recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Georgia (old)

*"That Georgia flag is fuckimg awful"*

*--Sully Tomich*

## Eulogy

This here flag was the flag of Georgia (not the state, the other one) from when it declared independence in 1991 until 2004

The flag was originally the flag of the short-lived Democratic Republic of Georgia, which existed from 1918 until 1921 when the Red Army re-annexed it. The DRG government-in-exile actually continued to exist until 1954, though it essentially became defunct after the Soviet Union's admission to the League of Nations in the mid-thirties

When Georgia regained independence after the USSR fell, it used the old DRG flag. The flag became associated with the tumultuous times that immediately followed the Soviet Union's collapse, which combined with its rather unfortunate appearance caused it to become rather unpopular

After the bloodless Rose Revolution ushered in a series of pro-Western, anti-corruption reforms in 2004, the Georgian flag changed to what it is today. The Conservative Party of Georgia still uses the old flag as its party flag

## Tournament

As the 736 seed, Georgia was cleanly swept by Una-Sana in Round 1 Matchup 14 of FlagVote 3. It was the tournament's first clean sweep.
Betsy Ross

*"if this happened in 1776 we'd all be speaking... um, english, i suppose. but our accents would be different"*

*--Gregory Severin, after Betsy's loss to England*

## Eulogy 1

*By Gregory Severin*

This is the flag the United States used from 1777 to 1795

According to legend, Philadelphia upholsterer Betsy Ross was commissioned to make US a flag and made one with 5-pointed stars instead of 6-pointed stars

Ross is thus credited as having made the "first American flag"

There is no real evidence, however, that any of this actually happened; her grandson made this claim in 1870 without any real historical evidence or documentation to back it up

Either way, this flag fell out of use in 1795 when the country changed to a variant with 15 stars and stripes to reflect the statehood of Vermont and Kentucky

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

This was a variant of the United States flag which existed from 1777 to 1795

In fact, it was one of many 13 star variants used in this time, as there was no official code for how the stars should be arranged. This is simply the best remembered one in modern times

Betsy Ross was an upholster in Philadelphia who made tents and banners for the Continental Army. However, there is no actual evidence that she made this flag; the claim first was made by her grandson in 1870.

A famous 1920 painting by Jean Leon Jerome Ferris depicts Ross showing George Washington this flag as she designed it. A 1917 silent film starring Alice Brady was made about the life of Betsy Ross. You can find the whole movie available on its Wikipedia page if you want to watch it in a really tiny box

## Tournament

As the 130 seed, Betsy Ross was defeated by England in Round 2 Matchup 127 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating Fiji. As the 480 seed, it was cleanly swept by Denver in Round 2 Matchup 13 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating French Guiana.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (383) Fiji 4-1

**Round 2:** Loss to (130) England 5-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (545) French Guiana 6-5

**Round 2:** Loss to (33) Denver 11-0
Franco-Manitobans

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

This top flag represents French speakers in the Canadian province of Manitoba

Most Franco-Manitobans are originally from Quebec, but many come directly from France or other French speaking countries

The vast majority of Franco-Manitobans, much like all Manitobans, live in and around the city of Winnipeg

3.2% of Manitobans speak French

Notable Franco-Manitobans include Blackhawks star Jonathan Toews

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

This is the flag of French speakers in the Canadian province of Manitoba, or Franco-Manitobans

As is true for most of Western Canada, the first white people there were Quebecois fur traders, and French was the majority language until the mid 19th century

In 1869, there was a rebellion of French speaking Métis people, who are a group with both French and Indigenous heritage. This conflict resulted in the admittance of Manitoba as a bilingual province. However, it only took 20 years before Canada went back on that promise and made the province English-only

About 3.7% of Manitobans speak French as a first language

The Festival du Voyageur is a French-themed winter festival held annually in Winnipeg. It is Western Canada’s largest winter festival, and it celebrates the province’s French history with ice sculptures, exhibits, and performances

## Tournament

As the 186 seed, Franco-Manitobans was defeated by Netherlands Antilles in Round 1 Matchup 198 of FlagVote 2. As the 299 seed, it was defeated by Conor in Round 2 Matchup 254 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Cataño.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (327) Netherlands Antilles 4-2

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (726) Cataño 6-3

**Round 2:** Loss to (214) Conor 6-4
Australia

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Australia is a large island nation and continent in the southern hemisphere. Because of its location, it is commonly called the Land Down Under

Indigenous Australians, or Aboriginal people, first came to the continent from Southeast Asia between 50,000 and 65,000 years ago, making them one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world

The first Europeans to visit were the Dutch in the early 17th century. England established it as a penal colony in 1783 as a direct response to losing the American colonies. It is estimated that 20% of Australians are descended from convicts transported from Britain.

Over 85% of Australians live within 50 km of the coast. The vast majority of the country is barren arid desert known as the Outback.

