World Cup 60: RP Thread

by **Carmadin** » Wed May 30, 2012 6:59 pm

"I find this ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous"

"I see no problem. In fact, I see benifits. Many benefits"

"Well, I think he's gone crazy"

"Crazy"

"Yes. Nuts, gaga, cucoo, whatever. Crazy"

"Crazy?"

"Oh, come on, you're a linguist. Hard 'k', yeah, you know"

"I know the word, but Joyn is completely sane"

"Think what you like, Lehmohn, but Carmadese is fine, a perfect specimen of a language"

For the first time, Lehmohn looked up from the sample of Astograthian he was studying. He dropped it, let out a string of curses in what he thought was Ko-Orenite, but he wasn't sure. The language hadn't been invented yet, after all.

"I know it is. And, we can make it better. We have this chance, why not take it?"

"Why not? Because we have someone on our hands who is trying to destroy history, kill tradition"

"I think you may be misunderstanding just a little"

"What is there to misunderstand? Our language is part of our culture. Our culture is part of our nation, our nation is part of the world. We mess with our letters, we topple the universe!"

Saeh'hohm Chaehshah stood back, as if he had just delivered the most convincing argument in history. Lehmohn was on his feet too, staring at Saeh'hohm as if he had never seen him before. A wild look was in Saeh'hohm's eyes. He grinned.

"A maniac, a madman, he ought to be locked up"

Lehmohn was frightened. Scared to death, in fact. He had worked in the same department with him for just a few months. "How did this man ever earn a college degree, much less become a linguist here at the center? He's a madman, not Joyn." He decided to play along

"Yes, you're right, why don't you call the mental hospital, and tell them to come here?"

"Hey, there's a GREAT idea!"

"Yup. Now, go"

"Thanks, Lehmohn, haha, hehe"

He's lost it, thought Lehmohn

***

"Er, what?"

"You heard me. He's insane"

"I thought he looked a bit shifty"

"Oh please. You hired him just cuz we needed more hands on this project. Now, he's accusing you of toppling the universe"

"True. I suppose I'd better cancel the meeting for today"

"Yeah..."

"I guess I should go have a talk with him"

"NO!"

"What? Why not?"

"When the whitecoats come, aint nobody should be in the way"

***
OOC:

Another interactive RP will come tommorow. You can't fight the urge to RP, even when you don't have your charts and characters all done

So, introduce an insane linguist. Solution to everything, right?

by **Jeruselem** » Wed May 30, 2012 10:00 pm

Jeruselem coach Princess Shay and retired Jeruselem coach Allison Salamida.

Shay: How are things Ally?
Ally: OK I suppose, not used to being retired.
Shay: So how do you keep busy?
Ally: I help with the local football team. Not that they always listen to my advice.
Shay: I hear little Katy is friends with your little girl.
Ally: She's a bit shy, so having friends at a school helps.
Shay: Having to manage little Sofia is hard work enough
Ally: Little Sofia?
Shay: Princess Melody ... we call her little Sofia, because ...
Ally: She's like her mother.
Shay: At least the other Dallases in the team are manageable
Ally: Kissy and Emily.
Shay: And the Salad girl.
Ally: What's Sofia doing with the Jeru FC team?
Shay: Apparently no one wants to work as assistant coach there.
Ally: Why? Nothing wrong with Karra!
Shay: It's not Karra, it's the just ...
Ally: Managing a bunch of girls.
Shay: You got Sofia's new album?
Ally: You mean Cougar time?
Shay: Yeah
Ally: I'm no cougar.
Shay: Been home yet?
Ally: Yeah, although they complain little Meaghan is too much like someone else.
Shay: Well, that's what happens when your kids hang around Dallas girls.
Ally: It can't be helped.

by **Wight** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:53 pm

by **Free South Califas** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:08 pm

OOC note: All RP credit for the trophy image should go to Ko-oren as he made it, or at least it should not help me

Though regional sporting interest in Ten Thousand Islands is at an all-time low, soccer fever in the Ten Counties is at an all-time high as the Harvest Mice prepare to take World Cup 60 by storm *cough* with their innovative Califas Method formation. As a result, the only two teams who bothered to contest the inaugural XKI Cup were the Holy Meritocratic Utopia of Ko-Oren and the Federated Communities and Economies of Free South Califas. This would be the South Califas Harvest Mice' first international football event in its history, with the exception of rugby union. A referee was invited from Homelands our.

  
The Harvest Mice sported Alternate Home Kit 1, donated by the South Califan branch of the June 11 Solidarity Committee for Long-term Anarchist and Political Prisoners.


The Ko-orenite away kit, which sadly could only be photographed from a distance due to the speed at which they burned the Harvest Mice defense.

Free South Califas 0 - 3 Ko-oren
Grounds: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Los Angeles County)

It was a warm and breezy day, ranging from 24 degrees (75 F) when the wind picked up, to a punishing 33 degrees (92) when it died down. Over 100,000 rabid fans armed with misters packed the historic Rose Bowl, coming from every corner of the Ten Counties as well as Ko-oren, with a spattering of diehards from across Ten Thousand Islands. The frantic drums, vuvuzelas, shakers, noisemakers, kazoos, xylophones, saxophones, trumpets, tubas, cornets, tambourines and theremins of the proud South Califan fans weren't enough to spur the Harvest Mice on to victory, however.

The onslaught began in the 14th minute with Ko-orenite wing-mid Pta Talmis threading a precise through-ball to the open Koyane Shiribeshi up front, who slotted it past Gerlinda Strelc. She must have felt at home watching her defense fall to pieces under the constant pressure of the patient Ko-oren counterattack, like her Huntington Beach teammates. Her calm under pressure during the club season was a major factor in her selection as starter; she posted a .921 GAA in a year where her team was relegated. Still, she would continue to be hamstrung by the Harvest Mouse defense, facing uncontested shots all day and stopping five of them in circus-like fashion. Despite conceding three tallies, Strelc shone brightly with a whopping 25 saves. It was all the more appropriate that Chula Vista keeper and national-team goalkeeping coach Zlato Cokan had won the first election to serve a 1-game term as manager. Attack-coach Agun Stokke, halfback for the domestic champion Bakersfield, is rumored to have strong support for the next election, owing to his greater familiarity with the Califas Method. However, the shutout has not eliminated Cokan from popular consideration for a second game, with some observers contending that he did the best with what he had available.

Shiribeshi added more pain to the Harvest Mice' day with a well-placed header in the 34th minute from a corner kick. Bakersfield center back Falerina Jomphe took a yellow card in frustration four minutes later, trying to contain Shiribeshi. Koyane was subbed out at halftime to give center back Susano Sanuki more experience, and Sanuki would score in stoppage time to put an exclamation mark on this one. Congratulations go to Ko-oren for a decisive victory and a clean, victorious friendly.

 14' KOR #11 ST Koyane Shiribeshi
 34' KOR #11 ST Koyane Shiribeshi
 38' FSC #3 LCB Falerina Jomphe
 45' FSC - OUT: #10 CF Bela Ceh. IN: #00 DM Seth Stackhouse
 45' FSC - OUT: #3 LCB Falerina Jomphe. IN: #65 RCB Isabella Ferreria Cardoso
 45' KOR - OUT: #11 ST Koyane Shiribeshi. IN: #21 CB Susano Sanuki
 66' KOR - OUT: #10 RWM Palnatoki Idrasil. IN: #14 CB Ajas Ilias
 90' KOR #21 CB Susano Sanuki

by **Karditan** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:00 pm

"Hey Pierre, watcha up to?"

Pierre Le'viore glanced up from his laptop in surprise, then let out a slow breath.
"I'd rather you not sneak up on me like that, Dorian. I am simply surfing the internet."

"You're gonna get some bad viruses if you keep downloading that much porn."

"W-what?! No! I'm playing an online game."

"Sure you are. What 'online game' is it?"

"It is called RLstates. You run your own country and... well, run a country. Pass laws, wage war, enter international sporting competitions..."

"Sounds like a waste of time."

Pierre slowly rubbed his temples; oh, how I despise philistines.
"Yes, it is quite a commitment. If you want to be successful- well, that is mostly luck, but long, detailed roleplays will get you far..."

Glancing over the midfielder's shoulder- oh, how I despise people who read over my shoulder- Dorian squinted as he tried to read.
"Can you make the font any bigger? You must have eyes like a hawk.

Sighing, Pierre slid his fingers in opposite directions on the touch pad, expanding the web page and bringing the text to a more sane size.

"That's a lot better. Let's see... oh, some juicy stuff right away. Who're you invading?"

"It is a little country called K0S0V0..."

"Why're you invading them?"

"...if you let me finish my sentences, I will tell you. I... well, I stayed in the region all countries spawn in, FormerYugoslavia. Since most move out, I have become a bit of a local powerhouse and I am not quite used to seeing my country, Serbia, get rejected. My biggest rivals Bosnia recently teamed up with a smaller country, Hergo- hold on, this guy was an arsehole, making the most convoluted name possible- Herz-ego-vina, and now they made a new account together called, creatively, 'Bosnia and Herzegovina'. I figured, hey, if Bosnia can absorb a small neighbor, so can I. K0S0V0 is right to the south of me and is laughably small for a country, so I telegrammed him the offer to join forces... and he just responded with a 'fuck off'. I asked him why he didn't want to partake of my offer, and he sent me a lewd joke aimed at my mother!"

"So... you're invading this guy because he made a yo mamma joke? Sounds like you're being the dick here."

"Wha... no, no! I swear that I have perfectly sound in-character justifications for the invasion!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Isn't anyone concerned that you just up and invaded your neighbor?"

"Well, it does have the UN's knickers in a twist, but it's not like they can do anything..."

Dorian stared ahead for a moment with his mouth slightly open.
"Wait... what was that? The UN?"

"Oh, sorry. It's- well, it's like this: back when this game started, years ago, they had a copy of the World Assembly for all the countries to join and vote on stuff and all that. After a while, though, the actual WA sent the guy who runs the game a cease-and-desist letter because of copyright infringement, if I remember correctly."

Dorian chewed on his gum for a moment as he digested this, then asked a rather good question.
"So, wait... why was the WA investigating copyright infringement on an online game, instead of investigating war crimes and poverty and all that?"

