We wrapped up the regular Sporcle Live trivia season Saturday at Oscar’s Sports and Grill in Saline and held onto to our venue leader spot. This time we had a trio – myself, Mike and Evan, who texted last minute and said he could come out. We were laid low by a Grammy award mystery round in game one in which we produced a goose egg – and a sports final question in which we only managed to come up with two players needed out of four! But we made a nice game two comeback, winning a first place/$15 gift card on a “film franchises” final question. These “film franchises” have been making the rounds this week – we had a film franchises question on Thursday about “Resident Evil” movies, and Friday’s final question was about the “Child’s Play” movie series! Will the “Police Academy” movie series be next? How about “The Naked Gun?” “Bourne Identity?” “Die Hard?” “Porky’s?” What was the name of the sequel to “Breakin’?” Best sequel name…ever! Now how about the questions? Surely you want to see those awful mystery round questions we failed, don’t you?
Game One
1. Amusement Parks – Attracting three million visitors annually, Knott’s Berry Farm is located in what U.S. state? 10

I knew this answer because of the guy pictured on the right, who got his start in entertainment by performing here. HINT: he is better known for his signature grey/white hair and in addition to being known as a comedic actor and screenwriter,  is also a banjo virtuoso. Isn’t virtuoso a cool word? I had a childhood crush on this guy in his “Wild and Crazy Guy” days, and learning that he was a virtuoso musician didn’t help lessen his cred in my mind! 🙂

2. Comedies – What 1999 teen comedy features characters named Oz, Finch and Stiffler and is set at a western Michigan high school? 9
3. Math – What is the name for the superscript immediately to the right of a number to indicate its power? Very similar to a question we had a couple of weeks ago that we failed…got this for 8.
4. Commercials – What insurance company features basketball player Dikembe Mutombo blocking various shots, including wadded up paper, piles of laundry, etc.? Not confident, got this for 2.
5. Political Scandals – What natural resource was the focus of the Teapot Dome scandal during the Warren G. Harding presidency? Oil, coal, iron or gold? And for an extra “nerd” bonus point, in which decade did this occur? Got this for 5 plus the bonus.
6. Exercises – What type of exercise is named for the handrail used commonly in ballet? Evan and I both came up with this right away, but Mike was not convinced…I said that I took a year of ballet when i was 6, so ergo I was the ranking expert in ballet, lol…This was all part of my parents’ attempt to make me into a “normal” little girl, but me and leotards/ tutus just didn’t get along very well! Got this for 7.

This is the only photo evidence of me that proves that I was ever involved in ballet, that’s my black leotard underneath my T-shirt. The layering of shirts over my leotard – especially my “Star Wars” T-shirt – irritated my ballet instructor no end (poor, poor Miss Janet). This is the only “ballet” evidence I’m willing to share! I will pay top dollar to ensure that no one ever sees the “tutu photos.” I had my hair in a BUN! Check out how Santa’s totally fondling my hip, lol…and how about those filthy gloves?

7. Famous Women – Despite not beginning her career until she was in her 70s, what field was “Grandma” Moses best known for her accomplishments? Multiple choices were given, but I did not write them down, got this for 6.
8. TV Personalities – What “Daily Show” host and comedian wrote the 2007 book “I Am America and So Can You?” FB clue, 4.
9. Australia – Also a type of fish, what is the name of the strait separating Tasmania from Australia? Every team missed this one, we missed for 1.
10. Gardening – What five-letter word describes a material used to help plants retain more moisture? We had 58 points going into the mystery round, which as you already know, we will FAIL! Do you REALLY want to read on? Do you crane your neck on the freeway when there is a grisly accident involving multiple wreckers, jaws of life and at least five ambulances? 🙂
Mystery – Grammy Awards
At the most recent Grammy Awards in 2017, name any of the artists nominated for best pop solo performance besides the winner Adele. Note: Taylor Swift is not one of the answers.
Nope, nope, nope and nope! We did try, though – we actually had answers written on our slip!
Scores: Six teams, scores 29 to 58, with us in first.
Final Category – Sports Team Nicknames
Name four of the five members of the University of Michigan “Fab Five” from the 1992-1993 season.
We only came up with two correct ones. Brad, I’ll bet you would have known them all!
Two teams managed to get it – final scores This is an Outrage, 62; and Team #4, 71.
Game Two
1. Charities – What program founded in the 1940s by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves distributes toys to children over the holidays? 10
2. First Ladies – As of November 11, 2017, who is the oldest living first lady? Had our choices narrowed down to two, and came THIS close to tossing a coin (I keep a nickel in my D&D dice bag to use as a “d2”), but ended up letting our brains figure it out instead, got it for 3. Missed the bonus asking for the woman’s maiden name.
3. The Human Brain – What is the name for the part of the brain nestled in the brain stem that controls breathing, heart rate and blood pressure, among other involuntary functions? Cerebellum, cerebrum, medulla oblongata or the temporal lobe? We picked the correct one that (spoiler) rhymes with a song from “The Lion King.”
4. Businesses – Audio clue for a TV series airing from 2007 to 2012, had to name the rhyming name for its technical support division, miss for 1. The song was “Short Skirt/Long Jacket” by Cake.
5. Home Runs – During the 2017 MLB season, Giancarlo Stanton led the MLB in home runs with 59 of them scored while playing for what National League team? Evan and I teamed up on this one, me remembering that a lot of American League East teams have rhyming names was helpful here, and also helpful that Evan remembered what state this guy plays in, lol…got for 2.
6. Fashion – What 1940s suit style featured wide lapels and wide padded shoulders, among other flamboyant features? 9
7. Musical Movies – What 2007 musical movie was based on songs by The Beatles? Evan all over this one instantly.
8. Slogans – What company, founded in 1903 and known primarily for vehicles, has used slogans including “Ride to Live” and “Live to Ride?” 7
9. Shapes – What food item is a toroid shaped like? Multiple choices given, I did not write them down, Mike was all over this for 6.
10. Games – What children’s game of physical skill features a character named “Cavity Sam?” Overthought this one, miss for 4.
Mystery – Got all of these. Take that, you Grammy mystery round from game one! 🙂

Scores – Seven teams, scores ??? to 58 with us in first again.
Final Category – Movie Series
Since the 2003 film Underworld, there have been four more films released in the series as of 2017. Give the subtitles to two of those four films.
Mike was the star here…thank goodness! I would not have known any of these (and he says he sucks in the Sporcle games…oh how I love when I get to “occasionally” prove him wrong).

Kate Beckinsale doing something bad-ass in one of the “Underworld” films.

Final Standings: team #8, 61; ‘Pods, 75. Until next time, which will be our Wednesday game at the Wurst Bar. Look for a recap of that game on Thursday afternoon! As always, Go Pods, and stay classy, Justin Bieber!