33 major leaguers come from Australia, most notably Liam Hendriks, Grant Balfour, Peter Moylan, Graeme Lloyd and Ryan Rowland-Smith. I still can’t believe there was an all star pitcher named Grant Ball Four

## Tournament

Australia was defeated by Seychelles in Round 3 Matchup 8 of FlagVote. As the 313 seed, it was defeated by Nauru in Round 1 Matchup 58 of FlagVote 2. As the 513 seed, it was defeated by Monaco in Round 1 Matchup 98 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Cambodia 4-2 (Poll Lost)

**Round 2:** Win over Cyprus 8-1

**Round 3:** Loss to Seychelles 7-0
Amapá

*"a ma, a pá, a canaw: amapá!"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Amapá is the second least populous state in Brazil

It is the only Brazilian state to border France. It also has a small border with Suriname

During colonial times, the region was known as Portuguese Guiana

Gold was discovered in Amapá in the 19th century

90% of the state is covered by the Amazon rainforest

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

Amapá is a state in northern Brazil

It has a population around 800,000, making it the second least populous state in Brazil

90% of the province is in the Amazon rainforest, and 70% of the province is unexplored forest. Tumucumaque Mountains National Park is the world’s largest tropical forest park

Rich manganese deposits in the province have provided most of its revenue

Amapá’s largest city is Macapa, which has a famous historic market. The equator runs directly through Macapa, and residents call it “The capital of the middle of the world”

## Tournament

As the 246 seed, Amapá was defeated by Mongolia in Round 1 Matchup 162 of FlagVote 2. As the 237 seed, it was defeated by Argentina in Round 3 Matchup 45 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Tajikistan.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (276) Tajikistan 6-5

**Round 3:** Loss to (20) Argentina 7-1
Angaur

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Angaur is an island state in southern Palau

It is also known as Monkey Island because it’s the only place in Micronesia with feral monkeys

The terrain is very rugged, but it is almost all below 10 meters above sea level

Angaur is only accessible by boat or by small plane. There’s an abandoned lighthouse in the northwest of the island. It is a popular surfing spot

It is the only place in the world where Japanese is an official language. It is the de facto official language of Japan, but not in any official capacity like it is in Angaur. However, none of the 119 residents claim to speak Japanese

The Battle of Angaur was one of the larger battles of the Pacific Theatre of World War II. The USS Tennessee and 40 dive bombers attacked Japanese forces on the island in September and October 1944

## Tournament

As the 342 seed, Angaur was defeated by the Canary Islands in Round 2 Matchup 256 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Ulster.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (683) Ulster 6-5

**Round 2:** Loss to (171) Canary Islands 6-5
California

*"California, Rest in Peace*

*Simultaneous release*

*California, show some teeth*

*She's my priestess, I'm her priest*

*Yeah*

*Yeah"*

*--Anthony Kiedis --Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Everyone knows what California is so I think it’s safe to move on

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

california is a place

california is home to pinnacles national park and lassen volcanic national park

many films were filmed there including *the beast of yucca flats* (1961)

catch the oakland a’s before they move away!

people from there include surgery undergoer tyler mahle and *hot tub time machine 2* actor adam scott

## Tournament

California was defeated by Nepal in Round 2 Matchup 39 of FlagVote after previously defeating Burkina Faso. As the 73 seed, it was defeated by Denmark in Round 3 Matchup 8 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating Antwerp and Royal Scotland. As the 241 seed it was defeated by Hong Kong in Round 3 Matchup 9 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Sudan. As the 10 seed, it was defeated by Bible Bear in Round 1 Matchup 6 of BearFlagVote.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Burkina Faso 7-0

**Round 2:** Loss to Nepal 4-3

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (440) Antwerp 6-1

**Round 2:** Win over (184) Royal Scotland 4-2

**Round 3:** Loss to (56) Denmark 5-2

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (272) Sudan 6-3

**Round 3:** Loss to (16) Hong Kong 8-0
Haiti

*"thank god wyclef jean is actually from haiti or i'd have had to talk about kodak black"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Haiti is a Caribbean nation sharing the island of Hispaniola with the DR.

The first European settlement in the Americas was founded by Christopher Columbus in Haiti

After a series of revolutions Haiti became the first independent nation in Latin America and the Caribbean in 1804

It was also the first country in the world to abolish slavery

After the oppressive Duvalier regimes in the middle to end of last century, Haiti has struggled to establish democracy

The earthquake in 2010 certainly didn’t help things either

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Haiti is a Caribbean country that makes up the western part of Hispaniola

La Navidad, the first European settlement in the New World, was founded in today's Haiti by in 1492

Haiti was also the site of the first major successful slave revolution, as Toussiant L'Overture overthrew French plantation owners amidst the French Revolution

Unfortunately, the rest of the world wasn't happy about slave owners getting their comeuppance, and the first 100 years of independent Haiti were wracked by political instability and controversial debts Haiti was forced to pay to France in the aftermath of the Haitian Revolution

The next 120 years or so haven't fared much better, as François "Papa Doc" Duvalier utilized a brutal secret police force and Vodou mythology to create an autocratic personality cult for him and his son "Baby Doc" in the 20th century, and the 21st century has been marred by economic instability, natural disasters, and most recently the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021

There is a notable Haitian diaspora in the US, and Americans of Haitian descent include Pistons and apparently Celtics forward Blake Griffin, Denver Broncos Jerry Jeudy and Elvis Dumervil, comedian Eric Andre, and civil rights activist W.E.B. DuBois. Rap legend Wyclef Jean was born in Haiti, and immigrated to the US with his family at age nine

