Guest Coach Emily VanDusen chooses Grace Potter

Guest Coach Emily VanDusen has chosen Grace Potter as her team.  Emily originally had chosen Rihanna, only to find out she was already chosen.  Expecting Justin Bieber to be called out, Mark was shocked to hear the name, Grace Potter.  "A solid choice", said Mark. "Good wanted he in", texted Tony Signore.   Mark has not announced who will be cut.  "Could be the ol Blind Willie McTell", said Ewing.   "What's he gonna do in The Alamo?  Not much."

Play-in Games

Play-In Games (Seedings to be determined)

Floaters (always go in as worst seed)-worst seed.
They Gone (Mark lost)- Devo
They Gone (Tony lost)- Ben Harper
Star Wars Runner-Up: The Shins(Mark)

Coin-flip winner between Devo/Ben Harper will coin flip Vs The Shins.  This will determine the Seeds. 

Wounded Warrior?

At press time, Tony Signore was harping on Wounded Warrior:  Any group, can challenge an enemy higher seed (risking throwing out losing team).  Higher team can accept challenge  or  lose(allowing challenger to take its spot) .....ironing out the details now.

Stalingrad

Stalingrad- Tony primary Plays Guadalcanal  9-16
Stalingrad Seeds 9-16 to play at Guadalcanal 1-8

01- Lou Reed
02- Nick Lowe
03- Kings of Leon
04- Blind Boys of Alabama
05-Wilco
06- BlackCrowes (BenHarperTheyGone)
07- Escovedo (RStones-)
08- Peter Frampton
..........below groups deployed to Guadalcanal
09- Bruce Springsteen
10- Niko Case
11- Kat Edmundson
12- The Mavericks
13- Waylon Jennings (dead)
14- Diane [in litigation]
15- Julia [Rhianna]
16- Dan- [The Heavy]

The Alamo

The Alamo (Mark primary) plays Battle of the Bulge 9-16
 The Alamo Seeds 9-16 to play at Battle of Bulge 1-8

01- The Beatles (dead)
02- George Harrison (locked) "All Things Must Pass"- double-import.
03- Rilo Kiley
04- Dave Stewart (on basis of one song)
05- Dr. John (Never given credit)
06- Little Big Town
07- Avett Bros
08- [Sandy] Rozzi Crane
..........below groups are deployed to Bulge......
09- Shirley Bassey (James Bond Themes Honor)
10- The Cars (Devo they gone)
11- Graham Parker (SWars 2012 Champ)
12- Warren Zevon (Dead)
13- [Frank] Joan Jett  (SANCTIONED -cant move)
14- [Emily]: Grace Potter (replaces Blind Willie McTell)
15- Joan Armatrading
16- Bob Dylan (punishment for bad concert, 2012)

Battle of the Bulge

Battle of the Bulge (Tony Secondary) plays Alamo 9-16
Battle of the Bulge 9-16  play 1-8 Alamo

01- The Who
02- ZZ Top
03- Radiohead
04- Hayes Caroll
05- The Kinks
06- The Black Keyes
07- Emmy Lou Harris
08- SIR TOM PETTY (StrmTrooper)(locked)
..........below groups are deployed to The Alamo....
09- Johnny Cash (GHarr)
10- Nora Jones
11-Shelby Lynn
12- [Hblaau]- Kelly Willis
13- Brandi Carlisle
14- Time Jumpers
15- [Jim Blw]- [Jimi Hendrix  ]
16-[Abe] FUN

Guadalcanal

                  


GUADALCANAL (Mark Secondary) plays Stalingrad 9-16
Guad 9-16 play Stalingrad 1-8

01- Rolling Stones (locked)
02- TRex (dead)
03- B.A.D
04- Nick Cave
05- The Jam
06- Timmy Thomas
07- Garbage
08- Fleetwood Mac
...............below groups are deployed to Stalingrad.....
09- Alabama Shakes(Diane locked them here)
10- Aimee Mann
11- One Direction (set up for Tony to They Gone- He didn't)
12- Led Zeppelin ( the old guard)
13- The Shins (Auto Invite-Runner Up 2012)
14- Fairport Convention (Star Wars Regulars)
15- Ween (Goodbye tour, they broke up)
16- Patti Smith         

The Automatic Invites for 2013

Powerful 2012 Teams Happy To Return

     Returning as automatic qualifiers for the 2013 Season are:

Graham Parker, 2012 Star Wars Champ, for Mark

The Shins, 2012-2012 Star Wars Runnerup, for Mark, as a play-in game.

