March Madness: Favorite ASOIAF Character. We Have A Winner!

[honeyed chicken]

The above was yet another attempt (failed to get info from excel to Westeros. I copied it to a word doc first and all that looked good. So I copied from there to here and it still looked good until I hit post . . . .

So I guess I'm typing it all in. :(

If you view this on a small screen where the message box is compressed, the lines are going to merge and do other unsavory acts that make it gobbledygook to read.

Round 1 round 2 sweet 16 elite 8 final 4 championship

West Regional

#1: Arya - 12

Gilly - 0 #33(winner m.1)

#8: Osha - 4 ( " m.8)

Arianne - 8 #49(winner m.33)

#5: Shireen - 7 ( " m..34)

Nym.S. - 5 #34(winner m.5)

#4: Ygritte - 9 ( " m.4)

Genna F. - 3 #57(winner m.49)

#6: Cersei - 8 ( " m.50)

Alys K. - 4 #35(winner m.6)

#3: Cat -4 ( " m.3)

Lyanna - 8 #50(winner m.35)

#7: Margaery - 7 ( " m.36)

Missandei - 5 #36(winner m.7)

#2: Asha - 10 ( " m.2)

Barbrey D. - 2

East Regional #61(winner m.57) #63(winner m.61)

#9: Dany - 10 ( " m.58) ( " m.62 (men's finalist))

Tyene - 2 #37(winner m.9)

#16: Mya St - 7 ( " m.16)

Ellaria S. - 5 #51(winner m.37)

#13: Wylla M. - 9 ( " m.38)

Old Nan - 3 #38(winner m.13)

#12: Sansa - 6 ( " m.12)

Maege M. - 6 #58(winner m.51)

#14: Mel - 7 ( " m.52)

Ashara - 5 #39(winner m.14)

#11: Lady O. - 11 ( " m.11)

MMD - 1 #52(winner m.39)

#15: Meera - 7 ( " m.40)

Val - 5 #40(winner m.15)

#10: Brienne - 10 ( " m.10)

Dacey M. - 2

You can still vote on these till tonight if you haven't yet. Deadline is 8 pm, USA eastern time.

And if you have, you can change your votes - but as I've said before - please don't edit in your changes - repost your entire vote. This will allow me to wipe what I have for you (in excel) and re-enter cleanly and with less chance of mistakes. Thanks! :)

[honeyed chicken]

Hopefully this (the bracket above) reads on your screen the way it looks on mine.

For those of you not familiar with the NCAA basketball tournament, this is what a "bracket" looks like - half of it anyway. Tomorrow I hope to bring you the men's half of the bracket with scores from the round1 games in progress, as well as the round 1 women's results and matchups for the women's round 2.

Commentary on round 1

As I mentioned last night, the big upset that looks likely to happen is in the sister in law match of Lyanna Stark vs. Catelyn. With Cersei leading comfortably over Alys Karstark it appears we'll get a matchup next round of Cersei vs. Lyanna - the woman Rhaegar shunned for the one he desired. Very intriguing.

In another matchup of note Sansa is having far more trouble with Maege Mormont than I would have expected. However, Sansa does have the tie breaker as she's the higher seed.

Weird eye color is the rule in #14 (red vs. purple). Ashara Dayne is giving Melisandre a good fight.

MMD got the first vote in #14 and I thought we might be heading for an upset there, but Lady O has every vote since then. Frankly I was just surprised MMD made in at all.

The 1 and 2 seeds are all cruising and it's hard to imagine any of the four of them will have trouble in the next round. We shall see.

Other mild surprises: despite being the lower (slightly) seed in the #7 match, I thought Missandei would beat Margaery T handily - it looked like a bad match up for the rose. Not so.

[honeyed chicken]

I'm bumping this up to make it easier to find.

I had a little time for commentary for this round and there are a number of matchups that I think are interesting.

The Round 1 Men's Matchups are:

North "Regional"

match 17 - is a choice between the face of the first book of the series and the faceless man.

#1. Ned Stark (“You are an honest and honourable man. . .” – Varys)

versus

#16. Jaqen H’ghar (“only death may pay for life”)

match 18 – if these were fights instead of elections, this match up of fighters would be very intriguing.

