SPRING 2023 MAILER ... Spoilers!

Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2023 1:46 am

If you want to post results or say something about the results that may in any way affect those whom have hot yet received/read their results PLEASE post here.

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2023 11:15 am

Had to share one of the most uniquely readable fights this tournament.
And because no one likes the whiffle.

Basher vs. Plunger

Basher sweeps his war flail in a confused tangled mess!
Plunger is hit on the right thigh.
Basher sweeps his war flail in a confused tangled mess!
Plunger takes a hit to the jaw.
It is becoming frantically foolish.
Basher's war flail screams "heeeeeeeelllllppppp!" in the rush of assault
Plunger takes a hit to the right leg.
Plunger is sorrily wounded like the dog it is!
Plunger stumbles to the ground, the only thing it's hit squarely all day.
Basher hauls back and smashes with the war flail.
Plunger has managed to get itself into a decidedly precarious position.
Plunger is hit on the right arm.
It was a pretty damned impressive attack!
Plunger loses composure and cries out "Mommy!".
Our animated Plunger is dangerously stunned, just like at tax time!
The Plunger decided, manager or no manager, it quits!
The Basher has won a moral victory over his foe!

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2023 11:45 am

Will only say a little about my tourney ...

49 sent
8 killed (I was Mannequin-like!)
5 dead - no great replacement RUs
55% w/l
4 TVs (I failed at my 10% award mark)
stylemaster pots? (think I got a couple or more - but no NL in hand to tell)
all four TVs had the magic A and B in the style abbreviation
Adept AB 8-3-0
Init BA 9-3-0
Appr BA 10-3-2
Rook AB 9-3-0

ArchMaster Poster Joined: Apr 15, 2004 Posts: 2958

From my pre-tourney write-up:

Quote:

I ended up with 66 entries.

Broken down by class: 9 Primus, 5 Contenders, 1 Eligible, 1 ADM, 7 Freshmen, 3 Challengers, 3 Champions, 4 Adepts, 0 Initiates, 0 Apprentices, and 33 Rookies

Broken down by fighting style: 23 AB, 13 ST, 6 LU, 4 PR, 4 PS, 4 TP, 3 BA, 3 PL, 4 SL, 3 WS

While I was disappointed in the prize, it didn't deter lots of other managers from sending lots of warriors. With over 2500 entries, this was the biggest April MI in a long time. Initiates and Apprentices were almost as big as the huge January FtF and Rookies was a little over half as big, so concentrating on Rookies and avoiding Initiates and Apprentices seems like a wise decision.

My warriors went 232-199-9-4, 5 of them made the run-offs, and 7 of them won stylemasters.

THIRD COURSE landed in his usual 3rd place in Contenders. I had 3 TVs in Rookies, two 13-3s and one 11-3. And in Adepts, I managed to make it to the finals. MU CHAMAELEONTIS, a ST, lost and ended with a second runner-up (he was previously runner-up in Dead Initiates). Pretty strong showing for those 5 warriors, as they all went deep and it made for exciting reading.

My busts were busts. My Freshmen sandbaggers managed 1 stylemaster between them. One of my Challengers almost TV'd but went out at 7-3, which is probably a good thing as an 8-3 TV might have triggered a graduation notice. There were no champs among my Champions.

In Primus, my FI ABs continued their mediocrity, putting up 2-3 to 4-3 performances. My non-ABs in Primus did pretty well this tourney, though. My PS, SWORD SWALLOWER, and my BA, HORSE D'OEUVRE, both went 3-3, and my SL, ANDORIAN SMOOTHIE, did the best of any non-AB in the class by going 5-3. Each of them beat multiple ABs on the way to their stylemaster awards, with the biggest win coming in R5 when ANDORIAN SMOOTHIE beat FRANKENBERRY. I suppose if I'm going to suck with ABs, I can at least find some solace in the fact that I'm good with SLs and a few other styles.

Congrats to all the winners!

I am still trying to figure out if I'm going to make it to New Orleans for the summer FtF. I was hoping for something closer, but I will try to make it work.

