World Bowl LI [51] Everything Thread

[Cardenao]

“Hmmm…I dunnooooo.”

“Well come on son, think about it for a minute, Daddy needs you to be as right as you were last time; you made us a lot of money!”

“Daddy, what’s money?”

“I, uh……not sure how to explain it.”

“Is it like some social construct that assigns value to inherently valueless items that can be exchanged for goods and services?”

“Yeah that’s about it. C’mon son, it’s Chromatika or it’s TJUN-ia……who’s it gonna be?”

“Well we just beat Chromatika, right?”

“Right.”

“And TJUN-ia beat us both times?”

“……right.”

“You seem upset Daddy.”

“It’s…yes, yes they beat us both times.”

“Well then TJUN-ia will beat Chromatika! Duh!”

“I don’t think football is quite that simple but…but alright! TJUN-ia it is! Well how about HUElavia vs Ko-oren? Winner plays Valanora.”

“Hmm…I dunnnnoooooo. What are they ranked?”

“HUE is 14th and Ko-oren is 9th.”

“Hmmmm…how do they play?”

“HUE is sorta attacking but still careful, Ko-oren is defensive son, we’ve talked about this. Ko-oren is defense.”

“Oh, yeah that’s right! Well then I pick Ko-oren because defense wins championships!”

“Haha, yes they do! How about South Newlandia vs Nova Calania, we play the winner!”

“South Newlandia!”

“Why’d you pick South Newlandia son?”

“Well they’re a bunch of elephants right? It has to be sooooo hard to tackle an elephant, how do they ever lose a game??”

“I hadn’t quite thought about it like that, boy, that’s a good point. Well, if they win, our boys in Blue and Gold will figure out a way to Stop The Herd. There’s one last game son, #6 Drawkland vs #11 Ranoria……who you got?”

“Aren’t the Drawkfolk super duper big? Like elephants themselves, but if elephants were people!”

“I think…some of them are? And the rest are more normal sized? I…I don’t really know the breakdown of what’s going on over there in Sonnel to be honest with you kiddo.”

“Well if they are, then there’s no way Ranoria can win, it’s game over!”

“Sure, but the Ranorians are really, really good at football. They won the last World Bowl so they’re probably hoping to make it two in a row–just like we were before they knocked us out last edition.”

“Hmm…Drawkland has Brooklyn Beck though, right?”

“I……how do you know about Brooklyn Beck? No, she isn’t on the team.”

“Everyone knows about Brooklyn Beck, Pops! I vote Drawkland, Brooklyn Beck, Brooklyn Beck!”

“She’s not…she’s not on the team, boy!”

“Brooklyn Beck, Brooklyn Beck!!!”

“Ugh……probably gonna regret this but sorry son, I’m going with Ranoria.”

[Ranoria]

A Legacy of Tragedy:
Rhine's Final Chance At Redemption - And Maybe Even Revenge


Diamond Rhine looks on after Ranoria's week 14 loss to Drawkland

From the moment the Cold Hill University Buffalo gave him an offer, Deondre Rhine was a hot topic of debate. A young man who had been suspended routinely in high school, be that for drug use, performance enhancers, or even his violent tendencies. Three star recruit despite a ton of physical talent - that spoke volumes on his character. This was the guy that was going to replace Thorn Davis?

Well, he quickly earned the nickname diamond, because they pulled this recruit out of the rough, and in his freshman season he led Cold Hill to their first NSCF Championship victory. He'd follow it up with two more appearances in the final, and one more win, along with Cold Hill's first and only national championship victory at home. But on the other hand, he'd been suspended for the domestic postseasons of his sophomore and junior campaigns. Hell, his senior year, following a broken leg, the quarterback completely fell off the face of the earth, his GPA falling so low that he barely got back to eligibility by the time he was ready to take the field again.

But once he got drafted first overall - it seemed like he was turning it around. After a couple years roughing it out, Rhine went on the most dominant two season run in league history, winning back to back Winter Bowls, back to back MVP awards, and losing just three games total in that span. And then...it was over.

Alessandra Mio left for the Ranoria City Falcons, and Rhine fell apart. The former MVP became a turnover machine, missed meetings routinely, was constantly seen partying until just hours before he was supposed to be at the facility, or even the stadium. Eventually he was cut from the Dietrich Dynamos just two seasons later, the entire championship core having fallen apart in his wake. But that wasn't the end - because when the GFLB expanded, the Bwunzaba Ostriches took a swing on him, signing Rhine to the most lucrative contract in the history of Banijan sports. They thought they had their man...but things fell apart quickly there.

Even before the season started, Rhine was causing noise. When his beloved pet owlephant, Chewie, was taken into custody due to constant noise complaints from his neighbors, Rhine led persistent, almost rabid protests outside the city hall, and the Ostriches...well they completely crashed during the Rhine era, completely at his mercy. With the amount of money on that deal, they couldn't cut their losses, and Rhine led them to some of the darkest days any GFLB franchise has ever faced. He's been out of domestic work since - but the national team still brought him on. Whether in hopes that if he got on the field, a fraction of his former talent would shine through or just for extra viewership from his cult following, who knows?

But he was never actually supposed to be on the field.

A litany of injuries and retirements before the season left the quarterback room barren - but the assumption was always that Kualu Luani could handle things. And then he blew out his knee.

So here came Diamond Rhine.

The first couple weeks were egregious - but Rhine's gone from looking like he should be tried for fraud to just plain bad. He's still got a negative touchdown to interception ratio, but the forty two year old is averaging just under two hundred passing yards per game, just enough to provide a threat with Rylan Rodgers Jr and Ragnar Sampson leading the charge out of the backfield. And with the team's stay in Drawkland starting early with a loss to the Grid Corps in week 14, the hope is that Rhine can find some way to dig out a fraction of his old self.

When asked if he was upset with his performance against Drawkland at the postgame presser...he didn't give much to help us believe that will be the case. "I'm the best the game's ever seen." He shrugged, "If I couldn't beat 'em today, no one could have. But honestly, I think I made a bad batch. You know, can't get all the oil uniform in the pan. That gummy was wearing off by the second half. Might just keep an extra one in the handwarmer for the playoff game, I dunno. Just in case."

We've seen Rhine lock in before - prior to that first NSCF Championship win, it seemed the young man had turned a corner, realized what he was playing for, what he was representing.

Yeah that lasted until they got back home, but there's a chance, if any resolve is left in the uber-rich, delusional, and arrogant veteran passer, that whatever it was that clicked there can click again. Rhine already has a trio of World Bowl championships - but all as a backup. Always as the best man to the starter, whether it was Wagner-Young or Farmboy Garrett. Here, by the sheer luck of the universe he's always been granted, he has a chance to plant his flag one final time in football history. To push Ranoria to a fifth World Bowl title, and take one last pound of flesh out of the sport that's given so much back for so little out of himself. Whether it's to try and secure himself a legacy - or because he wants one more crack at the only other player he's ever given any respect, who he also mentioned in that interview.

"I've made it clear, I want to play Sarai Gwenderyn one more time," Rhine said to the reporters, "One final duel between the best to ever do it. It's the only way I'll be happy to hang up the cleats, and that means a championship run - I know she'll hold up her end of the bargain. And I'll do the same, because winning is what I do."

Aside from his two losses in the group stage - and downright depressing record in the GFLB - there's no doubt as to the strength of this roster - returning most of the championship squad from a season ago with some new additions to boot.

But here? For Rhine more than anyone else, we have one last chance for Diamond Rhine, legend of the NSCF to show his quality.

So who better to do it against than the Grid Corps - the only team that, even in their heyday, has always been the Krauts' equal? A team they've already fallen too once, and a team that knocked them out when the World Bowl came to our shores. Spoiled Ranoria's bid for the World Bowl's first ever threepeat.

"I don't care who the hell's under center," Rylan Rodgers Jr told reporters after practice today, "We're the best nation, the best team, in the sport. Drawkland's great - they got us once - but they should have quit while they were ahead."

[HUElavia]

Keys To Success

Here's the main things HUElavia must focus on for their Playoff Match against Ko-oren!

HUElavia makes it to another knockout match in the World Bowl once more. Surviving a tricky Group Stage in the DrawkStar Conference and winning the Larry Whitaker Division by one game over Nova Calania, Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos have proven their worth in the Group Stage and that they belong among the best in the Multiverse in Gridiron Football. HUElavia enters as the lowest ranked team remaining in the Tournament, ranked 14th, and being the only Pot 3 team remaining as well, at the expense of Pot 1's The Kytler Peninsulae. who missed out of the Playoffs by 1 game. Now, HUElavia has the daunting gauntlet of going for the World Bowl title as the Underdog in Every. Single. Game.

The first challenge is none other than the other Yellow-Blue-Green team that is famous across the Multiverse: Ko-oren. Ranked No. 9 in the Multiverse, they finished 2nd in the Sauce Division of the Outbox Conference, having them Finish 4th in the Conference with a 9-4 record, resulting in them as the No. 12 Seed in the Playoffs. The 4-time World Bowl Champion has not won a title since World Bowl 41, but they're always a strong favorite at the World Bowl. A run-heavy team, Ko-oren are not a team to be underestimated, whether as underdogs or favorites. These are the keys for Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos, if they wish to pull a historic upset:

1. Stop the Run Game
As mentioned before, Ko-oren thrives off their run game, one of the best in the Multiverse and their crutch for the team. With the dual threat of FB Xoel Poishimin and HB Ekos Paugkaudidhen, the D-Line and Linebackers for HUElavia will have to have their work cut out for them. The main opportunity for the team will be to go more for Blitzes and be close by to stop the run. While the passing game is very good as well, there is much anticipation that Ko-oren will seek to run the game on their run plays. This will be a game likely to be decided on the trenches throughout the match.

2. Open their Defense with the Pass
HUElavia have been known historically to be team that liked the passing plays and will default to it if needed. For the most part, HUElavia would get at least 2 passing Touchdowns from the great throws of breakout QB Obey Uchechy, who has shown composure and patience in the box, not being afraid to scramble and get some yards if needed. In this World Bowl, HUElavia has been one of the highest passing teams in the tournament from the sheer amount of yards gained from their passing. And this will be no different. With the O-Line showing much improvement from the previous edition to now, this offense will want to give the Ko-orenite secondary a tough game to defend. Expect deep and medium throws throughout the game from HUElavia, spreading the passes around to their receivers and tight ends.

3. Play not with Fear, but with Respect
Up to now, HUElavia have shown that they can compete with the best of the best in the Multiverse. With the exception of the game against Banija, the games against other Pot 1, 2, and 3 teams showed that HUElavia can stay close in the game, even close out major upsets, like The Kytler Peninsulae on Matchday 2 in the Home Opener, or the sweep against Nova Calania. They also had their tough, but respectable loss by 10 points to South Newlandia or the close loss to The Kytler Peninsulae in the reverse fixture. The bottom line is, HUElavia can compete with the Multiverse. Ko-oren may be strong, but they got flaws too. And they are vulnerable to where they became the 12-seed.

A long 60 minutes, and maybe more, awaits both teams. In the Quarter-Finals, or better yet the Divisional Round, awaits Valanora. HUElavian Gridiron has history possibly awaiting them. Nobody may fancy this team, but that doesn't matter. We're playing on house money and there is hope and faith that this team gives a great fight on the field. Here's to what can be a historic day in a historic match up.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Drawkland]

"The Senior Season"

A month after the NSCF Awards Ceremony, Brooklyn Beck was taking the field for Sadeg State in her last home opener of DOCA play. The covert offer by Scott Linhart to transfer to Cavsar had been moved to the back of her mind. There was no use in thinking about it right now. She was a Skyhawk senior, and it was time for one last shot at domestic glory.

