# The Third Age Middle Earth football World Cup



## Rivendell_librarian (Nov 28, 2022)

I thought of 16 teams: 
Grey Havens, The Shire, Bree, Rivendell, Moria, Mirkwood, Lorien, Fangorn, Rohan, Dunland, Gondor, Mordor, Umbar, Harad, Rhun, Isengard plus Lake Town and Erebor as one team.

Any creature living within those areas can play for their team. No magic, murder or weapons allowed - except for the referee (Gandalf?) who could turn serious offenders into something unnatural.

I did think about Mordor (and Isengard - however I thought they should be included to spice things up. Teams can be mixed race e.g Bree could field men and hobbits.

Where should it be played?
Who would win?


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## Eljorahir (Nov 28, 2022)

The Mirkwood Attercops would totally win. Think of all those extra legs available for kicking the ball!


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## Deimos (Nov 28, 2022)

Eljorahir said:


> The Mirkwood Attercops would totally win. Think of all those extra legs available for kicking the ball!


The Isengard Guardians... and they (the Ents) "wood" win!
They are on average 14 feet tall, darn near impervious, and can split solid rock wide open with their fingers and toes within minutes.
Oh, and they stomp on their adversaries. Doing that alone would pretty much clear the field...easy to score after that. 😁

And where would they play? Why, in the newly restored garden/park around Orthanc, of course. (Advantage: Guardians)


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## 1stvermont (Nov 28, 2022)

Mordor!!!!


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## Eljorahir (Nov 28, 2022)

1stvermont said:


> Mordor!!!!


What would their team name be, I wonder?


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## Deimos (Nov 28, 2022)

Eljorahir said:


> What would their team name be, I wonder?


Mordor Marauders... (or if that sounds too nice, the Mordor Murderers)


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## Deimos (Nov 28, 2022)

And there would be the Huorn Avengers.
But there would have to be several of the Isengard Guardians on the field with them....you know, to tell them where to stand and what to do when the ball comes their way, and which direction to move the ball...etc.
Not only that, they (the Huorns) have a pretty strong tendency to move as one group or mass; so unless they just swept across the field and obliterated everything in their path (which they could very well do unless prevented by a Guardian) I'm not sure they would win.
Venue: Expanse in the Deeping Coomb (giving a wide berth to the "Death's Down", of course)


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## Deimos (Nov 28, 2022)

New team just joined... the Erech Oathbreakers..."Very handy in a brawl, these lads, despite the fact that they're dead."

Venue of play: Beneath the White Mountains, entering either from Harrowdale or the Morthond Vale. (Advantage: Oathbreakers)


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## ZehnWaters (Nov 29, 2022)

Rivendell_librarian said:


> I thought of 16 teams:
> Grey Havens, The Shire, Bree, Rivendell, Moria, Mirkwood, Lorien, Fangorn, Rohan, Dunland, Gondor, Mordor, Umbar, Harad, Rhun, Isengard plus Lake Town and Erebor as one team.
> 
> Any creature living within those areas can play for their team. No magic, murder or weapons allowed - except for the referee (Gandalf?) who could turn serious offenders into something unnatural.
> ...


Lorien Sentinels seems a good name.


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## Ent (Nov 29, 2022)

Hey. Don't forget the Old Forest Willows. They certainly have a unifying coach..!


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## Olorgando (Nov 29, 2022)

Rivendell_librarian said:


> I thought of 16 teams:
> Grey Havens, The Shire, Bree, Rivendell, Moria, Mirkwood, Lorien, Fangorn, Rohan, Dunland, Gondor, Mordor, Umbar, Harad, Rhun, Isengard plus Lake Town and Erebor as one team.
> 
> Any creature living within those areas can play for their team. No magic, murder or weapons allowed - except for the referee (Gandalf?) who could turn serious offenders into something unnatural.
> ...


I see one sticky point: Who would be given the part of the MeFA to set the rules to be abided by all?

And in a match The Shire vs. Fangorn ... 3'6" Hobbits against 14' Ents???
The ball used in current real-world play is just under 9 inches in diameter. That's like asking Hobbits to kick around something larger than the largest medicine ball, about half the size of the smallest inflatable exercise ball.
For the Ents, the regulation ball would be a bit smaller than a softball ...
And don't get me started on the issue of goalies!!!


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## Ent (Nov 29, 2022)

Olorgando said:


> I see one sticky point: Who would be given the part of the MeFA to set the rules to be abided by all?


A very good point.
I suggest Bombadil, who has just the nature and character to carry off such a feat.


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## Deimos (Nov 29, 2022)

Ent said:


> Hey. Don't forget the Old Forest Willows. They certainly have a unifying coach..!


The Old Forest Willows vs the Bombadil Bombers...I'm there!


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## 🍀Yavanna Kementári🍀 (Nov 30, 2022)

The Rivendell Waterfalls, anyone?


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## Eljorahir (Nov 30, 2022)

The Mordor "Red-eyes". Sponsored by...Visine.


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## Olorgando (Nov 30, 2022)

Rivendell_librarian said:


> I thought of 16 teams:
> Grey Havens, The Shire, Bree, Rivendell, Moria, Mirkwood, Lorien, Fangorn, *Rohan*, Dunland, Gondor, Mordor, Umbar, *Harad*, Rhun, Isengard plus Lake Town and Erebor as one team.


I have this feeling that Rohan and Harad wouldn't be such big fans of football (Association F). Some form of polo seems more natural to them. But when I think of the mallets necessary to reach the ground while riding a Mûmak ... yikes!


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## Squint-eyed Southerner (Nov 30, 2022)

Rivendell_librarian said:


> Fangorn


"Play will begin in three days, following the Fangorn National Anthem".


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## Rivendell_librarian (Nov 30, 2022)

I like the team names. I take the point about hobbits and ball size. Tom Bombadil is a good idea for rule setter. 

Gondor goalscorers

I quite like the chances of* Bree*, having both men and hobbits. Men in goal and big central defenders and forwards, but nippy hobbits on the wing and midfield - ghosting in unseen to score. The hobbits would run rings round the ents.


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## Deimos (Nov 30, 2022)

Squint-eyed Southerner said:


> "Play will begin in three days, following the Fangorn National Anthem".


Only _three_ days??!!! Let's not be hasty!


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## Ent (Nov 30, 2022)

Rivendell_librarian said:


> nippy hobbits on the wing and midfield


Just need to add more time-outs to the rules for meal and snack breaks.


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## Ent (Nov 30, 2022)

Deimos said:


> Only _three_ days??


SeS misread the pamphlet. That's how long it would take to announce Fangorn has an Anthem and it's about to be sung.

Fangorn has been around a _very_ long time...to sing its Anthem takes as long as the combined ages have existed.

It's no wonder the Entish Entrants have never made it to the Olympics..!


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## Deimos (Nov 30, 2022)

Olorgando said:


> I have this feeling that Rohan and Harad wouldn't be such big fans of football (Association F). Some form of polo seems more natural to them. But when I think of the mallets necessary to reach the ground while riding a Mûmak ... yikes!


Ok... so for a [polo?] matchup that's a bit more fair (size wise):
Helm's Hammer vs The White Hand Wuglies (Wuglies=Warg Riding Uglies)


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