Thursday, November 16, 2017 Game Recap and Discussion [SPOILERS]

[Category 13]

When Austin found his first DD, he deviated from the strategy that got him there. It was a 2nd row clue with ~80 clues left, this was the perfect time for a TDD.

I've said that in a two game format that today's FJ should be treated as a DD. Buzzy did the right thing without question, I'm not sure what to think about the other two wagers. Definitely a tough spot.

I think Austin recognized the category to be a little more tricky than he expected from the top clue and decided to wager cautiously.
I was surprised at Austins conservative FJ wager as well. Although I would have gone with even less in his spot; 1600 to guarantee at least even standing with Buzzy for game 2.
In Alan's place I think he needed to pad on a little to the 20,000 to give himself a positive advantage in the wagering for the finale.

Lach Trash: Narcan, Jane Fonda, Air Supply, Willie & Julio

[Peter the accountant]

I'm still annoyed that they allowed those papal names without a number. I'm pretty sure I complained last time they accepted 'Benedict' without a number too, so I guess that's just how it works now.

Well, the first clue uncovered in that category was a TS, with Alex giving the answer as "Innocent" with no number. That kind of set the tone for the numbering.

[LeFlaneur]

For FJ I answered " smart phone. "I gotta know, what do y'all think? Acceptable or not?

[opusthepenguin]

For FJ I answered " smart phone. "I gotta know, what do y'all think? Acceptable or not?

Gotta say no. Time's 2007 invention of the year was, specifically, the iPhone, not just smart phones generally. And the criticisms mentioned in the clue were directed specifically at the iPhone.

[Category 13]

I'm still annoyed that they allowed those papal names without a number. I'm pretty sure I complained last time they accepted 'Benedict' without a number too, so I guess that's just how it works now.

I guess. They need to state the rules explicitly if that's the way they want it. I'm with you in the ranks of the annoyed.

My peave for this game was no BMS on Alan's "eclipse". Bad enough Alex gave him a mulligan on the solar part, but the main reason for the population swelling for that event was the rareness of a total solar eclipse.

[lindap]

For some reason, WPXI in Pittsburgh re-ran an episode from last week! I hadn't expected it to be on, thinking there would be a Steelers pre-game show, but I did check to be sure . They did apologize and will air the correct episode at 3AM.

[Foretopman]

Wow. I came for a slugfest, not a trainwreck.

What, a whole category on slugs doesn't count as a slugfest?

[opusthepenguin]

Wow. I came for a slugfest, not a trainwreck.

What, a whole category on slugs doesn't count as a slugfest?

D'oh! I can't believe I didn't recall that category when choosing my words. Complaint retracted. I got a slugfest AND a trainwreck.

[Jasper]

Two quibbles:

1) I am almost certain that slugs do, in fact, eat protists (most of which are non-photosynthetic). Alan's response ("protists") should have been accepted.

2) As regards a pope who served in Hitler's youth brigade, Austin's response was "Benedict." There have been 16 popes who chose the name Benedict. The clue referred to Pope Benedict XVI. Austin's answer was incomplete, and therefore should not have been accepted.

Jasper

[Elijah Baley]

Two quibbles:

1) I am almost certain that slugs do, in fact, eat protists (most of which are non-photosynthetic). Alan's response ("protists") should have been accepted.

2) As regards a pope who served in Hitler's youth brigade, Austin's response was "Benedict." There have been 16 popes who chose the name Benedict. The clue referred to Pope Benedict XVI. Austin's answer was incomplete, and therefore should not have been accepted.

Jasper

But did they ask for any other regnal numbers? JPII was the only one given, right?

[morbeedo]

Instaget FJ, but I was an early adopter

Cringeworthy intro for me, especially after seeing a master class in physical comedy last night at TFANA in Brooklyn: Marcel & The Art of Laughter (a double bill)

Fun game. Surprised by Austin's Kalamata olive miss, but those clues are tricky when the letters don't necessarily come at the beginning of the word

I had weevil, then evil, then nothing. Triple rhyme time = 3 words that rhyme, nothing else needed

I predict Buzzy, Alan or Austin will go home with $250K

[zerobandwidth]

Is it petty of me to point out that I insta-got both of the big clues that Austin didn't? The clue for Kalamata had a near-giveaway TOM with the "'olive' you should know" hint, and when given technology/invention + 2007, "What is the iPhone?" should be a Pavlovian response.