## Tournament

Haiti was defeated by Laos in Round 1 Matchup 53 of FlagVote. As the 474 seed it was defeated by Arizona in Round 1 Matchup 201 of FlagVote 2. As the 684 seed, it was defeated by Tibet in Round 1 Matchup 129 of FlagVote 3.
Djibouti

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Djibouti is a small country on the horn of Africa bordering Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, and across a small strait from Yemen

It has the smallest population in mainland Africa

Djibouti is named after its capital, Djibouti City. The city’s etymology is unknown. Over half of the country’s population lives in the namesake city

It was called French Somalia before declaring independence. Somali is the predominant ethnic group in Djibouti

Due to its location between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, as well as the fact that it’s the only nearby country that isn’t a complete mess, Djibouti is a transportation and shipping hub. About 2500 ships a day pass through the Port of Djibouti

Djibouti has won one Olympic medal in its history: a bronze by marathoner Hussein Ahmed Salah in the 1988 games. He has been the nation’s flagbearer three times, including in 2008 ten years after his retirement from running

## Tournament

Djibouti was defeated by Guatemala in Round 3 Matchup 13 of FlagVote. As the 320 seed, it was defeated by Duluth in Round 1 Matchup 7 of FlagVote 2. As the 116 seed, it was defeated by Burlington in Round 3 Matchup 42 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating West Papua.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Samoa 5-0

**Round 2:** Win over Algeria 5-4

**Round 3:** Loss to Guatemala 4-3

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (397) West Papua 9-0

**Round 3:** Loss to (141) Burlington 7-3
Freetown Christiania

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

**Freetown Christiania** is an anarchist hippie commune within the city of Copenhagen.

   Yeah, that just about sums it up

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Freetown Christiania is a self-declared micronation in Denmark's capital Copenhagen

It's still a part of Denmark, mind, but it's quasi-autonomous and the Danes seem okay with letting them do their own thing

People have been squatting there since 1971, when a hippie declared the former military barracks site open to the public

The three red dots in the flag represent the three dotted "i"s in the word *Christiania*

Its Pusher Street is notorious for its open trade of cannabis, the sale of which is illegal in Denmark. Christianians call it the "Green Light District"

Cars are banned in Christiania, making it sort of like Mackinac Island if Mackinac Island sold drugs instead of fudge

## Tournament

As the 429 seed, Christiania was defeated by Mexico in Round 1 Matchup 108 of FlagVote 2. As the 505 seed, it was defeated by Rabat in Round 1 Matchup 33 of FlagVote 3.
Flore

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Flore is a village in county Northamptonshire in the Midlands of England

It was historically spelled Floore, and the name actually means floor, not flowers. The name most likely refers to ancient Roman pavements in the town

Adams Cottage, located in Flore, is believed to be the ancestral home of US president John Adams, and I suppose John Quincy Adams too by association, although Wikipedia doesn’t mention that

The flag was the winner of a competition among the village’s children. The plum represents the supposedly famous Flore plums, and the wavy line represents the River Nene

## Tournament

As the 636 seed, Flore was defeated by Mato Grosso do Sul in Round 1 Matchup 100 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Loss to (389) Mato Grosso do Sul 7-3
Estonian Navy

*"you can't fool me this is the thin blue line flag for british people"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

This flag is used as the naval jack of Estonia

It can be spotted on many of the country’s vessels

The navy has decreased in size significantly in the past 50 years due to lack of funding and interest

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

The Estonian Navy is one of the smallest navies in the world

Like, it currently has only six commissioned ships. That's not a navy that's barely a flotilla

I'm not going to say "it used to be bigger," but Tallinn was a pretty central naval base of the Imperial Russian Baltic fleet. However, for obvious reasons, independent Estonia only established its Navy 30 years ago

Despite the size of its navy, Estonia has been active participants in NATO exercises in the Baltic Sea since joining the treaty

## Tournament

As the 279 seed, the Estonian Navy was defeated by Zheleznogorsk in Round 2 Matchup 105 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating Cascadia. As the 445 seed, it was defeated by Chuvashia in Round 2 Matchup 71 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Austria-Hungary.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (234) Cascadia 4-3

**Round 2:** Loss to (23) Zheleznogorsk 4-3

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (580) Austria-Hungary 6-3

**Round 2:** Loss to (68) Chuvashia 8-2
Herzegovina-Neretva

## Eulogy

*By Gregory Severin*

Herzegovina-Neretva is a canton in southern Bosnia

It is the only Bosnian canton with sea access, thanks to the town of Neum being in its borders

You know what? I bet the seal on Herzegovina-Neretva's flag is an acknowledgement of its coastline. I guess it could also be for the Neretva River though, considering that's what the canton is named after

The city of Mostar, which is home to some of the most gorgeous pieces of Islamic architecture in Europe, is also in Herzegovina-Neretva. Stari Most, a bridge straddling the Neretva River in Mostar, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most-visited sites in the country

The canton saw some heavy conflict in the 1990s, as both Croat and Serb armies wanted to make it a part of their own country. Stari Most was actually destroyed when Mostar was shelled, but it was rebuilt and reopened in 2004

