Cup of Nations II

[Michael McBride]

OOC: Alright, so things for this tournament are going to work a little differently than the last one. I've refined things from that one, what I liked and what I didn't like, and also made some changes because of our increase in size. The group stage will now only be three matches... that's right, everyone only plays everyone once. So if your team's plan was to be like Denmark last tournament and accuse everyone of cheating so they would let their guard down so you could come back in the second half of the group stage and win the whole tourney... well, it won't work this time. Two teams advance from each group, and the final 16 go through knockout games. You lose, you're done. Basically, this is as close to the World Cup in CNRP as we're gonna get. Eventually, I'd love to have Cups for each continent for some regional rivalries, and play-in stuff like they do for the World Cup, but we'd need more nations and more participation for that. As it stands, we have had 35 nations play in the last two tournaments, and I consider that a great accomplishment in and of itself.

Just a reminder, all games are simmed on the game FIFA 10 on the XBOX 360. Teams are chosen at random based on previous experience, world rank, and sometimes geographic area. I have no control over any results and OOC accusations of match fixing will result in a one tournament ban. I am warning you now.

As to the thing with Minilla Islands earlier, I made another mistake. I had accidentally added the PRC in. For some reason I saw Keshav and just gave him two teams, lol. Sorry about that, Minilla Islands is in where the PRC was for everything.

IC:

The atmosphere inside of the Syracuse War Memorial is festive and colorful with representatives from countries all over the world packing inside to catch the selection show for the second Cup of Nations. MediaCorp is once again providing a free feed all over the world so that people of every nationality can tune in to see where their home side will be playing and who they will be playing against. Suddenly, the interior of the War Memorial goes dark as video screens begin playing a montage of the last Cup's highlights set to the [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A11IlBjePI"]music[/url]. After the video finished and the crowd was worked up into a frenzy, another light show began, this time featuring Brett Carlson walking casually onto the stage, a large smile on his face as the table with the teams was wheeled out behind him to the MediaCorp International Sports [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd8TvA64ZZ4"]theme song[/url]. Smiling as he takes the microphone, Carlson turns to the camera.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the second Cup of Nations selection show. Whether you are watching from right here in York or across the globe, I welcome you to what should be a very fun filled and exciting evening to kick off a wonderful football tournament." Carlson breaks for applause as he looks down at his cards. "Right, so, as I said, this is the selection show for the Cup of Nations, where one game changes everything..." he gets a disgusted look on his face as he starts flipping through the cards, "Contrived !@#$%^&*... more contrived !@#$%^&*... your mother looks like a hamster and yes, I ate your chocolate squirrel. Always got to toss in something to keep me on my toes. Well, without further adieu, or bad slogans, let's head on over the table to find which four teams are going to make up Group A. Gentlemen, roll those balls."

"The first team in Group A, and the first selected for the second Cup of Nations is... [b]China[/b]. The second team selected is... the [b]Republic of Labrador[/b]. The third team selected is... the [b]United States of America[/b]." A murmur moves through the gathered crowd at the Syracuse War Memorial and has to be quieted down before the selection process can continue. "And the final team in Group A is... the [b]Republic of Tahoe[/b]." Another murmur washes through the crowd as the four teams are placed up on the big board and the camera swings back to Carlson.

"Lots of interesting back stories in this group, folks. Two complete newcomers to the game in China and the Republic of Labrador, and then two continental rivals that simply downright dislike each other in the United States and the Republic of Tahoe. Neither team has been without controversy, with the criticism on the United States focusing mostly on how it was formed and it's recent foreign policy endeavors while Tahoe's has been twofold. First, they rise from the ashes of the old Republic of Tahoe, and other governments, such as Transvaal and Amerikanisches Reich, don't recognize their new government as legitimate, instead choosing to recognize the "loyalist" government in exile in Transvaal. Transvaal has already said they will forfeit any games they play against Tahoe out of protest, so here's hoping the two teams never meet. The other source of controversy comes from Tahoe's team. Last tournament they played for Carthage, finishing second. After the political turmoil that went on in the country, they defected as a team, were bought by a wealthy businessman, and moved to Tahoe. None are Tahoe citizens, raising the question "should they be aloud to play for Tahoe?" Interesting questions to be sure, and lots of interesting back stories should make this group a real cracker to watch. Obviously Tahoe and the United States are the early favorites to make it out of the group, but I wouldn't immediately count out China or Labrador. With only three games, even a draw against one of the higher ranked teams greatly bolsters their chances of making the knockout round. The average rank for this group is 19." The camera swings back over to the table for the announcement of Group B.