ArchMaster Poster Joined: Apr 15, 2004 Posts: 2958

TC/RU list courtesy of Howlin Wolf in Chatzy:

200: Janet Reno TMM AB/Franklin’s Tower HW AB
201: The Uptight Man TUM AB/Master Plan HW AB
202: Connie TMM LU/The Shining TUM LU
203: Virus Assur LU/Locklear HW PS
204: Fernando Madwand AB/Burden Tofu HW AB
205: Needy Moose TUM TP/Maggot Soufflé TDO TP
206: Resounding Tumult Vlad SL/Ur My Apple Pie TDO ST
207: Ferocious Forearm HW AB/Mu Chamaeliontis OAB ST
208: Spitclaw Angus ST/Agony TDO ST
209: Soul Cynic Angus ST/Watch You Burn Chief Illinewek TP
210: Furry S. Mason TUM AB/Superstitions Assur AB

Congrats to TUM on his 3 TCs, to TMM and Angus on their 2 TCs each, and to Assur, Madwand, Vlad and HW on their single TCs!

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:09 am

I said I wasn't expecting much and that is what I got. Six warriors went 13-19.

Highlight was a Contender got 3 raises in 5 fights. They were his 10/11/12 DF raises to max out DF at 25.

Congrats to the winners!

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2023 4:59 am

Copy of April Mail In newsletter on my google drive.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pn5pF9w5sFDZMH0CJySvsi68QTNotBeA/view?usp=share_link

Advanced Expert Poster Joined: Jul 15, 2014 Posts: 192

Welcome to the Independence Day 2K23 edition of Monday Morning Tourney Quarterback (MMTQB), brought to you by the excellent and award-winning Broadway musical Hamilton! After all, as I type this up today, it is the 219th anniversary of the Duel between Burr and Hamilton in Weehawken NJ, resulting in the latter’s death the following morning.

As an aside: Criminy, if you’ve never seen or listened to Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton, you need to!

Let’s roll the tape!

Quotes of the week (Courtesy Hamilton)

[LAURENS] Burr, the revolution’s imminent. What do you stall for?
[HAMILTON] If you stand for nothing, Burr, what’ll you fall for?
[LAURENS/MULLIGAN/LAFAYETTE] Ooh Who are you?
[MULLIGAN/LAFAYETTE/LAURENS] Ooh, who is this kid? What’s he gonna do?

Resounding Tumult, a largely unremarkable 12(1)-4-8-17-17-16-11 N/G Slasher, was my Hamilton. He entered the mailer Champs with AMAS INI, MAS ATT / DEC, and ADEX RIP. Bonused +4 in INI, DEC and, with a little help, ATT. With a lot of help from 135 of his closest friends, he won Champions.

[HAMILTON]
See, I never thought I’d live past twenty
Where I come from some get half as many
Ask anybody why we livin’ fast and we laugh, reach for a flask
We have to make this moment last, that’s plenty

I initially didn’t think RT would see 20 FE, let alone Champs. His performance started at 3-3 in Rooks and it was debatable if he would see Apps. But he had learned decently and it was one arena fight to give him the chance. He went 7-3 in Apps, learning 7 decise up to that point, which put him 2 shy of his MAS with one FE to land at Inits. He used that fight to train ST and bring him from Normal to Good. This, combined with his learning, led to 10-3 Tourney Victor performance, ultimately being put out by Doc Steele’s Dinker (which really sounds bad). At that point, with 17 FE and continued good learns, it made sense to invest in the 3 FE to get him to twenty FE Adepts. Those fights added some INI and, probably more importantly, his MAS ATT. The Adepts run culminated with a 15-1 Adepts TC, courtesy Mr. Carter.

[HAMILTON]
I am not throwing away my shot!
I am not throwing away my shot!
Hey yo, I’m just like my country
I’m young, scrappy and hungry
And I’m not throwing away my shot!

Round 1 found RT looking across the sands at a familiarly managed foe, being Doc Steele’s slasher Slippery. 30 DEC was sufficient, after some short getting-to-know-you conversation, to get the jump. Drawing inspiration from Howlin’ Wolf, two critical short sword thrusts to tickle Slippery’s ribs, resulted in a cry of “Uncle!”. As to be expected, given the yawning chasm of knowledge and panache between the managers, Slippery was unable to teach my warrior anything.

Round 2 brought Monroe, whose manager I don’t know but ought to be able to recall since he is in DM81 and my hometown of Lapur. A reasonably sized Wall of Steel went down pretty quickly after a few crits, one of them for extra damage.