Pierre chuckled and shook his head.
"I have always said that the leaders of the international community are idiots with terrible priorities. Anyway, since the game couldn't use the name 'World Assembly' anymore, it was changed to the 'United Nations', or UN for short. And get this: it is even more incompetent at enforcing its decisions than the real WA is!"

by **The Babbage Islands** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 7:51 pm

Qualifying Draw

Group One
Bloodbath Generation
Eastfield Lodge
Braxil
Michael VII
Cambazooty
Saint-Germaine
Liventia
Jeru FC

Group Two
Falconwhereveryouare
JonathanAtopia
Silver Beach
Andossa Se Mitrin Vega
19th Century Beards
Kulverint
Idaniera
Yugiohistan

Group Three
Bitternea
Virabia
Daedric Stellar Empire
Achtervolging
The Archregimancy
The Han Empire (Daehanjeiguk)
Mapletish
Gyatso-kai

Group Four
The FSSO (Socialist States Owen)
TaQud
Orlkjestad
The Holy Empire (Alasdair I Frosticus)
Hutt River
Scrap Brain Zone
Capivara Group
Deandean98

Group Five
Octinstine
San Nitrento
Cowardly Pacifists
Jedi8246
Akbarabad
Alexanderburn
United commonwealth of Ayrshire
South Icemark

Group Six
Fonidia and Osteyon
El Gran Tropico
Cyborg Holland
Torisakia
United Gordonopia
Hakkland
Taeshan
Valanora

Group Seven
South Scotland and the Borders
Kinitaria
Transilveinia
Zanzar
Ossidiacqua
New Pebble Island
Krytenia
Swartaz

Group Eight
Ipeland
Iglesian Archipelago
Grunuik
Jeruselem
Von Kopsho
Meshkete
The-Kingdom-of-Hyrule
Sarrbia

Group Nine
Phoenigetuzstha
Legalese
Cotdelapoms
Qazox
Isointania
Arcquest
Starblaydia
Ishaanabad

Group Ten
Vettrera
Filopines
Ancharmunn
Osarius
Mytannion
Rhodesiah
Unbreakable
The Islands of Qutar

Group Eleven
Quaoartarian Empire
Nicole Scherzinger
Princess Béatrice Island
Carmadin
Star United States
West Guiana
Dorian and Sonya
Nikopolis

Group Twelve
Turori
Monastery-on-the-Rock
Unibot
Free South Califas
Milchama
Corderock
Cult of Ashley Greene
Bostopia

Group Thirteen
Lymantatia
Vilita
The tidal wake
Iturributa
West Spaam
Valladares
The Kytler Peninsulae
Lavonian Islands

Group Fourteen
Allamunnic States (The Fanboyists)
Bears Armed
Civil Citizenry
Unified Falcon
Ko-oren
Equatorial Sarmen
O-Damn
Friday Freshman

Group Fifteen
The Icemark
Kagdazka and Pazhujebu
Savski Venac
Greckan Tribes
Calorax
Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuk
Sargossa
Sørøya

Group Sixteen
The Kingdom of Okwe
New Montreal States
Karditan
Cosumar
Weatherdon
Salouf
Mu Mu
Megadia

Group Seventeen
Equestrian States
Antoletia
Enslavia
Earent
Sanian Confederacy
Erathore
Western Cuba
Waspeaters

Group Eighteen
West Zirconia
Royalsoldiers
Kiryu-shi
Cafundéu
Farfadillis
Darmen
Tales
Camerania

Group Nineteen
Elstorm
Licentiapacisterra
Landarea
Cassadaigua
Terio
Stachland
Camwood
West Angola

Group Twenty
Cheergirls
TUFM
Astograth
Laversia
Kazzoria
Northern Bettia
Chenkorya
Arcade

Group Twenty-One
Albundania
Carpathia and Ruthenia
Aleprennia
Vescia
The Union of Myanmar
Queer Poco el Mono Ara
Thatius
Boring Paradise

Group Twenty-Two
Harjeland
Yesopalitha
Traila
Pasarga
Bordurian
Puhalux Ezocafi Nzojug
Audioslavia
Polar Islandstates

Group Twenty-Three
World War Land
Fiencia
Cestyr
Armed Bears
Homelands Our
Bergnovinaia
Viator
Mangolana

Group Twenty-Four
Wight
Corrizon
Baltskandio
Chetkosk
Carnova
Rochehaut
Maron
Soviet Canuckistan

Schedule

Scorinated by Saugeais (home team listed first)

MD1: 1 v 8; 2 v 7; 3 v 6; 4 v 5
MD2: 8 v 5; 6 v 4; 7 v 3; 1 v 2
MD3: 2 v 8; 3 v 1; 4 v 7; 5 v 6
MD4: 8 v 6; 7 v 5; 1 v 4; 2 v 3
MD5: 3 v 8; 4 v 2; 5 v 1; 6 v 7
MD6: 8 v 7; 1 v 6; 2 v 5; 3 v 4
MD7: 4 v 8; 5 v 3; 6 v 2; 7 v 1

Scorinated by TBI (home team listed first)

MD8: 8 v 1; 7 v 2; 6 v 3; 5 v 4
MD9: 5 v 8; 4 v 6; 3 v 7; 2 v 1
MD10: 8 v 2; 1 v 3; 7 v 4; 6 v 5
MD11: 6 v 8; 5 v 7; 4 v 1; 3 v 2
MD12: 8 v 3; 2 v 4; 1 v 5; 7 v 6
MD13: 7 v 8; 6 v 1; 5 v 2; 4 v 3
MD14: 8 v 4; 3 v 5; 2 v 6; 1 v 7

First-place teams qualify for World Cup
Second-place teams enter four-team playoff pods at neutral sites
Pod winners (six) qualify for World Cup

All pod matches scorinated by TBI

Pod Round One
1A: Gp 1 v Gp 2
1B: Gp 3 v Gp 4
1C: Gp 5 v Gp 6
1D: Gp 7 v Gp 8
1E; Gp 9 v Gp 10
1F: Gp 11 v Gp 12
1G: Gp 13 v Gp 14
1H: Gp 15 v Gp 16
1I: Gp 17 v Gp 18
1J: Gp 19 v Gp 20
1K: Gp 21 v Gp 22
1L: Gp 23 v Gp 24

Pod Round Two
2A: Winners 1A and 1B
2B: Winners 1C and 1D
2C: Winners 1E and 1F
2D: Winners 1G and 1H
2E: Winners 1I and 1J
2F: Winners 1K and 1L

by **New West Guiana** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 9:11 pm

WG National Soccer HQ, Port Salem, West
11:30 AM

Large older figure stands at the doorway into the small office held for serious discussions, looking down at a much younger, but not so slim man sitting on one of the leather chairs. The older figure comes into the light of the over head lights placed so that they illuminated the table and those seated but nothing else. A woman around the age of maybe 70 stands over head looking down, "Coach Temist, you were hired by the West Guiana International Soccer Board in 2004, during you're time you have won a total of five matches, five. That might be one more than Coach Felipe before he died, but that is no excuse of the total record that your teams have produced, a 5-6-25 record over the course of eight years. It has come to the decision of the board that if your team does not win more than five matches this time around, you'll be let go."

"Well Miss DeAnn my teams have done very well, hell the largest loss we had under my tenure here was against Jedi8246 a 5-3 loss in World Cup 59 Qualifying. Matter of fact my first year here we may have lost to TBI both times but we lost by only two goals each time."

"Yes Mr. Temist, but losing isn't why we hired you. You were hired to improve West Guiana's performance not make it worse. During Coach Felipe's time he had a record of 4-4-15 and that was after his first World Cup Qualifying round. Your's was 3-2-11, and after Qualifying for World Cup 59 your team went 2-2-8. Five wins in eight years is no longer acceptable."

"Well Miss DeAnn, i'd like you to know that I have made large improvements to this team since I took over, but the board must realize that everything takes time and that because I was hired doesn't mean that every time we take the field wont mean it will be a win."

"We obviviously know this, but don't you think a 9-10-40 record is a bit embarrassing for us? Hell look how well our other national teams have done at the World Lacrosse Championships, World Baseball Classic and World Bowl. Each of those teams have gone onto the knock off rounds at lest once."

"You're missing the point, Football, Lacrosse and Baseball world championships are much smaller than the World Cup, every four years nearly two hundred national teams are signed up to qualify for the world cup and thirty out of two hundred are lucky enough to make it to the main event. Since I've started we have gone up in the rankings from 212 to now 124 nearly 100 spots."

"Look Mr. Temist that is all fine and dandy but there are nations who have been participating at this stage fewer years than we have and are already ranked in the top 100, we've just recently cracked the top 125 after six-teen years of trying. This will be you're last world cup if we, the board don't see any real improvements. Good day Mr. Temist."

National Sports Network
JUNE 1, 2012
Well today the people in the TBI released the group draw and at last we get to see who team WG will have to play, and by the looks of it Group Eleven is nice place to be. The highest ranked team is only at number 27 while the lowest rank is 336, three spots from absolute dead last.

We asked Coach Temist what he thinks about the draw,

Well I must say I do like it and it looks very promising there no holds some hope that we'll do much better than i World Cup 59 Qualifying. Last time we finished 2-2-8, and even then we were in an easy group. This time we have got to take a firm hold on with in the first seven matches and not let go, if we can conquer up at lest six wins that will relive much pressure from my shoulders.

Of course as many know that is World Cup 60 Qualifying ends with Team WG winning only one or two matches over all, Coach Temist will be looking for a new job.

Well even though I myself am not very good at predicting wins or losses I will place my bet on a 7-3-4 overall record maybe, maybe just enough to get Team WG into one of those playoff pots and they win those matches West Guiana will be off to World Cup 60. What joy would that be, finally making it into the World Cup, but the team must play at 120% for every match if they like thousands others want to make that dream come reality.

Group Eleven

Quaoartarian Empire (336)
Nicole Scherzinger (57)
Princess Béatrice Island (225)
Carmadin (43)
Star United States (309)
West Guiana (124)
Dorian and Sonya (27)
Nikopolis (NA)

by **Qazox** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 9:56 pm

QAZOX
WORLD CUP 60

Well tonight we found out our fate, as Qazox was drawn into group 9 along with two of the biggest names in World Cup history: Legalese and Starblaydia. Given that only the first placed finisher in each of the 24 groups is assured of qualifying for the World Cup proper, expect most of the qualifying groups to be fought until the last frantic final minutes of the fourteenth game for each team.

Here is the other teams Qazox will have to face and hopefully defeat to get to either Saugeais or the Babbage Islands:

Quick look at Qazox' history with these teams:

Pheonigetuzstha; Arcquest; Isointania and Ishaanabad: Never met these team before, though Pheonigetuzstha is a name we've heard before, and Arcquest did come to Qazox at the 14th World Cup of Hockey.

Legalase:Legalese is where we got our start in international football during the 14th Baptism of Fire way back in 1880, and we beat them twice during World Cup 28 qualifiers.

Cotdelapoms: In Hockey and Baseball we've played, but quite suprisingly we've never offically met on the pitch.

Starblaydia: 5-time World Cup champions; the team everyone wants to beat and to be like; home of just about every famous player you can think of at one time or another. And we've played them a few times before and beaten them a few times before. While no one can confirm it, Starblaydia, though Dreamed Realm Tech; will be fielding their All-Time XI team during the qualifiers.

