#bracket 5 round 1 mega
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Bulbasaur (pokēmon) V.S Doyelstown, Pennsylvania

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BRACKET REVEAL
Alright. At long last, I present to you the bracket...or should I say...*BRACKETS* for the Virtual Character Tournament!
Given the scale, the first round is going to be one bracket per week, 4 a day, with each lasting 24 hours. I know that this is still tight, but given how many contestants there are, along with the necessary inclusions of images and propaganda (oh and I guess also my job), it's what I can do to keep this semi-manageable. There's also no redemption round this time. It's gonna be a single elimination tournament. Be kind to your peers. This is not but a drop in the infinite ocean of the internet.
...oh yeah the brackets themselves. We'll be going in order over the course of 4 weeks. I'll make proper announcements for them as they commence. Given how many there are and what I want to get done beforehand, Bracket 1 will likely begin some time this week. But for the matchups...
Bracket 1:
Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid) vs. Elohim (The Talos Principle)
Flame (Yu-Gi-Oh! VRains) vs. The Supervisor/Mouthless (Tenkuu Shinpan)
XANA (Code Lyoko) vs. MetalMan.EXE (Mega Man Battle Network)
9-Jack-9 (Zot!) vs Poppy Pipopapo (Kamen Rider Ex Aid)
Sage (Sonic Frontiers) vs Mektryllis (Fate/Extra CCC)
Dot Matrix (Reboot) vs V Flower (Vocaloid)
Wizardmon (Digimon) vs Delta (Red Vs. Blue)
Sora (Ever17) vs Kasane Teto (UTAU)
The Doctor/EMH (Star Trek Voyager) vs Crash (Awful Hospital)
Burroughs (Shin Megami Tensei IV) vs Quorra (Tron Legacy)
The Machine (Person of Interest) vs The Rocket Dex (Pokemon)
P03 (Inscription) vs. M.X.E.S (FNAF Security Breach: Ruins)
Hakuno Kishinami (Fate/EXTRA) vs Data Riku (Kingdom Hearts)
Samaritan (Person of Interest) vs ART (The Murderbot Diaries)
Cortana (Halo) vs M-Bot (Skyward)
Mitsuko Miyazumi (Archer) vs Ritsu (Assassination Classroom)
Bracket B:
Ene (Kagerou Project) vs The Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe)
Amadeus (Steins; Gate 0) vs D.O.M (The Adventure Zone)
AM (I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream) vs Theo (Meta Runner)
Colonel.EXE (Mega Man Battle Network) vs Daia (Kiratto PriChan)
Agumon (Digimon) vs The Bobbiedots (FNAF Fazbear Frights)
Felix the Desktop Cat (Real Life) vs SHODAN (System Shock)
MegaMan.EXE (Mega Man Battle Network) vs Church (Red vs. Blue)
Shepherd (ENA) vs Dr. Coomer (Half Life VR But the AI is Self-Aware)
Sophie/Sophia (Persona 5 Strikers) vs Dizzy (Beyblade)
Miss J/SCP 5094 (SCP) vs Ultraman X (Ultraman X)
SAYU (No Straight Roads) vs Falulu (Pripara)
Incarceron (Incarceron) vs Benry (Half Life VR but the AI is Self-Aware)
Lea (Crosscode) vs Kiracchu (Kiratto PriChan)
Dragon (Prahumans) vs Murder-Bot 2.0 (The Murderbot Diaries)
Ai (Yu-Gi-Oh! VRains) vs Glitch Slime (Slime Rancher)
Eris (Wolf 359) vs Monika (Doki Doki Literature Club)
Bracket III:
Hera (Wolf 359) vs Shin AI (Your Turn to Die)
Alba (Star Twinkle Pretty Cure) vs The Denpa Men (The Denpa Men)
Guy (Free Guy) vs EDI (Mass Effect)
Aetna (Lore Olympus) vs Yui (Sword Art Online)
Nicole the Holo-Lynx (Archie Sonic) vs Gabumon (Digimon)
Jacqueline Box (Pripara) vs Mamechi (Tamagotchi)
Vanellope von Shweetz (Wreck-It Ralph) vs Cleverbot (Real Life)
The Phantom Virus (Scooby-Doo) vs Chiaki Nanami (Danganronpa)
Alter Ego (Danganronpa) vs Digit (Cyberchase)
Simulcast (Reflection TTRPG) vs SARA (Toonami)
Lumina Ichihoshi (Dig Delight Direct Drive DJ) vs The World Machine (OneShot)
Rumble McSkirmish (Gravity Falls) vs Holly (Red Dwarf)
HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey) vs Samantha (Her)
PAMA (Minecraft Story Mode) vs Noah Kaiba (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Agent Smith (The Matrix) vs O.R.C.A (Splatoon)
Spunc (Alpha Betas) vs Porygon (Pokemon)
Bracket Delta:
GIFanny (Gravity Falls) vs Coco (Aikatsu Friends)
Vic Fontaine (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) vs Red One (The Last Angel)
Glitchtrap (FNAF Help Wanted) vs Holo (My Holo Love)
Avina (Mass Effect) vs Light Hope (She-Ra)
Motherboard (Cyberchase) vs Aya (Green Lantern: The Animated Series)
Bonzi Buddy (Real Life) vs Tama (AI The Somnium Files)
Dragon (Worm) vs Bip (Runway to the Stars)
Failsafe (Destiny) vs J.A.R.V.I.S (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Aiba (AI: The Somnium Files) vs CanHaz (DC Comics)
SAYER (SAYER) vs Fey (Welcome to Night Vale)
Buddy (Buddy Simulator 1984) vs Ziggy (Quantum Leap)
Maggy (Hellspark) vs The Squip (Be More Chill)
Lyla (Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse) vs Durandal (Marathon)
Beta Jay 137 (Ninjago) vs Zero III (Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward)
Sergey Ushanka (The Magnus Archines) vs Demetra (Spy Kids 3: GAME OVER)
Alie (The 100) vs Lil' Hal (Homestuck)
As always, thank you for bearing with me during this long and arduous process. Sorry for the hassle, and be prepared, as it is almost upon us.
#virtual character tourney#tournament layout#there are a lot of characters so i'll be tagging them during the rounds#don't want to pack even more nonsense into the bottom portion#character polls
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Great Video Game Bracket 64 – INTERMISSION
Winners' Round 1 is over! Let's see how the bracket did on opening night...




(Completed matches will be blacked out to discourage "revenge voting".)
Up next is Winners' Round 2... alongside the ever-nervewracking Losers' Round 1. Match polls will start being rolled out on April 26th, 5 am PDT.
WR1 Performances Ranked
Winners' Bracket:
#01 – Stardew Valley – 97.6%
#02 – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – 96.4%
#03 – Yakuza 0 – 94.3%
#04 – Disco Elysium – 94.1%
#05 – Dishonored 2 – 93.3%
#06 – DOORS – 88.9%
#07 – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – 86.9%
#08 – Resident Evil 4 (2023) – 85.7%
#09 – Yume Nikki – 85.7%
#10 – Black Mesa – 84.2%
#11 – Pseudoregalia – 84.0%
#12 – PaRappa the Rapper – 82.1%
#13 – DuckTales (1989) – 78.9%
#14 – NiGHTS into dreams... – 78.1%
#15 – Undertale Yellow – 77.9%
#16 – Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga – 77.8%
#17 – Marvel's Spider-Man (2018) – 74.1%
#18/19 – God of War (2018) / Night in the Woods – 73.9%
#20 – Lego Batman: The Videogame – 73.8%
#21 – Sam & Max Hit the Road – 71.9%
#22 – Touhou Youyoumu ~ Perfect Cherry Blossom. – 69.0%
#23 – Metal Gear Solid – 66.9%
#24 – Journey (2012) – 66.7%
#25 – Godzilla Creepypasta – 64.3%
#26 – Zork – 60.0%
#27 – Shipwrecked 64 – 59.3%
#28 – The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening – 56.1%
#29 – BioShock Infinite – 54.2%
#30 – Halo: Combat Evolved – 53.3%
#31 – Castlevania: Symphony of the Night – 52.0%
#32 – Friday Night Funkin': Hotline 024 – 51.6%
Losers' Bracket:
#33 – Mega Man Maker – 48.4%
#34 – Dead Space (2008) – 48.0%
#35 – Horizon Zero Dawn – 46.7%
#36 – Plok! – 45.8%
#37 – Cruelty Squad – 43.9%
#38 – Power Stone – 40.7%
#39 – Arkanoid – 40.0%
#40 – A Bite at Freddy's – 35.7%
#41 – Wipeout 2097 – 33.3%
#42 – OFF – 33.1%
#43 – Bomb Rush Cyberfunk – 31.0%
#44 – Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade – 28.1%
#45 – Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – 26.2%
#46/47 – The Oregon Trail / Papers, Please – 26.1%
#48 – Spelunky – 25.9%
#49 – Banjo-Kazooie – 22.2%
#50 – Sonic the Hedgehog Time Twisted – 22.1%
#51 – eversion – 21.9%
#52 – Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings – 21.1%
#53 – Tempest – 17.9%
#54 – Gimmick! – 16.0%
#55 – The Secret of Monkey Island – 15.8%
#56 – Joust – 15.0%
#57 – Command & Conquer: Red Alert – 14.3%
#58 – Changed – 13.1%
#59 – Yo! Noid 2: Enter the Void – 11.1%
#60 – Day of the Tentacle – 6.7%
#61 – Sunset Overdrive – 5.9%
#62 – Virtua Fighter 2 – 5.7%
#63 – Altered Beast – 3.6%
#64 – Human: Fall Flat – 2.4%
#great video game bracket 64#gvgb64#gbgv64#bracket#tournament#poll results#poll#intermission#video games#gaming#video game
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Friendship Showdown: Confirmed for the bracket
While we wait for the rest of the results from the preliminary round, here is a masterlist of all the besties who will be in the bracket SO FAR and the amount of submissions received (which will play a part in their seeding!):
*rounds 11-50 of the prelims are still going, make sure you vote!*
Maya Fey and Phoenix Wright (Ace Attorney): 13 submissions
Holga Kilgore and Edgin Davis (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves): 8 submissions
Robin Buckley and Steve Harrington (Stranger Things): 6 submissions
Jessie and James (Pokemon): 5 submissions
Denji and Power (Chainsaw Man): 4 submissions
Sherlock Holmes and Joan Watson (Elementary): 4 submissions
Willow Park and Gus Porter (The Owl House): 4 submissions
Pat and Ink (Bad Buddy): 3 submissions
Simon Snow and Penelope Bunce (Carry On series): 3 submissions
Donna Noble and the Doctor (Doctor Who): 3 submissions
Lady Mary Crawley and Tom Branson (Downton Abbey): 3 submissions
Luke Sunborn and Serene-Heart-In-The-Chaos-Of-Battle (In Other Lands): 3 submissions
Jang Jaeyoung and Choi Yuna (Semantic Error): 3 submissions
Inej Ghafa and Jesper Fahey (Six of Crows): 3 submissions
Sana Bakkoush and Isak Valterson (Skam): 3 submissions
Curt Mega and Tatiana Slozhno (Spies Are Forever): 3 submissions
Ted Lasso and Rebecca Welton (Ted Lasso): 3 submissions
Kronk and Yzma (The Emperor’s New Groove): 3 submissions
Camilla Hect and Palamedes Sextus (The Locked Tomb): 3 submissions
Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing (The Untamed): 3 submissions
Sara Chidouin and Joe Tazuna (Your Turn to Die): 3 submissions
Hina Azumi and Eiji Hino (Kamen Rider OOO): 2 submissions (won prelim round 1)
Julie Molina and Reggie Peters (Julie and the Phantoms): 1 submission (won prelim round 2)
Abed Nadir and Annie Edison (Community): 1 submission (won prelim round 3)
Percy de Rolo & Keyleth of the Air Ashari (Critical Role): 1 submission (won prelim round 4)
Aang and Toph (Avatar: The Last Airbender): 1 submission (won prelim round 5)
Billy and Mandy (Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy): 1 submission (won prelim round 6)
Ahsoka and Rex (Star Wars: The Clone Wars): 1 submission (won prelim round 7)
Roger and Lyra (His Dark Materials): 1 submission (won prelim round 8
Fig Faeth & Gorgug Thistlespring (Dimension 20: Fantasy High): 1 submission (won prelim round 9)
Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki (Bleach): 1 submission (won prelim round 10)
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Hello and welcome to Our Pokemon Team Tournament. We've seen a lot of Pokemon tournaments on here but only for finding the most popular or just for an individual type.
So here we are! We want to form Tumblrs Pokemon Team.
I'm New:
Hello fellow Tumblr Pokemon Trainer! Sorry if your favorite is already eliminated by the time you find us.
We are currently in Round 105 of Phase 1! For all the currently open polls: Round 105 Masterlist
New Polls Weekly on Sundays at 5:15 pm - 7:00 pm EST
1 poll will be reblogged daily with propaganda of the Pokemon featured in it.
Please reblog if you vote on a poll to help us get as wide a net as possible.
Propaganda/Anti Propaganda is allowed and will be reblogged
How It Works:
We will use a random number generator to select the 1v1 match up.
New polls will be up every Sunday and there will be 6 1v1 polls, a Form Bracket poll, and 1 all-out matchup poll between last weeks losers in a Losers Bracket.
Every poll will be open for the whole week.
In the event of a tie, both Pokemon will move forward.
Shiny Explanation
We keep going until there are 10 Pokemon left. Then there will be a weekly Elimination Match-Up poll with the winners being locked in until we have our team of 6 with the other 4 being our runners-up.
What?
We will be going through EVERY Pokemon: all 1025 Pokemon, each form/alternate form, and every Shiny form.
For example of what will be in the running: All parts of the evolutionary line, all shiny forms, all regional variants, all unique special/event Pokemon(ex Cosplay Pikachu), Mega forms, Paradox Pokemon, Ultra beasts, Legendary/Mystical Pokemon, and Dynamax forms.
Form Brackets: If a Pokemon has multiple forms or asthetic variations, it will first be put into a Form Bracket to widdle down all the forms until the most popular is chosen. The most popular form will then be put back into the main competition. If a form loses but wins the Losers Bracket, it will be added back into the tournament alongside the most popular form.
Not in the running: No Shadow or Alpha Pokemon. Any Anime or Card game unique Pokemon. No spin off exclusive Pokemon that were not obtainable in a mainline game.
Propaganda:
If you would like to use any posts/art as propaganda of any currently battling Pokemon please tag or @ us
If you want to, our asks/submissions are also open for propaganda.
How long will this take?
Honestly? I have no clue. Probably a really long time. For reference, this tournaments first round of polls started on Jun 25th, 2023!
Whats the Goal of this?
If anything, give anyone that wants to a way to use this team in a Pokemon game and see if it'll actually win a league. Also, see if this team will be as chaotic as Tumblr itself is.
