Scheduling Update

Sissy Hankshaw forced to wait another day for her battle with The Hammer

Due to a thumb scheduling conflict, there will only be one battle in today's installment of thumb war action. Killer will still take on Mr. Thumbtastic at 3:00pm, but the battle between Sissy and The Hammer will now take place tomorrow, Thursday June 23rd.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to a thumbfortuante booking error, today's battle will also take place at the conference table near the correspondence unit. 

The move makes it pretty clear that tomorrow will be the can't miss day of this tournament given that there will now be three thumbalicious battles on the day before the finals are (tentatively) scheduled.  

TODAY

Killer vs. Mr. Thumbtastic

WEDNESDAY

• Winner from Group A Round One (Killer or Thumbtastic) vs. Thumbscrews Kelly
• Chopper Bertrand vs. Toss Up Talbot
• Sissy Hankshaw vs. The Hammer

THURSDAY (If all necessary competitors are present and the G20 doesn't interfere)

• The Ladies Finals!
• The Men's Finals!

First Day of Battle is Fierce

UPDATE: Thanks to a generous donation that matched the fees received from this year's entrants, the Thumb Wars have undergone a name change. 

You too can do your part for Federated Health by donating generously when the hat is passed at the next round of matches.

BATTLE COVERAGE:

The first match of the newly renamed Karin Dillabough thumb wars set the tone for what one can only hope will be a respectful and classy tournament. 
James "Chopper" Bertrand probably wasn't on a lot of people's pick lists to take this year's thumb war tournament, but that all may have changed today when he outshone Vin, a man who has shown his capacity for fierce battle in such charity-related inter-office tournaments as The CMB Staring Contest and the Water Cooler Wrestling Invitational. 
With his dignified style and quiet determination, Chopper took Vin in the third round of their match, refusing to lower himself to his opponent's level after Vin resorted to trash talk, dirty looks and, even a reported under-the-table kick. 


In Ladies action, the always convivial and paradoxically named "Old Meany" took on Thumbzzz Tedesco, bringing a civility so sickeningly good-natured to her match that onlookers wondered if it was real or if her offers of good luck and roasted nuts were just some sort of psyche-out tactic. 
Regardless of the mind games, however, Tedesco made short work of her opponent, attacking relentlessly as Old Meany tried to sit back and wait out the onslaught, eventually terrified into fleeing the match in two straight wins to end the day. 


Don't forget to join us tomorrow at 3:00pm for:


Paul Mr. Thumbtastic Doig vs. Ira Killer Miller, and


Renee The Hammer Struik vs. Amy Sissy Hankshaw Packwood

Scheduling Update

Due to a scheduling conflict, some first round action has been rescheduled accordingly:

• Kristen and Nadia have had their match pushed back to 3:30ish on Friday the 18th
• Vin and James will now battle at 3:30 on Friday following Kristen and Nadia
• Paul and Ira have been moved to Tuesday the 22nd at 3:00.

Match Ups

Here are the match-ups for the first two rounds of thumbtacular action...
(Click the images for bigger versions)

Schedule
Friday June 18th 3:00pm
Group A Round One Action

• Mr Thumbtastic vs. Killer
• Old Meany vs. Thumbzzz Tedesco

Tuesday June 22nd 3:00pm
Group B Round One Action

• Vin vs. Chopper
• The Hammer vs. Sissy  Hankshaw

Wednesday June 23rd 3:00pm
Men's Round Two Action

• Winner from Group A Round One vs. Thumbscrews Kelly
• Winner from Group B Round One vs. Toss Up Talbot

Friday June 25th 3:00pm
Finals

• Ladies' Group A Winner vs. Ladies' Group B Winner
• Men's Group A Winner vs. Men's Group B Winner

Possible bonus match...

• Men's Champion vs. Ladies' Champion

CMB is Going to WAR!

..Thumb war that is!
And it's not too late to get in on the knuckle busting  action.


Many eager competitors have already submitted their entrant's forms, so hurry up and get yours in too!


Join the returning ranks of the some of the CMB Staring Contest's most fearsome competitors. Back for action are:

• Nadia "Old Meany" Abdelahad
• Kevin "Thumbscrews" Kelly
• Renee "The Hammer" Struik
• And, of course, The 2009 Benaaron Cup Staring Contest Champion, "Vinnie"

Will their staring ability translate to the thumb battlefield?


