World Bowl XLIII (43) ~ Everything Thread

by **Buffalostan** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 5:45 am

MD9

      1   2   3   4   F
PIU   3   7   0   7  17
BUF  10   9   3  14  36
BOX                                                                                               PIU  BUF
  1 Nathan Kennedy 44 yard pass from Tom Ehrlich (Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez kick)                      0    7
    Jack Porwhich 46 yard field goal                                                                3    7
    Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 36 yard field goal                                                       3   10
  2 Tom Ehrlich 10 yard rush (kick failed)                                                          3   16
    James Peters 18 yard pass from Sebastian Cohortez (Jack Porwhich kick)                         10   16
    Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 42 yard field goal                                                      10   19
  3 Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 30 yard field goal                                                      10   22
  4 Juggernaut Jacobs 1 yard rush (Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez kick)                                    10   29
    Noah Langerud 37 yard pass from Tom Ehrlich (Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez kick)                      10   36
    AJ Samson 4 yard pass from Sebastian Cohortez (Jack Porwhich kick)                             17   36

Delaclav tight end Robbie Hahn has been suspended for drug use. What kind of drugs have the Janissaries been taking?

Kuruk Pitalesharo

The defensive end was one of three players to record a sack of young quarterback Sebastian Cohortez in the Janissaries' win over the Phoenixes of Pius Desurongcrandis. He prepared for the game by drinking a shamanic concoction that included jimsonweed extract, and the ferocity he directed at Cohortez reflected his vision of him as a "coyote".

Zebulon Badgerfarmer

As a God-fearing Puritan, Zebulon scrupulously abstains from alcohol and tobacco, and would never indulge in narcotics. He does, however, have quite a stash of rye bread farls, made for him by his sister, and the steadily growing ergot fungus on them is giving rise to some powerful hallucinations. Perhaps that explains why a player who started the tournament as the Janissaries' surest handed receiver has been dropping everything lately, once again suffering an awful game against the Phoenixes (following an equally bad one against... the Phoenixes?).

Tommy Herschlag

Despite what turned out to be a high scoring day, Tommy was kept busy as a punter, having to trot out 6 times. His dual use as a receiver has taken its toll on his body and he's started to develop turf toe. Seeking treatment for this painful condition, he's sought out Docktor Winckelmann's Patented Cure-All Medickal Syrup, a pretty standard over the counter medication in Tommy's era, cocaine, morphine, all the usual stuff.

Tom Ehrlich

A great TD:INT ratio has masked some pretty conservative play from Ehrlich, but despite another Captain Checkdown showing against the Phoenixes, fans of the Janissaries were delighted to see him finally risk that injured knee and run it a little more. A dual-threat in college, Ehrlich has largely clung to the pocket for the Janissaries, but tonight he had over 50 yards rushing for the first time, including his first rushing touchdown. He celebrated with a little reefer, to the immense disapproval of left tackle Brandon Starbuck who decried such communistic hippie tendencies from his quarterback.

by **Ranoria** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 10:55 am

Ranoria Wins Group B And Clinches Quarterfinals Berth: What We Learned In Dominant Showing Against Abanhfleft

Tight End Johnny Farmer was strong in blocking but quiet overall in the rematch, with just two receptions

Last time out it was ugly - turnovers galore, an uncharacteristic amount of penalties, and an ugly game overall, but the Armored Revolutionaries made one less mistake and were able to capitalize on it. They're more than a good enough team to do that, more than a good enough team to have a chance against anyone they line up against. (clearly)

Consequently, the Krauts were locked in when the rematch went down in Ranoria City. Losing group stage games is seen as unacceptable to this organization, and losing two in a single run would have been catastrophic, especially if one of those losses was at home. As such, they never left it up in the air as to who would win this one.

John Garrett continues to make his case for the best quarterback in football

Farmboy did end up throwing his third interception of the season late - all three against these Armored Revolutionaries - but by then the contest was decided. Whether it was a 57 yard catch-and-run score from the young Jeremiah Fletcher or Khalil Hauptmann snagging the ball out of the air for a 31 yard touchdown, it was again the Krauts' passing attack that carried them as it has all season. While players like Sarai Gwenderyn, Dustin Beck, R.J. Linetti, or especially Taurus Wright (who's currently 9-0) have their arguments, we've got our guy, and if he keeps playing like this, he may just end the debate.

Judas Wolfson was a needed tone setter on this defense

The Krauts' star safety, former NSCF and RFL Defensive Player of the Year Judas Wolfson, came down on a blitz and forced a fumble on Abanhfleft's opening possession to immedietely establish the momentum of this game. Wolfson's forced seven turnovers in World Bowl 43, and has been a consistent presence on the back end for a team with championship aspirations, helping lead this unit to being the 3rd best scoring defense through 9 games in World Bowl 43. That's behind only a dominant Iron Legion and TJUN-ia's 9-0 juggernaut, and it makes our crew one of only 3 teams who haven't allowed 100 points thus far.

Ready or not, Darnell Sleight is back!

Sleight is one hell of a story, and he's showing once again that he can overcome adversity with the best of them. A kid who had trouble finding an RFL roster spot in World Bowl 36, he managed to make the team on a poorly-funded roster and by World Bowl 39 had emerged as a true number 1 corner with lockdown potential, finishing the group stage with three interceptions and a pair of sacks. By the end of World Bowl 40, he was a true star and a cornerstone of a team that had gone undefeated in back-to-back group stages, and in just 10 games he'd reeled in 6 interceptions.

World Bowl 41, no one was throwing this guy's way - well, unless Alessandra Mio was at wideout. When he was on an island, she made him look silly like few ever have. However, before World Bowl 42, disaster struck. Sleight tore his ACL late in the domestic season and was ruled out. The team scrambled to come up with a replacement and landed on Cameron Barbarosa - a known gambler who gives up more than he takes away, but it worked well enough, and Ranoria won a championship without Sleight.

In the 2027 and 2028 seasons though, Sleight struggled. He was limited to 9 games in 2027 as his performance dipped before being cut prior to 2028, struggling to match his old level of play. That is until now. Just as the World Bowl was his coming-out party as a top-tier cornerback, it's been his revenge tour to let the multiverse know that at age 29 with knee surgery in his history, he can still play with anyone. The young man notched three pass defenses against the Armored Revolutionaries, coming oh-so-close to an interception twice, but fortunately Cameron Barbarosa was able to pick up the slack there by notching his fourth on the campaign. With Sleight hampering top wideouts on one side of the field, Barbarosa's ballhawk playstyle is much more rewarding as he's typically lined up against less-dominant receivers.

Angelo Gordon's no longer in his prime, but he's doing more than enough

This is not the Angelo Gordon of old who's going to kick your door down, knock your teeth in, and steal your candy while he's at it. After a neck injury in 2027, he's lost a lot of that explosive power he had in the past, as evidenced by recording just 4 sacks in this World Bowl, and 7.5 in 2028 domestically. This is a three time defensive player of the year and three time domestic champion who not-so-long-ago was on a run of six straight seasons of 13+ sacks, and had never been below 11. Now, he's a shell of his former self, but he recorded two tackles for a loss today. Despite not being the game-breaker he was in his prime, Gordon's still a contributor and still more than capable of being a starter at the international level.

Vice Jackson III is a monster

Jackson has broken the thousand yards from scrimmage mark and is averaging nearly 5 yards per carry on the season. With 182 totes, he's taking just over 20 handoffs per contest and he has responded in dominant fashion as the lead dog of a running back committee that's totaled well over 1,300 rushing yards on the season. This tackle-breaking, bruise-leaving monster is the best runner in the nation for a reason, and with him at the lead as the Krauts head into the playoffs, we can personally guarantee nobody wants to play this team come that time. Because while Garrett is of course the star of the show, he can at any point decide to give Jackson the reigns to devastating effect if a team decides to totally commit to stopping the pass.

Player Stats:
QB John Garrett: 190/267, 2,495 yards, 24 TD, 3 INT, 12 carries, 47 yards
QB Jeremiah Quill: 5/9, 29 yards, 9 carries, 39 yards
HB Vice Jackson III: 182 carries, 909 yards, 6 TD, 22 receptions, 190 yards, 1 TD
HB Emilio Annaise: 81 carries, 345 yards, 1 TD, 13 receptions, 96 yards
HB Melvin Strong: 31 carries, 152 yards, 1 reception, 5 yards
WR Khalil Hauptmann: 40 receptions, 662 yards, 8 TD
WR Jeremiah Fletcher: 28 receptions, 366 yards, 3 TD
WR Calvin Hale: 29 receptions, 365 yards, 2 TD
WR Javier Gilmore: 1 punt return TD (69)
TE Johnny Farmer: 46 receptions, 571 yards, 7 TD
TE Vasily Schmidt: 17 receptions, 166 yards, 3 TD

ILB Ross Monarch: 81 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 FF/1 FR
OLB Sean Morgan-Horne: 69 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF/2 FR
DE Angelo Gordon: 32 tackles, 3 TFL, 4 sacks, 2 FF/1 FR
DE Zach Skinner: 42 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 4 TFL, 0 FF/1 FR
DE Douglas Starling: 16 tackles, 2.5 sacks
DT Spencer Crutchfield: 17 tackles, 3 sacks, 3 TFL, 1 FF/0 FR
DT Gudbrand Taurus: 20 tackles, 4.5 sacks , 3 TFL
CB Darnell Sleight: 43 tackles, 12 PBU, 3 INT, 1 TD
CB Cameron Barbarosa: 50 tackles, 8 PBU, 4 INT
FS Kenny Leinden: 54 tackles, 5 PBU, 2 INT
SS Judas Wolfson: 62 tackles, 4 PBU, 4 INT, 3 TFL, sack, 3 FF/2 FR

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 11:18 am

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 NINE

Like I said in my previous post, the second game between Ranora and Abanhfleft was going to be the one that decided the fate of Group B, and indeed its fate has now been decided. It has been decided in favor of the Krauts, who came out of the blocks for this game looking to take no prisoners at all. And boy, did the Armored Revolutionaries get steamrolled to all heck. I told you that the Armored Revs couldn’t afford to get off to a slow start against the defending World Bowl champions, because they were gonna get spanked if they did. And as you all can see, get spanked we certainly did.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it. The Krauts defense definitely manhandled Wes Soderlund and company. They took advantage of our receivers dropping what should have been easy catches, and we certainly didn’t help our cause with all of those false start penalties. Ranoria did certainly take advantage of the situation, but it certainly could have been much worse. I mean, going three quarters scoreless is pretty bad no matter which way you look at it, but the only comfort that I can really offer to my fellow fans for this is “it could have been worse.” We could have been at least 40 points down instead of just the 36 that we were actually down by, but the Fleftic defense was at least able to perform to a better standard than their counterparts in the offense. It certainly played a part in the fact that despite having a lot more time on the ball than the Armored Revolutionaries, the Krauts couldn’t do a lot with it when it could be argued that they really had the Armored Revs on the ropes because of the defense. The Fleftic defense did really well while being in damage limitation mode, and that was commendable on their part to say the least.

The loss to Ranoria means that Abanhfleft has basically lost all hope of claiming the top seed in Group B. The Armored Revolutionaries will have to settle for B2, but at least they're no longer in danger of losing that spot no matter what else happens. Abanhfleft holds the head-to-head advantage over both HUElavia and Sarzonia (a phrase that looks as out of place in gridiron as it does almost anywhere else), and with both of those nations squaring off on the final matchday of the group stage of World Bowl XLIII, neither of them are capable of overtaking us in the standings no matter. Now, that being said, there is still one more game left to play for the Armored Revs against United Adaikes, and even though Abanhfleft's fate and passage through to the next round is all but sealed, the lads must know that they cannot afford any more slip-ups. Imagine if we lose to United Adaikes. The lads are surely going to suffer in terms of morale, and that might affect them in their next game in the playoffs and be the reason that Abanhfleft bows out yet again in the first round of a tournament's playoffs. It would be such an ignominious way to bow out of the World Bowl after all that they've been through to even be here in the first place, and it would also be typically Abanhfleft to not take advantage of a good thing once it's staring us all right in the eye. If there should be any time that we should finally get rid of our reputation as a nation of bottlers then this is the perfect time to do it. Txatxu Iriberri, Txatxu Iriberri, Txatxu Iriberri...

by **Sarzonia** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 11:19 am

The first coordinators' meeting Tyler Paige was in after being named interim defensive coordinator with the departure of the fired Kyle Hanley was a bit mindblowing.

He was always planned to be Hanley's understudy and would have served as interim defensive coordinator if something like the SARS 2 novel Coronavirus pandemic happened to Hanley, but this was the first time he was actually stepping into the role as defensive playcaller. He had some insights from his older brother Arthur, who was the Stars manager in World Bowl XIX competition, but he was still wrapping up his playing career when Art was coaching.

This was different. This was Paige attending the meetings Hanley and special teams coordinator Dylan Massey did. This was him having to figure out how to handle whether to play zone defence or man-to-man coverage and when. This was him having to ensure his players didn't commit stupid penalties. He would ask linebackers coach Jerome London for some help with tasks, as it would now be London who would essentially be assistant defensive coordinator, but the task of drawing up the defensive game plan fell to him.

He watched as Gavin Davis, the Stars manager walked into the room with a binder of notes he'd taken into the room. Some of them, he knew, would be notes on the team's blowout defeat to Ranoria. Some of them would be his notes and questions for installing the offensive gameplan against United Adaikes. But some of them also involved Paige's gameplanning for United Adaikes. How did he plan to defence the other unranked team in the group, and what were his initial notes about HUElavia? Davis began with the offensive gameplanning he'd done, namely, a lot of student body left, student body right and runs up the middle featuring Ty'Relle Clinton. The passing game with Cameron Stallworth would be decidedly more conservative than it had been.

