He told Ulti that no one would be retired, but that was at the end of the Summer Contest LAST year. It's not like Ceej can't change his mind. After all, some believe the main purpose of this contest was to get rid of Sephy.
---
Hi,I'm partystar. ^_^
Or maybe I'm Leonhart. That's for you to decide.

With Seph's lackluster performance here it's all the more reason not to retire him.
---
No, I can't save you money on car insurance.

In the grand tradition of bracket making, I present to you my SC2k5 Bracket. There is no Clinkeroth (though I'd love to see a "winner's tourney" directly afterwards), Nintendo and Square are capped at 12 characters, and there are 24 characters that were not in SC2k4. Some where in 2k3, and some where in the past contest, but if I say it that way it makes the number bigger. Anyway, each character's seed and name are displayed (obviously), and the other number in parenthesis indicates a past seeding, so nobody yells at me for the seeding being crazy. Enough talky, more brackety.

Mushroom Way Madness
1 Mario (1)
16 CATS
8 Viewtiful Joe (6)
9 Jak (11)
4 Arbiter (NA)
13 Kratos Aurion (NA)
5 Liquid Snake (11)
12 Shadow the Hedgehog (9)
3 Yoshi (4)
14 Frog (6)
6 Kirby (5)
11 Knuckles (10)
7 Gordon Freeman (7)
10 Raiden (16)
2 Mega Man (2)
15 King of All Cosmos (NA)

Light Speed
1 Sonic (1)
16 Chun-Li (NA)
8 Wario (8)
9 KOS-MOS (9)
4 Bowser (5)
13 Tidus (8)
5 Squall Leonhart (6)
12 Ryu (8)
3 Master Chief (3)
14 Aeris Gainsborough (11)
6 Auron (8)
11 Ganondorf (12)
7 Zero (7)
10 Magus (13)
2 Solid Snake (2)
15 Vincent Valentine (NA)

Zebesian Midnight
1 Samus (2)
16 Yoshimitsu (NA)
8 Tails (9)
9 Sub-Zero (NA)
4 CJ (NA)
13 Donkey Kong (10)
5 Leon Kennedy (NA)
12 Diablo (NA)
3 Ness (6)
14 Serge (NA)
6 Kefka (7)
11 Ken Masters (12)
7 Terra (NA)
10 Kerrigan (NA)
2 Luigi (3)
15 Akuma (NA)

Zealous Entropy
1 Crono (3)
16 Pac-Man (13)
8 Lloyd Irving (NA)
9 Fox McCloud (9)
4 Kratos (NA)
13 Jill Valentine (14)
5 Revolver Ocelot (NA)
12 Tommy Vercetti (5)
3 Sora (6)
14 Naked Snake (NA)
6 Alucard (6)
11 Tifa Lockheart (NA)
7 Vivi (7)
10 Zelda (10)
2 Dante (4)
15 Vyse (11)

Predict, laugh at, poke with a stick, what have you.
---
Congratulations to yoblazer for winning the Sp2k5 Guru Contest!

For some reason I expect Ganondorf had SFF'D Robotnik in some weird way, this also means that Robotnik managed to SFF Masterhand which would explain why Kuja is so low as he is.

Well, I was tempted to say the same thing...however, look at where Lavos and Sin are in the standings. They're comparable to each and they're quite close to each other. Other than that I don't really know what say.

The average score of all BOP brackets is 69.4. So that means I'm barely above average on the board, which isn't so surprising considering how pitiful I did, but when I look at my overall rank I'm in the top 2000 with almost 25000 brackets around. Wow, people truly do suck at this thing.

Actually, I think this is the worst the BOP has ever done in relation to everyone else. (Excluding the last couple rounds, of course) Tons of people the participated in the BOP ranked in the top 1% in Sp2K4 and SC2K4, but not many did in Sp2K5. I blame it on there only being 32 characters, and thus more people getting dumb fanboy luck!

