The 2011-12 Elbo Room Trivia Tournament FINAL RESULTS!

And after nearly five months of qualifying and hundreds of wings and dozens of pizzas and gallons of beer, we’ve come to this final day.  The final day when the top eight – er, nine – trivia teams compete for the big money.  First place wins $1,500.  Second place wins $500.  Third place wins a kick in the tush from trivia host General James.

And there’s two additional wrinkles to this final round.  After every five questions, there will be a “bet your pot” question.  So there will actually be 23 total questions, not 20, for this final round.

In addition, the winning team – so long as they do not currently have an invitation – will receive an at-large bid to Trivia Bowl.  So this could be the chance for a team like Team Fist or Get That Poison Out or the Haterzz to get a chance for the championship trophy on Saturday.

The teams showed up, and everyone wished good luck and good sportsmanship – as well as some good-natured ribbing and teasing and joking around.  And even though nine teams qualified, only eight teams showed up – the team called “Another Year Sexier” simply didn’t come back to Elbo Room.   Hey… their loss.

So let’s play along.  You are allowed two skips on the night, one “double-chance” option (write down two answers on a non-bonus question, if you’re right you get the points, if you’re wrong you lose twice the points).

First round.

• (2 pts) How may Super Bowls, counting Super Bowl XLVI, has Eli Manning played in?
• (4 pts) What was Bill Murray’s occupation in the film Stripes?
• (6 pts) In what decade did Binion’s Horseshoe Casino first hold the World Series of Poker?
• (8 pts) What European city has an artists area called the Left Bank?
• (10 pts) Where will Super Bowl XLVII be held?

We got the first one right, and then we skipped the second question – neither Jeremy nor Marguerite nor I ever saw Stripes.  Okay, I’m adding it to the Royale With Cheese Movie Club.

Question 3.  I wrote down “1970’s” on the answer slip.

“I don’t think it’s the 70’s,” said Jeremy.

“Okay,” I replied, “what decade do you think it is?”

“I want to say the 1960’s – that’s the time of the Rat Pack and lots of money coming into Vegas.”

Okay, makes sense.  I scribbled out 1970’s and wrote 1960’s.  Handed in the slip.

The answer was 1970’s.  We lost 6 points on the question, and several teams got it right – a 12-point swing in our disfavor.

Question 4.  I wrote down “Paris” on the answer slip.

“I don’t think it’s Paris,” said Jeremy.

“Okay,” I replied, “what city do you think it is?”

“I want to say Prague – to have something called a ‘bank,’ you need a city that has a river that flows through it.”

Okay, makes sense.  I scribbled out Paris and wrote Prague.  Handed in the slip.

The answer was Paris.  We lost 8 points on the question, and several teams got it right – a 16-point swing in our disfavor.  We were already at -12 points after four questions.

Question 5.  I wrote down “New Orleans” on the answer slip.

“I don’t think it’s New Orleans,” said Jeremy.

“Okay,” I replied, “what city do you think it is?”

“I want to say New York, aren’t they scheduled to have the Super Bowl soon?”

Okay, makes sense.  I scribbled out New Orleans and wrote New York.  Handed in the slip.  Are you detecting a pattern here?

Yeah, we were in a very, very bad position.  After five questions, here’s the scores.

Elbo Room Trivia Standings – After 5 Questions

Trivia Team	After 5	Bonus	After 10	Bonus	After 15	Bonus	After 19	FINALS
Team Fist	30
Woo Hoo a Go Go	30
Team Bush	30
Team Schooled	16
Get That Poison Out	2
Skidmarks	-10
Street Academy	-22
The Haterzz	-26

How bad was it?  We weren’t even able to bid in the first “bet your pot” bonus question.  And the chorus of boos and jeers and catcalls when Street Academy’s score was read – it was as loud as Eddie Van Halen at a sound check.

Oh, the first bonus question.  Here it is.

• President Grover Cleveland was born and died in what state?

Well I had the right answer.  But it was worthless.  With no points to bed, all I could do was watch as other teams handed in their answers of New York and Ohio.

The answer, however, was New Jersey.

Nobody with points got it.

Safe bets held on at the end of the first quarter, but it looked something like this.

Elbo Room Trivia Standings – After First Bonus

Trivia Team	After 5	Bonus	After 10	Bonus	After 15	Bonus	After 19	FINALS
Team Bush	30	20
Team Schooled	16	10
Woo Hoo a Go Go	30	9
Get That Poison Out	2	0
Team Fist	30	0
Skidmarks	-10	-10
Street Academy	-22	-22
The Haterzz	-26	-26

Okay.  I looked at Jeremy and Marguerite.  “We have a chance.”

“No we don’t,” J-Mac said.  “I messed up.  I’m sorry.”

