing parties- 42 by the People's Protection Movement(mainstream right), and 15 more by the Latter-Day Alliance(hard right).

While Istria and Herzegovina City have long been known as right-wing cities, especially in comparison to other urban centers across AO and beyond, the center-left is looking to make in-roads into Moravica. And it has many in the PPM panicking. "If they garnered a Moravican majority- we would never win again." Said an anonymous PPM campaign manager. "We've got to fiercely defend our majority out here."

As for the right, they will be playing a lot of defense. They will focus mostly on Banija's West Coast- defending the Moravica Region, continuing to make gains in Kitara, and then focus in central Banija- try to make further gains in the Buganda Region. They are only 13 seats away from a single party majority, remember- which is not that far at all.

by **Lisander** » Thu Jan 06, 2022 5:20 pm

Addressing possibilities
Defeats against Ko-oren and Chromatika are predictable and pointless to mourn, let's think about real results.

@NAFL_ls: So, it was 47 - 9.

NAFL taught those bullies, LOL.

There are still three more games to come. Qualifying for the Playoffs is a clear impossibility, as we have a game against Iron Legion, and it will be in Chromatika. If the amateurs managed to hold off a 7-28 at home, it's to be hoped that the semi-pros at least get something similar in D'rea.

But it's not that game we should worry about. It's the other two. They are the two home games that are not against Ko-oren or Chromatika.

First, the game against StrayaRoos. That team has been going better than expected, even for the Roosians themselves, picking up home wins against Lisander, South Newlandia and most recently the Allamunic States. It remains to be seen whether the NAFL players, who are supposedly better physically, technically and tactically, can pull off a win against the ex-Koalas, who are now riding a wave of popularity. The Lynx have home-field advantage, and the NAFL has sold tickets at very cheap prices, hoping to fill at least half of the 30,000 seats at Nordland Metropolitan.

And to round out the day, South Newlandia. The team we thought would clearly be the best of the rest, and who currently sit third in the group, have been causing astonishment in our commentators. The team that can bravely beat Iron Legion is the same team that previously let themselves be beaten by the Taipans. Nobody expected a stumble like that, so we can't really say what it will be like to welcome the Elephants to the ACK Arena in Kasandora on MD10. The point difference in the result of the game at Elephant Field was 13. Can the NAFL team at least turn that negative number into a positive number?

by **Buffalostan** » Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:07 pm

MD7

      1   2   3   4   F
DRK   0   6   3   7  16
BUF  10  10   3   3  26
BOX                                                                                               DRK  BUF
  1 Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 42 yard field goal                                                       0    3
    octodawson alixer 12 yard pass from Tom Ehrlich (Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez kick)                   0   10
  2 Preston Sawyer 25 yard pass from Dustin Beck (pass failed)                                      6   10
    Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 28 yard field goal                                                       6   13
    Devajee Hardy 1 yard pass from Tom Ehrlich (Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez kick)                        6   20
  3 David Merit 37 yard field goal                                                                  9   20
    Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 47 yard field goal                                                       9   23
  4 Jack Hoy 12 yard rush (David Merit kick)                                                       16   23
    Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 31 yard field goal                                                      16   26

Offensive Player of the Game: On a day when Zebulon Badgerfarmer and Nathan Kennedy had clay hands, Tommy Herschlag was the sole receiver to cross 100 yards, that despite both of them receiving more than twice as many targets as him. But while neither caught half of them, Herschlag made all 7 of his catches, 6 of them against good coverage. Herschlag hails from Lower Fargonia, where gridiron is mainly still played as an option-heavy rugby variant with little passing, so his good route running and tough hands and especially toughness against contact all stood out. Not bad for a punter! Tom Ehrlich didn't hit 300 yards and was sacked five times by the powerful Drawkish pass rush, while Noah Langerud was held to a long of 10 yards and a YPC of under 3.

Defensive Player of the Game: Five different Drawkians recorded sacks, but the only player on either team with multiple sacks was Crosby Cunningsynthesizedcuredpigmeatreplacement. Kuruk Pitalesharo and Juggernaut Jacobs also recorded a sack each, but neither could match Cunningsynthesizedcuredpigmeatreplacement's impact as he gave Dermot Byrne a tough day at the office. Xochixaual Huitzilihuitl continued his amazing interception streak, and there were also picks for Manoël Arsenault and Herschlag, who really couldn't drop anything: he read the play smartly on a Drawkish fake field goal attempt and picked off Jared Flan's attempted heave. Not such a good day for Jennings Horgan, who got manhandled by Joyner Winfield all day.

Special Teams Player of the Game: Juan Sebastián Navarro Coronil forced a key fumble on an Ozzy Otten return after he nearly ran another one back following his MD2 six. But really, the award has to go to Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez, who made all of her kicks on the day, included a dreaded 47 yarder, a distance feared by all Buffalostanis.

by **Chromatika** » Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:50 pm

What makes for a "good loss"?

This is a question that absolutely every coach has had to face while trying to take care of their squad. Some losses can carry more weight than others. If a loss knocks you out of playoff contention or even eliminates you from a tournament, it's not a very good loss (unless it is a step forward for your program). If, instead, you lose in the middle of a group stage, and it shows you what you need to work on? People can work with that, under usual circumstances.

South Newlandia's thrashing of the Iron Legion - for that was what it was before ten points in the fourth quarter made the score more respectable - was a wake-up call. The Elephants dominated the line of scrimmage, running the ball to the tune of 174 yards and three touchdowns, while Sarai Gwenderyn was held to 20-of-31 for 241 yards, two touchdowns, and a costly interception in the end zone. The usually deadly combination of Gwenderyn to Mio was held in check by Jayden-James Norton, as Mio amassed three catches for 41 yards and a score.

"It was a question of intensity," remarked Gwenderyn, "They (the Elephants) just wanted it more, and we couldn't keep up. By setting the tone early, we felt the pressure, and we weren't ever really in this one."

Park Mi-Hyeon and Jere Rinaldi took responsibility for the defense's inability to stop Giovanni Reed. "The Elephants played physical football, and we got run over," stated Park, "We need to do better in staying in our zones, going through our assignments, and overall discipline."

Chromatika won't have too much time to mourn - with a date against the Ko-oren Dragonflies next. The Iron Legion will already lose a tiebreaker to South Newlandia, as the Elephants have the edge in H2H PD (+7); Chromatika cannot lose to Ko-oren, especially by more than two points. Their hopes for a bye depend on it.

"It's going to be an ugly game," promised Rinaldi, "They'll be bringing the fire, and we need to stand up to meet them."

Otherwise, it won't be a good defeat, but the start of a slide.

by **Delaclava** » Thu Jan 06, 2022 9:33 pm

Delaclava                  6 - 6 - 7 - 6 -- 25
Pius Desurongcrandis       7 - 0 - 3 - 3 -- 13

1st Quarter
DEL - Kieran Conley 45 yard FG, 11:24.
PDR - Isaac Bruce 8 yard run (Jack Porwhich kick), 5:12.
DEL - Conley 38 yard FG, 3:00.
2nd Quarter
DEL - Taurus Wright 21 yard pass to Andre Michel (pass failed) 2:41.
3rd Quarter
PDR - Jack Porwhich 28 yard FG, 11:53.
DEL - Noah Simmons 6 yard run (Kieran Conley kick), 5:02.
4th Quarter
PDR - Porwhich 35 yard FG, 14:23.
DEL - Wright 44 yard run (pass failed), 5:42.

It was early in the morning when Robbie Hahn stepped outside in downtown Coleport, hoping to get a cup of coffee. Most of his teammates were choosing to catch some sleep at the hotel following the long overnight flight from Fennex to Catherina - from the inferior Phoenix capital to the superior Phoenix capital - and the rail ride out from Catherina to Coleport.

Robbie quite liked Coleport. Many people liked to joke about Coleport, but without fail, they had never even visited the place, usually hailing from faraway places like Manchester or Valhalla or Tumbra. Their jokes really didn't make any sense at all.