"The first team in Group B is... [b]Amerikanisches Reich[/b]. The second team are the [b]Articuno Islands[/b]. The third team is the [b]Empire of France[/b]. And the final team in Group B is... the [b]Kingdom of Cochin[/b]." The camera moves back over to Carlson who is busy scribbling down some notes.

"Tough draw here for the two newcomers, the A.R. and Articuno. Both France and Cochin are experienced squads from the last Cup of Nations and are obvious early favorites to take the top two spots in this group. Still, as France will tell you, you can never count any team out. Last tournament France was the Cinderella story, fighting their way out of the "Group of Death" for a spot in the knockout round. An exceptionally impressive performance by a team no one expected anything of. It will be interesting to see how they follow that up this tournament. Cochin is a extremely scrappy squad that just missed the knockout round last tournament... look for them to be hungry to make it this year. Despite the two newcomers, the average world ranking for this group is 16.5."

"The first team selected for Group C is... the [b]Imperium of Canada[/b]. The second team selected is... the [b]Republic of Vietnam[/b]. The third team for Group C is... the [b]Athenian Federation[/b]. And the final team for Group C is... [b]United Isocoles[/b]." A few boos went up from the crowd, along with two signs reading the names of Novak supporters killed after their team's victory over Isocoles during the last tournament.

"Ah, another interesting group with interesting story lines. Shouldn't be too much drama here, I'm afraid. The Athenians should make the knockout round after a disappointing run in the "Group of Death" last tournament. The road seems much easier this time, as they will have to deal with a very weak Canadian side, though the Vietnamese could give them some trouble. It is nice to see the Canadians back and competing so soon after that devastating nuclear attack on their country. While no one expects them to do anything, simply being here must be a morale boost for their people. The boos you heard were from a group of protesters who wanted United Isocoles banned from this tournament for a while after their supporters attacked and killed some Novak supporters after a match last tournament. MediaCorp officials have spoken to team officials and organizers, letting them know that any further acts of violence will result in their national team being banned. Extra security will also be present at all United Isocoles matches. The darkhorse in this group is the Republic of Vietnam, not much is known about them, though they have performed well in their warm-up and friendly matches. If either of the two newcomers make a run at the second knockout round spot, expect it to be this team. Average world rank for this group: 16.75."

"The first team in Group D is... [b]Denmark[/b]." Cheers from Denmark supporters at the selection show and light applause for the defending champions drifted through the room. "The second team is... the [b]Greater Japanese Empire[/b]. The third team in Group D is... [b]Rebel Army[/b]. And the final team in Group D is... the [b]Slavic Federation[/b]."

"Ah, so we find out where our defending champions will be playing and who they will be playing against. I'm sure you all remember what happened last year. Three games in, the Danes had yet to score a goal and accusations of match fixing were flying about. Their fourth game, they draw, and then win the last two, squeaking their way into the knockout round and go on and end up winning the whole thing. Simply exceptional on their part. I've heard rumors of a movie deal in the works about that team, we'll see if anything comes to fruition. They won't have the chance to do the same thing again this tournament though as the format has changed. Look for them to get out of the blocks much faster this time. Two newcomers in this group as well in the Greater Japanese Empire and Rebel Army. Rebel Army, drawing players from all of the world as its citizens, looks to have a distinct advantage over Japan here even though they both have the same level of experience. The Slavic Federation had a similar disappointing run to the Athenians as they were also in the "Group of Death". They are looking to avenge that this tournament and are hoping to make the knockout stage. Expect them and the Danes to make it back, but watch out for Rebel Army. They are one of the highest ranked teams with no international experience, and there is good reason as to why. Average world rank for this group: 15.75."

