Wednesday, May 7, 2014 Game Recap & Discussion [SPOILERS]

[Archivists]

Game Recap for Show #6833, 2014-05-07

Battle of the Decades quarterfinal game 3.

CONTESTANTS
Dan Pawson, a global health consultant from Brooklyn, New York
Brad Rutter, a Jeopardy's all-time biggest money winner from Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Mark Lowenthal, an intelligence educator from Reston, Virginia

OPENING REMARKS
Alex: Thank you, Johnny Gilbert, and thank you, ladies and gentlemen. And welcome, folks, to our third quarter-final match in the "Battle of the Becades." We're dealing with former Jeopardy! champions, so we expect a high-quality level in their play. Dan, Brad, and Mark, good luck. Let's go to work. Now the categories for you...

JEOPARDY! ROUND CATEGORIES
VERBS WITH OTHER MEANINGS (5/5)
FARMING (3/5, including 1 correct Daily Double)
FROM "D" TO DINING "D" (5/5) (Alex: Each correct response beginning and ending with that letter.)
FOLKLORE (5/5)
THE SOUTH (4/5)
THEY LEFT US IN THE LAST YEAR (3/5)

THE RIGHTS & THE WRONGS
Brad: 11 R (including 1 rebound and 1 DD), 2 W
Dan: 9 R, 2 W
Mark: 5 R (including 3 rebounds), 1 W

Clues revealed: 30
Triple Stumpers: 5
Jeopardy! Round Potential Lach Trash: $3,400



SCORES AT THE FIRST BREAK
Brad: $3,000
Mark: $1,400
Dan: $1,000

CONTESTANT INTERVIEWS



Alex: Dan Pawson and I have a rather strange relationship. As you heard at the top of the program, he named his car "Sly Fox" because I referred to him
in that manner, but I want to hear about this stuffed dog...

Dan: Oh.

Alex: ...that you brought with you and you bring with you every time you play Jeopardy!.

Dan: Yeah, so, we bought it out on our first trip here.

Alex: Yeah.

Dan: And it went well, and then I brought it back to the Tournament of Champions, went well, so we christened it "Alex Trebark."

[Laughter]

Alex: "Trebark"?

Dan: Trebark.

Alex: Thank you, Dan.

[Laughter]




Alex: Brad Rutter. Producing a sitcom about quizzes. Exactly what?

Brad: Well, it's sort of --if you know "The League," it's about fantasy football, but it's sort of that, but it's a pub-quiz team instead of a fantasy-football league. So, I play a sort of twisted, demented version of myself but not really as twisted and demented as you might --it wasn't that much of a stretch is what I'm trying to say.

[Laughter]

Alex: Yeah. I-I was going to add that myself.




Alex: Mark Lowenthal is from Virginia. He wrote an autobiography. But not of himself. Of?

Mark: Of the Greek god Pan. I was taken with the legend of Pan, whose death is announced, and I wondered, "what would it be like if you were a god and suddenly you were not a god and you were reminiscing about your life?" So I wrote this novel, finally published it as a Kindle eBook. It's doing kind of well, and it was just a lot of fun, just a lot of research and just sort of an interesting imagining sequence. And he's also a very interesting --he's a lusty fellow, so he was a lot of fun.

Alex: Uh-huh, just like you.

[Laughter]

JEOPARDY! ROUND DAILY DOUBLE
Brad found the Daily Double on the 28th clue. Mark had $2,600, Brad had $4,800, and Dan was at $3,400. Brad wagered $2,000.

FARMING $600: Boosting efficiency, it's a harvester & a thresher in one machine

TRIPLE STUMPERS IN THE JEOPARDY! ROUND
THEY LEFT US IN THE LAST YEAR $400: "For 21 years we tangled our minds and hearts together", wrote Laurie Anderson of this musician

THEY LEFT US IN THE LAST YEAR $600: He went on to high-pitched heaven at age 90

THE SOUTH $600: In 78 years Pat Peacock is the only woman to win the Arkansas contest for calling this other bird
(Brad: What's a turkey?)

FARMING $800: The Chester White breed of this farm animal traces its origin to one imported from England 200 years ago

FARMING $1000: It's the biological conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into a form that can be used by plants

SCORES AT THE END OF THE JEOPARDY! ROUND
Brad: $6,800
Dan: $3,400
Mark: $2,600

[Archivists]

DOUBLE JEOPARDY! ROUND CATEGORIES
CHINESE ART (2/5)
READ"ING" (4/5, including 1 correct Daily Double)
WHEEL OF JEOPARDY! (4/5)
EUROPEAN RULERS (5/5)
GOVT. MED. ABBREV. (3/5, including 1 correct Daily Double)
MOVIE DIRECTORS (4/5)

THE RIGHTS & THE WRONGS
Brad: 11 R (including 2 DDs), 0 W
Dan: 9 R, 0 W
Mark: 2 R, 2 W

Clues revealed: 30
Triple Stumpers: 8
Double Jeopardy! Round Potential Lach Trash: $12,400



FIRST DOUBLE JEOPARDY! ROUND DAILY DOUBLE
Brad snagged the next Daily Double on the 9th clue. Mark had $1,000, Brad had $12,400, and Dan was at $3,800. Brad wagered $10,000.