They were in Coleport to play Buffalostan. The last time they were playing the Janissaries, it was on their turf and it wasn't a great trip. First, they'd gotten banged up and barely escaped with a win. Then, Robbie got the bright idea in his lonely state to try to proposition his friend and quarterback Taurus Wright. Well, he lost the nerve anyway, so nothing bad came of it. Except he was in a multi-game slump for the first time in years. Other than a key touchdown in the win in Drawkland, he'd been largely silent, unable to regularly get open and fully secure balls. It had come to a head in this game against Pius Desurongcrandis. Delaclava had won, of course, but a difficult win over a bad team is a ripe opportunity for fair-weather fans to criticize the team, and the supporters pilloried Hahn for a zero-catch day where he dropped both a touchdown catch that denied Delaclava the chance to retake the lead in the first quarter, and also a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter.

He'd been in a slump for a few years too in his love life. His football career had reached new heights, starting as a 23-year-old when he rose from a rookie tight end with a bright future to a key piece of a third-place finish in the World Bowl. Now at 26, he was a first-team All-UGL player, a league champion, and an AO Bowl champion who was sought after for magazine covers and talk show appearances. But between all that chaos and staying committed to his craft, he'd been largely absent from the scene, unable to open up and, well, fully secure balls.

So Robbie had been thinking all night on that plane ride of how nothing quite seemed to be lining up for him, and now he was tired of being stuck with stale air and toxic thoughts, so before he was going to try to get any rest, he just had to get outside and clear his bed a little bit.

He hadn't seen this part of town before, but it was nice, with a lot of different coffee shops, burger joints, and picariz restaurants. One of these coffee shops was the Old Hearth Cafe. It looked inviting, with a warm wooden interior and furry-but-not-too-poofy seating. Robbie entered.

The next morning, the team was five minutes into their practice when Robbie came bursting out of the locker room and onto the field, towards the huddle. Coach Frank Newman stared at him with half-ire, half-confusion, then continued talking.

Justin Vandaele, the receiver and Robbie's old teammate at St. James, leaned over and whispered. "Bro. You didn't answer me and you're never late. What the hell happened?"

Robbie smiled. "Everything."

by **Delaclava** » Thu Jan 06, 2022 10:10 pm

When times are getting tough, you've got to ask yourself: who are you, in the face of disappointment; where is your character?

Day 8 cutoff!

Qualification key:

Has won the group and qualified for the quarterfinals
Has qualified for at least the Round of 12
Cannot win the group, but may still qualify for the Round of 12
Eliminated from playoff contention

Group A
Caliland 31–30 Pius Desurongcrandis
Delaclava 22–10 Buffalostan
Drawkland 30–19 Kohnhead

  Group A                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Delaclava                            8    8   0   257  108 +149 QF
2 Kohnhead                             8    4   4   238  159  +79
3 Drawkland                            8    4   4   237  202  +35
4 Buffalostan                          8    4   4   252  189  +63
5 Caliland                             8    3   5   134  334 −200
6 Pius Desurongcrandis                 8    1   7   158  284 −126 E

Group B
The Cordian Isles 0–19 Abanhfleft
Sarzonia 17–50 Ranoria
HUElavia 17–0 United Adaikes

  Group B                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Ranoria                              8    7   1   256   90 +166 Q
2 Abanhfleft                           8    6   2   193   95  +98 Q
3 HUElavia                             8    4   4   150  142   +8 EW
4 Sarzonia                             8    4   4   179  235  −56 EW
5 The Cordian Isles                    8    3   5    93  183  −90 EW
6 United Adaikes                       8    0   8    73  199 −126 E

Abanhfleft has qualified because HUElavia and Sarzonia will play on Day 10; therefore, they cannot both equal Abanhfleft's record.

Group C
TJUN-ia 24–7 Caleonia
United States of Great America 23–43 Saint Kanye
Banija 16–41 New Gesem

  Group C                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 TJUN-ia                              8    8   0   227   71 +156 Q
2 Saint Kanye                          8    6   2   299  173 +126 Q
3 Banija                               8    5   3   248  214  +34 EW
4 United States of Great America       8    3   5   139  222  −83 EW
5 New Gesem                            8    2   6   161  233  −72 E
6 Caleonia                             8    0   8    91  252 −161 E

Saint Kanye can still win the group by winning their next two games and TJUN-ia losing their next two, including a STK win of at least 14 points on Day 10.
United States of Great America can still qualify by winning their next two games and Banija losing their next two, including a USGA win of at least 44 points on Day 10.

Group D
Lisander 30–24 StrayaRoos
Allamunnic States 7–63 South Newlandia
Chromatika 26–10 Ko-oren

  Group D                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Chromatika                           8    7   1   175   87  +88 Q
2 South Newlandia                      8    5   3   207  121  +86
3 Ko-oren                              8    5   3   158  107  +51 EW
4 StrayaRoos                           8    3   5   155  206  −51 EW
5 Lisander                             8    2   6   130  192  −62 E
6 Allamunnic States                    8    2   6   126  238 −112 E

Chromatika has the H2H advantage over Ko-oren (2-0); South Newlandia has the H2H advantage over Ko-oren (1-1, +7); South Newlandia has the H2H advantage over Chromatika (1-1, +7).
StrayaRoos currently has the H2H over South Newlandia (1-0, +1); Ko-oren has the H2H over Strayaroos (1-0, +1).
South Newlandia can win the group by finishing at 7-3, tied with either Chromatika or both Chromatika and Ko-oren.
South Newlandia qualifies by winning at least one game, or as long as they are not tied at 5-5 with StrayaRoos alone (with or without Ko-oren). In a three way tie at 5-5, StrayaRoos would be 3-1 in H2H, Ko-oren 2-2, South Newlandia 1-3.
Ko-oren qualifies by winning at least one game, or as long as they do not lose by more than 10 to StrayaRoos; however, if there is a three-way tie at 5-5, as described above, Ko-oren will still qualify.

by **StrayaRoos** » Thu Jan 06, 2022 10:46 pm

Lisander 30-24 StrayaRoos

Oh Shit. We need to win against SNL and Ko-oren to Qualify to the 2nd Round in Delaclava As We would be 3-1 H2H,Ko-oren would be 2-2 and South Newlandia would be 1-3 so We would Qualify but SNL or Ko-oren Cannot win another Game

BetSTR Odds for StrayaRoos World Bowl MD9-10
Ko-oren 45 to 1
South Newlandia 5 to 1
Round of 12 13 to 1
Quarterfinals 20 to 1
Semifinals 30 to 1
Finalist 42 to 1
Championship 63 to 2

by **South Newlandia** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 4:27 am

by **Pius Desurongcrandis** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 5:53 am

Since the Pius Phoenixes have been eliminated from the Playoffs, a flurry of Roster moves has happened to see how well the young talent will do on the National Stage. One of the most exciting changes is Young QB Sebastian Cohortez has been named starting quarterback for the rest of the games. Cohortez got a reputation with the Boston Minutemen but there were concerns of him not being ready to compete in the World Bowl, this is a chance for the young Signal caller that he can perform well on the national stage.

by **Ranoria** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 10:41 am

Ranoria Lights Up The Stars, Continues To Set Stage For Climactic Week 8 Showdown With Abanhfleft

CB Darnell Sleight (pictured) has been a solid addition at corner for Ranoria. Despite struggling in domestic play coming off a torn ACL, he appears to have returned to form for his Krauts team with 3 interceptions on the year

We're not entirely sure what it is, but the Krauts seem to have Sarzonia's number. They're an otherwise tough team that we placed as our #10 team in the pre-season power rankings and managed to split with Abanhfleft in this tournament. For some reason or another though, they just can't hang with the Krauts. Their matchup in Ranoria City finished 55-24, and this time it was even worse, with Ranoria again putting a 50-burger on them and allowing just 17 this go-round.