"The first team in Group E is... [b]Louisiana[/b]. The second team is... the [b]Sicilian League[/b]. The third team is... [b]Vereinigte Deutsche Länder[/b]. And the fourth team in Group E is... the [b]Isara Alliance[/b]."

"So nice to see the Sicilians in the tournament, playing on an international level for the first time at a game they so enjoy locally. They will certainly be interesting to watch throughout the tournament but they will have to overcome both Louisiana and the Isara Alliance if they want to make it to the next round. While this group doesn't have any huge names like Transvaal, Novak, or Denmark, they are all very tightly packed in terms of rank, only thirteen spots separating the highest rank, the VDL, from the lowest, Isara. Look for upsets abound in this group and don't bet on the VDL and Louisiana making it through simply because they are ranked higher. One of the two of them, or both, will fail to make it. I guarantee it. Average world rank for this group: 15.25."

"The first team in Group F is... the [b]Republic of York[/b]." A massive cheer erupted in the room as the home side was announced. Banners and flags featuring the Crimson Lion flew over the heads over the spectators, the observers who had been so dignified a second ago now finding themselves in the middle of an impromptu football fan celebration. After a minute, it died down as the fans waited anxiously to hear who their beloved Crimson Lions would be facing. "The second team in Group F is... the [b]Queendom of Australia[/b]. The third team in Group F is... the [b]Slavorussian Empire[/b]. And the final team in Group F is... the [b]Koryo Confederation[/b]."

"Well, now we finally know where the home side is going to play and who they will be facing. A pretty favorable draw for the Crimson Lions if you ask me. Neither Slavorussia nor Koryo have international experience and the Queendom finished dead last in the previous tournament. York fans shouldn't be too worried, though anything can happen in a short tournament like this, so the team had better approach its first game with a sense of urgency. If this team fails to make the knockout round, then this tournament will be considered an unmitigated disaster. The Queendom will face a tough challenge from the Koryo Confederacy, ranked only three slots behind them in the world. Slavorussia... well, I'm sure they will be happy for the international experience as they bow out after the group stage. Average world rank for this group: 17.75."

The first team in Group G is... the [b]Republic of Cascadia[/b]. The second team in Group G is... the [b]Funky Republic of Puerto Rico[/b]. The third team in Group G is... [b]Artica[/b]. And the final team in Group G is... the [b]Imperial Hudson Reich[/b]." A sharp gasp washed over the crowd as the group was finished and the camera moved back over to Carlson.

"Wow folks... I am truly speechless. This has to simply be the softest group I have ever seen in international competition anywhere in my entire life. I mean, just look at this group. All newcomers, and the early odds on "favorite", if you could even call them that, is Artica ranked 19th in the world. The average world rank for this group is 26.25. I mean, how many higher ranked teams would simply be salivating at the though of being in this group. Transvaal would kill this group like a fat guy kills tacos. We now know that two teams ranked very low will be making the final knockout round... the only question is who. This group is a complete toss-up. Only Puerto Rico looks really outmatched against these teams. Wow... all these teams must be breathing a major sigh of relief now."

"The first team for the final group, Group H, is... the [b]Hakaarian Empire[/b]. The second team is... the [b]Minilla Islands[/b]. The third team is... [b]Transvaal[/b]. And the final team selected for the second Cup of Nations is [b]Marscurian Pakistan[/b]."

"And there's the tournament favorites: Transvaal. After a disappointing penalty kicks loss to eventual champion Denmark in the quarterfinals last year, the team is back, slightly retooled, and looking for revenge. I would not want to be a team that got into their way... not this tournament. The Minilla Islands might give them a little bit of trouble in their group, but look for those two strong sides to advance easily over the likes of Marscurian Pakistan, ranked 23rd, and the Hakaarian Empire, ranked 33rd. Average world rank for this group, 23. And that concludes our selection show for the second Cup of Nations. Stay tuned after this commercial break for more in depth coverage and analysis of the upcoming tournament. I'm Brett Carlson, and I'll see you on the pitch."