## Tournament

As the 209 seed, Herzegovina-Neretva was defeated by Dominican Republic in Round 1 Matchup 23 of FlagVote 2. As the 256 seed, it was defeated by Santa Venera in Round 2 Matchup 2 of FlagVote 3

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (304) Dominican Republic 4-3

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Loss to (257) Santa Venera 8-3
Equatorial Guinea

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Equatorial Guinea is a nation in central Africa. Its southern border is one degree north of the equator, making it the only country whose name refrences the equator to not have its mainland bisected by it

I say mainland because the tiny island of Annobon is south of the equator. It has about 5000 very isolated residents. Equatorial Guinea has another much larger island called Bioko which is off the coast of Cameroon. Bioko is home to about 1/5 of the nation’s population, including its capital Malabo

Bioko is also home to Pico Basile, the highest peak in the country at 9878 feet. It is an active volcano which last erupted in 1923

Equatorial Guinea was ruled from 1968 to 1979 by Francisco Macias Nguema, one of the most brutal dictators in history. He killed over 20% of the country’s residents in an attempt to exterminate all the intellectuals. He even targeted people with glasses. In 1979, his nephew Teodoro staged a coup, and he has ruled the country ever since. He has been accused of widespread corruption and human rights violations, but Equatorial Guinea is no longer referred to as the “Dachau of Africa,” so… progress?

Large oil reserves were discovered in Equatorial Guinea in 1996, and petroleum has quickly comprised 90% of the nation’s exports. This has made Teodoro very rich, giving him an estimated net worth of $600 million. This gives the country the highest gross income per capita and the highest income inequality in all of Africa

At the 2000 Olympics, Equatoguinean swimmer Eric “Eric the Eel” Moussambani swam a 1:52.72 in the 100 meter freestyle, the slowest time in Olympic history (for reference, that year’s gold medal time was 0:43.80). However, because both of his opponents false started, Mr. The Eel was the winner of his heat. At the same Olympics, Paula “Paula the Crawler” Barila Bolopa recorded the slowest ever time in the 50 meter freestyle. It was her first time ever swimming that far, and she received raucous support from the Sydney crowd

## Tournament

Equatorial Guinea was defeated by Guinea in Round 1 Matchup 15 of FlagVote. As the 421 seed, it was cleanly swept by Brazil in Round 1 Matchup 76 of FlagVote 2. As the 594 seed, it was defeated by Tolyatti in Round 2 Matchup 159 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Acre.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (431) Acre 6-5

**Round 2:** Loss to (82) Tolyatti 10-1
Caska

*"That Kafka flag is gross wtf"*

*--Sahil Shah*

## Eulogy

*By Gregory Severin*

Čaška is a rural municipality in central North Macedonia. Damn you Prespa for making me blend directional qualifiers

The geography in the municipality is supposed to be quite nice, and ranges from mountains to rivers to flatlands

It was established in 1996, and named for its the city of Čaška, which is now the municipal seat

The largest city in the municipality is not Čaška, though; it's a village called Gorno Jabolčište that is 98% ethnic Albanian. Čaška city, on the other hand, has one (1) Albanian. I'm sure this wasn't a factor in deciding which village got to be municipal seat

The Globular Flute, a neolithic artifact some 6000 years old, was discovered in a field on the outskirts of Čaška city. A Macedonian musician played a reproduction of the flute, through which we have gained insight into Neolithic musical structures and the scales they used

## Tournament

As the 333 seed, Caska was defeated by Nigeria in Round 2 Matchup 88 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating the Cocos Islands.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (692) Cocos Islands 6-3

**Round 2:** Loss to (180) Nigeria 7-4
Bosnian-Podrinje

*"it's bosnia. you get it"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy

*By Gregory Severin*

The Bosnian-Podrinje Canton Goražde is a canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in eastern Bosnia-Herzegovina

It is jointly named after the city of Goražde and for the Podrinje region, which is itself named after the Drina River that forms much of the country's border with Serbia

Until 2001 it was just named after Goražde, and I'm not sure why they changed the name

Goražde itself was an exclave of majority Bosniaks, and it was under siege for over a year in the nineties until the Dayton Agreement ended the Bosnian War

## Tournament

As the 426 seed, Bosnian-Podrinje was defeated by Montenegro in Round 2 Matchup 191 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Omsk Oblast.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (599) Omsk Oblast 9-2

**Round 2:** Loss to (87) Montenegro 9-2
Bomi County

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Bomi County is the fourth least populous county in Liberia

It was a large iron ore and diamond center prior to the Civil War

The largest city in the county is Tubmanburg, named after president William Tubman

It has a border with the Atlantic Ocean, as well as three other counties

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Bomi County is a county in the northwestern Liberian coast

It was a part of Montserrado County until 1984

The first iron ore mines in Liberia were in Bomi County; its name (which means "light") recognizes this

The Bomi County flag also recognizes this: the hills in the flag are meant to evoke the rich iron ore in the region, while the trees represent its fertile soil

