Favorite Collective Noun Tournament 2014 (Memory Wins!)

[mith]

If you haven't been around for one of these before, check the links to see what this is about...

Favorite Movie (2007) - The Shawshank Redemption
Favorite Fictional Character (2008) - Han Solo
Favorite Song (2009) - Stairway to Heaven
Favorite Book (2009) - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Favorite Person (2010) - Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci
Favorite Game (2010) - Texas Hold'em Poker
Favorite Game (2012) - Chess
Favorite Band (2012) - Queen
Favorite Video Game (2013) - Pokémon RGBY
Favorite TV Show (2013) - The Wire

Part 2: Choose Topics
Part 3: Nominations - Fictional Villain, Collective Noun, Comedian

Brackets

Round 1: Matches 1-7, Matches 8-15, Matches 16-22, Matches 23-29
Round 2: Matches 30-37, Matches 38-45
Round 3: Matches 46-53
Quarterfinals: Matches 54-57
Semifinals: Matches 58-59, Bonus Matches 1-4
Final: Match 60, Bonus Matches 5-6
Results

[mith]

Part 3: Nominations

Nominate your (up to) 25 Favorite Collective Nouns. Order does not matter. You must nominate in the following format:

Noun
Noun
Noun

Optionally, you may include one or more subjects which each applies to; for example:

Herd (sheep, zebras, walruses, etc.)
Flock (seagulls)

Nominations for the same noun will be combined, but all suggested subjects (along with any other common ones I can find) will be listed with them for voting.

For my sanity, please post your nominations as just a straight list with no numbers, bullets, or comments. It saves me a lot of time if I can just copy/paste into my spreadsheet rather than having to remove things first.

If you feel the need to comment on your nominations, do so before or after the entire list. Feel free to edit your list as much as you like, but post in the thread when you do so - I might have already started compiling my list and could miss your edit. I reserve the right to ignore nominations from anyone not following these guidelines.

Links are not required

, but are helpful for verifying use. Please link a source if your nomination is not found on Wikipedia's list.

Nouns are not guaranteed a place in the bracket from a single nomination. Nominate your top 25 regardless of others' selections

(ideally, don't look at other people's lists at all until you've posted yours, but you may want to look to make sure you're not missing something that belongs). Nouns above some number of nominations will be in the bracket, and there may be a runoff of some sort to determine remaining spots. See previous tournaments for details.

[mith]

Barrel (monkeys)
Bloat (hippopotamuses)
Cackle (hyenas)
Clattering (jackdaws)
Clowder (cats)
Convocation (eagles)
Gaggle (geese)
Murder (crows)
Parliament (rooks, owls)
Pod (dolphins, whales)
Queue (moderators)
Shrewdness (apes)
Superfluity (nuns)

[mith]

Nominations will close tomorrow night (or Wednesday, if I run out of time, which is likely).

[mith]

Working on this one now, but may not finish before I go to bed. We'll see.

[mith]

Nominations are closed.

We have 61 nouns with 2+ nominations, so I'll just go with that and three byes (the top three got 11, 10, and 9 respectively, and then a drop to 7, so that seems fair). Going to take me a little bit to get the example subjects all listed, but I should have the first quarter up shortly.

[mith]

Round 1A

BYE

[11] Parliament (of Owls, Rooks)

Match 1:

[2] Mischief (of Mice)
[2] Colony (of Ants, Bats, Beavers, Ibises, Squirrels, Weasels)

Match 2:

[4] Blush (of Boys)
[2] Dissimulation (of Birds)

Match 3:

[2] Fesnyng (of Ferrets)
[4] Draught (of Butlers, Salmon)

Match 4:

[5] Shrewdness (of Apes)
[2] Mob (of Deer, Emus, Kangaroos, Scummers, Sheep, Whales)

Match 5:

[2] Richesse / Richness (of Martens)
[3] Queue (of Moderators, Waiting Humans)

Match 6:

[3] Congress (of Baboons)
[2] Senate (of Griffins)

Match 7:

[2] Bed (of Eels, Snakes)
[6] Cackle (of Hyenas)

* The correct term for a group of Baboons is "Troop". Three of you were apparently taken in by a chain e-mail. However, I didn't do my checks for this until after the bracket was done, the RNG has a sense of humour about Match 6 anyway, and the source for Senate of Griffins is pretty sketchy as well, so...

[mith]

Mischief
Dissimulation
Draught
Shrewdness
Queue
Congress
Cackle

[mith]

(The numbers in brackets are numbers of nominations. If you will list only the collective noun, as above, one per line, that would be helpful!)

[mith]

Murder didn't make it in? What is this madness?

This is just one quarter of the bracket (thus "1A").

[mith]

Voting for this set will close tomorrow evening.

