Sigh…it really felt like we came back “home!” We played the first game of the Sporcle Live season Wednesday at the “Corner Brewery” in Ypsilanti, MI (now called Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery to all but the locals).  This is one of our “former” trivia haunts, where we played regularly from 2012 to late 2015.
Shortly after we arrived, a player named Terry R. from league team Your Resume Sucks popped over to our table to say hi to us. “Mind if I sit down,” he asked. I said, “Sure, what’s on your mind?” For a brief second I thought about how “The Fonz” on “Happy Days” would hold meetings in the bathroom at Arnold’s, which he called “his office.” And no, I am not EVEN comparing myself to “The Fonz.” NOBODY is as cool as “The Fonz.” Nobody! But I digress! Yes, I have a strange mind! Terry talked a bit about the recent finals tournament his team played at Doc’s Sports Retreat, saying that it was pretty packed, and read our post about the unpleasantness of our finals tournament at an overly-crowded bar in East Lansing. I told him that I was just glad there wasn’t a fire, and that’s all I’ve gotta say about that! Terry also said he was glad to see us playing at Corner again, and that he enjoys reading our posts about trivia games. Wow, how nice is THIS? Way to roll out the “welcome wagon,” thanks for that 🙂 ! Once everyone else from our team showed up (David, Brad and John, we had just an “Army of Five”), it really seemed like old times! And that more than makes up for our shitty score (really, it does)!
We finished in seventh for the night with 119 points, no prizes, though game two heading into the final was nearly perfect, we missed just the “nerd” point about Halley’s Comet. We know doing regular battle with some of the “megateams” (teams with 10 or more players) here will be a challenge this season as it has been in the past! We also know the “winnability” potential of this place is one of the things making it attractive to us. That, and it’s a short drive – and even walking distance for our players! So many different teams have managed to win coveted finals spots here over the past few years, regardless of standings going into the venue tournaments. Dark horse teams have a chance, just like the many, many high-scoring, heavy-hitting regular teams. We’ve managed to win tournament spots quite a few times by playing here. And that’s one of many reasons we’ve decided to throw our hats in the ring here for another season! Yes, we’re back for at least one season, possibly more (can’t plan THAT far ahead).
And the questions!
Game One
1. Music – In the F major scale, which note is flat? “Good thing we have Lisa Simpson on our team,” quote from Dave, lol…10
2. Sandwiches – A BLAT is similar to a standard BLT but with what added ingredient? Dave nailed this for 9.
3. Commercials – Audio clue of Proactive commercial with guy talking about zits, picked wrong guy, miss for 2.
4. Universities – The University of South Carolina and the University of Missouri are both located in what city with an eight-letter name? Brad stepped in for the win here.
5. Showtime – What Showtime series airing from 2012 to 2016 was based on a book subtitled “The management consultants steal your watch and then tell you the time?” Miss for 1.
6. Royalty – Catherine of Aragon was the daughter of what Spanish queen and king? My first “hit” of the night, but we missed the bonus asking for what number wife she was of Henry the Eighth. We tried rolling a d4 for that answer and it betrayed us!
7. Movie Jobs – What is Evan Almighty’s job in the movie “Evan Almighty?” Miss for 3.
8. Doctors – What type of sporadic uterine contractions, that occur throughout pregnancy, are also known as “false labor,” and named for the English doctor who described them? Dave again for 7.
9. Albums – What singer released a 2010 hit album with a hit single using an expletive as the title? Miss for 4, brain farts all around.
10. Words- What is the six-letter word for excessive admiration of one’s image and also a bathroom cabinet? Also girl group Prince helped out (photo tie in, hey, I said my mind is weird)! Quiz time, – what does the number “six” refer to in this band’s name? 😏

’80s girl band in lingerie. You’re welcome! Like the #10 answer, their band name also had six letters, plus the number “6.” Can you guess what the number “6” represents? Start counting! 🙂