Resounding was almost Betrayed by a Howlin’ Wolf Striker in round 3. There was a decent amount of “After you!” and “No, please, after you!” and finally, “Please, sir, I insist.” So Tumult acknowledged the honor with a arced broadsword across Betrayed’s leg for tremendous damage. Despite his promise to the contrary, Betrayed gave in immediately. Resounding offered him some friendly career advice before parting.

[MULLIGAN]
Brrrah brraaah! I am Hercules Mulligan
Up in it, lovin’ it, yes I heard ya mother said “Come again?”
Lock up ya daughters and horses, of course
It’s hard to have intercourse over four sets of corsets…

It didn’t take long to run into Dense. It was ironic that it was in Champions because, between me and you, “Dense” and “Champion” aren’t two words I tend to associate. Be that as it may, there he was in Round 4 with one of his scum. In the Dense version of Hamilton, the lyric above reads “I heard ya mother said ‘Scum again?!’ ” His warrior, Metamorphis (misspelled, shocker!), sauntered in as expected, all plated up with shields all over the place. He was 2-1 coming in, so he must have already matched with two stand ins. He offered to buy lunch, but RT had a schedule to keep. Most of RT’s previous TP opponents weren’t TOTALLY parriers like this chump, but he adapted well and needed just over one minute and two deadly hits to take him out. As expected, like with the earlier fight with Doc Steele’s warrior, no skills were forthcoming.

Round 5 brought an unknown, to me anyway, in Yukon Cornelius. No idea who manages him. Like people who owe me money, Yukon was an amazing dodger. But eventually Resounding gave him a mighty whack with his blade and, like I hear about Dense, Yukon was done after one thrust.

[ANGELICA]
You want a revolution? I want a revelation!
So, listen to my declaration:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal"
And when I meet Thomas Jefferson
I'm a' compel him to include women in the sequel

Speaking of women, the sixth match brought out the typical midget Doc Steele warrior, a 4’ 11” Shadow Dancer. She didn’t do much dancing. In fact, she didn’t move a step. You know, we have a word in the duel business: TWOT. It stands for total waste of time. Shadow Dancer was just that and, after an untamed groin hack, she was done. RT ran over Dancer like a panzer and she had no answer. As expected, Resounding Tumult could learn nothing from such detritus.

[ANGELICA]
So this is what it feels like to match wits with someone at your level.
What the hell is the catch?
It's the feeling of freedom of seeing the light.
It's Ben Franklin with the key and the kite.
You see it right?

I have to admit, I saw Resounding Tumult snicker a little when yet another Doc Steele warrior walked in across the sands in Round 7. Scallywag, another TP of the offensive variety, looked ready to throw down. Things proceeded as per usual; after all, RT had beaten Scallywag back in his Inits run. Scallywag did an admirable job of dodging and parrying but, in the end, an extra damage crit twisted around a parry set him on his arse and on the verge of shock. Things took a left turn from there, however, as Scallywag got back up, dusted his arse off, and then smacked Tumult twice upside the head the very instant he paused to take a breath. Bravo, Scallywag for giving Resounding his first loss. As was fitting, Resounding picked up a couple of skills for the thrashing, including an ATT which was a bit embarrassing coming from a TP.

[BURR]
Even though we started at the very same time
Alexander Hamilton began to climb
How to account for his rise to the top?
Maaaaan, the man is
Non-stop!

Rounds Eight, Nine and Ten were birds of a feather as all three opponents were strikers who didn’t. These included OAB’s Beaked and Chief’s Mercy Mercy, who cried “Mercy!” after getting one-shotted and assured Resounding his TV. Someone’s Iblis (Angus?) put up the best challenge of the three. Now that he was past the Steele Slog ™, RT was back to learning, picking up skills with each opponent.

[HAMILTON]
Foes oppose us, we take an honest stand
We roll like Moses, claimin’ our promised land
And? If we win our independence?
Is that a guarantee of freedom for our descendants?

Turn 11 saw the friendly face of an ally across the sands, in Jerman’s warrior Melissa. She put up more of a fight than the previous three non-strikers, but, RT kept rollin’ like Moses to victory. More importantly, she was kind enough to teach Tumult the decise skill that moved him to AMAS on her way out with a TV at 8-3-1. Grats to Jerman! As befitting a good match between allies, RT offered Melissa a hand up from the sand.