From the opening bell, any talk of this being a closer game in Sarzonia evaporated. Cam Stallworth - whose offense has slowed considerably since a hot start to World Bowl 43 - dropped back on the first play from scrimmage and fired the ball to a quick slant. Fortunately, Darnell Sleight - who's had an excellent bounce-back season after a torn ACL kept him out of World Bowl 42 - was right there. Sleight intercepted the pass without a problem and was able to run straight across the field and dive towards the pylon to score on the opening possession, setting the tone early for a game that would knock the Stars out of contention to win Group B. Now, Barry Chlorid missed the opening PAT, but he's a Ranorian - we don't expect much out of our kickers.

Stallworth did better on the next drive. He was still unable to get into scoring range, but with plenty of scripted plays left on the sheet he was able to connect on 4 of his 5 passes and pick 44 yards on the way. The drive still ended with a punt, but it was a start against a defense that's conceded the 3rd fewest points of any squad in the World Bowl.

John Garrett made sure to take a comfortable lead early. Despite the driving starting inside the ten yard line, he drove his squad down in just six plays, all passes, going 6/6 on a series capped off with a deep post shot to Khalil Hauptmann that saw the 6'5" wideout simply out-rebound Will Donnelly before shrugging off the smaller corner's tackle. We can't fault Donnelly - who's had an excellent World Bowl overall - for the play. He's simply giving up five inches and 20 pounds to one of the best wideouts in Banija's GFLB, and that wideout was more than fast enough to cover the remaining eight yards untouched for a 27 yard touchdown pass.

Luckily for the Stars' faithful, their squad made it a game - they marched down on a long drive that ate up 12 minutes of game clock to slow this thing down, with Cam Stallworth beating star linebacker Sean Morgan-Horne to the edge and running in a six yard touchdown. But Ranoria was undeterred. John Garrett hit another touchdown, this one to Jeremiah Fletcher, on his second try, and Sarzonia managed to put up a field goal on what would be their final opportunity of the half...but the Krauts, with just under two minutes on the clock, ran a hurry up offense. They'd score again, making it three consecutive touchdown drives to open this game and take a 27-10 lead going into halftime, a lead that would only widen as this thing dragged on.

At halftime things didn't get much better. Ranoria's scoring was slowed a bit - they were held to a field goal on their next three drives, but any adjustments the Stars made were failing miserably as they turned the ball over twice more on a Sean Morgan-Horne interception and a forced fumble from veteran pass rusher Angelo Gordon. By now Vice Jackson III was starting to take over the ball game, and why wouldn't he? Up 36-10 with John Garrett having nearly cleared 400 yards late in the third quarter, it was rational to try to eat up the clock and head home. Garrett would score one final touchdown, this one a screen to the aforementioned big back from 19 yards out, and Jackson would run in the final Ranoria touchdown of the day with six minutes left in the competition to make it 50-10, with Stallworth completely unable to close the gap as the Krauts' pass rush really began to tee off as they finished the day with five sacks.

By that time, Raul Nieler decided to rest his starters. Garrett finished the day 29/40 for 431 yards and four touchdown passes with no turnovers before handing the reigns over to backup Jeremiah Quill. Garrett's been sharp this season outside laying an egg against the Armored Revolutionaries - he just continues to put up points for the 3rd best scoring offense in this tournament, now with 21 passing touchdowns and over twenty two hundred yards through 8 games. The Stars managed to make this thing a bit closer with a garbage time score late, and Quill and crew ran out the remaining three minutes of game clock to secure their biggest win of the tournament and clinch a playoff spot going into the most important game of their group stage - their rematch with Abanhfleft.

While Ranoria currently leads the group with a 7-1 record, a loss to the Armored Revolutionaries would make that a moot point as they've already lost to the old powerhouse once. However, winning against them - in Ranoria City no less - would clinch the group for the Krauts and ensure favorable seeding going into a playoff stage where they're of course hoping to repeat as champions.

Next up: Abahnfleft @ Ranoria, the grudge match that will decide the fate of Group B! Stay tuned for that match, scheduled for primetime in Ranoria, as the World Bowl 43 playoff picture starts to take shape.

Player Stats:
QB John Garrett: 166/232, 2,232 yards, 21 TD, 2 INT, 10 carries, 37 yards
QB Jeremiah Quill: 5/9, 29 yards, 9 carries, 39 yards
HB Vice Jackson III: 161 carries, 821 yards, 5 TD, 19 receptions, 175 yards, 1 TD
HB Emilio Annaise: 73 carries, 301 yards, 1 TD, 11 receptions, 81 yards
HB Melvin Strong: 30 carries, 148 yards, 1 reception, 5 yards
WR Khalil Hauptmann: 37 receptions, 609 yards, 7 TD
WR Jeremiah Fletcher: 24 receptions, 289 yards, 2 TD
WR Calvin Hale: 22 receptions, 285 yards, 2 TD
WR Javier Gilmore: 1 punt return TD (69)
TE Johnny Farmer: 44 receptions, 558 yards, 7 TD
TE Vasily Schmidt: 15 receptions, 156 yards, 2 TD

ILB Ross Monarch: 72 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 sack 2 FF/1 FR
OLB Sean Morgan-Horne: 63 tackles, 2 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF/2 FR
DE Angelo Gordon: 28 tackles, TFL, 4 sacks, 2 FF/1 FR
DE Zach Skinner: 36 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 2 TFL 0 FF/1 FR
DE Douglas Starling: 13 tackles, 2 sacks
DT Spencer Crutchfield: 15 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 3 TFL, 1 FF/0 FR
DT Gudbrand Taurus: 16 tackles, 4 sacks , 3 TFL
CB Darnell Sleight: 38 tackles, 9 PBU, 3 INT, 1 TD
CB Cameron Barbarosa: 45 tackles, 7 PBU, 3 INT
FS Kenny Leinden: 49 tackles, 4 PBU, 2 INT
SS Judas Wolfson: 55 tackles, 3 PBU, 4 INT, 3 TFL, sack, 2 FF/1 FR

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 12:08 pm

DISCLAIMER: Gaelic Gamers is an independent sports blogging website created by four cousins with a common liking and passion for sports of all kinds and is in no way or form affiliated with or organized by any official news organization in the Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft. All statements and opinions posted here are our own and not anyone else's.

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

Gabbing on Gridiron
with Dara Keane

WORLD BOWL XLIII: GROUP STAGE MATCHDAY EIGHT

The Cordian Isles    0  0  0  0  0
Abanhfleft           0  6  7  6  19

Have I already mentioned that gridiron can be such a weird sport sometimes? I’m not really sure why, but something about World Bowl XLIII is giving me this weird unexplainable feeling that I’m not sure how to describe, and the fact that I can’t describe it or why I’m feeling it is giving me all sorts of weird vibes. Wow, I think this is the first time that I’ve ever unironically used the word “vibes.” Too late, it’s on the Internet now. And we all know that everything on the Internet is permanent and un-delete-able. I wanna complain, but there’s no use, so I’ll just shut my gob and continue on with gabbing about gridiron.

Today we have the Armored Revolutionaries’ second game against the Cordian Isles. Now, while Abanhfleft may have been victorious against the Cordians in our previous encounter against them, the potential implications of a loss against the newcomers meant that things got off to a sketchy start. The Armored Revolutionaries clearly had the upper hand over the home side, but there was definitely an undercurrent of caution running through this Abanhfleft team in the first quarter, and it definitely cost them at the start. Receivers were dropping easy passes, and Wes Soderlund found that he had less time in the pocket than he was used to because of his O-line missing a few key calls. At least the defense was more "tuned in," so to speak, and they prevented the Cordians from taking advantage of the Fleftic offense's slipups, of which there was definitely a worrying amount in the first quarter. Luckily for us though, Marius Magnussen got some words in to the lads before the start of the second quarter and they finally got their heads out of their arses and they started taking the game seriously. Well, most of them did anyway. Roland Bass seemed to have missed the memo since he whiffed his one-point conversion for Toby Archambeault's touchdown. At least he would be able to get back with the program in the second half.