Oh, and it's nice to see that Ganondorf received 41.83%. That's .07% off from my calculated prediction (using multiple averages involving Bowser, Sephiroth, Ganondorf, and Kefka). Too bad I'm still probably gonna fail to make the Top 20 in the Oracle Challenge. >.<

---
Yoblazer beat me in the Guru Challenge! Good job!

He told Ulti that no one would be retired, but that was at the end of the Summer Contest LAST year. It's not like Ceej can't change his mind. After all, some believe the main purpose of this contest was to get rid of Sephy.

Not only that, but he didn't even say that no one would be retired. He just said that he had something in mind and that retiring Link and Cloud was "not exactly" it. So retirements are still quite possible.
---
SpC2K5 First Vote Champion
Congrats to yoblazer, the Guru contest winner!

With Seph's lackluster performance here it's all the more reason not to retire him.

Lackluster? Perhaps to those who closely track stats and expected Sephiroth to double everybody. However to those who don't, Sephiroth put on a star performance decimating everybody in his path.
---
I got decimated by yoblazer33 in the Spring 2k5 Guru contest! Congrats to yoblazer33 for a job well done!

Mushroom Way Madness
1 Mario (1)
9 Jak (11)
4 Arbiter (NA)
12 Shadow the Hedgehog (9)
14 Frog (6)
6 Kirby (5)
10 Raiden (16)
2 Mega Man (2)

Light Speed
1 Sonic (1)
9 KOS-MOS (9)
4 Bowser (5)
12 Ryu (8)
14 Aeris Gainsborough (11)
11 Ganondorf (12)
10 Magus (13)
2 Solid Snake (2)

Zebesian Midnight
1 Samus (2)
8 Tails (9)
13 Donkey Kong (10)
5 Leon Kennedy (NA)
14 Serge (NA)
6 Kefka (7)
7 Terra (NA)
2 Luigi (3)

Zealous Entropy
1 Crono (3)
8 Lloyd Irving (NA)
4 Kratos (NA)
5 Revolver Ocelot (NA)
3 Sora (6)
11 Tifa Lockheart (NA)
10 Zelda (10)
2 Dante (4)

Mario
Shadow
Frog
Mega Man

Sonic
Bowser
Ganondorf
Magus

Samus
Leon Kennedy
Serge
Terra

Crono
Ocelot
Tifa
Zelda

Mario
Mega Man

Sonic
Ganondorf

Samus
Terra

Crono
Zelda

Mario
Ganondorf
Samus
Crono

Mario
Samus

Mario

I like how the bracket set up for Samus to take out Crono, the only person who could beat Mario.


---
Yoblazer made me look like Tanner in the Guru Contest.

Oh yeah this is the worst half of a division ever!

3 Ness (6)
14 Serge (NA)
6 Kefka (7)
11 Ken Masters (12)
7 Terra (NA)
10 Kerrigan (NA)
2 Luigi (3)
15 Akuma (NA)

I rank them
Terra
Luigi
Serge
Kefka
Ken Masters
Kerrigan
Akuma
Ness

Only Ness and Akuma, are out of the running in winning that side of the division.
---
Yoblazer made me look like Tanner in the Guru Contest.

You have some good matches in that bracket, but the Light Speed division is ridiculously stacked. I count 13 characters in that division who are stronger than the second strongest character in the Zebes division. Every single first round match in that division except Wario vs. KOS-MOS would be more appropriate as a second round match. Also, I'm really hoping to see Kefka get the boot as long as we have company caps - he's just too weak to be worth the slot.

I'll fill it out and comment some more when I have a little more time.
---
SpC2K5 First Vote Champion
Congrats to yoblazer, the Guru contest winner!

Only Ness and Akuma, are out of the running in winning that side of the division.

After seeing what Bison did, you're crazy to think Akuma is out of the running.
---
Hi,I'm partystar. ^_^
Or maybe I'm Leonhart. That's for you to decide.

7 Terra (NA)
10 Kerrigan (NA)
2 Luigi (3)
15 Akuma (NA)

A four pack that Kerrigan could win. Yay for drastically overseeding Luigi.