It felt like things were lining up for an elite run. Brooklyn was a senior. Their main running back Rolo Fishman was a senior. They had three senior receivers (Jace Phoenix being one of them), plus senior tight end Alex Moreno. Most of the offensive line were seniors. The defense … well, it didn’t get any worse. With the coaching trio of Hayes, Halifax, and Hunt all entering their second year in charge of Sadeg State, this was the time to make something happen.

The first few games of the DOCA season were shaky at best. This team was only a couple months removed from their rather terrible skid to end the NSCF 33 season. The Skyhawks still survived the rather easy early slate, but it didn’t feel like everything was really coming together. The defense was prone to giving up a lot of points, and thankfully Brooklyn and the receiving core were up to the challenge to overcome those defensive lapses and stay ahead on the scoreboard.

In Week 5, the turnaround happened. A road game against Biloba University is never an easy task. Located deep in the Ellzidanian wilderness, the home advantage factor is pretty immense. That, combined with the fact that the Trees had a pretty tough and physical squad this season, meant it was going to be a tough task regardless. In spite of that disadvantage, the Skyhawks rallied together. The normally spotty defense locked in for only 10 points allowed all game, while Brooklyn found each of her senior receivers to earn a 28-10 win in tough conditions.

From there, Sadeg State was much more of a force. The defense finally had a handle on defensive coordinator Michael Hunt’s scheme. Now instead of giving up nearly 20 points per game, the Skyhawks were giving up closer to 13 on average. The offense with Brooklyn under center continued to thrive, though there was some inconsistency. If it weren’t for the defense gelling at just the right time, several of those midseason games would’ve ended up as losses.

The team wasn’t perfect, though. They lost a couple on the back end of the schedule, to Torral University - Bellator and University of Cajel. It didn’t impact their postseason hopes, as they still won the Iarocav Conference and made it into the league playoff with a chance to qualify for the championship playoff. A couple wins later, and the Skyhawks were in the Drawkionel’s League final looking at a matchup against University of Delmore.

There was no way to understate it. This was Brooklyn’s last chance. Her dad had won a national championship in his time at Sadeg State, all those years ago. She’d wanted to see State win another DOCA championship since she started following football. All of this on top of her standard desire to win it all every year. At this point, though, Brooklyn had dealt with enough high pressure situations in her career to know how to handle herself.

Fortune seemed to be on the side of the Skyhawks. The Drawkionel’s League rotated their championship game between the five territories of Drawkland, almost exclusively hosted in a GLD stadium in or near a Drawkionel’s hometown. This year it just happened to be hosted in Sadeg, where Iarocav was born and raised. That meant Sadeg State would effectively have home field advantage, playing at Spartan Veteran Stadium across town from campus. Brooklyn was especially excited to play at The Vet, as she’d been a Spartans fan for years and always wanted to play in their home confines.

Yet with plenty of momentum on their side, Sadeg State couldn’t get a solid football against Delmore. The Bucks had been a major football powerhouse for years, and were probably the toughest competition in the Drawkionel’s League for the Skyhawks. The first half of the game was a real grind. Both defenses were shutting down the running game, and as a result both offenses struggled to establish themselves. Even though State’s elite passing game showed some sparks, Delmore’s secondary had enough trust in their front seven to shut down the run that they focused hard on the pass and shut it down pretty effectively.

Both squads had just a touchdown apiece to their names at halftime. Brooklyn and the Skyhawk offense got really lucky on a pass to Dennis Barnabas: the big receiver flawlessly tiptoed on a sideline catch with the Buck defensive back covering him dove and whiffed entirely. Barnabas found his stride again in bounds and managed to juke out the last safety between him and the end zone. A single blown coverage is all that Delmore gave up in the entire first half, but at least Sadeg State capitalized on it. It was still better than Delmore’s offense, which hadn’t scored at all. Their only touchdown came from a punt returned for a touchdown.

After halftime, things went a little more insane. Delmore got the ball first to begin the second half, but literally fumbled it away a few plays into the drive. Grant McKendrick scooped up the loose ball and returned it for six. The Skyhawks had a touchdown lead before they’d even taken a snap in the third quarter. When the State offense did get the ball, they made good on that too. Brooklyn piloted her first good drive of the game. The Delmore defense seemed to lose a bit of its confidence, now dealing with a deficit. Brooklyn felt that and took advantage of it, throwing into tighter windows and taking a couple risks when running the ball. They paid off when Brooklyn trotted into the end zone to extend the lead to two touchdowns.

The two-score lead would be short-lived. Delmore finally had a good drive late in the third quarter, as State’s run defense started to fall behind. This drive was punctuated with a touchdown, and that was just the beginning of State’s troubles. The next three Skyhawks drives ended in punts and didn’t take up much time, giving Delmore’s offense time to burn the clock while wearing out the Sadeg State defense. The Skyhawk D started to show signs of life again, but that came as merely holding the Bucks to field goals rather than touchdowns.

It felt Sadeg State’s game to lose early in the third quarter. Now it felt like one they’d be lucky to win. The score was 21-27 in Delmore’s favor, and Brooklyn Beck got the ball with 3:47 left on the clock. She needed a touchdown to win. A mere field goal would almost certainly mean the end of their season. This was a championship playoff appearance on the line, effectively a semifinal berth for the national championship. Brooklyn couldn’t fall short in the league championship again … could she?

Delmore’s defense knew what was coming. Not much time left on the clock, needing a touchdown, Sadeg State would obviously be passing. The Delmore interior had done great at shutting down the run anyway, so they could freely focus on defending the pass. However, Trace Hayes and Jack Halifax had an idea to counter it: get the runners in space.

On 2nd and 10 at the start of the drive, Brooklyn waited a few seconds in the pocket before delivering to running back Rolo Fishman in the flat. The Delmore secondary was much deeper, so Fishman was easily able to slide for positive yardage, just short of the first down. With the defense loosened ever so slightly, Brooklyn rushed the Skyhawks to the line and hit Alex Moreno on a short curl to move the chains. The Skyhawk offense felt the momentum, Brooklyn felt The Zone mindset start to creep in. The next few plays were all completed passes for positive yardage. Sadeg State moved the chains again, and again.

Being in field goal range didn’t matter much for their current situation, but the Skyhawks felt good as they neared the red zone going into the two minute warning. There was still work to do, but Delmore wasn’t going to make it easy. Their defense regrouped during the time out, and gave them enough fire to knock the next two passes incomplete. All of a sudden it was 3rd and 10, still not in the red zone, with time wasn’t on their side. Delmore’s secondary was licking their chops. They knew Brooklyn would be passing, she had to be, and the patterns would be deep. They could shut this play down – or so they thought. The first couple seconds of the play were great for the Bucks. They had every receiver blanketed, and the pocket was closing in on Brooklyn. Unfortunately, one of the defensive ends made the cardinal mistake of overpursuing, and Brooklyn felt a window open in the pocket. With no options immediately available and the hint of a lane developing, Brooklyn tucked the ball and took off.

The Delmore defense was suddenly caught on its heels. Brooklyn didn’t hesitate, because she knew she didn’t have time to. She simply sliced into a narrowing gap between linebackers and charged for the line to gain. One linebacker dove to try and take her feet out short of the first down, but Brooklyn hopped and avoided the tackle. With the rest of the defense not prepared for a run in the middle like that, Brooklyn managed to squeeze out a few more yards before finally sliding just outside the ten yard line.

It wasn’t quite goal-to-go, but it was close. If anything, it gave the Skyhawks 4 more downs to play with if they managed to get the ball just short of the goal line. The only issue now was the clock, which would’ve been rolling had Hayes not called his second-to-last timeout as soon as Brooklyn got down on the turf. Four, maybe eight plays left to try and get that go-ahead touchdown.

First down was an incompletion in the direction of Jace Phoenix, but it was mostly a throwaway by Brooklyn who was feeling pressure in the pocket. Second down saw a completed pass, but it was underneath to Moreno for only a few yards. It was 3rd and 5 now, with the clock moving again. Brooklyn tried one more time to fit the ball to Phoenix on that play, but it was tipped at the line by a Delmore lineman. Even though there was still time on the clock, the Skyhawks needed to get the ball inside the two or it would be game over.

They didn’t know it at the time, but that fourth down would decide the ballgame. At first it seemed it’d be a nail in the wrong coffin. Brooklyn called for the snap, the crowd as loud as it had been all night, and faced immediate pressure. The pocket constricted far too soon, but Brooklyn managed to slip past a lineman and sneak out of the pocket without taking contact. There was no time to hesitate. All Brooklyn could do was run laterally to her left, but there wasn’t an avenue for a first down. Delmore had a linebacker spy tracking Brooklyn, and with the play breaking down early, the only receiver on that side was Jace Phoenix trying to beat double coverage.

Brooklyn saw Jace, and though the chances of him getting to the ball were slim, there was no space to try anything else. Jace was running right along the first down line. He couldn’t cut to the end zone, as a Delmore safety was tracking him along the goal line. He couldn’t slow down, because a Delmore corner was a half-step behind him. Brooklyn just had to lead the pass and pray it worked. She zipped it with a quick flick of her arm. Jace seemed to know exactly where the ball would go. He reached forward, arms straight out in front of him, now leaning forward in his stride. The ball hit him in the hands. He squeezed it hard, leaning so far forward that he was about to dive headfirst into the ground. For a brief moment, one wondered if he was even over the first down line at all.

It didn’t matter anyway. Once Jace felt secure with the ball in his right hand, he extended it to the right, leaning his dive towards the end zone. Jace’s knee hit the ground … but that was a moment after the ball touched the turf … which was a moment after he extended the ball over the goal line. The line judge raised his arms in confirmation. Touchdown Sadeg State.

Brooklyn pumped her fist in celebration, running up to Jace and mobbing him for a few seconds as he laid on the turf triumphantly. The Skyhawk offense quickly vacated the field and allowed their reigning NSCF Special Teams Player of the Year, Nicky Wolfe, kick the go-ahead PAT.

The Sadeg State defense still needed a clutch stop, and they got it. While everybody was still hyped about the touchdown play, the Skyhawk defense locked in and shot down Delmore’s last-ditch passing attack. They got to midfield before being forced to try a hail mary with only seconds left, and it fell through. Sadeg State was going to the DOCA championship playoff. Brooklyn Beck was two wins away from a ring.

[Drawkland]

WORLD BOWL LI


The highly anticipated, unbelievably stacked playoffs are about to begin! Who's getting disappointed early?

ROUND of 12

Chromatika 17–6 TJUN-ia
@ Ducentu Municipal Stadium (81,000) Ducentu

HUElavia 13–37 Ko-oren
@ Founders Field (89,000) Quinnaber

South Newlandia 51–0 United States of Nova Calania
@ Ferris-Deltore Stadium (59,350) Waylook

Drawkland 38–0 Ranoria *
@ Bethelm Arena (102,100) Bethelm

* Match scorinated by Tumbra (edited to add clarification)

PLAYOFF MATCHUPS

#8 Chromatika vs #1 Banija
@ Maldhar Bay Stadium (126,400) Hessport

#12 Ko-oren vs #4 Valanora
@ Torral Field (100,686) Bellator

#7 South Newlandia vs #2 Cardenao
@ Cyclestream Stadium (122,250) Esmereldane

#6 Drawkland vs #3 Quebec and Shingoryeo
@ Spartan Veteran Stadium (107,500) Sadeg

[Valanora]

Valanora Times
A New Test

Welcome to the knockouts once more fans of the Sabres and once more the team is going into them as the group, or in this case conference and division, winners and as a slight favorite heading into the game. Yet much like two years ago when the team was drawn against Chromatika, there is a sense of unease going into this Quarterfinal game against Ko-oren, despite being a three point favorite according to most foreign betting sites. Last edition the Firehawks were able to capitalize on elite special teams and defense to pull off the upset against the team from the Empire and if there is any sort of team that could do that but better it will be a team from Ko-oren. As it typically is when dealing with any sorts of sports team from Anaia, Ko-oren's gridiron team is one that looks to win on the back of a truly spectacular defense, using it to grind down the will of opposing offenses and give themselves great field position to take advantage of. With the third best defensive record during the group stage portion of the competition, this edition of the team is no different and the Sabres were perhaps a bit lucky to have beaten Ko-oren during the group stage.

