Second-Hand Reporting From Final Round

"Do you need to park or are you just dropping off the young lady?"

That's how the day started for Blank, Iowa's sole* representative at Final Round XIV. An inauspicious start to what would be a roller-coaster of a tournament. Easily being among Iowa's best in Marvel 3, Blank was aiming high, telling this blogger I would see him on Sunday in the finals. Although the remark that opened this entry probably did nothing to reinforce his confidence, Blank would receive other comments-- regarding his exceptional play.

"Best Ammy I've seen." "Fanciest Dante."

Unfortunately, confidence and compliments does not a top 8 finish make. As I wrote a week ago, Blank's major weakness at this point is his lack of tournament experience. To put things in perspective, Final Round XIV marked his second non-smash outing ever. A Major with over 300 entrants as one's second tournament presents a huge mountain to climb. Even though he may have had a great chance to make it out of his pool on paper, the tournament setting seemed to get to him. "I'm a scrub," Blank said after he was eliminated. He even went as far as denouncing himself as a tournament player. Officially, Blank finished the Marvel 3 tournament in 129th. Although the result was considered a disappointment, he would fare better than Jayford, aka "Indianaz Finest."

I already happen to know that tournament pressure definitely gets under Jay's skin and it showed in his performance. After receiving a bye, Jay would disappointedly go 0-2 from there. Jay texted me with this, "I dunno I played other zoning teams which I [don't] have a lot of exp with and then I dropped combos. Each game went to the third [game] tho." On a positive note, Jay would meet many fighting game icons including Mike Ross, IFC Yipes, and Ricky Ortiz.

No matter what the results were, I say no one can criticize these guys too harshly. They took the step and competed. They put themselves out there, and that's a step many "players" seem to not take. My hat is off to them. Hopefully what was learned from their experience will lead to more favorable results.

*Upon looking at the results, there was another person from Iowa at FR- Scot Peterson aka "Scotland." I have no idea who this is.