[mith]

Previous Results:

BYE:

Parliament

Match 1:

Mischief

d. Colony, 23-6

Match 2:

Dissimulation

d. Blush, 17-11

Match 3:

Draught

d. Fesnyng, 16-13

Match 4:

Shrewdness

d. Mob, 20-8

Match 5:

Queue

d. Richesse / Richness, 19-9

Match 6:

Senate

d. Congress, 15-11

Match 7:

Cackle

d. Bed, 21-7

Round 1B

Match 8:

[7] Gaggle (of Geese)
[2] Charm (of Finches, Magpies)

Match 9:

[2] Siege (of Herons)
[3] Congregation (of Alligators, Magpies, Plovers, Starlings, Worshipers)

Match 10:

[3] Memory (of Elephants)
[2] School (of Fish, Dolphins)

Match 11:

[2] Dazzle (of Zebras)
[5] Pandemonium (of Parrots)

Match 12:

[5] Convocation (of Eagles)
[2] Mess (of Iguanas)

Match 13:

[2] Group (of Anything)
[3] Sequitur (of Logicians)

Match 14:

[2] Pounce (of Cats)
[2] Phalanx (of Storks, Troops, Umbrellas)

Match 15:

[2] Ostentation (of Peacocks)
[7] Peloton (of Bicycle Racers)

[mith]

Gaggle
Siege
Memory
Pandemonium
Convocation
Sequitur
Phalanx
Ostentation

[mith]

Voting for this set closes tomorrow evening.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 8:

Gaggle

d. Charm, 19-15

Match 9:

Siege

d. Congregation, 22-12

Match 10:

Memory

d. School, 24-10

Match 11:

Pandemonium

d. Dazzle, 23-11

Match 12:

Convocation

d. Mess, 19-14

Match 13:

Sequitur

d. Group, 28-2

Match 14:

Phalanx

d. Pounce, 18-15

Match 15:

Ostentation

d. Peloton, 19-13

Round 1C

BYE

[9] Superfluity (of Nuns)

Match 16:

[2] Bellowing (of Bullfinches)
[2] Flock (of Birds/Ducks/Geese/Swifts, Camels, Children, Goats, Seagulls, Sheep)

Match 17:

[3] Intrusion (of Cockroaches)
[2] Swarm (of Bees, Eels, Insects/Ants/Butterflies/Flies/Gnats/Grasshoppers)

Match 18:

[2] Waddling (of Ducks)
[4] Destruction (of Wild/Big Cats)

Match 19:

[5] Commune (of Scummers)
[2] Gulp (of Cormorants, Magpies, Swallows)

Match 20:

[2] Wake (of Buzzards)
[3] Array (of Hedgehogs)

Match 21:

[3] Flamboyance (of Flamingos)
[2] Observance (of Hermits)

Match 22:

[2] Drunkenship / Drunkship (of Cobblers)
[6] Wisdom (of Wombats)

[mith]

Flock
Intrusion
Waddling
Gulp
Wake
Flamboyance
Wisdom

[mith]

The (not quite) complete bracket is now linked in the first post.

[mith]

Commune just feels like an instant-win cheat code in this tournament, tbh.

Also I'd be tempted to argue that 'commune' is more the noun for the place where you all live rather than the collective noun for you all but mostly it's the instant-win thing

Eh, it's not even running away with the match against Gulp. That suggests there aren't that many auto-voting it; eventually it's going to run into some entries that had more nominations, too.

[mith]

Voting for this set closes tomorrow night.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 16:

Bellowing

d. Flock, 17-9

Match 17:

Swarm

d. Intrusion, 14-12

Match 18:

Waddling

d. Destruction, 15-12

Match 19:

Commune

d. Gulp, 14-13

Match 20:

Array

d. Wake, 18-8

Match 21:

Flamboyance

d. Observance, 18-7

Match 22:

Wisdom

d. Drunkenship / Drunkship, 16-9

Round 1D

Match 23:

[6] Unkindness (of Ravens)
[2] Pack (of Dogs/Hounds, Grouse, Mules, Weasels/Stoats, Wolves/Coyotes)

Match 24:

[2] Clowder (of Cats)
[3] Escargatoire (of Snails)

Match 25:

[3] Pride (of Lions, Peacocks)
[2] Pod (of Dolphins, Pelicans, Seals, Walruses, Whales)

Match 26:

[2] Assembly (of Clergy, Humans)
[5] Rabble (of Gnats, Humans)

Match 27:

[4] Ambush (of Tigers)
[2] Barrel (of Monkeys)

Match 28:

[2] Bunch (of Deer, Grapes, Waterfowl/Wildfowl/Ducks)
[4] Bloat (of Hippos)

Match 29:

[2] Business (of Ferrets, Flies)
[2] Plague (of Insects)

BYE

[10] Murder (of Crows, Magpies)

[mith]

Unkindness
Clowder
Pod
Rabble
Ambush
Bloat
Plague

(Constant Vigilance.)