To get here, the Sabres had to do something that they had been having trouble with most of the rest of the competition, they had to go away from Vanorian shores and get a victory, they also needed a bit of help from Drawkland. If Drawkland lost to Ranoria, then regardless of what happened with the game between Valanora and Dhemixia, the Sabres would finish second in their division and would have to play in the "Round of Twelve". With victories a victory over Ko-oren and a demolition of Katzeburg in Mar Sara the two previous weeks, the Sabres had locked up a spot in the knockout rounds while Dhemixia had been eliminated with losses to Ranoria and Katzeburg, who rebounding quickly past their sixty-one to seven pounding in Mar Sara. It made it that on the last week of the group stage, that there was nothing left for the home side to play for besides pride, having been eliminated from knockout contention with the back to back losses. It had to be a hard pill to swallow for the fans and teams of Dhemixia who two weeks before were looking as likely as any of the other teams as making it to the knockouts, but wilted under the intensity of the end of group run in.

Odin Sørbø looked sharp and got the team off to a good start, going seven for nine for fifty-seven yards on a seventy-five yard scoring drive that ended with a four yard draw from Alexander Østby. It had been a clean, efficient drive that kept the home side guessing as to what was coming and when the defense forced a three and out, there was a feeling the game was only going to go one direction. Unfortunately for Odin, he was unable to add to his touchdown tally on the second drive as Emil Gundersen had been unable to keep both feet in bounds and the team had to settle for a field goal. Fredrik Mundal would end up going four of five on the day, only missing a fifty-three yarder on the team's third drive and it was the only drive the Sabres failed to score on before the fourth quarter. With Sørbø dicing up the secondary and Østby dashing past the second level on the runs, it was a game over before half time. Two fourth quarter touchdown passes by Jerry Atkinson and two point conversions brought the score within ten but the failed onside kick with a minute twenty-four remaining sealed the ten point victory. When the final score went up that Drawkland had also beaten Ranoria, there was a loud roar from the pocket of Vanorian fans who had made the trip, as they had sealed a first round bye.

Odin Sørbø has been as good as advertised and according to some in Quebec and Ranoria, he is seemingly a cheat code for Vanorian teams with just how much talent he seems to have. Why undoubtedly perhaps the best quarterback to ever be produced in the Empire, there is still clearly a lot of growth left for him to have to hit his ceiling, a ceiling where hopefully he can lead the Sabres one day to a World Bowl Championship game and perhaps a title. Merely winning a knockout game will suffice for now though and that is going to be easier said than done with the opponents that the Sabres have to face. Ko-oren and the Sabres faced off in Week 13 in Drawkland in a neutral site game, every team having one of them during the group stage, and it had been a nasty game where neither team was able to move the ball very well. The Sabres defense has been pretty good for most of the tournament thus far, excusing a pair of thirty point outbursts in the middle of the group stage, though the one at home the Sabres did manage to have their own offensive explosion to still win that game, unlike being kept quiet in Ranoria.

Kasper Ulvestad and Matteo Sjögren are the two leaders on the defense and it will be up to them to make sure that the team's defense continues to play above and beyond what many think they are capable of. Ulvestad is an elite pass rusher, one of the best to play the position in the RFL with Memphis while Matteo is one of the best ball hawking safeties that has ever been produced in the Empire. They are the keys to getting defensive stops and keeping opposing offenses from being able to establish a good passing game against the Sabres, to disrupting opponents gameplans and getting the Sabres' offense more bites at the cherry. Odin has grown in this tournament, we have seen it, but he is still a first tournament starter and with the lights as bright as they will be for this game against an extremely talented and motivated Ko-oren team, he will need help. It will take all three phases playing exceptionally well to be able to defeat Ko-oren for a second time, yet it can be done if they are able to execute the gameplan that Andy Magnusson and the staff have put together for this massive match. It is a game where the Sabres can finally show they have real championship credentials and are not still trying to build up the level of the team. A semifinal date with either Chromatika or Banija also would have storylines that nearly write themselves.

[Ko-oren]

The Gelogathingun Administration: Part II

NHMS: Changing Weather Patterns

Dersherun Lekleorisethun of the National Hydrology and Meteorology Service speaks up about changing weather patterns across Ko-oren. "Colder regions are even colder, warmer regions are even warmer."

News from the town of Mumbahrih found its way to the desk of our editors, and you know what that means: weather data. We have done a cursory look through our archives and we found two articles of the last decade that are a match for 'Mumbahrih' but not a match for 'climate', 'weather', or 'meteorology': three years ago, the local cricket club almost won East Surbourneshire's regional T20 cricket title, and six years ago, a mud slide took out an electricity pole, knocking out the railway between Abishu and Lehnakhotha, causing those who wanted to travel from the south coast to the Bay to take a three-hour detour. You get the point.

Dersherun: "The Census was recently released, so we thought it was time for an accompanying census of our own. Of course, we keep an eye on the weather for all of you, but look at enough weather data and you get a pattern. Multiple patterns and you've got yourself a climate, which is ever-changing - that's the good thing - but we're seeing some trends - that's not always a good thing."

The NHMS names some interesting stats:
- The Northeast is getting colder and wetter, with chances of subzero temperature daily highs nonzero in summer;
- The Southeast is getting hotter and drier, with more extreme weather events;
- The Centre is experiencing more extreme temperatures, pushing -20C in winter and +40C in summer.

"In the grand scheme of things, it's a warning, and Ko-oren with its position out in the ocean is simply getting hit with the very odd effects of that. It's not moving as alarmingly quickly as other parts of the multiverse, but it's certainly interesting to see our national temperatures diverging. I mean, from a scientific point of view, it's fascinating... but if you're trying to grow food, or reliant on food grown in the soil, well, it's also fascinating, in a different way. And just to defuse the situation already: the brunt of the change occurred between 25 and 10 years ago, and the needle barely moved since then. So there is evidence for us having seen the worst of it."

That said, the NHMS report does call for additional measures to be taken. Everything from agriculture to transport - everyone relying on work being done outdoors in the most extreme seasons - will have to be wary of weather changing faster, and lower as well as higher temperatures.

"Lydia, is this from your department somehow?" Prime Minister Abodhiru Gelogathingun asks. "No," is the curt response. "Then who sent it? And why wasn't it forwarded to Parliament?"

"Maybe this is real?"

[TJUN-ia]

SCHEDULE (Plexen Conference, Luxury Division)
MD1: vs Cardenao (1) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 20-12 (1-0)
MD2: vs Of the Golden Harp (27) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 47-13 (2-0)
MD3: @Delaclava (17) (CD) - Eagles Stadium, Manchester W 39-30 (3-0)
MD4: vs Vaishnavaria (37) (CD) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 49-12 (4-0)
MD5: BYE
MD6: @Terefuxe (25) W 50-26 (5-0)
MD7: vs Sea Peoples League (UR) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington L 13-26 (5-1)
MD8: @Cardenao (1) W 29-12 (6-1)
MD9: @Of the Golden Harp (27) W 43-26 (7-1)
MD10: @Ophiuchus Region (UR) (CD) W 19-17 (8-1)
MD11: vs Chromatika (7) (CD) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington L 35-26 (8-2)
MD12: vs Terefuxe (25) - Field of Dreams in The Gardens, New Washington W 58-34 (9-2)
MD13: vs Quebec and Shingoryeo (10) (CD) - Plexen Stadium, Pittsennat (Neutral) L 17-38 (9-3)
MD14: @Sea Peoples League (UR) W 38-20 (10-3/Luxury2/Plexen4/#9)
--------------------------------------------------------------
R1: vs Chromatika (7/#8) - Ducentu Municipal Stadium, Ducentu L 6-17

[Banija]

Banija v. Chromatika- a legacy defining quarterfinal

HESSPORT, DRAWKLAND- Over 126,000 are going to pack the Maldhar Bay Stadium, to see the first of a tremendous slate of quarterfinal matchups. Banija v. Chromatika, Valanora v. Ko-oren, South Newlandia v. Cardenao, and Drawkland v. Quebec. All four matchups featuring multiple time former champions- and all four matchups featuring, elite, rising nations in this sport, searching desperately for their first World Bowl title. Our matchup, naturally, will be the Banijans against Chromatika. The Serpent Eagles against the Iron Legion. There's so much to write about when it comes to this matchup- and how it can be a legacy defining one, on both sides.

Let's get into that, shall we?

Quarterback legacies- How Gwenderyn, Banija, and Chromatika all intertwine

This sport we always talk about the quarterbacks, don't we? The most important position in sport- QB. Probably the only position in the big sports in Banija where the mental is truly more important than the physical. And two QBs, although they didn't play at the same time in college, have paths that intersect. And the only way to talk about these quarterbacks, and how they intertwine with each other's nations, is to start in college football- all the way back in NSCF 22.

In a way, Sarai Gwenderyn is responsible for the downfall of Banijan college football. Downfall might be strong- but neither Banijan school has won a title since NSCF 21, and even beyond that, hasn't even been to the title game since NSCF 25. Next year is NSCF 34, if you're counting. Why is she responsible? Well, when Chromatika showed up and decided to be the best nation in college gridiron, they had to push the others out of the way- and they pushed nobody out of the way harder than they did the Banijan schools.

NSCF 21? Loyola's third title, the fourth for a Banijan school in 8 seasons(including NSCF 15 & 16, where we didn't play), Since then? Owned. No coincidence it coincided with the start of FSUMDU's entry into the NSCF. Who could forget her dominating performance at the Istria Lightning Yard, in a playoff game no less, in NSCF 23? That win was her third against Loyola in 2 seasons, as a freshman & sophomore. Second at the Lightning Yard in that season. And that wasn't even her best performance that year at the Lightning Yard- that performance was 4 weeks after she had already shredded the Blue Thunder defense once at the same stadium. 2-0, responsible for 7 TDs, and ended Loyola's season- she burned herself into the brains of Loyola fans forever, the defining legend of the rivalry, in all of the worst ways(if you're a Loyola fan).

And then, of course, Gwenderyn as a professional. Politics shows this, but she is the epitome of the power of Banijans and Chromatiks working together. When Dennis Zervos was her head coach for the Ranoria City Falcons, they turned the league on its head with a pass-happy offense, and won the whole damn Winter Bowl. She had a knack for taking the world by storm. Olympic champion- first try. RFL champion before 25. NSCF title game as a true freshman, conqueror of the Istria Lightning Yard as a sophomore, NSCF champion as a junior. Yet again, Banija and Gwenderyn intertwine. Hey, she was even a guest at the Kabaka's funeral- that can't be denied.

But in the World Bowl... Different story. Gwenderyn had a legendary run to the World Bowl 45 Final, on home soil no less. They played the Banijans in the final... And despite her best efforts, Banija triumphed, 37-30, to win our second(and most recent) World Bowl title. And then, to drive home the point, Ice Chineze outdueled her in a 43-24 victory at the semifinals of World Bowl 46, ensuring Ice Chineze's legacy(at least in comparison to Gwenderyn). Ice stops iron, apparently. For a woman who almost completed the sport before her 25th birthday, she's been back to semifinals, and even the Final- but can't win that big one. And now, instead of a young gunslinger, she's been the defining QB of the sport since. And at 33, she's not getting younger. Those losses don't get off her back unless she wins one for her country- as Isaka Jawara can attest to.

