Well, that was quick.
I'll admit to some surprise that Ratzinger was chosen as Pope. I didn't think we'd have a non-European, but I was expecting someone less obvious. You hear about how people go into the conclave as Pope and go out a cardinal, and it makes the most obvious choice seem less so.
It's been interesting listening to the analysis about his election, especially as they try to peg where Ratzinger is going to fall in terms of orthodoxy. Most everyone says he'll be in line with John Paul II, though there's been some talk about him as a moderate, especially in his choice of Benedict as a name, given the moderate role of some of the more recent Benedicts. The name also suggests the understanding of a shorter papcy, as Benedict XV served for under a decade.
Speaking of the name, I am kicking myself a bit with regards to the Tournament of Popery, as I made a last-minute change from Benedict to Leo. Not sure why I did this; in retrospect Benedict is the perfect name for someone serving as Pope at this juncture.
This did leave the door open for Chris Rosenberg, who wins the Tournament of Popery with a score of 20 points based on his selection of the election happening tomorrow. Craig Barker and I tie for second with 15 points (we both had Thursday). Our last two entrants - Anthony De Jesus and ML Kingston - scored no points, as they both went for a longer conclave. Chris will pad his win by 5 or 10 points depending on whether or not it was the fourth or fifth ballot.
As you might have picked up from the discussion above, none of us got the cardinal or name correct.
Funnily enough, I learned about the election today not through the usual 21st century means, but from the bells of my church. Go figure.
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5 comments:
Habemus Victoria.
Woo hoo - yay me. Love a pool where you can win without having any single element correct, but can win by virtue of being a wee bit less wrong than everyone else. Given the age of Pope Rat, I suspect I'll have the chance to defend my title in fewer than 26 years.
As always, Mark, thanks for finding a new way to channel my eccentricities.
Habemus Fortunatus Nothus, more like it.
I wasn't expecting a high score here, but hadn't thought about it being a contest of who could be least wrong. There's a comparison to Catholicism here somewhere.
Dang it!
Anthony, JQ and I were discussing who would become the next pontiff Friday. They will back me up on this when I said the pontiff would likely be Ratzinger or a Third World pope, and his name would either be Benedict 16, Pius 13 or John 24.
However, I had the conclave lasting at least 9-10 votes (longer than JP 2).
I learned of the new pope from a DJ on a dance station.
I learned of the new pope when an Italian colleague got a text message from his mom. (Both he and I were in Vegas for work at the time.)
If that doesn't count as "21st century means," I'm not sure what does. :-)
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