OOC: I'd post more stuff tonight, but it's 4:30am and I'm fried. Feel free to post commentary on the groups, your team's position, etc, below. Let's get this thing active and keep it there. I'll give people a day or two to comment and then start the tournament proper.

Edited June 15, 2010 by Pravus Ingruo

[Michael McBride]

OOC: One other change I forgot to mention last night... there will be no more "loser's" games. I simply don't have the time to create tons of individual tournaments to see how the teams will place. So, you will be placed after your team is eliminated based on points, goal difference, and goals for.

[b]Match Day 1[/b]
[b]Republic of Tahoe[/b] v. China 2-1
United States of America v. [b]Republic of Labrador[/b] 0-2
[b]Kingdom of Cochin[/b] v. Amerikanisches Reich 2-0
[b]Empire of France[/b] v. Articuno Islands 1-0
[b]United Isocoles[/b] v. Imperium of Canada 3-0
Athenian Federation v. [b]Republic of Vietnam[/b] 0-1
Slavic Federation v. [b]Denmark[/b] 0-1
[b]Rebel Army[/b] v. Greater Japanese Empire 2-1
[b]Isara Alliance[/b] v. Louisiana 2-1
[b]Vereinigte Deutsche Länder[/b] v. Sicilian League 1-0
Koryo Confederation v. [b]Republic of York[/b] 0-2
Slavorussian Empire v. [b]Queendom of Australia[/b] 0-2
[b]Imperial Hudson Reich[/b] v. Republic of Cascadia 2-1
[b]Arctica[/b] v. Funky Republic of Puerto Rico 2-0
Marscurian Pakistan v. Hakaarian Empire 0-0
Transvaal v. Minilla Islands 1-1

[b]Match Day 2[/b]
United States of America v. Republic of Tahoe 2-2
[b]China[/b] v. Republic of Labrador 2-0
Empire of France v. [b]Kingdom of Cochin[/b] 0-1
Amerikanisches Reich v. [b]Articuno Islands[/b] 0-1
[b]Athenian Federation[/b] v. United Isocoles 3-1
Imperium of Canada v. [b]Republic of Vietnam[/b] 0-2
Rebel Army v. [b]Slavic Federation[/b] 1-2
[b]Denmark[/b] v. Greater Japanese Empire 3-1
Vereinigte Deutsche Länder v. Isara Alliance 1-1
Louisiana v. [b]Sicilian League[/b] 0-2
Slavorussian Empire v. [b]Koryo Confederation[/b] 0-1
[b]Republic of York[/b] v. Queendom of Australia 3-1
Arctica v. [b]Imperial Hudson Reich[/b] 0-1
[b]Republic of Cascadia[/b] v. Funky Republic of Puerto Rico 2-1
[b]Transvaal[/b] v. Marscurian Pakistan 2-0
Hakaarian Empire v. Minilla Islands 0-0

[b]Match Day 3[/b]
[b]Republic of Tahoe[/b] v. Republic of Labrador 1-0
China v. [b]United States of America[/b] 1-3
[b]Kingdom of Cochin[/b] v. Articuno Islands 1-0
Amerikanisches Reich v. [b]Empire of France[/b] 0-4
United Isocoles v. [b]Republic of Vietnam[/b] 0-1
Imperium of Canada v. [b]Athenian Federation[/b] 1-2
[b]Slavic Federation[/b] v. Greater Japanese Empire 1-0
Denmark v. [b]Rebel Army[/b] 0-1
[b]Isara Alliance[/b] v. Sicilian League 1-0
Louisiana v. Vereinigte Deutsche Länder 1-1
Koryo Confederation v. Queendom of Australia 1-1
[b]Republic of York[/b] v. Slavorussian Empire 3-0
Imperial Hudson Reich v. [b]Funky Republic of Puerto Rico[/b] 0-2
Republic of Cascadia v. [b]Arctica[/b] 0-1
[b]Marscurian Pakistan[/b] v. Minilla Islands 1-0
Hakaarian Empire v. Transvaal 0-0