[KING GEORGE]
Oceans rise, empires fall
We have seen each other through it all
And when push comes to shove
I will send a fully armed battalion to remind you of my love…

Round 12 featured a warrior from a team that I knew and dreaded yet had no idea who ran them. I’d run into Night B4 Turkey a number of times over the previous year or so. I had collided with UR My Apple Pie frequently in previous tourneys, losing almost all of those matches. In fact, I had just seen that son of a biscuit eater LAST TURN putting the smack down on my 9-1 LU Robbie Rotten. Reviewing my contemporaneous notes before reading the fight, I have “Jesus, 10-0 stupid Turkey team”. Great….

I’ve since learned (and somewhere, somehow, deep down inside I think I always knew) that tDO was responsible for the nightmare that is Night B4 Turkey. In this tortured metaphor, he is certainly my King George.

A 5’ 5” ST, UR My Apple put up a tremendous fight for the initiative but RT got the jump and, striking three times in quick succession, demonstrated prowess beyond his years with his weapon: Three critical swings, three hits and the fight was over. There were no parries. I repeat, there were no parries.

Skills were bountiful, with both Resounding and My Apple picking up… two parry skills each.

[HAMILTON]
But Jesus, between all the bleedin’ ‘n fightin’
I’ve been readin’ ‘n writin’
We need to handle our financial situation
Are we a nation of states? What’s the state of our nation?
I’m past patiently waitin’. I’m passionately
Smashin’ every expectation
Every action’s an act of creation!
I’m laughin’ in the face of casualties and sorrow
For the first time, I’m thinkin’ past tomorrow

At 10-1 and, having just put a loss on UMAP, Resounding was pretty excited. Was it possible? Dare we hope? The next round involved (I think) Dameon Darkheart’s warrior Child Of Dark, who was also sitting pretty at 11-1. I’m pretty sure I involuntarily transliterated that name to Child Of Darque, but that’s neither here nor there. Given CoD’s aimed blow style, there was really no question about whom would get the jump. So this was really all about RT trying to find a way to hit this guy who was, of course, 4’ 11”.

A lame opening swing on RT’s part didn’t boost anyone’s confidence, excepting perhaps CoD’s, who easily dodged. A critical attack followed by an extra damage hit had the Child sorely wounded, but then he dodged a couple more. A final massive shot to the groin had him squeaking like a Child who has overdone the helium. Like with a number of previous opponents, Tumult advised Child of Dark to avoid him moving forward.

[WASHINGTON]
It’s alright, you want to fight, you’ve got a hunger
I was just like you when I was younger
Head full of fantasies of dyin’ like a martyr?

[HAMILTON]
Yes

[WASHINGTON]
Dying is easy, young man. Living is harder.

I initially wondered if the Round 14 square off against Apple Pie was a finals but then remembered Child Of Dark, at least, was still out there somewhere with a loss to spare.

Resounding had beaten Ur My Apple Pie, well, resoundingly a couple turns back. Heh. It was quite the tumult! So, we all had high hopes as they squared off again. After an even longer battle of “Me first!” “No, ME first!” than the first round, Apple Pie jumped all over RT sending him desperate and then got ugly and sought the death of my slasher. I’ve squared off against tDO a bunch of times over the years, lost most of them, and have seen this story before. I know how it ends. So it was with no small amount of fatalism I slowly slid down the orange sheet. But our hero made his WL roll and simply lost the fight, dropping him to 12-2 but likely down for the count.

[LAURENS]
Rise up!
When you’re living on your knees, you rise up
Tell your brother that he’s gotta rise up
Tell your sister that she's gotta rise up
When are these colonies gonna rise up?

It was a joyous moment when I flipped the page and saw the oft-maligned Osksi Noble for Round 15. Another chance! Best opponent a budding slasher could hope for. The NPC put up more of a fight than some of his peers during this journey so Bravo, sir Osksi Noble!

[HAMILTON/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN]
We’re gonna rise up! Time to take a shot!
We’re gonna rise up! Time to take a shot!

Turning the page brought around some more Apple Pie for Round 16, which is just wrong on so many levels. Because seeing a nice slice of apple pie really ought be a happy experience that makes you feel all sorts of warm inside. But this was not that. This wasn’t even in the same zip code.

