Tuesday, July 14, 1998 http://www.HWCI.com/wc98 Issue # 40.5.4 "Reflection, Part II..." 1998 HWCI WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT POOL =================================== WORLD CUP POOL SURVIVES FIRST INCARNATION New and old winners claim stake in $210 pot, 3rd largest ever EL SEGUNDO, CA (smt)- The first HWCI World Cup Tournament Pool went off relatively smoothly. Unlike our HWCI NCAA pool, there was no set rules (e.g., point system, how to enter) and no software to run the pool. Everything started from scratch, and after the four-week World Cup ended, problems were few and far between. Except for the 2nd tiebreaker, the entry form was relatively easy to fill out. Picking the 48 first-round matches in addition to the Round of 16 and its knockout stages was novel. When the dust settled, the WC pool utilized a similiar point system to the NCAA pool (making it comparable to the NCAA pool) and an Excel worksheet was created to handle the running of the pool. It's unfortunate that we have to wait four years to run this pool again, as I would like to have tested the software more. By 2002, I'm sure there will be a World Cup pool program out there. As far as I know, this was one of the few WC public pools out there that let you choose the first-round matches, the 16 teams who advance, and the knockout stages at once. Had there been three days or so of a break between the 1st and 2nd rounds, I might have opted to go with an NCAA-type Sweet 16 format and skip the 1st round. Since there was no such break, I incorporated the 1st round into the pool. I've received favorable comments and a suggestion to win points on ties in the first round. Thanks. Turning points? * Argentina's undeserved win over England in the Round of 16 spoiled SOCCER SPICE's chance to go 8-0 and take over 1st place- in the end, he finished 5th, just 4 points off a money spot. * Sat., July 4- This one day with two quarterfinal matches, eliminated six of 13 contenders when Germany and Argentina bowed out. All six eliminated had picked GER as their 1998 World Cup champion. Also, Argentina's loss meant that SOCKER SCOOTER couldn't win 1st or 2nd, even if France won the World Cup (which they did). * France's win over Croatia provided the only difference between LE BIX and MLSBOB, giving LE BIX the 1st place prize and MLSBOB 2nd by just one single point. It was the first time MLSBOB was not in first at the end of a day this whole tourney. Had they been tied, MLSBOB would have eventually won the tiebreaker. * Spain bowing out in the first round- LUIS ENRIQUE'S ARMADA predicted well and was in it until the semis, but Spain's elimination early meant that he lost 38 points, which was too much to overcome, and finished just six points from 4th place. NO KORNIKOVA FOR RONALDO (7th over LUIS ENRIQUE'S ARMADA), JAYBIAN IV (11th over his brother, THE FLYING ELVI), and KING OF THE WORLD (14th over TRIPLEX) won their tiebreakers. MLSBOB, ERIC THE RED, and JAYBIAN IV correctly picked 6 goals were going to be scored in the 3rd place and Final matches and four more were just a 1/2 goal off the mark. The tiebreakers will probably change slightly next WC, especially if FIFA decides to ax the 3rd place match. And maybe we'll figure a way to have ties turn into points. Well, it's been a fun ride. This is the last transmission for World Cup 1998. Because of the pool this has been the best World Cup ever. I hope your enjoyment was enhanced by the pool, as well. Just a reminder, that the 5th Annual HWCI NCAA College Basketball Tournament Pool will take place in March, 1999. So start following the hoops and I'll remake contact then. Bye! WINNERS ------- 1st- LE BIX (Fernando Bustamante) [$115.00 prize] 2nd- MLSBOB (Bob Goldberg) [$ 55.00 prize] 3rd- SOCCER SCOOTER (Scott M Tamashiro) [$ 25.00 prize] 4th- NAW'DEEN (Nadine Wong Shi Kam) [$ 15.00 prize] Fernando is now the reigning HWCI moneymaker with $185 won in five tries. Scott HW has finished third in the last two HWCI pools, taking in a modest total of $65. Nadine was our first WC entry, about three weeks before the start of WC98. Both she and Bob were first-time (and hopefully not last) HWCI pool entrants. Previous 1st place HWCI pool winners [prize money won]: 1995 NCAA- BIX PIX (Fernando Bustamante), 148 pts [$ 70.00] 1996 NCAA- JAYBIAN (Jason Selander), 144 pts [$110.00] 1997 NCAA- MAX (Sean Dumzer), 116 pts [$125.00] 1998 NCAA- ANNA COME LATELY (Anna), 126 pts [$150.00] Total pot: 1995 ($120), 1996, ($190), 1997 ($220), 1998 ($280) RECORDS ------- Best Record (Round 1) (48): 27-5-16, MLSBOB, LUIS ENRIQUE'S ARMADA Worst Record (Round 1) (48): 19-13-16, THE BRUTE SQUAD Most Round of 16 teams (16): 14, MLSBOB, LE BIX, BIG BRI'S GOING DOWN Least Round of 16 teams (16): 9, ERIC THE RED, RUSSO Most wins- Round of 16 (8): 7, MLSBOB, SOCCER SPICE, THE FLYING ELVI, CANTONA Least wins- Round of 16 (8): 3, THE BRUTE SQUAD Most wins- Quarters (4): 3, MLSBOB, LE BIX, ERIC THE RED Least wins- Quarters (4): 0, RUSSO Most wins- Semis (2): 2, LE BIX Least wins- Semis (2): 0, 6 tied Most wins- Final (1): 1, SOCKER SCOOTER Least wins- Final (0): 0, 20 tied Leader after Round 1+R16: 69, MLSBOB Leader after Round of 16: 104, MLSBOB Leader after Quarters: 125, MLSBOB Leader after Semis: 135, LE BIX Leader after Finals: 135, LE BIX Best start (record): 18-0-11, MLSBOB Most points (196): 135, LE BIX Least points (196): 68, RUSSO Most points, last 3 rounds (60): 39, LE BIX Least points, last 3 rounds (60): 0, RUSSO Most correct picks (79): 52, MLSBOB Least correct picks (79): 34, THE BRUTE SQUAD, RUSSSO Smallest margin of victory: 1 point, LE BIX Most money won: $180.00, Fernando Bustamante (2) (2nd place: $150, Anna (1)) and... Most time-consuming pool updates: 40 by Scott HW (aka, SOCKER SCOOTER) Eliminated from finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th (17): THE BRUTE SQUAD (6/27), TOM FUNG (6/27), THE MIGHTY MOBELFAKTA (6/29), SWEETTEETH (6/29), FLASHER (6/30), NO KORNIKOVA FOR RONALDO (6/30), RUSSO (6/30), TRIPLEX (6/30), CANTONA (7/4), JAYBIAN IV (7/4), KING OF THE WORLD (7/4), BIG BRI'S GOING DOWN (7/4), THE FLYING ELVI (7/4), ERIC THE RED (7/7), SAN DIEGO SUCKERS (7/7), LUIS ENRIQUE'S ARMADA (7/7), SOCCER SPICE (7/12). Next up: South Korea and Japan... Scott HW -----------------------------------------\\ || /\ || // ___ Scott M Tamashiro, HWCI Engineering \\||//\\||// /o-o\\ \ \ ` WC98 Pool Administrator \ / \ / (o-o-o)) ) > > > Email: scott@hwci.com || || \`o'// / / , Updates: http://www.HWCI.com/wc98 || || WORLD CUP ---------------------------------------------------- POOL 1998