A slide for the Day One results from the Round of Eight, which is exactly, uh, what it sounds like. In Liga Betances, Curricanoso, the grizzled sea otter with a dead fish, is beating the absolute metal out of Formotín, the liberatory woodpecker, 24-4. We think Formotín has a shot, but we wouldn't be shocked if he's in black and white by tomorrow. Also in Liga Betances, Dialborozo, the bright-eyed sun, is currently in a tight match with Saunigozo, the comfy cat, which it is losing 15-12 despite being the higher seed. In Liga Hostos, things are very tense: Tandatómica, the lithium atom, and Buhonrado, the stately owl, are *tied* at 13-13. Also in Liga Hostos, Zanganóplita, the clueless manatee, has officially defeated Guaplumetón, the romantic quill, 25-3. We're not even bothering to keep the mystery going here.

We weren't expecting to call a race this early, but y'all decided the 🏛️ #AcropolitanosMAN didn't even deserve a little excitement.

That's an upset of the #1 seed 📜 #PoetasTOA, but there's 3 races still within reach! If your guy's behind—WHIP 👏 THOSE 👏 VOTES 👏!
www.polltab.com/bracket-poll...

A bracket ad showing where the different contestants stand for Mascot Bowl IV. In Liga Betances, #4 seed Potremura, the bold steed, has fallen to #5 Formotín, the liberatory woodpecker, which will now face #1 Curricanoso, the grizzled otter. #3 Saunigozo, the cozy cat, has beaten #6 Vueltáspide, the healing snake, and now faces #2 Dialborozo, the bright-eyed sun. In Liga Hostos, #5 Zanganóplita the clueless manatee absolutely romped on #4 Navatajón, the flaming knife, and now faces #1 Guaplumetón, the living quill, while #6 Tandatómica, the happy lithium atom, has defeated #3 Esferinata, the balloon cow, and now faces #2 Buhonrado, the illustrious owl.

After the Preliminary Round, here's the #MascotBowl4 bracket.

🔴 BETANCES:
#5 ⚖️ #LibertadoresGUY vs. #1 🎣 #PescadoresSAL

#3 🛁 #TermalesCOA vs.
#2 ☀️ #SolesLUQ.

🔷 HOSTOS:
#5 🏛️ #AcropolitanosMAN vs.
#1 📜 #PoetasTOA

#6 ⚙️ #IngenierosRIN vs.
#2 🦉 #IlustresBRR.

Trading card for Guaplumetón, the mascot of the Poetas de Toa Alta, whose lilac “TA” logo in old English font sits on a black league flap. Guaplumetón is an animated purple quill with black hair, eyebrows, mustache, goatee (all patterned after Spanish poet Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer) and bottom feathers and a white spine, crossed against a scroll that reads “Quiero la rima que solloce y cante / que exprese la nostalgia y el deseo.” (“I want the rhyme that weeps and sings / that expresses nostalgia and desire.”) That’s a quotation from Lola Rodríguez de Tió’s “El poeta.” It’s a Dark/Psychic type, with the following moves: Flatter (Dark), Hidden Power (Normal), Take Heart (Psychic), Heart Stamp (Psychic). The card itself is blue, with white striping.

Hostos #1: Guaplumetón
(📜 #PoetasTOA)

Lola Rodríguez de Tió, who wrote the national anthem of the Republic of Puerto Rico, wasn't from Toa Alta (she was a 🪶 #GolondrinasSGR fan, if you were wondering), but when you write banger lines like those, other towns get to use them too.

12/24:
#PoetasTOA 📜 send:
🇵🇷 RHP Benedicto Martínez (35, 42 OVR)
🇵🇷 RHP Amadeo Ramos (15, 20 OVR / 65 POT)

#JinetesTOB ✳️ send:
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 2B Theo Morrison (32, 48 OVR)

The rare win-win interdivisional trade. Toa Alta gets a bat the Jinetes have no need of, and in return get a key piece of sustainability.