## Tournament

As the 495 seed, Bomi County was cleanly swept by Hong Kong in Round 1 Matchup 240 of FlagVote 2. As the 762 seed, it was cleanly swept by Poltava Oblast in Round 1 Matchup 163 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Loss to (263) Poltava Oblast 11-0
Don Kelly (Slackbot)

*"Donnie Kelly Baby"*

*--Sully Tomich*

**Don Kelly** was a short-lived Slackbot command. It was created on 3-30-18, most likely by Clayton Myers. It was the second ever Slackbot created. When "Don Kelly" was commented, Slackbot would reply "FUN FACT: Don Kelly is the undisputed GOAT. He played Pitcher, Catcher, First base, Second Base, Third Base, Shortstop, Left Field, Center Field, Right Field, and Designated Hitter in the Major Leagues." It was seen twice, once right after creation and once on April 3rd. The Slackbot was removed sometime between April 3rd and November 21st.
Concepcion

*"Concepcion is a fresh of breath air"*

*--Andrew Beaudoin*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Concepción is a department in northern Paraguay

It borders the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, and it has historically been economically tied to the region

Its capital and largest city is the titular Concepción. According to Wikipedia, Concepción was named the second most important city in Paraguay at the start of the 20th century, but it is unclear if this was an official title or what exactly it means.

Deforestation has been a big issue in the department, and lots of species are in danger of going extinct, including native pumas and parrots

## Tournament

As the 282 seed, Concepcion was defeated by Ehime in Round 2 Matchup 170 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Grand Kru County.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (743) Grand Kru County 10-0

**Round 2:** Loss to (231) Ehime 6-4
Bequia

*"bequia: a 10 in our hearts but a 1 in reality. +1 point because the whale is just too jolly and i don't want to break his poor whale heart"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Bequia is an island which is part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

It is the largest Grenadine belonging to St. Vincent. The only larger island in the chain is Carriacou, but that belongs to Grenada.

Bequia, much like Hartford, has whaling as an important part of its history, hence the smiling guy on the flag. Whaling was actually introduced by New Englanders to the island in the 18th century. The island is allowed 4 humpback whales per year for its people by the International Whaling Commission. Either way, they rarely hit this limit.

The island has a particularly high rate of people of Scottish descent, who came by way of Barbados.

Bequia has a popular beach named Tony Gibbons Beach. Well, its official name is Princess Margaret Beach after she visited in the 1950s, but everyone calls it Tony Gibbons Beach. Nobody knows who Tony Gibbons is

Famed acting teacher Sanford Meisner had his acting school on the island of Bequia, where he taught the likes of Sandra Bullock, Jeff Bridges, and Michelle Pfeiffer

## Tournament

As the 720 seed, Bequia was defeated by Boyacá in Round 1 Matchup 22 of FlagVote 3.
Boyacá

*"wonder how many boys are from boyaca"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Boyacá is one of 32 departments of Colombia

The northeastern tip of the department borders Venezuela

The largest city is Tunja, known for its universities and colonial architecture

Boyacá is known as “The Land of Freedom” because of a series of battles in the area that led to Colombian independence

The department is located in the eastern range of the Andes Mountains

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

Boyacá is a department in central Colombia

It is known as the “Land of Freedom,” as several important battles were fought there during Colombia’s independence

The department is located almost entirely within the Andes mountains. Ritacuba Blanco, the highest mountain in the eastern range and second highest in all of Colombia, is located in Boyacá

Boyacá has an ever so tiny 5 mile border with Venezuela, although there isn’t a crossing between the two

The oak leaves on the flag symbolize, well, the large oak groves in the department

## Tournament

As the 221 seed, Boyacá was defeated by Ecuador in Round 1 Matchup 119 of FlagVote 2. As the 305 seed, it was defeated by Zulia in Round 2 Matchup 22 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Bequia.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (720) Bequia 8-2

**Round 2:** Loss to (208) Zulia 8-3
Indiana

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Indiana is a state in the midwestern United States

Its capital of Indianapolis is home to 850,000 people and the famed Indy 500

It is nicknamed the Crossroads of America, as several major roads pass through Indiana en route to and from more exciting places. It is also known as the Hoosier State, but there is no accepted reason why

The state seal features a bison and tall mountains, despite the fact that Indiana has neither

Indiana’s flag ranked 32nd out of 72 US/Canada states/provinces and territories in a 2001 survey

Eight baseball hall of famers were born in Indiana, though none have played since 1947. Hopefully Jasper’s Scott Rolen becomes the ninth.