I’m pretty sure I saw Apple Pie wink over at Resounding before the fight started. RT reacted appropriately and was all over Apple Pie like whipped cream on, well, apple pie. Much like the first match, RT swung first. Much like the first match, a couple consecutive shots put Apple Pie down. And…. Much like the first match, both my and tDO’s warrior walked away with… two parry skills each.

Now both warriors have two losses. I suspect I know what’s next.

Round 17: The finals

Sure enough, like a Pie Eating Contest, there’s more Apple Pie in Round 17 and I know this is it. You can read it along with me to the tune of Miranda’s Ten Duel Commandments:

[BURR/HAMILTON/LAURENS/LEE] It’s the Ten Duel Commandments!
Number one!
The challenge: demand satisfaction. If they apologize, no need for further action

Those in the stands shift their attention to the warriors.
The warriors are intensely confronting each other.
Both attack; weapons strike and rebound, strike and rebound.

[COMPANY] Number two!
[LAURENS] If they don’t, grab a friend, that’s your second
[HAMILTON] Your lieutenant when there’s reckoning to be reckoned

Both fighters are involved in a fast-paced duel!
The warriors attack simultaneously, their weapons smashing between them.

[COMPANY] Number three!
[LEE] Have your seconds meet face to face
[BURR] Negotiate a peace…
[HAMILTON] Or negotiate a time and place
[BURR] This is commonplace, ‘specially ‘tween recruits
[COMPANY] Most disputes die, and no one shoots

The pace of the combat is fast and furious!
The two warriors fiercely trade attacks and parries.

[COMPANY] Number four!
[LAURENS] If they don’t reach a peace, that’s alright
Time to get some pistols and a doctor on site
[HAMILTON] You pay him in advance, you treat him with civility
[BURR] You have him turn around so he can have deniability

Both fighters are involved in a fast-paced duel!
Weapons clash as the warriors each strive for an opening.
Both warriors move with snake-like speed around each other.

[COMPANY] Five!
[LEE] Duel before the sun is in the sky
[COMPANY] Pick a place to die where it’s high and dry

Weapons clash as the warriors each strive for an opening.
The warriors are intensely confronting each other.

[COMPANY] Number six!
[HAMILTON] Leave a note for your next of kin
Tell ‘em where you been. Pray that hell or heaven lets you in

The weapons lock together in a struggle for supremacy.
The crowd is amazed at the speed of these contestants.
Sparks fly from their weapons as the gladiators trade blows.

[COMPANY] Seven!
[LEE] Confess your sins. Ready for the moment of adrenaline when you finally face your opponent

The pace of the combat is fast and furious!
The warriors attack simultaneously, their weapons smashing between them
Both fighters are involved in a fast-paced duel!

[COMPANY] Number eight!
[LAURENS/LEE/HAMILTON/BURR] Your last chance to negotiate
Send in your seconds, see if they can set the record straight…

The weapons lock together in a test of strength.
Both warriors move with snake-like speed around each other.
The warriors attack together, almost grappling with each other.

[COMPANY] Number nine!
[HAMILTON] Look ‘em in the eye, aim no higher
Summon all the courage you require
Then count

The warriors are intensely confronting each other.
Sparks fly from their weapons as the gladiators trade blows.
Both fighters are involved in a fast-paced duel!

[MEN] One two three four
[FULL COMPANY] Five six seven eight nine
[HAMILTON/BURR] Number
[COMPANY] Ten paces!
[HAMILTON/BURR] Fire!
[HAMILTON/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN/LAURENS]
Time to take a shot!
Time to take a shot!
And I am—
Not throwin’ away my—

RESOUNDING TUMULT hacks at his enemy with untamed berzerker energy!
UR MY APPLE PIE is hit in the KIDNEYS
His eyes flame with DESPERATION!
Our striker from Riztab is gravely injured!
RESOUNDING TUMULT strikes forward with his BROADSWORD!
UR MY APPLE PIE is struck in the LEFT BUTTOCKS!
The Rizaban gasps, 'Gods! Please give me the strength to finish this fight!'
He has been sorely wounded!
He bows his head in token of surrender!
RESOUNDING TUMULT receives a nod from the ARENAMASTER and is the victor!
Our slasher says, 'You are a fine opponent.'
From the stands a voice yells 'UR MY APPLE PIE, you stupid idiot!'