❤️🖤🤍
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Reactoonz 2 Demo Play
Reactoonz 2 Demo Playstation
Reactoonz 2 Demo Playstation
Reactoonz 2 Demo Playstation 4
The Reactoonz 2 slot is powered by Play ‘n GO and is the long-awaited sequel to the popular 2017 Reactoonz release. Played on a 7x7 grid, this cascading grid slot is packed full of bonus features. Playable from 20p a spin on all devices, it’s all about creating winning clusters which brings Electric Wilds into play.
Reactoonz 2 is a slot machine by Play'n GO. According to the number of players searching for it, Reactoonz 2 is a very popular slot. Give it a try for free to see why slot machine players like it so much. To start playing, just load the game and press the 'Spin' button. When we are playing Reactoonz, we should always keep in mind that there are two ways to play. Either with real money, or you can play Reactoonz Demo. As we have already pointed out, Reactoonz demo, is the same as playing Rectoonz with play money. In other words, a great way to try out the game and familiarize yourself with the mechanics of it. Reactoonz Free Play. You can play Reactoonz slot for free in demo mode here at Slots Temple (see above) or at the Play'n GO website. Reactoonz Free Play is the best way to get to know the game without spending any money. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. Autoplay is paused. You're signed out. Videos you watch may be added to the TV's watch history and influence TV.
Reactoonz 2 Slot RTP, Details & Wager Limits
The Reactoonz 2 slot is played on a 7x7 grid. Winning combinations are created by landing 5 or more symbols in clusters – i.e. adjacent to one another. The bigger the cluster, the bigger the payout.
Playable from 20p to £100 per spin, you can use an Auto Play function where up to 100 auto spins can be selected. There are measures to stop Auto Play. You can stop if your balance increases or decreases as well as when you trigger a bonus feature.
The Reactoonz 2 RTP is 96.2% which is just above slot average (96%) but the go-to number for Play ‘n GO. When it comes to variance, it’s 8 out of 10 meaning it’s in the medium to high bracket. The max win is 5,083 x stake per spin.
Reactoonz 2 Theme – Audio & Design Features – head to a playful parallel universe
The Reactoonz 2 slot has a space theme and is based on energetic extraterrestrials. Set in a playful parallel universe, the symbols appear within a 7x7 grid. It looks quite similar the original game from developer Play ‘n GO.
Colourful and bright, symbols are represented by all the original Reactoonz characters found in the Reactoonz slot. You have 4 lil’ Reactoonz and 4 big Reactoonz. The highest paying symbol is the pink Reactoonz character with 15 or more landing in a cluster paying 500 x your total stake.
You also have the Wild Gargantoon character which is the wild symbol. This replaces all symbols mentioned to help form winning combinations. The Reactoonz 2 slot introduces 2 new wilds, the Electric Wild and the Energoon wild (more info below).
Being a Play ‘n GO slot, you can play on all devices including mobiles and tablets. The 7x7 grid format lends itself well to mobile play with the high definition graphics and animations crystal clear on smaller screens.
Bonus Features in Reactoonz 2
The Reactoonz 2 slot comes with 4 bonus features. You have standard cascades but the key is to get winning clusters. This leads to electric wilds which replace other symbols and zap other symbols from the grid. When an electric wild is part of a win, the Quantumeter is charged. With 4 levels, each level reach gives you Energoon wilds which can reach 3x3 in size. If you reach level 4, a 2x multiplier is applied.
Cascading feature
When you get a winning combination (of 5 or more matching symbols landing a cluster), the Cascading feature is triggered. Winning symbols are removed from the grid when new symbols replacing them. This allows for consecutive wins. The cascades continue until no more new wins are created.
Spinata grande free spins no deposit. How to Win Spinata Grande Slot The theoretical percentage of return is 96.84%. Thanks to the numerous prize functions, the size of the winnings can reach 10,000. It is noteworthy that a series of free spins can begin during any round – it is enough for the corresponding combination of scatters appear on.
You will also notice that Uncharged wilds are created on the grid at the start of a spin. They can remain inactive and act as blockers until charged. If a winning cluster is created next to the Uncharged wilds, they can be charged and transform into electric wilds. It can also occur if 2 charged Electric wilds are on the grid and become active.
Fluctometer feature
The Fluctometer appears in the top right of the grid. It chooses a Lil’ Goon symbol to be the fluctuating symbol on every spin. If fluctuating symbols form a winning cluster, a single electric wild is created randomly on any vacated position.
When that fluctuating symbol is removed from the grid, the Fluctometer is charged. This occurs when the fluctuating symbol is removed in a cluster or is destroyed by electric wilds. Once the meter is full, you will be randomly awarded either 1, 2 or 3 electric wilds which are placed on the grid. This is known as the Fluctometer feature. Electric wilds replace other symbols and also zap any instances of that goon from the grid at the same time.
Quantumeter feature
The Quantumeter is what is used to summon the Energoon and Gargantoon wilds onto the grid. When an electric wild is part of a cluster or zaps any Reactoonz on the grid, it charges the Quantumeter. Every symbol represents 1 charge.
Basically, non-wild symbols removed by an electric wild charge the Quantumeter. With 4 levels of charge, here’s what to expect:


Level 155 chargesLevel 285 chargesLevel 3110 chargesLevel 4 (Overcharge)135 charges
If you reach levels 1 or 2, an Energoonz is activated. The Quantumeter can also be recharged with more symbols which then re-energises the Energoon, until level 3 is reached. This is what levels 1 and 2 offer:
Level 1unleashes 4 1x1 Energoon Wilds onto the gridLevel 2unleashes a mega 2x2 Energoon Wild onto the grid
If you reach level 3, the Gargantoon comes into play. Once you hit level 3, you can’t recharge the meter but you can overcharge it to get a 2x multiplier on your Gargantoons. Each level plays out consecutively once you reach level 3 or overcharge:
Level 4adds a 2x multiplier for all wins with Gargantoon wildsLevel 3unleashes a giant 3x3 GargantoonLevel 2unleashes 2 mega 2x2 GargantoonsLevel 1unleashes 4 1x1 Gargantoons
Wild Pair Explosion feature
If 2 or more electric wilds remain on the grid after the above happens, the Wild Pair Explosion feature is triggered. Here are the eventualities:
If 2 electric wilds are next to each other, they will destroy every symbol on the grid (except other wilds) to give you a cascade. More than 2 electric wilds will see 2 chosen randomly.
If no wins happen on the cascade, all symbols are destroyed again. The cascades keep coming until no more adjacent wilds appear.
If multiple electric wilds are on the grid and are not adjacent to one another, 2 are chosen randomly and a line is drawn between them. All symbols on that line are then destroyed. This continues until there are less than 2 electric wilds on the grid.
Reactoonz 2 Review Summary – not as complicated as it reads
The Reactoonz 2 slot is all about winning clusters which bring electric wilds into play. This then charges the Quantumeter which has 4 levels. This then gives you Gargantoon wilds which can be up to 3x3 in size. If you reach level 4 (overcharge), a 2x multiplier is applied.
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A few spins in demo mode is recommended. You will soon see it’s quite a simple slot game. The bigger wins will come when you reach levels 3 and 4 in the Quantumeter, especially with the 2x multiplier. The Cascading feature can lead to many consecutive spins which can quickly mount up to wins of 3,000 x stake per spin.
To win big, you need plenty of consecutive winning clusters and for the electric wilds to zap symbols which charges the Quantumeter. Reaching the higher levels will bring the Energoon wilds into play which can lead to doubled payouts.
In summary, the Reactoonz 2 slot is an entertaining game which is fast-paced and exciting. A lot depends on what you make of grid slots really. If you do enjoy them, try Big Time Gaming’s Star Clusters Megaclusters slot which also has a space them but offers much bigger potential payouts.
Reactoonz 2 FAQs
What is the Reactoonz 2 RTP?
The Reactoonz 2 RTP is 96.2%. Slightly above the slot average, this number is standard for a Play ‘n GO release. The variance is in the medium to high category.
What is the Reactoonz 2 slot max win?
Reactoonz 2 Demo Playstation
The maximum win from the Reactoonz 2 slot has been capped at 5,083 x your total stake. Whilst the most you can win is 500 x stake from the highest paying symbol, cascades will lead to plenty of successive spins which can eventually bring in a 2x multiplier into play.
How does the Quantumeter feature work?
The Quantumeter feature sees Energoon and Gargantoon wilds summon to the grid. Wins removed by an electric wild charge the Quantumeter which has 4 levels. This can lead to 1x1 or 2x2 Energoon wilds as well as 1x1, 2x2 and 3x3 Gargantoon wilds. If you reach level 4, a 2x multiplier is applied to wins.
Reactoonz 2 Demo Playstation
Is there a Reactoonz 2 mobile slot?
Reactoonz 2 Demo Playstation 4
Created using HTML5 technology, Reactoonz 2 can be played on mobile, tablet and desktop devices. The 7x7 grid format works very well on smartphone devices.
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PDL Week 8 Recap
PDL Week 8 Recap
We have a lot to discuss this week from Playoffs to an interview with The Fluffiest Whimsicott so let’s jump right into Week 8,
DEP vs. NYY: 0-1
NWN vs. BFS: 3-0
HEH vs. NJJ: 4-0
COG vs. VAV: 2-0
TOT vs. SLC: 0-3
PIP vs. BAL: 0-2
HFW vs. JAX: 6-0
ITA vs. DCC: 0-3
LOL vs. MID: 0-1
BLP vs. AUK: 1-0
MIL vs. MIN: 3-0
There were a lot a really close games this week. That had a lot of playoff implications but I go into more detail about that below. This was a week of inter-divisional matches with a division game thrown in and it is starting to make things a lot more interesting. I cannot emphasize how important every match is in the rest of the season. There are 22 out of 24 teams that have a path to the playoffs, while for some it is unlikely or requires a specific string of losses and win it is crucial that you bring you A game every week. Worst case it is just as much fun to crush someone’s dreams of playoffs as it is to make them, but first let’s enjoy a nice week off as we have our final bye week of the regular season. This week was a positional week. A lot of teams got some crucial wins and overall showed how week to week, you can be playing a different team. Playing any team that prepares well and plays well is going to be difficult to deal with. There are no free wins in this league every one has to work to earn every win.
Pick’ems
Pick’ems this week has left us with one person at the top and several only a point behind. There really inst much more to say about it other than the picks have been off from perfect so it looks like no one will be shout out again… unless in the last 4 weeks the pickers miraculously do what has not been done since week 1. We will see how it goes in the remaining 4 weeks before the playoff bracket
Trades
We have 3 more weeks to make trades and they are still coming through so lets go over them.
AUK Lucario T2 TOT Diggersby TOT Diggersby T2 AUK Lucario PIP Weezing T4 Free Agent Arbok PIP Gourgeist T5 Free Agent Froslass LOL Scizor T2 SHS Espeon SHS Espeon T3 LOL Scizor
AUK and TOT traded Lucario for Diggersby respectively. This trade helps both teams as AUK is hoping this trade will help their team as they make a late season playoff push. PIP dropped Weezing and Gourgeist and picked up Arbok and Froslass. I really like this trade since it gives PIP a grounded poison type to absorb toxic spikes as well as a spike setter in Froslass. The last trade of the week was between LOL and SHS. LOL traded Scizor to SHS in hopes that Scizor can help SHS make playoffs. In return LOL gets Espeon doubling up on Psychic types and adding a magic bounce user to their squad.
Playoff Picture
With 4 weeks left lets start looking at playoffs. I’ll be doing a breif overview of how teams can make playoffs but as we get closer I’ll go into more detail. Let’s assume that you need a 7-5 record to hit playoffs so let’s dive into how each team can make playoffs. It is possible for 15 teams to hit the 7-5 benchmark but it would require some crazy scenarios. Realistically 7-5 will probably make it and potentially a 6-6 team or two.
Tiebreakers: 1. Overall Record 2. Win % in Division 3. Head to Head 4. Best Record vs. Common Opponents 5. Strength of Victory 6. Strength of Schedule 7. Coin Flip
Corsola Cola: There are 4 teams that can reach the 7-5 threshold; BFS, NWN, DEP, and VAV. At the current moment NWN has the tie breaker over BFS even though they have the same record and both teams need 2 wins to achieve playoffs. These teams would also need DEP/VAV to lose 1 game to guarentee playoffs as either 1 or 2. It is going to come down to how well these teams battle in the last few weeks to determine who will win the division. DEP and VAV ideally need to win out to hit 7-5.
Green Tauros: COG has clinched a Playoff spot either as 1 or 2 for the division. They can drop 2 of their last 4 games and still get the number 1 spot due to tie breakers. The real race is between SLC and SHS. SHS is 2 games behind and the last game of the regular season is a battle between the two. If SHS can catch up 1 game and be only 1 game down going into the last match of the regular season then the winner will be the #2 seed and the other can make playoffs in Best of the rest.
Corsola Cola: There are 4 teams that can hit the threshold; HFW, PIP, ITA, and BLP. BLP would have to win out vs. the entire division which is no simple task, but possible. HFW needs 1 win to clinch playoffs and they need to have a better record than PIP to win the Divisin since PIP wins the tiebreaker between them. PIP would need 2 wins to hit the goal and ITA needs 3 wins. This division is fairly clean cut. You need to win out.
Rhyhorn Steakhouse: This division is crazy so I saved it for last because there is a lot to go over. Let’s start with the fact that every team can make playoffs some have a tougher road than other. To hit the threshold, AUK needs to win out, DCC and MIN needs to win 2 games, BAL and MIL need 1 more win and MID would have clinched if 7-5 is good enough. In the last 4 weeks everyone in this division has 2 divisional matches and DCC has 4. Every divisional match is going to be crucial in seeding and the out of divisional matches for some are going to be just as tough and crucial since 5 of these teams are within 2 games of each other. There is no way to know how this will turn out just yet but it will be exciting to follow.
Interview with The Fluffiest Whimsicott
This week I’m joined by the Italian Crusader herself, The Fluffiest Whimsicott!
Clod9: Thank you The Fluffiest Whimsicott for joining us this week. Luckily it’s easier to schedule interviews than battles but let’s get started what have been your impressions on the draft league format thus far?
The Fluffiest Whimsicott: Thank you for having me, it’s quite the honor! As for your question… it’s a lot more stressful than I anticipated, although it’s certainly still fun.
C9: How did your draft go in your opinion?
TFW: Uh… extremely well at the beginning, then it was a panicked downward spiral down to the end. I was confident that with 20 people picking before me, my favorite S-Tier, Mega Mawile, would be long gone by the time my turn came around… but nope, Ravioli was still there! I had a loose draft structure to follow him, but as I kept getting sniped and having to go for my second or sometimes third choices, I found myself scrambling… and at the end I emerged from the deep drafting haze in my head holding: a Hail core I wanted and no one else (wisely) did; Minior; and half of my roster having quadruple weaknesses. I still don’t quite know how it happened, but here we are.