"Now, let's take a look at the defence. What've you got, Tyler?"

Oh shit. It's go time, Tyler Paige thought. He'd had his ideas about the team's defensive struggles and he'd shared them with Hanley, but now it was time for him to spread his wings and set himself apart from Hanley's ideas of defence.

"Well, for starters, we've been getting burned too much by teams picking up the blitz," Paige said. "We haven't done as many line stunts as I'd like us to, and we're only generating a passrush by going all out on blitzes. When teams pick it up like Ranoria did time and time again, well, anyone can hang 50 on us."

"Go on," Davis said.

"We obviously can't shift from a 4-3 to a 3-4 in midseason, but we can do some different things with our line play. For starters, we can put pressure on them defensively by using stunts. I don't think their offence will be prepared for that. Plus, we can use some zone blitzing packages as a change of pace. I don't think we have to just sit back, but we can't blitz on nearly every down the way we have been."

****************************************************************************************

After the Stars kept their season alive with a 24-21 away victory against United Adaikes that saw Matt Vargas hit a 28-yard field goal as time expired to give the Stars the walkoff victory, Sarzonia would return home for their final group stage match against HUElavia. They would still have vivid memories of shitting the bed in their 40-12 defeat against Los Armarillos that led them to the precarious position where the Stars needed a victory to qualify for the knockout rounds.

It wasn't going to be pretty if the Stars lost to Los Armarillos in front of an antsy Joe Gibbs Stadium crowd. The Incorporated Gridball Federation would discuss the fate of Davis as manager. That was a given, even though the Stars were -- yet again -- in the Group of Death. The team's record was just one game over .500 under Davis, and gridball is a results-oriented business. Everyone understood that. Was it always fair? No. Davis was a two-time World Bowl champ as a quarterback, but if he couldn't somehow rally the Stars back into the knockout rounds and the short trip south to Delaclava, there was a chance he wouldn't be long for the job he wanted eventually.

by **Sarzonia** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 1:22 pm

The pre-match press conference for manager Gavin Davis ran through some of the usual topics for a team on the knockout round bubble.

"Coach, Matt Stringer here from The New Istria Journal. Can you talk about the adjustments you asked Tyler Paige to make as the new defensive coordinator now that you've fired Kyle Hanley?"

Davis gave Stringer a look for a moment, then he said, "Well, Matt, I didn't give him any specific instructions to change defensive playcalling. I'm an offensive coach, not a defensive one. I figure the defensive coaches know better than I do what calls to make in various situations. I'm trying to focus on gameplanning to move the ball against HUElavia. We've struggled offensively since Matchday 2 and I've gotta figure that out."

"Coach, Chris Trowbridge from The Portland Press Herald. "What do you hope to accomplish against HUElavia, especially since they've got a positive point differential and your team's is vastly negative?"

"Win the game," he said. "It doesn't matter if we win by a point or we win in overtime. We just need to get a result against Los Armarillos or our season's done."

"Coach, Harli Branson of Sports Radio 1130 here in Woodstock. Have you started looking into candidates for the vacant defensive coordinator position or possibly into hiring an offensive coordinator?"

"Right now, my main focus is on getting results. I haven't had a chance to review any of the candidates for the coordinator positions, but after we've had a chance to do a post-mortem on the season, I'm sure we'll take a look at the candidates and go from there." Branson then chimed in with the next question. "Have you offered the offensive coordinator position to James Arthur of the Climbers?"

Davis gave Branson a quizzical look for a moment.

"I haven't had any conversations about either of the coordinator positions with anyone. I wasn't aware of any interest by Coach Arthur in the position, but if he's interested, I'd be more than happy to talk with him about it. You're the first I've heard of any speculation about Arthur becoming offensive coordinator."

"Coach, George Thompson of The Woodstock Daily Mail. Have you heard anything from the IGF about your job status if the Stars lose tonight? Has anyone told you your job's hanging in the balance?"

"I haven't heard anything like that, George. I'm sure when the season's over, whether it's tonight after we play HUElavia or it's in the knockout rounds if we make it to Delaclava that I'll sit down with my superiors at the IGF and we'll talk about things. If they want me to stay, I'm sure they'll let me know. If they want to go in a different direction, they have that right. But right now, I'm trying to get this team a victory and we'll go from there as needed."

After the press conference, Davis saw an aide from the IGF who brought him news he would be relieved to hear: The IGF had already decided he was going to stay on as manager regardless of the team's match against HUElavia. Still, Davis had one more question.

"Did you hear anything about James Arthur expressing interest in being offensive coordinator?"

"No," the aide said with a look of surprise.

"Me neither," Davis said. "If he does, send him to me immediately." Davis really hadn't heard that Arthur was interested, but he decided that a coach who guided a first-year NSCF school to 10 victories including two away victories over Banijan schools was someone he wanted on his managerial staff. Even if it meant learning how to handle the egos of professional gridballers. Even if it meant he was still trying to manage his own growing pains and those of a college manager. He looked at his mobile phone as it started to ring. He didn't recognise the number, so he let it go to voice mail. About two minutes later, the telltale flash of a new voicemail came on. Davis logged into his phone, pressed the necessary buttons to enter his passcode in and listen to the voicemail.

"Hey Coach Davis, this is James Arthur. I wanted to give you a call to let you know I'm interested in speaking to you about being the offensive coordinator. Please give me a call." Davis noted the phone number was different from the number the call came from. Perhaps it was Arthur's personal mobile phone instead of the work number. But Davis then started putting the number into his contacts so he could call Arthur straight away.

He wasn't going to hire an offensive coordinator for the match against HUElavia or perhaps a play-in match in Delaclava, but as he started the beginning stages of shaping his managerial staff for World Bowl XLIV, he decided he'd be foolish to not at least give Jim Arthur a look.

by **Banija** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 2:37 pm

Part 1- Election Day FAQs
Part 2- Election Day Live Blog

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

Count Day Live Blog

A woman casts her ballot in Herzegovina City

BUSUKUMA, NATIONAL CAPITOL REGION- We are finally here! It's Count Day. People are lining up to vote all across the country! Everybody's voted. You've seen our exit polls. Will the exit polls hold, and the PPM, while wounded, still emerge as the largest party for the third consecutive election? Or will the Collective Resistance Union finally regain power within this country?

Count Day

12:00 PM- Across the country, count centers are beginning to count votes from across the Kingdom. It's Count Day! A uniquely Banijan tradition, as far as we can tell, anyways. Party observers are set everywhere. The beauty of Count Day, of course, is that we won't go deep into the night. We'll be done with the process by about 6 or 7 PM- and then everybody can go on and live their lives- or, if you're the winning party, then you can really throw a banger.

12:05 PM- Why have Count Day separate from election day? Let's go back all the way to 1905, during Banija's founding Constitutional Convention. Plenty of election rules have changed since then, but this is one that has not. Why did they want counts on separate days? Many politicians at the time felt that ballot counters, who especially then would tend to be senior citizens, would be too tired to start opening and counting ballots the night after voting, after working a 15+ hour shift manning the polls. They felt that with hand-counting, tired workers were much more likely to miscount.

12:06 PM- Of course, you could chalk it up to Banija's true first set of democratic politicians to simply not wanting to have to stay awake. Banija's first ever Finance Minister is on record during those constitutional conventions saying that "it would be barbaric to expect everyone to stay up until the wee hours to get results." Of course, he was 79. Banija's first politicans were pretty old! And nobody's bothered to change it. Electoral reform rules are generally done on a bipartisan basis in Banija, and simply put, nobody wants to start that fight.

12:37 PM- Of course, we have our first result- out of the Mukegara Constituency. Remember, this autonomous tribe only elects independent politicians. A center-right leaning independent was elected. Now, the Mukegara Parliamentarians tend to always try and curry favor with the government- no matter what side of the divide that they are on. But depending on how tight the Lukiiko is this year- will he will be able to effect the balance of power?

1:15 PM- Now, a breakdown in the day ahead. When do we expect results to start pouring in? Really around 4 PM- in that 4 PM hour, results start coming in from Busukuma, which obviously has the smallest constituencies in the country, and at like 5 PM, they start pouring in from the west of the country besides the west coast- Moravica and Kitara. Around 6 or 6:30 PM, we should start seeing results come in from Moravica and Kitara.

1:17 PM- Is there anything else interesting that we should expect to see beyond national elections? Well, there are regional elections in the Aksum Region. They haven't really gotten much attention, and there is a reason why- it's a very rural, very conservative part of the country, well up North. The only question in Aksum is will the PPM lead a single party majority government, or will the LDA gain enough seats to force them either into some sort of confidence & supply agreement as a strong minority government, or even a right-wing coalition.

1:20 PM- The last thing, of course, are Mayoral elections in Istria. Now, in the Moravica Region, mayors are directly elected. These are special elections. While Istria is generally seen as a center-right city, these elections to replace Miremba Okello(who obviously is retiring to go to the Lukiiko), have increasingly become heated towards the end. The PPM are still the favorites, of course- but Okello won her last re-election by nearly 25 points. The CRU even making this close would be an accomplishment. If they won? It'd be incredible. IT's become heated enough where the LDA and BPC candidates have both formally withdrawn- ensuring that this is a one on one matchup between the big parties, the CRU and the PPM.

2:45 PM- Checking in with party officials at the CRU's official watch party in Hoima, which is the home city of their leader, Xolile Lubabalo. "We're pretty confident." The party chair said. "You know, those exit polls showed the ongoing unpopularity of Miremba Okello. The country needs an experienced leader to take us into tomorrow, and to meet those challenges head-on, as opposed to a leader who simply says 'Olympics Olympics Olympics'. Our internal polling gives us much reason to be hopeful for tonight." On the other hand, we could not get anyone at the PPM headquarters to go on the record- many party officials in the country's mainstream right-wing party seem 'nervous'.

3:55 PM- The first seat has been called! La Olla has finished counting, and the CRU rep, Ruperto Fôx, for this district has been re-elected. La Olla, formerly Busukuma West, is an interesting district- one of Banija's few "majority-minority" seats. The district is 55% Farf according to the Census- which is why the seat's name is in Faroleran. Ruperto Fôx is actually Banijan born. Unlike most Farves in the city, he was not a refugee, or even a child of refugees. He was born to a Faroleran woman and a Rulandese man, who came to Busukuma well before the beginning of Farf anarchy for university. They met at Kizza I College, both got jobs in the city, and simply stuck around. Then, of course, they simply never returned home. Ruperto Fôx, despite not being a refugee himself, is seen as a fierce advocate for the Farf refugee community. He was elected with 48% of the vote, a slight decrease from the 51% of the vote he received at the last election. There are rumors that, win or lose, he will find himself on the front bench for the party in the next few days.

4:07 PM- Two more seats in the capitol have been called, and they have gone easily to the CRU. A disappointing effort from the Banijan People's Congress in the Banijan capitol so far. They were expected to make a serious push here for seats, and yet- nothing, at least of now. The CRU, while winning slightly reduced majorities, are winning comfortably.

4:44 PM- And counting has finished in the capitol! Just 8 seats, of course, and all of them have been called. Not much change- the BPC have won just one seat, while the PPM won one, and the CRU defended all six seats they held. The PPM will be disappointed here- they had a chance at two seats. 24% of the vote in the city, and yet, only one seat out of 8- brutal. The BPC harshly underperformed, picking up just 11.96% of the vote. The Latter-Day Alliance, as expected, didn't do anything of note here- simply running here to satisfy electoral requirements to receive proportional list votes.

5:03 PM- And the first seat flip! This one is in... Aksum! Of all places. A seat in Mynda, which is quietly Banija's sixth largest city, has fell from the PPM to the CRU. As results start pouring in from across the country, we're going to cover all the big moves.

5:11 PM- Unsurprising since she is a party leader, but Xolile Lubabalo has been elected in her constituency in Hoima, with 63% of the votes in a four way race. Of course, even if she had lost, she still would've gone to the Lukiiko- party leaders and deputy leaders in Banija can appear both on the party list and on a constituency ballot. But still, for somebody who has lost the constituency race before, it's a good thing that she's pulled this off.

5:16 PM- Two marginal suburban seats, outside of Jinja City, that were PPM have fallen- one to the CRU, and another to.. the BPC? What a stunner! The BPC wasn't expected to pick up much in the way of suburban seats, and yet, here they are. Anti-establishment vote? Left-wing movement in Hangaza, the heart of Banija's massive oil industry? Who knows?

5:20 PM- There's two more losses to report out of Banija's second largest region for the governing party! Hangaza has 39 constituency seats- and 22 seats, going into this election, were held by the PPM. But they are suffering there right now. Four losses already, and looking at some of these running vote counts- there are certainly more to come. The CRU is certainly a beneficiary- but the BPC is truly coming out of nowhere. They hold three seats in the region already. Is that a good election for the left in Banija's second largest region?

5:22 PM- Things, suddenly, are going from bad to worse for the People's Protection Movement. The Minister of Defense, obviously a huge public figure, is suddenly in "the race of his life" out in rural Hangaza. A seat that is usually a marginal between the CRU and the BPC, is suddenly being hotly contested by the BPC, suddenly out of nowhere. A rural seat on Banija's northern border, held by the left? Maybe it's the healthcare message, the anti-establishment message. Or maybe- the BPC's investment into Hangaza and Ankole is paying off big time. They have had a small, but very energized, young base- hard door knockers, very personable campaigns, etc... And it's working at least out there!