15 Vincent Valentine (NA)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

4 Arbiter (NA)
13 Kratos Aurion (NA)
5 Liquid Snake (11)
12 Shadow the Hedgehog (9)

Interesting, although the winner of Liquid/Shadow is gonna own the four pack. I can't see Arbiter being all that strong. Still, this would get the award for most overestimated four pack - They'd all probably end up sucking more than we'd expect.

7 Gordon Freeman (7)
10 Raiden (16)

Do all brackets really have to test GFNW? I'd be much more interested to see CATS take his place, as long as you are going to have a fodder v. fodder matchup here. Plus, the universe wouldn't end upon the conclusion of the poll. Everyone's happy.

4 CJ (NA)
13 Donkey Kong (10)
5 Leon Kennedy (NA)
12 Diablo (NA)

Diablo v. DK? Very cool.

3 Ness (6)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
---
Yoblazer > Kerrigan > Sp2005 > My sad, sad little 68 point bracket.

Do all brackets really have to test GFNW?

Even SFF'd Raiden is ahead of Gordon. There's no testing to it.
---
Hi,I'm partystar. ^_^
Or maybe I'm Leonhart. That's for you to decide.

Even SFF'd Raiden is ahead of Gordon. There's no testing to it.

Hrm.

101 Gordon Freeman 13.85
114 Raiden 12.29
---
Yoblazer > Kerrigan > Sp2005 > My sad, sad little 68 point bracket.

Light Speed
1 Sonic (1)
16 Chun-Li (NA)
8 Wario (8)
9 KOS-MOS (9)
4 Bowser (5)
13 Tidus (8)
5 Squall Leonhart (6)
12 Ryu (8)
3 Master Chief (3)
14 Aeris Gainsborough (11)
6 Auron (8)
11 Ganondorf (12)
7 Zero (7)
10 Magus (13)
2 Solid Snake (2)
15 Vincent Valentine (NA)

There's some nice stacking there, but swap Tidus and Ganondorf. I'd like to see Bowser-Ganon, at the expense of some SFF I guess.
---
Jon Thomson - 70 points with a Sephiroth win.
I am to yoblazer as the Yankees are to the Red Sox. Inferior.

Okay, so I was wrong. But regardless, there's no doubt Raiden got hammered by SFF against Snake. He'd beat Freeman without any trouble.
---
Hi,I'm partystar. ^_^
Or maybe I'm Leonhart. That's for you to decide.

8 Viewtiful Joe (6)
9 Jak (11)

Good match, very close.

4 Arbiter (NA)
13 Kratos Aurion (NA)

Kratos shouldn't be in, Arbiter is too high.

5 Liquid Snake (11)
12 Shadow the Hedgehog (9)

Tough match

3 Yoshi (4)
14 Frog (6)

Bad seeding, but a tough match

7 Gordon Freeman (7)
10 Raiden (16)

Raiden should win no matter how good HL2 was, that's how badly he was SFFd

1 Sonic (1)
16 Chun-Li (NA)

Chun-li is too low. Unless they are absolutely hopeless new characters shouldn't be seeded lower than 13.

8 Wario (8)
9 KOS-MOS (9)

Wario doesn't deserve to return, and it's an easy KOS-MOS victory.

5 Squall Leonhart (6)
12 Ryu (8)

Ryu, being the only non-noble niner to make top 10 twice (using unajusted stats for 2k4) deserves a higher seed, especially since this match is all his to win.

3 Master Chief (3)
14 Aeris Gainsborough (11)

I'd take Aeris in rematch, Halo 2 or no. And rematches suck, your bracket drops a lot of respect in my book for intentionally setting one up.

6 Auron (8)
11 Ganondorf (12)

Tough match, for sure.

7 Zero (7)
10 Magus (13)

Tough again.

2 Solid Snake (2)
15 Vincent Valentine (NA)

Vincent could upset here, but I'd put all my money behind him if he met Snake in round 3 instead.