C9: With the season half over, how have things gone thus far and how do you think you will fare in the second half?
TFW: Well. As I have just finished my eighth battle, the season is actually two thirds over for me, and… I have a neutral record, 4-4. It’s worse than I had been aiming for, that’s for sure. And with the opponents awaiting me in the last round of battles… let’s just say at this point I would be quite happy to keep it even.
C9: Who are you most looking forward to battling this season? TFW: The battle I was most looking forward to was the one against Geo, because it was the YOU YOU TEE SEE winners showdown. Ironically (and sadly), it was by far my worst battle, with one crucial distraction and a bit of RNG letting Geo grab the tiny millimeter of momentum he needs to bring any match home (it’s Geo, after all, you breathe slightly wrong and he beats you… and sometimes you do everything perfectly and he beats you anyway, because, have I mentioned? It’s Geo).
C9: I know I’m looking forward to battling you this week 12, It should be a fun time. Now for the flip side is there anyone you are glad you don’t have to face in the regular season? TFW: Mr. Seth. “Stallmaster”. Vilo. I love the guy, but battling him is the utmost torture. (Which I’m sure he’ll take as a compliment, as he should.) And yeah, I’d say I’m looking forward to battling you, too, but you’re decimating our division and I know I’m going to be in a lot of pain in my final week…
C9: Why did you choose the team name, Italian Azurills? TFW: Ah… as embarrassing as it is, it’s actually a pun! See, soccer is a huge deal in Italy. It’s THE sport here. And the Italian National soccer team is nicknamed “gli Azzurri” (“the Blues”), because their uniform is a nice shade of blue… the exact same shade as Azurill, as it happens. From there, the pun was irresistibly obvious, and the logo followed suit.
C9: Were there any secret techs that you brought for your matchups that you didn’t get to showcase? TFW: Yes. The most prominent is that I once brought Counter Ampharos, against Geo, but then I choked and neglected to click the move. It would have been quite fun.
C9: Who would you say is the mon you are most excited to use on your team this year? TFW: Well, Mega Mawile was the one I was gunning for, obviously. And I am always excited to use Alolan Ninetales, of course, just because it’s the prettiest Pokémon ever.
C9: You are currently on the Bubble for making Playoffs, do you feel the pressure as you prepare for your last couple weeks/ Do you think you will make playoffs?
TFW: At this point, the bubble is about to pop. Had I beaten Bigby, I would have made an honest and confident try for it. As it is, I’m certainly not giving up, but I am trying to keep my expectations realistic. I honestly don’t know if that makes the pressure better or worse…
C9: Let’s learn about you as a pokemon Fan. When did you start listening to PUCL?
TFW: September 12th, 2014. (Is it weird that I know the date off the top of my head? It probably is.)
C9:What pokemon generation did you start with?
TFW: Pokémon Red, baby! I am ancient, after all.
C9: What is your favorite region?
TFW: Oh, no. Now I have to resist the urge to launch into an essay! Let’s say Alola, Kalos and Hoenn are all very, very pretty and leave it at that.
C9: Who is your favorite pokemon?
TFW: This one is kind of a cheat question, isn’t it? I’ll give you some bonus answers. Besides the obvious Whimsicott, it’s Leafeon and Alolan Ninetales.
C9: If you had to pick: Attack or Special Attack?
TFW: Tough question. Special Attack, just because I much prefer the types that were Special before Gen IV.
C9: What is your battle style: Stall/Hyper Offense/Bulky Offense/Balance?
TFW: It’s definitely somewhere around Bulky Offense. Balance if I’m having a good day.
C9: Do you prefer Speed or Trick Room?
TFW: Speed all the way. Trick Room just cost me a very important match, after all, so I’m holding a grudge!
C9: What is your favorite Weather; Hail/Sand/Rain or Sun?
TFW: Sun because of SovietThatch and all the Grass types who thrive in it, but honorable mention to the weather that makes Aurora Veil possible and Alolan Ninetales (vaguely) usable.
C9: Electric/Misty/Grassy or Psychic Terrain?
TFW: Psychic Terrain. I know Lele simply could not fit in a Draft League format, but man, I miss my favorite Tapu.
C9: Favorite status to inflict: Sleep/Freeze/Paralysis/Burn or Poison?
TFW: Freeze is convenient, but just too evil. I’ll say Burn, because it whittles things down while also making physical attackers too weak to OHKO my prettiest Pokémon, who are of course also the frailest.
C9: Have you watched the Pokemon anime? If yes, what is your favorite Theme song?
TFW: I watched the first… two seasons, I think? And my favorite theme song is probably… the Italian one. It was very cheery (and cheesy, but aren’t they all?).
C9: Will you be participating in other pucl events like the Summer League?
TFW: I’ve already submitted my application to be a Gym Leader again this year. I hope I get picked, because it was a ton of fun last year, but if I’m not, I’m definitely challenging the Gyms myself! I just love battling and having fun with everyone in the community.
C9: Thank you once again for joining us this week! Good luck in your future battles! That’s all the time we have this week. See y’all again next time!
from PDL Week 8 Recap
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Plastic bag floating in the wind (just throw it away) V.S Gaslighting (i am consistently posting)

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15 + 5 + 5 To Watch : 31819
15 TO WATCH/5 SPORTS TECH/POWER OF SPORTS 5: RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 18
with Jacob Aere
This week, we finally march into the Madness…with bets in hand. Last May, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal law that previously withheld legal sportsbooks to Nevada. According to Bloomberg, seven more states have now begun to allow betting, and a couple dozen others are considering to follow suit. Nationwide, operators’ gambling revenue could reach $6.5 billion by 2023, and bettors in New Jersey, where legalization arrived last June, are already wagering almost $400 million every month. Tens of millions of Americans who otherwise rarely bet on sports will fill out a March Madness bracket and put down $10 or $20 to enter a pool with friends or co-workers. This is where Action Network wants to convert these casual bettors into regular customers. Action Network offers detailed previews of each game, ranks which underdog teams are likely to make a deep run, and provides a service that will fill out brackets with optimized picks based on the number of entrants in a pool. Action Network says it’s averaged almost two million unique visitors per month over the past three months. If other sports betting companies can capitalize on mega events like March Madness, they too will bring in new fans to sports betting.
March Madness is a big stage for student athletes. It’s also a major opportunity for brands like Unilever. This year, Unilever's Dove Men+Care partnered with menswear designer Don C. on a line of limited-edition jerseys that celebrate college basketball rivalries, according to the company. The first March Madness jersey will pay homage to the Tobacco Road rivalry of North Carolina college basketball. Two other jerseys will roll out during March, and each vintage-inspired item blends elements of the featured teams' heritage and culture. Consumers can follow the conversation on the Dove Men+Care website or by searching the hashtag #ReptheRivalry on social media. Dove Men+Care also partnered with past basketball rivals, including former Duke University player Jay Williams and the University of North Carolina's Antawn Jamison, to inspire fans to #ReptheRivalry. The former players will wear the jerseys as part of the campaign. Another cool feature: the jerseys will be "dropped in surprise locations,” and available exclusively to rival fans and former opponents in the rivalries' markets.
This year, March Madness could cost employers over $13 billion. According to the annual study done by global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., every hour spent on games can cost employers $2.1 billion, for a total of $13.3 billion over the length of the tournament that will end with the NCAA National Championship game on April 8. Research done by staffing firm Office Team indicates that workers spent an average of 25.5 minutes of their workday on March Madness-related activities. And a survey by TSheets and QuickBooks showed that at least 48% of people participating in March Madness won their brackets during work hours. However, the basketball tournament can foster a little excitement among coworkers. “Streaming games during work hours, heading to a local restaurant to watch the games, filling out brackets or just discussing the games with co-workers will mean hours of distractions during the three-week tournament,” said Andrew Challenger, Vice President. But Challenger adds that employers should use the tournament games to build morale and not restrict employees. About 97 million people watched March Madness games last year, according to CBS – tens of millions of them during work hours.
As always, entertainment and the fan experience are a huge part of March Madness and its economic impact, from regionals up through the Final Four. This year, for example, the 2019 NCAA March Madness Music Series in Minneapolis will see singer and songwriter Katy Perry headline the Capital One JamFest on April 7, with DJ and producer Zedd tipping off the night. The three-day Music Series will be held at The Armory in Minneapolis and open with the AT&T Block Party on April 5, followed by Coca-Cola Music on April 6. This will be the fourth time Minneapolis has hosted the NCAA's iconic men's basketball championship. The Twin Cities could get an economic boost of $142 million in spending and bring 94,000 nonresident visitors to the metro, according to a study done by a Pennsylvania firm for the Minnesota event’s local organizing committee. Fresh off Super Bowl LII last year, hosting the Final Four is yet another opportunity for Minneapolis to showcase its vibrant downtown, world-class venues, and welcoming community to the world.
The NFL has decided to swap Super Bowl networks in two years, giving CBS the 2021 game and NBC the game in 2022. Both NBC and CBS pushed for the change, since the 2022 Super Bowl competes directly with the 2022 Beijing Games. According to the New York Post, this is believed to be the first time that the Olympics will have been preempted off broadcast TV since NBC first started producing them in 1988. The Beijing Games start February 4, 2022, and the Super Bowl is scheduled for Sunday February 6 – the opening night of the Olympics. By taking the 2021 Super Bowl, CBS can sell its own Super Bowl without going up against the Olympics. By taking the 2022 game, NBC can package both its mega events together – and make combo ad sales deals instead of competing against another network for many of the same sponsors. The switch was a win-win for both networks. NBC is able to provide a more comprehensive advertising package and viewing experience, while CBS is able to keep as many people on their network during television’s most-watched night of the year.
A new NFL contest will give one fan season tickets for a century. The NFL is launching a first-of-its-kind contest, “Tickets for 100 Years,” in which it will "present two season tickets for the next century to a contest winner as part of the 100th season of play" according to the Associated Press. To qualify to win tickets to their team of choice for 100 years, fans "must describe their loyalty to their favorite team in a social media post." The contest closes April 7. Three finalists will be flown to Nashville for the NFL Draft, and the "winner will be announced during the first round" on April 25. Said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, “This is the first of a fan-focused series that speaks to the spirit of the ‘Fantennial’ celebration at the heart of our centennial year.” The contest marks the first of a series of fan experiences NFL fans will be able to enter throughout the league’s 100th season, following the launch of the NFL100 campaign during Super Bowl LIII.
The Raiders are officially staying in Oakland for the 2019 season thanks to a stadium lease extension. The Oakland-Alameda Coliseum Stadium Authority board at its latest meeting last Friday "voted unanimously to approve" the Raiders' lease extension at the venue for the 2019 season. The Raiders, according to the San Jose Mercury News, will pay $7.5 million, plus $750,000 they owe from "previous parking fees." The team "pays $525,000 for the practice facility and is allowed to continue using it for 36 months after relocating to Las Vegas." The agreement also includes an "option to stay" for the 2020 season in case the Raiders’ new $1.84 billion, 62,228-seat stadium in Las Vegas "isn’t ready next year." The deal comes on the heels of the latest proposal by fellow Coliseum tenants, MLB’s Oakland A’s, to build a new mixed use stadium on the Oakland waterfront that includes 3,000 housing units, with another 3,000 to be built on the current Oakland Coliseum site.
The purse for the just-completed The Players Championship increased for the second consecutive year. The purse at TPC Sawgrass expanded from $11 million in 2018 to $12.5 million this year, making the purse the "largest currently on the PGA Tour schedule," according to Golf Channel. This marks a "dramatic bump considering that last year’s increase for the Tour’s flagship event was $500,000." The Masters and PGA Championship had $11 million purses in 2018 and the Open Championship was at $10.5 million. Golf Digest noted 2018 Players winner Webb Simpson's share of the $11 million purse was $1.98 million while 2018 U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka "took home" $2.16 million of the $12 million purse. Based on the same formula of 18% "going to the winner,” this year's Players champion Rory McIlroy earned $2.25 million. McIlroy, who bested 48 year-old Jim Furyk to win The Players title – Furyk pocketed $1.35 million – is clearly the man to beat heading into The Masters next month. While The Players is a benchmark win for Rory and his brand, The Masters is the sole Slam trophy missing from his extensive trophy case.
Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association agreed upon a series of rule changes that will kick in over the next two seasons, subject to ratification by all 30 clubs. Changes set to begin this year will include (but are not limited to and subject to broadcast partner buy-in) inning breaks being reduced from 2:05 to 2:00 in local games and from 2:25 to 2:00 in national games. The All-Star Game will now see fan voting conducted in two rounds, a “primary round” that mirrors the All-Star voting of old, followed in late June or early July by an “Election Day” in which the top three vote-getters at each position will be voted on by fans. In addition, total player prize money for the Home Run Derby will be increased to $2.5 million with the inner receiving $1 million, while in typical games, maximum number of mound visits per team will be reduced from six to five per game. Changes for 2020 will include an opening day roster increasing from 25 to 26, while the 40-man active roster for September will be eliminated. The changes are meant to make America’s pastime more fan friendly – and less time consuming.
After a change in venue and some heavy investment from IMG, the Miami Open hopes to regain its premier status within tennis. Of late, the longstanding tournament has fallen behind the likes of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, the winner of tennis’ Tournament of the Year award every year since 2014. Now, with former top player James Blake in his second year as Miami Open tournament director and the relocation to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens complete, the time is right for a revival. The Dolphins’ home was secured as the tournament’s new site by IMG after expansion plans at Key Biscayne were shuttered. The new venue sees its prime matches played on a 14,000-seat show court within the main stadium, with 29 additional new match and practice courts adjacent. Hard Rock also offers commercial upgrades on parking, hospitality, and fan engagement. IMG has invested $60 million in the ‘"festivalization" of the event, with as much as $10 million from the budget also reserved to renovate Crandon Park. With a new location and a new vision, Blake and his staff are looking to return the Miami Open to marquee status.
Members of the U.S. women's national soccer team have filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against U.S. Soccer. 28 players accused the federation of paying them far less and subjecting them to far worse working conditions, comprising travel, medical treatment, and field quality, than their male counterparts. It also "brings to the fore an issue that affects all women's sports, not just soccer,” as the New York Times noted. The suit has a precedent. After threatening to boycott the world championships in 2017, the U.S. women's hockey team received a new contract that paid each player more than $71,000 annually, a huge increase over the roughly $10,000 on average they had been making, along with travel accommodations and insurance coverage on par with the men's national team. "We feel a responsibility not only to stand up for what we know we deserve as athletes, but also for what we know is right," said USWNT co-captain Megan Rapinoe. This issue now becomes the dominant storyline leading up to the Women's World Cup, kicking off in June.