It was nice to see Hayden Bruso get a good little run out with the rest of the team for this game. Marius Magnussen had always preferred to use Ronnie Turgeon on running plays as opposed to Bruso so to see the man not only get game time but also a touchdown is a good thing in my book. And it's not just because Bruso played for the Markovsky Lumberjacks for a few seasons back in the day; no, Hayden is actually a good friend of mine. We actually went to the same high school together, and we played on the same high school team. I was a nose guard at the time and he was an offensive lineman. It was actuually my idea for him to become a fullback, and I gotta say, it did reap him a fair few benefits in college and the FNLAF. Sad to say though that I couldn't really make the leap to the pro league with him, but I like to think that I like the way that my life panned out nonetheless. In any case, Bruso Boy finally got his first touchdown of the tournament, and it's probably fair to say that he's getting some drinks on him as a result.

But there's no time for the lads to rest on their laurels because they've still got two games yet to play, and the one immediately in front of them is perhaps the most important one they're about to play in this World Bowl, more important than even that second game against Sarzonia. You guessed it, it's the second gamr against Ranoria. Pride and victory aren't the only things at stake here; the fate of our group is also on the line for that particular match. Whoever wins this game most likely wins the group as well. As of time of writing, Ranoria holds the advantage with their better overall record, but we do hold a very slim head-to-head advantage over them. As in we only have a single touchdown separating the Armored Revolutionaries from the Krauts should the tiebreakers be needed. Ranoria knows that they need to beat us by more than just one touchdown to secure their stranglehold at the top of our group. Abanhfleft knows that this is their one and only chance to increase that slender lead and hopefully throw this playoff picture wide open. But once again, the lads must know that they cannot play as tentatively as they did against the Cordian Isles in their second game against that particular opponent or else they will certainly get swamped by the Krauts, because if that happens, getting into the playoffs just became a more difficult task for them to do. Bruno Bravo, Bruno Bravo, Bruno Bravo...

by **Sarzonia** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 12:12 pm

Woodstock Daily Mail

Grid Stars fire Hanley

From Staff Reports

Following Sarzonia's 50-17 defeat to No. 1 Ranoria at Joe Gibbs Stadium, Stars manager Gavin Davis announced he fired defensive coordinator Kyle Hanley, effective immediately.

"The defence hasn't performed to expectations," Davis said. "Kyle admitted that to me when I informed him of the decision. I know the timing is rough because we just played the top gridball team in the multiverse, but as much as some of that was a quality team we were up against, some of that was us just not making plays." Davis said the decision was his.

"I've been given the freedom to make decisions about the coaching staff, and I feel this change is necessary for us to move forward as a gridball team."

Hanley said he respected the decision by Davis.

"We gave up too many big plays and we didn't make enough plays," Hanley said. "This is a bottom line business and that's the bottom line."

Defensive line coach Tyler Paige takes over as interim defensive coordinator. He's the younger brother of former Stars manager Arthur Paige, who managed the Stars in World Bowl XIX qualifying. Paige said he would not employ as many blitzes as Hanley did, saying he hoped for better coverage in the secondary and adding that blitzing often forced Stars cornerbacks into one-on-one coverage.

"We've been getting exposed back there," he said.

Offensively, Davis said he wanted to get back to a ground and pound philosophy with Ty'Relle Clinton getting more carries and utilising more short passing to get quarterback Cameron Stallworth more comfortable.

"I don't want Cam to feel like everything's on his shoulders," Davis said. "It's a lot to ask for a quarterback who's new to this level of gridball."

by **TJUN-ia** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 2:43 pm

After another typical TJUN-ian performance sent us to 7-0 in New Gesem, the Jaguars of TJUN-ia now faced a scenario that while difficult to achieve, may certainly be possible overall - win 2 of 3 in the run-in and the Jaguars would win this group. Gus McKerrin's side had already secured a spot in the Top 3 after that win last week and while that was certainly cause for celebration for us as a Gridiron nation (reaching our 3rd Playoffs in a row), Gus stressed that the job wasn't done just yet and we had to press on no matter what - despite the theme of tonight's contest giving us the opposite vibe. Yes, the party-crazy and winless Caleonia were in town and to celebrate, tonight would be "Bash at the Beach Night", with almost everyone in attendance arriving at the Field of Dreams ready to hit the beach instead of watching a game of Gridiron - more Wollongmatta Bay than New Washington, if you catch my drift.

So we had a bit of a party atmosphere for this contest and while we didn't see much in terms of scoring opportunities, it still was a fun game nonetheless. Both defences would play pretty well overall tonight, so it would all come down to how well both offences could break through with the opportunities they had...and is that really a difficult question to answer? Jake Griffin was always good at finding opportunities even in the worst of times and his 2 TDs tonight (once to Hubert Valois and once to Vinny Mac) once again showed that. TJUN-ia's 3rd and final TD of the night was truly special when Pedro Marquinios returned a punt 98-yards for the score and that certainly blew the roof off the joint without question, with Chi On-Ma going 3/3 on his PATs. The backups would get an opportunity to shine after that and while they did concede a TD, Clayton McGee was on hand to get a FG for Jags to end the night at 24-7 - not our best performance, but a performance nonetheless as we made it to 8-0. TJUN-ia is 8-0. It doesn't feel real...but it most certainly is.

Our next game needs no introduction - Round 2 against the Banija Serpent Eagles and this time, in front of 80,000 of the feisty Banijan faithful at the Istria Olympic Stadium in Moravica. Heading into #4 was always going to be a big game, but Banija and Thomas Hall is going to want this game a lot more than what was expected for 3 big reasons. Firstly, revenge - the obvious one - as losing by 22 points in New Washington is certainly a wound they want to avenge in the best possible way. Secondly, the bounceback factor - due to them shockingly losing by 25 to New Gesem - and this will certainly be important considering TJUN-ia's "win and you win it all" scenario entering the contest. Lastly, there's the Political factor - there's an election coming up very soon and what better way to celebrate Banija as a whole than acting spoiler to only of the last 2 undefeated teams in the entire World Bowl. TJUN-ia has to win to claim that Top 4 berth while Banija needs to win to assure they qualify for the Playoffs themselves. No matter who you support and no matter your views of what is going down in Nyowani Kitara (which the average TJUN-ian will be keen to ask about on Banijan soil), Game 9 of this season, our final road game of the season, will certainly be one of the biggest games of the entire tournament thus far...and we have to be ready for everything and anything #4 can throw at Pot 3 TJUN-ia. GO JAGS!

SCHEDULE (Group C)
MD1: @United States of Great America (UR) W 16-0 (2nd)
MD2: vs New Gesem (31) - The Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 27-9 (1st)
MD3: @Caleonia (UR) W 27-7 (1st)
MD4: vs Banija (4) - The Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 51-29 (1st)
--------------------------Break--------------------------
MD5: @Saint Kanye (5) - Pencurve Electronics Field, Kardashia W 26-13 (1st/5-0/+89PD)
MD6: vs United States of Great America (UR) - The Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 27-3 (1st)
--------------------------Break--------------------------
MD7: @New Gesem (31) W 29-3 (1st)
MD8: vs Caleonia (UR) - The Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 24-7 (1st)
MD9: @Banija (4) - Istria Olympic Stadium, Istria, Moravica
MD10: vs Saint Kanye (5) - The Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington

by **Ko-oren** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 4:50 pm

We had hoped to be further on our journey, at least to the point of challenging Chromatika, but the Dragonflies were denied a second time and are now back in a battle with South Newlandia for second place. The good thing is that the third placed teams also qualify, which means we're near guaranteed to play at least one game after the group stage, but we'll rest better knowing we've got the upper hand (seed) in that. Meanwhile, South Newlandia have continued their campaign of 'beating every previous World Bowl champion' with a huge 63-7 win over the Allamunnic States, who aren't having a fantastic cycle at all - but they'll be back and better. With the Elephants in this shape, it'll be difficult for them to drop a game and fall to third place. Before we focus on other teams and their shortcomings, let's overanalyse the Dragonflies once again.