Enter Kadesh Odika, stage right

Kadesh Odika- Sarai Gwenderyn's heir at the former Felswyr State University- now called Mountain District. An absolutely stud recruit, out of Cass Tech HS in Busukuma, he went to Felswyr because he thought that would be best for his career. And wow, it has paid off indeed. She was QB from NSCF 22-25, while he took over as a true freshman late in NSCF 26- and used up his eligibility through 29. He went to three NSCF championship games, winning 2 of them, establishing himself as one of the greatest QBs to ever play in the NSCF.

And that is where the intersections begin. "Obviously, Gwenderyn laid out the path for me- without her success before me in the Mountain District, the program is not in the position it was in when I took over as QB1." He told reporters when asked about it in a pre-game press conference. "As an alumnus, I'm always going to root for her success- she's the singular most important figure in the history of FSU- I mean, MDU athletics. You saw it everywhere. The students spoke it, alumni expected it, it was everywhere. In HS, I was such a big fan- many don't know this, but I actually went to ULI v FSU, in NSCF 23, the regular season game. On a recruiting visit to Loyola- and she blew me away. I was her #1 fan after that. See her standard, meet the standard she set."

And the Banijan schools know this. He was not only 5-2 against them in his career, but that includes 3-0 in the postseason. NSCF 28, he beat Loyola and NMU in back to back weeks, in the QFs and SFs of the postseason, en route to winning his second title as a starter. And in NSCF 29, he ended Loyola's season for a second time- permanently etching himself into that rivalry. In all three of those aforementioned playoff games, he put up over 40 points each and every time. So, for a long time in Banija, he was the enemy. Unless you were a University of Moravica fan- then you probably owned his jersey after those spanking he gave the two Moravican NSCF schools.

You know what they say- work until your idols become your rivals, and that's where Odika is. Now, they are in different leagues- Gwenderyn is slinging it in the RFL, while Kadesh Odika is running things in the GFLB, in Banija's biggest city. A hero in Banija, instead of the enemy. QB1 at the World Bowl. Odika wants to prove himself in that long line of Banijan star QBs- Jawara, we don't have to talk about him. Ice Chineze, a monster. And Odika- a third straight superstar QB. He was slated to start at WB48, but tore his ACL in training camp, and missed the tournament. WB49- undefeated all the way up to the title game, until Bobby Dials ended his season.

World Bowl 50, Odika and Gwenderyn met for the first time as rivals- twice in the group stage. They split it, each winning at home. But never with everything on the line, like they will here in Drawkland. Which Firehawk will carry their university's banner into the semifinals? Find out soon, in Drawkland.

---

Kadesh Odika's wife, and sister, speaking to each other in the stands ahead of the game

"Gonna be a hell of a contest, isn't it?" His wife said.

"Oh yeah. Banija v. Chromatika, the storylines write themselves- absolutely this one comes down to whoever has the ball last." His sister said. She was all smiles. She was a huge gridiron fan herself, even beyond her brother being a bonafide superstar. She had been all smiles since she had got to Drawkland- her own husband, ironically, was a player for the Ostriches- although not one good enough to be on the NT. So she watched on TV Drawkland just decimate Diamond Rhine(the most hated man in Bwubanza), and she smiled. Like any good Bwubanza fan, she was no fan of Diamond Rhine- and so a big loss, in a KO game, was beautiful to see.

"I mean hey, Ranoria lost. Already a successful tourney, eh?" His wife laughed.

"And Rhine put up a donut? In his last game? Someone should've asked Bwubanza fans whether or not this dude could play..." And they continued talking. The stadium was filling, the nerves were rising on both sides. Getting Sarai Gwenderyn in the first round is not what the Serpent Eagles would have said they wanted from getting the #1 seed, but as they say- if you wanna be the best, you've gotta beat the best, and Gwenderyn is certainly among the best.

[Cardenao]

WORLD BOWL QUARTERFINAL VS A TEAM OF SENTIENT ELEPHANTS, THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!!

Just like that folks, your Blue and Golds are back in action in the Quarterfinals of the most beautiful competition, the World Bowl. La Furia Azule rolls into this game with after a relaxing bye day that gave us some much needed rest as we desperately pursue a second world title, while our challengers come into the game on the back of what can only be described as ‘kicking the shit out of him oh god stop he’s already dead!’ 51-nil victory against Nova Calania; South Newlandia. 51-0, feels like I shouldn’t have to say more than that yet here I am, writing the words you’re currently reading! That’s right CardenFam, it’s Cardenao vs South Newlandia for the right to play in the semi-final…in a game that matters in a sport we love, it’s fair to wonder who will come out on top; that’s why I’m here to break things down in a way that even the most gonk amongst you will understand!

Let’s start with South Newlandia, the 12th best team in the world, fresh off that incredible victory but anybody who watched them in the group stage isn’t that surprised. Led by the indomitable Scott Yadev, this is a team who only narrowly missed out on winning their conference on the back of both a prolific offense and stout defense. 11 wins and two losses in the group stage shows how strongly the Elephants have been playing, their 345 points in those 13 games is more than Cardenao scored! The 3-wideout set they run has proven difficult to deal with, and even when opponents have done well to gameplan, the emerging brilliance of Yung Lad Yadev has been the ace in the sleeve. True to nature, the Elephants have been a difficult nut to crack for opposition attacks, their 145 points allowed is among the best in the competition, though not quite as good as Cardenao’s top-ranked defense so take that! Key to the game for La Furia Azule will be bringing the heat to Yadevvy and forcing SNL to run the ball. Speaking of Cardenao, let’s talk about Cardenwow!

World Bowl 49 Champions, #1 in the world, best defense in the group stage…swept by TJUN-ia, life is strange friend! The Big Nao is led by the one, the only…Big Bobby Dials who is reportedly DESPERATE to win another World Bowl title, and hopes are high that this team will smash through the Newlandian line and deliver us to the semi-final once again. Our 11 wins and 325 points came from a disciplined approach to the game, pass, run, run, pass, pass, run, some real janky Bobby Dials BS, TOUCHDOWN! So it’s obviously hard to game plan around that specific sort of playstyle panning out in the Qarterfinals……that’s why the Blue and Golds trot out the world’s best defense. Only 135 points conceded, simply incredible for a Cardenaoan team traditionally known for run and gunning to outscore the opposition, and on a stage as big as the Cyclestream Stadium, we’ll need that defense to hold strong yet again. Mack King and Alabaster Big fucking Red will be called upon to reach deep into their bag of tricks to stop the destroyer of worlds, Scott Yadev, but should they do that and the rest of the team plays to their fullest potential, then there is a chance somewhere between 0 and 1 that we will beat the Elephants and inch closer to that desired and validating second championship.

Whether or not Cardenao will, remains to be seen.

[Chromatika]

Legacy of the Firehawk
The Secret

What's the secret to a long, successful career? A rather simple question, but one that had been posed to Sarai MIchelle Bradwyn Gwenderyn numerous times - especially since she entered her thirties. As she continued to rattle off successful season after successful season to add onto her impressive story and resume, the questions had followed her from those that wanted to emulate her, criticize her, or praise her. It was a loaded question in her opinion, but one that she couldn't dodge, so she answered them every time the exact same way.

The secret was having the right mindset to approach the game. Sure, winning was everything, but competing was even more than that, and working with those around you to reach a level that you previously thought was impossible was perhaps one of the best feelings in the world. Every team was different, with its own strengths, quirks, and weaknesses; navigating around those to get to a point where you were playing the best kind of ball available with that exact combination was what it meant to be an athlete, especially in a sport that was as team-oriented as gridiron football. This mindset was what kept her coming back to the film room, to the weight room, and to her dietician to make sure that her mind and her body were in the best shape possible to achieve those goals. This was the basic building block on which everything else hinged on.

The secret was being lucky enough - and blessed enough - to be in the right place at the right time with the right people around you. Who knew that Chromatika would send a school to the NSCF the very year she entered Felswyr State University? Who knew that Alessandra Mio would be a receiver in said university? Who knew that the 3-3-5 defense, along with an air raid attack that didn't utilize any running backs at all, would completely dumbfound the competition, allowing the Firehawks to take the NSCF by storm? Who knew that she would be drafted by the Ranoria City Falcons, who would then take a risk by getting Alessandra later on, leading to their success? Careers were defined by decisions made by players, but also by teams around them that impacted those players; Gwenderyn considered it a miracle that things had fallen into place the way that they had throughout her career. Yes, she had taken every opportunity in front of her with as much purpose and aplomb as possible, but without those opportunities coming in front of her, she would never have become the player that she was today.

The secret was knowing when to take a step back when you needed it. Take the current tournament, for example. When she felt a sharp tug on her left calf during a Conference Stage game, she didn't hold back - she told the coaching staff, who took her immediately to see the trainer. When the medical staff determined that she needed rest, she didn't argue with them - she did as she was told, giving the calf plenty of rest and rehab before coming back to the team to win four games in a row that they needed. This rest allowed her to be as close to 100% as possible as the team rounded into playing Cardenao, TJUN-ia, and now looked at facing Banija. As fierce as a competitor that Gwenderyn was, she wasn't the type to argue against medical staff; one of her best friends, Sara McAllister, had demonstrated just how important it was to heed medical advice when it came to playing careers. The end result was that she was as healthy as she had been throughout this entire tournament as she rounded into facing Banija.

The secret was managing your personal life and other aspirations so that they could motivate you to play well without being a distraction. She was in a happy relationship of over five years with Andrei Boskeyyie, a philanthropist and an entrepreneur who was a managing partner of Frenei while being the Assistant Director of the Rainbow Foundation, acting as the de facto Director during the gridiron season. Andrei and Sarai worked very well together in tandem concerning all things - from agreeing that they would be married the spring after she hung up her cleats to how to run the Foundation, among other things. There were other opportunities out there - politically, philanthropically, and business-wise - but during the season, they all took second fiddle to gridiron football. This fervent focus on her playing career was so well respected by those around her that they actually waited till her season was over to approach her directly. There would be a time coming soon enough where those other things would get the attention that they so justly deserved, but that wasn't yet - not when the job wasn't finished.

The secret was feeling that fire in your soul when it was time to play the game. No matter the situation, no matter the opponent, Sarai always felt the same determination, the same desire to win, and the same understanding that she would have a major stake in the result of the competition at hand before taking to the field. It was this fire that had driven her to decide on playing quarterback when given the choice in her youth, and it was the driving force behind why she had stuck to it for so long. It didn't matter if it was the Championship Game of a tournament or a preseason game; what mattered were the people with her in the huddle, the defense across the field, and the field itself. Sure, outside pressures and big moments added flavor to what could otherwise be a repetitive occurrence, but Sarai found solace in that repetition because she knew the blueprint to be in the right mindset to face it head on in the best way that she could. Keeping the starting point the same regardless of the circumstances meant that her ups and her downs were fewer and far in between - allowing her to exemplify one of the rarest tenets of being an athlete - consistency.

The secret was acknowledging greatness across the field - around you and from the opposition - when you saw it. Sarai Gwenderyn was the very opposite of egotistical or selfish. She gave credit to her teammates as often as possible, took a lot of the blame when they lost, and gave her opponents the respect that they deserved. This upcoming game against Banija would be no different. The Serpent Eagles were one of two teams that had defeated the Iron Legion in a World Bowl Final. They now had a quarterback - Kadesh Odika - who had effectively replaced Gwenderyn as the most successful quarterback in Felswyr State University history just years after she had left. She had gone to each one of Odika's championship games and had cheered on the Firehawks, personal legacy be damned. She was a model team player, a perfect role model, and the right blend of competitor and citizen. "I don't have to like someone to know that they are special on the field," she stated once, "I can both give someone the respect that they deserve while trying to figure out a hundred ways that I could utilize to beat them. If you can't do that, you're just a narrow-minded person who doesn't know how to be multifaceted." Some have mistakenly dubbed this a "losing mentality", but her accolades suggest otherwise.