SCHEDULE (w/ home venues)

MD1 : v. Isointania @ New Bruxen Hotel and Casino Field, New Bruxen
MD2 : @ Arcquest
MD3 : v. Starblaydia @ Qazian Memorial Stadium II, Qazox City
MD4 : @ Phoenigetuzstha
MD5 : v. Legalese @ Qazian Memorial Stadium II, Qazox City
MD6 : @ Cotdelapoms
MD7 : v. Ishaanabad @ Estadia Pika, Pika City
MD8 : @ Isointania
MD9 : v. Arcquest @ New Bruxen Hotel and Casino Field, New Bruxen
MD10: @ Starblaydia
MD11: v. Phoenigetuzstha @ Estadia Pika, Pika City
MD12: @ Legalese
MD13: v. Cotdelapoms @ SaxerDome, SaxerVilla
MD14: @ Ishaanabad

The schedule, as has been the norm as of late, bounces back-and-forth from home to away.
The good: MD 7-9 should be the easiest portion of the schedule.
The Bad: MD 10-13 looks to be the roughest with road games at Starblaydia and Legalese and a home game v. Cotdelapoms
The Ugly: Qazox' two of Qazox' first three home games are against Starblaydia and Legalese, likely leaving only the Cotdelapoms home finale the only other home game of interest in the second half of qualifying.

Qazox is a good enough team that they should be able to emerge from this group on top. But with an injury or two here or there, or a bad game, Qazox cold very easily find themselves going into the Cup of Harmony.

by **Cowardly Pacifists** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 10:04 pm

The Poultry Prober

Bringing you MORE than you ever wanted to know about Chickens Football

Friday, June 1st - From the Cowardly Pacifist Capital City of Phrytton

SPECIAL PRE-WORLD CUP EDITION

Following a middling performance in the 2nd Brevity Challenge Cup, the Chickens are looking warmed-up and eager to begin their second bid to qualify for the World Cup. Despite returning all of their players from the World Cup 59 cycle, the Chickens have made some roster modifications in an effort to patch some of the weaknesses exposed last time around. Coach David "Duck" Encover announced the roster changes shortly after the team's return from the Brevity Challenge Cup.

"As you all know," Encover told reporters, "we took the Brevity Challenge Cup as an opportunity to re-evaluate our personnel. After careful consideration, we made the decision to promote Bertrand Wylee and Samuel Sprinter from the bench to the starting line-up. Wylee will take over the starting Fullback position previously held by Adam Hyder, while Sprinter will take over the Middle Wing position previously held by Mathew Shivrson."

"I want to make it clear," Encover added, "that both Hyder and Shivrson are strong athletes and valued members of our organization, and they will continue with the team in situational/reserve roles. Wylee and Sprinter have just come along faster than we expected and it's time to give them a shot at the starting job."

The Chickens will need Wylee and Sprinter to quickly acclimate to the rigorous pace of international football if the team is to have a shot at qualifying for the World Cup proper. With almost 200 teams in this cycle, only the champion of each of the 24 groups will earn a guaranteed spot in the World Cup, and only teams that place second in group will even get a chance to play in. The Chickens have been drawn into Group 5, which we've detailed in the next section.

GROUP 5

Akbarabad - Ranked 11th in the world, Akbarabad is certainly the team to beat in Group 5, though no one likely will. They tower above their closest Group 5 competitors by over 30 ranks. It will take more than a few lucky breaks for the Chickens to be competitive against this high powered squad. Likely Outcome Against Akbarabad: Two Losses.

Did you know: Every year, three percent of Akbarabad's devout citizens are killed by a nuclear spill: a figure that amounts to over 234,000,000 annual deaths.

Jedi8246 - The Jedi are ranked 50th in the world, a place that puts them in an awkward spot. Well outside the top 32, they are unlikely to get a World Cup berth unless they truly put a hurt on some of their Group 5 opponents. Jedi8246 surely knows this, and they are unlikely to give the Chickens an easy time when the two teams meet. Likely Outcome Against Jedi8246: Two Losses.

Did you know: It is widely believed that 10% of the citizens of Jedi8246 are literally worked to death by the nation's successful industries.

Octinstine - The Chickens were grouped with Octinstine in World Cup 59, and we all remember how that turned out. While the Chickens held their own (more or less) the Octinstine team handily defeated the CPFC in both matches last cycle. Ranked 73rd in the world, it is likely that Octinstine will once again trounce the Chickens in both of their Group 5 meetings. Still, there's a chance the Chickens might find some success against Octinstine - especially considering how familiar Coach Encover has become with the team's tactics. Likely Outcome Against Octinstine: One Draw, One Loss.

Did you know: The poisonous lands of Octinstine are among the most avoided in the world - a fact that the corrupt Octinstine government is probably quite proud of.

South Icemark - Everyone knows that the Chickens have had a friendly rivalry with the Icemark Bears of the North ever since the Chickens upset the Icemark squad in BoF'46. Since then, the Bears of the North have excelled while the Chickens have been left in the dust. Now it seems that the Icemark will finally get to seek some revenge for their BoF'46 loss, albeit through South Icemark. Though ranked over a hundred spots below the Chickens (241st), it's foolish to ever count an Icemark team out, especially when they're hungry for revenge. Likely Outcome Against South Icemark: One Win, One Draw.

Did you know: The devout citizens of South Icemark are frequently "called home" by acts of god - 11.5 million souls each year, to be precise.

San Nitrento - San Nitrento is new to the World Cup, having just competed in the most recent Baptism of Fire tournament. They finished 4th in their BoF'47 group with a record of 2 wins, 3 losses and 0 draws - a finish that did not qualify them for the BoF playoffs. While that outcome may have been a result of the quality of San Nitrento's opponents more than anything else, the Chickens are heavy favorites to sweep the 294th-ranked newcomers in Group play. Likely Outcome Against San Nitrento: Two Wins.

Did you know: The nation of San Nitrento founded the Republic Of Neros region.

Alexanderburn - Not much is known about the unranked Alexanderburn football club. Obviously, we'll keep our eyes on them, but for the time being they look to be an unproven squad that the Chickens should defeat quite handily. Likely Outcome Against Alexanderburn: Two Wins.

Did you know: One of the reasons the safe, peaceful citizens of Alexanderburn live so long is their dedicated public healthcare system.

United commonwealth of Ayrshire - Another mysterious bunch, not much is known about this unranked team either. Obviously, we'll keep our eyes on them, but for the time being they look to be an unproven squad that the Chickens should defeat quite handily. Likely Outcome Against United commonwealth of Ayrshire: Two Wins.

Did you know: The United commonwealth of Ayrshire has invested heavily in subsidies for it's domestic industries.

OVERALL (PROJECTED) FINISH FOR THE CHICKENS IN GROUP 5:
(7 wins, 2 draws, 5 losses)
Good enough for 4th place in Group

by **Taeshan** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 10:33 pm

X Island Inquirer

Outrage in Wiechester

For the first time ever former champions Wiechester FC has fallen from the premier league. Finishing 24th in the table the second richest club in Taeshani football is rumored to now be looking for not only new management staff, but a boatload of new talent. Even worse for the league this now leaves no team in the third biggest city in the nation. The 1st, third year , and 20th year, Premier Division champions will have their work cut out for them trying to have any chance to return to the top flight. The team also has the disgrace of their fans to look at. And the sneers of the fans of the six teams still with a history of never being relegated.

Also big in the Premier league this season was the biggest upset in championship history as Tintown, only four years into their current stint topside, won their first ever Premier league championship. Only the 8th side in league history to hoist the trophy a huge buzz has been around the city lately. Also big news was the second champions league position going to the team from Laketown.

Taeshan Soccer Federation Unveils new Hall Member

Something that has only happened twice in the history of Taeshani football, the announcing of a new member to the World Cup Player Hall of Fame. The two previous inductees, Zeke and Brian Ying Uing are now being joined by a third. And soon a fourth at the end of qualifying. And as shocking as it may be the 3rd shall be All time Cap leader Goalkeeper Tad Montague. With 307 career national team caps, surely he has not only played more football than almost any international player in the world, but we all know that Taeshani soccer would be nowhere without him.

As of this day he has appeared in 69 percent of all 443 taeshani full international matches. Such a great and boundless history he had with the team, and now at 55 years old a big high up member of the TSF. Rumors abound about the fourth as yet to be determined inductee, early guesses include Jacin Reallis, Jayly Riae, Hele, and the coach himself A.F. Falcon. Only time will tell.

Group Draw Announced

And the draw has been posted and the Knights are in for a doozy not only if they want to straight qualify, but if they want to get through the pod qualifying. In their qualifying group will be Fonidia and Osteyon, El Gran Tropico, Cyborg Holland, Torisakia, United Gordonopia, Hakkland, Valanora. Of course the big elephant in the room is the Valanorans, and it will be not only nigh impossible to qualify over them, but it will be practically impossible to tie them. It's going to be a tough matchup for the Knights.

But overall beyond the big opponents the group looks pretty easy if the Knights plan on finishing second and having at least a chance of qualifying through their four team pod. The biggest threats to their finishing of second place will be Cyborg Holland and Hakkland, though neither of them seem much beyond a small threat. United Gordonopia is a team the Knights have faced before, yet they are just returning to the tournament so it will be overall interesting to see how they do with such high hopes.

by **Free South Califas** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:18 pm

Free South Califas Harvest Mice roster, stadia etc

HOME STADIUM SCHEDULE
MD1 Milchama @ the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, LA
MD3 Cult of Ashley Greene @ Gaslamp Quarter Stadium, San Diego, SD
MD5 Monastery-on-the-Rock @ Carson Soccer Center, Carson, LA
MD7 Bostopia @ Mission Valley Stadium, San Diego, SD
MD9 Corderock @ Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, LA
MD11 Turori @ Mustang Stadium, San Luis Obispo, LO
MD13 Unibot @ Torero Stadium, Linda Vista, San Diego, SD

GROUP TWELVE
32.02 Bostopia 16
16.40 Milchama 42
9.40 Turori 84
5.08 Unibot 112
1.33 Monastery-on-the-Rock 219
0.89 Cult of Ashley Greene 258
x Free South Califas
x Corderock

An almost impossible group to crack, but the Harvest Mice don't know about impossible.
Theoretically Bostopia and Milchama are the favorites to contest the #1 seed, Turori and Unibot have a feasible shot at the final seed, and South Califas...well...
Estimated chance of qualifying for the World Cup: GOMER

The Sixth General Assembly of the Federated Communities and Economies of Free South Califas saw fit to create a World Cup Prediction Delegation. These self-appointed players, coaches and fans, reviewed by an elected panel of experts, predicted that we would be out of the math by the time we welcome Bostopia to San Diego on Matchday 7, and that's if we're lucky. And publish a lot of news reports, for some reason. The WCPD is confused by this foreign ritual and its connection to game performance, but suggest the Harvest Mice comply with the custom against its better judgement.

Best of luck to all competitors, and may the best dirty rodents win!