Mystery – Twisted Titles – one letter will be changed to get the correct answer.
1. Team Wayne Gretzky played for in the NHL between the years 1988 and 1996 and a prominent part of a bird
2. The NBA team that plays at Barclay’s Center featuring macademia, almonds, and mixed varieties
3. Southernmost American League East team named for legendary baseball Hall of Famer who played most of his career with the Giants
4. Team Drew Brees is quarterback for and a name for a short term loss of consciousness
Dave and Brad teamed up to get all of these, nice work!
I was in the bathroom when scores were read so did not write down game one scores. We had 56 points, and were (I think) in fifth or sixth place.
Game 1 final category – U.S. States
There are five U.S. states that border an ocean or the Gulf of Mexico whose most-populous city is also its capital. Name three of those five states.
Got them, but so did enough teams ahead of us. Finished game with 76 points.
Game Two
1. Movie Titles – What number is in the movie title of a 1995 film starring Brad Pitt as well as a 2004 film also starring Brad Pitt? Tim said about half the teams wagered their 10-point slips on this, and about half of them got it wrong. We got this for 10.
2. Documentaries – What actress is the main presenter for the documentary series Scientology and the Aftermath, which has aired for two seasons since 2016? John nailed this one for us, 9.
3. Novels – What 1851 novel has 135 chapters, including “Loomings,” “Going Aboard the Quarter Deck” and “The Chase – Third Day?” 8
4. Outer Space – What is the only comet that can be viewed with the naked eye that is likely to be able to viewed at least twice in a person’s lifetime? For an extra “nerd” bonus point, in what year was this comet’s most recent appearance? Missed the bonus (my guess was off by 2).
5. Politicians – Who served as Senate Minority Leader in 1953, Senate Majority Leader in 1955 and later became U.S. president? Me again for the points.
6. Classic TV – What classic actor, who died in 1985, starred in 1950s films including “All That Heaven Allows,” “Giant” and in the 1970s TV series “McMillan and Wife?” Queue up the laugh track, Mike and I were JUST talking about this series the night before! Brad said he used to watch this show!
7. Racing – Name one of the three drivers who were among the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame which opened in 2010? 2
8. Cheese – What type of cheese is mixed with monterey jack to make co-jack cheese? FB clue.
9. Parodies – On “The Simpsons,” the character Rainier Wolfcastle is an action star who is a parody of what real-life actor?

MENDOZA! McBain, played by Rainier Wolfcastle, yelling…

10. Companies – The Universal Fastener Company was launched in 1893 to manufacture a device marketed as a “clasp locker,” which is now known by what name?
Missed just that Halley’s Comet bonus answer. 😦
Visual Round – see picture below

Got all of these, though Dave nearly brainfarted on #2.
We were in first heading into the final with 63 points. SPOILER only four teams would get this final question correct!
Game 2 Final Category – Film Collaborations
Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore have appeared together in three theatrically released films.
At the U.S. box office, one of the films grossed roughly as much as the other two combined. Name those two lower-grossing films.
The one we thought was actually the highest-grossing was actually one of the ones we needed for this! Managed to get one correct.
And I can’t find where I wrote the final standings. Did I even write them down? Ennui got second, that’s all I know, because Kevin said he was all excited about having finished second despite blowing 10 points on the Brad Pitt question! Until next time, which will be (weather permitting) Saturday at Oscar’s Sports Grill in Saline. We have not played here since winning the venue tournament here in November. Been busy. Holidays, work and all that jazz! As always, Go Pods, and stay classy, Lyndon Johnson! Especially when you’re administering the “Johnson Treatment” and talking about – or showing – your “Junior Johnson.” Which was one of the NASCAR answers that gave us a chuckle. Seriously, look up “Johnson Treatment” if you haven’t already. It’s riveting stuff! Nobody was as much of a consummate political animal as Lyndon Johnson! 🤓