8 Tails (9)
9 Sub-Zero (NA)

I see where this comes from, it's sorta bland.

4 CJ (NA)
13 Donkey Kong (10)

I don't respect CJ at all, and I'd rather not see him in the contest.

5 Leon Kennedy (NA)
12 Diablo (NA)

Nor do I wish to see Diablo, really.

3 Ness (6)
14 Serge (NA)

I'm taking Serge at over 25% on 2k4 Link and an easy enough victory over Ness.

6 Kefka (7)
11 Ken Masters (12)

For setting up a Terra/Kefka rd 2 match (or trying) you've lost even more respect. I hate contrived matches 90% of the time. It's cool when they are for the sake of making the contest difficult, but outside of that they suck.

7 Terra (NA)
10 Kerrigan (NA)

Terra stomps

2 Luigi (3)
15 Akuma (NA)

Akuma loses, more from bracket support than anything else.

1 Crono (3)
16 Pac-Man (13)

Lame, really.

8 Lloyd Irving (NA)
9 Fox McCloud (9)

Lloyd seems to high,be even so he might scrape out a win

4 Kratos (NA)
13 Jill Valentine (14)

Lame. Really, contrived matches = suck.

5 Revolver Ocelot (NA)
12 Tommy Vercetti (5)

Not a bad match,

3 Sora (6)
14 Naked Snake (NA)

Too many MGS reps, no way in hell we'll ever see that many.

6 Alucard (6)
11 Tifa Lockheart (NA)

An upset is possible for Tifa, but I'd back Alucard regardless.

7 Vivi (7)
10 Zelda (10)

A good match.
---
Yoblazer just kicked my ass!

RPGuy, there is a typo in your all time stats. Magus should be #1 on the list.

~*ST*~
---
*PWNED BY YOBLAZER in the Guru Contest*
Congrats, and hopefully you win the whole thing.

And WHY DOES EVERYONE SPOIL KUJA'S ENTIRE STORY BY GIVING HIM A LAST NAME THAT HE DOESN'T ACTUALLY POSSESS? Jesus god damn Christ.

~*ST*~
---
*PWNED BY YOBLAZER in the Guru Contest*
Congrats, and hopefully you win the whole thing.

RPGuy, there is a typo in your all time stats. Magus should be #134 on the list.

Fixed your typo.
---
Hi,I'm partystar. ^_^
Or maybe I'm Leonhart. That's for you to decide.

Oops, that should say Terra/Kefka rd 3. That half a division is so weak that it could happen, too, assuming Serge fails my expectations and Terra is a tad bit strnger than Kefka.
---
Yoblazer just kicked my ass!

You need to stop adjusting stats based on old data >_>

New data will always be more accurate, because, whaddaya know, things change.

It's a scary thought, I know, but there you have it.

It's like the census... Once every three years... Things change...
---
Yoblazer did rather well in the guru contest.
Rather well, indeed.

hmm, the annoying thing sometimes though ulti, is that when you point out that there is a spoiler, it draws more attention to it, so I suppose it's really a lose-lose situation. I mean if you didn't know it was a spoiler, you wouldn't know it was a spoiler. I only mention it cause I noticed it in one of you pca writeups, too, discussing someone's match pic. if something's a spoiler, the best way to go about getting rid of it without people noticing is probably just to tell the poster to delete it,or just to let it go unnoticed.
---
Congratulations to yoblazer, winner of the Spring 2k5 Guru Contest!

4 Kratos (NA)
13 Jill Valentine (14)

Lame. Really, contrived matches = suck.

...How is that match contrived? My apologies on MC/Aeris; I originally had Magus and Aeris switched but I liked Magus/Zero more than Aeris/Zero. And Terra/Kefka has a pretty minimal chance of happening; if I wanted to set them up I would have had them go against each other in the first round.

You have some good matches in that bracket, but the Light Speed division is ridiculously stacked. I count 13 characters in that division who are stronger than the second strongest character in the Zebes division. Every single first round match in that division except Wario vs. KOS-MOS would be more appropriate as a second round match.