Looking to find out are a few newcomers, eager to show their skills. 


Sign up now to do battle with the likes of:

• Paul "Mr. Thumbtastic" Doig
• Ira "Killer" Miller
• And
• Amy "Sissy Hankshaw" Packwood

What are you waiting for?

The First Annual CMB Federated Health Thumb War

Welcome to your source for the latest news on the (second) hottest fundraising event of the century:

The Communications and Marketing Branch's Federated Health Thumb Wars!

This website will be your resource for all things related to the contest;

• including match dates and detailed results,
• contest rules, and
• competitor profiles.

This is sure to be a hard-fought, vicious, and unruly battle. No one knows what might happen (this is a thumb war after all) so be sure to check back here often for the latest updates.

Enter the Battle RIGHT NOW!

Don't miss out on your opportunity to be part of what will probably be remembered as "a thing you did at your work recently!"

For just $4 you can compete to win one of the most coveted trophies in all face-to-face office-related fundraising competitions: The Vin Medallion

Competitions will start Tuesday June 8th so be sure to get your entrant's form completed ASAP.

How to Sign Up:

1. Simply click on the image below, print out and complete the entrant's form and deliver it to Ben Johnson (You'll also need to email a picture to cmbblogger@gmail.com)

Sign up now for just $4! 

You can pay now or at the time of your first match.

See Ben Johnson to pay your entrant's fee now!

GET IN THE GAME! It's for a great cause and you'll be worshiped and adored by your peers for years to come simply for taking part in this prestigious sporting event*.

---

*obviously not really.

Official Thumb War Code of Conduct and Rules

Thumb War Rules of Engagement

Tournament
The tournament will be structured as a classic single elimination bracket with the number of rounds being determined by the number of entrants. Each war will feature a best of three battles. If a combatant wins the best of three, he or she will move on to the next round. The loser of the best of three is eliminated.


There will be both a men's tournament and a women's tournament. Prizes will be awarded to the top competitors in each division. 


The men's champion and the women's champion may then face off in a head to head battle for exhibition purposes only should they wish. 

(example of bracket size for 16 competitors)

War Structure
The combatants will engage in three battles. The winner of the thumb war will be that combatant that wins 2 out of 3 of these battles.

If one combatant is left handed and one is right handed, the combatants will engage first in a battle of right hands, then in a battle of left hands. If each contestant wins one of the first two battles, a coin toss will determine which hand will fight the third and final battle. 


(The referee will choose who gets to call the coin toss based on the colour of each combatants' sweaters and how well the referee feels those colours bring out the colour of each combatant's eyes).








Set Up
Two combatants will sit across from one another at a conference table. The combatants will interlock fingers, thumbs facing up. When both combatants have agreed they are comfortable, the pre-battle ritual shall begin.


Prior to battle, contestants will chant "One-Two-Three-Four. I declare a thumb war" whilst moving their thumbs left and right over one another as they count. Once this is done, the two thumbs shall bow to one another as a sign of respect, and the battle shall commence!


Battle
The object of each battle will be to pin and hold your opponent's thumb down for three (3) seconds.


This time shall be counted out loud by the person who is pinning his or her opponent, NOT the referee.


Given the rigors with which thumb wars are often conducted, the referee may not be in a position to actually monitor and time the pin falls. Accordingly,  combatants will be expected to bring a certain degree of civility and honestly to their matches.  


Combatants will be expected to:

• avoid potentially injurious, excessive arm movement,
• count actual time when timing pin falls (i.e. not speedily in order to win),
• be honest, and
• win or lose gracefully.

Match-Ups

Match-ups will be chosen at random and will be posted to this blog four days prior to the contest (Friday June 4th).

Referees Are The Law

While the referee(s) will not be charged with monitoring the and deciding the pin falls, he or she (they) will enforce the expected code of conduct as set out above. Combatants determined by the referee to be disregarding the rules of conduct will be eliminated from the tournament immediately and the match ruled a forfeit. 

Should there be any discrepancy between contestants, the referees shall have absolute and final say and shall determine whether or not such action requires a "do-over", a time out, a chill pill or any other such disciplinary action.

Praise be to the referee, forever and ever. Amen.