The 26-10 loss took shape early, with Dior kicking a field goal on the opening drive, Setri recovering the fumble on the first Ko-orenite drive, and Gwenderyn throwing for 17 yards to Sayan for the first touchdown of the day and a first quarter 10-0 lead for the Iron Legion. Kosmauthaunden, trying to get his offence back into the game, took more risk than necessary - it's only a 10-point deficit, and the Mayara Wolves' signalcaller should know that - and went three and out, barely avoiding interceptions on two of the three passes. The defence, for the second time on the day confronted with a short field to defend, got a sack, an incomplete pass with Gwenderyn completely locked up in the pocket, and batted down the pass on third and 14. Dior was called upon for the second time today (as far as field goals go) for the 13-0 lead at the start of the second quarter. The damage was apparently done, Kosmauthaunden was pulled from the game after a suspected injury, and Parkes took over, briefly, while the coaching staff figured out how to approach the game. Parkes then led two short drives, one of which led to a 49-yard field goal attempt that finally put up the first points of the day: Bennett was successful and put the score at 13-3 going into halftime. The Dragonflies failed to find momentum in the final 30 minutes, though they didn't stop trying new things. Jurethen had a decently successful day, Parkes had a great connection with Voorhorst for a few short completions in traffic that weren't too spectacular but did move the chains. Normally, when the script needs to be flipped, we expect the defence to conjure a turnover out of nothing, but Gwenderyn learned from earlier run-ins and took exactly what she could find without forcing tight windows or deep throws into coverage. Kaiser-Williams had plenty of snaps in the third and fourth quarters for first downs, while Gwivern and Sayan found the gaps in zone coverage for Chromatika to march through. 13-3 turned to 16-3 and 19-3 with two more field goals.

At this point, it still wasn't lost for the Dragonflies. A touchdown, a short drive or an onside kick, with another touchdown, both followed by a two point conversion, and we'd at least go to overtime. With Arerira suited up on the sideline, ready to take over for Parkes should anything happen, the veteran quarterback of the Eaglebury Emperors slung the ball to Yowarie and Fineman who took advantage of the soft 'prevent' coverage ("prevent coverage prevents you from winning", as they say) for a swift touchdown, punched in by Thorebourne from the three-yard line. Unfortunately, the onside kick ended up with the Iron Legion, and there was just a bit too much time on the clock to run it out, especially with the everpresent chance of a turnover. Mio caught the 11-yard pass in the endzone with about a minute and a half on the clock, but at 26-10 the game was out of contention.

It's strange how the international game still keeps moving more towards passing and catching, not necessarily with a smaller role for the defence, but chunk plays and fast receivers are the name of the game now. The Ko-orenite league has been moving towards heavy personnel and a strong running game to avoid the good coverages that successful teams like the Sterrenwolde Dragonflies, Noordrug Astronauts, Greencaster Godspeed, and Schemerdrecht Admirals employ. The strongest running games are currently found with the Schemerdrecht 65ers, Aminey Caspians, and Mayara Destroyers, the three teams that have won titles in the past few years (or have come very close, as well as the Caspians' strangely good seasons). As Ko-oren has also had somewhat of a receiver shortage, is this making our play style and league incompatible with the international game? The coaching staff still fully believe in the international style, selecting Parkes and Kosmauthaunden at quarterback as static pocket passers. Sure, Arerira is on the roster, but he's been there for a while as the necessary dual threat option, regardless of whether he actually gets snaps. Either we go for the running game fully, in which case we need a QB like Sylvestre - at 31 years old, still good for a little while - or hope a fast runner comes through the D-League to follow in the footsteps of Arerira, or we embrace the passing game (for which we have the quarterbacks, but not the receivers). In that case, we have to stop putting all of the quick players at the cornerback position and develop some of them as receivers.

On the defensive side, Ko-oren still have fairly little to improve, apart from the odd 20-pointers that keep getting posted on us. There are some decisions to be made by Luc Jauffret regardless, and he needs everyone to stick to those decisions. Unfortunately, another position with quite a bit of need is the strong safety position. Turaundhinthen starts at that position right now, with Minjarrah at 33 selected behind him - and look at the free safeties, both are 30+...

by **Banija** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 5:36 pm

Part 1- Election Day FAQs

The Busukuma Post
Covering All of Banija, All of our News, All of the Time

Election Day Live Blog

A woman casts her ballot in Herzegovina City

BUSUKUMA, NATIONAL CAPITOL REGION- We are finally here! It's Election Day. People are lining up to vote all across the country! There's no point in holding back- without further ado!

Count Day

7:00 AM- Remember, all polling stations are mandated to be open for a total of 15 hours- minimum of 7 AM to 10 PM here on Election Day. The whole country resides in the same time zone, of course, so that is how this day will work. Lines galore! Votes are being cast!

7:25 AM- Let's take a look at what the parties did last night, for their last rallies, eh? There seems to be a big, late CRU Push into the Moravica Region- a push that has the potential to truly remake the country's political map if successful. Banija's largest region has always been a bastion of the right. Presently, 57 of Moravica's 63 constituency seats are held by parties that are right of center- 42 by the PPM, 15 by the LDA. Ergo, the mainstream parties were hitting Moravica hard. Kobe Azizi, the outgoing Katikkiro, and Miremba Okello, the PPM"s new leader, held a joint rally in Herzegovina City, which is the regional capitol of Moravica Region, and also a right-wing stronghold- due to cultural issues, as the Church is headquartered there. Meanwhile, Xolile Lubabalo and the CRU held their closing rally in Jinja City- the center of the very swingy Hangaza Region.

7:45 AM- We're reporting long lines from all over the country so far! There are key turnout indicators to watch for across the country. One, of course, is Busukuma. The capitol is very left-wing so its seats will always be won by the left. But turnout there can be indicative of progressive energy all over the country. If Busukuma is leading the country in turnout- then it will be a good day for the left. If their turnout is low? Then the right will probably be in a good place.

8:20 AM- What do the parties do on Election Day, you ask? Well, first they vote themselves- and then they pound the pavement. Miremba Okello was the first party leader to cast her vote, doing it in Istria, the city where she is Mayor. She, of course, casts her own vote in the wealthiest constituency in the country- Wakiso North. She told reporters that she is "confident" that she can lead the People's Protection Movement to a third straight pluarality, and earn the mandate from His Majesty the Kabaka to form a Government.

8:40 AM- And now, in Hoima, Xolile Lubabalo has cast her own vote. She told reporters that "there is a tide in this country that wants change at the top- that wants a government that responds to their own needs first."

9:30 AM- This, of course, remains a divided country. And as long lines form throughout the country, it bears remembering the things that have defined the campaign. For many, the thought that the PPM should be the favorites. If Kobe Azizi had decided to run for re-election himself, of course, this may be something that already is in the bag- the election a mere formality. But it is hard to make the jump from city politics to national politics- even if you have national name recognition because you ran the city during a successful Olympiad. The lights are brighter at this stage, and she has had her missteps. She had to walk back comments that said the Nepharan Margravine was a "state sponsor of terror." While Nephara has never been less popular than they are now in Banija, many saw the comments as a fundamental misstep- and the left hammered her, arguing that she would not be the stateswoman that Banija would need.

10:15 AM- While of course, no votes have been counted yet, CRU officials are grinning from ear to ear in the Moravica Region. One CRU party official in Herzegovina City said that he was "ecstatic" about the next day's results. "I won't be able to sleep tonight." He said, while asking us not to share his name. "I've never seen this much energy for the left out here in Moravica. Talking about bread and butter issues, we're actually able to cut through the BS and actually make connections with people. This is what I like to see."

10:35 AM- At the same time, there are party officials in both the LDA and the PPM who, while publicly projecting confidence, who are worrying about Moravica. "Look- it's a trend around the multiverse. Urban centers are trending left, while rural areas trend right. While Banija's many rural areas are still far more swingy in nature than most countries, we have various cities starting to trend left. That's hugely problematic for our math, if we want a path to the PPM staying over 200 seats and gaining a pluarality. Demographic changes in cities, more than any specific issues, seem to be a major issue for us." Serious CRU in-roads there would be hugely problematic for the PPM. It would cause some soul searching. If they ever lost the Moravica- now remember, the CRU holds only 6 of 63 seats there right now- but if they ever lost Moravica, their path to glory would be greatly reduced.