I realize this, but if they were 2nd round matches then I can't make interesting first round matches. And Bowser's 4 pack was originally in Zebes, but I didn't want to risk Samus/Bowser SFF so I moved it. I can't put it in Mario's division, obviously, nor can I put them with Crono in case Squall or Tidus win.

Do all brackets really have to test GFNW? I'd be much more interested to see CATS take his place, as long as you are going to have a fodder v. fodder matchup here

Yes. Gordon must always be given a winnable match so he can find new ways to lose. CATS needs to be in the first match, so he can't be here.
---
Congratulations to yoblazer for winning the Sp2k5 Guru Contest!

Why does CATS have to be in the first match? IIRC most people were annoyed that CATS would leave the contest so soon.
---
I got decimated by yoblazer33 in the Spring 2k5 Guru contest! Congrats to yoblazer33 for a job well done!

I agree with TRE, there's no reason CATS should be in the first match. It's not like it's a tradition or anything, he's only been there once out of four contests.

I don't see that much problem with Bowser/Samus, and even less with Crono/Tidus. It's good to avoid SFF, but I wouldn't put it above all other considerations. Just no more same game matches like Link/Ganon.
---
SpC2K5 First Vote Champion
Congrats to yoblazer, the Guru contest winner!

I would prefer to avoid SFF at all costs just to avoid screwing things up.
---
Yuna: Stay with me until the end. Please.
Tidus: Not until the end. Always.

Crono/Kefka wasn't a same game match, and look at how that ended up.
---
SpC2k5 FINAL SCORE: 72/80
*is Janus5000*

I really don't see CATS as a 16 seed anymore.. he's not a single digit seed by any means obviously, but he'd make a good 12 or 13 seed.

For some reason I'm thinking King of All Cosmos is underseeded.. but that's probably the pizza talking :P
---
Spring Contest Winner: Sephiroth over Ganondorf

2 Solid Snake (2)
15 Vincent Valentine (NA)

...W...W...WTF? I'd take that upset pick!
---
I don't want to say this, but yoblazer's making me for him pwning me in the Guru Contest! *grumble*

Crono/Kefka wasn't a same game match, and look at how that ended up.

Crono and Kefka are a lot closer in fanbase and a lot farther apart in strength than Crono and Tidus. And to Leonhart, do you mean you want to avoid all SFF so our stats are perfect? Seems like a bad goal to me - I'd rather have an interesting contest with imperfect stats, especially since perfect stats make the next contest less interesting.
---
SpC2K5 First Vote Champion
Congrats to yoblazer, the Guru contest winner!

You can never have too many FFVI characters.
Unless one of them is Umaro or Gau.

Die.
---
Yoblazer'd
Trivia XV: Dragostea Din Tei

Hey, Gau's a great fighter, but you do have to admit that he's not exactly the most popular character from FF VI.
---
Yo Yogi? No, yoblazer! Congratulations to yoblazer for being the top Guru!
www.rpgdl.com

Gau > Kefka
---
SpC2k5 FINAL SCORE: 72/80
*is Janus5000*

And WHY DOES EVERYONE SPOIL KUJA'S ENTIRE STORY BY GIVING HIM A LAST NAME THAT HE DOESN'T ACTUALLY POSSESS? Jesus god damn Christ.

It's a show-off tactic, usually used by the same idiots who refer to Kefka as Kefka Palazzo. Kefka doesn't have a last name, and I challenge anybody to show me, a FF3/6j fan of ten years, where in the game Kefka has a last name. He doesn't. Palazzo is a fanfic name.

Oh, and by the way, if you're not Asian, you have no business referring to Mega Man and Proto Man as Rock and Blues. Stop that.

---
Spring Contest 2005 Score: 79/80, Rank: 20 (T1)
My Video Game World Records: http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&p=35289

It's a show-off tactic, usually used by the same idiots who refer to Kefka as Kefka Palazzo. Kefka doesn't have a last name, and I challenge anybody to show me, a FF3/6j fan of ten years, where in the game Kefka has a last name. He doesn't. Palazzo is a fanfic name.