The secret was not being too big to recognize big moments when they approached you. Sarai knew just how big of a deal it was to play Banija in these Quarterfinals. It would be an opportunity to avenge one of the most important losses in Iron Legion history. It would be perhaps the only time that Gwenderyn and Odika met on the World Bowl stage. It would decide for many who the best quarterback in Felswyr State (now Mountain District) University history was. It could be the last game that she ever played for her nation. Anne-Maurice, and those behind her, deserved a chance at their own legacy and destiny - and it would be very unlike Sarai to stay in their way for any longer than she needed to.

The secret was all of these things - and the knowledge that, despite it all, regardless of the circumstances, the expectations, the histories, and the people that would hang on to every single thing she did on the field in the next three hours, none of that changed the fact that representing her country in the biggest stage playing the game that she loved was so damn fun.

And that was the biggest secret of them all.

[Drawkland]

"The Fateful Call"

With their win in the Drawkionel’s League championship, Sadeg State University qualified for DOCA’s championship playoff. Only four teams, one from each league (collection of conferences), made it to this stage. It was a simple playoff bracket from here. The winners would go on to the national championship. The losers would be resigned to the Bronze Bowl to decide third place. Nobody liked playing for the Bronze Bowl, but at least it was better being a scrub team that didn’t make the playoffs in the first place.

The University of Duchango football team awaited Brooklyn and the Skyhawks in the semifinal match. The Cavalry, as they were called, were football blue bloods that averaged a championship playoff appearance every other year. Their roster was littered with future GLD talent, touting a stout defense and pro-style offense that could hurt you on the ground or in the air.

It was going to be tough. But it was the semifinals for the national championship. Nothing would be easy from here on out. Brooklyn Beck had to fight, and she did just that.

For the last few years, the semifinal games were held on the same day, in the same city. Drawk City put together a unified bid to DOCA with their two pro gridiron stadiums, Corps Central Stadium and Lookout Stadium. Two huge venues in the cultural capital, with unified branding. This season was no exception. Duchango and Sadeg State were set to battle at Corps Central Stadium in suburban Drawk City.

It would be pointless to restate the stakes here. One win away from reaching the championship game, two wins away from lifting the DOCA Football Championship trophy and putting Sadeg State back atop Drawkland’s college football throne. This was the penultimate step in Brooklyn’s journey to cement her legacy as a Skyhawk that actually achieved something for her school.

Brooklyn Beck was running all night. That meant one of two things: either the opponent’s run defense was terrible and Brooklyn could scramble at will, or the opponent’s pass rush was relentless and left her no time to throw at all. Against a league champion like Duchango, it was absolutely not the former. Despite the number of experienced and skilled seniors on the offensive line, Duchango’s pass rush was demolishing them for most of the ball game. Brooklyn had just enough elusiveness to save herself from being sacked constantly, but not enough time to throw that she could move the ball effectively. It didn’t help that the officials were throwing holding flags like no tomorrow.

It turned the first half into an absolute slog. The Skyhawks only managed one field goal in the second quarter, and that wasn’t going to cut it when their defense allowed the Cavalry to ride to two touchdowns, one of them coming right at the end of the half. The crowd, which had a noticeable pro-Skyhawk slant, seemed deflated once Duchango running back Cameron Johnson ran in that second touchdown in the waning seconds of the second quarter. With how tough points were to come by in the first half, it felt like the Cavalry had a twenty point lead rather than just eleven.

If there was any good news for Sadeg State, it was that they got the ball first in the second half. Trace Hayes and Jack Halifax knew that the offensive scheme wasn’t working. They spent pretty much all of halftime brainstorming to put together some semblance of a plan. If they were going to keep rushing Brooklyn, they were going to find a way to at least give her options while running for her life. They earmarked some plays where the offensive line would slide to one end, or really quick-hitting options. The run game wasn’t totally forgotten, but with a multi-score deficit they needed to prioritize the passing plays which would keep the chains moving.

The plan worked to begin the third quarter. Sadeg State’s first offensive drive of the second half yielded their first touchdown of the game: a Brooklyn pass to Alex Moreno on a goal line stick route to cap a frantic yet successful series. Brooklyn was getting the extra half-second she needed to find guys downfield. The few runs they could get Rolo Fishman were working out decently. They just needed to find consistency.

That consistency was easier said than done. Naturally, the Skyhawk defense was still trying to make their adjustments work, but that progress wasn’t happening quick enough. Duchango answered State’s touchdown with a touchdown of their own. Brooklyn and the offense couldn’t muster a response worth anything on the scoreboard, and the terrifying march towards the end of the game continued far too quickly.

At least the Skyhawk defense was finally figuring things out. They put the Duchango quarterback on the turf a few times and started shutting down the run that the Cavalry were desperately trying to keep alive to try and shorten the game. The door didn’t feel completely shut. Brooklyn metaphorically wedged herself into the doorframe at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Sadeg State’s offense was finally moving the ball without feeling like a tackle for loss was coming every play. This isn’t to say it wasn’t a fight, but the Skyhawks were actually moving effectively. Brooklyn was at the helm of it all, and on 2nd and Goal, she capped the drive herself. With the pocket moments from collapsing, center Luca McCauley managed to shove aside the Duchango defensive tackle and leave an avenue of escape. Brooklyn took it without a second thought, tucking and running right up the middle. With how close the end zone was, she only had to throw one linebacker in the spin cycle before getting to paydirt. It was now 17-21 Duchango.

Despite the Cavalry offense’s best efforts, they couldn’t get that nail in the coffin they really needed. They punted from midfield, and Brooklyn came back with a renewed bounce in her step. The Skyhawks offense looked like a different team than the first half entirely. It really looked like State was about to take the lead with a touchdown when they drove the length of the field in just a couple minutes. Brooklyn even threw a would-be touchdown to Jace Phoenix on 3rd and 8 from the 15 yard line, but it was nullified by yet another holding penalty to push the Skyhawks back. With a country mile to go on third down, they couldn’t convert, forced to let reigning NSCF STPOY Nicky Wolfe take the points to draw the score within 1 point.

The Skyhawks defense almost delivered perfectly in response. They did blow a coverage on a 3rd and Long play to extend the drive for Duchango, but they still stopped the Cavalry outside of field goal range to force yet another punt. Brooklyn was getting the ball back with a chance to take the lead.

Once again, Sadeg State drove down the field. Brooklyn was feeling herself now. She was zipping the ball effectively, dodging Duchango defenders like they were pylons, and generally just keeping the ball moving. She even threw a go-ahead touchdown to Jace Phoenix (for the second time), but once again it wasn’t to be. The line judge on the right side of the field felt that Jace pushed off his defender a bit to make his spectacular catch on the end zone sideline, calling offensive pass interference and killing the drive. Brooklyn got a few yards on third down, but it wasn’t enough to move the chains. Nicky Wolfe came back out onto the field, this time to take the lead … but he whiffed. The ball sailed to the right and missed the goalposts entirely, holding the score at 20-21 in Duchango’s favor.

If ever there was a time for a defensive stop, it was now. Sadeg State’s offense had momentum (ignoring the missed kick) and just needed any points at all to take the lead. Time was really getting short, though. As Duchango started driving the ball on the ground, Brooklyn and the rest of Skyhawk fandom watched the clock anxiously. There was a very real chance that she wouldn’t touch the ball again. Finally Duchango’s onslaught was stopped in its tracks on the edge of field goal range. Neither team had forced a turnover all game, but it almost happened here as Clark Luciano stripped the ball free. Unfortunately a Duchango lineman fell on the ball to retain possession, but it forced Duchango to try a long field goal … which they made.

Brooklyn sighed in exasperation as she watched the ball sail through the uprights and make the score 20-24. Now less than two minutes remained on the clock, and a field goal was no longer on the table. Thanks Nicky. Brooklyn had to put the ball in the end zone to save the Skyhawk season. It wasn’t like she was unfamiliar with that situation. She’d dealt with a similar scenario against Delmore, she could do it against Duchango.

“Boys, this is it. Hope you’ve got some gas left, we’re gonna be hurrying up. End zone or bust.” Brooklyn said in the first huddle of the drive with a meaningful glance at Jace Phoenix. The odd and slightly romantic feelings hadn’t really changed over the course of the season, but she knew she could trust Jace when the game got tight now. They just needed to get close enough to take a shot.

With the crowd buzzing in Corps Central Stadium, Brooklyn and the Skyhawks got to work. Backs against the wall, last-ditch effort, all those cliches. Season on the line, and they were making it happen. A couple quick curls and outs past the sticks to pause the clock just long enough to get reset without burning too many seconds. Brooklyn pulled off a couple huge scrambles to get on the edges of the red zone. A few plays more, a couple timeouts spent, and the Skyhawks finally had the ball goal-to-go. Unfortunately, they were out of timeouts with less than 30 seconds to go.

There were just 4 downs left to save the season, and they didn’t have time to run the ball without risking it all. It would have to be in the air. It would have to be on Brooklyn’s arm and decision-making. First down, nothing. Second down, Brooklyn was forced to scramble but couldn’t get more than a couple yards downfield before being knocked down. Time was really a factor now, but State got the third down play called and snapped in time that when Brooklyn was forced to throw the ball away, there were a few precious seconds left on the clock.

The time was no longer a factor. Three seconds, fourth down, five yards to go. Duchango called their last timeout in order to rest their defense and get the best possible guys on the field. It gave the Skyhawks a breather of their own, where Trace Hayes called in the play. It was going to be a play where Brooklyn moved to her right after a few seconds. Alex Moreno would follow in front of her to offer a block if needed, and a couple receivers including Jace would run across the end zone, hopefully giving at least one open window for Brooklyn. No pressure, there’s only a chance at the national championship on the line.

So the teams returned to the line of scrimmage, the crowd absolutely wild. It was storybook time. Brooklyn wasn’t thinking about it at the line since she was in The Zone, but this was the type of thing that forged legacies. This was yet another opportunity to right the wrongs of her earlier career. She got the snap. The offense and defense sprang to life, and after a moment, Brooklyn and Alex took off to the right. The Duchango defense was on point: they had a spy on Brooklyn, but Alex’s protection meant he couldn’t crash in. Brooklyn was plenty ahead of the pursuing linemen. She just needed to get the ball to Jace. She saw him dashing across the goal line, defender covering tightly. It was the opposite direction from the clincher against Delmore, but the feeling was the same. Brooklyn couldn’t see just how close the defender was, as he was partially obscured by Alex running in front of her, but she knew she could spot the ball in front of Jace.

Brooklyn pumped the ball for a second, waiting for the perfect timing, then released. The ball zipped forward to where Jace’s hands should’ve been … but he wasn’t there. Jace was actively getting pounded into the turf by the defensive back. The ball bounced off the turf harmlessly. The crowd, already loud, gasped and jeered at the play. Jace Phoenix had been absolutely mauled from behind by his defender well before the ball arrived. Fans watching on TV noticed that Brooklyn hadn’t even fully released the ball when the defender made first contact, shoving Jace to the ground.

“NOPE!” Brooklyn yelled. She grinned to herself. Defensive pass interference with the game on the line? Technically in the end zone? Thanks for the free touchdown! There’s no way she’d be denied on a QB sneak. They just needed to wait for the referee to call the penalty. The flag was … the flag wasn’t there. Brooklyn’s head snapped to the line judge. The flag was still on his belt, and he was looking over at the head referee to signal the end of the game.

“Hey!” Brooklyn yelled at the ref, making the flag-pulling motion with her right arm. “HEY! Where’s the flag? Where’s the PI, blue?!”

The crowd was voicing similar concerns, loudly. The ref simply looked away. Some of the Skyhawks offense went to help Jace off the turf. Duchango’s team had already rushed across the field in celebration as the ref signaled the end of the ballgame. Trace Hayes was livid, already shouting an earful at the nearest referees.

