Middle Earth Fantasy Football World Cup

[the phantom]

Despite which I went ahead and picked my favorite ME personas.

Yes, I would have done the same. I do my commentaries and predictions as if the Middle Earth characters are honestly playing the game, rather than a bunch of fairly equal computer simulated characters. Obviously, if I based my writings on what is really going on I wouldn't be so lopsided in favor of one team or the other, since none of your computer teams is honestly as overmatched as a team of kitchen utensils and drunken cats would be in real life.

So, I call games the way I want to, and when a team advances that certainly would not advance in real life, I cry foul play and slander the team's players and coaches. That's much more entertaining than knowing the real teams and making predictions based on that.

Hmmm... a name for my team.... I think I'll keep things simple-

Phantasy

[The Saucepan Man]

Hehe, the (un)athletic boys are slowly coming good.

I suggest that we lay off Arctic and Sleepy as they have been so good as to organise this thing for us in the first place and, in any event, it's all just a bit of fun. You might as well disqualify the likes of phantom and me from the competition, as we know how some of the teams fared las year. For that matter, you might as well disqualify anyone who knows anything about football from participating in any fantasy leagues as it's unfair on those who don't. Let's just forget any question of 'inside knowledge' and get on with having fun.

Originally Posted by the phantom

I do my commentaries and predictions as if the Middle Earth characters are honestly playing the game, rather than a bunch of fairly equal computer simulated characters.

Yes, I do much the same, although I try to equate the 'backstory' of the characters with footballing 'cliches', rather than simply basing it on their respective 'power levels'. That's probably why my analyses are so much more accurate in their predictions than yours. That and the fact that I also have a mind to last year's form.

My fantasy team, of course, was purely based on last year's form, what with me being such a hugely competitive fellow 'n all.

Originally Posted by the phantom

Obviously, if I based my writings on what is really going on I wouldn't be so lopsided in favor of one team or the other, since none of your computer teams is honestly as overmatched as a team of kitchen utensils and drunken cats would be in real life.

But you tend to forget one of Tolkien's recurring themes - the weak prevailing against the odds where the strong fail. That's why Hobbit teams can sometimes prevail over those lofty Elf Lord types. Although I take your point about dishes, spoons and tipsy cats ...

[the phantom]

Originally Posted by SPM

That and the fact that I also have a mind to last year's form.

My fantasy team, of course, was purely based on last year's form, what with me being such a hugely competitive fellow 'n all.

Heh heh... you cheater.

My picks are based completely on what I think ought to happen. I don't consider last year at all.

But you tend to forget one of Tolkien's recurring themes - the weak prevailing against the odds where the strong fail. That's why Hobbit teams can sometimes prevail over those lofty Elf Lord types.

I don't think that sort of thing works in soccer, laddie.

Take Frodo's Ring trek. Sauron had no idea what the other team was trying to accomplish, and did not know where the ball (Ring) was. That does not happen on the soccer field.

There is a clearly defined method of victory (putting the ball in the net) and the ball can only be put there in certain ways legally. You can't pick up the ball, toss it into the stands, have a crowd member carry it behind the goal, and then toss it to someone standing on top of the goal to drop it in. That sort of trickery is not allowed. The ball cannot come from the rear nor can it completely disappear from view only to pop up on the opposite end of the field. Soccer is much more like a huge battle than some sort of quest. And in a straight up fight, the inferior participant does not tend to win in Tolkien's works. When Morgoth/Sauron have the military advantage, they win. Oh sure, there are some glorious moments in defeat (Fingolfin's duel, Dor-Lomin's last stand), but the outcome is rarely any sort of "upset".

So don't even try that angle with me. I refuse to believe any explanation for hobbits faring well in this tournament. They're cheats! Big fat prediction-ruining cheats!! Aaaaaggghhhh!!!!

*gasps for air after rant*

[Thenamir]

Originally Posted by The Phantom

Heh heh... you cheater.

Originally Posted by The Phantom

They're cheats! Big fat prediction-ruining cheats!!

Methinks Phantom doth protest overmuch. See my post here.

[arcticstorm]

Sorry these are so late in coming.
All players have their current point values by their names in the original list.
Today's results


Moria
Oin –4
Ori – 4
Nar – 4
Celebrimbor – 4
Narvi – 1
Durin – 1
Durin’s Bane –1
Thror –-1
Watcher in the water—8

Valinor
Manwe –4
Aule—4
Yavanna –4
Lorien—4
Mandos –1
Orome –1
Pallando –1
Eonwe –1
Alatar—1
Varda—3


Tuna
Miriel –4
Maglor –4
Amrod –4
Amras –4
Caranthir –1
Ingwe –1
Finarfin –1
Fingolfin—4
Finwe—4
Finarfin—4
Madhros—7

Brethil
Dorlas— -1
Niniel—1
Haleth – -1
Brandir – -1
Dorlas – -1
Hunthor— -1




Tol Eressea
Vaire –4
Lindo –4
Osse –4
Olwe –4
Uinen –1
Indis –1
Eriol—5
Frodo—4

Dor Lomin
Turin—2



Barrow-downs
Firefoot – 4
Formendacil - 4
Glirdan – 4
Nogrod - 4
Arcticstorm – 1
The Phantom – 6
Feanor of the Peredhil –1
Barrow-wight—6
Rune son of Bjarne –4
Sleepy Ranger—3

Gondor
Damrod – -1
Denethor – -1
Beregond – -1
Imrahil – -1

[arcticstorm]

Finally the team standings after day 3

The Grinding Ice
Arcticstorm—1
Pallando—1
Total:6


The Fifth Wall
Nogrod—4
Oin—4
Total:8

Nogg’s ball
Nogrod—4
Manwë –4
Feanor of the Peredhil—1
Maedhros (tuna)—7
Total: 16

Saucepan (Un)Athletic
Manwe—4
the phantom—6
total: 10

Second Best
Glirdan—4
Aule—4
The Phantom—6
Durin's Bane—1
Sleepy Ranger—3
Total: 18


Elmo
Aule—4
Manwe—4
Orome—1
Sleepy Ranger—3
Rune Son of Bjarn—4
Total:16

Thenamir Untied
Watcher in the Water—8
FW—Frodo—4

The Reds
Fingolfin –4
Feanor of the Peredhil – 1
Rune Son of Bjarne – 4
Total: 9

Glirdan
GLIRDAN –4
SLEEPY RANGER—3
Total:7

Phantasy
MAEDHROS—7
THE PHANTOM—6
EONWE—1
MAGLOR—4
Total: 18

The Ka
Ulwe –4
Sleepy Ranger –3
Finwe –4
Total: 11

The Grinding Ice: 29 points
Second Best: 29 points
The Reds: 26 points
Phantasy:24
Elmo's Team: 22 points
Nogg's Ball: 22 points
Thenamir Untied: 19 points
The Fifth wall: 18 points
Saucepan (Un)Athletic: 18 Points
Ka’s Team: 14 points
Glirdan’s team: 12 points

[the phantom]

Question- why did Maedhros only earn me three points?

Didn't he have an assist (3), another assist (3), and hold the other team scoreless as a midfielder (1), and thus gain me 7 points?