5:26 PM- The People's Protection Movement is being seriously squeezed on all sides, even in Buganda. A region that is a rural one that has tended to be loyal to the PPM, the Latter-Day Alliance has surged in the region, talking mostly about culture war issues, particularly region, and the preservation of the Olusanke language. While the CRU is not making a huge push, they are benefitting here. The LDA is seeing a big swing towards them in Buganda, and have already swung one seat. But the CRU is basically doing the same as they did last time- but with a double digit swing away from the PPM, they are the beneficiaries. They've flipped two Buganda seats already, and are looking for more.

5:35 PM- The country's "heartlands" are generally described as Buganda and Bunyoro. Can the CRU take their path to being the largest party in those parts of the country? Bunyoro is also a very rural region- but as the Latter-Day Alliance landed a big swing towards them in Buganda, they have had a huge swing away from them in Bunyoro- votes that have all gone towards the Collective Resistance Union. Therefore, the CRU is hitting in the mid-40s right now in the region's popular vote- and, surprisingly enough, are on track to win a majority of the region's seats. That's what we call a stunner!

5:41 PM- Look at what the CRU is doing as they plot a path back to power. Of course, Banija's swingiest region, aka Kitara, and Banija's largest and right-wing bastion, Moravica, have yet to report anything. But the path back to power for Xolile Lubabalo and the CRU is there. They're taking more advantage of splits on the right to gain various constituency seats. And their losses? Focused to Ankole, where those seats are going to the BPC. And they are fighting ahead in rural areas. How is this left-wing party gaining in rural Banija? They keep their message focused- economics, economics, economics. "What can we tangibly do for you?" We'll see if this holds.

5:47 PM- Results, of course, are starting to pour in from the west coast. PPM party leader, and Katikkiro hopeful, Miremba Okello, has been elected in her constituency with 74% of the vote in that four-way race- which is not a surprise in that safe right-wing seat. We can project, however, that the PPM will maintain a single-party majority at the regional level in Aksum. They are projected to win 34 of their regional Parliament's 65 seats, just enough for a majority.

5:51 PM- Can an election be won in Moravica? A stunner by the CRU! They have flipped a Herzegovina City seat that has been held by a right of center party ever since Banija's independence. Was that random? Yes. But was that an absolute stunner? Absolutely. Is that a sign for good things to come from Banija's largest region?

5:57 PM- That's two more seat flips in Moravica! The BPC has flipped a seat all the way from the Latter-Day Alliance, of all parties, in Istria- Miremba Okello's hometown. They flipped a seat in the Rukunbi neighborhood, which is a majority-Busogan seat.

6:04 PM- What we're seeing right now in Moravica, is a stunner. We can project that the PPM will hold onto the Istria Mayoralty, which is a sigh of relief for regional party officials, of course. But is Banija's largest region getting a new, left-wing makeover? Five seats have been flipped by the CRU, and one by the BPC- as well as the CRU holding onto all 6 of their current seats in the region with increased majorities. What is going on? The LDA, and the PPM, are taking a beating in a region where they are supposed to win big.

6:10 PM- That's two more in Moravica. The PPM has lost 8 seats so far in Moravica, while the LDA have lost 5. Let's look at some regions that have wrapped things up, shall we? We mentioned earlier that the PPM was struggling in the Hangaza Region. The governing party lost 11 constituency seats that they previously held in Banija's second largest region- an absolutely stunning result. The BPC came out of nowhere to win 8 seats in Hangaza. The BPC is doing far stronger than anybody could have reasonably expected them to do. What a night for Banija's left.

6:14 PM- Let's look at the CRU swing in Aksum. They had a 13 point vote swing, going from under 18% of the vote to over 31% of the popular vote in the region. They went from 1 to 5 seats in the region, a seat swing of +4. Could it have been even larger? Maybe, but that's the thing about first past the post.

6:21 PM- The Moravica Region is stunning everybody right now. The CRU is moping up in the region, taking advantage of slip-ups from both the PPM and the LDA. But what's happening Kitara? While all eyes are on shocking results in Moravica, there hasn't been a huge swing in Kitara. The CRU were able to flip a couple of marginal CRU/PPM seats there though, which strengthens them. Considering their wild success in Moravica so far, beyond all expectations- they are on the path to that royal mandate, aren't they?

7:00 PM- The election is basically called in Banija! Before we dive into it, of course, let's give you the constituency results. Who won how many constituency seats, and where?

Constituency Results
CRU- 112(+34)
PPM- 91(-33)
BPC- 18
LDA- 25(-10)

Popular Vote- List Distribution
CRU- 36.85%(92 seats + 6 overhang)
PPM- 32.87%(82 seats)
BPC- 12.96%(32 seats)
LDA- 15.56%(38 seats)

7:10 PM- The Official Results!

Party	Popular Vote	Popular Vote Percentage	Vote Swing	Last Election Seats	Total Seats	Seat Percentage	Raw Seat Swing
Collective Resistance Union	19,715,000	36.85%	+3.53%	158	210	42.00%	+38
People's Protection Movement	17,588,000	-5.42%	0.73%	228	173	34.60%	-55
Banijan People's Congress	6,932,000	12.96%	N/A	N/A	52	10.40%	7
Latter-Day Alliance	8,328,000	15.56%	-1.02%	83	63	12.60%	-20

Long-Form Detailed Election Results- Use the tab called "Election Five" to view current election results.

by **HUElavia** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 4:19 pm

A Grand Possibility

HUElavia enters Matchday 10 with a historic match against Sarzonia for a place in the Knockouts!

For years, Gridiron Football had been a sports really enjoyed by young players in High Schools and Universities. A sport that was behind the likes of Ice Hockey, Futsal, and of course, Association Football. Yet, there were efforts to grow the sport. A National Gridiron Football Team was formed many years ago, with the best players across the country joining in. Uniforms were designed (with permission of colors from the Curumba Rams and Curumba Bolts), and endzones were placed in stadiums throughout the country.

Yet, over the years, the team would not take off. Throughout their appearances in the World Bowl, HUElavia was a team that, in essence, sucked. Quite a few tournaments finishing the Group Stage with a losing record, and only until recently, the team would hit .500 on their records. Despite these setbacks, the team grew little by little.

Come World Bowl XLIII, the team had new faces in the roster. Even the coaches were changed to bring out a new chance for the team. The team started out 0-2, and eventually going 1-3 (with a 37-13 away victory at United Adaikes) heading into the midway point of the group stage. This brought delight to their group stage opponents in the likes of Ranoria, Abanhfleft, and Sarzonia, where their press were perplexed at how a nation known for its sporting might was so subpar in Gridiron Football. And thus, a sleeping giant had awoken. Since that 1-3 start, HUElavia had gone 4-1 since. All beginning with a 40-12 home beatdown over Sarzonia, a 16-10 overtime home win over Abanhfleft to follow up, they now had Group B on notice. Despite dropping 24-16 at Ranoria, the team followed with two wins, 17-0 home shutout over United Adaikes and a 45-3 obliteration at home over The Cordian Isles.

Now, the team sits in 3rd Place with a 5-4 record. They travel to Sarzonia, who are in 4th place with 5-4 as well, but with a negative point differential, while HUElavia sits with a positive differential, plus, the head-to-head result earlier has HUElavia in 3rd. Thus, the match is a win-and-in for both teams, with the winner advancing to the Round-of-12, and the loser being eliminated. Sarzonia are the favorites, in both ranking and having the home field for the match, but HUElavia have shown that they are no pushovers, and take plenty of joy and glee in upsetting their opponents, no matter the sport. Regardless of what happens, the fact that the team has defeated two of the three teams ranked higher than them, and were toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team in the multiverse shows that the team is developing well and may be a force to be reckoned with in the near future.

Alas, with most of the groups decided in the Group Winners and the 2nd and 3rd placed teams already clinched, Match 120 between Sarzonia vs HUElavia will be the final game of the Group Stage. The 8:20 PM slot will be dedicated to this game, with both teams fighting to play in the knockouts in Delaclava. Regardless of what happens, Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos have played hard, and have proven that the developments and changes have improved the team. A win tonight would be the first time they make a Knockout stage in the World Bowl. And tonight may be the night a glass ceiling is shattered.

The only way from here is up.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

by **TJUN-ia** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 5:41 pm

After a literal beach party of a game in The Gardens against Caleonia, the Jaguars of TJUN-ia enter the most important 2-game stretch ever in a World Bowl group stage with the weight of expectation certainly upon everyone's shoulders now. The Jaguars had survived to 8-0 thus far, a mark not many people expected us to be at, and you can certainly feel the perceptions change back home from "They can't keep this up, right?" to "Could they actually do this?" to even a few say "Actually, they could do this!". Qualifying for the playoffs was a good job well done in its own right, but now the dream scenario of TJUN-ia winning the group outright was most certainly on the cards and all that they had to do was win 1 game against the Top 5 teams that were behind them. Gus McKerrin was in pure focus mode and no one could blame him - he was going to have to lead his team in Istria Olympic Stadium to play a Banija Serpent Eagles side that not only wants revenge for Week 4, but wants to bounce back hard after losing to New Gesem last week (their first home loss since WB39, btw).

IOS was certainly rocking as the mostly Banijan crowd was certainly ready to see both Jake Griffin vs Ifeatu Chineze and Gus McKerrin vs Thomas Hall for the 2nd time this season. The last game was a barn-burner until the Jags pulled away and the home crowd were certainly ready to ensure that didn't happen again. That would be felt during the first play, when Chineze found Chinweuba Jelan for a 46-yard TD before both combined for the 2PC and the 8-0 scoreline. They would get another play like that soon enough, Ozioma Mazzi picking off Griffin before Chineze and Jelan combined for a further 8 points. At 16-0 after the first quarter, many didn't know what was going on or why this was happening now...but TJUN-ia were in a hole and McKerrin was determined to get them out of it and fast. Griffin would find his way to the endzone via a 23-yard rush before a 2PC via Chris Davidson gave us hope at 16-8 at the half.

Then came the second half, where this team somehow exceeded expectations despite everything they have already done for us all thus far. Griffin began the 3rd as he ended the 2nd when he found Jack Davidson for the 10-yard score and Hubert Valois for the 2CP and suddenly, this game was tied. Then came more chaos when Chineze threw a sudden pick-six to Graham Polison and with Chi On-Ma hitting his first PAT of the entire game, it was now 23-16 in TJUN-ia's favour. Q4 would see more tight play but Griffin wasn't going to let this one be in the balance and his 1-yard rush and Chi PAT would see the score at 30-16 - where it would remain until victory formation. With every game won, TJUN-ia believes all the more that their team can win these games - and tonight was no exception. In a 2-horse race, TJUN-ia has gone 2-0 over the mighty Banija. In a 2-horse race, TJUN-ia qualified for the Playoffs first. And, most shockingly of all, in this 2-horse race, it will be TJUN-ia who qualifies for the Quarterfinals automatically. The Jaguars of TJUN-ia, #13 in the world, have won a group with 2 Top 5 teams in it...and it still doesn't feel real.

Our first goal was to qualify for the Playoffs and we did that with 3 to spare. Our second goal, the more unrealistic of the original 2 we set, was achieved with that win in Istria. Now, somehow, we have a 3rd goal, a goal that absolutely no one thought was realistic at the season's start but is certainly possible now: Win our final home game, against the Saint Kanye Surge - no, we aren't mentioning that word for now.
The Surge lost to us by 13 in Kardashia and with everything on the line, they will be determined to spoil the potential of the biggest party in our history on our own home soil. To celebrate this important occasion, this final home game in the Gardens has been deemed to be "NSSCRA NIght" - because only passion found in that series will be required for this one. JR and NSSCRA memorabilia will be the norm as will the appearance of the entirety of both JR and GFR at the Field of Dreams - in TJUN-ian Blue and Orange, too. A lot of things are on the line now...and in our final stand in this group, we must show the world how good we can truly be. We need you, New Washington...we need you all. 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 W 30-16 (1st)
MD10: vs Saint Kanye (5) - The Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington

by **Delaclava** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 6:36 pm

DSGN.com Football

Newman: "No meaningless games for us"
Phoenixes still aiming for 10-0, continuing good form

With Group A and an automatic berth to the quarterfinals already clinched, there's not exactly a lot for the Delaclava national team (9-0) to play for when they take on Drawkland (5-4) at Royster Field in Catherina, but that doesn't mean the team intends to take it easy in the game.

"No way are we going less than 100%," coach Frank Newman said. "There are no meaningless games for us. We're consistently building to championship-level football, and there are no days or games off for that... After we play Drawkland, our next game is going to be a world quarterfinal. We cannot have any rust going into that game, and we want to go in with a fifteen-game winning streak, not a one-game losing streak.. All our top guys are going to play and we're going to go out and win that game."

To that end, Newman added that he will look to give backup quarterback Michael Willis some snaps. "Taurus and Michael are two of the best quarterbacks in the world. I want them both fresh and well-prepared. I want all options at our disposal." The only expected lineup change will be the continued absence of Robbie Hahn, who is currently appealing a drug suspension. Newman is "confident that Robbie's eligibility will be restored and he will be at full fitness for the playoffs". Manchester Pirates tight end Steve Sims, who was on the third-place World Bowl 41 team, has been added to the active roster in Hahn's place.

Newman also acknowledged that there is a desire to finish the group stage with a perfect 10-0 record. "I don't think there's too much pressure to go undefeated. This team has lost games, we're not afraid it. But 10-0 is a great accomplishment and the guys want it badly. It sends a message. We're daring the field to figure out how they're going to beat us."

Delaclava's result will not significantly affect their placing. They will ensure a top-two seed in the knockout draw - which one depending on TJUN-ia's result against Saint Kanye - and even with a loss, they are unlikely to fall below the 3 seed, currently holding a point differential lead of 58 over Group D winners Chromatika.

