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Sum02b49

Results[]

Poll988

Sunday, August 18th, 2002

Ulti's Analysis[]

Poll 988
Division North Division Semi Final
Match # 49
Match Date Sunday, August 18th, 2002
Vote difference 40,826
GameFAQs
Prediction
Mario - 72.52%
(12,158 brackets)

After two rounds, Cloud had a clear advantage over Mario. His vote totals were better, his draw was better, and it looked like Mario was in for the fight of his life come the Northern Finals. It was time for Mario to stop making losers look good, to pull his head out of his ass, and to make a statement.

And make a statement he did. Mario took his first-ever villain and showed him who was truly the boss. Donkey Kong never really had a chance to win this match, especially considering how badly he struggled with Aya Brea, but being to look like such a fool was a different story altogether. Mario was back as a contest elite, and it would take Cloud's absolute best game to bring him down at this point.

Then again, was this really the case? After the Mario/DK match, a new term started getting thrown around a few places; a term we now universally refer to as SFF, the Same Fanbase Factor. If two characters are so closely linked together, such as Mario and Donkey Kong, wouldn't it make sense for the winner's popularity to directly syphon from the losers? It's difficult to imagine two linked characters having separate fanbases to the point of strength being close enough to warrant concern.

However, despite SFF being universally accepted today, it was but a small theory back in 2002. It wasn't until much later did SFF become a board staple, and it was treated like the fledgling theory that it was back then. It was fun to pass off Mario's newfound strength by some voodoo acronym, but it made more sense at the time to give him the respect that he deserves. Cloud may have proven himself superior through two rounds, but Mario was very much back in the thick of things after his killing of Donkey Kong.

And believe you me, everyone knew it. The hype for this match exceeded anything that most of you have ever seen on this board. No hype generated since the 2003 contest can even compare to what was going on on this board leading up to the Mario/Cloud affair.

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2002 Contest Matches

Round One
Mario > Servbot
Morrigan > Spyro
Aya > Terry Bogard
Donkey Kong > Bub
Alucard > Tails
Duke > Iori
Pikachu > PaRappa
Cloud > Fox
Lara > Chop Chop
Ryo Hazuki > Guybrush
Crono > Simon
Dante > Q*Bert
Aeris > Kasumi
Tina > Gordon
Knuckles > Akira

Snake > Squall
Pac-Man > Goemon
Kyo > Abe
Scorpion > Kazuya
Max Payne > Dirk
Bomberman > Kane
Jill > Kirby
Strider > Raziel
Link > Little Mac
Sonic > Pitfall Harry
Tidus > Claire
Samus > Ken
Ryu > CATS
Mega Man > Ms. Pac-Man
Serious Sam > Mr. Driller
Sephiroth > Gabe
Crash > Ulala

Round Two
Mario > Morrigan
Donkey Kong > Aya
Alucard > Duke
Cloud > Pikachu
Lara > Ryo Hazuki
Crono > Dante
Aeris > Tina
Snake > Knuckles
Pac-Man > Kyo
Scorpion > Max Payne
Jill > Bomberman
Link > Strider
Sonic > Tidus
Samus > Ryu
Mega Man > Serious Sam
Sephiroth > Crash

R3 and following
Mario > Donkey Kong
Cloud > Alucard
Crono > Lara
Snake > Aeris
Scorpion > Pac-Man
Link > Jill
Samus > Sonic
Sephiroth > Mega Man
Mario > Cloud
Crono > Snake
Link > Scorpion
Sephiroth > Samus
Mario > Crono
Link > Sephiroth
Link > Mario (Finals)

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