#2. Sandor Clegane (“killing is the sweetest thing there is” )

v.

#15. Strong Belwas (“bad fighting, good dying. Strong Belwas hates it when they scream.” )

match 19 – is there a more unlikely pairing than these two?

#3. Jamie Lannister (“There are no men like me. There's only me”)

v.

#14. Wyman Manderly (“I am fat, and many think that makes me weak and foolish.”)

match 20 – A man who’s name is synonymous with the white of the KG vs the man who made the rainbow guard.

#4. Barristan Selmy (“I could cut through the five of you as easy as a dagger cuts cheese.”)

v

#13. Renly Baratheon (“He knew how to dress … he got the notion that this made him fit to be king.”)

match 21 - knight vs day. A man rigid with honor & duty vs. a man who care nothing for either.

#5. Stannis Baratheon (“There is no creature on earth half so terrifying as a truly just man.”)

v

#12. Euron Greyjoy (“Euron's gifts are poisoned.”)

match 22 – another unlikely match. One who can read vs. one who can’t.

#6. Bronn (“I sell my sword, I don’t give it away.”)

v

#11. Samwell Tarly (“I'm fat, not blind.”)

match 23

#7. Jorah Mormont (“He lied to me, informed on me, but he loved me too, and he always gave good counsel.”)

v

#10. Tywin Lannister (“Some battles are won with swords and spears, others with quills and ravens.”)

match 24 – Whoa!! This is rather creepy that these two should go head to head.

#8. Theon Greyjoy (“I'm not him, I'm not the turncloak, he died at Winterfell.”)

v

#9. Robb Stark (“if I had listened to you and kept Theon as my hostage, I’d still rule the north,”)

South "Regional"

match 25 – the sublime AD vs. the dwarf.

#1. Tyrion Lannister (All that the gods had given to Cersei and Jamie they had denied Tyrion)

v

#16. Arthur Dayne (“The finest knight I ever saw was Ser Arthur Dayne,”)

match 26 - two lesser sons and unwanted, both proven in battle.

#2. Jon Snow (He was no true Stark, had never been one... but he could die like one.)

v

#15. Podrik Payne (“I told you I could fight!”)

match 27 – perchance Davos the smuggler sailed around Bear Island a time or two.

#3. Davos Seaworth (“I would say my parts are mixed, m’lady. Good and bad.”)

v

#14. Jeor Mormont (“The things we love destroy us every time, lad.”)

match 28 – two Essossi émigrés to Westeros.

#4. Varys (“ . . . the big fish eat the little fish, and I keep on paddling.”)

v

#13. Thoros of Myr (“War makes monsters of us all.”)

match 29 – the viper against the giantsbane.

#5. Oberyn Martell (“Oberyn was ever the viper. Deadly, dangerous, unpredictable.”)

v

#12. Tormund Giantsbane (“I can outdrink, outfight, and outsing him.”)

match 30 – Mance’s cunning against Syrio’s skill.

#6. Mance Rayder (“See, lad, that's why he's king and I'm not. . . . but Mance has cunning.”)

v

#11. Syrio Forel (“Never do what they expect.”)

match 31 – the man who had the crown but wanted the girl versus the man who has the girl and wants the crown.

#7. Robert Baratheon (“This Baratheon is fearless. He fights the way a king should fight.”)

v

#10. Petyr Baelish (“I did warn you not to trust me, you know.”)

match 32 – sons of the two great friends, Robert & Ned. Will they ever meet?

#8. Bran Stark (“You will never walk, but you will fly.”)

v

#9. Gendry (“He's just stupid. He likes to polish helmets and beat on swords with hammers.”)

[Kasakka]

North "Regional"

match 17

#1. Ned Stark

#16. Jaqen H’ghar

match 18

#2. Sandor Clegane

v.

#15. Strong Belwas

match 19

#3. Jamie Lannister

v.

#14. Wyman Manderly

match 20

#4. Barristan Selmy

v

#13. Renly Baratheon

match 21.