Brooklyn hadn’t stopped her tirade at the ref who’d kept the flag in his pocket. In fact, she was stepping closer to him and following him. “What the FUCK, man? Hey! Look at me, fuckwad! Did you not see my receiver get murdered in the back before the ball got to him? How’s that fair? You flag him twenty minutes ago for breathing on a DB when going up for the ball but ignore him getting flattened in the end zone? LOOK AT ME! HEY! You can’t just walk away from that, you shithead!”

“Brooklyn!” Jace yelled, finally off the turf and rushing to try and slow Brooklyn down. He couldn’t be heard over the general stadium din. Boos rang out in incredible unison among the State fans in attendance, but it didn’t make a difference.

“GET BACK HERE!” Brooklyn hadn’t stopped following the ref, jogging to catch up with him along the sideline. “You have to answer for this! Are you fucking serious? You’re gonna just pretend that didn’t happen? You’re gonna fuck me out of this? HEY!” Brooklyn finally caught up, grabbing and yanking the ref’s arms. She wasn’t thinking rationally. In fact, she wasn’t thinking at all. The Zone had her seeing red, perhaps literally. She’d already ripped off her helmet and thrown it on the ground halfway through her screaming rant. The moment she touched the ref, he turned back to her and threw his flag immediately. “Oh NOW you found your flag! Good job, assmunch! Where’s the fucking accountability? You’re a FRAUD. You need to be fired YESTERDAY. FUCK. YOU!” Brooklyn gave the ref one more shove before being restrained.

By now, most of the Sadeg State offense had caught up. Jace grabbed her arms so she couldn’t touch the ref again, and the offensive linemen huddled around to surround Brooklyn. The altercation continued in the center of the field as the officials, coaches, and sideline reporter tried to figure out exactly what happened.

“Brooklyn. Brooklyn. Calm down. It’s over. It’s done.” Jace whispered into Brooklyn’s ear, hoping against hope to soothe her.

“It’s not fair.” Brooklyn choked out. She felt her eyes water and squeezed them shut, hoping to press through the tears before they started flowing. She felt the energy drain out of her body all at once, slumping against her teammates. “It’s not fair …”

[Drawkland]

WORLD BOWL LI


Quarterfinals inbound. It's a stacked group, but who's got the sauce to make it to the all-important semifinals?

QUARTERFINALS

Chromatika 30–16 Banija
@ Maldhar Bay Stadium (126,400) Hessport

Ko-oren 13–26 Valanora
@ Torral Field (100,686) Bellator

South Newlandia 20–23 Cardenao
@ Cyclestream Stadium (122,250) Esmereldane

Drawkland 19–44 Quebec and Shingoryeo *
@ Spartan Veteran Stadium (107,500) Sadeg

* Match scorinated by Tumbra

PLAYOFF MATCHUPS

#8 Chromatika vs #4 Valanora
@ Corps Central Stadium (177,000) Drawk City

#2 Cardenao vs #3 Quebec and Shingoryeo
@ Lookout Stadium (170,000) Drawk City

[Valanora]

When the histories look back upon the moment when the needle turned and gridiron became a prominent sport in the Empire, a respected sport alongside the likes of football, basketball, and ice hockey many will point to this edition of the World Bowl. While this edition of the World Bowl has seen the Sabres reach heights that they have never reached before, making their first ever semifinal appearance at the tournament, looking at this tournament in a vaccum would overlook the massive amount of work done by the players and staff have done since the team first entered into the competition. Initially seen as just a novelty and a way to provide the elite players from the NSCF an opportunity to keep playing the game after their graduation from university, the Sabres presence in the World Bowl helped launch a professional gridirion league in the Empire where opportunity now awaits all in the Empire who had dreams of playing at an elite level in this sport but never thought they would have a chance. It has cultivated a talent level that has allowed the Sabres to go from also rans to a surprise championship contender, who with a bit of luck might make it there sooner than anyone would have imagined.

The secret to that success, to how the Sabres have been able to crash through the proverbial glass ceiling this edition has been the elite play of Odin Sørbø as the signal caller for the team. A player who knows all about all the dedication, hard work, and luck that is needed to have successful deep campaigns in tournaments, having made the NSCF championship game twice and the semifinals in another season in his time at Raynor University. The six foot, hundred eight-four pound quarterback is the epitome of this Sabres team, a player and team who are undersized and perhaps a bit overlooked compared to the more traditional powers on the tournament, but whose skill level is as high as any. Able to scramble to extend plays or even take off when a play does break down, yet with the calm demeanor to sit in the pocket and deliver consistent strikes to a wide receiver room that is second to none. Odin provides a winning mentality that is infectious and allowed the team to bounce back from what felt like a mid competition slide to then look as good as they have done the entire tournament since.

Despite his immense talent, the quarterback alone is not responsible for the team's immense amount of success, there has been good performances up and down the roster. Perhaps the most understated of those members is kicker Fredrik Mundal, who in back to back games has hit four field goals and in the game against Ko-oren they were all from over forty yards out. The knowledge that the team is likely as not to come away with points even if the drive does stall out in the opponents half gives the team a versatility and openness that would not be there if there was not confidence that they would be coming away with points. Though the biggest help has been a defense that is able to disrupt opposing teams desire for the way they want to play the game and able to bend and not break. Like with Mundal, the defense has shown resolve of a team looking to make a statement, constantly holding opponents to just three points or even coming up with turnovers when they enter the red zone. While some purists would want the defense to be a steel curtain that keeps opposing offenses at just three and outs, that is not a realistic goal and what this team has done when their backs are against the wall is truly inspiring.

All of this was on display in the Quarterfinal game in Bellator against Ko-oren, as the rematch from earlier in the month elsewhere in Drawkland seemed to provide the perfect opportunity for the Dragonflies to get their own back. A gritty thirteen to six victory for the Sabres a few weeks ago, the Dragonflies were relegated to having to play in the play in "Round of Twelve" and maybe thought they should have performed better. Yet it seems more like the Sabres took what they learned from that game and built upon it, getting out to an early thirteen to nothing lead in the first quarter, the defense styming Ko-oren's attempt to get the run going. Sørbø and the rest of the offense were looking crisp, yet a long and methodical drive that chewed up most of the second quarter by Ko-oren and ended in touchdown made things seem interesting. The Sabres were able to execute a near perfect two minute drill and add another field goal as the half expired, reestablishing the two possession lead. Ko-oren would go three and out to start the second half and a twelve play, seven and a half minute drive that ended in a three yard toss that Alexander Østby took to the endzone was a nail in the Ko-oren coffin. Two fourth quarter field goals after long drives were simply not enough for Ko-oren as the Sabres added one last field goal before eventually running out the clock to secure the victory.

It was a performance that will be remembered for some time in the Empire but it is one that the team will have to put into the back of their mind as they have a very difficult game to prepare for in the semifinals. It is a rematch with the same Chromatika side that put their marvelous campaign two years ago to a halt and sent the team home early. It will be a game against two of the most intriguing quarterbacks as the Sabres have one of the best up and coming ones in Odin but Chromatika has a legend of the game both at the professional level as well as at the NSCF level, the indomitable Sarai Gwenderyn. One of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, she has all the tools that you want from an elite signal caller, yet for all of her greatness the World Bowl has eluded her, much as success in it has eluded the Empire for some time. Odin brings the ability to create on the scramble and a bit more mobility, something that the Sabres will be hoping to use to keep the Iron Legion from being able to shut down the explosive offense at their fingertips. With the Chromatik defense keen to leave their corners on islands, will the Sabres elite wide out corp learned from last edition and find a way to exploit that weakness or will history show that legacy triumphs over the new?

[Chromatika]

Legacy of the Firehawk
Variable

Heading into the locker room, things were going well but not great for the Iron Legion. They hadn’t been able to get too far on the offensive side, only converting three third downs – relying on three field goals from Markseon, all beyond forty yards. Thankfully, the defense was playing as well as they had been all tournament when the Serpent Eagles moved within the twenty-five yard line, Three times Odika had been close to the Chromatik end zone, and three times, he was denied. The result was a very tight, very competitive nine-nine score at halftime, with neither side being very happy about how the game was going so far.

Sarai Gwenderyn went up to Naia Curentino, the Iron Legion’s Offensive Coordinator. “Do you mind if I modify plays and protection in the second half?” she asked her friend and coordinator. They had agreed to have Curentino call the plays at the start of the game, with the knowledge that they were still favoring Gwenderyn’s left calf. The fact that Sarai was asking for her full rights as a Quarterback back meant that she was ready to return to being her usual self and player, unleashing her talent to the fullest potential. Naia simply nodded, and got out of Gwenderyn’s way as the Quarterback addressed the offense. She went over protection details with the line, spoke to her wide receivers about continuing their routes when she left the pocket, and spoke to her tight ends by blocking and then releasing into the flat. In a span of one halftime, the Iron Legion committed from being an offense with a statue at Quarterback to being an offense with a mobile one.

The first drive out, the Iron Legion got the ball at their own twenty-eight. Two plays later, it was third-and-three; Gwenderyn took the snap, wheeled left, and, for the first time in the game, outran the closing defender to the sideline, picking up three yards and the first down. She pointed at the Serpent Eagles – a gesture that’s rare from Gwenderyn throughout her career. Five minutes later, the drive ended on another rollout – to the right – where she noticed a closing defensive end, looked off a safety, and floated the ball to the deep right corner of the end zone, where Niles Gwivern had snuck to after blocking and releasing. Touchdown.

Odika, being the ultimate competitor, did the same on the other side. His deep ball accuracy was perfect, beating out Paul Mattieu on a throw to Kasozi Batte that whistled through the air for more than forty yards. Their drive took less than three minutes, and it was sixteen-all. It was then that Gwenderyn’s scrambling truly took over. She was excellent in the next two drives, avoid pressure, running away from the rush, and extending plays. At times, she threw the ball away when it was needed; six third down conversions were completed, and in finding Demetrius St. Pierre and Enox Silverman, effectively put the game away.

Kadesh Odika had the ball three more times for the rest of the game, and each time, he fell just short. The first time, they punted on a fourth and two from their own thirty-eight; then, two throws on fourth down fell short as the Iron Legion defense clamped down. Chromatika had finally vanquished one of their greatest foes in sports in the playoffs. “We didn’t know if she would be able to contribute as much as she did while moving at the beginning of the game,” admitted Curentino, “But when she said that she wanted to be let loose, we were okay with it. She’s a wizard, and when she’s in the groove, there aren’t that many teams that can stop her.” “I felt like it was in front of me,” explained Gwenderyn afterwards. “We’ve been rehabbing and trying our best to get back to playing shape, and I could tell that if I was a little more mobile, I could make an impact.”

With the Chromatik offensive line struggling just slightly – much improved from earlier in the tournament but remains one of the weaker spots on the team – Gwenderyn’s legs proved to be that extra edge that they needed. Moving into the Semifinals, though, the team is acutely aware that Valanora will now take that into account. “The good news is that when you have a mobile quarterback, it presents and angle of the game that can’t be ignored no matter how hard you try to prepare for it,” stated Curentino, “Besides, it now gives us the flexibility to gameplan with her mobility in mind, too.”

Their foe in the Semifinals will be a name that Chromatik fans know by heart – Valanora. The Vanorians, more famous for their accomplishments in the other kind of football, are a rising power in gridiron, too. This is their furthest foray in gridiron, but Chromatika has the head-to-head, having defeated them in the most recent World Bowl playoffs.

The upcoming match will likely end up being very clean, very professional, and very clinical. Chromatika and Valanora pride themselves in technical skill, excellence, and keeping their head on straight. This will likely be more of the same – and the team that has the better execution and better game plan will end up prevailing. Two games away from the result that will cement Gwenderyn’s legacy, the Iron Legion aren’t taking anything for granted.

“It’s been a journey to get here so far,” explained Head Coach Misha Florentine, “To beat Banija in the playoffs of any tournament is massive, but that just means we’re one step closer to the goal we had setting out.”