“It’s not the end of the world,” I replied.  “We can still do this.  We need to run the table and get some points for the next bonus round.  We can do this.”

So here’s the second batch of questions.

• (2 pts) Who did the halftime entertainment for Super Bowl XLV?
• (4 pts) Snowboarder Sarah Burke was a native of what country?
• (6 pts) What NBA team will move to the Barclays Center next year?
• (8 pts – double bonus) What singer and what comedian appear in the closing scenes of The Hangover?
• (10 pts) How old is Betty White?

I’ll save you the trouble.  Black Eyed Peas, Canada, the Nets, Wayne Newton and Carrot Top, and 90.  Okay, we didn’t know Carrot Top, but the most important thing was – we now had points for the second round of betting.

Elbo Room Trivia Standings – After 10 Questions

Trivia Team	After 5	Bonus	After 10	Bonus	After 15	Bonus	After 19	FINALS
Woo Hoo a Go Go	30	9	57
Team Bush	30	20	50
Team Fist	30	0	38
Team Schooled	16	10	36
Get That Poison Out	2	0	30
Skidmarks	-10	-10	28
Street Academy	-22	-22	8
The Haterzz	-26	-26	-36

The second bonus question was up for call.

• What television drama series has a theme song called “Cosy in the Rocket?”

At that point in time, Marguerite Roth nearly leaped over the table to give me the answer.  “It’s Grey’s Anatomy.  Write down Grey’s Anatomy.”

Seriously?  I mean, seriously?

Marguerite was invoking a lot of “I know what it is and I’m 150 million percent sure” vibes.

Besides, we bet 8 points.  I scribbled down Grey’s Anatomy and handed it to the host.

And General James read the answer – the song was by someone named Psapp – and it was indeed Grey’s Anatomy.  And lo and behold – only one team got it right.

Guess who.

Elbo Room Trivia Standings – After Second Bonus

Trivia Team	After 5	Bonus	After 10	Bonus	After 15	Bonus	After 19	FINALS
Woo Hoo a Go Go	30	9	57	44
Team Bush	30	20	50	30
Team Fist	30	0	38	18
Team Schooled	16	10	36	18
Skidmarks	-10	-10	28	18
Street Academy	-22	-22	8	16
Get That Poison Out	2	0	30	10
The Haterzz	-26	-26	-36	-36

We had our second wind.  Now it was time to get some air in our lungs.

Third batch of questions.  Here they are.

• (2 pts) In the game Words With Friends, what vowel is worth more than one point?
• (4 pts) Who lives at 221B Baker Street?
• (6 pts) What fictional lawyer works at the law firm of Cage and Fish?
• (8 pts – quadruple bonus) – What four films feature Jack Black as Dewey Finn, Carl Denham, J.D. McNugget and a guy named Barry?
• (10 pts) In what decade did Ralph Lauren release the first Polo shirts?

We didn’t know the Cage and Fish attorney – Ally McBeal – and we only knew the Jack Black films School of Rock and King Kong, not knowing Saving Silverman or High Fidelity.  And we doubled down on the Ralph Lauren question – guessing 70’s and 60’s – and nailing it with a correct answer of the 1970’s.

Elbo Room Trivia Standings – After 15 Questions

Trivia Team	After 5	Bonus	After 10	Bonus	After 15	Bonus	After 19	FINALS
Woo Hoo a Go Go	30	9	57	44	74
Team Bush	30	20	50	30	66
Team Schooled	16	10	36	18	56
Team Fist	30	0	38	18	54
Street Academy	-22	-22	8	16	48
Get That Poison Out	2	0	30	10	46
Skidmarks	-10	-10	28	18	40
The Haterzz	-26	-26	-36	-36	-32

Then came the third bonus question, and it was in the category of sports.

• What NFL football team won Super Bowl XX?

Think, Chuck.  Think think think.

Ding.

Scribble.

Hand it up.

Yep. It was the Chicago Bears.

Elbo Room Trivia Standings – After Third Bonus

Trivia Team	After 5	Bonus	After 10	Bonus	After 15	Bonus	After 19	FINALS
Street Academy	-22	-22	8	16	48	93
Team Fist	30	0	38	18	54	84
Team Bush	30	20	50	30	66	81
Woo Hoo a Go Go	30	9	57	44	74	80
Team Schooled	16	10	36	18	56	76
Get That Poison Out	2	0	30	10	46	66
Skidmarks	-10	-10	28	18	40	20
The Haterzz	-26	-26	-36	-36	-32	-32

Look at that.  Street Academy went from negative 22 points to the lead.

The next batch of questions got kinda rough for us, though.