#5. Stannis Baratheon

v

#12. Euron Greyjoy

match 22

#6. Bronn

v

#11. Samwell Tarly

match 23

#7. Jorah Mormont

v

#10. Tywin Lannister

match 24

#8. Theon Greyjoy

v

#9. Robb Stark

South "Regional"

match 25

#1. Tyrion Lannister

v

#16. Arthur Dayne

match 26

#2. Jon Snow

v

#15. Podrik Payne

match 27

#3. Davos Seaworth

v

#14. Jeor Mormont

match 28

#4. Varys

v

#13. Thoros of Myr

match 29

#5. Oberyn Martell

v

#12. Tormund Giantsbane

match 30

#6. Mance Rayder

v

#11. Syrio Forel

match 31

#7. Robert Baratheon

v

#10. Petyr Baelish

match 32

#8. Bran Stark

v

#9. Gendry

[honeyed chicken]

Round 1 Results/Round 2 matchups - note the two day turn around

Round 1 round 2 sweet 16 elite 8 final 4 championship

West Regional

#1: Arya - 12

Gilly - 0 #33 Arya

#8: Osha - 4 Arianne

Arianne - 8 #49(winner m.33)

#5: Shireen - 7 ( " m..34)

Nym.S. - 5 #34 Shireen

#4: Ygritte - 9 Ygritte

Genna F. - 3 #57(winner m.49)

#6: Cersei - 8 ( " m.50)

Alys K. - 4 #35 Cersei

#3: Cat -4 Lyanna

Lyanna - 8 #50(winner m.35)

#7: Margaery - 7 ( " m.36)

Missandei - 5 #36 Margaery

#2: Asha - 10 Asha

Barbrey D. - 2

East Regional #61(winner m.57) #63(winner m.61)

#9: Dany - 10 ( " m.58) ( " m.62 (men's finalist))

Tyene - 2 #37 Dany

#16: Mya St - 7 Mya

Ellaria S. - 5 #51(winner m.37)

#13: Wylla M. - 9 ( " m.38)

Old Nan - 3 #38 Wylla

#12: Sansa - 6 Sansa

Maege M. - 6 #58(winner m.51)

#14: Mel - 7 ( " m.52)

Ashara - 5 #39 Melisandre

#11: Lady O. - 11 Lady O

MMD - 1 #52(winner m.39)

#15: Meera - 7 ( " m.40)

Val - 5 #40 Meera

#10: Brienne - 10 Brienne

Dacey M. - 2

Deadline for round 2, women's: Saturday, 8 pm, USA eastern time.

[The BlackBear]

Again more or less going with the favourites. Slightly peeved Cat lost to Lyanna a character who we've never met.

#33 Arya

#34 Ygritte

#35 Cersei

#36 Asha

#37 Dany

#38 Sansa

#39 Melisandre

#40 Brienne

[honeyed chicken]

Final Four Elite Eight Sweet Sixteen round 2 round 1

North Regional

#17: Ned - 9

#41(winner match 17) Jaqen - 3

(winner match 24) #24: Theon - 6

#53(winner match 41) Robb - 6

(winner match 42) #21:Stannis - 10

#42(winner match 21) Euron - 2

(winner match 20) #20:Barristan -10

#59(winner match 53) Renly - 2

(winner match 54) #22: Bronn - 8

#43(winner match 22) Sam - 4

(winner match 19) #19:Jamie - 10

#54(winner match 43) Wyman M - 2

(winner match 44) #23: Jorah - 6

#44(winner match 23) Tywin - 6

(winner match 18) #18:Sandor - 11

S.Belwas - 1

#62(winner match 59) South Regional

(winner match 60) #25: Tyrion - 9

#45(winner match 25) Arthur D. - 3

(winner match32) #32: Bran - 5

#55(winner match 45) Gendry - 7

(winner match 46) #29: Oberyn - 8

#46(winner match 29) Tormund - 4

(winner match 28) #28: Varys - 9

#60(winner match 55) Thoros - 3

(winner match 56) #30: Mance - 7

#47(winner match 30) Syrio - 5

(winner match 27) #27: Davos - 9

#56(winner match 47) Jeor - 3

(winner match 48) #31: King Bob - 8

#48(winner match 31) Petyr B. - 4

(winner match 26) #26: Jon - 9

Pod - 3

[The Once and Future King]