Drawkland has slightly more to play for, even though they have already clinched an extended stay in Delaclava on tiebreakers. If the Phoenixes win, the Grid Corps will still be the third team from Group A with a 5-5 record. They will improve their seed with a win and a 6-4 record, either higher in the 9-12 range or jumping into the 5-8 range if Buffalostan loses to Caliland. Regardless, with elite teams such as Banija, Saint Kanye, and Ko-oren who will be lurking in the play-in rounds, there's no avoiding a tough matchup to start.

The most pertinent aspect, then, may be the mental edge in the rivalry. This will be the seventh time in the past five World Bowls that the Phoenixes and the Grid Corps square off, and the third time doing so on the final day of the group stage. The Phoenixes evened the series at 3-3 with a 26-20 victory in Metropolon, but Newman says his team isn't done proving its superiority over the third-ranked team.

"We know they've had a rough go of things, but they're still a playoff team who can do real damage," the coach explained. "If we run into them in a semifinal or final, we want to have that 2-0 record. We want to be in the habit of beating the best teams."

Delaclava         7 - 23 - 10 -  7 -- 47
Kohnhead         10 -  7 -  3 - 10 -- 30

1st Quarter
DEL - Taurus Wright 6 yard pass to Andre Michel (Kieran Conley kick), 12:12.
KHD - Byron Joseph 15 yard pass to William Carey (Wanda Parkinson kick), 7:03.
KHD - Wanda Parkinson 27 yard FG, 1:23.
2nd Quarter
DEL - Noah Simmons 9 yard run (Conley kick), 13:14.
DEL - Byron Joseph sacked by Kamari Harrison for 2 yard loss, safety, 12:24.
DEL - Taurus Wright 19 yard pass to Justin Vandaele (Conley kick), 11:50.
KHD - Kenneth Bradson 102 yard kickoff return (Parkinson kick), 11:36.
DEL - Taurus Wright 82 yard pass to Justin Vandaele (Conley kick), 11:04.
3rd Quarter
DEL - Kieran Conley 35 yard FG, 9:44.
DEL - Luke Mussett 17 yard interception return (Conley kick), 9:01.
DEL - Wanda Parkinson 42 yard FG, 2:34.
4th Quarter
KHD - Wanda Parkinson 25 yard FG, 12:09.
KHD - Herman Whitworth 4 yard run (Parkinson kick), 8:14.
DEL - David Conley 18 yard run (Conley kick), 2:52.

by **Chromatika** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 8:33 pm

Chromatik Locker Room
Henza Center, D'rea, Capital District

It had been a perfect game.

Sarai had done her part, going 21 of 26 for 231 yards and two touchdowns, throwing both to Alessandra Mio, with that connection coming back together as a storm. James Dior had added two more Field Goals from beyond forty yards, and everything was working smoothly. Kimberly Fowler added 93 yards on 17 carries.

However, what Sarai noticed was the attire of one Park Mi-Hyeon at the locker room. Park, along with Rinaldi and the rest of the defense, had pitched a complete-game shoutout. Forcing three turnovers and holding Lisander to less than 250 yards of total offense, it had been a complete affair for the Iron Legion, whose 87 points conceded after 9 games is tied for best in the competition. Now, though, Park was clad in a simple blue dress with high knee boots, putting on earrings. This was very uncharacteristic of Park, whom Sarai had never seen in informal clothing.

"Uh... You all right, Mi-Hyeon ah?" asked Sarai, looking at her friend and teammate of the last four years, "I've never see you dressed like this."

Park blushed, and replied, "Yeah. Great win, right?" She finished putting on the other earring, and proceeded to get a gold necklace out of her gym bag.

"Oh, absolutely. We've clinched the Group. There is even talk of giving us a rest in the final matchday. But... Why the dressing up?" inquired the Quarterback.

Park Mi-Hyeon sighed before responding, "Do I look all right?"

Sarai took a minute to see her friend with a different eye. Park looked... Regal. Composed. Different than the tough Middle Linebacker she was on the field, and stunning, in a way.

"Wait. Do you have a date?" blurted Gwenderyn.

Park Mi-Hyeon drew herself to her full height and answered, "Well, if you didn't notice anything off, I guess I'm presentable. Sorry, got to go, I'm going to be late."

Before Sarai could say anything else, she rushed out of the locker room, leaving the Quarterback stunned.

Fifteen Minutes Later
Bar et Grill à Montréal
Chromia, Capital District

As Park Mi-Hyeon entered Bar et Grill à Montréal, one of her favorite Quebecois restaurants in Chromatika, she looked around for her date. Sure enough, there he was - sitting in their usual booth, with two steaming bowls of rice and all the side dishes in front of them. In a bit, the entrees would come out, and she knew that he'd have either some French Quebecois or Korean Quebecois dish waiting for them.

"What took you so long?" came the voice of one Jere Rinaldi, also not in his usual uniform. He was clad in a neat shirt and dress pants, and he looked sharp. "It isn't like you to be late."

"Sarai got to me," responded Park, taking a seat, "I think she caught on that I was going out to see someone, but I doubt she found out whom I was going to see."

Jere looked at Park with an "I-told-you-so" attitude.

"We're going to have to tell them sometime, you know," he replied, "I agreed with you initially, but we've been together for six months now, and I don't know about you, but I don't see us stopping anytime soon, do you?"

She flushed before responding, "No, of course not."

Right on cue, a steaming pot of cassoulet and a side grill of pork belly was brought to their table by the maître d.

"We'll tell them soon, I guess. In the meantime, we have a show to catch. I was so happy that the game was at 3 so that we could be out by 6," stated Park, taking a forkful of pork belly to her lips.

Jere nodded before answering, taking a spoonful of cassoulet. "I'm so glad Coach is okay with this. Not very often players get to go out after games, you know. Besides, it's not very often that you get ticket to go see Josslyn Park-Michelle."

Josslyn Park-Michelle was the artist of the year in Chromatika, with a laid-back style of pop and folk hybrid music that both of them really liked.

As the two of them started to enjoy the food and each other's company, a nagging question entered Park's mind:

How was she going to explain just exactly how she fell for a teammate and a rival, when their first interaction was on the football field during special teams?

That was a question for future Park Mi-Hyeon. Now, she had a date to enjoy.

by **Saint Kanye** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 10:00 pm

"We're ready for you, TJUN-ia."

The St. Kanye Surge entered Matchday 9 of the World Bowl XLIII group stages with the knowledge that even if they already have a place in the Round of Twelve waiting for them, they could still upgrade to a quarterfinals spot if several things fall their way. They needed to get back at the TJUN-ia Jaguars for taking them down at home during Matchday 5, but before that, they have to face the cellar-dwelling, already eliminated Caleonia squad that has eight defeats in as many outings. Wanting to preserve his starters' strength against the Jags and their surprising tournament-leading D, Surge head coach Jeff Delphine had quarterback R.J. Linetti, running back Noah Sherman and a few others play only the first half against the Caleonians. The second string, led by young shotcaller Harry Santos, were still able to hold their own, hold the visitors off, and hold on for the 20-3 win.

1Q STK Linetti 7 run (Rasputin kick) STK 7-0
Taylor Johns looked like he was going to go all the way on the opening kickoff, but the blocking broke down and he was stopped at the Caleonia 35. Linetti moved the chains on a sixteen-yard pass to Bruce Dobler, then a twelve-yard run from Sherman, and then another run from Linetti himself for the score.

2Q STK field goal Rasputin 36 STK 10-0
The score would remain unchanged until midway through the second quarter, James Rasputin tacking on three to increase the Surge's lead to ten.

2Q CNE field goal K 27 STK 10-3
A few plays later, the Caleonian kicker would respond in kind after their drive stalled. The last three plays before the kick were an incompletion, a sack, and another sack with a fumble thankfully recovered by the offense.

3Q STK Johns 56 pass from Santos (Rasputin kick) STK 17-3
Second down and 7 on St. Kanye's own 44. Santos dropped back, and the defenders came rushing by to try to take him down. He dodged one of them, evaded another, then let loose. Johns jumped up, about a split second sooner than the opposing corner. He put his hands up, caught the pass, turned around and ran. The corner gave chase as the Surge receiver slash returner crossed the thirty, then the twenty, then the ten.... and finally, Harry Santos would record his first ever touchdown in international competition, a pass to Taylor Johns.

4Q STK field goal Rasputin 55 STK 20-3
Another three points from the Surge's ever accurate kicker, and it's game over for the visitors.

Despite the win, the Surge (7-2) would unfortunately not be able to top Group C anymore, given that the Jags stretched their record to 9-0, sending the Banija Serpent Eagles (5-4) into a three-game losing streak with a 30-16 dub. "Still, playoffs is playoffs, and the result doesn't mean we have nothing to play for against TJUN-ia next week," said Yeezie wideout Bruce Dobler. "Pride. Revenge. We want to end the group stages on a high note, and have the momentum carry over to the Round of Twelve. Let me repeat: we're ready for you, TJUN-ia."

All four group winners and outright quarterfinalists have been determined: the Jags; the host Delaclava Phoenixes (9-0); the defending champion Ranoria Krauts (8-1); and the Chromatika Iron Legion (8-1). The Phoenixes rolled over the Kohnhead Brains (4-5) by a score of 47-30, the Krauts took down the Abanhfleft Armored Revolutionaries (6-3) by a 36-6 margin, while the Legion won 20-nil over the Lisander Lynx (2-7). "Honestly, all four of these quarters teams are formidable opponents," spoke Linetti. "It's gonna be tough for whoever advances out of the wild cards. We gotta step up and level up from how we've been doing in the group stages if we ever hope to return to the finals."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 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  | W 20-3  | 7-2    | 2nd   |
| 10 | @TJUN-ia           | 13   | Purple/Purple |         |        |       |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

by **Delaclava** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 10:07 pm

Well, this is it. We've hit Day 10, the end of the group stage, and that means 12 of you will play your last game of the season. Well, not even stars last forever. Thank you for joining us, and we'll see you next time!

But for the eleven of you making the travel to the land of the Phoenixes, congratulations, and welcome to the greatest show on earth!

Day 10 cutoff! (After these results, stand by for knockout pairings and venues in a separate post.)

Group A
Caliland 7–32 Buffalostan
Pius Desurongcrandis 3–23 Kohnhead
Delaclava 36–10 Drawkland

  Group A                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Delaclava                           10   10   0   340  148 +192 QF
2 Buffalostan                         10    6   4   320  213 +107 Q
3 Drawkland                           10    5   5   266  241  +25 Q
4 Kohnhead                            10    5   5   291  209  +82
5 Caliland                            10    3   7   144  385 −241
6 Pius Desurongcrandis                10    1   9   178  343 −165

Drawkland ahead of Kohnhead on H2H (2-0).

Group B
The Cordian Isles 26–15 Ranoria
Abanhfleft 46–6 United Adaikes
Sarzonia 37–3 HUElavia

  Group B                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Ranoria                             10    8   2   307  122 +185 QF
2 Abanhfleft                          10    7   3   245  137 +108 Q
3 Sarzonia                            10    6   4   240  259  −19 Q
4 HUElavia                            10    5   5   198  182  +16
5 The Cordian Isles                   10    4   6   122  243 −121
6 United Adaikes                      10    0  10   100  269 −169

Group C
TJUN-ia 19–14 Saint Kanye
Caleonia 10–34 New Gesem
United States of Great America 13–16 Banija

  Group C                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 TJUN-ia                             10   10   0   276  101 +175 QF
2 Saint Kanye                         10    7   3   333  195 +138 Q
3 Banija                              10    6   4   280  257  +23 Q
4 New Gesem                           10    4   6   240  256  −16
5 United States of Great America      10    3   7   165  283 −118
6 Caleonia                            10    0  10   104  306 −202

Group D
Lisander 26–24 South Newlandia
StrayaRoos 14–65 Ko-oren
Allamunnic States 0–13 Chromatika

  Group D                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
1 Chromatika                          10    9   1   208   87 +121 QF
2 South Newlandia                     10    6   4   272  166 +106 Q
3 Ko-oren                             10    6   4   232  131 +101 Q
4 Lisander                            10    3   7   156  236  −80
5 StrayaRoos                          10    3   7   188  312 −124
6 Allamunnic States                   10    3   7   136  260 −124

South Newlandia ahead of Ko-oren on H2H advantage (1-1, +7).
3-7 teams as sorted by H2H: Lisander (2-2, +17), StrayaRoos (2-2, +1), Allamunnic States (2-2, -18).

by **Delaclava** » Sat Jan 08, 2022 10:43 pm

The United Republic of Delaclava presents...
World Bowl XXXXIII

Congratulations to the twelve playoff teams, and welcome to Delaclava! We hope you enjoy your stay here and are ready to play your best football.

The twelve teams will be seeded as follows:

## All Groups                         Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
A1 Delaclava                           10   10   0   340  148 +192 1
C1 TJUN-ia                             10   10   0   276  101 +175 2
D1 Chromatika                          10    9   1   208   87 +121 3
B1 Ranoria                             10    8   2   307  122 +185 4
C2 Saint Kanye                         10    7   3   333  195 +138 5
B2 Abanhfleft                          10    7   3   245  137 +108 6
A2 Buffalostan                         10    6   4   320  213 +107 7
D2 South Newlandia                     10    6   4   272  166 +106 8
D3 Ko-oren                             10    6   4   232  131 +101 9
C3 Banija                              10    6   4   280  257  +23 10
B3 Sarzonia                            10    6   4   240  259  −19 11
A3 Drawkland                           10    5   5   266  241  +25 12

REMINDER: The cutoff time of 8pm US Eastern (0100 UTC) is reinstated for these games. In the local time, the schedule:

Monday 1/10 — Round of 12
Wednesday 1/12 — Quarterfinals
Friday 1/14 — Semifinals
Sunday 1/16 — World Bowl XLIII Championship

The Round of 12 games are as follows:

Game 1: (5) Saint Kanye vs. (11) Sarzonia
@ MountainEsc Stadium (55,000), Santa Lourdes

Game 2: (6) Abanhfleft vs. (12) Drawkland
@ White Wilderness (65,000), Valhalla

Game 3: (7) Buffalostan vs. (9) Ko-oren
@ New Catalon Bowl (50,000), Corcorran

Game 4: (8) South Newlandia vs. (10) Banija
@ Bears’ Den (65,000), Bosmond

* Ko-oren and Banija switched to avoid rematch between South Newlandia and Ko-oren.
* Sarzonia and Drawkland switched to avoid rematch between Abanhfleft and Sarzonia.