12:00 PM- A tale as old as time. Every single election season, the Radical Republicans launch their protests. Who are they? They identify as a "Marxist-Leninist Republican Party." They believe in ending the monarchy, introducing secularism from the state- and further restricting public view of religion, and a whole host of things offensive to the majority of the Banijans. Because of that, the Guardian Council has consistently banned them from the ballot for advocating "anti-constitutional principles", although they still protest every single election. And now, they are out in a number of cities- Jinja City, Busukuma, and Herzegovina City.

1:15 PM- As long lines are forming all across the country, let's take a quick look at the BPC. They are the wrinkle- since, of course, they are the brand new party. Per Banijan electoral rules, they could not simply just "focus on a few constituencies"- but they had to run candidates in every single seat in the country in order to be eligible for party list votes. But where do they think they can make gains? "There are a surprising amount of BPC signs out in Hangaza, particularly out in East in Aissa. Quite surprising as it's not quite known as a left-wing city- but it is known as an anti-establishment kind of place. They do things differently in Aissa." That quote was from a TV analyst.

Skipping ahead to 8:30 PM...

8:30 PM- .... It's these late night lines that sometimes tell the story. And the late night energy from volunteers. While the PPM headquarters reports and is projecting confidence, PPM volunteers are having a decidedly mixed night. All eyes are going to be on the Moravica Region tomorrow for count Day. Lines are particularly long right in and around Herzegovina City.

9:00 PM- We're going to have exit polls for you right at 10 PM. And they... Seem interesting. Just to let you know, we've seen the preliminary results. Of course, per electoral law, exit polls cannot be released until 10 PM- but they will, indeed, tell a curious story.

9:22 PM- Of course, in Banija, if you get in line by 10 PM, they will keep the line open and let you vote. There are a few places where lines are going to extend for quite a while. Hoima and Busukuma are both reporting that multiple polling places are going to be open well past 10 PM. Surprisingly, in the largely rural swing regions of Buganda and Bunyoro, there are multiple polling places that are also reporting this. Does this mean there is heavy than normal turnout in rural Banija?

9:35 PM- Despite recent economic growth, Banija is mostly a rural country. There is not nearly as much urban flight here as there is in other countries- some say it's a good thing, and while it's certainly a bad thing for this country's carbon footprint, But while these are fiercely social conservative areas, they remain economically progressive. There is not a huge automotive industry in-country- so things like public transportation(thanks RTC!) must be exquisite in a country like this. So big rural turnout, in an election where economic issues, rather than cultural, have dominated discussion, is not necessarily an advantage for the PPM.

10:00 PM- 10 PM! Polling places are taking in the last voters, and around the country, voters need to be getting in line at this specific moment- or else they will not be allowed to vote. Let's release our exit polling, shall we? First, our issues.

Do you think the country is going in the right direction economically?
Yes- 55%
No- 40%
Don't Know- 5%

Do you believe that the country needs to secularize so that it can modernize?
Yes- 29%
No- 65%

Do you approve of the job Kobe Azizi did as Katikkiro?
Yes- 58%
No- 40%

Do you believe that Kobe Azizi running for a third term would have been preferable to Miremba Okello running for office?
Yes- 57%
No- 40%

Do you believe that Miremba Okello's experience at the national level is a detriment?
Yes- 61%
No- 35%

Who should rule Nyowani Kitara?
Malik Akongo- 84%
Nafuna Akongo- 7%
Max Ulf- 2%
Other- 7%

The Banijan Reparations package to Farfadillis, as a result of the Farfadillis nuclear incident, is set to expire in 6 months. What should Banija do about it?
Negotiate a Reduction- 29%
Unilaterally reduce it- 12%
Maintain the same package- 24%
Negotiate an expansion- 20%
Unilaterally end it- 3%
Other- 10%

Should Banija have universal healthcare, with a single-payer system?
Yes- 51%
No- 46%

Should the Government work to increase the number of immigrants into the country?
Yes- 67%
No- 30%

Should Banijans living abroad be allowed to vote in Banijan elections?
Yes- 47%
No- 47%

11:45 PM- And with the last pollign place closed in the country for the night... We can release our exit polls, showing our projection for this election.

Busukuma Post Projections

PPM- 34.3%: 85 PR seats + 9 overhang, 111 constituency seats- Total of 205 seats. Would be a projected 23 seat loss and 4.72% loss in popular vote compared to the last election.
CRU- 34.1%: 85 PR seats, 104 constituency seats- total of 189 seats. Would be a projected 31 seat gain and 1.93% gain in popular vote compared to the last election.
LDA- 17.0%: 42 PR seats, 22 constituency seats- total of 64 seats. Would be a projected 19 seat loss and 2.24% loss in popular vote compared to the last election.
BPC- 11.8%: 29 PR seats, 13 constituency seats- total of 42 seats.

As you can see, exit polling is extremely tight! Projecting a combined 42 seat loss for both parties in the governing coalition- but enough seats to form a new coalition government, even if the new one is much weaker. Will these results hold, and the center-right be returned to power? Or can the left turn these exit polls on their head and return to power for the first time in a decade?

You tell me. Come back and find out tomorrow night at our Count Day Blog!

by **Buffalostan** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 6:07 pm

MD8

      1   2   3   4   F
BUF   0   3   7   0  10
DEL   7   7   0   8  22
BOX                                                                                               BUF  DEL
  1 Andre Michel 4 yard pass from Taurus Wright (Kieran Conley kick)                                0    7
  2 Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 24 yard field goal                                                       3    7
    Charlie Coffin 51 yard pass from Noah Simmons (Kieran Conley kick)                              3   14
  3 Noah Langerud 38 yard pass from Tom Ehrlich (Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez kick)                      10   14
  4 Ryan Finney 2 yard rush (Noah Simmons pass from Taurus Wright)                                 10   22

Offensive Player of the Game: After an awful game against, Nathan Kennedy rebounded, which was fortunate because Zebulon Badgerfarmer did not, as Luke Mussett had him in his pocket all game, and Tommy Herschlag regressed to the mean, dropping 5 of 8 targets. Kennedy was the only Janissary with 100 yards from scrimmage on the day, exactly 68 rushing and 68 receiving: while his catches were split across 5 good catches, wearing Thomas Newton's coverage well, all his rushing yards came on a single play, a reverse that saw him rush up the sideline and nearly go all the way. Unhappily, Mussett got back to make not just a tackle, but jar the ball loose. The fumble was the one blot on a great day for Kennedy. Noah Kennedy took a screen pass to the house for the Janissaries' only touchdown on a day that seemed to favor halfbacks in the passing game (the Phoenixes opened up the playbook a little, perhaps having assured qualification not wanting to overburden Wright, or else just experimenting; either way, the halfback option pass from Noah Simmons worked a treat and blew open the Buffalostani coverage for a Charlie Coffin home run; their own attempt at a reverse went less well, as Justin Vandaele had barely taken the ball in hand when both he and Wright were ploughed down by Juggernaut Jacobs).

Defensive Player of the Game: Jacobs's hit was scored a tackle for loss, just, meaning his sack streak came to an end. Also coming to an end was Xochixaual Huitzilihuitl's interception streak; in fact, the only turnover the Janissaries generated was a Juan Sebastián Navarro Coronil pick as the linebacker dove to a tipped pass ahead of Robbie Hahn. The team's best defensive player was fellow linebacker Benjamin Clubb, who led both teams with 15 tackles. He also broke up 2 passes and forced a fumble -- but this time, Hahn was fastest to the loose ball. Despite the 12 point margin of victory, it's tempting to speculate what could have happened had the Janissaries recovered the two big fumbles rather than the Phoenixes; Delaclava were the better team of the day, but sometimes a game can turn on the pointy end of the ball.