The Yankees, Amazon, and Sinclair Broadcast Group have agreed to buy Disney’s 80% stake in YES Network for $3.47 billion. YES is considered the crown jewel of the 22 Fox RSNs that Disney acquired for $20 billion as part of a $71.3 billion purchase of Rupert Murdoch’s entertainment assets. The Yankees, who already owned 20% of the regional sports network, will become YES’ new majority shareholder as the club’s interest grows “close to 30%.” When Disney agreed to buy the Fox RSNs, it presumed that on an open market YES would command bids between $5-6 billion and that the remaining 21 networks were worth upwards of $15 billion, so Disney wasn’t planning on taking a loss in its efforts to comply with antitrust regulations. When Fox increased their stake in YES in 2014, it was valued at $3.9 billion. But as TV bundles continues to deteriorate and the number of cord cutters/cord-nevers opting for streaming services grows, the RSNs are simply not as valuable as they once were. YES would have commanded significantly more money if it held nationwide streaming rights to Yankees games – or local streaming rights past 2019.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed a jersey patch sponsorship with Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, a deal that now puts jersey patches on all 30 NBA teams. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Oklahoma City-based Love’s is a longtime Thunder sponsor. The team premiered the patch over the weekend during a home loss against the Warriors. Other elements of the patch deal include media and social media as well as a community service component. Love’s Travel Stops counts about 500 retail locations in 42 states across the U.S. The family held company has also invested in sports sponsorships including NASCAR – Michael McDowell’s No. 34 Ford Fusion, Minor League Baseball, and collegiate teams. The Love family is worth $7.3 billion, according to Forbes. Overall, the NBA’s 30 different jersey patch deals have been estimated to average $9.3 million annually, with top ranked, big market teams obviously commanding a bigger price tag.
The Dallas Cowboys are making a play in the co-working office arena. The organization is creating an exclusive shared-office facility at its Star development in Frisco. Called Formation, the membership-only operation will include workspaces, access to fitness, entertainment and networking. According to SportsBusiness Daily, along with the office space and access to facilities at The Star, membership includes "custom business events developed exclusively for Formation by Dallas Cowboys front office staff, unique members-only digital content, and advanced access to most events at Ford Center and AT&T Stadium." Mixed use developments, some including co-work space, have become commonplace in sports facilities – multi-billion dollar projects are currently under consideration in Oakland, San Diego, Miami, and other cities. But the Cowboys’ Frisco facility is somewhat unique in that it has a suburban address rather than being located within a city center footprint.
FIFA is set to ask its council members to approve an expanded 24-team Club World Cup pilot tournament in 2021. However, plans for a global Nations League are expected to be put on hold, according to the Associated Press. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has made no secret of his plans to revamp the current seven-team annual Club World Cup since the soccer body received a $25 billion offer from a SoftBank-led consortium to overhaul its tournament calendar in return for a 49% share in the competitions. The FIFA Council will now vote on the proposal in Miami on Friday. If approved, the trial Club World Cup will take place between June-July 2021 – the slot previously reserved for the FIFA Confederations Cup national team tournament - rather than during its traditional mid-season December date. The 24 participating clubs will comprise eight European teams, six South American squads, three each from Africa, Asia, and the Concacaf region, and one from Oceania. A FIFA task force has been evaluating plans for the revamped Club World Cup since November after the proposal was put on hold amid intense European opposition.
Top Five Tech
OTT Platform DAZN looking to go all in on the advertising world. The broadcaster has been quietly testing different variations of advertising in key markets Italy, Germany, and Japan since November. In the coming months, DAZN expects to have an ad server in place following talks with vendors that will eventually allow the sports streaming company to manage and target ads that have been sold directly to advertisers rather than the clunky process where ads were placed from the DAZN team. According to Digiday, the approach seems a bit backwards in an advertising market that in many ways is going toward programmatic ad options. Yet DAZN’s focus on ad budgets embodies how difficult it is to build a successful OTT business with staying power. While subscriptions will drive the bulk of the business, the margins to be gained from something as profitable as sports advertising could be a game changer in the long run.
ESPN adds DirecTV as a distribution partner for the ACC Network launch. ESPN has coerced yet another in the distribution world to take on the ACC Network for its late-August 2019 launch. ACC Net previously signed launch deals with Altice, Verizon, and Hulu TV. With the latest deal, ESPN will now depend on Hulu's and DirecTV’s national footprints to negotiate with other distributors, including Comcast, Charter, Dish Network, and AT&T U-Verse. According to SportsBusiness Journal, ESPN is launching an ad campaign around the web to coincide with the start of the ACC men’s basketball tournament. The campaign is called “We Do This,” and provides an inside look at each of the conference’s schools and traditions with advertising running across ESPN platforms and on local channels in ACC markets. Further, ACC schools will be able to customize the spots, which can run via digital or in-venue. With schools like Duke, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Virginia, and UNC, the Network will be primed with talent including Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and more to provide plenty of entertainment value.
Minnesota Twins roll out monthly passes to fix 2018 attendance dip. According to SportsPro, the new “Twins Pass” initiative will allow fans to gain entry to the team’s Target Field for as little as $49 per month without a designated seat. What this means is that fans wanting a regular seat at the 39,500-capacity venue can pay $99 each month for a vantage point in the upper level, or a monthly $149 for a perch in the ballpark’s lower level. Fans wanting to watch the game with friends or family signed up to the same package can link their tickets using a “sit with friends” function built into the platform which is managed through the MLB Ballpark app. Following in the footsteps of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, who last year introduced a first-of-its-kind “In the Building Pass,” the Twins are the latest U.S. sports franchise to roll out a monthly ticket offering. As stadiums are becoming smaller and OTT platforms are created, sports team are going to be forced to continually renovate their strategies to bring fans to live events.
Usain Bolt signed by e-scooter concern Bolt Mobility. Gold Medal-winning sprinter Usain Bolt has become the official brand ambassador for e-scooter company Bolt Mobility and was in New York last week "to urge lawmakers to make electrical scooters legal in the city," according to CNBC. Bolt said it was an "easy choice" to partner with the company, largely because of the name. He said electric scooters are "definitely a way to get to where you want to get to efficiently and safer" in New York among the traffic. Bolt Mobility Co-CEO and Co-Founder Sarah Haynes said the scooters are a "transportation solution for all areas." She added it is "not a matter of when these will be (implemented), it's just how, and we want to do it safely and partner with communities." The move is seen as a savvy post-career endorsement for Bolt, who has speedily shifted his full attention to all of his business initiatives.
ESPN is set to launch its own collegiate video game sports championship. According to Reuters, ESPN will hold its first-ever college championship for competitive video gaming later this May in Houston, where players will compete in five games: Overwatch, Hearthstone, StarCraft II, Heroes of the Storm, and Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition. College-level esports have been part of the sports overall expansion in recent years with colleges developing their own competitive teams as they would for traditional sports. Players will come from hundreds of North American schools that are currently competing in qualifying matches with portions of the qualifying rounds, as well as the championship, to be streamed globally. The Overwatch championship matches will even be streamed on Twitch – this offers a whole new opportunity for advertisers to capitalize in the bursting esports sector.
Power of Sports Five
Milwaukee Brewers longtime broadcaster Bob Uecker gives his 2018 playoff dividends to charity. When deciding who would get full playoff shares after the Brewers advanced within one game of the World Series, the players voted to include Uecker who received $123,000. According to the Journal Sentinel, Uecker is really part of the Brewers team - they even included him in their 2018 playoff clubhouse celebrations by dousing him in plenty of champagne. However, instead of holding onto his share, Uecker divided it among some of his favorite charities – the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Milwaukee, Wounded Warriors, and the Froedtert Cancer Center. Away from the radio booth, Uecker prefers to stay in the background but has agreed to allow his name to be placed on a new wing at Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa where he is an active philanthropist. Even at 85, Uecker isn’t planning on sitting on the sidelines, and continues to give back through his classic radio voice and charity around Milwaukee.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Matt Boyd is helping combat sex slavery in Uganda. Matt and his wife, Ashley, have essentially adopted 36 girls in Uganda, trying to protect them from the sex slave industry. According to the Detroit Free Press, the Boyds purchase the girls food and clothing, and rent them a home. To make this possible, the Boyds have created their own nonprofit, Kingdom Home, completing the process a few weeks ago. Currently, the Boyds are raising money to buy land to expand in Uganda. Over the next three years, they want to build four new homes, so they can help more girls and young women because the need is so great. The Boyds are holding multiple fundraisers in Florida and Michigan to increase awareness and raise funds for these lofty goals. Amid sex prostitution scandals including Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the Boyds, like the Kershaws in Los Angeles, are helping to fight sex slavery.
Infiniti commits a $1 million donation commitment to the American Cancer Society through March Madness. According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Division I men's basketball coaches battled against one another for fan votes for the automaker’s Timeout for the Win campaign. Steve Prohm, the men's basketball head coach of Iowa State University, came away victor with Infiniti donating $360,000 to Coaches vs. Cancer in his name. Meanwhile, second and third place vote getters, Bob Huggins of West Virginia University and Chris Holtmann of The Ohio State University, had $150,000 and $90,000, respectively, donated in their names. Infiniti has been an Official Corporate Partner of the NCAA since 2011 and again March 17-22, the company will donate up to $350,000 for every bracket entered into the Infiniti Bracket Pool Challenge. Since 2009, the automaker has donated more than $9 million to a variety of charitable organizations in connection to the partnership with the NCAA and is using this year’s legal gambling during the NCAA tournament to give back.
HERO Golf Cup raises funds for military orphans in the Philippines. Now on its 4th year, the recent charity golf tournament hosted in Quezon City was attended by 163 participants, surpassing their initial goal. Moreover, HERO Foundation was able to raise over one million Philippines pesos in donations and pledges that will help fund the educational needs of military orphans. According to the Manila Bulletin, the event brought together sport, military, and charity to help people like HERO Scholars Jamina Alexa Mendez and Jon-Jon Tambong. Alexa Mendez is an honor student who never got to meet her father who died in an encounter in Calauag, Quezon while she was still in her mother’s womb. This proves that golf and its inevitable sports business community has made its mark in the Philippines, and the sport can be used as a means to get people together for charity.
The Washington Capitals’ Go Green night raises $62,625 for charity. Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s foundation held the event for the Anacostia Watershed Society and the Washington Youth Garden. The auction featured autographed, limited edition green jerseys worn during the pregame warmups, autographed sticks wrapped with green tape, and autographed green Capitals pucks. According to nhl.com, T.J. Oshie's warmup jersey went for the highest bid at $3,750, followed by a team puck set at $3,200. The mission of the Anacostia Watershed Society is to protect and restore the Anacostia River while Washington Youth Garden nurtures curious minds and healthy bodies by connecting youth to food, the land and each other. Combining the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day with a charity movement is exactly what other NHL franchises should be doing to better demonstrate their charitable arm to the public while engaging fans at a higher rate.
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The Glee Mega Song Tournament: Round 6, Final Four

And – we’re back with an all new, crazy song tournament. This time, it’s the best of the best as these are all the top songs you voted for in the all the season tournaments thrown together.
Here’s how I put this together - there are 16 songs from seasons 1 and 6, and 24 from seasons 2-5. The songs are seeded - the number 1 songs being at the top and so on down. And I rotated which season went first so we would get a variety of pairings. (So, group one was the first place winners - season six went first so I Lived was in the number 1 spot. The second group was the second place winners, and season five went first, so Being Alive is in the 7th spot after all the first place winners were filled in. Make sense?) I did NOTHING else to predetermine the placement of these songs. The website’s own algorithm put them in the order you see in the brackets. I feel that this is about as fair as I could make it - so that the more popular songs songs were placed away from each other, and all the seasons were pretty mixed up.
Also - friendly reminder to play nicely. Just because you don’t like a song doesn’t mean it’s not someone else’s favorite. They are all someone’s favorites here. So please be kind.
Check out the full brackets: Here
For tagging purposes, I’ll use the tag: megasongtourn You can also check out the ballots you missed on the main page under Tournaments and Polls.
To vote: List the episode you want to win within each match in a response and then reblog. You have exactly two days, next Wed the 29th (8am U.S. EST)) to cast your vote. Go, go, go!
Final Four:
Match 1:
Being Alive (4x09)
Teenage Dream (2x06)
Match 2:
As If We Never Said Goodbye (2x18)
Come What May (4x15)
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A Fire Temporarily Shutters Back Bay Staple Trident Booksellers and Cafe

Plus, a Bow Market sneak preview at La Brasa’s E-Som Market, and more news
Temporary Shutter
Trident Booksellers and Cafe (338 Newbury St., Boston), a Back Bay staple for over 30 years, is temporarily closed due to a fire that broke out around 11:45 p.m. on February 28. No injuries were reported, but the store suffered a lot of water damage from the sprinklers. Trident is a bookstore and event space that also serves a giant menu of diner food and beyond, from a huge selection of egg-based dishes (including the “choose your own eggventure!”) to poutine, not to mention juices, smoothies, beer, and wine. And “mega tots.” Keep an eye on Trident’s active Facebook page for updates regarding a reopening date.
A Bow Market Preview
The monthly E-Som Market at La Brasa (124 Broadway, East Somerville) — which features local small businesses (food, art, etc.) — returns tomorrow, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a sneak peek at a number of vendors who will have space at the forthcoming Bow Market. While tomorrow’s market lineup is mostly in the shopping realm, Maca (macarons) and Buenas (empanadas and sauces) are scheduled to appear. And La Brasa will be serving brunch, too.
Malt Madness
If you like bracket-style competitions (it’s March, after all) and beer, you’re in luck: Boston Magazine has replaced its annual Starch Madness competition with Malt Madness this year, and voting is now open for the first round, which will last through midnight on Wednesday night, narrowing the field of 64 Massachusetts breweries down to 32. After subsequent rounds, the “Malt Master” will be announced on April 5.
Weather Alert
It’s gross out today, whether or not this storm lives up to some of the most extreme predictions. That means it’s a good day for comfort food. Try ramen, spaghetti and meatballs, or dumplings.
One Thing You Should Eat Today
Continuing along the line of thinking above, there’s one specific ramen you should try today, if you can sneak away for a downtown lunch break and snag one of the few available seats. Oisa Ramen (1 1⁄3 Broad St., Downtown Boston), currently open 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays only, serves a short menu in a small space — three ramen options for dining in and three donburi options for takeout. There’s a reason Oisa was so popular as a pop-up; now that it’s found a permanent home, it’s time to pay a visit. Two of the ramen options use Oisa’s vegan smoky shoyu stock, and there’s also a pork-based tonkotsu (or the option to add pork belly to the others).

Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater
Smoky shoyu ramen with egg and pork add-ons at Oisa Ramen
Got a news tip for the Eater Boston team? Email [email protected].