The quarterfinal games are:

QF1: (1) Delaclava vs. TBD
@ Eagles Stadium (75,000), Manchester

QF2: (4) Ranoria vs. TBD
@ Sullivan Stadium (70,000), Quinniville

QF3: (2) TJUN-ia vs. TBD
@ Pediomachis (60,000), Athens

QF4: (3) Chromatika vs. TBD
@ Lake Boston Field (70,000), Orton City

Note: The quarterfinal matchups will be determined after the Round of 12 games, with #1 Delaclava taking the lowest remaining seed, #2 TJUN-ia, the next-lowest, and so on. Any adjustments will be made so the top four seeds do not have group rematches, if possible.

Following the quarterfinals:

SF1: QF1 vs. QF2 winners
@ Royster Field (110,000), Catherina

SF2: QF3 vs. QF4 winners
@ Eagles Stadium (75,000), Manchester

World Bowl XLIII
SF1 vs. SF2 winners
@ Royster Field (110,000), Catherina

Good luck, and may the best football team win!

by **Sarzonia** » Sun Jan 09, 2022 12:16 pm

There's always a risk when you switch coordinators during a season, and when you switch defensive philosophies during the midst of a playoff push, but with Sarzonia's national gridball team struggling on that side of the ball, manager Gavin Davis felt he had no other option but to fire defensive coordinator Kyle Hanley and turn to defensive line coach Tyler Paige. For his part, Paige opted to dial back Sarzonia's frequent blitzing in favour of more coverage and picking spots to blitz more judiciously.

The first match, a three-point victory over a winless United Adaikes didn't exactly show significant promise considering the fact that team finished by scoring just 100 points in an 0-10 season, the lowest point total by any team in the 24-team competition. However, the Stars closed out their qualifying campaign in style with a 37-3 curbstomping of HUElavia in front of 74,938 at Joe Gibbs Stadium in Woodstock. The victory sent the Stars through as the third placed side from Group B as the No. 11 seeds in the Round of 12. They will get Saint Kanye, the Group C runners up at 7-3, who lost to group winners TJUN-ia 19-14 in an away contest in their final match.

The Stars advance to the next round despite being the only team remaining in the competition with a negative point differential at minus-19, owing to two blowout defeats to top ranked defending champions Ranoria and their previous blowout defeat to HUElavia 40-12. They did so by playing a combination of suffocating defence that held HUElavia to a field goal and an offence that ran wild behind Ty'Relle Clinton (29 carries, 188 yards, two touchdowns), Cameron Stallworth (12-17, 158 passing yards, one touchdown and nine carries for 58 yards and one score), and three Matt Vargas field goals. Davis said he received an assurance that his job would not be in jeopardy despite the team being 5-4 and in danger of missing the knockout rounds.

"The [Incorporated Gridball Federation] believes this is a process," he said. "They made it a point to me they felt they wanted to see what we could do with a chance to build this team in more of the way I see fit."

The Stars may be facing the Surge in the outdoor game for the first time, but it's not the first time for a Sarzonia-Saint Kanye gridball contest with win-or-go-home pressure. The indoor gridball Stars faced off against eventual Arena Bowl VI champions in the semifinals of Arena Bowl VI and lost in heartbreaking fashion, 36-32. The Surge demolished essentially every opponent they faced, with the next closest match the Yeezies faced being a 14-point quarterfinals victory. The indoor Stars held Saint Kanye to their lowest point total and by far their lowest margin of victory in a one-possession game that may have been the best match of that entire Arena Bowl cycle.

Davis shot down the notion of this match at MountainEsc Stadium in Santa Lourdes being a revenge match for the Arena Bowl semifinals.

"Look, this is a completely different team from the one that faced that team. This is a completely different match. Our focus is going to be on getting out there and playing smart gridball, not turning the ball over, and playing a possession game."

In short, they plan to feed Clinton the rock as much as possible.

"Run the ball, play tough defence, that's how you win championships," Clinton said.

by **South Newlandia** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 2:16 am

by **Saint Kanye** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 6:53 am

And just like that, the World Bowl XLIII group stages have come to an end, and the field of 24 title hopefuls has been cut in half. The St. Kanye Surge hoped to enter the playoffs on a high note with a win against the TJUN-ia Jaguars on the final matchday, but it turned out the Jags' claws have only grown even sharper since their last matchup and they would take the Surge down anew, 19-14. "We just couldn't stop them," said Kanyean wide receiver Bruce Dobler, "but then again, it seemed like no one else in our group did. I don't know what they've done since the last World Bowl, but it seemed to have been the right thing. They'll be a team that others, us included, would really need to watch out for in the future."

1Q TJU field goal Chi 32 TJU 3-0
Chi On-ma, well, kicked off the scoring for the Jags, who were playing at home, about three minutes into the opening quarter.

1Q STK Moore 29 pass from Linetti (Rasputin kick) STK 7-3
However, St. Kanye's succeeding drive would end up with them scoring and taking the lead, R.J. Linetti beating the blitz on a quick throw to Patrick Moore.

2Q TJU J. Davidson 25 pass from Griffin (Kick failed) TJU 9-7
The Jags retook the lead in the second quarter, Jack Davidson almost dropping the pass from Jake Griffin but eventually holding on to it and dashing to the end zone. Chi missed the point after, however, something he does at least once every game.

3Q TJU field goal Chi 38 TJU 12-7
Another three points from Chi in the third quarter. He's no James Rasputin or Kieran Conley, but he's not terrible either, and can keep his team ahead when needed.

4Q TJU Mac 48 run (Chi kick) TJU 19-7
Vinny Mac, one of those who helped the Jags' cause against the Surge in Week 5, returned with a vengeance late in the game, going off on a punishing run to put his team up by eleven. Chi initially missed the extra point.... but Mason Schwartz had been penalized for running into him, and he would make the repeat attempt.

4Q STK Linetti 10 run (Rasputin kick) TJU 19-14
A designated run by Linetti cut the lead to five with four minutes remaining, but that would be it for them, the TJUN-ia defense holding up their end and preventing them from scoring more on their next attempts. The game ended in St. Kanye's possession, but successive incompletions prevented them from moving the ball upfield and making a comeback.

When the final whistle sounded, the pro-Jag crowd went wild, having swept all their group stage assignments on the way to a 10-0 record and an automatic quarters berth. The Surge fell to 7-3, and would have to go through the wildcard phase first; waiting for them at MountainEsc Stadium in Santa Lourdes, Delaclava, would be the 6-4 Sarzonia Stars, the same team some of the older Surge players have faced (and beat) back in the Arena Bowl VI semifinals.

"I gotta agree with Gavin Davis, though," said Surge head coach Jeff Delphine after the Jags game, referring to his Sarzonian counterpart. "This is not a revenge match. It's a different competition in a very similar but still different code of gridiron. But I think this will be a good game just the same. We just gotta play to our strengths in order to win. Our offense has been clicking (trailing only the host Delaclava Phoenixes for most points scored across the entire tournament). We've been deadly both on the air and the ground. Our defense is decent, but we don't mind beefing it up. Special teams are topnotch. But the Stars aren't to be taken lightly, even if they're nine spots below us in the world. Rank doesn't always matter - I think TJUN-ia just proved that."

In the other wildcard matches, the Abanhfleft Armored Revolutionaries (7-3) will take on the Drawkland Grid Corps (5-5) at the White Wilderness in Valhalla; the Buffalostan Janissaries (6-4) will play the Ko-oren Dragonflies (6-4) at the New Catalan Bowl in Corcorran; and the South Newlandia Elephants (6-4) will face off against the Banija Serpent Eagles (6-4) at the Bears' Den in Bosmond. Alongside the Jags, waiting for the four winners of next week's matchups are: the hosts themselves (also 10-0); the Chromatika Iron Legion (9-1) and the defending champions, the Ranoria Krauts (8-2).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 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  | W 20-3  | 7-2    | 2nd   |
| 10 | @TJUN-ia           | 13   | Purple/Purple | L 14-19 | 7-3    | 2nd   |
|    | BREAK              |      |               |         |        |       |
| WC | Sarzonia           | 14   | Purple/Black  |         |        |       |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kanyean NSSCRA Multiversal Cup Series driver Jeremiah Brooke spoke a bit about his experiences watching the Surge-Jags match with his fellow drivers and team staff. "It was fun! Very noisy, like on race weekend. The TJUN-ians are very nice too. They swarmed us for pics when they saw our Jag jerseys, for our bet, you know? But after halftime, we switched to our Surge wear. Gotta show some love to our fellow Yeezies, of which there were a lot at the stadium, and they too swarmed us. Micky [TJUN-ian driver Michael Stefan] and the rest of his team showed up, we moved to their section, and there was a lot of teasing going on between us and them between plays as we tried to cheer for our respective teams. 10/10 would watch again."

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 9:25 am

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 TEN

Abanhfleft       17 10  9 10  46
United Adaikes    0  0  0  6  6

Sometimes I really feel sorry for whatever team has to play the Armored Revolutionaries after they have been beaten. The Armored Revs don’t really do losing streaks so there really was no danger of the Fleftic team losing to the gridiron team of United Adaikes, but then again, this is Abanhfleft we are talking about. If there was a time that Abanhfleft could lose to an unranked team in the World Bowl, it would have been this game, right on the heels of that blowout loss against Ranoria that decided the fate of Group B. And United Adaikes were the perfect candidate to hand us that loss because they hadn’t yet won a single game in the World Bowl up to that point, and we all know how generous we are to teams that had not yet won a game in a given tournament.

Thankfully for us though, things didn’t happen that way. Even though the fate of Group B was already sealed, and Abanhfleft had secured the second seed out of the group due to better head-to-head results against both HUElavia and Sarzonia, the pride of the Democratic Republic was still at stake against United Adaikes, and the players understood that getting a morale boost going into the playoffs was never going to hurt them one bit. That being said, even though United Adaikes will leave their first World Bowl without a single win to their name, at least they will go back home with the knowledge that they played to the best of their abilities, but they will also know that at their current level, their best is not yet good enough to beat anyone else who’s a regular in the World Bowl. I still expect good things to come out of United Adaikes in the future, and I can only hope that the trouncing that the Armored revolutionaries handed to them would serve as a lesson for them, a lesson to do better in order to become more competitive in the World Bowl. Having said that, I wish they won’t win a game against us when they do finally get better at this whole gridiron thing! But I do believe that a loss down the line to United Adaikes will be almost inevitable for Abanhfleft. That’s our whole schtick, you know.

Now we are through to the playoffs of the World Bowl, and since we are the second seed out of Group B, the Armored Revolutionaries are going to start off in the Round of 12, where they will be up against... Drawkland. Hmm. Abanhfleft versus Drawkland. There once was a time when Abanhfleft versus Drawkland was considered a matchup worthy of the World Bowl final itself, and in fact, I think there once was a World Bowl that did indeed have Abanhfleft and Drawkland fighting for the title. I don’t beleive Abanhfleft emerged victorious in that particular fight though. In any case, there was once a time when Abanhfleft versus Drawkland was a prime World Bowl final matchup, but those days are sadly long gone. Drawkland have remained somewhat perennial contenders for the title in the intervening years, while Abanhfleft have gone back into their patented brand of mediocrity, doing just enough to escape the groups (usually) before getting knocked out in the first or second round of the playoffs (but usually, we’re out of the World Bowl by the first round). And now this game is only good enough for a Round of 12 meeting. Is this a sign of how the mighty have fallen? Is this a sign that the guard has been changed? Maybe, or maybe not. But this is perhaps the best chance that the Armored Revolutionaries will ever have of avenging that loss in the final of World Bowl XXX, the X-rated edition itself. And the Armored Revs will be very stupid if they didn’t take it. Bassem Bakkari, Bassem Bakkari, Bassem Bakkari...

by **Ranoria** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 9:48 am

"Daddy!"

John Garrett was nearly tackled by a pair of assailants who were much smaller than he was used to, and he couldn't help but keep the grin off his face as they attached themselves to his legs - four year old J.J. and two year old Angelina both looking up with smiles that could light up a room.

"Hi there munchkins," he laughed, slinging his back down, "What are you doing?"

"Hold me hold me hold me!" Insisted the younger of the two, and Garrett obliged, scooping one up in each arm. "You have to stay home, you cannot go play football." Explained Angelina, waggling her finger as she spoke.

"I have to stay home?" He asked, catching his wife, Sarah, watching them from across the threshold, amused.

"You're covered in dog hair," she said, rolling her eyes, "You said hello to Richard before us?"

John shrugged leaned down to whisper in his son's ear without responding. Little JJ nodded and turned to his mother, "Mommy, Daddy says if you jumped all over him and gave him kisses when he got home, he would come see you first."

The star quarterback couldn't keep the grin off his face, of course - with the team playing in Ranoria City, only those lucky enough to play for one of the city's two domestic squads had the luxury of staying home during World Bowl season.

"Well," exasperated or not, Sarah Garrett couldn't hide her own grin, "I've got the week off, so maybe that could be arranged." She stepped up to join the other three, embracing all of them at once for the first time in weeks, "Welcome home, Farmboy."