READ"ING" $1600: Squire Allworthy is a character in a 1749 novel by this man
...
(Alex: Hard to wipe the grin off your face when that one came up, wasn't it? Go again.)
(Brad: I read it in high school.)

SECOND DOUBLE JEOPARDY! ROUND DAILY DOUBLE
It was Brad who snatched up the last Daily Double of the game on the 15th clue. Mark had $1,000, Brad had $24,000, and Dan was at $7,800. Brad wagered $4,000.

GOVT. MED. ABBREV. $1200: It's the acronym for the law that allows you to continue the coverage you had after you leave a job

TRIPLE STUMPERS IN THE DOUBLE JEOPARDY! ROUND
CHINESE ART $2000: This dynasty, 960- 1279, produced great art & one emperor who was a master calligrapher (but lousy emperor)
(Mark: Who are the Ming?)

READ"ING" $1200: In this Judith Rossner novel, Theresa Dunn is murdered by a man she'd picked up in the title singles spot
(Mark: What is Waiting for Mr. Goodbar?)
...
(Alex: What is [*], not Waiting.)
(Mark: You're right.)
(Alex: Thank you.)
[Laughter]

WHEEL OF JEOPARDY! $2000: Classic hot wheels of the 1920s

GOVT. MED. ABBREV. $1600: Used to determine benefit eligibility, F.P.L. stands for this "level"

GOVT. MED. ABBREV. $2000: Figuring out which pays first when 2 insurers are responsible for the same claim is this, C.O.B.

MOVIE DIRECTORS $1600: "Meet Me in St. Louis"

CHINESE ART $1200: These landforms, such as Kunlun, have long been featured in Chinese art; they're the home of dongtian, or "cave heavens"
...
(Alex: What are mountains?)
(Brad: The other ones were so hard.)
[Laughter]

CHINESE ART $800: This California city's Asian Art Museum has hundreds of Chinese ritual bronzes

SCORES ENTERING FINAL JEOPARDY!
Brad: $32,400 (lock game)
Dan: $10,200
Mark: $1,800

FINAL JEOPARDY! CATEGORY
SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

VENUSIAN MONOLOGUES/MARTIAN CHRONICLES
Lock for first place; lock for second place.
Brad: Wager between $0 (venusian) and $11,999 (martian), and enjoy your victory.
Dan: Wager between $0 (venusian) and $6,599 (martian), and enjoy 2nd place.
Mark: You've no hope of catching up... unless Dan does something stupid. So risk $1,799.

FINAL JEOPARDY! CLUE
On Dec. 20, 1956 the court's ruling on Browder v. Gayle went into effect, bringing an end to this 381-day event

FINAL SCORES
Mark: $1,800 - $1,500 = $300 (What is Auto Ford Plant Strike?) (3rd place: $10,000 if eliminated)
Dan: $10,200 - $9,801 = $399 (What is strike?) (2nd place: $10,000 if eliminated)
Brad: $32,400 - $0 = $32,400 (What is a strike?) (Automatic semifinalist)

Total Potential Lach Trash: $15,800

GAME DYNAMICS


CORYAT SCORES
Brad: $19,800, 22 R (including 3 DDs), 2 W
Dan: $10,200, 18 R, 2 W
Mark: $1,800, 7 R, 3 W
Combined Coryat: $31,800

BATTING AVERAGES
Brad: 22/61 = .361
Dan: 18/58 = .310
Mark: 7/58 = .121
Team: 47/63 = .746

MISCELLANEOUS INTERESTING CLUES
THEY LEFT US IN THE LAST YEAR $1000: The motion stopped for this special-effects master, whose artistry is seen here in "Jason and the Argonauts"

THE SOUTH $200: This Alabama seaport's Mardi Gras celebration dates back to 1703
(Dan: What is New Orleans?)

THE SOUTH $400: (Kelly of the Clue Crew shows a map on the monitor.) In 1824, Tallahassee was chosen as the territorial capital of Florida because it was halfway between the two principle towns at the time -- St. Augustine & this seaport city -- the future cradle of naval aviation

FOLKLORE $600: The "Musicians of" this town could have enjoyed Becks, which is brewed there
(Mark: What is Hamelin?)

FOLKLORE $800: The title & theme of this Ibsen play about an ambitious architect reflect a folktale
(Dan: What is A Doll's House?)

FOLKLORE $1000: In Irish lore & in "Harvey", it's a spirit in the shape of an animal
(Brad: What's a rabbit?)