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8 Month’s With a Mamiya Leaf Credo 80
Its been a busy 8 months since I first started shooting with the Mamiya Leaf Credo 80, first impressions were experienced in the USA in August, when a client shoot gave me the opportunity to do a small road trip with fellow explores Shannon and Karen. Since returning to the UK from that trip, I spent a weekend with Gina, Mike and Danny on an adventure up north capturing abandoned buildings all over the North of England. In September I went with Adam, James and Sam to Belgium, popping into Germany briefly. In October I went to France and Luxembourg with Darren, Dursty and Nick and later that month did my first model in an amazing underwater ballroom and my second in November in Lincoln with the theme of the Lady in Black.
Taken by Darren Smith
2015 has been even more busy, my feet haven’t touched the ground, I started the year with a model shoot with Jen Brooke in Belgium, followed by another with Stephanie Warwick in France, then off to Bulgaria, Iceland for two weeks and then Ukraine to visit Chernobyl again in April. This is just the beginning my travel plans for the next couple of years are getting more exciting by the day in 2016 I intend to leave the UK on the 1st January and not come home again till December 1st, traveling around Asia, South America Europe and all over the USA.
Taken by Darren Smith
It’s wonderful to be so busy after spending a few months in 2014 plotting and planning what the next 3 years will hold and choosing the Mamiya Leaf Credo 80 to accompany me on these 3 future book projects is a decision I won’t regret.
Taken by Darren Smith
For me the equipment I use is a tool to create the photos I make, you always need the right tool for a job, I recently made the decision to start using a medium format Mamiya Leaf camera with Credo 80 back, with a huge 80 mega pixel sensor, I made this choice, not because it was one of the most top of the range systems you can buy, but because it was the right tool for the job for me.
Taken by James Kerwin
As my artworks are destined for print and customers buy them at massive sizes, I needed a tool that could produce amazing quality at such size. The quality and dynamic range is something I could not have achieved with my previous SLR.
Taken by Richie Gowen
Using the system at first was a bit of a learning curve, but I knew it would be worth it, my first impressions of the system were back in May when I used it in Israel for a street photography shoot in Jaffa Market. I was instantly taken away by the photos I took that day and knew I had to try out the system again. I’m not going to lie, the camera with digital back and a decent lens is expensive, but it is also the perfect system for any fine art or commercial photographer when prints size goes beyond the realms of the magazine into fine art prints of gigantic preparations and billboard sized client images.
Taken by Gina Soden
The first thing I noticed about using the camera, was how simple it was to use, there is something very basic about the menu system and accessing the settings and photos once taken. It was a little strange at first when an SLR gives you so many options, so many focus points, with the medium format it felt like I was leaning more towards a film camera and the feel of the camera felt very genuine and real. The camera also boast an amazing touch screen back which allows you to scroll through the images and zoom in using touch technology, which is pretty awesome.
What I love most about the system is the detail captured the final RAWS are 10328 x 7760 pixels 300dpi the seniors is 80mp. Unfortunately the detail is completely lost when scaled down to upload to the internet and even worse with social media sites like Facebook destroying the quality of the files. But when printed out at full glory you can truly see how remarkable the detail is, every cm is blissful detail goodness.
I think it is amazing that I can take a crop of a single image and it have the same image size of that as a SLR, but still with incredible detail and dynamic range. A lot of my model work is a model in a setting and for me its all about the setting they are in, therefore sometime the model is quite small in the frame, a problem? Yes when a makeup artist would like close up for their books. But this isn’t a problem as I can take a close up crop of the model and be able to send it at the size of a SLR file to the team members. It’s a very strange thing to be able to edit at 100% of a face that is so small in the actual shot, but still feel like I am retouching a SLR file with the amount of detail at that size.
100% Crop of below photo
I’ve truly put the system through its paces, I must admit as medium format systems are generally suited more to studio situations, I was worried about taking it on my huge amounts of travels to distant lands, carrying it round dirty abandoned buildings, to freezing cold Iceland in the depth of its winter, but I have had no problems, the system is robust and if well looked after it is a work horse. It would be great to get some kind of weather proofing on future models, but I had no problems putting on a rain jacket and it performing well, even at a frozen waterfall in Iceland with water spray from the falls that was freezing my tripod.
The system has a top iso of 800, which for some would be a problem, but again you get a system that suits the job you do, the camera goes does to 35 iso which is a bonus for me shooting in daylight. I use a tripod and long exposures and never go above 100 iso anyway so this is not a problem for me.
MAMIYA 645DF+ SPECS
Taken From the Mamiya Leaf website
Modular 645 AF SLR body
LENSES
Mamiya Digital focal plane lenses Schneider-Kreuznach designed leaf shutter lenses Mamiya 645 AFD lenses Compatible with Hasselblad V lenses
BACKS
Open platform back mount
AUTO FOCUS
TTL phase-difference AF with 3 focus points Focus confirmation in manual mode Infrared AF assists for unfailing focus Auto focus lock for swift AF/ M shift
SHUTTER
1/4000s to 60 minutes Up to 2 fps Shutter speed bracketing
FLASH
Focal plane shutter: Up to 1/125s Leaf shutter lenses: Up to 1/1600s 1st and 2nd curtain flash synchronisation X sync terminal and support for TTL flash
LIGHT METERING
TTL metering (average, spot and auto) Programmable AEL button Exposure compensation: +/- 5EV
MIRROR-UP
Electronically-activated by switch on grip
VIEWFINDER
Fixed prism viewfinder Exchangeable diopter from -5 to +3 LCD panel with full exposure information
FOCUSING SCREEN
Interchangeable focus screens Laser engraved mask for digital back Matte, Grid, Checker, Microprism
SELF-TIMER
Self-timer from 2 to 60 sec
REMOTE
Screw-in cable release on shutter button Terminal for electronic triggering devices
STOP DOWN PREVIEW
Stop down button on front of camera
TRIPOD SOCKET
1/4 inch and 3/8 inch
POWER REQUIREMENTS
Rechargeable Li-Ion battery pack 6 AA batteries (standard or rechargeable) External battery pack – 6 AA batteries External AC adapter
USER CONFIGURATION
3 Custom dial modes for capture settings 36 custom settings Customizable dials and buttons
SIZE
153 x 128x 184 mm, 6 x 5 x 7.2 in (W x H x D)
WEIGHT
1030g (35 oz) without batteries
LEAF CREDO 80 SPECS
CCD size
53.7 x 40.3 mm
Active pixels
10,320 x 7752
Resolution
80 MP
Aspect ratio
4:3
Pixel size
5.2 micron
ISO sensitivity
35-800
Exposure time
1/10,000 – 120 seconds
Full resolution capture rate
0.7 frame/sec
RAW File compression (large)
80 MB
RAW File compression (small)
54 MB
Output image dimensions 300 dpi
300 dpi: 87.4 x 65.6 cm
Output image dimensions 600 dpi
600 dpi: 43.7 x 32.8 cm
Color depth
16 bits (65,536 levels per channel)
Dynamic range
12.5 f-stops
Color management workflow
Range of factory ICC profiles, plus optional ability for users to create their own custom camera profiles
Display
3.2 in, 1.15 MP bright touch LCD with 170 degree viewing angle
Image viewing
Preview up to 6 images on one LCD screen, up to 400% zoom
Onboard tools
Live View on LCD, spirit level, ISO, white balance, histogram, exposure alarms, image rating, 645DF custom functions
Storage
CompactFlash including UDMA 6 and 7
Connectivity
FireWire 800, USB 3.0, USB 2.0
Software
Capture One 6.4 or higher
Battery
2900 mAh rechargeable Li-ion
Operating conditions
0°–40°C (32°–104°F), Humidity: 15%–80% (non-condensing)
Certifications
FCC (A), CE, RoHS
I use Capture One Pro to process my images, before I was using the Credo 80 I would use HDR techniques to combine various images shot at different exposures by tone mapping. But I haven’t had to do this at all using this system, I can pull the shadows and highlights back from a single exposure and create a beautiful image with great dynamic range. Occasionally I will shoot a window at a shorter exposure as there’s no pulling back a totally over exposed window, but I am so happy with the way this software deals with the RAWs captured
I then finish my editing in Photoshop CS6 and its an absolute joy working with such an incredible amount of pixels
I still have my canon 5Diii but I use the Mamiya Leaf now for 80% of what I do, there are still some client job which I need something smaller and that I will be shooting a lot and often hand held in low light situations. Every system has its highs but also its limitations and if I am asked to photograph an event at night and the client wants 400+ shots, then I would shoot on my Canon.
I have truly fallen in love with this system and can’t see myself shooting my fine art photography work with anything again, the quality of images printed is beautiful beyond words and I’m looking forward to how my books will look in a couple of years, printed using this camera.
Some Blogs With Images Shot With the System
Nephthys
Because I Could Not Stop For Death
Exploring in the USA
Chateau Congo – Belgium
Chateau Singes – France
Pennsylvania Prison – USA
Saint Jo’s – UK
New Jersey Hospital – USA
Piscine Crachoir – Belgium
The Ark – UK
Underworld – Distant Lands
Film by Karen Eng Promessa Films
Source: http://www.rebeccabathoryblog.com/review-mamiya-leaf-credo-80/
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Motivate your Sales Team with these 30 Contests
Brilliant sales contest ideas can motivate your sales team to reach unprecedented heights.
Sales competitions tap into core aspects of human psychology, unearthing new levels of drive, focus, and energy in your sales reps.
The virtues of healthy competition are well-documented.
According to Psychology Today, “good competitiveness is the drive to accomplish a goal, bring out the best in individuals, [and] help them understand themselves.”
In their article The Psychology Behind Competition: Why Incentives Work, Gavel Intel finds that “healthy competition is effective because it encourages people to work hard and do their best […] It also provides validation and recognition for top performers and motivation and accountability for slackers.”
The best sales contest ideas unlock these behavioral tendencies. They elevate your team and challenge them to be their best.
Here are 30 proven ideas for running and incentivizing your next sales competition.
30 Sales Contest Ideas and Incentives to Motivate Your Team
The best sales contest ideas and incentives take your team to the next level.
We compiled 30 of them in this deep-dive article – choose freely and implement these in your sales team.
1) SQL Sales Contest
Description: It’s time to get creative with the metrics you are competing on. Revenue and dials made are great, but try working in critical metrics like SQLs (Sales Qualified Leads) or Opportunities created. This works primarily well in sales development teams where those metrics are as critical as direct revenue generation is to traditional sales teams.
How This Works: Choose a week or month to run the contest. Create a major monetary incentive. Track SQLs created by each rep – most SQLs generated at the end of the time frame wins.
What You’ll Need: A robust CRM for tracking. Codification for what constitutes an SQL.
Best For: Sales Development Teams.
2) Manager Vs Team Sales Contest
Description: Want to fire up the troops? Pit a manager versus your reps to see who hustles the hardest for deals. Reps respond well to this sales contest format, as it puts the manager in their shoes for a day and creates a sense of even playing field.
How This Works: Pick a day or afternoon where your manager is able to jump into the trenches with your reps. Choose a metric (for example, calls made or talk time). Announce the competition ahead of time. Set the stakes – provide a team incentive if a rep wins and a manager incentive if the manager wins.
What You’ll Need: Robust tracking of the metric you’re competing on.
Best For: Large Call Centers.
3) Beat the Competition Sales Contest
Description: Who has won the most deals versus a competitor (or competitors)? Keep track, recognize and reward your competitor-killers. This sales competition also lends itself greatly to internal mind-sharing on competitor intelligence.
How This Works: Choose a competitor or competitors. Create a specific metric for wins against competitors. Log wins and compete over a specific time period, such as a month.
What You’ll Need: A clear definition of your competitors. Strong tracking of deals that involve them.
Best For: Sales teams selling in hyper-competitive, commoditized markets.
4) Biggest Deal Sales Contest
Description: Whale hunting? Going upmarket? Incentivize reps to shoot for the moon with a sales contest focused around winning the biggest deal in terms of revenue amount.
How This Works: Start this contest at the beginning of the month. Announce it ahead of time. Attach a major financial incentive for reps. Use a leaderboard to track the results.
What You’ll Need: Depending on the size of your team, a whiteboard or a CRM with solid reporting.
Best For: Enterprise sales teams.
5) Commission Spike Sales Incentive
Description: Raise your commission-size for the day (or week) to spur closing motions from reps. Watch them respond.
How This Works: This sales incentive needs to be a surprise move. Announce it effective immediately and adjust your compensation reporting accordingly.
What You’ll Need: Stellar compensation reporting. Pipelines filled with leads waiting to be closed.
Best For: Inside sales teams.
6) Mega Call Blitz
Description: Take the stakes and terms of your standard Sales Performance Incentive Fund (SPIF). Amp them up significantly.
How This Works: Start with your basic SPIF format. Double or triple the length of the contest and the incentives attached to it. For example, go from one a one-hour call blitz SPIF for $100 to a three-hour call blitz SPIF for $300.
What You’ll Need: Robust call tracking and analytics software (we happen to be fans of Nextiva).
Best For: Inside sales teams.
7) Team Vs Team Sales Contest
Description: Winning is more fun when you do it as a team. You’ll raise the level of teamwork and peer-to-peer coaching on your sales floor overnight.
How this works: Put two teams against one another on a given sales metric and offer a compelling team incentive to the winner. Pro-tip: we recommend creating an even distribution of talent across each team.
What You’ll Need: Sales gamification software is particularly helpful for this. Here’s a list of some of the best sales gamification platforms from our friends at G2 Crowd.
Best For: Segmented sales teams.
8) Rep Vs Rep Sales Contest
Description: Let your reps compete in a head-to-head matchup over a specific sales metric. Add fuel to the fire by having them put their own money up, then matching it from the company side. This is a great practice for fostering healthy, everyday competition on your sales floor.
How this works: These sales contests can be run ad hoc by managers or launched by reps themselves. Any timeframe — from one hour to one month – will work.
What You’ll Need: Strong sales performance tracking within your CRM.
Best For: Inside sales teams.
9) Team Sales Incentive
Description: United your team stands. Divided, they fall. This sales contest idea is another great way to incentivize teamwork and collaboration on your sales floor.
How this works: Set a team goal on a specific metric. Offer a team-wide reward for hitting it. Announce the contest to your reps, then let it rip.
What You’ll Need: Reliable reporting on your team performance metric of choice.
Best For: Inside sales teams.
10) Target Account Sales Contest
Description: Perfect for account based sales divisions. Pick your target logos and reward the rep who takes down the most.
How this works: Who are the major target logos you have in play for the month or the quarter? List them out for each rep. Set an incentive. The one who takes down the most logos at the end of the specific time frame wins.
What You’ll Need: Target account lists (preferably ones that are viable opportunities).
This Sales Contest Works Best For: Account based sales teams.
11) Fantasy Football-Style Sales Contest
Description: Fantasy football can be a productivity killer for your sales team during football season. Flip the script with a motivational sales contest co-opting the zeitgeist.
How this works: To run this contest, you need to score rep performance, track it in real-time, create teams, and schedule a season where teams compete week-to-week.