Scorinated by Saugeais (home team listed first)

MD1 Turori v Bostopia; Monastery-on-the-Rock v Cult of Ashley Greene; Unibot v Corderock; Free South Califas v Milchama
MD2 Bostopia v Milchama; Corderock v Free South Califas; Cult of Ashley Greene v Unibot; Turori v Monastery-on-the-Rock
MD3 Monastery-on-the-Rock v Bostopia; Unibot v Turori; Free South Califas v Cult of Ashley Greene; Milchama v Corderock
MD4 Bostopia v Corderock; Cult of Ashley Greene v Milchama; Turori v Free South Califas; Monastery-on-the-Rock v Unibot
MD5 Unibot v Bostopia; Free South Califas v Monastery-on-the-Rock; Milchama v Turori; Corderock v Cult of Ashley Greene
MD6 Bostopia v Cult of Ashley Greene; Turori v Corderock; Monastery-on-the-Rock v Milchama; Unibot v Free South Califas
MD7 Free South Califas v Bostopia; Milchama v Unibot; Corderock v Monastery-on-the-Rock; Cult of Ashley Greene v Turori

Scorinated by TBI (home team listed first)

MD8 Bostopia v Turori; Cult of Ashley Greene v Monastery-on-the-Rock; Corderock v Unibot; Milchama v Free South Califas
MD9 Milchama v Bostopia; Free South Califas v Corderock; Unibot v Cult of Ashley Greene; Monastery-on-the-Rock v Turori
MD10 Bostopia v Monastery-on-the-Rock; Turori v Unibot; Cult of Ashley Greene v Free South Califas; Corderock v Milchama
MD11 Corderock v Bostopia; Milchama v Cult of Ashley Greene; Free South Califas v Turori; Unibot v Monastery-on-the-Rock
MD12 Bostopia v Unibot; Monastery-on-the-Rock v Free South Califas; Turori v Milchama; Cult of Ashley Greene v Corderock
MD13 Cult of Ashley Greene v Bostopia; Corderock v Turori; Milchama v Monastery-on-the-Rock; Free South Califas v Unibot
MD14 Bostopia v Free South Califas; Unibot v Milchama; Monastery-on-the-Rock v Corderock; Turori v Cult of Ashley Greene

Free South Califas v Milchama
Corderock v Free South Califas
Free South Califas v Cult of Ashley Greene
Turori v Free South Califas
Free South Califas v Monastery-on-the-Rock
Unibot v Free South Califas
Free South Califas v Bostopia
Milchama v Free South Califas
Free South Califas v Corderock
Cult of Ashley Greene v Free South Califas
Free South Califas v Turori
Monastery-on-the-Rock v Free South Califas
Free South Califas v Unibot
Bostopia v Free South Califas

by **Free South Califas** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:30 am

At Gaslamp Quarter Stadium in downtown San Diego, the South Califas Harvest Mice rebounded from the Ko-orenite trouncing to defeat Alexanderburn in a debut year for both sides.

http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w46 ... shome1.png http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w46 ... me1bak.png
The Harvest Mice wore Home Kit 1, donated by the South Califan branch of the Workers Solidarity Movement. (Edit, OOC: The red in this kit has been reported to cause eye strain on some monitors. I am working on this.)

(UNR)Free South Califas 1–0 Alexanderburn(UNR)

 1'  FSC #4 CB Onofre Reynoso L.
 25' ALX #7 MF Torsten Fiedler
 27' FSC - OUT: #4 CB Onofre Reynoso L. IN: #12 RM Ralf Huber.
 35' ALX - OUT: #7 MF Torsten Fiedler. IN: #11 FW Luca Cremonesi
 40' FSC #10 CF Bela Ceh (1) Assist: #7 Zhongyuan (1)
 45' ALX - OUT: #6 MF Diego Holierhoek. IN: #15 FW Devin Persson.
 54' ALX - OUT: #17 DF Cameron Doyle. IN: #3 DF Kai Goncalves B.
 67' FSC - OUT: #8 LS Marten Robertsen. IN: #23 LM Hamrah Anzalichi
 67' FSC - OUT: #11 RS Chidiebele Guttman. IN: #68 LB Frida Rubaiyat.

by **Phoenigetuzstha** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 4:01 am

QEP News, The Most Watched News Channel in Phoenigetuzstha

It has finally happened, Phoenigetuzstha know who they'll be facing in the World Cup Qualifying! After a reasonably successful Cup of Harmony campaign, Phoenigetuzstha were seeded into pot 3, with a coefficient of exactly 10.00. So you probably want to know who we were drawn against? Well wait no longer!

Legalese (Rank: 105, Coefficient: 5.77): Legalese are a team we haven't played before. They haven't had good form over the last two World Cups, but they are still a dangerous squad, and it would be good for us to be wary of them. This has been echoed by the Qazoxian press, who seem to fear Legalese, however, with the right tactics, Phoenigetuzstha should triumph.

Cotdelapoms (Rank: 54, Coefficient: 13.28): Cotdelapoms were the 2nd seed in the group, only trumped by Qazox. Out of everyone, they have the best chance to qualify for the play-off round. Once again we haven't played this team before, and on the face of things, we are unlikely to get anything out of a game with them, however we just need to look back to last year against Jeru FC to draw inspiration and put in a performance against them.

Qazox (Rank: 15, Coefficient: 32.54): Easily the most capable team in the group. We will do well to not embarrass ourselves against such a tough foe. Like with Cotdelapoms, we've drew with Jeru FC before, and we must believe we can do that again to even fathom a result against Qazox. A sure qualifier in our eyes.

Isointania (Rank: 258, Coefficient: 0.89): Ranked 258 in the world, I can't personally see a result other than two wins for us. While that may sound very cocksure, we have reason to believe that we can easily achieve two wins, ie. being ranked 178 places higher than them, and having a better World Cup record.

Arcquest (Rank: Unranked, Coefficient: 0.00): Unranked Arcquest should allow us to record two easy wins. Unranked teams don't usually fair well, and so we should expect the full 6 points, but shouldn't be too cocky about out opponents, as anything can happen.

Starblaydia (Rank: 169, Coefficient: 2.00): As we are only new, we do not know much about the World Cups history, however we have been told that Starblaydia was once one of, if not the greatest team in the world. They have certainly fallen from grace, and are currently ranked 169th in the world, after failing to participate in the last two World Cups. We should hope for two wins, but we know that might not be possible, however if we want to push for a play-off place, or secure third, we will need the two wins.

Ishaanabad (Rank: Unranked, Coefficient: 0.00): Unranked Ishaanabad should provide us with the full 6 points from games with them. With two unranked teams in the group, it will be good to see which one can come out on top, but I can't see them pulling up any trees in this competition.

Odds

So, they are the teams that are in Group 9 with Phoenigetuzstha. Here are the betting odds for qualification from QEP betting:
Qazox 1/10
Cotdelapoms 9/4
Phoenigetuzstha 16/5
Legalese 18/1
Starblaydia 30/1
Isointania 100/1
Arcquest 300/1
Ishaanabad 300/1

Predicted Finish

Phoenigetuzstha should expect to get points, enough points to securely finish third, and maybe challenge for 2nd, the predicted results at this time for Phoenigetuzstha are as follows:

Phoenigetuzstha Finishing Position
(8 wins, 2 draws, 4 losses)

by **Ipeland** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 4:37 am

Another year, another cup

After a relatively successful hosting of the Baptism of Fire 47 here in Ipeland, the country can now begin to prepare for another World Cup. This time it's number 60, which is the diamond edition of the cup apparently. Some nations are making a bit of a deal out of this, but for most, including us, it's just another cup.

The roster
Essentially unchanged from World Cup 59, in which we qualified. The formation has been switched from the basic 4-4-2, to a more midfield styled 4-5-1. This change came after Kevin Texan retired from international, and professional football. As the striker position apparently isn't good enough to be filled by anyone else, there was a slot in the center midfield, which was neatly filled by Alex Carting, still at Walkden University, but destined to go and do greater things according to his manager. Carting's position was in doubt for a while after a sub-standard performance at the AOCAF, where the University team finished last in their group on four points, behind the recently reformed Hutt River team, made up of a variety of things including a robotic toaster and a felis sapienis (no, we have no idea what that is either).

With a gap to be filled on the subs bench, many options were considered: Justin Parker (University College), Jódís Ásgeirsdóttir (Vant Isles) and Ryan Campbell (Burnden Park), just a handful of the names being considered. The final choice was a controversial one: Jutta Kamp from Kirrymoon Public House. Some of you may have noticed that he was on the Ultimate Frisbee that won Ultimate Cup 2. Some others may have remembered Kamp being on the subs bench for Hutt River at World Cup 58, six years ago. All the team from then are in this country, as well as all the citizens after it 'fell'. While pretty much all the team retired from football, as well as most of the staff (only the assistant manager Horst Jank is still around, managing Division Two North team Wellhunt), Kamp, the youngest person on the team at the time, at 22 years of age, managed to find a team that would take him.There some debate about whether he should be allowed on the team due to his first nationality not being Ipelandic (his second nationality is), but they allowed him to join the 16 players lucky enough to get called up.

Warm-up matches
Campellian Village 0-5 Ipeland
A nice solid win against the non-league side which was drawn out of the hat a few days before the game, as part of the scheme to raise awarness of grassroots football around the country. Campellian Village is situated on the Far North-East coast, and is the second most North Easterly town on Ipeland. It's a cold, windy, damp place situated on a very tall hill. With a population of around 100, most of whom are farmers, chickens outnumber people. The team had been laying in relative obscurity in the Brendan & Rodgers Chicken Feed League North East Division 3, a league made up of farmers from around the very north east. The stadium has a capacity of about 20, about the average attendance for the club, although the capacity was tripled to 60 for the Ipeland match.

The weather conditions, as usual for the middle of winter, were extremely harsh. Though the snow had, luckily, not fallen for the past few days around that area, but the wind was at gale force and the rain lashed down onto an already soaked pitch. Both teams were slow to get going, as the soggy pitch almost couldn't let the ball move until another person kicked it, so for 15 minutes, it was just muddy direct passing and one shot, from the halfway line with went a few metres over the bar. Unfortunately it was too rainy to see which team it was who shot it. The rain stopped and the ground became dry enough to bounce the ball on just as half time approached. There was enough time for Ipeland to break the deadlock, and they did so in a quick and efficient fashion, Alex Carting rolling it along the floor to Noah Moore, who centered it to Chase Jackson who tapped it in past the oblivious goalie.

The second half started with much, much better weather conditions. With the condition change, a flurry of goals ensued. The second goal came in the 48th minute, Chase Jackson again the scorer, heading in from a cross. The third goal was scored around ten minutes after Jackson's second, Alex Carting doing a one-two with Moore, and rounded the goalkeeper and scored. Carting completed his brace with a thunderbolt into the top left hand corner. A last minute own goal made it five without reply.