Say something often enough, it becomes close enough to true. Kekfa may not have an official last name (though I have my sources that I could ask about that), but that won't stop me from using it.

Oh, and by the way, if you're not Asian, you have no business referring to Mega Man and Proto Man as Rock and Blues. Stop that.

I will do whatever I want, and you have absolutely no right to tell me different.
---
Yo Yogi? No, yoblazer! Congratulations to yoblazer for being the top Guru!
www.rpgdl.com

You saying "Kefka Palazzo" would be like me saying "Sephiroth Jones" and "Ganondorf Smith." They don't have last names.

---
Spring Contest 2005 Score: 79/80, Rank: 20 (T1)
My Video Game World Records: http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&p=35289

Ganondorf actually does have a last name. But I do agree, the fan-made last names are stupid.
---
The yoblazer: He is so much better at the Guru Contest than you.
ZSB [aX]

Dragmire is it?
---
Congratulations to yoblazer, winner of the Spring 2k5 Guru Contest!

[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

Yeah. It's mentioned in LttP, and I believe in FSA as well.
---
The yoblazer: He is so much better at the Guru Contest than you.
ZSB [aX]

but you have yet to convince me that the casual StarCraft player cares for Kerrigan as a chracter, enough to vote for her.

And I'm sure you had people convincing you that all the casual players cared for Diablo or any other such character. I won't even bother wasting my breath with that.

---
Yoblazer: I'm about three things: kicking ass; taking names; and winning GameFAQs contests.

I never heard of a "Dragmire" in LTTP. Never played FSA.

New example. "Kefka Palazzo" would be like giving Ness a last name.

---
Spring Contest 2005 Score: 79/80, Rank: 20 (T1)
My Video Game World Records: http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&p=35289

I never heard of a "Dragmire" in LTTP.

Check your instruction manual.
---
Think fast. Click faster.

Kefka doesn't have a last name, and I challenge anybody to show me, a FF3/6j fan of ten years, where in the game Kefka has a last name. He doesn't. Palazzo is a fanfic name.

I can't because Palazzo isn't in the game.

It is however, in the instruction manual. Japanese one of course. Although it's spelled Palazzio in that particular source..


---
No, I can't save you money on car insurance.

I lost my instruction manual a decade ago. His official last name may very well be Dragmire, but instruction manuals are hardly reliable. Just look at the Metroid manual.

---
Spring Contest 2005 Score: 79/80, Rank: 20 (T1)
My Video Game World Records: http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&p=35289

Ganondorf "Dragmire" isn't a canonical last name. It never appears in-game and happens to be one of those many translation problems NoA had.

---
Yoblazer: I'm about three things: kicking ass; taking names; and winning GameFAQs contests.

And instruction manuals aren't often reliable because of translation and the liberties American companies take.

But Japanese manuals should be plenty canon.
---
No, I can't save you money on car insurance.

Raiden would blow Freeman out. No joke. 70%+ of the vote for sure. Gordon Freeman would have no chance to survive make his time in that matchup.
---
He needs nominations, 61! Nominate Raiden (Metal Gear Solid 2) for SC2K5!
http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmessage.php?board=8&topic=21155016

Raiden would blow Freeman out. No joke. 70%+ of the vote for sure. Gordon Freeman would have no chance to survive make his time in that matchup.

My math may be a bit sketchy, but assuming Gordon's stats are correct, that would give Raiden an expected 23.8+ percent on Link2k3. In other words, no.
---
Yoblazer > Kerrigan > Sp2005 > My sad, sad little 68 point bracket.

Well, we only saw Raiden in one match, where he got creamed by Solid Snake in a demonstration of SFF. Who knows how he'd really do.

---
Spring Contest 2005 Score: 79/80, Rank: 20 (T1)
My Video Game World Records: http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&p=35289