Arya over arianne

Shireen over Ygritte

Lyanna over Cersi

Margaery over Asha

Mya over Dany

Wylla over Sansa

Lady O over Melisandre

Brienne over Meera

[The Once and Future King]

Final Four Elite Eight Sweet Sixteen round 2 round 1

North Regional

#17: Ned - 9

#41(winner match 17) Jaqen - 3

(winner match 24) #24: Theon - 6

#53(winner match 41) Robb - 6

(winner match 42) #21:Stannis - 10

#42(winner match 21) Euron - 2

(winner match 20) #20:Barristan -10

#59(winner match 53) Renly - 2

(winner match 54) #22: Bronn - 8

#43(winner match 22) Sam - 4

(winner match 19) #19:Jamie - 10

#54(winner match 43) Wyman M - 2

(winner match 44) #23: Jorah - 6

#44(winner match 23) Tywin - 6

(winner match 18) #18:Sandor - 11

S.Belwas - 1

#62(winner match 59) South Regional

(winner match 60) #25: Tyrion - 9

#45(winner match 25) Arthur D. - 3

(winner match32) #32: Bran - 5

#55(winner match 45) Gendry - 7

(winner match 46) #29: Oberyn - 8

#46(winner match 29) Tormund - 4

(winner match 28) #28: Varys - 9

#60(winner match 55) Thoros - 3

(winner match 56) #30: Mance - 7

#47(winner match 30) Syrio - 5

(winner match 27) #27: Davos - 9

#56(winner match 47) Jeor - 3

(winner match 48) #31: King Bob - 8

#48(winner match 31) Petyr B. - 4

(winner match 26) #26: Jon - 9

Pod - 3

Im confused

[honeyed chicken]

Im confused

It's the mirror image of the bracket thingee I posted for the women. These are games in progress - none of the scores are final, though all 12 of the players who have been involved so far have their votes in.

12 more hours for men's first round voting.

36 more hours for women's second round.

eta if you're reading on a small screen (mine is 24 inches - over 50 cm) I'll condense for you:

#17: Ned - 9

Jaqen - 3

#24: Theon - 6

Robb - 6

#21: Stannis - 10

Euron - 2

#20: Barristan - 10

Renly- 2

#22: Bronn - 8

Samwell - 4

#19: Jamie - 10

Wymn M. - 2

#23: Jorah - 6

Tywin - 6

#18: Sandor - 11

Belwas - 1

#25: Tyrion - 9

Arthur Dayne - 3

#32: Bran - 5

Gendry - 7

#29: Oberyn - 8

Tormund - 4

#28: Varys - 9

Thoros - 3

#30: Mance - 7

Syrio - 5

#27: Davos - 9

Jeor - 3

#31: K. Bob - 8

Petyr B. - 4

#26: Jon Snow - 9

Pod - 3

You guys are really going chalk here.

Did anyone follow the opening round for the actual NCAA tourney yesterday? Bunches of upsets. At least 2 14's over 3's that I saw. And at least one 11 beat a 6.

[honeyed chicken]

Women's bracket with current round 2 scores (very early in the games).

Round 1 round 2 sweet 16 elite 8 final 4 championship

West Regional

#1: Arya - 12

Gilly - 0 #33 Arya - 2

#8: Osha - 4 Arianne - 0

Arianne - 8 #49(winner m.33)

#5: Shireen - 7 ( " m..34)

Nym.S. - 5 #34 Shireen - 1

#4: Ygritte - 9 Ygritte - 1

Genna F. - 3 #57(winner m.49)

#6: Cersei - 8 ( " m.50)

Alys K. - 4 #35 Cersei - 1

#3: Cat -4 Lyanna - 1

Lyanna - 8 #50(winner m.35)

#7: Margaery - 7 ( " m.36)

Missandei - 5 #36 Margaery - 1

#2: Asha - 10 Asha - 1

Barbrey D. - 2

East Regional #61(winner m.57) #63(winner m.61)

#9: Dany - 10 ( " m.58) ( " m.62 (men's finalist))

Tyene - 2 #37 Dany - 1

#16: Mya St - 7 Mya - 1

Ellaria S. - 5 #51(winner m.37)

