I Want the Best...so Who is the Best?

[JStarr]

So, last year, we had the Super 8 Tournament, which could charitably be described as a mixed bag, results-wise. We had some good writing, to be sure, but we also had a new mod trying not to step on too many toes, a couple of writers no-showing, and a winner who was subsequently outed as a cross-dresser.

This year, after a most interesting MSN conversation with the infamous DMN, I've decided to go for broke.

It's the King of the Dome...but not as we know it.

The Super 8 concept remains...two anonymous competitors do battle, winner moves on. But there will be a few differences.

There will still be fan voting for each match, but it will not decide the winner. Instead, we get a panel of three distinguished (ahem) judges. They, just like the fans (i.e. you people), will not know whose entries they are reading. Only I will have that information. The judges will compare, contrast, and rate the entries and send me their results.

The Super 8 had...well, it had eight competitors. It wasn't just a clever name. The new KOTD will have as many as are interested. Let me rephrase that. You sign up, you're in. Want to help the process as well as your own chances of winning? Offer up a set of battle rules as well. Those who contribute will get priority seeding, and quite possibly a first-round bye, depending on number of entries.

Some of you have seen my "no-show and get suspended" policy and gotten a bit...nervous, shall we say. I'm not about to abolish it, but it will be relaxed a bit. Basically, the early rounds are safe. If it's too much work for you, you have the chance to pull out without penalty, and your opponent will be notified immediately, hopefully saving them a little bit of work. ONE EXCEPTION, HOWEVER. If it comes to my attention that you're informing people which entry is yours, it's a week off and an automatic DQ. Once we get down to the quarterfinals (i.e. the final eight), the risk returns. You make the quarters, it's time to prove you belong there. No-show the quarters, it's one week. Semis and finals, two.

And for the winner? Well, we saw FlatDoughnut get a Hall of Fame ballot this year for winning the Rumble Challenge, and the new King will also get a ballot for next year's HoF...which I'll likely have to remind them about next March, but eh, small price. In addition, the King will also get his own pinning poll (in which he may include his own diary, if he has one), AND, he will also be allowed a chance to give ONE third-place-or-lower vote to his own work in the Power 25, which can be redeemed anytime the remainder of this year. Finally, I will be requesting a King of the Dome custom graphic, which the winner can use for their avatar or sig if they so choose.

This topic will be used for all-purpose KOTD business. Signups go here. Battle Rules suggestions go here. When the tourney starts, discussion will go here.

So, how about it? You got what it takes to be the King?

[NobBe Nobbs]

Assuming King of the Dome is not about shows, then yes, of course. I got screwed out of my rightful victory last year by being matched against your bloody ringer and like one of those movie underdog sports teams today is my day. Bring it, you lasagne-eating furball

[FireDoughnut]

As I was overlooked last year... I am in.

[brenchill]

I'm in.

[GCCWolverine]

I'll return - made it as a dark-horse to the finals last year, and lost to the power of time-travelling Canadian horsemen, so I'm in. I'll PM a set of rules later.

[GA!]

In.

[HailtotheYo]

< ----- J, apparently I do have what it takes .....

sure what the hell ....

I never do these kinds of things so this would be as good of a starting point as any

[TheRossWalker]

Eh, I have nothing to lose, and a fairly boring summer ahead. I'm in.

[St. Dubb]

I'm in there like swim wear.

[tenaciousg]

I don't have the best track record for stuff like this, but what the hell - I'm in too.

[JStarr]

And just a reminder, guys, if we don't have rules, we don't have a tournament, so anyone who can concoct a few sets will help the process tremendously, as opposed to waiting for "the other guy" to do it.

[Typical Phenom]

In.

[Guest Dr. Potato Head]

Haven't decided if I want to take part or not, but I can definitely toss up some rules ideas for you JStarr. Can you give me an idea or two I can use as a guideline for how much commitment to be looking for?

[9 to 5]

Might impact my other work but sure.

[TGC]

Battle Rules Suggestion:

Spoiler: Click here to view

Kevin Nash never went to the WWF. he stayed in WCW as Vinnie Vegas. Why? Because Vegas was WCW's money gimmick. The fans ate it up, WCW pushed him to the moon, and before you knew it Vegas was headlining PPV's. Perhaps his biggest night was Starrcade 1992 when he challenged Sting for the WCW World Heavyweight Title. He and The Diamond Mine (Page, The Diamond Studd, and Scotty Flamingo) had been feuding with Sting, Ricky Steamboat, and Shane Douglas for months, and this night was the culmination of that feud. Douglas and Steamboat lost the WCW World Tag Team Titles to The Studd and Flamingo, while Vegas went one on one with Sting.

-Write a short video recap which explains how and why Veags and The Diamond Exchange had been emboriled in a four month long feud with Sting, Steamboat, and Douglas.

-Write the promo for Vegas before the Main Event.

-Write the match which either propels Vegas to the top of the top, or stalls his Main Event push against Sting. The match must end clean, although there can be shenanagins earlier on. Either way, Sting or Vegas must win decisively.

-Write a quick segment post match that makes it clear that the champion, whoever he is, has a new challenger for the new year. Not a run in attack, but something else. Be creative, and maybe a little bit hokey, this was WCW in 1992.

[Sousa]

a winner who was subsequently outed as a cross-dresser.

The Dome has never recovered from this blow to its credibility.

I am not in, as JStarr knows, but I do have some kick-ass ideas for rulesets that I'll either post or send to him ASAP.

[TGC]

Not better than the awesome one I just posted

[MDP]

I'm an inny.

[probablyoliver]

If it stops my writing drought, then all is good. if it doesn't, well, there's no punishmnt for dropping out round 1. Thus I'm in.

[JStarr]

Haven't decided if I want to take part or not, but I can definitely toss up some rules ideas for you JStarr. Can you give me an idea or two I can use as a guideline for how much commitment to be looking for?

We don't need anything terribly huge. Something about the size of the one TGC posted up would be good for the early rounds.

And, if I may, I'd like to introduce our panel of judges, now that I have official confirmation from all of them:

Playing the Simon Cowell role of ripping all of you some new assholes will be the one and only DMN.

Playing the Paula Abdul role of probably being pretty positive (mainly because we know he's already used to playing the woman) will be JP Sousa.

And playing the Randy Jackson role of somewhere in the middle (and possibly calling a lot of people "dawg") will be the aforementioned TGC.

Good luck impressing all three.

Edited June 1, 2008 by Starrfield and Friends