[mith]

Commune just barely squeaks by Gulp in the closest match of the last set...

[mith]

Voting for this set closes tomorrow.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 23:

Unkindness

d. Pack, 22-4

Match 24:

Escargatoire

d. Clowder, 14-10

Match 25:

Pride

d. Pod, 18-6

Match 26:

Rabble

d. Assembly, 21-5

Match 27:

Barrel

d. Ambush, 13-12

Match 28:

Bloat

d. Bunch, 18-8

Match 29:

Plague

d. Business, 14-11

Round 2A

Match 30:

[11] Parliament (of Owls, Rooks)
[2] Mischief (of Mice)

Match 31:

[2] Dissimulation (of Birds)
[4] Draught (of Butlers, Salmon)

Match 32:

[5] Shrewdness (of Apes)
[3] Queue (of Moderators, Waiting Humans)

Match 33:

[2] Senate (of Griffins)
[6] Cackle (of Hyenas)

Match 34:

[7] Gaggle (of Geese)
[2] Siege (of Herons)

Match 35:

[3] Memory (of Elephants)
[5] Pandemonium (of Parrots)

Match 36:

[5] Convocation (of Eagles)
[3] Sequitur (of Logicians)

Match 37:

[2] Phalanx (of Storks, Troops, Umbrellas)
[2] Ostentation (of Peacocks)

[mith]

Parliament
Dissimulation
Shrewdness
Cackle
Gaggle
Memory
Convocation
Ostentation

...I apparently have a preference for the ones ending in -tion.

[mith]

Voting for this set closes tomorrow.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 30:

Parliament

d. Mischief, 15-7

Match 31:

Dissimulation

d. Draught, 11.1-11

Match 32:

Shrewdness

d. Queue, 13-9

Match 33:

Cackle

d. Senate, 12-10

Match 34:

Siege

d. Gaggle, 11.1-11

Match 35:

Memory

d. Pandemonium, 12-10

Match 36:

Convocation

d. Sequitur, 11-10

Match 37:

Phalanx

d. Ostentation, 12-10

Round 2B

Match 38:

[9] Superfluity (of Nuns)
[2] Bellowing (of Bullfinches)

Match 39:

[2] Swarm (of Bees, Eels, Insects/Ants/Butterflies/Flies/Gnats/Grasshoppers)
[2] Waddling (of Ducks)

Match 40:

[5] Commune (of Scummers)
[3] Array (of Hedgehogs)

Match 41:

[3] Flamboyance (of Flamingos)
[6] Wisdom (of Wombats)

Match 42:

[6] Unkindness (of Ravens)
[3] Escargatoire (of Snails)

Match 43:

[3] Pride (of Lions, Peacocks)
[5] Rabble (of Gnats, Humans)

Match 44:

[2] Barrel (of Monkeys)
[4] Bloat (of Hippos)

Match 45:

[2] Plague (of Insects)
[10] Murder (of Crows, Magpies)

[mith]

Superfluity
Waddling
Array
Wisdom
Unkindness
Rabble
Bloat
Murder

[mith]

Tiebreakers Needed!

Match 31:

Dissimulation t. Draught, 11-11

Match 34:

Gaggle t. Siege, 11-11

First to vote who hadn't already decides it.

[mith]

(That was an incredibly close set of matches...)

[mith]

Voting for this set will close tomorrow morning.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 38:

Superfluity

d. Bellowing, 20-2

Match 39:

Waddling

d. Swarm, 15-7

Match 40:

Array

d. Commune, 16-6

Match 41:

Flamboyance

d. Wisdom, 13-9

Match 42:

Unkindness

d. Escargatoire, 14-8

Match 43:

Pride

d. Rabble, 14-8

Match 44:

Bloat

d. Barrel, 11.1-11

Match 45:

Murder

d. Plague, 16-6

Tiebreaker Needed!

Match 44:

Barrel t. Bloat, 11-11

First to vote who hasn't already will decide it.