After Worst Group Stage In Five Cycles, What Can Krauts Do To Turn This Thing Around? Plus: The Adoration of Jeremiah Quill

Jeremiah Quill wasn't happy with his performance in his first start since World Bowl XL. But only the most...optimistic, we'll say, fans were expecting him to light it up on the international stage.

Jeremiah Quill looked about as effective as could be expected in relief of John Garrett in week 10. The backup passer finished the day 16/31 with 131 passing yards and an interception. While he did chip in with 13 carries for 62 yards, most knew once this game got outside of two scores that it was going to be a tough ask for he and the second-string crew to bring this one home.

"We’re going to play to win the game. We’re heading to the Cordian Isles, and we’re going to line up to do what we need to do in order to win the game." said longtime head coach Raul Nieler, "I'm never too concerned with seeding. We're gonna play who's in front of us and do what we do best. Can't get caught looking to far ahead with these things."

Despite his insisting that the Krauts would come out to win, Jeremiah Quill ran out as the starting quarterback. Quill's a fan favorite, who was 3-0 as a starter and 4-0 overall in the World Bowl XL Group Stage after the tragic passing of Derek McNair. He even helped the team to a pair of knockout wins, 7-3 over Abanhfleft in the first round and dominating Main Nation Ministry 23-7 to make it to the semifinals while relying on a talented defense that was taking out the anger of losing their leader on everyone who lined up against them.

Unfortunately, his magical run was cut short when the team did what most teams do when they face Cassadaigua, and they lost 7-3 in the semifinal.

Year Pass: Comp/Att   Yards   TD   INT  Rush:   Att   Yards   TD   Fumbles/Lost
WB XL       32/68      271     1    2           29     118    0       1/0

That did nothing to curb fan support however, and fans were...more than excited for every complete pass the young man threw. Mind you, that run got him plenty of opportunities, most of which he slipped up in until landing with the Madison Gladiators. But twii.tur didn't see it that way.

@HarrySchmidt22 Jeremiah Quill taking snaps in pre-game warmups! Looks like he's getting the start in week 10! #TheQuillMaster

@Vick_Hamilton_Reporter Jeremiah Quill reportedly starting for Ranoria in week 10. Quill has seen plenty of action between World Bowl 41 and now spelling John Garrett, but this is his first start since World Bowl 40, when he went 5-1 overall, only losing to Cassadagua in the semifinals after stepping in for the late Derek McNair. #InMemory

@PhillipFulkes Nieler has to be held accountable for how the offense looks, with a stud like Quill at quarterback you've got to be able to get the job done. #RanorianKrauts #TheQuillMaster

Now we all love us some Jeremiah Quill, but he's not even a consistent starter at the domestic level. Quill's had an up-and-down career and really only got a consistent job because the Krauts weren't funded very well until they started winning some playoff games, and as such, backup quarterback wasn't a position they were investing in. Quill was just along for the ride.

He has had some modest success since, however, as the quarterback of the Madison Gladiators, where he's been their starter going on four seasons in the most consistent stint of his career.

The Gladiators are a defense-first team, but they've gone 43-21 in the past four regular seasons, with Quill never missing a start. Better yet, the Gladiators have won at least one playoff game in each of those years, but Quill hasn't been enough to propel them beyond true conference powerhouses like John Garrett's Indianapolis Hogs or Byron Joseph's Highport Hawks.

Year Pass: Comp/Att   Yards   TD   INT  Rush:   Att   Yards   TD   Fumbles/Lost
2025       150/272    1,497   14   12           75      331    3       6/3
2026       161/284    1,697   15   13           109     461    4       5/1
2027       117/229    1,344   12   10           82      344    4       4/4
2028       163/307    2,062   19   10           91      453    5       3/3

Like we said - not particularly impressive, even coming off a career year this season. For RFL standards, he's been about middle of the pack as a passer and while his athleticism is a boon, he's no transcendent talent there. So despite the fan love, more level-headed pundits and fans knew not to expect much from Quill, who was never able to average more than a touchdown per season until he took the gig with the Gladiators - who start three NT players on defense in William Teller, Douglas Starling, and Judas Wolfson.

So there you have it - the life story of a backup quarterback. So what the hell's going on with this team? How are we 8-2 with the 2nd best point differential in football? Backups or not, we're expected to win against whoever lines up against our Krauts.

First off - we can't fault John Garrett. He's been extraordinary, averaging 311 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air per game. We can't fault Vice Jackson III, who was popping off for over 100 rushing yards per game. We've had two losses - a shutout against the Armored Revolutionaries (second time they've done that to the Krauts), and the more recent loss against the Cordian Isles, so let's dive in.

First off, Abahnfleft: It was one of the ugliest games this team has ever played. Penalties galore, several turnovers, it looked like a complete meltdown on offense. Raul Nieler was disgusted after the game, and the Krauts reportedly ran suicide sprints all morning on Monday after what he referred to as "an embarrassment to the country and the sport." But he deserves a good chunk of the blame there, too. While players ultimately cause the penalties, it comes down to coaching to ensure his team is disciplined overall on that front, and he failed miserably there. It's an outlier for the history of this national team, and Nieler has taken measures to ensure it won't happen again.

As for the Cordian Isles, obviously, the Krauts starters mostly sat this one out. Raul Nieler didn't believe finishing 9-1 would end up being much better than 8-2, and while of course the intention was still to win the game, it clearly wasn't a priority. And ultimately the best way to avoid that situation is to do exactly what the team did - rest the starters. With key guys like Angelo Gordon, Darnell Sleight, and John Garrett all having a concerning injury history, letting their bodies recover is the only way to ensure they stay on the field.

So, hopefully that's the last we'll hear about it. For now, Ranoria will get the highest-seeded winner of the first round of the playoffs, which very well could be a pissed off Saint Kanye Surge looking to get revenge for the 42-24 blowout they suffered at Ranoria's hands in the World Bowl 42 final. Should that game come to pass, don't expect the gap between these two teams to be so large again, they were in that game for a reason, and they went 3-0 against a dominant Iron Legion for a reason last go-round. Assuming Ranoria can avoid a performance like those listed above, we should at least have ourselves one hell of a contest.

by **Banija** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 12:41 pm

Part 1- Election Day FAQs
Part 2- Election Day Live Blog
Part 3- Count Day and Election Results

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

Electoral Analysis

Xolile Lubabalo celebrates her electoral victory at the CRU headquarters on Count Day

BUSUKUMA, NATIONAL CAPITOL REGION- The sixth post-war(referencing the Banijan-Equestrian War) elections are long over, and now, finally, after a week of tumultous negotiations, a government has been formed. As expected, the CRU and BPC have put together a left-wing coalition government. With the CRU brining 210 legislators into the mix, and the BPC bringing 52 legislators, they have 262 legislators out of 500- for a majority of 24 over the rest of the Lukiiko. The last right-wing coalition had 311 seats out of 500- so the margins in Banijan politics have gotten much, much thinner.

With the coalition formed and the final exit polling and what not in place, now we can answer the questions- what the heck happened last week?

How and Why did Xolile Lubabalo and the CRU upset the governing parties and win a governing mandate?

#1- Miremba Okello could not connect with the country, and therefore could not cash in on Kobe Azizi's popularity

Miremba Okello had a decently popular reputation across the country, as the Mayor of the City of Istria during both the bidding process for, and the hosting process of, the XIV Summer Olympiad. It is undeniable that she did well in her role- and the international status and prestige of not only Banija's largest city, but the country as a whole, was improved by hosting the XIV Summer Olympiad. But she could not connect herself, and cash in on, Kobe Azizi's popularity. Her lack of being at the national level- it's hard to run on the record of an incumbent government that you were not a part of. But that is simply what she did, and unfortunately for her, itr did not work.

Azizi was popular. If he ran, it could have been a different contest. But he didn't run- so that alternative universe, we'll simply never know. Okello struggled to adapt to the realities of national politics. The spotlight shines bright and the media is difficult in Istria- as you would expect in a city of over 3 million people that is the largest city in a growing nation. But it's nothing compared to the wall-to-wall coverage of a national campaign. She seemed unprepared for the intensity of the spotlight. Maybe she should have spent at least a term in the Lukiiko before becoming party leader? It'll be interesting to see if she's able to maintain her mantle as head of the party.

#2- The West Coast left-wing Revolution

Now, you wouldn't really call Kitara a "revolution" of sorts- just two seats flipped from the CRU. They had already held a majority in the Kitara Region, however, and going from 17 to 19 seats there, alongside a seat for the BPC in the region, certainly is not a bad thing for the Coalition. But it's the scenes in Moravica that really stun everybody. Let's go back to the last time the CRU won a single party majority, with 265 seats. Different political environment, of course. But look- even back then, the CRU won 9 of what was then 62 seats in Moravica. And that was their high-water mark. PPM is usually good for a solid 40 or more seats in Moravica. The LDA? Also generally double digits seen as their floor. After that, they went down to 6, and they held onto the same 6 seats for three consecutive elections. That was seen as their floor, their proper place.

And now- all that has been blown open, almost out of nowhere. Banija's largest region is still a right-wing bastion, but left of center forces have taken it by storm. Going to 23 seats in Moravica- far and away a party record in the region. A 15 point swing towards them nearly doubled their share of the vote in the region, and of course, it was a 17 seat swing. They had major success in urban areas, picking up all sorts of seats in and around both Herzegovina City and Istria. Why did this happen? The region's increasing diversification, and focus of the party on economic issues. Culture war issues have always been potent in what is the cultural backbone of Banija, with the Mormon church being founded and headquartered here, and Moravica being at the core of "original Banija," But the CRU successfully put all of that to the side, focused its messsage, especially in cities- and saw the gains. PPM down to 31 seats, when people though their floor was stunning, is bad. Even worse for the LDA- they went from 15 to 8!

Are these gains sustainable in Moravica? Or is this just a flash in the pan? Hard to say. But this was integral in the CRU's path back to power.

#3- It's the economy, stupid

Now, of course, the economy is doing well! Oil prices are stable, which bring economic stability to an oil exporting nation like Banija. There were serious economic worries that Banija could be in serious trouble if a trade war broke out between Anaia and Atlantian Oceania. But as Banija continues to export to partners both inside and outside the region, both in agriculture and in oil, the middle class is being grown rapidly as modernization hits the country.

But the CRU, and to a lesser extent the BPC, focused their campaigns on the structure of the economy- reducing pressure off of this burgeoning middle class. Xolile Lubabalo, during a debate, perhaps had a key quote that defined the campaign. "People like Miremba Okello will tell you to simply settle for whatever your share of Banija's newfound wealth is. Remember how things were before." She said during a debate. "But I say to that- with increased opportunity, comes increased aspirations! Don't simply be grateful. Let's take the opportunity to rebuild our society! Let's put universal healthcare out there. Serious childcare improvements, on a national level. Improved benefits, like more vacation and paid sick time. Training more schoolteachers, specifically. Let's take this by the horns, and build a country that is a shining beacon, here in AO."

The PPM simply telling people that they should be "appreciative" of what they have, unsurprisingly, did not resonate a lot with voters. PPM also argued that left-wing policies would drive investment and growth out of Banija, but that, of course, remains to be seen.

The major challenges the new Coalition Government will face

#1- Nyowani Kitara Peace Negotiations

Talk about hitting the ground running, eh? The NYK peace negotiations have been on pause, basically, while the Banijan governing situation sorts itself out. Now that it has, and the Government is soon to sort itself out, Isebantu Mutungi can travel with a fresh mandate to wherever it is within Rushmore that this peace talks will be held. The Coalition Agreement simply states that the Government will support a "peaceful resolution to the conflict in Nyowani Kitara", and that they will "support the human rights of all living within the country."

What the agreement lacked, of course, was an explicit statement to support Malik Akongo ascending to the Presidency. That, of course, is increasingly out of the realm of possibility- the war has been won by Nephara and, to a lesser extent, Euran forces successfully propping up what was surely a failing KPWC Government, that is currently led by his younger sister. It is widely known that Xolile Lubabalo herself sees the conflict as a quagmire where the Azizi government created no good way to get out, and that Banija will have to take the loss. She'll have a tough job explaining it off to the country though- Malik Akongo, despite alleged atrocities, remains a widely popular figure in Banija, and is viewed by the vast majority of Banijans as the only fit leader in the conflict to lead that country.

#2- Banijan reparations package to Farfadillis

This is due for significant reform. The aid package expires in six months. And of course, it follows the accidental Banijan nuking of Farfadillis. The establishment of Banijan Volunteers for Farfadillis, plus reduced tuition at Banijan public universities for Farves who lived in country at the time of the bombings and graduate from Farf high schools, has generally been seen as a success. The government has offered various incentives for Banijan Volunteers for Farfadillis, and it has generally been seen as a success, investing in and building various major infrastructure projects all over the country.

But the program was always temporary. And, now in just under 6 months, the authorization for that program will expire. The question is- what comes next? "This will really fall under the auspices of the elected government, with the monarch not playing any sort of a role in this." Said a Banijan political expert at the University of Loyola-Busukuma. "Banijan Volunteers for Farfadillis, as a program itself, will probably have to go. It is difficult, logistically, for a government to maintain such a thorough investment program in a foreign country for such a long period of time. It made sense in the aftermath, but many Banijan politicians agree- with governments being re-established all over the country, it makes sense that these sort of public works projects should be overseen by then."