[COMPANY] Not throwin’ away my shot!

So, after 23 – count ‘em – twenty-three lines of decise battle, Resounding Tumult had WAY too many slices of Apple Pie but generated a few firsts for Team Vlad. Never before have I had a warrior TC twice and certainly never had a warrior TC back-to-back tourneys / classes. It was a crazy journey and I want to congratulate the Dark One on a viciously good warrior and run.

Awards of the week

The Rad Vlad Cads managed 7 awards, including the TC, for an award percentage just shy of 8%. With a top win count of 9 amongst the rest, no one came anywhere near the runner up prize of an autographed copy of TUM’s top-rated men’s guide to dating apps, entitled “Pleased To Meat You”™. The highly coveted Tourney Champion prize, a Meat Your Maker™ portable pizza oven, was quite nice, according to Resounding Tumult, but takes some practice not to burn the pies.

The TVs represented a cornucopia of styles, including Lunging, Aimed Blow, Slashing, Total Parry and, under Floyd’s Theory of Tourney Optimization™, one Striker. Unlike this past Tempe, they were concentrated in just 3 of the six classes I entered.

There were also three Stylemasters awarded to the junior folks.

Stats of the week

The Brew Crew, consisting of 89 warriors, managed a 332-257-4-6 record or 56.4%. This is ridiculously close to identical to the January FTF numbers. I mean, go check them out from the other write up. Crazy.

Best style: Slashers at 64%. Once again, a TC helps that percentage.
Worst Style: Bashers at 47%. This is the only style we didn’t batt over .500 on.
Best Class: Champions at 63%.
Worst Class: Challengers, at 48%, represents the only class in which we didn’t achieve > 50%.

Factoids that may only interest me

I. In what may be a first for me, my warriors ran into two different opponents five (5) times each. The first is detailed above under the “Winners” section. The second would definitely not fall into that category. Looking over my read-through notes, I lost to Mu Chamaeleontis once before I began to take notes on him. Then Round 4: “Mu Chameleowhatever is too quick.” Then Round 8: “Mu Chameleowhatever is good… against my untimed.” Then Round 9: “Mu Chameleowhatever sucks.” And finally, in round 10: “Mu Chameleowhatever against Momma… No!” By my math, OAB should share about 33% of his Runner Up prize with me for the effort.

II. My offensives (BA/SL/ST) managed the first swing an average of 77.5% of their fights. I suggest it’s always good to maximize that value as the warrior with the first swing tends to win the fight. This was true with my BAs (54%) but it’s a crappy style, in this data set managed by a crappy BA manager, so it doesn’t necessarily help and is mostly a coin flip. The story changes with STs at 68% and SLs at an impressive 78% win rate. This makes sense to me as SLs tend to keep initiative better than STs, so the first swing is more likely to continue until the end of the fight.

Mr. United Premiere 1K Travel Prologue (A New Beginning)

I have not flown since losing my Global Services status. There are several practical implications to this. First, I can no longer call the secret number that obviates sitting on hold for 6 hours like everyone else. Second, as I sit here staring longingly at the screen showing the available seats in first class, my upgrade likely won’t be confirmed (if at all) until I get to the gate, despite using “Plus Points” to prioritize it. Third, if I want to board ASAP, I’m now going to have to stand in that dumb line with the number 1 on the placard. My only consolation is that I will still look first class, whether I am sitting in it or not.

Brief truths

A. Megas don’t have their Zombie enter the rooks Fool’s Tourney.

B. It makes for Extra Spicy reading when your warrior sees someone like DA #9 across the sands. The potential for utter humiliation is heightened.

C. Angus TC’ing twice was a beautiful thing, especially after my heartbreaking Runner Up loss to Wickersham a few tournaments back. As you know, I'm all about prize diversity, equity and inclusion. I hope Angus doesn’t go the Spirit route if he doesn’t TC twice in NOLA!

Ten things I think I think

1. I think foregoing Fedex worked like a champ, with a big old USPS box showing up on Saturday morning. I think I treated myself to some extra teamsheets to celebrate. I think, like the regular DM mail, the box looked like it had barely made it through a war with large chunks of it actually gone.

2. I think it is forever refreshing to win the first fight out of the box. I think Watson still doesn’t like a loss. I think I don’t either.