On paper, the Iron Legion have a more defined roster with a lot more professional and international experience. However, that isn't what decides who wins games - and with a team that is coming into their own, the Sabres are definitely among the next wave of contenders. With Ranoria, Drawkland, and Banija all having bitten the dust, and only Cardenao left as a team that has won a title in the past, the field is wide open.

Two more games to decide what the legacy of this particular team will be. If not this tournament, when? It all begins with a matchup against the Sabres - where it wouldn't be a stretch to say that the Iron Legion will be the favorites.

The stars are aligning. It's time to step up to the plate.

[Cardenao]

La Furia Azule Back In The Semi-Final; Once Again We Face A Very Cool National Ally!!

After missing out last edition to the winning Ranoria, the Blue and Golds are back in the World Bowl semi-finals for the second time in three editions. Once again we step to a stage featuring a close national ally, last time it was Banija, this it’s Quebec & Shingoryeo, who gifted us an aircraft carrier 30 years ago which was very cool! Now they have a chance to do something even cooler and gift us a place in the Final, cmon international friend! Unfortunately, that’s very unlikely to happen, meaning La Furia Azule will have to do the winning on the field.

This has all the potential to be a match for the ages, Team Nao, #1 ranked in the multiverse coming off a very narrow game against South Newlandia that came down to a last minute bit of brilliance from the Big Dialer to steal the wub, vs a Quebecois side who just kicked the absolute shit out of Drawkland to the tune of 44-19. The scenes should indeed be scenic as these two high-powered teams go to battle. While Cardenao emerged victorious in our week three conference clash, it’s fair to say the Quebecois have gone from strength to strength, demolishing all who stand before them while Cardenao has needed some serious luck more than once, so it’s hard to predict with any certainty who will come out on top. For all the passion this matchup will draw out of the players, a lot will be determined in the stylistic clash that has the competition's best defense and offense going for each other’s throats.

For a Quebec & Singoryeo side that’s desperate to lift the trophy, their success has come from running up the score on basically every opponent they’ve faced; indeed, you have to go all the way back to that week 3 Cardenaoan victory to find the last time the Quebecois failed to score more than two touchdowns. Key to their absolute RAWRcrush levels of victory has been Benoit Youngblood whipping the ball across the field like a gah damn cowboy and wide receivers Hugo-Wojciech Son-Saka and Kieran Kweon-Mcnair going animal style on every secondary they faced…except for Cardenao’s! Even if we manage to repeat that feat, Horace Horton has emerged as a potential contributor in key moments from the tight end position, and Liam-Emerson Sauvageau’s bowling ball approach to halfback has become lethal at smash through defenses that are more focused on stopping the air game. To play against Quebec & Shingoryeo is to compete against a highly-skilled team that wants to hurt you in a variety of different ways; pain is pleasure to these sick freaks. Clearly what we need to do is lockdown on the receivers, smash through the O-line featuring Marwin fckn Finlayson to get Youngblood feeling the heat, keep the linebacker line solid to deal with Sauvageau…yeah, easy as!

Meanwhile Team Cardenao will return to the playstyle that’s served them well this tournament, tough, regimented defense that suffocates the opposition then let Bobby Dials do his thing on offense. It’s already won the Blue and Golds one World Bowl, why not keep the faith and win it once again! The question becomes how much longer can Bobby Dials reach into his bag of miracles and bring Team Nao to victory? Three times in this competition already has it come down to the wire, which is far more than is acceptable for the world #1. At this point, I’ve covered our gameplan pretty thoroughly in these little pre-match previews, but now more than ever do the fundamentals of the team need to shine through. Bobby and his targets to Deacon St. John and Marquis Ingram, Reno Thai making the most of his touches to run us down the field, and Nejc Graciano stretching the field in that beautiful way only a vertical tight end can do…if all of these hit and our defense stands firm once again? AND we score more points than Quebec does? Holy hell we might just win this thing!

So that’s it really, nothing much more to say than that. Two friends turned competitors in a stylistic matchup that will truly test the saying:

Defense wins championships.

---

Fucking islanders.

He’d put in a lot of work over a lot of years, and these fucking islanders were the ones to who threatned to burn it all up. Of course, he was going a little over the top, the situation was still very much under control, but the fire wasn’t in the script.

Sigh.

All this work modernizing Cardenao, building up the roads, the navy, airports, purchasing sports teams across the world, the brilliance of Capo Capatori and the Cybernetic Cardenao to come, and it came down to the backwater island folk getting in the way. The Illan-Irlan conflict had long been simmering, he’d just turned up the heat a little, and perhaps this could actually provide another opportunity to escalate things.

Mihaly paused to look down at New Cardonia beneath him, the city was alive and bustling even at this late hour with digital boards and flashing advertisements on skyscrapers bathing the city with a soft glow, it felt like sleep never quite came to Cardenao’s capital these days.

The end goal in the islands was ultimately to unify the islands, quell this generations long beef, and start the process of modernizing two of Cradenao’s most underdeveloped islands. Sure, the island’s hatred for each other wasn’t the biggest issue in the world, but it was a distraction that prevented the people and the land they inhabited from achieving their full potential. Both islands were rich in resources and had ideal locations for industrial cities, and the proximity of the islands meant a single harbor could effectively service both of them, and their proximity to the mainland meant they could serve a vital role in hosting the vast data centers the future would demand.

The fire, he hadn’t accounted for the fire…classic Cardenaoans getting schwifty with it. How to make the most of it?

Escalate, get a Watcher over there to put gas on the fire. There might be an unfortunate casualty or two, but if that’s what it took for them to meet his vision?

That’s just the way things go in Cardenao.

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

OOC: My apologies to Drawkie for me not being able to RP this much. Just very WTF of score that goes against my narrative.

Those familiar to the art of Quebeco-Shingoryeoite gridiron would know that indeed, there is no clearcut GOAT. Gridiron's a sport that has changed many times stylistically and statistically in this country, and with the relatively inconsistent participation of the national football team, also nicknamed the Grim Reapers, until the mid-fourties of the World Bowl, needless to say that an argument about a clearcut GOAT would be as fruitless as comparing the greatness of Sir. Dexter Ahn, only Quebecois QB to have won five MVPs and Imperial Bowl, and Ian Lautner. And that's without mentioning the likeness of Donovan O'Mara, who might be the Ranorian consensus pick for being one of very few to scare their vaunted defences, or even Benoit Youngblood.

Is it a good thing that there is no runaway favourite at this point in time? Perhaps, considering that Ahn and Lautner had lived in a time where poor compensation for participants had led into a tumultuous, depressing thirty-year period where the collegiate all-Quebecois team served as the de facto 'Grim Reapers' squad. But it's also a testament to the side that, while mostly known for its consistency, was still a fair distance away from proper contention. And if you'd ask an average person on the streets of Montevicio or Iqaluit, they'd say the usual names: Ranoria, Drawkland and Banija, with Cardenao, Chromatika, Ko-oren following suit, and then maybe the Reapers and the Owlephants and the Vanorians behind.

Now, it's not like this is a bad thing, but that's also the testament to the fact the Reapers haven't won it yet. It complicates evaluating a quarterback's legacy, even more so with international leagues' growing relevance to World Bowl performance (is there a surprise why Huelavia, Abanhfleft and Tjun-ia have been trailing more proactive nations such as Valanora?), more difficult. Ahn and Lautner may have had more dominant runs with the Joongyeong Voyageurs, which many refer as 'Quebec's Team', but O'Mara's still the only Quebecois quarterback to have really led a Reapers' squad to the championship game and we all know about Benoit Youngblood's NSCF and RFL heroics.

With this in mind, there's a certain sense of fortune that's followed Benoit Youngblood for the course of this World Bowl. It isn't to say that he hasn't had it before - just four years ago, also in Drawkland, he delivered some heroic performances to bring the Reapers to only their third semifinals appearance - but the shaky group stage performance then and in the historic World Bowl L had raised some doubts in the public before. And yet, his performances as a starter for the national team is arguably at his best, with two semifinals and a quaterfinals appearance that speak for themselves, and his ability to pull ahead in crucial games, whether against Drawkland, Chromatika or Tjun-ia, seems to mirror his collegiate performance where his final year would see Youngblood, whose combination of mental fog and nagging injuries, struggle into the postseason. Fortunately, we all know how that finished.

It is perhaps why the latest episode of the 'Book of Beno' was written on the quarterfinals against Drawkland, as the Reapers would face the three-time champions for the fourth time in five cycles (including thrice in World Bow 47, no less). Product of a highly-interesting group stage that's certainly made the playoff permutations fascinating, what was perhaps the most stable Reapers' group stage since 47 seemed to have fallen the Reapers into a quad three draw that most had feared. Nobody looked forward to the matchup, especially when considering the recent history of Quebeco-Drawkian matchups, as well as the 30-7 cookie thumper the Snow Bears predictably laid on the Reapers last quarterfinals. Like it or not, whoever that was going to win the Round of Twelve match would progree.

And yet the Reapers got away with it, perhaps in a most surprising manner of all. In a matchup that would pit Logan Oakley with Benoit Youngblood, the Grid Corps would strike first with Oakley's brilliantly-thrown spiral to Julian 'Brooklyn's Man' Gallagher, as the Cavsarite wideout would deke and jump past five consecutive defenders before scoring a 98-yard touchdown. The Spartan Veteran Stadium, feeling the breakout moment of their hometown boy who had gone away for college under Scott 'Linehan' Linhart, roared into cheer that resembled Roy Memorial on an ordinary day. This then was followed by a simple, methodical dive from Jack Hoy, and like that, eight-nil.

Most teams, and sadly late Deondre Rhine who looked more dead than a rotting corpse in the underground chambers of Cavsar International University's neo-gothic buildings straight outta Vampwolf Chronicles, would have folded. But the Reapers, who seemed to be unfazed for most things this World Bowl, would respond to it with one of their own the following drive, thanks to a 14-yard slant pass to Horace 'Horny' Horton that landed perfectly as the Northern Moravica slotback-tight end celebrated with three twerks. A back-and-forth half was then followed, with aggressive playcalling from the Reapers' coordinators, DC Errol Cernugel Jr, seemingly able to frustrate the Grid Corps' young receiving group, while the Reapers made marginal gains on run, choosing to focus heavily on their receiving pair of Horton, Son-Saka. By the time both sides went back to their locker room, it was 16-13 Reapers at the halftime.

So what the hell happened on the second half? It's hard to explain, so I wouldn't, dear reader.

But if anything's learned from most of the Quebeco-Drawkian matchups in past decade or so, it's that when two highly-aggressive sides face each other, they (almost) never end with close scores, even if the details might suggest a very different one. That's what happened in the 47 championship game, that's what happened in their playoff matchups since then. Needless to say that Nimischuuch's looked not too shabby, The Benolution didn't disappoint and that nobody knows what the fuck also what happened here, as a comedy of errors followed to great amusement of third-party fans and WTF of both sides' fans, in ways resembling the Grid Corps' visit to Zube Olympic Stadium few years ago. You try to explain how that works, but you just can't. OMGWTFBBQ indeed.

[Drawkland]

WORLD BOWL LI


Now time to decide our finalists. Who will take the penultimate step to World Bowl glory tonight?