[mith]

Round 3

Match 46:

[11] Parliament (of Owls, Rooks)
[2] Dissimulation (of Birds)

Match 47:

[5] Shrewdness (of Apes)
[6] Cackle (of Hyenas)

Match 48:

[2] Siege (of Herons)
[3] Memory (of Elephants)

Match 49:

[5] Convocation (of Eagles)
[2] Phalanx (of Storks, Troops, Umbrellas)

Match 50:

[9] Superfluity (of Nuns)
[2] Waddling (of Ducks)

Match 51:

[3] Array (of Hedgehogs)
[3] Flamboyance (of Flamingos)

Match 52:

[6] Unkindness (of Ravens)
[3] Pride (of Lions, Peacocks)

Match 53:

[4] Bloat (of Hippos)
[10] Murder (of Crows, Magpies)

[mith]

Parliament
Shrewdness
Memory
Convocation
Waddling
Array
Unkindness
Murder

[mith]

Voting for this set closes tomorrow.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 46:

Parliament

d. Dissimulation, 16-4

Match 47:

Shrewdness

d. Cackle, 13-7

Match 48:

Memory

d. Siege, 12-7

Match 49:

Convocation

d. Phalanx, 11-9

Match 50:

Superfluity

d. Waddling, 13-7

Match 51:

Flamboyance

d. Array, 13-7

Match 52:

Pride

d. Unkindness, 10-9

Match 53:

Murder

d. Bloat, 17-3

Round 4

Match 54:

[11] Parliament (of Owls, Rooks)
[5] Shrewdness (of Apes)

Match 55:

[3] Memory (of Elephants)
[5] Convocation (of Eagles)

Match 56:

[9] Superfluity (of Nuns)
[3] Flamboyance (of Flamingos)

Match 57:

[3] Pride (of Lions, Peacocks)
[10] Murder (of Crows, Magpies)

[mith]

Parliament
Convocation
Superfluity
Murder

[mith]

Voting for the quarters will close Monday evening.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 54:

Parliament d. Shrewdness, 17-8

Match 55:

Memory d. Convocation, 16-9

Match 56:

Superfluity d. Flamboyance, 14-11

Match 57:

Murder d. Pride, 12-11

Round 5

Match 58:

[11] Parliament (of Owls, Rooks)
[3] Memory (of Elephants)

Match 59:

[8] Superfluity (of Nuns)
[10] Murder (of Crows, Magpies)

Bonus Match 1:

Shrewdness (of Apes)
Barrel (of Monkeys)
Draught (of Butlers, Salmon)

Bonus Match 2:

Convocation (of Eagles)
Pandemonium (of Parrots)
Unkindness (of Ravens)

Bonus Match 3:

Flamboyance (of Flamingos)
Waddling (of Ducks)
Gaggle (of Geese)

Bonus Match 4:

Pride (of Lions, Peacocks)
Array (of Hedgehogs)
Mischief (of Mice)

[mith]

Parliament
Murder

Shrewdness
Convocation
Waddling
Array

[mith]

Just realized that Superfluity only had 8 nominations. Tournament ruined! (Or not, nothing other than the three above got more than 7.)

Reck listed it twice. Someday someone is going to get away with nominating or voting multiple times in some meaningful way.

[mith]

Dessew, imaginality, and quadz08 are the three who nominated Memory, and also nominated the top two seeds. ChannelDelibird and I both nominated all three of the top seeds.

[mith]

Voting for this set closes tomorrow.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 58:

Memory d. Parliament, 14-8
[11] Parliament (of Owls, Rooks)
[3] Memory (of Elephants)

Match 59:

Superfluity d. Murder, 11-9
[8] Superfluity (of Nuns)
[10] Murder (of Crows, Magpies)

Bonus Match 1:

Shrewdness d. Draught and Barrel 7-6-4

Bonus Match 2:

Convocation d. Pandemonium and Unkindness, 7-6-4

Bonus Match 3:

Flamboyance d. Waddling, Gaggle 8-5-3

Bonus Match 4:

Pride d. Array and Mischief, 10-5-2

Final

Match 60:

[3] Memory of Elephants
[8] Superfluity of Nuns

Consolation

Bonus Match 5:

Parliament (of Owls, Rooks)
Murder (of Crows, Magpies)

Bonus Match 6:

Rank from favorite to least favorite.
1. Convocation (of Eagles)
2. Flamboyance (of Flamingos)
3. Pride (of Lions, Peacocks)
4. Shrewdness (of Apes)

[mith]

Memory
Parliament
1>4>3>2

[mith]

Voting for this tournament will close tomorrow.

[mith]

Previous Results:

Match 60:

Memory

d. Superfluity, 14-10

Bonus Match 5:

Parliament

d. Murder, 9-8

Bonus Match 6:

Flamboyance

d. Pride (11-6), Convocation (14-3), Shrewdness (14-3); Pride t. Convocation (8-8), d. Shrewdness (9-7); Convocation d. Shrewdness (10-6)

Final Results

1. Memory of Elephants
2. Superfluity of Nuns
3. Parliament of Owls, Rooks
4. Murder of Crows, Magpies
5. Flamboyance of Flamingos
6t. Pride of Lions, Peacocks
6t. Convocation of Eagles
8. Shrewdness of Apes