Sir Tom Petty, 2012 Star Wars Storm Trooper Award Winner, for Tony

Signore's Star Wars Gala Kicks Off 2013 Tourney

Tony Signore, the brains behind his Star Wars Gala,  is seen here drabbed in his Dark Vader Costume.  Having trouble turning on his lazer, he is seen moments later beating a young Imperial Wizard to unconciousness with the plastic stem.  All in good fun, for Signore's backyard Star Wars Gala is a new tradition in the rich Star Wars Basketball History.  "Its for the kids, it's why I do it.  Plus me like all the cake.  Have some cake.  We've got tons of it here", said Signore.  "Ah you got your basketball, you got your songs, you got your making a big list of stuff, but I love the part where I can chase around the kids in the yard.  They aren't really that fast, but they are elusive."

Sandy Announces 2nd Entry into The Star Wars

Sandy announces her entry into the Star Wars Tournament:  Singer Rozzi Crane. 

A bit of a shocker.  An unknown. 

Mark Ewing and Tony Signore both realize that the Tournament is starting off 2 women singers.  Women haven't had too much of a history in the Star Wars in the last few years.

Frank LaLonde Announces First Star Wars Entry 2013

"Much like his liver, LaLonde is going to showcase his Blackheart..." Frank LaLonde

Sadly, Joan Jett will probably end up as a 13-seed through no fault of her own.  Mark Ewing felt he had no choice to come down on Star Pup Frank Lalonde for his lack of participation in the 2012 Star Wars Games. Seeking a thrill, Lalonde coached the Red Hot Carrot Tops(sic) a few years back with mediocre results. He was rewarded this year to a 6-seed for his news articles contributions that helped drive up the Star Wars to a frantic pace. Lalonde chose Frank Zappa this year. While the readers of the Blog waited for Frank to put in some articles, Zappa was bowled over by the hot Paul McCartney. Lalonde did not put in a single article, although he was seen throwing out dozens of news articles to the Facebook. "We got 12 blurbs a day from him. News of the odd, and news of the downright mundane. Today it was: How to make a chocolate Millenium Falcon, a photo of a windmill, and an obiturary to someone I never knew.

"Lalonde will have to move down to a 13-seed. Nothing personal, just business. He will have to submit an actual band that tries to be a band and not a circus act."

Tony Signore: "Frank is the wicked man. He shoulda get kicked out for a year, oh laws, but well, he is a 13-seed now. I love the slop. I eat it up."

OFFICIAL STAR WARS GUIDE MAP

Print this up and use it! This helps with strategy if you know where the rules are. This also works as a guide.

...........................................................................................................................

1-Preliminary Stage

Each Officer will announce 2 Battle Sites, these will be the Division Names. (announce your choice for 'strongest division' of the two) Put in blog.

Name Guest Coaches, and announce their choices (not seeds) before Meeting One. Officers to approve/deny band.

Under each Division Name, Make 2 groups of 17. Have extra teams on bench.  Lock in Storm Trooper.

..........................................................................................................................

Meeting One

Bring two lists of 17 Singers/Bands.

Starting with winning coach, he starts at bottom, 16 seed, and names bands. If opposing coach has the same group, he announces it, and gets to permanently LOCK that group at his listed seed.

Make sure to halt procedings when Storm Trooper gets entered. Toast this performer. Note his Immunity powers.

-Use Signore They Gone Rule: Top 5 Excluded. Each coach has a one-time move to eliminate any singer. Losing coach enters in an alternate singer in his place. 'They Gones' singers will re-enter in extra expansion.

Review any previous sanctions for any coach.

(Not official) Put in Guest Groups at permanent seeds (?). Are they game for other rules?

..............................................................................................................................

Between Meetings:

One can cut own singers, and replace them with any unclaimed singer. This has to be e-mailed or texted to opposing coach. Cuts can be picked up by other team.

Trades are allowed.

