InsaneJournal

It's a short practice today team! MG has arranged that they spend the afternoon and evening with snacks and entertaining quidditch to listen to. They’ll take a break in between the matches for slightly heavier food and a new round of drinks but MG asks them all to pay attention to the matches as much as they can.

He’s picked these out from the 98/99 season abroad. Mainly because he thinks they’ll be particularly important to learn from and there are lessons to take away from how other leagues play, he's purposefully picked the standout matches that show the peak of the talents he wants them to listen for. Please talk and comment openly during the matches, there will be a board up that he’ll be using to write notes the team gives during.


Match 1:
Quiberon Quaffles vs. Grenoble Goblins
(550 -160)
~2.5h long

[Note: The announcing and commentary is by a british foreign sports correspondent, with occasional explanation of the difference in french quidditch rules and styles sprinkled throughout]

From the onset it's clearly a high scoring match, between two teams that aren't that far apart in the standings at this point in the regular season. But from the outset one chaser's name gets mentioned over an over again, a french intonation to what everyone in the room knows is a very Scottish name.

"Buchanan again! Slips yet another by the keeper and the defending chaser, what will slow this scot down?!"

As the match gets more intense, and every member of the opposing team bears down to stop the Scot that Could, penalties begin racking up left and right but nothing stops him. In fact Quiberon passes off every penalty shot they get to Buchanan, both for his cool head and skill at confusing the keeper and the fact that it riles up their opponents more.

When the snitch is finally caught, the commentators are half stunned by the stats. 250 points to Buchanan alone. He's outscored the snitch, he's outscored their opponents, and he's outscored the whole rest of his team for a new league record for the season.

"Well, for any sort back home listening, I think this Scot is going to have a firm place in the French League for a while yet. Especially after a showing like this."




Match 2:
Third Place Match
Warrumbungle Bunyips vs. Daintree Danger
(470-240)
~2h long

[Note: This recording is of a famous Aussie announcing duo, well known and loved in Australia for their banter and their uncanny ability their mouths have at keeping up with the chaser hands. Covers the Third Place Match of the 98/99 Season]

It takes all of three minutes to show just how different Australian Rules Quidditch can be. The quaffle never seems to stay with anyone long, and it changes hands and teams so many times it gets hard to keep track. It’s fast, it’s furious, and it’s physical.

In the first hour there’s so many potential fouls that any self respecting british referee would’ve called that it’s easy to start believing it’s impossible to foul in the Aussie game! Even the announcers are worked hard, rattling off the chaser names for every pass with such rapidfire determination that they don’t breath for minutes at a time. Half their cheering for each goal seems to be just as much about catching a breath and celebrating.

"Willison-Sheppard-Bennett-Cook-Sheppard tipped-Rae-Cook again and Willie has snatched it back right by the hoops! Terrible angle but she’s gonna give it a burl and OH WHO WOULD’VE THOUGHT! CURVED RIGHT UNDER THE BRISTLES!"

If anyone listening thought this chaser battle would slow down as the match wore on, they were mistaken. Interception after interception, shot after shot, the poor stat takers have their work cut out for them.

But there’s a clear chaser standout in the midst of all the chaos, and Willison’s name pops up again and again. Shock interceptions, shots from the oddest angles, appearing where everyone least expects, not to mention taking and handing out fouls (as the british would call them, no aussie referee does) as good as she gets...when the snitch gets caught just after the second hour it doesn’t even matter.

300 shots taken on hoops this match, countless interceptions, and more passes than any sane wizard or witch would dare count. But the Bunyips have handily won and finished their season on a high.

Best in the Air (BITA): Joy Willison

Well it’s no surprise Portree snapped her up.