[b]Round of 16[/b]
Vereinigte Deutsche Länder v. [b]Republic of Tahoe[/b] 0-1
Queendom of Australia v. [b]Kingdom of Cochin[/b] 0-1
Imperial Hudson Reich v. [b]Republic of Vietnam[/b] 0-3
Marscurian Pakistan v. [b]Denmark[/b] 0-2
[b]United States of America[/b] v. Isara Alliance 4-2
Empire of France v. [b]Republic of York[/b] 0-1
[b]Athenian Federation[/b] v. Arctica 2-0
Rebel Army v. [b]Transvaal[/b] 0-2

[b]Quarters[/b]
United States of America v. [b]Republic of Tahoe[/b] 0-1
[b]Republic of York[/b] v. Kingdom of Cochin 2-1
[b]Athenian Federation[/b] v. Republic of Vietnam 3-2
[b]Transvaal[/b] v. Denmark 2-1

[b]Semis[/b]
[b]Athenian Federation[/b] v. Republic of Tahoe 2-1
Transvaal v. [b]Republic of York[/b] 1-1 (2-4p)

[b]Finals[/b]
Republic of York v. Athenian Federation

Edited June 25, 2010 by Pravus Ingruo

[king of cochin]

[u][b]Gosree News Network
Telephonic Interview with IM Vijayan, Coach of Cochin National Football Team from Republic of York[/b][/u]

G: Mr. Vijayan, how do you rate your team's chance in the new tournament format?
V: There are many unknowns in football, but I think the new format would give us greater opportunity to prove our merit.

G: What do you think of the team's chances in Group B? How would you rate the chances of your team making into the Group of 16?
V: Group B is a promising mix with our competitors being Americanisches Reich, Artinuno Islands and Empire of France. Americanisches Reich and Articuno Islands may be new contenders but we definitely shall not maintain any complacency for our encounters with them. Empire of France is an excellent team but we are confident that we can defeat them.

G: You exhibit great confidence, Mr. Vijayan. There are rumors of several injury related issues threatening to ground some of your senior and most promising players. Would you comment on that?
V: Yes, there has been some worries with respect to form and injuries but team has been put through a very careful fitness regime by which all precautions have taken to maintain a balance between training and safety. Our boys are trained to the peak of their capabilities and they are able to take on the best teams in this Cup.

G: So Mr. Vijayan, can the people of Cochin harbor a hope to see the Cup coming to their nation?
V: Definitely. Our team plays to win. We have worked hard, we have bled blood and sweat to reach this pinnacle of excellence. We shall make our people proud.

G: Thank you for this interview, Mr. Vijayan. Best of luck from Gosree News Network.
V: Thank you.

[Sir Keshav IV]

[b]Announcement from the Articunan International Football Federation (AIFF)[/b]

We look forward to participation in our first football championship as Articuno Islands. Our coach is a very experienced coach who in the past led our predecessor nation the People's Republic of China to a second place finish in the Botha cup. We look forward to competing against two of our national allies. Good luck to our competitors.&nbsp;</div>

Edited June 15, 2010 by Sir Keshav IV

[Centurius]

"A promising tournament, we wish our fellow groupmates and all participants of the tournament in general the best of luck and look forward to some good games."

[Fizzydog]

Isocoles fans are outraged at the fans booing their team. The bottles weren't SUPPOSED to hit the Novak fans, but they also shouldn't have been watching at a UI supporting bar.

Other then that, here's to a great game! Couches, drinks, water beds, and snacks half off


[b]UI TEAM COACH ANNOUNCEMENT[/b]

We are more then happy to be fighting these worthy opponents. A great game will come, and, win or lose, we will be happy no matter what place we get. Boys, make me proud!

[Botha]

[color="#006400"]“WE WILL PLAY ALL OUR MATCHES” – Manager Botha

TRANSVALER DAAGLIKSE SPORTNUUS: Minister of Sport & Athletics and manager of the Transvaal Springboks national squad Bartnel Botha said today that he would countermand any government orders imposed on him to forfeit matches should Transvaal face “Tahoe” teams in international sports competitions.