But the challenge remains in Farfadillis- Banijans, especially the monarchy, are very sensitive to public perception of Banija on this issue, and there is nobody to speak with a united voice for Farfadillis. "Farfadillis very much remains a bunch of nations within a country." Said this same expert. "So there's nobody to negotiate with to speak for Farfadillis on the whole. The Foreign Ministry doesn't seem particularly eager to negotiate 9 different long-term continuing reparations agreements. But what other choice do they have? They could simply dictate the terms of their aid package, and give it out- but that also looks bad, considering we landed nuclear weapons within their country. They could just negotiate with Alex Terán, like before- but he's got no national mandate, at least for now, in regards to this issue. So what to do for this national team?"

"It's unclear, at these early stages, which governments Banija will get along with and which ones they won't. Banijan NGOs are already lining up to ask the Lukiiko not to turn aid into block grants, where many feel as if those would be particularly susceptible to corruption. But what other options do they have? And none of this takes into account Farf reactions to changing the package. With the immediate focus at the highest levels on Nyowani Kitara as well, the timeline will be tight for the Government to reach some sort of agreement on Farfadillis acceptable not only to Farves, but one that can garner 250 votes in the Lukiiko. We'll see what they come up with to tackle that."

#3- Transformative change at home

Those challenges are immediate. But if they can resolve those quickly? They can start to do what they wanted to- big-time, economic changes here at home.

The biggest haul of which, will be universal healthcare. "Lubabalo is at a disadvantage, compared to many first term Premiers in a Parliamentary system." Said the same political expert from Busukuma. "And compared to even her predecessors. She's gotta put her focus and energy into getting votes on issues that divide the Coalition, before she can tackle issues that unite- like healthcare, or economic benefits, or anything like that. And that comes with risk. Maybe she'll spend her political battle, and not be able to get this across? Maybe those issues can even seriously fracture the coalition, at the backbench level, and make their wide-reaching reforms impossible?"

Who knows. Her majority is not large. It's not like Kobe Azizi, who had 311 seats in his coalition government. She's only got 262 out of 500. The margin for error, while it exists, is still fairly low. And there will be plenty of pressure on the BPC to make good on their own promises, who will try to push her left. But as she said when she announced the coalition agreement. "Government is always a challenge. But the challenges and opportunities of being in government are always preferable to the easy life that is being in the opposition."

Banijan Head Coach Thomas Hall, immediately after landing in Banija following their last group stage game on the road against Great America

The Ranorian, Thomas Hall, was an extremely frustrated figure. Besides their road game in TJUN-ia, this World Bowl had actually started off rather well. Starting off 5-1, including a big-time home win against a top 5 St. Kanye team, was exactly where the Serpent Eagles wanted to find themselves after six matchdays. The team was playing well- beating up on bad teams and doing what they needed to do, in order to clinch themselves a berth in the knockout stages with plenty of time to spare.

And then, a defense that had already proven shaky throughout the tournament, completely fell apart. For the second time in the tournament, on Matchday 7, the Serpent Eagles got the doors blown off of them, allowing 52 points to St. Kanye in a blowout. And it wasn't a one-off either. They then got utterly embarassed at home against a New Gesem team that finished under .500 for the whole tournament. Unheralded, little regarded New Gesem- walking into Banija and delivering a smackdown so through, by a score of 41-16, that it caused Thomas Hall to simply re-evaluate everything that he was doing at this tournament. He had given his defensive coordinator one more chance- but when they got lit up again at home, this time for 30, Thomas Hall had made the decision.

The team was in free fall mode. Getting blown out three times in a row, right before the knockout stages, was the exact worst timing for this type of football. It was flat out embarassing. Hall thought back to the conversation he had with David Franklin.

"I'm sorry David- this can't work." Thomas Hall had told him. "This is something that can't continue. I'm gonna be calling plays from now on, for the rest of tournament."

"But coach!" David Replied. "The team needs-"

"The team needs an elite defense." Thomas Hall responded. "We've allowed 120 points in our last three games, two of them at home. Embarrassing! An absolute joke! We can't stand for this. Nope, I've made the decision. I'm calling plays for Week 10. We'll re-evaluate for the postseason when that comes."

Unfortunately for David Franklin, one week later, Thomas Hall was, even after a victory, pretty PO'd. The team played terribly against Great America. The only reason they didn't go to overtime is because, on the final play of regulation, Great America's kicker absolutely shanked a chip shot- from just 27 yards out. The Ranorian was in an absolutely horrific mood, and he was making the decision he thought he needed to make. A message needed to be sent.

"Hey David." Thomas Hall walked up to him at the airport, after the players had all already left. "We need to talk." Franklin looked at him. "I've thought long and hard about this. We need to save our defense. We can't let this go on anymore. South Newlandia is a tough opponent- if we want to beat them and get back to the quarterfinals, we need to do better on defense. For whatever reason, they don't seem to be responding to you."

"But coach-" David Franklin started, but Thomas Hall cut him off.

"When you go back to the office, get your things. I'm gonna have to let you go." Franklin looked at the head coach, stunned. "Thank you so much for your service to the national team. You've done well. But ultimately, we need to move in a different direction. Good luck Dave."

And just like that, Thomas Hall walked away. He texted his bosses at the GFLB to draw up the official paperwork. Thomas Hall would take control of the defense himself. It was the only way to ensure that the defense didn't go down in flames. If that's what it took- so be it.

@AllBanijaSportsMagazine BREAKING- Serpent Eagles fire defensive coordinator David Franklin, effective immediately. Thomas Hall will take over play-calling duties, while safeties coach Chizoba Izuchukwu will become interim Defensive Coordinator, as well as remain the Safeties Coach.

@BanijaSerpentEagles Come out to Delaclava to support the green and orange as we take on South Newlandia in the first round of the World Bowl XLIII playoffs! Come out in big numbers and turn The Bear's Den into an Eagle's Nest. #FlyEaglesFly #BeatTheElephants

by **Buffalostan** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 1:03 pm

MD10

      1   2   3   4   F
BUF  10  12   7   3  32
CAL   0   0   7   0   7
BOX                                                                                                BUF  CAL
  1 Nathan Kennedy 11 yard pass from Tom Ehrlich (Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez kick)                       7    0
    Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 28 yard field goal                                                       10    0
  2 Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 23 yard field goal                                                       13    0
    Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 37 yard field goal                                                       16    0
    octodawson alixer 17 yard pass from Tom Ehrlich (pass failed)                                   22    0
  3 Noah Langerud 1 yard rush (Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez kick)                                         29    0
    4 yard rush (kick good)                                                                         29    7
  4 Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 25 yard field goal                                                       32    7

For the Janissaries, the tale of the tape for the qualifying stages of World Bowl 43 has been about the offense, which finished ranked 3rd overall. The defense, however, is ranked nearly bottom of all the playoff qualifiers. And they've been drawn against the Dragonflies, one of the most feared defenses in the multiverse. octodawson alixer's LED panel began blinking red in sheer panic when the draw was announced. Tom Ehrlich had convened a team meeting to discuss the tactics ahead of the game. The team watched as the screen showed highlights of Iwane Sugimoto tearing through for a sack, Toon Fokke putting in a mighty tackle, Lilgaunin Mesjathaunden leaping to snag yet another interception. There was a chilly mood as the Janissaries contemplated what was ahead of them.

"Any ideas on how we can beat them?" asked Tom, helplessly.

One hand shot in the air.

"OK. But, before we discuss ideas, let's just have a refresher of the rules. I know some of us come from time-bubbles where the rules are a bit different or the game's played somewhat unlike this one. So let's just all try to remember some of the basics. Like, for example, throwing rocks at the opposition is expressly not allowed," said the quarterback. "Now, ideas on how to beat Ko-oren's defense?"

Slowly, Krurv lowered his hand.

by **Sarzonia** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 2:25 pm

Gavin Davis also got voice mail when he rang up Arthur's number. He left a message for the Climbers coach.

"Jim, it's Gavin Davis returning your call. I'm definitely interested in talking with you about being offensive coordinator starting with World Bowl XLIV qualifying. Say if you can give me a call either when our season's done or perhaps during preparations or something, I'd love to hear from you. Oh, and my condolences on your loss to Raynor."

Davis saw a couple of applications come in for defensive coordinator. A couple of minor league defensive coordinators or defensive-minded head coaches, a college coach or two. Nothing that really stood out. He figured he'd see Tyler Paige send in an application, and he'd give his defensive line coach an interview. He'd finished the coordinators meeting where he, Paige and special teams coordinator Dylan Massey installed their respective tactics. Considering the fact that they were playing as an underdog against Saint Kanye, Massey decided he would employ some of the tactics Chad Embry used against Saint Kanye during the Arena Bowl VI semifinals.

An onsides kick, for starters. The Stars were working on one which they hoped to utilise either to start the second half if the Yeezies won the toss and deferred or at another point in the match. They obviously spent some time on an onsides kick in a situation where the Stars were trying to get the ball back because they were trailing the match, but Davis decided he wanted to spend a little bit more time on the four-minute offence. With three tight ends on the roster, Davis was also starting to use reserve guard Yael Jeffries as a fourth tight end in heavy jumbo sets where there were no receivers and only Cam Stallworth and Ty'Relle Clinton behind centre.

Davis had his team practice third and inches and fourth and inches scenarios where they intended to cram the ball down the Surge defence's throats. Then there were the jumbo formations when they employed three tight ends and one receiver. They typically ran more power running plays in that formation, but Davis decided to introduce a wrinkle with Matt Largent as the lone receiver where Stallworth used a play action fake to throw the ball to Largent downfield. They tried it with a more intermediate throw to Steve Swain on a couple of plays. Now they had a few more plays in mind for the Surge defence to consider.

Finally, Davis saw a new notification come in for an application for defensive coordinator. When he saw where it came from, he smiled.

It was from Tyler Paige.

As for filling the role of defensive line coach, the Stars had initially planned to have Paige work double duty for the remainder of their World Bowl XLIII tenure, deciding that firing Kyle Hanley as defensive coordinator was disruptive enough. Now that they were in the knockout rounds and were facing Saint Kanye, the initial thought was dance with who brung ya, but Paige mentioned assistant defensive line coach Joyce Latimer was doing a terrific job stepping into an increased role on the defensive line. It would make perfect sense to elevate her to an on-sidelines role and actually have her working with the defensive line in an official capacity.

It was a no-brainer for Davis and Paige. Joyce Latimer would become the new defensive line coach, especially in the event that Paige became the full on defensive coordinator. The defensive linemen all respected her. She knew her shit, and that was evident from the first day of training camp. From the first three minutes the linemen heard her speak. She was helping Paige out as he was helping Hanley out as essentially assistant defensive coordinator before Davis named him the interim defensive playcaller.

In any event, if the Stars wanted an opportunity to face either TJUN-ia or Delaclava in the quarterfinals, they would have to stop the Surge. And they hoped their new emphasis on defence and the running game would help them gain a rematch against their regional next door neighbours in the next round.

by **Delaclava** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 6:09 pm

Twelve teams remain, and where you are now is truly only home for one of those teams. But home can be more than where you grew up or where you live; it's all the places where you became yourself and achieved all the greatest things in your life. So while the Land of the Phoenixes may be foreign to you, perhaps your heart too will grow in this old town.

Round of 12 cutoff!

Round of 12

Game 1: (5) Saint Kanye 30–17 (11) Sarzonia
@ MountainEsc Stadium (55,000), Santa Lourdes

Game 2: (6) Abanhfleft 6–31 (12) Drawkland
@ White Wilderness (65,000), Valhalla

Game 3: (7) Buffalostan 30–23 (9) Ko-oren
@ New Catalon Bowl (50,000), Corcorran

Game 4: (8) South Newlandia 10–10 (10) Banija (24–17 OT)
@ Bears’ Den (65,000), Bosmond

Quarterfinals

QF1: (1) Delaclava vs. (8) South Newlandia
@ Eagles Stadium (75,000), Manchester

QF2: (4) Ranoria vs. (5) Saint Kanye
@ Sullivan Stadium (70,000), Quinniville

QF3: (2) TJUN-ia vs. (12) Drawkland
@ Pediomachis (60,000), Athens

QF4: (3) Chromatika vs. (7) Buffalostan
@ Lake Boston Field (70,000), Orton City

* South Newlandia and Drawkland switched to avoid a Delaclava-Drawkland rematch.

by **South Newlandia** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 7:44 am

by **Buffalostan** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 7:46 am

MD11

      1   2   3   4   F
KOR   0  13   7   3  23
BUF   6   3   7  14  30
BOX                                                                                                KOR  BUF
  1 Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 40 yard field goal                                                        0    3
    Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 40 yard field goal                                                        0    6
  2 Toon Fokke 46 yard defensive fumble return (Abner Bennett kick)                                  7    6
    Abner Bennett 31 yard field goal                                                                10    6
    Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez 40 yard field goal                                                       10    9
    Abner Bennett 28 yard field goal                                                                13    9
  3 Zebulon Badgerfarmer 45 yard pass from Tom Ehrlich (Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez kick)                13   16
    Chillarie Yowarie 25 yard pass from Zoruthau Kosmauthaunden (Abner Bennett kick)                20   16
  4 Noah Langerud 2 yard rush (Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez kick)                                         20   23
    Abner Bennett 46 yard field goal                                                                23   23
    Tom Ehrlich 5 yard rush (Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez kick)                                           23   30

1st and 10, BUF 25: Noah Langerud 3 yard rush right guard

Abner Bennett’s nerveless field goal had brought the Dragonflies level; Bennett sent the ensuing kick-off out of the end zone to give Buffalostan the ball on their 25. With the scores tied, Tom Ehrlich had less than two minutes to work with.

“Hut! Hut! Hut!”

“Yes, Krurv, it’s a nice picture of a hut. Now put it away and listen up. We’re running 23 right blast. On two. Two. Two. Close, that’s three. No, that’s one. Yes, two!”