................................................................................................................................

Meeting Two

Starting with winning coach, from the bottom, name the seeds.

follow Storm Trooper Rule: Previous year's Storm Trooper gets entered. Immune to Big Ball, DownSyndrome and They Gone.

follow Hendrix Are You Experienced Rule: No team can be Top 3 unless previous Star Wars experience.

follow THeads Same as it ever was Rule: Previous Star Wars Champ is re-entered. Immune to Big Balls.

Execute Signore's Bon Scott Big Balls Rule: With coin flips, each coach eliminates opponent's singer (-No team immune except THeads rule. One would reflip). Coach replaces opponent's singer with his own pick. Can't be 'They Gones'.

Execute Ewing's Down Syndrome Rule: Coach can do a one-time: switch any two teams (up to 5 spots) from opposing coach's list. Top 3 teams are immune. So beware of who you put in Star Wars. Your opponent will often ''bring up'' your stupidist group to force you to have a better chance at winning the CD you don't want.

.............................................................................................................................

Extra Expansion Stuff:

There are 4 extra teams that play-in now. The Floaters always go in as the worst group of the lot. the other 3 groups are equally weighted. A coin flip will seed them. The previous year's team that didn't get into this year's Star Wars, gets an invite. The 2 Big Balls come back in.

-This may result in uneven teams, and final placement is a judgement call. Officers will agree on placement.

..................................................................................................................................

Notes: Guest Groups could be a factor in rules. Are Guest Groups immune? Guest Groups could aid the Officer's strategy. Perhaps reflips would settle most issues-but not all strategies. For now, as we go, the Officers will concur as the cases are presented. More rules to come probably.

...................................................................................................................................

Unwritten rules: Naturally your Top 5 bands are CDs you actually need/want. There is no substituting to another group once teams are locked. See Sandy's Eagle CD controversy. Middle seeds are good for talented bands you may want to go and win a Stormtrooper Award for them, even though they may not be strong enough to win a Vader. The bottom seeds don't have to be CDs you really want. They won't win. (?) Use those spots to give tribute to groups you like and may want to see them get a few upsets. Some use these spots for groups that the other coach hates. See Foreigner. Sometimes divisions have been themed, like old blues singers one year. Watch yourself. Anything you do will often result in a rule or punishment the next year. See Russia.

Let The Games Begin.

As good a place as any.....

                                                                         The Alamo

Ewing holds up in old mission church near San Antonio....to hold off  'the scurge'.


Ewing announces his divisions: The Alamo and Guadalcanal.
Keeping an old one, and naming the debut of The Alamo, my favorite battle that the Mexicans won in a Mission/large hole/Airship of all-time. How long can Ewing hold off the f^*&%n Mexican Signore clan? I don't know. But I will have lots of fun with that one....you can be sure. En Fuego.

Meanwhile, Sandy names her Star Wars Entry:  "That one singer, a girl, named Crane...."
.................................................................................................


Remembering 2012: 

     Graham Parker won 2012.  He was favored at Stalingrad and won the campaign. He ended up beating The Shins, who I believe where the result of a Big Ball won by Tony, although they were, per rule a part of Mark's roster.(?).

     Upsets abounded here but finally, Roy Orbison won the Stonewall Jackson, and I mention this because he beat George Harrison.  There is a constant threat of the winner choosing the "All Things Must Pass" double, imported CD.  Mark was nervous throughout. 

     4-Raul Malo won the McClellan with a huge upset over 1-The Black Keyes. 

     I'll have to check this too, but The Polysics and The Secret Sisters each had huge upsets in the early part of the tournement.

We had Sir Tommy Petty (2012 Storm Trooper) go on a great run from way back in the pack. Peter Frampton, Paul McCartney, Cage The Elephant played tough."

For every Cinderella story, there is a band that got cut down way too early. "2-Radiohead and 2-Jenny Lewis. Very disappointing. Bob Dylan, was eliminated by some tough sons a bitches. Nick Cave went out too early to the upstart Greensky Bluegrass or whatever the hell that is...." You know, I say it every damn year, Elvis Costello gets his ass kicked....."said Ewing.

Frank Commenting on 2013 Desolation Boulevard:   "March = cool...live close to 'bar district'..."