Hutt River 3–6 Ipeland
To open the newly built stadium on the home of the team, Defence Station IV. It can hold around 1,000 people, which is a decentish size for a country with only 16 'official' population. The stadium held up filled to capacity, which 850 away fans, 100 'home' fans, who were all from the former Hutt River, and 50ish neutrals.

The game kicked off on the astroturf pitch at around half 12. The first five minutes were quiet ones, both teams testing out the new pitch floor, seeing how it responds to different conditions etc. The attacking stuff started about fifteen minutes in, and the deadlock wasn't broken long after the attacks started. Both teams went with rather attacking formations, so the goals would come soon. The first to score was the Sparrows, Dylan Evans hitting a close range free-kick, which went low into the bottom corner. The second Ipeland goal came near the 25 minute mark, Jutta Kamp, against his former team, who was picked out by a long ball from Moore, chested it down and half volleyed it into the top corner. Ipeland snatched another right before the half time whistle, in added time. A Phillips corner going into a gaggle of players, after a few second, Carting had just enough to poke it home.

The second half started in controversy as Hutt River were given a controversial penalty from what looked like a dive by The Cat, Talkie Toaster wheeled up and drilled it home, 1-3. Ipeland then restored there three goal advantage with Carting's second to make it 1-4. A rare Phillips goal from a free kick which hit the fingertips of Dave Lister before going into the goal made it 1-5. The Smegs rallied back to make it 3-5, Talkie Toaster and The Cat taking one each, but it was too late. Kamp completed his brace with a tap in from a goalkeeper mistake in added time.

Group Draw
Group Eight

Ipeland
Iglesian Archipelago
Grunuik
Jeruselem
Von Kopsho
Meshkete
The-Kingdom-of-Hyrule
Sarrbia

What appears to be a relatively easy qualifying group this time around. Jeruselem should be the only tough opponent in that group consistently, as shown by their win against Ipeland in the last World Cup proper, although they were unknowns then, and now we have experience playing against them, we should try to get at least a point, three at a push. The rest we should win both games over, Sarrbia may take a bit more work than the rest though.

by **Cambazooty** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:53 am

2-6-2012

Gazeti Astrus
Cambazooty's Only Good Newspaper

We're Number One!
Comets drawn in Group One for the World Cup

ASTRUS, CAMBAZOOTY - Cambazooty's national football team are among the eight teams named in Group One of the 60th World Cup qualifiers.

The journey to the World Cup will not be easy though, with the Comets coming up against the likes of stars from Eastfield Lodge and Jeru FC. Other nations competing in the group include Michael VII, Bloodbath Generation, Liventia, Braxil and Saint-Germaine.

Asked to comment on the draw, national manager Count Frank Stern was indifferent. "I honestly would care less about who we will be facing in the qualifiers," he told us at Cambazooty's training ground. "I just expect the lads to put on a good show and hopefully get some victories in."

"In fact," he continued. "I'm very confident that we'll top the group by the end of this stage. Well, when the opposition include scantily-clad women and some time-travelling knobs, first place should be a steal."

"Pfft, that's just the Count underestimating opposition," vice-captain Sagadevan Natcattiram interjected. "But his prediction isn't far off, though. Morale is at an all-time high and I think we could actually stand a very good chance of going through."

"I mean, just look at us!" he said, pointing to the rest of the squad training with each other. "The guys are in perfect harmony with each other! I think we could already figure out when to pass the ball using telepathy. Surely, that shou-"

Natty's speech was cut short when Angel Jung started a fight with five other players, prompting him to intervene immediately. The Count laughed off the incident. "Don't worry gentlemen, this only happens twice a day."

Cambazooty's first match is against Michael VII at the Babbage Islands. The Good Folks, as ever, have set up their projectors about Astrus Park to follow the Comets' progress, and telling you to be there this week would be stating the obvious. - Gallahad Daric

by **Earent** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:15 am

CONFIDENTIAL
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE
Evaluations--Addendum
Player: Nagin, Pesser
Perception: Low
Presence: Medium
Physical compatability: Medium-high
Youth team evaluations (Brantslaybel TU): A proverbially "workmanlike" player. Takes a somewhat more defensive role in the midfield. High stamina and health. One of the better prospects to come through this particular club's academy in recent times.
Recommendation: leave her to develop her talents on his own rather than expect others to keep up with her work rate.

"Pesser. Hey!"

Pesser grinned. She'd never really been close to Tubin, but it was nice to see another familiar face as they geared up for their first home game. "Hey. How's Brantslaybel doing?"

Tubin shrugged. "I mean, it's Brantslaybel. But tell me about Taeshan, come on!"

"I mean, it's really cold."

"Uh-huh..."

"And, I don't know, I don't care about the politics or anything."

"You play in orange?"

"I mean, my club does, the others don't."

"Eh, I like orange."

"These new gold kits are close enough, trade?" he teased.

"Only if you practice with Sharnis."

"She that bad?"

"Watch," smirked Tubin. "Hey, Sharnis, what's going on?"

"Oh, um, not a lot. Curious about what kits Free South Califas are gonna wear--"

"--speaking of kits--"

"--because I've heard of Aspies for Freedom and I think, you know, they're really commendable and..."

"Point taken," said Pesser. "But no, I'm really glad to be back, at least for the first game."

Tubin rolled his eyes. "Brantslaybel for you. We start everything off, but it's not even official."

"What do you mean not even official? It's our first-ever home game, people will show up, you'll see."

Before Tubin could argue back, Marsinee came in to announce that he was starting. "It's just gonna be home cities, isn't it?"

"We'll shake it up as we go," said the manager, "come on, let's go."

"I'm not sure," said Pesser. "Maybe now you think we're just here to show off, but...but I play overseas now, I've seen more teams. This group is--I think we can push a lot of these teams pretty far."

"You're not serious..." Tubin gaped.

"Nah," Pesser shrugged, "Marsinee won't say it, maybe he doesn't believe it yet. But watch, by the halfway point you'll be glad you got to start in Brantslaybel early on."

It would take some time to see who was right on that issue. But when they took the pitch of the Artin Kysee Bukiness, Pesser proved herself on at least the first point--the fans were there in droves, and by the looks of them not just Brantslaybel's.

Under Agun Stokke, the manager for the day, the Harvest Mice lined up and immediately started attacking in what Pesser privately considered a not-very-mouselike manner. But no matter. The midfield felt distorted, cramped, with so many Califas forwards in front of them. After a short tap from Pesser, Moygel Hempner had plenty of room to push forward, rounding Nadezhda Prokhorova to score.

Moygel started wooping it up. Pesser just blinked--that was it? For a couple moments it had seemed so easy.

Play restarted and the Mice's defense ground in, with Onofre Reynoso Lovato stifling a tentative attack from Kayv Rashith and instead sending a long pass down to Marten Robertsen. And after the half, things went much the same way, until Kayv scooted back just enough to cross to Tearim Hayz, who bolted forward and scored. The fans celebrated, though some of them seemed to have used up their early cheers in the introductions.

And so, once again, Pesser had to say goodbye to the old Artin Kysee Bukiness. It was easier that time, though, with hope for the qualifiers. Even as a young Brantslaybel fan, "Artin Kysee" for her had always meant the stadium, not the manager from way back before her time. Before even the time when Brantslaybel started really making a name for itself. From all Pesser had heard, Kysee was a great manager, good enough to name the stadium after (though this honor was by no means rare in Earent). Perhaps the kind of manager Pesser herself would have thrived under.

But not the kind that would have put Brantslaybel on the map. No, Pesser thought, even if she wasn't at the heart of it, this was a new team for Earent. And no matter what Marsinee said or didn't say, with hope for the qualifiers, it was easier to leave the stadium the second time around.

by **Ko-oren** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:21 am

World Cup 60; Part 0

The draw for the qualifying stage of World Cup 60 has been completed: Ko-oren has been drawn in Group 14. Ko-oren shares this group together with:
Allamunnic States (The Fanboyists)
Bears Armed
Civil Citizenry
Unified Falcon
Equatorial Sarmen
O-Damn
Friday Freshman

All in all it’s a tough group: many teams have earned their praise in previous or past editions of the cup. Starting with Allamunnic States: Allamunnic States are currently 110th, … . Bears Armed is the absolute favorite to win this group, ranking 10th. Civil Citizenry is 30th, … . Unified Falcon should not be too much of a problem, at 246th place, with 1.00 points. They’re unknown for the Ko-orenite team and staff as of yet, so they’re still a team to approach with caution. Equatorial Sarmen has 0.33 points and ranks 327th. O-Damn is unranked, Friday Freshman is 246th together with Unified Falcon.

Only two of the other teams have released their roster so far, these are the Fanboyists, aka the Allamunnic States, and Equatorial Sarmen is the other team. The Fanboyists have decided to approach the World Cup with a focus on the offensive for a change, though physical condition remains the top criterion for selection. Equatorial Sarmen is unknown for the team so far, but they feature brothers (?) Polonit in the starting 11.

Equatorial Sarmen, Unified Falcon and Friday Freshman have already met during the Baptism of Fire. Equatorial Sarmen played in Group 3, where they got three points and finished in last place, Friday Freshman and Unified Falcon were both in group 5, where FF ended up in first place, UF in second. UF beat Soroya in the Playoff round for the BoF second round, where they were paired with Kinitaria. Friday Freshman were up against Falconwhereeveryouare. Both FF and UF lost here: Unified Falcon lost 1-3, Friday Freshman scored four, but still lost 7-4.

Match schedule:
MD1, Tue 5 June: Unified Falcon v. Ko-oren
MD2, Wed 6 June: Friday Freshman v. Ko-oren
MD3, Thu 7 June: Ko-oren v. Equatorial Sarmen
MD4, Fri 8 June: O-Damn v. Ko-oren
MD5, Sat 9 June: Ko-oren v. Allamunnic States
MD6, Sun 10 June: Bears Armed v. Ko-oren
MD7, Mon 11 June: Ko-oren v. Civil Citizenry
(Scheduled off day)
MD8, Wed 13 June: Ko-oren v. Unified Falcon
MD9, Thu 14 June: Ko-oren v. Friday Freshman
MD10, Fri 15 June: Equatorial Sarmen v. Ko-oren
MD11, Sat 16 June: Ko-oren v. O-Damn
(Scheduled off day.)
MD12, Mon 18 June: Allamunnic States v. Ko-oren
MD13, Tue 19 June: Ko-oren v. Bears Armed
MD14, Wed 20 June: Civil Citizenry v. Ko-oren
(Ko-orenite home venues TBA.)

What is immediately obvious is that Ko-oren will first play the new teams (UF, FF, ES, O-D), then all experienced teams (AS, BA, CC).