Special Teams Player of the Game: Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez only had 2 kicks to make, which she did with ease, and Krurv's kickoff duties were sadly limited, to his rock-punching disappointment. Tommy Herschlag had to punt no fewer than 8 times, however, several times after he himself had dropped a third down pass; his best contribution came when he narrowly avoided a safety in the fourth quarter, though. Safety Tate Parker broke through and looked set to block the kick, but Herschlag feinted him off and scrambled for a first down. He ended up having to punt away four downs later anyway, but at least kept 2 points off the board.

by **Delaclava** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 6:45 pm

DSGN.com Football

Hahn left home for Kohnhead trip following positive test
Tight end had cocaine, LSD, DMT in system

Catherina Crushers tight end Robbie Hahn has been temporarily suspended from national team duties following a positive drug test for multiple banned substances and will not travel with the team to Kohnhead.

Hahn tested positive for cocaine, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and N,n-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). All three substances are legal in Delaclava, but are banned in-competition by the Delaclava Anti-Doping Agency (DADA) for "the protection and safety of athletes and their fellow competitors".

Hahn, who has 32 receptions for 290 yards and three touchdowns in his third World Bowl campaign, was selected with cause for testing following an absence of more than 24 hours from the team and showing up minutes late to a practice. Anonymous sources described his behavior as "dreamy and erratic", and he made several questionable posts on his social accounts during that period, including, "Life is a dream that you sing softly and the ones you love will hear it", "We're drawing up something special, my boy Noah Simmons is going to throw bombs, y'all just watch", and "Can't wait for the StrayaRoos-Cordian Isles WB championship, you won't want to miss it. The world is a beautiful place".

Hahn dressed but did not play in Delaclava's 22-10 win over Buffalostan. Noah Simmons had a touchdown pass in the game - to Charlie Coffin, for 51 yards. It is unclear whether

Many have been quick to defend Hahn for his use of recreational substances, especially as they appeared in drug tests that did not take place immediately before or after a game. Comedian and podcast host Jos Rontgen said, "It just seems crazy to me that this could happen. Every free-thinking, marijuana-loving Delaclav should have free access to DMT, elk meat, and intermittent fasting. Uh...what was the question? Sorry, but I think young, healthy adults should just be informed."

Hahn himself was not available for comment, but sources have indicated that Hahn plans to appeal the ban, with the affirmative defense that he was drugged without consent. Quarterback Taurus Wright commented, "I'm not entirely sure what's going on, or where he was for that day or so after we returned from Fennex, but a lot of this situation is very unlike him. We're all supporting him, and if there's anything suspect about this situation, we hope he is reinstated and can get back to the game."

Hahn's absence in Kohnhead has little practical ramifications, as Delaclava has already clinched a bye to the quarterfinals, leaving only pride and an undefeated record to play for. They are already eagerly anticipating a knockout stage at home, with teams like Ranoria, TJUN-ia, and Saint Kanye easily making their way into the field, while the likes of Ko-oren and Drawkland are still fighting for their spots against upstarts such as... StrayaRoos and The Cordian Isles. (Maybe there's something to this DMT business...)

Buffalostan       0 - 3 - 7 - 0 -- 10
Delaclava         7 - 7 - 0 - 8 -- 22

1st Quarter
DEL - Taurus Wright 4 yard pass to Andre Michel (Kieran Conley kick), 9:25.
2nd Quarter
BUF - Jaessa Kimimoto-Chavez 24 yard FG, 13:09.
DEL - Noah Simmons 51 yard pass to Charlie Coffin (Conley kick), 11:25.
3rd Quarter
BUF - Tom Ehrlich 38 yard pass to Noah Langerud (Jaessa Kimimoto-Chavez kick), 6:10.
4th Quarter
DEL - Ryan Finney 2 yard run (Taurus Wright pass to Noah Simmons), 8:54.

by **Chromatika** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 8:24 pm

Domination: Sarai Gwenderyn Stomp Dragonflies, Iron Legion Lead Group
Paul Mattieu Shines with Two Interceptions

HENZA CENER, D'REA, CAPITAL DISTRICT - The Chromatika Iron Legion set the tone early in their game against the Ko-oren Dragonflies. After containing the opening kickoff, a pair of negative runs were followed by Jere Rinaldi decking Zoruthau Kosmauthaunden in the end zone for the Safety. Sarai Gwenderyn and Alessandra Mio made the resulting short field count as the superstar Wide Receiver completed a double move to get open, leading to a thirty-three yard score that made the score 9-0 midway through the First Quarter.

After their loss to South Newlandia, the Iron Legion showed much poise and physicality in the match against the Dragonfiles. Ko-oren would only score ten points in the match - all in the Third Quarter - as Park Mi-Hyeon, Jere Rinaldi, and Cara Setri harassed Ksomauthaunden all game long to the tune of seven sacks. Paul Mattieu did his part, getting a pair of interceptions in the Fourth Quarter that iced the game.

On the offensive side of the ball, Sarai Gwenderyn used complex developing routes, solid protection along the front, and her talent to go 31-0f-43 for 318 yards and three touchdowns, with Alessandra Mio catching two of those scores. Kimberly Fowler added 71 yards and a score on the ground on 17 carries as Chromatika went more with the air raid approach.

The victory puts the Chromatiks back in solid position to win the group, with one more win - over fifth place and already-eliminated Lisander or sixth place and also already-eliminated Allamunnic States - guaranteeing the first place in the group and a spot in the Quarterfinals of the World Bowl.

"It was a solid team victory," declared Sarai Gwenderyn, "We knew that we had a lot to take care of after the defeat, and we absolutely took care of it. Sweeping a team like the Dragonflies is good practice for the trials ahead."

Chromatika will hope to finish their business against Lisander and then rest their starters against the Allamunnic States.

"We're so close," admitted Eustace Hampton, Jr., "This is the best team that we've ever had, and we are making it work."

Politics: Keri Wyse Aart Officially Endorses Xolile Lubabalo to be the Next Katikkiro
New Light Party Admonishes Aart for Interference

CHROMIA - With knowledge that one of the country's closest allies, Banija, was nearing the election for the next Katikkiro, Premier Keri Wyse Aart officially endorsed Xollie Lubabalo, longtime friend to Chromatika and the Rainbow Party, in her office in Chromia.

"Xollie Lubabalo has been a longtime friend of both the country and myself," stated Keri Wyse Aart in an official statement, "And it is my belief that she will serve the people of Banija as their Katikkiro humbly and with honor. Xollie is a true champion of democracy, civil decency, and the everyday citizen, and she has shown time and time again that she can be someone who can work with people from different walks of life toward a common goal. As Banija goes forward, it needs a leader that can keep a level head and also recognize opportunities as they arise; Xollie is someone who possesses these skills and many more. Vote for Xollie Lubabalo, a great politician and an even better woman."

Hélène Embroise, the Head of the New Light Party and the previous assistant to Keri Wyse Aart, spoke out against this behavior.

"The head of a nation should not interfere with foreign elections," stated Embroise, "Sure, the Premier hasn't contributed financially, but her words carry power."

It remains to be seen just how much power Keri Wyse Aart's words will have on the elections in Banija.

by **Saint Kanye** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 9:31 pm

Matchday Eight was a huge matchday, not only for the St. Kanye Surge, but for many other World Bowl XLIII participant teams as well. Some playoff hopes have come alive, others died, and the results across the board aren't always as expected. Given how eventful the third from last day of the group stages had been, we'll have a look at more than just the Yeezie game and one each from the other three groups.