#13: Wylla M. - 9 ( " m.38)

Old Nan - 3 #38 Wylla - 1

#12: Sansa - 6 Sansa - 1

Maege M. - 6 #58(winner m.51)

#14: Mel - 7 ( " m.52)

Ashara - 5 #39 Melisandre - 1

#11: Lady O. - 11 Lady O - 1

MMD - 1 #52(winner m.39)

#15: Meera - 7 ( " m.40)

Val - 5 #40 Meera - 0

#10: Brienne - 10 Brienne - 2

Dacey M. - 2

Deadline for round 2, women's: Saturday, 8 pm, USA eastern time.

[Howlin' Howland]

33) Arya

34) Ygritte

35) Lyanna

36) Asha

37) Dany

38) Wylla

39) Melisandre

40) Meera

[Lady Blizzardborn]

Women's West Regional

33. Arya

34. Ygritte

35. Lyanna

36. Asha

All of these votes reflect who would win in a fight.

Women's East Regional

37. Daenerys. I really do like Mya, but I don't know her as well as I know Dany.

38. Wylla. I liked her instantly whereas Sansa had to grow on me over multiple books.

39. Olenna. For sense of humor.

40. Meera. This actually surprised me a bit, and another day it might be different but for now my vote goes with the green girl.

[Corvinus85]

Women's bracket Round 2 with comments:

#33 Arya vs Arianne (stick her with the pointy end; NOTE: this is the standard comment on all Arya matches, it's not what you think)

#34 Shireen vs Ygritte (victory decided by a game of poker :leaving: )

#35 Cersei vs Lyanna (of course Lyanna beats Cersei; I know it, you know it, Robert knew it, the whole realm knows it, sorry)

#36 Margaery vs Asha (Asha’s only true husband beats all of Margaery’s husbands)

#37 Dany vs Mya (because mother of mules is not a title)

#38 Wylla vs Sansa (I think Wylla is just a one-hit star; also... STARK POWER!!!)

#39 Melisandre vs Lady Olenna (someone who can get out of a marriage with a potential king like a boss is much better than someone who is so obsessed with kings)

#40 Meera vs Brienne (this was tough; Brienne on a technicality or some such thing)

[The BlackBear]

Wylla over Sansa

38) Wylla

38. Wylla. I liked her instantly whereas Sansa had to grow on me over multiple books.

You're spoiling it! You're spoiling everything!

[lil' ghost]

getting harder to pick

West:

#33 - Arya

#34 - Ygritte

#35 - Cersei

#36 - Asha

East:

#37 - Dany

#38 - Sansa

#39 - Lady O

#40 - Brienne

[Annara Snow]

Well, we did meet Lyanna in flashbacks. Cat and Cersei are better fleshed out and I like both, but I just can't help loving Lyanna.

Arya
Ygritte (although she has an extremely annoying catchphrase, book!Shireen just isn't that developed, contrary to TV!Shireen)
Lyanna
Asha
Dany (I love Mya, but I still love Dany more)
Sansa
Melisandre (QOT is funny and awesome in many ways, but Mel is more interesting)
Brienne

[Lady Blizzardborn]

You're spoiling it! You're spoiling everything!

LOL. Lemon cake? :D

[The BlackBear]

LOL. Lemon cake? :D

YES!

[honeyed chicken]

Round1 North/South is in the books and these results are now final:

#17: Ned - 9

Jaqen - 3

#24: Theon - 6

Robb - 6

#21: Stannis - 10

Euron - 2

#20: Barristan - 10

Renly- 2

#22: Bronn - 8

Samwell - 4

#19: Jamie - 10

Wymn M. - 2

#23: Jorah - 6

Tywin - 6

#18: Sandor - 11

Belwas - 1

#25: Tyrion - 9

Arthur Dayne - 3

#32: Bran - 5

Gendry - 7

#29: Oberyn - 8

Tormund - 4

#28: Varys - 9

Thoros - 3

#30: Mance - 7

Syrio - 5

#27: Davos - 9

Jeor - 3

#31: K. Bob - 8

Petyr B. - 4

#26: Jon Snow - 9

Pod - 3