In other news, the Greenblues have played a few introductory friendlies just before the qualifying stage. Ko-oren beat Free South Califas 0-3, securing the very first XKI Cup win. In a hot and humid Rose Bowl Shiribeshi and Sanuki scored (Shiribeshi scored twice) to get past FSC. The match overall was one with a friendly atmosphere, where the hosts did everything they could to accommodate the away fans - and even neutral fans that came to the match from all over 10000 Islands.

To keep Shiribeshi fresh and fit for the qualifying matches, he was substituted after 45 minutes. The same happened to Idrasil, even though he played a very unlucky match. His colleague at the other side, wing midfielder Talmis, played a fantastic match and was involved in two of the three goals!

by **Legalese** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:47 am

Gabe Cushing hated parties with a passion. Especially formal events.

“Remind me why I agreed to this again?” he said to his wife as he struggled into his suit jacket.

“Not that one, Gabe,” She responded. “The moths got to it, that’s how long it’s been sitting in the closet.”

Gabe frowned as he looked at the jacket hem, fingering the newly-discovered hole.

Miranda held out a different jacket. “Here, a nice and new one for you, honey. Can’t you just enjoy it? It’s not often that we get to dress up and play. I even bought a new dress for the occasion!”

Gabe smirked. It had been a long time since they’d went out and enjoyed themselves.

“Well, we better hurry, the car’s going to be here any minute.”
-------------------------------

The ballroom was an immense glowing orb of white, almost iceberg-like in its brightness and expanse, only missing the chill that one would expect with it. Tables were expertly arranged around the stage, allowing enough room for entrance and egress, but large enough to make each group of eight its own social area.

As he scanned the room, Gabe noticed a few of his players, both new and old, had already taken advantage of this. In one corner, he saw a table of eight helmed by Stan Thate, his keeper. Stan was sitting with his wife, a newscaster in Francis City, along with a his older teammates, Leonard Dobrun and Jonny Baldwin, each with a slender brunette on their arm. Off to the other side, table 5, were the youngsters: Jimmy Jay, Fred Rutledge, Monte Kelshimer, Liam Todd, and Sam Washington. They held court with a small group of adoring fans, some their age, and a couple whose hair matched the hue of the room.

The biggest spectacle came from table 11, situated near the front. A bevy of stars, models, actresses, and a few dignitaries from the federation were hanging around it, talking, drinking, and reveling around the table’s host, Kelvin Bassford, fresh from training in Civil Citizenry with his club side, FC Sandside. Gabe thought it wise to avoid that area, and directed Miranda in the other direction, winding around the room to the table he requested – off to the side and out of the way.

Finally, the draw began. The first three pots went without incident, as the groups started to shape up. Pot four came about, and Legalese’s name was drawn quickly, and assigned to group nine, as the room broke into applause.

Gabe smiled. “Well, that could have gone much worse. All three teams above us were in the bottom half of their pots.” He sipped his drink, as the smile began to build. We have a shot this year! Finally, this campaign might be fun!

At the front of the room, as the draw moved from pot four to pot five in the background, a ringing sound ensued, as Bernie Wickerstaff, the Federation President, rose. As the conversation dimmed to recognize him, Bernie ceased the tapping of silverware to his water glass, and raised a champagne flute.

“You all know our history in this competition – overeager but underperforming. But looking at what we have here, I can’t help but say, the third time is the charm!”
He pointed his glass towards the crowd. “Let’s toast: to Gabe and the boys, and to the third ti-!”

The President’s words were cut off by a single word heard, clear as a bell from the TV. “Starblaydia!”

“Now, let’s see which group they get.”

In The Babbage Islands, a bowl clattered with the shaking of balls indicating the remaining groups open for the pot five teams. In Legalese City, a pin dropping would be deafening.
The presenter took the drawn ball from the model responsible for picking it, and opened it up.

“Group Nine! Starblaydia joins Group Nine!”

The pin didn’t just drop, it clearly nicked the balloon, deflating the ballroom with it.

Bernie sat down and drained his champagne glass without bothering to finish the toast. Down on the floor, the faces of the crowd were mixed. Some were stony silent, remembering the traditional role of Starblaydia as a footballing power. Others showed a trace of fear, remembering the horrors of the Starblaydi Occupation – an event nearly a century gone, but imprinted in the stories and memories of Legalites from generation to generation. The elderly woman sitting with the youngsters at table 5 started weeping, comforted by her husband, who appeared as if he had just seen a funeral.

Gabe sat down silently, his face frozen. Suddenly, he burst out laughing, ignoring the stares, as well as Miranda’s elbowing.

“Gabriel,” she hissed. “What has come over you?”

“RAWRCRUSH!” he roared between guffaws. “More like PURRRRRWHIMPER!”

As he regained his composure, he finally became aware of the stares from the rest of the crowd.

“Look,” he shouted. “We’re a much different place than we were back then. And so are they. We've got a solid team, battle tested both in region and across the globe. The only difference between them and Arcquest is that they have a past.”

“You know that I have to say about the past? Screw it. And Screw Starblaydia. We’re going to crush them in a month.”

by **Homelands our** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:45 am

Run from the bears!

Remember that our national animal used to be bears well President Grieve's law changing it has came back to bite us as we are playing Armed Bears first in world cup 60, and that's in Armed Bears, oh joy of joys! As the first 2 matches are on the road, most home matches will be played at Harloop National, not East Kilbride Arena. Here's the group

Group Twenty-Three
World War Land
Fiencia
Cestyr
Armed Bears
Homelands Our
Bergnovinaia
Viator
Mangolana

No big name jumps out of that draw. Bergnovinaia are top seeds but are only 22nd best in the qualifying round so a low top seed is always welcome (unless you are one). Rushmori friends Mangolana are from pot 2, about halfway down in that pot. Mangolana and us played in Copa Rushmori VIII I think, they way have cost us a playoff place in that one. Armed Bears like I said before also pose a threat, but one I think we can overcome. The rest of the teams pose us no threat.

The Fixture List

@Armed Bears, Prediction (home score first) 0 - 1
@ Mangolana, Prediction 1 - 0
vs.Bergnovinaia (East Kilbride Arena), Prediction 1 - 2
@Viator, Prediction 0 - 2
vs.World War Land (East Kilbride Arena), Prediction 2 - 1
@Fiencia, Prediction 0 - 2
vs.Cestyr (East Kilbride Arena), Prediction 3 - 1
vs.Armed Bears (Harloop National), Prediction 1 - 1
vs. Mangolana (Harloop National), Prediction 2 - 2
@ Bergnovinaia, Prediction 2 - 0
vs. Viator (Harloop National), Prediction 3 - 0
@World War Land, Prediction 0 - 1
vs. Fiencia (Harloop National), Prediction 3 - 0
@ Cestyr, Prediction 0 - 2

Prediction: total points 29, Goals for 23, Goals against 10, GD + 13.

Some may say that's bias, some may say it's logical, someone will say it's impossible, come on nothing (apart from beating rank 1 team) is that. Our line-up will be as stated before.

Good (or bad) Luck!

by **Carmadin** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 12:10 pm

OOc: Thanks to Ko-oren and TBI for their input!

Joyn looked at the list in his hand. He sighed. This would be the hardest, the most difficult part of the Carmadese language. The vowels, and the complicated, annoying digraphs that represented them. What he held in his hand was something Carmadin schoolchildren used- A vowel chart. He, of course, had made some minor adjustments. He stared at it now:

vowel sound-previous digraph representation-proposed new letter (if any)

advance-Aeh-?
know-Oh-ǒ
saw-Aw-?
destroy-Oy
youth-Oo-ō
wood-Uh-?
bet-Eh-?
now-Ow-?
beat-Ee-ē
tip-Ih-ì
day-Ay-?
banana-Auh-ǝ
furth[/b]er[/b]-Er-ư
buy-Iy-?
mat-Ah-ā
bother-O-ò
united-Yu-ü

He knew this would be the difficult part. Thank god they had finally agreed on some things earlier in the day. Esh (Ʃ ʃ) was to be used for the "sh" sound. Ezh (Ʒ ʒ) for "zh". Thorn (Þ þ) would represent "th", and an Eng (Ŋ ŋ) would show a "ng" sound. And, the best idea he'd had, a Cedilla (Ç ç) would represent "ch".
So. There it was. It had brought accusations of insanity to him, but finally, Carmadese was taking shape.

OOC: These vowels, I need major help. If anybody can give me letters for the vowel sounds marked with a ?, that would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Kihxaw Jahp sprawled onto the couch. he clicked the TV on. What time was it? He hadn't checked. Where was his phone?
Clunk.
There it was. He bent down to retrieve it.
Bonk.
Rubbing the bump on his head given to him by the table corner, he returned to his seat. It was 12:50. Ten minutes. He picked up the remote. May as well watch the hype before the group draw.
Click.
Click.
Click.
***
Clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick.
***

"Kihxaw, training really does take a lot out of you, dosen't it?"

Dowv Daz walked in, shaking his head sadly as Kihxaw vigourosly pressed the power button.

"Whaa..? No!"

"Mind explaining to me why you were trying to turn the microwave on with the TV remote, then?"

"Umm....huh?"
The words don't seem to register in Kihxaw's mind, as he tries to piece together what was said.

"Microwave, TV.... I, er, wanted to watch our dinner"

"I'm sure you did. Now, then, let's sit down and eat the TV, shall we?"

"Now you're making fun of me. Eat the microwave, not the TV"
Kihxaw says this as if he's talking to a child.

"I think you need a nap"

"No, I just want to watch the dinner draw"

"You mean the group draw?"

"Oh, group. Yes, let's have some of that. I hear it goes well with a little pepper"

Dowv throws up his hands in exasparation. Now, he had a suspiscion that Kihxaw was pulling his leg.

"Have we been drawn yet?"

"Of course, it's almost one. It is lunchtime, after all"

"Shut up, Kihx. That one didn't even make sense"

"Oh, fine, you win. How about that group draw, then?"

"Sounds good. Then, we can sit down together and eat the microwave"

by **Yesopalitha** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:13 pm

Group 24
Harjeland
Yesopalitha
Traila
Pasarga
Bordurian
Puhalux Ezocafi Nzojug
Audioslavia
Polar Islandstates

MD1: Audioslavia @ Yesopalitha
MD2: Yesopalitha @ Harjeland  
MD3: Polar Islandstates @ Yesopalitha  
MD4: Traila @ Yesopalitha 
MD5: Yesopalitha @ Pasarga
MD6: Bordurian @ Yesopalitha
MD7: Yesopalitha @ Puhalux Ezocafi Nzojug
MD8: Yesopalitha @ Audioslavia
MD9: Harjeland @ Yesopalitha 
MD10: Yesopalitha @ Polar Islandstates 
MD11: Yesopalitha @ Traila 
MD12: Pasarga @ Yesopalitha
MD13: Yesopalitha @ Bordurian 
MD14: Puhalux Ezocafi Nzojug @ Yesopalitha

Hilary Vander Rox- Pre Match 1

Is third time the charm?