- In Group A, the Delaclava Phoenixes, our hosts, are through to the quarterfinals, keeping their record pristine at 8-0 with a 22-10 win over the Buffalostan Janissaries (4-4). This came at a price, though, as they would be without starting tight end Robbie Hahn for an indefinite number of games as he was suspended for various drug-related offenses.
- Also in Group A, Caliland (3-5) hold on for a 31-30 victory over the Pius Desurongcrandis Phoenixes (1-7), eliminating the latter from postseason contention in the process. Pius D. still thought it fitting to make some roster changes though, most notably putting Sebastian Cohortez in as starting quarterback, as they try to play for pride in the next two weeks.
- In Group B, the Ranoria Krauts whip the Sarzonia Stars 50-17. The former go up to 7-1, while the latter fall to 4-4 and fire their defensive coordinator Kyle Hanley as a result.
- In Group C, the Surge improve to 6-2 and book their own ticket to the playoffs with a 43-23 road win over the United States of Great America (3-5). More on that below.
- Also in Group C, the TJUN-ia Jags and Caleonian national team remain undefeated (8-0) and winless (0-8), respectively, the former beating the latter by a score of 24-7.
- Also in Group C, the New Gesem Pilgrims pull off one of the two great upsets of the day, pounding the Banija Serpent Eagles 41-16, and on Banijan soil at that. It's only the second win for the already eliminated Pilgrims (2-6), whereas the Serpent Eagles fall to 5-3 and lose the chance to top the group after back to back losses. "It has been ugly for our boys in green these past two weeks," said a worker at the Banijan embassy in St. Kanye. "So ugly in fact that we only watched half the Pilgrims game and then switched over to the news to catch up on the election happenings back home."
- In Group D, the Lisander Lynx (2-6) win 30-24 over the StrayaRoos Taipans (3-5), but despite that were still eliminated.
- Also in Group D, the other great upset was caused by the South Newlandia Elephants (5-3), sending home six-time World Bowl champs the Allamunnic States (2-6) in a 63-7 massacre.

Okay, now back to the Yeezies. When the team lost to Banija, they poured it out on the USGA the week after, winning by twenty. But a month and a half later, the team won against Banija, so what are they to do against the USGA? Well, the Surge rode the momentum of that revenge win and once again won by twenty. Quarterback R.J. Linetti completed 26 out of 31 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns (QBR 127.02), while running back Noah Sherman had 14 carries for 131 yards and also two touchdowns. The Surge still have the possibility of winning Group C and earning an outright quarterfinals berth, but in order to do that, they must beat Caleonia and TJUN-ia (the latter by fourteen or more) and hope the Jags lose to the Serpent Eagles in addition to them. "This week a Banija loss helped our cause, but next week we'll be rooting for them to win," said Sherman. "We've still gotta hold up our end however. Caleonia can still mess things up, they can mess us up. Always beware the teams who have nothing to lose."

1Q STK Sherman 32 run (Rasputin kick) STK 7-0
1Q STK field goal Rasputin 28 STK 10-0

2Q USG field goal K 30 STK 10-3
2Q STK Jeffers 25 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 17-3
2Q STK Sherman 45 run (Rasputin kick) STK 24-3
2Q USG WR1 38 pass from QB1 (K kick) STK 24-10

3Q STK Dobler 47 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 31-10
3Q USG KR 75 kick return (Kick failed) STK 31-16

4Q STK O'Connor 62 interception return (Rasputin kick) STK 38-16
4Q STK field goal Rasputin 31 STK 41-16
4Q USG WR1 27 pass from QB1 (K Kick) STK 41-23
4Q STK QB1 safety STK 43-23

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| MD | Opponent           | Rank | Uniform       | Score   | Record | Place |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 1  | New Gesem          | 31   | Purple/Purple | W 53-26 | 1-0    | 1st   |
| 2  | @Banija            | 4    | White/Purple  | L 27-38 | 1-1    | 3rd   |
| 3  | USGA               | UR   | Purple/Black  | W 36-16 | 2-1    | 3rd   |
| 4  | @Caleonia          | UR   | White/White   | W 27-0  | 3-1    | 3rd   |
|    | BREAK              |      |               |         |        |       |
| 5  | TJUN-ia            | 13   | White/Purple  | L 13-26 | 3-2    | 3rd   |
| 6  | @New Gesem         | 31   | White/White   | W 48-14 | 4-2    | 3rd   |
| 7  | Banija             | 4    | Purple/Purple | W 52-30 | 5-2    | 2nd   |
|    | BREAK              |      |               |         |        |       |
| 8  | @USGA              | UR   | White/Purple  | W 43-23 | 6-2    | 2nd   |
| 9  | Caleonia           | UR   | Purple/Black  |         |        |       |
| 10 | @TJUN-ia           | 13   | Purple/Purple |         |        |       |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

by **Delaclava** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 10:11 pm

The second-to-last game of the group stage! Some of you are trying to book your trip to Delaclava; some of you are just trying to finish strong. Regardless, these are important games for you, for this season or next. Having the kind of win that can inspire hope and success - that's what dreams are made of.

Day 9 cutoff!

Qualification key:

Has won the group and qualified for the quarterfinals
Has qualified for at least the Round of 12
Cannot win the group, but may still qualify for the Round of 12
Eliminated from playoff contention

Group A
Drawkland 19–3 Caliland
Kohnhead 30–47 Delaclava
Buffalostan 36–17 Pius Desurongcrandis

  Group A                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Delaclava                            9    9   0   304  138 +166 QF
2 Buffalostan                          9    5   4   288  206  +82
3 Drawkland                            9    5   4   256  205  +51 Q
4 Kohnhead                             9    4   5   268  206  +62
5 Caliland                             9    3   6   137  353 −216 E
6 Pius Desurongcrandis                 9    1   8   175  320 −145 E

Kohnhead leads Buffalostan in H2H 2-0, +54. Buffalostan leads Drawkland in H2H 2-0, +15. Drawkland leads Kohnhead in H2H 2-0, +19. In a three-way head-to-head, the order would be Kohnhead +35, Drawkland +4, Buffalostan -39.
Drawkland has qualified because even if they lose, they have the H2H advantage over Kohnhead, and so would be in qualifying position if tied at 5-5 with Kohnhead, with or without Buffalostan.
Buffalostan reaches the playoffs with:
- a win, or;
- a Kohnhead loss.
Kohnhead reaches the playoffs with:
- a win, and a Buffalostan loss.

Group B
HUElavia 45–3 The Cordian Isles
United Adaikes 21–24 Sarzonia
Ranoria 36–6 Abanhfleft

  Group B                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Ranoria                              9    8   1   292   96 +196 QF
2 Abanhfleft                           9    6   3   199  131  +68 Q
3 HUElavia                             9    5   4   195  145  +50
4 Sarzonia                             9    5   4   203  256  −53
5 The Cordian Isles                    9    3   6    96  228 −132 E
6 United Adaikes                       9    0   9    94  223 −129 E

The winner of the Sarzonia-HUElavia game on Day 10 will advance as B3. Abanhfleft has clinched B2 with a H2H advantage over HUElavia (1-1, +17), and Sarzonia (1-1, +13).

Group C
Banija 16–30 TJUN-ia
New Gesem 45–13 United States of Great America
Saint Kanye 20–3 Caleonia

  Group C                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 TJUN-ia                              9    9   0   257   87 +170 QF
2 Saint Kanye                          9    7   2   319  176 +143 Q
3 Banija                               9    5   4   264  244  +20 Q
4 New Gesem                            9    3   6   206  246  −40
5 United States of Great America       9    3   6   152  267 −115
6 Caleonia                             9    0   9    94  272 −178

Group D
Chromatika 20–0 Lisander
Ko-oren 9–10 Allamunnic States
South Newlandia 41–19 StrayaRoos

  Group D                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Chromatika                           9    8   1   195   87 +108 QF
2 South Newlandia                      9    6   3   248  140 +108 Q
3 Ko-oren                              9    5   4   167  117  +50 Q
4 Allamunnic States                    9    3   6   136  247 −111
5 StrayaRoos                           9    3   6   174  247  −73
6 Lisander                             9    2   7   130  212  −82

South Newlandia has the H2H advantage over Ko-oren (1-1, +7), so has clinched D2 while Ko-oren has clinched D3.

World Bowl XLIII (43) ~ Everything Thread

NSFB: We're In Already?! Ok Then!

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