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Indiana is a state in the American Midwest, just touching the southeasternmost tip of Lake Michigan

Its state house was the first one to have a chapel

The name "Indiana" was originally used for West Virginia, and I'm not sure why it ended up migrating further west. It was also briefly the name of a proposed British colony in between Ohio and Pennsylvania, but that ended up not happening either

According to a 2013 Deadspin article I just found, Indiana has more basketball players per capita than any other American state. One of them is Larry Bird, and I don't really care about the rest. Larry Bird won three NBA championships in Boston, which is three more his Indiana Pacers have won ever. Larry has won Coach and Executive of the Year awards in the Pacers organization, and he is the only guy to have ever won both of those and also an NBA MVP

Other sport things that have happened in Indiana: Peyton Manning win Super Bowl, and people drive in circle. Big Ten teams Purdue, Notre Dame, and the University of Indiana play their home games in Indiana, but you probably could have figured out at least one of those for yourself. Lee Corso coached Indiana for a long time, so you'd probably think he's from there right? NOT SO FAST, MY FRIEND, he's from Illinois

Two of the greatest sportscasters of all time are from Indiana; Doc Emrick and Dave Niehaus, so I guess I have that state to thank for the sounds of my childhood. Here are some other famous people from Indiana: "Three-Finger" Mordecai Brown, Kenny Lofton, Axl Rose, Garfield, all 5 of the Jackson 5, leather jacket model Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean wannabe Jay Cutler, and Colonel Harland Sanders, who was never an actual colonel in the actual military. I'm just unlearning so many misconceptions today

The nineteen stars on the flag represent the fact that it's the 19th state

## Tournament

As the 81 seed, Indiana was defeated by Herzeg-Bosnia in Round 2 Matchup 11 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating Entre Rios. As the 210 seed, it was defeated by Montpelier in Round 3 Matchup 79 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Rennell and Bellona.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (432) Entre Rios 6-0

**Round 2:** Loss to (176) Herzeg-Bosnia 5-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (303) Rennell and Bellona 8-2

**Round 3:** Loss to (47) Montpelier 6-2
Gambier Islands

*Not to be confused with Gambia*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

The Gambier Islands are an archipelago within French Polynesia

Roughly 1500 people live in the Islands, yet the St. Michael’s Cathedral in the town of Rikitea seats 1200

The French tested nuclear weapons around Gambier Islands, leading to a high rate of ciguatera, a type of fish poisoning

Excessive logging by islanders in the 15th century led to deforestation, which thus led to civil war, breakdown of trade, and cannibalism

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

The Gambier Islands are an archipelago in the eastern part of French Polynesia

They are named after a British admiral and Revolutionary War veteran who financed the first European expedition to reach the islands. James Gambier also has a mountain in Australia and a town in Ohio named after him

In the 19th century, the kings who ruled the islands asked to become a protectorate of France. France ignored them. They later rescinded that request, and France ignored them again, choosing to annex them in 1881

The French used the Gambier Islands as a staging base when they were testing nuclear weapons, and as a result a lot of people got sick from eating toxic fish. The French government was subsequently accused of covering up the consequences of nuclear fallout on the islands' inhabitants

The islands aren't really popular with tourists, not because of the nukes or anything but because they're so remote. This is a bummer, because they're really nice and despite the tropical climate the temperature has literally never eclipsed 90 degrees Fahrenheit

One of the Gambier Islands, Mangareva, is the closest island to the most remote inhabited place in the world: the Pitcairn Islands. In fact, many people visiting the Gambier Islands are actually tourists on their way to Pitcairn

## Tournament

As the 378 seed, Gambier Islands were defeated by Seychelles in Round 1 Matchup 195 of FlagVote 2. As the 540 seed, they were defeated by Albania in Round 2 Matchup 105 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating Madrid.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (135) Seychelles 5-2

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (485) Madrid 6-4

**Round 2:** Loss to (28) Albania 10-1
Hollywood

*"what is the opposite of a blockbuster"*

*--Cam Cain*

**Hollywood** (:hollywood:) is an emoji in the M-SABR Slack. It was created by Cam Cain on 2-11-20 in response to a trade in #dynastybaseball where Sahil traded Ryan Vilade to Andrew for Yusniel Diaz. The emoji depicts the logo for Hollywood Video, and it exists as a contrast to Blockbuster in that it is used to describe underwhelming trades in both real life and the fantasy leagues.

## Gallery

Origin of HollywoodFirst usage of HollywoodHollywood used to react to a mediocre trade in Dynasty BaseballHollywood used to refer to Marquise "Hollywood" Brown in Gallardo Cup DraftHollywood used alongside Blockbuster following a trade in Dynasty Baseball
Greenland

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Greenland is an island and territory of Denmark

It is the largest island in the world, though it’s not as big as Mr. Mercator would make you think

One-third of Greenland’s 56,000 residents live in the capital of Nuuk

The majority of residents are Inuit

Greenland has the only permanent ice sheet outside of Antarctica

Nuuk hosted the 2016 Arctic Winter Games, where nine territories competed. Alaska led the medal count followed by Yukon Territory

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Greenland is the largest island in the world

It is the only country in the Americas where a majority of the population is indigenous, in this case Inuit

Greenland was named by Erik the Red, who arrived there after being exiled from Iceland. He named it "Greenland" in the hopes that a pleasant name would attract more settlers

Erik the Red has since been proven Erik the Wrong: a little over 56,000 people live here, making it the least densely populated area in the world

Greenland had been under the jurisdiction of the Norwegian crown before Denmark took control of Norwegian colonies in the early 19th century. After a brief time in World War II when Americans occupied the island, it has remained a Danish territory

The US has tried to buy Greenland a bunch of times. William Seward, aka the guy who bought Alaska from the Russians, first floated the idea, and right after WWII we made a hundred million offer to purchase it. A certain businessman revisited the idea in 2019. Obviously, Denmark has refused every time