That is the question awaiting to be answered as my teammates and I prepare for Yesopalitha's third foray into the grueling period of matches called the World Cup Qualifiers. With one hundred and ninety-two teams vying for a total of thirty spots (co-hosts The Babbage Islands and Saugeais get automatic berths to the proper), this cycle is guaranteed to produce endless drama and great football. I have been asked before if the qualifiers are too long. I don't think so. If you can't handle fourteen games in about a month, you need to get a different job. Playing football is what I love to do most, and pitting my wits against the best of another nation is always rewarding - it is a great feeling and one that I can never get too tired of.

My readers have asked me to comment on our group, our schedule, and the players that I will be taking out on the field with me. So I'll start with our competition. As if the process of qualifying isn't going to be hard enough, we have been drawn into one heck of a hard group this cycle. I suppose we might as well start at the top. The top seeded team in our group is Polar Islandstates, ranked ninth. The Polarians, or "Terns", as they like to call themselves, have had a few "down" cycles - except, you see, their version of "down" is not making it to the Semifinals of the World Cup. They advance pretty much every cycle, yet take every qualifying game seriously as another chance to improve their skills against an opponent that has nothing to lose. The Terns will undoubtedly be the team to beat, and should have the group in their control.

The second seeded team in our group is Pasarga, a squad that performs solidly cycle after cycle. They have advanced to World Cup proper the last two cycles, and seem poised to advance once again. They might, as the twenty-eighth ranked team in the world, have all the pieces necessary to give the Terns a run for their money, but will most likely be content to maintain second place.

In third place is ranked seventy-fifth ranked... us. We are pretty much going to be underdogs against the Terns and Pasarga, but we should be able to hold our ground against the other squads... We hope to at least finish third, and possibly get to second or first place with a few slips by the Terns and Pasarga.

Fourth seeded team in our group is one hundred and first-ranked Audioslavia. The Bulls have a history of failing at the biggest stage, perennially choking, but they might have changed their luck around with a recent Baptism of Fire title in the last cycle as well as the recent Atlantian Oceania Cup title. Audioslavia might have finally changed its fortunes, and will look to upset the Flames when they can.

Rounding out are Puhalux Nzocafi Nzojug, Harjeland, Traila, and Bordurian... These four teams will be lucky to win half their games. We hope to defeat them without much trouble, but it is actually the games against them that will decide upon our success or failure. We cannot afford many upsets against these teams if we wish to maintain pressure on the top two teams.

A quick look at the schedule. We start off with hosting Audioslavia, then travel to Harjeland. We won't have more than two home games or road games in a row, which makes it harder on the traveling, but a three-game road trip is not the best thin in the middle of a cycle. The games against Bordurian and Puhalux Ezocafi Nzojug at both ends of the legs must be won; otherwise, there will be no chance of us qualifying.

Lastly, how have we been as we prepare for this cycle? Well, I think that we are as ready as we could be. It's been interesting, trying to schedule practices around everyone's different club schedules... but I think we've done quite well. Jonah looks as confident as ever. Michael and Noah have been making sure that Naisi catches up to speed. Ivan and Jane have completely embraced their winger roles, Isaac looks as prepared as ever, Fantasia has been asking me endless questions, and Nadya and Quincy have been forumlating strategies to help each other out. They all look up to me to make the calls, look to the Manager to train them, go to the trainers for help... We are as cohesive of a unit as we have ever been.

We will be tested this cycle, as always... But I have a feeling, that, yes, third time might be the charm... And even if we don't make it to the Proper, we should give our group-mates a fight for their lives.

Perseverentia Saeculorum.

by **Daehanjeiguk** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 5:47 pm

The Emperor was gone. It was always presumed that he wasn't dead, but simply gone. It explained why he never appeared in public after the commencement of the latest conflict against the extremely militant, extremely crafty, extremely ruthless Mujeongbu terrorist band of anarchists. It seemed more and more that their ideology was more about violence than about anarchy, and it threw many people off. Yet somehow, they managed to unseat the advantages that their Imperial counterparts had in hosting one of the most technically advanced and well-funded forces in the world. In the years that followed - nearly ten of them, in fact - people had forgotten what life was before the Shin-hae War. The conflict did more than scar the Imperial psyche, it also removed much of the storied history. Old imperial towns were demolished, the new cities burned, and the archives lost to the embers of revolution and counter-revolution. Atrocities on both sides perpetuated the conflict for years, and the people could less trust the Imperial Army than they could those tyrants who replaced them at times.

The war was not yet over, and there were some on the Council who believed that - given the evidence for the past century almost - the war would never end. The proverbial "chick" had hatched, and unlike the proverbial chicken, its message had spread like a contagion over the whole world. As long as there was safe haven for their ideology, the war would be on. Did it justify the sort of vigilance that the Council had set out to implement? Perhaps, perhaps not. It remained to be seen whether the Council's plans would succeed, but for certain, they would need the people to support them. Any success at all would require their consent, or at least their complacency. The problem, then, came from the lost trust. People just as easily feared the Army as they did the Mujeongbu.

Fortunately for the Military leaders, they still had records of the past. And through the stories, journals, articles, and recordings, they could all reach back to the history to build a new state. There was no debate about the Emperor among them - he was gone, whether dead or not. And as long as they were still around, the Empire would still persist. Unfortunately, they needed the Emperor's blessing to continue their campaign. Otherwise, any pretender could go out and assume the throne. Or worse.

They looked to the past, and saw one thing universally that would placate the fears of the people - football. Indeed, there were things in recent past that would draw crowds from everywhere to celebrate together. There were certainly some crazy things that had happened during the Gwangmu and Yeongmu reigns, but even for them, the people could enjoy the relative ecstasy of football triumphs, none greater than beating the Elves back in the Year 4718 (WC42) - of course, it could have been so much more if that 5-4 thriller had ended the right way.

So what better a way to get on the good graces of the people than to enter the Han back into the World Cup? The fact that the Han had no participated in any football tournament - let alone any football event whatsoever - did not weigh high on their minds. Indeed, it was secondary only their blind ambition to lead the country against the Mujeongbu. It was only after some lesser officials recognized that they wouldn't be winning the World Cup on the merit of a few previous performances, especially since most of those people were dead anyway. Most of the last World Cup stars (WC53 semifinalists) either moved away from the war or died in the conflict; the remainder are unaccounted for. It might be a simple matter of recruiting some of these old people, but there was no way anyone was going to let these old geezers run around a pitch for 90 minutes without getting exhausted, hurt, or pummeled by younger, fitter, strapping men and women (and imagine the public humiliation with that latter prospect... even though that's already happened several times...). Indeed, to qualify even, they would need to negotiate some of the toughest competition of the day in stadia that are presently left in rubble due to disrepair and destruction from the War with a team that either has no experience whatsoever or with personnel that have never gelled prior to the competition qualifiers, although the last time the Han tried it with a military squad, they managed to get to the quarterfinals with just a badly crippled (literally) side. But they could and would not rely upon the experience of military grunts to command this team to the World Cup. Indeed, they would leave this affair to the people.

That explained what Yi Geun-Ho (이근호) was doing at the offices of Marshal Wang Cheong-Sei - the avowed man who saved Gyeongju from the Mujeongbu assault in the year 4730. Even though the city was virtually destroyed in an EMP attack, the Marshal managed to organize a civil defense using non-electronic equipment to thwart the attempts of the Mujeongbu urban attackers from killing every last citizen in the city. It didn't hurt to have the one facility that was resistant to EMP strikes - especially after the last attack on Hangyeong during the Gyeimyo calamity - to continue the facilities of the city. Unfortunately, the city has seen little repairs since the attack, and some streets are mysteriously more radioactive than others, leaving the authority of the Imperial NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) Corps supreme in these areas still. Similarly, Marshal Wang's retaliation against the Mujeongbu nearly brought the country to the brink of international war, after sinking a neutral vessel harboring known Mujeongbu terrorists. Fortunately, his martial prowess was only equalled by his diplomatic tact, and the two countries mutually agreed that while the sinking of the vessel was unfortunate and unwarranted, the lives saved in the end justified the means. It didn't hurt to have promises of reparations for the lost lives and properties, but such has been the policy of the Empire in these past few years - anything is justifiable if the means produce the results as intended (or in that case, prevent them).

Yi Geun-Ho had just enough time to admire the Marshal's office - remarkably well-embellished despite the obvious holes in the walls and ceilings. "I like to keep those as reminders of the trials we've had to endure to get this far," the Marshal said, stepping into his office. He noted Geun-Ho's fixed stares and could remark with some authority on the holes in his walls. "We had just secured the city when a parcel bomb exploded, sending nails, ball-bearings, and other projectiles. Unfortunately, my mail-carrier died as a result, but that's why I always insist my guests enter first before I do. I can always tell the intentions of my visitors when I'm looking from behind." Yi stood up to greet the Marshal, but Wang motioned him to stay seated. "Ceremony has its place in society, but we have business to attend to."

Geun-Ho nodded. "Yes, sir."

"And we can dispense with the pleasantries (language) as well. We are in this room as equals, so I don't the flattering language. I'm not the Emperor, you know."

"Yes."

"So, I have a soldier who says he knew you in elementary school before the war."

"I guess. What was his name?"

"Kim Jeon-Min Sang-byeong. I believe you were best of friends?"

"Not quite, but I remember him."

"Okay. I'm not grilling you for knowing a person, but I'm hopeful that you can help the Imperial Majesty with a special assignment. I'm still looking for a fit master of the Imperial squad, and judging from Mr. Kim's remarks, he holds you in high esteem when it comes to football. I am not right?"

"Well, sir..."

"Dispense with the pleasantries."

"...I'm not sure I'm that much a player any more. I had to quit school actually to help with my uncle's farm. The... nameless ("Mujeongbu" is a censored word - oddly, it sounds similar to "Mujeongbu"...) terrorists ravaged the Taehaeng country, and my uncle's property was among those hard hit. I'm just now going back to school, hopefully to get a new job when the dust settles."

Marshal Wang stroked his scruffy face. It was perhaps an early 5-o'clock shadow, given the Marshal's propensity for clean appearances. He smiled as he reached under for a bottle. "Snortch?"

"What?"

"Snortch. It's a drink. I like to enjoy some when a good conversation is about to happen. Of course, even since those damned drunkards bombed their country, it's hard to come by good bottles of Snortch, but we are allowed to indulge our secret fantasies, right?"

"I suppose." The Marshal poured Geun-Ho a small cup with a ice-cold stone in the glass. Geun-Ho had a quick whiff of the nasty drink. "What's in this?"

"I'm not sure, but they call it 1093 proof. I'm not sure even if that's remotely even possible, but it's good nonetheless. Once you get past the initial shock of the vapors burning your throat, the cool drink settles in your stomach and everything seems to mellow. I drink a good cup every day, although I've heard the reason why these bottles are so rare is because they drank this stuff by the keg. I'm figuring they must have had one too many one night before they nuked themselves. Of course, then again, they had their own problems."

