So, How’s Your 2020 Shortlist Looking?

[Joey Russ 7,227]

With Spade posting about a super mystery pick in the 2019 shortlist thread, I figure that it would be time to post the shortlist thread for 2020. So, have any super duper off forum names? Got a good joker pick in mind? You can talk about all of that in this thread right here. And please, do give names if possible.  

[gcreptile 10,970]

Oh, I'm sure Spade was speaking about german politician and cult pick Manfred Stolpe.

 

I think it's time to start considering Jeopardy host Alex Trebek. He's getting a little old now.

 

Personally, I am currently torn between fielding another high effort / low result-theme team or a C-team. There are just soo many good names. I can't wait for the whole circus to start again.

[msc 18,446]

I'm leaving my shortlist till I see Spade Cooley and Death Impends emailed teams on Hogmanay.

 

No wait, I mean, I'm working on something.

 

Ahem.

[YoungWillz 21,044]

My main team is sorted, assuming they survive until 2020.

 

TOTP Theme Team I normally start working on late November.

 

Comedy Theme - there'll be no surprises - effectively mostly survivors from this year with a couple of well-known popular picks.

 

In other words, I can add nothing.

[Deathray 2,940]

Mine is just going to be a list of MPs this year, given the timing of the election an that bloody list.

[Book 3,556]

26 minutes ago, gcreptile said:

Oh, I'm sure Spade was speaking about german politician and cult pick Manfred Stolpe.

 

It can't be Manfred Stolpe because he is no guaranteed unique pick - he is in my current German theme team; since 2014 btw

He will also be in my next, if he survives the year.

[msc 18,446]

In case anyone takes the Obvious Crap Joke seriously (see DL Forum 2003-19 TM), I have agreed that forum copper DCI Cat Of The Yard will have copies of my teams before the end of the year and before I see anyone elses, to reassure the paranoid among us.

 

And in true Douglas Adams fan style, I aim to split Pan Breed's already weaker roster between Ark A and Ark B teams.

 

Although I currently have a bit of a Curse of Pan Breed going on. One particular spot in my shortlist. Valerie Harper had it, died, so I went for Bobby Mugs. Who died, so I went for Chirac. Who died so I went for Kaplan. Who died, so I went for Brackers. Who was already bloody dead. Now Bob Dole has that spot, so you might want to say your farewells on this sort of form...

[Death Impends 7,975]

I'm hoping to find an Indonesian named Suzanne W. for my joker, because both categories have been reliable hits for me.

 

I've still no idea what strategy I'll go for. This year, I tried to maximize the point value of my picks - only picking one name below 9 points (though could well be two by the month's end, with Bayh's 60th birthday looming). And with some of the chasing pack having only one less hit than me, but in need of three more to cause an upset, it seems to be paying off. If the lead does hold, I'll be keeping competitive, but perhaps a bit more relaxed about assembling a team than in years prior. We shall see.

[Spade_Cooley 9,525]

I'm sure I'll struggle to get back into the full swing of things this time out, I'll be happy with a top 10 slot. 2021 is the Drive for Five. Not much in the way of Cast Iron Solid QOs out there, but a lot of people in the hinterland of "well... they could get an obit I suppose".

[JQW 282]

I've chosen a few names based on illness reports I've picked up elsewhere, or seeing them on TV/in the press looking terrible. None have been named here, they're not picks this year, and I'm pretty certain they'll obit. What I'm not certain is if they'll still be around by the end of December.

 

I'll also be using my usual joker strategy, which has paid off once out of the past two years with a lot of points, but not sure which particular name to pick for that just yet.

 

Then there's a few other names likely to be drop 40 to add to the list.

[Joey Russ 7,227]

For me, right now I’m still at over 150 names on my shortlist. I think it’s going to be somewhat tough to pair that down to 20 names, especially since there’s really a lot of good names out there (and probably even more names that I am currently missing on my shortlist). 

[JiroemonKimura 95]

I've got a decent list of over 100 names, about 10-15 or so seemingly dead certs, mostly in 70s and 80s.  Most of them are probably the usual Drop 40 canon names; though I do have a handful of unique hopefuls.  Vast majority have cancer of some form.

[Paul Bearer 6,102]

I'll wait for the week between the "C" word and Hogmanay before looking around. 

[Sean 6,327]

I haven't started mine yet.Am now 72rd in the DDP so will need to decide if I up my game or just play for taking part.Could well be the latter 

[Sean 6,327]

I haven't started mine yet.Am now joint 72nd in the DDP so will need to decide if I up my game or just play for taking part.We shall see though 

[Toast 16,140]

56 minutes ago, Sean said:

I haven't started mine yet.Am now 72rd in the DDP so will need to decide if I up my game or just play for taking part.Could well be the latter 

 

I'm even lower down than you.  I don't pick FFBI, but seem to be stuck with FWWD.

[Prophet 251]

I'm Place 58 in the DDP currently.

[Grim Up North 3,725]

3 hours ago, Toast said:

 

I'm even lower down than you.  I don't pick FFBI, but seem to be stuck with FWWD.

 

It took me 30 seconds

[The Old Crem 3,600]

Thinking I will keep my existing theme team but instead of two general ones going to one genera one and one theme team. Have some idea of who is going to be dropped or not.

An hint- I have mentioned someone likely going into the theme team on here within the last two weeks.

[Joey Russ 7,227]

Really annoying when at first glance you see a name that you think they have a good chance of getting a QO, only to realize after further research on them that are really a no namer. It happens though, hehe. 

[Banana 859]

There's a certain big namer that people are seeming to ignore in terms of health and I'm curious to see how it affects the teams and who picks them.

[CaptainChorizo 1,982]

Been focusing more on finding new interesting names for my DDP theme team. Will start some proper searching in the next few weeks.

[Predictor 1,018]

On 06/11/2019 at 21:55, Joey Russ said:

Really annoying when at first glance you see a name that you think they have a good chance of getting a QO, only to realize after further research on them that are really a no namer. It happens though, hehe. 

This thread should be renamed to "So, how many terminally ill cancer mums that you came across on DailyMail are in your notepad and who will you replace them with when half of them inevitably perish prior to deadline day, and please make multiple vague and cryptic posts to keep us updated because we definitely give a toss about your shortlist?"

[Captain Hemlock 742]

Gahan Wilson was on my shortlist. Key word there is WAS

[Sir Creep 7,070]

I started researching a couple weeks ago, and that has halted.  Life isn't co-operating for DDP success and I'm behind on keeping up, so it'll be a throw-some-shite-on-the-paper lists and a participation award year for 2020 Sir Creep