Thursday, July 14, 2011 Game Recap & Discussion [SPOILERS]

[John Boy]

Before I grasped what the "Hybrids" category was looking for, I thought one of the early correct responses might be "Isaac Neutron." Glad I clammed.

I am also hanging my head in shame at blurting out "Tom Landry" for the Dallas coach, not remembering that he was forced into retirement one year earlier than what the clue called for. As a Cowboys fan of many years standing, that was inexcusable.

FJ was pretty much an instaget, combining the year (two years after LBJ left office) and the fact that Austin is the southernmost state capital of the contiguous states. Haven't done very well with FJ lately and was glad to get one.

[Bamaman]

I wonder if Champ just had a brain fart on Belichick. That plus the misspeak on Agamemnon could have made the difference.

I clammed on that one as well. Had Parcells but knew that was wrong.

Janet's DD wager, fairly predictable, but I'm always surprised that it happens. In that position, if you miss and are left with the $2200, are you really going to come back and win? Very unlikely, so you might as well bet it all, right? I'm guessing something about the embarrassment of having $0 in front of you (or is it the prospect of not making FJ?) prevents players from making that all-in bet.

I think she should have bet big as well, but I'd have left $200 behind just to assure being in FJ.

FJ was tough to get wrong -- I can't imagine how much you'd have to spaz to pull that off.

Paging TenPoundHammer.

[MDCSWildcats86]

I should have known that they'd only ask about stadiums where they play that silly Un-American brand of football that is played with the feet.

When he said something like "we'll give you the stadium, you name the country" I knew right away that it would be the "other" kind of football stadia that would be used. After all, there are very few countries that play American style football, Canada and Australia are the only ones that come to mind (and both with regional differences in the rules), it would make a pretty boring category that way. Using <soccer stadiums makes the possibility range (since you're dealing with countries) that much broader.

And I was DISAPPOINTED that no UK stadia (Old Trafford, Ibrox, Emirates, Stamford Bridge) were used.

[Vanya]

Is it Kid's week again?

[mam418]

For the record, the Eisenhower library is in Abilene KS.

Also, the JFK library didn't open until 1977 and the Nixon library didn't join the Presidential library system until 2007. Compared to those, eight years would seem short.

Ah! Surprised it took that long for those libraries! (And think I had a brain fart on Ike, not sure why I thought MO. whoops!)

and creepy c*gar dude is back. ugh. (hadn't heard of him before my win. ew.)

[econgator]

and creepy c*gar dude is back. ugh. (hadn't heard of him before my win. ew.)

He's only back for as long as it takes me to wipe his childish little posts away.

[OrangeSAM]

Judges: Quaker quark on the first clue of the category? Let's assume that I come up with quarker on a be more specific.

I'd say no. The definition of hybrid I think they were leaning on is "the result of mixing elements" and I don't see any mixing going on in "Quaker quark".

[boson]

Judges: Quaker quark on the first clue of the category? Let's assume that I come up with quarker on a be more specific.

Best avatar ever.

I also had Quaker quark for the first one - didn't understand the hybrid thing until we got an example. Without an example the category could be just about anything, so I would hope the judges would be generous on the first guess that had all the elements.

[chuck5982]

I loved the NFL coaches category (precalled Lombardi, I'm a big Packers fan.)

I as well. 5/5 for me. Big Patriots fan here.

[Roadgeek Adam]

Ah! Surprised it took that long for those libraries! (And think I had a brain fart on Ike, not sure why I thought MO. whoops!)

and creepy c*gar dude is back. ugh. (hadn't heard of him before my win. ew.)

Don't worry Mary Anna, he is a nutbar. Considering I have to deal with him on a near-daily basis on another site, where I am trying to get him dump the cyberial cigar crap, the moderation here isn't bad compared.

I only got 4/5, but that's because I missed one. I am a Patriots fan as well, which is pretty rare when you live in Jets territory.

[bomtr]

Is it Kid's week again?