What You’ll Need: This is another sales contest idea where some combination of CRM and sales gamification software will serve you well.
Best For: Inside sales teams.
In Real Life: Our friends at the Harvard Business Review have endorsed the fantasy football sales contest idea for its impact on team performance and camaraderie. Fortune 1000 home builder Clayton Homes achieved insane ROI from running a 3-month contest using Ambition to score reps and compete on live TV wall boards.
12) Office Vs Office Sales Contest
Description: Have multiple sales offices? Perfect. It’s time to let them compete to see who is the best at a given metric. Reward the office who wins with bragging rights plus a cool incentive they can all enjoy (like a team day off).
How this works: Choose a metric for sales teams in two offices to compete on. (Note: this should be a metric where one team does not have an unfair advantage). Pit the offices head-to-head and establish and create a digital leaderboard that’s easy to follow as the sales contest progresses.
What You’ll Need: Multiple office locations with sales teams following similar processes. Metric with reliable tracking in a CRM or otherwise.
Best For: Multi-location sales teams.
13) Tournament Sales Contest
Description: March Madness is just around the corner. Capitalize on the zeitgeist (and disincentive “sick days” during the opening rounds) by running a tournament-style sales contest on a specific metric.
How this works: Choose your metric, competing reps, matchup duration, bracket, and reward. For example, select talk time as your metric, put your reps in a 64 person bracket, then have the reps with the most talk time each hour advance to the next round. Run it from 9am-12pm then 2pm-5pm to get a winner.
What You’ll Need: Lots of commitment. Clear guidelines and bracket. Reliable live metric tracking.
Best For: Large inside sales teams.
14) Manager Vs Manager Sales Contest
Description: Managers should get involved in sales contests, too. For this sales contest idea, place two managers head-to-head on a metric of choice then offer a compelling disincentive to the letter. For example, make the losing manager wear a ridiculous-looking wig the rest of the week. Your team will love it.
How this works: Fairly straightforward. Let your managers choose a metric (that’s easily trackable) and go head-to-head for a day. Make a big deal out of the loser’s disincentive.
What You’ll Need: Managers willing and able to compete. Metrics that are easy to track. A creatively diabolical disincentive.
Best For: Large inside sales teams.
15) Self Vs Self Sales Contest
Description: Let your reps compete with their own past performance for personal bests.
How this works: Have the rep work with a manager to choose key opportunities for improvement, set benchmarks and track their progress over prior performance publicly and visually.
What You’ll Need: TV wall boards are great for this and can increase the sense of personal ownership a rep has over his or her performance.
Best For: Inside sales teams.
16) Money Chamber Sales Incentive
Description: Remember the old game shows where people could stand in a money chamber and catch as much cash as they could in a short amount of time?
How this works: Run a sales contest and let your winning rep stand in the Money Chamber and grab as much money as they can. You will create a compelling, public spectacle your team will love to watch (and take part in).
What You’ll Need: An actual Money Chamber. Believe it or not, they are available for purchase. We keep our Money Chamber on the Nextiva sales floor.
Best For: Inside sales teams.
17) Raffle Sales Contest
Description: If you’ve run one too many sales contests resulting in boring blowouts or repeat winners, then it might be time to consider the Raffle Sales Contest.
How this works:��Choose a behavior you want to incentivize (for example, calls completed), set a goal for reps (for example, 50 calls completed per day), and hand out raffle tickets each time a rep hits the goal. The more raffle tickets a rep has, the higher the chances he or she wins the raffle.
What You’ll Need: Lots of raffle tickets, a trackable metric, and ideally, live notifications whenever a rep hits the number that earns him or her a raffle ticket.
Best For: Large inside sales teams.
18) Green Jacket Sales Incentive
Description: The Masters are coming up. Level up the competitive spirit on your sales floor by running a two-day sales contest (the Thursday and Friday of the tournament) and offer the winner a Green Jacket as an incentive.
How this works: Very straightforward. Announce a Masters-themed sales contest to your reps. Bring out the Green Jacket. Embroider it if possible with the title [Year] Champion and the winner’s name. You just need a new sales contest and a tradition unlike any other in your sales organization.
What You’ll Need: A green jacket. (Or gold jacket, if you’re a Happy Gilmore fan).
Best For: Inside sales teams.
19) Advanced Metric Sales Contest
Description: Competing over basic sales metrics is great, but competing over advanced metrics like conversion rate, calls-to-opportunities creates, and so forth adds an extra amount of intrigue to the sales contest. Use this sales contest idea to reward reps for execution as well as hustle.
How this works: Choose the most critical advanced metric for your sales team – the number that needs the biggest boost. Run a weeklong or monthlong sales contest around it. Offer a unique and compelling incentive.
What You’ll Need: Sales performance management tools are a great way to automatically track advanced metrics. Here’s a list of the best per our friends at G2 Crowd.
Best For: Sales development teams.
20) Poker Sales Contest
Description: This is a sales contest idea that the guys in Rounders would approve.
How this works: Whenever a sales rep hits a certain goal, for example, making 20 outbound dials, give that rep a card. Keep doing so until you guy through an entire 52 card deck. The rep who can make the best 5-card hand from the cards in his or her possession wins the sales contest and gets a cool incentive.
What You’ll Need: Same as the Raffle sales contest, except with a deck of cards versus raffle tickets.
Best For: Inside sales teams.
21) Choose Your Own Sales Incentive
Description: This is an interesting one. It could be a trip or a cool experience or something entirely unique and out-of-the-ordinary. The point is: it will be the rep’s idea – and mean that much more to him or her.
How this works: You set a dollar amount limit for the incentive – for example, $1,000 – then let the rep come up with his or her most creative incentive. Or use a service like BlueBoard to let the rep choose from a smorgasbord of incentives.
What You’ll Need: A budget and someone to manage the execution of the actual incentive.
Best For: Outside sales teams.
22) Early Weekend Sales Incentive
Description: The afternoon off is a choice sales contest incentive that gives a winning rep (or reps) Friday afternoon off to do what they please. A great Friday morning sales contest to ensure that your reps end the week strong – then get to relax and unwind.
How this works: Run a Friday morning SPIF with the early weekend incentive as the reward. Let the rep head home at lunchtime.
What You’ll Need: A sales process that is kosher with giving reps a Friday afternoon off.
Best For: Inside sales teams.
23) Most Improved Sales Contest
Description: Looking for a sales contest idea that will move the middle tier of performers on your sales team? The most improved sales contest is tailor-made for this.
How this works: Choose an important sales metric that drives key outcomes for your team. Set a duration for the contest – for example, one month. Highest delta over the previous month’s performance wins. Offer major recognition and incentives to the winner – this is your middle and lower tier’s opportunity to shine.
What You’ll Need: An important sales KPI that you have rock solid reporting on from the previous month.
Best For: Large inside sales teams.
24) Experiential Sales Incentive
Description: We always recommend going out-of-the-box with your sales incentives when you can. Offering an experiential sales incentive is a great way to ensure that your reps get compelling memories from winning a sales competition. If your sales force is largely millennial (and chances are, it is) this sales incentive is a must.
How this works: Introduce an experiential sales incentive in place of the usual monetary incentive at your next SPIF.
What You’ll Need: Again, this is an ideal case for using Blueboard.
Best For: Millennial inside sales teams.
25) Meetings Blitz Sales Contest
Description: Call blitzes are great. To mix things up, try running a call blitz sales contest where your reps compete over outcome metrics like meetings (versus just number of dials or talk time). This ensures you are incentivizing outcomes as much as hustle.
How this works: Run your standard call blitz but with an outcome metric like meetings set as the determining metric.
What You’ll Need: Solid reporting on an important call outcomes metric.
Best For: Large inside sales teams and call centers.
26) Referral Drive Sales Contest
Description: Referrals are always among your best sales opportunities. Plus, this contest makes sure your reps are properly incentivized to take care of your current customers.
How this works: This is a great sales contest to run for customer support reps and account managers. Set referrals as the metric-of-choice and offer some major incentives to the winner.
What You’ll Need: Strong referral tracking software and even stronger incentives.
Best For: Customer success and account management teams.
27) Championship Belt Sales Incentive
Description: Did you know you can purchase a boxing or pro-wrestling style championship belt and tailor it to your liking?
Yes, this is a real thing. Legendary sales leaders such as Nigel Green have done it and given it rave reviews. We recommend you follow suit.
How this works: Buy a customized Championship Belt. Parade it around the office before your next major sales contest. Let the winner keep it until the next sales competition.
What You’ll Need: A customized Championship Belt.
Best For: Inside sales teams.
28) President’s Club Sales Incentive
Description: You don’t have a President’s Club? Get with the times and reward your top performing reps with the prestigious honor of-choice in the sales profession.
How this works: Plan an annual President’s Club trip where you treat your President’s Club winners and their plus-ones to a few fun-filled days of luxury and relaxation. Designate the top 5-10% of reps in terms of revenue as President’s Club members and take them on the trip.
What You’ll Need: A nice budget and lots of hype to make this as special as possible.
Best For: Large sales teams.
29) Best Close Sales Competition
Description: Who closed the most impressive deal of the year? Did a rep:
Steal a critical account from a competitor using a mix of Herculean effort and brilliant strategy?
Close a massive deal with savvy tactics and a ridiculously short sales cycle?
Win back a long lost, major deal by going above and beyond somehow?
Reward your best close each month and discuss why it was so impressive so other reps can take note.
How this works: This sales contest is more subjective in nature. Winner can be determined by pre-set factors (such as deal size), selected by management, or voted upon by the team. We recommend the latter as a unique, meaningful approach.
What You’ll Need: Depends on the format, but this one deserves a special accolade.
Best For: Enterprise sales teams.
30) Quota Crusher Sales Competition
Description: Reward the rep who finishes the month, quarter, or year the highest percentage above quota. This opens up the competition to your entire sales force and keeps top-performing reps incentivized to keep killing it after they have reached their goal.
How this works: Set the metric as delta above quota (percentage above) if you are working with reps who have varying functions.
What You’ll Need: Clear quotas and tracking for deltas exceeding it. Also, this sales contest deserves a major incentive, so be sure to give it the budget and gravitas it deserves.
Best For: Large sales teams.
Submit Your Best Sales Contest Ideas and Incentives
What are the best sales contest ideas and incentives you’ve seen work in your experience? Let us know in the comments below.
Run a call center or phone-heavy sales organization? Check out Nextiva’s Business VoIP Buyer’s Guide and learn how to choose the business phone system that’s best for your business needs.
Republished by permission. Original here.
Image: Depositphotos.com
This article, “Motivate your Sales Team with these 30 Contests” was first published on Small Business Trends
https://smallbiztrends.com/
The post Motivate your Sales Team with these 30 Contests appeared first on Unix Commerce.
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Finance Recruiting in 2019: What’s Changed, and What’s Next
When I was visiting family over the holidays, one of them asked me a tough question:
“So… your online business has been successful. What is your goal now? Are you trying to become better-known? Are you trying to expand? Do you want to launch something else?”
I thought about it for a few seconds and responded:
“Actually, I’m not sure. I had more concrete goals when I was just starting, I had student loans, and I had to fight to survive. I guess I’m just maintaining things and saving money now.”
Ironically, this “goal” could also describe banks’ approach to recruiting: maintain things and save money.
Let’s dive into the details and do a quick summary of how recruiting has changed, what might happen going forward, and how I’m changing my “portfolio” in response:
Which Fields Are We Discussing Here?
I’m limiting this article to investment banking and private equity because I follow them the most closely, and most of this site is geared toward them.
Also, recruiting in other fields has not changed to the same extent that it has in IB and PE.
Finance Recruiting in 2019: What Has Changed?
I think about recruiting in terms of five components:
The Timing – How early do you need to look for internships/jobs? How far in advance do interviews begin and end?
The Pre-Requisites – What do you need to be competitive in terms of university reputation, grades, and work experience?
The People – What types of other students and professionals are aiming for these roles? What’s your competition like?
The Process – How many interviews do you go through? Are they video-based, phone-based, or in-person? Are there case studies, modeling tests, or other non-interview assessments?
The Questions and Assessments – What types of “fit” and technical questions will you receive? How difficult are the case studies, and which topics do they test?
The first four elements have changed a fair amount over the past decade and are likely to change in the future, but the last one has been fairly steady.
Banks have approached recruiting in a schizophrenic manner, unsure of exactly what they are trying to accomplish.
On the one hand, they claim to want “more diverse candidates”; on the other hand, by hyper-accelerating the recruiting process, they inevitably get mostly wealthy students from the top few schools who get exposed to finance at a young age.
Here’s a run-down of the insanity:
1) The Timing
On-cycle recruiting for IB and PE roles in the U.S. is now hyper-accelerated.
To win investment banking internships, you must start networking and preparing in your first year of university, and recruiting now starts nearly ~2 years before the internship.
It’s similar for mega-fund PE recruiting – the process begins and ends within several months of your full-time IB role beginning, which is nearly two years before PE roles begin.
Up until 2014 or so, IB internship recruiting was not hyper-accelerated, and most firms still interviewed and awarded offers ~6-9 months before internships began.
PE recruiting had been creeping up earlier, but it moved into “ridiculously early” territory within the past few years as well.
Caveats: The timing has not moved up at the MBA level because it’s not possible to recruit MBA students before their programs begin. Recruiting begins the moment you set foot on campus, and it always has.
Also, the process is not accelerated in the same way in EMEA and Asia, though it has been moving up earlier there as well.
Future Outlook: I do not think hyper-accelerated recruiting will last.
As soon as the next recession hits and deal activity plummets, banks will realize that they’ve over-hired years in advance.
That will lead them to the only possible solution: rescind offers because of “market conditions.”
And that will piss off everyone and produce even more negative PR for the banks… in the midst of a downturn.
Also, the “yield” (i.e., the percentage of interns who become long-term bankers at the firm) from this hyper-accelerated recruiting will end up being quite low – and that will be a problem for regional offices and less-popular groups that already struggle with retention.
I don’t think banks and PE firms will return to the old timing completely, but there will be more variability across different regions, offices, and groups.
2) The Pre-Requisites
A long time ago, if you went to a good university, had a good GPA, and had some interesting activities or work experience, you could win full-time IB offers even without previous IB/PE/VC internships.
Today, this is essentially impossible because you need multiple finance internships even to win IB summer internships – let alone full-time jobs.
And even in PE recruiting, you often need more than your IB role to stand out and tell a decent story.
This has been a worldwide change, though there are a few exceptions in smaller emerging markets.
Caveats: At the MBA level, some people still manage to win IB roles without relevant full-time work experience or pre-MBA internships, but the odds aren’t great.
Future Outlook: I don’t see this one changing because it’s an issue of supply and demand.
You can join a 12-week coding boot camp and then win 6-figure job offers as a software engineer because there’s huge, unmet, and rising demand for engineers.