• (4 pts) Who did New England beat in their first Super Bowl victory?
• (6 pts) Who released a 2006 album called Live Trucker?
• (8 pts – triple) After passing Jail / Just Visiting in Monopoly, what are the next three spaces on the board?
• (10 pts) How many colors are in the flag of South Africa?

We thought the Patriots defeated the Eagles, but apparently it was the Rams.  Oops.  And we only got two of the three properties in Monopoly – it was St. Charles Place and the Electric Company, but we said Virginia Avenue was the next one (it was actually States Avenue).  And nobody got the correct number of colors in the flag of South Africa – we said 4, apparently there’s 6 colors.

Elbo Room Trivia Standings – After 19 Questions

Trivia Team	After 5	Bonus	After 10	Bonus	After 15	Bonus	After 19	FINALS
Woo Hoo a Go Go	30	9	57	44	74	80	104
Street Academy	-22	-22	8	16	48	93	101
Team Bush	30	20	50	30	66	81	97
Team Fist	30	0	38	18	54	84	94
Team Schooled	16	10	36	18	56	76	94
Get That Poison Out	2	0	30	10	46	66	74
Skidmarks	-10	-10	28	18	40	20	26
The Haterzz	-26	-26	-36	-36	-32	-32	-20

The final question – the final category – was on the subject of “Men.”

Great.  It could be anything.  In what year did “Two and a Half Men” debut?  In what year did “It’s Raining Men” debut?  How many men does it take to make a minyan?

The final question was read.

“Of all the men who have been named People Magazine‘s “Sexiest Man Alive,’ how many of them are no longer alive?”

The three of us huddled.  “I’m pretty sure it’s John F. Kennedy Jr. and Heath Ledger,” I replied.

“Are you sure there isn’t anybody else?” Jeremy asked.

“No,” I replied.  “I’m pretty sure it’s Heath Ledger and JFK Jr.”

We had bet enough to at least lock out third place and get the $500 second place prize.  We wrote down “2” on the answer slip and handed it in.

Now we wait.

Before General James read the answers, he asked everyone to give a round of applause to Jemilla and The Haterzz, who although they didn’t get above negative numbers in the finals, they did play their way into the tournament and earned their spot.  The round of applause was heartfelt and true.

Then came the answers for the seven teams still in the fight.  Skidmarks – Team Bush – Team Schooled and Street Academy – all said two.  Get That Poison Out said three.  Woo Hoo a Go Go and Team Fist each said one.

General James read the list of the dead.  “There’s Patrick Swayze…”

Three groans from our table.  We forgot about Patrick Swayze.

“And John F. Kennedy, Jr…”

And Heath Ledger.  Say Heath Ledger, General.  Put us out of our misery for getting it wrong.

“And that’s it.  Patrick Swayze and JFK Jr.  Two dead sexiest men alive.  And Street Academy is the winner!!”

YES!!

One year after the worst defeat I’ve ever experienced in a trivia tournament, one year after the biggest mistake of my life in a trivia tournament, we played our way back in, and we came back from the largest deficit ever in an Elbo Room tournament – and won the $1,500 jackpot!!!

And Team Bush actually picked up second place, so congratulations to Kit and his crew!  And with winning second place, they get the automatic invite to Trivia Bowl that would have gone to the first place team – if the first place team wasn’t already going, ha ha!

But something was still bugging me.  Wasn’t Heath Ledger also on that list?

Since the game was already over, Marguerite looked up the list of People’s Sexiest Men Alive on her jewel-bedazzled cell phone.  And surprisingly, Heath Ledger wasn’t on that sexiest man alive list.  Hugh Jackman was, though – maybe I had my Aussies mixed up.

No matter.

Elbo Room Trivia Standings – FINAL

Trivia Team	After 5	Bonus	After 10	Bonus	After 15	Bonus	After 19	FINALS
Street Academy	-22	-22	8	16	48	93	101	197
Team Bush	30	20	50	30	66	81	97	187
Get That Poison Out	2	0	30	10	46	66	74	43
Skidmarks	-10	-10	28	18	40	20	26	25
Woo Hoo a Go Go	30	9	57	44	74	80	104	5
Team Schooled	16	10	36	18	56	76	94	4
Team Fist	30	0	38	18	54	84	94	0
The Haterzz	-26	-26	-36	-36	-32	-32	-20	-20

So let me take this moment and wholeheartedly thank my Elbo Room trivia teammates Jeremy McNamara and Marguerite Roth, and to shake the hands of the other teams who played well throughout this entire tournament.   And next Thursday, there will be a party at Elbo Room, complete with Budweiser and the Bud Light girls and bar swag and the works – as well as the presentation of the winning prize money.  And a $100 “winner take the Benjamin” game.

As Bart Scott says… “Can’t wait!!”