Was wondering the same. An almost unmissable FJ following one of the easiest boards in memory. I was 56/60; clammed on the first hybrid as did the contestants, pending comprehension of the meaning of the category--was it explained at all prior to the revelation of the correct question to the clue?--, don't know from Avenue Q, and fell into the Tom Landry trap. (Don't remember the fourth I clammed, some name I was unfamiliar with, pending Archive posting.)

Not a record, but pretty unusual for a regular game.

[Vanya]

I figured out what they wanted in hybrids from the first clue, altho I might not have if another clue had been revealed first. I think a kid could have figured it out too.

[oddsox]

56/60? Wish I was at that level. coryat was a PR of $34k since I started keeping score a few months ago, so definitely an easy board IMO, but there was plenty of gettable stuff that I'm still missing. Practice makes perfect, I guess.

[alamble]

For the record, the Eisenhower library is in Abilene KS.

Also, the JFK library didn't open until 1977 and the Nixon library didn't join the Presidential library system until 2007. Compared to those, eight years would seem short.

Ah! Surprised it took that long for those libraries! (And think I had a brain fart on Ike, not sure why I thought MO. whoops!)

Perhaps you were thinking of his predecessor, whose Presidential Library is in Missouri?

[BigDaddyJ]

I as well. 5/5 for me. Big Patriots fan here.

I know next to nothing about football, and Belichick is the only coach I knew, and that from living in Indy where he is not well-liked. It seems there have been several high-profile Colts-Patriots games in recent years, so his name comes up frequently in local news, especially the time when he accused the Colts of piping crowd noises into the stadium.

[--Pete]

Hi,

Janet's DD wager, fairly predictable, but I'm always surprised that it happens. In that position, if you miss and are left with the $2200, are you really going to come back and win? Very unlikely, so you might as well bet it all, right? I'm guessing something about the embarrassment of having $0 in front of you (or is it the prospect of not making FJ?) prevents players from making that all-in bet.

Exactly. Fear of having that zero or not making it to FJ are irrational, emotional basis for a decision.

Consider the situation. About 2/3 of the way through DJ. Presently locked out. A wager of 1000 moves you (speaking of the generic 'you') to the edge of the lock out. A loss of that level leaves you in the game, barely. A minimum wager best protects your position. An all in wager can put you solidly back in the running, and you'll probably still go to FJ if you miss and can answer one other clue.

What does a 3000 wager do? If you get it, you aren't substantially better off than had you wagered 1000. If you miss it, you're pretty much locked into 3rd place.

The same for FJ. Why reserve that $1? Especially since a bet of everything (temporarily) ties you for 1st place. It's not like the second place player needs to bet it all and could end up with 0. So, if you get it wrong, you're in 3rd either way. If you get it, you have a chance of coming back if second misses it and first either misses it or bets zero.

We've read in the past how people have practiced for the game. Standing at some improvised podium. Buzzing in on some ersatz buzzer. Possibly even having bright lights in their eyes while they train. Perhaps a suggestion might be to pause the game at DD and FJ and analyze the situation and the potential wagers to develop a better feel for what is rational under different circumstances. Game the game -- realize that trivia is just one aspect.

--Pete

[mam418]

For the record, the Eisenhower library is in Abilene KS.

Also, the JFK library didn't open until 1977 and the Nixon library didn't join the Presidential library system until 2007. Compared to those, eight years would seem short.

Ah! Surprised it took that long for those libraries! (And think I had a brain fart on Ike, not sure why I thought MO. whoops!)

Perhaps you were thinking of his predecessor, whose Presidential Library is in Missouri?

Probably. That's what happens when I write something too quickly and don't think too hard about it.

[NJCondon]

It's fascinating how many people found this board to be easy. The FJ! was a slam-dunk, but I struggled a bit in DJ! and ended up with a very average-looking Coryat.

[heelsrule1988]

Two sports categories. Two sports categories! So what if the stadiums category was basically all about language-detecting... let's not take away my happiness here. TWO FREAKING SPORTS CATEGORIES!!!

[MarkBarrett]

Florida Robert tipped me off about Paul Barbour also being a contestant on WWTBAM? I searched Paul Barbour's name and found a hit on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Who-Wants-Contest ... 1575001829

Anyone have this book? Was J! Paul also on with Regis? How did he do on Millionaire?