On the other hand, demand for financiers is flat and unlikely to increase much in the near term; the world does not, in fact, need more investment bankers.
And despite the lure of tech, consulting, and other fields, tons of students and professionals (“the supply”) still want to get into finance.
So, given the supply/demand mismatch, I don’t see how the work experience, GPA, and degree requirements could decrease.
3) The People
Just as you can divide political parties into segments, you can do the same for job seekers. Here are a few of the main categories in finance:
Ambitious, Self-Motivated High Achievers at Top Schools – These are people who are internally motivated and always want something bigger and better.
International Students – International students have been flocking to the U.S. and U.K. over the past decade. They are often more motivated by family/peer pressure, and there are huge variations in ability, experience, and “on paper” vs. “real life” personas.
Diamonds in the Rough – These are students who ended up at non-target schools or in less-appealing professions because of bad luck, lack of knowledge, or a critical mistake. They will now do anything to make a big change and get into finance.
Career Changers – The motivation here is some variant of “I’m bored with my current job, advancement opportunities aren’t great, and I want to make more money.”
We’ve seen a big drop-off in category #1 and increases in categories #2 and #3.
Students in the first category have been drifting toward fields like technology and consulting, driven by narrowing pay and prestige gaps.
So… don’t overestimate the competition.
Caveats: I don’t have the data to support this, but I suspect that this change might be a bigger factor in the U.S. and less so in EMEA and other regions.
Pay at big tech companies in Europe tends to be lower, and the startup environment is less favorable, so more students in category #1 are still likely to tilt toward finance.
Future Outlook: I don’t see this one changing a whole lot, but due to the backlash against tech and falling stock prices (and, therefore, falling compensation), we could see more students in the first category aiming for finance roles.
4) The Process
The major change here is that many banks now interview candidates in the first round using pre-recorded video, often via HireVue.
But you still submit your application or resume or win interviews through networking, and if you pass the first round, you’ll move onto subsequent rounds and then the Superday, which might include 4-10 interviews.
And in EMEA, there are still assessment centers and additional online testing.
People have made a big deal out of the pre-recorded video interviews, but I don’t understand why.
The questions asked are generic, and passing these screens is more about avoiding silly mistakes than showing off your sparkling personality or technical knowledge.
Caveats: Nothing here – I don’t see this as a big change.
Future Outlook: I see why banks like automated first-round interviews from a legal and cost perspective, but I’m skeptical about judging your potential based on your body language and tone of voice.
If you want to assess someone’s ability, give them the task in question and see how well or poorly they complete it.
Big banks will continue moving in this direction to save money, but I don’t think pre-recorded videos will ever replace in-person and phone interviews, and I doubt that smaller banks will use them to the same extent.
5) What Has Not Changed?
The last element of recruiting – the questions and assessments – has not changed that much.
People sometimes claim that interviews have become significantly more technical, but they are conflating separate trends: the rise of elite boutiques and interview differences at EB and BB banks.
Elite boutique interviews have always required more critical thinking; it’s just that EBs now have far higher market share than they did ~10 years ago.
At the bulge-bracket banks, investment banking interview questions still tend to be paint-by-numbers.
People also claim that case studies and modeling tests are becoming more common – but, again, that reflects the rise of elite boutiques more than a market-wide change.
Food for Thought: If interviews have changed significantly or become far more technical, why would people still be using some of our old/bad guides from 2008-2009?
As the creator, I think they’re horrible, but others think they’re “good enough,” even if there are issues and oversights.
Caveats: Case studies and alternative assessments have always existed in EMEA, so I don’t think much has changed there, even factoring in the elite boutiques.
Future Outlook: In the long term, investment banking interviews could shift to include more of a programming or data science focus.
Given how little has changed over the past 10-20 years, though, these changes are much further away.
Also, I would argue that fit questions have become more important and will be more important because so many people look the same on paper.
If 20 candidates all have high GPAs, top schools, 2-3 previous finance internships, and good technical knowledge, how do interviewers decide?
The only way they can: by each person’s personality and interests outside of school and work.
Finance Recruiting in 2019: My Plan Going Forward
Once again, the same formula applies: “Portfolio = market view + personal circumstances.”
In this case, my “portfolio” is the set of products and services we offer as well as the policies that guide them.
In the 2019 financial job outlook article, I explained why I am neutral-to-optimistic about the deal-related fields (IB, PE, VC, CD, RE) and pessimistic about the public-markets ones (HF, AM, ER), which explains the product roadmap.
The recruiting market changes above relate more to business policies and how I’m going to change operations.
My “personal circumstances” could be summed up as:
I’ve already been running this business for ~12 years, taken significant money off the table, and I now value incremental free time more than incremental sales.
While there is still some growth potential, this market has matured, and it’s no longer possible to grow by 50-100% per year as we did in the early days.
I’ve been disappointed with the amount of time and effort I’ve put into new versions of the courses and how low the ROI has been.
Here’s my list of changes:
1) Change the Money-Back Guarantee, Support, and Download Policies (100% Probability)
Back in 2009 when the BIWS site had just launched, and we had ~300 initial customers, we could make aggressive promises because the customers were a small, dedicated group.
Ten years later, with ~40,000 customers and companies like Wells Fargo using our training, things have changed.
For one, there are far more “casual buyers,” i.e., people who aren’t sure what they’re doing or if they even want financial modeling courses and interview guides (see: the point above about “The People” changing).
Also, we are getting more people who sign up, ask tons of questions, and then “change their career plans” – exactly 364 days later, right before the 12-month money-back guarantee expires.
No coincidence there, I’m sure.
Having such a long guarantee also creates some strange incentives; it’s easy to procrastinate your training if you have a whole year to finish it!
So, these policies will be changing.
I haven’t decided on the exact terms, but the money-back guarantee will cover a shorter period, and content/technical support will be more limited.
I expect that sales will fall as a result, but I’m more than happy to make that trade-off to reclaim free time and sanity.
2) Simplify, Fix, and Streamline the Courses (100% Probability)
One big red-pill truth I learned over the past few years is that additional detail often makes educational products and services worse.
Why?
Students who are smart and motivated don’t need additional detail. They can pick up concepts quickly and extrapolate from simple examples.
Students who need hand-holding will need even more hand-holding if the examples and tutorials are more complex, and the added complexity will just add to their confusion.
Oh, and most people don’t even use the educational products/services they’ve paid for.
It’s not possible to teach certain concepts in only 5-10 hours, but I am aiming to cap each course at ~30-40 hours, and more like ~10-15 for the simpler courses.
All the time I spent on revisions of existing products would have been far better spent on sales and marketing.
3) Ignore Online Discussions and Comments – Only Monitor Purchases (75% Probability)
People who are the most active in online discussions, comments, and emails are not representative of the market.
They tend to be younger candidates without much money to spend – or more experienced professionals who aren’t doing so well in their careers and who, therefore, have a lot of free time.
If you’re busy and have tons of clients/deals/investments to work with, why would you spend hours arguing with anonymous people online or asking questions on Reddit?
I very rarely do “customer surveys” or other polls because I have so much purchase and site usage data now.
But this change is only at 75% probability because a bit of qualitative feedback can be helpful.
The rule of thumb among marketers is that ~95% of qualitative feedback is junk and ~5% is solid gold.
For example, we came up with many of the package deals, which now drive significant sales, based on some of these “solid gold” comments in past years.
4) Avoid References to Specific Timing in Articles and Courses (50% Probability)
I’ve also learned that it’s almost always better to refer to time intervals rather than exact dates – especially if, as I suspect, hyper-accelerated recruiting does not last.
For example, I try to avoid saying that someone began networking in February, interviewed in October, and won an offer by January.
It’s better to say that the interview process took 2-3 months total and the person started networking about 6-9 months in advance.
I shot myself in the foot with some of the earlier products, such as the IB Networking Toolkit, by being too specific with the dates and then having to revise material or link to new versions.
But I learned my lesson and purposely left out dates in the current version of the Interview Guide and kept the process/timing description open-ended.
This one’s only at 50% probability because I won’t be able to change everything this year, and it’s not always possible to avoid date references in reader stories (for example).
What’s Next?
That brings us to the end of my “2019” series.
Starting next week, I’ll return to the usual articles and tutorials.
Real estate will be a big focus this year because of my interest in it and the fact that I just spent over a year creating new training for it.
I’m still not sure about my long-term goals.
But I hope to do better than “maintain things and save money.”
My 2019 Financial Market Outlook – According to My Current Portfolio
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PDL Playoff Recap, All Stars, and Interview with the Champ
PDL Playoff Recap, All Stars, and Interview with the Champ
We have one more article for this season of PDL and boy do we have a lot to talk about so without further ado lets jump right into it with the playoffs.
Round 1
In the first round of the Playoffs we had
8. Salt Lake Combees Vs. 9. Baltimore Oricorios
Both teams started out strong but after sever blows by both teams ultimately Coach R.Sigma and the Baltimore Oricorios out performed the Combees and they move on to the Quartefinals.
5. Miami Delphox Vs. 12. Miami Lanturns
This was the battle for Miami. Last year in the 5-12 match we had the battle for Hartford and this year it’s Miami! Momentum was the key to this battle and FackLuigi grabbed it early leaving little to no room for Seth Vilo to regain it. However midway through the match the game DC’d. with the Delphox up 5-3. After discussion there wasn’t much the Lanturns could do and the win was given to Fack and the Delphox.
7. Norwalk Nosepass Vs. 10. Pittsburgh Piplups
Norwalk started strong taking hits and making plays to put Pittsburgh at a disadvantage. This propelled throughout the game until Norwalk eventually outlasted Pittsburgh. If coach Zcron had finished the game and acquired his Mega Bracelet who knows how this game could have turned out.
6. Italian Azurills Vs. 11. South Hampshire Scythers
H3nz is becoming more known for his creative prep that he brings into matches and it was shown here as he was able to stop the Azurill’s 4 game winning streak coming into the playoffs.
Quarter-Finals
After the first round it is time for the top seed of each division to get into the action. We start with:
1. Columbus Gallade Vs. 9. Baltimore Oricorios
Baltimore was the only team to take a game off Columbus during the regular season so it was time for revenge. Coming off the Bye week didn’t seem to phase Columbus as they continued their impressive performance vs Baltimore and took down the team that beat them.
4. Minnesota Nidokings Vs. 5. Miami Delphox
Minnesota got the better of the first time these teams faced off this season and was looking for a repeat performance. The battle started strong for both teams but the Delphox were on a mission in the post season and that meant they had to take down the teams that beat them earlier and that is just what happened.
2. Hartford Wailmers Vs. 7. Norwalk Nosepass
Hartford won the battle they had during the regular season and needed to beat them again to move on. After exchanging a few blows Hartford broke through the strong defenses of Norwalk and moved on the Semis
3. Blackfoot Scrafty Vs. 11. South Hampshire Scythers
The first time these teams played was week 1 and Blackfoot won 6-0 with a well played Snorlax(MVP) so this was looking to be a great rematch. This was a very long and tiring battle as it ended 6-5 as the time ran out in the battle. Both coaches brought very defensive teams that countered the other very well, however Blackfoot was able to score a single KO which was enough to win them the game.
Semi-Finals
1. Columbus Gallade Vs. 5. Miami Delphox
This was a battle between��good friends Geo and FackLuigi. They even got together in real life to duke it out. This was a very close game as FackLuigi was able to have all the answers to take out Geo and move on to the Finals.
2. Hartford Wailmers Vs. 3. Blackfoot Scrafty
Another rematch between teams that played early on in the season, however due to some unfortunate hax turn 1 this turned into one of the most lopsided matches of the playoffs. The Wailmers took full advantage of a lucky Draco Miss and muscled their way through Blackfoot as they moved on to the Finals.
PDL SEASON 2 FINALS
5. Miami Delphox Vs. 2. Hartford Wailmers
This match was hyped up to be one of the best matches of the season as two of the best coaches in FackLuigi and Clod9 faced off for the second time this season. Both coaches have had incredible seasons and knew how the other was going to play but however there can only be one winner. FackLuigi seemed to have the answers to all of Clod9’s tricks and after several incredible plays the game became 3-3 and anyone’s game. It wasn’t until a series of predictions and smart plays that ended with Hartford’s Mamoswine vs. Miami’s Florges. Mamoswine goes for Iron Head and Crits the Florges to win the game for the Hartford Wailmers.
Congrats to the PDL Season 2 Champs The Hartford Wailmers!
PDL Playoff Bracket Challenge
9 people participated in the Challenge to predict how the playoffs would go. 4 People predicted Clod9 would win it all. 3 people said Geo would take the crown and the remaining 2 had Fackluigi and Whimsicott winning it all. Funny enough no one predicted the exact finals but the final match decided who won it all. Congrats to Prof. Snag for picking the best bracket for this Season!
All Stars
This year we decided to have a bit of fun and each team got to send one of their Pokemon to the All Star game from their team. Then the coaches voted on the 3 people they wanted to represent their conference.
Ultra Sun Conference
Coaches: Geo, RottedMushroom, Lynian
Pokemon: Tapu Koko, Zygarde 50%, Miltank, Crobat, Snorlax, Scizor, Darmanitan, Jolteon, Necrozma, Tapu Fini, Rotom-W, Melotta
Ultra Moon Conference
Coaches: Whimsicott, Bigby, Clod9
Pokemon: Vileplume, Tentacruel, Cinccino, Volcarona, Ursaring, Raikou, Sawk, Jirachi, Togedemaru, Silvally, Celesteela, Victini
from here the coaches each picked 6 mons that they were going to use in the All-Star Game:
Ultra Sun:
Tapu Koko, Jolteon, Snorlax, Zygarde 50%, Crobat, Darmanitan
Ultra Moon:
Celesteela, Jirachi, Volcarona, Raikou, Tentacruel, Vileplume
The teams faced off on showdown. It was a battle of fun techs and Critical Hits. Check it out below:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-787558961
Interview with Clod9
Clod9: Today I’m joined by one of the best looking coaches in the PDL and the Season 2 winner Clod9!
C9: Stop you are making me blush, but honestly I’m excited to be here!
Clod9: We are glad to have you and may I say you are looking fantastic! Have you lost weight?
C9: YES! Thank you so much for noticing! All this preparation for PDL and forgetting to eat has really helped my figure.
Clod9: Enough with the pleasantries, let’s start at the beginning, how did your draft go?
C9: Honestly my draft went almost exactly as I planned. I went into the season wanting a specific core and I was able to pick it up with relative ease. Granted I felt pressured round 2 to pick Mimikyu and I did, but luckily Lynian wanted Mimikyu and we were able to work out a round 2 trade so I could get my boi Mamoswine. I saw another coach in a league have Mamoswine, Primarina, and Rotom-Heat and I thought that was an insanely good core which really fit with my personal playstyle of bulky offense combined with set up sweepers. Honestly I had notes of what I wanted my draft to look like and besides some of the later picks where I filled in what I was missing I got what I wanted, especially the Round 5 Tier 5 Linoone! One of the favorite pokemon that forces opponents to prep for it whether or not it shows up to battle. Overall I was very pleased. I knew we had a good draft, so I was happy.