On the count, R3qu31m7X1Tyste snapped the ball and hit Marc Gérald as Ehrlich dropped back, faked a hand-off to Krurv who then blasted for the gap being opened up as Aukanai’i Olina pulled right so that he and John Hägglund could double-team the powerful Y Vérany, who’d been a problem for the Janissaries’ running game all game. Dhauthenu Turaundhinthen was coming in on a safety blitz, but Krurv trampled straight over him. Noah Langerud clutched the ball tight and followed Krurv’s lead, getting through the line. But Devajee Hardy was overpowered by Bwnhewg yBanmhewm, who was straight on Langerud, hitting him almost the moment he hit the gap. Langerud eked out another yard with his legs before Toon Fokke helped yBanmhewm drag him down.

“Krurv help!”

“Yes, good job Krurv,” said backup quarterback Ryan Frazer, who had been responsible for signalling the timeout, as Krurv and Langerud jogged off to the sideline. “Get some water and get ready to go back in.”

Krurv was having an important role against the blitz-heavy Dragonflies. Hardy had silky hands and open field speed but was a poor blocker – he was a 6’4” wide receiver, really – and Juggernaut Jacobs was just far too slow to pick up the pass rush.

2nd and 7, BUF 28: Tom Ehrlich pass complete 2 yard short right to octodawson alixer

Devajee Hardy was already breathing hard. In the Methopotamian 2014 time-bubble, tight ends were increasingly receivers first, blockers second, and he was pleased he’d got his targets today, reeling in 4 of 6 so far. He’d been shaken up a few times by yBanmhewm. He set, watching the Ko-orenite linebacker line up across from him, and then went into motion, running across the line to overload the left hand side where the extra receiver, Tommy Herschlag was. On two again, he broke forward, made to cut infield wrongfooting Edward Darknoll, whose job it now was to cover him, then turned his head back as he cut out to the sideline. Behind him streaked Zebulon Badgerfarmer, curling in across the field.

Ehrlich glanced across, but quick as anything the organized Ko-orenite had adapted, Darknoll dropping back to cover Badgerfarmer, and Evert Monaghan, who despite the size differential had proved more than capable of covering Hardy, switched onto the tight end. He couldn’t get separation, and seethed in frustration as he watched Ehrlich dump off a quick pass to octodawson alixer out of the backfield, who was barely across the gain line before xe was being dragged down and dumped upside down by Vérany, xir wheels spinning uselessly in the air.

3rd and 5, BUF 30: caeius 9460 7 yard rush off right tackle

Hardy helped pull octodawson upright and helped xir off the field as the offense rushed into a no-huddle third down formation. xe blinked xir LEDs in an apology at not making more ground, but Devajee waved it off. Vérany had been a menace all game. Together they watched as Krurv came up to the line of scrimmage, lining up as a tight end. If Devajee was primarily a pass-catching tight end, Krurv was incredibly not. He couldn’t really get his hands around the ball properly. But as a blocker, he brought the same intensity to the game as he did to a mammoth hunt. Vérany settled down in front, and Devajee felt several of octodawson’s arms grip his in excitement.

3rd and 5 was tricky territory. The Janissaries had been conservative so far, punting away most of their fourth downs, but this was the time of the match to treat such attempts as two-down efforts. Even so, Devajee winced at the play-call: a draw play? Those never made any ground. It was an invitation to fourth and long and a punt sailing downfield that would probably send the bruised and battered Janissaries into overtime against the Dragonflies… But Krurv levelled Vérany with a mighty hit! The powerful defensive end was sent rocking back as the caveman barrelled through him, and behind him the tiny, speedy caeius 9460 sailed through the gap. Past the first down marker and change before the nickelback Jalu Vigouroux peeled off Herschlag’s route and made the open field tackle.

1st and 10, BUF 37: Tom Ehrlich 11 yard pass complete short right to octodawson alixer

The problem, Aukanai’i Olina knew, was that all this had taken time off the clock, and the Janissaries had now burned their second timeout. They didn’t need the whole 75 yards: they just needed to get within range for Jaessa Kimimoto-Chávez. The burly Hawaiʻian warrior glanced to the sideline: the dimunitive kicker was starting to practice, taking practice kicks into a tiny little net. It looked like the sort of thing his village would use for catching tasty parrotfish. Jaessa looked nervous. John Hägglund slapped Aukanai’i “lightly”, or as lightly as the big Turnip could manage, about the helmet. “Conzentrate!” he said in his charming sing-song accent that Aukanai’i found such a stark contrast to his powerful, forbidding looks.

In the huddle, Tom was calling for a pass play. The ground game had been stalled for much of the match, but just when they’d got it working, they were running out of time. Aukanai’i’s assignment was to block the fearsome Vérany along with John; this time, they didn’t have Krurv or his two-inch brow-ridge to help them. Tom clapped and they broke from the huddle; Aukanai’i had to pause to avoid stepping on octodawson alixer, who was moving into the backfield whirring and bleeping. No tight end this time, with three receivers and two backs. The Ko-orenites were showing blitz.

On three, Tom took the snap and faked a hand-off to Noah, who then wheeled left. Aukanai’i launched up and smacked Vérany in the chest as John came in from the side, the two of them driving back the defensive end. It created room on the right side of the line and octodawson’s wheels span as xe shot through the gap and then extended several arms. It was a line drive pass rifled straight into three of them, just ahead of the coverage. octodawson shot to the outside trying to get out of bounds, but it was a smart play by Lilgaunin Mesjathaunden who grabbed xir around the mid-section and managed to bring xir to ground. The clock was still running, realized Aukanai’i, panting heavily.

1st and 10, BUF 48: Tom Ehrlich 11 yard pass complete short right to Devajee Hardy

Some of the linepersons looked pretty cooked by now, great plumes of steam rising with every breath they took. Reserve linepersons were milling about, ready to be substituted in, though for now the only changes were Noah Langerud being replaced by Krurv and Tommy Herschlag by Devajee Hardy. Tommy had just run a drag route and come away shaken up thanks to Fokke’s heavy coverage, so he was quite glad to catch his breath. He took a bottle but hesitated before drinking.

“Krurv hasn’t used this one has he?”

“He prefers the puddle,” said Ryan, pointing to a muddy puddle on the sideline.

Krurv was back at fullback, I-formation style ahead of octodawson alixer, who was staying in the game as a pass-catching back. Tommy looked at the clock. They were cutting it tight, and he didn’t fancy their chances in overtime.

Ko-oren brought the blitz massively, and Krurv was called into action picking up the ferocious rush as all three linebackers swarmed the offensive linepersons. But it meant Devajee Hardy’s stop and go route saw him sail right on by yBanmhewm, and the ball with it. Tommy winced: a good catch, another set of downs. They still had their last timeout, but Devajee going out of bounds had stopped the clock for now.

1st and 10, KOR 41: Tom Ehrlich 23 yard pass complete deep left to Zebulon Badgerfarmer

“This is it guys.”

octodawson bleeped angrily and whirred off the field.

“Sorry. This it… people. Take a knee.”

“Let us pray,” said Zebulon Badgerfarmer. “Our Father…”

“No! Get your fucking head in the game!”

Zebulon waited for Tom to turn away before crossing himself, then hurried out to take out his position on the left of the field. Monaghan had been covering him tightly all game. Even in this late game situation, the bold Ko-orenite defense were showing just Cover One. Zebulon contemplated the enormity of the situation, and the much greater enormity of Our Lord’s humbling moment of doubt on the Cross when…

The snap was called and Zebulon burst forward, sprinting for the end zone, Monaghan in lock-step every yard down field – until Zebulon turned into the comeback route, zagging sharply back upfield. The pocket was collapsing around Tom and Iwane Sugimoto had his hands on him as he released the ball, but his timing was just right. Zebulon’s fantastic hands snagged the ball and he turned upfield with the end zone in sight! But Cover One was still Cover One; he hadn’t taken but two paces before Lilgaunin Mesjathaunden levelled him with a hit that left him contemplating the wondrous complexity of the Divine Plan for him, and particularly the bit about unbelievable searing pain all up his left arm.

1st and 10, KOR 18: Tom Ehrlich spikes ball

While Zebulon was scraped off the field, Tom rushed up to the line, calling for a quick spike. It wasn’t the absolute cleanest snap from R3qu31m7X1Tyste and there was a heart-in-the-mouth moment as the greasy ball nearly spilled free, but he threw it down in time. It preserved their final timeout in case they needed it to set up Jaessa’s kick.

“Not very good throw,” grumbled Krurv. Even Jaessa could throw further than that! He looked over at the woman kicking the ball and tried to imagine if he, Krurv, were asked to take the game-winning kick instead of her. He tried to imagine it, but Krurv didn’t have a very good imagination, and ended up just thinking about rocks instead. Krurv liked rocks.

2nd and 10, KOR 18: Tom Ehrlich 10 yard pass complete short right to octodawson alixer

That near-fumbled exchange had Tom worried, as did having Sugimoto up his ass every other play. He called for a shotgun formation on this next play to give himself room to breathe: they were in the red zone now and out of timeouts. Soon Jaessa would be in to kick but every yard they gained and every second they took away from any Ko-orenite reply would help. Without his best receiver, he looked through his progressions as the ball was snapped and he dropped back.

caeius 9460 had got through Monaghan’s legs and was sprinting for the end zone but Mesjathaunden lurked ominously. Nor did he trust Vadim Vyacheslavovich’s hands in the tight window as Fokke dropped back. Nathan Kennedy’s stutter step went awry and the wide receiver basically tripped and fell. That left little octodawson alixer. He rifled the pass – but hadn’t seen Dhauthenu Turaundhinthen! The strong safety surged into space and jumped, the ball brushing his fingers and deflecting away. With one last burst from xir battery pack, octodawson’s arms telescoped and xe made the catch as xe was falling out of bounds. Did xe get two wheels down?

Yes! The official signalled a catch. And octodawson had managed to take the ball out of bounds with xir, so the clock was stopped once more. Tom ran over to help xir up. xir battery meter was down to one flickering red bar. xir LEDs flickered, and died.

“Drama gender-non-binary-monarch,” grumbled Vadim Vyacheslavovich on his way off the field. “Vill be fine ven battery is recharged!”

1st and goal, KOR 8: Tom Ehrlich pass incomplete short right to Nathan Kennedy

The ground trembled as three players helped haul Juggernaut Jacobs up off the bench. The goal-line back was coming in, but Tom grabbed Krurv’s arm as the caveman made to lope off. The next play called for Krurv to stay in as a tight end. The aim was to have the whole line pull left to sell the play-action. Krurv went into motion (not as a misdirection, he just forgot the difference between left and right) and then powered forward, putting in a good block on the blizting Bwnhewg yBanmhewm. Monaghan was all over Herschlager, but Kennedy’s sharp cut had foxed Devilliers. Tom threw a quick slant. The pass – tipped by Kennedy! It bounced away into the end zone, and Tom dropped to his haunches in frustration.

2nd and goal, KOR 5: Tom Ehrlich 3 yard pass complete short left to Devajee Hardy

“OK. I left hook six-four.”

Krurv could run and hit all day but numbers hurt his head. He tried to count up to six but he wasn’t sure he had that many fingers.

“Krurv!”

“Coming, coming…”

Blair Driscoll was in for Noah Langerud now, while Devajee Hardy swapped with Juggernaut, who thumped his way off the field slowly. Devajee lined up on the right, then went into motion. Krurv ran up to Tom, faked taking a handoff, then ran hard to the line. Abe Boostma had crushed bluashgro;splaulakdohu and was heading straight for Tom for the sack! Bravely, Krurv dived in the way of the pass rusher, hitting him in the chest even as he was driven back to the ground. It gave Tom just enough time to fire off a quick dart. It was low and Devajee had to scoop to reach it, pinning the ball against his calf. He came up with the ball and dove out of bounds, with Monaghan already wrapped around his legs.

3rd and goal, KOR 5: Tom Ehrlich 5 yard rush off left tackle

“You need a rest, Krurv?”

The caveman picked himself up slowly and shook his head, sweat spraying everywhere. “Krurv good. Krurv strong. Krurv survive.”

Tom glanced at the sideline. Jaessa was a bundle of nerves, but he thought she could do it: she’d made longer kicks before. Still, there was that one timeout left. One last pop at the line, and if it didn’t work, they could call the timeout and kick the field goal. caeius 9460 was breathing so hard his breathing apparatus was making a loud whirring noise. Juggernaut was brought back on, this time to fortify the O-line along with Aukanai’i. Blair, chewing tobacco, wiped down his hands on his pants-legs as Tom called the play: an option route to the left. Ko-oren had loaded the box with an extra linebacker now: with Zebulon Badgerfarmer off the field injured, octodawson alixer’s battery pack depleted, and Nathan Kennedy the latest to contract a case of the drops, there was only one passing option left, and Devajee Hardy was facing double coverage from the extra man.

On the three-count, he took the snap, dropped back and head-faked the blitz to his left, then wheeled left. Blair Driscoll sprinted around outside him. In front, Brandon Starbuck was struggling with Sugimoto, who broke free – crunch! In came Krurv, trucking the pass rusher! And opening a lane for Tom. He kept the ball and sprinted for the line. The hit by Dhauthenu Turaundhinthen was fierce; Tom felt the wind knocked out of him. Stars burned at the corners of his vision. But he clung onto the ball, kept his legs driving, and reached out as he fell. The deafening roar that hit him a moment later told him he had broken the plane.

Aukanai’i and Brandon hauled him up, thumping him wildly in celebration. He looked past them to Krurv, who was huffing and puffing, squatting down on the ground.

“Krurv pretty tired now. Krurv let Jaessa kick goal.”

World Bowl XLIII (43) ~ Everything Thread

NSFB: One More Game...But This One Was Historic!

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