"I suppose so," Geun-Ho answered, taking his first sip. It nearly made him gag, but surprisingly, the lack of lunch made him even less disposed to upturning his bowels onto the Marshal's desk. He coughed instead.

"So, I'll explain what we need, and I'll hear what you have to offer me. See, the Empire is composed of many countries, many nations. The latest additions in the Namhae (South Seas) partitions are more distant from the core of the Empire, and so their feelings are more remote from what we need. I make no effort to gloss over this fact - the football is designed as a distraction from the reality. We have been at war for many years, but I feel if we give the people too much reality, they will become starved for some order. Granted, football riots from the past are not something worth remembering, but the shared civility of joy and triumphs are worth the experiment. To this end, we need a team that is capable of uniting the provinces and the nations of the Han together into one nation. As long as we are united in our struggle against the 'nameless' vagabonds, we will win this war. To that end, we need a team. This is where you come in."

"You want me to play for the team?"

"No, we want you to run the team."

At that remark, Geun-Ho sprayed what Snortch he had in his mouth out. He was polite enough to spray away from the Marshal's face, but he immediately apologized for it. "I'm sorry, sir..."

"I don't want the formalities."

"... but I haven't played in years. I mean, a little here and there, but that's not enough. And you want me to lead a team?"

"No, I want you to make the team, train the team, and bring them out. I have confidence in you."

"Marshal Wang, I- I- I-... I'm not sure how to reply. It's certainly an honor, but I don't think I'll be much good for you. Isn't there anyone else who can do the job better?"

"Yes, many. But I chose you for a reason. We need to show people that anyone can anything. If I just recruited some old fossil from overseas, or even some remotely foreign chap or chappette to run this whole thing, we'd be cowering and saying we're not good enough. But we are good enough. Even if we don't qualify, I want the Han to say universally that we struggled to win on our own strength. And you - you are the quintessential piece of that puzzle. Lost to the war, returned home to help the family, and now on the greatest stage of the world, leading our boys into battle." Marshal Wang had to rethink that last statement. "Well, figuratively you know."

Geun-Ho shook his head. "I'm not sure if I can help much. It's been a long time..." He would have said more, but then he had the moment to glance at the rock in his glass. And fortunately for the Marshal, it was facing the one direction that he had hoped it would face. It was no less ordinary than the simple quarry rock from down the street; it might have also been one of the pieces of rubble that adorned every street in the city. But the character inscribed on the rock read one word to him - 進 (jin) - progress. It was one of the three monikers that typified this military regime. Progress, always stepping forward, never taking a step back. For some reason, a thought clicked in Geun-Ho's mind - that maybe this wasn't just about him. Maybe, it was more than just him - there were many other people out there looking for opportunity to step beyond the fire of conflict. And he was being given this opportunity to help bring those people to the other side. There was no denying that he wanted to step beyond the conflict, but his qualifications didn't seem enough to him.

"Mr. Yi," Wang said at length, "I'm not giving you this task because you are the most talented or the most skilled. I give it to you because you can. And quite frankly, you will, because I have faith in you. I have kept aside a budget for the football association that you will be leading. You may continue your classes, but I can grant you special dispensation for the duration of your employment with the Imperial Council. Basically, you'll be working for your education on the job. And I do have some bonuses - if we qualify, you keep the job for life. What do you say?"

Geun-Ho kept his answer composed. "Marshal Wang, I shall do it."

"Excellent! I've arranged for your plane to leave as soon as you're ready. We'll need you to recruit players and managers from around the country. I've even offered Mr. Kim an opportunity to join you. Childhood friends, working to improve the morale of the Empire, quite fitting, is it not?"

"Yes, but this is quite fast."

"Well, these are fast times. We need to be faster."

"Very well, sir. Thank you for this chance."

"No, thank you for leading our boys and girls out and bringing us pride and joy."

Geun-Ho left the office. Immediately, Marshal Wang dialed out a number. "Shim Jungnyeong, please inform Kim Sangbyeong that he has a new assignment to follow Mr. Yi. Make sure he reports to you every day. I don't want them making mistakes... if you know what I mean... Brilliant."

ooc: ohnoz, the return of the tl;dr!

by **Bloodbath Generation** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:14 pm

Group One
Bloodbath Generation
Eastfield Lodge
Braxil
Michael VII
Cambazooty
Saint-Germaine
Liventia
Jeru FC

Commentators:

Duncan Roberts (Ciudad Longanisa, National TV)

Sarai Martinez-Restropeo (Polvoron Occidental, NationalTV)

Robert Eachtighearna (field reporter, Lancy and Harrington City reporter)

Kim Hwa-Soo and Baek-Ji Hwa (Countryside, NationalTV )

Hello, Bloodbath Generation. This is Duncan Roberts and Sarai Martinez-Restropeo in the Babbage Islands as our World Cup squad has just come off the plane. In group one, the #158 team in the world are ready to move up the ranks. And here comes coach Mike Shingles. Coach, do you have any words to say before the cup starts? Well, I just want to say thank you to the nation for supporting us and getting us here. We couldn't have done it without you. Now, let's go BG and cheer us on as we go for the cup!

Thank you so much, Coach Shingles. Now, let's have a look at the other teams in our group. Here is Baek-Ji Hwa in the Studios.

Thanks, Duncan. First in the group is us, then Eastfield Lodge. Ranked number 41, we have little chance of winning against this experienced team. After them comes Braxil, number 280. With this low ranking, our chances of a draw or victory are up to 3:1 in some bookie houses. But, the team that we could have the biggest upset is Jeru FC. Number 5 in the world, can we pull an upset on one of the best teams in the world? In this tough group, our chances are slim. But if we got the fans, and you at home, cheering us on here and in the Babbage Islands or will our high hopes be let down?

**to be continued**

by **Darmen** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 7:45 pm

Georges Thomas, President of the Darmeni Soccer Federation, stepped off the plane after returning from the World Cup 60 Qualification Group Draw. It had been quite a party, and Thomas was a bit too drunk for his liking, but the Scotch had been top notch, and he just couldn't resist the temptation to have more.

The first thing Thomas noticed upon stepping off the plane was not his aide, Ignasi Barret, running to welcome him back to Darmen. No, it was the flashing lights of the journalists itching to get their stupid questions answered. Thomas finally noticed Ignasi, but not until he had tapped Thomas on the shoulder. Thomas snapped out of his blank stare, and turned towards Ignasi. Ignasi smiled.

"There'll be some pretty good pictures of you in the morning, sir," said Ignasi, as he began to laugh.

"Ignasi, if you keep laughing, I'll pull your pants down, right here, right now," retorted Thomas. Ignasi quit laughing. "So Ignasi, how many teams registered since I've been gone?"

"Forty-nine, sir."

"Any good names?"

"There's some team called Kicking & Screaming from Brham that registered."

"Sounds like a team that my wife would be a fan of," said Thomas, as he laughed.

"Excuse me sir?"

"Nothing. When was the last time I spoke to the press Ignasi?"

"Yesterday sir, before you left for the Draw."

"I suppose it's time to talk to them again then," said Thomas, as he began slowly making his way towards the press. The photographers must've taken a thousand pictures of him between the time it took him to get from the plane to the area were the press were waiting.

"Mr. Thomas, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Thomas," echoed about a hundred reporters as Thomas drew near. Thomas put his arms up, and asked for quiet.

"As you are probably already aware, we have been placed in Group Eighteen, along with Cafundéu, West Zirconia, Kiryu-shi, Royalsoldiers, Camerania, Farfadillis, and Tales. Our hopes are high for qualification, but most likely we'll have to do so through the Playoff Pods. We begin play against Carmadin in the Copa de Mercury tomorrow, before facing Mangolana in the first match of the Darmen Exhibition Series on the Fourth."

"Mr. Thomas, if I may, how do you think the team will do in their two Pre-Qualifying matches?" asked a reporter, who was hidden somewhere in the horde of journalists.

"Carmadin has put themselves in the perfect position to began really competing with us. They've never beaten us in our six previous meetings, but I think they've got a great chance to get a victory in the match tomorrow evening. As for Mangolana, we've never defeated them in our two previous meetings, but I think we can do so on the fourth. We'll start our actuall qualification campaign against Kiryu-shi, on the fifth, in Kiryu-shi. We'll play Cafundéu on the Sixth, here in Darmen. That's all I'm going to say right now, you'll need to ask Manager O'Donahaue any further questions."

by **Qazox** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:17 pm

"People, quiet down please. Our final speaker of the evening, Professor David Powell of San Guano State has been delayed due to traffic. Seeing as it is now after 11:00 pm, and we've been in this room for seven hours, we will close today's meeting. So we are announcing a few changes in the schedule for tommorow. Professor de Blay's lecture on the use of quantum spin measurements to determine the true age of artifacts will be held at 9:00am in the Harbin Room instead of 11:00am in the Clark Auditorum. The debate between Dr. Charles Richard of the University of South Qazox and Dr. Julia Brodius of Krenville Tech will be moved from 12:00pm to 11:00am, but will still take place in the Bloomhall Forum. All the other meetings will still be held as originally scheduled. Professor Powell's presentation on Early Qazoxian History will start at 4:00pm and will take place here in Goldman-Hall Auditorium. Thank you and good night."

Professor Martin Douer, Professor Emeritus of the University of Qazox-Qazox City walked off the stage after announcing the delay in his protege's presentation. Yes, he had just lied to a group of his colleagues, amateurs and students, but given the small preview of David Powell's notes that he accidently stumbled across, what other choice did he have? As Douer headed towards his hotel room, he ran into the one person he hoped not to run into.

"Martin, what the hell are you doing delaying my presentation?" David Powell asked.

"David, I didn't know if your presentation would get the full attention it deserves this late at night, so I moved it to tommorrow afternoon. There'll be more people there, I figured you'd want as many people there as possible." Martin replied.

"You just want time to either get the media involved or to get your cronies there to shout me down." Powell replied.

"What possible benefit would I get from getting the media involved? And as for my so-called cronies, most of them will be there anyway, so it's not like I'm delaying on purpose. It is late, and we've all been here way to long tonight. Go get some sleep." Martin answered.

"I think you are afraid that the evidence I have found will throw everything you've been teaching for the last 40-odd years out the window, and you're scared of having to deal with the fallout." Powell countered. "But you know what? I don't care. The truth that you and other historians have tried to keep buried for the last 550 years will be revealed, and there's not much you can do about it. I might be laughed off the stage by our "peers" but trust me, there'd be enough people in there that will believe me, and once they start looking at the evidence I've found, nothing will stop the truth from coming out.

As Powell stormed off, Martin Douer stared at his once promising pupil and wondered if what he had found was really true, or just another red herring in the history of the Founding of Qazox.

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