Clod9: Who were you most/least looking forward to battling this season?
C9: I love battling so I’m always happy to battle anyone but I will say I was terrified to play against Hydra both times we battled this season. There is something about his playstyle and team that just scares me. On the other side, I was really excited to battle Aggie this season. I helped him a lot last season and I loved watching him grow over the two seasons. Fackluigi is another great opponent because I feel we bring out the best of each other and we always have great games. Other than that I really wanted to face Lynian and Geo and unfortunately that didn’t happen this season, maybe next season!
Clod9: Why did you choose the name Hartford Wailmers?
C9: I am originally from Connecticut and it is a tribute to the former NHL team the Hartford Wailers.
Clod9: Let’s talk about your season, did you expect to do this well?
C9: At the beginning of the season I don’t think I would have confidently said that I was going to win it all. I really liked my team but there were several other teams that had scary rosters that I thought would have a good match up against me. It wasn’t until probably week 8 or 9 where I really felt comfortable with my team and I thought to myself, “If I can’t win it all with this team, then I probably won’t ever win it all.” I grew to really love my team and I think this season made me a much better Pokemon Battler. I’ve been playing at the top of my game this season and I’ve very happy with the result.
Clod9: Who was your favorite mon to use this year?
C9: That is a tough question that I’ve been thinking about since I started writing these articles back in week 1. I love using Linoone but I rarely got to use it to its full potential. Vileplume is favorite of mine but every week I found myself wanting to bring Primarina cause it almost always had a good match up. Prima was the real MVP of my team this year putting in a crazy amount of work and running a variety of sets.
Clod9: What was your favorite Set that you brought this year and were there any techs that you didn’t get to showcase?
C9: My favorite set that I brought was an Offensive Vileplume that I used in Sun to beat DizzyD. Twinkle Tackle Vileplume is just fun to watch. I really wanted to run a Sub Endeavor Scolipede but I never found the right time to do that. Most of the fun sets that I wanted to use I got a chance to use at some point which made me happy.
Clod9: I assume you will be back for Season 3?
C9: Yes! I would love to come back for Season 3. I have a few Surprises up my sleeve for next season.
Clod9: Can we have a sneak peak into what you have planned?
C9: I’ve told a few people already but if I can get it I will be using M-Audino next season! Be scared!
Clod9: I know I’m terrified. Now let’s learn about you as a pokemon fan. What Pokemon generation did you start with?
C9: I started with Pokemon Red. I clearly remember not knowing how to play the game and had a Venusaur by the time I battled Brock.
Clod9: What is your favorite region?
C9: I’m a sucker for Sinnoh. I have so much nostolgia for that region. That is where I first got into competitive pokemon however Johto is a really close second. I spent many hours playing through that game. All the Gen 4 games!
Clod9: Who is your favorite Pokemon?
C9: ODDISH! That is part of the reason I drafted Vileplume this season is because of my love of the little plant. I will say Furret holds my number 2 spot.
Clod9: If you had to pick: Attack or Special Attack?
C9: 100% Attack.
Clod9: What is your battle style: Stall/Hyper Offense/Bulky Offense/Balance?
C9: My I really like to set up and sweep which is more offensive but I think overall my best playstyle is Bulky Offensive. Live a hit and Hit harder!
Clod9: Do you prefer Speed or Trick Room?
C9: Speed all the way. If I’m going first I have a better chance to crit or flinch.
Clod9: What is your favorite Weather; Hail/Sand/Rain or Sun?
C9: I do not normally play weather on any of my teams as I despise both Sand and Rain but if I had to pick I would choose Hail.
Clod9: Electric/Misty/Grassy or Psychic Terrain?
C9: I really like Grassy Terrain. It weakens EQ which helps my Poison types.
Clod9: Favorite status to inflict: Sleep/Freeze/Paralysis/Burn or Poison?
C9: Paralysis by far. I love the speed control… and the chance for a wasted turn =D
Clod9: Have you watched the Pokemon anime? If yes, what is your favorite Theme song?
C9: Much like you Clod9 I’m a huge fan of Pokemon Johto, but 2b a Master has become my favorite.
Clod9: Once again thank you again for joining us here this week for the final PDL article this season. Congrats on winning the league. Are there any parting words you would like to give to your fans or anyone wanted to get better at draft league?
C9: “Any team and beat any other team on a given day. It is all about who wants it more and who’s willing to put in the work to get it it!” Thank you again for an incredible season! I’ll be back for Season 3. Wailmer Nation! Fins up!
from PDL Playoff Recap, All Stars, and Interview with the Champ
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New-Construction Modern Farmhouse Inspiration
AK Construction’s unconventional spin on a modern farmhouse was designed to be a true show stopper. This property was originally being built as a spec home but was swooped up early on in the construction stages and became a one-of-a-kind dream home for a family of four. This 6,626 square foot home is nestled on a picturesque street in Menlo Oaks, California.
Pin your favorite pictures and take notes on the paint colors shared in this post. This new-construction modern farmhouse is filled with inspiration!
New-Construction Modern Farmhouse Inspiration
Isn’t this home stunning? I love the architectural details. It feels fresh and inspiring. The exterior paint color is 23 Swiss Coffee -Kelly Moore (Low Sheen).
Trim Paint Color
Trim paint color is KMA 87-5 Stiletto- Kelly Moore (Eggshell).
Front Door Lighting: Visual Comfort Darlana Medium Bracket Lantern.
Foyer
Custom black steel door opens to a bright foyer with shiplap. Paint color is Super White OC- 152 by Benjamin Moore.
Chandelier: Visual Comfort – Large.
Picture Lighting (Wall): RH
Kitchen
This kitchen really took my breath away the moment I saw it. The scale of this kitchen and the design are beyond impressive! Kitchen walls are Benjamin Moore White Dove.
Kitchen Cabinets – Decora Cabinets Perimeter– Harmony Door Style/Non-Beaded Inset/Maple Wood/ White Finish.
Kitchen Island Dimensions
Island Dimensions- 18ft long 4ft wide plus an 18” overhang.
Kitchen Perimeter Sconces- RH – similar here, here & here.
Kitchen Cabinet Hardware – RH – Similar Pulls & Knobs.
Similar Kitchen Hood: Here, Here, Here, Here, Here & Here.
Breakfast Nook
The breakfast nook features a long custom banquette.
Kitchen Nook Lighting – New Chandelier by Visual Comfort; Launceton Ring Chandelier – Antique Burnished Brass
Island Countertop & Backsplash
Countertop is Princess White Quartzite.
Kitchen Backsplash –Walker Zanger – similar here.
Similar Kitchen Shelves: Here.
Perimeter Countertop
The perimeter countertop is Caesarstone Raven.
Kitchen Faucet: Here.
Kitchen Island Color
Kitchen Island Paint Color: Sherwin Williams Mount Etna SW 7625
Island Cabinetry – Harmony Door Style/Non-Beaded Inset/Maple Wood/ Mount Etna Finish.
Island Lighting: Visual Comfort Darlana Medium Lantern -Gilded Iron Finish.
Kitchen Cabinet Hardware – Island: RH – Similar Pulls & Knobs in Brass.
Large Kitchen Inspiration
Kitchen Decor Inspiration:
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Great Room
The Great Room opens to the formal dining room. Walls are Benjamin Moore OC-17 White Dove and ceiling paint color throughout is BM Super White OC- 152. Main Areas for Benjamin Moore White Dove Walls consist of – Dining Room, Family Room, Kitchen Hallways, Upstairs Common Area.
Fireplace Surround Stone – Glacier White Ledger – similar here.
Dining Room
The dining room features a custom wet bar and a peninsula/buffet. Countertop is Pental Quartz Super White.
Lighting
Lighting: RH – similar here, here, here, here, here, here, here (round), here (round) & here.
Similar Beverage Fridge: Here.
Formal Living Room
Living Room Fireplace Surround: Cementi Porcelain Slab- Honed – similar here.
Home Office Barn Door & Cabinet Paint Color
Black Panther 2125- 10 Benjamin Moore. Built-ins are Urban Bronze by Sherwin Williams. Office walls are Classic Grey OC- 23 Benjamin Moore.
Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood Floor: Monarch Plank Hardwood Flooring Domaine Collection Color Allier Item: MONSW3495EOAE – European Oak – Width 9 1/2″ – similar Here.
Lighting: RH – Beautiful Modern Chandeliers: Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, Here & Here.
Powder Room
Wainscoting paint color is Benjamin Moore Narragansett HC-157. Countertop is Carrara Supreme marble.
Sconces: Visual Comfot Refined Rib Sconce.
Similar Mirror: Here.
Faucet: Brizo.
Sink: Here.
Staircase
What a timeless staircase! The staircase features White Oak threads, custom stained to match the hardwood flooring, metal spindles and White Oak railing and baluster.
Loft
Upstairs you will find an expansive loft with custom desks (perfect for the kids!) and a reading nook. Desk countertop is Pental Quartz Super White. Cabinetry is Maple.
Yellow Bedroom Paint Color
Benjamin Moore 905 Lily of the Valley.
Bathroom
Countertop is Carrara Supreme marble.
Tile: Rosa c29-14-3341 Tile – similar here & here.
Shower Wall Tile: similar here.
Sink: Here.
Bedroom Paint Color
Benjamin Moore Pink Damask OC 72.
White & Grey Bathroom
Countertop is Pental Quartz Super White.
Floor Tile: Carrara Venato Basketweave.
Similar Shower Tile: Here, Here, Here & Here.
Faucet: Brizo.
Oval Sink: Here.
Thermostatic Shower: Brizo.
Handshower: Brizo.
Master Bedroom Accent Wall Color
Benjamin Moore Irises 1440.
Swing Arm Sconces: Visual Comfort.
Master Bedroom Flooring
The master bedroom features the same 9 1/2″ White Oak hardwood flooring we find in the rest of the house – similar Here.
Fireplace
This twosided shiplap fireplace separates the bedroom to the sitting area. Stone is Calacatta Cremo marble.
Bedroom Retreat Area Paint Color
Violet Mist by Benjamin Moore.
Chandelier: Visual Comfort (Small).
Balcony
The sitting area opens to a private balcony with Brazilian Slate floor tile – similar here.
Master Bathroom Paint Color
Paint color is Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17 – simply the most used white paint color by interior designers.
Bathroom Layout
Freestanding Tub Filler: Brizo.
Sconces: Visual Comfort with glass shade.
Shower Tile
Shower Tile: 3×8 Grey Subway Tile – similar Here, Here & Here – (Waterworks Architectonics Subway Tile. Color Rue)
Shower Faucet: Brizo.
Rainshower Head: Brizo with Rainshower Arm.
Hand Shower with Side Bar: Brizo.
Floor Tile & Chandelier
Floor tile is Carrara Venato 4×12 in Herringbone pattern – honed – similar here.
Similar Freestanding Bathtub: here.
Chandelier: Visual Comfort.
Cabinet Paint Color
Cabinets are custom – Modesto Door Style/Maple Wood/Full Overlay/5-Piece Flat Drawer Face/ Stamped Concrete by Sherwin Williams.
Countertop is Calacatta Miele Marble.
Bathroom Faucets: Brizo.
Sinks: Here.
Beautiful Bathroom Mirrors: Here.
Grey Bedroom Paint Color
Grey Owl OC-52 Benjamin Moore.
Guest Bathroom
Countertop is Pental Quartz Super White.
Similar Blue Subway Tile: Here, Here & Here.
Faucet: Brizo ( Matte Black).
Oval Sink: Here.
Shower: Brizo.
Basement Guest Bedroom
First Snowfall 1618 Benjamin Moore.
Basement Guest Bathroom
White Bathroom Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Super White OC- 152. Cabinet paint color is Sherwin Williams Sea Salt SW 6204.
Faucet: Brizo.
Sink: Here.
Shower Set: Brizo.
Mudroom
Mudroom locker paint color is Sea Salt Sherwin Williams in Satin finish.
Similar Hooks: Here & Here.
Patio
Folding patio doors open to a large patio with firepit.
Board & Batten
There’s so much to be inspired by here, right?! I love the architectural details of this modern farmhouse, including the board and batten siding, the black trim and the black windows and doors.
Curb-Appeal
Beautiful, inside and out!
Builder: AK Construction (Instagram – Facebook)
See another beautiful home by this builder on Home Bunch.
This Month Best Deals!
Thank you for shopping through Home Bunch. I would be happy to assist you if you have any questions or are looking for something in particular. Feel free to contact me and always make sure to check dimensions before ordering. Happy shopping!
Wayfair: Up to 70% OFF – Huge Sales on Decor, Furniture & Rugs!!
Pottery Barn: Summer Kick Off Sale: Up to 70% Off!
Serena & Lily: Enjoy 20% off. Use Code: SUMMERDAYS
West Elm: Mega Sale – BUY MORE SAVE MORE. Use Code: SAVEMORE
Anthropologie: Extra 40% Off Sale Plus 20% Off Furniture + Decor.
Horchow: Flash Sale: Up to 55% Off!!!
One Kings Lane: Save Up to 70% OFF! Free Standard Shipping on Orders over $99!
Williams & Sonoma: Spring Clearance: Up to 75% OFF!.
Nordstrom: Up to 40% OFF!
JCPenny: Final Hours of Huge Sale. Use Code: 16DEALS
Neiman Marcus: Designer Sale: Up to 40% OFF.
Pier 1: Biggest Memorial Day Sale: Up to 50% Off!
Joss & Main: Memorial Day Steals: Take an Extra 20% OFF with Code: STRIPES!
Posts of the Week:
Beautiful Home of Instagram.
Florida Family Home Interior Design Ideas.
Georgian-Style Manor with Traditional Interiors.
Beautiful Homes of Instagram.
Interior Design Ideas: Colorful Interiors.
Farmhouse with Front Porch.
Beautiful Homes of Instagram: California Beach House.
New-Construction Home for First-time Home Buyer.
California Beach House with Beautiful Coastal Interiors.
Florida Empty-Nester Home Ideas.
Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina Home Design.
Grey Kitchen Paint Colors.
Board & Batten Modern Farmhouse.
Small Modern Farmhouse with Front Porch.
Texas Acreage Modern Farmhouse.
Interior Design Ideas: Transitional Home.
Interior Design Ideas: House Renovation.
Beautiful Homes of Instagram.
Modern Farmhouse Renovation.
New-Construction Family Home Design.
Corner Lot New-Construction Home Ideas.
Newest Interior Design Ideas.
Kitchen and Dining Room Renovation.
Interior Design Ideas.
You can follow my pins here: Pinterest/HomeBunch
See more Inspiring Interior Design Ideas in my Archives.
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