3. I think it was interesting for my lunger to get the jump on Howlin’ Wolf’s ST in Challengers. I think it was interesting Howlin’ Wolf was running a ST in Challengers. I think as you progress through Challengers, the quality of the opponents is night and day. I think it’s like someone literally flipped a switch around Round 10.

4. I think having the tourney fall during the weekend of The Masters required my reading and recording to be results oriented as my focus was generally on the golf.

5. I think a fight against an ally to see who continues forward in the tourney is fun. I think winning such a fight is more fun.

6. I think I saw a lot of Doc Steele in Champs. I think I saw a lot of Doc Steele in Adepts. I think I saw a lot of Doc Steele in Inits. I think I saw a lot of Doc Steele in Apps. I think I saw a lot of Doc Steele in Rooks. I think Doc Steele was responsible for an inordinate and rude percentage of my deaths.

7. I think a PAR learn LU can Runner Up the Apps class and be utterly unqualified by Adepts. I think I hope whomever saw my timed Adept LU get his EX DEF giggled when he did. I think there were a disproportionate amount of PR’s in Adepts, specifically Howlin’ Wolf PRs. Ditto for PoS’s.

8. I think running a lot of untimed warriors in mailers generates significant Noise which distorts how your real warriors are doing, which I call Signal. I think I had more untimed Adepts than timed. I think, based on some opponent ratings I was seeing, so did others. I think I struggle not to gloat when my untimed Adepts beat someone because I am certain those opponents are timed. I think I rationalize when my untimed Adepts lose, that it was prolly a timed opponent. Particularly when it’s a Bubba warrior. I think I occasionally wonder why I don’t do more timing in Adepts. I think this tourney ChiefI showed my why I don’t (R.I.P. Sharpie Stain).

9. I think a 32DEC ST really ought to get the first swing on a LU in Champs. I think I wondered where all the STs were in Champs this go round. I think JME was the first to blatantly leverage Responsiveness against one of my STs this outing. I think he was also the second.

10. These are the other things I think I think:

a. I think entry errors are simply part of the game but in some instances, such as when APM becomes ARM, it can have a significant impact on your warrior's outcome.

b. I think it is disorienting to come across a warrior you spent years developing in a class just to realize it’s someone else’s warrior with the same name. I think I need to ™ more of my warrior names. Here's looking at you, Riff Raff.

c. Coffeenerdness: I think I’ve learned to customize my coffee order based on which barista is working my bohemian coffee shop. I think it’s nice knowing them individually by name. I think I saw the Easter bunny on the way home from said bohemian coffee shop. I think I was correct to take it as a good omen.

d. I think the New Yorkers kicked my tuckus all over Adepts. I think I wanted Sizzle in Adepts and got Fizzle instead.

e. I think, like mold, the Big Lake scum are spreading to more classes. I think I hurt myself back patting when I outscummed one in Rooks.

f. I think I saw a lot of ratings on Round 1 of Inits.

g. I think losing to someone named Doggie Dentist is just humiliating.

h. I think one should be careful to take pleasure in putting losses on allies because, sure as eggs, that same ally will come back and kill your guy the next time.

i. Winenerdness: If you are looking for a new red to try, I heartily recommend Miquel Torres Cordillera Cab as an approachable varietal or Peju as one that takes a bit more investment but is quite delicious.

j. I think managers that fight styles that don’t really belong in a particular class are, ultimately, in the words of Teddy Roosevelt, “little emasculated masses of inanity”. I think I am looking at Howlin’ Wolf and Doc Steele.

k. I think a 17 ST/CN/WL TP going desperate after one shot from a 5’11” WS with a QS was utter BS.

l. I think by Round 2 of Apps I was ready to move on to Rooks. I think I thought that none of these guys would even TV. I think I was correct. I think I had this epiphany after yet another ST of mine got jumped by yet another stupid LU. I think 3-Finger Brown is an inherently repulsive name for a LU. In Apps. That got the jump on my ST.

m. I think you know your Apps SL is in trouble when he sees a PR Broncs ST across the sands. I think we all know that Mannequin’s ST has more decise. I think it is weird to see an Apps ST train WT to a breakpoint.

n. I think stat trains were ridiculously sucky this tourney.

o. I think I loved HW running a 6’10” ST but I did not love losing to it.