## Tournament

Greenland was defeated by Morocco in Round 2 Matchup 1 of FlagVote after previously defeating Lesotho. As the 196 seed it was defeated by United Kingdom in Round 2 Matchup 61 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating Kiel. As the 205 seed, it was defeated by Togo in Round 2 Matchup 86 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote

**Round 1:** Win over Lesotho 5-0

**Round 2:** Loss to Morocco 4-3

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (317) Kiel 7-0

**Round 2:** Loss to (61) United Kingdom 6-1

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Loss to (308) Togo 6-5
Ethiopia

## Eulogy 1

*By Gregory Severin*

Ethiopia is a country in the Horn of Africa

Along with Liberia, Ethiopia was one of only two African countries to stay sovereign during the Scramble for Africa; due to this feat, many African nations adopted Ethiopian colors as their own

Ethiopia was later occupied by Mussolini. It would be all downhill for Mussolini after that. Coincidence?

The Ethiopian Calendar is distinct from the Gregorian Calendar. The current date in Ethiopia is March 17, 2012

Ethiopia is known for its stellar distance runners. Kenenisa Bekele currently holds the world record in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races, and his best marathon time is just two seconds off the world record

## Eulogy 2

*By Cam Cain*

Ethiopia is a country in the Horn of Africa

It is the 13th most populous country in the world, the second most populous in Africa, and the most populous landlocked nation

Ethiopia remained independent during the Scramble for Africa, although Mussolini later occupied it during the first half of World War II

In millions of years, Ethiopia may be split in half. That’s because it’s located right on the East African Rift, where the Nubian and African plates are moving away from each other

Ethiopia has a ton of geographic diversity. The west is home to fertile farmland. Africa’s largest cave system, the Sof Omar Caves, are in the center among the Ethiopian Highlands, which are Africa’s largest highlands. In the north is Dallol, which with an average year-round temperature of 95 degrees is the world’s hottest inhabited settlement. However, it has not been inhabited since at least 2005, so I guess it doesn’t qualify anymore

Lucy, a 3.2 million year Australopithecus skeleton found in Ethiopia, is one of the oldest hominid skeletons ever found. Some of the oldest homo sapiens have also been found in Ethiopia, and those date back about 200,000 years

Ethiopia has won 55 medals at the Olympics including 23 golds. All 55 medals have come in distance running, including most recently Selemon Barega’s gold in the men’s 10K in Tokyo (Michigan native and cross country icon Grant Fisher finished 5th and less than 3 seconds off the podium). Ethiopians hold the world record in the men’s road 5K, men’s steeplechase, women’s road 5K, women’s 10K, women’s half marathon, and women’s 50K

## Tournament

Ethiopia was defeated by Friesland in Round 1 Matchup 100 of FlagVote. As the 70 seed, it was defeated by Egypt in Round 3 Matchup 47 of FlagVote 2. As the 175 seed, it was defeated by Tolyatti in Round 3 Matchup 80 of FlagVote 3 after previously defeating the Northern Territory.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (443) Bermuda 6-0

**Round 2:** Win over (187) Portugal 4-1

**Round 3:** Loss to (59) Egypt 5-2

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Win over (338) Northern Territory 6-5

**Round 3:** Loss to (82) Tolyatti 6-5
French Polynesia

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

French Polynesia is a collective of over 100 islands in the south Pacific owned by France.

The most populated and well known of these islands is Tahiti, which sadly does not have its own flag.

The islands were originally settled between 1500 BC and 300 AD.

Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to visit French Polynesia.

There has been recent political turmoil regarding the issue of independence.

   The National soccer team, playing under the name Tahiti, is ranked 161st in the world. In 2012 they won the Oceania Football Confederation’s Nations Cup, defeating New Caledonia 1-0 in the finals. They are the only country besides New Zealand to win this tournament

## Eulogy 2

*By Chat GPT and Cam Cain*

Today, we are gathered here to mourn the loss of French Polynesia, a beautiful archipelago in the South Pacific that was home to some of the most breathtaking landscapes and cultures in the world. We also pay our respects to its flag, a symbol of its unique identity and heritage.

French Polynesia was a place of many wonders, from the crystal-clear waters of its lagoons to the rugged peaks of its volcanic islands. It was a land of contrasts, where ancient traditions blended seamlessly with modern influences, creating a unique tapestry of cultures that was truly one-of-a-kind.

Did you know that French Polynesia was made up of 118 islands and atolls spread over 4 million square kilometers of ocean? It was the largest overseas territory of France, and it was known for its warm hospitality, colorful festivals, and delicious cuisine. The people of French Polynesia were called Polynesians, and they were proud of their rich heritage, which included music, dance, tattooing, and carving.

And let us not forget about the flag of French Polynesia, a beautiful banner that featured a white, blue, and red field, with a yellow sun and a black canoe in the center. The colors of the flag represented the French tricolor, while the sun and the canoe symbolized the importance of the sea in Polynesian culture. It was a flag that inspired pride and loyalty among the people of French Polynesia, and it will be missed.