WHEEL OF JEOPARDY! $800: Pac-12 powerhouse

WHEEL OF JEOPARDY! $1200: A friendship is born of common discomfort

WHEEL OF JEOPARDY! $1600: Product of a thinker from Crotone

WHEEL OF JEOPARDY! $400: A jet uses it finally

CORRECT RESPONSES
a combine
Lou Reed
Slim Whitman
a duck
a hog
fixation
(Henry) Fielding
COBRA
the Song Dynasty
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
Vauxhall Roadster
federal poverty level
coordination of benefits
Vincente Minnelli
mountains
San Francisco
the Montgomery bus boycott
(Ray) Harryhausen
Mobile
Pensacola
Bremen
The Master Builder
a púca
the University of Arizona
misery loves company
Pythagorean theorem
landing gear

[jeff6286]

Supreme Court Decisions
On Dec. 20, 1956 the court's ruling on Browder v. Gayle went into effect, bringing an end to this 381-day event.

Spoiler

What is the Montgomery Bus Boycott? Mark said Ford plant strike; Dan and Brad both just said strike.

Brad Rutter: $32,400-$0=$32,400...Automatic Semi-Finalist
Dan Pawson: $10,200-$9,801=$399
Mark Lowenthal: $1,800-$1,500=$300

[ElendilPickle]

Retro good luck - and a District 12 salute - to pdano today.

[Carpe Diem]

I would watch a show about a pub quiz team.
Couldn't help but think of a certain boardie when a certain DJ! category was revealed.

[zakharov]

I instagot a BOTD FJ that was a triple-stumper. I feel like this obligates them to invite me on the show immediately.

[econgator]

I was close ... I had the Montgomery Bus Strike.

At least I didn't say "New Orleans".

[TenPoundHammer]

Lach Trash on "Looking for Mr. Goodbar", albeit on the rebound. I knew it entirely because of "Dare to Be Stupid". Oddly, "As I Lay Dying" was my only other get.

I can understand not getting Vauxhall Roadster in that Wheel of Jeopardy! category, but how the heck did I not come up with "landing gear"? For some reason, I was stuck on "engine" even with the G at the end.

I knew FJ! had something to do with Rosa Parks, but couldn't think of what it was called. I also got snagged on "strike" and refused to budge. When Alex said "It wasn't a strike", I had my "aha" moment and said "Oh, the Birmingham Bus Boycott." Close but no guitar.

Between that and whiffing on Mobile, I think I need to spend more time looking at a map of Alabama.

[UniquePerspective]

What's interesting about this set of circumstances is that Dan is technically still alive for a wild card spot at $399. I don't feel you hear that every day in this sort of format.

Very impressive by Brad, Dan did what he could, and I feel bad for Mark 'cause by Double Jeopardy the wheels just couldn't get going.

[xxaaaxx]

Well...that went pretty much as I expected. Please let the Finals be Brad vs Roger vs Ken? Pretty please? And not just because that was my prediction a few weeks ago?

Not-quite-instaget FJ, but close.

[heelsrule1988]

I feel so bad for Dan. He's too good to be out in the quarterfinals... but the King takes no prisoners. One step closer to the dream final matchup.

[UniquePerspective]

I feel so bad for Dan. He's too good to be out in the quarterfinals... but the King takes no prisoners. One step closer to the dream final matchup.

He's not out yet. $399 is a low score, yes, but if players are in a position where they feel they need to wager everything, it could be good news for Dan.

[SavoyGirl]

I have to brag....Instaget for me for a TS for the superchamps!

It helps that the date cited was about a year after I was born and counting back a year (381 day event) I remembered the historic event that happened the month I was born: Rosa Parks' arrest. So of course it had to do with the Montgomery Bus (not strike!) Boycott.

Of course these FJs during the BotD have been so lethal I probably would have wagered zero

[heelsrule1988]

He's not out yet. $399 is a low score, yes, but if players are in a position where they feel they need to wager everything, it could be good news for Dan.

The four losers tomorrow and Friday have to be lower than $399. Possible? Mathematically, yes... but it's extremely unlikely. The magic of the Mockingjay is over, Dr. J.

[eboettch]

So what degree of specificity do you think they were looking for in the response? Would "Bus boycott" or "Bus boycott in Alabama" or "Rosa Parks' bus boycott" have been deemed acceptable? I guessed (correctly) on the city, but didn't know if I had to or if something more general would be acceptable.

[zakharov]

Were it me I would accept the last two but not the first.

[esrever]

Brad was fantastic, as usual.

I counted 13 non-DD clues that none of the 3 contestants got correct.

Picked up Lach trash: "Slim Whitman", "fixation", "Federal Poverty Level", "coordination of benefits", "San Francisco"
On the rebound I got "Looking For Mr. Goodbar"

Probably not many boardies got "Vauxhall Roadster".

Didn't get FJ. Like the contestants, I guessed a strike.

[econgator]

Probably not many boardies got "Vauxhall Roadster".

I did, but I'm a huge car fan (and Top Gear loved knocking the Vauxhall Astra as a police car).

[zakharov]

Was Lou Reed the most surprising tournament TS so far?

[econgator]

Was Lou Reed the most surprising tournament TS so far?

I had no clue, so ... no.

For me, it's Elizabeth Montgomery.