Referring to recent government statements over Tahoman [sic] participation in the upcoming Cup of Nations II, Bartnel Botha said that “the government must keep politics out of sports in Transvaal otherwise it makes us look like a bunch of idiots with egg all over our faces.”

After meeting with Foreign Minister Strijdom and Prime Minister van Matteus this morning to discuss the issues at hand, the usually mild-mannered manager of Transvaal’s various football clubs put his foot down and said that “the Springboks will not be forfeiting any matches or you can find yourselves a new Minister of Sport”.

Hopelessly up against Bartnel Botha’s prestige in the CN footballing world, the government then backed down after an agreement was made that should Transvaal face a team from what is deemed ‘an illegal or renegade regime in Tahoe’, the Springboks would not wear their traditional bottle green and gold kit, but rather a completely white kit with no national emblem, Springboks logo, or country name on it.

“I think the government has better things to do that niggle over our opposition in international tournaments, but it is a reasonable compromise I am willing to make”, said Botha. [/color]

[Botha]

“WE WILL PLAY IN OUR UNDERWEAR IF NEED BE” – Detlef Botha, Springboks midfielder

TRANSVALER DAAGLIKSE SPORTNUUS: In response to government opposition to the Transvaal Springboks potentially facing a “Tahoe” team in the Cup of Nations II, outspoken midfielder and Liga Mundo badboy Detlef Botha said that “we will play in our underwear if need be, but any idea of us not competing against a team because the government doesn’t like them is ‘kak’”
[IMG]http://i47.tinypic.com/eamrdf.jpg[/IMG]
[b][i]Detlef Botha[/i][/b]

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

Michael Solomon, captain of the Marscurian Pakistani team had this to say:

"We look forward to our first-round match with the Hakaarian Empire. We'll play our hardest and hopefully give them a run for their money."

Edited June 15, 2010 by KaiserMelech Mikhail

[The Disco Commandant]

[i][b][color="#FF0000"][size="5"]Viva la York![/size][/color][/b][/i]

HI THERE FOLKS! It is I, Emilio Esteves, reporting live here in San Juan Airport as people by the hundreds and thousands prepare to leave for the Republic of York.

After being drawn into Group G of the Cup of Nations being held in the Republic of York, York citizens will no doubt have noticed the immense spike of foreign ticket sales...that spike, which was created by you, loyal fans of your National Team! Yes folks, the Puerto Rican National Team, fondly known as "The Ravers" by El Presidente, should already be settled into their location in York, currently awaiting the schedule for their first matchup. Folks, we have never played on the international scene, but it is here we will make a name for ourselves as one of the best Teams in the World!

Edited June 15, 2010 by The Disco Commandant

[Kaede Alexeivich]

The Isara Alliance wishes its opponents luck, and looks forward to a fair and entertaining tournament.

[Baskan]

The Hakaarian Empire wishes its opponents the best and for a fair tournament. We would like to encourage our team to do the best of their abilities to try their hardest and most importantly, have fun.

[Subtleknifewielder]

"Well, certainly an interesting draw, if not the most intriguing of the matchups. It would have been interesting to face Denmark again after the accusations that flew last year. However, We look forward to seeing how things play out in this group, though we have confidence we will advance to the knockout rounds."

[Michael McBride]

OOC: Schedule is up.

IC:

[u][b]Crimson Lions Team Report[/b][/u]

With the release of the draws, the Crimson Lions can now prepare themselves moving forward to face the teams in Group F, with their first game against the relative unknown in the Koryo Confederation. With only three games before knockout play, the Crimson Lions know that they can make no mistakes along the way, and are aiming for high scores and clean sheets. To achieve this goal, we'll start at the back and work our way to the front of the Republic of York side, and how they plan to win this tournament.

