« Faux March Madness, History Region | Main | Faux March Madness, Chicago Region »
March 18, 2008
Faux March Madness, Legendary Figures Region
It's Day Two of Faux March Madness! This portion of the bracket features people of almost mythic proportions. But who is the most mythic of them all?
#1 Babe Ruth 93, #16 Benjamin Martin 66. Sucks to be Martin, the titular (hehe!) character of Mel Gibson vehicle "The Patriot," based on Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion. Ruth transcends sports, and was probably the most famous person in 1920's America. This is the man who allegedly called his shot, ate prodigious amounts of food, and slept with women like it was his job.
#2 Davy Crockett 79, #15 Frederick Barbarossa 63. Barbarossa was a medieval German hero, a great Crusader and the Holy Roman Emperor. Alas, his legend has faded, and can't keep up with Crockett, whose mythic status reached its height in the 1950's. He was played by John Wayne, for heaven's sake! (I'll give him a pass on Billy Bob Thornton, though.)
#14 Richard Lion Heart 77, #3 Robin Hood 74 (ot). Whoah, our first major upset! Richard gets the nod for his crusading ways and occasional benevolence. Robin Hood, however, loses points because he may not even be a real person: instead, he could be an agglomeration of several outlaws. Either way, if you use 1991's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves as a tiebreaker, Robin Hood is played by Kevin Costner, and Richard is played by Sean Connery. I don't think I have to explain anymore.
#4 Joan of Arc 66, #13 Daniel Boone 59. I like Daniel Boone, I really do. But I just can't help but call him a poor man's Davy Crockett, although he is surely deserving of his legendary status. Nevertheless, Joan of Arc was a true legend: led an army at 17, burned at the stake at 19, and declared a freaking saint of the Roman Catholic Church. Somehow, the exploring the Cumberland Gap just doesn't add up.
#12 Blackbeard 74, #5 Cleopatra 69. I don't get the Cleopatra thing. She loses points by association, because everybody calls Marc Antony "Marc Anthony." Gah! I guess she was quite the Egyptian queen, but Blackbeard takes this matchup. He was one bad-ass pirate, reputed to kill all who resisted; he even burned gunpowder on his beard to scare his opponents. Crimony!
#11 William Wallace 75, #6 The Red Baron 71. Hey, another upset! William Wallace is a national hero of Scotland, and for more impressive than the other Mel Gibson entry in this bracket. The Red Baron was a veritable celebrity during World War I, but now for some reason is mostly known as a brand of instant pizza. This is not a good way to advance in the tournament.
#7 Amelia Earhart 70, #10 Jesse James 64. "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" was a most excellent deconstruction of the James myth: James was probably one of the most famous people of the post-Civil War era. His train and bank robberies were infamous, but one can't help but think of him as a brutal criminal. On the other hand, Earhart's aerial exploits and mysterious disappearance keep her in the public mind even today.
#9 Jim Thorpe 76, #8 Billy the Kid 70. Jim Thorpe was an athlete of the highest caliber. Put him in any competition, and he would dominate. Billy the Kid, it seems, is probably most famous for being, well, a kid. The edge must go to Thorpe here.
So that's our first round in the Legendary Figures Region... Here's what the second round matchups look like:
#1 Babe Ruth v. #9 Jim Thorpe
#2 Davy Crockett v. #7 Amelia Earhart
#4 Joan of Arc v. #12 Blackbeard
#11 William Wallace v. #14 Richard the Lion Heart
There was some great action in that round, huh? Well, let's see what tomorrow's results bring!
entry no. 1107
Posted at March 18, 2008 10:35 AM