It makes such a huge difference when the players are obviously having fun. We saw it on Buzzy and Austin's regular-season games, we saw it with a few other players lately, but this was something else. When you have Johnny Gilbert cracking up while trying to finish the intro, and Alex Trebek doing the robot dance from "Around the World", you know this is going to be something special.

I get why they had to stop play, have a (off-camera) review, and then issue a double scoring correction, but it completely deflated the players. You could see it in both Buzzy and Austin for the rest of the round; their mojo was dead. Combine that with the super costly DD miss for Austin on Kalamata and tonight's game is basically a push. (Is this the lowest-scored first final game of a ToC since the Great Doubling?) I'm guessing tomorrow's final is going to be a nail-biter from the very beginning.

[RCraig]

For FJ I answered " smart phone. "I gotta know, what do y'all think? Acceptable or not?

Gotta say no. Time's 2007 invention of the year was, specifically, the iPhone, not just smart phones generally. And the criticisms mentioned in the clue were directed specifically at the iPhone.

I would bet that they were instructed to "be specific" during the commercial break to make them realize that smartphone alone wouldn't be accepted.

Lots of nice material in this game, rumspringa, Matewan, Mato Grosso (negged that with Matamoros)...

Looking forward to tomorrow, the wagering should be very interesting considering how close they all are.

[Johnblue]

Well that sucked. Trainwreck indeed. Easy FJ. Lots of LT including Fonda, Popes, Air Supply & Willie & Julio. Let's hope tomorrow is much, much better.

[opusthepenguin]

I notice Alex said 2nd place takes home "at least $100,000" and 3rd place "at least $50,000". But he didn't say "at least" for the first place prize of $250,000. It is technically if not realistically possible to finish with a score over $250,000. (Check my math, but the highest technically possible finish is $566,400. That's with one player getting all clues correct, DDs showing up last in each round in a $200 clue and two $400 clues, and going all in on every bet.) Anyone know if the rules definitely cap 1st place at $250k regardless of actual score? Or does Alex not say "at least" for that amount because we all know no one's going to exceed it?

[hscer]

iPad never occurred to me. If it had, "too big" might have gotten me off iPhone and onto iPad also.

I'm still annoyed that they allowed those papal names without a number. I'm pretty sure I complained last time they accepted 'Benedict' without a number too, so I guess that's just how it works now.

I guess. They need to state the rules explicitly if that's the way they want it. I'm with you in the ranks of the annoyed.

My peave for this game was no BMS on Alan's "eclipse". Bad enough Alex gave him a mulligan on the solar part, but the main reason for the population swelling for that event was the rareness of a total solar eclipse.

"Path of totality" was part of the clue.

[sims]

Buzzy seemed to be getting an unusual number of responses wrong, costing him a bit.
(Went back and counted - Buzzy was first to ring in on 12 clues, Alan 13, Austin 18. Slight advantage to Austin, but pretty even.)

One thing I've noticed about Buzzy (and this is from only seeing his ToC matches, not his regular ones) is that he seems unafraid to neg. Which is a great strategy in quiz bowl, and less good in J! It's probably why I did much better at J! than I ever did at QB.

[Kenny]

Still peeved about not requiring Roman numerals after Popes Urban, and Benedict. Would "Henry" be acceptable for a clue asking for Henry VIII?. Also no BMS on "eclipse"?

Guessed VR on FJ, but now I know any clue with "technology" and "2007" will be Pavlov for iPhone.

[boson]

That was not the best game of any of the finalists. I was in shouting distance of beating their combined Coryat, which I don't think represents what I would expect from them. Nerves must be a big factor.

Alan didn't dominate the buzzer quite as much as his previous matches... until he was behind at the end, and started taking over. If I was the other two I would be worried by that.

I may be watching via reddit tomorrow or Saturday. Need to avoid spoilers!

[mxc_takeshi]

23 right.

Slugs (1), Say (4), Events (2), Celebrity (2), Card (1), Cheesy (1)
Songs (3), Triple Rhyme (1), Gulp (1), "MAT" (2), Pope (4), First-Time Answers (1)

No Lach Trash.

I had Sergio Mendes with Willie Nelson instead of Julio Iglesias.

For FJ, Dad was the first to mention that it might be the iPhone; he remembered news about the anniversary. I agreed with him because I had glimpsed it on the Wikipedia page in the past.

Loved their coordinated intro!