The starting keeper for the Republic of York side is Thomas Archer, playing out of the club team York City. Archer has racked up an impressive record with York City, and is well known for his excellent positioning and quickness to the ball. His major weakness, however, is penalty kicks, and should the Lions ever be seeming to head towards a game to end in PKs, look for their second keeper to be subbed in: Danny Wheeler. Wheeler, of Real Rochester, is a very solid number two option should Archer go down with injury or should the game go into PKs. Wheeler is legendary through the York Professional Football League (YPFL) for his anticipation on penalty kicks, a skill that could come in handy on the national stage. Patrick Michaels of Albany FC is not expected to see any time on the pitch, but he is York's tallest keeper, making him apt at punching away incoming headers or snatching crossing passes out of the air.

Moving to the back line of the Crimson Lions now, York will be playing a 4-3-3 style for this tournament, something they hope will open up their scoring to their three stellar strikers, whom we will get to later. The starters on the back line for York are Clark Miner of the Binghamton Rovers, Sean Hutchinson of York United, Harry Issacs of the Syracuse Salty Dogs, and Greg Tanner of FC Buffalo. Miner and Tanner will man the middle of the pitch, while Hutchinson and Issacs will patrol the wings. While both Hutchinson and Issacs possess good foot speed, both are a tad undersized, leaving openings to a team with powerful wingers to push their way past them. In the middle, Miner and Tanner are large defenders, both rock solid in their technique, but both a tad slow and Miner does not have a lot of jumping ability. This is the most shaky part of the Republic of York team, and should they run into trouble, look for them to head to their bench players of John Babcock and Joeseph Veers, of the Binghamton Rovers and Plattsburgh Reds, respectively. Both players are very young, raw in terms of international experience, but bring a better combination of size and speed than those who are starting on the pitch. Do not expect Nick Allen of York City to see any playing time during the tournament.

The midfielders for York are not the strongest, but they know their role well: get the ball up to the strikers and create chances for them. And David Axelrod (Utica United), Otto Kunzleman (York United), and Carson Pitts (Albany FC) know their jobs well. On this line you have three distinct types of players, as Axelrod is the flashy, creative passer who can really stretch the field with his speed and pinpoint crossing passes. Otto Kunzleman is the worker, the grinder. He's never flashy and many times you forget he's even there, but he makes his plays when he has to through hard work and wears the opposing team's midfield and defense down throughout the game with his physical play. And then there's Carson Pitts. If there's one man you have to watch out for getting sent off during this tournament, it's Pitts. The man is the very definition of an enforcer for the Crimson Lions. He's tough, brash, won't back down from anyone, and is scrappy as hell. If he doesn't have someone else's crimson blood on his uniform at the end of the game, it's a failure. He wins through pure intimidation and toughness. Not the most gifted player physically, but his reputation has built itself up over the years to couteract that.

And finally, the most important part of the Crimson Lions team, their three strikers. Zachary McCarthy, Benjamin Avery, the skipper, and Chip Watson. As these three go, the team will go. Providing the scoring punch from all over the pitch is Zachary McCarthy, the legendary striker out of the Syracuse Salty Dogs. Once had 40 goals in a 28 game campaign to set the all-time YPFL scoring mark. If McCarthy can find the back of the net, then the team will have an excellent shot at winning. Look for McCarthy to use his incredible speed to pick up breakaways and get long forwarding passes from his teammates. Avery, the captain, is an intelligent player with excellent leadership qualities. He is one of the main reasons McCarthy is so successful in international play, because he can feed him the ball to just about anywhere on the pitch and knows what to do with the ball to get it into McCarthy's possession. He can score goals himself but is certainly not known for it like McCarthy is. And then there is Watson, a player who forces himself into the action through tough play and is on the pitch to create havoc for the defense and openings for McCarthy. These three strikers know each other well and are great friends, something which shows on the pitch when they play together.

[Franz Ferdinand]

"Coming into this tournament as the cup holders, we are ready to do some damage, however, our group could be a formidable opponent due to what we have gathered on each of the teams we will be facing in Group D. This won't be a cakewalk, however we shall keep on fighting until we get through into the next round. Denmark shall win this trophy for the second time in a row if we believe in the team!"

[Fizzydog]

When United Isocoles first game is to come, a very large public party will be held. with as many as 700,000 people coming.

At the party, pre-game will be met with music, such as Yakety Yak and Living on a Prayer, a movie, dancing, games, refreshments and a play. The total cost, funded by the UI government, will be over 4 million dollars.