SEMIFINALS

Chromatika 33–16 Valanora
@ Corps Central Stadium (177,000) Drawk City

Cardenao 10–3 Quebec and Shingoryeo
@ Lookout Stadium (170,000) Drawk City


CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHUPS

Third Place Game
#4 Valanora vs #3 Quebec and Shingoryeo
@ Metro Arena (150,000) Metropolon

WORLD BOWL LI CHAMPIONSHIP
#8 Chromatika vs #2 Cardenao
@ Seven Stars Stadium (250,000) Centivar County

[Chromatika]

Legacy of the Firehawk
Motivation

The story of how the Iron Legion overcame Valanora in the World Bowl Semifinals can be told by one statistic: third down conversions. Chromatika went 12-of-18 in that key down, with Sarai Gwenderyn leading five long drives that were more than eight plays long, leading to three touchdowns and two field goals. Sørbø and the Vanorians had one touchdown drive back, but with the Chromatik defense holding them to three field goals - the score was 20-13 in favor of the Iron Legion at halftime - the Chromatiks were able to pull away. Sarai Gwenderyn went 23-of-31 for 318 yards and the three scores, with Alessandra Mio being her top target with eight catches for 114 yards and a score. They did just enough on the ground, gaining 113 yards on 17 carries, to put up a complete game - it would've been far uglier if Valanora hadn't held Chromatika to four field goals.

As they had been the entire tournament, the defense played pretty well. Giving up just the opening touchdown to Sørbø, they were particularly good once again once the opposing team got inside the twenty, denying the Vanorians on four such occasions including a fourth down stop in the beginning minutes of the Fourth Quarter. With Jere Rinaldi and Park Mi-Hyeon continuing to plug up the middle of the field with ruthless efficiency, the edge rushers and linebackers were allowed to tee off, creating just enough havoc to affect Sørbø on key situations.

"It was a complete team effort," described Head Coach Misha Florentine, "It was awesome to see how the team played together as a unit. Sarai (Gwenderyn) was sharp, we ran the ball well enough, and the defense was as reliable as they have been the entire tournament long. We're on a run right now, and we've got one more game left to finish off this run."

Which leaves just one more game left for the Iron Legion - the Championship against Cardenao, the top-ranked team in the sport. Twice before they've been here at the final game of the World Bowl. The first occurrence, back at home in World Bowl 45, resulted with Banija prevailing in Dre'a by a score of 37-30. Three World Bowls later, in World Bowl 48, Sarzonia prevailed in an epic shootout in Chicoutimi by a score of 59-53 in double overtime. Now, it's World Bowl 51, and the Iron Legion will be hoping that the third time is the charm.

In their first meeting all the way back in the final week of Conference play, Cardenao prevailed by seventeen points to wrap up the Conference title. In the game, they harassed Gwenderyn for most of the game to disrupt her rhythm while leaning on their running game to set up the deep ball from Bobby Dials. Dials has already had success in both the collegiate and the international level, but for Cardenao to win their second trophy in three tournaments already would establish them to be among the powerhouses in international gridiron, while Chromatika would be relegated to being the bridesmaid for the third time in a row.

Naia Curentino is understandably excited about the prospect of taking on the top-ranked side with a healthy Gwenderyn.

"She (Gwenderyn) wasn't ready to roll out or do anything with her legs in that first matchup," admitted the Offensive Coordinator, "There was even talk about having Anne-Maurice go out there instead, but we thought that her veteran knowledge was worth the price of limited mobility. She's been at a full go for two games now, and made smart plays with her feet; that level of wrinkle will be something that Cardenao now has to deal with if they want to beat us."

As it's two teams that are focused on their defensive identity, Chromatika is expecting a total fistfight in the championship. Cardenao was the top ranked defense in the Conference stage, with Chromatika only being four points behind. When the margins are that slim, it'll come down to whoever makes the least mistakes - or whoever forces the most from their opposition. Turnovers will come at a premium, and whoever forces more of them will dictate the game.

Chromatika has announced that the Championship Game will be the final game of Sarai Gwenderyn and Alessandra Mio's careers with the Iron Legion. There is talk that should the Iron Legion win, many others may ride off into the sunset as well, knowing that they had finished their jobs. Although most Chromatiks don't want to see the legends leave the team, it makes sense to go out while you are on top of the world - especially since they would be the first Chromatik gridiron players to win a title, most of them with the moniker of having won both at the collegiate and the international levels.

The worst part of the two losses that Chromatika has had in the Championship Games is that they had a chance to win them, but lost narrowly both times by a touchdown or less. For all the emphasis Gwenderyn and the team has placed on being clutch, they were proven to be less than their opposition. Now, though, with a roster as studded with veterans as the one that the Iron Legion have now, there is no excuse for lack of experience. They should be able to close out the game with a Quarterback as good as Gwenderyn and a defense that has been doing it for the entire tournament - or it just may never get done.

"There is a sense of urgency about this Championship Game," exasperates Journalist Cheryl Desster, who covers the Iron Legion, "Everyone knows that it's Sarai's last time, and the entire team wants to see her off with a ring. There's going to be a lot of newness that you will see on this team in the tournaments to come, and with the field as wide as it's been in the last few tournaments, there is no guarantee that Chromatika will be back here anytime soon. They need this one, and they need this one badly."

A surprise awaited the Iron Legion on the last practice the night before the Championship Game. Sara McAllister, the legendary kicker of the Felswyr State University Firehawks, friend of many of the players on this team, and a role model to so many others, made it to Drawkland despite her condition. As she addressed the team when she was asked to speak, she reminded everyone why it was that they played the game - for each other, for the fans, for the black and white that represented the country.

"I wasn't able to stay around and continue to play with you guys, and that remains one of the regrets of my life," McAllister intoned, "But you have all stuck around. You have put in the work, you've committed yourself to excellence, and you've been the reason why we've had the success on the field. You now have the chance to finish the job - and make sure that you'll be remembered in history forever."

By the time she was done, there was nary a dry eye in the room, not the most usual thing for a Chromatik team that prided itself in being composed. McAllister just meant that much to these players and this team. She may not be the person that was kicking for the team any longer, but there was no doubt in anyone's minds that if she were healthy, she could've been the best kicker in Chromatik history.

So now, Chromatika goes to war one last time with Sarai Gwenderyn at the helm. Alisa Mayamoto is the only Chromatik legend of a sport to have actually won a title - in baseball. For all the accolades that Keira Andisori collected during her days with the Anomalies, a World Cup wasn't one of them. For all the hype and the play that the Fillar siblings have generated for the Anomalies, they lost the only World Cup Final they've been to. Gwenderyn has had two chances, and now, on the final game of her long and illustrious Iron Legion career, she has a chance to be the second Chromatik legend of a sport to stand atop the world in her sport.

How will this final journey end? Will it be in tears of joy for a career well fought and completed, or will Chromatika forever wonder about what could've been had some bounces of the ball gone differently? There is no denying the impact that Sarai Gwenderyn has had in Chromatik gridiron football and Chromatik sports in general. What will be the final punctuation at the end of her international sentence, an exclamation point, a question mark, or some ellipses?

For her sake, for the Iron Legion's sake, and for Chromatika's sake, hopefully it's an exclamation point.

[Cardenao]

Two In Three; The Blue And Golds Return To The Final vs Chromatika!!

It’s hard to imagine we’ve reached this point friends, once again we have the opportunity to write our name into legend. For the second time in our short history, La Furia Azule has the chance to win the World Bowl, football’s biggest prize, and now in the same cycle we’ve won the International Basketball Championship? Runners up in the Under-18 World Cup, silver medal in the CAFA Championship? At some point you need to look in the mirror and realize things aren’t what they once were. It seems fair to say that little ole Cardenao no longer exists; we are no longer minnows in the sporting world, though we are by no means a big fish. Perhaps that determination isn’t up to us to make, but either way, here we are with another shot to carve that beautiful word Cardenao onto gold. Our opponent? A team we’ve already beaten who are surely desperate to get one back and get their hand on the trophy at their third time of asking.

That’s right boyos, it’s Cardenao vs Chromatika for the World Bowl title!

You all know the drill at this point, I’ll do a little preview of them, do a lil preview of us, and share my thoughts at the end of it all. Chromatika…Sarai…FSU…these are all things about the team we’re competing against for the title of World Champion. For Chromatika, the 7th best team in the world, they’ve made their way to the final off a patient, possession based approach to football that has found plenty of success this tournament. Lots of cheeky play actions, lots of two receiver sets with a big bodied tight end out there; football is a game of chess and the Chromatiks know how to stack the board. Having Sarai throw the ball is always a plus…but we’ve got World Bowl winning Bobby Dials under center, so I know who I’m feeling better about! Still though, the 33 year old packs a helluva an arm and she can’t be ignored. We’re aware of Lana Rhodes and the threat she poses as both a very real runner and a play action fake, so it’s crucial that our defense stays in predator mode. 32 years old though, let’s see how she’ll handle running into Mack King, Priest Hunter, and Alabaster Red a few times.

Speaking of age, one can’t help but notice the team representing Chromatika seems a little allergic to youth. Now, I can hear you saying, “just because Cardenao happened to win the chip with a fair few college players starting, that doesn’t mean everyone can or should” and that’s totally fair. Perhaps this is the last dance from a golden generation, I will admit to not being the most in tune with their developmental trajectory, but…I’m getting off point here. A bunch of 30 year olds at the tail-end of their careers, having to go through 14 grueling group stage games, then a narrow win against TJUN-ia, a solid semi-final victory against Banija……and now here. That’s a long road with a lotta miles to put on sunsetting legs; will the youthful vigor of the Cardenaoan Blue and Golds prove to be the decisive edge? I think it might.

Speaking of our boys, what a legacy they’ve made for themselves. A second final is an accomplishment that I hope isn’t forgotten in case of a possible loss, but this is right where you want to be as the world #1–a chance to regain the title, our title, of world champion. I feel like I owe our defense an apology, so many words about Bobby Dials, which are all deserved to be fair, and not nearly enough praise for a defense that has been a level above world class. Priest Hunter and Mack King have been indomitable on the line and Alabaster Red has been a true freak, an absolute legend of the game behind them…as much as World Bowl 49 was Bobby’s, this one could be Big Red’s. The game plan should be the same as it’s been this tournament: double down on da D! I welcome another 10-3 win like we pulled in the Semi-Final vs Quebec & Shingoryeo. Defense wins championships and we’ve been choking the life out of every foe faced including that 23-6 victory over Chromatika on match day 14. One more time, one more game, and we go from lucky one time winners to deserving a reputation built on multiple titles.

Ain’t nothing to it but to do it. Get out there and enjoy the game, lads, it’s been a helluva ride and you’ve already made us proud……now make us even prouder!

---

Twas the night before the Championship, when all through the hotel,
Many creatures were stirring, some defenders were slurring;
Gameday cleats laid out with care,
In hopes the trophy would be theirs, if they were brave enough to dare.

Big Red in his room too, mind split in two,
One half smashing Lana Rhodes for a TFL, the other on Illan-Irlan bashing,
A ring for him, burning pain back home,
Yet here he was, away on the phone.

Back on the islands there arose such a clatter,
Rebels and Watchers stoking the matter,
Things was brewing like fuel to a fire,
Down to the wire, no time for chatter.

The night grew deep and Red flamed out,
Goodnight to Mack King, the Final’s no doubt,
Time for some ‘errands’, tomorrow’s Gwenderyn.

Visions of uprising ran through his head, though the hour was ripe for bed,
The chip’s on the line, he whispers it’ll be mine,
Xs and Os all jumbled inside, yet all he could do was lie down and realize,
His duty was not here, it was back there.

A game to win, all Cards are in,
But after tomorrow, he had to face sorrow,
Time to get wildin’, back home on the island;

Fight in his blood, time to play Judge.

[Drawkland]

WORLD BOWL LI


Champions shall be determined tonight. Two already-legendary quarterbacks look to expand their legacy further, with the rest of their teams and nations in tow.

Who will call themselves champions tonight?

THIRD PLACE GAME

Valanora 13–21 Quebec and Shingoryeo
@ Metro Arena (150,000) Metropolon

WORLD BOWL LI CHAMPIONSHIP

Cardenao 24–20 Chromatika
@ Seven Stars Stadium (250,000) Centivar County

Congratulations to our champions, and commiserations to the rest.

Also this is my 5000th NS Forum post! Extremely fitting. Thanks for all the good times, everyone. See you next cycle!