p. I think Apps saw a typical tDO matchup for me in that his warrior was 1) Undefeated (at 8-0-1), 2) 4’11” 3) from my hometown arena, 4) the winner of the fight.

q. I think LugForeFriend was damn good for a Big Lake warrior. I think I don’t care to know what’s behind the name.

r. I think it was apropos that Faux Pair informed me during the Apps read that, for the second time in a month, she had crashed the car we provided her.

s. I think Jerman crushed me this tourney.

t. I think I have to get a better handle on Responsiveness because I see things I don’t understand and, occasionally, I see brilliant use of it against me.

u. I think Master of team Baiter was complete and utter subjective BS enforcement of naming policies. I think I am reminded of Riff Raff’s Chicken Cock and now I am angry. I think No Time For Love of team Doctor Jones was brilliant.

v. I think the Mano a Mano showdown between Assur and me with the two naked QS Bashers was fun, especially because his took a dirt nap.

w. I think I absolutely 100% called my last undefeated rook getting killed in Round 7, which indicates how Rooks went. I think I have a lot of potential Apps now.

x. Matchup of the Week: Mr. Soul vs. Soul That Renders.

y. Obit of the Weak™: As evidenced by my Inits through Rookies showing, I ran some dubious warriors this time. Among them, this Obit of the week: He is a lunger with ST=12(1) CN=7 SZ=10 WT=21 WL=17 SP=5 DF=13.

Who I like in July

With the advancement of Resounding Tumult to Challengers, I really have to look elsewhere this tourney. Speaking of Challengers, I think I’ll proffer up Billie Mays, who is entering his 15th Challs tourney. With that big group of force pulls recently, perhaps he will finally step up this time.

Independence Stanza Bonanza (Courtesy Hamilton)

A colony that runs independently
Meanwhile, Britain keeps sh*ttin’ on us endlessly
Essentially, they tax us relentlessly
Then King George turns around, runs a spending spree
He ain’t ever gonna set his descendants free
So there will be a revolution in this century

Let’s hatch a plot blacker than the kettle callin’ the pot...
What are the odds the gods would put us all in one spot
Poppin’ a squat on conventional wisdom, like it or not
A bunch of revolutionary manumission abolitionists?
Give me a position, show me where the ammunition is!

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2023 12:57 pm

Nice, Vlad! Very fine.

Coffeedness? And here I thought you drank tea.

Unchartered Poster Joined: Jul 05, 2021 Posts: 21

When I read "Welcome to the Independence Day 2K23 edition of Monday Morning Tourney Quarterback (MMTQB)" on July 13th I thought it took you 9 days to write that epoch post. That changed when I realized you typed it up on the 219th anniversary of the famous Burr vs Hamilton duel.

I guess you can type faster than I gave you credit.

Well done. Smile

Advanced Expert Poster Joined: Jul 15, 2014 Posts: 192

“The world -- this shadow of the soul, or other me, lies wide around. Its attractions are the keys which unlock my thoughts and make me acquainted with myself. I run eagerly into this resounding tumult...So much only of life as I know by experience...The true scholar grudges every opportunity of action past by, as a loss of power.”

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2023 4:27 am

Vladimer wrote:

“The world -- this shadow of the soul, or other me, lies wide around. Its attractions are the keys which unlock my thoughts and make me acquainted with myself. I run eagerly into this resounding tumult...So much only of life as I know by experience...The true scholar grudges every opportunity of action past by, as a loss of power.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson *Golf clap*

My first guess was Faulkner, but then I realized I more or less understood the quote on only the 2nd reading, which disqualified him.

RR

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2023 9:11 am

DonaldTrump wrote:

Vladimer wrote:

“The world -- this shadow of the soul, or other me, lies wide around. Its attractions are the keys which unlock my thoughts and make me acquainted with myself. I run eagerly into this resounding tumult...So much only of life as I know by experience...The true scholar grudges every opportunity of action past by, as a loss of power.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson *Golf clap*

My first guess was Faulkner, but then I realized I more or less understood the quote on only the 2nd reading, which disqualified him.

RR

And here I thought it was VP Kamala. Rolling Eyes

Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2023 6:03 pm

I do enjoy reading Vlad's write ups, after tournaments. always a good read, even when bashing my alliance mates. Smile