[Kaede Alexeivich]

[b]Isaran Darkstars--Team Report[/b]

The starting keeper for the Darkstars will be Georgi Konev, a large but agile man who uses his size and speed to his great advantage. However, he has been known to let in the ball at close-range attempts at the goal. The second keeper, Joseph Weisman, is less capable but more an all-round keeper who is a solid and able keeper should Konev be unable to continue.

The Darkstars will be playing with a 4-3-3 set up, hoping to use their powerful defenders to ward off attempts on the goal while their strikers move at the opponent's goal. The starting defenders will be Mikhail Shernevadze, Yuri Zhukeivich, Vincent Richter, and Erich von Dietrich. In contrast to Richter and Shernevadze, who are quick and agile defenders known for keeping excellent pressure on would-be scorers, Zhukeivich and von Dietrich are powerful players who will use their power to steal the ball away from their opponents. Sasha Ukovich and Gregor Dzugashvili, on the other hand, are less experienced players who, while balanced, are not likely to be on the field.

The starting midfielders will be Vladimir Ivanov, Igor Sokholov, and Sergey Andreev. Ivanov and Andreev are remarkably fast players who can dash the ball from attacking opponents with ease and skill. Sokholov on the other hand is a brutal and powerful player who uses his entire body to take the ball from attackers; his only weakness being that his aggressive nature has led to penalties to the team. Less known are midfielders Nikolai Petrov, Herman Gruenwald, and Nikoloz Bessarionobis. All three are promising new additions to the national team, but are likely to be kept on the bench in favour of the more renowned and experienced mids.

Finally, the starting strikers will be Radi Jaeger, Adrian Kharkov, and Niels Klein. Radi Jaeger, undoubtedly the most popular of the team's players, is a former soldier and is one of the team's most skilled players. His skill lies undoubtedly in his use of tactics and strategy to get past the opponents and score with record speed. Less famous, but excellent players regardless, are Adrian Kharkov and Niels Klein. Kharkov, famed for his combination of speed and power, is known for excellent team playing, and knows how to coordinate good attacks with Jaeger and Klein. Klein himself is best known as a very powerful kicker, and thus he is best used as a penalty kicker, where his vicious kicks are best used.

[Triyun]

The Chinese Mafia would order thugs to watch for rival teams in bars and clubs the nights before the matches so that they could break their legs and make money on bookie deals.

[Vedran]

OOC: It's spelled Arctica. With two C's.

[Elrich von Richt]

[b]Words from Empress Ushiromiya[/b]

The Japanese National Football Team will eagerly look forward to it's first match against the Rebel Army. Being our first tournament bouts, the spectacle should be quiet an interesting watch on both ends.

[Subtleknifewielder]

"The team is admonished to, regardless of their opponents' rankings, play their best in every game to prevent any avoidable losses."

[Shatner]

Labrador is a new team aiming to come out and make a name for themselves. They realize that any serious run through the tournament would be a longshot, but feel as though an upset or advancement would be a good goal for the cup. Being a newcomer to the cup and a North American team puts them at a disadvantage, but hopefully they can gain some experience and make the fans proud.

[Lynneth]

"We feel that we can do just as well, if not better than in the last cup. We've trained hard, and we're determined to win this."
Stefan Kießling in an interview.

[Otto Verteidiger]

Amerikanisches Reich is anxious to see how it's first national football team does in the World Cup.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

President Caudill regrets he will be unable to attend due to formal activities at the Global Peace Summit, but will try to slip into a game if he can on day 5 of the Summit during an interlude of activities to show support for the American team, if he can get York Republic to grant him a Visa.

Various news entities across the United States report on the murmur during the announcement of their participation. It is expected that the U.S. team will play more vigorously than ever out of patriotism. The team name chosen for the American Squad is "Freedom's Wings." Accompanying them will be their mascot, a Bald Eagle in recovery from a hunting accident under the care of the Washington Zoo. They call him "Baldy."

Edited June 16, 2010 by Maelstrom Vortex