Today, we say goodbye to French Polynesia and its flag, but we will never forget the beauty, the culture, and the spirit of this amazing place. May it rest in peace, and may its memory live on forever in our hearts.

Thank you.

## Tournament

French Polynesia was defeated by Brazil in Round 1 Matchup 83 of FlagVote. As the 276 seed, it was defeated by Liberia in Round 1 Matchup 111 of FlagVote 2. As the 202 seed, it was defeated by South Yemen in Round 2 Matchup 182 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** BYE

**Round 2:** Loss to (311) South Yemen 7-4
Cocos Islands

*"I absolutely cannot believe Cocos Island to be a real country. The flag looks like it came from a cartoon show"*

*--Yuki Mori*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

The Cocos Islands are an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean

They are alternatively known as the Keeling Islands after their discoverer William Keeling

A total of just 544 people live on the 27 islands

There is a strong Malaysian culture on the island as well

The police force consists of five people

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

The Cocos Islands, also known as the Keeling Islands, are an Australian archipelago in the Indian Ocean

Its flag was designed by a teenager, which you never would have guessed from looking at it

The two names for the islands come from the abundance of coconut trees there and for William Keeling, who discovered the islands in 1609

Though the Cocos Islands consists of 27 islands in total, only two of them are actually inhabited

The islands had strategic significance during both World Wars, and the Battle of Cocos was one of the few naval engagements in World War I. Gun installations remain on a few of the islands

## Tournament

Cocos Islands were defeated by Maryland in Round 1 Matchup 145 of FlagVote. As the 467 seed, they were cleanly swept by Isle of Man in Round 1 Matchup 152 of FlagVote 2. As the 692 seed, it was defeated by Caska in Round 1 Matchup 89 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Loss to (46) Isle of Man 7-0
Belarus

*"my friend yuliya would be very disappointed in all of you"*

*--Gregory Severin*

## Eulogy 1

*By Cam Cain*

Belarus is a country in Eastern Europe

It was part of the Soviet Union, as the Byelorussian SSR

Under the Soviet-style reign or Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus has been described as Europe’s last dictatorship.

It is the last country in Europe to have the death penalty, and it has been ranked as by far the worst European country for civil freedoms

It has a political union and shared military with Russia

The national hockey team finished a surprising fourth in the 2002 Olympics. Other prominent sportspeople include former #1 tennis player Victoria Azarenka

## Eulogy 2

*By Gregory Severin*

Belarus is a country in Eastern Europe bordering Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine

The name "Belarus" itself comes from the term "White Rus", as Belarusians are descended from the same Kievan Rus' that gave rise to modern-day Russia and Ukraine

It has also historically been a part of the Soviet Union, Russian Empire, and Grand Duchy of Lithuania, among others, and was never an independent nation until the 20th century

The Chernobyl disaster heavily affected Belarus, and an estimated 5% of its territory is contaminated by the nuclear fallout

Belarus has only had one free election in its existence, as after taking power in 1994 Alexander Lukashenko instituted the most authoritarian regime in Europe. Lukashenko also changed the state flag to what it is today, a barely modified version of the old flag of the Byelorussian SSR

The pattern on the flag's left side is a pattern that appears on the ruchnik, a traditional woven cloth used in several Belarusian ceremonies

Tennis star Victoria Azarenka is Belarusian, and Kirk Douglas's parents were born in present-day Belarus

## Tournament

Belarus was defeated by American Samoa in Round 1 Matchup 43 of FlagVote. As the 297 seed, it was defeated by Tunisia in Round 2 Matchup 21 of FlagVote 2 after previously defeating New Caledonia. As the 553 seed, it was defeated by the Russian Empire in Round 1 Matchup 62 of FlagVote 3.

## Results

### FlagVote 2

**Round 1:** Win over (216) New Caledonia 5-2

**Round 2:** Loss to (41) Tunisia 6-0

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Loss to (472) Russian Empire 6-1
Hampshire

## Eulogy

*By Cam Cain*

Old Hampshire is a county in the South East of England, just across the water from the Isle of Wight

It is the fifth largest county in England, thanks to being the home of the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth. Portsmouth, Hampshire is the namesake of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a cute seaside small city and one of the earliest settlements in New England. The old Portsmouth is a busy port which dates back to Roman times

Winchester Cathedral, one of the largest in Northern Europe, is located in Hampshire. It was built from 1079 to 1532, and it attracts over 350,000 visitors per year. One of the most bizarre and awful US #1 hits of all time was written about the Cathedral in 1966

New Forest National Park in Hampshire is one of the largest unspoiled natural places in southern England. William the Conqueror himself was the one who declared it to be an important natural area. Lots of rare-to-England wildlife live in the forest, including their only species of cicada

Notable people from Hampshire include writer Charles Dickens, actor Peter Sellers, soccer star Mason Mount, nurse Florence Nightingale, comedian Benny Hill whom I assumed was American, singer/songwriter Craig David, and current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

## Tournament

As the 514 seed, Hampshire was cleanly swept by Jamaica in Round 2 Matchup 129 of Flagvote 3 after previously defeating Azawad.

## Results

### FlagVote 3

**Round 1:** Win over (511) Azawad 7-4

**Round 2:** Loss to (2) Jamaica 11-0